Chapter 1 - Hungry Earth

Hey folks,

As you voted, here is the first chapter of Hungry Earth! Everybody gets this one and I hope you enjoy it. If you want to keep getting the story, upgrade to the paid tier. Don’t worry if you don’t upgrade, you’ll still get the weekly free email as usual!

Enjoy!

Tom

Chapter 1

Jasper didn’t love his work but he didn’t hate it. He watched the coffee bubble up through the shiny glass percolator his mother had bought him as a congratulations gift. He and the percolator sighed in unison. They both had jobs to do and did them. One fueled the other. The coffee would wake Jasper up and get his mind rolling so he could do his work designing electric scoreboards. 

Now fueled, he walked downstairs from his snug apartment in a wooded corner of town and jumped in his brand new blue chevy. He sometimes liked his work. Making light bulbs and gears work to tell kids what the score of their baseball or basketball or football game wasn’t useless. Sports was important for children in Jasper’s mind, even though he’d never been terribly good at it himself. The company he worked for was family-owned and friendly. They cared about doing a good job. Their designs didn’t necessarily push his talents as an engineer but they were good designs and he was proud of his work. For many people this would be a perfectly satisfying life. He felt guilty that it left him wanting. He felt especially guilty that what he really wanted to do was write novels. That would have been a colossal waste of time and talent, he heard his grandfather say in his head. He pulled into the parking lot at the office and trudged inside. 

“Morning Jasper.”

“Morning Ralph.”

“Guy to see you. Says he’s from the government.”

“Says he’s what?”

“From the government.”

“You don’t say?”

“I do. Brenda made coffee.”

“Thanks. In my office?”

“Yeah he’s in there.”

Some people would have been worried or upset at the idea of a government man showing up to talk to one of their employees. But not Ralph. Ralph didn’t let things bother him until they were bothersome. If the government man said his piece and left and didn’t delay Jasper from getting the work done then Ralph most likely wouldn’t say another word about it. 

A man in a dark blue trench coat and fedora stood in Jasper’s office. 

“Good morning,” Jasper greeted him, “Jasper Monmouth. Ralph said you wanted a word with me?”

“Yes sir, that’s right,'' the man said, showing a badge rather than shaking hands. “Agent Sam Grayson, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. I’m here to finish a background check and offer you a job, Mr. Monmouth. Everything we say here is confidential, I hope you understand. You can’t tell anyone the contents of what we say here. It’s a matter of the security of the nation.”

“Please sit down Mr.-- I mean Agent-- Grayson. As you can tell I already have a job. Am I in some sort of trouble?”

Jasper racked his brain to think if anyone he knew or had been friends with in college would be suspected of being a red. Well sure, half of his professors and a good smattering of friends he supposed. These days that might be enough.

Agent Grayson sat down. “No, Mr. Monmouth, you’re in no kind of trouble. Quite the opposite. Your country needs you.”

Jasper had two reactions at once. One of scoffing disbelief at the absurdity of a line that could have come out of a movie. The other, a stirring of purpose and hope at filling that gap he felt every day going to work.

“I see,” was all Jasper managed to say out loud.

“Before I can tell you the details I just need to confirm some facts, if that’s all right with you.”

It wasn’t a question. Jasper didn’t respond. The man kept going.

“You are Jasper Anthony Monmouth, born September 25, 1932 in Alton, Illinois. Your father, Anthony William Monmouth worked in maintenance at Alton State Hospital and your mother Dierdre Beatrice Fanning Monmouth taught English at Alton High School. You served in the US Navy in the Korean Conflict and graduated from Southern Illinois University with a double major in Mathematics and History. Is that all correct?”

Jasper didn’t respond right away but this time the agent waited. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Mr. Monmouth, your experience and expertise is uniquely suited to a confidential research project being conducted right now. If I tell you more, can I rely on you to keep it between us and not tell anyone else including your co-workers?”

Jasper wasn’t sure he wanted to say yes but he was also curious. So he said yes.

“You understand that if you do reveal anything I’ve revealed here to others, there are severe penalties under the McCarran Internal Security Act?”

“I do now,” Jasper said.

“Very good --”

“Do you need me to sign something?” Jasper wondered aloud.

“No, sir. You are bound to secrecy whether you sign anything or not. Mr. Monmouth this is a unique and may I say, privileged opportunity. The Soviets are pursuing similar technology and we need to beat them. Are you familiar with the work of Einstein?”

Jasper laughed. “Who isn’t?” 

“Many people, in my experience, sir, but with your education and experience that was a largely rhetorical question. The theories of relativity are beyond my expertise and if we move forward from today, we have scientists who can explain more to you. But the simple version is, we are working on machinery that can use those theories in order to travel in ways that are not only faster but previously perceived as impossible. We would like you to help work on developing these technologies. We would guarantee your salary for at least three years and we would set you up in housing in Washington DC.”

“I--”

“Mr. Monmouth let me be frank. You have no wife and children. Despite being within an hour’s drive, you rarely see other family. You have no reason, other than livelihood, to keep you here, and we can guarantee your livelihood and offer you the ability to serve your country again in a fight for the future of humanity.”

This guy was laying it on too thick. “I’m sorry Agent Grayson but I couldn’t possibly make such a big change based on what you’ve told me today.” 

The Agent nodded. “Of course. We can arrange a leave of absence, a paid vacation really, with your current employer, to come out to Washington DC and meet with the people you would be working with. Once you’re satisfied you understand what we’re doing, then you can answer.”

“I’d have to talk to Ralph--” Jasper couldn’t believe he was thinking of agreeing to this. It felt irresponsible. But at the same time, exciting in a way nothing had been since he’d left the Navy. Or even through most of his time in the Navy.

“I’ll talk to your boss. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

The agent was already standing up and holding out his hand. Jasper caught himself involuntarily beginning to stand. He stopped. The agent didn’t miss a beat and dropped the hand without changing his expression. 

“We’ll be in touch, Mr. Monmouth.” the agent said and turned on his heel and left the room.

Jasper was still trying to work his way through what had just happened when Ralph poked his head in the office. 

“So that government guy was interesting,” Ralph said.

“What did he tell you?” Jasper asked.

“Just that there was a government job you were up for and the US government would be very appreciative if I let you have a week off to go to Washington to interview. Seems a long time to interview. Is this something you want to do? You’re not in any trouble are you Jasper?”

“No, no kind of trouble. I have no idea if I want to do it. I’m still wrapping my head around it.”

“Well, if it’s legitimate and you’re interested I won’t stand in your way,” Ralph said and left.

Chapter 2