Chapter 5

The officer's voice eventually said, "…stripped of rank and privileges and then you are sentenced to be shot to death by firing squad at dawn tomorrow morning."

Sully let out the breath he had been holding as if he had been kicked in the guts with a boot. He was in shock, and then all of a sudden he heard Michaela's scream from the gateway. Immediately he was grabbed and hauled away inside as he attempted to free himself for he needed to see his family. Seeing them through the small iron bared window he felt urged to be with them. Being held securely he was inside and stripped of the uniform and back in prison attire, fastened by chains again.

Now back in the cell he'd occupied the past weeks he was numb with disbelief. This couldn't be happening; life behind bars had been bad enough to comprehend but death that was so final, so permanent. He had forced his brain not even to comprehend that alternative in these weeks in contemplation.

Also his family must be distraught; he had not considered they would be witness to his final disgrace. What did they think of him now? Could or would they ever understand his reasoning at the time he left the army?

….

Michaela was totally mortified at hearing the officer coolly saying those fateful words. Sully was to be put to death, to be shot in the morning. Attempting to keep calm through all her own panic she tried consoling the children as well.

Determinedly she decided a last plea to the President was required. A plan was decided and put into place Michaela thanking the Lord that Brian was privy to a secret entrance into the oval office.

She begged the President for Sully's life and the sentence was changed to life in prison.

The past weeks Michaela had moved from the office of General Parker to the President and back like some trapped moth in the light radiating from a lamp, she now felt totally spent of all energy. These weeks had drained her although she still tried desperately to hang onto that small glimmer of hope that Sully had days ago lost.

…..

Again at the Federal Prison this time arranged by the President Michaela handed Sully the pardon from the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Sully said sadly," Life in prison?"

Michaela thought,"I still have you alive!"

"At least you'll still be alive," she sadly stated. "At least while you're alive I have a chance to get you out."

Not wanting to grasp at hope he felt out of reach for both of them he retaliated, "How? Look around! I can't escape, next day or two they're goin' to be transferring me to another prison. Once I'm in there I'm never comin' out!" he said. The look in her compassionate eyes tore him inside and he couldn't help but wish he'd never fallen for her nor she for him. "Oh! Michaela what have I done to you? You deserve better?" he agonised. He had see-sawed these past weeks with all the emotions one could imagine, feeling like a drowning man, seeing his past and future fly past his eyes to grasping a small glimmers of hope once again but then being driven down into the grips of total despair.

Sully had valiantly tried to hide his anguish and feelings of hopelessness misery as he felt all hope fading and totally spent.

Michaela caught his thoughts when she said in a pleading voice, "Sully, please! You have to tell me what happened!"

Still too ashamed to look at her he took in a long shuddering breath' forcing himself into memories he'd struggled so long to not only ignore but also forget. They still haunted him and these past weeks had tortured him. He had failed in getting them to recede and disappear from his mind. His silent moments in the dead of night…; he'd woken in a sweat either with the civilian lying dead at his feet or, even worse his family dead because of him; army officers standing over them with smoking rifles.

Slowly he began to recount the events that had lead up to the shooting including the wife and children of the slain man crying out in anguish lying prostrate over his body.

He told Michaela that he originally was convinced that it was to save lives as he'd been lead to believe it wasn't such a bad thing. Afterwards he'd discovered the lie and who the man actually was. Sully reiterated his feeling of utter guilt at being responsible for the killing. A guilt that drove him to bury the secret in the recess of his memory and this had lead to him not telling her his most awful secret.

Now that Sully had told his story he thought he'd feel better but he didn't as the consequence still remained the same he would soon be transported to a lonely life of hell.

Before they were separated again Michaela said, "I have to find out who poisoned Moses.'

"You'll find out who put me in here," Sully replied. He was holding onto her gloved hands so tightly as if they where his life line.

The guard began to approach and they kissed and reaffirmed their love for one another. Afraid this was their last contact neither wanted it to end afraid for the future and their prospects for a happy end to the nightmare they were living.

….

In General Parker's office again, Michaela reminded the gentlemen that they had been informed 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 action. She asked where they could find the orders that Sully alleged he'd been given.

General Parker had volunteered, "We could search the War Department and search in the War Records Office."

Detective Simpson tried dissuading them from too hasty a decision, neither at this moment aware he was stalling for time.

Michaela and General Parker alighted into a Hansen cab to be taken to the President's office. On the way they were threatened by a gun man in another carriage. Finally General Parker had the evidence he needed to believe the allegations he'd been receiving from first Dr Quinn's fiancé and now her.

Together they spent some time deriving a plan of firstly removing the children out of harm's way by sending them home to Colorado Springs.

Michaela was prepared to put her own life on the line as she knew without a doubt that without Sully by her side life wouldn't be worth living. He meant everything to her; he held her heart. He was her protective shield against the storms of life; he was the air she breathed. She knew she needed him in her life.

Their next was a more dangerous undertaking: helping Sully escape captivity. Finally all was in readiness, and the night was cooperating as well by sending a severe thunder storm.

…

In the cell awaiting the scheduled mid-night transfer into hell Sully sat thinking how could he survive. Once again happiness had been just within his grasp to be torn away again. So this was what the spirits had warned him about weeks ago. He loved Michaela more than his own life, he had been her constant companion for nigh on two years now. He had dreamt of their life together on so many lonely nights. They were to be married… How was he going to endure the next years locked up in a stale cell in some remote place? The thought was so unthinkable. Michaela held his heart, she was his strength and had helped him heal from all the hurt he'd carried for what seemed like an eternity.

Sully was restless, the anticipation was eating at him. How far was he being sent? His wrists still were manacled but his feet were free. He had lived on water and stale biscuits for weeks. His life was on a decline… and what about the children? What effect was this having on them? He saw in Michaela's eyes the effect this was having on her. But he also saw how she held it together, trying not to let him see how badly she was being affected by this whole sorry mess.

Sadly he was waiting for the transfer. He was being depraved of saying goodbye to those most dear to him. He wished it was over, the waiting was getting on his nerves. He hated waiting. He was a man of action and the weeks of being cooped up suddenly annoying him. What was done was done, he couldn't take it back even though he'd be prepared to give his life for it never to have occurred, to have saved his family all these past few weeks. Hearing the clanging of the outer iron doors Sully was sure the time was too early for the transfer to be happening now.

"Prisoner Sully, we've been informed you are being taken in fifteen minutes. You are to be taken out doors now," the guard informed him.

All hope had now been diminished as he waited near the sentry box for the transfer to the end of his freedom. His hands and wrists were still shackled with chains. He felt that this was finally the end. He was losing his greatest joy and the love of his life another dream shattered. Looking into a sky that appeared to be shedding buckets of tears he said a silent pray to the spirits. "Please Great Spirit send all my love to my family. Always keep them safe and let them know how much I love them." He felt tears threatening again.

….

In the United States, before the Civil War, deserters from the Army were flogged; while, after 1861, tattoos or branding were also adopted. The maximum U.S. penalty for desertion in wartime remains death, although this punishment was last applied to Eddie Slovik in 1945. No U.S. serviceman has received more than 18 months imprisonment for desertion or missing movement during the Iraq War.