“Alpha”
“Alpha”
“One”
“One”
“Beta”
“Beta”
They were one code away before they got sound from the corresponder. “MEGA-AX1 this is Bravo and Command. It’s hot as hell out here and our instruments aren’t working. We need you to guide us in for a landing.”
At first the room was in disbelief before everyone erupted in cheers.
Téa’s fingers started moving like lightning trying to pull them up on the monitors, “I’ve got ‘em. I’ve got ‘em. I switched monitor six to analog.”
Everyone could see and hear them on the monitor. Max was newly energized, “This is Control. We hear you. Can you here us? Over.”
“We hear you, but the heat is on our ass. Waiting on instructions. Over.”
Max yelled over to Jake, “Move your ass. Guide them in here.”
“I got it. They are locked in for a landing. Tell Bravo to switch to auto. He won’t be able to tell from the air, but we’ve got them.”
Max gave the order. Bravo followed instructions. The plane was coming in hard and fast. “Slow them down Jake.”
“Hey, they said the heat was on their ass. I’ve got this. I know just when to slow it down.”
Max pointed them out, “Tony and Gray, be ready to seal this place as soon that plane is on the ground and on the airlift to bring them underground.”
Téa got in on the action, “They’re hot because that heat is moving at an incredibly fast pace. Monitor two.” Téa put the ETA of the fire cloud on the screen.”
Everyone who wasn’t working on bringing Jessie in safely looked at the cloud of fire that started to engulf North America.
Jake slowed the plane down for the landing. Time seemed to stretch on forever before the plane finally touched down onto the runway. “They’re down and rolling into place to be brought down into the bunker.”
There was a lot of back-slapping and celebratory shouts going on inside the control room.
Téa couldn’t sit in her chair any longer, “I hate to break up the party but we’re not out of the woods yet. We’ve got four minutes, Jake before that fire ball is right over us. It’s going to take two minutes alone to seal this place up!”
“I did my part they’re down. Twenty seconds to the airlift. They are on the air-lift and descending.”
Téa voice was elevated, “Three minutes.”
Max yelled out, “Seal it…NOW!”
Tony and Gray got back into action. They’re fingers were moving furiously.
“Alpha.”
“Alpha.”
“One.”
“One.”
“Beta.”
“Beta.”
“Tango.”
“Tango.”
Téa gave the time, “Come on! Two and a half minutes.”
“EXECUTE!”
“EXECUTE!”
Gray wiped the sweat from his brow.
When it was done, Max walked over to them and patted them both on the back, “You did the best you could. Now we just have to hope and pray that Jessie is going to get her money’s worth out of the design of this compound.”
All monitors were switched to all the areas of the compound that were being sealed. One by one each monitor was showing sealed. Until finally they got down to the last area in the compound.
There was thirty seconds left to impact when the last monitor finally showed ‘SEALED’. As soon as the final monitor showed that the compound was completely sealed, everyone hauled ass to get to the air lift and Jessie.
Téa grabbed Brian’s hand as he stood still in disbelief. “Where are we running to?”
“I’m taking you to Jessie.”
Jessie was just getting off of the aircraft when she heard all the whoops and hollers. Max was the first to get to her. He picked her up and spun her around and then passed her on to Jake, Gray, and Tony. Once she was on her feet it was Téa’s turn to give her a bear hug. After everyone stepped to the side…there was Brian.
She started off slowly walking toward him at first, but then just ran into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her so tightly and didn’t want to let her go. He pulled back slightly just to look into those beautiful eyes before following his heart and kissing her deeply on the lips.
There was as ungodly roar from above and rocks and dirt started to fall on them. The rumble and screams from above was terrifying.
Max still was directing traffic, “Let’s move this party out from this hangar and further into the bunker.”
Chapter 23
Brian and Jessie walked arm in arm following everyone back into the control room. Téa switched the monitors back to the six quadrants. Nothing was visible yet just clouds of fire gobbling up everything in its path.
She asked, “How long is this supposed to go on?”
Jessie shook her head, “I have no idea. This technology was unstable to begin with. It may have already exceeded what they expected. I don’t know how they plan to rebuild a society when there’s going to be nothing left.”
Max clapped his hands together, “I’m pulling a power move. I want Jessie, Gray, Tony, Téa, and Jake out. Especially you, Jessie. I’m going to stay and monitor what’s happening with Elite Team two. Go spend some time with your loved ones.”
Jessie kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better second-in-command.”
Nobody had to tell Brian twice. He pulled her towards him and out the door. Then, he followed Jessie until they reached her suite.
Once inside, neither of them could hold back any longer. Brian pushed Jessie against the door, wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her deep and hard. He’d wanted to do that for so long that the power of his feelings scared him.
Jessie closed her eyes. She wanted to savor how good it felt to have Brian’s lips finally kissing her with abandonment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as hungrily. When she opened for him, his tongue eagerly slid inside. Their dueling tongues mimicked what was sure to be an explosive lovemaking session. Jessie lifted her knee up to Brian’s hip, and he grabbed it forcing Jessie to wrap both of her
