Chapter 13 – Minutes to Midnight part two
"I don't know what type of audio and video equipment you have for meetings, but I will need three large monitors for my presentation, eight smaller ones for each of the delegates and the President, and I'll need another computer to sync all the monitors with my presentation."
Jazz leaned back in his seat at Communications with a wide grin as he listened to Rachel speak to the officer. That's my girl.
There were multiple footsteps entering an enclosed space but no one was speaking, and then the volume of the transmission increased dramatically.
"Where's Secretary Granger?"
He sat up straight in the chair as he heard a slight tremor in her voice and turned up the volume on his side of the connection.
"What is going on?"
He leaned into the console as the officer's voice came over the transmission.
"Dr. Milne, you have been declared an enemy of the state to the United States, and by executive order, under the United States Code Title 18, Chapter 115 of treason, I hereby place you under arrest until we reach port and can transfer you to the proper authorities."
His spark threatening to expel itself from his chest, Jazz punched open a comlink with Optimus Prime immediately. "I need y' down at the Com ASAP!"
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland – 2757, February 19, 1983, clickik-click-whirl-ziiip."
The line went dead.
"PRIME!" Jazz started to playback the transmission as Optimus and Prowl came rushing into Communications.
"Jazz? What's wrong?"
"Dr. Milne, you have been declared an enemy of the state to the United States, and by executive order, under the United States Code Title 18, Chapter 115 of treason, I hereby place you under arrest until we reach port and can transfer you to the proper authorities."
The Autobot leader listened intently to the transmission again while Jazz clenched and unclenched his fists in fury.
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland – 2757, February 19, 1983, clickik-click-whirl-ziiip."
"What is she saying at the end, Jazz?"
"I don't know!"
"I know someone who does," Prowl leaned over the console and pressed a button for the Ark's intercom system. "Sideswipe, report to Communications immediately."
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland – 2757, February 19, 1983, clickik-click-whirl-ziiip."
The red warrior jogged into the room with an overly sweet and innocent grin. "I know what you're going to say, Prowl, but this time I had nothing to do with-" He looked back and forth between Optimus Prime, Prowl and the enraged Jazz. "Uh, what's going on?"
"Dr. Milne, you have been declared an enemy of the state to the United States, and by executive order, under the United States Code Title 18, Chapter 115 of treason, I hereby place you under arrest until we reach port and can transfer you to the proper authorities."
Prowl gave him a level a not amused look. "I'll ask what you meant by that later," He pointed to the console. "What is she saying at the end?"
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland – 2757, February 19, 1983, clickik-click-whirl-ziiip."
Sideswipe's tilted his head and his optics widened. "Play that again."
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland – 2757, February 19, 1983, clickik-click-whirl-ziiip."
All optics were on him as he translated what she said. "Emergency protocol kill-switch autodestruct."
Optimus Prime crossed his arms over his chest. "Get Secretary Granger on the video-link for me, Jazz."
Jazz was punching buttons furiously as Sideswipe came to stand by him, "She destroyed the mini Teletraan?"
"It looks that way, Sideswipe." The Autobot leader faced the monitor. "The meeting was a trap, but why? Why would they want Rachel sent to the ship first?"
Prowl looked up at Optimus, "Since she destroyed the wireless Teletraan 1, it is obvious that it was not in her possession anymore and she was attempting to keep them from taking it. The government might be planning to use her as a negotiation chip to acquire our technology."
"I hope not."
"Where was she? Can't we go get her?" The red warrior peered at the console and then at the monitor as the link connected to Wes Granger's secretary.
The teary-eyed woman looked around quickly before pulling the videophone close to her and started speaking in a rushed hurried tone, "I'm supposed to report to my superior when you call."
"May I speak to the Secretary?"
The woman burst into a fresh set of tears and pulled the videophone down lower, "Wes had a heart-attack this morning and died on the way to the hospital."
"I'm very sorry to hear that, he was a good man."
She suddenly looked around her again and bit her lip, "I overheard the Joint Chiefs talking about having Dr. Milne in custody, and they're in a planning meeting with the President now. Please don't call back."
The video-link went black and Optimus slowly turned to Prowl. "Threat assessment, Prowl?"
"High risk. Due to our pursuits of peaceful negotiations, they know where we are. Giving consideration of the current state of affairs of this government and their heightened anxiety about attacks within the country's infrastructure, I estimate the probability of an attack to be ninety-five-point-two percent, and said assault within the next forty-eight to seventy-two jours. Ninety-seven-point-eight percent chance that they will attack the mountain first with an aerial assault followed by a ninety-point-two percent chance of a follow-up ground attack."
"Suggestions to avoid combat? I want no harm to come to the humans."
Just as if he was saying 'the sky is blue', the Tactician looked Optimus Prime in the optics, "We move the Ark."
Jazz's fist hit the console and he turned for the door, "I'm going t' get her."
"Jazz. You cannot attempt a rescue. Not with the situation as it is. I will not allow it."
"I'm getting her back. With or without y're permission, Optimus."
The Autobot leader reached out to him, "Jazz. Don't make this harder than it is. Rachel knows the risks of staying with us."
He spun around angrily, "That doesn't make it right. They're tryin' t' use her t' get t' us!"
"I'll go with him, Optimus," Sideswipe quickly piped in while Prowl gave the red warrior the 'you are not helping' glare. "We'll have her out of there in a few jours. No humans harmed. Maybe scared, but not harmed."
Optimus emphasized his previous statement. "I will not allow it."
Jazz turned away from them and headed towards the door.
"Jazz."
"I'm goin' t' get her back."
"Don't do this, Jazz." He made no move to stop and Optimus shook his head. "You leave me no choice, Jazz. You are relieved of duty and confined to quarters until further notice."
"Consider this my resignation then, Optimus."
Optimus let out a rare sigh and followed Jazz to the door with Prowl and a worried looking Sideswipe in tow. "Jazz."
Jazz had started to transform in the hallway when Prowl and Optimus grabbed him. The Tactician pulled a set of energy cuffs from subspace and restrained his hands behind his back. "You can return to your quarters or the brig. Your choice."
He glared at them and in under a nano-klik, the Saboteur had one hand free and Optimus was quickly grabbing at him again. Prowl brought a second pair of energy cuffs out of his subspace and Optimus opened a comlink to Ironhide. "I need you to prepare a secure cell in the brig."
"Tha' dirty Seeker try somethin'?" The Weapons Specialist's voice held a glint of amusement.
"No." Optimus looked at the bristling Saboteur as Prowl had the apprehensive Sideswipe hold on to both of Jazz's wrists as the second set of cuffs were clicked into place. "I need a cell to contain Jazz until he cools down."
"Jazz? Wha' fer?"
"We have a situation on our hands. Once you get a cell prepared and at least two guards for it, report to the conference room."
"Er, O-kay, Optimus."
The comlink was closed as Optimus made sure that Sideswipe had a firm grip on Jazz. "I wish you had not forced my hand in this matter, Jazz."
"Y' know y' can't hold me for very long, Optimus. There isn't a cell that was made that can hold me. And once I get free I'm goin' go get her back."
"I realize how you feel about this, but we can't risk an incident with the humans." He looked at Prowl and Sideswipe. "Lets get him down to Ironhide first before we inform the crew that we are on high alert."
The Autobot leader glanced down the hallway towards the Ark's entrance, "Then we will start emergency procedures to move the Ark."
"What do you mean we're leaving the planet?!"
"We're retreating?"
"What about the Decepticons?"
"Are we just going to sit back and let them have Earth?!"
Optimus Prime held his hands up to quiet the shocked and worried mechs. "We're not leaving the planet for long. Only until the situation at hand is resolved or we find a more suitable place to set down. We may not be able to get to all Decepticon attacks as quickly as we like, but we will try the best we can to keep protecting the Earth from Megatron."
Prowl brought up the plans for evacuation on the main screens in the conference room. "We've deployed numerous camera drones from Sky spy over this sector to keep watch for any attempt to attack the Ark by the humans. While preparations are being made to ready the Ark for lift off, Red Alert will guide a team to retrieve all cameras, proximity sensors and alarms in the area. We do not want any of our technology to fall into the wrong hands.
You will be divided into six separate teams to help prepare the Ark. Optimus Prime will have his team ready the bridge, manage Communications and prepare shields and defenses. Ratchet and Wheeljack will lead one team to secure the med bay and surrounding science labs. Ironhide's team will secure weapons storage and all supply and storage rooms on decks Gamma, Beta and Epsilon. My team will be running visual and structural scans on the entire hull of the ship, and the final team will be patrolling the surrounding area in groups of three. The safety of the Autobots and the Ark is our primary concern, and I want to avoid any confrontations with the humans."
The Tactician accessed a visual diagram on Teletraan 1's screens. "We will be taking the Ark into a high geocentric orbit above the Earth. From this position we will have a better view of where the Decepticons are planning to attack, but it will take us longer to get there. We will be preparing the mini-shuttles for short jumps to the surface, but it is of utmost importance that we keep the shuttles out away from the Decepticons.
We are counting on everyone to pull his weight to make this run as smoothly as possibly. We are on a strict time limit here, but we must not gloss over anything. No shortcuts. Slacking off and or misbehavior will be dealt with harsh consequences."
The group of Autobots murmured among themselves as Prowl handed out assignments. "You are also required to secure everything in your personal quarters before lift off. Is everyone clear on what their duties are?"
Space unfolded as the tesseract opened in a flash of deep blue light. Kestral stood in front of the enormous optical monitor scanning the area. Space was an ever-changing medium and stellar maps could become obsolete in the blink of light. Nebulas would birth new stars, galaxies would collide, stars would collapse into black holes, old stars would die in brilliant super novae that lit the heavens aglow with vibrant colors, systems would be destroyed by wars, young worlds would be destroyed by wayward interstellar phenomenon.
The optical monitor split in two, then split again and again in mitosis. The optical plasma screens created multiple magnified bubble-like pictures of the area surrounding the ship. Kestral watched with heady fascination as each new facet of the optical monitor brought the space from around the ship to his sight. Even one as old as he was, he still found awe in the beauty of the heavens. Kestral waved his hand over a controller to his side and areas in the cell-like monitors twinkled to life with the signs of primordial radiation. He glanced over the screens at the different signals; he was in the wrong part of space to see any of the signatures that belonged to him, but it warmed his inner light to see so many of his kind still existed. He surveyed the screens once more before letting each bubbles dissolve back into the one optical monitor.
The ship's fission reactors ignited as Kestral set coordinates for a nearby Warpgate. It would take many hyper-jumps and tesseracts before he reached the Virgo Supercluster, and he would need to alternate between folding space and using the Warpgates to keep the Children of Chaos from following him. So far his journey was quiet, but he knew they would come. They always found their way when it came time for the doors of oblivion to open.
Kestral just needed to keep them at bay until he reached Those Who Seek.
He sat in the back of the bar again, reading and rereading a handful of data pads that had become his current and only form of entertainment besides drinking and walking around the Fighting Academy. He hadn't tried to enter the Library again, but he did keep watch as the construction crews slowly plowed over the small entrance he had created. He left the Autobot resistance alone for the moment, but once he got a message to Starscream and Skywarp they were going in and opening that slagging door.
Thundercracker nursed his cube of energon as he read about the frantic race between the original twelve Seekers and the 'aliens' that Storm Flight mentioned. It was one ship against a multitude of the 'alien' vessels as they tore through the galaxy; and from what he could tell in the text, the 'aliens' relied on the Seekers to lead them to the artifacts.
He set the worn data pad down and rubbed his temples. The Space Bridge was still in disrepair and every time he went back to Decepticon Headquarters Shockwave would give him that creepy one-optic glare and say it still wasn't working. Thundercracker had half a mind to go repair it himself. He wasn't as adept with technology as Starscream was, but at least something would be done about the slagging thing. Headquarters was also overcrowded now with all the recruits hanging around waiting for transport to Earth. Which explained why he was staying out of Iacon and spending most of his nights in the back booth of this bar in Neutral territory. At first the bar patrons were nervous that he was there, but slowly they relaxed and let the Seeker alone in his corner to read.
He still had not made any contact with Starscream or Skywarp and he had a growing suspicion that had to do with one of Shockwave's toys. He picked up the energon cube and swirled the thick liquid around in its container as he wondered what trouble his wingmates were causing back on Earth. He really didn't like Earth, and he had been longing to come home, but now that he was finally here… Home was not the same without 'Screamer and 'Warp. Zipping through the Towers of Iacon or gliding through the midnight blue skies just wasn't the same without them.
He put the cube back down without taking a drink and leaned back against the seat. There was no two ways about it… he was bored.
He picked the data pad back up and started to read through it once again. He'd leaf through it once more before he left, then probably go to the hotel down the street for the night. He didn't feel like flying back to Decepticon Headquarters tonight; and he definitely didn't feel like dealing with the one-optic freak right now.
"What are you reading?"
Thundercracker looked up from the data pad to find a femme in green and gray armor standing there and smiling at him. "A book."
Thoughtful azure optics gave him a slight exasperated look, "I can see that. What book are you reading?" She reached out and pushed the data pad up to see the title. "'The Last Seeker: The Final Dialogues With Seeker Storm Flight', what's a Seeker?"
He eyed the femme warily, "The Seekers were the best warriors and brilliant minds in the history of Cybertron."
"Oh," She sat down in the seat across from him still smiling. "So is it a good read?"
He gave a noncommittal grunt, picked up his energon cube and took a long drink. Hopefully the femme would get the hint that he wasn't staying and leave him be.
She just sat there and smiled at him, "So you like to read about ancient Cybertronian history?"
He put the cube down and gave her a level look, "Is there something you want?"
She shrugged and smiled brighter at him, "I'm just curious to know why the Decepticon Lieutenant Air Commander has been sitting in a bar in Neutral territory for the past two deca-cycles. Seems a little weird to me, how about you, Thundercracker?"
His optics narrowed at her suspiciously.
"I know a lot about you, Thundercracker." She rested her elbows on the table and held her chin, "So, feel like talking to me now?"
"What do you want, Autobot?"
She pouted at him, "Now what makes you think I'm an Autobot? I'm just a bar patron who thinks you're interesting."
He crossed his arms over his cockpit and growled, "Okay, I'll play your game. What do you want to talk about?"
"Did you get transferred back to Iacon from Earth?"
"No."
"Is Starscream and Skywarp here with you?"
"No."
"Are you here to visit a girlfriend or a sparkmate?"
"Neither."
"Why do you keep coming to this bar instead of going to one in Iacon?"
"Because I thought this was far enough away from Decepticons and Autobots."
"You don't want to be at Decepticon Headquarters?"
"What do you think?"
"Why do you hang around the Academy so much? Do you miss the University?"
This femme knew a little too much, "How do you know all this about me?"
She smiled sweetly at him, "I have a friend-" Suddenly a femme in dark blue armor rushed up and tugged the green femme to her feet. "Looks like I have to go, but don't worry. I'll find you again, TC." The dark blue femme started to pull her away from the table. "Oh! And my name's Astral, in case you were wondering."
He watched the two strange femmes leave the bar in a hurry. A friend who knew about him, huh? More nonsense from the Autobot resistance. He sighed and drank the rest of his energon cube. He rather liked this little bar, but if she showed up again he'd have to find another one.
The radiation sensor in his subspace started to vibrate. His optics glanced quickly around the bar before he pulled the sensor out and activated the screen. The room at the Library was giving off stronger signals. Much stronger and more than one signal. What the slag? Thundercracker ran a diagnostic over the sensor trying to find what was making it malfunction… And found nothing wrong with it.
The dark blue Seeker pulled the star-shaped prism out to see if it was causing an effect on the scanner. The flawless crystal glittered even more brilliantly and sent the vibrating sensor off the scales. He was going to chalk the scanner's malfunction up to the prism when he noticed the harmonics between the room in the Library and the prism were entirely different signals. He looked into the glowing prism looking for any further markings inside of it, but found none.
He stashed both prism and sensor into his subspace and called the waitress over for another energon cube. Once in hand, Thundercracker took a few deep gulps to empty some of the cube before he pulled the crystal back out and gently poured some of the glowing liquid over it. The prism flashed a deep amber color as the liquid energy filled the unseen channels and the facets of the prism flared to life. A channel through the center of the crystal now appeared along with a new set of symbols besides the faint script and the strange symbols he had seen before. He couldn't decipher either sets or what looked to be a vague series of scratches along the base of the prism, but something had happened to make the sensor react and the crystal change, and Thundercracker had no answer as to what was going on with it.
Slagging Shockwave. The dark blue Seeker cursed the one optic freak repeatedly. He needed to get a hold of Starscream and Skywarp soon.
The dark blue femme dragged Astral across the street and into the darkened alley. Narrow impassioned optics glared at the green armored femme, "What do you think you're doing!? He's the enemy! Or did you forget that!?"
Thoughtful azure optics brightened, "We're in Neutral territory, I can't go in there and just shoot him. Besides a little reconnaissance doesn't hurt. Studying our prey in his new habitat isn't against any rules."
The dark blue femme's shape shimmered in the dim light and returned to his natural form while he watched his companions bickering.
"I can't believe you sat down at his table and did that! What if he had attacked you!?"
"He may not be very friendly, but he's not violent. Nothing like the other 'Cons we've seen," The thoughtful azure optics shrugged in the low light. "He's here alone, in a bar, in Neutral territory, and he's reading data pads about the Seekers. He's just a cute flier with a bad attitude."
The impassioned golden optics threw her hands up in the air with a huff and the thoughtful azure optics shared a look with the silent mech. "Think of it this way," The azure optics regarded her angry companion. "He's here and not trying to get into the Library. No harm no foul."
The impassioned optics whirled around, "That doesn't mean he hasn't told Shockwave about it!"
"Well, I did find out something of importance."
"What?"
The silent blue mech started to shake his head and stepped back when he realized this was going to get ugly.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend."
The golden optic femme launched herself at the green femme and the two tussled on the ground. The silent mech checked both ends of the alleyway and sighed. He wondered how come he always ended up breaking up the fights between these two as he carefully reached down and pulled the two femmes apart.
Two painfully bright fluorescent lights greeted me when I opened my eyes. I was on my side on something uncomfortably lumpy and when I tried to move a wave of nausea washed over me. Groaning, I lowered myself back onto the lumpy thing and shut my eyes. Where am I? Carefully lifting a hand up to shield my eyes from the humming artificial lights, I scanned the room: beige room, with a beige ceiling and the two annoying lights. Shifting slightly to get a better look, another wave of nausea hit. I swallowed hard to keep from vomiting and slowly continued my visual search of the room. Directly across from me was a thin cot with a flat pillow and an ugly looking dark gray blanket. Shutting my eyes from the invasive fluorescent glare, I reached down and felt the surface I was laying on: thin metal frame, lumpy mattress and a scratchy blanket. I'm someplace uncomfortable that's for sure. Opening my eyes slowly, I noticed in the corner of my vision bars.
I attempted to sit up to get a better look and the nausea hit me again; but this time it also hit with blinding pain in my head. Reaching up slowly to not aggravate the nausea, I gingerly touched the back of my head and found dried blood in my hair. Some one had hit me from behind. Why was I hit? Even thinking was painful and things were blurry. I was supposed to give a presentation about the radiation and the Autobots, but...
I shivered on the cot and ran my hand down my side smoothing my skirt down on my legs. I was still in my blazer, but just a quick wiggle of my cold toes said my shoes were gone. I tried to pull the lumpy mattress up to see the ground below me. Dress shoes were better than no shoes, except they weren't there. They took my shoes? I ran my hand down my body again - they had also taken my belt as well as my jewelry, watch and earrings.
Panic fought with the nausea in my stomach. Think, Rachel. Where are you? And where was everyone else? I was on a jet and then a ship... My head hurt so much.
I shivered again and grimaced. I didn't want to use that scratchy blanket, but I didn't want to freeze either.
"You awake?" There was a voice coming from the direction of the bars I had seen. I put my hand up to shield my eyes and saw a guard in fatigues with a gun at his side. "Are you thirsty? I have water here if you want some."
Everything clicked into place and I sighed painfully, "Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne, Kirtland - 2757, February 19, 1983."
The guard chuckled as he reached into my cell and set a water bottle down on the floor. "I've never heard of Kirtland, is it an Air Force base?"
"Doctor Rachel Elizabeth Milne-"
"Okay, I get it. You're not going to talk. That's fine. You just don't look like the military type."
Shutting my eyes, I tried to pull the blanket underneath me free without making me sick.
"You want another blanket?"
I didn't say anything to him and kept trying to free the blanket. Something hit me and I blearily opened one eye. He had tossed a blanket through the bars. I wrapped it around me and curled up into a ball. "Thank you."
"You're not supposed to say anything but your name and rank." He chided me.
"You're not supposed to hit girls either."
"I didn't hit you."
I ignored him and shut my eyes. Everything was swimming violently around me. I remembered now what had happened as sleep descended on me. It was some type of trap on the ship and they took my wireless Teletraan 1. I also remembered destroying it and hopefully the message that was sent back along with the destruction protocol warned Jazz and the others to stay away.
I slept fitfully with dreams of Jazz in trouble. I kept yelling at him to run away, but he wouldn't listen and ended up being captured by soldiers. And as if the dreams weren't bad enough, almost every movement I made while asleep would jar me awake. With no clock in the cell, my only source of time came from the different guards that stood outside the bars. I lost track after the fourth one, but the one that had talked to me reappeared twice more. He also brought me another bottle of water and a chocolate bar, which I broke small pieces off of and let it melt in my mouth. My head still hurt too much to do anything else.
I knew I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone, but... "Are we still on the ship?"
The guard turned around and gave me a slightly lopsided grin, "Decided to talk to me now?"
"I just want to know where I am."
"Coronado, California."
"Thanks." I curled back up with the scratchy blanket and shut my eyes again.
"Don'tcha want to know where you are going?"
I didn't bother opening my eyes to answer him, "Somewhere for a witches trial, then drawn and quartered and finally burned at the stake."
He laughed and I opened one eye to glare at him. "You're not going to call me a traitor or an enemy of the state?"
"Are you really working for the terrorists?"
"Even if I deny it they'll still brand me as a traitor."
"But are you?"
I opened both eyes blearily and sat up on my elbow. "No. I was a liaison appointed by the Secretary of Defense and United States government a little over four months ago."
"A liaison to who?"
I glared at him as I lay back down on the uncomfortable cot, "I think this conversation is over."
"Gotcha." He turned around and didn't say anything else until I was almost asleep again. "Don'tcha still want to know where you are going?"
"Probably Washington to be strung up around the Capitol Building like the Secretary was." I frowned but didn't open my eyes, "I can't believe Wes set me up like this."
"I guess that means you didn't hear," The guard paused a moment. "The Secretary had a heart-attack and died."
"...When?"
"Two days ago in the early hours of the morning."
Wincing from the pain I sat up and glared at the guard. I got the feeling that something wasn't making any sense. "What day is it?"
"May 3rd."
That meant there was only thirty-two days left. "Early hours of the morning? How early?"
The guard shrugged, "Don't know."
"Where in California did he die?"
The guard gave me a strange look as my glare bore a hole through him. "...He wasn't in California."
I shifted around and rested my back against the cool wall. "Then either someone lied to me or they lied to you."
That strange look came over his face again, but I held my hand up, "I'm not saying anything else about it."
He nodded and turned back around, "You should probably try to sleep again. Toby will be here in fifteen minutes and he's the biggest asshole that ever wore combat boots."
People shouting dragged me out of another fitful sleep. Everything was pitch black and in my groggy and pain filled-state I started to panic.
"IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"
I nearly jumped off the cot as a voice coming from near the bars yelled into the dark. My sudden movements made my head swim even more and left me feeling detached from reality.
There were other voices in the hall, but I couldn't tell where they were in respect to my cell. "IDENTIFY YOURSELVES!"
I stared into the darkness where the guard was pulling a battery-operated radio from his belt. "WE HAVE A SITUATION IN CELL BLOCK FOUR!" I watched the faintly glowing energy signal from the batteries as he dropped the radio and fired his gun three times down the hall. The three sharp blasts rang in my ears and the light from the muzzle of the gun burst through the blackness. I screamed and plastered myself against the cot, hoping he didn't turn his gun towards me in the dark.
A bright blue jolt of electricity pieced the black hallway and I heard someone fall to the floor; the guard must have tazered somebody. Two people suddenly appeared at the door to my cell, both covered with energy signatures, including bands around their heads that must have been night vision goggles.
"Got it?"
"Yeah, get back."
The voices were male and I couldn't tell what they were doing, until there was a painfully blinding white light and a loud sizzling noise. They had shoved the lock to the cell with magnesium and lit it. It burned and sputtered for what sounded like an eternity; but when the hissing ended there was a loud 'clang' sound and the door to the cell was shoved open forcefully. I was roughly grabbed by my shoulder and I was hoisted to my feet. One of the scratchy blankets was wrapped around me, the other was dumped over my head and I was pushed towards the door of the cell. I whimpered in pain from all the sudden movements and I fought to stay conscious.
"GO!GO!GO!"
My shoulder was hitched up at a painful angle as I was propelled down the hallway at a run. There was a door that I was thrust through and then stairs going down that I slipped on. A muffled voice was in my ear telling me to hang on to him and I was quickly swept up into the stranger's arms while he was still running down the stairs. My feet hit the corner of a wall and I tried to pull myself into a ball in his arms. One final door and we weren't in the building anymore, but running across a flat expanse. Claxons started to blare from behind us and they ran faster.
"Come on or we're not going to make it!"
There was a deep rumble of vehicle racing towards us at a high rate of speed, but it wasn't the comforting sound of an Autobot engine. It came to a skidding stop and I heard a door open and suspension springs creak. I was passed from one set of arms into another like a sack of potatoes into the vehicle. The engine revved and someone slid into the seat next to me and slammed the door.
"We're in go! Go!"
The tires spun in the dirt before they caught purchase and the driver floored it. I tried to pull the blankets off of my head only to have whoever was sitting to my left hold them down. "You're staying under there until we're clear."
I tried to fight off his hands, but the blankets stayed put. "Let me go!"
"Sorry, Doctor Milne. But you have to stay covered."
"Why? Who are you?" My head was throbbing in agony, but my fear and the panic from the whole situation was canceling out the pain.
"Just stay still and we'll explain when we're clear."
I kept fighting the blankets, "Clear of what? Let me out of here!"
The voice to the right was the one who carried me from the stairway. "Trust us and stay calm, Doctor Milne."
"Trust you?! I don't know who you are and you're kidnapping me!"
The voice to the left had a slight annoyed yet pleading tone to it. "Help us out here, Kidder."
"Doctor Milne. You're with friends. Just stay calm and we'll be there soon." It was the voice of the talkative guard and he was driving the vehicle.
I stopped fighting the blankets, "You..."
"Heh. Surprised?" There was a grin to Kidder's voice.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Relax. It won't take long to get there."
"To get where?" The panic was running in circles in my stomach with fear following quickly behind it. "Why are you doing this?
"We're trying to get you to safety. Now please calm down."
"But who are you? Where are we going?"
"Enjoy the ride. We'll be there in under thirty minutes."
I gave up on fighting them as a sharp pain shot through my head, "Can you open the blankets just a little bit, please? It's stifling under them and they smell."
They chuckled, but the hands with the death grip on the blankets eased up and let some air circulate. I tried to force the feelings of panic away, but I was still scared.
Thirty minutes felt like forever in a hot and scratchy coffin that bounced on a trampoline. The vehicle we were in came to a dirt-scuffing stop and doors were opened. "May I take off the blankets now?"
The hands from the left side that held the blankets over me helped remove the scratchy material. It was nighttime and there was no moon in the sky. In the dim light, I could make out low scraggily weeds and sand dunes around the vehicle, a HumVee, now that I got a proper chance to see it... and a C-17 plane right behind us.
The guy to my right helped me out of the HumVee and held my arm gently this time, as I looked at the giant plane. "Welcome to the Middle of Nowhere USA, Doctor Milne."
"That's a plane."
"Yep, that's a plane."
I pointed at the giant aircraft, "We're going on a plane? That plane? We're flying?"
"That's the plan."
I hate flying...
Right-side guy let my arm go and I tottered on my bare feet in the cold sand as my head began to swim again. He quickly grabbed my wrist and put a hand around my waist. "Are you all right, Doctor Milne?"
I shut my eyes and swallowed hard, "No, I'm not okay. I'm pretty sure I have a concussion, I don't know what the hell is going on or who you people are, and I hate flying."
He led me over to the ramp that led into the massive plane and helped me sit down. "We'll explain once we're in the air. And the C-17's are the gentlest rides in the sky. You won't even know we're flying."
"I've ridden in these a few times, you can feel it."
He chuckled and jumped up the side of the ramp. "Let me get something for your head."
Kidder, with the help of left-side guy, was backing the HumVee into the belly of the plane when right-side guy returned with a pouch. He gave the pouch a sharp twist and handed it to me. "It should get cold in a moment."
I finally got a good look at my captors-rescuers: left and right-side guys were all in black, while Kidder was in desert-colored camouflage. I took the pouch that was feeling really nice and cold and gingerly put it on the back of my neck. "Thank you."
"Oi! Up! Up! We're runnin' late as it is!" Another guy in desert-colored camouflage came around the far side of the plane and barked at the others. "Blackbird is in the air already and Nighthawk is prepped and waitin' beyond the dunes."
Right-side guy looked over at left-side guy who was pulling gear out of the C-17, "Everything ready to go, Swifty?"
"The Silver Stallion is on his way to pick up package number two!"
The new camouflage guy twirled his wrists and pointed to the C-17 impatiently, "Now if we can please get into the air..."
"Give Kidder and Swifty a chance to get into the air first, Cujo."
I looked up at right-side guy then over to the guy he called 'Cujo', then back to right-side guy. "Cujo, huh? So does that make you 'Iceman' or 'Goose'?"
He smirked at me, "Neither. Come on and lets get you inside before Cujo gets rabid."
'Inside' meant up in the front of the plane surrounded by windows, and I started to panic just as right-side guy belted me into a seat just behind the cockpit. "You wouldn't by chance have some Dramamine around, would you?"
Cujo barked at me, "Don't you dare blow chunks in my baby!" Right-side guy wasn't kidding about 'Cujo' being 'rabid'.
Right-side guy sat down in the co-pilot's seat and strapped himself in, "Just relax, Doctor Milne."
"I really wish you would stop saying that." I put the icy pouch back on my neck. "I don't know who you people are, or what this is all about, or even where we're going!?"
The plane engines started and my blustering wilted. I hate flying...
Right-side guy flipped a few switches in the cockpit before turning around to look at me, "Ever hear of Delta-Force?"
"Yes." The plane jerked forwards and started to roll. I clenched the sides of the chair and tried to sink into the seat.
"We're not them." He grinned and Cujo's laugh sounded like a rough bark.
I gave them a cold look, "Absolutely hilarious." I curled up in the chair and shut my eyes. I hate flying.
The radio suddenly came to life. "'Bout time you slowpokes got off the ground."
Right-side guy picked up two sets of headphones and handed one to me. "How's the sky look tonight, Baron?"
The voice on the radio answered back in a singsong way. "Black with all these pretty little stars. How's the good doctor doing? I hope you're not scaring her with your flying, Cujo. I hear she's got a delicate stomach."
I tilted my head to the side and stared at right-side guy, "How does he know that?"
The voice over the radio laughed, "An tough old balding eagle told me."
I looked at right-side guy and he just shrugged.
The plane started to lift off when something came shooting up from behind us. I screamed and cowered in my chair and Cujo started 'barking' up a storm.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE, KIDDER?!"
"Just keeping you on your twinkly toes, Cujo!"
"You buzz my baby again and I'll cut your fucking balls off!" The C-17 soared off into the sky after the distant landing lights that flickered off.
"Okay, kids. Behave before you send Cujo into a slathering rage and scare the poor doctor to death." Right-side guy flicked a few more switches before swiveling his chair around to look at me. "Okay, Doctor Milne. We're in the air and on the road home. Where are we going?"
I gave right-side guy a shaky glare, "Is this another lame joke? Because you really aren't that funny."
Cujo barked in laughter again.
Right-side guy smiled at me, "We're to get you to safety and you're the only one who knows exactly where we are going."
I narrowed my eyes and glanced between him and the crazy pilot. "You don't know where you're going?"
"Nope. We need you to guide us."
Even though my stomach quaked inside me as the plane moved, those cold fingers of panic weaseled their way past the nausea. "Land the plane."
Both men stared at me and I started to rip through the belts. "Put the plane down NOW!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Doctor Milne, come on and sit back down, it's not what you think..."
"Screw you, flyboy! I'm not guiding you anywhere!" I stood on shaky legs and cast about looking for a parachute. I tried to push my way towards the belly of the plane - being dizzy, nauseous, and on an unsteady floor made moving difficult.
Right-side guy grabbed me from behind and lifted me up in the air. I fought back by kicking and flailing.
"Damn! You're a firebrand!"
I continued to pitch a fit. "LET GO OF ME!"
"Where are you going to go? Sit in the Hummer? Even if we land the plane, you've got no place to go."
I got a solid kick to his knee, but his grip tightened and he hauled me back up to the cockpit. "Enough of this." I got dumped back in the seat, but when I tried to make another break for it, he was kneeling in front of me, face to face. "Okay, Doctor Milne. We are trying to help you. But in return you need to tell us where to go."
"No."
He put his hands on the armrests. "We are not your enemy. We are trying to get you back home and to do that you need to tell us where we're going."
I glared at him, "I don't trust you. All of you military types have hidden agendas behind that 'we're here to protect you!' crap."
He shot Cujo a glance before turning back to me, "Alright, yeah. We do have an agenda, but it's not what you think. We were called in to help, but things got FUBAR-ed. So now we're playing 'rescue the damsel in distress' as damage control. Anyways, who else are you going to trust right now?"
I growled and turned to stare out a window which was just a gray wall of clouds.
"Okay, fine." Right-side guy stood up and put his headphones back on. "Hey, Swifty? What's your ETA on collecting package number two?"
"I'm about forty-five minutes out. Why?"
"The doctor isn't cooperating with us."
"You might as well land and wait for me then, instead of wasting fuel. What did you do to spook her?"
"She doesn't want our help." Right-side guy gave me a flat look. I just glowered at him.
The slightly singsong voice piped up over the radio, "Here. Let me talk to her."
Right-side guy held the headphones out to me, "Baron wants to talk to you."
I frowned at him for a moment, but I took the headphones and put them on, "Yes?"
"Hey. I know we haven't met personally, but I've heard a lot about you. The old balding eagle talked about you a lot and said are one of the bravest people he's ever known. I can't say too much about all of this right now until we get to safer airspace, but the old eagle told me that you went through hell and back twice just to save people you didn't even know."
I sat back in the chair and returned right-side guy's flat look, "Who is 'the old eagle'?"
Baron chuckled slightly, but it was tinged with sadness, "I'll tell you more when we land. It's too dangerous to talk about it up here. He trusts you, why don't you give us the benefit of the doubt and trust us?"
"How do I know you aren't going to betray that trust?"
"You don't. It's a leap of faith, but I swear on all that is good and holy and on Blackbird's very wings that we are just trying to help."
I glanced out the cloudy window and frowned. "How many of you are there?"
Right-side guy looked at me, "What do you mean?"
"There's five of you, right? Where are they?"
Baron's voice came over the radio again, "The Blackbird is the B-2 Stealth about 600 feet off to your right. I'd flash you, but that would defeat the purpose of flying blind."
"My lady Nighthawk is leading the way five miles ahead of Cujo's 'baaabbbbyyyy'." Kidder teased the rabid pilot, "She's also a B-2 Stealth Bomber."
"Swifty's Silver Stallion is a MH-53 Pave Low, and Swifty ain't happy about weather conditions."
"What's going on, Swifty?" Right-side guy sat down in his seat and flicked a few switches.
"I have found the true meaning behind flying blind. Pea soup fog has rolled in and I'm barely skirting the clouds."
"Be very careful then, Swift. We don't want to lose you to power lines." Right-side guy looked back at me, "Well?"
I looked back out into the dark gray clouds, "Do you have a name?"
He started to smile at me, "I'm Will."
"What, no 'Top Gun' nickname?"
"Nope, just Will."
I nodded without looking at him and sighed, "Where are we?"
"Just south of Los Angeles."
I drew my legs up into the seat and hugged my knees. I was taking a huge risk with this... I put my head down over my arms as I tried to reason with myself. They said they were called to help. I just didn't know who actually called them... "Fly north until I tell you to stop."