Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C.

by Edward Galluzzi

  President Ashton interjected and continued; “You can imagine my startle when Marilyn Hawthorne and her look-alike bodyguard entered my suite. The shock of the moment paralyzed me. This is what the terrorists counted upon and used to gain an upper hand over me. They were very professional, said nothing and did not waste any time. Her bodyguard quickly gave me a shot. My scream was short-lived and I suspected heard by no one. The drug they gave me acted quickly. But there I was wrong. Agent Roberts, who was relieving himself, heard my fading scream. As related later to me by Roberts, the two terrorists were preparing me for transportation to who knows where when he darted out of the restroom, surprised them and got the drop on them. Agent Roberts called Mentor and advised him of the situation. He also summoned a security agent and my personal physician who traveled with me to Montana. Fortunately for me, I was given a strong sedative and nothing more.”

  President Ashton rested and Mentor continued the story: “By the time I received the call, Software was resting comfortably. Roberts related to me the recent turn of events. From that moment on, we decided to keep matters secret because there really wasn’t any other way to play it. At President Ashton’s request, we didn’t even tell her husband. The story of Modem’s discovery that the President was not the President was a ruse. Sorry, Harrison.” Mentor paused and then continued; “I knew we were given a golden opportunity to play things out with control in our hands. We knew that anybody with the sophisticated intelligence to get themselves uninvited into the same room safeguarding the President of the United States would be a chronic threat to our nation’s security and the office of the Presidency itself. The key to our plan was secrecy and convincing the terrorists that they succeeded in this phase of their operation. With the help of the President’s physician, we were able to revive Software and shared with her the events leading up to her sedation. It was at this point that Madam President and I decided to give them what they came for. President Ashton understood the risks to her personal safety, but she insisted that the charade be played out to expose the conspirators in the plot. Instead of the mirror President taking the place of Elizabeth Ashton, it was Software who took the place of the mirror conspirator—‘mirror, mirror’ at the White House.”

  President Ashton continued the chronicle: “I really did not see that I had any choice, Harrison. I knew that my safety was compromised severely and going undercover for their side, if you will, would swing the balance of surprise and control to us. According to my physician, the drug dosage given to me was not far from lethal. We assumed they did not plan immediately to murder me in case something went awry and they needed a hostage—a high-priced hostage. I’m not happy about this part, but Mentor convinced me of the necessity to give my mirror twin the lethal dose of the same drug hoping that the conspirators believed they miscalculated the dosage. Marilyn Hawthorne was dead before she left the Presidential hotel suite. We got enough information from her accomplice that my, er, her body would soon be recovered from the hotel. I was to be contacted by her accomplices in the dissident organization. We placed her guard under arrest for conspiracy and hid him away in solitary confinement. He will await trial like his coconspirators. We finished packing to head back to Washington and left my mirror twin looking peacefully ‘asleep’ in the bed with my clothes, jewelry and other personal effects.”

  Mentor picked up the story from there: “We did not attempt any degree of surveillance at the risk of exposing what we had discovered. We knew that any organization that could carry out such planning with their sophistication had to be well-organized and broad in membership, perhaps even agents, congressmen and staff in D.C. If we exposed the conspirators at that moment, the identification and extensiveness of their membership would never have been known. It was obvious by Marilyn Hawthorne’s mirror image of the President that it was their intention to substitute her for Software. We also suspected that they would contact who they believed was their mirror President. Such contacts would build the base of our list of conspirators that would eventually lead to the exposure of their organization for its treasonous intentions. It did not take long before President Ashton heard from the conspirators and we began building our list. When we gathered sufficient information to identify a general target, I contacted you and the operation was set into motion.”

  Software and Mentor had finished their detailed briefing. Harrison spoke, “I appreciate the specific information and certainly understand why secrecy was critical. You were both right. I might have done things differently if I knew that you, Madam President, was alive and well in Washington. I perhaps would not have taken the risks that I did to uncover the plot behind Jacob Hawthorne. Now, I suppose that you want to hear the rest of the story. Mentor looked at his watch and smiled, “If you’ve got the time, Harrison…If you got the time.”

  Software, Mentor and Hardware managed a tired smile. Mentor and the President listened intently to Harrison’s recounting of the past forty-eight hours. It was well into the early morning hours before the debriefing ended. Harrison asked, “Is there anything else I need to detail?” “Not at this time,” responded Mentor. “I think we have enough information to begin our official investigation and issue indictments and subpoenas. The papers that you secured from Hawthorne’s safe were, shall we say, very detailed.” Harrison reflected and then commented, “You know that it was a good plan strategically speaking. Had it been successful [he paused] I dread to think of what would have happened.”

  On that note, Harrison excused himself and walked out of the conference room. He requested a government car and then exited the White House. Harrison began his short drive to his apartment. “Oh, damn” he said aloud. Harrison realized that he forgot to ask Mentor about the surprise that he reportedly was going to give him. He shrugged his shoulders and yawned often as he drove back to his apartment.

  Chapter 31

  How Many Surprises?

  Harrison looked at his watch as he pulled into his apartment complex and noted that it was four in the morning. He parked his government vehicle (something, by the way, he would never trade for his own) and walked the few steps to his apartment. Harrison unlocked his door and turned on the corridor light. He walked into his usual backlog of mail and newspapers that always greeted him upon his return. What would he do without his charming neighbors, Al and Diane Adzn, who tracked his frequent comings and goings? However, there was nothing in either pile of materials that magnetically drew him to it, especially at four o’clock in the morning.

  Harrison started undressing as he walked toward his bedroom. He stopped suddenly and noticed that his bedroom door was closed. This is not how he left it; in fact, he never closes his bedroom door. Harrison withdrew his weapon from its back holster. Perhaps Mentor did not identify all the conspirators from his mission. He walked slowly up to the door and stood silently. No noise echoed from the room to betray its occupant. Harrison gently put his left hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. He was careful not to alert anyone to his presence. The doorknob unlatched without a sound. As the door yawned, there was a dim light shining from inside the room. Harrison entered the room and observed a figure lying in his bed. In a split second, he dropped his gun and ran to the bed. “Hannah! Hannah!” he shouted excitedly. If Harrison’s shouts did not wake Hannah, the ripples of the mattress from his swan dive to the bed did. “Harrison” she shouted back. The two lovers clenched and held their embrace tightly as if they would soon be torn apart. They kissed deeply and continued to hold each other, saying nothing to disturb the moment. Harrison’s tiredness left him as all that was Hannah revived him.

  Harrison broke their silence and embrace by asking, “How is the future Mrs. Hannah Rossetti?” For her part, Hannah smiled and said nothing. She wanted nothing but to continue their hug. Their embrace increased in sensualness as the lovers’ feelings became more erotic toward each other. Harrison finished undressing, as did Hannah. Nothing now came between their bodies. Harrison sighed as he felt the warmness of Hannah’s bo
dy against him. They continued kissing and caressing each other at erotic speed, their pheromones unleashed and pushing the two lovers into reckless abandon.

  Their caressing excited their erogenous zones and the aroma of sex accelerated their lovemaking. Heartbeats and panting quickened their pace as the silence was pierced with low moans. The art of foreplay took a back seat to their engaging pheromones. Hannah massaged her lover’s manhood as Harrison suckled on his lover’s breasts. They rotated intermittently taking turns at being the dominant lover. Hannah and Harrison moaned and panted so much that the two functions began to interfere with each other. As Hannah continued rubbing her lover, Harrison’s hand slipped from her breast and down to her womanhood. The two lovers approached frenzy as their mutual massage hastened their eroticism.

  Neither lover could hold back now. Lust and physiology caught and surpassed love and romance. Harrison and Hannah mounted each other as their sighs turned to cries. The agony on their faces belied the pleasure they received from their bodies. The lovers thrashed about, their momentum undaunted and unleashed by their mix of sweat and sexual scent. Their excitement spurred their joint thrusts as Harrison’s felt his stirring. Hannah moans became longer and deeper as she reached the beginnings of her orgasm. The two lovers stimulated each other beyond the road of no return. At the peak of arousal, neither could hold themselves back as their orgasms were now self-perpetuating. Their thrusts became stronger until Harrison’s body stiffened. He was nearing the point of ejaculation as Hannah continued her inner massage of his manhood with her own engaging orgasm. Her strokes became longer and slower as both lovers approached their orgasmic climaxes. Harrison could hold back no longer. His body twitched as his sperm rose and crossed wetly into Hannah. They continued their mutual massage until their eroticism was satisfied and faded. Then, Harrison and Hannah lay still. Their panting and breathing continued their quicken pace, but their bodies relaxed. The physical twitching and thrusting of moments ago were gone, but the love and romance between the two lovers lingered. Hannah and Harrison kissed each other warmly, softly as they maintained their sexual connection. They fell asleep quietly in their embrace as if recent events never transpired.

  It was late morning when Harrison and Hannah awoke. The two lovers faced each other in bed and simply smiled. The scent of their sex and the afterglow of their pleasure permeated the room. Harrison stroke Hannah’s hair and said, “What a great surprise to find you here. I tried to call you in Rome on the flight back to Washington, but there was no answer.” Hannah interrupted, “There was no answer, my love, because your friend Greg put me on a flight so that I could see you, touch you once again upon your return to Washington.” A sense of seriousness grew on Hannah’s face as she spoke sadly, “I’m sorry about Josetta, Harrison. He so much wanted to see us together. I know how much you wanted to be with him, to comfort him—to comfort me.” Harrison said nothing, but nodded and fought to halt the swelling of tears.

  Hannah felt her lover’s grief and attempted to override the sadness. She asked, “Was the mission successful?” Harrison switched gladly his thoughts and attached emotions. He replied, “Yes, very successful. It will take considerable time to tie up loose ends, but that operation was assigned to other agents. Now, Mrs. Rossetti…” Harrison was interrupted by Hannah’s protest: “It’s still Miss Littleton for three more days, so watch yourself Mr. Rossetti!”

  The engaged lovers’ laugh was interrupted by the piercing ring of the phone. Harrison reached over and picked up the receiver. “Harrison Rossetti,” he said. “Hardware,” came a familiar voice from the other side. “I hope you have rested well and enjoyed the ‘surprise’ that I arranged for you” said Mentor. “Yes, I’m grateful for your arrangement and allowing us some time together.” Harrison then said in a more serious tone, “You addressed me by my codename, Mentor. Is there any significance to that?” “I’m afraid so,” said Mentor reluctantly. “I know Hannah and you are getting married in three days, but…” “Oh, no” interrupted Harrison…

  Other Books by the Author

  published by CCB Publishing

  Beginnings

  Beginnings is based on the lives of Greg and Charly that propels the reader on an emotional roller coaster, as events unfold in their lives, including the more absurd and humorous aspects of life. Beginnings traverses the singledom lives of Greg and Charly and bring them together. The global benchmarks that help define them and a people unfold for each decade of their lives. We all encounter collectively many beginnings and beginnings of the end. We share them for they are part of what we call the human condition. Man and wife experience many beginnings and beginnings of the end, as Greg and Charly discover—some predictable, some unexpected. Some beginnings are critical moments in our lives as they forever change us for better or worse—they bring us together or tear us apart. They are intimately tied to human relationships as they strengthen or weaken the stuff that binds us.

  Twelve Upon A Time…

  A kindergarten-elementary aged children’s book…each monthly story is unique and illustrated by the original drawings of children whose interpretation of the words can only be seen through their eyes. The stories are written to assist the imagination of children and to strengthen the parent and child bond through the sharing of heartwarming, silly, absurd and believably impossible tales.

  Side Stepping the Rules: Broken or Not

  There are many books about the dating relationships of men and women written by women, but men write few. Well, take heart, for now is the parody book that presents the sensitive man’s guide for escaping the clutches of the woman who thinks she’s Mrs. Right. And it must work because it seems like the author has been single forever!!!