“Sorry, didn't read it. But you should have some, Linda.” She took the chocolate from Fritz, opened it, and broke off a piece.
“What happens now?” asked Fritz, looking at the crowded but quiet parking lot. As Tom started to explain, a police car at the other side of the lot crawled toward them.
“Everything will be organized inside, so when they leave it will be like a wave. They'll load up and leave as each bus fills. We're just waiting for word to go.”
“Will they take the major to the hospital? Linda asked.
“No, we'll take her with us. She's not actually hurt that badly, but she has lost a lot of blood. The docs will patch her up here. They'll take her to the hospital at the airport.”
The police car pulled up. “Everything go okay?” asked Jim Shaw, climbing from the car. “Can I do anything?”
“Everything's under control. Thanks for your help,” said Tom, running his hand over his crew cut. “We'll be gone soon.” James walked over to Jim, and they had a quiet conversation.
“Lin, I've got to go back in and get our stuff. Do you want to stay here?”
“I'll come with you. The chocolate helped a lot. Tom, are you sure this isn't some new drug?”
“No ma'am, but it is imported.” That might have been the first time they had seen him look happy.
Inside, the teams were forming to leave. The remaining heaps of gear somehow managed to look neat. The buses and trucks were lining up to be loaded. Colonel Mitchell stood in the middle of the corridor with Captain Burnett, who held a clipboard, a pencil stuck behind his ear. Fritz stopped to speak with the colonel while Linda went into the hospital room.
“Mr. Russell, we've been hearing from the guys that they all were amazed at how precise their entries were,” said the colonel. “Sometime, if you don't mind, I'd love to talk to you about how it works.”
“Sure, Colonel. It surprised me, too, when it first happened. I still have important questions about how it works. And new ones after the past few days. We've learned a lot.”
“We're almost done here, I think. We're waiting on the president. My guess is they want to see any reactions and maybe see if they can contact people on the ground, in case we need to go in again. But if we were right, most of their sat-com system is gone.”
“Group six? So they didn't go after the nukes?” Fritz asked. The colonel nodded but said he didn't know how much he could say. “Sorry, Mr. Russell. I'm sure the president will tell you when he's got all the reports.”
Tony Almeida had packed up his gear and wandered over. Fritz shook his hand. “No problems?”
“Nope. My little doorknob cover worked. It kept the current consistent. Of course, I had a little extra power too,” he said, pointing to the five generators.
Fritz asked, “Tony, I have a project in mind for one of my classes. Do you think you might be able to come and talk to them? I'll tell you more later.”
“If it's okay with the boss I'd be glad to.”
“Thanks. Maybe we can talk about this whole energy thing. It's pretty interesting.” Tony agreed, ready to say more, but they were distracted when a phone rang, chiming out Anchors Aweigh. Captain Burnett took his phone from his pocket. “Yes, sir?” The captain listened, said, “yes, sir,” and handed the phone to Colonel Mitchell.
“Mr. President, we're ready to leave whenever you say. Yes, sir. Then I'll load up. Right here, sir.” He handed the phone to Fritz, “He wants to speak to you.”
“Yes, Mr. President,” said Fritz.
“Fritz, it's too early to know for sure, but I'm optimistic. We'll have more information by morning, but it looks like we completely incapacitated their program. We'll get out and let you go home. I'll talk to you later if I can. I need to talk to the Israelis. They face possible retaliation. Thanks again.”
Fritz handed the phone back to Captain Burnett. “It seems you wrecked their program. He sounds pretty happy.”
“We're done here then, Mr. Russell. Thanks again,” said Colonel Mitchell.
As the exit began, Fritz watched a well-oiled machine in motion. Soldiers lined up with packs and equipment, exited the hallway, and climbed aboard the buses. He went into the hospital room. George relaxed in a chair, eating chocolate.
“How are you, George?” asked Fritz.
“I'm fine. I just got a little dizzy when the soldier knocked me down. I bumped my head, so no serious damage.”
Fritz found it ironic that George discovered a sense of humor in the surrounding chaos. Rather than mention it, he addressed the current activity. “They're starting to leave. They have a cleanup and repair crew waiting to come in. School will be normal in the morning.” He looked at Ashley. “How's the major?”
Ashley said, “She's good. She's getting dressed.” He motioned to a curtain at the rear of the room. “The guy slashed her. He won't be bothering anyone again.”
“Do you know where she went?”
“Not really. They blew up a government building. I'm guessing they were after the Narian president.”
“They weren't,” replied Fritz. “Colonel Mitchell told me. The president said he'd call soon.”
Major Barclay came out from behind the curtain wearing a surgical blouse and joined them. Around her, the medical team began to break down the room. The wounded lieutenant, their only remaining patient, thanked the nurse who helped him put on his shirt. The major looked over and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma'am, a little sore, but I'll be fine,” he said. “Just a scratch.” They had removed a bullet fragment from his shoulder.
“Glad to hear it.” She returned to the civilians. “Thank you all for your help.”
“We were trying to find your phone number,” said Ashley. “We were really cutting it close on the timing.”
“Intentional. The intel warned that the technicians could alert the other sites when we got in, and they would probably draw in the military. We briefed everyone that we had to get out quickly. We didn't want to waste time in firefights if we could avoid it.”
Ashley said, “One group came out, in fact, so did you, while explosions were already going off.”
“We didn't want them to have time to disarm the charges.” She looked around. “Is everyone else okay?”
“Yeah, except for George here, the lieutenant, and the Narian who got through the portal. And you.”
“Ashley went in to get your guys out before the explosions,” added Linda.
“Really?” She looked at him, curiously, as if for the first time.
Colonel Mitchell came in as the medical team emptied the room. “Major, we're done here. The buses are leaving, and the cleanup crews are coming in. Are you ready to go?”
“Just about. I need to get the maps.”
Fritz said, “Tony put them in your satchel when he took down the generators.”
“Colonel, I'll be right there.” As the colonel headed out, she reached her left arm around Ashley's neck and kissed him. “I'll talk to you soon,” she whispered. “Thanks again, everyone.”
A stunned Ashley's jaw had become unhinged. Lois patted his cheek. “All's well that ends well. That's Shakespeare, Ashley. Let's go.”
The cleanup crew passed as they walked toward the exit. George stopped and said, “Don't forget to clean the bathrooms around the corner,” motioning a left turn at the end of the hall. “The kids will be here in the morning.” Everyone laughed. George was back.
The parking lot was empty except for their cars. Fritz looked at his watch. A smidge past ten. He said, “Well, this has certainly been an entertaining first week of school, and tomorrow's a school day.”
Chapter 12
ONCE AGAIN, THE irritating smell of fresh paint struck Fritz's nostrils like bullets hitting the wall. George and Ashley were talking at his door. Ashley asked if he had seen the news. He said he had overslept and hadn't turned on the TV or seen a newspaper. But he had some idea of what had happened because a half hour after arriving home, the preside
nt had called to thank them all for their help and told him that Israel had been attacked after the first explosions in Naria.
The attacks had come from Eledoria. Extensive damage had been deflected by the iron dome, and the Israelis had scrambled planes and mobilized ground forces immediately in the event they needed to do more. Although the tension and the damage they had experienced the previous night were fading, and unsurprised by the news, all three knew that their lives had changed. “It seems we've started a war,” George said. He waved his hand toward the wall. “They certainly did a good job cleaning up and fixing everything.”
“George, the president didn't say anything to me, but I think you need to expect that the portal may be used again soon. This isn't over.”
“Did we get all the nukes?” asked Ashley.
“He didn't say. He was a little busy. I think the Eledorian involvement upset him. He needed to make calls, so he got off.”
George said, “Well, at least, we're back to normal here.”
“There is no normal here, George,” Ashley said. “And if Fritz is right, last night could become routine in a New York minute.”
“Well, I hope not. I can't stand the smell of that paint.”
“It is a little strong. I wonder if they did that to cover the gunpowder smell,” said Fritz. Looking out his window, he could see students beginning to arrive. “Let's talk later.”
As active as the previous night had been, he expected as much from his classes. He reviewed his notes for the first four periods just to refocus. His thoughts were interrupted by images of the hallway filled with soldiers. During morning announcements, George apologized for the smell of the paint and asked all the teachers to open their windows. Fritz walked to the windows. That's probably a good idea, but I wish he hadn't brought attention to it. That just makes the kids ask questions. He anticipated a tough day ahead.
He planned to go further with the Middle Ages when first period began. Once the class was seated, A.J. asked, “Mr. Russell, do you think there's going to be another war?”
“Why do you think that, A J?”
“Well, I saw on the news this morning about explosions in Naria and Israel sending troops somewhere. I just wondered.”
“Class, let's talk about this for a minute. It's not what I wanted to discuss, but let's see if we can find a thread. Okay?”
Brandy Levine raised her hand and said, “Why is there always war around Israel?”
“That's a good question. Anyone have an answer?” No hands went up. “Let's talk about it. Israel became a country in 1948, but Israel is an old civilization. It goes back to Biblical times. You've all heard it called the Holy Land. Can anyone tell me why?”
Tom O'Brien said, “The Jews, Christ, and Mohammed all lived there. So all the religions want to own the land.”
“And the Muslims don't like the Jews or Christians,” Roger Carpenter said.
“Let's look at this analytically,” said Fritz, pointing to his world map. “First, Mohammed never lived in the Holy Land. He lived on the Arabian Peninsula, in what is now Saudi Arabia, in the city of Mecca. According to Islamic tradition, he journeyed to Jerusalem with the angel Gabriel one night, and Muslims believe that he ascended to heaven from the site of the Dome of the Rock Mosque, which is in Jerusalem.” He pointed to the map. “For the Jewish people, Jerusalem is the site of the First and Second Temples, both of which were destroyed by invaders. You've heard of the Wailing Wall? It's the remains of the western wall of the Second Temple.
“Jesus is said to have spent time in and around Jerusalem, as well as other parts of Israel. He was born in Bethlehem, which is in the part of Palestine called the West Bank, and he was Jewish. He grew up in Nazareth. The Sermon on the Mount took place somewhere in the area around the Sea of Galilee, and he was crucified in Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha. So for these three great religions, Jerusalem is very important. And it's in modern-day Israel. Roger, Moses and Jesus are both considered important prophets in Islam. Like most religions, Islam includes a range of thinkers with various beliefs and interpretations. Some, but certainly not all, are inclined to be warlike.”
Mary Anne asked, “Is it those that are fighting the Israelis today?”
“Good question, Mary Anne. I think we need to look at the difference between politics today and in Biblical times. Today's struggle does have some roots in the Bible and Koran. But I think it's also about economics, politics, and power. Can you tell me when this all started?” Fritz looked at the class, which again had no response. “C'mon guys. Anyone? No. Alan Goodman, take a crack.” Alan never volunteered, but almost always had a comment worth hearing.
“I guess it started when Israel became a country and had to fight the Arabs.”
“Any time before that?”
“Well, weren't Jews there before Israel became a country?”
“Yes, Alan. Good, but I'm thinking of something else. Anyone?”
Jim Kane raised his hand. “What about the Crusades?”
“What about them, Jim?”
“We just read about them, Mr. Russell.”
“And?”
“I don't remember the years, but there were wars between Christians and Muslims who were in Jerusalem, and the Muslims kicked out the Christians and took over. So the kings in Europe went to Jerusalem and fought to get Jerusalem back.”
“Good start, Jim. Anyone else?”
Joan Dark said, “Mr. Russell, wasn't a Pope involved somewhere?”
“Good, Joan. You'll have some more reading on this, guys. There were nine Crusades. At the end of the eleventh century, Pope Urban, the Second, I think, asked French nobles to lead armies to retake the Holy Land. While the Crusades were going on, Europe continued to progress out of the Middle Ages and toward the Renaissance and Reformation. Can anyone think of any way the Crusades might have affected change in Europe?”
“Mr. Russell,” said Dennis Rogers, “from what I read and what you've said, the Crusaders had contact with different countries and different people. Wouldn't that mean that a lot of cultures combined and that trade brought new products to lots of places?”
“The Crusades fed numerous advances not only in warfare, but also in education, art, and culture. Jerusalem remained under Muslim control. But what's important to understand for this class is that our understanding of the current conflict would not be what it is without the Crusades. The Crusades set the stage for the next nine hundred years. Class, we'll talk about today's events tomorrow. Maybe by then we'll have a better picture of what's going on.”
Ashley joined Fritz as the periods changed. Fritz told him that he was already tired and the rest of the day wasn't likely to get better.
“I know what you mean. I made my class write sample news stories about what happened. If they really knew—” Ashley rolled his eyes.
“I don't know what I want more, a newspaper or a nap,” said Fritz. “I wonder what's going on now.”
“Why don't you call the president?”
“He's probably a little busy right now.”
“He's never too busy for you. Think of a reason to call him. I'll think about it too. Gotta go. See you later.”
With only a moment before his next class came in, Ashley's idea had him thinking. Did he have a reason to call the president? When the class began, Eric Silver raised his hand.
“Mr. R, I know we haven't talked about the project, but maybe I could tell everyone what we came up with and see if we all want to do it?”
Thanks, Eric. You just gave me a break. He said, “Okay, Eric. Why don't you explain it?”
“Thanks, Mr. R.” Eric almost launched himself out of his chair. From the front, Eric surveyed his classmates. “We decided that we would portray a family, from generation to generation, going through the twentieth century,” he began. “We would start as an immigrant family arriving in 1900, coming in through Ellis Island. We would settle in New York, get jobs, and try to get a feel of the new country and city. And the real
us would be trying to develop a feel for the era. As the years pass, we get a chance to be part of all the events, either as spectators or participants—like the inventions, World Wars, the Great Depression, all the changes in things like music and dances.”
“Dances?” said Johnny Clayton. “You want us to learn dances?”
“Sure, it would be fun,” said Eric.
Fritz said, “Let him finish, Johnny. Actually I'd like to see you doing the Charleston.” Johnny threw his hands in the air.
“We went to the library, Mr. R., to see if we could get pictures of clothing. Some period clothes could make the scenes seem real, like Robert E. Lee in his uniform.”
Fritz asked, “Did you find places where you could get those costumes?”
“We didn't look yet, Mr. R. We figured we should wait to see what you think. But Elaine said she thinks her mom might have some stuff in the attic.”
“I'll bet all of your parents have some stuff in their attics,” said Fritz.
“Well, Mr. R, can we do it?” asked Eric.
“Class, what do you think? A project like this is ambitious and time-consuming.”
“Mr. R,” said Paul Karl, “three of us have football practice every day. And we'll have games until after Thanksgiving. The girls have soccer and field hockey that long, too.”
“Is that a no, Paul?” asked Fritz.
“No, but I'd like to know how many scenes Eric has in mind. With sports, homework, and college applications, I don't have a ton of free time.” Murmurs of agreement bubbled up.
“Eric, have you got a sense of what number you have in mind? Paul makes a good point.”
“I'm on the soccer team too, Mr. R. I know what Paul means. We haven't worked it out, but we could by—” He looked around at the class. “Next week. In detail. Then you can say yes or no.”
“I already say yes,” Fritz said. “I have some ideas too. But you have to convince the class, Eric, not me. I think you should put your scenes together, figure out how much time you'll need to prepare each, what roles you have for everyone, and we'll revisit this next week. Fair?”
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