They had died when helping thwart a plan to undermine the government of the United States. Now Ben and Susan have returned from the dead and they must bring that government down. Standing in their way are Michael Black and Michelle Gray, the bodies of whom they now occupy.
-(The Story begins HERE)-
I was no more surprised than the others when the President stepped into the room. Clad in jeans and a polo shirt Vincent T. Addams' attire was not exactly becoming of that of a world leader.
His eyes hidden by dark sunglasses beneath the bill of a baseball cap, it was obvious that he was traveling incognito and his presence was unofficial. Unlike most Presidential excursions, there would be no press coverage of this trip.
At first he gave little regard to us but spoke directly to the officer standing at unwavering attention by the door. "Colonel Wingate, have your men escort these two FBI agents out of here. They do not have the security clearance to hear anything that will be said here."
Agent Landers stepped forth, "Mr. President, we were assigned to investigate a possible threat to you. Why are we being held?"
His reply was terse, "There is no longer a threat. Your investigation is complete. You will meet with my security detachment to be debriefed."
"But, Mr. President," Ferrara protested, "we have not yet received orders from the director to shut down."
With an air of annoyed arrogance President Addams walked over to the agent and studied him for a moment. He then pressed the bill of his cap against the man's forehead and said, "I see that you are familiar with the concept of the chain of command, agent. You obviously answer to the Director of the FBI, James Saunders." He took a step backward and grinned, "Well, Saunders answers to me."
Realizing his exchange with the President was finished, he nodded and lowered his head in silent defeat. The two agents offered no resistance as a pair of armed airmen led them from the room.
Removing his opaque glasses he addressed those of us who remained, "You'll have to pardon the ... ah ... casual appearance, gentlemen. As for my unannounced arrival here at this base, it never happened. For the record, I'll be at Camp David for a few days of rest with a touch of the flu."
"So, Mr. President," Professor Jordan said with measured sarcasm, "is it safe for us to assume that we weren't here either ... for the record?"
Addams removed his cap and ran his fingers through his wavy hair. He ignored Jordan's query and glared at him. "Professor Jordan, I have to admit that I underestimated you. How is that Bishop King's lackey could cause me so much grief? Clever, very clever and, I might add, quite timely of you to move Rosie Gates when you did."
I spun around and faced the professor, "You? You were behind that?" Rage turning my face beet red I grabbed the lapels of his jacket, "Where is she? What did you do with her?"
"Back off, Mr. Black," Wingate said stepping between us and pushing me aside, "If he knew, he certainly wouldn't be telling you in the presence of me or the President."
Addams cleared his throat and grumbled, "What am I going to do with you, Jordan? You've really caused me one hell of a P.R. mess! The spin doctors will be working overtime to fix it."
"Good luck to them," Jordan grinned, "trying to explain to the public how the man who died trying to assassinate you is alive and well and is out there kidnapping people."
I was impressed how both men were able to verbally spar with one another and yet maintain their dual personae. While Jordan knew that the mind of the deceased Julius Gates occupied the mind of President Vincent Addams, I wondered if Gates suspected that the late Bishop King's mind had been supplanted into that of the professor.
"Resurrecting Ben Bering and his girl friend, Susan Parsons ..." Addams mused aloud, "...it never occurred to me that they might have had twin siblings. Yes, it was quite clever of you to unleash the Persephone drones."
"Drones?" I gasped. "Susan and Ben ... are drones?"
The President faced me and grinned, "Ah, Mr. Black! It would appear that King has kept you in the dark. He left you and your wife his company and his vast fortune, but not all of his secrets. Apparently in some matters, he chose to confide instead with the good professor here."
Jordan flashed a defiant grin, "I'd say that it was a good thing that he did just that!"
"That you would say, professor, that you would. However, I have at my disposal a few men who are quite adept at extracting information from those who are less than cooperative," Addams chortled.
"Unless I'm mistaken," asserted Baxter, who'd been quiet until that moment, "water boarding has been outlawed."
Addams spun around and pointed a finger at him, "You! You've been one god damned thorn in my side! Don't think for a minute that you're going to escape a very lengthy and intense interrogation session."
"Speaking of the interrogations, Mr. President," said Wingate, "shall I prepare the neuro-headsets now?"
"That's affirmative, Colonel," he replied. He looked Jordan in the eyes and added, "On your way out send my security team here and have them bring the O'Day woman."
"No!" Jordan barked. "Leave her out of this. She doesn't know anything."
"How quaint," Addams countered. "Your paternal instincts betray your gruff exterior. She doesn't know anything? My dear professor, she's in this up to her eyeballs."
"So, it's come to this," I said, "the President of the United States is going to give the order for the torture of a helpless woman?"
"Give the order? No, Mr. Black, that I'm going to handle myself," Addams responded flashing a toothy smile. "Let's just call it an executive decision."
The door swung open and Faye, her hands bound, stumbled into the room. Two men in dark suits with guns drawn marched in behind her. I arched my eyebrows as I gazed upon their faces. They were the same two men who had been pursuing myself and Michelle on the Northeastern University campus two days earlier.
"What's the meaning of this?" Faye screeched.
Addams waved an open hand at the nearest secret serviceman. Nodding the man placed his gun in his commander's hand and stepped aside. The President deftly cocked the weapon and raised it in the direction of the woman.
"It means, Mrs. O'Day, that it was you who leaked the information about Operation Butterfly Blue," Addams growled. "I am at a loss as to why would you tell Colonel Wingate where Rosie Gates was located and then turn around and reveal our plans to the professor."
"Rosie's my sister!" she whimpered. "I thought I could trust the colonel. He said he'd make sure she remained safe."
"Thinking never was one of your strong suits, Faye," he sniped.
The next sound was the thunderous crack of the pistol as his finger squeezed the trigger.
His eyes hidden by dark sunglasses beneath the bill of a baseball cap, it was obvious that he was traveling incognito and his presence was unofficial. Unlike most Presidential excursions, there would be no press coverage of this trip.
At first he gave little regard to us but spoke directly to the officer standing at unwavering attention by the door. "Colonel Wingate, have your men escort these two FBI agents out of here. They do not have the security clearance to hear anything that will be said here."
Agent Landers stepped forth, "Mr. President, we were assigned to investigate a possible threat to you. Why are we being held?"
His reply was terse, "There is no longer a threat. Your investigation is complete. You will meet with my security detachment to be debriefed."
"But, Mr. President," Ferrara protested, "we have not yet received orders from the director to shut down."
With an air of annoyed arrogance President Addams walked over to the agent and studied him for a moment. He then pressed the bill of his cap against the man's forehead and said, "I see that you are familiar with the concept of the chain of command, agent. You obviously answer to the Director of the FBI, James Saunders." He took a step backward and grinned, "Well, Saunders answers to me."
Realizing his exchange with the President was finished, he nodded and lowered his head in silent defeat. The two agents offered no resistance as a pair of armed airmen led them from the room.
Removing his opaque glasses he addressed those of us who remained, "You'll have to pardon the ... ah ... casual appearance, gentlemen. As for my unannounced arrival here at this base, it never happened. For the record, I'll be at Camp David for a few days of rest with a touch of the flu."
"So, Mr. President," Professor Jordan said with measured sarcasm, "is it safe for us to assume that we weren't here either ... for the record?"
Addams removed his cap and ran his fingers through his wavy hair. He ignored Jordan's query and glared at him. "Professor Jordan, I have to admit that I underestimated you. How is that Bishop King's lackey could cause me so much grief? Clever, very clever and, I might add, quite timely of you to move Rosie Gates when you did."
I spun around and faced the professor, "You? You were behind that?" Rage turning my face beet red I grabbed the lapels of his jacket, "Where is she? What did you do with her?"
"Back off, Mr. Black," Wingate said stepping between us and pushing me aside, "If he knew, he certainly wouldn't be telling you in the presence of me or the President."
Addams cleared his throat and grumbled, "What am I going to do with you, Jordan? You've really caused me one hell of a P.R. mess! The spin doctors will be working overtime to fix it."
"Good luck to them," Jordan grinned, "trying to explain to the public how the man who died trying to assassinate you is alive and well and is out there kidnapping people."
I was impressed how both men were able to verbally spar with one another and yet maintain their dual personae. While Jordan knew that the mind of the deceased Julius Gates occupied the mind of President Vincent Addams, I wondered if Gates suspected that the late Bishop King's mind had been supplanted into that of the professor.
"Resurrecting Ben Bering and his girl friend, Susan Parsons ..." Addams mused aloud, "...it never occurred to me that they might have had twin siblings. Yes, it was quite clever of you to unleash the Persephone drones."
"Drones?" I gasped. "Susan and Ben ... are drones?"
The President faced me and grinned, "Ah, Mr. Black! It would appear that King has kept you in the dark. He left you and your wife his company and his vast fortune, but not all of his secrets. Apparently in some matters, he chose to confide instead with the good professor here."
Jordan flashed a defiant grin, "I'd say that it was a good thing that he did just that!"
"That you would say, professor, that you would. However, I have at my disposal a few men who are quite adept at extracting information from those who are less than cooperative," Addams chortled.
"Unless I'm mistaken," asserted Baxter, who'd been quiet until that moment, "water boarding has been outlawed."
Addams spun around and pointed a finger at him, "You! You've been one god damned thorn in my side! Don't think for a minute that you're going to escape a very lengthy and intense interrogation session."
"Speaking of the interrogations, Mr. President," said Wingate, "shall I prepare the neuro-headsets now?"
"That's affirmative, Colonel," he replied. He looked Jordan in the eyes and added, "On your way out send my security team here and have them bring the O'Day woman."
"No!" Jordan barked. "Leave her out of this. She doesn't know anything."
"How quaint," Addams countered. "Your paternal instincts betray your gruff exterior. She doesn't know anything? My dear professor, she's in this up to her eyeballs."
"So, it's come to this," I said, "the President of the United States is going to give the order for the torture of a helpless woman?"
"Give the order? No, Mr. Black, that I'm going to handle myself," Addams responded flashing a toothy smile. "Let's just call it an executive decision."
The door swung open and Faye, her hands bound, stumbled into the room. Two men in dark suits with guns drawn marched in behind her. I arched my eyebrows as I gazed upon their faces. They were the same two men who had been pursuing myself and Michelle on the Northeastern University campus two days earlier.
"What's the meaning of this?" Faye screeched.
Addams waved an open hand at the nearest secret serviceman. Nodding the man placed his gun in his commander's hand and stepped aside. The President deftly cocked the weapon and raised it in the direction of the woman.
"It means, Mrs. O'Day, that it was you who leaked the information about Operation Butterfly Blue," Addams growled. "I am at a loss as to why would you tell Colonel Wingate where Rosie Gates was located and then turn around and reveal our plans to the professor."
"Rosie's my sister!" she whimpered. "I thought I could trust the colonel. He said he'd make sure she remained safe."
"Thinking never was one of your strong suits, Faye," he sniped.
The next sound was the thunderous crack of the pistol as his finger squeezed the trigger.
Synaptic Siege )
№ 2095
4 comments:
Well, who was "down range" when that shot went off?
More later.
What Jack said. Yikes, this is getting more and more convoluted. I love it.
Have a terrific day. :)
Jack,
You're thinking ahead because of my 'devious' plots?
Sandee,
The story's convolutions is winding down to a resolution.
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