Blinding Fear (33 page)

Chapter 47

Claire glanced at those sitting and standing around her intently watching the TV. No one spoke. No one smiled. They barely moved. It was almost hard to tell if they were breathing. They were waiting for the most important Presidential address in the world’s history. There was no question in her mind that wherever in the world there was a TV, computer or radio, people would be crowded around it just as she and the others with her had done.

It was a little before 2:00 p.m. and they were in the lounge area of the hangar that had previously housed the Antonov-225 and the Spacerider. The two aircraft were now waiting outside on the sprawling tarmac, “mated” together, fully fueled and ready for use if called upon. Using a massive crane, the Spacerider had been carefully hoisted above the 225, then lowered onto the specially constructed cradle attached to the 225’s back. It would firmly secure the space plane during takeoff. At 40,000 feet, the 225 would abruptly dive steeply, then release the Spacerider to ignite its own internal rocket engines and hopefully blast into orbit.

The hangar lounge had been designed for guests and crew to relax in as they waited to climb aboard the space plane before being launched into orbit or after they returned. Accordingly, the room had been sound-proofed, air conditioned and heated; lush carpeting and furniture installed. The windows and single door were unusually sturdy and thick to shut out the frequent thunderous noises and normally poor Texas weather.

Claire and Herc stood to the left of the door that lead out into the cavernous hangar. Christina and Scott sat in folding chairs nearby. Kay and Kyung relaxed on one of the several sofas and lounge chairs. A young Hispanic couple, Tomas and Felicia stood to one side. Much to everyone’s relief, they’d come forward at the last minute to join the ISS mission. The only remaining employees of Kay’s company left on the base, altogether totaling fifteen and composed of an equal number of men and women, had crowded in as well.

For the past ten days they had all been feverishly preparing to get the Spacerider, and those who would ride in it, ready for launch if necessary. Claire had never been through such an intense, physically demanding training regime in her entire life. For 14 to 16 hours a day, she, Scott, Christina, Tomas and Felicia had been schooled in every aspect of the arduous task they faced. Herc had been their primary instructor. Among the many things he’d taught them were how to get into and out of their massive, complicated space suits; how to climb into and out of the Spacerider using the clamshell airlock; how to eat and sleep in a zero-g environment, as well as the intricacies and delicacies of the bizarre space toilet. He had also spent considerable time showing them how to use the complex, difficult-to-use, but essential, exercise machines. Every night she’d gone back to her quarters, literally fallen into bed and been asleep within seconds.

Now they were all waiting for the President to announce the success or failure of his administration’s attempt to shatter and deflect the asteroid. Claire’s heart rate was approaching 120. She had no doubt everyone else’s was also.

The President was scheduled to go on-air at 2:00 p.m.. The actual time the bombs would impact the asteroid was around 1:00. NASA scientists needed the extra hour to see what effect the explosions had before relaying it to the President. Because of its orbital trajectory with respect to the Earth’s rotation, those on the other side of the world—now in darkness—would be able to see the explosions. They would essentially occur on top of the new “star” that everyone could now clearly see.

Finally, an on-air announcer broke into the conversation of the panel of astronomers who were discussing what was likely or not-so-likely to happen.

“We will now go to the Oval Office at the White House where the President will announce........”

The President suddenly appeared on-screen. Claire instantly knew what he was about to say. He looked haggard—almost as if he’d been crying.

“Good day, my fellow Americans. As you know by now, NASA scientists, in close coordination with the United States Air Force, recently launched a modified Apollo missile, with two, large, nuclear weapons, toward the asteroid. Our hope was the simultaneous, precisely aimed explosions would shatter it, sending all, or at least some of the pieces away from the Earth. I must now tell you we were not successful. For reasons we cannot explain the explosions had no appreciable effect. We can only surmise that its very-high iron and nickel composition made it much harder than we had anticipated. So, as I speak to you now, the asteroid is continuing on its projected impact in the Atlantic Ocean three days from now, on January 16th at approximately 3:23 a.m. eastern time. Accordingly, I am ordering immediate and mandatory evacuations of all low-lying coastal areas. I am also declaring that a state of national emergency now exists for.........”

Without warning Claire felt, as much as heard, a loud pop close to her head. At the same moment the TV screen shattered. She instinctively ducked away from the door frame as several women screamed. She looked to her right and saw a chrome-plated, semiautomatic gun aimed into the room.

“Everybody stay exactly where you are!” a familiar voice demanded.

Claire leaned forward slightly trying to see who she suspected was there, just as Quinten Gnash stepped into the room.

He looked to his left and smiled as he saw her. “Ah! Miss McBeth. How good it is to see you again! And Mr. Ramond! You’re looking fit. It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance again!”

Claire saw Herc glare at him. For a split second Claire thought Herc would say something.

“Don’t bother with a witty reply, Mr. Ramond. It would be so inappropriate at a time like this.” Gnash looked at the rest of those in the room while slowly swinging his gun to point at each. “And of course, Mr. Seok. No doubt the woman next to you is your lovely wife. Unless I’m mistaken your name is Kyung-Hee. Am I correct?”

Claire and everyone else in the room could clearly see that Kyung was frozen with fear. She could no more have spoken than she could have piloted the Spacerider.

“No need to reply, Mrs. Seok. It’s your husband I’ve come to deal with, not you.”

He continued his perusal of those in the room. “Now. One of you other gentlemen is Mr. Anderson, I believe; one of the pilots of that magnificent Antonov-225 now sitting on the flight line waiting for takeoff. Which one of you is that? Please stand.”

No one in the room made a move.

Gnash abruptly pointed the gun at one of the men Claire didn’t know and fired, hitting him in the forehead. All the women and most of the men either screamed or shouted in horror. The man looked startled for a fraction of a second then slumped down into his chair. Two women starting whimpering, another wailing.

“There, there, ladies. No need for grief. He is now in a far better place than what this world is about to become. Unless, of course, he was a bad little boy while he was here! So, if you will please stop your ridiculous blubbering, I want to get on with why I’m here!”

Everyone instantly quieted down.

“Again, which one of you is Mr. Anderson? If you don’t stand up by the time I count to three I’ll shoot someone else! One.....two.......”

Slowly, another man stood up that Claire didn’t recognize. Gnash cooly raised his gun and fired again, hitting the man who must have been Anderson in the center of his chest. He toppled over backwards, knocking over a small end table as he did. More screams erupted in the room which quickly ended when Gnash raised his gun and started randomly pointing it at people.

“There. That wasn’t so difficult, was it? Now, of course, there’s no way you can complete your humanity-saving mission into space. You have no pilot for the Antonov-225 to ferry you up. How tragic! Now you’ll just have to die like the rest of us! You see, it wasn’t really difficult to figure out what you intended to do. I’m a lot smarter than you people! Now, without further ado, Miss McBeth, Mr. Ramond and Mr. Seok, if you will come with me.”

Claire didn’t move. She wasn’t sure she could do anything given how much she was in shock. Herc and Kay looked at each other. Herc nodded slightly and Kay then stood. Kyung gave a feeble cry and grasped at her husband’s hand. He gently pulled it away, gave her a hint of a smile and made his way toward Gnash. The big man backed out of the lounge and into the hangar. Herc took Claire by the elbow and led her out the door as Kay joined them. As they moved into the hangar Claire saw that Gnash was dressed in a light jump suit and track shoes as if he was planning to exercise.

Gnash continued backing away from the three, keeping at least 10 feet of distance between them. Finally, he stopped and said to Herc, “Get one of the heavy chairs from the lounge. Bring it back out, close the door and wedge the backrest under the knob.” When Herc hesitated, Gnash snarled, “You aren’t going to make me go back in there and start shooting people are you?!”

Claire watched as Herc did as he was told. Those left in the lounge were watching what was happening outside in stark horror. As Herc turned around from the door she saw his eyes darting around the space, desperately trying to find a way out of the trap.

Gnash reached into a pants pocket, pulling out two, narrow, eighteen-inch long zip ties. He waved the gun at Claire. “Miss McBeth, come here and take one of these zip ties. I want you to very carefully bind your boyfriends hands behind his back.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then I will immediately put a bullet in his kneecap. There are those who say it is the most excruciatingly painful injury one can sustain. Some die in agony simply from the shock.”

Claire slowly eased toward him and took one of the ties from Gnash’s outstretched hand. As she walked toward Herc, Gnash turned to Kay. “Mr. Seok, sit down with your butt on the floor and cross your feet in front of you.”

As Gnash talked to Kay, Herc urgently whispered to her, “Make the tie as tight as you can and place the locking tab right between by wrists and facing up!”

Claire wanted to ask why but knew she didn’t have time to wait for the answer. Herc placed his wrists together behind his back and Claire wrapped the tie around them just as he had asked. She cringed as she tightened it until they were nearly cutting into his skin. If they stayed that way too long she was knew the blood flow to his hands would be cut off.

“I’m sorry!” she murmured to him.

“It’s okay!” he quietly replied.

“Now get away from him, Miss McBeth, so I can check your work!”

Claire slid sideways until she came near to Kay a few feet away. She watched as Gnash checked the tightness on Herc’s zip tie. “Very good work Miss McBeth! Now, sit down Mr. Ramond, just as Mr. Seok. And Miss McBeth, take another zip tie and secure Mr. Seok’s hands in the same manner.”

Claire completed the task but didn’t tighten the tie as severely.

“There! Isn’t this better. Now I can put the gun away......and deal with each of you the way I intended to all along: face-to-face, with my bare hands!”

He casually placed the gun in his waist band at the small of his back. Then, suddenly, with a burst of speed that she could hardly believe, he took three quick strides and grabbed her by the collar of her blouse just below her chin. He wadded up the material in his massive fist until it nearly choked her, then rapidly slapped her hard, twice, with the back of his hand. In her life she had never been hit by anyone, let alone by a very big, very strong man. The term “seeing stars” was only an abstract term she had used on rare occasions in some of her creative writing. Now she knew exactly and personally what it meant and how it felt. For a moment she though she might black out. Her head lolled on her shoulders. He shook her like a rag doll. “Now, now Claire! No passing out on me!......and by the way, do you mind if I call you Claire? I feel like we’ve become so close.”

Somewhere, far in the distance, she thought she vaguely heard Kay and Herc furiously screaming at him to stop.

He slapped her again, even harder. This time she felt her legs give out but for some reason she didn’t go down. As she looked down she could see through the fog that he was easily keeping her upright with one powerful arm. In fact, the only part of her touching the floor were the tips of her shoes. She could feel one eye and her cheek beginning to swell. A trickle of blood began to ooze out the corner of her mouth.

“I think it’s only appropriate that you know why I’m doing this. You see, I wasn’t able to complete my assignment—you survived! And that was embarrassing! I don’t like being embarrassed, Claire!” He grabbed her chin and yanked it violently back and forth. “And of course, there’s something else! At this moment around the world, millions of people are dying because of you. They’re being shot, stabbed, run over, beaten to death and dying in ways that you couldn’t possibly comprehend. So this is for them!” Again, he struck her. This time the blow was more of a sharp cuff across her left ear. For a second, she couldn’t hear out of it, then it started to ring. She wondered if he’d ruptured her eardrum.

“Journalists like you are so arrogant!” he shouted. “You think you’re smarter than anyone else. You think the great masses of the ‘unwashed’ out there need your personal guidance and protection from themselves. You think you should use your journalistic pulpit to expound on the answers to all the great unanswerable questions of the universe!”