Chapter 10

I packed quickly and efficiently taking enough clothes for a couple of days. Grabbed my Sig P228, my dog Jess and left. I stopped only once to let Jess out to go to the toilet and to gas up the truck. Jess was very nervous in the seat next to me. She was only a puppy but she could sense my stress about our possible impending doom.

We arrived at Brian's beach house mid afternoon. Brian was actually out on the deck with a beer in his hand and I took for granted that he would recognize me. He didn't.

"Can I help you buddy?"

He obviously hadn't looked at my truck properly; I was about to reply when Jess came bounding up and started jumping all over him.

"Whoa there little doggie"

"Nice pup you have there pardner"

"Thanks sarge, appreciate it"

"Holy shit LT ... a real nice look Bigfoot" Brian laughed

We gave each other a quick hug and he invited me for a beer. Brian had an enclosed deck so we locked the deck up and left Jess playing with a tennis ball. I quickly gave her some water and snacks to occupy her.

I had made my decision earlier driving down that I was going to tell Brian everything. Plus leave him the file I had compiled on Sandman during the 6 months including the report Peterson Sr. had obtained.

To be honest I still didn't like my chances in winning a confrontation with him because the only thing I had on my side was the element of surprise. I needed to ensure that if I died Brian could protect my family and give the information I had gathered to a Police Agency who would act on it.

We sat down had a beer and I told Brian everything that had happened from my early days with Sandman, my initial suspicions of my wife's infidelity with Doug Peterson, Kelly's love for Sandman and ultimately betraying me and being pregnant with his baby, his vow to kill me for interfering, how I 'died', the Bates' and Peterson deaths and finally what I planned to do.

The story took a couple of hours and I showed Brian the reports and newspaper articles I had copied. I asked him to keep them safe until they might be needed.

"You know LT, that's one hell of a story"

"Try living it sarge. Apart from my parents and sister you are the only real

friend I've ever had."

"LT ... I gotta be honest, in Iraq I mixed with some of these Special Forces guys. They aren't ones to be messed with and it sounds as if this guy has gone off the reservation"

"I know that Brian but I can't let this murdering prick get away with all this. I'll be fucked if I will live in fear for the rest of my life for my and my families' safety"

"I understand LT I really do but you need help and I'm willing to help"

"Thanks Brian but you have helped and you continue to help. You're going to be minding my dog for starters" I laughed

"LT this is no laughing matter, he'll kill you"

"I know he will try Brian. I just don't want you actively involved in it. After all we need someone left standing to protect my family if I die."

It took me awhile to convince Brian to stay out of the initial confrontation to which he finally agreed. His main concern was could I really kill a man? I replied "If It's kill or be killed ... then I think I must sarge".

I knew Brian was right though. I was facing a nemesis that had killed for over 10 years including plotting the deaths of several civilians. On top of that he was now a well connected cop with power and money.

I was under no illusion. I had little chance of success. I had never contemplated killing a man but as the old saying goes "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". I had run too long and now it was time to face the music.

I hit the road late at night and headed back to the city where I had worked and lived for so many years. It was late when I arrived, got a room at a cheap hotel and dumped all my gear. Next I texted Brian and told him I had made it safely and was going to the hospital to see Peterson Sr. Visiting hours were going to be long over by the time I got to the hospital but that's how I wanted it.

My beard and long hair would obscure my identity as there would be security cameras in the hospital and didn't want to be recognized.

I knew the hospital layout well since I had been there a number of times throughout the years visiting sick relatives and the like. I had called the hospital from the motel when I first arrived so I knew Peterson Sr. was on the 3rd floor in room 319.

I carefully made my way into the hospital and took the stairs. Had a close call with security when I got to the 3rd floor but ducked into a restroom just in time to avoid the roving patrol.

I further lucked out as the nurses' station was unattended, so carefully made my way to room 319. Peterson Sr. was in the hospital bed and was hooked up to monitors looking very pale. I took a seat next to the bed and was concerned if he could make it.

He was in his 70's and his only family left was an estranged daughter. I must have drifted off to sleep for 15 minutes in the dark room. I awoke when I heard a woman's voice. She must have been speaking to a passing security officer. I quickly went into the small toilet and closed the door.

It was a nurse who was checking Peterson Sr.'s vitals. She also woke him for some medication. Peterson Sr. seemed to still be functioning okay as he thanked the nurse as she left. He wasn't the same man I remembered from my high school days. Physically he looked like a skeleton. Peterson Sr. had lost a massive amount of weight.

As soon as the nurse left I quietly exited the restroom and I was the one who was startled.

"Come closer, I want to see the face of my killer, Mr. Sands"

I slowly walked over and switched on a small light. Peterson Sr. looked startled as he apparently had no idea who I was.

"So Sands farms out his work now, what a fucking gutless bastard. Well get on with it I haven't got all night."

He was still a feisty old bastard. I had a new level of respect for Peterson Sr. he had more backbone than his son ever had.

"I'm not here to kill you old man"

"I know that voice! It's the voice of a dead man. Easton it's you isn't it"

I was then stunned as Peterson Sr.started to weep but they weren't tears of pain. Upon closer examination they were tears of joy. I didn't know what to say ... this wasn't the reception I had envisaged when I came to room 319. The weeping was short and sweet, so the old man still had pride ... maybe he would pull through after all.

"Easton I'm so glad to see you. I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead. Someone finally beat the bastard!"

This was truly one for the record books, Peterson Sr. had never liked me for teaching his boy a lesson all those years ago but I was smart enough to realize that he saw me as a weapon to use against Sandman.

We talked long into the early morning; amazingly I had found another ally that would assist me if he lived long enough. I left the hospital with two important things. A key to a safety deposit box and a load of information.

A lot had changed since my 'death'. I had much to think about but first needed sleep. I got back to the motel, texted Brian and went to bed. I awoke at 11am; had a shower, put on some fresh clothes and grabbed something to eat. I was fully functioning by 12:30pm. With that done I placed a call to the hospital and spoke with Peterson Sr ... He confirmed that it was cleared with his bank for Justin Green to be given access to safe deposit box 112.

Before going to the bank I ducked into a barber shop and had my head shaved and my beard completely removed, I wasn't hiding anymore. Even with all my hair gone you would have to look twice to recognize me. I was a lot thinner in the face and my body was muscular and toned. I got to the bank around 2pm showed my identification and was given the VIP treatment.

After inserting the key to box 112, I was then given a private booth and the requested bag to take what I needed. As promised inside was a large, thick envelope and a good amount of money. I completely cleaned out the box and bagged it. With that finished I headed back to the motel.

Having brought a takeaway dinner I sat back to think before reading the important report. The discussion with Peterson Sr. was very enlightening. It seems since my 'death' things went forward very quickly for Greg Sands. As I had gathered from the internet my death started a whole chain of events. With Doug and me out of the way, The General became the major target. After my phone call to Kelly that night she ran. That is she ran straight into the arms

of her lover Sandman.

Rumour had it she was telling people that I had abandoned her when I died. Sandman and Kelly were overjoyed that I had weakly surrendered my life. With me out of the way they could finally be together although Sandman wasn't too happy that he couldn't get his pound of flesh from me. That just left the problem of General Bates.

Peterson Sr had assured me that the report in the safe deposit box would answer all my questions. Peterson Sr was grieved and in a rage about his son's death but even with all his money and power he couldn't get to Sandman. He decided to have Sandman reinvestigated and Kelly Bates closely looked at as well (she had dropped the Easton name very quickly) and unlike last time he spared no expense. His plan had been to use me as a weapon against them but I died.

Peterson Sr. was in the middle of organizing some very shady characters to take care of Sandman before he had a genuine heart attack. That was still the plan until I showed up. Then he wanted to help me because I wasn't motivated by money but revenge or blood lust as he called it. He believed I could be successful. He had more confidence than I did but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and send it away. I took the key and promised to keep him informed.

That left me sitting in front of a very large report so I started to read it. A lot of the early information was what I had read previously but this one had a bit more detail to it.

It actually made me look very foolish and showed how badly I was conned. Peterson Sr. must have paid a small fortune for this report. Greg Sands and Kelly Bates were instantly attracted to each other when they first saw each other all those years ago. General Bates and Sandman did hate each other as was earlier reported. What was incorrect in the previous report however was the fact that Kelly refused to marry Sandman until he had gained her father's permission. They were in fact going to elope with Sandman leaving the Army to become a cop. Somehow General Bates got wind of the plan and had Sandman's unit shipped to the Middle East. The rest was history with General Bates giving the unit every crappy operation to hopefully have the Taliban do what he wanted to do. Have Sandman killed.

The General found out Kelly was still waiting for Sandman and writing to him constantly declaring her undying love. General Bates made a very terse call to Kelly informing her that if she continued to write Sandman or even continue with this 'marriage crap', he would have Sandman shipped home in a body bag. Well Kelly freaked out and did what was probably the most unselfish act of her whole miserable life. She broke up with Sandman citing she had to obey her father's wishes. Kelly knew her father would do whatever it took to ensure Sandman never became part of the Bates' family.

Sandman was of course literally heartbroken. He saw a ray of hope with his upcoming R&R to use to fly back and woo Kelly back. The General knew what he would do so he sent all those brave men to their deaths to kill one man but Sandman survived and was a changed man forever.