“No thanks,” said Zeke and the cameraman.
While Sly went into the little restaurant, Zeke and John talked.
Sly returned to the van with a bag of burgers and a cup of coffee, and they resumed their ride back to the station. Once they arrived, Julie told them that Harvey wanted to see them right away.
“Well, what did you guys get?” asked Harvey.
“Abdul Muti Poya is definitely the demonstration organizer,” Zeke told him. “The name of the group he represents is called The Four Point Front”.
“What does that mean?” asked Harvey.
“They’re against sexism, racism, poverty, and destruction of the environment,” said Zeke.
“Is that it?” asked Harvey.
“There is one thing, but it doesn’t sound like much,” said Zeke.
“Well, what is it?” asked Harvey.
“Abdul told us to talk to Janice Davies, their riot organizer.”
“Well, get on it,” said Harvey. “Did you get him on camera?”
“No, he got spooked when I asked him if he had ties to the Taliban but I got him on audio,” said Zeke.
“He’s got government officials watching him,” said Sly. “Zeke knows them, but he won’t say who they are.”
“What? Zeke, if you know who they are, you owe me that information,” said Harvey. “We’ll discuss that later. Right now, I want you to interview Janice Davies as soon as possible. We need some movement on this and something tells me she might get us going. Go alone. No camera crew. Just a pad and pencil. Let’s try this the old-fashioned way. We don’t want to spook her.”
“OK, Boss, I’m on it,” said Zeke.
Janice Davies was on the list of demonstrators who had been arrested earlier. Zeke looked up her address. She lived in Forestville, MD off Pennsylvania Avenue just outside of southwest DC but inside the beltway. He drove an unmarked WJOP station car to her home by way of Pennsylvania Avenue. When he arrived, he walked up to the front door of the small single-family home and rang the doorbell. A heavy-set woman in her twenties answered the door.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“Are you Janice Davies?” asked Zeke. He could hear a dog barking in the background.
“Yes, I am. Who wants to know?”
“Hello, I’m Zeke Jackson with WJOP. I was covering the demonstration in front of the White House this morning. I talked to Abdul Muti Poya earlier today. He suggested I talk with you.”
“Oh really? When did I become the spokesperson for the group?” asked Miss Davies under her breath.
“You mean for the Four Point Front?” asked Zeke who still heard it. The barking was getting louder, but he could not see the dog. He could hear the dog scratching something.
“Well, that’s the only group I know,” she replied. “Come in.” She extended a handshake to Zeke. “Don’t worry about the dog. He’s harmless. Besides, he’s in the bedroom with the door closed.”
Zeke quickly reciprocated making eye contact. He did not see any armor, and he did not see any demons. From his experience with this gift, he considered her to be neutral. So, he decided right then and there to refer to her type as a neutron. He would find no resistance to his questioning. Also, she owned no faith.
“So, are you the riot organizer?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“What does that mean?” asked Zeke.
“Whenever a demonstration is supposed to get physical, I hand out certain weapons to certain people. I’m in charge of procuring and coordinating those weapons.”
“Who do you procure the weapons from?”
“Different people.”
“Who is your main go to?” asked Zeke.
“Ron Burch,” responded Miss Davies.
“Who is Ron Burch?” asked Zeke.
“Weapons procurement,” answered Miss Davies.
The German shepherd came running out the bedroom and jumped on Zeke breaking his handshake with Janice and knocking Zeke to the floor.
“Who?” asked Zeke as he got up not fully realizing his lock had broken.
“I don’t know,” replied Miss Davies. “Did I just tell you where I get the weapons? You tricked me. You tricked me,” she said. “I know you. You’re that guy. That mind reader. You need to go now. If Abdul ever finds out that I told you, he will have me killed.”
“Miss Davies, he will never find out from me. I protect my sources.”
It was late and it had been a long day. Zeke returned to his house in Silver Spring.
The next day Zeke returned to the station. He went right up to see Harvey and briefed him on the conversation with Miss Davies.
Then the conversation turned back to the one they were having before Zeke left to interview Miss Davies.
“Zeke, what government officials was Sly talking about yesterday?”
“I really can’t say,” replied Zeke.
“You owe me that information,” said Harvey.
“What do you mean, I owe you?” asked Zeke. “I would tell you if I could, but I’m just not at liberty to say.”
“You ungrateful little upstart,” said Harvey. “After all I’ve done for you.”
“What have you done for me, Harvey?”
“I gave you a job when you could barely speak,” said Harvey. “I made you an icon in this town. I gave you opportunities at BlackRock that others would die for. I can’t help that you’re so set in your ways that you can’t see what you’ve been given.”
“I’ll tell you what you did for me,” said Zeke. “I came to work for this station with a solid track record for investigating and writing news. Instead of making me a better newsman, you made me a carnival side show. I can’t walk down the street without someone ogling me and pointing their finger at me like they just saw Bigfoot. All I ever aspired to was to be like some of the great newsmen of the past: Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Morrow, Woodward and Bernstein. And then, instead of supporting me in getting a clearance, you two sabotaged me and gave me a black eye with the FBI.”
“You brought that on yourself,” said Harvey.
“Maybe so,” admitted Zeke, “but you two orchestrated the worst-case scenario.”
“We had nothing to do with it,” said Harvey.
“Come on. I may be a naive, but I’m not stupid,” said Zeke. “Look, here’s the deal. I got an inside track on this assassination thing, but I can’t tell you anything. If it gets to the point when and where I can tell you something, you’ll be the first to know. Until then, just keep my paycheck coming, and I’ll do your news assignments.”
“Well, well, kid,” Harvey replied as he reached in his desk and pulled out a bottle of scotch filling two shot glasses and handing one to Zeke. “Congratulations! You finally got your head in the game. All right, I’ll fund your little government venture, at least for the time being, but I’m expecting a payoff.”
Zeke sipped the scotch from the shot glass.
“That’s not how ya do it. This is how you do it,” said Harvey, who quickly downed the shot.
Then, Zeke did the same but choked and coughed.
Harvey laughed. “You’re a teetotaler,” he said.
7
The Polygraph
Suddenly, Zeke’s cell phone rang.
“Zeke, this is Agent Johnson.”
“Hold on, sir,” said Zeke recovering from the scotch. “Harvey, I’ve got to take this.”
“Go ahead, kid,” said Harvey. Zeke left the office and walked downstairs and went outside.
“Agent Johnson, go ahead, sir,” said Zeke.
“Zeke, are you alone?” asked Agent Johnson.
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Your SF-86 checks out. We want you to come in for a poly.”
“When?” asked Zeke.
“Tomorrow morning, ten am. Now, Zeke, remember, just be honest even if it’s uncomfortable. It’s the polygrapher’s job to ask questions that make you feel uncomfortable. We all have secrets. If you tell us yours,
and you’re a good fit which I think you are, then you’re in. Get used to the polygraphs. CIA likes them a lot. We are bypassing the usual procedure and fast-tracking you because we have an immediate need for your particular skill.”
“When do I get to demonstrate my supernatural gift?” asked Zeke.
“After you pass the polygraph and eval. We know you have it. We’ve seen you on TV. We’ll want to see it firsthand to explore it further. Good luck, Zeke.”
“Thanks,” said Zeke. “I won’t disappoint you.”
After the call from Agent Johnson, Zeke called Harvey and told him he couldn’t come in tomorrow because of some business he had with his government contacts. Then, Zeke decided to leave for the day.
The ride home only took about ten minutes but seemed like an eternity as Zeke pondered all the embarrassing things he could be asked. He wondered why he would allow himself to be put under such scrutiny. He thought back to the walk in Wilderness Park and what the pastors said about his special gift. They had concluded that it was a supernatural ability given to him by the Holy Spirit for some inexplicable reason. They both thought it was legit. Zeke took much solace in this. After pulling into his parking lot, he sat in the car staring at the bright sun. With his hands still grasping the steering wheel, he bowed his head in prayer.
“Lord, it’s been a long time. I’ve been trying to do things my way, and in the process, I’ve lost my way. I’ve forgotten where I came from, and most of all I’ve forgotten you and your ways. I doubted who you are. No more doubting. I’m tired of doing things my way. I feel so empty. Lord Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are, the Son of the living God. I believe you died for my sins and arose from the grave. I want to do things your way. Instruct and guide me, Lord, from here on out. And, Lord I don’t know why you gave me this supernatural ability. I don’t understand it, but this government agency wants to use it. I commit to be truthful with them and let the chips fall where they may. Lord, be with me tomorrow. And, by the way, thanks for my great parents and Aunt Becky who love me and are always interested in my spiritual welfare.”
After his prayer, Zeke called Abby.
“Abby, this is Zeke. Guess what?”
“They called you to come in,” replied Abby.
“That was a good guess,” said Zeke.
“An investigator called me a couple days ago asking about you,” replied Abby. “I figured it would be happening soon.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” said Zeke facetiously.
“Not that I didn’t want to,” said Abby, “but, it’s better that I didn’t. Don’t want to show any bias.”
“I go in tomorrow morning at ten for a polygraph.”
“Don’t worry about it, Zeke. You’ll do fine. I know firsthand that these things can be intimidating. Just tell them the truth.”
“Yeah, that’s what Agent Johnson said.”
“Zeke, he’s on your side. He wants you in there and so do I,” said Abby.
“Abby, thanks,” said Zeke.
“Oh, by the way, don’t drink any coffee in the morning,” said Abby.
“Why?” asked Zeke.
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll thank me later.”
“OK,” said Zeke.
Zeke went into his house, had a light dinner, and watched the evening news and a couple of game shows before going to bed. He set his alarm for 7:30 am. The traffic would probably be bad next morning and he would need to allow a good hour for the commute. He fell asleep like he had just been given a dose of sodium pentothal and woke up surprised when the alarm clock went off.
What happened to the night? he thought.
As he got out of bed, he felt the cold of an early November morning. He had not yet turned on the heat. After showering and shaving, he made some coffee and some bacon and eggs and ate breakfast. Remembering what Abby told him, he decided not to drink the coffee. Instead, he had some orange juice. After breakfast, he brushed his teeth and put on a suit. He noticed it was 8:30, so he went to his car. A light frost covered the windows, so he started the car and removed the frost with a scraper.
He followed Waze which again took him to I-495 West towards Frederick, Maryland and then past Potomac, Maryland into Virginia where he encountered traffic stopped and waiting to cross the Cabin John Bridge. Gradually, the traffic loosened up causing him a thirty-minute delay. Zeke took the George Washington Memorial Parkway and proceeded until he saw the CIA exit which he took.
When he arrived at the guard station, Zeke again told them he was there for an interview. They asked him for his social security number and ran a quick check on it before letting him in and directing him to the visitor lot.
After parking his car, Zeke proceeded to the main entrance. He again noticed the green windows. Zeke passed through security on his way into the building. He told them that he was there for an interview with Agent Thomas Johnson. Security called Agent Johnson.
“Agent Johnson, we have a visitor to see you,” said security.
“Zeke,” said Agent Johnson, “How was your ride in?”
“Lost about thirty minutes getting over the Cabin John Bridge,” said Zeke.
“What’s new?” replied Agent Johnson. “Well, are you ready for this?”
“I think so,” replied Zeke.
“Like I told you yesterday, just be truthful. They’ll try to rattle you. Remain calm.”
Zeke laughed.
“What’s so funny?” asked Agent Johnson.
“I don’t know,” replied Zeke. “I just had a thought. I was wondering if this is what it’s going to be like on judgement day for those who don’t know God.”
“Well,” said Agent Johnson. “That’s out of my wheelhouse, but I can tell you that this side of eternity, the CIA believes it is God.”
They walked upstairs to a room with a polygraph examiner and his machine and several armed guards in the room. One had a gun. Zeke took a seat, and they connected him to the machine.
Zeke looked the examiner in the eye and said, “Give me your hand. I’ll take over now.”
Laughter came from behind the one-way glass window overlooking the room.
“That’s funny,” said the stoic examiner. “I hope you are still laughing by the time this is over. Now, I want you to answer my questions with a yes or no only.”
“Yes, sir,” said Zeke.
“Is your birth name Zeke Jackson?” asked the examiner.
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Is your birth name Joseph Black?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Is Zeke Jackson your real name?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Were you born in 1995?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Did you drive here this morning?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Would your friends characterize you as a truthful person?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Are you willing to betray your government in the name of government?”
Zeke pondered the question for about thirty seconds and answered, “Yes.”
“Have you ever taken drugs?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Were you born in Lincoln, Nebraska?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Did you drink coffee this morning?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Have you ever had sex with an animal?”
“That’s disgusting,” replied Zeke.
“Just answer yes or no,” said the examiner.
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Have you ever had sex with a minor?”
“Again, disgusting,” replied Zeke.
“Again, yes or no,” said the examiner.
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Have you ever committed a crime other than a minor traffic violation?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Was the crime the bomb scare when you were a minor?”
“Yes,” repli
ed Zeke.
“Were you arrested?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Other than the bomb scare, is there any other crime, excluding minor traffic violations, that you have committed?
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Was anyone injured in that bomb scare?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Did two teachers die as a result of that bomb scare?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Did you do six months in juvie as a result?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“So again, I ask you. Did two teachers die as a result of that bomb scare?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
The examiner looked at his machine and determined there was no indication of deception. He rephrased the question.
“Did two teachers have heart attacks as they were leading their students from the school building in response to the bomb scare?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Were you charged with manslaughter because of the deaths of those two teachers?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Were you acquitted of these charges?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Did you actually plant a bomb at the high school?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Were you charged with the crime of reckless endangerment?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“We’re you found guilty of this crime?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Were you sentenced to six months in juvie for this crime?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Was this crime later expunged from your record?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Do you have a psychic ability to make people tell the truth?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Did you tell Agent Johnson that you had a psychic ability to make people tell the truth?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Did you tell Agent Johnson that you had the ability to make people tell the truth?”
“Yes,” replied Zeke.
“Do you do it through extrasensory perception?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Can you predict the future?”
“No,” replied Zeke.
“Do you consider this ability to be supernatural in nature?”
Soul Reader Series: Book1: Touch Enabled Page 11