Unfinished business in the shallows end

Something’s in there. Now that the stone door is gone, Barry can see that something is in there. However, they dare not rush in. It’s almost impossible to predict what they have found. Much less the potential danger it poses. Therefore, Barry waits patiently, as the decontamination teams do their thing. The object appears to be as large as the chamber it rests in.

Furthermore, from where he stands, the object is cylindrical. A bolt of excitement jolts its way up his spine. He feels many things at the moment. However, after years of research, and countless interviews, they have made a discovery. Furthermore, it is much more than anyone expected. Barry can sense a new urgency in the team. And there is a hushed, awestruck expression, on every face.

The moment they discovered the stone door, everything changed. In fact, it was as though all doubt vanished. To actually have evidence, is a game changer. Barry looks around at all the equipment in use. Likewise there are several teams of workers moving diligently to clear the area of any contaminates. Once they get the all clear signal, a team will be sent in to analyze the object.

Unfinished Business

Within the hour, they have the object out of the stone chamber. Barry has many questions. In fact, they all do. They are securing it to a frame when Barry finally gets a chance to examine it up close. It is astounding. Made of some material that has a smooth metallic sheen to it. Additionally, there are no obvious openings. It is just one solid, smooth, cylindrical shaped metal tube.

In fact, it resembles a small submersible submarine. He wonders if his grandfather would remember it. Of course there was the picture. However, he can’t remember if this particular object [craft] is in the picture. At least they have it secured now. It is much larger in appearance with the wooden frame sitting beneath it. Within minutes they are raising it to the top of the empty pond.

Barry is not a solo investor in this venture. His partners have an equal share in the investments, and expenses. For example, the group of warehouses they own on the waterfront. Purchased just in case there was anything in the duck pond, they were isolated and easy to miss. The warehouses were also the perfect place to keep something a secret. And Barry is beginning to think they have something much larger than they initially thought.

In the Shallows End

Thirty minutes later they are loaded and ready to begin the journey. Barry and two of his team will follow the truck with the strange object. There may be no need for the whole team to travel to the warehouse. They were not leaving any unfinished business. However, they were going to play it safe for now. First they needed to secure it. Later, they would find a way to open it.

They are thirty minutes into the three hour journey when Team One cuts rank, and exits the highway. Barry’s assistant tries reaching them on the radio. Nothing. So the assistant calls. It goes to voicemail. Barry watches the truck ahead of them. It contained a prize so rare that they didn’t even know, what they didn’t know, about it. Fortunately, only a handful of people knew anything about this project.

He decides Team One must have needed a rest stop. They would catch up. Besides, they knew where the warehouses were. Barry is glad someone does, because he isn’t driving at the moment. Therefore, he doesn’t remember the precise location of the warehouses. Furthermore, since he isn’t driving, he can take care of some unfinished business of his own. He opens up his phone app and takes a look.

Full Circle

“We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.” His assistant’s voice startles him from his reading. Barry looks up and observes the road. The traffic isn’t heavy this evening. At least there’s that. Furthermore, it would help if he could remember where they were going. It’s the oddest thing, but he was so absorbed in his reading that he daydreamed he was asleep. As if reading his mind the assistant volunteers an answer.

“We’ll have you home sir. There are important matters to address tomorrow. Although I can’t remember the schedule at the moment. However, we can go over all that tomorrow.”

Barry listens but only barely. He’s distracted by a strange thought. It is very vivid, although it makes little sense to him. He keeps imagining a box truck. A very shiny and metallic box truck. Except that isn’t quite right. It’s nudging at him almost like he’s forgotten something. Maybe it’s something else that is shiny and metallic.

Hard to say at this point. He was tired of being on the road though. And he would welcome being home again. Up ahead of them a box truck turns onto an adjacent road. Barry and his team drive straight on, without so much as a glance at the vanishing box truck. End.

Previous Chapters

Part One – The Duck Pond Keeps Its Secrets At The Shallow End

Part Two – Time Ghosts the Secret of The Duck Pond

unfinished business

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