CHAPTER 12 – Unseen Dangers Ahead
The group was driving along a deserted road, the exterior shadows playing against the sleek body of the 2022 black Hummer. Peter sat behind the wheel, his brow furrowed in concentration, while Major Amma sat in the front passenger seat, her jaw set tight as she stared out the window, lost in contemplation. The tension in the vehicle was palpable, pierced only by the rhythmic hum of the tires on the asphalt. In the middle seats, Chris and Ruby bickered softly, their voices low but filled with energy, while Linda, Paul, and Candy crowded the back, whispering nervous hopes.
Peter shifted in his seat, breaking the silence.
“Alright, everyone, listen up,” he commanded, forcing his voice to steady.
“We’re heading back to the Zimmermans’ house. That’s going to be our base of operations... a mini command center.”
“Wait,” Paul leaned forward, perplexed.
“You just happen to have all of this equipment lying around?”
Linda nudged him gently, a smirk on her lips.
“He’s Peter Parsons, honey. You don’t survive this long without contingencies for every situation.”
Peter caught her eye in the rearview mirror and appreciated the unspoken understanding.
"Exactly," he continued.
“After everything I’ve seen, you learn to plan for just about anything. We’ll need every tool we can get if we’re going to pull this off. The world out there is ruthless.”
"I’ll also bring something to the table," Major Amma said.
"I have a second untraceable cell phone hidden at my place that Zeke can use to contact me, assuming he gets access to a secure line. I’ve also got some extra equipment stored there... scramblers, signal jammers, the works."
Peter responded grimly, "Not happening. Your place, if they haven’t already found it, will be under surveillance by now. Best-case scenario, they’re staking it out as we speak. Worst-case scenario, there’s a full-blown raid going on right now. We can’t risk leading anyone back there."
A heavy silence filled the car as Major Amma’s words sunk in. Ruby, ever the optimist despite the gravity, leaned back and crossed her arms, her vibrant energy shifting slightly to a more thoughtful tone.
“We found you with almost nothing to work with. If we pulled that off, surely we can find a way to get Zeke Haywood out too. Aren’t we getting pretty good at this ‘fighting the government’ thing now?”
Major Amma couldn’t help but crack a small, tired smile at Ruby’s confidence.
“I like your optimism, Ruby,” she replied gently.
“But I’ll be honest... this is the United States government. The Pentagon is one of the most secure locations in the world. With them on high alert after my escape—and the warehouse incident—every security measure they have will be reinforced tenfold. Infiltrating or contacting Zeke will be next to impossible.”
“She’s not wrong,” Peter agreed, his tone grim.
“Even under normal circumstances, the Pentagon’s security is legendary. Breaking into its systems isn’t something you just waltz into and pull off so easily.”
Ruby interrupted with her trademark sarcasm.
“Yeah, legendary, except when planes are flown into it. Real airtight security there.”
Chris shot her an exasperated glance, but Peter leaned forward slightly, intrigued. He tapped the steering wheel, a spark of contemplation igniting in his eyes.
“She’s got a point. Whatever happened on 9/11 exposed glaring vulnerabilities. It’s possible those same weaknesses could still be exploited... or replaced with new ones just as flimsy.”
Paul, always the realist, chimed in.
“That was almost 24 years ago, Peter. I’m pretty sure every vulnerability has been patched by now. They’re not amateurs.”
“True,” Peter replied.
“But no system is perfect. If we have the right creativity and time, there’s always room to discover a weakness.”
Major Amma leaned forward slightly.
As Major Amma leaned forward, her tone shifted from analytical to concerned.
“Actually, there are a couple of vulnerable spots in the Pentagon’s systems I noticed during unrelated exercises. It would require just the right circumstances and tools to exploit. If we could hack their networks for even a moment, we’d have a chance to control their mechanisms—including the detainment facilities. But…”
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Her words trailed off, and there was a palpable intensity in the air, as if the very weight of the mission had increased exponentially.
“Your math skills had better be as good as you claim. This will be the hardest 'math test' you’ve ever taken.”
Ruby chuckled, leaning back with a grin.
“Well then, looks like we’re about to major in Pentagon Hacking 101. No pressure.”
Laughter flickered among the group, but it was abruptly interrupted by Peter’s phone ringing. His stomach plummeted; he hesitated before answering, already sensing the trouble. Sure enough, it was Francine, Chris and Ruby’s mother, and she was livid.
“Peter! What the hell have you gotten yourself into?” Francine’s fiery voice crackled through the speaker.
“Your name is all over the news! Something about an attack on police and military at a warehouse?! And where are my children?!”
Ruby, missing the urgency, grabbed the phone eagerly.
“Hi, Mom! Don’t worry, we’re safe! Uncle P is helping us on this awesome secret mission…”
Chris quickly snatched the phone from Ruby, slapping his hand over her mouth, his expression a mix of panic and fury.
“What are you doing?”
Peter took the phone back, sighing deeply.
“Francine, the situation is... complicated. But I promise, the kids are safe.”
“Complicated?” she shot back with incredulity.
“You bring my children home right now! If you don’t, I promise you, Peter, I will call the authorities and turn you in myself!”
“Francine... I’m about to drive into a tunnel. Connection’s about to cut out...”
He could feel the tension coiling in his gut as he spoke.
Before she could protest, Peter hung up, a mixture of relief and urgency washing over him. With a swift motion, he broke the phone in half and rolled down his window, tossing the shattered pieces onto the road. Ruby shook her head in bemused disbelief.
“What a waste of a good phone,” she murmured with disappointment.
“I could’ve played SOMETHING on that.”
Chris fixed her with a fierce glare. “And YOU shouldn’t have said anything about what we’re doing! Now they know you’re involved!”
"What are they going to do to a 9-year-old girl, huh?" Ruby shot back defiantly.
Major Amma’s voice sliced through the tension with gravity.
“When it comes to ‘national security,’ age doesn’t matter. They’ll come after anyone they perceive as a threat. Anyone.”
"So, Mister Peter…," Candy piped in nervously from the back.
"Are we going to take Chris and Ruby home now? Before it’s too late?"
“No,” Peter replied firmly, his resolve hardening.
“Sending them home now wouldn’t make them safe. It would put them and all of you in even more danger. I need to keep all of you together for your own protection.”
Determined, he pressed a button on the console, causing the glove compartment to swing open. Major Amma leaned forward, surprised, as Peter retrieved another phone, quickly turning it on and dialing a number. After a few rings, a gruff voice answered on the other end.
"What’s up, boss?" the man said, sounding ready for action.
“I need you to go to my brother’s house and make sure you’re...‘equipped’,” Peter commanded, urgency lacing his tone.
“Got it, sir,” the man responded, professional and quick.
Peter hung up, his heart racing as he turned to address Chris and Ruby.
“Don’t worry about your parents,” he said, trying to sound reassuring.
“I’m sending someone to guarantee their safety. Right now, staying together is the best choice.”
Major Amma observed Peter with a newfound respect, admiration glimmering in her eyes.
“I have to admit, Peter... you’re better at this than I expected.”
As they continued driving, the atmosphere inside the Hummer charged with an intense mix of anxiety and determination. Just as Peter pulled into a deserted stretch of road shrouded in shadows, a team of police officers and soldiers surrounded Peter’s abandoned van parked at a remote location in Catonsville.
Sergeant Kyle Dunning scrutinized the vehicle, his flashlight cutting through the darkness as his team meticulously examined every inch.
“Van's clean,” Sergeant Dunning muttered to himself.
“No prints, no personal effects, no sign of Parsons or the others. Smart guy. Too smart.”
He stepped back and spoke into his radio, an edge of frustration evident in his voice.
“Base, this is Dunning. Van’s a dead end. Towing it now. Parsons isn’t here.”
Dunning lowered the radio, a steely determination in his gaze as he stared at the van.
“I’ll find you, Peter Parsons. You can bet on that.”
Back in the Hummer, Chris leaned closer to Peter, his voice barely above a whisper.
“What if they know we’re coming back? What if they intercept us before we reach the Zimmerman’s?”
Peter kept his eyes on the road, masking the concern growing within him.
“As long as we stick to the plan, we’ll be fine.”
Suddenly, the air thickened with tension as the Hummer’s GPS pinged an alert.
“We’ve got a traffic camera up ahead. I’ll have to take an alternate route,” Peter said, his mind racing with calculations.
As he turned sharply onto a side street, Ruby piped up, her tone a mixture of worry and excitement.
“Are we still doing this? I mean, I know we’re supposed to be like... secret agents now, but this is really scary.”
Major Amma turned slightly to face her, her expression softened.
“Fear is a natural response, Ruby. But what you’re feeling is also a signal that you care—that you’re brave. You’re stepping into a world most kids your age don’t even know exists. And that makes you extraordinary.”
With newfound courage, Ruby nodded, her eyes brightening.
“You think we can really save Zeke Haywood? Like, for real?”
Peter caught a glance in the rearview mirror, seeing the determination in his young charge’s eyes.
“Absolutely. With each of you here, we’ve got a fighting chance.”
Chris nodded, the worry lines on his forehead easing, if only slightly. Just then, Peter’s phone buzzed again, cutting through the moment. He hesitated before answering, a knot forming in his stomach.
“Peter,” a familiar voice crackled through the speaker. It was his contact from the tech world.
“I got your message. I’m already on it. We might have a way to breach their systems, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“Just do what you can,” Peter replied, tension threading through his voice.
“Time is of the essence.”
As he ended the call, he glanced at the rest of the group, each of their faces lit by the glow of the dashboard lights. The fight was far from over, and while uncertainty loomed ahead, their collective resolve began to solidify.
The weight of the mission settled on Peter's shoulders, but the spirit of teamwork flickered brighter than before. They were carving their path, ready to confront whatever awaited them.
As they crossed into the shadows of the next street, a chilling thought crossed Peter's mind: What if things were about to take a turn for the worse?
The tension heightened as the Hummer sped on into the dark unknown, everyone inside unaware of the looming threat shadowing their every move.
Unseen Dangers Ahead. As you’ve just witnessed, the stakes have never been higher for Peter and his team. The tension within the Hummer was palpable, a reflection of the very real threats surrounding them. Every exchange, every decision made in the face of uncertainty underscores the importance of teamwork and resilience.
Which character's perspective do you find most intriguing in Chapter 12?
