just now the ear coms went south.”
“And?” Vin
couldn’t figure out where Sen was going.
“We’ve never had
trouble with our equipment. Just wondering if the Rekabians have something to
do with that.”
His words had all
of them thinking.
“Some sort of
electrical interference, you think?” Rock’s mind already whirled with the
implications.
Sen shrugged. Vin
needed base to be aware. “Let’s keep moving. Intel gave this location and
another at the hotel up ahead.”
Curtis closed his
eyes and focused. When he opened them, his gaze was clear. “Nothing yet. Might
be too far to pick up.”
“Alpha Squad
return to base, immediately!” The demand blasted in Vin’s ear from the Comm
Specialist and to his men through theirs as well. “Rekabian presence detected
and base under attack. Repeat, Alpha Squad return to base.”
Vin keyed his mic,
frowning all the while. His men wore looks of confusion. “This is Alpha Squad.
The threat in Atlanta has not been contained. I repeat, we have not contained
the threat.”
Slade’s voice
replaced the Comm Specialist. “You get your team back here stat, Michaels. We
got a contingent of Rekabian aliens surrounding the premises. Possible ten
spotted and a ship hovering over the area.” Slade’s voice continued on a pant
as if he ran. “Choppers on its way back to give you a lift.”
Shit. He’d left
Helen in DC. Vin ignored the sudden pressure in his chest “Go, go, go.” He
signaled his men and they started toward the helo drop zone at a brisk pace.
“What about the other teams, sir?”
Fear coated
Slade’s next words. “Boston’s a fucking nightmare and Bravo has their hands
full in LA. The small spotting in Atlanta doesn’t rate.”
Holy hell. Alpha
Squad exchanged similar grim looks. They reached the abandoned parking lot just
as the distant whump whump of chopper blades got louder. Vin braced an arm over
his head as the wind whipped dirt and dry leaves in the air. He raced toward
the helo before the skids touched the ground and counted off to make sure each
of his men strapped in safely.
Determined to
pretend the pounding in his chest didn’t exist, Vin bowed his head and waited
as they soared off into the purple black sky. Stay safe, hellcat. I’m coming .
***
Helen washed her
hands under lukewarm water at the kitchen sink. Thinking about turning on the
TV depressed her since she didn’t need to see more reports of the Rekabians.
She was half way to Vin’s bedroom to search for a magazine or newspaper when
sirens blared overhead. Unlike the alarm prompting Vin’s departure, a loud
voice accompanied this one.
“Enemy spotted on
ground level. Gates breeched. Prepare defense.”
Helen stopped in
the super tiny kitchen to grab a steak knife then ran to the door and opened it
in time to witness uniformed men and women armed with large guns zoom by.
Suited in matte black body armor similar to Vin’s team, their uncovered heads
revealed faces taut with determination. Bright red strobe lights in the ceiling
had her squinting. Slade came barreling around the corner yelling in a phone at
his ear.
Helen tried to
decipher the commands ringing out. Finally, it sunk in. The Rekabians were here.
Attacking the base. Slade paused at her doorway, suit rumpled. “Do. Not.
Leave.” He took off running again toward the exit.
Ah, hell no. Helen
ran down the long hallway in the same direction as the uniformed troops. She
refused to be trapped in a building again without any hope of someone rescuing
her this time. Once more her hands went to the phone in her pocket. The device
connected her to Vin if she needed him and was fast becoming a security
blanket.
When she burst out
the main door, Helen came to a complete halt. A familiar alien craft hovered in
the pitch night sky, white lights flashed in a rhythmic pattern and illuminated
the ground below. Sirens continued to wail as soldiers took to a knee shooting
at the vessel. Ignoring, the loud burst
“And?” Vin
couldn’t figure out where Sen was going.
“We’ve never had
trouble with our equipment. Just wondering if the Rekabians have something to
do with that.”
His words had all
of them thinking.
“Some sort of
electrical interference, you think?” Rock’s mind already whirled with the
implications.
Sen shrugged. Vin
needed base to be aware. “Let’s keep moving. Intel gave this location and
another at the hotel up ahead.”
Curtis closed his
eyes and focused. When he opened them, his gaze was clear. “Nothing yet. Might
be too far to pick up.”
“Alpha Squad
return to base, immediately!” The demand blasted in Vin’s ear from the Comm
Specialist and to his men through theirs as well. “Rekabian presence detected
and base under attack. Repeat, Alpha Squad return to base.”
Vin keyed his mic,
frowning all the while. His men wore looks of confusion. “This is Alpha Squad.
The threat in Atlanta has not been contained. I repeat, we have not contained
the threat.”
Slade’s voice
replaced the Comm Specialist. “You get your team back here stat, Michaels. We
got a contingent of Rekabian aliens surrounding the premises. Possible ten
spotted and a ship hovering over the area.” Slade’s voice continued on a pant
as if he ran. “Choppers on its way back to give you a lift.”
Shit. He’d left
Helen in DC. Vin ignored the sudden pressure in his chest “Go, go, go.” He
signaled his men and they started toward the helo drop zone at a brisk pace.
“What about the other teams, sir?”
Fear coated
Slade’s next words. “Boston’s a fucking nightmare and Bravo has their hands
full in LA. The small spotting in Atlanta doesn’t rate.”
Holy hell. Alpha
Squad exchanged similar grim looks. They reached the abandoned parking lot just
as the distant whump whump of chopper blades got louder. Vin braced an arm over
his head as the wind whipped dirt and dry leaves in the air. He raced toward
the helo before the skids touched the ground and counted off to make sure each
of his men strapped in safely.
Determined to
pretend the pounding in his chest didn’t exist, Vin bowed his head and waited
as they soared off into the purple black sky. Stay safe, hellcat. I’m coming .
***
Helen washed her
hands under lukewarm water at the kitchen sink. Thinking about turning on the
TV depressed her since she didn’t need to see more reports of the Rekabians.
She was half way to Vin’s bedroom to search for a magazine or newspaper when
sirens blared overhead. Unlike the alarm prompting Vin’s departure, a loud
voice accompanied this one.
“Enemy spotted on
ground level. Gates breeched. Prepare defense.”
Helen stopped in
the super tiny kitchen to grab a steak knife then ran to the door and opened it
in time to witness uniformed men and women armed with large guns zoom by.
Suited in matte black body armor similar to Vin’s team, their uncovered heads
revealed faces taut with determination. Bright red strobe lights in the ceiling
had her squinting. Slade came barreling around the corner yelling in a phone at
his ear.
Helen tried to
decipher the commands ringing out. Finally, it sunk in. The Rekabians were here.
Attacking the base. Slade paused at her doorway, suit rumpled. “Do. Not.
Leave.” He took off running again toward the exit.
Ah, hell no. Helen
ran down the long hallway in the same direction as the uniformed troops. She
refused to be trapped in a building again without any hope of someone rescuing
her this time. Once more her hands went to the phone in her pocket. The device
connected her to Vin if she needed him and was fast becoming a security
blanket.
When she burst out
the main door, Helen came to a complete halt. A familiar alien craft hovered in
the pitch night sky, white lights flashed in a rhythmic pattern and illuminated
the ground below. Sirens continued to wail as soldiers took to a knee shooting
at the vessel. Ignoring, the loud burst