He reached down, pulled the obliterator away from the Jikian, and tossed it aside. Then he reached into Dilnch’s pocket and retrieved his scrambler.
“But, I am going to have to put you down again.”
“No! Wait!”
Gsefx pushed the button and Klarnus went completely limp for a second time.
“And you,” he said to the Jikian, “Dilnch, I believe I heard him call you, the one drawback to obliterators, or so I’ve heard, is the recycle time in-between firings. It can seem to take forever when you need to take more than one shot quickly.”
He leveled his scrambler at Dilnch. The Jikian sneered at him in a most unbecoming way.
“I told you, accountant, it won’t work on me. I’m protected.”
“So you did,” said Gsefx, grinding his foot on his captive’s wrist a bit harder as the deep voice turned into a high-pitched whine. “Too bad for you. I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.”
Gsefx grabbed him by the collar of his jacket with one hand, then punched him three times in the face, once with each free hand, rendering the defenseless thug unconscious. Gsefx dropped him to the floor on top of his buddy, took a deep breath, and looked around for something to tie them up with. Fortunately, one of Gsefx’s ongoing hobbies involved electronic gadgets, so he had plenty of spare parts and extra wires lying around. He drug both limp bodies into the storage unit, found some wire strong enough to hold them, and tied them up tight. Reaching into Dilnch’s pockets, he found the controller to the Ricnor vehicle, grabbed the painting, and left. He watched the two unconscious criminals leaning against one another as the door closed just as noisily as it had opened. When it was about halfway down, Gsefx reached over and stopped the door. A thought entered his mind. He didn’t know exactly how, but he was quite certain that these two were going to be useful somewhere down the line. He raised the door again and for the first time in what seemed like forever, Gsefx smiled.
Chapter 37
An Urge to Scream
“General Alcorn, I wasn’t expecting you. Please come in.”
As Alcorn walked over and sat next to his bed, Henry tried to shape his thoughts so this fortuitous time alone with the General could be put to good use.
“What can I do for you, General?” he asked once Alcorn was seated.
“What? No small talk first?” Asked the General. “Fair enough. Let’s get to it then, shall we? Henry, the men who did this to you are in custody and have provided a full confession. All you have to do is press charges and we can proceed with their court martial.”
Henry paused for a moment, looking for something in the General’s expression, some hint at the game he was playing. In the limited time he’d interacted with Alcorn, he’d come to find that nothing was ever quite as it seemed with this man. This time, however, he couldn’t be sure. Alcorn had made his disapproval of what had happened to Henry quite clear. He supposed Alcorn could simply be looking to punish those responsible.
“They’re your men, General,” said Henry, looking away. “Discipline them as you see fit, but don’t involve me. I want no part of it.”
“So you’re not pressing charges?”
“No, sir, I’m not.”
“Somehow, I didn’t think you would,” said Alcorn, standing up and preparing to leave. “No matter, as you said, they’re my men. I will take care of the matter, even if you won’t stand up for yourself. That’s what the military has been doing for more than two hundred years, taking care of the dirty work so liberal, hippie, flower-children, peace-at-all-costs, hypocrites like you can sleep at night with clear consciences.”
“Well, now we’re finally getting somewhere, aren’t we?” said Henry, looking back at Alcorn and pulling himself up into a sitting position. “It’s about time we injected some honesty into our conversations, don’t you think? I’d say I’m surprised to hear that’s what you really think of me, but I don’t suppose I am. Just because I got in the way of you capturing your alien—pardon me, your non-terrestrial, as you call them—because I got in the way of you getting your prize, your trophy, now suddenly I’m a liberal, peace-at-all-costs hippie? Well, for the record, I do believe peace is preferable to war, as I believe you do as well, but you don’t know the first thing about me or my reason for not pressing charges.”
“Okay Backus, why don’t you explain your reasons to me,” said Alcorn, sitting back down and returning Henry’s smile with one of his own. “I can’t wait to hear this.”
“General, I’m not pressing charges, not because I’m some peace-loving hippie, but because those men don’t know any better. They are intellectual imbeciles, which is why they are in the jobs they are in. Even an elite force like yours has needs that can only be filled by a particular type of individual. They can’t be faulted too badly for acting in accordance with their instincts, training, and level of intelligence, can they?
“Those sound more like insults than reasons to me. Is that all you’ve got, Backus? If so, you’re not saying much to change my mind about you.”
“Not insults, General, facts. If it was you, or someone of your caliber who did this to me, I wouldn’t hesitate to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law, because you would know better and would deserve the severest of punishments. The poor dumb bastards who did this are not of your caliber or mine, and their training revolves around finding, fighting, and destroying the enemy at all costs, with almost no critical thinking needed. They depend on their leaders for that part of their mission. No, I won’t hold them accountable for their actions, but rather the one who forced them into taking the action they did.”
“And who might that be?”
Henry closed his eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves over revealing this information. Alcorn would not accept it easily, nor should he.
“Major Wellston,” said Henry, opening his eyes and looking directly at the General.
“Wellston?” said Alcorn, his eyes showing clear surprise at the accusation. “What in the hell does Major Wellston have to do with this?”
“He was behind the beatings,” said Henry.
Alcorn stiffened and leaned in close to Henry.
“That’s quite an accusation, young man,” he said, his tone very dangerous. “I’ve known Ben Wellston for more than ten years. He’s one of the finest officers I’ve ever known, and is in line for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. I hope you have some proof to back up your claim.”
“No solid proof, General, except for the bruises and broken bones you see before you. But, before you say anything else, I challenge you to think about this for a minute. This group of guards, all of them privates except for Hickam, ran a very delicate and rather sophisticated operation for a full week, without you or anyone else knowing about it. You say you’ve known Major Wellston for ten years. How long have you known Terrance Hickam, and more importantly, do you really think him capable of such an elaborate plan?”
Alcorn didn’t answer, but looked away.
“I knew from the very first night, that someone else was pulling the strings on Hickam’s little operation, but couldn’t get a fix on who it was. Then, the night they did this to me, the night they lost control and would have killed me, someone stopped them. I couldn’t see who it was, but I heard their voice. It was Major Wellston.”
Alcorn looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
“So Major Wellston discovered what was going on, stepped in and saved you. Seems to me that makes him a hero rather than a criminal.”
“Perhaps, but …” Henry looked away as he searched for the right words. “… I can’t explain how I know he’s behind it, I just do.”
Alcorn opened his mouth to speak, but Henry held him off with a wave of his hand.
“Look General,” he said, turning back to lock eyes with Alcorn, “it’s not even about pressing charges against Wellston. What happens to me is inconsequential. It’s about you protecting yourself. Whether you want to believe it or not, Wellston is
not the man you think he is, and you need to watch your back.”
Alcorn held Henry’s look for a moment, then broke away.
“Why the sudden interest in my welfare?” he asked. “Don’t think that, just because I disapprove of what my men did to you, it changes anything. You’re still going to remain in custody, and you will eventually tell me everything that happened in the clearing that day. Have no illusions about that.”
“Yes, of course. I understand.”
Henry closed his eyes and fought down an urge to scream. This was getting neither of them anywhere. It was clear to Henry that, while he believed Alcorn to be a good man, they were on such different wavelengths, he wasn’t sure if they would ever be able to truly communicate. The only thing Henry knew for sure was that this stalemate had to end. He had to try and make Alcorn understand, not just as an attempt to be released from prison, but because there was something much larger at stake, even though he didn’t know what that was exactly. Just like he couldn’t prove Wellston was behind the beatings, Henry couldn’t put his finger on what was going on, or why it was important, or even why Alcorn was important, he just knew that the General needed to have all of the information he could provide.
“Look General,” he said when he’d regained his composure, “we don’t have to like each other to respect one another, and believe it or not, I do respect you and the work you do.”
Alcorn scoffed.
“You could’ve fooled me,” he said.
“Well, it’s true. I understand the need for a strong military as much as anyone. I just don’t like being held prisoner by it, nor do I like it when it oversteps its bounds, like it did in the clearing.” Henry held up a hand to stop Alcorn from interrupting. “To prove myself, let me give you what you want. Let me tell you why I helped the non-terrestrial escape.”
Alcorn straightened up and met Henry’s eyes once again.
“You’re a strange one, Backus, that’s for damn sure. That’s about the only thing I know for certain. And you’re right, I suppose, I don’t have to like you to respect you, which is a good thing, because I really don’t like you.”
Henry smiled.
“I’d say I get that a lot, but mainly just from my wife. Well, my ex-wife or soon-to-be ex-wife, I guess.”
“I can’t imagine why it didn’t work out between you.”
“Different reasons than you might think, but that’s another story.”
“Yes, I believe you’re about to tell me something a lot more important.”
“I am,” said Henry. “I helped Zef, the non-terrestrial as you call it. His name is Zef. I think Zef’s a male, so I’ll refer to it as him, although I can’t really be sure. But I do know his name is Zef. And he knows my name is Henry.”
“I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch,” said Alcorn, half under his breath. “Why didn’t you say anything about this before?”
Henry thought for a minute before he answered.
“Part of it was just simple defiance, I think, just not wanting to let you win. But there was more to it than that. I think it was because it was you, a big, powerful Army general, with the full weight of the government behind him on one side, and me, a small, powerless civilian sitting across the table in an uncomfortable, straight-backed chair, in a closed, badly ventilated interrogation room. It was like a scene straight out of some badly written spy movie. It couldn’t have been any more cliché. General, the whole thing was a joke, a travesty, especially for two intelligent adults like us. There was no way I was going to play a part in such a poorly executed scenario like that.”
Alcorn looked confused. “You’re not making any sense, son. You’re telling me that you didn’t like the room you were in, and that’s why you wouldn’t talk?”
“What I’m saying, General, is that if you want to find out what a person knows, you need to first know the person. I’m an artist, as you probably guessed by all of the paintings you confiscated when you arrested me.”
Henry suddenly looked concerned.
“You did get my paintings, didn’t you?”
Alcorn nodded. “Yes, they’re secure.”
“Good. Well General, the one thing an artist seeks, above all else, is truth. Truth in beauty if we can find it, but if not, then truth in whatever condition it happens to be in. That is why I couldn’t hold a job in the ‘real’ world, being forced to bastardize my artistic talent in a vain attempt to sell things people don’t need to people who can’t afford them. That’s also why my marriage failed, because there was no truth in it. That, General, is why I couldn’t be a part of that sham you called an interrogation.”
Alcorn nodded slowly, at least pretending to understand what Henry was saying, but he remained silent.
“Before my encounter with Zef,” said Henry, “I probably would have tried to answer your questions in the interrogation room. I was so cowed, so intimidated by life, and so disillusioned by it all, I would have probably done everything possible to try and fit in to make you like me. But it wouldn’t have worked. At some point I would have gone over the edge, created such an outburst that I likely would have ended up in here anyway, only your men would have been justified in putting me here.”
The General sat quietly for a few more minutes before finally speaking.
“Okay Backus, I get it, I think. I think you’re a bit of a loon, but I get it. Tell me the rest of the story about your encounter with Zef and why you protected him.”
“Okay, but before I do, may I ask one favor? Would you mind calling me Henry? You don’t have to read anything into it. I just prefer it, that’s all.”
Alcorn frowned. “Fine. Henry it is.”
“Thank you, General. Now, let me ask you a couple of questions. What country, aside from the United States, are you and your family’s favorite place to visit?”
“Good God, son, what does that have to do with anything?”
“Please General, bear with me.”
“Oh, all right,” said the General. He thought for a moment before continuing on. “Greece, I suppose. My wife and I vacation there regularly. Great food, and the people are warm and friendly. Of course, the beaches aren’t too shabby either.”
“Great. Now, what country, in your opinion, represents the single most dangerous threat to American citizens right now?”
“Well, there are several, actually,” said Alcorn. “North Korea, several Middle Eastern countries, as well as several places in the former Soviet Bloc. It’s difficult to pick just one.”
“Okay, no problem,” said Henry. “Here’s the situation. Your entire family is in Greece on vacation, except you. You had some special mission to take care of, then you were to fly your private jet there and meet them. The mission went well, but on your way to Greece, the plane malfunctions. It’s nothing serious, but you can’t make it all the way, so you have to land and fix it. It’s a simple repair, one you can do yourself, you just need a couple of hours in a safe, private spot. Here’s the problem, the only place available to land is in one of those Middle Eastern or former Soviet Bloc countries that are none too safe for Americans.
“That wouldn’t happen, you know. I’d file flight plans that would only route me through friendly airspace.”
“My scenario, my rules, General. Besides, let’s say the malfunction you had was your navigation system and you didn’t realize where you were until it was too late.”
“Your scenario, your rules, but for someone so hung up on truth, I’m telling you it wouldn’t happen.”
“Facts often get in the way of deeper truths, General.”
“Perhaps,” sighed Alcorn. “Are we anywhere close to the truth about your encounter with Zef, because I’m just about out of patience.”
“Yes, General, we’re getting close. Realizing you’re in unfriendly territory, you try to get below radar coverage and find as isolated of an area as possible to make your repairs. As you make your landing and get out of your plane, you see a single local approaching. He’s armed, but cle
arly scared. You try to make it clear that your intentions are friendly, but since you don’t speak the same language, it’s impossible to communicate.”
Henry paused for a moment, thinking back to that moment in the clearing when he and Zef stared at each other, not knowing what to think or do.
“Well, then what?” Asked the General.
“You reach into your cockpit and turn on your radio.”
Chapter 38
Don’t Call me “Accountant”
As Gsefx sat comfortably admiring the large cockpit of Ricnor’s vehicle, he was struck by how quickly the situation had changed. Just thirty ebyts ago, he thought he was dead for sure, along with Lhvunsa and Qilzar. Now he was, quite literally, in the pilot’s seat, and it was rather a plush pilot’s seat at that.
The ship was a Klurdine Remlin, the galaxy’s top of the line multi-passenger vehicle. Apparently, the Ricnor gang flew nothing but the best. He’d connected his ship to the Remlin, effectively increasing the ship’s size and power, even if it wasn’t by much. It was either that or leave his vehicle behind and Gsefx had a feeling he might need his own transportation again before this was all over.
Gsefx’s captives were once again conscious, but securely locked into two of the passenger seats behind him. Klarnus wasn’t much in the mood for talking, but Dilnch wouldn’t shut up. He finally had to be threatened with another beating, only this time with the butt of the obliterator instead of Gsefx’s fists, before he would quiet down.
“Fifteen ebyts before the deadline,” said Gsefx. “Time to call your boss and make a new deal.”
“Good luck with that,” said Dilnch. “You’re gonna need it.”
“Remember our agreement,” said Gsefx, “you two behave and I allow you to remain conscious. Otherwise, I’ll turn the lights out again.” He waved the scrambler at Klarnus, who was still fuzzy from his first two encounters with the device. “And you know I will.”
Your Truth is Out There (Find Your Truth Book 1) Page 14