Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

CHAPTER 28"Every dogma has its day."—Abraham Rotstein—"OUCH!" BRIAN COMPLAINED."You asked for it," Dr. Hastings replied with an amused expression, removing theneedle from Brian's stricken arm. "You want the painkiller, you get the painkiller.""Yeah, but you usually give it to me in the rear.""I think this is more appropriate for being in a car with Dr. Kelley present," hereplied, putting the syringe back in his bag."What a wimp," Melissa teased him."Are we ready, sir?" the MP behind the wheel asked, peering into his rearviewmirror."Drive on, soldier. ""Yes sir."The car pulled away from the place where the huge triangular craft hadnoiselessly touched down in pitch blackness in what Brian judged to be an open field. Hecouldn ' t make out any lights on the horizon in any direction. Despite the company ofthose in the small entourage, he felt very alone as he gazed into the starlit expanse abovehim."I can hardly believe I'm saying it," he whispered to Melissa, "but I miss theFacility.""I know what you mean," she acknowledged apprehensively. "This is the middleof nowhere.""The middle of nowhere in Northern Virginia, to be more precise, " FatherBenedict offered uneasily.No sooner were the words out of the priest's mouth than the three of them werestartled by the flash of three sets of headlights, roughly a hundred yards from theirlocation, lined up in a row, activated in unison by some unseen and unheard cue. Brianwhirled around as the vehicles began to advance slowly in their direction. His attentionwas drawn away from the unnerving approach by an even more eerie spectacle. Melissahad grabbed his good arm and was now pointing upward. Brian gazed in wonder as theirimmense tri-cornered trans-port floated silently upward as if filled with helium. Hewatched the lights on the ends glow briefly and then it was gone in the blink of an eye.He and Melissa exchanged awestruck stares. Their mesmerized stupor was abruptlyterminated by the hum of the jeep and truck engines that now quickened theiracceleration."Don't worry," Dr. Hastings said with a yawn, "just our escort. The payload'sgoing somewhere else.""How do you know we're in Virginia?" Melissa turned to Father Benedict,regaining her focus.248