15 The Important Man

John was a free man and tried to enjoy it as best he could. He went out and had beers with the friends at the food court. He volunteered to help new families move in and acclimate to living in this unfamiliar environment.

People persistently thanked him for helping, using the hero term often. He spent as much time with Sam as he could. Occasionally sneaking off to the bathroom, or asking the guards to allow them to use the prison cells to go have sex. 

***

A Tuesday came around and a few survivors and soldiers came in from a rescue operation, blood soaked their clothing. A soldier was being carried in on a stretcher, with his arm nearly severed from his torso, his gore poured out onto the floor from the wound, leaving a red trail behind.

MPs were clearing the hall of the citizens, to allow room as they moved the wounded down to the infirmary.

Chattering began from the civilians all around. "Another mission barely ending in an accomplishment."

John while still watching the soldiers moving by, answered back. "At least it was a success, most of these ops have been complete disasters." 

He turned around, looked at the fellow and continued. "They're lucky to have any survivors at all come back." 

The guy most likely to be in his mid-thirties, shook his head with disappointment, knowing the bitter fact was true. 

John walked past him and over to his bunk and as he went to sit down with his spouse, the General barged in. 

"John. We need your help,"  he said, his voice louder than anyone elses.

John laid there looking at Sam as her face turned pale, and her eyes grew cold from fear. The dread of losing him again shown through. He laid there, observing her pain.

He closed his eyes and through the silence, he shouted back to the general. "I'm not a soldier anymore, remember?" 

He paused there with his eyes shut, hoping that he would hear nothing else on the matter. 

"It's urgent," the general answered.

 John leaned in, planted a kiss on Sam's lips. Took notice of the warmth in her sorrow, shifted around and began to walk to the general, with a menacing glare to him. "Let's go discuss this then."

The general spun around and exited the chamber behind him.

***

Sean, Greag, John and the high command all stood in a room. The computers and personnel were positioned in rows.

Each of them remained surrounding a giant touch screen, that projected light to show a three-dimensional image. The general spoke, as he was pointing at images that were highlighted in the middle of the air. 

"Okay this area right here is ground zero. It seems they are holding everything here. Problem is it's the only way through to get to the base." 

Greag interrupted the general while pointing to another area on the map that looked like a road. "Well actually. Right here is an opening. We could use this to sneak by the creatures. It's off the path, but it will get us there."

The general glanced at the section suggested for a moment and replied. "Okay let's do it then. I'll give you an air." 

John hastily interrupted him. "No aircraft! It would be easier and safer to move by a car. Just give us some weapons, armor, and the cars, and we'll do the rest." 

The generals his head remained tilted downward, and his eyes to John. "Okay. If you think that would work best, then I'll go for your word." The general lifted his head. "Okay, But I'm sending some officers with you, and I'm giving you full reign here. You have the power to do whatever you need to do and get this done… This is essential, but I have full faith in you. You've earned it."

John peered at the general with questionably. "Why am I getting officers sent with me? What? you guys still don't trust me?" 

Everyone that surrounded the table stared over at John, seeing anger within his face. Light bulbs began to pop.

The general expressed to him. "This is for our safety, and these individuals are some of our best. They will help ensure that the mission goes according to plan." He paused, glanced to the broken bulbs, closed his eyes and turned back to John. "Will you take the mission? To be frank. We don't have anyone better than you and your team." 

John veered over to Sean and Greag, as if waiting for a response and then back to the general and answered. "Yes."

 The general dismissed them all.  

***

In the courtyard. Everything was being packed away, in the three automobiles. Everybody was suiting and arming themselves.

John claimed the driver of the first car. Sean and Greag took the second vehicle, and left the officers with the last one. While they all stepped into their cars. Sam came running over to John. Her arms wrapped around him, and her head laid on his chest and softly she said.  "Please, whatever you do. Come back alive for me. I can't lose you again…. You mean everything to me, John." 

She looked up to him, her blue eyes sparkled. John leaned in, put his right hand on the rear of her head, pulled her in close and gave her a big kiss. "Babe, I'm not going anywhere." 

He hugged her goodbye and hoisted himself into the car. 

As he cranked his machine to life, the general radioed out to everybody. "All six of you guys are given immunity for anything that you do out there. Do whatever you deem necessary to get this done. This mission is everything." 

Everyone acknowledged this and drove to form a series behind John. Once they received the okay from the gate controller, they slammed there feet to the ground and zoomed out of the exit and down the lengthy corridor in a smoking haze. At the edge they could detect a beam of light.

They crossed the threshold, a flash of bright light flooded the cabins and clarity came in. the beautiful world outside the abysmal base had them in awe. 

"WOW. I see it didn't take long for nature to bloom again." John radioed to everyone. 

Sean turned up on the radio with a chuckle. "No buddy, we've just been down in the hole for quite some time." 

A smile struck across John's face. He glanced down at his radar and the preset GPS and radioed back to Greag. "Damn, we got a long hall to go this time. According to the GPS it's over four hundred miles away." 

Greag snickered back. "Well, I guess that shit will have to wait." Laughter flooded the radio waves.

***

While driving, they took notice of the luscious green trees and red and yellow flowering fields. There were flocks of birds that flew above, and some deer hopping through the pastures. Everyone thinking of how much beauty they had surrendered out on. 

"This war has really taken its toll on humanity." Greag announced over the radio. 

No one answered back, they could only think of how true that statement was. How much they have all suffered and lost.

Minutes went by, and one officer from behind radioed to everyone with a sadness in his voice. "Why is it that this all had to be this way? So many people were killed. Many of us lost our families to this godforsaken war and many more will perish." 

Greag and Sean began to stare out of their windows, realizing how true that statement was. John was deep in thought about what all he had to lose and had lost.

Time continued to elapse, and John asked the officer. "So tell me. Before this war. Did you have a family?" 

He looked up to his rear-view mirror. There was no response, until the officer finally responded. "I had a wife and two kids. A little girl and son. They all died in the initial attack. Ever since then, I've been trying to take down as many of these fuckers as I can." 

John went to reply, to stop when a red flashing warning popped up on his windshield. 

He looked down to his radar, seen the red dots and announced. "We have company you guys. Evasive maneuvers."

As he went to swerve, he watched the red blips speed up to them. In curiosity, he peered over to his left, to see one of the rolling creatures moving underneath the ground. At that moment it broke off to the left away from him.

Confusion, John glanced down to his radar and saw that every creature disappeared. 

Over the radio came Sean's voice. "That was strange."

"Yeah it was like they were told to back off." An officer replied. 

John retorted back. "Just because they left. Does not mean to not keep your guard up. Do you remember what happened to me last time. Besides they're still there on the radars. I think they're following us. So stay on guard, we only have a few more miles, so punch it. Let's get this done fast before they get reinforcements." 

John pushed down on his throttle until it was buried to the floor. The GPS mileage dropped for the distance rapidly.

"We only have a mile to the bridge, then we're going to cross it. Be ready for some tight corners. The destination should be up the road from the end of the bridge." John shouted out to everybody over the radio.

That mile seemed to fly by. They slowed down when they hit the traffic that was left behind. The rusted and creaky metal bridge had minimal damage, as if most individuals had abandoned their vehicles and just ran through.

They had to zigzag through the lanes of cars. Many still had their doors left wide open, with occasional skeleton remains of the bodies that were left behind.

"Finally to the end of the bridge." Sean spoke. 

John laughed and mockingly replied. "Whine whine, that's all you do. It wasn't all that long of a drive honestly. Okay, I think I see the base up front there. Just smash through the fence." 

Greag sped up past once they had enough clearance, exited from the bridge and smashed into the barricade ahead, breaking the chain link apart. Everyone cruised through the opening, and came to a sliding stop. Dust flooded the air and quickly engulfed the vicinity.

Greag and Sean hopped out from their vehicles and waited. John stepped out of his vehicle, laughed and shouted to them jokingly. "Damn you fucking idiots are lucky I didn't see that coming, I was gonna beat you there!" 

Greag and Sean laughed back. The officers stepped out of the cars. Looked to each other, shrugged their shoulders confused by what the comedy was. John noticed this and attempted to make them feel as welcomed parts of the family unit. "Well, I'm sorry. We have never been formally introduced. This is Sean and Greag." 

They each took off their helmets. Greag gave them a small informal salute while speaking. "Howdy." 

The officers looked at them and removed their helmets. "I'm Tommy, though everybody just calls me Tom."

Followed by the next, "I'm Rob but just call me Rex." 

The last one Timidly said after removing his helmet, "I'm Gary." 

John walked to them, put out his hand, signaling for them to shake it and said. "Welcome to my squad. I want you guys to feel comfortable and welcomed. Just one thing, I expect everybody to fight their best and since we've all been handpicked for our talents, I expect perfection." 

They finished shaking his hand and nodded in agreement. 

"Now let's get this scientist." John ordered and walked on past the others.

Sean stretched out her arms, shook her shoulders to loosen her aching joints, grabbed a hold of her helmet and followed behind John.

The others stood behind for a moment and finally sighed and followed. Walking down this dust covered pavement road that was once filled with traffic and pedestrians. The whistling of the wind replaced the horns and chatter that once echoed through the interwoven streets.

They approached the buildings face, weapons ready for any signs of danger. John relayed a signal for Sean to be front man and check the area.

She walked up slowly to the door, as the others had guard and watched the other directions. Her heart was pounding and with each step forward, she felt as if it was going to beat out of her chest. "Just another step" she thought to herself.

One step after the other until her outstretched hand touched the metallic surface of the door. She sighed, inspected the area and shouted back to the others. "So it's clear. Did they tell anyone how to get inside?"

Her heart jumped a beat when she felt the touch of a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed and looked to the source. Seeing John there.

John studied the door, and ordered. "Blow it open Sean." He pat her back and walked away.

Sean reached into her backpack, grabbed some C4, set the charges on the base's door and ran back to cover. With a click of the detonator, molten metal was sent flying.

The excitement had her shouting out. "Now that's how you open a door in style." 

John, Greag and Rex looked to see she had a smile from ear to ear, and shook their heads.

John remarked, "Sean only you would have a hard on from that. Now slap it down and let's inside of this building." 

They each rushed to put their helmets on, shouldered their weapons and proceeded inside. 

It was dark throughout the building, as they traveled down a long hallway. They had night vision illuminating the interior of their helmets.

They tiptoed passed chairs, some tipped desks, and scattered papers.

Sean let out a question to anyone willing to answer. "So why is this one scientist so important? Like why send so many for one person?" 

Tom answered. "I guess this guy has the answers to where all of these creatures are from, and why they're killing us all off. Other than that your guess is as good as mine." 

As they trudged in deeper, they seen a light at the end of the tunnel and proceeded forward with caution. They all walked through a doorway into the room where the light was coming from. On the far side, they saw a man in a white lab coat sitting in front of a series of large computers.

Rex crept up to politely ask him. "Hey sir, I believe you are the man we were sent to get." 

The guy turned his head slightly to them and said. "Give me a minute. I'm backing up my data now. Just meet me outside." 

John screamed at him. "No get your ass ready to go now. We've traveled." 

The man interrupted him. "Meet me outside. I'm almost done. I'll be safe, trust me. Now go." 

John stood there glaring and then howled. "Fine fuck it. Let's go." 

John turned around and walked back out. Everyone else followed behind. 

As they waited outside. John took off his helmet to enjoy the beautiful sunshine, and the nice breeze. Gary had his face leaning up with his eyes closed, enjoying the sunlight on his face as he began to speak. "So what do you think this scientist guy has to say about these creatures?" 

Sean answered sarcastically while her chin rested on her arm. "Probably gonna tell us that we're fucked, and that they're trying to harvest us for our organs or something." 

Everyone giggled at the remark. The scientist suddenly stepped outside, carrying a briefcase in his left hand. He was a younger gentleman that looked to be about in his late twenties, and a bit thicker in the waist.

He spoke out to everybody as he wandered over, his dirty blonde hair bounced with each step. "Sorry it took so long you guys, I'm ready to go now." He stopped dead in his tracks, with his eyes wide, staring at John.

John was leaning against a car. His face blank of expression. The scientist's jaw dropped while he stood there motionless and shouted out loud with a shock present in his tone. "John."