“Yes, sir,” responded Pearson, “but may I ask what are we searching for?”
“Keith Hampton.”
“Surely, sir, you don’t expect to find Hampton alive?”
“You never know,” said Josh hopefully. “Keith has always been very resourceful.” He signed deeply. “But, no. I know he is dead. I want to recover his body as soon as possible. I need to contact his parents to report his death for the second time. It would make it easier for me, and more real, if I have his body. Then I know that this time I am giving his parents the correct information. That call and the one to Lieutenant Shasta’s parents are going to be two of the hardest calls I have ever had to make.”
“I understand, sir. I will get on it right away,” responded Pearson. “Oh, sir, I had meant to tell you that I was extremely impressed with how Hampton handled the command of the search team. You would be amazed and quite proud of the way in which he conducted himself in the Dispatch office and at the Greenhouse. He took charge without any hesitation and with complete confidence. His death is such a waste of a very talented human being. May he rest in peace.”
“Thank you, Denny. Let me tell you a secret.” Josh told Pearson the account of how Wayne Shasta died and his decision not to reveal in the official report the details of Wayne’s death. “Now at least Keith won’t be burdened with charges of treason or with killing his best friend. Perhaps he can actually rest in peace. Unfortunately the same is not true of Shasta. He died betraying his fellow crewmembers, the UGC, and his country. I cannot hide those actions from UGC. He will go down as a traitor.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
June 27, 2200 Hours
The past couple of hours seemed to drag by slowly. Captain Stoner had busied himself with using the communications station on the James K to check on the progress occurring down below. With Jackson Greene’s assistance he had been in touch with Commodore Naper, Marlana Berg, Neil Chase, and Bonnie Shea. Things were going as well as could be expected. He also checked in with Diane Pearson and updated himself on all the routine activities occurring aboard the Gladiator. When that was all done he checked on Ensign Glenna. She was curled in a ball upon a blanket spread across the pod’s floor. Her weeping and anguish over Keith’s death had sent her into a state of exhaustion. Sleep is probably the best thing for her, thought Josh as he stepped out of the James K. I wish I could sleep.
For some reason he could not readily explain, Josh was filled with anxiety. It seemed like the diving team was taking an eternity to arrive. He knew that wasn’t true. The John Glenn needed to return to the Gladiator. The divers needed to gather and test all their equipment: wet suits, oxygen tanks, tubing, netting, and what have you. Then they needed to return in the John Glenn. He knew all of that would take time. But for Josh it felt like time was slipping away. It had been seven hours since the flooding of the Headquarters had begun. I just need the divers to get down there as soon as possible. I know it is irrational, but I cannot shake this feeling of urgency. At that moment Josh heard the whirring sound emanating from high in the sky, and he quickly looked up to see the John Glenn emerging from the clouds. He began pacing impatiently around the entrance to the James K, as he waited anxiously for Dennis Pearson and the divers to arrive.
Finally Josh could spy the small group coming toward him with Pearson in the lead. He could make out Lieutenant Shalonna Robinson and Ensign Kyung Ahn, their arms loaded down with all their diving equipment. They were followed by two others. Before departing, Josh had ordered Dennis Pearson to arouse Joban and Fabiana. He wanted the former slave couple to return to Brisula to assist with keeping the newly freed slaves calm and orderly until the evacuation to various space stations could begin. While Hom and Colonel Flax were doing a commendable job in reassuring the slaves, they were growing weary themselves and were overdue for a rest break.
“Good evening everyone,” greeted the Captain once the group had assembled around the folding table out on the grass. “We are going to all descend to Brisula City. Joban and Fabiana, I will escort you to the Cages where you will assist Nurse Rugan in keeping the masses calm and orderly. There are also slaves temporarily being housed in the Golf Course and the Construction Site, so I will expect you to check on them as well.” Then the Captain turned his attention to the divers. “Lieutenant Robinson and Ensign Ahn, you will go with Dennis Pearson to the Headquarters and immediately begin searching for and retrieving Keith Hampton’s body. I am to be notified as soon as his body is recovered.”
“Whoa, sir,” interrupted Dennis Pearson. “Before the divers can enter the Headquarters, I need to test the condition of the water. I must determine the level of toxicity before we can decide if it is safe for the divers.”
“How long will that take?” asked the Captain.
“About an hour, maybe more.”
“OK,” sighed Josh. “Do what you need to, but be quick about it.”
The group headed for the ropes.
Beverly Glenna opened her eyes. Her surroundings were blurry and at first unfamiliar. She looked over to her left where she expected to see Keith Hampton. She quickly rubbed her eyes which for some reason felt quite irritated. Opening them again she surveyed the area. Both her vision and her mind began to get clearer. She was not still in the Cages chained to Keith. No, I remember now. I am in the James K and Keith is dead! What I wouldn’t give to be lying next to Keith on the cold, damp floor of the hay-strewn cage. But, but— She shook her head and slowly struggled to get up. Once in a standing position, she walked to the front of the pod and sat down next to Jackson Greene who was still manning the communications console. He was having a conversation with Dennis Pearson. The audio speaker was on, so Beverly was able to hear the entire conversation. The Lieutenant Commander was asking Greene to relay a message to the Captain. Apparently it was going to take awhile longer than planned for the divers to start their search. There were some electric wires affixed to the top of the elevators, which were emitting sparks. The wires needed to be carefully defused before it was safe for the divers to descend into the Headquarters. Pearson told Jackson that he knew the Captain was not going to be happy with the delay, but there was no way to rush the procedure. Pearson told him to also let the Captain know that there were going to be power outages affecting most of the city due to the water disrupting some of the power supply lines. Jackson contacted Captain Stoner and repeated the message. Just like Dennis Pearson predicted, the Captain was not pleased. Jackson ended the call and addressed Beverly.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Is it true?” she responded, “Or was I just having a nightmarish dream?”
“If you mean about Keith Hampton, unfortunately it is true.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“I know you were very close to Hampton. He seemed like a good officer. Being new, I hadn’t really gotten to know him that well yet. But I think he will be greatly missed. Captain Stoner appears to have thought highly of him.” Jackson rambled on for a bit longer. He didn’t quite know how to handle this situation. He figured if he kept talking, then he wouldn’t have to respond to anything Beverly might utter, as he really didn’t know what he should be saying to her. He wished Liz was here. She’d know what to say. All of a sudden he missed Liz and Zappy terribly. He stopped talking as a wave of sadness overtook him.
“I appreciate your concern,” Beverly was saying. “What are the divers going to be searching for?”
Snap out of it, Jackson told himself. You knew that it was going to be difficult to leave Liz and Zappy behind. He swallowed hard, trying to overcome the depressing thoughts. But I had prepared for it. I’m stronger than this. “I believe they are searching for Hampton’s body,” replied Jackson. He heard Beverly begin to bawl and it became contagious. Slowly tears began to form.
Beverly noticed. “I don’t think you are weeping over the death of Keith. Is there something else upsetting you?”
“I am so sorry. This is quite embarrassing. I usually hav
e better control of my emotions,” Jackson responded, wiping his eyes with a tissue that Beverly handed him. “Your despair over Lieutenant Hampton got me thinking of home, specifically my girlfriend, Elizabeth, and her guide dog, Zappy. Gosh do I miss them.”
They talked and consoled each other until the communications board lit up. Two calls were coming in simultaneously. They both quickly composed themselves and each answered one of the lines. There was a call from Lieutenant Evans checking on the welfare of Beverly. Jackson passed the call to the Ensign, and she gave Jackson the call from Captain Stoner.
“Officer Greene,” commanded the Captain, “I am going to be interrogating several personnel. I will keep my stat phone open, as I would like you to monitor and record the conversations. I want a backup in case the recording mechanism in my phone is not working properly. Please do not use the audio speaker or visual screens, as for the moment these discussions need to remain confidential.”
“Yes, sir. I shall be ready to proceed upon your signal.” In the background he heard Ensign Glenna lightly sniffling, as she talked to her fiancé on the phone.
“Colin, what difference does it make now, how I reacted to the news about Keith?” said Beverly with annoyance in her voice. “He’s dead for God’s sake. Let it go!” She slammed her hand against the disconnect button, abruptly ending the conversation.
Amanda Rugan went about her task methodically. She gathered as much information as possible about each of the slaves: recording their number, name, planet of origin, gender, birthday, allergies, and medical history. Then she gently administered the Legionnaires’ antibiotic. Each patient was then placed on a steadily growing line, to be examined by Dr. Monroe. The Guard House had been converted to a makeshift examination room. The doctor was being assisted by Fabiana. Slaves, who were showing severe symptoms of the apple-induced poisoning, were escorted by Joban to the Golf Course, where Marlana Berg and Paul Loring, with Bonnie Shea’s assistance, were providing treatment. Likewise, Dr. Carter was working, with help from Ben Rubin, on examining and treating the slaves being housed at the Construction Site. Slaves needing advanced treatment were escorted by Hom to the Golf Course. Back at the Hospital, Dr. Ottman and his staff were caring for the Brisulan residents. And finally, Dr. Maxine Campbell, from the Architectural Engineering Team, accompanied by Colonel Flax, was going door-to-door calling on those too sick or too afraid to leave their homes.
“Hello, Amanda.” The nurse was momentarily startled by the friendly familiar voice.
“Hello, Dr. Loring,” Amanda greeted the doctor, her heart pitter-pattering. “What are you doing here?”
“Dr. Berg assigned me to assist Dr. Monroe for a while and try to get the line moving a bit faster,” responded Paul. “You look exhausted. You really should lie down and take a nap. Doctor’s orders.”
“No, I’ll be fine. There is too much work to be done. I can’t stop to rest.”
“Well, OK but let me give you something. I am really worried about you.” He reached into his medical kit and withdrew a small vial and a syringe. Once the hypo was loaded, he gently rolled up Amanda’s uniform sleeve and injected the serum into her upper arm. “That should help. It’s an energy stimulant.”
“Thank you, doctor,” said Amanda rolling down her sleeve. “How are you holding up?”
“Me? I am just fine and dandy. It is great to be waiting on patients again. I didn’t realize how much I missed my work. To be honest, I did not think I would ever be allowed to practice medicine again. I am grateful for this opportunity and quite happy to be able to lend my help.” He paused and flashed a wide smile at Amanda. “Yes, help is what I am here for, so can you tell me where I can find Dr. Monroe?”
“Of course. He is in the Guard House. If you follow the line of slaves, it will lead you straight to your destination.”
“Good seeing, you Amanda.” Dr. Loring gave the nurse a wink and did an about-face. He headed off, guarded closely by Seaman Chase.
With pleasant memories of Paul floating around in her head, Amanda returned to her task of tending to the slaves.
“You seem quite chipper,” said Captain Stoner. “Everyone else down here is displaying a somber mood.” To Amanda it seemed like the Captain had appeared out of nowhere and she jumped back a few steps. “I’m sorry, Nurse Rugan. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
“No, sir. I was just absorbed in my work.”
“Is that all that was occupying your mind?” asked Josh. “I just saw Paul leaving the Cages.”
Amanda blushed. “Yes, sir. You are right. It was good seeing Paul back at work. He is very happy being able to help out.”
“I suppose,” responded Josh. He felt sorry for Nurse Rugan. It had to be quite heart-wrenching to be in love with someone you can never actually have. “I am going to be conducting interrogations of our prisoners. It is too chaotic here so I will have to use the closest secluded area, room C-7 in the Punishment Center. I will send for them one at a time. Dennis Pearson should be arriving shortly to escort the first subject. In the meantime I will be in the Court House.”
Josh Stoner pushed on the thick glass door of the Court House. Naturally it was locked. He fumbled in his backpack, a new one that Dennis had given him, and eventually found a lock pick. He carefully maneuvered it in the lock until it sprang open. It was dark inside so he took out a flashlight. Having never actually been inside the building, he went about exploring the interior. A wooden reception desk was located in the center of the lobby. Stepping around the desk, Josh could see many doorways and corridors. Going down what appeared to be the main hallway, Josh came upon a large, marble framed door that opened into a small courtroom outfitted with a judge’s bench, witness stand, jury box, and a gallery for spectators. Returning to the vestibule, Josh noticed a sign hanging above the adjacent corridor. Shining his flashlight on the sign, he could make out the words.
Josh headed down the hallway. The walls were lined with grey-painted, metal file cabinets. Many of the drawers were pulled open and several drawers were empty. I wonder if those drawers contained the papers that I saw being shredded in the Communications Station. He shined his flashlight onto one of the open drawers. It contained property tax records from ten years ago. As he flipped through the documents, he heard some sounds coming from further down the hallway. It sounded like movement followed by a door closing. Following the direction from where the sounds had originated, he came to a small closet-like door. An overflowing tin trash can, with a paper shredder gear head stretched out over its rim, stood alongside the door. Josh jerked the handle and the door popped open. Using the flashlight, he illuminated the room. It was a closet jammed with cleaning supplies, office provisions, and a woman crouched on the floor.
“Mrs. Flax?” asked Josh shining his light on her face. “What are you doing here at this time of night? It is just about midnight. Shouldn’t you be home with your sick children?” Gina Flax did not answer. “Please step out of the closet.” She did not budge. “Please don’t make me have to pull you out.” When she still didn’t move, Josh reached in to grab her arm. Instead she took a hold of Josh’s arm and lifted herself up. She then walked out of the small supply room.
“That’s better,” said Josh. “Now tell me why you are destroying government records.”
“That, mister, is none of your business,” she spat out.
“Does your husband know what you are doing?”
“That, too, is none of your business.”
“My, my. Such an attitude. I heard that you repaid my doctor for treating your children by having her and my first officer arrested.” Gina stood perfectly still and stared at the trash can. “With all due respect, Mrs. Flax, I implore you to understand that I and my crew are here to help the slaves and the citizens of Brisula.” Pointing the flashlight at her face, Josh noticed that the woman was sweating profusely. “Have you received your inoculation? You appear to have the illness that has been spreading through Brisula.”
“I will
not allow you to inject me with your poison.”
“It is not poison. It is an antibiotic designed to combat the effects of the polluted water that has been injected into the apples. Without the inoculation you could die.”
“How do we know that it is not your people that poisoned the apples? Probably Captain Torgenson or Lieutenant Shasta.”
“You are correct in that I don’t know on whose orders the apples were infected, but I can tell you for sure that the antibiotic will restore your health. You must trust me.”
“Never.” She folded her arms and leaned against the wall.
“Very well then. You leave me no choice. Come with me.” He removed his zip gun, set it on incapacitate, and pointed it at Gina Flax. “Walk,” he demanded.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
June 28, 0000 Hours
Holding his gun to Gina Flax’s back, Josh commanded the woman to follow the pathway to Punishment Center C-7, a place that brought back unsettling memories. It was where he and Lieutenant Shasta were confined during their first visit to the underground city. Where he watched helplessly while Shasta was tortured. The memory was especially distressing now that Wayne was gone forever. He shook his head in an attempt to release the unpleasant thoughts, as he pulled open the heavy door and beckoned Mrs. Flax to enter. The stat phone in his pocket buzzed.
“Stoner, here,” said Josh.
“Captain, Commander Andrews is requesting to speak to you,” said Jackson Greene. “I told him that you may not want to be disturbed.”
“That will be fine, Officer Greene. I have not begun the interrogations,” responded Josh. “Give me a moment to secure my prisoner and step outside.” Taking Gina Flax by one arm, Josh lightly guided her over to a small holding cell built into the back wall. He placed her inside and turned the lock until it clicked shut. Then he left the torture room to take Dave Andrews’ call. Leaning against the silvery tunnel wall he told Jackson to put the call through.
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