The Petrichor Conspiracy - Chapter 4
Agent Morrow meets Doctor Ricardo just before things take a turn for the worse...
Chapter 4
B.S.I. Case File #7:
“From January 2024 through April 2025, multiple military, police, and civilian sources reported UFO sightings across Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The B.S.I. investigated the case for seven months beginning in August 2024, until it was determined that aircraft deployed by [REDACTED] had been the cause of the sightings and the matter was passed down the line to [REDACTED] as per Operational Guideline 12-B-43. All further materials on this subject are to be forwarded to their office”
Case File Status: CLOSED
Svalbard, Norway
By the next day, the scientists at the base camp were getting uneasy. Being trapped in a blizzard with something potentially not of this world can do that to people. “Look at the facts,” said Alicia. “We found it buried too deep to have been placed there by anything human, and the material design doesn’t match up with any type of human technology ever found. There’s no other explanation that I can think of.”
Dr. Henriksen was leaning back in a chair at the other end of the cramped mess hall portion of the main trailer. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, “Ja, but we must remember the words of your late countryman, Dr. Sagan: ‘Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.’”
He sat up straight and waved his hand, frowning as he did so. “It may indeed be true that this is something science has never before encountered, but it is certainly a leap to suggest it is of an alien origin, yes?”
Sensing a protest, he added, “Yes, I know, that’s what we all wish it to be, but if we cannot find sufficient proof of this thesis, beyond a piece of unidentified debris, we may as well consider our careers at an end.” He crossed his arms and leaned back, listening to the chorus of assent from his students.
Alicia was about to retort when one of the students happened to look out the window and muttered something in Norwegian. Turning to the two senior scientists in the room, he elaborated in English. “Uh, Doctors, someone is coming. Two snow machines are out on the fjord, coming this way.”
Dr. Henriksen frowned and got to his feet to head to the window. After glancing out, he shook his head. “Sure enough, there is someone coming.” He turned to face Alicia, eyebrows raised. “Perhaps your Bureau of something or other has come to rescue us finally, doctor.” He smiled faintly. “Let us go and find out.”
They went to the prep room and geared up in outdoor clothing. Then they cycled through the trailer’s entryway and headed out into the yard between the two habitation units, the equipment shed, and the vehicle pen. The unknown snowmobile slowly wound its way up the side of the fjord and head towards their outpost, until the two machines finally pulled up at the edge of the little base camp. Alicia stepped forward as a man climbed off the back of the snowmobile and shook hands with his guide, before turning to trod across to his little crowd of greeters.
As the two snowmobiles headed back downhill to return to Longyearbyen, the man walked up to Alicia. He reached up and pulled down the scarf over his mouth. “Are you Alicia Ricardo?” he called to her over the wind.
She looked at him skeptically through the clear snow goggles he wore. He had soft hazel eyes and matching skin, and was sporting a light stubble, likely due to his hurried arrival at their base camp. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Doctor Alicia Ricardo, yes. I assume you’re with the B.S.I.?”
He nodded and looked around at the other scientists gathered around Alicia. They were all staring at him as if he were the Thing from Another World. “Agent Thomas Morrow, at your service. I’d appreciate it if we could continue this conversation inside.” Alicia smiled in spite of herself—she knew it was cold, but she was so used to discomfort by now that the discomfort of others surprised her sometimes. She gestured for him to follow her into the main trailer, followed by the rest of the group.
Once they were all inside and out of their snow gear, Alicia gathered the group in the mess hall. Agent Morrow poured himself a cup of coffee, from which he immediately took a long swig. He turned to face Alicia. “Now, you were about to explain what it is that you found. Can you tell me any more?”
Alicia bit her lip and put her hands on her hips. “Whatever it is, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Or anyone has ever seen, for that matter. Nothing of this world, that is.”
“We can’t know that for sure, Alicia,” said Dr. Henriksen from across the room.
While Alicia shot her colleague a stern look, Agent Morrow took another sip of coffee. “Whatever it is, I’d like to take a closer look just as soon as this damn storm lets up,” he said. “If you don’t mind.” Alicia nodded and he added an afterthought. “There’s also the issue of your comm system to be addressed.”
Before Alicia could speak, student Olsson took a step forward. “I am the specialist in communication systems, sir. I could help you find what is the problem, yes?”
“All right,” said Tom. “Let’s get to it, then.” As he passed Alicia, he added quietly, “Keep everyone here if you can. Something is going on around here.”
Alicia nodded and watched him go. She walked over and sat down next to Dr. Henriksen, then looked around at the little group and wondered what they all thought about her theories. She knew Henriksen shared many of the same questions she did, albeit with more skepticism, but she’d always assumed his students were just along for the ride. She wondered just how much she believed. She was a scientist, after all.
Five minutes later, Agent Morrow walked back into the mess hall with Olsson in tow. He went straight to his coffee to take a drink. Then he turned toward Alicia, ignoring the others staring at him. “Sometimes I do hate to be right, Doctor.” She raised her eyebrow at him, so he elaborated. “Whatever was blocking your comms, it had your system on a feedback loop that kept any signal from going in or out. And given that the storm has had you socked in, whoever did it is probably still here.”
Alicia stared back at him as the gravity of what he’d said sank in. She turned and slowly looked around at the group. Then she noticed that someone was missing. The student she knew only as Hanssen. She hadn’t noticed him leave while she was lost inside her own head, and so she swore under her breath. Agent Morrow looked at her sternly, on the ball as always. “What is it? What’s the matter?” he said quietly.
Alicia gestured toward the group with her eyes. “There’s someone missing,” she whispered back.
He looked over and apparently noticed the missing person himself. At least he’s perceptive, she thought. “Which cabin is his?” he said. She got to her feet without answering and started off down the main hall of the trailer. Tom only lingered long enough to say, “Wait here,” to the other scientists.
By the time he caught up with Alicia, she was knocking on the door to Hanssen’s cabin. No answer. She knocked again, then tried the door. The knob turned, so she pushed it open and went inside. Agent Morrow forced his way past her, his hand hovering near the pistol holstered at his hip.
Alicia immediately noticed the equipment laid out next to the cot. She recognized communication gear when she saw it. There was a collapsible satellite dish, a portable computer terminal, and an unrolled transportable keyboard. It looked like someone had been trying to pack it all up before stopping suddenly.
Agent Morrow knelt down to examine the gear more closely. She heard him swear under his own breath before she spoke the obvious. “Well, that’s the bottom of one mystery. Now where is—”
He was suddenly cut off, however, by a commotion behind him. The sound of a muffled cry punctuated the flurry of motion. Agent Morrow rose, spun around, and drew his pistol all in one swift movement.
Sure enough, there was the missing grad student he’d seen looking sullen in the corner of the mess mall, holding a small but deadly knife to Dr. Ricardo’s throat with his free hand. Tom aimed his pistol near the man’s head, but hesitated, worrying that he would hit the doctor if the man flinched.
“It would seem we have a problem, Agent Morrow,” said the foreign agent. Tom took a step toward him and he pressed the knife harder to the doctor’s neck. “I wouldn’t, if you would like me not to kill her.”
Tom frowned over his pistol sights. Well, now, this certainly was a conundrum.
Tune in on June 22 for Chapter 5!
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I was so thankful to be apart of this project.