Different (36 page)

"An airburst, minimum residual radiation, troops could move in within hours. Of course everyone on the nucleus would be vaporised or killed by instant radiation, but the weapon's steel and it should survive."

Jay knew he was right and a sob burst from her throat. “Why don't we just give him the dammed gun? We can't let that happen ... we can't!"

He took her by the shoulders and raised her chin until her eyes were looking into his.

"Do you think that it would end then Jay? No, he'd never rest until he had us in his power, making him bigger and better weapons."

He was right of course, she knew that and then she understood. “You knew what he was planning when you asked me to work on modifying the laptop! You knew it all the time!"

He smiled sadly. “Yes, I know how Downey and Matheson think; it's their kind of twisted logic. Now, we have to penetrate the war room of the Pentagon itself and destroy their evil once and for all!”

Jay knew the words that he'd left unsaid, they could be killed but there was no other choice. “Well, I suppose we'd better get on with it.”

She led the way into the trees away from the lake and towards the troops that would be creeping towards them. Her trainer with its hidden transmitter was strapped to one of the rotor blades of the abandoned helicopter. They had been travelling for about fifteen minutes when Adam's hand closed over hers, and squeezed it gently. He looked at her for a few seconds and then releasing her hand, he pointed ahead, and then Jay heard the faint rustle of pine needles coming from the direction in which she and Adam were heading.

"Now!” he whispered.

Jay gasped as Adam pressed himself against a tree and simply faded from sight, she'd never seen how it looked when you became. Choosing a suitable tree, she hid the bag containing her clothes and the computer, pressing her back against the rough bark, she too became.

The rustling became louder and she realised that her enhanced hearing was matched by her sense of smell. She could smell the sweet scent of after-shave, chewing gum and as well as the stale stink of tobacco. The men wearing camouflage suits passed within inches and on either side of them. One of them actually brushed her arm, but they carried on towards the lake completely unaware that she and Adam were only inches away. Jay unbecame and picked up her bag. She froze as the blade of a knife was pressed against her throat and a hand clamped around her mouth.

"Make a sound and you're dead,” a voice hissed. “Just do what you're told, right?"

"Yes!” She was unable to nod because of the knife.

"Where's your boyfriend?"

"Behind you!"

The man spun her around and stood behind her using her as a shield. He laughed. “Nice try,” he said, and squealed in pain as Jay grabbed the hand holding the knife and squeezed. Turning and still holding his wrist, she hurled him against a tree and an arm that seemed to be made out of bark clamped around his neck.

Adam's skin returned to its normal colour and he released the soldier's body, which fell into a crumpled heap onto the ground. Picking up his bag, Adam nodded and they dressed before continuing on their way.

Adam was loping across the bridge towards the telephone wires that were strung across the road and Jay followed concentrating on extracting the computer from her bag. When they reached the tree to which the wires were fixed, they started to climb and Adam extended his hand to help pull her up the last few feet.

Clamping the computer terminals to the telephone wires Jay started to type.

The troops advanced on the helicopter and one of the men pointed to the solitary trainer that had been tied to one of the rotors. “It looks as though we've been suckered!” he said.

There was a high-pitched hum from somewhere down by the lake and they advanced towards it their weapons at the ready. In front of them a shape rose from the ground it looked like some kind of gigantic moth. Two wings made of parachute silk and metal tubes, each wing at least fifteen feet long smoothly rose into place. The body was a metal and Perspex cylinder about seven foot long, and with a diameter of three and a half feet that slowly and gracefully pivoted on billowing wings towards them, until they were staring at a circle of flashing neon lights.

The lights started to spin drawing all eyes to the centre of the spiral.
"Mission Accomplished—Weapon Recovered—Target's Destroyed!"
the message flashed on an off followed by another subliminal message; neither of which was registered by the mesmerised troops, however, both messages were absorbed and accepted by their subconscious minds. After fifteen minutes, the lights stopped and the machine's wings seemed to flex and the cylinder returned to its vertical position. Silently the machine lifted off the ground, rising silently above the lake before skimming swiftly above the trees, in the direction taken by Adam and Jay.

The Major blinked and took a step forward and removed the weapon from the tree, it looked like a cordless drill, but he'd seen what damage it could do. He secured it safely in his backpack and then straightening, he checked his watch. It was 1530 hours; they'd have over an hour to reach the radio a mile away. They'd succeeded! It was a pity, they'd had to kill the man and woman and sink their weighted bodies into the lake. It was the ceramic bullets that had got them, and he could still see their bloody corpses in his mind.

Rebecca ran her hand through the fine hairs on Doug's chest and he smiled down at her from where he lay next to her propping his head up with his hand.

"This is crazy,” she said, looking into his eyes. “I mean aren't we getting a little old for this love at first sight thing?"

"Yes, I reckon we are, but it happened and I'm not going to start complaining. Not when I'm lying next to the most beautiful and sexy woman I've ever met."

"Well at least your eyesight isn't failing,” she laughed and he grinned and pulled her closer and then Scott came in.

"Sorry,” he said, discreetly averting his eyes as Rebecca covered herself up. “But we've got a couple of visitors and the man say's that Adam sent them."

Outside she saw the some of other's talking to a tall ancient looking Native American. He had shoulder length silver hair and seemed to smile a lot. Beside him was a woman who looked familiar, and she had a dazed, lost look in her eyes.

The man turned towards Rebecca and Doug and she saw the serenity in his eyes.

"Rebecca, Doug, this is Dan McQuentin and Laura Green,” Scott said.

That's the woman who saved Mary and Jay!
Rebecca smiled and moved towards her holding out her hand. But Laura looked blankly at her and took a step back towards as though afraid, and Dan, put one arm around her protectively.

"It's ok, Laura,” he said gently, turning his head he smiled apologetically at Rebecca. “Laura's got amnesia. We got swept into the river and she was underwater for about three or four minutes before I managed to find her and get some air into her lungs. She seems all right apart from that.”

Brain damage
, Rebecca thought,
her brain was starved of oxygen for too long
.

"Adam asked Dan to help Laura and bring her here,” Scott said. “Apparently Dan here's a Shaman."

"Are Adam and Jay all right?” Rebecca asked, still trying to remember where she'd seen Laura Green before.

"I don't rightly know for certain, but with his powers, I would think so. Ah yes, he asked me to tell you that it was almost over and that he's going to..."

"What the hell is that?” Someone cried out in alarm, turning Rebecca saw that they were all looking up towards something that was hovering about a hundred feet above them. Some of the men were pointing their shotguns and rifles at it and then they saw the lights and the message.

"Put the coffee on down there Rebecca, we're thirsty!"

"Hold your fire,” she yelled. “Scott! It's Adam and Jay!"

As the men lowered the rifles the object, that seemed to have wings that actually flapped, sank gently down and she could see Jay and Adam inside the cylindrical body which remained in an upright position. Part of the cylinder swung open and Jay stepped out first and came running over to her and Scott, who was standing with an idiot grin on his face. Adam waved and was obscured from view as Jay threw herself into first her arms and then into Scott's, who hoisted her off her feet and swung her around.

"I've missed you Jay!” Scott laughed lowering her down to the ground. “You'll never know how much I've missed you!"

Jay hugged him. “I've missed you too you big hunk, hey isn't that Sara over there?"

Sara walked over to them and Rebecca thought she was acting a little strange until Scott's arm encircled Sara's waist and then she understood. Scott and Sara were apparently an item now, but she'd been too wrapped up in Doug to notice.

"Did you know?” Rebecca asked Doug, who was looking at Sara with a half smile on his face.

"I know that she had a thing for Scott when they were in college, but she was a freshman and he never paid her no mind. Looks as though he's making up for it now though.” He grinned.

"Rebecca,” Adam took her hands in his and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
He's a man!
She realised.
He's aged by at least fifteen years
.

"Adam,” she smiled and half turned to Doug. “You remember Doug, Adam?"

"Yes,” he said and shook Doug's hand. “You'll make her very happy Doug."

Doug gave a
how the hell did he know about us?
look and she shrugged and grinned at the same time.

Adam walked over to the old man and they embraced and Dan said something that only Adam was meant to hear, and he nodded. Jay was holding Laura's hands and talking to her gently and then removing her hands, she replaced them on either side of the woman's head. Rebecca saw Laura start as a blue pulsating light flowed out of Jay's fingers. The light covered Laura's head like a living helmet before fading away. Laura looked around her and then started to sob, Jay pulled her into her arms. Eventually Laura's sobs stopped and Jay kissed her on the forehead, in what seemed to Rebecca, to be and act of absolution.

Laura walked over and looking at Scott she said. “I think I ought to tell you what happened to Mary at the Deer Lodge Motel.” She told the story quietly and after she'd finished, she told them who she really was and everything that had happened at the Devil's Footprint in Britain. Rebecca wondered why Adam didn't revile Janine for being the evil murderous bitch she was. All of the others except for Jay and the old man were staring at the woman in revulsion.

"Janine, why have you told us this?” Adam's voice cut through the air like a lash.

"I don't really know!” Janine shrugged and she sounded tired. “Perhaps it's because I can't bear to live with myself. Somehow my conscience has finally caught up with me; I've been running away from it for a long, long time.” She shrugged. “You'll just have to do whatever it is you want to do with me, I just don't care anymore."

"We should string the bitch up, or shoot her,” one of the men said, and there were angry murmurs of agreement.

"She risked her life to save Mary and I.” Jay stepped forward and Rebecca's breath caught in her throat as she saw the girl's ethereal beauty for the first time. “Just as you were prepared to give your life for Mary who I loved like a sister; so will I give my life for you. Let those of you who would kill Laura, yes this woman is Laura, because Janine died in the very instant that Laura fought to save a girl she didn't even know. Let those of you who would kill her, first kill me."

"And me!” Adam said stepping forward.

"Me too!” Dan McQuentin joined them, smiling benevolently.

Rebecca looked at them and felt profoundly moved as she saw the love in his proud old eyes when they met hers. One by one, the men lowered their weapons and Scott walked forward and hugged Laura to him.

"Thanks for what you tried to do for my friend,” he said.

It was as though someone had waved a magic wand, Rebecca thought. All thought of punishing the woman were gone. Now everyone wanted to party and have a look at Adam and Jay's flying machine.

It was about an hour later when Adam called everyone together. “I must leave now. Scott, you look after Jay for me, and yes I know that you want to come with...” He broke off and looked around him and then he was running, running towards the flying machine that was rising swiftly off the ground and out of reach.

"No!” he cried No!"

Rebecca looked at the message that Jay was flashing to them. “I'm sorry my love, but now it's my turn!” The lights went off and the machine swept out of sight and Rebecca knew that all they or any of them could do now was to wait.

"Very well done indeed Major ... no, I think under the circumstances a field promotion's called for. Don't you agree gentlemen?” Henry beamed expansively at everyone in the room and one by one the General's and security Chief's nodded. “Yes I think that perhaps, Colonel would be more appropriate."

Russell was unable to bring himself to look away from the weapon now gripped in Henry's hand. They'd won! No one would be able to stand in their way now. He stood and summoned one of the General's over to him.

"It's time,” he said. “Start the executions now."

The General nodded, for Russell had already briefed him. Once they had the weapon, the prisoners, including the acting Vice President, and together with the Congressmen were to be executed, live on television. The cameras were already in place on the roof of the building where the captives were held.

Henry would personally supervise their deaths and then Russell would demonstrate to the World the awesome power of the new weapon.

Convoys of tanks and trucks had been lined up surrounding the building and after they had been destroyed then so too, would an air force jet in mid-air.

The angry roar from the crowds below them surprised Russell when they emerged from the bunker, and he realised that the mob was on the brink of starting a riot.

The Vice President, congressmen and the British Prime Minister had been lined up against the wall and two machine guns had been set up to mow them down.