CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #1: I'm back! Ladies and gentleman, the story that i've got for you this time may just be my best work. I really love how this story turned out, it just really makes me smile. Inspiration for this story came to me in the car, where most of my good ideas come from. I was driving home from Walmart when the general premise for this story came to me. I had just finished Numb, so I was really in a groove when I began. I blew through the first draft of this story in a little more than a week, 45,000 words! The second and third drafts as well as the final edits and revisions took almost two months, which surprised me. I'd initially planned a September debut, but that obviously didn't happen LOL. Either way, enjoy everybody, I hope you love this one as much as I do.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #2: I've been doing some beta reading for nevr, which is hard work. It gave me a whole new respect for the job he does when he looks at my work. Thanks for the help, Nev!
The Monster You Made Me
A Story by
CharmingCharles2896
Prologue
Oakland County Jail
Pontiac, Michigan
September 24th, 2014
3:01 AM EDT
Maggie Wilson was scared; which was understandable, considering she had been arrested. She'd been running cons with her father, James "Jack" Wilson, for almost ten years now, though it seemed like a lot longer. Life in Michigan wasn't great, it was cold as hell in the winters and the summers seemed to alternate between sweltering heat and pouring rain showers. Beyond the weather, the roads were terrible, the drivers were insanely aggressive, and the police seemed to be constantly patrolling. The long con that her father had been running had been in the works for almost a year. While this meant that Maggie had the chance to settle down and actually go to school, a part of her had hated Michigan. At sixteen, Maggie Wilson had spent more time on the road with her father than she had at home with her mother. It had been almost three years since Maggie had been back to California to see her mother, things hadn't gone well. Maggie promised that she'd make it right one day, lord only knew when that day would come, but Maggie would make it up to her mother.
When the police raided the house that Maggie's father was renting in White Lake, the two of them were been dragged into the front yard in their pajamas and thrown into separate police cars. The last thing Maggie heard from her father was him telling her not to talk to anyone without a lawyer. No I love yous, no I'll see you soon, just don't talk to anyone; such was the life on the lamb. The movies made running from the law seem so glamorous, the idea of total freedom. In reality, it meant changing towns every three months, constantly conning people just to eat, and never knowing anybody.
The room that they were keeping Maggie in was a sterile interrogation room. The walls were an awful beige/yellow color, while the uncomfortable chair beneath her was the cheap kind often seen in hospital waiting rooms. It had been hours since the police officer had deposited Maggie in the room and shut the door. It had gotten to the point where Maggie was starting to wonder if they forgot they'd put her in the room in the first place. From the size of the raid that had literally kicked in the front door to their home, Maggie had to think that the police were keenly interested in the actions of Maggie's father. Who knew if Jack would take the fall for all that they'd done, or if he'd roll over on her to get a lighter sentence for himself. It wouldn't have surprised Maggie if Jack did something like that, he'd always seen her more as a partner instead of a daughter.
The sound of heavy footsteps outside in the hallway told Maggie that someone was coming. Maggie sat up straighter, secretly wishing she'd had a chance to change into better clothes. A loud metal sound filled Maggie's ears as tremendous locks gave way. Eventually the door opened and Maggie saw a towering black man walk into the room. This man had to be over six feet tall and at least two hundred pounds of solid muscle. As Maggie looked at this man, she saw nothing in his eyes, no soul, no feeling, just… grey.
"You've had a busy life, Ms. Wilson," the man said as the door closed behind him. Maggie said nothing, simply glaring at the mysterious man. "Your father is in a lot of trouble, Ms. Wilson; enough to put him away for a very long time," the man said as he pulled out a chair opposite Maggie and sat down. Maggie said nothing once again, intent to let this man talk as much as he wanted.
"We've got him on multiple counts of fraud, wire fraud, grand larceny, armed robbery, impersonating police, amid other crimes," the man said. "You on the other hand…"
"What about me?" Maggie asked in a clipped tone, cutting off the black man across from her.
The black man smiled to himself and continued speaking. "We have nothing on you, Ms. Wilson, so you're free to go," the man said, shocking Maggie.
"What?" Maggie said, unsure if she believed what he was saying. The black man smiled and nodded.
"You are free to walk out of here any time you want, but that's not why I am here," the man said as he reached into his black jacket, retrieving a business card.
"My name is Langston Graham, I work for the Central intelligence Agency," Graham said as he slid the card over to Maggie, who looked at it.
Langston Graham
Direct of Special Operations
Central Intelligence Agency
As Maggie read the card, she grew more confused, not less. Graham stood up and reached across the table, unlocking the handcuffs around Maggie's wrists. As the uncomfortable metal cuffs left Maggie's wrists, she rubbed her tender flesh.
"I am here, because I see potential in you, Ms. Wilson; potential to be something far greater than you are right now. If you are interested in hearing me out, then keep that business card, stand up, and follow me. If you want to go back to conning people and living on the lamb, then push it back towards me and I will walk out that door. You'll never see me again," Graham said to Maggie, who thought hard. If Maggie turned this Langston Graham down, she'd be all alone in the world, with nothing. She could try to go home to her mother, but with no money, how would she get home? Was Maggie going to sell herself to make her way home? Would her mother's house even be a home for her if she managed to get there?
Maggie grabbed the card, palming it in her right hand as she looked to Graham, who nodded. "Come on, Ms. Wilson, let's go talk about your future," Graham said as he motioned for Maggie to follow. Maggie stood up from her seat and followed Langston Graham out of the interrogation room. If this Langston Graham wanted her to be a CIA agent, maybe she could do some good, maybe she could be one of the good guys for once in her life. Maggie left the county jail beside Langton Graham.
As the two of them hopped into Graham's car, he spoke once again. "I want you to be a part of a special project," Graham said to Maggie, still towering over her, even in his car.
"What kind of special project?" Maggie asked, suddenly nervous about this man's intentions. Had she made a mistake, getting into this man's car?
"A group of people, willing to do what is necessary, no matter what. A group of people with superior talents, a cut above the rest," Graham said as he leaned in, Maggie doing the same. "This project is called the Enforcer Program, and I want you to be a part of it."
"Will I do good things?" Maggie asked innocently, getting a small smile from Graham.
"When we're done with you, you'll be the best of the best," he said confidently. "You've lived on the road for so long, Ms. Wilson; take control of your life for once." Maggie thought for a long moment, wondering if this offer was too good to be true. For a few years, Maggie had been struggling with guilt over her actions with her father. The chance to help America, the chance to be one of the good guys, could she really pass that up?
"I'm in," Maggie said with surety in her tone. Graham smiled at her, clearly pleased with her choice.
"To be a part of this project, Magdalena Wilson will have to die," Graham said, shocking Maggie. "Your old life will be over; all of the people you knew will think you are dead. This sacrifice will allow you to become something far greater than you can ever imagine. If this is something you cannot accept, then it is best if you leave now." Maggie thought about what Graham had just admitted, could she leave her life behind? Maggie loved her mother and desperately wanted to have a better relationship with her. The thing was, Maggie had no idea if her mother would even have anything to do with her after all that she'd done. Maggie's father was going to prison for a long time, maybe for life. Was her life as it was right now, something she wanted to hold onto? In that moment, Maggie thought about the gold, crucifix necklace around her neck, a last gift from her mother. If Maggie was going to leave her old life behind, at least she'd still have a piece of her mother with her.
Taking a deep breath, Maggie looked over towards Graham and nodded. The pleased smile on Graham's face told Maggie that she'd made the correct choice. It was time for Maggie Wilson to make something of her life, no matter the cost.
"Since you like names so much, how does Sarah Walker sound to you?" Graham asked the teenager, who thought for a long moment about it.
Finally… "It sounds right," Agent Walker said with confidence. Graham started the car and pulled away from the jail.
"Good choice," Graham said knowing he'd just recruited his latest Enforcer. As the car sped off into the night, the entire world continued to sleep, unaware that a monster had been born. In the years to come, that monster would lurk in the shadows, exacting a terrible price on the world. In the years to come, the monster that Graham had created, would at long last, give him the power he so craved…
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #4: This story will be posted on Thursdays from now until Christmas time, but there will be certain weeks when you'll get two posts in less than a week. This is one of those instances, due to the short length of this prologue. Expect chapter one to be posted on Thursday the 19th of October.
CHARMING'S AUTHORS NOTE #5: Did the prologue suck you in? Are you intrigued? Pissed off? Head over heels in love with my writing talents? No? Well please leave a review anyway. I love to read all of your reviews, read your thoughts and theories, it really makes my day.
Until Next Time :D