Rescue Attempt
AT THE SPACECRAFT
Eath approaches and views the excitement. “What’s happening?” he asks.
“We’ve written a program to analyze the structure of the systems. We determined the computers use a binary code made up of ones and zeros. We believe each character, number, or symbol is a combination of eight ones and zeros. I hope we’ll be able to prove the theory before we leave on the mission,” Jadan says.
“We will try. I’ll work on the project while you three are gone,” Relo says. “I want to go with you.”
“I wish you could, but Dérobé-1 will handle five of us with survival supplies. We’re doing well here, and you can keep up the momentum. Update Dr. Marshon while I meet with Betta and Renny for one last run-through. He found a potential flaw in our plan, and we’re going to make some last minute modifications.”
The group is at the staging area. Tensions are high as they finish loading the trailer and go through the checklist one final time.
“In thirty minutes, we can launch. We must conserve energy from the start of the mission,” Betta says. “We need the spare dark vision goggles?”
“They’re in the backpack I left at Dérobé-1.”
They decided to drive in three and a half hour shifts. “We’ll operate with a driver and a navigator who will use the portable computer and mapping software to plot every meter of the trip. The daylight hours, when they must remain stopped, they will take turns standing guard while the others sleep.
At last, they get underway. Jadan will drive the first stretch with Betta as the direction finder. He tutors Renny on the navigation program. The dusk is moonless. An eerie sensation accompanies them as they head into the darkness.
The two days proved taxing, but as the sun begins to rise, the compound is visible. They prepare for another difficult day trying to sleep in the cramped quarters. Air circulation around the camouflage skin is restricted, and the temperature inside becomes almost unbearable. Their nerves are a bit ragged, and they become testy with one another. They continue to remind each other the operation is important, and they cannot lose perspective.
Twilight approaches, and the temperature is more comfortable. Betta and Jadan are in a deep sleep.
“Okay, sleeping beauties, wake up. Let’s eat and get gone. A sweetheart in distress must be rescued,” he says with a snicker.
They leave Dérobé-1 hidden in a wooded area near the perimeter of the compound. He checks the schedule. “A security guard will be by here any time now.” They settle in and wait. An hour goes by, but no one passes. “I don’t like the missing activity,” Renny says. “My gut tells me something isn’t right.”
“I’m getting an uncomfortable sensation as well. No one’s moving anywhere and I’m concerned. In the videos, the slaves moved about the entire time. This is eerie,” Betta says.
“Well, what now?” Jadan asks.
“You’re the team leader—what do you suggest?” Kahnn asks.
He is alone in his mind. He evaluates possible scenarios, and he detects a noise behind them. He turns and in the darkness stands the silhouettes of twelve armed troopers.
“I slept through this scenario,” Renny says in jest. “Hello boys, welcome to the party.”
The leader steps out of the darkness and says, “We’ve been expecting you, but we thought you would be here yesterday. Restrain them—Nuggen planned a special welcoming ceremony for you.”
They cuff their hands, and the captain of the guard says, “Okay, let’s go—head for those three lights.”
Riah is bored and even though Gramps told him to stay in his room, he decided to go for a walk around the grounds. He makes out a commotion, steps back into the shadows, and scrutinizes the troops march by with Jadan, Betta, and Renny. He follows at a distance. The group enters the lower level of the mansion and closes the door. He attempts to follow, but the passage is locked from inside. He hurries to Kia’s room. Eight-Seven is at hand when he knocks. The noise startles her, and an appearance of fear pervades her face.
She goes to the door and viewing the expression on his face. She asks, “What’s wrong?”
“I spotted a patrol with three prisoners. I’m almost positive they captured Jadan.”
“Are you sure? How did he get this far? You don’t think he arranged to get him abducted and brought here—do you?”
“I don’t think so. They wouldn’t need twelve men to bring the three of them here in shackles. I think they got caught somewhere close. Kia—they may be a rescue party trying to free us. I recognized one of the men in the patrol. I’ll try to locate him and ask him what happened.”
The girl is standing nearby with a puzzled appearance on her face.
She thinks of an idea. She goes to her computer and pulls up her photo album and images of him. She prints copies, shows the photos to Eight-Seven, and tells her, “This is Jadan. He’s a special friend. Show the pictures to the others and perhaps they can help us find him.”
She gives a nod, folds the papers, and puts them in her pocket out of sight. Again, she points to her chest and the door to tell Kia she is going. She leaves the room and disappears down the corridor.
“You made quite a little friend. You’re the first Annunaki she ever trusted.”
“Yes, and if I get out of here, I’m going to take her with me. The rest of the planet’s population needs to perceive her and be aware of what’s happening with her people. Riah, every time I stare at the scar on her throat, and I want to claw his eyes. His heart is ice.”
“What’re we going to do? I’m afraid Gramps will kill Jadan if gets his hands on him.”
“I overheard him tell Gramma last evening he planned to return to Abydos. He won’t be back for three days. We need to resolve this matter before he returns.”
They heed a gentle but familiar tapping on the door. She is surprised Eight-Seven returned so soon, and she is beaming a big smile.
“Did you find him?”
She nods. She searches the room for a pencil and paper, finds one, and tries to sketch the location on the lower floor where they are. In frustration, she motions for him to follow.
“I’m going with her. You stay here.” They hurry from the room and down the hall. They pass through servant’s quarters and the kitchen to a large laundry room with a closet at the rear. She signals for him to follow. They enter, and she closes the door. She slides a minute cabinet to the side, exposing a small opening through the wall about knee-high to Riah. She scurries into the hole and again gestures for him to come along. The aperture is so small he pulls himself through on his stomach. She leads him through a series of small-concealed passageways forming a maze. The servants created a network, which allows them to move with freedom and undetected about the mansion.
He kicks a wall making a noise. The girl turns, frowns, and shakes her head. Soon she comes to a section on an inside partition. She stops and listens but discovers nothing. She moves the panel a little. She gazes through the small opening, slides aside, and signals him to view.
He crawls to the segment and glimpses through the tiny crack. Jadan sits on the floor leaning against the opposite wall. The other two men are facing him. He does not recognize them, since he cannot study their faces. The three are talking in whispers. He can’t understand what they’re saying, nor can he find the door. He reaches into his pocket and extracts a small knife. He taps on the panel twice, but no one pays attention. He pecks again—harder this time.
Jadan detects the sound.
He raps four times, two short and two long.
He tries to locate the source of the noise. He gets up and walks across the room to the table concealing the board.
Riah knocks again.
He finds the small crack and bends down for a closer examination.
He whispers, “Jadan—can you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Are they guarding the door?”
“Not now—they left to take a break and dead bolted and braced the door from the outside. We can’t get out.”
He turns to Eight-Seven and asks, “Can you help me get them out of the complex?”
She flashes him a spacious smile and nods. She points toward him and motions in the direction of Jadan, Betta, and Renny. She slides the sheet to let them through the wall. She signals for them to follow. She moves aside until the last one is through and puts everything back in place. They crawl on their hands and knees through the maze of concealed passageways until they reach a compact tunnel large enough for them to pass. The far end disappears into a tiny distant dot of light.
Renny balks. “I’m sorry guys, but I suffer from severe claustrophobia. I can’t go in—no way. I would rather face Raefell Nuggen than crawl into the hole. You go ahead. I’ll try to find another way out.”
She stares at him with compassion and beckons for Jadan and Betta to go through the tunnel. Eight-Seven signals the other two she will go another way. He hurries into the burrow and scurries for what seems like a kilometer. He reaches an object at the end. He pushes, and as the item moves and light debris falls on him. He shoves through and clears the passageway. Betta is close behind him. They conceal the opening in a dense thicket of small bushes. Lights of the compound are visible nearby.
“Can you tell where we are in relation to Dérobé-1?” he asks.
“I believe our transportation is on the other side of the complex.”
“Our luck—”
“Relax young fellow. Things are moving forward again. The fact remains, the information Rogg gave us set us up. I hope he is a victim like us. We hold on to an opportunity to pull this off. Now, we realize for sure Riah’s with us, and I’m sure she will be also.” Kahnn attempts to console him. Ah, he suffers from the impatience of youth. Jadan’s obsession with Kia reminds me of my first years with Teska. The empty sensation returns. He wants to hold her and the children, but he realizes their death is possible. He loves her too much to take the risks.
“Let’s go search for Dérobé-1.”
“I think we better stay put. The little servant girl is aware where the tunnel exits. She will bring them here if she is successful at getting them out. We need to regroup.”
“You’re right—if we strike out we’ll never find the others. Let’s sit over here and wait.”
Time ticks by with about three hours until dawn. What do we do if they don’t show…? About an hour before first light, they detect a rustling in the thicket near them. Fear sets in until they recognize Eight-Seven leading the rest through the undergrowth. His heart leaps when he recognizes she is with them. She hurries through the obstructions to get to him. The two lock in a tight embrace and their lips meet.
“All right you two,” Renny says. “This is neither the time nor place for romance. We must find somewhere to get out of sight until evening. We can’t find Dérobé-1 before dawn, and even if we did, we couldn’t leave until nightfall.”
Kia turns to Eight-Seven. “Are you aware of a place we can hide until dark?”
The girl thinks for a few moments and motions for them to follow. A short distance away, she begins removing brush from a cliff face. A small cavern opening appears.
“What do you think, Renny—can you go in the cave?” Riah asks.
“I’ll close my eyes, and you lead me in. Should I act up, knock my silly ass out.”
The air is dark and damp, complete with the musty aroma, and cobwebs. They go inside, and she lights several candles left by previous visitors. She scurries to the entrance, conceals the opening, and they wait.
“I need the PIC masking wrist bands for Kia and Riah.” Jadan says.
“They are in the backpack we planned to take in with us. I dropped the bag when they captured us. I don’t believe any of the troops spotted me,” Renny says. “Move them deeper into the cavern. The farther underground they are. Detection of their PICs is less of a threat. I’ll go find Dérobé-1, and I’ll also bring back some rations and water.”
Earlier in the day, the guards slide food and water into the room, closed, and locked the door. In the afternoon, they once more pushed in provisions and found the previous tray remained untouched. Panic gripped them as they rushed into the empty room.
“Get the captain—we’re in big trouble. Nuggen orders people killed for less than this,” says the panic-stricken guard.
“Secure the grounds. We must find them and fast.”
Renny exits the cave and makes out an audible siren. They are aware we’ve escaped. He hurries back inside.
“Why are you back so soon?” Betta asks.
“A loud alarm is being sounded. I think they missed us. Does the heat-seeking satellite shut down for calibration today?”
“Let me check the schedule,” Jadan says as he checks a piece of paper in his shirt pocket. “The scheduled downtime is from 1600 to 1900 hours today—uuh—”
“Uuh what..."
“The Captain of the Guard at the compound can ask for a delay…”
“A prisoner escape is bad for the head of security,” Kahnn says. “His career will be ruined—he might get jail time or worse. I don’t think he dares to make a request for an interruption. He’ll want the breakout kept quiet for as long as possible, hoping they catch us. Be careful, Renny. Our lives depend on your success.”
“I’ll go with him,” Riah says.
“We can’t risk two heat signatures for the satellite to locate and double the possibility of detection,” Jadan says.
With tension so high, he forgets his claustrophobia. Again, he goes towards the entrance. Once outside, he conceals the cave and stands for a short time studying the terrain and memorizing landmarks. He walks away, staying under the trees to mask his body heat.
The insects are unrelenting, biting or stinging every exposed surface of his skin. The day matures and the sun hangs over the horizon, and eerie shadows begin to create illusions in the distant forest. The sound of wildlife in the foliage and scampering through the undergrowth adds to the anxiety. He listens to the constant commotion in the compound as the search for them continues.
He arrives at a large treeless expanse covered in one-meter tall grass and evaluates his options. The area is about three-quarters of a kilometer across. Should he follow the tree line—the distance is about five kilometers around the clearing? He checks his timepiece, 1845 hours. In fifteen minutes, the heat-seeking satellite will be back on line. Should I go around and stay among the trees? He realizes time is fleeting, and he lowers to his hands and knees and starts through the grass. The blades are sharp and relentless. The further he crawls the softer the ground becomes and the thicker the grasses. Soon he is in mud, and water about fifteen centimeters deep, and gets more so as the vegetation thins. He reaches an expanse about twenty meters wide where no plant life grows—nothing but open water. He checks his timepiece, 1900 hours. The satellite will be back on. He shivers in the chill of the water as he nears the clearing. He stares as a leaf and several small sticks float by. He notes the lack of wind. This is a flowing stream.
He views the darkening sky. The cold water will dissipate my body heat. He glances upward, as a brilliant flash lights the darkness and blazing debris flies in all directions. Wow. What took place?
At OFGRAT Commission Headquarters, communicators began to buzz all over the complex. Everyone’s question is—what happened? A huge part of the northern hemisphere viewed the massive explosion. Computer engineers hacked into and reprogrammed satellite during calibration. They succeeded, but the unit’s self-destruct activated in the process.
Deep in the cavern, Kia is sitting between Jadan’s legs leaning back against his chest. He put his arms around her warming her as they relax cheek to cheek.
“I can’t believe you came for me. I thought getting out was impossible,” she whispers. “Gramps told me he built one way in and out—his private train.”
“Well—Gramps erred, but we aren’t out yet. Someone set us up and gave us bad information to lead us into Gramps’ trap. All our plans fell apart, once captured. Our contingencies didn’t fit the conditions we encountered. From this point forward, we’re taking things as they come.”
“How’d you get here?”
“We came in a four passenger transporter our engineers developed.”
“Four passengers…we are six.”
“Six?”
“Let’s count—three of you, and Riah, Eight-Seven, and I make three more—a total of six.”
“We can take a maximum of five. We didn’t count on her.”
“Jadan, she risked her life for us. I dread thinking what they’ll do to her, and I’m not leaving her here, if I must walk out with her. You realize—she deserves a name to replace the impersonal number.”
“Give her a name, huh?” he asks. “Let’s call her Chisai.”
“Why give her that name?”
“She’s such a tiny little thing the name seems to fit.”
She gazes at Eight-Seven who flashes a huge grin, her white teeth almost fluorescent in the flickering candlelight. “Do you like the name?”
Her nod and radiant smile are telling.
“Is the resistance group you’re part of responsible for our rescue?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Riah and I want to be members of the same faction when we get out of here. Does the possibility exist…?”
“We’ll try.”
“What do you mean ‘we’ll try’? You’re aware we can’t go back to life as usual. Gramps will never permit such a thing. He’ll order us picked up and taken back to the compound.”
“I’ll do everything in my power, but many in the organization are afraid of you and Riah—the grandchildren of Raefell Nuggen.”
“What will happen when we get back?”
“You’ll go to a safe place while details are being worked out. I’ll be with you as much as I can, but I don’t want to ever be away from you again.”
“Did you ask me to unify with you?” she whispers.
“Yeah—yeah, I guess I did. I’m all I own to offer. I lack money, wealth, and security. My love for you and myself are all. Is so little enough…?”
Kia jumps up and says, “Listen up everyone. Jadan proposed to me, and he’s waiting for an answer.” Silence engulfs the cave as the candles’ flicker. “Yes, Jadan—yes—yes—yes.” She bowls him over backwards as she lunges into his arms.
A cheer breaks out in the darkness.
“You’re all invited, and Chisai’s going to be my maid of honor. I thought you would never ask,” she says to Jadan with passion. “I must ask you—where’re we going to live?”
“On the run—my love—but we’ll be on the running together.”
The circumstances gave new courage. He’s going to save Kia—they’re going to unify and bear children and reside with happiness ever after. Her presence creates warmth in him, which defeats the chill of the cavern. He contemplates the possibilities and realizes for the first time. He will give his life to save her if necessary. He never considered such a commitment.
Betta and Riah walks over to her. She stands to accept their hugs and best wishes. “Do you happen to have a sister?” he asks Jadan.
“Yes I do, but she’s unified—sorry.” He laughs.
“My kind of luck—she raises a good question. We’re going to live where? Outside of this group, Kia and I are alone.”
“We’ll get things worked out in time. Now, we must focus our thoughts and energy on getting to Abydos.” Kahnn’s tone is not comforting.
Renny starts to cross the open span of water, and his heart skips a beat. In front of him and swimming toward him is a lengthy reptile about two meters long and about as big around as his thigh. The olive-green thing with random yellow patches appears to be legless. The vision adds to the chill of the cool water. Fear paralyzes him. The animal is about a meter and a half in front of him, when panic overwhelms his self-control. He screams and slaps the water several times. The beast turns about ninety degrees and glides away. He swims across the expanse and crawls into the tall grass on the other side. His heart is pounding. Back on dry land, he stops to get his breath and reconsiders his conclusion to cross the opening. I won’t make the same decision again.
He takes a short rest, and he gets up and starts back through the woods in the direction he believes Dérobé-1 and the pack are located. By afternoon, he recalls the three lights from the evening before. He searches and in time finds the bag late in the day.
I must find the unit. He checks for evidence in the soft ground and begins to backtrack. In the woods where the dead leaves conceal the tracks, he initiates a grid search. A short time later, he trips over the transporter. He came near the vehicle several times.
He is exhausted when he slips under the camouflage skin and sits in the seat. He lays his head back, and within minutes is asleep. About an hour before sunset, the unfamiliar scream of a wild animal, awakens him. Chills run rampant, as he is jolted back to life. He glances at his timepiece and realizes about one and a half hours of daylight are left. He opens the computer, and plots a course. He strikes out in Dérobé-1 staying under the canopy of the trees. The rain from the evening before eliminates the dust problem. He takes a shortcut through some open fields trying to get back to the vicinity of the cave and the landmarks he memorized.
The darkness begins to swallow the last visible light when he spots a landmark he recognizes, but to his horror, the troopers block his way.
Riah walked to the mouth of the cavern hoping to find Renny. He catches sight of two uniformed officers walking by. Each is holding his weapon in readiness, as though he expects an attack at any moment. He holds his breath as he gazes between the bushes concealing the entrance.
They stop. “This’ll be a good place to bivouac for the evening. I’ll find some firewood, and you radio our position to headquarters. The day is long and grueling, and my feet hurt.”
“I believe you. We’ll begin the search again at dawn.”
Half an hour later, the guards built a fire and selected spots for their sleeping bags. A pot of Kava is brewing, suspended over the flames from a makeshift tripod. The evening turned dark, and a slow cold wind is blowing. The twilight is moonless, but Goliath will appear above the horizon at quarter-phase in about four hours, the shadows created by the flickering blaze paint frightening images dancing on the surrounding trees, bushes, and cliff face. In the distance, a bird is singing an eerie song, which seems choreographed to the imagery. A huge creature scurries through the undergrowth, followed seconds later by something larger. A piercing scream comes as a fight for life begins. The pursuer caught its prey, and the struggle is on. The noise of the skirmish echoes through the forest adding to the suspense. Soon, all is over. The end of the clash gives way to the sound of the predator dragging off the kill.
Chills permeate the trooper’s spines and the rest of their bodies. The wind’s chill and the trepidation of battle compound the effect.
“This is my first time to camp in the woods. I don’t think I’ll sleep well—too much going on.”
“All will be okay. Some warm food, Kava, and you’ll be better and more relaxed. The flames will keep the wildlife away—at least most.”
“What do you mean?”
The trooper laughs. He is determined to enjoy some fun at the expense of his frightened comrade. “Some reptiles might be drawn by the heat. Snakes, more often than not,” he says, concealing an evil grin.
“Snakes—I grew up in the city—I comprehend nothing about what goes on out here. I can’t tell a poisonous snake from a nonpoisonous one, and the sounds of the darkness are unsettling.”
Renny is sitting about ten meters away in the confines of the Dérobé, and he can understand most of the trooper’s conversations. His mind is racing as he tries to formulate a plan to get his companions out of the cave and on the way home. The problem—he can do little with the troopers in the way.
Another loud turmoil erupts in the woods as a large bird of the night swoops down and captures an unsuspecting prey. The talons sink into the flesh of the victim, which lets out a blood-chilling scream piercing the dark as the critter struggles to get free. The commotion carries on, and the animal continues to cry as the huge predator takes flight. The screams fade away as the marauder flies off into the night.
“I don’t think I can cope with this,” the guard says with a quiver in his voice.
“Okay, I’ll get more wood, and we’ll make the fire bigger and brighter. I’ll stand sentry for several hours while you sleep. You can take the shift while I slumber.” The trooper disappears into the darkness.
Moments later, Renny detects chaos coming from the direction he went. The one by the flames jumps up with his weapon and points in the direction of the noise. His nerves are raging, and he cannot be still. The rifle is shaking as if the man is having spasms from the cold.
Someone is going to get shot, and I hope not me.