by L. M. Vila
“I – uh,” the analyst replied.
Perhaps the coldness of the S.A.C. threw him off guard.
“Yes, yes sir,” he continued to stammer.
“You didn’t call me to just discuss a former employee, did you?”
“No sir!”
That seemed to snap the analyst out of his funk.
“I’ve found some critical information regarding our Vegas sugar-daddy.”
The news slightly startled Adrian as he arrived at the vehicle and quickly entered it. The car sped off as he continued.
“What are you talking about Mark? The case is dead. We handed over everything to the Vegas office. It’s their issue now.”
“Not entirely,” Mark stated. “Something just didn’t seem right with the ICBC. They had marked every transaction, withdrawal, and transfer without fail but there was something odd about one of those accounts.”
Adrian shook his head. He wanted this thing buried when he left the courthouse. There was an overdue appointment for a serious ass-chewing with his superiors in Washington over the Michael Madison fiasco and he needed to get his ducks in a row before taking that on.
“What’s the problem Mark?”
“It’s these account numbers. They hid their tracks well creating over two dozen and spreading out the funds so as not to be flagged by any of our regional snoops but for some reason, about fifty percent of the funds ended up in an account with an ID unlike the others. It’s completely unique in both sequential patterns, alpha-numeric, and general size,” Mark stated.
Adrian shook his head, not that his employee could see him sulking.
“I still don’t get it Mark. Why is this still our problem and why should I even care?”
“That’s the thing boss,” Mark said.
His town grew sullen and quite which is very unlike his chipper demeanor.
“I traced the account backwards and forwards over every bank within a thousand mile radius of Korea. None of them matched. So I widened the search.”
Those words were both grim and ominous. Suddenly, Mark had Adrian’s full and undivided attention.
“Where is the account located Mark?”
The phone was silent for a few moments. Maybe the connection was bad or Mark had seen something on his screen that caused him to lose focus until suddenly, he replied.
“Washington D.C.”
March 27th, 2013 1:15PM
Washington, D.C.
Lee's men began the final preparations. They formed a supply chain and began laying out sandbags near the warehouse entrance. This makeshift trench will ensure a proper foundation to defend this base of operations.
The Colonel watched his men and supervised their efforts. They had all of the arms and ammunition they could desire. If the doctor wanted a war, they could definitely get it started.
“You men,” he called out to the soldiers.
Two of them ceased the chain and approached. The rest spread out a bit more and continued to work.
“Grab the cannon and set it up behind the first dock door. Then stack sandbags all around it at least 2' in height.”
“Yes sir!” They exclaimed and immediately went to work.
The Kord 6P50 machine gun was a gift from some of their Russian allies. With a fire rate of over seven hundred rounds per minute, this had enough stopping power to silence any threat the opposing government could challenge them with. At least, any local threat. If the military gets called down to strike at this base they would need a lot more than single rapid-fire cannon to stop them. They were all putting every ounce of faith they had left into the good doctor's hands.
“Colonel Lee.”
His timing couldn't have been more foreboding. The Colonel turned around and saluted the doctor has he approached.
“I need a few moments of your time. Follow me,” Shin instructed.
Lee always followed orders. They took a long walk towards the back end of the warehouse. This was the area that had been barricaded off and the crates of cargo stored by the doctor's orders. When he wasn't spending time in his lab above, he was down there working behind closed doors. His only rule for the facility was that no man enter these premises unless physically escorted by Shin himself.
They slid down the side corridor and entered through the wooden door. Though the secrecy of the project was abundantly apparent, their security measures thrived off fear more than impedance.
“This way Colonel,” Shin stated as he flicked on the light switch.
A sixty-watt bulb hanging off an extension cord shined on and illuminated the general area of the room. Dozens on extension cables littered the floor. Each and every one had been connected to a single crate. They vanished into another corner of the room, presumably where the main generator was located.
The Colonel slowly paced around the area and took up residence directly underneath the light. It was apparent that the doctor wanted to show him something back here so choosing the spot with the best view was an easy guess. He took a long look at the crate before him. Every inch was carefully inspected from top to bottom. Though he had spent much too much time riding alongside this cargo on their journey here, he never once thought or questioned its contents.
“Go ahead,” the doctor began, “open it.”
Shin must have sensed the inquisitive look in his subordinate's eyes. The Colonel didn't feel as strongly as some others. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than following orders and succeeding in his command. If he was instructed to watch this box for the remainder of his life, he would do so without question and never once feel the desire to unearth its contents. Then again, this was a direct order form his superior.
The wooden case was sealed only by the massive weight of its lid. Lee gently flipped it open and allow the wooden slab to fall on the other side and hang on its rusted metal hinges. The light reflected a slick shiny surface sitting within the crate. A giant tomb made of metal and hard plastic revealed itself. Its bright white exterior looked like something that is twenty years before its time. A few bright lights flashed and flickered on the outside and a sole LED screen showed a few readings, sensors, and a wave scope monitor that seemed to activate about once a second.
In all of his years in the military, the Colonel never would have fathomed they were carrying such a precious cargo let alone thirty of them. Shin slowly walked up and tapped an exterior button. The hatch slowly released and the lid of the tomb. That's when the Colonel's jaw officially dropped.
“Don't be alarmed Colonel. They are all fine thanks to you and your men.”
Lee couldn't come up with the words to describe what he was feeling. Inside the lid of this aptly named chamber laid the body of one of the proud soldiers of the People's Republic Army. A breathing apparatus was strapped over their mouth and nose with various other wires. Everything looked clean and well organized. The only thing that was out of place were the soldier's uniform. It was tattered, dirty, and still had an air of combat wafting about.
“These brave men were critically injured during the invasion. They were going to rot in a medical tent or even worse, the soiled lands of our fallen home until the takeover was completed. At my request, our Generals pooled together what little resources we had available and induced these fine warriors into comas. They remained hidden in one of our caves for months, resting their weary bodies for the battles to come. Once our funds started to come in, I was able to secure their transport in these life support pods. There was just enough power in their internal batteries to make the trip and keep these men alive so that they may live to fight another day.”
“That’s not possible,” the Colonel shook his head. “They are barely alive. What –”
He carefully mulled over his next words. Sometimes, you just have to ask the question even if you might be afraid of the answer.
“What are you going to do?”
“That’s the beauty about science Colonel. With enough money and time, you can move mountains, travel galaxies, and cure a
ny ailments.”
The doctor turned towards the comatose soldier, sighed and continued,
“Many had thought their days of fighting were over.”
He reached into his front pocket as he continued.
“But I will give them purpose. I will give them a reason to fight again. I will give them... Life.”
As the doctor pulled the tube from within his pocket the Colonel couldn't even imagine what rested within the shining metal exterior.
“What is that...?” Was all he could muster through a muffled gasp.
Lee's speech hadn't recovered from the previous revelation.
Shin smiled. This was his prized work. Thanks to a generous donation and some assistance from nearby allies, he was able to obtain the formula that brought this drug to life. And one that will bring life to others.
“This is God-Slayer. Developed from one of the most powerful substances ever concocted. One dosage is all you need. It turns children into men. Men into soldiers. And soldiers... Into gods.”
Mortified as he was, the Colonel still couldn’t begin to wrap his head around what he has just heard.
“But how? How can you give it to them when they’re in this state?”
That question actually drew a bit of laughter from the doctor.
“Don’t be so naïve. These men have already received their dosage of God-Slayer back in our homeland. They are not on life support. They are merely being medically sedated, biding their time until I release them from their slumber. I just need to give them the order.”
“And when do we initiate our attack doctor?” Lee boldly asked.
He could barely summon the courage to do so without stuttering in an effort to look serious about his mission when so far, it’s seemed anything but.
“Patience Colonel,” Shin replied. “We still haven’t been given the signal.”
March 27th, 2013 10:47PM
Las Vegas, NV
Adrian blitzed through the terminal at a rapid pace. Two police officers followed nearby as they escorted him right past security and directly towards his awaiting gate. The plane was scheduled to leave as soon as he arrived. That still wasn’t soon enough given the circumstances.
“God damn it Mark!” Adrian spat.
He couldn’t remember the last time he spoke that sharply with anyone let alone one of his best subordinates.
“You’ve got to find something… anything!” He pleaded over the receiver.
“I’m trying, I’m trying!” The analyst snapped back.
Even if he had four hands he still couldn’t work at a pace that the S.A.C. demanded. The revelation they had uncovered was momentous and yet, they couldn’t seem to get a hold of any more information nor anyone of importance to relay it back to.
“All I’ve got is nothing but withdrawals and transfers. The account is registered to a P.O. Box to a John Doe and I’ve called the local post office but I’ve been on hold for the last ten minutes.”
“Did you explain to them that you were a Federal-fucking-Agent?!” Cursed the increasingly agitated S.A.C. “Christ Mark, we’re not dealing with drug dealers or tax scammers here. Use your head!”
“I’m not typing with my dick here!” Mark fired back. “This isn’t shooting fish in a barrel. You’re trying to find a needle in a haystack the size of a continent.”
“No jokes Mark,” Adrian hissed. “Not today and certainly not now.”
The other end went silent of course. All the S.A.C. could hear was the rapid beating of keys and mouse clicks. Mark was working hard. Adrian knew that. The situation that they have both found themselves in was just too scary and neither one of them wanted to admit that to the other.
A few moments passed and suddenly the receiver popped with a loud bang that nearly knocked Adrian clear off his train of thought.
“Got it!” Cheered the analyst. “One of the employees has found a record of the owner signing a certified letter from Vladivostok, a small coast city in Russia.”
“Any details on the message?”
“Negative,” Mark replied. “But I do have a name.”
“Who?”
“Dr. Shin Jung-ho”
“Please tell me you’re already pulling up his file.”
“Two steps ahead of you boss,” replied the analyst.
With his boss’ decreased agitation, Mark was able to perform his duties up to the high standards he had set for himself. Adrian was starting to feel a bit elated. That is, until Mark continued.
“That’s odd. Looks like Dr. Shin fell off the grid just last year.”
“What?”
“I’m not seeing any activity after February of two-thousand-twelve. No mortgage, cell phone, or even credit card purchases. He’s either dead or missing.”
“What was he doing before he disappeared?”
“Just a sec. Pulling up W2 information,” Mark paused briefly before finally answering. “Bingo. Says here he was employed for… Whoa.”
“Oh for the love of…”
Adrian’s patience was being tested again just as he was starting to feel a little better about things.
“A.N.K.H. Pharmaceuticals.”
Adrian stopped his pace dead in the middle of all of the gates. Barely two hundred feet separated him from his boarding door and he couldn’t send the signals to his brain to move. That was no ordinary company to be a part of. The events that transpired made national news. It was all most people were talking about even months after it had ended. Everyone that was involved with the company was indicted and questioned. Adrian knew that for a fact because before he was transferred to Los Angeles, he did most of the interrogations of their staff on the east coast. Out of the hundreds questions, the S.A.C. was sure that Dr. Shin Jung-ho was not on that list.
“When did Dr. Shin leave that company?”
The analyst had already prepared his answer.
“February 17th, 2012. About three weeks before Agent Madison, err well former Agent Madison, did his… Well, you know.”
The S.A.C. knew only what he read in the reports. Operating under direct orders of the former S.A.C., Special Agent Michael Madison tracked down his would be assassins and proceeded to dispense justice in its most raw form. That’s what the official report said anyways. Given Agent Madison’s track record, the events that transpired that evening would be anything but by the book.
“And why wasn’t Dr. Sing on our call list for questioning?”
“He was,” Mark retorted. “But our agents weren’t able to find him. According to these records in the report, he was scheduled for questioning in August of 2012. By then, the case was practically over and we had more than enough to wrap things up.”
“Please tell me he was the only one we weren’t able to question.”
“Affirmative.”
The good news just keeps rolling in. Now Adrian was left with only one problem; finding a link to where Dr. Shin was hiding and more importantly, uncovering his true agenda. All of this new information was starting to take its toll on the S.A.C.’s sense. Comprehending it all at this very moment would be out of the question. The only thing he could do at this point is stay on top of it and follow this lead to the ends of the earth if need be. If anyone could track the doctor down, it would be the most legendary field agent ever to wear the badge. However, that brought along its own problem. One after another is par for the course in this agent's book.
“Has Madison been in contact?”
“Negative,” Mark replied. “He left all of his communication devices back in Vegas. No reports of him traveling on an airplane or any other mode of transportation. He's off the grid.”
Adrian swore loudly while pulling the phone away from his face. The sound was so loud that all the analyst heard was a static violent shout.
“No need to get violent boss,” Mark said in a vain attempt to calm down his superior. “Why don't you get in touch with the Commander?”
“The what?” Asked Adrian while still attempting to re
gain his senses.
Before Mark could answer, it hit the S.A.C. harder than a runaway train. He quickly ended the call and began dialing his superior’s number. All of this time he was so wrapped around with finding the hacker and taking down the bad guys he completely forgot about his superior who continued to fight for her life minute after minute in a hospital bed.
The S.A.C. paced around the gate for several seconds. What felt like an hour later, Adrian reached Nicole's voicemail. Either she was screening his calls or something dire must have happened. Perhaps the news of Michael’s termination hit her hard and she’s attempting to seclude herself from the world. Either way, the S.A.C. didn't have time to waste. He hoped for the former but prayed it wasn't the latter. Thumbs smacked against the phone with a furious serious of taps. His message was bold, serious, and straight to the point.
Commander, I need to get in contact with Michael Madison. Millions at risk. Matter of life and death.
Pressing send made him feel a shred of guilt. If something did happen to her, he wouldn't want his last words to her to be so brash. Another few seconds had drifted away and he just couldn't take it anymore. Adrian sprinted back down towards the gate and hoped to God his ride was still nearby to take him to the hospital.
March 27th, 2013 2:29PM
Washington, D.C.
The air outside of the White House became cold and thin. It was an unusually odd shift from a couple hours earlier. Meryl stood vigilantly as she did prior awaiting the arrival of their next guests. The crowd had appeared to nearly double in size and all of the extra security measures they have taken would be put to their full test.
“Feeling nervous?” Shelly chimed in.
Meryl turned away and tapped her earpiece. She wanted to try and have a decent conversation but she couldn't do that with thousands of prying eyes watching her lips move.
“Is it too late to call in sick?” Meryl quipped.
The laughter on the other end told her even humor could be appreciated in the most serious of times.
“You better steel yourself Agent Lewis,” a somber more authoritative voice called.
