Ark by K.B. Kofoed Page B

has any private religious institution. Hell, with all the support some of these fundamentalist groups get, any of them might have enough money to pull it off.”
    She glanced at Gene. “You say nobody’s thought of it? That seems preposterous. How many people do you suppose have read that passage in the Bible? Christians, Jews and Islamics have read it. So what’s the deal? Why hasn’t someone ever built one?”
    “Wow,” said Jim. “That was wonderful, Claire. I had no idea you had given this so much thought.”
    “Claire and I talked about it a few times,” offered Lou with a shrug.
    “Really? So you did take this seriously after all?”
    “Not really. We were just wondering if we should have you committed,” Lou added with a laugh.
    Kas sighed. “You know Stephanie was asking about it, too; wondering how far this would go. Frankly, I’m still wondering that.”
    “Sheesh!” said Jim. “Some liberal artist’s wife YOU turned out to be.”
    John raised his hand. “I have a question for you and Claire,” he said to Kas. “Just what is it that you find so threatening?”
    “What if it works?” Claire asked softly.

WAR DOGS
    It had been two weeks since the meeting, and Jim hadn’t heard a word from either Gene or John Wilcox. Normally this would have him upset. Jim hated waiting for the other shoe to drop, but he was glad for the time away from the project. Time to think.
    The trip back from New York had been tense. A spring rainstorm had followed them most of the way, and it seemed to Jim that they had argued all the way home. By the time they returned to Philly everyone was in the mood to think about anything other than the Wilcox weekend or the Ark of the Covenant.
    Jim decided to contact his friend Dan, who had identified the ark as a resonator. In retrospect, Jim found it curious that Gene had seemed unimpressed by Dan’s observations when they’d met, but took them fully to heart when he did the computer experiment at Penn and Columbia. He had growing suspicions about Gene and John’s true intentions. Perhaps talking to Dan might clarify his thinking.
    Dan Slater was in his office in Colorado when Jim called.
    “Hey, ol’ hoss,” Dan exclaimed when he recognized Jim’s voice. “How’s that ark project coming?”
    “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Dan,” admitted Jim. “Truthfully, I don’t know where to begin.”
    Dan thought for a moment. “Tell you what. I really don’t have too much time right now. Why don’t you e-mail me and then we’ll talk?”
    Jim agreed, and at lunch he sat at his computer and tried to compose a note to Dan that summed up his thoughts. His principal concern was summed up by the question, “What if it works?” His note rambled a bit but he sent it anyway.
    The next day, Dan’s response was waiting for him when he checked his e-mail.
    It said: “Took me a while to sort out your note. What happens if the thing works? Well, I’ve had a while to think about it. I’m bothered by the computer simulations. Further analysis was in the offing. Gene promised to keep me informed. Then, nothing. What gives with Gene?
    As to your question. I’m sure of one thing. If anyone plans to build this thing they better do it right because IF it is a resonator, it’s powerful. Someone could get fried.”
    This was nothing that Jim hadn’t heard already. He was disappointed that Dan hadn’t given more information on the wavelength of the ark, or why the computer program might have run the way it did. Dan Slater was the only independent expert Jim had access to, and he was coming up short. Jim wanted to get the ark out of his head, but the unanswered questions kept him on the hook. After reading Dan’s note Jim realized that Dan, too, was hooked on the subject and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
    He wrote another rambling note to Dan. He read it and rewrote it three times. Finally Monday deadlines began to encroach on him so he gave up and mailed it,