Storm Surge (Quantum Touch Book 5)

by Michael R. Stern

  “She'll arrive next Wednesday morning. You'll meet her at Heathrow, take a cab to her hotel, and when she's checked in, you'll take the train to Paris.”

  “Florian, we want you to be visible,” said Beech. “We'll open credit card accounts and we want you to use them. If they're looking, they'll see them. Spend time on the street. We'll make all the arrangements, including adjoining rooms in Paris.”

  “Yes, very discreet. And obvious,” said Declercq. “Not hard to figure out.”

  “You aren't notorious. This is new to you. Which it is. If they're as thorough as we believe, they'll presume you're a rookie.” The general patted his arm.

  “We want you both safe,” said the president. “Her story is that she loves Paris. You'll do some tourist things. But most important will be spending the nights together. We'll check for bugs, but you'll need to get your stories coordinated, and get comfortable with each other. You won't have the chance once you're on the boat.”

  “I'll do my best. I despise the character you've made me, so I hope you find your criminal.”

  At seven, Ashley and Emily surprised the president when Fritz opened the portal. After Florian returned to Belgium, the president said that communication with Declercq would be by courier until the Caballeros' meeting ended.

  “Fritz, I'm taking you out of the loop, unless something goes wrong. The less you're involved, the safer you'll be.”

  “Mr. President, we're way past that now. If you leave me out, I won't be safer, just less informed.” The president started to interrupt. “Let me finish. If you have an emergency, I need to be ready. If you don't need me, that's fine. When I first agreed to using the portal, I said I expected to be in on all these trips. At least in my opinion, I've proved myself. I'm in the loop.”

  When Fritz finished, breathing was the only sound. Fritz stared at the president, waiting for his agreement.

  “Mr. Russell, don't forget who you're talking to,” the general said.

  Fritz glared, planted his feet and with a raised voice, said, “I'm talking to a friend, who needs reminding that I'm his friend, too. I don't need to remind you, General, we've made personal sacrifices, and we're in danger. I'm in the loop.”

  The president grinned. “I deserved that. You're in the loop. I'll talk to you later and fill you in. Okay?” Fritz agreed. “Now take me home. Expect a call around ten.”

  Ashley and Emily looked at each other and started laughing.

  “What's so funny?” Fritz asked.

  Emily said, “That was the president.”

  “So?”

  “Linda's not the president. If you can handle him, she's a piece of cake.”

  * * *

  AT NINE-THIRTY, the president called and told Fritz what they had planned. He didn't tell Fritz about Gabrielle in detail, to protect her, he said, not to keep him in the dark, but Fritz needed to be available the weekend of October seventh, eighth, and ninth.

  Chapter 25

  HIS NEW APPROACH to all his classes drained Fritz each day. Not one to shrink from a challenge, he spent evenings reviewing. For his government classes and his American history classes, he focused on the Continental Congress and the prelude to independence. But the Dough Twins' idea for a guest speaker sent him into action. He called Tony.

  “I want to go see Churchill again. See if he would consider talking to one of my classes.”

  “Fritz, it's pretty late. The planes might be a problem. You should call the president first.”

  “I didn't want to bother him, but okay. Do you mind?”

  “Not if he gives the okay.”

  Fritz checked his watch. Ten o'clock. He paused a moment, then called.

  “Hi Ms. Crispin. This is Fritz Russell. May I speak to him, please.”

  “With your timing, you're scary. I'll see if he's available.”

  A couple of minutes passed before the president said, “Hi. You just caught me. I'm going to a campaign event tomorrow. What can I do for you?”

  “I want to go see Winston Churchill and ask him to talk to one of my classes. Tony said he didn't want to call the planes without your approval.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yeah. While no one's around.”

  “Can I come?”

  A half hour later, Fritz opened the door. Peeking inside, he called Churchill's name. A chair scraped on a nearby floor. Footfalls around the corner preceded the former prime minister, cigar in hand.

  “So, it's you again. Russell, if memory serves.”

  “Good evening, sir. May I take a moment of your time?”

  “Be quick about it. I'm writing a particularly difficult section.”

  “First, Mr. Churchill, I would like to introduce you to someone.” Fritz waved the president into the room. “Mr. President, I would like you to meet Winston Churchill.” The prime minister removed the cigar before his jaw dropped.

  “Sir, it's an honor to meet you,” the president said.

  “You are the president? Of the United States?”

  “I am.” Churchill glanced at Fritz.

  “He is the president, Mr. Churchill, elected twice.”

  The dim light intensified the energy of the men in the room. Churchill walked around the president as if measuring him, underscoring the utter silence. The prime minister shook his head to regain his senses. “Mr. Russell, I am at a loss for words. Not a common occurrence. But I am forgetting my manners. Welcome, Mr. President. I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of your predecessors. I assume Mr. Russell, you are coming from 2016 again?” He held out his hand.

  Fritz said, “Mr. Churchill, I'm glad to see you aren't so reluctant to shake hands this time.”

  “And where is your friend? The cheeky fellow. Gilbert.”

  “Ashley is probably home preparing for class in the morning, but I'll tell him you asked. Mr. Prime Minister, I've come to ask if you might be willing to visit with one of my classes. We are studying the years leading up to World War II. Your perspective would be enlightening.”

  “Go to 2016, and give a speech?”

  “Only for an hour or so. Not a speech, but more of a lecture. To high school students.”

  “When would this be?”

  “Next week. In my time. By the way, what is today's date?”

  “April 13, 1950. When is it in your time?”

  “It's only been seven days since we last met.”

  The president studied the books and papers spread around, contemplating his latest foreign visit. He said, “Mr. Churchill, would you like to visit the White House? Now?”

  “My dear sir, look at me. I'm not dressed for a State visit, now am I?”

  “Just for a minute. We're not too formal at this time of night.”

  Churchill scratched his chin, his cigar in hand. “Do you have cognac? I'll bring a bottle. Would you care for a cigar? And let me put some shoes on.” The sound of his voice, the excitement of his response reminded Fritz of Robert E. Lee's reaction to coming to the future. While he dressed, Churchill talked. “Cubans are my favorite. You picked a rather inconvenient time to visit. With my writing and a new campaign and the Bolsheviks, I am quite busy.”

  He reappeared dressed in a suit, carrying two boxes and holding up a bottle. “I keep them close by. Shall we?”

  In the hallway, Churchill glanced around, cigar stuck firmly in place. He muttered that he had now seen everything. “Not everything,” the president replied. Fritz reset the portal and the president took Churchill's arm, guiding him into the Oval Office.

  “You've been here before, Mr. Churchill,” said the president.

  “I have, but the room looks different than I remember. I spent almost a month here with Franklin back in '41, after Pearl Harbor. Those were heady days. We planned how we would save the free world. And we did. Except for that criminal, Stalin. He still makes my blood boil.”

  “According to what I've read, you and Roosevelt were good friends,” Fritz said.

  “I loved the man. I
miss him. Not so much Eleanor. But Franklin and I. What wonderful times.”

  “I met him myself briefly,” Fritz said. “At Hyde Park.”

  The president raised an eyebrow. “You never told me.”

  “And did you like him, Mr. Russell?” Churchill asked.

  “I visited on one of his better days, sir. The wheel chair didn't stop his mind. And he was funny.”

  “Franklin, like me, believed we must win. So we never quit. And as I've said, Americans will do the right thing, after they've tried everything else. For us, it took the Japanese.” While he spoke, he wandered around the Oval Office. He stopped at the Emancipation Proclamation. “Is this the original?”

  “It is,” said the president.

  “I believe we have much in common, Mr. Lincoln and I.” He shifted the cigar boxes to one hand, and caressed the frame. “I wonder what the world would be had he lived?” He looked at the boxes and handed them to the president.

  “Thank you. Fritz, I'm afraid it's getting late and I have an early flight.” He looked at Churchill, who seemed to pout. “Election year.”

  “Ah, elections. If you're right, Mr. Russell, I have another coming soon. I look forward to it. I cannot be faulted for loving the spotlight. Not if I can direct that light on the foundations of our democracy.”

  The president escorted his visitor to the portal exit, asking him to visit again.

  Back in the hallway, Fritz asked, “Mr. Churchill, I'm giving you short notice, but will you speak to my class?”

  “As my friend Huxley would say, a brave new world. I would like to explore it a bit. So, yes, I would enjoy meeting your class. Shall I expect that you will appear, and I'll join you?”

  Fritz paused a moment before answering. “I'll come to you ahead of time. If everything is okay, I'll come back for you at the right time. The portal is not always exact, but I'll try to make it convenient for you.”

  “That will be satisfactory. Then I shall see you soon.” Churchill reached out and shook Fritz's hand, with both of his. “Thank you, my boy. This adventure is getting interesting.”

  After a short wave from his book-lined study, Churchill was gone.

  Chapter 26

  THE LOWER OHIO River winds slowly westward along the border of Kentucky and finally dips south to join the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois. The confluence of the two great rivers is the meeting place of three states, Kentucky across the Ohio, Missouri across the Mississippi and the southernmost tip of Illinois. The president viewed THE LATE SUMMER venue from his perch in his helicopter.

  “This is the most ridiculous place to have a speech I can imagine,” said the president to Sam Clemmons, his chief of staff.

  “They asked us, sir. Cairo has a strong historical significance, the last free city in the North. Illinois will love it. That may be important in November. All the candidates will be here. We'll be in St. Louis this afternoon. Be home by midnight.”

  “How many people will be here?”

  “We were told a few hundred. Schools are on short session in Cairo and the campaign is bussing people in. It's not a bad place for your environment speech. We'll be here less than an hour.”

  The helicopter landed at Fort Defiance Park. In the short distance to the platform, the president shook hands and waved as he studied the waterways around him. The short introductions of candidates, who gave even shorter speeches, set the stage for the president. He leaned to Clemmons and told him to be ready to leave when the speech concluded.

  “I'm done campaigning in a place like this,” he said.

  With the Ohio at his back, the Mississippi to his left and the sun overhead, the president reminded his audience that Cairo had been the destination of Huckleberry Finn and Jim as they sought freedom. Then he began to talk about the natural beauty surrounding them and the importance of preserving and protecting America's rivers. From the corner of his eye, he saw a flash.

  Moments later, Mel Zack grabbed his arm. “RPGs,” as other agents surrounded him.

  The shrieks of the crowd bounced across the rippling rivers, as a series of explosions missed the crowd and gathered dignitaries.

  “Leave the chopper. Take the car. Let's go,” Mel yelled.

  * * *

  “FRITZ, DID YOU HEAR?” asked George. In the middle of a discussion about the winter at Valley Forge, the class stared at the visibly upset principal.

  “Hear what?”

  George waved Fritz from the classroom. “The president's been attacked again. I came straight here.”

  Fritz returned to his room, with George as his shadow. “Kids, check your phones for news. Someone just attacked the president.” He pulled his phone from his briefcase and started scrolling.

  “Mr. R,” said one voice, “he got away. It says here that explosions interrupted his speech, but they only blew up dirt. But about twenty people were trampled trying to get away.”

  “Thanks, Debbie,” Fritz said, looking for more current news. Ashley walked in, his worry ruts in full display. “I heard,” Fritz said. “Class, start your homework. I'll be back soon.” He pushed the speed dial button when the door closed.

  “Hello, Fritz.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I'm fine. We're not sure what happened, but I'm headed away in the car. Thanks for checking. I'll talk to you soon.”

  “Do you want me to come get you?”

  “No, not this time. We'll be in St. Louis sooner than expected. See ya.”

  George and Ashley waited to hear if the school day was about to be disturbed. Fritz said, “He's okay. I wonder what happened?”

  “Well, then, classes shouldn't be interrupted,” said George. “I'll make an announcement that the president is fine.”

  Fritz said, “Don't say anything yet, George. It'll take a while before everyone finds out. No reason to upset them.”

  A student pushed the door open. “Mr. R, they shot down the president's helicopter!”

  “Thanks, Marc. Back to work.” When the door closed, he said, “We're going to need to do something.” His phone buzzed.

  “Fritz, Tony's on his way,” said the president. “I'll be in a motel in Cairo. Do you have your laptop?”

  “Ash does.”

  “Call Ms. Crispin. She'll have the location map. I need to be in St. Louis by noon. Can you do that too?”

  “Get me the locations. Are you going alone?”

  “We have to figure this out. I'll talk to you before we do anything. I'll call Colonel Mitchell too.”

  At the end of the hall, a black Suburban pulled up at the door.

  “Tony's here, and the Colonel is with him. It's about to get noisy. The period's almost over. Hold on. I'm going outside. George, take over my class. Come out when the bell rings.”

  Fritz walked to the Suburban. The colonel said his men were gearing up. Fritz told him he had the president on the phone, but they should wait until class ended.

  “Mr. President, here's the colonel.”

  The president explained his situation and what he wanted the colonel to do, and asked for Fritz.

  “I'll call you in twenty minutes.” the president said. “We'll have everything settled by then. Bill Sharp is in St. Louis and we'll have a room to go to. I want Colonel Mitchell to get his guys into Missouri where the rockets came from.”

  “It's the middle of the day. Kids are everywhere.”

  “What did you do for Geneva? Try it again. I'll talk to you in twenty.”

  Fritz relayed the conversation to Ashley and George. He told them that the president wanted to use the portal to capture the shooters. George said they could do the lockdown again. No argument, no turning red.

  “You have your warrior face on, George,” Fritz said.

  “I told Ms. Sweeney to get ready before I left my office. I'm a minuteman, Fritz. Lockdown starts in,” he looked at his watch, “seven minutes.”

  When George went inside, Fritz said “The portal's having an impact on him. Ash, get your laptop.
Colonel, how do you want to handle this?”

  “My team will be here. We can use the conference room. No outside views, and the communications are active. We're ready.”

  “Works for me. We'll take care of our classes first. Tony, do you need help?” Tony said no. Fritz stuck his head into Tom Jaffrey's room. “Tom, I need you.” When they were out of hearing range, he said, “In five minutes. Lockdown,” he whispered. “Tell Liz.”

  “What happened?”

  “The president's in trouble. When George makes the announcement, would you two hurry the kids out of the hall?”

  Before the shortened day began, Fritz assigned homework to the waiting class, just in time. As if a starting gun had fired, the school burst into motion. Liz Chambers on one side, Tom on the other, the hallway cleared out in less than a minute. Fritz signaled to Tony and sent Tom to get Al Kennedy.

  With activity swirling, Fritz forgot the call from the president until the buzz jiggled his pocket. “We're almost set. What's the plan?”

  “First, get the colonel's men in. We don't have much chance to catch them, but maybe we'll find something. Once they're moving, come get me. Ms. Crispin has all the floor plans.”

  “Ms. Crispin can email the stuff to Ash, and I'll call when we're ready. Are you sure you're okay?”

  “I'm sure. Get going. We'll talk later.”

  ”Like most things,” Fritz said to himself, “practice makes perfect.” Two busses pulled into the parking lot and sixty men carrying duffel bags ran into the school. Fritz directed them to the conference room across from his classroom, where some of them had been waiters a few short months ago. Ashley had gone to the office and printed the maps and hotel locations, with extra copies.

  “Colonel, you have my cell number. You won't be able to get out until the president is settled. If you have an emergency, call. I'll reset right away.”

  The colonel lined up his men. They had been told what to look for. Fritz opened the portal and in short order shut the door. He reset to the motel in Cairo, called the president, and pulled the door open. A line of people entered Riverboro High School. Not waiting for introductions, Fritz set up the hotel in St. Louis.