Team Alpha Six

---

General Ramsay was having a talk with General Miller about ongoing Alpha missions.

After all, the elecopter prototype had been out five times already on recon missions and had proven to be a marvel of military engineering. Its creation had left a big huge hole in the black ops budget but in the end, it was all worth it. It had already been over many strategic Chinese military bases, undetected and amazingly silent. The new electrical propulsion was flawless, the virtual memory field was extremely reliable and the designated crew was perfectly adjusting to the prototype’s controls and mechanisms.

It had taken the Generals a while to choose the right crew for the elecopter, which was lovingly nicknamed “the Twin”. Out of the six teams available, which were all part of the non officially existing Alpha Teams, Team Six had proven to be the best fit.

---

Arkansas, the team leader, was a man of values. If anyone out of the thirty six soldiers that were part of the Alpha Teams was to replace any of the six commanding Generals, it would have to be him. Arkansas had a gift for quickly taking decisions based on common sense and had this fine tuned comprehension of what was right and what was wrong. Arkan, as everyone called him, was a man of action, a strategist and a soldier that got things done, the right way, right away.

California could fly anything, anywhere, at anytime. The Twin had quickly become an extension of her own self. She had a heightened sense of reasoning and fully knew that the whole crew trusted her ability to take them out of tough situations, if any should arise. When trials came out for flying the Twin, most pilots were hesitant to conquer this new technology but Cal, as everyone calls her, took it out for a “spin”…that left her superior officers both in shock and in awe.

South Dakota was one of the most decorated soldiers that the United States of America has ever had. Dak, as everyone called him, had been in every war, one way or another since he joined the military, many decades ago. Over dozens of years, he had shown that he could adapt to any situation that could arise and turn it into a victory. He learned fast, spoke a multitude of different languages and was a fine military counselor. Even members of other Teams came to Dak for advice. Anyone would have thought that he loved his career more than anything but this wasn’t quite true. His real love was in the gym, attuning his overall fitness and teaching martial arts. Dak was a big man all right; a combination of extreme muscular abilities along with a picky brain that always enjoyed a new challenge.

Missouri was the red head, there’s always one and she had the temper to go with it. But Missy, as they called her, also had an extraordinary gift; her hearing capabilities were like a sixth sense to her. She could hear frequencies that no one else could, she could hear from a mile away, so to speak. She could trace problems with propulsions, or anything mechanical for that matter, just by listening to it for a while. Missy was an electrical engineer and had participated in the early research that would lead to the creation of the Twin. Her gift was both a gift and a curse. A curse as she unwillingly remembered being so ill as a child that she almost lost all her hearing faculties then but a gift, as when she got it back, she can now hear an enemy sniper from quite the distance. Don’t whisper in her proximity.

Texas was the perfect combat soldier. His military combat skills made him the sniper to fear and the enemy to avoid in a hand to hand fight. Tex, as everyone called him, was a weapon specialist. And he could prove without a doubt, at any point of time or in any situation, that anything and everything can become a weapon…to kill you. The Twin had been loaded with state of the art weaponry, all under Texas’ supervision. He was the happiest of the bunch, as he was experimenting with what he considered his new “toy”…

Nebraska, strangely to say, had cat qualities. He could perfectly see in the dark. He could see from a distance what no one else could see. He believed that all his abilities came from his eyesight and had spent all of his military life focusing on that advantage. When Neb, as they called him, was out on a mission and paired with Missy, these two had all angles covered, from a mile away..so to speak. Neb also had the good fortune of having perfected what he called “The Silent Soldier”, a technique that made him a name in the high spheres of power. He’d get right by your side without you even knowing he was there or hear him get near, for that matter. That also made him the prankster of the gang.

---

“They still haven’t found that secret Chinese military base that’s been rumored to be on the border of India but if it’s there, they’ll find it…” Ramsay had told Miller, more in a way of thinking out loud than anything close to engaging in a serious conversation.

“That would certainly explain the activity our satellites have picked up…I hope they do fin…” Miller’s only reply was cut short by a white cellular phone that started beeping on Ramsay’s desk. Both the General’s eyes met before Ramsay picked it up and touched the screen.

> “Ramsay here…”

> …

> “What kind of problem?”

> …

> “That would be impossible. It must be a malfunction…”

> …

> “Okay, if the proto’s offline, don’t worry, the Team will get it back on line…”

> …

> “What?? The virtual shield is still sending data, isn’t it?”

> …

> “Okay Hicks, I’m transferring all you’ve got right here right now…
> I’m with General Miller, we’ll get back to you in a few seconds…
> Engage the Alert Comm…
> That’s an order.

> …


Both the General’s eyes met once again.


Ramsay - “Chr**t, not only did the Twin’s gone offline but so has the Team and the virtual shield…maybe we’ve got an Alpha Team gone rogue here…”

Miller looked up at the wall screen that just lit up to show the identical data that was on the Mission Control room’s main one.

Miller – “Last location Kongka La…I’m sending Teams Two and Five after them right now…”

Ramsay – “I’ll send Team Three to the Mission Control facility…let’s keep this under the radar for the time being…”


Ramsay turned around and looked at the wall speakers as soon as the alert came on. He switched to his personal comm. The last data and recorded conversation between Hicks and himself was now sent to all members of the Alpha Program as he turned his mike on…


“This is General Ramsay. We’ve initiated a Recovery Protocol for both the Twin and the Crew. Their last known recorded emitted signal puts them directly out of China, in the Kongka La Area, located in the Himalayas. Team Alpha Two and Team Alpha Five are on their way there now.”

“Mission Control, keep your eyes open, gentlemen. Team Alpha Three will soon join you on premises to coordinate the recovery. Find me that prototype before the Chinese do. Ramsay out.”


He looked once more towards Miller with a certain uncertainty in his eyes….

“Chr**t…”

---

~ To be continued…

@solarius, Yes, Continue,,, It's GREAT! 113

---

General Ramsay had left Nevada as soon as he had heard the news and was handling the protocol to a T. He had been in constant communication with Teams Two and Five as they were transferring the data from their search directly to his laptop. It had been close to eight hours since the Twin had gone offline and still…not a glimpse of the proto landing anywhere and no wreckage either, if it ever came to that.

He was also in constant contact with New York, from Team Alpha Three, as they were reviewing the procedures to follow once they’d get to Mission Control. Their tasks were clear, empty out the landing area for future investigations and secure six rooms for future individual debriefings and possible confinements, if needed.

During the flight, he had spent considerable time reviewing the recording that had happened between Hicks and Arkansas, before it all went down.


Arkansas – “We are exp….ing some so… of el……….……..aly….”

Arkansas - “We are exp….ing some so… of el……….……..aly….”

Arkansas - “We are exp….ing”


The General was almost positive he said “we are experiencing”… but what? What were they experiencing?


Arkansas - “some so… of el……….……..aly….”

Arkansas – “el……….……..aly….”


New York broke his concentration when he told him that he and his team were close to Mission Control. The General replied that he’d be there in a few hours but not to wait for him, to get everything ready as he had asked as soon as they’d get there, to which New York complied.


Arkansas – “some so… of el……….……..aly….”


His focus would once more be broken as his white cell phone started to beep. He switched laptops as soon as it started to beep as it most surely announced that something had happened. Hicks wouldn’t call him unless something very important came up. Unexpected things don’t happen often in someone’s life, not one after the other as in this case and especially not in a highly decorated officer’s career. A life has to be organized, planned and surprises are unlikely. All his paradigms got shattered when he looked at the screen and saw that everything was back online, both the Twin and the Team…like nothing ever happened, except for the virtual field which was still off. The odds of something like this happening had him momentarily lose himself in his thoughts, not really knowing what to think anymore but the beeps of the cell remained consistent. He looked at his phone and picked it up…


Ramsay - “Ramsay here…”


Hicks – “Everything’s just got back online Sir…”


Ramsay - “Yes, I saw. Try to engage communication with Arkansas. I’m relaying the data to Teams Two and Five, they will be with Team Six anytime now…”


Hicks – “Team Three has arrived Sir, Major Baker went to greet them.”


Ramsay – “Perfect. They’ll know what to do. You and Major Baker must follow orders from New York as soon as he enters that room, is that understood?”


Hicks – “Yes Sir…Sir, I’ve got Da…errr…I mean South Dakota on the comm. They experienced some kind of electrical anomaly, the virtual field is still down…Missouri is injured…oh damn…oh…Sorry, Sir…”


Ramsay – “Speak up Hicks…”


Hicks – “One man down Sir. Arkansas Sir. He…didn’t…make it, Sir.”


Ramsay – “Alabama from Team Three will handle the medical needs, Sergeant. Team Three will otherwise be very busy preparing for an investigation to ensue. Help them in any way you and Major Baker can…until I get there."


Hicks – “Yes Sir…”


Ramsay – “Hicks…”


Hicks – “Sir?”


Ramsay – “Arkan was a good man, Sergeant. A fine good man…”


Hicks turned around as Major Baker, New York and the rest of his Team walked in the room. He automatically noticed their states of shock as they all looked on the center screen.


Hicks – “Yes… he was…" His eyes crossed path with Baker's. "Yes. He was.”

---

~ To be continued…

---

--- Mission Control ---


When Major Baker’s eyes crossed path with Hicks’ as he was saying ‘He was’…he knew right away that something bad had happened. But before he could ask what was up, New York made clear on his intentions of running the ball from that point on.


New York – “Sergeant Hicks, you and Major Baker are relieved. I’m sure you’ll appreciate a few hours sleep. We’ll take it from here.”


Hicks – “I could stay around a while longer if need be…”


New York – “That won’t be necessary, Sergeant. General Ramsay will be here in a couple of hours and so will Team Two, Team Five and the remaining crew of Team Six. We’ll be ready to receive them. You get some rest…”


Hicks nodded in acceptance, got up and left for his quarters, as North Carolina took his place. Baker acted as if he didn’t hear anything and sat down beside her.


New York – “I thought I was clear. That goes for you as well, Major…”


Baker – “I’ve started to work on a program that might detect what could have happened. A hack that’ll seek possible or should I say, probable previous hacks. I need those hours ahead of me to get it completed. And…if I may…you said…the remaining crew?”


New York – “We lost Arkansas during the incident.”


Baker’s head went down and stared at his desk…Arkan was a good friend. New York put a hand on his shoulder as a friendly gesture…


New York – “Get some rest, Major. It’ll all be here when you wake up.”


As Hicks had done before him, Baker nodded, got up, looked around one last time and exited to his quarters.


New York – “All right, people. Let’s do this. N.C will monitor the comms. Delaware, I want you to look into the program that Baker is working on, see if anything comes up that raises bells. It is everyone’s understanding at this point that the Twin might have been hacked. Baker being a cyber genius, and I hope I’m wrong but, he could very well be putting up this program to cover up his tracks, if he was the one that pulled this off, that is. Let’s not leave anything unchecked. Alabama, prepare the medical bay, we do know that Missouri’s been injured but there might be other injuries that we’d be unaware of so far. Montana, Ohio and myself will empty the landing bay area and prepare five rooms for personal debriefings.”


New York had one last look around, looked at everyone in the room and had this weird feeling that something was off but he could not quite put his finger on it…just an odd intuitive feeling…


New York – “Get busy.”

---

~To be continued…

I'm at the edge of my seat here! Great story!

---

--- The Funeral ---


Hicks had accepted the duty of escorting everyone in and out, even though he didn’t have much of a choice, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut this time around, when Ramsay asked him to bring Baker over…


Hicks – “I am to escort Baker? Wait…What?”


Ramsay – “Are you having a hearing problem, Sergeant?”


Hicks – “No Sir, but it seems that he would go voluntarily if someone asked…”


Ramsay – “I have my reasons. So, bring him over here. Now.”


Hicks – “Yes Sir.”


Ramsay – “Oh and Hicks…”


Hicks – “Sir?”


Ramsay – “Don’t ever question my orders again.”


Hicks was to reply once more in disagreement but he heard the beep the comm makes when one has turned it off. He took the earpiece out of his ear and threw it across the room as he got up to go get Baker.


---


Lance Baker sat down and he heard the ketches click behind him; fully comprehending that something was up.


New York – “Major, it is my understanding that you didn’t like being taken off of Team Six to be transferred to Mission Control, is that correct?”


Baker – “You could say that.”


New York – “Delaware has been looking into the programming you’re working on…nice piece of work…his words, not mine. I think that it is now common knowledge that the most probable cause of the virtual field going haywire is that the Twin’s been hacked. Correct?”


Baker – “I am convinced it has but if you guys didn’t take me off the team, I could have been in that prototype myself when everything went down and possibly track on site whom ever did this…but nooooo…you guys think I’m a much better use in Mission Control…monitoring crap…”


Ramsay – “Major, that decision came about after a strong recommendation by Arkansas…to take you off the team and reinstate you in M.C…I’m guessing you didn’t know…”


Baker looked at the General with a certain disbelief in his eyes…no. He didn’t and that was quite an announcement right there, something that he couldn’t have possibly guessed…but why…


New York – “Major, the only one that EVER went out alone with the Twin was Arkansas, a little more than a year ago…and he was gone for quite a few hours, on its first fly out…thing is, both the core and virtual field weren’t installed yet at that point, making his fly abouts absolutely untraceable. We think he might have had information on who did this…not being necessarily involved in it but…let’s say…he might have been aware and did nothing to prevent it…”


Ramsay – “If that is the case, there’s the whole reason right there to get you off his tail. You would have tracked it, you just said so yourself…”


Baker was lost in his thoughts…why would Arkansas do this?


Baker – “Gentlemen, I can’t believe this, I’m sorry. Arkan was a man of honor. I knew him personally. I just don’t see him doing something like this…”


Ramsay – “Unless he had an excellent reason to do something like this. I knew him too, Major, and very well. Arkansas was a man of deep rooted values. If he thought that he needed to do something no one would be aware of, for the good of the Program or some other beneficial reason, I think he would have done so…even at the peril of his own life…”


Baker – “So then why… exactly?”


New York – “We don’t know yet and that is why you are here. That is why we sent for you and didn’t ask directly. By making you look suspicious in front of everyone else takes the pressure off whoever might be aware. And If Arkansas pulled this off, there might be others in the team that would be in on the hack. Trust me, we were tough on questioning and no one raised any suspicions, apart for South Dakota maybe, who seemed a little evasive. Yet, we could be wrong…”


Ramsay – “Now that you are in the know, you need to continue to do what you do best. Keep working on that program, find out who did this.”


Baker – “I’ll try my best.”


Baker got up, looked at the General with a renewed respect and then turned to New York…


Baker – “So…that Gestapo crap…that was just an act?”


New York smiled.


New York – “I had no other choice.”


Baker got out of the room, using the same procedure as the ones before him and went straight back to the control room.


---


General Ramsay had gone back to his personal quarters and called the other Generals to join in on a video conference, for 0200 hours.

He had also advised Alabama not to practice an autopsy on Arkansas, as he had read his will and it was to the point. If Commander Timothy Cooper A.K.A. Arkansas was to die on duty, in front of witnesses, and if the cause of death was clearly identified, no autopsies were to be made. He also asked for a burial at sea, to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal, twenty four to thirty six hours after his passing.

Connecticut had turned in her investigative report from the Twin as soon as her Team had finished looking into every inch of it. They didn’t find anything of significance. Except for a little blood underneath the control deck left hand side panel which would have been located just inches away from California’s left knee. She was waiting for the DNA report but she assumed that it must have happened after she tried to wake Texas up.


0200


General Ramsay turned over all he had so far to the other Generals. It was agreed that they’d keep an eye on South Dakota, all the while promoting him to replace Arkansas as the new Commanding Officer of Team Alpha Six. They also discussed in great lengths who was to be integrated as a new Team Six crew member.

They agreed that General Halloway was to prepare the Funeral as Commander Cooper had requested. The U.S.S. John F Kennedy happened to be in the Bay of Bengal at the present time, amidst official Chinese protests, but the Teams would gather in the coming evening to say a final farewell, in all confidentiality. They would fly in and fly out. General Halloway was in charge of the aircraft carrier and he’d have no problems stating that he’d have to execute a burial at sea for a soldier that perished during a training exercise.

They also finally agreed that the virtual field had to be remained off during the future fly outs of the Twin. They all fully understood that the virtual field was the only system that permitted to have an exact location of the proto at any time but putting it back on was too risky. Team Six would have to send pings manually, if requested even though the dual cores would automatically do that very thing, unless they’d be turned off again.


Evening


The Funeral went according to Halloway’s plans. It was brief, Commander Cooper had been sent to the sea in a recruit’s casket, as per his will. The recruit’s casket had small holes in the bottom that slowly allowed the salty water to get in…very slowly. It would take a few minutes to fill up and then it would torpedo to its final resting place; the sandy floor of the sea.

Most Teams had already left, aside for Team Six and Three. They just stayed a little longer to talk of the good times they’ve all had with Arkansas, who was already missed.

General Ramsay left General Halloway, thanking him for his support and joined Team Six, in the improvised Ball Room. Soft music was playing, the crew was having a drink…or two…or multiple in Texas’ case, as the General went straight for South Dakota.


Ramsay – “May we have a word in private?”


South Dakota – “Of course…”


They walked away, exited the Ball Room and simply walked through the corridors nearby.


Ramsay – “I must officially appoint you as the new Leader of Team Alpha Six. Are you up for the challenge?”


South Dakota – “It would be an honor, Sir…”


Ramsay – “Fine. Consider it done. Would you have any suggestion for a new crew member?”


South Dakota stopped walking and paused on the question for a while.


South Dakota – “If I had to choose, I would certainly go with Major Lance Baker. I take it he didn’t enjoy being transferred to Mission Control all that much…”


Ramsay – “You are very perceptive, Commander. Unfortunately, we’ve decided to put him there for good reasons; and he is presently working on a program that might put some light on this whole situation…”


South Dakota – “Hmm…I see. Then my second choice would clearly have to be Alabama. If, as New York has stated, the virtual field is to go back on, a medical officer wouldn’t be a bad thing to have around…”


That sentence had brought back the trust General Ramsay always held for South Dakota. If he was stating as such, it was obvious that he wasn't aware...


Ramsay – “Well…it’s been decided that the virtual field would remain off for future missions. For the time being anyway…until we find out how it all happened… Alabama huh? We’ll discuss it and I’ll let you know…”


---


Mission Control

Team Three were picking up the rest of their stuff as they’d been ordered to leave the premises as soon as they could.

Hicks and Baker were back at their respective posts, monitoring and preparing for the next fly outs. Baker was still working on his program at every chance he got. He had arrived at that point where it was so complex that he had to take breaks, just to be able not to lose focus.

South Dakota had told his Team of his conversation with General Ramsay. Of course, every single crew member congratulated him on his promotion, which was an obvious decision, by all means. He also had told them about recommending Alabama as a new addition and they all agreed.

New York had entered the room to say good bye. Good riddance was on most of everyone’s minds…

He knew he wasn’t liked but he could live with that. His loyalty was to the Alpha Program, by any means possible. Nevertheless, he thought that he’d enjoy playing…how did Hicks call him…Gestapo in Chief one last time before departing…so he walked towards South Dakota and extended his hand, which Dak agreed to shake…


New York – “Good Luck with your new responsibilities, Commander, and Congratulations…”


South Dakota – “Thank you…”


And then New York leaned forward toward his right ear and whispered…


New York – “I don’t know what you’re up to but Delaware has been assigned as your new crew member. So…I’ll find out….”


South Dakota let go of his hand and retreated a little, looking at New York straight in the eyes, with a certain seriousness that New York hadn’t seen from him before….


South Dakota – “Yeah. You do that.”


South Dakota exited the room and went back to the lounge area, where the rest of his crew had been continuing the conversations that had started aboard the U.S.S. John F Kennedy…along with a few more drinks it seemed…Delaware hadn’t been with them yet and was still helping Team Three gather their stuff together…

The Team Six crew shared stories, good ones and bad ones. They laughed at some points and were obviously sad at others, as the storylines changed. What happened next could have been right out of an Arthur C. Clarke novel…


“Well…it looks like you’re having a good time, Dak…”


Missouri’s glass fell to the floor and shattered in a thousand pieces.


“WTF !!!” were the only words that came out of her mouth…


“You heard it too?” asked South Dakota…


“He even mentioned my name…” she replied, white as a sheet…


“No, he stated my name…Tex is no where close in pronunciation to Missy…”


They all looked at each other, not really knowing what was going on…


“You are all hearing the same thing but the system here divides it individually…and personally...”


“Where is it coming from…” California asked as she looked around for wall or ceiling speakers but couldn’t find any…


“In case anyone asks, my voice is heard through neural transmitters inserted in your brain, but it sounds like it’s out of your head…”


Of course, that statement was automatically sent out individually…


“You can communicate with me by putting your right hand thumb and right hand pinky together. That is where we’ve integrated the symbiocircuitry…but when you do so…your real memories will resurface…”


No one dared to do it…


“This has got to be a bad joke…” South Dakota said as he looked at everyone, lifting his right hand so everyone could see. He looked at both his thumb and pinky and brought them slowly together, till they touched. He felt that tingling sensation once again like the one he had felt when he had touched the control panel aboard the Twin…


“Oh…” was all he said as everything jolted back into him, making him dizzy and he got to the closest chair to sit down…


“Oh…shit…oh…….shit…can you hear me?” he asked, keeping his thumb and pinky in contact…


“Loud and clear. I’ll let you guys digest this one for a while and I’ll be back in touch with all of you soon…”


“WTF…WTF…WTF !!!!” Missouri added as she put her right hand thumb and pinky in contact…and felt a mild tingling…and got seriously dizzy…


“WTF huh?...That would be quite an understatement, Missy...”


“ Talk to you soon. Arkansas, over and out.”

---

~To be continued:

The Conclusion Part IV – The Beginning

---

Gusk had taken the group for a tour of the facility. They did not understand how the technology worked but as Arkansas had said…it worked…The first one to be artificially enhanced would be California. The symbiocircuits were so small that even by today’s standards of microscopy, they’d be impossible to locate…or even to visually see for that matter. Even in the Cradle, it couldn’t be seen but the computers they had could locate them once they’d enter the body, through the water in the eye.

A series of electromagnets on the scan bed would then position them to their final location…the middle of the right hand thumbs and the pinkie.

As they also found out, the Ginns had been working on brain research for millenniums and they had discovered that certain parts of the brain could be enhanced…the cerebrum in particular. Neurocircuits could be inserted through the water in the eyes, the same way as the symbiocircuits were and then could be activated to enhance certain properties. In California’s case, they enhanced her reasoning faculties. She was already good in taking quick and accurate decisions, she’d be a hundred times better…especially since they planned on doing a few ‘unofficial’ modifications to the Twin…

The neural transmitters for communication was also injected, under the same procedure…

Texas, Nebraska and South Dakota all had their symbiocircuits implanted, their neural transmitters and their faculties enhanced, in different ways, according to their present norm of excellence on a particular virtue.

On the third day, Missouri went in the lab for her own enhancement but while no one was around, she decided to have a look inside one of the energy sources containers to try and understand how it worked. She was an electrical engineer and she thought she might have a chance of getting a glimpse of it.