Enterprise's New Life

Chapter 24 - Tough Decisions

It's been a week since news of Capt. Fernandez's unexpected death (assuming that he was killed by the plasma beams) reached President Mullins. He sits in the corner of his office thinking about what will be his next move. He has already ordered a news blackout to avoid the tragedy turning into a media frenzy. He decides to look at the dossier files of the current members of the secret service on his computer. He clicks on Enterprise's dossier file and notices an updated picture of her. A photo of her and Capt. Fernandez when he was still an agent. Both of them looked happy in the picture. Enterprise had captioned it "the best mentor and boyfriend I ever have".

Tears begin to run down his eyes as he couldn't hide his sadness. He is hoping that he hasn't lost his most trusted agent of all time. He has been by his side since his first day as president. As he continues to scroll down Enterprise's dossier file. He is unaware of a stranger had just walked through the secret passage leading to his office. The stranger stops and comes in quietly. He then looks at President Mullins and speaks to him.

????: I'd never thought that I would see you crying like that. What happened to the battle hardened naval aviator that used to be my wingman?

Pres. Mullins: (Wiping off his tears.) President Spruance sir!

Pres. Spruance: Please. You don't have to address me as your commanding officer anymore. We're both presidents now.

Pres. Mullins: I'm sorry sir. It's a habit that's hard to break.

Pres. Spruance: That's ok. So why are crying anyway? It's like you've lost a relative or something.

Pres. Mullins: It's Agent Fernandez. I mean Capt. Fernandez sir. He's currently missing in action or M.I.A. Every carrier strike group that I ordered to search and retrieve his body assuming that's he is dead netted zero results.

Pres. Spruance: So you decided to reinstate him back to his carrier strike group at Pearl huh. And then you promoted him with the rank of captain. Well I guess he deserves to belong in the air and not on the ground. Any idea who shot him down?

Pres. Mullins: It's possible that the Sirens shot him down.

Pres. Spruance: Do you have any witnesses to back up your suspicion?

Pres. Mullins: His rookie wingmen. They saw several purple plasma beams appear out of nowhere when Capt. Fernandez was about to bank left. Two hit his plane and knocked him out. His aircraft crashed into the West Philippine Sea. One of them wasn't sure if he was dead or alive. A huge wall of water blocked his view.

Pres. Spruance: I see. So what's the deal with this woman?

Pres. Mullins: She's Agent Endie Therese Price. Capt. Fernandez's former subordinate and current girlfriend. I don't know what to say to her if she asks about our former most trusted secret service agent.

Pres. Spruance: So you're caught in a dilemma on whether to tell her or not.

Pres. Mullins: Yes. I don't know how will she take it. Plus I am caught in a bind on whether to back down on my decision to keep his unexpected death a secret. Or announce it to the public. I could sure use some advice from you.

Pres. Spruance: That's definitely a pair of tough decisions you got there. I remember my great grandfather Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance asking Rear Admiral William Bull Halsey about carrier tactics.

Pres Mullins: And what was Admiral Halsey's reply to your great grandfather?

Pres Spruance: Admiral Halsey simply told him. Call it the way you feel it. Not the way I call it.

Pres. Mullins: So in other words. I should call it the way I feel about the situation right now. And not the way others feel about it.

Pres. Spruance: Exactly! Listen Jimmy I didn't trained you to be a weak fighter pilot who eventually became president. That's why I gave you the call sign Steel Heart.

Pres. Mullins: Thanks Obi-Wan. I mean Reynold. I feel much better now.

Pres. Spruance: You're welcome. By the way I forgot to mention that I am inviting you to annual naval aviator officers ball next week. I hope that you would come. The rest of our former squadron have already committed to attend.

Pres. Mullins: Until Capt. Fernandez is safely retrieved Rey. I won't give a final decision on attending the ball next week.

Pres. Spruance: That's understandable. Anyways take care Jimmy.

Pres. Mullins: You too Rey.

As former president Reynold Spruance leaves Pres. Mullins office. Back in the North Pole. Capt. Fernandez is beginning gain consciousness. He is still groggy from the crash landing at sea. He can barely move his arms and legs. The same goes for his eyes. Even though he sees a faint image of his helmet. His stomach suddenly growls. It's a sign that he's hungry. Seconds later the door of the room he is in opens. Once again Observer Alpha and Tester Beta enter and sees that the hotshot pilot is is slowly waking up from his long slumber. They notice that he can still barely move even though he's chained to the wall. Tester Beta immediately leaves the room to inform Lady Omega. Observer Alpha decides to go out as well as she hears the pilot's stomach growl loudly.

Meanwhile in New York City. A woman who looks like Enterprise is walking home from work. She is unaware that a suspicious looking man is following her. At this time, Enterprise has also finished working in the fastfood restaurant of her new friends. Cathy and May have found for new girls to be their employees. But they are mostly either taking orders or on register duties. They are allowed to cook and prepare what their customers order. As Enterprise gets in her car. The suspicious looking man is followed by three more men.

Overall they are in cahoots with each other. They prey on girls and women who walk alone. The girl who looks like Enterprise quickly notices that she's being followed. She puts her right hand in her bag and reaches for her gun. She and the four men following her walk past by Enterprise who's just about to start the engine of her car. She notices the five people who passed her and sees the four men drawing guns from the back of their jackets. She then sees the woman walking hurriedly in an attempt to lose then. Enterprise didn't let this slide even though this was out of her jurisdiction as a member of the secret service. In her mind the woman needs her help. She starts the engine of her car and drives slowly.

She sees them enter and dimly lit alley. Enterprise stops the car and then pulls out her Glock 17 pistol and three extra magazines. Just like what she did when she was in Azur Lane. Enterprise walks slowly towards the five people with her gun in a defensive position. She stops as she hears them talking to each other. Enterprise will be in for a big surprise once she sees the woman.