The Ark

them outside. Hundreds of dazed people sat under the arc lamps wondering what had happened.

When the containment breach button had been pressed, the entire fifth level locked down, so it took a while to extract Dilara. When she was free, Locke took her topside, where they both took a moment to enjoy the cool night air before heading for the staging area where the wounded were being treated.

Locke had already told Dilara about how Garrett had holed himself up in the panic room.

“We still don’t know how all this was tied to Noah’s Ark,” she said. “Garrett said that a relic in the Ark was the source of the prion. I don’t know whether to believe him.”

“The CDC scientist told me the prion must have been engineered from some raw material,” Locke said. “The relic would fit that description.”

“So you think Garrett was telling the truth?”

“We’ll know soon enough. When they finally pry Garrett out of that room, he’s going to use every bargaining chip he has to save his skin, including the location of Noah’s Ark. Garrett has a talent for self-preservation.”

“The only thing I want to know is what happened to my father,” she said.

“I’ve told them to call me as soon as they capture Garrett. I promise you’ll get an answer.”

They reached a clearing where six men lay on stretchers. Medics hovered around them, inserting IVs and bandaging wounds. Grant was standing next to Turner, whose shoulder wound was being dressed before he was transferred to Madigan Army Medical Center at Ft. Lewis. The red-headed captain looked even paler than normal, which Locke hadn’t thought possible.

“How are you feeling?” Locke asked him.

“It isn’t the hardest Purple Heart I’ve earned,” Turner said weakly.

“Your men did a great job without you.”

“I trained them well. You didn’t do so bad yourself. I’m glad we brought you along.”

“Now the hard work begins. Sorting this mess out.”

“These people look like they don’t know what hit them,” Grant said as another helicopter landed.

“”I don’t think most of them do,” Locke said. “From what I gather, the majority seemed to think this was some kind of test of their faith.”

“You mean, they had no idea what Garrett was planning?”

“I’m sure some of them did. It’ll take Homeland Security some time to find out which ones.”

“But you burned all of the evidence,” Turner said. “Garrett’s going to get away with it, and we’ll have a hell of a political mess on our hands. These religious nuts are going to make the government miserable.”

“I don’t think so,” Locke said. “I only burned the dangerous stuff. The man who operated the sterilization chamber was so frightened about being blamed for everything that he led us to a trove of documents detailing the plan inside the lab level. Nothing about the prion weapon itself, but plenty about the rest of it.”

“And a good thing,” said Miles Benson, who rode towards Locke from the helicopter on his IBOT wheelchair. “Garrett’s company can take the heat for that road race you had with the dump truck in Phoenix. I’ve already contacted our lawyers and the insurance company. Now I won’t have take it out of your next partnership share.” He smiled. “Strong work.”

“Thanks.”

“You look exhausted.”

“I could use a nap.”

A sergeant yelled “Ten hut!” and the soldiers that were standing came to attention before an immediate, “At ease!” followed. Locke’s father, now in a forest camouflage BDU instead of his Class A service uniform, marched up and came to a halt next to Miles. Other than Miles’ disability, the two men had the same appearance. Military stature, crew cuts, hard faces. They could have been brothers.

The General held Locke’s eyes as he addressed the soldiers. “Excellent job, men. I couldn’t be prouder.”

“General Locke tells me you insisted on coming on the mission,” Miles said.

“He’s always volunteering for some damn fool thing,” the General said. “Someday it’s going to get him killed. Where’s the prion weapon?”

“Your prion weapon is clogging the filters somewhere in this facility,” Locke said with satisfaction.

“My orders were to secure the weapon. What happened?”

“Sir,” Turner said, still prone, “the weapon posed a serious threat to our mission. The only way to accomplish our objective was to burn it.”

The General’s eyes narrowed at Locke. “Is that right?”

“It was my call whether you like it or not.”

General Locke took off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’d like a word with my son. Alone.”

As the General strode away, Locke leaned down to Turner.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said.

“We take care of our own. And now you’re one of us. Unofficially.”

“Let’s get you on the next chopper out of here,” Grant said, helping Turner up. Locke left them hobbling towards the Blackhawk.

Locke approached where the General stood ramrod straight and stopped with his nose just a foot from his father’s. His face was a rigid mask, ready to take whatever punishment his father wanted to dish out.

“You disobeyed orders,” the General said.

“I wasn’t going to let you get your hands on that prion weapon.”

“I don’t give a damn about that weapon. In fact, I’m glad you destroyed it.”

Locke’s face relaxed. Now he was confused. “What?”

“I told you that there’s no place in the world for these kinds of things.”

“But you ordered Turner…”

“Tyler, I’m a soldier, and my first duty is to follow orders. I was ordered to secure that bioweapon, so I passed that order on to Turner. Officially, that part of the mission failed, and I will have to take Turner’s report for what it is. Unofficially, I think you did the right thing. That took guts.”

“Surprised?”

“Not really. I’ve read your service record. Impressive enough, but back at White Sands was the first time you’ve really stood up to me. Not avoiding me, not like in college when you went behind my back and joined ROTC. To my face. Now seeing you in action for the first time only reinforces that impression.”

This was nothing like what Locke was expecting. The General was actually giving him a compliment. Other than the condolences he gave Locke when Karen died, it was the first positive thing he’d said in years.

“Why didn’t you want me to come on this mission?” Locke asked.

The General sighed. “You don’t have kids. I’m sorry you don’t. Then you might understand the position you put me in.” He paused. “I was going to order that B-52 to drop its bomb.”

The gruffness in his father’s voice was still there, but it had softened just slightly. Locke realized that his respect for the General had just ratcheted up a few notches. He thought about what his father had said about him destroying the bioweapon and Dilara’s revelation that a relic on Noah’s Ark held the last remaining specimen of it.

“If there were another sample of this prion somewhere,” Locke said pointedly, “and somebody knew where this small remnant was, what would you say to that person?”

“I’d say that I don’t know want to know anything I’d have to officially act on,” the General said, “but I’d hope that person had the fortitude to do the right thing and destroy it.”

Locke held the General’s eyes, then nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

They started walking back toward Miles and Dilara, who were still at the medic station.

The General gave him one last look. “And Tyler, stop being so pig-headed and stay in touch. Maybe next time I’ll need your help.” Then he walked away in the direction of the command post.

Miles looked at Locke in amazement. “You finally on good terms with him?” he asked.

Locke just shook his head, still stunned by his conversation. “I don’t know. For now, I guess.”

“So that means he’s a legitimate business contact now?”