Accelerant- Sixth Extinction

by James Morris Robinson

  Moments like this made Jeff think about the innocence of his childhood. Jeff and Daniel had shared a bedroom in their mother’s modest two-bedroom house. Daniel had given up the top bunk since Jeff often used it as an imaginary runway. Jeff had loved to pretend he was a pilot. Daniel would tell him, “Have it your way, bro'. But if you fall on your head, yell for momma, not me.”

  Daniel had often told Jeff stories at bedtime. Their mother had appreciated this, as it had given her some quiet time to herself. When she tucked them in for the night, Daniel would begin his stories. Jeff would get so excited when Daniel told the story of the Liberty ships.

  “During World War II, eighty-eight of the almost three thousand Liberty ships built in America was launched in Savannah, Georgia. Without Liberty ships, the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, might have been lost. This six-year battle pitted German boats and aircraft against Allied Forces’ merchant shipping. The German’s goal was to block critical supplies from reaching the Allied troops. The Germans destroyed anything that moved and the battle took a heavy toll. In all, nearly 3,000 Allied cargo ships were lost. To replace the cargo ships, 18 American shipyards throughout the United States were pressed into service between 1941 and 1945. The shipyards built an amazing 2,711 Liberty ships to keep supplies and equipment flowing to the troops.”

  Jeff glanced at the picture of his Granddaddy hanging in Daniel’s den. He could see it across from the sun-room. Jeff sipped his coffee and his mind drifted back to Daniel's childhood storytelling. He remembered, “I heard Granddaddy tell Daddy that although 2,711 Liberty ships were built, only 2,710 sailed. One of them burned up in the slipway at the dock. Granddaddy knew this as he helped build the 88 ships that the Savannah Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation produced. Granddaddy bragged that they could build a ship in 30 days. He said the SS James Oglethorpe was a sight to see, a modern marvel in her day. A powerful steam engine that could haul five cargo holds full of airplanes, tanks, and locomotives. Daddy said that a Liberty ship could carry 2,840 jeeps, 440 tanks, or 230 million rounds of rifle ammunition. Few remember the Liberty ships today. Fewer remember the huge shipyard located on the Savannah River off the eastern tip of Hutchinson Island. Most think of Hutchinson Island primarily in terms of its industry supporting the Port of Savannah, one of the busiest containerization cargo ports in the world.”

  Daniel would always leave an important part of the story out to see if Jeff would remember.

  “Daniel, you forgot the really important part,” Jeff would say.

  “What is that, little brother?”

  “Granddaddy told Daddy that 18 Liberty ships were named after prominent African-Americans.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” Daniel would say laughing to himself. “Jeff, I will give you a shiny nickel for every ship you can name.”

  Jeff yelled, “Deal!” He would scratch his head. Excitedly, he would yell, “Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and William Cox.”

  “Jeff, who is William Cox?”

  “You know, William Cox, that fireman on the SS David Atwater, which was shelled and sunk by the Germans on April 2, 1942.”

  “That kid always amazes me,” Daniel would say.

  “I got one more, Harriett Tubman. You owe me 20 cents.”

  “Okay, I will pay up in the morning. Go to sleep.”

  Jeff’s daydreaming broke when he heard Daniel coming downstairs. Daniel poured himself a cup of coffee. “Good morning, brother! I see Tony got his fix and went back to bed.” They both laughed.

  “How is Marcia’s dental practice?” asked Jeff.

  “She is doing well. They are so busy; she hardly takes a day off. Sundays are special family days when we can pamper her. Her parents and our mom are a great support network for us.”

  “You are truly blessed, bro'. Marcia is a beautiful and intelligent woman and she is from Savannah.”

  Marcia said, “I heard that. Tell him that again, Jeff.”

  Daniel yelled upstairs, “Go back to sleep, woman. Men are talking here.”

  Marcia yelled back downstairs, “I love you, too, sweetheart!”

  “Did Carla come down with Tony?” asked Daniel.

  Jeff sipped his coffee. “No, my darling niece has not gotten up yet.”

  Daniel poured himself a cup of coffee. He patted Jeff on the cheek and said, “We need to talk about momma.”

  “What's going on?”

  “Mom needs round the clock care in a nursing home. She has always been there for us. Now we need to be there for her.”

  “Daniel, I am solving that problem. In a few months, I hope to have enough money to take care of mom and assure that Carla and Tony go to the colleges of their choice.”

  “Jeff, what are you up to? Stay away from schemes that might cause jail time or ruin you financially. We will get through this, bro'. You and I always do.” Daniel winked at Jeff, “Let’s get out of here.”

  As they jumped into Daniel’s truck, Jeff asked, “Where are we headed?”

  “Let’s do breakfast at your favorite place on Tybee Island.”

  “I had cereal earlier with Tony, but I’ve got room for a real hot breakfast.”

  “The Breakfast Club is it then.”

  Jeff loved to hang out at the Pavilion on Savannah Beach, but he loved breakfast more at The Breakfast Club. It was neither as grand nor as exclusive as its name might suggest. It was a great cluttered little breakfast-only restaurant on a street corner one block from the beach and pavilion.

  Savannah Beach was a short drive from Daniel’s house. As they jumped out of Daniel’s truck, Jeff had already picked out his favorite spot at the front part of the restaurant. It had a few booths and a wraparound bar, lined with stools that separated the customers from the grill and the hyperactive cooks. In the back was a small dining room for large families and Bible-reading groups.

  As they looked over the breakfast menu, Daniel asked Jeff, “Brother, are you going to order pecan waffles with corned beef hash again. Who does that?”

  “I do.”

  Daniel’s cell phone rang. It was Daniel’s friend, Todd. He was ship’s mate on one of the newer tugboats that serviced the huge ships that required tug assists. As a deck officer, Todd supervised and coordinated activities of the crew aboard his tug. He also assumed captain duties when the captain was resting or not on duty. Jeff was enjoying his orange juice while Daniel caught up with Todd. Jeff recalled it was about two years ago when Genesis purchased the tugboat company that serviced the Savannah and Charleston harbors. Tugboats were powerful, diesel-driven, agile taskmasters that guided container ships and oil tankers in and out of port. Genesis replaced the aging fleet with twenty-five powerful new tugs with 360 degree rotating propellers.

  Jeff remembered the High Commander saying, “We cannot control the wind, but we can adjust the sails. We cannot control harbor security but we can control the speed and direction of the container ships and tankers as we pull them in and out of the harbor.”

  Genesis purchased the tugboat from a company that had operated them for over fifty years. Genesis gave them a nice price for the company. They then over-funded their retirement plan so the older guys could retire in style. Then, Genesis hired some of them on as consultants to train and coach the new mates and pilots that commanded and navigated the tugboats. Many of the vessel’s engineers, able-bodied seamen, sailors, marine oilers, and cooks were from disadvantaged families. Genesis renamed the tugboat company Emergence Tug and Towing. Emergence was Genesis by another name. Jeff thought it was absolutely brilliant.

  Service was fast and the food was piping hot. Daniel got off the phone quickly after the food arrived. He dug into his Blackhawk Breakfast Burrito and Jeff was consuming his pecan waffles with corned beef hash. The waitress brought them the bill. Daniel winked at Jeff as he paid.

  “Well, I am not in the mood to head back to town. I will call Marcia and ask her to take Tony to baseball practice and Carla
to gymnastics. She can drop them off and her dad will love to pick them up. I'm spending the day with my baby brother.”

  Jeff waved his hands. “No, no, don’t get Marcia mad at me, okay?”

  Daniel laughed. “Relax, little brother, I got this.”

  Daniel jumped on the cell phone and called Marcia. It was about 11:00 a.m., and they headed to Tybee Pier. Daniel pointed and explained, “Dad told me the original Tybee Pier was built in the early 1900s. It was called Tybrisa Pavilion in those days. Tybee’s was the place to be in the roaring ’20s and early ’30s. That was the jazz and big band era. Bob Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington all traveled to Tybee to play at the Tybrisa Pavilion.”

  Jeff inhaled the ocean air. “I love the great ocean view and great fishing.”

  The boys spent the day hanging out on the beach, including enjoying jazz bands performing in the afternoon at Tybee Pier & Pavilion. Sunset caught them at Doc’s Bar. Daniel liked it for being a true island bar. The drinks were powerful and delicious. As the sun set, Daniel had an idea. “Let’s jump on the casino cruise. It leaves from a port near here on Tybee Island.”

  Jeff finished off a cold beer and slapped Daniel on the back. “Okay, I'm game.”

  Daniel reminded Jeff, “I'm telling you as I told J.R., This cruise goes three miles out to international waters. It takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to international waters.”

  “So why is it a five-hour cruise?”

  “Well, you have to allow an hour each way and you got to have gambling time, right?”

  Jeff laughed so loud, the whole bar heard him. “Ok, I'm sold. Let’s go.”

  As they purchased their tickets at the casino boat’s entrance, Jeff commented, “Wow, now this is a ship. This is where the big hitters go for fun, huh?”

  Daniel laughed. “I know right?” As they walked through the gateway to the entrance deck, they saw three open levels: two floors of Vegas-style gaming and a third-floor observation deck for sitting back, having a cocktail, and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Savannah.

  Daniel did not know that Jeff’s mission was on Tybee Island. Several weeks ago, Kyle had received a coded message at the Drop. The message had been delivered in a tamper-proof envelope addressed to “Field Commander Jeff.” Kyle knew that whatever was in the package, it was for Jeff’s eyes only. They never spoke of it again. Jeff was alone when he carefully opened the envelope. Simple instructions and a small device were enclosed. The instructions simply said, “Dive the dolphin deep.”

  The fact of the matter was…Jeff was to take the casino cruise anyway. It was his mission. Luck had it that Daniel suggested it first.

  Hours later, Jeff and Daniel took a break from gambling. Daniel was up $2,000 from the craps table. Jeff had bad luck at blackjack but good luck at the poker table, so he was happy. They had a drink on the third deck, which looked back toward Savannah from a distance.

  “Three miles looks close. I wonder if the city realizes that if we experience a tidal wave out here, the whole city would see the wall of water. Most people do not realize how close we are to the Atlantic Ocean, let alone international waters.”

  Jeff nodded in agreement. “You realize that you are talking about a tsunami.”

  Daniel perked up. “You mean like the one I read about that was caused by the earthquake in Japan in 2011?” Daniel placed his arm on his brother’s shoulder. “It was amazing from what I read. The report said the effects could be felt in the Port of Brookings Harbor in Oregon, Jeff, Oregon. That is 7,500 miles away.”

  Jeff pointed towards Savannah. “A man-made explosion here, where this casino boat sits right now, would trigger a harbor tsunami that would rip the Port of Savannah apart. That is where you and your crew of longshoremen work.”

  Daniel looked shocked. “Dude, you are scaring me.”

  “It has happened before,” Jeff warned. “In my maritime class, we studied the case of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,” Jeff told the story as the Genesis commander had told it to him. After Jeff finished with the story, Daniel held his drink back to his lips and finished it off.

  “Very interesting, little brother. Now, I really need a strong drink.” Daniel headed back to the casino. Jeff hung back. He wanted a few minutes more as he rarely got this kind of quiet with the constant hum of the container ship’s large engines and the usual noise that goes along with ocean travel. Jeff was alone but he looked around to be certain. He then pulled a device out of his back pocket just a little larger than a smartphone. He dropped the device into the water. He saw three small dots of light emitting from the device. First red, then yellow, then green. The device activated a small propeller and dove for the sea floor. Jeff then took out his smartphone and dialed the number on the instructions in his phone. Someone picked up but said nothing. Jeff whispered, “The dolphin dove and she is deep.”

  Jeff took one last look at Savannah’s shoreline. He thought I must pull Daniel, Marcia, the kids, Mom, and Daniel’s in-laws out of harm’s way before the event.

  Chapter Seven — Aggressive Persuasion

  Weeks later, Jeff was daydreaming as the A300 Super Transporter climbed to 43,000 feet.

  “Jeff, what does she look like?”

  Jeff rubbed his eyes and laughed. “No, Kyle. I was thinking about Daniel and I hanging out together at Savannah beach several weeks ago.”

  “You mean Tybee Island?”

  “Whatever dude. We refer to it as Savannah Beach. Tourists call it Tybee Island.”

  “Doesn’t matter…as long as they find it right and spend money right. Is that breakfast place still there?”

  “Yeah, we stopped there for breakfast.”

  “Jeff, did you order the pecan waffles with corned beef hash. Who does that?”

  “I do.”

  “That place serves pig flesh. Pork is prohibited.”

  “I did not have pork.”

  “Doesn’t matter Lil Bro', it was cooked alongside pork and placed on the same plates as swine meat.”

  “Relax Kyle, we can eat pork, drink alcohol, and even verbally deny the Islamic faith, as long as it is with the tongue only, and not with our hearts. We can do it to deceive the enemy.”

  “So…you finally admit it. Daniel and J.R. are the enemies?”

  Jeff gave Kyle a blank stare and looked out the window of the A300. They were on a humanitarian food and medicine aid drop over selected rural areas of Ethiopia. At the heart of Genesis’ recruiting strategy was winning the hearts of the people. The A300 Super Transporter Airbus with oversize air transport capabilities was the perfect cargo airship. It was commonly known as The Beluga for its bubble-like forehead resembling the Beluga whale. It allowed Jeff and Kyle’s team to airdrop enough food to feed small towns for a month. After all, they were flying with about a million pounds of grains and other food supplies.

  Suddenly the pilot radioed the soldiers in the cargo area, “Operation GenFeed…we are green.”

  The soldiers, including Kyle and Jeff, were in the incredibly spacious cargo hold, which would hold 671 people, 36 cars, and eight elephants. The secured door that opened when Kyle pressed the access button led to an area of such huge space that Kyle thought he was in a cathedral.

  The food and supply drop began over Ethiopia. Kyle and Jeff could see tall hills, not quite qualifying as mountains, scattered across the brown and rocky landscape until they opened to Lake Ghoubet, a body of water that opened into the Gulf of Tadjoura and was a basin of the Indian Ocean in the Horn of Africa, before giving way to the Gulf of Aden. The deep blue waters of Lake Ghoubet were periodically pierced with dome-shaped volcanoes, formed when magma surged up through the ever-widening crack between the Asian and African tectonic plates. Some African chieftains said this was the birthplace of a new ocean that in hundreds of millions of years would be larger than the Atlantic Ocean.

  When the mission was completed, the entire team had orders to head to the leadership and strategic planning mee
ting at the training camp in Djibouti. Jeff and Kyle had expected to go to China and were rerouted there instead. This was normal as Genesis reshuffled the cards just in case an operative was compromised. This was a good plan as Djibouti was bordered by Ethiopia and Somalia.

  Jeff and Kyle had their communicators inserted in their ears. They were officially part of the flight crew. They heard the Djiboutian air traffic controllers clear them as they felt the massive cargo plane slow its airspeed and begin its descent.

  “GSC989, cleared to the two-six-niner radial of the DJT HOR at five DME, fix, descend to FL60, hold between niner DME, right-hand pattern; expect further clearance at time four-five.”

  The pilot was quick to respond to the flight tower orders as this was a military-civil joint-use airfield. The United States Air Force commanders worked with Djiboutian and French air force controllers to help direct the arrival and departure of an average of thirty military sorties per day as well as commercial and cargo flights.

  As the massive plane landed, Jeff made a point. “Genesis wins hearts and minds with our drops. To these people, we are heroes while the Americans, British, French, and Germans exploit the world resources.”

  “You sure you didn't leave anyone out, Jeff?

  “Quit joking, Kyle. Take a look at the location of this airfield. They have a 360-degree view of the airfield and surrounding area with the Gulf of Aden to the east and a mountain range to the southeast.”

  “Yeah, I see that. This enables them to observe all inbound and outbound aircraft. Don’t worry, we are hidden in plain sight. We do have our people embedded. They will unload the additional cargo for Genesis Training Camps after dark. Let’s get the men out of here and get them on the shuttle. We have a long ride ahead of us.”

  Jeff laughed. “Yeah…they all look like tired humanitarian aid workers.”

  Only a few hours later, they were at the training camp. Several camp commanders first greeted and then debriefed and fed Kyle and Jeff. Kyle and Jeff bunked together as normal. It was hard to tell who snored the loudest. Only the soldiers in the next room knew for sure.