“Or someone to finally trust…”
CHAPTER 40: That Hidden Moment
“Captain, I am truly sorry for the loss of your squadron member. I knew that there had been a suicide on base but I didn’t know that they were a member of… of your team. I know words right now may not replace any sadness you may be feeling but… words will come nonetheless,” consoled Dr. Frydryck.
William was staring out the room’s window, at Umoja Tower. He did not feel like sitting today in his session so he remained standing. His hands were in his pockets.
“I don’t know what I’m more upset about doctor,” he said. “The fact that I missed any sign of this happening or the fact that I myself wanted to do the exact same thing just a short time ago.”
Dr. Frydryck closed his eyes.
“I’ve never told anyone that, until now. Truth is, I was seconds away from ending my life if it were not for Roger Wood finding me at my home just in time.”
“I’m unfamiliar with that name.”
“He works for UNIRO. He recruited me a month ago. He saved me. I was going to put a bullet through my mouth.”
“He doesn’t know his arrival stopped you?”
“No. He doesn’t.”
“You should thank him. It will mean a lot to both of you.”
William smiled. “Yes. I supposed it would.”
“Will,” sighed Dr. Frydryck, “as a matter of safety for yourself have you had any more suicidal thoughts since your experience a month ago? Have you tried to harm yourself since?”
“None.”
“I figured,” nodded the doctor.
William turned his head to look over his shoulder. “How?”
“Tell me, do you worry more about others now than yourself. Has the death of Rescue Officer Mamedov kept you up at night?”
William turned his body a little and locked eyes with the doctor on the couch. “Yes. I worry about my team every second of the day. I lose sleep over whether or not we will all graduate training. I worry about whether or not I can keep them all safe out in the field once UNIRO begins operations. I hope, dare I say even pray sometimes, to anything up there, that I will never lose another team member in this manner again; in this dreadful, wasteful manner. A rescuer should never have to find themselves falling, alone. A rescuer should always find themselves catching those that are falling, with a team behind them ready to catch them if they find themselves falling as well.”
“That answer says it all. The passion for others you have found again in your short time here is why I know you are a changed man. You are no longer the William Emerson this Roger Wood found a month ago. You aren’t scared for yourself. You are scared for others.”
“I am scared for them. I’m scared that I won’t be able to protect them. I’ve never protected anyone I cared about before. I wasn’t able to save Samir, my men in Korea, Kyung, my grandmother, my grandfather…”
“You never told me about your grandfath - ”
“I let Samir go, doctor. He looked into my eyes, and I into his, and watched him fall. He didn’t even scream or cry. He just fell. It was the easiest rescue I could have ever performed, and I failed.”
Dr. Frydryck got up from the couch and walked over to William. He crossed his arms and looked out the window at the tower standing beside William.
“Did Samir fall because you let him or did he fall because he wanted to?”
William did not answer.
“If he wanted to, which from what you told me it sounds like he did, you may have actually saved him, Captain. A soul as troubled as that, in that moment, wants nothing more than peace.”
“Perhaps…”
“It may be hard to understand now but you may have actually rescued him, Will. You need to stop believing every ill thing to happen in your life is your fault because most actually weren’t, including this suicide. Samir had his reasons, just as you did at one time.”
William sighed with his head down.
“I believe there is still one thing holding you back,” said Dr. Frydryck, putting has hand on William’s shoulder. “One particular instance in your life above all else that you can’t let go of, that you keep blaming yourself for, effecting the way you look at yourself to this day. After talking to you for weeks now, that moment has become obvious to me.”
“What moment is that?”
“Your grandfathers death. You haven’t told me how or when it exactly happened. You always refuse. You always turn away, both inside and out. You are clearly haunted by it and for as long as you shy away from it and don’t confront it, you will always bear a burden that you shouldn’t have to bear.”
CHAPTER 41: Counting on Persistence
The computer screen read 11:56 p.m., Sunday, April 25, 2027. A call was expected shortly on this screen by the one sitting before it, alone and in the dark.
One finger after another had its nail bitten off out of nerves. Soon out of nails, the anxious individual grabbed their hair and pulled till it hurt. Breaths of warm stress escaped their mouth, getting heavier and deeper until suddenly the computer indicated an incoming video call. With a napkin, the person wiped their forehead of sweat to look more composed. With a gulp, the video call was accepted.
“Why did you call me?” asked the face on the computer screen. Their voice was purposely distorted into an unnatural human tone and image pixelated.
“The suicide of Samir Mamedov will bring attention to systems that, for the moment, should have none. As I told you last time we spoke, I can only hold off suspicions for so long and now with this… Answers could be found that could jeopardize everything.”
“Samir was weak. You should have been more careful with him and watched him more closely.”
“I know but I could not get too close. People could have become suspicious!”
“And you don't think they will now? This incident and its associated rumors are all over the base and will only spread. The investigation that has been opened up into his death must lead to falsities. Alter his records. Make him a drug addict; destroy him. It was an overdose and he went crazy because of it as far as the rest of UNIRO will be concerned.”
“It shall be done.”
“Make sure the other asset of ours is watched as well. We cannot lose him although I doubt he would ever shy away from his mission as Samir did. He is ruthless, perfect for our plans. Everything Samir was not. I head out to Alaska next week for another UNIRO political stunt. I will return to a changed world and nothing we stand against that change. Make sure this mess is disposed of properly. We finally commit our plans to action next week. This cannot become a hindrance to that. We have already failed once, I will not except failure again…”
“Yes, but what of Samir's squadron leader, Captain Emerson?”
“Emerson?”
“Yes, Captain William Emerson. He appears loyal to his squadron like no other. He will want answers and won't stop till he gets them. He is very persistent.”
“I’m counting on it.”
CHAPTER 42: First Disaster Scenario
The base was different. It was clear word had spread thoroughly, but many didn’t speak of the incident the week before. Everyone was in silent shock. UNIRO as a whole, like William, was disturbed.
As William walked into the garage everyone looked at him. Many went silent as he passed, others whispered. He spoke to no one. He kept his eyes down. After a tense walk, he reached the garage locker area to change with his squadron into their rescuedress. His team members took little glances at him, as if waiting for him to give a speech explaining what had happened, what he had seen. So far, he hadn’t told them anything. He did not want to. Hernandez also did not want him to, not until each of his team members had been interviewed first so as to avoid any crisscrossing of stories and rumors. All anyone really knew was who and that it had been suicide.
Other trainees from other squadrons and groups were also trying to peer down the garage at him, wanting to see if his team was really
down a man. Sergey did not look at William or anyone, just the back of his royal blue paint-chipped locker, bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.
Hansen watched Delta Group from his parked Blazer by a shut garage door, talking amongst other group commanders. Their fingers were sweeping across glass tablets as insults were being readied. Base Commander Hammond was there, her guardsmen still looking over her shoulder, waiting for anything to happen. William periodically looked in her direction but was not concerned with her well being, not in this moment. All he wanted to do was get through the training session with clear heads and move on.
Today was the first time they wore their rescuedress, the uniforms they were to wear on rescue missions in the field. Each article of clothing was wearable tech, having embedded sensors that monitored the wearers’ well being and vitals, relaying the data back to one's glass tag or any other Bluetooth enabled device.
Making up most of William’s uniform was a white and royal blue jumpsuit separated at the waist by a hefty blue tool belt filled with clips and assorted necessary gear. Long sleeves, which had woven in elbow pads, were royal blue in color. This color stretched from wrist to wrist across the arms and up through the shoulder and Velcro collar neck area. A pair of white reflecting rings broke the blue up on his sleeves, one on his forearm, one on his upper arm. Just above the chest area, the blue stopped and became white all the way down the rest of the jumpsuit until it hit black boots. A fine light blue electroluminescent wire separated these two colors with a glow. Embed kneepads and overgrown pockets filled the leg area. To protect one's head was a white hardhat that clipped on like a bicycle helmet. The helmet boldly said UNIRO.
All commanding officers such as himself wore a heads up computer display on an apparatus that wrapped around the back of his head that stayed on with straps and ear hooks underneath his helmet. The display rested at the end of an extendable arm that reached out in front of the wearer's eye where data was received.
Around his right ear was an LED light and around his left was a constantly recording video camera. When William put on the wearable display he found it a little bulky so he folded its arm back behind his head. For now, he did not need it. All other team members wore combined video camera and LED earpieces instead of a heads up computer like William that could transmit their feeds to his own glass tablet, tag, or HUD. It was total connectivity. Safety goggles were hugging each of their helmets. White smart gloves that could sense vibrations and hazardous materials upon touch sheltered their hands, telling their life saving information through a flexible OLED screen embedded in each of the gloves palms.
For a final level of protection and awareness was a hard white and royal blue chest and back plate that slipped on like a bulletproof vest. It had a built in air filtration system that could deliver clean air to the wearer with an extendable hose and connecting oxygen mask. Upon being submerged in water, an inflatable life vest exploded from its plates, keeping one afloat until rescue. All of these devices were powered by their host. As the wearer would walk or run electricity would be generated and power given to the jumpsuit tech, staying on for as long as the wearer could move.
Inside their lockers were pre-stocked white backpacks filled with gear and tools that made each one close to sixty-five pounds. Those that had military backgrounds on William’s team were having no problem carrying the packs but those who did not were having some issues and were hunching forward to compensate. Some wore things specific to their roles in the squadron like Rescue Officer Heather Phillips, a former US. Navy medic, who carried a portable defibrillator and complete first aid kit or Rescue Officers Mckay, Jinping, and Niccolo, who were being specifically trained in rope and high rise rescue. They carried climbing ropes like sashes. In class, they had familiarized themselves with each piece of gear and technology, making their suit up very efficient. Everyone knew what they had to do and where everything went.
Clanging locker doors and shouts of mobilization towards the front of the garage indicated the allotted changing time was over and it was time to get started. Before William shut his locker he rubbed his fingers across his UNIRO squadron patch on his shoulder. They smelled new. Samir fell heavy on William's mind. Somehow William knew, after what Samir had said, he had wanted this job but was trapped by something or someone. William wished he could have been there, suiting up with everyone.
A squall of yelling from the major broke William’s admiring of his patch. “Fall in line, ladies and gentleman! Squadron leaders, have your teams fall in line now in front of my pretty face!”
Everyone in Delta Group did so in two rows of seven, with squadron leaders standing before them, facing Major Hansen. William and his team stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, feet in line with their shoulders, one row only having six people. Knowing Major Hansen, he was going to tell it straight. William prayed he did not but it was the first thing he said.
“Listen up, people! No need to bottle it up anymore so here’s the deal. The accident that occurred last week that saw the death of one of our trainee rescue officers is still all heavy on our minds I’m sure. It was a shock and we will not forget it. We must go on. Accidents happen. They will happen here and they will happen out there beyond our walls.” He pointed towards the roof trying to dramatize his point. “It’s life. Learn from this, people, we’re not immortal but... that doesn't mean we can't try,” grinned Hansen. “Today's training will help us to do that. We cannot allow any of our mistakes or accidents affect those we try and save in anyway because that ladies and gentlemen will lead to failure and does UNIRO ever fail?”
“No, sir!” cried his trainees.
Hansen narrowed his eyes. “No… it certainly does not. Now, all of your new uniforms, gear, and backpacks you received today are yours to keep and take home with you. Your names are on them all and you will be expected to return with them every day from now on to physical training. We are going to break out into our different disaster scenarios now. Your squadron will be working with one other squadron in a test of field cooperation. Both of you will need to assess the situation given and act accordingly in a set time frame. Go over this time frame and shit will start flying, I promise you all that. Okay, let's go! Listen up for your squadron partners!”
Someone began calling squadron names off a glass tablet. Once called, a squadron moved to find its partner squadron. As William waited, he saw that Hammond was looking at him. She was standing in the bed of a Blazer, her arms crossed, her eyes unwavering in their staring like two immovable objects set in stone. Her face looked old today, with wrinkles of stress and hair that was frail. Her face wanted to be seen by William, letting him know that she had questions for him, and she wanted answers. But, so did he.
William’s squadron name was called, then their partners, Firefighting Squadron 2. The two teams met and lined up next to each other and awaited orders. With a metal grinding sound the garage doors opened to reveal a cloudy morning. Propane vapors filled the interior air of the garage and puffs of smoke could be seen rising up from the fake town and mountain in the training facility outside. The town’s gray buildings blended in with the sky above with clouds covering everything all the way to the horizon. Senior officers standing outside the opening garage doors on the gravel roadway started to make their way inside. Major Hansen pointed to them.
“All squadron teams will have five supervising senior officers watching the exercises. Each exercise will be forty-five minutes long. Thirty minutes are to complete the scenario, fifteen minutes to go over the scenario after its conclusion. After that, you move on to your team's next designated exercise. Today, we will be undertaking a total of six scenarios. Remember Delta Group, we need to stay on top so get your shit together and apply what you have learned.”
Four men approached William and motioned for his team to follow them outside to a waiting truck. Hansen followed, making him the fifth senior officer to supervise their team. Hammond took off in her Blazer towards the mountain training area.<
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The truck they were taken to was a little smaller than a dump truck and had tires just smaller than William’s height. It looked to be amphibious with its white body standing high off the ground and its chassis wrapped under a smooth aluminum hull. Two large pipes at the back looked to be inboard jet outlets for propulsion in water. At the blocky front was a white cab that had slim black windows blended into its white body to make one fluid vehicle that had embedded LED light racks, a winch at the front and rear, and an open bed that had enough seating for an entire squadron and their gear. Two spare tires were held on either side at the vehicles midsection with covers displaying UNIRO’s symbol.
As the team rounded around the back of the truck a panting German Shepard waving its tail back and forth greeted them. A senior officer tried to control the dog with a leash but it jumped up onto William with its two front paws and tried to lick everything in sight.
“Oh my God, who is this?” cried Amanda in happiness.
The fully-grown dog brought William down to the ground with its excessive need for attention. On the ground, the licking continued. William tried to move the dogs face away from his but it was no use.
“Sam, get off,” yelled the senior officer, tugging at its leash. “Sam! Down!”
Major Hansen saw the commotion and ran over. “Jesus get that beast off of him,” he called to the senior officer. “This freaking mutt never learns.”
William, combined with the senior officer pulling it away, finally pushed the dog away from his face. The dog turned its attention to Amanda who gladly welcomed it. She knelt down and began hugging it profusely. “Hi, Sam! My gosh your so excited!”
“To excited,” grunted Major Hansen, pulling William up to his feet. “This dog is stupider than mud. It rescues everything put humans. Most actually call her Shampoo.”
The End of the Beginning Page 25