OM2: Not Quite Ordinary
by Paul Diaz
by Paul Diaz
Chapter 16: Reunions
Frank sat on the floor grimacing as Jennifer applied an ice pack at the back of his head. “I am really sorry Frank, I just wanted to try how strong you were” Bart said as he bowed his head holding on to the crow bar. “Its okay, I can withstand that but I still feel pain too” Frank replied as Jennifer was giggling.
“Why don’t you show him the rake Bart” Lisa said trying to hold back her laughter. Bart was so embarrassed, his face was burning red. Jennifer and Lisa could not hold it in any more so they burst in laughter.
“Maybe you should go out and get some sun so you can heal faster” Bart whispered and the more the two women laughed. “Oh dad Frank isn’t like those movie or television heroes, he is just ordinary” Jennifer said. “Oh that’s why the house didn’t shake last night” Bart grinned and Frank started laughing.
“By the way Frank, are you sure its okay for us to be here?” Jennifer asked. “Of course, didn’t you notice this neighborhood is private. All those that live here are the family members of my troop mates. What is good is that you are unlisted so I am sure there will be no distractions” Frank explained.
“I didn’t know that” Jennifer said. “Of course you didn’t because you never go out” Lisa said. A minute later they heard Papo barking outside so Frank stood up and walked towards the door. “It must be them, come on lets go meet them” he said.
“Bad Papo!!! Go away!!!” John shouted. The dog stopped barking as the house door opened, “Frank!!!” Yehleen yelled and ran towards their friend. The doctor hugged Frank as Jennifer raised an eyebrow, “that’s too much” she said and they all laughed. John wheeled towards Frank but Papo stood in between them so the computer whiz froze.
“Why are you so scared of Papo?” Frank asked. “Duh! He bit me before” John replied. “Well you are crippled so I bet you didn’t feel it” Frank said as the others laughed. “Still he bit me!” John retaliated but Frank stooped down and hugged his friend. “You stupid man, you made me cry in front of Yehl for one whole week” John whispered. “Sorry, it had to be done” Frank replied.
“Erick you don’t seem to be surprised to see Frank” Jennifer said. “Ah well you see he sent me a birthday card and a gift when we were at the desert” Erick said. “Gift? Card? So you decided to put Erick first huh” Jennifer said as she stared at Frank. The hero hugged her and kissed her, “I was concerned about them, I just made it easier but I never showed myself to him” he explained.
“That is correct, but I already knew he was alive. The first time I saw him was the night when you were at the military detention cell. He was planning to break you out” Erick explained. “Why didn’t you break me out?” Jennifer asked. “They talked sense into me, if I broke you out then you would have looked guilty. I didn’t want the public execution to happen, we never knew they were going to do that” Frank said.
“I understand, but do you think I am already cleared?” she asked. “Oh about that, didn’t you see the news?” Erick asked. “No, Frank doesn’t want us to watch or even here about the outside world” Jennifer said. “Darrel turned and pointed to William” John said.
“That easy?” the agent asked. “Oh no, they tried to have Darrel’s new testimony disregarded and have him judged as unreliable and a tainted witness. They said they should wait for the gang members involved in the shoot out to recover and get their statement” Yehleen said.
“Just as Frank predicted, several men pretending to be doctors went to the hospital and tried to inject poison IV to the gang members. We were ready for them” Erick narrated. “Frank? How? I was with you all the time” Jennifer said. “Well when you took a bath I called Erick. I told him to have the gang members transferred silently. Then make it seem like the hospital is still heavily guarded” Frank explained.
“So you got them?” the agent asked and Erick grinned. “I got some dirt on William too but we are still putting every puzzle piece in place. We wont be having any more problems from him” John said. “Its just like a chess game” Frank uttered and looked at his crippled friend.
“Don’t tell me! It was you!?” John said in surprise and Frank nodded. “Four hundred five games” he boasted. “All this time it was you who was even messing up my computers. I never even thought it was you, well I knew there was only one man who could beat me. The rest oh they would kneel down” John said. “Actually the last five games you were playing with my dad” Frank said and everyone was surprised.
“Your dad?” Jennifer asked. “Yes, my real father is alive. It’s a long story but you will get to meet him later” Frank told them. Two vans pulled over in front of the house, Erick was excited as the Frank’s troop mates starting unloading. “Lets get the barbecue party started!!!” Erick yelled.
At the city’s maximum security prison, William was being escorted towards the visitor’s area. Both of his hands and feet were in chains, something this wealthy man was not accustomed to. “You sure are a powerful man, prisoners here are not allowed any visitors you know” the jail guard told him. “Do you know who my visitor is?” William asked.
“Well they are probably going to ask you more questions, I heard it’s a senator and four other men” the guard said. William smirked and took a deep breath for he knew who those five people were.
Once inside the room William recognized the five men, Senator Harry Albey signaled the guard to leave the room as the prisoner sat down smiling. Demitri Gorvin, a Russian diplomat, Gon Chen, a Chinese diplomat, Peter Bloom, a British businessman, and Jamal Sarim, an Indian tycoon were all present.
“Wow, I am surprised that you all came out of hiding just to get me out. What took you so long?” William asked. “We are not here to get you out” the senator said. “What? Are you kidding me? Are you going to let me rot inside here?” the prisoner asked.
“We placed too much faith in you but it led us to nowhere. We are here to say that we don’t need you anymore” Demitri told him. “I know I have made mistakes but there is still room to correct them. You need me and you all know that” William said.
“Actually we don’t. We already have a replacement for you” the senator said and the Indian national opened the door and a woman entered the room. “Hello William” she said. “Elaine? What are you doing here?” William asked.
“To replace you what else?” his sister said. “Wait! Is this a joke? Look, you don’t have to replace me. You can replace Rahim instead so there would be seven of us like before” William said. “That is not happening, as far as we are concerned you are out. We have to move on and you have to pay for your mistakes” Elaine told him.
“Elaine! I am your brother, why are you talking that way? You should be convincing them to get me out. We can still continue the plan” William pleaded. “The plan is dead, we have something better. And we are not blood related! My father just wanted a son badly so they adopted you” Elaine said.
William started laughing as he stared at all six of them. “I still can take you all down” he threatened. “No William, no one will believe you anymore. Good bye William” Elaine said as the six of them left the room.
The guard entered the room and William looked so worried. “As a prisoner, I do get the right to a phone call” he uttered. “Why weren’t you provided one when you came here?” the guard asked. “I wasn’t, its my right so I can ask for it now right?” William asked. “Well yes, come on let me escort you to the phone” the guard said.
“Wait, those cameras, they captured everything that happened in here right?” William asked as they both looked at the camera. “Oh no, the senator asked for it to be shut off, a matter of national security he said” the guard explained.
“How much do you make in a year? Thirty? Forty?” William asked. “Oh I don’t like what you are thinking mister, come on lets go make that call” the guard told him. “How would you like to make an easy hundred grand?” William offered and the guard looked at him.
“The offer is tempting but I don’t want to get in trouble. I have a wife and two kids to feed. I don’t want to lose my job” the guard said. “Two hundred grand for one phone call” William said and the guard took a deep breath. “Well I don’t see the point, you can have the phone call for free” the guard told him.
“Two hundred fifty thousand, one phone call using your cellphone” William said and the guard cleared his throat. “Am I going to get in trouble?” he asked. “Of course not, you can stay here and listen, if I say something wrong then you can stop me and still get paid” William explained.
“Three hundred thousand” the guard said and William grinned. “Lets make it half a million, two calls” he countered and the guard quickly took out his phone.
Back at the Appleby residence Senator David Richards arrived and a few seconds later another vehicle stopped in front of him. Arnold and Nathan stepped out of the car and met the senator.
“Is it true?” Nathan asked and the senator nodded. “When did this happen?” Frank’s father asked. “An hour ago, they went to visit William. We now know who they all are” David said. “I don’t care about the others, its Elaine I am concerned with” Nathan said.
“After a long time she showed herself, they are going after Frank” Arnold spoke and the others nodded. “I knew this would happen, but there is nothing we can do now but to protect Frank” Nathan whispered. “Should we tell Frank about this?” David asked.
“I think he already heard us” Arnold interrupted as from a distant Frank was looking their way. “Can he really hear us from that far?” David whispered but Frank suddenly shouted. “Oh yes I can!” he said.
“So what else can he do?” David asked. “I don’t know, come on I am starving” Nathan said as the three men proceeded to the back yard.
“May I have your attention! You all know senator David Richards, and this guy is Arnold, he watched over me almost all my life. And I would like to introduce to all of you my father, Nathan Miller!” Frank said as everyone looked and saw their resemblance.
Jennifer walked towards Frank and shyly hid behind him, “Dad this is Jennifer, the one I love, and the only one I choose to be extraordinary to” Frank said as Nathan extended his hand to Jen.
The party continued and Erick and John were making everyone laugh. Frank, Nathan and David took a walk but Jennifer tagged along. “I overheard what you were saying” Frank said but the two men looked at Jennifer. “Its okay, you can tell us” he added.
“The people I have been running from, the people that we were keeping you from have emerged” Nathan said. “William’s sister, the woman who got mom killed and tried to kill me” Frank said and Jennifer held on to him as his fists clenched.
“William’s accomplices have likewise emerged and we know them all” David added. “I am not interested with them, tell me about Elaine and where I can find her” Frank angrily said. “They are after you son, you should take Jennifer and all that are important to you into hiding. They wont stop until they have you” Nathan said.
“I can tell why but I don’t want to hide anymore” Frank said as he looked at Jennifer. “I want to get all of these over with so we can live normally” he added as he caressed his girlfriend’s face.
“So what are you suggesting?” David asked. Frank looked at Jennifer then shifted his focus at his friends at the backyard. “If we hide I cannot protect everyone dear to me, so I say we hunt them down” he uttered.
“Just like your mom, a fighter” Nathan said. “Well its going to be war then” the senator commented and Frank grinned.
“Not necessarily, this isn’t the movies, and I am not the hero that they expect me to be”
“We just cant wait for bad things to happen before we react and counter”
“I say we bring it!”
