by Warren Ray
“Burns, you seeing what I’m seeing?” asked Bassett as he slowed the car.
“Where the hell is everybody?” asked Burns.
“There’s guards at the entrance,” said Hadley.
Four Middle Eastern men dressed in traditional clothing and carrying AK-47’s turned to watch the squad car as it passed by.
“They don’t look too worried,” said Burns.
The squad car passed by another entrance with more armed guards eyeing them suspiciously. Hadley gave them a friendly wave. Passing by the main parking lot, the men again noticed the lack of any vehicles on the premises.
“Where the heck are they?” asked Hadley.
“They’ve got to be headed to Jackson,” said Nate. “Corporal, we need to boogie.”
Chapter 33
Bethesda Maryland
Alison O’Connor led Green and Sam downstairs to the basement. Green was right behind her as she carefully navigated the stairs in her inebriated state, using the handrail as support. It seemed to him she was a functioning alcoholic and quite adept at the staircases in her two-story brick home.
Hitting the concrete floor in the unfinished basement, she flipped a couple of light switches. Fluorescent lights flickered to life showing a path between boxes filled with who knows what. It looked like a dumping ground of junk either the owner’s thought they might someday use again or a way to avoid making decisions. “As-Seen-On-TV” exercise equipment had boxes sitting on them. Dusty books were jammed onto metal shelves with an old computer monitor as a bookend.
She led them through the maze to a back wall that had several sheets of plywood leaning against it. She looked at Green and asked him to pull the plywood forward. It took both him and Sam to manhandle it against the boxes that sat in the way. Alison reached behind it and pulled out a shoebox.
Her temperament changed as she held onto the box. No longer did she appear drunk or lost in thought. She looked at them in a serious manner and ordered them back upstairs. They went into the kitchen and she placed the box on the granite counter. She then took off the lid and began to remove the contents.
A small digital audio recorder came out first and she held it in her hand as if it was a fragile Faberge egg. She looked at them and a small grin came across her face as she hit play.
For the next thirty minutes, the three of them stood in rapt silence as her husband and Lawrence Reed discussed in detail what he was supposed to do regarding the bombings, including which cities they should hit and where they should place the bombs. They also talked about whom he was to hire for the jobs.
The blood seemed to drain from the Green’s face as he listened to the recording. He had learned many devious things the last couple of months but none as bad or momentous as this one.
After listening to the recording, Alison handed Green a journal her husband had kept for the operation. It listed the names of the men he hired and from what agencies and countries they came from. It included a few cooperating Heads of State, Governors and Mayors, influential people he had met and what they supplied. It was all there. Everything.
Green’s mind was spinning so fast he didn’t know what he should do next. He had in his possession evidence of the dastardliest deed ever committed against the United States of America. This info could indict leaders of countries and constituted an act of war on America.
Green’s hands trembled as he held the file. He wasn’t shaken by what he learned because he already knew it was Reed. It was having the information that would expose them all that made him nervous. He wasn’t quite sure what he should do with the evidence. Whom could they present it to, was the question? All power resided within the government, as did the media. He knew this evidence could get him and everyone associated with it, killed.
He looked at Sam, whose face had gone ashen, and wanted to ask him what they should do. Sam just shook his head.
Alison looked at them. “Now, you know why I drink.”
Sam let out a grunt. “I think I’ll have one of those now.”
Green looked at Sam. “Make it two.”
Alison poured them all a half glass of bourbon. She lit another cigarette and took a deep pull from it, blowing the smoke up toward the ceiling. “I didn’t know what to do with this, and as I can see, neither do you.”
Green took a healthy swig from his drink. “Why would your husband record all of this?”
“My husband found himself on a merry-go-round and didn’t know how to get off. He knew if he refused, Reed would have him killed. I’m not saying my husband was a saint, hell, he’s responsible for killing how many people?” It was a rhetorical question. She refilled their glasses without asking. “My husband, my Patrick, was a murdering bastard, but for what it’s worth, I loved him and I know he loved me.” She paused and took another drag off her cigarette. “He told me about the box before he went out for the last time. He had gotten a call from Reed. He was supposed to meet him for dinner. Reed had never invited him to dinner before and Patrick thought it was odd. So, he told me about the box and what was in it.” She raised her glass and paused for a moment before taking another drink. “That was the last time I saw him.”
Green looked at her sympathetically. He was looking at a woman hopelessly in love with a man who did evil things. She was past her prime, she knew it, and she knew she’d never find love again. The only love she found was in a bottle. If she couldn’t forgive herself, his evil acts would be the death of her someday. Perhaps handing over this evidence would be the first step toward that redemption. He hoped so for her sake.
Green and Sam left with the box in their possession and wished her well. They turned back to see her standing in the doorway, dressed in the blue satin bathrobe, holding a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other.
Chapter 34
Washington D.C.
Reed sat in Commandant Melnick’s leather chair watching the video Wagner had taken of his meeting with Cara last night. He didn’t know what to expect, but her scruffy appearance spoke volumes to him. She had her long hair bunched up on top of her head. She wore a peace sign necklace and had a variety of bangles around her wrist and rings on some of her fingers. Her skin was tanned from basking in the Florida sun. Reed definitely saw a girl who was a rebel at heart, a hippie, if that was still a thing among the youth.
“Well, what do you think?” asked Melnick.
Reed thought a moment. “Someone who is up for an adventure.”
“We got her some new clothes and she’ll have her hair done this afternoon,” said Melnick.
“Yes, I want her to look as innocent as possible. You got all the reports ready?”
“We just finished them. Something tells me she won’t bother to look through them all.”
“We’ll give her all the time she wants though. I want her as convinced as possible,” said Reed.
Melnick’s secretary buzzed in on the intercom. “They’re here.”
Reed nodded for him to bring them in.
They both looked up when Lieutenant Wagner and Cara entered the room.
“Cara,” said Wagner. “This is Commandant Melnick and Mr. Reed.”
Cara shook their hands.
Reed was happy with how well she cleaned up. He knew the image would be complete after they cut and styled her hair.
“I hope you’ve found everything to your liking?” said Melnick.
“Yes, thank you.”
“First, let me just say thank you for coming in,” said Reed. “It was very brave of you to do so and your country is grateful.”
“I’m just glad to be able to help, Mr. Reed.”
“Please call me Larry.”
“Okay, Larry.”
“Before we begin, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?” asked Melnick.
Cara gave them a brief description of her life back in Iowa and how she and her father were always arguing about politics. That he thought what they were teaching her in school was all a bunch of lies.
Reed looked at Melnick. “Why don’t you begin, Commandant?”
Melnick opened a red folder with top secret printed across the front and pulled out reports his staff had just made up this morning.
Commandant Melnick began the lies. He wove a story of a deranged man who first killed his wife by stabbing her. Witnesses reported hearing arguing and then screaming. It was a crime of passion, from a raging lunatic.
Tears began to run down Cara’s face as she looked at the police report.
Reed pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. “Should we stop?”
She shook her head.
The next sighting of Winters was in Brainerd, Minnesota. Apparently, he fell in with other murdering thugs and rampaged through the town. The gang killed and raped numerous women and children.
Melnick handed her some photos of the victims. She turned her head when she glanced at them.
He continued by telling her his gang of murderers then stole everything of value. They had an encounter with the local police and killed several officers before escaping. They’ve been doing this in other states as well.
They gave her a couple of minutes to go through the reports.
“We flew you up here because we think you can be very helpful to us,” said Reed.
She put the reports down and looked at him.
“You see, there are people in the country that want to overthrow the government. Not only do we think your father is part of that conspiracy, but we think he’s in contact with like minded folks right here in Washington.”
“What can I do?”
“Do you think you could play the role of a spy?”
The word spy had the effect that Reed thought it would when he saw Cara’s eyes light up.
She nodded.
“We won’t put you in any danger, but you can help us test the loyalty of someone we think your father is in contact with.”
“Who’s that?”
“Major John Green.”
Chapter 35
Jackson Michigan
A map of Jackson, Michigan, lay flat on a table inside the box store the Shadow Patriots had camped at last night. Winters, Elliott, Scar and Meeks hovered over it and discussed where they should set up to wait for Mordulfah’s army. They had debated for most of the morning what Mordulfah’s intentions would be. Until the recon team came back, they couldn’t say with any certainty. So, they started to put together a couple of different plans. The four of them had gone out on the interstate earlier in the day and scouted some good places for an ambush. They reconnoitered several to be sure they would be able to adapt to whatever the situation called for. They also drove the inter-connecting roads to get familiar with the area. There were plenty of abandoned stores off the highway where they could lie in wait. They also noted it was a place where Mordulfah’s forces could hide as well. There was a small town called Chelsea that could be a staging area for either force.
Either way, Winters wanted to be one step ahead of his enemy. He couldn’t help but be averse to any single plan after getting the input from his men. He also had a feeling this was going to be bigger than any battle they’d ever been in before. He just hoped his three hundred men would be enough.
“Captain, we should divide our force into three companies,” said Scar pointing to the map. We can cover both sides of the interstate as well as meeting them head on.”
“How many in each?” asked Winters.
“Keep the bulk of our guys in the middle. We need to keep the flanks smaller and faster. We need to have plenty of foliage to hide in and use the overpasses as a height advantage. That’s why these two areas are perfect. He pointed to Whipple Road and Notten Road.
Winters remembered both overpasses and the thick foliage on either side of the interstate, which was unusual for the area. Setting up on an overpass would be advantageous; especially cause neither one had an entrance from the interstate. He was satisfied with their choices. Now he just had to hope that Mordulfah didn’t have any other plans. He wondered when the recon team would be back and if they would have any good news.
Chapter 36
Bassett stepped on the gas as he got on Interstate 96, which would take them to Interstate 94. Nate sat in the back thinking about what they had learned on their recon mission. He was worried about not getting back to Jackson in time because he suspected that Mordulfah was already on his way. What they had learned about what the National Police was just as important.
The very thought of the cops waiting in ambush to capture young girls and kill their families made Nate’s blood boil. He thought back to the battle in the sandpit, where so many of the girls they had just rescued a couple of hours before were lost. One of them died in his arms. Nate would never forget the frightened look in the girl’s eyes as she called out for her mom. It was the last thing she said before she died. Nate had cradled her for a few more moments before he had moved on to other injured girls. It was those thoughts that kept him motivated to kill as many of the enemy as he could, and it was those thoughts that left him with little patience for dealing with this enemy. The recalled memory caused him to roll his fist into a ball and give the door a quick smack. Burns turned to him and gave him a firm nod.
Bassett kept his foot on the pedal as his thoughts drifted toward the Jijis. Where could they possibly be and what was their next move? Were they trying to set the Shadow Patriots up or were they going to storm into Jackson and possibly drive the citizens right into the arms of the cops? This wouldn’t be a bad strategy. Going house to house would take a considerable amount of time. Of course, Mordulfah had to figure some of them would be willing to fight, but if you gave them an opportunity to escape, most would take it. So, it made a lot of sense to attack from the north, make a big show of it and then drive them south to an awaiting ambush.
Bassett’s thoughts turned to the cops going back to Saline, it was either a gutsy move or a very stupid one to use the same place as before, but then these people were not the sharpest tools in the shed. Their arrogance didn’t seem to allow for any logical thinking. However, they might be over confident of success thinking they were going to take out the Shadow Patriots all at once.
“Whoa,” said Hadley in an alarming tone, which snapped Bassett out of his thoughts.
They had been on Interstate 94 for five miles when they came around a bend in the interstate and Hadley saw the vehicles up ahead.
Bassett pressed his foot on the brake to slow them down. He had been traveling at over a hundred MPH and he had come up on the tail end of a convoy faster than expected. He had misjudged it because the convoy was parked in the slow lane of the interstate.
“What?” asked Nate, who shot forward from the back seat.
“We got company,” said Bassett.
“Are those Jijis?” asked Nate.
They could see men out on the road standing around in small groups.
“What the hell should I do?” asked Bassett as he slowly approached the convoy.
“Too late to turn around,” said Nate as he tightened his grip on the M-4 carbine.
They were close enough to see the faces of the Jijis, who started to move out of the way as the squad car approached.
“Hell, they think we’re cops,” said Bassett.
“Just keep going then,” said Burns. “If the tail end thinks we’re okay, then no one else will question us either.”
They slowly started to pass by the convoy, which consisted of
transports, SUVs and cars. Hadley nodded his head to the men who just stood and stared at them as they drove by.
Bassett picked up speed as he saw Jijis move out of their way in a domino effect. Burns had been right. They were not alarmed in any way, only curious as to the squad car passed by the long line of men for a little over a mile.
“Is this all of their guys?” asked Nate.
“No way. This is might be half, maybe a little more,” said Bassett.
“They’re well armed,” said Burns.
“Yes they are,” said Bassett, noticing the AK-47’s they all carried.
“They don’t look like much to me,” said Nate. “Bunch of sheep loving boys.”
The comment lightened the mood as they drove past the convoy for yet another mile. They were approaching Exit 159 to State Road 52 when Bassett saw the Jijis blocked both lanes just past this exit.
They drove under the overpass. Everyone grew tense and gripped their weapons tighter.
Burns leaned forward to look. “That’s the command center.”
A small group of five men stood behind two black Mercedes that blocked both lanes. One of them started to wave his hands to slow down. Bassett wasn’t sure if he was to stop, but then the man waved them to take the exit.
“Looks like we’re taking this exit,” said Bassett.
“Any of them look like Mordulfah?” asked Burns.
“No,” said Bassett.
“Oh please, he’s probably back in Detroit giving it to a sheep,” said Nate.
“More like a lamb, you know he likes them young,” grinned Burns.
They rounded the exit, came to a fork in the road and stopped.
“Where’s that map?” Bassett asked Hadley.
Hadley unfolded the map. “We’re about fifteen miles from Jackson, and we’re on 52, so we can pick up this road and go east into Jackson.”
“Interesting that they’re stopped on 52,” said Bassett.
“It goes down to Route 12 where the cops are going to be waiting for prey,” said Burns.