“Don’t worry, Carolyn. I wasn’t about to let him out of there just yet,” Rammes said.
“But I want to get out, General.”
Carolyn quickly checked her mic switch. It was in the correct position. So was the general’s.
“Don’t worry about the switches. You have them set correctly,” Sergeant Wilson said. He smiled. “I can still hear you.”
CHAPTER 75
Admiral Grierson stared at his myriad of status boards, trying to comprehend all he was seeing.
It was unreal.
Even during the most taxing exercises he’d been involved with, he’d never seen anything like this.
Three American cities were now radioactive funeral pyres.
American airliners, their fuel tanks dry, unable to land, were dropping into the Atlantic. Shot out of the sky if they tried — by our allies! The Brits!
The Russians had raised their strategic forces to their highest level of alert and were taking potshots at every American aircraft that came anywhere near their coasts.
And now…
Israel, in flames.
South Korea and Japan, under attack. The North Koreans had finally made their move.
Taiwan, being obliterated by a massive attack, hundreds of missiles dropping like rain all around the island country. The Chinese had also finally made their move.
It was happening way too fast, as if Satan himself had fired a starter pistol, triggering the mad dash to Armageddon.
And the country was being led by two people: the president, holed up in an underground command center in Kentucky, and the vice president, flying somewhere in Canadian airspace.
He would answer to Allison Perez.
But others never would. Their allegiance was to President Andrew Smith. Even in his command center, he could feel the lines of division subtly forming.
The looks on faces.
The tone of voices.
Speed in carrying out orders.
It was happening — his people were picking sides — and Grierson knew he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
“Sir?”
“What!”
“It’s General Metzger, sir… on button one.”
He stared at the phone for a second, then picked it up.
“Grierson.”
“Admiral Grierson. I’m going to say this once and only once. There is a coup in progress, led by the vice president. You are to disregard any further orders from Ms. Perez. You will answer only to your lawfully elected commander in chief.”
“No, sir. I will not.”
“You fucking, treasonous bastard. Consider yourself relieved.”
“When the vice president relieves me, I’ll gladly leave my post. You, sir, are the treasonous bastard. Release the president, or I’ll track you down myself and—”
“I’m in a hardened bunker, Keaton, with the president of the United States. He’s giving the orders, and I’ll carry them out. When this is over, you’ll face a firing squad.”
“We’ll see who ends up wearing the blindfold, Thad, you motherfucker. Grierson out.”
CHAPTER 76
“But how can you—”
Sergeant Wilson answered Carolyn’s question by tapping the side of his head with his finger. “I can hear you just fine. All of you. And I think you’re making a mistake by keeping me in here.”
The tone of voice was entirely different. He wasn’t confused anymore. He was calm. And cool.
Suddenly, Carolyn was afraid. Very afraid. This wasn’t Sergeant Randy Wilson. It looked and talked like him, but it was something else. Something not human.
“Don’t be afraid, Ms. Ridenour. There’s nothing to be afraid of… as long as you let me out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere, Sergeant,” Rammes said.
“Oh, is that right, General? Do you really think you can keep me in here?” The being looked around the containment chamber and laughed.
Garrett had had enough. “I think we’ve come to the conclusion that you’re not Sergeant Wilson, and your furry little friend there isn’t just a rat. So—”
“—so, the question is, just what the hell am I, correct? You’re right… I’m not quite Sergeant Wilson anymore. So much for my little acting job, huh?”
“I’m not going to—”
“—stand there and play twenty questions with some sort of thing? Isn’t that what you were going to say, Garrett? I’ll answer your question. I’m a living, breathing, thinking being that has stepped one rung further up the evolutionary ladder… at least I think so. I haven’t figured it out entirely yet, but I think it’s safe to say that I’m part of a new master race. You like that term, don’t you, Garrett?”
“Carolyn, we need to kill this thing right now. Any studies we need to do, we can do on its dead body.”
“I can’t die, Garrett. You can’t kill me. Now, my little furry friend here, he’s a little different. Not normal, but darn close. He’s here for one purpose now. It was very thoughtful of you to leave him in here with me.”
“I can kill you just fine, you son of a bitch. A bullet through your head should shut your goddamned mouth.”
“Are you sure? Do you really think a little bullet would be enough? No. I don’t think so. And do you know what else? All of those like me, the ones that have been romping around your country on a glorious feeding frenzy — you can’t kill them, either.” The being smiled. “You really should’ve let me out of this little box when I asked you the first time.”
Suddenly, there was a change.
Carolyn gasped when she saw its eyes.
The thing’s eyes had changed!
Silver.
Like mirrors.
Two metallic-looking orbs, each with a small black circle at the center, fixed their gaze on her.
They were shining from within, almost luminescent.
And then it smiled as the rat timidly crept closer.
The being knelt down and gently picked up the rodent, stroking its soaked fur, almost as if it were a pet.
Slowly, it walked to the Plexiglas wall and placed one palm against its surface. It slowly ran its hand across the smooth surface and smiled again. It looked at each of the people on the other side of the wall.
The eyes.
Shining.
Carolyn heard it speak.
Yooouuu… Caaarrrooolllyyynnn…
What? The mouth hadn’t moved!
For a second, Carolyn was confused. Had she really heard something?
Riiidddeeennnooouuurrrr…
It turned its glance to the general.
Raaammmmmeessss…
To Garrett.
Hooofffmmmaaannn…
Not once did the mouth move.
She was hearing it speak… in her head!
She tried to turn to look at Garrett and the general, to see if they were hearing it as well, but her head was frozen in place.
She wanted to back away, but her legs wouldn’t move.
The eyes.
She couldn’t look away.
She couldn’t move!
The being gently placed the rat on its shoulder and opened its mouth.
The rat crawled into the being’s mouth, squirming, legs kicking and clawing as it struggled to get inside.
The being tossed its head back and bit the rat’s body in two, its neck grotesquely bulging as the front portion of the rat’s body slid down its throat.