Chapter 6
2002 October 21, Nevada, The Blue Swan Bar
The noise of plates clanking and friendly chatter crowded the room. In one small corner there were a few select friends sitting at the dark brown table holding their respective drinks. Olga sipped her vodka and picked at her food. Somehow being here felt disrespectful. Having drinks like old times, one face missing. Every now and then one of them would quietly slip their hand to there glass and take a swig. Noone said anything, what was there to say. He was dead. Nothing else mattered to her. And noone else had anything to add.
An event disrupted the atmosphere in the bar, over the other side there was a hush. From the niche the scene was hidden, a large screen cornered it off from the world. But they could feel the chill of the customers, everyone suddenly set into a curios fear. Heavy footsteps crossed the floor, getting closer each second. All looked to the partition, 5 men in black suits passed it and gathered together in a formation to block them off. The lead man started to talk, thick and strong, his voice echoed slightly in the silence that surrounded them. "Isaac Mentnor, please come with us. You are under arrest for conspiracy to murder and for treason." The other men stepped forward to detain Mentnor, quickly handcuffing him. They had no resistance as they read his rights, he simply smiled awkwardly at them and followed them out. The lead man still stood infront of them. His stance professional and hard. He tipped his feet before speaking "If you would all like to come with me, you are detained on government business til further notice" He waited. "It is not optional"
Olga watched the TV, CZN was on, round the clock news. The news as the news happened. But she knew this shouldn't be happening. The newsreader rallied off the headline. Two top government scientists guilty of treason. A conspiracy to murder a former government serviceman. Their accomplice. Their ally in the plot of espionage. Bubble bubble, boil and trouble, gunpowder, treason and plot. So far all they'd said was that they'd been smuggling out classified details to any willing to pay, using an unstable ex-navy seal who they later murder to cover up their activities. Making it look like suicide. And this.only discovered when one of the conspirators cracked under interrogation, confessed it to all. Andrew Hooter, Isaac Mentnor and the unfortunate Frank B Parker. They'd said it, spread it, now it was all over the country. The biggest story since Watergate. The press were having a field day. One injustice compounded upon, more lies to cover it up. To cover their butts. Lies that sounded realistic, that were what the ears wanted to hear, that couldn't be false unless you knew the truth. Press hounds where having a field day. They his ex-wifes's house covered, with revelations that maybe her new husband was attached to it all. And ofcourse that would be investigated, played along with.
She turned her head away from the screen, unable to tolerate any more of the pictures in purveyed. A bitten lip suggested Olga had her mind in motion. Ticking over the events, all orchestrated no doubt. But by who? Shading government officials, backdoor organisations.. a mastermind nemesis for the answer was about all that was worth. There was no proof, not except against this, against her instinct, their words. There was one way to get to the bottom of this, the source of it. Too risky, for now she'd just keep trying til time ran out. She'd practically made her mind up, deciding however to sleep on it. Wishing that a night would change it all, like a dream come true she'd awaken to the good fair world
The rain could be heard lashing on the window as she rose from her slumber, the patter and tinkle of the droplets sliding smooth on the pane, running the familiar rivers of infinite paths. Every chance unique, played once and just that once, to change it all for its life. Sleepily she got up and dressed hoping that some progress had been made by now, some semblance of right emerging in reality.
The canteen was crowded. But instead of the usual bustling crew near the kitchens, there emerged a hustle around on of the TV's mounted to the wall. As she got closer she saw it was the latest news bulletin from CZN. The pretty blonde was rushing through the weather nervously. And the blacksuits were uncharacteristically excited, there faces full of hushed smiles and glances of anticipation. She looked at the screen waiting for it. The report of it. The moment which decided. If they knew then they'd know right and it would be over soon. She tried to think of prayer to utter, even a silly superstitious chant. Anything for luck. Crossing her fingers she took a deep breath in. She'd never have known that that couldn't be enough. Between the cheers of the crowd, the slaps of palms doing high fives, there was an unheard clutter of a tray hitting the ground. The sound reverberating, the echo of the metal trampled on by the joy of all but one. The blond man agog as he read the news out. "A verdict of guilty has been reached on the current espionage case. The two scientist's case has been judged without trial due to massive amounts of evidence counting against their innocent pleas and they have been given the death sentence for what the president described as "the most dishonourable act he has ever known". The two scientists in question, Dr Isaac Mentnor and Dr Andrew Owsley where part of a plot to smuggle out highly classified information to foreign terrorists using a mentally unstable ex-military captain. Captain Francis Bartholomew Parker was housed in a state mental institute due to a traumatic experience whilst serving in Somalia. The severity of this case was that the two doctors misused their privileges to get access to Captain Parker and took advantage of an honourable man who wasn't in any state to refuse their manipulations. The government is still unaware of exactly how much and what information the doctors managed to extract and transfer to the foreign parties. Nor is it known who they were in allegiance with. Now over to our correspondant in washington for a full report...... The pictures faded into oblivion, and the voices drowned on in the mind. There seemed to be a echo forever of the metal, the harsh sound as it hit the floor, a reflection of how it felt. The frequency not stopping, carrying on getting paler and paler but still there. Weak but true.
2002 October 21, Nevada, The Blue Swan Bar
The noise of plates clanking and friendly chatter crowded the room. In one small corner there were a few select friends sitting at the dark brown table holding their respective drinks. Olga sipped her vodka and picked at her food. Somehow being here felt disrespectful. Having drinks like old times, one face missing. Every now and then one of them would quietly slip their hand to there glass and take a swig. Noone said anything, what was there to say. He was dead. Nothing else mattered to her. And noone else had anything to add.
An event disrupted the atmosphere in the bar, over the other side there was a hush. From the niche the scene was hidden, a large screen cornered it off from the world. But they could feel the chill of the customers, everyone suddenly set into a curios fear. Heavy footsteps crossed the floor, getting closer each second. All looked to the partition, 5 men in black suits passed it and gathered together in a formation to block them off. The lead man started to talk, thick and strong, his voice echoed slightly in the silence that surrounded them. "Isaac Mentnor, please come with us. You are under arrest for conspiracy to murder and for treason." The other men stepped forward to detain Mentnor, quickly handcuffing him. They had no resistance as they read his rights, he simply smiled awkwardly at them and followed them out. The lead man still stood infront of them. His stance professional and hard. He tipped his feet before speaking "If you would all like to come with me, you are detained on government business til further notice" He waited. "It is not optional"
Olga watched the TV, CZN was on, round the clock news. The news as the news happened. But she knew this shouldn't be happening. The newsreader rallied off the headline. Two top government scientists guilty of treason. A conspiracy to murder a former government serviceman. Their accomplice. Their ally in the plot of espionage. Bubble bubble, boil and trouble, gunpowder, treason and plot. So far all they'd said was that they'd been smuggling out classified details to any willing to pay, using an unstable ex-navy seal who they later murder to cover up their activities. Making it look like suicide. And this.only discovered when one of the conspirators cracked under interrogation, confessed it to all. Andrew Hooter, Isaac Mentnor and the unfortunate Frank B Parker. They'd said it, spread it, now it was all over the country. The biggest story since Watergate. The press were having a field day. One injustice compounded upon, more lies to cover it up. To cover their butts. Lies that sounded realistic, that were what the ears wanted to hear, that couldn't be false unless you knew the truth. Press hounds where having a field day. They his ex-wifes's house covered, with revelations that maybe her new husband was attached to it all. And ofcourse that would be investigated, played along with.
She turned her head away from the screen, unable to tolerate any more of the pictures in purveyed. A bitten lip suggested Olga had her mind in motion. Ticking over the events, all orchestrated no doubt. But by who? Shading government officials, backdoor organisations.. a mastermind nemesis for the answer was about all that was worth. There was no proof, not except against this, against her instinct, their words. There was one way to get to the bottom of this, the source of it. Too risky, for now she'd just keep trying til time ran out. She'd practically made her mind up, deciding however to sleep on it. Wishing that a night would change it all, like a dream come true she'd awaken to the good fair world
The rain could be heard lashing on the window as she rose from her slumber, the patter and tinkle of the droplets sliding smooth on the pane, running the familiar rivers of infinite paths. Every chance unique, played once and just that once, to change it all for its life. Sleepily she got up and dressed hoping that some progress had been made by now, some semblance of right emerging in reality.
The canteen was crowded. But instead of the usual bustling crew near the kitchens, there emerged a hustle around on of the TV's mounted to the wall. As she got closer she saw it was the latest news bulletin from CZN. The pretty blonde was rushing through the weather nervously. And the blacksuits were uncharacteristically excited, there faces full of hushed smiles and glances of anticipation. She looked at the screen waiting for it. The report of it. The moment which decided. If they knew then they'd know right and it would be over soon. She tried to think of prayer to utter, even a silly superstitious chant. Anything for luck. Crossing her fingers she took a deep breath in. She'd never have known that that couldn't be enough. Between the cheers of the crowd, the slaps of palms doing high fives, there was an unheard clutter of a tray hitting the ground. The sound reverberating, the echo of the metal trampled on by the joy of all but one. The blond man agog as he read the news out. "A verdict of guilty has been reached on the current espionage case. The two scientist's case has been judged without trial due to massive amounts of evidence counting against their innocent pleas and they have been given the death sentence for what the president described as "the most dishonourable act he has ever known". The two scientists in question, Dr Isaac Mentnor and Dr Andrew Owsley where part of a plot to smuggle out highly classified information to foreign terrorists using a mentally unstable ex-military captain. Captain Francis Bartholomew Parker was housed in a state mental institute due to a traumatic experience whilst serving in Somalia. The severity of this case was that the two doctors misused their privileges to get access to Captain Parker and took advantage of an honourable man who wasn't in any state to refuse their manipulations. The government is still unaware of exactly how much and what information the doctors managed to extract and transfer to the foreign parties. Nor is it known who they were in allegiance with. Now over to our correspondant in washington for a full report...... The pictures faded into oblivion, and the voices drowned on in the mind. There seemed to be a echo forever of the metal, the harsh sound as it hit the floor, a reflection of how it felt. The frequency not stopping, carrying on getting paler and paler but still there. Weak but true.