by Newman, AJ
“Tell me about your plan.”
☣☣☣
No one was concerned that twenty to thirty of the recent people who’d received immunity had left the area or died in suspicious accidents over the next few months. Most were assumed to have moved to Amarillo to help start up their new community. None of them had been killed for their blood. Instead, they were being kept in cages down in Juarez to be slowly milked of their plasma.
Captain Johnson had secured the area around Amarillo with hundreds of troops since the city would be their first immunity outpost. He’d talked over a hundred people into moving to Amarillo to help get the project started. They were free to stay or return to Lubbock when the project was up and running. His group was currently converting the airport hangers and terminal into a temporary immunity clinic while long-term buildings were being modified. There were only about five hundred survivors in Amarillo, but Johnson thought there were another couple of hundred in the surrounding area.
☣☣☣
Jon had to drive to Amarillo to find the black on black 2038 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon that had the latest AI controls and equipment he wanted. Jill and Jack went along so they could pick out vehicles for themselves. Jack also wanted a green Jeep Unlimited for Cindy. Jill and Jack wanted Dodge pickups for themselves. The Ford and Jeep dealerships were next to the Dodge dealership, which made it convenient for all of them.
Jill parked her Dodge 2500 next to Barbara’s Jeep so Jon could program it. “What are you going to name your truck?”
“Jon, it’s a truck. It’s not a human. It doesn’t have feelings.”
Samantha heard her speak. “Well, you just hurt my feelings. I’m not just a truck. I’m Jon’s companion, confident, and security guard.”
“Yet, in the long run, you’re a truck. Jon, my truck’s name will be Truck.”
Jack laughed as he stepped down from Cindy’s dark green Jeep with a white ragtop. “Cindy wants to name her Jeep ‘Trigger.’ She always wanted a horse, and her parents wouldn’t let her have one.”
“I’m surrounded by nuts and flakes. Dad, what’s your truck’s name?”
“I don’t really care. I just want a truck to do all the truck things and help pull guard duty. I don’t want to talk to it, son.”
“Okay, but it needs a name since you will have to give it a few commands.”
“It’s a Ford Raptor. I’ll call it Idiot.”
“Dad!”
Jon programmed all of the vehicles to follow their new owner’s directions but programmed himself to have administrator override power. He thought of it to be able to play jokes on his friends. They caught him chuckling to himself several times, but he didn’t let them know of his sneaky plan to mess with them.
Samantha overheard his instructions. “Jon, you do know your friends could get mad if they figure out you can surveil them from anywhere in the world with your override.”
“Do what? I just want to mess with them by telling their vehicles to do some goofy stuff.”
Samantha gave Jon a lecture on unintended consequences. “Now that you ignored my warning, my processor is laughing its ass off at the tricks we can play on them.”
“Don’t you mean, I can play on them?”
“Of course, master. Of course. But, I can put devious thoughts in your head.”
They spent the rest of their time loading up spare tires and parts along with some custom parts for each vehicle. Barbara’s Jeep already had all-terrain tires, the 426 Hemi, and heavy-duty suspension that came with the Texas Ranger model Rubicon. It also had built-in compartments to store hunting rifles and equipment safely.
Barbara saw the shiny black Jeep and was excited. She climbed in and said, “Hon, please train Buck to obey my voice.”
“I wondered what you’d call your Jeep. Buck it is. I kinda thought you’d call it a feminine name.”
“Nope, my Buck is a rough and tough SOB who won’t take any shit off anyone. Well, except me.”
“I want all the same commands and features that make Samantha so indispensable and protective of you. I’ll do the rest.”
Barbara sat in the Jeep conversing with it for several hours until she felt as though they knew each other. Jon interrupted several times before asking her to come to bed. “Hon, I think you’ve found a new friend. I’ll feel safer now when you travel to Amarillo every day.”
“Babe, always take your Jeep. Cindy can do as she pleases, but you should always take Buck when you drive anywhere.”
“Yes, sir!”
Chapter 20
Amarillo, Texas – April 2038 Two months more have passed.
The convoy rolled to a stop at the guard post on Jackrabbit Road, where Highway 40 crossed. Lieutenant Crosby got out of the lead Humvee with a civilian. The sergeant examined the lieutenant's credentials and orders. “I’ll have one of my men take you to the compound at the airport where we have the clinic and holding areas. Come back through this checkpoint, and I’ll quickly get you on the way back to Dallas.”
The civilian asked, “One of my dear friends works at your clinic. Could I speak to her? She’s Doctor Barbara Payne.”
“Are you talking about Doctor Stone? She’s our immunologist on this project. She’s maybe thirty, short red hair, and rather good looking. Is that her?”
The man’s face turned red, and he stuttered. “Y …es, th …at has to be her. I guess she got married since I saw her last. We were great friends at our last job.”
“Yes, you can see her. If you want, I’ll get her to the phone.”
“No, just ask her to come to the loading dock. I want to surprise her.”
The sergeant finished examining the paperwork and said, “Okay, she can sign the release for the synthetic blood and plasma. This stuff is worth ten times its weight in gold. We have to keep our inventories up to date.”
The civilian had trouble getting back in the Humvee but managed to climb in with help from the lieutenant. The sergeant saluted the lieutenant and said, “Mr. Ball, remember to have the lieutenant and the doctor sign for the supplies.”
The lieutenant had to show his credentials one more time as they entered the gate to the Amarillo International Airport. When finished, he said, “Mr. Ball, your boss had better be prepared to pay a steep sum of gold and silver for these supplies. You heard the man say they were worth ten times their weight in gold.”
Mr. Ball replied, “Don’t worry. You’ll get what’s coming to you. Remember, we’re getting these for free with the help of my contacts in the CDC. These idiots think we’re taking them to one of our immunity centers near Atlanta.”
The guard escorted them on to the main terminal, which had been converted to a hospital. The guard took them around the building to a loading dock. “Stay here, and someone will come out and take care of you. Oh, they’ll also fetch Doctor Stone for you.”
The shipping and receiving clerk sent several soldiers to gather the supplies. At the same time, Mr. Ball waited with two of his soldiers. The clerk sent for Dr. Stone to come back to the supply room since she had to sign out the bottles of plasma. Dr. Stone and another woman entered the supply room, signed the bill of lading, and watched the men go to pick the order. One of the soldiers sent the clerk out to find an officer for Ball to check on something. The clerk waved at the ladies in passing and went about his business. The soldier said, “An old friend of yours is here to see you, Dr. Stone.”
Just before Cindy and Barbara walked through the overhead door, they saw a man dressed in a white shirt and tan slacks on the dock. They walked past the soldiers, and toward the man dressed in civilian clothes with his back turned to them. Barbara had the feeling she knew the man but couldn’t make the connection without seeing his face. The soldiers approached the women from behind, and each held a rag soaked with chloroform over their mouths while they struggled to get free. Barbara heard the man say, “Welcome back, Barbara.”
She almost vomited when she’d heard the voice but passed out. One of the sold
iers asked, “What do we do with the other lady?”
George Ball laughed, “She might come in handy in the lab. If not, she can entertain you two.”
The two soldiers carried the women into the back of the truck and covered them with a tarp. One said to the other, “This is one sick asshole. I’m reporting him to the sergeant when we get back.”
The clerk and his warehouse team came back with the supplies, which were promptly loaded. Mr. Ball shook his hand and wished him well before getting into the Humvee. The convoy left and easily passed both of the checkpoints and was several hours down the road before Barbara woke up groggy.
“Cindy, Cindy, wake up! Please wake up.”
A voice said, “Lady, be quiet. You both are in for a long drive to our new headquarters. We won’t let that asshole hurt you during the trip, and we’ll report him to our sergeant.”
“Let us go. George Ball is a mad man, and he’s been stalking me for years. I thought he was dead. He was shot several times before he caused our plane to crash.”
The other soldier hissed. “Well, that explains his limp and scars on his face. We don’t like him, but our leaders do. Apparently, he knows how to make people immune.”
The clerk didn’t miss Barbara or Cindy since he didn’t work with them. It was at the end of the immune center’s workday, and Barbara’s peers just assumed she’d left with her friend to catch up on old times.
Barbara’s Jeep monitored her movement all day long every day. For weeks, she’d parked Buck in the parking lot, worked eight to ten hours, and returned with Cindy for the drive home. Sometimes she drove but usually allowed Buck to drive while she and Cindy catnapped. Today was different. Just before she was due to head home, she’d walked to a strange part of the building, and her heart had raced, and then her vital signs had dropped enough that Buck was alarmed. The Jeep started his engine and roared over to the back of the building in time to see several vehicles leave. Trigger followed when he saw the same issues with Cindy’s vital signs and couldn’t process a reason for her falling asleep is such a strange place. Buck knew Barbara was in the large truck and followed at a distance. The guards were used to seeing Barbara and Cindy leave about that time of the day, so they didn’t even look to see them. Both Jeeps stayed back far enough not to draw attention.
☣☣☣
Jon was used to Barbara working over, but today she didn’t call to let him know they were staying over several hours as she’s always done before. Jack became worried when Cindy didn’t call to let him know they were working over. He found Jon sitting on his deck with a beer. “Son, did Barbara call to say they’re working over?”
“No, she didn’t, and they should have been here a half an hour ago. That’s odd for both of them to forget to call. Did you call Trigger?”
“What the hell could her truck say?”
“Didn’t Cindy drive over by herself since it’s Friday, and her group at work stays over for a beer before going home?”
“Yes, but she always calls me when she’s going to be late.”
Jon raised his voice, “Samantha, come here.”
The truck’s engine started, and Samantha crept closer to Jon. “Samantha, check on Buck and let me know what he’s doing. Ask him where Barbara is now?”
Samantha answered, was quiet for a few seconds, and then answered. “Jon, you need to be more specific in your programming. Buck and Trigger are one hundred eighty miles east of Amarillo on Highway 40.”
“Whoa, slow down. Where are Barbara and Cindy?”
“Buck and Trigger report that Barbara and Cindy are in the back of a large Army five-ton truck. Buck is about a mile behind Barbara’s current position traveling at sixty-two miles per hour with Trigger right behind him. I’ve processed the data and calculated that Barbara and Cindy have been kidnapped. You should have instructed Buck to keep you informed if Barbara’s daily schedule varies, or his processor interprets data to indicate she’s in stress or danger.”
“Samantha, tell our trucks to monitor their humans' safety and to report back any concerns or issues to me. Can Buck intercept any of their communications?”
“Of course. I’m scanning Buck’s recordings to find the juicy parts.”
“Samantha! Play the parts that tell me who kidnapped them, why they kidnapped them, and where they’re taking them!”
“I can’t tell who, but the names used so far are Sergeant, Lieutenant, and George. They’re heading to their new headquarters in Sacramento, California, and this George wants Barbara to work with him again.”
Jon was confused because he only knew of one George in Barbara’s past, and Jon had pumped two slugs into the bastard and left him for dead in Alabama. Jon loaded some weapons and supplies into Samantha and then said, “Have Trigger contact me directly. Samantha, your tanks are full. Go catch up to Barbara as fast as you can without wrecking. Stay close to her. I’ll probably beat you to her, but you’ll be my last hope to save her. Hit the road.”
Samantha roared off from the NAS and headed to Albuquerque on the two-lane roads to save time. She would fall in behind them several hours later on Highway 40.
Jack had chased down Captain Johnson, and he arrived an hour later. “Jack filled me in on the kidnapping. They’re about four hours ahead of us by now. I’ll ….”
“Randy, they’re about twenty miles east of Albuquerque heading to Sacramento. We need your helicopters to take us to a point ahead of them, so we can rescue Cindy and my wife.”
Randy Johnson looked down at his feet. “Jon, we only have one chopper at this time, and it’s down for maintenance. I can fly you to an airport and drop you and some of my men off to stop them. Sorry, but that’s the best we can do.”
Jack stopped Jon. “Jon, we can take my plane and intercept them before they get to Sacramento. You already have Trigger and Buck following them, so we have a ride home. I can land the plane on the highway in front of them and make them stop.”
Jon turned to Randy. He liked the captain, but now would be the time for the captain to come through for them. “Randy, I need six heavily armed men, six LAWs, and a couple of SAWs. We can take them out equipped that way.”
“It’s yours. My men will be at the NAS Airport in less than thirty minutes. Are you sure you don’t want more men?”
“No, I want to keep the plane as light as possible for speed. We’re going to find out how fast Jack’s plane will fly.”
Jack said, “Maximum speed is around two hundred and eighty miles per hour. We should be safe at two hundred and fifty, but we’ll burn through the fuel much faster. Jon, it’s going to take them twenty hours to get to Sacramento. They’ll have to stop for the night. We can pass them while they’re sleeping. Hell, we might get there in time to attack while they’re asleep.”
Jon’s mind was doing flip flops. “Wait, what if they have a plane waiting for them along the way?”
Jack quickly replied, “We take off and fly at two-fifty until they either keep passing potential airports, and we get ahead of them, or they stop for the night. Riding in Humvees and a five-ton will wear their asses out. We’ll get ahead of them. Trust me.”
Jon radioed Buck and Samantha. “Buck, tell me if anything changes on the vehicle containing Barbara and Cindy. Also, do that for the rest of the vehicles. I need to know anything they do. What can you tell me about Barbara and Cindy’s physical condition?”
Buck instantly replied, “Their vital signs are good, but a bit stressed. They haven’t moved more than a few inches since leaving Amarillo. I suspect they’re bound hand and foot. They have been trying to talk their guards into letting them go. The guards are sympathetic but will not help them due to fear. Both guards are asleep. Barbara appears to be attempting to free herself. There are two men in the cab, and one is asleep. Their truck is a dumb truck.”
“Thanks, Buck.”
The plane was loaded and in the air an hour later. The kidnappers had a five-hour head start on Jon and Jack. Jack cruised at two hundred
miles per hour. Jon tried to answer the high school math question about if a train left the station five hours ago at sixty miles per hour, and another train left the station at two hundred miles per hour, how soon would the second train catch up to the first train. He knew the trucks were traveling at sixty miles an hour and would travel six hundred miles in ten hours. Jon’s train, the plane, had left five hours later than the first train …
“Damn, Dad, I think we’ll pass them at our three-hour mark at two hundred miles per hour. I’m not good at algebra, and who the hell is, by the way?”
Jack did the mental calculations and had his son plot out six hundred miles on the map. “Dad, they’ll be somewhere close to Flagstaff in two hours. Shit, they could catch a plane there.”
Jack keyed the mic. “Red Rover. This is the Mamma Dog and her pups. Come in.”
“This is Red Rover. I’ll get the captain.”
A few minutes past. “This is Red Rover.”
“This is Momma Dog. How about having some of those Navy birds check out the Flagstaff Airport for bogies? We don’t want our package to fly out of there before we get it in our hands.”
“Jack, you can talk normal speak. You kinda butcher the military speak. I’ll do some begging. Be back to you in ten.”
It was fifteen minutes, but Randy had good news. “It’s your lucky day. There’s no activity at Flagstaff, Prescott, Kingman, or Las Vegas. The Admiral had a bird over the area an hour ago. Let me know when you catch up to the bastards.”
Jon slapped his dad on the back. “That makes me feel a bit better. Now to figure out where to land this aircraft.”