now!'
On the valley floor, Thomas Tahchako and his eight ranch hands had volunteered to get the cattle to the middle of Soda Flats. They knew the risks, but they also knew the cattle could not be moved by truck or helicopter fast enough. He watched as the first of the animals breached the surface. His eyes widened when he saw the size of the first one. Thomas immediately spurred his horse forward and at the same time drew his old-fashioned six- shooter from his holster and fired three times in the air, startling the cattle into movement. The other ranch hands yelped and whooped as they started the organized stampede toward the dry lake bed. As Tahchako turned, he saw the first of the animals turn toward the feel and sound of the thundering cattle as they ran in the direction of Soda Flats.
The Apache spurred his large horse ahead of the stampeding cattle and was only a thousand yards from entering Soda Flats when the first of the cattle started being pulled under. He looked back and saw one of his ranch hands disappear into the ground as he and his mount were suddenly gone. He kept whipping his horse until he was far out ahead of the herd, his hat flying free and his long braids whipping in the wind as he and the cattle ran headlong onto the alkali flats, sending up large plumes of bitter-tasting silt.
Thomas fired his three remaining rounds from his six-shooter and the cattle started spreading out. The animals were attacking the herd in force now; he counted at least eight animals as they breached into the alkali. They were in such a killing frenzy they couldn't feel the alkali as they became coated with the stinging particles.
Tahchako turned his horse and was quickly followed by his remaining hands as they sped south, away from the flats. He once again spared a look to see the animals jumping and then diving back into the dry lake bed, each time taking a terrified cow beneath with them. He turned away from the grisly scene and prayed that this would lead to the beasts' end.
It took the animals a considerable time to realize they were in danger. As they started to feel the alkali eating at their armor, they became frenzied in pain and haste to get free of the burning substance.
Jack quickly put on headphones and listened to the position report on the creatures. They had fallen for the alkali trap and were now back on course for their escape. He was happy to hear that at least thirty of the smaller creatures actually perished at Soda Flats, having been overcome by the powerful corrosive. But the survivors were less than one mile from the target area. Jack nodded and threw his headphones down and quickly opened the remote transmitter. He brought up the code relayed by Compton from memory. With Everett sweating beside him, Jack entered 1T3, then lifted the plastic cover and quickly pushed the red button, not wanting to even think about what he was doing.
'Shouldn't there have been a big boom about now?' Sarah asked.
Jack pushed the button again. The light went out, then it came back on.
'That's not good,' Carl said.
'There's a thirty-second delay in the warhead.'
They both counted down... and nothing.
'Fuck!' Jack said as he pushed the button again, then again. In frustration he remembered the antenna and turned the black box on its side. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the leads but no antenna. In the crash of the Humvee it must have been torn away. He hit the diagnostic switch on the side and the screen started flashing
Everett saw what Jack was looking at and just sat hard into his seat. Then he placed the headphones over his ears and started telling everyone connected to the radio link the bad news.
After hearing Everett's report, the senator stood and paced, using his cane as a support. Compton and Alice watched as the weakened Lee swayed.
'What are you tossing around in that mind of yours?' Alice asked.
'The unthinkable, and if I've read between the lines in the major's file correctly, he should be thinking the same horrible thought right now.'
Jack set the black box down and placed his head back against the headrest. Then he closed his eyes thinking about what had to be done. It only took him a moment to realize the answer, and then he quickly sat up straight and placed a headset on. 'Mr. Ryan, head those fucking animals off and get ahead of them,' Jack said as he looked at Carl, who raised his brows. 'Head for the Orion site.'
'You got it.' Ryan knew when not to ask questions.
What in the hell is he doing?' the president asked.
General Hardesty stood and walked to the wall map in silence. Even the director of the CIA understood and lowered his eyes.
The president turned to the camera. 'Director Compton, what is Collins attempting to do?'
Niles looked into the camera, then removed his glasses and placed them on the conference table. 'He's going to do his job, Mr. President, that's all Jack Collins knows how to do.'
'Don't want to hear any more, swabby, I outrank you and that's that.' Jack turned and looked out the door at the passing desert below. Sarah sat staring at Jack, not believing what was happening.
'We can find some other way, you can't do this!' Sarah shouted over the turbine roar.
'Goddammit, Jack, it's time I did the duty, you're all busted up. Stand down, for Christ's sake.'
'Sorry, mister.'
'Look!' Ryan shouted as he fought the pedals and control stick.
When they looked out the door again, they saw the giant wake as the animal rose to the surface and breached, making Ryan swerve at the last moment, and the Blackhawk leaned on its side just in time as the beast reached its altitude. They couldn't believe the size. The animal's eyes were different from those of the other creatures. This beast had what looked like blue pupils, and it clearly had a larger head. The thick, hollow strands of hair were finer as they shimmered in the sun. Jack and the Talkhan's eyes seemed to lock as the creature again turned on its back and dove for the ground. They watched until it splashed into the soil heading for the funnel.
'That was different,' Jack yelled.
'Did you get the distinct feeling it knew exactly what it was doing?' Sarah asked.
'I'm only interested in what was covering its armor,' Jack said.
'What?' Sarah asked.
'Alkali.'
The Blackhawk sped ahead and Ryan saw the cleared area where the engineers had placed the device.
'Coming up on-site, thirty seconds till touchdown,' Ryan yelled. 'I hope,' he finished under his breath.
Jack held out his hand while holding his broken ribs with the other.
'Dammit, Major, this isn't right,' Everett said.
'What in this fucking world
Everett frowned but took Jack's hand. Then Collins turned and looked at Sarah. She looked hard at him. 'You piss me off, Jack. There's plenty of bravery to go around out here, why does it always have to be you?' she shouted.
'Watched too many John Wayne movies, I guess,' he said, holding her eyes with his own.
Sarah leaned over and hit Jack's mouth so hard with her own he thought she bloodied his lips. The kiss lasted only a second, but Collins drank it in as if it were a lifesaving swallow of water.
Jack pushed away and smiled one last time as the Blackhawk hit the ground with its left wheel. He winked at Sarah and started for the door with the trigger.
'I have to at least touch these leads to the antenna; you have about thirty seconds before this end of the valley changes forever. Now get the hell out of here!' Jack jumped from the Blackhawk and ran out into the heart of ground zero.
Sarah closed her eyes and fought back her anger at Jack. She opened them to see Collins limping toward the tower that marked Operation Orion.
Everett felt Ryan lifting off, bouncing twice as he did so. Then Carl leaned into the cockpit and started to say something, but Ryan cut him off.
