The Blackfire Protocol by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 50

Making his way up the stairs and onto the porch of his house, Frank grasped the brass doorknob and hesitating discovered just how tired he was trying to keep his legs underneath him. But as he unlocked the door, he realized that it was already open. Knowing he had locked the door before leaving for Maine, Frank prepared to fight whoever might still be there, and swinging the door open saw two men, one

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standing while the other sat comfortably on his couch.

“Nice place you got here, Frank,” said the man sitting on the couch.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief but still felt tense about their presence, knowing that they only show up when they want something or when there’s a problem.

“What do you guys want now?” he asked. Pulling his luggage in, he sat everything off to the side and stood waiting for an answer. “So,” the man said. “How was Maine?” Frank was incensed at the realization that, once again, his privacy had been intruded upon. “You had me followed!” he yelled. “Who the fuck do you think you are?!”

Neither of the men budged an inch while remaining calm and confident.

“Oh, take it easy, Frank,” the man said. “We didn’t follow you. I mean, that’s a long way to tail someone, don’t you think? We tracked your movements online, so don’t worry about it. But that woman you were traveling with, she’s really something, isn’t she?”

Frank took a defensive posture, speaking on her defense.

“You leave her out of this,” he said. Intruding on his privacy was one thing, but invading Betsy’s was quite another, and he would have none of it.

“Don’t worry about it, Frank,” the man replied. “She’s got nothing to do with anything—at least not at this point. Just don’t let her get in the way of our goal, got it?”

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For the first time since all of this began, Frank was concerned not for himself, but for Betsy. A committed relationship was still off limits, but they had become close over the years, and he was beginning to realize that his world would not be the same without her.

“You fucking leave her out of this,” he said. Without a moment of hesitation, the nameless man replied with a frighteningly unemotional voice. “Well, Frank,” he said. “I hope we can keep it that way.”

The silence that passed between them was almost painful as he began to process just how serious things had become.

“So,” Frank continued. “What happens now? I mean, you came here for a reason, didn’t you?” The man took off his sunglasses, exposing his eyes for the first time, and looking at Frank also revealed what was behind them.

“You’re right, Frank,” he replied. “We did come here for a reason.”

Putting his glasses back on, he pushed his hair back and replied with a slight grin.

“There’s a bill going to the Senate floor soon,” he said. “I’m sure you already know about it, don’t you, Frank? The bill on the educational budget, right?” He was aware the bill would soon be introduced to the senate floor for a vote, and there was already a moderate degree of deliberation within the Republican Party on whether it should pass. “Well,” he continued. “We’d like you to vote no on that bill.”

Frank knew what would happen if the bill failed to pass through the Senate. With less money being

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allocated to education, students in primary, secondary, and college institutions would suffer. Without proper funding, teachers would be paid less, and some would likely leave teaching for other avenues of income. If the budget were reduced, the country’s educational system could collapse. “Why would I want to do that?” he asked. He already knew the answer but wanted to hear it for himself.

“Frank,” the man replied. “I’m sure you’re already aware that it’s easier to rule over the ignorant as opposed to the educated, right?”

Hearing what he already knew was true, Frank simply nodded his head.

“Exactly,” the man continued. “So you’re going to vote no on the education budget, understood?” He wondered how one vote could make a difference and, with the men still in his house, decided to ask. “What makes you think that my vote will make a damn bit of difference? I’m a freshman senator, for Christ’s sake.”

Still sitting on the couch, the man who seemed to do all the talking smiled as he glanced down at the floor.

“Frank,” he said. “Do you really think that you’re the only Congressman we’re in contact with? The group we represent has the entire United States government in its pocket. Who do you think got Reagan in office? Who do you think arranged for your senate rival to conveniently have a heart attack?” Now he realized the true extent of the organization that had been manipulating his life, guiding him towards a goal that, in spite of their methods, Frank deeply craved. The fact that they were willing to

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nearly kill someone to fulfill their agenda told him everything he needed to know about them. But in spite of the shock he felt over their actions, he thought it best to remain calm so as to consider the lengths they would be willing to go to in order to get what they wanted. Whose life would they be willing to end? Frank’s concern for Betsy was now of immediate concern, but he needed to play their game. He needed to do his best to hide the fear that she might somehow become inadvertently involved, only to have her life snuffed out for the sake of a political agenda.

“So,” the man said. “I take it we can count on your vote?”

Although he agreed with their reasoning, Frank was aware he had clearly been into a corner, and it was a feeling he did not enjoy.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll vote against it.” Standing up, the man motioned to the other, and as both walked towards the door, they stopped briefly as he put a hand on Frank’s shoulder for a moment of sarcasm.

“I knew we could count on you, Frank,” he said. “We’ll be in touch.”

With these last words, they walked down the stairs and out onto the streets. Moments later they were gone, having vanished into the bustling streets of Washington, DC.