The Du Page Affair Ch. 16

This is an original work by Zeb_Carter and is protected under (c) copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only being submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author.

As the clock struck four, Susan started the engine of her SUV and followed the truck in front of us. All the people were either loaded in the trucks or in cars from the parking lot. Jasmine sat beside me panting with excitement. We had two hours to get to Evac-Station Six. Jules was in the lead truck and Scott was in the trailing car.

Shelly was in over flight watching and scanning ahead for any trouble. As we bounced down the road, if you could call it a road, I wondered and worried about my husband, John. He and three others were on their way to shut down the barrier shield which had kept the shockwaves from doing any damage to the outlying areas.

Shelly was keeping tabs on them via her satellite uplink. She had reported that fifty men had shown up at the shield generator to stop John. I was worried, as were Susan and Michelle, they were dear friends and have kept my John healthy and in shape for the past four years.

Yes they were in love with him as I am, but they also both had husbands of their own. Mark, Susan's husband, had come a long way since he first found out about John and his wife. He knew who John was and how much his wife loved him. Both he and I have had long talks about the two of them. And after talking with him I found my jealousy fading. John was who he was and had promised that we would always be together. He has yet to break a promise he has made to anyone.

It was slow going as we bounced down the road. There was all manner of debris that had been blown across the road by the shockwave of the explosions. The big army trucks were having little problem negotiating the debris strewn road, but Susan's SUV was having a rough time as were the standard cars in the convoy.

Scott called a halt after about twenty minutes of bouncing around in the trailing car. He made everyone in the cars move into a truck or one of the few SUV's in the convoy. This took about twenty minutes before we were ready to move again. Michelle had moved into the SUV with us as her car couldn't make the journey.

We were about half way there when my phone rang.

"Hello."

"Jenny, this is Sally, are you all right?"

"Yes, is John hurt?"

"No, he's fine, just a little confrontation with some jerks, nothing to worry about."

"Okay, thanks." And she was gone. I sat looking at my phone when it rang again.

"Hello."

"Jenny, John wants to talk to you." It was Shelly this time.

"Hello.

"Hi Jen, I have someone with me who seems to think his colleagues have you in custody. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine and with Susan and Michelle on our way to the Evac-Station."

"Sally?"

"She's telling the truth. There is no stress in her voice what so ever."

"Shelly?"

"Yes boss?"

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes."

"Code, 456-Alpha."

"Code, 987-Gamma."

And he was gone. I was still looking at my phone when it rang for the third time.

"Hello."

"Jenny, Shelley, John is on his way to meet us at the Evac-Station."

"Thank God. Thank you Shelley."

"You're quite welcome." And she was gone.

"Is everything all right?" asked Michelle.

"Yes, everything is fine. I think." I was still wondering if it really was when we topped a rise and saw a road block had been thrown up before us.

Jules didn't even slow down as the road block was pushed aside by an invisible force. That invisible force remained in front of Jules truck clearing the way for the rest of us. The column of trucks and SUV's picked up speed as the debris was pushed to the side of the road.

The Army troops at the road block opened fire on us. Susan, Michelle and I ducked as the bullets hit the energy field that had been placed around us by Shelley. In doing so Susan almost ran us into the ditch at the side of the road.

"That was different," Susan said angrily, yanking on the wheel causing the truck to lurch back onto the road.

"Assholes," I said, as I flipped the bird to the shitheads firing at us.

As we approached the Evac-Station we could see more soldiers blocking the way. They were gently swept aside as we drove past them. This time they just stood there looking at us as we past. The officers were yelling at the enlisted men but the enlisted men were ignoring them.

I smiled and waved at them as we passed. They smiled back as they stood there. Their officers were still yelling. As we drove past one group an officer had his sidearm out and was preparing to shoot one of his own men when suddenly a bolt of lightening shot out of the sky and tuned his body to dust.

We continued lurching along as the debris was swept aside. We were in sight of the Evac-Station when an army Humvee joined our caravan. It was John and the others. Rudy and Sunny, heads sticking out the windows, their tongues lolling in the wind, seemed to be enjoying the ride. John and the other men were laughing as they joined the convoy.

When we were within five hundred meters of the barrier, John called a halt to our movement. The big army trucks formed a circle around the smaller SUV's with John's Humvee in the middle. When Susan's truck stopped I jumped out and went running to John as he stepped down from the Humvee.

Michelle and Susan were close behind me as I jumped into my husband's arms hugging him fiercely. Susan and Michelle were hugging Doctor LaGrazia as they waited their turn to hug John. Rudy and Sunny were trying to get my attention to tell me how happy they were to see me after such a long absence.

"The barrier will be down in about two hours. Until then we should rest. Shelley has a class one shield over us," John shouted to everyone. "How's my girl," he said looking down at me smiling.

"Fine, now," I replied as I hugged him to me tightly. I stepped away from him and allowed Michelle and Susan to give him a hug. They turned to me and mouthed 'Thanks'.

Michelle and Susan along with Doctor LaGrazia then went running off to the trucks to check on their patients. The rest of the clinic staff was doing the same. Others were pulling supplies from the trucks and handing out MRE's to those who were hungry. John and I walked around making sure everyone had what they needed for the wait.

Within an hour, our position was surrounded by Marines and Army troops. They all stood watching us. A few of the officers were berating their men. The men just stood there smiling. I walked to the edge of the shield and started to talk with a few of them.

Their Captain ran up and told them to shut up. I turned to him and told him to shut the fuck up. He turned to me and said some of the nastiest thing I had ever heard. I then reached through the field and slapped him. He raised his hand to try and hit me back but two of his men knocked him on his ass.

"I hope you won't get in trouble for that?"

"Probably, but he's an asshole and anyway it felt good, Ma'am."

I laughed and pulled a card from my pocket, scribbled my name on the back and gave him the card with our lawyer's number on it.

"If you need a lawyer call this number and mention my name, Jenny Abernathy, he'll take care of everything. You tell him I said he's not to charge you for his services and if he has any questions you tell him to call me."

"Thank you Missus Abernathy, thank you very much." The Captain stood there glaring at me and started to shout at his men again.

I turned and walked along the shield perimeter saying hello to the troops. Not all the officers were idiots like the one I had to whack. Most were just men try to do their jobs and upset that they had been ordered to try and stop us from leaving.

John had joined me half way around and I told him what had happened. When we came back to my starting point the two soldiers who had knocked their Captain on his ass were being placed in cuffs to be taken away.

Shaking his head he reached through the shield and pulled the two troopers inside to the consternation of the MP's standing there. The Captain started cussing at him and telling his men to get back outside of the shield. John reached out again and pulled the Captain inside with us.

Bill and Ted had shown up and were standing over the Captain as he lie on the ground at their feet.

"Now what did you call my wife?" asked John.

"I didn't call her anything," he said.

"Marine did you witness the Captain verbally assaulting my wife?"

"Yes sir."

"And what did he call my wife?"

"He called her, his words, 'a renegade slut whore', sir."

"Will you swear to that at his courts martial?"

"I will, sir."

"How about you Marine?" asked John of the other marine.

"I will, sir."

"Ted, Bill put him in cuffs and throw him in the back of a truck, and take the cuffs off of these brave soldiers. You Marines will be coming with us, if that's okay with you? Don't worry I will square everything with you're superiors when we are back in civilization."

"Yes, sir," they replied in unison. "Is there anything we can do to help, we're both trained medics."

"As a matter of fact, in the back of these trucks are wounded, sick and injured people, help the doctor's look after them."

"Yes sir." They both saluted John and turned and ran to the nearest truck.

"How are you going to square this with there commander?" I asked.

"Simple, I'll call the President. And if he doesn't handle things to my liking I'll call the New York Times, along with any other newspaper I can think of and give them the evidence of the plot to destroy the United States."

"Oh. So you have evidence?"

"Of course I do."

"Oh."

John walked a slight distance from the perimeter of the shield and took Sally out of his pocket and started talking. He talked for a good half hour. He closed Sally with a smile on his face and walked back over to me.

John and I slowly walked around talking with the people we had come to regard as friends and family. The second hour went extremely slow. The barrier shield dropped with out any of us noticing. John just stood there smiling as he looked toward the north.

We stayed where we were, everyone just relaxing. None of the patients were critical so there was no rush to leave. Besides John didn't want to injure any more if it could be helped. Slowly, the troops around us started to pull out. As we watched a Colonel walked up to the shield at the place where the Captain had been dragged through. Winking at me John and I walked over to where he was standing.

"What can I do for you Colonel?" asked John.

"I would like to have my men back, if you would be so kind."

"You do know what transpired here?"

"Yes and Captain Leyland will be dealt with. Sergeant Collins and Lance Corporal Fox will not be punished for defending your wife sir."

"I have your word on that Colonel?"

"Yes you do." John put his hand out through the shield. The Colonel looked down at it and hesitantly grasped John's hand. They shook smiling at each other. The Colonel released John's hand, which he pulled back through the shield.

"Sally, have Ted and Bill bring that Captain to me," said John to the thin air. He turned looking around the camp, stopped and yelled. "Collins, Fox, front and center."

The two Marines heads popped up, eyes bulging. They jumped up and doubled timed it to stand in front of John. When they saw the Colonel they both saluted and held it until he returned their salute.

"Colonel Masters, I sure am sorry..." The Colonel waved him to silence.

"You did the right thing Marine."

"You guys are free to return to your unit, the Colonel has assured me that you will not be charge with anything related to this incident," John said smiling at the Colonel, who nodded his agreement.

"Thank you sir," said both Marines.

"Now go get in the truck we'll be leaving as soon as that jackass Leyland is returned."

"Yes sir." The two Marines turned and shook John's hand and I gave each of them a hug before they stepped through the shield.

"From what I understand Colonel, those two men were a great help to the doctors and nurses with the sick and injured we have in our trucks."

"I would hope that you will accept the apologies of myself and my men. What happen here today was a waste of manpower and any goodwill that we might have enjoyed." He tipped his hat.

Ted and Bill chose that moment to arrive. John told them to take the cuffs off the Captain. As they came off his wrists he tried to take a swing at John. Rudy and Sunny both jumped him as John ducked out of the way.

"Out," John yelled as the Captain went down in a heap at the Colonel's feet. Rudy and Sunny were back sitting behind me before the Captain could react.

"Leyland, you're an ass. Consider yourself under arrest."

"Me! For what?"

"Get in that truck Captain, on the double," the Colonel shouted. The Captain picked himself up off the ground and ran to the truck. There were two MP's waiting for him at the back. They placed him in handcuffs and literally threw him in the back of the truck.

"Colonel, thank you for taking care of this situation," I said handing him a card. "My phone number if you need my testimony at his courts martial."

"Thanks Missus Abernathy, but we will handle Captain Leyland in house, as it were."

"Keep the card. You never know, you might need to talk to me some time." I winked at him as I turned to go.

"Good-bye Colonel," said John.

"Good-bye. Ah, just one more thing if you don't mind."

"Yes," John said.

"Who was it that killed the Lieutenant about a mile back?"

"Shelly, front and center," John called out.

"What's up boss?" Shelley was hovering just in front of John's face in an instant. The Colonel looked shocked as he looked at Shelley.

"Tell the Colonel why you killed that Lieutenant."

"He was about to kill one of his own men, I deemed that a life was in peril for no reason I could discern, so I terminated the threat. I have video if you would like to see it."

"What is that?" the Colonel asked, pointing at the grey box like object hovering three meters off the ground.

"She, is an Artificial Intelligence. Her name is Shelly. She was manufactured on October 19, 2006. She is my wife's protector and sworn to protect the innocent. She is my friend and our confidant." John told the Colonel.

"Oh, okay, but..." The Colonel stopped with a confused look on his face as he continued to stare at Shelly. "So it's a UCAV?"

"Yes and no. She is an independent sentient being, albeit a mechanical one, able to utilize her own judgment to determine the best course of action in any situation."

"I see..." The Colonel stood there, still staring at Shelly. "An autonomous machine?"

"Yes, autonomous but much more than a mere machine."

"Then..." The Colonel shook his head and then stared at the ground for a moment.

"Colonel, your men are waiting, is there anything else?" John asked him.

"No, nothing else, I guess. Except, the President said he would call you, Mister Abernathy."

"Thank you Colonel." With that the Colonel turned, scratching his head as he walked to his humvee, climbed in and left with the trucks full of his men following. Shelly moved to just above Johns head as he watched the last of the soldiers leave.

"Scott, how are the vehicles fixed for fuel?" John asked. Scott and Jules had come up behind us silently. I almost jumped out of my skin when John talked to them.

"With what they brought with them every vehicle is now full."

"The closest hospital would be in Elgin, correct?"

"Right boss," Shelly answered.

"Then that's our first stop." Just then a line of ambulances rolled up over the hill, lights flashing in the growing dusk. John shook his head as the ambulance's rolled around the outside of our shield. John walked to the nearest ambulance to talk to the driver. After a short conversation John shook his head and came back to us.

"Shelly, drop the shield and get Susan and Michelle over here."

"We're here," Michelle said from behind a truck.

"Good. These ambulances are for the sick and injured. They have been instructed to take them to the hospital in Elgin or the hospital in Joliet. Could you see to the transfer of the patients?"

"Of course," Susan said, turned and headed back into the center of our camp.

"The rest of us can go to our families in Joliet," John said.

"Is it over?" Michelle asked.

"Yes, our adventure is over. It's time for you to get reacquainted with you daughter and husband," John told her.

"Where will we go now that Chicago is no more?" Michelle asked.

"I have some ideas, we'll discuss them later. But no more adventures I'm afraid."

Michelle looked disappointed as she turned to go help moving patients to ambulances. John put his arm around me as we walked back to the humvee in the middle of the trucks. I was wondering when the Army would miss their vehicle.

To be continued...