by JC Ryan
“We could use them to make Hayden think the White House is haunted, like the rumors of the Lincoln Bedroom.
“When looking through Hayden’s personal records, I discovered that his boyhood hero was Abraham Lincoln! We could make it seem like Lincoln was talking to him! Or anyone else for that matter;” Raj informed them with a grin.
“But that’s not all,” Roy continued, “these spyders are also very powerful in relation to their size and can move objects, such as pencils, pens, and other small things, around if required.”
JR laughed. “We’re going to drive that son-of-bitch insane. I like it!”
The three of them didn’t see Roy and Raj winking at each other.
As Roy spoke, Raj’s coffee cup began to move smoothly across the table.
“What the hell!” JR shouted and jumped off his chair. “You have one of those hairy damned things in here? Now?”
“I think we’ve just seen a demonstration of a spyder!” Peter laughed.
Daniel’s voice came from the other side of the room, “you certainly have!”
They all spun around to look, but there was no Daniel.
“Bloody hell,” JR said. “This is absolutely brilliant guys.” Peter chuckled.
“That was a recorded voice from the spyder!” Raj laughed.
Looking back at the table, JR asked, “where the hell is the damned thing?”
Roy stared at the table for a moment and then pointed to an area just slightly off the center. “There.”
Everyone looked but couldn’t see anything. Finally, JR spoke up “I don’t see a thing. How can you tell?”
Roy grinned “Isn’t that the point? To not be seen?”
“But you can see it! Or do you have some super vision?”
“No, but I know what to look for. See the faint line near the center of the table?”
“The thing that looks like a thin strand of hair or a flaw in the table?” JR asked.
“Yes, that’s it. That is the shadow outline of the spyder on the side away from the light. As you can see, it is very small and faint, so unless you are actually looking for it, you wouldn’t be likely to see it.”
“Wow! They must be hard to find if you drop them in your office.”
“Nope.” They all watched in amazement as a small black spider materialized on the table.
JR cautiously took a step away.
“They’re easily found when out of camo mode!” The spyder crawled quickly to Roy, then onto his red shirt, stopped, and disappeared. “It’s back in camo mode now.”
“Thank you, Roy and Raj!” said Daniel’s voice from next to Jack.
Jack jumped and turned expecting to see Daniel, but stared only at empty space.
“You were right about these little gadgets,” Jack said when he got his breath back. “They will indeed come in very handy. How long will it take you to make ten of them?”
“Raj and I should be able to have five or so ready within the next twenty-four hours, I reckon. But there is one more feature we want to add to it first.”
“What’s it?” JR asked.
Roy and Raj shook their heads in unison. “You know us. We don’t tell until we can show.”
“Okay, go for it. I can just see how we are going to use these little buggers.” Jack grinned.
“Agreed,” Peter said. “Let’s keep all of this secret for now. I would like Roy and Raj to give the leadership team a demonstration when we meet again.”
JR, Jack, and Peter gave Roy and Raj a high-five before they walked out.
Chapter 43- This is inhumane
John Brideaux paced in his makeshift cell, two steps, turn, two steps, and turn. “This is inhumane. I’m going to figure out how to get out of here, take control, and kill every single one of these bastards!” he muttered, then started yelling at the guard posted on the other side of the door, “you hear that? I’m going to kill every one of you bastards!”
Captain Locklin had made arrangements to keep Brideaux separated from the rest of the prisoners… he didn’t even get to eat with them. He was totally isolated, and the only time he left his cell was to go to the bathroom. How the hell can I plan an escape from this hell-hole when I don’t have access to anyone or any information? I’ll kill Laurie Campbell for this when I get out!
He banged his fist on the door, “Bathroom!”
“Stand back,” the guard snapped.
When the door opened, Brideaux was surprised to see the Captain standing alongside the guard.
“Well, well, well. Captain Locklin, come to check on John Brideaux. I’m honored!” Brideaux said with a mocking grin.
“I didn’t come to check on you, Brideaux. I had a message that you wanted to see me. What do you want?”
“That was days ago!” he replied incredulously.
“I’m a busy man. What do you want? Spit it out now or forget it.”
“I want time with my friends… a meal, a game of checkers. Keeping me isolated is inhumane and criminal! I have rights!”
“As far as I’m concerned, you gave up your rights as an American citizen and as a member of the human race the instant you turned that Beast on. If it were up to me, you’d already be dead. I’m under orders to transport you, but that doesn’t mean I have to give you any luxury or special consideration. Be thankful I gave you bathroom privileges instead of a bucket to use in your cell.”
“You’re a true humanitarian, Captain.”
Captain Locklin turned and strode away down the narrow corridor.
“You need to take a leak or not?” the guard asked.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go then.”
Brideaux walked ahead of the guard with his head held high. A plan was taking shape in his sick mind.
Chapter 44- To the Trepang
Daniel stirred beneath the covers and opened his eyes. His first sight was of Sarah sitting across the room from him, reading, Nicholas asleep next to her.
“Sarah?”
“You’re awake!” she said softly so as not to wake Nicholas. Gently she put the book down and moved to sit next to Daniel on their bed.
He ran his fingers appreciatively through her hair and then stifled a sharp groan as he tried to sit up to kiss her.
“What happened?” he asked sinking back on to the bed in pain.
“You were shot.”
“Shot?”
“Yes, during your escape from the White House.”
It all came flooding back to him then; fleeing through the tunnels, escaping on Air Force One, the crash in Denver and the flight to Mt Ararat. “Laurie’s dead,” he said quietly, grief washing over him again. “Hayden’s men killed her.”
“Yes,” Sarah nodded, brushing his hair gently from his forehead and caressing his cheek. “The doctor did everything he could; the bullets just did too much internal damage.”
Daniel squeezed his eyes together and several tears rolled down the side of his face. “She was a wonderful person, Sarah. I wish you’d had the chance to get to know her.”
“Me too,” she said softly. “Now it’s all on you.”
“What funeral arrangements have been made for Laurie?”
Sarah told him what was decided earlier.
Daniel nodded, “That’s good. Thank you.”
They remained silent for several minutes before Daniel spoke, “I’d like to get up; let’s see if I can try it again without causing myself so much pain.”
Sarah moved to give him more room, and he rolled onto his good side, eased his legs over the side of the bed, and sat up with a hiss.
“Well, it wasn’t quite as painful that way. I sure hope this heals fast. There is so much to do. I can’t spend my days in bed while everyone else is working hard.”
Sarah just smiled and helped him get cleaned and dressed. As she was adjusting the sling that held his arm, he caught her in his other arm and kissed her. “I love you, Sarah! Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
“I love
you too! But you will have to thank your sisters-in-law for getting you through this, they really took good care of you—I just watched.
“Now let’s have breakfast and then I believe the leadership is expecting you to join their meeting.”
Daniel flushed and looked embarrassed. “I believe I made a bit of an ass of myself in the leadership meeting...”
“Well, it’s over and done now. You’re rested and forgiven.”
“Just whose idea was it to have me drugged anyway?”
“Sorry can’t tell you; I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
“Hmm. Never mind. If it wasn’t you, it had to my sister-in-law… or both of them, come to think of it. I vaguely remember seeing Cyndi’s face last… she and Rebecca would about be the only ones who would dare …”
“Come eat your breakfast,” Sarah giggled.
They ate breakfast and made their way to the planning room where they found the others gathered, deep in discussion, cups of coffee in hand, and an enormous, sinfully delicious looking coffee cake in the middle of the table.
The room fell silent when Daniel walked in. He looked around at everyone and then smiled. “It’s ok, I’m back, and except for my shoulder, I feel just fine. I’m not mad at anyone—well I may be a little bent out of shape at one person here and possibly another not currently present. Just follow my eyes and you will know,” he said as he fixed his eyes on Rebecca.
Rebecca grinned at him. “I love you too, Daniel; get over it!”
Everyone laughed. The tension in the room eased and the talk began again as everyone found a place to sit so the meeting could start.
Daniel, back in command, addressed the group. “All right people. I have a feeling you’ve all been hard at work while I’ve been sleeping; but as you know that sleep was not out of my own volition.”
“Yeah right,” Sinclair said. “We all know how capable you were to participate in the planning when you were in here last time.”
Daniel just grinned sheepishly and continued. “Why don’t we start by you bringing me up to speed? Give me an overview and then we’ll come back to the details later.”
Everyone looked to Sinclair. He held both his hands up in surrender. “Oh no, I don’t do presidential briefings. I’m in charge of the Rossler Foundation only.” He looked to Sam, “the floor is all yours.”
Sam nodded. “Okay then. But before I give you a synopsis you will have to talk to Secretary of Defense, Cliff Willis. He apparently has some critical information for your ears only. We brought him over from Mount Ararat while you were sleeping.
“Shall I go and get him? We’ll clear out this room so you have privacy.”
“Thanks for that Sam.” Daniel replied, nodding.
***
A few minutes later Nigel led Cliff Willis into the meeting room.
Daniel noticed the perplexed look on the man’s face. “Something wrong?”
“Not at all Mr. President; in fact, I am amazed at what your people have done here. It is absolutely remarkable.”
Daniel both smiled and grimaced inwardly at being addressed as ‘Mr. President’, it was going to take some getting used to. He would prefer to be addressed by his name but thought that for the moment a sense of hierarchy and discipline should be maintained. And as far as he was concerned it was the respect for the office of President and not the person.
“Thank you, Mr. Willis. What can I do for you? You indicated this meeting was urgent.”
“This information is beyond Top-Secret and on a ‘need-to-know’ and ‘face-to-face’ basis only.” He glanced around the room. “Is this room totally secured?”
“You may speak freely here, Mr. Willis,” Daniel said, a little irritated.
Willis glanced around again, leaned toward Daniel, and said in a low voice, “It’s about the prisoners.”
“You know where they are?”
Willis only nodded.
“Alright Mr. Willis, I am an inexperienced President, and I depend on former President Nigel Harper for guidance. I want to ask that you disclose your information to both of us."
Willis thought for a moment and then nodded his agreement and Daniel buzzed Nigel to join them.
Nigel and Cliff Willis knew each other. They exchanged a few pleasantries and then took their seats.
“Sirs, the late President Campbell said that she had been cautioned about trusting the Cabinet members that were left over from the previous administration.
“Therefore, after all the arrangements had been made to house the prisoners at the facility in Virginia and the decoy plans were in place, she gave new orders that were strictly need-to-know and face-to-face, as I have noted before.
“She had me contact Admiral Johnson, and several hours before the planned transfer to Virginia, under her orders the prisoners were flown to a nearby submarine base and transferred to the USS Trepang under the command of Captain Reese Locklin.
“Captain Locklin’s orders were to proceed to Bangor Naval Base in Washington State via the polar route. Upon arrival, the prisoners were to be secretly transferred to the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility near Fort Lewis.
“Unfortunately, President Campbell was killed before the final arrangements at the Fort Lewis facility could be made. The Trepang is currently cruising slowly under the polar ice cap—an additional security measure.”
Nigel and Daniel both leaned back in their chairs, stunned. Then Nigel grinned “Brilliant!”
“Yes sir,” Cliff agreed.
Nigel slapped Cliff on the shoulder. “This is the best news I’ve had in a while.”
“How do you communicate with the sub without jeopardizing it?” Daniel asked.
“Before she put to sea, Admiral Johnson, myself, and Captain Locklin met aboard the Trepang and devised a schedule of pings at irregular intervals that allow us to track the Trepang’s general location and to serve as an ‘all is well’.
“Should she miss one of the pings we are to assume something has gone wrong. For that scenario, we have a list of rotating frequencies we use, again at specific but irregular intervals, to establish contact. We also established a specific course and depth for the sub to follow. Any ping that deviates from that course or depth by more than ten degrees is also to be considered as a sign that something has gone wrong. Only the three of us at that meeting have the pre-arranged schedules and frequencies.”
“Excellent!” Daniel responded.
“I don’t recall us having a sub designated USS Trepang during my time,” Nigel said.
“No sir, officially, we don’t. We, Admiral Johnson and I, took the name from a World War Two Balao Class submarine commissioned in 1942. After the decommission and sinking of the original Trepang, a Sturgeon Class sub launched in 1969 that also carried the name Trepang. She was decommissioned and sunk in 2000.
“We took the name as an additional security measure in an effort to protect the current sub carrying the prisoners. It is one of our Virginia class subs.”
“Okay,” Daniel said. “From now on, the three of us will use the words ‘Snow Cone‘ if we need to meet to discuss the prisoner situation and the sub. If the matter is urgent, use the word twice. This will continue to be on a ‘need-to-know’ and ‘face-to-face’ only basis.”
“If anyone asks, this meeting was about National Security and the information is classified.”
“Agreed,” Cliff and Nigel said.
“To the Trepang,” Nigel saluted.
“To the Trepang,” Daniel and Cliff echoed as they raised their coffee mugs.
Chapter 45- Raven Rock
When Willis left the room, Sam quickly assembled the leadership team and gave Daniel an overview of their plan. He also gave Daniel and update of the political climate in the country and told him that it was the Intelligence Committee’s considered opinion that they should plan and prepare, but not launch any offensive until such time as the tide has turned against Hayden.
Daniel listened carefully and nodded
. “I agree with the Intelligence Committee’s views, frustrating as it might be, it is wise council.
“I also agree with Nigel’s view; this euphoria is not going to last long. I saw the man in action a few days ago, and I’m sure he is delusional. He is a windbag and is not going to achieve anything. He reminds me of some dictators in history, they build a following with promises and lies, get to a position of power, lead people by the nose and then one day the people wake up and realize they have been taken for a ride.”
“You’ve hit the nail on the head, Daniel,” Nigel responded. “That’s more or less how I see things playing out as well. And in Hayden’s case, given the people’s desperation levels, it’s going to happen very soon.”
“That’s all the more reason for us to get our preparations in place ASAP,” Sam said. “If everyone is okay with that I would like to move on?”
Everyone nodded, and he continued.
“Roy has formed a team devoted to building new spy gadgets and upgrading our existing arsenal to enable us to spy on and terrorize Hayden. Salome will assemble a small team to design a psychological warfare program.” Sam asked Jack to give Daniel the details.
“I’ve been in touch with Eric Winchester and Dennis McMahon to mobilize Tectus, and as always they are ready to help us with everything they have.”
“That outfit has been a real knight in shining armor whenever we needed them,” Daniel remarked in appreciation. “It’s good to know they’re still on our side.”
“Salome and I have also been looking for a safe place to hide those Cabinet members and other officials loyal to you,” Jack finished.
Salome provided more details of their progress. “We had been reviewing the safe houses available when Nigel came up with a very good idea—Raven Rock.”
“I thought that place was sealed up years ago,” Daniel said.
“It was,” Nigel agreed, “which makes it a perfect hiding place.”
“What is Raven Rock?” several voices asked at once.
Nigel settled back in his chair as if getting ready to tell a campfire story.
