Chapter 9

TUESDAY 11:30 A. M. CST News Stand, Chicago, IL

After breaking contact with Galden and mulling over this new data update, Mike decided that he should at least give the U.S. Government a heads up through his link with Mark.

Opening a channel, he tight beamed, 'Hey Mark, you got your ears on bud?'

'Sure Mike', came the return reply, 'I was just tying up some lose ends in regards to the 'Families' data. What's up buddy?'

'Well, I've just come up with some new intel on the Dragon front. Looks like we can expect another hatch sometime this afternoon or evening; I'm still not sure what time precisely, but we've got it pegged as later today. Also, it looks like this batch will be in the realm of five to six hundred individuals and the U.S. isn't the only target this go round. You might want to give the Prez a heads up and he can decide if he wants to earn brownie points with the other world leaders or not, ' Mike sent, along with a snapshot of the holo-map including the distribution spread.

'HOLY CRAP! You guys never do anything light weight, do you?', Mark yelped back. 'Here I was thinking I had scheduling problems, but yours takes the cake for sure.'

'Yeah, well if you think that's something, you'd better hang on to your shorts for this next bit. Because out of the total hatch, at least seventy five are a variety we've never seen before, and get this, they have already named themselves as a group. They are calling themselves Gatekeepers, and no, we don't have a clue what that means yet. But I have a sneaking suspicion that we'll find out about the same time as everyone else does, ' Mike sent along with a low keyed chuckle.

'HOLY ... you know this changes everything, right? All I can hope for is that he won't strap on his political coveralls and try to make maximum hay out of this. Now, you're sure that there's no threat linked to this new breed, right?' Mark responded.

'As sure as anyone can be. The same guardian that kept watch on the first batch has been keeping an eyeball on these also. The only emanation that has been detected is an eagerness to get on the job. I'd read the threat assessment for this as pretty much zero, ' Mike replied.

'Thank God for that. I'd better shoot this up the food chain. Talk later bud and thanks again.'

TUESDAY 11:40 A. M. CST Security Briefing Room, White House, Washington D.C.

As The President sat listening to his weekly update on troop strength and readiness evaluations, his special cell phone began buzzing. Holding up his hand to pause the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, he then said, "Gentlemen, I need to take this call. Pardon me for a moment."

Cueing the phone to receive, he then answered with a simple, "Yes?" and then sat in silence for three minutes. After this he motioned one of his aides over and passed her his legal size notepad folder and pen. He then handed her the cell phone, and said, "Marsha, transcribe exactly what you hear over this phone. Do not leave this room and when you are done, hand everything back to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr. President. Transcribe exactly what I hear and hand everything back to you," replied his forty eight year old aide that could have been the CEO of any fortune five hundred company.

"Thank you Marsha."