"It's huge, Site One, and it's breaching now!" they heard the call from the AWACS.
"For God's sake, what now?" the president asked the room, but they all were busy standing and pointing at the remote camera relay from the valley.
The sight was one that all who witnessed it would never forget and would in the years to come haunt their nightmares. The undiscovered male breached the surface of the valley floor and shot into the air fifty feet, trailing dirt and sand in its wake. The multicolored armor plates of its neck were caught in the rays of the sun and sparkled, sending reflections of deep bloodred against the purple of its body armor. Then suddenly at least eighty or ninety of the smaller offspring shot up and out of the desert floor, mimicking the male. They formed their arches on both sides of the larger Talkhan. The animal was huge. Collins estimated from head to foot it was at least thirty feet fully erect. The male Talkhan hit the top of its arc and gracefully curled and rolled and entered the desert hardpan on its back and disappeared beneath the splash of sand and rock, quickly followed by the others.
"God, they're headed right for the Humvee," Jack said. "Ryan?" he called.
"Can't raise 'em!" Ryan called while still holding the headphones to his head.
As everyone from the valley, the White House, and the Event Center watched, the male surfaced again exactly in the path where the Humvee was speeding back to Site One. It sent the vehicle into the air 150 feet, paying it no more attention than it would a small bush. The beast roared as it started its fall back into the soil. The Humvee crashed hard back to earth; the entire armored vehicle was now upside down and crumpled.
"Site One, this is Valley Forge. Target has changed aspect and is moving toward sector 327. Repeat, target is now moving toward sector 327," the AWACS reported.
"Roger, sector 327," Ryan said. Jack was already heading to the Pave Low where Ryan had a map laid out on the ramp. Ryan quickly circled the area in red marker. "Goddammit, Major, the bastards are making a run out of the valley."
"Right for the funnel, into the last line of defense," Jack said as Everett joined them. "Contact Niles and relay to the ranchers to get the cattle moving."
"Then let's get ready and blow the crap out of it," Everett said.
Jack thought as he looked below at the line of collapsing tunnel as the beast ran for the eastern gate of the valley, quickly followed by its siblings. His eyes went to Sarah and the others.
"Gentlemen, the remote trigger for the weapon is in the Humvee," Jack said simply.
"Then we better go get it," Ryan said.
It was Everett who knew what Jack already did. Carl turned and watched as the surviving tunnel teams and Event personnel were covering the remains of the three pilots killed in the mother's final attack and helping the fourth, who was lying on the ground bleeding to death.
"Jesus Christ! Can we get a break here?" Carl said for the second time that day, then looked to the sky in frustration.
"Is someone going to let me in on what's going on?" Ryan asked.
"By the time we get to the Humvee, the animals will be out of the valley and gone," Everett said with his eyes closed in frustration. "The Blackhawks and other Pave Lows are all refueling."
Then Ryan caught on. He threw the headphones onto the back ramp of the huge Pave Low in frustration.
"You're a pilot, aren't you?" Jack said to Ryan, looking at the grounded Pave Low.
Ryan was confused. He looked around and then caught on to what Jack was asking.
"Major, I've never flown one of those in my life. I don't even like riding in the fucking things."
"What about the smaller one?" Collins asked, heading for the lone Blackhawk.
"Are you nuts?" Ryan asked as he chased Collins.
"Where is the crew chief for this aircraft?" Everett called out.
"Right here, sir," a young spec 5 called out.
"Can you fly?" Everett asked quickly as he started gathering weapons.
"No, sir, I'm just a crew chief."
Jack slapped the young man on the back and shoved him toward Ryan. "Well, you've now been promoted to warrant officer, and you will assist your new pilot in the copilot's station. Move."
"Major--"
Everett and the injured Collins just turned and glared.
Ryan grimaced and ran for the imposing Blackhawk.
One minute later Ryan was sitting in the left seat of the Blackhawk staring at the flight panel of the huge helicopter.
The crew chief leaned over and studied the buttons and switches angrily. He pointed quickly. "This one, this one, and this one," the boy said as he pushed two buttons and threw a switch.
"Power coming up!" Ryan called out more for himself than the others.
The four blades of the composite rotors started turning and coming up to speed. Ryan studied the controls. He knew the collective throttled both of the powerful engines when twisted and raised the helicopter when pulled up, and he knew the pedals operated the tail rotor to compensate for the torque of the main engines, but he didn't know how they actually worked. This was no Tomcat and he was totally uncomfortable without any wings.
"Come on, Ryan, get us in the air!" Collins yelled. He was listening on the headphones as the AWACS was calling out the position of the animal. It was only five miles away from the mouth of the funnel and closing on it fast.
Ryan closed his eyes and twisted the throttle on the collective with his left hand. That brought a burst of power to the main rotors and the tail boom. He opened his eyes as the rotors started really spinning and thumping. Then Ryan gently pulled up on the collective, which manipulated the rotors that supplied the Blackhawk with lift, but the helicopter didn't lift. He twisted the throttle to its stops.
"Oh, shit, we're going to die!" Ryan said aloud.
The young, just promoted spec 5 just stared wide-eyed out of the windshield as the large helicopter just sat there. Ryan gulped and again pulled up on the collective and immediately felt his stomach lurch as the heavy bird lifted suddenly with a jolt. It slowly started to spin to the right and Ryan applied foot pressure to the left pedal. It was harder to push than the foot pedals in his Tomcat, but it was pressed hard enough to slow the rate of the Blackhawk's spin. They had made two complete circles before Ryan finally stopped the spin. He shook his head in the affirmative though no one had asked him anything.
Out of the open side door Jack saw Sarah wave with a sad look as the helicopter started to lift into the air. Then she seemed to come to a decision and looked angry. She dropped her hand and sprinted for the Blackhawk. Jack started shouting for her to get out of the way and screaming also for Ryan to hold it. But it was too late; Sarah placed her right foot on the left wheel of the helicopter and used it as leverage to launch herself up and into the cabin. She flopped on the deck and winced as she looked up into the angry face of Collins.
"Look, I'm the only one that isn't injured, you need me!"
"When this is over, we're going to talk, McIntire," Jack said as he reached down and pulled Sarah to her feet.
Ryan slowly pushed the control stick forward and the Blackhawk lurched and lost altitude. He quickly twisted the throttle and its descent was halted, but not before the left wheel assembly hit a large rock outcropping, tearing the wheel away. Everett and Collins "were thrown forward in the back compartment and looked out the door and watched the wheel and gear fall and strike the ground below, bouncing and just missing several men and women on the ground.
"Goddammit, Lieutenant!" Everett shouted.
"Sorry, sorry," Ryan said. Cursing under his breath, he spared a glance over to the specialist who was holding on for dear life. "Relax, trooper, I got it now!" Ryan shouted as the Blackhawk shot out over the cliff and started its jerking run for the crashed Humvee.
Event Complex, Nellis AFB, Nevada
I didn't know Ryan could fly helicopters," Niles said as they watched the video feed.
Alice was staring at the monitor. "According to his file, he can't," she said
as she patted the nervous Lee on the leg again.
Three minutes later Ryan was hovering three hundred feet above the crashed Humvee after passing it twice while trying to figure out the best way to set the helicopter down. Then he swallowed and twisted the collective power down and slowly brought the control stick back toward his chest. He breathed easier when the Blackhawk started to settle easily.
"To the right, to the right!" Everett called out. As Ryan couldn't see right below them, he didn't notice he was coming down right on top of the mangled wreckage.
"Jesus!" he said as he pushed on the right pedal and swung the stick to the right. Then he felt the left wheel touch down with a groaning bang.
"Hurry, I can't hold it here forever," Ryan said into the back, then looked over at his young copilot. "Are you going to do anything this whole trip?"
The specialist chanced a look at Ryan and shook his head. "No, sir, I am not."
Everett, Sarah, and Jack jumped from the Blackhawk and ran for the crashed Humvee. They scrambled inside. They first checked the driver and then the captain sitting beside him. They were both dead.
"It's a black box the size of a laptop," Collins called out over the noise of the helicopter.
"Got it!" Everett called.
Jack looked up and saw Carl was holding up the black box. Then all three ran back to the Blackhawk and jumped aboard, making Ryan lose control for a moment because of the sudden weight change. Then he lifted too quickly into the air, slamming both Everett and Collins to the floor. Sarah quickly followed, landing on top of Jack.
"Head back to Site One," Everett ordered Ryan.
***
All was quiet on the valley floor where the gathered cattle from the surrounding ranches grazed, only a half mile from the exit to the valley, the place where Jack Collins had first guessed the Talkhan would turn to run. The state police and the FBI had combined all the assets the surrounding ranches could provide. Every truck, trailer, and even the expensive air force Pave Lows had been used to get the makeshift herd together. The six hundred head of cattle were lowing, unaware of the role they were about to play in the drama getting ready to unfold, or the part they would play in the fate of mankind. But they would be there for only another minute as the horsemen surrounding them started to get themselves ready for the run of their lives.
Two miles from the cattle, the ground began to shake and part violently in ninety-plus different waves. The creatures appeared and disappeared as they went high, looking for danger, then sank again, going even deeper. They were traveling as fast as they could to the tantalizing vibrations and smells produced by the confiscated cattle.
Look at them go!" the president said in awe at the speed of the animals.
Senator Lee sat forward on the couch and leaned his chin on his cane as Alice lightly squeezed his thigh. Niles walked over to the screen in the Event conference room and watched as the beasts seemingly took the bait.
Niles picked up the phone and called the base camp. "Virginia, radio the ranchers to get the cattle moving, now!"
***
On the valley floor, Thomas Tahchako and his eight ranch hands had volunteered to get the cattle to the middle of Soda Flats. They knew the risks, but they also knew the cattle could not be moved by truck or helicopter fast enough. He watched as the first of the animals breached the surface. His eyes widened when he saw the size of the first one. Thomas immediately spurred his horse forward and at the same time drew his old-fashioned six-shooter from his holster and fired three times in the air, startling the cattle into movement. The other ranch hands yelped and whooped as they started the organized stampede toward the dry lake bed. As Tahchako turned, he saw the first of the animals turn toward the feel and sound of the thundering cattle as they ran in the direction of Soda Flats.
The Apache spurred his large horse ahead of the stampeding cattle and was only a thousand yards from entering Soda Flats when the first of the cattle started being pulled under. He looked back and saw one of his ranch hands disappear into the ground as he and his mount were suddenly gone. He kept whipping his horse until he was far out ahead of the herd, his hat flying free and his long braids whipping in the wind as he and the cattle ran headlong onto the alkali flats, sending up large plumes of bitter-tasting silt.
Thomas fired his three remaining rounds from his six-shooter and the cattle started spreading out. The animals were attacking the herd in force now; he counted at least eight animals as they breached into the alkali. They were in such a killing frenzy they couldn't feel the alkali as they became coated with the stinging particles.
Tahchako turned his horse and was quickly followed by his remaining hands as they sped south, away from the flats. He once again spared a look to see the animals jumping and then diving back into the dry lake bed, each time taking a terrified cow beneath with them. He turned away from the grisly scene and prayed that this would lead to the beasts' end.
***
It took the animals a considerable time to realize they were in danger. As they started to feel the alkali eating at their armor, they became frenzied in pain and haste to get free of the burning substance.
Jack quickly put on headphones and listened to the position report on the creatures. They had fallen for the alkali trap and were now back on course for their escape. He was happy to hear that at least thirty of the smaller creatures actually perished at Soda Flats, having been overcome by the powerful corrosive. But the survivors were less than one mile from the target area. Jack nodded and threw his headphones down and quickly opened the remote transmitter. He brought up the code relayed by Compton from memory. With Everett sweating beside him, Jack entered 1T3, then lifted the plastic cover and quickly pushed the red button, not wanting to even think about what he was doing.
"Shouldn't there have been a big boom about now?" Sarah asked.
Jack pushed the button again. The light went out, then it came back on.
"That's not good," Carl said.
"There's a thirty-second delay in the warhead."
They both counted down... and nothing.
"Fuck!" Jack said as he pushed the button again, then again. In frustration he remembered the antenna and turned the black box on its side. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the leads but no antenna. In the crash of the Humvee it must have been torn away. He hit the diagnostic switch on the side and the screen started flashing Malfunction, over and over, casting a red strobe across Jack's face.
Everett saw what Jack was looking at and just sat hard into his seat. Then he placed the headphones over his ears and started telling everyone connected to the radio link the bad news.
***
After hearing Everett's report, the senator stood and paced, using his cane as a support. Compton and Alice watched as the weakened Lee swayed.
"What are you tossing around in that mind of yours?" Alice asked.
"The unthinkable, and if I've read between the lines in the major's file correctly, he should be thinking the same horrible thought right now."
Jack set the black box down and placed his head back against the headrest. Then he closed his eyes thinking about what had to be done. It only took him a moment to realize the answer, and then he quickly sat up straight and placed a headset on. "Mr. Ryan, head those fucking animals off and get ahead of them," Jack said as he looked at Carl, who raised his brows. "Head for the Orion site."
"You got it." Ryan knew when not to ask questions.
What in the hell is he doing?" the president asked.
General Hardesty stood and walked to the wall map in silence. Even the director of the CIA understood and lowered his eyes.
The president turned to the camera. "Director Compton, what is Collins attempting to do?"
Niles looked into the camera, then removed his glasses and placed them on the conference table. "He's going to do his job, Mr. President, that's all Jack Collins knows how to do."
"Don't want to hear any more, swabby, I outrank you and that's that." Jack turne
d and looked out the door at the passing desert below. Sarah sat staring at Jack, not believing what was happening.
"We can find some other way, you can't do this!" Sarah shouted over the turbine roar.
"Goddammit, Jack, it's time I did the duty, you're all busted up. Stand down, for Christ's sake."
"Sorry, mister."
"Look!" Ryan shouted as he fought the pedals and control stick.
When they looked out the door again, they saw the giant wake as the animal rose to the surface and breached, making Ryan swerve at the last moment, and the Blackhawk leaned on its side just in time as the beast reached its altitude. They couldn't believe the size. The animal's eyes were different from those of the other creatures. This beast had what looked like blue pupils, and it clearly had a larger head. The thick, hollow strands of hair were finer as they shimmered in the sun. Jack and the Talkhan's eyes seemed to lock as the creature again turned on its back and dove for the ground. They watched until it splashed into the soil heading for the funnel.
"That was different," Jack yelled.
"Did you get the distinct feeling it knew exactly what it was doing?" Sarah asked.
"I'm only interested in what was covering its armor," Jack said.
"What?" Sarah asked.
"Alkali."
The Blackhawk sped ahead and Ryan saw the cleared area where the engineers had placed the device.
"Coming up on-site, thirty seconds till touchdown," Ryan yelled. "I hope," he finished under his breath.
Jack held out his hand while holding his broken ribs with the other.
"Dammit, Major, this isn't right," Everett said.
"What in this fucking world is, Commander?" Jack answered as his right hand didn't waver.
Everett frowned but took Jack's hand. Then Collins turned and looked at Sarah. She looked hard at him. "You piss me off, Jack. There's plenty of bravery to go around out here, why does it always have to be you?" she shouted.
"Watched too many John Wayne movies, I guess," he said, holding her eyes with his own.
Event (event group thrillers) Page 43
