A Year to Forget (The Accidental Time Travellers Book 2)

by Marc James

  “Do you know who?” Bobby asked.

  “No but they are high up. Someone wealthy is funding them.”

  “Who else is involved?” Will demanded.

  “I never met anyone else, only Jacob and Sirhan. They are using the journalist Sarah Salmond to spread their ideas.”

  “How many people are involved?”

  “I don’t know. They have other doctors for their mind control, some Cubans, they will not stop until Kennedy is removed from power.”

  “What Cubans?” Bobby asked.

  “Anti-Castro Cubans.”

  “How many?” Bobby barked.

  “I don’t know, maybe one hundred.”

  “One hundred?” Faraday asked in disbelief.

  Mengele nodded.

  “For what purpose?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you recognize the name Sidney Gottlieb?” Faraday asked hopefully.

  “Who?” Bobby asked.

  “David’s doctor, I’m sure that was LSD.”

  “Jacob mentioned that name, I never met him.”

  “Anything else?” Bobby asked.

  “There was a Scottish doctor I think, I can’t remember the name.”

  “Do you have any idea how many people they have programmed?”

  Mengele shook his head. “They have access to unlimited numbers of people. These are doctors, they go into prisons or psychiatric wards and test their methods on them. A person can be programmed easily, once you know how. The people that are used are people that nobody cares about.”

  Faraday glanced at Will and saw how angry this last statement had made him.

  “Faraday come with me a second, Will stay with him.” Bobby said, gesturing to Mengele.

  Bobby hobbled from the kitchen followed by Faraday and closed the door behind them.

  “What do you think?” Bobby asked.

  “I think this tells us nothing about what happened to Jane.”

  “You don’t think someone could have been programmed to plant the bomb?”

  “I think if they were going to bother to kill you, they would just send one of these people with instructions to shoot you, why bother with a bomb?”

  Bobby considered this for a moment. “So what do we do about it?”

  “Well we know the journalist and we know Sidney Gottlieb is involved, one of them may know how to find Jacob?”

  “They won’t talk to us.” Bobby grumbled.

  “What do you suggest?”

  “What if we use Mengele?”

  “We can’t trust him and he doesn’t even know where Jacob is.”

  “Well then we will have to follow the leads ourselves, if we can get a location for Jacob then perhaps Mengele will become useful.”

  “Okay so who goes where?” Faraday asked.

  “You take Will and visit Gottlieb, I’ll get Chase and visit the journalist.”

  Chapter 26

  As Abaddon began to explain the situation, David began to fear for what little was left of his soul.

  “So this Sergei Kravchenko knows everything there is to know about Aerospace engineering, he worked on the Sputnik Satellite. He arrived here late last night, he managed to escape through Berlin. He tells us that the Soviet space program is an absolute mess. Better yet, he has confirmed the contents and precise coordinates of a Soviet submarine that sank in the Pacific last year.”

  “So what do you want me to do?” David asked baffled.

  “We are going to raise the ship from the ocean floor, it contains nuclear missiles and Soviet launch codes.”

  “How do you intend to do that?”

  “Howard Hughes has built a ship, a very large ship. Using the ships grapple we will be able to lift the Soviet submarine, allowing us to recover the codes and the warheads.”

  “I still don’t understand what you want from me?”

  “Sergei could be a very valuable asset to the country, the Soviets will be furious when they discover he is here, but when they discover what we have done they could threaten an all out war. I need you to stay with Sergei, keep an eye on him. You must ensure he has not been sent to spy on our technological developments. I don’t want you to let him out of your sight, not even for a second.”

  “You just want me to watch him?”

  Abaddon frowned. “I want you to do whatever he wants, he is very special.”

  “So you intend to put the US and the Soviets on the brink of a nuclear war? This will be the second time in three months.”

  “It will not come to that, we just need to apply some pressure to unsettle the President. He won’t risk a war, but when the people find out what he has been doing in Cuba and with regards to this submarine, they will be furious at the position he has put the country in.”

  “But he hasn’t done any of it, it’s all been you?”

  “Once the media tell the people it was President Kennedy they will believe it and he has no idea what I am doing. Did you happen to catch the news this morning?”

  “I was a little busy with my friends dying.” David snapped.

  Abaddon nodded solemnly before continuing. “Well as luck would have it, Dr Gottleib discovered that President Kennedy has a sister named Rosemary, were you aware of that?”

  David shook his head.

  “I didn’t think you would be, they like to keep it quiet. Rosemary suffered from learning difficulties and old Joe Kennedy decided to arrange for her to be lobotomised, she now lives in St Coletta’s, a mental institution in Wisconsin.”

  “He had her lobotomised?” David asked stunned.

  “Barbaric isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well Sidney contacted Sarah Salmond who broadcast the news this morning. That should be another nail in the President’s coffin.” Abaddon again smiled smugly.

  “Are you enjoying doing this?”

  “Of course I am. I’m a patriot David, I’m doing what my country needs me to do.”

  David’s jaw was agape, how had he gotten himself into this position. “So where do I need to go for this ship?”

  “You need to get a flight to Hawaii and from there a helicopter will take you to the vessel. The submarine is around 1500 miles North West of Hawaii.”

  David could hardly begin to believe that he was about to set foot in another helicopter, and in Hawaii of all places.

  “Can I not get a boat to the vessel?”

  Abaddon frowned. “We don’t have time for that. It will be a short flight, it will only be about two hundred miles from the coast. Then when you and Sergei are onboard, you will head towards the submarine, he will be waiting for you in Hawaii.”

  “So I need to go now?”

  Abaddon nodded. David looked at the clothes he was wearing, a pair of white trainers, a pair of light blue denim jeans and a white t-shirt. “I don’t have a change of clothes?”

  “You’ll be fine, you might need a jacket.” Abaddon rose to his feet and left the room, when he returned he was carrying a bright red waterproof jacket. He handed it to David.

  “You don’t have anything a little darker?”

  “Not one that I want to give away.” Abaddon chuckled.

  Chapter 27

  Bobby and Ethel Kennedy were sitting at the dining room table in their residence at the White House. They had managed to repair the damage done to their relationship following the controversial release of Marilyn Munroe’s diary. It had certainly not been easy for Ethel to put the past behind her, but she knew Bobby was not his brother, he loved her and he had made a mistake. The mistake had hurt her, more than he could begin to imagine, but she knew he regretted it deeply.

  Bobby had been in a foul mood since he had seen the news, how could someone report on such a sensitive and private matter. It wasn’t his fault that Rosemary had been lobotomised, his father had done that himself. He didn’t blame his father, he knew that he was trying to help her and hadn’t understood what the consequences of his actions would be. It was Rosemary that h
ad suffered her entire life and now the media were making her disabilities public.

  “You can’t blame yourself Bobby.” Ethel advised, she could see that he was hurting.

  “I don’t, not for a second. I had nothing to do with it, but they shouldn’t be reporting this sort of thing. There is no scandal, Dad made a mistake, he knows that. Neither of them can even defend themselves. Why attack an old man on deaths door or my poor sister.”

  “It’s that reporter, she has no morals.”

  “That’s right. If she doesn’t agree with my policies then that’s fine, she can report on that it’s her right. But to attack my family is just completely out of order.”

  “How do you think she got the information?”

  “Well I don’t know Ethel. Rosemary has been in the hospital for years, the lobotomy was almost twenty years ago. The staff at the hospital have always been very discreet, I find it hard to believe that they would release information like this out of the blue.”

  “Well who knows about her?” Ethel asked.

  “That’s just it, no one outside the family knows.”

  “Could Jackie have told her husband?” Ethel guessed.

  “She wouldn’t do that and even if she had, he would have no reason to go to the press.”

  “Well who then?”

  “I don’t know.” Bobby sighed. “I’m starting to wish I hadn’t run for a third term. Someone is conspiring against me, whoever is funding this Jacob Cohen must be the one feeding this to the media.”

  “Could it be Nixon?”

  Bobby considered this for a moment. “You could be right you know.”

  “He’s slimy enough to try dirty tricks like this.”

  “I think I shall invite him to the White House.”

  Chapter 28

  When Will and Faraday had left with Mengele, Bobby called the Washington Post in order to enquire as to where Sarah Salmond lived. As luck would have it, he had briefly managed to speak to her, she was in the office working on an article. She had agreed to meet with Bobby and Chase.

  When Chase finally did arrive it was in a beat up blue and white Volkswagen Type 2 , Bobby shook his head in disbelief at the van. It looked identical to the Dharma Van Bobby had seen in the TV series Lost when he was young.

  He got in the passenger door and Chase instantly offered Bobby his condolences.

  “Bobby I’m really sorry for your loss.”

  “Thanks Chase.” Bobby replied.

  “How are you feeling?” Chase asked obviously concerned.

  “To be honest I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. I just want to catch the bastard that did it.”

  Chase smiled sympathetically. “We will. Where are we meeting her?”

  “The offices for the Washington Post.”

  “No problem.” Chase said with a smile. He began to drive slowly towards the offices.

  A few minutes had gone by before Bobby spoke. “You know Chase I always thought you’d be good with girls, but this van must really put them off.”

  Chase laughed. “Believe me it doesn’t. I love this van and there’s plenty room in the back.” Chase winked at Bobby. He managed to illicit a laugh for the first time today.

  When Chase had parked up outside the offices they both headed inside, Sarah Salmond was waiting in reception for them. She was wearing a black suit and a white shirt, she was beautiful. Bobby noticed Chase’s mouth hanging open at the sight of her.

  “There’s no chance she’ll get in that van.” Bobby muttered.

  Chase managed to refrain from laughing as Sarah Salmond walked towards them and shook their hands.

  “We have a meeting room just along the hall.” She turned and led the men down the corridor into a room with a long wooden table, surrounded by chairs.

  “Take a seat.” She said pleasantly.

  Both men took the seats nearest the door and Sarah sat directly opposite Bobby.

  “Okay so you said you wanted to talk about some articles I have written. I’m guessing you are referring to the ones about our President?”

  “That’s right. But I’m not here on behalf of the President, I’m here because the man who is giving you your information killed two women and a four year old child this morning. One of them was a very dear friend of mine and the other two were related to me. I want to know where he is.”

  “He killed two women and a child?” Sarah asked, dismayed by the news.

  “Do you not know who this man is? He was sent to prison for being a war criminal, he bit a prison guard’s throat out and then he escaped from Alcatraz.”

  “Well I knew he had escaped from prison but he is a CIA agent, I presumed it was part of a cover story.”

  “The CIA doesn’t exist anymore.” Bobby stated forcefully.

  “Not officially, but from what he told me it is still very much in existence.”

  “That can’t be true.” Bobby argued.

  “That’s what he told me.” Sarah said defiantly.

  “Where are they getting their money from?”

  “I don’t know, he said they have wealthy backers.”

  “No names?”

  “No he only tells me what he wants me to report.”

  “Why are you doing what he tells you, he’s a psychopath?”

  “He is a scary man, but my job is to report the news to the people, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. The President has skeletons in his closet and from what I’ve heard so do you Mr Stinson.”

  “What you said about me was completely untrue. I tried to stop the assassination.”

  “That’s not what Mr Oswald said.”

  “They killed him are you that stupid you can’t see what these men are like?”

  “I understand perfectly well what these men are like, but I also understand what you are like Mr Stinson. If the news that I broke was untrue the President would have sued me, but he didn’t. Hoover would have tried to crush me, but he hasn’t. And I imagine you would have done something about it.”

  “Parts of what you said were true, but the parts about me were not among them. I don’t want to argue about this, just tell me how I find him.”

  “I don’t know, he contacts me.”

  “When did he last contact you?” Chase interjected.

  “Not since Oswald’s death. Although I got an anonymous call last night about Rosemary.”

  “Who?” Bobby asked.

  “Kennedy’s sister, they reported she had had a lobotomy at the behest of Joe Kennedy.” Chase again interjected.

  “You really are a bitch!” Bobby yelled.

  Sarah didn’t even flinch. “I’m doing my job.”

  “Unbelievable! He’s the best President this country has ever had and you are burying him!”

  “He and his family have done this to themselves, if they hadn’t I would have nothing negative to write about him. Don’t shoot the messenger.” She smiled sweetly, for such a beautiful woman she was disgusting on the inside Bobby thought.

  “What about this Sirhan Sirhan, do you know him?”

  “I’ve met him, he’s a bit odd he just does whatever Jacob tells him to.”

  “You must know something?”

  Sarah shook her head.

  “I could arrest you right now.”

  “For what?”

  Bobby just stared back at her, he wanted desperately to have a reason.

  Bobby struggled from the seat, Chase followed suit. “Contact me if you hear from him.” Bobby removed a business card from his pocket and put it down on the desk.

  “I’ll do what I can.” She replied.

  “Somehow I doubt that.” Bobby snapped.

  Chapter 29

  The flight from Washington to Hyannis Port left at 16:30, with the time difference it was almost 23:00 when they arrived at the hospital. It was the first time that Will and Faraday had been alone together following their argument at the hospital two months previously.

  The conversation had been almost nonexi
stent on the journey, Faraday’s thoughts were on Jane. He couldn’t believe he was in this position again. But this time there was no light to follow, just a trail that would hopefully end with her killer. He knew that Will had been fond of Jane, perhaps too fond in his opinion and all that did was make him angry. The drink had worn off from earlier in the day and he knew he would not be able to best Will physically, but he wanted to. He knew what they were doing together was more important, but he wanted to beat someone.

  They stepped from the car and walked into the hospital. They were directed to Gottlieb’s office and when they knocked on the door they were greeted by the man Faraday had met briefly when he had come to visit David.

  “Dr Gottlieb, you may remember me. I’m James Faraday and this is my colleague Will Carter. May we come in?”

  Sidney gave a forced smile and gestured for both men to enter. They both sat down as Gottlieb struggled to his side of the desk and took his seat.

  “Have you got trouble with you leg Dr Gottlieb?” Faraday asked.

  “Yes, I have a club foot. I’m surprised you didn’t notice during our last meeting.”

  “I had other things on my mind and I’m afraid that is the case today.”

  “Go on.”

  “My wife was murdered this morning by a friend of yours named Jacob Cohen.”

  Gottlieb nodded his acknowledgement of the name. “I wouldn’t say he’s a friend.”

  “But you do know him?”

  “We used to work together.”

  “I wasn’t aware he’s a doctor.”

  Gottlieb laughed as if they were old friends catching up. “We both worked with the CIA before it was disbanded.”

  “So when did you last meet?”

  Gottlieb chuckled. “Must be in the late fifties I’d say.”

  “You’re lying, Josef Mengele told us that you have been testing your patients with LSD, hypnosis and eclectic shock therapy in an attempt to build soldiers that don’t have any knowledge of the crimes they commit.”

  “Yes, so?”

  “You admit it?” Faraday asked astounded.

  “Well of course, it’s my job.”

  “What?”

  “I am part of the Office of Strategic Services, it is part of our research in the war against communism.”