“This is a mess,” Brice exclaimed. “I have some local law enforcement identification a friend got for me. I think I can get us to the loading dock with my credentials and just hope they don’t ask too many questions.”
As luck would have it, the frenzy of activity and the flashing lights on the vans caused the police to give only a cursory glance to Brice’s ID and let the vans through the cordon and into the loading dock. As fast as possible, Brice, Van, Ross, and three others all went for the freight elevator.
The elevator opened on the Carson executive floor to mass chaos. There was still smoke, and the emergency lighting cast a horrible pall on the surroundings. The Carson team saw Dick emerge from the frenzy of first responders, his arm in a sling and his clothing disheveled, walking slowly toward them.
Dick said, “Thank God you got here. We can use the help.”
“Why are you still here and not in the hospital or police headquarters?” Brice asked, surprised to see his boss there.
“Let’s just say I have friends in high places and let it go at that. Besides, they couldn’t drag me from here until you arrived to help.”
“What can we do first?” asked Van.
“First, Brice, can you take over here and get our security reestablished, starting with getting some of these people out of here?” Dick said, gesturing to the tangle of people and equipment cluttering up the spaces.
“Sure thing. How are our people?”
“I am sorry to say it, Brice, but Rick Conners is dead.”
It took a few moments to register before Brice finally said, “Anybody else?”
“Some wounded, but our own medics and a few of the EMTs are taking care of them like they did for me.”
“I’ll see you both later.” Then Brice jumped into the fray.
“Why are we still standing here, Dick?”
“I wanted to tell you quietly. Barbara is severely injured. She has been taken to the hospital already.”
Van was struck dumb. He had been investing energy in his renewed relationship with Barbara but hadn’t wanted to jump into anything too quickly. This news, however, forced him into the realization that he did care about her—more than he knew. His storage box of emotions had broken open.
“I want to go there now. Is there a place to change out of this combat suit?”
“Way ahead of you, Van. Here’s a workman’s jumpsuit that should work. It was the only thing I could grab in all of this. I have a car waiting out front, beyond the cordon, and I’m going with you. She’s in the Inova Hospital Center in Falls Church.”
In what seemed like an hour but was in reality only fifteen minutes, Dick and Van were speeding to the hospital. When they got there, they went immediately to the Emergency Wing. They were told to wait until a nurse could talk with them.
Again, time felt endless to Van before the emergency nurse came out and asked for Dick.
“You are Ms. Fuller’s employer?”
“Yes I am. What can you tell me? Can we see her?”
“She is in surgery right now with multiple injuries. She is in critical condition, and that’s all I can tell you now. Can you contact her family?”
“Yes I can.”
“Good, please do. Do you know what her religion is?”
“Protestant is all I know. Why?”
“In cases like these, some who practice a religion want a priest or another religious leader contacted. It’s a standard question. Now if you will excuse me, I have to get back.” The nurse turned and walked into the area marked “Medical Personnel Only.”
“Dick, I don’t like this one bit.”
“Neither do I, Van, but there’s not much we can do.”
“Not true. You’ve been to Site R and have seen the medical chamber. I now have it assembled on Level 1 along with a large one-room medical center.”
“You mean you thought this might happen?”
“No, not specifically, but we’ve been lucky so far and nobody has needed any special help. So I was preparing for the eventuality. Harry and I also needed extra space on Level 3 to convert another shuttle.”
“There will be two of them? If this were not such a bad time, I would say that’s awesome! But I like your advance thinking, especially the medical center.”
“Thanks, but that still leaves us with what to do about Barbara. If her prognosis is as bad as it seems, I want to get her to the chamber as soon as possible. The problem is how to do it and when.”
“How long would it take to get her to the chamber, do what has to be done, and perhaps get her back to Virginia?”
“Harry, are you listening to Dick and me?”
“Yes, Commander.”
“What are the answers to Dick’s questions?”
“As you probably know, Commander, transportation to and from the site will be about thirty minutes each way, assuming we can use high speed. By the way, the B1 is making its final approach here right now.
“Time in the chamber will depend on the injuries. Given what sounds like a bad prognosis for Ms. Fuller, I would have to say at least twelve hours and as many as twenty-four hours, which would include one to two hours of readjustment after coming out of the chamber.”
“What do you mean by ‘readjustment’?”
“What you would call ‘recovery,’ Commander. She will be sedated in the chamber, and she will have to recover from that. She will likely also have to reorient her thinking when she discovers what has happened to her and where.”
“Can we transport the chamber here?” asked Dick.
“No, not yet,” Van said. “Currently it requires resources and power that we only have at the site.”
“I don’t suppose that you and Harry have some sort of transporter or teleporter in the shuttles, like the ones in Star Trek?” asked Dick.
“Unfortunately, no. I broached that with Harry some time ago, and he noted that there was not enough power, among other issues.”
“Commander?”
“What is it, Harry?”
“Your answer about the transporter capabilities of the shuttles is not exactly correct. At least not now.”
“What?”
“When I was working on the B1, I anticipated that sometime in the future the trust of the Host would be sufficiently met and that we could implement such a system. So I installed nearly everything that will be required except for the additional fusion power core.”
“Do you mean to tell me that we can transport Barbara directly out of the hospital room?”
“Only after the power core is installed on the B1, Commander.”
“How long will that take?”
“About thirty minutes, Commander. But the system needs testing before use.”
“Install the power core as soon as the B1 lands. We’ll test it on the fly.” Van spoke to Dick. “If Barbara’s prognosis doesn’t get better in the next hour or two, we’ll need some sort of diversion or distraction to get her out. We don’t want medical people in the room when she suddenly disappears, assuming this works. Can your guys help with that? You don’t need to tell them exactly what we’ll be doing, only that the room must be free of people when the time comes. All people.”
“We can do that. I’ll get Brice or Ross on it now. What is Plan B?”
“What do you mean?”
“This is an untested system, Van. If it fails and Barbara is still in one piece, we still have to get her out and into the B1.”
“Then the team will have to roll her out and probably into a van or ambulance and meet us at the Metro lot. That could mean all sorts of complications, however. The transporter will be faster and safer.”
“Assuming it works,” Dick said with an unusually serious expression.
“Yes, assuming it works. But it may be that or nothing if we’re right. I’ll get Harry working and the B1 moving. Fill me in on the team plan when you’ve finished it.”
An hour later, Van got a call from Harry.
“Commander, I am on the
way in the B1. The power core is installed, and I did a quick equipment test shortly after departing Site R. The system is working as expected.”
“But you didn’t transport something like a deer or dog on the way, right?”
“No, Commander. The systems test met every challenge.”
“Sure. Meet me at the Metro lot. I am there now.”
“Do you want me to transport you up?”
“No! I have my own test to perform.”
The B1 door opened where Van expected, the rest of the shuttle in its stealth mode. Van went up the ramp quickly, carrying a bucket.
Harry appeared in his physical form to greet Van. “What are you carrying, Commander?”
“A bucket of water with five goldfish.”
“I don’t understand, Commander, why?”
“It will be our test—one of two, actually. I am going to have you transport this whole thing down to the parking lot and back. If there are still five live goldfish, then the first test is a success. Where do I put the bucket?”
“Anywhere in this area surrounded by the copper-colored rectangle, Commander.”
“OK, there it is. Send it down and then bring it back.”
Harry pushed a few buttons on a small control panel, and the bucket and its contents disappeared with a blue flash. Moments later, it reappeared in a similar flash.
“One, two, three, four… crap, Harry, one of the fish is dead!”
“That should not have happened. What is the second test, Commander?”
“When we get to the hospital, you are going to transport me to Barbara’s floor. If I make it, I’ll go to Barbara’s room and you can transport us both into the shuttle when I give the order. By the way, what’s this long tubular container on the deck I saw when we boarded?”
“It is a life-support capsule, Commander. A derivative of the old stasis capsules used on extended voyages by the Host. When Ms. Fuller comes aboard, we will need to put her into it to continue her life support until we get back to the site.”
“I don’t remember seeing any of those at the site. Nor do I remember anything about a life support or stasis capsule from the chair sessions.”
“You are correct, Commander. To date the learning process has not reached this piece of technology. I had the fabrication machine make one for this mission.”
“Perfect. Dick, have you been following our conversation?”
“Yes I have, unfortunately. It sounds like the transporter may have a problem. You sure you want to do this?”
“Not much choice. Besides, an eighty percent chance of success is still pretty good.”
“It’s your call, Van. But if you’re going to do this, you want to get into position as soon as you can. We just heard from the doctor who performed surgery. He said he did everything he could, but she will likely not live through the night.”
“Not what I wanted to hear, but we’re on our way. Is Plan B in place?”
“Yes. Ross is leading this effort since Brice is still dealing with our headquarters issues and Conners’s death. The moment Ross sees you walking down the hall to Barbara’s room, he has a man ready to fake a heart attack and a woman with him posing as his hysterical wife. I know her, and she can make a lot of noise and fuss. Ross will watch Barbara’s door to ensure no one tries to get in but you after the fuss. Plan B will be to roll Barbara out to an ambulance we have standing by. I’m not excited about that plan, given the life support she is on and how difficult it will be to transport her in that state. But it is a Plan B.”
“Roger that. We’re in a hover now over the hospital, and I should be there in a few minutes, assuming I make it.”
“OK, Harry, let’s give this thing a final try,” Van said with crossed fingers.
And the world around him was filled with blue light.
CHAPTER 35
When the light faded, Van was standing in the hospital hallway. He patted himself down to see that everything was still there… and it was. I just survived the first human transport in Earth history! he thought. But he didn’t have the time to give the event any more consideration, and he started walking quickly down the hall to Barbara’s room.
“Excuse me, sir,” said a white-smocked woman from a nursing station. “Visiting hours are over. You’ll have to leave the floor.”
“I’m told my sister is dying and I have to see her now!” retorted Van.
“Wait right here while I call the duty doctor.” She turned to use her phone.
Just then an elderly man and his wife passed Van, and suddenly the woman screamed as her husband fell to the floor.
“Oh my God! Oh my God! My husband is having a heart attack. Somebody help him. Somebody! I need help!” she screamed over and over.
Two nurses and a doctor exploded from two patient rooms, one of them Barbara’s.
Trying to stay composed and not be too obvious, Van did everything but run to Barbara’s door and opened it. Nobody there except Barbara.
She was pale and unconscious. Machines beeped and lights flickered. What they were, Van had no idea.
“I’m here with Barbara, Harry. Do I have to do anything but hold on to her?”
“No, Commander. As long as you are there with her I can transport you both with no problems. When you arrive, I will help you place her in the capsule.”
“Now!” cried Van, closing his eyes as blue light filled the room.
Van opened his eyes, and Harry was already taking hold of Barbara. He picked up her feet while Harry held her shoulders. They placed her into the capsule, and the cover closed on its own. Van could see her face through the transparent cover. She was still breathing.
When he looked up, Harry already had the B1 climbing for altitude and headed to Arizona. Van had never been so worried about anything in his life. He realized that he had never completely let go of his feelings for Barbara. They were just placed in a box for safekeeping, just in case. Now, he told himself, was the time to let down some of that reserve he had constructed around himself. Open the box. If Barbara lived through this, he vowed not to keep her at arm’s length. If she lived!
Thirteen hours later, Van had ended his pacing outside the Site R medical room and was now drifting in and out of sleep in one of the not-so-comfortable chairs in a corner of the room. Harry was not physically present but was monitoring Barbara’s progress.
“Commander.”
No response.
“Commander!”
“What is it?” Van said waking in a stupor, eyes heavy.
“The chamber has nearly finished its work, and I have good news.”
“Tell me, Harry!”
“All of Ms. Fuller’s soft-tissue damage has been repaired. Damaged bone is well on its way to healing. I expect that she will be awake in about five more hours.”
“Then she’s going to be OK?”
“She will make a full recovery and will be better than new.”
“What do you mean ‘better than new’?”
“A great deal of the healing process in the chamber is done with nanites, Commander. As part of the overall healing process, an assortment of nanites will remain in her system.”
“For how long?”
“Indefinitely, Commander. They are the same nanites that will be used to clear your ALS. Remember I told you that after the treatment you would be more resistant to germs and disease as well as minor cuts and abrasions?”
“Oh yes, I remember. Did I get more of them after the car accident when you fixed my headache?”
“Yes, Commander.”
“OK, I understand,” Van said while wondering how to break that news to Barbara along with where she was and how all of this had happened. “Harry, see if you can get Dick on the implant link.”
A minute or two later Dick came online, sounding sleepy. “What’s up, Van? Any news on Barbara?”
“Barbara is going to be OK. She should be up and around in five or six hours. I guess we stirred up some excitement at the hospital. How
has that worked out?”
“Well first, the news about Barbara is terrific. While our guys don’t know what exactly happened, they will be happy to hear that she’s OK. Her parents know that we have moved her to a special facility. I’ll let them know she’s doing well and will be home soon. As far as the hospital is concerned, we told them we had permission to move her to our own private hospice site, and that is where she is as far as they are concerned. Even got one of my old doctor friends to confirm it. Feathers were ruffled, but they’ll get over it.”
“How are Brice and the team doing?”
“Brice is past the sad stage of the loss of Rick Conners and injury to Barbara. Now he and the team are in their pissed-and-ready-to-get-revenge stage. I have to say, Van, that I’m also in that stage.”
“Well that makes a bunch of us. We have to finish Meier once and for all. As soon as we get Barbara squared away, we need to sit down and plan his demise.”
Barbara was still inside the chamber, but it had stopped its process.
“How’s she doing, Harry?”
“Fine, Commander. Her vital signs are rising and she is approaching wakefulness.”
“Do we have to leave her in the chamber, or can we lift her out onto the bed here?”
“She is no longer in need of the chamber, Commander. I will help lift her out.”
Together, they gently moved Barbara out of the chamber and placed her on the bed. Van noted with interest that it was a real hospital bed that Harry had either made or acquired somehow. It fit with the ruse they were about to execute, and Van thought, You think of almost everything, Harry.
“Harry, move the chamber over in a corner somewhere and cover it with something. I’m not ready yet to explain it to her when she wakes up.”
“I already have a place to store it, Commander. She will not see it.”
“You know, in all the time since we decided to do this, I haven’t thought of a reasonable story to tell her about why she’s here and how she got better so fast.”
“You can tell her that we used some of the more advanced nanites that Stellar released to the public, but she had to be here to use them. That is the truth, if not all the truth, Commander.”
Future Discovered: Host Saga Book 1 Page 23