Free CODE X:Episode 1 by M.R. Vallone

out.
He would have killed you to prove my point, but, I stopped it to
save your ass for Vicki. She’s the reason we’re both out here.”

Chapter 24
    Dr. Landau is
pacing back and forth behind his desk using his putter as a nerve
soothing prop, with Henry sitting in the chair in front of him.
“It's been 30 days and still no word on Parks. I must tell you, you
have given me pause as to whether or not I chose the right man to
head Alomet security. I am quite disappointed we have a loose
cannon running around that would threaten my project with Dr.
Collins”
    Henry smiles less and answers, “He
disappeared without a trace. There has been no sight or sound of
him anywhere. I’m using all of our resources that you
authorized.”
    Landau grabs his putter with two hands, “I
didn’t want to have to go to NSA, but they track everyone and
everything communication-wise in the world. You’re leaving me no
choice.”
    Henry takes a step back.
    Landau leans the putter up against his desk
and sits down. Now I have to turn to our government’s clandestine
operations section. Hold on while I call the director.” The doctor
grabs his phone and places a call.
    Henry exhales deeply.
    “Edward, this is Dr. Landau. You remember
the Nick Parks incident?”
    Inside the director’s office, Edward Tallon,
sits behind an enormous desk and answers to Landau on the phone.
“Of course I remember him. I was wondering how long it was going to
take before you called me.”
    “Well, I need that favor you owe me. We have
tried every source we know and have come up with nothing on this
guy. It’s like he disappeared in thin air.”
    “Okay, sounds like the perfect job for us.
I’ve got a feeling he had help getting to an undercover group,
invisible to everyone. But, I can guarantee you he won’t stay lost.
What do you want me to do when we find this guy?”
    “I was hoping you could assist in giving us
some air support, especially if he’s out of country.”
    “We can’t use our combat personnel, but I
will be able to send two choppers for you if you can provide the
manpower. In fact, I’ll also assign a liaison man with combat
experience who has our codes to coordinate an attack with our
AWACS.”
    “That will help our situation. I have the
resources to take care of the problem anywhere in the world. I just
have to locate the problem.”
    “Okay, give us two weeks since I have to
send this to you on our back channel network. I’ll find him and
send you the intel to coordinate with us.”
    “Thanks, Edward.”
    He turns to Henry, “Get our world response
security forces ready to move within 24 hours’ notice. NSA will
find him or at the very least, get you a hard lead on him.”
    “Do you want full weapons response
activation?” he asks.
    “Yes, get all of our security assets ready
to deploy at a moment’s notice. I want you to continue looking
after you notify our team to be ready to roll. We won’t get any
combat people from NSA, but they will supply armaments and
transportations. It’s all on us to fix the problem when we find it.
Use an Alomet airport as the staging base for the operation.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “One last thought concerning his
disappearance that night. I’ve been thinking that may be where you
overlooked some clue as to how he vanished at the attack location
where his car blew up. That’s when he went silent. Work backwards
from when I arrived at Dr. Collins apartment, back to when his
car’s gas tank exploded, and leave no stone unturned. I want you to
consider even the wildest idea as to how that could have
happened.”

Chapter 25
    Eddie, Biggins
and Parks are gathered in the merc’s command center. It’s a tent
with three computer consoles and three 36” inch monitors. There are
also two mini satellite dishes on top of the tent and a small radar
array poking above the leaves spinning slowly. The camouflage cover
is so effective, you can’t see the center if you’re standing twenty
feet away.