Rise Once More (22 page)

Chapter Twenty Four

Hanging On Your Eve-ry Word

A cloud of dust followed behind Reese's black Jaguar, he was doing well over 70 miles per hour on the gravel road, his muscles ached, but thankfully he was damn near home. He saw the metal gates of Roca Segura, flipped down his visor, and pressed the button on the small rectangular box. The gates rolled back, granting him access, and he drove inside slowing his car down to about 45.

Reese pressed the button once again, and the gates closed behind him, just barely missing his back bumper. He stopped the car suddenly in front of his home; the tires skidded across the gravel, making a gritty noise. Reese picked up a small pocket notebook from his cup holder, flipped it open, revealing a list of names scrolled in blue ink, and crossed another one off.
Dale Hayden

Alex was the first to come outside, he had seen the black Jaguar speeding towards Roca Segura from the guard tower, he had readied his 50 cal, and was about to fire when he saw the face of his father sitting in the driver's seat. “I could have shot you.” Alex said, as his father exited the car.

“Yes you could have, but you didn't. You're a better soldier than that. I taught you better than that.” Reese said jokingly. “If you can't see the eyes of your target, you need glasses, or need to put the gun away.” Reese said.

“
Welcome home old man. Mom's been worried sick. Thanks for the escort by the way.” Alex said.

“
Escort?” Reese said, his voice knowing, yet playfully acting as if he didn't. “Oh you mean that. I can't take credit for that. Thank the eye in the sky.” Reese said as he pointed a finger upward.

“
Edith?” Alex said.

“
She never misses a beat boy.” Reese said. He walked around to the trunk, it swung open revealing a cache of bags and weapons, but a single metal box was what Reese was after. Reese flipped the latch, a pile of metal dog tags were scattered along the bottom, and Reese placed another one in the box. This one was spattered with droplets of dried up crimson blood. Reese let out a sigh as he closed the box.

“
So you're the last one left now.” Alex said.

“
Yes.” Reese said, his voice was mournful, heavy with sorrow, and a tear welled up in the corner of his eye.

“
Did you make it fast?” Alex said.

“
No.” Reese said.

“
He must have really fucked up then.” Alex said.

“
It doesn't matter what he did son. A promise is forever, somehow he forgot that, and I reminded him.” Reese said. Alex nodded, placed a hand on his father's shoulder, and stood in silence with him. There are certain things that men must do, some things are better not to be spoken of, rather just done and left to be forgotten. More often than not, those same acts, that one wished forgotten that never leave.

“
Everyone is still sleeping. Shall we go inside? I just brewed a fresh pot of coffee.” Alex said.

“
Coffee sounds good. I got a feeling that today is going to be a really long one.” Reese said.

***

The tension in the air was dense; you couldn't even cut it with a knife, an uncomfortable silence cementing itself around the table. Theresa had already had her ass chewing session with Reese behind closed doors, the dignified way only a couple of so many years could have, their hushed voices suppressed to keep it private, yet letting it all spill out.

Theresa had watched the DVD, most of which confirmed long held suspicions, yet some words downright shocked her. She had almost hoped at times that there was another woman, not because she wanted to feel betrayed, but that was at least explainable. What she heard was far worse than that, her husband was so engrossed in a web of lies that the truth was harder to imagine than the made up fiction she had been feed for so many years.

She was cut to the bone, hurt beyond words, at one sentence in particular.
Alex is working directly under me, and has been doing so since returning from Africa.
Now not only her husband had been lying, but also her bundle of joy, Alex was part of the lies. She remembered him growing up, learning to walk, talk, and play. How something so innocent could be involved in something so dark, so evil, corrupt, and filled with more lies. Had he known the truth from the start? Did Alex willfully go along with the web of deceit, or had he been coerced into it?

Eve sat at the table, stabbing her fork into the eggs, avoiding eye contact with Reese. Her coffee cup cast up wisps of steam, as Alex took a long sip of his coffee, and Theresa set down her fork. “I suppose it is time to pay the piper.” Reese said.

Reese stood up, cleared his throat, and began to speak. “Lies are a way of protecting the innocent.” He was interrupted by the sound of Eve coughing, a hand over her mouth, but instead of a real cough it was a mocking gesture of disgust. “Ahh. BULLSHIT!” Eve exhaled, her hand still cupped over her mouth, her eyes filled with anger, and then she remained silent to let him rethink his start to a so called confession.

At least that was what I was told many years ago. Truth be told I was recruited too. Not to Omega Phi, like I did to you Eve, or even you Alex, but to the idea that lies were a necessary evil of protection. A way to shield loved ones from the darkness of mankind. Or at least that is how they spun it. I was young, a promising soldier trying to find his way in the world, building on a career and hoping for success, then came the war.

I was on the front lines, witnessing the hell on earth that only humans could concoct. I yearned to be home, engrossed in the arms of my love, not hiding behind the dense foliage of the jungle. That same jungle offered protection, a way to stay hidden, and as long as we stayed hidden the bullets stopped.

This isn't about what happened during that time, those things, no matter how wrong, or justified, were out of my control. Those were not my actions, but had changed me, no matter how much I fought it, they had changed me forever. They knew it. They exploited it, twisted what I thought was my moral compass, and served me up a deal I couldn't walk away from.

I had somehow captured the attention of someone much higher than I could imagine. He saw potential in me, the actions I thought at the time was the best course of action, for protecting my brothers and serving my country had not gone unnoticed. Those actions had earned me medals, recognition, even a meeting with the big man behind the desk at the white house.

It all felt alien to me. I was just doing my job, following orders, and watching out for the ones who were watching out for me. It seemed symbiotic at the time, but as the fancy dinners and photo ops began to stack up. The feeling changed. It began to feel parasitic. My brothers did what I would have done, hell, any of us would have done, given the circumstances.

That wasn't enough for them. They needed a hero, a poster child of success, a positive story to spin to the masses, and for whatever reason they chose me. They were right, because I ate it up, and fell head over heels. Basking in my new found glory, praise that I wanted, and deliriously thought at the time I deserved. I followed the status quo, never questioning, further marching down the path.

Then there was the first funeral. We had only been home for a few months, just starting to settle back into civilian life, and the news came as a total shock. Sure, we had buried many during those dark times, but they were casualties of war, decisions that were above us. I attended every one of those funerals, honored my fallen friends, many of which shared bonds that would rival the closest family ties. This funeral was different. This wasn't an act of war. This wasn't an order; it was self inflicted, and the first of many to come.

Most of it is a blur, but there was plenty of sensation about the war hero paying tribute to his fallen brother. The media licked it up like hungry kittens at a milk saucer. The only thing I can take away from that memory is Stephanie. The now widow at age 27. Walking up to me, and handing me a crinkled piece of paper, she pressed it into my hands, and offered a confused look. She had no idea what those hastily scribbled words meant.

I knew all too well. Isaac, now being lowered into the cold earth, had sent me a message. I read the words, and those very words have haunted me every day of my life. You promised. That was a turning point, and the time the secondary plan had started. They wouldn't allow for chivalry, or promises whispered as one person clung to the final strands of dignity.

They had a plan, and it was in my best interest to follow it. I tried to fight at first, but they knew me, and had ample reasons to continue the status quo. They knew. They knew everything. I had tried to act surprised, when Theresa told me I was going to be a father, a moment that should have been a celebratory moment, was just another bargaining chip.

Keep going up in rank they told me, the nation needs a man like you, the people need you, and your new family needs you. Someone has to protect them they said, the truth of our deeds must never be told, and at the time, hell, I still believe in a weird way that they were right. Not in a sense that they were correct, or that is was even moral, but it was right at the time.

I still will not betray the many oaths that I took, the promises I made over those years, because even now I still need to protect you all. Some things are just better off not being known, but I will be truthful to everything that involves you.

“
You can't even tell the whole truth now? Why even waste our time then?” Eve objected. Her face filled with intensity, a fire burning deep inside her gut, the urge to rip his arm off and beat him with it crossed her mind. Eve started to stand, but Alex's hand reached out, and guided her back into her seat.

“
He's right. You are all upset, and rightfully so. For just a minute, flip this situation around, and look at it from his perspective. See the world from his eyes. He did what he needed to do, not what he wanted to do, and the entire time he was looking after each and every one of us. It is something that a civilian has a hard time understanding, because they are so sheltered and taken care of. I struggled with it myself, I hated him, I loathed the man that I was supposed to call father in my younger years.

Then I spent my own time doing things that were not exactly right, but were necessary, and it opened my eyes. I was put in a situation, where my decisions, actions, and thoughts affected not only myself but the very lives of the people around me. I was trusted with an immense responsibility, expected to follow through, and in that moment of clarity I understood. I truly understood. What he had been trying to teach me for years.

It isn't about killing people, or dropping bombs, it was about making cold calculated decisions, that shed the least amount of blood to accomplish the goal. The goal is survival. Not world domination, or whatever political party wanted to measure the size of their collective penises. A veil has been placed on your eyes from birth, a carefully guarded dream world assembled, and maintained by those willing to sacrifice anything.

The sheltered population worry themselves about things like deadlines, meetings, and soccer games because they have been awarded that privilege; a privilege that they squander, take advantage of, and never think twice about. That privilege had a cost, a bill, and it was paid in full with blood. By a total stranger, likely you will never hear the names, but the debt was paid on your behalf.

I was only given a small rock to carry on my shoulders, it took everything I had in me to keep it together, and I barely made it work. The man standing before you is Atlas, and quite literally carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The least you can do is hear the man out.” Alex said.

Theresa bit her lip, trying to fight back the tears, moved not only by her son's words, but the heart filled conviction of it. She felt like an outsider once again, Reese had let her into the inner circle just a few minutes before, and told her everything. Her love and her son shared a bond, a bond that she could never have. A private club house, reserved for the strong, and she was blessed with a chance appearance on the guest list. Reese gave a nod to his son, a solemn bow of understanding, an acknowledgment that they were no longer Father and Son, but brothers.

Reese explained everything. This time just a straight forward sequence of events, no time for sentimental recollection, just hard cold facts. He explained how Omega Phi was created shortly after Vietnam, which he referred to simply as
The War.
He talked about the mounting tensions between the US and Russia, the need to stay ahead of the game, technology, research, and advancements to further their cause.

He told his experience about being held captive during the war, the promises he made with the few remaining men of his unit, and for the first time in many years Theresa watched her husband weep. They were not tears of happiness, but long suppressed sorrow, and she hugged him during those difficult times.

He talked about Issac, Benjamin, Schlitz, David, and Dale. The men from his unit. Each one had a story, loved ones, a history, the promises made and kept. When Reese began speaking about Bennie, Eve completely lost it, that was her father's name, and now she was hearing firsthand about the actions of the man she called daddy.

The memories flickered in her mind, subtle clues now forming concrete revelations, and filling in the gaps of questions. Her father had loved her; done everything he could to protect her, even enlisting the help of Reese, with his massive power and contacts to ensure she had a good life. Reese had kept his word, and she now learned had dipped into his own personal savings to pay for her nursing degree.