There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 16

FIGHT -- FIGHT- FIGHT- FIGHT.

Patty yelled, "He can't have you, until his tests come back. I wouldn't mind an accidental grandchild, but I don't want a sick daughter. And you little girl, where are you going to hang his testes when you're finished with them?"

"I was thinking of hanging them from the rearview mirror of his car. Any girl getting in the front seat with him would know she is safe; very safe."

Junie said, "If that's all you want, give him to me for a few seconds. He won't need anesthetic, until after he wakes up."

"Dammit Junie stay away from me. Pick on Callum, he is more your size."

"Why would I want to fight with Callum, instead of you? You are more belligerent, egotistical, and tyrannical kind of person. Callum is much taller, mild-mannered, handsome, but most of all, he is always a gentle man. Would you like me to tell you about Christian? "

"No, I'm not going to win this one, am I mom?"

"Now you're going to come crawling to me looking for help? Are you beginning to realize you have a character flaw that needs to be addressed? I believe you should go to Texas and live with your father for a while. A lack of pussy might do you good."

The table exploded with laughter as Robert hung his head in shame.

Sabrina approached Robert with a plate of food.

She asked, "Would you like a little crow Robert?"

He replied, "The only house in town that could possibly be worse for me would be Brad's. He has all girls. Here at least I have two men to talk to."

Callum stood up in his board shorts, with six-pack showing. "Come on Christian, let's go girls; the swimming pool is waiting."

The girls screamed as they charged towards their bedrooms to change.

Callum said, "See you later bro."

Christian asked, "Do we have to?"

They laughed and walked towards the pool area.

"Do you feel neglected Robert?"

"They're doing this just to get my goat, mom."

"They got your goat yesterday. They're working on your car today."

"What am I doing wrong?"

"You're doing what you've done your entire life. You've always wanted to be superior. Now you've run into a group of people that are as good as or better than you are.

Callum runs a multi-million dollar investment portfolio, and looks as good as any movie star you'll ever meet.

Christian is a computer expert as good as his father and soon may be even better than him. If you have eyes in your head I don't have to tell you about Cassie.

She is her mother's child. The only reason she and Callum are not married is because he looks upon her as his little sister. They grew up, went to the same schools, churches, and colleges together. If anyone hurts her, they would have to answer to him in a very big way.

It's not that way with you and your sisters, because you are two different type personalities. You are your father, and your father's family's blood runs in your veins. You are hotheaded, self-centered, and venial. When you want to raise yourself above the commonplace and use the attributes God gave you, then you'll be able to keep up with your sisters and our guests.

Your father's father, Don Bruno, was a man I hated, because he killed my mother and almost 40 of my friends as an act of vengeance against your grandfather. Under any other circumstances we could have been friends. He was a very bright man. He ran a criminal organization that made billions of dollars a year in Manhattan. He never got caught, until he ran into me. I had the one thing in life he wanted more than money. I had his son, and I made him think I was going to kill him. I used that threat to make him give himself up to the New York district attorney.

Look what good it did me. I wound up marrying his son, and he gives me a son that is his twin in every way. It took your father many years to change his ways; many brutally difficult years. Our road to marriage was not a smooth one. There were many battles fought. Each of us won and lost some. I left him at the altar, and he left me once also.

My son if you keep going this way, your life is not going to be easy, and your heart is going to be damaged severely many times. I really think you should go to Temple and stay with your dad just to talk. You can come back here anytime you want. You have more money in your name then you know what to do with. You can go anywhere in the world, and do anything you want to do. The decision is yours. You have your degrees; what do you want to do with your life? "

"I want to be a cowboy."

"Go to Kansas and become the best dam cowboy you can be."

"Mom I was joking."

"I wasn't Robert. What do you want to do with your life?"

"I was thinking about getting involved in politics, but it's so fucked up right now I don't know where to start."

"We have a friend who is the former President of the United States and you don't know where to start? I bet he could give you the answer to that question. Why don't you give him a call?"

"Would you call him for me and I'll speak to him during the call?"

"Chickenshit."

"You said it, not me."

************

"Hello, this is Patricia Valentino, may I please speak with President Atwater. This is a personal matter."

"Yes Mrs. Valentino, one moment please."

"Hello Patricia how are you?"

"I'm doing very well Clark how are you?"

"I'm doing fine for an old man. Is Stephano getting over that nasty business down there?"

"I've been out of town doing research for our project Clark. What went on down in Temple?"

"I'm surprised he didn't call you. Someone took a shot through his office window while he was working one evening."

She was fuming but she kept herself together while she continued to talk. "Clark, Robert was thinking of getting involved in politics. He just got his Master's from Michigan and was wondering if there is anyone you would recommend him attaching his wagon to, so to speak."

"What perfect timing Patricia, absolute perfect timing. My niece, Sandi, is a wonderful lawyer, but she wants to get involved in politics in Maryland. She wants to run for the US Senate. The incumbent is very vulnerable and she is going to have expert help in running her campaign. If Robert wants to come on board he could learn a lot very quickly."

"Do you have a moment to speak to him about it?"

"Sure, put the boy on."

Patty put her hand over the microphone and said to her son, "Call him Mister President."

He moaned, "Yes mom."

"Hello Mister President."

"Hello Robert, finally out of school; how does that feel?"

"It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders Mister President. I'd really like to go out into the world, and learn something now."

"As I told your mother, my niece Sandi, wants to run for the U.S. Senate from Maryland. Her twin sister Cindi is going to be her campaign manager. Jim Green is an excellent campaign strategist. He ran both my presidential campaigns along with their father, my son-in-law the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Fred Hastings. You will meet many high-powered individuals and learn years of strategy in a very short period of time. Are you interested?"

"Yes sir, I am."

"Be advised, you cannot tell one of my nieces from the other one."

"I guess you forgotten Mister President, I have the same problem here at home with my sisters."

"That's right, Laura and Anna are twins. You poor boy; out of the frying pan and into the fire. It can't get any worse for you can it?"

"No sir not unless our opponent is running with triplets."

"I will call my niece and have her call you back sometime today. They are both lawyers, and both have office hours today. I'll let you two make the arrangements. Say goodbye to your mother for me it's been a pleasure talking with you Robert."

"Thank you very much Mister President."

"The conversation sounds like it went very well Robert."

"Yes it did mom. One of his nieces is going to call me today. I didn't get exactly which one is supposed to call, but Sandi is the one that's going to be running for office, and Cindy is the one that is going to be the campaign manager. They are identical twins and they are both lawyers. Can you imagine how bright these two women are?"

"Remember they have sisters, who are a year younger. They are identical twins, and I believe they are doctors."

"What an unbelievable family. A President, Chief Justice, two lawyers, and two doctors. The entire family is brilliant. I am going to have to hustle just to keep up with them."

"I think that's the smartest thing you said since you got home. I have one question for you. When you start working with these extremely intelligent people are you: a) Going to quit when the going gets tough, or b) Going to hang on, and stick it out to the very end.

Are you going to embarrass our family, or are you going to make us proud of you?"

"That's two questions mom, and there is only one way for us to find out. If they offer me a position, I'm going to take it. Then we will find out what kind of person I really am."

"I'm very pleased with that answer Robert. It's much better than something you would ordinarily say. 'I'm going to show them how it's done.' You actually showed some modesty, which I didn't know you had in you."

"Mrs. Valentino, if you give him to me for 10 minutes, he'll have a lot more of it."

"Thank you Junie, but he would be in the hospital for the next four months and would miss out on this job opportunity."

"He's actually going to go to work with ordinary people? How phenomenal is that. I think I'll shake his hand."

"Did she say shake or break my hand mom?"

"You will have to take your chances dear. After all, she is only a girl. What can she possibly do to a big strong man like you?"

Junie took a modified fighting stance, as she had seen on television hundreds of times, and stuck her right hand out.

"Congratulations on your new job Robert. I hope it works out well for you."

Ever so cautiously, he reached his right hand out and gripped hers.

Junie made a fast movement with her left foot, raised Robert's hand, and lowered it.

Robert screamed and ran out of the living room in fear of his life.

Patty was hysterical, and Junie was on her knees laughing. Anna and Laura ran into the living room asking what they had missed.

They couldn't believe what they heard.

"Where did he go mom, I am not going to let him hear the end of this for the rest of his life," Anna said.

"I'm in the kitchen tiny. I have never been afraid of you."

"I hurt you yesterday."

"That's because I don't hit women. If you want, I'll make you an exception to that rule."

"I'll take you on Robert, after we come back from swimming."

"Do I hear some clucking going on in the house?"

"You should be so lucky. I'm wearing a bikini, and it would give you an unfair advantage. Later brother; unless you want to put a jockstrap on, and we could do it now."

"I don't have a jockstrap, so I will have to wait until you finish swimming. Don't get sunburn; I don't want you to have another excuse."

"Sunburn or not, I will be here."

"So will I baby sister, so will I."

The girls walked outside, and the telephone rang. Robert picked it up.

"Hello, this is the Valentino residence."

"Hi Robert, this is Cindy Hastings, we've met a few times, but we probably wouldn't recognize each other if we were stuck in the same taxi. My uncle Clark called, and said you would like to get involved in my sisters campaign for the Senate."

"Yes Cindy, I just got my Master's Degree from Michigan. I am looking for dishonest work. I thought politics was a great place to start."

"You have a sense of humor, which is going to be very helpful when you're drinking coffee at 3 o'clock in the morning. When can you come down for an interview?"

"Give me a day and a time, and I will be there. My mom has a jet and I can fly down to Maryland as long as it's not being used."

"Okay, fly down Saturday, and be here by 2 PM. You can leave Sunday about 4 PM. We will interview you at my mom's house, and you can spend the night there. It's our unofficial headquarters for now, until we officially announce that Sandi is running for office."

"Okay, give me the address and I'll be there."

"Give me the tail number of your aircraft, and I'll pick you up."

"898 Sierra Papa Victor, it's a Boeing 757, I'll be flying out of Albany. What airport is closest to you?"

"Reagan, Washington National Airport."

"Okay I will see you Saturday at 2 PM. How will I recognize you?"

"Look for me standing next to me."

"I'm glad you said I had a sense of humor. I guess I will be meeting both of you at the airport?"

"I could make it fun, and have my sisters come with us. Two sets of identical twins that should knock your socks off."

"I could bring my sisters with me. Three sets of twin girls, and one guy. I would be the envy of the airport."

"Yes, but we would have to mount you on the hood of our car, because there would be no room inside it for you."

"Two of you could sit on my lap; I would not be adverse to that."

"Neither would Sandi or I."

"I think this is going to be a fun weekend."

"This is only going to be an interview Robert."

"That's all I'm expecting Cindy. See you Saturday afternoon at two."

"Goodbye Robert."

"Goodbye Cindi."

************

73. WEDNESDAY

"BORDEAUX TO EXPOSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES SPYING ON, AND ATTACKING U.S. CITIZENS HERE AT HOME."

"The Speaker of the House of Representatives announced this morning that Horace Bordeaux, Congressman from Louisiana, and Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, will testify tomorrow afternoon at 4 PM, before a joint session of Congress about rampant abuses of spying, by the NSA, CIA, and other spy agencies of the United States Government. The Speaker said Bordeaux has proof positive of criminal action these agencies have taken against the American people, since the Freedom Act was passed after the horrific events of 9/11. It is so incriminating that the Congressman will give up his seat and go into hiding afterwards, until he is needed to testify against the people involved.

The President and Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee have not been advised of the charges in advance. Congressman Bordeaux said it would be much too dangerous to let this information out to anyone, before they were announced publicly.

His wife and family have been secured in a safe house as a precaution against retaliation by these agencies. Everyone in power is wondering exactly how damning the evidence he has will be.

Judy Woodfluff, NBD News Reporting

"Well, I now have a target on my back."

"Don't worry about that one, we haven't run out of tricks yet. You are not going into Congress naked. You are going in with an armed escort, until we turn you over to the capital guards, inside the building. We are not going to leave you exposed, you are too important to this country."

"Why am I still wearing this thing around my stomach if I important?"

"Do you remember what I said to you by the Amazon River? I didn't believe you had it in you. Until you finish your speech tomorrow, I will not know for sure if you will be able to finish your conversion from conspirator to American Patriot. As soon as we get you into the armored car that comes off and you become one of the good guys for life. We will protect you with our lives if we have to just to make sure you are able to testify against the men who were complicit in this conspiracy."

"What about the vice president?"

"You said he would be a hard target to get to, and every time we tried to find a place to attack him, it was impossible. Unfortunately, we're going to have to let him go. I don't want to lose any of my men, when there is a certainty we will get caught in the act."

"Now I know why your men are so fiercely loyal to you. You are just as fiercely loyal to them. You keep their welfare as a priority in everything you do."

"It's called leadership Congressman. If you don't lead from the front, your men can't see you, and they can't follow you. Officers who lead from the rear do not get the trust of their men, and depend on their sergeants to lead them.

Several years ago I lost most of a team because I was pulled out of position by a very imaginative opponent. It appeared that my mission was going to be more problematic than the second mission was. I took the harder one, along with Sergeant Zachary. It appeared the second mission would be a cakewalk. That should have been an indication that something was wrong. I missed it. It was my fault, and those men, and women died because of me. It was a trap. Why did they need 14 soldiers to eliminate one high-profile target? I looked over the plan, set up the solution, and gave it to Team 1. I lost nine men and two women that evening and early morning, because I was not going to be there to lead them.

In one transmission the radio operator said, "God Colonel, I wish you were here." It was the last transmission I received from him. I was supposed to be with my people, and I wasn't. Their deaths gnaw at me every day. It will never happen again."

******************

74. THURSDAY

Vice President William Silvers held the note in his hand and kept reading it over and over again. "The game stops with me." He knew what Bordeaux meant. He was always a solid part of his organization, and would be rewarded when he became president. Could he be trusted to get through today without breaking his word? His secretary said the Congressman told her he would laugh when he read the note. He believed Bordeaux was trying to give him a message to relax. Everything was under control. If everything was under control, why was he sweating? If he didn't have meetings all day he would be in West Virginia preparing to flee the country. He was guilty of everything the Congressman could expose, but if he left town at such a moment, his staff and the media would wonder why, and start digging for a reason. He would have to tough it out, and to prepare a plausible defense. Thankfully, there was no paper trail leading to him from the Congressman."

His meetings started at 8:30 AM, and he was immediately absorbed in the business of the day. It wasn't until 1 PM, when his Chief of Staff asked him if he could see one more person before he stopped for lunch.

"Who is it?"

"It's Jim Pierce, from Advanced Algorithms."

"Sure, let him in. Tell everyone to go to lunch, and take the rest of the day off. Everyone's going to be watching what's happening in Congress this afternoon. Why not let them do it in the comfort of their own home. That's what I'm going to be doing."

"Thank you Mister Vice President, I'll spread the word."

Pierce walked into the room, put a finger to his lips, and placed a little box on top of the vice president's desk. He pushed a button, and after a second a green light came on.

"Hello William how are you? "

"Is that your new sound canceling toy?"

"Yes it is. No one can hear or record a word, within a 15 foot radius."

"Very nice, and to answer your first question, I'm scared shitless."

"We are in the same boat, but you have an oar, and we don't. Is there any way you can help us?"

"I don't know if I'm going to be in jail tonight, how can I possibly help you?"

"We've heard through the grapevine that he's not going to involve you. Is it true?"

"This is the note my secretary left for me. If you can believe it, he's going to leave me out of it. He may grow a pair of balls while he's up there, and give me up too. Who the hell knows?"

"Do you want us to try to take him out?"

"It would be the answer to all our problems. How are you going to get close enough to kill him, without killing hundreds of people?"

"Arab terrorists kill hundreds of people every day."