Nick texted me with instructions to meet him at the truck stop just off the Johnson Creek exit at 0845. I packed all my gear up with some extra clothes not knowing how long I would be at Susie’s. I decided to take I-94 and hope there wouldn’t be any problems at roadblocks. I made my way down the highway with the warm sun in my face. I loosened my tie remembering how much I hate wearing them. I was a little nervous since I haven’t had a job interview in over 20 years.
I pulled off the highway at the Johnson’s Creek exit and parked in a stall in front of the truck stop. I backed into a stall so I could see whomever was coming into the truck stop and if I had to, get out quick. Old police habits die hard. It wasn’t very busy. A couple of cars and some trucks off to the side. There were a couple of people inside slurping down bad coffee and powdered eggs.
It was about 0800 and I noticed two black Chevrolet Tahoe’s with dark tinted windows come into the lot. To me they stuck out as odd. They both pulled in front of me and I pulled out my M&P from my holster on my hip and put it on my lap on the ready. My heart started to beat faster and my stomach started to drop. Just like when you are on a rollercoaster and you were about to go down the first big dip. My senses sharpened and I controlled my breathing, getting ready for whatever was about to happen. I could smell the grease from the grill and the coffee. I had my window cracked, like I always did.
“You have to hear what’s going on just as much as seeing it.” My field training officer had told me that when I was a rookie cop many years ago. Even in the dead of a Wisconsin winter, you have to be able to hear your enemy.
The door opened on the Tahoe that was directly in front of me and out popped Nick. He was wearing a black suit with a white shirt. He came over to the passenger door and I unlocked it for him. He jumped in with a smile on his face looking at me holding my pistol in my lap. “Expecting some trouble this morning?”
I smiled at him and placed my friend back in its holster, “Only if you’re bringing it. So are you going to buy me a cup of bad coffee, or are we going to get down to business right away?”
Nick explained he had little time for a cup of coffee and conversation. We chatted a little bit and he explained that he would be taking me to another location to meet his boss, ‘X’.
“X… really? Is that your boss’s name? Not very original is he?” I said with a healthy dose of sarcasm and a dash of humor. “How far up the food chain is this fellow?
The usual smile and jovial attitude waned from Nick’s face, “X is a bad motherfucker, Sean. This is definitely one person you don’t want to mess with.” Nick explained he is a high speed operator and could and had made people disappear. X is the boss. It’s just X, not Mr. X or Sir X… just X. Nick still had a serious look on his face and looked me in the eye saying, “He has carte blanche from the government. There is very little oversight in this branch. The government doesn’t want to see shit get blown up in our own backyard ever again. Intelligence makes that happen. Nobody cares how we do this, just that we make it happen.”
Nick and I just looked at each other and the smirk formed from where there was a stern look just a few seconds ago. Nick pulled out a black blindfold and started laughing. “Sorry buddy, I have to do this you’re not in the club yet.”
I looked at Nick in disbelief, “No way pal! The next thing I know the ball gag is going to come out and we’re not that good of friends.”
Nick shook his head and started laughing. He explained I had to be blindfolded, it was the only way I would be allowed in the compound. I wasn’t very happy with this, but agreed. Nick motioned to me that he would drive and we switched places in my truck. When I was outside a part of me felt like running as I looked at the two Tahoe’s parked in front of me in such an intimidating manner. I’m doing this for my kids, I have to remember this. If they have this kind of power, I can use it to find them.
Nick spread the black blindfold open and put it on me. I instantly gasped for air, even though it didn’t touch my throat or mouth. I hated the feeling of not being able to see, I didn’t like giving anybody control over me. I was this close I had to go on with it. Nick didn’t say a word and he took off out the parking lot. Nick didn’t put the window up that I had cracked. There was an abandoned shopping mall nearby. I believe he was driving around it to try to confuse me. I could hear the engines of the Tahoe’s close by and could still smell the grease and coffee in the air from the truck stop. After about fifteen minutes of this we took the bridge over the expressway going south on highway 26. I could hear the trucks and cars below us. We weren’t on the road long and we were back to a smaller side road or parking lot. There was a sudden dip like we were going into an underground parking structure. I could tell by the acoustics we were definitely in an underground garage. I could hear the two Tahoe’s behind us echoing when they turned their wheels tightly and over-accelerated their turns.
“We’re here. Keep the blindfold on buddy. I’ll take it off when we are in the clear.” Nick said in a serious tone. Nick got out of my truck and I jumped out as well. Nick put my left hand on his right shoulder and instructed me to stay tight. I could hear the doors open on the Tahoe’s behind us and three sets of footsteps behind and to the sides of us.
We stopped for a brief moment and then got on an elevator. I could tell we were going down quite a way. This place is underground pretty far. I could smell the mixture of body odor, cheap cologne and… perfume. There was a lady agent with us. This was getting interesting. I’m glad intelligence is an equal opportunity employer. We all stepped off the elevator and walked down a long hallway. It was cheap tile that I felt on the bottom of my worn wing-tip shoes. I could hear the buzzing from the florescent lights above. I haven’t heard those for a long time. We must be in some kind of old office building.
“Okay. You can stop now, Sean. I’m going to take the blindfold off now.” Nick said in a stern, professional voice. All the other footsteps seized also. I took the blindfold off myself and squinted trying to get used to the bright white lights from above. I looked around and saw the two men and one woman dressed in grey or black suits looking serious. I observed a row of gun lockers that were built in the walls.
There were a few doors with numbers to the side and we were in front of the one door without any numbers. I gave Nick his blindfold back, “I guess you will be giving this back to me on our way out again?”
Nick had a half-smirk on his face and said, “That all depends on you, old friend. I’m sure you have some hardware on you, after you lock them up we will have to frisk you. Don’t worry you will get your friends back when we are done.”
I took my M&P out of my shoulder holster and my Walther from my ankle holster and put them in locker #1. I was getting ready to close the door of the locker when Nick smiled and asked, “What no blade? That Ka-Bar you usually have would be too clumsy for that suit you’re wearing, but I’m sure you have something else.”
I smirked back at him and took the folding Tanto blade I had in my right hip pocket out and placed it on top of my other hardware. I turned around and looked at Nick, “Happy?”
Nick put his arms up like a bird that was hovering in the air. Nick had oddly long arms that weren’t proportionate to the rest of his body. “Sorry buddy, but l will have to frisk you. I’m sure you understand.” Nick performed a quick pat-down and smiled with approval.
The other agents disappeared into a side room and Nick opened the door for me, “Age before beauty, my friend.” I went into the office first and was greeted with a smiling female that was busy fussing with her computer. This beauty was in her mid-forties, blond short hair and was wearing a grey business suit. She had beautiful full green eyes that were half-hidden behind a pair of green framed reading glasses that were perched on the end of her nose. She was very feminine, not like the agent that was out in the hall. She had a tan blouse under her suit coat that had a seductive sheen. It was unbuttoned enough to show just the right amount of ample cleavage.
/> She looked up at Nick and said, “X has been expecting you. I will let him know you are here.” She picked up her phone and said, “O’Brien is here sir, yes sir.” She looked at Nick and carefully checked me out. I felt her eyes on me checking me out from head to toe. There was definitely sexual tension and chemistry, “X will see you now.”
Nick went to the heavy oak door and pounded hard two times.
“Enter!” came a loud booming voice from the other side.
17 In The Club
Nick opened the door and entered the room. I hesitated, getting one last look at the beauty in the outer office. Nick looked at me and motioned me in catching the slight flirtation that was in progress. Nick and I stood in front of two chairs that were across from a large oak desk that X was seated behind.
X was in his early 50s. A black man with a short salt and pepper afro. He was clean-shaven and looked very military. He had a large scar that went from the side of his right eyebrow down to his chiseled chin. He had another scar on the top of his head where hair refused to grow. I also noticed some discoloration and scarring on his hands. They looked like old burn scars. This guy filled up his chair with a wide frame and his large shoulders. His biceps bulged through the modest grey suit with a white shirt and plain black tie he was wearing. He didn’t stand and shake any hands or invite us to sit down, so we stood in silence at attention. This man had a command presence that comes from heartache and baptism by fire.
“So O’Brien, this is the guy you want to bring in? Walsh?” I nodded yes. X motioned for us to sit down and we did so quickly. I thought this was some kind of test to see if I would’ve plopped down on the chair in front of him without being invited to do so. It reminded me of more than twenty years ago when I interviewed for the Police Department. I was in a small room no bigger than a closet with three people interviewing me. Unbeknownst to me the interviewers wanted to see if I would sit down without being invited to do so. I passed that little test and the rest of the interview went smoothly. So 20 years later, here I am back to being interviewed and interrogated by somebody looking for character flaws and anything else that would disqualify me.
X looked at me quickly, but carefully. I’m glad I shaved and put on a suit today. “So O’Brien, you want another Mick in our organization? I thought I met my quota of potato eaters and whiskey drinkers when I took you on.”
Nick smiled and chuckled, “You can never have too many of us sir, besides this one is full blooded not a mutt like me.”
X was looking to see if I was getting pissed. “Your folks came right off the boat?”
I gave him a slight grin and said, “Mom came over on a boat, Dad took a plane. He was high-speed that way.”
X gave no reaction to my quip and shuffled some papers on his desk. He looked at the computer monitor that was on the side of his massive desk top. X sat up straight in his chair and adjusted himself. He looked me in the eye and said, “You’re too old and broken so you’re not exactly what I’m looking for in a field agent. But, these are desperate times and these fucking towel heads had us on our heels. Because of pussy government bureaucrats, our way of life almost ended forever. Things are stable now but that could change very quickly. We have to stay 10 steps ahead of these fuckers. The pussies in Washington all but wiped out the CIA and because of that we were caught with our pants down.” Nick and I both nodded in agreement and X nodded also.
X rearranged himself in his seat, I could tell he was in pain but didn’t want to show any weakness. X half-smiled at me and said, “So now we’re recruiting dinosaurs. That’s what you are Walsh. A dinosaur. I’ve checked you out.” His eyes looked over at his computer monitor that was out of our sight. “Your psychological evaluation in the military showed you have the correct mental attributes for killing with little or no emotion or regret. I assume nothing has changed with you regarding that.” I nodded. “You had a good military career in the shadows. I also noticed you were kick-boxer and dabbled in other martial arts in your younger years. You had a distinguished career in law enforcement until you killed that kid. That was a tough break, you having to retire early. I’m sure that didn’t go down too well with you. Well, we have no limp dick politicians running this show. I promise you that.”
I still believed in civil liberties and was worried that Alpha was going too far in violating the rights of citizens. But I also knew we were at war and desperate times meant desperate measures. I had to make sure I wanted to be a part of this “new world order.” Nothing was more important to me that my kids. If I was going to use this organization for my own good, I would have to put my morals on the back burner for now.
X looked at me and said, “I know all about your two boys being missing.” He paused and looked me in the eyes. “You know lots of people are still missing, right? There are lots of parents, brothers, sisters, and God only knows who else looking for their loved ones. You are definitely not in the minority of wondering what happened to their kids. They are the lucky ones. They didn’t have a front row seat to seeing their loved ones get blown to pieces or die slow painful deaths.”
“Yes sir I do, but I would like to find mine,” I said without hesitation, but with respect. I struck a nerve with X and things got even more tense in the room. Nick started to shift around in his chair and gave me a quick look that I couldn’t quite decipher.
X shook his head and cleared his throat, “You will work for me and take orders from me without question. You will gather intelligence and will be required to eliminate eminent threats to this country or this organization. You are going to have to think on your feet. When you’re in the field nobody will be there to hold your hand and whisper in your ear what to do. We are only as strong as our weakest link. I certainly hope that will not be you. There are many enemies, foreign and domestic that would love to see us crumble. I’m not going to let that happen! It’s not just towel heads we have to worry about. These fuckers have recruited dumb fuck Americans… yes Americans… to help them with their ‘cause.’ Right here in Madison there are operatives that are gullible enough to buy what these fuckers are selling. These stupid college kids wanted to blame somebody, so why not their government? What these kids don’t understand is that these assholes want to wipe out our way of life. They blend in nicely and are used mostly to gather intelligence. Nobody looks twice at a long hair hippy in flip-flops and a tie dye shirt around here.”
X looked at Nick as he nodded in approval and said, “There is also a threat that has been born through all this nuclear shit.” X hesitated for a moment and shook his head, “I’m talking about your uninvited friend that payed you a visit at your house that you had to take care of.”
I was taken aback. How the hell did he know about that guy I had to kill in my kitchen? “I really won’t have anything that resembles a private life anymore if I join this little club.”
“You know the guy? The one that didn’t die so fast.”
X caught his breath and collected himself. I could tell he was getting upset and didn’t want to show emotion to Nick and certainly not some “new guy” he was trying to make an impression on.
So, now let’s talk about the 10-ton elephant in the room Walsh. X pushed himself up in the chair and leaned towards me. “Like I just explained, there are many assholes out there that would love to get intelligence on our little group to use against this country. I can’t afford that. Being completely confidential regarding anything you learn about our organization or any mission you are on is of the upmost importance. If you are compromised in any way and you cannot eliminate the source of this compromise, you must eliminate yourself. This has to be done before they get information from you that could be damaging to this organization with the upmost speed and efficiency. If you lose your nerve or are unable or unwilling to do your duty, I will consider this treason and make sure you are eliminated.” X raised an eyebrow and waited for me to say something.
I sat up straight and cleared my throat, “Well let’s
just hope it doesn’t come down to that. I love my country and would do anything for it, including sacrificing myself. I have proven myself loyal in the army and police department. I have killed and have been prepared to die for god and country.” I didn’t plan this speech, but the words just came out. My volume increased the more I spoke. My brow narrowed and my heart was now beating fast. Okay, Sean. Take it easy. I sat back in my chair and collected myself. I Believe X was a bit taken aback by my speech that bordered on a tirade.
Nick sat back showing no emotion or movement and X let out a deep sigh. The room was silent and X stopped looking at his computer screen he had his eyes trained on while I was giving my speech and rubbed his eyes. He looked up at me, “Once you’re in, there is no getting out. I hope you understand this, Walsh. I will only be a text message, email, or phone call away with your next assignment. You will operate in the shadows and will receive no special recognition for your service. Even if you save the world from itself, there are no award ceremonies or ribbons. You will be under the auspices of the army in intelligence.” I nodded in agreement and X went on, “You will hold the rank of a captain and receive appropriate salary to that rank. You will also receive supplies and a stipend that are appropriate for whatever mission you will be on. If we can’t get the appropriate supplies to you, you are going to have to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I won’t talk to you about retirement benefits, most field agents don’t make it that far.” Improvise, adapt and overcome… I’ve heard that many times before in the army and police department.
I sat back and nodded thinking, “What the hell am I getting myself into? I know, the best chance of finding my kids. That’s what I’m getting myself into. All of this bullshit will be worth it if you find your kids.” I cleared my throat and sat up straight looking at X, “Just so you know, my kids are my first priority. I will do my job and do it well, but I have to find my kids and keep them safe.”
Mad City: Book One of the Sean Walsh Post Apocalyptic Series Page 9