08-14-2016, 04:28 PM
Kachina slept on the redeye flight back to Atlanta. Her equipment would take a separate flight. She had a change of clothes and her Wallet, and little else. She woke up over Pensacola and had just enough time to freshen up in the airplane lavatory, where she stripped out of the tank top and jeans she'd been trekking around the rainforest in for the past two days and into a more work-appropriate white blouse with brown jacket and knee-length skirt. Her plane landed at 5 a.m., and the morning conference was scheduled at 6.
A driver picked her up at the airport and took her straight to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters. The sky was turning red in the pre-dawn as they pulled up in front of the multistory glass structure built in a slight curve, which caught the dim light and gave off an ominous glow. Red sky at dawn.
Rodger Kimpbell was already at the conference room when Kat arrived. She greeted the wiry, balding man with thick spectacles with a handshake and a tired smile. “What is this about?”
she asked him.
Rodger shrugged. “You know as much as I do. We're reorganizing somehow. We will find out.”
She nodded and took a seat. The main conference room was arrayed in an optimum fashion for news or press conferences, with chairs arranged in tiers around a central podium. filled up with about a hundred staff members, from field operatives to desk workers.
At six a.m., a middle-aged woman came to the podium. Kat immediately recognized her as Jeanavette Edmunson, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“Good morning,”
she said. “I want to thank you for the work you have done. You have provided a significant service to our country in the furthering of our understanding of the anomaly known as the Sickness. There have been recent reports of people developing supernatural abilities in connection with the Sickness. To address the issues of national security involved, the President of the United States has ordered a reorganization of all government assets related to this anomaly.”
What kind of reorganization? A new department or bureau being formed? Kat wondered what it would be called...and who would be in charge. The military would love to get its hands on people able to use the Great Power and turn people into weapons. It made her feel sick to her stomach just to think of it. The memory of Jerome came back to her.
The secretary continued: “Due to the immediate security concerns, until such time as the reorganization is complete, all assets including this team are immediately reassigned under the authority of the Department of Defense, under the care of the Army National Guard. Your new team leader should be arriving momentarily – ah, here he is. Major?”
The door had opened while she was speaking, admitting three men in green multicam print uniforms. Two wore black berets. They had pistols strapped to their hip and short barreled, stubby rifles hanging by straps across their chests. The third, a burly man with close-cropped peppery hair and a prominent nose, sporting a gold oak leaf, strode up to the podium.
“Madam secretary,”
the man barked, as she yielded the podium. “Good morning,”
he said. “I am Major Colton P. Harris, A.R.N.G. This team is now under the authority of the Department of Defense. You will be individually briefed before leaving today on your new SOP and security protocol. Until then you are all AFI.”
What was an SOP or AFI? Kat tensed as she tried to follow.
***
It was hurry up and wait today. After the conference, the team had been released to their offices to AFI. Which she learned meant awaiting further instruction. All computers and networks had been frozen and taken offline. They were told to stand ready. Just before 2 p.m. Kat was called into what was now Major Harris' office.
Major Harris didn't stand from behind his desk. “Katchina Makawee, GS-6.”
She stuck out a hand, but he just looked at it. “Take a seat.”
She withdrew her hand and managed a weak smile. This man seemed quite cold. “I'm happy to meet you,”
she said. “It's been a pleasure for me to work --”
“Sir. I'm happy to meet you, sir.”
“Uh. I'm happy to meet you, sir.”
She wasn't so sure about that anymore though.
He cleared his throat and glanced down at a touchscreen. “Miss Makawee, do you know what the key to winning is?”
She frowned. “The will to win? Willingness to sacrifice?”
He blinked. “Intel. You know where the enemy is and what he plans to do, and get there before he does.”
“If you say so, sir.”
He glared at her. “Of course I say so.”
He looked back at the touchscreen. “Your department hasn't had much success finding out about Native American incidence of Sickness which means we don't know anything about who can do what with these superpowers.”
Kat swallowed as he stared back at her. Did he know something about her? Am I busted?
Blessedly he continued. “I see that you are a member of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe. What's left of them. We have learned that the Native Americans are having some sort of super secret conference and we think it has to do with this based on the timing. We have been able to submit you as a delegate for your tribe. Go there and find out what you can.”
Kat jerked back in her chair. “You want me to use my tribal affiliation to spy on my own people? I am not okay with this at all.”
The man slammed down his fist on the table. “You are an employee of the government of the United States of America and this is an issue of national security! Is that understood?”
Kat recalled the armed soldiers. The best way to get out of this was just to agree. Unless she wanted to storm out of the place – literally speaking. For the moment, she was upriver without a paddle. “I understand perfectly, sir.”
The man gave her a crack of his lip as a smile. “Good. You leave for Albuquerque immediately. Don't forget to pack sunscreen.”
Continued inPowwow
Edited by Katchina Makawee, Aug 14 2016, 04:28 PM.
A driver picked her up at the airport and took her straight to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters. The sky was turning red in the pre-dawn as they pulled up in front of the multistory glass structure built in a slight curve, which caught the dim light and gave off an ominous glow. Red sky at dawn.
Rodger Kimpbell was already at the conference room when Kat arrived. She greeted the wiry, balding man with thick spectacles with a handshake and a tired smile. “What is this about?”
she asked him.
Rodger shrugged. “You know as much as I do. We're reorganizing somehow. We will find out.”
She nodded and took a seat. The main conference room was arrayed in an optimum fashion for news or press conferences, with chairs arranged in tiers around a central podium. filled up with about a hundred staff members, from field operatives to desk workers.
At six a.m., a middle-aged woman came to the podium. Kat immediately recognized her as Jeanavette Edmunson, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“Good morning,”
she said. “I want to thank you for the work you have done. You have provided a significant service to our country in the furthering of our understanding of the anomaly known as the Sickness. There have been recent reports of people developing supernatural abilities in connection with the Sickness. To address the issues of national security involved, the President of the United States has ordered a reorganization of all government assets related to this anomaly.”
What kind of reorganization? A new department or bureau being formed? Kat wondered what it would be called...and who would be in charge. The military would love to get its hands on people able to use the Great Power and turn people into weapons. It made her feel sick to her stomach just to think of it. The memory of Jerome came back to her.
The secretary continued: “Due to the immediate security concerns, until such time as the reorganization is complete, all assets including this team are immediately reassigned under the authority of the Department of Defense, under the care of the Army National Guard. Your new team leader should be arriving momentarily – ah, here he is. Major?”
The door had opened while she was speaking, admitting three men in green multicam print uniforms. Two wore black berets. They had pistols strapped to their hip and short barreled, stubby rifles hanging by straps across their chests. The third, a burly man with close-cropped peppery hair and a prominent nose, sporting a gold oak leaf, strode up to the podium.
“Madam secretary,”
the man barked, as she yielded the podium. “Good morning,”
he said. “I am Major Colton P. Harris, A.R.N.G. This team is now under the authority of the Department of Defense. You will be individually briefed before leaving today on your new SOP and security protocol. Until then you are all AFI.”
What was an SOP or AFI? Kat tensed as she tried to follow.
***
It was hurry up and wait today. After the conference, the team had been released to their offices to AFI. Which she learned meant awaiting further instruction. All computers and networks had been frozen and taken offline. They were told to stand ready. Just before 2 p.m. Kat was called into what was now Major Harris' office.
Major Harris didn't stand from behind his desk. “Katchina Makawee, GS-6.”
She stuck out a hand, but he just looked at it. “Take a seat.”
She withdrew her hand and managed a weak smile. This man seemed quite cold. “I'm happy to meet you,”
she said. “It's been a pleasure for me to work --”
“Sir. I'm happy to meet you, sir.”
“Uh. I'm happy to meet you, sir.”
She wasn't so sure about that anymore though.
He cleared his throat and glanced down at a touchscreen. “Miss Makawee, do you know what the key to winning is?”
She frowned. “The will to win? Willingness to sacrifice?”
He blinked. “Intel. You know where the enemy is and what he plans to do, and get there before he does.”
“If you say so, sir.”
He glared at her. “Of course I say so.”
He looked back at the touchscreen. “Your department hasn't had much success finding out about Native American incidence of Sickness which means we don't know anything about who can do what with these superpowers.”
Kat swallowed as he stared back at her. Did he know something about her? Am I busted?
Blessedly he continued. “I see that you are a member of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe. What's left of them. We have learned that the Native Americans are having some sort of super secret conference and we think it has to do with this based on the timing. We have been able to submit you as a delegate for your tribe. Go there and find out what you can.”
Kat jerked back in her chair. “You want me to use my tribal affiliation to spy on my own people? I am not okay with this at all.”
The man slammed down his fist on the table. “You are an employee of the government of the United States of America and this is an issue of national security! Is that understood?”
Kat recalled the armed soldiers. The best way to get out of this was just to agree. Unless she wanted to storm out of the place – literally speaking. For the moment, she was upriver without a paddle. “I understand perfectly, sir.”
The man gave her a crack of his lip as a smile. “Good. You leave for Albuquerque immediately. Don't forget to pack sunscreen.”
Continued inPowwow
Edited by Katchina Makawee, Aug 14 2016, 04:28 PM.