“Tony, can you make it work?” Fritz asked.
“I'm using the clay to absorb some of the shock, but you could get a real jolt. I think it'll work.”
“What about the planes?”
“On the way. Fortunately, we have the same guys as before, so they know what to do. They're five minutes out.”
Fritz sighed and asked Jim to help with the equipment. “Let's be ready when the planes get here.” The duffels dumped, Jim and Steve helped Ashley and Fritz bulletproof themselves. Tom Jaffrey, Liz, and Al returned. Seeing Fritz and Ashley attired in body armor, Tom whistled, a high-pitched trill that tailed off as he ran out of breath.
“Fritz, are you sure you should do this? What can I do?”
“George and Tony know the routine, Tom. Stay away from the door. If we're lucky, we'll be right back. Do any of you know how to shoot?” While he talked, he placed the paperclip on the private meeting room. Tom followed each movement.
Al said, “Yeah, Army.”
“Jim, give him a pistol. Give Tony one, too. George, have a phone ready.” Fritz turned to reassure his boss. “We've been here before, George.”
“I'm ready,” George answered. A new sight crossed Fritz's eyes. Not the principal he argued with on a regular basis. George wore a warrior's face, grim and determined.
“Stay in Sandy's room, George. I hope I won't need to call. Tony, are we ready?”
“I stripped the cord, so we have a direct contact. The clay should hold it to the doorknob. The planes are overhead. So let's try it.”
“Liz, Tom, Al, George will explain everything while we're gone. Okay, everyone in the hall.”
Fritz looked at Ashley, who was ready and waiting. A knot tightened in his stomach. “Call Jane and tell her we're ready.”
Fritz took the doorknob, twisted, and pulled. The shock was much stronger than before. Jim ran in, with Steve, Ashley, and Fritz right behind. As the door closed, rapid gunfire startled those in the hallway. Al nudged George away from the door and barked at him to get into what had been Sandy's classroom.
The shooting had started the second before Fritz entered. He surveyed the entire space as the small room's door to the corridor opened and armed men entered. In the center, the president sat in an armchair, his hands behind his back. When a gunman took aim at the Commander in Chief, Fritz pointed, squeezed, and watched blood spatter around the well-appointed private meeting room. The others continued to exchange fire, a snare drum of rapid beats, but Fritz ran to the president and pulled him to the floor behind a sofa. In the space of seconds, the two guards who had already been inside and six terrorists who entered later had been killed. Surprise and speed had worked.
“We have to go, Mr. President.” Fritz lifted him to his feet and freed his hands.
“Fritz, is that you?” He couldn't see through the face plate of Fritz's helmet.
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Tom's been shot again. He's in that room, next door. And the shooting is going to bring more of them. Mel's here somewhere, too.”
“Mr. President, go through the portal. We'll get Tom and find Mel. But you have to get out of here. We'll be right behind.” As Ashley headed to get Tom, Mel's face poked around the doorway.
“Don't shoot. Secret Service,” Mel said. “The attackers are on the elevator. Get out of here.”
Ashley walked from the adjoining room supporting a blood-soaked Tom Andrews, upright but barely conscious. Jim went to help. More noise erupted from the hall. Mel knelt in the doorway, and Steve stood above, shooting an automatic rifle.
“Go. Now,” Mel yelled at the civilians. “There's a bunch. One has a bomb strapped.”
Fritz walked through with the president, with Ashley behind, supporting Tom, and they all moved away from the doorway. Moments later, the door opened as Steve, Jim, and Mel hurtled out ahead of an explosion that hurled debris against the door. Fritz slammed the door shut.
Sandy's classroom emptied. Reacting to Tom Andrews' condition, George called for an ambulance. The president, though still stunned, realized the mistake and told George to cancel. George called and apologized, saying a school drill was in process. He hadn't meant the call to go through. The president asked to sit down and took out his phone.
“Fritz, I need a few minutes alone. Take care of Tom.”
“Yes, sir. Are you all right? Can I get you anything?”
“Water would be good. Tony, keep the portal live for now.”
The president went into Sandy's classroom.
“Water,” said Fritz.
“I'll get it. I have the keys,” George said and trundled down the hall. Fritz ran through his door to get his jacket, the only thing he could think of to act as a pillow for Tom Andrews. Everyone except Mel followed him in.
“Fritz, this is unreal,” Liz Chambers said.
“I know what you mean, but it's real.” Looking at his fellow rescuers, he said, “Are you okay?” They said they were, and he ran out again. Ashley was right behind him. “How's Tom?”
Mel said, “He's hurt. He's been beaten, not shot. There may be internal bleeding. We've got to get him to a hospital.”
Ashley said, “I'm gonna call Jane.”
Mel reacted. “Wait for the president, Mr. Gilbert. He may not want her occupied just yet.”
“I'll get my computer and see if there's news.”
George reappeared, pulling a cart filled with drinks and sandwiches. He took out a bottle of water and took it to the president. When he returned, he said an ambulance was on its way from the airport.
“I thought Jane said no one would be there,” Fritz said. George said they were Secret Service agents, not the military crew.
“Airport?” Tom Jaffrey asked, bewildered and curious.
“Part of the story, Tom.”
“I'll bet this is a lot more interesting than what you told us in the spring,” said Liz.
“Did the president come through the portal the day he played ball with the kids in the gym?” Al asked.
“Yes, Al. I'll tell you the whole thing when we're done.”
Fritz and Ashley still had on the body armor and were holding their weapons. So as not to startle them, Jim whispered that they should put the safeties on.
“Now what?” George asked, his arms extended, palms up.
That pose conveyed the old George to perfection, Fritz thought. “So far, so good. But we need to finish up before school ends,” he said. “As soon as the president says okay, we should probably have a bathroom brigade for the kids. Just not down here.” George frowned and nodded.
A black Suburban pulled up at the door. Two men stepped out and went to the rear hatch. One grabbed a bag and the other a stretcher. They headed straight to Tom, who had lost consciousness.
Ashley searched his computer for news. Incomplete stories about a possible raid on the meeting were beginning to leak out. One report said there had been an explosion and a significant portion of the interior had collapsed. Smoke could be seen escaping from upper-story windows. Another reported the president had been killed. Both stations announced they were awaiting video.
The president rejoined them and waved to his other agents. Fritz watched them lift Tom gently on to the stretcher. He doesn't look good. He asked Ashley, “Have you spoken to Jane?”
“Waiting on the president. Shall I call?”
“Yes,” said the president. “I need to talk to her. She needs to get out of Geneva.” Ashley sighed, his shoulders relaxing when she answered.
“Are you okay?” he asked. “The president wants to talk to you.”
“You got him? Thank God. I just heard an explosion inside.”
“He's here. Hang on.”
“Jane. Yes, I'm fine. Go directly to the embassy in Bern. They're waiting for you.”
“Mr. President, I'll get her now,” Ashley said. “We have a map of the building. Where is she?”
“Jane, wait a second. Where are you now? Ashley will use the portal for y
our transportation.” The president told Ashley she would wait next to the United Nations flag down from the main entrance to the building. “She's sending you a picture.” Ashley went to the computer in his classroom. In a minute, he returned with the printed photo, which showed soldiers and police walking by the peace monument.
“Got it.” The irony of the monument struck him, and he laughed.
“Stay there. Ashley will come get you.”
“Fritz. Map,” Ashley said. They reviewed the best place to put the clip. Ashley took back his phone.
“I should be coming through about twenty feet to your left. I'll look for you.” She told him she would be watching for him. Shedding the body armor, he ran down the hall.
GENEVA'S PINK evening sky enhanced the snowcapped Alpine peaks in the distance and provided a stunning backdrop for the gray of soldiers exiting trucks and setting up road blocks. But the glow was fading, and the shadows of evening were fast erasing light from the streets. Glancing to his right, Ashley spotted Jane right away. She wore her black dress and the red, white, and blue paisley scarf he had given her.
She was searching for him through the tangle of uniforms. When she spotted a glowing rectangle and then Ashley waving, she headed toward him. He kissed her and took her hand. Ashley had been gone only a couple of minutes, and Fritz closed the door after them, glad to hear it click.
“I almost walked over a cop when I went through. The streets are blocked with soldiers.” Ashley breathed deeply, exhaled, and said, “But here we are again.”
The president said, “Thanks, Ashley. We all need to leave now.”
Jane kissed Ashley. Al and Tom Jaffrey stared as the Suburban pulled away.
* * *
TELEVISION REPORTS were coming in, but they had no video yet. “Where did the explosion occur?” the man asked. “Elevator shaft? That's not good,” he repeated the report. “Which wings?” he asked. Not liking the answer, his displeasure erupted. “Get to the other one. NOW! Is the president's room covered? Jesus Christ, where did you get these guys?” The man slammed down the phone.
Chapter 14
“SO THAT'S IT?” asked Tom Jaffrey, turning to Liz Chambers. “What did we just see? Everything happened so fast.” He looked at the men standing in the hall.
With the excitement over, returning the school to normal propelled George. “We need to clean up the mess in this hall fast, end the lockdown, and get the kids back to class. We can talk when they're gone. After school, come to Fritz's classroom. I'll make an announcement now.”
“George, wait a minute,” Fritz said. “Can we dismiss school now? We only have about an hour to go. Or keep the lockdown in place until the end of the day? It's going to be hard to get back to normal.”
“We can't dismiss school, it would mess with carpools and, well, you know. On the other hand, they all missed lunch, so we should let them get something to eat. We can tell them it's still part of the lockdown and they have to go straight to the cafeteria and back to where they were and stay there.”
“And they'll all be asking questions. Send them home. If they need a ride, tell them to come to the office. George, we don't know if the president will need the portal again.”
“Fritz, I can't send them home.” George said the kids could get lunch and by the time they were all fed, the day would be over. No lockers, not allowed in the halls. The teachers would stay with them. “I'll announce it and go to the cafeteria myself. No one can get near this hall. You take care of everything here.”
Stripping off his body armor, Fritz told Jim to get his stuff together. Both police officers went to Fritz's room to gather and pack their gear. Still wide-eyed, Tom Jaffrey watched the completion of the afternoon's adventure. Al handed his pistol to Fritz and said he would be back, his stare as blank as a student who doesn't know an answer on a test. Tony disconnected the electrical cord and removed the clay from the doorknob, asked Fritz to store it in an airtight container of some sort in case they needed it later, and handed his pistol to Jim Shaw. In less than seven minutes, the presence of armed policemen preparing to leave provided the only remaining indication that anything had happened.
“Mr. R, now that we've swept up and taken the mess out to the garbage bins, we're going to get out of here too. I'll explain to Steve, but will you let us know how this turns out?”
Fritz shook hands with both of them. “Thanks, Jim, Steve. I'm sure you'll be hearing from the White House soon. In the meantime, let me tell you what the president will say. Thank you, and not a word to anyone. This is highest classification of top secret. On a personal need-to-know basis only. If you want to come back when school's over, you'll be welcome. If not, we'll talk again. Take care. Oh, take this,” he said, handing the pistol to Jim. As the men were leaving, George's announcement blared through the school.
Fritz looked around to speak to Ashley, who had been silent, but he wasn't there. “Tom, Liz, would you watch at the end of the hall to make sure no one comes down here?”
“Fritz, I'm numb. I can't believe what my senses are telling me,” said Tom. “Now I have a million questions.”
Liz said, “I thought your story was pretty cool, but now I'm not so sure. How did this happen?”
“I'll explain everything when the kids are gone. Just come back later. Then we can talk. Where's Ashley, do you know?” Fritz asked.
“I think he's in his classroom,” Tom said.
Fritz waved for Tony to come with him. Sitting at his desk, head cradled in his hands, Ashley didn't flinch when the door opened.
“Are you okay, Ash?” asked Fritz.
“No. I killed three of those guys. In seconds. I can see it. They didn't have a chance.”
Tony said, “They wouldn't have given you a chance, Ashley. They kidnapped the president. They beat Tom Andrews. Viciously. We don't know if he'll make it or how many they killed. They blew up some of the building, and they would have killed you.” He leaned over Ashley's desk. “You just went to war.”
“Ash, we'll talk about this when the kids are gone.” Fritz tried to divert Ashley's attention to something that mattered to him. “Have you called Jane? Is she okay?”
“She's with the president. I'll call her later. I've never killed a man. I feel very strange.”
“It could have been you, Ash. I killed one, too. He was aiming for the president. Maybe it just hasn't hit me yet. I can tell you, I'm not looking forward to telling Linda. Ash, we need to be in the present. We're still at work. Let's go to my classroom.”
Sitting in the front row, Al Kennedy had been scrutinizing the empty room but jumped up when the door opened, as though he were doing something he shouldn't be.
“Sit down, Al,” said Fritz. “George, Liz, and Tom will be here in a second.”
“I'm not sure if I should be here. Fritz, I'm in over my head. I hope you'll explain everything to this old fella. Wow!”
“Al, believe me, I understand how you feel.”
Ashley took his computer and sat at a desk in the back. Tony sat at Fritz's desk. Other than the occasional clicks of computer keys, silence filled the room, each of them busy with his own thoughts.
“Any news, Ash?”
“I don't know, not looking.”
Al said, “But you got the president. He was here, right?”
A click, a squeak, and a bang announced George's return with Liz Chambers and Tom Jaffrey, his glassy look mirroring the gym teacher's. Liz stared at Fritz, her face displaying questions fighting to get out. George asked, “Is everyone okay, Fritz?”
“No physical damage. Ash is stressed, and I think the others are struggling.”
George faced the teachers with his hands clasped behind his back. “I asked two teachers to watch this hall so Liz and Tom could get lunch. So let's be quick. The portal is real. We just saved the President of the United States from terrorists.” He scanned their faces to make sure he had their attention and went on. “We also ended Naria's nuclear program, saved the Eledorian ambas
sador and his family, rescued five-hundred Israelis, and had a visit from the Israeli Prime Minister. We've had dinner at the White House, three times, been to Camp David, met the Secretaries of Defense and Energy, the Director of the CIA, and a bunch of Secret Service agents, including Tom Andrews, who left here today in pretty bad shape. This isn't name-dropping. I'm just trying to explain how involved we've been.” He looked at Fritz and then back at the others. “The biggest problem I have is keeping all this quiet and not bringing unwanted attention to the school. The president will probably be in touch with you later to thank you and swear you to secrecy. Do you have any questions?”
“I have one,” said Fritz, smiling at the new George. “What's come over you?”
“Oh. Right. Fritz, this has to stop. I'm getting too old for so much excitement.” When he smiled, Fritz knew the world around him really was changing.
Looking at the teachers, Fritz said, “You just heard what's passed through that door. You saw us go through it to a Geneva meeting room, kill terrorists, and rescue the president and two agents. You saw Ashley rescue Jane, who happens to be an Army major and Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security.”
“Fritz, how in the world did this happen?” Tom asked.
“Yeah,” said Al, who couldn't stop shaking his head.
“I know this is hard to believe. You remember last spring when lightning hit me?” They all nodded. “I guess I would say I found a real Tardis, a wormhole or something. The visit with Robert E. Lee and witnessing the Triangle Fire actually happened. That same day, I walked into the Oval Office with George. That's when the president came to the gym and shot baskets. At the end of May, we figured out how the portal works, and the president asked me to open it to rescue the ambassador and his family.”
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