A New World: Awakening (32 page)

“Well, day is better to jump for obvious reasons.
 
We can guide in better and allow for any alterations earlier but we can be seen and they may even notice the aircraft overhead.
 
Night is riskier, again for obvious reasons, but they will most likely be inside and won’t see either us or the aircraft.
 
Plus, if they are inside, any aircraft noise will be hidden.
 
Not like they can hear one that high anyway,” Greg answers.

“How about a sunset drop?”
 
I ask.

“Not as risky as a night drop but there is the chance of being seen.
 
If timed right though, they should be inside although we don’t know their habits being walled up like that.
 
They may hang outside until later,” he says.

“Is it worth the added risk of being seen?”

“I’m not sure about that one,” Greg answers.

“Well, the thing I’m thinking about with that one is that Robert, and I’m sure Craig, hasn’t conducted a night landing in the 130, especially with NVG’s.
 
They’ll have to if we drop at night.
 
That means we’ll have to practice those tonight and drop the next day if we decide on a night drop,” I say.

“That’s one of the things I was worried about,” Robert chimes in.

“Alright, let’s table that and come back to it,” I say.
 
“How do you feel about the HALO jump itself?”

“Not good to be honest.
 
We could deploy at a high altitude and glide in although that would mean oxygen and I’m not really a fan of going back in there,” Greg answers pointing to the small building we exited not too long ago.

“Plus, we’ll have to add some warmer clothing,” I say.
 
“There is also the fact that we won’t be able to see the ground if there isn’t enough lighting or there’s a cloud cover.
 
I’d hate to steer half way over the country and come up short.
 
If we had reliable GPS equipment, okay, but that option isn’t really available.
 
We could deploy at a higher altitude rather than the normal 2,500 feet.
 
That would give us some margin for error,” I say.

“I like the idea.
 
What are you thinking then?”
 
Greg asks.

“Well, say at around 3,000 feet above the ground,” I answer.
 
“We won’t be able to see the ground at that point and will be at the mercy of the winds to a greater extent.
 
And our accuracy falls with each foot higher above the ground we deploy.”

“What about a lower drop altitude?”
 
Robert asks.

“We could but the 130 is a noisy machine and not only heard from a long ways off, but felt as well,” I answer.

“How easy is it to program the drop point?”
 
Greg asks.
 
“I was thinking we could make a determination of the deployment altitude based on the visibility over the target.”

“Not very really.
 
It can be done enroute but that takes time and the decision would have to be made early in the flight,” I answer.
 
“If we decide on a sunset drop, we can determine the altitude before we leave.”

“Are we leaving from here or Canon?”

“I was thinking from here and then land at Canon.
 
If we drop at sunset, that will give Robert time to get back with some light left as it is only 100 miles away,” I answer.

“So, you’re leaning toward a sunset drop?”
 
Greg asks.

“The more I think about it, the more I like the idea.
 
We have light to correct and Robert has light to land.
 
We don’t know the winds, although we’ll be able to know what they are at altitude, and I just don’t want to deploy and find we are going to land outside of the walls.
 
That thought does not give me warm and fuzzy feelings,” I answer.

“So, a sunset drop then.
 
With a low or mid chute deployment?”

“Low deployment unless we see we are far off target.
 
We’ll each have to make our own determination on that.
 
If we do notice we’ve been spotted, we’ll make for the compound we spotted to the south and hole up behind those walls.
 
Provided we have the altitude for it,” I reply.
 
Greg nods.

“So, we’re at 5,355 feet here according to the charts.
 
Lubbock is around 3,256 feet.
 
Because we don’t know the pressure changes, let’s plan for a 3,000 foot chute deployment.
 
If we zero out the wrist altimeters here, we should deploy at 1,000 feet on the dial over Lubbock,” I continue.

Greg gives me a funny look before asking, “How good were you at math in school?”

“Pretty good,” I answer.

“Okay, 1,000 on the dial it is,” he responds.

“So what do you think?
 
Make for a landing on the large central building?”
 
I ask.

“I think so.
 
That’s the only place we found a possible way in.
 
Other than the ground level doors,” he says.

“I’m thinking they are holed up in one of the wings.
 
Possibly with a group in one of the buildings and the prisoners, assuming that’s what they are, in the other.
 
I don’t think they would actually separate themselves in the other wing.
 
It’s too far away,” I say.

“I agree, but which one.
 
There are two of them and it’ll be a challenge getting to just one I think,” Greg says.

“Let’s get Jim in on this,” I say.
 
Greg rises and returns with Jim.

“Where do you think they would be holing up?”
 
I ask Jim pointing to the star-shaped wings.

“I honestly wouldn’t know.
 
They are identical inside and have their own kitchens, open rooms, eating and shower facilities,” Jim answers.

“Well, the east wing is closer to what appears to be the loading dock where their vehicles are parked.
 
That’s what I’d choose,” I say studying the map we drew.

“Good point.
 
We’ll head that way then,” Greg says.

“So, if they have the generator going, I’m assuming that will mean the door locks are still engaged throughout the facility, right?”
 
I ask Jim.

“Yep.
 
All of the doors, emergency lighting, alarm systems, and bare kitchen facilities operate off emergency power,” Jim answers.

“How are you going to get through the doors?”
 
Bri asks.

That one is a stumper and I’ve wrestled with it in my mind for some time.
 
I have C-4 but that will make a lot of noise.
 
I know that heat can demagnify a magnet, and therefore the magnetic locks, but that requires a significant amount of heat and how do you do that to the side of a closed door.
 
I have even visualized finding a blow torch in a maintenance department there but that is a bit unreal.
 
The best thing I have come up with is taking down one of the guards and relieving them of their card.
 
I’m assuming they have them in order to be able to freely move about.

“Perhaps I can help ya there,” Jim says.
 
He disappears inside the aircraft and returns with an ID card.
 
“I don’t know if this is still good but I was called back to work when the flu shots began making people sick.
 
I brought it along in case y’all decided to go in.”

“Well, that’s right handy,” Greg says accepting the card.

We cover a few more points with Jim but a lot of it will be on the fly.
 
I’m just glad Lynn isn’t here to hear that thought.
 
And yes, I’m pretty sure she can hear my thoughts.
 
She seems to have a knack for that.
 
Well, I do wish she was here and am missing her something fierce.
 

Sergeant Prescott and a small contingent of his group make their way over the ramp and join us.
 
I gather Horace and Gonzalez so we can plan for tonight and tomorrow.
 
The sun is high overhead as we gather under the meager shading by the rear ramp.
 
I inform Prescott of the night runner’s position in the building to which he merely nods.

“Are we going to fuel up here?”
 
Robert asks as we settle in a lop-sided circle.

“Bri, how are we on fuel?”
 
I ask.

“We’re still over half full in our tanks, Dad.
 
The external tanks are dry but we still have quite a bit,” Bri answers.
 
Prescott and the others have startled looks on their faces.
 
Yes, that’s right, you heard correctly, my kids are the crew
, I think with a smile.

“So we’ll be fine on fuel.
 
I’d rather wait until we can do a proper weight and balance.
 
We’ll have lots of folks onboard along with two Humvees.
 
The AC-130 will be stocked with any ammo we can find in the dumps at Canon.
 
It’s only a four to five hour flight home depending on the winds so let’s wait before taking on any more fuel,” I answer.

We talk for a while coming up with the plan to leave from here, conduct a sunset drop, and Robert landing with the others at Canon AFB.
 
Prescott will be coming with his group when we leave.
 
Horace will lead the rest of the teams to Lubbock in the morning and park in the gully at their old location by the creek.
 
If all goes well, we’ll call them before noon and they’ll meet us at whatever gate we designate.
 
We’ll figure transportation out at that point but that is not really a worry.
 
They’ll also be in a position to back us up if we need it for any reason.
 
We’ll then return to Canon AFB, search for the ammo dumps, load the AC-130, and leave the following day.
 
I tell them that if they haven’t heard from Greg or me by noon, they are to head back to Canon AFB and leave.
 
Greg and I will have to start pre-breathing oxygen on the flight down.

The sun has partially settled in its afternoon position blasting us with its heat.
 
I look to the sky and note it’s clear of clouds.
 
It still seems a touch unreal that we’re going to conduct a drop in a post-apocalyptic world.
 
Too fucking strange.
 
Not only that but my son and daughter are flying me there.
 
I’d like to go back home now please.
 
Or at least be woken up from this very strange dream by the sound of birds chirping outside of my cottage.
 
The sweat trickling down my back and the smoky smell of my clothes tell me that it’s not to be.
 
I forgot it can still be so hot down here this late in the year.
 
Right now, it’s time to pack my gear and try to get some rest.

I grab one of the empty rucks we brought from the building and begin stuffing items into it – ammo, fiber optic camera, C-4 and a variety of fuses (stowed separately from the C-4 of course.
 
The last thing I want is for the buffeting on the way down to bang something against a pencil fuse and ignite it next to the C-4.
 
See the ruck will be close between my legs on the way down.
 
You get the point), a slim jim I brought along, zip ties, signal mirror, first aid kit, and a few other items.
 
I want to keep it light for our trek through the facility.
 
I hook up the ruck to the MC-4 making sure the lanyard is secure.
 
It sure wouldn’t do to release the ruck after the chute deployment and watch it tumble to the ground.
 
Next I gather Robert, Craig, and Bri to set up the navigation computer for the drop.

I pull the oxygen masks out for them and show them how to hook up.
 
We’ll be flying unpressurized so that’s a pretty vital piece.
 
They’ll have to be alert.
 
I’d hate for them to get hypoxic and either pass out or find we’re dropping in the middle of the Caribbean.

“It’s basically like flying any other path.
 
You just have to keep your altitude and the needle centered.
 
Lower the ramp ten minutes out, turn on the red light five minutes out, and the green when the computer distance reads zero.
 
Pretty easy stuff,” I say.

We plan the flight backwards from drop time to takeoff time.
 
I then settle into the cockpit bunk to try and get some sleep telling Robert to wake me an hour prior to takeoff.

It’s stifling inside but I manage to fall asleep for a while.
 
Robert wakens me with afternoon shadows filtering in through the cockpit windows.
 
I rise and make my way to the cargo area still feeling tired but more refreshed than before.
 
Everything is loaded up and the Humvees rechecked to make sure they are secure.
 
The metallic thunk of the ramp closing seems a little too foreboding for my likes.
 
Greg and I don our gear and hook up to the oxygen system.
 
We settle in for the flight, if settle is even the right word.
 
I have butterflies floating around inside thinking about what we are doing.
 
I’m not even in the cockpit for the takeoff but I have faith in Robert, Bri, and Craig.