The Enemy Within

by Kurt Winans

  After drug filled darts had also hit both Victoria and Ms. Holloway, Jennifer attempted to kick one of the attackers in the groin as they approached her. Sadly her effort resulted in that of having her foot grabbed while in midair, and with a forceful twisting of her lower leg, Jennifer was spun off balance and to the ground before she knew what had happened. While all of that swift action was occurring, Blake stood frozen. Then he suddenly felt a large hand from behind envelope his mouth and nose, and an instant later he felt a sharp localized pain in his neck as he saw his mother and aunt being loaded into the van. Feeling his body going limp from the injection, Blake attempted to look down toward his cousin as the world around him faded to black. In a flash he and each of the other five unconscious victims along with the attacking force where concealed within the cargo van.

  Before heading toward a warehouse near a set of fishing docks, the driver turned his head and said, “We must handle each of them with kid gloves, especially the two oldest. Get them all into a comfortable position to avoid injury and monitor their vitals.”

  The lone female in the attacking force replied, “Roger that, I’m already checking my designation. After I’m done with her, I’ll tend to the others.”

  “That’s good. Now the rest of you search their purses or pockets for the hotel room keys. After we get them to the warehouse and secured for transport, four of us will return and collect what we can from each of the rooms.”

  Ms. Holloway felt as if she was awakening from a bad dream. She was still groggy, and for the moment, had no real idea as to where she was or how she got there. It took a few minutes for her to clear away the fog, but she became alert enough to somehow believe that she was in an airplane. There was the unmistakable soft yet constant drone of engines, and a subtle motion to wherever she was that one often felt when traveling by air. None of that seemed possible however, and perhaps she was still in a dream state, as Ms. Holloway also realized that she was currently in a fully horizontal position. She opened her eyes, but all that could be viewed was a black scene nearly devoid of all light. A cloth of some sort with a breathing hole had been placed over her head and she instinctively wanted to remove it, however she could not raise either of her arms as she had been restrained.

  Although her range of motion was severely limited, and she could not see through the black hood over her head, Ms. Holloway could still hear two faint voices of those who apparently loomed above.

  The first of those was a female voice that calmly stated, “As her attempted movements would attest, she’s coming around fully now. At last check a few minutes ago her vitals were all strong, and she should be alert enough to understand what you must tell her. Give it a try whenever you are ready.”

  A male voice then asked, “Ms. Holloway? Can you hear me Ms. Holloway?”

  There was no response. Although she felt able to, there was also a part of Ms. Holloway that wanted to remain motionless and quiet as an act of defiant protest.

  Then she felt a warm gentle hand upon her right wrist, and a few seconds later the female voice once again claiming, “Her pulse is strong. She’s definitely with us, so try again.”

  With a slightly loader volume the male asked again, “Ms. Holloway. I know that you can hear me. Will you please respond?”

  Realizing that she couldn’t play possum forever, or gain an advantage from exhibiting any level of stubbornness, Ms. Holloway calmly replied, “Yes. I can hear you.”

  “That’s good Ms. Holloway. Now how do you feel?”

  With a noticeable measure of sarcasm, she replied, “Not well!”

  The female voice interjected quickly, and stated, “Perhaps I can help Ms. Holloway.”

  Ms. Holloway could sense that the woman possessed a well-practiced bedside manner, which was something that was difficult to fake for an extended period of time.

  Turning her head slightly in the direction of the inquiring voice, she replied, “You mean other than being drugged and abducted, tied down to this cot or whatever it is, and having a hood pulled over my head?”

  “Yes. Well we are truly sorry about all of that, but it was necessary. Our intent was, and still is, to ensure that you and the others are comfortable for the duration of this transport. What I’m asking now is if you are injured in any way?”

  While moving what she could under the restraints, she observed, “Well I don’t feel any specific pain anywhere. Therefore I would have to say no. That is unless there’s something internal that I don’t know about yet.”

  Then the male voice took over once again, and stated, “We are glad to hear that Ms. Holloway. Now I would first like you to understand that Mrs. Tillman, and the other four in your party are all safe and secure. Unlike you, they are still unconscious from the drug and will be kept that way until we arrive at our destination. I assure you that no harm will come to any of you, but I have received instructions to make sure that none of you know where we are going. That is why even though you have been temporarily awakened, the hood over your head will need to remain in place.”

  Easing her head back to a straight forward angle, she inquired, “And why are you telling me this?”

  “Because that is what number two instructed me to do.”

  “Number two? I’m afraid that I don’t know what you are talking about. Is this number two a person, and if so, then who is it?”

  “Please Ms. Holloway; you don’t need to play that game with any of us. Number two is Samuel Tillman, and all of you are members of his family. Now please don’t be too alarmed by any of this, but we are members of the organization as well. Number two has given me a special designation for this particular mission, and he informed me that you would know the meaning of it when I tell you that my code name for the present time is Hermes.”

  There was a prolonged silence before she gently turned her head and quietly asked, “Samuel has given you the designation of Hermes?”

  “Yes ma’am, he has.”

  “I see. Now I realize that I’m hardly in a position to be disrespectful toward you, but do you know anything about Greek mythology?”

  “Very little Ms. Holloway. However number two informed me that Hermes was referred to as the God of cunning and theft.”

  “Well that is true in part, and it would seem to be quite apropos given the current circumstances. However Hermes had a broader designation. Knowing Samuel as I do, perhaps he chose to name you that for an additional purpose.”

  “And what would that be Ms. Holloway?”

  “Well to begin with, you should consider that purpose to be an honor young man.”

  “I have always considered any mission assignment of number two to be an honor, and this one is no different.”

  “Well that’s good to know. Because I believe that in the eyes of Samuel, you have just become the messenger of the Gods.”

  Rarely does an event transpire as a result of decisions made in Washington D.C. where the opposition party of the one responsible doesn’t condemn it. No matter what side of the political equation, the opposition will nearly always jump at the chance to seize a perceived opportunity which could gain them an edge in the future. Such was the case when those in opposition of President Harwell caught word of the events that had unfolded in and around various regions of Texas.

  Beyond the belief of what Vice President Sutherland would do with the information in an attempt to secure the party nomination, there was also the concern over how the Governor of New York from the opposition party would respond. As the candidate who had become virtually unopposed in his quest to secure the nomination of his party, the man had planned on publicly announcing his intent to seek the presidency more than eighteen months prior. Unfortunately the misfortune of poor timing due to unforeseen circumstances had delayed him from doing so. Learning roughly an hour before his planned outdoor speech in Albany that there had been a terrorist attack to the south at West Point, his announcement seemed trivial against the lives that had been lost so he postponed for a short time
. Nevertheless he had throughout the time since earned the belief of many within his party that he was the one who should replace President Harwell, and as the Governor of a powerful state with many friends in his corner, he was intent on proving them correct.

  Events of that nature would take months to play out, but in dealing with the present situation, the Governor was prepared to fire the first shot at proving that President Harwell was unfit to be the leader of the nation moving forward. Even though Fort Bliss and Biggs Army Airfield in western Texas, along with the Red River facility in eastern Texas, had been shockingly captured in a swift and concise manner, there were many who didn’t understand why it was necessary for those actions and the blockade to occur in the first place. The Governor was among them, and he planned on informing the American people repeatedly during multiple speeches up through the election of November that those actions were ill-conceived. In his eyes the evidence behind that belief was obvious, but he wanted it clearly understood among the voting populace. He would begin that education at the upcoming convention of his party by citing that Jordan Harwell had broken the law in the most serious of ways. The man had clearly exceeded the scope of Presidential authority when he decided to declare war against the Republic of Texas without congressional approval.

  Unfortunately that strategy of the Governor was flawed in a few ways. In typical fashion for most politicians of the modern age, his rhetoric spoke more of why the opposition should not be voted for as opposed to why he should be given the opportunity to lead. The Governor neglected to realize that the American public had grown increasingly tired of such a tactic, and he would need to be careful moving forward as they yearned for someone who could prove that they were worthy of leading the nation as opposed to claiming that another wasn’t. In this particular instance there were many citizens of the United States who never liked the idea of Texas separating from the nation, so they viewed the actions of President Harwell as heroic retribution.

  The other serious downfall which would strike both the Governor and Vice President Sutherland as they respectively pushed to obtain the Presidency, was that of the knowledge which neither possessed. President Harwell knew of Samuel Tillman and the lecherous organization from within Texas, and what they as an entity had done to the United States, while his rivals for the office which he held were not privy. Therefore the President had the upper hand in this instance, and based upon his knowledge he could initiate other actions which could help his cause whenever he desired.

  Had it not been for the list of glaring factors against him, the summer and fall strategy of the Governor could have perhaps worked in this favor. Unfortunately as with his initial intent to announce his candidacy for the Presidency, his timing was poor. He would never have the opportunity to win over the hearts of the nation, as another covert plan of action had been initiated by President Harwell.

  Ms. Holloway and the five members of the Tillman family in her company had been revived to the point of consciousness, and were seated comfortably within a well-appointed large room. Although their hands and feet had been freed from the bonds which held them throughout the journey, and the hoods which impeded their sight were no longer present, they were currently being guarded by four large and physically fit men. As the ladies and Blake remained temporarily lethargic while attempting to shake away the cobwebs of their lengthy slumber, a woman moved among them to ensure that each of the six captures were recovering properly from the effects of the drug.

  Two of the men guarding them were instantly recognizable to Victoria, which from her perspective was surprising and added intrigue to the uncomfortable moment. Everyone else knew who the men were as well, but Ashley showed more interest in the actions of the woman as she looked vaguely familiar. That woman had already checked the vital signs of the two oldest and youngest members of the group, and exhibited much care in doing so as she called each by name. Throughout that process Ms. Holloway had been the most at ease, and had stated that it was important for everyone to remain as relaxed as possible.

  As the woman who had been giving care approached her, Ashley drank from the bottle of water she had been given as it helped to clear what fog remained in her head.

  Staring at the woman she said, “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

  “Oh yes, and on multiple occasions actually.”

  “We have? Then I should probably recognize you more clearly than I do.”

  “Perhaps, but on the most recent of those occasions you were understandably distraught. As for the time before that, it was during a huge gathering of people.”

  Not fully comprehending either of the occasions to which the woman referred, Ashley replied, “Alright, then what about the time before that?”

  Before she could respond, a man emerged from the shadows and stated, “That would have been inside a warehouse in Harrisburg Pennsylvania.”

  Ashley spun around in her chair to view the man as he approached, and noticed that he had a prosthetic replacement for the lower portion of his left arm. Then she turned back to take a closer look at the woman who had begun checking her vitals.

  After looking at her closely for a moment, Ashley said, “Harrisburg? Yes. We were waiting for the trailer rigs full of cars to arrive, and you were one of the escape drivers.”

  Returning the gaze, she replied, “That’s right Ashley, and prior to that we were also at the training facility in west Texas together. I was assigned to the Maryland contingent, while you were part of the team for New York.”

  Now standing within a few feet of Ashley, the man raised his left arm and stated, “And I would have lost more than my lower arm as a result of the mission if it hadn’t been for the splendid care of this woman during our return to Texas.”

  Victoria new who the man was, and remembered speaking with him at the mansion on the night that Texas became independent. He had been shot while escaping from Annapolis, and the bullet, according to what Samuel had told her, had shattered the bone in his forearm while also causing a serious infection. The doctors at Baylor University Medical Center validated the claim of the man who now stood next to Ashley. He would have lost more than his lower arm if the wound and infection had not received at least some treatment during the hours and days which immediately followed the bullet strike.

  Turning her gaze toward the two instantly recognizable men, Victoria realized what this most unpleasant situation could be. It was not a comforting thought to be kidnapped and taken to an unknown location, but it wouldn’t be the first time in the history of mankind that trusted individuals or employees had gone rogue.

  Standing defiantly Victoria looked back at the man who had come from the shadows and asked, “So why have you abducted all of us? Is this kidnapping intended as revenge against Samuel for the injury you sustained, and do you all hope to receive ransom from him for our safe return?”

  Stepping forward while shaking his head from side to side, the man replied, “I’m afraid that you don’t understand Mrs. Tillman.”

  Appearing to have not heard his reply, she turned once again to face the two who she had known for several years to ask, “And what part do you play in all of this?”

  The men had among other things assisted Samuel and Mason as they carried the coffin of Savanah to her gravesite. As the two most senior members of the Tillman security team, they had also escorted her with Samuel to Manhattan for her first ever visit to New York. Now they had willingly become part of the team for the trapdoor mission.

  Stepping forward slightly, the older of the two replied, “Our function will be as it always has been Mrs. Tillman. We are a portion of your security team.”

  While in disbelief of the impertinent reply, Victoria responded, “So you are claiming that abducting all of us, and now holding us against our will, is acting as my security team?”

  Before either could reply, the man from the shadows intervened and said, “Mrs. Tillman, please allow me to explain the overall picture.”

  Ms. Holloway
echoed the thought while adding, “Yes Victoria, everything will be alright. Just let the man explain what is happening.”

  She spun to face her confidante, and asked, “You know what is going on here?”

  “Not entirely, but I was awakened briefly while in transit to this location so that I could be given a coded message from Samuel. Now please Victoria, let the man explain.”

  Her thoughts of outrage with regard to the situation suddenly changed based on what Ms. Holloway had said, so Victoria sat down with a quizzical glance toward her and listened carefully as the man before them began. While facing directly toward Victoria, he informed her and the entire group that they had been unconscious for a few days while the lengthy transport involving several moving parts had taken place.

  After their capture in South Padre Island, they were moved from the harbor and beyond the southern reaches of the American blockade via a large fishing boat. Then following the coastline south, the boat eventually reached the seaside town of La Pesca Mexico where they were offloaded and placed within an awaiting cargo helicopter. That helicopter, an MIL MI-8 HIP-C, had been provided by Mr. Flores, as he was a business associate of Samuel. It was the same helicopter that transported the Colorado assault team from the airstrip near Valle de Rosario to the safety of Monterrey after their twin jets had been intentionally set ablaze in the Mexican outback.

  While motioning around the room toward all those present, the man continued by explaining that the helicopter waiting in La Pesca had taken the twelve of them, conscious or otherwise, to a remote airstrip more than one-hundred miles inland where a specially fitted former transport plane of the Mexican Army was fully fueled and ready to go. As that was underway, the fishing boat which had brought them south began a return trip to South Padre Island so that it would not be reported as missing. After another transfer of the cargo from the helicopter to the plane, they began a lengthy flight to the south with the intent of landing once for refueling before arriving at an airstrip within short driving distance of the final destination. Since that successful arrival, four silver SUV’s had been used to move all twelve of them and supplies to their current location within a large villa. He then stated that the entirety of the abduction within and the transport out of Texas was completed at the directive of Samuel Tillman. In closing he added that the plan which had been activated was devised by number two before Texas become an independent republic as a safety valve for the family, and it was most appropriately code named trapdoor.