Shedding the Past, page 19
part #8 of Coalition Series
The world around him crashed in the next few seconds. Uniformed men and women raced out from behind other houses and from inside the house across the street. All of them were armed, and they pointed the weapons at him.
“On the ground! Everyone on the ground! Now!” Shouted orders came from every direction.
“Daddy!” Lily screamed as one soldier grabbed her from behind, picked her up, and kept moving toward an approaching vehicle.
His insides turned, and bile rose in his throat as he froze. Brenda reached for Lily but was knocked aside, turned around, and cuffed in an instant.
“Don’t even think about it, Bobby. Get on the ground,” one of them said. They had covered the ground quickly, and he knew if he did anything other than what he was told, he would die. Only the thought of Lily seeing that stopped him from going for his gun.
He looked up and down the street and noticed it was unusually empty. No one was out, watching to see what was going on. There was no one to help him. Lily’s screams filled his ears as she fought to free herself.
Bobby fell to his knees, then lay face first on the ground. As soon as he was down, there was a knee on his back, and his hands were roughly pulled behind him and cuffed.
“Target Alpha in custody,” he heard a woman say.
“Where are you taking my daughter?” he demanded.
“Somewhere safe. Don’t worry; she’ll be fine,” the same woman said. “Okay, do it.”
He felt a needle enter his arm, and his eyes closed. The last sound he heard before he was unconscious was his daughter screaming for him.
* * *
Frazier paced anxiously at the back of the operations center at Fort Linia. Given the scope of the operation, the military was the natural choice to handle it. Working in coordination with other agencies across the planet, arrests were executed simultaneously.
“Two targets eluded our teams, but we’re in pursuit, Mister President,” Edward Rivera said.
“I don’t want any civilian casualties, Ed. If it gets too dangerous, call them off.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Target Alpha is en route. We’ll be able to question him within the hour. They’re searching the house now.”
Frazier nodded.
One of four large screens at the front of the room shifted to a shoulder-mounted camera view, and audio was piped in through speakers. “We’re at the door. Got a keypad. Could be booby trapped,” a male agent said.
“Clear the area, bring in the techs.”
A man in a naval uniform appeared and began working on the keypad using a hand-held computer.
“It’s good, but I can crack it. I need a few minutes.”
“Take your time, Lieutenant Jarvis. We’re not going anywhere.”
“Yeah, could you at least stand back? I don’t know you that well, and you haven’t even bought me a drink.”
“Give him some room Alpha team,” he heard the op leader say.
“Crack this, and the first round’s on me, Lieutenant,” the person wearing the camera said and backed away.
“Don’t worry. Admiral Gallagher says he’s one of their best,” General Stevens said.
“I hope so.”
“Last two in custody, no injuries.”
“Thanks, Ed,” Frazier said, finally able to release the breath he’d been holding.
There was still a lot of work to do but getting the ringleaders into custody was a big first step and would hopefully avert any immediate consequences of Queen El’Jyiurma’s upcoming announcement.
“Got it,” Jarvis said and stepped aside as the door opened.
“Thanks, Lieutenant. Please step back but stay nearby. I have a feeling we’ll be needing you again.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
Frazier watched the screen as a handheld computer came up.
“What’s he doing?”
“Scanning for traps, explosives, anything. The device checks across the light spectrum and searches for any out of the ordinary transmitters or receivers. Some explosives give off residue, and he would see that too,” Rivera explained without taking his eyes off the screen.
“You really think he’d put explosives in the house with his kid?”
“People like this have no limits, Mister President. We must be ready for anything. We already know he’s responsible for one innocent death.”
Frazier sighed and shook his head. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He understood pain and anger after losing family members, but they had proven that those responsible didn’t represent all Serpentes.
“Looks clear. Got a computer. You’re up again, Lieutenant.”
Jarvis reappeared in the picture and sat down to activate the terminal. He looked up toward the camera. “This is going to take a while. I don’t want to risk triggering a wipe.”
Frazier looked at Rivera with a raised eyebrow.
“Merritt could have set something up to wipe out the data. He’s going to need to take his time to make sure we get all the intelligence we need.”
“Okay. Makes sense.”
“All operations are wrapping up. We’ve got similar secure rooms in several locations, and techs are doing their jobs. It might be a few days before we get much more unless someone breaks in interrogation,” Rivera explained.
“So, you’re telling me to go away and let you work?”
“Yes, sir.”
He nodded and patted Rivera on the back. “Excellent work, Ed. You too, Bryan. Keep me informed.”
* * *
Merritt slowly opened his eyes and squinted against the bright light. He tried to reach up to rub his eyes but found that he couldn’t move his arms. In a panic, he struggled and found he was unable to move his legs either. He forced his eyes open and looked down at himself, then around the room. He was in a metal chair with his wrists and ankles in clamps to prevent him from moving. The walls of the room were glossy white, which reflected the light and explained the brightness. In front of him were a metal table and two chairs on the other side of the table that sat empty.
He was able to crane his neck just far enough to see that the table and his chair were secured to the floor. In a rush, he remembered what had happened, and why he was here.
“Where is my daughter?” he screamed.
“She’s with your nanny, Ms. Foster, which I believe was your wish?” a disembodied voice said from speakers somewhere in the room.
“You’re lying! I saw your thugs arrest her too!”
“We determined she has no knowledge of your activities, so she was released.”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t care what you do to me. You hurt one hair on my daughter’s head, and you’ll pay.”
After a moment of silence, rage built inside him, and he struggled again against the restraints until both his wrists and ankles hurt badly enough to stop him.
“The restraints are made from the same steel we use to build the hulls of our navy ships, Mr. Merritt, but if you want to hurt yourself, be my guest,” a woman said as she walked into the room.
He recognized the voice as the one he had heard when he was lying face down on the ground, and he stared at the woman. She was tall and had close cropped hair. She was probably military, in one way or another, given the way she walked.
“Before we begin, let me tell you what I already know, so we can save some time,” she said as she sat down and raised a screen that was recessed into the table. “Unless you want to keep wasting energy and struggle some more. If that’s the case, I can come back later.”
He glared at her when she looked up at him and met his eyes, but he stopped struggling. He believed her about the metal, and he had never been the strongest physically, anyway.
“I’ll take that as a no. First, you need to know that you are under arrest for the murder of Cora Green and conspiracy to commit crimes against the people of Gieliv. Do you understand?”
“Screw you, lady.”
“No chance. We’ll be spending a lot of time together, so I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Julie Duran. You can call me Julie or Agent Duran. Obviously, I already know you are Bobby Merritt, AKA Steve. I also know you lost your family in the incident with the Serpentes traitor, which is what likely led you down the path you find yourself on. We think you were probably brainwashed by Manning’s people, but how we got here is less important than where we go from here.”
He wasn’t surprised she knew his alias. The mere fact they had arrested him was evidence they knew more than he wished they did, but they didn’t know everything, or they wouldn’t be talking. That gave him some hope that some of the operation would still go forward. Unfortunately, he did not know what time it was or how long he’d been out. It could have been minutes, or it could have been a month. He rubbed his cheek against the collar of his shirt, and it felt like the stubble he would expect after a day of not shaving. So, it hadn’t been a long time. That was good.
“Before we go any further, as a measure of good faith, I’m going to let you talk to your daughter.”
“Daddy?” Lily’s voice said over the speakers.
“Lily? Are you okay?” he asked, and everything else in his mind faded into the background.
“Yeah. I’m with Ms. Brenda. When can we go home?”
He closed his eyes, knowing the answer was probably never.
“I don’t know, baby. For now, be good for Brenda. She’ll take good care of you.”
“Okay, but when?”
“I don’t know, baby. I love you.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
There was a click, letting him know the communication had ended.
“Satisfied?” the woman asked.
“Not until I’m home with my girl.”
“I’m afraid that’s not going to happen, Mr. Merritt. Are you ready to begin?”
“Whatever.”
“Let’s start with the assumption that any efforts by me to convince you that you’re wrong about the Serpentes would be a waste of our time. Would that be correct?”
“Aren’t you the smart one?”
The interview went on for hours, and she asked him the same questions in various ways, but he never answered her. They assumed something big was coming, and they were right, but they didn’t know when, and from everything she admitted through her questions, they didn’t know how many people were involved. By the time she stopped pelting him with questions, one after the other without a break, his eyes were drooping, and he could hear his stomach rumbling.
“I think that’s enough for today,” she said and stood. “You’ll be taken to a cell and given some food. I suggest you get some rest.”
* * *
General Stevens clenched his fists as another report came in, and the display at the front of the operations center split to show live images from a reaction force as they fought fires caused by the third major explosion across Gieliv in the past half hour.
“Casualties?”
“Too early to tell, sir,” Brigadier General Jan Copeland answered from the site in Stranta. “We know the building was in use and, like the others, was a business that hired Serpentes.”
“Alright. Do what needs to be done. Keep me informed.”
“Yes, sir.”
He sighed and rubbed his eyes. The day had started early with putting assets in place for the coordinated raids across the planet, and the sun had just set in Linia. None of the many people they had arrested had talked, and Lieutenant Jarvis was still working on the data systems at Bobby Merritt’s residence. Other techs across the planet were working on similar systems. They had discovered that every cell leader had the same kind of secured room set up with the same security system, so the effort was more coordinated than he had hoped. There was little doubt Merritt was the ringleader, but they had no way of getting him to talk without extreme measures, which they wouldn’t take. He knew he was likely going to spend the rest of his life in prison, so there was no motivation for him to confess and help them stop what was happening. The rest of the people detained had denied knowledge of anything, even when presented with the facts.
“Sir, you’re going to want to see this,” one of the intelligence people in the room said, and the main screen shifted to an image of Maxine Hanson sitting at a desk.
“Just what we need,” Stevens grumbled.
“This recording has just been delivered to GBN, and after review, we have decided it should be shared with all of Gieliv. We don’t know where it came from or who sent it.”
The screen went black, and a digitized voice spoke.
“We told you they were dangerous. We told you what would happen, but you didn’t listen. President Frazier, any blood spilled today is on your hands. We will not stop until the snakes are banned from our planet. Send them home. You have one day to get them out of the system, or it will get worse. You have no idea what a motivated populace can accomplish, even in the face of your soldiers. We’re willing to die for what we believe in. Are you?”
The view shifted back to Hanson, who looked into the camera. “This message came in after multiple deadly explosions rocked the planet. The most recent was in Stranta, the central site affected by the venom bomb attack waged by the Serpentes at first contact.”
She tilted her head for a moment, then nodded.
“We’re going to take you live to President Frazier, who is about to address the system.”
Stevens could tell Frazier had gotten little rest since that morning, just as he had. He looked tired, but he also seemed dignified as he looked directly into the camera.
“People of Gieliv, I am once again addressing you as we are under attack. This time, it’s not from outside, but from within. We’ve all witnessed the destruction that has been wrought by a small number of dissatisfied Gielivians who feel their only voice is violence. They claim the attacks are against the Serpentes, but I can tell you, based on what I know, that lives other than those of the Serpentes have been lost. Late this afternoon, military and intelligence assets across the planet executed raids and arrested those who we knew were conspiring against you. We know we did not get them all. I ask you to reflect on and think about what you’re seeing. Think about your friends, your neighbors, your family, and consider whether their lives are worth silence. If you know anything about the attacks, or anyone who might be involved, reach out. Let us know, and we will investigate. You have my commitment that we will not rest until the threat against you is ended. If they’ve done nothing wrong, they have nothing to fear.”
* * * * *
Chapter 18
Several days later, after the first few days back in classes at the academy under Captain Vi’Uku’s leadership, Shawn and Melissa watched the news coming in from Gieliv. Tips from concerned citizens had led to more arrests, and the latest report said they had finally rounded up the last of the people involved in the bombings. The government was convinced the threat was over. The attacks had cost 20 Gielivians and 30 Serpentes their lives.
“This is insane,” Shawn said and shook his head.
“At least they got them all.”
“Maybe.”
“Nothing we can do about it, anyway.”
“Wow.”
“Hey, we can’t control what happens in another system. We have our own problems to worry about.”
“Looks like those are over too. Today actually went pretty smoothly.”
He meant it. There were several cadets conspicuously missing, and a few instructors as well, and he no longer felt like he needed to be ready to dodge a strike at any minute.
“I know, I know. I just can’t shake the feeling we haven’t heard the last from Vi’Jyara and his ilk.”
“We can’t control that either,” he said, turning her words on her before he yawned.
“Not sleeping well?”
He shrugged. Ever since the meeting with Clyde Finley at The Vault, he’d been restless. They’d talked long into the night, and he’d returned the next day with his tablet. It was good to know he wasn’t alone in his thoughts, but it also felt dangerous. He was anxious about the new format of simulations. First thing that morning, all cadets had received permanent ship assignments for simulations. They would no longer be notified at the last minute where they were going. Melissa and he had both been assigned to the bridge of the SRN Fang light battlecruiser. Each simulation would be led by a serving officer as the captain, though there were hints it wasn’t beyond the scope of possibility that the captain might become injured during a simulation, forcing someone else to take the lead. The timing would still be random, but it was reassuring to know that he would serve with the same crew every time, with the goal being to build cohesion and teamwork.
“SRN Fang, report to duty stations.”
Shawn quickly stood, and he and Melissa checked over their uniforms in the mirror in his quarters.
“Ready?” she asked.
He grinned, his concerns about Clyde and The Underground a distant memory. “Always. Let’s go.”
* * *
President Frazier picked up his ever-present cup of coffee, which had barely been empty for more than a few minutes over the last two days. He had slept about an hour in the past 48 and wasn’t sure when he’d be able to catch up. Seated in his office were General Stevens, Ed Rivera, Minister La’Kema, and, via live communication from Neithea, Director Zameeh.
“Thanks everyone for coming,” he said, rubbing the stubble on his chin. “I know it’s early for you, Director, so I very much appreciate your time.”
“Of course, President Frazier,” Zameeh said. “We have all been watching the broadcasts with interest and concern.”
Moments before, President Frazier had addressed the system to let everyone know the threat was over.
“How much of what I just told the public is true?” he asked Rivera.
“All of it, as far as we know, sir. A few strings came loose, and the whole thing unraveled. We disarmed bombs at five locations that had been set in place to be detonated remotely by people we arrested. Thanks to Lieutenant Jarvis finally breaking into Merritt’s system, we know Merritt’s target was the West Farm. Agents and Serpentes have scoured the area and found nothing so far.”
