Back | Next
Contents

Chapter 63

Near Tampa, Florida

Wednesday

2:33 p.m. Eastern Time


“A1C Shannon did just what you told her to do, Frank.” Toby told him. “She continued to look for a way to get those nukes from where they were in Russia to the Black Sea. And she found it.”

“Yep, never underestimate tenacity and drive to do a good job.” Frank grinned proudly. “Shannon has that drive. She’s a good soldier. So, exactly how’d they do it? What did she find?”

“The Atyrau-Samara pipeline. The thing has a privately guarded road all the way from just a few kilometers from where they took the nukes straight to the Black Sea. No police to stop or bother them.”

“Hell of a good plan,” Frank said.

“You know who paid for most of it?”

“What? The pipeline?” Frank asked.

“Yes. Well, that and the road,” Toby said.

“No. But I suspect you are going to tell me.”

“Yes, I am.” Toby paused for dramatic effect. “Marcus Dorman.”

“The billionaire guy?”

“Yes.”

“So.”

“Did you see the news this morning or last night?”

“Other than a mased FBI agent arresting a colonel at the Pentagon? Um, honestly, no. Was busy with Space Force security stuff, then tired. Then I got drunk.” Frank laughed halfheartedly. “Why?”

“Dorman has just worked a deal with both the U.S. government and the Russians to help rebuild the energy infrastructure at a steal of a price. It will be worth trillions to him over the next decade. Literally trillions. Several of the governments of Africa are in negotiations with him also. He is projected to become the richest man in history and likely ever. He will probably be the first-ever trillionaire.”

“What? You think he did this for the money?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Partly. But guess who the biggest campaign contributor to various senators, congressmen, and governors on the right energy and infrastructure committees and states was?” Toby asked him rhetorically.

“Let me guess, Dorman.”

“Ding-ding! You win the prize.”

“There has to be more. What was his connection to the Pentagon?”

“You mean, was he connected to Vinderman?”

“I guess that is what I mean. I’m not sure exactly what I mean. Do you?”

“Well, the lead to Vinderman was the pair of sunglasses he wore everywhere, even inside on occasions. We’ve got lots of security camera footage of his daily life where he is wearing them when it isn’t sunny.”

“So?”

“Lytokov and this other guy driving the truck were wearing them in every picture. The space helmet had a visor that was similar. The glasses are electronic devices, Frank, and so was the space-suit helmet’s visor. The dead astronaut you guys brought back had these brain-implant things. They connect their brains to the glasses wirelessly.”

“What?”

“It’s all in the secure folder, Frank. Jesus, you need to get caught up on this.”

“High-tech glasses? Like VR glasses?”

“My computer guy says beyond anything he’s ever seen before. You know who makes high technology computers, internet, gaming systems, and who also has a spacecraft and a rocket?”

“Dorman.”

“Right again!” Toby leaned back in the chair, almost making it tip over. He reflexively grabbed at the side of Frank’s desk to catch himself. “Damn. Look, Frank, I don’t know who Vinderman was answering to at the Pentagon yet, or if he was acting alone and reporting to Dorman, but we’ll find it. A guy that wealthy with all the Silicon Valley influence he has must be tied into the military-industrial complex at levels higher than just a colonel.”

“I have to agree with that. Colonels usually answer to generals,” Frank said. “But which general? Talk about high treason.”

“This is big, Frank. And whoever it is will be so connected as to be damned near untouchable.”

“Toby, you can’t tell anyone about this. You’ll never know who might be on the other side of it. This is very dangerous,” Frank warned him.

“Not just on the other side of it Frank. Who’s on the inside of it? This is deep treason we are talking about,” Toby said. “There are estimates that tens of thousands are dead already from the chaos in the blackout areas. There was economic loss on a scale never before seen, and we still don’t even understand the full extent of our current situation.”

“This is mass murder that might end up worse than any of the pandemics. No telling how many will die in the next few months because of these blackouts,” Frank added. “And the trail of bodies left behind already… Jesus.”

“I don’t know what the plan was! I don’t know if it is done or not. But I’m not giving up until we find out and catch these bastards. Whoever they are,” Toby said.

“I want to know who the two astronauts were that killed Mac. I want them. It is highly likely one of them is Lytokov. I’m going to kill him and his pal someday.” Frank tapped the picture of the two men in the truck. “Someday soon.”

“Forensics is still going over the dead astronaut. No ID yet. But maybe there will be more clues.”

“Any word on Thomas Sing?”

“No, Sing is still vanished, probably with your astronauts. We’ll find them. Vinderman is a patsy. Maybe he’ll talk and give us something useful.” Toby started to say more but there was a knock at the door.

“Come in?” Frank said.

“Colonel Alvarez, you have a visitor here, sir,” A1C Shannon told him.

“I’ll be right out.” He turned to Toby. “Nobody, and I mean nobody, hears this but us. You, me, Kenny, Casey, and that’s it.”

“What about Banks?”

“Maybe. I trust her, but not who she has to report to.”

“Understood, Frank.”

Frank stepped from his office in the hangar and out into the high bay area. There was a woman standing there in a Space Force uniform, a lieutenant colonel. SIMMS was on her nametag.

“Lieutenant Colonel Simms?”

“They gave me a field promotion yesterday,” Allison said.

“Congratulations, Colonel Simms.” Frank shook her hand. “You here for that drink?”

“Yes and no.”

“Yes and no?”

“Yes, in that I am ready for that drink to our fallen. I lost two and one, Dr. Denton, might not pull through. He’s still in a coma,” she said somberly. “But no, because I’m here on my new assignment.”

“New assignment?”

“This.” She handed Frank an envelope with a red-and-white cover and the words TOP SECRET on it. It seemed to Frank like he’d seen more of those classified covers in the past week than he had his entire career. Frank opened the folder and there was a sticky note in it next to a full-bird colonel uniform patch.


Welcome to your new assignment. Good job, Frank. Oh, and don’t give me any lip about it.

Alton


Under the sticky note was a cover page. Written there was something Frank hadn’t expected, but who was he to argue with the chief of the Marine Corps?


Hot Eagle Task Force Operational Orders Commanding Officer O5 Colonel Francisco Alvarez. Operations to begin immediately.


“Congratulations, sir. And, Lieutenant Colonel Simms reporting for duty.” She saluted.

“I guess I can’t argue with that either.” Frank returned the salute.


Back | Next
Framed