Chapter 47: Consequences ... Deserved?

Late-August, 1986

US MARSHALLS SERVICE SECRET DETENTION AREA, NW OF WASHINGTON D.C.

Jeremy POV:

We managed to get all the prisoners separated and into cells. We then decided to let them stew for a little while before Pops flashed that he wanted to bring in Franklin.

He was planning on teleporting Franklin in so he wouldn’t know where he was being taken.

He had Rex go into an empty cell and turn invisible, standing in the center of the cell. He was planning to pop in right behind him then both of them would teleport into the meeting room where we were all set to begin discussing our game plan.

Every cell had a video camera as well as a microphone so we could watch each prisoner, trying to judge their mental state. They turned the light off before Franklin was put in his cell to further disorient him. Pops and Rex then teleported into the meeting room, materializing as themselves.

That caught all three of the Directors off guard. I was almost certain that Pops would materialize as the Terminator, since that’s how he had been communicating with all three of the directors earlier.

Pops flashed us, “I’ve been thinking about this, guys, I think it’s time we put all of our cards, or at least most of them, on the table. If we really want to do what we talked about, as far as getting rid of all the corruption in the three agencies, I need to come clean about my previous relationship with the CIA. Remember however, we also want to direct them as far away from any association with Charlie as much as we can. Therefore, let me do the talking and try to corroborate when you see where I’m going. We’re not going to tell them ‘the whole’ truth.

“Oh yes, be ready because we may give them a demonstration”

By now, all three of the directors were just staring at Pops.

Deputy Director Hodgkins of the FBI gasped, “Lenny? Are you Jonah?”

Before he could answer, Director Alex Logan of the CIA grinned, “Lenny Jorgensen? I thought I recognized you, but the last I heard, you and your wife were killed in a car wreck over 20 years ago! You probably don’t remember me but I was there in Nevada as an observer for the Psych-Ops division when you aided in an interrogation for the Nevada State Police. What I saw blew me away. I wrote a report about you and what I saw, then turned it in to my supervisor at the time. It seemed like about a week later my supervisor showed me a newspaper article about how you and your wife had died. I’d sure like to know the story behind all that!”

Lenny smiled, “So ... you didn’t know that the CIA physically kidnapped my wife and I and forced me to work for the CIA?”

Now director Logan was open mouthed again, “No! I had no idea. I was just a new agent at the time, so they must not have wanted me in on their little secret. For most of my career I’ve worked in the intelligence side of the CIA, not the Black-Ops division. Everything having to do with Black-Ops is very compartmentalized, especially the old ‘Psych-ops’ division which was closed about 10 years ago. The feeling was that the fewer people that knew anything the better, and easier it was to keep the Press from ever finding out what was going on.”

Lenny continued, “To make a long story short, I did work for the CIA for nearly 4 years back in the late 60’s early 70’s. TJ, Agent Johnson, was my second handler. He also became a close friend. Neither of us liked the direction we saw the CIA going in. Toward the end it seemed like all we were doing was chasing drug cartels. The thing of it was, I’d discover the names of three cartels and they would only go after two of them. I began getting the sneaking suspicion that what we were really doing was eliminating the competition for the big dogs. I didn’t have the proof, since like you said, it was very compartmentalized. When TJ opted out and moved to the FBI somehow or another I lost my abilities and was let go. Many years later, I suddenly regained my abilities and began helping the Illinois State Police and then, eventually, my old friend TJ. That’s my official story and I’m sticking to it. However, a few things happened and I discovered where the abilities I now have, really came from. To say that you wouldn’t believe it would be an understatement.”

By now, many of us were chuckling knowing what Lenny was referring to. I was curious whether or not he was actually going to tell these guys about Zeus and Ibera. They were all under a ‘CS’ spell, so I guess it wouldn’t have mattered, however, I wasn’t aware yet exactly where Lenny was planning on going.

Lenny began relating to them most of what I knew as the story behind how he and Nancy, his wife, had been originally treated. When he tried to dance around the fact that Charlie was actually the original catalyst for all of the abilities we had, he stopped short. He flashed to me and TJ that he was having a crisis of conscience about trying to leave Charlie completely out of the picture.

We all knew he wanted to protect Charlie in the worst way. He also felt, however, that the story he would’ve had to make up to leave Charlie out of it would take up more time than we had.

That was made even more apparent, when Deputy Director Hodgkins asked, “Lenny, if you had these abilities last year when you and TJ were kidnapped by that gang in Pittsburgh, then why was it necessary for ‘The Three Amigos’ to rescue you? Wasn’t it your sons and their friend that did that?”

Lenny sighed, “It’s simple. At that time, my ability to read people’s minds was the only ability I had. I also had a telepathic connection to my sons and their friend, which is what made it possible for them to find us. At the time, TJ had no telepathic or psycho-kinetic abilities whatsoever.”

I was tempted to jump in and help Lenny when he held up his hand and said, “Look gentleman, I’d like to tell you the whole story. However, to do so would not only be highly unbelievable but would take the better part of two or three days. We simply don’t have that much time right now. Besides, you three directors are still sort of on probation.”

He chuckled then added, “AND ... your current level of clearance isn’t quite high enough yet. Let me just promise you this. If you’ll just trust me for now and if all three of you still remember everything a week from now, I’ll take the three of you on a journey that will make everything quite clear. As an added incentive, at that time, I will also give all three of you the power of telepathy.”

The three directors were each looking at each other in what can only be described as an incredulous stupor.

My Director, Arthur Sloan, was looking at Rex and I.

We just winked at him and nodded before I told him, “Yes Director, as you might’ve guessed, everyone in this room, with the exception of you three, can all communicate with each other telepathically. That includes all the women. I know you’re all reluctant to talk about this case with them around, however, as far as we’re concerned, they all have a higher clearance level than you do!”

Now all three of the directors were just slowly nodding their heads. Director Alex Logan was grinning at Maggie before asking, “Miss Pendergast, may I ask how long you’ve had that ability to get into those people’s heads like I witnessed earlier?”

Maggie giggled, “Oh Director, I’m afraid that I’m a pure rookie. Even Bill hasn’t had his abilities for very long. We have had some very good teachers, however.”

That seemed to open a Pandora’s box that I could tell Lenny, as well as myself, wish hadn’t been opened. CIA director Logan’s eyes lit up, “Are you saying that these abilities you have can be taught ... to anyone?”

Lenny was quick to interject, “Not just anyone, Director. There is a very strenuous vetting process that someone needs to go through before any of our abilities can be ‘taught’. There is also a very strict limit as to how many any of us, meaning only Jeremy and I, can give powers to.”

Lenny frowned at Maggie which was nothing compared to the stink eye she was getting from Bill. She turned a delicious shade of crimson before flashing, “OOOPS, sorry!”

Lenny continued, “Let’s get this interrogation going, gentleman. I have a feeling when you see us in action you’re probably going to get many other ideas of how we might be used.”

TJ said, “I want to start with that asshole who shot me!”

The three directors all looked at TJ strangely before Deputy Director Hodgkins asked, “You were shot?”

We were all kind of holding our breath before TJ said, “I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for the quick thinking of Agent Monte, Agent Grissom and Agent Cosgrove. That’s all I can say for now. Is there any way that just Agent Cosgrove, Maggie, Lenny and I can be alone with the suspect, while you guys just listen in and watch what’s going on?”

My Director, Sloan, smiled, “Sure is, this room is wired with both audio and video to all of the cells and interrogation rooms. You guys just go to Interrogation Room 1 and we’ll stay here watching and recording everything. If that’s alright?”

TJ nodded, “That’s perfect. Just know that video of this can never go anywhere or be seen by anyone not currently in this room, without being edited that is.”

Director Sloan nodded, “Understood, TJ. It’s just that, will we still be able to use it in court?”

TJ grinned, “If the three of you decide to go that way, we can edit out anything that shows our identities. Lenny didn’t tell you yet, but I think the plan is to ship these assholes off to see our old buddy Chen!”

Director Logan gasped, “Chen is still alive?! I thought Jonah took him away and killed him! Where the heck have you been hiding him?”

Lenny was chuckling, “Jonah, or should I say we, don’t operate that way. During the heat of a battle or an operation we may kill people, however, none of us will ever just murder someone in cold blood, guilty or not. That’s not how we operate. Patience, gentlemen. For now, let’s just say that he’s in a land, far, far away from here!”

Now everyone was laughing or at least trying to hold back laughter.

Director Logan looked at the other two directors and shrugged his shoulders, “Must be some kind of inside joke?”

My Sheila, who had been trying to be quiet couldn’t help but giggle, “My friends, you have no idea! When Lenny takes the three of you to see Chen, then you’ll understand. And if you’re really good boys, he may even introduce you to Ibera ... and her twin sisters!”

They were still laughing while Lenny, Maggie, TJ and I headed to Interrogation Room 1. Once there a very surly looking assassin huffed, “I demand to talk to my lawyer!”

TJ chuckled, “That’s not how this works, asshole! What’s your name and who hired you to try and kill me!?”

By now Lenny and I both touched this asshole and pretty much could answer any question TJ might ask. This guy, however, just snickered, “My name is John Doe and you don’t even want to know who hired me!”

Lenny grinned, “So, Maxwell Lester, E Normistronzo promised you 250 grand to kill my friend TJ here?”

The guys jaw hit the floor as he was stammering, “I didn’t say that! How the hell did you know my name? This shit is not funny! I don’t know what Mr Big’s, name is! I’ve suspected that his name might be Normistronzo, but I’ve never seen him and he only contacts me via dead drops. I swear to God; I couldn’t even begin to tell you what he looks like. I’m telling you, I do not know him. If you tell anyone that I do, I’ll be dead before I take my next breath!”

I decided to continue, “How did you know that TJ was going to be here, anyway?”

Lester’s shoulders dropped significantly and he let out a long breath, “I didn’t know he would be here! He was simply a target of opportunity. Mr. Big is not the only one that put a contract out on Agent Johnson. Word had gotten back to Mr Big that this Jonah fucker was seen here along with Tom Selleck. There’s a $2 million bounty for anyone that kills Jonah!”

Maggie gasped, then flashed us “This bastard was targeting Charlie! I saw the image in his head and it was Charlie and two other guys. I’m sending you the images, did you get them?”

All three of us were flabbergasted as the image she had was Charlie, Bob and Greg! This guy had obviously studied a picture and had memorized their three faces. I wanted to find out just how much he or Mr Big actually knew about Charlie and the Three Amigos.

I grabbed his arm forcefully, stared him in the eyes, then said, “Why didn’t you try and get him at his home?”

“I don’t know! They haven’t been there in a while. I was told someone else was going to take care of that if I failed here.”

I wanted to be sure, so I asked, “So, you weren’t sent here to kill any of the CIA Agents?”

“Hell no! I didn’t even know there were any CIA Agents in the area. I did see three guys jump out of a van and open up with Uzis on four other people at point-blank range! And I have to say, they were some non-shooting motherfuckers as they each emptied an entire clip and never even hit anybody! I thought for sure those morons screwed up my job. It wasn’t until after that car blew up that I recognized and shot at Agent Johnson.”

He then looked at TJ and just shook his head, “I don’t know how you’re still alive because I swear, I watched the bullet hit you right in the throat.” He sighed again then added, “and I have absolutely no idea how I went flying through the air then crashed down right next to you guys.”

It was the consensus of the group that this guy, Max, was telling the truth ... at least as he knew it. I flashed the group to see who was next. It was no surprise that Monte wanted us to get Marek and his goons next. It made sense to do them in order, so we told Monte to go ahead and bring Marek in. The surprise was that he didn’t want Marek first, he wanted Laramie first. He informed us that we might be surprised at what we found out from this guy. He started to say why he wanted Laramie first but then stopped, saying it would be better if we just confirmed his suspicions.

While TJ ushered Max back off to his cell, Bill Monte came in with Laramie. The poor kid was nearly in tears as we sat him down, still in cuffs. Bill started right out, gruffly asking him, “Whose idea was it to kill Bruce, me and our girls?”

The look on the kids face pretty much told the story.

He began shaking his head, “I’m so sorry Agent Monte! Honest, if I’d have known we were coming after you and Agent Bixby I’d have gone straight to Franklin! I was at home, just finishing my TV dinner, when Marek called saying he had an emergency mission we needed to go out on. When I got back to the office, Marek and Lockhart already had the van running. As soon as Peter’s got there he told me to drive while the three of them got into the back. He told me to go to that piano bar because that’s where our targets needed to be taken down. I couldn’t hear any of what they were saying; I just heard them loading their weapons. He guided me up until I saw your car and the four of you were getting ready to get in it. At first I thought we were just stopping to pick you guys up! Then everything happened so fast. I couldn’t believe they were shooting at you, honest to God I had no idea!”

Laramie was sobbing now, obviously aware of how much trouble he was in. When Monte flashed as to whether or not the kid was telling the truth, Maggie, Pops and I could only nod our heads, “Yes he is buddy. Go ahead and continue your interrogation; let’s see if there’s anything else he may know.”

Monte reached over and put his hand on Laramie’s shoulder. “Then why did you try getting away?”

“Honest, Agent Monte, I was scared shitless and just hoped to get away before anybody recognized that I was with those three! I knew that what happened was extremely fucked up and didn’t want to be any part of it. When I took off, I had no idea the four of you were still alive! I was running away, hoping that Marek, Agent Peters and Agent Lockhart wouldn’t target me next. I was planning on running straight to temporary Executive Director Franklin to tell him how Marek had tricked all of us into killing Agent Monte, Agent Bixby and their girlfriends. Honest, you have to believe me, Agent Monte.”

Bill just sighed, “and that would’ve gotten you killed, son. How in the world did you ever become a CIA agent anyway?”

The poor kid was just shaking his head, “Mr. Franklin said that if I was going to marry his daughter, I had to be a CIA man. He said that once I went out on my first real mission he would allow me to marry his daughter.”

“Say what!? You’re dating Franklin’s daughter?”

Laramie just nodded.

Maggie was huffing when she flashed us, “I’ll bet that bastard Franklin had no intentions of ever letting poor Laramie here marry his daughter. That fucking asshole never even sent this kid through CIA training or anything! He was probably planning that bogus mission you were supposed to go out on with the full intentions on everyone getting killed. This poor kid is just as much a victim as we are. I think for now we need to put him in a safe house, not in jail. I say we bring that asshole Franklin in here right now and you let me kick him in the balls just like I did Marek!”

Monte told the kid, “Okay, here’s the deal. We’re going to put you back in your cell for now. If we find out you’re telling the truth, you might just get lucky. You’d better hope we don’t find out that you’ve lied to us!”

He shook his head, “I don’t know what they’ll say, but, I’m telling you the truth.”

Monte led the kid back to his cell as we decided to get Franklin next. We all felt that we were just wasting time with Marek and Peters.

As Rex went to get Franklin, we heard a tapping on the door and Director Logan was standing there, “I want to be here for this, if you don’t mind. I think it should prove to be interesting!”

We let him in and he sat next to Monte and Maggie.

We all wanted to see the look on Franklin’s face when he saw that Monte and Bixby were still alive.

It WAS very interesting.

Rex had put a hood over Franklin’s head to keep him off balance. When he sat Franklin down and removed the hood, Franklin liked to vapor lock! He sucked in four deep breathes as he was trying to figure out what was going on. You could physically see all the different scenarios that Franklin had running through his warped mind. His eyes went wide as he stared at Monte and Bixby. Then he looked over at Director Logan and we could all tell he wanted to say something, but then didn’t know what to say.

Finally, he looked at Lenny with wide eyes and open mouth, “Leonard Swenson? Is that you?”

Lenny chuckled, and said in his best Terminator voice, “and I’ll bet you thought I’d never be baaack!”

Franklin passed out cold.

Monte broke out some smelling salts, cracked one open and waved it under his nose, abruptly bringing him back to consciousness. Frankly gasped, staring at the Director, “Director Logan, this man lied and should be charged with subversion! He wrongfully captured me and brought me here against my will! He could have been working with us for all these years and he chose to fake the loss of his abilities just to shirk his duty to the American people!”

Lenny chuckled, “Franklin, it’s bastards like you and those crooked Co-Op members you’re in bed with that’s the real reason I chose to get out of the CIA. The good news is, I am back now and along with Director Logan, Director Sloan of the NSA, and Deputy Director Hodgkins of the FBI, we’re going to weed out all of the crooked agents as well as every single member of the Co-Op! You see, for the last couple days I’ve listened to everyone you’ve talked with and everything that was said. This is merely the start of our little operation.”

Franklin played the only card he felt like he had, screaming, “Logan, if you don’t get me out of here right now and make sure I get through that confirmation hearing tomorrow, everyone in this room will be dead! None of you have any idea just how powerful the Co-Op is! They have a virtual army of mercenaries at their disposal.”

Lenny then grabbed Franklin and looked directly into his eyes. I knew what he was doing. He pushed Franklin, forcing him to tell the truth. He winked at Director Logan before growling, “so... who exactly in the Co-Op should we be the most afraid of? We’ll make sure to bring him in first!”

Franklin’s mouth fell open as you could see part of his brain tried to keep his secrets, while the other part of his brain knew he had no choice but to tell the truth.

After a couple gasps his eyes closed, his head dropped and he said softly, “The leader of the Co-Op is a man named A L Hunt. He doesn’t act alone and is very close to a Chicago mobster known as E Normistronzo. E Norm, as they call him, is the head of the five biggest families that comprise what you know as the Mob. The two of them control most of the drug traffic, human trafficking and extortions done in the entire country. There is another man who lives around here, Davis Humbacker. I believe him to be the brains that holds the entire Co-Op together. Those are the only three that I know of for certain. It was Hunt and Humbacker who bribed the crooked politicians on the board that was supposed to rubberstamp my confirmation as the Executive Director of the CIA. Of the seven members on the board, four of them are in Hunt and Humbacker’s control. That is why I came up with a mission to get Monte and Bixby out of the country this week. Humbacker told me that the honest guys were planning on calling both of them to ask them what they knew about me and some of the missions I had planned. Since several of them did not go well, I needed to have them not be around to testify.”