Resistance Rising

by Matthew Savage

  “I told you..,” Mark started but this time Major Fulton kicked him.

  “You see. He would have had his chance,” this the Major said to the agents in the room. They were still silent. “Bring one of the boys in.”

  There was a shuffling in the other room. An agent brought in Cain. He had a black eye. He must have tried to put up a fight when the agents came into the house.

  “Roughed him up a bit I am afraid,” Major Fulton said. He moved Cain’s face so Mark could see it better. “This young man has some fight in him. More than his father apparently.” Major Fulton turned back to Mark. “I expected more of a fight out you. I mean you were packing some heat.” He chuckled to himself. He signaled for the agents to continue to search. “So. I am going to ask again. This time I want answers. If not I will hurt your son.”

  Mark squirmed but agents held him down.

  “Tell me. Where do they operate from?”

  Mark didn’t know what to say. He had to tell them something. Cain had tears in his eyes. He was trying to break the grip of the agent holding him. Mark wasn’t sure what the Major would do to Cain but he had already done enough.

  “Fine. I know that a guy came to me to help them rebel against the government. I agreed.”

  “Who was the guy?” Major Fulton asked.

  “The guys named-”

  “Dad no!” Cain yelled.

  Major Fulton smacked Cain across the face.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Mark screamed.

  “Then I suggest you talk faster.”

  “A guy named Lee. I don’t know where they operate out of. They tell me where they need me and I let them know when the convoy comes.”

  At the sound of the name Lee, a Sergeant standing behind Major Fulton changed standing positions as if Lee meant something to him.

  “Can you get a hold of this Lee?” Major Fulton asked.

  “I can.”

  “That wasn’t so bad was it?” Major Fulton said. “You are going to have some agents staying with you. If for some reason you try and escape or attack any of my men. They will torture and kill your family. While you watch. My men will watch you every second until you help deliver these rebels. ”

  “Then what happens?” Mark asked. He wanted to make a comment about a work camp but didn’t

  “I am sure we will find something appropriate.”

  The Major Walked out of the room followed by the Sergeant who dropped what he was doing. The handcuffs were removed and Mark ran to hug Cain. Then he went into the kitchen and held his family.

  Major Fulton walked out onto the porch. He took a deep breath taking in the crisp air. He felt as if some progress was made. He knew Mark knew more but he told him some truth which meant there was more to it. Sergeant Marx came up behind him.

  “Sir,” The Sergeant said.

  “Yes, Sergeant?”

  “He mentioned, Lee”

  “And?”

  “I think old man Hunter’s son was named Lee. He lived on the other side of town from me and was a few years older but I think his name was Lee.”

  “Did you say Old Man Hunter?” Major Fulton asked. He looked surprised.

  “Yes. I think it was Danny Hunter.”

  “Do you happen to know where they live?”

  “Of course.” The Sergeant said more matter-of-factly than he wanted.

  “We are going to have to pay them a visit.” Major Fulton said, a grin coming across his face.

  Chapter 17

  The Kiss

  Mary was looking at Sarah, who hadn’t realized that she was being watched. Sarah folded the note and subtlety handed it to her. Sarah must have known what her face had looked like when she read it because Mary also had a scared reaction. Sarah was on edge. It was one of the first times she had wished she had a gun on her. Mary hid the note. Sarah figured she didn’t want to cause a panic in the car.

  The car pulled up in front of the house and the group exited the car. They walked towards the door when Mary handed Ms. Hill the note. She looked at it and alarm ran across her face.

  “Where did you get this?” She asked.

  Sarah explained what happened with Mr. Schweppes giving her the letter after their meeting.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Steven asked.

  “That is information we need if we are going to protect Ms. Hill,” Sergeant Miller added.

  “I didn’t have a chance. I wasn’t going to pass the letter around the car. I didn’t want to alert the driver about anything,” Sarah explained.

  “I was next to her and she showed me the letter.”

  “Does this mean Jonah is on our side?” Sergeant Miller asked.

  “I am not sure,” Mary said.

  The group entered the house feverishly discussing the note. Captain Underwood was waiting for them. He was confused when they walked in and everyone was talking at once. It took him a minute to get the group to explain what happened. Ms. Hill took charge and explained what went on in the meeting then told him about the letter.

  “We saw him before the meeting and he acted strangely,” Sarah remembered.

  “He could have known then but didn’t have a way to warn you.” Captain Underwood said. He paced the room. “First things first. We need to get you to the safe house.” He pointed at Ms. Hill. “We can’t be in this complex. If he decides to betray us then we need to not be here.”

  “I think you are right,” Ms. Hill said grudgingly.

  “We can take a couple of agents to the safe house then head back for you the rest of you.” Sergeant Miller explained.

  “Orson.” Captain Underwood yelled. Orson came running into the room. “Pack up the communication gear. You will go with Ms. Hill to the safe house. He can set up our communications and we can figure out how to get back.”

  “I will stay then. Agent Young and Mason can escort Ms. Hill.” Sergeant Miller said.

  Agent Young and Mason were both in the corner and nodded their heads. Everyone started getting organized and ready to move to the safe house. Sergeant Miller briefly explained where the safe house was to the squad. Sarah didn’t think she could find it based off of his directions but was happy trying to help.

  The first group had their things in the front room when Ms. Hill told everyone to be quiet. She was getting a call from Jonah Schweppes. She answered it and put it on speaker phone.

  Mr. Schweppes went right to the point when she answered it. “Ms. Hill this is Jonah. I wanted to get a meeting with you to discuss what I told you all.”

  “We can meet you at the park on McGill,” Captain Underwood said.

  “Is it safe to assume that Ms. Hill will not be joining?” Mr. Schweppes asked.

  “It is.” Captain Underwood responded.

  Ms. Hill didn’t give the slightest look as if she would disagree.

  “That is fine. When would you like to meet?” Mr. Schweppes.

  “Ten minutes.” Captain Underwood said.

  “I can do that.” Mr. Schweppes said. He hung up the phone.

  “Agent Young,” Captain Underwood started. “Take us to the meeting area. Drop us off then take Ms. Hill to the safe house.”

  “Yes sir,” Agent Young said.

  Captain Underwood, Mary, Steven, Sarah, and Sergeant Miller piled into the small car and they headed for the park. The park was several minutes from their complex. Agent Young dropped them off. Captain Underwood instructed that he would be in contact when they are finished. They wished each other luck. The team spread out to secure the area. They all had their weapons concealed. Sarah and Captain Underwood would be the ones talking to Mr. Schweppes. Steven Mary and Sergeant Miller would be keeping watch. They found an area that was wooded and secluded.

  Captain Underwood kept checking his watch as it came closer to the meeting time. It was around the ten-minute mark when they received the call that Mr. Schweppes arrived. Captain Underwood went to go retrieve him. Sarah waited in the wooded area until Captain Underwood came back following behin
d Mr. Schweppes. Sarah could tell that he had his hand on his gun as they walked in. Sarah searched Mr. Schweppes. The only thing he had on him was his keys and wallet.

  “I have told you. I want to work with you. I would think by now you would not treat me like this every time we meet.” Mr. Schweppes said. He was irritated.

  “You haven’t given us many reasons to trust you.” Captain Underwood said.

  Jonah fired back, “Is that right? Last I checked I have yet to put a gun in your face. Can you say the same?” Sarah knew he was right on this point. Mr. Schweppes continued. “I have tried to protect you. Only having my people bring you places. You stay at the homes I own. I don’t know what I have to do to get you, people, to trust me.”

  Sarah looked at Captain Underwood. He was right. He had seemed to do everything to keep them safe. Captain Underwood seemed to have the same idea.

  “Explain the note,” Captain Underwood said with a stern tone in his voice. This was the most forceful she had ever heard him speak.

  “I saw in Max’s notes for the day that he had a meeting. The meeting was with some agents of the CIA. He was seeing what kind of deal the US would offer him. He is looking to get the most out of the situation.”

  “Why wouldn’t he give us over to the CIA before? He knows how much we are worth,” Sarah asked.

  “He gave some information. He wanted to seem appealing to them.”

  “Couldn’t they arrest him?” Sarah asked.

  “Not here. They have no jurisdiction here. They could try but his guards would put an end to that.”

  “Reese is only working for himself,” Captain Underwood said. He paced the area of the park.

  “How did you get involved with him?” Sarah asked.

  “We met during the service. We were both Special Forces; I was with the SAS Max was a Seal. We did a joint mission which was how we got in contact with each other. Through the years were kept in touch until we both had finished with the military. We didn’t know what to do after. We had never done anything except fight. He had come up with the idea while he was in service. You would be surprised at how much governments hire private contractors. He figured it was a great way to make money. That was how we started. The war in with the Middle East grew. More contractors were hired. It wasn’t long after we started our business did we really start to grow.”

  “Wars do that sometime,” Captain Underwood said a little bitterly.

  Mr. Schweppes nodded his head. “It always sat a little wrong with me that we were making such great money because of a war. We didn’t do it because we believed it in what they were fighting for. We did it because of the money. I didn’t want the Islamic United Territories to win by any means but we didn’t have much invested.”

  “Why have your headquarters in Canada?” Captain Underwood asked. “You said Reese was a Seal?”

  “It is cheaper. I told you he wants profit and power. That is was he is looking for from the Insurgents. He knew he could get more in the long run with people who are desperate.” Mr. Schweppes said.

  “We aren’t desperate?” Sarah said. This made her angry.

  “Not completely but you need us. It is obvious.”

  “Is that why you want to join? For-profit?” Captain Underwood said in an accusing tone.

  “I told you, I want first picks at future contracts. That is all I want. I help you and you help me. I also believe in your cause. I think that government is a terrible thing, it needs to be stopped. President Marshal is going to do terrible things to the world if he wins. Things are already getting bad, but the point is that, I want to help. ”

  Sarah looked at Mr. Schweppes. She wanted to size him up and try to decide if he was telling the truth. She had a feeling he was, but she couldn’t be too careful.

  “I don’t think this will work though. I know you won’t let Max take a commanding role. He wants power. With a new government, he can get that.”

  “You’re right. We won’t let him command.” Captain Underwood said. He took an enormous chance by telling him the truth.

  “In that case, you shouldn’t meet with him again,” Mr. Schweppes started. “It isn’t safe. If this revolution is to survive you need to get Ms. Hill back to the States.” Mr. Schweppes urged.

  “There isn’t any way he would join?” Sarah asked.

  “Do we want someone like that in a position of power?” Captain Underwood asked. “He is working two sides now. If he joins and things aren’t going his way is he going to sell us out?”

  Sarah knew he was right but also knew how much they needed this company. The Democratic Insurgence needs supplies and soldiers. How many other places could have what they need?

  “I am going to join you. I will take what is mine from the company,” Mr. Schweppes said. “I have some manufacturing property of my own. We can use those to make what the Insurgence needs.”

  “What do you want in return?” Captain Underwood asked.

  “I told you first grabs on contracts. This is a good cause. A promise of contacts isn’t much to ask.”

  “Why were you so afraid of our guns? You were SAS you should have been used to it.” Sarah asked. She didn’t know why this thought came into her head. She wanted him to come clean on everything.

  “I thought you all had found something out about Max. That you would think I was a part of it. I was afraid to die. I was unarmed, outnumbered, and defenseless. I didn’t want to die. Not for something I didn’t do and not because Max made a choice that I thought was wrong.”

  “You knew he was doing this the whole time?” Sarah asked.

  Captain Underwood straightening at Sarah’s words. He had put it together along also. They both rounded on Mr. Schweppes.

  “No. I had some suspicions. He wouldn’t let me in on certain meetings. We always have meetings that I am usually allowed to attend but I wasn’t allowed at any. If the CIA knew I wanted to join and was helping you and if he decided he disagreed and wished to take the company on the U.S. Governments side, there would be a chance I could be arrested. I think he didn’t want to lose a business partner. If we were separate he could use some excuse about how the D.I got into contact with him.”

  “Have you two had talks about joining?” Captain Underwood asked. “I mean you must have.”

  “We have, but I mostly have tried to talk him into it. He seemed to want to just let the conflict happen then see if either side would hire us. I didn’t want to join that way. I want to be on the right side.” Mr. Schweppes explained.

  He was being sincere. Sarah knew he wanted to help and do the right thing. It seemed that they would not be leaving the country empty-handed. They gained an ally. Someone who had resources that could make a difference in the war. Sarah felt optimistic.

  “I will head back and see what people I can take with me. I have lightly spread the word that I might join,” Mr. Schweppes informed them. “I will meet you at the townhome tonight when I have a plan as to how to get you home. If you have ideas let me know what you need and I will make it happen. I know you all are probably changing locations but if they are watching me then we should meet somewhere they already think you are.”

  It seemed that Mr. Schweppes was not as unintelligent as Captain Underwood had hoped he was. Mr. Schweppes held out a hand to shake the Captain’s hand. Will paused for a moment before he shook hands. Sarah shook his hand and Mr. Schweppes left the wooded area and called to them that he would be in touch.

  “Tell everyone thanks for not killing me,” Mr. Schweppes said in a loud enough voice so that only Sarah, Captain Underwood and the others watching could hear.

  When he was gone Mary, Sergeant Miller and Steven exited the brush from where they were keeping watch. Mary had a smile on her face. When the group gathered Mary spoke first.

  “Think he knew where we were?” Mary said a little sarcastically.

  “I can imagine he suspected you had to be watching.” Captain Underwood said. He kicked some brush at his feet.

&nb
sp; “We need to leave the country.” Sarah started to explain. “Jonah is willing to help us do that and willing to join us. So this wasn’t completely for nothing.”

  “Before we do that though we need to do something?” Captain Underwood said.

  “What is that?” Sarah asked. The group looked confused.

  “We need to get these CIA agents. If they know about us or Ms. Hill they must not be allowed to relay that information.”

  “You know there is a good chance that was already done right?” Steven said.

  “I know but they can’t find us and they can’t track us. We have to see what they passed on then stop them.” Captain Underwood told the group.

  “You mean kill them?” Sergeant Miller asked.

  “I do,” Captain Underwood answered.

  “Are we assassins?” Sarah asked. Clearly, she didn’t like the idea of going out to kill people.

  “Trust me if they get the chance they will do the same to us,” Mary told her.

  “We can’t make this decision here. We have to run it past Ms. Hill,” Sergeant Miller said.

  Sarah knew where he was going right away with this. Ms. Hill outranked the Captain. If she said they weren’t going to do something they wouldn’t. They all have disobeyed orders before but they were told that it can’t happen again. Sarah could see the wheel’s in Captain Underwood’s head turning when Sergeant Miller spoke. He was looking for a loophole. Something that could justify him going through with it even if Ms. Hill said he couldn’t.

  “We will discuss it at the safe house,” Captain Underwood said.

  The group split up and walked back to the complex. The city was large and it seemed crowded. Sarah didn’t think it was necessary to split up but she didn’t argue. Sarah and Steven were paired together. Sarah wasn’t mad. Once when they were undercover they acted as a couple, Sarah now had hoped they would put on that cover again while they walked so that Steven would hold her hands like last time. That time Sarah was so nervous about the mission he hadn’t thought about Steven. She now wondered if he had done that on purpose in order to hold her hand before.

  “That time when we were undercover in Chicago. You said we should act like a couple was that on purpose?” Sarah asked in a whisper.