Chapter 35
"Preliminary negotiations are going well," Commander Hitchcock replied. "They've released the first launch of hostages."
"Good," Bridger replied with a grimace, "the sooner everyone is out of there, the happier I'll be."
Lex couldn't help but agree with him as she listened to the crackling transmissions coming in from the satellite links. Once again her inner voice was screaming foul play, but without hard evidence, they could do nothing.
"All the hostages have been released," Hudson's voice boomed into the bridge room. "I'll ... starting ... negotiations ...."
"What the hell is going on?!" Bridger asked incredulously when the transmission failed.
"Interference, sir," Ortiz replied, his hands flying frantically over his instrument panel.
"From what?!"
"The media, sir. The water is flooded with telecommunication buoys from every major news source. With all the signals flying around out there, the WSKRs can't keep a lock on Captain Hudson."
Bridger spun around, anger radiating off of him in waves. "Mr. O'Neill, get them the hell out of there! Tell them that if they do not leave the area immediately, their refusal to comply will be viewed as an act of hostility and they will be fired upon!"
"Yes, sir," O'Neill gulped before turning to his radio.
"Is that really necessary, sir?" Hitchcock asked with curiosity.
"Commander, this whole situation stinks. I don't like the idea of the captain and the others being over there with only a radio keeping us abreast of what's going on. But with these yahoos mucking around up there, we don't even have that! I'm not taking any chances with the lives of our men."
"Aye, aye, sir." Hitchcock nodded in agreement. "Lieutenant Krieg, open all torpedo doors and flood the tubes. I want them to know we mean business."
"Captain, WSKRs have just picked up a signal from Captain Hudson's launch. It's headed back to SeaQuest."
Bridger turned to O'Neill. "Mr. O'Neill?"
O'Neill shook his head. "I can't get anything. All communication systems have been shut down."
"What?!"
"It get's even weirder, sir," Ortiz said with a frown. "The launch is on autopilot. ETA four minutes."
Bridger turned to Crocker. "I want your men in launch bay now!"
Crocker nodded curtly as he left the bridge. Bridger then turned to O'Neill. "Get doctor Westphalen standing by in the launch bay as well. Mr. Ortiz? How are the waters above?"
"All clear except for two vessels."
Bridger turned to Hitchcock. "One last warning. If they're not gone in five minutes, give them a warning shot. After that, all bets are off!"
Hitchcock nodded as Bridger headed for the large doors, Lex close behind. Somehow she knew things were about to get real ugly.
Tension quivered in the air as the security team surrounded the launch bay doors, weapons drawn.
"Ready?" Bridger asked Crocker. Crocker nodded. "Open the doors."
Lex's heart began to hammer in her chest as the heavy doors swung open. She tried her best to ignore the rush of panic when it appeared that the launch was empty.
"Proceed with caution," Crocker said to his men as they advanced slowly.
"We need a medic!" one of them bellowed from inside. Kristen rushed forward and disappeared from view. Lex's hands clenched her arms where they crossed.
Kristen quickly reappeared. "Stretcher! We need to get him to MedBay immediately!"
"Who?" Bridger ground his teeth.
"Lieutenant Brody. He's been beaten quite badly. I'm worried about internal injuries."
"The others?" Lex asked with a calm she did not feel.
Kristen looked at her with compassion and dread. "There's no-one else here."
Lex began to feel ice flow through her veins as Brody's broken and bleeding body was carried from the launch. Someone was going to seriously regret their lapse in judgement by harming the team. She'd see to it.
Thirty minutes later, Bridger, Crocker and Lex looked up anxiously when Kristen and Wendy joined them in Kristen's office.
"How is he?" Bridger asked.
"Multiple lacerations, fractures and bruises, but he'll recover fully," Kristen said with a sigh.
"Is he awake? Can we talk to him?" Crocker asked.
Wendy gave a small smile. "He refused any medication until he had a chance to talk to you."
Bridger nodded and headed into Brody's room, Lex and Crocker on his heels.
Brody looked horrible, the bruises and cuts standing out starkly against his pale skin. His eyes flew open when he heard them approach. "I'm sorry, captain," he said immediately.
Bridger patted his arm gently. "Don't you worry about that, Jim. Just tell us what happened."
"They ambushed us as soon as the last of the hostages were set free. We tried to stop them but they managed to overtake and disarm us."
"What about the others? Where are they?"
"Being held until the president is exonerated of all charges against him. Those hostages were never his target. He wanted Captain Hudson all along. Even if the UEO drops the charges, I don't think he'll let Hudson go."
"How many of them are there?" Lex asked softly, but with cold, brewing hatred.
"Eight goons, plus the president. The captain managed to take one of them out before they overtook us."
Lex gently squeezed his hand in thanks before leaving the room.
"What are you planning?"
Lex turned around to find Bridger right behind her. "We tried doing this the UEO way, now we play by my rules," she answered.
"Which are?"
"Whatever it takes to get my father, Lucas and Commander Ford out of there alive."
"The UEO won't allow me to let you interfere." Bridger crossed his arms, interest in his eyes.
Lex cocked her head, mimicking his stance. "No offense, but frankly I don't give a rats ass what the UEO wants. They had their chance and blew it. Now it's my turn."
"I see."
"You tried to stop me from getting off of SeaQuest once before, and you failed. Do you really think this time will be any different?"
Bridger stared at her for a long time before a ghost of a smile graced his lips. "That's very true. What can I do, unofficially, to aide and abet?"
"Preliminary negotiations are going well," Commander Hitchcock replied. "They've released the first launch of hostages."
"Good," Bridger replied with a grimace, "the sooner everyone is out of there, the happier I'll be."
Lex couldn't help but agree with him as she listened to the crackling transmissions coming in from the satellite links. Once again her inner voice was screaming foul play, but without hard evidence, they could do nothing.
"All the hostages have been released," Hudson's voice boomed into the bridge room. "I'll ... starting ... negotiations ...."
"What the hell is going on?!" Bridger asked incredulously when the transmission failed.
"Interference, sir," Ortiz replied, his hands flying frantically over his instrument panel.
"From what?!"
"The media, sir. The water is flooded with telecommunication buoys from every major news source. With all the signals flying around out there, the WSKRs can't keep a lock on Captain Hudson."
Bridger spun around, anger radiating off of him in waves. "Mr. O'Neill, get them the hell out of there! Tell them that if they do not leave the area immediately, their refusal to comply will be viewed as an act of hostility and they will be fired upon!"
"Yes, sir," O'Neill gulped before turning to his radio.
"Is that really necessary, sir?" Hitchcock asked with curiosity.
"Commander, this whole situation stinks. I don't like the idea of the captain and the others being over there with only a radio keeping us abreast of what's going on. But with these yahoos mucking around up there, we don't even have that! I'm not taking any chances with the lives of our men."
"Aye, aye, sir." Hitchcock nodded in agreement. "Lieutenant Krieg, open all torpedo doors and flood the tubes. I want them to know we mean business."
"Captain, WSKRs have just picked up a signal from Captain Hudson's launch. It's headed back to SeaQuest."
Bridger turned to O'Neill. "Mr. O'Neill?"
O'Neill shook his head. "I can't get anything. All communication systems have been shut down."
"What?!"
"It get's even weirder, sir," Ortiz said with a frown. "The launch is on autopilot. ETA four minutes."
Bridger turned to Crocker. "I want your men in launch bay now!"
Crocker nodded curtly as he left the bridge. Bridger then turned to O'Neill. "Get doctor Westphalen standing by in the launch bay as well. Mr. Ortiz? How are the waters above?"
"All clear except for two vessels."
Bridger turned to Hitchcock. "One last warning. If they're not gone in five minutes, give them a warning shot. After that, all bets are off!"
Hitchcock nodded as Bridger headed for the large doors, Lex close behind. Somehow she knew things were about to get real ugly.
Tension quivered in the air as the security team surrounded the launch bay doors, weapons drawn.
"Ready?" Bridger asked Crocker. Crocker nodded. "Open the doors."
Lex's heart began to hammer in her chest as the heavy doors swung open. She tried her best to ignore the rush of panic when it appeared that the launch was empty.
"Proceed with caution," Crocker said to his men as they advanced slowly.
"We need a medic!" one of them bellowed from inside. Kristen rushed forward and disappeared from view. Lex's hands clenched her arms where they crossed.
Kristen quickly reappeared. "Stretcher! We need to get him to MedBay immediately!"
"Who?" Bridger ground his teeth.
"Lieutenant Brody. He's been beaten quite badly. I'm worried about internal injuries."
"The others?" Lex asked with a calm she did not feel.
Kristen looked at her with compassion and dread. "There's no-one else here."
Lex began to feel ice flow through her veins as Brody's broken and bleeding body was carried from the launch. Someone was going to seriously regret their lapse in judgement by harming the team. She'd see to it.
Thirty minutes later, Bridger, Crocker and Lex looked up anxiously when Kristen and Wendy joined them in Kristen's office.
"How is he?" Bridger asked.
"Multiple lacerations, fractures and bruises, but he'll recover fully," Kristen said with a sigh.
"Is he awake? Can we talk to him?" Crocker asked.
Wendy gave a small smile. "He refused any medication until he had a chance to talk to you."
Bridger nodded and headed into Brody's room, Lex and Crocker on his heels.
Brody looked horrible, the bruises and cuts standing out starkly against his pale skin. His eyes flew open when he heard them approach. "I'm sorry, captain," he said immediately.
Bridger patted his arm gently. "Don't you worry about that, Jim. Just tell us what happened."
"They ambushed us as soon as the last of the hostages were set free. We tried to stop them but they managed to overtake and disarm us."
"What about the others? Where are they?"
"Being held until the president is exonerated of all charges against him. Those hostages were never his target. He wanted Captain Hudson all along. Even if the UEO drops the charges, I don't think he'll let Hudson go."
"How many of them are there?" Lex asked softly, but with cold, brewing hatred.
"Eight goons, plus the president. The captain managed to take one of them out before they overtook us."
Lex gently squeezed his hand in thanks before leaving the room.
"What are you planning?"
Lex turned around to find Bridger right behind her. "We tried doing this the UEO way, now we play by my rules," she answered.
"Which are?"
"Whatever it takes to get my father, Lucas and Commander Ford out of there alive."
"The UEO won't allow me to let you interfere." Bridger crossed his arms, interest in his eyes.
Lex cocked her head, mimicking his stance. "No offense, but frankly I don't give a rats ass what the UEO wants. They had their chance and blew it. Now it's my turn."
"I see."
"You tried to stop me from getting off of SeaQuest once before, and you failed. Do you really think this time will be any different?"
Bridger stared at her for a long time before a ghost of a smile graced his lips. "That's very true. What can I do, unofficially, to aide and abet?"