by Brad Murray
“James,” he said in his most pleasant tone, “first of all, all of what you are about to learn must come with the caveat that everything that has occurred to this point was for the greater good. I can hope that you will come to appreciate that these were not easy decisions for the Order – for me – to make.”
“Yeah, yeah,” barked Jimmy. “For the greater good. You’ve told me that at least a dozen goddamn times today. For the greater good doesn’t mean any more to me now than it did the first time you said it this morning! I want you to tell me something real - not the vague bunch of bullshit you’ve been spitting out all day!”
“James, please calm down,” said Brumeux.
Jimmy slammed his fist on the table once again and rose from his seat. Stern broke from his stance at the door and was at Brumeux’s side in a flash.
“Calm down? You want me to calm down? Let me tell you what I want. I want answers! Why do you have my Dad? And what’s wrong with him? What did you do to him? You better speak up or I swear I’m gonna…”
“Bud, stop,” Andy interrupted. His tone was firm and brusque. His voice was cracked and choppy – like the throaty idle of an old diesel pickup truck. Jimmy staggered, the unexpected outburst from his father nearly knocked him over.
Bud. The affectionate petname his father had always used when he was a boy.
The entire room was at a standstill. All eyes were on the thin man in the button-down dress shirt and khaki pants; the man whose strong eyes belied an otherwise feeble physical appearance. For in those eyes was a sudden power and passion that hadn’t been there moments earlier. And those eyes met his son’s with such a depth and intensity that Jimmy was compelled to sit; compelled so strongly that he might has well have had Stern’s meat hook-like hands shove him into his seat.
Even Brumeux was speechless.
“There’s no point in getting all charged up, son.”
Son. Just hearing that word gave Jimmy goosebumps.
“The Order doesn’t like it when you get upset.” His voice croaked like a man whose throat was as dry as the Sahara. “Don’t like it at all, do you Brumeux?”
Though he spoke to Brumeux, his gaze was affixed to Jimmy. Andy couldn’t bear to look away; irrationally afraid that if he blinked his eyes, his son would be gone again.
“Many years ago, when I was first brought to the Outpost, I became emotional. I asked a lot of questions. All it got me was a first class ticket to a prison cell.”
Andy blinked and his expression softened.
“But, I suppose it’s not smart of me to waste what time we have rehashing the past, Bud. I don’t know how long they’re going to allow me to see you.” Andy’s tone had become harried; urgent. He glanced at Brumeux inquisitively, and quickly he shifted back to Jimmy.
“How’s your mother? Is she getting along okay? And what about you? Are you dating anyone? Going to school? I know about Cooper…”
“There will be plenty of time for you two to catch up,” Brumeux interrupted. “I am pleased to inform you that you and James are finally reunited. And nothing brings me greater joy.”
Brumeux smiled devilishly, as if expecting hugs or, at a minimum, a pat on the back. Andy’s face soured; his cheeks sunk in and his jawline drooped.
“You’re not putting Jimmy in this prison with me! I won’t let you Brumeux!”
“No, no!” exclaimed Brumeux. He extended his hand in reassurance. “I wouldn’t dream of such a thing! I’m sorry, I should have explained more clearly, but I just assumed you understood the nature of this meeting.”
Brumeux offered a sly grin to Jimmy and then to Andy, taking a deep breath as if he was about to announce the single greatest piece of news in human history.
“Andrew, I made a promise to you years ago. And today, I am honoring that promise. You have spent your last night in that dreadful cell!”
Andy’s face puckered with wonder.
“As I explained to you on that terrible day,” continued Brumeux, “I had no other option but to detain you. You had discovered the Order’s existence and you, most certainly, would have taken your family and fled. I couldn’t allow that to happen.”
Andy shook his head in acknowledgement. “You’re goddamned right I would have. And you would have never found us again.”
“Perhaps,” said Brumeux. “And if I could have known with absolute and unequivocal certainty that the Alicante wouldn’t have discovered James, then I would have let you go. But the risk was too great. If the Alicante had discovered him, the world in which we live would be in great peril.”
“Wait a minute,” said Jimmy. “You mean you locked my dad up because of me? Because of your obsession with my blood?”
Brumeux exhaled deeply and turned to face the projector screen.
“Yes, James. It was most unfortunate - your father’s uncovering of our operation.”
Brumeux tapped his cane on the blazing white “Alicante” that still shone brazenly on the screen.
“The Alicante. A most ruthless bunch. Ultimately, they were the judge and jury behind your father’s imprisonment. If the Alicante did not exist, the Order would not have the need to protect you. Even if that protection was from your own father.”
“So you put my father down here to protect me from him?” asked Jimmy, his face reddening.
“As your father just confirmed, he would have done what any other father in his situation would have done. He would have taken you, your mother, and brother, and made a run for it. I can imagine that I would have done the same if I was in his shoes.”
“If all of this is true, all of this about my blood and the Alicante, you didn’t need to lock him away down here! You could have talked to him, made him understand! You didn’t have to take him away!”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
“No, James. You needed to live a normal life. A life without the fear and paranoia that would have emanated from your father to you. We needed to study you to make sure we understood you. I didn’t want you to live your life under the microscope in one of our labs. Removing your father from the equation was the best course of action.”
“A normal life?” screamed Jimmy, a single tear streaming down his cheek. “You took away my father! I’ve had anything but a normal life!”
“I understand your anger, James. My own father was taken from me at an early age. The anger in me has never subsided, nor should it.”
Brumeux took a cautious step closer to Jimmy.
“But today, James, today you are reunited. I encourage you to focus on what you have now - the opportunity to come together with your father, to savor the present and relish the future you both have. And I also encourage you not to dwell in the past. What is past is prologue, remember? All the trials and tribulations you’ve endured are merely prologue for the great story of the life that is in front of you.”
Jimmy turned his back on Brumeux, angrily wiping away a tear.
“James,” Brumeux continued, “you recall my mentioning of the crosses I’ve been forced to bear? My heaviest cross was separating your father from your family. I have agonized, tortured myself each and every day for having made the decision. How could I do such a thing to a family? I’ve asked myself this question time and time again. And I always come back to the same answer. I bear this cross because if it means saving thousands – no millions – of families at the expense of one…well, that is the decision that must be made. You and Andrew will hate me forever, I think. And while it is my sincere hope you both find in your hearts to forgive me, I have come to accept and understand that you probably will not. It’s my cross, you see. Mine alone.”
Jimmy and Andrew stared at Brumeux, their jaws clenched.
“But enough about my problems,” smiled Brumeux. “How selfish of me to even discuss it at this juncture. Andrew and James - the time has come for father and son to reunite. No more of this old man’s ramblings. Go to your father, James.”
Jimmy wiped a tear from his cheek and looked squ
arely into his father’s eyes. The man had been gone for so long that he had written him out of his life; erased any hope of him ever returning. But there he was, sitting right here in front of him. And he hadn’t abandoned their family like Jimmy had assumed all along – he had been taken against his will and imprisoned. The wall of resentment he had built up towards his father had come crashing down. At that moment, Brumeux was correct. The past didn’t matter. All Jimmy cared about was the here and now. He stood up and the tears surged. They flowed so heavily that he could barely make out the image of his father sitting on the other side of the conference room. He made his way towards him, vision-be-damned; his arms outstretched. And as he did, his father rose from his chair. The two men embraced in a rib crushing, lung squeezing bear hug - just as they had done so many years before.
Only now, Jimmy had grown to become the bear.
“I gotcha son,” rasped Andy, his feet lifted from the floor. “I gotcha.”
Stern turned from the group, pressing his index finger into his earpiece. He turned back to Brumeux, and whispered something into the old man’s ear.
“As much as I hate to spoil this wondrous occasion,” said Brumeux, “I need both you to listen carefully.”
Reluctantly, the men let go of each other. Jimmy curled up the bottom of his t-shirt and wiped his eyes. Andy didn’t bother to dry his, and he slung one arm over his son’s shoulders, pulling him close. Brumeux’s expression tightened and he combed his index finger and thumb over his mustache, wordlessly articulating the seriousness of what he was about to say.
“Andrew, unfortunately I must inform you that I am not releasing you today out of the goodness of my heart. I’m not releasing you because the guilt of keeping you here has overcome me. As I have said, I have always been mindful of the bigger picture and, because of it, I have been able to cope which such conflictions. No, you are being released today because there is no longer a tactical reason to keep you.”
Andy’s eyes narrowed as he searched Brumeux’s face for meaning. And then - comprehension. He found the blazing white word on the projector screen and mouthed it silently.
Alicante.
“Yes, Andrew,” said Brumeux. “We have compelling reason to believe that James’ identity has been compromised. And if they know, James and the rest of your family are in danger.”
Andy sat down, rubbing his palms together.
“What does that mean?” asked Jimmy skeptically. “I’m going to have to live my life inside the Order’s compound so that you can protect me?”
“Perhaps,” said Brumeux. “At least until we can end the Alicante threat against you and your family.”
“Which would be when exactly?” asked La’Roi. He rose from his seat and circled behind Stern and Brumeux as he spoke. “You said yourself that the Alicante members are the most rich and powerful folks in the world. You said their resources are limitless. And if they’re set on killing Jimmy so they can purge half the population, how on earth is the threat ever going to come to an end?”
Brumeux grinned. The corners of his mustache turned up devilishly.
“I’m glad you asked, Mr. Dawkins.”
Brumeux turned on his cane and ambled towards the projector screen.
“As I stated, the Alicante derive their name from the Spanish coastal city where they originated. But I like to think in a more symbolic sense; that of the mythical snake that shares their name. The Alicante snake is legend; a white snake that silently slithers through farmers’ fields, waiting for just the right moment to slay its prey. It is claimed to drink mother’s milk and impregnate human women. All folklore and nonsense of course, but emblematic of the Alicante nonetheless. So I ask you, Mr. Dawkins, how do you most effectively kill a snake, whether it be mythical or not?”
“Cut off the head,” said La’Roi.
“That’s right,” grinned Brumeux. “Cut off the head. The head in this case is in the form of two individuals. A brother and sister to be exact. Fortunately, the Alicante as an organization is largely dysfunctional. While all of its members possess the same end goal - world control - the strategies and specific initiatives in accomplishing this goal are wide-ranging. If we eliminate this pair, I believe the threat to the Porters will be eliminated along with them.”
“Bullshit,”said Jimmy. “I suppose I will need to stay under the protection of your people while you try to kill the snake, right? Stay here under lock and key - under your thumb I bet? And of course, all the while you’ll be poking me with needles, taking my blood, continuing to use me to make yourself even richer than you already are. You discovered long ago that I could be used to build this empire, and when Dad discovered what you were doing, you locked him up so that you could keep your money-making scheme going strong. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Alicante don’t even exist. It’s just a bullshit scary story to keep me under your control, isn’t it?”
“The Alicante do exist, James,” said Jenny. “I’ve studied them myself. I’ve even encountered a couple of their operatives before I came here. They’re extremely dangerous. You must believe Mr. Brumeux when he tells you that you’re in danger.”
“Please,” said Jimmy. “I can’t trust you any more than I do Brumeux. You knew my dad was locked in here the whole time, an innocent man. So forgive me if I don’t listen to a word you say. You’re no different.”
“Don’t blame her Bud,” said Andy. “She helped me keep my sanity when it was hanging by a thread. She’s an angel.”
Jenny lowered her eyes in shame. Instinct had always told her there was something not right about keeping Zulu – Andy – behind cell walls. Her gut had been correct. And now that she knew he was truly innocent, the guilt of being a part of his imprisonment had washed over her. Disillusionment with Brumeux and with her place in the Order had been creeping in for a while, but she had never questioned the Order’s mission. Now that she had a look behind the curtain, she had discovered that her leader was not all he appeared to be. If he had imprisoned Andy Porter and passed him off as an enemy of the Order, what other malicious things had the man done? Could anything he said be trusted?
Still, Jenny knew without doubt the Alicante did in fact exist and were dangerous, that part was true. She had seen with her own eyes a pair of Alicante operatives in action. It was early on in her training; a week long venture tracking a French scientist who had deserted the Order. Brumeux ordered Jenny and the lead field agent, a man named Klitsch, to hunt the scientist down and return him to the Order. But Alicante operatives found him first. Jenny watched in horror through her rifle scope as the scientist was hung by his feet from a tree limb and beaten with a pipe. While it was a sobering experience, the thing that Jenny could not get out of her head was the pair of operatives. The fact they were so malicious, so brutal wasn’t surprising. It was their appearance that struck her. A pair of twins; red-headed teenage-looking girls – not exactly what she has pictured as the face of the Alicante.
“Miss Jordan had no idea, James,” said Brumeux. “She didn’t know he was your father and she certainly didn’t know how he came to be here. I kept your father’s identity a secret. I couldn’t have my people confused about the mission at hand. There was no room for doubt amongst my team.”
There was a uniform look of disgust shared amongst those in the room. Other than Stern, Brumeux was alone; a lone ship in an increasingly angry sea. The collective glares shot at him like gun fire from every angle. But he had prepared himself for this. Being disliked - being hated even - was a necessary drawback.
“So come at us straight,” said La’Roi. “If Jimmy and his family aren’t safe, will they have to live here underground with you?”
“Well, Mr. Dawkins, I’m not positive if it will be here at the Outpost necessarily,” said Brumeux. “But yes, the Porters certainly cannot return to their home in Missouri. It’s far too dangerous.”
“Are you saying they would attack his home?” asked La’Roi.
“The Alicante will use any m
eans necessary and…”Brumeux started before being cutoff.
“Oh no,” whispered Andy, his eyes wide.
“Emma.”
“Mom.”
***
Emma Porter pulled into the farm’s winding driveway, bleary-eyed from the seven hour drive. Despite having spent the week with her aging and senile parents, the trip had been a welcome respite. An opportunity to refresh her mind, to recharge her batteries. It was the only way she could keep her sanity with all the goings-on of late.
Good, she thought to herself. Jimmy’s truck is gone. Maybe he’s finally breaking out of his funk. Maybe he’s got a date.
She allowed herself to hope, but at the same time knew it was just the pipe dream of a wishful mother. Jimmy had been through so much, she thought. If only there was a woman in his life to help take away some of the pain he had buried inside of himself.
As she pulled around to the front of the house, Abby was there to greet her. Good ole reliable Abby. The aging golden retriever was starting to look and act her age, but that didn’t keep her from excitedly greeting the return of her friend. Despite the encouragement that came from the absence of Jimmy’s truck, Emma missed her son. The farm seemed lonely. Abby offered a loving greeting, but it was no substitute for her boy. She hauled her suitcase from the car and heaved it up the creaky front porch steps and into the house.
As soon as she stepped foot on the porch, Emma immediately sensed something was wrong. The door was broken. And when she pushed it open, she noticed shards of wood from the broken door frame spread out on the carpet.
Someone had broken in.
She dropped the suitcase on the spot and pulled her cell phone from her pocket. The living room was a wreck. Clothes, food wrappers and a broken Jack Daniel’s bottle were strewn about the floor. Her heartbeat and breath accelerated in unison as she punched in Ram’s number. After several rings, it went to voicemail. Emma hung up, more concerned than ever. It wasn’t like Ram not to answer. In fact, she couldn’t think of a single time he hadn’t answered her call.