THE SWORD AND THE SICKLE

PART TWO: DECEPTION

CHAPTER ONE

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

© 2017, Olan L. Smith

FBI Chief Detective Paul Wescott, who was on the other end, only heard a garble, but understood the sound as that of his wife.

Clint heard the Chief say, "It is all clear, you can skip that room." Clint closed his phone and said to Levi. "Sorry we bothered you, we will be on our way."

As they closed the door John checked the room off his list and said, "They are a nice old couple; weren't they? I feel sorry we scared them so badly."

"Yeah, they must be in their nineties, if a day. I thought the old man was going to have a heart attack."

Meanwhile, the Chief Detective said to his wife, "That is fine, dear. Yes, I will stop and get milk on the way home. It is going to be late. We are very busy here."

Then his wife said, "It is okay, Honey. I found a fresh gallon. Forget I called."

He wondered how his wife knew this secured number. He looked down at his phone and realized he was on his personal phone. "Huh," he thought, "I could have sworn I was on the secure cell."

Venus turned to Levi and said, "It is so easy to confuse them and to think we were once like them."

"When I first created the humans on the fifth planet Apollo, they were such a brilliant but savage people. I knew then that I must save the remnants before they turned their world to rubble. I sent the humans to the planet Mars, so they would live in peace. In peace, they lived, but were poor gardeners, consuming their entire planet's resources, and leaving it barren. I tried again by saving their DNA and started over upon this world. I adjusted their DNA and started the process from stage-one, and when I chose which form of humanoid to increase I toiled over them at every turn, even going as far as to make myself one of them many times over, and I am optimistic for this harvest; I glean the very best and destroy the others."

―――――

Director James Morgan sat in his office and pondered what he should do next. They had swept the city with a systematic dragnet that found no Levi and only a few small fish in the pond. Perhaps he had left the city completely. How could they find a man so powerful, so mysterious without superpowers of their own? Still, he had his orders to find him at all costs and that was exactly what he would do. He scrutinized the reports posted on the computer, when he noticed an oddity. Chief Detective Wescott reported that his wife had called him while he thought he was on a secure phone with his agents. Director Morgan picked up the phone to call the Chief Detective who was one of his very best detectives and he knew he only reported things he found significant.

The Chief Detective heard his phone ringing. The bulky man answered and saw it was the Director calling. "Hello Director. How is the investigation going? Have you found the Jacksons?"

"No Chief, that is why I am calling you. I reviewed your report with curiosity about you receiving a call from your wife this morning during the investigation. Why did you add this detail to your report?"

"Sir, it was just odd. Louise never calls me to ask me to get milk. The grocery store is just around the block, and then when she checked the refrigerator she found a fresh gallon. Now, I am not sure if it means anything. But I could have sworn she called me on my secure number. When I looked down, I saw my personal phone in my hands. So, I pressed recall on my phone and I got my buddy, Will. I checked my recent calls and her number was not on the list for today. You know how I hate it when I can't figure something out, so I added it in my report. I am sure it is nothing, and I am positive my wife is not involved; ― still it is worth note."

"Where were your agents when this anomaly occurred?"

"I had three groups out at this time, sir. None of them reported anything unusual, except agents Hartley and McNairy reported scaring the crap out of an elderly couple over at the Best Western."

Director Morgan's senses began to tingle and he thought, it was them; I am sure of it. It would be wonderful to get a foot up on Homeland security for a change. Director Morgan said firmly, "Chief; listen to me, and closely. I want agents Hartley and McNairy to go back to the Best Western and meet me in the lobby. We are going to get to the bottom of this right now. Meanwhile, I want you to ask your wife to come in for an interview with me afterwards."

"Yes sir, right away, but I will sit with you when you speak to my wife."

"No Chief, you cannot sit with or watch, is that understood?"

"Yes sir, I understand."

The Chief Detective turned to his assistant and said, "Get Hartley and McNairy and have them meet the Director in the lobby of the Best Western, and then pull out agents; Rossini and Newman and have them go to my house and escort my wife, here. I am on my way to meet with the Director and my agents."

Assistant Chief Detective Greta responded, "Yes sir, and what should I tell Louise when she arrives."

"Tell her that the director wants to talk to her and that it is a matter of national security. Thank you Greta, you are a gem." The Chief Detective believed in rewarding agents with praise as well as on the spot rewards, when they deserved it. That way, they are more contented and not as likely to stab him in the back, some day.

FBI Assistant Chief Detective, Greta Bastion smiled as her boss hurried out of the office. Greta had been an FBI agent for nearly fifteen years, and she was handpicked from the D.C. police force at the age of thirty. She felt that maybe someday she would replace him when he retired, but knowing the Chief he would continue to work until the day they force him to step down or bought him out. As a GS-14, he had climbed the ladder as far as he possibly could, and had 'maxed-out' his earning potential, except for in-grade step increases. It would be another ten years before he thought of retiring, and that would make her fifty. Still, she wanted that promotion to Chief Detective. Perhaps, she thought, she could get the Assistant Director of the FBI to recommend her for promotion; after all, having worked for the Chief for the last five years she knew every aspect of his job.