by Jaime Mera
Brenda watched Estabon step into the Hummer, while another MP, came in front of her. “Ma’am, we will take you to the station to have you checked out.”
Brenda figured they wouldn’t just take them to the division commander as she requested after a kidnapping, but it was a matter of time when she would be able to speak with him; time they were running out of.
The Israeli medical facility accepted Brenda with respectable urgency. She kept looking at the time with an hour passing as familiar faces showed up having been medically cleared. SGT Jennings and five other Soldiers arrived to guard their commander. CPT Orson was also among them, her personal aid, updating her on what occurred after her kidnapping. There were no surprises as Estabon had already updated her, even in more detail then their friendly assets and allies could gather.
“CPT Orson, I want to go see Gen. Baxter.” Brenda said putting on her personal gear and checking her cell-phone.
“We’re ready when you are, Ma’am.” Orson replied, having coordinated the vehicles, ready by the entrance.
“Oh, Sgt Jennings, Councilmember Ramirez apologizes for being so rough with you and Sgt. Moshe.” Brenda walked behind Jennings while the rest surrounded her.
“It won’t happen again Ma’am.” Jennings confidently replied.
“He doesn’t know Councilmember Ramirez is a grandmaster in six martial arts styles and ex-green beret.” Orson whispered but loud enough for him to hear.
SGT Jennings slowed down and glanced back. “How come I never heard of him, Sir?”
“I read his history; he was an A-team leader for three years in Vietnam. And was a master in specific styles in Ninjitsu, Karate and Hapkido before he went to Nam.” Orson summarized his research.
“So you’re saying I got beat up by an old man with a long white beard?” Jennings smirked.
“Except for the white beard, pretty much.” Brenda chuckled as her Hummer waited by the driveway while she got in.
“When we get there CPT Orson, I want you to take a few of the guys to find out where Estabon is and his status. Then call Sgt Jennings and inform him once you have something. I don’t know how long I will be with General Baxter.” Brenda said, covering Estabon’s watch with her fingers as if he were there with her.
“Do you want us to come back for you?” Orson looked at his paper map of the base.
“Yes, please.” Brenda watched troops and vehicles moving about the base. The Israeli army was very disciplined and practical when it came to war. All men and women treated their beloved land and the day as the last time they would see it.
They stopped at the outer perimeter of the division TOC. The vehicle was cleared, dropping off Brenda, Jennings, and two other Soldiers at the front entrance. They made their way through the building and down into an underground bunker.
Lt Gen Baxter was sitting in his usual location monitoring preparations to attack Cairo. Brenda walked up to him as he noticed her. “General Weatherly, I wasn’t expecting you so soon even though the hospital said you were RTD (return to duty)?”
“Sir, I assume you were informed Estabon Ramirez wants to meet you to speak about terms of surrender?” Brenda got to the point sitting next to him with her helmet under her arm.
“His brother contacted us already and the terms we aren’t conceding to won’t be any different.” Baxter said with stern eyes.
“We don’t have the advantages the superhumans gave us, and we can’t win now, even with nuclear weapons.” Brenda pleaded but kept a straight face as an impartial expert on the subject.
“You led the fight in countering the South American technology and strategies, and now you want to surrender to these dictators?” Baxter’s thick black brows rose slowly. “Brenda, I didn’t take you to side with the enemy.”
“President Dwyer has declared our surrender, are we sure we want to continue to fight in hope that Israel beats them back?” Brenda’s blood started to boil, but she kept her cool.
“This is what you spent two days doing with Councilmember Ramirez? Letting him brainwash you. Just so you know. Our cyber department has confirmed that President’s Dwyer’s declaration is fake; and millions of Americans are being killed back in the States.”
“Sir, you’re getting bad information.” Brenda looked at him stare on the verge of anger.
“I need the group to support 2nd Brigade, unless you’re not up for it?” Baxter handed her a warning order. “Jones got the order yesterday, so your guys should be ready in a few hours.”
Brenda quickly scanned through the warning order. “I take it Israel is okay with this?”
“Yes, they are and we can’t wait to allow the enemy to come closer.”
“Thank you, Sir. I have a lot of work to do. May I be dismissed?”
“Yes, of course.” Baxter casually said, but eyed her every move as she stood up and left.
Brenda focused on getting out of the command post at a moderate pace not to attract attention. Jennings saw her distress but kept quiet until they stepped outside. “What’s wrong, Ma’am?”
“They’re going to use tactical nukes on Cairo.” Brenda faced him. “Did you know about this?”
Jennings’ fixed eyes were revealing. “No, Ma’am, I thought it was a rumor.”
Brenda looked at the other two Soldiers, their facial innocence showed a wondering of what was going on. “Where’s the detention center?”
“A klick and a half that way?” Jennings pointed to the northwest.
“Let’s go.” Brenda took off in a speed march.
“Why don’t we wait for CPT Orson?” Jennings said as he got in front of Brenda.
“Walking helps me think.” Brenda said as she called CPT Orson’s cell, receiving an answering message.
“What is Mr. Ramirez going to do?” Jennings asked sensing the urgency behind her quick time.
“He’s going to keep everyone from dying.” Brenda hoped.
Half way to the detention center Brenda’s cell-phone rang. “Did you find him?”
“No, Ma’am, he was here, but no one knows where he is now.” CPT Orson’s voice was sharp as background noise indicated he was rushing outside.
“What do you mean?”
“Someone messed with these people’s heads, or they’re pretending he was here and some CIA spook took him away.”
“We’re across the block on the east side, come pick us up.”
Brenda stopped and looked around at the vehicles moving about the base. “What is it Ma’am?” Jennings turned around raising his weapon slightly against his chest.
“Estabon isn’t there. CPT Orson is going to pick us up so look for them.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Jennings lowered a brow, but quickly focused on looking out for the armored Hummer.
Brenda stared at him for a second. Realizing she addressed Estabon as a friend. “Wait here.” She instructed and stepped away from the three Soldiers.
She turned away and uncovered Estabon’s watch from her sleeve. She touched the screen and it lit up, with her manipulating a direct message. “I know you can hear this, but I need to know where Estabon is.” She whispered.
Eduardo’s voice came on a short time after; or at least it sounded like him. “Brenda, he’s about to enter the building to see General Baxter, but you should stay away and let him handle it.”
“Thank you, but I’m not going to let him do anything without me anymore.” Brenda said closing the communication and turning back to her Soldiers as they hailed their Hummer down.
Chapter 18
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10 th Armor Legion
Israeli 1st Corps, Defense Command Base, Helets, Israel
Dark shadows refracted through the small tinted window in front of the interrogation cell. The walls were concrete with a reinforced steel door. Many scuff marks, stains and suggestions of cleaning material over the same areas on the table, chair edges and floor made the cell well worth its weight in history. The new metallic bolts on the table legs co
nnecting them to the floor told Estabon the cell was if not cleaned very offend; it was maintained to be functional. The two foot chain attached to his handcuffs, kept him from wandering or attempting a sneak attack at the door. The Soldier inside the room was also a deterrence, at least against most prisoners.
Estabon looked casually around the room after guards dropped him off on the one piece non-folding chair. Estabon glimpsed at the two cameras in two ceiling corners, but knew they had two others in the observation room and one on the underside of the table, watching for any activity under that table preventing things like a person from using the table as cover to escape from the cuffs should they be able to dislocate their thumbs. The guard in the cell was weaponless, except for a Taser on his belt, which was more for the guard’s protection than anyone else.
The well lit fifteen foot square room was a lot bigger than most interrogation cells, but it was due to his status that they put him there. He was allowed to keep his undergarment and Israeli pants and shirt, but his belt and other loose items were taken away.
The dark gray door opened as Estabon turned his head to the right wall. A person in military uniform came in but the only Velcro patch he had was his name, US flag and Army tags. “Good afternoon Mr. Ramirez. I’m special investigator Smith and this is Lt. Colonel Gleeson.” Smith stopped in front of two empty chairs opposite the table from Estabon. LTC Gleeson had her black hair bundled up, carrying a binder under her arm, also sitting down in the open chair.
Estabon quickly looked them over and stopped at the MP armband Gleeson wore. He let his eyes show interest, but he already knew everything they knew and more.
“Before you try to get me to open up and all, I’m Councilmember Estabon Ramirez, three days ago, we received reports from the legion who took Cairo that they were receiving heavy resistance. I flew down from the United Federation Starship Corvus, made a few passes over the area. Our intel told us the 3rd SF Group Commander Gen Weatherly was in Sderot. I got close enough and slowed down over some water, blew the cockpit canopy, jumped out while my jet went on auto pilot towards the Mediterranean before your guys shot it down. I made my way to the TOC, stealing an Israeli uniform from a vacant home, and waited for the general to leave the security of the TOC. Then, I ambushed the vehicle…”
“Mr. Ramirez, I appreciate your statement, but could you just answer specific questions we ask for now?”
“If we had hours to go through all of the things you want to know, then no. You’re on a time schedule so I am answering what you need to know before you start trying to mentally force yourself into my mind and get critical military information about us. So can I continue?” Estabon looked back and forth between Smith and Gleeson who was taking notes.
Smith didn’t flinch; slowly looking at Estabon’s body language. “Very well, proceed.”
“I stole a vehicle where I placed Gen Weatherly in and moved south and found an abandoned building. There Gen. Weatherly and I came to an understanding. I agreed to turn myself in so I could show you guys I was meeting you half way.” Estabon paused waiting for one of them to reply.
Smith turned his head towards Gleeson. Gleeson slightly nodded no.
“She can’t read my mind and you have no mentalist that can force information out of my head. Your physical and psychological methods are useless as well.” Estabon sat relaxed.
“What’s the metal object you had in your possession?” Gleeson’s voice was strong and clear.
“It’s mostly a defensive weapon that’s very hot and dangerous.”
“It’s radioactive?” Smith interrupted.
Estabon cracked a smirk. “Why do you people complicate things? It looks like a light saber and I say it’s dangerous and very hot. Is it that hard to do the math?”
“You think we’ll believe it’s a light saber? Our experts can’t open it, see inside or it, or turn it on; for all we know it’s a radioactive or bio weapon.”
“Yeah, it only works if the force is with you.” Estabon leaned back on the chair raising is hands slightly below tabletop level.
Smith frowned but Gleeson slightly grin sensing it would only work for Estabon as a security feature; probably by biometrics, DNA or voice command.
“Why did you go through the trouble of kidnapping Brigadier General Weatherly.” Smith straightened up in the chair.
“We have practically sent you surrender invitations to include hundreds of thousands of Soldiers who surrendered in order to prevent further bloodshed. But that wasn’t good enough for you. I don’t know why you think President Dwyer’s declaration of surrender is fake; but that’s politics I guess.”
Smith huffed a scornful grunt. “You didn’t answer the question Councilman.”
“She’s gorgeous, and it’s because of her that you had the upper hand for the first two days. So why not take that advantage away?”
“What did you and Brenda talk about?” Gleeson’s crossed her arms leaving the note pad on her lap.
“General Weatherly and I spoke about the future.” Estabon lifted his hands above the table; cuffs falling unto the swirly tiled floor.
Gleeson dropped the notepad as she jumped up and the guard moved forward into position to Tase Estabon. Smith sat calmly as if prisoners getting out of their restraints were a common occurrence.
“Colonel Gleeson, I need you to read my mind. Agent Smith and all of you in the observation room. You are following erroneous orders. The real enemy is Australia.” Estabon said as he let Gleeson and another telepath in the observation room see parts of his thoughts and memories.
“You getting out of the cuffs doesn’t help your argument.” Smith said as the guard was ready to fire on command.
“I could have gotten out of this cell a long time ago. But soon we will walk out together.” Estabon said but mentally he was showing the telepaths the reality of the Tantalumized androids, Quatris’ report about the Pylaxian doomsday weapon, and the fact that the legion coming in their direction was not going to take it easy on them if they didn’t surrender.
Smith stood up. “That’s a tall order.” He turned to the guard. “Go ahead.”
The guard fired, but the electrodes shot out missing Estabon by inches hitting the wall as Estabon’s telekinesis altered the trajectory making it seem as if it was a defective product shooting at steep angles. “Stop!” LTC Gleeson yelled. The guard and Smith’s muscle’s froze as Gleeson invaded their minds.
“What are you doing?” Smith said as he shut his eyes trying to make sense of the information Gleeson was dumping into him. The guard likewise was trying to fight to get control of his body.
Estabon stood up and waited for the telepaths to finish their transfer of information and physical control over those not onboard with the peculiar situation.
“Thank you for helping out and saving lives.” Estabon said while Smith stayed seated, and the guard following Gleeson’s orders.
The three departed the cell, leaving Smith alone in the cell. They turned down the hall to the left meeting with four others to include COL Galin, the base Provost Marshal. “The Prime Minister might see this as treason.” COL Galin spoke in English.
“General Baxter as well, so if any of you want to be left in the cell, knocked out, that can be arranged.” Estabon replied looking at Gleeson, being a lead telepath in the division.
“We will get you through the MP station and then to Baxter’s command center.” Colonel Galin assured him.
The two mentalists walked next to Estabon as they made their way outside and into a vehicle. The hundreds of people they passed saw a regular Soldier they couldn’t describe next to COL Galin. All the way into the division TOC, security personnel to include attack dogs saw no problem with letting Estabon walk straight to the west side door of Lt. Gen. Baxter’s command center.
Inside the bunker at the entrance doors, Estabon paused before entering. “We’re too late, Corporal Waters and Specialist Pots, are going to shoot first!” Estabon ran knowing Gleeson and t
he other mentalist clearly heard him and understood his plan.
Estabon peeled off from the group and rapidly stood in front of the center table. Gleeson and the other Soldiers moved around the center taking overwatch positions. CPL Waters and SPC Pots drew their weapons, only to release the magazine and dismantle their pistols with a push, flip of the latch above the trigger mechanism, and slide of the slide and grip; three separate 9mm pistol parts falling to the floor.
“General Baxter you have five minutes to order your men in and around the systems able to employ a tactical nuclear weapon away from them!” Estabon said as a nuclear detention went off on the eastern border of Cairo.
“Security!” Baxter yelled along with two other Soldiers. Half of the command center jumped into action or just stood up.
Estabon looked at the situation monitor and then at Baxter. “You imbecile! You just sentenced Soldiers to death because you won’t act.” Estabon pointed at the closest guard to him, then at Baxter. “Why are you so bent on killing people no matter whose collateral damage?” His frown showed anger, but he didn’t advance as the two mentalists with him were not strong enough to prevent the ten new Soldiers who came into the room from shooting him for making a threatening movement against a three star general.
“You’re a murderer and will never enslave us. Take him away.” Baxter yelled as he saw half of the personnel in the room were either motionless, seemed to be lowering their weapons or moving away from their workspace.
Three Soldiers moved and aimed their M4s several feet from Estabon’s face. “You have to get those men away from the systems before they’re killed. But it doesn’t matter what I say since you’re obviously going to hold on to your self-righteous beliefs because you want to be in control… You have lost, and if you continue your course, more innocent people will die.”
