Transmission: Voodoo Plague Book 5 (8 page)

I could have stood there holding Rachel in my arms for the
rest of the afternoon, but there were infected and razorbacks in the area and
it was looking more and more like one hell of a storm was brewing.  We needed
to get somewhere safe, but first things first.  Where was Jackson?

The smile at being reunited with me disappeared from Rachel’s
face and she told me her story in a low, quiet voice. Finished, she took my
hand and led me to a ditch on the north side of the freeway where she pointed
at a half submerged truck sitting in the bottom.  I asked her to stay at the
top and keep watch, heading into the flooded cut in the ground when she nodded. 
I told Dog to stay with her, wanting his superior senses to help keep an eye
out for danger. 

Wading through the water, I climbed into the back of the
truck, made my way forward and stuck my head into the cab through the broken
rear window.  I’d known Jackson all of two days, but combat has a way of
compressing time and forging bonds.  He was my friend, and he was dead.  He
deserved better.  We all did.  Reaching out I pulled his vest and clothing
aside and removed one of his dog tags, slipping it into my pocket.  A small,
gold cross hung from its own chain around his neck, and I gently placed it atop
his clothing. 

Saying goodbye, I made my way back to where Rachel was
standing with her rifle up and ready.  I had noticed the heavy equipment
earlier and now walked over to the backhoe.  Climbing into the cab, I was
pleased to find the keys dangling from the ignition.  Pleased and surprised,
but I wasn’t going to complain when luck finally came my way.

Starting the big vehicle, I played with the different levers
for a few minutes until I got a feel for how the machine operated.  I wouldn’t
be doing the precision excavating that was required for most construction jobs,
so I wasn’t worried about practicing for what I had to do.  Driving the machine
to the side of the ditch, I scooped up a big bucketful of dirt, pivoted the arm
and dumped it into the ditch on top of the truck.  I kept at it until the hole
was filled in and Jackson was buried.  It was the best I could do for a fallen
brother.  Leaving the backhoe where it was, I turned off the engine and climbed
down.

  “OK, we need to get the hell out of here.”  I said.  “But
first, I have something in my pack for you.” 

Rachel followed me to the Lexus, a curious expression on her
face.  Dog was ranging around the area after having thoroughly checked out each
of the dead razorbacks.  Pulling out my pack, I retrieved one of the syringes
I’d filled with vaccine when I turned the box I’d received from Irina in for
study.  I had brought two doses, but unfortunately only needed one.

I gave Rachel an abbreviated version of what it was, but
after her experience with the girls’ parents, and then Jackson, she didn’t
require any convincing.  Turning, she unfastened her pants and lowered them to
expose her ass.  Tearing open an alcohol swab, I cleaned a small area and stuck
the needle in.  She twitched slightly, looking over her shoulder at me.

“That was a little bit of revenge for all those antibiotic
shots, wasn’t it?”  She asked with a grin.

“No.  That wasn’t.  This is.”  I said, pushing the plunger. 
Rachel looked confused for a second, and then her eyes opened wide.

“Holy shit!  That hurts!  Bad!”  She said, reaching back and
rubbing the spot where I’d injected her. 

She rubbed hard for a few seconds, pulled her pants back up and
kept rubbing.  Dog trotted up and sat on my foot as I closed my pack and tossed
it into the SUV.  Rachel walked in a tight circle, rubbing her ass and shooting
me an occasional look that said somehow this was my fault.  I grinned, opened
the back door and waved Dog inside the Lexus. 

A few minutes later we were all inside the vehicle, driving
west.  Rachel was still grumbling, wriggling around in her seat as the painful
vaccine spread through her muscles.  Dog seemed delighted for things to be back
to normal, taking a seat on the back floor and resting his chin on the leather
upholstered console between the two front seats.  I had to agree with him.  It
felt good to have the three of us back together.

I pushed our speed up, wanting to get farther west before
the storm struck.  Even though it was still afternoon, and the sun was shining
brightly somewhere, it was gloomy under the oppressive overcast.  Rachel
finally settled down, reached across the console and took my hand in hers.

“Thank you for finding me.”  She said, giving my hand a
squeeze. 

“Try not to get lost again.  OK?”  I said, squeezing back. 
She smiled and relaxed back into her seat.

I tried not to let myself think about the change in our
relationship that had just happened.  I hadn’t planned it, and in fact was
surprised at myself.  But, it had happened.  And it felt good.  Until I thought
about Katie.  Suddenly, I felt like shit.  Like I was betraying my wife. 

There was only a very remote chance she was still alive.  I
was finally ready to acknowledge the facts and not keep going on hope and
fantasy.  If she was alive, somewhere without the vaccine, she could have
already turned.  And if she hadn’t turned yet, she would within a very few days
according to GRU Captain Irina Vostov. 

I wanted to share my thoughts with Rachel, but I realized if
I did she might wind up feeling like a consolation prize.  Nothing could be
farther from the truth.  I’d still feel the same way about Rachel if Katie were
sitting at Tinker waiting for me.  I just wouldn’t have acted on my feelings. 
But that wasn’t something I thought I could articulate without hurting her. 
Damn it.

“You alright?”  Rachel asked, reclined in the leather seat,
head turned in my direction.

“Honestly, right now I’m about as alright as I’m probably
ever going to be.”  I answered, smiling.  Giving up unrealistic hope and moving
on is a freeing experience.

Colonel Crawford broke the secure video link to Hawaii,
Admiral Packard’s image blinking out a second later.  They’d had a lot to
discuss, and the call had lasted a long time.  Captain Blanchard, who had
stayed quiet and out of view of the camera, stepped up and shut down the
computer that was used for video calls.  Air Force Brigadier General Triplett,
commander of Tinker Air Force Base, sat across the table from Crawford.  He was
a good administrator and did a good job of running the base, but he wasn’t a tactician
or a warrior.  Fortunately, he readily acknowledged that fact and had no
problem deferring to the Admiral and Colonel on strategic matters.

Their first topic had been the immediate commencement of
mass production of the vaccine.  Crawford had urged they begin producing it as
quickly as possible, and the Admiral had agreed.  General Triplett already had
Air Force personnel on the way to the University to oversee the production ramp
up and ensure there was vaccine being manufactured around the clock.  He would
take on managing the distribution of the completed product and the
prioritization of inoculations.

They had moved on to several other topics, including
airlifting some needed supplies from stores on the mainland to Hawaii.  A
couple of hours into the conference, the Admiral had muted the microphone on
his end and they had seen an aide step into the camera frame.  Packard’s unruly
eyebrows had shot up, then he’d unmuted and told Crawford that a Russian GRU
officer was calling on a secure US military circuit, demanding to speak with
Major John Chase.

The Colonel was as surprised as Packard, suggesting the caller
be joined to their conference so both of them could hear why the Russians
wanted to speak with Major Chase.  The Admiral agreed, glancing off to the side
at an aide.  A moment later there was a dual tone beep indicating a voice
caller had joined the video conference.

“This is Admiral Packard, United States Navy.  To whom am I
speaking?”

“Admiral, my name is Captain Irina Vostov.  I’m with the GRU
of the Russian Federation.  It is urgent that I speak with Major John Chase of
your Army on a most serious matter.”  Packard looked out of the screen at the
Colonel and nodded for him to speak.

“Captain, this is Colonel Crawford.  I’m Major Chase’s
commanding officer.  We’re on a secure line.  What is this matter?”

There was a long pause and Crawford was about to ask if she
was still on the line when she spoke again.

“If you are truly his commanding officer, you will know what
I gave him and what he gave me.”

Crawford hesitated.  If this were really the GRU Captain the
Major had briefed him about, then it would hurt nothing to reveal what he
knew.  But how could he be sure?  What if this was an attempt by the Russians
to catch the real Captain Vostov? 

“If you’re really Captain Vostov, you can tell me the
specific injuries one of Major Chase’s team suffered while opening the loading
bay doors during exfiltration from Los Alamos.”  It was the only event he could
come up with that had a specific answer, but wasn’t important enough for anyone
that wasn’t there to have all the details.

“That would be Technical Sergeant Scott.  He fell and broke
his right arm, below the elbow.  He also suffered a head injury and lost
consciousness.  How is he, by the way?”  She hadn’t hesitated for a second. 
Certainly hadn’t had to look through notes to come up with the correct answer.

Crawford looked up and nodded at the Admiral, letting him
know the correct answer had been given.

“Thank you, Captain.”  The Colonel said.  “Scott is
recovering nicely.  So, are you calling about the vaccine, or the three special
packages the Major gave you?”

“The packages, Colonel.  They were on board an Antonov cargo
plane bound for Moscow.  Two hours ago you shot that plane down as it took off
from Kirtland Air Force Base.  I want to know why you are going back on the
deal I made with Major Chase.”  Her voice had a hard edge to it as she spoke.

“Captain, I assure you I did not shoot down any Russian
plane two hours ago.”  Crawford said, Admiral Packard interjecting before Irina
could respond.

“Captain, Admiral Packard.  That plane was shot down on my
standing orders.  As I’m sure you can understand, things move slowly within the
chain of command, and they’re moving even slower after the attacks on my
country.  Updated orders had not yet reached the team that fired on your
plane.  No one has violated the agreement you made with the Major.”

There was silence on the line as Irina thought about what
she’d just been told.  “I accept your explanation, Admiral.”  She finally said
after a nearly a minute.  “But we now have a problem.  There’s a madman in the
Kremlin and my comrades and I no longer have any way to stop him.  If he’s not
stopped, the vaccine will only delay the inevitable for America.  He is
determined to destroy your country to the last man.”

“Please stand by, Captain.”  Packard pushed a button that
placed Irina on hold, isolating her from the call.  “What do you think, Jack?” 
He asked Colonel Crawford.  Use of the Colonel’s first name told him the
Admiral wanted the pure, unvarnished truth.

“I think we have three specials in our possession.  If we
can trust this woman, whom I’m still not one hundred percent sure about, those
three bombs won’t do us any good.  Sure, we can deliver one to each of the
three Air Force bases they’ve captured, but what will that really gain us?  A
few dead Russians?  They’ll fly replacements in within 24 hours.

“My opinion is that we don’t have a better option than
making a leap of faith and supplying her with whatever she asks for.  I’ve been
doing some research today, and her uncle is Fleet Admiral Shevchenko.  He’s
about as moderate as a Russian gets, and personally I’d much rather see him in
control of Russia than this asshole Barinov who’s been butt fucking us for the
past month.  Sir.”

Packard smiled and nodded.  “Succinctly put, Colonel.  OK,
I’m bringing her back on.”

“Captain Vostov?”

“Admiral, I’m still here.”

“Captain, we are prepared to provide you with whatever
equipment and support you require, but I need to check with my superiors first.” 
Packard said.

“That’s not acceptable, Admiral!  I made a deal with Major
Chase, and the inefficiency of your military is the only reason we’re even
having this conversation.  I have honored our deal, and I expect you to do the
same.  I happen to know you don’t have any superiors to check with.  Do not
forget I’m GRU.  I know you are the highest ranking survivor, and that your
President and Congress are all dead.  Do not play games with me!”  Irina’s
voice was hard and loud.  The woman was obviously under a lot of stress.

“Captain, there are things you don’t know.  I will recommend
we supply you with what you need, but I will not hand over special packages
without proper approval.  Major Chase should not have done so, either, and
under any other circumstances he’d being facing trial and quite possibly
execution.” 

She was quiet for a long time before speaking again.  “Apologies
for my tone, Admiral.  It has been a long day.”

“Captain, besides the special packages, do you need anything
else?”  Crawford interjected.

“No, Colonel.  We have everything else well in hand.”

“Very good.  Assuming Admiral Packard receives approval, how
would you like to go about collecting the items from us?”  He asked.

“2200 hours tomorrow I will be in El Paso, Texas.  It is
just far enough outside of our CAP that you can come in without being detected,
but close enough that my pilot can deviate from his patrol without drawing
scrutiny.”

“Are you sure?”  Crawford asked.  “Between El Paso and
Juarez there are about three million infected people wandering around.”

“The location will be secure.  I will call back in precisely
16 hours for the Admiral’s answer and with the rendezvous coordinates.  You
will have Major Chase available for me to speak with.  If I don’t hear his
voice, no coordinates.  Also, he must be the one to deliver the devices.  He’s
the only one I trust to not start shooting simply because his orders didn’t get
updated.”

Crawford glanced up at the screen, Admiral Packard looking
like he’d just sucked on a particularly sour lemon.

“That may be difficult, Captain.  He is currently out of
radio contact, searching for some missing personnel.”  The Colonel said.

“Colonel – I’ve studied the United States Army for the
majority of my adult life.  I know how resourceful you are, how swiftly you can
move when you must.  Even allowing for what has happened to your country.  Find
him and have him standing by for my call tomorrow.  Dosvedanya.”  The dual tone
beep sounded again, only in reverse order, letting them know she had
disconnected.