Chp58 man in question
Leavenworth military prison.
Cell 345: Military prisoner 98673543-3
"The world turns, yes it does, along a road of stars, yet every once along the road a fork is found in hand. So choose wisely little one the path you seek to go, for along the road are evil men like me who long to know." I stare out my cell. Looking at the stars thru the dirty glass. Soon my son, soon I'll be out. And you will feel my hand. Little man. The rhymes come and go. As I past the time. The picture of my son, etched in my mine. The face I see when I look into the reflections of the mirror. I brush my copper hair, thinning a little. Thru black eyes. Soon they will have to let me free. Then I will make my son give me a life. He owes me that. I gave him life. Now he owes me a life.
The mantra repeats till it's a song of hate and bitter thoughts. The girls, the sweet girls. Who scream and beg for me. to make them free. I remember my crew in Iraq. The fun times with the throw away girls. The lost little lambs. The easy disposal, watching them float to earth from the high orbit. Into the empty quarter. I relive every taste, image, though. I pump iron till my muscles burn and my body collapses. The other loser inmates shy away from me. I like the fight, the pain. The feeling of being alive.
The lawyers are pushing on my son to help me. I can see his confused and happy face as the news hits him. He will learn to do as told. I'm his father. I seethe with the need to be free, to hunt again. The last little one in Ramadi was so sweet and taste. Too bad my crew had to go down in the crash. I remember floating in my parachute as the Blackhawk spiraled in. I can still see my crew chief stunned, unbelieving face as the impact shred him into jelly. I laugh and laugh as the images play across my mind.
The floor screw (slang for prison guard) tells me I have visitor. My son has come to see me. I put on a fatherly face, I've been practicing. As the screws haul me to the visitor section. I'm surprised when I'm hauled into a lawyer room. Three men wait me. my idiot Lawyer from JAG (Judge Advocate Office ie. Military lawyers). And two other men. Both harden military. I recognize the bearing and stance. I can deal with them. Where in Christian? I look around. I sit and wait.
"All right Mueller. These men have questions about you and your son. I suggest you answer them, truthful and with total transparency." My lawyers say. I smile at him and the two guys who stand against the wall.
"Mueller tell us about the mother of your son?" easy I prepped for this. Ella Jameson, taste little coed at Houston college. Met her during a show and recruit jig at the college. Had a thing for father figures, and pilots. Disappeared after she told me she was pregnant. I expected a red cross form (women who have children of military service member can file a demand for support form thru the red cross), but it never came. I assumed she got rid of the kid. Till I saw my face on TV. Then I knew my son was real and needed me." I watch them closely. The sign of seasoned interrogators. They give nothing away.
"Tell us about her scar on her body?" hum a trap. I look right at them. "What scar she was flawless, perfect skin, need a little work on the teeth, but flawless. I couldn't get enough of her during my TDY (Temporary duty assignment)".
They look hurt. "Where my son? I expected him here to meet me. who exactly are you two?"
The older one looks hard into my eyes, shit I hood them. He looks at the dark demons that lurk there. He smiles a evil grin. "We represent Grey. If your DNA test proves true. Then we will discuss your options. If its fake you are never coming near the Grey's, ever."
"I don't care what the Test say, if I'm not there to verify them. I know he's my son. You know to just by the way you two looked when I entered the room. So bring me my son. He owes me. he needs me to show him how to live and be happy." Shit I've said to much. I have to filter better. Remember the plebeian days in Citadel. The discipline that served me well thru the college years.
"Yes, there is a resemblance, but you better pray that test comes back good. If not. I will deal with you personally. An I'm not some weak drugged kid, or trusting bunk buddy. If I don't end you. He will" pointing to the large silent guy, just staring with hard deep hateful eyes.
"If you don't have any questions. When my son shows up we can do the DNA test."
"You'll do the test now (tossing a sampler on the table). If you expect to have your claim verified."
I toss the sampler back at him. "when I see my son. Then we will do the test. Not before." The older one doesn't like this. He takes the sampler and smile. What did I miss.
"you're a wary you gave a sample on your incarceration here. And twice since. So we don't need your sample. The coding is already being matched. O' also a fifty state database search with your code is being done as well. I hope you didn't commit any crimes in CONUS (Continual United State ie. The lower forty-eight states)
"You can't do that, you need my permission to access that information, and I didn't give it." I have to think quickly.
"I'm afraid you did give permission when you listed Grey as your son. Both parties have the right to a paternity test." My lawyer spouts, god what an idiotic moron.
"Yes, but not a nationwide search for crimes." The older guy smiles. "Yes, based on the National Securities act of 1949. You are requesting access to a person on a restricted national security list." I balk. How is that possible. He just a billionaire, doesn't even have any military contracts or military divisions. "How is he on a black list?"
The older guy smiles. "You'll be told after the test comes back positive."
"We're done here. Guard take me back to my cell." I have to think, there is a slight chance the kid isn't mine. But we look alike, perfectly, hair, eyes, build, face. He looks just like my cadet picture.
I do push up and crunches as my mind works out the various scenario. I still have 40 day left. They can't find any of my girls in that length of time. Can they?
Xxxxxxx
Welch leads us out of the Prison. The lawyer is a total lose. I will have one of Carrick people with me next time. The coding should be done in 5 days. If it's not a close match. Will squash this bug. Ray is pondering the reactions. With a inner thought that is frightening.
Hawthorne has gotten a fresh sample to test as well. The Kids are due back three days after the test should be done. The initial coding will be ready in two days. The database search is getting a priority from the NY SVU. They owe us.
We drive to the airfield, will be back in a week. Till then we wait.
XXXXXXXXX
January 12.
The report hit my desk at 9am. Ray and Carrick are due any minute. We will open the report and deal with the consequences. They arrive and sit. I open the report, a breathe easy. I hand the report around. We all relax. The report is 99% sure Mueller is not Christian father. I open the second report from our friends in NY.
Mueller is now the prime suspect in eight homicides. Three in Texas, four in Georgia, and one in Alabama. With several new ones in Iraq. Texas won the coin toss, their cases are strong and well documented. The Texas attorney General is already pushing the death penalty. Mueller is never getting out of prison.
"I'll fly to Kansas today and give him the good news." Says Ray. "I'll go with you." Carrick interjects. They rise and leave. I don't want to go back. I've done such evil illegal stuff to defend my country, I feel like I should be an inmate.
XXXXXX
Leavenworth military prison.
Cell 345: Military prisoner 98673543-3
Mueller is escorted into the room its one hour to dinner. He looks happy to see us. That won't last. I watch as his lawyer explains why where here. "Where my son?" he demands. Carrick move forward and sits opposite him. Staring, un-blinking till Mueller shrinks back. I see where Carrick is a top lawyer, he can be so un-nerving.
"I have the report, the DNA report here. It's 99% accurate that you are not my sons biological father. That you are not even close. So your claim is rejected. Also the criminal search turned up multiple homicide in three states. The Texas AG will be here tomorrow to serve extradition paper. The State of Texas will be putting a needle in you and ending your sick life." Carrick speaks without emotion or inflection. Cold, toneless, merciless. The grim reaper couldn't match his death sentence. I marvel at the man.
The prisoner yells and jumps at Carrick. He simple smashes his fist into Mueller face, dropping the animal onto the table. The guards haul him out. He shakes his hand. "Getting too old for this shit." I pat his back. "Father love is a fathers will. Let's get out of here and home. The girls are planning a late supper. To celebrate that evil is once more bared from our families."
Xxxxxxx
Grey Manor January 16. 3pm
Ray pov.
The party is in full swing. With all the kids in check before school splits them up. Anna and Christian are slow dancing to a tune in there head on the patio. I watch them as Taylor walks up. "Hawthorne's here wants a word."
The adult gathers in the garage Carrick, Grace, Elisa, Kaylee, I, Welch and Taylor. Hawk looks happy and nervous. "I want you all to know I did not sit on this information, I just felt I should deliver it to Christian in person. We found his father."
We gasp, Grace looks afraid. We all feel afraid. What next. "Proceed?" I say.
"Christian Alexander McCloud, specialist-four US Army Armor. Killed in Germany during Reforger (annual military excises in Europe.) about the second month of Ella pregnancy. Orphan, no know relatives, state raised in Detroit. Assigned to a recruiting station that include the college in Houston. He never knew he had a son."
"How did he die?" says Christian from the door. Anna holds him.
"He was killed during a tank recovery mission. A tow cable broke striking his head. He had just pushed several soldiers out of harm's way. He was a good trooper." Hawthorne says.
I see the tear flow down his face as the circle in now complete. That his life in no longer a series of dark macabre scenes. We hug him as he realizes that his mother was lost, no abandon, that his father died never know about him. He wasn't a throwaway. He was loved. His mother just couldn't cope. Alone without help or friends.
We move to the house as Anna works her magic. The admiral produces a picture of the young soldier. The clean, clear grey eyes and panty dropping smile with the buzz cut copper hair. He looked like he enjoyed life and was bright about the future. I see Chris look hard at his father. He gets up and hug his dad. They together feel the loss. And the gain. Father loss before his birth and a father by choice. We party late into the night. A wake for a fallen young man. And birth of a good son.
