There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 25

David Doyle reached into his briefcase and pulled out three brochures. As he was opening them on the general's desk Liz saw a light yellowish cast covering the bottom of his fingers and his hand. She stood up, pulled her gun, and pushed the general away from his desk.

"If any of you move or blink, you're dead. Jeff, Andy get in here."

"What's up Liz?"

"Call downstairs, I want six people in biohazard suits up here as soon as possible, plus 3 more for these people. Don't touch them; and get the general to the hospital immediately. He touched all three of them. I don't know if their hands were covered with a toxin, or not, but we will know soon enough."

General Morgan said, "Call Colonel Canyon, I need him back here yesterday. I don't want any police involvement, is this understood?"

"Yes sir and I'll call Doctor Finch to have him ready for you. Try not to touch anyone sir, keep your hands in your pockets."

"Liz, you are an active duty as of now."

"Are you sure you want to pick a fight with the Colonel now sir?"

"If he argues with me I'll put you in this chair, and you will see an explosion larger than any this planet has ever seen."

"I think I'll hide sir."

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

Williams' first question was, "Who would be going after the general?"

Jayden said, "Sir, not even the general has a clue. He's been retired from the military for eight years, and his military record is spotless. He has been with us since he retired, and he has no known enemies, except Lucius of course."

"We should build one of those 'Paintball Galleries' for those two. It would be interesting to see who won."

"No sir, it would not be interesting at all. The Colonel would win every time. He is patient, rational, and when he is in the field of battle, he is deadly. You should read his after action reports. He goes into battle, against overwhelming odds, and the wins, because he trains his men tactically, and he is up front leading the way. He never lost a man he trained."

"I would still build that building just to watch those two people go at it."

"Sir, if you built it downtown you would make a fortune. The kids here are starving for something to do."

"Okay, I'll have my people find a site and build it. If I lose money, I'm taking it out of your salary."

"I want a raise. I thought up the idea."

"Okay, go tell Stephano I just doubled your salary."

"Is that all?"

"Doubling your salary is not enough?"

"No sir, I was talking about our discussion about the general."

"When is Lucius due back?"

"He'll be back tomorrow at the latest."

"I want a hazmat team to go over the general's office, and the agents' 'Ready Room' to see if they did anything to them. If they did we are going to have to evacuate the building."

"From what Liz told me, the material was in David Doyle's briefcase, and that wasn't opened until they were in the general's office. I believe the rest of the building will be clean sir."

"I keep coming back to the same question, 'Who' and I don't have a clue. I thought we were finished with this garbage when William was 'accidentally' killed in Peru."

"If anyone can get to the bottom of this sir, it is the Colonel, and he will do it in less than a day."

"Yes, I know."

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

123 B. Good Night

The jet was still being fueled, but Lucius and his team, were already on board the aircraft. He sent a quick email to Rory, "Emergency at home, leaving now. All plans remained the same. We will be in touch."

Rory replied, "Ice cream and pickles, who would've thunk it?"

Lucius smiled and closed his phone.

The hospital was ready to release Lucy, but the parents of Melvin Gibson, Daniel Glover, and Sharon Finch demanded she stay, under observation, for a few extra days of rest. They would pick up all of the extra costs personally. Her hospital room looked like a flower shop. Every day new flowers arrived from people they did not know, but found out they were from the west side of the river.

Finally, they told the aides if any more flowers came for her to give them to other patients.

During the time Lucy was resting in the hospital, Rory had to find a residence for them to live in. When he walked into the realtor's office, they knew who he was and treated him with deference.

"How may I help you Mister Trevelyan?"

"I would like to rent a home for approximately two months, and possibly longer if my field study's turns out as promising as I think it will."

"I believe you would like it furnished in that case."

"Yes, we would. If you have anything with an indoor pool, and a spa, it would be a nice bonus for my wife. We would like something in the range of 4000 square feet or larger, with rooms for staff."

The realtor's eyes were glowing at this point. A commission on a rental like this was 25 percent per month, and he had four properties that fit the bill.

"I have several properties on the west side of the river that will fit your priorities. Would you like to take a ride and see them?"

"No, I do not wish to be that far from my wife. Do you have pictures of these homes?"

"Of course sir, we had video and still."

"I would like to see the stills' first."

He had never lived in anything as palatial as anything in these photographs, but he could not show it with the realtor breathing down his neck. He finally settled on two with indoor pools, with views of the river.

"How far from each of these houses to Interstate 89?"

"Mister Trevelyan, from either of these two homes you are approximately 11 miles from the bridge to the east side of Montpelier. Then it's another four miles to the intersection of Interstate 89."

"Do the owners of the houses on the west side of the river own the mineral rights below their homes?"

"I don't know Mister Trevelyan; you would have to go to the Hall of Records to find out."

"Who does the 'Title Searches' in this area?"

"American Fidelity and Title Company. Their office is three doors down."

"Okay, we will take this home for two months, with the right to extend up to a year. While you fill out the paperwork, I'm going to visit the title company, and ask a few questions."

"Mister Trevelyan, you never asked the price of the rental."

"If you overcharge me, I will sue you. If you undercharge me, you're an idiot. I believe your smart businessman. Write up the paperwork, I will be back soon."

After a 45-minute session, with the local head of the American Fidelity company's representative, Rory had laid the foundation of the Colonel's plan. The next part would be the money transferred to his account, and all eyes on the western side of the river would open wide open, wider than they ever had been before. As soon as he left the title company, phone calls were being made to some of the most important people in Montpelier. The most important thing they were now aware of was they did not own the mineral rights below their homes, the Indian tribes did. The Iroquois, the Mohawks, the Mohegan, the Haudenosaunee, a confederation of six Indian nations, owned hundreds of millions of acres of land comprising most of the northeastern states and the mineral rights to what was 12 feet or more below the surface. Suddenly there was an interest in finding out what was under their homes, and how to cash in on it. They realized there was two ways to do it: hire their own experts to survey the land and do their own tests, which would be very expensive and time-consuming, or ask Rory Trevelyan what was there, and was there any way for them to get in on it."

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

Friday, the manager of the bank called and asked him to stop by on a matter of great urgency.

Calmly, Rory said, "I guess my money has arrived."

Fred Mertz said, "Yes sir it has."

"Okay, don't panic, leave it in the armored car, and I will be there shortly. Would you call Archie for me, tell him what's in the truck, and ask him if he can spare two men to help guard it for a few hours, while we make the arrangements for the transfer."

"I will do that right now Mister Trevelyan."

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

Archie screamed, "How much did you say is in a truck?"

"I didn't stutter Archie. It's $150 million in cash. I have no idea what he's going to do with that much money, but he has all the appropriate paperwork for it, and it came straight out of the New York Federal Reserve."

"I'll be right there with four men. Is your vault big enough to hold it all?"

"No, I'm going to have to spread it around. I will call Colonial, Adventure and a few others to see if they can help me out."

"This has got to be a first Fred."

"I know I'm not going to sleep well tonight. I'm going to be taking antacids, and hiding under my bed, until I know what he's going to do with all of this."

"I'll have a cruisers go by the banks every 10 minutes and keep an eye on things. I'll be right there."

"Okay Archie."

***********

Rory used his cell phone to call Lucy's hospital room.

"Hello my love, how are you feeling?"

"I still have that pain in my side, and they don't know what it is. Also, my future husband is a pain in the ass."

"I will try to do something about the second part as we grow together as a family. However, now is the time for you to get ready for your third acting performance. Play up the pain in your side. It has become worse. You are experiencing pain in your abdomen. You think it's the baby, and you're afraid you might lose it.

It's time to put the locals into a quandary. The money is here. I've been to the title company, and there wondering what's going on with that. Give me 15 minutes and go into your act. Scream you want your husband, because the pain in your abdomen has become so bad. You want him now, because you think you're loosing the baby."

"Hey asshole, do you want me to tell you you're part of this dance?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just being overly cautious."

"I'm going to buy you a zebra stripe suit, with argyle socks."

"That sounds like something I would buy."

"Get off the phone Rory, before I hit you."

"I love you Lucy. I'll see you in a little bit."

"Chocolate ice-cream shake, with pickles on the side."

"The Colonel laughed at that when I told him."

"You are a dead man Rory Calhoun. What type of name is Calhoun anyway?"

"It's my name, and soon to be yours. So be nice before I put you over my knee and spank you."

"You are not allowed to spank a pregnant woman. When I am no longer pregnant, you don't stand a prayer in hell of getting me over your knee."

"A dollar says you're wrong."

"Accepted, but if I lose, you're not getting laid that night."

"I will always accept oral copulation as an alternative."

"I didn't say that, and you know it."

"You didn't exclude it Mrs. Calhoun, are you backing out already?"

"You are a cheating bastard Rory."

"I promise you this, on my honor, I will never cheat on you. I will never leave you or cause you harm. I will protect you with every ounce of strength I have in my body. I am yours to do with as you please. That's how much I love you."

"Go to the bank you bastard, you going to make me cry."

"Don't cry baby, save that for your acting. I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye."

"Goodbye my life, my love."

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

"Good morning Archie, they called out the big guns to protect my money?"

"They sure did Rory. Fred was about to have a heart attack with $150 million sitting outside his bank."

"I'll take you to lunch later, and I'll tell you a story that will have your sides splitting open. It's something my uncle did that you won't believe, but it is the truth."

"Good morning Mister Mertz, is the paperwork ready?"

"Yes it is Mister Trevelyan, but your money is going to be spread around four banks. My vault can't hold it all, and no bank in this city has a vault that can hold it all. I wish you would've told me it was coming."

"I was following my uncle's directives, so don't worry about it Mister Mertz. If my negotiations go well as they have gone so far, and the Indians are... I'm sorry, sometimes my brain goes to sleep while my mouth is still talking. If my negotiations go as well as they have been going so far, the money will be gone by the end of next week, or the beginning of the following week."

"I understand Mister Trevelyan. Would you sign the papers where indicated, and we can start transferring the funds."

"I assume you have a package for me?"

"Yes sir, I do."

Rory took the package, and started scribbling his name, where the yellow tabs were placed. As he was approaching the end, his cell phone rang.

"Trevelyan."

"Yes. Yes, I will be right there. Don't you dare lose her, try to save the baby, but don't you dare lose my wife."

"Archie, how fast can you get me to the hospital?"

"Why don't you get in my car and we will find out."

Fred Mertz yelled, "Mister Trevelyan, you haven't finished signing the paperwork."

Rory turned, "Start transferring the money, I'll finish the paperwork when I can. Archie is my witness. Do it now."

"Yes sir, right away."

********

As they were speeding along, with his lights flashing and siren blaring, Archie asked, "What's happening with your wife Rory?"

"She has developed severe abdominal pains, and the pain she has been feeling on her right side has become much worse. I don't know what is going on, but if they don't find out today, I'm calling for a jet to take her to Mass General."

Four minutes later Archie slid the police car to a stop by the emergency room entrance.

"Archie I'm going to have to give you a rain check on lunch. Thanks for the ride."

"Take care of your wife. I'll talk to you later."

As soon as Rory disappeared into the hospital, Archie took out his cell phone. "Let me speak to Mister Jefferson please, Archie Bunker calling."

"What's up Archie, I'm busy."

"Mrs. Trevelyan took a turn for the worse. We don't know what's going on and he's threatening to take her to Mass General if our Doctors can't figure out what it is. Things could turn out real shitty, real quick, if she loses that baby because of these kids."

"Thanks Archie, I'll make some calls."

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

Lucius walked into the room with the three suspects and was surprised when he was greeted by Kate Jackson.

"Hello Colonel Canyon, how are you?"

"I'm a hell of a lot better than you are going to be by the end of the day. Who are you three, and why did you attack General Morgan?"

"We are not allowed to say. However, you have two people among you that will be able to end this situation amicably, within the hour, if you can get them here. Doctor Even Luck, but more importantly, his daughter Delicious Luck Thyme. They do not have to into the room with us. Delicious will look at something, and probably laugh at this test of your defenses."

"This was a test of our defenses?"

"After you assassinated the vice president of the United States, we were worried you would let your guard down. We could not afford to let that happen. We devised this little test for you. We got a lot further into the building than we expected to, but in the end, you passed with a C-. You need better chemical identification equipment at your entrances. It should've picked up trace elements of the Ricin before we got anywhere near the General."

"I want to make it perfectly clear that this facility had no hand in the death of the vice president of the United States."

"If you say so Colonel."

"I take it you had the antidote with you?"

"The Ricin was put on the back of our clothing, and on the reading material for the general. It would've been the height of stupidity for us not to bring the antidote."

"Where is it hidden?"

"The antidote is in the lining of my skirt, in the lining of Jaclyn's jacket, and the cuffs of David's slacks."

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

I showed up, with my daughter on my arm. I was not happy to be here among people who tried to kill members of our staff, whether it was General Morgan or one of our security people. Each one was as important to me as the next.

As we peered through the window at them, David waved at Delicious. She didn't need any more identification than that.

She laughed, and waved back at him. "We are going to kill one of your friends today Dad."

David wrote down on a piece of paper, "Where is your hot pink outfit?"

I yelled, "I'm going to kill Shelby."

"I told you we were going to kill one of your friends. Do you want to drive down there now, or should we do it later?"

"I'm here, why not kill me now?"

"If Lucius was here yesterday, you would be looking at three dead people."

"Lucius was in Montpelier Vermont yesterday."

"I knocked on the window, and had Lucius come out to greet Shelby."

Lucius walked out into the hallway and saw us standing there.

"I should've known it was you as soon as they said they were not allowed to say. How are your mom and dad?"

"My dad wants his job back, because he can't deal with my mother 24/7. I smiled at him, and say, "No."

"Did you bring clothes for these three?"

"Yes we did. Did you give them a chemical shower?"

"No, we sprayed them with more Ricin."

"That was very kind of you. Did you learn anything from this drill?"

"Yes we did. We need better chemical detectors at the front door, and by the elevators. No one should have gotten that far into our building undetected. Did you attempt to have anyone get in through the outside?"

"Yes we did. We had eight good teams out there trying to slide in, but there wasn't one hole they could climb threw. On this test, you get a 75 percent, because you could have lost a senior staff member, eight members of your security staff, and use of your radio room, because of our attack. You were out of position Lucius, who takes over if you're not here?"

"Jayden does."

"Is he a qualified command leader?"

"No, however he knows what to do, and he knows how to lead men. The men here trust him, and they will follow his orders as they would follow mine."

"Is there anything going on in Vermont that we can help you with?"

"There is a possibility I could use your help up there. Let me think on it, and I'll get back to you."

The hallway shook with the sound of 'that' voice.

"I'm going to break your neck Shelby."

"Keep your hands behind your back Shelby. It sounds like he hasn't had breakfast this morning."

"Good morning General, did you enjoy our little test?"

"You scared the shit out of me you little prick."

"What happens in the military when you scare the shit out of a General Officer Lucius?"

"The officer in question is politely told to resign, IMMEDIATELY, because he's lost his balls."

"Lucius be quiet before I am holding yours in my hand."

"I told you he was hungry."

"This test showed up several deficiencies. You passed but it was only a 75 percent efficiency rating. There are things that must be taken care of immediately, and if you don't want it to be you, get your act in gear. Your agents are probably the finest I've seen. You need a better command set up then you have. If you go down and Lucius is out of position, a sergeant takes over. That is not acceptable. Either train him up command level, or bring someone in who knows what the hell is going on."

"I have Jack Daniels backing me up."

"Don't you talk to me about Jack. He can build you a road or blow up a bridge, but he couldn't get two people to march in the same direction if you gave him an hour and a room that was two feet by four feet."

"He is a very good man and a great officer. He leads his men with authority."

"You are right, as long as their carrying explosives, or moving heavy machinery. However, if you are trying to set up a defense perimeter, he is not your man."

"Okay, we will start training up Logan and Jayden to command level immediately. I don't want to bring in an outsider now."