An Unlikely Hero (1) (21 page)

The director wasn’t sure when he began to observe a change in Chase Hunter. He’d become sullen, irritable, and short tempered. Normally, Chase was quiet and understanding of his students’ needs, but a year ago he’d gotten wind of him over reacting to a student’s lack of interest in his class and failed him. Although the student went through appropriate channels to rectify the problem, Chase would not budge. The English department sided with their professor but not without a severe warning. The chairman of the department notified Chase of the formal grievance with no penalty only to suffer a threatening confrontation resulting in security being called.

Although many men envied Chase when it came to the ladies, Ben worried that his behavior of
love them and leave them
might eventually be his undoing. There was never any joy in his love life; nothing ever lasted more than a month or two, and several hearts had been broken in the process, which Chase had given little thought or concern. “Time to move on,” he’d say. “She was getting a little clingy.”

But the overall attitude of the team leader eroded into a dismal, unsympathetic soldier that carried a very large chip on his shoulder. Chase didn’t know how to cry or laugh, or so Ben thought until yesterday when he’d gotten off the elevator laughing at something Mrs. Tessa Scott had said. His face was bright with interest and humor, even under such tense circumstances. Ben noticed Chase watched her every move, when she was working with Vernon, and especially when Carter Johnson had strolled over to offer a comment. Chase had gotten in between Sam and Mrs. Scott, threatening to banish a valued team member if harm came to the woman. Even Chase’s best friend, Zoric, had been nudged into line for staring too openly at the fresh faced housewife from Grass Valley. Ben witnessed the whole scene by audio at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Chase remained in complete control, as always, but there was something different about him. Could it be that Mrs. Scott had touched a nerve in the mighty Chase Hunter? Would she turn him into someone more human, or enhance his already protective killer instinct?

His phone rang; the direct line to Carter and Sam at Los Alamos.

“Carter?” As always Ben’s voice was the epitome of calm and reason.

“Not good news, Ben. This place is going to blow if we don’t smoke out the two remaining guys impersonating Homeland Security agents. They’ve accessed the nuclear laboratory where all the experimental work on future deterrent capabilities is housed. The Complex Transformation system is well underway here.”

“English, Carter!”

“This Complex Transformation system would enable us to take our nuclear weapons to a more responsive level during a national emergency. Although they don’t seem to want anything, their goal appears to be to destroy as much of the work here as possible. The United States no longer has the nuclear capability as during the Cold War. This system can predict how best to use what we have and to create other nuclear deterrents quicker and more efficiently. The door would be open to see our shortcomings, Ben. It’s an Achilles heel. Maybe not tomorrow or next year, but in the future our inability to respond to a nuclear threat will be a result of today.”

Ben heard Carter talking to someone else. “Talk to me, Carter.”

“Sam says one of the combatants we captured earlier says these guys have the ability to transfer our research to some overseas server. Vernon is going in the back door to stall them while LANL’s people shore up security. He’s pretty good at placing obstacles. He’ll do it, Ben.”

“No way to storm the lab where they’re holed up?” Ben already knew if it could’ve been done, Sam and Carter would be in there now.

“The outer wall has been booby trapped with plastic explosives. If we go in the entire lab goes, research and all. What we can do is pipe gas through the duct work. Just have to figure out how. You’d think with this many brains in one place we’d be doing more than sucking up all the oxygen.”

Ben half smiled at his man Carter. Leave it to him to see something humorous in a dangerous situation. “How long, Carter?”

Carter looked over at Vernon who rapped at top speed on the keyboard of his computer. Other computer gurus assisted, taking orders from time to time from Vernon on what maneuver to try next. When Vernon threw his hands in the air with a wild yelp, he gave Carter thumbs up.

“Most of the research has been transferred to a dummy account. Our not so smart hackers in there think they’ve sent all the files to someone in the Cape Verde Islands.”

“You’re sure?” Carter demanded, knowing how cocky the young genius could be with his computer brain and ego.

Vernon turned his head slightly as he pushed thick red locks of hair away from his face. His face flushed a bit at being questioned about something no one else knew more about than him. His lips puckered in a mock pout. “Pretty sure,” he taunted.

Carter took a step toward Vernon, one fist doubled, the other raising his nine millimeter pistol enough to pose a threat. “You’d better be damn sure, Vern or so help me I’ll shoot you along with the other terrorists.”

“Dude,” Vernon smiled nervously, knowing Carter was not in a read between the lines mood, “I’m sure. Chill out. These guys,” he nodded toward four other computer analysts, “are almost as good as me! Right guys?” Vernon held up his hand to high five them. They did so reluctantly as they kept a skeptical eye on Carter Johnson.

Sam shouldered her weapon and ruffled Vernon’s red locks then pulled playfully at his left ear. “Good job!” she smiled warmly. “If Vernon says he got the research then believe him,” she said sliding a slim, silky hand down Vernon’s face, which nearly paralyzed him with desire.

“Got it!” one of the computer scientists proclaimed.

Vernon smiled as he looked at the five screens before him. “We have visual, Carter. Pulling up their bios now.” Carter came to stand behind Vernon with Sam. She purposely leaned into Vernon to view the screen with a keener eye. Laying her cheek gently against his drove him to type faster. His heart frozen with embarrassment, Vernon realized he’d not shaved that morning, not that he needed to every day, but still the thought of Sam’s warm cheek touching his made him want this moment to be as perfect and memorable for her as it was for him. “These guys have no facial recognition profiles. I’ve sent them to the FBI for their files.”

Sam straightened her tall, slim frame. “They’re in somebody’s file, Vernon. They couldn’t have made it this far without some working knowledge of this place, computer technology and the importance of new age deterrent strategies. Check,” Sam gave him a verbal list of ideas which he started imputing almost as fast as she spoke them. “Here it is! Samantha, you’re a genius.”

Sam touched Vernon’s ear again causing him to fidget. “Yes, I know. Thanks for noticing, Vernon,” she cooed. “Now, talk to me.”

“Former students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, majored in computer science and metallurgy, a strange combination, don’t you think?”

“No physics?” Carter asked as Vernon began scrolling through the terrorists’ college records. “There! Backup.” Carter looked at the classes both men had taken the last year. “Doesn’t look like they’re going to be rocket scientists with those grades.”

“True. But look at this class.” Vernon pulled up the description. “Ever take any explosive classes, Carter?”

Carter eyed the suspicious courses. “Get the university on the phone for me and the professor who is doing the research.”

One of the other men at the computer terminal began dialing to get an outside line.

Vernon laughed and pointed out other shortcomings. “See here. Several of these classes were dropped last semester. No scholarships to speak of. They appear to be related. Brothers I’m guessing. Let’s see where they originate.” Vernon explored the computer like a marksman on a big game hunt. Not even Sam could tease him off the scent now. “Yep. Went to school in Libya until their uncle sent them here to live with their… Are you ready for this?” Vernon turned his chair around to face his teammates. “They lived with Essid’s family until they moved to Rolla, Missouri to attend the university.” Vernon folded his arms across his chest. “How the hell did they get into that school? They’re not that bright.”

Carter smirked down at Vernon. “I don’t care what Sam says about you, Vernon. You’re the best asset this team has. Good job!”

Vernon shifted his eyes up at Sam who smiled down at him with amusement. “Don’t listen to him, Vernon. He is jealous that I find you more attractive than a dare devil astronaut who can’t pass by a mirror without admiring his reflection.” Sam turned her large almond shaped eyes on Carter whose smile began to fade at her declaration. “You see, my little cupcake,” Sam said ruffling Vernon’s curly red hair, “he torments himself at the truth. Oh well,” she sighed, walking past Carter, chin held high.

Carter joined her as they eyed the barricaded double doors before them. His cocky smirk had returned. “Better start tormenting yourself, Miss High and Mighty. It appears our straight arrow of a leader has a tiny crush on a certain housewife from Grass Valley. Notice how he…”

“Shut up!” Sam said as she checked her weapon. “You forget Chase’s rule about married women? He’s just trying to get as much mileage as possible out of a source.”

“I guess that’s one way to look at it.” Carter said hearing a warning whistle from Vernon as he motioned for him to pick up the wall phone. He grinned as he watched Sam’s smile fade into a tight lipped frown.

She wasn’t subtle at letting Chase know she could be his anytime anyplace girl if desired. Everyone knew Chase had resisted the beautiful temptation offered him on numerous occasions. Any man that could still breathe would have been thrilled to explore the pleasures of the intriguing and beautiful Samantha.

Carter informed the professor on the phone the dilemma facing them at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. With a few questions, silence and a thank you, Carter disconnected the phone, nodding to Vernon. “Simple. Let’s do this the easy way, shall we?”

Although the would be Homeland Security frauds disengaged the security software so their movements could not be observed, they were unaware that two weeks earlier Vernon had overseen the installation of new spyware he’d developed. The heat censored cameras in the ceiling were no bigger than a dime and were activated only when the old system failed in some way. In this case, the system had been illicitly compromised. Vernon could now watch their every, nervous movement about the lab in which they’d decided to make a stand.

While Sam and Carter soaked the exterior doors with liquid nitrogen to neutralize the plastic explosives, Vernon watched helplessly as the men in the lab gently applied more explosives in key areas. They knew it would only be a matter of time before the infidels found a way to crash through the doors. Their work, after all, had been completed. All the files had been transferred overseas; their place in paradise guaranteed.

Vernon grinned happily as he pushed a few buttons on his keyboard and watched the water pipes explode with cascades of water, just as he’d initiated the sprinkler system with a false positive of smoke. Moments before Carter had blasted the plastic explosives around the door to the lab with high powered jets of water, neutralizing the exterior for safety.

“You’re good to go!” Vernon said as he accessed yet another key to open the doors to the lab held hostage by inept jihadists. “They’re running around like a chicken with his head cut off!” he laughed so hard his sides hurt. “I’m right behind you,” he said pushing away from his terminal and pulling out his nine milometer handgun. He looked down at the Los Alamos techs that had assisted him, nodding toward the door. “You probably should let your boss know we’ve secured their lab. Oh, and you’re going to need an ambulance. Sam doesn’t like getting her feet wet. Those boots she’s wearing are new. She’s really going to have to take it out on someone.” As he moved toward his teammates he heard the others making the important calls that needed to be placed.

Essid knew the downtown warehouse where he kept Jericho Crawley created a dangerous risk of being discovered. As soon as darkness fell he would take his hostage and move to a more secure location; provided the old man was still alive. Not hearing from his men at Oak Ridge gave him concern. The last call came from Dr. Haskin’s home after they’d taken his wife. Their boys were luckily in California, attending Stanford University; another great bargaining chip for him. And now the news reports from FOX announced an evacuation had taken place at Los Alamos due to a water main break and a small fire.

“What is going on!” he screamed as he kicked the folding chair sitting at the small table where two men played cards.

The two men looked at each other nervously, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Essid’s tantrum. Essid angrily knocked the cards off the small table. “Get the car ready. We’re leaving soon.” The men rose cautiously. “Hurry up, you idiots. Can you do nothing but sit and play cards? Must I tell you every little thing that must be done?” Essid ran his long fingers through his shiny black hair as he tried to compose himself. Anger would blind his normally rational behavior. Taking a deep breath, he slowly walked over to the windows that were caked with dust. The sun shone so brightly through the panes they appeared to be frosted. It didn’t matter. He was looking beyond the view into his future.