The Quixotic Faction: (Above Top Secret Edition)

by T. D. Kohler

  “Easy there, Vicki. That is why I am giving you the courtesy heads up. I am going to pair her up with Little John. He’ll look after her. She’s been doing, and will do, just fine in the field. Trust me, this is what I do.”

  Director Carol tightens the grip on her phone at the thought of being talked down to. “Well, we just happen to have Sydney in the area. I will give him the heads up.”

  “Sounds like fortuitous timing. I’ll send ’em on their way. In the meantime, tell your daughter I said hi and to call me. I would really appreciate an update on her biomechanics.”

  “Of course, Charlie, I will let her know as soon as I hear from her. Talk to you soon.” Pausing to relax her grip she hangs up the phone and walks over to her window, overlooking I-95.

  After a few moments of watching the traffic, she purses her lips and flexes her hands, trying to ease her annoyance. “Give me the courtesy he says, hillbilly asshole.” That makes her smile for a second before she straightens her shoulders and makes her way back to her desk and picks up the phone.

  Logan Farm Hams,

  Alexandria, LA

  July 19, 1423 hours

  Sitting in a small booth, Director Harris eyes his brisket poor boy sitting in front of him when his phone rings. Looking at the number calling, he shakes his head and looks back at his sandwich again. Thumbing his phone, he quickly brings it to his ear.

  “Victoria! How’s life in Virginia treating you? Did Roynika call you?”

  “Sidney, how’ve you been? Keeping your blood sugar up, I hope. And no, I have not heard from her lately.”

  Shifting his sandwich around, he takes a deep breath. “So, what brings this honor?”

  “There’s a situation that needs looking in to in Katy, Texas. I figured since you’re already in the area that you could oversee the operatives that Charlie is sending down.”

  “Five O’clock Charlie? This must be serious for you to bring the Austin division in on this.”

  “He’s the one who brought this to my attention, and you know he hates it when you call him that.”

  Director Harris pinches a piece of his sandwich as he tries not to laugh. “It’s all in good fun, he knows it.”

  “With that aid, have you been watching the news and know what happened with the shooting and bank robbery that happened earlier this week in Katy, Texas?”

  “I am going to say no on that one. I have been a busy.”

  “Well, get your nose out of those technical toys of yours and read a paper once and in a while, and then you will know what’s happening here on Earth. There was a bank robbery, and when he went to leave, he somehow managed to get the police to kill each other. We need to find out what kind of technology he or they were using.”

  “Well this is interesting. I get to play field agent. I am excited about this.” He takes a sip of his drink.

  “Speaking of field agents, who’s the agent you paired my daughter up with? You know how I don’t think that agents should be paired up with operatives. It’s unsafe, uncontrolled, and unsecured. The only reason I agreed to let you team her up is because she was already in the area visiting her grandmother.”

  Leaning back in his chair, he can’t seem to take his eyes off of the sandwich in front of him. “I know, Victoria, you don’t need to worry. Agent Abergathy is one of the brightest, sharpest minds I have ever seen.” Running his free hand through his hair, he says, “Roynika’s looking good. She seemed to have gained an acceptance for her prosthetics. I am supposed to hear back from them here shortly. She was supposed to call you?”

  Director Harris detects a change in Victoria as her voice gets softer.

  “No, I have not heard from her yet today. It has been a long road and tensions a little . . . anyways; she has realized the advantages she now has. She only wishes now that the medical center can make improvements on skin.”

  “Well you can relax. What time am I to meet these two that Five O’clock is sending me?” Before Director Harris can say anything else his phone chimes. Taking the phone away he looks at it as the icon showing he has a received a message pops up, you are good.

  “Read the files, and they will meet you outside the bank at 0900. Oh, and Sydney, if you are still in Alexandria, you should try the ham sandwiches at Logan Farm Hams. You won’t be disappointed.”

  A huge smile forms on his face. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. I will have to do that. Talk to you soon, and I will update you as soon as I have one.

  Concrete Bunker,

  Dry Creek, LA

  July 19, 1948 hours

  Walking down the concrete tunnel, Garrett is devouring cans of Chef Boy R Dee while Admiral Kay is walking ahead. They come across a door that looks more like a hatch to a ship than a door.

  Garrett looks around to find a place to put some of the empty cans. He goes to set the empty cans along the edge of the hallway when the admiral looks back.

  “Really, you are just going to set them there.”

  “What? You were the one who didn’t want to just sit and eat for a minute. No, we just had to immediately drop down the scary tunnel. Like this afternoon was not exciting enough for you. What’s with you Spec Ops people anyways? And I need the protein.”

  Just then the door opens up. Stevens, smiling, says, “Will you two keep it down? Some of us are trying to rest.” He pushes the door open, and he notices the cans that Garrett had set down. “Really, you are just going to set them there.”

  “That is what he said.” Garrett gestures to the Admiral. “I had no place to put them.” Lifting his chin and sticking out his large chest and with a British accent, he says, “Now, will you invite us in, and perhaps I can find a proper place to dispose of them. Or are you going to have us answer questions of three?”

  Trying not to laugh, Stevens steps aside and gestures with both arms. “By all means, gentlemen, please come in. Welcome to the laboratory. So, where have you guys been? And, Harvey, you are going to go insane when you see what all is in here.”

  Just as the admiral steps across the knee knocker into the room, he says, “We were not the only ones here today. We had to move the van. We located a huge and very well-hidden power station installation. Of course, that was . . .”

  Stevens goes to raise a finger as if to say something, but before he can, Garrett sees all the equipment.

  “You have got to be kidding me! A real-life Bat Cave!”

  Making his way to a series of video monitors, one of them showing the hallway they just entered, he says, “This is how you knew exactly what the admiral said.” On the other screens are all viewpoints of the farm. “This rundown farm is wired for sound!”

  Stevens, trying to contain his own excitement, pulls his friend’s attention away from the monitors. “You have got to see what is over here.”

  Rubbing his temples, the admiral lifts his voice and says, “Gentlemen! We need to focus here. The police were not the only ones here with us this afternoon. One of the van tires was slashed.”

  Stevens stiffens. “I . . . umm . . . may have some insight on that.”

  Garrett steps back, opening another can of ravioli, and watches his friend squirm. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

  Agent Abergathy steps out from behind a switchboard. “Perhaps I should be the one to cover this part.” All attention turns to her as she feels the weight of their stares. She raises her hands defensively. “Too soon?”

  Stevens motions her to stand next to him. “Everyone, this is Kristen Abergathy, or as some would call her, Agent Kristen Abergathy.”

  After a moment for everything to register, Garrett speaks first. “I can’t believe you have brought in the people we have been running from. And now they know who we are.”

  “She recognized me earlier when I took my headgear off outside, and they’re not looking for us.” Stevens shrugs innocently.

  The admiral steps up raising a hand. “Wait, she recognized you?”

  “Yeah, of course it had nothing to do with h
er agency. She was, or is, working on her master’s degree, and I was, or rather I am, the subject of her thesis.” Folding his arms across his chest, he rocks back on his heels.

  Disregarding Stevens, the admiral keeps his attention on the young woman. “Clearly, you’re not hurt, whose blood is that on your shirt?”

  Both of the doctors do a double take looking at her shirt, and their expressions take on a deep concern. Abergathy looks up at the admiral as her throat gets caught.

  “Shortly after your Marvelesque run-in with the police, my partner and I ran into someone—or something—in the cornfields. There was a man, I think, he waved his hand and something ripped her apart. I mean one minute she is trying to grab him and the next thing I saw were these mechanical arms and legs laying on the field, blood flying everywhere, and her body hurling into the cornfield.”

  Stevens and Garrett look at each other, and Admiral Kay pinches the bridge of his nose while looking at the floor. “You gentlemen are not even the least surprised or even taken back by this?” Abergathy says incredulous. “This thing just waved and something ripped her apart!”

  Stevens softly notes, “It was a gravitational wave.”

  “You should see what he can do to a turkey.” Garrett adds.

  The admiral runs his hands through his hair. “Can you describe him?”

  Taking a moment Abergathy looks at each of them with growing curiosity. “No, it was like had had his entire body . . .” Looking over the admiral’s shoulder, her eyes open wide with fear as her jaw drops.

  The admiral notices this and quickly turns around as he is greeted with a gravitational wall that is slowly pushing him backwards. The man walks slowly towards everyone, and in a low voice that seems to be coming from everywhere he says, “What are you doing here?”

  Nobody moves to say anything as the admiral notices a break in the clothing. The man’s skin is eerily similar to the ship they encountered earlier.

  The clothed man warns them again. “I told you yesterday to leave.”

  “Sir—” Abergathy instinctively reaches out only for her hand to hit something unseen. “Sir, whatever you are doing here is affecting the earth’s magnetic field . . . That’s what brought my team here.”

  “The field is fully functional and intact. You and your team can leave now!” The man turns away from the four as the gravity wall lifts.

  Garrett steps up waving a hand. “Wait a minute! We are not part of her team!”

  The man whips around, and as he extends his arm in their direction, the admiral extends his. Both arms appear to be reaching for each other, and as a gravitational pulse is thrown towards the four, a stream of compressed nitrogen shoots out of the mechanical gloves on the admiral’s hand. The compressed gas cuts though the pulse and connects with the man’s hand causing him to instantly go motionless as the gravitational pulse sends everyone flying backwards, and then it dissipates.

  Shaking off the pulse, they sit holding their heads and staring at the man that now looks like a poorly dressed mannequin. Garrett walks around him getting a better look.

  “Did you kill him?”

  “No, I don’t believe I did. I noticed his skin was similar to the liquid metal on the ship from earlier. It must have instantly solidified under the nitrogen, but just in case—and I cannot believe I am saying this—Lincoln, can you please put your equipment on. This way you can monitor his vitals.”

  Stevens raises a pointed finger and says, “Ingenious,” and then heads over to where he left his equipment and hurries to put it on.

  The admiral watches him run off. “Lincoln, I am not sure how long he will be motionless, but we need to convince him that we are not a threat, to him or his work.”

  Turning to Garrett and Abergathy, he points around the room. “You two, see if you can make heads or tails with all this equipment while Lincoln and I talk to our new friend here.”

  Garrett and Abergathy turn and head towards some of the equipment. She leans in grabbing his arm. “What is this ship from earlier?”

  “Did you really think we look, how’d you put it, Marvelesque? You do know the DC Universe is way more realistic.”

  Stopping to stare at the muscular doctor, Abergathy’s eyes are wide with disbelief. “You guys are tripping me out. I tell you that my partner was ripped apart and that she had mechanical arms and legs. I ask you about a ship with liquid metal and all you want to know is, if you guys looked Marvelesque. What’s with you guys?”

  Garrett stops and his face takes on a solemn expression. “My condolences about your friend. I can’t imagine seeing that, although, we did see him squish a turkey.” He rubs his chin and collect his thoughts. “You said she tried to grab him? So, it was defensive gone bad. Either way, this is someone we want as an ally. As far as the bionics, Johns Hopkins has been working on bio prosthetics for years. And as for the ship, I didn’t get a good look at it. I sort of flew past it.”

  Garrett motions at Stevens. “If you were studying Dr. Starfish’s work, then some of this equipment in the Bat Cave here should be right up your alley and keeping your mind busy will take it off what happened earlier.”

  Closing her eyes, she thinks, breathe in…breathe out. She looks back at Stevens and lets out a subtle laugh. “You guys are freaking off the wall.” She begins to look at the equipment then back at Garrett. “Let’s start at the beginning. What is your name?”

  Her attention suddenly shifts to the video monitors. She can see that several police cars have pulled up to the farmhouse with lights flashing.

  “Hey, guys. Looks like the cops are back. Take a look at what’s on TV.”

  The admiral and Garrett make their way over as the police are appearing in most of the monitors.

  “Aren’t you guys worried that you will get caught?” Abergathy asks.

  “Agent Abergathy, earlier this morning the army was all over this place and could not find this bunker,” the admiral says. “And if it weren’t for Lincoln and his sensory starfish equipment, we would not be standing here now. So, no, we are not concerned with getting found.” Reaching down to the controls, he adjusts one of the cameras to get a better view of the front door to the farmhouse. Nudging Garrett he tells him, “Keep an eye on this.” Then he turns back to Abergathy. “We need to talk.”

  Taken aback she watches the admiral walk away from her. She reaches in her pocket and looks at the camera. “Yes, we should.”

  Banque Societe Generale de International,

  Katy, TX

  July 20, 0951 hours

  Standing next to his silver Ford Taurus, Director Harris looks around the front of the bank, watching customers walk in and out as if nothing happened here. He looks down at his watch as a dark-blue Ford F250 pulls up and parks next to him. Shaking his head, he watches the two unlikely pair get out of the truck. Driving the truck is a large man of Jamaican descent, and the passenger, who had to practically had to jump from the truck, is a petite Japanese-American woman. He stretches his arms out and then rests his hands-on top of his head as the two approach him. “Agents Nomi and St. Clair, you’re late, not a good trait for field agents.”

  Trying to maintain her giddiness Agent Nomi chimes in. “Sir, we would have been on time, but the Neanderthal took forever picking out a rental car.”

  A deep, booming voice retaliates, “Listen here, Flea. It’s not my fault we had to wait for them to get a vehicle large enough for a real man.”

  Raising his eyebrows, the director gives the large agent a surprised look. “Little John, is that what they call you? After all these years, awareness of your surroundings is a trait you still have not learned.”

  Realizing that he had just insulted his supervisor he stammers, “No mon, I mean, yes, sir.”

  “Relax, big guy, I can give people a hard time too.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Agent Nomi goes to give him a friendly punch except her hand passes through him, denting the truck. “I hate it when you do that.”

  C
huckling and turning to look at the small dent, feeling proud of himself, he whispers to her, “I knew you were going to try and hit me. Except, please try to remember this truck is a rental.”

  “Agent St. Clair, I see you are getting more in control of the coils. That is outstanding. Are you still getting the headaches and muscle pains?”

  “Yes, sir, I mean as far as the headaches and muscle pains, only rarely. But after thirty years I would hope I am getting used to them. Not the pains but the coils. After all they allow me to be.”

  A voice inside of Agent Nomi speaks up and only she can hear it, “Bumbling idiot.”

  Grinning, she crosses her arms, steps back, and keeps her voice down. “This time I would agree with you.”

  Hearing her, Director Harris turns to her with curiosity. “Who do you agree with?”

  “Nobody, sir.” Turning to the bank, she says, “So this is the bank that had all the excitement?”

  Everyone stands and looks at the entrance to the bank as Agent St. Clair turns and looks at the director. “I’m sure the Feds have been all through this place, what you think we’re going to find?”

  “We need to have our own investigation, and we need to find who is responsible, and more importantly, what kind of technology they’re using. Meanwhile, while you two are finding that out, there are a couple of agents that have not reported—and I need answers there.”

  Stepping up, Nomi grabs her partner’s elbow. “C’mon, Little John, that’s our cue. Let’s see what kind of trouble, I mean, information we can get.” She leads him around the truck and they head across the street.

  As soon as they open the doors to the bank, the air conditioning blast them like a Freon wave. Goose bumps cover Nomi arms; she rubs them to warm up, noticing that her giant-of-a partner did not seemed phased by the sudden change in temperature.

  “Sometimes I envy you,” Nomi tells him.

  Looking down at her, St. Clair smiles. “C’mon, Flea.”

  As he leads the way they navigate around the customers until they make their way to one of the large desks on the side.