James was in shock, “Me, sir? I don’t have any sources that Ray doesn’t or you don’t.”
“That is where you are wrong. Your father had secrets and I need to know what he knew.”
“My father?”
“Yes, I think it’s time you went home and talked to your uncle. He is unwell and I think he is ready to tell you what he knows about your father.”
“Uncle Finn isn’t well?” James could feel his heart drop from his chest.
“Yes, he didn’t want to worry you. That was why he didn’t contact you, but my sources say he is not doing well.”
James immediately stood up, “Sir, I want to go to him now.”
“Yes, son, we have a car ready for you. The drive will help you clear your head.”
“Thank you.” James bee lined to the door. He didn’t stop to say goodbye to Greg or Chessy. His mind was focused on Uncle Finn.
As James left, Warren’s attention was back on Chessy and Greg. “I have a task for the two of you. James could not handle this so it will be tasked to the two of you. I need you to travel to California to the former Soldat Industries manufacturing facility. I need any information you can get me on what was going on there.”
“Yes, sir. Is there anything in particular you are searching for?”
“Information on human experimentation.”
Ray felt a chill down his spin. He was referring to the mysterious woman who Ray now believed was James’s mother. She was a product of Soldat. “Can I accompany them on this mission, sir?” Ray requested, worried about their safety.
“They will be fine. It is an old abandoned factory, not a war zone.” Warren could see Ray’s concern for the danger.
“I understand.”
“I will have a jet readied for you two to leave in the am. Until then, I need for you to read up on Soldat Industries. Ray here, I believe, can get you both access to the files.”
Now Ray was really worried. Should he give them the information that would tie James’s mother to Soldat or the possible experiments she was a part of?
“I have a free office down the hall the three of you may use.”
Ray instantly stood up, “Thank you, sir.” Ray hustled toward the door, Greg and Chessy rushed to follow behind. They were escorted to the office and Ray slammed the door behind them. They could both tell Ray was stressed and annoyed.
“Sir, where can we find the files?” Chessy asked gently.
“You don’t need the damn files. I know everything about that fucking company,” Ray replied, rubbing his temples.
“Sir, are you alright?” Chessy continued.
Ray looked up and locked eyes with Chessy’s soft blue eyes. “He wants you to find more information on James’s mother.” Ray couldn’t stop himself. He heard the words leaving his lips, but couldn’t stop them from coming out.
“James’s mother?!” Chessy exclaimed.
“What does she have to do with all this?” Greg questioned, confused.
Ray took a deep breath, “His mother was the product of an experiment designed to create the perfect soldier. One who could heal far beyond the capacity of a normal person.”
A look a complete disbelief fell over Chessy and Greg’s faces.
“Does James know?” Greg asked.
“No, he doesn’t. I was not prepared to tell him as I wasn’t sure he was her son. But now with everyone being so damn obsessed with him, I am in no doubt. He is her son.”
“I don’t understand. Even if he was the son of a genetically modified killer, what does that have to do with him?” Chessy stated, then paused as the color left her face. “Genetically modified….”
“Yes. The president must think he holds the key to duplicating it.”
“He’s in danger,” Greg added.
“No, if they want him, they need him alive. I don’t know for sure what the motives are, but we play along for now. Go to Soldat and try to uncover anything.”
“Yes, sir,” Greg replied and turned away from Ray.
Chessy was frozen in place, “You said she could heal. Is she really dead?”
Ray looked to the ceiling and then back to Chessy, “I believe so. She was a monster. She was single handedly responsible for the deaths of countless men. She killed with no remorse or care. Her death was a relief to many. James should never suffer through knowing what kind of person she was, but I know it will come out and he will need you two.”
Chessy felt a weight on her shoulders. She then felt Greg’s hand touch it. She looked to him, “Come on, we can plan and get some sleep.”
Chessy nodded as she looked back to Ray for approval. Ray nodded and watched silently as Greg and Chessy left. There was more at play than he knew and what President Warren was willing to tell him. Ray knew he had to stay sharp. James was a target, that was for sure, but he wasn't sure to what extent. He had to find out more about James’s mother if he was going to protect him. Ray made his way out of the White House. He knew where he had to go for answers.
Chapter
30
President Warren had gone about his day in peace once he sent James and his team away. The day drew on till night and Warren continued with his work. Signing papers, sending emails, and such, nothing of major importance. He had sent his staff home for the night. He always worked late. They thought nothing of it. He knew he would have a visitor tonight, and he didn’t want to be interrupted. As he expected, at the stroke of ten, he could just feel her presence in the room. “I know you are here. You don’t have to play hide and seek with me.”
“You know I prefer the shadows,” the woman replied.
“Seriously, stop this shit. You can’t stay hidden for long, so you might as well not sit in the corner of the office like I don’t know where you are.”
“We made a deal, that was all. My business outside of that is none of yours.”
“Yes, the fuck it is! I know it was you who paid Ming to have James protected. What, couldn’t handle it yourself?” Warren said, standing up and walking to the front of his desk, staring at the corner of the room. The corner was covered in the shadows, but he knew she was standing there.
“Watch your tone with me. I could kill you right now without thinking twice.”
“Oh, really? Who would protect sweet precious James then? You? You need me just as much as I need you, so drop the attitude. You were supposed to keep me in the loop. Instead, you involve yourself with Ming’s girls and jeopardize my position. I am supposed to hand him over to Sergei.”
“You won’t do that.”
“No, I won’t, but that means we need to move and fast before he realizes I’m not playing ball anymore.”
“Fine, I know my part. Have you done yours?”
“The dominos are in place for you to knock down. Don’t forget about my lovely bride.”
“How do you want me to make it look?”
“Kidnapping turned to murder. You know who to pin it on. At the end of the day, I do not understand why you hide when we talk. I know who you are. I recognize your voice. It hasn’t changed. You know who I am and I know who you are. We still need the last piece of the puzzle to get our plan to work. We need Franklin on our side.”
She stood in silence in the shadows. She had figured he had forgotten her, but she shook herself out of it. “We will get him to join us. He will see that with us is his only chance to protect his people. He doesn’t agree with what Sergei has planned.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t hold the reins, you know that. If we want Great Britain to side with us…”
“We have to take out his boss.”
“Well, I will leave that to you. It’s what you're best at,” Warren said with a sneer.
“We both have talents. Your jealousy is appreciated. I get James and his team. They stay with me.”
“Well, have fun getting him. I sent him off to Boston, his uncle is dying. Finnegan will tell James everything he needs to know to lead him to you.”
“The rest of t
he team?”
“The other two I’m sending to Soldat. You can pick them up there.”
“Then I will take care of your bride on my way out.”
“Fine with me,” Warren said, waving his hand and sitting back into his chair. Warren looked around the room as he leaned back into his chair. She was gone. He knew his ‘bride’ or Ming’s agent would be dispatched tonight. He had to prepare himself for the public attention it would bring him and how he would handle it. Warren waited for ten minutes, then got up and went up to his bedroom. He opened the door and, as expected, she was gone. A single lamp knocked over by the bed was the only evidence his ally was in the room. He gently placed it back on the table. He would report her missing in the morning. He would tell them he had figured she was in another room when he went to bed. That would give his ally enough time to dispose of the body. Everything was going according to plan. He had a powerful ally and they would put a stop to Sergei’s plan by any means necessary. He had done his part. James was trained and safe. Now it was her turn.
Chapter
31
James arrived back in Boston by the following afternoon. He rushed to get back to Uncle Finn’s home. James pulled up to the house, the memory of the first time he was brought there still fresh in his mind like it had just happened the day before. James shook his head to get it out of his mind. He was hurt that Uncle Finn hadn’t told him he was so sick. James exited the car and made his way to the front door. He gently knocked on the door.
Robby answered the door, “James, he is waiting for you.” Robby had tears in his eyes.
James stepped in and hugged him. Robby was so near and dear to Finn and had always been there for James as well. Robby meant the world to James, but he wanted to get to Uncle Finn now. James rushed up the stairs to Uncle Finn’s bedroom. He ran through the open bedroom door. His eyes locked with Uncle Finn’s. Finn had grown thin, he looked so frail. James rushed to his bed.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick? I would have come home.”
“You are an adult, there's no need for you to worry about an old man,” Finn said with a small smile.
James gripped his hand tight.
“James, I have been keeping things from you since you were a boy. I never wanted you to know everything about your father. I figured it would be better to keep you out of his affairs.” Finn took a deep breath, “But I think it is time to clear my mind and tell you the truth.”
“I know what happened to my father. I remember everything from that time. I never told you because I never wanted you to worry about me.”
Finn shook his head and reached up with his free hand and touched James’s arm. “I always figured you did, but that is not what I mean. I know my brother was not your father.”
James was in shock, “What do you mean he wasn’t my father?”
“I know, at the least, that he wasn’t your biological father. My brother, for all his successes, couldn’t have children. That was why I was so shocked when you were brought to me with him on your birth certificate. I knew it had to be a fake.”
James’s heart was racing, but he wanted to keep it together for Finn’s sake. “Do you know who my real father was?”
“No, and I never wanted to know. You were under my care and you meant the world to me. I didn’t want to know what situation brought you into my brother’s life.” Finn said with a cough.
James nodded.
“There’s more. I went to his home about a year after his death. You used to talk about your train sets all the time and I'd figured I might find them there. I wanted to add them to the set I had gotten you.”
James smiled. He could remember all those days of playing trains with Uncle Finn and it warmed his heart.
“The old set wasn’t there, but what I did find I swore to keep from you. But now I know you have the right to find out who you really are.”
“Who I really am? No matter what, I am a Gold and proud to be one.” James wiped the sweat that was forming on Uncle Finn’s forehead away.
Finn smiled, “And I am so proud of the man you have become. But you need to know this. My brother kept many secrets and when searching through his home, I found a bunker. I don’t know why I went inside, but I did. I found files upon files on programs and people. I don’t know who they were. I didn’t want to know, but I think the bunker may hold information on who your biological parents were.”
James was listening, but his mind was racing, “Who my real parents were?” James couldn’t even focus on that. It was the idea of who his mother was that was taking over his thoughts. Everyone’s obsession with trying to get that from him meant that they must all have known something he didn’t, or at least he thought they did.
“James, James, look at me,” Finn said, shaking James’s arm. “The bunker, I covered it. I burned the house to the ground. I didn’t want anyone to find what I had found, but I marked the spot on the floor. I pray it is still there.” Finn let out a strong cough. “I marked it with pieces of red wood I found after the fire. It was near the back of the house.” Finn gasped for a breath. “I’m sorry I never told you. I’m sorry I kept this from you. I just wanted to protect you.”
“I know, I know,” James reassured him.
“I want you to go, I don’t want you to be here when I pass. It will be better for you.”
“You can’t protect me this time. I am staying with you.”
Finn smiled and looked to the door, Robby was standing there. James waved him into the room. Robby came and sat on the other side of Finn.
“Family to the last,” Finn said, taking Robby’s hand. Biology meant nothing at that moment, to James. This was his family and would always be. They sat there together for the next hour until Finn quietly passed, still holding James and Robby’s hands. Both James and Robby knew the moment he was gone.
Robby looked to James, “He’s right, you need to learn the truth. He wanted you to, deep down, he always did.” Robby wiped tears from his eyes.
James reached over and hugged him as he fought back tears of his own.
“It’s time,” Robby said, trying to smile.
James just nodded. He couldn’t handle seeing Robby in so much pain. James knew he needed time alone.
“I’m just a call away. You need me, you call me,” Robby said, standing up and walking over to James.
James nodded again as he stood up and embraced Robby again.
Robby patted him on the back. “Be safe.”
James smiled as much as he could, “I will.”
Chapter
32
Saying goodbye to Uncle Finn was the hardest thing James had ever done. He never thought he would lose Uncle Finn too. As James left the house, he wiped the tears from his face. What Uncle Finn had told him was still clinging to him. He hadn’t been back to his father’s home since the day he was taken. The thought that he may be able to find answers there was driving him, he had to get back there. James climbed into his rental car and looked down at his cell phone. He had three missed calls from Chessy. He stopped himself from calling her back. He needed to get back to that house and see if what Uncle Finn said was true.
James drove through the night. He couldn’t stop and he didn't want to. He had the address and a map. It was all he needed. James arrived at the remnants of his father’s home by dawn. It was nothing like he remembered. It was all ruins, Uncle Finn had really burned it down. James stepped out of the car and just stared at what had been left. Grass and weeds had grown up through the debris and a large tree had grown where it looked like the foyer used to be. He heard the scouring of mice. Quickly jumping back, he narrowly avoided a snake slithering past his feet. He scanned the debris, needing to find the pile that Uncle Finn had described. He sifted through the debris until he found the markings Uncle Finn had described. James quickly moved the red wood around until he found a door, a large metal door in the flooring. James held his breath. This could be the key to finding the answers he had been lookin
g for. He reached down and pulled the circular handle, but the door was stuck. He pulled again, harder this time. The door finally broke free and opened, releasing a cloud of dust into James’s face. He coughed as he waved the dust from his face. James looked down into the open door and saw metal stairs leading down into a room. James let the rest of the dust clear. Feeling that his heart was racing, he took each step slowly, grasping onto the metal rail to steady himself. They were the longest ten steps he had ever taken.
Once he got to the bottom, he found a light switch on the wall to his right. As the light came on, he took the room in. Wall to wall with filing cabinets, two metal tables in front of him. James couldn’t figure out where to start first. He just started opening file draws and sifting through files looking for anything that could answer his questions. Once he got to the fourth file cabinet, he found a large accordion file with, ‘Project Immortal,’ on it. He pulled it from the file cabinet and placed it on the metal table in front of him. He reached in and pulled the manila files out of it, ten to be exact, and placed them on the table. He looked at the file tabs in front of him. “Justin, Thomas, Chris, Scott, Samuel, David, Austin, Ethan, Michael, Marie,” James read aloud. He opened the file marked ‘Justin’. James looked down to a picture of a man in his early twenties. The man looked fit and in a military-like dress and printed across his photo was ‘Deceased.’ He flipped up the picture and scanned the pages; medical charts, blood test results, physical assessments, and behavioral reports. James closed the file and looked at the others, “What is this?” He opened the rest of the files. Once he got to Thomas’s file, he instantly recognized the man. This was the man who had kidnapped him. He closed it quickly. Seeing that man’s face again was too much. He opened Marie’s file last.
Her picture sent his mind into panic. It was her, the woman he remembered, the woman who had identified herself as his mother. Her hair was different, but he recognized her eyes and face. James wanted to lift the picture and read the rest of her file, but his hands were shaking. He wrung his hands and worked to catch his breath. James lifted and looked at the first page. It was a memo, “Runaway, demand for return.” It was from his father to a man called Ivan. James read the memo. It called for “any means necessary to bring her back.” He continued going through her file. He found what he was looking for. It was a blood test result, showing she was pregnant. James quickly did the math, it fit. His birthday was in the right time frame. She could actually have been his mother. His heart dropped into his stomach. He knew it, it had to have been her. James kept reading, “DNA results indicate successful alterations of DNA code.” James was shocked, “What does this mean?” he questioned aloud. Suddenly, James heard a female voice,
James (Teumessian Trilogy Book 2) Page 13
