TWENTY-TWO

Most of the events that played out over the next few hours I witnessed firsthand.

The rest I was told about. Piecing together the series of events that occurred was tricky. I had to make some logical, educated guesses on some of the events, but in the end I believe I have put together a full, accurate picture of all that unfolded, both good and bad. When the history books are written, all the history books, I can only hope that they will be as honest about what happened as I have been.

The people who put themselves on the line, and sacrificed themselves, deserve nothing less.

Five kilometers further ahead of us, and three hundred years into the future, a small group of Air Force personnel made their way along the wide street that led to the dome in the Bridge city.

They walked calmly, but with purpose. There was nothing about them that stood out from any of the other military personnel on the street. They were led by Colonel Pike. With her was a young, intense Airman named Eric Lewis. The third person in uniform was Airman First Class Olivia Kinsey. The only member of the group not in uniform was a forty-year-old civilian named Liger. He stood out from the others because he wore plain gray fatigues, as opposed to camouflage. Liger was an engineer. A nuclear engineer.

The group passed by the queue of giant black planes that were lined up along the street, waiting to make the journey into the past. None of the team showed outward interest in the attack planes, but the presence of these killing machines raised both their anxiety level and their resolve.

They could not fail.

The four turned off the street when they arrived at the vast building with the curved roof that stood next to the massive dome that held the Bridge. They walked with confidence directly up to the two armed guards who stood in front of the heavy double doors.

The guards instantly came to attention and saluted Colonel Pike.

“Good afternoon, gentleman,” Pike said.

“Is this a scheduled visit, ma’am?” one guard asked.

“Yes, but not one you would have known about,” she replied.

Pike showed the guard her tablet and the orders that allowed her access to the nuclear depot. The orders were completely authentic, except that Pike was the only one who knew about them for she was the one who created them.

The guard read the orders and the blood drained from his face.

“Now?” he asked, incredulous. “Right now?”

“We need to move the device in ahead of these ships,” Pike replied. “The natives are going to be in for one hell of a surprise.”

She smiled and gave him a conspiratorial wink.

The guard looked at his partner for support. He was unsure of what to do with this sudden and dramatic development.

“We don’t have much time,” Pike added, with a touch of impatience. “You don’t want to hold up the transfer of these ships.”

“No ma’am,” the second guard said. “Will you need assistance?”

“There’s a technician inside, correct?” Pike asked.

“Yes ma’am,” the first guard replied.

“Good,” Pike said and walked boldly past the two guards. “Stay at your post.”

The others kept their eyes on the ground and followed. Olivia didn’t make eye contact with anyone, fearing they might recognize her as a traitorous Sounder.

Pike used her ID card to unlock the double doors. They slid open with a mechanical whine and the team strode inside.

The depot was nothing more than a huge warehouse under a dome that was five feet thick, in case of an unfortunate accident. Lined up in two rows of five were ten white cylinders, each six feet tall and three feet in diameter. There was nothing about them that gave a clue as to their deadly power. None of them had a nose cone or fins to provide aerodynamic capability, for they were never intended to be dropped from an aircraft. These weapons were built to the exact specifications of the device that was exploded as a test on the morning of January 24, 1952. Project Alcatraz. They were duplicates of the device that created the original Bridge and were intended to be used to blast more Bridges from the past into the future.

A technician wearing gray fatigues similar to the one the engineer was wearing sat at a desk playing a video game on his pad. When he saw the team enter he immediately snapped to attention and saluted.

“Mr. Liger,” the man said, surprised. “I wasn’t aware of an inspection—”

“This is no inspection, Mr. Swenor,” Liger said. “We’re deploying.”

The technician, Swenor, looked as stunned as the guards outside.

“I . . . I had no idea. . . .”

Pike handed him the orders.

“Of course you didn’t,” she said. “Everyone has been on a need-to-know basis. Now you need to know.”

Swenor read the orders quickly, his eyes growing wider with every second.

“Los Angeles?” he said, stunned.

“The dome in Dodger Stadium is ready,” Pike said. “We will go active as soon as the eradication is complete.”

“Amazing,” he said with a mix of enthusiasm and fear.

“Let’s get number 44-044 on a pallet. We don’t have much time.”

“Yes ma’am,” Swenor replied and hurried off.

Liger looked to Pike and said, “That was the first honest thing you’ve said.”

Pike shrugged.

Minutes later a floating pallet hovered into position next to the first bomb in line, number 44-044. The device was gently lowered, still upright, onto the floating platform. Built onto the platform was a cradle designed specifically for this purpose. Once loaded, the bomb and platform hovered three feet in the air, ready to go.

“This is incredibly exciting,” Swenor said without trying to hide his glee.

“Isn’t it?” Pike replied, and took the pallet’s control device from him.

“But I should—” Swenor complained.

“These airmen will complete the transfer,” Pike said. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Swenor. Go back to your duties. I promise, you’ll remember this day and the part you played here for the rest of your life.”

“Thank you ma’am, thank you,” Swenor said with genuine excitement. He wore a proud smile as if he could already imagine his name in the history books.

Airmen Lewis was an expert with the hovering platform. With Olivia guiding it from the front, Lewis moved the heavy device carefully but quickly toward the front doors. Liger ran ahead, slid open the tall, heavy doors, and stood aside to let the monstrous weapon pass through.

The two guards outside stood back, watching in awe.

“It’s really happening,” the first guard said.

When the hovering bomb was clear of the building, the two doors slid back shut with a solid, satisfying thump.

“Good luck, ma’am,” said the second guard.

He subtly put his hand over his heart.

“As you were,” Pike ordered curtly.

The two guards returned to their post, guarding the depot against all intruders.

With two hundred yards to the dome, it was impossible for anyone on the street not to notice the hovering device as it was being moved along. Most knew what it was and watched with stunned wonder. Several applauded. They knew what it meant if one of these devices was being sent to the Bridge. At least they thought they knew. To them, it signified that the next phase of their invasion and colonization was underway. They had heard the plans and this was further proof that it was all coming true.

They cheered. Joy had finally come to the Bridge city. To 2324. The transfer had turned into a glorious parade to send a hero off to war. If there had been a marching band along the route, it would have struck up a patriotic song.

The Sounder team kept their heads down and moved quickly.

The attention was not welcome but it provided the Sounders with an unexpected bonus. With all eyes on the slowly moving procession, the cheering crowds didn’t notice that several armed soldiers were slowly filtering into the area. With no fanfare or fuss they silently took up positions near the dome.

They waited in doorways.

They melted in with the crowd.

They hung behind the waiting aircraft.

Armored cars slipped into position on side streets.

The Sounders had arrived and they were ready.

While most of the eyes on the street were focused on the floating device, another team of Air Force personnel approached the security checkpoint at the dome.

There were ten in all, each armed for battle with vests, helmets, and heavy-duty pulsers.

When the security guard saw them, his eyes lit up.

“It’s beginning, isn’t it?” he asked.

The leader of the squad, Captain Kenny Sokol, handed the guard a pad with his orders.

“Just a precaution,” Sokol said. “There are a lot of natives in that camp. Bova asked for additional security in case there was trouble when these ships start coming through.”

“Smart,” the security guard said. “I sure wouldn’t mess with you guys.”

Sokol took back his orders and gave the security guard a friendly pat on the arm.

“You’re a wise man,” he said and strode for the dome, followed by his dangerous-looking commando team.

The security guard watched the team move past him with a mix of pride and jealousy. These were warriors.

The group marched quickly and efficiently across the last few yards of cement and walked straight into the dome.

Once inside, Sokol quickly scanned the interior for military personnel.

There were two men near the Bridge who were working to guide a pallet loaded with supplies through to the past. Sokol motioned for his team to take up positions on either side of the giant frame. He gestured for the two smaller men who came in with him to move behind a stack of crates.

He wanted them to be protected.

Sokol held one other commando back and gestured toward the men who were working in front of the Bridge. No words were spoken. They knew what they had to do. Sokol and his partner pulled out their pulsers.

The workers had no idea what was coming. As soon as the platform they were guiding slipped through the Bridge, they turned back and were knocked out by two quick pulser shots. Sokol and the other commando caught them before they hit the deck and quickly pulled them off to the side.

Their pathway to the past was clear.

Outside of the dome, Pike and her team approached the security checkpoint with the floating bomb.

The security guard could barely contain himself. First a team of commandos, and now one of the top Air Force officers, was coming through his checkpoint . . . with a nuclear weapon no less.

“Colonel Pike,” he said in awe. “I had no idea.”

Pike handed the man her orders and said, “Surprise.”

“This is going to be one of those days, isn’t it?’ he said.

“What do you mean?” Pike asked.

“This is the day our new future officially begins. Children will read about this day in history books.”

Pike thought for a moment, then said, “You have no idea how right you are.”

“Good luck, ma’am,” the guard said.

He handed back her orders and gave her a smart salute.

Pike returned the salute and said, “Thank you. We’ll need it.”

Olivia and Lewis guided the device forward. They were only a few yards from the dome.

On the street, people cheered as they strained to get one final glimpse of the device they knew would be their ticket to a better future.

It was 5:15. Everything had gone exactly as planned.

Until it didn’t.

A siren sounded.

The cheering instantly died. There were looks of confusion all around.

“Pick up the pace,” Pike said calmly. “I believe we’ve been discovered.”

Lewis pushed the hovering pallet faster. They needed to get inside.

Military vehicles appeared from everywhere, rushing to get to the dome. Ironically, the Sounders’ mission was helped by all the attention the transfer of the nuclear device had caused. The street was full of bystanders, making it difficult for the Air Force security vehicles to get to the dome quickly. Those precious few moments allowed Pike’s team to move the device inside.

The need for secrecy was over. The dozens of Sounders that had been quietly assembling nearby went into action. They sprinted for the dome and set up a defense in front of the colossal entrance. The armored vehicles that had been waiting on side streets jumped forward and blasted through the security checkpoint to form a barrier in front of the open door. The Sounders dropped down behind their vehicles for protection while raising their pulsers toward the street and the oncoming security force.

The Sounders were no longer hiding in the shadows.

The crowd scattered in panic. Most of the military personnel weren’t armed and wanted no part of the battle that was about to take place. They ran for buildings and sprinted down side streets. None of them knew exactly what was happening but they sensed it wouldn’t be pretty.

Olivia and Lewis floated the nuclear device to the center of the dome and lowered it to the deck.

Sokol ran up to them and said, “Who triggered the alarm?”

“The bogus orders must have bounced back,” Pike said calmly. She then turned to Liger. “Arm it. Six o’clock.”

“Throw them out of here,” Sokol yelled to his men.

Two of his commandos carried the unconscious soldiers to the door and tossed them out of the dome.

Sokol looked up at the hovering bomb with awe. “You actually did it,” he said with a mixture of wonder and joy. “To be honest, my confidence wasn’t high.”

“To be honest,” Pike said. “I didn’t think we’d even get it out of the depot.”

“Now it’s our turn.”

“Yeah, you and those kids,” Pike replied.

Pike and Sokol shook hands, then Sokol took a step back toward the Bridge.

“Let’s move!” he bellowed.

The other nine commandos gathered around him in front of the Bridge. Sokol took one last look back at the future, snapped a sharp salute to Colonel Pike, then turned and faced the white light.

“Be cool,” Sokol said to his men. “The people on the other side have no idea what’s happening here. Are we good?”

Each of the commandos gave a quick thumbs-up.

“All right then, let’s do it.”

They all stepped through the glowing frame and were gone.

The last sounds they heard of 2324 were the first sounds of a new battle.

Outside the dome in 2324, growing numbers of soldiers arrived and began moving toward the giant doors.

The Sounders had created a formidable defense. They fired their pulsers from behind the armored vehicles, spraying their attackers and forcing them back. The advancing soldiers had no plan of attack. They hadn’t trained to stage an assault on their own base and didn’t have the personnel or firepower to punch through the Sounder defense . . . which is exactly what Colonel Pike was counting on.

“How much longer?” Pike asked Liger as she watched him working furiously to program the bomb.

“This wasn’t designed to be easy,” he said. “There are safeguards.”

“How much longer?” she asked again, calmly.

“Five minutes. Six if you keep talking to me.”

Airman Lewis ran up to Pike and said, “If I’m not needed here, I’ll go help outside.”

“Thank you,” Pike said, sincerely. “I hope you understand how many lives you helped save today.”

“It was an honor, ma’am,” Lewis said.

He saluted the Colonel, then raised his own pulser and charged out to join the fight.

The Sounders were holding the Air Force back, though they knew it wouldn’t last. They fully expected the Air Force to bring in heavy artillery and that would be the end of it. Their mission wasn’t to keep them away forever, just until the bomb was detonated.

The Air Force realized the attack was going nowhere and stopped firing. They were taking too many casualties for no gain. Within minutes the battle went from full-on raucous mayhem to eerie quiet.

There was no celebration on the Sounder side. They knew it was only a matter of time before the big guns were brought in. The question was, would the artillery show up before six o’clock?

“Done,” Liger said. “Detonation in thirty-five minutes.”

He pointed to a countdown clock that was already moving.

Olivia stepped up and asked, “Can it be stopped?”

“Only by someone with the codes.”

The three of them stood there, their mission as good as complete.

“Then you should both go outside and join the others,” Pike said. “Thank you. Both of you. I promise the sacrifice you made will one day be understood and celebrated.”

“What about you?” Olivia asked.

“Someone has to stay behind and seal the door,” Pike said. “Without that door closed, the circumstances of the detonation won’t be duplicated.”

“Then you can go through the Bridge,” Olivia said.

“Not if I want to make sure this bad boy detonates,” Pike replied.

“But . . .” Olivia said. She didn’t have to finish the thought.

“I know,” Pike said. “But after what I did, do you think the Air Force would let me live? In either era? I’d rather go out in a flash of glory than be executed in the past, or spend the rest of my life in a cell. Please go. This is my decision and I’m okay with it.”

The three walked slowly toward the open door. Beyond the door frame they saw the Sounders hiding behind the armored vehicles, ready for the next attack.

There were no soldiers charging at them. No push to get through to the dome. No counteroffensive. The only thing they could see was the first in the line of giant attack planes that was waiting for its turn to float into the past.

It hovered in place, its engine giving off the familiar musical sound.

It was a sound they hadn’t heard from these planes until that moment.

“Oh my God,” Olivia said with sudden realization.

The plane slowly spun to face forward. To face the open door.

“No!” Olivia screamed and ran for cover.

The plane fired its energy cannon at the armored vehicles that stood between it and the open door. Sounders scattered as the heavy vehicles exploded in front of them.

The Air Force had heavy artillery in place after all.

Liger ran for the door and dove outside.

Olivia jumped to the side, away from the open door.

The plane drifted closer and fired its cannon again. Another vehicle erupted and sharp pieces of molten shrapnel flew into the dome.

Colonel Pike didn’t react fast enough. She was hit by the wave of debris and fell where she stood.

“Colonel!” Olivia screamed.

Pike didn’t respond.

Olivia struggled to her feet and ran for the door, ready to jump outside and enter the fight.

The door.

The open door.

Olivia skidded to a stop. She knew that with the power of the attack planes, the Sounder defense couldn’t hold much longer. With more than thirty minutes left before detonation there was plenty of time for someone with the right codes to simply stroll in and deactivate the bomb.

Unless she did something about it.

She looked about frantically until she saw what she needed. The dome’s control panel was just inside the door frame. Olivia sprinted for it, scanned the rows of switches quickly, then slammed the Door Seal button.

A loud, jarring horn blared. Red lights flashed on either side of the door frame as the two massive sides of the door began to slide shut.

The black plane floated closer. There were no longer armored vehicles standing in its way.

Olivia pressed her back against the inside wall of the dome and prayed.

She heard the sharp sound of air being released and saw the light on the floor begin to shrink as the two doors closed toward each other. They were moving quickly, but was it quick enough?

Desperate shouts came from outside. Olivia couldn’t understand what they were saying but she knew it meant the Air Force personnel were rushing for the door.

She stared at the line of disappearing light on the floor, willing it to shrink faster.

The sound of pulser fire echoed through the dome. The last of the Sounders were fighting again, desperately trying to keep the Air Force from getting to the dome before it was sealed.

Only a sliver of light remained on the floor. With a final metallic thud, the two doors met and slammed shut.

The blaring horn ceased. The red lights stopped flashing.

The dome in 2324 was sealed.

It was thirty minutes until the boom.