The Action Pack Box Set, page 103
Megan changed channels and saw an image of Sherman Kruger, the oil baron whose immense corporation had come under the spotlight following the revelations that he, along with media tycoon Seth Cain, had deliberately engineered the conflict from the very beginning. Megan watched as Sherman Kruger’s representative spoke to the cameras, a huge white luxury yacht floating on crystalline waters behind him.
‘…and I say again that these vicious conspiracy rumours are nothing more than the figments of the imaginations of journalists with nothing better to do than orchestrate smear campaigns against the energy companies of this great country. Kruger Petrochemicals is proud to be an American, patriotic and democratic company. It is not, and never has been, the policy of Kruger Petrochemicals to allow profits to hinder the advancement of the human race.’
A reporter aggressively shoved a microphone beneath the representative’s nose.
‘And what about the allegations that the company purchased the aircraft responsible for the attempted attacks on the American carrier fleet stationed in the Black Sea during the conflict?’
The young man smiled slickly at the reporter.
‘Sherman Kruger is and always has been a fan of aviation. The aircraft were bought legitimately but were hijacked on their passage by road from the Ukraine to Europe. Of the equipment alleged to have been used to control these aircraft in their henious attack on our servicemen and women in the Black Sea, we know nothing.’
Another reporter jostled his way to the front.
‘Then perhaps you could explain these sir,’ he said, showing the papers to the camera, each with a clear example of the old man’s signature at the bottom. ‘These are the purchase papers for both the radio equipment and the aircraft, signed by Sherman Kruger’s own hand sir. They were obtained by a journalist in New York.’
The representative’s face collapsed in upon itself and one hand shot out for the papers. The reporter whipped them out of his reach as a barrage of questions fell like rain upon the young man.
‘What of reports that Sherman Kruger’s assets have been frozen, and that he is now to be charged by the United States Government for treason?!’ asked another reporter. ‘How do you think he feels now, to be effectively penniless?’
The aide hurried out of sight onto the luxury yacht, followed by the ranks of reporters and shouted questions.
‘Well done Frank,’ Megan smiled to herself as she remembered the tenacious New Yorker who had first approached her.
The image changed to one of American President Baker, who was addressing a press conference from the White House and had just been challenged to explain how his administration had been duped by the media into entering a war.
‘There can be no excuses for the conduct of those who would use the power of their organisations to influence politics or public opinion for their own gain. However, we are a capitalist nation – there are those who will rise to positions of immense power outside of politics as well as within. We must learn to strike a balance between what is acceptable in our society and what is coercive. The people did not want this war – people very rarely do want war. Only governments seem unable to avoid it. Yet we cannot avoid our own place in time and the duties of office in which we are expected to succeed by the people who put us there. You.’
The president looked up from his notes, speaking without an auto–cue.
‘We must survive. We must bear the burden, undertake the responsibility to rid our world of terror, of deceit, of senseless conflict and of wars without reward. There are no winners and we know it, and yet still we continue to choose bloodshed over public opinion, time and time again. People think that the president of the United States has no superior. Well, he does. You. That is what a democracy is: a politician should not be a leader of the people but a servant of the people. We were challenged to defend a democracy in danger, and we did so. Had we not, we would have been criticised. We did, and still we are being criticised. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. Our freedoms are not free, as well you know. Generations past fought and died to defend our way of life, and I have no doubt that future generations will do so too. It is up to us – not just me or just you – all of us, to ensure that if they go into battle again it is for the right reason, and not for those who would wish to gain financially.’
The press conference erupted into applause as a small knot of presidential aides wrung their hands and bore worried expressions at the extent of their president’s candour.
Megan turned off the television and walked toward the shower just as she heard the mail drop into her safety box. Megan opened the box and lifted out a handful of letters. She was about to drop them onto the sofa when a postcard caught her eye. A picture of the northern Mordanian city of Rhocha in summer was on the front, and the postmark was Mordanian. Megan flipped it over.
Everyone wants to be found, but not everyone wants to be located.
Rameron’s men protected me, Akim’s men liberated me
and Callum’s false news has freed me for life.
One day I hope to see you again,
SD
Megan blinked in surprise, felt a sudden stinging in the corners of her eyes as her throat ached. Smiling like the idiot she sometimes felt she was, she stood the postcard on a narrow shelf beside the television. She looked at the calendar and saw that it was Monday. Still smiling, she walked across to her answering machine and pressed the message button.
‘You have two–new–messages. Message one.’
‘Hi Megan, it’s Tom from the office. Heard you were back in town and got your number from Harry. Give me a call back if you fancy a drink or something.’
Megan was about to say ‘delete’ when she hesitated, turned, and grabbed a piece of paper to write Tom’s number down.
***
Dean Crawford's Newsletter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dean Crawford is the author of more than twenty novels, including the internationally published series of thrillers featuring Ethan Warner, a former United States Marine now employed by a government agency tasked with investigating unusual scientific phenomena. The novels have been Sunday Times paperback best-sellers and have gained the interest of major Hollywood production studios. He is also the enthusiastic author of many independently published Science Fiction novels.
Dean Crawford, The Action Pack Box Set
