The Alex Cave Series. Books 1, 2, & 3.: Box set

by James M. Corkill

  “Is beer okay?” Marcia nodded. “Wonderful. Just make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

  When Blackwood stepped inside the cabin, Marcia smiled to herself. At least he’s a gentleman, she thought. Blackwood returned with two beers and glasses, and handed her one.

  “Now, then,” Blackwood began. “Tell me what happened and how you came to be flying over my camp.”

  “Oh, it’s this oil problem. I simply had to find somewhere else to live. I’m a college instructor, you see, and when supplies ran short in town, the school was closed. I had no means of support, and no one to teach. What good is a teacher without students? I thought somewhere there must be a community who would be in need of educating their children.”

  “Yes,” Blackwood nodded seriously. “Education is a valuable thing.”

  “Oh, I agree. Anyway, I heard of a community in Alaska looking for teachers, and they would supply living accommodations and meals in exchange for my services. My plane was fine when I left Bozeman, but then the engines began acting up. Thank goodness you were here to assist me, Colonel. I’m sure I would have perished if it weren’t for you and your people.”

  Blackwood smiled proudly. “Think nothing of it.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then smiled at Marcia. “We could use a teacher here in the AOS. You can stay right here and teach the children.”

  “Well thank you, Colonel, but I’ve already promised the people in Alaska.” Marcia noticed Blackwood’s solemn look. “I’m sorry, Colonel.”

  Blackwood looked up into her eyes with a saddened expression. “I’m sorry, too. You see, we can’t allow you to leave.”

  Marcia was stunned for a moment. “I don’t understand, Colonel,” Marcia told him. “Why can’t I leave?”

  Another voice answered her question. “Because nobody leaves this camp. You either join us or die.”

  Marcia looked toward the bottom of the steps at John Everex, and then turned to Blackwood with an imploring look. “Is that true, Colonel?”

  Blackwood slowly nodded. “I’m afraid so. No one on the outside can learn where we are.”

  “Oh, but I assure you, Colonel. I won’t tell a soul. Besides, I don’t even know where this place is. Couldn’t you blindfold me and take me somewhere?”

  Blackwood thought it was a good idea, but before he could reply, Everex answered.

  “Not a chance. Now, you have three choices. You can train to be a soldier, become part of the special services, or you can die.”

  Blackwood couldn’t stand the thought of this tall, beautiful woman being a camp prostitute, and shot a menacing look at Everex. “No, John. She’s a teacher. She can set up a school for the children.”

  Everex laughed harshly. “We don’t need a damn school here. Hell, I only made it through the tenth grade and look at me. I’m a damn major.”

  Blackwood slowly stood and stared at Everex. Yes, he thought, look at what an ignorant, sadistic bastard you are, too. Having this intelligent, attractive woman with him seemed to spark a sense of honor in him, Blackwood slowly walked down the steps until he was toe to toe with Everex, and looked him squarely in the eyes. “I mean it, Major!” he insisted firmly. “The world is changing, and we’re like a city here. I want educated solders, not a bunch of bumbling morons.”

  It had been a long time since Everex had seen such a defiant attitude in the Colonel. Something had changed in him because of this woman, and he didn’t like it. The Colonel did have a point, though. They already had more than enough prostitutes, and the Amazon woman was too old to be a soldier. The camp had grown to over two-hundred people; at least thirty of them were children, too young to do much of anything in the camp. In addition, five babies had been born since he took over as Major. He had to admit the camp was turning into a small city, of sorts, and it would be good to get the little rug rats out of the way. Everex slowly nodded. “All right, Colonel. We’ll give it a try.” He looked at Marcia. “There were two of you in the plane. We found smaller size clothing in two of the bags. What happened to the other girl?”

  Marcia knew this moment would come, and had tried to think of what she’d say. She realized this Major Everex thought Christa’s clothes were for a small girl, and an idea came to her almost instantly. “Those clothes belong to my niece. She was going to come with me.” Marcia tried to look as sad as possible. “Oh, it was terrible!” she moaned. “Everyone went crazy on campus, and somebody shot her!” Marcia buried her face in her hands and pressed her fingers against her eyes to make them red while she pretended to cry.

  “I think that’s enough questions for now, Major,” said Blackwood in a stern tone.

  “For now, Colonel.” Everex replied, spun on his heels, and walked across the parade ground.

  Blackwood turned to Marcia. “I’m sorry about your niece,” he said sincerely.

  Marcia looked up. “Thank you, Colonel.”

  Blackwood smiled. “Well, I guess now you’re our teacher. Is that all right with you?”

  “I would much rather leave,” Marcia told him.

  Blackwood’s smile faded slightly. “I’m sorry. I know Major Everex wouldn’t hesitate to shoot you if you tried. Please, just try to make the most of it here, with us. We have plenty of food and shelter. Probably more than those people in Alaska. What do you say?”

  Marcia knew better than to push the issue, and thought it best to stay on Blackwood’s good side. She smiled graciously. “All right, Colonel. You have yourself a teacher.”

  Blackwood’s smile spread from ear to ear. “Wonderful.”

  “What are special services?” she asked.

  Blackwood looked a little embarrassed. “It’s, ah. It’s the, ah, personnel entertainment tents.”

  “You mean prostitutes?” Marcia asked. Blackwood lowered his head sheepishly and nodded. “I’m glad I’m a teacher, then,” she said and smiled. Blackwood looked up and returned her smile. “Well, Colonel. Show me where I’ll be staying and where I can set up our school.”

  Blackwood’s joy returned. “I’ll have one of my men set you up in a private tent, and make arrangements for the use of the main building as a classroom.”

  Chapter 26

  COOK INLET, ALASKA:

  Blustery gray clouds filled the sky as Bull stood on the bridge of the oil tanker, watching as the last of the fifty-caliber machine guns were assembled by quiet, competent men in green, camouflage clothing. Behind him stood Navy Commander Dale Anderson, an old combat vet now commanding the Navy’s elite SEAL team. Anderson wore the same camouflage clothing, and his short-cropped gray hair was nearly hidden beneath the matching ball cap. Captain Parks was standing inside the bridge, barking orders to the sailors who would steer the tanker down to Washington.

  Bull stepped to the railing and looked down at the Black Hawk combat helicopter parked on the tanker’s main deck. Two more fifty-caliber machine guns were stationed and manned around the helicopter.

  Bull turned and looked at Commander Anderson. “I’m impressed, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t think you have to worry about external forces attacking this tanker.”

  Anderson grinned agreeably. “Yes, I’ve read the report. My job is to protect this tanker any way I see fit. Someone might try an assault.”

  “You mean the fanatics with the little glass tubes of crystals.”

  Anderson looked at him quizzically. “I wasn’t informed about little glass tubes. Only there was a chance this ship could be attacked by radicals, and this supply of crude oil has to reach Washington. What are these tubes of crystals?”

  “I don’t know all the details. Just there are thousands of them, and they do something to the oil.”

  “Hmm, interesting. Well, that’s just like the military. They only tell me what I need to know. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

  Bull smiled and shook his head. “No offense, but I’m just a civilian. I’ll let you take the responsibility.”

  “Fair enough.”

 
; Bull extended his hand. “Good luck.”

  Anderson nodded and shook Bull’s hand. Bull turned and climbed down the ladder to the main deck, and walked across the gangway to the dock. The feisty little loading supervisor, Bruce Sullivan, was waiting for him. “So, how’s it going?” Bull asked.

  Bruce smiled conspiratorially. “It’s done. Ready when you are.”

  Bull nodded. “All right, I’ll get started as soon as the ship leaves the harbor.”

  Bull and Bruce watched the crane remove the gangplank and the civilians on the dock toss off the mooring lines. Two tugboats blew long blasts from their horns and pushed the tanker away from the dock. Gray smoke blossomed from the tanker’s stacks as she headed out of the harbor.

  “Do you think you’ll get in trouble for this, Bull?”

  Bull turned as Bruce walked beside him down the pier. “No. They have no idea how much crude oil was supposed to be in the tanker. If they make it to Washington, fine. If not, at least I’ll have a supply for when Christa arrives.”

  At the end of the pier, Bruce said goodbye as Bull climbed into a black All-Alaska Suburban and drove away from the pumping station. Bull stopped at the front of two unmarked flatbed trucks. Each truck had a canvas covering the ten, fifty-five-gallon drums of crude oil stacked on their beds. Bull grabbed a portable radio, climbed out of the Suburban, and walked to the driver’s side of the first truck. “All set?” he asked the driver.

  The driver smiled, and his passenger held up a twelve-gauge shotgun for Bull to see. “Just like driving a stagecoach across the frontier, Bull.”

  Bull grinned at the driver and raised the radio close to his mouth. “Are you ready, Kirk?” he asked of the man who was driving another Suburban at the rear of the convoy.

  “Ready when you are, Bull.”

  “All right, let’s move out.”

  Bull climbed into his Suburban and led his convoy onto the highway. Once they were up to speed, Bull dialed a number on his cellphone. A moment later, Herb Bell answered from the station in Valdez. “Any word from Christa?”

  “No, Bull, but a Mr. Donner called and asked the same question. He said it’s urgent for you to call him. Here’s the number.”

  Bull jotted it down. “Okay. Were on our way and should be there sometime tomorrow afternoon. I’ll call if we have a problem.”

  “Right, Bull. We’ll be ready.”

  Bull dialed Donner’s number, but the secretary told him Mr. Donner was in a meeting. Bull gave her the number for his cellphone, and informed her he’d be waiting for a return call. After he hung up, Bull settled back in his seat for the long drive. Now all he could do was wait for the call.

  *

  ARCO TANKER, SENTRY:

  Captain Parks felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched what looked like a crescent moon moving across the horizon toward his ship. As it drew near, the strange object resembled a massive hockey puck with a mirror surface, but in the blink of an eye, it vanished. He quickly glanced through all the widows, but could not find it, and looked over at Commander Anderson. “Did you see it?”

  Anderson shook his head. “What did you see?”

  “I’m not sure. Something shiney was shooting across the water. I thought it was coming in our direction, but it disappeared.”

  “We’ve just lost radio reception, Captain,” said the operator.

  Anderson stood and walked out the door and onto the starboard lookout station to one of his men. “See anything out there, Dagan?”

  “Just the moon a few seconds ago, but . . .”

  When Dagan looked up, Anderson saw the astonishment in his eyes, and did the same. Above him, the lights from the tanker were moving across the sky. He ducked his head through the doorway, into the control room. “There’s some kind of aircraft directly above us! It’s too late to get the helicopter in the air. Sound the alarm!”

  Anderson leaned over the railing and hollered to his men, stationed below. “Twelve o’clock high! Fire at will!”

  The night air was ripped open by the exploding gunfire, and a blaring horn mixed with the bright flashes of light on the reflection of the tanker as bullets ricocheted off the mirror surface directly above them.

  Anderson and Dagan ducked behind the rail to escape the onslaught of flying pieces of metal. His men quickly realized what happened and stopped firing, and Anderson stood to look down at them. “Hold your fire, men,” he hollered. “It’s not doing any good. Let’s see what it does next.”

  “Over here!” a voice hollered from the main deck below.

  Anderson watched one of his men running across the deck toward a dark figure leaning over one of the inspection hatches. “Shoot him!” he yelled.

  As his man stopped and fired, Anderson watched the dark figure topple into the open hatch. “Damn it!” he swore in frustration. “Check it out!”

  Just as the man reached the hatch, eerie purple light burst from the opening and his man simply vanished. The light appeared to envelope the entire deck, and Anderson stood helpless to save his men as they disappeared. An instant later, he and Dagan were gone too.

  Parks heard a moan from his left and turned towards the helmsman. At least he thought it was the helmsman, but he couldn’t tell for sure because of the dense purple light surrounding the man. He shot a look at the radio operator, also enveloped in purple light. The incident only lasted a moment, then the lights suddenly vanished and the radio operator and helmsman were no longer there. The interior of the bridge appeared to be growing dark, and Parks again looked up through the forward window. The reflection was fading, as if someone had turned a dimmer switch for a light. Everything grew darker and darker, and then blinked out completely. For a few seconds, Parks had the feeling he was floating, then all his senses seemed to shut off and he felt nothing at all as his body vanished in the purple light.

  * * *

  Chapter 27

  ARMY 0F SURVIVAL CAMP, IDAHO:

  Harold realized they had been in camp for a week now, and it just kept getting worse. He sat at the dining table and stared out the window of the fifth wheel trailer. This is just a nightmare, he thought. Any minute now, I’m going to wake up, and I’ll be lying in my own bed next to Calli.

  “I have to go to work, Dad,” Mark said and put his hand on his father’s shoulder.

  Harold looked up. “I’m glad you came by. How’s your mom holding up? She hasn’t spoken to me since they shot Chuck Berry.”

  Mark shrugged. “Fine, I guess. She seems tired, though. It’s a lot of work, cooking for the soldiers.”

  Harold thought about when Everex ordered Calli to be a prostitute, he’d nearly fainted. When she had looked at him with a stunned expression, expecting him to do something courageous, he’d felt like the biggest coward in the world. Chuck may have been a bit overweight and led a pampered life, he thought, but he had guts and stood up for his wife. All I did was cower down, he thought with deep shame. If it hadn’t been for Mark asking Major Everex to let his mom be a cook, Calli would have gone into special services. I am the biggest coward in the world, he thought despondently.

  From the melancholy look in his father’s eyes, Mark knew what he was thinking. “You couldn’t have done anything, Dad. You would have been shot, like Mr. Berry. I’d rather you be alive.”

  Harold managed a dry, sarcastic laugh. “A live coward.”

  Mark couldn’t think of anything to say. “I’ll see you later.”

  Harold nodded, and Mark left the trailer. Harold looked at his watch and he still had an hour before he had to report for his fourth day of training. I do seem to be getting stronger, he thought, even though he dreaded the physical training. Today his unit would be practicing on the rifle range, and he looked forward to his first attempt at shooting a rifle.

  He caught a movement out of the window near the woods, and watched two unfamiliar women step into the clearing and stop, looking around as if they were lost. He stood and walked to the door.

  Christa and Judy ha
d lost the trail, and had wandered through the woods for hours before hearing the sound of truck engines. Following the continuous, low-pitched rumble, they walked through the rows of big trucks and semi-trailers until they entered the clearing. They emerged from the trees into what they thought was a RV campground, and stopped to look around. There were row after row of recreational vehicles and trailers. Most had tables and chairs in front of them, and some even had artificial grass carpet on the ground. At first, they felt elated at finding a civilized setting in an insane world, but they didn’t see any people lounging around, and their elation began to evaporate.

  The door opened on a trailer, and a short, nearly bald man with a large nose stepped out. He was scowling at them. “What do you want?”

  They haltingly approached. “Can you tell us where we are?” Judy asked.

  “Hell,” Harold told them.

  Judy and Christa looked at him curiously. “What?” Judy asked.

  “This place is as near to hell as you can get without dying. Where did you come from?”

  “Our plane . . .”

  Christa interrupted. “Our plan was to reach the highway. We tried a shortcut, but we got lost.”

  Harold looked around nervously. These two women didn’t know about this place yet, or what would happen to them if they stayed here. He had to warn them. “Come inside! Quick!”

  Judy and Christa exchanged looks, and followed the seemingly harmless but tense man into the trailer.

  When the door was closed, Harold indicated the living area. “Better have a seat and I’ll tell you about this place. You don’t want to stay here.”

  Christa and Judy sat on the couch and listened to Harold describe what the AOS camp was all about. When he finished, they exchanged nervous glances.

  Christa decided to confide in him. “A friend of ours was brought here by the soldiers. We have to find her and get out of here.”

  “They brought a tall woman out of the woods late this morning. She was on a stretcher. My son said she was in a wrecked airplane. Is that her?”