Episode 45

Chapter 182

Vice Admiral Bright

9:50 am, November 4th, 2006

3:50 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

The view from the jet reminded me of one of the bad things about being promoted to Admiralty rank. I can no longer enjoy the thrills of being a fighter pilot.

"Incoming signal." my pilot let me know.

"American source?"

"No. Somehow however, they matched our signal codes exactly. Whoever they are, they are damn clever, Sir."

"The Stones." I muttered. "Put it though the headphone network."

"Incoming Eagle fighter jet, this is the Density Force vessel Mary Celeste. Be aware this area is under a no fly zone by order of the Density Force. Turn back or be shot down."

Jacob has his own fleet? This could be bad.

"Identify who we are and inform them that we are on a mission to meet with Captain Amy Stone."

"Attention Mary Celeste. I have Vice Admiral Bright aboard. We are on a mission to meet Captain Amy Stone."

"Circle and wait here. We will get back to you."

"Do what he says." I told my pilot.

"We read you. Circling here."

"Good. Wait for our response." The channel closed to static.

So far, so good. We haven't been blown to tiny bits yet.

A few minutes later, the signal came back again. "Attention Eagle, this is the Mary Celeste."

"Go ahead Mary Celeste."

"Your request for a meeting has been granted. Continue on to Camp Carter by the most direct route."

"Thank you."

"By the way, I should inform you that my standing orders are to take out anything that does not comply strictly with instructions. This ship could probably take out a fly at fifty miles. I would think carefully before making any sudden course changes as you are considerably bigger than a fly."

My pilot snarled but didn't make any reply beyond shutting off the channel.

Mental note. Keep him separated from the Density Force. I do not have the time to watch what he does or says. Watching myself is going to be challenge enough.

Chapter 183

Ashley Cork

9:55 am, November 4th, 2006

3:55 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

The airfield had been repaired as best it could. So long as pilots landing the incoming planes were good, nobody was really in danger.

Which was probably how they had planned it. Or at least how I would have planned it if I were them.

A fighter landed. It had United States Naval Air Force markings on it.

This is interesting. I thought the entire American military was avoiding this place like the plague.

The plane landed relatively smoothly.

One of the ground crew raced over with what looked a boarding ladder.

The cockpit shell opened.

The pilot stood up to help the passenger in the back seat out.

Holy shit!! I recognized the passenger from the brief visit to the carrier when we picked up Jacob's mother. It was the Admiral in command of the carrier group.

I ran towards the plane.

The Admiral met me half way. He seemed surprised to see me. "Ashley, isn't it?"

"Yes Sir."

"Enough of that Sir business. You're not in the Navy. What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing."

"I'm on a mission for the Pentagon."

"Do any of the Stones know that?"

"They probably do by now."

"True. Well, I arrived when Jacob did. I stowed away when he left the party. He was a complete mess and I was worried."

The Admiral nodded understandingly at her information. "I'm here because I was sent here. I'm supposed to help solve this problem we are in."

"Good luck. The Legend himself would have trouble getting out of this mess without more trouble. I'll take you to the command post."

"The Legend?"

"Jacob Jehosophat Stone."

Chapter 184

Amy Stone

10:02 am, November 4th, 2006

4:02 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

"Mrs. Stone!"

I turned towards where I had heard a voice call out. "Yes."

"You will not believe who my daughter met near the airfield."

"Yes I will."

"How could you possibly expect the Admiral to be here?"

"Because I gave the clearance that let him through safely to land."

Anna came over. "Do you have any idea how you are going to handle this?"

"Not really. This isn't some stranger we don't know. It's not even some stranger to me who Dan trusts. I know this Admiral. That makes it a lot harder to do what everybody expects me to do."

"What does everybody expect you to do?"

"Put him in his place. The problem is that I respect him."

"Is there any way you can start taking his orders?"

"Easily." I replied with the Stone wit. "The problem is I'd lose all influence with the Density Force."

"That would be bad. My daughter's told me a few stories she's heard. And we both know from personal experience how annoyed teenagers can get when they feel betrayed."

"That is exactly what worries me about when Jacob wakes up." I confessed. "I know and I think even Dan is aware that all we are doing could be futile when Jacob gets involved."

Anna patted me on the back. "All you can do is your best. Your son will understand this, even if he does not agree with you."

"I hope so. My family has suffered enough."

"Mother?" a young voice called from the hallway.

"Yes Ashley?"

"There's an Admiral looking for Mrs. Stone."

Anna looked at me in askance.

I nodded. "Have him sent in." Then I sat behind General Smith's desk and looked around.

General Smith was nowhere to be found.

Looks like I'm on my own.

Ashley walked in a few minutes later.

Vice Admiral Bright followed her and then stood there waiting silently.

I looked back at my superior just as quietly.

Ashley was not as patient. "Okay. I see that we are going to do this the old fashioned way. Mrs. Stone, Mr. Bright. Mr. Bright, Mrs. Stone. If I understand right, Mr. Bright is a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, and currently commands the carrier Independence and its supporting fleet. By virtue of her son, Mrs. Stone commands the entire Density Force at this point."

That snapped me out of it. "Welcome Admiral to Camp Carter, affectionately known as the Dead Sea Summer Camp. May I offer you a seat?"

"Please."

I gestured at Ashley, then at her mother and the Admiral.

Ashley nodded and busied herself obtaining a couple chairs.

I waited for both of them to sit down. "I'm not sure of the wisest way to go about this for all concerned. So I will go about it in a direct way. Slightly over a half hour ago, I back-talked the President of the United States of America. That means my military career is most likely finished."

"Is that what you want?" Bright asked.

"No. But we Stones have not survived by ignoring likely events. This also explains why I am acting the way I am."

"Believe me, I understand. I'm not here to talk to you so much as your son."

"Which one?"

"Jacob."

"Why?"

"To help end this before it gets out of hand. Well, any further out of hand."

"No. Why you? No offense, but the Pentagon is littered with higher officers. Why not one of them?"

"Because of something you told be back on the carrier."

"What could she have possibly told you that would have you meddling here?" Anna Cork snapped. Then she realized who she snapped at. "Oh my. I'm so sorry, Sir."

"Do not worry. For the purposes of this conflict, you are under the Density Force's protection. It might interest you to know that the President has declared you and your daughter traitors along with Jacob Stone, his family and his friends. Should anybody who supports him get a hold of you, chances are high that you will be shot then and there."

"Oh no." Anna shook her head. "This is going to be so bad."

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"I just remembered something Ashley told me was common knowledge at the high school. Jacob was known there for protecting friends, or those who got caught up unintentionally in his operations. If the President tries anything, it's going to get very messy, very fast."

"How messy?" The Vice Admiral asked.

"Nothing we do here will matter. Jacob will attack the continental United States with the force of an enraged God. First to save his friends. Second, to destroy the President utterly."

"She's right" I told him.

Chapter 185

Vice Admiral Bright

10:10 am, November 4th, 2006

4:10 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

Things just keep getting worse. And it all keeps coming down to Jacob Jehosophat Stone. I better find out what she's thinking, and then think on how to get a meeting with Jacob. "Mrs. Stone?"

"Yes Vice Admiral?"

"Do you know why I'm here? I mean, really why I am here." I emphasized the 'I'.

"Not really. I have a few ideas, but they more relate to how I would react as opposed to the rest of the Density Force."

"That's true, but that's not all of it. I represent a group of military officers within the United States Armed Forces who are opposed to the President's actions. I was sent here to see how you perceived the situation, and correct or confirm things as much as possible. That's the easy part of my assignment."

"What's the hard part?" Anna Cork asked.

"I told this group about Jacob's reaction to me. They decided that I was the only officer in the entire United States military that is not related to him who is capable of talking to him without setting him off. That's the hard part."

Amy Stone shook her head sadly. "You do know that once you start that, you will most likely be branded a traitor?"

"I would never be loyal to the behavior the President seems so happy about."

"That's good to know. I'll arrange a meeting with Jacob later this morning."

"Thank you. Now for the first part of my mission."

"You mean where you find out what we suspect is happening at the Pentagon?"

"Correct."

"That's easy. We suspect nothing. We have not really cared. They are a great military bureaucracy. We have been more concerned with individual actions. My husband might have spoken to them, but he hasn't told me yet if he did. I expect they have talked to you and what's his name... oh yes. Hambright. Dan did mention something about us using Hambright as a go-between."