A New World: Conspiracy (25 page)

“And resupply,” the XO says. “We are doing
okay at the moment, but we’ll need to take on supplies…mainly food
stores.”

Several faces pale at the thought of going
ashore and perhaps needing to enter into a supply facility again.
The memory surfaces of those they lost – and how they lost them –
at Bangor.

“How far can we go if we can’t get ashore
for whatever reason?” Leonard asks the engineering officer.

He’s met with a shrug. “It depends, sir. We
could break down in a day or go for months. It’s hard to say. At a
minimum, I suggest we replace our scrub filters.”

“And the food?” Leonard asks the XO.

“We have a few weeks if we ration. We can
send Chief Krandle ashore and find some stores that don’t put them
at too great a risk. That would stretch our supplies some,” the XO
answers.

“Okay. Make a provision list and we’ll see
what we can do once we arrive. I’ll speak with Chief Krandle. Right
now, let’s check on the LA basin and proceed to San Diego. Let’s
begin rationing, but without the crew having to go hungry. I don’t
think we’re at that point yet and there’s no use putting them in
any greater discomfort than they already are. This news is going to
put a measure of stress on them, however, I think our decision to
check on our home port and families will be seen by most to be the
correct one.”

“Sir, if I may?” an officer utters.

“Go ahead.”

“What about those with families elsewhere? I
mean, they’ll want us to check on their families. As the XO
mentioned, some will see these orders as a way to check on their
loved ones farther inland. What I’m saying is that we need to give
them something as to what we’re thinking in this regard.”

Several officers nod their heads at the
logic. It’s a question Leonard has thought about more than a few
times. It’s the one thing that could break the crew apart…or it
could unite them together – their new mission to search for loved
ones. Of course, they are restricted as to where they could search.
Thoughts of Captain Walker’s group and their capabilities surface
regularly. Deep down, Leonard knew there would be a time when the
two joined together, but now this message has the potential to
change that.

“Meet with your departments and gather a
list of where their families are located. For the moment, let them
know we will look into the feasibility following our arrival at
home. Inform them of our limitations to check beyond the coastal
areas, but that we’ll look into ways to search farther inland. Make
sure that each knows that this is something we are only looking
into, but that we can’t make any promises,” Leonard says.

No other issues are brought forth so Leonard
adjourns their meeting. With a nod, each officer rises and departs.
Leonard then makes a general announcement giving a synopsis of
messages and detailing their plans.

Although anxious to get to their homeport,
Leonard takes his time maneuvering the
Santa Fe
down the
coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The coastline is more
populous than that of the Oregon and Northern California shores.
They explore Monterey Bay and the various inlets without finding
any sign of surviving remnants of humankind. Leonard expected
further communications; reissuing the orders and asking for
confirmation of receipt, but the comm center remains silent since
receiving their last message. The lack of communications only
increases Leonard’s uneasiness about the validity of the message
and, although still nervous about ignoring the order, he feels
better about the decision he and his officers made.

The distance between the two big cities
isn’t far but, with the slow speed Leonard dictated and taking time
to investigate, it takes two days before they reach the Channel
Islands to the northwest of the Los Angeles area. His plan is to
swing wide of the Channel Islands and approach Long Beach directly
from the west.

“Captain to the comm room,” the loudspeaker
blares.

And there’s the message asking for
confirmation
, Leonard thinks, rising from his chair.
I
wondered when that was going to come in
.

The
Santa Fe
picked up speed to
circumvent the islands and is approximately midway across the Santa
Barbara Basin when Leonard pokes his head in the small room.

“What is it, chief?”

“Sir, I’m picking up a very faint signal
coming in on UHF guard. I believe I heard our name a couple of
times, but it’s hard to identify clearly. Whoever is transmitting
is either pretty far away or the signal is weak on their end.”

“Our end is good?” Leonard asks.

“Aye, sir. I’ve checked our equipment and
it’s good.”

“How often are they transmitting?”

“That’s hard to say, sir. I’ve only picked
up a couple of the transmissions and this last one is the clearest
I’ve heard. However, it seems to be about every five minutes. Would
you like for me to respond?”

“Let’s wait for the next one. If it’s
getting clearer, then they are moving and getting closer. I doubt
our speed makes much difference in five minutes. Put it on speaker
but keep the volume low, please,” Leonard says.

A few minutes pass before the speaker
crackles to life. “
Santa F
…alker on…guard…”

The message repeats but with the same
clarity. However, it is enough to hear the sub mentioned and the
chief verifies they are receiving the signal on UHF guard.

The basin over which they are sailing is
relatively shallow and it will be another thirty minutes before
they reach the deeper water on the other side of the islands.
Although he has an idea who it may be considering the frequency
used, he isn’t comfortable about coming into contact with an
unknown entity without the safety of deep water below him. The
thought of turning west and going to flank speed crosses his mind.
However, they may miss contact should they do that.

With a sigh, Leonard calls his XO in the
control room. “Slow to ten knots and be ready to take her to the
bottom.”

Several minutes pass without the message
being repeated. The five minute intervals they were coming through
at passes. Nothing is in view visually and he orders the radar
turned on with the crew ready to shut it down and conduct an
emergency dive.

Radar reports back that they have negative
contact. Tension mounts in the boat. They may have firepower and
the ability to hide, but if they’re found, they become very
vulnerable. Leonard is aware that they are very vulnerable this
close to the surface with an unknown entity closing in. With the
clear waters, it will be easy to identify the dark sub just beneath
the waves. And if there is any magnetic anomaly gear being used,
well, they might as well light up blinking neon signs.

The speaker crackles to life once again.
“
Santa Fe
, this is Captain Walker on UHF Guard.
Santa
Fe
, Captain Walker calling on UHF Guard. How do you copy?
Over.”

Well, this is going to be downright
interesting
, Leonard thinks, reaching for the mic.

“Captain Walker, this is the
Santa
Fe
. Read you loud and clear. This is not a secure channel.
Over,” Leonard says.

“Copy that, standby,” Walker states.

“
Santa Fe
, it’s imperative that we
have a conversation. Understand the unsecure channel. There’s an
airfield next to a beach,” Walker says moments later, giving
coordinates. “Can you meet us on the beach?”

This time it’s Leonard who has Walker
standby while he walks to the nav station to look at the given
coordinates. He feels like a flag tied to the rope in a tug-of-war;
both teams wanting to pull the flag to their side. He calls the XO
over and relates the radio call.

“What do you think, sir?” the XO asks.

“Well, frankly, I don’t like being in the
middle of some game. We may not have hit it off right away, and
this Walker did come across as being a little arrogant, but he
didn’t seem like a bad guy. I find myself interested in what he has
to say…but not at a risk to ourselves,” Leonard answers.

“Park the boat offshore and let Chief
Krandle handle the discussion. He can relay the conversation,” the
XO states.

“That will still be over the open airwaves.
I’ll go in with the chief and his team. You’ll remain in charge and
take the boat out deep if anything untoward occurs. If anything
happens, continue the mission to home port.”

“Are you sure that your going in is a good
idea? You’re needed here. I’ll go in your stead,” the XO says.

“I feel that there are some hard decisions
that may arise and I need to be there to make them. Besides, how
can I miss a chance to ride ashore with a SEAL team?” Leonard says
with a smile.

“And that’s the real reason I wanted to go.
It’s getting a little cramped in here.”

“I hear that, XO. Call the chief up and
point us to the beach. Let’s not waste any time getting there.”

“Aye, sir,” the XO says.

Back in the comm center, Leonard takes the
mic. “Captain Walker, this is the
Santa Fe
. We’ll be there
in two hours.”

“Copy two hours. See you there.”

Leonard briefs Chief Krandle when he
arrives, informing him of the radio contact and mission.

Two hours later, Leonard finds himself
riding through choppy swells. The team around him is lying low over
the gunwales as the rubber craft bounces across the wind-driven
waves. He feels like he’s in the back end of a pickup traveling
over a washboard road. They negotiate around several stands of
rocks which absorb the inbound waves with surf splashing against
their wet surfaces. The beach-lined cove which they’ve entered
curves to their left and stretches away into the distance to the
right.

As the breakers pass underneath, they lift
the craft from the stern and toss it about. Leonard, while enjoying
any time spent on or below the water, begins to regret taking this
trip. The waves propel the team onward, and soon, the raft kisses
the sand. As Chief Krandle and his team deploy to the sides,
Leonard notes the top of a Stryker poking above a small rise across
the beach. Near an adjacent parking lot, several figures are
crouched in a small perimeter similar to the one the chief and his
team have. One of the figures rises and separates from the rest,
heading across the sand toward him. Leonard begins walking and they
meet in the middle.

“Captain,” Captain Walker says, extending
his hand.

“Walker,” Leonard replies, replying in
kind.

“Sorry to stall your journey, but we’ve come
across some information that you should be aware of,” Walker
begins.

He then tells a story of being targeted by a
sniper and their subsequent discovery of information relating to a
group that may be responsible for the downfall of civilization. The
tale goes into some detail with Walker handing him several pages
with their findings on them. As the account goes on, Leonard feels
a cold chill ride up his spine.

“We don’t have a hard tie-in that it’s the
group who sent the shooter, but there’s enough to convince me that
they are involved. It’s become obvious that we’re being targeted by
a group with advanced capabilities, and I’m sure they’re the ones
who are interfering with our communications,” Walker says, drawing
his narrative to a close.

Leonard pauses, considering Walker’s story
and his own recent experiences. He’s not sure what or how much to
tell Walker and once again feels caught in the middle of two groups
vying for his control. Every side has its story and, to each party,
their reasons seem right. He didn’t hear anything that would cause
Walker’s group to be targeted, but he may not be telling the whole
story either. He lengthens his pause waiting for what Walker’s plan
for him is.

He notes Walker watching him, waiting for
him to reply. When nothing is forthcoming, Walker shrugs.

“If they know the details about us that they
apparently do, then there’s a good chance that they might know
about you. I just thought you should know as it could increase your
danger as well. How is your expedition faring?” Walker asks.

This isn’t exactly where he thought Walker
was heading with this conversation. There isn’t a talk to take
sides, or really much mention of ‘sides’. So far, it’s just been
imparting information without any leading statements or trying to
guide the conversation in a certain direction. Leonard relaxes his
stance slightly and tells of their travels down the seaboard.

“We sent a group your way two days ago,”
Leonard says, relating to the small group they rescued.

“I hope they made it. I’ll check on them
when I return,” Walker responds.

“What are your plans upon leaving here?”
Leonard asks.

“We still have a group out. They should be
somewhere between Peterson AFB and Luke AFB. We’re going to locate
them and bring them home. The plan is to then conduct a flyby of
the facility I mentioned to get a closer look. We’ll plan based on
what we see. Are you still thinking of Hawaii after San Diego?”

“I’m not sure what we’re planning after
that. Like you, we’ll base our decision on what we find,” Leonard
answers.

“We won’t have the sat comms, but we’ll make
periodic forays out your way if possible and try to stay in touch
that way. Is there anything you need?” Walker asks.

“Thanks, but I think we’re good for now,”
Leonard replies, still cautious, waiting for Walker’s appeal for
the sub to join his side.

“Okay, we’ll come down as much as possible
and give you a jingle. That’s until Spring rolls around. Then we’ll
be grounded. If there’s anything you need prior to then, let us
know and we’ll assist if we can. Good luck to you, Leonard,” Walker
says, reaching to shake his hand.

Leonard returns the shake and watches as
Walker turns and begins heading back up the beach toward his
team.