by Paul Kirk
“Stayin’, sir!” Marty yelled loudly, mimicking the words he’d said in the dream.
“Damn right! I’m gonna need good men to get where I’m going, but I’ll only take the best. You got it in you?”
With his head tilted, Marty listened again to the words still fresh in his mind. “Yes, sir!” Unbidden, Marty screamed the words again into the morning air.
“Then move it, you maggot piece of shit!”
A sudden noise broke further reverie; Marty tracked a plump squirrel skittering across a decomposing log twenty yards away. He shook his to clear the last vestiges of the dream. And for the first time in many months, he discovered he was somewhat content with his own thoughts. He sensed he’d found some definitive direction. Deep down, he was surprised at the strength of this conviction. He hadn’t realized he’d been that lonely. Mercifully, for a few moments, he discovered an ability to forget his own incredible pain and loss before the weight came seeping in like a brutal, cold shower. Sarah. Adjusting his pack and rifle, he set off east. He decided he would find this Connor Mac. If for nothing else, it might give him an opportunity to hide from the pain.
CHAPTER 1.8-Getting a Bead
“Okay, so why’d you stay here if this Connor Mac was so damn ‘magnetic’ as you put it?” asked Colonel Starkes.
Nicole paced with CJ in her arms trying to convince him to nap. She stroked CJ's cheeks and he squirmed comfortably in her arms. “Um, I guess I didn’t have much choice.”
“Do you mean, Connor Mac just up and left?” asked Hannah. Her eyes followed Nicole's pacing.
“No. He asked me if I wanted to go with him. He said he had to get back to Pittsburgh—well, he said he had to find a place south of the city.”
“Pittsburgh? That helps. Did he say why?”
“No, but I felt like it was something I shouldn't ask about so I didn't. Besides, I wasn't sure that I really wanted to know.”
“Was there a specific reason why he left?”
“Well, I guess because I made a mistake.” Nicole was upset and her eyes welled with tears.
“Tell me what happened, Nicole,” said Hannah Starkes softly.
“I don’t know what got into me! Well, I guess I do...now. It was...I guess I just wanted to see what was in that backpack of his. He was always so damn possessive about it. And it was so big. You know, I thought maybe it’d shed some light on why he needed to run back to Pittsburgh so bad.” She became quiet, lost in her thoughts.
“Go on, Nicole. Please.”
“One night, he caught me going through his backpack. I thought he was asleep. Mac called it a breach of trust.”
“What happened?”
“It was kinda weird. Mac was sound asleep and snoring. I was on guard. He was so big on that guard thing, you know? He said it amounted to trusting somebody with your life and there were no second chances. Well, I was going through his pack as gently as possible and when I glanced over at him, he was propped up on his elbow watching me.”
“I bet he was pretty angry,” said Colonel Starkes.
“No. That’s what was strange. Right then, I just froze and we stared at each other across the fire. Then, he stood up and walked over to me. I guess I didn’t know what he was gonna do, but he just took the bag from me, sat down, and pulled out a few packets of food and a knife."
"Yeah?"
“Then he handed them to me, scooped up his sleeping bag, guns, and his backpack and left. He called it a 'breach of trust and end of story'. He left without another word.”
“Where’d he go?” asked Hannah.
“I thought for sure he’d be back, but when it occurred to me that he wasn’t coming back, he was long gone. I packed up and went searching for him no more than a half hour after he left, but I couldn’t track him. When Mac doesn’t want to be tracked, it’s like he goes through the woods without touching anything—even the ground. I thought about going east, just to keep going I guess, but I settled down after I found out I was pregnant.”
Colonel Starkes understood Connor’s behavior. She knew how important trust was to men living in combat conditions, which today’s times certainly were. There was no luxury in granting second chances when trust was called into question. In a way, she felt sorry for Nicole. She was about to offer some platitude when Major O’Malley approached. It was obvious he was hesitant to interrupt, but did so anyway.
“Colonel?”
“Yeah?”
“Jimmy has something on Connor Mac.”
“That quick?”
“Says he’s not telling anyone anything until he hears that a bottle of your Glenlivet’s coming.”
“Let’s see what he has first. If it’s worth a crap, he can have the bottle.” They walked to the helicopter and arranged themselves near the radio in the cramped cockpit. Major O’Malley spoke briefly into the headset, stealing nervous glances at Nicole.
For a few seconds, Major O’Malley laughed into the headset and listened. He stole another glance at Nicole and refocused on the weak signal coming in on the headset. “Ma'am, Jimmy says he might be able to load the data onto the ‘copter’s satellite datalink monitor. You want him to try?”
“Let's do it, major.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Colonel Starkes waited several minutes for the information while the helicopter rotors slowly inched to full power. Shamus was taking the initiative to prepare for possible departure depending on the results. All personnel were now boarding and stowing their gear like they'd done a hundred times before.
Colonel Starkes was shoulder-to-shoulder with Nicole while in such close quarters. She smiled. “Can I hold CJ?”
Nicole nodded and handed over the squirming bundle.
“How old is he?”
“I think he’s ninety-two days old, if I kept track right. I’m not sure what the date was when he was born—I was kinda out of it.”
“He's a beautiful baby, though he looks a bit small.”
“Yeah, well, don’t let him fool you.”
CHAPTER 1.9-Thinking Long-term
“I’m taking overwatch for the next week of our travels.”
“Okay, I guess I can live in fear for the next seven days,” said Amanda smiling.
Connor laughed at her quip. “You know I’m better at it than you by a country mile.”
“You might be better than me, but not by a country mile. Maybe by a hundred feet.”
“Give a woman an inch...”
“And she wants to know where the rest of the package is.”
Connor laughed good-naturedly and finished the last few strokes of the straight razor on his chin. He wiped the blade clean with a rag and tucked both the razor and strop in his kit. He felt exceptionally comfortable in this woman’s presence—she was quick, resilient, adaptable, and eager to do whatever was necessary for their continued survival. He often had to remind himself that she was a young woman, one who had just started college when the Avian Flu consumed the world. But when he looked into her eyes, sparkling with intelligence and an innate love of life, he felt himself energized, as if her youth imparted an extra amount of energy to him. After watching her, he felt ready for anything.
“Pack up. We're leaving in five,” he said sharply. He wiped his face one final time and knelt to tie his bootlaces. Amanda leaned down to kiss his neck.
“We’re leaving after only one night?” she asked.
“Yeah, Snuff. I have a feeling the bad guys might want a little revenge. I might be wrong, but I don’t want to stick around to find out.”
“Okay,” she said amicably. “There’s no reason to stay right now. Hey, by the way, why’d you decide not to kill the sniper dude?”
“Marty? I don’t know,” said Connor, shaking his head, mildly confused by his own actions.
“Do you have any idea how good that bastard was?” asked Amanda.
“He was good?”
“Fuck, Mac, he was incredible," she answered with genuine awe in her voice. "He sat twent
y yards away from me and I could tell he knew something was wrong, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. The ants were eating me like crazy, but I couldn’t move a millimeter—he was frozen like a statue the whole time. Just waiting and facing you guys. Glad I was mostly behind him. I wasn’t sure I could wait him out.”
“That explains the bites on your legs and pretty tush.”
Amanda was all business now. “Yeah, well, he moved toward you when they called him in. He cussed a blue streak—he wasn’t happy about giving away his position. I could tell he sensed me. I’m pretty good at that, you know?”
“Yeah, so I’ve noticed.”
“So, back to my question.”
“Which was?”
“Umm, why’d you decide not to take out the big firepower? You drilled into me that that’s the ‘first order of business’ in all this happy horseshit. But then you go and screw me up?”
Connor studied Amanda. She looked so young and innocent in the early morning sunlight. Hers was a face that required very little makeup, and, for a fleeting second, he felt saddened to teach this beautiful woman the refined art of killing men. But, he had to admit she was good at it. She could find the killing zone, pull the trigger, and, most importantly, let it go afterwards. She was better than many men he had trained. Her grandpa had taught her well.
“Well, to be honest Snuff, I...I kind of...ahh...felt something there.”
“Huh?”
“Umm, it’s hard to describe. I thought maybe...ahh...there was a spark there.”
“A spark?”
“Yeah. I felt like it’d be a shame to waste him. In fact, I had a passing thought he might be helpful in our little trek across country. And, I just sensed he wasn’t real pleased hanging with that group of losers.”
“Oh. I guess it’s lucky I didn’t off the poor bastard.” Amanda laughed.
“Don’t get too cocky, Snuff. Remember what I said. Never get too cocky. And I imagine that Marty would be fairly hard to kill.”
“I had him in my sights, Mac. He was as good as dead. You know I don’t miss.”
“You never know, Snuff. You just never know.”
CHAPTER 1.10-The Datalink
“Colonel?” Major O’Malley stood before her. “Ma’am, the information's coming through from Jimmy.”
Shamus was at the controls of the helicopter, going through the flight check in preparation for takeoff. The rotors had just begun to turn slowly and the whine of the engine was steadily increasing. Colonel Starkes took a seat in the front next to Shamus while Nicole and the major settled behind them, heads nearly touching to see the small screen set in the center of the instrument panel. She returned CJ to Nicole and concentrated on the screen.
The data link from Camp David used military satellites and the information emerged line-by-line on the screen. The link was a bit more degraded than the week before, but there was nothing within the colonel's control to change this fact. She didn’t have the ability to launch another satellite into space. She could only use what was there until it decided to quit working.
“Would you prefer that I not see this, ma’am?” asked Shamus, slightly yelling to be heard over the noise of the quickening rotors.
“No, Shamus, we’re in this shit together. You know I try not to hide anything from the men under my command.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Shamus stroked his goatee, adjusting a few dials on the helicopter console. Curious, he leaned closer as the information unfolded. He was quite interested in this Connor Mac. Already, this unknown variable’s reputation was building among the men. A few seconds into the data, Colonel Starkes realized that the report they were reviewing was an ultra-top secret clearance personnel file. Clearance that, until she officially became president, she didn’t have.
“You sure, ma'am?” asked Shamus, recognizing that he did not previously possess this level of security clearance.
“I’m sure, Shamus. Look and learn. Oh, and if I tell you to keep something to yourself, keep quiet.”
“Absolutely, ma’am.”
“That goes for you, too, major,” she said, turning to face him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he acknowledged.
"And especially you, Nicole."
"Sure," said Nicole, stunned at the opportunity to remain.
"I'm showing that I trust you, Nicole, but I will not hesitate to personally render you null and void should you violate our need to keep quiet."
"Null and void?"
"She means you'd be dead," whispered Major O'Malley.
"Oh," said Nicole, softly. She hugged CJ harder.
Scott approached Nicole. He gently touched her elbow. "Ma'am, you and CJ need to be strapped in before takeoff."
"Oh, okay. In a moment."
The screen read:
>Password authorized. User accepted.
>Warning! Security Clearance Alpha Nine: Ultra-Top Secret Clearance Required to Proceed! Improper clearance can result in immediate Court Marshall and Military Tribunal under applicable rulings if not authorized.
>Proceed?
>Acknowledged.
>Disseminating data…
Name: Connor P. MacMillen
Serial number: 1985638A
Social Security Number: 219-34-9618
Military Branch: Army
Last known Assignment: Airborne 82nd Detachment
Current status: Personal leave in Sydney, Australia.
Expected return to active duty: October 4, 2011.
DOB: April 8, 1979
Race: Caucasian
Blood type: AB+
Height: 5’ 9”
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eye Color: Brown
Military Entry Date: April 11, 1996-Westpoint
Last Known Residence: 128 Coldwater Ave
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15218
Highest Education/Grade Level: Bachelor's Degree
Highest Obtained Rank: Colonel
Date of Last Promotion: March 29, 2011 (Seventh Field promotion)
Military Status: Active
Discharge Status: N/A
Signate Intelligence Rating: Very High Superior
RiXmond Conditioning Rating: Very High Superior
Staiger Flexibility Rating: Superior
Yenkel Endurance Rating: Very High Superior
Kirk Aggressive Qualities (KAG) rating: 10 of 10
Field Adaptability Rating: 9 of 10
Durability Rating: 8.9 of 10
Mission Execution Rating: 98.1%
Global Ability Quotient: 981 of 1000
Noted weaknesses (if applicable): Fearless. Demonstrates intermittent risk behavior placing him at increased probability for injury or death that is potentially inappropriate given circumstances. Susceptible to obsessive recovery of noncombatants, particularly females. May be susceptible to manipulation or coercion via this route.
Military Career Summary: West Point graduate. Completed accelerated education program on May 14, 1999. Completed Airborne Training under Major Underwood on October 3, 2000. Qualified as expert in Hand-to-Hand, Demolitions, Sniper Rifle, Electronics, Escape, Survival, and Recon. Immediately assigned to Special Ops under command of Colonel Roger T. Martin. Completed several key missions, four of which he assumed full field command due to heavy casualties. Served in Iraq and Afghanistan under black ops umbrella (assignments detailed below). Post Mission Briefings show a keen propensity for surviving under extreme stress conditions while ensuring success of military objectives. Post Field Reviews mention exceptional aggressive qualities and creative resolution when required. Connor P. MacMillen is considered an exemplary soldier and officer.
Medals Awarded: Purple Hearts with clusters (Three)
Congressional Medal of Honor (Private ceremony)
Mission Summary Highlights:
Sulu Nine- Document Reference #56412
Hawking’s Six- Document Reference # 78324
Desert Storm-Document Reference # 42134
Slipknot Four- Document
Reference # 40983
Operation Wing Nut- Document Reference 67177
Krispy Kreme-Document Reference 71321
Kat Daddy 1- Document Reference # 19089
Slip-n-Slide 4- Document Reference # 36212
Tango in Paris- Document Reference # 18768
Kant in a Cup-Document Reference #23176
Deep Drop Diva-Document Reference # 00012
Milwaukee’s Best- Document Reference # 13400
Summary Performance Review (See form 1078C for full details): Connor MacMillen is considered a critical asset to the United States government as a covert surgical strike specialist. I have personally served with Colonel MacMillen on numerous missions and can attest to his character under fire. Put simply, I owe my life to this fine young man and his recent promotion to Full Colonel is well deserved. I have served with few men as courageous, brilliant, and dedicated to achieving mission objectives.
“Damn,” whispered Major O’Malley. Nobody heard him say it—he had not yet activated his intercom link and the helicopter’s rotors had achieved the speed necessary to lift off. The mild oath of admiration was lost to the volume of the whining engines.
Colonel Starkes studied the digitized photograph attached to the report and was surprised to find that Nicole’s drawing of Connor MacMillen was perfectly on target. In a photograph transmitted by a deteriorating satellite, Hannah Starkes recognized the aura of a man for whom, had she met him prior to H5N1 and during his military career, she would have immense respect. She was surprised to discover that this was important to her.
Colonel Starkes caught Shamus’ eyes and twirled her finger in the air in a non-verbal command to lift off. The bird immediately left the ground and banked sharply over the trees to the east, the passengers busy with their own thoughts about Colonel Connor P. MacMillen.
The raw data that she had assimilated agreed perfectly with the photograph. This man was a born leader. He had survived H5N1, traveled from the west coast of Australia to the United States in a world turned upside down by the Cuckoo Flu. He was certainly making his way somewhere. He had a destination in mind—apparently, somewhere south of Pittsburgh. She needed to find this man. He had not only survived H5N1, but also was able to breed.