“Oh, my God, Patty,” said Sonya. “That was incredible! You made me so proud to know you. You hit that one out of the park.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Patty asked. “Honestly, I don’t know what came over me. I can’t even remember a single word I said; isn’t that strange? And listen, Sonya, none of this would be possible without you. I owe you my life.”
“You don’t owe me a thing. I was only doing my job, which is preserving life. Now, how do you feel? You’ve got to be tired.”
“I’m exhausted, honey. I’ll be able to make it back to the car, but I’m going to need to take a nap. Those campaign speeches really take it out of you.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” said a male voice from behind them. “Not where you’re going.”
Sonya recognized the voice just as she was thrown up against a parked vehicle.
“Remember me?” Ralph Wilcox asked, shoving his badge into Sonya’s face. “That was pretty stupid, Sonya. What, did you think I was just going to go away?”
Patty was quickly cuffed by a female police officer as Wilcox did the same to Sonya. And before they knew what was happening, they were sitting in the back of an unmarked police car and barreling into the heart of downtown.
Chapter 35
“For a gallant spirit there can never be defeat.” ~ Wallis Simpson
Ken sat in a steel folding chair with his hands cuffed behind his back and his feet bound together with strapping tape. He had long since given up struggling and had accepted that he would likely die here, wherever here was. They had pulled a hood over his head while they were still at the big house and had only removed it once he had been secured to the chair. He felt weak, and the pain in his left hand was just beginning to subside. He had been foolish to think that he could have just hashed things out with those who wanted him out of the way. Still, despite his situation, he knew that things could have turned out much worse. He was still alive, and as far as he knew, the others were safe. Ken found comfort there.
The fact that he had been taken hostage by the old pacifist Pluto and his murdering sidekick Mars was nearly too much to comprehend. Both men had changed since the last time he’d seen them inside their compound. Pluto had obviously rethought his position on living in peace and harmony; that had become painfully clear when the old freak ordered his young henchman to snip off his ring finger with a pair of pruning shears. His screams had brought an odd smile to the face of the old man; as if he had just made a thrilling discovery. Ken knew he was going to have to watch every word he said if he had any hope to remain in one piece.
The room he was being held in was small and bare, lit by a single bare bulb that hung from a cord in the ceiling. The walls were cement, and the tile floor was cracked and colorless. There were no windows, and the air in the room smelled stale and damp. There was also a chill in the air, and Ken had slowly grown cold over the passing hours. He was also hungry, although he did his best to keep his mind off of it. To keep his mind occupied, Ken prayed for a miracle. There was nothing else to be done.
The miracle arrived (as most do) when he least expected it. The door to his cell was suddenly thrown open, and Pluto stood there and looked at him with something that resembled compassion. A Grinch-like smile spread across his bearded face. “We have big news from the outside world,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning against the door jamb. “I thought about keeping this from you, but I suppose there is no harm in your knowing the truth. I’m going to make a deal with you. I’ll free your legs and allow you to walk into the next room and sit on the sofa, and as long as you don’t try anything foolish, I promise that my young friend won’t put a bullet in your skull. How does that sound? Are you copacetic with that?”
Ken could already feel the warmth radiating from the next room and nodded his head. “I won’t do anything stupid,” he said. “You have my word on that.”
Mars appeared behind the old man with a snub-nosed .38 and a smile. He trained the gun on Ken and remained silent as Pluto dropped to one knee and began to saw at the thick tape around Ken’s ankles with a steak knife. “This really is good news,” he said. “Not that you deserve it.”
When he had finished, Pluto got to his feet and quickly backed out the door. He was obviously afraid of Ken, handcuffs and all. Mars stepped inside, wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms, and ushered Ken to his feet. “Okay,” he hissed. “Nice and easy, big fella. We’re going to get you onto that couch, and if you make one wrong move, it’ll be the last thing you do. Do you understand me?”
Again, Ken nodded his head. He slowly rose to his feet and thought it had never felt better. With Mars following at an arm’s length, he slowly made his way into the other room and over to the sofa where Pluto was waiting. He felt lightheaded and weak, but they had piqued his curiosity, and the warmth felt wonderful on his cold skin. He sat down, and Pluto immediately bound his ankles back together. After a moment, Pluto stood up and studied Ken. “There,” he said, rubbing his chin. “That ought to hold you,” he added and turned to face Mars. “Reuben, would you please bring over the laptop and that TV tray?”
“Reuben?” asked Ken, unable to hide his amusement. “So, that’s your real name, huh?”
“Shut up!” roared Mars. “You weren’t supposed to use my name, Lowell. You promised!”
“I’m done with those silly names. We have no need for them here. Besides, there’s no harm in our friend being on a first-name basis with the two of us. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Now do as I asked, and we’ll get the show on the road. I’m sure Ken is anxious to know why he’s been summoned.”
“Thank you, Lowell,” said Ken.
“No thanks needed,” the old hippie replied with a nod and a wink.
Reuben scowled, but he did as he’d been asked and brusquely positioned the laptop on the TV tray in front of Ken. “Be careful what you wish for,” he said, cryptically. “You just might get it.”
“Oh, don’t listen to him,” the old man formerly known as Pluto whispered. “I think this is going to be the best news you’ve had all day.”
“That shouldn’t be too tough,” said Ken.
Lowell chuckled. “I suppose not,” he said, reaching down to the laptop and opening a window on the screen. “Now, watch close and listen carefully. You are going to be so happy!”
Ken could feel his heart racing as the laptop screen came to life. He had absolutely no idea what he was about to see, only that these men were excited for him to see something. A reporter stood in the sunshine on a downtown city street. There were mobs of people behind him, protesters carrying signs and shouting slogans that nearly drowned out the man’s voice. Ken scooted forward on the couch and stuck his nose close to the screen.
And suddenly the camera panned out and slowly began to zoom in on a thin woman standing above the crowd on an elevated concrete patio. Ken’s eyes grew large as the camera continued to zoom in on the woman’s face. Tears flooded his eyes as he suddenly realized her identity. “Patty!” he cried. “Oh, my God, it’s Patty!”
“Oh, look at the big baby cry,” Reuben mocked.
“That’s enough!” barked Lowell.
Ken barely heard the men as he sat mesmerized by the scene playing before him. Patty, sixty pounds thinner and in full control of her faculties, stood before the crowd with a bullhorn. Ken’s mouth went dry as he realized that she was stumping for him and that the crowd seemed to be eating it up. He blinked back the tears and gasped for breath. “Thank you, Lord,” he whispered. “Praise Jesus...”
“Listen to her,” Lowell said in a soothing voice. “Why, if I ever took a wife, she’s the kind of woman I’d look for. She’s obviously very smart, and she thinks the world of you, Ken. Ah, the perfect loving wife. I envy you.”
Ken gritted his teeth. He wanted to absorb this moment alone, and he couldn’t hear Patty with the old hippie flapping his gums. He sat glued to the screen in complete awe of this beautiful woman who had seem
ingly risen from the dead to reveal a side of herself that Ken had never seen. She looked twenty years younger, and Ken could only imagine how she had dropped so much weight so quickly. The hair wasn’t her own; Ken knew that much. Still, the voice was hers, and the mannerisms were unmistakable. This was Patty, alive and in the flesh, and despite everything else, this was the happiest moment of his life.
Lowell took Reuben by the arm, and the pair left him alone to soak in the truth. Ken listened intently as Patty repeated the things they’d talked about over the years, about how they’d change things in Washington if given the chance. He sat spellbound by her words, watching her work the crowd into a near frenzy with a straight-shooting style and the conviction of someone who believes that anything is possible. There was an Asian woman at her side, and Ken knew instantly that this was the Sonya that Bill had spoken about. She had obviously saved Patty from the clutches of the Monroe Institute, and he thanked God for her. Patty continued to speak. Her words made him want to stand up and cheer, but he slowly became aware that she was running out of steam. He watched as the Asian woman pulled her aside for a moment and listened as Patty bid farewell to the crowd, adding that she had a husband to find.
And the dams broke from behind his eyes as the tears ran freely down his cheeks.
“Wait,” urged Lowell from behind him. “There’s more, and you don’t want to miss it!”
Dread crept inside Ken as he watched Patty disappear into the crowd. The camera followed her and Sonya as they continued to move away from the crowd, and as the camera panned back, Ken realized that they were in downtown Minneapolis.
“Almost there,” whispered Lowell.
“Proving no good deed goes unpunished,” added Reuben.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Patty and Sonya were surrounded by men and women who could only be police. “No!” Ken cried. “Let them go, they haven’t done anything!”
“Oh, haven’t they?” asked Lowell.
Ken watched in terror as Patty was tossed up against a car and handcuffed by a tough-looking woman. He could now see that guns had been drawn as uniformed officers entered the picture. Mere seconds later, both Sonya and Patty were brutally shoved into the backseat of an unmarked police car which sped away, followed by three police cars with their lights blazing away.
Ken sat back in shock and a hand swiftly smacked the back of his head. “Watch and listen!” barked Reuben. “This is the good part!”
Ken gritted his teeth and felt the handcuffs biting into his wrists as he fought to break the chain that linked them together. The screen suddenly changed, and once again he found himself staring at Patty’s face. This time it was in the form of a mug shot, and his blood boiled as he saw the blackened eye and the swollen lips. He screamed a primal roar of anger as he shook his head back and forth helplessly. “You bastards!” he shouted. “You dirty sons-a-bitches!”
“Silence!” ordered Lowell. “That is quite enough of that!”
“You haven’t even heard the best part,” Reuben added, pressing the barrel of the gun into Ken’s ear.
Ken fought to control his emotions and began to weep. Watching through the tears, he listened as the reporter wrapped up the story.
“Patty Dahlgren, the long-lost wife of presidential hopeful Ken Dahlgren has come out of hiding, only to be arrested on charges of first-degree capital murder. Details at this moment are sketchy, but it appears that she and her accomplice, Miss Sonya Chen, are wanted for the abduction and murder of Dr. Simon Botch, the acclaimed transplant surgeon. At this time there has been no official word from Dahlgren or any of his aides. He has been missing since the untimely suicides of his supporters, Thrill Melbow and Katie Flourish. Police are investigating this link, and foul play is expected. There is mayhem here in the downtown streets of Minneapolis as word spreads of Mrs. Dahlgren’s arrest. This is going to be a long night, and a dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed by Governor Schmidt. Only time will tell how it will be received. This is Tom McNally, reporting live from the Minneapolis courthouse.”
“That should do it,” said Lowell from behind Ken. “Reuben, would you please take the laptop back into my office. I’d like to have a few words alone with our guest.”
“There’s nothing you can say to him that I can’t hear,” protested Reuben. “What kind of bullshit is that?”
“You will do as I say and you will do it now!” shrieked Lowell, in a voice that teetered on the edge of sanity. “How dare you question my authority? Pick up that laptop and leave the room—now!”
Ken, his face burning red and his eyes wild with anger, watched as the young man stepped in front of him and snatched up the laptop. He shot Lowell a challenging stare and hung his head and stomped away. A moment later, Ken heard the slamming of a wooden door.
“What am I going to do with that boy?” Lowell asked. He moved to the other end of the couch and sat down. “Look, I understand how you must feel, and I want you to know that I am not without sympathy. I’m going to lay my cards on the table and explain a few things to you. There are some powerful people who want you out of the way—very powerful people—and they have made us promise that we will keep you alive and well until they decide what is to become of you. I am a businessman, Ken, and I wonder if you know how lucky you are? Reuben wants to kill you, and to be quite honest with you, so do I. You and your people ruined everything we had worked so hard to secure. Utopia was a dream of mine, a place where people could live in peace and harmony without fear of their fellow man. Everything was beautiful until you and your friends arrived with your guns.”
“Wasn’t it beautiful how your buddy Reuben shot Venus and Burt in the back? Why the hell did you bring me out here and have to show me that? You’re a sick man. I never did anything to you.”
“I disagree, but we’ll just have to agree to disagree. I’ll be honest with you, until I watched that clip I was fully prepared to allow Reuben to kill you when the time came. These men I’m speaking about, there is no doubt in my mind that they will want you dead when it suits their purposes. Let’s get back to the clip. Do you actually believe in what your wife was telling the crowd? Do you really think our nation’s problems can be solved with such simple logic?”
Ken took three deep breaths and did his best to relax. Patty was alive, and he had to hang onto that, as much as her present situation made his heart ache. He wondered why his opinion here mattered to the old man. He thought about that and decided that it couldn’t hurt to be honest with him. He slowly began to weave the story, starting at the beginning of how he and Patty had discussed how to create a better world. Ken plowed ahead as Lowell chuckled, sarcastically, as if he were an idiot. He explained how Katie Flourish’s unintentional challenge had quickly mushroomed into a full-blown movement. He then described how Thrill Melbow had been hired to discredit both Jimmy and him and how they had gradually won the conservative talk show host over to their side.
“Yes, that did surprise me,” Lowell said, crossing his legs. “Please, go on.”
Ken then explained how Thrill and Katie had marketed them to the public and how they continued to groom them on the issues. He spoke of how Thrill had taken them under his wing and provided more than they’d ever dreamt possible. He also spoke of how the core ideas, the very backbone of his campaign, all belonged to both Patty and him. Above all else, they believed in what they were preaching, and if he was given the chance, he would stamp out the gridlock that had paralyzed Washington by cleaning house and freeing it of career politicians. He would enact term limits and seek out the best minds in the business world. Together, they would work to wrestle control from the corporations and special interests that had taken their country hostage. Ken even reasoned that if they were to kill him, that someone else would step forward and grab hold of the reins. He was absolutely sure of it.
“Can I come out now?” Reuben asked from the other side of the room.
“No!” shouted Lowell.
“This isn’t fair!” Reuben snapped
, and once again the door slammed behind them.
“As much as I hate to admit it,” Lowell said, nodding his head. “I think you’re onto something. I may hate you for what you’ve done to me, but I admire you as a man and for having more guts than anyone I’ve ever met. You’re a fool, of course. Surely, you can see that. I wish we had met under different circumstances; I really do. I may have been able to help you. You see, I happen to agree with everything you’ve just told me. I just don’t see it happening in our lifetime, that’s all. Has the revolution begun? Perhaps, but it’ll be squashed like a bug on the floor. You don’t understand how determined these people are at carrying out their agenda. They want a one-world government, and they’ll stop at nothing to see that they have it. The power of these people is beyond anything you can fathom. You have to trust me on that.”
“So is the power of the American people,” replied Ken. “Nothing is impossible if they come together and put their minds to it. Don’t forget what happened in World War II.”
Lowell chuckled at that. “These are different times. Do you really believe that our people could muster up that sort of determination? I don’t know about that; I’d say that’s a stretch.”
“Don’t underestimate them. Now, let me ask you a question. Why do you care? You’ve already said that I’m a dead man. What possible difference could my opinion make to you?”
Lowell sat back and smiled. “Because, Ken, I believe in you. Also because I’ve been cooped up in this damn bomb shelter for too long with that muscle-bound moron. You have a stimulating mind and can think outside the box. I like that in a man. You understand that none of this really changes anything. When the time comes, I’ll have to let Reuben have his way with you, and there is nothing I can do to stop that from happening. If it’s any consolation, I’ll insist that he’s quick about it. I also want you to understand that I wasn’t being a total jerk about insisting you see that clip of your wife. She’s alive, and from what I can see, relatively well. That should put your mind at ease. Big things are happening in the outside world, and I wanted you to be aware of them, that’s all. Now, I have to imagine that you’re hungry. We don’t have a lot to choose from, but what we have is plentiful, and if you’ll allow me to do so, I’d like to feed you.”
Desperate Times Three - Revolution Page 21