Ava's Crucible- The Complete series Box Set

by Mark Goodwin

The light was better than it had been in the desert or inside the helicopter. Ava saw the Alliance States insignia on the uniforms of her escorts.

  “Can you tell me if my father was taken out of California?”

  The soldier gently put his hand on her back to signal for her to hurry alongside him to the jet. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any information for you. Someone will be able to answer all of your questions when we get to Oklahoma. This isn’t the most secure section of Utah, so we need to get off the ground as soon as possible.”

  She nodded and jogged to the plane.

  Once inside, she was met by the pilot who had a friendly smile. He pointed to a cardboard box and a small cooler in the first row of seats. “We’ve got some chips and water for you. Sorry we didn’t get you a change of clothes. We were in a rush to get here. I’m sure they’ll have the red carpet rolled out for you when we get to Oklahoma.”

  “Thank you, the water and snacks will be great. I’m fine with what I’m wearing. I’m just happy to be alive.”

  The pilot nodded. “We’re happy to have you with us, Mrs. Mitchem. If everyone will get seated and buckle up, we’ll be on our way.” He waved and disappeared into the cockpit.

  Ava took two bottles of water and a bag of pretzels, then buckled in next to the window. Barely giving herself a moment to appreciate her own second chance at life, she immediately began to be heavy-hearted for her loved ones. Her mind raced wondering if Ulysses had made it out alive. She desperately hoped Foley was okay. She even said a short prayer for Charity and Buckley.

  Ava relaxed during the flight and despite her anxious mind, she drifted off to sleep.

  She was awakened when the wheels struck the runway. Ava looked out the window. She saw rows of military cargo planes and fighter jets on the tarmac. The surrounding buildings looked vaguely familiar. “Altus?”

  The jet taxied to an ambulance, which was waiting with its light on. The clamshell door of the plane opened and Ava walked down the airstair.

  “Fancy meeting you here.” A man in a doctor’s coat stood behind a wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs. “Need a lift?”

  It took Ava a moment to remember his name. “Captain Murphy?”

  “At your service.” He bowed his head.

  “I think I can manage to walk.” She smiled.

  “Very well, but I would like you to get in the back of the ambulance. I need to take you to the medical center and check you out.”

  “Okay, for what?”

  “Just a precaution. We want to make sure Governor Quincy isn’t trying to pull a fast one on us.” The doctor joined her in the back of the ambulance and closed the door.

  “How could he do that?”

  Murphy lifted his shoulders. “I don’t want to worry you, but he could have had you injected with any number of compounds that won’t take effect for days.”

  “You mean like a poison or a virus? Why would he do that?”

  Captain Murphy took her hand. “I doubt he would. But we need to be sure. I assume you haven’t been brought up to speed on what’s going on.”

  “No, enlighten me, please.”

  “Governor Quincy’s daughter was abducted from UC Berkeley by actors who demanded your release in exchange for her safe return.”

  “Actors?”

  “Militia.”

  “Anyone I’d know?”

  “One of them may be a former patient of mine.”

  “Foley? Is he okay? Where is he?”

  “He’s okay, but his location is undisclosed until the operation is completed. I’m sure you understand.”

  The ambulance stopped at the medical center and the back doors of the ambulance opened.

  “Mrs. Mitchem, it's nice to see you again.”

  Ava turned to look at who was holding the door for her. “Sergeant Griffith! Thank you. Good to see you, also.”

  He smiled. “I understand you’ve been busy. You’ll need some time to recuperate. I’ve tried to set up the guest house to your liking, but if you have any special requests, I’ll do everything I can to accommodate your needs.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant.” Ava smiled and followed Captain Murphy into the medical center.

  “What about my father? Did he make it out?” she asked.

  “We don’t have any information about him right now. Colonel Barr is coordinating with Foley on the operation, and they’re doing everything they can to bring Ulysses home as well. Let’s get you checked out, and hopefully the colonel will have some good news for you when we’re done.”

  “Sure.” She entered the exam room.

  The doctor drew blood and ran a series of tests over the next half hour.

  “How does it look?” Ava asked.

  “I don’t see any signs of contamination. I’m going to take these samples down to the lab. I’ve got a change of clothes for you hanging on the back of the door. I’ve got an entire team waiting in the lab for your blood samples. But it will be at least an hour before they can give me any results. And even if they’re clear, I want to keep you under observation for a minimum of forty-eight hours.”

  “Under observation?”

  He nodded and smiled. “On the base—at the guest house. But I need you to promise you’ll tell me if you notice anything unusual.”

  “Like what?”

  “Anything: dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, rash, heart palpitations, blurry vision. If it’s out of the ordinary, call me right away. I’ll be back soon.” He pulled the door closed behind him.

  “Okay.” Ava found a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt hanging on the door and changed out of her prison clothes.

  Moments later, a knock came to the door.

  “Come in.” She sat on the exam table and swung her legs.

  “Hey, there’s our hero!” Colonel Barr walked in with an ear-to-ear grin.

  She quickly cut him off before he could say anything else. “Captain Murphy said you were trying to get my dad out of California.”

  His exuberant expression faded. “We’re doing everything we know to do.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means, the militia group who abducted the governor’s daughter from UC Berkeley released her at the same time you were handed over. But shortly thereafter, they informed Governor Quincy that his daughter had been injected with an undisclosed synthetic toxin. They told him she had forty-eight hours to get the antidote or she’d die. The team leader is demanding the release of your father in exchange for the antidote.”

  Ava nodded. “That’s why Captain Murphy wants to keep me under observation. He thinks the regime may have used this same tactic.”

  “The US has quite an arsenal of such compounds, but to my knowledge, they are all housed at Dugway Army Base in Utah, which we control. I can’t completely rule out the possibility of the regime having bought some similar toxin from Russia or China, but the odds are very remote given the time they had to react to the demands.

  “So far, Governor Quincy has kept the exchange from Markovich. At least that’s what he’s telling us. He didn’t feel confident that Markovich would be willing to trade you for the life of his daughter.”

  “Where are we at with my dad?”

  “That’s the tricky part. Your dad is in the custody of the Social Justice Legion, which is considered federal.”

  “Are they under the DOJ?”

  Barr shook his head. “They’re autonomous. They’re not under anyone except Markovich. That includes the Supreme Court and Congress. The Constitution has been subjected to death by a thousand cuts. I’d say it has officially bled out; at least in the regime-held part of the country.”

  “What’s Quincy doing to get my dad out?”

  “He’s limited on what he can do. I’ve listened to the negotiation communications. I genuinely believe he has no idea where your father is. Quincy’s voice is one of a desperate father.”

  “So, his daughter is going to die?”

  “The team leader wh
o was holding the daughter injected her with a saline solution. It was just a ruse. She isn’t going to die, but Governor Quincy doesn’t know that.”

  Ava felt relieved that the girl wasn’t at risk but hated the fact that they were no further along in getting her father back. “This team leader, is it Foley?”

  Barr nodded. “He’ll be here after the time has expired, but he’s still hoping the governor will get creative and locate Ulysses.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  The colonel took her hand. “You and your father knew the risks of this operation when you accepted the job. We’ll keep trying, but you have to realize that once the SJL thinks they’ve got all the information they can out of him . . .”

  “Yeah.” Ava knew all too well what would happen. She didn’t need anyone to spell it out for her.

  The colonel changed the subject. “But anyway, good job. What you and Ulysses did may have changed the direction of the war. I’m sure you already know all of that.”

  “No. I heard that Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi may have backed out of a deal to pledge support to Markovich, but that’s it.”

  “That’s it? Don’t you realize how huge that is? The LAAMs backing out changes everything. Not only will their decision influence the other southern states, but if they join the Alliance States, it will give us seaports. Access to international trade provides us with the lifeline we need to survive.”

  Ava crossed her arms. “But they haven’t joined the Alliance. And even if they do, what makes you think the international community will still want to do business with us? We’ve been labeled a pariah by the UN.”

  “So has North Korea and Iran, but plenty of countries are willing to trade with them. Heck, international companies even buy and sell with Somalia, knowing the goods they buy and the money they receive for goods sold likely comes from piracy. World leaders may be quick to condemn us for not getting on board the socialist bandwagon, but when it comes to money, they’ll quickly turn a blind eye.

  “And we’re working on the LAAM governors. I think they’re coming around. President Blackwell has a verbal commitment from Kentucky and Tennessee to join the Alliance if the LAAMs unite with us.”

  “All of this has developed since Lawrence died?”

  “Every bit of it. You should be proud.”

  Yet she was not proud. She could only think of her father. If she had not dragged him into this mess, he’d still be alive. As it stood, despite Foley’s best efforts at getting him back, Ulysses was either dead already or quickly approaching his demise. Still, if his sacrifice meant the Alliance had a chance at surviving the war, she could be proud of her father.

  Colonel Barr’s phone rang. “Hello?” He paused. “Yes, sir.” He passed her the phone. “It’s the president.”

  Ava took the phone. “Hello?”

  “Ava, on behalf of a grateful nation, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Your country owes you a debt that can never be repaid.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President.”

  “Acting President,” Blackwell corrected. “Your bravery and valor will not be forgotten. Neither will your father’s.”

  “If you can get him back, we’ll call it even; that debt which can never be repaid, I mean.”

  “I’ll spare no resource in trying to make that happen.”

  “Thank you, and thanks for bringing me home.”

  “Don’t thank me. Your rescue was the work of that tenacious husband of yours. He loves you very much.”

  “I love him as well. But I doubt he’d have been able to locate the governor’s daughter without a little assistance from one intelligence service or the other.”

  “Yes, well, I have no official knowledge of any such help. Obviously, I could never condone an action like that, particularly by any members of the Alliance government. But these militia types, you know how they are—it’s a bit like herding cats. Or perhaps in Foley’s case, herding pumas, big dangerous cats that slip around in the night and can never be caught.”

  “I hope you’re right, Mr. President. Thanks again, and please keep up the search for my dad. Any information that might trickle down to me about his whereabouts or possible ways to retrieve him would be appreciated. I’m sure I’d never remember the source of any such help if someone were to ask.”

  “You’ve proved that, Ava—in spades. Once more, thank you for what you’ve done. Goodbye.”

  “Goodbye.” Ava handed the phone back to the colonel.

  “I’ll give you a lift over to the guest house if you like,” offered Barr. “Once you’re done here, that is.”

  “I think I’ll walk. I could use the fresh air. I’ve been cooped up for the past week and a half.”

  “That’s understandable.” The colonel nodded. “Let me know if I can do anything else for you, anything at all.”

  Ava jumped down from the exam table. “Could you get word back to my dad’s farm that I’m still alive? My friend, Charity, she would have seen the execution on television. She’s been through a lot.”

  Barr smiled. “It’s the least we can do. I’ve got some back channels to the local militia guarding the border around there. I can send an encrypted message and have them stop by and let her know that you’re okay.”

  Captain Murphy returned. “Good news, no apparent toxins that we were able to identify. We’re not out of the woods yet, but it’s a good start.”

  “Thanks.” Ava turned to Colonel Barr before he left. “When will I be able to leave?”

  Barr looked at the doctor. “Captain Murphy wants to keep an eye on you for two days. In the meantime, I’ll be monitoring our intelligence reports. As long as Markovich doesn’t catch wind that you’re still alive in the next forty-eight hours, you should be safe to return home then.

  “If news of you being among the living leaks out after you go home, I’ll send a team to scoop you up and take you somewhere safe.”

  “Could you let Charity know that I should be back in a couple days?”

  “Sure,” the colonel said. “Sleep well. You’ve earned it.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you both for everything.”

  CHAPTER 19

  For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is in peace; you shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

  Job 5:18-24 NKJV

  Ava slept late again on Wednesday. She’d been at the guest house on Altus Air Force Base since before dawn on Tuesday. Provided she didn’t become symptomatic in the next twenty-four hours, she’d be headed home the next day. Ava made herself a cup of coffee and some frozen waffles since the dining facility had quit serving breakfast hours earlier.

  Despite her love-hate relationship with sweets, Ava soaked the waffles with syrup and took her sugary treat to the living room to eat on the couch. She turned on the television and watched the latest coverage of the ongoing civil war. The Patriot News Network showed footage of desperate clashes between the two sides in the Pacific Northwest. The city of Idaho Falls was ground zero for the fighting.

  What had once been a bustling, thriving town, was now a ruinous ash heap. The camera panned around the town and Ava couldn’t spot a single building which was free from mortar, tank shell, or RPG damage. The reporter explained how the Alliance forces had been pushed back in southern Idaho to the Wyoming border. He explained how Blackwell’s forces had rallied there, regained ground in Idaho, and was on the verge of retaking Idaho Falls.

  “We’ve got a long fight ahead of us in
this battle, but what the Alliance lacks in support from the global community, we make up for in military experience. Roughly 60 percent of persons who were active military when the war broke out sided with the Alliance States. We also estimate that 80 percent of military veterans who are engaged in the civil conflict are backing President Blackwell.

  “I’m getting a breaking news alert from my producer right now who is telling me that Arkansas and Louisiana have just officially joined the Alliance. Pundits have been predicting this move since the sudden death of Shane Lawrence who played an active role in the Markovich Administration.

  “Lawrence was seen as a sort of arbitrator between America’s disassociated youth who feel left out by the political process and the Markovich Administration. Many of these youths have joined the SJL and backed Markovich fully, but large swaths of them who were still not fully integrated are falling away since the death of the man they saw as their spokesman.

  “Raquel Kohut, the woman Lawrence was dating at the time of his demise is attempting to carry the torch left behind by her deceased lover, but she appears ill-prepared and ill-connected among the Hollywood elite to sustain the momentum of the movement.”

  Ava felt a flicker of accomplishment, but the smoldering wick of fulfillment was swiftly extinguished by the knowledge that the mission had likely cost her father his life.

  Her heart jumped when she heard a key hit the lock of the guest house door. She quickly placed her coffee cup on the end table and stood up. She scurried to the kitchen to retrieve a knife, the only nearby weapon she could think of.

  The door opened. “Ava?”

  “Foley?” She let her arm drop to her side, the kitchen knife dangling at her side.

  He dropped his duffle bag inside and closed the door behind him. Foley walked briskly toward her. “Can I have a hug?”

  A shiver of emotion raced up her back and down her arms. “Yeah!”

  He stared hesitantly. “Do you want to put the knife down first?”

  Her mouth hung open in surprise. She glanced down at the weapon. “Yeah!”