Chapter 13

He was silent for several seconds. “I know nothing of, nor was I involved in any way, in any attempt to assassinate President Reagan. I’m almost insulted that you would even insinuate that.”

“George, I never said which President. What do you know about the coordination between the CIA, the NSA, and LBJ?”

He was quiet for several more seconds. “I know that it happened. I had nothing to do with it. It’s something that I knew about, because the director of the CIA gets briefed by Congress. Well, by certain members of the House and Senate intelligence committee in a completely sealed and closed session. They make sure that we’re aware of why those future eyes only files exist. I’m going to make a guess that you’re aware of other files in existence. Am I correct?”

“Pick a name, George. Or, you just want me to go ahead and say Lincoln?”

“I don’t know if they have a copy of those files here in Moscow, but the copy of the ones that were at the CIA were destroyed when you destroyed the building. I do know that MI-6 has a copy of those as well. Certain members of Congress have been working with others for a long time to help guide ... control ... the United States,” Bush said.

Ronald said, “Are you trying to tell me that there is existing proof that John Wilkes Booth was part of a global conspiracy to kill President Lincoln?”

George said, “Pretty much, Mister President. Just a second.”

Mikhail said, “I am aware of the documents here regarding President Lincoln. I was not aware of the documents existing regarding President Kennedy.”

Another voice that I recognized said, “Mister Messenger, I know of those files about President Lincoln. I can get them for you if you’d like.”

“Ah, Viktor, I’m glad to hear that you’re present as well. I’m going to read off a file folder that should be in the KGB files. If you could retrieve that one, and bring it to my assistant quickly, I would appreciate it.” I read off a twelve digit number followed by six letters. He repeated it back to me for confirmation. “Yes, that’s correct.”

“I will get it myself. Give me ... fifteen minutes,” Viktor said.

“Not a problem. In the meantime, I suspect that the file that the NSA had was one made by General Blake as what your criminal justice system would call an insurance file. While it has evidence of his own culpability, it also indicts Castro, Johnson, Dulles, and two others. One is undoubtedly a mob boss; CJM, due to mentioning his associates. I initially thought the other was Nelson Rockefeller, but the initials are wrong. It’s NJR, not NAR. You were the head of the CIA, George. Any ideas?” I asked.

“Off the top of my head, no. Hearing just the NR, I would have thought of Nelson myself. Since we’re not talking about who shot JR ... sorry, television mystery from a show that Barbara absolutely loves ... I know a CJR ... Charles Jacob Rothschild ... and some of the older members of that family had a first name that started with N. But not an NJR that I’m aware of.”

“I see. Evabethia, what do you think?” I asked.

“Everything remained steady. Astonishment, pulse rate, and breathing were all normal for exactly what was said,” she stated.

“She was here to check on me?” George asked.

“Unfortunately, yes. As you said, you were the head of the CIA, and knew about the FEO files. The minor detail that we have exceptional hearing and vision means that you’d pretty much have to be an asocial psychopath to lie around either of us. Which lets out most politicians. Don’t get me wrong, I suspect that many of you ... them ... are psychopathic, definitely narcissistic, but you can’t be asocial.”

Reagan laughed. “I suppose that’s a bit of a compliment. Obviously, I was an actor, so I could play many roles. But I would never hide away from people.”

“Mikhail, have you been getting a lot of flak from any agencies regarding your withdrawal from the United Nations?” I asked

“Not really. I was expecting more resistance than we have received. I’m actually getting a tremendous amount of support from the military because our forces are being deployed to the United States. The public is much freer now to be able to let us know what they think, especially with the Russian Orthodox Church working with us to run the government. As opposed to how it used to be, which was the government would tell the Russian Orthodox Church what to do, of course.

“I do presume, my friend, that you will deal with Fidel Castro. He has been very upset with us for withdrawing our support and aid. But, I feel that we are doing what you have requested us to do, in following your mandates.” He chuckled. “It is almost amusing, when you consider our form of government. Finding myself actually popular with the people is not something I actually expected to ever happen. The minor detail that we will be able to help more of our people, including getting rid of the gulag system that we have, is an improvement that I do not think anyone ever expected us to do. Ah, Viktor is coming back. Just a moment.”

“I hurried, my friend. I have the document file that you requested. It is sealed and I have not looked at it. What do you wish me to do with it?”

“Please hand the file to Evabethia. She will examine the contents, and let us know if it contains information that certain Soviet chemicals were used to modify the mind of John Hinckley.”

I could tell that he was shocked, simply from the sounds that I heard over the phone line. After a couple of seconds, Beth said, “If I remember from the reading, Mister Hinckley pleaded insanity. Based upon the chemical concoctions that are described within, he certainly qualified for that defense. I apologize, Sir, but I am not entirely fluent in reading this language.”

“Mikhail, would you please open that file and read the documents within, aloud?” I asked.

He did so. There were two pages of chemical formulas that he was not able to read. A third page mentioned that some members of the Second and First Directorate of the KGB that had received payment from NJR to create these chemicals and then send them to FAC, using the subject chosen by DDR and TPO. One of the members specifically mentioned had the initials of VVP.

Viktor cursed when he heard that set of initials. “Yob tvoyu mat! Vladimir, you have been a naughty boy. President Reagan, I sincerely apologize. Apparently there have been things going on in my organization that I was completely unaware of. If you wish, Sir, I will resign my position immediately.”

On our side of the conversation, George Schultz could not help himself. “I’m sorry, did I just hear the head of the KGB apologize to the American President, and offer to resign?”

Jeanne Kirkpatrick shook her head. “This is definitely a strange new world that we are creating. I think I like it. It’s very odd to actually have truth and honesty between nations.”

Mondale looked flustered. “I thought you said that Hinckley was first going to kill Carter. Why the hell would they want to do that? That would have made me President, and I sure didn’t know anything about a plot to do that.”

“For their own power,” Ronald said. “A second Democrat President assassinated, after the third year of his term had started, would have put you in office and a shoo-in for election in 1980. You and I both know that Jimmy was in over his head in this office, and screwed things up badly. But as a martyr, he’d have been perfect to keep your party in charge of this seat at least until 1988. You saw how the networks were shocked at the election results in the House.”

I noticed that Mondale really was upset, because he realized just how much of a puppet he was, being manipulated without being aware of it.

We spent the next 30 minutes in discussion regarding which members of the United States Congress needed to receive rude awakenings. After that, we ended the phone call and then left the Oval Office. The presidential limousine had been pulled up front and was waiting. It was quickly escorted from the White House to the US Capitol building.

It was a strange procession that entered the Capitol building. During the drive over, Beth had returned from Moscow. She met us, landing just outside the Capitol. Four Secret Service agents, including John Simpson led us inside. Ronald was walking normally, but Walter was holding the Mace over his shoulder like he was carrying a baseball bat. We also had half a dozen US Marshals with us. The uniformed Capitol Police took one look and moved completely out of our way.

The Sergeant at Arms was standing outside the entrance to the House Chambers, talking to the House doorkeeper. “Oh, my. This is ... unusual. Mister President, I don’t recall you being invited to speak today. Is there something I can do to help you?”

“Son, you’ll just want to step aside for now,” I said. His eyes widened, realizing who was with Ronald.

“I’m the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in this building. I’m afraid I can’t let you in.”

“Well, I’m the Messenger from Above for the entire planet, so I have more authority than you do. Phrasing it another way, Mister Russ, why don’t you just go ahead and surrender to the nice US Marshals for arrest because of the funds you’ve been embezzling from the House bank and defrauding investors of for years, or I can simply kill you. Personally, I think a few years in a nice, comfy, Federal prison are a lot better than a couple of seconds of pain, followed by nothing. Either way, we’re going into the chamber.”

His face went pale when he heard what I’d accused him of doing. One of the Marshals simply pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Russ put his hands behind his back, allowed himself to be cuffed, and was then set on the floor. I looked at the uniformed Capital police officers standing nearby. “Don’t let him go anywhere. We’re liable to have a few more people out here in the near future.”

I pushed the doors open, allowing them to slam into the walls behind them, making a lot of noise. From the podium, the Speaker of the House was talking about something. He looked up at the interruption, pounding his gavel. “What’s the meaning of this?”

I led Ronald, Walter, and Beth in, followed by the Secret Service and Marshals. “Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, the Messenger from Above and my assistant, escorting the President of the United States and the Ambassador of the United States to the Galactic Union.” I thought that’d make Walter freak a little.

There were a lot of people standing and shouting then. O’Neill pounded on the podium. “The House will come to order! The House will come to order!” Things got slightly quieter. “The Messenger and his party are not recognized by the House. There is a...”

I ran up to him, picking him up, and flying about ten feet into the air. “You were going to say there is a protocol for this sort of shit. I don’t care. You may think you’re some hot stuff because you’ve convinced a lot of idiots to vote for you. Guess what? You’re not! Now, sit your fat ass down on the floor, because it’s time for the grown-ups to deal with things.”

I literally dropped him to the floor, so he landed on his butt. Two of the men near the front started to get up to help him. “SIT DOWN! I didn’t give you permission to get up. That goes for everyone in this Chamber, including those of you watching from the gallery.” Everyone quickly sat back down.

“Good, at least you CAN listen! Ronald, Walter, if you’d join me, and have a seat in those chairs. All right, here’s how this is going to work. I’ve got a list of names I’m going to be calling. When I call your name, you’re going to get out of your seat, walk down here, and sit your butt on the floor next to fatso. Don’t worry too much, I’m not planning on incinerating you at this point.

“How’s it go, based on that entertainment show you have? Robert Mrazek, come on down! Yes, you. Off your butt up there and on your butt down here. Robert Davis, you’re next. Douglas Walgren, time for you to come on down! Charles Hatcher. Steven Solarz. Yes, you, get down here! Ronald Coleman. Oh, short walk for you. Next we have two Bills, Alexander and Goodling. Harold Ford, Marvin Edwards. Another Bill, Bill Clay. Tony Coelho, if you have trouble walking ... okay, good. Just to show that this isn’t an all-boys club, Mary Oakar, you’re next. Yes, sit on the floor, even if you are wearing a dress. Carroll Hubbard, you’re next. Last on this list is Joseph Early, you’re the next contestant on, ‘The Corruption Stops Now!’

“Not bad. Sixteen out of 435, that I have conclusive and incontrovertible proof that you are unethical, willing to bend and break the ethics and laws of the very organization you’re a member of, for your own personal profit. And two-thirds of you won re-election to the very office you’re abusing. Shut up, I didn’t say you could speak! Of course, that’s not counting the other third of everyone else that have broken the law as well, just not quite as overtly as these sixteen.

“So, I’m going to give the sixteen of you a simple choice. Walter happens to be wielding a very nice device right now that can be used to dispense both high and low justice. Those of you who’d like face a few years in Federal prison, after a bit of pain, can go ahead and confess your crime now, turn around, put your hands on the railing, and Walter will hit them with the Mace, probably breaking most of the bones in your hands. Or you can simply wait and find out what’s behind the curtain. Sorry, I don’t have the lovely Carol Merrill, or for that matter, an actual curtain, but you can pretend. After all, you’ve all been pretending to be honest, so this should be a snap for you!”

They looked at each other. I could see from the expression on Tip O’Neill’s face that he wanted full unity against the evil alien. My uniform mask didn’t allow them to see me smiling, but I was. I guessed as to who’d be first to crack. I was right.

“I’m Congressman Robert W. Davis, from Michigan. I have been using the House Bank as a personal piggy bank. I’m writing checks that they’re covering and I don’t have funds to cover those checks. Eventually, a lobbying firm ends up making so-called campaign contributions, but what are effectively bribes, to cover those checks.” He stood up, then turned and put his hands on the railing.

Walter looked at me for confirmation, like he really wasn’t sure he was going to be doing this. I nodded. He sighed, then stepped down to the other side. “Bob, put them together, so I can get them with one swing. I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt.”

“I understand, Mister Ambassador.” He put his hands close, but not touching. Mondale took the Mace, put it up into the air like he was doing a carnival game, and brought it down on Davis’ hands. Not only was the crunching sound of bones breaking heard through the chamber, so were his screams of pain when about half of the bones in both of his hands were broken.

I pointed to one of the US Marshals. “He’s not going to need handcuffs. He’s not going to run. If you’d take him out to the hall, to join Mister Russ, then return. Thank you. Okay, who’s next?”

O’Neill stood up. “How dare you treat us this way! We ARE the United States Congress!” Several others in the room stood up as well, shouting their anger.

I let it go on for almost a minute, looking back at Ronald. He had a hand over his mouth, concealing his grin. I spun around, then yelled, using my voice, “SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!” That quieted them down. “One major point where you are in error. The Congress consists of both the Senate, and the House of Representatives. You’re not the be all, end all. You are here because this nation is a Representative Republic, not a true democracy. Those have a tendency to not work, by the way. You are one half of one third of the government of this country. Your job, and that of your counterparts in the Senate, is simple. You write the laws. The Supreme Court interprets them, as to whether or not those laws are Constitutional. And then the Executive Branch, Ronald, enforces the laws.”

“Oh, and by the way ... I’m the Messenger for the whole planet. Not just the Soviet Union, or China, or India, but the whole thing. Which happens to include the United States of America, too. I thought perhaps you might get a clue when you ignored me, and I turned the CIA building into a molten puddle of slag. I was mistaken as to how stubborn, or perhaps just stupid, that you really are. So, who’s next to put their hands on the railing?”

A thin man with glasses stood up. “I’m William Goodling, Pennsylvania 19^th district. I’ve done the same thing Bob has.” He turned around, putting his hands on the railing. Walter had stayed there through my explanation, nodded at Goodling, then swung the Mace. I noticed he put a little less force into this swing, perhaps because Goodling was obviously a frailer man than Davis. It still shattered bones in both of his hands. Instead of screaming, Goodling simply passed out from the pain.

“Please carefully carry him out. Thank you. Next?”

“I’m Mickey Edwards, Oklahoma 5^th district. In the grand scheme of things, the forty thousand that I’ve skated on isn’t a lot. But the minor detail that we’re here to represent our states and our people, and to be honorable, does mean that it makes a difference. Every little bit of the money I’ve taken means that I’ve been dishonest to the people that put me in this office.”

I was both surprised and pleased by his statement. “Instead of placing your hands together, put them apart. Are you right or left handed?”

“Right.”

“Hit his left only, Walter. But not a wimp blow like you gave Goodling. Mickey here looks like he’s a tough man.” Edwards smiled a little and closed his eyes. Walter swung the Mace hard. He pretty much shattered every bone in Edwards’ left hand. I saw the grit and determination to not pass out and to not scream show on Edwards’ face. He was breathing hard, tears running down his cheeks, but he didn’t scream. “Good man. Come see whoever is in charge when you get out. The planet could use a man like you later on.” The Marshal carefully escorted him out.

“Next?” I’d been paying attention. The others had been looking at each other. They all sat there, silent. “Anyone? Last chance.” No one moved. “Okay, let’s add two more contestants, then. Joseph Colter and Dan Rostenkowski, please join the crowd down front.” Two men cautiously made their way down front. “Okay, newcomers. Same thing, just different circumstances. You’re caught, I know it, you know it. You’ve seen what awaits you if you confess. Care to take that punishment, or take your chances?”

Rostenkowski said, “I don’t think I’ve done anything to merit being called down here in the first place, so I challenge your authority.”

“So, instead of writing checks upon the House bank that you don’t have money to fund, you’re stealing money from the House Post Office. How exactly does that make it better? I’m confused about whether you think one abuse of power is better than another abuse of power. Would you explain that?”

He looked stunned. After several seconds, he recovered a little. “None of us have been charged with violating any laws by anyone with authority over us. You’re asking us to confess to crimes without any due process whatsoever!”

“You’re incorrect! You have been charged, tried, and judged by your own actions, and as I am the Messenger from Above for this planet, I have ultimate authority over everyone on this planet.” I paused. “Well, except for her. Evabethia is my assistant, and we both report to the Galactic Council. If it makes you feel better, then consider me as the planetary plenipotentiary. If it doesn’t ... I really don’t care. I’ve said this to others. You have free will. But there are consequences to your actions and your decisions. Your problem is that no one has ever held you accountable in the past, which has made you think that you’d never be held accountable for anything.”

I started walking down and around them. “You see ... as I’ve explained many times, we’re pretty much all the same people. Especially since you’re descended from us. Quite frankly, when Shiva came here 10,000 years ago, if he’d actually been doing his job, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You’d already be a part of the Galactic Council. That’s what we as Messengers are supposed to do. Guide the planets we’re assigned to, not set ourselves up as gods. Or in your case, as lords above the peasants.”

“Either way, the minor detail that you’re giving Ronald more grief about doing what’s best for the world, which will in turn also be good for your country and the very people that elected you in the first place, shows that you’re not actually patriotic at all, even though a few of you did at one time serve in your military. You’re nothing but a bunch of greedy slime. Last chance. Confess now and take your punishment, or ... well, I did say free will, didn’t I?”

I could see them looking at each other, then at both O’Neill and Rostenkowski. A minor shake of the head was their signal.

“This is the United States of America. No one comes in here and tells us what to do,” O’Neill said.

“Strange. Someone’s been doing that for years. Decades, even centuries. Oh, yes. I know about that. The force behind the throne, as it were. But that’s not a discussion for now. Very well. You’ve all chosen the secret behind the curtain. Very well. I did promise that I wouldn’t incinerate you, and since you’ve said you wouldn’t take the simple punishment, then line up here along this railing. All of you, facing Ronald, please. Oh, Mister O’Neill, you go on that end, Mister Rostenkowski, you go on this end. Now, I’m not going to break your hands, so take a step back and then lean forward, resting your hands on the railing. Yes, just like that.”

I waved for Walter to come with me, down to their level. “Nothing personal, Walter, but I don’t think you’ve got the strength ... or the stomach ... for this.” I held out my hand. He frowned, but handed me the Mace. I carefully measured my force, then used my speed to quickly hit and shatter the lower spine and hips of almost everyone up there. I was done smashing them and back by Walter almost before the pain had registered for the first of them. There were three people still standing; Tony Coelho, Tip O’Neill, and Dan Rostenkowski. The others were all passed out from the intense overload of pain.

“Mister Coelho, you’re guilty, just like they are. But you already have epilepsy. Making you a cripple for the rest of your life is too harsh, even for me. Consider yourself under arrest and join the men in the hall. As for these twelve...” I turned to face the rest of Congress. “They didn’t actually choose for themselves. Instead, they followed their two leaders here, just as most of you have been doing, without actually putting the good or the needs of the country and planet first.”

“But as for you two ... actually stealing a little money or cashing checks you can’t cover is the least of your crimes. Ronald?”

He stood up, and he looked angry now. Walking to the podium, the vitriol in his voice was obvious. “Thomas Phillip O’Neill, Daniel David Rostenkowski, you stand before your peers in the House of Representatives today, guilty of treason against the United States of America. We’ve already found proof that the behind the scenes organization that gives you your orders was involved with and carried out the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy. All of the American conspirators in both of those events ... which I am ashamed to say include President Lyndon Johnson ... are, with the exception of one mob boss, already deceased.”

That caused an uproar in the chamber. I slammed the Mace down on a desk, shattering it. “The House will come to order. Ronald still has the floor.”

He nodded. “We also have proof that the two of you worked with that organization to choose John Hinckley, insure he was injected with drugs developed by the KGB, and provide him assistance to assassinate either of two American Presidents. The first and best choice was President Carter, but when that plan failed, Hinckley was instead switched to assassinate me. The first would have insured your party control for a decade, to do what that organization wanted. The second would have given someone the Presidency who, because he’d been informed BY you about the organization and how they’d eliminated others, would thus be controlled by you!”

“Before sentence is carried out, do the two of you have any last words?”

O’Neill was stunned, then went for outrage. “Sentence? We haven’t confessed to any kind of bullshit story like you’ve concocted. Nor are either of us guilty of the heinous crime you accuse of. I’m not sure what you’re on, but...” He shut up when Beth came up into his face.

“Sir, you were right. It is easy for me to detect when he is lying. Can the other one say something similar, so I can have a comparison for analysis?”

Rostenkowski tried to be smart. “I am invoking my Fifth Amendment right.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “There’s just one problem with that. I’m the one who did the examination of evidence and found the proof of your guilt. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States doesn’t apply to questions from us. So, I can either squeeze your shoulder ... and cause you a lot of physical pain ... or you can answer the question my assistant asked.” He looked nervous, so I gave him a light squeeze.

He started crying. “I did it. I took the money from the House Post Office.”

Beth chuckled. “Nice deflection. He’s telling the truth about that.”

“Pleading guilty to a lesser crime in a hope of getting a reduced sentence? What a novel concept. While you’re apparently either smarter than, or at least slimier than, your associate here, you fail to grasp the seriousness of your crime. Or perhaps you fully do grasp that life as you know it is at a complete end. Either way, it makes no difference to me. The problem that you have is simple. The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States does not apply to Galactic law.”

“Wait!” Rostenkowski screamed. “You said that you would not incinerate us.”

“You’re right, I did. However, I have more tools at my disposal than simple incineration.” As I was still holding the Mace, I used that. Swinging it almost like a baseball bat, I caught him under the chin with a lifting stroke. The force of the blow ripped the head off his body. It flew through the air and landed on a desk in the fifth row of seats. His body fell backwards onto the floor, blood spurting over three members of Congress that were seated in the first row.

O’Neill collapsed on the floor, crying for mercy. Beth looked down at him, shaking her head. “Do you actually think that you deserve any mercy whatsoever?”

From the podium, Ronald said, “I believe that perhaps Mister O’Neill might wish to enter into a plea bargain. In exchange for information, you won’t rip his head off. What do you think about that?”

“I think that perhaps your Secret Service agents should escort Walter and you back to the White House, with Mister O’Neill. I’m certain that he will be most cooperative.” I flipped the Mace around, handing it to Walter. “You have my permission to simply bash his skull in if he gives you any grief whatsoever.”

Walter looked at the blood on the Mace. “I can do that.” He turned and faced all of the Representatives in the House. “Do not mistake what we did here today as something that could not happen to any of you. It is time for us to grow the hell up. As his representative, I will use this on anyone that I need to.” He HAD been paying attention to what I called him.

Reagan gave orders to the Marshals to arrest the members of Congress that were still passed out on the floor. His security detail then escorted he, Mondale, and O’Neill out of the chamber. Beth and I remained inside. We both rose into the air about 10 feet.

“Perhaps you think that what just happened in here cannot happen to you. End the fighting, destroy the bad drugs, live in peace. It’s a simple message. If you’d like to continue living, I suggest that you start implementing it.”

“Sir, I think you’re forgetting something,” Beth said.

“Oh?”

She said, “Clarence Long. Barbara Mikulski. Stand up, NOW!” The two of them did, looking puzzled. “You are both despicable human beings. Mister Long, you’ve already lost your seat. Mizz Mikulski, you should have, and should never be in a position of responsibility again. There’s only one way to make sure that happens.” She fired simple laser bursts from her eyes. The minor detail that the sudden burst of heat from her vision made their brains boil, exploding both of their heads from within, and splattering everyone and everything in the vicinity was a bonus.

“You’re right, I did forget about them. I think we’ve made enough of a point that if Paul Sarbanes simply resigns his office, right now, we won’t have to go repeat this scene in the Senate Chamber,” I said.

Rather than take a conventional exit, Beth followed my lead as I flew out through the dome of the US Capitol building. She continued to follow me as I flew east, barely above the surface, to the Atlantic Ocean. I dove in once we were about a mile offshore, then turned northeast.