Chapter 14
created: 2023-06-04T10:39 updated: 2023-06-04T10:
Chapter 14
Sarah rolled over and hit the alarm. It was too early and it needed to stop. Sarah processed someone else laying in the bed and realized that it was Addison. She looked rather angelic with her brown hair splayed across the pillow. Reaching up to turn on the light with one hand, she shook Addison with the other. The room was bathed in red light.
“Addie,” Sarah said quietly. “It’s 4:30... I’m gonna go wake Mira up. I’ll make sure you’re up when I come back.
“Ok...” Addison stretched, and rubbed her eyes. Sarah, Addison and Mira had gone by Addison’s apartment and gotten changes of clothes and related stuff that they would need for the trip up to DC. Sarah walked out of her room and knocked on Cassie’s Door.
“Hey, It’s 4:30...” Sarah said.
“Ok.” Red light came on in Cassie’s room. “Get some coffee started...”
“Already on it.” Sara continued down to the kitchen where she started a pot of coffee and went into the living room where Mira had fallen asleep on the couch. “Mira...”
“Huh?” Mira said, groggily.
“It’s 4:30... I’ve got coffee on and once I get dressed I’m going to make us some breakfast.”
Mira sat up and stretched. “I’ll help once I get dressed.”
“Ok,” Sarah went into the kitchen to check on the coffee. It wasn’t quite done yet so she went back to her room and found Addison dressed and slipping the boots that she had brought with the three inch heel onto her feet. Addison glanced up as Sara entered the room.
“Why does it have to be so early?” She moaned, zipping the zipper on the left boot. She stood, a little wobbly in the boots for a second before becoming sure of herself. “You want some coffee?”
Sarah had taken off the tank top and sleep pants she had slept in and was looking through her closet. She pulled a dress out, and then went over and pulled out a pair of panties and a matching bra. “Yes, please. Also make one for Cass, please? She should be down shortly.”
“How does she take hers?” Addison walked toward the door and placed her hand on the knob.
“Hers is easy,” Sarah replied, looking at Addison in the mirror. “She takes hers black.”
“Ok.” Addison twisted the knob. “I’ll bring yours up if you’re not down there in a few minutes.” Sarah leaned over and gave Addison a kiss on the lips.
“Thank you, Dear.” She said while opening the closet and looking inside. Looking at her selection of clothing, she wondered what the weather was going to be like in DC. “Anyone know what the weather is going to be like in DC?”
“High is supposed to be around 25 with light snow.” Mira’s voice floated down the hallway to where Sarah’s room was located.
Cassie pulled up to the gate and switched the headlights off. “Good Morning,” she said after the window was down. I’m Director Robertson, CDC.”
“Good Morning, Ma’am,” the guard said. “I’ve got you right here on the sheet, Looks like your plane is going to be in Hanger 14. You know where it is?”
“Yes, Sir.” Cassie said, “Thank you and have a good day.” The gate opened and Cassie drove the Yukon on to the airfield. The door to Hanger 14 was open but there was only aircraft in the hanger. Normally all the planes belonging to AirOps were in here. Paul walked down the steps to the ground and smiled.
"Good Morning, Director." Paul smiled. "Is this everyone or are we waiting on someone?"
"We're waiting on Dr. Gaffin..." Cassie replied, watching Sarah, Addison, and Mira all go up the steps. "Where are the other aircraft?"
"Oh, I guess you don't know..." Paul said glancing around the empty hanger. "We're moving the base for Airops up to Peachtree Dekalb outside of Chamblee. Once we get back from DC, I'll be ferrying the last aircraft over." He glanced at the aircraft, It stood gleaming in the light starting to come in the through the door. A green Lexus pulled into the hanger and parked next to the Yukon. Dr. Gaffin got out along with his assistant Abigail and they walked to the trunk of the Lexus where they both pulled out thier laptop bags. Sarah and Addison had sat at the table, and already had laptops out and were still pouring over information. "Everyone here now?"
"Yep," Cassie said, looking at the assembled members of her staff. "Let's get a move on."
"Yes, Ma'am." Paul said, reaching out to pull up the ladder. "We don't have an attendant on this flight, they are all out sick..." There was a thud as the door closed and the bolts all latched. "Lot us get clearance from the tower and we will be on our way"
"Once we get up I'll get some coffee on. I don't think any of us will function much without it." Sarah said, buckling her seat belt. She logged into her laptop. The new laptop was much faster than the old laptop,
"Gulf 983AT copies information tilly, and we understand that we are cleared for takeoff pending a touch and go by Octal flight. Understand Octal had departure contact as well. Good Day Atlanta." Sarah heard Paul’s voice from the cockpit.
“Octal what?” Abigail sounded confused.
“We’re going to have an escort to DC...” Sarah said. "It’s gonna get loud for a few seconds.” The plane rolled forward, turned, and stopped. Sarah barely glanced up as the sound of jet engines increased, and a shadow cross over the plane and then through the windshield, she saw a pair of F-18’s touch the runway, throw up a puff of smoke and then Paul pushed the throttles all the way forward and the plane started rolling down the runway. Sarah glanced at Addison as the plane took off.
“Gulf 983AT copies climb to flight level 370, and we will contact Octal flight on 332.73. Good day, Atlanta.” Rich said.
“Sarah, you’re good to start the coffee,” Paul said loud enough for Sarah to hear. “We’re at 10,000 heading to 37,000 feet.” Sarah stood and the first thing she noticed was that the plane was going up at a steeper angle than it normally did. She knew that the coffee maker was designed to work at an angle like this and not spill the coffee. Sarah started the pot and went toward the cockpit and slipped into the jump seat. “When we get back, the galley needs restocked, there’s three bags of coffee left.”
“Ok,” Paul said, turning his head to make it easier to talk to Sarah. “Can you write me a note so that I can make sure that it gets restocked?”
“Sure thing.” Sarah said. “Do either of you want some coffee?”
“I’ll take a cup.” Paul said.
“I’ll take a cup as well.” Rich said, not looking back, but watching the lead fighter jet. Sarah noticed that they were armed with missiles, but she didn’t recall if the other escort had been armed.
“You both take them black?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Paul and Rich replied at the same time.
“Ok,” Sarah stood, smoothing her skirt. “Either Addison or I will bring it up once it’s done.”
“Sounds good.” Paul turned to her. “Thank you.”
The plane landed and taxied over to the now normal line of motorcycles and limousines. Paul poked his head out of the cockpit. “Give us a call when you’re on your way back to the plane and we will have her warmed up. Also gonna see if we can get some coffee from the BX. Anything you all want?”
“I think we’re good...” Sarah said, descending the steps.
“I’m good,” Sarah heard Cassie say. When she got to the bottom of the staircase, there was an airman and a Secret Service agent. Sarah was confused by the Secret Service Agent.
“Director,” The Agent said. “You and your party in the first limo, please.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said. She started walked toward the first limo where another Secret Service Agent opened the middle door on the limo, affectionaly known as The Beast. Sarah got in, followed by Addsion, and then Mira, Cassie, Dr. Gaffin, and Abigail. Being the Beast, there were seatbelts, but no one wore them. Sarah smiled at President Whiteside and Senator Gordon.
“Sarah,” President Whiteside’s voice it’s normal gruffness. “William said your call yesterday sounded urgent.”
“Yes, Mr. President,” Sarah said. “First, let me introduce the people in the car that you may not know. We have Doctor Robert Gaffin, head of the Infectious Disease Department, His assistant Abigail Peterson, and I’m sure that you know Miranda Gordon.” Suddenly, the motorcade started rolling, catching Abigail by surprise.
“I do know Mira...” The President said, smiling. He reached his hand out to shake Dr. Gaffin and Abigail’s hands. “It’s nice to meet the two of you. What do you have?”
Dr. Gaffin cleared his throat. “Yes, Mr. President.” He took a breath and reached into the small laptop bag that he carried and pulled out a manila folder. “A few days ago, what appeared to be a new strain of a SARS like virus appeared in a city in China. Based on the limited reports that are coming out of the country, it appears to be highly contagious. Unfortunately, Chinese State Media is blocking a lot of the data for reasons unknown.” Robert offered the folder to the President. The President opened the folder and skimmed it’s contents. President Whiteside was unique as far as Presidents went, he was also an MD. He had been elected to Congress ten years ago, and into the White House two years ago. The National Institutes of Health and the CDC were among the best funded agencies in the Federal Government aside from the United States Military. President Whiteside reached over and picked up a phone and pushed a button.
“Cynthia, get Neil Leahy on the phone. I want him in the Oval in no later than thirty minutes.” The President listened to the phone for a few seconds. “Alrighty, thank you.” The President looked at Dr. Gaffin. “Doctor, How recent is this information?”
“It’s current as of around 06:30 this morning, Sir.” Dr. Gaffin took a breath. “As you can see, this could become a real problem...” He watched as the President handed the folder to Senator Gordon. The others in the car had seen the document on the plane. They knew what the data looked like; and it wasn’t good.
“Mr. President, We’re five minutes out of Olympus.” The Secret Service Agent in the passenger seat said. Abigail looked confused again.
“Thank you, Todd” President Whiteside smiled. He always liked going out, even if it was just to Andrews.
“What’s Olympus?” Abigail asked, still confused. The motorcade turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue.
“Olympus is probably the White House...” Sarah mused out loud.
“Sarah would be correct...” President Whiteside smiled.
“Have we heard of any cases here in the States?” Senator Gordon asked.
“Not yet, Sir.” Dr. Gaffin replied. “Or at least if there are we’ve not been informed about them yet...”