Buck Rogers
by AJ Marks
Part 13
Buck reached into his pocket and took out the cell phone he had been given, and looked it over slightly disappointed seeing it was searching for a connection. Either the people who kidnapped him didn’t know he had it, or were able to jam it. He was leaning to not knowing and put it back after silencing the ringer in case someone tried to call and it gave away he was carrying it.
After looking over the doors and windows he turned to his room looking it over before finding a sharp edge which would work on freeing his hands.
It took longer than he hoped but finally managed to free his hands. He then made a careful walk around the room checking everything in the room before sitting down on the bed and going over everything he had, which wasn’t much.
“Well Buck, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into,” he said to himself. “Now, how to get out of here?”
He looked around, taking care to see if he was even being watched at all, but found no camera anywhere which meant he could move around freely without being watched. Did they not consider him to be a threat to leave, or did they have some high-tech security system.
He really had nothing around except for the rope which they used to tie him up. Nothing, not even a glass, or a toilet in case he had to go. The man he talked to seemed almost intelligent, sorry he had to kidnap Buck, yet probably had the same ruthless behavior of people like this. He also seemed to intensely believe his position and was shocked that Buck didn’t share it.
He paced around the room a few times then went over the window checking it out to see the compound. He could see a couple of buildings, all were one story and a few vehicles which reminded him of SUVs from his time. Going down the middle of the compound appeared to be a dirt road which they used.
He watched a bit more as a vehicle came into the compound and he heard several people shouting which surprised him as he expected the room to be sound proof. The vehicle stopped in the middle of the compound as a man stepped out as did another person from the passenger side. Buck watched as the man who he assumed was the leader of this rebel group walked out to where the vehicle was.
Then they started to argue, and the shouts could be easily heard by Buck and he knew something was going on, something the man who arrived didn’t like. The man jabbed the leader in the chest twice and shouted some more and Buck noticed more than a few others standing around watching seemed nervous about the interaction as the leader responded in kind.
Buck took a moment to look at the man who had arrived, noticing how the man moved and thought it all seemed a bit familiar to him, but he couldn’t remember where he might have seen the man before. He watched a bit longer as the two continued to talk before the leader motioned for another person to walk over. There was a quiet conversation before the person walked off and the two remaining people exchanged more words and the man returned to the car and they took off.
Buck leaned against the wall wondering what had happened turning to the door hearing someone standing outside.
The door opened as Buck stood facing off against a person standing there, flanked by two more people both appeared armed. He relaxed a bit with the realization he couldn’t overpower three men, perhaps two, one probably, but three, not without the element of surprise.
“Come,” the man said briskly as the other two made a show of showing him their weapons.
“Fine,” Buck said, moving slowly towards the doorway.
He made his way outside the building and towards the center of the compound now able to see it all clearly, several vehicles and people all over. He was led over to where the leader stood, looking most disturbed and Buck figured it had to do with the visitor they had. He also wasn’t about to say anything about what he saw, it could make the man even more angry.
“You have people in high places Captain Rogers,” the man finally said looking at Buck finally. “If it was up to me, well, I know what I’d be doing, but it isn’t up to me.”
He said a few words to some others and Buck found himself shoved once more into a vehicle and blindfolded and bound again. The vehicle took off down the bumpy road again this time at a higher speed then when they arrived, or at least how it felt to Buck.
Suddenly the vehicle lurched hard and came to a stop and excited voices were heard along with what buck assumed was gunfire. He couldn’t see anything, and trusted his other senses, he felt nothing and waited until things became real calm and he heard the door open.
“Well, seems like I can’t leave you alone for a minute,” he heard a very familiar voice say. The blindfold came off and he saw Wilma to his relief and confusion.
“Never thought I’d be so glad to see a woman in my life,” Buck finally said as his wrists were freed and he was able to look around, seeing a few bodies were lying around and a several others were standing nearby, all were armed along with a shuttle-like ship nearby.
“Is this that male machoism I’ve read about from the twentieth century?” she asked.
“No, just not who I expected to see,” Buck replied honestly, standing up as they headed to the shuttle. “How did you find me?”
“Cell phone, we tracked it,” Wilma said.
“Thought it wasn’t connected,” Buck answered recalling the fact it wasn’t able to get a signal.
“We can still track it, it was constantly sending out its position even if it wasn’t connected,” Wilma said.
“Then I’m glad they didn’t take it from me,” Buck said. “Probably didn’t think I’d have one, or know how to operate it.”
“Probably the latter,” she said as they climbed on board.
“Very funny,” Buck said.
Whichever it was he was glad they never took it, or checked for it.
“What happened while I was gone?” Buck asked.
“We were keeping an eye on you from the moment the bombing attack occurred as a precaution,” Wilma said. “Looks like it was the right thing to do, the moment your signal stopped along the transport path we knew something had happened and organized this rescue group.”
“Guess I’m lucky,” Buck said as the shuttle took off. “Now where?”
“Heading back to the hanger.” Wilma said. “President Tin wanted to speak with you before you left.”
We can pick up my fighter on the way then,” Buck said.
“That was one reason for stopping,” Wilma said.
Buck relaxed in the chair as the shuttle took off.
*****
Buck stepped off the shuttle and onto the hanger floor seeing a group of people standing nearby and recognized the President along with a few others. He spotted Aya standing there and felt relieved she was still alive and made his way on over.
“Captain Rogers, I’m relieved to see you safe,” President Tin said as Buck made his way on over.
“Yeah, you’ve got some weird enemies,” Buc sad back to him then turned to Aya. “Glad to see you’re okay.”
“Yes, it was quite a shock,” she said, “but they only knocked me out.”
“Sorry you had to be hurt for them to get to me, and the two guards?” Buck asked, having a feeling he already knew what happened to them.
“Killed one, the other is recovering,” Tin replied.
“Well, better than I expected,” Buck replied, sure that they both had been killed in the attack.
“I’m still confused as to why they took you,” Tin said.
“Yeah, seems like they think my giving interviews is a nod to your administration or something like that, and they thought I might be sympathetic to their cause,” Buck said honestly getting the feeling lying here would serve no one.
“Most unusual,” Tin said, not exactly what Buck was expecting to hear, nor did he know what to say next. “I only expected to have them come after us, not you.”
“Why did they think you were sympathetic to their cause?” Wilma said having heard the conversation.
“Simple, they consider anyone who even talks to me to be a traitor to what they consider to be right,” Tin said, suddenly looking weary.
“They seem to think everyone can all be equal,” Buck said.
“They can,” Wilma stated.
“Are they? Even in the NAA they are not,” Buck said. “People have an order, we always will.”
He looked on at the others standing around looking around at him for what he said.
“You seem to understand somethings,” Tin finally said.
“Well, I saw a lot back in my time,” Buck said wondering if things had even changed, or if only the technology changed but some things will probably never change before looking over at Aya. “Still glad to see you’re all right.”
“As it is good to see that you are alive as well,” Aya said. “I wouldn’t blame you if you want to leave.”
Buck suddenly gave that some thought and turned to Wilma. “Can we still do some interviews?” he asked her, watching as she suddenly looked surprised that he even tried to ask that question.
“Why would you do that?” Tin asked.
“To show I’m no coward, and,” Buck paused giving it some thought. “Something doesn’t feel right about what they were doing.”
He had yet to tell anyone about the other person who had arrived in the compound shortly before he was moved and rescued. H wanted to know who that person was, and why did they seem vaguely familiar to him?
“You think something else is going on?” Tin asked as the others looked on.
“Yeah, I really do,” Buck replied, looking over at Wilma.
“Let me make a call,” she said walking off leaving them alone.
“They didn’t violate any treaties between the two countries trying to rescue me?” Buck asked suddenly thinking about how the NAA went into another country to find him.
“My administration was notified shortly before they began the operation,” Tin said. “They were already in motion, which made things easier.”
Buck took a look across the way to where the Thunderfighter sat and wondered about his future. His musings was interrupted when Wilma returned.
“Well, they aren’t happy, but I think we can arrange for you to do some more interviews,” Wilma said.
“I’ll made some arrangements,” Tin said walking off to where his own people stood not far away.
“I’m glad,” Aya said. “You’ve been interesting to talk to.”
Buck watched as Wilma looked on, almost as if she was jealous about the comment before saying anything.
“He is, isn’t he?”
Smiling Buck stepped up beside Wilma. “So I take it I’ll have an escort from the NAA?” he asked.
“Yeah, the Chancellor all but ordered it,” Wilma said.
“Interesting,” Aya said. “I would expect nothing less.”
“Have we met before?” Wilma finally asked looking at Aya.
“It is possible, I do work as a translator for the administration,” she replied back. “I have visited New DC several times in official visits. I especially enjoyed the opera when I was there.”
“Of course,” Wilma said. “You were the one who wanted to go at the last second.”
“It was a wonderful play,” Aya said. “I so enjoy such a challenge to my language skills.”
“Yeah, I recall, you also invited me to go with you,” Wilma said.
“Well, you are a beautiful woman,” Aya replied, blushing slightly as Buck managed to put the meaning together. It was a bit of a shock to him. “Oh, I don’t think you knew,” Aya said looking at him.
“Ah, never considered it,” Buck said.
“Thought the twenty-first century was full of open ideas,” Wilma said.
“We are, were, whatever, the point is,” Buck hesitated for several seconds. “I’m not sure what I thought, no actually I thought you might have been attracted to me.”
“I am,” Aya replied.
“Sorry, not used to dealing with women who are so open about it,” Buck said.
“What about Ardala?” Wilma asked.
“She is most defiantly bi,” Aya said.
“Yeah, but she wasn’t trying to seduce me and another woman at the same time,” Buck said feeling that was a very inadequate word to use.
Buck was rescued by President Tin returning to where he stood. “There are several shows that still want you on their morning shows,” he said. “I’ll give you the list for you to review, and provide more protection this time. I never expected them to go after you.”
“Well, I’m fine,” Buck said. “No worse for wear, and a bit wiser I hope.”
“Still, I don’t like the fact you were attacked in my country,” Tin said. “Let them know which show you want to go to.”
“I will,” Buck said.
“And I’ll arrange for a hotel for you, and the others,” Tin said indicating the others with him now.
“If you let me know I can inform the shows,” Aya said.
“I guess we have a plan,” Buck said, looking over at Wilma, as they headed out of the room and towards the hotel to go over the information they had been given.
End part 13