Unearthly Snowbound

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Greg closed his eyes and brought up in his mind the geography and the direction they were headed. The wind was blowing southeast towards New York. He put it together and stood up and said, “I got it.”

  “Got what?” Bubba said with a twisted look on his face.

  “Well, I’d rather not say at this time until I have thought it all through.”

  In time they all felt he would tell them if he thought they needed to know. Meanwhile the train was moving at a slow rate, but moving. The conductor thought the snow train could do the job of pulling the train all the way to New York.

  Chapter 9

  The two bounty hunters whispered to each other after the scene with the Arab. They were talking about what they would do now that he was not going to lead them to the bail jumper named Blacky. One said to the other, “Maybe we should let the CIA guy in on what we are doing.”

  The other responded, “Yes, sounds like a good idea. We are going nowhere fast with this one. Pardon the pun, but it looks like our trail has run cold.” They both laughed and huddled closer taking turns to warm each other's feet.

  * * *

  Blacky had made it to the side door of the White House and just inside the door stood two security marines. Both had serious looks on their faces and gave Blackie a once over and blocked his way. “Soldier, state your business and show us your ID,” the tall one said with malice in his voice.

  Blacky smiled and said, “Here is my ID and I have a verbal message for the colonel from the four wheel drive clubs.”

  He’d gleaned the information talking to some other soldiers on the way to the first check point. The short marine looked at his ID and where the picture was supposed to be, it was obscured and he couldn’t tell if it was a match or not. The tall one noticed and said to Blacky,

  “Follow me please,” and walked down the hall to an office door marked Security. Inside was a captain talking on the phone to someone important as he was sitting up straight and saying, “Yes sir,” over and over. Finally he hung up and looked at the security sergeant. “What do we have here sergeant,” he said with a voice too loud and a scowl on his face.

  “Soldier says he has a verbal message for the colonel and his ID looks like it has been through a washing machine.”

  “Give it to me,” said the captain. He looked at it and fired some questions at Blacky about his serial number, unit, and the company commander and finally what was the message for the colonel.

  The captain had just got off the phone with the head of security warning him to increase the security and be aware that there may be an attempt on the president’s life. “An assassin was on the loose,” he was told.

  Blacky was starting to get a little nervous and even though he was standing at attention, he noticed no one was in the room besides the sergeant and the captain. However, it would be foolish to try and kill these two under the present circumstances. The captain said, “Sergeant, take this man to interrogation and take his fingerprints and DNA.”

  Leaving the office and walking down the hall, the sergeant was on full alert. He’d been trained well and no one on his watch would give him any trouble. The basement was running on a generator for power and the lights were kind of dim. Blacky thought he must make a move soon or it would be all over for him once they discovered he was not who he said he was. They came to a door marked Interrogation and went in. Blacky’s face fell when inside were four more security men sitting at desks talking to some other soldiers who still had snow on their boots like him. Somehow he had passed through the metal detector without it going off. He longed to sit in a chair so he could reach his gun if need be.

  About that time, the sergeant after conferring with an officer sitting behind a desk, turned towards Blacky and motioned him to come with him. They went down a hallway and Blacky walking in front of the sergeant had no opportunity to make a play. The sergeant stopped him at a steel door and used a key to unlock it. Walking inside Blacky looked around and in the middle of the small room sat a metal desk and two chairs bolted to the floor. Next to the wall a steel cot rested without a mattress waiting for a customer for a bad night's sleep. The sergeant with his rifle at the ready told Blacky to strip down naked. Blacky tried to protest but the marine was in no mood for arguments. Blacky sat down on a chair and unlaced his boots tucking his pistol deeper into the boot hoping they would leave him his clothes. While he was stripping down, a knock on the door produced a short man in a business suit. Blacky looked at him and the short crew cut man stared back into his eyes with a gleam of pleasure. Blacky knew he was in trouble now.

  Stripped down to his birthday suit the sergeant picked up his clothes and shoes and left leaving Blacky looking at a face that had scars running down one cheek into a cleft lip. From his blond hair turning gray and after looking at his hands that were short and stubby, but powerful looking, Blacky waited for him to speak. Cleft lip said through tight lips with a voice bordering on soprano, “Want to tell me why you are dressed up in military clothes trying to enter the White House on some lame story like needing to see the colonel?”

  Blacky gave off a small laugh and said looking him in the eyes, “I needed a place to stay warm and thought this might be my best chance to warm up. I found a soldier frozen against a wall and took his clothes. Now I guess the gig is up”

  A knock on the door and the sergeant came in with a fingerprint kit and a DNA swab. Blacky hoped the computers were down and he might get out of this after all.

  Cleft lip leaned back in his chair while the sergeant preformed the duty and after he left, leaned forward and from nowhere come a slap on Blacky’s face so hard it knocked him on the floor. He got up on his hands and knees and wiped the blood off his lips. He sat back down and faking more injury than necessary, said, “What the hell was that for?” Cleft lip said,

  “That is for telling me a lie and the next lie will not be with an open hand. Now, the truth or it will become unpleasant in here very quickly.”

  Blacky had suffered much worse in prison and on the streets and this guy, even though he was a pro, didn’t scare him much. He had nothing to lose and would probably die on the streets anyway.

  Blacky said with as much conviction as he could muster, “Ok, I will come clean with you. I came here to assassinate the president.”

  Cleft lip reached into his pocket and put on some brass knuckles. Blacky only smiled and said, “You asked for the truth and I told you. Now you’re going to work me over for telling the truth. Come on short guy and let’s get it over with. I’ve been through worse and you don’t scare me a bit.”

  Cleft lip said through his tight lips and a small smile, “In this day and age, we don’t resort to physical abuse; we have chemical drugs that work very well.”

  A knock and in returned the sergeant with a white coat following him with a small bag in his hand. The sergeant said, “Look what we found in his boot,” showing the interrogator the nine millimeter to him.

  Cleft lip said, “Maybe you are telling the truth about killing the president. No matter, in a few moments you will be spilling your guts out and we will know the answer to many questions.”

  * * *

  Back in the train, Greg was sitting with Adell and rubbing her black toes trying to get some circulation back into them. Both knew it was futile and Adell had resigned herself to the fact she would lose her toes, but she would still be alive if they ever got to New York.

  “Before this is over,” she said to Greg, “We will see much worse from this weather than a few toes missing.”

  He nodded his head thinking about his family. Greg’s thoughts returned to the bomb and what effect a dirty bomb exploding in New York City would have on its population. One thought he had been to move the train into a tunnel and seal the tunnel off and, in all respects, bury the train forever. Not a bad idea he mused to himself. Just then a bad thought hit his brain: what if there is a backup plan and someone is waiting at the station in case the first attempt fails. These people are a not a
fly by night terrorist group, they plan very well and somehow we must get word of what happened here to the right people in New York. How to manage this troubled his mind. Greg was interrupted from his brain storming by the two college girls standing at his side of the seat asking him if they could speak with him. He looked up and smiled and said, “Yes, sure, what's on your minds?”

  One said to him, “Could we go somewhere a little more private? What we have to tell you are strictly confidential and we would appreciate it not repeated.”

  Greg was mystified and stood up saying, “Let’s go to the back of the train where we can talk in private.”

  They followed him to the conductor’s car and when inside, asked the occupants to vacate for ten minutes while he talked to the girls. All of them left except Chuck and Bubba whom he had asked to stay.

  “Well ladies you have the floor. I know something is on your minds and obviously we have time to talk.”

  The girls found a place to sit down and the taller of the two started speaking not as college girls but to Greg she sounded more like a professional than a college student.

  “My name is Carol and my partner here is Janet. We are private investigators working for a bail bonding company and we are reporting directly to the director of the FBI.”

  She went on to tell them the story of Blacky and his intentions of trying to assassinate the president. How they had been following the Arab guy since his entry into the United States from Canada.

  “We were expecting him to meet an accomplice in New York City. It appears now that will not happen as you and your people have tied him up and for what reason we have not a clue,” she said with clear blue eyes and with some hope from Greg about some information.

  Greg mulled over what he heard from her and asked to see some ID. They both showed him their investigators license and he was satisfied about what they had shown him. Greg sat in thought while all sat still watching him without comment. His thoughts tried to tie the two together. Why would these two investigators be working for the FBI and how does this Arab tie into a mark on the president. For him the Arab was working alone as in most cases they don’t know who sent them or know any others in the plan. It would prove fruitless to interrogate him as most likely he knew nothing beyond his instructions with the detonator. It didn’t make sense to him that there was a tie between an attempt on the life of the president and a dirty bomb destined for New York City. However, he must keep an open mind and turned to the girls and asked them, “Please tell me everything from start to finish so we can try to piece this puzzle together.”

  The girls told him about this guy Blacky who was a bad boy from way back when he was a kid. He’s connected to the Chicago family of the Rossellini’s.

  “They put up the bail for this guy and gave him the contract on the president. The FBI learned from an informant that a contract had been let out and Blacky was the man for the job. The FBI contacted us after the bail bond company hired us to return the fugitive. We were instructed to follow this Arab guy and see who he met in New York. We are to be contacted in New York by an agent wearing black boots and a parka with the New York Giants on it. That is basically all we know.”

  Greg digested the information and voiced his concern about the attempt on the president’s life.

  “How can we get word to them is what I would like to know.” Then he asked Chuck, “Chuck do you have any thoughts on this subject?”

  “Yes I do, Greg. I think once we reach the bottom of the mountain we can find some fuel for the passenger train and while that is going on, we can take the snow train on to New York ahead of this passenger train.”

  Greg liked that idea and told them to go get the conductor and he would tell them what the plan was for fueling the train and the subsequent snow train going on to New York City.

  * * *

  In the Oval Office the president was making plans to move the government to Colorado. Tired was not the word for her. She had been up working for more than twenty four hours. She was spent and those around her noticed the bags under the eyes and the strain on her face. However, they envied her the perseverance and fortitude of her spirit. She thought nothing of herself only her citizens who had elected her to run the government the best way she knew how. The threat of assassination was the last thing on her mind. Putting the country back on its feet was the number one priority. Food and shelter were tantamount to survive in weather like this.

  “Damn the western greed” she said to no one in particular. Her Chief of Staff looked at her, but said nothing and went back making notes on what she didn’t know.

  She longed for her late husband and his stalwart and confidant thinking. Ever since their college days they had wanted children, but they decided to wait until their careers were in place first. The next thing they knew middle age had hit them between the eyes and she realized no children were going to be in the family. She felt guilty sometimes and her husband felt her guilt and took the opportunity to spend some quality time just the two of them doing something enjoyable like digging in the flower beds moving flowers around without a plan, just having fun together. Later they would take a shower together, have a nice dinner out and return for a night of pleasant love making.

  Thirty minutes later she woke with a start to find her Chief of Staff shaking her awake. She blinked and rubbed her eyes while she was told that Tex wanted to talk to her about the move to Colorado. She said for him to wait a minute and left for the bathroom to freshen up.

  “Let him wait,” she said to herself. She took a sponge bath from a basin of water and with a smile used the camber pot provided by some thoughtful staff person. She smiled and thought what a sight for the twenty first century president of the United States using a toilet that hasn’t been used for hundreds of years. At least we have toilet paper and went back to her office with a big smile on her face.

  “Show him in please,” she told her Chief.

  Tex came in huffing and puffing like he’d just run five miles instead of sitting in the waiting room cooling his heels.

  “Sit down general and tell me what is so important,” she said with a little malice fully intended to the macho condescending man sitting across from her.

  He cleared his throat and said with an uncharacteristic quiet voice, “Madam President, I think we have a plan for us to move the entire staff by train to Colorado. Our time frame is for us to leave tonight at six pm from Grand Central Station.”

  She watched him closely and could see a smirk on his face. Something is going on that I don’t know about and I will play his game for awhile and then cut him off at the knees. She thanked the general and said she would be ready long before the six pm time.

  Hilary sat there thinking after he left and asked her Chief to summon the CIA director to her office. She lapsed back into thought and fifteen minutes later the CIA director was shown in the Oval Office. She nodded to him to sit down and then she said with conviction, “Melvin I will confide in you that something is bothering me and I will need yours and Roberts help on this one.”

  Robert came in just as she was beginning to tell him some of her fears. “In times of crisis like this one we face history has shown us that faith in the government wanes and eventually the military takes over. As long as I’m president I will fight to the end to keep the government in the people’s hands. Now, when and if we reach Colorado and are safely ensconced in Cheyenne Mountain, I intend to relieve General Brown of his duties and take control of our government from Colorado until such time we can dig ourselves out of this weather disaster. We have thousands if not millions without food and shelter. I’m told we could lose forty percent of our population if this continues. An all out effort must be made to open communications with each state and mobilize centers for the sick and starving citizens. Where is Ron?”

  She looked at her Chief and Rhonda said, “He was called but hasn’t arrived yet.”

  “Anyway gentlemen prepare to depart as per General Brown’s instructions. Please
make arrangements for your families to accompany us and if you can reach your grandparents, so much the better. If any of your brothers or sisters kids want to come with us, then make the arrangements. Now Melvin and Robert I would like to hear your thoughts about what I just told you.”

  Both looked at each other and Melvin took the nod to speak first. ‘Madam President, both Robert and I have the same feeling as you do about the possibility of a military takeover. We support you and will follow your instructions through these terrible times.”

  Hilary said with confidence, ‘Thank you both and if you see something out of the ordinary, if that is possible, take appropriate action as you see fit. Thanks for coming and good luck to us all in the coming hours and days.”

  Chapter 10

  “

  The two bounty hunters went back to their car promising to keep an eye on the Arab. Greg sat and talked with Chuck while the actor and his man sat without uttering a word. Greg thought that this was the longest the actor had ever gone with talking in his life. Greg asked Chuck, “How do we find fuel for this train when we come out of the mountains?”

  Chuck said, “Usually there are some tankers around where we can commandeer one and hopefully find enough fuel to get to New York City.”

  Greg looked out through two inch thick ice on the inside of the windows and wondered if anyone would arrive in New York alive. This car was the warmest of all the other cars and it was freezing cold in this car! Sitting there talking with Chuck the condensation from their breath made little mini snowflakes swirling around them.

  Greg asked Chuck another question, “Are you familiar with Grand Central Station?”