Chapter 27 Stowaway

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:16 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

The convoy was off. Alex was aboard. And the chase was on. The truck carrying Alex as ConDef's captive drove in front of the convoy. Followed by a jeep behind it. As the four of us were in pursuit of the convoy driving down the roads of the airstrip in route to the cargo plane docked on the runway, Rachel took a motorbike and drove in front of us. While I drove the jeep behind her riding with Bryan and Frank.

Tie was driving the truck in front of the convoy holding Alex in the trunk with Beluga watching her. The jeep behind the truck was mounted with a turret and a gunner was commandeering it. The four of us had to be smart if we were to get to that truck with getting caught in the armed jeep's crossfire.

Rachel sped her bike up like a hotrod to catch up with the convoy. I kept up with her driving as fast as I could on the 4x4 vehicle as well. The mohawked ConDef soldier driving the Truck caught the four of us with his rearview mirror. Tie signaled the jeep behind him to order the gunner to engage on us. Rachel pulled out her pistol and drove close enough to the jeep to get a decent range for shooting. Once she fired her pistol at the jeep, the gunner aimed the turret in Rachel's direction and lit up the juice.

The turret fire caused Rachel to drive out of control in an attempt to avoid the bullets. Only for her drift off the road and roll out of the bike. I drive right past her to where she crashed the bike. I would go after her, but there was no time. Assuming Rachel could quickly get back behind the wheel, I sped up and kept on the convoy's tailing. The gunner on the jeep returns fire and starts spraying the bullets on the three of us. Tie watches us from the truck with his mirror attempting to dodge the bullets the way Rachel did.

Unfortunately for Bryan, Frank, and I, the jeep took too many hits from the turret fire and damaged the engine. Leaking sparks of steam out of the front of the 4x4. Fortunately for Rachel, when I drove the jeep off to the curve of the road, Rachel reappeared with her bike back on the asphalt again from our tail and surprised the gunner with her own pistol bullets. The blonde rod herself shot and killed the gunner in her sights. Taking him out of the picture and giving us the upper hand. I had one idea to get to Alex faster. It was a crazy, but crazy ideas have helped us before.

I shift my gear to Dx3 and picked up the pace towards the disarmed jeep. If I could just drive my jeep parallel to the other on the other land of the road, I could hop out and jump toward the passenger's seat of turret vehicle. Throwing the driver out and commandeering his 4x4 to catch up to Alex. Leaving Bryan to drive this 4x4 after me and ride with Frank. My opposing vehicle wasn't going to have it easy on me, however.

I keep driving to one side of the road and the enemy 4x4 drives it in the same lane to block my maneuver. Each time the ConDef driver zigged when I zagged, I clearly wasn't fast enough to drive next to him. I shift gears to Dx4 and as soon as an opening gave me the opportunity to speed up next to the opposing vehicle, I punched the gas peddle to the metal and finally caught the guy right where I wanted him. Right beside us.

I tell Bryan to take the wheel. I hop right out of the 4x4 and make a perfect jump to the passenger's seat of my adversary. Soon as I'm in the enemy's car, the driver takes his pistol and tries shooting me out. I seize the pistol in his hand to struggle against his will. Then I headbutt the driver and toss him out in the asphalt. Hijacking the 4x4 and getting behind the wheel of it. Goal achieved.

Now the lead vehicle carrying Alex was dead ahead of me. But to make matters close yet so far, the bearded and shaded ConDef trooper named Beluga took an M32 grenade launcher and aimed it directly at me. Ready to fire out from the trunk of the truck. I gasped.

"Max, watch out!" Alex shout and warned. Tied up in the trunk.

Beluga fired his grenade away. I jerk the wheel in a sudden attempt to avoid the grenade. Right when it explodes in my face. Causing the jeep to drive out of control and crash into a load of cargo and luggage. Losing my pursuit of Alex's capturers for good.

David

July 21st, 2017

4:33 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Christian Church

It was time to evacuate the refugees out of the church with ConDef ground forces and Ares out of the painting and the civilian trucks at their arrival. Ready for pickup. Every Chrysalis soldier available in the church vicinity hustled every local out the front exit for extraction. Including the Marshes. Father Richard made a quick agreement with me for him and his family to ride in the vehicle I was driving with the usual half of the team I went along with.

Our friendly Chrysalis troops taped strobe light beacons on the roofs of the trucks for our air support to identify them as friendlies and avoid friendly fire. I hear Cage's voice hollering across the crowd of refugees rushing their way to the vehicles in order to guide them to safety. I see the sisters, including Kate holding her bunny rabbit in a cage, and their mom Mary getting inside our vehicle. With their dad, Richard hopping in after them. Cage, Kristine, Cayce, and Flint decide to ride in the vehicle I'm driving. Logos, Newblood, and Mason ride in a vehicle with refugees where Heard was in charge of driving. As soon I was in the driver's seat in front of the truck taking the wheel, Cage took shotgun and the rest of the team I brought with rode in the back seats with the Marsh family.

"Wildfire, we're marking the vehicles!" I spoke on comm. "Confirm you see the beacons!"

"Roger," said the FCO. "We see the beacons. Crew, do not fire on the vehicles marked with the flashing beacons. I repeat, do NOT fire on the vehicles with the flashing beacons. Those are friendlies. By the way Madsen, what was that thing you encountered by the church when it landed? The UFO we were just shooting down before it fled."

"Can it, Wildfire. Just make sure you don't shoot us to death with those lights on."

"You got it."

"Heads up," warned the navigator. "Hostile forces are setting up ambush points along the curved road."

"Uh, navigation, which one's the curved road? Over."

"Fire control, do you see the water tower? Over."

"TV, confirm you see the water tower."

"Are you talking about the, uh, water tower near the intersection?" The TV operator wondered.

"Roger," replied the navigator. "That's the one. And next to that water tower is a curved road. Do you see that?"

"Roger that," said the FCO.

"Track that road into the next village. You should be able to see another water tower in the village further down that road."

"Uh, we're having a bit of trouble acquiring the village. How far up the road is it?"

"Approximately…uh, hang on. It's about two clicks along the curved road. Going away from the highway."

"Roger that," replied the TVO.

"We're banking towards the village," said the pilot. "Stand by to engage ground targets."

As I hit the gas and drove along with the other civilian vehicles, Kate shouted out a question about Max in the back seats. Holding her bunny and sitting with her family and my team.

"David, who was that out there?!" She questioned. "He sounded like he knew you. And how did he know Max?! What was he talking about?"

"Yeah, Commander," said Richard. "How did whoever the hell he was know you? And I'm not sure if I've gone mad, but what was that – creature – that thing he was with?! God forbid this war to keep my sanity at bay."

"How about we play twenty questions on the chopper, both of you," I replied. "Then I'll be ready for my confession. Not that kind of confession. Either way, forgive me, father. But we all have sinned in this war. And I don't mean that sarcastically."

"All is forgiven."

"We got hostiles setting up along the curved road," said the TVO on comm.

"Hostiles preparing to ambush along the curved road," said the FCO on comm. "They're partially concealed by the trees."

As I turn on the intersection of the curved road with the forward trucks, I warn everyone to hang tight for when shit happens.

"Alright everyone," I said. "Hang tight! We're about to have some ConDef flanking us that our gunship will outflank."

"You heard my secondary in command," said Cage. "Keep the kids buckled up for the ride and we'll be driving real smoothly."

"Mom, I'm scared," wept Lynn. "I don't want to die out here."

"You're not going to die here, Lynn," said Mary. "We're going to be okay. God will protect us."

Then suddenly, the whoosh of an RPG rocket flew past us with a loud boom. Hitting a tree next to the road. We braced ourselves as the Rocket missed us and the other trucks. Mary hugged her youngest daughter tightly as she retreated.

"Whoa!" The TVO reacted. "Someone just fired an RPG!"

"Roger that," replied the FCO. "Crew, go ahead and take out everything in that village."

"Targets in the village are confirmed as hostile," said the pilot. "Cleared to engage. Smoke'em."

I could the gunship's Bofor Cannon firing in the distance at hostiles out in the village. We hear bullets digging against the bulletproof walls of the truck. ConDef infantry from in the trees freeing their weapons on us.

"Wildfire, we're under attack!" Cage warned. "We could use some help here!"

"Crew, track those smoke trails and take 'em out at the source," said FCO. "Clear a path for our guys."

"Personnel on the roof of that U-shaped building," said TVO.

"Ugh, U-shaped building?"

"Roger. It's the one with the square structure on the roof. It's the one with a flat roof."

"Rollin' in," said Pilot.

The cannon fires again and blasts down everyone on the U-shaped building roof in the village like skyrockets. Even crumbling the building to the ground like a house of Legos. This war won't be known for its discretion. Especially with public property. The gunship continues firing on other hostiles in the village. From residential households to grain mills to tanks camped out in the trees to everywhere else. Eventually, our convoy makes it to the civilian evacuation landing zone in the junkyard of Canyon Springs. This mission was close to accomplishment.

"Wildfire, we're approaching the LZ at the junkyard and leaving the vehicles," informed Cage.

"Roger that, Valor," said FCO. "Crew, friendlies are leaving the vehicles and moving on foot towards the LZ. Do not fire on any personnel marked with a flashing strobe."

"Affirmative," said another FCO. "Keep watching for those strobe lights. Those are friendlies."

"Enemy personnel in the junkyard," said TVO.

"Crew, go ahead and smoke'em."

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:21 PM

Rome, Italy

Rome Airstrip

I wake out of my unconsciousness caused by the shock from the crash. My 4x4 was badly damaged on impact. The engine was crushed and the glass window was shattered upon combusting into the cargo I crashed into. I'm crucially lucky I was blown into orbit by the grenade or I would've ended up in a William situation. Maybe worse.

I step out of my vehicle that was DOA and see Bryan driving the 4x4 I hopped out of into the scene. The engine was minorly damaged, but the car was still drivable. Then Rachel approached my presence with her bike and made a stop to hop out. Bryan and Frank hop out of their vehicle as well to check on my safety.

"Max!" Bryan shouted. "Max, what the hell happened?! Where did they go?!"

"One of Alkaline's thugs shot a grenade launcher and made me lose control," I replied. "That truck is still going! We have to catch up!"

"Whoa, whoa, there, girly," said Frank. Pausing me from running. "No way you're catching up to those ConDicks alone. You gonna get your ass killed as usual."

"That truck looks like it already reached the runway," said Rachel. Pointing out the plane on the runway. "Its already loading itself on the plane. Let's go. Now!"

The four of us run towards a fence in front of the runway and see the plane loading cargo and trucks in the hold from its tail ramp. Including the one carrying Alex. No time to lose.

"Alright," I said. "Looks like it's a straight shot from here."

"Yeah," said Rachel.

"I'm gonna climb to the top. Then I'll help the rest of you over."

"Alright."

"Keep me covered."

"Okay."

"Very well," said Bryan.

"If you insist," said Frank.

I had lied to the three of them and climbed up the fence and downward. Leaving my three companions alone on the other side and myself alone on my side.

"Max, what are you-?" Bryan questioned before knowing what I was. As everyone else did too. "Max?"

"Max, what are you do-?" Rachel asked before I cut her off.

"Rachel, Bryan, listen," I said from my side of the fence.

"Damn it," said Rachel. "I knew you would try something like this."

Rachel tried climbing up the fence herself. I wouldn't let her.

"Don't," I said. "Please."

Rachel got off the bars of the fence and listened. So did Frank and Bryan.

"Max, what's going on here?" Bryan asked.

"Let's be honest," I said. "This is a…this is a million-to-one-shot. And when I almost costed your life before, Rachel-"

"You're not gonna," said Rachel.

"I just can't do that again. Fernando almost got himself killed today because of me and I won't afford to risk the life of you nor Frank any longer than I have. So, take that jeep over there and get the hell out of here. Alright?"

There was another jeep parked on the other side of the fence. Less damaged than the one we had stolen. I recommended that the three of them take the car and get out while I go after Alex. Rachel turned her head at me in the eye with a sigh of acceptance.

"While you can?" I continued. "Just get back to the hotel and make sure Fernando and Kristen are safe at the hospital too."

"You haven't got much time," said Rachel.

"Frank, as for you, I'd hate to have you lose your lioness twice. We both know that, right?"

"It's still hard to take you seriously sometimes," said Frank. "But I still want to. You do what you need to, Caulfield."

"Bryan, keep them safe. And if I don't get Alex out in one piece, tell Chloe I'm sorry I lied to her about this. That apology goes for Mom and Dad too."

"If anything happens to you or Alex," said Bryan. "I'll be held responsible."

"Go," said Rachel.

The three of them leave me behind to get on the jeep. As soon as they hopped in, Rachel glanced back at me for a goodbye and then they were off. It was just me now. Going after Alex, kicking some ass, and getting on that plane.

I ran for the gate to the runway as soon as Rachel, Frank, and Bryan was out of sight. Then gate shuts on me when ConDef soldiers spot me right before I enter the runway. The plane had finished loading its cargo and was ready to take flight. And Alex was on that plane. I had to find another way around and fast.

"Agh, dammit!" I muttered.

ConDefs were now shooting at me with every bullet they had. A spotlight had shinned on me for everyone with a rifle to get a visual. A run-up and climb up a building to get around the gate. I hit a soldier in the face up on the roof of the building, take his gun, and put him on the ground with a single bullet. I shot at a couple more guys who were doing all they could to keep me away from the runway with my rifle.

I spot an opening that would take me directly to the plane. I keep running towards the opening. Jumping onto stacked containers and diving into a pile of luggage bags. I got out of everyone's luggage and I was now at my opening. The cargo plane was dead ahead of me. Making it's turn on the runway and stopping for a full speed ahead. But as soon as I was halfway towards the plane running under the loud propellers, the plane was moving again and was now beginning to lose it.

I run behind the plane as quick as I could. Pumping my heart out, burning every calorie, and exhausting my breath away trying to keep up with the plane. There was no way I was going to catch up on foot. The plane was moving faster. Where were Rachel and everyone when I needed them? That's when I see the jeep her, Frank, and Bryan had taken driving into the runway to save the day. A sight for sore eyes at best.

Rachel was driving the 4x4 with Bryan in the front passenger's seat and Frank sitting in the back. She drove the car next to me and slowed down a little so I could keep up.

"Atta girl," I panted.

"I got you!" Rachel shouted. "Come on!"

I ran my last breath to the vehicle, take Bryan's hand from his seat, hang onto the jeep with the metal bars. Now to catch my breath and catch that plane.

"Hey," I said. "Déjà vu, right?"

"Yeah," said Rachel.

"Just get me up to the landing gear!"

"Okay!"

Rachel hit the gas and sped up to the plane as quick as she could. Eventually, we were driving under the aircraft between the rear landing wheels. Speeding up closer and closer. Racing against the plane's speed. The plane itself almost reached the end of the runway and would eventually lift itself off the asphalt and airborne. Once we were close enough two the front landing wheel under the cockpit, I cautiously climb onto the hood of the jump and balance myself on it. Ready to make a jump for the landing gear.

"Careful!" Bryan warned.

"Just keep it steady!" I directed. "To the right! More this way!"

Rachel drifted the jeep to the right to keep the vehicle in the center. Granting my opportunity to jump onto the gear this instant.

"Jump!" Rachel shouted. "Now!"

I jump off the hood and onto the landing gear right when the plane gets off the ground and begins its ascent. Taking flight into the Rome airspace where I now see Rachel pulling off the runway a thousand feet below. Hanging onto the landing gear as it was enclosing itself into the plane's interior for flight. My way of getting inside the plane to rescue Alex. The doors to the gear shut behind me. I was concealed inside the vents of the aircraft. Now to find my captive cousin and get the hell off this flying heap of metal.

David

July 21st, 2017

4:39 AM

Canyon Springs, Idaho

Canyon Springs Landfill

I stop the truck past the gate of the junkyard along with the other trucks in the civilian convoy. My team and I let everyone out and hop out of the truck without weapons ready to take on any ground boogies ourselves. Heard's team hops out with their group of civvies as well. And soon every other rescue team in the trucks hop out safely with other refugees too.

We all see the AC-130 UP in the continuously firing its cannon and plummeting their ammo onto enemy boots on the ground invading the junkyard. Turning the place into Michael Bay explosions to their own accord.

"Man, these guys are going to town!" The FCO chanted.

The missiles from the cannon take out a cargo crane in the dump. Causing the crane to collapse to the ground like the Eiffel Tower going down in the movies. A cacophonous crash is heard with the explosion as the crane hits rock bottom.

"Richard, get your wife and girls to cover until the choppers arrive!" I ordered the father. "We'll cover you!"

Richard cooperated and hid his wife and children behind the trucks. Defending his family with his own rifle he was still carrying. Mary stayed hidden behind the truck with Kate, Lynn, and Laura. Kate was still holding onto her pet rabbit's cage as tight as she could for the love her pet. No matter how much she loved her bunny, I couldn't guarantee there would be pets allowed on the Oregon.

Every rescue team including Valor got into attack positions. Finding cover behind compacted cars, containers, and whatever other garbage they could find to duck and shoot. I get behind cover with my team and shoot at anything that moved.

"Wildfire, we've reached the LZ," said Cage. "But we're taking fire from all sides! Request fire support on all sides! Danger close!"

"Enemy personnel closing on the LZ from multiple sides," said the navigator. "Danger close. Recommend you stick to the 25 millimeter in the vicinity of the LZ."

"Crew, be advised," said the FCO. "Friendly helicopters on route to the area. Watch your fire."

"Copy," said the TVO.

The gunship fires its 25-millimeter Gatling gun on the ConDef forces in the junkyard to minimize chances of friendly fire. Spraying heaving bullets on every target sighted. Shooting up every ConDef infantry from around the cars, containers, the downed crane, and even enemies exiting the U-building in the dump too. The junkyard was now lit with fire and smoke from the damage done by our AC-130 just to clean up the mess ConDef is making. Creating a mess to clean up another mess.

"Lnyx-Niner to all ground teams evacuating civvies. We're bringing in choppers your way for pick up. Stand by."

"Lynch, is that you?" Newblood asked. "Where've you been, sweet cheeks?"

"Please stop calling me that, Sergeant. Never going to happen."

"Lynch, I want those choppers spotless when they arrive," said Cage. "I'm sending a flare to pinpoint the LZ."

"Roger, Captain. Our birds will be on the lookout. Lynx-Niner out."

Cage picked up his flare gun and fired a flare into the air to signal Lynch and the other birds. Then that noise was heard again. The same noise we heard at the church not so long ago. The sound of Ares's dragon that was near. Just when ConDef soldiers were enough problems, their deity just can't make it easy on us tonight.

"Did you hear that?" FCO asked.

"Wildfire to ground teams," said Navigator. "We're picking another UFO on our radar. Can you identify?"

I turn my head upward and see the creature flying in the moonlight like a giant bat in the sky. The dragon was flying right towards the AC-130 and targeted it as Ares ordered to attack it. I had to warn Wildfire.

"Madsen to Wildfire! The UFO is heading right towards you! Watch out!"

"Say again, Madsen!" The pilot asked. "Heading where?!"

"Get the fuck out of there!"

And before we knew it, the dragon leaped onto the gunship and grasp it with its bare claws. Hanging onto it like a monkey bar.

"What the fuck is that thing!" An FCO screamed.

"Mayday! Mayday!" The pilot alerted. "We're going down! I repeat, we're under attack by the-"

The dragon breathed fire on the gunship. Right from the cockpit and across the whole interior of the aircraft. Causing it to descend from its altitude as the dragon fled and left the gunship to crash land into flaming metal.

"No!" I hollered.

Once Ares and his dragon had taken off after doing his job, the crashing gunship hit the ground from a distance and explodes into smithereens. Our air support was no more.

"The AC-130 is down!" Cage shouted out loud. "I repeat, our air support is down!"

"Lynx-Niner to ground teams. We're approaching the LZ. ETA ten seconds."

Lynch and the chopper squadron had arrived at our landing. She landed her bird with the other on the far side of the junkyard where there was nothing but open grass to land on. At least four Seahawks were landing the there for picking including Lynch's. A sight for sore eyes at best.

"Impeccable timing, Lynx-Niner," said Cage. "We just lost our air support to that…thing. We're towards the helicopters now. Thanks for the assist. Cage out."

"Hehe, this is gonna be one hell of a highlight reel."

"Yeah, I heard that. HQ, our air support is KIA, but refugees are secure and in our custody. Choppers have arrived for pickup."

"Roger that. Good job everyone. Return to base immediately."

"You don't suppose that flare gave away our position, Captain?" Cayce asked. "Do you?"

"It was either that or Ares and his animal breathe fire on us too," replied Cage. "Let's secure that script, give these refugees a new home, and go home."

Max

July 21st, 2017

3:29 PM

5 miles from Rome

Rome Airspace

I'm inside the air ducts of the plane. It's utterly hot in here for a place that conditions air. I sit down inside the ducts for a second or two to catch my breath from racing this plane on the runway. I couldn't sit in here forever. One, it was steaming in here. Two, Alex is still on this plane and needs me. Three, Rachel and the others are still on the ground waiting. I shouldn't keep them doing so.

I crawl through the ducts and find a grate to open and exit the small tunnel. Unfortunately, there was someone on top of me who had seen me inside. Not good.

"Oh, shit," I said.

The person who saw me was no average ConDef goon. It was another seven-foot brutish man who tore the grate open and yanked me straight out. Pinning me against the wall of the cargo hold and holding me by my shirt. I hit the man in the cheek a few times until the brute knocked me across the face with his heavy fist. Someone really doesn't like a stowaway. Then the bruiser himself had a nasty idea.

My attacker pulls the lever next to me that opens the ramp of the cargo hold. Right where he could toss me overboard thousands of feet in the air. Not cool, Caulfield. Not cool. I stupidly smack my opponent across the face. Then I reach for my gun, but not before my assailant swipes it from my holster and smacks it across my face. And then tossing the gun away to disarm me and heave me over to the ramp to throw me down to my doom.

"No, no, no!" I panicked. "Let's – let's talk about this!"

The brute throws me onto the ramp like a log and I fumble. Though I'm not quite tossed over the edge, I'm about to as my opponent attempts to finish me. I get on my feet again and the brute seizes me by my shirt again as I as he could. I slap his two cheeks with my two the makes him break his grasp and then I kick him in the chest to start fighting back. I could see trees and farmland down on the nature preserve next door to Rome from up on this ramp.

I punch the brute on his knees across the face as many times as I could until the brute ducks my next throw and I duck back from his throw he swings at me. I swing my fist again at my opponent but is blocked by his fist. The brute swings his leg at me for kick and I dodge it. Then I kick back in his groin, headbutt him, then throw my last few punches at him to knock him down on the ramp. But not out on the ramp. I had an idea to finish the fight.

I walk up the ramp back inside the hold and find a box of cargo with a handle that opens a parachute. The brute got up on the ramp and I could use this cargo to parachute it out and ram it into the big guy. I pull on the handle as hard as I could until parachute is released and cause the cargo to slide down the ramp and bump into the brute himself. Throwing him overboard with the cargo.

"Thanks for flying with us!" I shouted.

Unfortunately for me, I inadvertently managed to release all the cargo with it. From a truck that went down with the box to crates and luggage sliding out of the hold and down the ramp. It just keeps getting better.

"Oh, fuck no," I said. "Oh, no, no, no!"

I trying avoiding the loose cargo until a crate hits me and sends me flying down the ramp. I roll on top of two trucks hooked to one another that are dangling of the ramp. Then grab onto some leather tie downs on the truck carrying crates and dangling off the ramp. Right where I'm about to collapse to my fatal fall. This was beginning to feel like a moment from the Mission: Impossible film series. A scene from Rogue Nation specifically. This was also not a movie either. This was cereal.

This was not the time nor place to panic. I held on as tight as I could for dear life and climbed up the leather ties and see ConDef soldiers shooting at me from the ramp. One of the soldiers lost his grip and fell above the trucks with me. The soldier held onto the ties right above me. I climb next to him, take his gun, and kick him off the dangling truck. Sending him falling to his death like the brute I threw offboard.

"See ya!" I yelled.

With a rifle in my hand, I can now defend myself against the ConDef troops who want me off the plane. I jump toward the other truck dangling off the edge and eventually put my feet back on the ramp. Right before I was able to shoot down the ConDef men with their rifles trained on me, they were already gunned down by my big cousin of mine. Who had already escaped herself with a rifle in her hand.

"Need a hand, little cousin?!" Alex asked.

"Alex, you're alive!" I shouted.

"No thanks to you! What kept your ass?!"

"Minor setbacks."

"Don't look very minor to me."

More ConDef were still shooting at us inside the hold. We took cover behind the crates and defended ourselves with our guns. The crates were sliding left and right in the hold as well as sliding back and forth. We needed to be really cautious about where we duck and cover and shot back at the ConDef at the same time.

"How the hell do we get off this trash heap?!" Alex muttered. "I've had enough of these ConFucks to last a day!"

"There's some parachutes on those crates! We could use those to get off this plane!"

Then something smelled wrong. The smell of something burning came from inside the cargo hold. The stench of gasoline was coming from inside the hold. Someone must have accidentally shot down something flammable on this plane to make it burn. If someone shot the fuel, this plane could explode and crash down in any minute.

"Max, something smells wrong!" Alex warned. Sniffing her nostrils. "Is that burning I smell?!"

Not only could I smell something burning myself, but I could also see fire igniting out of the metal floor. Setting off a fire alarm onboard turning the room into a flashing red light as its emergency lights.

"The plane's on fire, Alex!" I hollered. "She's gonna blow! We have to get off now!"

I could overhear one of the soldiers shouting out "We're losing control!" in the room. Eventually, the turbulence of the fire blows a hull breach through the metal wall. Sending soldiers flying out of the planes to their deaths.

"FUCK!" I screamed.

Then suddenly, another massive hull breach blows away the cockpit of the plane. Causing a vacuum of air to suck Alex and I out with the remaining cargo left onboard. I hang onto something with all my muscles. I grab Alex's hand to keep from flying out. Inevitably, I release ourselves out of the plane and through the hull right into the open air where the vacuum sends us astray five thousand feet in the sky. The of us scream ourselves to death when it happens.

As two of hold hands and fly like Superman and Lois Lane, the cargo plane that was nothing else but burning metal comes crashing land past us. I spot a cargo crate flying in the air without its parachute open. I guide our descent towards the crate and the two of us grab onto the leather ties to hang on. Then I pull the parachute open and we're now gradually descending to the nature preserve. We hear and see the plane hitting the ground with a big boom. Safe at last.

"Oh, thank god," I said. Catching my breath from the action.

Cayce

July 21st, 2017

4:46 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Idaho Airspace

I take a breath and a sip of water from my canteen from all the fighting I did today with my commander and team. Lynch was flying the Seahawk we boarded with all of Valor Team and the Marsh family. I lend Kristine my canteen to offer her a sip and she takes it. I was still concerned about keeping her secret from the team. What's worse than being tried for betrayal is being tried for secrecy. Making David and me as good as traitors ourselves. Maybe it isn't too late to make Kristine confess her relationship with the Herd of Whales. Maybe I can inform Admiral Penske about this which would insubordinate my chain of command. But might just be the right thing to do whatever the cost.

"You still got the script we obtained, Commander?" I asked.

"I sure do," replied David. "Right here."

"Your bravery has answered our prayers, Valor Team," said Richard. "We are in your debt indeed."

"If God is love, Father," said Heard. "You can call me Cupid."

"Thanks again for saving us, David," said Kate. "You're now my hero I always wanted you to be."

"You're a great kid, Kate," said David. "You deserve better than how I used to act out on you. I admit it."

"I wouldn't count on pets being allowed on the Oregon, miss," said Cage. "Just to let you know."

"Why did you have to drag Alice with us anyway, Kate?" Richard asked. "You and that rabbit."

"I'll never leave Alice behind not knowing when we'd be back home," said Kate. "Plus, I have to feed her every day and I won't let her starve."

"Unless you can make exceptions for my daughter's pet," said Mary. "That would be wonderful now that she's brought her."

"I've seen someone's dog on the refugee deck," said Logos. "She might be able to take that cute bunny with her."

"Where are you taking us?" The girl named Lynn asked. "I want to go home."

"It's Lynn, right?" Kristine asked. "We're taking you to the USCC Oregon. A Chrysalis freighter of the first fleet. You'll be safe there with us until this war is over."

"It's Kate, correct?" I asked the girl named Kate. "You know I think I've heard of you before. Years back, your incident at Blackwell was on every article I saw. Saying something about another girl saving you from a roof."

"About what I asked earlier, David," said Kate. "Back at the church. That voice we heard. Who was he? He sounded like he knew you. And he knew Max too."

David sighed.

"How about we keep that classified, Kate," he replied. "Maybe we can talk about that onthe Oregon. No exceptions. I don't even want to think about why he said Max's name or what he said about her is true. At least I can't confirm nor deny that…for now."

Alex

July 21st, 2017

3:43 PM

5 miles from Rome

Riserva Naturale

Max and I walk down the wreckage of the burning plane puffing out smoke from its fire like a chimney. Right after a gentle landing from the parachute cargo. There were shattered crates and totaled trucks scattered around the crash site that had fallen out of the hold. In the middle of the wreckage, we had found the Eon Codex lying around in the grass that I picked up as soon as I found it.

"Well, at least we got our codex back," said Alex.

"But no shard?" Max asked.

"It's with Joanna. So, how did you wound up here as I did? I was pretty sure that got rid of you as soon as they took Frank and me with them."

"Long story short, I got shot with that same dart that dosed Fernando and ended up here. Frank already told me your story."

"Shit, you got dosed with a hallucinogen too? How did that happen?"

"I don't even want to talk about. Let's just take what we have, find the others, and get back to the hotel. I've had enough mayhem with ConDef today."

We hear a moving vehicle approach the wreckage. It was Rachel driving a jeep with Frank and Dad. Must've followed us here to the crash. The three of them get off the 4x4 and are relieved of our safety.

"Max, holy shit!" Rachel shouted. Running after us. "You made it!"

"Alex!" Bryan called. "Thank heavens you're still in one piece!"

"Dad!" I called.

I hug my father and Max hugs Rachel. Frank joins the party too and soon we're all reunited back to the way we were.

"What the fuck happened up there?" Rachel asked Max. "We followed the plane and saw it explode and crash down out of nowhere. We thought the two of you were killed!"

"Sarcastically speaking," said Max. "I was on the wrong flight."

"So, you still have the shard and codex?" Dad asked me.

"Well, I conveniently found the codex lying around here," I said. "The shard, unfortunately, is out of our grasp and with Joan's. And soon, Ares's."

"So now what?" Frank asked. "Mission accomplished? Mission failed?"

"Both," said Max. "Even if Ares does have four shards now, our next stop is going to be in the Mediterranean islands where the Time Shard is. Then Meridian Prime where the Ark of Genesis will be."

"And what about the Space Shard?" Rachel asked. "The one in Lebanon?"

"Why don't we all get back to the hotel and discuss our successes and failures there? My gut says we get the Time Shard first. If everyone's cool."

"Works with me," I said.

Note: And so, I wrap up this long action-packed chapter after a long two weeks of college busyness. On the positive side, only one chapter left! On the negative side, I still have the mid-terms that I've been working on this past couple of weeks that's due on Halloween. Nevertheless, I'll be sure to schedule the last chapter of this episode in between. Should be posted by the end of the month or the first few days of November.

Until next time, stay tuned and golden!