by F Stone
Sam pushed her back into her chair. “Sit down!”
Sidney became livid. She sprang up again. “Let’s get this over with! I’m tired of being your prisoner. Call your executioner.”
Sam tried to wrestle her back into her chair. She shifted her balance, and he fell toward the floor, pulling her with him. In one swift move, he used the momentum of her fall to fling her onto her back. She let out a scream as her back hit the floor. In a second, he was on top of her, straddling her as he held onto her thrashing fists.
Bridges burst through the doors. “Heard the commotion, Captain. I’ll get my cuffs on her.”
“No,” Sam barked. “I’ve got her under control. Wait outside.”
Sidney quit struggling and resigned herself to the futility of escaping from Sam’s grip. He let her stand up, and Sidney wrapped her arms across her chest and stood facing away from him, toward the credenza — anything but let him see her tears fall. Roughly, she brushed them away.
“You’re quite unique, you know,” she said.
Sam tucked in his shirt. “What do you mean ‘unique’?”
“No one else has been able to get me that angry. As for convincing me of the possibility of avoiding an execution, I’m a lot less naïve since arriving on your ship, sir.”
“Look! As far as most everyone else is concerned, you should have been eliminated days ago.” He glared at her. “So far, I’m the only one who’s willing to sort through all the crap, fall for your trick show, listen to your ramblings — which by all accounts should get you at least a life sentence in a mental institution. Not to mention I’ve tolerated disrespect and probably will have my service record permanently marred by giving you the benefit of a doubt. And did I mention wasting my time to give a good goddamn?”
The room went silent. Sidney sat down, leaned forward, and rested her elbows on her knees. After a while, she sat up straight, and fidgeting with her hair, pulled it back behind her ears. The captain’s anger was valid. If he had simply followed orders, she’d be dead. He’d strayed from the rules, probably more than he’d admit. She owed him her life.
“Captain, you’re right. I was sent for more than defusing the missiles, but nothing will come of it. I failed.”
Sam sat down behind his desk. “Then why the secrecy?”
“If I reveal all I know, people will be killed. Perhaps you, too. I’m sure of that. I can’t live with that.”
“Does the name ‘Badger’ mean anything to you?”
Sidney’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped open.
“You knew him, didn’t you?” Sam stood up. “What was your relationship with Badger? You tell me the truth and tell me right now!”
Sidney hesitated. “Captain, I can’t … ”
He marched to her chair, grabbed her by her shoulders, and shook her.
“Tell me. What was your business with Badger?”
Sidney stood up and wrestled free of the Sam’s grip. “We — I met him a few weeks ago. He asked me to help him. I met with his staff a few times to be briefed on the base layout and the admin building’s floor plan. Then his staff prepared fake ID for me.”
“Wait a minute. Who’s ‘we’? You and Butchart?”
“No. I never met Captain Butchart before I was arrested. That’s the absolute truth.”
“We’ll revisit that later. For now, who are the others that were involved in this mission?”
“Just friends. They brought me to the base. The rest was up to me.”
“All right. Now, what did you do for Badger?”
“I’ve told you. I defused the missiles for him.”
Sam increased the pressure. Each question was rapidly fired at her as soon as the previous one had been answered.
“And what else?”
“That’s it. Nothing else matters.”
“What else?”
“Nothing. I failed.”
“Failed at what?”
“Getting off the base.”
“Who was to get you off the base?”
“No one.”
“Who’s Frank Butchart?”
She relented. She had too much respect for the captain to keep evading his questions.
“He’s part of the people I protect.”
Sam stared at her. “Are you saying that you and Captain Butchart were in this scheme together?”
“No, definitely not!”
“Then why are you protecting Captain Butchart?”
“I can’t tell you, sir.”
“Listen carefully. I’ll tell you what I know. You did more than defuse the missiles. That was a diversion. You were after a secret file in Admiral Garland’s office. That was your main target, miss!”
Sidney was dazed. How did he know so much? Her silence was a dead giveaway.
“Bingo!” He pointed his finger at her.
Just then, his comlink beeped. Bridges was reporting that shore leave staff was back and Lieutenant Paddles was mad as hell.
“Tell her to come to my office,” Sam instructed.
Sam regained his military posture, but he became eerily dark, his face twisted with hate. “Before you go there’s something you should know. Badger was indirectly responsible for my wife’s murder. And I’ve received a report that Badger has been murdered. Fitting! So if you’re protecting that bastard, you’re wasting your time — and mine. Now go!”
Sidney left with the guard, but not before giving Sam’s crystal the customary nudge at the end of the interrogation. This time, however, it landed on the floor.
14. Sam’s Dark Prison
Tuesday Afternoon, July 9, Peru: Sam picked up his crystal and wondered why it had fallen. Before he could give it too much thought, Lorna burst into his office.
“What’s the problem?” he asked.
“Oh, just that damn Pots. He has some nerve trying to snoop into my package.” She threw a bag across Sam’s desk. “That’s for Sidney.”
“What’s this about? Since when do we go shopping for a prisoner? Damn it all, Lorna. She certainly isn’t going to be around long. You know that. What’s so damned important that the navy has to spend what little funds it has on her?”
Lorna sat down and placed her elbows on his desk. “My money, Sam. Never had much of an excuse to go shopping before. It was fun buying stuff I’d never have a reason to wear. Besides, you might get a chuckle out of this, too. What’s eatin’ you, anyway?”
Sam leaned back in his chair. “Your timing’s a bit off. Got an execution tonight.”
Lorna sat up straight. “Sidney?”
“No. Not yet. I suppose this bag has something to do with Sidney’s meeting with you last night. What was that about?”
“What she said was that she wanted her clothes. You know, the ones we cut off her and threw out — blouse and underwear. Told her they couldn’t be fixed. She says that heavy jean jacket is a problem with the heat.”
“She could’ve told me that.”
“Well, I doubt she’d want to discuss her bra size with you.” Lorna grinned as she watched the color rise in Sam’s face. Thank God he’s still human. “Anyway, I suspect there was more to it than wanting her clothes.”
“Such as?”
“A friend, perhaps? Helps having a friend.”
“Lorna, keep in mind she’s confessed to sabotage on Admiral Garland’s base. She willingly committed a hostile act against the United States.”
“Oh, hell, if she’s a hostile, I’m a ballerina. How would you like to see my performance of Swan Lake?”
Sam smiled at the image of Lorna’s large frame tiptoeing and twirling around on a stage in a tutu.
“I can arrange it, my friend, if I get anymore disrespect around here from that damn Pots,” Lorna threatened. “Anyway, the last time I heard of someone defusing missiles, they just put him away for a long time. Why’s Garland so bent on getting rid of Sidney permanently?”
“It’s possible she’s gotten mixed up in the admiral’s secrets. Lethal secrets
. If I can get her to talk, maybe … ” Sam hesitated. “Anyway, I’m trying to be nice to her. You know, get her to open up.”
“Yes, I know about what you call being nice, and your nice needs work, Sam. Anyway, everything should fit her. What do you think?”
Sam opened the bag and saw a lavender blouse and a pair of white shorts. As he pulled out the garments, a blue lace bra and panties fell into his lap.
“Oh Christ, Lorna!”
Lorna laughed as she departed. “Tell Sidney I hope everything fits. She should be a lot cooler, don’t you think? My god, it feels warm in here suddenly. Got to run.”
“Lorna!” She was out the door and gone before he could utter any further objection. Sam tucked the clothes back into the bag and tossed it aside. He gave orders to the navigation room to set sail for Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor.
When Sidney arrived for dinner, Sam handed the package to her.
“Lorna brought this in for you,” he said casually.
Sidney took out the blouse and shorts. Her mouth was wide open in disbelief. “I was just hoping to borrow some clothes, Captain. I didn’t want her to go to all this trouble.”
“She said you were having a problem with the heat. Couldn’t take advantage of your exercise time on the deck. Seems you have a friend among us, Sidney.” Sam tried to show a casual smile.
“This is too much. How can I repay her?” Sidney looked directly at Sam. Giving a sigh, she glanced away. “Oh, I see. You expect information in payment for these nice things.”
Sam could see his strategy backfiring. “If you prefer, I’ll give them back to Lorna. She’ll be ticked, but it’s your choice. Makes no difference to me, one way or the other. Is that clear?”
Sidney relaxed. She looked more closely at the blouse. “I’ve never had anything this beautiful. Lorna has very good taste.”
Sam thought of the soft lace underwear still in the bag. He shifted position in his chair. “Yes. Well, let’s get on with business. You’d attempted to carry out some other task on the base. What exactly?”
Sidney placed the clothes back in the bag and set it down beside her chair.
“I wish there was a way to give you the answers you want without endangering anyone else. I just haven’t been able to come up with a solution.”
“All right, let’s take this one step at a time. My guess is you were trying to stop the admiral from doing something. Is that right?”
“Not exactly. Well, yes.”
“Badger hired you to do something that would interfere with the admiral’s plans?”
“More or less.”
Sam stared at her. He recognized the determination he saw in her eyes, and the worry. It was the same expression Joy had when she’d told him of the confidential file she’d accessed.
“Is this related to government strategies to solve the energy crisis?”
Sidney swallowed. “Yes.”
He was now convinced that both his wife and Sidney had been on similar missions. “What are the implications if the admiral isn’t stopped?”
“If I said, you’d get the straight jacket out.”
“Answer the damn question.”
“Nothing will be the same once he and whoever he’s connected with put their plans into action. They seem to be very near to making a move.”
“Please go on.”
“I can’t. I’ve said too much already.”
Sam got up from his chair and looked out the window. “Trust is a precious thing, especially when lives are at stake. I understand your reluctance to trust me, Sidney. I wish there was more time.” He sat back down again and shut off his computer. “Off the record,” he stressed, “my gut is telling me that what you were doing is worth my stepping outside the limits of this uniform. What was it?”
Sidney studied him for a moment, weighing his apparent sincerity against the risk of opening up. Finally, she surrendered to trust, albeit hesitantly, revealing small pieces at a time.
“Captain, there would be a total power shift — devastating if placed in the hands of those not well-balanced in spirit.”
Sam struggled to remain patient in his approach. “Okay. What’s on that base that you, and only you, would be able to retrieve? Evidence of some new weapon?”
Sam detected the slightest change in Sidney’s demeanor. She was tense — almost holding her breath.
“Captain, would you trust the admiral if he had full control over a source of energy with limitless power?”
Sam was speechless for a few seconds. “Hell, I wouldn’t trust anyone with that much power. In the opinion of the underground, is there any urgency to stopping the admiral soon?”
“Yes.”
“How soon?”
“Perhaps a few days, a week at the most.” She lifted her hand to her chest. “Then prepare for the world to go mad with fear.”
“What?” Sam’s comlink indicated Bridges was calling.
“Captain, the prisoner is ready.”
“Bring him to the deck. Get a guard to take Sidney back to her cell.” His expression had returned to that of the man with a rule book and heavy responsibilities. “That will be all for today, Sidney. Tomorrow morning we have to conclude this business. Perhaps for both our sakes,” he muttered. “Is that understood?”
Sidney nodded. She wanted to stay longer with Sam. She hadn’t yet revealed the possibility of the destruction of the planet. But what she wanted even more was to forget the troubles for one hour, even just a few minutes, and simply be near him.
The guard arrived to take Sidney back to her cell. She asked Sam if she could spend some time on deck to watch the sun set.
He was gruff again. “No, not now!”
Taking a chance, she promised to be no trouble. “Just a few minutes,” she pleaded.
“Just go with the officer. Perhaps tomorrow evening.”
A vision came to her in a flash. “The prisoner. Someone is to be executed now!”
She blurted it without realizing the impact of her words. Again she felt the anxiety of being placed on deck for her own execution. It all became so much more real.
“That’s not your concern,” Sam retorted.
“Captain,” she replied, “I need to be there. Someone needs my help. And you might learn a little about me at the same time.”
“It’s not a pretty sight,” he cautioned her.
“Death isn’t new to me,” Sidney said with conviction. “Please let me help the prisoner. I’ve worked with the dying. Death can be terrifying, or it can be experienced as simply a transformation. I promise you won’t regret it.”
Sam was curious enough to comply with her wishes. He and Bridges escorted Sidney to the deck where the prisoner was seated. Bridges and Dr. Duncan stood nearby awaiting the captain’s orders to carry out the execution.
Sidney stepped into the daylight from the deck’s hallway and saw a somber sky. The sun, partially obscured by the clouds, rested on the horizon. Only faint traces of its golden glow trickled along the crest of the waves to the ship’s bow. Sidney stretched her awareness beyond the gloom on the sea and the ship. She became calm and quiet in her mind. She found her center — the place where she could become in tune with the sacred truths.
The ocean breeze played with Sidney’s long hair, reminding her of her connection with the hawk on the island. Celeste had complete trust in her wings’ strength and ability to master the turbulent winds. Lifted by Celeste’s courage, Sidney would trust in her ability to resist the Dark forces that could be within the prisoner.
As the trio approached the prisoner, Sidney noticed his shoulders trembling. Trying to hide his fear from the view of his enemies, he turned his head away. His entire body filled with convulsions of terror. No longer fighting, no longer angry — just a man dreading every second.
Sidney asked Sam if she could approach the man alone and spend five minutes with him. She told him she’d put her hand to her chest as a signal that the prisoner was ready and the officer could con
tinue with his duty. Sam agreed to the terms and relayed the orders to Lieutenant Bridges.
Sidney knew there was no possibility of pleading for the prisoner’s life. She knew nothing of the prisoner or why he was to be executed. It didn’t really matter why. She only hoped that through her, the prisoner’s death would be less traumatic.
She walked up to the prisoner and knelt down on the deck directly in front of him. His body and legs were secured to the chair. There was no aging of his face, now pale, no trace of scars from a difficult life behind the frightened blue eyes. His clothes were clean and tidy, and his dark brown hair combed. It was obvious he’d made an attempt to deal with this death sentence with dignity.
When their eyes first met, Sidney simply smiled at him. The prisoner continued to tremble so violently that he was vibrating the chair he sat on.
“Help me,” he pleaded. “I don’t want to die. Please, I don’t deserve this.” He was scarcely able to form the words in his mouth.
Sidney reached for his handcuffed hands. Shaking wildly, he tried to grab hers.
“I can help you. My name is Sidney. What’s your name?”
“I’m Marcus.” He began to sob uncontrollably.
“Marcus, you’re going to be fine.”
She took his hands firmly in hers. He felt the warmth of her touch and listened to the calming tones of her voice. Sidney believed it wasn’t so much what she said that mattered; it was more about letting him know he wasn’t alone. His crying slowed, and he searched her face, looking for a hint of something, perhaps something that would indicate this was only a cruel joke. What he saw was compassion. There wasn’t a trace of fear on her face.
“Marcus, I want you to look at only my eyes and listen to my voice. I want you to breathe in as deep as you can. Follow me as I breathe.” Sidney took a breath, and then slowly exhaled, watching Marcus make a weak attempt to follow her instructions. “Try again, with me. We’ll do this together.”
She caressed his arms. All the while, Marcus held his gaze on her eyes.
“Again, Marcus, breathe like you’ve never breathed before. Follow the air into your lungs. Feel its life force throughout your body.”