Episode 14 (Dwayne's World)
Angel S:1 E:14 “Dwayne’s World”
By G.M. Shephard
Copyright © 2012
Edited by: jeffusually
kittylover
Liz sat on the couch with her wedding band in her hand. She sat staring at it while Ashley slept with her head on Liz’s lap. It was a simple gold ring with a small hard to read inscription etched into the inside. She didn’t need to read the words; they were etched in her heart.
“Forever locked onto your heart.”
Ashley coughed and started to wake up. Liz put her hand on her forehead. She was still warm, but getting cooler.
“Honey, how are you feeling?” Several days ago Ashley started getting the sniffles, then it progressed to a sore throat. Quickly she started to get really cold and her temperature elevated to a a hundred and two degrees.
“Better, but I still have a headache. Can I have some more Tylenol?”
“Sweetie, you just took some a couple of hours ago. Wait a little. I know it’s miserable. Get some more rest.”
“I can’t sleep anymore,” she said, sitting up. She looked and saw her mother holding her ring, “Missing Daddy again?”
“Oh honey, I miss him every minute of every day.”
“So do I. I wish I could see him again.” Liz pulled her daughter close and hugged her.
“I know baby, he’s watching over us right now keeping us safe,”
“Mom, how did you and Daddy meet?” Liz stopped to think a moment. She knew very well how they met, but she wasn’t sure if she ever told Ashley about it.
“Sweetie, I never told you this story?”
“Maybe you did, but tell me again.”
“Well, let me see. Your father and I met in 1971, that was almost 18 years ago. He was just starting to fly fighter planes for the Air Force and was stationed near where Mommy grew up in Florida. I had just finished college and it was graduation day. Grandma was still alive and so happy to see me graduate. Oh, I wish you could have met her, you would have liked her very much. So, it’s a hot muggy day in May, we are wearing these stupid graduation gowns that made us all get really sweaty underneath. My friend’s brother who was in the Air Force came to the graduation to see his sister graduate. He liked me and invited me out on a date. I didn’t want to at first, but my friend said she didn’t mind. We went on a double date and both guys started to get very drunk. Her brother started to treat me really bad and wouldn’t leave me alone. We were at a restaurant sitting in a booth and they wouldn’t let me out. Then comes your dad. He was supposed to meet a different girl that night, but she never showed up, and he was just sitting in the restaurant by himself. He heard me arguing and saw that those that were bothering me were enlisted men in the Air Force. Since all pilots are officers, Daddy outranked these two jerks and came over to the table. At first they ignored him, but when he ordered them to leave us alone, they tried to fight him.
“Did they hurt him?”
“No, I can’t tell you just what he did, but in a very short time, he had them on the ground screaming like little girls.”
“What did Daddy do to them?”
“Your Dad knows some kind of karate or judo, or something like that. He twisted their arms so they couldn’t move. Whatever it was, it looked like it hurt a lot. In the end, he let them go as long as they left us alone. My friend went running after her brother to make sure he was okay and left me alone. Your Dad and I stayed out all night talking before he drove me home and escorted me back to my house. After that, we kept seeing each other as often as we could. On September 18, 1974, we got married just before he was stationed in California. Three years later I met the one person I love more than your Daddy.”
“Who was that?”
“You silly.” She kissed Ashley on her head and pulled her close as Ashley put her arms around her mother’s waist.
“I love you too Mom.”
“Do you feel well enough to get up?”
“Why?”
“Because, I want to show you something,” Liz stood up and reached her arms out, letting Ashley grab ahold of her neck. Liz straightened out a bit, pulling Ashley back up to a sitting position before stopping. “Ouch, that’s enough. Sorry honey, you are getting too big, Mommy can’t carry you anymore.” Ashley got up on her own, taking her blanket with her and following her mom into the bedroom. She sat on the bed, while Liz knelt down and pulled something from under the bed. Ashley watched while trying to keep warm as her mother withdrew a medium sized case, like a briefcase.
“Move over sweetie, I want to show you something,” Ashley moved to the corner of the bed and put her head against the wall as Liz sat on the other end, placing the case between them.
“What it that?”
Liz dialed the combination lock and opened the box.
“This, sweetie is what I call my memory box. Every little memory I have with your Daddy...and you, I keep in here.” Ashley immediately got interested and leaned closer, careful to turn her head away from her mom when she coughed. Liz started unpacking the box and setting the contents on the bed.
“Why do you have a bottle of wine in there?”
“This is from our wedding. See our names on the label and our wedding date? It’s probably not the best wine, but I am not keeping it to drink. Here, wanna see your dad in a skirt?” Ashley started giggling at the thought.
“That’s Daddy? He has long hair, and he has a blue skirt on.”
“Well not really, he was 17 in this picture, he had just got his black belt. Those are really very baggy pants.”
“He looks like a girl,” Liz stated laughing.
“Didn’t he? I used to tease him about it, and he would get upset. Here’s a picture of all three of us on the beach. Do you remember this trip? I think you were about 2 years old when we went to the beach in California.” She shook her head, admitting that she didn’t remember.
“Wow, pretty hot,” Ashley said, taking a picture out of the box. “Wow Mom, you look really good. I remember you and Dad going out this night.” Liz looked at the picture of her and Michael. He was in uniform, and she was in his favorite dress in her wardrobe.
“Oh, that one. I don’t like that dress much, but it was your Dad’s special night, and I wore it for him. We girls do that kind of stuff for the guys we love. One day you will know what I am talking about. This was a good night, almost five years ago. It was one of the last nights your Dad and I had where we got really dressed up and went out. It was a great year, no asteroid, everyone at NASA worried about nothing but launching more shuttles. Dad had already flown a couple of missions and they had a special Christmas party to celebrate. It was also the night I met Dwayne and Dr. Megan.”
“Tell me about it.”
---December 5, 1983---
Liz picked up the skewer out of the martini glass and popped the olive into her mouth and began chewing it, finally washing it down with her first sip of her martini. The condensation was soaking through her purple satin opera gloves. She wasn't entirely thrilled with the event, but she loved getting dressed up for classy dinners and parties, and this was quite a party. All the astronauts, support crew and significant others were in attendance at the annual holiday party.
"How does that taste ma'am?" The bartender asked.
"Great, it's perfect," Liz replied, slipping a couple of dollars into the tip jar.
"Thank you," he said as the bills fell to the bottom of the jar, "glad you like it. Let me know if you need anything else." He turned his attention to someone approaching the bar. "What can I get you chief?"
"Let me get a Bud, and a shot of tequila," a man about Michael's height said as he turned and locked eyes with Liz. He was wearing his formal dress uniform that resembled a tux, but had gold stripes on the sleeves and a gold cummerbund, the same as Michael's but with less decoration on his left breast. He was a little older, probably in his very early forties.
"Well hello there. Wow, you are incredibly beautiful and elegant," he said with his jaw dropped open. "Sorry I don't mean to be rude, but you are quite stunning."
"Why thank you," she said as she took another sip of her drink, "don't worry about it, I appreciate it. Are you a pilot?"
"Yes, how can you tell?"
"Well my husband has a very similar uniform," she said, trying to subtly tell him he didn't have a chance. The bartender handed him his drinks, and he took the shot right away.
"He is huh, and just who is your husband?" He saw her eyes move to the left and lock onto someone just as he heard a voice.
"Sorry Dwayne, Liz is mine." Michael stepped in and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Hey babe, sorry I got a little tied up talking to people." She handed him his cocktail and he took a sip.
"Liz, this is Dwayne Turner, Dwayne, my wife Liz." They shook hands as he looked at Michael.
"Naah, really? How did a loser like you score such an attractive woman?"
"Easy, I didn't score her, we were made for each other, it only took twenty something years for us to find each other. Liz and I have been together 9 years now.”
"Well, isn't that cute and sappy. I think you need to be wearing that gown if you are going to talk like that, hell it might even look good on you."
"Wouldn't that be something?" Michael said, ignoring his insult as Frankie Valli's "You're to Good to Be True" came on over the sound system. "Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to dance with my wife," Michael said, taking her gloved hand in a gentle grip and kissing it. "May I have this dance?"
"You can have them all, my love." Dwayne watched as the happy couple made their way to the dance floor. The entire time, he stared at Liz's ass swaying back and forth as Michael escorted her to the center. He watched in disdain as the couple stared into each other's souls and sang the lyrics to the song while holding each other tight.
"Lucky bastard," Dwayne said just before chugging the rest of his drink. "Hey bartender, give me a couple more shots and another brew?"
As Michael and Liz's dance came to a conclusion, Michael felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Bill Young, Chief Astronaut, standing behind him next to a young woman in her early thirties.
"Hi Bill."
"Michael, you having a good time I see? Is this the Mrs.?"
"Yes, you two never met? Liz, this is Bill Young, my direct boss. He's head of all us space jockeys. Bill, this is my wife Liz."
"Simply stunning, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. You're all he talks about." Liz laughed, knowing that wasn't a lie.
"And who is this that you are with?" Liz asked, making the unknown woman feel part of the conversation.
"Michael, I wanted you to meet Dr. Megan McCormack. Dr., this is Michael Owen." They exchanged greetings before Young continued. "The Doctor here is our latest addition to Astronaut Program and brings a background in Medicine and Psychology. Very very bright young lady. She graduated high school two years early and graduated Harvard Medical School in record time."
"That's quite impressive," Michael said upon hearing Megan's qualifications.
"Michael here piloted the second shuttle mission STS-2 and commanded STS-6. He's one of my top Astronauts. He came to us a Colonel from the Air Force where he flew fighters and those strange flying saucers over area 51. No seriously, you stick close to him and you will learn a lot.
“I would be happy to. Doctor, this is my wife Liz,” he said making sure to include her in the conversation. The two ladies introduced themselves before Liz turned to Michael.
“Excuse me a moment. Honey, they are going to be taking the group photos with us in about ten minutes. I’m going to run to the ladies room and freshen up a bit. I will meet you over there ok?”
“Ok love, see you in a few,” Michael said as they quickly kissed. The Doctor also excused herself and caught up with Liz leaving Michael alone.
---
"You look really amazing in that gown Liz," Megan said, "very classy. I can’t wait to see those photos. The one of you and Michael alone is going to be very special. I wish I could pull that kind of a look off, but I’m a little too nerdy."
"Don’t be silly, you look very beautiful,” Liz said, returning the compliment. “As for me, I personally can't wait to get home and take this off. Not a fan of this gown, but Michael bought it for me - he has this thing about red silky and shiny clothes and thinks they belong on me. Tonight is really all about him, and I love him, so I figured a few hours of misery won't be so bad. Next time if he likes it that much, he can wear it."
"Well that is very commendable to take care of your man like that. I think you two are very cute together. How long have you two been married?"
"We just had our nine year anniversary on September 21st."
"Nine years? Most military marriages usually fall apart long before."
"Nope, not us, we are still honeymooning and will likely grow old together," Liz said, taking a sip of her cocktail while staring at Michael off in the distance."
"You have kids?"
"Yes, we have a little girl, she's six now." Liz reached into her purse and grabbed her keychain with the attached photo frame, then handed it to Megan,"
"Is this her? Aw Liz she's so cute. What's her name?"
"That's Ashley, our little pride and joy. Very smart like her dad. Not sure where she got the blond hair from."
"I hope to meet her sometime."
"I would like that. Do you live in the area?"
"Yes, I just bought a place a couple of years ago, little east of Houston."
"How do you like Texas?"
"Love it, born and raised here." Liz was a little surprised.
"Really, you don't sound like it?"
"Oh, you give it time, you will hear it. My parents are pretty sophisticated and spoke proper English, but we kids absorbed a little of the local accent. How about you, where are you from?"
"Grew up in Florida, met Michael while he was stationed near my house. His dad was military and grew up moving around although he mostly calls himself a Californian. We lived there for a while before he joined NASA and we moved to Houston."
"You like the Lone Star State?"
"I don't fit in very well, you are the only Texan I seem to connect with. So what about you, you here with anyone?" Liz asked, trying to get to know her new friend.
"No, I am still single. Been too busy, and boys just make things complicated. Give it a couple of years and I will starting thinking about finding my knight in shining armor." Liz listened as her eye caught some kind of commotion at the far end of the banquet hall. There were a few people in military uniforms that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Several of Michael's bosses that she met tonight were leaving with the uniformed military personnel.
"You two still talking?" Michael said from behind, grabbing ahold of Liz's shoulders and giving her a little massage.
"Hey babe, what's going on over there?" Liz asked. Michael and Megan both looked around trying to find what Liz was talking about. Michael saw it first.
"I have no idea, something looks serious. We don't have anything up right now. I wonder what that’s all about. Stay here, let me go find out."
---September 14th, 1987 Moscow, Russia---
The matre d' escorted Megan through the restaurant toward a private dining area. The door was guarded by two large men in suits, men you did not want to find yourself on their bad side, assuming they had a good side.
"Doctor, follow me," one of the bodyguards said. He led her into the private area which was surprisingly large, a second dining area that had been closed off and reserved just for her and Nikolai. As soon as Nikolai saw her enter, he stood up and rushed over to finish escorting her, ordering his bodyguard outside.
"Megan, it's great to see you. I trust those two didn't scare you?"
"They look pretty frightening, where did you get them, the military?"
"Worse, Canadian hockey team." Megan started laughing, already feeling comfortable in Mitri's presence. "Here, let me take your coat." She handed him her coat as he helped her into the booth.
"This is quite a setup, Nikolai, thank you for arranging for us to get together."
"Of course, I was overjoyed when I got call you wanted to see me. We never had chance to get together with all craziness. How are you holding up? How is Eugene?"
"Eugene is getting stronger. For the most part his spirits are high, but I catch him when he is alone and I know he is taking it hard. Not easy to accept after you spent your life walking, to suddenly live confined to a wheelchair."
"I can't imagine. It was an incredible sacrifice he made, one that not many would do. How about you, how are you holding up?"
"I’m falling apart to tell you the truth. I’ve spent my whole life being the voice of reason to so many. The glue that keeps people together. I’ve finally reached a point in my life where I can’t glue myself together anymore. Not sure if that makes sense?”
“We are not supposed to work alone, but as a big team. That is not just true for cosmonauts, but all walks of life. Solving your own problems isn’t healthy. You might be a professional psychologist, but you still need one of your own. Like a cosmologist cutting their own hair, can’t be done that effectively.” Megan started busting up laughing.
“What did I say?”
“I’m sorry Nikolai, forgive me. Your English is great, but I think you meant to say cosmetologist.”
“Is this not what I said, yes?”
“No, you said cosmologist, like cosmonaut. Someone that studies the cosmos. Cosmetologist is one who cuts hair.”
“Oh...I always wondered about that. That is funny.”
“I’m sorry to move off topic, but your analogy is dead on. I shouldn’t be cutting my own hair.”
“So what’s been troubling you?” Mitri asked, sensing Megan had something to say but couldn’t bring herself to talk about it. He poured her a glass of wine, and then one for himself. She sucked it down and waited for a refill before starting.
“I have been beating myself up for causing Gene’s injury, but I know there is something deeper going on that I can't talk to anyone else about. You are the only one I can talk to."
"Why me? We are good friends, but how can I solve psychologist's problems, I am physicist - I got those correct right?"
"Yes," Megan said, allowing herself to laugh a little, not sure if he was continuing the humor, or very cautious not to make another embarrassing mistake with his English. "I
wanted to see you because," she paused and thought how to proceed, then attempted to start from scratch, "Nikolai, you and I are...what I am trying to say is-"
"My friend, I take it you want to talk about a friend of ours?" Megan nodded quickly, relieved he broke the ice so she wouldn't violate the trust Michael had in her had she been wrong. "I see. This is special friend we talk about right?" She nodded more.
"Yes.”
“She told me you knew, did she tell you about me?”
“No, I haven’t spoken with her since the incident.”
“So how do you know what I know?” Megan thought about the simple description of the doll in her house. An angel on the outside. Without ever laying eyes on it, she could envision the blond flowing wavy hair that often looked unkept atop Kaaren’s head. The bright radiant blue eyes that appeared to be illuminated from behind. Then, her brother began to describe plainly the astronaut underneath. Her doll, the astronaut being the outermost layer was detailed with her
name patch on the front and her unmistakable cute but geeky look. She pictured Michael’s face on the astronaut layer, his short crewcut and thick mustache that he would from time to time shave.
“There is a doll, similar to the one you gave me, but this one was very special. Mine was a memento of our time together, but the one I am curious about has a very special message.” Megan watched as he tensed up at what she was revealing to him.
“You saw?”
“No, my niece found it in my house and has been playing with it. Over the phone, my brother described it to me.”
“How would Matryoshka Doll wind up in your house?”
“Because, our friend has been living there. Nikolai, our friend is very dear to me. I do not openly talk of her to anyone, but I am intrigued by the metaphor our friend’s Matryoshka contained inside.”
“What about it?”
“I see. It seams we are in a stalemate. There is a struggle inside. I need help, but my profession forbids be from talking about my patients. More importantly, my loyalty to my friend silences my voice, cursing me to forever walk alone, the sole bearer of truth. Nikolai, please, I need your help. Somehow, you can see through this angelic being, seeing deep into the soul that pilots that incredible body.”
“Perhaps I see someone there, perhaps not, what do you see Doctor?”
“I can’t talk about that. She is a friend, but is also a patient, I can’t disclose what I think or know inside.”
“I see,” Mitri said, feeling the burden of breaking his silence first. “So what am I? Am I not a loyal friend too? Why do you come here expecting me to share?”
“Nikolai, the doll tells me you know something. I want to talk, but I can’t.” Megan got up feeling a little buzzed, “I am sorry to have bothered you, I thought...I don’t know what I was hoping to get from this meeting. Thank you for your time,” Nikolai stood up and tried to stop her, but she ignored him, working her way around the tables toward the exit.
“Megan, stop!” His loud voice stopped her in her tracks. She stood there holding her purse close to her chest with both arms wrapped around it as if holding a teddy bear. Her eyes remained fixed on the exit door, while Mitri continued. “It was him Megan. I don’t know how, but you are right, the Matryoshka is correct, inside the angel, Michael lives on. I like to think he came to Russia to see me,” Megan slowly turned and faced Nikolai, her face soaked in tears.
“He loves you. No one else he wanted to see again more than you. Yes Mitri, your instincts are correct, Michael and Karen are the same person,” He walked over to her and escorted her back to the table, giving her another drink, “I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything.”
“No apologies Doctor, you are a loyal friend. You are bound by oath, not easy to break, even when a friend is in trouble. Don’t forget that.” Nikolai held her hand and continued to speak, “I am loyal to you and to Michael, and from here on out, you and I have secret pact to keep Michael safe, my brother too.”
“He knows as well?”
“Only that she is not of this world, but does not know the man inside. He is a good man and will keep her safe.”
“How did you know who he was?” Megan asked. Mitri gave it a quick thought.
“I assume same as you. When one knows someone well enough, we can see through vales they hide behind.” He watched her silently as if deep in thought, “What is it you are thinking?”
“All our times together. From when I first met him at the party, to our early days of training. From the very beginning, we seemed as if we had always been friends, Liz too. He never once thought of me as anything but one of his team, and went out of his way to help me. Remember my first training flight with him. You were flying with Dwayne?”
“Oh how can I forget. Both trying hard to get us to toss cookies.”
---First Hop February, 1984---
"You all ready for this Doc?" Dr. McCormack was all strapped in and had a nervous look on her face, still she gave a positive thumbs up. "Good, we are going to do some basic flight maneuvers first, then we are going to get into the fun stuff. This button here in your hand, if you can't take the G-s press this button and it will let me know up front. It's strapped to your wrist so you shouldn't lose it. Any questions?"
"No, just a little scared."
"I know, it can be scary at first, that's why we are going to take it slow at first. Welcome to the big leagues Doc, you are going to do just fine. Remember, what we will be doing today is nothing in terms of the speed we will be doing in the shuttle. Just remember your training in the centrifuge and the briefing today and you will do fine. This will be a little different, as we will be changing direction, but remember those techniques and your G-suit will do the rest. If you're good, I might let you fly a little, how does that sound?"
"Sounds fun," McCormack said with half enthusiasm.
"Ok, lets get this show on the road."
"Michael!" He was half way down the ladder when she called. After climbing back up, she said, "you're not going easy on me because I'm a woman are you, because I don't want you to. Hit me with everything you got."
"No Doc, I'm not going easy on you because you are a woman, I'm going easy on you until your body finishes digesting that breakfast you ate. I don't want you puking all over my office."
“Your office?”
“Yeah, us pilots work in an office with the best damn view in the world.” I gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder before climbing down, then climbing into the pilot's seat of the T-38. NASA had a nice fleet of the trainer variant of the F-5 that had long since been retired as an active duty fighter craft. For training, they were perfect, agile and could reach speeds of about Mach 1.3. Flight crews helped me strap in while I brought up the plane's systems.
"This is Saint in Talon One, requesting take off instructions, over."
"Tower to Talon One, proceed to runway three and hold."
"Roger tower, proceeding to runway three." After switching the radio com off, Michael turned his head back to McCormack."
"Can you hear me Doc?"
"Yeah Michael, I hear you."
"Good, it will be a few minutes before we get clearance for take off," He warned her of the typical delays while he turned the aircraft down runway one where he would turn around and prep for take off. "Doc, you do a lot of flying in commercial planes?"
"I've had my share of air travel."
"Well the take off alone is a blast. I will let you know when we are about to take off."
"Saint, why did they call you Saint?"
"Saint's my Air Force call sign from when I flew better planes than this."
"How did you get the name?"
"The other pilots give you your call sign and you get stuck with it. Well they found out my Mom named me after St. Michael, the Arch Angel. You know him?"
"Irish Catholic, of course."
"Arch Angel was taken, so they started calling me Saint, and it stuck. Took a whole five minutes my first day."
"So, are you really a saint?"
"Most of the time, that's another reason why they call me that. They think I am a do gooder, a perfect little saint. But I got news for you Doc, after we land, you might think I'm the devil incarnate. Hold on, here we go." Michael said as he acknowledged the tower's permission to take off and started increasing throttle. He waited for the engines to start pushing on the locked wheels before releasing the brake. The plane lurched forward and Michael rapidly increased throttle. The plane zipped down the runway picking up speed until the plane had enough airflow over the wings for lift. Michael raised the throttle higher and pulled back on the stick bringing the nose up. The moment the plane cleared the runway, he raised the gear and took the bird into a steep climb. "Look behind you Doc," He shouted back to her. He watched her in the mirror looking around in amazement as the ground rapidly grew smaller below.
"Damn that was fun!" She yelled like a teenager.
"Ok, that was going up, going down is a little worse, but it's not bad once you get used to it. Ready?"
"Yes..I mean no," it was too late, Michael was already rolling the planed and pointed the nose toward the ground. She was screaming, but not with a sense of dread, rather from excitement. She started laughing as it was the only way to fight that feeling of your stomach wanting to invert itself and come up your throat. Most people experience this type of feeling on roller coasters, where the drop is usually done before your stomach overcomes the feeling. After several sudden dives, Megan learned the feelings were short-lived and the motion wasn’t as scary as she had always envisioned it to be.
"How you doing back there?"
"I love it, more, hit me with more."
"You're gonna regret that" Michael said as he pulled out of the dive and performed a series of barrel rolls ending with a loop.
"Yeeeehaw!" Megan's native Texan emerged as she cried out. He could tell she was a natural.
"Talon Two to Talon One, Saint old buddy, you copy?"
"Copy Gumby read you loud and clear. How's your GIB doing?"
"Looking pretty green and we have only taken off."
"What's a GIB?" Shephard asked, unsure of what Michael had just called him over the radio.
"Relax Shep, GIB means Guy in Back, it's what we call the person riding in the back seat. Don't you worry though, we will think of something truly tasteless to name you.
"Oh great, looking forward to it," she said with a sense of dread, worried she would forever get stuck with some stupid nickname. Collins pulled up alongside in tight formation. Looking in the rear view mirror at Michael’s "Girl in Back", Megan waved to Shephard and Collins.
"Gumby, ready for the first run?"
"Roger Saint, take lead." Michael began increasing throttle, no longer bothering with giving Megan any warnings. The pilots ran through a series of maneuvers, getting the two newbies used supersonic flight and higher g-forces. Every time Michael increased the complexity of the maneuvers, he kept expecting the little light up front to start glowing, announcing McCormack couldn't take it any more. The little bulb never illuminated, instead, her excitement continued to build. A loud grotesque sound poured through the radio then was quickly muffled.
"We have a winner!" Gumby yelled over the radio while bringing the plane to a stable cruising flight. "Shep, take your mask off."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, it's off. Oh shit, this is disgusting."
"How's your boy doing there Gumby?"
"Not so good Saint, he has something that looks like shepherd's pie all over his flight suit."
“Chunky or smooth?” McCormack tossed in, trying to fit in, bringing Gumby and Michael to a hard laugh.
“Doc, I do believe it’s the chunky kind. I think I can see some carrots in the rear view. What’s your prognosis?”
“Sounds like my dad's recipe,” she said.
“Thanks Doc for your support, I was just starting to like you,” Shephard finally said, “man this shit's disgusting.”
“Saint, permission to bring the good Doctor back to base,” Collins asked, recommending they end their little flight early since his mask was covered in vomit and not safe as it could cause choking.
“Good call Gumby, permission granted,” Michael said before calling the tower. “Talon One to Tower, Talon Two is heading back. Have a clean up crew with a hose and scrub brush meet them on tarmac.”
"Congrats doc, looks like you win," Michael called out.
"Not so fast Saint, you have two more contestants,” a voice said over the radio.
“Saint, is that Tuna I smell?” Collins asked over the radio.
“Afraid so. Welcome to the party Tuna,” Michael said.
“Who’s Tuna?” McCormack asked.”
“Tuna is Dwayne Turner’s callsign from back in the day. He’s been trying to get rid of that name, but he’s had no luck.”
“Why Tuna?”
“Some admin in my flight school had a thick accent,” Turner said, jumping in to tell the story before anyone else could, “and when he said Turner, it came out Tuna. Instantly I was tuna from that point on.” Megan was laughing at the short story.
“Don't listen to him, he's full of it,” He said over the radio, “I met a few of his fellow pilots when he flew for the 138th. They all say his story is a big steaming pile of BS. According to them, Tuna here, had a nice helping of...you guessed it tuna before going up on his first training flight. As you can guess, something else came up and it stunk up the cockpit so bad, his instructor chucked. He was lucky he had good pilot instincts, because that instructor tried everything to fail him. When he passed flight, he did the only thing he could to make sure Turner would never forget him. From then on, he was Tuna and damn, the other pilots were brutal. Open cans of tuna would randomly appear in his locker or under his bunk and stink the place up for days before he figured it out. To this day he can't stand the stuff.”
“You’re a crack-up Saint, you are very misinformed. Let’s see how you would like a cockpit full of Pink Freud's vomit covering your canopy.” He punched the throttle and took off, leaving them in his vapor trail.
“Pink Freud? Screw that, go get em Michael?”
“You sure you're up for-”
“Yes yes, punch it,” McCormack yelled. Michael throttled up and started dumping fuel engaging the after burner taking chase.
“Tuna, who’s riding piggyback with you?”
“Saint, got me an Ivan back here,” he said, purposely trying to piss Michael off more than his Russian passenger. “I bet you fifty bucks, your dame chucks first.”
---
“That was great, way to kick Tuna’s ass. Thought he was getting the best of you several times until you showed him who’s boss,” Megan said as she started undoing her restraints. Michael took her helmet from her and helped her get out of the back seat of the plane.
“In the end, we’re all on the same team Doc.”
“You’re right, but it’s still fun to compete a bit. When are we going up again?”
“Few hours. I'm impressed Doc, you handled yourself better than some of the male pilots on their first flight. You should be proud of yourself.”
“So when do I get a call sign?”
“Usually you gotta get your wings before you can have a call sign, but I think we can make an exception,” He said, helping her out of her harness.
“I take it you didn’t like Pink Freud. Personally I find it kinda funny, but since Dwayne thought if it, we will have to discount it.”
“I don’t know, love the band, so it’s not that bad other than his sexist rhetoric behind it. I might grow fond of it.”
“Hey Doc. Sorry to change the subject, but would you like meet my daughter?”
“Ashley? I would love to Michael, where is she?”
“She and Liz are supposed to be here to meet me for lunch before we go back up.”
“Aw, of course Michael, Liz showed me a picture of her? I bet she’s as adorable in person, has to be with parents like you and Liz.”
“She is, I wish I had more time to be there with her as she grows up. So much of what I do is to make sure she has that opportunity. I want to keep her a cute kid forever, but It’s my hope she will have the chance to grow up.”
“Liz is such a lucky woman, you are such a rare catch. You, Michael, are too good to be true.”
“Not really, I have my flaws, but thank you anyway.” He said, trying to be humble. Collins and Shephard pulled up in a jeep. Shephard looked as if he had been hosed off.
“You two need a ride?” he said as they pulled up alongside.
“After you doc,” Michael said as he motioned towards the jeep.
---
“How are my girls doing?” Michael said as planting a big kiss on each of their cheeks.
“We are good, we were at the mall for a while before coming over. Ashley got several new outfits for school.”
“You did huh? Spending Daddy’s hard earned money?” He said picking her up, “Not too much longer and daddy’s not going to be able to lift you up like this anymore.”
“So how did she do today?” Liz asked, referring to Megan’s first flight.
“The Doc, she was amazing, she had me pushing about the max G's I could pull in that plane and was able to take everything I threw at her. She is a natural. You should have seen Eugene, though."
“Chucked?”
“Yep.”
“You think he is cut out to be an astronaut?”
“Well time will tell, so far he has been doing remarkably well. It's normal for people to throw up on their first high G flight, so I won’t hold that against him.”
“Why are they choosing so many non astronauts for the mission? What is it you guys are going to be doing up there?” Michael was about to be in a tough situation, he hated lying to Liz, but had no choice.
“And you must be the adorable Ashley Owen?” McCormack said coming to my rescue. She saw Megan in her flight suit and saluted her as she got close, bringing the adults to a hard laugh. “Oh my god, that’s so cute,” she said, returning the salute.
“Ash, sweetie, this is someone daddy is working with. This is Dr. McCormack.” Ashley suddenly got shy and turned her head as Michael set her down.
“Nonsense,” Megan said, kneeling down, “You can call me Dr. Megan, okay? How old are you Ashley?” Ash turned and held her fingers up, “Seven huh? Such a big girl.”
“She keeps growing on us, pretty soon she’s going to be a teen, then she is going be a real handful for her father,” Liz added.
“No way, she will always be a kid to me,” Michael said, refusing to accept that she will one day, provided we succeed, grow up and outgrow her need for a daddy.”
“So Megan, how was your first flight, Michael here tells me you did great. Judging by the lack of stains on your flight suit, I take it he is not blowing smoke up my backside.”
“Not at all, I loved every minute of it. Quite an exhilarating experience if you ask me.”
“Just wait, that was only mach one. That was nothing compared to what we will do during lift off and re-entry,” Michael said, giving her a little taste into the future of things to come.
“Mommy, I’m thirsty,” Ashley said, clearly getting bored from the adults talking.
“There’s a vending machine over there, you mind if I take her and get something?” Megan offered, giving us the time alone. Liz gave her some change and the two took off.
”¨"No soda!" Liz yelled as the two ran off. “I really like her Michael. She’s a great addition to your team and there is no one else I would trust to look after you. Why don’t you invite her to lunch with us?”
“You don’t mind having her along?”
“Of course not, let’s go see if she’s free,” Michael stood side by side with Liz, putting his arm around her and began walking to the vending machines.
---Megan and Mitri, Present Day---
“It is good you were able to connect with his family. Any luck finding them?” He asked with a concerned voice.
“Last I heard, they are still missing. No one has a clue.” Megan recounted all they had done so far to find them and the endless pursuit Michael had been going through.
“It is too bad. All that power, and he still powerless. He needs you Megan, you know you need go to him?”
“Yes, we was always there for me. He never once looked down on me for being a woman, or you and Igor for once being an enemy. He was always open to all. Remember the
night where Igor and Dwayne got into it?
“How can I forget?”
---Commodore Lounge, Florida---
"Michael tells me you started seeing someone. Another astronaut?" Liz asked Megan while they sat in a comfy lounge booth. The teams had flown to Florida earlier in the month for a month long series of training at Kennedy. Liz had decided to take Ashley to Florida where she had grown up and then surprise her dad for his birthday.
"He did huh?" Megan replied, not really surprised that Michael shared that information with Liz.
"Of course, we tell each other everything. Don't worry, I won't blab it to the rest of the world."
"Thanks. It's really not that big of a deal, but I am really busy with training and I don't want people talking. I can be all serious and little play, but if I screw up, they will point the finger and claim it's my emotions for him clouding my judgement. It's lame really how they treat us women. The guys could have all the fun they want, screw up constantly and no one will question it. Sucks being a woman in this world."
"Yes, it's very hard at times, but think about it Megan, you are one of the few American women to go into space, that's huge," Liz said, reminding her just how many milestones they have made since the dawn of time. "So you gonna tell me about him?"
"Well, he's not an astronaut yet, he's currently about five months into the training program. Pretty good guy. I gave a talk at one of his classes and we started chatting after. We went out a few times and that was it. Been together about two months now." Megan started to look around the lounge. "Where's Ashley by the way?" Liz sat up and looked along the back wall and started smiling.
"She’s with her dad and Nikolai. They are in the booth at the end, where she's keeping them entertained."
"One of these days I am going to have to get me a little bundle of joy of my own," Megan said, sneaking a peek at Ashley and Michael together. "He's a really good dad, really rare in men these days. Most don't pay much attention to their kids when they finally get home, especially the girls. So sad, because we look up to our daddies and think the world of them. The relationship between Michael and Ashley reminds me a lot of me and my dad. We have a very close relationship, likely from our similar personalities. Calls me his M&M and I won’t let anyone else use it, it belongs exclusively to him."
"That’s cute. Your initials right?”
“Yes, that and when I was four I stuck an M&M up my nose. I tried to get it out, but it kept moving further up. Kept it there for hours before I finally told my Dad. He just laughed and helped me get it out.”
“Thats quite a funny story, when Ashley was-.” Liz was interrupted by the sight, out of the corner of her eye, of someone suddenly standing near the edge of their table. She opened a menu and started to speak when she looked up to see a tall woman with short blonde hair wearing a military uniform."
"Excuse me Ma'am, I don't mean to interrupt," Liz, with a little disappointment, set the menu back down and looked up at her, giving her a friendly welcoming smile.
"Don't worry about it, can I help you with something?"
"Thank you,” she turned to Megan, “Dr. McCormack right?"
"Yes, that's correct, do I know you?" Megan asked the strange woman as she struggled to recall who she was.
"No, we have not met. I'm Captain Julie Jordan, US Air Force. I am very honored to meet you Doctor, you’re quite an inspiration, being one of the few women in space."
"Thank you very much, although I kinda got a lucky break. Pleased to meet you Captain Jordan. What do you do in the Air Force?" Megan asked.
"I’m an Aviator."
"Really? What do you fly?"
"Fighter planes," she said, being vague.
"And you think I'm inspiring? I didn't know they were allowing women in fighter planes. I think I should be inspired by you.” Megan turned and held her hand out toward Liz. “Captain Jordan, this is Liz Owen, her husband is former Air Force and just took me up on my first flight not too long ago."
"Owen, as in Colonel Owen?"
“My one and only,” Liz said, realizing she might have come across as being possessive.
“I’m supposed to meet some others from my squadron here. Turns out the boys in my squadron, the few who still fly, came by to visit your husband while he is in here at Kennedy. I think your husband flew in my Squadron out of Eglin in Florida.” Liz got excited and turned her attention to Jordan.
“Julie, right? Mind if I call you Julie?”
“Of course,” she said, shaking hands. Megan sat on the other side thankful the attention was directed anywhere but toward her.
“Megan, you mind if Julie here joins us a few?”
“Sure,” Megan moved over letting Jordan sit down with them, adjusting her uniform as she squeezed into the booth.
“Thank you for inviting me,” she said, glad she quickly found some company other than the guys in her squadron whom she followed along just to fit in. She knew they would be upset to find her here waiting for them, but she didn’t care.
“So Julie, you fly with the 150...um-”
“-second, the 152nd,” she said, helping Liz out.
“Yes, that’s it. It’s been a while. The Reapers right?”
“That’s correct.”
“How long have you been flying with them?”
“About two years. It’s brutal. The few of us girls have to put up with a ton of crap, but being able to fly through the clouds with twin jets strapped to my ass is so worth it.”
“What’s your call sign?” Megan asked.
“Hollywood,” she said with her head hung a little low.
“That’s a pretty cool name, usually they can be a little crude. You are pretty attractive. What, do they think you are some kind of Hollywood star?”
“I loved the name, until I found out why they call me that. See the guys call their planes their office-”
“-Yeah, Michael told me about that when we went up the first time. Office with the best view right?”
“Very good Dr. McCormack. Only they call my plane the “Box office,” Megan put her hand up to her mouth as she gasped.
“Aww, that’s terrible, men can be such assholes.”
“I don’t get it,” Liz said.
“Honey, it’s yet another, on the long list of words men use in place of saying “vagina”. Guess for some reason that can’t just use the clinical name and have to defile us,” Liz expressed her dissatisfaction as Ashley appeared at the table and cut off Jordan as she began to speak.
“Mommy, I’m hungry?” Liz turned to her daughter and patted her head.
“Ashley honey, be polite, don’t interrupt the adults. Say you're sorry to Ms Jordan here. She turned and said a cute apology before turning back to her mom to repeat her demands for sustenance, “Come on, sit next to mommy. What do you want to eat?” Ashley crawled under the table and sat in between her mom and Megan.
“Hi Ashley,” Megan said, giving her a hug, you done visiting with your Daddy?”
“Him and that man are talking weird. I can’t understand them,” Megan and Liz started laughing knowing what she was talking about while Jordan, a little lost, only chuckled.
“That’s Russian that your Daddy is speaking," Megan said, explaining to Ashley what it was she was hearing. "Mr. Mitri is from Russia and Daddy knows how to talk like him. You should ask your Daddy to teach you.” She didn’t speak, but showed a sense of displeasure about learning a new language, picking up a menu and asking Megan for her help reading it. The women continued to talk, enjoying their evening while Michael was enjoying his surprise visit with some old friends. Liz kept looking at the booth hoping the guys in Jordan’s squadron would leave so that she could introduce her to Michael. They appeared to be getting ready to hit the next bar when Ashley called out.
“Hi Dwayne,” she said waving across the table
“Hey there kiddo,” he said, stopping and turning toward the table more interested in Liz’s presence than Ashley's. “Hi Liz, good to see you.” He turned to Megan, “Pink Freud,” greeting her as well with a hint of drunkenness in his voice. Liz forced herself to be friendly and acknowledged his presence.
“Hi Dwayne,” she said in a dry voice with little emotion behind it.
"What do we have here?" Dwayne sized her up, studying her uniform and decorations. He saw the wings on her left breast. "Nah, really? They finally let you girls fly? What do they have you flying, cargo planes?"
"She's a fighter pilot Dwayne." He gave her a look with serious disbelief showing in his facial expressions.
"That right?"
"Yes," Julie said.
"Dwayne, you flew in the Navy right?" Liz asked, uncertain if that was correct.
"No, I was Air Force. You are thinking of Collins," Liz expressed her apology for mixing the two up, "So what do you fly Captain...Jordan?" He added her name after reading off her brass nameplate.
"15s."
"No shit? That a lot of power for a young lass like yourself to handle. Careful putting that mascara on at mach 2." Liz could see her displeasure, but she resisted saying something either from professional respect or she was just immune to the sexist banter.
"Dwayne, don't be an sexists asshole. I think it's great they are allowing Women to fly," Liz stepped in, saying what she knew Jordan was thinking. Ashley's jaw dropped upon hearing her mother swear and Liz quickly apologized to her daughter. Julie shifted in the booth upon seeing Megan return and allowed her to sit down.
"Hey McCormack, I have a question for you?" Dwayne, being somewhat polite, said.
"What do you want Turner?"
"You published some papers on psychology and space exploration right?"
"Yes, what about it?"
"I would like to read them, that's all. It's relevant to projects I have worked on, mind telling me where I can read them and perhaps pick your brain sometime?"
"Dwayne, we're all busy these days, I don't have a lot of time to talk about much unless it's regarding our current mission," she said, trying to blow him off. He thought about how long they would be in space during the mission and quickly adjusted his approach."
"Well, lets say it is relevant." Megan was getting annoyed that he was taking up her free time and conceded to get rid of him.
"Dwayne, hit me up on Wednesday, I will see what I can do, right now I would like to get back to the conversation we were having and enjoy the little free time that I have.”
“Sure, Wednesday then.” He turned to Liz and caught a final glimpse of her, studying all the features that made him ripe with envy. He gave her cleavage, peeking out from her low cut top, a long gaze before making eye contact and giving her a quick wink before leaving to join the others.
---
“Excuse us Commander, Comrade Mitri and I go to bar,” Igor said, getting up from the booth with Nikolai trailing. As the two walked off, Michael saw as Liz approached with a tall woman trailing behind her.
“Hey love,” Michael said as Liz came and stood at his side, “just in time, I was about to get lonely."
“Michael, I want you to meet someone. This is Captain Julie Jordan. She’s a pilot with your old fighter squadron.” Michael, excited, quickly got up from the table and greeted her. Surprised by her hight, he looked up, making eye contact with her.
“No kidding, you fly with the 152nd? Colonel. Owen, pleasure to meet you Captain.” Michael and Jordan went through all the formalities of the introductions before proceeding with a conversation. He scooted back into the booth with Liz taking a seat next to her husband, while Jordan pulled up a chair and sat at the edge of the table.
“How long have you been flying Captain?”
“Been flying since I was 14 Sir. My pops flew F-4s in Vietnam and after the war used to take me up. He taught me how to fly. Joined the Air Force and persisted through flight school. Got my wings and flew cargo planes before advancing to E-3’s. Then, my dream shot came through after a senator made a push to give us girls a shot.”
“I take it you have the F-15C?”
“Yes, our entire fleet are 15Cs, we completed the transition from the A variant about three years ago and now I am hearing rumors of a new variant in the works. By far one of the best fighters in the air,” she said, starting to rant about her experiences in the cockpit. The two talked for quite a while, sharing stories while Michael gave her an abundance of advice. “Thank you Sir, I am very grateful for your help. I have had to figure a lot of things out on my own. As you can tell, it’s still a guy’s world and they don’t want me around. Seems like they are more interested in seeing me fail than succeed.” Jordan declined to make this great conversation about her bad experiences and let him use his imagination. He was a true gentlemen and treated her with respect without ever thinking of her as anything other than one of the guys. She wished her squadron had at least one like him.
“Well Captain, we are just going to have to make you that much better. I have to go up on Tuesday. I think I might be able to pull a few favors and find me an Eagle rental instead of the T-38. What would you say if I can have you tag along, see if we can give you a few pointers?”
“You would do that for me Sir?” Liz leaned in close putting her arm around her husband.
“Honey, that’s so sweet of you for helping her out. Can you really arrange that?”
“I don’t see why not, I still have a few good friends in the Air Force who would gladly do things for me.” Michael turned to Jordan, “If it works out, your commanding officer will pass down your orders to report to the Airfield at 0700. How does that sound?” She nodded with enthusiasm as some commotion caught Michaels attention. He turned his head toward the bar and found Dwayne arguing with Igor. Michael quickly got up and rushed over before the situation got out of hand.
“Fuck you, you commie bastard,” Dwayne said, cussing at Igor.
“It is just joke, no need get upset,” Igor said, trying to calm the situation down. Dwayne ignored him and gave him a hard push, knocking him to the ground. Mitri helped his friend up and turned toward Dwayne, fists clenching.
“Come on Ivan, wanna go a couple rounds?” Before there was a change of escalation, Michael calmly stepped in between them.
“Go away Owen, this isn’t any of your business.”
“What’s this all about Dwayne?” Michael said, trying to be calm and defuse Dwayne by getting him to talk. Dwayne’s fists were in a fighting pose ready to strike. Michael, seeing that Dwayne was drunk and on edge, adjusted his footing and calmly raised his hands to his waist and opened his fingers wide to show he wasn’t going to fight back, “Dwayne, talk to me. Igor is both of our responsibilities, he’s going to be part of one team or the other.”
“Fucking ruskie gave me a shot with nothing but water from a can of tuna. Almost puked.” Those watching the standoff unfolding who knew the story started laughing, while Michael restrained every part of himself to keep the situation under control. “Get out of my way Saint, or I am going to drop you before I knock his head off.
“Dwayne, what do you like to drink? I prefer Jack, myself. Do you know the place they make it is a dry county, you can’t even drink there?” Dwayne was getting confused as Michael was talking to him as if they were just shooting the breeze sitting at the bar. His mind couldn’t process the rage flowing through him and Michael's casual conversation at the same time.
“Tequila, I like tequila,” Dwayne said, answering Michael’s question and starting to converse and release his aggression.
“Oh man, that’s good stuff too. Not that crap grain alcohol, but a good tequila. Doesn’t Texas have some great tequilas. I know a pretty good place not far from my house, they have about eighty different types of tequila. Wanna go sometime?” Dwayne lowered his hands, “tell you what, lets see how good Florida’s is before and we can compare when we get home.” Michael gently put his hand on Dwayne’s shoulder and led him to the bar where he ordered a round of drinks for the two. Megan watched in amazement how quickly Michael neutralized him. He sat there, uncaring how much of an ass Dwayne could be, drinking with him until his rival passed out and Davis drove him home.
“You have to admit, that was pretty funny, tuna water?” Megan said as her and Liz approached.
“Yes it was, remind me to put in an accommodation into Yeltsov’s file.”
“Honey that was very brave of you, I thought you were going to use your Aikido on him,” Liz said knowing full well what her husband was capable of.
“I did, use Aikido. Who says it has to be physical?” The words stuck with Megan as she drove back to her hotel. When she got inside she began taking frantic notes of the night’s even’t while they were still fresh in her head before going to bed.
---Megan and Mitri, Present Day---
Megan finish recounting her part of the story to Mitri.
“He had that way with people. He was calm and collected, and regardless of who the person was, he went out of his way to make sure he could do something for them, like he did with Jordan. Ended up doing exactly what he promised her. You know, that night is what made me realize that Michael was the one for the mission.”
---Panel Interview for A-Team Command, June 1985---
“Colonel Owen, thank you for joining us,” Thompson said as he greeted me and led into the room where several others were waiting.
“Thank you Sir.”
“Owen, you of course know Bill Young, Chief Astronaut, George Kuntz, Director of Missions Operations, Dr. McCormack, and you may have met James Biggs, NASA Administrator to the President. To his left is General Payton Chief military advisor to the President, and finally Beregovoi, head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center of the Soviet Union.” He finished the introductions that were more of a formality than an actual introduction, as many of them I already worked closely with on a day to day basis.
“Owen,” Biggs said, starting the hearing, “I must say, we are very impressed with your record. You are a little young, but you are top notch in your class and your performance has exceeded our best expectations.”
“Thank you sir, ever since I was young I wanted to fly. Every aircraft I mastered left me wanting to go higher and higher. It’s been a real honor to be an astronaut.”
“We can see you enjoy what you do,” Young said. “Owen, we called you in here today for a couple reasons. I’m sure you are aware of the enormous pressure we have regarding the success of this mission, but in the aftermath, the United States and the Soviet Union look to form a long-lasting relationship. While the politics may continue to be a little rough here and there, our scientific partnership is expected to continue long into the future. This mission will be the first joint US/Soviet mission in space. It’s important that our two countries have a tight working relationship on the ground and in space. This is why we have asked you to come in. Mr. Beregovoi is going to ask you a series of questions, please answer any questions truthfully.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Colonel Owen,” he began in Russian, taking me aback for a quick second, “I understand you are quite fluent in Russian, is this so?”
“Yes sir, I have over four years studying Russian. I am not fluent, but I hope to be some day.”
“Very good, have you been to the Soviet Union?”
“No Sir, one day perhaps. I look forward to the day I get the opportunity.”
“I hope you come for a visit soon and see our space center near Moscow.”
“Yes, I would like that very much.”
“I understand you and our cosmonauts have a very good relationship. They have reported to me that you are very welcoming and eager to work with them. Is this so?”
“Yes, Mitri and Yeltsov are fine physicists and cosmonauts. We spend much time together during our time off, learning more and more about each other’s culture. Mitri has been a great language coach, and much of my near-fluency comes from him.”
“That is good to hear. Tell me, Colonel, you flew for the Air Force before coming to NASA, what did you fly during your time there?” I got a little nervous, and looked at the others on the panel.
“Colonel, you may answer his questions.”
“Sir, I, um-”
“-It’s Colonel, we know what he is asking, you are authorized to answer his questions. He has clearance from the Pentagon,” General Payton answered.
“Sir, I flew a variety of aircraft from fighters to...well sir,” I stopped and looked on for a final approval, “spy planes.”
“Yes, I have seen your records. Tell me, why did you want to spy on our country?”
“I really didn’t want to. I first and foremost wanted to fly the fastest and highest-flying aircraft known to man. The politics behind our two countries' standoff was secondary to my love for flying. Because of my experience, I became fairly well versed in Russian culture, and because of that, my passion for your people grew. This is mainly the reason why your men and I are such good friends.”
“Very good Colonel. That will be all for right now.”
---Dr. McCormack's Analysis---
The panel waited until Michael was out of the room, chatting a few to make sure he was out of earshot before proceeding.
"Let's begin shall we?" Kuntz said, beginning the meeting. He opened his personnel file and began speaking. "Commander Dwayne Turner, Retired from the Air Force in 1968. He began his career with NASA in 1972 after completing his Masters Degree in Engineering. Completed Astronaut training in 1974 and began working on advanced life support systems for the Shuttle program.
"Dr. McCormack, if you will please present your analysis. Dr. McCormack here has spent many hours training with both teams, and closely observing and evaluating team dynamics. Doctor?"
"Thank you. As Kuntz said, I have had the pleasure of working closely with both teams and have found both team leaders to be exceptional candidates on many levels ranging from experience, education, and contributions to furthering the space program by their design work. Many on this panel have thoroughly vetted both Turner and Owen in these regards, so I will not spend a lot of time on that.
My main goals were to develop psychological profiles for all prospective candidates for command of A-team especially Turner and Owen." McCormack distributed file folders to each of the members of the panel. "Shuttle missions typically last seven days. Even short duration missions are in critical need of superior leadership. Since Operation THOR will have a much longer duration, this will be even more critical. As part of our preliminary tests, we subjected several test groups to confined environments for three month durations. One test group of seven astronauts began an isolated, self sustained stay within a small research facility where they were monitored 24/7 and the only communication with the outside world was through radio communication, simulating their isolation. The carefully selected A and B groups of mixed race and gender both encountered altercations between residents within the first week of isolation. It began with petty arguments over use of certain resources, and continued to regress into larger scale incidents, some of which involved physical confrontations." Megan paused to turn her page, then took a sip of water to clear her throat before continuing. "In the aftermath of the test, extensive analysis by myself and others on the team found ineffective leadership to be a strong contributing factor to the decline of society within the test environment."
"Modifications were made to the leadership, work and rest schedules were created to keep a group busy while the other enjoyed leisure time. The working crew was given a variety of daily tasks and study time. Here we introduced a private room where one could communicate with family and a trained psychologist to help reduce tension. Our second round produced much more favorable results and the group's collective goals were met with a 75% completion factor with only two subjects unable to continue for the full duration.
"Phase three. With the help or our Soviet friends, we were able to conduct a similar experiment, but for obvious reasons, with a small group of five. Quick side note, we prefer odd numbered groups as there is always one person who could break a tie and add balance to the group. Back to phase three, for this experiment, the five subjects live on board the Mir Space station for 3 months implementing all lessons learned from previous experiments. The added isolation factor of actually being in space and knowing there was no one on the other side of the walls added tension, but collective goal achievement increased to 83%.
It is the belief of myself and my colleagues that highly effective leadership as well as the addition of a trained, onsite professional therapist is essential to this mission."
"Very good Doctor. Please continue with your analysis of both of our commanders," Young said.
"First I will address Dwayne Turner. Turner in my observation is a risk. He is highly intelligent and very good at solving problems on the fly as well as adapting to sudden changes. These are exceptional traits in a leader on a mission such as THOR. He also has spent much of his career working on environments that created the conditions we study. Overall his leadership skills are in the top percentile of effectiveness. He has a good relationship with his crew. However, when we mixed up that crew, non crew members had a hard time getting along with him and thus were less likely to respond to his leadership. It was also evident, that his cool demeanor was not consistent, at times a different person would emerge during high stress situations. When cornered, his temper could escalate. In addition, he is highly competitive and has a strong desire to be recognized for his achievements. When encountering others superior to him or one who fails to acknowledge his success, he could get mildly aggressive-"
"-Doctor, let me interrupt?" General Payton said, "what you are describing, sounds like every normal male on the planet. I don't know if you realize, but most of our early pioneers into space, from test pilots to the ones making their first trips into space had rather large egos. It's almost a requirement. You need men with a certain attitude if you are going to strap a rocket to their ass."
"General, I completely agree with you, but we are not talking about a race to the moon so we can prove how studly we are to the rest of the world, we are racing against the clock to prevent the extinction of the human race. It's going to take thousands of people's minds and painstaking work to stop this thing, but one man's ego can lead to the death of several billion lives. Yes, we need men with balls, but we need someone who won't let his ego interfere with the mission." Payton, put in his place, quietly sat down. Several of the other panel members conversed among themselves.
"Doctor," the President's advisor said, "I agree with what you have to say, there is much at risk. Can you please tell me just how you think Turner can cause a mission disaster. Clearly he is quite a professional and has established himself well, rising high in the astronaut ranks, for him to get shot down so easily,"
"Another point of agreement. Let's be clear, all these men we talk about today are the very best, well deserving of the effort this panel slaves through to make sure their decades of hard work have been exhaustively considered before making our final decision. I do not have ill feelings toward anyone, this is not a witch hunt. This is to sift through millions of diamonds to find that one nearly perfect stone that will represent the entire world, leading our team in stopping the Icarus."
"To answer the question, it is my professional opinion that while Turner can bring his age, background and skills to the mission, he has a couple of serious flaws that make him...not dangerous, but certainly worthy of looking at other options first. Right up front, Turner has a hero complex. This mission is all about him, his motives are deeply rooted in a need to prove himself to someone.”
“Doctor,” Mr. Beregovoi called out.
“Yes, Mr. Beregovoi.”
“Forgive me Doctor, English not best in world. Can you please comment on two mens’ interaction with my cosmonauts?”
“Of course, this by far is most troubling, and my number one reason to recommend Commander Owen over Turner. Turner has shown on many occasions to be unfriendly, even hostile toward our two Russian physicists. As you know, these men will be part of either team and have been cross training to assist Dr. Shephard with the planting of the devices. Both have flawless performance records and are a stunning example of the Soviet Space Program. Mr. Beregovoi, we are proud to have them as part of our crew. Their work on the Deliverance’s nuclear capability is remarkable.”
“Thank you Doctor, we expect best from cosmonauts.”
“Precisely, which is why I recommend we do the same. We simply can’t afford an incident when so much is at stake, including all the progress our two countries have made in such a short time. The United States and the Soviet Union are rapidly forming a solid relationship. Two once opposing super powers, now close allies, but in Turner’s world, there is still a cold war playing out in his head.” George Kuntz stood up and addressed the panel.
“Very good Doctor. Let’s take a ten minute recess and then we will have Dr. McCormack present her case for Commander Owen.
---Megan and Mitri, Present Day---
“So, you had major part in his selection?”
“Yes, we needed to find a compatible crew. At first I was going through training to get to know all of you, but it was quickly decided that I should be part of the actual team. It
was part of my job to get close to everyone. With the exception of the Eugene episode, we made a pretty good team.
“You know Michael needs you. He is alone and I might have scared him off,” Nikolai said, wondering why Michael never called him after returning.
“I don’t think he knows. He left my house and left the Matryoshka behind. It’s possible he is a little frightened. He has had a hard time adjusting as Kaaren.”
“I imagine, and don’t take this wrong way, a man becoming a woman would not be easy change.” Megan sat and pondered that comment a moment before replying.
“That, but there is also the alien part of him that also causes him trouble. I won’t tell you, because, I want for him to confide his troubles. He can use a strong man in his life, one who is not after his body, but can be friends with the soul inside. A little male bonding could be good for him.” Her mind began to drift thinking of her feelings of guilt for leaving Michael alone to grieve. No one there for him except Reid. But Reid only knows Karen, not the man inside, not the alien he hides from the world.
She knew her time was rapidly approaching where she would have to come to grips with her problems and return to her friend because right now, she imagined his heart was being torn apart. Her slipped into a deep trance as she recalled a memory, one when her friends were happy together. Instead of speaking out loud so Mitri could hear, she kept to herself, replaying the scene for only her to cherish.
---September 20, 1985---
Liz tore off a piece of paper from the note pad hanging on the refrigerator door. The phone book was still open on the dinner table. She traced with her finger down the list until she found the Hotel’s listing.
“You ready babe?” Michael said, walking down the hall with their suitcases in hand. “I want to get ahead of the traffic.”
“I’ll be there in just a moment,” she said as she scribbled the last couple of phone numbers on the paper. “Here Megan, this is the hotel in Galveston where we will be staying. This is the restaurant we will be at tonight and tomorrow night. Here are the house keys and I wrote the code for the garage door in case you lock yourself out. If there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to call.”
“Liz, you two don’t worry, go have an unforgettable weekend, Ashley and I will be just fine,” Megan said as Ashley ran over to her mother.
“Hey sweetie, you going to be a good girl for Dr. Megan?” She nodded yes, but with a little sadness in her eyes. Liz and Michael had never left her alone for an entire weekend and she was a little scared about them leaving her.
“When are you coming back?” she said with a cute but worried voice.
“Ash honey, Mommy and I are just going away for the weekend. Dr. Megan has some really fun things planned for you two. You be good for her, she is being really nice using her last weekend off to watch you.”
“Michael, don’t worry about it, it’s going to be all play for me. Go, get out of here you two, have a great anniversary.”
“Megan, thank you again. You sure you’re ok not spending this weekend with Brad?”
“We will be fine, you two have been together a long time, you deserve a good weekend together.”
“Thank you Megan, I can’t tell you what that means to us. Michael and I really appreciate you doing this for us.”
“It’s my pleasure, now shoo. We are going to be fine. You have my pager number in case we are out.” Liz reached down and gave her daughter a long kiss and hug as Michael walked back in from putting the luggage in the car.
“Let’s go, the engine's running,” Michael said, growing impatient. Ashley let go of her mom and ran over to her dad. Michael picked his daughter up with a little strain and sat her on his shoulders. He put his thumbs out and she grabbed ahold. She started giggling as he started making airplane sounds.
“This is the tower, you are clear for takeoff.” Ashley moved his thumbs around and he started moving forward as if she were controlling her dad. They ran out through the front door, Michael careful to duck at the doorframe. Liz and Megan laughed and followed them outside. “Eject, eject, eject,” Michael yelled three times as he pulled her off his shoulders and dropped her into the driver’s seat of his Porsche. It was a hot September weekend, the perfect weather and vacation spot for driving around with the top down.
“Ash, say good bye to your Daddy,” Michael said, opening the door. Ashley stood on the seat, stretching her arms out so Michael could pick her up. He kissed her and said goodbye again, turning her around and setting her down on the grass. He was shaking her hair when he heard the engine start revving. Michael turned in time to see Liz shut the driver’s side door.
“What are you doing Liz?”
“What does it look like, I’m driving? Hop in and let’s get going,” she commanded as she adjusted the mirrors. Michael ran around and hopped in the passenger side without opening the door.
“Bye bye Mommy bye Daddy,” Ashley was waving as Liz adjusted the clutch and put the car in reverse.
“Bye Ashley, be a good girl for Mommy and we will bring you something back. Megan, thank you again.” They both waved as Liz pulled out of the driveway and sped off down the street.
“Ok Ashley, whattya say we go have fun, what do you want to do? Anything you want.”
“Shopping, let’s go shopping.” Megan started laughing.
“You’re the boss, shopping it is? Go get changed, we leave in twenty minutes.”
---Owen Cabin, Big Bear California, Present Day---
The light from the roaring fire in the fire pit behind the cabin flickered off the surface of my ring. I held the wedding band to my eyes examining every scratch in the gold. It was a plain shiny ring with rounded edges, Liz’s gift and a symbol of our love that I had never taken off since she slipped in on my finger that hot Saturday in 1974 were we committed our lives to each other. As I recalled my memories of our wedding, I thought about Kaaren. ‘When did she take me ring off?’ So much happened in that short time we spent together on her ship, I never thought to take it from her. I silently thanked Kaaren for thinking to give me one of my most treasured possessions.
As happy as I was at the moment, my heart sank as my thoughts suddenly shifted to our anniversary coming up. A dull pain started to form inside as I thought of spending the day without her. Since my short night out with Reid, my mind had been constantly thinking of accepting that they were dead. There was simply no more leads to examine, and it wasn’t fair to hold Reid back, keeping him from achieving success for my own selfish reasons.
“Damn it Megan, I need you right now. I don’t want to let them go, but I have to. Face it Michael, their dead,” before my body’s easier susceptibility to emotion kicked in, I shifted back to my most recent memory, my final time I spent alone with my wife...
---September 21, 1985---
The roaring of the waves crashing on the beach partially interrupted our conversation at regular intervals. It was a dark moonless night with a warm September breeze in the air. Liz, easily cold, still had a sweater over her bathing suit. There were few people on the beach leaving Liz and I to enjoy a peaceful late night for our last moments together before I left. With launch a few weeks away, stress levels were increasing and for the sake of the mission we were given time to relax, with the understanding that there will be lots of studying and training while en route during our long journey.
"Where is it?" Liz asked. I looked up and followed the elliptical plane, finding Jupiter with little difficulty.
"See Jupiter, the big bright object that isn't twinkling?" I said as I leaned close, putting my head on hers and allowing her to look down the length of my arm.
"Yes, I see it." Slowly my hand moved to the right and stopped.
"Great. Now look slightly to the right and down, see the small white object next to that twinkling star?"
"Yes, is that it?"
"That's it. In about five or so months, I will be on the surface of the meatball," I said using Ashley's name for the Icarus. Ashley, upon seeing a picture, said it looked like a
giant meatball and we all quickly started using that word, anything to add a little humor to the situation.
"Michael my love, I'm scared. I'm afraid you won't come back." We lay down on the towel, pulling each other close and looked deep into each other's eyes. Her hand lifted up and caressed my face.
"Sweetie, I'm scared too. It's far too soon for for us to be apart, but as much as I fear leaving you, I'm afraid of failing and what it would mean."
"Are you confident you can succeed?"
"All the data says we can. I'm just glad I don't have to put my trust in someone else going in my place. I know I could achieve success."
"I don't know how I am going to get through the next year until you come back into my arms. What am I going to do without you?" I drew myself closer to my wife until my chest was touching hers. I ran my hand softly down her back, stopping briefly to grab ahold of her bikini strap, teasing her that I was going to untie it.
“Tell you what babe, this weekend, let’s not talk about what we are going to do without each other, instead, let’s just think about all the things we are going to spend this weekend doing with each other.”
“Now you’re talking commander,” she said, rolling onto her back and pulling me on top of her. You gonna show me some of those docking maneuvers of yours?” Liz said, getting a little dirty. Her bright red hair, now barely illuminated by the street lights off in the distance, was spread out on the warm sand. She looked up at me while I hovered over her, slowly lowering myself, kissing her forehead, then moving lower and lower planting tiny kisses all over her face. She reached up and wrapped her arms around my topless body just as I pressed my lips against hers, tasting the faint remnant of her lipstick that had survived our evening swim. Our tongues met while I moved my hand down to remove her top. After a brief fight with the thin strings holding her bikini in place, I pulled the small patches of metallic purple spandex and tossed it aside, freeing her breasts.
Always a little paranoid with public displays of affection, she briefly robbed me of our moment of passion to make sure we were alone. Satisfied, she resumed kissing me harder while I cupped her breast. Liz expressed her first signs of approval by letting out a soft moan as I gently rubbed her right nipple with my fingers. Her passion began building when I ceased kissing her lips and instead used my tongue to lick her other nipple. She ran her fingers through my hair while enjoying the pleasurable impulses slowly spreading throughout her body. I rubbed myself up against her thigh trying to relieve my own growing stimulation.
“Oh Michael,” she started to say while sensing my own frustration and reached down inside my trunks. For a moment I closed my eyes, enjoying the pleasure of her soft touch. My breathing increased while Liz’s need for satisfaction grew even stronger, causing her to arch her body. My hand left her breast and traveled down her stomach, softly tickling her as I drew closer to her bikini. Each of my fingers fumbled with peeling away her bottoms when my eyelids turned from black to red. Sensing a sudden change, I opened my eyes to find Liz and I bathed in bright light. Startled, Liz frantically withdrew her hand and grabbed her sweater and pulled it closed, hiding her breasts.
“You two love struck teenagers wanna get off my beach and go find a hotel, or am I going to bust you for public indecency?” a voice called out. I peered up and stared directly into the bulb of the man’s flashlight. I quickly got up and shielded my face. The man moved the beam toward Liz who was now wrapped in the blanket. With the light no longer shining directly into my eyes, I was able to make out a faint silhouette of a police officer on foot.
“I’m sorry officer, we will get going.” He shone the light back in my face not caring that he was seriously ruining my night vision.
“Don’t you look a little old to be screwing on the my beach? You on drugs son?”
“No sir, I don’t touch drugs. My wife and I are going to be apart for over a year, this is our last weekend together.”
“You military?”
“No sir, not anymore.” He moved closer and studied me a little more thoroughly.
“You’re that astronaut right? The one going up after the Asteroid? Mike Owen isn’t that it?”
“Michael,” I said, correcting him. “Yes sir, that’s me.” He pulled out his ticket pad from a pocket in his back upper thigh and opened it up. “You citing us sir?”
“Citing you, hell no, wondering if you would autograph my ticket book, then I thought I would let you two finish what you started. Hell, if anyone comes near you, I will shoot them. ” Liz, now fully dressed, emerged from the blanket and stood next to me while I took ahold of his ticket book.
“Thank you officer, I think we will just head back to the hotel.”
“Can’t say I ever gave someone my autograph before. Where would you like me to sign, Officer?”
“Reid, Daniel Reid. Anywhere on that ticket please. Oh man, my cousin’s gonna shit when I show him this. He thinks he’s all hot for pulling over Danny Quaid and getting his
autograph.”
“Sounds vaguely familiar,” I said, not able to place the name.
“He was in that movie, the “Right Stuff” played-”
“Right, now I remember. Played Gordon Cooper. Great guy, I’ve met him several times,” I finished scribbling my first autograph on the officer’s pad and thanked him. He turned and excitedly ran across the sand back to his car.
“Well that was new,” I said, turning to Liz.
“You know, I just realized, I have a celebrity now for a husband? I say screw the hotel, this beach belongs to us tonight.” She reached up and started kissing me while pulling me back down onto the blanket.
“Oh baby, I love you,” I said as I undid her bikini top again.
---Goodbyes---
Tears were flowing her Liz’s eyes as well as mine. Ashley held tight onto my leg while I stroked her hair.
“Liz, in my office, on my desk are some instructions for you. Make sure you go through them and remember what we talked about. Everything is going to be fine, but just in case...Liz, look at me.” She reluctantly looked up at me, staring straight into my eyes. “Promise me you will go through everything I left you.”
“I will,” she said, bringing relief. It was so hard to prepare and talk to her about the possibility that I would not return and if we failed, the death of the human race would soon follow.
“Don’t cry my love, it will only make it harder.” It was a useless to think she would stop the moment I said that. This final moment embracing each other would become our most difficult goodbye. We stood in the clean room with the other families here to see the rest of our crew. While launch was a week away, contact with the outside world would end tonight, and we would spend our final week on Earth in quarantine to make sure none of us became sick prior to launch. From this point forward, it would be telephone calls or on the other side of a glass enclosure as if we were prisoners receiving visitors.
“Michael darling, I can’t stand the thought this is the last time we will ever get to hug you and kiss you. I know you will be back, I just do, but in the back of my mind, I can’t help but worry.”
“I know. Liz, ever since I met you, you have made each and every day of my life worth living. I want so many more of those days with you, but if today is our last, then I can honestly say it was the best life a man can have.” Before another wave spilled down her cheeks, I drew her toward me and kissed her on her lips, savoring every sensation, committing it to memory to take into space with me. Several technicians began announcing final call, alerting us that it was time to let them go. Liz continued to stand there with her eyes closed, pretending she was still kissing me as I knelt down to Ashley’s level.
“Ash, I need you to take care of your mommy for me. Be very strong for her, she is going to need you. I don’t have to tell you to be good, you already make your dad proud.”
“Don’t go,” she said as her face distorted, trying to fight back the feelings of sadness my absence was going to cause.
“Oh Ash honey, I don’t want to leave, but I have to. Daddy’s going to miss you very much, but I promise I will try and come back as soon as possible, and then I will never leave you again.” They announced again as I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her, “I love you Ash.”
“I love you too Daddy.” Liz squatted down so we were both at our daughter’s height.
“Ashley, let’s give daddy a quick double double, he has to get going. I leaned in as Ashley and Liz took opposite cheeks and started giving a series of kisses, building up frequency in sync before finishing off with one long loud wet kiss.
“Thank you you two,” I said before planting a final kiss on each of their lips. I stood and slowly walked backward waving goodbye, watching them waving back.
“Goodbye, I love you Daddy I always will!”
“I love you too,” I called out, disappearing through the door where I found Sean and Megan, who also were emotional wrecks.
“Ok you two, we got work to do,” I said, hoping a little work could distract us from the emotional drain of saying farewell to those in life we cherished the most.
---Megan and Mitri, Present Day---
It was getting late and Megan knew she needed to get back to the Embassy, still she had so much more to say.
“Nikolai, thank you for meeting with me tonight. I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to have someone I can trust to share my innermost feelings with regarding our friend,” she raised her glass and toasted him one last time.
“It is late my friend, come, Nikolai will walk you home, make sure you get home safe,” he grabbed her coat and helped her out of the booth like a gentleman, “I too am happy for our friendship. Many months I wondered alone with no one to talk to about miracle in space. All this time it was good friend...no, best friend looking out for us. I wish I could help him.”
“Nikolai, you have. You helped me see things clearly. Most of which I already knew, I just couldn’t talk about them to anyone. Now that my mind is clear, and the weight off my shoulders, I can return to him. I just hope he will accept me,” Nikolai’s two body guards fell in a short distance behind him as he held the door open for Megan and lead her outside.
“Do not worry about our friend. As you say, I know soul deep down inside. He loves you and will not stay angry. Tell him to visit me and if needs anything, I am here for him,” they stopped at the entrance to the Embassy and gave their final hugs goodbye.
----
Megan returned to her room and got undressed, taking a quick shower before getting comfortable. Her buzz was wearing off and she figured work tomorrow could be put off for a while, so she poured a tall glass of vodka, got herself drunk and prepared to bring back many memories. Megan placed the headphones around her ears and adjusted the volume before hitting play. She sat ready in front of the video monitor, organizing her legal pad while waiting for the bars and tone to pass. The bars faded and were replaced by a split screen image, the left from Mission control, the right being the video feed from the Deliverance. Her face came up on the right before she saw her mom and dad. She sat and watched, just enjoying listening to her parents, remembering her conversation with them en route back to Earth. NASA making it possible to regularly communicate with their families back home was the highlight of their day when a call came through. Any face, any voice was welcome as long as it was different. She loved most of the crew, but seeing and hearing them every day was growing tiring to the point a personal call from Charles Manson would be enjoyable if it meant a break from the norm. She watched until her parents said goodbye and left before hitting fast forward, not wanting to see Brad step up next. How he was able to stand there with her parents as if nothing was amiss was beyond her.
A date and time stamp appeared. Finally she was at the Owen calls. It had taken almost a month since she put in the request for the tapes from NASA to be sent through the channels to the Embassy. Megan had put off working on her paper detailing the effects she and the other crew encountered while confined together. She still didn't have much heart to start writing, but she forced herself to begin compiling her data before getting back to the United States. She sat and watched through each and every conversation Michael had with Liz and Ashley. There was a clear decline in Liz's spirits as time progressed. She reached the second to last call between her friends and paused while she poured another glass of vodka, mixing in a little fruit juice. Megan curled up her legs, placing her feet on the edge of the chair, sitting in an almost fetal position. She hit play on the remote and wrapped her arms about her folded legs, waiting for the image to come up and the memories to return.
---Deliverance Interior October 1st, 1986---
"Deliverance, this is Houston, come in over," the radio broke the silence filling the cabin at the moment. It had been about about ten months without experiencing nights and days, but never the less, the crew kept to a schedule and slept at certain times. Collins, Mitri, and Yeltsov were asleep strapped into their sleep sacks and affixed to the wall where they slept in what looked like a standing position. Michael sat strapped into his seat on the flight deck and ran through a systems check while Shephard, still shaken up from Pendleton's death, sat in the lab staring at his samples, not getting much work accomplished. McCormack had just finished checking in on him when the radio chirped to life.
"Deliverance, go ahead Houston," McCormack, on duty at the moment, answered back.
"Hey Pink Freud, I have a collect call from a couple of pretty girls down here. You accept the charges?"
"That depends if it's a red head and an adorable nine year old blond?"
"Ten, she's ten now," Dwayne corrected over the radio."
"Of course, how could I forget, it was just three months ago." Megan went over to the video array and turned on the systems." Houston, let me see if Saint's free, stand by."
"Roger." Megan pulled herself up through the opening in the floor leading to the flight deck and peeked her head through. Michael was strapped into the pilot's seat with a notebook in hand.
"Hey Michael, Liz is calling, can you talk?"
"Yeah, tell them I will be about ten minutes. Finishing a systems check right now. Go ahead and say hi if you want."
"Thanks, I would enjoy that. Ten minutes you say?"
"Yeah, about that." Megan pushed herself back down and moved towards her monitoring station.
"Houston, Saint's finishing up on some work, ETA about 10 minutes. We're doing a VC?
"Yes, a VC, Ashley has a few things she wants to show him."
"Roger Houston, stand by, establishing a feed right now." The bank of small CRT monitors came to life along with the larger color screen. On the patch panel, Megan switched the feed from the camera array to the incoming signal from the long range communications dish directly above the flight deck on the outer fuselage. Color bars appeared with a generic black box with "NASA" in white lettering generated over the bars. On the smaller black and white monitors she saw a duplicate of the feed she was receiving, and next to that, she saw nothing but black. Reaching over, she turned the video camera on and after a moment, her image appeared on the second black and white screen. Next she muted the radio and spoke into the mic on the video feed so there wouldn't be an echo.
"Houston, do you read, over?" She waited for her voice to traverse the distance to reach the private video conference room next to Mission Control, then waited for the reply to return. The round trip, she calculated, took about 14 seconds. At the height of their mission, the delay was taking up to 13 seconds one way. She could tell they were getting closer to home.
"Deliverance, I read you. Audio and video looks good. Sending picture now." A second later the color bars disappeared only to be replaced with Turner's face."
"Copy, I see you." She wasn't a huge fan of Dwayne, but after spending almost a year with the same six faces, she was more than happy to see his face lighting up her monitor.
"Hey Megan, I am going to let you talk to Liz a few while we wait on Owen."
"Thanks Turner," she said as he moved out of the way of the camera's field of view. Liz moved in, taking his place in the limelight. She looked worn and tired, her hair a little unkept. Michael wouldn't notice her lack of care for her hair, but as a woman, Megan picked up on it. She also knew from her professional experience that Liz was having a gradually tougher time dealing with her husband's absence. "Hi Liz, great to see you. How are you doing? You holding up ok?" She watched as Liz looked off screen and waved, likely to Dwayne as he left the room, giving her a little privacy.
"Hi Megan. I am doing so so. Hanging in there." Megan reached over and plugged in the headphones, then slid them on her head so that Liz's words wouldn't be heard throughout the cabin.
"You look a little tired."
"I am, I haven't been sleeping that well the last couple of weeks."
"I can imagine it's been a difficult couple of weeks for you. We are on our way home though and should be back by November. Have you been taking anything to help you sleep?"
"No, not really into taking medication."
"That seems reasonable, but I want you to be able to function, and if you can't sleep, you will eventually get worn out. How is Ashley?" It was about 14 seconds later when I saw Ashley's dusty blond hair appear in the bottom of the screen. At the sound of Megan's inquiry, Ashley stood on her tiptoes and the upper half of her face became visible.
"Hi Dr. Megan," she said, waving.
"Oh my are you getting tall, and even cuter. How are you Ashley?"
"I'm good. Where's daddy?"
"He will be here in a few minutes." They continued to talk when Ashley started giggling. Megan was slightly confused at first until she looked in the monitor of her outgoing video feed and saw Michael floating behind her with his hands next to his neck acting like gills. pretending to be a fish. A smile came to Liz's face, although Megan wasn't sure if it was Michael, or Ashley's cute giggle that was bringing a happy look to Liz. Either way, it was good to see her smile and was glad Michael's first image would be a smiling wife staring back at him.
"Well you two, I am going to let you have some time together. Ashley, you keep taking good care of your mommy ok, She needs you."
"I will. Bye bye Dr. Megan."
"Bye sweetie." They waved to each other as Liz took up the full screen again. "Liz, it was good talking to you. You take care, and if you need to talk, you let someone know ok. You hang in there and we will be back soon."
"Megan, thank you for being so good to us. Most of all thank you for looking after Michael. I couldn't trust his care to anyone better than you."
"Awe Liz, that's so sweet of you. You have a great man, Liz, and I will keep taking good care of him until you two are together again." Michael leaned in and interrupted.
"Hey babe, how's my love doing?" Before the delayed audio and video returned, Megan passed the headphones to Michael. He put them on while she unstrapped herself from the small fold out seat and moved out of the way so Michael could sit down. The five seconds he had left before her voice came back seemed to take an eternity. It was Ashley's voice that returned first, cutting her mother off from answering.
"Daddy!" Megan watched as a big smile lit up on Michael's face.
"Ash Sweetie, how's daddy's little girl?" She kept talking, still after a year she was not used to the time it took for the signal to come back. Liz backed off and graciously let Ashley enjoy the first fruits of the conversation, waiting patiently for her turn to spend with her husband.
---Bunker, Present Day---
Liz was careful to put the contents of her memory box neatly back where she kept them, while trying to avoid waking Ashley. She was grateful she stopped that horrible day back in October and went back for her box of treasured memories. It wasn’t essential for her survival, but to survive emotionally, she couldn’t live without it. Liz allowed herself for the first time in months to think back to the day when everything changed, her whole life as she knew it was taken from her. It was the day her world ended...
---It’s the End of the World as We Know It---
There was a knock at the door. Liz was curled up on her chair near the phone waiting for Dwayne to call as he did every couple days during the critical phases. Panic began to build as she envisioned what she would find on the other side of the door. Reluctantly, she opened the door to find Dwayne standing on her front porch.
"Dwayne, what are you doing here?" He didn't answer, instead standing there in silence. She lifted her hand to cover her mouth as tears started running down her face.
"No, please no."
"I'm sorry Liz,” he started to say, pausing to take her into his comforting embrace, “there was an accident, and Michael," he stopped as she started wailing. He tightened his arms letting her cry and scream for a couple minutes before he retracted. Looking into her eyes he said," Liz, you have to listen to me, I know this is a bad time, but there's more. We screwed up, there is going to be an impact and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I was lucky to get out, but they locked down JSC. The government isn’t going to tell the public, they don’t want a panic on their hands. The Icarus is going to hit us."
"I don't care, let it hit."
"Liz, don't talk like that. I have to get you and Ashley to safety, you can't give up, not on your daughter."
"There is no place for us to go, I might as well just let the end come."
"I have a place Liz, it can support us for a couple of years, but we have to go right away."
"Mommy, whats the matter? Why are you crying?" Ashley said, seeing her mother talking to Dwayne.
"Come on Liz, snap out of it, don't you give up. What can I do to help you get packed?" She wasn't responding. Dwayne shook her. "Ashley, go start packing right now, we have to leave.”
”¨“Why where are we going, why is Mommy crying?”
“Ashley, just do as I say, I don’t have time to tell you. Hurry! Start getting your clothes together. Something warm and comfortable.” Ashley listened and ran into her room to begin packing. Liz was curled up in a ball on the floor crying harder than she had ever done before. “Liz, you need to listen to me. I know you didn’t want to hear this, but people are already starting to panic, we have to get to safety before the mass public hits the streets. Liz, damn it, help me out, we have to leave.” Ashley approached.
“Dwayne, can you get the suitcases down for us? I can’t reach them.”
”¨“Sure, Ashley, take care of your Mom for a moment. Where do you keep them?”
“Daddy keeps them in the garage up on the shelf.”
“Ok, hold on, let me get them for you.” Dwayne left, leaving the mother and daughter alone.
“Mommy, what’s the matter, why are you crying?” Liz reached out and pulled her close. Ashley didn’t understand what was happening, but she began feeling her mother’s sorrow and started to cry along with her.
“Oh Ashley, I’m sorry honey, I have to tell you something, but Dwayne’s right, we have to leave. I need you to listen to me and I promise I will tell you later, but right now I need you to be strong for me.” Dwayne walked back in carrying the suitcases as Ashley helped her mother stand up.
“Liz what can I do to help you?” Liz waited until Ashley was out of the room.
“Nothing, just don’t tell her that her father is dead, I will tell her when we get settled.” She barely finished the sentence as a new stream of tears surfaced. “He’s really gone?”
“Oh my god Liz, I’m so sorry,” he saidm holding her as she spilled her sorrow into his comforting embrace. She looked up and saw Ashley down the hall peeking halfway out of her bedroom door watching them. Her face was covered in an equally proportional amount of tears and Liz knew that Ashley was too smart to keep the truth from her. She didn’t want to tell her now, but delaying it was only going to make it sting more. She was ten years old, too mature to keep her father’s death a secret for any length of time.
“Dwayne, can you leave us be for a moment, I have to tell her right now. If I am going to uproot her, she deserves to know at this very moment.”
“Liz, we have to hurry,” he didn’t stay and argue, but went out into the garage while the two talked.
“Mommy, what’s happening. Is everything ok? Did something happen to Daddy?” Liz knelt down and looked her daughter in the eyes.
“Honey, I really need you to help me right now by being a very strong girl, can you do that for me?” She shook her head in agreement. “Ok, we are going to Dwayne’s because the asteroid is going to hit us and if we don’t leave now we might not have a chance later. When we get to Dwayne’s,” Liz stopped, lost for words. She watched as Ashley’s face started to fall apart knowing what was coming next.”
“No, no.”
“Oh my dear sweet girl, Mommy’s so sorry,” she said, putting Ashley’s head on her chest. “I’m sorry Ash, Daddy’s gone.” After what seemed like an eternity, the two eventually got up and began packing while Dwayne recommended things to take and what to leave behind. Ashley grabbed her books off the shelf and threw them into the suitcase as well as her backpack along with her pads of paper and pens. Dwayne helped carry the bags out to his jeep while Liz went to the kitchen.
“Liz, don’t worry about food, my place if fully stocked, we will be just fine. If you forget anything I can come back, I just need to get you two to safety.” Liz listened and began locking up, confident she had everything essential. They were about to leave when she screamed, begging Dwayne to stop. She ran into the house and came back a minute later carrying what looked like a large brown leather briefcase. She tossed it in the back and jumped in the Jeep. She watched as the symbol of her happiness, the home she and Michael created together vanished from her life, where it would soon be destroyed.
---Seeking Shelter---
“Reports are filling in, the NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home of Mission Control here in Houston Texas, has been placed on lockdown. All communication to and from the center as well as personnel traffic has ceased. This has been leading to speculation that Operation THOR may have suffered a serious...make that a fatal error and an impact by the Icarus is immanent,” the reporter’s voice said, alerting the public that NASA might have failed to stop Armageddon. “Several sources have called in to say that they have run their own trajectory analysis of the Icarus and have concluded, last week’s detonation has not moved it off course.” Liz reached over and turned the radio off, not wanting to hear any more.
“I can’t believe those bastards aren’t going to tell the public. How are they going to get away with this?” Liz said. “Then again, in a few days, no one will be around to care. Asshole government.”
“Liz, I am going to stop at the store, and get a few supplies. We are going to have to live underground for about two years until the air clears, so if there is anything you need, get it now.” They pulled up to a large department store near the outskirts of town. The parking lot was starting to fill up with RVs and pickup trucks. Whole families were running inside, each with a shopping cart in hand.
“Ashley,” she was silent and didn’t reply. Liz turned around and looked at her curled up in a ball lying down on the back seat next to the suitcases. Liz reached back and took her daughter's hand. “Ashley sweetie, did you hear Dwayne, we are going inside. I need you to stay right next to me at all times. Do not leave my side no matter what, you understand?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Ok, be a good girl and I will get you a bunch of books to read.” Call it a bribe, or Liz knowing she was going to need a lot of entertainment, it didn’t faze her. Ashley didn’t seem to care and reflected the same level of disinterest in living that Liz had swirling inside. Perhaps it was better to just die with everyone else. After a quick painless event, the three could be at peace, all reunited together walking in eternity.
Liz filled up the cart with items she knew she and Ashley were going to need before taking her daughter to pick out anything she wanted.
“Don’t worry about picking and choosing. If you want it, throw it in the cart.” Ashley pulled various books off the shelf, doing as her mother said, loading the cart without stopping to see if if the book would interest her. She did the same with some board games, leaving the toys behind. The three re-grouped at the cashier where Dwayne paid for both in cash after the store announced it was not taking checks for fear they would be robbed by insufficient funds not backing the promissory note.
Before leaving town, Dwayne stopped to fill up at a gas station. Liz took Ashley to the bathroom while he began filling his Jeep. After stocking up on some sweets and drinks, they came back out to see that a growing line was forming of people waiting to get gas. A fight erupted over whose turn it was and both drivers exited their cars and began cussing at each other. Liz grabbed Ashley, standing in between her and the argument so her daughter couldn’t see the misbehavior of people who were tossing their humanity aside in face of their destruction and turning to their carnal animal-like instincts, where survival was more important than morality. She listened as the fight escalated into an ugly situation, looking up in time to watch the two men draw firearms and began dueling it out as if they had been transported to the back to the old west. Liz, horrified, screamed at her daughter as Dwayne jumped into the Jeep.
”¨“Ashley, get down and stay down.” She closed her door not a second before Dwayne hit the gas and tore off.
---A New Home---
“Is this where you live?” Liz asked as Dwayne turned onto the dirt road.
“Yes, this is my ranch,” he said as he pulled to a stop next to a small concrete structure. “Come on let me show you around.” Liz woke Ashley, who had fallen asleep, and helped her out of the Jeep. She looked around, locking her eyes on the two story home.
“Is that were we are going to stay?” Dwayne turned in the direction she was looking.
“I’m afraid not, it won’t keep us safe. The air won’t be breathable, and there is a possibility of radioactive elements spreading into the atmosphere. In a couple of weeks, the sun won’t shine, and temperatures will drop to freezing. This is where we are staying,” he said, pointing to the concrete shack. He could see Liz’s heart sink and her eyes well up.
“I don’t think I can do this Dwayne.”
“It’s not what it seems, lets me show you around. The shelter is quite spacious.” He opened a pair of wooden doors before pointing out the shack. “This structure is the hub of our life support. There are filters for treating the water and oxygen, all personal improvements on the designs used on the Deliverance. Those have been supporting seven people for a year with very limited resources. I have a lake behind my house that we can draw water from. There are diesel powered power generators as well as solar arrays on top of the house. Come on, let me show you what’s below, you are going to find it’s very cozy.
Dwayne led them down the stairs, cautioning them to be careful on the steep steps leading them below, where they stood before a large steel door.
“This is a two part door that serves as an air lock, keeping all the good clean air inside and the harmful stuff out. If radiation is a factor, there is shielding around the structure to keep us safe.”
“Do you think there will be radioactive...what do you call it?”
“Fallout? Quite possible. Shephard reported finding higher than normal levels while they were on the Icarus. So what degree, we don’t know, but at least I am prepared.”
“Dwayne, why do you have this? Did you not believe in the mission. Did you not believe in Michael?” He opened the last door and stepped inside to a flashing red light. He hit the switch on the door to turn it off.
“That light will let us know that someone is outside and coming down the steps. I have some protection so I will be able to leave the shelter from time to time.”
“You didn’t answer me?”
“Liz, I was part of that mission, I believed in it as well as Michael. He was the best there was to lead that team. It took a long time to admit that, but it’s true. Still, one can’t put all their eggs in one basket.”
“So you built a bomb shelter?”
“Actually I was working on this for many years. I do some consulting work on the side for a company researching means by which we can live on the moon and maybe one day on the surface of Mars. Too bad I will never get to see that happen. Most of this, as well as the biospheres I will be setting up, are all in the final experimental phases. If it works, I might be able to start producing fresh produce within small little enclosed environments.” He could tell she wasn’t really interested so he led them to the main living room. Liz, expecting to see some kind of prison-like environment, was surprised to find what looked like a well-furnished apartment, complete with a couple of sofas, a coffee table, a small kitchen and dining area.
“Well it’s not home, but I was expecting worse.”
“I’m scared,” Ashley finally said.
“I know Ashley, but I tell you what, how would you like your own room?” She didn’t reply, but Dwayne continued anyway. “I can sleep on the couch, you can have the room on the right. Liz, you take the one on the left. The beds are fairly comfortable, and I have plenty of blankets. We will have to be sparing with the heaters, as they take a lot of amps to run, so dress warm. Follow me, let me show you the supply room.” Ashley curled up on the couch while her mother followed Dwayne into the supply room behind the main entryway. He turned the light on and again, Liz was very surprised. In the back of her mind she felt like she was voluntarily following him into a dark evil dungeon with chains on the walls and torture devices. Instead, it had everything she could imagine they would need.
“Dwayne, I don’t know what to say,”
“Nothing Liz, you don’t have to say anything. I would he more than honored to share my place with you and Ashley. If you wish, consider this your home for the next two years.”
“Two years?” she said with a worry on her voice.
“Yes Liz, I know it’s an eternity, but we will make it. Now pay attention, I have plenty of canned goods and freeze-dried meals. Lots of rice and wheat. This is the first aid station,” he said, pointing to a shelf with a large orange box and various bottles of medication. “This is basically a small pharmacy complete with some prescription medication for emergencies.”
“How did you get all this? Where did you get the money to pay for all this?”
“It’s mostly grant money. I have started some of the research and got some funding though the company I work with. I was planning on leaving NASA when Michael returned and was going to take a full time job as head of research, but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen now.”
“So all this was for an experiment? Was someone going to live here for a couple of years to see if it would all work?”
“Yes, fortunately for me and now you two, we have everything we are going to need.” Liz turned away and leaned her head to the shelf containing tools, lanterns fuel, and ammunition.
“So, we are test subjects?”
“No Liz, you are my guests.”
“Why, I thought you hated Michael? Why are you being so nice to us?”
“Liz, he gave his life for all of us, it’s the least thing I can do is pay him back by keeping the two he loves the most safe. Yes, we didn’t get along, but it was my pride that got in the way. I was an asshole to him. Maybe one day you will forgive me since I never had the chance to tell him I am sorry. It will be my penance to take care of you and Ashley in his place. I know I can never come close to being the hero he was to you and I won’t even try, just know you are safe with me.” She reached out and hugged him, letting another set of tears fall from her face.
”¨“Thank you Dwayne, I know if he could see you now, I know that he would forgive you. You came through in the end and he would be proud to call you a friend.”
“Perhaps, but that’s not important. I plan to be there in any way you need, even if it's to offer you my shoulder to mourn on for two years. Now, let me go over some security procedures with you, then I will bring all your stuff down here and let you get settled. You tell me what you two want, and I will go out get us one hell of a last feast before we seal this place up.”
---Gum Island Airfield, Dayton Texas, Present Day---
Dwayne kept trying to concentrate on the engine, but his mind nervously kept trailing off. His fingers were wet with black oil from loosening the cap. The engine on his Cessna had been recently tuned up and the rest of his plane was in good working order. It was a good little plane, but very slow and boring after all the aircraft he had flown. Part of him wished he wouldn’t have landed himself in the mess he had, he could still be with NASA and possibly be going up again within a year. All that changed after the simplest of lies, one he couldn’t break from, part because he loves the world he now lives in, one where he is everything the Michael’s family, that they needed.
---Judgement Passes Over, October 19th, 1986---
“Turner, where the hell have you been?”
“Sorry sir, I um...I-”
”¨“Save it, I will deal with you later, get with Davis and he will bring you up to speed.”
“What is the estimated time of impact?”
“What, have you been in the shitter the last 24 hours? There isn’t going to be an impact.” Dwayne looked around and noticed no one was tense, they were all lounging around, smoking cigars. Everyone seemed at peace, like we succeeded.
“What do you mean there isn’t going to be an impact?”
“Turner,” the flight surgeon said while watching his monitor, noticing that the heart rates of the astronauts were escalating except for three deceased crew, “while you were MIA, we had a visitation. Some little green guys came and saved the day.”
“Green guys? I don’t get it, is this some kind of a joke?”
“No joke loser, you missed the action," someone else called out. "Icarus is heading away from Earth and the crew is in stable orbit.”
“Bullshit, you guys screwing with me?” Turner said, trying to grasp all the confusing data his brain was trying to process. Davis came over and stood next to his friend.
“Dwayne, my friend, follow me.” Davis led him to a small windowed room filled with blackboards where quick brainstorming sessions could take place while still being able to monitor the mission.
“What’s all this talk about the Icarus missing us, they fucking with me?”
“Dwayne, you honestly think they would be screwing with you like that if it were still going to hit? You know Frank, he wouldn’t be this calm if there was still a danger. Look around, everyone is enjoying themselves.” The truth started to sink in.
“So what happened?”
“Truthfully? We have no clue. Sometime about 10 hours after we lost contact, communication with the Deliverance was restored. The crew was talking nonsense at first, claiming Owen was outside-”
“-He’s dead, that’s impossible.”
“We know, you saw it, he flatlined several hours after he was ejected. I don’t know who they were talking about, but someone outside was coding messages to the crew.”
“What kind of messages?”
“Dwayne, it was morse code. I understood it, someone was communicating to them.”
“Bull, sounds like they were going crazy up there and Sean coded the message himself.”
“That’s what we all thought...until the Deliverance changed course despite an inoperable RCS and wound up in Orbit. Then something wonderful happened the-”
“-this still sounds like a joke, I can’t believe any of this,” Dwayne said, thinking everything through in his mind.
“I know, but reports came sometime later from ground based observation posts. Some flying saucer appeared - a really massive one too, larger than the Icarus - and pulled the asteroid off course.”
“Come on, this is starting to sound like you guys were watching too much science fiction, you talking aliens and tractor beams now? What is it, Owen or Aliens?”
“Look Dwayne, I know it’s unbelievable, but you have to read the data. It’s all there. Something intervened and judgement day has passed over us. Mankind has once again received salvation.” Davis looked out the window to see people scrambling to their stations and picking up their phones. He opened the door and could hear the chaos ensuing.
---Deceit---
Dwayne turned off the highway and down the country road toward his home. He stepped on the accelerator and increased speed, knowing there were few sheriff patrols in his neck of the woods. He was excited to get back and tell Liz the news. He was full of doubt that what his good friend was telling him was the truth, but the data didn’t indeed lie, nor does an orbiter mysteriously wind up parked at the end of a runway. Just what was it that saved the day? Was it an alien, an angel, or just blind luck? Whatever it was, they wouldn’t have to suffer living in his shelter. Liz could go home to mourn, likely withdrawing from the world. It pained him to think of her going through the rest of her life without Michael, and Ashley not having a father to watch her grow into a mature woman. Dwayne knew that Liz would never marry again and that there was no way Liz would choose to be with him. Michael was now gone, and Liz was alone, but he knew there wasn’t anything likable about him, nothing Liz would find attractive after her soul mate’s departure from this world.
He stepped hard on the brakes, bringing his Jeep to a screeching halt at the entrance to the shelter and jumped out of the vehicle. His heart was pounding as he slid down the stairs and opened the door.
“Liz,” he shouted as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, “Liz, where are you?” He looked throughout the living room before finding her in the doorway of the bedroom. He was about to talk when she came running toward him, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Dwayne, oh my god Dwayne, I was so scared you wouldn't return. Please don't leave us." Ashley approached and put her arms around his waist, enjoying the safety of his presence. "Dwayne you're our hero," Liz said. He started to open his mouth to tell her the news when her words struck his heart. He could feel the warmth of her neediness penetrate the area he was most vulnerable. “Liz,” he began to speak as she looked deep into his eyes. Dwayne paused a moment.
“What is it Dwayne?” Dwayne stood, unable to speak as his mind fought itself over what his next words were going to be.
“Liz, it's devastating,” he said, forcing a tear for form. “The impact did more damage than we thought.” Dwayne continued to hold on to her as she collapsed. “I’m going to keep you safe Liz,” he didn’t know why he just lied to her, but he knew he enjoyed finally being someone’s hero especially being Elizabeth Owen’s personal hero.
---Star City, Russia, Present Day---
Shephard was busy directing the delivery personnel using his English to Russian dictionary. They were moving in large crates stenciled with phrases like “Sensitive equipment, handle with care,” “Warning Dangerous Contents DO NOT OPEN,” “Authorized Personnel Only.” He was getting stressed out at not being able to properly direct the movers when Catryn or “Cat”, as she liked to be called, finally arrived. Cat, an American research assistant who was half Russian and spoke the language well, was hired to assist.
“Sorry Dr. Shephard for being a little late, the subway was very crowded,” she said, immediately apologizing.
“Hi Cat, don’t worry about it. Do me a favor and tell these guys to set that up in the main lab. You have that floor plan we worked on yesterday?”
“Yes Doctor, you want me to have them set everything up according to that?”
“Yes, thank you. I’m so glad you are here,” he said, rolling himself into his office where he poured himself a fresh thermos of coffee from his personal coffee maker and screwed the cap tight before placing it on his lap. Gene wheeled himself to his desk, placing the thermos next to his notepads. Movement at the doorway caught his eye. He took a moment to process the information in his brain and looked up to see Megan standing there.
“Well well well, this is an unexpected surprise, I’m so happy you decided to come for a visit.”
“Hello Gene, mind if I come in?”
“Mind, why would I mind? Please come in, shut the door. Can I get you something?”
“Thank you, some coffee would be great, but let me, I can get it myself,” Gene would have fought her, wanting to prove he wasn’t a useless cripple, but he wanted to avoid any
unnecessary conflict just as the person he cared very deeply for finally came back into his life.
“I’ve missed you Megan. I was afraid I scared you off and you returned to the US.”
“Well that’s why I am here Gene. First off, thank you for yelling at me that day. It took a lot of spine - no pun intended - for you to put me in my place. I was being a selfish bitch and yes you were very correct, I was cheapening your actions. It’s very complicated, but I see that event much clearer now.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’m sorry too, perhaps I said a few things I shouldn’t have.”
“No, you didn’t. You said exactly what I needed to hear. I never had a chance to deal with all that happened in the last couple of years. Our friend’s deaths, our near death experience and Brad leaving me, all those I swept under the carpet and buried. The night of the banquet forced all that to the surface. As tough as I was, it was too much to handle and I couldn’t run any longer from my feelings. I pushed a lot of people away including you.”
“Megan, you didn’t push me away, nor did I want you to leave, but I really needed your strength. I had no idea you had so much under the hood you hadn’t dealt with. I hope there is something I can do.” A loud rap on the door sounded, followed by the door being slightly propped open.
“Yes Cat, what is it?” She opened the door and walked in with a large envelope.
“Excuse me, Doctor, this just arrived for you.” She crossed the room and handed Gene the envelope. He looked it over, recognizing the Houston Texas address.
“No shit, really?” he said as he tore into the parcel. Inside was a letter and an envelope. Gene focused on the letter.
Dear Dr. Shephard,
I was pained to learn of your injury, but quite relieved to know you are rapidly recovering. It is my understanding that you are establishing a research facility and I felt inspired to, without reservation, contribute to your project as well as your continued recovery. Please find the enclosed check, a long overdue bonus for all you have done for me. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if I can be of further assistance financially.
Your Friend, Clinton J. Millbourne II
Gene’s hands trembled as he withdrew the check from the envelope and read the sum.
“Oh my god, this can’t be. What a miracle,”
“Gene, what is it?”
“Remember that guy I did consulting for, that oil tycoon, Millbourne?”
“Yeah, the jerk?”
“Well, not anymore, he just donated $250 million.” Megan’s jaw hit the floor. She read the letter that Gene handed her several times. It became immediately clear where the
source of Clint’s inspiration came from.
“Gene, this is really great news. What a miracle indeed.”
“Well, can I take you out for dinner, I’m buying.”
"I would enjoy that, but Gene...I'm not here to make amends and pick up where we left off."
"You are leaving?"
"I'm sorry Gene, I want to stay by your side and help you build your dream, but there is something I have to do and I need to return to the United States right away. I will be back sometime, but for now, I have to go home."
"Hey, I get it. It's ok Megan, I'm choosing to stay here for now, but I can't expect you too as well, especially if it's out of guilt. You and I are and always will be friends. I know we didn't start that way, but people change. Know that I am always here for you. Now, where do you want to go for dinner tonight?"
---September 15, 1987 Houston Police Department Westside---
Reid jumped about ten feet as a file landed harshly on his desk producing a loud snapping sound. He looked up to see Harris standing over him with a furious look.
“You taking stuff out of the Owen file again?”
“What are you talking about?” Reid pretended to not know what Harris was talking about.
“Don’t play stupid with me, the phone records are gone. You’re the only one who gives a shit about this case, so where are they?” Reid, caught, opened his drawer and withdrew the phone records he had pulled out of the file to complete photocopying the entire case file. “So, you did go in there again. Tell you what, let’s go talk to the Serge, because I am tired of you going through my cases.
“Well if you would approach the cases with a little more enthusiasm, I wouldn’t have to touch them. Instead, you sit around with your thumb up your ass.”
“Hey, fuck you. The Owen case was mine before it was yours. The only thing productive you did with the case was start banging the sister.” Reid snapped and gave Harris a hard push.
“I’m not banging Karen you asshole.” Harris got real close and put his face in Reid’s.
“Yeah, just you go ahead and do that again.”
“Hey, you two assholes mind telling me what the hell is going on in my department?” Whithers said as he approached the two bickering detectives. These kinds of disputes where nothing new, but for the sake of morale needed to be stopped immediately.
“Reid’s been conducting his own investigation of the Owen case. Caught him red handed with some of my case files.”
“Both of you, in my office right now,” he yelled. As the three entered Whithers closed the door a little louder than normal.
“This true Reid, you working on that damn case again when you are supposed to be working for me?” he said, cutting to the chase.
“Well, Harris wasn’t taking the case seriously. I told him several times to follow up on some leads, and he didn’t.” Whithers turned to Harris.
“Reid here telling me the truth?”
“Yes,” Reid started to smile from his easy victory when Whithers started yelling.
Ӭ
“Ferguson is Harris’s superior not you. You don’t get to tell Harris how to handle his case. If he doesn’t want to do shit with it, and personally I don’t blame him, that’s between him and Ferguson. You got your dream job, in exchange you let this case go.” Harris was gloating now, enjoying Reid getting a much deserved bitch session. “What the fuck are you smiling at? I’m not even close to dealing with you yet. Wipe that goddamn grin off that ugly face of yours before I knock you senseless.”
“Sorry sir,” was all he could say.
“Reid, you mind sharing just what this ground breaking lead you have here is?”
“Sir, I have been after him to follow up on some phone calls from Johnson.”
“Phone calls, that’s your big break? Are you getting private lessons on the mat with this broad, is that why you can’t let go?”
“No sir, I am not, she’s almost twenty years younger than me.”
“Oh blow it out your ass Reid, I’m thirty years her senior and I would still do her.” Reid was getting pissed how they were all disrespecting Karen. “Harris, get the hell out of my office, I will deal with you later.” Harris got up and left, slamming the door shut. Whithers started to calm down.
“Reid, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to suggest you two were hitting the sack. I know what she did for you and all of us. It’s reasonable for you to feel obligated to the person that is responsible for you still breathing.”
“Sir, I just want to see this case solved. I have this strong hunch that there is something more going on. I don’t get why everyone is okay with this man’s family going missing. After what he did for us, it pisses me off that this has been a one man investigation from early on.”
“I understand that Reid, but I can’t have you running around acting like this is your department. I need you. We have work to do and I can’t have you distracted, otherwise bad guys get away. Tell you what, you go home, take a few days vacation and I will cover for you. I am going to turn a blind eye and you follow up on anything you have pending on the Owen case. You come back to me Monday morning, and I don’t ever want to see you touch that case again? Do we have a deal?”
“Yes sir, thank you sir.”
“Don’t thank me. I am doing this because that Man up there deserves every bit of effort we can give him, and you are the only one who will give it to him. If it weren’t for him, I would be suspending you right now. Now get out and go find something Harris can use.”
“What about the case file?”
“Use that copy you made that is sitting in your drawer. Now get the hell out of my office,” he said, screaming as loud as he could. Reid rushed out of the office and back to his desk, hoping not to waste any time he had left.
---Mission Control, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas---
"I'm sorry Detective, but Mr. Thompson is not on site at the moment, is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes, if you can. I understand this place was put into lockdown sometime around Oct, 17th. Can you tell me what that means in terms of protocol?"
"Sure. Sometimes during critical failures, we want to have a chance to analyze the data before releasing any inaccurate data to the public. All communications in and out are cut off, and no one can leave."
"All communication?"
"There are some secure lines out of the building, but those are only for talking to other agencies and government.”
"Well I have a phone record that shows a call by this number was made after the lockdown. I have tried calling it, but it appears it's been disconnected. Do you recognize this extension?"
"That looks to me like one of the personnel lines. Let me see." She pulled up a phone directory out of her drawer and opened to the personnel section. She traced her fingers down the list until she stopped. Here, it was the old line for the family care services department. That was headed up by-"
"-Susan Phillips. When did she leave?"
"About a week before, if I recall. Still that line would have been cut off."
"Are there any cameras in there?"
"Oh no, not at all. The area is full of private family counseling centers...well frankly, there is no security threat there."
"Well, in that case, you wouldn't mind if I take a look around there will you?"
"I don't see what you would find, but I can take you over." Helen lead Reid to the appropriate department and announced to the staff who he was.
"Where was Susan's desk?"
"Back here, let me show you. We eliminated her position and consolidated her tasks to other staff. As you can see, her office is still empty. In fact she hasn't bothered showing up to get her stuff. It's all boxed up waiting for her. Feel free to take a look through it, we frankly don't care."
"You really are a nice big family aren't you?"
"Kinda hard to like her after what she did to Megan. Quite the tramp," she said with a little bitterness as Reid opened the boxes and began looking through her stuff. Reid withdrew a small stack of photos and began going through them. It was mostly Polaroids of her and the other office girls out dancing. One had Megan in the photo, dressed rather nicely and dancing away with another woman.
"I'm sorry Detective, do you have anything else for me, I have to finish a few things before leaving?"
"Wow, pretty hot there," Reid said as he came to a group photo of the astronauts and their wives or dates. It looked like a formal occasion. "In the red, that's Liz and Michael next to her."
"Quite an investigator. Yes, that's the Owens."
"She's kinda tall?" he said, looking at her standing over her husband. In fact most of the girls were a bit taller or equal to their man's hight.
"Tall? Oh, no, they are all wearing pretty high heels. They were all joking around that night. No, the men are just short." Reid looked at the men, all about the same height.
"Short?"
"Yeah, we called them, the "Short Stuff". Typically astronauts can be no taller than 6'2" due to the shuttle's lack of space and size of the space suits. THOR was a little different. We had to pack that craft with extra supplies, and extra shielding."
"Shielding?"
"Most shuttle missions are within Earth's Magnetic field. This field deflects all the harmful solar radiation that would otherwise kill all life on Earth. Everything from the Sun we need to sustain life passes through, while the radiation is deflected out. This mission took the crew for a very extended stay beyond that field. If it weren't for the extra shielding, they wouldn't have made it back. Because of the limited space, this mission called for shorter astronauts."
"The Short Stuff, that's pretty funny. How tall was Michael?"
"I think he was right at the limit of 5'8". In fact, I think they all were. They might have squeezed an inch or two in depending on skill set, but they were all around 5'8"." Reid thought about that. 5'8", why was that bugging him?
"That should be enough, you mind if I hold on to these?"
"As far as I am concerned, they are all yours"
"Thank you for your time ma'am." Helen escorted Reid to the main lobby where he exited the building and went back to his truck. The 5'8" thing was starting to really bother him. He pulled the case notes out and looked them over and over.
"The damn ladder, son of a bitch," he said, looking at the photo again, "SON OF A BITCH." Reid ran back into the building. The security guard saw him come back in in a hurry.
“Forget something Detective?”
“Yes, can you call Helen back for me, I have a couple of questions I forgot to ask.”
“Sure,” he said as he picked up the phone and dialed. After a few rings he put the phone down.
“Sorry Detective, she is not at her desk.”
“What about Thompson, is he back yet?” The guard acknowledged he was indeed back and called for him. After a short wait, Thompson was at the door to escort him back to his office.
“Mr. Thompson, I found this photo among Susan’s personal belongings.” He looked at it.
“Yes, that was our Christmas party back in '83. The shuttle program was booming, had several successful missions and we decided to have a huge Christmas party to celebrate."
“Who is this? This guy right here.”
“Turner? That's Dwayne Turner. He and Owen were top on our list, both having commanded shuttle missions, and both with impressive backgrounds and extensive flight time. In the end, Owen was given command of the A-Team and Turner was commander of B-Team.”
“What are the two teams?”
“It would be a mighty shame if you put one through years of intense training, and a day before heading out into deep space to blow up a hunk of rock, your main guy gets sick or is killed in a training accident,” Thompson explained as plainly as possible. “Instead, we train two or more teams at the same time. As training progresses, we eventually evaluate the two teams, and pick the better team, sometimes exchanging crew members.”
“Why did Owen get command?”
“Both were good. I personally liked Turner for his age, but that was deceiving. You don’t always get maturity with age. Owen was a bit younger, but very intelligent, likable, good leadership, cool under fire and didn’t have the ego Turner had. There was also the international aspect to the decision.”
“Mixed company with the Soviets?”
“Exactly. It was the first time in history that we were working extensively with the Soviet Union on a joint mission. This was very critical for the success of the mission as the Soviets designed much of the Deliverance’s power plants. It was only natural to have chief engineers on board. Our crews were in part chosen for their compatibility with the Russians. Turner was ok, but he didn’t get along very well, while Owen, on the other hand, spoke pretty solid Russian, and got along with the Russians, better than most of the Americans. In the end, that was the deciding factor. If WWIII erupted on that ship, the whole planet would be doomed, we simply couldn't take the risk.”
“That makes a lot of sense.”
“So what is your interest in Turner?” Thompson asked.
“I have never seen him before. Never interviewed him.”
“Well he turned in his resignation about two weeks after the crew returned to Earth. In fact is was the day of Owen’s funeral, he came to DC for a day, gave me the news, and left early the next morning. Took a job with BioTech Labs and works mostly from his ranch home about 60 miles from here.” Reid looked over his notes.
“B-Team, what do they do when the A-Team leaves Orbit?”
“I’m the flight director and I oversee all safety and critical aspects of the mission. I have flight control operators monitoring every second of the mission. There are seven astronauts in space, but thousands of support crew on the ground working with them. Instead of having all of them barking orders to the crew, everything passes through the Capsule Communicator. His job is to relay all voice traffic to the crew. Since Apollo, we use other astronauts with actual flight experience, or members of the B-Team. Turner and his pilot served as main CAPCOM during the critical phases and rotated shifts with one other astronaut not on either team.”
“Do you know if he had any interaction with Mrs. Owen?”
“Sure, several times a week. She and Ashley would come by for regular video calls to Commander Owen. In fact all the families would come by and say hi to their loved ones far away. Since Turner and Davis were the intermediaries, they had a lot of contact.”
“Yeah, I’ve talked to Davis before. When was the last time they called Mr. Owen?”
“I would say it was sometime a week before Oct 18th. That was the last time we saw them. You know Dr. McCormack has a copy of those tapes right now. She is doing some research for upcoming projects. Most of that is privileged, but in light of the situation, I say have at it. All you would do is get a court order any way. Might as well save you the trouble.”
“You mind giving the Doctor a call and letting her know I might be stopping by?”
“Of course. Anything else I can do?”
“No, that will be all.” Reid turned to leave and paused. “Oh, one more thing," Reid said, scratching his head," you have an address for Turner?”
---
Reid turned onto the dirt road and travelled toward the house at the end. There was a lot of open property and some strange looking structures off in the distance. He pulled up to the two story house. It looked like a farmhouse with a nice front deck for sitting outside and enjoying the hot summer nights. Reid got out of his truck and looked around. No one appeared to be home, but he proceeded to the front door anyway. After a few minutes of knocking, it became clear no one was home, so he turned to have a look around. Reid turned to go back to his car when the structures caught his attention and piqued his curiosity. There appeared to be some kind of enclosure, large white inflatable looking structures that said BioTech Labs on the side. He approached, careful not to slip in the mud puddles that littered the ground after the fresh rain the other day. Reid peered inside the window and saw rows and shelves of plants, many bearing fruit and or vegetables.
“It looks like some kind of greenhouse,” he said aloud. Thompson said he did work from home a lot. Reid wondered just what his job was all about. BioTech? Why would one give up being an astronaut to work with inflatable structures? He reached the front door. There was a sign that read: “Pressurized environment.” He looked inside the window and it appeared there was a second door on the other side. After a moment of debating, he thought he better not open the door. He turned and left, finding a small concrete structure across the path. He drove up and stood next to a wooden door leading to a tornado shelter.
“Strange, we don’t get tornados in this part of Texas,” Reid said aloud as he fished his car keys out of his pocket. The keys caught on something and he lost his grip on them, letting them fall into the puddle.
“Shit,” he said as he squatted, reaching into the muddy water. As he fished the keys out, he began to look at the footprints. The one by the puddle was very crude, but it got his attention. Tracing the prints beyond the thick mud, he found other prints and examined them. Carefully so he didn’t step in the tracks, he went back to the truck and got his case file again. He opened to the forensics report on the prints at the Owen house, looking at the photographs for a few minutes before concluding they were similar. Reid grabbed a small bag and the file, returning to one of the prints. Inside he found a small tape measure and took a measurement of the print. It was a match. Next he set the photo next to the actual print, and all the markings were the same, even a little missing tread on the left heel.
“Son of a bitch, this guy was there.” Reid started to get excited following the prints around. There was heavy traffic leading to the house and the wooden doors. On his way over, he stopped at the truck and put his case file and tool bag back. Reid unsnapped his 4 D Cell Mag Light from the clips installed in the roll bar on the inside of his truck and walked toward the wooden doors. After fiddling for a few, the wood plank blocking the door was removed. He threw it aside and carefully proceeded down the short hall before coming to a steel door.
He spun the wheel to open the door and found a dark space below. He shined his flashlight and found a set of steep steps leading down to another door. As he proceeded downward, he found a light switch on the wall and turned on the lights. Carefully descending, he arrived at the next door, another hard steel door with a large wheel, this one locked with a chain and padlock. After a moment fiddling with his lock pick, the lock popped open and he tossed the chain aside. The wheel spun easily and eventually freed the door. As he started to prop it open, the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being cocked, sounded. He drew his 9mm and called out.
"Police, I am coming in. Don't shoot alright."
"I don't believe you, go away," a woman's voice replied.
"Ma'am, I am Detective Reid. I am going to reach through the door and show you my ID. Nothing funny, I just want you to see I am not lying to you, OK." Reid produced his badge and slipped it through the door. After a short pause...
"How do I know you didn't take this off a dead body? I think you are lying to me." Her statements confused Reid. What was she talking about?
"Look, I am not going to hurt you, I am just looking for some people."
"Who are you looking for?"
"I am looking for Elizabeth Owen and her daughter." A girl's voice sounded.
"Mom, what's going on, who is that?"
"Quiet Ash, go back to where you are supposed to be." Reid heard the name Ash. His heart skipped a beat. Was this really them? He tried a new tactic.
"Liz, I am not lying to you, please open the door. You are safe, no one is going to harm you. I am going to take you home. Can I come in?"
"There is no home, everything is gone, there is nothing up there for us."
"I don't understand, your home isn't gone, I was just there the other day. What do you mean it's gone?"
"You couldn't have been there, everything is destroyed." Reid thought she was acting very strange and talking nonsense.
"Tell me, why is it destroyed?"
"Are you stupid or something, the asteroid, the goddamn asteroid destroyed everything. We are safe down here."
'What did that bastard do to them, have they been down here this entire time hiding from an apocalypse that never arrived?' He thought long and hard. "Liz, I don't know how to tell you this, but the Earth is safe, your Michael succeeded. If you don't believe me, come outside and see for yourself, It’s a bright sunny day out." There was a long erie silence followed by an increasing sobbing, then finally anger.
"No, no, oh my god no!" She started crying out loud and the sound of the shotgun hitting the floor indicated it was safe to open the door. Inside, a small frail looking red headed woman was backing into the corner and sliding down the wall, coming to a sitting position on the concrete. Reid stepped through the door and walked over to her.
"Elizabeth, we have been looking all over for you. He looked up to see Ashley standing in the doorway. "You must be Ashley?" She ignored him and ran over to her mother, hugging her and holding her tight.
"Elizabeth, you two are going to be alright. I am going to call for help." He holstered his weapon and reached for his radio.
"162 to dispatch, come in over." After a second a voice came back over the radio. The voice was interrupted by the sound of a large handgun being cocked behind him." Ashley and Liz started screaming at the figure behind him.
"Nice and easy put the radio down, then very carefully put that gun on the floor."
"Dwayne, it's too late, you aren't going to get away with it. We are on to you, now lets not make things worse by kidnapping a police office."
"Dispatch to 162, come in over. 162, what's your 20?"
"On to me huh? Doesn't sound like you told them where you were going did you?" he said, reaching into Reid's holster and taking hold of his duty weapon. Dwayne stuffed the Beretta into his pants and dug the barrel of the .357 into Reid's back. Reid knew he screwed up. He had been told to back off this case and to leave it to Harris, but he was in too deep. He didn't want to get in trouble, so he didn't tell anyone where he was going. In his defense, he didn't think he needed to. He just wanted to question Dwayne and never considered him a suspect until he saw the boot prints. It was blind luck that he stumbled upon Liz and Ashley. All he was going on, was that Dwayne was one of the last few people who saw the two alive. Now he would likely die down here along with Liz and her daughter. Dwayne would panic and lock them up down here, or kill them. He couldn't let that happen. The gun was right in his middle back. Reid started asking Dwayne questions to distract him while he ran through the techniques Karen taught him.
“Twist and pivot quickly holding the right hand out to push the gun out of the way using your whole body. When the left hand comes around, grab ahold of his wrist, and pivot again applying torque on the hand making sure to keep the gun barrel pointed in a safe direction.” he thought, recalling her instructions. He slowly moved, getting Dwayne's gun to point away from Liz and Ashley. His heart started beating faster as he prepared.
"Dwayne, I know you care for these two girls very much, you don't really want anything to happen to them do you?" Dwayne began speaking when Reid executed his plan. Everything happened exactly as he had done a hundred times, his muscle memory kicked in, applying the technique running purely on instinct. While safely out of the way, Dwayne fired, the round exited the barrel where it traveled into the kitchen. With no time to fully process what was happening, Reid began the final part of the maneuver, careful as he held onto Dwayne’s hand twisting it into an unnatural position, making sure to keep the barrel pointed away from his body.
By the time Dwayne figured out what was happening, a searing pain traveled up his arm forcing him to move quickly in the only direction where the pain would stop. Liz watched him flying though the air where he landed hard on the concrete. He was disarmed and on the ground struggling as Reid tried maneuvering Dwayne into a secure hold. Reid thought about Karen's teachings on strength vs technique and stopped using strength, instead applying pressure on Dwayne's wrist. Dwayne immediately started to yell as Reid’s grip caused pain on the nerves in his wrist. Dwayne complied with the pain and relaxed allowing Reid to get his arm into position to cuff him. As he withdrew his cuffs, he heard Liz cussing like a mad woman.
"You fucking bastard, you fucking bastard. Die you miserable son of a bitch." She appeared with the shotgun and pointed it at Dwayne's head while saliva sprayed from her mouth as she continued to cuss.
"Liz no!" Reid yelled, releasing his grip and lunging for the shotgun, pushing it out of the way just as she pulled the trigger. A loud discharge of gas suddenly expanding bounced off the concrete walls, deafening everyone in the room. Reid fought with her for possession of the shotgun, while her screams produced muffled sounds to his ringing ears. After a brief moment, he took the shotgun from her and saw Dwayne at the other end of the entryway. He was standing across the small area near the door, reaching for Reid's 9mm Beretta in his waistband. Reid pointed the 12 gauge at him.
"It's all over Dwayne, don't do it." Dwayne didn't listen and slowly withdrew the weapon. Reid chambered a new round and raised the shotgun, pointing at Dwayne's chest.
"You can't hurt me, he said, turning the 9mm toward Reid."
'A police assisted suicide. It was just as well, it would save everyone a lot of headache,' Reid thought to himself as he discharged the weapon into Dwayne's center body mass. Dwayne stood frozen, not moving. Slowly he took a step forward as if stumbling forward, emerging from the smoke clutching his chest. Reid watched as the look of horror on Dwayne's face faded, slowly replaced with a grin, then a large smile. He began laughing as he stepped forward. Reid, confused, reloaded and fired again, and again. He fired all seven remaining rounds, and none of them were having an effect on Dwayne. Liz and Ashley were plugging their ears, still screaming from the gunfire. Reid’s ears were throbbing from the repeated gunshots without hearing protection. Dwayne lowered the weapon and fired, putting a round into the meaty part of Reid's thigh. Reid instantly collapsed clutching his leg and dropped the empty shotgun. Dwayne turned to Liz and pulled the plugs out of his ears, hearing Reid moaning from his wound.
"You don't think I would be that stupid to let you point a shotgun with live rounds at me every day now do you?" he said as he hit her hard across the face with Reid's gun.
To Be Continued....Episode 15 “Season One Finale - The Hero and the Terror Part 1”
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Comments
Wow!
I found some of the transitions to and from the flashbacks a little hard to follow, but the meat of this is story is just plain awesome!
I can't wait till the next posting.
Hugs
Grover
Nice looks
Back at Micheal and his family, and the people they loved. Also illuminating about Dwyane. He meant well at first but then threw that away. I hope Reid survives this and that Karen gets her chance with with Turner.
Maggie
If you haven't been following this story, then your missing out
On a well-written and fun story. I highly recommend reading the entire series. I can't wait for the next episode, which sadly will be the season finale. But don't despair, because I happen to know that Megan is all ready working on writing the episodes for season 2, so we shouldn’t have to wait to long for her to start posting season 2.
Hugs,
Tamara Jeanne
This story keeps blowing my mind.
Megan, you are fast becoming the Queen of cliffhangers though! I've been waiting and waiting to see Dwayne get his just desserts, only tofindI have to wait til the next chapter to find out who wins!
All can say right now is ARRRGGHHH!!
Great story, great characters and a super plot. What more can I say! Well, I suppose I could say that I really enjoyed all the background stuff. A story is almost always helped when a reader can get into the minds and lives of the characters and you certainly have accomplished that with this chapter. Sure, I like all the action, but I'm glad to know more about who is who and why they are the way they are, and how they came to be in the situation in which they now find themselves.
Terrific job, Megan. I will await the next chapter with bated breath.
huggles and love,
Catherine Linda Michel
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
Going from the flashbacks to
the present makes Dwayne's deceit all the more evil. What will he do now that it is discovered?
May Your Light Forever Shine