“They want what we got back at the base. Once we left the ground, we have been in the sights of two airborne AWACs, which will track our path all the way. Our fighter escort will be with us whether the coast stays clear or not.”
“I like it,” Mitch said, grinning as he watched the fighters. “It feels good to be wanted by someone who doesn’t want to shoot us.”
The rest of the flight continued in silence. The men saw the base through the dimming light. The lights were on around the area they were to land the helicopter, and a worker was signaling them in with lighted batons. The only thing the men could see of the base was the landing zone, and some concrete spots where vent pipes could be seen. The Captain noticed their curious stares.
“It’s all underground, and even the aircraft go down into the complex on elevators, much like they use on aircraft carriers,” Kardel explained.
“When do we get to see the kids,” Paul asked.
“The moment we get inside. They know we’re coming in, and I’m sure they will be waiting. I will fill you in later, once you all get settled. Kyung and I will be busy for a time with all this new information. I need to get him, and his team, set up in a lab under controlled circumstances right away.”
“You’re not thinking about letting him build the virus, or anything, are you,” Jack asked incredulously.
The Captain laughed, but he was the only one. He could see by the looks on all of their faces, they would never forget who was responsible for the fiasco, which took place over the last few years. “I know what you’re thinking, but…”
“Excuse me Captain,” Steve interrupted. “You must understand our lack of trust in the government’s ability to control anything. If you think things will go back to the way they were, with the idiots at the top, selling us out for a bag of money, at any Buddhist Temple they run across, you’re dreaming.”
“Look, Captain,” Jack said, “I know you have the military up to speed, and I know the policy of no more Mister Nice Guy. We just need a little convincing we won’t end up in the mountains again in a few years.”
Kardel started to speak, and then fell silent for a moment before saying, “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. I’m sure you recognize the quote. I’m not going to pull your chain about us being on top of everything, because you would know it was a lie. We have to get our weapons, both biological and tactical up to speed, with money we don’t have. We do have a start. We demanded, and received, five hundred billion dollars in gold from the Red Chinese government.”
“How the hell did you get them to go along with that,” Steve asked.
“Hold on folks, we’re going in. I will explain it all, and answer any of your questions too. Relax… we’re the government. We only want to hep’ you.” When the Captain laughed this time, the other men joined him.
Chapter 13
The Base
The helicopter landed smoothly without incident, and the soldiers unloaded the crates into a waiting truck. A medical vehicle took John aboard, and disappeared inside the complex. Without giving up any of their weapons, the three brothers, and Steve, climbed onto a waiting HUMV with Kardel, and the remaining soldiers. Inside the complex, they took an elevator straight down for what seemed forever. They gasped, as the doors opened into a huge structure of underground, self-contained aircraft hangers, and buildings. Kardel led them to a well-lighted building; where they saw a group exiting through an automatic door system, which hissed eerily as it worked. The group included a four-legged animal, Jack saw instantly, could only be his dog Wolf. It confirmed his suspicions by running full tilt at them, and right towards Jack. He had enough time to brace himself, so the dog would not carry him, and his packs to the cement floor. The others raced up behind the now dancing dog, and a reunion was happily under way.
“This fur-face got you guys through after all.” Jack laughed, as he hugged his children, and tried to yank his pants leg out of the dog’s mouth.
“We made it without running into anyone,” Sarah said, as she pulled Wolf back a little, and ordered him to sit. “They gave us directions, after we made it to the vehicles. They met us a few miles away from here, and brought us in. We received updates on your progress from Captain Kardel. He told us he was going out to pick you all up, and the worst was over. Can we really go home Dad?”
“I may even wrangle a driver’s license for your brother here on top of it. Home may be a different concept though. You guys realize that, right?”
“We know Dad,” Jake said. “It will sure be different sleeping in beds and everything. Will we have running water, and electricity, and everything?”
“I’ll ask our hosts about all the details. Everything was down when I left for the mountains, but maybe they have some stuff back on line now.”
Jack went over, and hugged his niece, and nephews, and shook Peter’s hand. He agreed to meet with Steve, and his brothers, after they all got settled in. He walked up to the Captain and held out his hand. The men shook hands roughly, and Jack said, “I want to thank you Tom, for all you’ve done for my family. It was close there for a while. If those jets had not shown up when they did, we would have been barbecue. I guess we can get together tomorrow and go over a few things.”
“Absolutely. We will have a lot to talk about, Jack.”
“You have a lot of responsibility for a Captain, you know.”
“Rank doesn’t mean much in these times. I wanted to be able to go out, get something done myself, as happened today, and also be able to get out of doing the laundry.”
Jack laughed. “You certainly got it done today. I won’t keep you. Good night, Sir, and I will see you tomorrow. You wouldn’t happen to have a bottle of Bushmills on you, would you?”
Kardel smiled, “Look in the cabinet over the kitchen sink in your room. I believe you will find what you are looking for there. May I suggest you visit our medical center first? You look like hell.”
“Thank you,” Jack replied. “How do I get there?”
“Your kids know the way, and I’m sure they won’t mind taking you.” With a wave of his hand the Captain turned away, and started down another corridor into the facility.
Sarah and Jake, having overheard their Father’s conversation, walked up and took charge of Jack’s weapons and gear.
“Come on, Dad,” Sarah gestured. “We’ll take you to our room, and put your stuff away. We’ll take you to the Med Center after we clean you up. They have someone on duty twenty-four hours a day, even now.”
Jake led the way back inside the larger complex, to the right of the lift they came down on. Jack tried to remember the turns Jake took to arrive at a hallway, stretching to the end of the building, with locked entryways on both sides. He knew he would have trouble for a time without a guide. Sarah opened the door with a key. They entered into a place, which resembled the compact room of a Motel Six.
There were two double beds, and a small alcove type kitchen, with cupboards and running water. A third bed had been set up in the front of the room. Jack noticed a bathroom to the left, where he could see a combination tub, and shower. Sarah and Jake looked expectantly at their Father, waiting for his reaction. He smiled at them, and dropped the pack he still carried. A familiar head poked up from the couch. Wolf had streaked in past them, and had claimed the couch. He looked at Jack and then curled back down on the couch, leaving Jack laughing.
“I love you too, you ungrateful piece of worm-shit.” With the sound of a familiar insult, Wolf bounded off the couch and sat next to Jack, shoving his head under Jack’s hand. Jack kneeled slowly, and took the dog’s big head in his arms, hugging him. “Nice to see you, big guy. Has he been on his best behavior here inside?”
“He has a place over there,” Jake motioned to the far corner of the room, where a large square of papers were laid out. “Captain Kardel said we can take him out a little tomorrow, if we stay close. He said he would have one of the soldiers go with us.”
“Good deal. A butler, and a we
t bar, and we will be in heaven. Did you guys remember how to use an indoor toilet?”Both kids laughed. "Do you want anything Dad?” Jake asked.
“If you kids could help me take off all this foul weather gear, I will see about getting these bandages off, without bleeding like a stuck pig. I’ll take a bath, and then go to the Med Center.”
Sarah and Jake helped Jack remove his coat, while he moved away from it, gently trying to ease each arm out one at a time. The stiffness from his wounds was not as bad as the soreness from all the hiking with full packs. His head throbbed lightly from the constant irritation, under the hood of his parka, but he didn’t feel any fresh blood. After discarding his coat, and Kevlar vest, Sarah eased his pullover top off. They gasped in unison at the coloring branching out from under the rib wrapping. Wolf fidgeted next to Jack, watching the process curiously.
“I look that good, huh,” Jack asked laughing. “Jake, get me a drink of water, and some aspirin out of my coat, before you guys take off the wrap.”
“Do you want some whiskey, Dad,” Jake asked. “They have a whole cupboard full here.”
“No, not now, but I would take a Coke or Pepsi if you have any.”
Jake pulled the baggy out of Jack’s parka with the aspirin in it. He went to get a soda out of the refrigerator, and brought it to Jack. Sarah produced a pair of surgical scissors, and began cutting away the wrapping. Jack held her up for a moment, while he downed three aspirin, and chased them with the first soda he had tasted in two years. His eyes watered in protest, and he coughed lightly at the carbonation.
“That tastes good. Okay, honey, ease the rib bandages off, and then we can take off the head bandage.”
Removal of the bandages revealed a completely discolored chest, and sides winding all the way to Jack’s back. Jake applied a warm wet wash-rag to the head bandage, while Sarah eased it away from the wound. Jack could feel the difference in his chest without the bandage support, and his head wound had swollen somewhat.
“Do you think the wound will stay closed Sarah while I take a bath?”
“I think so Dad. I’ll fill the tub for you. You will have to be real careful about getting in and out without your rib cage wrapped.”
“Jesus Dad,” Jake exclaimed, “how the heck did you get around like this?”
As Sarah filled the tub with hot water, Jake sponged off his Father’s head wound a little more, and checked for infection in the light. “It looks ugly and ragged, but I don’t see any red infected areas. If we had some peroxide, I could really see.”
“Don’t worry about it. As soon as I get cleaned up, I’ll get fixed up. I just smell too much like a cat box to head down there, and make someone look at me with this odor.”
“You do smell ripe,” Sarah added as she came back. “The tub’s ready when you are. I put the liquid soap, and a soft sponge where you can reach them, and some shampoo. Take it easy about washing hard though. I think you better just soak the dirt off.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Jake handed his Father a bathrobe. “We’ll hunt you up some clean clothes while you’re in there.”
“Thanks. If I’m not out in an hour, you better come in and see if I drowned in the bathtub.”
Jack walked into the bathroom, and shut the door. About three quarters of an hour later, he emerged, looking clean, but a little shaken. Blood was beginning to ooze from his head wound. Jake brought him underwear and clothes. Jack put on the underwear and pants; and then sat down, while Jake helped him with the socks, and tennis shoes the base had provided. Jack selected a button up dungaree shirt, so he could discard it easily. He took a towel from his daughter to hold against his head if the bleeding worsened.
Jack finished the soda he had started an hour ago, and then motioned for Jake to lead the way to the Medical Center. He petted Wolf, and motioned for him to stay on the couch. Wolf looked at him for a moment, and then padded off to the couch. Jack didn’t even try to figure out how they reached the medical center from the living quarters.
Jake and Sarah led him eventually to an elevator, where they went up five floors. They exited into a hallway, with well-lighted rooms, and many glass windows and doors. Jack peered down the hallway of lighted glass rooms in amazement. Sarah looked at him curiously.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I got a flash. You know what this floor looks like. It looks like the med center floor in the Aliens and Predator video game we used to play on the old Jaguar game console.”
Both of the teenagers turned, and looked down the hallway with sudden recognition, and started laughing. “Leave it to you to notice something like that, Dad,” Jake said. “You’re right though. It looks exactly like the med center on that Alien and Predator game.
“At least you won’t have to worry about Alien Pods, and creatures jumping out at us when you open a door,” Sarah said.
“You’ve never been in a government complex before, have you honey,” Jack asked with a smile.
“Down this way,” Jake waved. “They checked us out at the end of this hallway.”
Jake led the way to a larger room, which was staffed with a receptionist and outer waiting room, giving it the look of a civilian office. As they stepped through the door, the woman at the desk glanced away from her work and smiled. She appeared to be about in her late thirties to Jack. Her blonde hair, swept tightly away from her face, made Jack think of the woman who played the character Seven of Nine, on the old TV series, Star Trek Voyager. Her lips were full, and her eyes a blue, bordering on green. She stood about five feet seven inches tall, and the shape Jack could discern under her lab coat, brought back feelings he had not experienced in a very long time.
“Hello. I was told to expect some patients tonight.”
“Can I see the doctor? We didn’t mean to interrupt your work.” Jack’s voice caught a little at the sound of a soft, almost husky voice. The slight lilt in it made Jack think of silk.
The woman stood and stuck out her hand, which Jack took gently in his, and shook. “I’m Dr. Morrison. I do my own greeting on the night shift. We have had fewer and fewer casualties, thank God. We cut down on our staffing to reflect it. A few months ago, every one of these rooms would have been busy with incoming wounded. We acted as a front line M.A.S.H. unit for a time. These two young folks here look pretty good, so I imagine you’re the one to be looked at.”
Jack nodded his head. “Guilty as charged. This young man is my son Jake, and the young lady is my daughter Sarah. Don’t let their youth fool you though. They have been on the front line in the mountains for almost three years.”
She shook hands with each of them. “Would you like to have a seat out here for a while, until I get your Father checked out?”
“Sure,” Jake replied, obviously impressed with the woman. “But we just guided him down. We can go back to our room for a while until he gets done.”
“Call us when you’re finished, Dad,” Sarah added, as she handed him a card. “We have a phone in our room. I wrote down the number for you.”
Jack took the card from his daughter and smiled. “You mean you want to leave your old man in this young woman’s custody un-chaperoned. What will your Uncles think?”
Dr. Morrison blushed, obviously caught off guard, as Jake and Sarah laughed. “Don’t mind him, Doctor,” Sarah said. “He’s been up in the mountains for almost four years.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t leave me alone with him. By the looks of his head wound though, I think I can take him. There’s probably not much to worry about.”
Both kids laughed again, but Jake cautioned her. “He’s killed at least five men since he got that wound. Maybe we should stay.”
Dr. Morrison’s shoulders tensed, and she became very still.
His sister burst into laughter as Jack got his son in a Vulcan neck pinch. “That will be enough of that. I will call you when the Doctor gets done with me. Go on now,” Jack ordered, as he pushed them towards the door.
> “I’m sorry. The off handed manner your son joked about death threw me off a little,” Dr. Morrison explained.
“To be fair to Jake, I killed at least five,” Jack admitted. “You know as well as I, we’re at war, or were. My kids have lived in the mountains, ambushing convoys for nearly three years. They’re not really kids in any common sense of the word.”
As the siblings exited the room, the Doctor led Jack into a fully outfitted medical room. “Do you have anything else wrong besides the head wound, Jack? By the way… I do understand, and I like your kids.”
“Thank you. I took some rounds, which the Kevlar vest stopped from chewing up my chest, but they cracked some ribs.” Jack unbuttoned his shirt and took it off.
The Doctor began to laugh as she turned him from side to side. “I’ve seen corpses with better looking rib cages.”
“I guess you’ve seen some pretty ghastly stuff in the last few years, with the plague, and the combat.” Jack flinched as she pressed lightly at different points.
“Just like you and your kids, we did what we needed to. Does any spot, anywhere, not hurt you?”
“Not unless you count the bottoms of my feet.”
“Let’s get a few x-rays, and then I’ll be able to tell whether to just wrap you up, and give you something for the pain, or put you in a cast. I don’t feel any breaks, but we need to be sure. From what your kids said, you’ve had the injuries for a while, so you can probably tell me something about the severity.”
“I hit the ground a couple of times since the wounds, with only the pain you would normally expect, but they really throb since I unwrapped them.”
“Why did you unwrap them?”
“I smelled like a camel locked in a room for three days.”
“Well then,” Dr. Morrison replied. “Thank you for your consideration. I would have survived.”
“I knew you could take it, but I thought it might be more helpful to know how I moved with them unwrapped. They hurt.”
She led him into another room with an x-ray machine, and positioned him. She left the room for a moment, and then returned to re-position Jack for further views, each time leaving the room to take the picture before returning. Leading Jack back into the main room, she motioned for him to sit down on the examination table, while she went into the x-ray room. About twenty minutes later, she returned with his x-rays in her hand.
American Survival (DeLeo's Action Thriller Singles Book 5) Page 15