Consuming Fire

Chapter 20

The SSS jet slowed to a hover over mountains of orange and brown earth beneath a black, star-lit sky. Whirlwinds of dust blew across the peaks. Then everything was dark and the jet touched down inside a concrete carrier. Amelia powered off the plane and Eli followed the others as they unclipped their seat belts and stepped onto the platform.

"Is this your base?" asked Zac.

"It's more of a ... secret compound. We're located just a few hours outside of Vegas."

"Sick," Zac grinned.

"There's a few more people I want to introduce you to so ... follow me."

Eli stepped in line behind Jenny, casting a glance back at Amelia as she stood by the dashboard, flicking switches and running through checks. He sighed, wishing she was showing them around instead of Prince Charming.

Chevie led them down a ramp into the aircraft bunker — a giant room built of hard steel rusty in some places but strong and firm. Quickly, they marched through the bunker to a large circular door that opened at Chevie's command. Directly before them was an elevator with only one button: up.

"This elevator leads to the main area of the compound," said Chevie. It was a sturdy elevator that shot up quicker than Eli could handle. When it opened, there was a double door on the right and left. Chevie led them through the right door and before Eli could blink, he was following the others into a low-roofed space filled with more people than he imagined there to be in this organization. It looked like some sort of military control room, with rows of computer hubs to his left and a large round table covered in maps to the right. What is this, S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters?

Chevie marched them around the outer platform, down the flight of three stairs to the main control unit on the other side of the room. Eli saw at least five giant panels along the wall, suggesting some sort of shield against outer light. He wished there was more natural fluorescence than the bright tubes above their heads. Eli couldn't stop staring at all the people dressed in everyday clothes — minus the few soldiers wearing military uniforms — all busy doing things he couldn't even guess. He felt as if they'd come to the wrong place, and it made him nervous.

While Chevie strolled up to a man with his back turned, Eli whispered subtly to Jenny. "Does this all seem a little strange to you?"

"Better than being at the Pentagon with the FBI though, right?"

"I dunno ... I'm getting a kind of Area 51 vibe."

Jenny was about to whisper back when Chevie turned.

"This is our commanding officer, weapons specialist and tactical advisor, Captain John Mackintosh of the Special Forces. Retired, of course."

Captain Mackintosh was a man of around fifty with a broad chest, thick gray hair and hard-set lines around his eyes and mouth. He didn't smile, but appraised the three of them carefully.

"So ... you're the three who've been spilling all your secrets to the FBI, eh?"

Eli bit his lip and looked at Zac, who seemed particularly interested in watching a radar screen emit green signals on the control panel.

"Actually, sir, it wasn't necessarily our fault," said Jenny timidly.

"Oh, it wasn't?" Captain Mackintosh peered at each of them in turn. "Where's the scientist, Joshua Harrison?"

"Uh ..." said Zac.

"It's a long story," said Jenny. "But I think you owe us an explanation first. Now that we're here, what are we supposed to do?" She crossed her arms, determined to show them no intimidation. Eli wished he were as brave.