“Yes, what else do you think the President would be so concerned about?”
“What do you think I would do with a virus so lethal that it had the power to destroy the human race?”
Sam watched as Ryan’s eyes slanted a look at the burner, its blue flames still a vibrant glow of amber.
“You silly rich bastard! You burned it?”
“Would you rather check the rest of the airship?”
“No, I can imagine there’s no point.” Ryan looked at him and said, “You know he’s going to be pissed off about this, don’t you?”
“Who?”
“The President.”
“Publically, in his war room, I’m sure he’ll appear to be mad as hell. But I’ll wager a year’s salary that he’ll be relieved that this decision was taken out of his hands.” Sam then looked at Ryan and said, “So, I guess that’s it then. Shall we all go home now?”
“No, there’s still the matter of the terrorist who has been after the virus.”
“I thought we were the only ones after it?” Sam had decided early-on that the less information he betrayed about how he got involved in the matter, the better.
“No, there is someone even more dangerous than an altruistic fool like you, Sam. You’re free to go, but we’re going to have to borrow the Magdalena. Our one saving grace after losing the virus may just be to catch the man who wanted it so desperately.”
He then explained to Sam exactly what they planned to do.
John Wolfgang stared at the Magdalena in the field ahead of him as the Blackhawk approached the landing site nearby. She had eluded him and his father for their entire lives. He wondered whether any of it was worth it, and wished that his father had never even discovered the damned virus.
The Magdalena was much smaller than he’d imagined she would be. The sharp lines of her aerodynamic canopy appeared more like sinister blades that took life than the beautiful airship that he’d imagined.
He wished the airship had never been built.
“Is my daughter onboard?” He asked of the soldier who had greeted him kindly in the Blackhawk, but who now acted as his guard. John had a slight quiver in his upper lip, the only visible sign that he was no longer in control.
Aliana was all that mattered to him now.
“Yes, she is,” the soldier answered.
“And is she okay?”
“I’m told that she’s fine.”
“Thank goodness,” John said.
“You’ll be able to see her soon.”
The pilot then landed the Blackhawk.
“So, it’s over then?” John asked.
“What is?”
“Everything. The deal, the virus… it’s all now under your control, and I hope your government uses it wisely for the prevention of war instead of as a biological weapon.”
“It’s not over yet. Lieutenant Commander Walker will explain it to you in more detail. He’s waiting for you on board, and will explain everything.”
The soldier then escorted John to the Magdalena.
A Navy SEAL with fire red hair and a confident smile shook his hand when he came aboard.
“John Wolfgang?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“My name is Ryan Walker,” he said, shaking John’s hand. “I’m charge of this entire operation, and I’m here to tell you that we have a problem.”
“We had a deal, Mr. Walker. It was quite clear. I get you the virus and the terrorist, and you get me my life back. Am I to understand that the United States government does not keep its promises?” John asked.
“We’re more than happy to keep up our end of the bargain.”
“Then, I want my life back.”
“But the virus has been destroyed,” Ryan told him.
The new information made John stop suddenly.
“After all these years, the countless lives that the search for the virus has taken, without ever even infecting any one of them, and you’re now telling me that it had been destroyed back in 1939?” John asked, incredulously.
“No, you can blame Sam Reilly for that,” Walker said.
“Sam Reilly destroyed it?”
“Yes.”
John laughed out loud at the stupidity of it all.
“Well, at least he finally did something right.”
“I won’t lie to you, Mr. Wolfgang. My superiors are pretty upset about the loss of the virus. They have agreed to uphold the original deal if you help us capture the terrorist, Abdulla Azzama,” Walker told him.
“And just how do you expect me to do that?” John asked. “You already know exactly where he lives. Why don’t you just send in an unmanned drone to take him out?”
Ryan Walker laughed, and then said, “It’s not as simple as you would imagine. Abdulla Azzama moves around a lot. Using an unmanned drone, we’d never be quite certain that we got the right man.”
“So, tell me, exactly what do you want me to do?”
Walker then told him the entire plan, and then asked, “Will you do it?”
Sam Reilly watched as the older man came through the open-air gangway into the gondola. He recognized the man as John Wolfgang, but noted that his blonde hair was now more white than blonde in color.
Aliana ran towards her father and threw her arms around him.
“Dad!”
“Aliana!” John held her tightly to him. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Tell me, is it true?” She asked, with tears in her eyes.
John didn’t say anything at first. He looked almost too ashamed to speak, but he finally said, “You don’t understand. There was nothing I could do about it. They threatened your safety. You must believe me, it was never about the money, I did it all for you, I promise. I’m so sorry.”
She kissed him and said, “I believe you Dad,” pausing briefly and then said, “Dad, I want you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Sam Reilly.”
Sam shook his hand and said, “It’s nice to meet you, sir. Aliana has told me of many of your extraordinary accomplishments.”
“Thank you, and it’s good to meet you, too.” John smiled, but his intensely intelligent blue eyes refused to meet Sam's, and he quickly added, “I’ve also heard about a few of your accomplishments over the years, as well. Your father, of course, is a great man.”
“That he is.” Sam studied the man more closely, and couldn’t help but recall the face of the man who tried to kill him while he was onboard Second Chance.
There was not a doubt in his mind.
Aliana’s father tried to kill me.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you all here,” Ryan said, “but we’re going to have to get a move on if we’re to reach the rendezvous point within four days. Time is everything here — we’re going to get one chance only at this.”
“Yes, of course,” John agreed.
Sam spent the next few hours explaining all that that he could to help the man who had tried to kill him. In the end he said: “That’s it. You’ll find it’s pretty simple. You’ll get the handle of it by the time you get there.”
John shook his hand.
This time, his eyes met Sam's.
“Thank you. I know how difficult this must have been for you.” It was as much of an admission of guilt, as John would make. “If I don’t make it, please look after my little girl. There are few men out there who I believe could be worthy of her affection. I believe you just might be one of them.”
“I will, Mr. Wolfgang. You have my word,” Sam said, and his word was just about as solid as you get, “Good luck. I mean it — I hope you nail this bastard.”
Just before he and Aliana got off the Magdalena Sam watched as Aliana hugged her father and told him that she forgave him, for everything.