Saving America

by Saxon Andrew

  “Will do.”

  Grady turned his attention back to Al and stared at him in silence. Al kept his silence but finally spoke up, “What authority do you have to be holding me here?!”

  Grady shrugged, “None.”

  “Then release me now!”

  Grady leaned back in his chair and put his right index finger above his lips. After a moment, he lowered his arms and put his hands on his lap before saying, “I can forgive many things, Mr. Dunbar. But one thing I will never forgive is anyone who threatens harm to my wife. I know why you came here and I know who sent you. But you will make a verbal confession that will be recorded. I genuinely hope you refuse.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if you comply, I’ll be forced to allow you to live. I’d much rather you turn me down.”

  Al stared into the man’s eyes and saw he was extremely dangerous. But he remained silent. If he ever allowed one of his clients to be uncovered, he would never work again. He glared at Grady and heard Jekins continue to whimper next to him. He looked at Jekins and saw his fear had caused him to wet himself. He turned back to Grady and shook his head. Grady rolled his chair forward until his eyes were inches from Al’s and Al saw there was steel in the man’s expression. “Last chance!” Grady said in a neutral tone. Al remained silent and Grady looked to his right, “Bob, if you’ll do the honors.”

  Al jerked his head around and saw a huge robot appear behind Baker. It extended its arms and twisted Baker’s head so hard it snapped off his body. The robot threw the head into the corner and rolled behind Jekins who was screaming at the top of his voice. Al quickly shouted, “ALL RIGHT!! ALL RIGHT!!”

  Grady kept his eyes on Al and said, “Bob.” The robot removed his arms from Jekins’ head and rolled back.

  Al realized that if he was dead, he’d never get any jobs either. “I was hired by Gerard Meadows to kill you and your…”

  Grady held up a hand, stopping Al. He looked up and asked, “Computer, are you recording this?” A cold chill ran down Al’s spine; this man felt nothing for Baker’s death and he realized he was nothing to this killer.

  “Yes, I am recording, Colonel.”

  Grady turned back to Al and smiled slightly, “Please continue, Mr. Dunbar.”

  “Gerard Meadows contacted me and offered to pay me a huge sum to kill you and your wife. He provided the weapons to make it happen and paid fifty-percent up front.”

  “How much did he pay, Mr. Dunbar?”

  “A million crowns.”

  “And what is the number of the account you deposited those funds?”

  Al knew there was no escaping this man’s questions. He recited the account number and Grady asked, “How many others have you killed at Mr. Meadow’s bidding?”

  Al hesitated, and Grady looked to his right. “Twenty-three!” Al quickly answered.

  “Please recite their names, the means you used to kill them and the location where you pulled it off.”

  Al knew his life was over. But at least he was possibly going to live. He began reciting the names of his victims and the dates he had killed them. He also gave up why Meadow’s wanted them killed. Grady sat back and listened to the assassin and wanted so much to kill him. But a promise was a promise. At the end, Grady stared into Al’s eyes again and said softly, “Both of you deserve to die. But I said I wouldn’t kill you if you gave a full confession. I’m going to keep my word but I’m having the High Prosecutor send for you and take you away for trial.”

  Al stared at Grady and said, “I’ll get a good barrister and this confession will be tossed because it was taken under duress.”

  Grady smiled, “I’m not talking about civil authorities, Mr. Dunbar. You will have a military trial and forcing a confession is not against military law.”

  “But I’m not in the military!!”

  “No, but you were caught with military weapons, which places you under their jurisdiction. I can, of course, kill you now if you prefer?” Al glared into Grady’s eyes and shook his head. Grady stared at him and rolled his chair back, before saying, “Mr. Dunbar. I think you should know that if you had refused to confess, your death would have taken much longer than Mr. Baker’s or Mr. Jekins. I would have ordered my robot to pull you apart piece by piece starting with your arms. Like I said, I do not forgive anyone that threatens my wife. I suspect your actions may warrant a death sentence but that is up to the military to decide.”

  “There is no death penalty on Melbourne!” Al quickly responded.

  “But there is in the military, Mr. Dunbar. I hope you get what you deserve.” Grady stood up and walked out of the room.

  • • •

  That evening, Grady looked at Taffy and asked, “How did it go?”

  “They were taken without loss of life.”

  “Good.”

  “Grady, what are we going to tell Maranda?”

  “The truth, Taffy. Anything else would show disrespect to her. She deserves to know.”

  Taffy sighed and lowered her head. She looked up and said, “Computer, please ask Maranda to report to our sleeping quarters.”

  Maranda heard the computer and left her room. She walked the hundred yards to their bedroom and the door opened for her to enter. Taffy walked over and put her arm around Maranda’s shoulders and said softly, “Please come join us.” They walked over to a large computer table and Taffy pulled up a cushioned chair for Maranda to sit down. She walked around and sat down beside Grady. Maranda looked at them and was shaking in fear. Grady smiled slightly and said, “Please try to relax. You’re not in any trouble.”

  “What about my family?” Maranda asked in a shaky voice.

  Grady looked at Taffy and she pressed a button on the console, “Before we get into the details, you need to see Al’s confession.” The computer’s screen came on and Maranda saw Al sitting in a chair with Grady sitting in front of him. The video began, and Maranda watched it in silence. She winced when Bob removed Baker’s head. When it completed, she turned to Grady, “I’m as guilty as they are.”

  Grady nodded, “There is a case that you are an accomplice to the ones killed by Al and his assassins by not reporting it. But no one other than you and we are aware of that. You were a minor when all of that happened and you spent your adult years in the academy. Charging you with your parent’s crimes as a minor would probably fail and the prosecutor has assured me you are in no legal jeopardy.”

  “But that doesn’t remove my responsibility!”

  Taffy sighed, “No, it doesn’t, Maranda. That is something you are going to have to learn to live with.”

  Maranda lowered her eyes and said softly, “There are many things I’m going to have to live with.” She looked up and asked, “What about my parents?”

  Taffy looked at Grady and he tilted his head slightly, “That wasn’t easy.”

  “What do you mean?” Maranda replied.

  “I explained to the prosecutor that we wouldn’t have learned about this danger without your telling us about it. I told him we promised that your parents wouldn’t be harmed, and he rejected our promise.” Maranda’s eyes widened, and Grady quickly added, “I contacted the Prime Minister about the issue and told him that to turn our backs on the promise we made to you was the wrong thing to do. It took some time to persuade him that your parents wouldn’t escape this completely before he sent two pardons to the prosecutor. They will not be charged with the murders of their competitors.”

  “What do you mean they won’t escape completely?”

  Grady turned to Taffy and she took a deep breath before beginning, “Since we learned about this issue, I’ve had my financial advisors purchasing voting shares of Meadow’s Industries. It cost us a lot but as of this evening, we own fifty-one-percent of the company’s stock.”

  “What does that mean?” Maranda asked.

  “It means that I’m about to inform your father that he is no longer the CEO and that his services are no longer required. He was quite stupid. He only
holds twenty-eight-percent of the company’s stock and he sold most of it to take profits from the company. He should have kept more than fifty-percent ownership, but he didn’t. Grady and I now control the company.”

  “Were you hurt by purchasing the company’s stock?”

  Taffy tilted her head and nodded, “It took a sizable amount out of our personal funds, but it will be worth it in the long run.” Maranda’s eyebrows came together, and Taffy added, “Meadow’s Industries provide a large percentage of the electronic components being used to build our fleets. It’s not really being run well and by using our robots to increase production, I believe the value of the stock can more than triple in less than two or three years. Your father didn’t know what he had.”

  “What happens to them?”

  “Well, once again your father was a dunce and the mansion he lives in is owned by the company,” Taffy answered. “He will be ordered to vacate the premises immediately.”

  “HOW WILL THEY SURVIVE?” Maranda wailed.

  Taffy immediately put her hand on Maranda’s arm, “Maranda! They still own twenty-eight-percent of the stock and the dividends from that stock will be enough for them to live comfortably, if not at the level they’re accustomed.”

  “What if one of the assassins tells a news agency about their complicity in the deaths of their competitors?”

  “That won’t happen!” Grady replied.

  “Why not?” Maranda countered.

  Grady chuckled, “The prosecutor was as angry as a dog having his bone taken by a puppy at not being able to go after your parents. He told me that those assassins would be tried, and he would seek the death penalty for every one of them. The trial will take place in a secure government facility and, if they’re found guilty, which they will be, then they’ll be executed immediately at the trial’s conclusion. The public will never be informed on what happened and there won’t be anyone to blow the whistle on your parents.”

  Maranda stared at Grady and then lowered her head. “The officers holding the trial will know. My career is over.”

  “Not really,” Taffy responded.

  “How can you say that?”

  “Because the only reason the Prime Minister agreed to issuing the pardons is because Taffy and I convinced him that you are going to be one of Melbourne’s finest officers and he shouldn’t do anything to cause you to leave the service.” Maranda stared at them with tears in her eyes and Grady said in a soft voice, “I expect you to prove us right, Maranda.”

  Taffy handed Maranda a soft cloth and she wiped her eyes. Taffy smiled and said, “There’s more.”

  “What more could there be?” Maranda asked.

  “Once you leave the service, we intend to sell you our stocks in Meadow’s Industries for ten crowns.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “Because you put yourself and your parents in jeopardy to prevent us from being killed,” Grady said softly. “By that time, the funds we used to purchase it will be more than replaced and the company bears your name. You need to help us determine one thing.”

  “What is that?”

  “Who do we put in control of the company now? We’re not going to be around most of the time and we need someone that understands how the company operates.” Maranda thought about it and Taffy said, “But first, we need to have a discussion with your parents. Do you have their communicator numbers?”

  Maranda nodded and called it out as Taffy entered it into the computer.

  • • •

  Gerard Meadows took a bite of his evening dinner and felt his communicator vibrate. He took it out of his pocket and didn’t recognize the number, he pushed the receive button and snarled, “WHO GAVE YOU MY PERSONAL NUMBER?!”

  Taffy appeared on Gerard’s communicator and smiled, “Mr. Meadows, my name is Adelle Henricks; I’m one of the ones you sent your assassins to kill. I wanted to contact you and bring you up to date on the consequences of your actions.”

  Gerard’s mouth fell open and Clara felt suddenly sick. Gerard’s phone had the speaker turned on and she heard the conversation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Gerard said stiffly as he stood up from his chair.

  Taffy raised an index finger and shook it at him, “Now, now, Mr. Meadows. I have a little video for you to see that might refresh your memory.” Taffy started Al’s confession and broke in before all the names of the competitors were completed, “As you can imagine, my husband and I are quite distraught by your behavior and we’ve taken action to insure you don’t ever repeat it.” Gerard sat down and felt his body start trembling. “There, there, honey. We’ve arranged for you to not be charged with the crimes you’ve committed and you’re not going to be arrested.” Gerard collapsed back in his chair along with his wife. “The only reason we’re doing that is because your daughter is one of our subordinates and we don’t want to alienate her and cause her to leave the service. However, life as you know it is about to change.”

  Gerard sat up, “What do you mean?!”

  “My husband and I now own fifty-one-percent of the voting stock of Meadow’s Industries. We are firing you from being the CEO and you will not have an official role in the company as of now.” Gerard’s mouth fell open again and Taffy added, “Further, the mansion you are currently living in belongs to the company and you are ordered to vacate the premises in the morning or you will be forcibly evicted in the afternoon.”

  His wife yelled, “HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO SURVIVE?!”

  “Why on the dividends from the stock you own in the company Mrs. Meadows,” Taffy answered. “It will necessitate a change in your lifestyle, but I personally think it would be good for you. I believe as the value of the stock goes up, you will be able to improve your standard of living.”

  “Does Maranda know about this?” Gerard snarled.

  “We just informed her, but she can do nothing to change it. She doesn’t own any stock and will have to manage to live on what the Navy pays her. Remember, be out by noon! Taa Taa.”

  Gerard pulled up the company’s files on his communicator and found the largest owners of voting stock. He looked up at Clara and she saw the horror in his eyes. She stood up and screamed at him, “I told you not to go after them!!”

  “No, you didn’t! You only asked if I thought it was wise. You even made the call to Al to set it up!”

  Clara’s fear and anger turned to rage, and she picked up a large carving knife from the table, leapt forward, and stabbed him in the chest screaming, “I HATE YOU!!” He fell from his chair to the floor gasping, and she put her hands beside her head. What had she done? A servant walked into the dining room and screamed as she dropped the tray she was carrying. Clara ran out of the dining room to the elevator in the foyer and punched R to take her to the top of the mansion. She stepped out and ran over to the edge of the roof and looked down at the circular drive way far below. She screamed and threw herself off the tall building. The hard concrete didn’t give with her impact.

  Grady received a call from the Prime Minister and he pulled Taffy out of bed, “What’s going on?”

  “Maranda’s mother stabbed and killed her husband and then threw herself off the mansion. They’re both dead.”

  Taffy jumped out of bed and ran to Maranda’s room. She opened the door manually and saw Maranda put down her communicator. Taffy rushed in and wrapped her arms around Maranda. Maranda looked up at Taffy, “I was afraid this might happen.” Taffy’s head went back slightly, and Maranda shook her head slowly, “My mother has always been the crazy one of the family. My father failed in his agreement to keep her wealthy and she lost control.”

  Taffy was crying and put her head in her hands, “I’m so sorry!! I shouldn’t have done this!!”

  Maranda put an arm on Taffy’s shoulder, “Maybe they’re better off, Taffy. Wealth is what defined them and without it they would be lost. The only thing that kept them together was their greed and love of their possessions. I know my mother was only a small step
away from insanity at any given moment. I think they paid for their actions.” Taffy wept and knew she caused their deaths. Maranda’s eyes were dry, as she closed her eyes and tried to comfort Taffy.

  Chapter Nine

  Taffy was crying in the Transport as they left for the funeral. Maranda sat in the back seat next to Taffy and Grady was trying everything to comfort her. Finally, Maranda sighed heavily and said, “Taffy, do you not think my parents deserved to die?” Taffy turned to Maranda with red eyes and Maranda continued, “They murdered scores of their competitors and ruined the lives of countless others.”

  Taffy wiped her eyes and looked at Maranda, “But I’ve caused you to lose your family.”

  Maranda lowered her eyes, “So all this sorrow is for me and not for my parents?”

  Taffy stared at her in silence and then nodded, “Yes, I guess it is.”

  Maranda sighed, “I don’t deserve your tears, Taffy. I’m just as guilty as they are. I deserve what happened and quite frankly, you were right when you once told me that I would spend my live without love if I continued my ways. I didn’t love my parents, other than a sense of loyalty because they were family, and I know for a fact they didn’t love me. I was just a tool to help them grow their wealth. I’m struggling to feel something for their loss and I just can’t do it. I’m ashamed of what they’ve done and I’m angry at being so stupid to try and be like them.” Maranda paused and exhaled slowly. Taffy was staring into Maranda’s eyes as she continued, “I suspect if they didn’t kill themselves they would have been hounding me constantly to make you pay for what you did to them. I might have eventually been forced to kill them myself. You have no reason to cry one tear for them or me. I do believe the best thing happened and two ugly people will no longer harm others around them.” Maranda turned to Grady, “You kept your promise not to harm them. There was no way you could prevent them from harming each other. Neither of you have anything to feel bad about.”