Redemption

This is a story for the veterans

The president rode through the New York downtown district. The motorcade was long. The president’s limo was stretched for about forty feet. Nobody could see the president behind the bullet proof glass windows. There were five police escorts on motorcycles and two in police cars. There were armed gunmen in smaller cars that surrounded the motorcade.

The arrival of the president brought out a lot of people. Men, women and children came out to see the president and his campaign. For good reason, too, Steven Shelby was a native of New York city. He was and still is a hardcore Yankees fan.

However, not all was well. Even with the heightened security and safety precautions, there were still risks. For instance, the unseen eyes that were on the rooftops of the high rises and the office buildings on the street. Gunmen, sworn allegiance to a cult called the Militar, aimed their smoke grenades and readied their guns. Almost in a synchronized fashion, they all threw their smoke grenades and rappelled off the buildings and onto the streets below. Nobody could see through the clouds of smoke. The gunmen sworn to protect the president were shot. The policemen could not see.

However, quickly, the smoke cleared, but the limo and its precious cargo were gone. The policemen phoned in the incident and ran after the limo. They fanned out looking for any signs of the limousine.

“I found it!” yelled a deputy, “on Adams street! I need all units!”

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, police cars swerved onto the road in back of the limo. Their sirens blazing and cars were pulling over. They needed to stop these guys.

Suddenly, the limo took a sharp turn onto a construction road. A jackhammer man jumped clear of the limo as police cars zoomed past to catch up. Suddenly, another turn and this time it was on a bridge. It was the Brooklyn bridge. The bridge was empty, because of construction, because of a collapsed part of the roadway. However, the limo driver did not see it.

About a football field down the road, the limo hit a gigantic pothole, bounced into the air, and then went through a hole in the road and went down into the waters below.

All the police cars screeched to a halt and some hit one another. The limo sunk beneath the waves.

However, that was not the limo, it was a decoy. The real one was driven off down an ally and then down some other streets into a private parking garage. The president was alright, but kind of shook up.

Inside of the limousine, a man took out a syringe and stabbed it into the president’s arm. The president jolted in pain and passed out. He woke up ten minutes later on a table. President Shelby turned his head from side to side trying to get his bearings.

“Hello, Mr. President,” said a man who was walking out of the darkness toward the table that the president lay. The man was about 6’2”, African American and had black dreadlocks with orange at the end of each lock. “My name is Howard Jones, my men brought you here without your consent. You have been kidnapped and you are alone. I am going to torture you until you go mad. We are going to brainwash you. You are going to become MY puppet!”

“You will not get away with this, Mr. Jones,” said the president still a little dazed. “My country will find where you have kept me and get you all.”

“Oh,” said Howard, “you mean the satellite that was so conveniently watching your every move? Well, Mr. President, I have to say that my computer geek was able to knock it out of commission with a powerful computer virus.”

“That is impossible,” said the president, “those satellites are secure and hacker free.”

“Not if you have the right equipment and the right personnel to pull it off,” replied the terrorist. “My computer geek has knowledge about those satellites, because he helped build them. He knows every weakness. Isn’t that right, Mr. Woodrum?”

Another man walked out of the darkness. He was a tall man, but very geeky. He had gigantic glasses, because his vision is 70/20.

“I know these satellites like the back of my hand,” said Troy Woodrum. “Those satellites are just as useless as anything. They may seem unhackable, but they are very easy to hack if you know what you are doing.”

“They will find out where you have taken me!” yelled the president defiantly.

Howard Jones laughed and replied, “Don’t count on it, Mr. President. I set up a decoy. When we took your limo, we put one out to lure the cops to the Brooklyn bridge. The limo fell off and sunk. They think you are dead. Nobody will be looking for you.”

“Why are you doing this?” asked Steven Shelby.

“Simple,” said Howard, “you will be the ruler of the USA. Kind of like a puppet, except I will be pulling the strings. You will do what I have brainwashed your brain to do. My doctor and his assistance will start the washing process.”

Howard and Troy walked away into the darkness as two big guys and a small doctor guy walked up to the table. The two men tried to strap the president in, but he was putting up a fight. However, the doctor shot him with a low dose of tranquilizer and he settled down. The two men strapped him in.

“I do not want you to have a heart attack,” said the doctor. “Oh, by the way, Mr. President, my name is Brian Garky and I did not vote for you.”

The doctor twisted a knob above the president’s head and water started to drip out onto his head from a pipe.

Drip

***

“My fellow Americans,” said the new president, Donald Forester, “today, at 12:35 eastern standard time, our beloved president, Steven Shelby was killed by a terrorist unknown to us. Our top men are working on it. There is nothing to say, but, God be with us in this time of need and mourning. We will take a few moments of silence to remember the president.”

“Crap!” yelled Paul as he turned off the television.

“What is crap, sir?” asked Steven Goodykoontz.

“This guy is a big phony,” replied Paul. “This guy cannot run a country worth a darn and plus, when divers brought up the limousine, they did not find the president’s body.”

“What do you mean?” asked Steven.

“I mean that the president is not dead,” replied Paul infuriated. “I do not know how he was able to slip through our fingers!”

“I thought there was a satellite on him at all times,” replied Steven.

“There is,” replied Paul. “I do not know why it is not picking him up. It is supposed to follow the president at all times. That is why whenever he goes somewhere, there are people who clue into the president’s whereabouts.”

“How can the satellite pinpoint the president?” asked Steven.

“Every president is injected with a microchip that relays a message to the satellite to follow it. It is deactivated when the president dies or if he is no longer serving as president,” replied Paul.

“I may have found the problem, sir,” said Gilbert Bazan. “I looked into that satellite’s log, and I found that there was a command put into there. It seems that it overridden all security lock codes and commands. It was a virus that knocked it out entirely.”

Paul looked puzzled. “Who has the knowledge to do that?” asked Paul.

“I do not know, you might want to ask Roy, sir,” replied Gilbert.

Paul beeped into Roy’s lab.

“Roy,” said Paul. “In my office, PDQ!”

Roy did not have enough time to say anything, but he looked at his assistant, Patrick Jackson and walked into Paul’s office shortly after.

“You needed to see me, Paul?” asked Roy.

“I have reports that the satellite that was supposed to keep the whereabouts of the president has been given a computer virus,” said Paul. “The thing is, they are not supposed to receive computer viruses, because of safeguards. However, it seems that someone was able to download one right into it and render it useless. Do you have any ways to explain how they did?”

“Well,” said Roy scratching his chin, “I would first have to have an uplink device, at least powerful enough to cut through the interference of the radiation in space. Then I would need to know how the thing works. Which if I am not mistaken, those are types of satellites that are to protect the president is top secret, not even the CIA knows about the satellite. Only the secret service, FBI, NASA and ADOC knows of its existence. Sir, I would have to say that someone who used to work for NASA helped build it and made the specifications and got that data. Or, they could have stolen it. However, I am told that they are to memorize that data and burn any trace of existence.”

“I see,” said Paul. “Excuse me while I make a quick call.”

Paul turned around in his chair and dialed in a number. He talked to a person named James McMahon. Nobody could make out what else he was saying, because he was speaking in a different language. In a matter of minutes, he hung up the phone, turned around in his chair got up.

“Where are you going, Paul?” asked Roy.

“I have to go to Huntsville, Alabama,” replied Paul. “You’re in charge until I get back, Roy.”

Roy looked puzzled as Paul left the building.

Paul went into the parking garage. He got into his Lincoln Continental and drove away toward a private government airport.

Paul drove up to the security booth and swiped his government card. The gate went up and he drove in. He drove up to a small plane and met his pilot.

“Hello, sir,” said the pilot as he opened Paul’s door.

“Not right now, Mitch,” said Paul talking to the pilot while they were walking at a fast pace, “time is of the essence.”

The two men got into their seats and strapped in. The pilot taxied down the runway and took off for Alabama.

***

Drip

“How are you feeling, Mr. President?” asked Dr. Garky. “Comfortable I hope?”

“Shut up you loon!” yelled the president. “When my men get their hands on you, I will make sure they make it hurt!”

“Now, now, Mr. President you do not want your blood pressure to go up do you?” asked the doctor. “I do not want to revive you if you have a heart attack. Plus, I have crude equipment to work with. That means that if I have to perform open heart surgery, you will not have the delight to have anesthetics.”

Drip

“You know what, Mr. Doctor, what is your name?” asked President Shelby with a little disorient.

“It is Dr. Garky,” replied the doctor using a stethoscope listening to the president’s heartbeat.

“You know what, Garky,” said the president.

“It is Dr. Garky!” yelled the doctor.

“Oh, sorry, Dr. Garky, when I get out of this bed, I am going to personally make sure that you have the most miserable life in prison!” yelled the president.

“Anger,” said the doctor. *tsk *tsk “The first sign of dementia. It takes about three days for you to fully lose your mind.”

Drip

***

A few hours passed and Paul arrived at Huntsville, Alabama in the NASA base they have there.

A man walked up the plane and greeted Paul.

“Paul George!” yelled a man. “Welcome to Alabama!”

“I need to speak to you, James,” said Paul.

The two men walked into the building and right into James’ office.

“So I heard that the president is dead,” said James.

“I need to know how the secret presidential satellite works,” said Paul abruptly.

“Project Dove was created to protect the president,” said James. “I was the leader. There were five people who worked on that project together. Terrence McGee, David Livingston, Steve Peterson, Kirk von Haugh, Troy Woodrum and I were the ones who worked on it. Mr. McGee and David Livingston were the engineers of the satellite; they are the ones who are responsible that the craft stays in a good orbit. Mr. Peterson and von Haugh were the ones who would signal in the coordinates. Then Troy Woodrum was the programmer. He quit a while back, now a new guy named Fred Crane does it now.”

“Where can I find this Troy Woodrum?” asked Paul.

“He lives in New York,” said James. “I do not know his exact whereabouts.”

“Excuse me for a second,” said Paul.

Paul got out his cell phone and called into the ADOC office.

“ADOC office,” said the secretary.

“Give me Roy Randalph, please,” said Paul.

“Just one minute,” said the secretary as she lined him into Paul’s office.

“Hello, Roy speaking.”

“ROY!” yelled Paul. “I need you to look for a Troy Woodrum.”

“Okay, sir,” said Roy.

Paul quickly hung up and left to the plane once again. The plane left the ground.

“Where are we going, sir?” asked the pilot.

“I need to go to New York,” replied Paul. “I have to meet someone there.”

“Yes, sir,” said the pilot. “However, we need to make a quick stop for some fuel.”

“Fine,” replied Paul thinking deeply.

***

Drip

“I have to use the bathroom, doctor,” said the president.

“Hold it, Mr. President,” said Howard Jones. “You can take a potty break once you are broken!”

“You know what, son,” said the president sternly. “I was in Vietnam. I watched men die, and I not hesitant to breaking your neck.”

“You think you can hurt me old man?” asked Howard. “May I remind you; you are the one who is in the straps.”

“Still,” replied the president becoming more tense, “this is not my first time being tortured. I have skills that were taught by my instructor to combat such attacks.”

Howard looked at the president with anger. He glared at him deeply. “Do you know why I am deciding to make you my puppet, Mr. President. The real reason?” he asked.

“No,” said the president. “Probably for a despicable reason, like; you were abused as a child. Neglected or tortured in the closet without any food.”

Howard walked closer to the table and put his hands on the straps. He began to stroke the president’s hair. The president gasped in horror as his capture took out a 4 inch knife. “It is all because America has forgotten freedom, Mr. President,” Howard said painfully. “I am 60 years old and I was also in Vietnam. I suffered throughout the pain. I watched men get their limbs blown off and their heads severed. I killed many men myself. I even have a token.”

Howard pulled back his hair on the left side of his head. There was a big scar seemingly made by a knife.

“You see this, Mr. President,” said Howard starting to teary eyed. “This is what I got from our wonderful government in Vietnam. I got pain, sorrow and death. I cannot go a winking moment without thinking about that war. I hear the simplest things and I get freaked out. I have reoccurring dreams every night. I cannot get them out of my head, so, I desperately try to dig them out with my knife. It works for a little while, but I have to make the cut deeper and longer!!”

Howard cuts right into his skin and make the incision longer and longer and deeper. He screeches in pain and then he stops. He lets blood drip down from the side of his head.

The president lays there stunned and cannot move. He cannot feel the drops of water from his head. Howard looks down at the president. “You see why our government needs reform?” he asked

Howard then takes the knife and smears the blood onto the president’s hand.

“That blood, Mr. President is now on your hands,” replied Howard.

“How can it be on mine?” asked the president.

“You were a top ranking officer, you could have stopped the violence!” yelled Howard in anger.

“I did what I was told,” replied the president. “There was no way for me to stop the violence even if I tried. I had orders from my general to keep fighting. If you really want to make an impact, why don’t you make people aware of the suffering that you and other veterans are going through instead of kidnapping me?”

“Millions of us have already tried, Mr. President,” said Howard with angst. “My father was in WWII, and he was brought home in boats. I came home in a helicopter. When my father came home, he had a parade. When I got home, I got beat up at a bar. My father was promised a good job after the war. When I got back, I went bankrupt! My father died an honorable death. I will die a dishonorable death!”

“That is not true, Mr. Jones,” said the president. “I will remember you all. All you Vietnam vets who have died on those fields and jungles of Asia and the ones who are still fighting the fight in their minds and the ones who are forever wounded physically and mentally will always have a part of my heart. They protected freedoms for me and protected freedoms for others. The war may seem to be a waste of time and money, but I see it as a way to keep freedom in this country. Mr. Jones, it still is not too late to let me go. If you release me, I will grant you amnesty.”

“But yet you will continue to indorse the destructive American way, Mr. President?” asked Howard. “You will still fight for freedoms for others, but our freedoms will die and so will we. America is changing, Mr. President. It is changing into a society that mimics the one that took place in Rome thousands of years ago. We are just like the Roman Empire. We are strong. However, the thing that brought the giant down was from the inside. People looking out for their own selves instead of looking after the people. This is what America is now. It is full of corruption and has rotten itself out!! I want to bring America back!”

“Mr. Jones,” said the president, “I see where you are coming from. I want to see the old America where gas prices are at least $1.00 a gallon. Where you can keep your doors unlocked at night knowing that you are safe. I also want people to feel safe in this country. Times have changed, however. Those days are gone. We have to move forward. Living in the past is not the way to go. Change is an inevitable part of life. I am sorry for what this old country did to you back in the 60’s. I am sorry that the old government made you go out into the jungles and kill Vietnamese soldiers. I am sorry that many of your friends died in combat, but tying me up and trying to brain wash me is not going to bring them back! IT IS IN GOD’S HANDS NOW!”

Howard looked at the president sternly and began to shake wildly. He punched the president in the mouth and would have again if Brain Garkey had not stepped in and held his arm.

The president spat up blood as Howard said, “How dare you speak those words! I live in the past because I acknowledge where I came from! You do not know who you are if you do not know where you came from. America is a society wanting to move forward. I say stay in the same place, become complacent! Learn from the mistakes of the past first then move on. This country is moving at a fast pace, too fast for me. We are wanting the new and the cutting edge, but we are missing the finer things in life. LIFE ITSELF!!!!!!!!!!

Howard swung is arms into the air and yelled in the top of his lungs, “I HAD A LIFE ONCE!! A WIFE, A FAMILY!!!!!! NOW IT IS GONE!!! AFTER THE WAR!!! I CHANGED!!! AMERICA TOOK MY INNOCENCE AWAY!!!!!!

Howard, pushing back tears calmed himself down and looked back at the president, “You see why we need men like me? Men who have seen it all and done it all. Men who have seen death and has survived. Men who has fought for freedom. NOW THERE ARE MEN WHO WERE RICH FROM BIRTH!!!!!! THEY GET ALL THE POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

President Shelby, with nothing to say sighed as the water patted him on his forehead.

Drip

***

“Hey, Gilbert,” said Todd.

Gilbert turned around in his chair as the satellite desk.

“Yes?” asked Gilbert.

“I have a request that might help us find out where the president has ended up at.”

Todd walked over to the computer monitor. He typed in a few passwords and was able to get the footage from the Dove Satellite on screen. Right then, it was pointing toward the moon.

“Why is the satellite looking at the moon?” asked Gilbert.

“Right now,” said Todd, “it has a worm or a virus in it making the satellite think that the president is on the moon. However, we are not wanting the now, we want the past.”

“Are you trying to see the video from the parade?” asked Gilbert.

“Yes,” replied Todd.

Todd put in another password and an analog bar came up. He clicked on rewind and went to the time where the president was supposedly taken. The satellite saw some disturbing images. Todd looked carefully and saw at least twenty armed black suited men on the roofs. Then he saw another black limousine.

“How do you suppose it all went down?” asked Gilbert.

Todd looked away from the screen and looked at Gilbert saying, “I believe that this was all set up. It was premeditated. Whoever did this had a lot of time and a lot of skill to do it. What he did is position armed gunmen on top of these buildings and have a clone limousine as a decoy. That is why when the car was taken out of the water it only had the driver in it. As the president rode through the street, this limousine was driving down another street ready to take the same route to the Brooklyn bridge. This is the last known surveillance footage until it was given a virus.”

Why at that time, why not before the heist?” asked Gilbert.

“Timing,” said Todd. “It was all about timing. Too soon and people would find out, too late and people would see them, and know that there was a decoy. This last footage is taken too late. However, it does not tell us where he is at.”

“Well,” said Gilbert, “make a route up.”

“Huh?” asked Todd.

“You know, find out if there are any warehouses or storage facilities around and see if you can find one with a garage and track it from there,” said Gilbert.

“That is a great idea!” yelled Todd. “Have fun finding it, tell me if you have found one and when you have found possible candidates, please tell me!”

“Okay,” said Gilbert.

***

Paul’s plane landed a few hours later in New York. Paul’s phone rang.

“Hello,” said Paul.

“This is Roy, sir.”

“Yes?” asked Paul. “Did you find his whereabouts?”

“Yes, sir,” said Roy, “he lives on 4567 Adams Street. Strangely a few blocks away from the sight where the president was ambushed.”

“Thanks, Roy,” said Paul as he flipped his cell phone down.

Paul got up from his seat and went to the door. A stewardess opened the door to a staircase where he was met by a man in a black suit and tie.

The man stretched out his hand and shook Paul’s.

“My name is Jordan Hotson,” said the man.

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Hotson,” replied Paul as he and Mr. Hotson walked down the staircase to a limousine.

“I hear that you are looking for a former NASA scientist named Troy Woodrum,” said the suited Jordan.

“Yes,” replied Paul. “Can you tell me a little about him?”

The limousine driver opened the door and the two men jumped in. The driver got back into the driver seat and took off.

“As you may already know,” said Jordan, “he did work for Project Dove. He worked on that project all the way until President Shelby was elected. For some reason he did not explain to NASA, he quit all of a sudden. I believe personally that he has a person vendetta against him.”

“Perhaps someone is pulling his strings?” asked Paul in a very austere manner.

“Possibly, but the FBI is not sure,” replied Hotson. “There is certainly a chance, but not a one that we have found yet. What has your investigation found?”

“All I know is about Troy Woodrum,” said Paul. “If there is anyone else involved it has clearly been covered up.”

The two men looked at each other thinking as the limousine drove down the highway.

***

“Hey, Todd!” yelled Gilbert.

“You found it?” asked Todd as he ran into the satellite room.

“I have found twenty-three known places where there is a garage or a car park or a storage house,” said Gilbert.

“That is too many,” said Todd.

Gilbert nodded his head.

“How about asking someone who ones those properties and compare them to criminals in Interpol or the FBI, CIA any other criminal database. Perhaps you can also look in the military database as well.”

Gilbert nodded his head as Todd left the room again.

***

The limousine arrived at the residence of Troy Woodrum. Paul and Jordan both got out and walked up to the door. Paul rang the doorbell and a man answered the door.

“May I help you?” asked the man.

“We need to speak to Troy Woodrum please,” said Jordan in a calm, but robust voice.

“H-He is not here at the moment,” said the man, “he is away on business.”

“What sort of business?” asked Paul.

“I do not know what he does,” replied the man kind of annoyed. “I am his butler not his personal log book.”

“Do you maybe have an idea where he is at?” asked Paul.

“Look,” said the man even more annoyed, “I do not know where he is. His private business is his business!! It is not my business! NOW PLEASE LEAVE!”

The door slammed right in front of them. The two walked back to the limousine and got in.

“We’ll come back later on after dark,” said Jordan.

“Why?” asked the Paul.

“We will break into his house and see if we can get any information about him,” replied Jordan.

“Isn’t that illegal?” asked Paul.

“Only if you get caught,” replied Jordan as he motioned his driver to move. The two went to a restaurant and ate.

***

“Got it!” yelled Gilbert to Todd who fell asleep because of the wait.

Todd jumped up and ran to the monitor.

“Okay, you are not going to believe this, but a guy who was Court Marshaled in the US Army owns this small underground car park under this old rundown factory on Jackson Avenue.”

“So?” asked Todd.

“Well,” continued Gilbert, “I was able to get up some of his records, after his Court Marshal, he was sent to prison for a few months in military jails. When he was released, he moved to New York and with the money that he had, he purchased this property for almost nothing. The deed is now in his name, and I was able to see who last owned the factory and I took the liberty to talking to him. He sold it for $4,000. Pretty cheap of course, but the kicker was that after the purchase, the old owner noticed that the place had been gutted out. All the old equipment was sold. He tried to sue, but it was too late, because the purchaser already signed the deed.”

“Okay,” said Todd. “Who purchased the property?”

“A man named Howard Jones,” he replied.

“So how does this prove that he has to do anything with the president’s kidnapping?” asked Todd.

“Well,” said Gilbert, “it is kind of funny that the old car park is right there, less than a mile from where the president was captured. Plus, with all that equipment sold, he could have compiled enough money from his retirement and from selling all that stuff to make himself a nice little army.”

“Sounds good,” said Todd. “I will report this to Paul.”

“Thanks,” replied Gilbert.

Todd left the room and got on his cellular phone and dialed in for Paul.

“Paul here,” he said.

“Paul,” said Todd, “Gilbert and I have found who may have captured the president.”

“Who?” asked Paul.

“A man named Howard Jones,” replied Todd.

“Did you say Howard Jones?” asked Paul.

“Mhm.”

“I was at his Court Marshal hearing after he tried to steal some guns from an arsenal. Let me get back to you.”

“Yes, sir,” said Todd.

***

“Does a name Howard Jones ring a bell to you?” asked Paul to Jordan.

“I remember investigating a ring with some militants and a Howard Jones, but our investigation did not end up with anything,” replied Jordan.

“Do you think that perhaps he does have some militants under his payroll and had used them against the president?” asked Paul.

“Maybe,” replied Jordan. “Plus, this Troy could have to do something with it as well.”

“Maybe this is the key,” said Paul. “Perhaps he is the bridge.”

Jordan nodded and sipped his coffee.

***

Night fell and Paul and Jordan went back to the house right after the butler left. They went up to the door and jiggled the doorknob, but it was locked. The FBI agent took out a skeleton key and unlocked the door. The two men walked in and started searching the place. Paul went straight for the computer. He turned it on, however it required a password.

“Do you know how to hack computers?” whispered Paul.

Jordan walked over to the computer and looked at the screen.

“All you do is push F3, G, B, and F5 and you are in,” whispered back Jordan.

Paul did just that and the main screen came on. He started looking around the desktop, but could not find anything. So, he went to some of his other files. He selected Start and scanned and found a file that said NASA. He clicked on it and found data about satellites that he help build and run. One especially caught his eye. It had all the data and data codes about the Dove Satellite. He printed it out and erased the file from the computer.

“Found something,” said Jordan.

Paul got up from the computer and went over to see what the FBI agent had found.

“I have found some intriguing evidence about him with Howard Jones. It seems that Mr. Jones has wired $45,000 into his bank account and has sent him a message reading:

‘Mr. Woodrum,

I have sent $45,000 into your bank account for return of your services. I want you to help me with something. If you help me complete my task, I will reward you with another $45,000 and then $100,000 on top of that. Please do not neglect this.

Howard Jones.’

That is all that it says.”

“So,” said Paul, “they are working together.”

Paul took out his cellular phone and called the ADOC office. Steven picked up the phone.

“Hello,” said Steven.

“Steven,” said Paul, “we have found out who has taken the president. It was Howard Jones.”

“We know, sir,” replied Steven. “Todd and Gilbert found out the location of them. They are in New York, about a mile away from ground zero.”

“I will call Andy to pick you and Todd up and he will transport you there.”

Suddenly, in the background there was some rustling.

“What the?” yelled Paul as the phone hit the floor.

Over the phone, Steven could hear gunshots. He tried to yell for Paul, but no answer. So, Steven hung up the phone and dialed in for Andy.

About an hour later, Todd and Steven were suited up in bullet proof aluminum Kevlar meshes that are light weight, breathable and can catch a speeding bullet. Over that Kevlar is a black suit that contains holsters for guns and pistols and their rappel weapons.

The two agents jumped in the Chinook and it took off.

***

“Admiral George,” said a voice as Paul woke up.

Paul looked up and saw Howard standing over him.

“Admiral George,” repeated Howard.

Paul just glared at him.

“What are you doing here?” asked Howard.

Paul still continued to glare at him.

“Open the mouth!” yelled Howard. “What are you doing here?”

Paul continued to glare at him.

“Not talking, huh? Well, I have ways of making you talk.”

Howard motioned for Dr. Garky to come into the room. With a needle in hand. The doctor came up to the tied up Paul and jabbed him with it, releasing the toxin into his body.

“You know what this toxin does?” asked Howard. “It makes a jolting pain go through your body. Whatever move you make, breathing or whatever, you are going to feel excruciating pain.”

Paul looked at him with anger as he started to feel pain.

“Ah,” again said Howard, “your friend the FBI agent has been given a horrible treatment. I have laid him in hundreds of box jellyfish tentacles in a tub. When he wakes up, he will feel pain all over his body. He will scream for mercy, just like you.”

“You are a monster!” yelled Paul as a jolt of pain went through his body.

Howard just laughed.

***

A few hours later, the Chinook landed in a warehouse owned by ADOC. Todd and Steven got into a Mercedes and drove toward the parking garage using the GPS. They both sped down the highway, dodging cars and trucks. They even ran stoplights, but miraculously did not get stopped by any cops. The traffic was kind of low, because it was night. They soon reached the parking garage, but the door was shut and locked. However, that did not stop Steven from ramming the car into the door and knocking it down.

“What was that?” yelled Howard as he heard the big bang from the Mercedes. “Go out and look!”

Three armed men ran out to the parking garage and looked at the wrecked Mercedes there. They walked up to the car, however, Steven floored it and ran them over.

The two agents got out of the car and got out their weapons.

Steven grabbed his SPAS 12 as Todd grabbed his SIG 552 and headed for the door. Steven quickly opened it and gunned down two more gunmen. Three more came out the door at the back of the room. Todd shot of a few rounds and killed them.

“What is going on?” yelled Howard as gunmen scrambled to get their weapons to fend off Steven and Todd.

“Those are my men!” yelled Paul in pain. “They are here to stop you!”

Howard ran into his office and slammed the door as Steven and Todd ran into the room, met by eight gun men. The two agents ducked behind some crates as bullet whizzed past almost hitting them.

Steven moved to the right a little bit and shot one gunman in the head. The seven shot at the crate Steven was behind. Todd took advantage at the momentary distraction and killed three with his gun.

Then the other four shot at Todd’s crate just as Steven opened fire and killed the rest of them.

The two agents ran up to Paul and the FBI agent and untied them.

“We are in too much pain to move,” said Paul. “Help the president.”

Steven ran over to the president and untied all his straps.

“Hello, Mr. President,” said Steven as he help him up. “Long time not see.”

The president smiled as Howard, Troy and Dr. Garky entered the room.

“Freeze!” yelled Howard with an AK 47.

Troy had a .45, and Dr. Garky had a Magnum.

“I see that you have found were I have kept the president,” said Howard, “but you will not leave with this information.”
Steven raised his weapon.

“I would not do that right now, Mr. Goodykoontz,” said Howard defiantly. I have my sights on the president and so does these two. You kill me, and your president is dead.”

“Kill him, Steven,” said the president. “I am ready to die.”

Steven shook his head.

“Now put down your weapons!” yelled Howard.

Todd and Steven put down their weapons and all the rest of their weapons that they were carrying.

Two armed gunmen came by and picked them up as two more came and tied the two agents up. They then retied Paul, Jordan and the president. Then they were ordered to the floor. Dr. Garky came up to Steven with a needle and shot him with a toxin.

“This is what I call the yellow jacket,” said Dr. Garky. “This little toxin will cause swelling all over your body, and not to mention, pain and puss.”

Then he went up the Todd and shot him with a toxin.

“Now this one, sir,” said Garky, “is a neurotoxin. You will experience hallucinations beyond your nightmares.”

After a while, Todd was starting to see things and Steven began to puff up and puss and feel tremendous pain.

“Mr. President,” said Howard. “It seems that your arrogance has cost you dearly. Not only is ADOC’s best being tortured, but also you are still going to be my puppet.”

Howard went over and turned on the water faucet as more water dripped out. The president listened to the screams of the two agents, Paul and the FBI agent. A tear went down his face.

“Mr. Jones,” said the president.

Howard went to his side.

“Untie them, and I will let you use me to whatever sick advantage that you have in mind,” said the president.

“You really mean that?” asked Howard.

The president nodded his head.

Howard smiled.

“Kill the FBI agent,” said Howard to a guard.

“WHAT!” yelled the president.

A shot went off and the FBI agent was shot in the head. He died instantly.

“What are you doing?” asked the president.

“The same thing America did to me!” yelled Howard. “And I am enjoying every minute of it.”

Another gunman took aim at Paul’s head and pulled the trigger. Paul died.

“NO!!!” yelled the president.

“Shoot the two spies in the stomach,” said Howard. “Make their deaths slow and painful!”

“Sir,” said Dr. Garky. “They will not feel anything with those toxins in their body. If you want them to really suffer, you have to make them well again.”

“Fine,” said Howard, “give them the antidote.”

Garky smiled and shot an antidote in each of their arms. Soon, the pain, pus and swelling was gone from Steven and the hallucinations were gone for Todd.

The two gunmen walked up to Steven and Todd and shot them in the stomach. The two agents felt a jolting pain and thought that their fates were sealed.

Howard smiled.

“Now, Mr. President,” said Howard Jones. “Time for you to go as well.”

“What?” asked the President.

“It is time for you to die,” he replied.

“Why?” asked the president.

“Because you have ticked me off!” yelled Howard.

The crazed madman put the gun up to the president’s head, but then Dr. Garky began to speak.

“Sir,” said the doctor.

“What is it twirp?” asked Howard annoyed.

“Maybe the president can help us?” he asked.

Howard turned around and shot the doctor.

“Never distract me when I am about to make art!” yelled Howard.

At this time, Steven and Todd were beginning to feel better. They then realized that their meshes worked. So they worked together and were able to untie themselves. Nobody noticed when they went over and knocked the three gunmen out and took their weapons.

Steven walked up behind Howard who was making a speech to the president and butted him in the back of the head with his weapon. Todd killed Troy with a gunshot to the head.

Steven tied up Howard.

***

A few hours past and the police picked up the president, Steven and Todd. Howard was put into the police van and taken to Riker’s island. The FBI and Paul’s bodies were taken to the morgue. The president and the two agents were taken to the hospital and given a psyche exam and treated for minor wounds.

A few hours later, the president was given time to speak to an audience.

“My fellow Americans,” said the president from the hospital bed. “As you may not already know, I was captured. The limousine that you saw take a dive into the ocean was a decoy and as you can see I am in great condition. However, my captor, Howard Jones opened my eyes to a new threat. This threat is not a threat to a nation, but a threat to a group of people. This group of people are veterans. Veterans who fought in wars that were not always considered popular, but was necessary. I bow down to these great men of valor for their efforts to make this world safer. Howard Jones was that kind of man. However, the Vietnam war left a mark on him that hurt him from his heart. So I ask the DA and the prosecution offices that he be granted amnesty and given a sentence of great psychiatric care and medication and ordered to see a trained psychologist. Howard Jones is a product of unfortunate events and he should be cared for as well as every veteran. That is why I am giving all veterans of any war a year of tax freedom and those who need it, free medical care and free psychological help to help them with their hardships. We are Americans, we should have freedom of choice and peace and freedom of mind as well. Thank you.”

The president’s request was granted and Howard went through a year of mental institutions and medication. He was cured to a point to where the images in his head were gone. His wife even came back to him and he got to see his new grandchildren.

Paul was buried in Arlington National cemetery and decorated as a man of valor.

His memory will live on in the hearts of all ADOC men.

To all veterans who have ever fought in a war, thank you!!!!

The End

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