Resistance Rising

by Matthew Savage

  They gathered their things and split up. Sarah was pleased she was with Steven. Their drop point was several hours away so being with Steven would make things a little easier. Several yards away Sarah spotted a group of USSB agents, who were checking passports. The security was not as heavy as Sarah would have suspected being this close to the border. Steven nudged her to go the opposite direction and Sarah followed. They rushed for the entrance of the cruise ship. Sarah and Steven did their best to avoid being noticed by the agents. When they arrived at the door leading into the ship, a crewmember checked their passports and tickets. The cruise ship seemed to be filled to its max with people. Sarah hoped this would mean they would go unnoticed.

  The cruise ship was called the Destiny. The ship was massive and clearly designed for The Great Lakes. If Sarah had to guess the cruise ship was at least five hundred feet long. Sarah and Steven’s room was on the lower deck of the ship. It was planned this way, so that people wouldn’t notice that they would be gone in a few hours. The ship was owned by President Powell which made it easy for D.I operatives to get on the ship and disappear. Sarah wondered if their names were even taken down in the manifest.

  Sarah opened the door to her and Steven’s room. It was very small, only one bed was in the room. The bed took up the majority of the space. This made Sarah blush. She set her things down. Steven followed her lead. He took a look around the room and his eyes landed on the bed.

  “Don’t even say it,” Sarah said smirking.

  “Say what?” Steven asked. He was smiling.

  “You know what.”

  “I was just going to say that it seems comfy,” He smiled at her. “Lucky for me we aren’t sleeping here.”

  She punched his shoulder. Steven laughed and tried to dodge the hit. Her stomach did a summersault when he smiled. She looked away for fear of saying something embarrassing. Steven didn’t seem to notice this. Sarah went through her things to make sure that her black uniform was not on top of her bag. She would need it when they left.

  They could feel the ship leave the port. Sarah looked out the window and could see the land shrinking as they left and headed out into the lake. Steven looked at his watch and told them they should head to the cargo bay. The two of them left their room and made their way to a stairwell that led to the cargo bay. Captain Underwood was waiting at the entrance.

  “Let’s go. Everyone is already inside,” Captain Underwood said. “The Captain of the Destiny assured us we will not be disturbed.”

  “Can we trust him?” Steven asked.

  “He works for the Insurgents. He does this often,” Captain Underwood closed the door behind them. “Between picking up troops and dropping them off; he can be trusted.”

  The three of them walked past crates and machinery as they went deeper into the cargo bay, before finding Orson and Mary waiting for them. Everyone gathered around as Captain Underwood prepared to speak. He had several notes and papers with him in a briefcase.

  “Alright everyone, this is how we are going to get to Canada. We will be given a small boat that will bring us to shore.”

  “What are we going to do with the boat?” Sarah asked. She pictured the Canadians finding an abandoned boat on shore.

  “This boat is an inflatable.” Captain Underwood addressed her question. He must have seen the look on her face because he clarified what he meant. “The boat is used by Navy Seals. It isn’t like a cheap boat. It is designed for oceans which means it can handle these lakes.”

  “Yes, sir.” Sarah nodded in understanding.

  “Anyway,” Captain Underwood continued. “When we land on the beach we deflate the boat and hide it. I know it sounds crazy.” Everyone laughed. “Once on the beach, we will make our way to the hotel where we will be meeting with our contact. We don’t know who it is so the team will split up. Sarah and I will go to the room while the rest of you cover us. We will radio an all clear when you are able to meet us.”

  “Do you really think it is a trap?” Orson asked.

  “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared,” Mary added.

  “Why me sir?” Sarah asked.

  “Are you questioning me?” Captain Underwood glared at her.

  “Just asking, sir,” Sarah said.

  “You are a good shot. If we get into a close quarter firefight I need someone good. Mary is a good shot which is why she will hang back.”

  Sarah nodded. Captain Underwood sighed and continued.

  “If things play out. We will be organizing a meeting with this CEO. If things go well we will be back before we know it.”

  “If things don’t,” Steven asked.

  Mary spoke up. “We need this man. We will have to do our best to get this CEO to join. If we believe he isn’t going to join we have to leave. If he remains loyal to the US government then he could turn us in.”

  The group was silent. This guy was the leader of private contractors which meant he could get his soldiers to take them. It was an unsettling idea. Sarah began to realize why they were chosen for the mission. Captain Underwood instructed them to get some rest and meet back in four hours.

  Sarah wondered what they were going to do for four hours. Were they allowed to enjoy the cruise or were they supposed to lay low? Sarah had never been on a cruise and she hoped she would be able to wander around.

  “So, what are we supposed to do?” Sarah asked voicing her concern. She would base what to do on Steven’s reaction.

  “We are on a cruise ship. Let’s have a little fun.” Steven said.

  “I was hoping you would say that.” Sarah smiled.

  The two of them made their way several decks up to the casino area. Steven explained that being on the water allowed the casino area to be open. He speculated that the only reason gambling had not been outlawed yet was because how much money was made on it. They walked through the casino area. Sarah wanted to play a game but didn’t have any money. Steven spotted Orson at the Craps Table.

  They walked up behind Orson who was in the middle of throwing dice. There was a big cheer from the people around them. Orson was cheering. Sarah wasn’t sure what was going on in the game but she knew whatever just happened Orson was winning.

  “You all must be good luck charms,” Orson said.

  “You didn’t waste any time,” Steven remarked at Orson throwing the dice again.

  “You all had the same idea,” Orson smirked at Sarah and Steven.

  Orson continued to play while Sarah and Steven snuck away. They walked through the casino some paces away when they heard more cheers from the craps table. “I guess we aren’t the good luck charms,” Steven said as he pulled closer to Sarah’s ear. She had got goosebumps when he spoke into her ear. They made their way outside and looked out at the water. It was hard for Sarah to tell how fast the boat was moving. The sun was setting and Sarah was amazed at the color on the water. Orson joined them on the deck. Sarah couldn’t help but notice he seemed down.

  “How did it go?” Sarah asked.

  “You guys shouldn’t have left. I was doing great.”

  “Was?” Steven asked.

  “Yeah, I lost my money,” Orson said and threw a chip into the water.

  “Throwing away money now?” Sarah asked.

  “Hoping it brings us some luck,” Orson whispered.

  Orson looked out and Sarah thought he seemed distant. The sun seemed to drop below the horizon. Darkness immediately engulfed them. The only light was light coming off of the boat. The ship was a glowing orb on the water, where the light faded there was darkness. The veil of darkness made Sarah uneasy. Steven checked his watch.

  “I think it is time we get going,” Steven said to the group.

  “Fun is over now,” Orson replied. He left making his way to his room.

  Sarah followed Steven towards their room. Her stomach started to turn. Not from being on the boat but from nerves about them starting their mission. She was nervous about going into a new country. She knew if they were caught there was a good
chance that the Canadian’s would turn them over to the US government. That would mean certain death. Sarah was praying that their contact was someone they could trust.

  Steven opened the door to their room. Sarah entered the room and found her clothes and started to change. Steven followed her led. He took off his shirt and Sarah peeked at him. She couldn’t help but notice how fit he was. She tried to remain calm which wasn’t easy. She changed into the black uniform and grabbed her bags. Steven finished changing and grabbed his things. He looked out the door and made sure no one was in the hallway. When he decided the coast was clear they left the room and hurried to the cargo bay.

  The benefit to being on a cruise ship was that the people who wanted to be on the ship did not to take the stairs. This meant their path was clear all the way to the cargo bay. Steven and Sarah were the first to arrive. Captain Underwood and Mary came into the bay right after them and Orson was the last to arrive. Captain Underwood instructed them to move the boxes behind them. There waiting for them was a large boat. Sarah didn’t even realize it was full of air until she touched it. The boat looked sturdy and was a midnight black. Sarah didn’t know much about boats but looking at the engine she could tell that the boat was fast. This made her feel better. There was a strange knock on the door. Two slow knocks followed by three quick ones. Captain Underwood smiled and went to answer it. The Destiny’s Captain was standing there. He had white hair and a lined face.

  “Are you all ready?” The Captain asked.

  “We are,” Mary replied. “Will, let’s get moving.”

  Captain Underwood agreed and the Destiny’s Captain opened up the bay door. Water was rushing behind them. Sarah instantly felt cold. ‘Was the water going to be freezing’ Sarah wondered. The team pushed the boat to the edge before getting in. They shuffled backward until the small boat dropped into the water. Captain Underwood started the boat and sped away from the Destiny. Sarah watched the bay door close, Sarah hoped no one was paying attention to the small boat cruising away from the large ship. When they were far enough away from the boat, they were in complete darkness. The only light was the light from the ship which was quickly growing smaller.

  Captain Underwood had a compass out and was keeping an eye on it as the small boat raced across the water. Sarah looked out in all directions for any sign of land. She was also looking around for any sign of any ships coming towards them. The team wasn’t able to talk due to how loud the engine on the boat was. This made Sarah feel uneasy. She would have loved to be comforted by Steve, or any one at the moment.

  Sarah wasn’t sure how long they had traveled because she couldn’t see the time on her watch. She guessed it was around forty-five minutes they had spent away from the boat. Sarah spotted lights on the horizon. She knew the lights were from a city. The boat slowed down and Captain Underwood spoke.

  “That is the city of Willowfield. That is where our contact is. We will be landing on the National Park.” Captain Underwood explained. “The park, for the most part, doesn’t get any visitors. That means our presence should go unnoticed.”

  The team wasn’t able to respond so they just nodded in acknowledgment. Captain Underwood slowed the boat to a near stop and allowed the tide to bring them near shore. The Captain steered them into a small creek where the boat could barely fit. It wasn’t long before they ran aground. Captain Underwood signaled the team to exit the boat. Sarah was the first in the water. She did her best not to make any noise but felt like it was near freezing. She waded in the water for a moment with her bag over her head before she walked onto the shore. Sarah pulled her disassembled rifle from her bag. It took her a moment to put it together before she scanned the area. It was dark but she did her best to spot any movement in the brush. Mary was the next to come to shore. She already had her rifle out and was scanning the area.

  “We will have to pull the boat up. This will make a lot of noise. We need to make sure the area is clear before we do this.” Mary whispered.

  “Understood, Mary” Sarah responded.

  She knew using ranks was dangerous now, and Sarah’s training kicked in. Mary handed Sarah a pair of night-vision goggles. Sarah put them on and the green vision filled her eyes. It still surprised her how effective the night-vision goggles were; she had only ever used them in training. Sarah and Mary spread apart to begin clearing the area. It took Sarah a moment to get used to the goggles on her head. She almost tripped over a root once but then got her baring’s. Sarah went several meters out before agreeing that the immediate area was clear. Sarah circled back to where the team was pulling the boat out of the water. Captain Underwood was deflating the boat while Steven and Orson organized their gear.

  “After we get organized we need to make our way to the meeting point. I got us a room across the street from where we are meeting the contact.” Captain Underwood explained.

  “The plan is still the same then?” Sarah asked.

  “Yes, Mary and the others will be keeping watch in case it turns out to be a trap. She will have a sniper rifle and hopefully will be able to clear a path if we need to get out fast.”

  “Do we even think the US will have a presence here?” Steven asked aloud. Sarah was thankful he did because she was wondering the same thing.

  “It’s possible. The other is that the Canadian government might aid them. If that is the case. We can’t use lethal force.” Captain Underwood stressed the last part.

  “If we kill any Canadians that could be the end of any future alliance,” Mary added.

  “Do we have an alliance with them?” Sarah asked. She didn’t think that the Democratic Insurgence had foreign alliances.

  “Not yet. Someday we might need them though.” Mary said.

  “Understood, Ma’am,” Sarah replied.

  After the boat was hidden the team gathered their things and moved to head out of the forest. The team moved slowly; they tried to make as little noise as possible. This meant as they moved slow, using with the wind to cover their sound. If they attracted any attention it would mean the end of the mission. It wasn’t long before Sarah could spot the edge of the forest. She signaled to the others who all took off their night-vision goggles. They didn’t want to draw attention as they left the forest. The team had to put their rifles in their bags and only use pistols. They couldn’t have the rifles out which made Sarah uneasy. They could quickly walk into a trap without weapons easily available. The forest was on the edge of a busy road, they needed to cross it without seeming too suspicious. They were lucky enough that the sun was still down. The darkness she hoped would give them enough cover.

  Captain Underwood was the first to cross the road. The rest of the team followed in a single-file line. The team walked through a field with high grass before coming to a parking lot. The parking lot led to a small motel. This is where the team would be staying. The motel was across the street from a building complex. The buildings seemed to be like townhomes. Sarah could only see some of the townhomes. It didn’t seem very safe. She had a bad feeling that they were being set up.

  Captain Underwood undressed into some causal clothes before he walked into the office of the motel. After a few short minutes, he emerged and signaled the team to head for the room. The team tried to stay casual as they approached their room. Captain Underwood unlocked the door and the team entered clearing the room. Orson pulled out what looked to Sarah to be a large metal wand. He waved it around the room before he spoke.

  “Doesn’t seem to be bugged,” Orson said. He put the metal wand back into his bag.

  The team set their bags down. Steven set up a spotting scope by the window fixed on the townhome complex. Orson pulled from his bag pieces of a rifle which turned out to be his sniper rifle. He fixed it on the table under the window. Sarah opened the door to the adjoining room. She looked around for a moment. She looked at the bed and wondered when she would be able to sleep. She remembered their last mission and it seemed whenever they were in the field she never got a decent sleep. Sarah wa
lked back into the other room and Captain Underwood was laying on the bed.

  “We need someone to take first watch. We are supposed to meet the contact at ten hundred hours. That gives us five hours.” He said more to himself.

  “I’ll take the first watch,” Mary said. “Sarah you will be next, so get some sleep.”

  Sarah acknowledged and went to her bed. Sarah wondered if she had even hit the pillow before falling asleep.

  Sarah was in a corridor. There was dust falling from the ceiling and she could hear bullets flying past her face. She looked around temporarily losing vision from the muzzle flash of her rifle. When she looked at the ground she saw her father starring up at her. His head had been blown apart chunks of skull were on the ground. His blue eyes were unfocused but looking at her. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  Sarah shot up in her bed. She was covered in sweat. Sergeant Mary was looking at her. It took a moment for Sarah’s eyes to focus. She was taking deep breaths.

  “You good, Sarah?” Mary asked.

  Sarah’s eyes focused and she could see the concern on Mary’s face.

  “I am fine. Bad dream -” Was all Sarah could say. “I got the watch.”

  It took Sarah a moment to get out of bed but Mary continued to look at her. Scanning her to make sure she was alright.

  “You sure you don’t want to keep sleeping?” Mary asked.

  “Never been more sure,” Sarah replied.

  She didn’t want to go back into the dream. Sarah wanted to do something else, anything else. The watch was the perfect excuse. Sarah knew Sergeant Mary didn’t believe her. She didn’t care. She was going to do her duty. Sarah watched the building for several hours. Everything seemed quiet they were looking for any activity at the third building. She wasn’t sure if the person they were meeting lived there or if they would arrive there. Sarah did her best to pay attention to everything. This seemed to be done in vain. There was no activity. Sarah wondered if the buildings were abandoned. It was nine o’clock when Orson woke up to relieve Sarah. She filled Orson in, on the little activity there had been. Sarah didn’t want to try and get any more sleep so she stayed up with him. It was a half hour later when a car pulled up to their target building.