Rise Once More Read online

  “Look out boys! We got ourselves a ghost whisperer here.” Jerry says.

  “Shut your pie hole. Jerry I think I hear something too.” Roger says.

  Roger stands up and begins walking towards the air shaft. He slowly descends into the excavation site, moving carefully like a predator masking its movements from its prey. Roger reaches the base of the dig and leans his ear close to the ground. He listens attentively, waiting for a response, but is only rewarded with silence. Roger stands, motions for his men to join him and resumes searching for the source of the sound.

  Soon all of the squad is hunched low to the ground, listening for any signs of life. Could it be possible that Agent Haus actually survived and was trying to let them know he is ready for rescue? Stan surveys the ground below him and a low muffled sound resonates from below. He begins to dig with his hands, slowly removing rocks and sand with each handful. After a few minutes of frantic digging he lowers his head to the ground to confirm the sound. Once his head nears the ground, he can hear the muffled sound growing louder and a few inches in front of his face an arm breaks through a crack in the rocks.

  “SHIT! GUYS GET OVER HERE NOW!” Stan screams, as he positions himself next to the flailing arm. The arm grabs hold of his battle fatigues and grips his uniform tightly. Stan and the rest of the crew scramble to clear away the debris. Each scoop slowly opens the hole below them.

  “FASTER BOYS! We got to get him the hell out of there!” Roger orders.

  The men are overcome by adrenaline and work with the strength of ten men as they struggle to free Haus from his earth-work tomb. The men have cleared an entrance to the shaft almost large enough for a body to fit through and suddenly the arm lets go and retreats inside the shaft. Stan looks to Roger for his next course of action.

  “He must have fallen further down the shaft. Stan, your are the smallest of the group. Go inside and keep him calm, while we clear the entrance for evacuation.” Roger says. Stan quickly obeys and slides his small body into the crack in the rocks. Jerry holds on to his boots, to prevent him from falling down the shaft.

  “Roger, I cant see a damn thing in here.” Stan says.

  “Hang tight. Let me get you a flashlight Stan.” Roger replies.

  “Let go of me! HELP! JERRY!” Stan screams.

  Jerry tries to pull Stan out of the hole, but he is held fast in place. Jerry is by no means a small man. His upper arms are solid and he is known for his massive bench press. The other members watch on helplessly, as Jerry plays tug of war with Stan's body. Jerry lets out a massive grunt, as he pulls with all of his might but it is no use. Stan's boots fly off and Jerry falls back onto the rocks. The opening collapses as Stan's body disappears in the darkness, kicking and screaming down the shaft.

  Jerry is silent, looking down at his hands in disbelief. He still has an iron grip on Stan's combat boots. Roger returns to the air shaft with a flashlight and looks around at the shocked faces of his men. Roger is unaware of the events that unfolded minutes before and demands explanations.

  “Where is Stan? Did he fall? Why are you maggots just standing there? Answer me!” Roger yells.

  “Something got him, Sir!” Frank says.

  “What do you mean got him?” Roger asks.

  “Something grabbed Stan... Jerry tried to pull him out...it was stronger than him... His boots came off...the hole opened up... Then Stan went down the hole....” Franks says. Roger was about to come unglued, until he saw the boots still gripped in Jerry's hands. Roger rushes to the opening of the shaft, which is now the size of a compact car and yells out to Stan.

  “Stan! Are you OK?” Roger yells. His voice returns nothing but echoes from the dark shaft. Roger feels uneasiness in his stomach and knows that something has gone horribly wrong. Roger reaches for his flashlight, presses the button and shines the beam down the corridor. Light bounces off the quartz crystals lining the shaft walls, each a tiny star in its own right. Roger turns to face his men, placing the flashlight at his side and walks away from the shaft.

  “Boys, you know what we have to do. This has become a rescue mission. We got one of our own down there and to hell with our original assignment. Stan comes home... or none of us do!” Roger says.

  The men rush over to the tool crate, each selecting the items they feel will help them best to rescue Stan. Coils of rope, flashlights, and anchor points are all placed around the shaft. Jerry takes several foot-long glow sticks in his hands, snapping each one to activate the phosphorescent chemicals inside. He then throws each one into the shaft. He varies the distance of each one to produce sufficient light for the descent. Once the final stick is in place Jerry scans the tunnel for any signs of their fallen soldier, but the greenish light is obscured, by a black shadow advancing towards the entrance.

  “Somethings moving down there...” Jerry says.

  “Stan is that you?” Roger yells.

  “I don't think its Stan... He would have answered your call.” Frank says.

  “Do you think it's Agent Haus?” Jerry asks.

  “I doubt that... Even if he suffered shell shock, he would be rushing towards the light of day and screaming for help. Who-ever it is, has some questions to answer. And, if I don't like the answer... I have the solution to the problem right here.” Roger draws his side arm and loads a round into the chamber. “Weapons hot! Let the lead do the talking!” Roger says.

  Roger aims the handgun towards the dark entrance and slowly retreats back several yards. His finger never leaves the trigger, constantly scanning the shadows for a possible threat. His men stand ready, each flanking his sides, with guns at the ready and willing to fire at a moments notice. Roger can hear the rocks tumbling down the shaft and knows his target is getting close to exiting the shaft.

  It begins with a single bloody hand reaching out from the darkness, followed by an entire body entering into the light of day and it doesn't slow down from there. Their bodies are pale, mottled with purple splotches and yellowing skin. The air is tainted with the smell of death, feces, and rancid urine. Their clothing, mostly battle fatigues are torn, or stained with some bodily fluid, more often than not blood.

  The first one to attack is the crawler. Both legs are obviously broken but that doesn't slow him down. The crawler lunges towards Roger's boot, clawing and biting at anything that moves. Roger doesn't miss a beat, sidesteps his attacker and fires a round into his skull. The next attacker advances forward and Roger fires three fast rounds into his abdomen. Pieces of rotting flesh fly into the air. Yet, the attacker advances without hesitation. Roger is caught off guard. He resumes firing into the attackers chest and fires four more rounds. Roger releases the spent magazine from the pistol and reaches for a fresh clip. Jerry steps up, delivering a head shot with his side arm, buying more time for Roger to reload.

  Another infected stumbles towards Roger, arms outstretched and moaning loudly. Roger still hasn't reloaded his weapon. So he grabs the attacker and thrusts him over his shoulder onto the rocky ground. Roger presses his boot against the attackers neck, pinning him to the ground, aims his pistol and splatters his face with one shell. One of the infected grabs onto Rogers shoulder, his nails digging into his flesh and knocking Roger off balance. Roger stumbles a few steps but quickly regains his balance. Roger rushes the next infected with his shoulder, knocking him back into the shaft below and proceeds to fire rounds into the onslaught coming out of the tunnel.

  “I'm out of ammo!” Roger screams. The men advance towards Roger, shielding him from all angles in a circular group. Each man with his pistol raised, firing at the infected, each shot almost as ineffective as the last. Soon the group has spent all of their ammunition and is forced to go on the defensive.

  The relentless advance of the infected, their lack of ammo and limited weapons has taken a serious toll on the teams morale. Roger can see the helplessness in his troops eyes and he knows he has to regain control of the battle. Roger knows that if he shows even the slightest sign of weakness, the entire group
's ability to fight, will disintegrate and the hope of winning with it. Roger grabs the shovel with both hands and swings it at the neck of an infected. The severed head rolls on the ground, as Roger pushes the headless body over.

  “I bow to no man, for I am elite.” Roger yells.

  “OMEGA PHI!” Jerry yells.

  “I answer to no man, for I am free.” Roger yells.

  “OMEGA PHI!” Frank yells.

  “Live or Die, forever OMEGA PHI!” Stan yells, as he limps out of the shaft, his large bowie knife in his hand and drenched in blood. The infected are now facing a two front battle and their numbers are dwindling.

  “We thought we lost you, Stan.” Jerry says.

  “How sweet of you, Jerry! You growing a set of boobs?” Stan asks.

  “Should have known better, only the good ones die young.” Jerry replies.

  “You two need a break? Kiss and makeup fast. We got business to tend to.” Roger replies.

  Stan lunges forward towards an infected but his knife misses. Another infected slams into Stan, his knife flies from his hand and lands several yards away. Two more infected close in around Stan isolating him from the others. One grabs onto his leg and he struggles to shake them. Roger and the others are cut off by six more infected, rendering them useless to save Stan. Roger watches as another infected leaps onto Stan's chest and grips his throat.

  BAM..BAM, BAM, BAM..BAM...BAM, BAM

  Gun fire erupts from the upper ledge. Each shot is perfectly placed and timed for maximum effectiveness. Stan pushes the lifeless corpse off of him and stands up in total confusion. He rushes over to Roger, finding him alive and just as confused. Instinct takes over and Stan rushes for his knife. Just before Stan picks up his weapon, he is pistol whipped on the head and knocked unconscious. Jerry gathers his thoughts and rushes the attacker, only to be knocked onto his back with a swift stiff arm.

  “That's one hell of an entrance... Glad to see you old friend.” Roger says.

  “What do you mean old friend? That son of a bitch is trying to kill us.” Jerry says.

  “Easy boys... He isn't trying to kill us. In fact, he just saved our sorry butts. Look around, all of them are dead and you are not.” Roger explains.

  “I tried not to interfere Roger. But you all, left me no choice.” Amos says.

  “Thank you, Amos. I would like to say we had it under control but you know that would be a lie. Jerry, Stan, and Frank form on me. I have someone I want you all to meet.” Roger says.

  “I was observing from a distance. Then I heard you recite the battle call and I had to act.” Amos says.

  “Boys, this is Amos Havana, a retired member of Omega Phi...”

  “I am no longer retired, Roger.” Amos says.

  “It's that bad now?” Roger says.

  “Worse....” Amos replies.

  “Well in that case, abort our mission and return to base. Everyone to the chopper!” Roger orders.

  “I'm not going, Roger...” Amos says.

  “Why not?” Roger asks.

  “My mission lies out here and the less you know the better.” Amos replies.

  “Whatever that mission may be, thank you old friend.” Roger says.

  “One more thing....” Amos says.

  “Anything you want!” Roger replies.

  “I know you came here for Haus and this is what you were sent to retrieve.” Amos hands a mutilated Dlink to Roger. “Tell Reese he died like a true soldier, but do not mention my name. I was never here and I didn't intervene. That is the only payment I ask for my assistance today.” Amos says.

  “You have my word, Amos!” Roger says.

  “I expected nothing less from you, Roger.” Amos says.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Back In The Fold

  “As you can see Alex, she hasn't gone very far. Our intelligence tells us, they found the four wheeler abandoned just south of Moorcroft, Wyoming. We also believe that she is heading to seek shelter with relatives in Bighorn County. They may, or may not, be aware of her intentions. And, as far as we know, she is on foot.” Reese says.

  “She won't be for very long. That's over 250 miles to cover. I wouldn't underestimate the kindness of local civilians. Wyoming is a rural state, with a deep pride of doing the right thing and helping people in times of need. Also, being female, of non-threatening size, and dressed in uniform I have no doubt she is already being given a ride to her destination.” Alex says.

  “That wasn't taken into consideration, but then again, I called you out of retirement for that very reason. You could track down a flea, on a coonhound's back, sixty miles into the swamp and still hadn't finished your morning cup of coffee.” Reese says.

  “Let's hope that my gut feeling is right. It's been a while and I may have gotten rusty. We are already behind from the start. Let's use odds to regain the upper hand and then make our move. I-90 is a major shipping corridor, with Billings, Montana being the central hub. And given the area, she was most likely picked up by a sympathetic truck driver. The driver was likely heading to Billings and the most likely drop off point for her would be Ranchester. I would set up a checkpoint there, focusing on trucks with passengers and I doubt she would stick with Highway 14 through Bighorn canyon. Set another checkpoint at the Burgess Junction near Bear Lodge Resort.” Alex says.

  “I wouldn't call yourself rusty, son.” Reese says.

  “I need to gather supplies, contact an old friend and get my plan in order.” Alex says.

  “Where are you heading?” Reese asks.

  “We both have our secrets, but I guess now is the time to be honest. I am going to see my old friend Erik Peterson. He is in charge of Papa Whiskey Romeo, a small radar station for the Air Force southwest of Powell. It's a small operation but they have a landing strip and it's centrally located in the area of interest.” Alex replies.

  “Do you think he can actually help you?” Reese asks.

  “Yes. He is a local to the area and has many family members in the Bighorn Basin. Chances are really high that he knows Trixie's family and might even be related to them. He is my best shot, both in terms of location but also in the area of contacts. Like we agreed before, Eve goes with me and not a single objection otherwise.” Alex says.

  “You have my word and I am holding you to yours. I get to speak with Eve before you tell her what is happening.” Reese says.

  “Well that is settled and I will be on my way.” Alex marches towards the door and steps out into the hallway. Overhead Edith's voice calls out on the paging system.

  “Eve, please report to Director Reese's office immediately.”

  Eve was enjoying a fresh cup of coffee when she heard the page from Edith. She almost dropped the cup when she heard her name come across the speakers. Reese rarely requests someone to his personal office. He prefers a direct interaction and when things are private he just waits until no-one is around. This is something out of the ordinary and has Eve in a cold sweat. What might it be this time? The last time he wanted to speak with her was to inform her of Haus's death and she isn't ready for any more pain. Eve swallows the remaining coffee and makes her way to Reese's office.

  Alex walks down the hallway toward the firing range and stops suddenly at Room 26. He stands in front of the door, visions of the past flood his mind, the room he used to call home for so many years and no doubt repurposed since his retirement. The temptation to go inside overwhelms him and he twists the door knob. To his surprise, it is not locked. The door swings open but there is no light to see inside. Alex instinctively walks inside, his hand flips the light switch, and he is shocked at what he sees.

  The entry room has changed very little, from what his memory serves him, and he walks further inside. His leather jacket still hangs, with a pair of steel toed boots below it and a set of keys undisturbed. Alex advances further into his former dwelling the shock of the room remaining untouched comes as a surprise. Surely Omega Phi would have had better use of these quarters after his retirement. />
  Alex walks into the main study, and sees a votive candle still burning. The desk is covered with parchment letters, crumpled pieces of paper, dusty awards and a single yellow scratch pad, with many pages torn from it, most of which were meant for the garbage can. The room is decorated with childhood achievements, certificates, ribbons, and framed photos of him. Alex picks up a crumpled page and begins to read it.

  Dear Alex,

  I have no idea where to start. I have failed you in so many ways. I failed as a parent, father, and mentor. I wanted so much for you to be the man I never was, but instead I forced you to be just like me. My pride got in the way of letting you grow up and enjoy your childhood. For that I can't apologize enough and I want you to come home. I know these words will come as a shock, but not nearly as much as the following words. The doctor says

  The letter abruptly ends, as it was never finished and Alex begins to panic. He looks around the room and the situation becomes crystal clear to him. Reese had dedicated this room as a shrine to his beloved son. The never-bending father that he had grew up with, actually had a soft side and more importantly loved his son. Alex is overcome with emotion, folds the unfinished note and places it in his pocket.

  Alex opens the door and exits into the hallway. His mind was distracted so much that he didn't notice Eve walking down the hallway. A few steps later, he walks directly into Eve causing her to fall to the floor. Eve looks up to see Alex and is taken completely by surprise. “Alex? What the hell are you doing here?” Eve says.

  “I knew I would run into you sooner or later. But I didn't think I would literally run into you.” Alex says jokingly.

  “I thought you were retired?” Eve asks.

  “You never said goodbye....” Alex says. Eve looks to the ground bashfully and refuses to make eye contact with Alex. Eve knows the reason why she never came to see him off to retirement. She struggles to explain her actions, but is interrupted by Alex. “Don't you think I deserve at least an explanation?”

  “Reese wants to see me...” Eve says.