Heavier Than Air

by T. E. Vario (t_e_vario@yahoo. com)

  “Captain Giovani has kindly provided four additional guards, who I have quietly placed in the upstairs conference room. I think we are as prepared as we ever will be.” Largos was sweating again, and looked excited.

  “OK, let’s go.” Sara led the way, with Chad following like an obedient dog. After several turns, they were at their first office. Sara knocked and waited for the door to open.

  “Hi, I’m Sara Young. I got volunteered to do the workstation radiation checks. It will just take a minute.”

  Nods, a quick sweep of the machine with the hand-held detector, dictate a few numbers to the bumbling janitor, and back out with a polite thank you. No red dot on that one.

  On they went to the next office. It was very quick, except in two cases where the person was doing paperwork and did not have their workstation active. Sara waited while they turned the machine on and logged in. She had to get them that far to look for the red dot, but no one seemed to mind. Everyone saw the check as one more bureaucratic routine that was best gotten over with.

  Sara recognized many of the people from having seen them in the mess hall, and knew the names of about a dozen. They had finished the first hall. Three more halls to go. Sara started to wonder what she would do if no red dot showed up. That would be extremely embarrassing.

  They reached an office that Sara knew, Hanna’s. Hanna let her in, giving a glance over her shoulder at the janitor.

  “Well Sara, I have not seen you for a week. I hope you’re still not mad at me.”

  “I’m fine Hanna. No harm done. Just thought we should cool it for a while.”

  Sara had her detector out and made sweeping motions while she glanced at the screen.

  Damn, there it is. There is the red dot. She double-checked it – no doubt about it, Hanna’s workstation had been fingered.

  Suddenly it hit her. Hanna meeting her the first day. Hanna being too friendly. Hanna’s attempts to seduce her. Hanna trying to get her to drink fuel. Hanna had been trying to compromise her from the minute Sara had joined Section 12. Hanna was a spy.

  Sara’s eyes went involuntarily to Hanna’s. She saw a flash of recognition in Hanna’s face. Sara tried to cover by looking back at her detector, but she knew instantly that she was in trouble.

  “Chad, something’s wrong with my detector. Would you mind coming in and taking a look?”

  Hanna sprang from her chair and shoved it violently towards Sara. It was light, but it slammed into her knee, sending a fierce jolt of pain up Sara’s leg. Hanna sprang towards the door, just as Chad entered. Hanna reached behind her blouse and pulled out a long dagger that she held behind her.

  “KNIFE!” Sara screamed, as Hanna thrust the knife straight at Chad’s heart. Chad was prepared. He stepped to the side as the knife shot through the doorway, and then used both arms to slam Hanna’s arm against the doorframe. There was a loud popping sound as Hanna’s right arm broke against the edge of the frame. Her right hand involuntarily dropped the knife on the hallway floor. Hanna screamed as she tried to jab Chad in the eye with her free hand. Chad was only able to duck an inch Hanna’s thumb stabbed just above his left eye.

  Chad let go of the broken arm, and slammed his right foot directly into Hanna’s knee. The bones gave way with another crack, as Hanna fell to the floor. Chad got behind her and used a small plastic band to tie Hanna’s wrists together from behind. The broken arm was at an odd angle behind her back. Chad then bound her ankles together. The damage to the knee was not as obvious, but Hanna appeared to have lost consciousness from the pain.

  Sara stepped over them and went into the hallway to retrieve the knife. She tucked it under the papers on Chad’s cart, just as several doors opened along the hallway.

  “We’ve had an accident here. Would someone please go to Mr. Largos and tell him that we need a stretcher in office 21. It’s not to serious, but I think Hanna might have broken her arm tripping over a lose cable.”

  “I’ll do and tell Largos right away,” one of the men volunteered.

  “Thanks very much. We have the situation in hand folks. No need to be concerned. Sara looked down at the papers and appeared to be checking her radiation readings. The rest of the hallway seemed to shrug, and go back to their work. Nice to have a bit of excitement in the day, but they were busy.

  Chad whispered to Sara once she stepped back in the office. “Quick thinking in the hallway Sara. Do you think they bought it?”

  “Yes. I think they believe it was some weird accident. They probably would not believe the truth if I had told them.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. This lady is one nasty piece of work. It sounds like you knew her.”

  “I’ll tell you the full story when we get done.”

  Largos waddled down the hall with two men pulling a wheeled stretcher. The men looked like medics, but Sara strongly suspected these men were from security. They loaded Hanna onto the stretcher and covered her with a blanket to hide the restraints. She was out of Section 12 in less than minute.

  After a brief conference, Largos, Sara and Chad agreed that they had nothing to lose by continuing the sweep. The checked all of the remaining workstations, including seven that were not currently assigned to anyone. None of these workstations showed the telltale red dot. They had found their lone spy. Hanna.

  * * *

  Chad went to the men’s locker room to clean up, while Sara headed to Heinrich Largos’ office. She was amazed to see her father sitting with Largos, going over files.

  “Dad, I had no idea you were coming.” Sara went up to John and gave him a polite hug.

  “Mr. Largos asked me to come down to compare notes. We had a little breakthrough at our end, and I understand you have had a good day yourself.”

  Sara noted that her father looked subdued. Something was wrong, but she had no idea what.

  “Yes, I think we have found out who our leak was. Chad is going to search her office, looking for the device she was using to store data.”

  Sara realized that she was already referring to Chad by his first name. She corrected herself.

  “ Lieutenant Chad DeForest from security was helped us today.”

  “That’s terrific Sara. I’m proud of you.” Her father gave her a smile.

  “John, your daughter is a terrific asset. Now, you said that you had also turned up some information.”

  “Right. Our meteorologist, Barbara Combs, started suspecting that we were getting bad data. In reviewing the detailed transmissions she found that one of the stations had started deliberately putting errors into the weather data. The errors spell out the letters CAPTIV.”

  “Captive. How extraordinary.” Largos was in his element. “I assume this is someone warning you that they have been taken captive.”

  “That’s our interpretation. Not all of the weather data is suspect, but the interesting thing is that it looks like the bad weather data is being coordinated with other misinformation, such as the apparently false report that the Gengon were going to send a lone plane with a “dirty” bomb. The result is that we have been sent into traps on several occasions. Apparently the same type of thing has been going on with the ground forces, although they are much less influenced by the weather.”

  Chad knocked, and entered. His transformation back to his normal handsome self was just as miraculous as his becoming a janitor. Sara did the introductions.

  John Young took advantage of the interruption. “Before we go on, I wonder if we could take a short break. I have a personal matter I need to discuss with Sara.”

  Largos spoke up. “Certainly John. Use the meeting room next door. We’ll start up again in ten minutes.”

  * * *

  “What is it Dad?” Sara knew something was seriously wrong.

  John had no way to sugar coat this message. “Brad was shot down yesterday. He bailed safely, but he is a long way from home.”

  Sara was stunned. She had known that Brad could be killed or shot down at any moment. It came with the job. But
now that it was actually happening it was difficult to grasp. How could her big brother be in so much trouble?

  “Did you see him Dad?”

  “Yes, I was right there, but could not do enough to save him. He was not injured, but his plane was too damaged to make it back. He had to bail.”

  Sara could feel the guilt behind her farther’s words. Dad felt responsible.

  “Dad, I’m sure you did everything possible. At least he’s alive. He’ll make it back.

  “I keep telling myself that. He’s a fine boy. No, he’s a fine man. He is an amazingly good pilot, and I’m sure he will handle himself on the ground. I just keep wishing I could have done something.”

  Sara gave her father a long hug. “Don’t blame yourself Dad. Eric and I are adults now. You can’t protect us from everything like you did when we were kids.”

  There was not much more she could say. She then realized that she and her brother were strangely linked in the same conspiracy. Planes were being shot down due to false intelligence and leaked data. Almost all of the problems stemmed from Section 12. Section 12, Hanna, breaking the Gengon codes, Brad’s situation – it was all one labyrinth that she was just beginning to fathom.

  “We’d better go back to Largos’ office Dad. We’ve got work to do.”

  * * *

  Heinrich Largos, Chad DeForst, John Young, and Sara spent the next hour going over the information they had and deciding next steps. John was returning to Outpost Base that afternoon. There was no need to encode messages in photos now that Largos was directly involved, so normal message traffic was re-instituted. Largos would focus on going over Hana’s records and computer files, and would have the technical section go over the chips that Chad had uncovered taped to the back of one of the desk drawers in Hanna’s office. Chad would focus on interrogation of Hanna.

  “I want to be involved in the interrogation.” Sara said it as a statement, not as a request.

  “It’s awful business Sara. I don’t think you will want to see what we do when the doors are closed.” Chad was looking right at her.

  “I have the knowledge of the systems that she compromised, and I have some knowledge of her methods. I also have a hell of a lot at stake here. I want to be there.”

  There was a long pause, and then Chad relented. “OK Sara. You have earned your way on this one. We might as well get over the Security. I want to start questioning her before she has too much time to get her thoughts together.”

  The meeting broke up. Sara gave her father another long hug, and then set off with Chad towards the Security building.

  * * *

  Chad looked around. There was no one within earshot. He could talk quietly to Sara while they walked toward the Security office.

  “Your volunteering solves one problem for me. No one in security except the Captain and myself have been cleared for this. We always have two people in any interrogation, so it looks like it will be you and me.”

  “Thanks for agreeing Chad. It’s better this way.”

  “Let me tell you how the process works. There are three levels or interrogation. First we start with reasoning. We offer a reduced sentence or some other enticement to get them to talk. If they cooperate, that is it. If they don’t we move to level two, which is the use of drugs. We drug them to the point that they do not have much inhibition. It scrambles what they tell us, but it frequently gets them started. Once they start talking we can usually back off on the drugs and they keep going on their own.”

  “And level three?”

  “Level three is pain. We use electrical shock to whatever level it takes to make them give up. On older people you have to worry about killing them, but with a young woman like Hanna, its pretty safe. It’s also incredibly degrading to watch, which is why I asked you not to participate.”

  “I understand Chad, but we have to find several things out fast. I’m hoping that we can find out how she made the information drops with the chips. It may be possible to keep the drops going, and start feeding false information back to the Gengon before they catch on. We need to know who else she may have compromised in Section 12.”

  Chad nodded. “We also need to know of any other contacts she may have had in the area, such as her controller. I’m also interested in Gengon spy craft. What techniques they use for communication, signaling problems, passing money, and so on. It’s not as urgent as your questions, but we can learn a lot from Hanna.”

  “You know, Hanna tried to compromise me. She was overly friendly starting on my first day in Section 12, and gradually increased the pressure. She tried to get me to drink an alcohol in her quarters, and even tried to seduce me. That was just a week ago.”

  “Classic spy craft. She was trying to compromise you any way she could find. Once she had you under control, she could twist the knife, slowly getting you to do more and more. Let me guess that she cast suspicions on someone else to draw your suspicions to someone else.”

  “You’re right Chad. She made Heinrich Largos to be a monster. I bought it initially, but I’m almost getting to like the guy now.”

  “Largos seems OK to me, he just needs to cut back on rations. One last thing Sara: Interrogations work best if one person leads, and if the interrogators agree who will be the good cop, and who will be the bad one. I suggest that I lead, and that I am the good cop. She does not know me, and has no reason to be angry. She knows you found her out, so she is bound to be very hostile towards you.”

  “Bad cop works for me Chad. I’m in a very bad mood already.”

  They had reached the Security building. They found Hanna in the basement in a cell, with her left arm and left leg in splints. She looked mad as hell. Chad had the two guards move her to the open area and tied her to a steel chair with a high narrow back. The guards used a heavy tape about two inches wide to secure her arms and legs to the chair. Hanna winced when either of the damaged limbs was moved. Her head was then taped to the top of the backrest. Chad verified that she could not move any part of her body. Chad then asked the guards to leave. Chad set a small recorder on the ledge across from Hanna’s and turned it on.

  “Hanna, my name is Chad DeForrest. I believe you know Sara.”

  Silence. Hanna was staring straight ahead, grinding her teeth.

  “Hanna, you are a professional like me. You know what comes next if you do not cooperate. It isn’t pleasant. I would like to spare you all of that, but you will need to answer our questions. Do you think you can do that Hanna?”

  Hanna remained mute. Chad repeated the question several times, but there was no response.

  “OK, looks like we go to the next level.” Chad went over to one of the storage lockers and entered a combination to open a small door. He removed a small leather bag, which looked like a doctor’s bag. He set it on the ledge in Hanna’s cell and pulled out a syringe and a small vial. He looked back at Hanna.

  “How much do you weigh Hanna? I’d guess about 120 pounds. Right?”

  Nothing from Hanna.

  Chad pulled a small chart out of the bag. The chart gave dosages based on body weight. He pulled the right amount of the liquid into the syringe, and walked over to Hanna. She flinched as he injected it into the vein in her uninjured arm. Chad returned everything except the syringe to the locker. He carefully disposed of the syringe in a separate locker.

  Chad motioned to Hanna to join him outside of the cell.

  “I just injected her with a whopping dosage of heroin. It should take affect almost immediately. She should become very relaxed, but may be delusional. I’ll try to get her started, and then you can take over. Give her questions that she can answer with quick responses.”

  They walked back into the cell. Hanna was now tracking them with her eyes rather than looking straight ahead.

  “How’s the arm Hanna. Feeling any better?”

  “Much better. So nice of you to give me drugs.” She was smiling.

  “I’m glad you feel better. I’m going to ask you some questions now.
If you are good and answer the questions, we’ll untie you. OK?”

  “OK.”

  “Where were you born Hanna?”

  “Ventria.”

  “Any brothers or sisters?”

  “One sister, Annie, but she died when I was six.”

  “Your parent’s still alive?”

  “No, both of them died when I was ten.”

  “Who is your contact for the Gengon?” Chad was trying to slip the important questions in with the mundane.

  Hanna smiled. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

  “Yes you can Hanna. Go ahead, and then we can untie you and let you rest.”

  Silence.

  “Did you go to school in Ventria Hanna?”

  Silence. She was high as a kite, but she was still enough in control to know the trick questions.

  “You talk to her Sara, she’s your friend.”

  “Hi, Hanna.”

  “Hi, Sara.”

  “I’m sorry about your broken arm Hanna. I hope it feels OK.”

  “It’s OK. You were the one who found me out, weren’t you Sara.”

  “That’s right Hanna, but several people suspected. It was just a matter of time.”

  “I’m glad it was you Sara. You were a good friend for a while.”

  “What other friends did you have in Section 12 Hanna?”

  “I had lots of friends. I make friends with everyone I meet.”

  “Did any of your friends help you with your secret work?”

  “Sure they did, but I won’t tell you who they are.”

  Hanna was smiling. “You know what’s funny Sara. You were the one who refused a drink, and now you are injecting me with drugs. How much do you really believe Sara?”

  Chad pulled Sara out of the cell and whispered to her. “She has an amazing amount of control considering the dosage. I’m guessing that she has used heroin before. The dosage it would take to loosen her up would probably be fatal.”

  Chad paused a moment. “I’m ready to go to level three, but you can leave now if you like.”

  “No, I’m staying. Let’s get this over with.

  Chad unlocked another locker and brought out a box containing a number of wires, connectors, and a control unit. Hanna winced when she saw the equipment. Sweat started to bead on her forehead. Chad applied a grease to her ankles, and attached two of the cables. Hanna was starting to shake.