Cataclysm: V Plague Book 18

by Dirk Patton

  “Your advantage will get you to them, but it won’t get you out any faster. That’s where a team could prove very helpful.”

  I thought about that for a moment and couldn’t fault his logic. All I’d been thinking about was how I was going to breach a detainment facility and get Irina and Igor out, but that was the easy part. The Russians wouldn’t know I was coming. But as soon as I sprung my friends, it would be like kicking over an ant hill and some help might mean the difference between success and utter failure.

  “You’re right, as usual, sir,” I said.

  “I’ll have Captain West provide you a list of qualified personnel and you can choose your team.”

  “No need, sir. I know exactly who I want.”

  He looked at me and nodded, then Captain West hurried up with a phone pressed to his ear.

  “Protests are growing,” he said to the Admiral. “They tried to breach and the Marines deployed CS gas.”

  “Perimeter holding?”

  “Yes, sir, but it’s starting to look like we’re going to have to use the ADS.”

  “Let’s go take a look,” Packard said, turning to me before he left. “Find me before you depart, Colonel.”

  “Yes, sir. I will.”

  I watched him and West hustle out of the room, then turned back to watch the progress of the prisoner transport carrying Igor and Irina.

  “What’s the ADS, sir?” Jessica asked.

  “Active Denial System. Big ass microwave on a truck.”

  “Oh. The ray gun. Hurts like hell!”

  “You’ve tried it?” I asked in surprise.

  “Lost a bet,” she said with a grin and a shrug.

  I smiled at her and focused back on the screen. It looked like the transport with Igor and Irina was heading to the main County Jail complex in central Phoenix. Lots of doors with high security locks. Maybe the right kind of help would be a good thing after all.

  45

  “Why do you have to go?”

  It was about half an hour before sunset and I was sitting on the lanai with Mavis, Rachel and Dog. We’d had an early dinner so we could all eat together before I left. I took a long drag on my cigarette to give myself time to think of an answer that a twelve-year-old could comprehend.

  “There are friends that need help,” I said. “When a friend is in trouble, you help them.”

  “Do I know them?” Mavis asked.

  “Not yet. Their names are Igor and Irina.”

  “Those are funny names.”

  “Well, that’s because they’re Russian.”

  Mavis’s eyes grew wide in surprise.

  “You have Russian friends? I thought they were the enemy!”

  I looked to Rachel for help with the explanation, but she wouldn’t meet my eyes.

  “The Russian government is the enemy,” I said. “Igor and Irina have been helping us for a long time.”

  “How can a government be an enemy?” she asked, and I barely suppressed a snort.

  “Well... it’s kind of hard to explain... okay. Think of it this way. A government is just a very small group of people who run a country. Right?” Mavis nodded slowly. “And when those people make bad decisions, like starting a war for no good reason...”

  I just kind of ran out of a way to finish my thought. Mavis sat there looking at me expectantly, but I was at a loss for words.

  “When bad people are in charge, everyone suffers,” Rachel said.

  “Oh. Okay. I get that,” Mavis said.

  I looked over her head at Rachel who gave me a knowing smile.

  “So, we have to move again?” Mavis asked, apparently satisfied with Rachel’s explanation. “That sucks. I like it here.”

  “I do too, but you’ll like Arizona. It’s a lot like Australia.”

  “And it’s safe?”

  “It will be,” I said. “That’s one of the reasons I have to go. To make sure our new home will be safe.”

  “Where will we live?”

  Damn but she was full of questions.

  “In a house.”

  “Is it a nice house?”

  “Well, we’re going to have to pick one out when we get there,” I said.

  “We can do that? Just pick out where we want to live?”

  I nodded, glad when there was a knock on the door and I could get a reprieve from answering questions. Planting a kiss on Mavis’s forehead, I walked inside and opened it to find Lucas and his family in the hall. Stepping aside, I waved them in, Ziggy and the kids heading out onto the lanai.

  “Ziggy’s pissed,” Lucas said quietly.

  “Rachel’s no better,” I answered, leading the way into the kitchen and handing him a cold beer. “Glad they’ll have each other while we’re gone.”

  He nodded, cracked the beer open and took a long pull.

  “How much time we got?” he asked after letting out a belch loud enough to rattle the cupboards.

  “Little less than an hour. The Admiral wants to see me, so we’re swinging by his office, then on to meet the team.”

  “Why Lucas?” I turned in surprise, meeting Ziggy’s very upset eyes. “Why him?”

  “Zig, we’ve talked...”

  “No!” she snapped, silencing him without looking away from me. “Well, John? Why the bloody hell does Lucas have to go? Hasn’t he done enough?”

  “He’s done more than enough,” I said. “But it’s not over, Ziggy. Your family isn’t safe. No one’s family is. Not until the Russians are defeated.”

  “Why Lucas?” she asked again. “Why Lucas?”

  Tears began rolling down her face and she lost the battle to contain her emotions. Huge, hiccupping sobs shook her body. I glanced at Lucas, but he was staring at the floor. Stepping closer, I tentatively reached out and put my hands on Ziggy’s shoulders, fully expecting her to slap them away. She didn’t, and after a couple of seconds surprised me by collapsing into my arms.

  “I’ll bring him back to you,” I whispered.

  “Y—y—you promise?”

  “I promise.”

  I held her for a long time as she cried, then gently stepped away. She looked at me with bloodshot eyes, then turned to face her husband. As he folded her into an embrace, I faded away and got the hell out of the room. Rachel was standing by the door to the lanai, watching the kids playing with Dog out in the grass.

  “I’m about a second away from breaking down, too,” she said.

  I pulled her in without saying a word and held her tightly.

  “Gotta go,” I said after several long minutes.

  I felt her head nod, but she didn’t speak, just squeezed me tighter.

  “I love you,” she said, her voice hoarse with emotion.

  “I love you,” I said, tilting her chin up and looking into her eyes.

  We kissed for what felt like an eternity, then I had to force myself to step away. Going outside, I called Mavis over and picked her up. Her small arms circled my neck.

  “Can I pick our house?” she asked.

  Despite the circumstances, I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “You get a vote. How ‘bout that?”

  “I guess so,” she said, then leaned back to look at me.

  “What?” I asked after several seconds of silent scrutiny.

  “Looking for your soul,” she said, startling me. “Good news. I can’t see it.”

  After a long pause I smiled, hugged her again then put her back on her feet.

  “Keep an eye on Rachel for me. Okay?”

  “Okay. See you in a few days.”

  She pulled on my arm and I bent down so she could plant a kiss on my cheek before racing off to continue playing with Lucas’s kids. I watched her a moment, then whistled. Dog immediately came running, skidding to a stop on his ass at my feet.

  Going to a knee, I wrapped an arm around his thick neck while rubbing his chest. I got a big, wet tongue on the side of my face in return, then a hurt look when I stood and told him to stay. I would have been happy to
have him along, but this wasn’t a trip he could make.

  Giving Rachel another long kiss, I walked into the main room where Lucas and Ziggy were still holding each other.

  “Time, brother,” I said gently, starting to move away to give them some privacy.

  Ziggy stopped me with a hand on my arm. When I turned back, she stretched up on her toes and kissed my cheek.

  “Keep my children’s father safe,” she said softly, then hurried out onto the lanai.

  After another look around, I led Lucas into the hall. Both of us heaved a big breath as soon as the door was closed.

  “Bloody hell, that’s worse than getting shot at,” Lucas said as we headed for a waiting Hummer.

  46

  Admiral Packard wasn’t in his office when I stopped by. One of his staff told me he was at a temporary command post that had been set up near the main gate. Getting back into the Humvee, I drove across the base, noting the heavy air traffic as helicopters maintained surveillance of the entire base perimeter.

  “They’re armed,” Lucas noted, leaning forward and peering up through the windshield.

  “Hope they don’t have to start shooting.”

  “Think they would?” he asked in surprise.

  “Won’t have a choice if those fuckwits breach the fence. Can’t lose this base because they’ve got their panties in a bunch over Barinov’s lies.”

  “Damn glad I’m not the Admiral,” he said.

  “No shit. That’s a decision I wouldn’t want to have to make.”

  Pulling to a stop at the CP, I jumped out without Lucas. A pair of Marines pulling guard duty spotted me and I told them to carry on before they could snap to attention and bring up salutes. The angry chants of the protestors massed at the gate were loud on the evening air.

  Hurrying forward, I found a large tent had been set up to the side of the road. Dim, red lights were the only illumination and I could see the Admiral, Captain West, Colonels Pointere and Blanchard and several other officers gathered around an electronic map of the base.

  An aide whispered to West as I approached and he said something I couldn’t hear to the Admiral. Packard looked up, spotted me and pointed outside as he came forward. Lighting a cigarette, he offered me the pack and I joined him as we slowly strolled away from the CP.

  “You wanted to see me before I left, sir.”

  A Super Cobra roared overhead, momentarily drowning out the people screaming on the other side of the fence. The Admiral waited until it passed before responding.

  “I wanted you to know there’s a failsafe. Just in case.”

  “Not surprised,” I said. “Can you tell me what it is?”

  “You know better than that, Colonel,” he said.

  When you’re sending someone into enemy territory, you don’t want them to have knowledge of anything that would be detrimental if it were to fall into the opposition’s hands. There’s always the chance of capture and interrogation, and I don’t give a shit who you are; everyone breaks. Eventually.

  “Had to ask,” I said with a shrug.

  “I’m telling you because you’re on a deadline. Six days. One hundred and forty-four hours from right now,” he said after checking his watch. “You either complete your mission, or you get the hell away from the city.”

  “Which city? LA or Phoenix?”

  “Both. Either. Just don’t be anywhere near either one. You understand what I’m telling you, Colonel?”

  “Yes, sir. I do. Thanks for the heads up.”

  “Your family okay?” he asked, suddenly changing topics.

  “They’re good, thank you, sir. Not happy, but...”

  “I’ll make sure they’re watched over while you’re gone.”

  We stood in the darkness, smoking and listening to the raging protestors.

  “This is our last shot. You realize that, right?” he suddenly asked.

  “I do, sir.”

  “If I have to use the failsafe and destroy Phoenix, the alternatives are problematic,” he continued as if I hadn’t responded. “It’s going to be difficult at best, Colonel. Getting everyone relocated. If we have to select a new location that doesn’t have the resources and infrastructure available, I’m afraid we’ll lose a lot of people.”

  “Maybe we can start with the assholes at the fence.”

  He turned to look at me and for a moment I thought I’d stepped over a line and was about to receive a dressing down. But instead, he brought out fresh cigarettes and handed one to me.

  “We live in interesting times, Colonel,” he said, exhaling a dense plume of smoke. “People have not yet learned that behavior such as is occurring is no longer acceptable. Everyone will have to contribute, or there will not be a place for them in our society.”

  I stood there stunned for a moment. Not that I disagreed with him, but that he’d actually voiced a harsh reality.

  “I’m not talking about the young or elderly, sick or infirm,” he said, waving a dismissive hand in the air. “I mean able bodied men and women whose energy could be directed toward rebuilding, growing food or caring for those who can’t care for themselves.”

  “Good luck with that,” I said, perhaps a little too flippantly.

  The Admiral cocked his head, looked at me and smiled.

  “Quite,” he said softly. “However, we will make it work and we shall survive. And I’m going to need men like you when there’s no longer an enemy to fight.”

  I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I knew I didn’t want any part of it. I’m not a politician and I’m not a bureaucrat. But this wasn’t the time to have this discussion. I had a flight to catch.

  “Thank you for the warning about the failsafe, sir,” I said. “If there’s nothing else, my team is waiting.”

  “Godspeed, Colonel,” he said, extending his hand before I could salute.

  Shaking his hand, I stood there for a few seconds after he turned and walked back to the CP. I was curious about what was in his head, but this wasn’t the time or place to worry about it. There was a mission to complete, first, and apparently there was a hard deadline to do so.

  Hustling back to the Hummer, I jumped in, waking Lucas. True to form, he had taken the opportunity to grab a few minutes of sleep. Starting the engine, I pulled through a U-turn and headed for the flight line.

  “Tell me about these mates of yours,” Lucas said as I drove.

  “All bad asses. All well blooded. Martinez, you’ve met. She’s just as dangerous on the ground as behind the controls in a helo. Then there’s Johnson. Army Ranger. Hell on wheels in a firefight, and he can also open any door or lock we encounter.”

  “You’re thinking the jail?” Lucas asked, to which I nodded.

  “Then there’s Chico and Drago. More Rangers. They went into Salt Lake City with me. Defense contractor that built a space-based weapons platform. Wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have stopped the Russian land invasion.”

  Lucas absorbed what I’d told him for a couple of minutes.

  “And you just had to drag my happy ass along for the ride?”

  “Figured you needed some exercise. Sittin’ on your ass all day and playing with your kids is making you soft.”

  “Ain’t nothin’ soft here, motherfucker,” he growled.

  “Not what I heard. Heard you was at the BX, trying to bribe the pharmacist for some Viagra.”

  “Wedding present for you, dickhead. I happen to like Rachel and didn’t want her to be disappointed.”

  “Don’t worry ‘bout Rachel. She doesn’t have to live with what Ziggy puts up with. And you’d better kiss your wife’s ass the second we get back. How many women you think would put up with that little thingy you got between your legs?”

  We’d arrived at the flight line and I steered towards a brightly lit hangar. Martinez was standing outside, talking to Vance while they watched a crew load a Stealth Hawk into the hypersonic transport. I stopped next to where they were standing.

  “Don’t hate me beca
use I’m hung,” Lucas said, jumping out so he’d get the last word.

  Shaking my head, I got out and walked to where Vance and Martinez were standing.

  “Wanna see the scar?”

  Vance grabbed his flight suit’s zipper and began to slowly pull it down as he grinned at Martinez.

  “Keep it in your pants, Nutcracker,” I growled.

  “You know, I don’t like you very much right now,” he said, zipping back up and looking at me.

  “Heavens. How ever shall I sleep at night?”

  “That fucking name is sticking! My CAG is using it as my call sign now, which means everyone is using it!”

  He was referring to the Commander of the Air Group to which he was assigned.

  “What’s wrong with Nutcracker?” I asked. “Better than Ball Boy.”

  “Or Cajone Kid,” Martinez offered.

  He looked at her with a horrified expression.

  “You too? Him I expect it from. But you’re Air Force! You’re supposed to have more cultural refinement than a knuckle dragger.”

  “Who’s a knuckle dragger?”

  Drago stepped out of the shadows at the side of the hangar, Chico and Johnson right behind him. With a big smile, I stepped forward and greeted each of them warmly before introducing them to the rest of the team.

  “Anyone seen Nicole?” I asked, looking around but not spotting her.

  “She’s already aboard,” Vance said, nodding at the plane.

  “Think she had a fight with her boyfriend,” Martinez offered. “They didn’t look happy when he dropped her off. She got out of the car without a word and just went in and sat down.”

  I nodded, not really surprised. The Master Chief hadn’t been happy and sure hadn’t hesitated to voice his displeasure.

  “We ready?” I asked Vance.

  “We’re pre-flighted and good to go,” he said. “Just waiting for the load master to finish securing the helo. I’ll double check him, then we’ll be on our way.”

  “Alright,” I said, turning back to the rest of the group. “Couple things to cover. Drago’s second in command. Any issues with that, speak up now.”

  I gave everyone a few seconds, but no one objected. Lucas met my eyes and gave me a nod of approval. He outranked Drago, but this wasn’t the fucking UN, and he knew it. He might have been my friend, but I wasn’t going to place him in command over American soldiers and he was just fine with that. Sometimes it’s nice to not have responsibility for everyone else.