'But why try to kill you?' Franck burst out.
Castilano laughed. 'Professor Jones is a better teacher than he is a secret agent. He almost set up his own execution. Once the group we are facing had determined these artifacts were spurious, they had to get rid of Jones, and his associates, before they could let the rest of us, or other customers in the world, know the things were worthless.'
'And they came very close to succeeding,' Gale Parker spoke up suddenly.
'There's another reason,' Indy told the group. He had their instant attention.
'Our opposition has a plant among us.'
'A what?'
'We have a traitor in our midst,' Indy said calmly. 'For money, idealism; whatever. But someone within this group, which includes those people not present at this meeting, works for our enemy.'
'That is a grave charge,' Franck said, visibly disturbed.
'Yes, sir,' Indy agreed. 'It is also true.'
For several minutes, the conference room resounded to arguments, rising and falling in volume and varying tones of anger and confusion. Indy had hoped this would follow his shocker of there being a traitor in their midst. Now, if Treadwell's own skills could be applied through Indy's next words, he might be able to rattle even more the cage of their unknown adversary. He waited until quiet returned to the group; they obviously hoped he might have more to tell them. Indy did, but his purpose was to pass on a 'message' to their opposition.
'There is one other matter that needs clarification,' he began. He had already caught them unawares, and knew he had their close attention.
'Those flying machines,' Indy said, seemingly confused about the issue. 'We haven't said a word about something the best aeronautical engineers in the world really can't explain. Discs, or saucers, or whatever they're called, flying at speeds that seem impossible. The mother ship, if that is really what it is, well, that's much easier to understand. It's sort of a super zeppelin—'
'But we don't know what makes it go, do we?' Dr. Franck broke in.
'No, sir, we don't,' Indy admitted. 'Let me change that, sir. I don't know what makes it go. I'm no pilot and I'm no engineer, but I do listen to the really sharp people in those lines. And they tell me the stories of those discs, or scimitars, coming from outer space, well, as far as they're concerned, that's nonsense.'
'In the face of what we've heard,' Castilano said, 'they still feel they're from right here, from earth?'
'They sure do,' Indy said.
'I must beg to differ,' Matsuda broke in. 'I do not say they are from other worlds, Professor Jones, but there is nothing known on this world that flies without wings, at five hundred miles an hour, that can hover, or levitate. What they do is impossible by everything we know.'
'I'm not arguing with you, sir,' Indy said. 'I wouldn't do that. I tell you only what the experts tell me.'
'Then your experts, Indy,' Castilano followed Matsuda, 'seem in need of better information. Our flying machines are helpless before these discs. There must be an explanation beyond the mere statement that they are of local origin.'
'I agree. But I am explaining to you that the professionals in this field are convinced we are dealing with terrestrial vehicles, produced in a manner we can't yet explain, operated by a force we can't yet identify. No, I shouldn't say that.
I don't get into the technical side of all this. They believe they either have the answers or they're about to get them.'
That should do it, Indy concluded to himself. Whoever is on the side of the opposition is going to get back to them as fast as they can that their plan is starting to come unglued at the seams. I sure hope Henshaw and Treadwell are better at this than I am. . . .
Indy rose to his feet. 'I have a lot to do, much to learn, and I'm racing a clock. I've also got some great help now.
We may be closer to answers than any of you realize.'
Gale and Tarkiz also were standing. They didn't say a word. But their facial expressions and the manner in which they stood made it abundantly clear they were in full agreement with Indy. In the uncomfortable silence that followed, as one by one everyone else stood, Indy caught a fleeting glimpse of a workman, oliveskinned and in a turban, leaving through a rear side door. Just a glimpse and the man was gone. It should have meant nothing, but who would leave this incredible scene? Because if he were privy to listening to the exchange, he already had been judged as loyal to the group.
'You are really quite disturbing in what you say, Indy,' Franck finally broke the ice.
'You have our continued full support,' Matsuda assured him.
'And ours,' said Castilano.
'I await further word, I must admit,' Quahirah smiled, 'with great anticipation.'
Only Marcia Mason remained silent. Indy ignored her. He knew she would figure in his life soon enough. Without another word or a backward glance, he left the room, followed closely by Gale, Jocko, and Tarkiz.
Waiting for the elevator, Gale turned to Jocko. 'Could we go through that diorama again? I'd like another look at that. It gives me ideas for museum presentations.'
Indy nodded. He was still thinking about that workman and the manner in which he'd left their conference room.
They retraced their steps to the huge hall with the northern woods diorama.
Indy was impressed. They'd even kept a woods scent present in the area. He looked up into the trees, and they were real trees, their roots in tubs concealed by brush.
