Code Name: Luminous

by Natasza Waters

  “There’s no cure for this second strain. Dr. Bjornson has fallen off the map. He might even be dead. Finding him will be impossible. If Tony finds me, he’ll get sick. I can’t let that happen.”

  “Didn’t I tell you Alpha Squad can accomplish the impossible? If you run from us, we won’t be able to save your life. Tinman’s going all SEAL crazy to find you. Let him.”

  “Tony doesn’t have to sacrifice himself for me. Please help me find a place to hide, Kayla. I don’t want to make anyone sick. The SEALs need to find Dafoe. He’s out of his mind. There’s nothing but vengeance inside that man, even if it means he has to die.”

  Kayla inhaled deeply and said, “I can’t do that, Lumin. Tony won’t stop until he knows you’re safe. He, Mace, and my husband are made from the same man-cloth. Stubborn and brave. When their hearts take up the call of duty, there’s no turning them back. Nina is getting stronger by the hour and Mace has rejoined the squad. They’re wasting time looking for you when they should be searching for Dafoe.”

  “Then tell them to stop. Convince them, Kayla. They’ll listen to you.” Lumin gulped down the rest of the water. She was so thirsty she’d drink from a mud puddle.

  “Lumin, I don’t want you to die. If you hide from us, we can’t get the vaccine to you.”

  Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach realizing she’d never see Tony again. It was a mistake falling in love with him. “I should have never called him. I hate that I can’t take it back.”

  “Love is never a mistake. I’d bet my life on the fact that Tony is the man of your dreams and the man you’ll grow old with. Trust him.”

  “I know he wants to save me, but he can’t, Kayla. I’m infected. He’d say anything.”

  Kayla adjusted the phone, hearing the whisper of hair being brushed aside. “Like what?”

  “He just told me he loved me, but I don’t believe it.”

  “Why not? As far as I know, he’s never told a woman that. That man walks around with a shield of valor, but his past keeps him as the underdog when he should be flying. Some things are a sacrament to a SEAL, truth being one of them. Those three words are never said unless they’re real.”

  “We barely know one another. It can’t be.”

  “Don’t you feel the same? He’s special and you know it. Don’t deny it.” Kayla released a deep breath. “You’re his chance to find his wings. He’ll become the man he’s supposed to be if you give him a chance, he’ll prove it to you.”

  “Kayla, I know you went through a lot in your life, and you got a second chance with the Admiral, but I’m not like you.”

  “No, you’re not, but you’re exactly what Tinman needs. Stand beside him.”

  “If there was a drop of hope, I would try. Believe me I would, but there isn’t. Will you tell him something for me?”

  “I will.”

  “I’ll always be his light, and I love him too.”

  Lumin cut the call. Kayla had kept her talking too long, and she didn’t know if she could track her cell phone, but she wasn’t going to risk it.

  * * * *

  Thane, accompanied by Admiral Pennington, stepped out of the helo that landed on the south lawn of the White House. A security team escorted them into the world-renowned structure whose first cornerstone was laid in 1792. He kept the grin from his face remembering Kayla rubbing the war of 1812, when the British set it on fire, into his backside. Through a rear entrance, they followed security into the main hallways and toward the West Wing and the Oval Office. The guard tapped on the door, and the President himself opened it. He extended a hand and Thane gripped it. He liked this President; they had become friends over the last four years, but they’d known each other for much longer.

  “Greetings Admiral Pennington. Thane,” the President said, “Coffee, admirals?”

  Thane needed it since he’d been up for a couple days. He’d snagged a few winks in transit to the East Coast, but he was still tired as hell. “A couple gallons will do, John,” he said.

  A Presidential aide quickly brought the coffee to the table, and they made themselves comfortable on the opposing couches.

  The President poured himself one, but didn’t relax in his chair. He began, “I’m assuming you wanted to meet here to talk about the virus. For you to fly all this way, I’d also have to assume that you want to speak about how a protected strain of the Bubonic Plague ended up with a terrorist in the United States.”

  Thane noticed the President’s hands didn’t shake, but they squeezed the cup he held with a Presidential symbol embossed on it.

  Gulping back the first cup, Thane nodded. “John—”

  Another knock landed on the door and the aide opened it. They all stood. Admiral Felix Hoskins, the Commander of the Special Operations Command and the highest ranking SEAL in the country, strode in. Behind him the Commander of JSOC, Admiral Cagney, entered. Admiral Hoskins oversaw the various Special Operations component commands of all the United States Armed Forces. When an operation required all the forces to work together, the command of the operation fell on his shoulders. A plague about to be launched on the world definitely fell into that category. The President rose to greet both men.

  “Mr. President,” Hoskins and Cagney responded, then took a seat.

  The President turned to his aide. “Please advise General Caufield, Secretary of Defense—”

  “Not yet,” Thane said harshly.

  The President blinked and his chin dropped. “Why not, Thane?”

  Admiral Hoskins’ black gaze held Thane’s. Being the ranking officer it was his responsibility to pass on the bad news, of which he’d already been informed.

  “Sir,” Hoskins began, “Callum Dafoe, the man responsible for obtaining the Plague, had help from inside the White House.”

  “What?” The President put down his mug and his expression deepened with concern. “That’s not possible if you’re intimating it’s Darrin Caufield. He is a decorated General. He has served this country from the day he joined the forces. I know him personally.”

  Thane clasped his hands together and grilled the President with a look that spoke of apology, but no bullshit. “Caufield gave the plague to Dafoe. The intelligence is not wrong. We wouldn’t be here if it was a hunch, John.”

  The President rose while shaking his head. “He is the Secretary of Defense, this country’s most important asset in protecting its people. He served on my Intelligence Advisory board. I’ve known him for thirty years.”

  “Mr. President,” Admiral Cagney, a twenty-year SEAL veteran and one hell of a warrior, leaned forward. “We all have a weakness. Your position is his.”

  “Are you saying he wants to be President?”

  Thane nodded. “Yes. Obviously he didn’t consider what would be left after a virus of this deadly magnitude devastated the globe. The survival rate is zero. There would not be much left to lead, unless he saw it as a history-making moment to rise from the ashes and rebuild a country from what’s left.”

  “No, Thane. I won’t accept it. He’s put this country first, always. He’s a man of honor.”

  “Aren’t we all until greed twists its way into our soul?” Hoskins said.

  “What proof do you have?”

  Thane filled his mug for the third time. “Lumin Edenridge was taken by Dafoe and injected with the virus. He admitted Caufield supplied him with the bacteria and he did it for money to begin his campaign.”

  “You’re here to arrest him,” the President said, putting his attention on Thane.

  “We’ve lost Dafoe. He’s carrying a second strain of the virus. The first one had a flaw. It dies off quickly. The second strain does not.” Thane glimpsed his phone when he felt it vibrate, and closed his eyes. A sickening tightness balled in his gut after reading the message.

  The aid answered the door and took the paper he was handed, presenting it to the President. He read it quickly and breathed out heavily. The other admirals in the room looked to Thane. “Three towns now
reporting plague symptoms.”

  “How do you know?” Hoskins asked.

  Thane lifted his phone. “My wife.”

  The President nodded. “CDC brief.” He handed the paper to Admiral Hoskins. “Kayla’s still working? I thought she retired.”

  “She’s lending her efforts and we need her on this mission. She found the lab in Northern Nevada with the help of Base Command staff.” Thane blew out a deep breath. “If this is the second strain, we need to quarantine these towns, but it’s probably too late. They are larger than Ramah, but still somewhat isolated.”

  “How do we find Dafoe?” the President asked.

  Thane nodded slowly and stood up. The other Admirals did as well. “Now, it’s time to call in Caufield.”

  General Caufield strolled into the room, then jerked to a stop seeing every set of eyes on him. “Mr. President, gentlemen.”

  No one acknowledged him except the President. “Come in, Darrin,” he said, taking a seat behind his desk. Thane sat in a chair, while his counterparts sat on one couch, which left the other for General Caufield.

  Caufield wore his uniform and ribbon rack of medals like a suit of armor. He was a barrel-chested, short man with a strong but quiet persona. Thane had met him several times, and appreciated the man’s intelligence and his level-headed approach to warfare. As far as he knew, Caufield had been a respected and confident advisor to the White House.

  “I take it the news on the virus is not good,” Caufield said, sitting down.

  Admiral Hoskins once again took the lead. “Darrin, for forty years you have served this country without fault.”

  Caufield didn’t bat an eye waiting for the punch line.

  “A terrorist by the name of Callum Dafoe has been uncovered. For three years he has poured his money into creating a virus with a one hundred percent kill rate to seek justice for a bombing that took out his wife and son.”

  “Is he in custody?” the General asked.

  Thane glanced at his peers. Everyone’s game face was on. “General Caufield.” The General’s dark blue gaze slipped to him. “The virus has been launched in three more towns. American citizens, people you’ve dedicated a lifetime to protect, are now dying. When you walk out of this office, you will be arrested, tried, and more than likely imprisoned for the rest of your life. I don’t really give a shit what you say outside these walls, but right now you are going to tell us how to find Dafoe and anything you know about Dr. Bjornson.” Thane rose and stepped toward the General. He knew fear and it radiated from Caufield. He leaned over the General. “I will bar those doors and you won’t have to worry about a trial, General. Innocent people are dying because of your greed. There is a second strain, and the antiserum you no doubt possess is useless. Where—the—fuck—is Dafoe?”

  Caufield shifted in his chair and turned to look at the President.

  John shook his head slowly, poorly hidden disgust painting his expression. “Tell him, Darrin, so we can stop this before we have a pandemic.”

  Caufield lowered his head.

  Thane balled his hand. He didn’t see shame, he saw regret at being caught. “Where, Caufield?” he growled.

  Caufield stood and faced him. “I don’t know. Our transaction and communications were finalized.”

  “Tell me about Bjornson.”

  Caufield ran his hand down his face as if rubbing away the moment and the nightmare he’d started. “Dr. Bjornson is retired. When Dafoe needed experts in virology, I offered his name. Clifford and I had crossed professional paths many times over the years. He moved his family to California when he retired.”

  “Where?” Thane barked. Patience was becoming a lost commodity.

  “San Diego. He and his wife Ariana wanted to be closer to their grandchildren. His son-in-law is a Marine.”

  Admiral Pennington spoke. “I’ll dispatch a squad to visit his residence.” He reached for his cell and wandered away from them.

  “Send Petty Officer Mace Callahan to do it. If there’s information, he’ll get it,” Thane said. Caufield took a step back when he turned his attention on the General. “Bjornson hasn’t shown himself since he escaped. He may be dead. If he is, your death sentence is sealed in cement with every other American citizen. You won’t have a headstone that says President of the United States, you’ll be in a mass grave with every other rotting corpse.”

  Caufield strode with as much pride as he could garner to stand in front of the President. “Since the day I agreed to Dafoe’s offer, I have regretted it, but there was no going back without implicating myself and hurting my family.”

  The President reached for his phone. “Send a security team to the Oval Office immediately.” He stood and faced Caufield. “You are a traitor to this country. You declared war on America when you gave Dafoe the plague.” The door to the Oval Office burst open and a team of security officers came through. “Arrest General Caufield. Admiral Cagney, will you escort them?”

  “Yes, Mr. President.” Cagney gripped the General’s arm and led him out of the office.

  “Thane, Felix, can you stop this before it gets out of control?”

  Thane’s cell rang and he saw it was Kayla. “If you’re calling, you have something.”

  “Thane, there are quarantines around each of the towns.”

  “That’s good news.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “Sweetheart, you sound scared.”

  “Dafoe’s second strain can live in water. The city’s water systems were shut down and they automatically diverted to the water towers. That’s where he put the virus.”

  “How many people left the towns before they were quarantined?”

  “We don’t know. They’re investigating now.”

  “If we get them all, it’s contained.”

  “No, Thane, it’s not. People use the bathroom. People wash their hands, shower, and it all goes somewhere. All three of these towns were situated near underground river systems. The virus is free. It’ll find its way into streams, lakes, and reservoirs. It will find its way to the cities.”

  “Is there any mention of this in the media yet?”

  “I’m monitoring the largest news sites. Nothing yet, but if this gets out, there will be pandemonium.”

  “I’m on my way home.”

  “Okay,” she said, her voice shaky, and that made him scared because Kayla didn’t get scared.

  “Leave one person in Base Command. Get everyone else to go with you and buy as much bottled water as you can. If hell breaks loose, I’ll need you to be able to remain in the Ops Center.”

  “I’m leaving now. I’ll call you when I’m back.”

  He lowered his voice and said, “Kayla, I love you, but I have to see this mission through. We’re sending Mace on recon to Bjornson’s residence. I’m going to join the team and we’ll track down Dafoe. Lumin has six hours left. We have to find that antiserum.”

  “Maybe I should go with Mace?”

  Jesus help us. “I didn’t spend the last year and a half chasing your crazy, sexy ass down to be mine forever to lose it to some bug. I trust you to keep our unborn daughter safe. You’re the woman of my dreams, and my son is the pride of my life. I can’t lose any of you, but I believe in you, Snow White. Find Bjornson. He’s the only one who can stop this.”

  “Thane Austen, I won’t let God himself break up our family. Find Dafoe, and kill that son of a bitch before he kills us.”

  “Roger that, my beautiful wife. Call me before you head out with Mace.”

  “Bye, darling.”

  Thane swiveled and his brows puckered seeing the admirals and the President staring at him. “She’ll find Bjornson, but in the meantime, we have a bigger problem.”

  The President prompted, “Sounds like it. Water. How do we stop people from drinking water without letting them know the real reason and starting a national panic?”

  He brushed a slow hand through his hair. “We can’t, Mr. President. You need to be quarantined. Th
e Commander and Chief has to live.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Date: 07.26.2014

  Time: 0600UTC 2200hrs PST

  Mission: Code Name Luminous

  Lumin needed gas and water. Sweat rolled down her back even though the air conditioning was on high. Scoring some aspirins to fight the fever would help. A fuel and food sign clung below a Route 66 marker. Another few minutes passed before a dilapidated gas station came into view. She parked in front of the pump and stuffed the corporate credit card she’d found in the glove box into her back pocket. A young guy sauntered from the gas station. Her eyes followed him as he rounded the front of the car. Luck helped with dim lighting over the pumps. She didn’t want to try and explain why dried blood was splattered across the back window.

  “Evening, ma’am. Fill her up?”

  She nodded. “Do you have any water and snacks inside?” she said loudly.

  “Yes, ma’am we’re full service.”

  She waited until she heard the nozzle inserted then got out of the car. The musty-smelling store had a few shelves with mostly chips and fast food. The floor looked as if it hadn’t been washed since the store opened, and the cracked linoleum gave away the building’s considerable age. Pulling her sleeve over her fingers, she grabbed some bottled water and a few bags of chips. She dropped them on the counter, left the card and put some distance between her and the cashier’s desk.

  “All of this on the card, ma’am?” the young man asked as he rounded the counter.

  “Yes, please.” She hovered by the canned goods while the guy rang up her order. “What?” she asked, seeing him eye her.

  “Five bottles of aspirin. You must have one helluva headache,” he said, putting the last bottle in the bag.

  “Migraines.”

  She had to sign the receipt. Taking a deep breath, she hurried back, swiped the pen from his hand, scribbled her name and snagged the bag from the counter.

  “Your receipt, ma’am, and you’ve got my pen,” he said when she had the door halfway open.