CHAPTER 2

No one was running but, Angie could feel the energy in the air. She could see it in the way people jerked when they went about heir business. When someone came walking down the breezeway they always had this look of absolute determination on their face. Their eyes were locked on some point and their feet were moving right towards it. The breezeway was narrow, and everyone was carrying every single thing they owned. More than once Angie quickly stepped out of the way of someone who acted as if they did not even see her. Since all of the room doors were open now, they made convenient places to get out of the way.

After stepping in one, it was only then that Angie noticed someone was still in the motel like room. What he was doing looked very out of place when compared to the activity going on today. It was not that Gabe Foster was undressed or anything but, compared to everybody else he might as well have been. He had his uniform on but, all of his gear, his weapon, and even his helmet were all just lying on the bed while he was busy with a little electronic reader. Angie had to ask, “Gabe? What the hell are you doing? You’re reading at a time like this?”

His head jerked when he heard the question. At least that much about him looked normal. He sounded rather hurried as well, “no I’m not reading.” At that moment his small device beeped and he quickly pulled the thumb drive out of it, tossed it in his bag, and then pushed in another before hitting the screen once more. Then he explained, “no net over there. I’m downloading as much as I can before we leave. Once we get there, that’s it.”

Angie adjusted the weight on her feet. She was constantly doing that with all this crap on but, now, it was because she suddenly felt like she had missed something completely. The real problem was that she should have thought of it. They pounded all of that in her head for six months, back in Kansas. Her eyes drifted down to one of her pockets where she had her personal phone stored. Of course, she had realized cell calls would be out. What she had not thought about was the ten thousand other things she did with that phone, all of which, were so taken for granted that it just never phased her.

Back at the ITTC, in Kansas, the instructors had tried to get the soldiers used to it. They had banned the use of phones in most area’s and, in particular, during the work day. It was a loosing battle for those guys because people were always sneaking their phones around. Now, suddenly, and in totality, Angie saw why their instructors had done it. That caused Angie to mumble, “oh shit.”

There was little time left as a very firm voice told both of them, “what the hell are you two doing at a time like this?”

Angie gulped and Gabe did not let it phase him in the least. He simply looked at his watch, something they all had to start wearing, and then he told the woman Lieutenant at the door, “I’ve got twenty three minutes Eltee. I’ll be there in two - zero.”

Angie’s eyes drifted down to the woman’s name tape and it said, “Vega.” Angie had seen her around but, was not really sure what this Lieutenant did. She was not in Angie’s company, let alone the platoon. The only thing Angie could think to say was, “yes ma’am?”

Fortunately, another voice called out for the officer and the woman left without another word. Angie figured that was as close to getting into trouble as she wanted too. She simply nodded to Gabe Foster and walked out of the room. Suddenly that seemed like a bad idea when someone else called her name. Angie gave a quick thought to acting like she had not heard it. After all, the place was kind of noisy today. She could not bring herself to do it though. She took a deep breath, held it in, and walked right up to the Major who had called her. He was, apparently, the same guy who had summoned Lieutenant Vega because she was standing right next to him. Angie also noticed that Vega looked pissed off but, then again, that was not exactly new.

If everyone else seemed busy, Major Conner looked completely engulfed but, he carried it with his usual degree of calm. He simply asked Angie in a very polite manner, the kind that Vega was not so good at, “Specialist Thompson, who’s your platoon leader?”

Angie snapped to attention and felt like saluting but, that wasn’t custom in these circumstances so she just anxiously replied, “that would be Stevens, sir.”
Conner nodded, “Delta company, fine.” He then motioned for the two women to follow, “I have a detail for both of you. Don’t worry Specialst, I’ll let Stevens know I have you.”

They took the stairs, down to the parking lot, as it seemed like Conner had no time to wait for an elevator. Angie could not help but notice that the guy was not laden with field gear like everybody else. Why should using stairs bother him? He led his two charges to the buses that were parked nose to ass on the far side the parking lot. He ignored the gear, bags, and assorted mayhem that were all neatly stacked in files with their owners sitting on top. When they reached their destination, Conner slapped the open door of the bus cargo area and told the two women, “go ahead and stow your gear.”

Angie gladly dumped her rucksack and carry on bags. Then she wondered about her personal gear and looked to the Major who completely understood the question without having to be asked. He told both of them, “keep your TA-Fifty and weapon.” Then Phil Conner slapped the bus again, “and in case you were wondering, this is going to be your ride.”

It made no difference to Angie but Lieutenant Vega did not seem happy about it. She did as ordered but, she complained, “Major, I thought I was going in a hummer with Batta….”

“The Hummer’s are going over on flatbeds Lieutenant,” Conner replied calmly even if Vega seemed to have an edge in her voice. When that did not seem to go over to well, Phil actually told the young officer, “you’re about to travel through a rip in the very fabric of reality and you’re worried about your ride?”

Vega finished tossing her last excess baggage and then snapped rigid as she replied, “Sorry, sir. I was just…”

“Don’t appologize Lieutenant,” Conner interrupted with. He then said, “I don’t have time right now. Just some FYI, they have to depressurize the entire room around this thing. The vehicles that drive in there, like these buses, are special made.” The guy was definitely in a hurry. He was walking off as he said, “just wait right here.”

Vega called out, “the detail Major? What is it?”

He was almost out of sight as he yelled back, “you’ll know it when it finds you.”

Angie remained as quiet and guarded as ever but, Vega did not seem to find the need. The lieutenant did something that Angie had never seen an officer do, during the two years that Angie had been in the army. Vega bitched like she was an enlisted man. She pounded her fist on the side of the van, huffed, and then leaned up against it with a scowl on her face, “this sucks.”

Angie thought about talking to this woman but, on further reflection, it seemed like a bad idea. That was why she greatfully took the distraction of the stomping feet that was coming from the other side of the bus. Angie knew that sound and, now that she had ditched most of her gear, she was able to quickly access the pocket with her camera. She squeezed between two of the buses and began taking pictures on the other side.

Angie had seen the elves marching down this road nearly every day but, up till now, she had been too busy to take any pictures. She was sure her little sister would love to see these images and, maybe, when Angie got back home then her sister actually could. The realization that she would not just be able to upload them, for a while at least, finally began to sink in. Still it was a great photo op and Angie took it.

The elves, that were stationed here, marched with an unusually stiff back. Their legs were perfectly straight as they all stepped off in unison. Their heels hit the pavement at the exact same movement and, Angie had to admit, she had never even seen a drill team do as good as these guys. Angie was in awe as she snapped one picture after another.

Angie was also shocked when Vega showed up right behind her and said, “looks like a bunch fascist cocksuckers, don’t they?” That caused Angie to snap out of her zone. She was not sure exactly what to say but, Vega relieved her of the trouble as she went on, “I asked. That’s all those ass holes do, all day long. They go out to that empty motor pool, down there, and practice marching.”

Suddenly Angie lost her fear of this woman. She was more consumed with curiosity. She even forgot to say ‘sir.’ She hadn’t even practiced that much marching in basic training. The idea of doing it seemed like torture, “why would they do that?”

Vega did not seem to notice the breech of military edicit. She simply nodded towards the elves, “that’s a detachment from the Emperor’s Personal Guard. That’s all those guys do.” Vega pointed over towards the main facilites that were sitting across the railroad tracks, “when they finally get it open, those guys are going to be guarding the Feyland welcome center over there. They’ll be kind of like, you know, those poor schmucks that guard Buckingham Palace, that kind of shit.”

Angie thought about it and then asked, “you mean the ones that can’t move even if you get in their face?”

“Something like that Specialist,” replied Vega as she noted a humvee that pulled over to let the column of fancy dressed Elves march by. Then, just as Linda had suspected, the Hummer turned into her parking area. She squeezed back between the buses and hoped to see who might be driving it. She was somewhat disappointed when the person that got out called her by name, “Vega?” It was not who Linda wanted to see and, unfortunately, this woman was also a civilian.

The driver was just some sergeant that Lolita did not know. He helped the woman stow her bags in the bus and then drove off without another word. The civilian woman introduced herself, with a smile, to the two soldiers, “Patty Walsh. Major Conner said you were my escort.”

Vega just shrugged, “I guess we are. Who are you exactly?”

“Reporter,” Patty replied with enthusiam even if it was clear that her escort was not so happy about being such, “I’m embedded with you guys.”

Angie had just finished trying to email the pictures but, as usual, most of the communications going out of C.H.I.E.F was blocked by the server. She put her phone away just as she heard Vega mumbling, “oh this is fucking great.”