JAA Ch. 03: The Kings Undoing

Copyright ©2019 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Copyright Holder/Author.

Note: This is the third in the John Abernathy series. There is no sex in this story. I will be posting other John Abernathy stories in the future in the order they should be read.

Order of the John Abernathy Adventures...

1. Aftermath

2. Time and Again

3. The Kings Undoing

4. The Lives of John Abernathy

5. Rerun

6. Winds of Change

Chapter 1

"So, Agent Peters, what you're telling this committee is this man has no information we can use?"

"No Senator, what I said is that any information we get from him will be useless."

"Why is that Agent Peters?"

"The event has already occurred. He can tell us how he planned and executed the operation. Who may have helped him, how they may have helped him. But that was the past and everything after the event has now changed."

"How can that be? Maybe you better explain it to us."

"I can't do that, I don't know enough on the subject."

"Then who should be explaining it to us?"

"He should, but he's not up to doing that, even if he is willing."

"I see. Well, what do you know? Maybe you better start at the beginning."

"Yes Senator. From what he has told us, the year was 2031 and the country was in turmoil. The world was in turmoil. Economies throughout the world had been collapsing for decades. The population of the United States, decimated by hunger, plague, and civil war, is on the verge of collapse.

"We now flashback to 2015, three years into the President's second term. Unemployment is at a record high of twenty-five percent. There are more than fifty trillion dollars in fiat money in circulation. The national debt is in the neighborhood of one hundred and twenty-five trillion dollars and is so high that foreign counties holding our IOU's demand their payments in gold. The problem is there is no gold backing the currency anymore. It has all been sold to private investors."

"And you believe this drivel told to you?"

"Yes Senator, I do."

"Continue then Agent Peters."

"The country is broke. Can't pay its bills, can't pay its employees. Over the next year, the President consolidates his position within the government. On the eve of the next election, he declares martial law. Loyal units of the military move into the capital, the President declares himself the lifelong ruler of the United States."

"Preposterous!"

"From what I have been told he has you killed first Senator. He dissolves Congress and has the Justices of the Supreme Court jailed. The vice president he declares as the Prime Minister and certain members of the house posted to positions in his ruling dictatorship. All private enterprise is nationalized."

Agent Peters stops to take a drink of water. Then looking back to his notes, he continues.

"For the next five years, the country is torn apart by war. Ten divisions of loyalist military units secure the northeast from the coast to the Ohio River and as far south as West Virginia. In the west, California secedes to become its own country, soon followed by the secessions of Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and all states west of the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border.

"Texas coops Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma into its borders to become the Republic of Texas once more. The four states of the Four Corners Area, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, become the Colorado Republic. Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri band together to become the Prairie Republic, followed by Minnesota, North and South Dakota as the Dakota Republic. The Mountain Republic consisted of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The Northwest Republic consisted of Washington and Oregon. Nevada stood alone and defended its borders vigorously, but freely gave whatever secrets were kept within its borders.

"California annexed the Baja peninsula much to the relief of Mexico. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were hung out to dry by both sides. Michigan and Wisconsin eventually joined Canada, while Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois joined the Southern Republic made up of Kentucky, West Virginia, the Carolina's, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The year is 2022 and the United States of America is no more. Canada invades Maine and holds it, despite the fight put up by the President's armies."

Agent Peters stops to refresh himself again. Looking up at the panel of Senators, he sighs.

"Our country is now torn apart. Infrastructures begin to crumble. The monetary system is in chaos as each republic now prints its own."

"This is all well and good, but when does our assassin enter the picture Agent Peters?"

"I'm coming to that, sir. In 2030 Mister Abernathy is..."

"Wait, he isn't a Doctor? Ph.D. type?"

"No sir, he is self-taught. He is also eighty years old. A group of people and Mister Abernathy have been hanging about what had been Argonne National Labs. At the time of the collapse, the lab was working on time travel. The group with Mister Abernathy continued that work. On October 31, 2031, they succeeded."

"Well then, can he tell us how to complete the work now?"

"Probably, but like I said he's not really up to doing so."

"I see. Maybe we should be the judge of that. Get him in here as soon as possible Agent Peters."

"Sir, I respect..."

"Now Peters, do you understand?"

"Yes, Senator," Agent Peters replied.

Chapter 2

John Abernathy lay face down in the snow. He had run as far as he could, it was now up to his friends to find him. The mission was successful, the President was dead and John could comprehend the future changing, as he looked down at his stabilizer glowing softly on his finger. Suddenly, he was weak and beyond tired as the stabilizer worked its magic, keeping him from...what he did not know. The theory was it would keep him in the here and now, instead of disappearing back into the void of futures past.

John could hear someone looking for him. Shouts, cries, grunts of pain flowed to his ears from afar. Then there was a cold, wet nose, sniffing his face, leaving trails of mucus along his cheek.

"Rocky, come," a familiar voice shouted a fair distance from John.

The dog, Rocky, just sat next to John's head.

"Damn it Rocky, what did you find another rabbit hole...shit. Shit. Over here, everyone over here!" The familiar voice was shouting from right above John.

Feet pounding in the snow, they stop just short of where John lies, echo in his ears. Hands lift him onto a stretcher. Bouncing along, they quickly move John from where he has fallen. As he watches the snowfall, darkness closes in on him.

"Take it easy there buster," Michelle's voice cuts through brilliant lights from overhead.

"I am Ma'am," a strange voice quipped.

"That's Doctor, buster."

"Yes, ma'am"

"Chelle, leave the poor guy alone, I'm fine."

"No, you're not fine John..."

"I am, let him do his job."

"Fine!" Michelle said, stomping her foot in frustration.

"Okay you're clear, you can go in now."

"Thank you, Sergeant," John told him.

"You're welcome, sir."

"Well, push Chelle," John teased his doctor.

Huffing, Michelle pushed John's chair down the hall to the doors where more guards stood waiting for them. As they approached, the doors opened, allowing them to enter the hall beyond. Down an aisle to a desk before a dais where ten of the most powerful men in the country now sat waiting for the one person they hoped could help them.

"Mister Abernathy..."

"John please, call me John," John interrupted.

"Mister Abernathy, you are called here this afternoon to give testimony in the premeditated murder of the President of the United States of America. Sergeant at Arms, administer the oath."

"Sir, place your right hand on the bible and repeat after me."

"No," John responded. "Gentlemen, ask your questions. If I deem they are worthy of an answer I will answer truthfully. If I feel they don't deserve an answer then I simply won't answer them. Clear?"

"You must take the oath."

"I do not. I will not. The oath is meaningless, serves no purpose, except to show the power you think you hold over those seated here. I will tell you now, you hold no power over me," John said holding up his right hand, "this ring holds the power. I remove it, I leave the here and now, I keep it on, I stay. It's as simple as that."

Senator Mc Coven sputtered until Senator Dean leaned in and whispered in his ear. Mc Coven calmed noticeably and waved the Sergeant at Arms away.

"Very well Mister..."

"John, call me John, it will make things go much smoother."

"Mister Abernathy, can you tell us how the device you used to get here works?"

"No."

"You used the device to get here though?"

"Yes."

"But you don't know how it works?"

"Yes and No."

"Explain please?"

"I know the theory behind its operation, not how or what makes it work."

"Can you finish the device so we can use it if we allowed you access to it?"

"No."

"We were told you were instrumental in getting the device to work in your time?"

"I was. I found the right people and goaded and cajoled them into completing the work already started."

"Can you tell us who these people are?"

"No."

"You can't tell us or you won't tell us?"

"I can't, none of them have been born yet."

"Two of them have, dear," Michelle whispered in John's ear.

"What was that Doctor?"

"I was just telling my patient to take it easy, his kytoids have risen."

"I see. Thank you, Doctor. Mister Abernathy, there is nothing you can tell us about the device you used to come back in time and assassinate the President?"

"How it works? No. How to make it work? No. What it feels like to use it? Sure."

"Then on to other things. Did you, John Abernathy, murder with forethought the President of the United States?"

John just stared at the Senator.

"Answer the question, Mister Abernathy."

"I have been advised by my lawyers not to answer any more question by the panel, I hereby invoke my rights under the fifth amendment of the Constitution of the United States to refrain from self-incrimination."

"You gave up those rights when you answered the previous questions of this panel."

"And you did not read me my Miranda rights prior to asking any questions."

"Because you are not under arrest," Mc Coven shouted

"But I have been under arrest since the third of this month or have you forgotten?"

"Agent Peters explain."

"Senator, Mister Abernathy is correct. Before questioning about the incident, he must be read his Miranda rights each time he is questioned. That was the latest Supreme Court ruling on the matter."

"Fine, then seeing as you have not been advised of your rights under Miranda, you won't mind answering my question as it can't be used against you in court."

"Do you think me stupid, Senator?"

"Answer the question, Mister Abernathy."

John just closed his eyes and went to sleep. He could hear the commotion and Michelle yelling. Agent Peters was even coming to his defense. The last thing he remembers was a familiar voice whispering in his ear, "Good job John." It wasn't Michelle.

Chapter 3

The portal was forming right before his eyes. The green luminescent curtain between the two half-circle magnets was becoming a solid, opaque green. The generators were screaming their frustration at being called upon to perform at such a high rate of speed. Sparks flashed through the air around the portal.

"We have a confirmed destination point. Reading indicates just shy of the date you wanted by two days."

"Early or late?" shouted John.

"Early," shouted the tech at the console.

"Well it looks like I will be going," John said, turning to Susan, smiling.

"You be careful, you hear me?" Susan shouted over the whine of the generators.

"I will. Tell them I wasn't afraid."

"But you are."

"They don't need to know that," John laughed as he grabbed Susan and kissed her hard on the lips.

Susan stepped back, shocked at what had just happened. Then she was pressing her lips to his as hard as she could while hugging the breath out of him. Finally letting go, John smiled at her and stepped through the portal.

John fell flat on his face, that first step was farther than he had anticipated. Getting up he found himself in the woods just outside the lab he had come from. They had gotten it right for once, he was outside the fence. Turning to the west, he started to walk toward her house. It shouldn't be all that far. In ten minutes, he was just inside the tree line watching intently. There was movement inside the house. John couldn't tell if it was her.

As he watched, three men came out of the garage carrying a heavy wooden crate. They walked into the woods, not fifty meters from where John squatted. Looking around, the men set the crate down gently, then turned and went back to the house. As they entered the garage, she stepped out the backdoor and looked around the backyard. John smiled, then silently moved to where the crate had been placed. Opening the crate John took the backpack out, then the rifle. The rifle was special; it had been made specifically for this job.

Hefting the pack to his shoulders, John slung the rifle and headed north. He had a long way to go before Tuesday.

It took John a day and a half to get to his destination unseen. He was lucky they had dialed in a couple of days early. As he settled into his position of concealment, John couldn't help but wonder how all this would play out in the end. Lying back, John dozed lightly for the next ten hours.

He was here. Michelle had seen him moving in the woods. She hurried into the house to find her husband. He and two friends were just coming out of the garage.

"He's early," Michelle whispered.

"We know, the message came through at the same time he did. All we can do is wait."

"I hope he's okay."

"We all do, dear."

It was time. The crowd, waiting for the last hour, were getting restless. It had turned cold and started to snow. Not unusual for this time of year, but unforeseen. Looking through the riflescope one more time, John read the seal behind the podium once more. For it to have come this far foretold of a gruesome future.

As John watched, a man walked to the podium. It wasn't his target. John could not hear what the man was saying. John was close to a mile away from where the podium was. Suddenly, the crowd was on their feet as his target walked into his field of view. Yep, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Pushing the bolt of the rifle forward, a cartridge slid into the chamber before it. John thumbed the safety off, as he placed the crosshairs on the chest of his target. Waiting for his target to stop moving, John took shallow breaths as he watched. Within seconds his target was standing behind the podium, hands placed firmly on either side. John's finger started to squeeze. The recoil let John know his lethal round was on the way to its target.

Watching, John saw the impact and the devastation it caused. Laying the gun down, John rose and calmly walked out of the building where he was. The mission was a success.

As John walked, the further from the point in time and space he went the weaker he became. The temporal effects of what he had done were catching up with him. He was close to his goal when he collapsed in the snow.

Chapter 4

John, once again, was wheeled into the chambers of the men who thought they were in charge. He smiled at Agent Peters and patted Susan's hand as she pushed him to the table. Michelle and Susan had decided to alternate on who would accompany him. From the look of confusion on the face of Mc Coven, they were proven right.

"Who is this with you today Mister Abernathy?"

"I'm his doctor," Susan said softly.

"Where is the other doctor, the one that was here yesterday?"

"She is back at the hotel babysitting," Sue said without emotion.

"I see. Whose child is she watching?"

"Hers and Mine," Susan said smiling.

"Fine, sit down and keep quiet," Mc Coven told her.

"Bite me, asshole. I'll sit when I want and talk when I want when it comes to the care of my patient. And until you can produce a medical degree and a license to practice, don't tell me how to do my job."

"Would you like to be expelled from these proceedings?"

"Try it buster," Susan said to the laughter of those sitting in the gallery.

"Susan, please sit here next to me dear, I would feel much better," John told her.

Susan sat, took John's hand in hers and stared defiantly at Mc Coven. Two of the Senators on the panel were laughing into their hands as Mc Coven tried to regain control of the proceedings.

"Order," he shouted as he banged his gavel.

"I'll have a ham and cheese on rye," a shout from the gallery echoed around the room with the laughter that followed.

The master at arms searched the crowd to no avail. Mc Coven glared at Susan and the crowd. As his gaze came to John, John just nodded.

"Mister Abernathy, you will now answer my questions without hesitation."

"I will?" John made it a question.

"You will under the threat of incarceration."

"Yeah, right. Senator Mc Coven, there isn't a jail you can put me in that I cannot leave, simply by removing this ring on my right index finger. So, can the threats. I will, however, state for the record that I am the individual that killed the president and that I acted alone without help from anyone."

"You want us to believe a man of your age was able to make a shot from that far away without help?"

"I don't care what you believe. I do know and am surprised that I didn't kill you also since your head has been so far up the president's ass, it must have been up there around his heart."

Laughter filled the room. Mc Coven pounded his gavel shouting 'order'.

"Mister Abernathy, with every statement you just get deeper in trouble."

"Ring," John told him, wiggling his finger in the air.

Mc Coven just grew angrier, pounding his gavel harder. Susan leaned in and whispered in John's ear. Nodding John held his hand up in the air, there was immediate quiet. The senator's on the dais looked shocked.

"You presume too much Mister Abernathy," Mc Coven shouted.

John spun his hand in a circle and the noise continued. Mc Coven glowered at John and Susan. The rest of the senators whispered amongst themselves. John once more raised his hand in the air. The chambers were once again silent.

"Senator Mc Coven I have answered your questions. Now I have a few for you and your colleges. When did you decide to throw the constitution out and just do as you damn well please?"

"Mister Abernathy, we ask the questions..."

The noise in the chamber rose to drown out the Senator. In frustration, he banged his gavel. John once again raised his hand.

"Now you will answer the question, Senator," John spoke softly.

Silence came from the dais. An aid suddenly came rushing in to whisper in Senator Mc Coven's ear. Eyes wide, he jumped up and hurried out the back door, followed by the rest of the dais of Senators and senator's lackeys.

"And again we are in adjournment," John said loudly.

The gallery laughed as Susan stood to wheel him out of the chamber.