CHAPTER THREE

Just before the Professor and his team got the signal to transport, he got a message from the Director.

"Is there a problem?" Candy asked.

"They have already made their first move, and it is a big one. We are going to hit the ground running, The Professor replied.

The moment they arrived; the Professor pulled Agent Young off to the side.

"I don't know how far along you two are in acquiring transportation, but these guys have accelerated their timetable. So, we needed twentieth century looking ground and air transportation with our century weapons and defensive capabilities, and we need them within twenty-four hours."

"You have to be joking. We have the transportation and have begun simple modifications, but to bring them up to what you're talking about in twenty-four hours is impossible!" Young responded

The Professor did not say a word, but just continued to stare at Agent Young.

"Alright Professor, they will be ready."

He hurried off to locate his partner and tell him of the accelerated timetable. A few minutes later he returned to the Professor.

"We are going to need some more supplies." Agent Young told him.

"That is fine take Agents Marks and Robinson with you, we won't need them until after you get back. Just remember, twenty-four hours!"

After the four of them left the Professor began to give Agent Franks and Speed directions.

"Besides the clearance passes you have acquired for us, and the normal communication system for our team, we are going to need the following."

The Professor sent his list to Agent Franks computer.

"Wow okay, we will start on it right away!"

As soon as they established a link that tied into the C.I.A. and the F.B.I. computers, the reports about the disappearance of John Glenn began to pour in.

"Help them keep a lid on this the more we can keep this news from getting out, the less mess we will have to clean up later." The Professor stated.

Twenty-four hours later, the Professor, Candy and Larry were being driven by Marks, and Robinson in a shiny black Lincoln limousine.

"Are all the weapons and defenses operational?" The Professor asked.

"Yes, but there was not enough time to test them fully." Marks replied.

"Let's hope the first test is not on this run," the Professor stated.

The security passes that Agent Franks fabricated got the car group past the security gate and straight into the Flight Directors office.

"Who are you?" The Flight Director asked.

"You are not F.B.I." The Flight Director added, as he stood up from behind his desk.

"That is correct. We are special agents to the President. President Kennedy did not want to alert those he suspects to be behind this that he was aware of what they were up to. He felt we could operate more under the radar and get the answers necessary to end this crisis quickly.

"I am certainly happy to hear that. As I am sure you are aware, there are very few that know of Mr. Glens disappearance."

The Flight Director paused a lit up a cigarette.

"This job was stressful enough before, now with this sudden disappearance, the stress has gone out the roof."

He paused again and took several drags off the cigarette.

"Okay gentlemen and lady, I am ready for your questions."

"I have no questions that I don't already know the answers to. What I do ask is that you contact me with any demands that you might get. Yes, your phone will be tapped, but I am sure those that have Mr. Glen will know that and will figure out a more secure way of communicating with you. I also recommend that you triple your security around this facility. I suspect that this entire project could go up in smoke otherwise," the Professor stated.

When they got back in the car, Agent Marks spoke up.

"I don't know what you said in their Professor, but not long after you entered the building, six gorillas in pin striped suits opened their violin cases and used their semi-automatic weapons to try to make spaghetti out of the car."

"Are you alright?" Candy asked.

"We are fine, the shielding protected the car from their weapons, however I do believe that we raised more than a few eyebrows at the display."

"Yes, I am sure you are right, bullet proof cars were not a thing in this era. I suspect that we will run into a lot more of their type before this is all said and done.

"Now what?" Marks asked.

"Take a drive around the rocket assembly area. Franks, scan for any time transport signatures. If it is Cote that is the master mind behind this, he is a brilliant planner, but tends to hire sloppy help. My guess is he transferred Glenn out of his training area and into a holding facility. We should be able to trace the transfer beam."

"Professor doesn't our J.L.M. filters cover that up, even if we are sloppy?" Marks asked as he started the car.

"Yes, but those were not installed till years after these guys left, and unlike other technology that from time to time went missing from our inventory, J.L.M. filters are not one of them.

"So, we find the signal, beam in, and get out before they can stop us?" Candy asked.

"No, think about it agent. This would first signal that we are here; second, there certainly must be more to the plan besides kidnapping; and third, if we finish the job to quickly, I will not have a chance to visit one of the few beaches, that at this time still allowed you to drive on it. "the Professor said with a big smile.

None in the car had any clue what the Professor was talking about. It did not take long for Franks to pick up and trace the signal that they had used,

"He is in a warehouse about twenty miles up the coast from here," Franks said as he pulled up several images of the location and security surrounding the place.

"Well Mr. Cotes has a higher budget this time, those defenses he is using, doesn't come cheap."

"Professor, what are those?" Franks asked pointing to several places on the image.

"G. spouts," Candy mumbled.

"What?" Larry asked.

"G spouts, I ran across them two cases ago on the Morton fiasco."

"I remember that case, it took you a long time to get over that one." Larry commented.

"I will never get over that case, there are some things you never forget. I know we were all taught that in training, but this was my first at experiencing that fact,"

She paused for a moment and took a deep breath,

"G spouts are illegal nucleophile chemical weapons. The agency had thought they had destroyed all known to exist until that case. We destroyed all those as well, but apparently there is someone still around that knows how to make them."

She paused again.

"There is not a slower more painful way to die then to be hit with one of those. I will never forget the way three agents suffered before they died."

"I am sure that these guys have all sorts of cruel jokes in mind for us," the Professor stated.

"Jokes? Professor how could anyone consider a G. spout a joke, cruel or otherwise?" Candy asked.

"Agent Smith, the original design of the G. spout was a lot weaker. Its purpose was to make its victim lose control over some of their muscular abilities. Basically, to look stupid and easy to defeat. The agencies fear about this weapon came true on the mission you went on. Morton found a way to increase the power of the weapon tenfold. I am sure Cote is bent on making us laughingstock, not destroying us. None the less we will need to exercise caution." The Professor warned.

"Speaking of caution Professor, come take a look at this."

The Professor went over to Oswald's screen.

"We have modified the transportation, both offensively and defensively, modified our personal weapons and shields, but I don't think we have anything to match that." He said pointing to his screen.

The Professor enlarged certain portions of the screen.

"Those little gems have all the markings of a Neying program."

"Professor, he died back in the Demonte case." Agent Speed commented.

"I believe the official report stated that he was presumed dead." Candy stated.

"I am telling you agents, if you look at these points here, here, and here, there is no doubt who set this up," the Professor stated.

"That may be true Professor, but those tanks over there are straight out of this century, and if my history is correct, those symbols on them are Russian.

"Why would Cote want to start a major war?" Larry asked.

"The possibilities are endless, but my guess would be one of these three reasons."

The Professor pulled up a program that showed the three most likely reasons behind the moves that Cote's group were making.

After a quick study, the Professor pointed to the middle reason.

"This is the one, quick, it does not look like we have much time to prepare."

"Professor, how can you be sure that this is there plan?" Candy asked.

"This is the only plan that all players would derive some direct benefit from. Cote' is not known for paying his group members well. The ones on this team do not come cheap, so he would have to throw in some direct "payments." This plan allows for that."

The Professor paused a moment.

"Tell me agents, how would Neying benefit from starting a war in this century that never happened? Tell me Larry, what do you think?"

"Well, he certainly is all about explosives and the progression of their development...and human history has proven over the years that the more wars that take place the more the technology improves, and the more advanced weaponry becomes. Professor, is he really that sick that he would have millions die over the decades, just to get better weapons in his time?" Larry asked in disbelief.

"Yes, sadly he is," the Professor replied.

"So, Candy, what would you say that was in this plan that Gitdom would benefit from?" The Professor asked.

"Not only would this give him a sick laugh, but it looks by the way some of this is put together, his name and trade mark will be left for all to see, and this would boast his trade value for future jobs."

"Exactly!"

"Malkin could cash in on all the currency changes that would have to take place to finance a war of this size. Of course, the grand Prize winner would be Cotes. The feather in his cap would be not having the TimeLine Agents being able to stop him."

The Professor thought for a moment.

"This is going to call for a change in strategy, the case is a little more complex than we first thought and must be handled with the upmost care. Every detail must be checked and double checked, otherwise we may not have a future to go back to."

This was a fact on every assignment a TimeLine agent went on, However, this time, the number of lives that could be changed or erased numbered into the tens of millions.