Them-2 - Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen – United States Capitol, Washington D.C.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Lieutenant Joey Prestano pointed at the television monitor. They were watching the fantastic news broadcast live from Bowling Green.
“Those are people down there!” yelled one of his security officers. The grisly scene continued to play on and on as hundreds of people were attacked and torn to pieces by the giant ants.
“You’re sure this ain’t the Science Fiction channel?” Questioned another officer.
“Coming in live,” Joey whispered. “FCC’s been trying to block the broadcast from what I hear but the entire county is watching it. There’s also hundreds of paratroopers trapped in the mall there from the 101st Airborne Division.”
“Not Airborne,” an officer replied. “I was with the One-Oh-First. They’re not paratroopers anymore, don’t jump out of planes, they’re air assault.”
“Whatever!” Joey muttered. “They’re still trapped.”
Lieutenant Joey Prestano was a member of the Capitol Police. The Capitol Police, or USCP, had jurisdiction within a forty-seven square block radius in and around the US Capitol, as well as Federal Police authority throughout the United States and its territories. Their primary duties were to protect members of Congress, Officers of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and their families, as well as preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal acts, and enforcing traffic regulations throughout the large complex of congressional buildings, parks, and thoroughfares.
A native of Long Island, New York, Joey was visiting a friend in D.C. who happened to be interested in joining the USCP. On a lark, Joey decided to go with him. After initial training in Glynco, Georgia, and in Maryland, they were commissioned and stationed in the Capitol. Over the years, with additional specialized training, Joey worked his way up to Lieutenant. His friend recently quit the force to join Army Criminal Investigation.
Joey occasionally thought about quitting and returning to New York, but the pay was excellent and he was on the fast track to make Captain. Not only that, he actually enjoyed his work. Plus, at the age of thirty-five, he decided it was too late to start another career. The son of Italian immigrants, Joey was proud of his heritage and proud to be in a position to defend his countrymen. Although he rarely agreed with what congress did, and he was often amused by their self-important attitudes, he firmly believed in the democratic process.
The news covering the country was shocking. It was as if Hollywood was trying to pull a joke on the entire country, but the scenes playing out on the streets of that Kentucky town were definitely not staged, they were real and they were gruesome.
His thoughts were interrupted by a call from the main office. “Meeting in ten minutes,” his Captain said over the radio. “All sergeants and above.”
Joey pulled himself from the mesmerizing scene and headed for control. As soon as everyone was present, his Captain motioned for them to gather around him.
“Orders from the Chief,” the Captain stated. “Every officer is to be issued a M16 immediately. The Capitol subway is to be locked down effective now. A Battalion from the 82nd Airborne is being flown into Andrews AFB from Fort Bragg, along with their equipment and extra rations and water. Their estimated time of arrival is three hours. Until they arrive, you are to assist in the evacuation of all elected officials to secure areas until further transportation has been arranged. I have a list of areas that we consider safe. Any questions?”
“Anything to do with what’s going on in Kentucky? Joey asked.
“It has everything to do with that situation,” the Captain returned. “These are precautionary measures. No one believes any of the insects have made it to this area, but Homeland Security issued an order to secure all Representatives and Senators without delay. A convoy of armored vehicles is on its way here along with Air Force transports. The 82nd Airborne will assist in site security while we locate the elected officials and their families.”
“I have divided the secure areas into four sectors. A lieutenant with a security detail of twenty-four officers will command each area. I have also made a list of those officers responsible for locating and transporting our charges.”
Less than half an hour later, Joey was on his way to the armory to obtain his M16 and combat gear. His area of responsibility turned out to be part of the Capitol subway system. The Capitol subway consisted of three lines; two on the Senate side on the north side of the Capitol, and one on the House side on the south side of the Capitol. His job was to secure the single line on the south side, from the Capitol Building to the Rayburn House and prepare it for occupancy until the armored transports arrived. He was also to receive a full Company of paratroopers to assist him. In addition, he was to locate the families of fifty Congressmen and make certain they were physically in that secure area.
Joey knew that Congress was in session and the Senate was to meet in a few hours, so most of the Congressmen on his list should be on the grounds. After his detail reported to the armory to draw weapons, he dispatched one man to find each Congressman and have them contact their families and demand they join them immediately.
Within an hour, Joey could account for all the officials on his list, except for two families. The missing families were allegedly out shopping and did not answer their cell phones. After reporting the missing families to control, he was ordered to go to their homes and track them down.
Leaving his senior sergeant in command until he returned, Joey signed out one of the armored SUV’s from the motor pool and headed to the addresses on his list. The first residence he was aiming for was an apartment out in Fairmount Heights, the second a house in District Heights. He was unlucky with the first address, the Congressman’s family was still absent and not answering their cell phone.
Joey decided to move on to the second address and circle back. As soon as he reached the home in District Heights, he noted a BMW parked in the driveway. An attractive young woman was carrying groceries from the car into the house. Joey pulled in behind her and got out.
“Mrs. Watkins?” Joey asked. “Allison Watkins?”
The young woman stopped half way to the house and turned around. “That’s my mom, I’m Kathay.
Joey should have known. He knew most of the Congressmen and Senators and very few were young enough to have a wife as young and attractive as this woman.
“Lieutenant Prestano.” He identified himself, holding out his identification. There is an emergency in place. The families of all elected officials are requested to report to the Capitol building immediately. We tried to contact you on your cell phone without results.”
“Has something happened to my husband?” The question came from a woman standing in the doorway. She was in her mid to late forties and obviously the Congressman’s wife.
“No mam,’ Joey smiled. “This is a precautionary measure only. If you will call your husband, he will explain it.”
She motioned for Joey to join her in the house. As soon as he was inside the woman opened her cell phone to call her husband. Kathay was still standing next to him holding a plastic container of groceries.
“Let me help you.” Joey reached for several of the bags Kathay was holding. When they returned from the kitchen, Mrs. Watkins had finished her conversation.
“We have to drop by the high school and pick up our daughters.” Her face was suddenly drawn and pale and she had a long distance look in her eyes. “We haven’t been watching television so we were not aware of what was going on.”
It took only a few minutes to drive to the high school and pick up the three remaining daughters. They were all in their teens and just as attractive as their older sister. Mrs. Watson wanted to drive her BMW but Joey overrode her, noting the extra protection the armored SUV provided.
“We have to stop in Fairmount Heights and find Mrs. Rutledge,” Joey stated. “She’s the last on the list then we can head to the Capitol.”
“Helen Rutledge?” Mrs. Watkins asked.
Joey nodded.
“I know Helen. She’s at the dentist’s office with her son Michael. She probably has her cell phone off.”
“Do you know which dentist office she’s at?”
“The same dentist we use. His office is on Addison Road.”
Helen Rutledge turned out to be somewhat younger than Mrs. Watkins. She was an African American with a beautiful light brown complexion and an infectious smile. Her son Michael was a studious looking boy with heavy glasses and a pug nose.
As it turned out, there was another Congressman’s wife in the popular dentist’s office and as soon as Joey established her identity he called back to control and advised them he was bringing the woman and her two children in. She was not on his list but he could help Lieutenant Rawlins, who had been searching for her everywhere. Her two children were an eight year old boy and six year old girl.
Half way back to the capitol his cell phone rang.
“Lieutenant Prestano, the Capitol is under attack!”
Joey slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. He was half a mile from Interstate 295.
Joey’s Captain sounded both tired and terrified. “What is your location?”
“Just short of 295,” Joey replied.
“Do not return to the Capitol. A swarm of the giant ants infiltrated the Metro Subway and have overflowed on to the Capitol Grounds. We are moving our charges to the secure areas right now but it is not safe for you to return. You are to divert to Andrews Naval Air Facility southeast of here. The 11th Wing has transports standing by to airlift you to a secure location.”
“Transmission acknowledged,” Joey replied, turning to look over his shoulder. “Change of plans. We have been diverted to an Air Force Base a few miles south. The Capitol is in lockdown mode.”
The women looked at him suspiciously.
“What does that mean?” Helen Rutledge asked. “Is the Capitol in any danger?”
“I’m not certain,” Joey replied. “My commander said that sections of the Capitol grounds have been infiltrated but they were moving to secure locations.”
“Have terrorist’s attacked?” Kathay Watkins asked.
Joey realized that none of the people in the SUV with him knew anything about the giant ants and the events taking place in Kentucky. They obviously had not been watching the news or listening to the radio.
“There was an incident in Kentucky,” Joey stated. “It seems as if some big ants were accidentally hatched and they have been attacking people there. The scientists in that area said some of the ant queens got away and started nests in other places. Obviously one settled in the Metro System in D.C. Now they’re attacking people down town.”
“Surely the police can handle some big ants,” Allison Watkins stated.
Joey did not know how much to tell them. The gruesome scenes he had witnessed on television played back in his mind. He did not want the women to panic. His duty was to get them to a secure destination.
“There is a unit of the 82nd Airborne coming in to assist,” he finally stated, pulling back out and heading for the Interstate. “They should have the situation under control in short order.”
“They’re giants!” One of the teenaged girls shouted, holding up a hand held computer. “They’re big as horses and killing people everywhere!”
Everyone in the back seats crowded around the computer watching the news and listening to the news anchor. Helen Rutledge finally glanced up in his direction.
“You’ve got to get us to the Capitol, Lieutenant. Our husbands may be in danger.”
“My orders are to transport you to Andrews Naval Air Facility. The Military has transports there to get you safely out of the area. I am certain arrangements have been, or will be made, to move the Congressmen and Senators to safety.”
Joey sincerely hoped so. He had many friends in the USCP at the Capitol and there were hundreds of thousands of civilians in peril.
He pressed the accelerator to speed up and activated the police light mounted to the inside of his windshield.