Treasure Island, San Francisco, California, Macrostrength Industries, Hangar Bay 1, 0815 hrs:
Captain Brassman, wearing his new Protector Exo-System Suit walked outside Hangar Bay 1 as he asked. "Garfield, Can you hear me?....", Major Garfield Powers spoke into his computer's microphone replied, "I hear you loud and clear Chase....How does it feel wearing that thing?....". Captain Brassman took two more steps forward then looked down towards his red turbo jet boots replying, "Everything feels a little more bulkier than before....It's like wearing an astronaut's suit....can't walk well with this boots on...", Garfield smiled and said, "Well those boots really ain't for walking you know....Hey!..why don't you ask SAM to do a quick diagnostics before the game starts...". Captain Brassman looked at the bottom of his visor where there were several categories of computer functions to choose from. Ok SAM,...let's do another set of diagnostics before we play ball....nothing too intricate, just check for bugs and do it quick and dirty....". His computer showed a text message which appeared, [Brief diagnostics underway, will need one minute to complete...]. While waiting, Captain Brassman took out a candy bar from his lower pocket and unwrapped it as he started checking other categories just to remind him of his options when the simulated air to air combat begins. After a minute had passed, he saw the computer's message which read, [Full diagnostics complete...no damage...no viruses detected...]. Chase pushed up his visor then started taking a few bites of the candy bar. Major Powers hearing him chew asked, "Are you having a snack?...", Chase smiled while chewing as he responded, "Just chewing on a chocolate candy bar....just a little bit of sugar rush to get me goin!....". He pulled his visor back down, storing the candy wrapper down his flight suit's side pocket.
Captain Brassman then looked towards the sky as he commanded, "SAM....activate flight systems...Heads Up Display (HUD) on visor please....Give me a green color to it...Have the AVA-12 Vertical Situation Display in blue.....and the Horizontal Situation Display in red.....Activate the ALR-45 Radar warning and control system please.....Change my weapons targeting system to yellow and a target lock into a pulsating red with a one second tone delay....". On his transparent visor, different lines and graphs appeared with each having a distinct color for easier recognition. Then he remembered how loud the explosions were when he got hit by bazooka fire during combat in the Philippines as he commanded, "SAM, I don't wanna go deaf when I get hit by missiles...so mute all outside noise, but monitor all environmental noise and relay it to me if it's important....". After a few seconds, all noise disappeared as the only thing he could hear was himself breathe. He looked down towards his red rocket jet boots as he commanded, "SAM,...power up rocket boosters to 20%....hover at 30 feet altitude....". Suddenly the flight systems category on the lower portion of his visor changed into a bright green color as the wings on his back unfolded and stayed at a 90 degree angle, steam and a loud jet rocket sound started emitting from under his red boots as he started ascending gradually and hovered 30 feet above the ground. He leaned forward and in a split second was gone. Just like a rocket being launched from a rocket launcher.
All the aerospace technicians, scientists and flight engineers who were inside the hangar bay sitting by their individual computer terminals started getting busier as data started pouring into their computers. It looked like NASA's space mission control just after a space shuttle lift off. "Talk to me Chase...", Garfield asked over his headset with a microphone attached to it. He couldn't help feel a little envious of his friend's fortune. He wondered for a minute if whether he'd get chosen to fly the "Protector", if he was the fighter pilot and Chase was the Attack helicopter pilot, or what if he was a Caucasian attack helicopter pilot and Chase was an African American fighter plane pilot. Would Chase still get picked to fly the "Protector"?. He came back to his senses after hearing Chase reply, "Whoa!....It feels great up here Garfield....I feel like an eagle soaring through the skies....I wish you could feel what I'm feeling Garfield.....It's amazing!...". Garfield smiled briefly as he responded, "So do I my friend....so do I...". A few scientists glanced at Garfield as they all listened to their conversation, realizing that Garfield could and should have been the one piloting the "Protector". Garfield saw the stares but ignored them completely as he focused on his task, "You're climbing up to 10,000 feet....continue to 30,000 feet....that's the altitude of the air to air combat.....and just to remind you cowboy....10,000 feet is the hard deck", Garfield announced as he continued typing on his computer's keyboard. The Protector was now flying at a ten degree vertical angle with it's wings swept back to a 75 degree angle at a speed of Mach 1.20 (913.2 mph). The Protector rolled, spiraled and spun around in the sky as he continued to ascend. Stretching his arms above his head with his fists clenched in exhilaration as he was reaching out for the sun. Chase realized this must have been how the cartoon character, "Superman", felt. "No wonder this fictional superhero never felt the need for greed or power, because up here he felt free...liberated from the cares of the world and the constant competition to create that false sense of security called a, "lifestyle",", he thought to himself.
Garfield loaded some information into his computer and called out to Chase, "Hey buddy!, are you at all interested at what you're up against?...", Chase wondered for a second then said, "Five fighter planes ..right?...Is there anything else I should know?....". Garfield smiled and said, "Ooooh!, you'll owe me big time my friend....Since it wasn't against the rules to research your opponents today...I looked up some history on each of the fighter pilots you'll be facing....I've downloaded their flight training records from when they were students at Top Gun and their present flight evaluations as flight instructors....I know each pilot's strengths and weaknesses....and not only that.....the best part is I downloaded their air combat tactics manual...had it scanned..and while you were asleep....I uploaded it into your micro-computer, "SAM"....So now, SAM knows and will be able to anticipate every kind'a maneuver your opponents will perform today.....I just thought you'd need this extra edge since you're outnumbered five to one.....I'll be coaching you on how to find the weaknesses of these pilots, just to even the playing field a bit. ". Chase smiled as he replied, "You're amazing Garfield....I owe you a drink...". Garfield looked at the other scientists who were smiling at him, as one of them gave him a thumbs up as Garfield replied saying, "No my friend, you'll owe me several drinks....".
Naval Air Station, Miramar California: 0815 hrs,
Five fighter Jet planes started launching one by one piloted by some of the best pilots and Top Gun instructors of the U.S. military. The pilots were all previous and/or current Top Gun instructors who were selected two weeks ago. They were told that they'll be facing America's first future flying superhero, "The Protector". The only other information they have was that they can use their guns and missiles to shoot at the Protector, but will not be fired upon in return. They do need to evade the Protector's weapon target locking system, and if they get locked on and can't get free for five seconds, then they were automatically disqualified from the training exercise. Formed as a temporary training squadron, they named themselves, "The Grim Reapers".
As all five of them ascended to the sky in a reverse, "V", formation, the military air boss at Miramar's control tower called out to all the pilots, "Grim Reapers one through five....give me your status over....". The pilot of one of the two F14 Tomcats leading the group replied, "Miramar...this is Grim Reaper One, I repeat...Grim Reaper One, leading the pack....We're ascending to 30,000 feet....range 180 miles bearing 0-7-0...over...". The air boss took a sip of his morning coffee as he replied, "Got you...Grim Reaper One.....you'll be ID'ing your bogey soon....Good luck guys and be safe.....over and out...". The air boss took off his headset as he sat and stared at his radar screen making sure the planes stayed at a safe distance away from land to prevent any missiles from reaching the coast. Meanwhile, the other military traffic controllers tracked the five planes headed northwards. Grim Reaper One and Three were F14 Tomcats, each piloted by a naval aviator and a Radar Information Officer (RIO), Grim Reaper Four and Five were F/A-18 Hornets which were single seat fighter jets, and Grim Reaper Two was a F15-Eagle two seater fighter jet plane piloted by an Air Force pilot and his co-pilot.
Back at Hangar Bay 1, Garfield finished analyzing data about the pilots and all their fighter jets that the Protector was going to battle against, "Ok hotshot!...before I start...just wanna remind you that your top speed is about Mach 2 (1,522.4 mph).....Don't fly any higher than 75,000 feet altitude....that's your maximum ceiling....any higher than that, your jet rocket boosters may stall.....You don't have to fly like your hair's on fire, we'll strategize how to battle with each fighter plane that we go up against.....Two of the five planes are F14 Tomcats...their top speed is about Mach 2.34,...so forget about chasing them, let them chase you instead, the same goes with the F15 Eagle which is the fastest aircraft out of the five...it's top speed is about Mach 2.7....again, forget about chasing this Eagle....specially on straight aways......your advantage against these guys is your agility and size....It's harder to hit a smaller and quicker target.....
The F/A-18 Hornets are more agile than the Tomcats and the Eagle, but they're much slower than the rest...their top speed is only about Mach 1.8....I want you to start by pursuing these Hornets and let the others chase you....When we see an opening, we'll cease the chase for the Hornets and loop around and try to shoot down these faster F14's and F15 jets...got it?....". Chase glanced at the lower part of his visor's weapon systems category as he now switched to his eye tracking technology which uses optical control in flying the Protector. A transparent but semi-gray colored shaded box appeared appeared at the middle of his visor that he now used to direct the Protector's movements. As fast as he could look to the right border of the box was as fast as the Protector turned right as it flew even faster and quicker.
After a few minutes, Chase asked, "Hey Garfield, Dr. Spain said that they patterned the Protector's technology as close to the F22 Raptor, but I can't seem to find my countermeasures....". Garfield quickly answered, "You're countermeasures are voice activated...you won't see it below your visor...so when you need to use them just call out, "Flares", or "Chaffs"....".
(CHAFFS: Is a radar countermeasure in which an aircraft spreads a cloud of small thin pieces of aluminum or metallized glass fibers which either appears as a cluster of secondary targets to confuse radar guided missiles like the AIM74 Sparrow missiles which are carried by the F15 Eagle.)
(FLARES: A decoy flare is an infra-red countermeasure to counter an infra-red homing (heat-seeking) surface to air, or air to air missiles like the short range Sidewinder missiles carried by the F/A-18 Hornets and the AIM155 Phoenix missiles which are radar-guided, long range missiles used by F14 Tomcats and F15 Eagles. Flares are commonly composed of pyrotechnic composition based or Magnesium or another hot burning metal with burning temperatures equal or hotter than engine exhaust. The aim is to make the infra-red guided missile seek out the heat signature from the flare rather than the aircraft's engines ).
Chase once again asked, "Am I able to deploy countermeasures when my primary force shield is on?....". Garfield looked over to Dr. Michael St. Mary, the lead aerospace flight engineer who is mainly responsible for the jet boosters who was in consultation with Dr. Carlos Fortesa the scientist who developed the, "Halo", shield who answered Chase's question giving Garfield the answer in a secured communication link as Garfield finally answered saying, "Chase, our scientists says that your countermeasures comes out of your rocket boot's heels....Your flares are deployed through your left heel and your chaffs from the right heel....the bottom area of your boots are the only area not covered by your force shield...". Chase nodded as he replied, "Got it!...".
Meanwhile the five fighter jet planes out to challenge the Protector were ascending to 30,000 feet. Grim Reaper One (F14 Tomcat) announced, "This is Grim Reaper One.....Since this is only the third time we've flown together, I would like to start by introducing myself again....I'm Lieutenant Marlone Ing....Call sign: Lightning Speed....I won the Top Gun trophy two years ago and I've been mostly teaching dogfighting to our pilots stationed at our Naval Air Station in Atsugi, Japan. I come to Miramar two weeks every year to give air to air combat classes.....My hobbies include racing superbikes....I've been the Superbike World Champion three times in the last five years....I like speed.....the Navy doesn't mind me doing this cause they use me as a walking billboard and advertisement for young highschool graduates to join the Navy....Next is my RIO (Radar Interceptor Officer), Ed....Take it away buddy!...". The co-pilot sitting behind Lt. Ing looked above his plane's canopy with slight boredom as he yawned before speaking saying, "Lieutenant Junior Grade Edwin Charles at your service....Call sign: Thunder Bolt....I've been with Lightning Speed since flight school....So just remember....Thunder Bolt's the name....fishing for MIG fighter planes is my game....over and out....".
After a few seconds of silence, Grim Reaper Three (F14 Tomcat) pilot Lt. Sharon St. Peter spoke up, "Ok, since no one wants to go next....I'm Lt. Sharon St. Peter.....mother of two beautiful children ages five and three....Call sign: Saint.....I won the Top Gun trophy five years ago....and since then...gotten married and had kids....I admit I've slowed down a bit.....haven't been pulling as much negative G forces as I used to.....most of the time I teach basic air to air combat maneuvering to Naval Aviator students at Naval Air Station Pensacola Florida.....so if you're ever down there....give me a call and come and meet my family....". Lt St. Peter's RIO spoke saying, "Good day!...Gents and Gals!...I'm Lieutenant Junior-Grade (LT-JG) Redmond Redrick....Call sign: RED....they say that during combat, my face turns red....and when I'm mad, everything I see turns into the color of blood.....It's also my favorite color....When I fly....my inner shirt and brief is colored red....The only drawback is that sometimes after doing laundry, my wife's red silk panties gets thrown in with my red underwear....One time, I packed all my clothes for a mission and accidentally brought my wife's red panties instead of by red briefs....during the mission, I ended up wearing her underwear....I couldn't keep still in my seat....that G-string really gets in between the folds of the buttocks you know....whew!..it really tickles down there....Has that ever happened to any of you guys?.....". Suddenly there was complete radio silence for a whole minute before Lt-JG Redrick started hearing what appeared to be muted laughters over his radio as he slapped his face feeling embarassed for having had to tell that story.
Grim Reaper Four (F/A-18 Hornet) pilot spoke next saying, "GR4 pilot Lt. Troy Brionick here at your service....Callsign: Widowmaker....but I like being called, "The Bionic Man".....I believe that I'm the best darn pilot in the world as of today and will ever be in the future....I am America's version of the, "Red Baron", if you all know what I mean...Ha!...Ha!...I like to be aggressive in flying and in picking up chicks at bars.....I was the Top Gun trophy winner four years ago and a graduate of Alchoholics Anonymous three years ago.....I'm very impulsive and that's what gives me the edge during air to air combat.....I've downed three fighter planes so far....no, not enemy aircrafts....they were aircrafts I was piloting due to carelessness....Thank God for ejection seats huh!?....ha!...ha!...My dad's an Admiral in the Navy...that's why I haven't been kicked out of the service yet....They call me in to teach Top Gun students twice a year at Miramar....not to teach dogfighting but to give talks on why drugs and alcohol can shorten a pilot's career...So, after this mission....Is there anyone buying drinks?.....". No one answered his question due to his cocky attitude, then Air Force pilot Captain Anthony Aguinaldretto who speaks with an Italian accent spoke next. Grim Reaper Two (F15-Eagle) Captain Anthony Aguinaldretto...Call sign: Rebel...here at your service....It's nice to be the only flyboys among Navy squids...he!..he!...he!...I'm a father of four kids....they named me Rebel because whenever I get orders to retreat during a dogfight...I attack....I've squared off with four MIG fighter planes by myself and shot them all down....but that was when I was young, single and foolish....Anyway that's why they chose me and my co-pilot to be a part of this squadron...to give you someone with extensive real war experience....even though I don't teach at your Top Gun school....so let me teach this Protector a thing or two about dog fighting....but for now...may I introduce my co-pilot...". Quickly, Captain Aguinaldretto's co-pilot spoke up with a Southern accent saying, " Ritch Liberty here...at your service...originally from Tennessee....but grew up in Georgia...I love those "Grits",....My Call sign's Hammer,....During dogfighting, I get so excited that I start pounding my fists into my navigational instruments....One time I hit my electronics so hard that everything went dead!....we got lost for hours...and finally had to do an emergency landing somewhere in Syberia....during winter time.....Good thing the folks over there had Vodka...so that's how I got called Hammer....It's nice to be here...over and out....".
The last that spoke was Grim Reaper Five (F/A-18 Hornet), piloted by the beautiful. smart and skillfull, Lt Jayne Randolph, "Jayne Randolph here.....Callsign: Eagle Eye.....got the name cause whenever I close my left eye and aim with my right eye....I always get a bulls eye.....Presently teaching air to air combat to our pilots in Germany....I won the Junior U.S. Dart championship when I was seventeen....I won the Miss Minnesota beauty pageant when I was nineteen but lost during the Miss USA pageant....got frustrated cause beauty pageants are too subjective....the one who won Miss USA was the niece of one of the judges.....Before the competion starts, some judges already have their favorites......you just don't have any control over winning.....After that stint, I decided to become a police officer....after the police academy, I applied for the SWAT team and was accepted and trained as a SWAT team member.....Did two years, even winning the SWAT's Sharp Shooter Contest....When I got bored, I decided to resign and joined the U.S. Navy....I applied and was accepted at the Naval Aviator's School, I finished first in class then was sent to Top Gun School...Won the Top Gun trophy three years ago, and I've been a Top Gun Instructor ever since....".
After Lt Randolph was done introducing herself, Lt. Troy Brionick quickly asked, "Hey, Jayne....after we're done here, do you wanna go out for drinks?....I know this really cool place in this Hotel with a nice bar, then we can go get a room afterwards then.....", suddenly Lt-JG Ritchie Liberty interjected saying, "Don't go out with him Jayne, he's a drunk.....Let me take you out for dinner and I'll show....", quickly, Lt. Marlone Ing cut into the conversation saying, "Don't listen to him Jayne, he's not even a real pilot.....Let me take you for a drive up the coast...I know this nice intimate restaurant by Carmel that....", finally, Lt Randolph spoke up saying, "Boys!...Boys!.....thanks for all the offers but I don't date pilots.....I only date astronauts!...now has anyone of you been out to space lately?.....". Suddenly the airwaves was completely silent once again, then after one minute of complete silence, Lt Sharon St. Peter started laughing as she said, "That's one way of shutting up these guys with their god-like egos...", both women laughed louder when suddenly they heard a familiar voice through their radio.
"Goodmorning Ladies and Gents!....It's a fine Monday morning....72 degrees with fair winds and blue skies....this is Major Powers.....Communications Officer for the Protector.....I'd like to welcome you all to this rude and humbling awakening as you get a taste of the awesome power of America's newest superhero.....Just to remind you all, you can target your missiles at any part of the Protector but not his rocket boosters which are not protected by his force shield.....Your goal,....is to get his force shield down to 30% or his main power down to 40% and you win the game.....On our part, if the Protector locks his laser targeting system on you for a full 5 consecutive seconds then you're considered dead and please have a safe trip back home to the bowels of Naval Air Station Miramar.......". Suddenly Lt Troy Brionick spoke up saying, "Hey Garfield, what happened to you....weren't you supposed to be piloting the Protector?.....What's wrong, is your skin not white enough to be a superhero?...Ha!...HA!...". Lt Jayne Randolph interjected saying, "You've got a big mouth Widowmaker....too bad your mouth's faster than your skill in flying....Don't worry about him Major Powers, he's just being a jerk...Even I applied for the Protector mission and didn't even go as far as to be in the final selection....It's still a man's world out there when it comes to state of the art technology and war machines....". Lt-JG Edwin Charles asked, "Hey Captain Brassman, how come you never applied for Top Gun School?....". Chase gave a contemptuous smile as he answered, "I wanted to but I was too busy doing missions with my Navy SEAL team....". Lightning Speed shook his head then remarked, "Double edge sword huh?!...I guess we'll just have to teach you a few lessons you could have learned at Top Gun....". Instantly, they got within visual range of each other as Captain Brassman responded, "Then bring it on boys and girls!....".
Cure Corp Building, San Francisco, California.
It was 10:00 am Monday as the meeting started, a video connection was established with North Korea. For the first few minutes there were different video and audio engineers who were testing the quality of their long distance connections, as soon as a clear video and audio connection was established, the camera was focused unto a high ranking North Korean General who started speaking in english saying, "Goodmorning to you all....I am General Song and may I know who of you is Dr. Mark Peters?....". The video camera inside the conference room focused at Samantha as she replied, "Dr. Peters is not here and I'm his daughter Samantha Peters who is the owner and CEO of Cure Corp.....I am the one your president needs to speak to....". The General felt wary as he forced a smile as he nervously said, "I'm sorry Miss Peters but my President wants to speak to your father or any high ranking male in your company who is authorized to provide your most famous cure for cancer.....". Samantha felt slighted but maintained a calm composure as she replied, "General Song, if your President doesn't want to speak to me then tell him to find a cure for his cancer somewhere else....". The General appeared apprehensive and more nervous as he looked away from the camera as if trying to locate something or someone. The camera panned around the direction to where the General was looking at as it focused towards a beautiful garden outside the presidential mansion. In the middle of the garden was a group of people having snacks sitting around a table, gathered together with the North Korean President who was sitting in a wheelchair.
Samantha observed that even in a weakened state, the President was still happy to watch his grandchildren play around the garden. The General called out to a pair of soldiers as one of them whispered a message in the President's ear. The soldier then pushed the President sitting in his wheelchair towards the camera. As North Korea's president "Mai Soon", reached the video communications team, he stared at a small video monitor where he saw a video feed of a group of Americans in the Cure Corp conference room. He then looked into the camera and asked, "Where's the doctor?....". Samantha quickly answered saying, " He's not here and it is I, her daughter, Samantha Peters who runs this company and who approves all cures for cancer....So if you want a cure,...you'll have to deal with me....", Samantha stood straight with her arms crossed over her chest projecting a confident unwavering demeanor. Suddenly, the North Korean dictator's face looked mad as he started scolding General Song in their Korean language. He then looked into the camera asking, "Is this a joke?....I don't want to speak to you lady....Get me your father or a man who knows something about my disease before I loose my cool and fire several nuclear missiles that will destroy countries and kill hundreds of millions of people....In the meantime why don't you learn your proper place in the world and learn how to crouchet or learn how to cook for your husband and kids if you have them lady....". The dictator pushed himself up from the wheelchair as a couple of soldiers helped him stand up. As the President stood warily next to General Song who stood about six feet three inches tall, the President appeared to be really short in comparison to the tall general beside him. Suddenly the main doors of the conference room opened as Betsy quickly came in wearing one of Samantha's business suits. She looked at all the people with tense faces in the conference room staring at her then saw the two men in the video screen as she laughed asking loudly, "So!, who's the midget?...."", suddenly everyone in the conference room gasped and grumbled as everyone became flustered by Betsy's comment while President Mai Soon who understood and spoke English well started cursing in his native language. Samantha gave Betsy an irritated look and gestured for her to sit quickly and to shut up. Samantha tried to apologize for the comment Betsy said but the President was now furious. The North Korean President started cursing and yelling more derogatory sexist remarks towards Samantha as she tried to keep her sense of self control while she was clenching her fists behind her back. She gently told the President, "Mr. President, I will not keep on tolerating the manner of how you speak to me.....you need to calm down....", but President Mai Soon became more beligerant as Samantha firmly responded, "Mr President...I know that in your country, women are still treated as second class citizens, but in America women, "Kick ASS!!!...", so even though I don't have a, "SHORT!", temper....I am a busy person and my time is, "SHORT!", so I would advice you....little man....to look up and smell the roses because I am your only key to your survival...and if you ever raise your voice at me again, I will hang-up and end this meeting immediately....". Everyone in the conference room looked at each other with anxiety as increased tensions filled the room. The dictator coughed a few times as his face shook in anger while raising his fist yelling, "You bitch!... you dare insult my height....if you don't let me talk to Dr. Mark Peters, I will destroy countries here in Asia and it's going to be your fault!..So...,"[Click...], Samantha turned off the connection between the two parties as the Secretary of Defense quickly stood up yelling, "What the hell did you do Miss Peters!?....You've just endangered millions of lives with your overconfident and cavalier attitude!....I want you to call him back, apologize and let me be the one to make a deal with him...I am the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America!...", as he dusted off his business suit. Samantha stared at the Secretary of Defense with her hands on her hips trying to project complete control of the situation. Admiral Rivera slowly swivelled in his chair as he calmly asked, "You sure you know what your doing Sam?...". Samantha stared at the Admiral as she re-assured him saying, "Don't worry Admiral, I know very well what I'm doing...".
Suddenly General Cheung's cell phone rang as he received a call from North Korean General Song. After a few minutes of discussion, General Cheung informed the group that President Mai Yu Dai-Soon is giving them one hour to produce Dr. Mark Peters, and if they are not contacted in one hour, they will launch five nuclear missiles directed at undisclosed Asian countries that were allies of the United States. The tension in the conference room increased another notch as anxiety turned to agitation, everyone was now arguing the best course of action to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. The Secretary of Defense, Dean Johnson stood up as he slapped his hand on the table, then raised his hand up in the air signalling for everyone to stop arguing. As everyone stopped talking, Dean Johnson's posture and mannerism reminded Samantha of Adolf Hitler and how she used to watch black and white documentaries of Hitler during World War 2 when he would address and salute his Nazi regime, all he needed was a small square mustache under his nose and he'd be a xerox copy of Hitler.
Dean Johnson spoke saying, "Lets get Dr. Peters here now and I'll take over the negotiations with President Mai Soon...", knowing that this was an opportunity for him to be a hero in the eyes of the International community. When the press finds out that he'd averted a nuclear holocaust in Asia, it would be good for his political career and maybe catapult him to congress or even the vice-presidency of the United States in a few years. Everyone broke their silence and started arguing again as Samantha raised her hands trying to quiet down the group and get everyone's attention, "Please...please...give me your attention for a minute....". Everyone stopped talking and stared at Samantha as she explained, "This dictator will not launch his nukes....I guarantee it!....", suddenly the room got chaotic once more as everyone tried to insist on their own opinion and beliefs. Dean Johnson did that Adolf Hitler gesture again by slapping his hand on the table three times to get everyone's attention as he spoke asking, "And how does a thirty year old woman who has no experience in military strategy and warfare know what this madman will do and not do?!!...", as he tried to plant doubts in the group's minds about Samantha's ability to predict what North Korea's leader will do. Samantha feeling the pressure calmly responded, "I believe and am certainly positive that this man is going through the five stages of dying....or the grieving process....I see it a lot in our company's patients who come in for a cure....". Everyone looked around with a puzzled expression as she noticed Admiral Rivera smiling at her as he stood up applauding her while everyone in the room wondered what Samantha was talking about.
The Admiral spoke saying, "Ahhh...the five stages of dying.....let me see if I still remember them...First is Denial...second is Anger.....then there's Bargaining.........Depression and finally Acceptance....". He looked around the room then commented, "I used to be A Navy Hospital Corpsman assigned with the Marines before I became an Officer and that's how I know of this...". He then asked Samantha to explain to the group why she did not think that the North Korean President would launch the missiles and the connection to the, "Five Stages of Dying". Samantha glanced around at skeptical faces as she started explaining, "President Mai Soon is going through the five stages of dying.....How do I know this?.....First of all, I see it time and time again in our patients who come for a cure with terminal cancer,...Secondly, I minored in Health Sciences in college and studied this principle which is a widely accepted model of emotional and psychological responses that many people experience when faced with a life-threatening illness.....It was first introduced by Elizabeth Kubler Ross in her 1969 book, "On Death and Dying",...As mentioned by the Admiral,...there are five stages and they are, DENIAL....is when the sick person says that he feels fine and does not accept that their illness is happening to them....We all read the reports of how Mai Soon had to fly in two French doctors even though his staff of physicians were all trained in Europe and here in America...Because of his denial, he did not accept the diagnosis of his own physicians, even with his access to state of the art hospital equipments....Then there's the ANGER stage, where the dying prson is asking, "Why me?....Who is to blame?.", during this stage, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage or envy.....And, you all just witnessed how angry that dictator was, not even wanting to listen to reason....Secondly, when our meeting started, we all witnessed the dictator sitting in his wheelchair having fun watching his grandchildren play in their garden....I really believe that he loves his family too much knowing that if he launches his nukes that we'll shower his country with our own nuclear missiles killing everyone including his family and grandchildren that he trully loves.....Which brings us to the third stage...BARGAINING.....I believe that he is just bluffing and will call us before the hour is over to start bargaining for a cure for his cancer.
Captain O'Bland suddenly interrupted announcing, "We have 55 minutes before they launch their nukes ladies and gentlemen...", Once again Dean Johnson stood up raising his right hand above his head just like Hitler does as he spoke up while staring at Samantha saying, "just because you minored in Health Sciences in college, you think that you can predict what this madman will do?....As the Secretary of Defense, I order you to re-establish communications with North Korea and give their President the cure he needs!...That's an order!.....". Admiral Rivera quickly stood up saying, "With all due respect Secretary Johnson....I am in control of this negotiations, he then pulled out and raised another copy of the signed letter by the President of the United States showing that he was authorized to have full control of the negotiations with North Korea. After giving the Admiral a dirty look, Secretary Johnson finally sat down steaming in anger. Suddenly, Samantha's cell phone rang, it was Grey. She rolled her eyes in exasperation at the bad timing as she hesitantly answered the phone, "Hi,...what's up?!....". She heard Grey's disappointed voice on the other end as he asked, "Do you know what time it is?....". Samantha looked at her gold wrist watch as she replied, "Yeah, it's 1035 AM....". Grey sounding frustrated replied, "Yeah?!...Did you forget about our 10 am appointment with the christian counselor?.....I've been waiting here at his office for the last 45 minutes....". Samantha pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes closed feeling stressed out as she answered with an alibi saying, "Grey, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna be able to make it....It's just been chaotic at work....you know....with all the sick people we're trying to cure....you understand, don't you?...". Grey gave a deep sigh as he replied, "Sam, you're not a doctor...you don't treat patients....you run the company and make the big bucks....I thought that money was not important to you....and now you're giving me excuses?....The world is not gonna end if you miss a day of work you know...". "Bad choice of words", Samantha thought to herself as she replied, "Grey, if I told you the truth, you won't even believe me..so what's the use?!....". With an annoyed tone Grey replied, "Try me!!....". Samantha looked at the group who were still arguing among each other as she placed her left hand on her waist as she finally decided to tell Grey the truth as she said, "Ok?!...you wanna know the truth?.....I'm in a middle of a nuclear crisis...I'm negotiating with North Korea's President who is threatening to launch nuclear missiles all over Asia unless....", [click!....], suddenly Grey hanged up on her as she felt the pressure of the situation quickly double, she was right the first time thinking that Grey would never believe the truth if she told him. And now she had her first argument with the man she loved a day after they've reconciled.
General Cheung who was talking on his cell phone suddenly announced loudly saying, I'm getting reports that our satellites are picking up smoke build up at their nuclear missile sites....Looks like they've armed and are warming up their nukes for launching.....". Secretary Johnson took out his cell phone as he yelled and slammed his right hand on the table yelling, "This is ridiculous!....You people are all mad!....I'm calling the President myself and will get authorization to take control of this negotiations...and you Miss Peters better be ready to provide the cure or you'll be spending the rest of your life in a Federal prison with the guilt you'll carry for being the cause of a nuclear holocaust in Asia.....".
Secretary Johnson started dialing the number of the President's cell phone on his secured line but the phone just kept on ringing, a few seconds later, individual cell phones started ringing one by one. Captain O'Bland who was speaking into his cell phone suddenly yelled, "The President has been shot!...". Most of the military officers got the same call, the Admiral was listening into his cell phone as a high ranking Egyptian official was giving him a more thorough report over his cell phone with more details than what everyone had. The Secretary of Defense was staring at his cell phone expecting it to ring but no one called him. Admiral Rivera turned off his cell phone as he gestured and asked everyone to calm down and have a seat. Meanwhile, Secretary Johnson was fuming that nobody even bothered to call him, "The Secretary of Defense of the United States of America....A forgotten man...", he thought to himself. Admiral Rivera wiped off the sweat in his forehead as he said, "I know that most of you just got the news that our President had been shot, but before I expand on....", the conference room's double doors suddenly slammed open as CURE Corp's security chief and other top ranking CURE executives burst in yelling, "Turn on the T.V.....there's breaking news about our President getting shot at Cairo....". Admiral Rivera quickly paused his speech as one of the three 60 inch TV plasma screens hanging on the wall turned on.
USNN TV anchor Nancy Vanderfield came on screen looking disorganized as she compiled the papers in front of her and fixed her hair quickly, and after a few seconds looked towards the camera as she started reporting live, "Good morning America,...we have news that just came in from Cairo Egypt where our President has been visiting to enhance cooperation between both nations on the war on terror....We just learned that the President of the United States was shot at while meeting with the Egyptian President in Egypt's presidential palace....Right now, our news reporter, Vabhani Khaliwa who is at Cairo is standing by to give us more details about the President's condition....". Quickly, the T.V. camera switched to a live footage from Cairo where a reporter was standing in front of Egypts presidential palace, "Thank you, Nancy....as you all can see, I'm standing in front of the palace which is now guarded by twice as many security personnel and with an additional two hundred Egyptian Army troops as they surround the palace, not letting anyone in or out....We're not sure about what exactly happened but we have obtained unofficial reports from anonymous witnesses who works inside the palace that a gunman open fired at our President while he was sitting beside the Egyptian President as they held their meeting, we were told that several secret service men jumped on top of the President after the first shot was fired to shield him from further gunfire while the others together with Egyptian palace guards wrestled the shooter to the ground....No word yet on the condition of our President, on whether he is hurt or how serious are his injuries....So far we have not seen any ambulance present unless there is a medical clinic and medical staff inside the palace ready to assist and treat our President....There's also no word yet on who's the shooter and how they got to the President.....All we know is that the Egyptian President is unharmed and that there was only one gunman and one gunshot fired....We just learned that our President is in a safe room guarded by Egypts own presidential guards, while our secret service agents whose task is to protect the President were taken to a separate room for questioning....Why that is?,....it's still not clear. In the meantime, Egypt's military and security forces are on high alert as they are securing the whole palace and searching for any other assassins that might still be inside the palace....". (End of Chapter)
(Author's Note: I will be taking a break from writing for now and switch to song writing once again. I plan to write, arrange, record and upload one song per month for the months of September, October and November 2011, then I'll be taking a three month Christmas break to gain my health back. I will continue with chapter 11 of this novel on March 2012. Thank you so much for your patronage and patience and please donate a few dollars to your favorite charity that helps the poor, sick and hungry...or to anyone of the charitable organizations I've listed on the beginning of this novel. Take Care and May God Bless You....Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!....)
