The Hunter, The Dragon And The Smokey Mountain Angel
Chapter 13

“What the hell is going on,” demanded General Troy

No one answered as the analysts sitting in the dark room stared at the wall of video screens filled with Julia Anderson’s face plastered across the prime time news.

“I thought that operator was still in the hospital somewhere.”

The people in the room remained silent.

The door to the right slid open and a tall woman with dark hair, a wristwatch and glasses walked in. She wore a dark blue tailored suit revealing just enough of her figure to be attractive but not enough to be distracting. The general looked away from her and back at the TV screens in front of them. He shook his head and said, “Method, of all the places on Earth for her to end up...”

Method continued walking silently until she stood next to the general. She reached down and touched the screen next to him. A few names appeared and she waited. Moments later, one of the computer screens replace Julia’s face with the data readout she had requested. She said, “This has happened since our friend increased its activities. This is the answer to our anomalies. It seems that it’s been guiding or interfering with our internal operations after all.”

The general parted his lips but his teeth remain locked shut, then he said, “I guess there is more to our friend than I suspected.”

Method paused for a moment then began stringing together other anomalous events that had begun since the last known contact with Julia Anderson. Method spoke to the computer aloud, “Roger.”

A holographic face appeared above the screen. The overall likeness was of a balding man who was wearing glasses. The rest if the AI’s hair was long and Method noticed that it was not within Air Force regulation. Roger replied, “Hello Method, it’s nice to see you again. How may I serve you?”

Method said, “Given the information I pointed out here,” she pointed to the string of events she had just linked together, “Give me the probability of our friend interfering with our systems.”

With a very human gesture, Roger looked down where Method had pointed. He said, “Our friend is locked in a field of blue energy, which none of our sensors can penetrate. I assume the creature cannot penetrate the confines of his prison either.”

The general’s jaw relaxed and he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Method remained silent as the general looked at one of the screens Julia Anderson’s face was on. He said, “Thank God you’re wrong.”

Method did not reply and the general raised his eyebrows. He said, “Even Roger doesn’t agree with you…”

Method looked at Roger and then back at the General. She said, “But if I’m right and our friend is responsible… If our friend can manipulate people, penetrate our networks and then erase its tracks then I’m not sure which of the two visitors we should be more cautious of.”

General Troy’s eyes glazed and he said, “I saw what little data we could get from that ship’s computer. That creature’s just a giant pet captured God knows where. I know who our enemy is.”