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  Wyatt had nodded off and began to stir at the sound of her outburst.

  She gently shook his shoulder. “Get ready, Wyatt. We’re close now.”

  Suddenly, the jet lurched to its port side, knocking Allison down over Wyatt’s lap. Then, the plane just fell like a rock, straight down.

  Seemingly powerless and helpless, gravity worked its magic. Wyatt reacted quickly, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist to keep her from flying upwards into the ceiling.

  The jet shook and groaned with each unnatural move it made. Allison felt a sense of panic rising in her chest. They were being buffeted around by a storm system, and it felt to her as if they’d also hit an air pocket.

  Then, as suddenly as it started, the turbulence stopped. To a collective sigh of relief from the already nervous occupants of the plane, the craft levelled off and the flight was once again smooth and calm.

  Allison guessed that they had fallen to about the 8,000-foot level.

  They needed to be at 9,000.

  She stole a glance at her watch: 5:50. Ten minutes to go.

  She pushed up on Wyatt’s lap and steadied herself back into the aisle again.

  “Are we okay?”

  “I think so, Wyatt. Just some turbulence.”

  As if on cue, just to destroy her confidence, it happened again.

  This time, the plane went into a violent slide to the starboard side, the aluminum and titanium airframe shaking and screaming in a way that made Allison think that the plane was falling apart at its seams.

  A tense voice came over the speaker. Cole’s.

  “Allison, we’ve run into a problem. Can’t hold the plane at this level. Dangerous area of turbulence. Ascending to 20,000 and heading for our alternate airport, Luxembourg. Sorry.”

  She reached down and quickly unfastened Wyatt’s seatbelt. Then, she grabbed him by the hands and yanked him out of his seat.

  “Follow me!”

  She staggered toward the cockpit, holding onto seatbacks to steady herself, and stopped at a locked cabinet installed in the bulkhead. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a key, and unlocked the door.

  Allison knew which shelf to go to. The object was anchored against the wall in a Velcro strap.

  She pulled out the Colt 45 pistol, spun the cylinder, and clicked it back into place…then held it out in front of her, pointed down at the floor.

  Wyatt sputtered, “What the…”

  She glared at him. “Just follow my lead.”

  Allison’s stomach was in her throat as she felt the jet begin its ascent. She glanced at her watch: 5:55. Five minutes to go.

  She raced into the cockpit and rammed the barrel of the pistol into the back of Cole’s head.

  “I don’t have time to argue or explain, Cole. Put the plane at 9,000 feet and head for those coordinates I gave you.”

  Cole spun his head around. His face bore the shock Allison had expected.

  Dave jumped up from the co-pilot’s seat, but Wyatt promptly shoved him back down again. “Stay where you are, buddy.”

  Cole yelled, “What the fuck are you doing, Allison? I’m the captain here. It’s my decision. It’s not safe.”

  “Cole, I won’t ask again. I’ll put a bullet in your head, trust me.”

  “You won’t fire that gun in here, not at this height.”’

  Allison glanced at the altimeter. “We’re lower than 10,000 feet, so there won’t be any depressurization.”

  “You need us to fly this thing.”

  “No, I don’t. I can fly this in a pinch and you know it.”

  Cole turned his head back to the controls and went silent.

  “Cole, this is life or death! Do it, or I’ll kill you here and now! Believe that, for your own sake!”

  Cole exhaled slowly, then reluctantly went to work.

  The Gulfstream jet shuddered and shook as it descended back down to Allison’s commanded height. As soon as they reached the 9,000-foot level, Cole expertly manipulated the controls, sending the plane into a sharp turn to starboard.

  Allison and Wyatt held on tightly to the pilots’ seatbacks as turbulence grabbed hold of the plane once again.

  “Okay! We’re ten seconds from your damn coordinates!”

  Allison stared at her wristwatch and counted down.

  Suddenly, she felt a violent pull, just as if someone had grabbed her from behind. Her body slammed into the wall of the cockpit. She was aware of Wyatt bouncing off the opposite wall.

  Allison felt as if she was back in her dream state.

  The turbulence ended, replaced by a hypnotically swirling purple light that seemed to completely surround the outside of the plane. Strangely, it was starting to infiltrate the inside of the cockpit as well.

  Without warning, the jet was sucked upwards, its nose aimed straight towards the sky—or at least in the direction where Allison thought the sky was supposed to be. The sophisticated plane was now completely vertical and in serious danger of losing lift.

  Allison and Wyatt tumbled out of the cockpit and rolled together down the aisle of the cabin, bouncing off seat frames and overhead bins.

  After a few long seconds, the plane effortlessly eased itself back down to a level position again, almost as if some unseen force had intervened. The purple light began to fade and Allison saw what she thought was the setting Sun streaming through the cabin windows.

  From her prone position at the rear of the jet, she began to crawl towards Wyatt, who was desperately holding onto the anchored legs of one of the seats halfway up the cabin.

  Then, Allison stopped crawling, lowered her head, and retched.

  Chapter 58

  Nothing was better than a vacation in New York City. The Empire State Building, Times Square, and the World Trade Center. The hustle and bustle of the city, the iconic cab drivers, and, to Allison’s delight, Fifth Avenue.

  But, what delighted Wyatt the most was just standing on the street staring up at the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Nice to see them again, and they were just so darn shiny and new.

  The construction of the North Tower was just completed a year ago and the first tenants had moved in within the last few months. But, the South Tower wouldn’t see any signs of life until next year; there was still major work being done on the banks of elevators.

  It was a warm spring morning and the leaves on the trees were in full bloom—after all, it was the month of May. Bountiful flower baskets adorned all of the major downtown streets, and the hordes of office workers rushed to their duties, seemingly with a happy bounce in their steps.

  It was 1971…and life was good.

  Suddenly, Allison yelled out, “Lisa! Eric! Get back here!”

  Wyatt dashed ahead and grabbed the little rascals by the backs of their jackets.

  Matching jackets, of course.

  Lisa and Eric were twins.

  Both were giggling as he held them close, making faces at their mom.

  Eric was always the mouthy one, and today was no exception. “Mommy, you’re no fun. We were just running around. Daddy didn’t mind.”

  Allison caught up to them, out of breath. “Well, your dad is just a big kid himself, that’s why.”

  Wyatt pouted. “Hey, now, that’s not fair.”

  Allison cracked a warm smile. “But…that’s one of the reasons I love you, I guess.”

  Lisa piped up. “Mommy, don’t you love us, too?”

  She bent down and hugged her little princess. “You know I do.”

  Eric wiggled his way in close to her as well, transforming the scene into a group hug.

  Wyatt smiled down at them. His lovely little family.

  The twins were seven years old now, and growing up faster than he wanted them to. They were blonde, blue-eyed, and cute as buttons. He knew where the blue eyes had come from: Allison, and, on his side, Willy. But, they weren’t as scintillating as her magnificent blue orbs. More garden variety blue, like Willy had.

  Allison’s eyes were stil
l the most unusual he’d ever seen, and he guessed he would never see a pair like them again. They always caught people by surprise. He could tell whenever anyone met her for the first time—a look came across their faces that was hard to describe.

  Allison stood up and slipped her arm around Wyatt’s waist.

  “I watched you staring at the towers. It is spooky to see them again, isn’t it?”

  Wyatt nodded. “It is indeed. I wonder if they’ll still come down in thirty years’ time.”

  Allison looked up and shielded her eyes with her hand. “Yes, I wonder about that, too. So much has changed already. Only time will tell what the stars hold for us all. You and I will be old folks then, anyway.” She tickled him around the stomach. “Well, especially you.”

  “Hey, I’m only fifty-three!”

  “Yeah, but that means you’ll be eighty-three in 2001. You’ll be an old fart, Wyatt—but still darn cute. I’ll feed and bathe you, don’t worry.”

  He tickled her back and she giggled, sounding very much like the twins.

  “You are kind of adorable when you tease me—you’re lucky I’m a good sport.”

  “Yes, you are, dear.”

  Wyatt winced. “But, you’re right. It’s even worse when you think about the year we came from. It’s hard to believe that back in 2015…or should I say ahead in 2015…I was forty-five. If I live long enough to get back to that year again, I’ll be ninety-seven!”

  Allison smiled. “It is weird. But, look at it this way—the new 2015 will probably be a much safer place than it was when we were there before. And, even though you and I may not live to see that year, our children probably will, and we can take some solace in knowing that what we did made the world better for them.”

  They walked along, hand in hand—Eric and Lisa laughing from behind, holding onto their parents’ belts.

  Suddenly, Wyatt put on the brakes. They were in front of the window of an electronics store. A television was tuned in to a news station, and a speaker above the doorway broadcast the sound to those on the street.

  Several other people had stopped as well, watching and listening to the speech by a face familiar to all Americans. Indeed, familiar to the entire world.

  Robert Francis Kennedy, President of the United States of America.

  Affectionately known as “Bobby.”

  Eric and Lisa didn’t like the fact that they’d stopped. They were jumping up and down, pleading to go back to the hotel so they could swim in the pool.

  Wyatt knelt down and raised his index finger to his mouth. “Shh…Daddy and Mommy want to listen to the man on TV. If you’re quiet for a few minutes, we’ll let you have two swims in the pool today instead of just one. And, maybe…ice cream cones, too?”

  They both squealed with delight. Ran their fingers along their lips. Eric whispered, “Our mouths are zipped, Daddy.”

  Wyatt stood up and turned his attention back to the television in the store window. Allison held onto his hand, and together they focused their attention on the handsome politician.

  “…and I’ll have another economic forecast for you next month. I promised when I became your president back in 1969, that you would hear from me at least monthly. I try to use these sessions to give you my perspectives on current events. I think it’s important that we work together as Americans, and no citizen of this country should ever be kept in the dark.

  “Speaking of which, I know all Americans have been wondering if I will seek re-election next year, and I can announce today that I’ve made my decision. I will indeed be campaigning for a second term as your president. I made my decision independent of any undue influence, although most of you know that my brother, John, is quite persuasive. He certainly succeeded in convincing all of you to elect him to two terms. We Kennedys are known for being competitive, so I’m obligated by family doctrine to do my best to keep up with my big brother. He’s happy that I’ve made this decision, and promises to help with my campaign. I’ll hold him to that promise.

  “And, needless to say, Ethel, and our eleven children, are supportive as well. But, I warn you, the White House is going to need a major redecorating after our gang finally leaves.

  “Now, regarding the subject of Southeast Asia, the war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam continues unabated, but the United States of America will maintain its policy of a ‘hands off’ stance. My brother withdrew our military advisors from South Vietnam in 1964, and at the same time he used his power of ‘executive order’ to outlaw any future use of conscription, known by most of you by its more familiar term…the ‘draft.’

  “The last time America used the draft was back in the 1950s during the Korean War, and I vow never to use it again. I also vow that I will not allow the United States to get mired in foreign conflicts where our interests are not in danger of being impacted. Vietnam is a war we will not become involved in, but we will continue to use our influence with China to try to bring the conflict to a peaceful resolution. China is the only nation North Vietnam will listen to, and we’re hoping for a breakthrough soon.

  “On another serious note, I wanted to bring everyone up to date on the major projects that were authorized back in 1963, during my brother’s presidency.

  “We’ve made major progress on the scientific advancements that President John F. Kennedy announced. There are two major projects that are nearing completion. Both of them are known in scientific terms as Large Hadron Colliders. The United States is a major partner in the CERN complex being constructed under the Swiss/French border, near Geneva.

  “The other project is right here at home, virtually identical to CERN. It’s being built under a portion of the Mojave Desert in Nevada. I know that the science is hard for most people to digest, but I can promise you that both of these facilities will offer the possibility of technological advancements beyond anything any of us could have ever dreamed of.

  “Most Americans who work for large companies are familiar with mainframe computers that are contained in separate sealed-off rooms in their office buildings. But, soon, Americans will have small versions of these computers right in their very own homes, connected to other computers around the world. Hard to imagine, I know. This is not science fiction—it is a real possibility, and very soon.

  “I won’t go into too much detail right now, but the possibilities are very exciting, as well as the physics experiments that will be conducted from these two underground facilities. Experiments that will help us more clearly understand the universe that surrounds us.

  “The Geneva and Mojave facilities will do identical work, identical experiments, and will actually communicate with each other electronically. However, I am proud to say that the Mojave center in Nevada will be the larger of the two, and will take the lead in experimentation.

  “In addition, there are certain aspects of the LHC which will offer a sophisticated defense capability for the United States. John Hartford, my new National Security Advisor, is working closely with the Pentagon to ensure that we enjoy the maximum benefits of this marvelous facility for our country.

  “I would be remiss if I didn’t extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to our Facility Director, Doctor Allison Fisher, our nation’s most esteemed astrophysicist. Doctor Fisher is, in my view, a true American hero. She and her husband, Wyatt, and their twins, Eric and Lisa, reside in Palm Springs, California, close enough to the Mojave center for Allison to oversee our investment.

  “But, Allison and her family also have a holiday home in Canada, which allows her the convenience of being close to our Canadian partners, who have just this week announced the construction of their own version of the Large Hadron Collider. Allison will be working closely with our counterparts in Ottawa to ensure that the specifications match what exist in Geneva and Mojave. She will be a busy girl, indeed, and has my full support.”

  Wyatt couldn’t resist. As soon as he saw Allison’s photo pop up on the television screen, he leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

>   “My beautiful celebrity wife.”

  Allison grinned. “Don’t you ever forget it!”

  RFK had moved on to another subject.

  “…and those petitions have been submitted and reviewed. Congress has also made their views known to me, and filed their own submissions. I have considered them all carefully and objectively, despite this matter being extremely personal for me.

  “But, I have decided that I cannot, in all conscience, pardon the individuals who conspired to assassinate my brother back in 1963. All of those convicted were in high positions of trust in this country, and two of them were elected officials. They abused the trust our citizens and government placed in them, and their crimes are unpardonable.

  “All five individuals were convicted of high treason in 1966 and sentenced to life at the Fort Leavenworth Military Prison in Kansas. There they will remain until they die, and this office will not consider any more petitions for pardons.

  “The United States of America is the world’s greatest democracy, and the will of the people cannot, under any circumstances, be allowed to be circumvented. If we tolerate heinous acts such as these individuals conspired to carry out, we will surely cease to be the ‘home of the brave, and the land of the free.’ As your president, I will not allow that to happen. God bless you all, and God bless America.”

  Allison uttered only one word. “Wow.”

  Wyatt nodded, and whispered, “Powerful words. America isn’t even close to being the country we remember.”

  She squeezed his hand. “We did this, Wyatt. We did this.”

  “Yes, indeed we did. It’s ominous to think about. We’ve rewritten the history books. Some famous names will never reach the high offices they did in the old books. That alone convinces me that we singlehandedly saved the world. And, the ripple effect of those corrupt politicians being in prison and not influencing events, means that certain horrific moments that we knew of may never come to pass now.”

  Allison wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him in close.

  “So, are you ready to visit your parents now?”