CODE X:Episode 1

by M. R. Vallone

  “I don’t think so. Molly started to constantly rub her pregnancy bump, and not like a woman who’s in love with her baby does. It was really strange. When I asked her what was wrong, what happened, she just started crying and ran away from me into the restroom. This went on every day for a whole week. Then the next day, she was killed in a car accident on her way to work. Now, there are no records on her anywhere in the company. I checked.”

  Vicki warns her. “Be careful. Be suspicious even when you’re home at night. They could have your house bugged.”

  Candy replies, “Funny you should say that. I always feel like somebody’s watching me at home.”

  “I have that very same feeling.”

  Chapter 35

  Vicki is approached by Dr. Roberts, the young doctor in charge as research director, as she starts to enter her office. Along with him is a female technician. In the background softly plays the Little Drummer Boy song at the part, “Pa rum pum pum,” repeating itself coming out of the PA system.

  “Dr. Collins, sorry to bother you, but we need to talk to you privately.”

  Vicki reaches for the door and opens it. “No problem, come on in” She enters and offers a seat to the both of them in front of her desk. She sits down.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  The man speaks up. “Dr. Collins, I’ve been reading some research papers that were published to bone up on your new theory. I really think you might be onto something.”

  “Wonderful. I’m curious. Are you here to go over the information you researched?”

  “Uh…Uh. No. Quite the opposite. The paper that changed my mind about the project was an estimate on the workings of the human brain. It stated that we need a deeper understanding of the staggering intricacy of the estimated 1015 trillion cerebral synapses. That’s one thousand trillion synapses that may tell us a great deal more than we would learn counting neurons or looking at the configuration of the brain, as current studies now do. I’m very concerned we are tampering with the unknown, especially what effect it may have on the human race.”

  Vicki answers him, “Doctor, let me assure you that I intend to use my findings to help mankind move forward with cures and the elimination of disease. I don’t have any sinister plans for my discovery if it is found.”

  “I know, I know. I’m so embarrassed to have to talk to you about this. That’s why my girlfriend…Uh, you know Patricia…”

  “Yes, she’s a fine research technician.”

  The man nods. “That’s why we both came in here together. We want to discontinue working on the project and leave Alomet.”

  Vicki can’t help but do a double take at his statement. She gathers her composure. “What could I do to persuade you to stay?”

  “Well…nothing. This isn’t a reflection on you Dr. Collins, not at all. We have our minds made up. We are resigning.”

  Vicki blinks in bewilderment, suddenly out of words “Is there anything I can say or do to change your minds?”

  “No.” The man rises on his feet. “We are both deathly afraid that if you succeed, you’re opening Pandora’s Box for the human race.”

  Chapter 36

  Biggins stands with Parks on the edge of the raging river she calls “The River Walk.” They’re both in their shorts to conquer the river. He’s become a lean, muscled, fighting machine who stands on the jump off rock with her. He’s smiling a cocky, confident smile. He is back and in fantastic shape. What a change in parks. Biggins gives herself a satisfying smile when she looks at him.

  Parks announces, “I’m first, Biggins. You might need my help.” She scrunches her face up at his bravado.

  He dives in the white, frothy water, zipping through it like a human speedboat. What a transformation from his first attempt! Biggins smiles wide in satisfaction at her work. She clenches her fist and punches the air when Parks stands up victorious in calm water. He shoves his fist skyward in triumph. He walks back to the bank punching the calm water with one hand, with each step he takes.

  He yells across, “Come on Biggins, beat that!”

  She jumps in. She overhands herself with ease three times when her taut pull line anchored 20 feet behind Parks - Snaps! Like a striking snake, he grabs her broken line. He reels her in like a guppy on the end of a fishing line. He stands tall, straight and proud of himself. He doesn’t break a sweat because her 130 pounds is nothing now for him to pull in. He pulls her in fast and hard to give her a little payback. She can’t control the speed or right herself as he drags her through the water, not letting her stand up even in the calm water.

  “Alright…alright. Enough. You proved your point.”

  Parks grins. “Don’t I even get a, ‘Why, thank you, super jock’?” he says in a mocking female voice.

  “Holy crap, I created a fucking Mexican hot dog.”

  Parks and Biggins walk up to the command hut.

  Eddie sees them approaching and comes out to greet them. “Hey, I broke through their codes. Vicki’s at Alomet’s headquarters.”

  They start walking towards the center.

  Parks frowns and asks, “Is she okay?”

  Eddie replies, “Now the bad word. I don’t know. Love those Russian Contractors. They’ve got more on Alomet than the CIA.”

  Biggins moves her hand in a let’s have it motion to him, “C’mon Eddie, give us the rest.”

  Eddie stops and shrugs facing them. “Our government doesn’t even admit this place exists. Groups call it Area 51, Dreamworks. It’s not on maps. Zero! A blank spot...its 80 miles outside Vegas and with a Level 9 security for a 15 mile circumference.”

  Back Inside the Attack Chopper

  The Apache pilot points a go finger at Henry. Captain Rooney then nods his head, “Henry, we’re 20 klicks from the compound. We’ve had their radar jammed since midnight. You wanted to coordinate our missile launch with the Reaper’s strike. I’ve scheduled missile impact to hit the compound at 0700. We need to be at two klicks out for our mop up strike. Our ETA is one minute.”

  Hovering off in the distance, Henry watches as two drone missiles approach the camp.

  Henry barks orders to the pilot through his headset, “Launch missiles.”

  A series of missiles launch from the Apache hovering in attack formation and close in on the compound. They look like smoking tails of snakes flying in the air on their path of death and destruction.

  Eddie leads as he turns on the steps. Biggins trails behind Eddie and over her shoulder; she spots incoming streaks of fire. Missiles!

  She yells, “Incoming!”

  In nanoseconds, Eddie leaps inside! Biggins jerks Parks back and shoves him hard away from the center. They take three strides as Biggins screams back at the hut in midair, “Eddie ...”

  She watches in what seems like slow motion to her eyes, like tossed flaming matches; the missiles make a sharp right turn down to impact. Biggins jerks Parks down to dig dirt…

  She looks back to see Eddie emerge from the doorway flap when -- BOOM! -- A deadly explosion catapults his body skyward. His broken body falls right in front of them. All around them, near and far, missiles impact.

  The camp is in a shambles. Burning tents all around with men on fire screaming in pain as they try to run from the death that holds them.

  Biggins pulls Eddie up by his shoulders. She screams at him through her tears. “You can’t die on me...I won’t allow it...you hear me mother fucker?”

  Eddie stirs to life. He faintly stutters out his attempt to talk, “How many-times I gotta-tell you-I’m-no mother fucker.”

  She laughs shaking her head no--scared. “Don’t you dare.”

  He weakly unfolds his scorched hand to expose a mini laser disk. “This...is all you need.”

  “You’re not leaving me.”

  “The code is Baker-1-Mary-48-Zebra, the blueprints, weak points. It’s everything the…Russians…gave…me.”

  Eddie’s body slumps limp in her arms. “No, damn you...”

  Parks ta
kes the disk from Eddie’s hand. She sobs. Parks gently tugs at her as he holds her shoulders. The whir of chopper blades grows near.

  “Biggins...they’re coming.”

  “You’re right.” She jumps back up, ready for action.

  Back inside the Apache, Henry talks into his microphone, “Command leader to all units...Watch the perimeter for stragglers. Make it a clean sweep.”

  The chopper carrying the ten men lands at the burning camp’s perimeter.

  Biggins and Parks run towards a row of dirt bikes under camo. They rip the cover off of them. She grabs an assault rifle from a stack and tosses it to Parks. He snatches it midair and slings it onto his shoulder. She slings one onto her shoulder as well.

  They kick start the bikes which roar to life and speed off down a trail.

  Meanwhile, Alomet goons are sweeping through the camp, killing anything that moves.

  Inside the AWAC circling above the camp, a tech watches a radar screen as two tiny blips move away from a large cluster of blips centered on his screen.

  The tech announces through his mic, “Command leader, we have two fast moving bogeys heading away from you at two one niner...”

  Henry presses his finger onto his earphone to hear the tech better, “…at a speed of 65 mph.”

  He taps Rooney’s shoulder, “Let’s go. Runaways.”

  “I heard. I’m on it.” He moves the joystick to chase them down.

  Parks and Biggins race across the desert. She motions him to stop.

  “Those were American missiles back there. They’re tracking our body heat. When he comes at us, figure 8. Remember, choppers can’t make hard turns.”

  They zoom off. Behind them, Henry’s chopper looms in the background.

  Henry barks an order to Rooney, “Fire a heat seeker.”

  “They’re for aircraft.”

  “They’re together. I said fire.”

  “You’re the boss.” He presses the fire control and launches a Sidewinder. Like a slow moving streak that increases speed, the missile gains on Parks and Biggins.

  She sees the puff of smoke from the launch and signals Parks to change direction. They split apart on hard opposites. The missile strikes where they were.

  The chopper bursts through missile after-smoke lingering in the air.

  Rooney exclaims, “They’ve got combat experience.”

  Henry barks, “I don’t want to hear your fucking problem, take them out.”

  The Apache makes a U-turn, and then heads for Parks. Biggins stops. She watches and bee lines it back to Parks.

  Parks and Biggins are far apart, but closing fast.

  Parks glances back at the closing monster fire its guns. The bullets trail a track of destruction towards him in the dirt. Right before they reach him, he makes another hard turn. Missed!

  Henry’s still smiling. “You missed asshole. You call yourself a gunship pilot?”

  “These birds kill tanks, not dirt bikes. They’re using Special Forces tactics.”

  He swings the chopper back around…hovering. No bikes are seen anywhere.

  Parks and Biggins have stopped. The aircraft passes by them on the opposite side.

  Biggins declares, “AWAC will send our infrared images any second. I’ve got an idea. Sit tight, don’t move. After you hear me fire, hightail your ass to the river.”

  “I’m not leaving you.”

  “The deal was that you’d take orders from me. Don’t endanger our mission.”

  “But...”

  “Damn you. We have extra bikes down river just for this fucking situation. Do as I say...”

  The bird hovers off in the distance.

  Biggins straddles her bike, grabs the controls, revs her engine, readies to move out, “…I don’t want him to get a fix on the two of us before his friends come to help. See ya.”

  She speeds off on a high pitched whine of her motor.

  Back inside the chopper, Henry barks, “Fucking AWAC...Where are they?”

  The Apache’s radar screen shows a fast moving blip.

  Rooney, “One of them’s moving.” He speeds off to intercept.

  Biggins stops, unslings her weapon and fires as the bird swoops down on her. The bullets bounce off the chopper’s armor.

  Rooney laughs, “Now that’s just stupid. A pop gun against my armor. Gotcha!” He turns and races right for her.

  Biggins talks to herself, “Now if I can make it to the road.” She hops back on the bike.

  The ground around her explodes from bullet strikes. She speeds towards the chopper and he overshoots her as the bike races by underneath!

  The AWAC technician contacts Henry. “Command leader, on my mark, auto target acquisition hot.”

  Captain Rooney acknowledges the instructions. “Bigeye! Mark! Gun sensors on...” He turns to Henry, “When he locks-scratch one bogey.”

  Henry snarls, “Flyboy, bout time you quit fucking up.”

  Biggins swings out wide. The chopper swoops another U-turn. The race is on.

  Biggins says (to herself) “Alright asshole. Just a little closer.”

  Her bike’s engine sputters, then dies. She tries to restart, but it’s no use as the chopper closes in. She leaps off her bike. She fires her weapon as the chopper fires back. The AWAC’’s sensors lock on her bike. The Apache’s bullets’ fire trail leads right to her...

  Biggins disappears in an instant as Parks snatches her right out of their path. Her bike explodes! Like he’s holding a feather, he swings her behind him. He skids to a stop. The chopper roars past as it misses them.

  Parks grins at her, “Just like a woman...You can’t live without this man.”

  Chopper hangs a U-ey and comes right back at them.

  Parks roars off in a zig zag pattern.

  The moving green image on the Apache’s radar screen blinks closer toward the red fire zone in the center of the radar. As soon as the bike hits the zone, a green circle flashes around it as radar locks on -- guns automatically fire...trailing impacts right up to Parks.

  In a flash, a huge lasso of wire wrapping itself around the choppers main rotor stops it dead instantly as wires wrap around the blades. An eerie silence fills the cabin as it tilts back and forth and the ground rushes up. There’s a long pause before the crash.

  “Oh shit!” Rooney swears.

  The cockpit of the helicopter bounces up, twice as it slides on the ground. Its skids catch a rock and in slow motion flips over. Silence. They’re hanging upside down.

  Henry’s smiling as always. “Help me down from here you fucking idiot.”

  “No problem...” He reaches over, pulls Henry’s rear release. There’s a loud thump as Henry crashes down from the seat on his head. “…Boss.”

  Parks, with Biggins sitting behind him, is running his bike like a bat out of hell.

  All of a sudden a plane flies down alongside them on the ground matching their speed as its wheels bounce along-Dubrowski! He signals to get in. The side door to the plane approaches and Biggins reaches over, grabs it, turns the handle and the door swings open.

  She grabs the side to the door and swings herself into the plane.

  Parks, Biggins and Dubrowski see a thick jungle looming ahead. There’s only seconds left to get inside.

  Biggins yells, “Jump now! There’s no time left.”

  Parks guns the bike ahead of the plane door and leaps. He’s able to grab the bottom of the support side rung with both hands. His feet are dragging on the ground as Dubrowski guns the engines and the plane strains to rise. Parks’ feet are bouncing on the ground. Biggins tries to pull him in but it’s a dead weight of 220 pounds and she has no leverage.

  The plane starts a slow rise. Parks yells, “Grab my belt loop, I need a little boost. Wait for my signal to pull.”

  The engines strain to lift the monster into the sky. Parks is dangling as the plane barely makes it above the trees as his legs hit the tops. Now, he would die from the fall. He knows he has one chance. He holds his bre
ath and yells, “Now!”

  His arms’ veins are bulging. Biggins grunts and screams as she tries to pull. His foot catches the inside door edge. He has no way to swing in as the slipstream pulls to drag him out. She sees his boot’s toe twisted inside to hang onto the door’s edge. She grabs his leg and jerks hard. He’s half in and out.

  Biggins screams, “Now!” She pulls his leg in, his boot braces from inside against the plane’s side, and Parks grabs hold of the door edge with one hand. “Hold on,” she yells as she grabs his wrist with both hands and jerks hard as she braces her foot against the inside of the plane.

  She does it. He rolls inside as the plane rolls to the right to help keep him there.

  Parks lays there trying to catch his breath alongside an equally spent Biggins.

  Dubrowski yells back, “Whooee! That was fun. Get up here when you’re ready.”

  After a few minutes to recuperate, they move to the front of the plane. Dubrowski explains, “Look, we’re being tracked by AWAC. This was an off the reservation assault, not by the U.S. government. I came in to pick you up and I see the whole compound destroyed. But, I saw the men searching and a transport chopper waiting for them. I circled to see if you two were still alive and damned if you were.”

  Biggins smiles at him. “You sure are a sight for sore eyes. Just like old times, saving my bacon again.”

  “I caught the tail end of that chopper crash. Whoever was chasing you is still alive. Since we are in Mexican air space and that troop transport doesn’t have the speed to catch us, you’re going to have to jump as I wind my way out. I’ll climb to two thousand feet so you can make a low level drop. With the shit storm we left behind, there’s no way I can land back in the good old US of A with you on board Parks. My plane would be confiscated. Radar won't be able to track two chutes. I’ll put 300 miles between you and that camp and fly you deeper into the Mexican wild.”