Migration: Beginnings (Migration Series Book 1)

by Walter Hopgood

  But this trip is different; Jason seems to be focused, and Rhys only loses him once, in the electronics section when he disappears behind an endcap. Jason reappears a moment later, coming back with a few rechargeable external batteries. “We’re gonna need them,” he says, dumping half a dozen cylindrical chargers into the shopping cart.

  “Are you sure that’s enough?” Rhys jokes.

  Jason gives him a serious face and replies, “You’re right,” and disappears back behind the endcap, doubling the amount of batteries in the cart.

  They make it through to the men’s clothing section with socks and underwear, then Jason steers them toward the jeans section where Jason grabs about a dozen shirts, and a few pair of pants and shorts.

  “I think we’re gonna need another suitcase,” Rhys says as he looks over the amount of loot in their shopping cart.

  Joking or not, Jason is already ahead of him, saying, “Follow me,” and pulling the cart to urge Rhys to the luggage aisle, where he picks up a camo-covered duffle bag.

  “Okay, but you’re gonna be the one that has to lug that thing around,” Rhys says as he considers the new piece of luggage.

  “You’re right,” Jason counters. He pulls the duffel bag out of the cart and puts it back on the display, then goes for an oversized roller bag. “Not quite carry on, but who can blame us?”

  They make a final trip to the pharmacy for a few necessities (Rhys grabbing a handful of stomach remedies after Jason waxes poetic about having to eat yak and other exotic beasts) and cajole the pharmacist into giving Rhys three inhaler refills at once, just in case. Afterward, they head back to luggage for another backpack to stuff their belongings in since Rhys admits that there won’t be enough room in his own.

  After escaping the store, Rhys and Jason dump the items into the trunk of the waiting sedan and talk Franks into going to dinner with them. The lieutenant initially declines, saying that she should watch them from afar, but Jason turns on the charm, and they’re soon sharing a meal and a bottle of wine (for Rhys and Jason; Franks declines since she’s on duty) at a nearby chain restaurant.

  After a lively discussion, Rhys pulls his phone out to check his messages. “Oh, what about our phones?” Rhys asks as he holds the phone up. “If we’re halfway around the world, how are we supposed to keep in touch with everyone back here at home?” It’s true; he wasn’t too keen on losing contact with their families, especially with his father-in-law still missing.

  Franks pulls her soft-sided briefcase from where it sits next to the chair and opens it up, then pulls out a small leather-bound case. She unzips it, showing Rhys and Jason the contents. “SIM cards for almost every carrier on the planet,” she says, obviously proud of herself. “My superiors wanted to make sure that I covered every possible eventuality for this trip.”

  “I bet you don’t have lube in there,” Jason challenges.

  By the way Franks blushes, Rhys can’t tell if she’s embarrassed because of the question, or embarrassed because she actually does have a full complement of supplies.

  Dinner and the short ride back to the hotel are relatively quiet, though it’s both the meal, as well as the stifling heat, that weigh the trio down. They make their way to the hotel, and as soon as they find their way back into their room, Jason excuses himself for the shower. While Rhys thinks it’s a wonderful idea, he doesn’t have the energy to join his husband. Instead, he lies down on the bed after stripping to his boxers and an undershirt and is surprised to find himself asleep when Jason wakes him sometime later. “Huh?” Rhys sleepily asks.

  “Shh,” Jason replies, then adds, “Go back to sleep, boo.” Jason crawls under the covers, and the last thing Rhys remembers before slumber takes him again, is the feel of Jason’s lips against his bare shoulder.

  Chapter 13

  There’s a loud knocking at the door that wakes up both men. Rhys grabs his glasses and glances at the clock, noting that it’s just past 4:00 a.m. “What the hell?” he asks as he gets up from the bed and walks to the door. He looks through the peephole and sees Major Bartlett on the other side, and a freshly dressed—albeit sleepy looking—Lieutenant Franks at her side. Rhys opens the door, asking, “Yes?” as the light from the hallway spills into the room, causing him to squint.

  “Von Schoor has been able to verify that the beam is in the Winged Valley,” Bartlett says as she barges into the room, flipping on the light as she walks past Rhys. “I’m going to have to ask you two to go ahead and get ready; you’re leaving for Nepal within the hour.”

  “Seriously?” Rhys asks, glancing at the clock.

  Jason takes the news much easier, announcing his enthusiasm with a “Woohoo!” He bounces out of bed, and it’s then that Rhys realizes what little he’s wearing, dropping his hands to the front of his boxers.

  Bartlett sits herself down on the sofa as she pulls out a folder with papers jutting out of it as if they had been filed haphazardly. She starts to go through some of the paperwork as Franks takes up a position next to her, and Rhys stands there, thunderstruck. “Well?” she says, glaring up at Rhys. “Go get ready.”

  Rhys just nods as he goes to the pile of clothes they’d dumped onto a small dresser. He pulls out what he needs, then disappears into the bathroom, sticking his head out for just a beat to ask Jason to brew him some coffee in the room’s diminutive percolator. He hears Bartlett order Franks to pack their things as he closes the door behind him.

  They’re out the door in record time, Rhys armed with a strong cup of coffee and Jason bouncing like he’s done nothing but rest for the past few days. If Jason had any trepidation before, it was obviously long abandoned, now that they were bound for Nepal.

  Instead of going to the more familiar McClellan Field, Franks drives them to Sacramento Airport, which is a bit farther away from their hotel. As the coffee starts to kick in, Rhys asks, “What about your mom?” remembering their speakerphone conversation from the afternoon before, where they told Donna that they’d probably be in Sacramento for a few more days.

  “I’ll text her,” Jason replies, pulling out his phone. “No sense in waking her up, right?”

  Rhys just nods, figuring that it’s probably better to let Donna sleep, and she can get the message when she wakes.

  Major Bartlett turns around as Jason starts texting, giving them a stern look. “Absolutely no discussion of travel itineraries, or plans, outside of this group here,” she demands as her own phone buzzes. “Travel itineraries and locales are on a need to know basis.”

  Jason gives her a smarmy look in reply, and normally Rhys would dismiss it. It’s just that there’s something a bit too hard-ass to the major’s personality that rubs him the wrong way.

  “Well, what if I need to ask her if I’ve had all my shots? And then she asks me where we’re going?” Jason challenges.

  Bartlett deadpans, “If you need any immunizations, Mister Frost-Tambor, I’m sure that I can get a medic to meet us at the airport in the next twenty minutes.” There’s that sickly-sweet smile popping up again.

  Shaking his head, Jason says, “No, I’m good,” and sinks back into the lush leather seat. As Bartlett turns to face the road again, Jason leans into Rhys and conspiratorially whispers, “If she was in healthcare, her name would be Nurse Ratched,” with Rhys nearly bursting out into a fit of giggles, stopped only by Bartlett’s steely gaze from the passenger’s mirror.

  The long stretch of highway is relatively empty, and they make good time to the airport. Franks pulls the sedan up to a checkpoint and flashes her credentials, and they are quickly waved onto airport property, where it takes just a few minutes to pull up behind a gargantuan military plane.

  “This is our ride,” Franks says as she nods to the plane. “C5-M Galaxy,” she continues, and Rhys can tell that Franks is in awe of the enormous plane that sits ready in front of them.

  “You know how to fly one of these, lieutenant?” Rhys asks as he fumbles with the suitcases from the back of the trunk. Jason is at his sid
e in an instant, and they both get ahold of a suitcase and backpack each.

  “Not yet,” Franks replies. “But I’ve flown just about everything else for the Air Force,” she adds. Rhys can tell it’s something that the lieutenant aspires to. “But I’ve always been able to fly just about everything. My dad has a little Cessna, and I’ve been learning to fly ever since I was big enough to see out the front window.”

  “Good to know,” Jason says. When Rhys gives him a curious look, he adds, “It’s always good to have more pilots than you actually need when you’re about to get on a plane.”

  “Yes sir,” Franks manages in reply, not hiding her smile.

  It takes a few minutes to get oriented on the plane, settling in a little crew cabin area. As they get situated, Rhys notices several tie-downs in the middle of the cargo floor, and figures that’s where the beam will be once it’s recovered.

  “Excuse me, sirs,” Franks says as she glances at her phone. “Please get situated while I tend to a few last minute things. I’m sorry it’s not more accommodating,” she adds, glancing around the sparse area. But Rhys understands; on this journey, comfort is going to come second to scientific discovery.

  Rhys and Jason are left to get acquainted with their snug little area and try to settle in as best they can. Jason manages to find a couple of pillows and blankets and sets a pillow behind his back, then puts a hand on Rhys’ shoulder in an effort to pull him down into his lap.

  “You should get some sleep, boo,” he says, fighting a yawn himself.

  Rhys does as suggested, his head settling on Jason’s leg as a blanket is unrolled and quickly covers him. The comfort of the blanket envelopes him like a hug, lulling him closer and closer to sleep, and Jason’s gentle stroking of his hair relaxing him even further. He’s so comfortable that he barely stirs when the four massive turbo-fan engines come to life, and the plane starts its slow taxi down the runway.

  Chapter 14

  The buzzing of his phone brings Gareth back to reality, and he abandons the papers he’s been haphazardly reading in order to check his messages. Ever since the first text came through, he’s been anxiously awaiting further details. As he looks at his phone and sees the contact name, he doesn’t even have to read the message to smile. He opens the texting application and reads, “Scientist and his husband leaving for Nepal to retrieve the second package. The third package still being located. Come to the states now. Will meet you in Sacramento, California in a few days’ time.”

  Considering it, he texts back, “I want this done NOW. Easier to have to only retrieve one package than all three. Take hold of the plane when you have the second package. Dispatch the deliverymen, as they won’t be needed once the location of the third package is known, but make it look like an accident. Just remember to bring me the last piece.”

  He waits, and gets the briefest of responses. “Consider it done,” is all that his screen says, but it’s all that needs to be said. He nods, knowing his family’s long wait for the world’s most powerful tool is almost at an end.

  Gareth dismisses the text message and places a call. With most of the world’s airliners still in use to transport civilians out of Europe, he figures that use of his private plane would once again be in order. Plus, it’ll be much better celebrating away from public view, rather than having to put on a nonchalant face for the commoners who must rely on public transport. “Yes, Mister Iago; get my plane fueled up and ready to fly. We’re going to California.”

  Chapter 15

  If Rhys had to hazard a guess at such a thing in his life, he would have never considered a military plane to be comfortable. By the time he wakes up, he glances at his watch and realizes he’s managed to sleep for a couple hours. He winks at his husband as he stretches, then puts on his glasses, finding a smiling Jason hovering over him.

  “Hey, sweet-pea,” Jason says. “Wanna get up off my leg so I can get some feeling back in it before we land?”

  Rhys instantly feels guilty at causing Jason discomfort and sits up. “Are you okay?” Rhys queries through a yawn, stroking his fingers across Jason’s jean-covered leg in an effort to quickly coax the blood into flowing again.

  Jason says, “I’ll be fine,” and rubs on his leg. Rhys just grins, and whacks him once on the thigh, earning an “Oww, ya bastard!” from his husband.

  Before Jason can stage a comeback, Bartlett is at the doorway. “Good. You two are up.” She nods, and says, “Follow me.” Both Jason and Rhys get up from the bench, Rhys letting Jason lean on him for the short walk out to the makeshift conference room.

  As they sit down, Bartlett begins a briefing, saying the satellite had been successfully repositioned over Africa, and that it was actively scanning several of the locations they had decided on, using Rhys’ suggestions as to which areas should be scanned first. While there was no news yet, they were sure that they would pick up something relatively soon.

  “The real reason I brought you in here is to meet the team,” she continues. “Doctor Rhys Tambor, Jason Frost-Tambor, I’d like you to meet Lieutenants Jacobs and Freeman, and Airmen Mendez, Vu, Proctor, and Gallegos. Ladies and gentlemen,” she says, “these are the two most important people on the mission right now. You can consider an order from either Doctor Tambor or Mister Frost-Tambor an order from me. Understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am!” the six Air Force personnel respond in unison.

  “Good,” she says with a nod. Sitting down at the table, she gestures to Rhys. “Doctor Tambor, if you would be so kind as to bring these ladies and gentlemen up to speed?”

  Rhys feels a bit like he’s been put on the spot, and is still a bit foggy from his nap. He gets up, clearing his throat, and starts in on the overall project, letting Jason answer the questions about the familial legend. Rhys figures it would have been quicker to print out reports and provide them, but since this project is on a ‘need to know’ basis, the smaller the paper trail, the better.

  After the briefing and a surprisingly good meal provided by the Air Force stewards (Rhys and Jason quietly discussing that they must have absconded with some VIP’s plane), the pilots come over the PA and announce that they will be landing in Tokyo to take on fuel within the hour. Rhys and Jason return to their quiet little area and seem to have it to themselves as they strap into the seats. Their time in Japan is limited, stretching only about thirty minutes while the plane is refueled, and then they are underway again.

  They start their descent into Kathmandu at 7:20 a.m. local time. Glancing at his watch, Rhys doesn’t want to know just how many time zones they’ve crossed. He’s tricking his body into thinking it’s morning, so he rummages around the small galley until one of the pursers finds a Thermos that he can fill with coffee for their excursion should he need additional caffeine reinforcement.

  After the plane touches down (and Rhys wonders if he’ll be able to travel on a commercial flight ever again, what with the ability to wander the plane, even during turbulence, and with an open galley to get snacks and coffee in), it performs a short taxi, and the engines shut off after the plane is parked in a corner of the airport.

  Bartlett and the Air Force team of six are quick to find Rhys, Jason, and Franks, and they are soon escorted down the ramp and out into the cool, thin air. Although it was the heat of summer back home, Kathmandu temperatures hover in the mid-60s, which is a welcome respite from the Sacramento heat they’d experienced the last couple days.

  “Welcome,” a man in US military gear with a few stripes (Rhys instantly recognizing them as major stripes), calls. He has a distinctive Texas twang. Rhys looks around, figuring that this must be another US military installation of some sort—just operating in another country.

  “You must be Doctor Tambor,” the man says, reaching out his hand, then reaching for Jason after the shake, “and Mister Frost-Tambor.” After niceties are made, Major Phillips, nods to Bartlett, offering her a “major.”

  “Major,” she replies, then introduces the team. After formalities a
re completed, she barks orders at two of the airmen, who scuttle off to a nearby building.

  “So, I understand we’re heading to Mount Lhotse,” Major Phillips says.

  “Correction,” Bartlett replies. “We’re headed to Lhotse. Your job is to stand back and be ready in case your presence is needed. Otherwise, my team acts as the extraction team with your team ready as backup, only if necessary.”

  Phillips considers this, and Rhys wonders if this is some deviation from official orders, based on the expression the major is failing to hide.

  He finally gives Bartlett a nod. “Well, there’s your ride,” Phillips responds. To his credit, he doesn’t even bat an eyelash at the demeaning tone Bartlett uses on him, and Rhys figures she must rub nearly everyone the wrong way. “All fueled up and ready to go,” he adds, pointing to a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. “Y’all need anything else, just let me know; my troops are ready to oblige.”

  Bartlett dismisses Phillips with a nod, then barks, “Jacobs! Freeman!” and the two lieutenants show up at Bartlett’s side, quick as a whip and standing at attention. “Go prep the Chinook.” The two are dismissed, heading right for the helicopter to get it ready for their journey. “In the meantime,” she adds as she nods to the two airmen coming back to their position, “you gentlemen grab some cold weather gear from Proctor and Vu.” When Jason gives her a curious look, she says, “It may be warmer down here, but the Winged Valley is at 13,000 feet, where the temperature is hovering around freezing.”

  It’s something Rhys understands, given the altitude of their destination, but hadn’t been expecting. “Will we need oxygen?”

  Shaking her head, Bartlett responds, “Supplemental, if needed,” as Vu hands over a duffle stuffed with winter gear. “No need to put it on here and sweat the entire trip; we’ll have time once we reach our landing spot.”