The Invitation-kindle (23 page)

Knowing he’ll get the first question challenging his assertions, Paul Stuart walks away from the lectern. The immediate harangue of simultaneous questions forces spokesman Jim Thatcher to impose order.

“Ladies and gentlemen, one at a time, please,” he says, and pointing to a reporter in the front row, hushes the rest.

“Go ahead with your question, Sir.”

“This question is for the CIA director. What exactly are you saying, or implying here when you say this was all a hoax, and secondly, how do you explain what happened with Congressman Kearns? Doesn’t that disprove what you’re saying?”

“I don’t think so. It doesn’t disprove it at all. As far as the Congressman is concerned, I don’t have an answer for that.”

“Then what factual evidence do you have to say it was a hoax?”

“I don’t have any. I never claimed to have any. All I have are clues.”

“Like what, what clues?”

“One clue is the way President Myers behaved when all of this was going on. He wasn’t surprised or startled by any of it. It was almost as if he was expecting it. If—think about this now—if all this happened as we’ve been told, then how did the President seem to know about it beforehand? It seems to me that if this thing occurred naturally, he would’ve been astonished like all the rest of us. Did he look astonished to you? He practically introduced this alleged extraterrestrial, or whatever it was. Clue number two: we have incontrovertible evidence that some type of communications microchip was deliberately placed in the brain of Ken Myers, and the overwhelming likelihood is that it was done in a government hospital in Beijing. The question is, are they linked? I don’t have an answer, but if any of you can come up with a better explanation, I’m ready to hear it.”

“Are you saying President Myers was some kind of agent for the Chinese government?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Well, what are you saying? Because it certainly sounds that you’re alleging espionage.”

“I’m not making allegations here. All I’m saying is that we need to consider every rational explanation for what happened in Miami. That’s all.”

“And as a follow-up, quickly, can I ask you, Director Stuart, how did you verify this hospital visit in China by Ken Myers that, uh, you say took place?

“That question touches on methods and procedures that I’m not at liberty to discuss, not because we have anything to hide, but because this has been long-standing policy for all intelligence agencies in this country for decades. I will say this: I believe the evidence we have is compelling.”

Another teeming spate of questions prompts Jim Thatcher to interject.

“All right, all right, you, Ma’am in the third row, your question, please.”

“This is for the FBI director. Mr. Slaughter, you said you had a video recording of Ken Myers that was taken by his college roommate, and you said he, Ken Myers, and I’m quoting you now, ‘exhibited strange behavior.’ What did you mean by that?”

“The recording basically shows Mr. Myers reading for several hours. There’s nothing remarkable about it except for one thing. The phenomenal speed reading that Ken Myers displays is something way beyond anything normal, and we have no explanation for it.”

“How fast are you talking about?”

“An average of about 240 word per second.”

“How do you know he was actually reading that fast? Maybe he was just pretending for the camera.”

“Well, first, he was alone, and secondly, he didn’t know he was being recorded.”

“Are you saying he was secretly recorded?”

“Yes”

“Is that, or was that, legal?”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“So what you’re saying, Director, is the FBI accepted a recording of Ken Myers from someone who obtained that recording illegally. In other words, he broke the law.”

“That’s correct.”

“Doesn’t that undercut his credibility?”

“I don’t think so, not in this case. Our experts have looked very carefully at this recording, and found it to be completely authentic. As to the question of Phillip Garrett breaking the law in surreptitiously recording Ken Myers, this happened over twenty-six years ago. The statute of limitations has long since passed. Besides, Phillip Garrett came to us with this, and as far as we can tell, he’s been completely open and honest with us.”

“Yes, Sir, you in the sixth row, your question please,” the spokesman says.

“This is for the CIA director. Mr. Stuart. If I read you correctly, you are suggesting, maybe not alleging, but at least suggesting that the President of the United States was an agent for the Chinese government. I hate to use the word, but you’re essentially suggesting, if not alleging, that Ken Myers was a traitor. Isn’t that right?”

“No, I’m not.”

“But you are. You’re suggesting the possibility of treason.”

“No, those are your words, not mine. All I’m trying to do here is find the truth. None of us have anything to gain by being here today. It’s not easy saying these things, and I guarantee you that we’ll be excoriated for it. Some will say there’s a partisan motivation in what we’re saying. If you believe that, ask Senator Merrick, who, most would agree is a friend and ally of President Myers. He received the same information as we did. We’re here today because it’s the right thing to do, not because we want to somehow tarnish the memory or reputation of Ken Myers.  Look, my nine-year-old daughter came to me in tears this morning, asking me what they did to our President. I didn’t…”

Choking his emotions, Paul Stuart pauses, and begins again.

“I’m sorry.… I didn’t have anything I could say to my daughter. Believe me this isn’t easy, what we’re doing here today. In fact it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my career, but I’m absolutely convinced that it’s the right thing to do. Senator Fields, do you want to say anything else?”

As Senator Fields moves toward the podium, he reaches out and briefly squeezes the arm of Paul Stuart as they pass, offering a comforting gesture of emotional empathy, and support.

“I just want to say that we’re trying our best to do what we think is right, what’s right for our country.”

The noisy gaggle begins again, cutting off the Senator’s words, and spokesman Thatcher responds again.

“Please, ladies and gentlemen, one question at a time. You, Ma’am, in the green, your question, please.”

“Yes, thank you. My question to any of you is this: why are you having this press conference so soon? Couldn’t you have waited at least until the nation had paid its respects? I mean the man hasn’t even been buried yet.”

“Because if we waited, there’s a real danger that this information would be leaked from an unofficial source, and we all know how long secrets last in Washington. That would only add to the confusion and uncertainty that we already have enough of. We all agreed that it’s better to have it come out now. It shows the public we have nothing to hide. We’re putting it all on the table,” Senator Fields says, and then yields the lectern.

“This question is for the FBI director. Sir, do you intend to make this evidence available to the news media, and if so when is that likely to happen?”

“That is not my decision. My guess is the courts will decide that question.”

“Director Slaughter, are we to understand that the FBI has in its possession, the President’s brain scan?”

“That’s correct.”

“How did you obtain access to his medical records?”

“The brain scan image was sent to the FBI anonymously by a person who described himself as a concerned citizen.”

“Did you try to identify who sent the brain scan, or where it came from?”

“It’s currently under investigation. That’s all I can say.”

“Okay, a question, you Sir, yes, your question, please.”

“This question is for the CIA director, Mr. Stuart.”

“Yes,”

“You say your hunch is this was in your words ‘an elaborate hoax’ requiring as you say billions of dollars of research. That’s a lot of money for an elaborate hoax, as you put it. My question is why would someone perpetrate such an elaborate, and expensive hoax? Thank you, and I have a follow up.”

“That’s a good question. I don’t know the answer, but let me suggest one possibility. Do you remember when this so-called extraterrestrial was talking about nuclear weapons? He said that he could neutralize our nuclear deterrent, and we wouldn’t even know it. Then he said, ‘but it’s better that we do that ourselves’. That’s exactly what he said. If we took that advice, this country would in fact be completely unprotected against any form of foreign aggression, or even blackmail. We’d be utterly defenseless.”

“Are you saying, Director, that that’s what the ultimate intention was here?”

“I don’t know, but for the sake of the nation’s security, I think we have to consider it a possibility.”

“My follow-up question is to the FBI director. Mr. Slaughter, Sir do you think what the world has seen the past two nights was a hoax?”

“I don’t know. I simply don’t know.”

With these words Paul Stuart inwardly suppresses a smile. Hearing the director of the FBI publicly say he’s unsure about the authenticity of these dramatic events can only buttress his own remarks. He thinks to himself, the worst of this news conference is over. All that’s needed is to stay on message and let the time run out. As questions continue they are adroitly fielded. Things that are said, and things that are not said are skillfully blended for the purpose of engendering uncertainty. Slowly, as minutes pass, artful sophistry and obfuscation have their intended effect, at least temporarily, as the biting skepticism of questioners takes on a softer tone. When the news conference comes to a close ninety minutes later, Paul Stuart and Senator Fields both feel they have managed it well. The first crucial test of their conspiracy has been passed.

Later that afternoon, the President’s mother sits with a friend. Rita Tillman lives in the adjacent apartment, and genuinely cares about her neighbor’s wellbeing. Kathryn Myers has always been a strong woman, but nothing in her life could prepare her for what she’s now going through. She knows her long night of personal desolation, and solitary anguish is only beginning. She sits with her friend in gloomy silence.

“I’m sorry Rita. I…don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything, Kathryn.”

“Will you turn the TV on please, Rita?”

“Kathryn, are you sure you want me to do that? You know what they’re going to be talking about.”

“I know.”

“It would only upset you. Don’t.”

“No, no, I have to meet this head-on. I’m not going to hide from this. If I do, it’ll get the best of me.”

“Are you sure, Kathryn?”

“I’ll be all right. I want to know what they’re saying, please.”

As Rita reaches for the TV remote, Kathryn Myers emotionally braces herself for what she’s about to hear. The announcer’s voice is subdued and lugubrious.

“Ladies and gentlemen we now have with us in our studio Senator Walter Merrick of Maryland. Senator Merrick we first want to thank you for coming in on what for you must be a difficult day.”

“I’m happy to be with you, John.”

“Sir, can I ask you what your reaction is to the news conference held this morning, with the director of the FBI, Senator Fields, and CIA Director Stuart?”

“Before I respond, John, I want to express my deepest sympathy to members of President Myers’ family, both to his mother and wife. So we need to keep them in our prayers.”

“Yes, Sir, thank you for that.”

“Now to your question, John. I think that this day will be remembered as one of the most shameful days in our nation’s history.”

“Sir, that’s pretty strong language. Why do you say that?”

“I watched the entire news conference. It was the most one-sided presentation I’ve ever heard.”

“What did you hear in the news conference to make you say that?”

“President Myers was practically accused of being a traitor. That’s what I heard. That’s what everybody heard.”

“You’re talking about the CIA directors comments.”

“That’s right. It’s utterly disgraceful that no one was at that news conference to speak for President Myers.”

“The director of the FBI stated this morning, Senator Merrick, that you were invited to be at this news conference. Is that true, Sir?”

“Yes, I was called on short notice early this morning, and I told the director’s secretary that my schedule made it impossible for me to be there. I assumed they would simply postpone it for a day or two.”

“Were you surprised they held this news conference so soon?”

“Shocked, John, that’s the word, shocked. I mean what’s the hurry? President Myers is not even in his grave yet, think about that.”

“Senator Fields, your colleague, was asked about that this morning, and as you heard, his response was they didn’t want to run the risk of very sensitive information being leaked from an unofficial source, which they say would add to public uncertainty. Do you buy that argument, Senator Merrick?”

“No, John, I don’t. They talk about information being leaked. Who are they talking about?”

“You’ll forgive me for asking, but is it possible they meant you when they said that, Senator?”

“Well you’ll have to ask them that question, but I can assure you I would never leak information for political gain.”

“Speaking of sensitive information, is it true that you, Senator Fields, and CIA Director Stuart were shown the FBI evidence in question?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And this consisted of a two-hour video recording of Ken Myers when he was in college?”

“That’s correct.”

“And a brain scan of President Myers, is that right, Senator Merrick?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly did you see on this brain scan?”

“I saw what was described at the news conference this morning.”

“CIA Director Stuart described it as being some type of microchip, a microprocessor of some kind. Is that what it looked like to you, Senator Merrick?”

“Yes.”

“And this object was embedded inside the brain of Ken Myers. Is that correct?”

“That’s what I was told.”

“How do you explain that, Senator Merrick?”

“I can’t explain it.”