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The call came in just before 2200 hours. Wendy had just been
dressing for bed when Captain Talassy buzzed her. She got her fatigues and her
personal weapon as requested in almost record time, even for her.
Now she stood next to the other men from the meeting room.
All dressed for combat and armed. They were standing at attention before
Captain Talassy on the northeast runway, in front of Hanger #4. All the running
and illumination lights were turned off and they stood there with only the
light of the sliver of moon to see by as it hung in the sky like a sickle
blade.
Captain Talassy lifted his hand to indicate they should
ignore the sound of the click of shoes on concrete as it approached them and
the man in black from the meeting room joined them. He didn't say a word, as he
stood there, wearing his glasses even in the blackness of the night. And yet,
he appeared to be holding a clipboard, reading it over and over, as well as
checking his watch.
The rumbling was the first sound. Distant and low. It
quickly became recognizable. A heavy diesel engine. The semi approached with
its headlights off, pulling the trailer behind it. It was easily twenty minutes
between the first hint of the sound and the sight of the truck pulling up
alongside the runway.
It idled for a minute before the man in black stepped up to
the driver's door, climbed up and spoke to the man through the window. The
driver nodded and pulled around and into the hanger, just far enough that the
back of the trailer was lined up with the double doors. Wendy noticed the truck
had no license plates, no markings, no identification of any kind.
The driver stayed in the cab while the man in black came
around and opened the back of the trailer. Something shifted inside as he
stepped up and vanished into the darkness of the container. She couldn't help
wondering how he could see wearing those glasses. She could only make our some
of the largest details in the thin moonlight.
He came back out, again consulting his clipboard, then his
watch. He strode back over to Captain Talassy. They spoke for a few minutes
before the man in black walked out onto the runway, disappearing again into the
darkness as the Captain came over to address the rest of the group.
"The equipment is here on time and ready for delivery. We're
going to spread out from the door to the hanger to the edge of the runway.
You're going to stand at attention at five foot intervals. Our job is to make
sure the delivery doesn't have any complications or problems. The people
picking up the equipment is going to be responsible for carrying it from the
hanger, to their aircraft. They should be arriving within the next five
minutes. Transfer of equipment is expected to take about ten minutes. After
their craft leaves, you will be dismissed. You've been informed of the
penalties if there is any lack of discretion about this operation. Is everybody
clear?"
"Yes, Sir!"
They spread out as described. Wendy found herself standing
with Captain Talassy five feet to her right and another man, a Sergeant First
Class who identified himself as Reginald Barclay five feet to her left. They
stood in a line, forming a weak wall that the equipment would be traveled
along.
The man in black walked past, still going over his clipboard.
She detected a very slight scoff as he passed her. Obviously, he had a problem
with women serving. She knew better than to make anything of it though. It
wasn't anything new to her after all. Still, she couldn't help wondering who
the hell he thought he was.
She waited, her ears poised, listening for the sound of a
jet, or maybe a helicopter. Minutes passed, but the only sounds she heard were
the man in black's shoes on the pavement as he paced. Then he rushed past her
out towards the runway. Wendy remained at attention, but tried to make him out
in the darkness from the corner of her eye.
Then night became day with an illumination that forced her
to raise her hand to cover her eyes and she could hear the men around her gasp
at their sudden blindness.
Click here for Part 3.
Click here for Part 3.
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