Early in the morning on July 15, 1945.
James and Remus Pitt, the Wolf Pack's "Alpha Wolf," climbed out of a military jeep. They were in a desolate stretch of desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Robert Oppenheimer, head of the Manhattan Project, and several of its leading researchers came over and shook James's hand. The deserted stretch of desert was chilly at night. James had disguised his age as usual and dressed a little more warmly.
As they approached the army tents, several high-ranking military officials came over to greet him as well. They casually brought up the question of postwar military budgets.
"Mr. Howlett, please put on these protective goggles."
James accepted the silver-white goggles from a middle-aged man. After exchanging a glance with Remus, he put them on and looked northwest.
Five thirty in the morning.
A purple-white flash burst into view, followed by a deafening explosion. In the pitch-black night, the light was so intense that everyone was blinded for a moment.
In an instant, a dark gray cloud several kilometers across rose into the sky and became a white column of smoke. The cloud formed a mushroom shape at the top, then slowly separated from the column. Its crown spread wider and wider, as if it meant to swallow the earth.
A violent gust swept over the observation site, nearly a hundred kilometers from the blast. Dr. Oppenheimer and the scientists applauded and cheered with excitement. Humanity's first nuclear fission weapon—the atomic bomb—had detonated successfully.
On the way back, James changed vehicles and didn't ride in the military jeep. Remus drove the Howlett Family car himself, heading for the airport.
"Have you made up your mind?"
James asked Remus Pitt, who was driving. He was no longer young. At thirty, he had trained the Killing Technique