Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

"Dr. Bandstra," the Colonel broke the silence, "would you be so kind as to collectthe papers—and please make sure that the signatures are legible."Neil rose from his seat and made his way around the table. He paused at Brian'schair only long enough for the two of them to exchange a questioning glance."I know that none of you are in the mood to really contemplate this," the Colonelbegan once Neil returned to his seat, "but these hardball tactics are necessary. I regret thatthis kind of precaution has to be taken to assure compliance, but the Group deems itessential. You will soon be privy to some of our country's most highly sensitive materialwhich, if leaked to the public, would surely cause widespread panic. If it's anyconsolation, Dr. Bandstra and I are also under the same potential duress. What we need tostress is not how your connection to this project can damage your career if there is asecurity lapse, but the fact that it truly represents the opportunity of a lifetime. I know itsounds hollow now, but you'll soon agree that peers all over the world would give a greatdeal to be in your place. Wouldn't you say so, Neil?""Absolutely," he answered firmly. "It's a privilege to be associated with each ofyou, and to be part of such a pivotal undertaking. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else,doing anything else. What we protect is worth the security we give it.""With that said," Colonel Ferguson said, his attention still on Dr. Bandstra, "whydon't you introduce everyone, Neil. We have quite a team.""I suppose you can explain this!" the pinstriped, graying, middle-aged mansnapped contemptibly, scattering a half dozen faxes across the polished, brown tabletoward his burly, heavily side-burned associate. The man's pudgy fingers pawed at thedocuments, gathering the strewn pages toward his seat, a look of consternation formingon his face, while his suited accuser strolled silently atop the room's plush carpetingaround the table's twelve chairs."How can this be?" he muttered, sifting through the sheets in his hand, hiscuriosity having given way to confusion. "The texts pointed to this location; I'm sure ofit! You're underground scans must be flawed.""They're absolutely precise, you bumbling fool!""How dare you address me in such a way!" the stocky man thundered, boltingfrom his seat. The well-dressed man continued his stroll without so much as a glancetoward the object of his scorn."Need I remind you who you're speaking to!" the offended man blustered. "I'mthe leading Scandinavian folklorist; no one knows more about these legends than I do!""Yes, so we've heardmore than once! If that's the case, then why haven't you beenable to produce the results for which you were hired?""These things take time!" he protested loudly."And that's precisely why you were brought here to Mount Weather!" the firstman snarled back, coming to a halt behind the chair directly opposite the accused andadjacent to the door of the room. "Give me time! Give me unrestricted access to yoursources! Give me quiet!" he mocked, waving his arms. "You've been given months ... andyou've failed!""I found the cave didn't I?" the scholar complained, his anger shifting to anxiety."That is not enough! In view of your subsequent failures we can't even be sure36