Las Vegas, Nevada February 6

“Broots, have the clearances came through yet?” Miss Parker asked, her voice sounding tired. A very determined lady, she'd been sitting in the luxury jet since six o'clock LasVegas time. Sydney and Broots had brought back Chinese take-out, very little of which Parker ate.

“No, but I have been on the phone with Benny, he dug up more info on one of the men in the photograph, Dr. Isaac Mentnor.” Broots stopped, happy with himself.

“And?” Miss Parker demanded, snapping her fingers rapidly.

“Well, he, uh, Mentnor's file was ultra top secret, so secret even the president doesn't have high enough clearance.” Broots' eyes shone with child-like excitement as he spoke. Miss Parker sat in her tan, leather captain's chair, unamused. “Anyway, Benny hacked in to the NSA database using an old binary glitch, which is really...”

“Broots!!” Sydney and Miss Parker both called him back to earth in unison.

“Sorry, Benny found that Mentnor is still working at Never Never Land, NNL, Benny found an entire file on the place.” A file an inch thick hit the fixed table between Sydney and Miss Parker.

“Why haven't the security clearances been authorized. If we miss Jarod because of your incompetence I am going to nail you to my wall by your Achilles tendon, do you hear me, Broots?” He could only nod as Parker threatened him through gritted teeth.

“You should try to rest, Miss Parker.” Concern in Sydney's voice irked her. Miss Parker gave him a narrow eyed stare.

“I'll rest when Jarod is back at the Centre and Major Charles is dead.”

Scene Break

NNL 0800 hrs February 6

“I don't want civilians on this base, Sir.” Nathan Ramsey paced across Talmadge's office, his blue jacket tail pulled away from his small paunch as he stalked across the dark area rug.

“The NSA panel is pressing me on this, Nathan, my hands are tied.” Talmadge's slate gray eyes had a hardness about them Ramsey knew better than to challenge.

“Alright, but I still say it's an unnecessary breach of security.” The head of NNL security grumbled as he came to a halt in front of the boss' desk.

“Do the paperwork, Nathan.” Talmadge growled. Grumbling in disgust, Ramsey stalked out of the office, the door thumping behind him. Jarod heard the acerbic Nathan Ramsey coming before he saw him.

“Mr. Ramsey, I was just looking for Dr. Vulkivitch.” Jarod searched for a reason to be outside Talmadge's office.

“Two left turns that way.” Ramsey pointed down the hall Jarod had just walked down.

“Is everything alright, Mr. Ramsey, you seem distressed.” A concerned frown crossed Jarod's hawkishly handsome face.

“Some smart ass outfit from back east wants access to the base, researching the aliens and all the old files, for some nutty reason.” Ramsey's personality profile had spoken of his opinionated attitude and severe patriotism, but he was something else to witness in person. “It's bad enough that I have to put up with that psycho they call a chrononaut, Parker.” Jarod's eyes took on a bemused expression as he stood listening to Nathan Ramsey's tirade. A pang of fear also beat in the Pretender's heart. He could only think of one smart ass outfit from back east that would have any reason to investigate NNL.

“Next thing you know they'll be telling us how to salute the flag.” Jarod played along with Ramsey's fervor.

“Exactly, Jarod, that's what I'm talking about, you know, at first I couldn't get a good read on you, but you're all-American after all.” Ramsey gave Jarod a slap on the back.

“America for the Americans, right.” Jarod forced a smile.

Down the Hall...

“You did what?!” Parker's voice carried down the cement hall toward Ramsey and Jarod. The chrononaut sounded angry.

“Keep your voice down, Mr. Parker, the reason I wasn't here last night is none of your concern.” Olga's voice sounded reproachful, sharp even. When she saw Jarod and Ramsey the Russian stopped short. She touched her short, red hair nervously. “Dr. Seaborg, Mr. Ramsey, good morning.” Olga pulled away from a sulky Frank Parker.

“Dr. Vulkovitch, hello, are you ready to begin modifications?” Jarod asked, his notes under one arm. The four of them walked to the conference room together. Jarod could feel Frank glaring at the back of his head. The Backstep team gathered for a final briefing before modifications began on the sphere. Jarod felt the cold, menacing glare Parker fixed him with. It reminded him of someone else.

By ten o'clock Talmadge sent the team off to the hangar to work. Jarod spent half his time thinking of ways to keep Miss Parker out of NNL and the other half up-grading the sphere. Dr. Ballard had a million questions.

“When we have to use the sphere, heaven forbid, it should allow up to three days longer to find a solution. Although Frank does most of the problem solving really.” Ballard sighed as he adjusted a computer panel.

“Does Dr. Mentnor still help with the problem solving?” Jarod began fishing for info. The owlish scientist gave a dozen instances of Mentnor's skills.

“From what I read in the old files, Mentnor single handedly broke the technology down for human use.” Ballard jabbered as they checked the sphere's gauges.

“Old records?” Jarod's eyes gleamed as the wheels began to turn. “I'd love to see these old records sometime.” The Pretender reeled the information fish in a little. Ballard shrugged as he wrote on a clip board.

“All the old files were sent to a place in Delaware a few years ago to be digitized. The hard copies were probably destroyed.” Jarod was simultaneously crestfallen and inspired. But first he would have to delay Miss Parker. His sources told the geniuses she was already in Vegas. All Miss Parker needed was security clearances from Nathan Ramsey.

Scene Break