John Returns Read online

  George started the conversation, “John and Bob, thanks for joining Gus and me to review the indictments handed down by the Grand Juries. I took a quick peek this morning, and I believe you will be happy to see the President, Wilton and all of their crooked cronies are on the target list. You will also see a rather large number of liberal media and liberal fat cats who financed and covered up the treason.

  Some are on the list for fixing the last two elections by helping giving illegals the right to vote.

  Holy crap! George, there are hundreds of people on the list. Of course, I’ll prioritize and catch the traitors, but I don’t want to let these other criminals off the hook. Gus, I’ll need help from JAG and civilian authorities to find and pay for investigators and military to capture these scumbags.”

  “John, I agree. Treat it like eating an elephant. One leg at a time. John, we want you to concentrate on finishing your work in Tennessee and Kentucky while you get our spy network started. We want Bob to take charge of bringing the traitors to justice. Bob, the Admiral and I will give you the core leadership and lawyers, but you’ll have to staff the actual hunters. It will take hundreds of men and women to find these bastards. It will get harder after they find out we are actively looking for them. I recommend you target the major traitors first and then just work your way down the list.”

  “Thanks, Gus and thank Admiral Jones for me, please.”

  “I will. Now, John, we need to have a separate meeting to cover how we plan to support your mission. I like what your team has proposed and run with the ball. Don’t let us slow you down. My only warning to both of you is to stay out of the field and don’t go out hunting down and killing traitors. Your teams can handle the dirty work.”

  John laughed and said, “Now why do I think that was aimed at me.”

  “You damn straight it was. We nearly lost you in Montana; we don’t need to lose you up in Pennsylvania trying to raid their new Whitehouse.”

  They met for another hour discussing the support and intelligence that John’s team would give Bob’s group of traitor hunters. John was not happy that he didn’t get the job of hunting down the president and other traitors but also knew the development of a strong spy network would save many lives over the years.

  ***

  ISA Command Headquarters Bunker

  The Compound, near Mobile Bay

  “Ann, Steve and Mr. Vice President, thanks for joining our team. I’ve never had a VP on a team before so let me know if we break any protocol.”

  “John, I’ve never been a Vice President before so I don’t think I’d notice if protocol was broken. Please everyone of you; treat me as you would the person sitting next to you. Knowing this crew, I should add except for the practical jokes.”

  “Now that we have the handshaking and niceties over let’s get down to how to make a spy. The Admiral has loaned us a Navy Commander who leads their covert intelligence gathering. He is in the waiting room and will join us shortly. Until then, I need you to fill me in on your success in finding capable people to place their lives in danger knowing that 50 percent of them will never return home.”

  Ann spoke up first, “I have kept my ear to the ground and have found hundreds of motivated people thanks to the attack on Mobile, but most do not fit our requirements. I boiled down 93 people to 12 excellent potential recruits. We do need to know who and how these people will be contacted.”

  “Great job Ann. I think Commander Phillips will fill us in on how to recruit people into our gang of spies. Jack?”

  “I haven’t had much contact with civilians lately, but have recommendations for 23 men and women that were under my command. They are all single and have the training to survive and kill if needed.”

  John kept going around the table, and the list grew to over 150 potential candidates who had the motivation, qualifications, and experience to begin the elimination training.

  “Good morning, sir. I am Commander Eric Phillips. You can call me Eric. I’m going to cover the following topics:

  How to select recruits.

  How to approach recruits.

  How to test recruits

  How we train those that pass the test

  How to manage spies.

  How agents conduct themselves in the spy game.

  Why you should turn over the spy game to my staff.

  When item 7 began, all eyes went to John to try to discern his feelings on turning over his spy club to the Navy.

  “General, I understand that you wish to run your own intelligence service. However, I do also know that you do not like reinventing the wheel.

  By using our personnel and facilities, we avoid the waste of time, training the trainers. We already have an effective organization in place, and can insert operatives within weeks, rather than months.

  If you grow your own agency, you will have one more government agency. I know that you want a lean government, so I highly recommend we use what we already have.

  If you agree, then we will investigate your recruits. We will weed out those who cannot do the job, and get the remainder on task in 8 weeks.”

  Looking apprehensive, Eric asked, “Sir, have I convinced you?”

  “Eric, what happens to those that fail the test?”

  “Before I answer, let’s differentiate failing from not suitable. The ones not suitable go home. The ones that fail will be shot. Failure means they are already spies.”

  “Good answer.”

  “My understanding is that the NIA will help find and recruit candidates for spy school?”

  General Harris, at the end of this briefing it is my hope that you will allow the Naval Intelligence Agency (NIA) to manage the spy network and deliver actionable intelligence to your staff.”

  “Eric, I will keep an open mind, proceed.”

  “Sir, I have been ordered to support you as needed and have several NIA team members ready to assist you in building an ISA intelligence network, if that is how you wish to continue.

  Now let’s get started with my presentation.” Connecting his computer, Eric said, “Yes, even spies have slide show presentations. This will quickly bring you up to speed on what we need to do to make this program successful, and provide an overview of the training involved, and already in place.”

  The presentation was as expected. It contained information on skills, motivation, training and those traits necessary to produce a professional intelligence agent.

  What they didn’t expect was Eric’s sense of humor and very funny jokes.

  John finished the briefing with a smile on his face, and said, “Eric, the information was very helpful, and you certainly made the class enjoyable.”

  “Sir, I am most pleased that you enjoyed the presentation, alas, the serious part comes next week when we discuss what a spy actually has to do in the field. Did any of you watch the spy series “Comrades” on the IBSN network?”

  Several raised their hands.

  “Excellent, that program came as close as it gets to the real thing. Spies do whatever it takes to gain the confidence of their target. Ply them with booze, drugs, money, food and yes, sex if that will get the job done. Only hardcore missions have that kind of risk. Most agents just hang out around military bases, count men, trucks and planes, and report the info back to headquarters.”

  “Come on, Eric, the main character of that series marries the man in charge of a nuclear program and has three kids by him. Certainly, that isn’t real.”

  “That has happened to both Russian and American spies. To fit in, they do whatever it takes. One of our agents had to live with a Russian mobster for two years. Having children is, though, is actually rare. Thank God.”

  “Eric your briefing was exactly what we needed. This will help you weed out unsuitable candidates, so time isn’t wasted.”

  “General, the reason I asked for this briefing to be private is that we don’t want to weed out all of the undesirable people. This program will attract people who either already works for
the USA or wants to spy for them. Not everyone you trust is trustworthy. We actually find a small percentage of enemy spies that try to infiltrate our spy network during the recruiting phase.”

  “How do you stop them from entering the program?”

  “Before The Collapse, most were erased, as it were. Of course, after we get information from them about their program and any top secret shit. Now, after The Collapse, well, yeah, we do the same thing.

  The bottom line is if you have a great candidate that you may have concerns about, tip us off and let us deal with them. They sink or swim.”

  “Sink with concrete boots.”

  “Yep.”

  “Sir, I’d like to add that the NIA already has very capable spy handlers. The handlers don’t go on missions but do know the trade so they can make sound decisions without checking back in with headquarters at every little turn.

  I would also like to add Amit and Ziva to the NIA’s program. They are fully trained and experienced in the trade.”

  “Mossad? I had a hunch.”

  “Yes, they were working with us on a project when The Collapse occurred. We lost them and only reestablished contact when your son brought them back from the west.”

  “Eric, I now, more fully understand that the NIA is the most logical choice, rather than reinvent that proverbial wheel. Yes, you will take full control of training, but I must have input on upcoming missions pertaining to my mandate.

  Now, concerning Ziva and Amit, the answer is no. They are too good at their present job, and I will have a great need for their skill set. Once my mission is completed, I would certainly allow a transfer to the NIA if they so request.”

  “That, sir is an excellent compromise. Obviously, neither can return to the PCS. We want some of our spies to work on the books for our normal projects and off the book on some wet work as situations present themselves.”

  John added, “And I am the guy to run this mission because I am the most qualified with my previous black ops wet work role.”

  “That, and you will hunt those bastards down whether you get NIA help, or not. We must ensure that we get proper evidence to indict everyone we can identify who was involved in this treachery.

  The NIA is ready to do its job. Only a few will know your mission. In addition, they will be people that I trust them with my life. If the scheduled follow-on briefing is no longer necessary, we will begin the process, tomorrow.”

  John’s nostrils slightly flared when he said, “Tomorrow, huh, that certainly sounds like you felt rather sure that I would allow the NIA to run training and operations. What say you, Eric?”

  Smiling from ear to ear, Eric answered, “General Harris, I knew I had you at adding another unnecessary agency to the federal government. I hope you are not angry, sir.”

  “Yes, Eric, I guess you did have me at that point and rightfully so. No, I am not angry, you maneuvered me most professionally.” Smiling, John patted the Spy Master on the shoulder, and said, “Gentlemen, this calls for a drink.”

  ***

  John raised his voice, “Let’s stop the back slapping and gossiping and get down to business. Ted, show us your Group Organization Chart.”

  “Yes sir, for security purposes, I must remind everyone that this briefing is top secret. In this case, loose lips mean dead agents, and possibly the entire Intel Network. So now is the time for anyone who does not feel comfortable in knowing this information to leave.”

  The group discussed the great work on identification papers, credentials, and tools provided by the Naval Intelligence Agency. They met for another two hours and adjourned. John kept Roger, Jim, Ted, Sonny and Tom for an off the books meeting.

  John thanked everyone in the room for volunteering for a dangerous assignment without knowing the mission details.

  He then said, “Everything you have learned about our operation is true, and is vitally important part of the ISA’s continued existence.

  Now, the fact is that a big part of our work will be off the books. We are going to find, capture, interrogate and probably kill all of the traitors who nuked our country.”

  “The Wrath of God,” said Jim!

  Roger replied, “Yes, the Israeli Mossad made a mission of tracking down and killing every bastard that participated in the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.”

  John went on, “The code name for our operation is WOG.

  Many of these traitors still have supporters in the PCS, who provide large amounts of money, gold, and other valuables to buy their way out of trouble.

  Your mission is to find the worst of the worst before the official teams find them. NIA flight wing will help extract your targets and fly them to a ship out in the Gulf of Mexico. There, we can verify their identity, interrogate and dispose of them.”

  “Will every agent have this mission?”

  General Harris hated lies, but he felt it important that his agents knew only what was needed for their individual part of this operation. “No, you are the only agents on this assignment.”

  “So it’s wanted dead or alive?”

  “We prefer capturing them alive to gain more evidence and Intel, but the agents will be told to eliminate any whose capture is not feasible.”

  John closed the meeting by adding, “I personally thank each for you for accepting this assignment.

  This mission may take years to complete and must remain below the radar. I hope that if you are captured, you may be able to avoid torture by telling this truth. General John Harris was in charge of the operation. He developed the plan and ordered the execution of the plan. You were told, and believed, that it was a legal operation, conducted by the ISA to bring these traitors to justice. It is legal, but we’d like to keep it a deep dark secret. I solely am responsible for this operation and no one else. PERIOD!”

  ✪

  Chapter 12

  Justice and Rebuilding 2048

  Smyrna, Tennessee

  2048

  The Smyrna Regional Hospital

  “The project to build the underground Capitol is still the largest construction project undertaken since The Collapse. Did you realize that it would probably be one of your most significant contributions to ISA’s future? The park is one of the wonders of the modern world. There are over twenty thousand flowering bushes and trees along with magnificent horticultural gardens, ponds with fish, ducks, and swans. Kids love the mazes, musical water displays and the children’s museum.”

  “Josh, I didn’t start out to do anything beautiful or elegant. It just happened as we tried to figure out what we wanted our Capitol to look like in a hundred years.

  I knew all along that we wanted something like the Washington Mall, but with more land and gardens between the buildings.

  A Smyrna high school student came up with the idea to keep the mile wide circle free of buildings and make it a large park with memorials, statues, ponds and a central amphitheater. His original design is mounted in a glass case that’s on display in the Museum of Heroes at the south end of the Mall.

  The only contribution to the Mall that I made is the memorial to the thousands that died in the attack on Mobile. I drew it up on a napkin while I was waiting on the President of the USA to come within range of my Barret M107A1 .50 cal.”

  “Wait a minute. He hung himself a few years later, didn’t he?

  “Yes, the President of the USA, who nuked his own country killing millions, hung himself rather than going on trial for his treason. I waited for hours to get a clean shot.

  He was in his limo, and I fired. The bullet traveled through the windshield, the driver and his wife, killing her and the driver. I fired again but killed his speechwriter. I didn’t intend to kill his wife, but she was just as evil as the President was.

  She hated most Americans and thought we were all ignorant and uneducated. Anyway, I had to shag ass out of there before they figured out where I was hiding. The suppressor reduces the noise, but it’s not silent. I was a thousand yards awa
y, and the area was swarming with police and the military arm of the DHS Force. My team set off diversionary explosions on the other side of the river, and several were almost caught.”

  “You must have scared the crap out of him because he never made a public speech again.”

  “That plus my team wiped out his entire cabinet over the next three months.

  He never attacked the ISA again. I had two teams dogging his every move. We killed anyone working with him and several of his relatives. The man’s nerves were shot to hell.

  We had peace until that bitch President Wilton decided to try to attack us a few years later. Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to kill that treasonous bitch.”

  “And I’ll be happy to write the story and tell the world about the death of a tyrant.”

  “Josh, I think you just found the name of your book, but first, you need to get well, get out of the hospital and marry my daughter before you take on any more story telling.”

  “I am scheduled to be released this Friday. Beth and Jenn have the wedding planned out to the smallest detail.

  My job is only to show up with the ring.

  So, come on, please, tell me the story about the hunt of the traitors who nuked the world, and the trials conducted by the Pacific Coast States of America (PCS). I just can’t believe the story that you personally hunted down and killed the liberal news people who supported the President.”

  “The truth is that I had several teams hunting for the President’s team that orchestrated the nuclear attacks on America, the Department of Homeland Security officials who tried to enslave the citizens, the Field Marshals, the news media people who covered up the crimes, and the donors who funded the President’s treason. The plan was to take them to the PCS and have them tried there. Some resisted, and we killed them. We also hunted down and killed on sight all Iranian and Mexican leaders who plotted with the President. I did kill several myself.”