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Fiction

When Professors James Flanagan and Thomas Nellings from Brooklyn College

Zero Point
of Natural History embark on a trip to Kentucky to inspect recently discovered artifacts
in Mammoth Cave, they expect to find typical North American remains. But from the
moment they inspect the artifacts, they know their lives have changed forever.

The first indication of anything unusual is the discovery of cuneiform hieroglyphics—


the earliest form of writing dating back 6,000 years in Mesopotamia. It’s a mystery
how writing of this kind has found its way to the United States. As Flanagan and
Nellings explore deeper into the cavern, the pair discern a unique energy form; this
Zero Point Energy could be the Holy Grail to unlimited energy which unscrupulous
people would do anything to own. But they are truly shocked when they find an alien
spacecraft ensconced deep below the earth.

Wi l l i a m J a m e s
Their routine investigation quickly turns into a high-stakes adventure that could
eliminate humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels. Flanagan and Nellings could lose
their lives or usher in a new age of peace and prosperity. But will humanity survive
long enough to make the transition?

Wi l l i a m J a m e s displays a unique ability to merge quantum


physics and archaeology into a tale of adventure. His enthusiasm for writing
stems from his love of science and innovation.

Edited by Adele Brinkley www.withpeninhand.net

$XX.XX U.S.
ZerØ Point
Power of the gods

William James

iUniverse, Inc.
New York Bloomington
ZerØ Point
Power of the gods

Copyright © 2009 by William James

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage
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may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. This is a work of fiction. All of the
characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. This book is meant for entertainment purposes only. Any
resemblance to any real company, organization or group, individuals, and or real persons, living or
dead is purely coincidental. In no event shall the author, agents, employees or anyone else who has
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ISBN: 978-0-595-52822-6 (pbk)


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ISBN: 978-0-595-62874-2 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009923365

Printed in the United States of America


iUniverse rev. date: 3/9/09
List of Characters:

Larry Johnson; Aeronautical Engineer & Astrophysicist


James Flanagan; Professor of Archaeology at the Brooklyn College of
Natural History
Patricia Flanagan; Medical Doctor
Thomas Nellings; Professor of Anthropology and Linguist at the
Brooklyn College of Natural History
Paulus Canseco; Ex-Navy Seal and man servant to Larry Johnson
Allen Duncan; CEO of Global Energy Research and Development
Robert (Bob) Hicks; Nuclear Physicist & Astrophysicist
Johnathan Wheeler; Experimental Flight Test Engineer
Nancy Lewis; Nuclear Physicist
Charlie Wilson; Particle Physicist & Electrical Engineer
Yoshio Yagi; Electrical Engineer & High Energy Physicist
Ronald Barry; Quantum Physicist
Amber Wright; Molecular Physicist & Electrical Engineer
Phillip McCoy; Doctor of Computer Science & Theoretical Physicist
Paul White; Nuclear Physicist
Gary Hurst; High Energy Physicist

Colonel William Kinsey; US Air Force intelligence officer


General Richard Sanders; US Air force - Chief of Intelligence
Colonel Russell Murray; US Air Force Security at Zero Point

v
Major David Mitchell; US Air Force Pilot
Colonel Steve Hall; US Air Force - Chief of Security at Tonopah Test
Range at Nellis
Captain Donald Shaw; US Air Force - Special Forces Commander at
Zero Point
Captain Jerry Reed; US Air Force - Special Forces Commander
Chief Master Sergeant Ronald White; nick name Whitey - Special
Forces
Corporal Roger Woods; Special Forces Medic
Staff Sergeant David Miller; Special Forces
Staff Sergeant Roberto Martinez; Special Forces
Sergeant Lewis Garcia; Special Forces
Lieutenant Evan Parker; Technical Specialist
Sergeant Bob Wright; Special Forces
Corporal Danny Hall; Special Forces
Airman First Class Adam Green; Special Forces
President Andrew Clark; President of the United States
Mark Ford; Secretary of Defense
General Mark Dewey; Air Force Chief of Staff
Admiral Sam McCartney; U.S. Navy Chief of Staff
General William Moore; U.S. Army Chief of Staff

vi
Boris Cheslav; CIA agent on assignment at the National Reconnaissance
Office
Pavlo Oleksiy; a freelance mercenary

Don Powers; Commercial pilot for Global Energy Research and


Development
Evan Kincade; Special manager for Global Energy Research and
Development
Mike Davis; Chief security officer for Global Energy Research and
Development
Henry O’Connor; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research
and Development
Nick Guthrie; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research and
Development
George Anderson; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research
and Development
Pete Wilkins; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research and
Development
Jay Thompson; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research and
Development
Rick Dunbar; Special Security officer for Global Energy Research and
Development
Denny Morgan; Maintenance Chief for Global Energy Research and
Development

vii
Gina Stewart; One of the rescued victims from the Mars Base
Lewis Green; One of the rescued victims from the Mars Base

Anunnaki Characters

Ninu; The first Anunnaki prisoner to communicate with Tom


Nellings
Akidu; Anunnaki Lord
Cronu; A rank and file Anunnaki trader
Rapier; Anunnaki ship belonging to Lord Akidu
Tumulu; A planet in the Pleiades constellation

viii
Preface

Will humanity find that ultimate source of energy to power everything


from our cell phones to our spacecraft? Will humankind explore the
galaxy in great star ships? Will we meet other intelligent beings from
distant worlds?
As a child, I grew up with Star Trek and it played an important role in
expanding my world. It spurred me to consider the possibilities and I
had to know. Were black holes real? What powered the distant quasars?
What powered the universe?
During the 1960’s I watched the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects
unfold and I saw humanity take that first step onto another world. I
remember when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and I heard
those famous words, and I knew the possibilities before us were endless.
But there was a problem. I knew that chemical rockets would never
take us to the stars.
By the time Columbia became the first space shuttle to orbit the Earth
I was aware of the hazardous realities of space travel. I saw the shuttle
for what it was, dangerous. With 535,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
and oxygen propellants strapped to its belly and two giant solid fuel
rocket boosters strapped to its sides, the shuttle was a disaster in the
making. It reminded me of a cartoon character about a wily coyote and
his Acme rockets.
I knew there was a better way and read every book and article I could
find on the future possibilities of space travel. After years of searching,
I heard of a mysterious substance called dark matter, an invisible
something that permeates the universe. With my curiosity aroused,
I soon discovered books and articles on dark energy and realized
that this dark energy was first proposed by Albert Einstein and Otto
Stern in 1913. I remembered reading an article about a theoretical
physicist, Hendrik Casimir, who in 1948 predicted the existence of an
all-encompassing Zero Point Energy force. In 1958, Casimir’s theory

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William James

became fact, when Marcus Spaarnay successfully verified the existence


of this mysterious force. Spaarnay had in fact verified the existence of
Zero Point Energy.
What is Zero Point Energy? It is the lowest state of energy in the
universe and it’s responsible for the mysterious Casimir force. It’s also
responsible for the incessant background noise in electronic circuits.
Most importantly, it’s everywhere. Travel to any dark corner in the
universe and it’s going to be there.
One day I stumbled on a book called ‘The 12th Planet’, by Zecharia
Sitchin. The 12th Planet is a summary of ancient Sumerian records that
tell of an advanced group of beings who came to Earth from a distant
planet. They were called Anunnaki, and even by today’s standards,
the Anunnaki were extremely advanced. Soon I came across another
excellent book, ‘Slave Species of god’, by Michael Tellinger. ‘Slave
Species of god’ is a detailed account of the long history of the Anunnaki
on planet Earth.
After reading these two excellent books I began putting two and
two together. I soon discovered that over four thousand years ago,
the Sumerians recorded a detailed description of all of the planets in
our solar system. Yet modern astronomers didn’t discover Pluto until
1930!
As I peered back into recent academic history, I saw a pattern in the
standard intellectual approach to the ancient Sumerian records. For
example, many intellectuals could not accept these records as fact
because they are in conflict with current theories on the origins of the
human species. Consequently, these ancient records were routinely
downgraded to myth or legend.
Undeterred, I continued to feed my curiosity and observed that the
trustees of higher learning were often wrong. After all, it was the
intellectuals who claimed the Earth was the center of the universe.
It was the intellectuals who burned Giordano Bruno at the stake for
embracing the teachings of Copernicus. And it was the intellectuals
who threatened Galileo with death for his teachings that the Earth was

x
Zerø Point

not the center of the universe. Galileo was ultimately allowed to live in
exile but only after recanting what he knew to be true.
The fact is, over the long course of history the experts have often been
wrong. The Earth is not the center of the universe and the ancient
Sumerian records correctly describe our solar system. The Sumerians
and other societies have recorded a diverse account of our ancient past
and yet almost all agree on a central theme. That in times long past,
the Earth was visited and once ruled by a race of intelligent beings that
descended from the heavens in great flying machines, radiant as the
sun.
The Sumerians of Mesopotamia called these beings, Anunnaki; the Bible
refers to them as the Anakim, Anak, ‘Nefilim’ (nephilum). Nefilim in
Hebrew means ‘giants’ or ‘those who have come down from heaven’.
They were known by many names, and they played an important role
in forming our modern civilization.
Throughout our history, most intellectuals have insisted that these
beings are mythical but how many times have the leaders of intellect
been wrong? Even modern science has a hard time discerning the true
makeup of our own solar system. Every time a probe is sent to scan a
distant planet the intellectuals have been stunned to discover that their
theories or assumptions about the planet were more often than not,
wrong.
I wrote this book because I had to. Zero Point – Power of the gods, is
an adventure novel, based on real discoveries in many fields of science
and the ancient records of civilizations long past. It is my hope to stir
the reader’s imagination to consider the possibilities of this fantastic
energy source. Who knows, one day we may tap into that unlimited
Zero Point Energy. If that happens, we will surely explore the galaxy in
great star ships.

xi
Chapter 1

Professor James Flanagan and his wife Patricia entered the lecture
hall at the Brooklyn College of Natural History where the sometimes
controversial Doctor Timothy Gear was scheduled to speak. The topic
for this evening was Ancient Alien Astronauts and Their Influence on
Human History. Though he was not thrilled with the subject, Professor
Flanagan had reluctantly agreed to accompany his wife and promised
to keep an open mind.
Jim Flanagan was a Professor of Archeology at the Brooklyn
College of Natural History. He was a six-foot tall, forty-one year old,
who was quite comfortable with his intellectual lifestyle. He jogged
three times a week and tried to watch his calories. Set in his ways,
he disdained outside interference into his narrow academic world. As
an archaeologist, his work had taken him around the globe. During
his journeys, he had often heard stories of ancient gods from outer
space, but he has always dismissed such tales as just that, stories and
legend. Nevertheless, in recent years, Jim had recognized a pattern of
similarities in many of these myths. No matter what continent he has
visited, the reports of ancient astronauts were always present, but as
a man of science, he could not give them credence. After all, he had
worked hard to gain his teaching position, and he was not about to
throw it away on some off the wall belief in ancient legends.
Jim paused to look around the auditorium, hoping none of his
colleagues had decided to attend this evening’s lecture. “Whew, looks
like I’m in the clear.”
Pat shot Jim an angry look. “Would you stop your complaining?
We’re here, and we’re going to enjoy ourselves, so put your ego to bed
and find us a good seat.”
Realizing he had stuck his foot in his mouth, Jim nodded and
scanned the auditorium for two empty seats, preferably near the rear
exit.
“Come on, Jim. This isn’t going to hurt.”

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William James

At age forty, Patricia Flanagan was a medical doctor with a lucrative


private practice, but her recent pursuits in archeology has set her life on
a new path. She had traveled with Jim on several of his archaeological
adventures and has fallen head over heels in love with the distant past,
so much so, that for the last three years, she had been actively pursuing
a second degree in archeology.
Jim led Pat toward two empty seats near an exit in an upper
corner of the auditorium. “I can’t believe I’m actually going to attend a
seminar on alien astronauts. I’m a Professor of Archeology, and I teach
at this college,” he groused. “Believe me; I’m only doing this for you.”
“I know you are, but you should recognize that I’m truly interested
in Doctor Gear’s work. I’ve read his book on Ancient Origins, and I
find much of what he’s written to be very interesting. So, I propose that
we listen to what the man has to say before passing judgment.”
“Ok, but you owe me.” Jim paused near the two empty seats.
“Ladies, first.”
The auditorium was nearly full when Doctor Gear took the
podium.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Doctor Timothy Gear,
and I would like to thank each of you for attending this conference.
Much of what I’m going to present to you this evening will fly in
the face of current teachings of evolution, archeology, and religion.
However, if you keep an open mind, I believe you can leave here with
an enlightened point of view concerning the origins of the ancient
world.”
Doctor Gear began his lecture with references to ancient cuneiform
writings concerning the mythical gods of early human history. As the
evening wore on, he quoted from many ancient texts and referred to
a host of legendary facts. Much of the text that he quoted was from
ancient Sumerian clay tablets. He claimed that some 250,000 years
ago, astronauts from another planet came to Earth and set themselves
up as gods and enslaved much of humanity. He presented a host of
photos depicting ancient temples and carvings of alleged spacecraft,
but Jim was unimpressed.

2
Zerø Point

During the intermission, Jim made a vain attempt at diplomacy


while voicing his skepticism, but Pat gave him one of those looks that
quickly shut him up.
“Would you please keep an open mind? Isn’t that what a scientist
is supposed to do?” she asked, none to kindly.
Jim realized his haughty attitude was about to ruin the evening
for Pat. He sheepishly bowed his head. “I’m sorry. I mean it. I promise,
I won’t say another foolish word. Actually, I’m going to consider this a
learning experience… Honest.”
Pat took Jim by his right arm and gently squeezed. “I’m not saying
for you not to talk. You don’t even have to agree, but don’t ruin this
for me.”
Jim let out a long sigh and nodded in agreement. “You’re right.
I’m sorry, and I promise, I’ll be good.”
Pat gave him a gentle hug, and they moved toward the hallway for
free coffee and doughnuts. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Jim decided to put his own insecurities aside and enjoy this time
together. After all, this evening was important to Pat, and he would pay
dearly if she felt that he sabotaged their outing.
“Not to change the subject, but the trip to Mammoth Cave has
been confirmed. I tried to get it postponed but no dice. Tom and I
will have to fly out there in the morning. We’re going to have to be at
the airport around 5:30 a.m., and wouldn’t you know it, there’s a low-
pressure system coming in. You know how I hate to fly in bad weather.
I may be instrument rated, but heavy weather is not for me. I figure
we need to take off no later than 6:00 a.m. if we want to avoid any of
the nasty stuff. That means you’ll have to get up around 4:30 to drive
me to the airport. Tom says he’ll swing by the University to pick up the
equipment and meet us at the airport.”
“Oh, Jim, you know how I like to sleep in on the weekends.
Couldn’t you drive yourself to the airport?”
They stopped at a table laden with snacks. Jim grabbed a cream
doughnut and said, “I would, but we may be at the site for two weeks,
and I don’t want to leave the Buick at the airport for that length of
time.”

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William James

Pat stiffened her stance and gave him the look again. “I thought
you were only going to be gone for the weekend.”
“So did I, but now I’m told a new cavern was discovered and there
are a lot of artifacts to be inspected. I hear there could be some new
evidence that the Paleo-Indians may have used sophisticated hand tools
more than 12,000 years ago. As a result, the University is insisting on a
thorough investigation for the National Park Service, and I need to be
sure we do a good job. This could be a real boost for my career.”
“It just seems to me that you could have done a better job with
the planning. I mean, why can’t Tom pick you up in the morning?”
Jim received a small reprieve as the crowd began returning to the
auditorium. He chose to ignore Pat’s question and grabbed a small
coffee. “We’d better get back to the auditorium.”
Jim and Pat returned to their seats, and moments later, Doctor
Gear returned to the podium.
Doctor Gear wasted no time and immediately went into a slide
presentation, displaying several photos of an Egyptian temple wall
in Abydos. This particular temple wall contained ancient carvings,
depicting several different types of flying machines. One of the carvings
was an obvious image of a helicopter. Doctor Gear insisted that
these carvings represent real aircraft, not some mythical or religious
mystery.
The photo of the helicopter carving caught Jim’s attention, and
he glanced at Pat to comment, but noticed that she was fully engrossed
in the presentation. Perhaps it would be better to allow her to enjoy
the moment.
When the conference ended, a small crowd quickly formed
around Doctor Gear, but Jim glanced at his watch. “I know you’d like
to stay, but I do have an early flight in the morning.”
To his surprise, Pat seemed content. “You’re right. We’d better
go.”
The drive home was quiet, and Jim looked forward to crawling
into bed as soon as they arrived home. Pat’s thoughts, however,
remained with the lecture.
As Jim steered the Buick into their driveway, Pat broke the silence,
“Well, what did you think of Doctor Gear’s lecture?”

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Zerø Point

Jim paused to turn off the engine, “Honestly? I thought his


lecture was very thorough, and I must admit, the Egyptian carvings
at Abydos were out of the ordinary. His translation of the Sumerian
tablets offered a refreshing point of view, but I would like to reserve
some doubt before I completely convert.”
Pat laughed aloud. “That’s about as much as I could hope for.”
Jim exited the Buick and walked around to open the passenger
side door. As he opened the door, Pat looked up at him and that old
feeling of intimacy came rushing in, and she was content.
Jim yawned as he entered the house. “We’d better go straight to
bed. I just realized I haven’t made a flight plan for tomorrow’s trip.”
A half an hour later as they lay in the bed, Pat reached in the
darkness and took Jim by the hand. “I know you need to do a good job
for the University, but please come home as soon as you’re finished. I’m
lost when you’re not here, and I get lonely.”
Jim kissed her softly on the cheek. “I promise. I’ll be home as
soon as I can.”

5
Chapter 2

The twin engine Cessna droned high over the Kentucky landscape as
Jim nudged Tom for the third time.
Tom raised an eyebrow and then yawned as he struggled to clear
his head. “Oh, man, I had a good nap. Too bad you had to wake me.”
“Your snoring was drowning out the engine noise,” Jim teased.
“How far is it to Brownsville?”
“We’re just about there.”
Jim switched the aircraft transceiver to the Owensboro Daviess
tower frequency and within minutes, he canceled their flight plan and
set the autopilot at 6,500 feet. The Cessna angled over and began a
gentle descent. “We’ll be landing in 30 minutes or so.”
Tom scanned the quilted landscape below. “Hope your friend has
a nice smooth runway.”
“Actually, it’s a grass strip.”
“A grass strip? I hope we’re not going to land on someone’s front
lawn.”
“Don’t worry. Larry takes good care of his field. By the way, I
phoned him while you slept. He’s invited us to stay for supper, but I
told him we’d best check in with the park services before we made any
promises. Once that’s out of the way, we can play it by ear, though
supper with Larry does sound good.”
Tom grinned. “Like I always say, never pass up a free meal. Besides,
I would like to get to know this guy.”
Jim leaned forward and pointed to a small strip of grass, “Here
we are. That’s Larry’s place, just ahead.”
Tom stretched his neck to peer through the windscreen, “We’re
going to land on that tiny speck of grass?”
Jim chuckled as he began pushing buttons and throwing switches
in preparation for landing.

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William James

Larry Johnson had just parked his lawn tractor along side of his
barn, when he heard the engines of a light aircraft. Out of habit, he
looked skyward and spotted a Skymaster on its final approach to his
grass runway.
At six foot one, Larry weighed in at one hundred and ninety five
pounds. He’s never been married and had recently accomplished a life
long goal, to retire at an early age. Nevertheless, at age forty-eight, he
had come to realize that early retirement was a big mistake.
A smile formed on Larry’s face as he headed for his pickup truck.
It would be good to see his old friend.
The Cessna bounced when it touched down, and Tom breathed a
sigh of relief. “Ah, good old terra firma, it’s good to be back.”
Jim pulled the Skymaster alongside of Larry’s Cessna 172 and
shut the engines down. “It’s 11:30. We’ve made good time.”
The two men climbed out of the Skymaster and stretched their
legs. Jim glanced towards the barn and spotted a pickup truck moving
across the open field. “Here comes Larry.”
Tom glanced at the truck. “I hope he has a bathroom. I’m
floating,”
Jim chuckled. “I’m sure he does. Larry was never one to be without
the amenities.”
The truck slid to a halt, and Larry climbed out with open arms
as he walked towards Jim. “Oh boy, it’s good to see you! I’ve been
counting the hours since you phoned.” Larry grabbed Jim and gave
him a big bear hug.
He released Jim and reached for Tom, but Tom was quick to step
back. “Please, don’t squeeze me. I could really use a bathroom.”
Jim and Larry glanced at each other and then broke into a long
chorus of laughter. Jim was in tears when he finally recovered enough
to make the introductions. “Larry, this is my good friend and colleague,
Tom Nellings. He’s a professor of anthropology, but don’t let that fool
you. He’s a regular guy.”
Larry gave Tom a firm handshake. “If you’re a friend of Jim, you’re
a friend of mine. Welcome to my home.” Larry gestured towards his
truck. “Come on, let’s get this guy some relief. We’ll run over to the
house, and you two can freshen up.”

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Zerø Point

Tom shot Jim a triumphant look of approval. “I think I’m going


to like this guy.”
When they arrived at the farmhouse, Larry was quick to introduce
his guests to his long time friend and manservant, Paulus Canseco.
The old farmhouse was well kept and quite spacious. Larry had
spared no expense in remodeling the place and enjoyed showing it off.
After a brief tour of the house, Larry invited his guests onto the sun
porch where Jim slumped into an over stuffed recliner.
“Would you gentlemen like to relax while I prepare some lunch?”
asked Paulus.
“Oh, don’t put yourself out on our account,” said Jim. “We had
some sandwiches on the plane.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
“That sounds good,” said Tom.
Paulus scurried off to the kitchen, and the three men settled down
for some friendly conversation.
Enjoying the recliner, Jim closed his eyes, stretched out his arms,
and then placed both hands behind his head.
“So, Jim, what brings you two to Kentucky?” Larry asked.
“Our journey started when the University got a phone call
from the National Park Service. They said that one of their rangers
had discovered a new cavern in the Mammoth Cave while searching
for a missing tourist. Apparently, a large rock had covered the cavern
entrance, so they never knew the cavern existed. They speculated that a
recent earth tremor must have jarred the rock loose. I don’t have all the
details, but there’s supposed to be some artifacts that need inspecting.
So here we are.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. Listen, it’s only a ten minute drive to
the Mammoth Cave. I’d be delighted if you two would stay on at my
place. A hotel would only interfere with our chance to reminisce.”
Jim glanced at Tom and shrugged. “We’re planning on just the
weekend, but we may be here for a week or two. I really wouldn’t want
to impose.”
Larry laughed aloud. “Impose, are you kidding? I could use some
company. I’d be happy to have you stay on.”

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William James

“Are you sure we wouldn’t be putting you out?” Jim asked, wanting
to be sure that his friend was okay with an extended stay.
Paulus entered the room with a pitcher of lemonade and three
large frosted glasses that he carefully placed on the coffee table. “Here
you go, gentlemen, and there’s plenty more. Relax and enjoy yourselves.
I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
Larry sat on a large sofa and poured a glass of lemonade. “Thank
you, Paulus,” he said.
“Yeah, thanks a lot,” said Tom.
Paulus smiled. “You’re very welcome.” As he turned to leave, he
paused and looked to Jim. “Perhaps the two of you can breathe some
excitement into Larry. He’s been kind of down since his retirement.”
Paulus returned to the kitchen, and the sunroom grew uncomfortably
quiet.
Jim broke the silence. “Is retirement not agreeing with you?”
“You’ll have to forgive Paulus. He’s just looking out for my welfare.
It’s not that I don’t like retirement; it’s just that I feel lost. I mean, I
used to get up at five a.m., and by six, I was out the door and ready for
another day of discovery, but now I’m just plain bored. I’m seriously
considering going back to work. I have a lot of contacts in the aerospace
industry, and I’m sure I can find something that interests me.”
Jim glanced at Tom and asked, “What do you think?”
Tom rubbed his chin. “Hmm, I don’t know. He might like it.”
“I might like what?” Larry couldn’t stand the suspense.
“You’re welcome to tag along with us,” said Jim. “It’s not rocket
science, but our work can be interesting. We never know what we
are going to find on these outings, and who knows, you might enjoy
working with us on this project.”
Larry paused to consider Jim’s offer. “You know, maybe you’ve got
something there. It sounds like fun. Give me a day or so to settle some
business in Brownsville, and I’ll be happy to join your quest.”
Tom held his glass up high. “Then it’s settled. Just wear some old
clothes because we tend to get a little soiled when we’re in the field.”

10
Chapter 3

Jim swung his feet over the side of the twin bed and sat motionless
as he struggled to clear his thoughts. The old wooden floor was cold,
and Jim couldn’t remember if he had packed his slippers. What was
that annoying sound? He squinted through blurry eyes and spotted the
culprit sitting on the nightstand. An obnoxious little alarm clock was
taunting him with its blaring noise. He reached across and fumbled
with the little demon until he found the off button.
“Ugh, I hate those things.”
His brain cells began working their magic, and he remembered
why he had set that alarm clock for 6:00 a.m. He spotted Tom, lying
fast asleep in the adjacent twin bed and felt a touch of envy, knowing
that Tom had slept through the alarm’s insufferable assault.
“Tom, wake up!”
Tom opened his eyes ever so slightly. “Oh, leave me alone.”
“Come on, buddy. It’s time to go to work.”
“Wake me after you shower.”
The hot shower did wonders for Jim’s disposition, but it was the
smell of freshly perked coffee and fried bacon, that motivated him to
hurry. As he stepped out of the shower, he called to Tom, “Come on,
boy, it’s your turn.”
Jim hurriedly dried himself and fumbled through his suitcase for
some clean underwear. By now, he was wide-awake and moved quickly
to get himself dressed. As he exited from the bedroom, he could hear
the shower running and called over his shoulder, “I’ll see you down
stairs!”
The hot water was all but gone, and Tom was moving as fast as he
could to escape the icy cold shower. “I’ll be right there!”
Jim entered the kitchen where Paulus was frying some eggs.
“Good morning, Paulus. Boy that smells inviting.”
“Good morning, sir. I hope you’re hungry.”

11
William James

Jim grabbed a clean cup and poured himself a hot coffee. “I’m
starving, but what I really need is caffeine. It was well past my bedtime
when we climbed into the bed last evening.”
Paulus chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, when Larry left about a
half hour ago, I noticed he was moving a little slower than usual.”
“Oh, sorry I missed him.”
Paulus glanced at Jim and smiled. “I’m delighted you and Tom
have decided to stay on. Larry could use some diversion. His retirement
is not… how should I say this?”
“I know what you’re trying to say, but he’ll be fine. He just needs
some new direction.”
“Yes he does. That man has spent most of his life in cutting edge
design and research, and now he’s beginning to realize just how much
his work meant to him.”
“Well, he’s never been married, so I guess his work was
everything.”
Tom shuffled into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Why? Why did we stay up so late last night? I believe it was around
2:00 a.m., when we finally got to bed.”
Jim nodded. “We’re old enough to know better, but we sometimes
lack the wisdom. It’s a good thing we loaded the equipment into the
van last night. I don’t think we’re up to doing any heavy lifting this
morning.”
Tom plopped himself into a chair at the breakfast table and took a
sip of coffee. As he savored the flavor, a ghastly thought suddenly came
to mind. “Oh man, oh man,” he groaned.
Jim looked across the table. “What?”
“How far into the caves will we have to lug our equipment? Please
tell me it won’t be far. Lie to me if you want to.”
Jim shrugged. “One can only hope.”
Paulus set a large plate of bacon, eggs, and rye toast in the center
of the table. “Dig in, gentlemen. It sounds like you’re going to need
your strength.”
Tom and Jim ate heartily. When they finished, they thanked
Paulus for the breakfast, headed out the back door, and climbed into
the borrowed government van.

12
Zerø Point

As Jim steered the van into the parking lot at Mammoth Cave, he
spotted a young ranger exiting the park office. Jim pulled into a nearby
parking space and called out, “Officer, I wonder if you could help us.”
The ranger walked over to the driver’s side of the van. “I thought
I recognized this vehicle. You must be the two professors from
Brooklyn.”
“Yes, I’m Professor Flanagan and this is Professor Nellings
and…”
“I’m Bill Roberts. Just call me Bill. I know exactly why you’re
here, and I’d be happy to show you around.”
Jim smiled. “Thank you Bill. Tell me, how close can we get this
van to the excavation site?”
Bill thought for a moment. “It’s only a hundred yards from the
parking area to the cave entrance, but once inside the cave, I’d say it’s
nearly a mile to where we discovered the artifacts.”
Tom let go with a loud groan. “Oh, I knew it! I just knew it!”
Bill gave Tom a quizzical look.
“Don’t mind him,” said Jim. “We had a very late evening, and
we’re not looking forward to lugging all of this equipment.”
Bill chuckled. “It’s no problem. I understand. I’ve had one or two
nights of regret along the way. If you’ll wait here a moment, I’ll get
my duty cart, and you can follow me. I’ll show you where to park the
van.”
Jim waved cheerfully as the officer walked away, but Tom was still
concerned about lugging the equipment. “Do you know how heavy all
of this stuff is?”
“Come on, Tom. It won’t be too bad, and besides, we can probably
get the ranger to help us carry some of the gear.”
Tom grinned. “Now that’s what I like about you, always
thinking.”
A small, propane powered cart appeared along side of the van.
“Follow me, sir,” called Bill. The little cart accelerated, and Jim followed
with the van. Within a few minutes, they arrived at a large parking area
where the ranger slowed to a stop. He dismounted the cart and walked

13
William James

to the van. “This is it. You can leave your vehicle right there. We’ll have
to walk the rest of the way, but the cave entrance isn’t too far.”
Tom leaned forward. “I hate to ask you, but would you mind
giving us a hand with our gear?”
“No problem. In fact my supervisor is on his way to assist.”
Within moments, a second cart pulled alongside of the van, and
two burly rangers climbed out. The older of the two, a man in his
forties, approached Jim and said, “Gentlemen, we’re here to help you
with your equipment.”
Tom smiled. “Bless you, officer. We really appreciate the offer.”
Tom opened the side door to the van and began passing the gear to
Jim.
Jim sorted the gear by type as he laid each item on the asphalt.
When all of the gear was unloaded, Tom locked the van and began
a mental inventory of the equipment.
Jim grabbed one of the tripod mounted work lamps and a heavy
sack of battery packs. “Oh jeez,” he murmured, “I’m getting too old
for this.” He struggled to sling the sack of batteries over his shoulder.
“If we grab what we can carry, we might get all of this stuff moved on
one trip.”
Each man picked up a few pieces of equipment, and the small
group began walking in single file. Within a few minutes, they reached
the entrance to Mammoth Cave. The lead ranger stopped and looked
back. “Here we go, gentlemen. Everyone check your flashlights.”
Fifteen minutes later, the combined effects of terrain and heavy
equipment were taking a toll on the men, and they stopped to take a
needed rest. Tom was breathing heavy as he set his gear on the ground
and took a seat next to it. He pulled a bottle of water from his pack
and glanced at Bill. “Are we there yet?” he asked as he tried to start
breathing normally again.
“We’re a little over halfway there.”
Tom took a big gulp from his water bottle. “Whew, that’s good
to hear.”
They rested a few minutes, and then the lead ranger stood and
called out, “Ok, let’s go.” Each man grabbed his gear, and the small
group continued to advance deeper into the caverns. Before long, they

14
Zerø Point

ventured off the well lit tourist path. As he looked around, Tom noticed
small red dots, knee high and about the size of a half-dollar, painted on
the cave walls. He wondered what they were for, but he was too tired
to ask.
The men moved on for nearly ten minutes before Bill suddenly
called out, “This is it!” He shined his light into an opening that branched
off to the right. The opening was marked with wide yellow tape and
stamped with the word DANGER in large black letters every few feet.
Bill turned to face Jim. “We believe this side cavern appeared after
a minor quake we experienced last year.” He pointed his light toward
a large rock that lay in front of the opening, “This rock was apparently
covering the entrance, but the quake must have jarred it loose. No one
ever comes back this way, so we never knew it existed until recently”.
There are plenty of relics in there, including a large stone with some
weird markings.”
Jim shined his spotlight into the tunnel and was amazed to see a
multitude of artifacts scattered across the cavern floor. He swung his
light back and forth until he saw a large rectangular stone covered with
hieroglyphs. The stone appeared to be more than eight feet tall. “Wow,
this is really something.”
Officer Roberts nodded. “That’s why we called you folks. We’ve
never seen anything like it, but don’t worry, no one has disturbed
anything.”
“Let’s drop the equipment here,” said Jim.
As the rangers prepared to return to the surface, they explained
the only way to the surface was to follow the red painted marks back to
the main tunnel. Jim and Tom thanked the rangers for their help, but
as the rangers turned to leave, Officer Roberts stopped and turned to
Jim. “We seldom come this way, so you’ll be on your own down here.”
As he turned to leave, he called back over his shoulder, “Be careful!”
Within a few short minutes, the rangers were gone.
Tom looked on as darkness swallowed the last trace of light from
the rangers’ flashlights. “Have you ever noticed how dark it really is in
these deep caves?”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it,” Jim replied.

15
William James

Jim grabbed a portable work light. “Let’s get started and see what
we have here.”
“At least, there is standing room.”
The two men proceeded cautiously into the tunnel. Not wanting
to destroy an artifact by rushing forward, they carefully surveyed the
cavern floor and picked out a good area to set up the work lights.
Within a few minutes, light flooded the cavern.They stood next to the
work lamps and slowly scanned the walls, floor and ceiling. “What do
you think?” asked Tom.
“I think we’ve got our work cut out for us,” was Jim’s reply.

16
Chapter 4

The work lights provided a much better view of the cavern, allowing
Jim to estimate the ceiling to be 15 to 18 feet in height. It looked to
be about the scale of a basketball court. There were many hand tools
and wedged shaped stone blocks scattered near the entrance, giving the
impression that someone had tossed the tools into the cavern at the last
minute before the entrance was sealed. An assortment of hand tools,
pottery and clay tablets lay strewn about the cavern floor, but what
really captured their attention was the large rectangular block of stone
on the back wall. Taking extra care not to disturb the artifacts, they
cautiously approached the monolith. When they got to within a few
feet of the ancient stone, they stood in silent awe.
“No way,” whispered Jim.
“This is cuneiform writing.”
“It can’t be.”
Tom moved a little closer to the monolith and pulled a small
soft brush from his belt. Ever so gently, he carefully brushed the dust
from the upper portion of the monolith, and then stepped back to
stare in silence. Several minutes passed while Tom attempted to
decipher the glyphs. When he was satisfied, he turned to Jim. “I believe
it says something about Lord Enki and a Chamber of Fate. There’s
also something about a Tablet of Destiny and Lord Marduk’s celestial
chariot. I’ll know more when we get it cleaned up, but for now, the
question is how did it get here?”
Jim stared at the monolith. “The only glyph I recognize is Lord
Enki. I remember seeing it on a Sumerian tablet at the Cairo Museum.
But how did a stone with Mesopotamian hieroglyphs end up in a cave
in North America?”
The two men stood in stillness as they pondered the possibilities,
and ramifications of such a discovery. Cuneiform hieroglyphs are the
earliest known form of human writing, dating back over six thousand
years. Cuneiform originated in Mesopotamia, but there was no way

17
William James

to explain how that form of writing ended up on the other side of the
planet.
On one hand, the discovery, if true, would not only upset current
scientific teachings, but also there would be religious repercussions. On
the other hand, it could be one of the greatest archeological discoveries
in recent history.
Jim gazed at the assortment of tools and tablets on the cavern
floor. “We need to evaluate and catalog the rest of these items. Some of
them may give us a clue as to what occurred here.”
“You’re right. You decide where to start while I’ll get our gear.”
Tom stepped out of the cavern and returned a few moments later with
a large bag of equipment. “Well, where do you want to start?”
Jim seemed startled by the question. “Oh, yes. Let’s start at the
cavern entrance and work our way in.”
Tom agreed. “That works for me. I’ll start probing. Would you
mind doing the paper work?”
Jim found it difficult to focus on the job at hand; his thoughts
kept returning to the cuneiform text. “Go ahead, I’ll follow.”
The two men went to work, locating, identifying, photographing,
and cataloging each item. It was slow and tedious work, but it came
with the field of archeology. Numerous drawings and hieroglyphs
covered the cavern walls. Tom paused to inspect one of the carvings,
and after a few minutes of study, he realized that the carving was an
account of Lord Enki’s journey to earth.
“Jim, these glyphs tell the story of Lord Enki and some of his
hardships while traveling to earth. I’ve seen a similar account of this on
a six-thousand-year old Sumerian tablet.
Jim moved to Tom’s side and gazed upon the glyphs. “What does
it say?
“It says that Enki was on his way to the seventh planet, Earth, but
running low on water, he was forced to land on the sixth planet to take
on fresh water. I should point out, that the name of the sixth planet is
Lahmu. If you’re approaching Earth from the outer solar system, Mars
would be the sixth planet.”
Tom paused a few moments to study the glyphs. “Ok, it says
that Lahmu had an abundance of water, but the atmosphere was not

18
Zerø Point

good for breathing, and then it goes on to say that Enki left the planet
Lahmu, but he ran into the Hammered Bracelet. He had to use some
of the water that he had taken from Lahmu to push the large rocks in
the Hammered Bracelet out of his path.”
Tom bit his lower lip and stared at Jim. “I remember reading
about this in one of Zecharia Sitchin’s books.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but we’ve got to ask ourselves, how did this story get here?
Not only that, but if it’s just an ancient story, how did the ancients
know about the thin atmosphere on Mars? We now know that Mars
was once abundant with water, but these ancient glyphs describe the
water and the polar caps of Mars. How could the ancients have possibly
known about the water and polar caps on Mars?”
Jim slowly shook his head. “I don’t have the answers to any of
those questions, and I have no idea how or why these glyphs are here
in North America. This whole site is a mystery. It’s going to take years
to figure this one out.”
Tom laughed aloud. “You said it, brother.”
Jim was excited with the discovery of the stone monolith.
Cuneiform glyphs had originated in Mesopotamia, and finding them
in North America flew against all that anyone knew about the ancient
world. The Mesopotamians were not a seafaring civilization, yet here
was the proof that at some point in days of old, they had indeed
journeyed to North America. This discovery would cause a real stir
and force many to take a closer look at traditional teachings of ancient
Mesopotamia.
Jim’s excitement was tempered with a fear that he and Tom were
about to be thrown into the tumultuous world of scientific skepticism.
There were many pet theories out there, and this discovery was going to
upset more than a few of them. He feared that he and Tom were about
to be run over by an archaeological stampede, which in the end, could
be very beneficial to their careers, and at the same time, it could also
end their careers. He had seen other discoveries, which upset the long
established concepts of human origins, and more often than not, the
one responsible for upsetting the cart was often branded a charlatan or
blacklisted by elitist educators.

19
William James

Jim placed his notebook on the ground and looked to Tom.


“Have you given any thought to how this discovery is going to change
our lives? I mean, it can be good for our careers, but it’s certainly going
to turn our lives upside down. I’ve never given much thought nor had
any desire to be famous.”
Tom nodded. “I know what you’re saying.”
“Don’t get me wrong. Fame can be a good thing, but it can bring
a lot of unwanted pain into our lives, and in this case, it could make or
break our careers.”
The hours passed into late afternoon. Tom was quietly cataloging
one of the hand tools when Jim suddenly spoke up. “I’m beat. What
do you say we call it a day?”
“Okay, my knees are killing me. I could use a break.”
As they prepared to return to the surface, Tom took his flashlight
and approached the monolith. He softly brushed the remaining dust
from the hieroglyphs and studied the message.
Jim grabbed his portable spot light and joined Tom. “I’m not sure
how I’m going to present this to the University. It’s going to make a big
splash and like it or not, we’re going to be famous.”
Tom nodded. “I know, but you have a point. Fame is often a two
edged sword.”
“Maybe we should wait a couple of days before releasing our
findings.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m in no hurry to put my career under a
microscope.”
As they considered their options and contemplated the
implications of their discovery, Tom felt a cool draft of air blowing
across his right forearm.
“That’s funny.”
“What?”
Tom placed his right hand along the side of the monolith in an
attempt to find the source of the airflow. “Hey. buddy, there’s a draft
here, and it’s coming from behind the monolith!”
Jim reached out and felt a slight breeze. It wasn’t much, but there
was definitely an airflow coming from behind the monolith. “Hmm,
there’s no way we can move this by ourselves. It must weigh a couple of

20
Zerø Point

tons. We can purchase some pry bars at the local hardware store. If we
wrap them with some soft material, say duct tape, we may be able to
nudge the monolith enough to see what’s behind it.”
Tom’s heart was pounding. “Let’s do it. For all we know there may
be another hidden cavern.”
“That’s what I’m thinking.”
They carefully backed away from the monolith and exited the
cavern. Finding their way to the surface was easy going since they only
had to carry their lights and the rechargeable batteries. Twenty minutes
later, they could see sunshine streaming into the darkness. It was a
welcome sight after hours deep in the cave.

Larry was sitting on his front porch when he spotted the


government van moving up the driveway. Tom parked the van, and he
and Jim quickly exited and headed for the front porch.
Larry stood to greet his guests. “I see you made it. Come on up
here and take a seat. Would you like some iced tea?”
As they settled in around the patio table, Larry asked, “How did
it go? Did you find anything worthwhile?”
Tom and Jim looked at each other and then broke into laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
Jim composed himself and looked to Larry. “Sorry, were not
laughing at you. It’s just that we’ve made a very, and I mean a very,
significant discovery. We think this discovery will cause quite a stir
among our colleges. We found a stone monolith with some hieroglyphs.
That in itself is not so unusual, but these glyphs have never surfaced in
this hemisphere.”
“So what does that mean?” Larry asked.
Tom interjected, “What Jim is saying, is these hieroglyphs are
only found in Mesopotamia.”
Larry leaned back into his chair and smiled. “Looks like you two
are going to be famous.”
Jim rolled his eyes and chuckled wryly. “We’ve been thinking the
same thing.”

21
Chapter 5

The alluring aroma of hot coffee and fried bacon filled the old farmhouse
when Larry entered the kitchen and sniffed the air. “Good morning,
Paulus.”
“Good morning, sir.”
“Man that smells good.” Larry poured himself a coffee and then
turned to Paulus, “I appreciate your efforts to make our guests feel
welcome.”
“Thank you, sir. It’s my pleasure to…” Their conversation cut
short as Jim and Tom entered the kitchen.
“Good morning,” said Jim.
Tom whiffed the air. “Mmm.”
“Gentlemen, come sit down,” said Larry.
As they settled in around the kitchen table, Tom looked to Larry.
“Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a couple of pry bars, would you?”
“Yes, in fact, I have several. You’re certainly welcome to use
them.”
“Great,” said Tom. “We are thinking of moving that big stone
monolith. We suspect there is another cavern behind it, but we want to
be careful not to damage the stone. A pry bar wrapped with duct tape
would allow us to move the stone without damage.”
A big smile crossed Larry’s face. “I am the king of duct tape.”
Tom grinned. “Never fear, Larry’s here.”
The men broke into laughter. Even Paulus joined the merriment,
and a feeling of camaraderie filled their hearts with cheer. As the
amusement slowly subsided, the conversation turned to the day’s
schedule. Moving the monolith would be their number one priority.
Nevertheless, Jim was concerned with preserving the site, and it was
agreed to keep things quiet until they had thoroughly investigated
the artifacts. The last thing they needed was a bunch of curious
scientists trudging around the site before they completed their own
investigation.

23
William James

The sun was just above the trees as the van pulled into the parking
lot at Mammoth Cave. After Jim parked as close as he could to the
walkway, He and Tom exited the vehicle. Tom pulled the water and
equipment out of the van, and they divided the provisions between
them.
As they walked towards cave entrance, Tom suddenly chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” asked Jim?”
“Maybe we should invest in a mule,” Tom suggested.
Jim concurred. “Sounds like a good idea. I’m not up to carrying
all of this stuff.”
They trudged on into the cavern and didn’t stop until they arrived
at the entrance to the newly discovered site. Jim paused to shine his
light back and forth between the cavern entrance and the large stone
that had once covered the entrance. He studied the scene for a few
minutes. “It looks like this stone was cut to fit into the cavern entrance
in a deliberate effort to hide the cavern. Do you see what I mean?” he
asked.
“I think you’re right.”
Jim led the way into the cavern where he plugged the batteries
into the work lights and flooded the area with white light. Then he
set up a work light directly in front of the monolith. For several long
minutes, the two men stood in silence and gazed upon the ancient
stone and its hieroglyphs.
“What do you think?” asked Tom.
Jim shrugged. “I don’t know what to think. Can you translate
it?”
“I would need several hours to study it, but the message seems
to be centered on the Anunnaki gods Enlil, Enki and Marduk and
a great war between the gods. Now that I think about it, the ancient
Sumerians wrote of a war between the gods. I believe it was Enlil’s son,
Marduk, who in 2024 BC incited a war where nuclear weapons were
eventually used to obliterate a spaceport in the Sinai Peninsula.”
“Tom, you’ve got to quit taking those legends to heart.”

24
Zerø Point

“Ok, how do you explain this monolith? Is it an abstract, or is it


really here?”
“You know what I mean. You just can’t take those writings at face
value. There has to be an explanation other than gods or aliens from
outer space.”
Tom glared. “I thought you said that you were going to keep an
open mind.”
“I do have an open mind, but I need facts. All that we have are
some glyphs and a few carvings. To me, it’s still open for debate.”
Tom nodded in agreement. “I know where you’re coming from.”
Jim spotted a bird-like carving just above the monolith. “What’s
the meaning of the bird symbol?”
“It was probably put there to symbolize the gods who came down
from heaven.”
“Hmm, nothing we see here makes any sense. The style of these
artifacts says they’re Sumerian, which again one must ask, what are they
doing here?”
Tom picked up a pry bar and wrapped the end with duct tape.
“Lets see if we can move the stone just enough to take a peek.” He
began examining the edges around the monolith, but there was no
place to insert the pry bar. Finally he said, “The mounting of the stone
is practically seamless. The pry bar is useless.”
“I wish we had known that before we carried those two bars all
the way down here.”
“Sorry,” Tom apologized.
Jim stepped closer to the stone. “Let me see.” He began to
slide his hand slowly around the outer edge of the monolith. Almost
immediately, he felt the gentle flow of cool air streaming from behind
the stone. He stepped back and looked quizzically at Tom, “Let me see
your flashlight.” Tom passed the light, and Jim got down on his knees.
He peered back and forth along the bottom edge of the stone and then
stood to his feet and smiled. “I think this monolith may actually be a
door, and if it is a door, there must be a latch or some way to open it.”
An air of excitement filled the chamber as both men carefully
examined the area around the monolith. Jim’s attention focused on a
circular carving on the wall, to the left side of the monolith. It portrayed

25
William James

a cluster of planets surrounding a star. He studied the carving and


noticed that it was protruding about an inch from the wall. Jim pushed
hard on the carving to see if it would move, but it didn’t. It was solid.
“Does this carving have any significance to the hieroglyphs on the
monolith?” he asked Tom.
Tom used his light and carefully examined the carving. “I’m not
sure, but a very similar image appears on an ancient Akkadian seal. If you
consider the Akkadian seal and now this, you can’t deny that somehow,
ancient people had knowledge of the existence of the outer planets.
There were no telescopes in ancient times so obviously; someone had
to impart this knowledge to them. The question is, who?”
Jim moved to the right side of the monolith to study another
circular wall carving. It too was protruding about an inch from the
wall. “This is obviously a portrayal of a hand.”
Tom nodded. “Yes, but I haven’t the foggiest idea what it’s
supposed to represent.”
Jim placed his right hand over the inlay. “It’s definitely a hand,”
he said as he stepped back. He pondered the scene for a moment and
then whispered, “I wonder.” He placed both hands onto the impression
and pushed as hard as he could. There was a metallic clunking sound as
the symbol slid backwards.
Tom gasped as the monolith opened a few inches. “Jackpot!” he
exclaimed.
Jim whistled softly. “You can say that again.”
Tom stood mesmerized as Jim took hold of the heavy stone and
pulled. The door swung open as if it were on well oiled hinges. There
was no creaking or grinding as might be expected.
“Oh, boy, we’ve got something here,” said Jim excitedly. “There’s
another tunnel.”
Tom peered over Jim’s shoulder. “How far back does it go?”
Jim shined his flashlight into the opening and revealed a long
dark tunnel.

26
Chapter 6

As Jim stepped through the hidden doorway and into the narrow
passage, his heart was pounding so hard that he could actually hear
it beating. His one million candle power flashlight cut through the
darkness to reveal a ceiling, which he estimated to be around twelve
feet high. Glancing over his shoulder, he whispered, “At least we have
enough headroom.”
Tom was too awed to respond, for he realized that no human had
walked in this tunnel for untold millennium.
Moving cautiously through the darkness, they came upon several
cuneiform messages, carved into the walls. After traveling more than a
hundred feet, the narrow passageway abruptly opened into an immense
cavern. At first glance, they estimated the size of the cavern at one
hundred yards wide and the ceiling, roughly eighty to one hundred feet
high, but looking straight on into the cavern, even with their powerful
lights, they were unable see the other side.
The walls near the mouth of the cavern looked like smooth
glass, as if polished by some high-tech machinery, but there were no
writings or symbols. As Jim and Tom pushed on into the darkness, they
noticed the floor had a slightly downward angle and the cavern steadily
widened.
Roughly, eighty yards into the cavern, Jim glanced over his
shoulder and asked, “Did you remember to bring your canteen?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve learned the hard way, and to tell you the…”
Tom suddenly gasped and stood speechless with his light streaming
into the darkness ahead.
Jim looked forward and shined his light into the same direction.
“What on earth?”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
Both men stood in silence and stared. In the darkness ahead,
roughly sixty yards, stood a large dome shaped structure, approximately
fifty feet in diameter. The structure’s outer walls appeared to be nearly

27
William James

twelve feet high, and the top of the dome extended upwards an
additional eight to ten feet.
Side by side, Jim and Tom cautiously approached the structure,
but as they neared to within a few feet of the structures outer wall, an
opening suddenly appeared, and a door slid silently into the wall.
Jim balked and then whispered, “Something’s not right, here.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“What is it?” Jim asked.
Tom shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Cautiously they peered into the structure. Although the interior
looked dark, they could see tiny pulsating lights. There was no sound,
just those tiny flashing lights of varying colors. Jim shined his light
into the structure to reveal a surreal scene of advanced technology.
He glanced at Tom and said, “Let’s check the outside perimeter for
markings.”
Jim began a slow walk around the structure with Tom quietly
following a few feet behind. They inspected the outer wall and the
surrounding cavern floor but could find no identifying markings. The
structure’s surface was a smooth, seamless, and slightly coppery in
color, and the only obvious entrance was the single doorway that had
opened as they approached.
When they had completed their walk around, Tom placed his
hand on the structure. “Hmm, judging by the amount of dust, I’m
guessing that it’s been here a very long time.”
“Yeah, but what is it, and who put it here? The surface looks
metallic, but it feels like glass, and there are no power cables running
in or out, but there is obviously some source of electrical power inside.
Look at the dust around the immediate area. The only footprints
around here are ours.”
Tom peered cautiously into the entranceway. “Maybe we should
go inside. Perhaps it’s just a telephone switching station.”
Jim laughed dryly. “Yeah, right.” He cautiously approached the
doorway and called out, “Is anyone home?” There was no response.
“Let’s go in and check it out.”
Jim stepped warily through the entrance and immediately felt
thousands of tiny legs crawling all over his body. At the same time, Tom

28
Zerø Point

heard a slight hissing sound and noticed a pattern of small electrical


sparks surrounding Jim.
“What the…?” gasped Tom.
Jim shuddered as though a cold chill went through him, “What
was that?”
“I don’t know, but all the dirt and dust from your backside is
gone, and look at your knees, the stains are gone.”
The structure’s interior abruptly took on a dim fluorescent glow, as
if someone or some thing had adjusted a rheostat, causing the interior
walls to take on an eerie greenish glow. The sudden appearance of the
light startled Jim, and he jumped back through the doorway.
Tom let out a skittish laugh. “Whoa! This is too much.”
Recovering from his fright, Jim peered into the dome. “I think
the sparks are some sort of electrostatic field that keeps the dust out.
You know, like a clean room.”
“Yeah, I get it. Look at the floor, it’s spotless, not a speck of dust
anywhere. Whoever put this here obviously wanted to protect the
equipment, so they created an electronic field at the entrance.”
Jim studied the scene for a moment. “Let’s go inside, but touch
nothing. This could be part of some commercial venture or maybe a
monitoring station for the Federal Geographic Data Committee.”
“Sure it is,” Tom half teased.
As Jim reentered the structure, he again felt the strange caressing
from the electronic field, “Come on in, buddy, but I’ll warn you, it
tickles.”
Tom stepped through the doorway and tiny flashes of light
immediately surrounded his body. “Whew, this feels weird.”
“We don’t need our lights in here.”
Tom gazed in wonder at the site before him. The exterior wall
was one long, continuous desktop, about waist high and filled with
electronic data screens and high-tech control panels. In the very center
of the structure stood a tall cylindrical piece of equipment, around
eight feet in diameter, with flashing lights and several built in data
screens.

29
William James

Jim noticed that one of the data screens was active, but he was
confused by what he saw. “Tom, these are obviously computer screens,
but the display data is in glyphs.”
Tom moved in for a closer look. At first, he thought he was
looking at cuneiform, but he quickly realized that while it had many
similarities, this writing was in a more sophisticated language. He
studied the screen and then looking somewhat bewildered, he turned
to Jim. “I have no idea what it says but…” He paused to study the
glyphs. “It looks very similar to the original cuneiform, perhaps a
highly advanced cousin to it.”
“Listen,” said Jim, as he looked to his right and then slowly turned
in a complete circle.
Tom held his breath and strained to hear what Jim was referring
to, but there was only silence. “What? I don’t hear anything.”
“That’s just it. We have all of this equipment, but no noise. No
humming, no relays, no fans, no nothing; it’s completely silent.”
The two men stood in silence, straining to hear the minutest
sound, but it was absolutely, dead quiet.
Tom walked around the interior and carefully studied each of the
data screens. He determined that only one screen was actively scrolling
text, but he also noticed there seemed to be no place for input.
“Jim, I don’t see a keyboard or anything that could be used for
input. It looks like this equipment is monitoring something. Yes, this
must be some kind of monitoring station.”
A feeling of uneasiness gripped Jim, “Something’s not right. Let’s
get out of here.”
Jim exited the structure with Tom in tow. “What’s wrong, Jim?”
Tom asked nervously. He shared Jim’s uneasiness.
“I don’t know, but we don’t belong in there. We have no idea what
this is or who put it here, and for all we know it could be dangerous.”
“So what are you saying?”
“Let’s call it quits for now and go back to Larry’s place. We’ll tell
him what we’ve found in here. He’s been around high-tech equipment
for most of his adult life. Perhaps he can shed some light on this.”

30
Zerø Point

The two men began to retrace their footsteps back to the original
site, but Jim was still skittish. Tom had his own suspicions, but he
wasn’t ready to share them, at least not yet.
They quickly covered the distance to the narrow tunnel and
wasted no time passing through it, but when they reached the exit, they
found that the stone monolith had swung shut. Jim pushed as hard
as he could against it, but he couldn’t budge the heavy stone. “That’s
strange, the door closed behind us.”
Tom whispered nervously, “Just get it open.”
“Look, there are hieroglyphs on this side of the door.”
“That’s nice. Now how are we going to get out of here?”
Jim spotted a circular hand carving, similar to the one he had
seen when he first opened the door. He gave it a hard shove and sure
enough, the door swung open.
“Whew, I was worried that we were about to become entombed!”
exclaimed Tom.
“I know what you mean. Let’s gather up the batteries and make
our way to the van. We have a story to share with Larry. If anyone can
give us some insight into what this place is, it’s Larry.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He may be familiar with high-
tech gadgets and such, but I’ll bet he’s never seen anything like this.”

31
Chapter 7

Larry sat on his front porch, relaxing in a lounge chair and enjoying
an iced tea as he contemplated retirement. After a lifetime of pushing
himself to excel, Larry Johnson was feeling useless. A sense of depression
and loneliness tugged at him, and he realized that he had to find a
new direction in life. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of
squealing tires on hot asphalt.
The government van seemed to be in an unusual hurry as it
traveled up the long driveway, sliding to an abrupt halt near the porch.
Jim and Tom exited the van and hurriedly walked towards the porch.
Larry could see that something was wrong. He put his tea aside and
stood to greet his guests, but before he could say a word, Tom blurted,
“Larry, we need your help!”
Surprised and somewhat taken back, Larry said nothing. He
simply looked on as Jim and Tom stepped onto the porch.
“Sorry to barge in on you like this,” Jim apologized, “but Tom is
right. We do need your help.”
“You boys seem a little upset. What’s going on?”
Jim tried to respond, “Well, I ah, oh boy, help me out here,
Tom.”
“Maybe we should sit down. This isn’t going to be easy, but I’ll
give it a try.”
Larry returned to his seat, and Tom and Jim pulled a couple of
chairs in close to him. He could see that they were eager to tell him
something. but neither of them said a word. “Well, come on, speak up.
What’s wrong?”
Tom glanced nervously at Jim and then looked to Larry. “I don’t
know exactly how to say this, but we need you to come with us.”
“Sure, but…”
Jim interrupted. “No, Larry, we’d like you to come with us now.
Please, we’ll explain on the way.”
Hesitating a bit, Larry scrutinized the look on Jim’s face. “Ok,
just let me get changed into something more suitable.”

33
William James

Tom and Jim sat in silence while Larry entered the house to make
a quick change of cloths. When he returned, the three of them climbed
into the van. Jim took the driver’s seat while Tom scurried to the front
passenger seat, and Larry pushed aside a clutter of tools and books as he
climbed into the bench seat directly behind the driver’s seat.
No one said a word when the van accelerated down the driveway
and Larry began to feel a little uneasy. “Ok, boys, what’s wrong?”
Jim glanced over his shoulder. “We’ve discovered something at
the site, and we need your opinion.”
Larry laughed aloud. “Well, I’m no archaeologist. How could my
opinion matter?”
Tom leaned back so he could look Larry in the eye. “This has
nothing to do with archaeology. We think we may have stumbled onto
some secret high tech equipment. We’d like…”
“Wait, wait. You’re saying you found some high tech equipment
in Mammoth Cave?”
“Oh yes.” replied Tom.
“What kind of equipment, and what makes you think it’s secret
equipment?”
Jim glanced into the rear view mirror. “We’ve been working at the
original site; we’ll call it the Alpha site. Anyhow, we discovered a hidden
passageway so we naturally decided to investigate. The passageway
opened into a huge cavern, nothing unusual but when we began to
explore the cavern, we discovered a dome shaped metallic structure.”
Larry’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Ok,” he said slowly.
“This structure is sitting in complete darkness, in the middle of
an underground cavern. As far as we know, there is only one entrance
to the cavern, and that entrance was hidden. When we went inside the
structure, we found it to be full of strange electronic equipment. I tell
you, Larry, it gave us the willies,” Jim confessed, not at all embarrassed
to admit that he had been afraid.
“Oh, come on. Are you guys pulling my leg?”
Larry waited for a witty reply, but no one was smiling, and neither
Tom nor Jim responded to his question.
“Ok. What kind of equipment are you guys talking about?”

34
Zerø Point

“That’s just it,” said Tom. “We’ve never seen anything like it.
That’s why we’ve ask for your help. Jim says that you have been around
all sorts of high-tech gadgets and you should be able to tell us if it’s
some secret government stuff, because if it isn’t...” Tom’s voice faded
to an indiscernible mumble as he slowly shook his head and stared at
the floor.
Larry noticed a quiver in Tom’s voice. He understood what
his friends were asking of him, but what could he offer? It was true
that he had worked on various top-secret government projects, but
he really didn’t see how any of that could matter. Moreover, if what
they described were some secret government project, he could only tell
them to say nothing to anyone and leave it at that. Most likely, they
had stumbled onto some experimental equipment from the National
Geological Service, and in the darkness they simply failed to recognize
it. Nevertheless, they were his guests, so he decided to be polite and
inspect the equipment. After all, it might be fun to spend an afternoon
exploring the caves.
“All right, take me to the site, and we’ll have a look see.”

When the trio arrived at the Alpha site, Jim explained how the
cavern had been purposely covered over. He made a point to show
Larry the huge boulder that had come loose during the recent tremor
and how it obviously had been carved to the proper shape to cover the
entrance. He took his time explaining exactly what their job demanded
and how they went out of their way to catalogue every item. Near
the end of his little tour, Jim was jovial, but when they moved to the
monolith, he took on a more serious tone.
“This stone monolith is most intriguing. First of all, these
hieroglyphs should never show up on the North American continent,
yet here they are.”
Larry stood in close to the monolith. He reached out and ever
so lightly slid his fingers across a line of text. “Why do you say this
shouldn’t be here?”
“These hieroglyphs are the oldest known form of writing, dating
back more than six thousand years. It’s a well-established fact that

35
William James

this form of writing originated in the Sumerian region of southern


Mesopotamia. In fact, Sumerian glyphs or cuneiform writing were later
adapted for the writing of the Akkadian, Hittite, Assyrian, and several
other languages, but this early form of script died out around three
thousand years ago.
“Therefore, to answer your question, the Sumerians were not
seafaring peoples, and even if they were, it’s very doubtful they could
cross the Atlantic Ocean to build a colony in North America. Even if
we assume they did colonize here, there have never been any artifacts
or even legends to support any theory or assumptions.”
Larry studied the ancient glyphs for several minutes. “It looks
like you boys know what you’re doing, and I’m sure that you’ll figure
this language thing out, but I don’t see any electronic equipment in
here.”
Jim smiled as he moved to right side of the monolith and put his
hands onto the circular hand carving. “I told you there was a hidden
passage. Watch this.” Jim pushed hard against the hand carving, and
the ancient stone symbol slid in flush to the wall. He heard the now
familiar metallic clanking sound, and the door opened several inches.
Larry gasped as he stepped backwards. “Wow, you’re not kidding.
There really is a secret passageway.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet. Follow me,” Jim said to his old
friend.
As the three of them entered the narrow passage, Larry felt a little
claustrophobic, “It’s a little close in here. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in
here without a light.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” said Tom.
They moved quickly to the other end of the passage and entered
the enormous cavern. “The structure is straight ahead,” said Tom.
Larry swung his light back and forth, trying to take in the size of
the cavern. “Lord, this is place huge. We could play football in here.”
Jim chuckled. “Yes, it is big, but you’ll forget all about that in a
few minutes. Come on.” They walked on and moments later, the dome
appeared in Jim’s light. “Here we are.”
Larry stared at the structure. “Whoa, that’s something. How long
do you figure this has been here?”

36
Zerø Point

“A very long time, perhaps thousands of years,” said Tom.


As they approached to within a few feet of the dome, a doorway
suddenly materialized and the door slid quietly into the wall.
“Déjà vu,” whispered Tom.
Jim chuckled to himself as Larry slowly inched towards the
doorway. “Go ahead Larry, you first.”
Larry paused to look inside. “You’re right, there is power in
there.”
“That’s right,” said Tom, “but there’s no conduit or electrical lines
going in or out.”
Larry stepped through the doorway, and a cloud of tiny blue
sparks instantly surrounded his body. He gasped as he jumped forward
and spun to look back at the doorway.
“Ye gad! What on earth was that?”
Jim and Tom broke into nervous laughter. “Sorry about that,”
said Jim. “I thought about warning you, but a little levity is good for
the soul.”
Larry shivered and rubbed his arms. “Swell.” He turned back into
the structure and stood in silence as the interior began to take on an
eerie greenish glow. “ Hmm, there must be a motion sensor in here to
activate the lighting,” he surmised.
Jim and Tom entered the dome, and Tom quickly stepped away
from the doorway as a wave of blue sparks flowed over his body. “Oh
man, that feels weird.”
“It kind of tickles,” said Jim.
Larry snickered. “Tell me about it. It’s obviously some sort of
advanced electronic screen to keep the place clean.”
“That’s what we figured,” said Jim, walking towards the center
of the dome. He stopped near the central column and pointed to the
active data screen. “This screen is continuously displaying data, but the
rest of them seem to be turned off or in hibernation.”
Larry approached the screen and gazed at the steady flow of
symbols. “Any idea what it is?”
“We were hoping you could tell us,” said Tom.
Larry stepped back to inspect the pillar of equipment before
him. Then he slowly walked completely around the structure’s interior,

37
William James

inspecting each piece of equipment. He returned to the entranceway


and noticed how smooth and clean the countertop appeared. As he
placed his right hand on the countertop and caressed the crystal like
surface, the data screen in front of him flickered to life.
No one said a word as he slowly walked to each data station
and activated each screen by gently stroking the crystal countertops.
When he finished, he stood by the entranceway and studied the elegant
workmanship of the structure itself. Then he slowly walked to the
central tower and quietly inspected every square inch of it. He walked
around the tower several times, inspecting the floor and the ceiling.
Tom was becoming a little fidgety and blurted out, “Well, what
do you think?”
Larry ignored him and continued to stare at the data screens, but
finally, with a dogged look on his face, he turned to face his friends.
Standing side by side, Tom and Jim noticed the strange look on Larry’s
face as he drew near. When he was close enough to touch them, Larry
reached out to his friends with both arms. Placing his right hand on
Jim’s shoulder and his left hand on Tom’s shoulder, he dug his fingers
tightly into their flesh, and in a quiet but firm voice he whispered, “Tell
no one of this. For heavens sake, tell no one.”
The three stood motionless for several moments, each man
contemplating the meaning of what they had discovered. Before Tom
or Jim could ask him what he meant, Larry abruptly released his grip
and spoke softly. “Gentlemen, your world is about to change.”
“Yes, we know,” said Tom.
“No. I don’t think you do. This structure is the Holy Grail to
unlimited energy, and there are unscrupulous people in powerful
positions who will do anything to own it.”

38
Chapter 8

Bathed in the soft light streaming through the structure’s entranceway,


Larry stood in the cavern, seemingly unaware of his comrade’s presence.
He simply stared into the darkness.
“So what do you think?” asked Tom for the second time.
Larry didn’t respond. It was as if he were somewhere else,
somewhere far away.
Jim moved to Larry’s side and quietly asked. “Larry, what is it?
What’s wrong?”
Larry slowly turned to face his friends. “Is there any other way in
or out of this cavern?”
“I don’t know,” said Jim. “We haven’t explored beyond the dome.
Why do you ask?”
“Look, I understand that you two were sent here to investigate
some artifacts, but this discovery changes everything. I’m going to ask
you both to trust me.”
A strange uneasiness seized Jim. “What do you mean, trust you?
What are you getting at?
“I’m asking you both to file your reports on the artifacts but say
nothing of this equipment to anyone, ever.”
Jim looked to Tom for a reaction to Larry’s request, but Tom
stood quietly. “Well Tom, what do you think?”
“I don’t know what to think. I’m an anthropologist; this is way
over my pay grade.”
Jim let out a deep breath and turned to face Larry. “All right,
assuming we omit this equipment from our reports, and we say nothing,
what do you intend to do?”
“I want to bring a few scientists in here, quietly, and investigate
this equipment. I don’t want to interfere with your work, but I’m asking
you to allow me to manage the investigation of this equipment.”
“He’s right,” said Tom. “If we go public with this discovery, we
don’t know the ramifications on our careers, and this is definitely out of
our league. We’ll have to turn this over to someone with the credentials

39
William James

to conduct a proper investigation so it may as well be Larry. He’s the


engineering wizard.”
Jim nodded slowly and looked to Larry. “Ok. As far as I’m
concerned, this high-tech equipment is now your problem. Tom
and I never saw it. All I ask is that you keep our names out of any
investigation, but there is one thing, and I’m sure Tom will agree, we
ask that you keep us informed. After all, this situation has certainly
aroused our curiosity. I’m sure you understand.”
Larry grinned, “I understand. Thank you, and I promise I’ll keep
you up to date of any findings, discreetly, of course. Now, what do you
say we do some exploring? If there is another entrance to this cavern,
we need to know about it.”
“Excuse me,” said Tom. “We can explore the cavern any time, but
before we do that, I have a few questions. Do you have any idea who
built this thing?”
Larry took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. “Ok, boys, I’ll
tell you what I think we have here, but what I’m about to tell you goes
no further. Agreed?”
Jim nodded in agreement, but Tom wasn’t so sure, “Do you mean
we can never tell a living soul, not even a family member?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. Believe me, it has to be this way.”
Tom thought for a moment and then nodded. “Ok, but I reserve
the right to include anything you tell us in my memoirs.”
Jim laughed aloud, “Oh, yes, the mundane adventures of Professor
Thomas Nellings. I can vision it on the best sellers list.”
Tom grinned, “I’m just kidding. Don’t worry Larry, my lips are
sealed.”
“All right then, here goes,” said Larry. “I recognize some of the
hieroglyphs on those data screens.”
Jim gasped, “What? Why didn’t you say so?”
“I needed to be certain of your confidence in this matter. These
glyphs have been showing up on recovered high-tech equipment for
decades, but the government has always classified them top secret.”
Larry turned and walked into the structure with Tom and Jim in
tow.

40
Zerø Point

“Let me begin with an incident that occurred in 1897 near


Aurora, Texas.”
“All right,” said Jim.
“There was an extra terrestrial spacecraft that crashed, and one
alien was found dead in the wreckage. They quietly buried the alien in
a local cemetery and hauled the wreckage to an undisclosed location.
The incident was kept quiet.”
Tom yelled, “Yes! I knew it! This is alien hardware.”
Larry was obviously irritated with Tom’s outburst. “You’re right,
but please allow me to finish.”
“Sorry,” was Tom’s contrite reply.
“In 1947, there was a crash near Roswell, New Mexico, and four
bodies were recovered. The government tried unsuccessfully to cover
the incident up and finally resorted to spreading misinformation.
I must say it has seemed to have worked. The Roswell incident has
become more myth than truth. However, there was another crash at
Ely, Nevada, in 1952 where they recovered sixteen bodies. All of the
bodies and supporting physical evidence mysteriously disappeared.
“There have been similar recovery incidents in Arizona, Texas,
Montana, Ohio, Norway, and England.”
Larry walked toward the center of the structure. “I’ve told you
about these crash sites to help you understand what I am about to tell
you.”
“Please do,” said Jim,” this is getting a little bizarre.”
“Believe me, I know. My personal experience with alien technology
began while I was in college. I had a degree in Aeronautical Engineering
and was about to receive another degree in Astrophysics. One evening, a
man who claimed to be a member of Air Force Intelligence approached
me and asked if I would consider working as a consultant for the Air
Force. He made me a very lucrative offer, but he couldn’t tell me where
the job was located.”
Larry paused to stare at a data screen on the central column; then
he slipped his hands into his pockets and continued. “I must say, I was
young and ambitious, so the following day I decided to go for it. Three
weeks later, I graduated, and the next day two plain clothed Air Force

41
William James

officers showed up at my dormitory to help me pack my belongings


and escort me to my new job.
“Needless to say, I was excited. I didn’t have much at the dorm, so
we were packed and out of there in less than an hour. The next thing I
knew, I was on a private jet that took me to a military instillation called
Groom Lake.”
Tom couldn’t restrain himself and blurted, “You worked at Area
51?”
Larry grinned. “Yes, I worked at Area 51, but it would be more
accurate to say that I worked out of Area 51. You see, I worked at Groom
Lake, but I soon found myself working and sharing information with
some of the governments’ big aircraft contractors.
“My first assignment was an attempt to reverse engineer some of
the recovered alien technology. At first, I thought I was dealing with
recovered Russian hardware, but that assumption quickly evaporated
upon close inspection of the components. The colonel in charge of
the project gave me a free rein, and within a year, I was director of the
project, but only a few of us were privy to what was really going on.
The work was quite slow and extremely tedious, mainly because the
recovered components were so badly damaged.”
Larry paused and reached out to touch the towering column of
hardware. “I’ve spent a good part of my life investigating and researching
recovered alien technologies, and we have made some exciting progress.
However, we never managed to repair or activate one of their power
sources.”
Jim stared at Larry in utter amazement. “I don’t mean to sound
shallow, but you’ve just destroyed my life long belief in the unqualified
nonsense of alien visitors. My God, Larry, if what you say is true; this
technology could be the answer to our energy crisis. Why is this so
secret?”
Larry laughed sarcastically and locked eyes with Jim. “It’s all about
power my boy, power and paranoia. President Eisenhower warned of the
implications of a secret military-industrial complex, but his warnings
went unheeded.
“I guess you could say that I’ve been a part of that secret. Believe
me, you simply cannot fight it. So I made a personal decision to become

42
Zerø Point

part of the system, with the hopes of one day bringing these discoveries
to light for the benefit and betterment of humanity.”
“I can understand that,” said Tom, “but I have another question.”
Larry nodded. “Go ahead and ask away”
“What powers this kind of technology?”
“That is a very good question. We don’t fully understand the power
source, but it is electrical, and it seems to draw on something called
Zero Point Energy. According to verifiable experiments, which began
shortly after the Roswell crash, this Zero Point Energy is what powers
the entire Universe. My colleagues and I believe that the aliens have
managed to tap into this energy and have found a way to channel it to
power their spacecraft. We also have a fundamental understanding of
the actual workings that make these craft defy gravity. In fact, we have
created several prototypes that can actually hover, but these prototypes
are nuclear powered.
“The last I heard, a small group of researchers were very close to
perfecting a Zero Point Energy Collector. If and when they accomplish
this, it can truly change the course of human history, but…” Larry’s
lips tightened and his face became terse, “they’ll never relinquish that
technology. I’ve learned that when people have absolute power, they
tend to hold onto it.”
Jim’s knees felt as if they were about to give out. “Holy crap,
Larry! I never dreamed that you were involved in anything like this. I
thought…”
“I’m sorry, but I was sworn to secrecy, and don’t forget, you
have sworn yourselves to secrecy. In this dome, there is a perfectly
functioning Zero Point Energy Module, and I have no intentions of
involving any government entity in researching it. That’s why I insisted
on your silence in this matter. I intend to call in a small group of
civilian scientists and allow them to study this in complete secrecy, but
I’ll tell you, if a certain group within the Department of Defense gets
a whiff of this…” Larry stopped in mid-sentence and turned his back
on Tom and Jim.
“Wait a minute. Are you inferring that just by our knowing of
this, we could be in physical danger?” asked Tom.
“Yes, unfortunately, that’s exactly what I mean.”

43
Chapter 9

Jim had no intentions of mixing danger into his life’s work. “For
heavens sake, Larry, what have we gotten ourselves into? From what
you described, we could end up dead!”
“Now-now, let’s not overreact. I have given you the worst-case
scenario, but if we are careful and develop a good plan, we could bring
humanity into a new age of peace and prosperity.
“Imagine a world with a clean, non-polluting, endless source
of energy. Imagine the power to colonize the solar system, and try to
imagine the new technologies that will literally rain down upon our
civilization. Is that not worth some risk?”
“You’re right,” said Jim, “but I hope you’ve got a good plan,
because I would like to see my wife again.”
“Yes, and except for the part about dying, I’m in,” said Tom.
Larry laughed as he patted Tom on the shoulder. “I promise to
do my best and to keep us safe, but before we do anything, we need to
thoroughly explore this cavern.”
“All right, everyone grab a light. Let’s do it,” said Jim.
Powerful one million candlepower lights cut into the darkness
as they slowly extended the search area and moved deeper into the
immense cavern.
Fifteen minutes went by, and they saw nothing but darkness and
the highly polished rock. “Man this place is immense,” said Larry.
Jim laughed aloud. “You could put a small town in here.”
“How long do you think this cavern’s been here?” Larry asked.
Jim studied the glossy finished rock around him. He had never
seen a stone surface like this, and knew of no natural process which
might create such a fine finish. Perhaps a geologist could give him an
answer. He really couldn’t say how old the cavern was so he turned to
Larry. “I would guesstimate it’s been around at least ten thousand years,
but that’s just a guess. I’ve never seen rock with a finish like this.”

45
William James

Tom rubbed his chin as he inspected the floor. “What I can’t get
a grip on is the smoothness of the rock. It’s almost as if this cavern was
manufactured.”
Larry nodded. “It does look unnatural.”
A few minutes passed, and Jim noticed that Larry had stopped
and was trailing behind. Assuming his old friend was becoming tired,
he nudged Tom and gestured for him to look back towards Larry. That’s
when they noticed the strange look on Larry’s face.
“What’s wrong?” asked Jim.
There was no response from Larry, and an awkward sense of
uneasiness tugged at Tom, as he moved to Larry’s side. “Is something
wrong?”
Larry stiffened and stood motionless. Holding an unsteady light
in one hand, he pointed ahead with his free hand.
Jim turned and shined his own light in the same direction.
“Wahoo,” shouted Larry as he ran forward, nearly knocking Jim
over as he passed by!
Tom gasped, “What?”
Jim and Tom instinctively fell in behind Larry, and Tom blurted,
“Where we going?”
“Larry’s spotted something up ahead!” exclaimed Jim.
They ran for nearly fifty yards before Larry slid to a sudden halt.
“Good God! I can’t believe it!”
Tom and Jim came to a stop alongside Larry. Gasping for air, they
nearly fell over in disbelief as they looked upon a bizarre scene.
“Holy crap, it’s a saucer!” exclaimed Tom.
Jim shook his head in disbelief. “No way, it’s impossible!”
The three men stood in quiet awe. What they had discovered
would boggle the mind of any skeptic, yet there it stood, covered in the
dust of forgotten time.
Larry slowly approached to within a few feet of a large disked
shaped object, which sat on top of what appeared to be three metallic
pillars or possibly landing gear. “My Lord, this thing is massive. Look
at it! It’s at least two hundred feet in diameter.”
Jim’s mind was spinning as he tried to convince himself that this
simply could not be happening. With a weak and somewhat shaky

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voice, he whispered, “Tell me I’m seeing things. Go ahead, somebody


tell me this is just a dream.”
Tom began flailing his arms as he shrieked at Jim. “For God sake,
Jim! It’s real!”
Jim was taken back with Tom’s outburst but said nothing as he
stared at the eerie scene.
Annoyed by Jim’s silence, Tom spun around to face Larry, “It is
real, isn’t it?”
Larry continued to stare at the disk. “Whew, it’s real all right,
but I’ve got to tell you…” He slowly turned to face his two friends,
“when you boys say you’re going on an adventure, you’re not kidding
around.”
Jim edged himself to Larry’s side. “How on earth did this thing
get in here? I mean, we are under a mountain.”
Larry shined his light underneath the disk and strained to see
if there was more to the cavern. “That’s a good question. The cavern
appears to end just beyond the disk and as far as we can tell, there is
only one way in. I don’t know how it got in here, but I do hope to find
out.”
Jim slowly walked beneath the saucer until he reached a point
where the belly extended low enough for him to reach. He paused and
then cautiously raised a hand to touch the surface “It doesn’t feel cool,
it’s almost body temperature.” He gently stroked his hand across the
surface. “I don’t think its metal. Whatever it is, it’s smooth as glass.”
“Lord all mighty,” said Tom. “This thing is enormous. I’ll bet it
could carry at least fifty people.”
“A lot more than fifty,” Larry answered.
Jim backed out from under the saucer. “It appears to be seamless.
Let’s do a slow walk around to look for a door or a hatch. There has to
be a way in.”
“Good idea,” said Larry.
The trio stepped back twenty yards or so and began a slow walk
around the craft, probing every inch of the surface with their high-
powered lamps. They could find no portholes, no sign of a hatch,
nothing, not even a seam.

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William James

When they finished their walk around, Larry walked under the
leading edge of the disk and motioned for Jim and Tom to follow.
“Let’s investigate the undercarriage. We’ll start with the landing gear.”
After a methodical inspection of the landing gear revealed nothing,
they then turned their attention upwards to investigate the disk’s belly,
and within minutes, Jim called out, “Hey, I’ve got something here!”
Larry and Tom gathered at Jim’s side. “What is it?” asked Larry.
Jim shined his light straight up to reveal the image of a hand.
It was the exact image of what they had found along side the stone
monolith, but this image appeared to be laser-etched into the skin of
the craft.
Tom shook his head in disbelief. “Go ahead, Jim. You do the
honors.”
Jim reached up, placed his right hand onto the image, and pressed.
A sudden flash of light from the surface area around the image startled
him. The trio stepped back as a long rectangular seam suddenly formed
near the image. A high pitch whirring sound emanated from within the
saucer, accompanied by a loud hissing noise. Air suddenly rushed out
of the craft, kicking up a cloud of dust as a ramp descended from the
craft’s immense belly.
“Whoa!” exclaimed Larry.
Jim shook his head in disbelief. “This can’t be happening!”
Tom put his hand on Jim’s shoulder and whispered, “Easy, Jim.”
Larry stepped onto the bottom of the ramp and asked, “Who’s
first?”
Tom pointed his light into the saucer and started up the ramp,
but he only managed a few steps before he suddenly froze. A look of
bewilderment appeared on his face as he tried to speak, but he could
not form the words he wanted to say. His mind was numb as he stepped
backwards down the ramp. He hyperventilated and gasped for air, and
finally managed to speak. “I… my God, it’s an image of Enki!”
Tom’s knees gave out, and Larry grasped him by the arm to steady
him, “What are you talking about?”
Tom struggled to steady himself. “The image at the top of the
ramp; I’ve seen it before. In fact, there are many carvings of this exact
image throughout Mesopotamia. Enki is an ancient god from a planet

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called Nibiru. He supposedly came here some four hundred thousand


years ago.”
Larry walked up the ramp for a look-see. He studied the image
for a moment and then returned to Tom’s side. “Are you sure you’ve
seen this exact image?”
“Oh, I’m sure, and if I’m right, that would make this an Anunnaki
ship.”
Larry sensed that Tom was onto something, “Ok, let’s assume
you’re right. Why would they hide this ship underground, and why is
it still here?”
Tom took a few steps up the ramp and then turned to face his
friends. “Before we go inside, let’s take a time out and let me fill you in
on exactly who the Anunnaki were and where they came from.”
Larry winced. “We have just made one of the greatest discoveries
of all time and you want to take a time out? Aren’t you curious about
what’s inside?”
“Yes, of course I’m curious, but this ship is going nowhere, and
what I am about to tell you concerns this ship and its crew. Believe me,
it’s important. Besides, I need to sit down for a minute.” Tom sat down
on the ramp and stretched his legs before him.
Larry reluctantly nodded in agreement and took a seat on the
cavern floor near the end of the ramp. “Ok, Tom, we’re all ears.”
By now, Jim’s legs were like jelly, and without uttering a word; he
simply plumped himself down next to Larry.
Unsure of where to begin, Tom hesitated. “All right, just bear
with me, and I’ll try to give you a short history lesson.
“According to ancient manuscripts and tablets, the Anunnaki
journeyed to Earth in search of minerals, mainly gold. It is written that
the atmosphere on their home world was slowly deteriorating, possibly
ozone depletion, I don’t know. Anyhow, their scientists put together
a scheme to save their world by taking gold and breaking it down to
its molecular level. Once they accomplished that step, they would use
these refined molecules to seed the upper atmosphere of their planet,
supposedly to repair the damage to their planet’s atmosphere, and
they allegedly had some promising success. Nevertheless, gold was a
rarity on Nibiru, so they embarked on a search of our solar system.

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William James

Eventually, some four hundred thousand years ago, they discovered rich
gold deposits in modern day South Africa. They immediately searched
for a location to establish a base of operations. The chosen area had to
have a good climate and plenty of water, and they found just the right
conditions in ancient Mesopotamia.
“I should point out that four hundred thousand years ago, the
Mesopotamian region was mostly marshland, a fact that coincides with
the timing put forth in the ancient Anunnaki stories.
“Ultimately the Anunnaki built a spaceport that came to be known
as Sippar. It was located just south of modern day Baghdad. They also
built a mission control center called Nippur, which was located farther
south-southeast of modern Baghdad. Nippur became the central hub
for the Anunnaki. It was the Sacred City of their leader, Enlil.
“The image at the top of this ramp is Enki. He was the half brother
of Enlil, but there was an ongoing rivalry between them.”
Larry interrupted. “You mean they fought?”
“Let’s not get ahead of the story. Ah, where was I? Oh, yes.
Mining operations were established, and several hundred Anunnaki
came to Earth to serve as laborers in the gold mines. Over time, they
mined a lot of gold and shipped it to their home world. The rank-
and-file Anunnaki toiled in the mines for over a hundred thousand
years, but even with their technology, the mining was dirty, hard, and
dangerous work, and many Anunnaki grew tired of the dingy working
conditions.
“Oh, I forgot to mention that the Anunnaki had a very long
life span, perhaps several hundred thousand years. Can you imagine
working like a dog, in a dark and dusty mine for a hundred thousand
years or so? It must have been a literal hell for the workers, and
eventually they rebelled. Fortunately, they reached an agreement with
Enlil to provide relief, but Enlil found himself between a rock, and a
hard place. He really had no solution to the problem, so he turned to
his brother, Enki.
“Enki was not a politician, but he was a scientist. He came up
with a plan to capture some of the primitive life forms that flourished
on Earth. He wanted to see if they could be trained to work in the
mines, and eventually he found a species that showed real promise.

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Zerø Point

I personally believe that he selected the Neanderthals, but his first


experiments were dismal failures. The species was far too aggressive and
not teachable, so he came up with another plan. He selected a physically
weaker species… humans, but this time he decided to implant a certain
amount of Anunnaki DNA into the primitives. After all, the Anunnaki
were genetically superior, and their intelligence was far ahead of the
primitive humans, so it made sense, and many experiments followed.
Finally, Enki discovered the right sequence of DNA that he needed to
improve the primitives’ intelligence. He made them obedient and gave
them just enough intelligence to communicate and follow commands.
Enki had created a working class of slaves to work the mines.
“It’s a long story, but Enki allegedly modified these early humans
who began to view him as a god. With his experiments a resounding
success, he began to breed the new slaves. Within a few hundred years,
a short time by Anunnaki standards, he had acquired a large slave
population to work the mines.
“Nevertheless, as the centuries passed, jealousy and infighting grew
among the Anunnaki, and eventually open warfare erupted between
the clans. Ultimately, one of the factions used nuclear weapons. Many
humans and Anunnaki died in the holocaust that followed, and many
more died from the radioactive fallout.
“Most of the Anunnaki fled Mesopotamia, with a few of them
crossing the oceans to build new domains. Of course, they took their
human slaves to do the actual labor.”
Tom stood to his feet and gazed at the image of Enki at the top of
the ramp. “I believe this ship is a leftover from that tumultuous period.”
He turned to face his comrades. “Why else would it be here?”

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Chapter 10

Much of Tom’s story made a lot of sense, and Larry wished he had
known of these things twenty years ago. Larry stood to his feet and
put his hands into his pants’ pockets and gazed at Tom. “You’ve just
answered a lot of questions for me, but you’ve also created a host of
new questions.”
“How’s that?”
“I’m talking about all of the reported UFO sightings during the
past fifty years. Maybe these Anunnaki are still visiting Earth. You
know, to kind of check up on us.”
Tom frowned. “You could be right, but don’t make the mistake
of thinking the Anunnaki have benevolent feelings for our species. You
have to understand that according to the ancient tablets, the Anunnaki
looked upon us as mere slaves. In fact, when they had no further need for
us, they stood by during the great flood and hoped for our extinction.
The point is, if the Anunnaki are still coming here today, they are most
likely looking for new slaves. Think about that. How many people,
worldwide, disappear each year and are never seen again?”
A look of concern formed on Larry’s face as the significance of
Tom’s words sank in. “Good God, I hope you’re wrong. We’ve got
to investigate this saucer, but at some point we have to consider the
possibility that the Anunnaki may still be harvesting slaves and…”
“Ok,” said Jim. “I’ve heard enough about aliens and gods. Let’s
just see what’s inside of this thing and go from there.”
“Lead on,” said Tom.
Jim walked up the ramp and stopped to view the image of Enki.
He shrugged and noticed that the ramp exposed a narrow corridor to
the right and a second corridor to the left. The flooring was flat and
level, but the walls within the corridors extended upwards and arched
inwards. Deciding to explore to his right, Jim cautiously entered the
passageway and felt the familiar caress of electrons removing the dust
and grit from his clothing. “Whew, that tickles.”

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William James

Larry passed through the electronic field and shook off the goose
bumps. “I’ll never get used to that.”
Tom was last in line. As he passed through the electronic screen,
lights began automatically switching on throughout the craft’s interior.
There were no visible light fixtures, yet light seemed to be everywhere.
Jim stopped and turned back towards Larry. “You’re the technical
wizard. You lead.”
Larry nodded. “Let’s look around but don’t touch anything. We
don’t want to do anything stupid and end up with a damaged ship.”
Larry made his way, past Jim and then glanced back over his
shoulder. “Let’s continue down this corridor. It appears to extend in a
complete circle around the interior of the craft. We’ll follow it and see
if it circles back to the ramp. I’d like to get a good picture of how this
thing is laid out.”
Larry moved on with Jim and Tom close behind. They noticed a
side corridor branching left, toward the center of the craft; however, as
they drew near, they saw that it angled upwards sharply into the craft’s
upper dome.
Larry peered into the opening. “This seems to lead to an upper
level. Anyone got a note pad?”
Tom pulled a small pad from his shirt pocket and handed it to
Larry. “Here’s one.”
“Thanks, I’d like to make some notes on the layout.”
“Good idea,” Tom concurred.
Larry paused to make a notation of the side passage. “We’ll count
the side corridor, and note their direction. Later on, we can use this to
draw a diagram of the interior.”
Larry quickly finished his notations and then moved on. Within
a few moments, they could see a pair of corridors. One branched off to
the right, into the outer edge of the saucer, the other one branched to
the left toward the center of the saucer. Again, Larry stopped to make
a notation.
Nearly fifteen minutes later the trio emerged from the ship and
gathered in a circle near the bottom of the ramp. Jim and Tom held their
lights steady for Larry as he finished a sketch of the main corridor.

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Zerø Point

Larry was correct in his speculation that the corridor would form
a circle within the craft. Their inspection identified three side corridors
which branched into the outer disk section, three side corridors that
angled up into the upper dome section, and two side corridors that
branched downward and in toward the center of the craft.
“Well, what do you think?” asked Tom.
Larry looked up from his sketch. “I think we need to take a break
while I finish this drawing, and you know what? I’m hungry.”
Tom grinned. “I’m a little hungry myself.”
Jim raised his light and shook it gently to get attention. “I have
an idea. Our packs are back at the dome structure. I’ll go back and get
the food, and some fresh batteries. You two can stay here and finish the
sketch. I won’t be long.”
“It’s a long dark walk. I’ll go with you,” said Tom.
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first tour in a dark cave.”
Tom nodded. “All right, but be careful. We’ll be waiting right here.”
Larry looked a little concerned. “Are you sure we should split up?
I wouldn’t feel safe wandering around in this darkness by myself.”
Jim chuckled as he turned to begin the long walk back to the dome.
He called over his shoulder, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
Larry nodded and looked to Tom. “Well, you two must know
what you’re doing.”
“Don’t worry about Jim. He’s no stranger to caves.”
Larry sat down on the ramp. “Want to hold the light for me while
I finish this sketch?”
Jim worked up a good sweat as he made his way back to the
dome. His mind reeled, and his body felt disconnected as he walked
along in the darkness. He had never put much credence into UFO
sightings, and he had always dismissed the ancient myths of alien
astronauts. After all, he was a man of science, and if he couldn’t see,
touch, or feel something, it didn’t exist. After years of scoffing at claims
of UFO sightings and alien abductions, he was now confronted with
the truth.
Ten minutes passed quietly while Larry completed his sketch.
When he finished, he looked to Tom. “What do you say we go back
into the saucer and explore the upper section?”

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William James

“All right, Jim won’t mind. He doesn’t like being around this
thing anyhow.”
Larry walked up the ramp and stopped to study the image of
Enki. “I wonder how old this ship is.”
Tom shrugged. “Lord knows. Lord God, that is.”
Larry turned to his right and entered the main corridor. He passed
through the electronic screen and almost immediately saw the first side
corridor, directly ahead and to his left. When he reached the corridor,
he paused to wait for Tom.
“Tom, this side corridor definitely leads to the upper domed
section. The angle looks a little steep, and the flooring is a ramp rather
than stairs. You may want to wait until I get all the way up there before
you follow. I wouldn’t want to land on top of you if I slipped.”
Tom looked into the passageway. It was narrower than the main
corridor, and the steep upwards angle easily convinced him that Larry
was right. “Ok, I’ll wait here.”
Larry leaned forward and stepped into the passageway. He only
took a few steps before coming to a sudden halt. He glanced over his
shoulder and looked down at Tom. “Hey, you’re not going to believe
this. The gravity in here is different from the gravity where you’re
standing. Look, I can stand straight up and perpendicular to the floor.
It feels like I’m on straight and level ground.”
Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. Larry was in a corridor that
angled upwards at nearly forty degrees, and yet he was easily standing
perpendicular to the corridor’s floor. “Maybe there is some kind of gravity
control that kicks in when someone steps through the passageway.”
Larry continued up the narrow passage. “Yeah, that makes sense.
Come on!”
Tom stepped into the corridor. “This is wild. Who’s going to
believe this?”
“No one is going to believe this. Remember? We say nothing
about this to anyone one.”
“Oh yeah, sorry; I know nothing, my lips are sealed.”
Larry stepped out of the corridor and into the craft’s upper dome.
He turned around and reached out to give Tom a hand. “Take a hold,
buddy, that last step is a little tricky.”

56
Chapter 11

Larry and Tom stood in the upper dome section of the saucer, awed by
surreal scene of exotic, high-tech equipment. “This must be the main
control room or flight deck,” said Larry.
“If you say so,” whispered Tom.
Larry marveled at the sleek lines and high-tech design, but where
did the pilot sit?
He observed a large disk shaped column that dominated the
innermost area of the flight deck. It looked like a giant copper coin,
and though broad, the column only protruded about ten or twelve
inches above the flight deck. Twelve seats formed a circle on top of the
column, and all of the seats faced inward, towards a central tower of
high-tech equipment, which stood to a height of six to eight feet.
The upper portion of the dome ceiling appeared to be a huge
curved mirror, which reflected and intensified the internal lighting.
Larry walked to the center section and studied the layout. “I count
twelve seats, but there are no controls, at least there are no controls that
I recognize.” He studied one of the seats close up. It appeared to be just
the right configuration for a human, and he observed that every seat
was in a fixed and reclined configuration.
“I don’t see any seat belts or safety harnesses. That’s strange. How
do they get away with that?”
Tom chuckled. “This is like something out of Star Trek. Maybe
you should ask Mr. Spock.”
Larry raised an eyebrow in an attempt to imitate Spock. “Curious,
most curious, you may have something there.”
Both men broke into good-natured laughter, which served to ease
the tension and to temper their uneasy enthusiasm, but the reprieve
was short lived. Larry moved away from the central control station to
inspect the unfamiliar high-tech equipment, which ran all along the
outer wall. He noticed several built in data screens, similar to the ones
back at the dome structure, but as he continued his inspection, several
questions kept nagging at him. If this saucer has truly been sitting here

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William James

for thousands of years, why does everything inside appear to be brand


new? There was not a speck of dirt or dust anywhere. It seemed as if
someone had maintained the ship, or perhaps the ship had some sort
of automatic maintenance system.
An odd, high-pitched whirring sound startled Larry from his
thoughts when the display in front of him suddenly flickered to life.
He stepped back from the outer wall as all of the equipment before him
began flashing and flickering with a multitude of multicolored lights.
He turned to see the data screens around the flight deck were suddenly
active with streams of hieroglyphs, and many of the surrounding
control panels began lighting up. Soon the entire flight deck came alive
with flashing lights and strange tones.
“Oh my God,” gasped Larry.
The whirring sound grew louder, and Larry backed away from
the wall until his heel bumped into the raised column of seats. He
stumbled onto the column as a streak of light overhead caught his
eye. The dome ceiling appeared to be swirling, its mirrored surface
was dissolving! Larry had no idea how or why, but the whole ship was
coming to life. He stood mesmerized with the sheer power emanating
from within the ship, and for a moment, he wondered if he might be
hallucinating. The dome ceiling was actually turning translucent, as if
the upper portion of the ship morphed into transparent glass. He could
see the stone cavern hanging above the saucer.

About the same time that Larry and Tom entered the control
room, Jim returned to the site. He noticed the work lights were still
on, but Larry and Tom were absent. He called out, “Hello! Tom, Larry,
where are you?” but there was only silence. Jim figured they must be
inside the saucer so he dropped his backpack near the ramp and began
unpacking the food and batteries. He still felt a little unsettled with the
discovery and was mulling over the possible consequences to his career.
Deep in his own thoughts, he failed to notice the low-pitched whirring
sound, emanating from the saucer. He stood at the bottom of the ramp
and called to his companions again. “Hello! Can you guys hear me?”

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Zerø Point

To his surprise, the ramp abruptly closed. Now he was alert and
fully aware of the whirring sound. He backed away from the ship and
noticed the ships outer skin changing color. No, it was glowing.
As whirring sound grew louder, Jim shifted into full panic mode
and turned to distance himself from the saucer. He ran nearly fifty yards
and was aghast to see his shadow appearing in front of him. Sliding to
a stop, he spun around to glimpse at the ship, but by now its outer
skin was too bright to look at. He looked down, put his hand over his
forehead to protect his eyes, and slowly backed away from the saucer.
The whirring sound changed to a rumbling growl and then shifted
into a whining scream. He knew he had to put more distance between
himself and the saucer!

Inside the ship, Larry stood gazing upwards through the


transparent dome. He could clearly see the cavern ceiling above the
ship and noticed an intense light illuminating the overhead stone. Then
he felt a slight shudder as the ship swayed back and forth. My God, he
thought, this things hovering!
Larry wanted to run, but he was overcome with awe, for he
understood that the same force which powered the universe was now
feeding unlimited energy to this ship.
The whirring sound abruptly turned into an unholy scream,
forcing Larry from his trance. He tried to run, but tripped and fell
backwards, landing on the floor between two seats. As he looked up
through the translucent dome, terror filled his heart, for the stone
ceiling was descending upon the ship! It’s a cave in! No, the saucer is
ascending! It’s going to crash into the stone ceiling! He wanted to warn
Tom, but he could make no sound.
The ship accelerated upwards; there was no time to react. In one
move, Larry rolled onto his side and curled himself into a ball. He
screamed as the saucer slammed into the ceiling! Death had come to
claim his soul!
Larry never heard the crash or the explosion that never came. For
the saucer had passed through three hundred feet of solid rock and
was now hovering nearly two miles above the Earth. Trembling like

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William James

a leaf in a storm, Larry tried to stand. He grabbed hold of the seat to


his right and struggled to steady himself. The light on the flight deck
had dimmed, and the only sound in the control room was a gentle
hum. He looked up at the dome and saw a starry sky above. Then he
remembered, Tom!
“Good God!” cried Larry. “Tom, are you all right?”
There was no answer. Larry looked around the flight deck but
Tom was gone. He wondered if perhaps Tom had escaped before the
saucer took off. He glanced around the central platform and spotted
Tom lying in one of the reclined seats. “Tom, are you all right?” he
asked again.
Larry quickly made his way to Tom’s side and called out, “Tom!”
But Tom was unconscious and unable to respond. He grabbed Tom’s
arm and gently pulled on it. “Tom, wake up!”
Tom stirred, and then his eyes flashed open to see Larry looking
down on him. “Are we dead?”
Larry tried to smile, “No, we’re not dead. You must have fainted.
Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m a little shaky, but I’m ok?”
“How did you end up in this seat?” Larry asked.
Tom shook the cobwebs from his thoughts. “All I remember is
everything was fine. You were looking at some of the panels, so I sat
here to relax. The next thing I knew whiz, bam, wham, and the ceiling
came down. I went out like a light.”
Larry’s face suddenly flushed red with anger and he shouted at
Tom, “You fool! I told you not to touch anything! Obviously, you’re the
one who started this thing flying. Do you have any idea what you have
done? We are in deep, deep trouble here!”
Tom winced at Larry’s reaction but quickly pushed it aside as he
looked up towards the dome and saw the night sky. “Where are we?”
Larry looked up to gaze at the stars. “We’re hovering several
thousand feet over Mammoth Cave, and I have no idea how to fly this
ship. You wouldn’t happen to be certified to fly an alien craft, would
you?”

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Zerø Point

Tom looked away. He was ashamed and embarrassed. Larry had


warned him not to touch anything, and now they were probably going
to die in a fiery crash. “I’m sorry Larry. I just forgot.”
Larry took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “All right, what’s
done is done, but could you please, very carefully, get out of the seat
before something else goes wrong?” Larry extended his right hand to
help Tom out of the seat.
“What are we going to do?” asked Tom.
“I have no idea.”
Tom looked out through the transparent dome. “Hey, I think
we’re going down!”
“Oh no, I hope it’s a soft landing.”

Jim threw himself face down onto the cavern floor, anticipating
the saucers imminent crash into the stone ceiling, but an unexpected
silence suddenly filled the cavern and the intense light vanished. He
stood to his feet and peered towards saucer, but it was gone. The work
lights were still lit and pointing to where the saucer had sat, but there
was no saucer. The fine layer of cave dust, which had covered the saucer,
was now a choking cloud. Astonished, Jim pointed his flashlight at the
ceiling, but the stone was pristine. No burn marks, no scorch marks,
no nothing, and no friends. He called out for Larry and Tom, but the
only sound he could hear, was the echo of his own voice.
Jim walked back to where the saucer had been sitting. “What on
earth happened?” he whispered.
He covered his mouth with his shirt collar to keep out the dust
and stood quiet for several minutes while he struggled to understand
what he had just witnessed. Where was the ship? What happened to Tom
and Larry? Are they all right? His brain reeled as a thousand questions
overwhelmed his thoughts, and Jim knew that he was about to lose his
mind. His body quivered as he stared at the cavern floor in silence.
A loud screaming shattered the stillness as the darkness suddenly
turned to day. Jim glanced up and immediately knew what was
happening. The saucer was returning, and he was about to be crushed!

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William James

In an act of desperation, he ran as fast as he could to get out from


beneath the descending disk.
As the saucer cleared the cavern ceiling, the screaming whine
shifted to a deep whirring sound, and the ship slowly descended to a
hover a few feet above the cavern floor. It paused for several moments
and then the landing gear extended as it settled ever so gently to the
cavern floor. The bright aura surrounding the ship faded as the whirring
sound subsided.
Jim ran to the saucer to open the ramp, but he didn’t have a chance
to touch it, for it began to open on its own. As the ramp descended,
Larry and Tom poured out of the saucer and hit the ground running.
“Hey, where are you going?” Jim called after them.
Tom and Larry stopped and turned to face Jim. “We’ve had
enough excitement for today!” shouted Larry.
“Amen to that,” said Tom.
“My God! I thought you guys were dead! Aren’t you going to tell
me what happened?”
Larry shook his head. “We’ll tell you all about it on the way
home.”

62
Chapter 12

Paulus was upstairs preparing for bed when he heard a commotion at


the front door. He put his robe on and went downstairs to find Larry,
Tom, and Jim in the kitchen, pulling leftovers from the fridge.
“Good evening gentlemen. Can I make you snack?” asked
Paulus.
“No, it’s late,” said Larry. “We’re fine, thank you.”
“Ok, but don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. I’ll be in
my room. Call me if you need me.”
Paulus returned to his room and settled into bed with a book he’d
borrowed from Tom.
Jim gnawed on a cold chicken leg as he took a seat at the kitchen
table. “All right, you guys. You’ve had enough time to simmer down.
Now tell me what happened when the saucer took off?”
Larry held his hands up as if to surrender. “Ok, but first I have
something to say to Tom.”
Larry turned to Tom “I’d like to apologize for my emotional
outburst. I was frightened and…”
“Don’t give it a second thought,” Tom interrupted. “It was my
fault. You were right, we could have been killed. I should be apologizing
to you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“All right, I’ve had enough suspense for one night!” exclaimed
Jim. “What happened?”
Larry shook his head as he let out a long sigh. “After you went
for supplies, we decided to explore the saucer. We made our way to the
ships upper dome section, where we discovered the flight deck.
“My attention was focused on some of the equipment, and I
didn’t notice that Tom had decided to take a break. There are twelve
reclined seats that circle around a central control station. Anyhow, Tom
sat in one of the seats…”
Larry paused and looked to Tom. “Why don’t you tell him what
happened.”

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William James

Tom leaned forward in his seat and placed both of his elbows on
the kitchen table. He rubbed his eyes and looked across the table at Jim.
“Brother, it was unbelievable. Larry told me not to touch anything, but
at the time, I really didn’t see any harm in taking a break in one of the
seats. Larry was engrossed with the gizmos along the wall, so I figured
to relax and let him study them without any interruption from me. Big
mistake! I really don’t remember touching any controls, but apparently
I did.”
Tom paused as he tried to recall exactly what happened.“ I’ve got
to be honest. I really don’t know what happened. There was a whirling
sound, a screeching noise, and then there was a bright light. The last
thing I remember was looking up and seeing the cavern collapse onto
the saucer. Man, I was scared. I guess I fainted.”
Tom swallowed hard and shook his head slowly. “The next thing
I know, Larry was tugging on my arm and yelling. I looked up and saw
the night sky.”
Jim interrupted. “Wait, how could you have seen the cavern
ceiling? Is there a skylight or window on top?”
“No. The entire upper portion of the dome became transparent.
It was really weird. Larry and I could see the stars through the dome.”
“Ok. So how on earth did you two geniuses land the saucer?”
“We didn’t,” said Larry, chuckling.
“Well who did?”
“We don’t know how, but when Tom got out of the seat, the
saucer hovered a few seconds and then returned to the cavern.”
Jim scrunched his nose. “The saucer landed itself? Maybe there is
some sort of auto-pilot built into the saucer, but I still have a question.
How did the saucer pass through several hundred feet of rock as if it
were moving through air?”
Larry nodded. “I’ve given that a lot of thought. I believe the
saucer can temporarily shift out of phase with our dimension. This
would allow it to ignore the laws of physics which govern our universe.
What I mean is, when the saucer enters subspace, our physical laws no
longer apply, and it can pass through solid matter. The loud screaming
noise we heard must be vibrations which are triggered when this sort of
dimensional shift occurs.”

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Jim hit himself on the side of his head and exclaimed, “Oh! I
should have known!”
“Yeah, Jim, it was as plain as the nose on your face,” said Tom,
chuckling.
The trio broke into a chorus of nervous laughter for several
moments.
“All right,” said Larry, as he regained his composure. “We’re in
agreement that we need to keep this quiet. Right?”
Jim and Tom were still struggling to control their laughter but
nodded in agreement.
“Ok then, here’s the plan. I have a friend, Bob Hicks. He’s been
involved in some of our country’s most secret projects. I’d trust this guy
with my life. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get him out here to give
the equipment a thorough exam.”
Jim nodded. “Hey, buddy, you do whatever you feel is best. This
secret hush-hush stuff is out of my league.”
Larry reached for his cell phone. “All right, I’ll call him right now.
I know it’s late, but I’m sure he won’t mind.” Larry dialed the numbers
and waited in silence as the call went through.
“Bob, this is Larry Johnson. Sorry to call you so late at night, but
I’ve got something that’ll change your life.”
There was a moment’s pause as Bob Hicks looked at the clock on
his night stand. “Larry, I was dreaming about this nice girl I met today.
Do you know what time it is?”
“Yes, I know, but you’ll be thanking me for calling you. I
promise.”
Bob sat up and threw his legs over the side of his bed, “What do
you have?”
“I can’t say anything on the telephone. Can you fly out to my
place in the morning?”
There was a long pause as Bob tried to clear his brain. “If anybody
else had asked me to drop everything and come running, I’d say no, but
I know you, and I know you’re not one to cry wolf. I’ll be there.”
“I promise you’ll thank me for letting you in on this one.”
“I’ll be flying my Beechcraft Baron. Is your landing strip in good
shape?”

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William James

“You know it is, and the weathers been nice and dry. Don’t worry;
your plane won’t get muddied up, like the last time.”
“I’ll be there before noon.”
“I’ll see you then. One more thing. Say nothing to no one, and I
mean no one.”
“I understand.”
Larry hung up the phone and looked to Jim, “I must say, he took
that quite well. He should be here around noon.”
“Just curious, who is this guy,” said Jim?
“Bob and I go way back,” Larry explained. “We’ve worked on a
lot of projects together, and over time, we’ve become good friends. He’s
a straight shooter and tough as nails.”
The late night meeting was interrupted by a creaking sound from
the hard wood floor as Paulus entered the kitchen. “Sorry to interrupt
your meeting, but I hear a late night snack calling my name.”
Larry chuckled. “Go for it.”
Jim looked to Larry and gestured towards Paulus, but Larry smiled.
“We don’t have to worry about Paulus. He didn’t come to me through
some temp service. In fact, he has a higher security clearance than most
of the people that I’ve worked with. You can relax. He’s ok.”
Jim chuckled. “Paulus, you seem to be a mystery.”
“Paulus is more than my personal assistant. This manservant
routine was his idea, and he is pretty good at it. It’s a good cover. The
truth is, he’s an Aikido Master, an x-navy SEAL, and he serves as my
bodyguard. Believe me, he’s no one to trifle with.”
“Jeepers,” said Tom. “I would have never guessed. Never in a
million years.”
Tom and Jim couldn’t help but stare at Paulus as he finished
making himself a snack of milk and toast.
Though he heard them talking about him, Paulus remained silent
and then turned and smiled. “Good night gentlemen.”
Jim continued to stare at Paulus as he exited the kitchen. “Humph,
I never suspected. How could I have missed that?”
“Don’t take it personal.” said Larry. You weren’t supposed to
know.”

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Jim glanced at his watch, “I know it’s late, but I’ve got to call my
wife. Don’t worry. I won’t say anything about the alien stuff. I just want
to tell her that I may be here a little longer than expected. I’ll make up
some excuse. If I did tell her about any of this, she would be at the front
door before sunrise.”
“You go ahead and call your wife, but I’m going to bed,” said
Larry.
Tom pushed away from the table. “Me, too.”
Jim pulled his cell phone from his waist. “I’ll be along in a few
minutes.”

67
Chapter 13

It was well after 9:00 a.m. when Tom awoke. He glanced at the clock on
the night stand and couldn’t believe how late it was. Jim was nowhere
to be seen so Tom headed straight for the shower. The water was cold
so he hurried to finish. He got himself dressed and then made a beeline
for the breakfast table with hopes that Paulus had saved him some
food.
Larry and Jim were sitting at the kitchen table when the creaky
old floors alerted them to Tom’s approach.
Tom entered the kitchen and waved to Larry. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“Sorry for sleeping in so late.”
Larry smiled. “We had a very exciting time yesterday. It’s only
natural for the mind to want to recoup. Come, grab a seat. Paulus
saved some hotcake batter for you and there’s some extra bacon on the
stove.”
“We’re not going anywhere till Bob arrives, so relax,” said Jim.
Tom slipped into a chair next to Larry. “Mmm, that coffee smells
good. By the way, where is Paulus?”
“He’s right behind you,” said Larry, chuckling. “Are you sure
you’re awake?”
Tom twisted around in his seat. “Oh, sorry, Paulus, I didn’t see
you.”
“No problem. Would you like some breakfast?”
“I sure would. That is, if it’s not too much trouble.”
Paulus placed a cup of hot coffee on the table and slid it in front
of Tom. “It’s no trouble.”
“Thank you,” said Tom as he raised the cup to his lips and sipped
the hot liquid. “Oh man, that hits the spot. Has there been any word
from your buddy, Bob?”
Larry stood and walked to the end of the kitchen counter where
an aircraft transceiver was monitoring a special frequency for small
airports. “When he gets close enough, he’ll call us on the Unicom

69
William James

channel. I have several remote speakers around the house. We’ll hear
him.”
Tom glanced at the small transceiver. “Hmm, I thought that was
a CB radio.”
The men finished breakfast, and Larry led his guests to the front
porch for some quiet conversation. As the chat ensued, it became
apparent that Jim was somewhat despondent over the whole affair with
the alien craft.
“Look, fellas, I don’t mean to put a damper on what we’ve
discovered, but I’ve seen too many well meaning scientists fall into
ridicule for upsetting the status quo. This is why I’ve always avoided
anything that could get me labeled as a maverick.”
“I understand where you’re coming from,” said Larry. “Don’t
worry. If or when this goes public, I promise to keep your name out
of it. Let me explain my position. During my career, I have witnessed
the cover-up of inventions and discoveries for profit’s sake. Large
corporations will sometimes purchase the patent rights on a discovery
and then sit on them to stifle competition. The military industry is
a good example of the same behavior. I’ve seen truly good designs,
thwarted in the name of national security. I understand the need for
secrecy and security, but too often, the cloak of national security stifles
advances that could benefit all man kind.
“Over the years, I have quietly developed a plan and patiently
waited for the right opportunity to present itself. Now that it’s here,
I’m not about to give it up.
“The potential benefits to all of humanity are staggering. Think of
the benefits to humanity if we play this right and get this technology
into the public domain. The scientific advances would be staggering,
but my main goal is to bring this energy technology to the free market.
We can patent this technology and then license it for manufacture. I
would never want to sell the patent rights to any single company. This
technology is the key to a golden future for all humanity, and I don’t
want it to slip away.”

70
Zerø Point

It was twelve minutes after eleven, and the men were still on the
front porch when the aircraft transceiver crackled to life.
“Excuse me, but that’s Bob calling,” said Larry as he hurried to
the kitchen. He grabbed the microphone and keyed the transmitter.
“Hey, Bob! Good to hear your voice. The winds are calm, and the field
is clear. Come on in, buddy.”
The drone of aircraft engines accompanied Bob’s voice through
the speakers, “Roger that. Paulus, if you can hear me, I’m looking
forward to your special blend of coffee.”
Larry extended the microphone towards Paulus and keyed the
transmitter.
Paulus grinned and said, “I’ll put on a fresh pot, just for you!”
Minutes later the Beechcraft Baron touched down on the grass
strip, and Bob guided the craft to a spot along side of Jim’s Skymaster,
where he killed the engines. As he climbed out of the Baron, he could
see Larry’s pickup truck bouncing across the field. Larry slowed to a
stop along side of the Baron and exited the truck.
“Hey, buddy! It’s good to see you!” exclaimed Larry.
As the two men shook hands, Bob noticed Tom and Jim climbing
out of the pickup. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
Larry turned to face Jim and Tom. “I want you to meet two
friends of mine. They’re a couple of professors from Brooklyn College
of Natural History. This is Professor of Archaeology Jim Flanagan and
Professor of Anthropology Tom Nellings.
“Bob is a nuclear physicist. He also holds a degree in Astrophysics,
and he spent ten years with the Department of Energy. He currently
works at Michael Air Force Base, in Utah.”
After introductions and handshakes all around, Larry patted Bob
on the back. “Bob, these professors are regular guys, so just call them
Jim and Tom.”
“It’s good to meet you. You can call me Bob or Hicks. I answer to
both and a few other names that I won’t mention.”
Larry snickered. “Yeah, he answers to some names that I wouldn’t
care to repeat in mixed company.”

71
William James

The men laughed as Bob opened the cargo hatch and passed a
suitcase to Larry. After Larry tossed it into the back of the pickup, Bob
pitched him another suitcase and closed the hatch.
Larry tossed the second suitcase into the pickup too and called
out, “Let’s go boys! Paulus has plenty of refreshments for us.”
Bob looked to Larry. “I was glad to hear that Paulus is still with
you. I guess he’s going to stay on through your retirement.”
“Are you kidding? I’d be lost without him. He keeps me on the
straight and narrow and who else would put up with me? If I’d been
married all of these years, I’d have someone telling me that my priorities
were all wrong. On the other hand, Paulus has been a real blessing, and
as you already know, he’s a great cook.”
Bob chuckled. “Now that is a good point.”
They piled into the truck and drove back to the house where Jim
and Tom retreated to the sunroom while Larry and Paulus settled Bob
into an upstairs bedroom.
Tom took a sip of iced tea and shot Jim a thoughtful look, “So,
are you ok with our situation?”
“To tell you the truth, I wish I’d never heard of Mammoth Cave.
This is going to turn our worlds upside down.”
“Maybe so, but you’ve got to admit it’s the discovery of a
lifetime.”
Jim looked Tom in the eye. “I don’t want this kind of excitement.
In fact, I’m thinking of finishing up here and going back home. Don’t
worry; I wouldn’t give away our secret.”
“What are you saying? Come on, Jim, you could use some
excitement in your life. Embrace it, and one day you’ll look back on
this as a great adventure.”
Jim’s face flashed with anger. “Don’t you get it? I don’t need an
adventure! I’m not Indiana Jones, I’m a college professor. I’ve got a
good marriage, I love my work, and I don’t want to lose any of that.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but think about the possibilities.
Think of the good that could come from unlimited energy and planetary
exploration.”
Jim responded with silence and stared at the floor, but Tom
persisted.

72
Zerø Point

“Think about this. If and when they figure out how this stuff
works, you know they’re going to get around to exploring the solar
system and beyond.” Tom leaned to one side in an attempt to get Jim
to look at him. “At some point they’re going to need archaeologists
up there. Now tell me you wouldn’t like to be the first to discover a
prehistoric civilization on Mars or some other planet.”
Jim’s eyebrows rose and he managed a little smile. “I never thought
of that.”
“Maybe you should quit sulking and consider the possibilities.
You know, expand your mind. There’s a lot more to this world than our
work at the college. Sure, we go on a dig now and then, but it’s always
about the college and our careers. This is one chance in a lifetime,
maybe a hundred lifetimes. Don’t throw it away because of the personal
inconvenience it might bring.”
Jim slowly nodded in agreement. “Maybe you’re right.”
Tom handed Jim a glass of tea. “There is an old saying, and I
know you’ve heard it: sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees.”
“You’re right. Thanks. I guess I really should hang in here and see
where this goes.”
“That’s more like it.”
Their conversation was interrupted with the sound of laughter
as Larry and Bob entered the sunroom. “Well, did you get Bob settled
in?” asked Tom.
“Yes, we took very good care of him,” said Larry.
Bob took a seat in a wicker chair and looked to Jim and Tom. “So,
how did a couple of college professors get mixed up with the likes of
Larry Johnson?”
Jim shook his head and glanced at Larry. “You want to tell
him?”
Larry took a seat next to Bob. “Jim and I go way back, but he’s
here today because of his work. His college has sent him and Tom
out here to investigate some artifacts at Mammoth Cave. They’ve been
doing this kind of work for years.”
“Ok, but . . .”

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William James

“Wait, let me finish. They’ve discovered some ancient tablets


that have no business being on this continent. In fact, the hieroglyphs
originated in ancient Mesopotamia.”
Bob leaned forward. “Now that is interesting, but that’s not why
you called me.”
“No, if it was just the tablets, we definitely wouldn’t have called
you. By the way, you did keep this trip off the record. Didn’t you?”
“Don’t worry. I told them I needed to get away for a few days.
They think I am visiting a friend, nothing more.”
Larry poured a glass of tea and handed it to Bob. “Jim and Tom
have discovered a hidden cavern in the Mammoth Cave. I mean,
several thousand years ago, the entrance to this cavern was intentionally
covered over. That’s where they found a chamber and the tablets, but
they also discovered a second hidden passageway that leads to an
immense cavern.”
Larry paused to pour himself a glass of tea, “I’d rather not tell
you what they found in the cavern. Even if I did, I don’t think you’d
believe me.”
“What you mean is that you’d rather not tell me?”
Larry sipped his tea and gazed at his friend. “I mean I’d rather
show you what they found.”
“Oh come on. Don’t tease me like that. You’ve got my attention.
Surely you can tell me or at least give me some sort of hint.”
“I will tell you this much. They’ve discovered several ancient
artifacts that are definitely not of this world.”
Bob’s eyes bulged as he stared at Larry. “You’re killing me here!
This isn’t fair. I flew down here on your word, and now you’re teasing
me. Come on Larry, don’t do this.”
Larry reached out and placed his hand on Bob’s shoulder.
“Patience, my man. So help me God, you won’t regret coming here
today.”
Bob exhaled slowly. “Whew. Coming from you, I’ll accept that,
but please, I’m only human. This had better be good.”
A broad grin spread across Larry’s face. “Thanks, Bob. Let’s get
some lunch, and we’ll take you to the site.”

74
Chapter 14

The men were about to enter the Alpha site when Larry called ahead,
“Hold up, Jim! I want to show Bob how this cavern was hidden for
God knows how long.” Larry shined his light on the large boulder that
had kept the entrance hidden for untold ages. “This boulder used to
cover the entrance to that cavern, but it came loose during a minor
earth tremor. If you look closely, you can see it’s been shaped to fit
precisely into the entranceway.”
Bob examined the boulder and then turned to inspect the
entranceway, “You’re right… and if you look close, you can see the
entrance has had some tooling along the edges. Hmm.”
Larry shined his light into the cavern. “Ok, Jim, lead on.”
Jim entered the cavern and walked straight to the stone monolith.
As the men gathered beside him, Tom began to explain the significance
of the monolith.
“We found several tablets and wall carvings in here, but this
monolith is the kicker. It tells a story of Lord Enki, who was an ancient
god of the Mesopotamian region. It also refers to a Chamber of Fate
and a Tablet of Destiny. These references are right out of some of the
ancient Sumerian records.”
Tom pointed to the lower half of the monolith. “Down here it
makes reference to Lord Marduk’s celestial chariot. I haven’t had time
to do a complete translation, but there’s a lot of history carved into this
stone.”
Jim stepped to the right side of the monolith and looked to Bob
as he pointed to the circular wall carving. “As you see, this wall carving
represents a hand, but watch closely.” Jim placed both hands on the
carved image and pushed hard. The carving slid backward with a
metallic clunk and the monolith opened.
Bob took a quick step back. “Wow! Now that’s cool!”
Larry chuckled. “If you like that, wait till you see what’s behind
door number two.”

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William James

Jim led them through the long narrow tunnel and into the massive
cavern.
“Whew, this is really huge!” exclaimed Bob.
Tom shined his light at the ceiling and then into the darkness
ahead. “It’s the largest cavern I’ve ever seen. Follow Jim. It’s just a little
further.”
Jim moved on until the dome structure came into view and then
stopped to wait for the others to catch up.
Bob came from behind and stood next to Jim. “What on earth?”
“We call this the Beta site,” said Larry as he took the lead and
approached the dome. When he got to within ten or twelve feet of the
structure, he stopped. “I’ll let you do the honors Bob.”
“You’ll let me do what honors?”
“Just walk over to the structure.”
Bob looked at the dome and rubbed his chin. As he approached
the dome, a doorway suddenly appeared, and the door slid quietly into
the wall. Cautious, Bob peered into the structure, “What is it?”
“That’s what we mean to find out,” said Larry
As Bob stepped into the structure, he heard a hissing sound
and saw tiny sparks flashing around his arms. Startled, Bob jumped
forward, spun around and began smacking at the sparks, but they were
gone. “Ye gad! What on earth was that?”
Larry broke into animated laughter, mimicking Bob’s reaction
to the sparks, “Sorry, I should have warned you, but you were
entertaining.”
“That wasn’t funny. I thought I was on fire. What was that?”
Larry composed himself as best he could. “It seems to be some
sort of electronic cleaning field. You’ll notice that there is no dirt or
dust inside of the structure. In fact it’s like a clean room.”
As Bob turned to scrutinize his surroundings, the walls took on
an eerie greenish glow. “I was about to ask where the light switch was
located.”
Larry entered the dome and moved to Bob’s side. “I strongly
advise against touching any of the equipment. We’ve already had one
bad experience.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”

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“I’ll tell you later. Right now, I’d like to point out a few things
about this structure. First, it’s sitting on solid rock, and there are no
power cables feeding electricity in from the outside.”
Larry moved towards the structure’s central tower. “Come and
look at this.”
Bob moved in close as Larry pointed to an active data screen. “Do
you recognize anything on the screen?”
Bob leaned in for a closer look, and then whispered, “What
the…” With raised eyebrows, he turned to look at Larry. “Do you
know what this is?”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea.”
“Ok. I’m all ears. What is it?”
“This dome has obviously been here for several thousand years.
It has its own power source, and this equipment is definitely not from
Radio Shack. All of the facts define this structure as alien, but what’s
most intriguing is the power source.”
Bob’s eyes returned to the data screen. “What do you think?”
“I know I haven’t given you all of the facts, but if you’ll bear with
me, I’ll lay it out for you.”
Bob nodded. “Ok.”
Larry pointed to the data screen. “I believe this central tower
houses a true Zero Point Energy Module, and it’s been quietly providing
power to this facility for thousands of years.”
Bob’s eyes grew larger. “How sure are you about this?”
“I’d say I’m one hundred percent convinced that this station
is powered by a Zero Point Energy Module. This is the holy-grail of
energy research.”
“You’ve definitely got goose bumps crawling up my back,” said
Bob, turning to look at the equipment stationed along the outer wall.
“You say there’s more?”
Larry looked at the entranceway. “Ah, yes but it’s not here.” He
motioned for Bob to follow him. “Let’s move on to the Gamma site.”
“What? There’s another structure?”
Larry grinned. “Well, yeah, sort of.”
“Come on Larry, quit the teasing. What do you have?”

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William James

Tom and Jim were standing outside of the doorway as Larry and
Bob exited the structure. Larry looked at Jim and asked, “You want to
take us to the Gamma site?”
Jim ignored the bewildered look on Bob’s face. “Follow me,
gentlemen.” They continued on in a single file with Bob in quiet awe.
At age 45, Bob has been around some of the nation’s most advanced
military projects, and he knew the military would do anything to get
their hands on something like this. Bob respected the military but he’s
aware of a fanatic fringe within the military who answered to no one.
He completely understood Larry’s insistence on secrecy.
Jim spotted the faint silhouette of the saucer and stopped. “This
is it!” The men came forward and stood at Jim’s side.
Bob strained to see the large object outlined in the darkness.
“What is it?”
“I think you’ll want to see for yourself,” said Larry.
Larry, Jim, and Tom stood back and watched as Bob walked slowly
toward the object. He moved ahead about fifteen yards and suddenly
stopped. Everyone stood in silence and watched as Bob’s light began
to quiver. They let him be until finally he slowly turned around and
whispered in a small, shaky voice,, “Holy Mother of God.” He tried to
join the others, but his legs were overloaded with adrenaline and his
brain was reeling. “Are you guys pulling my leg?”
Larry smiled and answered softly, “It’s for real, Bob.”
Bob turned to face the saucer and stood motionless. “Now I
understand why you didn’t tell me everything. I would have laughed
in your face.” He slowly edged his way towards the saucer. “Have you
examined it?”
“We took it for a spin,” said Larry.
It took a moment for Larry’s words to register, but when Bob
finally realized what Larry had just said, he spun around, his eyes
bulging and his voice raised several octaves. “You did not!”
“I’m serious. Tom and I took it for a spin. We didn’t go far. We
just took it up to ten thousand feet or so and hovered for a few minutes
over the park.”
“What are you saying? Do you mean to stand there and tell me
that you just climbed on board and fired this thing up?”

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Zerø Point

Larry was savoring the moment. “That’s exactly what I’m telling
you.”
Bob pointed his light at the cavern ceiling. “Oh come on. How
did you get it out of the cavern?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I believe the saucer can
slide in and out of our dimension. What I mean is the saucer will
temporarily shift out of phase with our dimension. It actually enters
subspace, allowing it to pass through solid matter. The process is a little
noisy, but it works.”
“God all mighty!” whispered Bob. “You’re telling me the truth,
aren’t you?”
“I got no reason to lie to you, but I have to admit it was fun
watching your reaction when you first saw the saucer.”
“I’ll bet it was. You always did have a perverted sense of humor.”
Tom chuckled. “Don’t feel bad. We all needed a shot of oxygen
when we first saw this thing.”
Bob looked to Larry with a childlike anticipation and asked, “Can
I look inside?”
Larry smiled. “I thought you’d never ask. Follow me.” He led
Bob to the saucer and pressed the sensor to lower the ramp. A hissing
sound emanated from the saucer as the ramp opened. “Ah, just one
thing Bob.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t touch anything.”

79
Chapter 15

Paulus plugged in the coffee pot in preparation for the morning


breakfast. He opened a container of fresh eggs and reached for a new
package of bacon, but he was only going through the motions. His
thoughts were focused on last evening’s conversation concerning ancient
astronauts and the astounding discoveries at Mammoth Cave. He was
troubled by the eerie connection between last evening’s conversation
and the book that Tom had lent him, Slave Species of god. Normally
he would refrain from joining in or mixing with Larry’s guests, but this
time was different. He wondered if he should voice his concerns during
the morning meal, but his thoughts were interrupted when Bob came
prancing into the kitchen, whistling a lively tune.
“Tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet tweeeet-tweet…”
“You seem happy,” said Paulus.
“Happy? Yes, I guess I am.”
“Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d love some. Is Larry up?”
“I haven’t seen him, but I’m sure he’s awake, I heard his shower
running.”
Bob heard the floor creaking and turned to see Jim and Tom.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” mumbled Jim. “Is there coffee, Paulus?”
Paulus grinned as he handed a cup to Jim, “You know there is.”
“I’ll take some of that,” said Tom.
Bob took a seat at the breakfast table. “Come on you two and
grab a seat. What do you have planned for today?”
Jim looked to Bob. “Tom and I are going to go to the Alpha
site and finish our work. I’m thinking we’ll head back home in the
morning.”
Tom was stunned. He leaned forward and looked at Jim, but Jim
ignored him, “We’re going to report the hand tools to the university,
but we’ll omit the hieroglyphs from our appraisal. No one needs to
know about the tablets. I figure we can store them in the large cavern,

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but the monolith is too big for us to move. I’ll leave that problem
with you and Larry. We can always come back for the tablets when the
timing is right.”
Larry entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot.
“Good morning, good morning.”
Bob stood and held his cup out for Larry to freshen. “Jim and
Tom are going to finish their work at the Alpha site and head home
tomorrow. While they’re closing shop, why don’t you and I make some
phone calls?”
Larry took a seat at the table. “We’ll make some calls, but what’s
this about Jim and Tom leaving?” He looked across the table at Jim.
“This is kind of sudden. I thought you were going to stay on for
awhile.”
Jim shrugged. “No, we’ve got to get back to the university. You
and Bob can handle things from here on out. You don’t need to be
tripping over two college professors.”
Larry sensed an uneasiness in Jim’s voice but decided not to push
him, “Can you keep the technology part of your discovery quiet? I
mean, with the University.”
“No problem. We’ll wind things up today and head back home
in the morning.”
Tom looked like an abandoned child who had to say something.
“Wait! We can’t turn our backs on this technology.”
“We’re not turning our backs on anything; we’re turning it over
to two people who have the proper credentials to explore this properly.
This discovery is definitely out of our league, and I think it’s time for
us to step aside. There’s nothing left for us to do here, and we’d only be
in the way.”
Jim leaned back in his chair and looked to Larry. “You can call us
if you need us.”
Larry was saddened with Jim’s decision, but he respected it. “I
understand. You have your own responsibilities. Just be available if we
do need you.”
“No problem,” said Jim, glancing at Tom. “Well, let’s get
started.”

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Tom stood to his feet but said nothing as he walked out the back
door and climbed into the van.
Jim rolled his eyes and glanced at Larry. “I’ll see you guys later.”
He walked outside and approached the van, mumbling to himself, “It’s
going to be a very long day.”
Bob watched Jim as he followed Tom to the van. “Tom seems a
little upset.”
“I can’t say that I blame him.” said Larry.
Bob tapped his fingernails in a random rhythm on the table,
“Maybe Tom could stay on. I can fly him home whenever he decides
to leave.”
Larry drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. Let
them work it out. We’ll play it by ear. Right now, we need to get some
people out here.”
Bob pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket and said, “I’m
already working on that. I’ve made a small list of people that I feel we
can trust.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Probably.” Bob handed the list to Larry. “We can start making
phone calls after breakfast, but we’ll have to be careful. If we get too
many people involved, we’re going to have a leak.”
“I know.” Larry glanced across the kitchen where Paulus had just
finished frying some bacon. “Paulus, would you join us for breakfast?”

Jim and Tom returned to the Alpha sight and began switching on
the work lights. “You haven’t said a word since we left the house. Are
you angry at me?” Jim asked.
“Let’s just say I’m confused. You said that you were going to hang
in here, and now you’re packing it in. What gives?”
“I know what I said, but I’ve thought it over. I’ve got a wife and a
career back home, and that’s what’s important to me. We’ll be ostracized
if we go public with this alien stuff. I phoned Pat last night and told
her I was coming home. Don’t worry; I didn’t mention anything about
aliens. I know you’d like to stay on, but we’d only be in the way. Larry

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will keep us up to date. All we have to do is make a phone call, and he


can fill us in.”
Tom knew that Jim was right. Their work was finished, but he
couldn’t imagine leaving. “You’re right, but I’ve been studying these
ancient writings for years and now that we’ve made the biggest discovery
of all time, I can’t just walk away. I don’t care about some elitist agenda,
and I’m not worried about making waves in someone’s intellectual
pond. I have to follow this through!”
“I understand where you’re coming from, and I wish I had
your courage, but I don’t. If you’re serious about perusing this alien
technology, you’ve got the summer off. Why not spend it here?”
Tom nodded. “That’s a thought.”
“Why not? I’m sure that Larry would be happy to keep you. Just
offer some cash for groceries and such.”
“All right,” Tom said, feeling much better. “I’ll speak to Larry.”
“Good for you.”

Bob and Larry spent hours making phone calls. They needed to
entice the best people to join them in developing their newly discovered
find, but they had to be extremely careful not to let the cat out of
the bag, so they made a cover story. There was going to be a seminar
on energy research, two weeks from today, and only a select group of
scientists were invited. It would be a three-day seminar, and the selected
few were urged to plan on staying for the entire program. Casual wear
was mandatory.
Larry finished a conversation with the last of the prospective
scientists and placed the phone on the kitchen table. “Well Bob, that
should do it. You think all of them will show?”
“I hope so. We’ve made it sound exciting. If they believe there’s
been a real breakthrough in their field of research, they’ll be here.”
Larry nodded. “We pumped it up enough to make it sound
enticing. Maybe we weren’t exactly telling the truth, but I think they’ll
understand our predicament, once they see what we have.”

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“My concern is a leak. Why don’t we put a non-disclosure


agreement together and have everyone sign it before we show them the
facts?”
Larry sat forward in his chair. “Now that’s a good idea. They’re
used to signing such agreements, and it just might help to keep a lid on
things. At least for awhile.”
“You do realize that eventually there will be a leak; there always
is.”
“Yes, but hopefully not before we get the right information to
the right people. Once this kind of technology gets into mainstream
corporations, there’ll be no way to stop it. We’ll just have to keep in
mind, that after we assemble a team, we’ll need to work as fast as we
can.”
Bob paused and thought for a moment. “You know, we need to
document everything, and we need to keep a backup copy of our work
in a safe place.”
“Yes, I thought of that too. In fact, that’s where Paulus comes in.
He’s our backup. We’ll pass the data to him, and he can put it in a safe
place, some place that even we don’t know about.”
“That’s good. Paulus is trust worthy, and he can certainly handle
himself. Okay, let’s get him in here.”

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The days passed quickly as Bob and Larry work feverishly to prepare for
the seminar. They put their heads together and created a detailed report
on the theories of Zero Point Energy, and then created documents and
leaflets to pass out to the guests. They did all they could to prepare a
detailed presentation.
Jim had returned home, but Tom stayed on and pitched in to help
with the seminar preparations. There was much work to do, and Paulus
was no slacker. He and Tom worked together and gathered additional
work lights, flashlights, and a mountain of food and supplies for the
expected guests. After Paulus felt comfortable with the supplies, he
turned his attention to the old farmhouse. His first objective was to
prepare sleeping quarters on the second floor. The farmhouse was large,
but they still needed more space, so he and Tom worked hard to clean
out the attic to make room for several new twin beds. When they were
finished, the attic looked like a small military barracks.
When the sleeping arrangements were complete, Paulus and Tom
wasted no time, in turning the large family room into a meeting hall.
They then tightened security with an updated alarm system, which
included motion sensors and cameras mounted in key locations in and
around the farmhouse.
Friday was to be the big day, but Larry got a surprise on Thursday
afternoon when a small aircraft landed, unannounced, on the grass
strip. He and Paulus climbed into the pickup truck and raced across
the field to se who had landed. As they approached the small craft,
Larry recognized Johnathan Wheeler, one of the invited guests.
Paulus pulled the pickup in close to the plane, and Larry climbed
out of the truck. “John, it’s good to see you.”
The two men shook hands and Larry turned to inspect the tiny,
home-built aircraft. “Is this yours?”
“It sure is. I spent three years building this baby, and I never pass
up an opportunity to take her out.”
“Is it a kit plane?”

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“No, it’s my own design. I don’t like to brag but she’s a dream to
fly.”
Larry was impressed with the quality of John’s work. “Wow, she
sure is a looker. Bob will be drooling all over this baby. Come on,
let’s grab your luggage and get you settled in. You’re a bit early but
that’s ok, you can help us get ready. As far as I know, everyone is flying
commercial, but you always did like to make a big entrance.”
John laughed as he tossed his bags into the bed of the truck. “Let’s
just say, I’ve got class.”
Larry opened the truck’s passenger door. “Climb aboard, John.
We’ll get you settled in and put you to work.”

The big day finally arrived, and Paulus was in true form with a
hardy breakfast for the new arrivals. As soon as breakfast ended, he
directed everyone to the meeting room where Larry and Bob were
hastily putting the finished touches on some last minute changes.
While everyone was signing in, Paulus made certain that each of
the guests signed a non-disclosure form.
Larry waited patiently for everyone to sign in and become
acquainted. At 9:20 a.m., he invited his guests to find a seat. He then
took his position behind the podium, next to a large high definition
television set, and motioned for Paulus to close the doors. Before him
were some of the brightest minds on the planet. He wondered how
they would react to what he was about to share with them.
Larry gestured for everyone to quiet down. “If I may have
everyone’s attention! I would like to thank all of you for coming to my
home. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Doctor Larry
Johnson. I hold degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Astrophysics,
and I am currently retired, or at least I was until two weeks ago.
“I’d like to acknowledge my colleague, Doctor Robert Hicks
who holds degrees in Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, and who is
currently working at the Michael Air Force Base in Utah. I could not
have assembled this meeting without him, and I’d like to thank him
for his leadership.”

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Larry paused as he fumbled with the guest list. “Ok. We’re


going to get things started. Let me see, who’s here.” Larry scanned the
audience for familiar faces. He new most of the visitors and felt that he
and Bob had made some excellent choices in picking the right people.
He spotted Amber Wright and was glad to see that she had made it to
the seminar. Amber was a former colleague and a top-notch scientist
who had many accomplishments in understanding the basic structure
of matter. He felt certain that she would join the team.
“Some of us are already acquainted with each other, but I’d like to
introduce each of you, so just bear with me. There are many prestigious
institutions represented here but this meeting is not about institutions
so I will simply call you by name and job description or title. As I call
your name, would you please stand.
“Doctor Nancy Lewis, a Nuclear Physicist who’s work with the
fundamental particles of matter and nano devices is well known.
“Doctor Johnathan Wheeler. Doctor Wheeler is an Experimental
Flight Test Engineer who has worked with some of the most advanced
aircraft ever created.
“Doctor Charles Wilson. Doctor Wilson is a Particle Physicist
with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His research in plasma physics
has stimulated enthusiasm and hope for future renewable energy.
“Doctor Yoshio Yagi. Doctor Yagi is an Electrical Engineer and a
High Energy Physicist. Doctor Yagi has worked in many fields of energy
research and is currently working on the cutting edge of renewable
energy and energy efficiency.
“Doctor Ronald Barry, a Quantum Physicist and well known
author. He has many accomplishments in high-energy physics and the
basic building blocks of matter. By the way Ron, I have one of your
early books. I wonder if you might autograph it for me.”
A torrent of laughter erupted and Ron nodded and replied, “I’d
be delighted.”
Larry waited for the laughter to subside before introducing the
next guest. “Let me see. Where was I? Doctor Amber Wright. Doctor
Wright is a Molecular Physicist who also holds a degree in Electrical
Engineering. She is currently conducting research on high temperature
superconductivity and superconducting metamaterials.

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“Doctor Paul White. Doctor White is a Nuclear Physicist who is


on the leading edge of pulsed neutron energy research, and I’m told he
has just published his first book.
“And last but not least, Doctor Phillip McCoy, a Theoretical
Physicist who also holds a Doctorate in Computer Science. Doctor
McCoy is well known for his work in computational science and
information analytics. On a personal note, after the presentation,
I’ll be speaking to Doctor McCoy about getting my laptop up and
running.”
A whispered laughter was heard amongst the small group of
scientists and Larry slid the guest list into his pocket. “Ladies and
gentlemen, I thank you. Please be seated.”
Paulus began passing out nametags to all of the guests, and Larry
pointed to his own nametag. “If you’ll notice, I’ve placed my first name
at the top of the tag and my last name at the bottom. I’d like everyone
to be on a first name basis, so please print the letters of your first name
clearly.”
Larry waited for everyone to settle down and then held up a
blank non-disclosure form. “Each of you has signed a non-disclosure
agreement. If you read the agreement, you are aware that by signing this,
you are now members of the newly formed, non-profit organization
called Zero Point Incorporated. Anything discussed here will remain
here. Even our names must be kept secret. You cannot mention a
name or any part of any discussion to anyone. As far as the world is
concerned, you were never here. There will be severe civil penalties for
anyone breaking the rules of disclosure. The reasons for this secrecy
will soon be clear. If there is anyone who disagrees with the terms of
the agreement, I urge you to leave the room and return to your place of
employment. There will be no hard feelings.” A long moment of silence
followed Larry’s words, but no one left the room.
“Ok, I’ll take your silence as an affirmation to stay on. I’m sure
most of you are curious as to exactly why we’ve asked you to attend this
meeting.
“You’re all aware of the high cost of oil and natural gas and its
effects on the global economy. You’re also aware of the food shortages
and the many other problems this lack of food has created for poor

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countries. The list of problems that we might talk about is endless, but
we’ve invited you here to offer you a chance to be part of the solution
to the world’s energy problems.
“I’d like to start out by saying that you have been invited to
observe and participate in a recent discovery made by two college
professors from the Brooklyn College of Natural History, Doctor James
Flanagan and Doctor Thomas Nellings. Doctor Flanagan chose not to
participate in researching this discovery, but Doctor Nellings is here,
and I am going to turn this portion of the introduction over to him.
“However, let me say something about Tom Nellings. Two weeks
ago, he was supposed to return to his work at the college, but he
simply could not turn his back on what he and Doctor Flanagan had
discovered. Tom has taken a one-year sabbatical to participate in this
venture. He believes that this discovery is important enough to put his
career on hold, and with that being said, I’ll yield the floor to Tom.”
Larry gestured for Tom to take the podium. “Come on, Tom.
Don’t be shy.”
Tom made his way to the podium. “Thank you, Larry. I didn’t
know I would be speaking today, so you’ll forgive me if I seem
unprepared.”
Tom rubbed his chin, “Hmm, where do I start? I’ll begin by saying
that Jim and I had no intention of making any discovery. We came to
Mammoth Cave to do a routine archeological examination of some
recently discovered artifacts. However, within a few days, we found
ourselves hip deep in a technology that we simply did not understand.
Doctor Flanagan and I shared our discovery with Doctor Johnson, and
after he inspected the site, he promptly called his colleague and friend,
Doctor Hicks.
“Overwhelmed by what they saw, they decided to create the non-
profit Zero Point organization and invite some of the brightest and best
people they could find, to assist in researching this new technology.
That’s why you’re here today.
“I am here to offer my service as an anthropologist and translator
of ancient languages. This is no small sacrifice for me and in one way
or another it will probably end my teaching career, but some things are
more important than the individual. It will be up to you to investigate

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the many technical aspects of this fantastic discovery. I know that most
of you are currently committed your own research and perhaps you’re
pushing the envelope of knowledge, but let me say this; ‘you ain’t seen
anything yet.’
“There is much to see and much to learn here. I will be available
when you need my professional services. Thank you.”
There was a moment of silence when Larry returned to the podium
and Tom took his seat. “Thank you, Tom.”
Larry faced his small audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, I know
that you’re wondering what anthropology or archaeology could have in
common with a breakthrough in energy research.”
Larry motioned for Paulus to assist him, and together they slid
the podium to the right. “Excuse me, but we want to be certain that
everyone has a clear view of the television screen.”
Paulus handed Larry the remote control for the Digital Video
Player, and Larry continued. “We’ve prepared a short slide presentation
for you. In it, you will see some, and I stress some of the discovery made
by Doctors Flanagan and Nellings. Before I begin the slide presentation
I must tell you…” Larry paused and gazed at the audience, “You’re
going to see some technology that dates back thousands of years, but
hang on, you’re at the doorway of a new age.”
Larry pressed “play” on the remote, and a photo of the stone
monolith appeared on the television screen. “This stone monolith was
discovered several hundred feet under ground, in a hidden cavern at
Mammoth Cave. Tom tells me that the hieroglyphs refer to an ancient
race of alien visitors called, Anunnaki. The entire content of the stone
has not been translated, but it does make reference to certain god-like
beings and their celestial chariots.”
Larry paused to allow the guest’s time to view the stone. “I know
that this archaeological find may not peak your interest, but this stone
is actually a doorway and the beginning of our venture. For behind this
door is a passageway leading to this.”
Larry pressed the remote, and a photo of the dome structure
appeared on the screen. “This is a picture of a structure that was
discovered behind the stone monolith. It’s sitting in an immense
cavern where it’s been in complete darkness for thousands of years.”

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The audience looked on in silence, but Larry noticed signs of intense


curiosity on their faces.
“Inside of this dome is an array of high-tech equipment that
is still powered with electricity, even after sitting undisturbed for
thousands of years.” A hushed excitement swept over the audience, and
the scientists began talking among themselves; some thought it was a
hoax, but others shouted to hear more.
Larry held up his hands and gestured for silence. “I know what
some of you are thinking, but please stay with me.” He pulled up the
next picture, which displayed a wide-angle image of the data screens
and control panels located inside of the dome.
“This is what we found inside of the structure. As you can see, the
panels and screens are still active. Though some are dormant, there is
obvious activity on many of the monitors.”
A loud outburst erupted, and several of the guests stood to their
feet and moved closer to the television screen. Larry remained quiet
and allowed them to study the image. He wanted the photo to stir the
imagination.
Yoshio Yagi knelt in front of the screen and reached out with his
hand as if to touch the control panels. “Are you saying this is ancient
technology?”
Larry grinned. “Oh yes, and there is more, much more.”
Yoshio’s eyes remained fixed on the screen. “What exactly is on
those screens?”
Bob knelt beside Yoshio and placed his arm across Yoshio’s
shoulders. “We don’t know what the screens are telling us. The data
is displayed in an unknown hieroglyph. Doctor Nellings is only one
among us who can translate their meanings.” Bob gestured for Larry
to go to the next slide, and a close up view of one of the data screens
appeared in front of Yoshio.
“My God!” exclaimed Nancy Lewis. “What language is that?”
A flurry of questions flew at Larry. He gestured for everyone to
calm down, but the noise only grew louder. Finally Larry called out,
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will answer your questions in due time!
Please be seated!”

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One by one, the scientists returned to their seats, and after several
moments of disruptive chitchat, Larry continued, “I can see that we
have your attention, but please, let’s simmer down.” The room grew
quiet and all eyes focused on Larry.
“I knew that these pictures would cause a stir, but let me assure
you that this is not a hoax. You will be able to inspect this equipment
first hand. After that, you can draw your own conclusions. I realize that
you must have many questions, but please allow me to continue. In
due time, I’ll answer as many of your questions as I can.”
Several of the guests whispered among themselves, but Larry
patiently waited for the noise to subside. “If I may, I would like to
continue.” He pushed a button on the remote and displayed the final
photo.
“This next image highlights a column in the center of the dome.
You can see it’s not that large, but we believe it is the central power
station for the structure. Based on my own inspection, I believe this
column contains a Zero Point Energy Module.”
“Oh my,” said Yoshio. “Have you completed any testing?”
“No. That is why we have invited you folks to this meeting. This
is a hand’s on seminar. What I mean is that we are looking for qualified
people to investigate and research this equipment. I know that you
have careers, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Larry paused to consider his next words carefully. “We currently
have no funding. Nevertheless, we are testing the waters for financial
support, and eventually there will be a payday. We are offering each and
every one of you the chance to partake in this discovery, but before you
make any decisions, I’d like you to spend the next few days inspecting
some of the equipment.”
“Why don’t you apply to the Department of Energy for a federal
grant?” said Paul White.
Bob hastened to Larry’s side. “Excuse me, but I’d like to answer
that. This discovery has the potential to change the course of human
history. It may eventually take us to the stars, but if you have ever
participated in a government research program, you know that if the
military gets a whiff of this, it’ll be classified, and we’ll never see it

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again. We do not want that to happen. We intend to study and research


this technology for the benefit of all humankind.
“Think of the possibilities, automobiles that run on Zero Point
Energy with no exhaust emissions. Homes, with their own independent
power source, aircraft that can remain aloft indefinitely, or robotic
landers, with unlimited power reserves for exploration to any planet
we choose.
“During these three exciting days, I’d like you to consider the
possibilities. We have a real opportunity to make a difference.”
Larry whispered to Paulus, “Go ahead and bring in the
refreshments.” He then turned to the audience and said, “Let’s take
a thirty minute break and spend some time getting to know one and
other. After the break, we’ll take you to the site.”

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When the visiting scientists made their first trip to the beta site, all of
the lingering doubts quickly transformed into unbridled enthusiasm.
A day-long flurry of questions, theories, and opinions fueled the
excitement, and by evening, most of the visitors had committed
themselves to the project. Their reaction was predictable, and Larry
was satisfied that he and Bob had chosen the right people.
The following day, Larry placed a phone call to an old acquaintance,
Allen Duncan, CEO of Global Energy Research and Development.
Larry hoped to play on Allen’s keen business sense to obtain the
necessary funding for the Zero Point project.
Allen was a risk taker, but he was no fool. His eye for opportunity
and good business judgment had carried him to the top management
position at Global Energy. From there, he commands a multinational
group of energy-related corporations and subsidiaries. Larry knew that
much would depend on this one phone call.
Sitting at his desk, Allen Duncan pondered his next corporate
acquisition. Population growth was placing more and more pressure on
the world’s energy resources. Speculators were driving the price of oil
through the roof, but amid the turmoil, there was money to be made.
Diversity was the key in this business, and Allen was riding a wave of
recent company takeovers, which positioned Global Energy as one of
the largest energy conglomerates on the planet. The potential profits
were staggering, but Allen knew this golden opportunity for riches
would, one day collapse as the world’s supply of oil dwindled.
The feminine voice of Allen’s secretary suddenly blared through
the telephone-intercom on his desk. “Mr. Duncan, there is a call for
you from Larry Johnson on line two. He say’s it’s very important that
he speak to you.”
“Thank you. Put him through.”
A small light on Allen’s phone flashed as he reached for the
receiver. He pressed the button for line two and exclaimed, “Larry, is
that really you?”

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“Hey, Allen, it’s really me.”


“Gosh, Larry, it’s good to hear your voice. It’s been a while since
I last saw you. How have you been doing?”
“Actually I’m retired, but that’s not why I’m calling. I’ve stumbled
across something that you might be interested in, something worth
trillions.”
“Oh, what is it?”
The phone went silent as Larry considered his choice of words.
He wasn’t in the Zero Point project for the money, but he had to
play to Allen’s views. “Does the phrase, ‘unlimited energy’ pique your
interest?”
Allen leaned back in his chair and smiled. He knew there was no
free lunch, especially when it came to energy, but he also sensed that
Larry might be on to something. “What are you up to, Larry?”
“I don’t mean to tease you Allen. I’m serious. I’m offering you first
place in a new field of energy that will revolutionize the planet.”
The smile on Allen’s face faded when he realized that Larry had
something, and more important, he was willing to share it. “What do
you have?”
“I can’t talk about it on the phone. Just get yourself out to my place
as soon as possible, and Allen, I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
Allen’s mind shifted into high gear. He knew Larry well enough to
know that something was up, something big, and he had no intention
of passing up an opportunity. “I’m scheduled for a meeting in DC
tomorrow morning, but I think I can postpone it. That is assuming
you’ve got something worthwhile.”
There was another pause as Larry purposely allowed Allen to
dangle. “Tomorrow morning will be fine. I’ll have Paulus pick you up
at the airport.”
“Great, I hate those car rentals. I’ll phone before landing.
Hopefully, sometime before noon.”
“See you tomorrow, Allen.” Larry hung up the telephone and
whispered, “I knew I could count on you.”

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The third and final day of the seminar arrived, and Bob escorted
most of the visiting scientists to the Beta site, while Larry stayed behind
with Tom Nellings and Amber Wright. Larry gathered Tom and Amber
onto the front porch to wait for Allen Duncan’s arrival. As they sat
around the small table for some chitchat, the conversation eventually
focused on a tea stained napkin which contained a scribbled list of
necessary equipment to begin their research.
Satisfied with their wish list, Amber poured herself a glass of tea
and nervously glanced at her watch. “It’s kind of chilly this morning.”
Larry grinned. “That’s the fourth time you’ve looked at your
watch, in the past five minutes. Don’t worry. Paulus is on his way home
with Allen.”
“I know. I guess I’m a little apprehensive. There’s a lot riding on
this meeting.”
“Look, I know Allen; he’s a shrewd business man, a real shark.
Once he understands the situation and the potential for profits, I’m
confident we’ll get the funding for this project. I’ve seen him in action.
When he has a goal, there’s no stopping him.”
Tom was staring at the gate at the end of the driveway. “Here they
come!”
“I told you not to worry,” said Larry.
Paulus parked the car in front of the farmhouse and Allen Duncan
stepped out. Larry rose out of his chair and greeted Allen with a friendly
handshake.
“It’s good to see you, Allen.”
“Hello, Larry.”
“How was your flight?”
“Oh, the usual hurry up and wait. You know.”
“Well come and join us on the porch. I’d like to introduce you to
my guests.”
Larry directed Allen to the patio table and a comfortable wicker
chair. “This is Doctor Amber Wright. Miss Wright is a Molecular
Physicist and this is Doctor Thomas Nellings of the Brooklyn College
of Natural History.”
“Nice to meet you, Mister Duncan,” Amber said.
Allen looked at Amber and smiled. “Please, call me Allen.”

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Tom extended a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Allen.”


Larry glanced at Paulus. “I assume that Allen has signed the
necessary forms.”
Paulus nodded. “Yes, we took care of that at the airport.”
“Good.”
Larry took a seat, across the table from Allen. “Would you like
some coffee or iced tea?”
“Coffee would be nice.”
Larry poured a fresh cup of coffee and passed it to Allen. “I know
your time is precious, so I’ll get right to the point. When I phoned you,
I mentioned a new technology that will deliver an unlimited source
of energy to the world market. You know me, Allen, and you know
that I wouldn’t waste your time with some harebrained invention.
The technology I’m referring to is way beyond the experimental stage.
We have a working model. However, I’m not talking strictly about
energy, though that is the biggie. We are in possession of several pieces
of hardware that will propel humanity into a new age of technological
prosperity. I’m asking for your financial support to help get this to
market. The ramifications are broad and the potential for profit is
staggering. You’re the first person I’ve called, and I’m hoping you’re
the only one we have to deal with. We need facilities and funding to
research the full potential of these discoveries.”
Allen leaned back and glanced at his watch, “So if I understand
you correctly; you have a working power source of unlimited potential,
and you need a secluded place to do your research, not to mention the
necessary funding. Is that about right?”
Larry nodded in agreement. “Let me lay it out for you. Einstein
showed us that electrons exist in a constantly changing state of
uncertainty. Even in the vacuum of space on the quantum level, energy
is randomly turning into matter and back to energy. There are electrons
and other particles that blink out of existence, while others randomly
pop into existence. This constant fluctuation creates a sort of quantum
foam of residual energy, which is dispersed fairly evenly throughout the
universe. The residual energy of this interaction is called Zero Point
Energy.” Larry held an empty cup in his hands and leaned forward to

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emphasize his next words. “There is enough Zero Point Energy in this
empty cup, to boil away the Earth’s oceans”
Allen’s eyes widened. “Wow, are you telling me that you can
harness this random energy?”
“No. I’m telling you that it’s already been done. We are currently
in possession of the hardware necessary to send humanity to the stars.
Look, Allen, I’m not talking decades, I mean we could go to the stars
this afternoon.”
Allen sat up straight in his seat. “Hold the phone! You’re saying
that this technology has already been proven? You can actually do what
you say?”
Amber tried to hide her astonishment. Why was Larry telling
Allen that we could go to the stars this afternoon? The dome structure
was not a space ship, and Larry knew it. “Excuse me, Larry. Perhaps we
should show Allen what we have. It would only take an hour or so to
visit the site.”
“No, I don’t have time for that,” said Allen. I’ve got to be out
of here in an hour. I’ll tell you what.” Allen removed a map from his
jacket pocket and handed it to Larry. “As you know, I don’t like to leave
a stone unturned, especially in business, so I’ve come here prepared.
There’s an abandoned military base in Texas. Global Energy acquired
the facility over ten years ago. It’s roughly a hundred miles west of San
Angelo. I’ve marked it on that map. It’s not easy to find, but it’s there,
and it does have an airstrip. That base can provide the seclusion you
need.”
Allen pulled a white business envelope from his jacket pocket,
“This is a letter giving you permission to be on the base, but I should
warn you that the facility has been abandoned for years. It’s kind of
rough, but I’m sure it will do. I’ll get the electric power turned on as
soon as I get back from DC.
“Don’t call anyone else for funding. If what you say is true, Global
Energy will fund your research. For now, get your equipment setup and
call me when you’re ready. I’ll bring the bean counters, and you can
make your presentation to them. Don’t let me down.”

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Amber was stunned. She held out a small stack of eight by ten
pictures. “We’ve got some photos of the hardware. Would you like to
see them?”
“No thanks, I’ve got to catch a plane. If Larry Johnson say’s he
has an unlimited source of energy, that’s good enough for me.” Allen
rose from his seat and shook hands with Larry. “By the way, there’s
a check in that envelope. It should be enough to get you started. I’ll
arrange to keep you supplied with anything you require, but I need
practical results to gain long term funding. I’d love to sit around and
talk, but I really do have to be going. Paulus, can you drive me back to
the airport?”
“Yes sir, right this way.”
Allen stood and shook hands with Amber and Tom. “Nice
meeting you folks. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Texas.” He
skipped down the steps and stepped into the car.
Silence settled in as Tom stood on the edge of the porch and
watched the car as it disappeared from site. He then turned and gawked
at Larry. “What just happened?”
Amber laughed aloud. “Boy, that was something!”
Larry stared at the envelope in his hand and nodded. “That’s
Allen.” He pulled the white permission sheet from the envelope and
unfolded it. Just as Allen said, there was a check folded inside with the
paper. Larry looked at the amount. His eyes bulged, and he whistled
loudly. “Take a look at this.”
Amber grasped the check and held it in both hands. “Oh my
goodness! This will get us started!”
Tom moved next to Amber and stared. “Holy cow, a million
dollars!”

It was late afternoon when Larry and Amber entered the family
room to hash out the details of moving the equipment to Texas. A
sudden commotion coming from the kitchen interrupted their
thoughts, and they looked towards the doorway as Bob stepped into
the family room. Grinning ear to ear, Bob slipped into the recliner as
the boisterous group of scientists began filtering into the family room.

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“What’s all the hubbub about?” asked Larry.


Bob laughed. “It’s been a really exciting day!” He attempted to
describe his day when a clamor erupted as each of the scientists tried
put forth their own opinions and theories on what they had seen. This
was fine, but everyone was talking at the same time. Larry stood and
listened to the revved-up group for several minutes before holding up
his hands and gestured for everyone to calm down.
“Ok! I understand your excitement, but I have some good news
for you.” He pulled a paper from his shirt pocket, unfolded it, and
held it up for all to see. “We have acquired the initial funding for the
project. This is a check for one million dollars.”
Yoshio leaped into the air and shouted, “This is wonderful! My
friends, we are on a course which will revolutionize the planet! At long
last, I can see real hope for humanity.”
Larry handed the check to Yoshio. “Here, pass it around while
I share some more good news. This check is a great start, but there’s
more.”
The room grew quiet, and all eyes focused on Larry as he pulled
a map from his jacket pocket and held it up for all to see. “We’ve been
given a facility, and I have a firm commitment from Global Energy to
provide additional funding, if and I stress, if they like what they see. So
it’s up to all of us to pull together and make this work.”
The room exploded with applause, and Bob asked, “What’s our
next move, Chief?”
Larry paused as he scanned the crowd of eager faces. He wondered
how many would actually commit to the project. “Most of you will be
returning home, where you must decide if you’re truly willing to pledge
yourself to this project. I know it’s going to be a financial hardship for
some of you, but once we establish ourselves, the money will be there.
I’m hoping to see each of you back here in, shall we say, thirty days?
Does that sound like a reasonable amount of time?”
Yoshio stepped forward. “Surely you jest! I am ready to commit
myself this very moment! This project must prevail!”
Bob placed his hand on Yoshio’s shoulder. “I believe you’ve said
what most of us are thinking, but those of us who need to return home
should do so. Nevertheless, every one of us must remember our pledge

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to secrecy. If the project is to survive, we must have secrecy, at least for


now.”
Another round of excited chatter began, and there was much talk
of how this project would change the world. Most of the scientists were
ready to commit themselves; however, some of them would have to
turn their current projects over to a colleague or abandon them. These
were tough decisions that each of the scientists had to make. For most,
it was a no-brainer, but for Doctor Paul White, it was a heart wrenching
conflict. He was on the cutting edge of pulsed neutron energy research.
It had been a pet project of his for more than a decade, and the thought
of walking away from his work was disquieting.

The following morning, Paulus began transporting the scientists


to the airport. The first flight was scheduled for 6:10 a.m. As each one
of the scientist boarded the van, Larry stood by and encouraged every
one of them to return.
When the van disappeared from sight, Larry returned to the
farmhouse and made his way to the kitchen. He glanced out through
the window on the back door and spotted John Wheeler struggling with
his luggage as he headed toward the small airfield. Was John planning on
leaving without saying goodbye?
Doctor Wheeler was loading his bags into the rear compartment
of his aircraft, when Larry caught up with him. “John, can I have a
word with you before you takeoff?”
“Oh. I’m just loading my gear. I’m not quite ready to leave. What’s
up?”
Larry locked eyes with John. “I couldn’t say anything in front
of the others, but we’d like you to stay on. Give us one more day. I
know you’re in between projects, so it shouldn’t be an inconvenience
for you.”
John shot Larry a sly look, “What are you hiding, Larry?”
“Last evening, I heard you say that the project has no need for
your expertise.”

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“Yes, I don’t see an immediate need for a flight test engineer, but
I’d be happy to make a commitment if and when you do need my
services.”
Larry chuckled. “I’ve got something that I’d like to show you.
We are reluctant to show it to the others until we’re certain of their
commitment to the project.”
Curiosity had always been the fuel for John’s career. He could not
resist asking, “What exactly do you have?”
Larry hesitated. How was he was going to tell John that they had
an alien spacecraft and that they wanted him to fly it to Texas. “Oh my,
where do I start? I guess…” Larry took a deep breath. “Sorry, let me
start over. I’ll just tell you like it is. We have an advanced aircraft, and
we need a pilot.”
John laughed aloud. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Where is it?”
“Come back to the house, and we’ll talk.”
“All right, but it’s going to cost you. I’m hungry.”
“Don’t worry John, we’ll feed you. Let me help you with your
bags.”

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