Treasure Trackers: First Missions

By Steven Robert Alexander

From modern Las Vegas to the Dawn of Time, Treasure Trackers takes you on a non-stop action adventure crossing historical and legend. An Above Top Secret government project that uses esoteric technology to do something beyond comprehension: travel through time. The story revolves around operators sent to preserve history in the past, each others lives' in the present, and their nation's future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steven Robert Alexander
• Release date: Sep 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781628478730

Steven Robert Alexander

Steven Robert Alexander, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) U.S. Army has been writing stories and books all of his life. His creativity and imagination allow him to write on all subject matters from ghost stories, military adventure romances, children’s stories, high school sports, and romance stories.Steve served 28 years in the U.S. Army, partly active duty, Reserve and National Guard. He served two tours in the Middle East. In 2004 while serving as a Senior Advisor to an Iraqi Division Command he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in a vehicle borne improvised explosive device, VBIED, a suicide bomber in a water tanker filled with explosives, detonated himself in close proximity. Steve has also been awarded the Combat Action Badge. He served a follow on tour late in his career in Kuwait, serving as an Operations Officer. He also served tours in Panama, Japan and Slovenia, sites that will be included in future novels.Steve is also an accomplished broadcaster, having hosted national radio shows on Cable Radio Network out of Los Angeles. He is an experienced talk show host and oldies music show host, most well known for the Major Ripster and the "B Team" Show that ran from 1999-2001. After 911, Steve volunteered for active duty and Iraq and spent the next ten years on active duty until his May 2011 retirement.Steve is an American Civil War and Ancient Greece historian, an Eagle Scout and high school football coach. He lives in Colorado and has five Grandchildren. He enjoys throwing theme parties, songwriting, and acting.

Book preview

Foreword

by Richard Randall, KVOR Radio

I’ve known Steve for near 20 years. I first met him in 1994 when I was a newsman at KKTV. Steve started the UFO Institute that year with a clipboard and a knack for getting people going. I covered their first meeting. Steve expected about 20 people, he had

200 show up and the organization was off and running. He’s always been a leader. In those early day’s he was often seen on TV talking about UFOs and such, and we always laughed as at the time he was a Captain in the Colorado National Guard. He laughed as he described the day his Brigade Commander and he went on a private walk discussing the matter. At one point the organization had members in 22 states and 4 foreign countries, all started with a clipboard and a self-written Press Release.

I’ve also know Steve for his work in the U.S. Army. He started his career as a Private First Class, as a Gun Bunny in the Field Artillery. He is an Officer Candidate School Graduate and recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He served two Middle East Tours, the first in 2004. While he was an advisor to the Iraqi Army, he was wounded by a suicide bomber driving a water tanker full of explosives. Don’t stand on his left side and talk to him, he can’t hear you. He gives the Good Lord above credit for saving his life twice on that tour. He volunteered for Active Duty and Iraq in 2003. He stayed on Active Duty till his May 2011 retirement.

Steve is a man of diverse styles, in the late 90’s and early 2000’s he was a Broadcast Entertainer for a company that provided entertainment shows for Cable Radio Network (CRN) out of Los Angeles. He provided music request and talk shows. He has done Disc Jockey and Broadcast work a good part of his life.

He has a passion for animals as well. One of his life goals is to build an Animal Shelter with Saint Animal Rescue out in Calhan Colorado, a safe place for all animals and also a place for service members, wounded, hurting or not, to go visit just for the good an animal brings to the soul. I’m honored to have been asked by Steve to write this forward. His imagination is something else, as this book will show you.

Richard Randall

740 KVOR Radio

Colorado Springs, Colorado 2011

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Prologue

TREASURE TRACKERS: ABOVE TOP SECRET

In 1949, the US Geological Survey, while conducting underground surveillance, came across a deep and open chasm underneath Capulin Mountain in northern New Mexico. Capulin Mountain was an extinct volcano away from all major cities and towns. The nearest town of any size was Clayton, New Mexico. Clayton was forty miles down the road, on Highway 87, heading southeast to Texas. If you went northwest on Highway 87, you would shortly arrive in Raton New Mexico. At that point, you could go north or south on Interstate 25. Capulin Mountain was the perfect place to conduct an Above Top Secret, U.S. Government Project.

This mammoth underground cave and surrounding area was initially to be the backup location for the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). It was imperative to have another control site ready if the Soviets were successful in their First Strike with nuclear weapons, Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). The first target was NORAD, which was inside Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs.

The U.S. needed a place where the trigger could be pulled to counter that first strike and assure total annihilation of the Soviet Union.

The President would make the call, but somebody had to say, Push the button, and have a thousand plus U.S. ICBMs launched at the USSR and its satellite nations. The United States High Value Target List, assured there would be no senior government facilities or significant infrastructure left in the USSR. Its Eastern Block allies would not have much left to work with either. They called the arms race back then, MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction.

However, something came up, and another site was chosen as the backup site for NORAD. The backup site became a large geographical area east of Colorado Springs. There were numerous Air Force Bases that appeared to be independent of each other above ground, but down below the surface, 2000-5000 feet, they were all connected.

The government began planning the use of the Capulin Mountain Complex for another, Above Top Secret, Government Program, and this is that story.

The US Geological Survey also found great underground caverns and caves beneath the Black Canyon of the Gunnison near Crested Butte, Colorado. That area would prove to be an excellent location for another of the Government’s four programs that dominated the highest levels of secrecy possible. The other two suitable locations were found beneath Mount Rainier in Washington, and in the dry desert north of Nellis Air Force Base. There was a dry lake there, called Groom Lake.

By 1955, the US Government had solved the backup site for the North American Air Defense Command, NORAD, with the efforts put towards the area east of Colorado Springs. The main NORAD Command Facility was being built and expanded under and inside Cheyenne Mountain on the southwest side of town. They had already built 17 buildings surrounded by giant springs, whose purpose was to stabilize the buildings as they swayed up and down, back and forth, as the Soviet missiles slammed into the mountain. NORAD was Ground Zero, and after NORAD, the Soviet follow on targets were the US missile silos, scattered across the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana. The aircraft would have already launched, but the home bases of the Strategic Air Command, home of the B-52s and the B-57s was high on the target list as well for the Soviets.

The government leaders gave the go ahead to build the backup location, where the US could direct its counterstrike, and have continuity of government. Colorado Springs and the land east of town were significant in the planning. The government’s intent was to have a city underneath the city on the surface.

In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, as the Soviet Union collapsed, the backup site was used for many other missions. NORAD charted Santa Claus’s Christmas Eve flight and they also watched activities in space. There were satellites being sent up by various countries and the new US Space Command that came into existence was tracking more objects than they knew what to deal with. The advances in technology were beyond incredible. New creations like the, world wide web, wireless connectivity, global positioning devices all made life easier, but they gave any element or force in the world a forum from which to share their message.

At NORAD and the Space Command, members of all the military services were there. The Navy, the Marine Corps, the Army, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard were all working together along with many allies. There were British, German, Canadian and other NATO officers assigned at NORAD as well.

By the end of the 1990’s the threat of nuclear war, at least with the Russians had diminished. There was a new element of ugly and danger. Now it was a matter of dealing with rogue states, terrorists, and extremists.

All during this same period, the large nationwide network of tunnels and underground bases that had been started in the late 1940’s were being drilled, built, and expanded. The truth was, by the early sixties, you could ride a high-speed monorail from Edwards AFB, California to Nellis AFB, Nevada and then down to Los Alamos, New Mexico.

This giant tunnel network continued to expand with construction 24 hours a day. As the years went on, the tunnels stretched out across the United States and moved eastward. The list of military and civilian facilities and locations that could now be reached by underground travel grew as the tunneling continued, Omaha, St Louis, Little Rock, Ft Worth, Phoenix with Luke AFB, Ft Bliss, Texas and all over California and up into the northwest, Seattle, they were all connected.

By the year 2000, you could live your life underground and get to near anywhere in the country. The network expanded eastward to southern Florida up to Maine. Washington DC had a tunnel running to Mount Weather, where the President could hole in a crisis situation and while it might be reported he was there, he could be moved hundreds of miles or further. No one other than those involved with his security and those with Need to Know status would be aware of his location.

The depth of these underground bases and tunnels reached anywhere from 2000 to 5000 feet below the land surface. The tunnels reached across and crisscrossed the land. The network system was set up with hubs, which allowed you to get anywhere across the country without ever being seen by those on the surface.

It was a completely different world, working and living, below the surface of the United States. In some areas, where protection was critical, and detection was unacceptable, lead shielded walls had been emplaced. There were stories, and talk of some underground bases being more than a mile down.

Graduates from the Air Force Academy, north of Colorado Springs also claimed that there were massive tunnels that ran under the Cadet Fieldhouse, and under the Cadet Area. In the case of a nuclear attack, the underground facility there would hold the 4,000 cadets, staff, and cadre for a six-month period. One graduate claimed he and others sent a weighted string down an exposed elevator shaft and that the mile long string ran out before the weight hit the bottom of the elevator shaft.

The construction workers, drillers, all the logisticians, had great jobs and the pay was good. In some areas, sons took over when their fathers retired. The work was steady as was the security that ensured these tunnels and bases stay hidden and unknown to the outside world.

There were some rules and regulations about employment. There was that matter, of never discussing their work outside of the work environment. There was the list of treason charges that would be prosecuted against all employees that did anything to damage national security. There also the forfeiture of all retirement benefits, health benefits and the incarceration of the employee and their family. There was the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, but there was also this Above Top Secret Project, Project TRACK.

As the construction of the tunnels and bases was completed, the search went out for scientists, mechanical and electrical engineers to man and run these bases began.

You could not have all these secret tunnels and bases with hundreds of power poles running across uninhabited desert, plains, or mountainous terrain. You could get away with that for a while, but the U.S. did not really know how capable the Russians were with their satellites. The U.S. really did not know what the Russians intelligence gathering capabilities were. The government made the decision to make the tunnels and underground bases self-sufficient for their energy needs. New technologies were created and great advances in clean energy were made. The scientists were experimenting with nuclear, solar, electric power and were seeking any type energy that could run the technology. This included the vehicles and all of the energy needs. The truth was they had achieved some major successes. In 1980, the government was getting fifty miles a gallon of gas in the tunnels and bases and there was no exhaust. They were building experimental vehicles that ran on fuel mixes, to include some vegetation sources.

Many of the scientists were asking, demanding why their inventions weren’t making it to the surface, where America was just getting familiar with the trappings of foreign oil and energy. The answer was always; we must maintain a balance with world trade. One government official put it this way.

We can’t use our energy because that puts the Middle Easterners and some of our other allies out of business. If we do then we’ll have other problems. The U.S. already had found itself, having to support countries and regimes that they really didn’t want to, but the strategic necessity gave them no options. Many of the recipients didn’t want the U.S. and its western ways, but it was part of the deal. The money was really great, and the technology that came with it greatly increased their quality of life.

The scientists that were recruited were among the best and brightest and patriots, all. They came from MIT. They came from California Polytechnic Institute, the Colorado School of Mines, and all of the highest academic schools. There were electrical engineers and chemists. There were scientists from every category. There were archeologists and paleontologists. They came from all places to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and some of the energy producing methods they came up with were beyond anyone’s highest expectations.

There were a few that had no interest in participating at all. They would miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

In 1954, a scientist from Cal Poly came upon the greatest energy source that would change the lives of many. Dr. Todd Duncan, from the Cal Poly class of 1945, got a telegram directing him to check into the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. There was no return address other than, U.S. Department of the Interior. This directive and its origin were completely outside of Dr. Duncan’s realm as a teacher of Physics. Dr. Duncan had been sent previous messages and his phone number was called day and night. Duncan did all he could to ignore the interruptions to his life. He went to the administrators at Cal Poly to complain about the harassment and found that he had already been granted personal time for research at full pay from the university.

Excuse me, but I haven’t asked for a Sabbatical.

Todd, we understand.

Two men in black suits he had never seen had showed up at his classroom during office hours and brought him into the Academic Dean’s office for a meeting. The men were mysterious and their clothing by Duncan’s standards, looked ridiculous. They wore sunglasses, had white shirts, black ties and black shoes. After bringing him to the Dean’s office, the men left. Bill Woosterman, PhD had been the Academic Dean at Cal Poly for 14 years and had high regards for the instruction that Duncan brought to the classroom. Todd Duncan was a rising star at the university and many of his short articles had made their way into scientific journals.

Dean Woosterman had never been on a meeting like this. It made him that more nervous to know that two men in black suits were watching through a recently installed one-way view mirror.

Well, what if I don’t feel like leaving my teaching position? Todd interrupted moments after Dean Woosterman tried to explain the situation, as he understood it.

Todd, look, I can’t tell you everything, I don’t know everything, just that we’ve received contact from the U.S. Department of Energy, they need your help.

What kind of help?

I don’t know, please can you just go along with this? What have they threatened to do?" Todd was staring at Dr. Woosterman, The Dean was sweating in his chair, his armpits were wet, and the air conditioning was on full.

Nothing, really nothing.

Woosterman, I’ve known you for ten years, you’re lying, and I’m sure you don’t want to lie to me, but you’re lying. The two men in black suits entered the room.

Dr. Woosterman, please excuse yourself.

Woosterman left the room as fast as he could. He was glad it was near over. Dr. Duncan, we’ll make this real clear, we’ve tried to make this simple, we’ve tried to be gentle, but you have proved to be most uncooperative, let’s try a different approach.

Yeah, let’s do that because I’m getting a little tired of all the phone calls, and messages. By the way what government are you really from?

Dr. Duncan, our government has a situation and we need a scientist who is ahead of his peers, that is able to think outside the norms of science, we need somebody who can look outside the test tube and see what’s there.

OK, what do you want me to do and how long will it take? It’s simple, we have for you lined up at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, at 10:00 PM this coming Monday night, we will pick you up and take you away for a few days?

Days? Then why do I need a sabbatical?

For your possible protection and relocation.

What are you talking about? Todd, stood up, Hey, what kind of game you playing, I have a house, I have a girlfriend.

The Men in Black stood with their arms crossed during the discussion. These were the real Men in Black, not to be confused with a Hollywood movie that came out years later and made a mockery of the real Men in Black. The movie and its sequel were part of a government disinformation program. The real MIB were sanctioned and directed by the government. They were Government Service Employees and were paid at a substantial rate. For their pay, they sacrificed much, were always on the road, and had to remain anonymous to all.

The Men in Black waited for Duncan to finish expressing his frustration. When Duncan was finished, the taller man simple stated the facts. Yes, and you’d like to keep all that safe wouldn’t you?

You’re blackmailing me, I’m already set up. Todd pointed his finger at the taller man, I’ll call the authorities, the FBI, the CIA.

Todd, Dr. Duncan, where do you think we came from? The taller man in the black suit smiled, knowing he had Duncan in a very difficult place. You guys don’t even have names, I expect. Todd was increasing his show of anger.

We do, but you’ll never know them.

Jerks, you guys are jerks, our country has been taken over by jerks. Duncan smiled, hoping his insult was effective. Todd, do you know any Soviets or Chinese? You know we’re fighting them all over the world right now, maybe not with bullets and weapons, but we’re fighting them, whose side are you on?

The word Soviets, when mentioned caught Todd off guard. What do you mean do I know Soviets? Todd did, he had attended a scientific conference in Berne Switzerland the previous year and had befriended a Soviet scientist. They were unable to keep in touch as the Soviets gathered all of Dr. Belinskiez’s mail, and unknown to Todd Duncan, had sentenced Belinskiez to a Citizens Camp for six weeks after the Conference. Dr. Belinskiez was met at the airport upon his return. Shortly after that, he had a post office box in Siberia, with the problem that there was no mail service. The Citizens Camps were where you learned to either buy into or accept the Communist approach, or were sentenced to hard labor with no chance of release. The quick program had you with the Soviet mind bending group for a year.

Todd told them of the conference and finished up with,

And I haven’t heard at all from Dr. Belinskiez.

Yes we know.

OK, so you listen to my phone calls, read my mail, anything you don’t do? Duncan was very agitated.

Your dishes and your sink could use some help, and laundry, you ever do that? The short man, laughed at his joke.

All right, what is it I’m going to be doing? Duncan could see his sarcasm and negativity wasn’t going to accomplish anything.

It will be beyond your wildest imagination, and you know we’ll be watching you until Monday night. At 10:00 PM, we get you.

What about my girlfriend, can I take her to Vegas, at least for the time I’m there?

It’s better and safer for her if you don’t. We will ensure you have communication with her and at the right time, she will know all that she needs to know.

All right, I’ll do it, but if anything happens to her, or my family, I’m coming after you guys.

Not a problem. Here is a package with spending money, your reservations at the Sahara are already made, and you’re free to go.

Astrophysicist Todd Duncan left the Dean’s office and went home. He found a note from his girl, stating she knew enough that he was on a special mission. He looked at the writing and compared it to a few letters he had received from her: the writing looked authentic.

He opened the envelope given to him by the Men in Black. The envelope contained $5000 dollars and a list of phone numbers to call if he had any worries. He figured the Men in Black would be watching, so, in that regard he was less concerned. The other part of him wondered why they would appear to be so concerned for his safety and whereabouts.

He had no pets and a yard that required minimal effort. That would help. He actually had a feeling that his yard would be taken care of and that the neighbors would only be told he was away teaching in Europe or somewhere. The government had a system for covering up their tracks.

He packed a suitcase for Vegas. It was Friday and Duncan had a five-hour drive to Vegas. His reservations began that night. He walked to his car in the driveway, and looked back at his house.

Hope I see you again.

Duncan was not a gambler and stayed much of the time in his room. He ordered room service and ate mostly in his room. Every time left the room, there was always somebody at the end of the hallway. They would turn away fast, but never fast enough.

Monday night came quickly, and at 10:00 PM, there was a knock on the door. It was the two Men in Black, who had been with him at Cal Poly.

Good evening Dr. Duncan.

If you say so. Duncan looked the men over, Do you guys have any other clothes? You kind of stand out in the black suits.

We have our reasons, and this is Vegas, lots of people wear suits and tuxedos, said the shorter of the two Men in Black. We dress just like that Sinatra guy down in the Congo Room, ever see him and that Martin guy? The tall one looked at Duncan.

That’s Dean Martin, Duncan had seen the show advertisement in the lobby when he came in.

Yeah him, he’s got some pipes. It was a rare smile from the shorter Man in Black.

OK, can we just get on with this? Duncan had tired of the small talk.

Sure. Both of the Men in Black held Duncan’s arms a little tighter and took him to the freight elevator.

Something wrong with the guest elevator? Duncan rolled his head around on his shoulders.

Nope, it’s just that you’re not a guest.

The Men in Black watched as the elevator closed and the tall one pushed a button. That caused a numbered keypad to come out of the wall. One of the Men in Black quickly pushed what looked like at least ten numbers into the keypad. Another hidden panel came out. The black suited man pushed number 24.

The elevator dropped quickly and from the way it operated, Duncan knew that technology was quite a bit further along than the astrophysics that he had been teaching. He knew after 30 straight seconds in the elevator that was moving very fast that they were not going to the lobby.

The elevator door opened and Duncan knew he was deep underground. He could feel the moisture and it brought a brief chill to his spine. There were ten-foot high cubical walls assembled in what would look to an outside like a maze. He was actually in a giant underground cave. Duncan looked around at the high cave walls that seemed to go a quarter to half mile in every direction.

Come on Doctor, we got a train to catch.

The Men in Black took Duncan through the maze into an open area. They saw thirty to forty workers, all with hard hats, but some in suits and others in construction type clothes.

Where are we, what is this place? Duncan’s anger was subsiding and being a scientist, he was starting to like the idea of what was going on here.

The Men in Black, looked at each other, Duncan, you ever hear about the Roswell Crash?

The weather balloon deal, Operation Skyhook? Yeah I heard about it. Duncan looked at the two men.

The Men in Black smiled at each other. A few seconds later, a fast moving monorail appeared from a tunnel and stopped at a platform. Many of the men in suits climbed aboard while a few other men got off.

Overall, it was a very primitive, set up but Duncan already knew things were not as what he and millions of other Americans had thought they were.

The three men got aboard the monorail and sat down. Shortly after that, the men told Duncan that they needed to blindfold him.

You brought me this far and now you want to make sure I don’t see anything, you guys are nuts, and I was starting to like you.

You’ll be all right, just remain calm. They put the blindfold on Duncan and covered his head with a soft and comfortable fabric hood.

The monorail ride lasted another hour with the tunnel going straight. There were other tunnels that branched out from the main route. These tunnels led to other bases; Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado and many other locations. The tunnel system was a work in progress, but the work was being done. It was still early in the program of drilling and the tunnels were connecting the major underground bases, first. Sixty years later, the tunnels and bases would be everywhere.

The monorail stopped and the Men in Black helped Duncan out. He was moved into another vehicle, the Men in Black with him. Duncan felt the vehicle accelerate and was amazed.

What power generates this vehicle?

Electricity

What do you mean, electricity?

You’re a scientist, you should know that already. The shorter of the Men in Black, laughed at his comment.

The electrical powered vehicle ran for another 30 minutes. Duncan estimated the speed to be near 40 miles per hour. The vehicle stopped. Duncan was led out, and this time they walked about fifty yards. Duncan heard the approaching footsteps and heard a new voice.

Dr. Duncan, welcome to Groom Lake Complex, Area 51, gentlemen go ahead and remove the eye covering. The Men in Black, pulled the head cover off and removed the blindfold that covered Duncan’s eyes.

Duncan’s first reaction was to punch somebody, he had much pent up frustration, but then he saw the object directly behind the new voice.

It was a large metallic craft, and in a moment, Duncan knew it was not American. He knew it was not the property of the Soviet Union either.

Duncan stepped around the small group of scientists and workers and walked towards the craft. It was saucer shaped, with a large raised bubble type structure on what was the topside of the craft. It looked to be 90 feet across. From bottom to top Duncan estimated that distance to be 30 feet. There was major damage to the saucer but many parts of it were still intact.

Dr. Duncan saw the glowing, flowing light that was moving about in what appeared to be the engine. It had been removed from the saucer and was now mounted on a table similar to what a jet engine would be placed and hung on during a rebuild or extensive maintenance check.

He walked right over and stared in awe at the site. The engine was ten feet long and three feet high by three feet wide. The Men in Black followed him closely. The group of scientists, who were eager to get his opinion on the unearthly equipment, followed right behind. The scientist in charge watched as Duncan stared at the equipment. He opened his mouth to speak a couple of times but could not find the words. He was finally able to speak after walking away from the engine.

Where did you get this? He paused for just a second, Roswell? Where are the pilots?

"No doctor, this came from Socorro, the Roswell saucer craft engine was never found, the pilots initially were taken to

Wright Patterson Air Force Base, said the lead scientist. What do you mean? Duncan looked at the man, and back at the saucer and continued his questioning. Any of the pilots alive when you found this?"

Yes Dr. Duncan, we had two living, but they later died, there were two saucers, it appeared they hit each other at high speed. There were two crash sites.

OK, so these spacecraft saucers flew half way across the universe and got in a crash in our atmosphere. It doesn’t pass the common sense test, what did you find of the other saucer?

It’s in another area, we’ll show you shortly.

What did the crew look like? Duncan was still walking about looking everywhere he could at the saucer and its engine. The scientists were following him around the room. He had established himself already as the new leader of the project.

They were four feet high, gray, and had big eyes, thin limbs

What did you do with the bodies? Duncan turned and looked at the former lead scientist.

We conducted autopsies, their brain capability, was five or six times ours. The scientist answered.

Duncan went back to the engine. Have you tried to figure out how it works? I mean, what makes it tick? There has to be an energy source: everything runs out of fuel at some point. We’ve had this since August of 1947, and we haven’t figured out anything, that’s why you’re here. This thing gives off energy, power, but there is no heat, it never gets hot.

Dr. Todd Duncan knew on the spot he would spend the next 20 years, maybe the rest of his life, figuring out how it worked and what to do with it.

Duncan looked at the other scientists and two generals from the young United States Air Force who had now joined him, I’ll begin my work in the morning. Where do I sleep? And, I want the credentials of all the scientists you have here.

An elder scientist spoke up, Excuse me young man, I’m sure you are smart but you can’t come in here and degrade the years of work we have done. The elder man had been insulted. I need that man removed, immediately from the program, and out of here. Duncan stared at the elder scientist, he paused another second and then went into a tirade. Sir, begging your pardon, but you’ve been here how long? You all have learned nothing of this engine. The energy in this piece of equipment can twist time, and can slow it down, you can speed time up. What that means is that a trip across 52 light years can be cut down and done in 2-3 Earth years, you have so missed the boat on this.

The elder scientist hadn’t been this angry since the first few failures in the Manhattan Project. That’s ridiculous, there’s no way you know that, you just can’t come in here and make us all look like fools. The elder scientist knew the young scientist was smarter, more knowledgeable, and he knew he was fighting for his reputation now. He pointed a finger at

Duncan, I helped build the atomic bomb, when you were chasing college girls and having fun.

Thank you for that, now somebody please remove this man. Duncan looked at the head scientist who waved his hand. Two military policemen came forward and stood before the elder scientist.

The lead looked at his scientist colleague, Bob, I’m sorry, thank you for all you’ve done. The policemen escorted the man out, to his early retirement.

The lead scientist looked at Duncan. Be aware, that if we end up firing everybody you don’t like, you may be working alone shortly.

Duncan wasn’t listening, he was already back at the engine looking at every part of it, trying to determine what sent the red, blue and green lights in motion.

I need some rest and tomorrow, I’ll show you how this thing works and what we can do with it. Duncan was in complete control.

How can you walk in here and in thirty minutes understand this thing better that the ten of us, who have been studying it for four years. The lead scientist was somewhere between amazement, frustration and anger.

Duncan calmly replied. I just do, and I have to figure out how to control the energy. Then we can travel just as the occupants of these spaceships did. Duncan paused, for a moment, What are you calling this operation?

The lead scientist who knew his days in charge were now numbered, replied, We don’t really have a name.

What? Duncan gave the leader a funny look. Every government project has a name, OK, I’ll pick it.

Dr. Duncan, can you please just slow down a bit?

No, I can’t, you’ll find I have little patience, I will never insult anybody intentionally unless they are really stupid. Now time is being wasted while we talk. Duncan looked all around him, and saw the scientists, the senior military, just waiting for the next deluge of speech from the man who seemed to know everything.

Gentlemen, ladies, There were a few female scientists in the room as well. "With this device, we can move through time, and I will figure out how to do that. Once we accomplish that, we can send people back and change things; but we have to be careful.

Who’s to say we can’t send somebody back and have them get treasure from a ship that’s about to sink, pick up diamonds off the ground in the age of the dinosaurs." Duncan could not control his speech, his excitement nearly beyond his control. He looked around and could see the smiles from everyone, and the amazed faces showed awe at what he had just proposed. The military senior leaders were patting each other on the back.

Duncan saw that and immediately addressed that, You military boys, you’re not getting my machine to go kill Hitler in 1939 and fix your mistakes. Duncan smiled at his own put down of the military.

The four star Army General stepped forward, Listen mister, this isn’t your machine, its property of the United States and you’d better get off your high horse quick, you’ve seen enough already that I’ll find a way to have you locked up for the rest of your life.

Calm down General, Duncan laughed. This only infuriated the General further.

You insolent . . . . He broke it off knowing he would say profane words that would be unacceptable to the group. They would agree, with the thought, but the foul language would be inappropriate.

OK, let’s all relax, take a breath. Duncan’s demeaning attitude was causing everybody to be somewhere between anger and frustration.

Here’s what we’ll call it, Treasure, Retrieval, Activity, Duncan paused, and a young soldier spoke up, one of the Military Police.

We can do this. Everybody in the room stared at the soldier. I like that, Can, yeah, good job kid. Duncan smiled at the kid, and then spelled out what he had so far, We got T, R, A, C, what’s next? Duncan looked around and saw the young soldier raise his hand.

What else do you have their kid? Duncan looked and saw the General staring at the young soldier less than a third his age. General, let the kid speak. The General sneered at Duncan.

Duncan smiled at the young soldier. Ok kid, what do you got?

The young Private First Class smiled back, Can we keep the treasure? Duncan’s eyes got big and then he laughed, K, that’s it, and it will always be our story and the truth, that an Army Private First Class, helped give a name to America’s greatest scientific effort, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Project TRACK. We’ll call the time travelers: 'Trackers'.

Duncan was all smiles and then the applause began. All in the room except the generals joined in and after 20 seconds, they broke down and applauded as well. Project TRACK, the mission to send time travelers back in time to retrieve lost treasure, and return it here to the present was underway. He looked over at the young MP, and winked, I don’t know if we’ll get to keep all of it. Duncan laughed again.

The Private First Class started to walk away and was heard to mumble to himself, Treasure Trackers.

Duncan heard the young man’s mumble, Private, what did you say?

Treasure Trackers, Sir

Good job kid, I like that, Treasure Trackers. Duncan smiled and scanned throughout the area, looking at the various alien flying saucer components. He smiled to himself, I can do this.

It wasn’t as easy as Dr. Todd Duncan, expected it would be. He conducted tests for 40 years, and was a permanent fixture at the underground base known as Area 51.

He never reestablished contact with his girlfriend. His family never knew what became of him except for the holiday post card he would send that was postmarked from a different location in the world every year.

He didn’t attend his parent’s funerals. He became a missing person. Many around him that saw the early genius were saddened to see his deterioration over time. He lost his arrogance and was truly stunned that he hadn’t unraveled the mystery of