An Unlikely Hero (1)

by Tierney James

  His phone rang; the direct line to Carter and Sam at Los Alamos.

  “Carter?” As always Ben’s voice was the epitome of calm and reason.

  “Not good news, Ben. This place is going to blow if we don’t smoke out the two remaining guys impersonating Homeland Security agents. They’ve accessed the nuclear laboratory where all the experimental work on future deterrent capabilities is housed. The Complex Transformation system is well underway here.”

  “English, Carter!”

  “This Complex Transformation system would enable us to take our nuclear weapons to a more responsive level during a national emergency. Although they don’t seem to want anything, their goal appears to be to destroy as much of the work here as possible. The United States no longer has the nuclear capability as during the Cold War. This system can predict how best to use what we have and to create other nuclear deterrents quicker and more efficiently. The door would be open to see our shortcomings, Ben. It’s an Achilles heel. Maybe not tomorrow or next year, but in the future our inability to respond to a nuclear threat will be a result of today.”

  Ben heard Carter talking to someone else. “Talk to me, Carter.”

  “Sam says one of the combatants we captured earlier says these guys have the ability to transfer our research to some overseas server. Vernon is going in the back door to stall them while LANL’s people shore up security. He’s pretty good at placing obstacles. He’ll do it, Ben.”

  “No way to storm the lab where they’re holed up?” Ben already knew if it could’ve been done, Sam and Carter would be in there now.

  “The outer wall has been booby trapped with plastic explosives. If we go in the entire lab goes, research and all. What we can do is pipe gas through the duct work. Just have to figure out how. You’d think with this many brains in one place we’d be doing more than sucking up all the oxygen.”

  Ben half smiled at his man Carter. Leave it to him to see something humorous in a dangerous situation. “How long, Carter?”

  Carter looked over at Vernon who rapped at top speed on the keyboard of his computer. Other computer gurus assisted, taking orders from time to time from Vernon on what maneuver to try next. When Vernon threw his hands in the air with a wild yelp, he gave Carter thumbs up.

  “Most of the research has been transferred to a dummy account. Our not so smart hackers in there think they’ve sent all the files to someone in the Cape Verde Islands.”

  “You’re sure?” Carter demanded, knowing how cocky the young genius could be with his computer brain and ego.

  Vernon turned his head slightly as he pushed thick red locks of hair away from his face. His face flushed a bit at being questioned about something no one else knew more about than him. His lips puckered in a mock pout. “Pretty sure,” he taunted.

  Carter took a step toward Vernon, one fist doubled, the other raising his nine millimeter pistol enough to pose a threat. “You’d better be damn sure, Vern or so help me I’ll shoot you along with the other terrorists.”

  “Dude,” Vernon smiled nervously, knowing Carter was not in a read between the lines mood, “I’m sure. Chill out. These guys,” he nodded toward four other computer analysts, “are almost as good as me! Right guys?” Vernon held up his hand to high five them. They did so reluctantly as they kept a skeptical eye on Carter Johnson.

  Sam shouldered her weapon and ruffled Vernon’s red locks then pulled playfully at his left ear. “Good job!” she smiled warmly. “If Vernon says he got the research then believe him,” she said sliding a slim, silky hand down Vernon’s face, which nearly paralyzed him with desire.

  “Got it!” one of the computer scientists proclaimed.

  Vernon smiled as he looked at the five screens before him. “We have visual, Carter. Pulling up their bios now.” Carter came to stand behind Vernon with Sam. She purposely leaned into Vernon to view the screen with a keener eye. Laying her cheek gently against his drove him to type faster. His heart frozen with embarrassment, Vernon realized he’d not shaved that morning, not that he needed to every day, but still the thought of Sam’s warm cheek touching his made him want this moment to be as perfect and memorable for her as it was for him. “These guys have no facial recognition profiles. I’ve sent them to the FBI for their files.”

  Sam straightened her tall, slim frame. “They’re in somebody’s file, Vernon. They couldn’t have made it this far without some working knowledge of this place, computer technology and the importance of new age deterrent strategies. Check,” Sam gave him a verbal list of ideas which he started imputing almost as fast as she spoke them. “Here it is! Samantha, you’re a genius.”

  Sam touched Vernon’s ear again causing him to fidget. “Yes, I know. Thanks for noticing, Vernon,” she cooed. “Now, talk to me.”

  “Former students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, majored in computer science and metallurgy, a strange combination, don’t you think?”

  “No physics?” Carter asked as Vernon began scrolling through the terrorists’ college records. “There! Backup.” Carter looked at the classes both men had taken the last year. “Doesn’t look like they’re going to be rocket scientists with those grades.”

  “True. But look at this class.” Vernon pulled up the description. “Ever take any explosive classes, Carter?”

  Carter eyed the suspicious courses. “Get the university on the phone for me and the professor who is doing the research.”

  One of the other men at the computer terminal began dialing to get an outside line.

  Vernon laughed and pointed out other shortcomings. “See here. Several of these classes were dropped last semester. No scholarships to speak of. They appear to be related. Brothers I’m guessing. Let’s see where they originate.” Vernon explored the computer like a marksman on a big game hunt. Not even Sam could tease him off the scent now. “Yep. Went to school in Libya until their uncle sent them here to live with their… Are you ready for this?” Vernon turned his chair around to face his teammates. “They lived with Essid’s family until they moved to Rolla, Missouri to attend the university.” Vernon folded his arms across his chest. “How the hell did they get into that school? They’re not that bright.”

  Carter smirked down at Vernon. “I don’t care what Sam says about you, Vernon. You’re the best asset this team has. Good job!”

  Vernon shifted his eyes up at Sam who smiled down at him with amusement. “Don’t listen to him, Vernon. He is jealous that I find you more attractive than a dare devil astronaut who can’t pass by a mirror without admiring his reflection.” Sam turned her large almond shaped eyes on Carter whose smile began to fade at her declaration. “You see, my little cupcake,” Sam said ruffling Vernon’s curly red hair, “he torments himself at the truth. Oh well,” she sighed, walking past Carter, chin held high.

  Carter joined her as they eyed the barricaded double doors before them. His cocky smirk had returned. “Better start tormenting yourself, Miss High and Mighty. It appears our straight arrow of a leader has a tiny crush on a certain housewife from Grass Valley. Notice how he…”

  “Shut up!” Sam said as she checked her weapon. “You forget Chase’s rule about married women? He’s just trying to get as much mileage as possible out of a source.”

  “I guess that’s one way to look at it.” Carter said hearing a warning whistle from Vernon as he motioned for him to pick up the wall phone. He grinned as he watched Sam’s smile fade into a tight lipped frown.

  She wasn’t subtle at letting Chase know she could be his anytime anyplace girl if desired. Everyone knew Chase had resisted the beautiful temptation offered him on numerous occasions. Any man that could still breathe would have been thrilled to explore the pleasures of the intriguing and beautiful Samantha.

  Carter informed the professor on the phone the dilemma facing them at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. With a few questions, silence and a thank you, Carter disconnected the phone, nodding to Vernon. “Simple. Let’s do this the easy way, shal
l we?”

  Although the would be Homeland Security frauds disengaged the security software so their movements could not be observed, they were unaware that two weeks earlier Vernon had overseen the installation of new spyware he’d developed. The heat censored cameras in the ceiling were no bigger than a dime and were activated only when the old system failed in some way. In this case, the system had been illicitly compromised. Vernon could now watch their every, nervous movement about the lab in which they’d decided to make a stand.

  While Sam and Carter soaked the exterior doors with liquid nitrogen to neutralize the plastic explosives, Vernon watched helplessly as the men in the lab gently applied more explosives in key areas. They knew it would only be a matter of time before the infidels found a way to crash through the doors. Their work, after all, had been completed. All the files had been transferred overseas; their place in paradise guaranteed.

  Vernon grinned happily as he pushed a few buttons on his keyboard and watched the water pipes explode with cascades of water, just as he’d initiated the sprinkler system with a false positive of smoke. Moments before Carter had blasted the plastic explosives around the door to the lab with high powered jets of water, neutralizing the exterior for safety.

  “You’re good to go!” Vernon said as he accessed yet another key to open the doors to the lab held hostage by inept jihadists. “They’re running around like a chicken with his head cut off!” he laughed so hard his sides hurt. “I’m right behind you,” he said pushing away from his terminal and pulling out his nine milometer handgun. He looked down at the Los Alamos techs that had assisted him, nodding toward the door. “You probably should let your boss know we’ve secured their lab. Oh, and you’re going to need an ambulance. Sam doesn’t like getting her feet wet. Those boots she’s wearing are new. She’s really going to have to take it out on someone.” As he moved toward his teammates he heard the others making the important calls that needed to be placed.

  Essid knew the downtown warehouse where he kept Jericho Crawley created a dangerous risk of being discovered. As soon as darkness fell he would take his hostage and move to a more secure location; provided the old man was still alive. Not hearing from his men at Oak Ridge gave him concern. The last call came from Dr. Haskin’s home after they’d taken his wife. Their boys were luckily in California, attending Stanford University; another great bargaining chip for him. And now the news reports from FOX announced an evacuation had taken place at Los Alamos due to a water main break and a small fire.

  “What is going on!” he screamed as he kicked the folding chair sitting at the small table where two men played cards.

  The two men looked at each other nervously, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Essid’s tantrum. Essid angrily knocked the cards off the small table. “Get the car ready. We’re leaving soon.” The men rose cautiously. “Hurry up, you idiots. Can you do nothing but sit and play cards? Must I tell you every little thing that must be done?” Essid ran his long fingers through his shiny black hair as he tried to compose himself. Anger would blind his normally rational behavior. Taking a deep breath, he slowly walked over to the windows that were caked with dust. The sun shone so brightly through the panes they appeared to be frosted. It didn’t matter. He was looking beyond the view into his future.

  What would become of him after all of this planning and scheming for so many years? Would the one who had blind sighted the United States draw praise from fellow Jihadists? It wasn’t that he really cared that much about Islam. Too many frightened people followed the ways of the prophet for his liking. All this was for much more.

  The thought of snatching a few hours’ sleep toyed with his exhausted brain. He loved those times when his brain had been pushed to the limit and forced his body to shut down to reboot itself. The dreams would come during those deep dark times. Lions, once free and numerous across his land, returned to hunt and stalk its prey. Always the climax of his dreams came when the infidels meandered in the darkness, not feeling the lion’s breath until the deadly moment when life became eternal darkness. Essid smiled. Yes. A few hours of dreams offered him clarity and assurance.

  Chapter 15

  The steel doors swished opened to reveal Benjamin Clark’s team: dirty, tired and anxiously exchanging information about their daily operations that had separated them. Dragging in last walked a quiet and pale, Tessa Scott. Her eyes darted back and forth between the team as they verbalized the various aspects of the challenges presented to them throughout the day. Clearly, Mrs. Scott stood on the perimeter of exhaustion and confusion considering the graphic events that had engulfed her over the last two days. Although the team members spoke calmly, even chuckled from time to time, about the details of the day, Tessa Scott looked on anxiously as if experiencing the information for the first time. Ben guessed reiterating what had actually transpired would give a normal civilian pause. Even so, Ben thought it remarkable that the unassuming housewife of Grass Valley hadn’t been reduced into a blithering idiot.

  “Prisoners?” Ben approached the Enigma team, folding his arms across his chest. All eyes went to Chase.

  “FBI took ours at Oak Ridge. That’s why we’re late. Had to catch them up to speed. They were none too happy that we were on site without their help. Wanted to know who we were.” Chase smirked just as Ben unfolded his arms and gave his team leader a hard stare. “Don’t worry. I assured him he’d have to go to Homeland and discuss it with them. Let Tobias Stewart squirm out of it.”

  Ben cut his eyes to Carter Johnson who flopped down in a leather desk chair, propping his feet up on the desk. “Same here. FBI was there most of the day. I think some spooks from Langley were too. The feds kept arguing with some other guys who the DOE sent out. I stayed out of it. While they were screwin’ round, we took care of the problem.” He smiled over at Vernon and winked at Sam.

  “And you, Mrs. Scott?” Ben leveled a laser like glare at her innocent expression. “How did you do?”

  Tessa straightened up and looked around at Zoric and Chase who said nothing on her behalf. Clearing her throat not once but twice made the others grin in tolerance. “Okay,” she whispered.

  “Okay?” Ben growled a little rougher than he’d intended as she took a step back. “I understand you spoke at length to Dr. Haskins and his wife. Anything we should know about?”

  Tessa looked over at the captain who offered nothing but an attentive gaze. “No. Nothing.” She nodded to Chase and Zoric. “They heard…”

  “Very well then,” he said cutting her off. “The Haskin boys haven’t been located yet. We have a recovery team on the way to Tahoe to…”

  “Tahoe?” Tessa seemed to come alive. “That’s where my family is staying. Are they in danger?” Tessa’s heart began to beat faster. Her face became flushed.

  Benjamin arched an eyebrow in restrained anger at her interruption. “Mrs. Scott…”

  “Answer me!” she demanded with more backbone than Tessa realized she possessed.

  All the others seemed to find something else to focus their eyes on, except Captain Chase Hunter. He looked unemotionally at his new addition to Enigma. Moments before he’d thought her to be finished for the day, maybe for the week, but with one mention of Tahoe she’d come alive. His eyes slid down to her chest which was rising and falling with anxiousness. The flushed face meant her heart beat at a terrified rate. A smile within fought to break loose knowing that Benjamin Clark had no idea what he was toying with in Mrs. Tessa Scott.

  “There is no need to be alarmed, Mrs. Scott, unless you think the Haskin boys would try and contact your family. Will they?” Ben had straightened his thick frame to its full six foot and looked down his narrow eagle-like nose at her. His voice had been stern and accusing but remained calm.

  “No. They have no idea that we would be there.” Her eyes narrowed and landed on Chase with contempt, “or I should say, they would be there! I haven’t seen the boys since they started Stanford. You know how kids are; anyone over twenty is boring
and out of touch.”

  “Then your family is not likely to even know about the extraction process.” Ben took his eyes off of the housewife and commanded the attention of his team. “Now for Mr. Crawley.”

  Zoric brought Tessa a black leather desk chair and pulled up another one next to her and smiled. This time she returned the smile and quickly darted her eyes away from his appreciative gaze. She had seen what this East European was capable of for two days. He was probably ten years older than her, but his hollow eyes and sunken cheekbones made him appear older. Something heavy weighed in those bloodshot eyes as well a cold and calculating element Tessa didn’t wish to know about first hand. The man clearly did not hesitate to take a life. Putting the moves on her, even though she was a married woman clearly didn’t affect him. Forcing herself to listen to Benjamin Clark made the close proximity of his darkly clad body seem less menacing. Besides, she caught a warning glance exchanged between Chase and Zoric that added a layer of safety to her raw feelings of helplessness.

  “We know for sure that Essid has our former nuclear physicist, Jericho Crawley, hiding somewhere here in Sacramento. He sent several men on a private plane in order to distract us last evening. We caught up with them when they were forced to land in Boise. In the meantime our little songbird, Jamaal got rid of his tracker by going through a carwash. We managed to follow him until a car slammed into our tail, sending both our guys to the hospital.”

  “The causalities are adding up,” Chase interjected as he ran his fingers back through his black hair. “Was the accident intentional?”

  “We think so. Some college kid was given two hundred dollars to run a red light about the time we were going through. Unlikely the kid knew anything about the operation. He’s been treated and released with a hefty fine awaiting him in court. He’ll need more than two hundred dollars, I’m afraid.” Benjamin rested his left hip on the edge of the desk where Carter had his feet propped. “We’re still not sure why all of this has occurred now; the mini nuke never would have exploded, according to the lab rats anyway, too many elements missing for it to do any damage. The Oak Ridge scenario would make sense by itself had they been successful at retrieving the isotopes and access to other work going on there. But why Los Alamos at the same time?”