Dawn Of The Day - ONC 2022

Chapter 19. Diomede

We stood close together under the drenching late winter mizzle. My puffer coat felt heavy with all the moisture it soaked up. I had never liked the island's weather less.

The helicopter's powerful blade cut into the frigid air, making it harder for me to stand. I swayed lightly on my feet. Who would have thought this basic hotel had a helicopter pad? I guessed it made sense when most of the main buildings on this island were built by the military back in the days... My focus shifted to the man who wore an olive green uniform and pilot helmet in front of us. He screamed his directions through the curtain of rain and winds. I could not understand everything that he had said, but it was not hard to guess. He was urging us to haul ass.

The whole world seemed deadened with thunder and my anxiety. Far away, on the dark horizon across the ocean, lightning flashed. A few rays of sunlight managed to sneak through, however. It was mere hours to sunrise.

***

"Everything will be alright."

Robert bent down to kiss the top of my head while fixing the collar of his utility jacket.

"You don't know that," I grumbled and glanced up at him for a second before looking down at the task at hand.
The simple knot that I had done a million times over refused to form. The lace kept slipping out of my fingers, tangling up together. I didn't have an ounce of patience left. Thoughts of my dad circled like dark clouds in my head.

"God damn it!"

I ground my teeth and yanked the knot undone. I hadn't been able to focus on anything since Robert gave me the news. They had found my dad. Turned out the RFID chips in his wrist and bicep were not the only ones. I winced at the thought of multiple tiny metal grains embedded in my dad's body and the pain he had gone through when two of them were dug out, as I imagined, quite crudely. I knew it was not the worst thing that had happened to him, however. Robert didn't tell me a lot since he himself didn't know a lot, but I knew. If what Meg had said was true that they wanted something from him, "an answer", they would try everything to get it and, knowing my dad, I couldn't imagine him giving it to them easily, whatever it was. He was a stubborn son of a gun that held on to principles with dear life. I couldn't imagine that would do him any good in the situation.

General Castillon had told Robert on the phone that he would send someone to pick us up and take us to where my dad was treated for his injuries. I just prayed to God there was nothing severe. He was strong, but he was not in his 20s anymore.

"Let me."

Robert kneeled in front of me and started tying my shoelace.

"Fancy," I whispered, staring at the perfect little knot that he had made. It was completely different from how I usually did it and definitely looked better.

"I remember your collection of sneakers... I've just learned how to do this recently."

Robert looked up and smiled at me. He held my ankle in his hand, calming my jumpy heart in the process with its warmth. I tried to return the gesture but my smile was short-lived. It felt forced. I sighed and closed my eyes. My head was throbbing.

"Everything will be alright, Lou," he repeated himself and got up to wrap his arm around my shoulder.

"I sure hope so," Vince spoke up from the armchair that he had been sitting on.

"I wonder what they want from dad..."
My brother had his back to us. His nails scratched on the old fabric of the armrest.

"What does it have to do with anything?" I rubbed my eyes, getting irritated.

"I'm just wondering..."

"There's nothing to wonder about. It's not like we know or understand what he was doing anyway... You can ask him about it later if you're interested. I'm not."

I put the duffle bag over my shoulder, ending the conversation. Now was not the time for Vince's conspiracy theories. Besides my dad's well-being, I couldn't care less about anything else.

***

"What's your plan?" My dad asked while rummaging through his drawer.
It had been almost a year since the last time I was home. Almost two since the last time I stood here in my dad's study.

"I don't know," I shrugged and grumbled.

My reflection in the bookshelves' glass doors glared at me. I was a hot mess. A dollar-store troll doll. My natural strawberry shade had been replaced by fire-engine red. Box dyed, terrible bang. Makeup from the night before ran and smeared, making me look like an angry, sad clown.

My dad grimaced again. He did that every time he looked at me. I didn't think he even knew he was doing it anymore. Just reacted.

"Louise, I need you to really think about what you want to do with your life. Your 20s will be over in no time and you have nothing to show for. No career or family of your own. Is it how you want to live? It has been almost a year. You're all over the place! It cant be like this forever... You know what, I'm even glad that you left your old job. It's not a real career anyway. The other day, Mr. Barlowe told me there are a few spots open up at his firm. Good pay, great perks. Also, his son, Jake, has been back from one of his trips. You guys used to hang out all the time back in the days. Why not link up, go out for dinner, see how it goes?..."

Every time that conversation started, I zoned out. I looked at my reflection again and thought of how disastrous I looked. A burning dumpster.

My eyes felt peppery due to the lack of sleep. I closed them and let the memory dissolve. Outside the window, the rose-tinted sky signaled a new day. I could see a million waves below, folding on top of each other like meringue. The sparkling sea didn't look so cold or harsh, but I knew it was all an illusion.

I fidgeted in my seat, imagining how high I was and nothing but thin air was under me. As if he could sense it, Robert reached out with his hand open. My nervousness slowly went away as my thumb felt the ridges of his palm.

Vince leaned back and watched the two of us with his head rested on the cabin's bulkhead. I wondered what went through my brother's mind when he winked at me.

"We have arrived," the pilot's simple announcement woke us up.

The vessel appeared clearer and bigger until it became everything in my vision. It was gargantuan. A floating city.

The activities on board reminded me of a massive ant nest. People in different groups and colored uniforms ran back and forth, fixing, refueling, signaling. Aircraft continuously took off and landed. Shrilling noises from different engines drowned me when the helicopter's door slid open. I felt the vibration through my whole body.

"Welcome to the Diomede. Please follow me."

A young woman, who looked like a supermodel in an immaculate pinstripe blue suit, emerged from all the chaos and led us toward an elevator. She shouted her greeting with a flawless diplomatic smile. Her wavy blond hair stayed perfectly in shape despite all the strong winds.

I felt self-conscious. Everyone would if they faced someone that good-looking. General Castillon surely knew how to pick his assistant.

"How are you doing?" The woman turned to us when we were inside the elevator. Her expensive perfume was distinctive on top of the engine oil and gasoline smell.

"I'm fine, how are you, Ms. Sandoval?" Robert replied in his neutral tone.

"Oh, you know, same old..."

I thought her eyes sparkled and her smile got brighter for a second, but It could purely be my imagination. The woman then offered me and Vince her hand.

"I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Charlotte Sandoval, general Castillon's assistant," she turned to Robert again. "The general has waited all day..".

"Excuse me, Ms. Sandoval," Vince stepped up and gave his best smile. "I thought we're here to see our dad, general Jonathan Haynes?"

"Of course," Charlotte looked at my brother from head to toe. "General Haynes is being kept comfortable. We're heading there right now."