Jessica`s tone was cutting. “You masquerade God`s will as your own, but what you`re really doing is lifting the lid on hell itself. We live by laws, have a justice system!”
“Justice?” Alice Stone countered. “What good is justice to someone who has lost their life, or suffered a heinous assault, or been raped. The innocent want prevention of violence, not tolerance of it!”
“And ethics, where are your ethics?” Arnie challenged.
Alice Stone waved a dismissive hand, total contempt in the gesture. “Are you saying we should ignore such a discovery, deny its existence and condemn the innocent to everlasting suffering?”
“So you admit complicity in the deaths of those Marines and to the deliberate killing of two innocent people in Laredo,” Jessica intruded.
“I admit nothing, young lady. Only that our Christian ministries have moved on from the failed strategy of turning the other cheek and offering passive but useless persuasion, neither of which have worked and only served to help evil prosper. What greater step can humanity take than to secure the elimination of violence?”
Recollecting the killings in Laredo, Arnie spoke with venom in his tone. “You stand complicit in cold blooded murder, Mrs. Stone, no matter how much you delude yourself and hide behind God`s will. What gives you the right to make such decisions?”
“The authority of God,” she answered robustly. “Do either of you own a gun, this nation`s ultimate means of personal defense?”
“I most certainly do not,” Jessica insisted, “and could never fire one in anger.”
“Neither do I,” Arnie said.
“Well we do,” said Alice Stone. Yes, even in this Christian house, at the insistence of that good man who just left the room. And yet he is a man who has spent his life in opposition to all things that nurture and promote violence. It starts with young tots beating on each other with plastic toys, albeit innocently. Then as adults they beat each other to death in bar fights or even their own homes. Violence is out of control, destroying any sense of security or faith in the rule of law, a law that pretends to protect the innocent but does not.”
Arnie couldn`t restrain himself any longer. “You`re speaking the language of tyranny, and worse, you have enormous power and influence, a combination that has turned you into a raging fascist. You are leading a huge Christian movement that sees itself as having the right to determine the destiny of others. It`s madness.”
“You think we are alone in this, Mr.Krench? How naïve. We have people and organisations on our side from all over the civilised world. The Israelis, a nation trying to defend itself against incessant killing, a nation which Evangelical Christians have steadfastly supported over the years, a nation defending against the orchestrated violence that seeks nothing less than their extinction. They have helped finance our laboratory in Honduras and used their political power in Congress to make sure our aims are not thwarted by apologists and cowards, all afraid to do what needs to be done. Other nations will follow our lead, bringing forth a world free of violence and the grotesque inhumanity we confer on our own kind.”
“Well that dream is over!” Jessica said, abruptly standing. “Your insane crusade will now end and the American authorities will take over your research lab, remove that monstrous threat to our civilisation.”
Alice Stone smiled. “That, young lady, will not be happening. You have no proof of this conversation and any such reporting would be met by derision. Our political allies will see to it that you are ridiculed for such outrageous claims. I know all about you. It will be portrayed as the ramblings of a desperate, out of work reporter that has become unhinged after being fired from her last journalism post.”
“We`ll see about that,” Jessica said, teeth gritted and refusing to rise to the bait. “This is America. You zealots will be resisted, no matter what infiltration of government you achieve. People will hunker down with shotguns in hand if they have to, ready to defend themselves against your insanity.”
“Such conceit you have of yourself, Miss Hahn. You are not just fighting me, for I am merely God`s servant. You are fighting righteousness itself. Our quest reaches far beyond our ministries, and all good people will flock to our cause once they know a solution to violence has been found. Our political power in Congress has grown considerably and will continue to do so. When our work with the Cygnus gene is complete and becomes compulsory, the people will unite behind us. Our discovery cannot be denied. God`s will shall prevail and deliver salvation to humankind through the elimination of violence. And then at last, the meek shall inherit the earth.”
As Arnie and Jessica left the mansion and headed for their car, neither could find any words. When the car stopped at the end of the driveway, waiting for the security gates to open, Jessica turned to Arnie. “That megalomaniac bitch is plum crazy, but she`s right, nobody will take this seriously. We have a huge story but we can`t use it. What we heard in there is so outrageous no editor would touch it. We`re screwed, Arnie.”
“At least we got to the truth, Jess, though we`ll be the only ones to know it.”
“But look at what those maniacs are about to do. Who`s going to stop them?”
“The Cygnus discovery`s been made and nothing can change that. So Alice Stone is right. When it comes to violence we have no solution, and they do.”
“What? You`re siding with her?”
“Just saying, Jess, gun`s don`t have the violent impulses, humans do. And did you know that in our gun-crazy country, knives still kill ten times more people? Ten times more Jess. Why wouldn`t we want to eliminate a violence gene?”
“Jesus, Arnie, It`s not the discovery, it`s who`s got control of it and what they want to do with it. And in a world still violently divided by idealogical and religious conflict? How`s that going to play out? No wonder the Israelis are in on it.”
As Arnie was about to drive through the security gates, Jessica suddenly turned in her seat. “The hell was that?”
Slamming the stick into reverse, Arnie looked back over his shoulder. “That, Jess, was the sound of gunfire.”
The housemaid`s hysterical screams were still reverberating as Arnie passed her and cautiously stepped back into the house through the open front door, Jessica at his back. The smell of cordite hit them first, and then they saw a tall, stooped figure standing over the crumpled body of Alice Stone. She was spread-eagled on the carpet, a pool of blood seeping from a hideous wound to her head.
As Jessica remained at the doorway, Arnie inched forward, right arm outstretched to the Reverend who appeared transfixed by what he had done, body shaking, a gun hanging loose in his hand.
Easing forward, Arnie got to within a few feet of the man, whose gaze was still focussed on the body of his wife. Reverend Stone now turned his head to stare at Arnie then raised the handgun towards him. The movement appeared to be in slow motion, but the final action was a burst of speed, as the gun was pressed to the Reverend`s head and the trigger pulled.
In the hazy, unreal atmosphere, Arnie and Jessica stood in a state of shock as the full force of the horror began to sink in.
Arnie`s tone was severe as he turned to Jessica. “Guns, the final arbiters of disagreements and instruments of instant solution. They enable the very violence Alice Stone thought she could banish. Madness!”
Jessica didn`t respond as she averted her eyes from the two slain bodies and headed back through the door then along the hallway to check if the housemaid had called the police. As if in answer, the distant waling of sirens indicated several patrol cars were on their way, the Press no doubt hard on their heels, the news about to go viral.
CHAPTER 34
It had been a difficult police interview, primarily due to their agreed strategy of not revealing the true reason they were at the mansion. Their position as prime witnesses was undermined by not being inside the house when Alice Stone`s killing too
k place, but the police were still suspicious. They seemed most interested in the role Jessica might have played, direct insinuations being made and fiercely denied. The police suspected that such an extraordinary act had to have a trigger and that trigger could have been Jessica, as one detective put it. She had insisted there was no connection and the lead detective`s continuous accusations had made her furious, her torrent of protest finally drawing some limited acceptance.
Concentrating on the motive, the police seemed convinced that Jessica was holding out on them. But any admission by her that the story might have been the cause would unleash a legal nightmare and potentially dire consequences. She knew she`d found out the truth, that the lab was responsible for the Marine`s deaths, but her story now had no credibility. The deaths of Stone and his wife had removed the two key witnesses and ripped apart her proposed narrative. That only left Senator Carlucci and Janice Hoag. But maybe, with her other discoveries, it might just be enough to get the story out there and a full investigation rolling, though she knew that last night everything had totally fallen apart.
Police insistence, under formal warning, that they return later that day to confirm and formalise their statements had been an added blow to Jessica`s agenda. Her crucial D.C. deadline was running tight and it was one she was desperate not to miss.
Released from police custody at 9.00pm, Arnie and Jessica headed back to the hotel, exhaustion taking its toll and conversation in the cab almost non-existent. Crossing the reception area, Jessica nudged Arnie then swung off towards the bar. “Drink, I need a drink,” she said.
Catching her up, he put his hand on her arm. “Been a tough couple of days, Jess, reckon we`re due a few stiff ones. I`ll hit the bar, you grab a seat. Same as usual? Bourbon straight up?”
“Yeah, but I need a cold beer too, I`m feeling flushed.”
As Arnie returned with the drinks she watched, his ambling stride and laid back demeanor a reminder of what had attracted her to him on their previous assignment. There had been moments along the way when she wished he would make a move, take a chance to see if the passion was still there. And now the investigation was over she feared him disappearing on her again, back to his Harley and out of her life.
After a long slug of beer she leaned back and spoke with a slight edge to her voice. “Did you get how direct that threat was today? How this thing might play out, that we could be roped into a full scale police investigation?”
“No surprise, Jess. It`s the United Ministry circling the wagons, calling in political favors. They`ll have this thing wrapped up tight by tomorrow, spinning all sorts of bullshit to the media.”
“I know that all I`ve got now is a narrative with no endgame, nothing to tie it together. But I don`t care, I`m going to write the story anyway.”
“What`s left of it, Jess, and that ain`t much. You do know these guys are just getting started and they`ll discredit you all the way. You against them doesn`t stand a chance.”
“Someone has to expose them and I`m still not quitting on this.”
“Come on, Jess, it`s the government you`ll be up against now, Deep State stuff. They have control of this thing. Greenmire`s base was put down there to protect that lab.”
“But this gene manipulation thing is terrifying. The people need to know.”
“Not going to happen, Jess.”
As she leaned back in her chair she cast him a quizzical glance. “What? she said, “what`s that look?”
“Got to say it, Jess. Your credibility, they`ll make sure you have none.”
“And?”
“And then they`ll take you down, with a smear campaign or whatever.”
She took a long pause, stared him out for a few moments then answered defiantly. “Yeah? Well this girl ain`t done yet. I used to be a pretty good reporter and what we achieved proves that I still have it. Now order me up another drink, a triple shot this time, because I need to clear a lot of stuff from my mind tonight.”
Behind the bravado she knew her words were hollow, just a knee-jerk reaction to wishful thinking. There had been times when trying to expose corruption at a local level she had faced death threats, not just ones that were credible, but ones that were close to certain. At this level she knew that a big pay-back would be beyond her ability to defend and that Arnie was right. She had lost. And there wasn`t a damn thing she could do about it.
They spent the next three hours in the bar, skipping food and sinking shot after shot, both of them seeming hell-bent on tying one on. Around midnight and on the way to the hotel elevator, Jessica wobbled a bit, Arnie taking her arm in support though he also felt a tad unsteady. Inside the elevator, with both of them facing the doors, she casually undid the top two buttons of her blouse and waved her hand. “Hot in here,” she said.
“Been a testing day, Jess.”
“Sure was, I`m beat.”
As the elevator doors opened she brushed against him as they stepped out, the contact seeming innocent enough. Approaching Jessica`s room, Arnie stopped. “Catch you in the morning, Jess see where we go from there.”
Not replying as she fumbled in her grab-bag, Jessica eventually retrieved her room card then slipped it into the door`s security panel. With one foot holding the door open she watched Arnie heading off to his room at the end of the passageway, and for a moment she struggled to decide. “Arnie,” she called out. “I don`t want to be alone tonight.”
Turning, he looked back at her and said nothing. At each dramatic step of the investigation he had felt the sexual tension rise, especially after their Honduras experience, where he had desperately wanted to hold her. At various times he had yearned for this moment but held back, and now he couldn`t find the right words. Then with slow, measured strides he walked towards her, their eyes engaged the whole way. The final step brought him close up, his right arm wrapping around her waist, drawing her gently to him, their first kiss in over two years the most tender and passionate she could remember.
It was just past 7.00am and Jessica had been up for almost half an hour. She had showered, thrown back a couple of headache pills, stepped into a black skirt and top then curled up in an armchair to catch C.N.N. News. The volume being turned up had awoken Arnie, who slowly raised his head from the pillows, ruffled his hair and looked over at her.
“News bulletin in a couple of minutes,” she said. “Got to be about last night`s events.”
“The politicians and the Evangelical ministries will be going nuts,” Arnie said, staying in the bed.
As they focussed their attention on the T.V. the first camera shots showed the scene outside Reverend Stone`s mansion, the dawn light casting a shadow over a long line of police cars, their lights flashing intermittently across the extensive grounds. Media trucks with roofs full of antennae were parked all along the roadside, reporters mingling in a state of frenzy, grabbing any passer-by they could, hoping they were a neighbor who might comment on what had happened.
“Look at them, like vultures,” said Arnie before quickly adding, “no offence, Jess.”
“None taken,” she said, “it`s the way we all start. Have to or we get chewed out by our boss and maybe even get a boot up our ass. Today`s journalism is survival of the meanest, no sensitivity allowed.”
“Then why the hell do you want to get back into that world?”
“Gets in your bloodstream, becomes addictive, the lure of a blockbuster story propelling you to stardom.”
“Well I guess we better prepare ourselves for today`s interrogation, another round of accusations and denials. I`m hitting the shower, Jess.”
Having to return to Police Plaza during the day to formalise their statements and answer any new questions, Arnie and Jessica found themselves under further interrogation. Political pressure had been unleashed and the evangelical ministries were in a state of panic, with damage control top of the agenda, and the ten
sion in the police station reflected it.
The States Attorney had taken the unusual step of turning up at their interview, throwing in a few questions of his own before cautioning them not to issue any public statements. Arnie knew it was really a political threat, and one he had every intention of heeding.
Getting out of Police Plaza late in the afternoon, they hit a nearby bar & grill and sank a few stiff drinks before eating at about 7.00pm. As the tension of the day finally began to release, conversation centred around what might happen now. It was a reminder that what came next for Jessica was a crucial matter, one which would determine not just her future with Arnie, but expose what kind of person she had become. Riding on the whole outcome was tomorrow`s 5.00pm eastern-time deadline with Preston Fields, a thought she was struggling to control.
She knew there was no way round it, her last strategic move in place, and the consequences yet to be determined. And now she had to tell Arnie.
“I`m heading for D.C. early in the morning, tie up a loose end.”
He managed to keep his expression neutral. “Okay, Jess, I respect your need for privacy on this one. Just tell me you`re not putting yourself in another dangerous situation.”
“I guess danger`s always going to be part of this story, but no, this visit is personal.”
“Okay, but who knows what kind of hell is now about to be unleashed so be careful.”
“All I can say is, that this is no friend I`m going to deal with. It`s a man who thinks he has me in his power and you know I hate that.”
Noticing Jessica had looked away as she spoke, Arnie thought he detected a chill in her tone and it made him uneasy. Though he cared deeply for her and constantly worried about what she was taking on, he had learned not to challenge her stubbornness and determination. “I know you can handle it, but like I say, be careful.”
The Cygnus Agenda Page 25