The chairman left, properly chastened, determined to get to the bottom of the communications blackout. Currently the military was convinced hackers were the source of the blackout, which only served to upset the military intelligence apparatus over their inability to determine what was disrupting data communications from the detectors.
The president took a break for lunch and watched news footage of Jove landing in the NASA parking lot. Watching the remarkable sight, he was finally coming to seriously regret holding the two separatists incommunicado in Chicago.
Suddenly the display screens cleared and the main room went silent, communications were cut off in the bunker; the phones went dead as well. Laughlin, Dawkins and the president’s national security advisor, Robert Abbott, were in the middle of discussion about the events in Houston and The Hague when the room went dark.
Seconds later Christopher’s face filled the main screen. “Good afternoon, Mr. President. My name is Christopher Wright, and I want to know why my people in Chicago have not been freed. Just speak normally. I’ll be able to hear you.”
“How are you doing this, Mr. Wright?” Laughlin asked in shock.
“Really? That’s what you want to talk about right now, Mr. President? I suggest you pull yourself together and get with the program. I asked you a question and I’d like an answer.”
Laughlin looked at Dawkins and Abbott before answering, then replied, “The two people in custody in Chicago are being held as a matter of national security until we sort out your people’s reasons for being here.”
“Really? Who the hell do you think you are, holding innocent people in custody, not charging them, one of whom is a respected civil rights attorney and the other with no criminal record? Don’t let that whole national security bullshit go to your head, especially with people who have the means of exacting horrific retribution for your actions. I have activated a phone line in the PEOC so you can call Chicago and have my people released.”
As Christopher was speaking to the president, the two jumpers were just a few minutes from Washington, D.C.; so far no military aircraft were in sight. Christopher was under no illusion that their good fortune was going to last.
“And if I refuse, what then? Are you going to destroy the White House like you did the Russian control building?” Laughlin said defiantly. Meanwhile Abbot was trying to dial out on the one active phone line, but every time he dialed all he got was a fast busy signal. Dawkins had given up trying to get a text or email out on her mobile phone. Above ground, the Secret Service had put the White House on lockdown as they tried to force open the doors of the elevator that led down to the bunker. The lockdown also triggered the defenses around the White House, putting the military deployed around Washington on high alert.
G3 informed Christopher silently on screen of the increased military posture, including incoming fighters, and passed the information on to Lenny’s jumper as well.
“Mr. President, this is not a game. I am not in the mood to have a dick-waving contest with you. You have my people. I want them back. That’s as simple as it gets,” Christopher bluntly said.
“I’m afraid that what you’re requesting will take some time to—”
“That’s a lie, Mr. President. This isn’t some television show or movie, release my people or face the consequences.”
G3 displayed a radar readout showing six fighters flying toward White House airspace as well as the president’s helicopter and escort inbound.
“How bad a spanking do you want me to hand out, Mr. President? Your inbound fighters are a complete waste of time, and will only serve to exacerbate the situation. Now release my people. If this conversation goes much further I will broadcast it to every cable and satellite channel on the planet. Whipping your ass in public will only be the beginning. I see you have your national security advisor and chief of staff sitting with you. I will give you two minutes to consult with them. Perhaps they have better sense than you do. Two minutes, Mr. President,” Christopher said, breaking the connection.
President Laughlin held up his hand to forestall anything Dawkins was about to say.
“Okay, you were right.” He looked over at Abbott and asked, “Any luck getting anyone on that thing?”
“No one. I dialed the Chicago DOJ switchboard number and it went right through, but any other number is locked out.”
Laughlin then looked at the Secret Service agent stationed at the door to the conference room and raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry, Mr. President, the elevator is locked down and we have no control over it at this time. They are trying to force the doors upstairs but the thing was designed to keep everyone out once the bunker was in lockdown,” the agent informed him.
Laughlin walked over to the observation window. When he was seen by the watch commander, the soldier just shrugged his shoulders, pointed at the blank screens and consoles, and shook his head.
Turning back to Abbott and Dawkins, he said, “Okay, what are my options at this point?”
Dawkins laughed out loud as Abbott looked on in dismay.
“Options? Let them go or kill them. I don’t see anything else you can do at this point.”
While Dawkins was telling the president exactly how screwed he was, the jumpers arrived over the White House. Several ground-to-air missiles were fired in the direction of the jumpers but none were able to get a solid radar lock and passed them by, only to explode harmlessly when they were out of fuel. As the jumpers hovered over the White House grounds, several laser-aimed, shoulder-fired rockets were fired only to explode harmlessly against the jumpers’ shields.
When the two minutes expired, Christopher appeared on the main screen and immediately said, “Your people up here are pissing me off Mr. President. There’s no way they can hurt me or any of our spacecraft. Now make that call.”
“This is hardly a negotiation—” Laughlin began.
“That’s right, it’s not. I hold all the cards. You already know that we can bring down the building you’re hiding under, burying you in rubble. I can even dig you out should I desire. I grow weary of your bullshit, Mr. President. Now make the call!”
“Stuart, it’s time to admit that nothing will be gained by continuing to hold those men. Let them go,” Dawkins said, imploring him with her eyes to do the right thing.
“And then what, Mr. Wright? What happens after we let them go? How can you assure me that you have no intention of harming the American people? That you’ll go peacefully?”
Christopher laughed and laughed, embarrassing the president. He laughed so hard tears came to his eyes. After a few moments, he calmed enough to say, “You are a stitch! That bullshit was right out of a really bad movie! Maybe I should have waited for you to get one of your speech writers down there with you. That was priceless. However, in the event you were actually serious, let me hip you to a few things.
“First of all, there’s not a damned thing you can do about our visiting your stinking country, and there shouldn’t be. We grew up here, and as I’m sure the FBI has already told you, none of us were criminals before we left. If I want to land in a parking lot, pick up some groceries and then leave, other than getting clearance like any other aircraft, I should be able to do so and be left in peace. But you, and whomever you have advising you, seem to believe that you can take what’s ours away from us. Do you think so now?
“Even if you take exception to our visiting without informing you of our intentions, even criminals are innocent until proven otherwise. Where was the due process for our people in Chicago? All of your posturing is utter bullshit. I’m always astounded when someone like you starts believing the crap they spew.
“Right now I can pull the air out of that bunker and leave you all dead. There is nothing your military can do to stop us, including the deployment of nuclear weapons. Face it, you have nothing that you can do other than hold or kill my people,” Christopher said as Da
wkins shot a glance at Laughlin. “You might as well call your fighters off, I’ll allow that soldier make the call, otherwise one of my pilots just might take it in their head to stop all this pesky noise.”
Laughlin nodded to the watch commander, who was miraculously able to contact the people topside and pass along the president’s command to stand down.
“Much better,” Christopher said with a grin. “Now, make the call to Chicago before you really piss me off. And remember, I haven’t forgotten President Bender’s sending soldiers to attack me in my home.”
“He didn’t send them, it was the chairman of the joint chiefs acting against orders,” Laughlin said.
“Again, more bullshit. You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Christopher said. “Had there been no soldiers on that shuttle, damned ingenious getting it to and from the moon mind you, they couldn’t have deployed to the surface. Thank God for your men we left our outpost operational. Call it a gift, as well as the Apollo 13 hardware we left behind.”
“Excuse me,” Dawkins said, getting to her feet and coming to stand by President Laughlin.
“Yes, Ms. Dawkins, what can I do for you?” Christopher asked politely.
“I’ve always wondered about the Apollo hardware. Were you around when Apollo 13 had its malfunction?” she asked.
“As a matter of fact, I was. I was the one who deployed one of our ships to trail the damaged Apollo spacecraft in the event something catastrophic occurred. We were prepared to save your people, land them safely and then depart. That was in the early days, well before Earth had any idea we existed,” Christopher explained.
“And even though you knew that there were Navy SEALs on the shuttle before they arrived, you left your facility operational, correct?”
“Yes we did. Their imminent arrival was one of the reasons we departed when we did.”
“And you didn’t kill Colonel Levkov or any of the Svoboda crew, even after they launched an attack on your colony, right?” she asked.
“That is correct. Just where are you going with this, Ms. Dawkins?” Christopher asked.
“At every turn you have shown the compassion and ethical behavior of a more enlightened people. And yet you threaten us because we haven’t let your people go free. That doesn’t make sense, it’s not in keeping with your obvious humanity. Will you explain why?” she concluded.
“Yes I can. In each of those other cases our assistance was a matter of morality. We would not let people die where we could safely intervene. In the case of you taking our people in custody, the situation is quite different. Your holding our people is no less an attack on our existence than Colonel Levkov’s firing rockets at my home. Also, you left out saving the Jove spacecraft from destruction by Levkov in your list of our accomplishments, Ms. Dawkins. So you see, I simply cannot understand why our compassion has been rewarded by your holding our people hostage, because isn’t that what we’re really talking about here, Mr. President?” Christopher cynically asked.
“Perhaps. Then allow me to ask directly: Are your people willing to share their technologies with the American people, Mr. Wright?” Laughlin asked.
“Absolutely not. When we first came to the moon it was to escape the institutionalized racism you perpetuate on blacks even today. And look what we have accomplished, technologies you can barely understand, a longer and healthier life and travel anywhere in the solar system. Black people accomplished all this when the boot of white people was taken from their necks. Ms. Dawkins, congratulations on your position at the right hand of the president, but let me ask you a question: What kinds of slights and prejudices do you have to deal with when you have to speak or negotiate with the members of the southern caucus in congress, for example?”
“They are unpleasant. What’s your point? There’s always going to be those with provincial, throwback attitudes in this country for generations to come. But my having this job shows exactly how much progress has occurred since you all left the planet. Why not come back and help change things?” she implored.
“That’s never going to happen. Our lives are too important to waste on pointless endeavor. Now Mr. President, it’s time you released my people,” Christopher quietly reminded.
“Do it,” Dawkins softly said.
“Very well, Mr. Wright. Where do you want our people to take them?” Laughlin said, still jockeying for some advantage.
“Nowhere. Let them walk to the elevator, go on down to the first floor and walk out of the building,” Christopher said, gesturing off-camera to Andrea.
She moved away from the console as Christopher took over the controls of the jumper and called Chuck and the rest of the ground crew, telling Neil that it appeared that Lucius and Julius were going to be released outside the building. The three quickly checked out of the room and went to the garage. At Chuck’s urging they changed into their wetsuits. Once they were ready they laid out Julius and Lucius’ suits and breathing gear in the back. They pulled out of the hotel’s garage and began to circle the downtown area, waiting for word that the two were out of the building.
President Laughlin slowly went to the phone and took the handset from Abbott, who had already dialed the Chicago office. When the line was answered by the receptionist he said, “Special Agent Rodriguez, please.”
“Who may I say is calling?” she asked.
“It’s President Laughlin.”
“No, really? Whom should I say is calling?” she said, still not getting it.
“I’m not in the habit of repeating myself, you can either put me through or polish your resumé,” he said, obviously peeved.
The operator paused for an awkward second, then said, “Sorry, Mr. President. One moment please.”
“Rodriguez.”
“Stuart Laughlin.”
“Yes, sir. What can I do for you, Mr. President?”
“Cut them loose.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Return their things and let them go,” said Laughlin.
“Should we put a tail on them, sir?”
“Yes.”
“Very well. When, sir?” Special Agent Rodriguez asked, clearly confused.
“Immediately. Thank you, Jim,” Laughlin said, and hung up.
Andrea alerted the ground crew to expect the two to be leaving the building shortly, and checked Chuck and Todd’s location, finding them still miles away from Chicago.
Albert pulled his pants and shirt over his wetsuit and pulled on his shoes and socks. Neil then dropped him off across the street from the federal building. Albert then went into a shop and purchased a cup of coffee and a donut. He then took his purchases outside and sat down at one of the sidewalk tables. He was worried that he would miss the two when they came out because of the number of people coming and going. He was relying on one of them getting in touch with them once they were free.
“Thank you, Mr. President. You have saved yourself a lot of pain and suffering. You will hear from me again if anything happens to my people, and it won’t be pleasant. By the way, if they don’t exit that building in ten minutes, then I will act unilaterally, without warning, and it won’t be pretty,” Christopher promised.
When his face cleared from the screen, the lights came back up and all the systems in the bunker began to reboot. Abbott just shook his head as the systems began to come back up and said, “How the fuck do they do that!?”
Both jumpers remained over the White House lawn as Christopher waited for notification that Lucius and Julius were out of the building. While Christopher was talking to President Laughlin, four Cobra helicopters deployed between the White House and the jumpers, and a dozen F-22 Raptors criss-crossed the sky above the hovering jumpers.
Even though she would never admit it, Andrea was just itching to mix it up with the Raptors, and though the jumpers had no conventional weapons, the tractor emitters and compression
G-waves could be used to great effect on an enemy fighter. In the other jumper, Lenny and Damien were discussing the prospect of compressing a Cobra or two, or just ramming them with the shields dialed up to full strength.
Christopher called Albert for a situation report, but so far there was still no sign of the two leaving the building. Then Albert caught sight of two unmarked sedans with government license plates pulling up. When he scanned the crowd leaving the huge building he caught sight of Julius, with Lucius right on his heels. Fumbling for his earpiece, Albert called out, “Lucius?”
“Right here. Where are you?”
“Across the street at the coffee shop,” Albert said, seeing them looking in his direction. “Don’t come over here, there’s two cars at the end of the block that I’m sure are supposed to be tailing you. Keep walking to the corner and then head east toward the lakefront.
“Chuck, Chris, they’re clear of the building but they’re being tailed by two unmarked cars. Both cars have two guys inside,” Albert reported.
“Hey, Chris. It’s good to be out of that damn cell. What should we be doing?” Lucius asked.
“Chuck’s on his way, coordinate with him. I’m sitting over the White House lawn scaring the shit out of the president.”
“Christopher!” Lucius exclaimed.
“I’ve been good, mostly,” Christopher said defensively.
“Not so good, Lucius,” Andrea butted in. “But bottom line, he’s done what he had to do.”
“Tell me about it later. Which way should we go, Chuck?”
“Everyone head toward Michigan Avenue. I want you to gather at Navy Pier, but don’t bunch up. Todd and I are motoring as fast as we can underwater without leaving a big-ass wake on the surface.
“Neil, when you get the truck parked at Navy Pier, stay with it for now. Lena, I want you to post up where you can see if the feds follow them to the pier. Albert, take a cab over there and park yourself on the south side of the pier, where the tour boats come and go. Find a restaurant or something. As soon as we’re in the neighborhood we’ll get back to you,” Chuck said, signing off.
Confrontation Page 59