CHAPTER 21
"Alan, Gordon, you have to get out of there. The missiles have gone into firing mode," John said urgently into their communicators.
"But we're at the hatch, John. We haven't even tried to disable the launch yet…" Gordon glanced over at Alan, who added. "John, we have a chance to stop the whole thing. How much time have we got?"
Gritting his teeth, John radioed back. "Alan, I don't know how much time. Assume there isn't much. Get the heck out of there! Now!"
John had left all the brothers in the circuit when he made the call. Scott balanced the transmitter in his right hand while holding the cutting torch in his left. "Guys, you've got to get out of there because these missiles are going off very soon. And I could sure use some help cutting loose from this shackle if someone could get in here before those things launch…"
Virgil cast a stricken look at Captain Blue until he realized what Scott had just done. The only thing that could jolt Alan out of a stubborn mood was fear for a brother. He added, "Yeah, Alan, we're tied up in here. You two have the laser cutter, don't you? Go get him out of there or Scott's gonna get the back blast! Hurry!" Amen, Virgil thought and focused on taking apart the control center door.
"On our way," Gordon's anxious voice replied. John, Virgil and Scott all heaved sighs of relief. Now for the next issue.
"John, how's it going on the encryption?" Scott asked.
"Still stalled. Got any more suggestions?"
"Um….Miryana….baccala…" His broken left arm twinged and Scott fumbled with the transmitter, then dropped the mini-welder. Scrabbling after it, he watched in frustration as it floated away from him. "Damn! I just lost the mini-welder…Alan, Gordy, put on some speed, willya?"
"Still a bust on the encryption…"John's almost-calm voice came over the transmitter.
"Ahh.." Scott rummaged through his limited supply of Serbo-Croatian…"How about Hrvatska? Spelled H-R-V-A-T-S-K-A…it's Croatian for the country Croatia…"
"Uh…" He heard whooping over the comm. "That's got it! We're in! Okay….uh-oh…First missile fires in five minutes…"
Scott eyed the little door leading to the missile access and gave his chain a hard tug. The welder hadn't helped, he was still attached. "Where are they aimed for?"
"First one is Katania, then Dubrovnik, Moscow and then…The Hague and London, England," John's voice came out strangled. "They don't mess around, do they?"
"Not happy with the World Government, I'm guessing," Captain Blue's voice came over the comm. "Virgil gave me his watch. I'm putting the last panels in on the artificial gravity system. The instant we get the doors open, I'm activating the gravity to throw the terrorists off, so be ready when the ground comes up to hit you. Gordon, Alan, you still on the line?"
"Yeah," said Alan's breathless voice. "We're waiting for the airlock to cycle right now…"
"Well, get back out there and help Bob and Hank evacuate the station. If it gets down to gunplay up here, we need to get the non-combatants away and they'll need a space pilot. Gordon, you go help Scott. Acknowledge.." Blue's voice was crisp and unhurried.
"Acknowledged," Gordon's tense voice came over the comm. "On my way."
As soon as the airlock had finished cycling, Gordon was moving out as fast as he could. Alan immediately closed the door to begin the process of cycling back out again.
Just outside the doorway to the room, Gordon found his way blocked by Yonni, holding a gun.
"Well, hello Gordon," Yonni said almost casually, eyeing Gordon's space suit. "Given up on trying to disable the missiles from outside?"
"What are you doing here, Yonni?" Gordon asked evenly, eye on the gun. "Why aren't you in the control center with your friends?"
"Originally, I was going to free your brother before he could be either burned to a crisp or suffocated when the exterior wall melts from the backblast," Yonni replied.
"And now?" The gun hadn't wavered. Gordon mentally reviewed the principles of zero-grav movement and what he knew about hand to hand combat. Leverage. That's what Alan had said…
"And now?" Yonni repeated. "You have all caused so much trouble. I'm inclined to wait here for the missiles to launch and report to my friends that the mission has been successful. It seems that you will wait with me."
"He was your friend," Gordon said. "You've done enough. My family went into mourning because of you!" He grabbed an overhead beam and shot his feet out with a kick. Yonni zigged and Gordon's attempt went to one side. Gordon felt something pass his left ear and realized it was a projectile. "Yonni, you idiot, you can't fire bullets up here! You'll depressurize the place!" He pulled himself closer and regrouped for another try.
"Metal darts," panted Yonni. "Just as lethal and won't pierce the walls. Just …you!" He tried again and Gordon dodged, returning with another swinging kick to Yonni's midsection.
As Gordon's boot connected, he felt the floor hit him in the butt. The gravity worked. Good. He gave Yonni the fierce grin that his brothers had learned to beware and waded in.
Virgil was down to the last two wires in the doorway. "John, Adam, I'm almost through. If you're gonna do something, you better do it now. I could use some reinforcements."
"On our way," John radioed back. He and Magenta grabbed their computers and made their way to the command center door, Magenta's fingers still tapping on keys in an attempt to abort or redirect the missiles.
When they got to the doorway, Blue had arrived before them with a small remote in hand and a grin on his face. "You ready for some gravity?"
"More than ready," John smiled back and held his computer more tightly. "Okay, Virg. Let's go."
Virgil nodded and cut the last two wires. The command center door shot open and Captain Blue hit the remote. They found themselves bouncing onto their feet and seeing six men in the command center go tumbling onto their backs or stomachs.
Blue in the lead, the four men rushed into the command center. "They've got a laptop wired into the main panel," Magenta shouted and ran for it, closely followed by John. Magenta got to the panel first and began working, so John gleefully piled into the fray next to Virgil and Blue. "I've got a lot to get off my chest with these thugs," John shouted to Virgil as he punched one terrorist in the gut.
"You and me both, brother," Virgil's eyes glinted as he tied up a dazed and winded terrorist, then went for another one trying to sneak out the door. "Wish Alan were here instead of ferrying evacuees. He's got some angst to work off…" Virgil ducked as a fist shot toward his face and recognized Grigory as his attacker. "Oh, I have some scores to settle with you!" Virgil grinned wolfishly and kicked out, bringing Grigory to the floor. "This one's for Scott!" he growled and expertly aimed a blow at Grigory's face. "And this is for Dad." Kick to the ribs.
He was lining up a third blow when Captain Blue restrained him. "You don't want to kill him, Virgil," Blue said mildly. "At least, not before he can stand trial."
Virgil eyed the subdued Grigory, huddled on the floor. "Tell me why I shouldn't?" He slowly got to his feet. "I've got a lot of scores to settle with this bunch.
"Well, for one thing," Blue hoisted Grigory to his feet by the shirt collar. "We still need to know how to shut down those missiles." He turned to Grigory. "How about it?"
Grigory spat blood and a tooth at Captain Blue. "Ići dođavola!"
John grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck and took him away from Blue. "You don't understand, Grigory." He pushed his face in close and spoke slowly and softly. "I don't have Virgil or Captain Blue's scruples. You hurt my brother. You hurt my family. Now you're planning to kill millions. Tell me how to disable those missiles or I put you out the airlock. Now." John fixed cold blue eyes on Grigory and just smiled.
Grigory stared back. John shrugged and hauled Grigory toward the command level airlock.
"Hey! Aren't you going to stop him?" Grigory yelled at Captains Blue and Magenta. "You're with the World Government, aren't you?"
Blue and Magenta exchanged glances. "We don't have a charter yet," Magenta drawled.
"We aren't exactly official," Blue said mildly. "Sorry. Can't help you. Besides," Blue smiled, showing all his teeth. "Scott's an old buddy of mine."
John, grim expression never altering, tossed Grigory into the airlock and slammed the door. He activated the intercom. "Well, Grigory? What's it going to be?"
In the white room, gravity returned. Scott found himself hanging by an arm from the ceiling. At least, he reminded himself as he fought for purchase on the wall, he wasn't hanging by the broken arm. It couldn't get much worse than this, could it? He heard a clunking noise coming from behind the missile access door. The system was opening the exterior access panel and racking up the first missile to fire. A minute or so later he heard the whoosh of something igniting. "Guys, you can rescue me any time now…" he said into the transmitter with barely suppressed panic. "The wall is starting to glow."