by Dave Hazel
“Mister X? Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious and you need to pay attention,” Jill replied in a way that informed Mykal Jill doesn’t joke around.
“It sounds like you’re setting me up to look like an idiot,” Mykal chuckled at the idea of walking up to a stranger and secretly asking if he was the Mister X he happened to be looking for.
“When you meet him you may greet him in whatever fashion you would like, but it is extremely important to remember what I tell you next. Immediately after your greeting you must say, “Mister X roll back to the orange tree.”
“Are you friggin kiddin me?”
“You better pay attention! If you don’t say it just like that and if you don’t say it immediately after your first greeting he’ll take it that you’re not a friendly or that you have come under duress,” Jill said in a threatening tone.
“I don’t mean to sound like a complainer, but this sounds like some stupid shit off of a cheap spy movie.”
Jill ignored his remark and continued. “After he knows that you are a friendly, you can have him turn the case over to you, but the only way he will release the case is if you say this line, ‘Mister X roll back. Roll back for the sun to dry the rain’. That will be his instructions to turn the case over to you and only to you. When you take the case from him you must never, and I repeat never, allow it out of your possession.”
“You gotta be kiddin me,” Mykal moaned. “Now I gotta memorize all this crazy Spy vs. Spy shit on top of everything else I gotta do.”
“No, you don’t have to memorize it if it seems like so much damn work for you,” Jill said with a sarcastic frown. “Once you find him just shoot him in the head and cut off his hand and take it that way. But I would assume that is not in your nature. So memorize the damn lines and quit your bellyaching.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m complaining because I have too much stuff swirling in my head.”
“Well you better get it together,” Jill barked. “Mister X and the three men with him will not turn the package over to you unless you say those lines. All four men are ruthless killers. Mister X himself is an older man, but do not be deceived by his appearance. His orders are not to take chances. Don’t screw up the code,” Jill shook his head. “He will kill you if he thinks you’re a threat. This is serious business.”
“Okay, I’ll have it memorized.” Mykal sighed now that he had one more thing to be concerned with. “What if I find the guy and he’s already dead?”
“Just bring the damn case back,” Jill said harshly as if Mykal asked a stupid question. Jill’s glare was just as cold.
Mykal pretended not to be offended by Jill’s attitude. “Do we have any idea what we’ll be taking with us?”
“I can’t give specifics as of yet, but while you and Towbar were getting ready, I was told roughly five to six hundred men. They will be a mix from the Army, Marines and Navy SEALs. There will be numerous vehicles for transportation and a number of refueling vehicles. Maybe four helicopters will be included for air to ground observation only. Others are putting this together. You have to understand they are walking a fine line, so as not to make it appear we’re planning a war or to fight someone else’s war. You know how the pacifists and the bleeding hearts of the left are.”
“Do you know what type of arms they will carry?”
“The standard weapons for combat soldiers. M-16s, M-203s, M-60s, hand grenades, and we’ll have several .50 caliber machine guns atop vehicles. There won’t be heavy artillery but we’ll make sure there will be a great supply of ammunition. We will also try to supply any other weapons and or equipment that you deem necessary. So start thinking of what you’d like to add. You know what you’re facing there.”
“One thing I think would be great is flame throwers. Not so much as an offensive weapon, but it’d scare the hell outta the Sosos. They’d think it’s magic. A good supply of land mines and Claymores would be helpful too.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Jill said and made notes. “As a matter of fact some of those supplies have already been listed.
“They’re really terrified of magic. They believe in fire breathing dragons so if we show them some fire breathing men I’m sure they’ll give up info and help us find them,” Mykal said. “Maybe you should come along so that you’ll see that we’ll try everything possible to find the lost.”
“Thank you, but I’ll stay here. I know you’ll do your best,” Jill said without looking up from his note pad.
“How are we gonna handle all the people who are gonna wanna come along? There’s gonna be a lot of reporters, the curious, the idiots who think it would be a little fun adventure who--”
“We will cover that on this end. But as you bring that up,” Jill said and a bright smile appeared. “It might not be a bad idea to allow reporters to go. They would see first-hand and be able to record the mission. I need to contemplate this. This could be a good move on our part.”
“Whatever you decide, just make sure there’re no bad apples in the bunch. I don’t wanna have to worry about what we might have to do in certain situations. And I don’t wanna be a babysitter for those who think this is gonna be a joy ride.”
4.
When the plane landed at Minot International Airport, Jill separated from them to take care of “special business” which gave Mykal time to explain to Towbar what happened. They walked around the airport and walked outside in the cold windy November air to talk. Mykal explained his fear to talk in his car and in his own home for fear they would probably be bugged, if not already.
After he got home Mykal had to break the news to Pam. She put up a big fuss. She cried and was angry. He made her walk outside so he could explain the truth of the situation that he had been forced by threat from the highest possible places in the government. If he didn’t comply, the consequences would be more than he could bear. He shared his paranoia about talking in the house or in the cars or on the phones.
He assured Pam this would be the last time he’d be taken away from her and the boys. After he completes the secret mission, he promised to be home for good. His goal was to be home before Christmas and then he would be done with the military for the rest of his life.
Mykal made sure she understood what to do should something happen to him and he never returned. He was happy Pam was born and raised in Minot. Her parents were close by. Mykal’s foremost concern was to make sure his family was well provided for. Not only did he have a large sack full of diamonds he could cash in if needed, but they acquired a great amount of wealth in secret accounts due to Mykal’s fame.
Mykal had three different secret savings accounts with six figures and four other accounts with twenty to eighty thousand dollars each. Towbar acquired more wealth than Mykal but the giant put all his funds into joint accounts with Mykal and Pam. Prosperity and riches meant nothing to Towbar. He wanted the Graves family to have access to all that had been thrust upon him. Towbar knew if he had to spend the rest of his life in Mykal’s world, his friend Mykal would provide for his needs and frugal wants.
When his military uniform comes off for the final time Mykal planned to make the most of all the cash opportunities in order to provide for his family to give them the best of everything including the best schools and colleges for the boys. He earned it!
CHAPTER SIX 12/06/1983
1. Tuesday, December 6th 1983
1104 hours, home, Minot N.D.
“…Yeah? Well I don’t give a shit Jill,” Mykal snapped into the telephone. “You and your damn people were supposed to take care of it. Ever since the public found out we were going back to Towbar’s world my phone has been ringing off the hook and my number is unlisted. Every damn anthropologist, every damn geologist, and every damn pain-in-the-ass-ologist wants to come with us. I can’t even go outta the house cuz I got every damn ding-a-ling and their brother coming up and asking me if I’d take them along. They say dumb ass stuff like ‘Hey man, we wanna come and ch
eck it out man’,” he mocked some of the less intelligent people who’ve approached him. “I’m fed up with it,” he raised his voice again. “I told you I wanted to spend the last couple of days I have with my family in peace and quiet. Uninterrupted! Here it is, we leave today, and I still haven’t had any peace and quiet.”
“We already have everyone that is needed,” Jill replied. “Just ignore those people. Don’t answer the phone.”
“I can’t, cuz I don’t know if relatives are trying to get in touch with me or not.” Mykal barked angrily. “Then, I can’t even leave the damn house cuz everywhere I go I get mobbed. I’m so glad my house is still secret from public knowledge, and everyone thinks I still live in base housing or I wouldn’t leave my family cuz I’d be too damn worried. I stop going anywhere cuz I got all these friggin idiots telling me why they should be able to go. I’m half tempted to take some of these morons just to let them see what the shit is really like.”
“Now, now Mykal,” Jill chuckled. “I apologize. I’ll have it taken care of right away. You should have called me about this.”
“I did, but you’re never around. The only time you’re around is when you want something from me,” he boldly accused. He was somewhat fearful of Jill, but since they were departing today what could Jill do to him? “So what’s the latest on our departure?” He asked in a more civil tone and kissed his wife’s forehead. She clung tightly to him.
“Are you calmed down now?” Jill snickered.
“You know what I oughta do? I oughta say screw you people and postpone it for another week so I could have a real week with my family,” he taunted Jill because of Jill’s last response.
“Yeah,” Pam whispered excitedly, nodding in agreement. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
“Come on now Myk, don’t start talking like that.”
“I’m not,” he replied, but his tone was still coarse. “You know I’m not, but I’m friggin ticked off.”
“Well, I truly am sorry. Departure time is still scheduled as planned. You and Towbar are scheduled to be at the Minot Municipal Auditorium at thirteen hundred hours. One o’clock if you have forgotten your military time already Mister Graves,” he joked now that Mykal had become a civilian. “This is to be a quick briefing with all the volunteers to let them meet you and Towbar. You can give them any last tips or ideas about what to expect. All the weapons, equipment, supplies and vehicles will be in route while the briefing is taking place. They are going to try and time the convoy to arrive at the Auditorium parking lot by the time the briefing is wrapping up. Everyone will load up on to their busses and trucks and this convoy will be escorted by both State Trooper and the U.S. Marshal’s office.”
“Why didn’t they just schedule the briefing on the base and we could just depart once the briefing is over?”
“There are a couple of reasons for that and since you have shut yourself off to the outside world I think you’re are going to be surprised. The sendoff is going to have a packed house. All those going on the mission will have their family and friends here to see them off. There is going to be press from all over the world, let alone the press from all over the country. There are going to be a handful of politicians there because they would like to speak at the briefing prior to your arrival. I knew you wouldn’t care to be there to sit through some of the speeches, so I took the liberty to schedule yours and Towbar’s appearance for one o’clock. I have a driver and vehicle scheduled to be at your house between 12:00 and 12:15 so you don’t have to leave one of your vehicles at the auditorium.”
“Thanks. But are these some of the same friggin politicians who cut us down from five hundred to three hundred volunteers? Oh, I’m sure they just had to get their damn face time in this.”
“Myk, you really have shut yourself off from the news,” Jill laughed. “It is not three hundred they approved. Washington gave the final approval for almost Fifteen hundred bodies. That includes those from different countries.”
“Fifteen hundred? How the hell did we get that? Last I heard the crybabies in D.C. didn’t even wanna allow three hundred to go. I haven’t been listening to the news or reading the paper,” Mykal said but picked up the last paper he read. The front page of the newspaper from December 2nd, Headline: Robert Traginsky, Minot Massacre Killer, Kills Self in Explosive Fire. No other injuries reported. Investigation underway… Mykal blamed himself, but Boris would have allowed himself to be killed if Mykal didn’t convince him to give up on November 16th. It broke Mykal’s heart when he first heard the news.
“I’ve been trying to spend quality time with my family,” he said and thought how sad Boris’s Air Force photo looked on the front page. He couldn’t imagine what Boris’s family must have thought since all his remains they found could fit inside a sandwich bag. He knew Boris had committed a terrible crime but he hated to hear people say how glad they were that he was dead and they wished he would have suffered more. It pained his heart to know that people hated Boris, his dear friend, with such a passion.
Mykal actually cried when he saw the headline on the front page of the paper. Boris’s Air Force photo carried the sense of loneliness and fear that Mykal discovered to be a shy lack of social confidence. The media begged him for a response but he wouldn’t give them the time of day since he knew they all hated Boris. The media pestered Boris’s parents and it broke Mykal’s heart to watch on TV the scene of Boris’s mother collapse on their front porch. The news seemed to play an endless loop of the crying woman breaking down under the pressure of microphones in her face until she physically collapsed. Boris’s father charged at a camera crew with a small broom. From that point on Mykal refused to watch the news or read the newspaper. Deep inside Mykal blamed Captain William Roberts for his friend’s melt down and then his self-destruction. Mykal was sure Boris killed himself and blamed Mykal for convincing him to give himself up. If he would have been allowed to talk to Boris he might have been able to convince Boris to hold on just a little longer.
“Well the public opinion is all in favor of the rescue mission,” Jill exclaimed, turning Mykal’s thoughts from his dead friend. “You know how weak politicians are swayed by polls. The last poll I saw was something like 91% in favor, 6% opposed and 3% unsure. People want to see this mission be a success. There is talk that if this works, there are some who want to make future trips to Towbar’s world and…”
Mykal didn’t pay attention to the rest of what Jill said. There would be no way he would allow Towbar to share his secret of world travel, should Towbar be able to make it happen. Mykal knew there were greedy minds at work who would like to rape Towbar’s world for profit and greedy self-interest. He nodded and smiled and repeatedly said “uh huh, uh huh” as if he agreed with Jill, but this wasn’t going to happen if he had anything to say about it.
“Yeah, but before we jump the gun here, we aren’t even sure if this is going to work,” Mykal said fearfully. “The whole damn world will be watching, we have everybody and their brother here to see us off and the possibility exists that Towbar might not be able to make the green fog appear. He’s never tried it yet.”
“Wait a minute, Myk. Don’t you dare say that,” Jill said in a bullying tone. “There is so much time and money tied into this project. You said he was successful in his Mind Talk procedure with the Wizard Nidious. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah, and Nidious explained in detail what Towbar needs to do, but Nidious never tried it before. It should work, but it’s never been attempted.”
“Don’t scare me like that,” Jill tried to laugh it off. “It’s a great thing the weather up here is decent for once. There is going to be that Christmas Day or Thanksgiving Day Parade atmosphere around. The roads are going to be lined with well-wishers from all over the world. Security along the route is going to be extremely tight because we don’t want some crack pots running into the fog and putting themselves at risk.”
“Hell with ‘em,” Mykal laughed. “If someone wants to go through all that
trouble, let ‘em. But then they’re on their own. They don’t have a clue what they would be getting into. So what other countries are involved?”
“Well if you would have been listening to the news you would have learned that besides the almost thirteen hundred soldiers there are more than two hundred participants classified as non-combat personnel. They are doctors, reporters, and scientists from all over the world and of many fields to study different aspects of Towbar’s world. It also includes the helicopter pilots and their crews for the helicopters. There are those who wanted to go on this trip who would like to determine where Towbar’s world is in relation to ours. That’s on hold for future missions.”
“Does everyone understand that I’m gonna be in charge?”
“Yes. Your honorable discharge from the Air Force has been made public and they all--”
“Cuz I’m not playing second fiddle to anyone.”
“That’s understood. All volunteers, military and civilian alike know that you will be the head honcho. Everyone had been briefed that if they could not accept your position as ranking leader, they would automatically be disqualified for the mission. Only with respect to tactics and military rank structure will the officers be in charge. They know you will be the ranking person. When I meet up with you today I will give you a little book with names of all personnel going. Four of the people who returned with you from Towbar’s world will be going back with you also. The two who declared publically they would never go there in a million years are going.”
“You mean Burns and Cann?” He asked and was careful not to say anything negative should his phone be bugged.
“Yes, all four will be accompanying you back.”
“Great, their experience will be of great help,” he lied. “What made them change their minds?”
