Attempted Assassination(4)

She nodded, and he continued.

"Well, in 1953, the project got underway. They started with the drug LSD. It was given to mental patients, prisoners, prostitutes  …  those in the deepest recesses of our society at that time. It was also given to military personnel; the general public and CIA agents also took it. They were looking for a way to expose a person's deepest confessions, or simply wipe away that person's mind, allowing them to create what they wanted-an agent or military man who would do whatever he had been told without questioning his orders." 

A shiver traveled down her spine, and she rubbed her arms. She recalled a time in high school when two kids had been sent to the hospital after taking LSD. Any small inkling she'd had about experimenting with the drug had quickly been erased after that.

The look of doubt on her face at Joe's claims must have been fairly pronounced because Joe then told her all this information could be found on the Internet. It was out there for all the world to see … and she planned to look into it.

"They also looked into using hypnosis and other drugs beside LSD, such as marijuana, sodium pentothal, and heroin. They hoped by combining the hypnosis and the drugs together, they could obliterate a subject's mind, then take control of it."

She startled when a man entered the room, but relaxed a bit when it became apparent Joe knew him.

"Jeremy! How nice to see you!"

She placed Jeremy at about sixty, and based on the size of his belly, he often enjoyed the dishes at his restaurant.

They shook hands "Good to see you, as well, Joe."

"Thank you for allowing me to use this room on such short notice."

"Of course. I owe you my life. I'm completely indebted to you, and if I can help you in any way, at any time, I'll move mountains to do it."

Joe arched his brows as small grin played on his lips. "And what mountain did you have to move for my lunch date?"

Jeremy threw his head back and laughed. "None. Just had to turn on the lights."

Joe glanced over at her. "Allow me to introduce the lovely Ava Callahan."

Setting her purse on the floor, she stood and took Jeremy's beefy hand. His green eyes glittered beneath thick, grey eyebrows, and if he had a beard, he could have played Santa.

"It's nice to meet you, Ava. I don't know what you got going on, and it's none of my business. However, I can tell you that you're talking to the right man. Joe can fix any problem."

Ava sat back down and smiled while Joe chuckled. She couldn't help but wonder what 'problem' Jeremy had had.

"I don't know about that," Joe said. "I'm glad to have been able to help you."

The two men talked a bit longer, then Jeremy asked if they were ready to order.

Joe turned to her. "Would you like to see a menu, Ava?"

She shook her head. The thought of eating only made her stomach roll.

"I'll have the steak gorgonzola salad, Jeremy."

But, that sure did sound good.

She grinned at Jeremy. "I'll have one, as well, please."

He left, and she looked at Joe.

"You won't regret the salad."

Clearing her throat, she glanced down at her hands. "What does all this mind control stuff have to do with Jordan?"

"Well, let's start before he went to Guatemala. How would you describe your husband?"

It always surprised her when she could think about him without crying. "He was a kind man with a silly sense of humor. He loved to laugh  …  he just loved everything good about life. It always struck me as odd that he also loved the military so much."

She met Joe's gaze, and he nodded.

"That's the general consensus."

Confusion gripped her. Mostly everyone they had been close to as a couple-mainly his platoon-had been killed.

Joe sighed. "I know me breaking the news to you that your husband is alive was quite traumatic to you, and I seriously considered not telling you. This next piece of information is also going to be a blow to you."



       
         
       
        

"What's that?"

"I've been able to find five members of the platoon. With Jordan, that makes six."

His words sat like a fist in her gut. "Who?"

"Brody, Lucas, Garrett, Zachary, and Ruben."

She sat back in her chair as the door swung open and a waitress set their salads in front of them. As she stared at Joe, her heart pounded in her chest and her breath came in short spurts, her world feeling as if it crumbled around her.

"They're alive?" she asked as the waitress shut the door.

Joe placed the napkin in his lap, picked up the fork, and stabbed the salad. "Delicious. Please, Ava. Eat. You'll regret if you don't."

She did as he asked, almost as if she were on autopilot. They ate in silence for a few moments, and she had to admit, the salad tasted wonderful.

Joe finally spoke. "Yes. They are alive, but they're different now."

"What does that mean? Were they brainwashed somehow, and you think Jordan was, as well? Where are they?"

"Right now, they're scattered all over the world. In two days' time, we will be meeting in a place I know you're familiar with-Whidbey Island."

She set her fork down, unable to eat anymore with the way her gut twisted. "Why are you meeting there?"

"I think it would be best for me to start at the beginning, with the explosion that supposedly killed everyone."

She nodded, placing her napkin on the table. "Please do."



As she listened to the story, she found herself both horrified that this man would suggest that the government would do something so terrible to the soldiers who served it, yet she couldn't clamp down a bit of excitement that seemed to rail through her with each word. Jordan could really be alive.

"We have no idea what caused the explosion, but the platoon members we've interviewed have all reported the same symptoms: watery eyes, a loud noise, and the inability to breathe. Based on that, I'm guessing that the government let loose some type of gas on them."

She gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"Like I said, this has left them  …  different."

As she waited for him to continue, she wondered what that meant. When he didn't say anything, but instead, stared at her, her eyes widened in panic. Jordan had become  …  different.

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means something unique for each one of the marines."

She waited again, and balled her hands in her lap, her irritation growing. Why didn't Joe just spill everything?

He smiled gently at her. "I can see you've become annoyed with me, Ava, and I apologize. You seem to be a strong woman, so I'll quit trying to save your feelings." 

"Thank you."

He nodded and laced his fingers in his lap, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Very well. The marines in that platoon were changed on a very physical and mental level. The explosion changed their souls."

How she wished he'd just get to the point. How had her husband's soul changed? "What does that mean?"

"Let me give you some examples. Brody has a deep connection with the ocean and can control it. Lucas sees people dying before they do. Zachary is completely blind, but sees images in the mirror every morning of what will happen that day. And Garrett  …  well, he can change into a bear."

She stared at him in disbelief. The only thing that had registered complete had been that Garrett could turn into a bear. This guy sat on the far side of crazy, right at the crossroads of Lunatic Lane and Demented Drive.

No, she wouldn't waste another moment on this guy, and her heart sank as her little kindling of hope snuffed out. "I think it's best if I leave now, Mr. Smith."

He studied her for a bit, and then nodded. "I know you're a very intelligent woman, Ava. You run your own small business and have built up a nice little clientele while keeping your costs low by working from your home, so I anticipated you would say something to that effect. As a back-up plan, I brought Garrett with me."

Her gaze flickered to the door leading out to the main restaurant. "Garrett's here?"

He slid a phone from the inside of his jacket and began dialing. "Yes, he is."

As he grinned at her, and she could hear the phone ringing, she couldn't believe that darn flame of hope had again rekindled.

"Hello, Garrett. Yes, Ava seems to be in fairly good spirits, considering what I've told her. I was wondering if you could come to the restaurant. She's anxious to see you." He eyed her as he listened to the other person speak. "Yes. She's having doubts."

A moment later, he disconnected the phone. "He's about seven minutes away, but with the way he drives, I would say he'll arrive in three. He also said that he wouldn't turn into a bear in the middle of a five-star steak house."

She hoped not.

They waited in silence, her stomach coiling into a sharp knot. She still held on to her gun, her hopes a little higher than before.

Her whole body trembled as she stared at the door. If Garrett truly walked through, by coming here to meet Joe, she would've jumped down the proverbial rabbit hole. Garrett would never cause her harm, and that would mean that all of what Joe said was true-Jordan was alive.

A soft tapping at the door had her on her feet within seconds. She rushed over and flung open the panel.