by JC Ryan
Dekka nodded and took her hands in his. There was nothing else that could be said with words.
***
A young man, one of the original B’ran soldiers, entered the room, excitement clearly on his face. “Sir! We have detected some minor activity at the canyon location in the United States!”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Yes sir,” he pointed at the shiny, metal panel on the wall with a little device in his hand.
Some data, graphs, and text appeared on the panel.
“This could change everything, make it easier,” Viktor said. “We may have access to our erstwhile comrades, and they might be able to join us. How many of them could there be?
“I don’t know. But I will keep monitoring them and let you know,” the man said and left.
Chapter 73- And then there were three
Stephen Neeley looked quickly around his office, got up and began hurriedly shoving things into his briefcase.
A gentle knock sounded on his door, and his secretary stepped into the room. “General, President Hayden has called a meeting in the Oval Office in an hour.”
Stephen froze. “Fine, fine,” he said as he shoved a few more files in the briefcase. “I have a short meeting in a few minutes, but it won’t last long. I’ll be back in plenty of time.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll let him know.”
“Thank you, Carol, but don’t bother him – I’ll be back in less than thirty minutes!” he said as he picked up his suit jacket and headed for the door.
Now I have to disappear until seven o’clock tonight. What the hell am I going to do for four hours?
Leaving his car in the parking lot, he exited through the East Wing and headed for the pub frequented by many Senators and Congressmen.
Taking a seat near the back-door exit, he ordered a drink and tried to relax. About twenty minutes later, he quietly exited through the back door and hailed a cab.
“Where to?” the driver asked.
“Drive North,” he responded.
“I need an address mister.”
“I don’t have a destination yet, just drive.”
“Ok mister, it’s your money.”
***
Hayden pounded on the closed door, “Potter! I wanna talk to you NOW!”
Inside the office, General Joe Potter froze. Was Cameron right? Has Hayden come to kill me?
“Potter!” yelled Hayden again as he pushed open the door without an invitation to enter.
“Mr. President!” Potter greeted nervously, “What can I do for you?”
Hayden shut the door and composed himself. “I need your help, and this has to be kept quiet, between you and me only, understand?”
“Certainly, Mr. President.”
Hayden looked nervously around the room. “Laurie Campbell has been paying me visits, telling me things … she’s driving me to desperation.”
Potter’s brow creased and his mouth tightened in a slight frown. “But… but… she’s dead, Mr. President.”
“I already know that you moron,” Hayden shouted. “Do you think I’d come to you for help in dealing with a live person? I can take care of them myself.
“She’s coming to me in dreams and such. Can you help me get rid of that? Is there some kind of drug?”
“Uh, sure. Umm the best one would probably be Haldol.”
“How soon can you get me some?”
“I’ll have my aide get the prescription filled right away, sir.” Potter came around his desk to stand before Hayden,” it will be here after the meeting this afternoon.”
“Ok, thanks,” Hayden said, “See you at the meeting.”
As the door closed behind Hayden, a voice spoke to Potter, “you know you are the only one called to that meeting, don’t you?”
Potter swung around to see Laurie Campbell sitting in his chair. His heart vaulted, and he gasped for air from the sudden pain in his chest.
“H … how can you be here? You’re dead.”
“Hayden plans to kill you, you know.”
“Yes, so I’ve been told. Why are you telling me?”
“Because I’m mad as hell at all of you, and I’m using Hayden to seek my revenge and destroy him at the same time.”
“You’re a ghost with no physical form or ability. You can’t actually do anything to any of us except try to manipulate us with words.”
Laurie rose from the chair, “Are you sure?”
Before Potter could reply, he felt a stabbing pain in his butt where one of Roy’s spyders delivered a dose of Propofol. “Ouch! Bloody hell. What was that?”
Roy and Raj, still monitoring things back at Raven Rock gave each other a high-five and nearly rolled on the floor laughing when a silly, relaxed grin started spreading over Potter’s face as the Propofol took effect.
“Now Potter,” Laurie said, “you are going to go to the parking lot exit of the West Wing and take the stairs to the ground floor. You are not to go anywhere else, and you are not to speak to anyone. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma’am,” he replied, meek as a lamb.
“Good boy. On your way then.”
Potter turned without saying another word and left the room.
Laurie smiled as she vanished from sight.
Within minutes Kerinski and Mouse had Potter seated comfortably in a wheel chair, now fully unconscious, moving him smoothly toward the Blair house, destined for a cell at Raven Rock.
***
An hour later Hayden paced the Oval Office furiously, “Where the hell are they?” he yelled at the two colonels.”
Baum and Stillwater looked at one another in dismay. “I’m sure they’ll be here momentarily, sir,” Baum tried to speak soothingly.
“I don’t want them here in a moment; I told them to be here NOW! Find them. Both of you!” The two men scrambled out of the Oval Office.
“What’s got in to him?” Stillwater asked after they had put a safe distance between themselves and the raging president.
Baum looked around quickly and grabbed Stillwater by the arm, dragging him into a nearby office.
“This is just between you and me because I’m not sure how true it is, ok?”
“Yeah, sure,” Stillwater agreed.
“Again, I’m not sure how true it is, but I heard that Frayser was secretly working for the Rosslers and Hayden found out. He had Nguyen and Potter interrogate him and Potter accidently killed Frayser and then murdered Nguyen to cover it up.”
“Holy shit! How the hell did you find that out?”
“Let’s just say I have my sources. I’m guessing that Potter has gone into hiding.”
“Well, that makes sense with what I ah … heard.”
“What did you hear?”
“That Hayden wants Potter dead.”
“Wow! I wonder if Potter knows?”
Deciding that his involvement would probably best go unknown, Stillwater replied, “if he does, it would explain why he is not here.”
“Well, let’s see what we can find out.”
But when the two of them went their separate ways, it was not in search of the missing cabinet members; it was to find a quiet place to sit down and consider their own situations.
* * *
“Hayden, your stupidity amazes me. Those two are going to conspire against you; you shouldn’t have let them leave together.”
Hayden spun around to see Laurie once again seated at his desk in the Oval Office. “Get out of here and leave me the hell alone!” he yelled. He picked up a small statue sitting on the mantel of the fireplace and hurled it at her. It passed harmlessly through her and she laughed, “Looks like you’ve missed me!”
He launched himself at her, and just as he reached for her, she disappeared from the chair reappearing before the fireplace.
“Give it up, Thomas. You can’t lay a hand on me anymore. You can’t touch me, you can’t make me shut up, and you can’t make me go away.”
Hayden started screamed in a mad ra
ge, overturning his desk and kicking out a window.
His Secret Service agents rushed into the room, guns drawn.
Hayden reddened. “Get out of here! All of you get busy and find my advisors … all six of them! And if you don’t find them, don’t bother coming back!” he yelled as they scurried out of the way of flying objects he hurled at them.
A man’s voice laughed at him from the couch, and he looked up to see Abraham Lincoln sitting next to Laurie.
“You’re losing it, Tom. This is not the behavior of a leader. You’re acting like a two-year-old, Tom,” Lincoln said. “I’m deeply disappointed in you.”
“Noooo,” Hayden whimpered as he sunk to the floor and started sobbing.
“Aw look, Abe, you made him cry.”
“Yeah. Pathetic isn’t he.”
“Please go away and leave me alone,” Hayden sniffled.
“Not on your life,” Laurie spoke vehemently. “My dad taught me never to start a fight, but he also taught me that if I’m drawn into a fight, how to fight and win. You started this Tom; I will finish it.”
* * *
After pub hopping around the distant areas of the city for several hours, Neeley hailed another cab.
“Take me to the Bibiana,” he instructed as he settled himself in the back seat. It was an Italian restaurant near the hotel where Nguyen had instructed him to meet with ‘Fred.’
The taxi dropped him off and he went inside where he waited a few moments before making his way quickly to the hotel and into the bar. He was still early, so he settled himself in the darkest corner he could find and still see the room, and ordered a drink.
Half an hour later he saw a man matching Nguyen’s description of ‘Fred’ enter the bar and find a table. Neeley watched him and the rest of the room for several minutes. Deciding it wasn’t a trap Neeley got up and approached the table and took a seat.
‘Fred’ nodded at him. “Glad to see you made it … your friend is concerned.”
Neeley inclined his head in acknowledgment.
Looking around the room cautiously ‘Fred’ lowered his voice, “finish your drink quickly and let’s get out of here.”
Neeley complied, and they got up to leave.
‘Fred’ led him down a hallway and into the housekeeping area. They paused briefly to be sure the room was empty. “This way, quickly,” ‘Fred’ said. They crossed the room and descended a flight of stairs.
“Where does this go?”
“Basement exit where you won’t be seen leaving if someone followed you.”
As Neeley’s foot planted on the landing, he felt a sting on his neck and knew no more.
Mouse caught him as Kerinski maneuvered the wheelchair into position. They were on the monorail train to Raven Rock in less than a minute.
Chapter 74- Yes. I did
Brideaux picked himself up off the floor, “What the hell…?”
In the dim and flickering light, he saw his guard slowly picking himself up and noted that the Captain was also stirring. “What the hell happened, Captain?”
“I’d say we’ve gotten as close to the surface as we’re going to get.”
“Did we make it?” Brideaux demanded.
“I’ll need to check the photonics to tell,” he said, pointing toward another station at the back of the control room. “But I’m pretty sure we didn’t.”
“Help him over there,” Brideaux ordered his guard.
Locklin groaned in pain as he was assisted into the seat. He studied the screens, worked some switches, and watched the readouts for a minute and then stated, “Just as I thought, the ice is too thick. We weren’t able to break through it.”
“What? I ordered you to surface this ship.”
“I’d be happy to let you dig the rest of the way out if you like,” Locklin replied sardonically.
“Why the hell didn’t it work? I’ve seen pictures of subs with their towers sticking up through the ice.”
“You idiot, Brideaux,” the Captain snapped. “The ice those subs surfaced through was on the outer edges and only two or three feet thick at the most. The ice here is more than twenty feet thick.
“You’re just damn lucky we’re still here to talk about it. Now, I need my crew in here, and I mean right now.”
“Why?”
“Dammit Brideaux, I need a report from every compartment on this boat. For all I know we could be taking on water as we speak.” Locklin knew this was stretching the truth a bit because they did have warning systems that would tell them if they were, but Brideaux didn’t have to know that.
Brideaux bit back an angry retort and considered the Captain’s words. “Very well, Captain, but essential crew only,” he waggled the gun at Locklin, “essential crew only,” he repeated.
“Fine,” Locklin said and listed the names of the crew to cover the pilot, co-pilot, and two sonar positions. “I also need you to send two of my men to make a visual check on the boat … one forward and one aft, send them with as many guards as you think they need, but I have to send them.”
Nodding to his guard Brideaux sent him to fetch the men Locklin requested.
Within minutes they reported for duty and quickly began going through the information that was flowing into their stations.
A screeching, groaning metal sound rolled through the boat.
“What’s that?” Brideaux asked anxiously.
“Ice movement,” the Captain answered, and issued the order, “Take us down and clear of the ice.”
“Taking us down, aye sir,” the helm answered.
“What are you doing!” Brideaux squealed.
“Getting us away from the ice before we suffer more damage.”
“Iceberg dead ahead,” one of the sonar technicians yelled.
“Hard to port, down 30 degrees,” Locklin ordered
“Hard to port, down 30 degrees, aye, sir” parroted the pilot.
“Down 30 degrees, aye, sir” the co-pilot echoed.
“Too late, sir! Brace for impact!” the sonar technician shouted as he grabbed for handholds.
“All stop! Sound collision!”
“All stop, aye, sir!”
For the second time in less than an hour the klaxon blared. Locklin shouted over it, “Full reverse!”
“Full reverse, aye, sir!”
A deep churning sensation vibrated through the floor as the engines pulled the sub against its forward momentum. Groaning metal accompanied a hard impact and the sound of scraping followed along the side of the sub.
The scraping decreased as the sub dove deeper, pulling away from the iceberg.
“We’re clear sir!”
“Why didn’t it stop? Why did we still run into that iceberg?” Brideaux demanded.
“Because of inertia; a boat still glides with its momentum; it doesn’t stop like a car does.”
“All stop,” Locklin ordered.
“All stop, aye, sir.”
“What’s our depth now?”
“200 feet, sir.”
“Damage report.”
“Sonar sphere is down, chin sonar array still functional. Starboard number one array is also down. All the other side arrays are working. Sail array appears to have taken some damage but is still functioning at the moment; I wouldn’t trust it’s readings though.”
“Sir? I have a malfunction in both bow planes.”
“Can they be retracted?”
“Negative sir.”
“Shit,” Locklin glared at Brideaux. “If it weren’t for my orders, I’d kill you myself Brideaux.”
Pointing his gun at the Captain, Brideaux responded, “Watch your mouth Captain and remember who is really in control of this sub.”
“Captain Locklin of course,” said a voice from behind him.
Brideaux whirled around to see Rafael Martinez with a gun pointed right at him. Before his mind could fully process what he was seeing, Martinez pulled the trigger, and Brideaux slammed to the floor as if he’d been hit in his stomach by a t
wenty-pound hammer.
“That one is from me,” Martinez whispered. He adjusted his aim and fired again. “That’s for the young Ensign you tortured.”
Captain Locklin just watched as Brideaux writhed on the floor screaming and clutching his shattered knee. He was not going to interfere in this personal vendetta.
“You son-of-a-bitch, I’ll kill you for this!” Brideaux screamed.
“I think not,” Martinez replied and calmly fired a bullet into John Brideaux’s head. “And that is for my friend Ruben Weinstein,” he whispered.
He turned to Captain Locklin and handed him the gun—butt first. “Captain, the ship is yours. Your men are already free and ready to serve. My fellow Council members have been secured back in their quarters as before.” Motioning to the Council member serving as Brideaux’s guard he added, “We’ll go and join them now.”
Brideaux’s guard stood frozen in shock while the crewman nearest him relieved him of his weapon. He looked up at Martinez, “You killed him,” he said with impressed astonishment.
“Yes. I did,” he said as he turned to leave the control center, “and my only regret is I didn’t kill the bastard that night in Brussels.”
Chapter 75- They were forced together
Tawndo’s mouth went dry and he struggled to swallow as he deciphered the latest data he had syphoned from the Re’an data center at Tunguska.
“We can’t waste any more time arguing if it’s going to work or not.” Tawndo said, as he walked into the lab and heard Siasha and Linkola arguing.
They were startled at his discontented tone.
“They are mobilizing for an attack on us,” he whispered.
“But… we’re not ready...” Linkola protested.
“I have an idea,” Tawndo interjected.
“Let’s hear it then,” Linkola said cautiously.
“A computer codes and stores files in a server or disc somewhere for later retrieval and the brain is like a biological computer. Why can’t we just access his memories and download them into my chip?"
Linkola smiled, “that would seem to be the simple answer, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, the brain doesn’t work quite like that. It is a highly complex biological computer, as you put it, and it interacts with itself on many levels to create memory, thought, movement, emotions, senses, et cetera.”