The American Truth (The American Truth - September 11th Attacks)

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The American Truth (The American Truth - September 11th Attacks) Page 10

by Nick Shelton


  Malum turned his gun to point at the officer, one eye still on Nathan. “Our ID’s are with him.” Malum nodded in Nathan’s direction. “They’re in his right front pocket.”

  Nathan sprinted to the escalator.

  “Stop him!” shouted Malum.

  Stephens took off in pursuit.

  The security officer pointed his gun at the moving Stephens. “Hold it, or I’ll shoot!”

  Stephens paid no attention to the security officer’s demands as he chased after his target like a lion going after its prey.

  The security official fired a shot, hitting Stephens in the lower calf. Stephens fell helplessly to the floor with blood pouring out above his Achilles heel.

  Agent Malum ran up from behind the security officer and batted away his pistol. He grabbed the officer’s lapels, nearly pulling him off his feet. “You idiot! We’re on assignment to capture a Pentagon insider who’s abating a terrorist.” Malum reached into his pocket and jerked out a keycard. “Here’s my access to FBI headquarters--is this good enough?”

  While Stephens and Malum were convincing the security guard of their legitimacy, Nathan was making his way to the bottom of the escalator. Pentagon employees were instructed not to use the escalators in times of emergency, giving Nathan an open path to the first floor.

  The first floor of Ring C was even more crowded than the narrow hallway upstairs. The area resembled a mall. Boutique stores and restaurants lined a wide walkway. Between the shops were doors that lead to other corridors and sectors. Throngs of employees were attempting to get to Ring E, the outermost ring of the complex. Nathan would have to fight through the herd to go in the other direction.

  Malum helped his colleague back on his feet. Stephens wobbled on one leg, putting little weight on his right side.

  “Go, go!” Stephens commanded. “Don’t worry about me.”

  Malum raced to the escalator. When he got to the bottom, he scanned the room. He could not find Nathan within the flocks of people scattering to the exits. He fired two shots in the air. Everyone remained motionless. Malum looked into the distance and saw only one person moving--Nathan fighting his way upstream. Nathan turned, and the two made eye contact for a brief second.

  Nathan ran faster, Malum in pursuit. Malum kept his gun in the air as the Pentagon employees made a path for him.

  Nathan knew time was short. Almost two minutes had passed since he had sounded the alarm. Pentagon computers had a three-minute idle period before a password-protected screen would appear on the computer, preventing anyone besides the owner from using it. He only had a minute to get to one of the computers on Ring A or B. But first, he had to get Malum off his tail.

  Nathan took notice of one of the doorways where people were flooding out. The Navy. Perfect. He was very familiar with this sector of the Pentagon. He’d spent his first years at the Pentagon in this sector.

  He squeezed through the door and slammed the door shut behind him. He spread his arms out to stop the line of Naval officers trying to exit. “Attention Everyone! This door must remain shut. There’s an overcrowding in the Ring C walkway. We must find an alternate route to Ring D. I REPEAT. THIS DOOR MUST REMAIN CLOSED.”

  Malum reached the door. He tried to open it but it was locked. He moved the door handle up and down with all his might, but the door would not open. He then saw there was a card reader and key pad next to the door. Malum stopped a man dressed in uniform in the walkway. “I need entry to this door. Can you swipe your ID for me?”

  “My card won’t work for that. Only the Navy guys have access to that sector.”

  Malum pounded his fist into the door.

  Nathan took the shortest route possible to Ring B. To access Ring B, one needed a top-level security clearance. Luckily a security guard was holding the security gate open, letting a stream of employees funnel out.

  Nathan ran past the officer, giving no reason for why he was entering. Nathan did not slow as he approached the line exiting out the door. He barreled through the line of employees, accidentally causing several in the line to topple over.

  The officer took off in pursuit. However, by the time he had climbed over the employees on the floor, Nathan had already entered into one of the dozens of hallways stemming from the corridor.

  Nathan was now in a sector that had a long row of large offices. Nathan ran down the hallway until he spotted a glowing computer screen from the hall window. He tried opening the door to the office, but it was locked. Having no other options, he slammed his elbow into the center pane of the door and shattered the glass. No need to worry about setting off any alarms. He reached through the gaping hole to unlock it. Once inside, he jumped over the desk and moved the computer’s mouse. He looked into the monitor. The three-minute-idle screen had yet to pop up.

  Nathan clicked the mouse, moving from screen to screen as he searched for the computer’s Network Access Code. After several minutes of searching, he found the 25-digit NAC. He took out the Blackberry and sent a text message to Daniel:

  Got the code 1123581221091120011221973. Will try to get microfiche. But in trouble.

  Chapter 24

  Pentagon – File and Document Storage

  September 19, 2006

  9:10 a.m.

  Nathan had made his way to the basement. No alarms were going off in this area. He was relieved to discover that nobody was down there.

  Cautiously, he made his way to the file storage room and was surprised to see a security officer at the entrance. The officer was inside a glass room that looked like a movie theater’s box office.

  Nathan approached the glass and took out Agent Stephens’ FBI identification, careful to keep his fingers over the picture. “Agent Stephens with the FBI. Why haven’t you evacuated?”

  “Not allowed,” remarked the old, gray-haired officer. “Even if there were a nuclear bomb threat, I’d still be down here making sure no one tries to steal classified information.” The officer set his coffee mug on the table in front of him. “What brings you down here?”

  “We had a tip that someone has stolen documents. I’m searching for evidence to confirm or refute this. You’ll need to open up.”

  The security officer leaned over and pushed a button. A large door to the storage room slowly started opening. “Need any help?”

  “Where do you store the microfiche records and projector?”

  The security officer pointed towards a specific aisle within the storage room. “All the way down and take a left.”

  Nathan surveyed the massive storage room--it was basically a warehouse filled with aisles of cabinets and files. He had to walk more than 300 feet just to reach the microfiche files.

  On the first floor, Agent Malum had finally found his injured partner. They were making their way around the evacuated open-area walkway.

  Malum felt his phone ring in his pocket. He took it out and saw “Wolf” on the caller ID. “Agent Malum.”

  “Markus, I’m calling to know your whereabouts.”

  “Agent Stephens and I are in one of the main corridors of the Pentagon. Our man went into a restricted sector. We were unable to follow.”

  “We’ve got him on video surveillance now. He’s in the basement going through sensitive files. I need you two down there immediately.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And Markus--make sure he’s alive. We need to know where he’s getting his information.”

  Nathan held a microfiche sheet up to his eyes. It was a piece of film that was capable of holding over 100 microscopic images on one sheet. In his other hand was a file of fifty additional microfiche sheets recorded on November 22, 1998. He’d have to move fast to find what he was looking for.

  Hurriedly, he placed the first sheet under the microfiche viewer. He briefly scanned the headlines of the documents on that sheet but found nothing having to do with “The Re Con.”

  His head snapped up as he heard footsteps echo from the entrance to the storage facility.

  “T
hat you?” he called out, hoping he’d hear the security guard reply.

  Hearing nothing, he edged around the corner.

  “Mr. Alexander, hold it right there!” Agent Malum’s voice was firm and clear, even from all the way across the storage facility.

  Nathan sprinted back to the microfiche projector. He grabbed the records he’d pulled. Desperately, he tried to find a place to hide.

  Agent Malum signaled to his wounded partner. “Stay here, and make sure he doesn’t try to escape. I’m going in after him.” With gun in hand, he entered one of the rows of filing cabinets.

  The storage room was a huge maze of files and shelves, some reaching nearly as high as the ceiling. Nathan tiptoed around the massive stacks, his heart throbbing in his ears. Malum rounded every corner with his gun ready.

  “Mr. Alexander, I recommend you come out while you have a chance. I’m getting sick of chasing you around. It’s of your best interest to turn yourself in before you get hurt. We both know you don’t stand a chance.”

  Nathan froze. Malum’s voice was close; the only thing separating them was an aisle of file cabinets. Malum had no idea Nathan was only a few feet on the other side.

  Crouching, Nathan quietly put his shoulder and hands up to the wide metal cabinet. With one mighty push, he sent the large cabinet crashing down on top of Malum. Nathan ran for the exit while Malum was pinned down to the ground.

  Upon hearing the clamor of the metal file, Stephens took out his two-way radio. “Markus, you need back up?”

  He waited for several seconds. After hearing no response, he cautiously entered the storage room. Just then, an object flew his way, but he had no time to react. A 25-pound metal drawer from one of the filing cabinets slammed into his left shoulder, scattering papers and files everywhere. His injured leg was unable to support the blow. He fell to the floor, and Nathan ran past.

  “Stop right there!” yelled the security officer from his glass office. It was too late--Nathan was already headed for the stairwell.

  Nathan looked back and saw Stephens getting up on his one good leg. Stephens was the least of his worries. As long as Malum stayed down, he had a chance to escape.

  The stairwell led Nathan to Ring C of a completely evacuated Pentagon. There were a few inspectors searching for the cause of the alarm, but they wouldn’t give him any trouble.

  Nathan ran down Ring’s C main corridor to Ring D. By the time he reached the end, Nathan’s adrenaline started to run low. He was starting to feel like a 44-year-old man again. His run slowed to a jog. Come on--one more ring until I’m out of here.

  As Nathan approached the end of Ring E, bullets crashed into the wall beside him. Nathan turned and saw Malum at the end of the long corridor. He once again kicked it into high gear.

  He barreled through the exit doors. There was nowhere to hide--the only thing in front of him was an empty parking lot where several of the evacuees had gathered. Considering Malum’s physical shape, he knew that the federal agent could make up the 100-foot gap between them in a matter of seconds.

  With no other alternative, Nathan darted into the parking lot with little hope that he’d reach his car before Malum caught him.

  Nathan heard Malum burst through the exit doors. At the same time, he saw a car speeding toward him. Trapped. He stood frozen, like a deer caught in the headlights.

  At the last second, the driver of the car slammed on brakes. The car screeched to a halt, stopping within a foot of Nathan’s trembling body.

  The window of the black sports car rolled down. “Hurry, get in!”

  100 Nick Shelton

  Chapter 25

  Pentagon – Northwest Parking Lot

  September 19, 2006

  9:26 a.m.

  Nathan had no time to think. He jumped into the car as Agent Malum closed in from behind.

  “Hang on,” a familiar voice called.

  “Daniel!” shouted Nathan in relief.

  Daniel put the accelerator to the floor and the car sped out of the lot. Malum fired a series of shots. One after another, three bullets hit the back window, splintering it beyond repair.

  “Get down,” yelled Daniel with his eyes on the road ahead of him. Nathan buried his head between his knees until the car was a sufficient distance from Malum.

  Daniel watched as the agent disappeared in the rearview mirror. “How many more are in pursuit?”

  “One,” Nathan gasped for breath. “But we lost him…in the basement.”

  Daniel made a sharp turn onto a main highway. “You know who they were?”

  “FBI,” said Nathan, removing the badges from his pocket.

  “Nice,” said Daniel. “Those will come in handy.” He peered at the manila file in Nathan’s hand. “Are those the documents?”

  Nathan sorted through the microfiche sheets. “Couldn’t find the exact one--I just got them all. We’ll need a microfiche reader.”

  “Won’t be a problem,” replied Daniel. “Any local library will have one.”

  Nathan took a minute to catch his breath. “You get the text message?”

  “Yep, exactly what I was looking for.”

  Nathan looked back at the Pentagon as it faded into the distance. “How did you find me?”

  Daniel reached into the backseat for his laptop. He handed it to Nathan. On the screen was a satellite image of the area around the Pentagon. A flashing red dot was going east down the highway.

  Nathan pointed to the red dot. “Is this us?”

  “That’s you. I’ve been tracing your Blackberry.”

  Nathan took the large cell phone out of his pocket. “So this thing can be traced?”

  “Oh yes, all mobile devices can. Fortunately, the government doesn’t know that one belongs to you.”

  Nathan looked around the inside of the Pontiac GTO. “Where did you manage to find this?”

  “There isn’t anything you can’t get on the black market, especially the black market here in D.C. You just have to be willing to give up some cash. That reminds me-- did you get the money?”

  Nathan took out a key from his pocket. “It’s all in a safety deposit box on the other side of town.”

  “We’ll go get it later. It’d be wise to invest some of it in some firepower.”

  “I don’t need any guns. I’ve got my dad’s knife,” replied Nathan wiping the sweat from his brow. “He started teaching me how to use it when I was seven. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen real military action, but I’m as good at using it as any Navy Seal. Besides, you should’ve seen how I used a filing cabinet to take down the other FBI agent.”

  Daniel smiled. “I knew I chose the right man for the job.” Nathan looked out the window. “Where are we going?”

  “Back to the warehouse to see if I can hack into the archived files using the NAC. But I think it’d be best if we split up for safety’s sake. I suggest you go somewhere on the north side of town where there’s not much video surveillance.”

  “Should I take the car?”

  “No. The FBI agent has seen it--not to mention the bullet holes make it look a little suspicious. We’ll trade it for another from the black market dealers.”

  “They’ll do that?”

  “Show’em enough money, and they can get you anything you want.”

  The American Truth 10

  Chapter 26

  20 F Street NE September 20, 2006 8:2 p.m.

  Nathan parked his new Ford Mustang in an empty parking lot. The black market dealer had also sold him a laptop and several other things he never realized someone could buy. He was now trying to give Daniel some time to do research at the warehouse.

  While driving around town, he was able to find one of few telephone booths that still existed. He used it to make sure Claire was alright with staying with her grandmother. Daniel had warned him not make contact with anyone he knew, but Nathan figured that there was no harm in using a pay phone that couldn’t be traced.

  Nathan opened his new laptop that had gl
obal wireless Internet access. He connected to Scholars for 9/11 Truth & Justice, a website run by college professors and professionals who had conducted extensive research on 9/11.

  The Scholars’ research focused mainly on the 9/11 events in New York City. They had little evidence concerning the Pentagon. Nathan knew that if he and Daniel could combine their inside information with the Scholars’ evidence, they’d have a powerful platform that would be heard. He wrote down three names from the group he believed could help: Stephen E. Jones, Jim Hoffman, and Bob Bowman.

  Nathan continued to read the Scholars for 9/11 Truth & Justice website until his Blackberry mobile device notified him that he had received a text message. Nathan opened the message.

  Just went thru the archived files. Incredible. Meet me at our spot 2nite. D L

  Chapter 27

  1227 Ridgeway Ave. September 20, 2006 9:11 p.m.

  Nathan squeaked open the warehouse’s metal door and stepped into the darkness behind it. In the far corner, Daniel worked under the faint glow of his laptop screen.

  Nathan slowly walked towards him, carefully stepping over crates and stacks of old documents. “So the NAC code was helpful? What all have you found?”

  “More than I thought. I found some more information about government involvement in 9/11.” Daniel turned the computer screen so that it faced Nathan. “Then I found what I was looking for…”

  Out of nowhere, the sound of two gunshots filled the room. The first hit the computer screen and everything went black. Nathan then heard Daniel fall to the floor.

  “Daniel!”

  Silence.

  Nathan reached down to the ground and grabbed Daniel’s

  chest. “Aaaaaaah!” Nathan jerked back his hand when he felt the warm liquid. Daniel’s blood dripped from his fingertips. Realizing he was next in line, he rolled across the floor to take cover behind a stack of wooden crates.

  He put his back up to one of the crates, squeezed his eyes shut, and tilted his head to the ceiling. He was breathing so deep, anyone in the room could hear his distress. He was in a state of shock. He tried to make sense of what he should do-but his brain could only concentrate on that fact that Daniel was lying a few feet away in a puddle of blood.

 

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