Tag: Cincinnati

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THE ANTARES SECRET – CHAPTER 14: The Letter

Picking up letter from mailbox. Reflection of person writing letter in mailbox walls.

Carol sat on the library’s computer and navigated the browser to Lucas Aldrich’s website. Good, he lists his postal address, she thought while scrolling the ‘Contact Us’ section.

She wrote it down on a small piece of paper and took it home to her husband.

Three days later…

The day’s mail had a special surprise for Lucas. After his conversation with Vega, he had decided to wait for the Kitty Hawks’ manager to make a move before deciding what to do next. Getting an old-fashioned handwritten letter from the man was definitely outside his realm of expectations. It was postmarked in Cincinnati, Ohio and the return address was a postal office box. He tore open the envelope on one end and pulled out a trifolded single sheet of paper.

Dear Mr. Aldrich:

I hope this letter finds you well, although I’m willing to bet that my choice of communication channel has startled you. Allow me to explain.

It has come to my attention that there are some people who don’t want us to keep talking to each other. Just the other day I got a strange email that, from its content, I could tell was not really originated by the person subscribing it. The message was an advice for me to be careful with a scam going on in the baseball fantasy leagues. The description of the shady deal sounded very similar to what I had told you regarding the job I needed help with.

If my theory is correct, I suspect people who want to steer us away from each other had monitored our earlier exchanges. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if you had gotten a similar email. So, I figured that it would be best if we continued our conversations through the good old postal service.

Allow me to put my suspicions in context. I’ve got information that will shed some new light on NASA’s Moon landings during the so-called Space Race. The people I suspect were monitoring our exchanges know this, and it seems like they might have read an intention on my part to share with you something they want to keep secret.

I must admit they are not too far from the truth. The job I need your help with does entail sharing some of that information. However, its sensitive nature combined with the likely monitoring of our electronic channels, has left us with only one briefing option – we need to meet in person. For such a purpose I’m including a ticket for you to attend the May 18 Indians/Reds game in Cincinnati. I’ll be joining you in one of the luxury suites. So even though it’s a public place, privacy will not be an issue.

A word of advice regarding your travel plans. I suggest you don’t fly directly to Cincinnati. I fear it could raise some flags within our monitoring friends. It would be better to book a flight to another city like Detroit or Chicago and drive the rest of the way. Choose one you have other reasons to visit. I’ll reimburse your travel expenses at the game.

As for our electronic communications I suggest continuing with them, but as a tool to make them think we have stopped talking about the NASA stuff. No more conversations about a job or anything other than baseball. Although on that regard we should say something along the lines that there’s no longer a need for your services. If we do it right, it’ll give them the impression that we both took the bait.

Please confirm through regular mail and don’t talk about this through any electronic channel.

Sincerely yours,

Edwin Moon

Lucas looked back into the envelope and pulled out the game ticket he hadn’t noticed earlier.  The content of the letter was overwhelming. First of all, he thought, the email mentioned in it sounded like the one Vega had forwarded him. In addition, the apparent monitoring of their communications would explain the mysterious car that seemed to be watching him. Plus, he was being hired to do a job that would  get him new information regarding the Moon landings. And if that wasn’t enough, he had in his hands a ticket to go watch an Indians’ game in a luxury suit! Wow buster…

Despite his excitement, Lucas followed his instinct and decided to wait for Vega to take a look at the letter before committing himself to a specific course of action.  

 

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THE ANTARES SECRET – CHAPTER 16: Plans, Planes and Playball!

Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati

Time passed excruciatingly slow for Lucas during the following month. First he had to wait a couple of weeks before buying the plane tickets to avoid raising red flags to the people monitoring his moves.

During that time Vega came to the conclusion that, for those same reasons, it was better for both of them if she didn’t accompany him to Cincinnati. She wasn’t absolutely sure whether David or Mr. Martin at the office were in on it or not, but thought it was better to play it safe to avoid arising suspicions from them.

Lucas had a lot of time to ponder his travel options and finally settled for Chicago. He had been there for business before so he knew the city well and most importantly, had a history to back up his new trip there in the eyes of those tracking his moves. Also, he thought it would mask his true destination better than Detroit because, although the distances were quite similar, Chicago was in a different time zone and had the whole state of Indiana between itself and Cincinnati.

Before the self-imposed two-week waiting period had expired, Lucas got another letter from Edwin Moon acknowledging receipt of his response and confirming their meeting at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati on May 18. A few days later he went online and bought himself a round-trip ticket to the Windy City.  He also booked a car rental for two days with return to the same location.

Finding a hotel took a bit longer. Since, in all probability, his every move was being monitored, he needed something that would signal he was going to stay in town while providing him easy access to I-94, the route he had to take out of Chicago towards Indiana on his way to Cincinnati. He didn’t want to add any unnecessary time to the 4½ hour drive. After some patient search, he found what he, and his budget, were looking for at the Crowne Plaza in the West Loop area and made reservations for two nights.

For the next two weeks Lucas and Vega went through all the possible scenarios and planned for each one of them. Lucas felt very confident when he boarded the flight to Chicago that Saturday, May 17, 2008. He was already in his seat when a woman in her mid twenties and an athletic build placed a weekender type bag on the overhead compartment and sat in the seat next to his. He was prepared to face the possibility of him being followed the whole trip and immediately tagged her as an agent of whatever government agency was tracking his actions.

“Business or pleasure?” he asked her.

“Business,” she said courtly.

“Same here, business on a Saturday. I’m in advertising. Clients don’t know the meaning of the word weekend,” said Lucas trying to get her to spill whatever cover she was using.

“I do most of my work during weekends,” she said with a small smile that lighted up her stern face.

“Really, what is it that you do? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I’m a professional soccer player. I’m on my way to Chicago to join the Red Stars.”

“The Red Stars? I’m not familiar with them.”

“It’s the city’s entry in the new Women’s Professional Soccer League.”

“Wow, I didn’t know about it. Good luck…” Lucas extended his hand to shake hers, “my name is Lucas Adrich, consider me a Red Stars fan from now on.”

“Thanks, but be aware that the first season starts next year. I’m Megan…  Megan Rapinoe by the way.”

If this was a cover it was a pretty risky one; too easy to corroborate whether her information was false, thought Lucas. She must be the real thing. He wondered if she would end up being one of the league stars. He considered asking for her autograph just in case but desisted from the idea.

The flight was uneventful and he arrived at O’Hare Airport in Chicago right on time. He followed the signs to the car rental companies, and 45 minutes later left for the Crowne Plaza Hotel on a silver Toyota Camry.

He was too excited about the next day’s adventure so he hardly slept that night. It seemed like he had just closed his eyes when the alarm clock went off at 5:00 in the morning. After showering he had a hotel bedroom coffee that tasted like dirty water and got on his way. He had to leave no later than 6:30 to make it to the game before the 1:15 start time. There was a one hour difference between Chicago and Cincinnati and leaving at that time would give him an hour to spare for any unforeseen events.

Driving through Indiana got to be extremely boring with flatlands as far as the eye could see, but it was a beautiful day for baseball with clear skies and gorgeous 66° weather. He was already on I-65 heading south when he realized it was already mid-morning and he hadn’t had breakfast. He stopped at the next rest area near Lafayette and got himself an egg and bacon sandwich with some more coffee. After a quick restroom pit stop he was back on the rented Camry approaching Indianapolis at 65 miles per hour.

Two hours later he pulled into one of Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark parking areas, never noticing the car tailing him, a nondescript gray sedan with a middle-aged couple inside that looked like anybody’s next-door neighbors. They watched him step out of the car before following him inside the park.

Once inside the ballpark, Lucas had to ask directions to the suite 110. When he finally got there, the old man was waiting for him outside. To Lucas he resembled the actor that played Batman in the 60’s TV series.

“Ed?” asked Lucas as he approached the man.

“Lucas I presume,” answered the man extending his hand to shake Lucas’.

“Yes Ed, thanks for the invitation. This ballpark is absolutely gorgeous. Like a temple for baseball.”

“Please call me Neil, there’s no need for subterfuge anymore,” said the old man with a smile. “Let’s go in. Would you like a beer?”

Ha! I knew it! You’re Neil Armstrong, thought Lucas but instead said “Love one Neil, thanks.”

“Two Hudys Al”, the old man told the suite attendant as they entered.

“Hudys?” asked Lucas.

“Hudy Delight, Cincinnati’s very own light beer,” said Neil. “Would you prefer something else?”

“No, a Hudy would be perfect.”

“Let’s seat outdoors. The day is too nice to stay inside,” said Neil leading the way.

“We’ll have more privacy out here; don’t wish to be overhead by the suite attendant,” he said once outside. “By the way, great pitching matchup today Volquez versus Lee, the two teams’ aces.”

Once they took their seats the game  started and with it the most fascinating three hours Lucas had ever experienced in his lifetime.

 

 

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THE ANTARES SECRET – CHAPTER 17: First Inning – The Beginning

Suite at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati

Lucas sat with Neil Armstrong on the suite’s outdoor seats and looked around taking in the grandiosity of the situation while sipping his Hudy Delight.

“Only one loss between the two pitchers… and 12 wins. Both early Cy Young candidates in their leagues. Definitely a pitching banquet ahead of us”, said the old man.

“Ah, oh, yeah,” sputtered Lucas.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m okay, it’s just that I’m a little overwhelmed by this whole… surreal experience,” said Lucas feeling a bit embarrassed.

“It’s only regular season,” said the old man with a smirk.

“Yeah, well, for you maybe, ‘cus you’re not sitting next to a historical figure watching the game.”

“Oh, that. Well, after today, maybe you’ll make history too. And on that note, thanks for accepting the invitation. It took me many years to finally decide on this course of action. Something that I’m sure you’ll understand once you hear what I have to say.”

The man took a long sip of his beer before continuing.

“On your response to my initial letter you asked me several things. Where would you like to start?”

“Why me? What are you looking for?” asked Lucas.

“Well, first things first. You’re a communications professional. I visited your website and liked what I saw. You’re also a knowledgeable person in the topic of the Space Race of the sixties, so you’re better suited to understand the context of what I’m going to tell you. As for what I’m I looking for? I want people to know the truth and I can’t tell them myself.”

“So you want me to tell people? I thought this conversation was supposed to be kept confidential.”

“This conversation never took place. What you do with the information you get is entirely up to you,” said the old man. “But don’t tell that to the people who accompanied you.”

“Who? What people?”

“The two agents following you. I spotted them when you approached me outside the suite. They were walking like 50 feet behind you. A middle-aged couple who looked like John and Jane Midwest. I’m sure they will be talking to you after the game.”

Instinctively, Lucas looked over his shoulder after hearing this, but all he could see through the glass window was Al, the suite attendant who immediately approached them to ask if they needed anything.

Neil Armstrong politely dismissed the courteous attendant who went back inside to wait upon a group of six that had just entered the suite.

“Relax Lucas.”

“It’s just that I had been on the lookout for a tail , and finding out that they fooled me pisses me off.”

“Let’s take one step at a time, they will not cause a scene. That’s why I chose this public venue for our little chat. Al and the six friends I had on standby in case something like this happened are our insurance that the agents won’t come inside the suite.”

Lucas looked back into the suite and a few of the guys waved at him smiling.

“This is so surreal,” said Lucas mostly to himself.

“Well, with that out of the way, what do you think we start at the beginning?” said the old man. “As you know there are a lot of conspiracy theories regarding the Moon landings of the late sixties and early seventies. Some going as far as to state that it was all a fake. Well, the truth, as it usually does, lies somewhere in the middle between what the conspiracy theorists say and NASA’s official version of the events.

“Let’s be clear about one thing Lucas, man did land on the Moon. Whoever claims otherwise is a fool. Where NASA’s official story starts to deviate from the truth is with regards to when the landings took place. On the other hand, conspiracy theorists are closer to the truth when it comes to the tools used by NASA to achieve such deviation.

“You must remember that in the sixties the Cold War was at its peak and beating the Soviets to the Moon was a political endeavor more than a scientific one. So, after the tragedy of Apollo 1 and the calendar setbacks that it entailed, officials at NASA and the government began to seriously worry that Kennedy’s promise would not be fulfilled and that the Soviet Union would beat the U.S. to the Moon. An occurrence that would have dealt a crushing political blow to America’s world leader image and role.

“That’s why shortly after the conclusion of the 1967 congressional hearings on the Apollo 1 accident, a handful of government and NASA top brass got together and laid out the main components of a secondary protocol for all Apollo missions that required it. The operation’s objective was to convey the idea that the U.S. had landed a man on the Moon even if they hadn’t. It was a monumental misinformation endeavor and, as with many other Space Race era plans, it had to go through several stages in order for it to be successful.”

“When was this protocol added to the Apollo program?” asked Lucas.

“After the assassination of Bobby Kennedy in June 6, 1968. While the media attention was centered on that story, President Lyndon B. Johnson gave the order to put the secondary protocol in motion.”

Meanwhile on the playing field…

The Indians started the first inning well, putting men on first and second with no outs but ended in disappointment with a strikeout followed by a double play to end the top half of the frame. The Reds drew first blood by scoring a run in their bottom half of the inning.

 

 

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