“I’ve been on the move a lot. It seems I don’t fit their vision of a perfect human being. I’ve been on the run ever since I fell under suspicion.”
“Suspicion?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, I’m homeless, and I hang out in bars. My mouth got me into trouble.”
“How’s that?”
“This so-called United Earth is a totalitarian government. The C.S.A. is a joke. I’ve been checking it out. Did you know that the Nazis became the International Secret Service? Well, someone ratted me out to the ISS.”
“So you’re saying, the ISS is after you for speaking out against the government?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Can’t be just for that. What else did you do?” Gordon asked.
“You had to do something more than checking?” Jenny scolded.
“As a representative I’ve raised questions about the Nazis and the ISS at the House of Lords in Richmond. They assured me the Nazis of the past have no connection to the U.E. Government of today. They made that point abundantly clear.”
“Tell him about WIC,” Sarah said.
“They approved the Hill Initiative, an organization dedicated to helping women, infants, and children. It’s called WIC.”
“So what?” Ray said.
“It’s an important program, Ray,” Sarah said.
“Whatever,” Ray said.
“What’s your point, Ray?” Gordon asked with a hint of anxiety.
“The Third Reich never died. They’re in control. And I started a resistance movement,” Ray said.
“No wonder you’re on the run,” Jenny said.
Sarah gave Jenny a loathing look. “He’s a friend of ours, remember.”
“You started a what?” Mike asked.
“There’re only a few of us. But the resistance is growing. I’m hoping you two will join.”
“Why would you do that? The world is a better place now. Think about it. No more wars. The prisons are not overcrowded. The nursing homes are like vacations for the elderly.”
“Well, mister high and mighty, as long as your life is good, who cares how the rest of us are doing?” Ray said.
“Oh, please. Poor you,” Jenny said.
“Look, Ray. If any wrongs are brought to my attention, I have the power to fix them,” Mike said proudly.
“Do you really think you have any real power?”
“I’m a lord!” Mike blurted out then relaxed. “It’s not about power. I’m a servant of the people.”
“Sure you are. You’re a joke, is what you are.”
Mike cocked his fist. “I ought to punch you in the face.”
Ray held his hands in front of his face. “Wait! Before you do. You ever wonder about the handicapped?”
Gordon interrupted. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, Ray. We’ve come a long way in the field of medicine, and I think you could benefit from the new procedures we’ve learned.”
“Yeah, sure. Right after they get done experimenting on me. Did you know that, since World War II, they either exterminated or sterilized all handicapped people? Sure, we’ve come a long way.”
“Sounds to me they missed one,” Jenny said scornfully.
“Stop. Why do you have to be so mean?” Sarah said.
“That’s ancient history, Ray,” Mike said.
“You sure about that? Ever hear of propaganda? It’s still going on.”
“Where’s the proof of that?” Mike asked.
“So tell me, Mister Big Shot. Why aren’t there any ugly people in the world? People I run into are either very good looking or at least normal.”
Mike had a grin from ear to ear. “Except you, right?”
“Don’t give me that shit-eating grin of yours.” Ray grabbed Mike by the lapel. “They’re after me, not you.”
Mike smelled the whiskey on Ray’s breath. “Get away from me, you drunk bastard.”
“I came here looking for your help,” Ray said, agitated.
“Calm down,” Mike said.
“Let me educate you this time. Once the Nazis have exterminated all the worthless people on the planet, the only thing left, is... us,” Ray said, hanging onto Mike’s shirt.
“Calm down,” Mike repeated.
“Calm down! You’re the reason I’m a cripple in the first place. You need to help me before they find me. If you hadn’t killed that general, I wouldn’t be in danger.”
“It’s not my fault,” Mike said, but his voice quivered a bit.
“The hell it ain’t. You killed Hancock!”
Annoyed, Mike fired back, “What do you want me to do, mess this all up?” He gestured with his hands, pointing at all that he had. “What about the projects I’m working on? I’ve built a life here. Mess this all up and for what, so you can feel good about nothing? You’re a delusional little man.” Mike pushed him out of his face, and then turned to Gordon. “What do you think Gordy?”
Gordon didn’t know how to answer. He wanted to tell them about the note, but instead he just uttered, “I have a life here, too.”
“Yes, you do, Gordy. We don’t have to listen to this nonsense,” Jenny said.
Madder than a hornet, Ray limped toward the front door then stopped, turned and dug into his pocket. He retrieved a piece of paper and returned to Mike.
“I found this note in my mailbox. I think you should read it.” Ray threw the paper at him and it fell to the floor. Ray took a deep breath and continued. “Something to do with a secret weapon.”
“Secret weapon? What kind of secret weapon?” Mike said.
Mike picked up the letter and walked to the kitchen table and placed it in the light. Everyone followed him into the kitchen. When they all gathered around, he read it aloud.
I too thought the world would be better off if the South had won. I wanted the South to win. I helped a man build a gun so powerful that it won the war and changed history. I forgot the domino effect. After I read the alternate history I tried to stop him, but he was mad. He threatened my family if I refused to help him.
I have contacted you in the hope that you will find me. Together we can stop the gun from being used. I can’t do it alone. I need your help.
Zombie.
Mike stared at Gordon, who glanced over at Jenny.
“It’s not your fault,” Gordon blurted out, now more anxious than ever to tell what he knew. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the note that he had found, then handed it to Mike.
“What’s this?”
“I found it between the pages of a history book at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.”
Jenny stood with her arms crossed looking angry. Gordon never told her about the note he found.
Mike opened the note and read, “‘The Confederates redeployed... and used a top secret weapon, blah, blah, blah.’ What’s this, a bunch of letters and numbers?” Looking disappointed, Mike handed the note to Ray, who stared at it.
“I think I know what the top-secret weapon was,” Gordon said.
“What?” Mike said.
“Come again!” Jenny said.
“This could exonerate you, Mike,” Sarah said.
“Look at the header,” Gordon said.
Mike leaned over Ray’s shoulder and studied the note.
“Does the Winan’s steam gun mean anything to you?” Gordon asked.
“The Confederate steam gun?” Mike asked.
“Yes,” Gordon said.
“So why the list?” Ray asked, and held up the note.
Gordon had a revelation. “Oh, my God! That’s what it is.”
“What is it?” Mike asked.
“It’s worse than I thought,” Gordon muttered.
“What?”
“It’s a list!” Gordon said. “A shopping list.”
“A shopping list for what?” Mike asked.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, followed by a couple of knocks. Mike looked at the door. “No one supposed to be here until Satur
day.”
Nobody went to answer it. The knock got harder and the doorbell continued to ring. “Let’s see who this is.”
CHAPTER SIX
Thursday, 9:45 P.M. July 3, 2014
Sarah hurried past Mike, with Gordon trailing behind her. She opened the door and, standing at the entrance, were two men in black ops uniforms, carrying M4 carbines.
Mike nudged in front of Sarah to see who it was. One of the men held a picture in front of his face. “Sorry to interrupt your evening, your lordship. We’re with the police. Have you seen this man?”
Mike took the picture and saw it was Ray. He pretended to examine it. “What did he do?”
“We have reason to believe that he was coming here tonight.”
“Why?” Mike asked.
“It would be in your best interest if you come in contact with this man, or know where he is, to let us know immediately.” The man’s tone was frosty as he stared at Mike with dark eyes.
Mike noticed an emblem of a skull and crossbones over a swastika on the man’s left sleeve. Mike frowned. He recognized the emblem as that of the ISS. The group he’d been checking out for months now. This was his first face-to-face contact with the group.
Mike looked at the picture again and pretended to relax. “Nope,” he replied with an innocent face.
“You sure?” the man asked. “He’s a fugitive, and you don’t want to be caught harboring a fugitive.”
“What did he do?” Mike asked.
“He’s a conspiracy theorist. He’s been disseminating lies against the Empire. You of all people should know that is against the law.”
“There’s a law that says you can’t think differently than someone else?” Gordon chimed in behind Mike.
“And who are you, sir?”
“I’m Doctor Smart.”
The man stared at Gordon a moment and then wrote a few notes on a pad. In a condescending tone, he spoke directly to Gordon. “There’s a law that says you can’t disagree vocally with your government or your President. It’s considered treason and is punishable by death. Remember the Patriot Act.”
“Look, if we see him we’ll call,” Mike said in an impatient voice, then tried to shut the door.
The man blocked it with his foot. “Sir, here’s our card. Remember, if you’re caught giving aid and shelter, you would also be committing a crime.”
Mike clenched his teeth, then forced a smile. “Sure, okay. I understand.” Mike looked down at the man’s foot. The man moved it, and Mike closed the door.
Ray hiding, got very nervous.
***
Outside, the ISS agents surrounded the house. They had teams set up at the edge of the yard on all four sides of the property. The two men in battle dress uniforms walked over to the command post. The supervisor, whose name was Victor, was tall with feline features. He had short, dirty-blonde hair and deep blue eyes.
“Report?” Victor ordered.
“Hensley’s in there. He led us right to the rest of the conspirators.”
“Michael Hill and Gordon Smart are in there also?”
“Yes, sir,”
Victor thought a moment then said, “Hill and Smart, are the ring-leaders. Hensley is the recruiter for their army. Terrorists plotting to over-throw the government. Any suspicion we’re out here?”
“No, sir. I made it seem like we were just looking for Hensley. I even gave him my card to call me.”
“Okay. On my mark, we go in with extreme prejudice.”
“Kill them?” the man asked, somewhat surprised at the change. He understood the mission to be capture and detain.
“Do you know why there is no more crime in the world, lieutenant?” Victor quizzed.
“Because we rid the world of undesirable members of our society?”
“Because we kill the seed, before it has a chance to grow.”
“Understood, sir.”
***
Inside the house, Mike began to pace back and forth, looking for answers to which he didn’t even know the questions. Why would the government give a rat’s ass about Ray? He turned to Ray. “Look what you did with your conspiracies theories. You brought the ISS to my house!”
Mike walked away from Ray. Gordon, feeling apprehensive, approached Mike. “Why would the ISS talk to you like that? You’re a member of the House of Lords.”
Mike calmed. “After reading this letter, maybe Ray’s right.” He turned around to apologize to Ray. “Where’d he go? Have you seen him?” He asked Jenny.
“He went out the back door,” Jenny said.
“What! We need to find him before he does something stupid.”
Mike raced to the back door and right as he grabbed the doorknob, the door swung open, almost hitting him in the face. Mike jumped back and Ray charged in. He slammed the door behind him. “They’re all over the place out there.”
“Who?” Mike asked.
“Nazis!”
A light bulb went off in Mike’s mind and he whirled around. “Everyone in the basement, now!”
“Wait,” Gordon cautioned. Let’s talk to them. I’m sure we can reason with them.”
“I think the time for reason has passed,” Mike replied.
“I can’t throw away everything that we worked so hard for. I’m sure it’s all just a misunderstanding.”
Gordon ran to the front door and Mike helplessly watched him run out into the front yard. “No!” Mike yelled.
“Stop where you are!” came an order given through a loud megaphone by the supervisor behind the black vehicle.
Looking through the house windows were Mike, Sarah, Jenny, and Ray, all curious about what Gordon was going to do.
“I’m Doctor Gordon Smart, and I want to talk.”
“I suppose you want to know why we’re here?” Victor said.
“That’s a start. I’m sure we’re all reasonable.”
The blond-haired supervisor came from behind his black SUV and walked up to Gordon. “Tell them to come out and surrender.”
“What? What did we do wrong?”
“This is not a debate. This is an order. I’ll give you one last chance to ask them to come out peacefully.”
“What’s the charge?” Gordon asked.
“Treason,” the supervisor said.
“What if they don’t surrender?”
The supervisor raised his gun and shot Gordon between the eyes. Gordon fell to the ground, dead.
“That,” the supervisor said. He pushed the button on his radio and said, “Go!”
In the house, Jenny let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Mike cringed, horrified at the sight of his friend being shot.
Sarah looked terrified, and Ray gritted his teeth in anguish.
Mike sensed what would come next. “Quick—to the basement!”
Ray was in horror, but his demeanor changed. He turned to Mike. “I’m with you.”
Jenny didn’t move. She was still in shock. The act she just witnessed had frozen her in place. Her green eyes began to fill with water.
It was a heart-stopping moment for Sarah, also. Then she heard Mike say, “Get in the basement!” She turned to him, looked into his eyes, and knew exactly what he meant. A surge of sympathy welled up in her throat. Tears filled her eyes, as well.
“Jenny, we need to get to the basement,” Sarah said.
“Come on!” Mike yelled.
“Jenny, do as he said,” Sarah begged her, but Jenny did not move from the couch.
Mike saw that Jenny was in a daze. He ran back and grabbed her by the waist and wrestled her toward the basement.
They all hustled down into the dim light, then stood around wondering what to do next. With Jenny thrown over his shoulder, Mike pointed to a large safe that was part of the wall. “In there!”
***
At that very moment, a flash bang grenade came through a window. There was a white, blinding explosion in the living room. A moment later all the upstairs windows exploded with men comi
ng through. The doors crashed open and men in black ops suits with night vision goggles rushed in. With weapons drawn, they each unloaded one full clip of 5.56 caliber and shot up the entire house. They reloaded and came to the ready.
Victor entered the torn-up house with a command presence. He looked around for the bodies, but there were none. “Tear this house apart until you find those treasonous bastards.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Thursday 10:17 P.M. July 3, 2014
Mike and the others found themselves in a 10-by-12-foot enclosure. The walls were void of any decoration and there were no windows. One way in and one way out. A shelf in the corner had a flashlight.
Sarah was holding Jenny, trying to comfort her as they stood in the center of the room, crying. Ray was shaking as he stood in the corner looking to Mike for answers, but Mike turned his attention to the floor.
“What’s this room?” Ray asked.
“A safe room,” Mike answered.
Ray said, “Great, how long before they find us in here?”
“We’re not staying,” Mike told him.
“What...?”
“This house was built in the 1850s. Notice the wooden floor?”
“Yeah, what about it?” Ray said.
“Sarah and I explored most of this place when we first got here. See that wooden trap door? That was part of the Underground Railroad. Back in the day, it only went out to the road.”
“Where does it go now?”
Before Mike could answer, Jenny pushed Sarah aside and started to pound on Mike’s chest. “It’s your fault we’re hiding from the authorities,” Jenny cried. “You’re the ones that put all that... time travel and government conspiracies in Gordy’s head. You’re the reason he’s dead!”
Mike let her hit him. He blamed himself.
“I’m sorry, Jenny, really sorry. He was my friend. You’re right, it’s my fault. Somehow I’ll make this good. But now, we need to go.”
“You want me to go down into that tunnel and become a fugitive along with you? No, thank you.”
“There’s no other choice,” Mike said. “It’s either stay here and die, or come with us and live.”
Jenny sobbed, “I just want Gordon back.”
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