Chapter 44: Hope, Pain and Despair

High above Reno, an F-14 plummeted towards the ground. All the electrical systems had failed throughout the plane. Suddenly the fighter stopped in midair and a voice crackled over the radio.

"Devil Dog, this is Heavy Hauler one-niner. I have you, and we are taking you aboard our ship. Sit back and enjoy the ride."

"Thanks, Heavy Hauler, whoever you are. Everything was failing, here, including the ejection seat. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Kincaide, United States Navy on this end."

"Lieutenant Samantha O'Neil here, we will have you down in a few minutes, and I will buy you a drink, Commander."

Thomas listened to the woman's voice and he wondered what she looked like.

"Thanks, I will. That crash, I wasn't looking forward to. As for the drink, you're on! I could use one."

Thomas watched the ship get closer in the canopy.

Mike weaved his truck among the stalled vehicles on the highway, sometimes going onto the shoulders to get around the ruined cars on the road, while smoke drifted up from the many wrecks on the highway. Every now and than, they saw people staggering down the highway, many are bent over throwing up. While others just sat and stared in the distance, waiting for help to arrive. As he drove, he watched the strange ships flying over the city and he noticed that they were landing around or near the airport.

"Danielle I think they are landing at the airport, so I am going to head over that way, and maybe they will take us to see Tina."

Spotting the 395-entrance ramp, he jerked the wheel around, and headed up the side of the road and jumped on the new freeway.

Mike watched the steam as it drifted up from the radiator, and he prayed that the engine would last. His fathers beautiful 1947 Ford truck was pockmarked with many holes from the gunfire she had taken from people who had tried to steal it and take the women. He was also worried because he'd had to shoot one person who would not stop firing at them. Looking over at his wife Danielle, he said, "How's the arm honey?"

Danielle glared at her husband and snapped, "It hurts like hell, how else is it supposed to feel when you get shot. Just get this truck to the airport, I want to see and hold my baby."

Mike replied with the centuries old comment, "Yes, dear."

Flooring the gas, they headed down the ruined highway and towards the airport exit. Weaving among the wreckage, he slammed the breaks on when a forty-foot robot ran across the road, "What the fuck is that?"

Danielle looked at the giant machine, and replied, "It's a fucking robot can't you tell? Now step on it. My arm hurts and it's bleeding again."

"Yes, dear," Mike said, again.

He pushed the gas pedal down and the truck started moving again. A few miles down the road, he saw the exit for the airport. Taking the off ramp, the headed for the airport and towards the employee parking. He went through the shattered gates and onto the airport runway. The wrecked jumbo jet was scattered over the field. Down by the main concourse building, two seventy-foot tall robots stood next to several parked shuttles.

"I think I will head over there." Mike said as the trucks engine started to knock.

"Shit!" he said in anger.

Lieutenant Anita Gomez sat in her Bengal assault mech and her sensors detected a vehicle coming towards them with ten life signs in it.

"This is Gomez I have a vehicle approaching my position. Can I have a couple of marines to check it out?" she said.

"Private Cooper here, I will check it out as soon as it gets near my location," replied Jasmine into her com unit.

Anita watched as the truck drove up to the shuttles and stopped twenty feet away, and several soldiers stepped out from behind cover. One marine walked towards the truck as it came to a stop, clutched in her tiny hands was a heavy laser carbine that she pointed at the shot up pickup.

Mike stopped the truck, and climbed out and walked towards the two soldiers with his hands well away from his weapon.

"Excuse me do any of you speak English?" he said.

Jasmine watched as the man approached when he asked if she spoke English, she could not help but snicker, and replied, "What else would I speak? Since I was born and raised here in Reno. What can I do for you?"

"I am trying to get a hold of Captain Thompson. He has my little girl with them up on your ship, or I think he does. He took her the other day when they were trying to stop the Brander from killing her..."

"You're Tina's father?" Jasmine blurted out in surprise.

Mike nodded his head, and replied, "Yes, I am, and she disappeared a few nights ago ... I assume she is on the ship."

"Mike damn it, it hurts," shouted Danielle from the truck.

"Never mind on my daughter even though I want to see her, I have some injured people with me. They need medical attention two have been shot, including my wife." He said as he lowered his arms.

"Yes, I know Tina, let me contact the Admiral for you and see what he wants to do about you and your family. I'm sure he will want you up in the ship." Turning she shouted, "Medic," as she lifted her arm to her mouth and activates her com unit and spoke into it, "This is Private Jasmine Cooper. I'm trying to get a message to the Admiral."

"Go ahead, Jas, Terry here, what do you need?"

"Hey, Terry," Looking at the father, she said, "Tina Wayne's parents and her family just pulled up in a truck down here, and they are asking to see him, several of them are wounded."

The com went silent for a second, and then the voice said, "Hold one let me ask him what he wants to do."

Samantha brought the F-14 into the landing bay, where the bays tractor beams locked onto it and lowered it to the deck.

Thomas watched as they passed through some type of energy field and then his fighter was pulled out from under the huge shuttle. The plane was moved to the side and slowly she started lowering to the deck, reaching down he pulled the gear control, and the landing gear went down. Feeling the ship settle onto her wheels, he popped the canopy and stood up. Around him were dozens of different craft as well as the strange shuttles, as he watched a young woman looking about sixteen walked towards him.

Lieutenant Samantha O'Neil walked towards the plane and waited as the pilot descended.

Thomas climbed down the side of the plane and came to attention.

"Lieutenant Commander Thomas Kincaide, requesting permission to came aboard."

"Kind of silly since you're already here," Sam said with a giggle.

"I'm Lieutenant Samantha O'Neil codename Heavy Hauler. Welcome aboard the USS Washington. I promised you a drink, so if you follow me, I will get you a drink while we repair your fighter so we can get you back in the air."

"Sounds good. Lead the way Lieutenant O'Neil," Thomas said as he waited for her to start walking.

As they walked to the pilot's ready room, one of the shuttles lifted off and moved towards the launch ramp. That was when five F-16s became visible,

"F-16s?" Thomas said and then he noticed the paint job. "Those are The Thunderbirds."

"Yes we took them onboard a few days ago when we lifted off from our base. They tried to fire on us. Every one of them has joined us. Right now they are helping out in medical with all the wounded from Reno."

Stepping into the ready room, she walked up to the replicator. "What's your poison, Commander?"

"Jack Daniels, please." Thomas said.

"Two JDs, and hold the water."

The two glasses appeared on the platform, and she picked them up. Walking back to Thomas, she handed him the glass.

"Who are you people?" Thomas asked in surprise as he took the glass.

"Thomas that's a long story, but I can tell you the short version if you want." When he nodded his head she continued, "So pull up a chair." Sam said as she sat down

Seventeen-year-old Jeff Cobble looked out the window of his house and watched the strange craft settled over his hometown, up in the sky the Air Force and Navy planes were trying to catch the strange ships, and then one exploded way in the distance

"Fuckin' invaders, we will teach them to attack us."

Walking to his father's gun cabinet he opened it and took out his dad's prized Weatherby Mark V. rifle and loaded it up, then grabbing a box of rounds for it, he headed for the door to shoot some alien monsters. Swinging the rifle over his shoulder, he grabbed his bike and started pedaling it towards his destiny.

"Dad, I wish you were here, and not in Iraq! I could use your help."

Terry looked over at the Admiral standing there talking with Elizabeth Chang. With a sigh, she got up, and walked over to the Admiral, not really wanting to bother him.

"You see, Elizabeth, I found the ship while I was spelunking with my friends. Well, the ship's AI needed a captain, and she had just saved my life. So how could I say no to her?"

"I understand that, it's just so amazing. Thank God you people are here and able to help the survivors."

"Elizabeth if we were not here everyone in a hundred miles would be dead in one month. That's how dead ... Yes, Terry, what's up?"

"Sir, I am sorry to interrupt, but a truck just pulled up to the airport, and the occupants are asking to speak to you. A Mr. Wayne in particular is asking about his daughter."