Jo-el

Chapter 33 TRIP AT THE FIRST HURDLE

I slept like a log until five the next morning. I was refreshed and ready for action. The life pills made me feel like I was forty again. Not a young man but a definite improvement from fifty-seven. Sally hadn’t woken me in the night, I took that as a good sign. She cared about me and knew I needed sleep. I showered and headed downstairs. At seven, California time, I was due at the FBI office in DC. Lots of time for breakfast and coffee.

Sally was standing in the kitchen, which was unusual, she looked sour. I started making breakfast, waiting for the news.

“The Brits have been talking half the night with the Americans, but it only got interesting a few hours ago, when the east coast was awake.” I was listening while making coffee. “They cancelled the meeting.”

“Why?”

“Partly Anglo-American relations, but they see you as some sort of freak. That was their words. The Americans persuaded them not to waste their time as they were investigating you and they promised the Brits they would keep them in the loop.”

I was annoyed with the Americans but understood. The Brits had only seen me with wings, they were at a disadvantage.

“So just the FBI?” I said.

“I think you better hear what else is happening.”

I stopped in mid-pour and looked over at Sally. Her demeanor indicated more bad news.

“The reports from the CIA and FBI were reviewed by the secretary to the National Security Council this morning. He pressed the red button, a figure of speech meaning that all the members of the NSC had to attend an emergency meeting. That meeting is going on now. They are having a conniption. The NSC want you brought in for questioning. Some members of the council want you put on the most wanted list.”

“Who’s at the NSC meeting?”

“Everybody of any importance in the country. The President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Attorney General, CIA and FBI Directors, do you want the whole list? There’s a lot more.”

I was dumfounded.

“What about the meeting with the FBI?”

“The plan is to use that opportunity to arrest you.”

“On what charge?”

“National Security, it’s a catch all, they can hold you forever.”

“Don’t I get any credit for the hostages I rescued from Syria?”

“They don’t believe you did that. The CIA explanation in the report brought up the possibility of a plot by China or Russia. The Council have told the Director to investigate further and get back to them.”

“So Alberton lied in the report?”

Sally nodded. “Homeland Security checked out that Destroyer last night and found the bombs, they’ve arrested those two guys.”

“What about the people in LA and Tucson?”

“HS are planning a raid today.”

“So what is the Council saying about the intel I gave them?”

“The National Security Advisor is pointing fingers at the Chinese. He’s saying they probably planed the whole thing and planted the guys in Virginia Beach, LA and Tucson.”

“What a crock of shit! Have you read the reports? Are they accurate?”

“The CIA report has a few correct facts, but they toned down much of what happened and left out what they didn’t want to explain. It was their conclusions that brought up the idea of a sophisticated plan by a foreign power. They just couldn’t put the truth on paper, believing it would read as simply ridiculous, impossible to explain. Homeland Security and the FBI had left when you brought back that girl from Syria.”

“Oh right. What did they say about the Major I bounced to Dallas?”

“No one mentioned it. Internally they thought it was a trick. The Major is being questioned, he’s under lockdown.”

“Jesus!”

“Don’t forget it was the General who tried to kill you, he’s adamant that you should be shot on sight.”

“So how did they explain the Taser and bullets?”

“They didn’t, left it out. Again, they thought it was a trick.”

I was lost. I sat down on the sofa and sipped at my coffee. Alberton was hiding the truth, because he couldn’t figure out how to explain what happened.

“What about Pippa?”

“They’ve put her on administrative leave and confiscated her computer.”

“So how did you hear from them?”

“They used Pippa’s computer, but it didn’t matter I’ve been watching them all night.”

“But they’re investigating my movements?”

“After you left Pippa at Langley she went to see Alberton to help with the report. Turns out she didn’t know they were listening through her phone.”

“She believes me, right?”

“Oh, so romantic.” She laughed. “Yes, she believes you, but they’re watching her, around the clock.”

“Go back, does Alberton believe me?”

“That man is confused and frightened. During his discussions with Grayson he hatched the foreign power idea, he thinks that is the only explanation of what you did. He’s the main force to find you. He initiated listening-in on Pippa’s phone and he’s trying to get the French to release the records from all the cash machines at the airport yesterday. He thinks if he can arrest you he’ll be able to find out who you are and where the technology really comes from. He fears it’s the Chinese or Russians and they’re now way ahead.”

“What about Grayson?”

“Keeping quiet, same reasons, but I think he believes you, he told Pippa when Alberton was out of the room, but that might just have been to win her over.”

“Well that’s almost two people on my side.”

I made some more coffee. I was struggling with Alberton’s report. He didn’t spell out what happened in the hangar, even though he saw it with his own eyes and had chosen to keep it hidden from the NSC. That seemed a very dangerous path to take. If the members of the committee eventually discover the truth he’s going to have a lot of difficulty explaining himself.

“Sally, what’s Alberton playing at?”

“I believe he thinks he can catch you, but he hasn’t actually discussed it with anyone. I can’t read his mind. I lost him for a period, so I don’t know what he said or did at that time.”

“What do you mean, you lost him?”

“There’s an underground basement at Langley. The network can lose connection if you go deep enough underground.”

I looked incredulously at Sally, “this is news to me?”

“Jo-el, I explained the network has limited base stations, remember. Limited coverage in Japan and Taiwan, along the coast of Chile and the Himalaya’s. We only have nineteen stations, it’s not perfect. Plus, the hardware was placed on earth two hundred and forty-eight million years ago.”

“So if anyone wants to hide from me, they just go underground?”

“Basically, yes.”

“Does Alberton know that?”

“I don’t think so, how could he?”

“Maybe he’s figured it out.”

“He was only out of touch for twenty-two minutes.”

“What’s down there?”

“Lots of files, a few meeting rooms and a bunker.”

“Did he bring something up?”

“No.”

“Then he returned to his office and hasn’t been back underground since?”

“Right.”

“Sounds like he doesn’t know, then.”

Sally agreed with me, but it was a weakness and I desperately needed to keep it a secret.

“Sally, how are they expecting to arrest me?”

Sally paused for moment. “They plan to threaten you with Pippa.”

“How do they do that?” My voice louder.

“Alberton is going to tell you that Pippa will be arrested for aiding and abetting a fugitive if you don’t cooperate.”

“How the fuck did she do that?” I was mad.

“She travelled with you to St. Barts, she didn’t have authorization. There’s a warrant for your arrest, technically you’re a fugitive.”

My body shivered and I spilt my coffee on the carpet. “Fuck!” This was all back-firing and I’d only just begun. My plan to win over the Americans by helping them with terrorists and serial killers and child rapists wasn’t working. They were supposed to respect me because I solved their most difficult problems. I thought I’d become some sort of National Hero, revered by everyone. I’d repeat the same actions across the civilized world and then eventually the whole world would adore me, as I slowly eliminated evil. I’d end the conflict in Iraq and Syria, the Arab/Israeli issue. I’d end human slavery and drug trafficking. Murderers would be caught quickly, and eventually crime wouldn’t pay.

Then I’d tell the world the real reason I was here and they would believe me. The need for massive amounts of police and the world’s vast military would become redundant and the money saved would fund the building of spacecraft and we’d colonize a new planet and the people of earth would have a future. It was a utopic dream and I’d tripped at the first huddle.