CHAPTER XXXII
About 4 A.M. the President of the United States landed on the Mammouth Building in New York and was taken down in the elevator to the 110th floor to Supreme Commander Gordon's office. He found Colonel Edna Kennelworth sentinel at the door. She had met the President before and after saluting him asked if he wished to see Supreme Commander Gordon. He replied that he did and she immediately conducted him to his private office.
The President rushed in and found Supreme Commander Gordon sitting peacefully reading a newspaper. The President could hardly believe it and asked him for the facts of the attack upon New York City and if all enemy planes had been destroyed. Supreme Commander Gordon told the President that it was a fact. The President asked Supreme Commander Gordon if there had been any losses to our airplane fleet in destroying the enemy and where our fleet was now located. The Supreme Commander pointed to the "Demon of Death" and the sleeping gas machines and said: "There is the fleet which has destroyed and captured probably 100,000 of the enemy's planes. Mr. President, would you like to go on a little sight-seeing expedition?" The President said that he would. A button was pressed and in a few minutes "Marie the Angel of Mercy," Robert's big ship, appeared in front of the window. The President told Supreme Commander Gordon that he had neither seen nor heard of such a ship before and asked him where it came from. Robert said, "Mr. President, this ship was built according to the plan laid down by Ezekiel in the Bible. I worked on it for years and completed it just before the war broke out. Its most useful work is yet to be done." Supreme Commander Gordon then explained fully the working of the "Demon of Death" to the President.
They stepped upon board "Marie the Angel of Mercy," sailed out across Long Island, slowed the plane down, drifted very low and passed over the thousands of airplanes which had been destroyed.
They sailed over Staten Island and saw the wrecks of the planes which had been destroyed there. Then swung up the Hudson River above Yonkers, descended close to the water and anchored in the air. The President had never been on an airship that was anchored in the air and was amazed at Supreme Commander Gordon's marvelous invention. He handed the President a pair of powerful field glasses and told him to take a look. The river was almost choked with the wrecks of the airplanes which had gone down defying the "Demon of Death." Bodies of aviators wearing the uniforms of the various nations were floating upon the waters. When the Supreme Commander explained to the President that he believed that not one of the enemy's planes had escaped, he marveled at the wonderful invention and the fact that two men and a lone woman could accomplish such a feat. Supreme Commander Gordon then said: "Mr. President, your greatest sight is yet to come."
He then started "Marie the Angel of Mercy," sailed out across the New Jersey hills, slowed down the big ship and entered the Tunnel thru the Air. There the greatest sight that human eyes had ever witnessed greeted the President. They passed slowly thru the Tunnel where there were thousands and thousands of planes unharmed suspended in the air with the aviators all sound asleep. The Supreme Commander then said: "This work was done by the sleeping gas. As this giant horde of probably 50,000 planes moving in sections of hundreds and thousands, one following after another, tried to attack New York, General Pearson and myself worked the Tunnel machines and Colonel Edna Kennelworth operated the sleeping gas machine. You can see the effective work and our mission of mercy. We have not taken human life and have gained the greatest victory in the world. These aviators will sleep for seven days and then awake unharmed. There will be no ill effects of the sleeping gas. We will of course remove the airships and aviators to the Wilson, Coolidge, Roosevelt, Lowden, Harding and Washington airfields and when they awake they will be our prisoners and the enemy's airships will be in our possession."
The President was astounded. He had never dreamed that man could make such marvelous inventions. Turning to Supreme Commander Gordon and grasping his hand, he said: "You have been inspired by Almighty God. You are an instrument in his hands to save this country according to God's plan." The Supreme Commander replied that he had always felt that way and had never taken any credit to himself; that since he was about eight years old he had been reading the Bible and knew from it that this war was inevitable; that he had spent his time and money to complete these inventions for the day his country would need them.
On the way back, Supreme Commander Gordon told the President that the Marie the Angel of Mercy could make a speed of 1000 miles an hour and that he could easily go round the world in 24 hours. On their return all was quiet in New York City. No one knew what had happened that night. The President could not find words to express his appreciation for this wonderful work. He asked the Supreme Commander what his future plans were. Supreme Commander Gordon told the President to read the Bible, especially Daniel's prophecy and the book of Ezekiel, and he would know what was yet to take place. It was agreed that the news of the success with the "Demon of Death" and the sleeping gas machine was to be kept secret and that the President was the only one to know of Robert's great invention.
The President returned to Washington on the forenoon of June 9th, feeling much elated over the wonderful victory, proud of his native land and thankful that the Divine Power had given them the man of the hour at the right time.
It had been a great birthday for Robert, because his country had been saved. His years of labor had been rewarded but yet no news had come of Marie. He wondered if she were alive and if she had been watching this terrible war, the greatest of all with its great destruction. When the war was over and the world was once more at peace, what would happen to him or what would he do? It seemed to him that when the war was over, his life work would be finished. Without Marie, there would be nothing left, nothing more to work for. Supreme Commander Gordon knew that there would be no more attacks that day, so he ordered Colonel Edna Kennelworth to get some sleep. He communicated with Colonel Kennelworth in Boston and found that there had been no further attacks there. The Colonel reported that he was ready and waiting to put to sleep more of the enemy as soon as they arrived.