“Colonel?” Pete Golding was shocked beyond words as he stared at Jack.
“Doc, I take it we had a problem?” Collins said as he took Golding’s hand in his own and shook.
“They hit hard and fast, Colonel,” Pete said sadly. He escorted the four men past the Group personnel and finally entered the computer center, where Pete sat on the edge of one of the desks.
Jack saw the damage to the bulletproof glass and the blood that still streamed down the wall nearest the door.
“It was my fault. I assumed the virus planted in Europa had run its course after having delivered the message. I never considered that the virus would mutate at a chosen time and shut down all security systems and … and … well, everything, just everything.”
Collins looked at Everett and shook his head. Everett had given a complete report on what was happening in the world since his trip to Valhalla, but Carl just didn’t know how much of the information Jack had retained.
“Doc, is Europa online?”
“Well, her peripheral systems, such as lights and phones, yes. But until I can tear down her advanced programs and find that bug, she won’t be of help to us for at least twelve hours.”
Jack patted him on the back. “Get whatever help you need, even if you have to bring in the Cray people, but get her up. We need her.” Jack shook Pete’s shoulder until he finally looked up. “Is there anything else, Pete?”
Golding looked away and then down at the floor.
“We tried to help her, Colonel. She was right there in front of us, but we couldn’t get to her.”
“Who?” Everett asked,
“Sarah. She was fighting back … hell … she was the only one fighting after security was taken out. When we thought they were going to kill her, a man came out of nowhere and stopped them. They took him also.” He looked into Jack’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Jack.”
With a pat on Golding’s back, Collins looked around the computer center at the many technicians that were already tearing into Europa’s peripheral systems. He knew Pete would have to head for the clean room to get into her deep-seated programming. He decided to leave Golding to his daunting task.
“By the way, Doc,” Jack said, turning around and facing Pete before he reached the door. “You’re in temporary command of the department—acting director. We’ll meet again in a few hours, so get a replacement lined up in the comp center.” Jack looked at his watch. “Until then, I’ll report to the president—he’ll want to speak with you, so don’t get lost.”
Pete watched Jack as he turned for the door. He was in shock that the chain of ascension had never once occurred to him during this entire god-awful mess. Then he remembered something.
“Colonel Collins?”
Jack stopped but didn’t turn around, but Everett, Ryan, and Mendenhall did.
“I have to meet with you and the captain in private. I may have discovered who the mole and traitor is. However, I need Europa to assist me in confirming it. Also, the man that saved Lieutenant McIntire’s life—”Pete bit his lower lip and acted nervous, but continued after a moment’s pause. “It was the Frenchman—Henri Farbeaux.”
Collins closed his eyes as his jaw muscles clenched. Then he took a deep breath and left the center.
“Jesus, this is getting better and better,” Mendenhall said as he kicked at a large chunk of still smoldering wiring on the floor.
An hour later, Pete was on his back inside the Europa XP-7 clean room, where the brain of the system was housed. Pete had several clear programming rods in his mouth as he battled with a series of fiberoptic lines. Jack was watching him after showering, shaving, and getting a shortened checkup at the infirmary, only after promising he would be back for a more thorough exam.
His memory was retuning nicely, but the days leading up to his release were still fogged with more questions than answers. The doctor had the opinion that this memory loss may have been intentional because she found a substance in his blood that corresponded with induced coma. She suspected Jack was intentionally kept in a comatose state.
Everett joined him inside the clean room, which was anything but at that moment. None of the ten technicians present were dressed in electrostatic clothing or face masks.
“Jack, I placed Ryan and Mendenhall in charge of gathering everything we have on the attack. As soon as Pete hands off his duties to a replacement, I would suggest he continue on his mole hunt—that alone could answer a lot of questions for us.”
“Agreed,” Collins said as he watched Pete finally replace the crystal programming parts back inside the giant mainframe. Jack leaned over and turned on the microphone that would feed his voice into the programming chamber. “Doc, we have an appointment to keep in five minutes, and I don’t think he likes to be kept waiting.”
“We also have this, Jack.” Everett held out a plastic-covered sample pack. Inside was a silvery substance. “There is no record of an accelerant such as this—highly flammable, very stable.”
Jack looked it over and gave it back with no comment.
Pete was still sitting on the floor as he looked up through the thick glass. He pushed his glasses back up his sweating nose and saw it was the colonel, and instead of protesting about his time being usurped, he just nodded his understanding at the same moment another man entered.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but you have to leave now. When I reboot Europa’s systems, fun time is over and everyone goes back to playing by the clean room rules.”
Everett stepped out of the way of the small man. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Jack had to smile because he knew that Carl and Dr. Gene Robbins did not ever see eye to eye about anything.
“Well, the little dictator of the clean level has arrived,” Everett said.
Robbins ignored Everett and turned to Jack.
“Colonel, it is nice to see you again. Believe me when I say that your return was most welcome, and it made us in the computing division very happy. Welcome home,” he said, turning to look at Everett. “I assume, Captain, you have some bad guys to shoot and torture or something else heroic, so, if you’ll excuse me.” He reached over and informed Pete they were ready for the restart.
Jack raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, and then quickly stepped back out of Robbins’s way while nodding for Everett to join him in the corner of the clean room.
“God, what an ass,” Everett whispered.
“Yeah, but he’s good at what he does.”
“That’s one of the things that’s so infuriating about him.”
“I’m glad you two get along so well,” Pete said as he joined the two men, rolling his sleeves down. “Because you just met my replacement, the man who’ll be assisting you, Captain, in your quest to find the mole.”
Jack smiled as he clapped Everett on the back.
Everett didn’t notice Jack and Pete leave the room. He was busy thinking about the time he would have to spend with the most irritating and infuriating man in all creation.
Pete Golding sat down behind the desk of the director, never feeling more out of place in his life. Collins nodded that the link had been made, and the president was in and up at five thirty in the morning. The large monitor that was sided by fifty others came to life with the seal of the president. Then the picture switched to the man himself sitting at his desk in the Oval Office. A questioning look crossed the president’s features as he quickly saw that it wasn’t Niles on the Nellis end.
“Dr. Golding, isn’t it?”
“Uh, yes, Mr. President. As you may have heard, we’ve had some trouble here, both at the complex and Nellis itself.”
“I’ve been briefed on the air force losses, but nothing from your end.” The president looked uncomfortable, but continued, “Doctor, why aren’t I being briefed by Dr. Compton?” he asked worriedly.
“Sir, Niles, Dr. Pollock, Alice Hamilton, Senator Lee, and one of our officers, Sarah McIntire, were taken by the terrorist element that attacked the complex.”
; The president grew quiet for a moment. Hearing about the loss of his friend hit him hard, but he knew he couldn’t allow that to hinder his thinking.
“So, it all falls to you, Dr. Golding. Let’s start with the how. How in the hell did they get into my most secure reservation and kidnap my people?”
“We believe the Long Island meeting was a ruse to get our top security element away from the Group. They were not only one step ahead of us with the nonlethal ambush of the FBI, but actually two steps ahead with their assault here in Nevada. In both cases, none of these events could have been accomplished without inside assistance from our end.”
“Jesus!” The president forced himself to calm down and then looked into his camera. “Doctor, do you need a team of air police or marines to cover your complex and assist Captain Everett while you put the pieces back together out there?”
“Actually, I have a man here that would like to speak to you; he’s back home and has assumed his duties.”
Jack Collins sat at the small conference table and pulled one of the camera-equipped monitors toward him.
The face of the president did not register a reaction at first, but stared into his monitor with a quizzical look.
“I’m getting that reaction a lot tonight,” Jack said.
“Colonel Collins, how in the hell are you?”
It was a greeting from one soldier to another. Jack smiled and nodded his head.
“I’m fine, sir. From what I’m told, I’ve been boating with the same people that hit us tonight. I have very little memory of my time with them, but I’m working on it, with the help of modern science.”
“Yeah, I can imagine what it is they want to do to you. Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to let Captain Everett handle duties there for a while?”
“No, sir, we have missing people and it would drive me crazy sitting on the sidelines. Captain Everett is still in charge of Group security, and I’m going to assist.”
“Well, Colonel, I am surely in no position to argue your point. As you may or may not know, we’ve got a serious threat on our hands. The navy has informed me that we may be dealing with an unknown who is equipped with far superior sciences. Now we have an economic knife at our throat, and the blade’s going to start digging in.”
“I see,” Jack said as he turned and looked at Pete who was again biting his lower lip and absentmindedly cleaning the lenses of his glasses.
“Colonel, we are commencing convoy escorts tomorrow. I cannot allow a terrorist threat to damage our economy. So any information you may come across, inform me right away.” The president took a deep breath, looking tired and frustrated.
“We will, sir.”
“Colonel, you did an extraordinary job in the Med. Welcome home.”
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
“Dr. Golding, get me a line on who in the hell we’re dealing with and a way to find them.”
Pete was about to answer when the monitor went dark.
“Jesus, what a damn mess,” he said as he turned to look at Jack across the room.
“Yeah, Doc, it is. Now let’s go start cleaning it up.”
8
THE GULF OF MEXICO,
THREE HUNDRED MILES
SOUTH OF GALVESTON, TEXAS
Niles, Virginia, Alice, and Senator Lee watched as Sarah checked on the condition of Henri Farbeaux. The Frenchman had been out cold for most of the flight south. It was only in the past few minutes he had started mumbling. Only Sarah caught the name: Danielle. She even heard a small whimper escape the colonel’s lips. Sarah moved a lock of hair from his eyes and studied the man’s face. She still hadn’t said anything about the reasons for Farbeaux’s arrival at the complex to Niles or the others—she would keep that to herself for the time being, for reasons she didn’t fully understand herself.
“How is he doing?” Niles asked from his seat at the left side of the strange aircraft.
Sarah turned and looked at the fifteen soldiers that had assisted in carrying out the raid. Most were sleeping, and a few were joking and talking—just like soldiers the world over. Thus far, the tall man, the brute in charge, had not deigned to join them since their departure. Not one word had been spoken to them during the flight other than an offer of coffee. Right now, they couldn’t care less about their conversations.
“The tranq they used was a powerful one. Getting hit in the neck probably has something to do with his being out so hard.”
“As long as I live, I will never be able to understand our friend here,” Senator Lee said, nodding at Farbeaux as he gently moved his right shoulder so that Alice wouldn’t awaken.
“He’s a dangerous man,” Virginia said without much sympathy.
“They wanted to kill him. He did, after all, save young McIntire’s life, making him somewhat of an enigma,” Lee said.
“Niles, what was the final word from Captain Everett?”
“The last communication was that they recovered the package and were on the way back. I didn’t allow him the opportunity to specify what the package was because of the communication security concerns,” Compton said, answering Virginia’s question.
“Well, I hope Mr. Everett turns out to be as good a sleuth as Jack—” The senator stopped short of finishing his sentence as he looked at Sarah.
She slowly stood as Alice awoke, hearing Garrison Lee cross a boundary. Even in sleep, she had to babysit the man.
“Look, all of you have to quit tiptoeing around me about Jack. I’m a soldier first, and sometimes we lose people. So don’t fool yourselves thinking I’ll fall to pieces every time someone mentions his name. Please, knock it the hell off.”
The four people looked at her and said nothing.
“Brave little Sarah—sometimes I wish I were half as brave. But, who is fooling whom?”
Sarah turned and looked down at Colonel Farbeaux, who was on one elbow and looking up at her. He removed the damp cloth and held it at arm’s length, looking at it.
“A courtesy to a fallen enemy?” he said as he let the cloth slip through his fingers to the rubberized deck.
“Sarah has always had an affinity for injured animals,” Virginia said, to the shock of the others.
“Indeed, and I assure you, Ms. Pollock, this animal is appreciative of her humane efforts,” Farbeaux said, his eyes locking briefly onto Virginia’s.
“Thus far, Colonel, we are at a loss as to why you chose this particular moment to visit the Event Group. Was it just taking advantage of an opportunity, curiosity, or some darker intent?” Niles asked as he stood and handed Farbeaux a cup of lukewarm coffee.
“Ah, Director Compton, we finally meet in person.” As he sipped the coffee, Farbeaux looked over and saw the old man with the eye patch. He immediately sat up, even though it hurt his head. “The legendary Senator Lee. I am truly in esteemed company,” he said as he half-bowed.
“Always nice to be admired by one’s enemy; it could someday work to my advantage,” Lee said, nodding toward the colonel.
“As you know from our dealings in the past, Director Compton, opportunity has been linked to my name from time to time.”
Silence met Farbeaux’s answer as suddenly a soft whine filled the cabin. The pitch of the twin jet engines changed, and the angle of the craft went nose down. For the first time during the flight, the large assault leader made his way back toward them from the cockpit. He nodded at a few of the rougher looking men as he passed them. Then he was looking down at his six captives as the first rays of the sun came through the cabin windows.
“We are at our rendezvous point. If you will watch out of the left side of the aircraft, our pilot has graciously arranged a view none of you have ever witnessed before.” The man slowly sat down in an unoccupied seat next to Farbeaux, who eyed him with disdain and stood on shaky legs, holding a strap. “Please, sit down, relax, I think you’ll quite enjoy this. Let’s call it a learning experience,” the man said in his Irish-tinged accent.
The aircraft lost alt
itude much faster than any commercial plane could have. Because of the stubby wing design, the extreme tolerances experienced by the airframe held up during the steep dive to the sea below. Farbeaux had to sit down quickly, trying not to spill the coffee.
“Normally, the aircraft would hover over the water and then retract her wings and seal her intakes, thus allowing us to dive underneath the waves and meet our host. However, a demonstration of what your country—and others—is dealing with was deemed necessary.” The man looked at the faces sitting opposite him as the craft came within six hundred feet of the wave tops below.
As they watched out of the left side, a piercing tone penetrated their inner ears. Niles and the others covered their heads with their hands.
“Apologies, but we mark our location with a signal that penetrates water efficiently. The burst you hear was a coded transmission that also included our altitude and location to within half an inch. We wouldn’t want any accidents. Whales and dolphins also hear an embedded tone below that of human hearing, so this is a warning to them also to clear the area.”
The tone ended abruptly and they all watched the surface of the water far below. The gulf was calm as dawn broke, allowing the sun to dapple the waters with gleaming speckles of light. Suddenly the waters seemed to turn a lighter shade of green about three hundred yards to the side of the aircraft. Niles chanced a look at the tall man, who was watching their reaction with a smile. When Compton turned back to the large window, he saw giant bubbles breaking the surface of the gulf. Several of them were at least a hundred feet in diameter and rose another fifty feet into the clear air before bursting apart in what looked like an explosion of vapor.
“Good God,” Lee said as he watched in amazement.
They saw a shape rising from the depth of the clear sea. They would never know that this particular spot in the gulf was chosen specifically for its clarity. They watched as the bow of the great vessel rose through the depths, rounded and giant. The submarine broke the surface of the gulf of Mexico with an explosion of white water and sea spray, then kept rising as if it were fighting to free itself of an unwanted and hostile environment. It rose, seemingly never ending, and then rose even more. They saw the conning tower break the surface as it telescoped to its sky-reaching 125-foot height, and still the monster breached the air and sea with its length. It came from the sea like a mythical beast as it balanced in a perfect set-piece motion of a moment frozen in time.
Leviathan: An Event Group Thriller Page 16