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GROOM LAKE:
It is near noon as the ship sets down on the tarmac outside Hangar 5. Alex contacted Holly as soon as they were within range, and she promised to meet him inside the hangar with the new crystals.
Alex turns from the window and looks at his friends. “This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. I’ll be right back.”
Alex hurries down the stairs and into the airlock. When he steps outside, the heat is like a slap in the face as he jogs toward the side door into the hanger. He yanks the door open and runs inside, then slides to a stop in front of four men wearing SWAT gear, and one man dressed in a suit and tie. When two members of the SWAT team run past him and out through the doorway, Alex stares at the man in the suit. “What’s going on? Where’s Holly Blake?”
***
Okana is standing with Jadin and David, staring down at Alex as he enters the hangar. His body stiffens when two men in SWAT gear run out from the same door, and he hears Alex asking someone about Holly. “Melvin, cloak the ship and hover at thirty-feet above the hangar.”
Okana watches the men stop running and look around. “There’s some kind of shit going on down there. Melvin, connect me with Holly so I can find out what’s going on. Put it on speaker.”
***
Holly stares at the flashing button on her phone console and looks up at the female Secret Service agent sitting on the other side of her desk. A moment later, the flashing button goes dark. “Listen, agent Yen. You need to let my people do their job and stop the comet from hitting us.”
“That’s not my call, Ms. Blake. Hold on a minute.” Yen looks away and touches a button on her wrist device. A text message appears on the tiny screen, and she stands and looks down at Holly. “Your people have stolen the ship. The guards said it disappeared.”
Holly leans back in her chair and grins. Now all she has to do is make contact with Alex and arrange a location to meet him with the four new crystals she is hiding in her pants pockets.
Yen taps OK in the reply and stares at Holly. “We captured one of your team members. His name is Alex Cave.”
Holly’s stomach tightens into a knot. “I suppose you plan on using him as leverage to get the ship back.”
“That’s right. The President will be arriving in thirty minutes, and my boss isn’t very tactful when he wants something for our Commander in Chief. Get up. We’re going to the hangar where they’re keeping your friend.”
Holly stands and walks out the doorway with Yen a step behind her. If it was under different circumstances, she knows she could take away Yen’s weapon and go rescue Alex. Unfortunately, there are two more Secret Service agents waiting to accompany them to the hangar. She knows she will just have to wait and see how things progress.
***
When the suited man suddenly runs to the window in the hangar door, Alex pretends to scratch his ear as he removes his ear bud and cups it in his hand. He waits until the man comes back and stops in front of him. He stares him in the eyes. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Secret Service Deputy Director Brickner, and I’m here on behalf of the President. He, three of his staff members, and his wife and daughter will be arriving in thirty minutes. You and your team will take them off this planet in your spaceship. Now get it back here.”
Not again. Alex straightens his shoulders and glares at Brickner. “I don’t have time for this. Let me get what I need and I can stop the comet from hitting us.”
“I know all about your heroic effort to stop this from happening, but it didn’t work, did it? I don’t trust you, Mister Cave. You’ll do as ordered by your Commander and Chief.”
“I don’t give a damn about your orders! Don’t you understand? Let me complete my mission or the comet will hit us.”
“You’ll do as you’re told or I’ll have you arrested.”
Alex throws his arms in the air in frustration. “Let me speak with Blake about this.”
Brickner grows frustrated with Cave’s defiance. He reaches inside his coat, brings out his 38. Caliber pistol and aims it at Alex’s forehead. When Alex crosses his arms and glares back at him, he clinches his teeth together and lowers the gun. “Get that ship back to this hangar or I’ll hurt your new boss. They’re bringing her here as we speak.” He uses the pistol to indicate the hallway. “You can wait for her in the break room.”
***
SPACESHIP:
Jadin points down at a black SUV stopping on the other side of the hangar. “That’s not one of ours.”
Okana recognizes the woman climbing out from the back seat. “That’s Holly. Maybe she’s going inside to talk to Alex.”
“I don’t think so”, says David. “Those two guys getting out of the car look like they’re taking orders from the woman in the suit and tie. I bet she’s a Federal Agent of some kind. Holly is acting as if she’s under arrest. She keeps looking up at the sky. Maybe she knows we’re watching, and she’s giving us a clue to what’s going on.”
Jadin points out the window. “Did you see that? She just looked up and shook her head no, as if she doesn’t want us to come to her rescue.”
Okana turns to Jadin. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. She wants us to stand by.”
David saw the movement, too. “Jadin is right. We can’t match that much firepower.”
Okana heaves a deep sigh of resignation. “Yeah, I know. Melvin, how much more time do we have to get the crystals and leave?”
“Twelve minutes.”
Okana slams his fist against the window. “Damn! Wait until I get my hands on whoever is responsible for stopping us. They’ll wish they had never pissed me off.”
***
BREAK ROOM:
Alex paces back and forth behind a table, occasionally glancing at the two men in SWAT gear standing just inside the doorway. He looks at his wristwatch and the minute hand seems to be racing around the dial. He is about to miss his deadline, but still holds out hope that he can move the comet. He stops pacing when Holly steps into the room. “We can still fix this. You have to let us go.”
Holly sits down at the table. “I tried everything I can think of and called in as many favors as I could to stop this from happening. You must believe me.”
Alex sits down across from her. “I do, Holly. I’m frustrated, is all. What did Donner have to say about it?”
“He tried to convince the President that taking your ship is a major mistake, but the President’s advisors convinced him that it was his only option.”
Alex realizes his battle is lost and slumps down into his chair. He can’t believe that after everything he has already been through, he is going to lose his family and friends again. “Those sniveling advisors of his just want to save their own butts. I’m not taking them anywhere. They can die like the rest of us.”
***
SPACESHIP:
Okana catches a flash of white in his peripheral vision and turns to see what caused it. “We have company.”
The trio watches the unmarked white passenger jet taxi to the front of Hangar 5 and stop. The side door opens, and two men dressed in suits look around for a moment before walking down the stairs to join Brickner at the bottom.
When Okana recognizes the next man to step out from the plane, his hands clench into fists at his sides. “Damn! It’s President Autry. What the hell is he doing here? I bet he wants to take our ship to save his own butt.”
Jadin recognizes the next person to step out as the President’s chief of Staff, Helen Rathbone, followed by two more people she doesn’t recognize, and the President’s wife and daughter. When the Secret Service agents lead everyone into the hangar, Jadin turns to look at her friends. “I wonder if the President realizes what he’s done.”
Okana continues to stare out the window. “I’m sure Alex will get in his face about it.”
David looks up at Okana. “I wish I could be there to see it.”
***
Alex stares at Brickner when he suddenly walks into the room with President Autry and his Chief of Staff right behind him. Alex remains seated with his arms across his chest.
When Alex doesn’t stand up at attention, Brickner’s jaw clenches shut for a moment, then he leans across the table and glares at him. “Get your butt out of that chair for the President!”
Alex stares at him. “Or what? Are you going to arrest me? Go ahead. It won’t be the first time.”
The President steps forward and puts his hand on Brickner’s shoulder. “That’s okay, Ellis. I understand that I’m asking a lot from these people.”
When Brickner straightens up and steps back, Alex slowly stands and looks the President in the eyes. “Do you realize what you’ve done? I could have stopped this from happening if you would have let me do my job.”
The President turns to look at Rathbone, giving her a scathing stare for a moment before turning back to Alex. “I was told that there is no chance you can stop the comet from hitting us.”
“Why didn’t you trust Director Donner when he told you about me and my team?”
“As you know, I’m new to this job and I’m still learning who I can trust. My experts tell me that not everyone will die.”
“Not right away, but life as you know it will be over. When the comet hits, not only will the shock wave destroy everything in its path, volcanoes around the world will erupt and the sun will be blocked by a blanket of dust and ash for a long time. Nothing will grow naturally, and the acid rain will poison the streams. Those who survive will kill each other over food and clean water, and won’t give a damn about anyone’s status, including you.”
“I know, and that’s why I want to leave in your spaceship.”
Alex cannot believe the audacity of the President. “And go where? You’ll still end up having to come back here, anyway.”
“From what I’ve been told, there are other worlds with people living on them. You can take me to one of them.”
“I have no idea where they are, and even if I did, I wouldn’t take you or your cronies. I don’t want my species to be represented by a bunch of cowards.”
Brickner has enough of Cave’s insolence and puts his face within inches of Alex’s. “You’re talking to your Commander in Chief, and I demand that you show him some respect.”
Alex moves his face an inch closer to Brickner’s. “Back off!” He growls in a low voice.
When neither man backs down, the President grabs Brickner’s shoulder and eases him away from Alex. “I apologize for Ellis’s behavior, Mister Cave. He can get a little overzealous.”
Alex sits down and looks up at the President. “Leaving in my ship now won’t make any difference. After that comet hits, there are going to be a lot of scared and desperate people needing help from FEMA and other government agencies. You should get back on Air Force One and do your job, Mister President.”
The President gives Alex a solemn nod of agreement. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, Mister Cave.”
“Save your apologies for the people, Mister President. We’re done here. Let us go so we can be with our loved ones while there’s still time.”
“Of course.” He turns to his people. “He’s free to go. Take me back to my plane.”
Holly remains behind when the President and his people leave the room. “If you like, you can use the ship to take all of you to your families.”
Alex gives Holly a questioning stare. “What about you? Don’t you want to see your family before it’s too late?”
“My parents are dead and I’m an only child. I don’t have anyone to say goodbye to. I’ll stay here and make sure everything is secured.”
“You’re welcome to come with us.”
“I appreciate your offer, but I’ll stay here.”
“I’ll let my team know what happened. I’m sure they will appreciate you letting us use the ship to go home.”
“Then I guess this is goodbye.”
“Just so you know, it’s been a pleasure working with you, Holly. Good luck.”