Quantum Touch (Book 2): Sand Storm

by Michael R. Stern

  “Wounded?” asked the first team's captain.

  “If you can, bring them out. We have reserves here. Come back and get us if you need help. It'll be faster than calling. Any other questions?” The soldiers lining the hallway looked around, but no one spoke.

  The major looked at Tony. He made a quick head nod. “Okay, Mr. Russell. Let's go”

  “I'll set the paperclips.” Linda, Ashley, Lois, and George were standing together by Ashley's door as the mission prepared to head out. When Fritz returned, he let the door close. As it clicked shut, he grabbed the doorknob and nodded to Colonel Mitchell, who said, “GO!” With the first team in, Fritz closed the door, and placed the second map. Returning to the hall, he grabbed the door again.

  “No shock, Tony.” A generator transmitted electricity to the door, but he felt nothing.

  “Try it now.” Again, no shock.

  A quick thought hit Fritz. “Let me try again,” he said. He reset the paperclip, carefully laid the floor plan under the first, and tried again. This time, the portal opened, and the second group went in.

  The major said, “They won't be long. We need to get ready. Move all the settlers to that end of the hall as they arrive.” She pointed toward the trophy case. “Stay away from the door.” Turning to the remaining soldiers, she said, “Reserves be ready. We may need you.”

  “Major,” said a lieutenant with a familiar face, “should we have some guns near the door, just in case?”

  “Good idea.” The colonel moved four shooters, who kneeled across from the door. Standing to their right, Ashley flexed his fingers. Only about three minutes had passed when the classroom door flew open. Fritz grabbed it as a line of frightened and confused people came through. Ashley began to lead them away from the portal, and Lois and George helped reassure the settlers that they were safe. More people materialized as they crossed the threshold into the hall. But he couldn't see in. With each interruption, the threshold went black. It looked like a strobe light.

  The major asked the colonel to send some men with the evacuees. “They need to hold the talking down and keep the crying away from this hall,” she said. The settlers remained in a single column as they left their captors. They looked as confused as they did relieved. The line kept coming in good order. The lack of gunfire meant the stream stayed smooth, but the lack of chaos did not ease the anxiety. Team two's team leader also emerged from the portal.

  “Major, so far so good. We got complete surprise. But we can hear gunfire from outside. I think we may have company pretty soon.”

  “Thanks, Captain. Colonel, we need to send reserves in. The captain says there's gunfire outside.”

  Colonel Mitchell said, “You heard the major. Go in with Captain Dolan. Captain, go in and make a hole.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Major,” asked Linda, “do you know how many men you have in there?”

  “Should be forty-four.”

  The five medics who had accompanied the mission had all gone to check the settlers. One came back quickly. “Major, we need some help keeping them calm. Shock may be setting in for some of them. A woman told me that our guys shot their guards but barely missed them.”

  “Corporal, do what you can for now. As soon as some guys start coming out, I'll get you help.”

  “Thank you, ma'am.” He helped the newest arrivals join the growing crowd in the far hallway. The people there were moving around, looking for family members. The soldiers were moving other hostages as quickly as they could through the portal. But with five hundred people to rescue, they were arriving at a pace that made the major impatient. Loud, but muffled gunfire invaded the hallway. Ashley walked through the portal to move things along. He returned almost immediately with a gray-haired man holding his right arm and a small boy hanging around his neck.

  “Ash?” asked Fritz, still at the door.

  “It's getting loud. I think they're coming.”

  Fritz turned to Linda and pointed down the hall. “Lin, try to see if you can help. Tell them they're safe.” She followed Ashley. And now she's safe.

  Captain Dolan came through again, running. Fritz held the door open.

  “Major Barclay, Colonel, they're right outside. We still have a couple of hundred hostages to get out. If the Eledorians get in, the civilians are right in the line of fire.”

  “Captain, keep them coming. If the Eledorians do get in, do the settlers have any cover?”

  “There are other rooms off the main hall, but none are safe—they all have windows.”

  “Captain, find hostages with military training and give them guns. If you have to, shoot your way out. Keep me informed.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said, running back inside.

  Ashley returned to the door, standing behind Fritz. “Ash, I've been watching. The major is amazing. She makes this look easy.”

  “Yeah, she looks pretty good too.”

  “I noticed. How are we holding, Tony?”

  “I don't know how much longer we can keep this open. The generators haven't had a break, which they did last night. At least we only have two portals to keep open. I have only one reserve generator now. But I can't hook it up and watch at the same time.”

  Ashley asked, “Can I help?” Tony began telling him how to connect the generator when Captain Dolan came through again. Having trouble hearing, he crossed in front of the open door.

  “Ash, you have to stay down,” said Fritz.

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Colonel, they're at the doors. We're ready, but the hostage exit is packed.”

  “Move them to the side, keep them sitting or lying down, as out of the way as possible, and just bring them in small groups. Mr. Russell, call the president. Tell him we need the Israelis to attack as soon as possible and to focus on clearing the area around the community house. Captain, get the perimeter covered. They may try to come through the windows.” Captain Dolan re-entered the portal. Fritz called the president and relayed the colonel's message.

  “It's going okay so far, Mr. President. But the Eledorians are at the door. The colonel said we need the Israelis to attack and focus—” The call disconnected.

  With the generator attached, Ashley returned to stand behind Fritz. He looked at the major, who returned his glance. The hostage line slowed to a trickle. The major asked an old man with a cane for news. He told her the Eledorians were trying to get in, that some women were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He didn't know how many.

  Well-armed soldiers were inside, but they had no idea of the strength they faced from outside. Another small group came out with Captain Dolan. He said, “We have about fifty now with the Israelis we've armed and our guys. They're shooting into the building. You were right. They're going to try the windows.”

  “We're so close,” she answered. “Bring them as you can. When the Israelis move in, the Eledorians will come in force, I think. Good luck, Captain.” He went back, and another small group came through. The anxiety level climbed visibly as the end of the line got closer. Loud gunfire chattered nearby. The building had been breached.

  “Medics,” the major called. She wanted to be ready. Another group of ten ran through, and Ashley moved them quickly away from the door. Then the splat of bullets on the far wall sprayed plaster around them, and a cloud of dust ballooned. The Eledorians were on the top floor. The major reached for her waist, but only grabbed air. She and Ashley ran into his classroom and returned with rifles and bullet-proof vests. She had a holstered pistol strapped on top of her dress.

  Continuous gunfire and screams made Ashley envision the Eledorians blocking the portal. The remaining women were caught in the middle of the firefight. Frustrated, Fritz could do nothing more than hold the door. He didn't have time to change the location of the other portal opening. As he weighed options, a rifle barrel emerged. When a face followed, the major fired. Blood splattered the door, the floor, and Fritz.

  “Nice shot,” he said.

  “I banked on not
having to do that.”

  Colonel Mitchell hurried down the hall, pistol in hand. “What happened?”

  “They're inside the community center and upstairs,” the major answered. “Blocking the portal, I think. I wish we could see what's going on.” The gunfire continued, but no one had emerged. The major walked to the door, got on her knees, turned to Ashley, and said, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.” She crawled part way in, then dropped to a prone position. The strange sight of a pair of visible legs sticking out while the rest of her was invisible changed suddenly when her legs disappeared. I bet that's what the Detroit photographer saw, only those legs were mine.

  Colonel Mitchell walked to Ashley. He took the rifle and handed Ashley his pistol. “Mr. Gilbert, I'm going in. The safety is off. Have you ever shot?”

  “Yeah. As a kid in Connecticut.”

  “Point it and squeeze the trigger, but be sure of your target.”

  “Yes, sir, I will.” The colonel got on his belly and wiggled in.

  Fritz and Ashley shared a look that said “what now?” They didn't have long to wait. The major crawled back out and looked at Tony.

  “Tony, the portal is flickering. Mr. Russell, call the president. They have a lot of men. We need help. Get the rest of the crew from the airport. And get Captain Burnett here.” She vanished again.

  Fritz called immediately, and the president said he would get things moving. Looking at Ashley, Fritz said, “You're the only one with a gun.”

  Tony, still sitting on the floor, said, “The medics are all trained. Extra weapons are in there,” pointing to Ashley's classroom. “Give me the piece and go get them. I don't know what to do about the portal.”

  Fritz cupped his hand across his chin. “Tony, do you think the power will hold if I close the door, break the connection, and reset the paperclip?”

  “Well, the open door uses more power, like a battery running down. And faster. Last night, the door was closed almost the whole time.”

  Ashley returned and listened. He said, “Last night, they could see the portal with the door closed. If I go in one step, I'll be able to tell you. If I can see it, I'll just come right out. If not, you'll know you have to reset it.

  “That's dangerous, Ash,” said Fritz.

  “No more for me than the rest of them. And if I can get out, I'll be able to tell the new guys what's happening.”

  “Buddy, you be careful. Safety off?”

  “Yup.” Ashley crawled through, and Fritz let the door close.

  He came right out, standing. “I had to wait for the exit to flicker. But an occasional flicker's not enough. I know what to look for. The people on the inside need to be able to see the portal and get out when they can. Men are down. I didn't see Jane or the colonel.”

  Fritz let the door close. When he grabbed the doorknob, he turned to Tony. “No shock.” A closed portal could cost lives, so he pulled the door again, ran to his desk, reset the maps and paperclips, and went back to the hall. “It's reset. I need to open the door to open the portal again.”

  Tony said, “The energy level just jumped. Go ahead.”

  Fritz twisted the doorknob when it buzzed his fingers and pulled the door open. Tony pointed the pistol at the door. “Fritz, you better move back. I don't want to shoot you.” Ashley asked Tony for the gun and told him to watch the power. For the next few minutes, Ashley and five medics kept their weapons pointed at the door.

  “Mr. Russell, what's going on?” came a voice from the door at the end of the hall. Jim Shaw walked toward them.

  “Jim, I'm probably not supposed to say. But there's a rescue mission going on. Top secret. When we're done, I'll find out what I can tell you. Anyway, you'd better either leave or take out your gun.” Jim removed his service revolver. He checked the chamber, thumbed the safety off, and took a deep breath. He had never had to use it.

  Chapter 15

  LESS THAN TWENTY minutes had passed before two more buses pulled up and Captain Burnett led more soldiers into the school. None of them wore suits. They came ready to go. The setting sun sent orange arms to welcome them.

  “Mr. Russell, can you give me a sit rep? Sorry, tell me what's going on?”

  Fritz said, “Ashley eyeballed inside a little bit ago. He's the better source.”

  Ashley told him what he could. A fairly large number of settlers, some injured, remained at the bottom of the stairs. Outside, the constant gunfire sounded more distant. He told the captain that the light inside might make targets inside easier to see. The captain also noticed the bullet holes and broken plaster across the hall.

  “Looks like we're going to need a repair crew again tonight.”

  “Yeah, George is going to be happy about that,” said Ashley. “Probably good to go in on your knees until you can see what's happening. There're places to hide inside. A bunch of rooms. A stage with curtains. They could still be in there. I didn't look.”

  The captain lined up his men, briefed them, and selected two men to go in first. They crawled in. One came back and reported a vacant entry and deserted balcony. The rest ran in fast. Gunfire resumed. Nearby.

  Fritz checked his watch. The first through had been in the portal for more than hour. Over a hundred raiders were now inside, and nobody had emerged for a long time.

  “Fritz, I'm going in to check out what's happening,” said Ashley. “I'm not being useful here. And I'm worried about Jane.” My luck has to change, and for a brief second, he crossed his fingers.

  “You've been in the portal now almost as many times as me. Ash, be careful.” Ashley got on his stomach and crawled in. He stood slowly and looked around. A balcony ran all the way around a large open room with the markings of a basketball court on a hardwood floor. The retracted glass backboards had been shattered by gunfire. Only one of six hanging ceiling fixtures provided light. Just below him, the stage reached across the building, its curtain now shredded by bullets. He was watchful—the stage could still be a great hiding place. At the side of the staircase, a group of women huddled. Looking for surreptitious movement, friendly or otherwise, nothing stirred but the hostages. Apart from them, the building seemed unoccupied— at least, no one was standing. The gunfire outside sounded like a flock of competing woodpeckers. He crept down the stairs.

  “Are you all okay?” he asked. One woman hugged him. “Let's get out of here. Follow me.” In accented English, a woman tugged his sleeve and said, “Mister, we have injured. We can't leave them.”

  “Can they walk?”

  “No, Mister.”

  “OK. You five, come with me.”

  He sent them up the staircase and said to the rest, “I'll be back with help in one minute.” He ran upstairs and led the small group through the portal. He told the medics to come with him. “Fritz, I'll be right back.” The medics carried the injured out without stretchers, and Ashley told the rest to follow them. He climbed the stairs after them, surveyed the sight below him, and walked along the balcony, cautious and alert. Bodies were spread throughout the open room, two on the upper level. This is something I never want to see again. At the end of the section, he turned right and found the major lying face down, her black dress covered in blood. He picked her up and ran back to the portal. As he rushed through, he yelled, “Medic!”

  “Fritz, no one is in there,” Ashley said. “At least not moving. They must have chased the Eledorians out. I could hear gunfire outside. Men are down. I didn't check to see if any were alive.”

  “Stay here, Ash. They know their jobs. Go check on Jane.”

  “I'm going back in, Fritz. They'll need to be directed back here.”

  “Now I'm the cautious one. Don't be stupid. They all know where the portal is. Let's just wait.”

  A medic came out of the hospital room. “We can't do anything for her here. She needs doctors and a hospital, and we're all here. She needs blood. We don't have that either.”

  “So, the airport doesn't work. The VA hospital is about forty minu
tes from here. Is that too long?”

  “You need to ask the doctor. I don't know. I'll get him.”

  “Mr. Russell,” the doctor said, “her best chance requires speed. Is there a hospital nearby?”

  “About ten minutes away. Faster with a siren and flashing lights.”

  Fritz turned to Jim Shaw. “Jim, they'll take her in a Suburban. Can you run an escort ahead of them? Take her to Community Hospital. I'll tell the colonel.” He looked at the medic for confirmation. He told Ashley to go with her and said he and Linda would meet him there later. “I'll take care of things here.”

  Ashley didn't know what to say. Moments later, the gurney rolled down the hall. Still unconscious, the major's pallor reminded Fritz of Sleeping Beauty. One medic had run to get a car. Two others wheeled the major out. Ashley could think of nothing more than to hold the door.

  Once they had left, Fritz recognized his new status. He was the conductor. His neck and back tightened, and he gritted his teeth. If he sent the medics back down the hall to the settlers, Tony would be his lone companion. If they stayed at the door, only Linda, George, and Lois were helping at the end of the hall. He asked one medic to stay and sent the rest to help with the crowd. It was after eight. That meant it was the middle of the night for the former hostages.

  “What do I do now?” asked Fritz, mostly to himself.

  Tony looked up. “Fritz, like the man said, 'It's your party.' I wish I could tell you. But, I know both Mitchell and Burnett by reputation. I wouldn't mess with either of them. So I wouldn't worry just yet. My guess is they met up with the Israelis and are chasing the Eledorians back to Sooksamad.”

  “I hope they get there soon. How's the power holding up?”

  “So far it's steady, but it's running down. I could sure use a couple more generators, just to be sure.”