Comeuppance Pt. 05-06

Janice froze up, and it was headed straight downhill from there, with sobbing and begging not to make her explain. Then the server brought their food and ice tea, and April suggested they delay that conversation until after their meal. They returned to catching up about home and Jack over the crab cakes and stuffed flounder, but their demeanors and verbal fluency changed during the course of the meal. Jack could tell they were both high on something, although they were eating seafood and drinking iced tea.

That mystery was solved when the sorry, rotten bitch Jack left hanging from the hunting stand appeared, pulled up a chair, and introduced herself to April. Janice was angry at her for being there, slurring, "You promised you would let me have this time!"

"I lied," Kristina replied. "The King likes the looks of your pretty sister-in-law, so tonight she joins you in service to her country."

April looked back and forth, but seemed unable to speak. Janice tried to get up, but couldn't; she tried to hit the woman, but couldn't. Four large men appeared, helped April and Janice to their feet, and, head bobbing and mouths slack, outside to a waiting limousine. Neither was conscious a minute into the drive.

Jack thought about how many men and women would have intervened it that happened to someone, even strangers, in Cowtown, and wondered at how callous city dwellers were.

That he watched all that live and in color was testimony to the tentacles of The King's organization. There had to be cameras in the apartment where April was staying, in the cab that picked her up, in the restaurant, and in the limo. The cameras in the café also showed the server who spiked their tea being paid $1000 for having done it by The Bitch, later bragged about it to Janice.

Jack had been somewhat impressed by all he had learned about Daniel King, but now he recognized why others held him in awe - his tentacles were everywhere! This kill wasn't going to be as simple as he had hoped.

Though he had steeled himself before he started, having some idea of what he would see from having watched the other films, this was far worse. No, not the pornographic nature of the sex acts: the behind-the-scenes discussions about his wife and sister as soul-less playthings, and the way April was used, kept drugged, terrified through words, threats, and beatings, and turned into a frightened, drug-riddled sex toy that performed on command.

The sex scenes were disturbing alright, but it was the rest that made it all but unbearable for Jack to watch and listen to. Knowing what he knew now, he should have captured and tortured the senators and the Russian slut until they finally died! They took delight in demeaning and destroying the spirit of their captives, and in cruelly abusing their bodies - he should have done the same!

It would take 129 more hours just to watch the mashup Alfred and Charlie had put together, but they told him the raw footage and audio they had downloaded were tens of thousands of hours in length, if he wanted to watch. After all, it covered a year of April's captivity, two years of Janice's, and who know how much of the lives of the scores of other women in servitude!

It appeared they video or audiotaped almost every moment of their playthings' lives, including restroom breaks and 'private conversations.'

Jack declined that offer, and asked that they somehow index their mashup so he could decide what to watch, out of the twelve ten-hour days he hadn't seen yet.

They laughed and acknowledged that they hadn't watched it all either; they used AI to find and save segments based on search parameters, including chronology, then skimmed through it to affirm it appeared germane and was in sequence, or close to it.

They then showed him how to access the hidden index, and told him that the recommendations for critical review, based on the search parameters, were numbered in red. He turned to leave, but hesitated, and then stated. "I have to ask; did you two somehow choose segments that are... I guess, less damning for the girls?

"The impression I get from watching your mashup is very different than that I got from watching the recordings on the senator's servers. So much so that it sometimes feels like footage was added to explain or even excuse their behavior."

Alfred shook his head. "Boss, you need to watch their journal next; then you'll get it. Watch that, and then you can watch the other 130-ish hours we put together, or the thousands of hours of raw recordings from various sources, if so inclined.

"To answer your question, if anything 'friendly' happened to the videos, you have to blame Alice. Maybe she was sympathetic and altered the video and audio, but since we didn't direct her to do anything like that, I'm pretty sure she didn't. As far as Croc and I go, we only addressed date and time so the mashup would be chronological in order, rather than random based on the source."

"Alice is the AI?" "She is," Croc replied.

"Hey, Boss, they called us for supper a while back, and we skipped lunch too, so let's go eat with the others."

The three were surprised but delighted to see the table was set and the crowd around the table was waiting for them. They were invited to grab a plate and get the taco/ burrito/ enchilada buffet started. Jack gestured for the other two to lead, and Croc wasn't bashful.

April was again pleasant to him, as she was to everyone else; perhaps the truce would last until he was able to finish what he needed to watch, for his own sanity. Right now, he was glad they had agreed to the truce - he wasn't prepared yet for the groveling she deserved to hear from him.

****

Jack awoke early the next morning, refreshed, full of energy, and with a new action plan. He got coffee and a breakfast sandwich from a mildly flirtatious Cilla, and adjourned to the basement. Sue and Croc were bleary-eyed; obviously, they had been up all night, and Charlie was short with him. "We've loaded the journal; it's only two hours long, so watch that and then get yourself back in here.

"On the way back, get your head on straight; shits happening, but you have time to watch the journal before you're needed. See you at 9:20, sharp."

He was back at 9:17, but his head wasn't clear. How badly he wished he had done as his friends asked and listened to their stories after that first fateful encounter. How either could stand to be near him was beyond his understanding - no one that misinformed and cruel should be forgiven, ever!

Again he wished he could resurrect the three senators and the traitorous bitch Kristina, add Daniel King, the Sheik, a well-known Wall Street broker, a very popular evening news channel host, another Russian diplomat, and the congressman who chairs the House Oversight Committee. He'd never tried staking someone over a red ant bed in the July sun, and he wasn't sure he could find enough ant beds, but he'd like to start there and then get really cruel for a few days before destriparon a todos que no se muerta with a dull knife.

Captain Cross did clear Jack's mind pretty quickly, however, as he, then Sue, Croc, and Mule, laid out what they learned from sources and/or had intercepted. The others present were Carl, Janice, and April; Rene, Elias, and Ranger Allen; representative pilots of crewed and uncrewed aircraft; and the squadron leaders for both onsite and offsite positions.

Jack listened, analyzed, and evaluated as plans were drawn. He saw no fault, although he admittedly knew little about military planning, and this was definitely military planning. A battle was about to begin that would make the little dustup with the New Jersey Mafia seen like a backyard scuffle between brothers.

Primary attention was directed toward the new neighbors across the river, who were well armed and appeared, from airborne surveillance, to be mobilizing, but reports were received from other sectors. The report from the county to the east seemed benign, but troubled Jack. He turned, frowned at Carl, and got a frown and shaken head in return.

"If I may interrupt... Have you actually spoken with the Franklins about that, Major? They are very private people and rarely entertain guests. To my knowledge, other than the annual Turkey Creek Arts and Crafts Fair they host near the long-abandoned homestead along the creek, they never host guests in number approaching those, and the only trucks on their place should be cattle haulers."

"We have not. We did fly a drone over their ranch, but saw nothing suspicious besides the two eighteen wheelers, which were unloading sacks of feed and bales of hay."

"No," Carl spoke up. "That shouldn't be happening. They have some of the best irrigated hay fields in south Texas. They mill their own feed in Beeville and the miller delivers it to their barn in bulk. Those aren't feed sacks, and something's very wrong with the picture you painted."

"Get UAV's on it, and send scouts ASAP," Captain Cross commanded. "If Carl and Jack smell a rat, there is one!"

Red interjected "The Sheriff has been wanting to ride in the Huey and pretend he's the gunner; either of you want to ride along? Look like we'll be flying east today."

The meeting ended, with everyone feeling a new sense of urgency. Before they left, Jack called April and Janice over to a corner. "I watched your journal today, and yesterday I watched nine hours of unedited footage from King's server, beginning with your meal at the oyster bar. I would apologize for my words, but I can't find the words to absolve the things I said in my ignorant arrogance, or arrogant ignorance. I'm working on it though, and you will get my best effort soon.

"It won't be enough, and you should definitely hate me forever, but I'm going to do it because I really do regret the things I said, and I want you to understand how bad I feel about hurting you when I should have been welcoming you home with open arms."

April just stared in confusion, but Janice smiled. "We'll be waiting, and it better be a good one, you arrogant Jackass!" Then she winked and said, "Now get out there and figure this out; we don't want to die until we hear you grovel and see you do your penance!"

****

The four men loaded into the county's newest helicopter, a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk. It climbed quickly due to the twin engines, and, flying over 150 mph, it covered the 45 mile distance in a hurry.

Jack and Carl might not be military-trained, but they were observant, knowledgeable about the area and its people, and brighter than the average bears. Carl pointed out things those flying reconnaissance with the UAVs hadn't noticed as they flew the chopper over the Franklin Ranch, and Jack spotted anomalies in multiple locations that appeared innocent enough to Red and Rene.

Their reports to the Captain and Ranger Allen generated another meeting, resulting in revised plans and new orders to the squadrons. Based on appearances alone, staging of infantry and assault weapons was taking place in the river pasture adjoining the Armstrong Ranch, but the threat from the Franklin Ranch was missiles.

The two truckloads of whatever the drones saw being unloaded was a mystery, but how many invaders were there, how long had they been in control of the ranch, and what else had they already offloaded? The primary contents of the old barn seemed to two very large trucks mounted with what Red thought might be missile launchers, based on a poor view from a bad angle at great speed.

Were they? What kind? And were more elsewhere on the ranch?

"We need to find out how long it has been since someone saw Frank senior or junior, Walt, Harvey, or one of the women," Jack directed. "What about the kids? There is no possible way the Franklins were collaborators, which means they are prisoners, or... yeah, no, I don't want to consider the other options. The elder Franklins were friends with my grandparents and parents, and I roomed with Walt for a year at Texas State. People like them don't die like that!"

Carl had many friends over in Bobcat County, so he took on the effort of finding the Franklins. Jack joined Chuy in the barn's new UAV flight control center for an eagle-eye view of the ranches to the north and east. Red and Wayne were flying the copter over the land to our south, toward town, and Danny was flying another UAV in ever-expanding circles outside town, assisted by another native very familiar with the territory, Raul Medina.

They were leaving nothing to chance now that they knew the time was nigh, but their efforts were barren. An air attack could come from a distant location in any direction, even another state, Mexico, or the Gulf, but they were confident any land attack would come from the west, and further hardened positions the overlooked the land between the house and river.

Chita and Cilla had prepared club sandwiches for lunch. Most had already eaten, so they joined the men when they came inside. The over-the-top flirting from the dance was gone, and the sisters were their usual cheery, happy, and teasing selves. They enjoyed the meal, and then Carl signaled for Jack to come outside.

"None of the Franklins except Walt have been seen in three days. Walt had been at the bank every day, but the teller I talked to said he's been badly off key and distracted."

"So, most likely they are holding the family hostage, and Walt's doing what he must to keep them alive. We still have CDs and investments there; want to take someone, ride over, and talk to Walt about a loan to buy more cattle using the CDs as collateral?"

"I'll be there at 9 when it opens," Carl replied. "Shall I call you when I know more?"

"Only if you think it's urgent, and you can get the captain to issue you a secure sat phone with which to call the secure line here. We don't want to get the Franklins killed over the contents of a phone call that could have been delivered in person."

It was too quiet in the house. Jack checked all the rooms, then went back to the kitchen and asked the Garcia sisters where everyone was. He learned that Elias, Ranger McLeod, and Wash had taken Janice and April to San Antonio for a medical appointment. They knew it was on the base, but they didn't know who had the appointment or when they would return.

Jack decided he had time to watch a few more parts of the mashup; while he had learned what he needed to know about April's first months there, he wanted to see period just after they were told he had been killed, and the last few weeks, after the senators were killed and so many others exposed.

April's first rapist in captivity had been Daniel King, the man who selected her for 'service,' and he had continued to use her to satisfy his needs and those of certain powerful clients - to the point Jack quit watching. Was she still with him to the end? Were they in a perverted romantic relationship of some kind? Did she care for him? Was she here as his mole?

He wanted to believe the video journal, but he needed to see and hear for himself. He would apologize for his behavior when they returned home, and do his best to make it up to them... unless they were traitors... He didn't believe that, but he would feel much better if he watched those last days, tried to read their feelings, and heard their words.

Maybe, in his zeal to record every word and action, King had trapped himself and his collaborators. 'Only one way to find out' he told himself, and walked down the stairs to the basement viewing room.

Hours passed, and Jack had his answers. He shut down the computer, stretched, and opened the door - only to find himself nose to nose with a grim-faced sheriff and angry-looking captain. "Step back inside, Jack; we need to talk!" the sheriff demanded.

"How about I go pee and then we talk? I've been in here a while."

Captain Cross moved aside; Jack walked quickly to he commode, dropped a gallon or so, and hurried back. He was very, very concerned about the upcoming 'talk' - both the cop and the army guy looked and sounded way off balance.

"April, accompanied by Janice, made her gynecologist appointment on time, Jack. Their escorts waited in the designated area, as directed - for nearly three hours! They asked an orderly to check on them, and when he returned they were told the appointment was completed in less than an hour.

There was no way they came back the way them came in, so they began a search of the building, which, as you know, is huge. They found neither and learned nothing, so they went back to the parking lot; nothing there, including the Suburban they came in!

"I'll give you the blow-by-blow if you want, but cutting to the chase, the SUV was found at your SA apartment, but the women were nowhere to be found. We have no idea why they pulled the disappearing act or where they're going.

"I issued an APB, and the TDPS issued some kind of special alert to the highway patrol, troopers, and rangers. We haven't learned a damn thing, but let me assure you this wasn't some hair-brained scheme! It was well planned, and they disappeared like smoke in a breeze!"

"Well, fuck! Sit down with me and watch something. It's ready to play."

Puzzled by his reaction, Abraham and Rene took seats to watch April, Daniel King, Janice, and a robed Arab they called Ahmad Ali. It was the day before they were freed by the FBI, and the discussion was about whether they should all flee to the UAE in the sheiks plane, or the two women should return to Texas and turn down the heat April's husband had created.

The women argued for returning, the men for heading for a country without extradition because they feared their parts in the ring had been found out. Ultimately, they agreed to allow the women to return to the ranch to throw anyone looking off the trail to Daniel King, but the men would be on high alert for indications law enforcement was coming for them. If they did, King and the Sheik would disappear on the waiting plane, and make arrangements for the women to join them.

"Well, Fuck!" Rene echoed as the lights came back on. "Are they headed to the Middle East with their lovers, or what the fuck happened to them? I hate to say it, but it looks awfully damn suspicious!

"I'm calling my FBI contact; they need to look into flights that left or are leaving SAI for somewhere King owns, or for the Middle East."

After he made his call, a thoughtful Captain Cross offered another take. "It looks and sounds to me as if they - April and Janice - were conning the two bastards in that video. Remember, that was five months ago! For all we know, they learned they are on the verge of being kidnapped or killed, and this shitty plan was their effort to escape. Or... maybe they were kidnapped.

"Just saying, we don't have shit for proof for any of our hypotheses. But how the hell do we find out?"

"Let's go through everything they left here," Jack said. "Assuming this is their plan, they couldn't take much without looking suspicious. I'll get Alfred and Charlie on any communication they initiated or received, and..."

Jack stopped, looked at Rene, and with a grin, asked, "So how are the trooper and ranger taking being played?"

"Not well at all," Rene replied with a semi-grin of his own. "Elias was calling them every name in the book and himself every kind of a fool, saying they conned him from Day 1."

"There's nothing humorous about this, but they're big girls who've made yet another decision I'll never understand, and tell Elias I know how he feels.

"Alright, let's take a breath," Jack said. "Yes, we want every resource the state has trying to find them, but, gentlemen, what does this do to our plans? If they have been or are reporting our plans to King, how much trouble are we in?"

"That's a great question, and we need to reexamine our plans from that paradigm; that the enemy knows our capabilities and our plans.