Extinction Evolution (The Extinction Cycle Book 4) (17 page)

In less than ten minutes, Plum Island had transformed into what Kate imagined a real combat base looked like. General Johnson’s men, dressed in blue navy fatigues, were busy disarming the Marines and Rangers stationed throughout the island. They swarmed onto the lawn, fanning out and shouting, “Lower your weapons!”

Four of the men hustled over to the steps of Building 1, where they stopped and waited for a middle-aged man with a handsome face, chiseled jawline, and buzzed gray hair. He approached with the muzzle of his rifle angled toward the ground, but the others had theirs aimed at the landing. Kate’s heart flipped when two of the men slowly approached the steps. Beckham gripped her hand tighter.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. Apollo brushed up between them, his teeth bared.

The man with gray hair held up both of his hands and continued walking toward the landing. “Secretary Ringgold, I’m Lieutenant Brock Rowe of the United States Navy, and we’re here to escort you back to the
George Washington
Strike Group. The rest of you, please hand over your rifles to my men.” His gaze shifted from face to face, stopping on Beckham. “Master Sergeant Beckham, I presume.”

Beckham loosened his grip on Kate’s hand and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Horn and Chow moved in Kate’s peripheral vision. Riley’s hand went for his pistol, but Ringgold stood completely still and replied, “Lieutenant, with all due respect, I’m not going anywhere until I speak with General Johnson.”

“That’s fine, ma’am,” Rowe replied. “But I need Master Sergeant Beckham and the members of Team Ghost to come with me.” There was measured restraint in his voice.

“Master Sergeant Beckham is not going anywhere,” Ringgold said. “You may disarm him and Team Ghost, but they are staying with me.”

Rowe lowered his hands and motioned for his men to proceed. They slowly advanced up the steps, one of them bumping into Kate. She turned as a soldier reached for Horn’s SAW. The operator spat on the ground and glared at Beckham, who nodded back. Grunting, Horn pushed his weapon into the soldier’s chest.

“All clear, sir,” one of the men said.

Rowe flicked his mini-mic to his lips. “General Johnson, Plum Island is secure. I’m with Secretary Ringgold at Building 1. Master Sergeant Beckham and Team Ghost are here as well.”

When Kate looked back at the tarmac, a small group was piling out of the Osprey. No one said a word as the entourage approached. Kate felt every second tick by, knowing their situation was more fragile than a house of cards. A single wrong move could spark a chain of events that would ruin everything they had built here, and destroy their chance of defeating the Variants.

The formation of soldiers marched across the tarmac, and then the lawn. Through the fort of weapons and body armor, Kate glimpsed General Johnson. He walked with the posture of an old man, slow and slightly hunched.

Ringgold raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as the men approached. Kate continued massaging the side of Beckham’s hand. They stood there in near silence, the only sounds Horn’s labored breathing and Apollo’s low growl.

By the time Johnson reached the stairs, Kate thought her heart was going to implode. He waved his men away and strolled forward, leisurely and non-threatening. At the bottom step, he took off his helmet and used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his wrinkled forehead. Then he continued up the stairs and extended a hand, offering a smile that showed a gap between his top two front teeth.

“Pleasure to meet you, Secretary Ringgold. I’m General George Johnson.”

She shook his hand. “With all due respect, General, I don’t appreciate the tone of this ‘extraction,’ and I would very much appreciate if your men lowered their weapons. Need I remind you that humans aren’t the enemy?”

Johnson’s gaze flicked to Team Ghost briefly before returning to Ringgold. “I’m sorry, Madame Secretary, truly, but after the incident that occurred here several nights ago, I was forced to take appropriate action. Security isn’t something I take lightly, and I have to do everything to ensure the safety of those still fighting.” He paused and drew in a short breath. “Unfortunately, we’re going to need to take Master Sergeant Reed Beckham and Team Ghost back to the
GW
Strike Group.”

“I know,” Ringgold said.

Kate inched forward, but Beckham squeezed her hand.

Ringgold turned to Beckham and nodded. “He goes where I go. If you have a few minutes, I’m sure I can explain in details the ‘incident’ you speak of. It implicates a long list of service members, primarily officers whom you are associated with, including General Kennor, Colonel Gibson, and Colonel Wood, whom Team Ghost killed in self-defense.”

“That’s damn right,” Riley blurted out. Kate caught Beckham’s hissed warning at Riley, but kept her eyes on the General and his men, waiting to see how they’d respond. Before the general could speak, Secretary Ringgold continued.

“From what I understand,
all
of those men were connected with the development of the Hemorrhage Virus, dating back to a platoon of Marines in Vietnam.”

Johnson put his helmet back on his head and pursed his lips, but Ringgold kept talking. “So before I’m sworn in as the next President, I guess my question is: What kind of country am I swearing to defend? One that continues to kill its citizens? Or one that will do everything in its power to defeat the Variants?”

“Madame Secretary, I don’t suppose anything I can say will convince you I’m one of the good guys at this point. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn’t trust me.”

“I sure as hell don’t,” Riley snorted.

The General sent a glare between Ringgold and Kate, aiming at Riley. Horn elbowed the kid in the shoulder, and Beckham shook his head. That was okay with Kate. She was simply relieved she didn’t have to witness another gun battle.

Johnson craned his neck to Rowe. “Lieutenant, fall back and wait for me on the lawn.”

Rowe stared back at him.

“
Now
, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir.” Rowe waved at the other four soldiers. They obeyed, filing down the steps and marching onto the grass.

Johnson took in another breath, released it, then said, “I’m going to be frank with you all. I knew nothing of Colonel Wood’s connection to Colonel Gibson, and if General Kennor knew, he sure as hell didn’t tell me.”

“You weren’t confidantes?” Ringgold asked. “Why do you expect me to believe you?”

Johnson pulled at the cuffs on his sleeves, his impatience starting to show. “Madame Secretary, there’s a fair amount I have yet to get to the bottom of, but I’m afraid you don’t have any choice but to trust me.”

“And why’s that, General?”

“Because the
GW
Strike Group is the last safe place in the world. Almost every single military base has fallen across the country, and judging by the defenses I saw on a flyover, Plum Island isn’t safe either. If you come with us, you will be protected by two Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers, two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, a submarine, and the
GW
aircraft carrier. We also have a Clark-class dry cargo ship and a Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship.”

Ringgold glanced over at Beckham, who offered a small nod of approval.

“I’m trying to defeat an enemy that wants nothing more than to eradicate our species. I hate to say this about my old friend, but maybe General Kennor and President Mitchell’s deaths were a good thing. Kennor was bullheaded and set in his ways. He didn’t give science a chance until it was almost too late. And Mitchell was never fit to be a President. But you...” Johnson wagged a finger. “You are
strong
. It’s the reason you’re still alive. I believe you and I can work together to defeat the Variants. With Dr. Lovato’s help, of course.”

Kate’s heart rate had just returned to normal when the General’s words sent it spiking back out of control. What the hell did he want with her?

“I didn’t just come to escort you to Central Command. I came for Dr. Lovato,” Johnson said. “If we’re going to win this war, I need her. At least for the short term.”

Kate tried to keep her voice from reflecting what she really thought. “General, I can’t leave. We just started production of antibodies here. I need to supervise—”

“I can take care of it,” Ellis interrupted.

“Excellent,” Johnson replied. “With your permission, then, Madame Secretary. My men will escort you, Master Sergeant Beckham, and Dr. Lovato to the
GW
Strike Group.”

Ringgold pivoted toward Beckham. “What do you think?”

Beckham let Kate’s hand fall to her side. “May I make a request, sir?”

Johnson nodded.

“We have civilian families here that need protection. Request permission for immediate evac to the strike group.”

“I’m sorry, but we’re all maxed out right now. Not a single bunk left. But I’ll tell you what: how about I leave thirty men to help secure and defend the island?”

Lieutenant Rowe took several steps forward on the lawn. “Sir, we can’t afford—”

“We will also loan the island two gunships and an additional Blackhawk,” Johnson said, cutting off his lieutenant without even turning.

“Whose command will these men and vehicles be left under? Major Smith has been in charge since Lieutenant Colonel Jensen was killed by Colonel Wood,” Beckham replied. “We also have a dozen of Wood’s men locked up in Building 4 who need to be dealt with.”

Major Smith stiffened, and Johnson gave him a critical look. “Smith will stay in charge of operations here. And we will bring Wood’s men back to the
GW
.”

“Thank you, sir,” Beckham said. “I’d also like to bring my men with me.”

“Granted,” Johnson quickly replied. “So, what do you say, Madame Secretary?  

Ringgold put her hands on her hips and sighed. “I think we have a lot of work to do.”

Johnson smiled. “We’ll get you sworn in as soon as we arrive at the
GW
.” He clapped his hands together. “Now, which one of you killed Colonel Wood?”

Fitz slowly raised a hand from the side of the landing. “I did, sir.”

Johnson walked over to him. “What’s your name, son?”

“Fitzpatrick, sir. Fitz for short.”

Johnson gave him the elevator eyes look, up and down. “Well, Fitz. Murder of a superior officer. They still call it
fragging
?”

Kate felt her heart beat faster. All the easy talk before was just a ruse. Now the General would show his true colors. Fitz stayed upright and calm, but Kate could tell he was worried. Beckham, Horn, and Riley all had their eyes glued to the General. Kate opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn’t find the words to make it all go away. Then the General was talking again.

“UCMJ says I’m supposed to arrest you, son,” he said to Fitz. “But I think I should give you a goddamn medal. I never liked that son of a bitch anyway.”

F
itz grabbed his MK11 from one of Johnson’s men and watched half of the soldiers march back to the tarmac. The others were already being debriefed and assigned patrols by Major Smith.

Rifle in hand, Fitz took in a breath and strode across the lawn outside Building 1 toward a group of civilians, his heart still pounding. Meg and Riley were busy arguing about something, and Tasha and Jenny held Kate’s hands while she discussed science shit with Ellis.

“You’re sure you can handle this on your own?” Kate asked Ellis. “I could be gone a couple of weeks.”

Ellis ran a hand through his thick black hair and flashed a smile. “I can handle it. By the time you get back, I’ll have our batch of Kryptonite ready to go.”

“I know.” She smiled back at him and turned just as Beckham, Horn, and Chow came jogging from the barracks, rucksacks and rifles slung over their shoulders. Apollo ran alongside, his ears perked and head roving as he studied the new soldiers.

The Delta Force Operators were headed back out there, and once again Fitz was being left behind. This time he wasn’t as disappointed as the last time. He felt a purpose here, and Guard Tower 4 was starting to feel like home. Besides, Team Ghost wasn’t going back to war—they were going to one of the safest places left in the world. Standing up in the tower for hours on end with nothing but the scent of salt water and the breeze wasn’t so bad. And if the Variants came back, he would give them hell.

“Daddy,” Tasha said. “Why do you have to go?” Her freckled features mashed together as she tried to understand.

“Can’t we come with you?” Jenny asked.

Horn stopped in front of them and picked them up, one in each arm. “I have to go alone this time, but you’ll be safe here. I won’t be gone that long. I promise.”

Beckham put his rucksack on the ground and dug inside, talking as he rummaged through the contents. “You keep an eye out on Johnson’s men. Don’t trust anyone. I sure as hell don’t.”

“What about me?” Riley fumed.

“Of course he can trust you, kid,” Beckham said, still digging. “I meant Johnson’s men.”

“You watch after my girls. Don’t let anything happen to ‘em. Got that, Fitz?” He put Tasha and Jenny on the ground, but both of them latched onto his legs.

“Roger that,” Fitz replied.