Monster

by Bernard L. DeLeo

  “That’s why you were so hot for saying hi to the boys over at the White House. You wanted intel on the new Syrian bosses without anyone noticing.”

  When McDaniels kept silent, Reskova laughed.

  “Heh, heh, heh, I’m finally getting in stride with you, Cold.”

  “Yeah, you’re the bomb, Red.”

  “Shit, you devious… okay… what else? Come on, what else is steaming in that miasma of a brain.”

  “Whoa Nelly, calm down,” McDaniels replied. “I have nothing on my mind except getting you home.”

  “I can take you now, Skinny. You have to obey me.”

  “You won’t like the foreplay to your throw-down, Red.”

  “We’ll see,” Reskova said confidently. “I’ll have you spilling your guts out in fifteen minutes.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  * * *

  In the still darkness, McDaniels finished dressing in his uniform while listening with amusement to Reskova’s snoring. Dino lay at his feet, having already been run at four in the morning when McDaniels had wakened. McDaniels signaled the dog up with a hand gesture.

  “Turn that record over, will you Dino?” McDaniels hand signaled Dino.

  Dino leaped to the side of the bed. He stood on his hind legs, using his front paws to push on Reskova’s nearest shoulder as she lay on her back. Reskova stopped snoring. She went from her back to her side, groaning sleepily and pushing back with her free hand. When she felt Dino’s flank, she barked out an order which sent Dino scurrying to the foot of the bed. Reskova sat up, hearing McDaniels laughing.

  “I was snoring again, huh?” Reskova pulled the nasal passage expander off the bridge of her nose. “Lot a good these things do.”

  “You only get loud when you’re really tired.” McDaniels walked over by the bed.

  “It’s only a little after five,” Reskova commented, looking over at the clock. “Let me…”

  “Aginson’s sending a driver over to pick me up,” McDaniels broke in, reaching down to massage Reskova’s shoulders.

  “Oh God, Cold.” Reskova leaned into McDaniels as he rubbed her neck and shoulders. “What did you do to me?”

  “Well, we were in the final interrogation when…”

  “Oh crap! Admit it Cold, I had you on the ropes.”

  “You’re the bomb, Red.”

  “Make me late for work,” Reskova urged, pulling away from McDaniels and getting on her hands and knees.

  “Holy Christ in heaven!” McDaniels turned away, balling his fists. “The driver will be here any minute.”

  “Your uniform pants are going to split.” Reskova stretched forward on the bed, looking over her shoulder at McDaniels provocatively.

  “Try that when I get home,” McDaniels warned, prompting Reskova to stretch further, lifting her rear end more. “Why you… okay… I hope you’re as perky when I get home.”

  As McDaniels turned to leave, Reskova jumped out of bed and onto his back, her legs locked around his waist. She choked him with all her might, making growling noises. McDaniels walked out to the kitchen as if he wasn’t carrying a hundred and thirty pound woman trying to choke the life out of him. He picked up his keys for the apartment and his green beret. McDaniels then proceeded to the front door where he put his left hand on Reskova’s wrist and began squeezing. Within seconds Reskova leaped free of McDaniels but could not shake his hand loose from her wrist.

  “Ow…ow…ow…ow…” Reskova danced next to McDaniels as he retained his grip on her arm. “I give… I give… c’mon… let… go, you brute.”

  McDaniels released her moments before a knock sounded on their apartment door. McDaniels gathered Reskova in his arms, kissing her lightly on the mouth and neck until she groaned, writhing against him. Reskova pulled away finally as Dino began growling at the door.

  “You play nice with those Senators, Cold.” Reskova gave McDaniels a final hug. “Make Aginson look good.”

  “I’ll do my best. I’m not betraying those young men in Syria, no matter who they have sitting in on the meeting.”

  “I love you,” Reskova moved away from the entrance and called Dino over to her.

  “I love you too, Red.” McDaniels looked her over once more before opening the door.

  “Get a move on, Shaun of the Dead,” Rasheed stated, looking at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently.

  “Kay,” McDaniels said in surprise, closing the door behind him. “Who did you piss off to get chauffeur duty?”

  “Director Aginson wanted me with you in front of this interrogation committee. Jen and Pete will have Mehmed listen to the voices we recorded at his near death event. He will try and pick up on anything we missed. Aginson is waiting in the car for you.”

  “He needed a driver cleared for all this. I get it.” McDaniels followed Rasheed to the elevator. “You’ll get a real eyeful of Democratic bureaucracy today. You wore your Men In Black suit - good move.”

  “Yes, when one of the toadys asks you a particularly idiotic question, I will fix him with my special stare.” Rasheed turned toward McDaniels in the elevator with a look meant to peel paint off a wall.

  “Nice,” McDaniels complimented him. “That look should get me about three to five in Leavenworth with good behavior.”

  “I have watched these Senate meetings on C-SPAN,” Rasheed countered knowingly. “You will need me to intimidate these arrogant…”

  “We won’t be in with all the Senate, thank God,” McDaniels interrupted. “Aginson told me it would only be men who we can trust not to leave the meeting and run for the nearest camera. You weren’t thinking of getting face time on C-SPAN were you?”

  Rasheed’s silence answered the question. He met McDaniels’ questioning glance finally as they were exiting the elevator. Rasheed smiled and shrugged.

  “Only five people watch that network anyhow - only four today because you’ll be at the meeting,” McDaniels informed him. “Will you be sitting with me?”

  “Right next to you. I am to be the slice of diversity pie between you and Director Aginson to give Al Jazeera an Arab face if they somehow get a picture of the attendees.”

  “Want to set up our own black op and take out Al Jazeera?”

  “I am shocked you would think I would have anything to do with such a plan.” Rasheed opened the driver door of the Lincoln Town Car, gesturing for McDaniels to get in the back. “When do we leave?”

  McDaniels entered the rear passenger door, chuckling at Rasheed’s comment. He nodded at Director Aginson before strapping on his seatbelt and pulled the door closed. It was the first time Aginson had seen McDaniels since his return from Iraq. He shook hands with McDaniels.

  “It looks like you’ve lost some weight, Colonel. How do you feel?” Aginson asked with genuine concern.

  “Very well, Sir. Have you found out the meeting designates’ names?”

  “I know Senator Hokanson will be there but that’s only because he told me he would be. I gave him the list of Senators you would not speak in front of under any circumstances. He enjoyed your comments next to their names.”

  “He’s okay.”

  “Your list caused quite a stir when he made up the oversight committee required to hear about your mission so we could get the money funded for its continuance. As I explained when you set out on this endeavor, we can’t keep this completely under wraps.”

  “Just so you realize telling any of those Senators on the list about the operation will destroy it. Al Jazeera already broadcasts everything they say as propaganda against our own troops. If they don’t like my leaving them off the list, please invite them to join me for a private briefing.”

  “Please don’t say anything like that at the meeting, Cold?” Aginson pleaded.

  “It is amazing to me how Fifth Column traitors never have to watch what they say but I have to be extra careful not to hurt their feelings. I want to run for President.”

  “I will vote for you, Cold Mountain,” Rasheed announc
ed from the front.

  “I’m afraid calling a group of Senators Fifth Column traitors would doom our funding for more than just the mission you have running.” Aginson covered his face with his hands for a moment. “On the other hand, I’d vote for you too.”

  Chapter 54

  Senate Oversight

  As Aginson led the way toward a special Senate chamber designated for the briefing McDaniels would be giving, a familiar red faced, bloated figure strode purposely to intercept them. With him were three well dressed professional looking men with earpieces. They appeared to be Secret Service agents or possibly bodyguards. McDaniels leaned over to whisper something to Rasheed who grinned appreciatively. The apoplectic Senator walked right by Aginson, stopping only a few feet away from McDaniels, shaking his fist at him in rage.

  “I don’t know who you think you are,” a familiar Massachusetts’ accented voice shouted at McDaniels, “excluding me by name from this meeting, but I assure you I…”

  “What, no happy hour today, Senator?” McDaniels cut him off.

  Aginson gasped, pulling on McDaniels’ arm, trying to get him into the chamber room where two Marine guards stood at attention outside the entrance. Both of the young men smiled. Rasheed turned away from the scene, using a hand to cut off his immediate reaction to McDaniels’ remark.

  “How dare you!” The Senator took a step toward McDaniels with his three companions trying to hold him back as he shrugged angrily out of their grasp.

  It was then Aginson spotted the cameramen already in place across the hall. His heart sank, realizing they had been set up. McDaniels held out his hand in a stopping gesture, towering over the tall Senator and the three men with him.

  “You don’t have enough men with you to get in my face,” McDaniels warned menacingly, the look of deadly intent enough to halt the raging Senator in his tracks.

  McDaniels looked directly into the cameras across the hall he had noticed right away when Aginson led them to the chamber and then back at the Senator.

  “Trying to get a sound bite for Al Jazeera, huh Senator?” McDaniels asked with scorn dripping from his words. “You must be very proud.”

  The Senator looked into the cameras with a somewhat petulant look shining from his puffy veined face. It was enough of a pause for McDaniels to stride toward the entrance to the Senate chamber past a shocked Aginson. The Marine guards saluted him crisply. McDaniels stopped for a moment. He returned their salutes with formal enthusiasm. He then shook hands with the young Marines and the cameras picked up on the respect in the young warriors’ faces. Aginson and Rasheed exchanged glances before following McDaniels’ lead, leaving a still stuttering Senator turning away from the cameras he had arranged to be there.

  “Oh my God,” Aginson said tiredly, sitting next to Rasheed at the table.

  “I hope I was visible for the cameras,” Rasheed said hopefully. “They will play that many, many times. Thank you for making me famous, Cold Mountain. Surely, Ansa, Suraya, and the little Cold will see me on TV.”

  “Always happy to help, Kay. That was worth three years in Leavenworth.”

  Over two hours later, McDaniels and Rasheed waited for Aginson to gather up his notes from the meeting.

  “That went very well, gentlemen.” Aginson complimented his two companions. “They were very impressed with you two.”

  “I didn’t know you were having Kay give them a complete rundown of our operation prior to his arriving in America. I’m glad you left out some of the more gory details when we went to get Suraya.”

  “It should have been on C-SPAN,” Rasheed replied wistfully. “It was not as good as your meeting out in the hall but it was still good TV.”

  “I needed some first class background information to introduce you,” Aginson explained, straightening with his briefcase in hand. “You were clear, concise, and passionate in your presentation, Kay – exactly what I needed.”

  “You hit all the points I wanted to come out, Colonel and you handled the questions as well as they could be handled. Hokanson definitely was pleased. All in all, except for the set to out in the hallway, it was a remarkable day.”

  “Do we still have to come back tomorrow?” McDaniels followed Aginson toward the door.

  “I doubt it. Senator Hokanson will fill in the blanks for them as to expenditures and technical aspects.”

  “Outstanding. I figured three days of hell.”

  “The Senator and I didn’t want you in front of any group for three days, Cold - even a handpicked bunch like the group today.”

  “I can understand that. I…” McDaniels paused as Rasheed opened the chamber door for them. He saw at least four separate camera crews in a semi-circle around the entrance.

  Aginson’s face betrayed his surprise. He quickly recovered, speaking in a hushed voice to McDaniels and Rasheed.

  “Let me handle this.”

  Aginson intercepted the reporters as McDaniels returned the formal salutes accorded his rank by the two Marines at the door.

  “We want to speak with the Cold Mountain,” the short blonde woman in the lead said to Aginson. “Can he answer a few questions?”

  “Colonel McDaniels cannot answer anything concerning the briefing he gave in front of the Senate subcommittee.” Aginson answered, looking directly into the camera.

  “Rumor has it Cold Mountain thinks many in the Senate are traitors,” a man next to the blonde stated. “Can he confirm that for us? We all saw how he treated Senator…”

  “Colonel McDaniels will have no comment on your rumors or any meeting he had with any Senator,” Aginson cut him off politely, but firmly. “Please step aside. There really isn’t…”

  “Jeremiah!” A small voice called out from the edge of the crowd. A blonde haired girl in a red dress waved and jumped around at the fringe of reporters next to a couple who tried unsuccessfully to calm her down.

  McDaniels went right through the crowd of reporters as if they were chaff in the wind, sending the ones in his path colliding with their brethren behind them. The little girl jumped into his arms, hugging McDaniels tightly around the neck. The cameras were running. The crews jockeyed for position to keep filming McDaniels.

  “Hello, little one.” McDaniels set the girl back onto her feet. He knelt down next to her. “You look wonderful. I received your letters. I’m sorry there was such a big gap in time before I could answer them.”

  “Uncle Frank told me you’d be some place where you wouldn’t be able to write,” Alicia Hokanson allowed, before leaning in close to whisper in McDaniels’ ear. “I wanted to see you. Uncle Frank said you might need my help.”

  McDaniels laughed in appreciation, glancing around at the gaggle of reporters and camera crews before whispering back. “He was sure right about that, Ally. Your timing was impeccable. Is this your Mom and Dad?”

  Alicia pulled away, gesturing at the couple next to her. “Mom, Dad, this is Jeremiah.”

  The man, who resembled Frank Hokanson shook hands with McDaniels enthusiastically. “I’m Jim Hokanson, Colonel. This is my wife Cheryl. It’s an honor to meet you.”

  Cheryl Hokanson bypassed McDaniels’ outstretched hand and hugged him tightly. “We didn’t get to thank you for saving our daughter’s life, Colonel. Thank you.”

  “Being able to save Ally was thanks enough for me, Ma’am. Thanks for coming to see me today.”

  Aginson and Rasheed caught up to McDaniels. They screened out the reporters trying to elbow in closer. The Hokansons waved at Aginson, whom they knew, and McDaniels introduced Rasheed to the family.

  “I am very happy to meet you.” Rasheed shook hands with the Hokansons. “We have something very big in common. The Cold Mountain also saved my daughter’s life.”

  “He did?” Alicia asked in surprise.

  “Yes.” Rasheed smiled down at Alicia. “He really did.”

  “My brother’s waiting outside with a car,” Jim Hokanson said. “Can you three join us for lunch?”

  “I th
ink that would be an excellent idea,” Aginson agreed immediately.

  Four Secret Service agents stopped the crowd of news people trying to follow the group with no comment or explanation. McDaniels smiled with satisfaction as he heard the angry remarks echoing in the hall behind him.

  * * *

  “Hello, Red,” McDaniels greeted Reskova at the door with Dino at his side.

  “Well, if it isn’t the toast of Washington, DC.” Reskova allowed McDaniels to take her into his arms. “Have you seen any of the papers or listened to the TV news?”

  “What for?”

  “Let’s just say the Cold Mountain is page one again.”

  “I had such a good time with Ally and her family along with Kay and Aginson, I forgot all about the stuff outside the meeting in the morning. Ally and her folks baled us out after the meeting, thanks to Senator Hokanson. That man is one very smart politician in addition to being a stand up guy. Anything bad?”

  “Not really, except I think there’s a certain Senator who wants to have you executed.” Reskova followed McDaniels into the kitchen where he had prepared dinner by candlelight. “Wow, this is nice.”

  McDaniels poured wine for them both and held Reskova’s chair for her. After they were both seated with Dino gnawing on a rawhide bone near McDaniels’ feet, McDaniels held up his wine glass.

  “To the beginning of what will be a very memorable night,” McDaniels proposed, clinking Reskova’s glass lightly.

  Reskova laughed and then sipped her wine.

  “They don’t need me anymore according to Aginson. I’m officially on leave.”

  Reskova’s countenance dropped dramatically. “You aren’t going away yet, Cold. I mean it.”

  “The faster I go, the quicker I’ll be back.” McDaniels engulfed her hand in both of his. “Jim Hokanson told me Ally’s been having nightmares again ever since the Hughes brothers took you and she found out it was them. I gave him my word those two will not be on any suspect lists in the near future.”

  “You know where they are,” Reskova said accusingly. “Hokanson’s been feeding you data.”

  “After what happened to you, the Senator wasn’t going to sit around waiting for a repeat performance. He had a few more satellite photo teams than you have gathering info unobtrusively for me. Then his brother called about Ally’s nightmares. Let’s just say I have a pretty fair idea where the Hughes boys are.”