Chapter 4

Sully was seated in the cell, his head in his hands. He was drifting into the lowest ebb of his entire life so far. He could not remember a time when things felt so bad or so desperate. Appalling times had accompanied him most of his life but now, he had this strange feeling the spirits were telling him that things could get a whole lot worse.

"How could it?" He asked himself. "How is it possible, that things can be direr than they already are?"

The once since his incarceration he'd seen Michaela he had begged her to forget all about him, take the children and go home and above all forgive him. They had declared their love for each other never doubting for a moment that they were two halves of a whole.

Seeing Michaela's demeanour after he had admitted they had the right man followed by her question "Why did you lie to me?" devastated Sully to his core. He had not lied; he had just not informed her of the truth. It had never come up until now.

As she was being dragged away she had declared she'd find away to having him freed. This he understood was impossible as his crime was serious even though the war was ended. The laws on crimes committed at that time still stood. Without a doubt he had deserted and nobody cared what his reasons or motivations were.

Facing the fact that he had killed a civilian in cold blood didn't count in the eyes of the army or that he'd followed orders. As far as Sully was aware there was no proof of such an order. He forgot they had produced his signed statement of the order being carried out with his signature on the platform.

Sully knew he was no quitter, after all that he'd over come just to survive. This time however he was in a Federal Prison, guilty as charged, the obstacle this time was insurmountable. He needed more than a miracle to get out of the mess he was in this time.

Sully wanted to see Michaela more than anything he'd ever wanted before, to hold her and kiss her more than that he didn't want the thought of losing her forever either. He loved her so deeply it actually hurt and he was positive she returned that unconditional love. He could picture how she would react when he would be taken away forever and this frightened him for, he knew how that felt. He'd experienced that terrible loneliness himself, it was now the cause for this whole dire disaster. If he could distant himself from these feelings and help her as well they might survive. "I doubt I will ever be able to forget her or forgive myself for hurting her so badly," he thought.

…

Desperate to find the right person Michaela chanced on Senator Moses on the steps of the White House. Enquiring after his health she implored him to head her in the right direction for help. He confided in her the knowledge that Sully's assignment in Georgia was not for the army.

His revelation surprised her and she couldn't understand why anyone would frame Sully and want him in prison. Once again it was one more of those unanswered questions swirling around in her head.

…

Only weeks ago they had informed the authorities of what Brian had overheard in the Oval Office the night of the ball. Detective Simpson had scoffed at the idea that his forces couldn't handle the situation when summonsed into General Parker's office. Cloud Dancing and Sully were satisfied although they had held a nagging suspicion that it wasn't that simple as Cloud Dancing said the spirits had said it wasn't so and they both knew the spirits never lied.

General Parker had come to admire the spunk of the Lady Doctor and her companions Cloud Dancing and her unconventional fiancé. So when she asked his help he obliged more than willingly although he had requested her keep his involvement to herself.

…..

In the gloomy cell Sully's feeling of hopelessness was over-taking him. The burden he has suppressed for so long was now threatening to overpower him. All hope was lost.

Sully was so despondent he couldn't even drag himself off the bunk. He just remained lost in his own world as Michaela tried encouraging him to confide in her, pleading with him.

Sully responded dejectedly to her request, "It doesn't matter."His voice portraying his deep emotions.

She revealed that Senator Moses had told her it wasn't for the army nor did it have anything to do with the war. Sully's interest was sparked, stating, "I know that."

So surprised was Michaela that she asked, "You do?"

Sully replied, "If Senator Moses knows that then he knows who set me up. Ya' gotta' get him to come here. I gotta' talk to him."

After Michaela left Sully's head was spinning with the news that Michaela had divulged. He was once again getting a head ache as nothing of this whole sorry affair made any sense. Sully was aware he was going to face a Court Marshall. What he didn't know was his fate and he had already gone over and over all the scenarios and none of them were good in fact a number where appalling so bad that he didn't want to consider them.

….

Scurrying into the offices of Congress Michaela immediately went to Senator Moses' side and discovered he was dead. Instantly she recognised that he had had a dose of mercury cyanide poisoning. Picking up the glass Senator Steward brought it up as if to drink the contents. Not wishing for another casualty she brushed the glass away therefore destroying any evidence that could prove her theory.

…

When she returned to the hotel, trying to keep as calm as possible in the company of the children, who wanted to help their soon to be father, Michaela still felt baffled as Sully had never hinted that he'd even been in the army. The four of them discussed all the probable causes why Sully didn't seem to be able to help himself.

Colleen said eventually said, "Maybe he thinks it's something you can't forgive." All the family digested this to realize that this was possibly true.

…..

Sully was unaware of the supreme efforts and the determination that Michaela was putting into getting him freed. Once again finding herself in front of the general's office she discovered from his secretary that Lt. Byron Sully was due for Court Marshall the next day.

….

When it was time, the Captain brought in a uniform befitting a 2nd Lieutenant of the Army of the Potomac and handed it to Sully. Sully was aware that to be taken into a Court Marshal he'd have to be accorded the privilege of being recognised in his status of an officer of the Army of the United States.

"Clean yourself up Lieutenant," the Captain snarled the order, indicating to the two guards to take Sully out to the small high walled exercise yard. They had three buckets of icy cold water near the door.

"Strip and stand over there,"one guard snapped pointing to the wall opposite. Sully complied. Removing the dirty prison outfit he moved to the indicated wall and found a rough square of soap there. Still with his back to the soldiers he suddenly inhaled a large breath as the freezing cold water hit his skin. Laughing loudly the men ordered him to bath. Soaping himself up he was prepared for the next bucket of water tossed at him the guards relishing this *yellow belly's* discomfort. Sully had trouble keeping his balance as the cobbled floor was slippery with soap scum from men who had previously been afforded the same humiliating honour. The carbolic in the soap bit into his skin although it did serve the purpose slowly removing the crusted grime from his skin as this was the first opportunity he'd had to clean up since arriving more than a week or so ago. He didn't exactly know as he had lost all track of time. Finally the last bucket of cold water was doused over him and the remnants of the past weeks flowed onto the stony floor under his feet. The smell of the caustic soap pervaded his nostrils, reminding him of time long gone, one he was now paying the price for.

Once he had changed and was ready to be taken to the barren room used for the purpose of determining a man's fate they gave him the officer's sabre just before entering. "Are they afraid I'd use it on them? or myself?" he asked himself sceptically.

His appointed army defence lawyer had no inclination of assisting this pitiful prisoner getting his just deserts. He loathed men who had deserted in the line of battles. He had been especially appointed as his record was clean: all the men he'd defended had been found guilty, a record he wanted to retain. He had no scruples in watching the long line of men going to goal for the term of their natural lives for being cowards. Sully however was his first officer and he had no idea as to the fate this man would encounter, his other cliental were mere privates.

Again Sully had the impending sense of doom as officers appointed as judges deliberated a mere few seconds before pronouncing him guilty as charged. On hearing the verdict Sully clenched his fists and jaw in an attempt not to retaliate, he was determined to accept whatever was about to befall him with dignity and honour, befitting a Cheyenne brave.

Sully was unaware that his family was present on the outside gates of the prison. They watched in silence as Sully dresses as an army officer and the contingent marched down the ramp into the prison court yard for sentencing.

Sully was paraded unceremoniously out to the court room by the unit of army officers. He stood motionless as the Captain spoke the words and ceremonially demoted him and as a last humiliation finally snapping the officers sword over his knee.

Then as if he was reading from a well rehearsed-manual he proceeded to say those fateful words.

The only ones that registered in Sully's and Michaela's ears were. "Shot to death by a firing squad at dawn tomorrow morning."

….

Carbolic soap is a mildly disinfectant soap containing carbolic acid (phenol). Once widely available in the United States and the most common disinfectant cleaner in hospitals, it has disappeared from all but specialty retail stores. It is distributed to disaster victims for routine hygiene by the Red Cross and other relief organizations. Remembered by many older Americans as the household soap of their childhood, it is sought after by some for its nostalgic sweet, tarry smell. By killing bacteria, it acts as a mild deodorant when used as a body soap.