Escape to Earth 1: Running From Fate (23 page)

Salud tilted her head, “But you drank it!”

“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I must say that now I kinda like it.” They sat down in their beach chairs and watched the first glow appear on the horizon. They drank their coffee in silence and soon the edge of the sun appeared and Salud shook her head, “You know, each day the sun makes me think that anything is possible.”

“It’s nothing but radioactive material in quantities beyond our wildest dreams.”

Salud looked at him, “Let’s go make the call.” Lukas nodded and stood up. They turned toward the cottage and Salud said, “Look, Joey had your new Corvette delivered.”

Lukas looked over at the parking lot and squinted at the car, “That’s not the car he bought me.” Salud tilted her head and Lukas dropped his coffee cup and sprinted toward the car. Salud stood still for a moment and then sprinted after him. He stopped beside the car and both doors opened. Lukas jumped in and Salud jumped in the passenger’s seat a moment later, “Why didn’t you tell me you were back!?”

“I didn’t want to broadcast a signal that might be picked up by the probe watching the planet.”

“I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.”

“Thank you.”

“How did you get back without being seen?”

“I’ve spent the last month disrupting places in the void.”

“Why did you do that?”

“I had to get it down to a science. I had to disrupt the void in just the right manner so that I would be thrown here on the side of the planet away from that probe’s location.”

Lukas shook his head, “You also had to emerge from the void the instant you were in the planet’s shadow. That sounds impossible.”

“That’s why it took me a month.”

“You are a godsend.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I’ve built a large converter but don’t have the power to run it.”

“Where is it?”

“Drive over to the building’s vertical door. The Corvette backed up and moved around the metal building. Lukas pressed the small remote on his keychain and the huge door stared up. The Corvette moved into the building.

“Now that’s a good job.”

“The wrist unit you left me actually had all the pieces made.”

Even so, all you’re lacking is a power source.”

“Can you help us with that?”

“Take one of those power packs and put it in the back.”

The door opened and Lukas went and used a forklift to pick up the three hundred pound pack. He moved it over the rear of the Corvette and dropped it in the back. The car didn’t even sag from the weight. Salud smiled, “You’re pretty strong.”

“I don’t use shock absorbers. Give me a moment.” Salud waited and heard, “You need to step out.” Salud stepped out of the car and it suddenly changed shape. Salud gasped at the teardrop shaped ship that was suddenly in place of the corvette. “Lukas, take the wires out of the control room and attach them to the leads on the converter.”

Lukas ran over to the pod and the main door on the top opened. Lukas climbed up to the control room, popped the top of a box next to the command chair, and pulled two heavy wires out. The pod moved around the converter until the wires were long enough to reach the leads and Lukas attached them. “Are you ready?”

“Turn it on.” Lukas flipped the power switch and the lights on the converter went to full brilliance.

It started humming and the Pod said over a speaker, “I’m going to continue to feed it power until it creates its own power source. Once it’s operational, it will convert material to provide the power it needs.”

“I wasn’t able to build a control console for it.”

“You can put the wrist unit inside it and it will take over the main duties.”

“I hate to give it up.”

“I’ll make you a new one. However, I’m going to need a high-speed laptop for every ship you build to make the computers for them. Starting from inert material will take forever.”

Lukas grabbed Salud and hugged her. She returned his hug and said, “Calling you Pod seems so, so…”

“Impersonal?”

“Exactly. What name would you like us to use?”

There were a few moments of silence and the pod said, “Willow.”

Lukas did a double take, “Where did you come up with that?”

“There was a fantasy movie about a baby princess that was protected from an evil queen. That baby’s name was Willow. It was also the name of the movie.”

Lukas stared at the pod, “You mean you’re female!?”

Salud elbowed him in the ribs, “Of course she’s female. Who are the most ardent protectors of their children? Of course she’s a she.” The pod actually laughed. Salud said, “What’s funny?”

“I imagine if the Sentinels are watching this they are confounded again.”

Lukas laughed with it but the pod was right; the Sentinels were shocked into silence for a long time.

“Lukas, why have you built the huge building next to this one?”

“That is where we’ll build the assembly plant.”

“Wouldn’t it be much easier to build a larger converter and just have it build the ship? That’s how it’s done in the Fellowship.”

“Is that possible?”

“If it’s big enough, you could make one of those buildings.”

“I promised the locals that there would be jobs for them. I’d hate to go back on my promise.”

“Can you build another building that attaches to this one?”

Lukas thought about it for a minute and said, “I believe so. What are you thinking?”

“We’re going to need the force field modules along with the disruptor’s inner module put together. Once you have the diamonds, you can install them in the modules and put them in the ships.”

“How heavy will those modules be?”

Salud, you’ll be able to lift the heaviest with one hand. The disruptor’s cannon barrel and housing will already be in the ship. You’ll just have to put the control module for the disruptor on each side and the ship will absorb it. You’ll just have to throw the force field units into the ships’ converter like you did with me.”

Lukas looked at Salud, “Where are we with the diamonds?”

“I’ll have to contact my father. I’ll let you know.”

Lukas looked around, “That converter you’re describing is going to have to be a giant.”

“Yes, but the one that you build will build the parts for a larger one and it in turn will build an even larger one. You feed the pieces of the old converter into the new ones along with other raw material. You should have what you need within a month or so.”

“How are we going to power the ships?”

“The final converter will convert material into the nuclear material needed to run the reactor.”

“We need to get Trevor here to design the control module for the disruptors.”

“If you intend to hire labor, you should start making the parts shortly.”

Lukas nodded and picked up his phone.

• • •

Jinks sat in the coffee shop and looked out the front glass. He had been there every day for two months and he was thankful that winter had finally given way to spring. He went outside and sat down on the bench with his coffee and looked up at the sun. This is what made enduring the winter worth it. He looked across the street and his eyes narrowed. He lifted his phone and pressed nine.

• • •

He waited and in fifteen minutes, Stoney arrived. He glanced across the street and Jinks handed him a large coffee. “Thanks. When did she arrive?”

“About forty minutes ago.”

“When do we make our move?”

Jinks saw Salud come out of the Jewelry store carrying a box and he stood up, “NOW!” They walked across the street and arrived just as Salud lifted the trunk on the BMW. Jinks said, “Do you need a hand with that?” Salud gave a start and turned around. Jinks saw her fear. “Don’t worry Miss Vazquez, we’re not here to cause problems.”

Salud stared at the Seal, shook her head, and said, “Why do I not believe you?”

“My companion and I are no longer in the armed forces of the United States. Both of us resigned our commissions more than three months ago.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because he and I want to help you do whatever it is you’re doing.” Salud put the box in the trunk and thought about whether or not she could make it in the car before they grabbed her. Jinks stepped to the driver’s door and opened it. Salud stared at him with a furrowed brow and Jinks said, “I thought about your ‘just suppose’ game for a long time after we played it. Before you go, will you play it one more time?” Salud walked around to the driver’s door and paused. She turned and nodded. Jinks smiled, “Just suppose that being that came here to help us built a space ship that is powerful enough to take on those ships out on the edge of the Solar System, what would happen if one government possessed those ships?”

Salud stared at Jinks. Jinks then said, “I’ve seen dictatorships of all kinds from religious to just outright evil men. Nothing leads to corrupt power faster than absolute power.”

“What do you want, Colonel?”

Stoney said, “He was a General when he resigned.”

Salud looked at Stoney and then back at Jinks, “Same question, General.”

“I did a real background check on you before I resigned. I discovered your father is world renown for his expertise in cutting diamonds. I called him and was told he was out of the country purchasing diamonds. One plus one equals two. He’s getting them for you.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Jinks sighed, “Miss Vazquez, when we first met, you told me things about myself that I was amazed you saw. Can you not see what I want?”

Salud stared into Jink’s eyes and then looked at the other man. She turned back to Jinks, “You want salvation.”

“In the biggest way.”

Salud took a breath and shook her head, “I can’t make this kind of mistake just based on my judgment.”

“Sometimes, that’s the best way to make a mistake.”

Salud stared at them and her cell phone started vibrating. She took it out and said, “You’re watching this?”

“Hand him the phone.”

Salud handed Jinks the phone and he said, “Now that’s a good trick. You called when I met her the first time.”

“I did. What’s on your mind, General?”

“I want to make my life count for something. I’ve seen what’s coming and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it…except maybe you. I cannot just stand by and allow it to happen without putting up a fight.”

“You could have reported this to your government.”

“And then I’d be fighting against it in the future when it tried to conquer the rest of the planet. No, you are the only chance we have.”

“That’s a rather long leap, General.”

“I was there when the positrons were found where you parked that car of yours. It’s not as long as you think.”

Lukas laughed, “Give Salud the phone.” Jinks handed her the phone and Lukas said, “You want to bring him in with us, don’t you?”

Salud stared at Jinks and said, “He has a tortured soul. It’s the human thing to do.”

“What about the other one?”

“If the first goes, he won’t be far behind.”

“Bring them in.”

“ARE YOU SURE?”

“No, but you are and that’s enough.”

Salud hung up the phone, “Is there anyone you need to contact before we go?”

Jinks looked at Stoney, “My only family member is here with me.” Stoney looked at Jinks and Salud saw his eyes start to moisten.

She closed the door to the car and said, “Come with me, I have some more packages to pick up.”

An hour later, they were on a jet leaving Boston. Jinks stared down at the city and Salud said, “Are you already missing it?”

“I must say that I’m leaving her when she’s at her best.” Salud nodded and looked out the window. Spring was in the air and Boston was amazing. But wait until he saw the beach.

Chapter Fifteen

“So what exactly are you doing here?

“Our business licenses say we’re building hybrid cars.”

Jinks stared at Lukas, “Really?”

“Really.”

“They must be some remarkable vehicles.”

“Would you like to see one?”

“By all means.”

Lukas led them into the metal building and walked over to what looked like a new Corvette. Jinks’ eyes narrowed and he looked at Lukas, “You didn’t build this?”

“No, I didn’t. But the ones we do build will be very much like this one.”

Jinks shook his head “I thought you were building something to help us against what’s out at the Solar System’s edge.” Lukas lifted his wrist unit and whispered. Suddenly, the corvette rose four feet off the concrete floor and changed shape. A moment later, a twenty-two foot long teardrop shaped ship hung above the floor. Jinks and Stoney jumped back as soon as the corvette came off the floor and both of them were shocked at the sudden transformation. “Perhaps I was a little hasty in my opinion.”

Lukas laughed, “Perhaps you were.”

Stoney stared at the pod and shook his head slowly, “I have got to have me one of those.” He looked at Lukas, “When will you give me one?”

Jinks put his hand on Stoney’s shoulder, “Not so fast my friend. We have to earn his trust first.”

Lukas shook his head, “You already have it and the first two we make will belong to Joey and Salud. The next two will be yours and I’m going to need you to get up to speed on what it can do as quickly as possible.”

Jinks looked at Lukas, “Why is that?”

“The two of you are going to teach our pilots how to operate them.”

Jinks shook his head, “I really thought I was crazy to consider that you were still on the planet. Now this is rather sudden.”

“Why didn’t you turn Salud into the government?”

Jinks looked at Lukas, then at Stoney, and back to Lukas, “Stoney and I led a mission in Iraq to save some female hostages being held by terrorists. We made it in to where they were being held and were preparing to go in and take out the bad guys. Our CIA liaison contacted us and told us to back off and report back to base. I argued with him that we could save them but he said HQ had reached an agreement with the leader of the terrorists and that they were going to help them with info on another terrorist leader. I was ready to go in anyway but I was given a direct order to stand down.”

Lukas stared at Jinks, “What happened?”