Unleashed

by Patrick McLaughlin

  Chapter 43

  “Shawno, where you been? They’ve been poking and prodding me every which way but up. Feel like a voodoo doll stuck with pins. And what the hell was that screaming? Everyone heard it. It sounded as if they were slaughtering pigs.”

  “Rather not talk about it right now, besides, you have I haven’t had time to catch up since, ahhh, since you showed up at Ben’s. Sit down, you probably have some questions,” Shawn said.

  “Nah, not really, it’s you and everyone else seems freaked out by seeing me. Far as I’m concerned, I ate it at Coast Guards and must have got knocked out but for a few days. That’s how it feels.” Drake said. “But I suppose everyone saw me dead, so that must be why you’re all blown away.”

  “Drake, before I tell you the entire story, I got a message from Ben. Tough to understand, but I do know Sally is safe. The rest is confusing.” But as he considered on how to begin with Drake, the second part of Ben’s message became clear. “Drake’s ashes, sure, that’s it. Ben took or sent Sally to Kauai, where we sprinkled your ashes.”

  “My ashes, c’mon man, what are you talking about brah?” Drake asked.

  “Drake, you had passed and gone into the great surf spots of heaven, your Mother had you cremated; she had a priest who gave you a little ceremony just before they put you in the fryer.”

  “Shawn, that’s just harsh man!” Drake said.

  Shawn cringed to thinking about it. “Then I watched as your Mom tossed a ‘pinch of Powers’ onto the waters of Hanalei Bay; hundreds of fellow surf brethren on site. Your Mom handed me your urn, and your pal Shawn, balling like a baby, tossed the rest of you into the drink! No doubt, you were dead and spread.” Shawn smiled, happy with his little quip.

  Drake then peppered him with questions and Shawn described everything leading up to his successful replication. “Drake, do you remember anything from the first two times we almost got you here?”

  “No, can’t remember a thing.” Drake waited a moment until he spoke again. “Well how the fuck will I show up for the World Surfing Championships next month? My fans, shit, everyone thinks I’m ripping with the surf gods. What kind of life will I have now?” Drake said mournfully.

  “Something we are going to have to work on, but I’m never leaving your side now bro. Let’s get some rest. I have no idea what this maniac Craig has in store for us. The sun’s going down and before I hit the sack, I’ve got to figure out the rest of Ben’s clues.”

  They heard a quick knock on the door before a Marine entered with two bags with sandwich and he apologized, “Sorry gents it’s all we have for dinner. There’s bottled water in each. This young marine was also a surfer, took one look at Drake and said, “Holy shit, no way! It’s Drake Powers. Wait, how can that be? I watched your Paddle Out on streaming video. Aren’t you are dead! Oh, I get it; you’re going into witness protection. Who’d you squeal on?”

  “Shawn intercepted the Marine. Yes, that’s right. And if you tell anyone the pint size CIA agent out will have you killed. Please, we want to eat and go to bed. It’s hard to explain”

  The Marine headed for the door, “Sure, not a word to anyone. I don’t want that DIA spoke after me.” He closed the door behind him.

  They ate yet neither had an appetite, so after a few bites, they put down the sandwiches, downed the water, and laid back on the taught canvas tarps. “Do you know what I think Drake?”

  “No, Shawn, I do not know what you think. Do tell?” Drake joked.

  ‘God it was great to have him back.’

  “I think Ben is going to try and break us out, not sure how though. Let’s sleep, too exhausted to sleep right now,” Shawn said.

  And as they law their heads back and closed their eyes, pairs of little red dots came floating across the lava fields from the north, so low, they were undetectable by the Marines guarding NEHL’s perimeter. As the first neared the fence, an explosion suddenly rocked the installation and it luckily missed any of the buildings. In seconds there were dozens of sets of neon eyes and bomb packets rained down from above exploding inside and outside the Energy Lab Compound. Shawn and Drake immediately awake and instinctively cover their heads as they hit the floor. The surfer Marine stuck his head into their room and yelled. “Keep down and stay put, we’re under attack!”

  “No shit, thanks for the advice!” Shawn answered and noticed when the young guard shut the door it didn’t click shut. “Drake, the doors open” and Shawn widened it enough to take look down the hallways in both directions.

  At the same time, Drake climbed up on a table and looked out the window. “Wow, it looks like Bagdad the night the U.S. hit. The place is all lit up! There are Marines running everywhere.”

  “Drake’ster, there’s no one outside our door in either direction, can you tell where it’s coming from?” Shawn asked.

  Explosions detonated in every direction creating a thick smoke making it difficult for anyone to see where the attack was coming from. Shawn climbed up beside Drake to get a better idea of what was in store for them if they ran. For an instant, Shawn sees a drone like the one Ben used to chase him on the drive up to his house a few days ago. The meaning of the last part of the message came instantly to Shawn.

  “Drake, its Ben’s doings I know it. He’s here to help us get away. Holy shit, there must be dozens of these little air spiders dropping bombs everywhere. This is wild. Look the Marines don’t know who or what to shoot.” They watched a moment longer unsure of what to do next, when the same research associate who had dropped the flash drive in the drawer came in through the door. He had never left. “Guys, out this way, then turn right at the end of the hallway. Down that hallway, there is a door. Campbell is going to keep the Marines busy on the other side of the facility. Go now!”

  Shawn and Drake slapped high fives as they charged from the room down through the dark hallways.

  Craig saw the red eyes before any of the Marines did and new precisely what they were. But he had never seen so many drones used together in concert with each other. Who and how was anyone controlling so many, as they were not easy to fly in the first place. He reached to his side, drew his 9mm Sig and ran his hand along his ammo belt to check his magazines were fully loaded. This is going to be a busy night, he thought as he charged out into the maelstrom.

  Alarms were going off everywhere as sensitive earthquake geo sensing devices were activated by the detonations. Drones appeared and disappeared and as soon as they moved to react on the area with the most activity, the drones would shift to a new target to penetrate.

  The Marine Captain ran up to Craig. “It’s some kind of an attack, Sir. All aerial so far no ground offensive, but we expect one in any minute. What are your orders, sir?”

  While Craig knew the how and what, he did not know the ‘who’, but it was apparent their intention was not to kill but to offer a major distraction. None of the buildings were damaged yet and bombs seemed to land between but never striking the Marines. “Anyone hit? Have you any casualties Captain?” Craig asked.

  “No, sir, and it’s very surprising Major. These things are everywhere and no matter what we shoot at them, they are like insects. You know seen a dragonfly sir; it’s the same thing. These drones can shift in any direction instantly. It seems like they can actually sense the bullet and dodge it before it ever gets near. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’m definitely open to suggestions, sir?”

  Craig finally figured it out but by then it was too late. “Sergeant, ignore them, it’s a diversion. Didn’t it seem unusual under such heavy fire none of your men had been hit?” Currently all the fire was concentrated on the land side of the compound where it had been for a few minutes. “Tell your men to spread out over the entire grounds, but send at least six mean to the west side along the coast now! This is an attempt to break out our prisoners!”

  Shawn and Drake busted open a rusty metal door at the end of the hallway the technician had directed them. Out in the yard the flashes of light
and gunfire came from beyond on the other side of the buildings. It seemed heavier than at any other time.

  “Man, we timed that right; where to now Shawn?” Drake asked as their eyesight adjusted to the darkness. Over the noise from the attack, they both heard a loud vibration splitting the air.

  “What the fuck’s going on now?” Drake said to Shawn.

  “I don’t know exactly. We have to trust in Ben. Cool as shit guy. Whatever he’s trying, pretty sure it’s work. Watch everywhere; I don’t know what to expect either!” Shawn yelled.

  “Holy shit, look out!” Drake screamed, and as he did he shoved Shawn down onto the pavement.

  As Shawn and Drake lay sprawled across the ground, a huge grey drone dropped slowly and landed five feet before them. It was huge, the biggest Shawn had ever seen, with eight rotors spinning three feet above their heads. Six legs touched at all points and from beneath hung the types of lightweight mesh stretchers the Coast Guard use on their rescue helicopters. Shawn and Drake lay there frozen, and as they waited for what was next to come, they heard a tiny voice urging them, “Shawn, Drake, get in the stretchers now, it’s me, Ben.”

  A tiny monitor lit up to show Ben’s smiling face. “This is the way more fun than chasing you up a mountain Shawn. Neat huh, now get in!” Ben said. “Yes, that’s right, strap in, this is going to be one hell of a ride! Hold tight!”

  Craig came sprinted ahead of the Marine patrol, but it was too late. Ben’s medevac drone had already lifted and all Craig could make out through the smoke and darkness was the light of the Ben’s monitor and the silhouette of two figures in the stretchers beneath. “Cease fire, hold your fire!” he commanded loud enough where he didn’t really need a radio. “If anyone hits that thing, I’m shooting him next!”

  The firing and explosions ceased as quickly as they had begun and except for the residual glow if explosive residue in the pockets of lava outside the fence, there was dead silence.

  Five hundred feet above the ocean flying north along the coast was Ben’s prototype “medevac” SAR drone. Ben turned the monitor back on and said “Thought you boys would like that! No fuss, no muss and no one got hurt. See there are ways to succeed through nonviolence. Next stop my little friends is Deep Surf’s hanger at Kona International.

  “Ben you are hot shit! Where are you?” Shawn asked.

  “I’m up on my property. Don’t know if you could count my little buzz buddies but there were thirty-two little birds dropping flash bangs all around the Energy Lab and their all designed with unique situational awareness capabilities and pre-programmed to integrate the performance you just witnessed. They couldn’t be hit, if they sensed either another drone, or a projectile of any sorts, it could dip or dodge the pending impact. It was the most I have successfully flown at once.

  “Yea, but this thing, what the hell are we sitting in?” Drake asked.

  “I’ve been working closely with maritime search and rescue as well as the Air Force SAR teams to design an unmanned extraction platform for those lost at sea, or pilots downed and injured inside enemy lines. This is its’ first live test. It behaved most admirably!” Ben boasted. “Deep Surf has a helicopter awaiting you at the airport. They filed a false flight plan back to Honolulu, but they’ll actually bring you safely to Kauai and Sally. Oh, yes, and I sent her there in case any other spooky characters came looking for my place. “Hang on now, we’re coming in!” and Ben touched the drone down on an unlit stretch of runway next to Deep Surf’s helicopter pad where the pilot had the engines hot and all lights off. Shawn and Drake unstrapped, gave Ben thumbs up and in a low crouch, ran from the drone the awaiting helo.

  Ben yelled from the monitor, “See you on the flip side fellas! Remember to fly the friendly skies of Ben Air!” They waved again from inside the Hughes 500 not really sure if Ben could see still them from inside the little monitor.

  The pilot had removed the doors to expedite their boarding and once strapped in with headsets on; he rose two hundred feet, did a hard tilt left, and flew off to the northeast with one scheduled refueling at a private air strip in Molokai.

  “Tighten up guys, we have a fast and low altitude flight ahead, Shawn, we will have you home by sunrise. By the way, took a friend of yours over there yesterday. Hot as hell if you don’t mind me saying. Nicely done! And Drake, if that really is you, thought you were dead, but stoked to have you onboard again! You’ll have to tell me how you did that, you know, came back and all!”

  “We can’t agree with you more el capitán! Glad to be aboard” Drake answered as the ‘little bird’ flew off across the Pacific and away from the insanity of the U.S. Government.