by Chesla, Gary
“This was my room,” Johnson said.
“Hopefully this will be the last place they would think you would go to hide,” Larsen replied as he grabbed a blank chart and started writing. “Now get under the blankets and pretend you are sleeping.”
“What are you doing?” Johnson asked as he crawled into bed.
“I’m making a chart for you so you look official,” Larsen replied as he continued to write. “Your name is Joe Montgomery and you are here because you got your nose broken running into a door.”
“The nurses will know I don’t belong here,” Johnson said.
“It should be about time for shift changes,” Larsen replied. “The plan’s not perfect, but we only need it to get you through the next half hour.”
“What happens after a half hour?” Johnson asked.
“Hopefully I’ll have you out of here by then,” Larsen said as he hung the chart on the railing of Johnson’s bed. “I’ve looked at enough of these charts the last two days that I think your new chart should look official. Now just pretend you are sleeping until I get back. They won’t be looking for me, so I’m going out to see what they are doing. Remember, if someone wakes you up to ask a question, remember your name is Joe.”
“What if they ask me a question?” Johnson whispered.
“Pretend they just woke you out of a deep sleep,” Larsen replied. “You’re still half asleep, just play dumb.”
Larsen slipped out into the hallway and Johnson rolled on his side, facing away from the door and pulled the blanket up over the side of his face.
Chapter 12
August 12th, Granite Mountain
Tony walked with Mason and helped him carry his duffel bag and weapons out to the plane.
“I wish I was going with you on this mission,” Tony said. “I asked the Captain to let me go, but he said that he wanted me here. But this should be an easy mission, in fact the President will probably throw you a party when you get to Cheyenne Mountain.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Mason laughed, “like that mission we went on in Afghanistan. If I remember they were so happy to see us they launched about fifty RPGs to welcome us. It was quite a party, I wouldn’t have minded it so much if they would have at least had some cold beer.”
“Maybe you’ll get lucky this time,” Tony grinned.
“You did say that Coors Brewery was right next to Cheyenne Mountain?” Mason smiled.
“According to the advertisement I read,” Tony replied. “Maybe you can get Pete to circle over Colorado Springs on the way home so you can get a look at the brewery. Maybe that can be our next mission.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mason laughed. “If we want to look for signs of life, a brewery would be the first place I would look if I was in charge.”
“Something tells me you’re not in charge because you have probably made more than a few too many visits to a brewery in the past,” Tony grinned.
“Politics,” Mason growled. “I always said the Marines would have been better off without all the politics.”
“Talk about politics, you should probably watch your mouth when you meet the President,” Tony said. “Telling someone to kiss your ass was how you got busted from sergeant back down to a private. You don’t want to put your recent promotion in jeopardy.”
Mason laughed, “Hey, he needs me more than I need him. Besides, the way I see it, there isn’t much of a future left in the Marines anymore.”
Pete walked up to where Tony and Mason were talking.
When he saw Tony, he got a big smile on his face.
“Tony, I was hoping to see you here before we took off,” Pete said. “I was hoping you could do me a favor?”
“Sure, Pete,” Tony replied. “What do you need.”
“I was hoping you could have a talk to your buddy here for me,” Pete smiled. “He doesn’t seem to listen to a word I tell him.”
“I know the feeling,” Tony grinned, “I’ll try, but he never listened to a damn thing I ever told him either. What’s he doing now?”
Pete pointed to a bullet hole in the side of the turboprop.
“If you would explain to him that he shouldn’t shoot up our plane, it would increase our chances of getting back.”
“Damn it, Pete,” Mason said. “That was an accident.”
Tony chuckled as he looked at the bullet hole.
“This looks like the shot came from inside the plane,” Tony said.
“It did,” Pete smiled.
“I don’t think talking to him will do any good,” Tony said. “I think you’ll have to do what I used to do. I wouldn’t give him any live ammunition until after you land.”
Pete and Tony started laughing.
“We’re just messing with you, Mason,” Pete said. “There isn’t anyone I would rather have going with me on this mission.”
“Except for me,” Tony added.
“Well that goes without saying,” Pete grinned.
“Pete, maybe you can do me a favor,” Tony said.
“If I can, we will be taking off in a few minutes,” Pete replied.
“It’s not anything that you can do now, but on your way back, if you have the fuel and the time,” Tony said and slapped Mason on the back, “Circle over Colorado Springs and give our buddy here a look at the Coors Brewery. It would really mean a lot to him to get a look at the promised land.”
“Consider it done,” Pete laughed. “As long as he doesn’t shoot us down before we get to Cheyenne Mountain.”
“You’re lucky I like you Pete,” Mason said.
Their conversation was interrupted when the others came out to the plane.
John and Ed carried their duffel bags over to the plane and tossed them into the cargo area of the plane.
The Captain, Doc and Chervy came over to Pete and Tony.
“I still haven’t seen any signs of activity at Cheyenne Mountain,” Chervy said. “But we’ll keep watching. If we see anything of interest I’ll give you a call.”
“Also after you land,” the Captain said. “Contact us and we’ll keep a close watch on the entrance as you make your way to the facility. We’ll do all we can to spot anything that moves or looks out of place, but once you get inside, if you can get inside, you will be on your own. Just be careful and use your head.”
“If you are able to make contact with the President,” Doc added, “Assess the situation and after you have a feel for what is there, contact us to let us know what you think. I would like to get you opinion on the situation there before we talk to the President.”
“You don’t trust politicians?” Pete asked.
“Hell no!” Doc replied. “I want your take on what is happening there before I talk to him. It will be helpful to know what he is up to before he tries to talk us into doing something that might not be in our best interests. Politicians always talk out of both sides of their faces. You can be damn sure he won’t be suggesting actions to make our lives better, his welfare will be the main driving force in what he wants from us.”
“I can agree with you on that point,” Tony laughed. “Politicians have never done anything to make my life easier. If anything, they just stir up a hornet’s nest that I have to go in and try to clean up their mess.”
“But if we do contact the President, he is our Commander and Chief,” Chervy said. “Don’t we have to obey his orders?”
“We’ll see,” Doc replied. “As far as I am concerned right now, until I see what he wants, I’m from the country of Granite Mountain and he is the president of Cheyenne Mountain. I’ll consider negotiating in good faith.”
“Just do your job, see what you find there and assess the situation and report back,” Captain Byron said. “Then we’ll decide how to proceed from there. He is our Commander and Chief, but these are strange times in uncharted waters.
But before we can face those problems, we first have to make contact and we aren’t going to make contact unless we get this plane off the ground. Let’s ge
t this show on the road.
And men, Good Luck.”
The four men climbed into the plane as the others moved away from the plane and moved back closer to the entrance of the facility.
Pete started the engines and let the plane idle while he went through his preflight checklist.
“Pete?” the Captain’s voice came over the radio.
“Yes, Captain,” Pete replied.
“Something sounds off,” the Captain said. “Is there a problem with the engines?”
“The engines are running a little rough right now,” Pete replied. “It could be that the fuel we got from the airport is starting to degrade or there could be water in the fuel from condensation caused by the tanker sitting out on the runway for a few months. Or it could be we need a tune up.”
“Is that going to be a problem?” the Captain asked. “Do you feel the plane can complete the mission with any of those problems?”
“I think we are fine,” Pete replied. “If the roughness is because we need a tune up, there isn’t anything we can do about that. But as far as the mission today, we shouldn’t have any problems flying this distance except we might use more fuel than normal. If it’s water or degraded fuel, hopefully it will smooth out as the engine temperature heats up. In either case, we should be fine for this short mission, however if it continues, we may have to consider finding another means of transportation for future missions.”
“OK, proceed with the mission,” the Captain said, “but if you feel uncomfortable after you have been in the air for ten minutes, turn the plane around and come back to base.”
“Will do, Captain,” Pete replied.
Pete revved the engines and spun the plane around on the road so that it was facing away from the entrance.
He then pushed the throttle forward and the plane began moving down the road towards the wreckage of the overturned Seahawk helicopter.
As they approached the helicopter, the plane’s wheels lifted off the roadway and the plane rose into the air, passing over the wreckage and out over the cliffs of the mountain side.
As the plane gained altitude, Pete guided the plane around the peaks and circled back to pass over the entrance to Granite Mountain.
As he passed over the facility, he picked up the radio and pressed the send button.
“Captain, the engines have smoothed out, we’re looking good up here,” Pete said.
“Good to hear,” the Captain replied. “Keep me informed on your progress.”
“Will do,” Pete replied and set the radio down on the controls.
He looked down at the instruments and set the plane on course for Cheyenne Mountain.
When he reached cruising altitude, he brought the plane’s speed up to five hundred miles an hour.
If all went well, they would be over Cheyenne Mountain in a little over an hour.
The engines sounded good, so Pete settled in to enjoy the flight.
He had done this sort of thing many times in the past.
He much preferred flying a plane to flying a helicopter.
He enjoyed the higher altitude of an airplane and in the event of an emergency, he could always jump out of a plane with a parachute, an option he didn’t have in a low flying helicopter.
Not that Pete was worried about running into any problems, but it was comforting to know he had that option if needed.
Pete looked over his shoulder when he heard movement behind him and saw Mason move up next to him and drop down in the copilot’s seat.
“The other two Bozos went to sleep so I thought I would come up and help you fly the plane,” Mason smiled. “How much longer before we get there?”
“Less than an hour now,” Pete replied.
“Do you think we will really find the President there?” Mason asked.
“I don’t know,” Pete replied. “Air Force One is there, so it’s possible.”
“It sounds like Doc hopes the President isn’t there,” Mason said.
“I don’t think Doc likes politicians,” Pete replied.
“Does anyone?” Mason laughed. “All they do is make your life complicated. I hate complicated.”
“Well, I guess we’ll know about the President soon,” Pete said. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“I don’t relax well on a plane,” Mason replied. “I hate flying. So I think I’ll just sit here and make sure you don’t fall asleep.”
Pete chuckled, “Good idea.”
The flight went quickly and soon Pete told Mason to go back and make sure the others were awake and to get prepared for the landing.
He returned a minute later and told Pete they were up and getting ready, then he sat back down in the copilot’s seat and strapped in.
A few minutes later, Pete pulled back on the throttle and brought the plane’s altitude down to three thousand feet.
“We’re going down and look around a little before we land,” Pete said. “Keep your eyes open and let me know if you see anything. Make sure there aren’t any obstacles on the road leading up to the facility. That’s where we are going to land.”
“I can see the road up ahead now,” Mason said.
“I’ll fly directly over the road so we can get a good look,” Pete said. “Try to get a good look at the entrance too if you can. It can help us decide how to approach the facility.”
“The road looks clear,” Mason said as they approached the facility. “There’s Air Force One, God that is a big plane. Did you ever fly anything that big?”
“No, not that big,” Pete replied. “That would be like flying a skyscraper. Flying something that big scares me. I prefer flying planes where I can turn around in my seat and see the back of the plane.”
“There are two other large jets there too,” Mason said. “Any idea who came in on them?”
“No, but if I had to guess, I’d say the President brought half of Congress with him,” Pete replied.
“More politicians,” Mason sighed.
“We’ll be over the entrance to the facility in a second,” Pete said. “Can you see what kind of doors or bars they have covering the entrance?”
Mason turned in his seat and strained to look down at the entrance as the plane passed over the mountain.
“There seems to be a paved road that leads into the tunnel,” Mason replied. “But I can’t see any kind of doors or gates.”
“I’m sure the facility has some kind of gated entrance further back in the tunnel,” Pete said. “Maybe something like Granite Mountain’s interior metal gateway.
We have a barred front entry barrier, but since Cheyenne Mountain was an active base, they skipped the bars, feeling two barriers weren’t necessary, and just paved the roadway straight into the facility.”
Pete banked the airplane in a wide circular pattern and began to line up his approach to the road below in a way that would lead them away from the facility.
He dropped the speed of the aircraft and glided down over the three jets parked outside the entrance to the facility and touched down on the road a few hundred yards past where the jets sat.
A half mile later, the turbo prop came to a stop on the road at the location where the Captain told him to park the plane.
A small rise sat between the entrance to the facility and where the plane was stopped, keeping the plane out of a direct line of sight from anyone at the facility that might want to take a shot it.
Pete picked up the radio and pressed the transmit button.
“Calling base, can you hear me?”” Pete said. “We have arrived.”
“I have you on my screen,” Chervy replied. “I have been following your progress. No sign of activity or any reaction to your arrival. No threats visible in any direction at this time.”
“We made one pass before landing to scan the layout,” Pete said. “I will proceed with our original plan with one exception. I feel posting Mason on the mound above the plane instead of here with me would increase overall security. He will have the high ground to
watch the plane, but he will also be able to cover our movement to the entrance of the facility.”
“Very good, it’s your call,” the Captain’s voice sounded over the radio. “Use the walkie talkies to stay in contact with the men. When the men reach the entrance, you may lose contact. If you can, contact me with an update. If not, it’s your call on what to do next. Good Luck.
Any feelings or concerns?”
“None at this time,” Pete replied.
“Then you may begin,” the Captain said.
“I’ll watch your back,” Chervy added. “Remember if you see the President, tell him that we all voted for him.”
Pete laughed.
“Commencing operation,” Pete said then added. “Out.”
Pete shut off the engines and the sound inside of the plane became an eerie silence.
John and Ed stuck their heads into the cockpit.
Pete pulled out the bag containing four walkie talkies and passed one out to each of the men.
“We’re a go,” Pete said. “I want the three of you to go up the hillside on our right. Mason, take up a position near the top and use your scope to watch the entrance.
John, Ed, then I want you to work your way over to the entrance. Mason will cover you along the way. Mason, every few minutes, scan the area behind the plane, but your main focus is to be on the entrance and to protect our advance.
Ed, when you and John reach the entrance, after you look over the entrance, get off to the side and contact me and we will decide what our next step will be.
Any questions?”
“If I see anything, do I have your OK to shoot?” Mason asked.
“Only if it’s an immediate threat to our men,” Pete replied. “If it doesn’t appear to be an immediate threat, just advise what you see.”
Mason nodded.
“Then let’s go,” Pete said. “Use your head and protect yourself, but don’t get trigger happy. In all probability, all we are going to encounter is more of our own people. Our objective is to make contact, not to attack the facility. Use your best judgement but keep our objective in mind.”