\u201cWho the hell are they?\u201d\u00a0 Adam Windsor snapped as he strode into his command center with Brendan on his heels.\u00a0 They\u2019d been going over revisions to training protocols when the alarm had been sounded and Adam, knowing he hadn\u2019t requested a drill today, had known instantly that something untoward was going down.\u00a0 Trailing in his angry wake, Brendan kept his mouth shut\u2014though only for the moment.<\/p>\n
Tomasi jerked around from her position next to one of the consoles.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re not sure, sir.\u00a0 They\u2019re not broadcasting identities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBring up the sensor plot.\u00a0 What are they looking like?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing identifiable, sir,\u201d one of the other techs said.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s two dozen of them, mixed sizes, no fighters that we\u2019ve been able to identify.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two dozen ships.<\/i>\u00a0 Brendan swallowed bile.\u00a0 Was this the invasion he and Lindsay had seen?<\/p>\n
He shuddered and Windsor glanced at him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing,\u201d Brendan said.\u00a0 \u201cJust that there\u2019s two dozen unidentified ships out there and we don\u2019t know who the hell sent them.\u00a0 Do we have birds in the air yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
Windsor cast a questioning glance at one of the techs.\u00a0 The younger man swallowed hard.\u00a0 \u201cThe CAP is on its way to intercept,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBad idea,\u201d Brendan said, heading for the console where Tomasi stood.\u00a0 \u201cGive me a line.\u00a0 Who\u2019s got the CAP?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCaptain Brenner,\u201d she said as she got him a headset, handing it over quickly.<\/p>\n
Brenner.<\/i>\u00a0 Brenner was a sharp pilot, a veteran of the Commonwealth Military, an expiate like him and so many others.\u00a0 He\u2019ll know how to get a look and then pull back.<\/i> \u00a0\u201cWho else?\u00a0 Experienced, or otherwise?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOtherwise, sir.\u00a0 Last month\u2019s graduating class.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brendan grimaced.\u00a0 That makes this slightly more problematic, then.<\/i>\u00a0 He took a breath and toggled the comm to active.\u00a0 \u201cCAP Lead, this is Home, come in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReading you Home.\u00a0 It\u2019s about to get messy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m seeing,\u201d Brendan said, turning to stare at the sensor plot that Windsor was examining as if it held the answers to every question in the universe.\u00a0 \u201cLook, tell your wings to hang back.\u00a0 We need to know what\u2019s incoming and the sensor plots aren\u2019t helping.\u00a0 We need visuals.\u00a0 Can you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my eyes closed,\u201d Brenner said, his voice crackling over the comm.\u00a0 \u201cAre you scrambling the squadrons?\u201d<\/p>\n
Brendan grimaced.\u00a0 \u201cHopefully, we won\u2019t have to.\u00a0 Get the visuals and hopefully this turns out to be just one really scary drill.\u201d<\/p>\n
The look Windsor gave him said that he hoped against hope that this would be just that\u2014but that he wasn\u2019t counting on it.<\/p>\n
Neither was Brendan.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood luck, Lead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRoger that, Home.\u00a0 Starting my climb now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brendan nodded, even though Brenner couldn\u2019t see it.\u00a0 He handed the headset back to Tomasi.\u00a0 \u201cKeep an eye,\u201d he told her quietly.\u00a0 \u201cAnd let me know if he runs into any trouble.\u00a0 Sound the alert and get as many birds in the air as we can\u2014here and at the other bases.\u00a0 Have them screen the cities.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019m giving orders and my commanding officer is in the room.\u00a0 What the hell is wrong with me?<\/i><\/p>\n
When he turned, though, Windsor was smiling<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything else, sir?\u201d\u00a0 Brendan asked, hoping his voice didn\u2019t betray how unsettled he suddenly was.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019ll do it for the moment,\u201d Adam said softly.\u00a0 \u201cPing your wife.\u00a0 Make sure she\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brendan swallowed and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAnd yours, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n
Windsor gave him a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cRachel will be where she\u2019s needed, one way or another, whether I like it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cWho the hell are they?\u201d\u00a0 Adam Windsor snapped as he strode into his command center with Brendan on his heels.\u00a0 They\u2019d been going over revisions to training protocols when the alarm had been sounded and Adam, knowing he hadn\u2019t requested … Continue reading