 
The Weathermakers

by Beau Cornerstone

Copyright 2013 by Beau Cornerstone

Published by Beau Cornerstone at Smashwords

4th Edition

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Other ebooks for young adults by Beau Cornerstone

Book 2: The Codetalkers

For younger readers - History Changers: Expedition 2022

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Other ebooks in the series

References and further reading

Preamble

I could feel the darkness engulfing me.

"Keep your head down Maya!" ordered Jake from somewhere nearby.

I spluttered for breath... Clawed at the blackness as though it were a curtain I could tear apart.

"I can't handle this for much longer Jake! I'm full-on claustrophobic when it comes to small, dark places."

"Listen Maya... if you don't keep your head under here I'm gonna... I'm gonna kiss you. So unless you want a kiss you'd better keep your head tucked in. Ya hear?"

I obediently complied. Rendered speechless by the bizarre threat.

"It'll subside any moment now. Just keep calm..."

Keep calm? I'm fighting claustrophobia in the middle of an earthquake, in a pitch black cave with a 17 year old brainiac who's just threatened to kiss me if I raise my head!

How had I got myself into this mess anyway? And would Zac be able to get me out of it?

**Chapter 1**

**It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness** _._

-Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

"Make seeing eyes blind Jireh," arrow-prayed Zac, as the queue in front of him shuffled closer to the baggage inspection area.

The customs officer looked uncomprehendingly at the images on the screen as Zac's bags passed through and then directed his attention to their owner.

"So... Professor Canney. The purpose of your visit to Western Australia is to conduct a series of workshops..."

"...in geophysics and scalar technology," finished Zac.

"Right. What are all these electronic gadgets with tags on them anyway?"

"Support materials. I'm here to interact with some of the brightest young minds in Australia. I want my workshops to be inspiring, not something the participants fall asleep in."

"Your itinerary indicates you'll be spending time in the north-eastern Goldfields as well as Perth..."

"I'm undertaking geophysical fieldwork in the Goldfields region with select Australian students... That part of my stay has largely been organised for me by others though, so I'm not exactly sure of the finer details."

"That's fair enough. Everything seems to be in order here... Enjoy your stay in Western Australia Professor."

"Thanks," replied Zac, flashing a near genuine smile. "I have a hunch it's gonna be a memorable visit."

Ω

"What are you doing Maya?"

I stopped momentarily in the act of eating, and looked up at my interrogator with feigned innocence.

"Consuming preservatives," I replied, biting into a choc-chip muffin.

"The quake you're supposed to be covering is a thousand kilometres that-a-way."

Frank pointed east with his thumb as if hitching a ride.

"There isn't any hurry. It'll be a boring non-event."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Only one quake's ever been recorded in the Laverton area – back in 1993. And consensus of opinion has it that was probably just a meteor strike anyway."

"There was a quake in Kalgoorlie in 2010..."

"Probably triggered by the expansion of the Superpit."

Frank looked about five seconds away from detonation.

"I've got a gut feeling it's a scoop..."

Instant attention.

"Why didn't you say so? When's the flight leave?"

"10:30."

"Accommodation?"

"Jody couldn't raise reception in the only hotel in town, but it's unlikely to be booked out."

Frank's grin spawned lines of amusement around the corners of his eyes as I rushed around.

"Works every time!" he chuckled, as I tore out the door.

Ω

Jake glanced at the photo he had been sent and almost immediately spotted Zac. He wasn't hard to miss, because he had the physique of a basketball player and an energetic stride which set him apart from the other travel-weary arrivals.

"Professor Canney..."

"Yeah. Gidday. But call me Zac."

Jake grasped the extended hand, trying not to feel overwhelmed.

"Um... Our connecting flight... We have to go to the domestic airport. Do you mind taking the shuttle bus? We can get a taxi if you mind."

"The shuttle bus will be just fine."

Zac loaded his bags and boarded the bus. He stretched himself out on the back seat and casually took in his surroundings. He could sense the young student staring at him in blunt appraisal but chose to overlook his lack of etiquette. Eventually the silence became too much for Jake.

"You're not like I thought you'd be," said Jake cautiously.

"You're just like I thought you'd be!" retorted Zac with a grin. "How about we push through this awkwardness and you tell me about yourself?"

"Um... I'm Jacob. Um... Jake."

"And your specialty?"

"Postgrad studies in planetary physics."

"That's what you're studying. But what's your passion?"

"My passion?"

"What do you spend your free time thinking and dreaming about?"

A nervous laugh.

"Um... Tesla mostly... What are you passionate about Sir?"

"Weather manipulation... earthquake engineering... and what the Creator of this planet thinks about us... Although not necessarily in that order."

"You're not passionate about women?"

Jake's face instantly expressed his mortified embarrassment.

"Sorry Sir. I can't believe I just asked you that!"

Zac relaxed him with a grin.

"There's a time and season for everything under the sun Jake. Including making passionate love to a woman. But it'd take one gutsy woman to keep up with me at the moment. So for now I'm teaming up with bright young men like you."

"Rad...You are so un-Professor-like!" replied Jake, as they got off the bus.

"And you're finally starting to sound real around me. Here... Give me a look at that paperwork you've been clutching onto for dear life and let's find our charter flight to Laverton, eh?"

Ω

"Are you saying there isn't a single hire car left at this tin-pot airport so I can get myself into town?"

I was travel somnolent and the gum-chewing receptionist was pushing me over the edge. Possibly because she was wearing a badge that said, 'I'm not deaf - I'm just not listening to you.'

"We had a run on hire cars this morning. I've made an arrangement with a local mine. They're making some of their fleet vehicles available for hire to address the shortfall. I can offer you one of those when they arrive."

"When will they arrive?"

"After tonight's shift change. About 5 pm."

"You mean I have to wait five hours?"

An indolent shrug from the receptionist.

"Don't just sit there doing nothing! Get on the phone and do something about this, will you?"

"I called Avis earlier. They can't send more cars up here for two days. They're short in Kalgoorlie themselves and they've got to get extras trucked from Perth or somethin'."

"Why can't I hire that Landcruiser baking out near the runway that says AVIS RENTAL on its door?"

I bit the question off querulously.

"It's pre-booked. For the blokes that came in on the charter behind your domestic a few minutes ago."

"Can't you tell whoever pre-booked the Cruiser that you've accidentally hired it out and make them wait until tonight for a mine-site vehicle?"

"No she can't do that because we'd know she was fibbing."

I hadn't heard anyone walk in behind me but I liked the smile in his voice. I turned around and decided I liked how he looked too. Broad shoulders and statuesque abs hidden by a khaki polo shirt, cargo pants and sturdy hiking boots. A studious-looking geek was trailing him. Mr Greek-statue gently nudged me out of the way.

"Hey! I was in front of you!"

Zac ignored my protest and grinned at the receptionist. She sucked in a breath of recycled, refrigerated air and tried to smile back.

"Here. Let me autograph the paperwork so we can whisk the lady in front of us out of your life, eh?"

The receptionist looked mega relieved.

"You're offering me a ride into Laverton... er... Professor Canney?" I said deciphering his scribbled signature.

"We'll even take your bags for the ride."

He picked up my two heaviest bags like they were empty. I shouldered the remainder of my bags and walked outside. His weedy offsider clumsily pushed their luggage further forward so I could cram my bags into the Cruiser behind theirs. I only just managed to close the rear door of the 4WD.

"Half of my luggage is work-related. I pride myself in travelling lightly for a woman actually."

Twinkling eyes dissolved my defensiveness.

"Have you been to Laverton before?"

"No."

"Neither have we. I took note as our aircraft approached final though. Town's that direction..."

Ω

I climbed down out of the Landcruiser. My three inch heels sank into an inch of red dust. He pretended not to notice.

"Thanks for the ride."

"That's okay. Jake and I were interested in looking around anyway."

I scrutinized what was supposed to be the centre of town. Eight buildings in all. Two of them were obviously disused.

"There's not much to see."

"I agree it's a blink-and-you-miss-it town. On the surface anyway."

"Oh well. Perhaps I'll catch up with you later. Since there's only one hotel in town."

"Actually we're staying out of town. Towards Leonora."

"You brought me into town when you were heading the other direction?"

"Hey, someone had to rescue that teenager at airport reception. That donger might've turned into a crime scene if you two were forced to hang out in it together for five hours!"

"Stupid gum-chewing kid. She wouldn't last two minutes as a receptionist in the city."

"I thought she was rather resourceful actually. Arranging alternative hire vehicles from a local mine-site until Avis get their act together. Not to mention she stayed polite around someone with 'tude like you!"

I laughed and bear-cuffed him. He ducked easily and steadied me as my heels sank another inch into the dust. An immoderate belly laugh from him. I couldn't bite back.

"We'll be in the area for a bit. Jake and I might see you 'round."

His farewell grin left me feeling weak at the knees, making balancing on my heels even more difficult. I stood there waving like a teenager with a crush. He wound up the Cruiser's window and slowly drove out of my life.

**Chapter 2**

**Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood** _._

-Marie Curie (1867-1934)

The ball of my Adam's Apple was protruding in spite of trying to keep my cool.

"How can the only hotel in town have no vacancies?"

"It hasn't happened for years luv, but we've had a sudden run on rooms," said a cheery woman who'd identified herself as Cheryl. "A party of Japanese tourists arrived earlier. Booked out every room in the hotel and paid in advance for their stay."

"My office tried calling you to book me a room this morning."

"Sorry luv. Mustn't have heard the phone. To tell the truth I've been flat tack all day fixing rooms upstairs we never normally use because of the Jap chaps."

"I s'pose they all rocked up in hired Avis cars," I said snarkily.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess... Listen I'm a journalist. I wanted to interview a few locals who witnessed last night's earthquake. Is there anywhere else in town I can bed down?"

"Not in town. But there's a B & B outta town... Actually if you want to interview people about the quake, Banja Station would be a better base anyway, 'coz it's closer to the epicentre."

"How do you know where the epicentre was?"

"I was in the pub at the time. The quake just shook everyone's stubbies here in town. It bloomin' well knocked 'em off the tables out at Murrin Murrin and Mulga Queen. Just like last time."

"This Banja station," I ventured. "Has it been booked out by Japanese tourists as well?"

"Doubt it. I was chatting to Jen earlier today - making sure she was okay after the quake. She mentioned in passing she's got a small group of young blokes arriving in dribs and drabs today but I'm pretty sure they're Aussies. Studying geology and physics. Want me to ask if she's got a spare bed for you?"

"Thanks."

I watched my substitute personal assistant pick up a radio mic in mild disbelief.

"You actually still use that antiquated radio gear for communication?"

"'Course. It's free. You can chat as long as you like on H.F. Generally more reliable too. Sat phones don't work half the time... Hey Jen... Dave... Got your ears on? It's Cheryl..."

Ω

"There you go. Your accommodation problem's fixed luv."

"Thanks. The all-male company in the singlemen's quarters sounds interesting..."

"Sounds more like they're boring brainiacs, but if they get too much for you, just let Jen know. She'll clobber 'em into line with a bit of 4x2."

Cheryl's bubbly nature finally woke up a weak smile in me.

"I forgot to ask... is it hard to get to this station?"

"That depends on your driving skills... Actually that's right. You haven't got wheels 'til tonight have you?"

"Don't remind me," I blistered.

"Hmmm... Tyson's doing the grocery drop out that way this arvo. Let me check with Marj to see if he's left yet."

Cheryl waddled over towards the counter and pressed a button.

"An intercom?"

"The town's postmaster set it up years ago, so everyone on the main street could talk to each other for free. Ol' Laney reckoned he couldn't stand everyone yelling at each other from their respective balconies."

"Right," I said, pushing away the feeling that I'd been picked up by an unseen hand and dropped back in time about forty years...

Ω

Tyson's ute had seen better days. She had non-existent shockies – the attachment studs that held them in place had long since sheared off. She didn't need a key to start her – just a screwdriver in the ignition. Her exhaust was also non-existent, so she sounded like a dozen Harleys. And being a Ford, both door handles were broken. Not surprisingly, the driver's door wouldn't open from the inside either.

I watched Tyson ease his 6'4" frame in through the ute's window, and then slid in beside him. Tyson grinned at me approvingly. I had a hunch he was enjoying the opportunity to be taxi driver as well as delivery driver.

The ute took off, leaving a cloud of blue smoke behind it. I pulled out my mobile with the intention of sending Frank an unladylike text about the assignment he'd lumped me with.

Fab. No network coverage. And we were still in town.

Tyson glanced at my iPhone.

"That one of those new-fangled GPS's?"

"Er... no. It's a phone. Although there's a GPS app on it."

"Right."

His expression suggested he had no idea what an app was.

"Do you need to make a phone call before we head out of town?"

"No. It can wait."

"Well if you need to make any STD calls while you're here, use the public phone outside the Post Office."

"Why?"

"The coin box is full. Which means that all calls from the phone are free until someone comes up from Kalgoorlie to empty it... You can even call overseas free at the moment."

"Thanks. I'll keep it in mind..."

Ω

Miraculously the ute made it out of town. It was air-conditioned. Naturally. Tyson had wound down my window with a pair of pliers before we left Laverton. Honey blonde hair whipped around my face in the warm breeze. I tried to ignore the dust from the carpet blowing around in the cab. A few minutes into the trip, Tyson swung wildly over to the wrong side of the road.

"What are you doing?" I gasped.

"Emus. Didn't you see 'em?"

I swung around and peered through the dusty rear window. Sure enough. Half a dozen emus were casually striding across the road like they owned it. Tyson grinned and slowly drifted back to the correct side of the road. He reached out and switched on the radio. A woman with a monotone voice was interviewing some truckies about their distance driving adventures... She was asking one of them to elaborate on an incident one time where he was being chased by min-min lights, but it was hard to follow the interview due to the combination of road noise, engine noise and radio static.

I stared off at the distant horizon.

When I next see you Frank, you are so dead.

Ω

Zac and Dave greeted each other with cordial nods.

"It sounds like you live in an interesting part of the planet. Another sighting last night you say?"

"Yep. First there was a pulsed roaring engine sound. Then the fireball. Orange-red, spherical with no tail. Next an explosion near ground level. Then a high energy burst of rippling white light. Made everything look like daylight for a few secs. After that a really loud explosion. And finally the earthquake that registered 4.2 on the Richter scale."

"How'd your equipment fare?"

"Everything in my workshop's fine. It's basically one big walk-in Faraday cage although I disconnected my antennas as an extra precaution to protect my gear."

"Talking of communications gear, that reminds me," piped up Jen. "Cheryl called us on the H.F a while ago. The hotel in town's chockers, so she's sending someone out our way who needs accommodation. They're catching a ride out here with Tyson. Rocking up about five."

"But we can't put him up Jen!"

"Why not? We've got two empty rooms in the singlemen's quarters."

"Don't you remember me telling you? The Professor made a private booking of the singlemen's quarters for the whole week. He's conducting a workshop with his students and they need to be able to spread themselves out and leave their project lying around."

"You never explained it to me that way!" protested Jen. "I came home late from Kalgoorlie the other night and all you said was we had a group booking for some geology and physics students."

"Not geology and physics. Geophysics!"

Zac sensed a looming eruption and stepped between them.

"Hey Dave... Jen. Truce. Don't let a little miscommunication turn into something bigger. This unexpected guest you've got landed with is probably only staying a night or two anyway. Is there anywhere other than the singlemen's quarters he can bunk down?"

"We could put him in our granny-flat I suppose," suggested Jen.

"It's a fair distance from the singlemen's quarters," added Dave.

"Sounds good. Problem solved," said Zac casually.

"Well whoever Cheryl's drop-in is, I hope he ruddy well speaks English," added Dave.

"Do you get many foreigners?"

"We've had a few Asian backpackers through lately. Real hard to communicate with. Some of them hardly speak English. Or at least they pretend not to. Not sure they're all backpackers either."

Unfeigned curiosity.

"What makes you say that?"

"Had one fella stay out here 'bout a fortnight ago. Pretended he couldn't speak English. Then I happened to be in town at the cop shop and he comes in an' asks the cops a bunch of questions about the location of an abandoned town-site east of Jindalee. His English was as fluent as mine. Not even an accent. He told them he wanted to go relic huntin'."

"Strange. Are you sure it was the same backpacker?"

"Yep. Saw the same bike parked outside when I walked out. It had a scratch on the fender. He recognized me too. You know - quickly broke off eye contact."

"What did he do when he was out here anyway?"

"No idea. He just took off on his bike every morning after breakfast and came back at sunset."

"There was that other foreign bloke too," interposed Jen. "Remember? The one you saw the other day when you went to check the fences."

"Him? Yeah. That's right. Right down the back border of our property. He was wanderin' around like he owned the place, holding some meter with leads running off it. And probes that touched the ground."

"Were the probes in the dirt or were they in holes drilled down in the rock?"

It was Jake's first attempt to join the conversation.

"I didn't notice lad. Why?"

"I was just trying to work out what instrument you saw him using."

"I dunno. All I know is that he was wandering around on our property without our permission. And if he was a tourist he was mighty lost. Down the back where he was, there's nothing but the Great Victorian Desert beyond us and an access track to JORN to the side of us..."

Ω

"How much further?"

I felt frazzled and in need of a substantial shower.

"That turnoff we just passed was to Jindalee. Banja's about twenty clicks away."

"Jindalee?"

"Stands for Jindalee Operational Radar Network. JORN for short. There's several bits to it. That one back there, and another bit at Leonora. And there's some other bits out near Mulga Queen 'parently."

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my iPhone's screen flicker. I glanced down, amazed to see that I had reception... The repeater was listed as WMK1. Weird...

"That place back there – Jindalee. Is it a telecommunications centre?"

"Could be. Officially it's some place where they monitor over-the-horizon air and sea movements – you know, border security stuff to stop illegals entering Australia. 'Cept Dave reckons there's more to the place than that. Ask him 'bout it while you're staying out at his place. I can't guarantee you'll understand what he's nattering 'bout though. Dave can talk pretty tech when you get 'im started..."

Ω

A jeep pulled up near where Dave, Zac and Jake were standing.

"Gidday lads!" greeted Dave. "I was wondering when you three would put in an appearance. The Professor and young Jake arrived here the best part of an hour ago."

The olive-skinned driver looked slightly startled and quickly switched off the jeep's engine. All three occupants reported to Zac.

"Sorry Sir. We didn't realize we were late."

"You aren't late. This isn't college."

"Actually by the look of the sky your timing's perfect," added Dave. "Jen! You might want to grab the washing love! Let me see if I've got everyone's names right - Pete, Dale, Brendan... meet Jake and Zac. You can all get better acquainted tonight when you bunk down together. Right now though, we'd all best dash around and batten down a few things. Just in case..."

"The reddish patch over on the horizon... Is it a willy willy?"

"You tell me. Put your back to the wind."

"Odd. There isn't any."

Zac looked at the wall of dust intently.

"Hail or heavy rain?"

"Yep. My guess is hailstones hitting the ground creating the dust. Except the correct answer is actually an enigma because hail forms in moisture-laden thunderclouds, not in dry conditions and cloudless blue skies like you see around you."

"You know how you said you monitor the weather in your area as a hobby... Anything unusual in this immediate area at the moment?" asked Dale.

"According to the Bureau of Meteorology, there have been no significant variations in humidity in the last two hours. The barometric pressure hasn't fluctuated either. I can print off the raw data for you if you want to have a gander for yourself."

"This hail that falls when there aren't thunderstorms around. Have you checked it out?" added Pete.

"When it's fallen close to the homestead I have. Looks like normal hail to me... Melts like normal hail does too. Pretty quickly on a day like this."

"Care to comment Jake?"

Jake looked down at his feet and shook his head in response to Zac's question.

"Well I care to comment and I say it defies the laws of physics..." murmured Brendan.

"Well finding out why something that defies the laws of physics is happening in this area is part of the reason we're all here," finished Zac softly.

Ω

Tyson was still driving but at snail's pace. He was rubbernecking out of the ute's window, staring up at the sky. I was swearing under my breath at the pliers. Clumsily trying to wind up my window with them.

"I don't like the look of this," repeated Tyson.

His voice sounded shockingly small for such a big man.

"It's just a baby dust storm," I said reassuringly.

Wimp!

"Not the dust I'm worried about... It's the glowy thingies above us."

I stuck my head out of the window Tyson style. My eyes tracked his pointed finger and I gasped. In wimped shock. Directly above us were three glowing propane-blue fireballs. They drifted across the sky in lazy slow motion.

Long-lasting ball lightning? St Elmo's fire?

Textbook descriptions of both always associated them with thunderstorms. But the sky was blue. There was no detectable smell of ozone in the air either. Or prickly sensations on the skin. This was definitely not a textbook lightning storm. Actually it wasn't a textbook anything.

"Stop the car. Stop the car!"

Tyson quipped something about me sounding like a madwoman at an Ikea sale. I was too awestruck to serve him back. About 500ft above the pirouetting fireballs, fluffy blue-black clouds were forming. One solitary mushroom-shaped patch of thunderhead cloud in an otherwise baby blue canvas. Moments later, hail started pelting down out of the mini cloud. I leapt out of the ute like it was full of wasps.

"What's the matter?"

"My black bag... It's chockers with camera equipment!"

The noise of the ice hitting the ute was fear-provoking. Tyson clambered out after me and obligingly held an open street directory over my head as makeshift shelter.

"Do ya remember where we put the bag?" he yelled above the din.

I felt under the tarp which was covering the load and wrenched it out. Tyson shoved me back into the ute, then dived in after me. I sat clutching the steering wheel, weak from the adrenaline and gasping for breath. Tyson's expression reflected his genuine concern.

"Take slow, deep breaths," he advised.

"Take photos!" I snapped back, unzipping the bag and thrusting my Powershot into his hands. I picked up my Nikon, and attached the telephoto lens with fumbling, damp fingers. I glanced briefly at Tyson. He was examining the Powershot with an expression which suggested he didn't know how to use it.

"Point it towards the fiery balls, and when you see them in the little TV screen keep clicking that button there."

A three second guide to UFO photography by Maya Gregory. Not a bad title for a freelance article.

Tyson clicked away like a tourist. I carefully aimed my telephoto lens at the fireballs. Hail in the way of that shot... another attempt... there... a snap of the three strange lights... and another... Huh?

"Where'd the fireballs go?"

"They zipped away really fast like rockets. That way..." shrugged Tyson. "The cloud's all but gone too... It's back to blue skies. Talk about wacky weather..."

I slammed Tyson's ute into gear and stepped on the accelerator. Tyson glanced at me as if sizing me up.

"You done much drivin' on gravel lady?"

"No time to change seats. We've got a storm to chase!"

Ω

"It's gonna hit down towards the boundary fence this time. Pity... If it was closer we could drive down and grab some hail so you could see for yerselves. But it's too far away to bother."

"The area the storm's hitting right now... Is it where you saw the foreign tourist with the meter and the probes the other day?"

Jake's softly spoken question caused everyone to look up.

"Stone the crows... You might have something there lad."

Zac was secretly impressed. Jake was as bland as baby-food but he was obviously a thinker.

"Well if you'll all excuse me I might rustle up some drinks and light the barbie for tea," said Dave. "Make yerselves comfy on the patio," he added, wandering off in the direction of the homestead.

Outdoor furniture legs scraped along the concrete like chalk across a blackboard as they rearranged the chairs.

"I wonder if he has a ceraunograph," murmured Jake, peering at the distant micro-storm again.

"Why?" laughed Pete.

"Lightning gives off radio waves whereas a Tesla coil is a poor source of radio waves..."

"...so it'd confirm whether the lightning was natural or manmade," finished Dale.

"Smart cookie," said Brendan, catching Jake's eye.

Jake quickly broke off eye contact.

"I might look around while Dave's getting the drinks... Catch you later."

Ω

Just ahead, the dirt track I was tearing down veered sharply to the left. I stared disenchanted towards the right at the curious storm again.

"Hey Tyson... Your ute... Can it handle bush bashing?"

"Yeah. But I wouldn't recommend it when it's laden with your luggage and Banja's groceries. Jen'll have me for breakfast if I hand her a box with six dozen scrambled eggs in it."

I sighed in silent agreement and slowed down for the left hand bend.

"Sorry. You're right. You've got to live here after I go on my merry way back to Perth. How far are we from the station now anyway?"

"See that row of trees off in the distance? That's their driveway..."

Ω

Eyes watched Jake amble off towards the singlemen's quarters.

"What's with the kid you brought with you Sir?" asked Brendan softly.

It was not quite a complaint.

"Make allowances for him eh? You've all got a foot of height and five years on him. And we've all got the advantage of knowing each other already."

"How come Gordon didn't give you a post-grad cover student like he usually does?"

"Jake is a post grad student. He's actually got two first class honours degrees in geophysics and computer science under his belt and he's almost completed his Masters in planetary physics. At seventeen."

Stunned responses from all three men.

"A teen prodigy?!"

"Yep. Gordon ran two hundred potential Australian applicants through his screening computer and Jake topped four of the six selection categories. His age and personality didn't match our requirements. But given the delicate nature of this assignment, we felt selecting a young, meek student might work to our advantage anyway."

"You sound like you're expecting trouble Sir?"

"I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. By the way... Enough with the Sir stuff. All of you. It's driving me nuts!"

Grins all round.

"You were the one who said to make it seem like we didn't know you, 'til you were sure of Dave."

"Dave's on the level. He's definitely observed the experimental use of environmental warfare weapons. Whoever's experimenting with them has also modified the local weather and induced minor earthquakes in this neck of the woods... I don't think Dave realises that he and his wife are living near an intercontinental electro-magnetic weapons test site however..."

"Young Jake. Does he know much about E/M weaponry?"

"I've yet to find out."

"You hinted we're expecting trouble. Will he add to the trouble in an emergency?"

"I've yet to find that out as well. So far he's been feeling his way with me. Supplying cautious, uninformative answers if I directly ask him questions."

"So you don't think we'll get far asking direct questions about his environmental stance or political views?"

"I've learnt more about him just by observing him than I have from what he's told me about himself."

"Like?"

"He's an infrequent air traveller; he can read Korean; he's shy of women and he tries to hide the fact that he's brilliant..."

"Well that's not too bad a start anyway."

"I know our usual modus operandi is that you three establish peer-to-peer report with the real students and I keep my distance until they're relaxed around you, but when we arrived I put my luggage in the family room with the en-suite and Jake followed me in, plonked his case on the other bed and started unzipping it."

Guffaw and chuckling in response.

"Didn't he realize there were enough rooms for everyone to have their own?"

"Apparently not. Still. Rooming in with him for a night or two might encourage him to drop his guard anyway."

"You reckon you can draw him out of his shell?"

"I've got a couple of ideas up my sleeve."

"I bet he'll pray for the kid and freak him out!" ragged Brendan.

"Nah. He'll put his angel Jireh to work on the kid 'til he's freed up."

Zac laughed good naturedly along with the three men.

"Hey. There's nothing to stop you three building report with Jake as well. Let's end this discussion for now though. Dave's coming back with refreshments. And it looks like there's a car in the distance. Presumably Dave and Jen's unexpected guest."

"Guest? I thought we had the place to ourselves."

"We made a private booking, but there was a bit of miscommunication. We'll just have to work around it."

"Any special orders regarding this other guest?"

"Usual procedure. Sidetrack... distract... create a diversion... And learn all you can about the unexpected guest in case he's a plant..."

Ω

Tyson yelled an excited greeting as we pulled into Banja Station. The surprise that he was in the passenger seat of his ute registered on the face of the woman standing near the homestead doorway. Jen Hopkins I presumed. A group of men were seated on rough sawn timber benches under the patio. Laughing and chatting. They looked around at the sound of Tyson's voice. One of them got to his feet. Dave Hopkins I presumed.

"Hey Dave... Ya wouldn't believe what happened to us on the way here!" yelped Tyson, before he was even out of the car. "We saw three UFOs!!"

That got everybody to their feet.

"You both okay?" asked Dave solemnly.

Tyson nodded.

"Took photos. Wanna see them?"

"Sure do. Let's unload yer ute first."

"We'll help you."

That voice? This was the place he was staying at?

I had wanted to see him again, but not when I look like this! My hair was wildly tangled and my clothes were damp and dusty, thanks to the hail and the condition of the dirt tracks we'd been driving along. I could hear him approaching the ute. Footsteps crunching closer.

Fab. No time to even run a brush through my hair. Never mind. Beauty is part couture and part attitude and I still had attitude.

I drew a deep breath, slid out of the passenger seat and looked up. Directly into his tropical ocean eyes. He looked momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered.

"Well, will you look who the wind blew in!" grinned Zac.

Chapter 3

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

-Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727)

Talk about a mixed reception. The geeky kid backed away from me, eyes darting every direction like he was looking for somewhere to hide. The three young men who looked more like marines than uni students wolf-whistled and cheered. Jen and Dave Hopkins exchanged startled glances. And Zac rubbed his fingertips along his lips as if pondering a conundrum.

"Hi. I'm Maya," I said, addressing Jen. "Apparently you've got room for me in the singlemen's quarters."

The three amigos erupted into unruly laughter and clapped Zac exuberantly on the back. Jen looked flabbergasted.

"You were expecting me weren't you? The hotel in town's fully booked out by a bunch of Japs."

A flicker of interest in Zac's eyes. Even the three amigos seemed interested. Dave and Jen glanced at Zac.

"Yes. We've been expecting you," said Zac diplomatically. "Come on fellas. Don't just stand there like you've seen the UFOs. Jake - grab a box of groceries and take them inside for Jen. Dale, Brendan, Pete - you three help Maya take her luggage into the single-persons quarters and settle her into a room..."

Ω

Zac picked up a box of groceries and walked into the homestead. Jake shadowed him with another box. Inside, Jen and Dave were on the verge of a quarrel. Tyson was oblivious to their feelings and trying to tell Dave about their eventful trip. Zac sat the groceries down on the bench and approached Jen.

"I'm so sorry Professor. I can't understand why Cheryl didn't tell me it was a woman needing accommodation when I said we had some rooms left in the singlemen's quarters."

"Wouldn't have done any harm to ask!" growled Dave.

"Hey you two... Don't spat about it."

Zac's voice was like soothing balm.

"I generally only run same-sex-only workshops, so my participants aren't distracted by the opposite sex. But things don't always go according to plan in life. And when they don't, I amend my plan... Look on the bright side. At least your extra guest speaks English!"

"Very fluently," supplemented Tyson.

Zac's eyes twinkled.

"I know. I saw her in action at the airport when we arrived... Have we got everything in out of your ute?"

"Yeah. Except for the cameras we took the UFO photos with."

"You took photos on more than one camera?"

"Yeah. Her ladyship's got a bag full of fancy cameras. We had to bring 'em in out of the hail."

"You were caught in the storm?" asked Jake with mounting interest.

"Yep. So were the UFOs. The hail made 'em look like little round balls of fire."

"Electro-magnetic plasmoid," murmured Jake, glancing fleetingly at Zac.

Zac nodded in agreement. Inside he felt triumphant. He was almost certain now that he had a way to connect with the diffident teenager.

"Pop the kettle on Jen," he said softly. "This sounds quite a story."

Ω

The exterior of the singlemen's quarters was ordinary. Sea container style ordinary. Or more accurately a wagon wheel arrangement of sea containers. Inside however, the singlemen's quarters had an artistic designer's touch. Handmade pottery and a polished cedarwood table in the central meeting area. A comfy looking couch with a couple of bean bags strewn around for informal seating in the lounge area. A compact, delightfully decorated cottage kitchen, with an expensive coffee making machine. The bedrooms were similarly agreeably decorated with handmade curtains and scented candles.

"You sure have a lot of bags," smiled Brendan, as he steered Maya towards the empty room next to his.

"I'm loaded up with work gear."

"What do you do for a living that needs this many bags?"

"I'm a photo-journalist."

"Really? What are you photo-journalising in Laverton?"

"The earthquake they had here last night. I was just gonna stay a couple of days and interview witnesses, but I'm thinking of staying longer now."

"Why?"

"Because there was something really unusual about that storm we got caught in on the way here. Unusual enough to hang around and investigate..."

Pete and Dale exchanged almost imperceptible glances.

"What makes you so sure the storm was unusual?" asked Dale.

"Because I have a degree in meteorology. And as well as being a photo-journalist you could say I'm a professional storm-chaser..."

Ω

The barbie meat was succulent. The salads tasty even without dressing.

"Raised here... butchered here..." explained Dave.

"Same with our fruit and veggies," added Jen. "Heirloom varieties and pesticide free."

"So this is an alternative lifestyle B & B?"

It was the first time I'd heard the nerdy kid say anything. He was surprisingly articulate.

"We consider it a lifestyle not an alternative lifestyle!" chuckled Dave.

"And we don't grow everything..." added Jen. "For instance it's too much hassle trying to grow avocadoes here."

"Especially if you get freaky weather like I saw today. I've been all over the world and never seen hail fall out of blue skies when the sun's shining."

Dale caught Zac's eye.

"Maya was telling us that she's a photo-journalist," he reiterated. "With training in meteorology. And an interest in storm-chasing..."

Zac nodded in silent acknowledgment. He pushed himself to his feet and stretched noisily.

"You sound like interesting company. We must catch up later when I'm not so busy."

"Are you heading off already?"

"Yeah. I need a shower and I haven't properly unpacked yet... Gentlemen... you have another hour to yourselves, then we'll all meet in the lounge for our introductory session. Pete... Interested in assisting me tweak tonight's session?"

"Okay."

"Good. Follow me over and I'll fill you in."

I dreamily watched both men walk off.

"I thought you said you had nights to yourself?"

"We had them to ourselves on the other workshop I went to," shrugged Brendan. "Maybe this one's different."

"You've been to more than one Young Geoscientists Development workshop?" asked Jake.

"I've been to a few. You?"

"No. This is my first."

"Zac's an interesting bloke. It should be fun rooming in with him."

"Yeah... I might get going. See you in a while."

Ω

"What's this impromptu session tonight anyway?" asked Pete curiously.

"It's part of my plan to draw Jake out of his shell. I need a volunteer with a hairy chest and chunky pecs."

Pete screwed up his nose and grinned shyly.

"I'm serious. Can you handle Jake staring at you without your shirt on?"

"S'pose. Pity it's not Maya."

Zac's eyes danced at the quip.

"Can you handle giving me a massage?"

"I can handle it. A better question would be to ask me if I'm any good at it."

"You don't have to be good at it. You just have to look relaxed about dishing it out..."

"...in front of Jake, right?"

"Ten points. How about the reverse? Can you handle me massaging you in front of Jake?"

"Bordering on disconcerting, but serves me right for volunteering."

"It's not too late to un-volunteer Pete."

"Yes it is. You've got me curious about this plan of yours."

Crunching footsteps.

"Hmmm... Jake's on his way over. Thanks for tag teaming with me Pete," said Zac, stripping off his shirt. "Meet me back here in about twenty minutes after we've both had a shower..."

Ω

Zac grabbed his towel and washbag. He unzipped his brown suitcase and left the lid temptingly ajar. Jake walked in as Zac was walking towards the en-suite. His eyes took in the room in seconds and fixated on the papers on top of Zac's suitcase. Jake whistled softly.

"Reprints of Tesla's original research notes on howitzers and shields! You're kidding?! I've been wanting to view a copy of these for years. I thought you had to be military to have access to them!"

"We're using them later this week in the workshop. Have a gander if you want," said Zac casually, as he closed the en-suite door.

Zac cranked on the shower and savoured the pounding drops of water. He was pushing off jet lag and caffeine-derived tremors. He'd lost count of how many hours he'd spent travelling in the past fortnight, but all of the intelligence gathered by his teams suggested this flyspeck on the map of the world would be one mighty hot place in the coming week. In theory the assignment was straight-forward enough. Observe... investigate... report findings... The essence of the scientific method.

In practise however it was knot-in-the-stomach stuff. There was the pressure of knowing that several world powers were poised on knife edge between paranoia and mania. According to Maya, a consortium of Japanese had arrived and booked out the Laverton hotel. That type of behaviour was often associated with AUM Shinrikyo. Was Osaka University involved again? Like last time...

Zac had read the investigative reports. Independent researchers had claimed that Osaka University's Climate Engineering Department had been conducting their "greening technology" and "anti-desertification" research in the area back in 1993 when the other quake had startled Laverton residents. And Japanese investigative journalists like Yoichi Shimatsu had claimed that the university department was really a cover for Japanese E/M weapons research for years.

Now there was evidence which suggested a resurgence of climate change experiments in this immediate area. Hail falling out of blue skies and sightings of plasma balls following a quake. As for the apparent absence of other world players like the Koreans, the area was just too vast to monitor from either satellites or the ground...

Girlish laughter drifting through the bathroom window interrupted Zac's train of thoughts. He thrust a bare arm through the gap in the shower curtain and slid the window shut. Ms Maya Gregory... Was she a plant? Possibly. But on the balance of probabilities she was probably who she said she was. A photo-journalist who'd been given an assignment by her Perth-based boss.

Last time 'round a curious geologist - Harry Mason - had meticulously researched the Laverton fireball and earthquake incidents and suggested E/M weaponry as one explanation for the data he'd collated. Harry's articles had sparked the Alaskan effort to put an end to the misuse of E/M weapons in their country and beyond their borders. Zac had never met Harry, but Gordon's crack taskforce - whoever they were - had taken a keen interest in his published research.

Was Maya Gregory going to be the chief civilian investigator this time 'round? No two ways about it. She was going to be a complicating factor. She didn't seem to know about E/M weather modification, but she was curious and tenacious. One of those women who looked drop-dead gorgeous even under ridiculously stressful conditions. With the exception of Jake, the rest of his team had only met her two hours ago. But already Brendan was like a cat in a cream factory. Dale was purring as well. Even Pete was mooning at her. As for Jake, he was just plain overwhelmed by her...

Time to pull the team together, mused Zac, as he turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his lower half.

Ω

Zac returned to the room refreshed and whistling cheerily.

Jake stared at him. Panicky... ready to run.

"Are you gonna grab a shower before we join the others in the lounge room?"

"I'm having second thoughts about participating in your workshop. I... I was thinking of heading back to Perth tomorrow."

"You're free to go of course. Want to tell me why you want to leave though?" asked Zac, towel-drying his hair casually.

"Because I have a healthy sense of self-preservation. And we both know that you've brought everything you need to build a bare bones E/M weapon into the country!"

"Is that right?"

"Are you a Muslim?"

Zac belly laughed.

"Nah, I'm a Christian."

"Are you a terrorist?"

"No. I'm a scientist."

"Well I consider myself a scientist too. Except I don't carry a home-built handgun around, with a label attached to it that says it's a remnant from Skylab. I can't believe they let you through customs with that thing!"

Zac flipped the lid of his case.

"I see you didn't touch it. Have you used a gun before?"

Jake shook his head cautiously.

"Well if you decide to stay on, we'll have to find some rusty cans for you to shoot tomorrow."

"W... Why?"

"So you know how to use a gun."

"Why?"

"In case we need to protect each other's backs. Like you, I have a healthy sense of self-preservation."

"Your passport says you're from Alaska."

"You have been snooping while I've been in the shower!" grinned Zac.

"Are you from the HAARP facility?"

"Definitely not."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Yes. When I think you can handle it."

"That'll be never," sighed Jake miserably. "I dunno what's on your real agenda, but I know I'll cause problems for you if I stick around, so I'd better leave."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not who I made out I was!" blurted out Jake. "If I could turn back time, I'd have never hacked into Professor Macca's computer."

"You did what to whose computer?"

"I hacked into a Californian geoscientist's computer. His name's Gordon Macca. Have you heard of him?"

Zac's heart skipped a beat.

"Yeah."

"I hadn't heard of him until six months ago when I came across this paper entitled, "How to wreck the environment." He presented all this evidence suggesting the military and the government have been using Tesla and E/M environmental control technology for years for political gain. Anyway, I wanted to examine his views on geophysical warfare in greater detail so I hacked into his personal computer and browsed through his unpublished research articles. That's how I found out about the Young Geoscientists' Development Workshops actually. He had a copy of the assessment test in one of his folders."

"You cheated on the assessment test?"

"Only on the personality questions. I read through the guidelines and I knew straight away that I was too much of a dork to get a look in. So I consulted some psychology books and tried to make myself look like I had a fantastic personality... Like the other post-grads have got."

A noisy sigh from Jake.

"Except I didn't think about the consequences of making myself out to be someone I'm not. You know - actually having to relate to other post-grads with enigmatic personalities..."

"... not to mention flawless complexions and golden-proportioned bodies."

"Don't remind me," murmured Jake glumly.

"Want to know a little secret Jake? You failed the personality test."

"Even cheating?"

"Yep. But Gordon Macca still chose you out of a field of over 200 other Australian applicants."

"Gordon Macca has something to do with the YGD programme?"

"Gordon heads the programme. It's his baby."

"Are you saying Gordon chose me even though he knew I was wallpaper?"

"Yes. And he asked me to personally mentor you one-on-one as well."

"He doesn't normally ask you to do that?"

"No. I've known him for ten years. And worked for him almost as long. He's always been my friend and mentor. But this is the first time he's ever asked me to mentor a student before."

"But fitting in with them is going to be impossible Zac!"

"The Wright brothers flew right through the smoke screen of impossibility too, remember?"

Jake looked indecisive.

"Weigh it up Jake... One of the cleverest scientists on the planet wants you to benefit from this workshop because he can see your potential. How about having the same amount of faith in yourself that he has in you?"

Two quick raps on the door. Pete walked in.

"Good timing Pete," said Zac softly.

Ω

"Hey Jake. Pete and I were about to do a practise run for tonight's session. Want to join us?"

"What do I have to do?"

"Just sit on the bed and watch us until I ask for observer comment... Pete. I'm fighting jet lag. Would you mind giving me a quick massage?"

"Sure," said Pete casually.

Zac adjusted his towel and sat back-to-front on a chair. He smiled faintly as Pete started massaging his shoulders.

Pete wasn't kidding when he said he knew nothing about massage. Then again the request must have been off-balancing for him. Pete wasn't the touchy feely type. And he was pretty protective about his personal space.

Zac glanced clandestinely at Jake as he rested his chin on the back of the chair. His expression revealed a lot about what was going on in his head.

"Thanks Pete," said Zac a couple of moments later.

"Observer comment Jake?"

"Um... Nothing special... I observed him rubbing your back... I noticed a scar on your shoulder..."

"Fair enough. You made empirical observations. But a whole lot more was happening than what you observed with your eyes. For instance Pete was reluctant, hesitant and a bit nervous about massaging me... I could feel those vibes coming out of him and I had my back to him. So you should have been able to observe at least a couple of the tell tale signs... As for you, you were mortified and embarrassed by our behaviour."

"How do you know? You had your eyes shut."

"Hubble once said, 'Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.' Even with my eyes closed, I could smell your b/o; hear your rapid breathing, and feel you squirming on the bed like I was asking you confronting questions about your sex life. And of course when I opened my eyes I could see your red ears!"

Zac made eye contact with Jake.

"It's time you started making scientific observations of with all five senses Jake. Because the difference between a talented scientist and a giant is mindset."

"A giant?"

"Yes. Isaac Newton said - 'If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.' Take Thomas Edison... he was a man of giant tenacity and persistence. Instead of curling up in a ball in the face of failure, he said, 'I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.' And Ignaz Semmelweis was a giant rebelutionary... Where would medicine be today if he'd recanted in the face of peer ridicule? And then there were giants like Kepler, Kelvin, Faraday, Herschel, Riemann, Joule, Maxwell and Tesla. How far behind would our field of research be if they'd been mediocre instead of giants?"

"But I'm just a teenager. How can I be a giant anything?"

"Your mindset is being limited by today's zeitgeist. The word teenager only entered the English language after World War 2. Before that, children were considered young adults as soon as they started doing adult things. Two hundred years ago it was the norm for young adults of twelve to be sea captains in command of their own ships. It was the norm for fourteen year olds to lead armies into battle, run family businesses or run the family farm... Whereas these days Western society has low expectations of young people. And if they drop out, deal drugs or drink drive they say that's just being a teenager..."

Jake risked eye contact with Zac.

"I've always felt that I'm a misfit... But I s'pose it's wrong to feel a misfit, just because you don't fit in with society's low expectations... Edison and Semmelweis didn't fit in with their low expectations either..."

Zac could see the cogs ticking over.

"Now you're catching the vision... Let's get back to preparing for tonight. This time use all of your senses to observe. And think of some questions you can ask about what you observe... Actually Pete, I'll massage you so Jake's got something different to observe."

Pete casually removed his shirt. He could sense Jake peering at his abs and chest.

Lucky Zac had warned him in advance. Swimming or surfing with mates without a shirt on felt normal. But having a bloke stare at your body felt... gross. What did this have to do with getting ready for tonight anyway?

Pete glanced fleetingly at Zac. Zac's eyes reflected back their silent reassurance.

Okay... Fair enough. Zac's in control. And you agreed to this. Even after Zac gave you the option to bale out.

Pete steadied himself with a deeper than usual breath. He didn't always see eye to eye with Zac but the team's code of conduct was resolute. Trust their leader. Trust Zac.

Hands closed around his shoulders and squeezed his shoulder blades. Pete was surprised how soothing it felt. He'd actually felt stretched when Zac had asked him if he could handle a massage. But now he was experiencing it, it didn't feel all that invasive. In fact it was less invasive than having Jake peering at him.

Fingertips slid around his neck, removing the tension that had built up. Pete rolled his neck appreciatively. He could feel the stress draining away. Zac was tenderizing his back muscles near his ribs. It tickled a bit, but still felt nice. It reminded him of that night on the beach with Kate... That had been some night! Pete grinned at the memory... Savoured it for a long moment then pulled his focus back onto Zac.

Zac's hands moved down a little lower, briefly near his stomach then back around to his spine and up again to his neck. Pete felt completely relaxed. Zac could have been the older brother he'd secretly always wanted. In fact if Jake hadn't been there and it was just him and Zac, he might have even risked spilling his guts about what he'd being chewing over lately. Not that he'd ever really talked heart-to-heart with Zac before. Maybe he'd seek him out some time during the week and chat. Maybe...

"Over to you Jake..."

Pete drifted back from musing land.

"Ask some observer questions."

"I've got to ask more than one question?"

Jake sounded pained.

"Well... start with one..."

"Um... Okay... Are you two gay?"

Pete looked taken aback.

"Yeah. We're two of the happiest people on the planet!" joked Zac. "An observer question should be relevant to your observations by the way Jake."

"It is relevant... If you two aren't gay, how come he's got a lump in his pants?"

Pete was swamped by self consciousness. Zac felt Pete's back muscles tense under his fingertips.

Whoah... Words are like an arrow Jake. And yours just found their mark... Come on. Take the question in your stride Pete. You know you're not gay.

"Face down in your arms Pete so I can get to your neck muscles. I'm handling the observer questions. Let's see Jake... remember the conversation we had earlier, when you said how overshadowed you felt by the other post-grads' appearance?"

"Yeah."

"Well one of the downsides to having a body like a centre-fold is that you have to develop coping strategies for dealing with your high testosterone levels."

"I've never looked at the way I am as being an advantage before..."

"It's time you did. Having low to mid range testosterone levels makes life much more straightforward. You can be sitting next to a girl like Maya and be oblivious to her and just keep working on your planetary motion calculations. Whereas guys like Pete can forget they were even doing planetary motion calculations if someone like Maya walks past a window. A random thought, or a mere brush of the hand is enough to arouse them unless they stay on their guard."

"Um... Can I ask Pete something?"

Pete looked up; his heart rate reflecting his awkwardness.

"Um... What do you have to guard against most Pete?"

"Er... Mostly memory lane rambles."

"Memories?"

"Yeah. Otherwise what happened before happens... You know... Zac was massaging me and I thought about this girl... she was hot... her name was Kate... and off I went rambling down memory lane thinking about this good time we had together one time... before she... um... died... and then I went off on another tangent... and then you asked your question... And talk about mega embarrassing when I realized what had happened... All I can say is, I'm glad Zac did this workshop practice run of his in front of you, not Maya!"

Zac hid his grin.

"Yeah. That happening in front of a girl would've been awful... Actually I observed your heavy breathing... and I observed you smiling so I s'pose that must've been when you were thinking about Kate... Except I didn't want to ask you about those observations in case they were too personal. So I asked a question that included Zac 'coz I thought it'd be less personal. It was, wasn't it?"

"It was less personal, but more unsettling."

"Sorry I unsettled you in front of Zac."

"Not your fault. It's Zac's. For demanding you think up questions about your observations. Don't worry. We'll get him back later!"

Zac laughed roguishly.

"Hmmm... well you two seem to have broken the ice. Think you can handle more of the same tonight while you get to know the other post-grads Jake?"

"Yeah. Maybe it won't be impossible to fit in with the other post-grads after all... Maybe it's just gonna take lots of work."

"Now you're starting to think like a 19th century giant instead of 21st century mouse. 'Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.'"

"Thomas Edison!" said Pete and Jake in unison.

Zac laughed.

"Speaking of which, it's probably time I got dressed. Particularly since there's a young lady lurking in our midst... Why don't you quickly hit the shower and wash away the day's tension Jake? Pete and I will wait for you..."

Chapter 4

Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.

-George Washington (1732-1799)

"I think I need another shower as well," mumbled Pete, as Jake closed the en-suite door.

"You handled that curve ball he tossed pretty well," ventured Zac, as he roughly unpacked his suitcase into the provided wardrobe.

"You mean you handled it well. I just ducked the ball."

"That's why we're a team. So we can look after each other's backs."

Zac dropped his towel and climbed into his jocks. Pete looked away. Fragile. Zac buttoned up his jeans and sank down on the bed next to Pete.

"Hey Pete. I know what Jake said earlier hit a raw nerve. I felt it in your whole body... Discussing sexual preferences is harder for some men than others. You can resolve it alone or we can talk it through. Your choice."

Maybe the having-a-big-brother-to-talk-to idea isn't so hot after all.

"I know I got aroused when you were massaging me Zac but I'm not gay! You've got to believe me!"

"Hey Pete. Un-stress. I believe you. You've been on the Australian team for three years now and I've never felt uncomfortable around you. And I still don't."

"But you must be wondering about me by now... Brendan's living defacto back in Sydney. Dale's got a girlfriend in Adelaide. But I'm still single and without prospects. And living with my mother."

"Which makes you gay?"

"Or somethin'."

"Every now and then I meet a woman that I could fall head over heels in love with. And I've enjoyed the company of other women that I just click with. I've snuggled up and admired the stars with them on cold nights. Had heaps of relaxed fun with them in meadows full of wildflowers. Fallen asleep near one or two around campfires. But I've never had sex with any of them... In fact I've never even been on a date before."

"You've never kissed a woman?"

"Not on the lips."

"That's different."

"Actually it's a reflection of my belief system. I was brought up with abstinence until marriage values and I intend to abstain from sex until I'm married. Coming back to you though, let's use the same criteria on me that you're using on yourself. I'm not living defacto and I don't have a girlfriend, so am I gay?"

"'Course you aren't. You're straighter than straight Zac."

"Are you sure? Did you check if I had a lump under my towel when you were massaging me?"

"Course I didn't."

"Which tells me you aren't gay. If you were, you would have checked me out in that department. Question: Is Pete gay? Observation: No gay behaviour towards towel-clad Professor when massaging him. Conclusion: Pete isn't gay."

Pete risked eye contact with Zac.

"Question - Is Pete gay? Observation - Pete gets a lump in his pants after being massaged by towel-clad Professor. Conclusion?"

"Pete is highly sensitive to touch. Like I told Jake."

A pained expression.

"I think I like it better when we debate the origins of life. Those conversations with you aren't embarrassing like this one!"

Zac laughed warmly.

"Fair enough. Let's make this conversation safer. You believe you evolved out of slime and that time and chance are responsible for your beautiful sexy feelings. I believe God designed people, so that when they're at their peak mating age a simple brush of a hand is enough to trigger arousal. Either way, by chance or design, hair-triggered arousal's normal at your age Pete."

"Zac - if I ask you something, will you promise not to tell Brendan or Dale?"

"I'll do my best not to let slip."

"You know how you were telling Jake about testosterone levels... Do you know much about them?"

"Well I know they're on the decrease in the majority of Western men... Sixty years ago men's mean testosterone levels hovered around 1000 ng/dl across the board. Nowadays the mean's dropped down around the 500 ng/dl mark with a sharp decline after thirty-five."

"Why?"

"There are a few theories. Hormones in processed food and takeaway food is one possible reason. Another possible explanation is, back sixty years ago when the word teenager didn't exist, the majority of men over twelve spent most of their day doing physically demanding tasks. Whereas these days most young men are sedentary."

"How about the reliability of blood serum tests?"

"So so. Momentary stress... the time of day they're taken... even the person taking them can alter the level in a sample."

"Either direction?"

"Yep."

Pete chewed on his thumbnail.

"You know Pete ... Manhood's more than a ng/dl number on a pathology report... Why don't you stop stewing about those results and just enjoy being you?"

"You know about the results?" gasped Pete.

"Your mother rang me up and informed me."

"She did what? I'll kill her!"

"Settle down Pete. It might raise your testosterone levels even higher!"

Pete slowly unclenched his fists.

"She's so interfering now Dad's got Alzheimer's."

"I think it's more of a case that she's not sure how to guide you into manhood now your Dad's got Alzheimer's. Did you know that after she dropped you off at the airport the other day, she sat down at your computer?"

"She's been on my computer?!"

"You sound worried... Got something on there you don't want her to see?"

"My screensaver... Are you sure she's been on my computer though? She's never even turned on a computer."

"Update Pete. Your 70 year old computer-illiterate mother taught herself to use Google the other day."

"What did she Google?" asked Pete suspiciously.

"Apparently she typed the words testosterone levels above 1200 ng/dl into the search box."

"Fu... far out!"

Zac's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Unfortunately her first ever Google search brought up the website of a male stripper club, which bragged that all their staff had testosterone levels above 1200 ng/dl!"

Pete ran his hand through his hair.

"And then she clicked on some pseudo-medical site which said that testosterone levels above 1200 ng/dl are found in terrorists and cross dressers. Armed with her new insight into testosterone levels, she rang me. She said that she was worried that working on assignments with me might turn you into a killer criminal or a gay. I didn't have the heart to tell her that by her criteria we're both potential killer criminals and gays - more so me, because I'm older than you and my testosterone's still hovering around the 1200 ng/dl mark!"

"Gosh, I'm sunk if my screensaver comes on..."

"Why?"

"It was me mate's buck's party and we were pissed and we... Never mind. You might give me a Jesus lecture if I tell you. Fill in the rest yourself..."

Zac doubled over in laughter.

"Crumbs Zac... What am I gonna do? If she's surfed the net once, she'll do it again..."

"Kid safe settings?" suggested Zac, tongue in cheek.

"Shut up... You know what I mean... Do you know how to over-ride a 'no remote access' setting and change the screen-saver?"

"No. But if it can be done, Jake will know how to do it... Ask him later."

Pete looked towards the door as Brendan's laughter drifted through. Zac picked up his desire to end the conversation.

"Hey Pete. Tonight's pre-amble was designed to get Jake out of neutral and into first gear, but if you've learnt some things about yourself as well from the warm-up, that's great!"

"That was the warm-up to tonight's session? You're seriously not thinking of doing that to Brendan and Dale as well?!"

"We're all doing more of the same... You included."

"Gross! Since when do we do touchy-feely stuff when we're away with you? What happened to lighting up our farts around a campfire?"

"Hmmm... Sounds like Protesting Pete has rebounded back. Oh well... Deep and Meaningful Pete was fun while he lasted..."

Pete took a feigned swipe at Zac. Zac ducked easily.

"Hey Pete. This assignment's shaping up to being one of the tougher ones seasoned with a lot of unknowns and complicating factors. One of them rocked up a couple of hours ago. She's attractive, sensual and has the potential to cause conflict within our team. And I don't want any of you distracted by her."

"She's hot Zac! How can anyone not be distracted by her?"

"Forewarned is fore-planned. After tonight, I hope we'll all be embarrassingly aware of how vulnerable we are around her. At least that's my planned strategy for coping with the signals Maya's been sending out since she arrived..."

Ω

Zac and Pete walked out into the lounge area trailed by Jake. Maya was stretched out on the lounge looking comfortable and indolent. Brendan and Dale were sitting either side of her competing with each other for her attention.

"Okay you two. Eyes off our pretty distraction and onto me."

Brendan glanced at Zac.

"Since when have you thrown the rule-book at us about women?"

Part complaint, part defiance seasoned with a pinch of cock-eyed pride.

"Since I heard on the grape-vine that you're living defacto with Cherie."

"So?"

"So Cherie's expecting commitment from you mate. Whether you're home or away. And while you're away under my leadership, I intend to ensure she gets it."

Brendan looked taken aback.

"Doesn't apply to me," asserted Dale. "Cara hasn't got me tied down. She's just a girlfriend."

"A girlfriend who's expecting you to show integrity in your relationships with other women. Whether you're home or away."

"And while I'm away you intend to ensure she gets it?"

"You catch on fast."

I glanced up at him. He reminded me of a lion nuzzling his unruly cubs into line.

"Now both of you. Shirts off and give me fifty."

"Sir?" began Brendan querulously.

"Now!" barked Zac.

The expression on their faces was priceless. I smothered a chuckle.

"And if that doesn't take the edge off your lust, you can give me fifty more... Pete - I'm appointing you Maya's chaperon until notified otherwise."

"Why's Pete her chaperon?" murmured Dale between push ups.

"Because he's respectful enough to moderate his behaviour around women."

I watched them in breathless disbelief. They were up to about twenty push-ups and hardly panting.

"Maya... Care to join our workshop tonight?"

"Not if I have to do push-ups."

Zac laughed benevolently.

"We'll let you skip the push-ups... Incidentally are you married, mating or dating?"

"No - I'm solo."

"Perfect."

Zac lowered his voice to a loud whisper.

"First thing I need you to do is get into Jake's personal space and scare some of the shy out of him."

"Too easy!" I grinned.

Ω

I was wrong about it being easy. I sank down next to Jake on the couch. He tolerated my presence for maybe ten seconds, then inched away from me. I closed up the distance again and brushed my arm against his for a millisecond. He recoiled away from me like I was a tiger snake, then fled over to the bean bag. My astonishment must have registered in my expression. Zac caught my eye - his lips twitching with amusement. I held onto my smile like a life preserver and got slowly to my feet.

"Haven't they done more than 50 push-ups?"

They were breathing hard now. Both of them gasping for air.

"Whatever they've done it'll do. Okay you two, quits but stay on the floor."

Brendan and Dale sank to the floor. Exhausted. Zac motioned Pete over with his eyes. He knelt down on the floor near the others.

"Jake - you're observer. Move that beanbag over here near me and don't move out of it... And don't let anything or anyone distract you while you're observing us or you'll be doing 50 as well."

Jake responded instantly. Possibly spurred on by the threat of push-ups.

"Maya - join Jake in the beanbag. You can observe too."

I could feel the pangs of protest rippling out of Jake as I sank down next to him. He tried the same distancing trick that had worked on the lounge but the more he tried to wriggle away from me, the closer we ended up. His ears were scarlet and I could see his carotid artery pulsing wildly. Zac made silent eye contact with me - mischievous delight flaring in his eyes. No doubt about it. Zac was a leader of men. And a moulder of them.

"So how's the sex with Cherie?"

"Okay."

"Not good. Just okay this early on in your relationship means you must be doing something wrong."

I could feel the waves of embarrassment coming out of Brendan. Zac refused to let the pressure off.

"Come on Brendan. You want to pursue a career as a scientist don't you?"

"Yeah, you know I do."

"Well problems on the home-front don't always stay home... They can press in around you, until you're just going through the motions of being a scientist, instead of really being one... So let's work out how to improve the sex with Cherie in the interest of your career development, eh?"

"In front of everyone?"

"Why not? We're all blokes except for Maya. And she's quite grown up enough to eavesdrop on our conversation...You've spent ten years preparing for your lifelong career as a scientist. How long have you spent preparing for your lifelong marriage? Ten weeks? Ten days?"

"When you put it that way, probably not long enough."

"Let's address the issue this week then, so you go back to Cherie with at least ten hours marriage training under your belt. Let's start with some massage strokes that will bring out the best in her. Experience them first, then I'll teach them to you. Pete - copy me, using Dale as your guinea pig, then we'll swap places. Okay... face up, the pair of you..."

I watched Zac's fingers gliding over Brendan's naked chest... Brendan's eyes reflecting their initial surprise... widening in shock... moistening his lips as he did his best to control the sensations he was obviously experiencing... Zac corrected Pete's technique on Dale to give Brendan some breathing space, then coaxed him to refocus his attention and took him through whatever he was teaching him again...

"Observer comment Jake."

"Um... er..."

"I told you not to let anything or anyone distract your observations."

"I haven't been Zac. And I'm learning stuff. It's just that I can't put what I'm learning into words yet."

I had to agree with Jake there. Just watching Zac in action was setting loose something wild inside me. Something I couldn't put into words.

"Okay, let's work on expressing yourself then. Ask Maya five questions."

"Five? How am I gonna think of that many?"

Stifled chuckling from the three amigos. Zac shot them a look which silenced them.

"Um... Question 1. What's it like having a name like Maya when there are so many apocalyptic predictions circulating?"

"It sucks majorly. Hollywood has raised doomsday paranoia to an art-form."

"I agree. The Mayan civilization had an advanced knowledge of astronomy and mathematics and were superb architects. Did you know they calculated the solar year to be 365.2420 days long without computers or sophisticated equipment and astronomers have only recently discovered it to be 365.2422 days long?"

"Er... no."

"And did you know the Mayan believed that the universe had a specific creation date - around 3114BC, with subsequent history broken up into major time periods of 144,000 days which they called b'ak'tun?"

I glanced at Zac. He was pretending to rub his mouth with his hand but his dancing eyes told me he was really working hard at controlling his hysterics.

"Er... no. I didn't know that."

"Yes, and December 23, 2012 was just the end of their thirteenth b'ak'tun. Not the date for an apocalyptic event..."

The rest of what Jake said was drowned out by a pulsed roaring sound.

So much for the outback being silently spiritual. It sounded like Apocalypse D-day.

Jake sprung to his feet and dashed through the door. The others were milliseconds behind him. Outside, a red-orange ball of fire was hovering almost directly overhead. The fireball's flames swirled around in a spiral pattern and disappeared up inside a black hole. The men surrounding me seemed unperturbed. I wanted to be brave like them, but I was spooked. Majorly. I instinctively reached out for Zac, searching for his silent reassurance. To my immense relief he grasped my trembling hand and interlaced our fingers.

"Anything like your UFO?" he said gently.

"Yes, but it's much bigger... Zac, what is it? What's making it? What's it gonna do? When's it gonna go away? Why aren't you all scared of it?"

I ran the questions together. Alarm sharpened my voice.

"Jake mate... Maya reckons it's her turn to ask the five questions. Want to answer any of them for her?"

Time to find out how much our prodigy knows about E/M technology.

"It's a plasma fireball. There's a Tesla magnifying transmitter nearby. Someone's using the telluric activity in the rocks to feed a standing wave and get more energy out than has been put in. Dumping the energy sharply creates a fireball. Potentially it could modify the weather on the opposite side of the earth until whoever's playing the thing back and forth quits experimenting. Except a fireball this large could have repercussions..."

"Repercussions?"

Jake drew in a noisy breath.

"Destructive storms... Possibly earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in sensitive regions along its trajectory. You asked 'why aren't we scared of it?' Well I am scared of it. Even Tesla was scared of the technology he'd discovered because he realized it could be disastrous in the wrong hands. People could even get killed by it. And one disaster could feed the next and the next and the next..."

Jake's voice wavered.

"Zac! We can't just stand here and observe... We've got to do something to make sure whoever's experimenting with a Tesla effect on this scale doesn't stuff up and cause a disaster!"

Jake looked overwhelmed... Ready to burst into tears. Zac moved closer and draped a comforting arm around him.

"That's part of the reason why Gordon's placed you on this assignment with us Jake. To help us do something about it..."

Ω

Zac steered Jake into the quarters. I followed them inside. Jake looked white as a sheet and was shaking involuntarily.

"The fireball hasn't left yet. Shouldn't we keep observing it?" managed Jake.

"Nah. Leave that to the others... You're shaking like a leaf. How about a warm drink?"

The water in the kettle was already hot. Zac made two Milos in record time and handed one to Jake.

Father lion cub... Nurturing the runt of the pack.

"Thanks... Sorry I went to pieces."

"Hey... being frightened is a pretty laid-back response, everything considered... From memory, I blubbered the first time I saw the same thing."

Jake tilted his head to one side then exhaled noisily. It was as though the revelation had freed up something inside him. A lengthy silence as they both took another sip of Milo.

"I want to know what's going on!" I demanded.

I knew I was cutting in on their shared moment but I felt like a tracking dog vainly trying to pick up a scent.

"Jake already told you what's going on."

He redirected his attention back to Jake.

"Actually Jake... I forgot to compliment you. You play answer five questions much better than ask five questions."

I pushed in between them again. Agitated. Exasperated.

"Stop fobbing me off Zac. The only bit of his explanation I understood was that he was stressed to the max that this fireball can somehow influence the weather and generate natural disasters on the other side of the planet. Which is unbelievable from a meteorological perspective."

"How about from a journalistic perspective? Let's review world news around April 14th and 15th, 2010. Remember where you were at the time?"

"I was in Kishangunj. Covering this freak storm which ripped through 11 districts of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, killing 120 people and leaving thousands homeless."

"Interesting. I didn't know about that storm. I was in Iowa county. A few hours before I arrived, several million people in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio had seen a gigantic fireball similar to what you saw tonight. Some witnesses said it hovered in the sky for about 15 minutes. Other witnesses heard a freight train sound before the fireball and a sonic boom after it. Remember the report?"

"Vaguely... CNN aired footage of it for a day, then Iceland kinda drowned out everything else."

"Correct. Shortly after the fireball sightings in Midwestern America, Eyjafjallajokull erupted and brought air traffic throughout Europe to a grinding halt for weeks."

I frowned slightly.

"And on the Tibetan plateau an earthquake killed 2,700 people, injured 12,000 others and left 85% of the remaining population homeless in subfreezing temperatures."

My mind was pushing away the facts he was presenting. Not wanting to link the events.

"CNN love sensationalizing unexplained phenomena... That's just the American way."

"Okay... Let's bring it closer to home then. On June 5th 2010, thousands of Aussies living along the coast in Queensland, N.S.W. and the ACT saw a swirling fireball in the sky. Not only that, your fellow Aussie reporters covered the sightings hours before CNN had a chance to sensationalize them. The witnesses weren't ardent UFO fanatics either... Just everyday Aussies en-route to work and Saturday morning activities at the time of the sightings. Some radio stations on the east coast were even getting listeners to call in so they could track the trajectory of the fireball. One witness described how their group of four had seen it start as a light in the middle of a type of swirling cloud, and as the cloud cleared it became a bright oval shaped light which grew larger and larger. Witnesses viewed it in Canberra, Wollongong, Sydney's north shore, Burleigh Heads, Brisbane, Moorina, and everywhere in between. The event even made morning happychat on the tele a little more palatable that day."

I was starting to feel unsettled. He refused to let up.

"The same day, residents of South Australia's Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas reported an earthquake measuring 5 on the Richter scale... Within hours, two volcanoes in Vanuatu emitted simultaneous plumes. Meanwhile 44 tornadoes wrecked havoc throughout the Midwestern U.S. and Great Lakes regions across five states for the next two days."

"There's always been natural disasters."

My comeback was faltering.

"I agree. Not every disaster on this planet is preceded by a fireball. Nor is every volcanic eruption or earthquake man-triggered. What I'm trying to get across to you Maya is that the key to geophysical warfare is the identification of environmental instabilities to which the addition of a small amount of energy, release a vastly greater amount of energy. And that E/M technology is being misused by some people to do some very unethical things."

"Like trigger earthquakes?"

"...and steer tornadoes and exacerbate drought."

"And trigger underwater volcanoes to melt Arctic ice and cause warmer than normal sea currents which generate destructive weather..." added Jake.

I eye-rolled.

"Sure. I can just see the headlines. SCIENTISTS CREATE GLOBAL WARMING."

I meant it to be sarcastic, but even as I said the words, I had a strange desire to burst into tears. Jake and Zac glanced at each other. A tacit exchange between two scientists.

"There are two ways to be fooled by science Maya. One is to believe what isn't true. The other is to refuse to believe what is true."

"Let's say for argument's sake that E/M weather changes are being generated to create the illusion of climate change. Why?"

I knew he was about to drop a bombshell.

"Hitler once said, the masses will more easily fall victims to a big lie than a small one. Tell a big lie that generates enough fear in the masses, and they'll give their government full control over their lifestyles and private property in order to feel safe."

It hit me like a truckload of bricks.

"Generate enough fear in a country and the U.N. can step in and exercise global authority and that entire country will rescind their independence in order to feel safe."

Make that two truckloads of bricks.

"Go ahead... Say it."

Silence.

"I'll say it then... And journalists like me fuel that wave of fear, paving the way for one world government."

"So do some scientists," retorted Zac.

I felt sickened inside.

"You look like you've reached saturation point for one night."

He parted my hair with his fingertips and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes and savoured the moment.

"Chaperons coming through!" yelled Pete and Dale in unison, hurling themselves between us.

I stood dazed as Zac's warm body was torn away from me. It was now part of a conglomerate of tangled arms, flailing legs and a beanbag which was in danger of turning the room into a snowfield.

"Gentlemen!" pierced an authoritative female voice through the general din.

I turned and glanced at the diminutive woman, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. The rumble stopped and three sheepish faces bobbed up from underneath the beanbag. Jen redirected her gaze to me.

"You look a little overcome honey," she clucked like a mother hen. "I was just on the H.F. saying goodnight to my friend Cheryl and she suggested I come over and see if you're coping alright with them..."

"It's been an eye opener of a night, but I'm still intact," I replied truthfully.

"I'm glad to see my beanbag's still intact. You three - the generator shuts down in ten minutes, and after that you have only 12 volt lighting and appliances. So hop to getting yourselves organised for bed."

"Yes mum!" grinned Zac, saluting Jen cheekily.

Jen erupted into laughter. It took about ten years off her face instantly.

He had a flair for that, I mused. Bringing the best out in everyone he touched.

"Okay, headcount... 1,2,3... Maya makes 4... Hmmm... You haven't seen Brendan around I suppose?"

"Yes. He'll be over in a minute. He's just using our sat phone to say goodnight to his sweet-heart. I overheard him telling her how much he loved her and couldn't wait to give her a massage. It's such a rare thing to see such whole-hearted commitment in a young man these days."

Zac's eyes sparkled with delight.

"I agree wholeheartedly... Well come on everyone... Time to go our separate ways. Catch you in the morning Jen."

**Chapter 5**

You cannot teach a man anything;

you can only help him discover it in himself.

-Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

The diesel generator surged then cut out. The room took on a new dimension as 6 watts replaced the 60 watt bulb. Jake emerged from the en-suite, where he'd hidden to change into his pyjamas. He glanced at Zac, who was kicked back on his bed, lying face up with his hands under his head. To Zac's surprise Jake bounced down on the bed next to him.

"So what are we going to do tomorrow?"

"I thought you were going home tomorrow?"

"Nah. Someone's gotta watch your back, so you don't cop another bullet."

Silence.

"That is how you got that scar on your back isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Are you gonna tell me how you got shot?"

"You're not gonna let me get any sleep until I do are you?"

Laughter from Jake.

Eureka. That's the first time I've heard him laugh.

"Well... about ten years ago, when I was an undergraduate... I gate-crashed this conference meant for graduate geophysicists working in Alaska. At the conference, the two guest speakers made some alarming allegations about the High-Frequency Active Aurora-Ionospheric Research Programme or HAARP in our country."

Zac cleared his throat softly.

"The key speaker gave us all a copy of Bernard Eastland's energy transmission system patents which were sealed under a U.S secrecy order. He said the system had the potential to be misused for warfare purposes. Then the other speaker related evidence that suggested the HAARP facility at Gokona was just a decoy for the public, and the real HAARP was 300 miles further north between Fox and Fairbanks. Two ex-military informants had witnessed experiments where HF and EHF waves of over a billion watts were beamed directly up in the sky and later a whole herd of antelope were discovered fried, near the Chatinaka River."

Zac paused.

"My parents had a B & B in the Chatinaka River region, so I was upset by the allegations. I glanced out of the window momentarily to compose myself. As I did, I saw a man in a balaclava with a gun aimed right at the guest speakers. I was in the front row and they were standing about three metres from me..."

Jake listened breathlessly.

"It was one of those cases where you react without thinking. I flung myself at them both to knock them down. As I did, I heard breaking glass and felt this sharp sting below my shoulder blade. I landed flat on top of the man and kinda dragged the woman down with me. Gordon realized that I'd been shot and stayed down. But the woman fired me a look - like I was her assailant - and started getting to her feet. Before we had a chance to yank her back down, there was this whistling sound... and her head jolted back. Then she crumpled down near us... and looked straight at me."

Zac whispered shakily.

"It was like looking into her soul. Her eyes apologized to me. Like she realized I'd been trying to protect her. Then she looked at Gordon and said something like "watch over" to him. And died in our arms."

"Watch over?"

"Yeah. I think she was trying to say her watch was over. You know - her time on earth was up."

"And you were my age. Boy... Heavy trip."

"Yeah. It was a heavy trip for Gordon too. A colleague he'd known for years died in his arms. And an undergrad student who wasn't even supposed to be there was bleeding like a pig all over him."

"What happened after that?"

"They took the bullet out of course!"

"No... I mean... What did Gordon do about the real HAARP?"

"It's interesting you should ask that. Gordon kept his teaching position at the University of California... He became a member of the President's Science Advisory Committee and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. But he also started a research-based surveillance organisation. Monitoring the worldwide use and misuse of E/M weaponry..."

"And you head Gordon's surveillance team?"

"One arm of it."

"And Brendan, Dale and Pete?"

"They've joined me in Australian investigations for a few years now."

"So the whole YGD student programme's just a facade?"

Jake sounded disappointed.

"No way. The workshops and field trips are genuine. Post-grads like yourself benefit from interacting at a social and academic level with other students from their country. Often close friendships are formed. Pete, Brendan and Dale all live in different states, but they all originally met each other at YGD workshops. Students also genuinely assist our team with the practical tasks of research and data collection. And on the side, I'm quietly on the lookout for other post-grads to work for Gordon's team on a permanent basis."

"So Pete and the others are paid to attend workshops?"

"Yes. But that's so there's a high ratio of staff to students. To minimize the chances of any of the real students getting injured."

"So how come I'm the only genuine student at this workshop this time round?"

"I can't explain that in depth until I speak to Gordon. He's prearranged to contact me tomorrow night. After our initial survey of the area tomorrow."

Zac glanced at Jake in the dim light.

"You know I'm going to have to tell him that you hacked into his computer when he calls tomorrow..."

"That's okay. I want you to tell him."

"You want me to?"

"Yes. He's your mentor. And I don't want to spoil your friendship."

Zac drew a deep breath.

"That's quite an old head you have on your young shoulders Jake."

Silence.

"Hey Zac. You know how Gordon asked you to mentor me? Can we keep in touch when I leave? You know - via email and maybe Skype now and then?"

"Sure thing."

"You're smiling. What are you thinking about?"

"I was just reflecting on the day... Actually I was thinking how wrong I was about something..."

"What?"

"On the trip up here I thought I was going to have a hard time getting more than one word answers out of you during the entire workshop. But here you are, chatting away like you've known me for years, and talking about keeping in contact with me after we go our separate ways. It just shows how off-beam first impressions can be sometimes."

"Actually your first impressions were correct. I don't usually talk to people until I know them really well. Sometimes I don't talk to people until I've listened to them for months. But for some reason I can talk to you. I've even told you stuff I'm saving to tell my Dad one day."

"Your Dad's not on the scene?"

"I don't even know if he's alive."

"Have you asked your Mum where he is?"

"She died when I was eight. Nan's brought me up."

"Have you ever asked your Nan about him?"

"I tried to a few years ago, but it made her upset so I haven't asked her since. I write letters to him instead... you know... telling him about what's going on inside my head."

"Do you know anything at all about him?"

"He came to Nan's house after mum's funeral. He wanted to take care of me, but Nan was crying and saying she'd already lost her daughter and all she had left was her grandson now. So he agreed to let me live with Nan, until she was ready to let me go."

"Tragic," murmured Zac sympathetically.

"I've got a photo of him... A while back I found some of Mum's old research notebooks in Nan's attic. They were pretty interesting reading actually. Anyway, Mum had this photo of Dad and her - it was tucked between the pages of one of her notebooks. It was the only notebook with blank pages in it, so I think it must have been her most recent research notebook before she died. I've got a copy of the photo on my laptop. I'll show you next time I fire it up."

"Yeah, I'd be interested. What was your Mum's field of research anyway?"

"The same as ours... She'd been working on the Lewis constant before she died. I built on her incomplete groundwork calculations... thought things through a bit further than she had and named the constant in her honour when I cracked it."

"Are you saying you derived the value of the Tess Lewis constant?"

Zac was fully awake now and had pushed himself into sitting position.

"Yeah. Except everyone spells it differently to the way I published it in my original paper. It's actually the T.S. Lewis constant. T.S. stands for Theresa Sue. That was mum's name..."

"The Lewis constant?" repeated Zac. "That's floored me! I feel overshadowed academically by you Jake."

"Actually sometimes I wonder if Dad felt the same way about mum. You know - who was smarter."

"What makes you say that?"

"My birth certificate says Dad was a scientist. I don't think Mum and Dad were married though."

"Why?"

"My birth certificate says his name was Jacob Don Macca. Not Jacob Don Lewis."

"Don Macca?" echoed Zac softly.

"Yeah. That's how the whole thing of hacking into Gordon Macca's computer started. I ran Dad's name through a dozen search engines looking for scientists with that name. Jacob Macca drew a blank, but Don Macca yielded heaps of interesting research papers written by Gordon Macca. First of all I read his paper How to wreck the environment. Then I read some other papers he'd written on geophysical warfare, and I spent a number of weeks reading everything I could find written by him. Then after that, I tapped into his personal computer out of curiosity to see what else he'd written. Gordon's a bit like me. He's written hundreds of articles but only published a fraction of what he's written. He's a fascinating bloke Zac. You're really lucky to have him as your mentor."

"I know I am... And in one sense you've got him as your mentor too... because the things he's passed onto me, I'm passing onto you and others."

"What things?"

"Well... take the massage strokes I was teaching everyone tonight. Gordon was the one who originally taught them to me."

"Gordon's into massage?"

"Big time. He was at uni during the era when students were hippies and activists."

"Did he wear flowers in his hair?"

"That sounds a little radical even for Gordon, but he might've done. From what he's told me, he hung out with a remnant of the make-love-not-war crowd in his student years..."

Zac propped his chin on his palm.

"Then late 1985, the whole direction of his life changed. He'd just finished his thesis investigating the Soviet Woodpecker signals and was planning an extended stay on some hippie commune and this U.S Airforce bloke rocked up at his Mum's place with a couple of military police, handed him a letter from the President and more or less conscripted him."

"I thought conscription ended with the Vietnam War in the U.S?"

"It did officially. But Gordon was told he had no choice... that it was a matter of national defence... He was whisked away by the Airforce Colonel... his name was David... and taken to Gander Airforce base in Newfoundland. The previous day this DC-8 had lost power just after lift-off and sank into the ground killing all 258 marines and air crew. Gordon was hurled into the role of investigating why the crash had occurred, even before all the body bits were picked up."

"Gross! Why'd they want him so badly?"

"Almost immediately after the crash, they'd discovered a hole in a section of the fuselage near the engines. Gordon confirmed their worst nightmare - that the damage sustained was characteristic of an electro-gravitational scalar strike. Moreover witnesses reported that before it crashed, the aircraft had a yellow glow around it."

"A corona due to a high electrical charge?"

"Yeah... Another witness had seen crossed glowing beams in the clouds and saw one of them strike the aircraft. Gordon was sickened inside as he realized there was a whole different side to E/M scalar technology than the side he'd researched for his thesis... He thought at this point it was a one-off investigation. That his life would go back to normal. But it was just the beginning... He'd hardly finished the first investigation when the Challenger disaster occurred."

"The Challenger was destroyed by a scalar E/M weapon?"

"Well the facts Gordon and other researchers like Tom Bearden uncovered were kept under wraps but there were a host of indicators... localized weather changes; birds of all species dropping out of the sky dead; unusual cloud formations; electrical appliances fusing in local businesses... For the next two years Gordon travelled the globe investigating Airforce disasters and working out ways to protect military systems from E/M attacks..."

Zac broke into a smile.

"And because he was a civilian, everywhere Gordon went, he was shadowed by the Airforce bod. David apparently did everything with him... roomed in with him... put him through fitness training... comforted him when he threw up at the sight of dead bodies... mentored him... even showered with him."

"He saw him naked? That sounds worse than prison!"

"Gordon says the experience was life shaping more than a sentence. Before his enforced service, the peace movement was on his lips. After it, the peace movement was burning in his heart... Since then he's become something of a world leader in our field... The government and the military still use his expertise... He kinda has an arrangement with the University... He ups and leaves... No one asks any questions... He comes back... No one asks any questions."

"And he became your mentor after you saved his life, right?"

Zac smiled reflectively.

"It was a chalk and cheese relationship at first. Activist Professor Macca using every trick up his sleeve to draw his reticent rescuer out of his shell! By nature I'm cautious and resistant to change. But Gordon persisted and just kept pushing me out of my comfort zone until I could handle anything he tossed at me. And after a while I became addicted to trying new things."

"And you use military style push-ups and make-love-not-war massages the same way he does to keep your team in line?"

"My version's toned down compared to Gordon's. Gordon would've made Brendan do 80 push-ups. And got him to strip down to a towel for the massage."

Jake's eyes widened.

"I've changed my mind. I think it would be embarrassing to have Gordon as a mentor..."

Zac grinned warmly at the shy comment.

Silence.

"Hey Zac. Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Ask away..."

"If you had a son my age and he asked you to rub his neck, would you think he was gay?"

"Course not. Why?"

"I was just wondering what another bloke thinks. I've never asked anyone else... It's on the list of things I think I'd like to do with my Dad one day when we meet... If I'm not too chicken that is..."

"Doesn't your Nan dish out neck-rubs?"

"Nah. She's grabbed me around the scruff of the neck a couple of times when I've aggravated her. But that's just because she's old and tired... Has your Dad ever rubbed your neck?"

"Dad's more of a pat-on-the-back bloke, but Gordon's like a second Dad to me and he's rubbed my neck heaps of times."

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah. It makes me all sleepy and I end up dribbling..."

"That sounds... intriguing."

"You know Jake. It's good to observe, and ask people about their experiences. But sometimes you need to get in there and experience things first hand."

"I want to be like that Zac. But even the thought of doing stuff like you were doing tonight makes my guts churn. I'd sooner take an exam any day."

"You know, the other side of every fear is a freedom."

Silence.

"Hey Zac... Just say I asked you to massage my neck, but then I couldn't handle it, would you stop?"

"Course... Come on. Let's give it a try... So you're not so nervous if you ever get to do it with your Dad... Move over to your bed... Now lie face down and say 'stop' if you're getting anxious."

Zac pushed Jake's pyjama collar away from his neckline. His fingers detected Jake's bounding pulse. Neck muscles knotted so hard that he was surprised they weren't cramped.

Crumbs. He wasn't kidding about being frightened...

"Flood him with Your peace Lord."

A lengthy silence. Zac deliberately said nothing. As he expected, within moments Jake started relaxing under his touch... Another couple of minutes passed. Jake's breathing slowed and became rhythmical.

"Are you still awake Jake?"

No reply.

Zac pulled the sheet over Jake then killed the 12volt lighting in their room. Then he tiredly clambered into his bed...

Ω

Zac was drifting off when a flicker of movement caught his attention. His eyelids snapped open. He stared at the shadows looming on the wall in silent fascination.

People. Two people.

Zac sighed noisily, got out of bed and threw on a T-shirt and shorts. Moonlight bathed the yard, making it easy for him to find his way around in spite of the unfamiliar surroundings. Girlish giggling made it even easier to home in on the source of the shadows.

Zac approached the tramp and peered at the wriggling, sheet-covered bodies.

"Okay. Back to the quarters," he said, with quiet authority.

An arm shot out from underneath the sheet in response and grabbed his forearm.

"Well - what d'ya know? A prowling lion!"

"Dave?!" gasped Zac, attempting to break free and tear away.

Dave yanked Zac toward him in response. Zac unexpectedly sailed through the air, and landed on the tramp, inches from Dave's bare chest. Zac lay stiffly next to Dave, his heart beating wildly.

Silence. Dave broke it.

"You out of flight mode yet Professor?"

Zac managed a cautious nod. Dave released his grip and chuckled.

"Can't have you running off until you've calmed down a bit. Ya might trip over somethin' and break ya neck."

Protest finally replaced Zac's trepidation.

"H...How'd you throw me like that? I'm heavier than you!"

Dave grinned.

"Remind me to teach you before you leave... Why're ya out on night patrol anyway?"

Embarrassed silence. Dave raised inquiring eyebrows. Zac made cautious eye contact with Dave.

"Um...The moon was casting shadows on my wall... of a couple... um... petting... and..."

Zac's shoulders sagged and he gave up.

Dave glanced over at the moonlit sea containers then back at Zac. His eyes glinted with mischief.

"...and you thought one of your pups was involved in a nocturnal escapade with my Jen, eh?"

An open-mouthed shake of the head.

"No."

"Ah... So you thought I was pashing Maya?"

Zac shook his head vigorously.

"No!"

"You old tease!" giggled Jen, emerging from under the sheet. "You know exactly what he thought was happening and who he thought was involved!"

Zac eyed Jen's bare shoulders and fought off an acute wave of embarrassment.

"'Course I do luv!" grinned Dave. "But it's up to us to be light-hearted about this. He's too scared to laugh!"

Jen picked up the hint.

"Dave can give you some tips on erotic massage after your judo lesson if you'd like some!" she quipped.

Zac smiled cautiously.

"It's been a while since we've been sprung!" bantered Dave. "It's a lark teasing the offender!"

A titter of mirth bubbled up inside Zac. He bit his lip to control it.

"Sounds like the offender needs your lark classes as well as training in judo and massage!" joked Jen.

"Sounds like I might have to come out of retirement!" retorted Dave, winking at Jen.

Zac eyed them both with bemusement then cracked up.

"You pair are something else!" he groaned.

Dave and Jen hi-fived like scheming teenagers.

"Sorry to have sent your ticker into tachycardia there Zac," apologized Dave. "Tonight started out innocently enough. We were just relaxing here on the tramp together admiring the stars... then Jen's hands wandered a bit and one thing led to another... You know how it is when you've been married thirty years and have gotten over all your inhibitions."

Zac struggled with the sudden intensity of the conversation.

"Well... it's outside my field of experience, but it sounds... wholesome," he said guardedly.

Dave laughed easily and rubbed his chin.

"This mixed-sex arrangement that's got you prowling around... Want me to straighten it out for you?"

"Thanks, but it's about time I learnt to handle this particular curve ball."

"Tired of ducking it, eh?"

Zac was taken aback.

"I've got a friend... He always says the same thing..."

"Sounds like an interesting friend."

Dave eyed Zac perspicaciously.

"Not sure how to ride the winds of change, eh?" he added softly.

Zac failed to hide his astonishment.

"I... I'd best get back to my room."

Dave's eyes twinkled.

"Goodnight young lion. We'll see ya at breakie."

Ω

Zac slipped back into his bed and tiredly shut his eyes.

Dave's perceptiveness and sudden informality had unnerved him, even more than his judo throw. Something about Dave felt incredibly familiar, but Zac was certain their paths had never crossed before.

Not sure how to ride the winds of change, eh?

His Dad said the same thing whenever he was inviting Zac to share his heart...

Freaky...

And what about that comment about ducking curve balls?

Gordon said that whenever he was tossing out a challenge.

What were the chances of a complete stranger from outback Australia using both phrases in the course of a short conversation? Infinitesimal surely...

Zac yawned reflectively.

Then again his Dad and Gordon were a similar age. And Dave didn't look much older than them. Perhaps they'd all seen the same tele shows as kids. Or read the same books...

Another memory drifted by and lingered... Maya's soft hand searching for his, earlier that evening when they'd seen the fire-ball.

God created the spaces between your fingers so that someone else's fingers can fill the gaps son...

His Dad had made the comment casually when they were out hunting together on his last trip home. A subtle hint that it was time he started thinking about finding a helpmeet.

The most precious possession that a man can have is a woman's love.

Gordon's recent very direct comment before he'd left California. Zac had a hunch his Dad and Gordon had been chinwagging. Two similar comments from the two men he most admired in two weeks? Too much of a coincidence.

You're not passionate about women?

Zac chuckled at the memory of Jake's mortified expression after the accidental question had slipped out. Poor kid. Lucky he hadn't seen Dave and Jen's petting shadows. That would have been the last straw! Fortunately he was snoring like a chainsaw at the time. Bushed after a myriad of new and unsettling experiences. Like his first close encounter with a perky woman who could win a Y-chromosome personality contest without trying.

Maya.

Not only was she personality plus, but she was tanned, toned and knew how to dress to make the most of her body shape. Her Fendi bag suggested she had a passion for fashion. So did her shoes. Zac grinned at the memory of watching her pinpoint heels sink into a pot-hole full of bulldust back in Laverton... She'd retained her poise, in spite of nearly losing her balance. And her self-confidence as she'd stepped out of Tyson's bush-basher with wind-whipped hair... She could've been stepping out of a limo after a trip to a hair salon!

Zac lay prostrate on his bed... reaching out in the spirit realm.

"Yeah alright... I admit it... They're right... And You're right. It's not good for a man to be alone. But I also know I've got to let go of some things before I'll be the right man for the woman of Your choice... We both know what they are... Help me deal with them... Your way... Your time... 'Night Jireh."

Chapter 6

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

-Henry Ford (1863-1947)

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drew me out of my bedroom the following morning. To my surprise, they were all already up. Or more correctly their bodies were rhythmically moving up and down on the champagne-pale carpet in the lounge area. I sipped on my caffeine fix and watched them. Thirty push-ups... They were moving in unison, mirroring Zac. Except for Jake. He collapsed on push-up five. Zac had smiled encouragingly and told him it was a good baseline and to try for seven tomorrow. They moved onto sit-ups... Jake banged his head on the couch. Next star jumps. Jake almost knocked over a spindly-legged table while trying to keep up with the star-jumps. Back on the floor again. Suppleness training... Zac had finally found an exercise that Jake was good at. Everyone stopped briefly and watched Jake thrust his legs over his head and touch the floor behind him with his toes. Not bad for a bloke.

"Hey, nice flexibility!" said Zac encouragingly.

"Nice derrière," I quipped from behind my coffee mug.

Jake rolled instantly back up into sitting position like he'd been stung. He glanced at Zac for a microsecond, reddened with embarrassment and then tore off for the safety of his bedroom.

The room was no longer friendly. Pete took off after Jake, slamming the door behind him like a teenager chucking a tantrum. Dale got in my face and glared at me.

"Sure your name's not Maya Mouth?" he bristled.

"I'll do the telling off," said Zac calmly.

Dale started to walk off.

Brendan caught Zac's eye.

"I always thought your rule of 'no women' at our workshops sucked, but now I'm starting to agree with you."

He went to catch up with Dale.

"Breakfast then briefing," called out Zac.

Dale changed direction. They both headed for the front door.

"Tell Jen we don't want her in our quarters," Brendan fired over his shoulder, as he opened the door.

Their quarters? Huh?

Zac smiled faintly as he watched them storm out, then redirected his attention to me.

"What's up their nose? All I said was..."

Zac cut me short with his eyes. My mouth snapped shut.

"It's not what you said. It's who you said it to, that's the problem."

Silence. Zac rubbed his chin like a chess playing trying to decide his next move.

"Maya... Anyone else in the room could have coped with your comment. But Jake's... self conscious."

"I would be too if I had his b.o."

"Well I choose to look past his b.o and awkwardness and see his potential. At seventeen, he's the youngest Masters student in Australia. Last year he successfully determined the mathematical value of a constant which geoscientists have been trying to crack for almost forty years. His IQ's up there with Einstein's."

"That scaredy cat's a genius?"

"Think about it Maya. You have the opportunity to input negatively or positively into the life of a young man who's likely to go down in history as one of the greatest scientists of the 21st Century."

Sweet.

"The thing is, like many prodigies, he's developed a little unevenly. Which is part of the reason he's here."

"Zac Canney. Mountain-leveller and valley-filler extraordinaire?"

"Zac Canney. Regular guy who happens to be responsible for creating a secure environment for all the young men on this workshop."

My conscience prickled with rue.

"Sorry. Truce and tag-team?"

"Sounds interesting!" replied Zac. "Out of curiosity, what are your plans for today anyway?"

"I'm supposed to be hanging around in case that earthquake Laverton had the other night was a birth pang before a mega quake. Except now I'm faced with a problem the size of Mt Everest."

"Why?"

"A conflict of interest. I don't know what you're really doing here Zac, but my guts tells me you're here to do more than help Jake reach his potential. And I'm burning to write about it..."

He waited.

"If I don't go home with something, I'll incur the wrath of Frank..."

I drew a deep breath.

"...but if I follow up on the story, I might endanger you all..."

"Too easy. Tag along with our team Maya."

"You mean it?"

"Yes. Write the story that's burning in you. Take all the photos you want. And before you submit the copy to your boss, we'll review your articles and help you delete statements which if published might get us all into an awful lot of trouble."

"You mean it?" I repeated.

"Yes. Brendan, Dale and Pete are going out to the Celia fault lineament this morning to sniff around and take some photos of their own. Why don't you hitch a ride with them?"

"I dunno Zac. The three amigos have kinda got daggers for me at the moment."

"Hey, you've got plenty of 'tude girl. And the advantage of life experience on them."

"Life experience? Flattery like that will get you places Professor Canney. See these crows-feet around my eyes?"

"I hadn't noticed them, but now you point them out, I must say they're a perfect match for mine!"

Zac grinned at me. I drew strength from his warmth.

"Pity I can't order them to do push-ups like you do," I sighed.

"Hmmm... Demanding push-ups from them wouldn't work, but you're on the right track... What if I give you an assignment to do for me as well which involves them, while you're out and about getting your photos?"

"You mean involve me in what you're doing?"

"You could provide the cover story for the data collecting... Students often pose as nature photographers, bird watchers or artists when they're really on guard duty."

"I dunno Zac. Dave and Jen have planted the Garden of Eden around them. But beyond their boundary fence, you can see a bull-ant for ten kilometres. It's hardly an inspiring vista for photographers, bird watchers or artists..."

"Hmmm. I agree the normal cover story we use mightn't work in this area..."

Zac paused.

"I know... Minor change of plan... Pete has a small problem with his mother which I've wanted to help him address. Let's kill two birds with one stone..."

Ω

Breakfast was subdued. I gave up on the only exchange of conversation at the dining table about three sentences into it... Tech talk between Dave and Zac. Something about flux compression generator bombs... Tech talk at 7 am was worse than CNN Happychat at 7 am. Particularly when the tech talk had just been preceded by a friendly behave-yourself-Maya talk. Desperate to talk to anyone, I drifted over to the kitchen sink to help Jen with the dishes.

"Good morning Maya. Did you sleep well luv?"

"Yes thanks."

"Did the boys? They seem a little cranky. Or am I picking up something that's not there?"

"We had a bit of disagreement before they came over."

"Need a bit of 4x2 hon?" she asked perspicaciously.

A weak smile from me.

"Brendan got all huffy and told Zac to kick me out of their quarters."

My complaint sounded like one kid dobbing on another kid.

"Well... the Professor actually made a private booking of the singlemen's quarters for the week for his group, because he usually only runs same-sex workshops... you know... all men, or occasionally all women..."

Understanding dawned on my face.

"There was a bit of miscommunication all round however... When you arrived, we were all kinda gobsmacked 'coz we were expecting a bloke... and no one quite knew what to do or say when you started heading for the singlemen's quarters..."

"...until Zac spoke up and told the boys to help me in with my bags?"

"Ah ha... Dave had a private word with Zac last night and asked him if he wanted him to straighten the whole mess out, but he said to leave things as they were, because he wanted to quit ducking curve balls. Whatever that means..."

Ω

Zac eyed his team thoughtfully. Jake had come to the briefing. Zac decided to say nothing.

"Right. Your primary assignment is the same as usual. Attempt to locate where any parties of interest are camping or operating from in this region. Examine the fault line. Note any evidence of sampling or damage in the area. Get as many photos as you can. Look for anything unusual... sun reflecting off glass... discarded litter. Note anything out of the ordinary. No matter how small or irrelevant it may seem. And above all, stay on your guard... Questions?"

Sober faced silence.

"Right. As well as getting the photos we're after I need you to keep Maya out of the way for me while Jake and I are busy today."

"But Sir. She's not a workshop participant or part of our team. Can't we just ditch her?" complained Brendan.

"What happens whenever you try to ditch Cherie?"

"It makes her more curious about what I'm up to."

"Precisely. Learn that lesson about the female of the species early on in life and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches."

"Why don't we get Gordon to move her on?" suggested Pete. "Arrange to fly her to Tahiti for the rest of the week on some fake trip she's won or something."

"And give the team in Tahiti plenty of warning that she's coming," added Dale sulkily.

Zac cracked up. His belly laughter brought out smiles all round.

"Maya's a frequent flyer guys. She spends half her life tripping around the world. If you offered her a free trip somewhere, she'd just as likely give it away to her mother."

"Well it's a big ask, making us put up with her all day," grumbled Brendan.

"I know it is. But at the moment I feel like I'm trying to find a silver lining in a coffin, six foot under, without a torch."

"Sounds challenging enough to turn you into a giant!" quipped Pete.

"It is. So I need to rely on you more than usual. I need you to watch each other's backs, much more carefully than usual. And I want all three of you to protect Maya... Like she's your little sister."

"What are we gonna do while we're trying to keep her out of the way after we collect data?"

"Climb rocks... take photos... picnic... I'm giving her an assignment as well to drag things out a bit... Just go along with things as best you can for as long as you can."

"What's her assignment?"

"I'll explain in a jiffy. Where is that woman anyway?"

Ω

I looked up at the sound of a shrill wolf whistle.

"Maya... Over here. Stop yakking," called out Zac, beckoning me.

"You'll be right luv," coaxed Jen. "Get 'em laughing and they'll forget their collywobbles. That's what I used to do with my boys. Go on..." she said, gently pushing me in the direction of the group.

Ω

"Okay... listen up everyone... Maya did a preliminary survey of the area yesterday and it's very arid, so we need a good cover story. Maya's a professional photographer, so I thought we'd work around that theme. Pete, you're Maya's male model for the day. Make regular stops in the area of interest... Maya, shoot heaps of pose photos like you're doing a photo-shoot for a girlie magazine. Meanwhile, Brendan and Dale will be snapping the photos of what we're really interested in. You two, also snap some suggestive photos of Pete and Maya looking cosy as well... That way if anyone's watching through binoculars, it'll be very difficult to work out who's taking photos of what, or what your real reason for being there is. Follow so far?"

"Yes... But do we have to do the cosy and suggestive photos?" protested Pete.

Zac looked amused.

"Heard of the adage 'a picture says a thousand words?'"

"Yeah."

"Well... Cooperate with Maya long enough to get the right shots and I reckon it'll get your mother off your back."

"Why's your mum on your back anyway?" asked Brendan.

Pete cleared his throat.

"She's on my back as much as Pete's actually," interposed Zac. "I'm dragging her boy out on wilderness camps with other blokes instead of letting him meet nice young ladies on the beach in sunny Queensland."

All round laughter. Even Jake smiled. Pete's eyes met Zac's and reflected his thanks.

"You three got your buttons?"

Nods from the three amigos.

"Good. Log onto my laptop."

Zac motioned me closer with an index finger. He slid his hand under my blouse before I had time to react and started pinning something to it. Warm knuckles fleetingly brushed my chest and doubled my heart rate.

"What...?"

He silenced my nascent protest with a glance.

"Le Potier sait l'argile?"

I sounded out the French slowly, as he clipped the front on the emblem.

"The Potter knows the clay," he supplied.

"What is it anyway?"

"It's a tracking device."

"Why?"

"So I can find you if you get yourself lost out there. Come on, let's log you on too."

My heart leapt within me.

Zac Canney. Protective leader and moulder of men. And me.

Ω

Some of their earlier anger had dissipated. Or more correctly their earlier anger was no longer at rapid boil... More like just a gentle simmer now.

"Since we're stuck with you, we'd better make something clear," lectured Dale. "If we see anyone out here, don't mouth off about what we're really doing."

"What are you really doing?"

Silence.

"What makes you think I'll mouth off?"

Silence.

"Convicted on the basis of prior bad acts, eh?"

"You don't understand. We're a team of blokes."

"Yes. The emphasis being on team not blokes. And my journalist's intuition tells me that Zac doesn't want me seeing whatever he's doing with Jake today so he's sent me off with his team of blokes to keep me out of the way."

Three astonished faces. I knew my gut feeling was right.

"So since I have to endure the humiliation of being supervised by three blokes, and a fourth bloke has got a tracking device on me, can't we have some fun, while you're getting your photos and I'm getting mine?"

Chuckles from Brendan and Pete. Dale remained staunch faced.

"Come on Dale. All I said was nice derrière. And it was nice from a woman's perspective. Jake's got a nice bum, you've got nice biceps. That's not mouthing off. Facts are facts."

"What's nice about me?" smiled Brendan.

"Your legs. But don't tell Cherie or I might get into a lot of trouble."

Soft laughter. Even a weak smile from Dale.

"And Pete's got hunky abs... Actually Pete you remind me of this bloke I was taking photos of one time for an advertising agency a few years back. If you ever get tired of being a scientist call me, and I'll pass your name onto a couple of agencies I do freelance work for."

All round laughter.

"What about Zac?" ventured Pete.

"Huh?"

"What'd you like about him?"

"Eyes the colour of amethysts... Silky soft Scandinavian-blonde hair... A body that'd make a Greek-statue cry with envy..."

"You sound like a love sick school girl not a grown up woman."

I reddened slightly.

"Sorry... Don't dare tell him but I've got a mega crush on your Professor. Which doesn't happen to me much. I'm normally too independent to fall for fellas."

Silence.

"Maya Mouth has done it again, eh?" I muttered, eyeing Pete.

"No... I was just thinking - if you really like him, you should know a few things about him."

"Like what?"

"Well... He always goes on about looking for character in a woman. And not collagen-enhanced, silicone-implanted beauty... Ask Brendan."

"Yeah. Pete's right. And he talks about bringing out the best in a woman... and being a man with wholesome values."

"And he's got this personal goal about no kissing on the lips or sex 'til marriage," added Dale.

I laughed with disbelief.

"That's so... archaic. How's he expect to find a partner taking a stance like that?"

"He expects his angel Jireh to bring his future wife to him."

"A match made in heaven?"

"S'pose," shrugged Pete. "I know one thing for sure Maya. If you've got the hots for Zac, you'd better keep it clean. Or you won't get very far with him..."

Ω

The shot echoed through the emptiness and ricocheted off rusty metal.

"Better. You clipped the drum this time. You're getting less afraid of the gun. Point it towards the ground while I set the cans up again."

"Hey Zac. I'm having fun doing this. But how come we didn't go out with the others?"

"'Coz I said I'd teach you to shoot cans today and I try not to break my word when I say I'll do something..."

"...and?"

"...and after this morning I thought you might need a break from Maya."

"Are you still worried about what happened this morning?"

"You aren't?"

"Nah. Sorry I took off in the middle of exercises. I got all embarrassed when she said nice bum. I immediately thought I must have had a split in my pants and that she'd seen my undies or something. But Pete checked all over and said he was absolutely sure I hadn't split them. He reckons she was just being cheeky because she wants to be included in what we're doing."

Zac looked reflective.

"Pete might be right about that."

"Maybe we should have invited her to come shooting, so the others could have had a break from her. Dale was pretty mad at her."

An amused grin.

"I'm not sure how Ms Maya Gregory would have reacted to the idea of coming shooting with us Jake."

"She would've asked to have a go of the gun too I reckon."

"Something you've observed in her behaviour make you say that?"

"Not so much an observation with my eyes. What do you call an observation of the heart?"

"Well... some people call it a gut feeling or intuition. I call it spiritual discernment... Whatever you call it, it's there because man is more than the $3.50 worth of chemicals which make up his body. He has a mind, a will, emotions and a spirit."

"Well this is my spiritual discernment then. Yesterday Maya saw three plasma balls forming. Any other woman would have been terrified - here she is, out on an isolated road on the fringe of the desert and she sees several weird occurrences. Tyson even admitted his brain was playing all these scenarios about alien abductions and UFOs. Not Maya! She just gets out of the ute - in the middle of a hailstorm mind you - to get her cameras so she can take photos of the plasma balls. And when they disappear, she's off chasing them! Wanting to take Tyson's ute cross country if you please... Talk about having a giant's mindset..."

Zac laughed and aimed at the smaller can on top of the drum. He knocked it to the ground.

"I hadn't actually thought about it, but you're right Jake. The way she responded does show strength of character."

"Same thing in the evening. She sees another plasma ball. A huge one this time compared to the other ones. Any other woman would have probably gone hyper. I mean I've seen girls scream over a little pop when testing for hydrogen. Not to mention this was Maya's second sighting for the day. How many frights does a girl need in one day anyway? Admittedly she jabbered a bit... You know, asking all those questions about the fireball pretty fast. And she reached for your hand 'coz she was scared. But as soon as you grabbed her hand she calmed right down. And she had this look on her face like she trusted you to protect her..."

"I don't remember noticing that either!" chuckled Zac. "And here I am telling you to observe with all your senses... I dunno. I must have been jet lagged or something last night."

"Maybe you were too busy observing the fireball at the time. I remember noticing how she was reacting though... What you taught me last night about using my five senses to notice people's feelings was a real eye-opener. It's like all of a sudden I've become conscious of how people give out vibes. And this morning I woke up and thought - there's a whole world full of things to discover and experience and I haven't even scratched the surface in the first seventeen years of my life..."

"Hey... it's only nine in the morning and you've already learnt to do one new thing today."

"You make being able to hit a target look so easy."

"It's not realistic to compare your ability to shoot with mine because I've had a life-long exposure to guns. I was brought up in rural Alaska. Going hunting for deer and hare with my Dad was part of my lifestyle as long as I can remember. And Dad and I still usually go out hunting together whenever I get to go home."

"Your life sounds exciting compared to mine. About the only thing I've had a life-long exposure to is computer programming. I remember mum teaching me COBOL and C++ from the time I could read. She'd always say, 'Jake honey... I can't see how someone who's mastered Python can't tie his laces.' But my fondest memories were sitting near her finding her glitches with Java – we'd race each other and whoever found the glitch first got a chocolate peanut."

"Who got more chocolate peanuts? You or mum?"

"Me... In retrospect though, I think most of those contests were rigged in my favour."

Zac laughed warmly.

"Talking of computers and mums, that reminds me. Pete's got a problem he could use your help with..."

"Nah, that's late news. I fixed it for him this morning after he checked for the split in my dacks... Now he's got a smiling photo of himself with his arm wrapped around his mother as his screensaver."

"Sounds tame enough."

"His other screensaver was lame. He and some of his surfing mates were all dressed in black dresses and high heels and wearing lipstick. He said they were drunk. They must have been. I'd never do that in a million years. Drunk or sober."

"Me neither. I've got a long list of experiences I want to try before I die. Cross-dressing isn't one of them though. Neither is getting drunk."

"I've only got a short list of things I want to experience... There's just three things on the list at the moment... Maybe I'll revise the list with my five senses and add to it..."

"I dunno. Your list sounds more realistic than mine. What's on your short list anyway?"

"Well I want to learn to drive a car... And learn to fly a plane... And... And one other thing, but I don't want to say..."

"Have sex eh?" grinned Zac.

Jake looked down at his feet and squirmed.

"Whoops... Too personal a question?"

"Dumb eh? I can listen to other guys talking about it. But if anyone asks me about it, I get all tongue-tied."

"Well I can drive a car and I'm a private pilot, so those two experiences aren't on my try before I die list. But having sex still is."

"You're kidding? I thought I was the only post graduate in the world who hadn't done it."

"Nah. There are at least two of us. You and me!"

"How come you can admit it so easily? Aren't you ashamed?"

"What's so shameful about admitting you haven't got to experience something yet but you hope to in the future?"

"Nothing... Zeitgeist mindset I guess."

"I think that baby giant that was born last night just grew a bit bigger."

Zac set their individual targets back up again.

Jake had another attempt at hitting the 20 litre drum.

"Yes!" he yelled, whirling around in a circle exuberantly.

Zac grinned and moved another 30 metres further back from his target. He took careful aim and fired. The can fell to the ground. As Zac went to pick it up he noticed a glint of reflected light. He stared over in the direction it had come from and frowned slightly.

"Is something wrong?" asked Jake.

"Someone back at the homestead is watching us through binoculars. I was just wondering why, that's all."

Zac glanced at his watch.

"We'd better get back and check everyone's tracking devices are still operational. They'll be in the fault line region by now... Want to keep the drum as a trophy?"

"Maybe for the week, but I'd better just take a photo of it home with me. I don't have the guts to take sus stuff onto aircraft like you."

Zac smiled faintly as he started to drive off.

"For what it's worth, it took a lot of dare on my part too. And a bit of unseen intervention from Jireh too I'd say."

"Jireh?"

"My nickname for God... Actually Dale indirectly gave it to Him a couple of years ago."

"How?"

"Our team was on a surveillance camp out near the JORN facility at Harts Range near Alice Springs. Dale was jittery - not because we were camping out under the stars - but because this snake had decided to join us around the campfire after dinner as well."

"That'd make me jittery too!"

Zac's eyes twinkled.

"Anyway Dale was worried about going to sleep, even after I'd thwacked the snake on the head and tossed it on the fire. So I told him that in the Good Book it says, the Angel of the Lord camps out with those who trust Him. Then I added that since He was gonna be up all night anyway, we might as well get some sleep... and I climbed into my swag."

"Weren't you secretly afraid that there might be more snakes?"

"Knowing your enemy is the key to courage Jake... It was about 2 degrees, the temperature was dropping and the snake had been sluggish when I'd rearranged its head anyway. Not only that, we had thick canvas swags with pop up mozzie nets... like personal tents on stretchers. So everything considered, the chances of being envenomed by a snake in the middle of the night were about the same as winning lotto."

Zac chuckled at the memory.

"Anyway... Dale moved his swag right over close to mine like he was trying to make a double bed or something! And then he mumbled something about wanting my angel to take care of him too - and he asked me what his name was."

"So why'd you say Jireh?"

"Well... many of the names for God reflect His nature. And some Hebrew names are best translated as phrases - God the Healer, God the Restorer of the Breach and so on. Any the name that sprung to mind was Jehovah Jireh. It means 'God's my Protective Provider'. Which was kinda what Dale felt he needed at the time... Interestingly, while Dale staunchly maintains he's an atheist, he starts almost every philosophical discussion the Australian team have..."

Zac became aware that they were back at the homestead gate.

"Goodness... I have been dominating the conversation on the way home."

"Nah... I like listening to everyone's memory lane rambles. It's helping me get to know everyone."

Jake looked thoughtful.

"Hey Zac. I know you're not allowed to tell me what this is all about yet. But when do we start building the E/M weapon?"

"You trust me enough to work on a project with me, when I'm withholding information from you?"

"Yes."

"Thanks. But you know, it's not wise to jump into something without knowing what you're jumping into."

"I think giants sometimes have to take risks and try hard things Zac... So far I've spent my whole working life in a sheltered university environment and received a guaranteed stipend. But this... all this around me is the real world. And I know something big's going down in this part of the real world. I'm not sure what yet, but if you and Gordon feel it's important enough to do something about, and Jireh helped you get that suitcase of components into the country, well then that's good enough for me. Actually, why don't we make a start on it while the others are out collecting data? They can join us when they get back..."

**Chapter 7**

Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it.

But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth,

and you will know the key to photography.

-George Eastman (1854-1932)

I'd trekked around after them for the best part of three hours. My sexy but sensible heels were holding out but my patience wasn't. Why three blokes would want to take so many uninspiring photos was beyond me. Meaningless photos of rock fissures... little holes drilled in the rock face near the cracks... Some black marks on the rocks that looked like bathroom grime. They'd also been interested in a piece of chewing gum wrapper. Some Korean brand. I'd already drunk two bottles of water to pass the time. As for Pete, he'd completely avoided my camera. So much for getting some sizzling shots to send back to his mother. Bored out of my brain, I picked up my Nikon and casually looked through the telescopic lens.

"Hey... I can see something other than spinifex... There's group of men out there in camo gear."

"Where?" snapped Brendan, his tone brittle as metal.

I turned and glanced at him in surprise. His normally cheeky face was reflecting back cautious tension.

"That way... About 11 o'clock. Here. Look through my camera."

Dale was instantly by his side with a hand-held GPS.

"28.326747°S... 122.005294°E..."

"Good. Record the coordinates for Zac... I make their base camp about 2 kilometres from our present position... at bearing 330°. Better take some photos as well..."

Ω

"Well, what do you think?" asked Zac. "Up to being workshop leader for this project? We'll help you of course."

Jake looked off into the distance.

"Building it is cinch... Programming it will be challenging but we can do it together... Using it..." Jake hesitated for a long moment. "The thought makes my guts churn. And my brain won't even go there..."

"Ditto... To tell you the truth, I'm hoping we won't have to use it... But if it comes down to using it to save the lives of several million innocent people, well I'm going to find the courage inside to use it."

Several million people?

Jake's expression reflected his full cooperation. Zac moistened his lips.

"Come on then. Let's make a start..."

Ω

A moving shadow to my left caught my attention.

"Hey guys. Don't look up but we've got company," I said in a low tone. "He's big, brawny and wearing camo gear like those other blokes."

"Where?"

"Squatting up on the rock-face near where you found that chewing gum wrapper before."

"Shi... ugar!"

"Naughty naughty... I'll tell Zac."

"Pete? Any ideas?" breathed Brendan.

"Run?" suggested Pete.

"Zac hasn't trained you to run. Besides running might arouse Mr Camo's suspicion."

"Suggest something better then!" hissed Dale.

"Follow my lead," I said softly. "Dale... Go back to the 4WD and hide those coordinates somewhere safe. Then come back with my bag full of cameras... Pete... Strip your shirt off..."

"What?"

"Don't argue. Brendan - in my Fendi over there, there's a bottle of baby oil... stroll over casually and bring it back to me... like it's something you do all the time..."

"Okay."

I moved closer to Pete... Nikon in hand.

"Fabulous!" I purred, louder than necessary. "Now we want some sexy but strong poses... Here... let's put some oil on your chest to get you in the mood..."

My tone was seductive. I applied the oil in long, sensuous strokes and orientated myself so Mr Camo could fully see my actions.

"He's watching us," I breathed into Pete's ear. "Wipe the embarrassment off your face..."

Pete exhaled noisily.

"Better..."

I moved back several steps.

"...Now lean back on your arms," I instructed loudly. "Head back... lick those lips... good! Where's my Powershot? Thanks Big D... I want some panoramic shots of this area..."

"Panoramic?" echoed Dale.

Come on Dale... brain on.

"Yes... those shots Big B told you to get a moment ago."

Dale worked it out this time.

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Big B... over here with my Canon MkII. And Big D will need the Sigma telephoto lens," I said, pointing a thumb in the general direction of Dale.

"You got it darlin'!" drawled Brendan.

Definitely the better candidate for acting school.

"Big P... we want the little-bit-naughty look... here... unclip your jeans button... that's better... you're still too tense though... Big B... take over the camera for a minute while I free this guy up a bit."

I moved back closer to Pete and draped both arms over his shoulders and casually rubbed his stomach. Pete involuntarily wriggled and laughed.

A sexy laugh that made me ache to draw more than a laugh out of him...

Stop it Maya! Fishing prohibited in these waters under Alaskan law!

"Okay... now we're getting somewhere... Think about an old girlfriend... petting you somewhere naughty... Yes! That's the look I'm after... raw desire... aching to be touched... Yeah... Big B... walk around us in a full circle... like you're a prowling cat... Some close up face shots of us now... yeah good... back about a metre... Okay I'm moving out of the picture now, but I want photos all angles... Some of him with that spinifex in the background. The light's good. Some towards the rocks. Okay Big P... Now strike a provocative pose... Like you're waiting for that girl of yours to come and get you... That's it!... Great... Big D... more photos over there..."

I pointed towards the guy in camo gear who had been stealthy getting closer to us...

"Oh there you are!" I chirped, making direct eye contact with him.

Mr Camo froze in crouch position.

"What are you doing over there? You're supposed to be over here!" I said flashing him a fraudulent smile.

He looked confused. I walked boldly up to him and grabbed him by the hand. To everyone's surprise including mine, he allowed himself to be tugged over to where Pete was sitting. I pushed him down into sitting position and flashed another toothpaste-ad smile at him.

"Nice outfit... But far too many clothes for this shoot... Bit shy eh? Here... take off the cap for starters... Actually Big P... let's mix and match you two... You wear his cap if it fits... it looks genuine army issue except for the label... It's in some foreign lingo... The shirt looks authentic too but the overall effect is too military... let's unbutton your shirt so it's much naughtier... Hmmm you've got a bit of a sweat up, but you need oil too..."

Seductive fingertips tantalized his chest... The incredulity on his face was priceless.

"Some nice close up shots of Big P in that nice uniform Big B... Circle them both... This time I want the come and get us look... Chin up... Show off that attractive angular face of yours... Better... Big inviting smile... chest out..."

Mr Camo looked confused. I started removing his unbuttoned shirt.

"The agency didn't send through your name but we've been expecting you... What's your name anyway?"

"Tai Ang Chong."

Dale and Brendan exchanged subtle glances.

"Write that down Big D... It's too big a mouthful for me though... Let's make you Big T for today mate... What are you doing standing around Big B? You're being paid to take photos... Time to make our way over to the rock ledge where we're doing the nude shots... Okay... Big T... You've had enough time to get to know me... Off with the pants now."

"What?"

I turned my smile back on like a porch light.

"Coy eh? No problem... that's why we've selected this location to do the nude shots... There's no one else for miles... By the way if you need my help to get the stiff look I'll be happy to oblige..."

I made the offer in my sexiest contralto purr. I stepped towards him, baby oil in hand. His jaw dropped open in terror.

"No way lady! There's been a mistake."

His English was excellent. Until he devolved into cursing anyway. After that, he grabbed his shirt and fled like a hunted rabbit off in the direction of his base camp.

"Oh dear... it is so hard to get good nude models these days," I said, with a smile in my voice. "Maybe I'll meet someone else to have fun with while you're taking your boring nature photos at the next place."

"We aren't making any more stops. We're heading back," exhaled Dale shakily.

Thank goodness for that!

I'd had enough of testing my shoes...

Memo to self: Open toed shoes + red dust + spinifex = sore feet.

I watched the three amigos grab everything in one swift load. I was impressed. Repacking gear after a photo shoot generally took me ages. Dale slid into the driver's seat and we took off. No one said anything for a full minute, then everyone erupted into relieved laughter.

"Did you get the photos you needed?" I asked.

"We sure did..." replied Brendan. "We now know nationality... camp location... approximate numbers... and we know they've got a chopper and a jeep at their disposal. Thanks to your plan Maya... It was brilliant!"

"And a scream. The look on his face when you told him to strip!" grinned Pete.

"Wait 'til we tell Zac!" laughed Dale.

"Are you sure you should tell Zac?"

"Definitely. We want to talk him into letting you join the Australian team."

Join their team?

"Yeah. All Zac's other overseas teams are men only."

There were other teams like them? Overseas?

"But if we tell him what a great job you did, Gordon and Zac might consider a mixed team. For this assignment anyway..."

Ω

Zac listened to the three amigo's breathless rendition of their day. I elected to say nothing.

"Sounds like you've had an interesting day too, Maya," said Jake, picking up on my silence.

"Yeah... well you know... it was just acting... I wouldn't have really oiled him there."

"Well you had me aroused at the thought!" grinned Pete.

I glanced fleetingly at Zac. Certain he would be angry. To my immense relief he seemed to be restraining his amusement.

"What's the gadget you're building anyway?"

I wasn't really interested in the gadget or the multitude of pieces in front of them. I just wanted to alter the direction of the conversation, and I figured I could depend on Jake to turn it into tech-talk.

"It's a crude frequency generator at the moment."

"Right... What's it do?"

Jake glanced clandestinely at Zac.

"When it's finished it will have the capacity to put their gadgets out of action if we need to."

"You mean wreck their experiments?"

"Ah ha. You know... like the International Rescue team... Independent and quietly working in the background... Intervening if necessary."

The three amigos simultaneously glanced at Zac. Zac failed to hide his astonishment.

"Oh, I get it. You're like Brains, right?" I ventured.

A shy grin from Jake.

"That's right Lady Penelope!"

Eye contact between us.

"Thunderbirds are go!" we blurted out in unison.

Jake laughed in delight. I giggled girlishly and moved closer to him. To my surprise, he made no attempt to back away.

"Guess what Zac taught me to do while you were out?"

"What?"

"I learnt to shoot a gun... It took about ten attempts but finally I got the drum. Want to see the hole I made in it?"

"Yeah, sure."

I glanced briefly at Zac. His body language was patting me on the back for interacting positively with Jake. A subtle but definite change had occurred in our relationship. Four pair of eyes watched us walk outside. Zac ran his fingertips across his lips, as if deep in thought.

"What have you two been talking about today while you've been assembling the weapon?" murmured Pete.

"Tesla mostly... A bit of bloke's chat... Why?"

"It's like he's like a different kid! This morning he was too scared to even say boo to her."

"I bet it's something to do with your angel Jireh," added Dale, shaking his head his disbelief.

Zac chuckled softly.

"I thought you weren't gonna tell him about the assignment until after Gordon rang?" added Brendan.

"I haven't discussed the assignment with him at all yet."

"But the way he likened us to International Rescue..."

"I know... It's uncanny... I remember watching that show when I was a kid... living out the adventures... It must be years since I've thought about it though."

"Well it hasn't been years since Jake's thought about it. He still watches the shows," shrugged Pete.

"How do you know?"

"He showed me his music and video folders after he changed my screensaver. He's got all the Thunderbirds episodes on his laptop. Along with Beethoven, Mozart and these other decomposing composers."

"What a waste of disc space!" chortled Dale.

"Nah... his whole collection of only uses a milli-fraction of his computer's hard drive... That laptop of his! I still can't get over it. Have you seen it Zac?"

"Not yet."

"He built it himself!" said Pete with genuine admiration. "Yeah it's a bit of an ugly beast. But he's got 4.2 trillion bytes of processing power... Wireless external backup. He built the modem himself and half the components... And he's set himself up with free internet access and unlimited data transfer and storage."

"How?"

"He's piggybacking on some satellite... not a regular communications one, but something that's supposed to be decommissioned space junk but has still got some spark in it."

"A setup like that would have to be 10 years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of portable laptops. He could make a killing if he built them for other academics," mused Dale.

"Not everyone's interested in money. Some people just want to make a difference," said Zac reflectively.

"So what do we do about Brains and Lady Penelope anyway?" ventured Brendan.

Zac glanced through the open fly screen door at Jake and Maya.

"Jake is here by invitation. He's been cleared by Gordon. But Maya... At this stage I think I'm going to have to break my rule of same sex workshops for the first time in ten years of running them... To protect her."

"She's gonna hang out with our team?"

"Subject to clearance from Gordon... I'm sorry. I know you all enjoy the sense of camaraderie we share as fellas... It's a one off... Guest starring this episode only... Lady Penelope."

Pete, Brendan and Dale exchanged looks.

"If any of you secretly feel threatened about the mixed sex arrangement, let me know and I'll do my best to help you through it."

"Nah... We'll be right... Will you be alright but Zac?"

"Me?"

"Yeah... You know... What if Lady Penelope makes amorous advances towards you?"

Zac chuckled in amusement.

"That's the least of my worries. I'm not Maya's type. Maya's type is... well I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sure I'm not it!"

Another exchange of looks between the trio. Pete moistened his lips.

"What about the other way around Zac?"

"What d'ya mean?"

"Well she hasn't got silicone implants or collagen enhanced beauty."

"And she's full of character. And she's already letting you mould her."

The corners of Zac's eyes crinkled with delight.

"Oh... I get your drift! You think I might fall for her and lose my virginity eh?"

"Nah, not that..." replied Pete. "We know you could hold off hopping in the cot with her even if she petted you... You're like that."

"But girls can screw blokes up inside. She might distract you on the mission Zac," ventured Brendan.

"Or make you lose your edge with Jireh," added Dale.

"Thanks for your concerns. Especially you Dale. I think I can guard my heart... But I'm hearing you. Let's modify our usual pact just a little. Where's Jake?"

"I'm here."

"Where's Maya?"

"With Jen."

"Perfect."

Zac extended his fist out into the middle of the group. Three other hands slapped down over the top of his. Jake tentatively closed his hand over the top of the others.

"We agree to remain like mouldable clay in the Potter's hand... learn from each other... watch each other's backs... And on this particular assignment, fully chaperon each other around Ms Maya Gregory..."

Chapter 8

The best and most beautiful things in life

cannot be seen nor touched, but are felt in the heart.

-Helen Keller (1880-1968)

"So are we doing more preparation for marriage stuff again tonight?" asked Brendan after tea.

"I said I'd send you home with at least ten hours under your belt and you've only got a couple so far. But we can chat about improving relationships if you don't want to do what we did last night."

"No... Last night was interesting," said Brendan... "Do you know any other massage strokes or just the one we practiced last night?"

"Gordon's taught me half a dozen. I can teach you some more tonight."

Jake glanced at Zac.

"Is Maya allowed to join us?" he asked cautiously.

"Why?"

"So there's an even number of people... I was thinking of maybe trying what it's like being the masseur."

Zac's grin was victorious.

"You'd like to participate rather than observe tonight, eh?"

Jake nodded.

"If Maya's participating. And I think she should. She needs preparation for marriage training as much as any of us. Probably more, 'coz she's old enough to get married."

Zac's eyes twinkled.

"Hmmm... Maya? Are you observing or participating?"

"I guess I'll participate... Since I'm old enough to get married."

His grin warmed me like a bonfire.

"Fair enough, let's chuck you in the deep end Jake... You and Maya can be massage partners."

"Massage her? No way! I meant massage you! Or one of the guys!"

"I know you did... But I need you to partner with Maya since she's participating too."

"Why?"

"Because Scott Tracy wisely knows how much mischief his three younger brothers will get up to if he lets them massage me..." I piped up.

"Spot on Lady Penelope!" retorted Zac.

All round laughter.

"Okay... let's learn to do this stroke on ourselves first... then we'll practise it on each other..."

Ω

Jake took to the learning-the-stroke-on-himself bit like a duck to water. Predictably, Zac hit a wall of resistance when it came to the practicing-it-on-me bit.

"Come on Jake! Exchange mindsets!" coaxed Zac. "Dare to do the thing you fear to do and keep doing it. It's the quickest and surest way I know of to conquer fear."

I lay down on the floor and smiled up encouragingly at Jake. A metre from me on one side was Zac's half-dressed body. A metre from me on the other side, Pete's half-dressed body and shock of cinnamon hair. Towering above me, more abs and broad shoulders. A hint of Givenchy wafted through the room, but I wasn't sure who was wearing it. I had never been surrounded by so much temptation.

Jake's slender fingers closed hesitantly around my shoulders and kneaded them through my T-shirt. His attempt at pampering felt pretty good for a nervous novice... Fingertips teasingly slid gradually down the sides of my chest and explored the contours.

Mmmm... intensely nice... And completely unexpected!

I glanced up at Jake with surprise but he wasn't even looking at me... He was fixated on Brendan... intently copying what Brendan was doing to Zac... Oblivious to the fact that his hands had even strayed into censored territory.

I savoured the moment as his hands gently glided across my chest and met at my breastbone... It'd been a long while since I'd felt like this. It was like Jake had accidentally woken up part of me which had been frozen over. Since Nepal...

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and glanced over in Zac's direction... The sight of his semi-clad body brought the first involuntary quiver to the surface... Zac was focusing on Brendan as well... Quietly instructing him... giving him feedback ... And Jake was listening to every word Zac said. Implementing his suggestions...

Jake! Look at me will you!?

He was massaging my stomach now. Copying Brendan like he was his shadow... Brendan's fingertips were down near the top of Zac's boardies now at his instruction... Jake's fingers were teasingly gliding across the same area on me... inadvertently applying just the right amount of pressure...

A wave of intense pleasure crashed down as his fingertips moved around in a circular motion. My mind was trying to shut the sensations off, but my body had a completely different agenda.

This hasn't happened for years... It feels so nice...

The warning lights were flashing. Rapid breathing. I was on the brink...

I can't hold back much longer. Reign in Jake, will you?

My body arched in spite of my mind's directive. Jake stopped momentarily but must have thought I was stretching because he didn't even bother looking at me... He was still too busy copying Brendan.

Oh no! Not in front of them all!

A tsunami of sensations too good to withstand erupted. My pelvis earth-quaked spasmodically under his fingertips. The groan I had been holding back involuntarily escaped my lips. Zac finally turned his head and looked across at me. His face registered his surprise. He pushed himself up into a semi-reclined position... eyes dancing with mischievous delight. Savouring my obvious pleasure... A cheeky grin twitched at the corners of his mouth. I shut my mouth to hide my searching tongue... To try and regain control. Hold back the sensations.

I had everyone else's attention now as well. Everyone's except Jake's. He was looking around from face to face but he still hadn't picked up on what was going on in my body and he was still massaging me. I involuntarily panted then gasped air like someone drowning. The three amigos were frozen in stunned-mullet astonishment. Even Zac was captivated by my response. He knew I was turned on and it was turning him on. The rapt look on his face was almost worth the incredible embarrassment.

"Stop it!" I squealed, pushing myself into upright position and grabbing Jake around the wrists.

He looked at me blankly.

"Sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Laughter boiled across the room.

Jake looked from face to face in confusion. Pete bit his lip. Brendan and Dale were close to losing it.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?

"Equipped with his five senses, man explores the woman he has partnered with and calls the adventure orgasmic!" grinned Zac.

"That's not what Hubble said. You're misquoting him."

Everyone else roared with laughter. Zac cleared his throat softly.

"Okay... We seem to be bogged... Let's observe Maya together and see if we can get to the bottom of this mystery... Jake... describe her pupils..."

"Er... wide."

"Respiration?"

"Rapid."

"Skin appearance?"

"Flushed."

A titter of mirth from Brendan. Zac silenced him with dancing eyes.

"Scent?"

"You want me to sniff her?"

"Go on."

"You do it."

Zac bent down obligingly, his eyes sparkling with delight.

"Fragrance... Prada I believe," he said gently.

The tsunami of embarrassment abated as he moved into my personal space.

"Body heat felt and small beads of sweat also observed..."

I exhaled noisily. Drew strength from his steadying presence.

"Some other very nice aromas, near her lower abdomen..."

"Oh no you don't!" I protested.

Zac laughed cheekily.

"Taste? Hmmm... I suppose we could lick the side of her neck..."

"Get out of here!"

I erupted into girlish giggling.

"There we go. Maya's bouncing back... Conclusion Jake?"

"Um... Fear? Or pain maybe. You know... when her face was screwed up..."

Zac held back his smile.

"Conclusion Pete?"

"Highly sensitive to touch."

"Dale?"

"Gonna make someone a great wife."

"Brendan?"

"I can't wait to get home to try it on Cherie!"

Jake looked at Zac quizzically.

"She stopped me because she liked it too much?"

The snail had finally caught up. The expression on his face was priceless.

"But I thought women had to have their clothes off and all that..."

"Apparently not in Maya's case."

I tried to thump him. He caught both fists mid air and soothingly caressed them.

Skin on skin. Sparks.

"You've got a cheek teaching them to do that to a woman!" I protested.

"Why? Don't you think a woman should enjoy herself in a marriage?"

He brushed my cheek with his index finger. The delicate touch created a new whirlwind within me. I gave up and laughed away my embarrassment.

"Better."

I caught Jake's eye.

"You're gonna send a woman through the roof one day Jake."

Jake grinned shyly. Pleased by the rave review.

"But not until you're married to her," cautioned Zac. "And that goes for the rest of you too."

Grins and laughter all round. Zac glanced at me.

"A word Maya. Your room..."

Guttural laughter from the three amigos.

"Chaperon Sir?" tormented Pete.

"I think we can handle this one unchaperoned thanks."

Zac caught Pete's eye.

"Fire up my laptop for me though. And call me as soon as Gordon comes online..."

Ω

I sagged down on the floor near my bed. He sank down beside me. Warm. Accepting.

Silence.

"Well that's gonna hold number 1 position on my ladder of all time embarrassing moments for a while," I murmured.

"You know what they say. Life's shared embarrassing moments deepen friendships."

"You mean complicate them."

"Nah, enrich them. My friend Gordon always refers to life as a tapestry... Every thread included in a tapestry's design is important because it's part of the pattern in the finished product... Some threads are easier to sew into a design than others... Every once in a while a thread will knot. But if you patiently persist, the end product will be a breathtaking work of art..."

"And I'm a knot right?"

"No. You're like the golden thread in a tapestry... Eye-catching... and worth the extra care to ensure it doesn't snag while it's becoming part of the design... "

I drew a deep breath.

"I think I'm starting to get a glimpse of why Jake seems to have opened up like a butterfly in the last 24 hours."

"I expect greatness of him Maya. And it's the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him."

I moved closer to him. Kissing distance closer.

"What do you expect of me?"

He remained resolute in the face of my thinly veiled enticement. I was secretly impressed by his strength of character.

"Hmmm... How about a mutual foot-rub for now?" he suggested.

"A foot-rub?"

"Yeah... I'll sit opposite you. Now you rub my feet and I'll rub yours."

I sighed extravagantly as the day's weariness and the night's embarrassment slipped away. I had to hand it to him. He knew how to pamper a woman.

"How did you know my feet were hurting?"

"I didn't know. Although my feet would've been killing me if I'd walked around in your shoes all day in this country."

"What's wrong with my Stuart Weitzman's?"

He seemed amused by the question.

"Open toed shoes and desert. Not a good combination."

He pulled a small bottle out of his pocket.

"What is it?"

"Peroxide... I carry it around with me. It works wonders on cuts and blisters if you get to them early enough... This is gonna sting a little."

I nodded. Granting him permission to inflict the pain. He was right. It stung.

"Brave... You hardly flinched."

I drank in his approval.

"You need to get yourself some appropriate shoes if you're gonna keep up with us you know," he said gently.

"You expect me to lose my sense of fashion?"

"No... I just expect you to go shopping."

"Expect me to go shopping? Now you're talking my language!"

Two quick knocks on the door.

"It's open Pete."

Pete poked his head through the door... Cautiously curious. Like a kid walking in on his parents when their bedroom door was locked.

"Gordon's online."

"Ta."

Zac stretched noisily and picked up his hiking boots.

"Thanks for the foot-rub... Let me know if the cuts on your feet get infected... Spinifex can be nasty."

"I will... Goodnight. Both of you."

"Night Maya," they both replied in unison.

Ω

"Good evening Zachariah. How's the assignment shaping up?"

"Well, the Japanese are here in force. They've booked out the local hotel for the next fortnight, so I'd say the tests are scheduled for between now and then. The Koreans are camped out east of the Celia fault. We've got the name of a Korean national for you to check out... and the coordinates of their base camp if you want to snoop... Weather-mod wise, we've got photos of hail falling out of blue skies... two eyewitnesses saw three plasma balls yesterday arvo about 5 kilometres from the JORN radar station and we all witnessed a larger fireball last night. No more local quakes, but there's evidence that someone's been measuring their intensity down at the Celia fault-line."

"You have been busy since touching down in Western Australia. What about team dynamics? Any knots in the tapestry?"

"A couple more than usual, but I'm working on them. There is something you need to know however Gordon. It's imperative that you change the password on your home computer..."

"Not much point..." interrupted Gordon. "The little roo just keeps coming back, hopping the fence and grazing no matter what I do. How's he settling in anyway?"

"You know Jake's been hacking into your computer?"

"I've changed my password half a dozen times and he's cracked it every time. So I'm changing tactics. When he goes back home he's got a surprise in store for him when he logs onto his desktop. I've changed his password to get even!"

"You've hacked into my computer?" protested Jake. "No-one's ever got past my codes!"

"Hello Little Roo... I didn't realize you were in the room too."

"Um... Zac's lap-top's in our room."

"Our room?"

"We're twin sharing like you and David used to... To make it easier to get to know each other," elaborated Zac.

Gordon read between the lines.

"So how are you enjoying your first YGD workshop Little Roo?"

"Last night I was scared and wanted to go home. But now that's all changed..."

"That's good to hear."

"Um... I'm sorry for hacking into your computer. After I'd read everything you'd published, I wanted to email you and ask if you had any other unpublished material. But I was too afraid you'd think I was a dork."

"So it was easier to sneak in the back door and graze, eh?"

"Yeah."

"I thought as much. Out of curiosity did you graze on anything other than my research files?"

"Like personal photos? No way. That's private."

"Lucky for you... Some of my personal photos might've made your ears pink!"

"Did you really change my password on my home computer?"

"Yes... It's Gidday-Jake-Downunder now."

"It is? I like that. I might keep it for a while... Um... Did you look in my personal files when you hacked into my computer?"

"Why? Have you got some photos that would make my ears pink?"

"No... But I've got some letters I've written to my dad that I want him to read before any other people read them. They're 'specially for him."

Gordon hesitated.

"I noticed the folder labelled Dad, but I didn't open it Little Roo," he returned softly. "The contents of your Research Articles folder were intriguing however... Actually they made me a hundred dollars richer."

"How?

"You still in the room Zac?"

"Yeah."

"You owe me a hundred bucks."

"Ouch! Why?"

"Remember we were hunting high and low for that geophysicist Jack Tracy from Australasia - to invite him to join us on this assignment?"

"Yes..."

"And I bet you a hundred bucks that Jack Tracy was a pseudonym?"

"Yes..."

"Well Zachariah \- you're rooming in with Jack Tracy."

Zac glanced at Jake with dancing eyes. Jake looked down at his feet awkwardly.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Unfortunately, you owe me a hundred bucks as well so we're square."

"Why do I owe you a hundred dollars?"

"Remember how you bet me a $100 dollars that you'd meet the bloke who cracked the Lewis constant before I did?"

"Yes."

"Well he's rooming in with me... I even found out he named the constant after his mother!"

Silence.

"Gordon? Are you still there?"

"Yes... Sorry... I was just thinking about another bright young student I knew a few years ago, who came close to cracking the constant... Listen... It's been an interesting update... I tell you what Little Roo... How about a gentleman's agreement? I email you all my unpublished papers and you email me all yours, and we bounce ideas off each through email from now on?"

"Rad!" replied Jake, his eyes flickering with excitement.

"Great! Hey Zachariah... a word of warning... Don't turn into a comet. Make time to recharge yourself... You can't be running on fumes when those lads of yours need your leadership."

"Wilco."

"And get that webcam fixed on yer laptop, you hear? I like reading faces when I'm chatting to 'em. Sometimes expressions say more than words."

"I'll go shopping next time I'm home."

"You've said that the last five times."

"I mean it this time. I need some new boots."

Gordon laughed warmly.

"Goodnight then you pair... Sweet dreams."

Ω

Zac's dreams were sweet. Mega loaded maltodextrin sweet. And Maya guest starred in his vividest dream an hour or so before sunrise. Rewind and replay the previous evening... Zac knew Maya's pleasure had been real. Her face had contorted briefly as she'd struggled to recapture the sensations... he'd heard her panting breath... felt it on his face as he drew closer to her... He found himself smiling again at the memory... her mixture of acute pleasure and embarrassment...

It was a turn on just thinking about it... There she was again... Trying to hold back the tsunami... Except instead of sitting up and grabbing Jake's wrists, she reached over and embraced him this time. And instead of being surrounded by his team, he was alone with her in her room... She laughed seductively as she ran her hands over his boardies. Zac's desire loomed maddeningly. She cradled his head in her linked hands and drew him closer. She was almost too good to resist... They were skin on skin now... His body throbbed under her touch. She gently guided him into her. She was warm and wet and in control. And he was euphoric as their bodies merged and their spirits became one...

And then she was gone.

Zac stirred from his sleep. Cold and sticky. Wide awake now. He sighed noisily as he realized what had happened.

He got up, and quietly headed for the shower. He turned on the tap. Nothing.

It took a moment to work out why. Yawn... No generator running - no electricity. No electricity - no pressure pump. No pressure pump - no water. No water - no shower.

The only source of water he knew of was the gravity fed raintank over near Jen's washhouse. Zac crept outside over to the raintank and filled a bucket. He gasped as he roughly rinsed himself off with the cold water... Wrapping a towel around himself, he rinsed out his sheet and boxers and hung them over the washing line to drip dry.

"You right luv?"

Jen was standing a metre away from him. Zac jumped in fright and tightened his towel bashfully. Jen studied his face. In the pre-dawn light he looked like a small child caught outside after curfew.

"I...I..."

"Ssshhh... No need to explain. We've had three boys remember?"

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing... A young man feeling ashamed about a wet dream is as silly as a woman feeling ashamed about her periods leaking."

Zac ran his palm across his face... Wiping away his acute self consciousness.

Aussie women were a different breed! Able to take fireballs, interruptions to lovemaking and pre-dawn discussions about night-time ejaculations in their stride without blinking an eyelid.

Zac sagged down on the roughly hewn bench near the raintank. Jen put down her basket of washing and sank down beside him.

"You sprang me and now I've sprung you," ventured Jen. "I guess that makes us even, eh?"

A faint smile.

"You're an early riser Jen..."

"Not normally... I'm making an early start on the chores... I'm going shopping today in Kal... It's an eight hour round trip, and my list will take me about four hours to get through, so that's why I'm starting so early. Actually I didn't think to ask, do you need anything from the shops?"

"No, but it might pay to ask Maya... She needs a decent pair of hiking boots... Actually, she might even like to go for the ride. I've got a hunch she's got SWS..."

"SWS?

"Shopping withdrawal syndrome. My little sister gets it regularly and I recognize the symptoms."

Jen laughed deliciously.

"You're probably right, since she's from the big smog. I'll ask her at breakfast. Actually it'd be nice to have another woman to talk to on the trip. Especially coming home... I hate driving through the straight stretch, Menzies side of Leonora by myself after sunset."

"Too many roos?"

"Nah... I just dodge those... But the lights scare me."

"Lights?"

"Not every trip, but sometimes on the way home about 30 kms out of Leonora there's these lights with blue tails that chase your car as you're driving along. Dave used to always tell me they were a product of my overactive imagination until one night he saw them too when he was driving home... He hasn't said they're my imagination since... And lots of people I know from Leonora and Laverton have seen them too. Blokes from the mines... families... truckies... My friend Cheryl has even seen them recently. The night before the earthquake actually."

Jen shook her head, as if shaking away memories.

"Goodness, listen to me rambling! You must be freezin' your goolies off sitting out here with just a towel wrapped around yourself."

"Nah... I'm from Alaska, remember?" grinned Zac. "It's getting light though... I might head back and get dressed. You're close enough to my mum to handle being caught out by you. But I wouldn't want to be caught out by some other people around here."

"Like the beautiful Maya, eh?"

"Quit it Jen! Now you're sounding like my Mum!"

"Maybe your Mum and I are besties..."

"That's impossible! You live on opposite sides of the planet."

Jen laughed and got to her feet.

"I'm about to turn on the genny so I can do the washing. By the time you get back inside the water will be on if you want a warm shower after that cold splash."

"Ta... Actually, those lights you were talking about have sparked my curiosity."

"Ask Dave to tell you all about 'em," suggested Jen, picking up the basket of washing. "See you all shortly."

Chapter 9

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil,

but because of those who look on and do nothing.

-Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

"Well that's a stroke of luck Maya heading off shopping with Jen," said Brendan, as the team settled down to work on the E/M interference weapon.

"Luck combined with subtle suggestions."

"You arranged it with Jen?"

"Not quite... Never organise an independent woman completely mate... I dropped a hint Jen was going shopping and left the rest to Maya!"

"That never works for me... Cherie drags me shopping."

"That's just a desire to be around you... Did you meet in the mall a lot when you were courting?"

"Yeah... all the time."

"Well if you set a precedent back then, you can hardly expect things to be different now."

"The same with T.V?"

Zac picked up the tension in Dale's question and decided to be very indirect.

"Yeah... Couples will often sit down together in front of the tele when they're courting. But then when they're committed, a girl will get sore at a fella for sitting in front of the tele. And he can't work out why. I mean before they were together she didn't care if they sat there and watched tele all night. And she never asked him for help with the dishes during a movie! She just wanted to snuggle up to him!"

Dale chewed on his thumbnail. Soft laughter from the others.

"To avoid conflict they both need to yield a bit... She has to realize he sometimes needs veg-out time. And he has to read between the lines and realize she wants his company without distractions robbing them of quality time."

"So if you had a girlfriend how would you get around it Zac?"

Dale wasn't nibbling at the bait any longer. He'd swallowed it completely. The tele was definitely an issue between him and his latest gal.

"Well I'm more into DVDs than tele, but I'd probably start by recording all my favourite shows. That way, I could fit the tele in around our relationship not the other way around. The other thing is to get tele in perspective. You don't really need the news on at tea time if your sweetheart wants you sitting at a candlelit table... You can catch up with the news on the net later... or listen to it on the radio in the car driving home..."

"And most tele shows are online anyway," added Pete.

"Talking of online, do you know who was online earlier Pete?"

"Who?"

"Your mother. She sent us both an email. To my email address. Presumably because she doesn't know yours."

" _What?!"_

"Want me to read it?"

"Is it gag material?"

Zac grinned.

"Dear Pete and Zac, I hope you are both well. Love, Mum."

Stifled chuckling.

"Look on the bright side. At least she didn't post it on your Facebook wall!" laughed Brendan.

"You'd better reply. Otherwise she might try!" added Dale.

Pete rubbed his forehead and sent off a flash email to his mother.

Silence.

"You alright there Jake?"

"Yeah... just checking the components before we put them into the DC generator, to save a headache afterwards if any are below par. The 50KV stackable capacitors all check out. So do the voltage multipliers. But the CMOS chip seems to be dud. Have we got a spare?"

"Hmmm. Have you checked the box Brendan brought across with him from Sydney?"

"Yeah. There isn't one. Maybe we can rob one off something lying around here..."

Jake drummed his fingers on the table for a moment.

"Didn't you tell Gordon last night that your laptop's webcam was cactus?"

"Yeah... Good idea... we can rob the CMOS chip off it and use it if it's working."

Zac reached for his laptop.

"I'll just make a backup copy of your files onto my laptop in case your hard drive chucks a wobbly about the robbery..."

Jake connected Zac's laptop to his. Zac watched Jake's fingers flying over both laptops. Crunching noises from inside both machines for about ten seconds.

"There... all done."

"What? You've copied 80 gig of data already?"

"96 gig actually... I copied your O.S and all your system restore points as well just to be safe."

Zac looked impressed.

"I told you his laptop was awesome!" grinned Pete.

"I think the risk you guys took getting all this stuff over here to the West is awesome. Especially the stuff that you brought over Pete."

"What? A few high speed spark gap switches?"

"No... I was referring to a certain 1.3 microfarad 100,000 volt energy storage capacitor."

Chuckling all round.

"It was a breeze," shrugged Pete. "Gordon organized a hazardous equipment affidavit and a letter with a cover story which included his and Zac's contact details... I had it all ready in case, but I didn't even need it."

"What did the cover story letter say?"

"That I was accompanying expensive equipment over to W.A. that's going to be part of a display for Science Week later on in the year."

"Didn't you feel bad that is was a lie?"

"I know where you're coming from, but no, I didn't feel bad... It's like on National Treasure where Ben Gates raises a toast to high treason and says, Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right."

"Yeah... and where he says, If there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action," added Brendan.

"And that's us," finished Dale softly.

Ω

The first hundred kilometres of the trip was uneventful. To my left the sun painted shadows on the tuscan red sand. To my right it transformed a salt lake into a dramatic expanse of iridescent gold. In front of me the ribbon of grey shimmered under the opalescent blue sky.

Picture perfect.

Except for a red smudge to the left of the abandoned man-made mountain.

"Probably just a willy willy," shrugged Jen, when I pointed it out.

The smudge looked eerily like the circular pattern in the sky which Tyson and I had seen forming near the JORN receiver out the back of Dave and Jen's a few days earlier.

"I wonder..." I mumbled, rummaging in my bag for my iPhone.

Reception. WMK1 repeater.

Déjà vu.

I quickly opened the GPS application... Bookmarked the coordinates of my present position the same way I'd seen Dale and Brendan take the coordinates of the Korean camp the previous day.

Yes! It worked.

I thought about the discussion between Zac and the others I'd tuned into earlier at breakfast... Something about Faraday cages. And organising additional shielding for the MOS devices against transients. High-tech talk that made my head whirl... On the other hand if they were taking extra precautions to protect their project, maybe I needed to protect the coordinates in my iPhone... In case Zac was interested in this observation.

This observation?...Huh?!

I shook myself like a wet dog.

You're losing it girl... You've only been around them for a couple of days and you're already thinking like them!

I weighed up my options and decided to switch my iPhone off and put it in my camera case. Not that I really had any idea whether a sleek aluminium camera case was the same as a Faraday cage. But it sounded safer than a Fendi handbag.

I glanced out the passenger window. We were almost level with the whirling dirt cloud now. A tiny pinprick of light was flashing inside it.

"There's something odd landing on our windscreen," frowned Jen. "White stuff," she murmured as she turned on the wipers.

"Stop the car! Stop the car!"

No wisecrack about an Ikea sale from Jen. She obviously didn't watch as much telly as Tyson.

We both clambered out of her 4WD and held our hands out to catch the fluffy drifting particles. Jen ran them through her fingers like she was feeling a satin wedding dress.

"Sleet!" she murmured in disbelief.

I stared at the white specks on my palms blankly.

A flashback of a blizzard... Tearing metal... darkness... Rick lying dead beside me.

I hurriedly pushed back the memories that were trying to surface.

"I've never heard of it snowing in November in these parts. Ever," I said shakily.

"Me either. Here... Let's take some photos. So we can show the boys."

Jen had shifted gears. She seemed calm about this extraordinary weather event we were witnessing.

"I think Dave will be interested in this," said Jen between pictures.

"Why?"

"I'm sure this is somewhere near where he said he saw the lights last time."

"What lights?"

"I call them FOO lights. You know Freaky Outback Occurrences."

"I think they're FOO too," I said softly.

Fairly Often Occurrences.

The north-eastern Goldfields was shaping up to be the scoop of a lifetime.

Ω

"Okay... It's finished," announced Zac later that afternoon. "The next step is to programme it. Any questions Jake?"

"What's its target?"

"A relocatable Tesla transmitter in this area. We haven't pin-pointed its precise location yet, but we suspect it's being tested down near the Celia fault line."

"Why do you want to knock it out?"

"Western Australia is almost geographically opposite the Pacific Coastal cities of the U.S.A."

"And the unknown transmitter can create larger fireballs like we observed the other night and release their energy over California?"

"Yes."

"Where Gordon lives?"

"Ah ha."

"But that could trigger multiple devastating earthquakes in and around the San Andres fault region!"

"Yes."

"Which is what you meant by millions of people could die..."

A nod from Zac. Sober looks from the others.

"How do you know about the existence of this transmitter since you haven't been able to locate it?"

"A cluey investigative journalist I've never met named Heidi Cannikin posted on my geophysics blog, saying she'd heard that the Japanese researchers had teamed up with the North Koreans. The next day our team in South Korea heard a radio transmission where the North Koreans reported they were testing three new transmitters in the north eastern Goldfields in Western Australia which would improve their national security. "

"Why have the North Korean and Japanese researchers joined forces?"

"Gordon believes the union's just one of convenience. He thinks that the Japanese are just interested in the climate research side of things. Whereas the North Koreans want to send a message to other countries saying that they have the ability to make use of anything that the U.S. has in Western Australia."

"So what does the U.S. have in Western Australia?"

"It's more of a case of what they have unrestricted right of access to. There's the JORN network - the active radar station down the road, the transmitter at Leonora and the receiver near Laverton. And the JORN Ionosondes - the Laverton one, Adjana near Geraldton, Boolathana near Carnarvon, Learmouth near Exmouth, there's one at South Hedland and another at Derby... and the JORN transponders at Christmas Island, Broome and Kalumburu. And JORN uses the DTSO ionosonde network at Wyndham and Derby... Then there's Project DUNDEE, which is an American missile defence research project - it uses JORN to detect missiles. And of course there's whatever's at the former U.S. naval base up at Exmouth. The U.S officially pulled out of Exmouth in 1999, but they still have continued right of access to their VLF/ELF transmitter site. And in 2008, Australia and the U.S signed a bilateral treaty governing joint use of the facility for the next 25 years. And that includes access to whatever is underneath the above ground transmitter site at Exmouth..."

"... which is a fixed Tesla Magnifying energy transmitter, right?" asked Jake.

"There's evidence to suggest that."

"What evidence?"

"Well during the winter months thousands of retirees flock to Exmouth to fish and generally soak up the sun... A few years ago some of Gordon's old Airforce mates - he calls them the A-team - went to Exmouth to collect information from locals and regular visitors. Some of the locals they chatted to talked about seeing an underground wooden frame and a giant coil under the Exmouth transmitter back when it was being constructed. They estimated it went down under the ground about three storeys deep. The use of wood implied it was handling very high voltages and VHF or microwave frequencies. None of that set-up was necessary to make VLF and ELF transmissions to submarines which the facility was supposed to be doing."

"It also fits the description of a scalar weapon," murmured Jake.

"Yep... Another local had been a cleaner at the facility and was drinking buddies with some of the military blokes stationed there... One night when they'd drunk more than they should have, they were bragging to him about how they'd used some technology to redirect Cyclone Tracy so it hit Darwin. At the time this guy knew nothing about E/M weather modification and dismissed their chat as drunk talk... Years later however he started hanging out with a sparky who knew a fair bit about Tesla and E/M technology. And then the bloke realized what type of technology they'd probably been talking about all those years back."

"That fits in with other local eyewitness accounts of freaky stuff," added Brendan. "I heard that locals have seen fireballs around Exmouth and east of Exmouth in the Great Sandy Desert for years. And there have also been sightings of bluish-glowing lights out in the desert in an area which is supposedly completely uninhabited."

"Talking of freaky stuff around Exmouth, I also know that in 1996 the Mundaring Observatory released data about some strange earthquakes in the region..." added Pete. "The quakes were regularly positioned in grid lines which suggested they were man-made. Because natural quakes normally show chaotic elliptical spreads..."

"And then there's the aviation incidents in the Exmouth region," added Dale. "Commercial flights have run into trouble a number of times over the area - there have been incidents of large passenger aircraft simultaneously stalling and over-speeding, making uncommanded movements, the auto pilot disconnecting without being told to and so on. One major incident happened in 2005 and two in 2008 all in the Exmouth area. And there are numerous light aircraft incidents too... The Civil Aviation Authority listed nearly 400 light aircraft incidents in 2009 in the Exmouth region... An unusually high number of them were due to fried components..."

"And because some of the incidents are recent, it implies someone authorized is still using the facility," murmured Jake.

"Or someone unauthorized is misusing it," bantered Zac. "It's not under heavy guard... It'd be relatively easy for a foreign group to pass themselves off as legitimate researchers making use of a joint U.S and Australian facility."

"But why us?" frowned Jake.

"Well as they say, location... location... location... And your state happens to be located geographically opposite the San Andres fault region... And it's geographically isolated from the rest of the world... and it happens to have thousands of sparsely populated hectares in the interior to test E/M weapons. I sympathize with you though. Alaska's in the same boat as Western Australia."

"So you think the Exmouth facility might be our equivalent to HAARP in Alaska?"

"There are some interesting similarities. HAARP in Alaska happens to be geographically opposite an area in Antarctica where it's alleged that scientists have been experimentally triggering underwater volcanoes to melt icebergs and create storms. Exmouth's geographically opposite the San Andres fault line and eyewitness accounts suggest that it's an E/M testing range."

"And that all fits in with something I know - the Exmouth transmitter was detected on the Australia Bureau of Meteorology's radar screens in 2010," added Jake.

"Really? I wasn't aware of that... Fill me in."

"It started out when a couple of perfect rings with donut centres appeared on the Bureau's radar maps on January 15th, 2010. Then they started appearing on weather radar screens over the Goldfields region, the southeast of W.A and the northwest. The ones right over Exmouth on January 21 and 22 had ruby red rings with lines radiating out of them like stars. Exactly what you'd expect to see if someone was testing a Tesla Shield Generator. Here... want to see some snapshots?"

Everyone crowded around Jake's laptop.

"Sh..." began Brendan.

"Incorrect observation," interrupted Zac. "Looks nothing like faecal matter... Now look again and tell me what it looks like to you as a scientist."

"It looks like a transformed scalar wave with a bubble around the transmitting station area."

"I agree... Know anything else about these Jake?"

"Only that the ring over south-east W.A. on January 22nd appeared on BoM's radar about 30 seconds before the star shaped ring over Exmouth. And the BoM radar picked up similar rings over other parts of Australia too over the next few weeks. Including rings over the east and northern coastlines in February. Their official explanation for it was unknown interference."

"Hmmm. I wonder if Gordon's still awake in California? I might email him with the gist of this, so he can alert his met teams to watch for the patterns worldwide in the future."

"The BoM in Australia charge anyone wanting to retrieve information out of their archives, but tell Gordon that Colin Andrews has got snapshots of several of the interference rings on his website if he wants to look at them."

"Colin Andrews? Why's he interested in the rings?" laughed Pete.

"Maybe he thinks they're crop circles!" grinned Brendan.

"Or UFO landing sites!" guffawed Dale.

"Doesn't matter what he thinks they are. What's important is, we know what they really are," shrugged Jake.

Zac stretched noisily and got to his feet.

"Coffee time I reckon... Hmmm... I know how everyone else has theirs. How do you have your coffee Jake?"

"I'm not sure... I've never had a coffee before. Nan only has Milo and herbal tea in the house. She's kinda stuck in her ways."

"You've never tried coffee... like at the uni cafeteria?" smiled Pete.

"Nah... I don't eat out much... We live across the road from the uni, so I just walk back home if I'm hungry."

"Lucky you... I've got to commute to uni... two buses and a train."

Zac handed the others their coffees and rummaged through the cupboards.

"Sorry... There doesn't seem to be any herbal tea here... Dave might have some in the homestead. Want me to ask?"

"No... I think I'll try coffee... As a new experience."

"Okay, but if you're running around hyper tonight instead of sleeping, you're back on the herbs tomorrow."

"Talking of herbs, check out the hippies on Jake's screensaver!" chortled Dale.

"Whooah... flower power!" grinned Brendan.

"The chick's sexy Jake!" chuckled Pete.

"I s'pose she is. I've never really thought of Mum as sexy though. I've just thought of her as mum."

Pete choked on his coffee.

"That's your Mum?"

"And my Dad... I don't have a more recent photo of them together 'coz Dad's not around and Mum died when I was a kid. That's why I live with my Nan."

An awkward silence.

"You've had a hard trot, Jake..." mumbled Brendan.

"Sorry for being offensive," added Pete.

"No offense taken."

"Lucky for you three," growled Zac. "Remember that next time any of you lust after a woman... She's more than a sex object... she's someone's daughter... possibly someone's Mum or someone else's wife."

"I really am sorry for saying that about your Mum Jake."

"Nah... We're all blokes... And Dad must've thought she was sexy... I mean he looks pretty pleased with himself... Actually Zac, this is the photo of Dad I was telling you about that I said I'd show you..."

Zac glanced at the screensaver photo. Shock flickered across his features.

Silence.

"Zac? You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You look like you've seen a ghost..."

"Nah... Your parents look a little like a couple I met at a workshop... Years ago. Back in Alaska. Probably just a case of mistaken identity."

"It looks more like Mum and Dad were on a beach somewhere near a big city than in Alaska. See... there's a big bridge in the distance."

Zac recognized the Golden Gate bridge but decided not to say anything.

"You're right... That's definitely not Alaska... Listen I was thinking... We've made good progress today. How about some R & R until tea? Swim in the dam... Enjoy yourselves a bit..."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I was thinking of catching up with my washing actually. And maybe snatching forty winks if there's any time left. Are you happy to hang out with the rest of the team Jake?"

"Course. Hey Pete... Have you got a license?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you teach me to drive?"

"Sure... Maybe not the hire car though. Let's go ask Dave if we can use his jeep..."

Ω

"You didn't all have to come to teach me to drive," smiled Jake.

"Nah... it's okay... You're learning to drive. And we're all heading down the dam for a swim."

"Without bathers?"

"No girls around... We can just nicky swim..."

Jake's ears turned scarlet. Beetroot against his pale, bespectacled face. Brendan sensed his mistake.

"You don't have to nicky swim with us though if you don't want to... You can swim in your jocks... or your jeans... or just hang out with us on the bank of the dam if you're not sure about swimming... You choose."

"Funny Zac didn't come with us," murmured Pete. "Is it my imagination or hasn't he got his usual perk?"

"He ain't got his usual perk," replied Brendan. "The normal Zac would've come with us and dozed on the bank while we swam."

"Not to mention Bible-bashed us at least half a dozen times by now," added Dale.

"He had a quick swipe at me last night," shrugged Pete.

"But he's still not himself... What do you think Jake? You're rooming in with him."

"Maybe I'm tiring him out with my questions..."

"Nah... Zac can answer a million questions and not get tired."

"Maybe my questions are tiring..."

All round laughter.

"Why? What have you been asking him?" grinned Pete.

"He's spent a lot of time helping me straighten out my ideas about stuff... Stuff I haven't wanted to ask my Nan."

"About sex and that?"

Jake nodded cautiously.

"Nah... Zac doesn't find those types of conversations tiring. It has to be something else..."

"Does he normally get up in the night?"

"Nah. Sleeps like a log."

"Maybe that's why he's tired then. He got up early this morning... I think he had one of those dreams."

"How do you know?" chuckled Brendan.

"He went into the bathroom. 'Cept there was no water. He must've forgot about the generator. So he went outside... Then later he came back inside. In just a towel."

"Sounds like you haven't had any sleep either!" laughed Pete.

"You're not gonna tell him I told you, are you? He might get mad."

"About knowing he's had a wet dream? Nah... Zac's completely uninhibited when it comes to talking about stuff like that. The only thing he doesn't talk about is his personal experience of sex. 'Coz he hasn't got one yet."

"Maybe that's the other reason he's tired. He was dreaming about Maya last night... Before it happened..."

"What?!" gasped Dale.

"He was talking in his sleep. Saying... um... words about her body... I think he's in love."

"Well it's about time he fell in love!" chuckled Brendan.

"I dunno," ventured Pete. "He might feel like that when he's asleep. You know...when he's unguarded... But when he's awake, he's real careful around her... Like last night when Maya got aroused, it really turned him on. I could see it in his eyes. And then they went off together alone... I walked into her room to let him know Gordon was online... expecting them to have less clothes on, or her hair to be a mess or somethin'... And all he was doing was sitting on the floor opposite her treating her feet with peroxide. Talk about self control..."

"It's all making sense. She loves him... He loves her... But they'll both be going their own separate ways in a few days. That's why he's not got his usual perk. He's emotionally drained."

"How do you know Maya loves him?" asked Jake, a little shyly.

"Remember she said?"

"No."

"Oh, that's right... You weren't with us. The other day when we went out to the Celia fault, she told us then she's got a crush on him. She said he's the first bloke she's fallen for, for years."

"So if they both love each other, let's match-make them," shrugged Jake.

"Sounds good in theory. But Zac won't let his personal life get in the way of the assignment. We know him."

"Okay... So let's keep asking him questions about falling in love and girlfriends and that, so he keeps thinking about Maya. And when the assignment's over, then we'll match-make them."

"If you weren't so inhibited, I'd think you were an old hand at match-making!" chuckled Pete.

"Nah... Never tried it in my life. Still - there's a first time for everything."

"I was thinking... There's something else we can do too," added Dale. "You know how Zac's always said Jireh would bring him his wife..."

"Yeah... and we've always made fun of him about such a crazy idea."

"Well... Maya's rocked up out of the blue hasn't she? Maybe Jireh did bring her here. Maybe they're meant to get hitched... But Zac can't see it because he's not been talking to Jireh about her."

"You mean rig it so he does the prayer thing. How?" frowned Pete.

Pensive silence. Jake broke it.

"You know how Zac's been teaching me to observe with all my senses? Yesterday we were also talking about observing things in the spirit dimension as well as in the natural... We could set up some special spiritual observation room."

"That might work. Let's stick a sign up on the door of one of the spare rooms that says Jireh Communications Centre!" suggested Brendan.

"Reckon he'll take the bait?" asked Pete.

"Dunno. But if nothing else it'll be a good laugh... Come on. Let's go swimming."

Chapter 10

This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.

-Sir Isaac Newton – Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, 1687

"Whiskey Alpha Yankee six, niner, eight... Got a copy David?"

"Good morning back to you Don. Why are you awake anyway? You should be in the land of nod on your side of the world."

"I was about to hit the hay when Zachariah emailed me some interesting images... Has he shown you them yet?"

"Nah... Your young lion's been keeping to himself... Don't think he trusts me... Must be the Aussie accent!"

"It took me a while to trust you too, remember? You scared the daylights out of me the first time you joined me in the shower."

"Had to. Wouldn't have had to if you hadn't kept trying to escape outta windows and run back to California."

"Hmmm... They were wonderful character-building days. I must drop by one day soon and reminisce with you about them... About these images... You need to look at 'em and see if you can find any similar patterns in your BoM radar archives. Alert your Australian team to the same phenomenon... I'm contacting John and asking him to circulate them as well..."

"Sounds like they were some snaps... You've got me curious now."

"Change of strategy David. Throw caution to the wind with Zachariah. Ask to see the photos he emailed me and get him to completely fill you in about them. If he dodges around your questions, tell him who you are, how you know me and your current status."

"That might be quite a shock. You sure you don't want to break it to him yourself?"

"Nah... I've told him a bit about you over the years... And I like tossing curve balls at him to keep him on his toes."

"Well - you know how much he can handle... Although he does seem to have a bit on his plate at the moment for a pup."

"What'd ya mean?"

"With the journalist being here."

"What journalist?" asked Gordon.

"He hasn't told you?"

"No... All he said was there were a couple of knots in the tapestry."

"Well I s'pose that's one way of describing her!" chuckled Dave.

"Her?"

"Maya Gregory... She's a photojournalist from Perth..."

"Zac can handle the press."

"It's not her profession that's the problem. Your lion's head-over-heels in love and it's knotting up his guts."

"Are you sure?"

"Come off it Don. I might be retired, but I can still tell love-struck when I see it. And it's very obvious in his case. Even Jen's picked it up."

"That's surprising news... I might run a background check on Ms Maya Gregory... In the meantime keep a fatherly eye on everyone for me will you David... Zac in particular."

"Wilco... Hmmm... A lot of interference has just started up my way... Looks like we're in for another sky-show tonight."

"Fill me in about your sky-show later. After I've had some shut eye. Signing off for now... six, niner, eight clear."

Ω

Gordon was about to switch off his desktop, when the Skype phone rang.

"Good afternoon Zachariah," yawned Gordon.

"Sorry Gordon... I know it's 1.30 in the morning in California. I was just checking my email and noticed you were online. You weren't asleep at your computer were you?"

"No... I've just got off Echolink... I was talking to my old mentor. He had a few interesting things to say back his way too."

"The Lieutenant Colonel bloke?"

"Ah ha."

"That's a coincidence... Jake and I were talking about mentors the first night we arrived... and I was telling him how you became my mentor and how David was yours."

"Still is... I was having a chin-wag with him actually about knots... Speaking of which... How are your knots unravelling?"

"So so."

"Only so so? Hey, pick a knot... any knot... and tell me all about it," said Gordon cheerily.

"But you're about to go to bed."

"Your knots don't knot me up!"

"Okay... Want to tell me how Jake got hold of a photo of you with flowers in your hair kissing a woman called Theresa? And why he's using the photo as his screensaver?"

"That's an interesting knot," said Gordon softly. "Why's it knotting you up?"

"Well I'm sure it was taken on Ocean Beach... Where you said you used to hang out with the make-love-not-war crowd."

"Are you sure it's me in the photo?"

"I'm not only sure it's you, I'm sure it's her."

Silence.

"It is her isn't it? The visiting lecturer from Australia called Tess. The one that died in our arms. She was Jake's Mum wasn't she? And you're Jake's father aren't you?"

"I'd love to see your face right now Zac. Pity your web-cam's dud."

Zac sighed noisily.

"You should have told me Gordon! I wouldn't have talked about half the stuff I've talked about with Jake if I'd known you were his Dad!"

"Why? What issues have you been addressing?"

Zac hesitated.

"Um... blokes talk... gay fears... abstinence... the usual stuff you've talked to me about."

"You two do sound like you've been having fun together!" chuckled Gordon.

Silence.

"So why are you in a knot about it anyway Zac?"

"Because we've known each other for years and you never once mentioned you had a biological son..."

"And?"

"... and he's been looking for you Gordon... He's written hundreds of letters to you... He needs you..."

"And?"

"... and all these years when you've been like a second father to me, you should have been a father to him!"

"It's complicated Zac... There were... considerations... What Tess's mother wanted was one of them. But I've always been Jake's father from a distance... paying for his education and care."

"So when do you plan on being the father he wants and needs, instead of just the benefactor that pays his bills?" challenged Zac.

"Joyce - Tess's mother - wanted to do the care-giving thing until Jake was independent. And her terms were, she didn't want me contacting him to encourage that independence... She didn't say anything about him independently contacting me however... So a few months ago when the little roo started grazing on my computer I was overjoyed!"

"And when he applied for the YGD program you selected him?"

"Actually, I didn't realize he'd applied for a while... My secretary always assigns new YGD applicants an identity number and she runs them through the selection program as they arrive. Then after the computer has generated a short-list of applicants, I look up details like their name, age, sex and so on. In this latest round, Jake genuinely topped the first four categories before I realized he was my Jake."

"That must have made you proud as punch..."

"It did... Until I looked at his responses in the personality category... Then I was disappointed by his lack of integrity... I knew from the odd letter I got from Joyce that he wasn't the outgoing socialite he was trying to make out he was on the response form. I was on the verge of taking him off the list when the phone rang and there was a young British lass on the other end...A participant in your Alaskan workshop for women actually."

"Megan?"

"Yes... She rang me to thank me for selecting her for the workshop... She said she'd been as dull as carbon at the start of the workshop and that you'd spent the week putting heat and pressure on her to bring out the diamond in her! I chatted to her for a while and she explained that you'd been like the big brother she had never had and for the first time in her life, she liked who she was. After she hung up, I decided to see if you could bring out the diamond in Jake..."

"So when do you plan on letting him get to know you as his Dad, Gordon?"

"After he's built a relationship with his big brother... You're a bridge between us. Like Jesus. In case things don't go as smoothly as I hope..."

"You still should've told me he was your son, Gordon!"

"And have you pussie-foot around being careful not to offend him? Or me? I know you Zac. Don't forget I've been practicing the father-son thing on you for ten years now. To prepare myself for when I could finally get to do it with Jake."

"Why are you so worried about being a bad father anyway?"

"Part of it is I don't want to destroy the remnant of Tess in him..."

"...and the other part is because you never knew your own Dad?"

Gordon exhaled noisily.

"War's stupid... My father's body was blown to bits... It ripped a hole in my mother's soul. And it left a dad-sized hole in me."

"That David finally filled?"

"Yeah... he helped unravel the knots...Funny...I don't ever remember telling you that David's been my father-figure as well as a mentor to me."

"You didn't... I just guessed."

"Have I told you what happened to my Dad?"

"Only that he was killed when you were very young."

"Shot down over Vietnam. The first U.S. pilot to die over there... A statistic to everyone else. So much more to me and mum... S'pose that's why I've been nervous about doing the father thing with Jake up until now... But it's different now he's almost grown up... I've been aching to be more than a father from a distance for several years now. But I want Jake to have you to help mediate if I stuff up..."

The sound of the fly screen door opening.

"Someone's here... It might be Jake... I'd best go."

"Me too... When you hit fifty, your body needs all the rest it can get..."

"My knot hasn't left you with a knot has it Gordon?"

"Nah... Your knot unravelled yet?"

"Yeah... I always wondered about that baby photo you used as a screensaver."

"But you were too shy to ask me, eh?" chuckled Gordon.

"He's a great kid Gordon. True, you're extrovert and he's an introvert. But you two have heaps in common. The way you both approach problems... similar interests... desires... You should get to properly know him real soon..."

"I will... I'm just working up the courage."

"'Bout time you stopped ducking the curve ball, ain't it?" quipped Zac, imitating Gordon's voice.

"Stop mentoring your mentor!"

Zac laughed softly.

"Talk to you in a few hours Zac... Have a good evening with my Jake."

Ω

Zac walked out of his room and was surprised to find Dave making two coffees in the kitchen area.

"White with two, right?"

"Er, yeah..."

Dave rummaged through the cupboards and pulled out a tin... opened it and glanced inside.

"What's wrong with you blokes? You've been here three days and haven't even made a dent in the biscuit tin."

Zac reached for a biscuit.

This guy... Every time I think I've worked him out I see another facet...

"I didn't realize what was in the tin... The biscuits won't last another three days now I know they're there."

Dave's lips twitched with amusement.

"Thought I'd drop in while your pups are out swimming to ask if you want me to back you up tonight."

"Sorry Dave. You've lost me... What's happening tonight?"

"One hellava sky-show I'd say... Three different signals simultaneously being pulsed at the moment between 3.26 and 17.54 Megs."

Zac showed no reaction.

"They were doing the same thing the other arvo when Tyson and Maya saw the other three small fireballs. Except that was their low powered test run. Could just detect it... They've ramped this one right up. It's interfering with multiple bands..."

Zac forced himself to stay calm and reached for another biscuit.

"Actually I suggest you move your E/M project into my Faraday cage just in case. Some pricey electronics in that piece of weaponry."

Zac paused mid cookie crunch. Dave smiled faintly, enjoying the impact of his words.

"What's this interference pattern on the BoM radar images look like anyway?"

"Did you overhear us talking about the patterns earlier?" asked Zac carefully.

"Nah... I was relayed the gen about half an hour ago."

"Gen? That's Airforce lingo for intelligence."

"Lieutenant Colonel David Hopkins... Formerly a U.S. Airforce fitness instructor."

"And currently?"

"I collate information about the Weathermakers activities in Australia. And feed it back to Gordon."

Zac only just managed to reply.

"I knew of the existence of the Weathermakers Surveillance team - people Gordon trusts worldwide living in proximity of key radar installation sites like they're ordinary locals. But you're the first person I've met from his team."

Zac steepled his fingers under his chin. Dave could almost hear the cogs ticking over.

"So how well do you know Gordon anyway?" he asked.

Dave eyed Zac with amusement.

"How well? Hmmm... Let's see... I know he's got a crush on a certain Airforce doctor back in Montana."

"He's never told me that!"

"He hasn't? Whoops... I didn't mention it then!" laughed Dave. "I know... The ring he wears on his right hand belonged to his Dad..."

Zac nodded.

"...and he's got a big black birthmark on his left ball..."

"How do you know something personal like that?" gasped Zac.

"I've showered with him. Haven't you?"

Zac shook his head vehemently.

"Whoops... Your face suggests I just stray into 'fraidy cat territory!" laughed Dave. "Better reverse outta here before we end up bogged..."

Zac said nothing. Dave's eyes twinkled.

"Gordon was 'fraidy cat of me for a while too..."

"Why?" managed Zac.

"He reckoned my massages made him blurt out secrets he didn't want to share with me!"

"I'll have to remember that next time I want to pry a secret out of him."

Dave's eyes sparkled.

"He used to be really tough to pry open. When I was first assigned to him, extracting feelings out of him was like extracting teeth. Then one night I discovered that massage loosened his tongue... He howled a while about never knowing his Dad... We talked about making lemonade out of life's lemons... And from then on, whenever I knew he was holding out on me, I levered the truth out of him with a massage."

A smile twitched in the corners of Zac's mouth.

"Almost won you over, eh? Hey, I can keep sharing secrets about Don 'til the cows come home if it helps you trust me... Might even be able to remember a few secrets he's told me about you if I think hard enough..."

Zac broke into a shy grin.

"Does Gordon ever throw curve balls like this at you?"

"Doesn't dare. The scamp knows what'd happen to him if he did!"

Zac drew a noisy breath and extended his hand.

"I've always wanted to meet my mentor's mentor... Hello David."

"I've always wanted to meet the young fella that stopped Don's bullet," replied Dave, squeezing Zac's shoulder affectionately. "Come on mate. Let me show you 'round while we've got the place to ourselves, eh?"

Ω

After he'd revealed who he was, Dave had taken Zac into his operations room and explained how his team functioned. On the surface they were a group of ham radio enthusiasts and amateur astronomers. Mostly old timers. Most with military backgrounds.

Above ground Dave's workshop fitted his image of a semi-retired bloke with an interest in electronics... his ham radio gear... a HF... a telescope... a dusty 27 megs set... a couple of electronics projects in progress... books about Marconi and Morse... radio repair manuals... a box of semi dismantled radios that he obviously robbed for parts...

Below ground was another matter... Five, forty foot sea containers excavated into the ground, bunker style...

The extent of the underground installation stunned Zac... a link with the AEHF 1 satellite... a wideband Gapfiller terminal... tracking screens... amateur radio using VoIP... equipment so Dave could monitor and even patch into JORN, the BoM and U.S. Airforce comms...

Mind-boggling... overwhelming... and just a little scary.

Dave had sensed Zac's wide-eyed response at the time.

"You sinkin' or swimmin' pup?"

"I'll survive."

"Can't work as a team 'til you trust me."

Zac paused.

"I'm an academic. This is definitely military."

"Do I detect some anti-military sentiment in that statement?"

Zac exhaled noisily.

"The Airforce keep sending me letters... Trying to get me to join up."

"No go?"

"Not if it was the last job left on earth."

Dave laughed warmly.

"Serves you right for dabbling in E/M technology, pen-pusher... Said the same thing to Gordon a dozen times when I was tryin' to break him in."

"Did you really make him do a hundred push-ups before bed every night?"

Dave's eyes danced.

"You make your pups do fifty every morning... Pot calling the kettle black!"

Zac grinned and let his guard down.

"Besides, the young scamp was headstrong... Kept trying to go AWOL on me... First night he arrived he said he was hitting the shower and I found him climbing out the bathroom window, so I added ten pushups to his routine... A couple of days later he tried the same thing again so I added another ten and started showering with him so he couldn't run off... 'Bout a week later he tried to sneak out of the airbase on the roof of a supply truck so he got another ten for his trouble... I kept adding push-ups 'til eventually he learnt. Don't remember how many we were up to by then... Mighta been a hundred..."

Ω

Zac was reflective over tea. For all intents and purposes Dave looked like an ordinary Aussie bloke standing around the barbie cooking their steaks... On the surface he looked about as un-military as they came... scruffy hair, thongs, casual dress... Except for his physique. Dave was different in that respect. At 62 he had the physique of a man half his age. He still clearly had iron-will self-discipline. Zac smiled faintly at the memory of being judo-thrown by him the first night they'd arrived. In the same instant he realized why Dave had felt 'familiar' the first night they'd met. Dave was Gordon's mentor. And Dave and Gordon had rubbed off on each other over the years...

Gordon had actually told Zac a couple of horror stories about Dave's approach to fitness... Pre-dawn runs in pouring rain... 100 push-ups before bed every night... Zac had taken Gordon's stories with a pinch of salt because Gordon always smiled when he related them. But looking at Dave's lean body, Zac decided there was a pretty good chance he had made Gordon do 100 push-ups before bed every night alongside him. And that Dave still did push-ups every night before bed too...

The rest of his team were boisterous. Zac could sense they were scheming something... It smelt like one of Brendan's scams, but whatever it was Jake felt part of it, which was a good sign...

After tea, they all scuttled back to the singlemen's quarters. Zac gave them enough time to get up to mischief then casually wandered over. He walked in and looked around. The singlemen's quarters now resembled a boarding school dormitory, with chalked graffiti artwork all over the walls. Zac's eyes followed the chalk trail around to the spare room. That door was decorated floor to ceiling with more chalked words.

I have enjoyed my life's work - the thrill of communicating with people ... but how much more thrilling it is to know that with far less effort, we can communicate with God and be certain of successful contact! Richard Andrews (1907 - 1980) British pioneer of radio and Bible believing scientist...

"Hmmm... Great quote, but I don't believe you've memorized it," he said casually. "So who's been grazing in my Bible?"

"Not doing much good sitting in your bag. It can't start discussions there!" grinned Brendan.

"Should be somewhere where everyone has access to it!" supplemented Pete.

"After all, a whole scientist has a fit body, mind, emotions, will and a fit spirit," added Dale... "I swiped your Bible by the way."

Zac eyed Dale with dancing eyes.

"And I was an accomplice," finished Jake cautiously.

Zac's eyes twinkled.

"And whose idea was this?" he said, indicating the Communications Room.

"It was a group decision. We want to make sure you and Jireh are on chatting terms..." ventured Brendan.

"And listening to each other too..." added Pete.

"And that you're reading your Bible... So you keep your edge Zac," finished Dale.

Zac looked reflective.

"Well I agree I don't think I've opened my Bible since arriving. You could take it as being slack... The truth is, I tend to read it like I read my emails... no set time... just when I get around to it... Big chunks of it are written in my heart and mind already... So I'm not religious about reading it."

"But the Jesus preachers on the tele brag they read it at the breakfast table and to their families at night and around the Thanksgiving turkey and all that," countered Brendan.

"Maybe they do. But I don't have to copycat their style. My style's intimate moments when I can grab them... like making love to a woman and feeling really satisfied when you've both touched each other's souls. You can run on those moments for weeks. That's just how it is between the Potter and me..."

The room was quite enough to hear a pin drop.

"You all look like a bunch of stunned mullets... What gives?"

Silence.

"Brendan?"

"I was just trying to wrap my head around yer analogy... You feeling about Jireh the same way as I feel when the sex has been good with Cherie..."

"Try wrapping your heart around it instead of your head... Pete?"

"I was just thinkin' about the nuns back at the Catholic school... what they'd say to you if you told them your relationship with God is like having sex with a woman..."

"Probably burn me at the stake, eh?" grinned Zac. "Dale?"

"Your prayer stuff's just talking out aloud to yourself and working things through 'til you've resolved them. And your talk about being intimate with a woman is just 'coz you subconsciously want one."

"Jake?"

"I'm not used to joining philosophical discussions."

"Go on... Bounce your wildest ideas off us..."

"You want me to work out how I feel in front of everyone?"

"This is a safe place to practice."

"It'll come out long-winded... I'm like that if I have to work out how I feel about something I've never thought through before..."

"It doesn't matter how long it takes to work out how you feel... Everyone else has had their turn..."

"Um... well... in order to work out what I feel about your analogy, I have to work out whether I think there's a personal God to relate to... and that means I have to work out whether I think the universe was created by God or if it arose by chance... Let's see... Within our field of planetary physics I have observed there are things which seem coincidentally 'just right'... Like the electromagnetic coupling constant which binds electrons to protons in atoms for instance... If it was smaller, fewer electrons would be held to protons and everything in the universe would disintegrate... If it was larger, electrons would be held too tightly to protons and they wouldn't be able to break free to bond with other atoms, so molecules like water wouldn't form, and without water there'd be no life in the universe..."

Jake rested his chin in his palms.

"The sun's another example of something that's 'just right'... If the earth was any closer to the sun, most of the water on earth would boil... if it was any further, most of the water on earth would be frozen... The sun's also just the right mass... if it was larger, there'd be too much high energy radiation for us to survive... if it was smaller, the resulting tidal forces would disrupt the earth's rotational period..."

Jake looked increasingly intrigued as he continued his reflective monologue.

"Actually I've never thought about it before, but the earth's 'just right' too to support life... And earth's gravity's perfect, so is the earth's axial tilt, the earth's rotation period, the earth's magnetic field... the crust thickness... and the oxygen/nitrogen ratio; and the carbon dioxide, water vapour and ozone levels are just right in the atmosphere to make earth a habitable environment... I've just realized... everywhere within our field, things are 'just right'..."

"So how do you believe these 'just right' things arose? Chance or design?" interrupted Dale.

"Well... for something extremely complex to be 'just right' it needs planning and design. Take our E/M project... Have we just been doing our own thing putting any old components into place in any random order, or have we been using our intelligence and following an intelligent plan so hopefully the thing works properly?"

"That's different to the universe."

"Not really... Nikola Tesla used intelligence to dream up the idea of E/M technology... Bernard Eastlund used intelligence when he altered upper atmospheric wind patterns with E/M technology and produced localized weather changes... Someone used intelligence to design the components of the E/M weapon we're building... Someone used intelligence to draw up the plans... And before we started assembly, we checked all the components were 'just right'... We've spent the day intelligently following the assembly instructions, tomorrow we're gonna intelligently programme it, and then hopefully it will fly and we can intelligently guide it to blow up a target... I mean if you threw all the bits to the weapon into a big box... added in a bunch of random parts that belong to a washing machine, a computer and a radio... then handed the box to a ten year old without a plan or tools... what would be the chances of the kid being able to build a functioning E/M weapon even though all the pieces were there?"

"Stuff all."

"And the chances of the weapon being able to assemble itself without any intelligent input at all are even slimmer."

"So?"

"So the universe is humungously more complicated than an E/M weapon... And if the chances of an E/M weapon building itself without outside intelligence or input are virtually zilch, it follows that much more complicated things that show evidence of design haven't arisen by chance either..."

"So you believe in an Intelligent Designer?"

"Well I've never thought about it before tonight, but I guess there must be an Intelligent Designer behind the universe because we just went through it logically together. What do you believe in?"

"Everything arose by chance."

"But that's illogical. We just went through that... You just agreed with me that the parts of an E/M weapon couldn't build themselves, let alone assemble themselves... I mean we were even stuck a few times today in places... And that was in spite of all of our intelligence combined and following a design that someone else had already nutted out."

Brendan and Pete started laughing.

"What?" groused Dale.

"You just lost the design debate with Jake and he doesn't even know the Designer."

Zac held back his smile at the expression on Dale's face.

"I somehow got way off track... I told you I ramble when I'm nutting out something new... Okay I've worked out that I believe this universe is the work of an Intelligent Designer. And you believe the Intelligent Designer's name is Jireh, right Zac?"

"Yeah, that's one of the names He goes by."

"And I'm supposed to be commenting on how I feel about the relationship you two have, right?"

"Ah ha."

"Well then I guess I feel jealous that you and Jireh have got such a deep relationship with each other..."

"Jealous?"

"Yes... Like I felt the other night when I was watching you all massaging each other and I was aching inside to join in... I wish I was uninhibited like you all are... And that I could feel intense feelings for women and that."

"Saying 'I wish,' is a feeling," shrugged Brendan.

"And you joined in when we were nicky swimming this arvo... That's on the way to being uninhibited," encouraged Pete

"I didn't really. You all stripped off on the bank. I took my clothes off in the water so you wouldn't see me."

"That sounds... entertaining!" grinned Zac.

"Watching him put them back on in the dam was even more entertaining. He had us in hysterics!"

"It sounds like I missed out on a lot of fun... You were saying you feel jealous Jake..."

"Yeah... Jealous that you feel so close to this incredible Designer... Your relationship with Him is casual enough to give Him a nickname. You're close enough to Him to think about sex around Him... And you assimilate Him into everything you do... right down to The Potter knows the clay motto on the tracking devices you pinned on the rest of the team the other day... It's like your whole life revolves around Him... Whereas up until now, my life has always revolved around myself."

"You shouldn't have admitted that," murmured Dale.

"Why not?"

"'Coz now Zac knows where you're at... he'll pray for you."

"Isn't that the idea of the Communications Room?"

Dale frowned and made eye contact with Zac.

"Praying's mindless behaviour... How do you know it's getting through to Jireh? Assuming He exists?"

"Because sometimes He shows me things about people when I'm praying for them... Or things about circumstances which I couldn't possibly know otherwise... Or supernatural things happen... things that can't be explained using science or logic."

"Sounds warped... Have you prayed for any of us since you came here?"

"Yeah... I prayed for you all last night actually."

"So what did Jireh show you about me?"

"We should really talk about that privately Dale."

"No... tell me now... So you don't have time to make up something."

Zac looked hesitant.

"If you don't say something in the next ten seconds we'll know you're making it up."

"Alright... but remember... You asked me to tell you what Jireh's showed me about you in front of everyone."

"So? Go on."

"Okay...You're having problems with Cara. Your values are clashing... She thinks you're insensitive. And you're both close to calling it quits."

A stunned look from Dale.

"And the real problem is there's a God-size hole in your heart Dale... Put anything else into it - even a girlfriend - and you'll remain unsatisfied. It's like trying to make the wrong piece fit in a jigsaw puzzle."

Dale's lips trembled.

"How about we finish this conversation in private? Come on... I know just the place," said Zac gently, tugging Dale towards the Communications room.

Chapter 11

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge

faster than society gathers wisdom...

-Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, 1988

Dave wandered out to greet the 4WD as it pulled up.

"How was the trip home?"

"Uneventful."

"See - I told you you'd be alright love."

I exchanged glances with Jen.

"You didn't ask her how the trip was going there..."

"How was the trip going there?"

"It snowed," replied Jen, with as much casualness as she could muster.

"You sure?" laughed Dave.

"Yeah... Right near the place where you saw those lights that other time... We took photos of it."

"Really? Let's unpack the car, rouse up the others and all have a look at your photos together..."

Ω

"Nice boots," said Pete, as I walked in.

"Nice redecorating job," I retorted, looking around at the chalked graffiti on the walls.

Dave and Jen walked in behind me. Brendan eyed Dave curiously - sensing purpose in his presence. Dave went over to the linen closet and pulled out a state-of-the-art projector with an 11 in 1 card reader.

"Pop your memory card in here love and let's see what we've got... Where's young Zachariah?" he added, eyeing Jake.

Jake swallowed hard and looked towards the Communications Room.

Pete and Brendan exchanged astonished looks. The laid back B & B owner had inexplicably turned into a leader who exuded authority and sounded a lot like Gordon. Even his Aussie accent no longer seemed so pronounced. Jake scuttled away to get Zac.

"Dave's here..." he said, bursting into the room. "It sounds important."

He looked at Dale's tear-stained face.

"You go Zac... I'll sit with Dale 'til he's ready to go out," he said plonking himself down on the floor and draping his arm around Dale's trembling body.

Ω

I tried to push away the feeling that I was back in college delivering a presentation as they flicked through the photos Jen and I had snapped.

"By the way, these are the GPS coordinates of the place where it snowed."

"Mean anything to you Dave?" asked Zac.

"Yeah... It's in the vicinity of the JORN transmitter at Leonora."

I felt the difference more than observed it... While I had been away there had been another subtle shift in relationships... This time between Zac and Dave... They'd teamed up together. A union which was somehow stronger than the sum of its parts.

Jake and Dale joined them.

"I also had mobile phone reception in the area... Like I had the other day."

Dave nodded.

"This speck... here... did either of you notice what it was?"

"I noticed it but I couldn't work out what it was."

"I think I know what it was... I'll fill you in later Dave," said Jen surreptitiously.

"Fill us in now Jen."

"Dave?"

"It's okay love."

"It looked like that light that hung in the sky when the Atlantis shuttle was launched at Cape Canaveral back in '85."

"A marker beacon? Good girl... Familiar with them Zac?"

"Like the ones used with the scalar E/M howitzers?"

"Yep."

"Then we know what to expect tonight."

The alarm on Dave's watch beeped.

"Speaking of which, the sky-show's about to start. Want to head outside?"

"Yeah... Might just make a cuppa first," said Zac casually.

"You know that the fireballs are about to start?" I blurted out.

Glances exchanged between Dave and Zac.

"Dave's noticed a pattern... a certain sound on his radio."

I bristled at his simplistic answer.

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child Zac."

"Okay... Three different ELF signals are simultaneously being pulsed at the moment...One of them is a dangerous signal. Together the three are going to make three fireballs... like what you and Tyson saw the other day, except bigger and noisier."

"More like what we saw the other night?"

"Yes...We know where two of the signals are being transmitted from but not the third one."

"And the third one's the dangerous one."

"Yep."

"So what's the big deal? Three pretty big lights instead of one."

"The dangerous one by itself can bring down an aircraft... Two others combined with the dangerous one? I've never witnessed it before."

"Theoretically every electronic appliance within a 100km radius could fry," added Jake softly.

"Best put your cameras away in my workshop," suggested Dave.

"And miss out on a scoop of a lifetime? I'll risk my cameras thankyou very much."

"Your best option then is to stand in Zac's Faraday observation cage and take your snaps... It'll be kinda cosy though... It's only built for one observer."

Zac noticed the glint in Dave's eye, and eyed him back. A silent headlock between a lead stallion and a challenger. Brendan looked at them both curiously.

"I can handle being squished up providing I get good photos for my scoop..." I said, ignoring their silent exchange.

Dave's eyes were dancing. Zac eyed him circumspectly.

"You head out then... I'll just get some biscuits and I'll join you."

Biscuits? As if?

"Just tell me you want to brief your team without me around instead of being so secretive!" I blustered, as I walked out.

Silence.

"Sir? Are you still in charge?" asked Brendan in mild confusion.

"Just!" grinned Zac. "Stick with Dave... Trust him like you'd trust me."

He grabbed a handful of biscuits and walked outside after Maya.

"Brief briefing," mumbled Pete.

Jen giggled and draped an affectionate arm around Dave.

"You old conniver... Even I know they could've safely observed those fireballs from the bird aviary. So does Zac I reckon."

Dave's eyes twinkled.

"Much more romantic forcing them to breathe in each other's ears and fortuitously touch squishy bits while they try to get their photos."

"You're matchmaking them?" gasped Jake.

"Well that's what you pups are trying to do, ain't it?"

Grins all round.

"Who are you really Dave?" asked Pete.

"An old friend of Gordon's... He's got me out of mothballs."

"Why?"

"To stand shoulder to shoulder with Zac. It's a two man job keeping you mob safe."

"It's a five man job match-making those two!" retorted Brendan. "Welcome aboard Dave."

Dave chuckled softly and tugged Jen by the hand.

"Come on you lot... Let's sneak out the back door into the walk-in aviary. There's plenty of room for us all to stand around and observe in comfort."

"So if the birds drop dead, we're in trouble, right?" asked Dale.

"The canary in a cage is a test for poisonous gases, you wally!"

Soft laughter all round.

"Don't worry - this is actually a purpose-built Faraday cage that happens to have birds in it. All the panels are electrically grounded. Rechecked them this arvo."

Dave continued to build report with Zac's team as he set up his own camera gear.

"I agree the recent mass bird deaths suggest some flocks have winged it into the same type of high frequency grid that's brought down a number of Airforce machines over the years."

"Are you saying, what happened worldwide at the start of 2011 has happened before?"

"Sure has. I remember it rained dead birds for four days in Alabama after the Challenger incident. The media speculated that it was lead poisoning from all the burnt rocket fuel. As if..."

Ω

The roaring sound announced the imminent arrival of the first fireball. I looked up at the sky at the dull orange moon shape that had appeared northeast of us... It passed by disturbingly slowly over the desert... almost like it was hanging around waiting for a train or something.

A sonic boom... There was the connecting train... A second white violet dancing ball... Frolicking like a firefly with an indigo body...

"Frightened?" checked Zac.

"If this cage was enclosed I'd be freaking out, but it's open enough."

"Sorry... we're on different wavelengths... I meant are you frightened of what we're observing?"

"Are you kidding? So far I can't see what you lot are making all the fuss about."

Hands closed around my shoulders and gently rested on them.

"Ever talked about the claustrophobia?"

I hesitated.

"It's a learned behaviour. I wasn't born with it... I picked it up overseas on an assignment a few years back."

"What happened?"

I felt a wave of panic wash over me... I pushed it back down. He gently parted my hair with his fingertips and soothingly massaged my neck.

"Whoaah girl - You look fragile... Must've been a real nasty experience... Ever told anyone about it?"

I shook my head. He twirled a strand of my hair between his fingertips affectionately.

"Hey... I can handle the dark... And I can handle confined spaces... I just can't handle them both at the same time, okay?" I said defensively.

He leant close to my cheek and gently exhaled on it. It felt strangely romantic, although I couldn't work out why.

"We'll have to go for a walk together and share our fears and dreams before we go our separate ways eh?" he said softly.

Our separate ways?

A wave of sadness swept over me at the thought.

Come on. You're losing it! Refocus Maya. You're a photojournalist on assignment. And this is gonna be the scoop of your life...

A tiny white light appeared several thousand feet above us. It could have been mistaken for a star or an aircraft.

"That's it? That's the dangerous one?"

"No.... That's the marker... We didn't expect it at that height however..."

Zac's voice was dry... Tiny.

"What's the matter?"

There was a brilliant welding arc white flash. Everything around me lit up like daylight... Trees... bushes... the video footage. A large greenish-blue ball plummeted down out of the sky, stalled, then changed direction and started bouncing towards the other two lights... All three fell into formation like a spearhead, then they zipped away together.

So that's it? Some sky-show.

I glanced up at Zac. His lips were quivering.

Huh?

I put my camera down. Striving to make sense of his unexpected reaction. My palms traced the contours of his face. I wiped the hint of tears away with my fingertips. He cleared his throat noisily. Self consciously.

"Don't shut me out quite yet... Please explain why you're so upset," I whispered.

"The third transmitter's used a satellite-based system as an energy source... It's never been done before to my knowledge... It's only been theoretical in the past..."

"Meaning?"

"A fleet of similar satellites using the same RF technology could potentially destroy the world as we know it... If they're misused by the wrong people for warfare purposes..."

"There've always been wars Zac. There are wars going on right now... Civil unrest. Violence worldwide."

"I know... But there are so many things left on my Things-I-want-to-try-before-I-die list."

"With me?"

His lips brushed mine for no more than a milli-second. But I knew it meant yes. My heart soared.

He doesn't want us to go our separate ways either.

Then the moment was gone.

He took a deep breath, stepped out of the Faraday cage, and walked off towards the others.

Ω

The singlemen's quarters had taken on a new feel. A cross between a military command post and a leading newspaper trying to change the front page headlines at a minute to midnight. Dave and Zac - heads centimetres apart - drawing a bunch of lines on an aviation map of the region... Jake typing furiously on his computer... The three amigos at their laptops... searching articles full of alpha-numerics and funny squiggles which looked Greek to me...

"No wonder we couldn't find the third transmitter on the ground..." mumbled Jake. "I still can't believe they've pulled it off..."

"Combining ground based transmitters with a sat-based transmitter that has a possible output of 1000 megawatts..." frowned Brendan, shaking his head in disbelief.

"... and interrogating the JORN network to set the trajectory," mused Pete.

"...and all along we were assuming the third transmitter was ground based and located near where the Koreans are camped..." added Dale. "You warn us time and time again not to have biased thinking Zac..."

"Nah... The data you collected was still valuable. The Korean observers are real enough. But they aren't scientists like us guys... Gordon ran Maya's uniform photos through the ISRA's data base... Apparently the uniform's not standard issue... He says it's worn by an elite North Korean unit... some highly trained commando types or something."

Dave looked up at the comment.

"As for posing in his jacket and cap, Gordon says you were lucky Pete. He says he could have snapped you in half."

Dave raised his eyebrows.

"Listen all of you. You know I don't believe in going military on you but this a direct order... See and avoid when it comes to the Koreans from now on... You too Maya."

His normally peaceful eyes were intense and serious.

I nodded vigorously.

Silence. Jake broke it.

"The only sat that's anywhere near us at the moment is a UN weather satellite with a communications repeater... Squawk recognition code WMK1. Also known as Weathermaker 1."

"Great... One World Government Weathermakers," growled Dave.

"Sick sense of humour," murmured Dale.

"It explains Maya's observation that she had mobile reception," added Zac. "The trajectory was west south west... More observer information would be handy, but I'd say the most likely experimental target is Perth."

Perth? My city?

"Perth?" I repeated, finally finding my voice.

"Perth?" echoed Jake softly.

His city too.

"I'll mobilize my team to check the trajectory," offered Dave. "If we're correct, the sky-show should be visible from the Observatory at Gingin in about twenty minutes."

Mobilize his team?

My instincts had been right. I had known Dave was more than a semi-retired landowner who ran a B & B from the moment I met him. Just as I had known Zac was more than a professor from Alaska.

"Am I allowed to tell Frank?"

I wasn't sure whether to direct my question to Zac or Dave any longer. Dave nodded at Zac and walked off.

Oh well... That answered my unspoken question. I was still on Zac's team.

"Tell him someone's given you an anonymous tip. Expect to see the fireballs over Perth in about an hour... Actually you'd better warn him the fireballs may damage his electronic gear too... Taking the snaps through caged trailers might offer his equipment a degree of protection."

"Can I email him my photos?"

"Yeah... Just don't mention who we are or what we're doing for now."

I nodded. Too easy.

I wasn't really sure who they were anymore... Or what they were really doing. Then again it didn't really matter who they were... All that mattered was they were the good guys. Like International Rescue. And they wanted me to keep their identities secret...

Ω

"Maya?"

Frank's voice growled out of my laptop.

"Oh hi Frank."

I deliberately sounded casual. Frank hated it and I knew it.

"These photos you've sent me Maya? Where did you take them?"

"Out of Laverton. About an hour ago."

"This tip off you've got that these fireballs will be over Perth shortly... Are your informants reliable?"

"Yes."

"Who are they Maya?"

"Just scientists."

"Maya. I sent you to Laverton chasing an earthquake. How come you've ended up chasing fireballs?"

"They're related."

"Huh?"

"I can't explain right this minute."

"Maya!"

"Listen Frank. Did you do as I told you? Is everyone with cameras standing inside wire cages?"

"Yeah... It cost me an arm and a leg to get Coates Hire to open up after hours and hire me their cage trailers, but I did as you said... I've also got some of the crew standing inside bird cages up at Kohunu Wildlife Reserve."

A deafening rumble.

"Frank? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... you weren't wrong about when this thing would happen. Or about the noise... Sounds like a rocket's approaching... I can see the lights now... They're like coloured UFOs...They're getting closer... We're getting good footage... I'm looking down on the city from the top of Greenmount... The lights are going out..."

Everyone looked up with sudden interest.

"Have the fireballs gone Frank?"

"No... Not the fireballs... The lights in the city. Almost every light's gone off... The City of Lights is virtually in complete darkness... It's..."

The line went dead.

"Frank?"

Silence.

"Frank! Frank answer me!!" I screamed.

A flare of gut-wrenching fear. Zac draped a steadying arm on my shoulder.

"He may have just had to end the call... Or the internet might have gone down..."

I sniffed up noisily.

"Yeah... It couldn't be that easy to get rid of Frank," I replied weakly.

Ω

"It makes sense... Perth is isolated from rest of the world, so it's the perfect place to conduct an experiment... in case combining both ground and sat generated E/M pulses has an unanticipated spin-off...." murmured Dave.

"And geographically it's almost opposite the San Andreas Fault region in California...." muttered Zac.

"And what better way to strut your stuff than switch the entire City of Lights off?" mused Jake.

"Sick sense of humour," repeated Dale.

Ω

"Maya... Can you hear me?"

"Yeah... You sound stressed Frank. You okay?"

"I'm okay... Everyone's okay..."

"Why are you using the sat phone?"

"Communications are disrupted. Mobile phones have dropped out. The internet's not working... And there's no dial tone on landlines... I can't even raise the office on the sat phone."

"Maybe the emergency generator didn't kick in at the office."

"I suppose that's possible."

A subtle change in tone.

"What?"

"I was just thinking... It's a bit like last time. Except last time there was just one fireball. And communications weren't as affected as this."

"Last time? This has happened in Perth before?"

"On a smaller scale. May 1st 1995. About 2 am. You would have been living in Israel with your parents at the time. About half a million people between Bunbury and Toodyay saw the fireball that time. Lots heard this roaring sound. Mundaring Seismic observatory picked up the ground vibration wave for almost two minutes. Witnesses in the Midland area saw the fireball stop dead in the sky and its tail invert. Then there was this enormous blue-white light like a welding arc flash, and an explosion which caused things to fall off the shelves. Then when it had finished with Perth, it travelled all the way up the coast terrifying people up as far as Sunday Island in the Kimberley region."

"What was the official explanation last time?"

"A meteor."

"Meteors don't stop dead and hover over communities then take off again."

"I know."

"Meteors don't travel in threes either Frank."

"I know."

"Meteors travel at 25,000 kilometres an hour Frank. You know what we saw tonight wasn't going that fast. We observed the fireballs here and I gave you an hour's warning that they were coming. And you heard the sound before you saw them. Which indicates they were travelling just under the speed of sound... Nowhere near the speed of bolides."

"Observed them? Speed of sound? Bolides?!"

Frank sounded derisive. I braced myself for what I knew was coming.

"Maya. I sent you to Laverton to report on a simple earth tremor!"

"You had the gut feeling!" I retorted hotly.

"Listen Maya, I don't know who you're hanging out with but I'm pulling you off the assignment as of now. I want you back here to cover what's happened in Perth first thing in the morning."

I pulled a tissue out of my pocket and lay it over the top of the webcam.

"Frank? I've lost your face... Are you still there?"

"The old tissue-over-the-webcam trick doesn't work with me Maya!"

I bent my head over and started scratching my hair near the mic.

"Sorry Frank... Interference on the line... What'd you say?"

Zac broke into a smile.

"Maya! I know you're scratching your hair! I know you can hear me!" bellowed Frank.

Zac's smile turned into a huge grin.

"Can't...make...out...what...you're...saying... Bye Frank... I'll contact you... when I can..."

"Maya! I promised your Dad I'd keep you out of trouble!"

I kept scratching my hair but said nothing back.

"You should work for the IRA. To terrorize the terrorists! You hear me Maya!!"

Complete silence.

The three amigos were stifling their amusement. I wasn't sure who would crack first. Frank or them.

"Well I'm hanging up on you then! Keep that petite arse of yours out of trouble tonight Maya... And I want you on the first flight back to Perth tomorrow... You hear me?"

Frank ended the call. Laughter erupted and filled the room.

Zac approached me. Circled around me like a tiger sizing up a meal.

"What?" I smiled.

"He's right... It is petite," he said with dancing eyes.

I flushed with pleasure. Another round of laughter. Healing the tension that had been in the room...

"I like that trick of scratching your hair to end a call," added Jake.

"You've never done that before?"

"No. I don't have to end many calls, but I must remember it... Talking of calls, maybe I'd better call Nan... Just to make sure she's alright."

Jake dialled home on his computer. A message about connecting to the lounge-room television flashed on his monitor.

"What version of Skype is that?" asked Zac inquisitively.

"It's a version under development. It's due to come out next year. I volunteered to test the prototype... It works on internet-connected widescreen T.V's. Nan hardly ever has the computer on, so I've got the phone rigged up so it rings through the tele. She always has that on..."

Ω

"Hi Nan. It's Jake... I'm having a fantastic time... I learnt to drive this arvo... Yeah... I was just wondering if you saw any unusual lights in the sky a while ago? No? You were watching tele... CSI? Right... But no channels are working now? Hmmm... The tele transmitters may have taken a whack... And you can't work out how to get the television-phone to work properly. Never mind. I can't see you but I can hear you fine. Just pretend it's an old-fashioned phone... Anything wrong with our generator? It's working fine? Good... All our LED bulbs and Edisons working okay? Good... Nan, can you look outside for me and tell me if anyone else has got lights? Any of the neighbours? No... Okay... What about the university? Is it lit up? No it's dark too?"

I found my curiosity growing as I listened into the one way conversation.

"Interesting... One more thing Nan... You know how you put that energy saving bulb in the socket out on the front porch.... Could you check to see if it's working?"

A short pause.

"Yeah I'm still here... It's not working? Hmmm... I thought as much... Listen, in the morning when you can see what you're doing, put on disposable gloves and tie a plastic bag around the bulb. I'll dispose of it through the university's toxic chemicals unit when I get home..."

That's a bit extreme Jake. It's only a light globe.

"Listen Nan. As a precaution, fully top up both rainwater tanks with the bore tonight. Yeah both 200 000L tanks. Fill 'em up. Yeah I know it means you're gonna have to go to bed late, but you can always get up late to make up for it... The thing is, I think lots of people's energy saving bulbs have blown not just yours. And if people dispose of them incorrectly, the heavy metals could make it dangerous to drink the water in Perth for a long while."

Huh? What heavy metals?

"Nah... Sorry Nan. I can't make CSI come back on the tele tonight... Everyone's missing out on it, not just you. When I get back home I'll find the episode on the internet and you can watch it online okay?... Actually, tell your friends down at Bingo tomorrow not to vacuum any broken bulbs up if theirs exploded... Handle 'em with gloves...Yeah... Listen Nan... I have to go... I'll call you again in a couple of nights... Bye... Love you..."

Ω

Thoughtful silence as Jake hung up.

"It could be a localized blackout," he shrugged. "We get them from time to time."

"Nah... It's widespread I'd say. Sounds like everyone's CFLs have fried too..."

"The cleanup's gonna take a lot of planning..." murmured Jake.

"What cleanup?" I asked.

"CFLs contain nasties," explained Jake. "If they're disposed of en-masse in landfill, Perth's groundwater will become non-potable."

Unfit for drinking?

"Between what your Nan's told us and Maya's boss was saying, it sounds like the EMP has knocked out the main feeds from Muchea and Collie power stations and a fair bit of commercial telecommunications equipment as well... It's amazing your house faired so well actually..." ventured Zac.

"I s'pose tonight was a good test... I've got all our crucial electrical appliances in the main part of the house electromagnetically hardened in a Faraday cage similar to Dave's setup. Except because we're on the grid, I use optical fibres to transfer data in and out of the house and the electrical power feeds have electromagnetic devices fitted to them to deal with transients..."

"So you don't think you've lost much?" asked Dale.

"Nah...There's nothing much in my bedroom... My desktop and all my important stuff's in a study nook in the Faraday area."

"How'd you set up the system?" asked Pete curiously.

"Basically if a transient trips an electromagnetic arresting device, the house is momentarily disconnected from the grid... Then if a secondary electromagnetic arresting device detects another transient, the house automatically switches over to our 5kvA wind generator. I've also got emergency power supplies for my computer and solar panels which charge a bank of 12 volt batteries for back up lighting if the other systems fail."

"That's pretty self sufficient for suburbia... How'd you get away with the wind generator?" asked Brendan

"It's a custom design... I made it look like a ducted fan so people just think it's a big air-conditioner on our roof... It charges a bank of modified Al/air batteries inside the attic... So even without any wind, the system can run the whole house for a week. "

"Aluminium air batteries?" echoed Pete.

"Yeah... They used to be used as backup power supplies in telephone exchanges in the Telecom era. I picked them up for a song at an auction. They're designed to produce vast amounts of electricity quickly and have consumable electrodes which can be readily replaced. I just use Coke cans... The system works fine but I've also been keeping an eye on the latest discoveries in biomimetics. In case something better comes up."

Zac smiled with admiration. Impressed by the enormity of what Jake had done without assistance at such a young age.

"Why'd you set up such a self sufficient system?" he asked.

"I found the dream design in one of Mum's notebooks one time. Nan told me she'd always talked about doing it. So I set it up. Just for somethin' to do..."

Chapter 12

If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life

you doubt, as far as possible, all things.

-Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

I had been itching to get more information about the blackout because I sensed it was related to my scoop. Finally there was a lull in the conversation.

"You were a bit hard on your Nan over the veranda globe weren't you?" I ventured.

"She forgets stuff sometimes so I had to remind her."

"But energy saving bulbs are environmentally friendly."

Pete rolled his eyes.

"Keep it polite Pete," prompted Zac.

"If you were a scientist instead of a journalist you wouldn't say that Maya. There \- is that polite enough?"

Pete's tone resembled a low-throttled growl. It reminded me of a German Shepherd about to bite big time. The others smiled faintly.

"Want me to stop the debate before it starts Maya?" asked Zac diplomatically.

"No... You all seem to know something about CFLs which I don't. I'm interested to know what..."

"She's a journalist Zac. She must know!"

"Why don't you find out if that assumption's correct?" suggested Zac softly.

I glanced at Pete blankly.

"I still don't know what you mean but it smells like a filler article for the midweek edition... Hang on... I might want to write this down... Okay... I'm ready... Give me a good introductory statement first Pete."

"An intro statement? Okay... Thomas Edison tried 17,143 times before he was satisfied with the incandescent light bulb which he'd developed for home use. Because he put in all that groundwork, his invention was pretty safe. People used Edison bulbs for a hundred years under all conditions. Now Australian legislation has followed a UN directive and outlawed his invention. What we've really done is thrown away something tried, tested and safe, and replaced it with something which is environmentally harmful."

"Er... okay... Um... Brendan. Do you feel the same way?"

"Yeah. The thing that still irks me is we were forced to surrender our freedom of choice, which meant we were forced to use something which we knew was worse for the environment. Not only that, the ban has made some people's lives a lot harder."

"Whose lives?" I asked, looking up briefly from my version of Pittman hieroglyphics.

"Kids with reading disorders, elderly people... epileptics... The ban was also made without considering people like Dave and Jen too. CFLs aren't suitable for anyone who's reliant on home generators... they can explode with even the most minor voltage fluctuations. They also aren't suitable for anyone who uses HF radio because they cause an interference hum. Unless of course the person has their equipment in a Faraday cage like Dave does."

"You make it sound like CFLs are little E/M weapons..."

"They're harmful to the environment like little E/M weapons," interposed Jake. "As Australia's about to find out... I hope I'm wrong and it's just Nan's CFL that's burst... But if what I think's happened in Perth tonight has happened, there's gonna be repercussions for years..."

Jake felt the same way too?

They had my attention now.

"How can a few blown CFLs have repercussions for years?" I frowned.

"Have you ever written a story about a company that pollutes the environment?"

"Yeah... I've done a few. How's that related?"

"Well suppose I owned an Australian-wide company. Now suppose my 10 million workers each decided to dump 50g of mercury, cadmium, phosphorus and benzene into the groundwater near the factories they worked in. The environmentalists would be up in arms! And as a journalist you'd criticize the workers for their environmentally unfriendly actions, wouldn't you?"

"So?"

"So that's what 10 million Australian households have unwittingly started doing already. And they're gonna keep doing it year after year until a truly environmentally friendly alternative replaces CFLs."

Jake's allegory hit home.

"I think this article might be better as a full pager in the weekend paper," I murmured.

"If we're correct and most of the CFLs in Perth have been fried, then in the next few weeks several million CFLs may end up in Perth landfill... And Perth local councils will be left with the daunting task of trying to stop the mercury and other neurotoxins from finding their way into the groundwater."

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly... A couple of rubbish tips take CFLs as hazardous waste, but otherwise the only public collection facility I know of in Perth is the Ikea store in Innaloo... And I can't see people from Mandurah tripping 100 kms up to Innaloo with a bag full of their blown CFLs, can you? They'll just dump 'em in the council bins... And they'll shatter inside the rubbish trucks and the neurotoxins will coat the general household rubbish before it's dumped into landfill... When they hose out the rubbish trucks more mercury will find its way into drains and river systems... Other people will probably toss their bulbs into the recycle bins, 'coz they assume anything the media call 'environmentally friendly' is also recyclable. Except that'll contaminate the other recyclables and possibly the council workers handling the recyclables..."

I felt Jake's passion for the environment leaping out of his prognosis.

"I know some other stuff about them if you want to know more for your article," added Dale.

This article looked like it was turning into a double page spread.

"Okay..."

"Well CFLs pose a fire risk... They're mostly manufactured in China, and depending on who manufactures them, the electronics can overheat and catch fire, particularly if they are used in closed lighting fixtures. There's heaps of photos of it on the internet. They can also interfere with smoke alarms... security alarms... hospital equipment... air-band radios... AM radios... emergency band frequencies... The list is pretty exhaustive."

I could feel tense, freak-out potential stirring in my guts as Dale's words hit home. I glanced at Zac.

"Are they all exaggerating?"

"'Fraid not... Personally my conscience won't allow me to use CFLs because hundreds of the Chinese factory workers who manufacture energy-saving bulbs for Westerners are dying of mercury poisoning... It's affected the water supply of entire Chinese villages... Pregnant factory workers are giving birth to deformed babies... It also takes six times as much energy to manufacture energy saving bulbs because of the complex electronics in them. So they aren't really energy saving at all..."

"I never knew about any of this..." I said solemnly.

"I had a hunch you didn't... Confirm the facts for yourself in some of the on-line science journals we're subscribed to if you want to. Pete and the others can help you understand the articles if you come across anything technical you'd like to know more about."

Zac looked reflective.

"Actually I want to pick up on something you brought up about the long term effects of E/M warfare Jake... It's not just the cost of replacing items with fried electronics and the insurance claims, but your government is going to have to think really carefully about the en-masse disposal of everything that's been wiped out due to this incident."

"Because of the heavy metals?" I interrupted.

"Ah ha. The amount of mercury in just one CFL is sufficient to make 26,000 litres of drinking water unfit for human consumption. And older computers, mobile phones and teles contain neurotoxins too. Not to mention the tilt switches in top loading washing machines and many circuit boards. If sufficient heavy metals get into your water supply as a result of everyone incorrectly disposing of their bulbs and other blown gadgets, that'll create problems not only for Perth residents, but also for towns like Kalgoorlie that are dependent on pipeline water from Perth catchment dams."

"But scientists have been saying CFLs are environmentally friendly for years!" I blurted out.

"Whoever sold that idea to everyone probably valued his pay-cheque more than the truth," supplied Pete dryly.

"Should be forced to put warnings on the packets," added Brendan.

My eyes caught Zac's. Congenial empathy reflected back from them.

"In the U.S the packaging warns consumers not to break or vacuum up broken CFLs. It states clearly that they contain neurotoxins which can harm the environment and harm people... However Australian legislation permits Chinese manufacturers not to warn the Australian public about the dangers of CFLs. Check out the packaging next time you're in the supermarket... Then read the warnings on the boxes next time you're in the States."

"I don't get it. If what you're saying is true, why haven't Australian scientists spoken up about this?"

"Voices in the wilderness," sighed Pete.

"Don't get him started Maya," advised Dale. "He lost a scholarship because he spoke out against how un-environmentally friendly CFLs were."

"It was more than that. I said publically that I believed some environmental scientists thought funding was more important than the truth, and I cited other examples where environmental science has fibbed. And the scholarship committee couldn't handle it..."

"Other lies?"

"A few years ago an Australian marine biology student named Amanda Byrd went to the Arctic on a field trip," explained Zac. "It was in the middle of the Alaskan summer, and the fringes of the ice caps were melting a bit – just like they do back home every year. Amanda saw some polar bears standing on a slab of floating ice not far from the shore and took a photo of them. It was just your typical holiday snap. She took heaps on her trip. Anyway, Amanda gave a copy of her photo to another person on the cruise - Dan Crosby. He gave it to the Canadian Ice Service, who gave it to Environment Canada, who gave it to Associated Press, who subsequently released it to dozens of media agencies worldwide. Not only did the media wrongly claim the photo had been taken by Canadian environmentalists but suddenly that holiday photo Amanda had snapped 2½ years previously became "proof" of here-and-now global warming. Al Gore told a gasping sympathetic audience that global warming was forcing beautiful animals like polar bears off the planet and leaving them with nowhere to go. Alaskan residents know that's not the case though. Polar bears often stand on pieces of floating ice. They're good swimmers too. They dive off floating ice and swim back to shore then turn around and swim back to the ice. I reckon they do it for fun actually. I mean - there are limited recreational activities in the polar regions for bears - they just run, swim, play, fish, procreate and hibernate!"

Everyone laughed.

"So are there other environmental science fibs?"

"The carbon tax is an example," shrugged Brendan. "Tax Australians if you must, but don't pretend your tax will help the environment."

"But carbon's polluting."

"Carbon is a black solid you can touch. Carbon dioxide is a colourless gas that's being demonized. It isn't a poisonous gas, and it can't kill you unless you're trapped in an airtight safe, and then you die from lack of oxygen, not because there's too much carbon dioxide. It's not even a significant greenhouse gas. The most common greenhouse gas is water vapour. And there's no way you can stop the oceans evaporating or plants respiring. Not only that, CO2 is heavier than air. And because it's ground hugging, most of it gets absorbed by plants anyway - because they grow near the ground."

Heavier than air? Ground hugging?

I was starting to realize I'd been conned by my peers.

"Lies of omission annoy me most," added Jake. "Like in the melting icecaps debate... Scientists know that undersea volcanoes up to a mile in diameter have been erupting along the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Sea for the past ten years. They also know the lava is still 1250°C by the time it hits the Arctic Ice. You don't have to be very bright to realize that a continuous stream of hot lava is going to have an impact on the ice and the sea temperatures in the immediate vicinity. More impact than a 2°C increase in atmospheric temperature anyway. Not to mention, there are indicators which suggest E/M weapons have been misused to trigger at least some of the underwater volcanic eruptions in recent times."

"What indicators?"

"Remember all those schools of dead fish which were washed up around the world at the start of 2011? And all the unusually severe storms they blamed on melting ice in the polar regions?"

A frown creased my brow.

"Think back to your school history classes," added Dale. "There were other times in the past when the climate was warmer, but it wasn't catastrophic for the human race. Like back between 900AD and 1300AD, history records Greenland wasn't covered in ice. It was green which was why it was called Greenland. And the Vikings farmed crops there...Whatever caused global warming back then - one thing's for sure - it wasn't CO2 producing cars or Edison light-bulbs. Because they weren't invented until hundreds of years later."

"And think about what you learnt in meteorology," added Brendan. "It doesn't take much additional energy to create a micro-storm... A body of water just has to be artificially warmed up a few degrees by an E/M triggered eruption... or air just has to be warmed up a few degrees warmer than normal so it rises faster and carries moisture as a hostage... Create your micro-storm in the right place and nature can turn it into a massive storm..."

Zac searched my face. Reading my features.

"Go easy guys... Maya's fighting information overload..."

"No I'm not... I'm just fighting off that same feeling I got the other night when you dropped that other bombshell..."

"Which one?"

"Tell a big lie that generates enough fear in the masses, and they'll give their government full control over their lifestyles and private property in order to feel safe..."

"History repeats itself Maya. There are dozens of big lies that have deceptively made use of 'scientific facts' in the last century. And not all of them have been for political reasons."

"Dozens?"

"Off the top of my head... Piltdown Man, Nebraska Man and peppered moths are some classic science hoaxes..."

"Piltdown Man was a fraud?"

"Yep. Take a human skull, attach an orang-utan jawbone, file down the teeth to make them look more human-like, chemically treat and paint the fabrication, add a piece of chewing gum and then tell the media to tell the world it's a missing link... The real scandal though is that such an amateurish attempt went unchallenged by the scientific community for 40 years. No one even checked the 'find'. When it was finally re-examined, the file marks on the teeth were so blatantly obvious that they were embarrassing..."

"You're kidding?"

"Same with Nebraska man. It was really a worn pig's tooth. And anthropologists knew it too, because they found other similar teeth attached to the skull of another pig... But by then no one wanted to say anything."

"Why?"

"Researchers have to pay their bills like everyone else," shrugged Pete. "There's a publish-or-perish mentality in academic circles. And Government funding quickly dries up unless you come up with the results they want you to come up with. So there's pressure to fudge data."

"There's also pressure to ignore what you see as a scientist if it conflicts with 'renowned' scientists too," added Zac. "Have you heard of Shickel Painter?"

"Vaguely."

"He was an American zoologist famous for giving the world the official number of chromosomes in each human cell. He said it was 24 pairs... And he was such a powerful 'authority' that no one challenged this number - for the next 35 years! There are even photos of human cells printed in older journals and textbooks which clearly show 23 pair of chromosomes... yet the captions under the photographs declared the figure to be 24! Until 1956, scientists just agreed with Painter. Anyone who questioned him didn't even get their work published. Finally two researchers managed to get their research published in a Scandinavian journal... The research showed Painter was wrong and everyone who agreed with him was wrong..."

Jake carried the empty mugs over to the sink.

"Did you say before that peppered moths were a hoax too Zac?"

"Yeah... You didn't know?"

"Nah... Although logic's always told me something wasn't right though. Moths come out at night, but the whole evolutionary argument centred around them being more visible in the day... It just never gelled with me..."

"Sometimes it takes one scientist to risk making a stand before others will. That's what happened with the peppered moths. One researcher published a paper and he said that in 25 years of researching peppered moths, he had only observed three moths resting on tree trunks in the day during all those years of research... The norm was for them to hide in foliage during the day. Then another research assistant revealed that he'd help create fraudulent footage for a NOVA documentary on natural selection. His job was to glue dead moths onto tree trunks so that the film-makers could get supporting footage for their documentary, because they couldn't find any live moths resting on tree trunks."

"Sounds a bit like what food stylists do..." I added. "I've watched them when I've been taking stills for adverts... they glue sesame seeds on the bun, spray lacquer on the lettuce to get that fresh droplet effect...all to make the product look more palatable."

"Brendan... you haven't said anything for a while... What's the most blatant science fib in your opinion?"

"Haeckel's fraudulent embryo pics... He drew them more than 100 years ago. And everyone's known for years that the sketches are incorrect - on the basis of observation, ultrasound, x-ray and so on. Yet the drawings are still used in high school science texts today as proof of evolving from common ancestry. I saw them recently in my kid brother's book."

My brow wrinkled.

"Some academic texts are produced by the same publishers that produce newspapers..."

Zac looked at me with steady eyes.

"When a scientist is brave enough to swim against the tide and risk his livelihood and reputation, I sit up and take notice of what he's saying Maya... Because he has a lot to lose. If someone like Pete gets no financial gain out of maintaining his stance but he's still maintaining his stance, then you need to ask why..."

"That's how I feel when a journalist risks being called loopy..."

"Scientists and journalists are similar in some respects... they both need strength of character. They both need to be able to cope with external pressures like peer ridicule, media scorn and government harassment... Above all they both need to have the guts to abandon their pet theories if their findings or the facts don't support them..."

"Frank's not gonna take any of this very well... He's totally pro everything mainstream media call environmentally friendly..."

"And you?"

"I was majorly... until about half an hour ago... Now my head's spinning."

"Why don't you sleep on it for the night Maya?"

"I can't Zac... It's become a matter of personal integrity. People living in Perth need to know that information has been withheld from them and that CFLs could poison our city's water supply."

Zac reached out and squeezed my hand...

"Go on then. You be the one to warn them girl..."

Ω

"Frank... This is important... There's a chance that every CFL in Perth has popped. They all have electronics in them which may have been affected by the fireballs."

"Says who? Another one of your scientist informants?"

"Frank! Can you confirm their suspicions?"

"Well almost all the bulbs blew in our building...Except for the LEDs in the hallways."

"What did you do with them?"

"Nothing... Maintenance replaced them."

"What did maintenance do with them?"

"Who knows? Who cares? I've got enough on my plate as it is. We're using sat phones for communications and internet connections and it's costing me a fortune. And Coates Hire have got a fortune out of me tonight as well. On top of the trailer hire, now we're running on one of their generating plants because something in our backup generator is cactus. And as if that's not enough, tomorrow's issue is gonna be late because we've had to get the old manual press out of mothballs."

"Why?"

"The computer which controls the printing press is dead. And the main computer's in a death roll... Huge chunks of it have been wiped... employee records... accounts... thirty years worth of archived stories... Bob's trying to get the system to restore using some back up files he stored in internet cloud-land, but it's still down at the moment."

"All that's a nuisance Frank... But this is life threatening! If everyone's CFLs have burst or blown in Perth you must issue a public health warning... Run my other story. But hold the front page for this one... I'm emailing it to you now..."

Ω

"Gidday Gordon."

"Zachariah... I make it midnight in Western Australia. You should be asleep!"

"It's been a busy night. Or has David filled you in already?"

"You two got acquainted eh?"

"Yeah... You and your blasted curve balls."

Gordon laughed roguishly.

"Actually I haven't heard from him tonight... Possibly because I'm en-route to Australia so I had my laptop switched off for a while."

"You're in the air?"

"I'm on a U.S Airforce jet... I'm hitching a ride as far as Darwin, then taking a charter from there. We're somewhere over the Atlantic at present..."

"Over the Atlantic? But that means you've been in the air about five hours."

"Yeah... Six maybe."

"But it only happened three hours ago... How did you know about the sat-based E/M transmitter?"

"What happened three hours ago Zac? And who's turned a satellite into a weapon of mass destruction?"

Ω

Zac ended the call and sagged into his bed. He glanced at Jake's sleeping form in the semi-darkness... Zac hadn't noticed it before now, but Jake's lips and jaw-line were the spitting image of Gordon's. Gordon was en-route, because he'd been aching to interact with his love child for years. He'd hopped on the first Airforce flight to Australia after Zac had ended their conversation. Tired as he was, he hadn't even gone to bed.

Zac wondered what Jake's reaction to Gordon would be when he found out he was his Dad. He reflected on what he'd told Jake about Gordon....

Gordon would've made Brendan do 80 push-ups. And got him to strip down to a towel for the massage...

If only he'd known Jake was Gordon's son! He would have toned down what he'd told him about Gordon rather than create the wrong impression of him.

I think it would be embarrassing to have Gordon as a mentor...

What about as a father? Would Jake be afraid of Gordon? Embarrassed? Mortified? And why had Gordon kept away from Jake all this time? Was he afraid that whoever killed Tess might kill Jake too? Or have another shot at him?

Ω

Zac fell asleep quickly out of exhaustion. He dreamt vividly of Tess being shot... her blood puddling in his hand as he helped Gordon cradle her wounded head... Tears were streaming down Gordon's face as he bent over her dying body. Gordon was shattered... The look on his face... Tess was mouthing the words, 'Watch over' as she died... Except the dream was so vivid that this time Zac could read her lips...

"Watch over Jake!"

Zac cried out in terrified grief. His pillow wet with tears. Next moment Jake was standing over him, shaking him awake... Telling him he was having a nightmare...

Zac jolted upright... breathing deeply to regain his composure. In the dim 6 volt light, it was her eyes peering at him with concern. Zac knew without a doubt that Tess and Jake were mother and son.

"Do you often have nightmares about when you got shot?"

"No..." sniffed Zac shakily.

"You were screaming out Tess's name... And mine..."

Zac wiped his moist eyes with his fingertips.

"Why were we both in your dream Zac?"

Silence. Zac took a deep breath.

Here goes.

"Well... ten years ago there was this amazing young Australian scientist lecturing overseas... she was working in our field... on the geophysical constant that you cracked... I never knew her personally because Alaska's kinda isolated academically... but this afternoon I found out that she was very well known at the University of California... The scientific community there still remember her and talk about her... Everyone called her Tess for short... but her real name was Professor T.S. Lewis..."

Jake gasped softly.

"The Tess you tried to save was Mum?!"

"I'm so sorry Jake... Both Tess and Gordon were strangers to me that day in Alaska. Just visiting lecturers. And I just happened to be in the front row when I saw the gunman... I tried to save them both Jake... And now I've found out that the woman I didn't manage to save was your mother and that you had to grow up without her I feel... lousy. I wish I could somehow turn back time... I wish that I'd done something different and somehow saved them both! I feel... I feel like I failed you."

Jake shook his head and moved closer to Zac.

"Nah. You didn't fail me. You just found a way that didn't work when it came to holding down a woman. From what I remember about Mum, she was a lot like Maya... You know... Kinda feisty."

Zac smiled sadly.

"I remember she was feisty after I pulled her to the ground... She looked like she was gonna sock me... Gordon still maintains I should've kissed her... He says astonishment's the best way to immobilize an independent woman..."

Jake screwed up his nose and chuckled at the thought.

"You would've had enough dare in you to kiss my mother?"

Zac shook his head.

"Nah. I would have had enough dare in me to threaten to kiss her though. Especially if I thought there was a chance it would save her life."

Jake inched closer still to Zac and studied his face in the semi darkness.

"How'd you work out it was Mum? Was it my screensaver photo?"

"Yeah."

"I thought so... I saw the look on your face... Have you asked Gordon about my Dad?"

"Yeah... How'd you know?"

"I figured you would... I could tell you thought you recognized them both but you didn't want to get my hopes up without asking someone older... You know, someone from the hippie era. Do you reckon Gordon knows who my Dad is?"

"Yeah... I'm pretty sure he does Jake..." said Zac carefully.

"Wow! I hope he's still alive. I can't wait to meet him..."

"Let's just leave the ball in Gordon's court for now, eh? But don't worry... I'm sure you'll get to meet your Dad real soon..."

Ω

I was up as the others slept. Writing my scoop of the century for page 2 of the morning issue. I shook Zac awake about 2 am and he gave it the nod. Or maybe he was nodding off but I took it as a nod and decided to submit the scoop anyway. My story landed in Frank's email box at 2.30 am. I knew he'd be awake... Finalizing the front page spread... Fighting with the machinery he'd been forced to take out of mothballs because of all the fried electronics in his latest high tech printing press...

Memo to self: Hi tech printing equipment is vulnerable to hi tech weapons.

Within minutes of emailing my scoop, Frank was online... And livid.

"What the bleep's this, Maya?"

"I take it your emails are getting through now."

"Still only via sat phone... Maya I can't let you put your name on this story."

"Are you running my other two stories?"

"Yeah... they're both on the front page... But I didn't put anyone's names on them either."

"I proved it to you hours ago that my sources are reliable Frank... The only thing my sources didn't mention was that the E/M scalar test would cause all the CFLs to burst."

"And that's 'coz your sources didn't know about that at the time, right?"

"Right. So why won't you print my scoop?"

Frank paused.

"Because a few years ago I had a similar scoop. And it destroyed my career."

"Huh??"

"I was dumped from prime time television because I refused to stop investigating a story about three fireballs seen by half of Tom Price back in October 1994."

"You've never told me that. What happened at Tom Price?"

"The first fireball made a pass over the town just 200 metres off the ground and hung around for five minutes before disappearing from view. Then a second fireball did the same thing... appeared over the hills to the west of Tom Price, then disappeared over the hills to the east. Then a third fireball did the same thing! It was only 8:30 at night, and most of the town was awake, so it wasn't like a couple of thousand witnesses dreamt up the incident or were all drunk as skunks."

"Are you saying these E/M tests have been going on in W.A. for nearly 20 years?"

"Possibly longer... And not just in one small patch of the state, but all over the state... It wasn't only Tom Price residents who saw the fireballs that night... a huge chunk of the northwest saw them or experienced the results of them. The power station at Dampier was knocked out by an overvoltage spike at precisely the same time as the fireballs were viewed in Tom Price. Residents in Paraburdoo also saw them... Over the next few days I interviewed dozens of people... Uncovered all these eye-witness reports that it wasn't the first time this had happened... I found out that they'd seen other FOO events as you call them... Some people said they'd seen bright lights out in uninhabited bush-land east of Tom Price. Exmouth residents even maintained they'd be chased by them. About the only witnesses tight-lipped about the FOO were the local coppers... One let slip that he'd been 'briefed' by some 'officials' and it wasn't worth his job or his life."

"His life? Who were the officials?"

"The same people that got my Tom Price story canned... I spent a week filming interviews... Even arranged to fly two key eyewitnesses down to Perth for live interviews... and suddenly the story got canned - by head office."

A lengthy silence.

"I was really wound up about it, because the evidence pointed strongly towards weapons testing scenarios in W.A. I was ordered to stop investigating the story, but I couldn't get it out of my system. I spent nights researching E/M weapons... Discovered they were being developed by the military to knock enemy aircraft out of the sky... And that the military used them to alter the local weather to move troops... I took annual leave to investigate what had happened up at Exmouth in greater detail. I discovered there were numerous aviation incidents involving electronics failures in light and commercial aircraft. When I got back from my holidays I tried to show my boss the information I'd gathered. And I was instantly dismissed."

"You were fired from Channel 7 for investigating your scoop on your own time?"

"Yep... Fellow reporters avoided me for fear that they'd get fired too. Your Dad was one of the few men brave enough to stand by me... He created the assistant editor position for me, even though he'd done without an assistant editor for years. And encouraged me to keep collating information about the weapons tests. The internet was just starting up and he helped me put my articles online."

"Using pen names?" I confirmed.

"Yeah, your Dad told me about other Aussie scientists he knew who dared to disagree with the mainstream views... creationists like Bates, Sarfati and Walker. I figured I was a bit like them... so I used a combination of their first names and surnames and came up with unique names. Like Jonathan Walker - from the scientists Jonathan Sarfati and Tas Walker."

"I didn't know that you'd had such a hard time Frank," I whispered compassionately.

"Your Dad was such a big help... He believed in me...And sent me off to investigate every incident that might have even remotely been connected to weapons misuse in Western Australia. Like in August 2005 a Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was flying in the Exmouth region when it suddenly started displaying erroneous data that indicated it was simultaneously stalling and over-speeding. And on October 7, 2008, QF72 from Singapore to Perth ran into trouble when the Airbus A330 experienced uncommanded movements... And again on 27th December, 2008 QF71 from Perth to Singapore also turned back, when their Airbus auto pilot disconnected without command."

"All in the Exmouth region?"

"Ah ha. And CAA flight incident records show hundreds of minor incidents in the same region due to electronic failures every year, and that's just the ones that are reported... Listen Maya, what you've uncovered is real... But it's just not worth losing your credibility as a photojournalist over. If you pursue this story Maya, these people might destroy your reputation and your career like they did to me."

"What people Frank?"

"I don't know who they are Maya. Maybe your scientist friends know. But either way, I don't ever intend to lock horns with them again... I refuse to publish your scoop Maya with your name on it. So there's no point investigating it any further... I want you back at your desk by the end of the week. With a boring, harmless article about a minor earthquake in Laverton, for the Saturday edition."

"And if I refuse?"

"I'm gonna have to take you off salary until you stop investigating the E/M weapon link."

"Fire me for reporting the truth?"

"No... Distance you from the paper so we don't all get censored."

"Okay... take me off salary... I'm freelance as of now, okay?"

"Maya! You're being difficult! Cool off a while... I'll call you in the morning after you've had some sleep."

I hung up and vented my frustration by slamming my laptop lid shut. Someone cleared their throat softly.

Jake.

His pin-stripped P.J's rated about 9 on the fashion disaster scale and his hair was bed-tousled, but I felt drawn to him. Two refugees from the same city unsure of their city's future fate...

"Sorry... I didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep... Zac had a nightmare earlier and woke me up."

"A nightmare? Is he alright?"

"Yeah... sleeping like a log now... I was just drifting off again when I heard you arguing with your boss... Um... I was thinking... Why don't you publish your scoop using an untraceable pseudonym, but still keep writing for Frank as a front?"

"There's a way of doing that?"

"Yeah... I've been writing articles as four different scientists for years now... and they have no idea where the other three me's live because I'm my own ISP."

"So you're saying I could submit an article anonymously to a media giant and they'd never know it was me?"

"Yeah... easy."

"What about sending Parliament an official looking press release?"

"Hmmm... more challenging... but still achievable."

"And they couldn't trace it back to you Jake? The last thing I want to do is get you into trouble."

"Nah... They wouldn't know where it'd come from Maya."

"Great! Let's do it... Let's make it news throughout the whole of Australia... every state. Several different slants on the whole story to make it look convincing... So what's happened in Western Australia doesn't get swept under the carpet because we're the Cinderella state. I don't care if I don't get the credit for it Jake. I just want Australians to know what's happening under their noses..."

Chapter 13

I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties

through my love for the truth; and truth rewarded me.

-Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986)

Zac gently shook me awake about 7 am... Jake and I were both asleep on the floor side by side in front of his laptop... Zac looked amused. I could tell he knew we'd been up to something.

"Interesting morning headlines," he said with twinkling eyes, handing me a cup of industrial strength coffee.

"Really? What's happened in the world while I've been asleep?" I said with feigned innocence.

"Well the Sydney Morning Herald reports that environmentalists are alarmed about the threat that 20 million burst CFLs pose to Perth's pristine waterways and wildlife... And The Australian is concerned about the cost of the cleanup..."

"Is that right?"

"And apparently your Canberra mob called an emergency session of Parliament at dawn this morning because someone sent them an urgent memo about what happened in Perth last night and in their state of semi-slumber they believed the document had come from the CSIRO."

"Really? What was the outcome of their emergency session anyway?"

"Well in the short term, Canberra have made a directive. All energy saving bulbs Australia-wide have been recalled for safety reasons. Special exchange and collection centres are being set up outside every government building in Australia today... The government is making a bulb for bulb exchange ... If someone brings in ten CFLs they'll be given ten toxin-free bulbs in exchange. Starting with residents in Perth."

"Toxin-free bulbs?"

"Quartz halogen... LED bulbs... Edison incandescents... whatever they can obtain from suppliers interstate and overseas I'd imagine."

"But what are they gonna do with the millions of CFLs they collect?"

"They don't know yet."

Jake stirred slightly but kept sleeping.

"Maybe they should seal them in concrete blocks and build a monument out of them. And erect it outside Parliament House as a permanent reminder of their stupidity."

Zac raised his eyebrows.

"Give them credit for acknowledging the problem instead of sticking their heads in the sand Maya. There isn't any safe way to get the mercury and cadmium out of anything that's contaminated already - things like people's carpets, bins or clothing. Disposing of these items just removes the problem from the person's home to the dump. Fortunately some Perth residents have their own private stash of Edisons... people like Jake who knew CFLs were dangerous for instance... and people who rebelled against the government for removing their freedom of choice with respect to the type of lighting they used in their homes."

"But what if the neurotoxins find their way into the Perth water supply in spite of their efforts?"

"Major lifestyle changes across the board I'm afraid... In the short term, residents will have to boil and condense drinking water... everyone will have to catch rainwater... market gardeners may have to voluntarily relocate out of the metro area. In the long term, your government may have to resurrect the idea of piping water down from the Kimberley, or increasing the number of desalination plants. Whatever way you look at it, they're all expensive fixes for a situation which could've been avoided in the first place."

"Great... First there was a UN directive making it mandatory to use CFLs in Australia to avoid the 'threat' of an environmental disaster..."

"...and now a UN satellite has created a genuine environmental disaster..." finished Zac softly.

Ω

The breaking news and special bulletins had replaced morning happychat Australia wide... Solemn-faced reporters described the overnight events in Perth to the rest of Australia. Perth didn't tune in to the solemnchat. They had woken up to no power, no telecommunications and no clear understanding of what had hit them.

On the opposite side of the world, California knew exactly what had hit them. The earth had heaved and buckled. Grey asphalt had rippled and flowed like it had been trying to creep off the horizon. The air had exploded with crashing glass, snapping timbers and falling debris. Miraculously no one had been killed. Although many people had come close to dying of fright during the worst quake San Francisco had experienced for twenty years.

"So what now?" asked Jake over breakfast.

"Our objective remains the same... Destroy the E/M transmitter with our weapon by destroying its launch platform or the mode of delivery."

"We're gonna destroy a UN satellite?!"

"Yes. But we have to destroy it in such a way that they think it is a result of their Tesla experiments... So they think that combining land and sat based transmitters is incompatible... Otherwise they'll just do the same thing as they've done in Perth, somewhere else in the world..."

Ω

"Gidday old timer!" greeted the charter pilot cheerily. "I was wondering if I'd catch up with you."

"Gidday young Rob! How's Darwin?" replied Dave warmly.

"Beautiful as usual... Wanta hitch a ride back with me and do some fishing?"

"Love ta, but Jen'd throttle me... Got guests galore at the moment."

"Good to hear... When you told me you were establishing an eco-station in this patch of the desert I thought you needed your head read. But you seem to be having the time of your life."

"Can't complain... How's the charter flight business?"

"Quietish. Still... I'm doing what I love."

"Keep it that way, eh? By the way, have you got more of those business cards of yours? I'm running low."

"Yeah sure... Thanks for handing them to your guests who pass through."

"Talking of guests, I'm keeping this one waiting. We'd better get cracking."

Dave glanced at Gordon and picked up his suitcase...

"How ya goin' mate? Welcome to W.A... Dave's the name."

Gordon nodded and shook Dave's extended hand.

"Hello, I'm Gordon... Thanks for meeting me at the airport."

"All part of the package... Settl' in today... Tour of the outback tommora."

"That sounds... interesting."

Dave loaded Gordon's luggage into his 4WD.

"Cheers Rob... Steer clear of downbursts on yer way home... I heard there's a storm buildin' up over the Tanami, south of Rabbit Flat."

"Thanks. I'll update my flight plan before I leave. See ya next time Dave."

Gordon clambered into Dave's 4WD and broke into a huge grin as Dave joined him.

"Lieutenant Colonel David Hopkins, I have never seen you in such a state of disarray in my life! Unkempt hair... sneakers... and a collarless shirt... Are you sure you haven't been hanging out with the A-team on the sly?"

Dave chuckled warmly.

"You relocated us here and told us to blend in with the locals remember?"

"It looks like you've done a good job of that... How's Zac's team?"

"Functioning well as a team."

"And Zac?"

"Battling echoes from the past... But they're a match made in heaven. And the rest of his team are supportive of his decision to let Maya join them."

"I still can't believe that Zac's allowed a woman to join one of his all-male teams. I thought I'd never see the day!"

"See for yerself when we get there!" grinned Dave.

Ω

The singlemen's quarters had taken on a different feel again... the sound of multiple keyboards clicking away, interspersed by occasional light-hearted comments. Jake's computer was the central hub... Ten of his sixteen ports had keyboards and monitors plugged into them as all five of them wrote parts of the programme that would apparently make the thing they had built fly and destroy the bad guys' satellite. At least that was the plan...

"I must be rusty... I can't seem to find why this is coming up with an error code," muttered Zac.

Jake peered over Zac's shoulder... his bespectacled eyes scanning rows of equations and alpha-numerics in seconds.

"Found it... It should be plus not equals here... You probably just didn't hold the shift key down long enough when you typed the plus."

Zac mumbled something under his breath.

"Um-ma Sir... Did you nearly use a banned word?" tormented Brendan.

"Nah... He was just speaking in tongues," chirped Dale.

Zac chuckled and stretched noisily.

"I'm gonna take a ten minute break and work on something less brain draining..."

Zac pulled out a spiral sketch block and started copying some of the landscape photos we'd recently taken. I watched him with growing curiosity.

"Why do you make sketches of where you've travelled?"

"Sketching landscapes is my reason for being in the field... Like taking girlie mag photos was your reason for being in the field the other day..."

"That was a lot of fun the other day," I smiled.

"Fun for you maybe... I was scared stiff!" interposed Pete.

"Why were you scared of Maya?" asked Jake with surprise.

"Because those wandering hands of hers were wandering close to places nice young men don't let ladies' hands wander."

"Your fault... You wouldn't cooperate like Zac told you to, so I had to resort to feigned seduction to get you to cooperate."

Laughter all round.

"About those photos. Did you get around to emailing any to your Mum?"

"Yeah. And she emailed me back and said Maya's absolutely gorgeous."

"Well I've got to agree with her there!" quipped Zac.

I could feel myself blushing.

"The rest of the email was weird though... She was raving on about finally having the house to herself and how she wants to turn my room into a craft room and all this stuff."

"That's revealing."

"It is?"

"Well what it means is, she's not so much worried about you not having a girlfriend. She just wants you to move out of home so she can have her own space... Email her back and tell her you may have to work interstate next year, and how does she feel about that? That'll confirm if I'm right."

"But I don't have to work interstate next year."

"It can always be arranged!" smiled Zac.

"Hey Zac, you know how Dave's picking up Gordon... Do you want us to pack up the communications room so he's got somewhere to sleep?"

Zac glanced clandestinely at Jake. Gordon was obviously nervous about breaking the news to him, and there was a chance Jake might need his support too.

"Nah... There's a spare double bed in the family room Jake and I are in... Gordon might as well room in with us..."

Ω

Gordon wandered out of the shower and lit the scented candle in Jen's hand-crafted holder.

"Ah... that's better. This room needed freshening."

His eyes fell on a bottle near the candle and he broke into a grin.

"Is this is what I think it is?" he asked, shaking its contents so they slopped around.

"I hadn't noticed the bottle," shrugged Zac.

A frown curved between Gordon's bushy eyebrows.

"You've been staying in this room for four days and haven't even poked around? What's got into you Zac?"

"Preoccupied I guess."

"The challenges of controlling sexual tension when you're abstaining and other men around you are succumbing to self gratification eh?"

Zac broke off eye contact.

Gordon looked reflective and unstopped the bottle. He inhaled deeply.

"Ah... This bring backs memories..."

"Of what?" asked Zac with a flicker of curiosity.

"It's David's favourite blend... Here... Take a whiff..."

Zac sniffed the contents and looked at Gordon blankly.

"Scented lamp oil?"

Gordon burst out laughing.

"Come on Zac. This is the parents' side of the family room... And David has left his signature to ensure the parents have a nice time during their stay..."

A demure smile from Zac. Gordon eyed him perspicaciously and put down the bottle.

"Hmmm... I've been meaning to ask, does the state of this room reflect your current state of mind?"

Zac ran his eyes around the room.

"I hadn't noticed, but it could do with a spruce up..."

"All of this is very out of character for you Zac. Undiscovered treasures... clothing piled up on the floor... and since when do you go for the designer stubble look?"

Zac hurriedly started blitzing through the worst of the mess. Gordon watched him thoughtfully.

"Still some knots in the tapestry eh?"

Silence.

"You know, your refusal to answer me speaks volumes. Since when don't we talk about anything and everything?"

Zac moistened his lips.

"You can't lead your team effectively with a knot in your guts Zac. And they can't rely on you if you're distracted by knots either."

"I'm not letting the knots distract me."

"But you're not prepared to talk about them so they unravel... Okay, let's talk about the thread then."

Zac exhaled noisily and shook his head.

Gordon raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms.

"Alright then. Shirt off and give me 100. We'll see if that takes some of the fight out of you Zachariah..."

Ω

Gordon watched Zac's body rising and falling in front of him. 40 pushups... Hmmm... Unfocused... Definitely not himself... 50 pushups... Wound as tight as a spring inside... 60 pushups... Zac's face was red but his rhythm hadn't slowed... 70 push-ups. How long was Zac gonna keep this up? It looked like he was gonna have to resort to plan B... 80 pushups. Zac's breathing was laboured - he was finally exerting himself.

"You're making me exhausted watching you. Can't you just give up and pretend to collapse or something?" complained Gordon.

Zac shook his head as he kept moving up and down. Gordon glanced at his face with concern. Zac's eyelashes were glistening with tears...

Ω

"...98...99...100."

Zac collapsed on the floor; his chest heaving and arms quivering. Gordon reached out and silently pounded away at his tired muscles.

"Yer tongue loosed yet?" he probed after a long minute.

A mute shake of the head.

"Brendan tells me you've been teaching your team how to spice up their relationships with women. What about your relationship with women Zac?"

"Better to never love when we do the kind of work we do."

Silence.

"You've never told me you felt that way before now..." said Gordon softly.

Zac swallowed the lump in his throat. Gordon picked up the bottle of massage oil and rolled it between his palms thoughtfully.

Hmmm... It seemed David was spot on in his assessment of the situation. Time to change tactics.

"You have got yourself all knotted up since you left California!" said Gordon cheerily. "Like me to show you how David used to unravel my knots?"

Zac eyed Gordon astutely then nodded the go-ahead.

"Shower then report back here. You've got two minutes..."

Ω

Gordon fired up his laptop. Instrumental worship filled the room. His flashing fingers typed out an email to Jake in the next room. Zac walked back into the room, damp, with a towel around his waist and went to climb into his boardies. Gordon shook his head.

"Forget about hiding behind yer clothes... David's rules."

Zac rolled his eyes, then walked over and locked the door.

"Don't want to face your fears in front of your team eh?" said Gordon gently.

"They're a little reserved."

"So are you," replied Gordon, yanking the towel from around Zac's waist.

Zac curbed his desire to retaliate. Gordon spread the towel out on the floor.

"Don't just stand there looking shocked! Lie down so I can massage you."

"Without a towel on?"

"David's rules. He calls it top-to-toe."

"Gordon we're close... but I'm not comfortable about this!" protested Zac.

"You agreed to let me show you David's way of dealing with knots... Now forget about your comfort zone."

Ω

"I think you got a message on your laptop a moment ago," said Dale, as Jake walked back in from his break.

"It's from Gordon. It says, Come in our room. Bring your laptop. And bring the beautiful Maya with you as well."

Wolf whistles from the three amigos.

"What have I done now?" I sighed.

"You're not in trouble. Zac is... Gordon's been making him do push-ups. He yelled at him to do 100."

"So? I've watched the lot of you doing push-ups morning and night. I'm sure he's fit enough to do 100."

"It ain't the push-ups. Zac can handle them. It's what Gordon does after the push-ups if you're holding out on him. And since they haven't come out, I reckon Zac's holding out on him."

"What's he do after push-ups?"

A silent exchange of looks between the trio. Pete reddened slightly.

"He's doing that?!" gasped Jake.

"Zac's told you about Gordon, eh?"

"Enough to make me determined to never cross him... Come on Maya. We've got to rescue Zac!"

"Rescue him from what?"

"It's way too embarrassing to say!"

"Sounds intriguing. I might just quickly freshen up before the rescue mission. Back in a jiffy."

Ω

Gordon had changed gears and Zac knew he had the upper hand. He'd changed strokes too. He wasn't pounding tense muscles like a sports coach any longer. He'd switched to soothing gliding movements. New and unfamiliar strokes... They felt enlivening, but they were also stirring emotions which Zac normally suppressed around others. He hid his face in his forearms... Fighting to control his embarrassment... The private part of him wanted to scream at Gordon to back off. But his mind argued Gordon could be trusted... Even though Gordon had never done anything this extreme before...

Zac tuned into the others laughing in the adjoining room. While he'd locked the privacy door, he still felt vulnerable. Brendan could have it open with a kitchen knife in two seconds... Not that that mattered. Zac could handle being interrupted by Brendan. Or Pete or Dale for that matter. They all knew what Gordon was like. They could take this in their stride... They'd all laugh about it together...

But Jake? If Jake walked in he'd go into panic mode. He'd get the wrong idea for sure...

And Maya? The thought of Maya walking in and seeing him unclothed... it was utterly wrong... forbidden... Yet it felt deeply right... natural... A surge of desire stronger than anything he'd ever felt before rose up in him. Zac hurriedly regained control of his thoughts and pushed aside his arousal.

Gordon poured Dave's blend of scented oil into his palms and smoothed it up the back of Zac's thighs. His skin was warm... The fragrance wafted up, triggering another wave of intense arousal. Zac fought to control his unexpected response. Gordon sensed it and grinned roguishly.

"Things have changed in the last week!" he chuckled.

Zac reddened.

"My usual coping strategies aren't working," he sighed.

"And it's sent you into a spin, eh?"

Zac drew a steadying breath and nodded cautiously.

"There's a season for everything Zac. A time to abstain... a time to awaken love... and a time to become one flesh..."

"But I haven't done anything compromising to awaken love!"

"You don't have to full-on pet to awaken love Zac. A woman's smile... her interest in you... a gentle brush of her hand...even her breath, can wake up feelings you didn't even realize were there and leave you reeling when they come to the surface... I still remember how I felt inside the first time Tess did this to me..."

Fingertips lightly brushed Zac's buttocks.

Zac involuntarily grabbed Gordon's wrists; his pulse racing wildly.

"Fraidy cat!" ragged Gordon.

"Now I know why Dave said you're fraidy cat of his massages!"

Gordon laughed good-naturedly.

"I'm secure enough to keep up David's tactics until you buckle and yer tongue's loosed..."

Zac exhaled noisily and warily released Gordon's wrists.

"Okay... I'll talk about it. Can't I just put my boardies on first? In case Jake or Maya see us?"

Gordon ignored the request. Instead he repositioned his hands up onto Zac's shoulders. Zac sighed with undisguised relief.

"Ah... the mesmeric Maya... If I was twenty years younger I'd be pursuing her... You should be pursuing her, given you're both the same age."

"I'm only in Australia for a couple of weeks... And she's only in Laverton for a few days..."

"And you want to let her walk out of your life?"

"No... There's something about her Gordon... I feel so... complete around her."

"You told her that?"

"No... I'm afraid to let myself get close to her... because of the job we do... because she might end up like Tess if I do... and I'd never forgive myself if that happened again... if I ever let what happened to Tess happen to another woman again!"

Zac sniffed up noisily.

"There, I admitted it."

"Feel better?"

"A bit..."

"I've always kept Jake at a safe distance for the same reason... To protect him... I always thought it was the best thing for both of us. Until the other night when your comments made me realize that there's a dad-sized hole in Jake's heart. And I should be filling it - in spite of my fears."

Gordon looked up as the door knob turned.

"Time we both faced our fears, eh?" he added softly.

Ω

I trailed Jake into their room and looked around in surprise. The coy responses from Zac's team back in the lounge room had forewarned me that Gordon was cuffing Zac into line, but I hadn't expected Gordon's approach to be quite so... sensual.

Both men were on the floor. Zac was spread eagled out. Completely starkers, buttocks up. Gordon was bare-chested with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was sitting between Zac's legs and giving him a full-bodied Swedish massage. The room smelt of ylang ylang and lavender. Peaceful music was drifting out of Gordon's laptop. Jake was the odd thing out in the room. Again. He was wide eyed. Terrified. A rogue wave in an otherwise balmy setting.

"Nice view!" I quipped, when Jake said nothing.

Roguish laughter from Gordon. I hurriedly caught Zac's eye.

"Sorry... Maya Mouth in action again. It's just that I didn't expect you to be... tous nu..."

My comment woke a brief grin in him, then he diffidently reached for his shorts. Gordon got to them first and tossed them out of reach. Zac shot a look of disbelief in his direction.

"No self-consciousness around your team," tormented Gordon, gliding his hands across Zac's bare buttocks again.

Zac drew in a steadying breath and made eye contact with Jake. He was hiding awkwardly behind his laptop.

"Jake... you look stressed. I'm sorry... I thought the door was locked."

"It was... Except someone stuck toilet paper in the latch so it didn't lock properly."

Zac looked at Gordon charily.

"Nice set-up!" he groused.

"Can't have you shutting your team out, can we?" retorted Gordon with a cheeky grin.

Zack moistened his lips and eyed Jake again.

"Listen Jake. I know what's probably going through your head... But Gordon and I aren't gay! Gordon's just throwing his weight around a little... Nudging me to let go of the past and move forward..."

"Is this something to do with...Tess?"

"Partly."

A bubble of jealousy had lodged itself in my throat.

Tess who? An old flame?

Jake cautiously plonked himself down near Gordon and watched him in action for a moment. Then he wordlessly started imitating the stroke Gordon was doing on Zac. Gordon seemed surprised and pleased at the same time.

"You're an enigma Little Roo."

Jake shrugged in response.

"I reckon Tess would've wanted me to help Zac get over her death too."

A dead old flame? I could no longer hold in my curiosity.

"Why did you invite us to come in here Gordon?" I ventured.

"You invited her to come in here?" protested Zac shrilly.

"Well you've been too chicken to let her get to know you..."

I glanced into Gordon's dancing eyes.

"Nice set up..." I said, trying to keep a straight face.

Gordon chuckled roguishly and winked at me.

"Come over here with us Maya. And sit in Zac's personal space until he's comfortable about your presence."

Zac blushed, but it made him look even more attractive.

"Gordon!"

His tone hinted he was stretched. I searched his face with genuine concern. Silently running Gordon's request by him.

He returned my eye contact and exhaled in noisy resignation. Wordlessly granting me permission. He obviously respected Gordon enough to permit his manic tactics. I thought about the first night when Zac had used me to tackle Jake's timidity. This felt similar. Except Gordon's version of getting-to-know-you was extreme compared to Zac's. Mega-extreme.

"Too easy," I lied.

I could feel my pulse pounding wildly as I nestled in beside Zac's naked body.

"Why are we doing this Gordon?"

"To do the task at hand Zac needs to feel completely comfortable around his whole team. And he's feeling out of control around you Maya."

"I'm not feeling out of control around her... I'm just having to control myself around her. There's a difference..."

Gordon wriggled his eyebrows expressively.

"And she's not on my team!" continued Zac. "She's just hanging out with my team at my invitation. In case she needs our protection."

Protection? Protection from what?

"She's on your team now Zac."

"I don't lead mixed teams Gordon. You know that."

"She's on your team. That's an order."

"Just like that? Without clearance?"

"I took the liberty of running a background check on her after David happened to mention that you were love sick."

Love sick? Zac?

Zac cleared his throat softly.

"Your Maya's one very interesting young woman."

His Maya?

I could feel my feministic 'tude rising up.

Steady Maya.

"Do you know how she supported herself while she was getting her degree in meteorology? She took very sexy photos of very sexy men!"

Huh? How had he found that out?

"When I got that agency job, I didn't know I had to take centrefold photos until the models started stripping off!" I protested.

Zac caught my eye.

"Maya... he's prodding... Poking you to see if you strike like a snake at a stick... To get to know you. Just take him in your stride."

"Actually Maya... I'm prodding so Zac can get to know what you're like. So he knows he can trust you. And trust himself around you."

Trust himself around me?

Gordon was a powerful ally. The opportunity was too tempting to resist.

"I know how to show him he can trust himself around me."

I brushed my hands over Zac's bare back. Replicating the same stroke Gordon had been teaching Jake. I liked his response to my touch. He was carefully staying in control, but I could sense the fire in him. Wild and intense like a nuclear core. My hands glided teasingly lower, close to his smooth-sculpted buttocks. He involuntarily tightened them.

"Maya!"

His tone cautioned me to back off.

"Relax around the woman Zac!" chided Gordon. "She's just massaging you, not having premarital sex with you."

"No... I'm sorry if I overstepped the mark," I said quickly. "I respect your views of abstinence until marriage Zac... Really I do. I just need to learn what the boundaries are... So I can take the same stance as you."

He turned his head and looked at me. His eyes reflecting his joy at my avowal.

"If it's normally covered with clothing in public, it's a no-go zone..." replied Zac.

"...and if it's not covered in clothing because your boss has set you up, it's still a no-go zone. Right... Got it."

Gordon pretended to pout like a schoolboy.

"Hmmm. I didn't count on you two being so cohesive. Alright Zac. You've won this round. Put your boardies back on... But don't think for a moment that I've finished with you. I've just started on you, 'fraidy cat!"

Clammy palms unexpectedly covered my eyes.

"What are you doing Jake?" I laughed girlishly.

"Chaperoning Zac. No peeking while he puts his shorts on Maya."

Gordon looked amused.

"You're Zac's chaperon?"

Another insouciant shrug from Jake.

"A couple of days ago our team agreed to chaperon each other around Maya for the remainder of this assignment. So everyone including Zac can feel comfortable around her... I don't understand what you mean by just starting on him, but I think you'd better wait until after we've put the Weathermakers out of action before you have another go at him. Zac's got to stay focused until then."

Gordon chuckled softly.

"Point taken Little Roo," he said, winking at Zac.

Zac grinned as he pulled on his boardies. Surprised by Maya's stance... Secretly grateful for Jake's intervention. Gordon's teenage son, unwittingly standing up to his father! He was amazed that Jake was even talking to Gordon, let alone learning massage strokes off him! Zac could sense Gordon was carefully hiding his astonishment as well.

I blinked as Jake removed his fingers from my eyes. Zac not only had shorts on now but a chaste polo shirt as well. Gordon was still lounging around in his towel. Jake looked at him quizzically.

"May I ask you something Gordon?"

"Of course Little Roo."

"Do you still dream about what happened to Tess? Like Zac does?"

Gordon inhaled deeply. Bit his lip. To my bewilderment, tears broke free and slid down his cheeks. Gordon wiped them away with shaking hands.

"I guess that means yes," said Jake softly.

He timorously started massaging Gordon's neck.

"I think Tess would've wanted me to help you get over her death too..."

Gordon drank in the soothing gesture wordlessly.

Sombre silence.

"I've been wondering... Did she ever talk about my Dad around you?" ventured Jake carefully.

Gordon cleared his throat noisily. Zac moved closer to him. Draped a supporting arm around his bare back. Jake's question had clearly triggered something deep within him. Within them both.

"How about you tell me what you know about Tess and me first?" returned Gordon softly.

"Mum and you?"

I blinked in surprise.

Tess mystery woman was Jake's mother?!

"Um... Zac told me Mum was your colleague. Until some gunman opened fire on you both at a conference in Alaska... Zac knocked you both to the ground and copped the bullet meant for you... then Mum copped a bullet and died in yours and Zac's arms."

Zac had been shot protecting Gordon. Jake's Mum had been shot dead. And Zac was currently trying to protect me! Crumbs, whoever these guys were, they sure weren't 9 to 5 scientists.

"You don't recall ever meeting me?"

Gordon was obviously struggling to reveal a long kept secret. My woman's intuition almost knew what he was trying to say, but Jake - true to form - was missing the hint. The snail scratched his head. Perplexed.

"No... Although all afternoon I've been thinking you smell... familiar."

"Le Male," I supplied helpfully.

Gordon gave me a watery-eyed smile of acknowledgement. Jake frowned and shot Zac a questioning look.

"Zac... Why's he beating around the bush? What's he trying to say?"

A silent exchange between Gordon and Zac. Zac moved closer to Jake.

"What I told you a few days ago is about all I knew about Tess and Gordon too... Until yesterday arvo at least."

"So what else do you know about them now?"

"Well... now I know they were lovers."

Jake stared unblinkingly at Gordon. Dazed.

"You're my Dad?"

"Well, I'll offer a paternity test if you want one. But take my word for it. You're mine. You're the spitting image of me when I was a teenager for one thing."

"Ugly as the south bound end of a north bound donkey, eh?"

"Your mother used to always say that... Where's this favourite photo of yours that clued Zachariah into my little secret anyway?"

Jake redirected his gaze to his laptop and stared at the screensaver photo then at Gordon.

"I hadn't noticed until now... but the mole near your eye... It's in the same place!"

"Handy thing moles... They usually stay stationary on faces. Makes identifying Dads easier."

Jake smiled hesitantly. Gordon moved closer to Jake to look at the photo.

"Ah... Our wedding day," he whispered.

"You and mum were married?"

"We were lovers in an era when it was scandalous for a 30 year old professor to fall in love with a 19 year old undergraduate exchange student. So we married the traditional love fest way..."

"That explains why you've both got flowers in your hair!" smiled Jake. "I was a bit worried about you Dad!"

Gordon grinned and opened his wallet and pulled out a different photo.

"Here... Scan this one in case you ever want to change your screensaver... This is my favourite photo of us... It was taken on our honeymoon... About the time you were conceived actually," he said with twinkling eyes.

"Rad! Check out this photo of Mum and Dad, Zac."

Zac glanced at the photo, then rolled his eyes.

"Gordon!"

"You need the shy scared out of you Zachariah!" retorted Gordon with a grin.

Gordon caught my eye.

"David has a talent for scaring the shy out of fellas, Maya. Shall we enlist his help?"

I laughed waywardly. I felt comfortable around Gordon already. Like I'd known him for years.

"Stop changing the subject Gordon! You'll get Jake into a heap of trouble if his Nan sees him using that photo as his screensaver!" chided Zac.

"Why? Flowers are covering her nipples..."

"Dad and Zac disagree Maya. What do you think as a woman?" invited Jake.

I inched closer to Zac and glanced at the photo.

"It's a beautiful honeymoon photo... The sort I'd treasure. The expression in your Mum's eyes is striking... Maybe just crop the bottom of the photo a little and I'm sure your Nan wouldn't object to you using it."

"Would you really like honeymoon photos like that?" smiled Zac.

His fingers twined with mine. Intentionally. Secretly. I melted inside.

"If they were taken by a camera on timer. Somewhere secluded," I just managed to say.

"What a shame! I was gonna volunteer to be your honeymoon photographer!" joked Gordon.

Jake laughed at the quip. It could have been Gordon's roguish laughter.

"No wonder Nan kept you hidden from me Dad. You'd have made me a real handful to bring up if you were around!"

"Tess was good keeping things hidden from me too. For a long while she hid the fact that she was pregnant with you. One night though, we were together down on the beach and I had my hand on her stomach embracing her and you kicked my hand! I ran my hand across her stomach and you followed me with your little feet. When I realized her big secret I wanted to get married the traditional way and be a family. But Tess was fiercely independent. She didn't want any scandal to affect either of our careers... She moved back to Australia to her Mum's. I followed her back. Heartbroken because I'd said our love-fest vows before God and I'd meant them... Joyce ended up coming up with the solution actually."

"Nan did?"

"Yes... She suggested that Tess continue her post-graduate studies in Perth, then establish herself as a well known researcher and lecturer in the same field as me... then we start writing papers together, lecturing and researching together as academics..."

"...so it'd look like two colleagues had fallen in love, not an undergraduate and her professor..." mused Zac.

"...and then your relationship wouldn't be frowned upon by anyone," finished Jake.

"Yes... And Joyce was right. We spent a small fortune on international phone calls and airfares, but we gradually got to spend more and more time with each other... And as Joyce predicted, after a few years, everyone started dropping hints... inviting us to functions for couples... telling me that Tess was a good catch... telling Tess that I'd make a good father for you..."

"They knew about me?"

"Yes. Tess brought you to various academic and social functions from an early age as her son... She told everyone you were a love-child from a wild night she'd had as an undergraduate. Which was the truth, and a lie of omission at the same time. And like your mother, you made a name for yourself rather early on."

"Why?"

Jake's eyes were shining. Drinking in the missing information about his past.

"Well, one time there you were a little bored during a presentation dinner, so the Head of Faculty put his new laptop in front of you to keep you amused. And we didn't hear a peep out of you for the next hour. Anyway he eventually looked over to see if you'd mastered Solitaire, and he just about swallowed his false teeth when he realized you were creating a game in Java!"

"I don't remember doing that."

"You mightn't remember but he does! He still asks after you whenever we chinwag... On your mum's 30th birthday I gave her an engagement ring in front of our colleagues. After the surprise engagement party, we planned our second wedding. We planned the ceremony on Independence Day. After we'd finished the next round of lectures. Tess wanted you as our page boy. And I wanted to get new honeymoon photos of us at Mt Fuji as a family of three..."

Gordon exhaled noisily and eyed Jake sadly.

"We were so close Jake. We almost got to live as a family..."

Hear a pin drop silence. Gordon moistened his lips.

"Next morning we flew to Alaska to co-lead a lecture on the misuse of E/M weaponry - which was the official reason for Tess's trip to the U.S. That afternoon she died... And part of me died with her...If it hadn't been for David's support... And Zac's youthful optimism..."

Gordon's voice trailed off. He cleared his throat emotionally and made direct eye contact with Zac and Maya.

"Get around to getting to know each other you two. But make it soon... Don't let fear hold either of you back. Life is but a vapour. Unpredictable... So fragile... Live life to the fullest now. Live like there's no tomorrow."

"Well from what you lot say, there might not be."

Zac gently rested his hands on my shoulders and shook his head.

"Things might look a little out of control at the moment, Maya. But that's because things are happening in an unseen dimension. One that science can't quantify. And journalism can't explain."

"Another dimension?"

"Yes... On the surface it looks like it's a power struggle between humanity... But there are powerful unseen forces operating as well... Angels of light and darkness... counterfeit spirits... a whole realm we can't see. The thing is - overlooking everything seen and unseen there's a Designer God still in charge of this universe."

"You believe God's interested in what's happening here in this insignificant dot on the map?"

"Yes... God's always interested in how people use or misuse their creativity wherever they are. Like back at Babel they got too smart for their boots, so Jireh confused their language, to knock 'em down a peg or two... And if anyone experimenting with E/M weapons oversteps the mark, I believe He'll intervene...And disrupt their unity in some way."

His fingertips caressed my cheekbones. My pulse jumped into top gear.

"The thing is, when the Designer places us in a unique place of responsibility, we have the responsibility to do the right thing."

"The time is always right to do what is right," I said softly.

"Martin Luther King, Jr.," Zac whispered back.

"I want to know your Jireh, Zac...With the same intensity that you know Him."

Zac grinned and pushed himself to his feet.

"Come on then... Let's go meet Him in the communications room...Face to face... heart to heart."

"You've set up a prayer room?" smiled Gordon.

"Dale's idea... not mine mate."

"I thought young Dale was an atheist."

"Was... He crossed over last night."

"You sound like you had a wild night last night!"

"I reckon you're in for a wild night tonight - replying to those letters Jake's written to you."

"You mean the Dad folder?"

"Yep... You have 762 questions to answer - about yourself, Tess, love, life, and the universe. He's written each question in a letter."

"Hmmm... That's some backlog of correspondence."

"Count yourself lucky Gordon. It was 778. I've tackled 16 for you."

"More than that... You tackled some of the ones I was too scared to write down as well... Thanks Zac... Thanks for helping me find my Dad."

Zac grinned and draped an affectionate arm around Jake.

"Want a getting-to-know-you tip Gordon?"

"Sure do."

"Jake's always wanted a neck rub from you."

"Is that right? How about we massage each other the rest of the night then while I answer some of the Dad folder questions eh?"

"You aren't too jet-lagged Dad?"

"No way... I'm on too big a high to be tired... I've been wanting to do this with you for years. As your Dad... Throw me your curliest question first!" grinned Gordon. "To see if I sink or swim..."

Chapter 14

Space isn't remote at all

It's only an hour's drive away if your car could go straight upwards.

-Fred Hoyle (1915-2001)

I trailed Jen into Dave's radio shack and looked around. They'd all been in there most of the day... And they'd been secretive around me when they weren't in there. I'd pretended to be disinterested but in reality it had been driving me crazy. And now I was about to find out. Because they needed Jen to do something and she'd said I could tag along.

Jen pushed a button on an old looking intercom. A Tandy Electronics discard from yesteryear. To my astonishment the floor opened in front of us. Some type of electronic trapdoor. I followed Jen down the steps shaking with excitement. Radar screens... satellite tracking screens... weather monitoring equipment... a wiz bang computer... several machines that I didn't recognize and a sign that said, Dave's Den.

"Okay Jen, we'll need you to patch us into JORN at precisely 4:30 pm... Zac - you and your pups head off now to the cave."

"Can't I go with them?"

"No petite amie. You're too distracting!" quipped Dave, ducking Zac's feigned swipe.

"Maya. Stay with me," coaxed Jen gently.

"What cave are you talking about?" I persisted.

"Where you were taking photos of the Korean the other day."

"Near the ledge you wanted him to pose on," elaborated Dale.

"That's where you're gonna destroy the satellite?"

"Yep."

"Zac... Please be careful."

"Ssshhh..." he soothed. "See you at Dave's judo lesson."

And then they were gone.

Ω

"Judo lesson?" I echoed, glancing at Dave.

"We arranged it the other night," shrugged Dave.

"Followed by one of his infamous massage lessons!" smiled Jen.

"Zac agreed to one of your massage classes?" chuckled Gordon with surprise.

"Not quite... Jen hinted at the idea, but your lion was a little overwhelmed at the time to fully commit himself..."

Jen smothered a giggle. Gordon glanced at Dave's dancing eyes.

"Have you two been up to mischief this week?"

"No more than usual."

Gordon laughed roguishly.

"Well I taught Maya one of your strokes last night, and she enjoyed practicing it on Zachariah... A lot!" he added, wriggling his eyebrows expressively.

I wanted to fire some smart remark in retaliation but for once I couldn't think of one. Instead I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

Dave picked up on my feelings and caught my eye.

"Don't worry your pretty head... Zac'll be alright... It's straightforward."

"What we're doing on the roof is more dangerous," added Gordon.

"What are you doing on the roof anyway?"

"We've set up an arcing Tesla coil in the parabolic dish... The UN satellite will be passing over JORN at precisely 4:30 pm..."

"...and when Jen patches us in, JORN will send out all sorts of radiation which will cripple its transponder temporarily..."

"...giving Zac's team a window of opportunity to put the sat transmitter out of action before it's had time to work out whether they're friend or foe."

"What about the other two ground based transmitters?"

Gordon and Dave shot each other startled looks.

Obviously another Maya-mouth moment.

"There's still enough time for me to revise the air density calcs..."

"Glad to hear you can. No hope of me working them out in the amount of time we've got."

Huh? I'd alerted them to something.

Gordon chalked up an imaginary point in the air with his finger.

"Score - Military man nil... Academic gentleman one."

"Game's not over yet, ya pen pusher," retorted Dave.

I could tell they were jabbering because they were distressed... That it was their way of getting over the crisis. Although it was unclear to me quite what the crisis was. Gordon's fingers flew over across the keyboard fast enough to melt it. More uninterpretable alpha numerics appeared on the screen.

"Solution calculated in 40 seconds... Academic gentleman two... Military man nil."

"Correction," returned Dave, his open hand impatiently waiting for the printout to emerge from the printer. "Academic gentleman used military man's computer for his calculations. Therefore - military man one... Academic gentleman two."

"How are we gonna get this to Jake in time?"

They were both serious now. I snatched the piece of paper out of Dave's hand.

"He's at the cave near the rock ledge right?"

"You'll never make it on time love... It's a fifteen minute drive and you've only got fourteen minutes."

"You haven't seen me drive Dave!" I retorted, as I flew up the steps out of their command post.

I jumped into Dave's jeep, slammed it into first gear and took off at an excessively indulgent speed.

"Correction... Military man one... Academic gentleman two... Journalist on a mission three," said Jen with dancing eyes.

Ω

Zac checked the cave was empty, then his team carted the E/M weapon inside and levelled it.

"Set trajectory..."

"Check..."

"Set timer..."

"Check..."

"Okay, everyone out and well away from the cave entrance. Just in case."

Ω

Jake sat cross legged on the bonnet of the 4WD. Laptop balanced on his lanky legs. A frown flickered across his brow as he intently watched numbers coming up on the screen. The frown deepened.

"Zac... Our calcs. We've stuffed up!"

Four pairs of eyes instantly had his attention.

"We haven't allowed for the change in air density above this site as a result of their ground based E/M transmitters heating the air above us. We'll miss the U.N sat unless we correct for it. We need to add about... 37 secs."

A pause from Zac as he made a split second decision.

"Go correct the timer."

"But what if I'm wrong? I did the calculation in my head."

"I believe in you. I believe you're right Jake."

"I believe I am too. I'll go alter it on the timer... Then if I've got time, I'll recheck the variation co-efficient using a calculator."

"Good plan."

"Zac. We've got more dramas."

Dale this time.

"We've got company. 9 o'clock. Behind that ridge of rocks. It's the scout Maya snapped photos of the other day."

"Jake... alter the timer... go now," urged Zac.

"Someone else is approaching on foot... 6 o'clock... Right in line with the E/M weapon's projected trajectory..."

Pete moistened his lips.

"It's Maya!"

"Keep an eye on the scout... I'll deal with Maya."

Ω

I rushed up breathlessly.

"Gordon... sent me... He said the calculation is wrong... Jake needs this bit of paper."

"The scout's almost here."

Dale again.

"Want me to take photos of you all again? Like I did the other day?"

"That won't work twice... Run take Jake the amended calcs. He's just over there in the cave..."

"Do I have to go in far?"

Zac rested a reassuring hand on my back.

"He's near the entrance. Stick with him."

"Zac... The Korean scout had a gun the other day."

"I know... That's why I want you out of the way. I don't want to lose you... Like Gordon lost Tess."

Zac's voice wavered. The three amigos exchanged subtle glances.

"I don't want to lose you either Zac."

"Then trust me. I've got a plan to deal with the scout. But for it to work I need you to obey orders. And not do your own thing and make yourself a live target..."

"...like Tess did. Got it."

Maya scampered off towards the cave.

"Right you three... Make yourself scarce. Behind rocks... Under the 4WD. I'm going to sit out in the open and let our friend capture me."

"Huh? What sort of plan is that?" protested Brendan.

"The only one I can come up with at such short notice. I'll be the decoy and try and lead him away from the area. You all follow at a safe distance. And hopefully in about ninety seconds there'll be the ideal diversion for me to make a break."

"Or for us to rescue you."

"Yep... Hey all of you. If the plan backfires, it's been a pleasure working with you. Keep watching each other's backs, eh? Now scamper. Different directions."

The group dispersed. Zac picked up his artist sketch block.

A moment later the shadow of a well built man fell over him. Zac casually looked up. And into the muzzle of a revolver belonging to a North Korean special forces commando.

Ω

Jake skim read the piece of paper I hand delivered him.

"Dad makes the variation 36.5 secs... We've just got time to readjust the timer."

I breathlessly watched Jake.

"What's happening outside?" he asked, without looking up.

"The Korean bloke has captured Zac... We've got help save him."

"No. We've got to follow orders. Go with the plan of the person you trust as your leader. And that's Zac."

"But what if he shoots him?"

"Zac's allowed himself to get captured... to lead the guy away from the cave entrance. So no one gets hurt."

"But what if he gets hurt?"

"Zac knows there's gonna be one mega distraction in just over a minute... That's when he'll make his move I reckon... And Pete, Brendan and Dale are all lurking around, so they'll be there to help him too. Our job is to make sure this weapon doesn't falter."

"It won't," I replied.

"How do you know?"

"'Coz you were in charge of the project Brains!"

"Get your camera ready... You're in for some incredible shots Lady Penelope!"

Ω

Multiple events occurred in such quick succession that it was almost impossible to say in which order they happened... Two dancing fireballs appeared - framed by the cave. Click... Yes... Nice shot! Simultaneously a laser beam flickered up into the sky. Click... Another good shot... Milliseconds later, a crippled satellite passed directly through the beam and instantly exploded mid air... Wow! Three great photos for the front page... I wanted to savour the moment but a sense of foreboding prevented me. Something felt wrong...

Ω

A sound like a cannon being fired slammed through the air. A fraction of a second later, the shock wave hit the ground... A Korean soldier hit the ground as well - face flat on the sun-baked landscape as he'd been trained to do. Zac grabbed the Korean's gun and hit him on the back of the skull with it, to make sure that he stayed flat on his face a little longer...

The three amigos all appeared from nowhere... All four clasped hands in a unified gesture of jubilation and relief... Their shared moment of sweet success was robbed from them before they could relish it however. The rocky outcrop beneath them heaved and bucked underfoot like an unbroken mount trying to shake off a saddle. Zac and his team kept their hands clasped and rode out the movement. Unsettled but not afraid...

To their left, an avalanche of rocks started toppling down from the ledge and sliding towards the hired 4WD. Before the movement had fully subsided, Zac broke away from the group and sprinted towards the vehicle... The tremors were easing off. From a geo-scientist's perspective the worst was over...

Zac skidded to a halt in front of the 4WD, as rocks continued to reposition around him. His flung his head back and looked up as if arguing wordlessly with an Unseen Power.

"Zac... what's wrong?"

Brendan gasped the words out between exerted breaths as he caught up with Zac.

"Maya and Jake..."

Zac's voice bled.

"Maya and Jake are still in the cave!"

Ω

Jake unexpectedly yanked me towards him then pushed me under the E/M weapon. He wriggled in beside me, sharing the impossibly small place without even brushing against my skin.

I stifled my terror as the cascade of rocks crashed around us and turned dim light into blackness.

"Um... Is this supposed to be happening?"

"The shock wave from the explosion has opened up the fault line."

Jake's voice sounded calm but I had a bad feeling...

"Huh?"

"The cave's caving in. Keep your head tucked in."

Memo to self. Make a never-to-be-repeated-experiences list if you ever get out of this alive... Write "Using an E/M weapon as protection against falling rocks is not a recommended experience" at the top of the list.

Then again this was shaping up to being just one of the worst never-to-be-repeated experiences so far... I'd survived another similar experience that had held number one position on my unwritten list for years...

I could feel the darkness engulfing me.

"Keep your head down Maya!"

I spluttered for breath... Clawed at the blackness as though it were a curtain I could tear apart.

"I can't handle this for much longer Jake... I'm full-on claustrophobic when it comes to small, dark places."

"Listen Maya... if you don't keep your head under here I'm gonna... I'm gonna kiss you. So unless you want a kiss you'd better keep your head tucked in. Ya hear?"

I obediently complied. Rendered speechless by the bizarre threat.

"It'll subside any moment now. Just keep calm..."

Keep calm? I'm fighting claustrophobia in the middle of an earthquake, in a pitch black cave with a 17 year old brainiac who's just threatened to kiss me if I raise my head!

He was right. The landslide of rocks lessened then subsided. The E.M weapon had deflected several slabs of rock but was still basically intact. We were also both grazed and worse for wear. But we were alive...

Ω

Zac surveyed the mass of rocks over the entrance of the cave... His lips quivered as he tried to control the wave of sadness that was threatening to engulf him.

"This looks impossible in the natural..." he murmured. "I don't even know where to start."

"They were well inside the cave when I last saw them," said Pete flatly.

"This might be worse on the outside than on the inside," added Brendan hopefully.

"Jireh is our Protective Provider," whispered Dale. "We're still in one piece. He wouldn't have taken care of us and not them..."

Zac smiled bravely and rubbed his creased forehead.

"It's not only the possibility of them being injured that's concerning me..."

"There's more?" murmured Pete.

"There's something you all don't know about Maya... Something happened to her a few years ago when she was overseas and she's got a phobia of being trapped in dark, confined places..."

"As in a hysterical, shaking mess, scared stiff phobia?"

"I'm not sure of the degree... but her fear's very real... Even thinking about what happened is enough to make her panic."

"So... Jake's got a fear of women... and he's trapped in a cave with a woman who's got a fear of dark, confined places..."

"Hmmm... That's a rather interesting combination," said a soft voice behind them.

Zac turned and looked directly into David's gentle eyes... Immensely relieved he was there to halve the load.

"Any suggestions Lieutenant Colonel?" he said tiredly.

Ω

Jake climbed out from underneath our unique shield. I couldn't see him, but I could sense he was looking around... My head bobbed up near his. As I expected, he made no attempt to kiss me.

"You're breathing fast Maya. Are you okay?"

Tears boiled up hot in my eyes. Panic hammered at my chest.

"Jake... I'm losing it... You've gotta help me. Right now!"

"Ssshhhh ..." he soothed out of the darkness. "Is your camera still around your neck?"

My throat was too constricted to reply.

"Turn your camera on Maya. The LED display will cast a bit of light."

I was grateful for the suggestion. I hadn't even thought of it. I fumbled with the Nikon and eventually managed to switch it on. Jake's eyes peered at me with schoolboy concern.

"You're shaking lots... Are you cold or afraid?"

"Both..." I shivered.

"Your clothes are thin... But you're wearing your new boots so at least your feet will stay warm."

"Huh?"

"Cold feet make me feel worse when things are bad. You too?"

"Yeah."

A memory of a white flurry of sleet... people screaming and sobbing around me and then blackness. I violently shook away the memory and covered my eyes with clenched fists.

"Are you tripping down memory lane?"

"Yeah... Except it's more like nightmare lane... Jake I'm losing it again!"

"Here... Sniff my shirt..."

"W...Why?"

"So you go down a different memory lane. Hopefully a nice one... Actually you've got goosebumps. How about you wear my shirt 'til you warm up?"

Jake took off his shirt and slipped my trembling arms into it. I breathed in deeply and choked back a sob.

"Le Male... and Givenchy..." I sniffed. "Your Dad... and... Zac."

"They were spraying men's cologne at each other this morning and I ended up in the middle of their cologne fight... Must be some weird American custom."

I laughed so I wouldn't cry.

"Sorry I nearly lost it... It's just that this reminds me of another time... after a plane crash in Nepal. I was cold then too. But I guess it was worse than this..."

"Why?"

His question was cautious. Like he was scared of opening up a Pandora's box. I nestled closer to Jake, savouring his warmth and closed my eyes momentarily.

"Because my feet were freezing... And I wasn't with someone smart like you... And there weren't any familiar, nice smells... like Givenchy... I was buried alive under the snow... and... the only English-speaking person I knew was lying dead next to me..."

Ω

Dave eyed Zac and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly.

"You know, when written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters... One represents danger and the other represents opportunity..."

"This is an opportunity?"

"It's a multi-faceted opportunity... An opportunity to be transparent about your fears with your team... An opportunity to learn how to combat stinking thinking... An opportunity to learn how to lead in a crisis..."

Zac swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced at his team.

"Last night Gordon and I were talking about... getting close to people in spite of our jobs... and about how to protect the people we love who might be affected by our jobs... It seems the thing which we both feared has already happened... I'm afraid Maya might be... gone... gone like this woman I pulled out of rubble after this earthquake in Haiti... I'm open to suggestions if anyone can help me combat my stinking thinking..."

Despondent silence from his team.

"Maya's in love with you Zac," ventured Dave. "People in love fight to stay alive under the most extraordinary circumstances. And God fuels their hope."

Zac exhaled noisily.

"In my experience the best way to combat stinking thinking is to keep focused on the task at hand," continued Dave. "Remember the singleness of vision you had the other morning when you hit that can at 250 metres? Stay focused like that so you lead in a crisis. And plan a course of action rather than run around like a chook without a head."

Zac nodded silently. Grateful for Dave's input.

Dave was like a deep well... He seemed to have endless reserves of wisdom and silent strength... Like his father.

Zac moistened his dry lips.

There it was again... That random sense of similarity.

Connecting with Dave felt like connecting with his father... They both made extensive use of eye-contact when passing on wisdom. But it was more than that. There was something intangible...

Zac snapped out of his silent reverie.

Focus Zac! Time to learn how to lead in a crisis.

From this man who's a lot like your father...

Ω

I had drifted off momentarily midway through my story about Nepal... A combination of tiredness, shock and cold. I woke up after my micro nap feeling better... My head was resting in Jake's lap. I glanced up at him in the semi darkness. He was fiddling with something on the E/M weapon. I could feel the warmth of his body. He reminded me of a protective St Bernard for some reason. I moved slightly. When he realized I was awake he hurriedly extracted himself from underneath me. I almost banged my head on the weapon as I pushed myself up into sitting position.

"No... Come back... Could you hold me for a bit longer?"

"C... Cuddle you?"

"Sorry. When I'm scared I like being cuddled. Like if Zac was here right now I'd ask him for a cuddle. Or maybe cuddle him."

"When I'm scared I hide under blankets. But I s'pose hiding in someone's cuddle is kinda the same."

Ω

Dave redirected his attention to Gordon.

"You still developing negatives Don?" he asked gently.

"No... I'm facing realities," replied Gordon. "If Jake's still alive in there he won't have a clue what to do... He's an untrained civilian, not some special forces commando."

"He mightn't be a commando, but he'll come through," countered Zac. "He thinks like you do Gordon... And if you were stuck in there, you'd be hatching some hair brain scheme to get out... So he probably is too."

Gordon nodded in acknowledgement then stepped closer to Dave.

Dave draped his arms around Gordon's neck. Both men started moving around in a slow circle like they were dancing. Zac and his team watched them in gob-smacked embarrassment.

"You scientist-fellas got something against commando-cuddles?" asked Dave, eyeing Zac.

A mute shake of the head on his team's behalf. Dave pressed Gordon's face into his shoulder.

"You wallowed enough yet, pen-pusher?" he asked after a long moment.

Gordon drew a deep breath.

"Yeah. Time for action... The A-team's on standby... I can put out a Priority 1 call to John."

"Why wait around for the A-team when we've got the Z-team at our disposal?"

Dave ran his eyes around the group of men.

"Listen up the lot of you. Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge. Now think like scientists. We can't get through this pile of rocks at the entrance very easily... How else can we get to Jake and Maya?"

Ω

Jake's embrace was ultra cautious and he was trembling uncontrollably.

"Um... I'm not wearing a shirt... I'm not too close to your sexy bits am I?"

I felt guilty. I'd drawn strength from him and inadvertently reduced him to a shaking mess.

"Sorry to ask. Mum died before I was aware that there are different types of cuddles... So I never quite got to sort out which cuddles are which when it comes to women..."

"Your Nan's not into cuddles?"

"She doesn't mind cuddles but she's not into talking about them if you know what I mean."

He was stiff as a board now. If there'd been anywhere to run he probably would have.

"I have a burning desire to be a mum one day. How about I practise explaining the difference to you? Let's see... this is a motherly-like cuddle... The type my Mum gives me..."

Jake breathed in noisily. I could feel his heart racing wildly.

"It feels... um... sort of like Nan's cuddles."

"Ah ha... And the good friends cuddle is the one I need off you right now..."

Another deep breath to steady himself.

"It feels... very nice."

"Then I suppose we should compare them both with the lovers cuddle..."

I deliberately pressed him close to my chest and pelvis and caressed his bare back with my fingertips. He remained in my embrace, looking at me quizzically under the dim light emitting from the Nikon.

"It's... sort of nice... Not as nice as I thought it would be though."

"For a physical connection to feel really nice, you've both got to be intimate. Intimacy is a connection between you because of the thoughts and experiences you've already shared together as friends. Without intimacy, sensual contact is just going through the motions... And you always feel like there's something missing."

"But you can have a connection with someone at a soul or spirit level without having a physical connection. Right?" asked Jake, pulling away from me.

Great. I'm cold, filthy and trapped in a cave discussing philosophy with a teen prodigy.

"Yeah - like you and Zac can be best mates on a soul and spirit level without your relationship being sexual... And we're loosely connected on that level too without being intimate. 'Coz we have some stuff in common. Like we're both from Perth. And we're gonna have this shared experience in common too... If we ever get out of here alive... Last time I was trapped for three days!"

"You're starting to sound panicky again Maya. I think you might need a best friend cuddle. Like Zac would give you."

He wrapped his arms around me again. This time the embrace was confident. Powerful. Like he'd made a quantum leap from boyhood into manhood in a matter of minutes. I savoured the moment. Drew strength from it.

"Have you experienced it before?"

"Sex?"

"Nah... Being connected to someone on a soul and spirit level."

"The strongest time I've ever experienced it was when Zac walked into my life... earlier this week."

"Same here."

"And now again. Not quite as intense. But right now... here with you..."

"Same here..."

Ω

The sound of an approaching multiengine helicopter redirected everyone's attention. A solitary figure waved frantically at the chopper and was yanked aboard, then the chopper veered away to the northwest under full power.

"There go the Koreans..." murmured Gordon.

"Good riddance to 'em!" growled Dave.

"Eureka!" hollered Zac exuberantly, above the noise of the chopper.

All eyes shifted to him.

"Remember that episode of Thunderbirds where they used a laser from the chopper to rescue the trapped people?"

"Vaguely..." murmured Gordon.

"Well... there's another laser back at the quarters... I remember noticing the rock-face up near the ledge was thinner... If we create a man-made pothole there, then scale up the rock-fall and climb through, we might be able to get to them."

"That sounds like something the A team would do," nodded Dave. "And if that doesn't work, we can always resort to local mining tactics... I've got a rock drill and some Anfo back at the station..."

Zac eyed his team mutely - aware that his rescue plan might endanger them all.

"Z-team to the rescue!" yelled Brendan, Pete and Dale in unison.

Ω

"You right to go \- or would you prefer to hang around for three days like last time?"

"I don't want to be negative Jake but we're trapped!"

"We aren't trapped per se. We just can't go out the same way we came in."

"You've figured a way out already?!"

"There are at least three alternatives... I've just been weighing up the pros and cons of each one," replied Jake confidently.

I went from hopeless to hopeful in a heartbeat.

"Three alternatives?! Which way out do you think we should try first?"

"Up. You okay to climb?"

"Climb where? I still can't see the exit sign."

"While you were resting I rewired the capacitors in series so now the laser is more like a tool than a weapon. You know... Like on Thunderbirds..."

"We're gonna cut our way out of here?"

"Yes, me lady!"

"So what's the plan?"

"We create our own pothole up near the cave ledge, then scale up these fallen rocks to freedom... I'd better go first though."

"In case of loose rocks?"

"Nah... Zac reckons women's bodies are distractingly nice, so a fella should always take the lead. It's never been an issue for me before, but now I'm not scared of you, maybe I'd better play it safe."

I doubled over with laughter.

"You know, you're very interesting company Brains."

"You too Lady P! 3,2,1..."

"Thunderbirds are go!" we yelled in unison.

Ω

As Dave and Zac made their way towards the jeep, a shower of pebbles started erupting from near the ledge of the cave. A moment later a laser beam pierced through the rock near where they were standing and began cutting a crude circle in the rock-face.

"Jake's beaten me to my idea!" beamed Zac. "I told you he'd be hatching a plan!"

"Mate!" groused Dave, ducking for cover. "A fella could get killed on his own property around you mob! Satellites falling out of the sky... Lasers coming outta caves..."

"You forgot earthquakes and rock-falls!" laughed Jake, his head bobbing through the opening he'd created.

Gordon broke into a huge grin and scrambled up the loose rock-face towards Jake. Zac was right behind him. Willing hands helped Jake through the opening.

"Not to mention fireballs and hailstorms!" I added.

Zac grinned emotionally as he pulled me out into fresh air and liberty.

I shook out my hair then melodramatically dusted myself off.

"Professor Canney..." I bristled. "Did anyone ever tell you that your workshops are..."

"... intense!" finished Jake, nudging me in the ribs with his elbow.

"They have to be!" retorted Zac. "It's my job to make sure that tomorrow's greatest scientists are ready to face anything!"

Everyone laughed. Zac drew me aside and bear-hugged me. Unguardedly. I felt the tension from the previous hour's misadventure drip off me as his fingertips caressed the back of my neck.

"Maya... I thought I'd lost you."

"You did," I growled. "We got separated somewhere between a rock and a hard place... I got some fantastic pictures though! You should see this photo I took inside the cave. It's a one in a million shot I reckon."

I passed Zac my camera, which was still around my neck. He looked at the image in the viewfinder and smiled warmly.

"I reckon you might like a copy of this as your screensaver Dale," he said softly.

Dale took the camera quizzically. Pete and Brendan peered over his shoulders. The foreground of the photo showed a laser beam piercing the darkness. In the background, the dust created from the rock demolition had formed a wispy image which looked remarkably like a man with wings.

"Jireh... Watching over you both in the cave..." breathed Dale.

I pushed back a loose strand of hair and giggled at his rapt expression.

"Nah. It's just dust!"

"Dust doesn't do that Maya!" said Pete shakily.

His tone indicated freak out potential.

"Geophysically impossible?" I smiled.

"Definitely... Zac's Jireh has to have had something to do with this... Which means He's real... Which is a scary thought..."

"...with lots of implications!!" finished Zac, tongue in cheek.

"Well when it comes to protecting you lot from danger, He really works overtime!" I joked.

"Definitely!" chuckled Jake.

Chapter 15

It's not good for a man to be alone.

That's why I originally designed woman.

She completes him, and he completes her when they become one.

Jireh (Α-Ω)

We pulled up outside the homestead. An elderly woman was standing near Jen. A new guest presumably. She watched us all get out, then put her hands on her hips and stepped forward in our direction.

"Jacob Lewis! Look at the state of your jeans!"

"Aw, it's just a bit of dust. Don't fuss."

"Dust my foot! And you've got cuts and bruises all over your arms and... and what is that woman doing wearing your new shirt?"

Jake glanced over at me, and folded his arms protectively in front of his bare chest. I could feel the waves of self consciousness discharging out of him like lightning. I hurriedly stripped off his shirt and handed it to him. Jake clambered awkwardly back into it and looked down at his feet.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you... Did you have anything to do with that big explosion in the sky?"

"Explosion?"

"Don't you deny it! I saw it. And heard it. In fact I reckon everyone half way between here and Perth heard it! You've got some explaining to do young man. So has that Professor Canney or there'll be no more workshops for you!"

I exchanged glances with the three amigos.

"Poor Jake... She's worse than my Mum!" whispered Pete.

"SShhhh..." I hissed back.

Zac stepped forward. Hand extended. Eyes twinkling. Calm. Like he knew exactly how to handle the grumpy old woman.

"Hello Ma'am. I'm Professor Canney. I take it you're Jake's Nan."

Zac had turned on the charm... Even filthy dirty he looked charming. Jake's Nan looked slightly taken aback.

"And I'm Professor Canney's boss," added Gordon stepping forward.

Nan's jaw dropped. Jake looked at her reaction with interest.

"You? It is you isn't it? I might have known that sooner or later you'd get Jake involved in... in... in whatever it was you two were always involved in!"

"Hello Joyce... It's good to see you again after so many years!" grinned Gordon, lovingly wrapping his arms around her.

Ω

Everyone had eaten, showered and generally spruced themselves up. The three amigos had diplomatically gone off to learn judo with Dave. Gordon made Joyce a cup of herbal tea and sank down comfortably in the lounge beside her as if relishing her company. Zac was in the bean bag. I sat down on the carpet near him. Happy that he and his team had knocked out the bad guys' bad equipment. Sad that the most wonderful week of my life was coming to an end.

"Well this is it, ain't it? The day I've been dreading," sighed Joyce.

I know how you feel lady.

Gordon wrapped an arm tenderly around Joyce. I inched closer to Zac. He tugged me even closer and gently played with my fingers.

"Joyce, we've been doing things your way for the last eighteen years. For the first nine, I let Tess grow up like you suggested and hardly saw Jake. And for the next nine, I supported you both financially, but kept my distance while you brought Jake up the way you felt he should be brought up. And you've done a great job."

Gordon cleared his throat.

"I have a proposition for the next nine years... How about I run it by you and you think it over? You don't have to say yes or no straight away... And you have the option to extend the arrangement indefinitely if you like it. Or terminate it early if you don't."

"What's your proposition?"

"I know Jake keeps a low profile in Australia, but his name's already well known oversees because of cracking the Lewis constant... Many of my colleagues have already met Jake. As Tess's son - a child prodigy. Over the years whenever they'd asked for an update, I've fed them snippets... You know... Awarded the Premier's research prize for making the most significant scientific breakthrough two years in a row... youngest Masters student in Australia and so on."

Gordon caught Joyce's eye...

"A couple of months ago the head of Faculty asked me what sort of a relationship I had with Jake these days. I said we were like father and son from a distance... and that I hoped to entice him over for an extended stay one of these days... He made a few phone calls... and the short of it is, there's a paid position on staff next year if Jake wants to take it up..."

"Work at the University of California?"

Jake looked overwhelmed.

"It's a research position with extensive field work, but you can complete your doctorate concurrently. It will mean that you spend a fair bit of the time with Zac however. Which is why I wanted to see if you two could get on together. "

Jake's eyes lit up.

"Well I can see he likes your proposition," sighed Joyce.

"There's more Joyce... I'm just trying to choose my words... I know you've lived in the same house in Perth for thirty years, but with the CFL scare, maybe it'd be a good idea to live somewhere else for a while... I'm asking if you'd consider relocating to California. I have a big house with five empty bedrooms... And I'd like you both to live with me. And be the family we were meant to be."

"An old woman move in with you? What would your neighbours say?"

"Nothing... Everyone in my neighbourhood has a live-in housekeeper except me anyway. And I've already chin-wagged with the neighbours and told them I'm trying to get a bright young man from Australia over, with his caregiver."

"But what would your colleagues say?"

"They knew Tess and I were engaged before she died. They know that I've been keeping in contact with you and Jake. I've even let drop that I'm like a father to Jake..."

"In case I accidentally call you Dad in front of colleagues?"

"Whether you call me Dad or Gordon or Professor doesn't bother me Jake. Tess was cautious about scandal, but I'm not nearly as sensitive... Besides, if you did slip up, chances are my colleagues would think that's just what you're used to calling me. Zac calls me a lot of things in front of our colleagues too... Endearing names like... Dad...pops...old timer... And they just laugh it off. Because they all know of the circumstances under which I met Zac... And they know we're as close as father and son."

"Well Dad, I reckon you really need to have a serious father-son talk with my older brother..."

"Why?"

"'Coz he's afraid to fall in love."

Jake caught Zac's eye.

"Hey Zac... Just 'coz Mum got killed, doesn't mean Maya will... She's been to lots of dangerous places as a journalist. She's reported on tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis... Did you know she survived a plane crash in sub-zero temperatures in Nepal and was buried alive for three days?"

Our eyes met.

"Er... no... That sounds quite a story."

"She told me about it when we were trapped in the cave... She's one gutsy woman Zac. Gutsy enough for you to marry I reckon."

A reflective smile from Zac.

"Is that comment based on empirical observation Jake?"

"Nah. Spiritual insight. Jireh showed the team when we were all praying for you both this morning."

Silence. Zac went to answer but ended up saying nothing. I could feel the emotions sizzling inside him. I tried to work out why Jake's comment had made such an impact on him. It was so un-Zac to be floored by anything.

"Jake. I'm not sure Maya's ready for this conversation."

Huh? Zac on the backfoot around Jake?

"What conversation aren't I ready for?"

Jake wriggled over closer to us and made direct eye contact with me.

"The first day we met, Zac told me that it'd take a gutsy woman to keep up with him. That's you Maya."

We both looked at Zac.

"You're blushing big brother. Am I pushing you out of your comfort zone?"

"I'll survive."

"Want to know what the first piece of big brother advice he ever gave me was Maya?"

"Jake!"

Zac ran his palm through his hair.

Huh? Zac embarrassed?!

"He said, there's a time and season for everything under the sun. Including making passionate love to a woman... He didn't know it at the time, but that handful of words turned my outlook around a hundred and eighty degrees. I'd been all twisted up inside for several months because I knew mum was pregnant with me when she was not much older than I am now... And I felt like a reject... But I don't feel that way now... I mean, what's so reject about not having got to experience something yet? I've experienced other things other young adults my age haven't... Like I've blown up a satellite with an E/M weapon that I built... Not many seventeen year olds can say they've done that! So it doesn't matter if I haven't had sex yet."

Jake had made the quantum leap.

"That's quite an admission to make in a group of people Jake. Are you sure you want to keep talking about this right this moment?"

"It's okay to talk about sex around Dad and Nan. They've both been married so they know all about it. And you're my mentor and you've helped me sort out my feelings and concerns about it. I s'pose I feel a little shy talking about it around Maya, but the way I figure it, I'm just gonna have to learn to talk freely around her as well. Since you two are in love and Jireh's brought her to you as your future wife."

"Jake! I'm not sure I'm ready for this conversation right this moment."

"Time to push you out of your comfort zone then. Like you've been doing to me all week. Time to experience love yourself Zac, instead of just encouraging it in others."

"Maya and I only met a week ago Jake. Your timing's..."

"...perfect!" I finished. "And I agree Jake. Your big brother's the sort of guy that can turn your life around a hundred and eighty degrees with a handful of words. I've been fiercely independent all my life. But one week with him has changed me on the inside... and for the first time in my life, I don't want to walk away after an assignment and go looking for another scoop... I want to stay with him... I want to help him mould the young men he's responsible for... and marry him... and make love to him..."

"The sex'll be good. Lots of chemistry between you two."

I turned scarlet.

"Jake!"

Zac hid his grin behind his hand.

"No, really! Think back Maya... Zac taught me just one way to arouse a woman and it practically brought you to orgasm, remember?"

Joyce's eyes visibly widened. Gordon held his finger up against her lips.

"And Zac told me that Dad's taught him half a dozen nice massage strokes. So imagine if he does them to you all at once. Or imagine if Dad knows more and teaches you them as well!"

I stared at Jake with opened-mouthed disbelief.

"Mind you, I have a hunch Dad's intimacy classes might be wilder than Zac's."

"His what?"

"That's what mentors do... Remember? Zac did it with us the other night... So that means Dad'll be teaching you two about intimacy... Except he makes people strip naked for his massages. Like he did to Zac last night. So I think his preparation for marriage classes are gonna be more embarrassing than Zac's."

I shot a look at Gordon. Gordon and Zac both burst out laughing.

"Er... Maya. As your newly appointed mentor, if you're seriously thinking of being Zac's helpmeet, I'd better let you in on a few secrets about relating to teen prodigies. Rule number 1 is - Never let anything they say or do rattle you..."

Zac grinned and got up, tugging me to my feet as well. He drew me close. Faraday cage close.

"Hey Jake mate. As your recently appointed mentor, having some intimate massage strokes under your belt is important to keep the spice in your marriage. But when you're just starting out, you don't want to scare a gal off... Want to observe how to woo a beautiful woman when it's the right season for love to spring forth?"

Fingertips gently combed hair away from my cheeks, then followed the contours of my face down until they came to rest tenderly on my shoulders. I shivered at the kiss that he planted on my forehead and spontaneously embraced him.

Four heads appeared through the window behind me. Wolf whistling...

"Chaperon Sir?" tormented Pete.

"Getting ready for my massage class I see?" added Dave.

I took a backhanded swipe at Dave and giggled as Zac ran his fingertips briefly across my buttocks. A wave of pleasure wafted over me.

"He's right you know. The sex is gonna be great," I whispered in Zac's ear.

Zac pulled back \- his eyes luminous with peace and excitement.

"It sure will be Mrs Canney," he retorted with a school-boy grin.

To be continued:

Ω

If you've enjoyed _The Weathermakers_...

here is the sequel

The Codetalkers

**Nobody can go back and start a new beginning.**

**but anyone can start today and make a new ending** **-Maria Robinson**

Will Zac, Maya and Jake foil the Weathermakers plan to fire two E/M weapons from a U.S warship? Life is full of surprises, awkward moments and growth for our intrepid trio in this second book in the **Rebelutionaries** series. Dangling from a chopper... hiking on a grueling military trek... disarming the bad guys... discovering mind-blowing secrets about the ISRA... life is action packed when you're on Gordon's payroll.

**Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him -** _Aldous Huxley_

_The Codetalkers_ introduces new teenagers to the series. Captain Ryan Adams is fresh out of the air force officer training academy. He's the country's top graduate and he expected to be deployed overseas. However instead he's been assigned to Farliga Pass - a wilderness training camp in the heart of Yellowstone National Park. Ryan's uncomfortable about his first post as an officer. Most of the personnel up at Farliga Pass are old timers. And Ryan has reason to hate old timers...

**Success is having the courage to meet failure without being defeated** _-Wilfred Peterson_

Hope Canney's family think she's plodding through an undergraduate degree in journalism. But Hope's been living a double life since starting college. She's already a renowned investigative journalist who's won multiple awards as Heidi Cannikin. Her cutting edge stories stem from shadowing her brother Zac's activities. Normally it's not risky. But this time her life is on the line. Unable to contact Zac, she heads for a safehouse he's told her about... Her decision will have far reaching ramifications for both of them.

**Adversity causes some men to break, and others to break records -** _William Arthur Ward_

Ryan and Hope don't ever get to meet each other in _The Codetalkers_ but they have a lot in common. Both are pretending to be older than they really are. Both are rebelutionaries - they've chosen to rebel against society's low expectations of teenagers and excel in their chosen fields. Both end up feeling they're out of their depth. And they both look up to Zac.

**Change is inevitable. Growth is intentional** _-Colin Wilson_

The young adults in _The Codetalkers_ toss around ideas about what makes a great leader. They continue to learn to let go of the past and bridge the gap with the older generation... And they experience personal growth as they chat about issues like sex, menstruation, childbirth, involuntary erections, honeymoon jitters, anorexia and body image...

Only the vigilant can maintain their liberties. A society whose members spend a great deal of their time in the irrelevant other worlds of sport and soap opera, mythology and metaphysical fantasy, will find it hard to resist the encroachments of those who would manipulate and control it -

Aldous Huxley

_The Codetalkers_ is set in contemporary Australia and the U.S. and has references to recent events worldwide and predicted future events. It is the second book in a series which encourages teens and young adults to rebel against society's low expectations of them, to attempt hard things and be leaders and planet-shapers.

Ω

FACTS IN THE FICTION

6000+ articles by scientists and researchers, many addressing the issue of fraud and compromise in the scientific community. Type the surnames of _Frank's known aliases - like Bates,_ Sarfati, Walker and Wieland into the search box on this site...

If you're a little worried about global warming, doomsday and the apocalypse, this collection of articles is a good jumping off point to get additional balance.

Piltdown ape-man fraud – Take a human skull, attach an orang-utan jawbone, file down the teeth to make them look human, chemically treat them and paint them, add a piece of chewing gum and tell the scientific world it's a missing link!

Peppered moth hoax – Moths come out at night. They don't rest on trees in the day. Never mind. Glue them on the trees for the documentary. Who'll ever know?!

Haeckel's fraudulent embryo pics – Drawings from a hundred years ago which have been shown to be fraudulent continue to be published in school science texts.

Nebraska ape-man – It's really a pig's tooth, but so what?

Curious (or worried) about UFOs? Check out the book Alien Intrusion by Gary Bates, available online at Creation Book Publishers. It is also available on this site as an e-book.

Photos of energy saving bulbs which have caught fire

The medical tragedies experienced by Chinese workers who make CFL's

 Interference and other issues related to CFL's

A video warning about the difficulty disposing of CFL's

 More facts about CFL's which consumers may not realize.

 Unless Peace Comes reprints an article entitled  How to wreck the environment by the real Professor Gordon J.F McDonald. (In this fiction series it was penned by Jake's Dad - Gordon Macca). The real Gordon MacDonald wrote this article, more than fifty years ago. Back then he described how the military (mis)use of E/M technology was associated with sightings of fireballs; flocks of dead birds; schools of dead fish; unusual localized weather patterns; earth-tremors; failed electronics and UFO-like lights... Sound familiar?

Harry Mason's article Bright Skies contains information about fireball sightings in Australia, including the Laverton, Tom Price, Exmouth and East Coast incidents.

 Weather Warfare by Keith Harman Snow – expands on the research of others in this field.

_Eyewitness accounts in this fiction story include the experiences of Laverton residents living in the area in the 1990s._ We recall it snowing in November when temperatures of 37ºC (100ºF) were the norm for that time of the year and it had never snowed in the region ever. Our family also witnessed hail falling out of blue skies and an earthquake and fireball event in 1993.

Hitler once said, the masses will more easily fall victims to a big lie than a small one.The Rebelutionaries titles are penned that young adults might not fall victim to any lies - big or small.

Ω

History Changers: Expedition 2022

Another Rebelutionary title for tweens, teens and reluctant readers

The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past,

he is a parent of the future. -Herbert Spencer

A science experiment gone awry - known as _The Event_ \- has killed 6 billion people and changed life on planet Earth forever. Cars, books and gardens are rarities. A team of scientists called _Watchers_ strictly control scientific pursuits. One afternoon in 2057, Andy and his computer Kojak activate Grandpa David's old invention - a gadget he had been working on before the Event. Andy is transported back to 2022, forty hours before The Event.

Andy seizes the opportunity to change history just a little. He gathers books, seeds, an oil press and other useful things for life after The Event. He also discovers what his Grandpa David was like as a 20 year old youth.

Andy and David are poles apart. They are from different eras, they have different physiques & different friends. Yet their lives become inexplicably intertwined as they work to make the future a better place.

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. -Harry Truman

_History Changers_ is a time travel series with miscellany to beguile reluctant readers. It's a reflective glimpse into a futuristic world where heirloom seeds and gardeners are a rarity because of a dramatic environmental incident. Readers with an interest in alternative fuels, seed banks and inventions will resonate with the youthful heroes in this low-key sci-fi book.

I can never consent to creep, when I feel the impulse to soar.

-Helen Keller

History Changers challenges tween and teen readers to rebel against the low expectations society places on them. It encourages young people to pursue a relationship with their Creator. And like the other Rebelutionaries titles the fiction contains numerous inspirational quotes, low-key sex-education and environmental responsibility themes.

RESOURCES FOR REBELUTIONARIES

So what's a rebelutionary?

Ask some Rebelutionaries! Like homeschooled twins Alex and Brett Harris. They write -

The official definition of the 'rebelution' is "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." When you look around today, in terms of godly character and practical competence, our culture does not expect much of us young people. We are not only expected to do very little that is wise or good, but we're expected to do the opposite. Our media-saturated youth culture is constantly reinforcing lower and lower standards and expectations.

The word 'rebelution' is a combination of the words "rebellion" and "revolution." So it carries a sense of an uprising against social norms. But in this case, it's not a rebellion against God-established authority, but against the low expectations of our society. It's a refusal to be defined by our ungodly, rebellious culture. Actually, we like to think of it as rebelling against rebellion... returning to biblical and historical levels of character and competence.

In 1 Timothy 4:12, the Apostle Paul tells Timothy, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." In other words, as young people we are called to be exemplary in all areas of life. Our generation is falling incredibly short of that calling. Instead of serving as the launching pad of life, the teen years are seen as a vacation from responsibility. We call it the "myth of adolescence." And the Rebelution is all about busting that myth.

The battle cry of _The Rebelution_ is just three words, but it's an explosive concept: Do Hard Things. That's it. And "do hard things" is a mentality. It's a mentality that flies right in the face of our culture's low expectations. "Do Hard Things" is how we build character and competence. It won't drop to meet the low expectations, it won't just do what comes easily, and it won't become complacent. It applies no matter who you are or what level you're on, because there's always something harder to do, something that will take you outside your comfort zone and cause you to grow.

Want to know more?

Visit the Rebelution blog

If you'd like to read Alex and Brett's book "Do hard things" there is a preview here.

More rebelution resources here.

Meet more rebelutionaries here.

Worth the wait Check out the blog.

True love waits Another site promoting abstinence.

