18. Radio talk

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"We are approaching the base. Next update in five." They heard Danny's voice. Kara and Andrea stood on watch on the bridge. Following the mission through the comms. They were at EMCON and had strict orders to not answer them. She saw the fear and uncertainty on Andrea's face. Her husband and daughter had been there. And Kara's mother. Had they had a chance to escape?

"This is Vulture team. The base is destroyed. Most likely by missile fire. Over." She heard Danny's voice shaking a bit as he told them. The base had been destroyed? By who?

"No!" Hearing Andrea shout as she started to cry, Kara moved by her side to hold her. Not knowing what she could say to her. If the base was destroyed by missiles, there was no way they knew it was coming. No way to evacuate in time. Feeling tears form in her eyes as well. Who would want to hurt them?

"We are heading to the hotel. It seems rather intact." Was the next update and they both glanced at each other. There might be a chance.

As Andrea seemed to calm down a bit, she helped her sit on the XO's chair as she contacted the CIC.

"CIC, Bridge. Are you getting any surface contacts?" She waited for a reply.

"No, ma'am. Nothing. Sonar is clear too." Was Nishioka's short reply. She shared a look with Andrea. They just had to wait for the next update.

"Entering the building." Danny said and she heard he didn't close his comm. Probably so that they could listen in on what was happening.

"Looks empty."

"Heading upstairs."

After a while of stair climbing and checking rooms they heard Burk's voice faintly on the comm "Did you hear that?". Was there someone there? Suddenly feeling restless of the idea that there might be hostiles at the hotel.

"Where is it coming from?" Bivas asked.

"There." They could hear Chandler's firm voice just barely.

"Approaching possible target." Danny reported.

"Shhh.." Was the voice on the comm, they weren't sure who made the voice.

"Someone's crying." Burk said.

The next they heard were sounds of moving furniture and opening something made out of metal. Glancing at each other again, they were both startled about what was going on.

"Hey.. Hey there, son." They heard Chandler's voice.

The Vulture team was returning back to the James after discovering that the base was destroyed, nothing to salvage. They had seen bodies of foreign soldiers on the base, so there had been an attack against the base. They found no survivors, except for one. A little boy.

They moved to wait on the deck as the team was coming up from the RHIB and they saw Chandler carry the boy in his arms. It was Lucas. Mike's boy. She couldn't imagine what Mike must be going through right now, and Christine. Their little boy was missing. If they are still alive, there was no guarantee that they had made it out in time. Chandler walked inside the ship carrying the boy in his arms.

Danny came up and walked to stand in front of Andrea. And the look on his face was sad, he was going to tell her something. "Ma'am.." He started and she went to hug Andrea as he was telling her. "We identified your husband in the building. I'm so sorry for your loss." He informed but she could see he was shaken up about it. Andrea began to cry even more louder in her arms. If her husband was dead, where was Lily? Had she survived?

They were all sitting in the mess afterwards. Bacon had made them some hot chocolate of the last remainders of it on the ship. There was not a single sound around them. Everyone was sitting quietly and every now and then there was a small knock of a cup placed back to the table.

She was thinking through it all. She could feel Danny's arm tightly around her shoulder as she sat in her chair. It felt nice, somewhat normal to have him this close to her. Taking a glance around the room, she saw Ravit and Burk. They were sitting side by side holding hands on the table. She noticed Burk's thumb gently caressing Ravit's hand under his and every now and then Burk gave a look towards Ravit. She recognized the obvious caring in his eyes. He was falling for her, if he already wasn't. She just hoped Ravit would be able to open herself for him, give him a chance. There was something in Ravit's past that she wasn't ready to share just yet.

Shifting her eyes to Wolf, sitting by himself. Seeing the devastated look on his face. He wasn't usually showing any emotions, but she thought he must be thinking of his family. Back in Australia. He was a long way from home.

Andrea was sitting beside Chandler, holding Lucas in her arms. She wasn't crying anymore, just sitting there her eyes closed and holding a child. Probably feeling a small amount of comfort from holding the little boy. And Lucas didn't seem to mind either, he didn't know where his parents where. He wanted to feel his mother's arms around him again.

Glancing at Tom Chandler. He was staring right in front of him into the emptiness. Thinking about what was the next step, she thought. Although his expression was rather speculative.

Nishioka was sitting with Mason. Their families didn't live in Norfolk, more further inland. So they could only hope there was a chance.

Even their mystery man and the rescued girl had made an appearance.

Captain had a talk with the man when he came more clearer in his thoughts and had gotten treatment for his dehydration. Turns out he had taken out all the bad guys on his own and was wounded in the process. So he was on their side for the time being. And he wasn't infected. His name was Tex Nolan.

Bertrise was a young girl they had rescued on their way to Nicaragua. Hearing the distress call and as she had stated she was the sole survivor on the boat, Doc Rios figured that she must be immune to the virus. Just like Frankie.

There were also others in the mess. She didn't know them so well. They all had volunteered for this mission.

The stillness in the group was quickly gone when the Captain realized something.

"Hayward was gone."

Thank you for reading!