Lux 4 interplanetary lux.., p.14
LUX-4: Interplanetary (LUX and the New TECH), page 14
“On your face. Hands behind your head. Interlace your fingers. She whimpered a little as she lay in the gore of the corridor. “Watch her, Lux. Knife out and on. Remember, she’s a trained spy,” Chen said and grabbed Maria’s hair and interlaced fingers. He searched under her palms and found one of the little bottles. He roughly searched her and found two more of the little bottles and a spike-like weapon hidden in a seam.
Chen was able to take two sets of cuffs and cobble together one ratcheted cuff to make a set of cuffs. He pulled her dress off her shoulders and took a stun belt that was still functional and put it around her, and used adhesive tape from the medical kit to strap it to her body. He then put her dress back on.
She started talking when Chen hit the remote and shocked her briefly. She cried out.
Chen ducked into the flight deck. “Paulus, you come back here and watch her.”
As he was leaving the copilot’s seat, the pilot flipped a switch that Paulus or Chen didn’t see. As Chen sat down, he saw a flashing light on the console. He saw it listed as a fuel dump in progress.
“Cut it off, now,” Chen said and slapped his pistol against the Pilot’s head, cutting him above the ear.
The pilot flipped the switch. “We now don’t have the fuel to make Vilnius.”
“Fly there,” Chen pointed to National Airport Minsk on the map. “Do not use the word ‘Trip’ or “Code Bravo, Oscar, or any others. Don’t change your transponder code to 7500 for hijacking, 7600 for communications lost, or 7700 for all other emergencies,” Chen said, knowing those were codes for distress.
“Contacting the tower,” the pilot said. “Minsk Approach. This is Gulfstream November two-eight-zero-Sierra Echo. I am low on fuel and need a VFR approach. Thirty-two kilometers southwest.”
Minsk National Approach: “Have you on radar Sierra- Echo. Are you declaring an emergency?”
Gulfstream: “Negative, Tower. Just need priority in the queue.”
Approach: “Gulfstream Zero-Sierra-Echo Turn three one zero Straight in approach on Three one Left. Contact the tower on one-one-eight-three.
Gulfstream: “Gulfstream Zero–Sierra-Echo Turning three-one-zero for straight in approach on three-one-left Contacting Tower.”
Gulfstream: “Minsk Tower - Gulfstream November two-eight-zero-Sierra-Echo on straight in approach on three-one-left.
Minsk Tower: “Roger Zero-Sierra-Echo. Ground is one-two-one-point-seven.”
The plane landed without incident, and they were able to contact ground to taxi and services to refuel. Everything was going well until a controller in the tower with binoculars saw Chen holding a gun on the pilot.
Emergency services were called, and police cars, an ambulance, and firetrucks rushed to surround the plane. It did not get refueled. The state police were notified.
◆◆◆
Aboard the Courier
“You realize they’ve probably already landed,” Rodney said to Van Dyk. He checked with Anna. Colonel Van Dyk didn’t realize they were hovering over the southern Baltic Sea since they felt no acceleration.
“Their plane landed at the National Airport of Minsk just now. I’ve accessed their communications. They were granted clearance to taxi,” Anna confirmed. “They are in a white Gulfstream G280 November 280 Sierra-Echo.”
“They’ve just landed at Minsk National Airport,” Rodney related the information to Van Dyk. “They are in white Gulfstream G280 – tail number November 280 Sierra-Echo.”
“How can you know this? We just got authorization to get our people back. How long ‘til we get there?”
“Seven minutes. We’ll put you directly alongside the plane,” Rodney said, and Colonel Van Dyk rushed to tell his men.
Robert walked back to the unit members. “How many speak Russian fluently? Belarusian?”
The team had three that spoke Russian fluently and one that spoke conversational Belarusian.
Robert had been listening in on Rodney’s conversations with Anna through their bone conduction communications and the Courier’s comm system.
“Rodney,” Anna said, getting his attention. “The Minsk Airport Authority has now declared this a terrorist incident. A Eurasian person was seen holding a handgun on the pilot. The locals are clueless about how to handle the situation. They have called the state police and the nearby Air Force Base. I will handle communications with the authorities,” Anna explained. “I suggest you cut through the hull to ruin the integrity of the plane and have Delta Force go in and save everybody. When Russians ask – tell them you are Spetsnaz. Their elite teams don’t wear uniforms and get the best equipment, just like delta. The Russian military, police and FSB know as little about the Spetsnaz as the US public knows about Delta. Speak only Russian.”
Rodney turned around and spoke to Van Dyk. “We’ll line up our ramp level against the plane and cut open the side with one of our knives, and then you can go in and rescue everybody. Tell them you are Spetsnaz if anyone asks. Make sure that word gets out to start the rumor. Only speak Russian. We think our people have control of the plane. No flash-bangs. I’ll cut through the hull to ruin the plane, and make you a dramatic entrance,” Rodney said.
“I don’t have to take advice from a civilian. I’m leading this team,” Van Dyk stated.
“Okay. This is essentially a Russian state. The US Embassy here closed a long time ago. What do you recommend since our people may or may not be in charge of that plane,” Rodney said.
Van Dyk stood there a moment. “Sounds good. All right, people. Here’s what we’re going to do,” Van Dyk directed his people into the cargo bay, waiting for the ramp to drop.”
One team member turned to Rodney, “Is that one of those CutsAll™ knives I’ve heard so much about?”
“Uh-Huh,” Rodney said. “You seen one of these work?”
“Nah, but I hear it’s awesome. One of the Australians showed one off to my buds,” the soldier said.
“The kid who designed it is the one we’re rescuing. Chinese tried to abduct him too. He killed two of those and wounded a third when he was 11 years old. This was a big operation by the Russians. We think the kidnapped ones took over the plane. You’ll all be pretending to be Russian Spetsnaz,” Rodney said.
“Makes sense. That clarifies a lot. Thanks,” the soldier said.
Regina yelled back, “Four minutes!”
◆◆◆
Machulishchy Air Base – Minsk - Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Kislyi
Lt. Colonel Kislyi was still surprised when he got a call from Colonel Aleksey Mikhailov.
“Hello, Colonel. Yes, We just got word of a terrorist incident at the National Airport.”
“I am sending Spetsnaz troops in a special aircraft. Call the airport and tell them to be aware of a new type of aircraft coming to rescue the passengers. Have your people ready to mop up. Let them know,” the colonel said and disconnected.
Kislyi nodded and relayed the instructions to the Minsk tower and his forces.
◆◆◆
Two Minutes to Minsk - Courier
The Courier stopped in midair and launched a drone that raced ahead to give a view of the situation, and a view of the scene popped up on the displays around the cargo bay. The drone began blasting a loud message in Russian to the police and emergency personnel around the Gulfstream though they couldn’t see the stealthed drone.
Drone: Прибывают спецназовцы Главного управления Генштаба ВС РФ. У нас ситуация под контролем. Пожалуйста, отойдите назад. Мы Спецназ
Rough Translation: (Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces are arriving. We have the situation under control. Please move back. We are Spetsnaz).
◆◆◆
Arriving at National Airport - Minsk
“Minsk Tower. This is Spetsgruppa Vympel arriving at your location. You will be able to resume all traffic in minutes. Do not be alarmed,” Anna transmitted to the tower in English and Russian.
The Courier came in so fast it looked like it would crash. Personnel around the plane started running away to gain distance, but the Courier came to an instantaneous stop beside the Gulfstream and lowered the ramp. Rodney took the CutsAll and slashed around the door of the jet and tossed it aside and stepped out of the way. Delta team spread into the plane quickly.
The Delta Force Team was stopped by Lux Blakely. “Nice to see you guys. I wasn’t sure how we’d get out of this one, and I didn’t feel like hijacking another plane to go home. I’m leaving passports with these two bodies. Tell them they appeared to be Ukrainian terrorists. That woman is a spy that I want to be charged with kidnapping back in the US. the pilot should be taken too. Let’s get out of here. The Delta Team scoured the plane and found a small pistol under the copilot’s seat in the flight deck. They were soon back on the courier.
Anna reprogrammed the drone to give the following message and contacted the tower. “Minsk Tower. We are leaving your airspace, and you may resume normal traffic. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Roger, Spetsgruppa Vympel. How long until you are out of our airspace?” the tower asked.
“Twenty seconds, Tower. Thank you for your cooperation,” Anna said. The Courier left the area at Mach 40 and went into orbit.
◆◆◆
Major Igor Antonavich – Minsk Air Force Response Team to Minsk National
Major Igor Antonavich had never seen Spetsnaz before. He had heard they were elite and heard they had the latest equipment, but this was an order of magnitude difference compared to his people. His men had entered the target plane a minute after that miraculous ship had left. They found the decapitated and ravaged bodies of two Ukrainian terrorists along with their fake passports. He had seen the operatives enter the plane, and it was a work of art. They had cut through the side of the plane in seconds and were coming out moments later. Those people had used some weird new way to let people know what was going on and who they were – it was uncanny. They had announced they were coming like this was some public service announcement. He had never felt so proud of the Russian military.
◆◆◆
Sergeant Kaliuzhny – had orders to take his Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunship to Minsk National in response to the terrorists who had taken over the Gulfstream business jet. Then this gray cylinder came in like an act of heaven and left minutes later without the thunderclap of a sonic boom. He had no idea that Russia had anything so advanced. It had floated outside the targeted jet, and the Spetsnaz troops were in and out in heartbeats. He had thought he was hot stuff. Now, he had seen hot stuff, and he realized it wasn’t him or his people. He had to keep asking his fellow soldiers if they had seen what he saw – it seemed like a dream.
◆◆◆
Major Andrei V. Averyanov of the Fifth Spetsnaz Brigade was upset. He didn’t know what was going on, and he usually was way ahead of the locals. He had received a call about a possible hostage situation with terrorists at Minsk National Airport. He got his people there and found a mystery. Everyone on the scene had reported that some mystical ship had flown in, warned everyone they were Spetsnaz, killed the terrorists, and rescued the hostages before he could arrive with his people. His people arrived within an hour of the call, but the mythical ship had long since disappeared. It went straight up and was off the radar in seconds. He took numerous statements, and it was surreal. The statements agreed, and he had the plane and bodies with false passports. The entrance to the plane was bizarre, and he would have said it was impossible if he hadn’t seen the fuselage of the plane. There were no burn marks, and no one had heard an explosive entry.
Major Averyanov was confounded by the scene of the kidnapping. The wounds to the two bodies were bizarre. One body had his head cut off, and the other had a narrow wedge straight through his neck. He had the local law enforcement taking fingerprints. He had no idea how the public audible warning was given and had no idea who else was on the plane. He did find the name of the pilot and that the plane had flown from Nuuk, Greenland, to Barcelona, Spain, and then to here. He was further out of the loop than he thought if Russia had equipment like this. He suspected it wasn’t the work of the Spetsnaz, but his people were in trouble if the West was this far ahead of them.
◆◆◆
Aboard the Courier returning to Fort Bragg
Maria and the pilot were shackled in the back of the Courier under guard. The Delta Team had come by Lux and slapped him on the back – telling him what a good job he did. Lux promised them CutsAll™ knives for all the team members. He was feeling hollow and cold. He couldn’t shut his eyes without seeing Dimitri's body jetting blood out the top of his neck or gushing blood from the other kidnapper’s neck. He felt he had been stretched thin, and his hands shook. He felt like he couldn’t catch his breath. He didn’t have time to process what had happened to him. Rodney kept people away from him as they landed at Fort Liberty (Bragg) and off-loaded the delta detachment.
Chapter 8
Lux Property – Paulden, Arizona
Lux felt relieved by just getting back to his property in Paulden. He felt everything around was a hollow dream. The Delta soldiers had slapped him on the back and told him how well he had done. They had left in a great mood. Maria and the pilot had scowled at him when they were turned over to the FBI on returning to Boston. Lux had thanked General Parsons and the soldiers and bodyguards that had come for them. Jack Chen was very solicitous of him. Jack let everyone know what had happened, and everyone told him how proud of him they were. Lakshmi and Prissy were safely at Paulden when Lux returned, and that relieved him. He finally went back to his lab in the bunker when he got some alone time.
The side door to the bunker opened, and Prissy came in. She came over behind him, where he was sitting on a stool, staring into space. “How are you? Really?” she said. She knew him better than anyone, and she knew he was torn up inside.
He turned and looked over his shoulder at her but didn’t say anything. Prissy came around to his front and looked at him. He stared down at the floor and wouldn’t look at her. She put her arms around him, pulling his head onto her shoulder. He started sobbing – with racking sobs and tears.
Prissy just held him, giving him shushing noises when he tried to talk at first. “It’s okay. You had to do what you did to get away. You’re okay. Shhh. It’s okay.” She stayed holding him ‘til he cried himself out. She walked him over to a bed that was set up off to the side for late nights and had him lie down. She covered him up and curled up on top of the covers against him. Jack and Rodney came in to check, and she held her finger up to her lips. They both backed out quietly.
Lux woke up alone in the morning, with Jack Chen sitting back in a chair. “Morning,” Jack said. “How are you doing?”
“I think I need to go to a psychologist for PTSD. Prissy helped me last night, and I feel better, but could you find one that works with the military - near here? I don’t want to medicate my issues away. Kinda’ feel that’s like cutting the wire to the check engine light on your car. It doesn’t cure the problem – it just gets rid of the symptoms.”
◆◆◆
They went back over for breakfast. Lux was ravenous. He felt marginally better. Lux looked around the breakfast table. “Where’s Prissy? Is she sleeping in today?”
Elan looked up. “She left early with Polly. Said she needed to get back to MIT. Lakshmi is still here. She’s the one sleeping late. She didn’t sleep when you were…you know.”
“Oh, thanks,” Lux said, feeling melancholy all of a sudden.
Rodney looked at Jack with concern.
Lux looked around the table. “Okay, guys. I get it. I need to see a psychologist – a good one. Find one for me if you would. Get an appointment as soon as you can. Phoenix should have a lot of veterans – maybe there?”
Jack spoke up, “I’ll ask buddies there. We’ll find someone.”
◆◆◆
Office of Bruce Sulfridge, Ph.D., LMHC, BCBA – Phoenix, Arizona
“Thank you for seeing me, Doctor, on such short notice,” Lux said.
“I usually don’t treat youth. I specialize in PTSD cases with veterans. You know what PTSD is, don’t you,” Sulfridge said.
Lux rolled his eyes. “Yes, doctor. That’s why I’m here.”
“Tell me about yourself and what’s on your mind. It’s your hour,” the doctor said.
…an hour later, Lux stepped out of the office with a look of disgust.
Jack and Rodney were outside. “What’s wrong?” Jack said.
“He didn’t believe me. I thought I’d feel better just telling him everything. I don’t think he believed a word of it. I’m ready to go. I won’t be coming back to see him again,” Lux said and started walking back to the Pod with Rodney.
Jack got Rodney’s attention. “I’ll be right out.” Rodney nodded.
Jack stepped into the office.
“What can I do for you? Are you the boy’s father?” the therapist asked.
“No. I’m one of his bodyguards. Lux didn’t think you believed him. One of my buddies recommended you,” Jack said.
“Is this boy’s father a soldier?” the therapist asked. “He’s got an imagination. I’ll give him that. He needs medication from a psychiatrist.”
“Yes. His father was a soldier,” Jack said.
“Does Lux read a lot of fantasy and RPG stories? Flying into space and knives that cut through anything,” the doctor said and laughed.
“He killed two people in front of me last week with one of those knives and saved my life. He’s ordered hundreds, if not thousands, killed before in China. He has a Ph.D. from MIT in Space Propulsion. Those knives he invented are very real,” Jack said as he whipped out his CutsAll™ and slashed a chair in half. “Bill us,” Jack said.
