by Jack Parker
WHAT SHE THOUGHT SHE KNEW
BY
JACK PARKER
This Novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 by Jack Parker
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be used or reproduced, in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Prologue
I've always considered myself as a sharp individual; that I possessed the ability to catch the implications hidden in between the well elaborated words. I was so sure that my skill would have been able to differentiate the numerous lies from the so few truths. However, as I laid on the cold floor completely exhausted after the numerous beatings I have received since my capture, I began to doubt myself. It felt like my whole world and all of the knowledge I thought of as true were just swirling down a dirty drain in quiet shame. I was overwhelmed as my past was laid out bare in front of me. Memories that I've worked hard on for the past seven years to repress assaulted me in huge forces from the simple provocation of carefully chosen words.
In the room with me was the leader of this despicable organization; the sole being responsible for so much death and terror inflicted in the modern world. I couldn't see his face that was covered in the dark, but I would always remember his body language. He seemed relaxed, despite the fact that I had alerted the Seekers of our current location.
The man was casually smoking a cigarette, and seemed oblivious to the fact that I was even there. I felt anger and a hint of offense curled in my stomach. It was bad enough that I was kidnapped by his organization, but to be ignored as if I was just a speck of dirt was the ultimate insult he could impose on me.
The man released a few puffs of the smoke, and directed one of them at my general area. The leader then flicked the cigarette aside, and focused his attention on me.
Despite all of my training with the Seekers, I still couldn't prevent the wary shivers that shook through my body as the leader of the Phantoms looked me over. No indication of his intentions were given.
He stepped closer until he towered over me. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to adjust my blurry vision.
The man dropped down to his knees, his glowing electric blue eyes observed me like a lab rat. I glared at him with all of my might for I refused to allow him to see me as weak. He, however, merely chuckled. "I can see why he is interested in a strong-willed woman such as yourself," he commented.
I had no idea who he was referring to.
"It's a shame that you oppose my organization. You would have made an excellent agent," he added.
I clenched my teeth in anger. "I would never work for you, not after you took everything away from me!" I shouted.
It seemed that my hatred for the man only amused him.
"You allow your emotions to control you too much. If you were to let go of them, imagine the potential you could gain. You would truly bring peace to this world."
I snarled at his ridiculous statement. "So you believe that by losing the one thing that makes us human, a person could bring peace? Look at your organization; look at all the lives it has taken. That's not peace, that's genocide!"
The Phantom leader didn't even flinch at my outburst. Instead, he reached for my neck and swiftly ripped off the simple silver necklace. He twirled it in his hands, and studied it under the glaring light. All the while, I was getting more and more pissed off, and ready to burst at any moment.
"This is a worthless responsibility that you have put upon yourself. Even after all of these years, you still carry your mother's necklace?" He asked as if unimpressed with my actions.
I didn't say anything. I merely glared at him fiercely. If looks could have killed, he would have been a pitiful puddle of liquefied human on the cold ground.
The Phantom leader shook his head. "The sense of finding comfort in material goods is a waste of time. Instead of mourning the past, you have to focus on the future. 'Never let anything stand between you and your mission's goal'; isn't that what the Seekers have taught you?"
I once again stayed silent. The leader of the Phantoms shook his head in disapproval. "And here I was so sure that you of all people would have understood that moral."
At his remark, I snapped. "What do you know about morals? All you care about is gaining power, even if it means taking away our freedom to get it. You know nothing about being human, even if the answer was right in your face." I paused as I took the time to observe the leader's reaction. When he showed none, I continued. "You would never understand what it's like to be free; to show love for the ones you care about. You're a monster!"
Silence filled the room and enveloped it in an eerie atmosphere. Sweat dripped down my face and made an unusually loud drop sound as it crashed to the ground. I swallowed self-consciously, but I refused to give in to fear.
"Is that so?" The Phantom leader finally replied after a tense moment.
I shuffled nervously as he knelt in front of me. He placed his cool mouth by my ear and began whispering. Again, his choice of words were weapons upon my frail spirit. The blood in my veins felt like it turned to ice, my vision became red with fury, and my heart accelerated like a train speeding down its tracks. The combined reactions caused my entire body to shake uncontrollably to the point where I would have fallen over if I wasn't already on the ground. I wanted to scream, to claw at the monster's face in front of me for daring to commit such an inhumane and horrific crime.
I practically felt my captor smile as he leaned back, and harshly grabbed my face. For the first time ever, I finally had a good look at his face, although what I saw took me completely by surprise, more so than his cruel words that continued to bite at me like eager hyenas going for a kill.
The man regarded me with a knowing smirk. I stared back in silent shock. He had his eyes.
Chapter 1: Countdown to Disaster
6 months earlier
A high-pitched sound disrupted the once quiet room. The vibration travelled through the wooden desk and roused me from my shallow nap. Drowsily, I picked up the source of the noise and checked the reason of the disturbance.
Once I read the alert, I placed my Seeker-certified phone back on the desk. I stretched my stiff arm muscles, and shook the wireless mouse to activate my laptop's screen.
There were several alerts blinking annoyingly as they competed for my attention. I ignored the ones that were advertisements from the Seeker market, and opened my private inbox page.
My tired eyes widened slightly as I read the latest Seeker Intel news. The Seekers' Head Scout was assassinated last night in his home. There were no sign of entry nor of a struggle. It seemed like someone placed a hit on him.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
I met the man on some occasions, though I've never had the possibility of exchanging more than a few words with him. He was quiet, and from our brief contact, a bit of an ass. Still, he didn't deserve to be killed like that, especially in the supposed safety of his own home.
I continued to read the message. A replacement hadn't be named yet. Until then, the Scout rank would be placed under the temporary authority of the Head Warrior. It made sense, considering how close the Warriors and Scouts worked together. Obviously, the Seeker Directors were shaken by the assassination.
Not wanting to read more bad news, I closed the browser, and rubbed the remaining sleep from my eyes.
Absentmindedly, I looked up at my instrument-themed calendar. The date was March 21st.
Numbness momentarily took a hold of me as I realized the importance of the date. I shook my head before more emotions could take a hold of me. I got up from my black chair, and ventured into the short hallway as I made my way to the kitchen.
I made plain toast, and ate it slowly as I reflected on the news. Tension had been rising for several months, and yet the Head Scout's assassination was the shattering of cracked glass.
The coffee machine hummed as it finished brewing. I got up, and took a simple blue mug from a cupboard. I poured the hot liquid, and breathed it in. Immediately, my senses were more alert, even before I began to sip.
I turned on the TV, and leaned against the small granite island. Video footage of hundreds of people showed on the flat screen. The people were shouting while others were crying as they protested in front of Seeker HQ.
The reporter spoke over them. "March 21st, 2020. It's been fifteen years since the start of the Silent War, and the rise of the Seeker organization. As much of the world will never forget, it was this day that the extremist organization, known as the Phantoms, attempted to acclaim supreme rule over the planet. Hundreds of people were killed, and many more are still missing or unaccounted for. Seemingly rising from the ashes, the Seeker organization was formed and they eradicated the Phantom threat. Some people claim that we owe them our freedoms."
I snorted at the naïve statement. The civilians had no idea that the Phantoms were still lurking and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back. I had to agree, though, with the Seekers' logic in misinforming the media in order to prevent public panic.
"Or is that so?"
My interest was piqued at the reporter's comment.
"Despite what the Seekers have done, many countries are wary of the Seekers and their continuingly growing power. The citizens we've questioned each had completely different opinions regarding the organization."
I watched blankly as one overly enthusiastic woman condoned and praised our actions. I deemed her as ignorant and superficial, before the scene switched to a middle-aged man.
His opinion of the Seekers was not so positive. I hummed in thought as I considered his justified mistrust of the organization.
I turned off the TV as I had enough of negative news for one day. It seemed that the Head Scout's assassination hadn't been announced yet. I knew that it was only a matter of time before that information would get leaked to the media.
Once I finished the rest of my coffee, I rinsed the mug in the sink before I left the kitchen. I went back into my room, and saw my phone flashing red. I picked it up, and read the text message. Agent Moore, there is a possible sighting at Madison Square Garden. You and Agent Michaels are to check it out ASAP.
I sighed inwardly. It was the start of another busy day.
With a purpose, I proceeded to my closet where I took out a pair of dark blue jeans, complimented with a simple black t-shirt. I also grabbed a plain white towel, and went into the small bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, I was fully dressed. A sleek leather jacket and a pair of running boots were added to the mix. I then carefully slid my .40 caliber Glock into my safety harness that was hidden inside my jacket.
Satisfied that I was prepared, I stepped out of my one bedroom apartment, and made sure to lock the door.
I nearly ran into my neighbor who was a grumpy elderly man. He made a sound of surprise, before he swore at me and made his way into his apartment. The door was promptly slammed shut.
I allowed an amused smirk to form on my face at my neighbor's behavior. Even after two years of living in the same building, that old man still hadn't gotten used to having a Seeker agent live right next door.
I stepped out of the building, and went into the parking lot. I approached my grey Sudan, and got inside. I turned the car on, and made sure that I was prepared for whatever I would face once on site.
It was then that thoughts I usually suppress snuck through my mental barrier.
I remembered my first recon mission as a Scout; I was barely past twenty. It seemed simple at first; go in, scout out the area to investigate, and then report back to HQ. The Warriors would then come in, and wipe out any Phantom threat. It was all plain and simple until I saw...
I harshly shook my head to get rid of the unwanted memories. I put the gear to drive, and drove off.
Within twenty minutes I arrived at the suspected area: Madison Square Garden was the place, as the text stated.
When I arrived, I saw another Scout agent with a data pad in his hand. I got out of my car, and walked over to him. "Agent Michaels?" I stated.
The man glanced up at me, and nodded in acknowledgement.
"What have we got?" I then asked monotonously.
"A minor disturbance," the agent replied back. "We got a call from a witness claiming to have seen glowing eyes stare back at him as he was cleaning the second floor. It's not much, but we can't take any risks."
"Agreed." I stated. "Do we have any backup?"
"A team of Warriors is expected to be here shortly."
I nodded in acceptance.
With that, the other agent and I made our way inside the dome building. As we walked in, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched. Instinctively, my hand pressed against the form of my gun, always ready in case it needed to be used. I hoped that I wouldn't be placed in the situation to use it.
Chapter 2: Knocking on Death's Door
Agent Michaels and I made our way up the stairs to the second floor where the report was made. The entire building was completely dark as it hadn't been used in over a decade.
When Seeker HQ was established, the majority of the city's taxes were diverted towards Seeker interest, hence less to public funding. As a result, Madison Square Garden was soon abandoned as funds to maintain it were cut. Still, there were some private donors who were generous enough to leave a small tip in order to keep the building maintained enough that it wouldn't collapse.
I couldn't imagine what it must have been like being able to fit at least twenty thousand people inside its immense dome all at once. The intensity of when the crowd was cheering on the teams. The simple fact that it was a world without Phantoms…
I shoved the thought to the back of my mind, and focused on my task. When my partner and I arrived at the sighting's approximate location, we were greeted by the janitor's cleaning supplies that were splattered all over the floor. Whatever the guy saw, it must have really scared the shit out of him.
We stopped in front of the mess, and silently inspected it before us. The sound of a small crash brought my attention to the double doors that led into the stadium. Agent Michaels looked up as well, and then at me as we contemplated on what to do. I gestured my head towards the area of the noise, and he nodded in agreement. We aimed our guns forward, and walked as silently as possible toward the source.
We stopped just in front of the double doors, and positioned ourselves on either side. I quickly made sure that my ammo was full, and then signaled Michaels.
Expertly, he pushed the door open, the object gave an audible moan. I went inside with my pistol held out.
Immediately, my momentary partner closed the door behind us before he followed me. He made sure to guard our backs in case of an ambush.
I was briefly stunned by the actual size of the stadium. I knew that it was big, but it sure looked more enormous once seen in person. A nostalgic feeling warmed me up, and I shivered from the cool temperature difference of the vast stadium.
I shook off my distraction, and resumed my focus on the task at hand. I was pretty sure that the noise came from inside. I was a bit unnerved at the fact that if a Phantom agent was inside, they would have had the advantage of the playing field.
Agent Michaels and I carefully walked down the steep steps, all the while observing our surroundings from top to bottom. I'm really starting to hate this place, I thought.
; Once we reached the bottom of the steps, Michaels looked at me. "We should split up; we'll cover more ground that way." He suggested.
"Yeah," I replied. "Be careful though, there are plenty of places for Phantoms to hide. If you suspect something, page me."
He nodded, and we switched our phone mods to Bluetooth, and put on the earphones. We then proceeded to move in opposite directions.
I was right by the ice rink when the feeling of being watched invaded my senses. I aimed my gun upwards, and checked out the dim ceiling lights. When I saw nothing, I slowly brought my gun-occupied hand to my chest. My eyes narrowed as I suspected that someone was up there, but I couldn't see to be certain.
I turned away, but the ceiling remained in my peripheral view. I continued to walk around the rink, and slightly shivered at the chilly air it still released. When I reached the other side from where I started, another crash-like noise interrupted the once still silence.
Rapidly, I turned towards the source of the disturbance, and saw that the double doors were slightly open. I narrowed my eyes, and aimed the gun forward as I tactfully made my way to the doors. Once there, I pushed them just wide enough for me to fit through, and went on with my investigation.
I found myself walking down a dimly lit hallway, fully aware that I could have been walking into a trap. Halfway down the hall, I felt my phone vibrate, and activated the earphone. "What is it?" I asked.
"I believe there's some suspicious activities going on down in the boiler room. I'll contact you when I know more," Agent Michaels reported.
"Alright, keep me posted." I said, and hung up.
A blur of movement caught the corner of my eye. I turned around only to see nothing. I focused on my surroundings, and slowly walked in the direction of the movement. My senses seemed to have heightened as I was able to experience the environment on a more superior level. Good old fashion adrenalin, I mused.
I briefly pondered about how the name "Phantom" actually described the agents rather accurately. People would get the feeling that they were being watched. When they would investigate the area, nothing would be found. Despite that, chances were that the Phantoms were always there; they just were hardly seen.
