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Von Seeckt. "So you believe this message refers to the over the way the war to end all wars had ended. Do you
mothership?" know that at the end of the First World War no foreign
Von Seeckt nodded. "I believe it is a warning that we troops had yet set foot on German soil? That we were still
must not fly the mothership. I believe the chariot obviously occupying French soil when the government surrendered?"
refers to the mothership and I would take very seriously "Spare us the history lesson," Turcotte said. He had
the never again and death to all living things writings." picked up the dagger and was looking at the symbols
"If this is true," Nabinger said, "it means that the an- carved into the handle. He knew about the SS. "We've
cient humans were influenced by the aliens that left these heard it all before."
craft behind. It would help explain so many of the com- "But you asked," Von Seeckt said. "As I said, in the
monalities in mythology and archeology." twenties we were poor and angry. In the thirties everyone
"Let's hold on here a second," Kelly said. "If these writ- was crazy from having been poor and angry for so long. As
ings in the Great Pyramid in Egypt refer to the mother- Captain Turcotte says, you all know what happened. I was
ship--which was abandoned on this continent--then it had in the university in Munich studying physics when Czecho-
to have been flying once upon a time." slovakia fell. I was young then and I had that--ah, what are
"Of course it flew at one time," Von Seeckt said. "The the words--myopic, self-centered vision that the young
real question is: Why did they stop flying it? What is the have. It was more important to me that I pass my compre-
threat?" hensive exams and be awarded my degree than that the
"I've got a better question for right now." Turcotte world was unraveling around me.
handed a mug of steaming coffee to Von Seeckt. "You told "While I was at the university, I did not know that I was
me on the plane out of Area 51 that you were recruited by being watched. The SS had established early on a special
the U.S. military during the Second World War. Yet Profes- section to oversee scientific matters. Their commander re-
sor Nabinger tells us that you were with the Nazis in the ported directly to Himmler. They put together a list of
pyramid. I'd like an explanation. Now." scientists and technicians that could be of use to the party,
"I second that," Kelly said. and my name was on the list.
"I do not think-- ' Von Seeckt paused as Nabinger "They approached me in the summer of 1941. There was
reached into his backpack and pulled out a dagger. special work being done, they told me, and I must help."
"I was given this by the Arab who guided you into the For the first time Von Seeckt brought his gaze out of the
pyramid back then." desert. He looked at each person in turn. "One of the
Von Seeckt took the dagger and grimaced, then placed it advantages of being an old man who is dying is that I can
down on the table. He cradled his wrinkled hands around tell the truth. I will not pretend and whine as so many of
the mug and looked out over the bleak terrain of the In- my colleagues did at the end of the war that I worked
dian reservation. "I was born in Freiburg in 1918. It is a against my will. Germany was my country and we were at
town in southwest Germany, not far from the border with war. I did what I considered my duty to my country and I
France. The times I grew up in were not good years in worked willingly.
Germany. In the twenties everyone was poor and angry "The question that is always asked is 'What about the
I
254 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 255
camps?'" Von Seeckt shrugged. "The first truth is that I him," she added, thrusting her chin toward Von Seeckt's
did not really know about them. The higher truth is that I back. "My father was with the OSS, and he was there at
did not care to know. There were rumors, but I did not Dora. He was sent in to find information on what had hap-
care to pursue rumors. Again my focus was with myself and pened to some OSS and SOE people who had tried to
my work. That does not excuse what happened or my role infiltrate Peenemunde during the war to stop the produc-
in the war effort. It is simply what happened. tion of the V-2's.
"I was working near Peenemunde. The top men--they "He told me what it was like at the camp and the way the
were working on the rockets. I was with another group, Allies acted when they arrived--the intelligence people
doing theoretical work that we hoped would have future and the war-crimes people showing up and fighting over
application. Some of it touched on the potential of an the German prisoners and how some of the worst were
atomic weapon. You can find out what you need to know scooped up by the intelligence people and never came to
about that from other sources. trial. The intelligence people treated the German scientists
"The problem was that our work was mainly theoretical, better than they did the survivors of the camps, because of
laying the groundwork, and those in command did not the knowledge those men possessed. They just stepped
have much patience. Germany was fighting a war on two over the bodies, I guess."
fronts and the feeling was that the war had better be over As Kelly paused to catch her breath, Von Seeckt spoke.
sooner rather than later, and we needed weapons now, not "I know now what happened at Dora. But I did not know
theory." then. I left Peenemunde in spring of 1942. That was be-
"You say you worked at Peenemunde?" Kelly cut in. Her fore"--his voice broke--"before it got bad."
voice was harsh. He held up a hand, forestalling Kelly, who had begun to
"Yes." speak. "But over the years I have asked myself the ques-
"But you also say you didn't try to find out about the tion: What if I had not been ordered away? What would I
camps?" have done?"
Von Seeckt remained quiet. He turned back to the other three. "I would like to be-
"Don't bullshit us," Kelly said. "What about the Dora lieve I would have acted differently than the majority of my
concentration camp?" colleagues. But I spoke earlier of the honesty an old man
The wind blew in the door from the desert floor, chilling should have. The honesty to come to peace with oneself
the group. and one's God--if one believes in a God. And the honest
"What was Dora?" Turcotte asked. answer I came up with after many years was no, I would
"A camp that supplied workers to Peenemunde," Kelly not have acted differently. I would not have stood up and
said. "The inmates were treated as terribly as the people at spoken out against the evil.
the other, better-known camps. When the American "I know that for certain because I did not do so here, in
liberated it--the day before Roosevelt died, as a matter this country, when I saw things happen out at Area 51.
fact--they found over six thousand dead. The survivors When I heard rumors of what was going on at Dulce."
weren't far from dead. And they worked for people like Von Seeckt slapped his palm on the tabletop. "But now I
256 ROBERT DOHERTY
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am trying to make my peace and be honest. That is why I did not share with me. There was no mistaking the serious-
am here." ness with which they set out to pursue the mission."
"We're all trying to make our own peace," Turcotte said. Von Seeckt smiled. "I myself got very serious when I
"Go on with your story. You say you left Peenemumde in found out where our mission was taking us: Cairo, behind
the spring of 1942?" enemy lines. All I was told was to be prepared to find and
Von Seeckt nodded. "Spring 1942 I remember it well. It secure something that might be radioactive.
was the last spring I spent in Germany. My section chief "We traveled by train south to Italy. Then we were taken
came to me with orders, reassigning me. I was a very junior by submarine across the Mediterranean to Tobruk, where
member of the research staff and would not be missed. we were put on trucks and given local guides. The British
That is why I was selected. When I asked my chief what I Eighth Army was in disarray and in retreat so it was not as
would be doing and where I would be going, he laughed difficult as I had feared for us to infiltrate their lines and
and said I was going wherever the Black Jesuit's vision make it to Cairo, although there were a few adventures
said." along the way."
Seeing the uncomprehending looks, Von Seeckt ex- Turcotte took a sip of his now cold coffee. The story was
plained. "That is what those on the inside called Himmler: interesting but he didn't see how it helped them much with
the Black Jesuit." He paused and closed his eyes. "The SS their present situation. And he could tell Kelly was very
was very much a religious order. They had their own cere- disturbed by Von Seeckt's revelations about his past.
monies and secret rites and sayings. If I was asked by an SS Turcotte himself wasn't happy about the SS connection.
officer why I obeyed, my verbatim answer must be: 'From Von Seeckt could admit whatever he wanted, but that
inner conviction, from my belief in Germany, the Fuhrer, didn't make it clean as far as Turcotte was concerned. Con-
the Movement, and in the SS." That was our catechism. fession didn't make the crime go away.
"There was much whispered talk of Himmler and the "A Major Klein was in charge," Von Seeckt continued.
others at the top. Of how they believed in things most did "He did not share his information with us. We went to the
not believe in. Did you know that in the winter of 1941 our west bank of the Nile and then I saw our destination: the
troops were sent into Russia without an adequate supply of Great Pyramid. I was very much confused as I carried my
cold weather equipment? But not because we didn't have radioactivity detector into the tunnel in the side of the pyr-
cold weather gear sitting in supply depots in Germany, but amid in the dead of night. Why were we here?
rather because a seer told Hitler that the winter would be "We went down, and Klein kept turning to a man who
very mild and he believed that. It turned out to be one of had a piece of paper he consulted. The man pointed and
the most brutal on record, so tens of thousands of soldiers Klein ordered his men, a squad of SS storm troopers, to
froze and died because of a vision. break through a wall. We went through the opening into
"So my colleagues in the scientific community saw a ri- another tunnel that sloped down. We went through two
diculous task and they sent the junior man. Ah, but the more walls before we entered a room."
men I linked up with to carry out this mission, they did not "The bottom chamber," Nabinger said. "Where I found
think it a ridiculous task. They had information that they the words."
258 ROBERT DOHERTY
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"Where you found the words," Von Seeckt repeated as a out a grenade, but he must have been shot before he could
tractor trailer loaded with cattle roared past.
"What did you find in the chamber?" Nabinger asked. throw it because he dropped it and it fell next to me. I
"We went down and broke through the final walls into pushed it away--out of the back onto the sand, where it
the chamber. There was a sarcophagus there--intact. Klein exploded. Then there were British Tommies everywhere.
indicated for me to use my machine. I did and was sur- Klein was still alive. He tried to fight, but they shot him
prised to see a high level of radiation in the chamber. Not many times. They took me and they took the box."
dangerous to humans, but still, it should not have been Turcotte interrupted. "Klein didn't drop that grenade."
there. It was much higher than what would be normal "Excuse me?" Von Seeckt was out of his story momen-
background radiation. Klein didn't hesitate. He took a pick tarily.
and levered off the lid. Turcotte was looking out the door down the road, where
"I was stunned when I looked over his shoulder. There the cattle truck was a disappearing spot on the horizon.
was a black metal box in there. I could tell the metal had "Klein was under orders to kill you and destroy the box."
been carefully tooled and was not the work of ancient "How do you know that?" Von Seeckt asked.
Egyptians. How, then, could this have gotten in here? I "It might have been fifty years ago, but many things
asked myself. don't change. If they couldn't get the box home safely, then
"I had no time to think on it. Klein ordered me to take they most certainly didn't want the other side to get it or
up the box and I did, putting it in a backpack. It was bulky the knowledge you possessed. That's the way any mission
but not overly heavy. Perhaps forty pounds. I was much like yours would have worked. The British did the same
stronger in those days. thing when they sent specialists over to look at German
"We left the pyramid the same way we had come in. We radar sites along the French Coast during the war. Their
linked up with our two trucks and headed west while we security men had orders to kill the specialists rather than
still had darkness to cover our movement. At daylight we allow them to be captured because of their knowledge of
hid in the dunes. We had the two Arab guides that had British radar systems."
stayed with the trucks to show us the way and they took us Von Seeckt nodded. "After all these years, do you know,
west. that never occurred to me? It should have, after all I have
"On the third night they led us right into an ambush." seen since."
Von Seeckt shrugged. "I do not know if it was deliberate. "All that is fine and well," Nabinger said impatiently,
The Arabs--they always worked for whoever would pay "but not important right now. What is important is--what
them the most. It was not uncommon for the same guides was in the box?"
to be working for both sides. It does not really matter. 'The box was sealed when we found it and Klein refused
"The lead truck took a direct hit from a British tank. to allow me to open it. As my friend Captain Turcotte so
There were bullets tearing through the canvas sides of the aptly has noted, Klein was a stickler for following orders.
truckbed I was in. I dived down next to the box. That was The British took me, and the box, and I was hustled
my job--protect the box. Klein was next to me. He pulled away. First back to Cairo. Then on a plane. . . ." Von
260 ROBERT DOHERTY 261
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Seeckt paused. "Suffice it to say I eventually ended up in "There was a small nuclear weapon in the box," Von
England in the hands of the SOE." Seeckt said.
"SOE?" Nabinger asked. "Oh fuck," Turcotte said. "What have we gotten into
"Special Operations Executive," Kelly said. here?"
Von Seeckt nodded. "Quite correct, as the English Nabinger slowly sat back in his seat. "Buried under the
would say. They interrogated me, and I told them what I Great Pyramid for ten thousand years?"
knew. Which wasn't much. They also checked the box for "Buried under the pyramid for approximately ten thou-
radioactivity. And got a positive reading." He looked at sand years," Von Seeckt confirmed. "Of course, we only
Kelly, sensing her change in mood. "You know something guessed in the beginning that that was what it was. The
of the SOE?" Americans were just at the start of the Manhattan Project
"As I said earlier, my father was in the OSS. The Ameri- at the time, so our knowledge was rather primitive by to-
can counterpart to the SOE." day's standards. Ten years earlier and we probably would
Von Seeckt stroked his beard. "That is most intriguing. not have had a clue what was in the box.
The SOE turned me over to the OSS. Apparently radioac- "We took the bomb apart. Very carefully." Von Seeckt
tivity was the Americans' province." chuckled. "The Americans always thought I knew more
"The British didn't open the box either?" Nabinger was than I knew. After all, I had been found with the damn
trying very hard to control his patience. thing. But the longer I was there, the more I did know as
"They couldn't open the box," Von Seeckt corrected. "So we worked. Even with today's technology, though, I do not
they shipped me off to the United States. The box was on believe they are able to make a bomb as small and light-
the same plane. After all, the British did have a war to fight weight and efficient as that one we worked on. It was
and apparently more important things to attend to. Also, amazing. There were parts that I still don't understand. But
as I was to find out, radioactivity was the province of the we were able to learn enough from it--along with the work
Americans." being done in other places--to put together the bombs we
"Did the box ever get opened?" Nabinger almost did use to end that war."
groaned the question. "So this bomb from the pyramid--it was from the same
"Yes, yes, it did," Von Seeckt said. "The Americans did people who built these disks and the mothership?" Nab-
that. They kept me in a place outside of Washington, some- inger's question was rhetorical. "That raises so many ques-
where out in the country. To this day I could not tell you tions and issues about the pyramid and why it was built.
where it was. The box went somewhere else and I was in- Perhaps--"
terrogated. Then they seemed to forget about me for sev- "Professor." Turcotte's voice cut through like the cold
eral weeks. One day two men showed up at my jail cell. wind that was blowing in the door. "Those questions can
One was a lieutenant colonel and the other a civilian. They wait. Right now we need to get a little farther up the road.
took me to a new place." Von Seeckt pointed to the north- It's not that far to Dulce, and we have to wait until dark to
east, along the road. "To Dulce." try anything, but I'd like to take a look around during day-
"The box?" Nabinger's patience was exhausted. light. You can discuss this on the way."
262 ROBERT DOHERTY 263
AREA 51
As Von Seeckt and Nabinger climbed into the back of General Gullick had always thought Slayden a worthless
the van, Kelly tapped Turcotte on the arm and leaned member of Majic-12, but Duncan's visit had forced him to
close. "Did you ever see this mothership that Von Seeckt is search for ways to gain time. The psychologist had been the
so worried about?" answer.
"No. I only saw the smaller bouncers." Turcotte looked Slayden began. "There have been numerous movies and
at her. "Why?" books published in the field of science fiction about the
"Because we only have Von Seeckt's word that it exists. reaction of people on Earth to alien contact--either here
And his story about what he admits to doing during World on Earth if the aliens come to us or in the future when we
War II doesn't thrill me. What if there's more that he's not expand to the stars. There have, in fact, been several gov-
telling us? He was SS, for Christ's sake." ernment work groups over the last several decades dedi-
"Is there anything specific that makes you doubt his cated to projecting possible reactions to contact with
story about what is going on now?" Turcotte asked. extraterrestrial life forms.
"I've learned to question things, and my question is, if "While Project Blue Book was the Air Force's official
the mothership doesn't exist, then maybe this whole thing watchdog for unidentified flying objects, there were classi-
is a setup. And even if it does exist, maybe this whole thing fied study groups composed of social psychologists and mil-
is a setup." itary representatives, whose purpose was to prepare
"A setup for what?" Turcotte asked. contingency plans for alien contact. These projects fell un-
"If I knew that, I'd know if it was a setup," Kelly said. der the province of DARPA--the Defense Advanced Re-
A small smile crept along Turcotte's lips. "I like that. search Projects Agency. I was one of the original members
Paranoid thinking. Makes me feel almost sane." of DARPA's contact committee.
"Next chance we get, I'll tell you my story, and you'll "The problem we were given was initially a theoretical
understand why I'm paranoid." one." Slayden smiled. "Of course, at the time, we on the
committee did not know of the existence of this facility. We
were also severely restricted by ethical and security consid-
erations. We were working with the subject of large-group
THE CUBE, AREA 51 dynamics: how the people of Earth would respond to an
"General." Dr. Slayden inclined his head toward Gullick, outside entity. The ability to conduct realistic experimenta-
then took in the other people in the room. "Gentlemen tion was almost nil. In fact our most valid research data
and lady." base was the public reaction to the broadcast of The War of
Slayden was an old man, formerly the second oldest on the Worlds by Orson Welles in 1938.
the committee after Von Seeckt, now the oldest with the "The major result of that broadcast was mass hysteria
one empty chair on the right side of the table. Slayden was and fear. As this chart shows . . ."
bald and his forehead was wrinkled. His major distinguish- As Slayden went through his repertoire, General Gullick
ing feature was his bushy white eyebrows, quite startling shifted his attention to the computer screen built into the
given his naked skull. desktop in front of him. Everyone around the table already
I
264 ROBERT DOHERTY 265
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knew that what Slayden was saying was unimportant. Ev- "Contrary to what the press has reported, our security
eryone, that is, except Dr. Duncan--that was the whole here has been designed not to keep observers out, but to
purpose of this briefing. actually allow observers to see what we want them to see.
There was nothing new from the Lincoln task force on We could have easily blocked access to all vantage points
the foo fighters and nothing on Von Seeckt and the other into the Groom Lake area. Instead we put holes in our
three targets. Gullick reluctantly returned his attention to security net at certain times and places and allowed desig-
the briefing. nated visual and auditory stimuli to be observed and re-
"However, no one had ever really considered the possi- corded.
bility of our exposure to alien life coming in the form of the "We also used agents of misinformation. One noted ex-
discovery of the bouncers and mothership--a sort of ample is a man called Steve Jarvis, who has claimed for
archaeological discovery of extraterrestrial life. There have years to have worked out here at Area 51. In reality, Jarvis
been people, most labeled crackpots, who have pointed to is an agent of ours who reveals information to media peo-
various artifacts and symbols on the planet as signs that we ple. Some of the information he gives is actually true, some
have been visited in the past by alien life forms. The is false. All of it is specifically designed to prepare people
bouncers and mothership are incontrovertible proof that to accept without fear what we have here.
this has happened. This presents us with several challenges "We actually even ran a small test of disclosure several
but also a great opportunity." years ago when the Air Force rolled out the F-117 Stealth
Slayden had forgotten that this was mainly a propaganda fighter and displayed it publicly. There was no valid mili-
briefing for Duncan, and he was totally immersed in his tary or security reason to reveal the existence of the Stealth
material. "You see, one of the greatest uncontrolled vari- fighter. In fact, the Air Force vigorously fought the disclo-
ables in contact theory was that the contact would occur at sure. However, the operation was done to test media and
the discretion of the extraterrestrials. That they would popular reaction to a government revelation of something
come to us. Or that the discovery of evidence that the the government had previously kept secret from the popu-
planet had been visited in the past by aliens would hit the lace.
news in an uncontrolled manner. Here at Area 51, though, "As you can see from my data on that . . ."
we control that variable. We have the evidence and it is at Gullick remembered that event well. The Air Force had
our discretion that the information be revealed. Because screamed bloody murder about publicizing the F-117. But
we control that variable, we can also prepare both our- the interesting thing to Gullick was that Slayden and his
selves and the public for the moment of disclosure." spin doctors had turned the tables on the Air Force Gen-
Slayden looked at Duncan. "You may have noticed over eral Staff, pointing out to them the beneficial possibilities
the course of the last several years an increasing number of disclosure would bring in the arena of budgeting with Con-
reports in the news media about Area 51. These reports gress. In the end the Air Force had been enthusiastic about
did not start in a vacuum. We have done many things to the event. Gullick wasn't foolish enough to believe, though,
deliberately lay the groundwork for the public to accept the that the F-117 disclosure was anything like announcing the
revelation of what we have here. existence of the mothership. It sure sounded good, though.
266 ROBERT DOHERTY
Of course, Slayden was only giving Duncan the tip of the 25
iceberg. Slayden and his people had early on presented one
of the truths of psychological preparation: overstimulation.
And making people believe the truth to be much worse
than it really was, was one of the major purposes of the
Nightscape missions.
Nightscape had conducted numerous animal mutilations,
rural overflights by the disks, and even human abductions.
There was no way they would let Duncan know about that.
And even Slayden didn't know the extent of Nightscape; he
didn't know of the need at Dulce for the people who were ROUTE 666, NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO
abducted or the animal parts that were brought back. Gul- T-81 HOURS
lick rubbed the right side of his skull, irritated at the timbre They still had the same van. Kelly had argued to ditch it,
of Slayden's voice. Goddamn academic assholes. Gullick but Turcotte insisted they might need the equipment.
checked his screen one more time, looking for an update They'd compromised by switching the government license
on the search for both the foo fighters and Von Seeckt's plate for a private one.
group. Kelly had assumed driving chores and watched in the
Gullick looked across the conference table at Duncan. rearview mirror as Turcotte sat in one of the four captain's
He was disgusted with outsiders whining and complaining chairs in the back, beside the communication and com-
about government secrecy and security. He thought it the puter console that took up most of the left side. They both
most amazing paradox and could not understand why oth- were listening as Von Seeckt and Nabinger put together
ers didn't see it the way he did: If the public could handle what they had shared and tried to postulate some reason-
knowing everything, then there wouldn't be any need for able theories to explain what they had.
the secrecy because the world would be living in harmony. "We have to assume that the bomb you found in the
It was the same people who decried the government that pyramid was of the same technology as the disk and
made the government necessary. If they all had the self- mothership," Nabinger said.
discipline that he and other military people had, the world Von Seeckt nodded. "Yes, that is reasonable."
would be a hell of a better place, Gullick thought as he "Going beyond that, I think that many of the commonal-
waited impatiently for the briefing to be over so he could ities among ancient civilizations can now be explained."
get back to real work. Nabinger took out of his backpack the papers Slater had
given him. "The high rune language that has been found at
various spots across the world must have originated with
these aliens. In fact, I would say that these aliens must have
affected the natural progression of mankind's develop-
268 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 269
ment." He then proceeded to explain the diffusionest the- were still capable of flight. Hell, we're flying them now.
ory of the rise of civilization. Surely they wouldn't have hidden them like that."
When he'd finished Von Seeckt was deep in thought. "I "And why the bomb hidden in the pyramid?" Kelly
have thought about this often over the years, wondering asked.
who left this marvelous technology behind and why. About That question was one Nabinger must have been
ten thousand years ago there was an alien outpost on this pondering. "No one has ever really determined why the
planet. It was-- pyramids were built. Originally they were assumed to be
"Why aliens?" Turcotte asked suddenly, echoing the burial monuments, but that theory was debunked when no
question that had popped up in Kelly's head. bodies were found in the chambers inside. Then it was
"Excuse me?" Von Seeckt said. assumed they were cenotaphs--monuments to dead pha-
"Why does it have to be aliens? All along everyone is raohs whose actual burial place was hidden to guard
assuming that these craft were left by another species, but against future grave robbers.
why couldn't they have been developed by some ancient "But with this new information there's another theory
civilization of man that perished, and we're the recycles?" we ought to consider. It is a bit strange, but as Doctor Von
Nabinger smiled. "I have considered that, but the facts Seeckt has said, we must consider all possibilities. Let me
argue against it's being even a remote possibility. The level give you a little information about the construction of the
of civilization needed to develop craft such as they have Great Pyramid.
out at Area 51 would have left much more of a trace than "There are two small tunnels coming out of the upper-
simply those craft and the bomb found under the Great most chamber, also known as the king's chamber. The ex-
Pyramid. We have been scouring the surface of the planet act purpose of these tunnels is not clear, as they are too
for a long time. Certainly an advanced human civilization small for people to go through. An interesting fact, though,
would have left more of a trace. No, these things had to is that if you follow their exact azimuth out to the stars, one
have come from an alien culture." is aligned with Alpha Centauri and the other with Alpha
In the rearview mirror Kelly could see Turcotte raise his Draconis, two nearby star systems."
hands, ceding the point. "Maybe our aliens came from one of those systems,"
"However, it is good that we not close our minds to Von Seeckt said.
other possibilities," Von Seeckt said. "As I was saying, it "Another interesting theory, but one previously consid-
appears that we are back at the original problem. We are ered outrageous," Nabinger said, "is that the pyramids are
not any closer to understanding why the ships were aban- space beacons. Originally, the entire exterior of all three in
doned by the aliens." the Giza group was covered with very finely crafted flat
"Maybe they had no place to go," Kelly offered. "Maybe limestone." He looked at the other two men in the back of
their home world was destroyed and they came here on a the van. "Can you visualize what they must have looked
one-way colonizing mission, and that is why the mothership like then?"
was hidden in that cave--so they couldn't go back." Turcotte nodded. "I imagine you would probably have
"But what about the bouncers?" Turcotte asked. "They been able to see them from space."
270 ROBERT DOHERTY 271
AREA 51
"Visually, yes, when they reflected sunlight," Nabinger some of the equipment stored there. He glanced up at Von
said. "But even more importantly, given the angle of the Seeckt. "Mind telling us what's at Dulce?"
sides of the pyramid, if they are viewed above thirty-eight Kelly nodded slightly to herself. She was beginning to
degrees from the horizon--i.e., from space--they would like Turcotte more and more. There was a lot of fog
have painted a radar picture with a directivity factor of swirling about this situation: different agendas by the four
over six hundred million for a two-centimeter wavelength." people in this van, unclear government objectives, secrets
"Not exactly the Stealth bomber," Turcotte noted. piled on top of secrets. She just wanted Johnny and then
"No. Such a radar picture could be seen from a long way she was going to break this wide open. To get Johnny,
away from the planet, to say the least." Nabinger leaned though, she was going to have to trust Turcotte's skills. She
forward. "The first question I asked myself when I origi- knew that Turcotte was going to have to trust Von Seeckt
nally saw the pyramids many years ago was the most basic. to the same degree--and he didn't. She didn't either. Her
Why did the ancient Egyptians choose that form? No one reporter's sixth sense told her the old man was holding
has ever been able to give an adequate reason. If, given the back.
building capability of the time, you wanted to build a mas- "I told you," Von Seeckt said. "It is another government
sive structure that could be detected from space, the pyra- installation, an offshoot of the installation at Area 51."
mid is the best choice." "Have you ever been there?" Turcotte asked.
The archeologist was warming to his subject matter. "I told you. Once. Just after the end of World War II. It
"Hell, think about all the other symbols that have been was very long ago and my memories are not that good."
etched into the surface of the Earth by the ancients! The "I know you said that," Turcotte said. "And I asked you
giant bird symbols on plateaus in South America. Symbols again because I don't understand why you never went there
in chalk in England. We've always wondered why early man again if this place was such an important part of Majic-12
was so intent on drawing symbols that could only be seen and you were one of the founding members of the board,
from above when they themselves would never have been so to speak."
able to see it from that perspective." The sound of the van engine and the tires rolling
"That still doesn't answer any of the questions that we sounded abnormally loud in the silence. Kelly decided to
need answers to," Turcotte said. "If we don't come up with see if she could keep the ball rolling. "Want to hear what is
something to support Von Seeckt's contention that the suspected to go on there?" she called out.
mothership mustn't be flown, all we've done is put our- "I'd appreciate any information, even rumors, at this
selves in a deep shit-pile with no way out." point," Turcotte said.
"That is what we will find at Dulce," Von Seeckt said. Kelly brought her research to the forefront of her brain.
"Well, we're just about there," Kelly said. "I hope some- "Among the UFO community it's said that Dulce is the site
one's got a plan." of a bioengineering lab. That it's a place where our govern-
"I'll have one by the time we get there," Turcotte said, ment turns over people to the aliens whose craft we are
looking in the drawers below the console and checking out flying at Area 51. We know the first part is true."
272 ROBERT DOHERTY 273
AREA 51
"And we know the part about turning people over to could not stand to see what they were doing." Von Seeckt
aliens isn't true," Turcotte noted. told them about Paperclip.
"Are you sure?" Kelly asked. "Surely most of these people are dead now," Kelly said
"No, it cannot be!" Von Seeckt cried out. "I would have when he was done. "But I imagine that the work is still
known if we'd had contact with whoever left the bouncers continuing there and that explains a lot of the Nightscape
and mothership. We would not have had to struggle so stuff and why everything is classified. But what's the con-
hard for so many years. We just got into the mothership nection with the mothership?"
this past year. It sat for so long, a puzzle we couldn't "I have not been there, true," Von Seeckt said, "but
break." Gullick and the others he trusted--they traveled to Dulce
"Maybe something changed this year," Kelly suggested. often. Something changed this year. They changed."
She had Von Seeckt off balance and she knew from experi- Kelly sensed blood in the water. "Changed? Changed
ence that she had to keep up the pressure. "I have heard how?"
that the government is doing testing on mind control at "They began acting irrationally," Von Seeckt said. "We
Dulce. They are supposedly working with memory-affect- always had secrecy in Majic-12. And Dulce has existed for
ing drugs and EDOM." many years, as Captain Turcotte says. But something is dif-
"What's EDOM?" Turcotte asked. ferent now. The urgency to fly the mothership. What is the
"Electronic dissolution of memory," Kelly said. "I did an rush? Even getting into it. For so many years we could not
article on it a few years back. Of course, the people I inter- penetrate the skin, then suddenly they pick a certain spot
viewed were only talking about it theoretically, but it al- and try a new technique, and they succeed after decades of
ways seems that our government likes to take theory and trying.
see if it can work. EDOM is used to cause selective amne- "Even how quickly they have mastered the controls and
sia. It creates acidic croline, which blocks the transmission the instruments. It is as if they know much more than they
of nerve impulses, which in the brain stops the transmis- should."
sion of thought in the affected area." "Could they have broken the code on the high runes?"
"Ever hear of that?" Turcotte asked Von Seeckt. Nabinger asked. "That would explain some of it."
"I have heard . . ." Von Seeckt began, then he paused. "Some of it, yes," Von Seeckt agreed. "But I do not
When he spoke again, his voice was hesitant. "I will tell think they have broken the code, or if they have, it does not
you the truth. I will tell you why I never went back to Dulce explain why they are acting so strangely and in such a
after my visit in 1946." rush." Von Seeckt threw his hands up in the air. "I do not
They all waited. understand."
"Because I knew who was working there." Von Seeckt's "Do you know where the facility is?" Turcotte asked.
Von Seeckt. "So you believe this message refers to the over the way the war to end all wars had ended. Do you
mothership?" know that at the end of the First World War no foreign
Von Seeckt nodded. "I believe it is a warning that we troops had yet set foot on German soil? That we were still
must not fly the mothership. I believe the chariot obviously occupying French soil when the government surrendered?"
refers to the mothership and I would take very seriously "Spare us the history lesson," Turcotte said. He had
the never again and death to all living things writings." picked up the dagger and was looking at the symbols
"If this is true," Nabinger said, "it means that the an- carved into the handle. He knew about the SS. "We've
cient humans were influenced by the aliens that left these heard it all before."
craft behind. It would help explain so many of the com- "But you asked," Von Seeckt said. "As I said, in the
monalities in mythology and archeology." twenties we were poor and angry. In the thirties everyone
"Let's hold on here a second," Kelly said. "If these writ- was crazy from having been poor and angry for so long. As
ings in the Great Pyramid in Egypt refer to the mother- Captain Turcotte says, you all know what happened. I was
ship--which was abandoned on this continent--then it had in the university in Munich studying physics when Czecho-
to have been flying once upon a time." slovakia fell. I was young then and I had that--ah, what are
"Of course it flew at one time," Von Seeckt said. "The the words--myopic, self-centered vision that the young
real question is: Why did they stop flying it? What is the have. It was more important to me that I pass my compre-
threat?" hensive exams and be awarded my degree than that the
"I've got a better question for right now." Turcotte world was unraveling around me.
handed a mug of steaming coffee to Von Seeckt. "You told "While I was at the university, I did not know that I was
me on the plane out of Area 51 that you were recruited by being watched. The SS had established early on a special
the U.S. military during the Second World War. Yet Profes- section to oversee scientific matters. Their commander re-
sor Nabinger tells us that you were with the Nazis in the ported directly to Himmler. They put together a list of
pyramid. I'd like an explanation. Now." scientists and technicians that could be of use to the party,
"I second that," Kelly said. and my name was on the list.
"I do not think-- ' Von Seeckt paused as Nabinger "They approached me in the summer of 1941. There was
reached into his backpack and pulled out a dagger. special work being done, they told me, and I must help."
"I was given this by the Arab who guided you into the For the first time Von Seeckt brought his gaze out of the
pyramid back then." desert. He looked at each person in turn. "One of the
Von Seeckt took the dagger and grimaced, then placed it advantages of being an old man who is dying is that I can
down on the table. He cradled his wrinkled hands around tell the truth. I will not pretend and whine as so many of
the mug and looked out over the bleak terrain of the In- my colleagues did at the end of the war that I worked
dian reservation. "I was born in Freiburg in 1918. It is a against my will. Germany was my country and we were at
town in southwest Germany, not far from the border with war. I did what I considered my duty to my country and I
France. The times I grew up in were not good years in worked willingly.
Germany. In the twenties everyone was poor and angry "The question that is always asked is 'What about the
I
254 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 255
camps?'" Von Seeckt shrugged. "The first truth is that I him," she added, thrusting her chin toward Von Seeckt's
did not really know about them. The higher truth is that I back. "My father was with the OSS, and he was there at
did not care to know. There were rumors, but I did not Dora. He was sent in to find information on what had hap-
care to pursue rumors. Again my focus was with myself and pened to some OSS and SOE people who had tried to
my work. That does not excuse what happened or my role infiltrate Peenemunde during the war to stop the produc-
in the war effort. It is simply what happened. tion of the V-2's.
"I was working near Peenemunde. The top men--they "He told me what it was like at the camp and the way the
were working on the rockets. I was with another group, Allies acted when they arrived--the intelligence people
doing theoretical work that we hoped would have future and the war-crimes people showing up and fighting over
application. Some of it touched on the potential of an the German prisoners and how some of the worst were
atomic weapon. You can find out what you need to know scooped up by the intelligence people and never came to
about that from other sources. trial. The intelligence people treated the German scientists
"The problem was that our work was mainly theoretical, better than they did the survivors of the camps, because of
laying the groundwork, and those in command did not the knowledge those men possessed. They just stepped
have much patience. Germany was fighting a war on two over the bodies, I guess."
fronts and the feeling was that the war had better be over As Kelly paused to catch her breath, Von Seeckt spoke.
sooner rather than later, and we needed weapons now, not "I know now what happened at Dora. But I did not know
theory." then. I left Peenemunde in spring of 1942. That was be-
"You say you worked at Peenemunde?" Kelly cut in. Her fore"--his voice broke--"before it got bad."
voice was harsh. He held up a hand, forestalling Kelly, who had begun to
"Yes." speak. "But over the years I have asked myself the ques-
"But you also say you didn't try to find out about the tion: What if I had not been ordered away? What would I
camps?" have done?"
Von Seeckt remained quiet. He turned back to the other three. "I would like to be-
"Don't bullshit us," Kelly said. "What about the Dora lieve I would have acted differently than the majority of my
concentration camp?" colleagues. But I spoke earlier of the honesty an old man
The wind blew in the door from the desert floor, chilling should have. The honesty to come to peace with oneself
the group. and one's God--if one believes in a God. And the honest
"What was Dora?" Turcotte asked. answer I came up with after many years was no, I would
"A camp that supplied workers to Peenemunde," Kelly not have acted differently. I would not have stood up and
said. "The inmates were treated as terribly as the people at spoken out against the evil.
the other, better-known camps. When the American "I know that for certain because I did not do so here, in
liberated it--the day before Roosevelt died, as a matter this country, when I saw things happen out at Area 51.
fact--they found over six thousand dead. The survivors When I heard rumors of what was going on at Dulce."
weren't far from dead. And they worked for people like Von Seeckt slapped his palm on the tabletop. "But now I
256 ROBERT DOHERTY
257
AREA 51
am trying to make my peace and be honest. That is why I did not share with me. There was no mistaking the serious-
am here." ness with which they set out to pursue the mission."
"We're all trying to make our own peace," Turcotte said. Von Seeckt smiled. "I myself got very serious when I
"Go on with your story. You say you left Peenemumde in found out where our mission was taking us: Cairo, behind
the spring of 1942?" enemy lines. All I was told was to be prepared to find and
Von Seeckt nodded. "Spring 1942 I remember it well. It secure something that might be radioactive.
was the last spring I spent in Germany. My section chief "We traveled by train south to Italy. Then we were taken
came to me with orders, reassigning me. I was a very junior by submarine across the Mediterranean to Tobruk, where
member of the research staff and would not be missed. we were put on trucks and given local guides. The British
That is why I was selected. When I asked my chief what I Eighth Army was in disarray and in retreat so it was not as
would be doing and where I would be going, he laughed difficult as I had feared for us to infiltrate their lines and
and said I was going wherever the Black Jesuit's vision make it to Cairo, although there were a few adventures
said." along the way."
Seeing the uncomprehending looks, Von Seeckt ex- Turcotte took a sip of his now cold coffee. The story was
plained. "That is what those on the inside called Himmler: interesting but he didn't see how it helped them much with
the Black Jesuit." He paused and closed his eyes. "The SS their present situation. And he could tell Kelly was very
was very much a religious order. They had their own cere- disturbed by Von Seeckt's revelations about his past.
monies and secret rites and sayings. If I was asked by an SS Turcotte himself wasn't happy about the SS connection.
officer why I obeyed, my verbatim answer must be: 'From Von Seeckt could admit whatever he wanted, but that
inner conviction, from my belief in Germany, the Fuhrer, didn't make it clean as far as Turcotte was concerned. Con-
the Movement, and in the SS." That was our catechism. fession didn't make the crime go away.
"There was much whispered talk of Himmler and the "A Major Klein was in charge," Von Seeckt continued.
others at the top. Of how they believed in things most did "He did not share his information with us. We went to the
not believe in. Did you know that in the winter of 1941 our west bank of the Nile and then I saw our destination: the
troops were sent into Russia without an adequate supply of Great Pyramid. I was very much confused as I carried my
cold weather equipment? But not because we didn't have radioactivity detector into the tunnel in the side of the pyr-
cold weather gear sitting in supply depots in Germany, but amid in the dead of night. Why were we here?
rather because a seer told Hitler that the winter would be "We went down, and Klein kept turning to a man who
very mild and he believed that. It turned out to be one of had a piece of paper he consulted. The man pointed and
the most brutal on record, so tens of thousands of soldiers Klein ordered his men, a squad of SS storm troopers, to
froze and died because of a vision. break through a wall. We went through the opening into
"So my colleagues in the scientific community saw a ri- another tunnel that sloped down. We went through two
diculous task and they sent the junior man. Ah, but the more walls before we entered a room."
men I linked up with to carry out this mission, they did not "The bottom chamber," Nabinger said. "Where I found
think it a ridiculous task. They had information that they the words."
258 ROBERT DOHERTY
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"Where you found the words," Von Seeckt repeated as a out a grenade, but he must have been shot before he could
tractor trailer loaded with cattle roared past.
"What did you find in the chamber?" Nabinger asked. throw it because he dropped it and it fell next to me. I
"We went down and broke through the final walls into pushed it away--out of the back onto the sand, where it
the chamber. There was a sarcophagus there--intact. Klein exploded. Then there were British Tommies everywhere.
indicated for me to use my machine. I did and was sur- Klein was still alive. He tried to fight, but they shot him
prised to see a high level of radiation in the chamber. Not many times. They took me and they took the box."
dangerous to humans, but still, it should not have been Turcotte interrupted. "Klein didn't drop that grenade."
there. It was much higher than what would be normal "Excuse me?" Von Seeckt was out of his story momen-
background radiation. Klein didn't hesitate. He took a pick tarily.
and levered off the lid. Turcotte was looking out the door down the road, where
"I was stunned when I looked over his shoulder. There the cattle truck was a disappearing spot on the horizon.
was a black metal box in there. I could tell the metal had "Klein was under orders to kill you and destroy the box."
been carefully tooled and was not the work of ancient "How do you know that?" Von Seeckt asked.
Egyptians. How, then, could this have gotten in here? I "It might have been fifty years ago, but many things
asked myself. don't change. If they couldn't get the box home safely, then
"I had no time to think on it. Klein ordered me to take they most certainly didn't want the other side to get it or
up the box and I did, putting it in a backpack. It was bulky the knowledge you possessed. That's the way any mission
but not overly heavy. Perhaps forty pounds. I was much like yours would have worked. The British did the same
stronger in those days. thing when they sent specialists over to look at German
"We left the pyramid the same way we had come in. We radar sites along the French Coast during the war. Their
linked up with our two trucks and headed west while we security men had orders to kill the specialists rather than
still had darkness to cover our movement. At daylight we allow them to be captured because of their knowledge of
hid in the dunes. We had the two Arab guides that had British radar systems."
stayed with the trucks to show us the way and they took us Von Seeckt nodded. "After all these years, do you know,
west. that never occurred to me? It should have, after all I have
"On the third night they led us right into an ambush." seen since."
Von Seeckt shrugged. "I do not know if it was deliberate. "All that is fine and well," Nabinger said impatiently,
The Arabs--they always worked for whoever would pay "but not important right now. What is important is--what
them the most. It was not uncommon for the same guides was in the box?"
to be working for both sides. It does not really matter. 'The box was sealed when we found it and Klein refused
"The lead truck took a direct hit from a British tank. to allow me to open it. As my friend Captain Turcotte so
There were bullets tearing through the canvas sides of the aptly has noted, Klein was a stickler for following orders.
truckbed I was in. I dived down next to the box. That was The British took me, and the box, and I was hustled
my job--protect the box. Klein was next to me. He pulled away. First back to Cairo. Then on a plane. . . ." Von
260 ROBERT DOHERTY 261
AREA 51
Seeckt paused. "Suffice it to say I eventually ended up in "There was a small nuclear weapon in the box," Von
England in the hands of the SOE." Seeckt said.
"SOE?" Nabinger asked. "Oh fuck," Turcotte said. "What have we gotten into
"Special Operations Executive," Kelly said. here?"
Von Seeckt nodded. "Quite correct, as the English Nabinger slowly sat back in his seat. "Buried under the
would say. They interrogated me, and I told them what I Great Pyramid for ten thousand years?"
knew. Which wasn't much. They also checked the box for "Buried under the pyramid for approximately ten thou-
radioactivity. And got a positive reading." He looked at sand years," Von Seeckt confirmed. "Of course, we only
Kelly, sensing her change in mood. "You know something guessed in the beginning that that was what it was. The
of the SOE?" Americans were just at the start of the Manhattan Project
"As I said earlier, my father was in the OSS. The Ameri- at the time, so our knowledge was rather primitive by to-
can counterpart to the SOE." day's standards. Ten years earlier and we probably would
Von Seeckt stroked his beard. "That is most intriguing. not have had a clue what was in the box.
The SOE turned me over to the OSS. Apparently radioac- "We took the bomb apart. Very carefully." Von Seeckt
tivity was the Americans' province." chuckled. "The Americans always thought I knew more
"The British didn't open the box either?" Nabinger was than I knew. After all, I had been found with the damn
trying very hard to control his patience. thing. But the longer I was there, the more I did know as
"They couldn't open the box," Von Seeckt corrected. "So we worked. Even with today's technology, though, I do not
they shipped me off to the United States. The box was on believe they are able to make a bomb as small and light-
the same plane. After all, the British did have a war to fight weight and efficient as that one we worked on. It was
and apparently more important things to attend to. Also, amazing. There were parts that I still don't understand. But
as I was to find out, radioactivity was the province of the we were able to learn enough from it--along with the work
Americans." being done in other places--to put together the bombs we
"Did the box ever get opened?" Nabinger almost did use to end that war."
groaned the question. "So this bomb from the pyramid--it was from the same
"Yes, yes, it did," Von Seeckt said. "The Americans did people who built these disks and the mothership?" Nab-
that. They kept me in a place outside of Washington, some- inger's question was rhetorical. "That raises so many ques-
where out in the country. To this day I could not tell you tions and issues about the pyramid and why it was built.
where it was. The box went somewhere else and I was in- Perhaps--"
terrogated. Then they seemed to forget about me for sev- "Professor." Turcotte's voice cut through like the cold
eral weeks. One day two men showed up at my jail cell. wind that was blowing in the door. "Those questions can
One was a lieutenant colonel and the other a civilian. They wait. Right now we need to get a little farther up the road.
took me to a new place." Von Seeckt pointed to the north- It's not that far to Dulce, and we have to wait until dark to
east, along the road. "To Dulce." try anything, but I'd like to take a look around during day-
"The box?" Nabinger's patience was exhausted. light. You can discuss this on the way."
262 ROBERT DOHERTY 263
AREA 51
As Von Seeckt and Nabinger climbed into the back of General Gullick had always thought Slayden a worthless
the van, Kelly tapped Turcotte on the arm and leaned member of Majic-12, but Duncan's visit had forced him to
close. "Did you ever see this mothership that Von Seeckt is search for ways to gain time. The psychologist had been the
so worried about?" answer.
"No. I only saw the smaller bouncers." Turcotte looked Slayden began. "There have been numerous movies and
at her. "Why?" books published in the field of science fiction about the
"Because we only have Von Seeckt's word that it exists. reaction of people on Earth to alien contact--either here
And his story about what he admits to doing during World on Earth if the aliens come to us or in the future when we
War II doesn't thrill me. What if there's more that he's not expand to the stars. There have, in fact, been several gov-
telling us? He was SS, for Christ's sake." ernment work groups over the last several decades dedi-
"Is there anything specific that makes you doubt his cated to projecting possible reactions to contact with
story about what is going on now?" Turcotte asked. extraterrestrial life forms.
"I've learned to question things, and my question is, if "While Project Blue Book was the Air Force's official
the mothership doesn't exist, then maybe this whole thing watchdog for unidentified flying objects, there were classi-
is a setup. And even if it does exist, maybe this whole thing fied study groups composed of social psychologists and mil-
is a setup." itary representatives, whose purpose was to prepare
"A setup for what?" Turcotte asked. contingency plans for alien contact. These projects fell un-
"If I knew that, I'd know if it was a setup," Kelly said. der the province of DARPA--the Defense Advanced Re-
A small smile crept along Turcotte's lips. "I like that. search Projects Agency. I was one of the original members
Paranoid thinking. Makes me feel almost sane." of DARPA's contact committee.
"Next chance we get, I'll tell you my story, and you'll "The problem we were given was initially a theoretical
understand why I'm paranoid." one." Slayden smiled. "Of course, at the time, we on the
committee did not know of the existence of this facility. We
were also severely restricted by ethical and security consid-
erations. We were working with the subject of large-group
THE CUBE, AREA 51 dynamics: how the people of Earth would respond to an
"General." Dr. Slayden inclined his head toward Gullick, outside entity. The ability to conduct realistic experimenta-
then took in the other people in the room. "Gentlemen tion was almost nil. In fact our most valid research data
and lady." base was the public reaction to the broadcast of The War of
Slayden was an old man, formerly the second oldest on the Worlds by Orson Welles in 1938.
the committee after Von Seeckt, now the oldest with the "The major result of that broadcast was mass hysteria
one empty chair on the right side of the table. Slayden was and fear. As this chart shows . . ."
bald and his forehead was wrinkled. His major distinguish- As Slayden went through his repertoire, General Gullick
ing feature was his bushy white eyebrows, quite startling shifted his attention to the computer screen built into the
given his naked skull. desktop in front of him. Everyone around the table already
I
264 ROBERT DOHERTY 265
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knew that what Slayden was saying was unimportant. Ev- "Contrary to what the press has reported, our security
eryone, that is, except Dr. Duncan--that was the whole here has been designed not to keep observers out, but to
purpose of this briefing. actually allow observers to see what we want them to see.
There was nothing new from the Lincoln task force on We could have easily blocked access to all vantage points
the foo fighters and nothing on Von Seeckt and the other into the Groom Lake area. Instead we put holes in our
three targets. Gullick reluctantly returned his attention to security net at certain times and places and allowed desig-
the briefing. nated visual and auditory stimuli to be observed and re-
"However, no one had ever really considered the possi- corded.
bility of our exposure to alien life coming in the form of the "We also used agents of misinformation. One noted ex-
discovery of the bouncers and mothership--a sort of ample is a man called Steve Jarvis, who has claimed for
archaeological discovery of extraterrestrial life. There have years to have worked out here at Area 51. In reality, Jarvis
been people, most labeled crackpots, who have pointed to is an agent of ours who reveals information to media peo-
various artifacts and symbols on the planet as signs that we ple. Some of the information he gives is actually true, some
have been visited in the past by alien life forms. The is false. All of it is specifically designed to prepare people
bouncers and mothership are incontrovertible proof that to accept without fear what we have here.
this has happened. This presents us with several challenges "We actually even ran a small test of disclosure several
but also a great opportunity." years ago when the Air Force rolled out the F-117 Stealth
Slayden had forgotten that this was mainly a propaganda fighter and displayed it publicly. There was no valid mili-
briefing for Duncan, and he was totally immersed in his tary or security reason to reveal the existence of the Stealth
material. "You see, one of the greatest uncontrolled vari- fighter. In fact, the Air Force vigorously fought the disclo-
ables in contact theory was that the contact would occur at sure. However, the operation was done to test media and
the discretion of the extraterrestrials. That they would popular reaction to a government revelation of something
come to us. Or that the discovery of evidence that the the government had previously kept secret from the popu-
planet had been visited in the past by aliens would hit the lace.
news in an uncontrolled manner. Here at Area 51, though, "As you can see from my data on that . . ."
we control that variable. We have the evidence and it is at Gullick remembered that event well. The Air Force had
our discretion that the information be revealed. Because screamed bloody murder about publicizing the F-117. But
we control that variable, we can also prepare both our- the interesting thing to Gullick was that Slayden and his
selves and the public for the moment of disclosure." spin doctors had turned the tables on the Air Force Gen-
Slayden looked at Duncan. "You may have noticed over eral Staff, pointing out to them the beneficial possibilities
the course of the last several years an increasing number of disclosure would bring in the arena of budgeting with Con-
reports in the news media about Area 51. These reports gress. In the end the Air Force had been enthusiastic about
did not start in a vacuum. We have done many things to the event. Gullick wasn't foolish enough to believe, though,
deliberately lay the groundwork for the public to accept the that the F-117 disclosure was anything like announcing the
revelation of what we have here. existence of the mothership. It sure sounded good, though.
266 ROBERT DOHERTY
Of course, Slayden was only giving Duncan the tip of the 25
iceberg. Slayden and his people had early on presented one
of the truths of psychological preparation: overstimulation.
And making people believe the truth to be much worse
than it really was, was one of the major purposes of the
Nightscape missions.
Nightscape had conducted numerous animal mutilations,
rural overflights by the disks, and even human abductions.
There was no way they would let Duncan know about that.
And even Slayden didn't know the extent of Nightscape; he
didn't know of the need at Dulce for the people who were ROUTE 666, NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO
abducted or the animal parts that were brought back. Gul- T-81 HOURS
lick rubbed the right side of his skull, irritated at the timbre They still had the same van. Kelly had argued to ditch it,
of Slayden's voice. Goddamn academic assholes. Gullick but Turcotte insisted they might need the equipment.
checked his screen one more time, looking for an update They'd compromised by switching the government license
on the search for both the foo fighters and Von Seeckt's plate for a private one.
group. Kelly had assumed driving chores and watched in the
Gullick looked across the conference table at Duncan. rearview mirror as Turcotte sat in one of the four captain's
He was disgusted with outsiders whining and complaining chairs in the back, beside the communication and com-
about government secrecy and security. He thought it the puter console that took up most of the left side. They both
most amazing paradox and could not understand why oth- were listening as Von Seeckt and Nabinger put together
ers didn't see it the way he did: If the public could handle what they had shared and tried to postulate some reason-
knowing everything, then there wouldn't be any need for able theories to explain what they had.
the secrecy because the world would be living in harmony. "We have to assume that the bomb you found in the
It was the same people who decried the government that pyramid was of the same technology as the disk and
made the government necessary. If they all had the self- mothership," Nabinger said.
discipline that he and other military people had, the world Von Seeckt nodded. "Yes, that is reasonable."
would be a hell of a better place, Gullick thought as he "Going beyond that, I think that many of the commonal-
waited impatiently for the briefing to be over so he could ities among ancient civilizations can now be explained."
get back to real work. Nabinger took out of his backpack the papers Slater had
given him. "The high rune language that has been found at
various spots across the world must have originated with
these aliens. In fact, I would say that these aliens must have
affected the natural progression of mankind's develop-
268 ROBERT DOHERTY AREA 51 269
ment." He then proceeded to explain the diffusionest the- were still capable of flight. Hell, we're flying them now.
ory of the rise of civilization. Surely they wouldn't have hidden them like that."
When he'd finished Von Seeckt was deep in thought. "I "And why the bomb hidden in the pyramid?" Kelly
have thought about this often over the years, wondering asked.
who left this marvelous technology behind and why. About That question was one Nabinger must have been
ten thousand years ago there was an alien outpost on this pondering. "No one has ever really determined why the
planet. It was-- pyramids were built. Originally they were assumed to be
"Why aliens?" Turcotte asked suddenly, echoing the burial monuments, but that theory was debunked when no
question that had popped up in Kelly's head. bodies were found in the chambers inside. Then it was
"Excuse me?" Von Seeckt said. assumed they were cenotaphs--monuments to dead pha-
"Why does it have to be aliens? All along everyone is raohs whose actual burial place was hidden to guard
assuming that these craft were left by another species, but against future grave robbers.
why couldn't they have been developed by some ancient "But with this new information there's another theory
civilization of man that perished, and we're the recycles?" we ought to consider. It is a bit strange, but as Doctor Von
Nabinger smiled. "I have considered that, but the facts Seeckt has said, we must consider all possibilities. Let me
argue against it's being even a remote possibility. The level give you a little information about the construction of the
of civilization needed to develop craft such as they have Great Pyramid.
out at Area 51 would have left much more of a trace than "There are two small tunnels coming out of the upper-
simply those craft and the bomb found under the Great most chamber, also known as the king's chamber. The ex-
Pyramid. We have been scouring the surface of the planet act purpose of these tunnels is not clear, as they are too
for a long time. Certainly an advanced human civilization small for people to go through. An interesting fact, though,
would have left more of a trace. No, these things had to is that if you follow their exact azimuth out to the stars, one
have come from an alien culture." is aligned with Alpha Centauri and the other with Alpha
In the rearview mirror Kelly could see Turcotte raise his Draconis, two nearby star systems."
hands, ceding the point. "Maybe our aliens came from one of those systems,"
"However, it is good that we not close our minds to Von Seeckt said.
other possibilities," Von Seeckt said. "As I was saying, it "Another interesting theory, but one previously consid-
appears that we are back at the original problem. We are ered outrageous," Nabinger said, "is that the pyramids are
not any closer to understanding why the ships were aban- space beacons. Originally, the entire exterior of all three in
doned by the aliens." the Giza group was covered with very finely crafted flat
"Maybe they had no place to go," Kelly offered. "Maybe limestone." He looked at the other two men in the back of
their home world was destroyed and they came here on a the van. "Can you visualize what they must have looked
one-way colonizing mission, and that is why the mothership like then?"
was hidden in that cave--so they couldn't go back." Turcotte nodded. "I imagine you would probably have
"But what about the bouncers?" Turcotte asked. "They been able to see them from space."
270 ROBERT DOHERTY 271
AREA 51
"Visually, yes, when they reflected sunlight," Nabinger some of the equipment stored there. He glanced up at Von
said. "But even more importantly, given the angle of the Seeckt. "Mind telling us what's at Dulce?"
sides of the pyramid, if they are viewed above thirty-eight Kelly nodded slightly to herself. She was beginning to
degrees from the horizon--i.e., from space--they would like Turcotte more and more. There was a lot of fog
have painted a radar picture with a directivity factor of swirling about this situation: different agendas by the four
over six hundred million for a two-centimeter wavelength." people in this van, unclear government objectives, secrets
"Not exactly the Stealth bomber," Turcotte noted. piled on top of secrets. She just wanted Johnny and then
"No. Such a radar picture could be seen from a long way she was going to break this wide open. To get Johnny,
away from the planet, to say the least." Nabinger leaned though, she was going to have to trust Turcotte's skills. She
forward. "The first question I asked myself when I origi- knew that Turcotte was going to have to trust Von Seeckt
nally saw the pyramids many years ago was the most basic. to the same degree--and he didn't. She didn't either. Her
Why did the ancient Egyptians choose that form? No one reporter's sixth sense told her the old man was holding
has ever been able to give an adequate reason. If, given the back.
building capability of the time, you wanted to build a mas- "I told you," Von Seeckt said. "It is another government
sive structure that could be detected from space, the pyra- installation, an offshoot of the installation at Area 51."
mid is the best choice." "Have you ever been there?" Turcotte asked.
The archeologist was warming to his subject matter. "I told you. Once. Just after the end of World War II. It
"Hell, think about all the other symbols that have been was very long ago and my memories are not that good."
etched into the surface of the Earth by the ancients! The "I know you said that," Turcotte said. "And I asked you
giant bird symbols on plateaus in South America. Symbols again because I don't understand why you never went there
in chalk in England. We've always wondered why early man again if this place was such an important part of Majic-12
was so intent on drawing symbols that could only be seen and you were one of the founding members of the board,
from above when they themselves would never have been so to speak."
able to see it from that perspective." The sound of the van engine and the tires rolling
"That still doesn't answer any of the questions that we sounded abnormally loud in the silence. Kelly decided to
need answers to," Turcotte said. "If we don't come up with see if she could keep the ball rolling. "Want to hear what is
something to support Von Seeckt's contention that the suspected to go on there?" she called out.
mothership mustn't be flown, all we've done is put our- "I'd appreciate any information, even rumors, at this
selves in a deep shit-pile with no way out." point," Turcotte said.
"That is what we will find at Dulce," Von Seeckt said. Kelly brought her research to the forefront of her brain.
"Well, we're just about there," Kelly said. "I hope some- "Among the UFO community it's said that Dulce is the site
one's got a plan." of a bioengineering lab. That it's a place where our govern-
"I'll have one by the time we get there," Turcotte said, ment turns over people to the aliens whose craft we are
looking in the drawers below the console and checking out flying at Area 51. We know the first part is true."
272 ROBERT DOHERTY 273
AREA 51
"And we know the part about turning people over to could not stand to see what they were doing." Von Seeckt
aliens isn't true," Turcotte noted. told them about Paperclip.
"Are you sure?" Kelly asked. "Surely most of these people are dead now," Kelly said
"No, it cannot be!" Von Seeckt cried out. "I would have when he was done. "But I imagine that the work is still
known if we'd had contact with whoever left the bouncers continuing there and that explains a lot of the Nightscape
and mothership. We would not have had to struggle so stuff and why everything is classified. But what's the con-
hard for so many years. We just got into the mothership nection with the mothership?"
this past year. It sat for so long, a puzzle we couldn't "I have not been there, true," Von Seeckt said, "but
break." Gullick and the others he trusted--they traveled to Dulce
"Maybe something changed this year," Kelly suggested. often. Something changed this year. They changed."
She had Von Seeckt off balance and she knew from experi- Kelly sensed blood in the water. "Changed? Changed
ence that she had to keep up the pressure. "I have heard how?"
that the government is doing testing on mind control at "They began acting irrationally," Von Seeckt said. "We
Dulce. They are supposedly working with memory-affect- always had secrecy in Majic-12. And Dulce has existed for
ing drugs and EDOM." many years, as Captain Turcotte says. But something is dif-
"What's EDOM?" Turcotte asked. ferent now. The urgency to fly the mothership. What is the
"Electronic dissolution of memory," Kelly said. "I did an rush? Even getting into it. For so many years we could not
article on it a few years back. Of course, the people I inter- penetrate the skin, then suddenly they pick a certain spot
viewed were only talking about it theoretically, but it al- and try a new technique, and they succeed after decades of
ways seems that our government likes to take theory and trying.
see if it can work. EDOM is used to cause selective amne- "Even how quickly they have mastered the controls and
sia. It creates acidic croline, which blocks the transmission the instruments. It is as if they know much more than they
of nerve impulses, which in the brain stops the transmis- should."
sion of thought in the affected area." "Could they have broken the code on the high runes?"
"Ever hear of that?" Turcotte asked Von Seeckt. Nabinger asked. "That would explain some of it."
"I have heard . . ." Von Seeckt began, then he paused. "Some of it, yes," Von Seeckt agreed. "But I do not
When he spoke again, his voice was hesitant. "I will tell think they have broken the code, or if they have, it does not
you the truth. I will tell you why I never went back to Dulce explain why they are acting so strangely and in such a
after my visit in 1946." rush." Von Seeckt threw his hands up in the air. "I do not
They all waited. understand."
"Because I knew who was working there." Von Seeckt's "Do you know where the facility is?" Turcotte asked.