Code Frostbite (STORM Book 1)

by John Darling

  “Mrs. Flashman, I know you’ve had a long day. Let’s get you to bed. Keith will take care of Trevor.”

  Mom looked at me for another moment before getting back in the car with Floyd. Uncle Keith walked back over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

  “You ready to kick some ass?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good, follow me.”

  Uncle Keith escorted me over to the structure that Admiral Kenneweg and his people had walked through a few minutes ago. While we waited for something, I couldn’t help but notice the massive crest on the wall ahead with the same eagle and lightning bolts I saw on Admiral Kenneweg’s insignia. Above the eagle in huge silver letters was the abbreviation “S.T.O.R.M.” Below the logo is three words in cursive that I made out to be “Locate, Eliminate, Survive.” I don’t understand what this phrase means, but it sounds intense. Suddenly, the structure opened up from a crack right down the middle of the logo. Uncle Keith ushered me inside what appeared to be an elevator and the doors closed behind us. This room is huge and big enough to hold a tank. Just then, the woman’s voice I kept hearing came on again,

  “Which floor, please?”

  Uncle Keith responded, “Deck two please.”

  Only an hour ago we had been driving through the desert and now we were underground in some kind of elevator that I assume is taking us further down? Funny how things can change so quickly in the span of a day. A few seconds later I felt the room move.

  “Trevor, we only have a minute or two before we have to get out. Keep your head up and do your best to evaluate each situation. Make the decisions that you think are the right calls. Do not become influenced by anyone else. Most importantly, no matter what happens stay calm. Understand?”

  “Yes, I understand.”

  “Good. As soon as those doors open up, your world is going to change, forever. You can do this, Trevor, and you’re going to make a great officer. Don’t hesitate to ask one of your OICs to call for me for a visit if you need anything.”

  “OICs?” I asked, just to confirm, as I watch the number above the door tick down to seven, to six, then five.

  “Officers in Charge. Any other questions?”

  I had about a hundred questions and I know there isn’t enough time to answer them. However, there was one question that I needed to know the answer to.

  “Uncle Keith, am I doing the right thing?”

  The elevator stopped moving and the doors opened up. There was a long empty hallway ahead with a big window on the left side. Uncle Keith put his hand on my shoulder and smiled.

  “Your Father would be proud of you, just like I am.”

  We walked out of the elevator and over to the big window. My eyes widened as I saw at what was going on behind it. There was a massive obstacle course of some sort with dozens of people in black jumpsuits on it. Several people in black uniforms that looked like the one Admiral Kenneweg wore were yelling and encouraging the people on the course to go faster. I looked over at Uncle Keith as he signaled to one of the people in uniform. A large, middle-aged man with a clipboard acknowledged Uncle Keith and walked over to the window. On the opposite side of Uncle Keith was a door that I hadn’t seen at first and the man walked through it to get to us.

  “Hello Commander, what can I do for you?”

  “Charlie, this is Trevor Flashman, Trent’s son. He’s going to be joining the class tonight.”

  The look on this man’s facial expression immediately changed as Uncle Keith said my name. His eyes widened and he put his hand out, inviting me to shake it.

  “It’s an honor, Trevor. Your father was an incredible man, and a true hero. Anything you need, you just ask.”

  “That’s why we’re here, Lieutenant. I’m going to need you to do the exact opposite of what you just said. Obviously, this young man’s last name and the fact that he is starting school late is going to draw a lot of attention. It would be in his best interest if you as one of the instructors in charge of his training treat him just like everyone else. If he is to succeed in the field, he needs proper training and the chance to bond with his classmates just like everyone else. That won’t happen if he gets special treatment, understood?”

  Although I didn’t want to turn down the man’s offer so soon, everything Uncle Keith just said made perfect sense. I didn’t want special treatment and I certainly didn’t want people feeling bad for me because I lost my Dad. I’ve been in military environments before, and I know the best way to get ahead is to fly under the radar of whoever is in charge.

  “Of course sir. I’ll inform the other instructors.”

  “That won’t be necessary. I will take of that. What does Trevor need to get started?”

  “He needs to be evaluated by medical so he’s fit for training. Nothing serious, just a few tests and maybe some blood drawn. Tomorrow he should be able to join everyone out there.”

  “Thank you, Charlie. Trevor, go with Lieutenant Ward. I’ll see you soon.”

  Uncle Keith had never been one for long drawn out goodbyes. He quickly walked through the door that Lieutenant Ward walked through and I watched him meet up with two other OICs.

  “We need to go up to Deck Five where the training headquarters are. The medical bay is located there.”

  I followed him back into the elevator and up to Deck Five. The doors opened up about thirty seconds later to a much different landscape than Deck Two. Instead of one blank hallway, there were several hallways lined with silver doors. We exited the elevator and took a hard right, stopping a few feet away from a reception desk, behind which has a young blond-haired nurse sitting and watching a computer. Completely fixated on whatever is on the screen, she didn’t notice either of us. I focused in on a nametag on her chest with “Stacy” written on it as Lieutenant Ward cleared his throat to get her attention.

  “Oh! I’m sorry. I did not see you both. How can I help you?”

  “This young man needs to be checked and screened for combat training. He’s a little late, and we need everything to be done as soon as possible.”

  “Yes of course! Right this way.”

  We followed the nurse down a hallway and then made a left. The blank white walls, floors, and ceilings were making me feel like I was in some kind of mental asylum. There are doors every few feet and through the tiny windows on those doors, I can see that most of them are empty. We stopped at a door and Stacy opened it, instructing me to sit on the bed and for Lieutenant Ward to wait for me outside.

  “One of our doctors will be with you shortly. Please make yourself comfortable until then.”

  Stacy left the room and I slowly scaled the end of the bed as the door clicked shut. There are several machines in the room; I’d seen a few of them before, but not all of them. I hope they don’t do anything weird to me. Just then, the door opened.

  “Good evening, Trevor. My name is Dr. Ritchie and I’ll be your examiner today. My assistants are going through some of your previous medical records and it appears that you are due for your Hepatitis B shot. We’re going to need to give you that right away before we can clear you for training.”

  “Hepatitis B?” I thought about the lists of shots the Academy gave us before we went out to sea. I couldn’t remember which ones I actually got since there were so many needles going into my arm that day.

  The door flung open again with Stacy carrying a silver needle tray. Dr. Ritchie picked up the needle and flicked it with his finger. He instructed me to lift up the right sleeve of my shirt and Stacy cleaned a spot with a white towel. I’m not too fond of needles so I looked to my left as Dr. Ritchie moved toward me with the shot.

  “OK, Trevor, you’re going to feel a slight pinch.”

  I immediately felt a rush of unusual pain and gripped the bedsheets with both of my hands in an attempt to fight through it.

  “Alright, you’re all set. Just give it a few minutes. Wait here and Recruit Rose will be in to check on you in a few minutes.”

  Recruit Rose? So t
his girl isn’t even a nurse? The doctor put his hand on my shoulder and then proceeded out of the room as I pondered what this girl was doing here. The door closed and the slamming noise it made sent shockwaves through my head. My vision became blurry and the white room was blending together in one giant blank space. Without intending to, I felt my head hit the pillow as my body went from being vertical to completely horizontal in an instant. It was the most comfortable thing I had ever felt in my life. My eyes got heavy and I didn’t think I could hold them open for much longer. I don’t recall the doctor mentioning anything about passing out. Just what exactly was in that needle? I tried to sit back up but it was no use. My body was clearly going to shut down regardless of my own intentions. I finally gave in to the drowsiness and drifted off into an abyss of darkness.

  Chapter Six: A Slight Pinch

  My eyes shot open in a panic. I instantly became terrified as I heard gunshots go off in several directions. I rolled over and covered my face with my arms in an effort to protect myself. Gunfire continued to go off and it sounds like it’s getting closer with each passing second. Fear crippled my mind. Slowly, I peered through the space between my arms as the gunshots stopped. The medical room I had fallen asleep in was nowhere to be found.

  I lifted up my head and tried to get my bearings but it’s no use. Cold air came into my lungs and I could see my breath with each exhalation. It was the only thing I could see in this darkness. From the musty air, I felt like I was outside in the woods but that couldn’t be possible. Just then, horrifying screams shrilled through the air and I ducked back down in the fetal position I was in before.

  The screams screeched through the air and leaked through the cracks in my fingers, despite my efforts to cover my ears. One after another, it sounded like people were being murdered only a few hundred feet away from me. I pressed my hands tighter against my ears and closed my eyes. This is a nightmare. I’m in a nightmare. I’m really sleeping on that bed and I just have to wake up. Another set of gunshots went off, causing my heart rate to spike yet again. I have to find a way to wake up.

  The air continued to populate with horrific sounds and it seemed as if they were becoming louder and getting more frequent. I kept telling myself that this was just a nightmare, but it felt too real for it to be so. Out of nowhere, a baby just started crying. In fact, it wasn’t just crying, it was wailing out in pain. For some reason, that noise was bothering me the most. If there really was a baby out there getting tortured, I couldn’t just sit here and hide. It was time to move. I slowly removed my hands from my ears and all of the horrible sounds rushed into them at full force, crippling my thoughts in the process. It hurt too much and after only a few seconds, I covered my ears back up. Several car alarms began going off again from behind me and threw me over the edge.

  “ENOUGH!”

  I buried my head right into some sort of muddy substance and plugged my ears. This nightmare has to end, but when?

  I went to move forward but resistance from the mud sucked my body back like a rubber band. I tried again and moved a few inches before stopping. How did I get here? Why are these horrible noises going off? Once again, I found myself plagued with questions, only this time I was not just mentally lost, I was physically lost.

  I continued to fight against the mud and shifted my weight forward once again as the sounds continued to leak into my eardrums. After making my way a few feet, a huge object appeared in front of me. My heart jumped as my head bounced off of it, instantly causing me to feel a bit of pain. I looked up at the dark shadow it cast and deemed that it might be safe to hide behind. I turned myself over and leaned up against it. It took a lot of my strength to do so. I took a deep breath and tried to make sense of what was going on.

  As soon as I exhaled, the screams, gunfire, car alarms and babies crying all rattled through the air again. My hands immediately went back up to my ears and tried to protect my mind from hearing the orchestra of hell. Minute by minute it continued on. Breathing heavily, I did everything possible to keep myself calm. It’s just a nightmare. It’s just a nightmare. It’s not real. I repeated that over and over. Preventing myself from mentally breaking down was crucial right now since I have absolutely no idea why I’m not with doctors anymore. I have to find my way back to that white room.

  I closed my eyes again and prayed for a period of silence. To my sudden surprise, the sounds have. I couldn’t hear anything, and I slowly removed my hands off my ears. They actually did stop. I regained a little confidence and looked to my left and peeked past the dark object, which felt like a tree trunk. There haven’t been any noises for a few minutes so now may be a good time to do some recon. Slowly, I rose to my feet. Mud dripped off of me as I started to walk forward. The blackness didn’t end but I was noticing that certain areas were slightly lighter than others. Can it be possible that I’m in a forest? Just as that thought came to mind, I tripped on something and fell right on my face. My cheek is cut and I could feel blood dripping out of it. I looked back to see what had caused my pain only to find a large tree root sticking out of the ground. Instead of getting up and risking tripping on another hidden root, I decided that low-crawling isn’t such a bad idea for a while.

  It had been almost an hour and I feel like I’m getting nowhere. I still had no idea where I was, only that I’m in a forest that doesn’t seem to end. Root after root, tree after tree. I found myself crawling over everything, only stopping when I hear a scream or gunfire go off. After each noise session stopped, I began moving again. It was like the terrifying version of that game we had played as kids in elementary school; “red light, green light”. My forearms hurt like hell and my entire body is covered with mud, dirt, and leaves. This is beyond frustrating. What the heck am I doing crawling around in the middle of the forest? Wasn’t I supposed to start training today?

  My pace was slowing down and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to move for much longer without taking a long rest. However, the last time I had let myself rest had resulted in me waking up in a completely different place. As I continued to ponder over taking a rest, my elbow suddenly landed on something very soft; too soft to be a rough tree root.

  It isn’t a tree root, or dirt, or a rock. The material feels familiar but yet, I can’t figure out what it is. I stopped moving to fully examine the soft texture of the object in front of me. Flipping the large square over, I heard several “chink” sounds and realized that this was a backpack. A few seconds later I found the main zipper and immediately started digging through the biggest compartment.

  I pulled out a blanket, a knife, some sort of goggles, handcuffs, a bottle of water and a protein bar of some kind. I downed half of the water bottle in record time as I wondered how a fancy hiker’s backpack like this had wound up here. Someone could have dropped it which meant there could be other people out here, or better, other people from S.T.O.R.M.

  I put everything back in the pack, deciding to save the protein bar for later. I wasn’t not sure where I was going to find my next meal, or if I had time to stop to eat. Suddenly, more screaming, gunfire, and what sounded like an explosion went off in the distance. Startled and afraid, I quickly sealed up the backpack and my hands found the pair of goggles. I went to put them in the pack, but decided to put them on instead as the sounds died down again. Looking through the eyes of the goggles, I instantly became disappointed and rendered them useless. They somehow made everything darker, which I didn’t think was possible. Just before I was about to rip them off my face, I heard a familiar voice:

  “Night Vision Activated”.

  It’s the woman from the elevator! Hearing her voice instantly made me deliriously happy. For a few seconds, I had some hope. The goggles made a weird clicking noise and the darkness became green. I can actually see now! The suspected forest surrounded me and I could see random groupings of trees that go on for miles. Turning slowly in circles, I searched for an opening, or any sign of civilization to indicate which way I should go. I kept turning until suddenly
I caught some kind of motion flickering in the corner of my eye. Deep into the woods appeared to be some kind of light. Now being able to safely walk thanks to these awesome goggles, I redirected my path toward the tiny flicker of hope.

  More screaming shattered the silence. This time instead of tensing, I looked in the direction of the noise. I was getting used to the horrible sounds. They were still quite disturbing but the fear factor had worn off. I spun slowly in place and scanned the area but there was nothing except motionless trees. I turned back to find the flicker and could see something, or maybe someone, running toward me. Finally, another person! I yelled out to the figure as they made their way closer to me:

  “HELLO! OVER HERE!”

  The person wasn’t stopping. Whoever it is didn’t respond to my yells either and kept coming at me. Fifty feet, forty feet, thirty feet… I could feel myself tensing up. I thought about running away but instead I froze like a deer in the headlights. Part of me thought that person would start to slow down, but clearly he (at least I thought it was a he) didn’t. Twenty feet, ten feet, five feet…

  “HEY! STO–”

  THUD.

  Before I could get another word out, the guy tackled me to the ground. He pinned me down while making several odd growling noises. My goggles became dislodged from my eyes preventing me from getting a good look at him. He was drooling some kind of thick liquid and I watched in horror as a huge chunk landed on my chest. Despite my fighting, I found myself wedged in-between him and the ground. A wave of fear hit me and after a minute of squirming, I finally got one of my legs free. I kneed him in the back as hard as I could but it did nothing. He tightened his grip on my hands. My strength was fading fast and I didn’t know what to do. Just then, his face began inching its way toward mine. His jaw was clamping down and making a strange animalistic sound. It was as if he wanted to bite me. I begged for mercy as I feared for my life.