Return to Atlantis

Chapter 17 - Plan B

Today, the first academic symposium of the month long convention will be held.

Something tickled his nose that made him got up immediately: coffee. And he knew it wasn't just any coffee like that one they get in Sybil for breakfast; it's a freshly brewed aromatic coffee delivered to their room.

"Do you know what time is it?" Phil who was sitting on the dining table tinkering with his computer greeted him.

"Uh, let me guess...it's 7'o clock like yesterday," replied Alec without a slight hint of remorse as he was getting up from the bed.

"How come you still don't have it in your blood to wake up early when that is what you've been routinely doing for the past seven months?" Phil asked as Alec sat opposite him at the dining table, helping himself with the coffee. 

"Must be the bed; I haven't slept in such a comfortable bed in seven months,"

"It wasn't so comfortable to me," Phil said as a matter-of-fact.

"Yeah, of course, you like stiff beds," Alec retorted.

Phil's brow rose, Alec grinned playfully at him.

"Why? You don't find our beds in HQ decent enough? 7 months in the service and you still don't have it in your blood to get use to it?"

"I am used to it," Alec countered.

"I guess it's really not that easy for rich boys like you," Phil said.

Alec frowned, though he had to admit to that. He was quite spoiled somehow. All his life he had only known an easygoing life. The military is exactly the opposite of that life he'd known.

Phil is different. He grew up in the slums of Philadelphia. The WDF didn't disorient him.

Phil got up after sipping the last of his coffee. "We'd better get dressed," he declared.

Alec nodded, remembering the order HQ issued last night. They are resorting to plan B: operation removal. Reinforcement personnel will be flying in to the ship today to pose as CIA agents on a confidential mission to remove Ava Kinski from the ship for an investigation. The initial 'stopover' plan has been aborted. HQ wants the girl delivered asap instead.

'Things must be escalating in the base,' Alec remembered thinking last night.

By posing us CIA, they can commence the retrieval without arousing suspicions from the airship's authorities and can even solicit their cooperation. Ava will be taken at will or by force. 

They made their way to the side deck of the airship on the 3rd floor to a spacious area enclosed by a glass dome ceiling where their recon would have made its way in already. They were just in time to see the dome ceiling slid open as a chopper made its entry, the blades whirring and shifting the air all around. 

Phil and Alec were surprised to see Sanders come down from the pretentious CIA chopper that landed up on the deck.

The airship captain, Lou Delano, in his smart suit, met up with him at the steps.

"Yes, the united states president phoned me about your arrival," Phil and Alec overheard as they draw near.

"Ah yes," began Sanders in his most decent tone and expression but stammered nevertheless. "I, uh, am here to bring into custody a very important person necessary for investigation of a national security matter. I'm afraid it's classified information,"

"Well, yes, as I was told. You have my permission to carry on with your operation. But please do it discreetly. We don't want to cause alarm to our delegates," the captain was saying earnestly.