Chapter Six
Unveiled
Part One: Dark Freedom
October 24th, 2034
San Diego, California
Secretary General's residence
"I can understand that in my absence that things have been hectic," Nathan Bridger paced the length of his home office, an unconscious near replica of the office he had in the UEO headquarters a short drive away. "But from the reports I am reading they did not justify the destruction of that Macronesian Colony."
The General did not give an inch, "Sir, it was not destroyed, merely..." he appeared to search for the right word to fit it. "...Forcefully evacuated. The infrastructure remains, as does the pressure domes for life. If the colonists wish to return..."
"--Return? To what? The remains of their very homes after your soldiers ransacked the place?" demanded Bridger, and he stopped to take a deep breath and held it.
Losing his already short temper would not help matters and he forcefully reined it in. Since when had the upper echelon of the UEO, which was supposed to be a peacekeeping organization not unlike the defunct UN, become full of war mongerers? He held up his hand before General Davids could continue his justification of the wanton looting his people had also done. "I am a firm believer that to function we have to be able to stand up for ourselves, but what provocation is this colony accused of?"
General Ron Davids also went silent, "Our sources say they had weapons..."
"So? I happen to own a weapon. I had an entire arsenal on my island," saying had in the same sentence as his island sent a sharp pain of loss through him, but he ignored it. "But you elected me the Secretary General. Having weapons is not the same as using them or threatening to use them. Did they do either?"
"Well, no..."
"Then what you did was wrong, General," said Bridger. "And that will be on your record as a verbal and written disciplinary action."
With that he cut the connection after seeing the shocked and distressed face of the General. A gentle knock sounded and he turned to it, "Come in."
Kristin poked her head around the side of the door. "Is it safe to come in? I heard you reaming out that General..."
He smiled and said, "It's safe to come in."
She walked in, also holding a plate of food in her hands. "'When the cat's away the mice will play'," she said. "I take it that things have not been too great in your absence."
"No, they have not," he conceded, moving to sit on the couch beside her, and he put his feet up as he did so. "I have one General that thinks that even though Bourne is in prison for his war crimes that there is still a war with Macronesia. I just had to educate him on the fact that there is not."
Kristin compressed her lips into a thin line, "You know, you won't be able to keep up your former pace anymore. And..."
"Thank you so much for reminding me of my age, dear," he said, mildly sarcastic, then he sighed. "Yes, I know. I'm still recovering and if I keep up this pace I'll be right back where I started."
"Speaking of recoveries..." she said then got up to gaze out of the window. "Did you hear about how Katie was recovered?"
"Well, yes, I spoke with her after it happened. The seaQuest will be docking in New Cape Quest today, if I'm not mistaken," he answered. "Why?"
"Nathan, it's about Lucas..."
Same day
New Cape Quest
Harbor
Lucas Bridger took a deep breath and winced at the pain that caused. JJ Fredericks looked at him in concern, "You all right?"
"Yeah, it was just a mistake to breathe a deep breath of air," he answered as she helped him from the shuttle.
He looked back at the other people in the interior as they followed him out. They were all due for some shore leave, and thankfully, for debriefing purposes, they had to come here. While technically home port was Pearl, New Cape Quest had also been home port in the past. The new city was incredibly beautiful, but an undercurrent of sadness remained.
Before the start of the war with Macronesia, and before the return of the seaQuest DSV, the old city, the one they were all so familiar with, had been subducted by Alexander Bourne. But the people here were resilient. After they had mourned their dead and healed their wounds, they had set out to rebuild as close as possible to the old location as they could. Some of the buildings were even built right in the water, as they were also designed to do. These 'sea-scrapers' likely stretched as tall as some of the sky scrapers in the older cities if one added the floors that were underwater. Due to this type of building, some of the new building even sat on where part of the old city now lay like the lost Atlantis.
The resilience was required as hurricanes frequented the area. The first had toppled one sea scraper not built to withstand that. What amazed many people was that New Cape Quest rebuilt it, and the next hurricane only caused some swaying that was normal for a building it's size.
...But the rebuild under adversity culture was strong in the Floridian mind set anyway with hurricanes and other tropical storms often taking out entire blocks...
Even still, it felt good to be on solid ground versus one of the many floating streets.
He sat on a bench just off the dock and watched the crew leave the ship for their shore leaves. Finally, he saw the command crew start to exit the minisubs. The first one he saw was Miguel Ortiz, and he waved him over. Miguel walked over to Lucas and sat beside him on the bench. "How's your ribs?" he asked.
"Sore," answered Lucas. "What are you doing on leave?"
"Dunno. Chase girls, maybe," Ortiz grinned when Lucas simply rolled his eyes. "Come on, man, now I'm the third in command. I'm a chick magnet!"
"Nah, only if you commanded it," said a slightly disgusted Fredericks, but one who could not pass up the opportunity to rib him.
"It's only a matter of time," said Miguel seriously.
"I think Tim's next in line before you," said Lucas, who then thought, So much has changed. How can anyone keep up with all this? Does Captain Bridger ever think back on what has happened?
What he couldn't know was how very close to the truth he was, but Nathan had seen so much change in his own life that this one was just another to add to the ever growing list.
And so it went.
But Miguel was saying something else now, "Oh, Ben wants to make sure you have a place to stay, and he would love it if you and JJ were his house guests. He and Lonnie have lots of room so you don't have to worry about that."
Lucas blinked and looked at JJ who simply shrugged, "Thanks for telling us, Migs."
"No problemo," answered Ortiz, then he pointed out the Commodore. "There he is now, hey Ben!"
Krieg walked over to them, still half in 'Commodore-mode'. Likely he would be until all of the crew were gone. It was a near unconscious decision for Lucas, JJ and Miguel to wait until the last of the near three hundred crew of the seaQuest had finally left for their shore leaves. Finally, Ben sighed, and with a grin that was clearly of the same type of the first tour of the ship, he turned to them and cracked his knuckles. "What do you say we get out of uniform so we can start off this leave properly?" he asked.
"You wanna see your pink elephants again?" asked Miguel. "That can be arranged, Krieg."
"Nah, not that drunk, just pleasantly smashed," quipped back Krieg, and Lucas leaned back and laughed.
A short time after that he groaned in pain, and they all caught him before he could slide bonelessly to the ground from the bench. He grinned at them once he had caught his breath, "Remind not to do that again for awhile."
"No problem, Lucas," said Krieg in concern. "Next time don't do that to us."
"I think he should lie down for awhile," came Miguel's voice from behind both Krieg and Fredericks, and they looked up and behind them to look at him in surprise. "Well, he does. It's been a hectic day, he's only recovering now, and now he's as white as a ghost."
Lucas shrugged and then they helped him to his feet. Ben appeared to be looking for someone in the parking lot that they could all just see at the end of the docks. His face brightened and he said, "I thought I saw the Avenger in port. There's Lonnie already at the car. Likely waiting for us too..."
"Hey, Ben, aren't you supposed to know where your ships are in this battle group?" asked Lucas.
"The Avenger was on a separate mission in the North Atlantic," answered Ben. "They must have finished it already."
The four slowly made their way to the parking lot, where indeed Lonnie Henderson was waiting a little impatiently for them, "What the Hell took you so long? I've been here since the seaQuest got in port!"
"Didn't hear about our mission in Sao Paulo?" asked Ben.
"Bits and pieces," she answered, walking up to him to kiss him full on the lips, then she pulled back. "Why?"
"Well, Lucas's Specter got blown out of the water, and he's lucky to be alive, for one," answered Miguel. "So we had to walk at his pace. And JJ is pregnant."
The other four simply stared at Ortiz at his bluntness, and he defended, "Sorry, but I felt the direct route was the best way to tell her."
"Thanks," she drawled sarcastically, then she turned to Lucas in concern. "How are you feeling? Oh, what a stupid question. You're likely sore, tired, and maybe even hungry. JJ, it's nice to see you again. You must stay with us. I won't take no for an answer."
Ben opened his mouth and she continued for him, "And neither will Ben."
"Man, has she got you trained, man," whispered Miguel to Ben just low enough so she wouldn't hear him, then he spoke in his normal tone. "Well, you all know my number. I'll see you in a few weeks."
With that he left to walk to his own car while the four remained. JJ turned to Lonnie and said, "We couldn't impose..."
"Nah, come on you two," said Ben after a minute. "It could be fun. And where the Hell else are you two going to stay? You don't have an apartment that we know of, and Lucas probably needs to rest before you find an available hotel room. If you don't want to stay with us the entire shore leave, how about a few days until you get settled?"
For a moment both Lucas and Fredericks thought about it, then they looked at each other, and Lucas said, "They do have a point."
"I know, and a very valid one," agreed Fredericks. "Okay, we'll take you up on that offer. But as soon as we can we want to find an apartment or someplace that we can call our own."
October 24th, 2034
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Harpe Enterprises HQ
Presidential Suite
Geoffrey Harpe stood stiffly looking out at the expanse of the sea that many hundreds of feet, perhaps even over a thousand feet, below the massive window of the living room in his suite. He turned to look away just as the helicopter landed on the landing pad about twenty floors down.
"Michael, come here," he called.
The young boy came running, "Yes, Father?"
Harpe allowed a faint smile to touch his features. Father. As if he could be one. He was truly beginning to wonder. He traced the line of the boy's jaw and pointed out to the helicopter. "Do you know who that is?"
Michael, of course, shook his head.
"Are you sure?" asked Harpe in surprise. "Try again, this time allow your instincts to guide you."
Michael crinkled his brow. "There is a woman. A man as well. He is... oh no, you can't let him come here! He did horrible things to my grandfather and to Uncle Lucas!"
Harpe nodded, his thoughts far off. Michael's training was progressing faster than he had originally thought when he hired the tutor for him. But he took the boy by the shoulders. "I had him brought here to continue your lessons..."
"... You want him to teach me?" Michael, for the first time since he had began to trust Harpe seemed to question him, and Harpe's frown deepened.
"Yes, boy, I do. But he won't be the teacher... merely the subject," answered Harpe. "But there is no need to worry about that now. That will come in time. Go to bed, your Nanny will be here tonight as I will be working late."
Michael nodded, his eyes thinned warily, then he brightened, "Okay."
Harpe watched him run off to his bedroom and then he walked to the elevator that would take him down the one floor to the office level. Stepping out of the private elevator, Harpe sighed. Just as he walked into his office, the door chimed, "Mr. Harpe, there is two visitors here to see you."
"Let them in," he answered his secretary.
The twin smoked glass and mahogany doors opened and the two people walked in. One was still dressed in the garb of the UEO prison that the woman had snuck him out of, likely under heavy sedation judging by the puffy look to the man's eyes. The oriental woman bowed slightly and exited the office after he had waved off her presence.
He turned to fully regard the older man.
Before, this man had been a sore point in his life who used the seaQuest to plunge many of his profits into the sewer. Now he stood, also regarding his new captor with wariness. "I must say I am not surprised to see you, Harpe. Funny, I thought you were dead," the prisoner said.
"I was merely waiting for my time to come again. Patience is a virtue, Frank. Lack of is what got into this mess if you remember," answered Harpe, leaning on the edge of his desk in front of the very ex-UEO general.
"So what do you want?" asked Frank Thomas.
"Your absolute co-operation," answered Harpe.
"What do I get out of it?"
Leaning forward and standing up he walked up to the general who was at least half a foot taller than he was, and also more muscular. It was as if to show the larger man that even though Harpe, who was in reality, a slighter man than Nathan Bridger, that he was not afraid of him. That was in fact the truth. Geoffrey Harpe was in control and he knew it, and so did General Frank Thomas.
Finally, Harpe answered, "Your freedom."
PART TWO: A Different Sort of Phoenix
October 25th, 2034
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Harpe Enterprises Compound D
Dr. Sean Westling leaned toward the lense of the microscope he sat at and moved a setting. He heard a noise that meant that his assistant had returned. "Yes?" he inquired boredly.
"Dr. Serrano says that she may have found the strain we need to move ahead," answered the assistant.
Westling looked up from his microscope, "Now, that is interesting news. When did she find this?"
"A few moments ago, she said. Do you want me to schedule a meeting of the research department heads?"
"Yes, yes," answered Westling, waving him off.
The young man left and Westling leaned back in the lab chair. For Serrano to say that she had found the necessary strain to further the research was a step ahead. Now all they had to do was move a molecule here and there and it would be ready. He got up from the lab chair and powered down his computer. It had been a long day, but at least now the most difficult part was over and...
... and soon the world would no longer be full of people who did not appreciate her.
New Cape Quest
Krieg and Henderson's apartment
It was late evening by the time they had finished the card game, and only the clean up remained. Ben looked around at the others at the table. One was Lucas, who was just beginning to learn how to play real poker, and Robert Bridger was beside him. The two had taken their fair share of cadets at this game in the academy. Tim O'Neill and Miguel Ortiz rounded out the group.
"I still can't believe I fell for that. I was so sure you were bluffing," said Tim with half a glare at Robert.
"Why is that?" asked Robert.
"I was your Dad's comtech, remember? I saw him when he was bluffing..." the entire group was startled by Robert's laugh that was not held back.
"And you thought that I would have the same poker face as him?" asked Robert, who pointed at Krieg. "Come on, I went to the academy with Benjamin Krieg. We roomed together. I think we took most of the junior classmen's money."
"Those were the days, until Stark busted us," said Krieg. "I swear she was not the most impressed senior I've seen."
"She can be impressed?" asked Tim.
"Ask the Admiral. He dated her," came Krieg's glib response, then he mentally winced after he realized what he had just done to Robert.
"You dated her?!" came four shocked, and simultaneous, exclamations.
"Well, I was just out of the academy then, and we met afterwards," explained Robert. "It was sort of a... spur of the moment thing. I wanted to see a new movie and didn't want to go alone. I think she wanted to see the same movie. We went together. It wasn't a date when it started but it was by the end of it. It just kinda progressed from there."
"Did Dad know about this?" asked Lucas.
A few surprised glances were thrown his way too by the use of that particular noun for Bridger, and Robert answered, "I don't know. I know my Mom certainly knew. She liked Lyn."
"'Lyn'?" came Tim's voice.
"Oh, Marilyn," answered Robert, smiling slightly, then he shrugged. "We were close. I think my supposed death hit her really hard. Perhaps... harder than most know or think about. But if Dad knew, I honestly don't know. He never said anything about it so I assume that he didn't, and when we were on duty or in uniform we were all business and that was the only time I think he saw us."
Krieg and O'Niell shared a glance, with Tim rolling his eyes slightly. Their memories of Stark was not of the warm individual Robert Bridger remembered. "So... what happened? Why is it Robert and Cynthia Bridger and not Robert and Marilyn Bridger?" asked Miguel.
Krieg sucked in a breath, as did Lucas. While they both knew the full story, Tim and Miguel did not. For a moment Robert was very quiet.
For a moment Lucas hoped the Bridger temper would not flare.
Robert's gaze seemed to darken, and a pall descended. Then he sighed, the tension released. "In the North Atlantic, both our dreams were shattered. My old life died as perhaps hers did. I was... enslaved, and NorPac presumed me dead. Shortly after that my parents left for that island off the Yucatan, and then Livingston Trench ended everything that might have been forever," he looked up at Miguel. "When I managed to get free everything had changed. The seaQuest disappeared off the face of the planet, and Marilyn had hidden herself so well I couldn't find her."
He stopped speaking for a moment, "Then Ben introduced me to Dr. Westphalen. I met Cynthia. Something seemed right. We were married, and then Michael was born. A few years later, the seaQuest returned."
After that the room was extremely quiet, then Lucas said a bit uncomfortable with the silence that had descended, "And that should be explanation enough..."
Everyone shook off the pall and tried to get back into the jovial mood they had been in before. Ben said shuffling the deck, "Who wants another round?"
Robert tactfully, yet forcefully, plucked the cards from Ben's hands. "How about Lucas shuffles the deck? Then at least we know that the chances of winning are random."
Lucas smiled shuffling the cards as he did, a coy smile on his face, "Hey, who said I can't stack them as well as Krieg can? Hey, Ben, why don't you tell him how much we hung out together?"
San Diego, California
UEO HQ
Outside the Senate chambers
10:15 pm, Pacific Time
Kristin was not usually given to being so worried about people. But Nathan was still locked up in that office in meetings. Finally he came out and noticed the look on her face, "What is it?"
She stood up and walked into the dining room. "I used to think that this," she gestured around the room. "Was for the best. Now I am not so sure. Your health is not what it was, and the stresses are adding up."
For a moment he seemed about to argue, then he breathed out slowly and his shoulders bowed slightly as if forced to carry a weight they could not handle. "You're right," he answered. "I was determined to only stay for the term... but I can see now that it would not be a good idea. At the next meeting I will announce my retirement."
He took her by the shoulders and drew her close, "Nathan, are you upset at me?"
"No," he answered, then he drew himself up with a slight smile. "Have you heard from Lucas?"
"He called this morning, but you were in a meeting. I told him you would call him as soon as you were out," she answered as he locked up the office for the night, then nodded his head at the looming bodyguard that always seemed to be present as they walked out to the car that would take them to their residence. "He looks better. At least he is up and walking around now."
"That's good," Nathan checked his watch and saw the time. "He's still in Florida?"
She nodded.
"Well, it will be way past midnight there... unless he's out with friends..."
"...Which he better not be at that time of night. He needs rest with his injuries, not parties," Kristin scowled.
"What time will it be in the morning there?" asked Nathan. "I'll call him then."
"I'm not sure Nathan, it could be in the middle of the night here," she pointed out, noting his paleness and relative tiredness. What he needed was sleep, not to be up at all hours of the night.
"This is Lucas," he said in answer. "And most likely Robert too."
She smiled then, knowing that he was also bringing up the point that it was also Cynthia, but not saying so. She was, of course, right. After getting out of the car and into their home, Nathan went up to his home office, and said, "They are only three hours ahead of us. That isn't so bad."
"That would make it well past one in the morning there, dear," she said.
Nathan closed his eyes for a moment. "Robert is still awake, not sure on Lucas though."
Kristin's mouth dropped in shock, "Did you just talk to him?"
"No, I can't do that from that far away... yet," he conceded. "But I can tell instinctively if he is still awake or not. But only Robert because Robert is that more trained. His psi signature is more pronounced..."
Turning to see her curious expression, "It's kinda hard to explain."
"No, that's all right," she said. "It's fascinating..."
A mischievous smile began to form at the corners of his mouth, "Are you analyzing me, Doctor?"
Grinning in a similar manner, she answered, "You make for an interesting subject. So full of... contradictions."
"That wasn't what you were going to say there, but okay," he laughed. "Let's see if I can talk to the both of them..."
New Cape Quest
Krieg's apartment
1:27 am, Eastern Standard Time
The two men faced each other down over the cards, the ones who already folded in the poker game watched with some nervous energy. For the first time all night, the two had finally come to facing each other, seeing if the other would bluff out the other man.
"You're bluffing," stated Benjamin Krieg.
"Consider that a test to how well you know me, Ben," answered Robert Bridger. "I raise you two hundred more."
Miguel Ortiz, Tim O'Niell, and Lucas Bridger stifled a shocked gasp at the man's temerity. "I take that bet," Ben slid the chips necessary into the center of the table. "And I raise you one hundred."
"I hope you have the cards," said Robert, the words having a double meaning that everyone caught.
The vidphone began to ring.
"Answer your phone, Ben..." said Robert, a sly grin spreading over his features.
"You know the rules, I can't do that without folding. Tim, answer the phone."
"Why the Hell do I have to do it?"
"Because we are in the middle of a game," answered both Ben and Robert in unison.
With some grumbling, and shaking his head as they raised each other one more time, he answered the phone. "Hi sir..." Tim said, mildly surprised. "Here, I'll hand it over to Lucas."
Lucas came over with a curious look on his face, then when he caught sight of Nathan Bridger he grinned, "Cap... er, Dad!" he turned to Robert. "Hey, it's Dad."
"Tell him I'm in the middle of something," came Robert's reply. "I call it Ben. Show me your cards."
Lucas tried to keep one eye on the game and talk to Nathan at the same time but that was a futile effort. "What's going on?" asked Nathan as Robert gave one large agonized groan.
"I'm a dead man!" came Robert's anguished cry. "She's going to cut my...."
That was cut off my Nathan saying, "Did I call at a bad time?"
"Er, no," answered Lucas. "And yes at the same time. I think Rob just lost to Ben in poker... and I missed it. You should have been here. We folded and they just kept raising each other higher and higher..."
"Oh God, how much did he lose?" asked Nathan. "Never mind, I don't really want to know. Anyway, I was calling to speak to you. I understand you called when I was in a meeting."
"Yeah, I didn't expect an answer so quick though... My real Dad never did answer."
A chuckle answered, "I am not Lawrence Wolenczak, son. So what did you want, or was it say hi?"
"Well, I have a medical leave until I recover and JJ is on an early maternity leave. I was wondering if her and I could come see you and Kristin," answered Lucas, a hopeful tone in his voice.
"Of course you can, and we will be looking forward to it. In fact we were wondering if you and her were thinking of coming or if we had to engrave an invitation in stone..." Nathan's eyebrow's lifted and Lucas smiled.
"Nah, you might have had to drag us kicking and screaming though."
Robert walked over and waved at his father's image on the screen. "Hi Dad."
"I understand you lost a significant amount of money to Krieg," Nathan lifted one brow. "Cindy is going to kill you for it, you know. I see a few nights on the couch. I know your mother made me sleep there whenever I lost too much to Crocker or Shelley."
"What about Bill?"
Nathan leaned back and laughed, "He had to win first, and I think Carol would have felt sorry for him, anyway. He could never play poker worth a damn."
Robert smiled, "So what's up?"
"Not much. Since you are both there, I may as tell you now," Nathan took a breath. "It's official at the next meeting, but I am retiring as Secretary General. It's too much for me at this point in my life. Maybe when I was younger, but not anymore."
Lucas sat down in shock, and even Robert was a bit taken aback. "But where will you go? Once you do that and they elect a new Secretary General, you and Kristin will have no home. The island is still in shambles. What will you do?"
"Kristin has a family estate in England. We will likely relocate there."
Robert bowed his head. "England?"
"Yes, evidently it's Viscountess Kristin Westphalen of, ah damn, I can't remember what the county is anymore..." he said with a grin. "But I understand it's a really nice manor house in the countryside somewhere. Her first cousin is the Duke of Cornwall and her first husband, and Cindy's father, was the Viscount."
Lucas and Robert whistled in appreciation. "Anything else we don't know about the Lady Viscountess?" asked Lucas.
"I think that's about it," said Bridger. "I'm not looking forward to Winter anymore, but I guess we can always Summer in New Cape Quest. Anyway, I thought you also be interested in the other reason we were in a meeting. I know this is abrupt, but... it this a secure line?"
"It is now," said Robert, flipping it over to secure with a nod from O'Niell who checked to make sure.
"I am going to England for two reasons, one official and one unofficial. The unofficial reason is to ask for aid in recovering Michael and to drum out any knowledge of what the Hell is going on in Sao Paulo," said Nathan. "I get the feeling that much more is going on down there. And for that we will need a team that can get in."
"We need a ship... and the seaQuest is much too big," pointed out Krieg. "It would attract too much attention."
"Gentlemen, I trust you have met my counterpart," with that the screen split into two, one side the elder Bridger, the one they all knew, and the other the AI version.
"Robert, Commodore Krieg... Commander O'Neill, a pleasure," came the computer's voice.
Robert could only stare wordlessly at the AI Bridger. It was like stepping back in time to a father that was much more familiar to him that the one that had to live for years without Mom. It appeared that not one day had gone past for the AI. "Sir," it was all he could manage.
"Ah, Captain Bridger has agreed to ferry you to the outskirts of Sao Paulo. The stealth technology on board his ship is state of the art and should be able to sneak in," said the flesh and blood Bridger.
Robert had begun calling the real Nathan Bridger 'Dad' while the computer was still 'Captain.' It wasn't perfect but at least it wasn't going to confuse him. "I'm going," stated Robert.
"Ah, Admiral, that is not suggested..." came Captain Bridger's voice. "Perhaps it would be better if you sent Commodore Krieg or Captain Brody instead. They are perfectly qualified for this..."
"No, uh..." damn it, it was still his father though. "Look, Dad, if you were in my position I have a feeling that you would go in personally after me."
The AI leaned his head in a thoughtful expression, as if sizing up Robert, "You're right, I would. Very well, I look forward to meeting you."
October 26th, 2034
San Diego
6:47 am, PST
The lone man walked through the corridors of the UEO complex, his eyes scanning where the plate glass window of the Secretary General's office was. He knew that the mirrored surface -- made so would-be assassins would not know when the Secretary General was near it -- was bullet-proof, even phase-gun and laser proof with all that damn mirroring. Sniping would be next to impossible.
As it really should be, reflected the man.
The thick walls even prevented a bomb from being able to blow it's way through the wall. The security rivaled the NorPac president's at the newly revamped White House and Parliament Hill in Canada, depending on where the president was at any given time. Sometimes he really had to snicker about that one. Only in North America would the President not be able to pick one seat, but have to be constantly shuttled between the two. Then again, it was well known that the Canadian born President McQueen really preferred Parliament.
Naturally, he thought sarcastically. Leave it up to a woman to not be able to make up her damn mind.
At least the UEO knew where they wanted to be. For the longest time they had been in Hawaii, but when Macronesia 'elected' Bourne they moved it farther away from that very vulnerable border. While it still remained in North Pacific Confederation borders, it was essentially neutral territory and operated under its own laws like the embassies of the various other confederations and countries.
And with as much security.
Assassinating the Secretary General's wife would not be as easy as he originally thought. Now it was rumored in the complex that the Secretary General was retiring and moving away from the NorPac Confederation. Going to live in her home confederation instead.
He could only shake his head, and wonder if that affected his contract at all. Until he learned otherwise he would study the area and learn its weak point, and then pick his moment. Hopefully it would not involve moving to that cold, damp, countryside in England.
In that confederation rested the long touted Interpol whose agents knew him too well. Not that it truly worried him, it would just make getting in the Euro-African Confederation's territory a bit of a challenge that he was not looking forward to. One lucky such office might after all recognize his face even after all the reconstructive surgery.
No, the Jackal was not looking forward to having to chase the Lady Westphalen back to her home territory...
PART THREE: Finality
October 27th, 2034
New Cape Quest
Airport
Lucas Bridger watched JJ as she checked her luggage again. "If you check it anymore it will look like it's carrying gold or something," he said with a smile. "Relax, JJ, it's just my Dad and Kristin."
"No, it's the Secretary General and his wife. Lucas, we're going straight to UEO HQ to stay in the Secretary General's home. That's like moving into the White House," she pointed out, her nervousness finally begin to show through. "Don't you realize how much we are going to be in the public eye?"
Lucas shrugged. "You get used to it after awhile. You think serving on the seaQuest is any different?"
She sighed and her shoulders bowed a little. Sometimes, as much as she loved him, he baffled her completely.
An announcement told them that their flight was boarding, and she followed Lucas to the gate and walked through. He guided her into first class and they sat down in the roomy seats. She gazed out the window, and said, "Wow, this is a first. I've never flown in first class before."
"I have," he said absently. "Trust me, if you don't like to fly, it doesn't much matter where you sit in the plane..."
JJ turned to look at him, a quizzical look on her face. "You don't like to fly?"
He shuddered, a motion he barely managed to turn into a shake of his head. "I hate it. Kinda funny, eh, how I can manage a Specter or the Stinger with no problem at all, but planes give me the willies."
She held on to his arm, "Relax, take deep breaths and focus on me."
A mischievous grin lit his face, "Focusing on you will give me goose bumps of a whole other sort..."
"How can you? I'm fat..."
"You're pregnant, that isn't fat."
"I'm as big as the seaQuest..."
"You are not as big as the seaQuest, Jess," he rolled his eyes.
"I blush at the drop of a hat," she countered.
"You're radiant," he said, then he kissed her cheek, which was all that was facing him as she was still looking out the window. "And I think you're beautiful."
That made her blush, "Sometimes you know exactly what to say to me."
A lost puppy look washed across his features as she turned to look at him, "Only sometimes?"
"Okay, a lot," she grinned and then kissed him. "You are smart, funny, and sensitive rolled into one package Lucas, don't you ever change."
At that point the pilot announced takeoff.
San Diego, California
Airport
Nathan and Kristin Bridger waited at the terminal where the flight that Lucas and JJ were on was going to have their passengers disembark. Nathan sat with his legs up on the opposite benches, his chin resting on his chest, and eyes closed. Kristin marveled at his ability to take a nap anywhere, but let him sleep for now. God knew that when Lucas and JJ arrived they would likely be up late catching up on whatever news they had to catch up on. Especially since, and ironically so, that Lucas was in more contact with Robert Bridger than Nathan even was.
When she saw the plane touch down, she gently nudged Nathan and he blinked his eyes and lifted his head. His eyes, still sharp distance wise even with his age, caught instant sight of the aircraft. With a smile he stood up and said, "That's the one?"
She nodded, "I think so."
Nathan stretched the kinks out of his body and then hugged her from behind. "They have first class, they should be disembarking first."
Kristin nodded her agreement, and then when she caught sight of Lucas first, then JJ just behind him, her mouth stretched into a smile. Lucas and JJ came through the gate and Lucas first hugged Kristin, who was closest, then Nathan. JJ hung back a bit, then Nathan opened his arms and hugged her too. It was rather funny, in retrospect. At first, JJ did not respond, her face impassive, then she gave him a gentle hug and a small smile.
"JJ, you look absolutely radiant," said Nathan once he drew back to get a good look at her. "How are you feeling?"
"Well..."
"She's nervous, Dad," said Lucas. "But I think she said she felt like she was as big as the seaQuest."
Kristin smiled warmly, "Don't worry Jess, may I call you that? That is perfectly normal. So is the nervousness. Your first child is always the most frightening, but you will do just fine."
JJ looked from Lucas to Kristin, "It wasn't that. I have never been invited to stay in the residence of the Secretary General before."
"Now, none of that," chided Nathan gently. "You knew us before I gained that office, and nothing has really changed. In fact, did you hear that I am retiring shortly?"
She nodded, then sighed and smiled. "Thank you, sir."
"Nathan," he insisted. "I get enough of that around HQ."
Finally, their luggage came around the carousel and they were able to leave. On the way to the car they talked and caught up on what Nathan and Kristin had missed in the time away from the seaQuest and New Cape Quest. Nathan asked after they had climbed in the car, looking back from his place in the passenger seat. "So what do you plan to do with all this leave?"
Lucas shrugged, "We aren't sure yet. We still have to find a place to live. JJ suggested Waikkiki. I think it's a good idea. We would be close to... ah...."
He trailed off and JJ picked up, "Lucas always stumbles over calling him by his first name. We would be close to Oliver and Wendy."
"That would be true. We are going to be so spread out across the globe," he sighed. "I guess it can't be helped."
Lucas's eyes lit up with curious mischief, "So, Nathan, why is Kristin driving?"
"Because I thought that JJ would not want to be scared into early labor. Yow know how he drives," answered Kristin.
Lucas nodded and Fredericks looked from one to the other, "He can't be that much worse that Captain Hudson."
"How bad is he?" asked Nathan curiously.
"Really bad. He was pulled over for doing 145 in a 90 zone," she answered.
"Miles an hour?" came three surprised voices.
"No, kilometers an hour. This was just outside of his hometown in Northern Ontario," she answered, then when they looked at her blankly. "He's from Sudbury."
"So what's that in miles an hour?" asked Kristin.
"I think it's about 100 in a 55, but I'm not sure," answered Fredericks. "But for the roads there that is too fast. I know I would want to stick close to the speed limit, but the Northerners are crazy. I heard they drive through white-out blizzards."
"They do," answered Nathan with a short laugh. "But if they didn't they would never be able to drive in the winter. That is Sudbury, from what I understand, in the winter. Then they go the speed limit."
"Good lord, I'm surprised that there isn't more accidents..." said Kristin shaking her head.
"That's the weird part," said Fredericks. "They don't have that many weather related accidents in comparison to those places farther south."
"Because they are used to it," said Nathan. "They are so acclimatized to that kind of weather system that it is completely unconscious to be able to drive there."
A moment later they lapsed into silence. "How did we get on that topic?" asked Lucas.
"We were discussing Nathan's driving habits, or at least, his leaden foot," answered JJ, finally at ease around the elder Bridger's.
She had to admit, it was their reputation that had made her nervous. But that reputation had said nothing about their warmth and how welcoming they could be as well. All she had heard about Westphalen had come from Hudson, and that was limited, and the rest from Captain Ford. At the memory her smile faltered.
Of Captain Bridger, who then became Dr. Bridger, and then finally the Secretary General of the UEO... all of his reputation was from history taught in her classes at the academy, to what others said of him on the seaQuest. To meet him on board the seaQuest had done nothing to dispel that image she had, but now that she saw him relaxed and only in the company of family, she saw a different side of him. He was no where near the formal, and distant, man she had been introduced to by Hudson, then the only slightly less reserved scientist.
She wondered what else she would discover about this family while she visited them.
Westling was only slightly more impressed with the strain he looked at in the microscope. His counterpart, Jacqueline Serrano, fidgeted slightly as her work was scrutinized. He looked up and said, "Don't be so nervous, Jackie. This is amazing. Now, how close is our colleague to finding the vaccine to his little friend of ours?"
She answered, "Close. He has managed to isolate the gene that will counter the virus, but is unable to find a reliable method of administering it."
Westling nodded, "I see. I will definitely sleep better at night knowing that this little friend of ours won't kill those who wish to protect the Earth, won't you?"
"Of course," Serrano sighed and hung her head. "I wish my sister would understand that those she fights for are not those who will live to see the Earth survive."
He caught her connotations, "Jackie, I understand that you are disappointed that Anna refused to help us, and you, but I can understand where she is coming from.... she doesn't know where you are and what you are doing, does she?"
"Oh no, she thinks that I am likely on some crusade with Greenpeace," Jackie snorted. "The oceans are her passion, and she just can't see that where she is they will not do what has to be done."
"But she tried?" Westling asked, interested.
"She believes that she is still trying to save the oceans. That's the problem," Dr. Serrano let her frustration creep into the open. "But she does not understand that the UEO is powerless to stop the raping of the world's resources. To actually stop the damage it isn't enough to fine and jail those who destroy. Those types only understand one thing: Destruction. But yet she hopes, no believes, what she does is enough."
"And as we know, it isn't," said Westling. "That's why we're here."
Harpe waited in the conference room for the three scientists to come up. When the door opened he smiled coolly, "I trust you have good news for me."
The leader of the three, Dr. Westling, stepped forward and dropped the folder on the table in front of Harpe. "That is our report of how far our research is going, and I think you will be impressed."
"Good, good," Harpe said, going over the papers. "I would hate for an investment to turn sour... but as I can see, I think this will be an excellent...."
He turned the page and the smile fell off, "What is this?"
The third person in the group, a large man who was also the oldest of the three, stepped forward, and his voice betrayed an educated and faintly English background, "That is our report, Mr. Harpe. As you can see, the project is progressing..."
"To what end?" asked Harpe. "This looks to be some sort of biological weapon."
"Are you against that?" asked Westling.
"No," answered Harpe. "I only care about how money is being controlled, you know that."
He stabbed a slender finger to the papers, "I just want to know what the Hell is truly going on."
The elder man sat down to the right of Harpe, "An excellent question, Mr. Harpe. One we would be glad to answer."
It was then that Harpe thinned his eyes now that the stranger was in better light. That revelation did not make him feel any better. If this was the answer to his problem, it could have stayed veiled in secrecy.
He could have stayed in whatever frozen state he was in until the sun burned itself out.
The man in question was Dr. Rubin Zellar.
In San Diego, Nathan and Kristin were telling JJ of how they first met. The younger woman had been intensely curious, and so Kristin began. "Well, I was berating Commander Ford for having his people occupy areas that were clearly marked for mine, when he..."
"I started to laugh," answered Nathan. "Well, it was funny at the time..."
"That was how we met. I was so sure that I was going to also berate this 'stowaway' for daring to tell me how I should deal with the military," Kristin laughed again, and sat down with her cup of tea. "But that was only the beginning... What truly endeared me to him was how caring he was in a truly dark time of my life."
Harpe was looking over the overheads as Zellar handed them to him, "This virus will be ten times more deadly than the ebola plague, and easier spread than the SARS scare just after the turn of the century. And we will be the only ones with the cure. Imagine the possibilities, and the profit, that we will get."
"From my understanding of viruses, things never go quite as planned..."
"Quite true."
"We were ordered to an underwater prison in the Arctic Ocean," began Nathan. "The entire place was being kept open for one prisoner."
The look on Kristin's face could have been a glacier, "Rubin Zellar."
A silence fell that was broken by Lucas who explained, "Zellar killed thousands of people by bio-toxins. When we went to the ice prison he was waiting for us."
Harpe looked up at Zellar, "So what do you get out of this?"
"The same as you, all those having anything to do with the seaQuest dead," answered Zellar.
No one noticed the boy. Micheal slid back behind the door and tiptoed silently back into the living area. He was furious, but not surprised. He had always known that Harpe was evil but he had not known what his plans were.
Now that he did he didn't want anything to do with Geoffrey Harpe.
He slid out the computer keyboard and emailed Lucas with the warning, praying that it would be in time.
The door slammed open and Michael looked up at the silhouette in the doorway and knew that he had been caught...