“Everyone OFF!” Ted shouted as the ramp started to lower, allowing water to pour in. As the water rushed through the open hatch, it drove the warriors back.
“GET READY!” Kaeden yelled, closest to the ramp as he held tightly to a cable near the pod’s ceiling. Water was rapidly climbing. Some of the warriors were already under water and struggling, but their fellows pulled them upright. They were packed tightly, dangerously so. Ted was toward the front of the pod, a sad and frightened look on his face. “TED! YOU PUSH THEM OUT!”
The pod went under. With the last of the air forced from it, the pod began to quickly sink. Kae opened his eyes to the saltwater sting, but pushed himself free. The pod slammed into his back as he cleared the last exit.
It was sinking too quickly. Kae remained where he was, looking down with relief as a stream of warriors started clearing the pod and heading upward toward the full moon. He gave them a push as they passed him. With his enhanced body, he figured he could hold his breath for a few minutes with no ill effects. Kae hadn’t tested it before, but that didn’t matter.
Only now mattered.
The pod hit the bottom, sending a cloud of silt into the water, disturbing the ocean’s clarity. Ted appeared from the cloud, pushing people before him. Kimber passed Kaeden, signaling for him to head to the surface. Marcie was coming, and Ramses was near Ted.
Kae could see that Ted and Ramses were each pushing lifeless warriors before them. Kae dove, kicking hard to pick up speed. When he reached the others, he helped push as they raced toward the surface.
When they breached the surface, they each gulped air before floating the warriors on their backs and starting mouth to mouth. Ted, Marcie, Kim, Kae, and Ramses each took one and the sixth unconscious warrior was pulled to the two sisters; Ayashe and Camilla tag-teamed the man until he spluttered back to life.
Four of the six started to breathe again. Two of the warriors were gone, along with eight rifles. Cory tried, but there was nothing she could do. The water had filled their lungs and shut their systems down.
The shoreline of Cayo Coco lay a mile in the distance.
With heavy hearts, they started swimming to shore. Their flak jackets weighed them down, but swimming forward helped them keep their heads above water.
Kim removed the extra gear from the two bodies, passed it out and with a few words, conducted an ad hoc burial at sea. The two people quickly sunk below the surface.
“We never leave our own behind,” Kae whispered.
“It’s life or death, little brother,” she replied softly, face wet from the ocean’s spray. “They are buried with the pod. May they all rest in peace and I hope to heaven we have the strength to keep the rest of them alive. Now swim up there and look for anyone who’s struggling. We don’t want to miss anyone going under.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
On the shore of Cayo Coco, Cuba
As they approached the shore, the team leaders took control of their personnel, to move across the beach and set up a defensive perimeter. Kim pulled Ted close. “Any people out there?”
Ted shook his head.
Kim was the ranking warrior. She was in charge and responsible for calling the shots. She gritted her teeth, trying not to think about the two warriors already lost.
“Single file going ashore until you’re into the soft sand. Spread out, set up, and then team leaders rally on me with your reports,” she said in a normal tone of voice that carried over the gentle surf. The warriors streamed ashore, one after the other, single file until they reached the first dune, then two squads went left and one went right.
Kim’s team took the position to their front. She dragged her foot over the single track in the wet sand, wiping out the footprints while leaving the mark that something had passed that way.
Sand people travel single file to hide their numbers, her dad would say before crossing any soft ground. Sometimes you have to leave a sign, but you don’t have to tell your whole story.
It was fifteen minutes before the team leaders found Kim, standing with Ted behind a dune as she looked at the low hills of the barrier island on which they found themselves. A mostly-overgrown before-times road was less than thirty yards away, following the east-west coastline.
Kim had put her team beyond it, in the heavier jungle growth where they were less likely to be seen. She only stood in the open after Ted reassured her that no one was near.
“What a shit sandwich,” Kim muttered. The others nodded and shuffled their feet. Cory and Ramses held hands, which looked out of place as they were behind enemy lines as Kimber framed it within her mind.
Cory’s eyes glowed a faint blue. Always wary, she and Ramses faced the water.
“Who’d we lose?” she asked.
“Bonzo,” Ramses said, naming the warrior from his team who hadn’t made it out of the pod alive.
“Jack,” Kaeden said softly.
“But the rest of us survived,” Cory offered. “Our pod is under what, a hundred feet of water? At night. It’s a miracle that only two people died. We could have lost everyone. You should be proud of yourselves.”
Kimber eyed her sister appreciatively. “You are right. Time to give Mom and Dad a call?”
“No time like the present,” Marcie replied. Kaeden wrapped an arm around her waist and shivered. He didn’t know if it was from the close call or having to tell his parents about the debacle that had been a pseudo-training mission.
They were supposed to have a barbecue on the beach.
Kimber shook the water from the surface of her communication device. She realized that everyone was still soaked, but the warm and light breeze would dry them soon enough. None of the warriors would suffer from being wet, although she made a mental note to have everyone put on dry socks before moving out.
“Dad?” she asked when Terry Henry Walton answered. She continued without waiting. “We lost the pod. It ran out of power and failed. It’s under more than a hundred feet of water. We lost Bonzo and Jack, but the rest are fine. We are on the beach of Cayo Coco, an island just north of the Cuban main island, over,” she reported.
There was a delay. Kim imagined her father briefing her mother. “If I remember my geography correctly, you’re in the middle of what used to be a resort area. You should be able to follow the coastline east or west, depending on where you are. You need to find an operational boat. We don’t have enough room to carry four squads on this boat. Is Ted with you?”
“Right here. And Cory,” Kim added.
“I’m going to give Akio a call and see if he can send one of his pods. If not, then, Ted, I’ll need you to work your magic on whatever boat you can find. You have the full resources of the men and women of the recon teams to help. We’ll be in Havana tomorrow, and if we find something there, we’ll give you a call. Keep our people alive to fight another day, Kimber,” Terry replied.
Kim could not have agreed more. The comm device went silent as the colonel signed off. She took a deep breath and went through the five-paragraph order.
“Situation. We are one hundred miles overland from our objective. With the time constraints, we cannot get there before our link up with the sailboat and then extraction would be impossible without a pod.
“Mission. The new mission objective is to remain undetected as we search for a boat should we need that to get off the island. Primary extraction should be by pod, but while we wait, let’s find us a serviceable boat, which will always come in handy. We only need one that can hold twenty people as Mom and Dad’s sailboat can hold the rest.
“Execution. With Ted’s help, Kae and Marcie will take their teams to the east looking for a harbor and boats. You’ll remain hidden. We want to keep our presence here a secret.
“Admin and logistics. This area appears to be abandoned. We’ll see more in the daylight, but this will be our base of operations. We’ll hunt and fish to build our food supplies, one squad on watch at all times, just in case. If someone spots us, we are weapons tight. We cannot
shoot first as we don’t know if the natives here are hostile.
“Command and signal. Primary means of communication is with our radios. Secondary is you better get your asses back here before dark. Understand? Don’t make me come after you. Standard hand and arm signals when we are in visual contact. Questions?”
“Fifty percent on watch?” Kae asked.
“Not that much. I’d say twenty-five percent. Two on at all times. Tell your people to get as much sleep as they can, tomorrow could be a busy day,” Kimber answered.
With their orders in hand, the team leaders returned to their squads.
Sailing toward Havana
“We knew the pod was starting to suffer and it cost us two people,” Terry grumbled, running his fingers through his thick hair. Worry lines creased his forehead as he looked over the rail to watch the moonlight dance among the waves.
Char put her arm around his waist. “Two people lost during what should have been a training mission, but it wasn’t anyone’s fault, TH. Don’t beat yourself up. Ted was flying the pod, which probably improved their chances of survival when they went down. Only two! You should be grateful, and most importantly, our kids are safe, which is selfish for me to think that way, but I do, just between us.”
“I think that way, too. Why do you think I asked Akio to boost them? That wasn’t quite the most selfless thing I’ve ever done. Bonzo and Jack. I would recognize them if I saw them, but I don’t know anything about their lives. Do they have family?” Terry wondered aloud.
Char shrugged. She couldn’t even picture what they looked like and that grated on her soul. These were the people for whom her children were responsible. She vowed to rectify that as soon as possible. Their loss was her loss.
Terry called Akio. “Akio-sama. Our pod crashed in the ocean off Cuba. We lost two of our people, but the rest made it to shore. They need a ride out of there,” Terry finished, leaving his request open-ended.
“Of course, Terry-san,” Akio replied. “I will dispatch two pods immediately. Eve will handle the flying from here as usual, vectoring on their communication signals. The pods will be there in about two hours. I must warn you, Terry-san, that these pods are losing their charge more and more quickly. It is best if they remain with your people before returning to North Chicago where they can be recharged before returning to Japan.”
Terry smiled and nodded. Char gripped his waist, relieved by Akio’s immediate engagement.
“I will ask Eve to start the construction of New Schwabenland-style pods. When yours was here, she took the opportunity to download the schematics and building plans. We will need to coordinate with a disparate variety of construction firms to build the pieces separately. We will assemble the pods close by, at a warehouse on the main rail line. It will be some time before I can venture a guess when the first pod will be ready,” Akio said, emphasizing the words in the final sentence to keep Terry from getting his hopes up and building a deployment plan integrating the new pods.
“I don’t know what to say, Akio-sama,” Terry replied slowly. “Thank you, will have to suffice. For the tactical teams, with the pick-up happening tonight, I would like them to continue their missions. Two squads to Guantanamo Bay and two squads outside Kingston, Jamaica. We’ll return your pods within ten to twelve days. And again, thank you, Akio-sama.”
“Of course, Terry-san. Let me relay your instructions, check the pods, and send them on their way.” Akio signed off.
Terry immediately called Kimber. “Akio is on his way and estimates they’ll be there in two hours. The pods will remain with you as you return to your initial mission objectives. Two teams to Gitmo and two to Jamaica. Carry out your orders, Sergeant.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll pass the word,” Kimber replied.
“Eve will contact you when the pods are on final approach. Your comm signal will guide them in. Good luck, and good job getting your people out of a sinking pod.”
“It was Kae leading the way and Ted and Ramses bringing up the rear, refusing to leave anyone behind. Sergeant Kimber, signing off.”
Terry returned the device to his pocket.
He and Char watched the ocean under the moonlight. The deckhands were sleeping in various cubby holes on the deck. It was a beautiful night for it. Char’s eyes sparkled purple, putting the sea’s majesty to shame.
“Remember the old days, when we’d get angry and go kick someone’s ass and that made it all better?” Terry looked into Char’s eyes and smiled. “Good times… It’s so frustrating now. The bad guys are hiding, and we’re losing people without fighting.”
“It’s frustrating because you know this isn’t going to end this year, or next year. Hell, it could be decades before we fight our next battle.” Char leaned into Terry’s chest. “Reduce the op tempo, TH.”
“I think that’s the thing to do,” Terry agreed.
North Chicago
Gunnery Sergeant Lacy used her flashlight to scan the dark room. Two units were set up for Andrew and Joseph to sleep. With a new lock installed on a heavier door, they wanted to sleep without interruption. Not many Forsaken enjoyed an entire military between them and the outside world.
“How long?” she asked.
“Five years? Ten years? I’m really not sure,” Joseph replied with a shrug of one shoulder.
“Holy crap,” Lacy whispered.
“Well?” Joseph looked at his bed. Using a jeep and a trailer, they’d moved it from the basement of the Willis Tower. It looked like a box, but had a soft mattress within. It didn’t have a cover, but was hinged for one if he ever decided he needed it.
Andrew had a standard bed. On the wall with the door was a special air circulation system to keep the room dry. If they lost power, Shonna had rigged a solar power system on the roof to provide minimal ventilation.
All in all, it was the best any Forsaken could hope for. Joseph chuckled thinking of his brethren hiding at the bottom of mine shafts or other warm, dry places, hoping that being remote would protect them.
Joseph preferred his arrangements.
“Thanks, Lacy. You can tell Terry this.
“To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.”
Lacy looked at Joseph as if he’d grown another head. The Forsaken reached into his pocket for a slip of paper that contained Shakespeare’s words from the immortal Hamlet.
Joseph climbed into his bed and laid back. Andrew mimicked him, laying on his back, arms crossed. He closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, willing himself into the long sleep.
Lacy left, pulling the door tightly closed behind her. She locked the two deadbolts and put the key in her pocket.
“Sleep well, boys. If we have to wake you up, you’ll want to be awoken. Other than that, we’ll see you on the flip side. I hope I’m still here,” Lacy told the locked door.
She checked the ventilation system on her way out. The controls and motors were inside the room where they’d be safe from tampering, although Lacy wasn’t worried about that. Although they were Vampires by their nature, they were friends of the FDG.
They were the colonel’s friends and Joseph had saved many warrior lives. Protecting them so they could sleep in peace was the least she could do. There would be a twenty-four-hour guard posted at the top of the steps, starting that evening and remaining in place until they rose.
Lacy turned to look at the door once more, her thoughts drifting to earlier times when the fighting was almost nonstop, Joseph, the colonel, the major, and her friends in the middle of it.
In the worst of it. And all they asked of her was to guard their door while they slept. She di
dn’t feel like that was sufficient.
Not in the least.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Cayo Coco, Cuba
The two pods set down side by side on the open stretch of beach. The rear ramps dropped and the squads rushed in. Kae, Marcie, and Ted on their way to Gitmo and Kim, Ramses, and Cory to Kingston.
Kim waved to Kae and the ramps closed. Ted sat by the screen, but with Eve flying, he had nothing to do. It put him in a foul mood. The flight took less than ten minutes before the pod circled the bay.
“Anything?” Marcie asked, watching Ted closely. The Werewolf shook his head without looking up.
“Find us a spot where we can hide this baby, if you would be so kind.”
Ted threw his hands up in frustration.
“Of course,” Eve said over the pod’s sound system.
“Sorry about that, Ted,” Marcie apologized, looking quickly away. Kae grimaced. During the time he’d been in Japan going through the conversion, Marcie had been the acting platoon sergeant. As such, she outranked Kaeden.
She didn’t rub it in his face. She watched the screen as Ted sat there, glaring at it with his arms crossed. Marcie wanted to say something, but knew that nothing would make any difference when Ted was like this.
Marcie pointed to the screen. “I’ll take this route and set up here, observe this sector from the western side of the bay. You take the pod and shoot to get close the ruins on the eastern side of the harbor. We observe for two days and then reevaluate,” Marcie said, although if Kaeden disagreed, he knew he could speak up. He didn’t have any problems with the plan and gave his wife the thumbs up.
“Landing in ten!” she called out when the countdown popped up on the screen.
“Once your squad’s out, we’ll be gone.” Kaeden rested his hand on Marcie’s arm. “Good luck.”
“Stand up!” Marcie called to her team. “Same setup. In three, two, one.”
The pod landed so softly that they didn’t feel it. The ramp opened and the warriors rushed out, fanning left and right to their designated positions. Marcie ran down the ramp after them. As soon as she was clear, the pod rose into the air before the ramp closed.
Nomad's Force: A Kurtherian Gambit Series (Terry Henry Walton Chronicles Book 9) Page 9