Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
I t was strange to have revenge at your fingertips and find that it didn’t matter as much as the future did. Warrick pulled out the chair across from where Jacob Alexander was chained and took a seat next to Ahmed.
Warrick had his answer. He knew who’d killed his parents. However, now he was much more concerned about the future. A future he wanted to share with Cassidy as his wife and lots of little girls who looked just like their mother.
Ahmed didn’t speak. He just sat staring at Jacob. Piper came in, grabbed Jacob’s head, pulled it back, and said, “Open,” as she held a DNA test kit.
He slammed his mouth closed, which made all three of them lean forward. Now that was interesting. Exactly who was Nicholas Houser/Jacob Alexander?
“Open your mouth or I’ll cut off your finger and she’ll have more than enough blood to take a sample with,” Ahmed said calmly.
Piper pinched Jacob’s nose and waited. It didn’t take long. Jacob inhaled when he ran out of breath and Piper shoved the swab into his mouth.
Piper smiled at Warrick and Ahmed and headed out of the room. It would take a couple of days to get the results, but maybe just knowing the test was being run would induce Jacob to talk.
“I recognized your voice,” Warrick said, getting Jacob’s attention. “You told Cassidy if she wasn’t with you, she was against you. I remember you saying the same thing to my parents before you killed them. See, I was there. I was in the room. The second I heard you utter those words I knew who you were.”
Jacob kept his mouth closed, but Warrick could tell he was dying to know more.
“You’re not the only one good at assuming new identities, Nicholas. However, Nicholas isn’t even your real name either. I think you also use the name Matthew Johnson, don’t you? You used that when you pretended to be Thurmond Culpepper’s paralegal.”
Ahmed didn’t move but Warrick heard the slight pause in his breathing. As soon as Warrick had seen Jacob walk into the interrogation room with his head down, he’d known this was Matthew Johnson, alleged paralegal. The men moved identically. “Did Thurmond tell you I came to talk to him?”
Jacob or Nicholas or Matthew or whoever he was, pursed his lips.
“My father always thought Thurmond was a prick. I agree. But you’re a dumbass for falling in with him. However, stupidity isn’t an excuse that will save you. I wonder, did Thurmond find you or did you find him? Whose idea was starting the New Renaissance? Or, are you just a pawn like Thurmond was for Mollia Domini? Did you know that Thurmond is in our custody? I can’t wait to have a chat with him, too. He’s a lot chattier than you are. I’m sure you remember that he’s the one who turned evidence against Mollia Domini. Do you think he won’t do that to you too?” Warrick asked. Jacob refused to talk so Warrick looked over at Ahmed. “Jacob, do you know who this man is? He is Ahmed. He is the greatest soldier in the modern era, probably ever. He does the impossible. Nothing can or will break him. But he knows exactly what will break other men. If you don’t start talking, I will happily watch as he starts to peel back your fingernails.”
“That’s a waste of time. I start with other appendages first.” Ahmed smiled a smile that conveyed he’d do just that and not even flinch.
Jacob blanched and Warrick went in for the kill. “Why did you kill my parents?”
Ahmed stood up and tapped on the door. It opened and Nash wheeled in a tray of various knives, a car battery, and a bucket of water.
“They wouldn’t follow Sandra’s or Thurmond’s orders to support Viktor Nikan’s attempt at a complete dictatorship. Viktor was making a move to work with China and Russia to form an allied block. Weapons, money, people, everything would be under the control of the rulers. However, your father refused to support Viktor and even went to President Mitchell with his concerns after he gained the support of other countries in the area and refused to pass along information Viktor needed to secure stolen US weapons. Your father was too wrapped up in human rights and the well-being of the citizens to play the game,” Jacob snarled.
“It’s not a fucking game. It’s the real world, not a chessboard. It’s not your own playhouse. How did you meet Thurmond?” Warrick struggled not to lose his temper, but Jacob was finally talking.
Jacob looked as if he wasn’t going to answer, but then blew out an aggrieved breath. “You’ll know soon enough when that DNA test comes back. I knew him through my mother.”
“And who is your mother?” Warrick asked.
“ Was my mother. One of the assholes behind the two-way mirror killed her.” Jacob paused and glared at the mirror. “My mother was Sandra Cummings. The Secretary of State.”
“Bullshit,” Warrick said a moment later after the shock wore off. “Sandra didn’t have any children.”
“She was unmarried and running for her second congressional term when she got pregnant. Her sister wanted a baby, but couldn’t have one. It was a win-win. Sandra hid her pregnancy in the summer, which wasn’t hard since the Senate isn’t in session very often. They had most of July and all of August off. I was born in September, but Sandra took a short leave of absence to help her sister, who she told people was in her third trimester and bedridden. That was the cover story. Sandra stayed with her sister and gave birth to me on September 29 th . The Senate was not in session until mid-November, so when she came back, no one suspected anything. My aunt and uncle raised me. When I was eighteen, I was told the truth.”
“You’re Dustin Fieldhouse.”
“Dustin Cummings,” he corrected.
“You killed your aunt and uncle, didn’t you? You used the wildfire as cover. You killed them off so you could be who you were meant to be—Sandra’s.”
Dustin looked as if he wanted to spit at the mention of his aunt and uncle. “Stephanie and Dennis were losers. They wanted to do good and to be good. They preached it all the time. But being good doesn’t get you power. My mother climbed to her position by playing the game better than the others. I was tired of not getting into the best schools because I couldn’t use my real name. Mother tried her best to get me everything I deserved. The fire was nearby and I just helped it along. Then Sandra got me a new identity—Nicholas Houser. I was hired at the State Department and I started to climb the ladder myself. I had power, position, and money. Then your parents got in the way. They were too much like Stephanie and Dennis. Do-gooders,” Dustin spat.
“You killed my parents, but then the heat was on you for the screwup. An ambassador and his wife killed in an American embassy isn’t a good look for the regional head of diplomatic security, is it?” Warrick asked rhetorically.
“Your fucking parents,” Dustin cursed. “But my mother had my back. I died in a roadside bombing and became Jacob Alexander. Got a little filler here and there, changed my hair, gained a little bit of weight, shaved my facial hair, and no one was the wiser, especially with this new and improved identity. I started out in a different department and paid my dues. When my mother was killed, I made my move. I began to put in for promotions at any agency. I began to climb the ladder quickly using all the skills she’d taught me. Then, when the time was right, I transitioned back to the State Department. President Stratton had gutted it, so no one was there who could recognize me.” Dustin shrugged as if that explained it all.
“You blackmailed or threatened anyone who was thinking of running for president, didn’t you? You want the presidency and didn’t want to wait four to eight years for your chance. You needed Cassidy to do your dirty work for you to get the information to take down anyone who got in your way. When she wouldn’t play ball, you turned to Secretary Ramsey. If you could get her on your side by having her do anything remotely illegal, that would be enough evidence to blackmail her out of running. And if you couldn’t, you’d kill her, become secretary of state yourself and simply run in the election with the new higher rank and title.” Warrick sat back and waited for Dustin to confirm what they already knew.
“Name recognition is everything. People don’t even look to see a person’s history. They just vote for who the media tells them or which name they remember. I would have been all over the news if something happened to Sutton and I took over her position. I would be a shoo-in for the nomination.”
“Who is going to take your place now?” Warrick asked, trying to get back the New Renaissance.
Dustin shrugged. “I might remember more if I was offered a cell with Thurmond at some nice minimum-security prison.”
“Fine,” Warrick answered, his jaw tight with annoyance.
“Well then,” Dustin said with a victorious grin. “Thurmond recruited me before he knew I was Sandra’s son, but I’m not one of the leaders. There is no one leader. That’s the point of it. If there’s only one leader and something happens to him, the mission is dead. If you have many leaders, you can cut the head off one snake, but there are five more to take its place. You might have caught me, but you didn’t catch the New Renaissance.”
“Who are the other leaders?” Warrick asked, reaching over to pick up a pair of pruning shears.
“I wouldn’t tell you even if I knew. We’re all secret. We go by Renaissance names. You’ll never find us all. Ever.”
“Bullshit,” Warrick said, shaking his head. “You can’t not know who is leading your group.”
“I know Thurmond since he recruited me. He got in touch with me through someone on the dark web. They recruited everyone based on the group’s needs and set up their names. I’ve never known their real names. The leaders, in turn, recruit people to help. So, I know who I have recruited, but no one else. You can ask for those names, but I won’t give them to you. You’re just going to kill me.”
Ahmed leaned forward and laced his fingers together. “We aren’t going to kill you. We’re going to torture you. We’ll bring you to the point of wishing you were dead and then pull you back just enough to keep your heart and brain working. Over and over again until you wish for nothing more than death, but we’ll never give it to you.”
Warrick pulled out a notepad and a pen. “Give us the names and we’ll put you in a cell with all your body parts still attached.”
“Would you care for a demonstration?” Ahmed stood up and grabbed a tiny scalpel. “It doesn’t even take much to make you scream. Take his shoe off, Warrick.”
Warrick moved to do what he was told. Dustin’s feet were shackled to the ground. Warrick pulled off his slip-on shoe as Dustin tried to fight.
“See, people think feet aren’t sensitive. But they are. Particularly the arch.” Ahmed spun the scalpel in his hand. It took one small slice and Dustin was spitting out names.
Warrick didn’t bother writing them down. This was all being recorded. He listed off over fifty names. However, Warrick could already see the writing on the wall. There were probably more and each of those fifty plus people had done their own recruiting. Multiply that by however many other leaders there were in the council. The virus had spread. The genie was out of the bottle. The river was overflowing. All this mission did was get Warrick revenge for his parents and uncover a massive new threat out there in the shadows, waiting to take control of the world.
“Who organized it on the dark web?” Warrick asked him, realizing that person had never been named, but if they could find him or her, they might be able to take down all the leaders.
Dustin smiled then and Warrick knew the answer wasn’t good. Was it someone they knew?
“Afraid you can’t ask them. They died. Right here in Keeneston. You killed your only real lead.”
Ahmed’s jaw tightened. “The Panther.”
“That’s right. And that’s all I know. I’ll take the jail cell with Thurmond now, please.” Dustin sat back and grinned. He’d talked. He’d given them a lot of information. But he also knew it wasn’t enough to take down New Renaissance.
“About that,” Warrick said as the door to the room opened and Nash and Kori came in. “That’s not going to happen.”
“But you said you’d put me in jail with Thurmond,” Dustin sputtered.
“I lied,” Warrick said with a smile. “Learned it from you. You’re not going to an American prison. You’re going to a secret Rahmi prison. You were arrested on Rahmi soil after all. As deputy secretary, you should know all about embassy jurisdiction.”
Dustin was dragged from the room and Warrick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Ahmed. “You did good, kid.”
“Thanks, old man. It doesn’t feel good.”
“Take the win. It looks as if you will have a long road ahead of you, but you’ll have the woman you love by your side through it. Speaking of which, wouldn’t tomorrow be a lovely day to get engaged?” Ahmed winked and left Warrick alone in the interrogation room.
“We need to talk.”
“Jesus!”
“If we’re going to be working together, then we really need to get this straight. I’m Jewish. I don’t want to convert. You take Jesus and I’ll keep Abraham. Deal?”
Warrick rolled his eyes at Humphrey. “You need to wear a bell. How are you so quiet?”
Humphrey shrugged, but there was a twinkle in his eye that told him that Humphrey loved doing this to people. “The president wants to see you.”
Warrick sighed and pushed off the table he’d been leaning against. “Lead the way.”
Warrick followed Humphrey to a conference room off the main control room of the security center. Inside the room sat the president, the first lady, Sutton Ramsey, Senator Epps, Kale Mueez, the black ops team, Greer, Sebastian, and Cassidy.
Warrick took the last empty seat next to Cassidy. He reached out and took her hand in his without thought. “What’s going on?”
Birch leaned back and looked around the table. “This goes without saying, but this is top secret. You don’t speak about it with anyone outside the room.” Birch turned to Senator Epps. “I’m trusting you, Epps. Do I have your word that nothing that is said here leaves the room? Lives depend on it.” Epps nodded his head, agreeing to the terms. “You ran against me for the last presidential election and there’re reports you are planning to run again this time around. I need to know if you are going to be your party’s candidate.”
Epps looked over at Warrick, concern in his eyes. “I do remember you, Senator Epps.” Warrick said quietly. “You were one of the few people my father truly trusted in politics. Please, trust us now.”
“I assume you’ll answer all the questions I have?” Epps asked and Birch and Warrick nodded. “Okay then. I’ll trust you. Yes, I’ll be the candidate running for president from my party. Others have backed out. I’ve been getting threats, but I won’t bow to them. The plan is for me to be the primary candidate.” He looked over at Sutton. “She’s going to be running against me, correct?”
“I am, Senator,” Sutton answered. “I’ve also been getting threats. That’s part of what we need to talk about.”
“Epps,” Birch said, getting his attention, “a new Mollia Domini has arisen. The New Renaissance.”
Epps ran his hand over his face and nodded. “Damn. I was hoping they were done, but evil always finds a way to slither off to survive to fight another day. Tell me everything.”
And they did. All the details going back to Warrick’s parents and ending with the interrogation of Sandra Cummings’s son.
“I need both of your and Sutton’s word of honor—will you keep the President’s Guard and their secrets if you win office?”
Epps looked over at Sutton and then around the table. “This black ops group, it’s not political?”
“Not in the way you mean it. Their job is to protect the integrity of our political system and our country against threats.”
“I won’t be used as a political pawn, Senator Epps,” Greer said tightly. “I will not help you win elections. I will not set up your adversaries. I don’t care who votes for what bill. I care about attacks against our system and those of our allies, like Crusina.”
“Good. Then I have an idea. Sutton and I work together. Whoever is president, clearly is the leader of the organization, but communication stays open between us since we’re the only ones who know about the group. Plus, it’s beneficial to have an ear into each party’s goings on. Further, if I win, I promise to find a position for you in my government to keep you involved.”
“And if I win, what do you want?” Sutton asked.
“I’ll stay in my Senate leadership role. I only ask for open communication. Maybe monthly meetings. We’ll make it clear in our campaigning that we respect each other then it won’t seem so strange.”
“It’ll appear strange for two opposing parties to treat each other respectfully, but I’m in. The more we can work together the better.”
Birch nodded. “Excellent, because we need the President’s Guard now more than ever. Which brings me to my next point. Greer, you’ve been putting it all together on your own. It’s time we bring in more leadership to help you out. Cassidy, Warrick, I want that to be you. You’d join Greer as directors of the President’s Guard. If you agree that is.”
Warrick saw Cassidy look up at him. They said everything they needed to in their eyes. “We’re in,” Cassidy answered for them.
“Good. You three work to restructure the guard with Elizabeth and her team. Abby and Dylan too, for however much they want to be involved. Then, it’s time to get to work,” Birch said, standing up. “You have your mission. Dismissed.”
“Well,” Greer said, walking over to Warrick. “Let me be the first to say it. Welcome to Keeneston.”