“Sir,” a dark-haired soldier with a thick, bushy beard called out. “Corporal Livingston sir,” he announced and saluted.
“You got the secretary for me?” Lockship asked.
“Like I was telling the chief, I’ve got a Major Torok on the line sir.”
Lockship grumbled and rubbed his hand across his face. “I don’t want to talk to some damn major I want Secretary Garner! You understand me soldier?”
“Yes sir, I understand sir. But…but,” Livingston stuttered and ran his hand across his head. “Um, I…um, the secretary sir, um,”
“Spit it out!”
“Secretary Garner is dead sir.”
CHAPTER 5
DATA DESTRUCTION PROTOCOL
The air was muggy. It wasn’t as hot as it had been, but it was thick, and the wind pushed around a blanket of sticky film that clung to anything it touched.
Trees swayed back in forth in the breeze like a commercial for some beach resort. In another time, in another life it would’ve been a beautiful day. But death was on the horizon, an unseen threat loomed just out of sight, but everyone knew something was coming.
The Naval Reserve base in West Palm Beach was all but empty and the skeleton crew that had been left behind had more questions than answers. Five soldiers manning a 20,000 square foot facility while the world around them fell apart. An aging AC-130 and a flight crew that was itching to get in the air, that was all that was left.
Lockship closed his eyes and sucked in a lungful of the damp air as he picked up the phone inside of the small administrative office. The electricity was spotty, but as long as they didn’t run the AC for too long, the phones continued to work. With sweaty hands, he brought the receiver to his ear then cleared his throat.
“Major,” he started in a hoarse voice. “This is Captain Lockship. Is it true about the secretary?”
“I’m afraid so Captain,” Craig replied.
“How?”
“We don’t have time for that right now. I thought rally point bravo was off the grid.”
“No sir. We’re up. How about you guys, is the launch still on schedule.”
“There’s not going to be a launch captain,” Craig replied in an empty voice.
“Excuse me sir?”
“They’ve launched already…they left us.”
“What the fuck!” Lockship snapped. No! No! They promised!”
“Captain get your shit together. I know this isn’t the news you want to hear, or the best way to hear it, but it happened. I suggest you and your people get here and fast. We are locking this facility down.”
Lockship didn’t’ immediately respond. He set the phone down and rubbed the sweat from his face. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” he grumbled and banged his fists on the table.
“Captain? Captain did you hear me?” Craig called out.
With a deep breath, Lockship picked the phone back up and settled himself before speaking. “There…there may be a slight problem,” he stuttered.
“What problem?”
“The command center was attacked. The staff, everyone was killed.”
“What?!” Craig yelled into the phone. “How would anyone even know that place existed? Everyone…everyone is dead?”
“Yes sir…and the cutter that was running security off the coast, we’ve lost communication and have been unable to locate it.”
“Shit!” Craig groaned. “Captain you need to get your ass back over to the command center. The communications building was our central hub for logistics with the Mayflower. There’s a vault under the floor, everything about the program can be accessed from there.”
“Why the hell would we store it there? They had to know it would be a target.”
“That’s exactly why, because it seems like a stupid idea. You’ve got five hours captain. Get back to the command center and follow the destruction protocol. We can’t afford a compromise…not now. We need to ensure that this location is still secure. Do you understand me?”
“I…I’ll get it done sir,” Lockship finished then hung up the phone. He stared at the floor for a moment. His face was blank, but the task in front of him and the news about the Mayflower weighed heavy on his mind. Squeezing his fingers into fists, he swallowed back his anger and started planning.
“What’s the word?” Hunter asked as he peeked around the corner.
Lockship shook his head from side to side then grumbled. “Fuel up the bird and get the team ready to roll.”
Hunter saluted and hurried off to the cafeteria where everyone else was located. Lockship watched him leave as his exhaustion reached a peak. Yawning, he stared to the wall until the beige paint blurred into nothing. With wild eyes, he fell back into a chair and dropped his head.
“Damn it!” he growled in a pained voice. “We were supposed to be safe. They promised we’d be safe.”
In a daze, he sat there in silence like he was waiting to wake up from a bad dream. He knew the clock was ticking, but he couldn’t convince his feet to move. He’d been through too much, he’d lost too much already and now he was at the bottom of a well of despair, staring into the darkness.
Lockship wasn’t a family man. He had no wife, no kids, no relatives that were still alive. What he had was the army. His devotion to service and commitment to something he always thought was bigger than any one man.
He’d given his life to the military. First as an enlisted soldier in special operations, fighting conflicts the public didn’t even know existed. Then as an NCO, then he made the jump into officer school. The military was all he had and they’d betrayed him.
He knew the risks, he knew he’d volunteered for an assignment that most likely meant he’d die. But it was all a lie. He knew that now. They didn’t wait for anyone, there was no lottery, there was no seat left for the men that risked their lives for the program. As soon as the powers that be got there, they left.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Koran stormed inside. Lockship lifted his head and wiped the trace of tears from his eyes.
“What the hell Lockship? You’re taking the helicopter back out?”
“Don’t worry,” Lockship said in a low voice. “You’re not coming.”
“Like hell I’m not! Who’s gonna stop me? You? That band of boy scouts outside? You promised me you’d get me there! We’re tied at the hip until then.”
“It’s fucking gone!” Lockship snapped. “Doesn’t even matter anymore.”
“What are you talking about?”
Lockship groaned then shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. We’re going back to the command center, we’re light on men as is and I need to keep enough guns here to keep this place safe. If you and Randall are up for it, we could use the man power.”
Koran stared at Lockship for a moment and tilted his head to the side. He’d never seen him deflated before, but he knew better than most what the military took from you. Nodding his head, he half-smiled then patted Lockship on the shoulder.
“I’ll get Randall ready,” he said then turned and headed outside.
With a deep breath, Lockship stood up and pushed the chair in. He glanced at the phone, scowled then left the room and made his way to the cafeteria.
“Sir, you’ve gotta do something about these kids,” Thomas complained as Lockship walked in the door.
Lockship glanced at him before walking past and heading toward the back of the room. Koran looked up as he approached then tapped Randall on the shoulder.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked.
“There’s some information at the command center, information that could put all of us in jeopardy. We have to go back and destroy it.”
“Sounds simple enough.”
Lockship shot a wary glance at Randall. “Are you up for this?”
Randall shrugged. “I just want to keep my family safe. If you need me…I’m here to help.”
“To be honest, I barely trust you with a gun. But, this is what it’s come to. We don’t have a choice, we’re
going back. You don’t have to come, you don’t have to do anything, but it’s where we’re going. The rest of my team will provide security here, and hopefully we’re not too late.”
Randall looked at Melinda. She glared back at him with warning in her eyes, but she knew he was going and part of her wanted him too. She didn’t trust Koran and she didn’t trust the military, Randall needed to be there, he needed to be in the loop.
“It’s okay,” Melinda whispered.
Randall kissed her on the cheek then leaned in and hugged David and Charlie. Smiling, he grabbed Alistair’s hand and pulled him close. Leaning into his ear, he whispered, “You’re the man now. Hold down the fort until I get back.”
“We’re ready to roll,” Hunter said as he walked in. “Frank and Jacob are starting up the bird.”
Lockship nodded then turned to Thomas. “You’re babysitting. We’ve got a patrol set up outside. I’ll speak with the flight crew before I leave. We’re getting the hell out of here as soon as I get back.”
“These kids though…someone needs to talk to them. They’re asking a lot of questions.”
“Thomas…what do you want me to do?” Lockship asked then stared toward the ragtag group of kids huddled together in the corner.
They’d been through too much. All ten of them had seen horrors that no one else could understand, that no one their age should have to see. But they were there, they were still alive, and they were still fighting. The world owed them something.
“I heard some of the soldiers talking,” Daniel started. “When we got here. Is it true?”
Lockship lowered his head and slowly walked toward them. He stopped a few feet away and motioned toward the table. “You should sit down…all of you.”
Daniel swallowed then took a seat. Everyone followed except for Chase. He crossed his arms and slammed his jaw shut. His arms trembled as he struggled to contain his emotions, but his resolve failed him.
“So they’re all dead!” he suddenly roared. “Everybody?”
“It’s not that simple,” Lockship replied in the calmest tone he could. “He said you guys were from Orlando. We evacuated that city. Your families could be anywhere.”
“That’s not good enough!” Chase continued.
“What do you want me to do?” Lockship asked, trying to hide his annoyance. “We found you in the middle of the fucking ocean remember? And while I’m sure you’ve been through hell, do you have any idea what’s been going on here? Millions…millions of people are dead! Parts of the country are just gone, hell parts of the world are just gone. Hawaii and the rest of the islands don’t even exist anymore.”
Melinda stepped in between them and held her hand out. “I’ll take it from here. You guys better get moving,” she said softly.
Lockship took a deep breath and glanced at her then the kids. Tightening his jaw, he nodded and headed outside. Koran followed him as Randall gave Melinda a kiss on the cheek and said his goodbyes then rushed off to catch up.
In silence, they climbed aboard the helicopter. Lockship gave the pilots a thumbs up and the rotor whirled into a blur as the metal giant took to the air.
The flight was quick and in less than an hour they were descending toward the command center. It looked like a graveyard. Piles of ash were still smoldering, the remains of charred vehicles lined the perimeter and only ghosts were left to roam the campus.
“Let’s move,” Lockship yelled as the helicopter touched down.
One by one they leapt onto the ground. Lockship was the last to leave, leaning back into the cockpit and tapping Frank on the shoulder.
“Do a few quick flyovers. Let me know if you see anything.”
“What am I looking for?” Frank asked with a confused face.
“You’ll know it when you see it.”
Frank nodded and Lockship jumped down and joined the others. At a jog, they made their way down to the base and headed straight for the communications building. The sound of the helicopter flying overhead, and the crunch of their boots was the only sign that life existed.
“I don’t suspect anyone is here, but let’s keep it tight,” Lockship ordered. “Koran, you and Randall are tied at the hip now.”
Koran shot him an exhausted look then knelt near the wall and looked back toward the landing pad. “Can we hurry this up,” he griped.
“On me,” Lockship replied as he slipped inside of the building.
“Jesus,” Hunter gagged and covered his mouth as the door slammed shut behind them.
He wrinkled his face in disgust then took a shallow breath into his shirt. Randall fell to the floor behind him and vomited. His rifle rattled to the ground beside him and Lockship snapped.
“Damn it Randall! Get your shit together!”
“That smell,” Randall replied as he gagged and fought off another convulsion.
“This way!”
Lockship made his way toward the front of the room where a row of monitors set affixed to bulky media cabinets. With a pained face, he rolled the chairs out of the way as the dead operators fell to the floor. Then he pushed the cabinets apart and leaned over behind them.
“What are you looking for?” Koran asked.
“This,” Lockship replied as he pressed a button on the wall.
There was a click somewhere and the handle to an access door popped up from the ground. Lockship pulled it open, revealing a set of stairs.
“Koran you stay up here and keep an eye on Randall,” Lockship said. “Hunter, you’re with me.”
“I didn’t sign up for babysitting duty,” Koran complained.
“Noted. Hunter let’s go.”
Lockship hurried down the steps and vanished into the shadows. Hunter followed him below. He leapt down the last step and stopped in front of a server rack that held a series of hard drives stacked vertically.
“Is that it?” Hunter asked.
Lockship tipped his head then reached out and placed his hand against the metal rack. It was cold to the touch and covered in a thin layer of dust. Mumbling, he counted down the rows then looked back to Hunter.
“All accounted for,” he said. “Go ahead and place the charges, we need to get moving.”
Hunter dropped his bag on the ground and pulled out strips of explosives. He affixed them to the rack then the walls at key spots.
“Hurry up,” Lockship ordered as he headed upstairs.
Randall was pacing the floor, mumbling to himself. Koran was standing next to the door with it cracked open. He glared at Lockship then turned away and checked the door again.
“If you’re done throwing a fit we need to get moving,” Lockship said.
Koran smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
“Captain,” a voice suddenly called over the radio.
“Chief?” Lockship replied and pressed the receiver into his ear.
“Captain, you need to look at this. We found something.”
“We’re coming out now Frank.”
“Roger that.”
Lockship turned back just as Hunter was making his way up the stairs.
“All set,” Hunter shouted.
“Alright let’s double time, chief found something.”
“So…so what did we just do?” Randall asked as he stared into the vault.
“Not your concern Randall. Let’s go.”
“The hell it is. Look, I appreciate what you did for my family back there on the base and what not, but this cloak and dagger shit has gone on too long. Someone needs to start talking.
Lockship twisted his face and crossed his arms. Biting his bottom lip, he considered Randall and cocked his head to the side. Koran grinned as he closed the door and edged closer.
“Just for once, I want someone to tell me what’s going on…someone to tell me the truth. I think I deserve that,” Randall added.
“You see it don’t you?” Lockship croaked. “This is it, this is the end of the fucking world! What do you want me to tell you?”
Randall shrug
ged and dropped his head. He could feel his heart tearing apart his chest as the beat echoed throughout the rest of his body.
“After everything thing you’ve seen,” Lockship continued. “What could I tell you? What could I say to make any of this better?”
There was a thundering silence between them. Randall swallowed a mountain of guilt and fear as Lockship’s words echoed over and over in his head. He was right, he’d felt it, he’d known it, but what sense did the end of the world make. Especially without the why.
“What does that mean?” Randall mumbled. “The end of the world? What happened?”
Lockship reached into his bag and pulled out a tarnished canteen. He took a swig then stowed it back into a pocket on the side of his ruck. “Does it matter?” he asked. “It’s happening, and I don’t know the right words to describe it. When we get to the Mayflower I’m sure there’ll be plenty of scientists that’ll tell you things about climate change and shifting plates, but this is happening, and to me that’s all that matters.”
“The Mayflower?” Randall echoed.
“Yeah, why don’t we talk about that?” Koran added.
Lockship shot him a look then turned back to Randall. “Look, we really don’t have time for all of this, but you’re right…you deserve to know.”
Pausing, Lockship looked down at his watch then over to Hunter. He took a deep breath and rubbed his chin, considering just how much he should tell.
“Sir,” Hunter started. “We’re on the clock.”
Lockship nodded. “The Mayflower…it, it was supposed to be a future, Randall. Not for everyone, but for as many as we could save. And now…”
“Captain!” Frank’s voice crackled over the radio with desperate urgency. “Where are you guys?”
“On the way,” Lockship replied. “I promise, I’ll tell you,” he looked to Randall and mumbled. “On the flight back, but for now we have to move.”
Randall didn’t argue. He’d learned more in those five minutes than in the last five weeks. Nodding, he tightened the straps on his bag and followed them outside. Once they’d cleared the facilities and were nearing the landing zone Hunter paused.
“We’re far enough,” he said to Lockship.
Survivors: Deconstruction Book Five (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller) Page 3
