The Drumhead

by Richard Correll

  “You can’t do this,” he repeated in an unfocused tone. The guy is in shock, Maggie observed.

  “Watch me, sir.” Maggie repeated. “The Chicago Tribune, NBC News and CBS will be

  contacting you soon.”

  His mouth dropped open slowly but no words came out. His skin had turned a paler shade and his eyes had gone wide behind his glasses. Maggie could feel what he was looking at. He had thrown Maggie under the bus to keep his career pristine with an upcoming retirement. Now, others would do the same to him to keep their careers equally antiseptic. This would ruin him.

  I love you, karma. Maggie thought coldly.

  “I won’t let you do this,” he warned weakly.

  “Will there be anything else, sir?” Maggie let her eyes stray to the General. His shoulders were drooping slightly as he shook his head from side to side slowly. He then looked up gradually at her and waved his hand for her to leave.

  Maggie exited the room with shaking knees. It was hard to find strength after all that had happened, the looks in the hallways. Murphy and Springs licking their lips flashed in front of her and another flashback of his hands reaching toward her naked skin. She swallowed hard and felt a warm glow in her shoulders and fists start to push the helplessness away. It was Molly saying you’re not alone. It was Voorhees kicking Springs’ ass in her name. It was Symons’ being there after all these years. Her mom and dad would be by her side as well. She inhaled slowly and felt her knees steady. Maggie’s pace started to become more confident and firm. She was like a thoroughbred learning how to walk.

  As she moved down the hallway she was aware of a few of Fairchild’s staff watching her pass by. Maggie looked up fiercely and glared at the desk jockeys. She made a point of changing direction and walking straight toward another. Staring him down, she opened her mouth and bared her teeth at him while she balled her fists. The first two looked away and the rest got the message. Maggie felt a rage rush through her as she walked out of the building into the parking lot. It was sweet and good. Like honey flowing through her veins and replenishing her soul. They can’t take me down, she exhaled deeply. I’m not alone.

  The adrenaline head rush slowly began to subside and Maggie took a few deep breaths to steady herself. She lingered over the burning embers of her anger and felt the ecstasy that rushed through her veins. It was erotic. Her eyes looked up into the blue, cloudless sky and her feelings shifted quickly.

  In the distance, smoke was rising from several places at once. Maggie checked her direction and realized it was coming from Chicago. It was a sinister black cloud that hung over the entire city. On a clear day, you could see the Willis tower, the Trump hotel and the Aon Center. Now they seemed decapitated by the black shroud above the downtown. It was like a massive beast flying high above the city. It was getting larger, drawing its strength from wisps of blackness rising from several locations. Multiple fires, Maggie realized. It was only then that she began to hear the sirens wailing away. They were like a warning, an omen of events worse to come.

  “Random violence….” Maggie whispered to herself.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “We have a problem. “ Major Alice Springs realized only after she had spoken how loud her tone was. It turned heads outside of Murphy’s office and interrupted the rhythm of the chain of command for an instant. Murphy calmly met her eyes and motioned her into his office. The tempo of army business returned after he quietly shut the door. The rumor mill however had just found enough grist to start turning.

  “What’s up?” He had a full face that had a mouth that rarely opened wide. He communicated by opening a small crevice in his lips that allowed his words to slither out. He leaned back in his chair with the confidence of a fortunate son.

  “I just got a call from the fucking Chicago Tribune,” Alice’s eyes were intense and still in shock from the rapid fire questions that she was unprepared for. It had not gone well and she knew it. Blame it on a cultural weakness in the military. The upper brass were so used to their orders being followed to the letter, so confident of their power that when they were finally questioned aggressively they were way out of practice. Alice consoled herself that she was by far not the first Major to be ambushed by the fifth estate. But the incident left a feeling of vulnerability hanging over her. Like her life had suddenly become transparent.

  “What did they say?” His tone was careful, calculating.

  “Maggie Hunter this and fucking Maggie Hunter that,” Springs waved her right hand in agitation. “I think they believe the little bitch.” She paused and put her hands on her hips. “What the hell are we going to do?”

  For an instant, he regarded her in an almost serene manner. The small, brown eyelids were alert but the mouth slowly turned upwards in a carnivorous leer. You really think you have the answers, don’t you? Springs felt her nostrils flair nervously.

  “We’re going to do nothing.” The serpentine mouth finally spoke.

  “Nothing,” The left side of Springs face cracked a sarcastic smirk while the other side was too shocked to react.

  “Come with me,” His girth eased out of the chair and was out the office door without a second word. Alice couldn’t help but notice that more eyes were on them now. The rumor mill was just shifting into second gear. She tried to remember why she had first found him so attractive. You know, she could feel herself being scolded. It was the power. His family connections would make him Mayor of Chicago one day. Kissinger was right. Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

  When you get there, when you look around and see your life in the halls of influence you never want to go back. She felt her breath grow uncomfortably short. You never can go back. That’s when it started happening.

  She could feel him growing tired of her, sense that he was ready to move on. She couldn’t let him do that. Not after the taste of power. It was sweet on her lips and a drug in her veins. Alice always felt the competitive spirit of love. The girl in high school with the man or teacher everyone else wanted. They were trophies, empowering symbols of her womanhood. She was going to hang on to this prize. It was just time to up the ante.

  She started finding him other woman. Each one a momentary distraction and a way she could assert herself over him. After a while, she joined in on the sexual charade. It was pleasure for awhile. But, she could feel a turning point. A defining moment where appetite turned into anger. Why did he need them? He had her. As she followed him down the hallways her cheeks flushed in rage. You don’t need any others. You have me. Her eyes burned in to his back.

  Alice could not remember when she took to violence with these other woman. But, in retrospect it was probably inevitable. He hungered for them now, craved them. She had been reduced to the role of pimp and provider. Many of the women were so much younger than her. Seeing Aaron with them suddenly erupted into anger.

  From the start she had thought Maggie a bad choice. She worked on the same base, had too many friends. Aaron almost took it as a dare. From the minute Alice raised objections it would definitely be Maggie. She was over ruled, reduced to the role of pawn in this bizarre new game of erotic chess. Besides, she could feel it under her skin. He craved her. The thin, athletic build and sparkling green eyes. How she had gotten past the minimum height requirements Alice was not sure. But Maggie was about an inch shorter than 5’7. Perhaps even two inches.

  He wanted her. It was like a personal slap in her face. They all were, every last one of them. She knew her plan for securing herself at his side had failed. Alice was only his accomplice now. She remembered the exaltation at burning Maggie’s skin with a lit cigarette. It was sweet revenge, a final act of conquest and control.

  Aaron was looking out an office window now as she tagged behind him like the good little servant. The thought sent an icicle through her heart. Alice’s face was a blank mask as she looked at Aaron and thought: I will hold on to you or I will destroy you.

  “The answer to our problems,” He whispered with a hint of intrigue in his voi
ce.

  Major Springs regarded the scene of Chicago in the distance. The monstrous black cloud was hovering over the city like one of those menacing spaceships in that movie Independence Day. It was massive, a harbinger of doom. The fires were bigger now. She could feel it even from miles away. There was panic in Chicago.

  “We have been called in to help restore order,” he mouth had a self important twist to it.

  Springs looked at him and purposefully gave him an animated look of puzzlement. “This will solve our problem?”

  “We’re going into battle,” his eyes twinkled at her. She suddenly felt herself beside him and not behind. “Fog of war, my dear.”

  “Fog of war,” she repeated in a tone of delicious conspiracy.

  “Lets’ release Voorhees and Hunter back to their units.” He leaned closer. She could feel him near again.

  “Send them into Chicago,” Alice continued his train of thought.

  “In these things, people ……….disappear.” She could see the passion flare in his eyes.

  “Along with their secrets,” Alice felt hypnotized.

  “Along with any testimony they might give as well.” The mouth slithered wider and he came closer.

  She nodded her head and then they both looked at the growing black cloud over Chicago. Tendrils were now starting to stretch out to the suburbs, urged on by a gentle wind. We are going to murder these people, she thought absently. A distant echo from deep down inside asked if she was okay with that. She pretended not to hear it.

  *

  The room was a series of disembodied whispers when Maggie, Voorhees, Esterhaus and Symons entered. Maggie nodded to a few familiar faces and a couple of them put their hands on her shoulder for support. Bad news really travels fast, she realized. Symons, Esterhaus and Voorhees were wound up tighter than a cheap watch. She had overheard Symons say he was tossing a grenade at Murphy the first chance he got. I’m a big girl, she told him. Don’t do anything stupid.

  All she got was a stiff nod of his head in reply.

  Maggie moved through the forest of unit commanders and exchanged a few words with each of them. She was actually amazed at how many were talking to her. Maggie had been prepared to be ostracized by some who would fear Murphy’s wrath. Some did, moving to another side of the room as she walked by. Well, at least I know who my friends are. She smiled at another warm greeting.

  Then, he was right there.

  Murphy was not two feet away. His face betrayed surprise at suddenly running into her. But, as soon as the emotion faded he looked her in the eyes and slowly licked his lips. Maggie felt a snarl curl into her lips. Good, she thought. I’m not afraid anymore. I’m not alone.

  For a minute, his authority held the upper hand. Maggie looked up into eyes with defiance. She knew he had heard from the press by now. Go on, try something, say something. She swore he stopped breathing for a second. Then, she took a sudden step forward. He stepped back instinctively. Got you. A sliver of a smile lacerated across her face.

  “Excuse me, sir.” Her voice was low and threatening as she strode past him.

  “….and don’t worry, sir.” It was Symons now. He was a good three inches taller staring down at Murphy. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”

  Springs came to his rescue by saying: “Everyone take your seats.”

  Murphy took to the stage and began to outline the need that their company was required for fast deployment and they would be backed up in a few hours by larger military units from out of state. He briefly lost momentum when his eyes scanned the room and settled on Maggie. She returned his glare with a calm, professional look. You’ve lost control, she nodded. They’re going to eat you alive in the press. He stuttered for a second and lost his place.

  “Uh, where was I?”

  “Forward deployment,” Springs rescued him a second time. Alice was sure the stumble was something Hunter had done. She chanced a look across the room at Maggie.

  Poker face on.

  “I want each of the four commanders to have different radio frequencies.” Murphy was back on track. “This should cut down on confusion.” He scanned the room, avoiding Maggie’s area. “You will receive them later.”

  “Each of you will have a spot to camp out, get your gear stowed and use as a base of operations.”Murphy suddenly had a large map behind him. “Remember, larger units will be coming later. You will need to prepare for their arrival.”

  “Lieutenant Rico ,” Murphy looked over to the right side of the room. “You have the Chicago campus of Northwestern University.”

  “Yes sir, “ Rico replied.

  “You get to rescue the college girls,” Murphy joked to a smattering of laughter and a shy grin from Rico.

  “Captain Cromarty, you get Soldier field,” Murphy was reading off a page now. “You will then fan out and bring some order to the Printer’s row and Dearborn Park district.”

  “Yes sir,”

  “Lieutenant Compton,” Murphy rhymed off another name.

  “Sir,”

  “Your base of operations will be McCormick Place.” Murphy turned and pointed at the map. “You are to secure the I-55 for supply vehicles and protect Chinatown.”

  “Yes sir,” A voice came from the back of the room.

  “Captain Pinder,” Murphy looked up with an odd look spreading across his thin mouth. “You have Millennium station. Try to bring as much order as you can to The Loop.”

  “Yes, sir.” A thin man of 5’10 stood several rows away from Maggie. The first thing she noticed was the uneasiness in his voice. Is he nervous? She corrected herself, maybe a little confused as well.

  “Have you had a chance to familiarize yourself with your new unit?” Murphy was looking at him now. An odd look had moved into his eyes. He seemed like the man at the gaming table who held the last trump card.

  “No sir, I’m sorry……..” Pinder tried to explain.

  “Well, they’re right there.” He pointed at the front row. “ Sergeant Symons, Lieutenant Esterhaus and Private Voorhees.”

  The room seemed to drop a few degrees into cold shock. Symons’ eyes flared but extinguished when Maggie secretly dug her nails into his thigh. He wants us to react, Maggie wanted to say to him. Since there was no time the nails would have to do. Esterhaus felt his lips part slightly and Voorhees cocked her head in indignation.

  “Lieutenant Hunter has been relieved of command,” Murphy announced, trying to sound unemotional. “However, she will accompany her unit. “ Murphy looked up at Maggie. “Do you have anything to add, Lieutenant, Hunter?”

  “No sir,” Maggie replied calmly. Poker face on. “Captain Pinder, sir?”

  “Yes ma’am,” Pinder was nervous. “I mean, yes Lieutenant.”

  “Why don’t you join us, sir?” Lets’ get to know this guy, she thought. We’re missing something here.

  “Yes, Lieutenant, thank you.” Pinder made his way to where Maggie was sitting.

  Maggie started to get up to surrender her chair to Pinder, she took a moment to glance at Murphy with a hard stare. Sorry asshole, her look said it all. You are not getting a reaction you can use later.

  “Keep your seat, Maggie.” Someone whispered beside her. “ I’ll just stand.”

  She looked over to the source of the whisper. It was Pinder. His brownish, bespectacled eyes held no emotion for his new post. Maggie was trying hard to read him and couldn’t. There definitely was something going on. If she was Peter Parker her spider sense would be going crazy right now.

  After gently guiding Maggie back into her chair Pinder kept his eyes to the floor to avoid the look he was getting from Murphy and Springs. Robbed of his moment of exaltation and drama, Murphy wrapped things up quickly and finished with the departure times. They were just a few hours away.

  “Pinder?” Major Springs caught up to Murphy in the hallway behind the stage. “Why Pinder?”

  Murphy shot her a look and hissed; “Keep your voice down.”

  “Sorr
y,” She was beside him now. “Why Pinder?”

  “Our jaunts to Mexico and Europe weren’t cheap.” Murphy had that look of all the angles figured out in his eyes again. “The money had to come from somewhere.”

  “What are you talking about?” She felt herself getting in deeper.

  “I just did a little creative accounting.” He shrugged. The law really was for other people. For him, what was right and wrong was just…..details.

  “You stole from the military?” Springs face was changing from a question mark to a look of incredulity.

  “Appropriated.” Murphy corrected her as if the whole situation was funny. “That little shit Pinder is studying to be an accountant. How the hell did I know he would start noticing?”

  “So you put him in command of Hunter’s unit?” Springs was racing to try and catch up. “Are you going to kill him, too?”