"Yeah, we're fine. The simulations look good, Parker's ready." He shrugged. "Should be smooth sailing."
"Good." Bradley said as he walked in. "Because we have a situation."
He sat down as Parker and Donovan exchanged looks.
"This morning around 3:25 am, a small private college in Wisconsin exploded. No survivors. We suspect a terrorist group known as the Black Kings. They're responsible for many bomb threats and actions against American universities. If you remember the 1992 bomb threat sent to Sanderson College for Women, that was a small but very deadly attack. Unfortunately, we missed the opportunity to prevent that."
Bradley handed each of them their own copy of the newest backstep.
"All right. So let's go." Parker said.
"Not so fast, Frank." Talmadge said, holding a hand up. "There are certain things that we've been warned of also." He glanced at Ramsey, who was glaring at Hooter, who was making bubbles with his gum. "First off, this happened very quickly and it was very unsuspected. No one had a clue that this was about to happen, and the Black Kings operation has so far reacted in panic."
Ramsey stood up and paced around the room. "CIA and NSA are divided. NSA thinks that they're covering and they're trying to cause doubt within the ranks. The other believes that the BKs genuinely have nothing to do with it. They're claiming innocence, but this thing has their M.O. written all over it."
"We, being the NSA, have to go in and grab the nutcase before he has the chance to set off this explosion." Donovan said.
"So let's get this creep." Parker said. "I mean, we are supposed to get this creep, right?"
Talmadge nodded and the curves of his mouth quirked up a bit.
"Yes, we are, Frank. But you're going to have help. You can't just walk around a college campus as an NSA agent, you might alert the group, and then we'll lose them. Which is why-"
He turned to Hooter, who was sitting with his feet propped up on the table, computer in his lap.
"Mr. Owsley." He said. Owsley looked up.
"Hmm?"
"Parker, Mr. Owsley is going to assist you." He said. He chuckled. "We've arranged for you to go undercover as a teacher."
Donovan was the first to laugh. Then Ramsey, then Olga.
"A teacher?" Ramsey said. "Parker couldn't teach his way out of a paper bag."
"Does this count as child abuse?" Donovan asked between fits of laughter. He tried without much luck to contain himself. "You're going to have to do a lot of studying." Donovan turned to Bradley. "What's he teaching?"
Bradley looked at Frank who sat with a slightly panicked expression on his face. "Don't worry, Frank, we gave you something that was easy. The school counselor has mysteriously come down with a light flu-that is, he will once you backstep. You will fill his place."
Ramsey snorted. "Parker influencing kids?" He said, shaking his head. "That's the last thing we need."
"What's Hooter going to be doing?" He asked.
"Mr. Owsley will be returning to school." Bradley said, smiling at the young man, who immediately showed disdain.
"Why me?" He asked. "Olga could pass as a teacher." He said.
"True, but that would require her to be in class all day." He said. "And a prominent scientist such as Olga would alert much more attention than we want. If any of the operatives get wind that anything is out of order, especially if two teachers go sick in one week…you get the idea."
Hooter nodded slowly. "So what am I doing?"
"You're a student." Bradley said, handing him a file with his new identity. He handed one to Parker.
"David Porter?" Owsley said. "I have a past drug problem?"
"We couldn't have you looking too pristine, now could we?" Donovan said, laughing.
"Don't worry, your main job is to investigate the students while Parker's away ruining America's future." Ramsey said.
*** Please clear main ramp for backstep. Caution, backstep process initiating
"Counselor, huh?" Parker said, clad in his backstep chrononaut suit. He glanced at Olga on his left and Donovan on his right.
"You'll have no problem." Olga said. Her smile changed into a slightly worried expression. "I don't think you will, anyway."
"He'll do fine." Donovan said. "Okay…"
"Time to go." Frank said. "Literally."
Olga and Donovan left him to enter the control room, where the rest of the team was already assembled. The sphere room was eerily quiet as Frank got into the sphere. The only sounds were the beeping of his console and the fizzing of some cables.
"Are you ready?" Hooter asked, one hand adjusting his headset.
Frank sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"Initiating countdown." Olga said. "Power is at 86%"
As the numbers rose, finally settling to full power, it started.
And in the same flash and the same rocking motion of the sphere, jolting him and producing pain that only he could stand, time rewound, times seven. The days flashed back, and like the other times, Parker didn't pay attention to them, only concentrating on the task at hand. A brilliant glow…and it was done.
***
"Conundrum on line one, Sir." The secretary voice said over the intercom. Bradley cast a glance at Ramsey and pressed the speakerphone button on the phone.
"Frank?"
"Hey. I'm in Texas." Parker said, shaking his head. "It's like a sauna down here. Okay, here's the story. A few days from now, a terrorist group called the Black Kings are going to bomb a college in Wisconsin. I'm supposed to pose as a counselor and blend in with the crowd. Hooter's supposed to be posing as a student. The problem is, the Black Kings aren't claiming responsibility."
"He'll be waiting for you at the Montgomery Air Base a few miles from you." Bradley said.
A small light blinked on Bradley's telephone.
"Be careful on the base, Parker. We don't need your antics messing up the military. And don't set off any bombs. " Ramsey grumbled, pointing a forefinger at the phone. Bradley cast him a glance and he retracted the finger.
"I'm on my way." Parker said.
There was a click and he hung up. Frank sighed and looked at his surroundings. There was nothing but dirt, weeds, and a road. He sighed. He cast a look back at the sphere behind him.
***
"Hooter, buddy old pal." Parker called out across the base. A few officers turned and one particularly large one looked like he was about to use Parker as target practice. Looking like a fish out of water, Andrew Owsley turned at the sound of his friend's voice and started walking across the large expanse, bag slung over his shoulder and laptop carrying case hanging on the other shoulder.
"You know how many people berated me for being out of uniform?" Andrew asked, grinning. "I thought I was going to have to pin a sign that said "NSA" to my back."
"These guys are pretty stiff, aren't they?" Parker said, looking around. "You think they ever smile?"
"Do you think they know what a smile is?" Andrew said as they passed a group of militiamen who were about the young man's age. Their eyes were unmoving as they passed by, their steps in tune to each other. "Well, professor." Andrew said. "Time to start working your magic on the youth of Americana."
"Laugh all you want." Parker said. A woman in a crisp business suit came up to them.
"Mr. Parker and Mr. Owsley?" She said, looking at them.
Frank nodded.
"Your plane is ready." She said, waving a hand towards a small white speck in the distance.
***
"Jet lag…" Hooter mumbled as he popped another peanut into his mouth.
"Sphere lag…" Frank grumbled as he sipped his beer.
"How come they don't make beds?" Hooter asked, looking around him at the empty jet. They were the only ones riding.
"I don't know." Frank said, frowning.
A cell phone rang. Neither of them made a move to answer it.
"Dude, think you're the one ringin'" Hooter said, closing his eyes. Frank looked up and fished his phone out of his jacket.
"Yeah?"
"Frank, we've received an order from the council. We're off the case." Bradley said, cutting to the chase. He sighed and anticipated the next response.
He sat up, his beer swishing in its bottle.
"What?"
"We're off the case. The plane's going to land in Wisconsin, but you're getting on a plane right back."
"Why? Who's gonna go get the guy?" Parker asked. Owsley looked at him quizzingly.
"The CIA has taken jurisdiction." He said. "We're off. The council has received a direct order from the president."
"The president? But why are they taking over?" Frank asked, a bit suspicious. He hated the governmental types.
"The official reply? 'The CIA was right.' their intelligence suggests that the terrorist group actually doesn't have anything to do with it. Rather they think that one of the rogue operatives has left the group and is acting alone."
"So because the CIA guys think they're right, they're taking us off." He said, nodding. "Right."
"So once you get there, there will be a second plane ready for your departure. I'm sorry, Frank."
Frank hung up and stared at Hooter. "We're going back to Kansas."