#96
I dropped my bags, but Becky already let out a few burst to take out the technicians.
I came up behind her. "You're pretty nice with that thing."
She raised an eyebrow and gave me a kiss. "Only got a couple of minutes left."
Becky dropped the gun and sat down at the computer terminal.
She played over the keys with lightning speed.
"T-MINUS TWO MINUTES."
"Shit," she said. "Oh, forget it."
I was going to have a heart attack. She kept stopping, then typing. Stopping. Typing. I never thought a computer could be so slow.
"T-MINUS ONE MINUTE. BEING FIRE SEQUENCE."
"Becky!" I was getting anxious.
"T-MINUS THIRTY SECONDS."
She was still typing.
"T-MINUS FIFTEEN SECONDS."
I was feeling kinda woozy.
"T-MINUS TEN SECONDS. TARGETS NOW IN AQUISTION. COMMENCE PRIMARY FIRING."
"Done!" She shouted. "Now let's get the fuck out of here!"
Just as the she got the door open, the room exploded.
#97
The explosion propelled us through the door.
The duffel bag broke my fall and I broke Becky's
"What the hell did you do?" I asked getting to my feet.
"Beam separation and simple refraction. I split the energy beam into two paths. One to the Vermont station, and one back here."
"But that much energy..."
"The ship is totally wasted. Let's go!" And she was off again.
I was followed as best I could with the heavy bag.
"Will you drop that?" She said, helping me up the ladder.
"No, we're gonna need it. Trust me."
We ran through a few more doors filled with smoky rooms then we were on the deck.
Becky ran ahead. I noticed there was a lot of smoke and fire.
The ship was tilting, it was definitely sinking.
"There's Taya!" Becky pointed her gun at the figure next to the last helicopter.
It jammed. "Damn it!"
Taya took one long look at us and smiled. There was definitely no happiness in that smile.
Then she was in the copter and took off.
I saw Kevin and Lee in the Mustang, coming around.
But I grabbed Becky by the waist, held her tight, pulled the tab on the duffel bag and a small rocket ripped us away from the sinking monster at breakneck speed.
Then, splashing into the water, the bag inflated into a large round survival raft.
#98
"Ah ha!" Lee said, "It's that head bitch!"
They saw the chopper lifting off. "Let's get her!" Kevin said.
They gave pursuit.
"Get her! Send a missile up her ass!" Lee screamed.
"Nope, we're all out."
"Well, she ain't getting away this time!"
Suddenly, the Mustang chugged and stalled.
"SHIT! WE'RE OUT OF GAS!"44
"What?!?" Lee couldn't believe this.
"Hold on!" Kevin brought the plane down and skidded it onto the water.
He pulled a tab marked: Emergency Floatation Device and floats inflated underneath the plane keeping it from sinking.
"Jeeze!" Lee said. " I can't believe your so stupid."
"Me?!?" This is your fault!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
I gather this is the way the Coast Guard found them a few hours later.
#99
Becky stared as the last of the tanker disappeared into the sea.
We were far enough away as not to affected by the ship going down.
She sighed.
"Anything wrong," I said, rubbing her back.
"It's just funny the way things turn out. I mean, just a short while ago, I hated men and wanted to kill and destroy them all. Then you came along and changed my whole life.45
"Look at it; you and I've made a major change. We stopped them and saved the world."
"Yeah," I couldn't help thinking of Bob. Almost on cue, I heard the roar of a plane. We looked up and saw the Sitting Duck fly by, Captain Bob at the wheel with a few 4S agents in the back, apparently having a good time.46
We waved and my heart felt better.
"Now," Becky said, seductively, "What are we forgetting?"
I smiled as she closed in on me.
It took the Coast Guard several hours to reach us.
Neither one of us cared.
#100
Epilogue
Taya had gotten away, that much was obvious.
But she had really gotten away. By the time the CIA raided the Vermont Station, it was cleared out (what was left of it anyway). All the equipment, all the weapons, all the personal --that's over a hundred of them-- were gone.
But Taya had left an envelope with my name on it.
When I opened it, it was one simple phrase: I'll Get You.
I laughed, but it was a nervous one.
The CIA offered me protection, and I gladly accepted. I guess that's what finally drove Becky away. She could stand the 24-hour surveillance, the phone taps, being followed everywhere, but when they began to cheer us on in bed, well, that was the end of the line for her.
"I'm sorry," she tearfully apologized. "But this is too much." And she was gone.
Lee joined the Air Force to, quote, "Get as far away from you as possible. Man, you are dangerous." Unquote.47
And Kevin, well, he's still Kevin.
Three months later I canceled the CIA protection (I was getting brave).
After all, I didn't really thing Taya would be back (do you smell a sequel?).48
Such is Life.
44. This particular plane apparently has ridiculous good gas mileage. Realistically, they should have crashed hours ago.
45. I reworded this part. As much of a groaner this is, the original was much, much worse.
46. Because male-hating women are always turned around by alcoholics with a plane.
47. Lee did join the Air Force. I'm sure I actually had very little to do with that decision.
48. I half-heartedly intended there to be a sequel. I even went so far as to write the first few episodes where, after a few years, the Feds were coming to protect me after Becky had been assassinated by an assumed agent of Taya's. About the only thing I knew was that Becky wasn't actually dead and would show up at some point to save my ass. Alas, with Bill and Lee out to the military, I had no one to really send new postcards to and the idea just died.
I know, it's probably for the best.
Copyright 1989-2005 WAYNE MCCAUL
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