The few remaining men closed everything down and Preston and Jennifer climbed aboard their respective aircraft, noticing that Mother Goose was also starting up.
Within 15 minutes, RDU was cleared of all visiting aircraft.
Martie was still several minutes out when Jennifer arrived at the Strong airport, followed by Mother Goose, and Preston a mile or two out, circling above Joe and waiting for Martie. She was already in view and she came straight in from the south as Preston closed in and began to circle his farm. He saw that sandbags and a barrier were already in place and that the tractor trailer could just squeeze through the defensive wall that closed off the dirt road south of his entrance gate. The whole farm was starting to look like a military installation.
While they were away, Sally had returned from Andrews with more troops and equipment from facilities along the East Coast. There were new sandbagged mortar placements around the perimeter protecting the area nearer the lake. A second hospital tent was up next to the old barn and the whole airfield looked like something out of M.A.S.H. Then he heard General Allen’s voice say over the radio that “Alpha Foxtrot One” was ten minutes out and needed landing conditions.
“Pete, this is Preston. I’m above our airfield and it’s busy down there right now. Don’t rush. I need to get down first. The wind looks like 15 to 20 knots from the northeast and straight down the runway, temperature about 40 degrees. Did you say ‘Alpha Foxtrot One’?”
“Roger, Preston. You get down there and organize a place for Ghost Rider on the apron by the hangar. Get a red carpet if you have one. All Air Force pilots, get your birds off the apron area and park on the other side of the runway in a line next to the barn,” Preston heard the general say.
Preston went down like a rocket and landed quickly in the growing storm and parked in the first available empty space where Baby Huey was now stationed. He quickly turned off the aircraft and jumped out to organize a reception squad from the remaining troops on the tarmac—the president was incoming. They quickly ran to find the parts of their uniforms that were missing and Preston changed direction and crossed the runway just behind Sally’s third C-130 that was taxiing off onto the grass. He got blown about, but was more interested in checking on Martie. Martie was helping dress the wound of an older lady with a new woman Preston hadn’t seen before helping her. This extremely good-looking new arrival was dressed in a dirty flight attendant’s uniform and she had a young girl, a teenager sitting very close to her. Little Beth was trying to talk to the teenager, who looked scared and very unsure of herself.
“Martie, I need you in the hangar. We have a V.I.P. coming in,” Preston said to Martie.
“Preston, this is Pam. Pam, I’d like you to meet Preston,” she said quickly as she finished the bandaging.
“Pam Wallace, Preston,” the newcomer replied, shaking his hand. “Martie, you go on. I want the girls to get to know each other better, and this injured lady here has offered to look after them. She’s a school teacher and our younger additions will be better off with her for the time being. I think we have serious work to do. I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes, okay?”
Martie gave little Beth a hug and told her to make friends with the older girl and that the older lady would look after them while she was at work. Beth seemed to understand, and left Martie’s side for the first time since she had arrived, allowing Martie to follow Preston. Preston noted that the first medical tent was already quite warm, with heat generated by several gas heaters.
They had already connected the hospital electricity to his generator, but he didn’t have time to check it right now. He and Martie ran across the tarmac just in time to see the fourth C-130, about three or four miles out over the lake, just a few moments away from turning into its final approach. The sergeant was also preparing himself for the reception. He was the senior military person on base, apart from the new doctor.
“Do we have a red carpet?” Preston asked Martie.
“No,” she replied. “The only moveable carpet we own you already sent somewhere into Washington this morning. By the way, I saw what we were looking for. There are ten trucks with about 30 to 40 guys, and they should be turning off I-95 in about 30 minutes to an hour.”
“You did?” he suddenly stopped and looked at her. They were right in the middle of the runway, but the news stopped him short and he just looked at her for a second. The roar of the incoming plane shook him out of his surprise. “Let’s get off here! You tell the general that as soon as you can!”
They ran off the runway in the direction of the house as a groggy looking Will Smart came out of the back door, moaning to Maggie about foul play. “Get yourselves together, and Maggie, get inside and tell everybody that the President of the United States is less than a minute out. Go!” Preston shouted to them, and Maggie looked at him in surprise. Preston looked at Will and laughed. “Will, buddy, you are an experienced pilot, I’ve heard. Martie is willing to give you flying lessons anytime you want. Ever meet the president?”
“No,” replied Will, still groggy.
“Well, I’ll take you over. You look a mess, but then we all do,” he said, and helped Will over to Sergeant Perry, who was now standing with 30 or so men in three lines ready to welcome the President.
There were sudden exits from all doors as people came running, Michael pushing Grandpa Roebels in the wheelchair from the direction of the house. Carlos and the whole Wang family came out from the hangar’s side door. Joe, David, and their team were just pulling into an area by the house, and several dozen soldiers were running in all directions to man their guns and secure the main gate.
Preston beckoned over to Joe and his group as they came to a dusty halt, and he smiled as he looked over everyone. Martie joined him at his side and the rest of the Air Force pilots ran over to join them. Everybody was grubby and most of the uniformed troops were missing bits of uniform here and there, but they were as ready as they would ever be. Joe and his group ran over and asked what was going on.
“Joe, get your boys lined up and you, David, stand by Martie and me. All civilians listen up! Please get into an orderly group, like our troops over there. We are about the welcome the President of the United States!” Preston turned just in time to see the tires of Air Force One touchdown on his little runway in North Carolina.
The troops stood at attention as the aircraft passed them; it turned in at the end of the runway, came in, and turned in front of the gas tanks to come to a halt facing north before the pilot let its engines go quiet and opened the side door.
General Allen was the first to disembark, giving the President of the United States a hand with the small jump to the ground. An older man was helped out next, and then Carlos’s father, three Colombian-looking bodyguards, and finally Buck and Barbara came out. In his head, Preston was just hoping that there were enough beds in the hangar for all the people spilling out of the airplane!
There were shouted orders from Sergeant Perry, and the troops did what troops do when the president arrived. The president smiled at everyone and he and the older man walked over with General Allen to be introduced to the civilians.
Preston and Martie were first. “Mr. President, I’d like to introduce you to the owners of this farm, Mr. Preston Strong and Ms. Martie Roebels,” the general said. All parties shook hands.