Chapter Six:
Sentinel
September 21st, 2033
12:30 hours
Avenger
Brody looked up from where he sat at the command chair when the sensors chief said, "We have cleared the Panama Canal, sir."
"ETA to Lansdowne Island?" he asked.
"Forty-two minutes sir at three quarters speed," answered navigation.
"Increase to full speed," ordered Ford as he walked onto his bridge.
"Aye sir," came the Helm's response.
Henderson, the third in command of the Avenger, asked, "Have you received any further explanations of why we are heading to this particular island, Captain?"
Ford nodded, "Oh yeah. I just finished speaking with Commodore Bridger. The Captain is there."
Brody looked up, "Uh, didn't Macronesia have him and Lucas?"
"Up to a few days ago, that was the official line. In truth, Lucas returned to seaQuest days ago and is now an Ensign in Fredericks Specter Wing. The Captain was extracted yesterday by an unknown party for unknown reasons... but we know who did it," Ford took a breath. "Our orders is to take him back to the seaQuest."
Ford made a motion for Brody and Henderson to follow him to his office where he closed the door, "This does not leave this room. The truth of the matter is that we are going up against the UEO, and quite possibly the Shadow Warrior."
Looking at each other they seemed confused, and Lonnie asked, "Why up against our own people?"
"Ever hear of the Seven Sentinels?" asked Ford, and he saw Brody stand up in recognition, but Lonnie was shaking her head.
"They were an elite group in the CIA before the US split," answered Brody. "They answered only to the president. There were seven of them, and only one operating at any given time."
"Something to that effect," Ford agreed. "Captain Nathan Bridger was the sixth Sentinel. It was the Seventh Sentinel who extracted him from Macronesia, and in turn he took him to the Fifth Sentinel."
Brody's eyebrows looked as if they were about to become a part of his scalp. "Three Sentinels on one island? That's what we are going up against?"
Ford shook his head, "No, only one. The Seventh. The Fifth was contacted by Westphalen and told us where to find Captain Bridger. You see, evidently the fifth Sentinel is this Malcolm Lansdowne."
Brody sat down in shock and Lonnie had the grace to look uncomfortable at the news. After a moment, Brody asked, "So why are we going up against the UEO?"
"The Seventh is a man known as Max Scully," Ford took a breath. "Secretary McGath hired him himself to extract Bridger, and bring him straight back to him. You see, its not the UEO we are going up against per se, its McGath."
"Same thing, Jon," pointed out Henderson.
Ford shrugged indifferently. "The Nezamiah is our backup. We have also been warned of a possible mole from Macronesia."
Brody let his head rest on the table, "What else can go wrong?"
Smiling, Ford said, "Anything to do with Bridger is always interesting. You knew that when you signed up."
September 21st, 2033
1:17 pm
Lansdowne Island
Caribbean Sea
Malcolm looked over the water on more time as Scully loaded his boat. It was more of a yacht, really, that was meant to go fast. It was sleek and powerful, set up to live comfortably for a month without ever seeing a dock, survival was possible for at least three. It was a good choice for someone like Max Scully given his new line of work. Once more he watched Scully check over the bunk where Nathan would rest until he was handed over to McGath. "I thought you said the trade wasn't until tomorrow?"
"I did," affirmed Scully. "That was until you talked to the seaQuest. Or did you think I wouldn't know?"
"She called me. We're old friends," he defended. "What business is it of yours?"
"Ah, but you told her he was here," Scully straightened and Malcolm was not in the least surprised to see the gun leveled in his direction. "Now, you are going to help me carry our friend down here so I can get out of here before the seaQuest arrives."
"The seaQuest is in the Pacific, Max!" Malcolm walked as Max led him to the bedroom where Nathan was still soundly asleep. "What difference would it make? They could never get here in time."
"Yes, but some of her vanguard was very near to Panama and are likely on their way here now. Maybe in the very vicinity," Scully motioned for Malcolm to carry Bridger.
"I have a bad back, you do it," he vehemently protested.
"Now, Malcolm, before I forget you're a friend," ordered Scully.
There were others on Lansdowne Island. Lieutenant Commander James Brody led the small team through the thick jungle growth to the other side of the island. He watched as his team moved through the trees and other plants that impeded their progress. Finally, when they came out at a cliff, they saw the large house that overlooked the sea.
They rappelled down the cliff and Brody saw down at the docks a man carrying a package that reminded him eerily of a body wrapped in a blanket to a sleek craft. It was then that he also saw the other man who was forcing the other at gunpoint.
"Look sharp, our time is running out, people," relayed Brody through the radios.
Various affirmatives were heard, then they were at the bottom of the cliff and by the large pool. The black garbed marines led by Brody hurried down the steps. Brody leveled his rifle squarely at the large bald man, "Drop the gun!"
The bald man slowly turned around. Brody hissed in recognition. Oh yes, the man was Scully, there was no doubt. He was wanted for that many crimes. Scully laid the gun down on the dock and slowly backed away from it. "Hands behind your head!" ordered Brody, walking down the steps, backed up by the marines.
"Of course, Commander, whatever you say," he said in a silky voice.
The marines quickly were on the man, and he was cuffed in a few minutes. Brody nodded to his second in command to take over, then he walked over to where the other man who was carrying the body was. This man gently laid the other down, "Are you from the seaQuest?"
"In a sense, I'm Lieutenant Commander James Brody of the Avenger, under the command of Captain Jonathan Ford. We have orders to return Captain Bridger to the seaQuest no matter the opposition," answered Brody, and was surprised when the other man sighed in relief.
"My name is Malcolm Lansdowne," he answered, and unwrapped a part of the blanket to reveal Nathan Bridger. "And you got here just in time."
Brody grabbed his PAL and spoke into it, "We got him."
"Good work, Commander," came Ford's voice. "Give my regards to Mr. Lansdowne and get back here."
A few moments later the Speeder sub was on the beach and Bridger was on it. Brody turned to Lansdowne, "Expect an arrogant Section Seven officer to be here, sir."
"Thanks for the warning," answered Lansdowne, then he saluted.
Brody returned the salute and boarded the Speeder. The speeder sank below the waves and headed to the Avenger.
Captain Ford leaned on the bulkhead outside of medbay on the Avenger until Dr. Perry came out into the corridor. Ford straightened up and asked, "How is he, Doctor?"
She sighed, "Exhausted, sore. A bit confused, but that is to be expected as it seems nearly every time he woke he was someplace different. Irate to be in medbay."
Ford smiled, "That last part approaches normal with him. He doesn't like hospitals much and the medbay is the same thing to him."
Nodding her agreement, she let him follow her into the medbay. Ford tried to be as quiet as possible, but the deck plating and his boots didn't allow for silence. He was surprised when Bridger turned his head, while slow in the motion, to face him. "So the calvary did come to get me, eh?" the voice was a tired murmur that Ford barely heard.
"Yeah, but for you, anytime," Ford was subdued as his former captain didn't look well at all and he hoped that Bridger would not relapse into the illness that nearly killed him a few months ago. "I'd ask how you are feeling, but I have a feeling I know the answer if you are as bad as you look."
"You would be right," Bridger yawned, and drowsily blinked his eyes. "I don't think I'm going to much of a conversationalist shortly."
"That's okay," answered Ford. "You rest and I'll be back later on to check on you."
"You are really overprotective of me, Commander..." the voice trailed off and Ford saw that Bridger was asleep again.
Ford walked over to Dr. Perry. "Doctor, I don't think he's just confused as to where he is, I think you add a when in there."
"That's normal, Commander. When he first woke he had a hard time remembering his own name. It's the painkillers," she said, then noticed his scrutiny. "Really, it is. He will be right as rain if he rests. Give him the chance to recover. If he's still confused then worry. But I had to give him something for all the abuse he's been through, and the side effects are the confusion and extreme drowsiness."
Ford nodded and went out into the corridor where he met Lonnie. "How is he?" she asked.
"That has to be the question of the day," he answered. "Extremely tired. He'll likely sleep most of the journey back to seaQuest."
"But he's okay, right?"
"Yeah, he is," answered Ford, and took her by the shoulder to lead her away from the medbay. "Let the old man sleep off the painkillers and other drugs that Dr. Perry has filled him with. He needs it."
Lonnie finally sighed and let herself be led to the galley. "Were the tapes accurate?"
Ford's lips thinned, "I don't want to scare anyone, but possibly worse. He's a mess."
Lonnie closed her eyes and sat down heavily, "Jonathan, will he really be okay?"
Confused, Ford turned to her, "Yeah. I didn't realize you were that close to him."
"We weren't," she answered. "At least that I can remember clearly. But I remember a fragment from the Hyperion... It isn't clear. But when I thought I was about to die, I remember his warm hand closing over mine in comfort. And he smiled at me with such warmth. It made me feel safe, even though we all knew that we were going to die, he took that time to comfort me. I love my father... but I don't remember him ever doing what Bridger did for me if I was scared."
Ford sat down opposite from her and took her tiny hands in his and looked into her eyes, "That is Captain Nathan Bridger. He adopted everyone..." Ford laughed at a few memories. "Even Krieg at his worst... he was so patient with him. But now that I see the change I can see the potential was there. I didn't see it, and I often tried to get Krieg transferred off seaQuest. But Bridger must have saw the potential. Bridger taught us something no one else did. He found our potential deep under what ever we were hiding it and he stoked the flames that Marilyn Stark nearly buried. We owe him that debt."
His PAL chimed, "Captain to the bridge."
"On my way," he acknowledged, then turned to Henderson once more. "Think about that. What did you change under his command, no, his tutelage?"
Ford left the galley and went to his bridge, leaving Henderson to ponder his words. "I don't what I learned, Jon, but you are certainly turning out to be just like Captain Bridger."
September 21st, 2033
Shadow Warrior
For the second time in less than a week, Colonel Jason Yamamoto had missed fulfilling his objective by mere minutes. He was surprised to find Max Scully cuffed to the dock on Lansdowne island. Even more surprised to learn that the Avenger had beaten him there.
Surprisingly, this relieved him more than it annoyed him. If the Avenger had not gotten here when it did, from what Lansdowne told him, Scully would have been long gone with Bridger again. The Avenger, more or less, had actually saved the mission. Even if Commodore Bridger didn't trust him they were working for the same person.
It was unfortunate.
If the younger Bridger would only learn to trust him he would actually see that. Yamamoto was a bit disappointed even as he was impressed by the quality of the crew of the seaQuest and her vanguard. Then again, most of the Avenger's crew were former seaQuest crew members. Her entire command crew was.
Yamamoto had been ingrained with a deep respect, and healthy fear, of the Sentinels. Their example was one he tried to meet everyday. He shouldn't be in the least surprised that Nathan Bridger's crew would beat him here. That was only to be expected.
He walked onto the bridge and ordered, "Helm, track the Avenger and shadow it."
"Yes sir," the Helm acknowledged. "Sir, are we going after Bridger?"
"No, Ray, we are not."
"Sir?"
"They work for the same people we do. Even if they have a tendency to not listen to orders we are on the same side," explained Yamamoto. "Make sure no one else sneaks up on their six."
"Yes sir!" came the brighter reply.
A man turned on the vidlink. "The Sixth Sentinel is on the Avenger and the Seventh has been incarcerated."
"Who betrayed the plan?" asked the woman.
"The Fifth Sentinel."
"Deal with him," she ordered.
"Of course, ma'am," the man turned back to the screen. "What do you want done with the others?"
"Deal with them too," Captain Veronque Montail ordered the other man.
"Where is the president?"
"Alex is safe," she answered.
The link severed and Montail turned to the man behind her. Alexander Bourne ran a finger along her jaw in appreciation. "Your faith saved my life, Nikki, how can ever repay such a debt?" he kissed her palm.
"It was an honor, Alexander," she answered as she stood to face him. "Any risk was worth it. Anything to be here with you. Why do you want the Sentinels?"
He smiled, "A long time ago I was one."
September 25th, 2033
seaQuest DSV
medbay
Kristin sat by his bedside and held his hand as he slept. In the days that he had spent resting, Nathan was looking better. He was only in the medbay for observation now. Lucas walked in and she turned to face him. He was just off his shift and still dressed in his uniform. He swallowed nervously, "I came as soon as I heard that he was on board."
"Don't be scared of his reaction. I think he might be proud of you," she murmured.
Lucas nodded nervously, "I think he would be too. It's just I'm a bit worried..."
She smiled and a squeeze alerted her to the fact that Nathan was awake. "Good morning," he greeted them sleepily. "Lucas, Captain Ford told me what you decided."
Bridger motioned for him to come a bit closer. Almost reverently Bridger pulled on his sleeve. "I was hoping you would stay civilian, but I would be foolish to condemn a choice when your skills in piloting are as good as they are. I understand you are a Specter pilot."
"Yes sir," answered Lucas.
"Robert is right about that area. When you and Hitchcock designed the Stinger I knew that eventually this day would come. Ask Robert for the Ensign's bars," Bridger pushed himself up into a half sitting position with only a wince to the effort.
"I have my ensign's bars..."
"Ask him for my ensign bars," answered Bridger. "You just inherited them."
Lucas's breath caught, "Your bars? Sir?"
A low chuckle answered, "Yes, my bars. Assuming he still has them, of course. They may be still on the island in my things but he will know where to look. Just let me put them on, okay?"
Lucas hugged him, then realized, by the surprised groan, that Bridger was still healing and released him. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"
"Nothing that won't heal," came the answer from Nathan.