Since it was essential that Amy have some usable skills for after the long sleep, and given the future sleepers wouldn't be bound by current military policies, it had seemed a perfect opportunity to return to flying. Along with basic medical and weapons training, and brushing up her flying skills, Amy had also been managing the sleep team, a role forced on her after James Cowan's untimely death.

At first, the combined stress of training while taking over command of the sleep project was immense. Added to the loss of a good friend and mentor, and Amy was overwhelmed. She managed her grief by diving into her multiple roles, leaving herself no free time and no time to grieve. She was so exhausted after the first month, the flight instructor grounded her and General Fitch had finally stepped in.

Amy had been given a week of leave, and she spent some time speaking with a grief counselor. Fitch continued to assist and support her after she came back to work but by then, she was maintaining a healthier pace, and delegating more and more work to other members of the sleep project. She found that she enjoyed the return to piloting which she'd never seen coming.

Amy pulled the helicopter into a steep climb and flew in over the mountain before she rapidly descended directly onto the landing pad at the mouth of the tunnel.

“I think you're enjoying this too much,” RJ suggested with a grin.

“I think you're right. I'd almost forgotten how good it feels to fly.”

They waited together in the helicopter as the engine powered down. Amy scanned the area around them and saw two fully laden eighteen-wheel semis lined up at the mouth of the tunnel. Beyond them, colossal cranes were lowering the last of the underground fuel storage tanks into the ground.

Getting out of the helicopter they started for the tunnel entrance and were met by a soldier in a Humvee who drove them the half-mile long journey into the tunnel. Approaching the elevator which led to the pit, Amy saw two brand new, identical red and white ambulances lined up behind one another. A woman was attaching magnetic signs to the sides that listed precisely where in the pit they would going to be stored. There was also a large barcode on the label stuck to the side so that the vehicle could be scanned and tracked in the computers.

“Let's go see how things are progressing,” Amy suggested.

“That sounds good.”

They stepped into the massive elevator at the same time the woman with the signs was stepping off. They stood by the side of the rearmost ambulance and rode the elevator down.

When they got off the elevator, they saw two more tractor-trailers backed into the room. Forklifts were emptying the cargo from the trucks and as they walked past she could see that the enormous chamber was about twenty-five percent filled.