Chapter 2: (v.4) Chapter 2

May, 2034

Washington, D.C.

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Tension on the third day of the National Earth Sciences Fair was palpable. The indistinct murmur of numerous voices echoed off the overhead beams in the huge auditorium. The final judging had begun and now neared fifteen-year-old Eileen Kemper’s display table. She was a student at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, only a mile away from her home in Annandale Acres in Virginia. Her nerves were taut but she believed she had an excellent chance at winning.

Two tables away, five judges stood in a close circle. Facial expressions gave no clues as they spoke among themselves in low, hushed tones and wrote surreptitious notes on their clipboards.

Eileen’s table stood in the last row, backed against a movable wall, which she’d used to her advantage by displaying posters explaining her exhibit in both illustrations and text.

After sliding her folding chair aside, she leaned it against the wall, giving her additional room to move about as she explained her project. This was her concluding exposition, to be given in more detail than the previous rounds of judging.

Most of the other students were getting ready to leave or had already packed up their projects and gone. Only eight displays remained. Over the last three days, the judges accepted fifty-four projects from forty-six high schools nationally. Hers was the only one from Thomas Jefferson High.

The knot of judges broke up and closed in on her.

The Honored Professor Gardenia, Eileen mentor, spoke first.

“This is Eileen Kemper.” He pointed out his student with an open-handed gesture. “Her work began over five months ago and, as you can see, is quite extensive. Please, Eileen, explain your project for the judges.”

After a brief bout of nervousness, Eileen stammered, “G-good afternoon. The project I chose is called Deepsea, and is a physical and pictorial display concerning the effort to understand a dark, partially unmapped, mysterious realm we call the Pacific Ocean, which, as you know, is one of the Seven Seas. Collectively, the seven are named Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. My project, the South Pacific, encompasses the lowest location on Earth, the Challenger Deep. Located here…” Eileen pointed to her model at the Southern end of the Marianas Trench in the western side of the Pacific Ocean. “nearly seven miles down. There is some variation in depth as the Trench itself is fifteen-hundred miles long. For reference, here is the U.S. territorial island of Guam.”

While she spoke, she noticed one or two of the judges studying her displays with apparent interest. “Quite a bit is already known about the Marianas Trench, which is why I concentrated on a lesser-explored spot to the east, amid the Magellan Seamounts. This vast area is covered with raised projections, most containing volcanoes, reaching up to four-thousand five-hundred feet or one-thousand three-hundred andseventy-one meters above the ocean floor.”

One judge, with a nametag reading Barnstable, spoke. “Why that area, Ms. Kemper? I would imagine the trench itself is much more interesting.”

“True, sir, and an excellent question. The Magellan Seamounts lie within a volcanic region with well over sixty seamounts, and some are active volcanoes. The most recent eruption was in 2027, and recorded in San Francisco over five thousand miles away.”

She expected just such a question, and was prepared to divert the judges attention from the Trench without revealing her true motives—to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance.

Each of the remaining four judges questioned her, using her drawings and 3D models as talking points. It seemed to Eileen they spent far more time on her project than any of the others. When their last question had been answered, the judges took their leave and clustered at the rear of the auditorium to annotate their clipboards in private.

Eileen would have given anything to know what they were saying, but alas, lip reading across the vast hall wasn’t one of her skillsets.

* * *

Later that evening, at the formal dinner announcing the prizewinners, Eileen again waited, barely able to contain her excitement.

The master of ceremonies stepped to the microphone and introduced Professor Emeritus Barnstable of Georgetown University. Barnstable accepted the polite clapping, took a sip of water, then announced the third and second place winners of the Science Fair.

A round of applause followed each of the participants named, who stood and nodded to the crowd.

He paused. A slight smile on his face as a hush of anticipation descended upon the room. “The top honors this year go to Ms. Eileen Kemper. Her Deepsea project was deemed exemplary by all five judges.” He gestured to Eileen’s table. “Ms. Kemper, I would be pleased if you would join me to accept your prize.”

Stunned at the news, Eileen slowly rose to thunderous applause. She had won! The top honor had gone to her and her project. Dazed, she struggled to remain calm as she walked to the podium.

ProfessorBarnstable smiled and gripped her hand to guide her up the three steps to the podium. With Eileen by his side, he presented her with a scroll, a wooden plaque, and a folded note.

Highly embarrassed, she blurted, “Thank you so much, Professor. I . . . I don’t know what to say.” The microphone picked up her mumbled words, causing a small wave of chuckles among the guests.

As she turned to leave the podium, Barnstable reached for her elbow and leaned close. “You should probably read the note as soon as you can. You might find it enlightening.”

On the walk back to her table, Eileen calmed down. Seated, and after a long drink of cold water, she set the plaque and scroll aside and unfolded the note. Her mother leaned over and read it with her.

Please call this number. My assistant will arrange your access.

Martin Hendrick

The signature meant nothing to her. She’d never heard of him. Included at the bottom was a Washington, D.C. number.

* * *

After two tense weeks of waiting, Eileen and her mother drove into Washington, found the proper address on 17^thStreet, and managed a quick left turn against traffic into the basement garage of the Executive Building, a nine-story edifice constructed of brick.

They encountered a guard who checked identification, consulted a clipboard, and promptly passed them through. Several parking bays marked for guest use existed in front of a far wall.

Signs pointed the way to an elevator next to which hung an office directory. Eileen found the one she wanted. “Ninth floor. Must be a big shot.”

“Just be cool, dear. Behave as if you’re a regular visitor.”

“Sure. That’ll be the day. I’m waytoo wired now.”

Her mother patted her shoulder. “You’ll do fine.”

The elevator doors opened into a vestibule with a choice of three entrances, all in tinted glass. The center door was more ornate, so Eileen headed that way.

An assistant looked up from her desk. “Ms. Kemper?”

“That would be both of us,” Eileen’s mother replied.

“Of course.” The assistant smiled, shifting her eyes to Eileen. “So, you would be Eileen, then?”

“I would.” She gestured to her mother. “This is my mom, Rose Kemper.”

The assistant stood and shook hands with both new arrivals. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll introduce you to Mister Hendrick. He’s eager to meet you, Mizz Kemper.”

The man who stood up from the chair behind his desk shattered Eileen’s mental image of a high-level civil servant as he stepped around to greet them.

A touch of silver accented his blond hair at the sides of his handsome face, complete with cleft chin and hazel eyes. He had unbuttoned the coat of his dark blue suit, revealing a wine-red tie with thin white stripes across the lower end.

“Martin Hendrick. Please.” He gestured to a couch set to one side. “Have a seat and I’ll explain why I’ve invited you here.”

They sat.

Between Hendrick and them stood a low table with a tray containing bottled water and glasses.

Rose Kemper started the conversation. “My daughter and I assumed it had to do with her choice for the science project, correct?”

“Yes it does, most assuredly.” Hendrick sat back and rested his arms on the chair. “I had the good fortune to meet Dr. Kemper frequently. The most recent was only two weeks before he set sail for the South Pacific. Losing him and the crew when the ship disappeared was a great tragedy. You have my deepest condolences.”

“Thank you,” Rose Kemper replied. “We appreciate it.”

“Which brings about the reason for today’s meeting. My good friend and associate, Barney Barnstable, informed me you, Eileen, won first prize in the National Earth Sciences Fair. I assume you chose the Magellan Seamounts with an eye toward determining what fate befell your father . . . and husband.” He glanced at Rose.

“That was one of the reasons, but there were others.” Eileen leaned forward to sip from water she’d poured. “Oceanography has always fascinated me. Perhaps it rubbed off on me, or, subconsciously, I want to follow my father’s footsteps. I never mentioned my father to the judges as it might skew their decision. It seemed the right thing to do.”

“And I agree.” Hendrick placed his elbows on his knees and knitted his fingers together. He glanced again at Rose. “With your permission, Ms. Kemper, I’d like to follow your daughter’s progress as she continues her research. Who knows, there might come a time when I’ll be able to help somehow. Perhaps open a door or two for her.”

“That would be—” Rose began.

“Absolutely,” Eileen interrupted. “Oops. Sorry, Mom,” she muttered, blushing.

Rose continued, “As I was saying, that would be wonderful.” She turned to Eileen. “Don’t you agree?”

Chagrined, Eileen nodded in agreement while looking at Director Hendrick. “And I appreciate anything you could do. I’m due to graduate soon and have already been accepted to the University of California, San Diego for their Scripps Institute of Oceanography.”

“Goodness. Already?” Hendrick lifted his eyebrows.

“She graduates this year, then moves to California this fall for college.” Rose’s eyes beamed with pride.

“I’ve already completed most of the prerequisites and have the required credits in algebra, biology, English, and chemistry.”

“Well, well, well. Your father would certainly be proud of you, young lady.”

“Somehow, I feel my father already knows I’ll come out there to finish what he started. It may take me a while, but I’ll get there.” She glanced at both adults, slightly embarrassed at her outburst of faith.

Hendrick grinned at Eileen’s fervor. “Excellent! Looks as if I may have found a doppelganger of my old friend.” He glanced at his watch.

When her mother cracked a smile, Eileen knew she’d have to look up what the doppelganger thing was when she got home.

“I have an appointment in fifteen minutes with another very old friend. Perhaps the both of you might be interested in meeting him. It’s a bit of a walk, but not too long.”

Rose consulted her own watch. “We’d be honored to accompany you. The exercise would be good for us.”

“Please, follow me.” Hendrick stood and gestured toward the door.

He stopped briefly at his assistant’s desk and told her he’d be back in an hour, then led the way down a long passageway to an elevator at the far end. Only two buttons existed inside, both unmarked. Hendrick pushed the bottom one, and after descending for some time, they came to a smooth stop before the door opened into another corridor.

This long hallway had bundled cables along one side and a light, musty smell. Eileen gazed around, trying her best to align her sense of direction. They might be traveling south, but she wouldn’t have bet on it.

At the far end, there existed another dedicated elevator straight back up. It opened into a ritzy hallway that displayed oil paintings of aristocratic men. Indirect illumination shed a suffused light along their way.

Soon, they arrived in an anteroom, which held four staffers. One rose and greeted Hendrick. “Good afternoon, Director Hendrick. Go right in. He’ll join you in a minute.”

Director? Eileen thought, frowning slightly. What’s with that?

“Thank you, Florence. Is he busy, as usual?”

She gave him a warm smile. “He set aside a block of time for you.”

“That’s encouraging—and appreciated.”

She crossed to an unadorned door, grasped the knob, and pulled. It opened and Hendrick stepped through, followed by Rose and her daughter.

Eileen was the first to react. “Mom! This is the Oval Office!” she whispered a little too loudly.

“My goodness. You’re right!” Rose confirmed.

At that moment, a far door opened and the President of the United States, Charles Madison Whittier, entered carrying a file folder. He headed straight to his desk, dropped the binder to its surface, and turned to greet his guests. “Martin, my man.” He shook Hendrick’s hand with gusto. “How goes it today?”

“Just fine, Mr. President. If I may, I’d like to introduce Eileen and Rose Kemper. Eileen is the young lady I told you about. She won the National Earth Sciences Fair with her oceanographic project. Rose is her mother.”

The president made eye contact while he shook their hands before waving them to a couch at the edge of a carpet embroidered with the presidential seal. “Sit. Sit. We have a few minutes. I’d love to hear about your activities, Mizz Kemper. May I call you Eileen?”

“Please do, Mr. President.” She was awed by their present location. I wonder why “Director” Hendrick didn’t tell us where we were going?

While Eileen chatted, she assessed the president. He focused on everything she said, asking direct questions. The longer she spoke, the greater her confidence. As she continued, he nodded several times, seeming to absorb her terminology with ease.

Once Eileen finished, the president addressed Hendrick. “Your mentorship of this young lady appears to have been not wasted.” After Hendrick’s acknowledgment, President Whittier turned to Rose. “Your daughter appears destined for significant accomplishments in this world, Ms. Kemper.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. I’m so very proud of her.”

After a few more moments of conversation, there came a light tap on the door through which they’d arrived and Florence’s head peered through. “Mister President, your appointment with Senator Filibuster is next. He only wants five minutes.”

“Thank you, Florence. Half an hour is what he truly desires. He’ll get two minutes at best.” He smiled at his visitors. “Which is how he drew his nickname among me and my staffers.” He rose, as did his guests. “Please send in the photographer.”

“Yes, sir.” The head disappeared.

Moments later, a slight youthful staffer entered carrying a camera.

The president gestured to Rose and Eileen to position themselves on either side of him. A flash went off and the young man said, “Ready in a minute, Mister President.”

“Fine. Thank you.”

Twenty seconds later, the young man opened the back of the camera, extracted the finished print, and handed it to the president. He accepted it, whipped a pen from within his jacket, and signed it before handing it to Eileen. “There you are, young lady. Proof positive for your friends.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Mister President. My friends are going to be so jealous,” she gushed. “I’ll have it printed in the yearbook!”

Their laughter was genuine.

“I really hate to leave good company, but duty calls. Although I shouldn’t admit it, I’d rather talk to anyone other than who I’m seeing next.” He looked around conspiratorially. “Don’t mention to him I said that.”

Rose and Eileen chuckled in response, as did Hendrick, who said, “I’ll never tell, Mister President. Not a word.”

“Me neither, Mister President, well, maybe my best friend.” Eileen had pressed her hand to her mouth belatedly after her outburst.

“Martin, my friend, next time we’ll have a longer chat. Not enough minutes in the day sometimes.” He turned to Rose. “Very nice meeting you, Mizz Kemper.”

“Thank you, Mister President. The honor is mine.”

When he grasped Eileen’s hand, he covered it with his remaining palm. “Doubly nice to meet you, Eileen. Keep up the good work, you hear?”

“Yes, Mister President.”

Mother and daughter exited, following Hendrick back through the labyrinthine passageways to his office, where they shook hands again.

His assistant walked them back to the elevator and pressed the button for down. “When you exit, the parking area will be right across the way.”

“Thank you so much for your help,” Rose said. “This visit was an exceptional experience for me.”

“And for me. Much appreciated,” Eileen added.

Once in their car, Eileen released her breath with a whoosh. “I can’t wrap my head around the fact that I was just in the Oval Office and met the president. Nobody will believe me unless I show them the picture. Can we have it framed?”

“Absolutely.” Rose hugged her daughter. “Honey, you have a fabulous future ahead of you, and there are a couple of powerful friends looking after you.”

“I’m just a bit scared, Mom. What if I fall on my face? Or somewhere else?”

Rose turned serious. “In that remote instance, you can always ask for a presidential pardon, can’t you?”

“Bet I’ll get one, too.”

Eileen leaned back in her seat and smiled as she pondered the unexpected direction her life had just taken.