The Gypsy Queen: A Matt Preston Novel (Matt Preston Series Book 3)

by Paul Shadinger

  I thought that was a strange request. “Why?”

  “Just give me your word you won’t harm him, damn it, and stop fighting with me.”

  I muttered, “Yeah, okay. I don’t understand why not. You told me you wanted the program halted. Give me a better way of stopping the whole affair then by cutting off the head of the program!”

  “If any harm comes to him, you can’t imagine the fallout it would cause. To be honest, I don’t know if I would be able to weather it and I know for sure I couldn’t do a thing to protect you. You’d be on your own. Don’t forget that!” I couldn’t help but wonder why he was so insistent on me not harming Roc Doc. I just couldn’t believe there was anything John A. Orchard couldn’t do if he really wanted to!

  “Give me two hours and then head back to where we met at Boeing field.”

  “I’ll meet your plane in a couple of hours. And thanks.”

  “By the way, I’m also sending Lois out to help you. She can be a big help if you’ll let her. And, for what it is worth, you’re now the head field agent for the FBOICF.”

  “Okay.” I wondered, “Do I want to know what that stands for?”

  “It’s the Federal Bureau of Investigating Cluster Fucks. Now be nice to Lois. Goodbye.”

  I was laughing so hard it was difficult to talk. “Thanks for everything. Tell Lois I’m looking forward to seeing her again.”

  As soon as we hung up I called Mouse and asked him if I could borrow one of his nifty pistols that I had used when I rescued Jade. I explained I was flying out of Boeing field and I was grateful he didn’t question my motives. Mouse told me a pistol would be waiting for me at the airport.

  Next I called Sharon. I knew she would be glad to take Bean for me while I was gone helping the Admiral but I asked her anyway. I asked her if she minded picking Bean up at my place since I was planning on leaving soon. She assured me she’d pick Bean up. I thanked her. I knew Bean was in good hands and would be really happy being with Max and Sharon.

  I was still watching Bean sniff every blade of grass and check under every bush when my cell rang again. I wasn’t expecting a call and the surprise of it made me jump. I fished the phone out of my pocket. Looking at the number I realized it was Melissa’s. What the hell? This was getting weird.

  Tentatively I answered, “Hello, Matt here.”

  A gruff male voice asked, “Is this Matt Preston?”

  Who did this person think Matt was? I figured the voice didn’t sound like any Melissa I knew. “Yes. Who is this please?” The voice sounded totally different than the other I’d spoken to at this number.

  “My name is MacDonald. General C. V. MacDonald. I don’t know if you remember me or not but we met a few months ago on a deserted school sports field where—”

  Hell yes I remembered him. I interrupted, “Yes sir I do. And as I recall, you weren’t happy with the way the evening transpired.” I laughed silently.

  When MacDonald continued, he was even brusquer than before. “Yeah, well, that’s all been resolved.” I had a billion questions about that evening, but I also knew the best course for me was to keep my mouth shut. “You’ve been calling this number looking for Melissa Herman?”

  I knew what John had told me about the general and the super-secret agency he supposedly worked for, but I still couldn’t help wondering exactly who CV might be and who he was working for. Carefully I responded, “Yes, I’ve been trying to locate Miss Herman for a friend of mine.” I meant Ralph, but I also was thinking about John.

  “I don’t understand. Why are you looking for her? Are you some kind of a private investigator?

  “No, it’s just a favor for a friend.”

  “Who’s the friend?”

  I’d already told somebody on this line before and I almost got my head bitten off. I wasn’t too wild about going through that exercise again. “Ummmm, let’s say he prefers to remain in the background for the time being. Do you know how I can get a hold of Miss Herman?”

  When the general finally answered he seemed unsure of himself. “We would also like to speak to her. If you do find her, would you please have her contact us?”

  “Who is us?” I asked.

  “She knows who to contact.” Talk about cryptic comments.

  “And a number for her to call?”

  “She knows that as well.”

  I decided to push this a little. “Then I take it from your answers you have no idea where she is and you want me to do your dirty work?”

  “I wouldn’t put it that way.” He sounded very evasive.

  “Well sir, how would you put it?”

  He snapped, “If you find her, please have her contact us as soon as possible. Her safety depends on getting in touch with us.” And the phone went dead in my hand.

  I could see it was time for me to get going. I needed to meet Lois at the airfield. She was supposed to have Roberts’ exact location and more information on gaining access to the building he was working from. I was as ready as I was ever going to be to meet the infamous Jack Roc Doc Roberts. I had no idea how it was all going to turn out, but I hoped John and Ralph appreciated what I was trying to do for them.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I discovered many personal and business details about the Roc Doc as I read the large dossier that Lois had brought with her. Hopefully some of what I’d read would turn out to be useful when I met up with him.

  All I really knew for sure was Lois and I were headed for some rural area in Alabama to a town named Anniston. Our pilot told us the nearby town had an airfield for us to land, if one could really call it that. He said from the picture he’d seen on the internet, it looked more like an old drag strip. But for some reason the military decided to seize it for their use. At least that’s what the signs on the fence read.

  There was a car at our disposal and Lois said she would drive me out to our final destination. When we finally arrived at the old military post where Johnny said Roberts was working on Silent Sentential, the place looked like an old abandoned military garrison. I knew the fort had been decommissioned sometime in the nineties, and had once been a basic training facility, but now it was supposed to be closed. As we drove through the abandoned areas, parts of the base were eerie. Entire sections were totally empty and they were starting to become overgrown with trees and foliage, but upon closer examination I started to realize some of it was only window dressing. Some parts of the fort were not as old as they were made to appear, and a couple of buildings were far from abandoned.

  Lois and I found a secluded place to park and we sat in our vehicle for a while to observe. I noticed a couple of newer military vehicles patrolling the area and when one of them drove by, I took Lois in my arms and we acted like we were lovers making out. I found I was starting to become focused on the task at hand and Lois seemed to be getting into her part. Her kisses were exciting and very enjoyable. As the vehicle passed, I saw the light from a spotlight mounted to the military vehicle flash in our car for a second. For a moment I was afraid it was going to stop and we were going to be told to move on, but it slowed for only a minute and then moved on. When we were alone again, I released Lois and she grinned at me as she said, “Gee, for a gay man you do all right. Too bad that vehicle had to leave so soon. Things were starting to get interesting.” I didn’t want her to know I had also enjoyed our brief interlude and my comment was to tell her to be still, but I didn’t exactly use those words.

  Lois drove behind the building I wanted to access and when she slowed, I jumped out and found a place to hide. I moved into a small alley and stood still, watching to see if we had been spotted. Nobody seemed the least bit interested in us. Getting into the building was fairly easy. The only anxious moment was when I was trying to get the back door open. It’s been a few years since I had to use the wonderful lock picking skills I’d learned a long time ago.

  When I ca
me to the first door with a keypad, I gave a silent thank you to Johnny A for the code. When the door swished open for me I mentally gave him a larger thank you. I waited a few moments to see what was happening. So far things had gone a little too well. Gaining access to the building shouldn’t have been this easy. If what was going on here was what I thought it might be, there should have been a lot more security. Since I wasn’t seeing any guards, I assumed that meant there must be some sort of electronic surveillance. Still, it was quiet. I should have been happy with that, but I wasn’t.

  My next obstacle was a door with an electronic slot for a keycard. When Lois gave me the creds from John, I’d examined them carefully and I’d noticed a magnetic strip down the back and at the time I wondered if it was active. I thought I’d give it a try and I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the federal creds actually served as the passkey. The door slid quietly open and I rode it up as high as I could. To get any higher on the elevators you needed a special key, which I did not have. So far I was a lot further along than I thought possible when Orchard and I had first discussed the plan, but I was still apprehensive.

  I found a door to a stairwell and I was able to pick the lock. Once inside, I ran up three more flights of stairs. Standing at the top, I waited for my heart to stop pounding while I berated myself for allowing the old body to get so fat and soft, but in my defense, I thought my James Bond days were over and done, and I could enjoy life. I never thought I was going to have to someday try and find a person intent on destroying the world. After a longer period of time than I would have liked, my heart eventually settled down to a more normal rate. At least it didn’t feel like it was trying to jump out of my chest.

  I was greeted by a door with a security device much the same as the one I had found on the elevators. I swiped my creds and the door opened. “Thank you, John!” I thought. Passing through the door, I’d spotted a fire escape route map on the wall. I’d learned there was a hallway just beyond the door in front of me. In addition, I knew there were two rooms off the end of the hall and I’d have to guess which one I wanted to enter.

  Opening the door to the hallway, I found the lighting was soft and subdued. I had no idea if it was dim because it was late in the evening or they just kept the hallways semi-dark for other reasons. I arrived at the room I thought was where I needed to go and quickly opened the door and moved through into a darkened room. Once inside of the room, I stood off to one side. Waiting. Listening.

  Standing there, I could feel the years falling away as some of the old training took over and my senses became more acute. I sensed I wasn’t alone in the room and I wondered why the other person hadn’t made a move. They had to have seen me enter. I forced myself to continue to stand perfectly still. When I heard a small noise off to my left I carefully moved towards what I thought would put me behind the noise. I was gratified to find I still had the skills to move soundlessly across the room, but I also forced myself to stay focused on the task at hand.

  Once I knew I was behind my quarry, I was positive they had no idea I was there. But I still didn’t understand why they hadn’t reacted when I entered the room. Once I located his precise position, I stepped forward. As I drew the air pistol I gave Mouse a silent thank you and I leveled his magic pistol at the shadowy figure. “Whoosh!” I heard him hit the ground and once I’d located him, without giving it a second thought, I shot him again. Even though I had no idea what a second pellet would do, I gave it little or no thought. No grey area now. I didn’t want him to wake up too soon. I knew later when I went over what I was doing in my head, I might have some problems dealing with my actions, but this moment was not the time for reflections.

  I knew I had to keep moving and I started towards the far end of the room. Without any warning, I felt something strike my leg followed by a sharp pain and then even more pain shooting up and down my leg. I knew I’d been hit with some sort of a knife and I quickly turned towards where the knife had come from and squeezed the trigger on my pistol. My gun coughed three times as the silenced pistol shot its lethal loads and I heard the sound of a body fall.

  I wasn’t quite as sharp as I thought I was. I’d spotted one person, but not the second. Reaching down I felt a knife sticking out of the back of my leg and I pulled on it. The pain of removing it made me moan but I made sure there was no more noise than that. For a moment, I was afraid I might pass out, or at least lose my balance.

  I saw a shadow coming towards me and I leveled the air pistol at the middle of the shadow. I pulled the trigger. “Whoosh”. The shadow grunted as it dropped to the ground. My leg throbbed and I didn’t want to take any more time to try and find this person and I started towards the end of the almost dark room, my leg now making movement difficult. I felt the blood, but it didn’t feel like anything major had been nicked. It was very painful and I had to drag it behind me. Ahead I could see the backlit outline of a door and I moved towards it. I touched the side of the door where I thought there should be a doorknob and was happy to find I was correct. As the door opened towards me, I prepared to slip through and move along the wall.

  Once I could move through the door I found myself standing in another hallway. This hallway wasn’t on the fire escape map I had seen. Things up here had been modified and I was positive people were not supposed to know about this area or what it held nowadays.

  I looked down at the back of my leg and even though my pants were wet with blood, there didn’t seem to be a lot of it. I did notice there were a couple of drops on the floor where I stood, but they were just drops, not a puddle. I was going on the assumption that this was good news, but even with that knowledge, my leg still throbbed and walking was difficult.

  I started moving down this new hallway towards a set of double door at the end and when I pushed down on one of the door handles I was delighted to find the door wasn’t locked. I knew doors were opening and things were happening with too much ease. Somehow I felt this might be all a setup, but I couldn’t see any other way to get to the location I wanted unless I moved further inside of the building.

  I slipped into the room and stood with my back against the wall. It was huge. I looked around and I thought it was laid out similar to the bridge of a ship. There were the largest computer monitors I’d ever seen mounted on the walls and in the middle stood a raised platform. There was a workbench along part of the platform and in the center was a massive desk and a large executive chair facing away from me. I noticed a chair sitting next to the platform and I hobbled over to it and sat down. As I sat, the executive chair started to turn. When the person saw me sitting in front of him he looked startled. “Who are you?” he asked, confusion on his face. “Where did you come from?”

  “My name is Matt Preston.” I wondered if this was the man I was looking for. “Are you Doctor Jack Roberts?”

  I’d discovered many things about him during my flight to this fort, and in my mind’s eye, I saw Roc Doc Roberts as an evil man. A very evil man. Staring at him, I realized I didn’t know what I expected him to look like. I guess my inner eye had made the mental picture of him as some sort of frightening malicious, immoral person. The boogieman if you will. As strange as it sounds, for some reason I expected him to have shiny, jet black hair, combed straight back with perhaps a pencil thin moustache and sinister eyes. Think of the villain in a horror movie from the 1930s. That’s what I had expected. I know, I have an overactive imagination.

  The man sitting before me was far from the myth I’d created. To my surprise, Jack Roberts actually looked normal. If you saw him on the street you’d think he was somebody’s beloved grandfather. With silver to white curly hair, twinkly blue eyes, pink cheeks and a pleasant Northern European look, he was my idea of what a kindly ol’ grandfather should look like. For sure, he didn’t look like some mentally deranged man bent on destroying the world.

  My injured leg continued to throb and I was fighting to keep a clear head. Lucky for me
I was already sitting and wasn’t worried about falling down. “I’m Jack Roberts. What do you want?”

  He started to stand up and I motioned for him to stay in his seat. He watched me carefully as he sat back down. He started to reach for a keyboard, and I asked him to stop. As he moved his hand away, he asked me, “Why?”

  “Doc,” I said, “If you move your hand towards that keyboard again, I’ll have to shoot you. Do you understand?”

  He pulled his hand even further back. Once again he asked, “Why?”

  I was surprised by the question. “Sorry? What do you mean, ‘why?’”

  He smiled at me kindly as he replied, “Why are you so intent on destroying something you can’t possibly even comprehend?”

  “Sir, I beg to differ with you. I do comprehend what you have created. And that’s why I know it must be destroyed. What you have created is too heinous to be allowed to continue to exist.”

  “You can’t know anything about my creation, or for that matter, you can’t possibly know anything about me,” he replied.

  My voice was a whisper. “But I do. I know all about your awful program and what’s even worse, I know way too much about you. I’ve searched the internet, and I’ve read several top secret private files about you. I’ve made it my business to learn every facet of your life. I know exactly who you are today, and what you’re doing. I also know about the twisted, angry boy trapped inside of you. I know about the boy whose mother abandoned him before he was five years old and what that did.”

  I watched Roberts’ eyes grow wide as he shook his head. I could tell he didn’t expect me to know anything about the past I was describing. I continued, “I know how the boy’s mother gave him to her parents to raise.”