The Last Mile Trilogy

by Jacqueline Druga

  Gene was apprehensive, but did. He wedged between Thaddeus and Lucy who didn’t seem to mind Kip at all.

  Of course, Lucy was in her own world, staring out with possible excitement.

  Reese looked over his shoulder to the two men who traded places in a moving vehicle.

  Too dangerous for his liking.

  Hawk took a seat.

  “I could have stopped,” Reese said.

  “No, we’re good.” Hawk peered at the gauges. “She’s heating up.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’ll keep it steady, try not to put too much on the engine. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer. What brings you up front?”

  “Kip,” Hawk replied. “He’s singing.”

  “I hear him, but I can’t make out what he’s singing through the wind.”

  “Speed racer.”

  Reese chuckled. “I’m not going that fast.”

  “Yet.”

  A quick turn of his head and Reese looked at Hawk. “Yet?”

  “You know Kip. When he says odd stuff, the song is out of place.”

  Reese heaved out a breath. “If his odd sense is kicking in. We’ll be picking up speed.”

  “My fear exactly.”

  “Last night he talked about bigfoot,” Reese said.

  “Let’s not forget the Bionic Man.”

  Moistening his air chapped lips, Reese bobbed his head in thought. “Whatever his visions are telling him, I don’t have a good feeling.” Reese peered again at the gauges. “Let’s hope the jeep makes it.”

  <><><><>

  Up close and once upon it, there was no doubt that the wall of rock was a fake. A mere doorway blocking the tunnel entrance to NV 5.

  But in the desert, either an illusion within the rays of the sun or hidden behind the Ollie‘s Smoke Shop billboard, it looked like a normal rock formation.

  Inside, just on the other side of the protective door, Jeb and Tate waited. With them two other security men.

  They were weapons ready. The XM* weaponry looked normal, but they were enhanced by Mas. At first they only had a few, now they had enough to power an army.

  They were needed in the early days of SC. Single power beams destroyed, but when they were overwhelmed, and many times there were, they set the weapon to detonate, and it expelled all power of the weapon.

  The explosion was always s spectacular but powerful.

  They waited by the door for word from Bishop is it was okay to open. Bishop had access to the single camera mounted on the billboard.

  He would be able to tell them soon, if the travelers were human or Loomis.

  If human, Jed and Tate would open; they and the other two men would stand ready in case the Loomis weren’t far behind.

  Opening the door too early or for too long would be a costly mistake.

  “Anything?” Jeb asked Tate.

  “Nothing yet. Last call Bishop said the signal was moving close won’t be long until they are in camera range.”

  “I say we go out there.”

  Tate laughed like a little kid. “You’re nuts.”

  “You afraid?”

  “Of hearing your wife bitch us out, yes.”

  Jeb scoffed. “Please, I got her under control.”

  The other two men in the room both laughed and Jeb shot them a glare.

  “Well, hopefully, Jeb, it’ll be survivors, we brief them, transport them and safety seal this again…” Tate lifted his head to a shuffling sound. The small single light in the tunnel illuminated BJ who used the ceiling as his way of getting to them.

  With a small flip he dropped down to the men. He wasn’t too tall, thin and his light hair as buzzed close. He bore a huge scar across his cheek from the strike of the Atranda.

  “All right, she’s just pacing and smoking,” BJ said.

  Jeb shook his head. “What else is new? Did she know you went out?”

  “No.” BJ replied. “I checked on her before I left and when I came back. She’s doing the same thing.”

  “Anything out there?” Jeb asked.

  “No I scurried the hill, nothing in sight nor a scent. They aren’t out there and haven’t been.”

  “Good. Good job, son.” Jeb rubbed his head. “Thanks for taking the risk. Why don’t you go back to the office with Robi and wait.”

  “Can’t I stay here? If it’s them, I want to know.”

  Jeb inhaled a loud nostril breath. “I know what Robi thinks fell from the sky. I know who Robi and a lot of others think these travelers are. But Parker and I both think they’re from Albany.”

  “I know. I know. But I need to know.”

  “And you will, when Robi knows. Go wait with her. It may get dangerous.”

  Tate added. “And you’re too valuable to risk getting hurt.”

  BJ sulked.

  “Sorry.” Tate gave an apologetic boyish look.

  “Fine.” With a single jump, BJ, grabbed on to the ceiling like a chimpanzee, climbed up and quickly moved away.

  “Man,” Jeb said. “I wish I could do that.”

  “Me too,” Tate looked down to his watch and inspired a huge breath. “All right big brother, according to my calculations, any minute now.”

  <><><><>

  Parker and Bishop had their eyes glued to the monitor, both waiting to see something. The single black and white image picked up from the camera showed only a clear sky and empty road.

  But they knew it wasn’t going to be long. The bracelet signal was close to NV 5.

  “There.” Parker pointed to the screen. “See it.”

  Bishop looked closer. He could see the black dot moving on the road. “Come on, let me see ya.”

  “It’s a jeep.” Parker smiled. “People. Five.”

  “Six,” Bishop pointed. ‘One in the back.” He picked up the radio phone to contact Robi. “Looks like one or two are women. I’ll let …”

  “Holy shit.” Parker saw it at the same time the phone toppled from Bishop’s hand. “What the hell are they?”

  They were small, far in the distance, but it was apparent that the jeep travelers were unaware. The four black dots coming from the left and right moved just as steady.

  “Fuck me,” Bishop blurted. “This is new.” He picked up the phone. “They’re flying in on us now.”

  <><><><>

  “Yes!” Reese grinned and called out excitedly. “Up ahead.” He pointed to the billboard of a heavy set man smoking a cigarette. “That has to be it.”

  He released his foot from the gas to slow down, after all, they had to approach it and look for the entrance. He turned around. “Hey, Luce. So you see it?”

  “Yeah, I do.” She shivered a breath.

  “Almost …” Reese cleared this throat and looked ahead quickly. “There.” His foot slammed the gas.

  Not only did Hawk feel the suddenly acceleration, but his body jolted when Reese swerved off of the road. Before he could ask what was going on, he caught glimpse in the side view mirror. They were pursuing at a fast steady speed. At first they looked like birds and then Hawk realized they were aircraft. Small but aircraft none the less.

  Reese shouted to everyone to hold on and stay down. But Hawk kept watching the aircrafts. Oval shaped with small wings like a bird. They were black.

  Hawk knew Reese was trying to either outrun them or hide. But where? Where could Reese take them without compromising the hidden entrance of NV 5?

  They were out in the open.

  Dangerously out in the open.

  <><><><>

  When Jeb received the radio call from Robi, Tate thought for sure it was a simple call to open the door. He knew better, Jeb spun, held the earpiece tight to his ear and said, “Come again.”

  Jeb’s left eyebrow raised and a look graced his face that Tate rarely saw. Confusion.

  “Patch me through to Bishop. Now.” Jeb said.

  Tate mouthed the words, ‘what’s going on?’

  Jeb held up a finger. “Bishop. What’s happening?”

&n
bsp; “Got four flyers, Jeb. Look like mini planes. Small, fast, chasing our travelers.”

  “The Loomis don’t fly other than to get here. That’s what Mas said. They are ground travelers”

  “Well they fly now. Or maybe they’re drones. I don’t know.” Bishop spoke quickly. “Either way, they are chasing our travelers and we’ll gonna lose them here in a second.”

  “What do you mean?” Jeb asked.

  “Whoever is driving that jeep is driving them away from NV 5.”

  “He doesn’t want them to find us.” He bit his lip.

  “Fuck.”

  “What?” Jeb asked.

  “They opened fire. Lasers.” A pause from Bishop. “I lost them.”

  Jeb whipped down the earpiece. “Open the door!” He ordered to the one security man. “We have four aircraft. Everyone set your weapon to detonate. Each take a craft, lock in and fire when you are locked in. Got it.”

  Tate nodded. “Who is gonna secure the door?”

  “No one.” Jeb said as the door opened. “We leave it open.” He engaged his weapon to detonate. “Everyone set?”

  “Set.” Tate said.

  “Engaged.”

  “Ready.”

  Jeb waved out his hand. “Take a position behind the rock. Move it out now!”

  Jeb was the first out, Tate followed and so did the other two.

  <><><><>

  The first laser blast landed too close for comfort and Hawk held on to hope that Reese would get them through. He tried to remain calm.

  Smoke bellowed from the overheated Jeep, the turns were rough and Reese drove it erratically trying to avoid the constant shots that came down.

  Kip had rolled forward into the back seat and was nearly on Thaddeus’ lap. In a sense, Thaddeus had a protective bodily covering over Kip as he held on. “Colonel! I don’t think this is meant to go this fast!”

  “It’s a fucking Jeep! Of course it is.” Reese said.

  Lucy cried, her hands covering her head, and she cowered within Gene’s arms. “Let us make it. Let us make. I just need to know if my son’s alive. Please God.’

  “We’ll make it,” Gene assured her, holding her tight.

  Hawk turned to Reese. “Where are you hoping to get us?”

  “To that mountain range.”

  “That’s gotta be ten miles away.”

  “Got another idea?”

  Hawk hunched, jolted and waited for the jeep to finish swerving after another close call. “No. Keep going.”

  <><><><>

  They had crouched down low and stayed behind the rocks, just above the entrance to NV 5. Yet above the billboard height.

  “Got smoke from the jeep!” Tate announced. “That jeep won’t last much longer.”

  “Get a lock!” Jeb ordered.

  “I’m locked in!” Stew, one of the security men shouted.

  “Fire at will.”

  Stew held steady, he murmured ‘stay locked, stay locked’, while the weapon revved its power. A single depression of the trigger sent the pulse of energy straight to a flying vessel.

  It was a hit.

  The craft didn’t explode; it seemed to implode into a million pieces.

  Quietly, Stew released a victorious, ‘Yes!’

  The three remaining crafts didn’t break formation, it was as if they hadn’t a clue what was going on.

  “I’m locked on Left Two!” Tate shouted.

  “Blast it.” Jeb replied. “I'll take the one next to it. Greg, hit the one on the right.”

  Reese was stunned but relieved when he saw the craft explode from the sky. Those in the jeep sat up excited. “Stay down!” Reese ordered.

  “Someone’s helping us,” Hawk said.

  Another high energy sound, enough power explosion caused Reese, once again to jolt.

  Another was gone.

  “What are they shooting them with?” Hawk asked.

  “I don’t know.” Reese saw there were two remaining. One on his right and one on his left. He pushed forward, but the jeep started to sputtered and shake. He thought to himself if they were gonna take the rest out they’d better hurry. Left and right at his best speed, he moved the jeep. Three laser shots blasted down at them. They came from the right; Reese jolted the wheel moving the jeep out of the way in a nick of time.

  Then another blast came.

  They weren’t lucky enough to avoid it.

  <><><><>

  Just as Greg had taken out the third ship, Jeb watched in horror as the jeep was seared with a laser beam. The beam slammed into the fast moving jeep that the momentum of the hit sent the jeep flying up in the air. It spun several times before slamming hard to the ground thirty feet from where it took the hit.

  “Manual weapons!” Jeb shouted. “Cover me!” He handed his XM8, to Tate it was the only weapon with a full detonating charge remaining. “Take out the last ship.”

  “Where are you going?” Tate asked.

  Jeb took off running down the hill. “Cover me!”

  Tate watched as his brother raced forward without any regard to his own safety. The final ship hovered above the wreckage and Tate was certain he could lock in on it. He had it in his scope, he prepared to fire and then the ship just flew off. Faster than it had made its approach, it took off.

  “Just in case,” Tate said, handing the XM8 to Stew. “Lock on it.” He stood up, checked his weapon and raced after Jeb.

  Hands to his head, Jeb just wanted to scream. His heart raced as he approached the over turned jeep. It was completely flattened and a steady stream of blood emerged from under.

  He saw an arm protruding. From the corner of his eye, a good fifty feet he saw a man. Thin, dark hair,

  No movement, no sounds. Jeb ran over to him, sliding to a stop causing dust to fly upward. He dropped down. No sooner did his hand touch upon the man, he groaned.

  “Jeb!” Tate rushed to him.

  “This one’s alive. I don’t want to move him without a stretcher,” Jeb sighed out heavily. “Go back, keep Robi in.”

  “But …”

  “Do it. Please. Tell her nothing. I’ll be in. I need a rescue team out here, STAT, tell Doctor Avers to prepare the travel tubes, we’ll need to use them … hopefully. And ... send Stew and Greg down here to help.”

  “Got it.” Tate shouldered his weapon and turned.

  Upon his leaving, Jeb assumed a crouching position, staring at the wreckage, one arm draped over his shoulder. “Where do I begin?” He whispered softly. Then he saw a shadow. Beyond the wreckage. It was big and moved toward him, but he couldn’t make out who or what it was with the sun behind him. Jeb slowly stood, holding out his weapon.

  “Don’t shoot!” he called out. “I’m Colonel Reese Gray, United States Marine Corp. Commander of the Galaxy space shuttle.” Reese staggered his way toward Jeb. “Don’t shoot.”

  The Galaxy? The gun toppled from Jeb’s hand and he caught it before it hit the ground.

  Robi was right, as much as Jeb didn’t want to believe it, there stood proof in the form of an injured commander.

  For sure Tate had to keep Robi inside until Jeb assessed the situation and was able to report personally to her.

  After all, it was the crew of the Galaxy and Robi’s father was on board.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Jeb stayed outside long enough for the rescue crew to arrive and to get a first hand assessment from Dr. Avers who joined them.

  Tube travel was designed three years earlier by Mas and Bishop as a means to quickly move casualties from different sectors to the main medical area. They were similar to trains, in fact, old trains were redesigned, but they drained a lot of power because of the speed they had to achieve.

  The two hour trip from the main hub took fifteen minutes in a tube car.

  All tracks were clear, medics were onboard to treat and prep the injured. The tube car was on its way.

  Three from the Galaxy were already brought inside the tunnels and taken to the platform for tri
age, and when Jeb left they had lifted the wreckage from two trapped underneath.

  He took a deep breath before opening the office door.

  “Thank God,” Tate said as he made a hastened move to escape. “All yours.”

  “I need to talk to you,” Jeb said softly.

  “Oh no you don’t!” Robi blasted. “You talk to me.”

  “In a minute.” Jeb pulled Tate outside.

  “But I have every right to know.”

  “Yes, you do. Stay here. One second.” Jeb argued.

  “Like hell …”

  “Stay here!” Another blast of his voice and Jeb slammed the door. Outside the office door, he rubbed his head.

  “That bad?” Tate asked.

  Jeb nodded.

  “It’s the Galaxy, isn’t it?” Tate waited for a nod of acknowledgement. “I figured when you told me to keep BJ with Robi.”

  Jeb lowered his voice to a deep whisper. “Get Martha, take her to the triage platform.”

  “We have good medical personnel on hand.”

  “I know. But for this … we need Martha.” Jeb gave a saddened twitch of his head.

  Tate acknowledged him, gave his brother a firm squeeze of the shoulder, and wished him luck.

  Another deep breath and Jeb opened the door.

  Robi spun around. “Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong.”

  “Robi, I know you’re leader, but I’m coming to you as my wife, right now. Okay?” Jeb said.

  BJ asked. “Do you need me to leave?”

  Jeb shook his head. “No, Ben, stay.”

  Robi’s eyes widened. “You just called him Ben. You only call him that when it’s serious.”

  “It is.” Jeb explained. “The jeep was being pursued by what we can only figure was drone attack planes. But right now …” Jeb waved out his hand. “That’s not what is important. The planes shot the jeep, there was an accident. A bad one. Those in the jeep were those from the Galaxy.”

  Both Robi and BJ gasped out.

  “There were six. We located five. One of them is fine, a few cuts and scrapes. One we can’t find at all, we think he was obliterated by the hit. Two are at triage waiting on the tube, they’re serious, but nothing our medical can’t handle and two …are bad. Real bad.” His eyes shifted from Robi to BJ. “The hit went through them both. It is a fix that only Martha can do.”