Chapter Eight
"Look on the bright side. If your son's really missing, Dr. Bellows and General Peterson can't blame you for him missing that party last night," said Colonel Healey.
"That's a real comfort Roger," said Colonel Nelson sarcastically.
"Maybe some good news will cheer you up. Not only is my son graduating three months early, but he's won a two month vacation to Europe."
"Doesn't help Tony Junior, any."
"Why not have genie blink him in if your so worried?"
"She tried, she can't blink in it."
"How's that?"
Jeannie appeared. "A genie can only conjure a living person. They can also retrieve a person from the past, when they were still alive. Just like when I blinked in my old friend Christopher Columbus. But it is impossible," said Jeannie with a sob, "to locate a corpse."
"Have you still no luck getting Tony," asked Colonel Nelson.
"No, Anthony."
"The police?"
"They do not know where he is."
Dr. Bellows walked in the room. "Jeannie, Colonel Nelson, Colonel Healey."
"Hello, Doctor Bellows," said Jeannie sadly.
"I'm sorry, and Amanda is too, that we were cross last night. We had no idea . . ."
"It is all right Dr. Bellows. We did not know either," said Jeannie.
"Yes," said Dr. Bellows awkwardly. "Well, here's the fuel ratio reports." He left.
"Are you sure there's no other explanation," Colonel Nelson asked Jeannie.
"None that I can think of, none that could make sense in Tony's case."
"Jeannie, there must be something.'
"I can not see there being anything else." said Jeannie.