CHAPTER TWELVE
The plane’s wheels touched runway and Brooke breathed out relief. Beyond her window a ground crew lined the dark tarmac, their faces lit by the flickering fires hastily lit in steel drums. She had expected firetrucks and police vehicles, but the workers were doing everything on foot, linking together a long chain of hoses and stretching them toward the approaching craft. After fierce braking, it finally coasted to a stop. The plane had no power to make its own way toward the terminal, and they would have to walk to the pitch black terminal.
A small group of soldiers jogged out to meet them, several of whom pushed a metal ladder toward the plane. The sound of it hitting the fuselage jarred the plane and the passengers muttered at the odd welcome and the sudden sound of fists knocking from outside. The flight attendants opened the door and several armed airmen boarded.
A woman wearing the rank of Captain addressed the passengers. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ramstein Air Force Base. As you can tell this has been a crazy night for us all. We’ve set up reception in the USO just inside the main terminal.”
All at once people began shouting, talking over each other and demanding answers. One of them, a man in his mid-fifties and dressed in a business suit, spoke up with a strong German accent. He demanded, “I am a German citizen and am expected in Frankfurt! Why am I detained by your government!”
The woman smiled warmly as she spoke, her classic beauty adding to the calmness in her voice, “Once inside, you will receive a briefing. I know you have a lot of questions, but please hold them until after.”
Once they realized she wouldn’t give any explanation, the shouting died down. One by one, the overhead bins were emptied and the seats cleared. Brooke, Sam, and David remained behind after everyone disembarked, sensing more of Jake’s work happening around them. The young woman approached, “Doctor Andalon, I presume?” She offered her hand in greeting and David shook it. “My name is Stephanie Yurik.”
“My pleasure,” David responded.
Then she turned to Brooke, “Dr. Braston, it’s wonderful to meet you after all this time.” To this David appeared puzzled, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
Brooke deflected, “Nice to meet you, as well, although I’ve no idea how you would know me.”
“Of course,” Stephanie replied, once again flashing her disarming smile. “Please follow me. Give Sergeant Roark your bags and he’ll see they reach your quarters.” A moment of worry crossed her face as she added, “Like I said, this has been a crazy night and your brother wants to debrief you apart from the passengers.”
She led them down the steps to a waiting truck, the sound of its lonely engine rumbling in the night. The only glow in its headlights was a reflection of the fires burning alongside the runway. Captain Yurik held the door open and Brooke slipped inside.
As David slid in beside his wife he whispered, “What was that about? How does she know you?”
She shrugged. “Jake probably talks about his little sister all the time.”
He nodded and seemed doubtful, but her answer had been enough. Thankfully he kept silent the rest of the short drive. He would know the truth very soon.
Within minutes they pulled up in front of a cold war era bunker. Armed guards holding M-16 rifles stood out front with determined faces, eyes locked on the newcomers. Brooke thought she could detect fear in each and every one. She grabbed David’s arm and let him lead her across the parking lot. A single steel door loomed ahead, open and awaiting their arrival.
Captain Yurik gestured. “Right this way, please.”
Once they were inside the soldiers guarding the door slammed the heavy steel shut behind them.
Brooke jumped at the noise, spinning around. She watched as two of the enlisted men turned giant wheels. “Are they locking us in?”
For just a moment Captain Yurik’s smile seemed to flicker but she quickly recovered. “Your brother will explain everything once we’re inside the war room.” She turned and started walking away. “Come,” she said, “he’s waiting.”
They entered a circular room with a large table in the center. Several chairs were arranged and could easily accommodate twenty people. Only two were occupied. The man on the left wore a tailored suit, simple and unassuming. He wore a wide grin that welcomed the newcomers while also hiding worry. She recognized Michael Esterling, and the other was her brother. Jake still wore his flight suit, so he must have hurried to the bunker after landing.
He stood and wrapped his sister in an embrace. “Brooke!”
She smiled back, happy to see her big brother, but then immediately knew something was wrong. “What’s happening?”
Jake glanced at Michael but ignored her question. He shook hands with David, pulling him into a brotherly hug. They had always been close, those two. After they pulled back, Michael stood and embraced them both. Twenty years ago these men would have been inseparable except when attending classes. Despite their obviously different personalities they had been best of friends. Jake was the boisterous jock bound for military service, Michael was the quiet law student intent on changing the world through politics, and David had hoped to improve humankind through genetic studies.
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Brooke tried again, speaking loudly. “Jake!” Everyone turned toward her. “What’s going on? Why are we here and why in a fallout shelter?”
David looked around as if coming out of a fog bank, taking everything in. As if he had only just realized their surroundings he asked, “Were those electromagnetic pulses, Jake? Is America under attack?”
“They were.” Jake gestured for everyone to sit. “These pulses as you call them, were high altitude nuclear explosions. They fried nearly every electrical device on every continent, but luckily we’re on the complete opposite side of the globe and weren’t hit as badly. Some of our gear still works, especially in this shielded bunker.”
“That’s how you were able to fly and escort the pilot here?” marveled David.
“Yes. I still had you on radar when you crossed into Germany, so I scrambled in case I could help guide you in. Unfortunately, that’s the last sortie I’ll ever fly.”
Captain Yurik, having secured the doors behind them, joined everyone at the table. Braston motioned for her to explain. Sliding into a seat beside Michael, she said, “Shortly after you crossed into German air space, a significant seismic disturbance occurred along the San Andreas Fault.”
“Yes,” Brooke interrupted, “In Palmdale. But that was right after takeoff. We saw the huge crack it made.”
Stephanie looked toward Jake for help. He shrugged and then took over. “That was earlier, Brooke. There was the big one in San Francisco.”
David sat up, “A big one? How big are we talking?”
“Not a big one, Dave. The Big One. As in, California’s gone.”
Brooke gasped and David still looked puzzled. After a moment, the news sunk in for both.
“Gone? As in gone?” David asked.
Jake continued, “A full ten on the Richter. Maybe even bigger, but there’s no way to measure. It was so damaging it created a chain reaction along an already stressed fault line. About fifteen quakes struck in all, each over a strength of nine.” He paused to let the information settle.
“But,” commented David, “that doesn’t explain the EMP. It certainly wasn’t natural.”
“No,” Stephanie replied, “that was man-made.”
This time it was Michael’s turn to speak. “Vandenberg Air Force Base launched several missiles following the quake, each of them accidentally.”
“How?” David appeared more confused than ever. “Aren’t there fail safes and contingencies to prevent accidental launch?”
“There were,” Michael continued, “but before the quake, someone must have hacked the system. All safety protocols were bypassed and their true trajectories were changed. What you saw were explosions over the Great Plains. Everything from the Black Hills to Padre Island, Texas, is currently experiencing fallout from the airbursts.”
It was Brooke’s turn to be confused. She asked, “True trajectories?”
“The hacker armed each one and masked the fire control radar, making it appear they would travel to their original destinations.”
She felt the contents of her stomach turn over. “What were those targets, Michael?”
Jake answered, “Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang.”
David abruptly stood, gesturing around. “Is this why we’re in a bunker, Jake? And why the hell are you telling us classified information? We’re not cleared for any of this.”
Jake responded, “Because there are currently one hundred Chinese missiles headed to key spots all over the United States and its allies. Each carries a nuclear warhead. By now, whatever’s left of our missile defense will have counter launched, and those are streaming toward China and Russia.”
David collapsed in his chair. “How many did the Russians send?”
“Their full arsenal,” Michael answered. “I’d hoped they’d sit this one out, but…”
“But?” The question came from Brooke.
“Their missiles are airborne and should begin raining down over every NATO nation within the hour.”
Brooke blanched. “We’re in a NATO nation, Michael!”
Jake filled in the rest. “North Korea fired off at least twenty toward several of their neighbors. Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand have already been hit. More will strike Australia any minute and there’s nothing we can do.”
“Mi-Jung!” Sam suddenly broke his silence. “Did she make it out? Oh my God, my entire family…”
Jake nodded. “I’m sorry about your family, son, but she’s safe. She landed an hour before you and is exploring the facility.”
“Why not?” Brooke demanded. “Why can’t you do anything?” Her urgency starkly contrasted the calm general and relaxed senator addressing the room. “Why are you sitting idly by and not trying?”
“Because of the EMP,” Jake replied. “We’ve no way to help anyone, at least not yet.”
“So the United States is defenseless?”
Michael nodded, “Yes. The United States and all of our allies are about to be wiped from this Earth and there’s nothing we can do.”
David stared back in silence but Brooke suddenly choked back a sob. “Mom and Dad?” The thought of them perishing in a nuclear attack chilled her skin and every hair stood up on her arms.
“They’re already gone.” Jake’s face carried sadness as he spoke. The missiles weren’t the only thing triggered by seismic activity. The entire Yellowstone caldera blew about three hours ago.”
He paused to let the news sink in, but didn’t have to wait long. She understood.
“Which brings us,” Jake continued, “to the reason I flew your team to Germany.”
The doors to the room opened and a young Korean woman stepped inside. When she saw Sam, she rushed forward, wrapping him in an embrace. After they both finally let go, she exclaimed, “Wait until you see the lab!”
David appeared even more confused. “Lab?”
Brooke felt a moment of doom creep in and she looked up from her hands to watch a confused David. The moment she feared had finally arrived.
Jake placed a reassuring hand on his sister’s shoulder. “It’s time we tell him, Brooke. Would you like to do the honors or should I?”
“I will,” she said with a nod. “It’s best he hears it from me.”