Chapter 9

Hades Initiative

The hangar was chilled. A night breeze blew through the open space, under the wings of the planes inside, and cooled the spines of Jamie and Miles whom sat alone at Miles' desk. Miles had his elbow on the desk, his head in his hand. Jamie sat in his chair bent over.

"Jamie, you gotta be careful. Victor doesn't know we know each other and he can't afford to find out." Miles replied, rubbing his scalp.

"Still worried about that? Richtofen doesn't have the guts to grow eyes in the back of his head."

"How long have you been positioned under FTi?" Miles asked.

"Going on two years." Jamie replied.

"Then you don't know this man like I do. He's unpredictable, acts like he knows nothing when really he knows everything." Jamie just leaned back in his chair.

"First time we get to sit down and talk and all you can tell me is what you always whisper to me when we're working on that damn plane, 'Be careful, be careful'. Over and over again." Jamie said.

"Well we need to be." Miles said, "I'm not gonna get any closer to getting my son and wife back then you will be getting your brother back."

Jamie sat there in silence, drooping his head, Miles leaned in closer, "I know about Timberly and your parents, and I'm sorry. You did everything you could to get us out of Hillwood, but we can't afford to lose our heads, lest we lose everything we have left." Miles said.

Jamie looked at Miles whom put his hand on Jamie's shoulder, "I know your brother is with my son. He's taking good care of him, I'm sure of it. Sooner or later, FTi is gonna find them and they're gonna bring them back here, where at least they can feel somewhat safe. You understand?" Miles asked.

Jamie just nodded, his eyes starting to water. Miles grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him in close, "Just keep your head up, watch my back and I'll watch yours. Everything we've worked on can't be compromised by trial and error."

"You got it Miles." Jamie responded.

"Good. How's the package coming along?" Miles asked.

"The wiring's good, I just need one more day until I'm ready." Jamie replied.

"Good. We won't be able to talk until we put this thing in action. Put it under one of the seats closest to the engine of the plane, keep the detonator somewhere safe. When I'm ready, I'll give you a signal and you're gonna blow the damn thing. Got it?" Miles asked.

"Piece of cake." as the two prepared to go to Miles' cell. They began to head out of the hangar. Jamie walked over to the side of the exit door where he grabbed the lever and pulled it down. All the lights in the hangar clicked off. The two took the elevator to the basement level and Jamie escorted Miles to his cell. After securing the lock, Jamie took the elevator again to the first floor where he left the Kappa station through the front door of the lobby. It was pitch black outside in the night sky. The clouds skewered what stars were left in the sky. Jamie continued to walk until he reached the adjacent barracks. The building took up about half a square mile and housed the body of soldiers enlisted by FTi. It was crammed space but Jamie couldn't complain.

He arrived at his dorm, 17A on the first floor, entered and plopped on his bed which screeched with rusty spines. He then bent down and grabbed his camouflage bag under the bed, pulling it between his feet. Cautiously, he unzipped it and pulled back the flaps to reveal several colored wires, a black metal case, and a small black box with a big red button in the center and several knobs. He pulled out every little piece until what was left was a roll of gaff tape and four beige colored blocks of Semtex explosives.

.

(At the house)

.

"Who are you taking?" Gerald asked.

"We're assigned to retrieve Arnold, Helga, you, Sid, and Chocolate boy." Torvald said.

"It's Charlie now." Charlie corrected him. Torvald looked at him.

"Since when?" Torvald asked.

"Since I gave up chocolate five years ago. You really have been in the army too long haven't you?" Charlie asked sarcastically.

"Good for you kid, now shut the fuck up. Are we taking these kids are what?" Turner, the third soldier piped up.

"Turner, chill." Torvald said.

Frustrated, Turner stood up and walked over to the front door and left to go wait by the squad's Humvee.

After the door shut, Gerald said, "You sure that's a good idea? Letting your man roam around outside in a zombie invested neighborhood?"

"We already took care of the walkers, he'll be fine. He's got a temper problem anyway." Curly piped up.

"Where are you planning to take us?" Arnold asked.

"FTi Station Kappa under special instruction."

"My father works there… have you seen him?" Arnold asked.

"I have, but ever since this epidemic started, I haven't seen a sign of him. Either he's out in the field or Richtofen had him moved to another station." Torvald replied.

"That's impossible, my dad doesn't work without my mom and even then they haven't been field agents for years." Arnold replied.

"Kappa is a big station, Arnold. They've got FTi's Applied Sciences, Medical Practice, and their military branch all in half a mile of land." Torvald said. Arnold merely shrugged in agreement.

"We need to get moving. Victor's got us on schedule, sooner we get you to Kappa, the sooner we can move forward."

"Move forward with what?" Gerald asked. Torvald sputtered and choked, instantly regretting the words that have just slipped his tongue.

"Classified Gerald. We can't say anything until we get you to Kappa." Torvald responded panicked.

"You guys are just full of crap aren't you?" Helga stepped forward.

"Helga relax." Arnold said, he stepped closer to Torvald, looking him dead in the face.

"No more bullshit Torvald. Why are you here?" Arnold grunted.

Torvald let out a sigh and said, "We're on a search and rescue mission to retrieve subjects vital to the Hades Initiative." He said.

"What's the 'Hades Initiative'?" Phoebe asked.

"It's a collective operation meant to retrieve potential subjects immune to the Hades virus."

"FTi's doing all this? Weren't they just a real estate thing at one time?" Stinky chimed in.

"Wish I could tell you Stink." Torvald replied, "Somewhere Scheck found his footing and Victor Richtofen took over as his successor. I actually worked with your dad on a couple projects." Torvald looked back at Arnold.

"Hey hey hey, back to the problem here. So you are taking your beloved 'subjects' back to some safe house in this fucked up wasteland, what about the rest of us?" Harold interrupted.

"Nothing. We have our objective, and nothing more." Curly replied.

"Curly, enough." Torvald replied, "We can always report your location and send a chopper."

"Send ground vehicles." Arnold interrupted.

"What?" Torvald replied.

"I'm not gonna let anybody go through another 'accident' like the first evacuation. Send the biggest tank you've got there to pick up our friends. Got it?" Arnold said.

"Whatever you say Arnold."

Gerald then pulled Arnold aside as Torvald started to order people out to the humvee.

"Arnold are you insane? We knew these guys when we were kids and you're just gonna let em get what they want and leave everybody else behind?" Gerald said.

"It's a chance we have to take. We've always been lucky haven't we?"

"That doesn't matter Arnold. I'm not so optimistic and I'm not so strongly a believer in your live-by-fate personae. How can you look me in the eye and tell me everybody else is going to be okay when we're just leaving them in the middle of nowhere in a zombie infested world." Arnold stood there silently.

Gerald continued to look directly at Arnold's face, "I can't explain it Gerald. I've had this feeling ever since this whole mess started. I've always felt like things would be okay. All those times when I see visions in my head? When I can 'predict the future' as you so put it? I don't know where it comes from. I don't know how I was able to know which way Charlie and Helga went. I don't know how I figured out Torvald was coming in guns blazing. All I know is it's helped keep us alive. Isn't that all that counts?"

"Yeah but…" Gerald fell silent and his eyes fell to the ground. Arnold could see through his frustration, putting a hand on Gerald's shoulder.

He said, "Phoebe is going to be fine Gerald." Just then Gerald looked back at Arnold, "She's tough, she can handle herself. She's gonna have everyone else to help her out. Maybe in a week, we'll all be safe in FTi's hands. My parents will be there, your dad. Everyone else here is gonna make it safely. We just have to cooperate for a little while."

Gerald looked over his shoulder at Phoebe who looked back at him, a whimsical smile on her face. He looked back at Arnold who was starting to smile himself. "Whatever you say Arnold." Gerald replied.

.

(FTi Station Kappa. Military Barracks)

.

Phil regained his bearings after the guards escorted his group to their new quarters. The room was a dump. Phil tried to stay optimistic that he and the others weren't locked up in cells anymore. He, Bob, and Suzie were moved to the two open rooms in the military barracks under Victor's orders. Suzie and Bob were in the room next door.

"This is horse shit." Bob growled, "First they take us out of those shithole cells and they put us in actual shitholes. Never thought I'd see military bunks again." He said.

"Beats being locked up around the clock." Suzie said as she cleaned dirt spots off her pink shirt and jeans.

"Doesn't mean we're free I mean, I want answers The needles may have stopped coming but I still have no idea what the hell we're here for."

"At least whatever is going on outside these walls can't get us in here."

Bob angrily picked up the crate he was gripping and threw it against the wall. "But they can still get my little girl!" He roared.

"I'm not sure if you or Oscar knows how the family thing works but I still have a daughter who's out there somewhere still kicking." Suzie just sat there in silence, "I'd rather I was out there and she was 'safe' in here." Suzie looked at him in shock.

"I've seen you with Helga. You treated her like garbage. When they came back from the jungle, you didn't even look happy to see your daughter again. Now it takes a zombie apocalypse to get you to respect her? And she's not even with you right now." Suzie said.

"Don't lecture me on love and respect Suzie." Bob said, "I've seen you and Oscar together, he barely notices you. I bet he's not even thinking of you right now. Trying to save his own skin instead."

"At least I still love him." Suzie snapped back. Bob looked at her surprisingly, "He may have slipped up quite a few times. Maybe I'm just garbage to him, but I still tried to change him. Maybe he's dead and I'm preaching to the choir right now. But he's always going to be my first love. He's always going to be my husband. That's unconditional love Bob. You would know about it if Miriam was still alive." Bob had nothing to reply with. He backed away, his lip quivered and legs quaked.

"I'm sorry." Suzie said, regretting what she just said, "I didn't mean to cut that deep."

"It's okay. You're right." Bob uttered, "I have nothing. Helga's probably dead. Without her, what've I got? Nothing."

"You have me." Suzie said, "You have Phil, you have Helga who I know for a fact is alive. If we all get out of this alive, you're gonna have a son in law too." Suzie walked towards Bob and sat down next to him, and began to wrap her arms around his torso in a hug. Bob responded with the same gesture. They held each other in a tight embrace that made them ignore the two knocks on the door. But they were drawn out of it when Phil opened the door and peaked inside.

"I take it I'm interrupting?" Phil chuckled, "There's a vending machine down the hall here that's rigged. Want anything?"

"Coke." Bob and Suzie said almost in unison.

"Heh heh, I'll be right back." He said as he shut the door. Bob and Suzie looked at each other once more before they separated to make their beds.

.

(At the house)

.

The last of the group was loaded in the squad's Humvees. Torvald was driving the front car, Curly drove the back car. Turner, the third soldier had helped Helga into the back seat of the rear Humvee. Arnold prepared to follow suit but Turner stopped him.

"This one's full kid, sorry." He said. Arnold swatted his arm away.

"I say it isn't." Arnold said angrily.

Turner backed away with an odd look on his face and let Arnold on. Arnold climbed in and squeezed between Helga and Gerald. He put a hand on Helga's shoulder.

"I'm not gonna leave your site again." He said to her, the first sign of affection he shared with her. Helga looked back into his eyes and grabbed him by the cheeks, pulling his lips into hers. They stayed connected for a good ten seconds. Arnold's eyes widened like they did the first time Helga kissed him, more than ten years ago.

As they disconnected their lips, Gerald, sitting next to them, said "Now that was pathetic." He said.

"Shut up Geraldo." Helga said with a chuckle.

"As you wish." Gerald said condescended. He turned back toward the window where he saw Phoebe and the rest huddled around the front door. Phoebe raised a hand and waved, staring directly at Gerald who waved back. Arnold put a hand on Gerald's shoulder.

"She'll be alright Gerald. They all will be. Torvald promised remember?

"Yeah sure." Gerald replied. The three huddled in the back. Sid sat in the middle seat, staring directly at the floor, his hands shaking violently. Curly sat in the driver's seat. He turned behind him and looked at everyone in their seats and smirked. He looked back toward Torvald's Humvee parked in front of him where he could see Torvald sitting in the driver's seat waiting to head out, Turner next to him, and Charlie's head peaked over the head of the back seat. He looked down in reached into his pants pocket where he pulled out a small black box with a red switch on it. Quietly he clicked the button forward and a red light started flickering on the top.

.

(FTi Kappa Research Wing)

.

Victor and Steiner, his lead scientist looked at a computer screen that had the state of Pennsylvania mapped. A little red dot starting blinking on the west side of the state and it slowly began to move further west.

"Looks like they're heading out." Norrington said.

"Get Lieutenant Johannson up here."

Steiner pulled a walkie talkie from his belt and clicked the talk button, "Lieutenant Johannson come in."

Jamie replied on the other line, he was kneeling and twisting at a green wire, "What is it?" He replied.

"Get up here to Research now, Dr. Richtofen wants to see you."

"Gimme two minutes." Jamie replied as he clicked his talkie back on his belt. He finished twisting the wire and stood up inside the limited plane space. He pulled out a black box from his duffle bag and pushed a button on the top. At the same time, he pushed another button on the bomb and the lights flickered on both, indicating the detonator was synced to the bomb. Jamie loaded his equipment into the duffle bag, including the detonator. He stood up and exited Eduardo's plane, leaving the bomb to sit subtly under the furthest seat in the back. A quiet beep echoed from the device as it ticked, waiting to detonate.

.

.

.

To Be Continued