Read Online 4 Rainy Days and Monday by Robert Michael - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert Michael
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Vivian, Jake would be surprised if she ran for office again.
It was not that she was scared. She was disgusted.
Jake sighed.
He wondered for the hundredth time why he had distrusted his father. Was it a sixth sense? Was it something instilled by his mother? Instinct?
According to Vivian, his suspicions had been accurate. Yet, she respected Gabriel. Mourned his passing. Expressed her regrets. Paid her respects to Jake and his family. Said she understood how hard this would be on his family. She would do all in her ability to protect Jake, Hallie, and Macy.
He had nodded numbly.
Then, she had handed him the manila folder that he held in his hand now.
He did not want to look at it. The contents of the folder were explosive. Poisonous. Destructive. They could tear down his perceptions of his family. They could confirm all of his fears about his past. His legacy.
To know that he was a pawn in all the evil that gripped the world at the moment made Jake feel as though he would vomit. Against his will, against his conscience, he had killed in cold blood. On the other hand, had he?
Doubt was perhaps the most corrosive of the emotions that the folder evoked.
“This country will stand strong in our grief. We are committed to protecting the citizens of this great nation from the terror of those who wish to harm our leaders, ravage our communities, and destroy our way of life. We will not stand for it. We will fight back,” Vivian was saying. “Corruption, treason, and treachery will not be tolerated. We must all come together in these trying times. We must hold firm to our values of freedom, equality, and moral behavior. It is time for those who believe in the guiding light of liberty to hold her torch high.”
A stirring speech delivered from a secure bunker underground with a green-screen. On the television, President Walker appeared seated in the Oval Office. The desk was a replica. The view out to the gardens from a stock film. It was actually raining in Washington right now. Jake wondered who would note these things first.
He flicked the edges of the folder, contemplating opening the contents, and dumping them in the bin at the end of the hall.
A door opened with a click. Senator Robert Swane leaned out with a quick appraisal.
“You should get some sleep. You look awful,” he said.
“Can’t sleep, Robert. Have you heard from Hallie?”
Robert smiled.
“Playing ‘house’ with one of our best field agents. Last I checked, they are fine, Jake.” He sat heavily into the chair beside Jake.
“I miss her.”
Swane leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
“Me, too.”
They sat like that for several minutes. Jake held the folder, hoping Robert would ask about it. He seemed to ignore it.
“Tell me about China,” Jake said.
Swane scoffed.
“What’s to say? Two team members dead. Our first mission failed right out of the gate. Team chemistry was wrong. We rushed it. The only good news is that we know where Lin-Xia is now.”
“Good,” Jake said.
“Don’t take the mission too hard, Jake. It was a failure from the start. We suspect that Fin Zhou was murdered by the head of his security team the moment the helicopters crested the mountain range. We have some more ops lined up in the next few weeks. Better intel. Closer to home. Less variables.”
Jake shook his head. Pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’m not concerned about the mission, Robert.”
Swane turned and looked him in the face.
“What’s wrong, Jake?”
He furrowed his brow.
“I prefer to work alone.”
Robert nodded.
“Of course. Less chance of collateral damage. I get that. One thing you learn in politics is that if the country would just leave it all up to you, cut out all the committees, the incessant voting on things, all the back-door deals, et cetera, the country would run much smoother. It makes it messy to be part of something larger.”
“You are mocking me.”
Swane smiled thinly.
“A little. There is some
It was not that she was scared. She was disgusted.
Jake sighed.
He wondered for the hundredth time why he had distrusted his father. Was it a sixth sense? Was it something instilled by his mother? Instinct?
According to Vivian, his suspicions had been accurate. Yet, she respected Gabriel. Mourned his passing. Expressed her regrets. Paid her respects to Jake and his family. Said she understood how hard this would be on his family. She would do all in her ability to protect Jake, Hallie, and Macy.
He had nodded numbly.
Then, she had handed him the manila folder that he held in his hand now.
He did not want to look at it. The contents of the folder were explosive. Poisonous. Destructive. They could tear down his perceptions of his family. They could confirm all of his fears about his past. His legacy.
To know that he was a pawn in all the evil that gripped the world at the moment made Jake feel as though he would vomit. Against his will, against his conscience, he had killed in cold blood. On the other hand, had he?
Doubt was perhaps the most corrosive of the emotions that the folder evoked.
“This country will stand strong in our grief. We are committed to protecting the citizens of this great nation from the terror of those who wish to harm our leaders, ravage our communities, and destroy our way of life. We will not stand for it. We will fight back,” Vivian was saying. “Corruption, treason, and treachery will not be tolerated. We must all come together in these trying times. We must hold firm to our values of freedom, equality, and moral behavior. It is time for those who believe in the guiding light of liberty to hold her torch high.”
A stirring speech delivered from a secure bunker underground with a green-screen. On the television, President Walker appeared seated in the Oval Office. The desk was a replica. The view out to the gardens from a stock film. It was actually raining in Washington right now. Jake wondered who would note these things first.
He flicked the edges of the folder, contemplating opening the contents, and dumping them in the bin at the end of the hall.
A door opened with a click. Senator Robert Swane leaned out with a quick appraisal.
“You should get some sleep. You look awful,” he said.
“Can’t sleep, Robert. Have you heard from Hallie?”
Robert smiled.
“Playing ‘house’ with one of our best field agents. Last I checked, they are fine, Jake.” He sat heavily into the chair beside Jake.
“I miss her.”
Swane leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
“Me, too.”
They sat like that for several minutes. Jake held the folder, hoping Robert would ask about it. He seemed to ignore it.
“Tell me about China,” Jake said.
Swane scoffed.
“What’s to say? Two team members dead. Our first mission failed right out of the gate. Team chemistry was wrong. We rushed it. The only good news is that we know where Lin-Xia is now.”
“Good,” Jake said.
“Don’t take the mission too hard, Jake. It was a failure from the start. We suspect that Fin Zhou was murdered by the head of his security team the moment the helicopters crested the mountain range. We have some more ops lined up in the next few weeks. Better intel. Closer to home. Less variables.”
Jake shook his head. Pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’m not concerned about the mission, Robert.”
Swane turned and looked him in the face.
“What’s wrong, Jake?”
He furrowed his brow.
“I prefer to work alone.”
Robert nodded.
“Of course. Less chance of collateral damage. I get that. One thing you learn in politics is that if the country would just leave it all up to you, cut out all the committees, the incessant voting on things, all the back-door deals, et cetera, the country would run much smoother. It makes it messy to be part of something larger.”
“You are mocking me.”
Swane smiled thinly.
“A little. There is some
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