Chapter 9

Date:  April 1, 2013

Time:  1200 hours

Place:  Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Ennis, TX, Earth

POV:  Jace Wallings

                I rolled up into the office.  Yeah, I know about the routine thing.  However; I’ve got  a day off and I thought he might like to see the model trains down the road that I never have time to show him.

                Something was up.  The whole front desk staff was gathered around, apparently confused.  Then I saw the head of school security behind the desk, equally as confused.  He approached me apprehensively.

                “Officer Wallings, I don’t want…”  He started.

                “Where’s my son?”  I interrupted.

                “Well Mr. Wallings…”

                “This should be a simple question, where is my son?”

                “I’m sure he’s somewhere in the school.”

                “You mean you lost my son?”

                “Not exactly lost per se.”

                Then the principal rolled up.

                “Please calm down Mr….”

                “Fuck that shit.  You lost my son?!”  At this point I was irate.

                “Please, we have…”

                “You lost my son?!”

                All of a sudden, the com unit went off.  I answered it.

                “I’m sorry for interrupting your break Wallings; but, we have a child that’s flipping out.  You have a special needs kid.  Maybe you could help?”  One of my number two’s interjected.

                “Show him on my tablet.”  And there I spotted my child, having a full blown meltdown in the midst of soldiers with arms drawn.  “Damn, it’s my kid.”  I muttered under my breath.  “Try to reduce the noise and hold the kid.  I’ll be there asap.”  I said into the com unit.

                Then I swung around and punched the head of security dead in the face.

                “Officer Wallings!”  The principal started.

                “Marcos has been found.  He’s not on campus.

                “Where…”  She restarted.

                “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

                Then I went to a place off campus so I could whisk off to the Amusement Park of the Civilian District.

Date:  April 1, 2013

Place:  Amusement Park, Civilian Sector, Central Anglasia

POV:  Karl Matthers

                Yeah, we’ve been trackng the kid for awhile.  Honestly, most of the military don’t know whether he’s the chosen one or not including me.  We do know that he’s of interest.  A very special child.  One worth protecting.

                Well…  all of a sudden the kid shows up with a grown man.  Dead in the middle of the Civilian District of Central Anglasia of all places.  The man looking confused with a child seemingly sure of himself of course drew the military’s attention.  I’m still not sure what the original soldier did, I’m sure it wasn’t too threatening.  The kid went bezerk regardless which of course drew more soldiers.  In the commotion the kid ended up drawing at least half a city guard battalion, rank, and tons of others.  Well…  at least the kid knows how to make an entrance I guess.

                “Requesting permission to move in.”  Timor, head of our special protection squads,  squaked over the com unit.

                “That is a negative”  I responded, still maintaining virtual invisibility in the crowd of onlookers circling outside the ring of soldiers.

                “But sir…”

                “I gave you a direct order and expect it to be followed to the fullest.  Keep your holding pattern until directed otherwise.”

                “Yes sir.”

                I fully realized that if we moved in too fast, we would create an incident that wouldn’t be stopped or easily controlled.  I was trying my best to avoid it and doubting by the second my ability to do so.  As their soldiers increased I really didn’t like how this was looking.  All of a sudden, Jace appears weaving his way through the crowd with one of his number twos.

                “Sorry sir.  I know you’re on suspension; but I know you have…”  The man who met them stated as they weaved through the crowd.

                “A special needs kid?  Has it ever occurred to you that this is Marcos?”  Jace responded curtly.

                “Huh?”  The man responded confused.

                “My kid!  Marcos!”

                Helicopters just started gathering.  Some news crews, some military.  I really didn’t like how things were developing.

                “Please Matthers…”  Timor started again.

                “Damn it Timor!  If you move in before I give the order I will execute you myself do I make myself abundantly clear!”

                “Crystal sir.”  Timor responded.

                All of a sudden, Jace just punches the man that was with Marcos.

                “So, you want to kidnap my kid huh?!”  Jace starts in.

                “Jace.”  Kevorski starts in.

                “Not right now!”  Jace snapped back.

                “Jace”

                “Do you not!...”

                “The man has not art skip ability.”

                Everything got real quiet all of a sudden except for the helicopters.  Well…  and the scene of a daddy soothing his child that’s having a complete and total melt down.  This is truly a side of Jace I don’t think we had ever seen before.  This wasn’t a soldier we were watching.  This was a daddy.  A daddy that was nearly to tears at the pain of his son.

                “Are you sure?”  Jace quietly inquired, breaking the silence.

                “I’m about 95 percent sure.  I leave five percent off because it was field testing.

                Then the head of the medical research division Maria Mousoon chimed in; “We could learn so much, we’ve got to…”

                “You’re not touching this child.”  Kevorski interrupted.

                “But…”

“But nothing!  What is wrong with you!  This is a child, not a laboratory experiment!  No!”  Kevorski defended as Jace continued to comfort his child.

At that point, I could see that we really had no choice.  I was not going to allow the child to be condemned to an institutional life where they studied him as if he was a lab rat of sorts; and if the government had their way he would.

“Move in!  No shots fired unless I give the go ahead or the child is in obvious danger!  Move! Move!”  I screamed into the com unit as we lifted our firearms and rushed the soldiers.

“Sir yes sir!”  All my soldiers said in unison.

All of a sudden, about sixty of us moved in, weapons drawn, surrounding the soldiers.

“All members of the Anglasian military, lower your weapons and back away from the child!”  I screamed.

“What is this?”  One of the number Jace’s number twos asked”

“We won’t tell you again, we’ll just open fire.  Lower your weapons and back away from the child.  Make no mistake.  We will kill and die for this child if need be.  This includes you Mousoon.” 

All of a sudden, Kincaid stepped forward.

“Do as he says.”  Kincaid ordered.

All of a sudden the soldiers looked at each other confused.

“”That’s an order soldiers!”  Kincaid snapped.  At that they complied immediately.  “Look Matthers, we don’t want a fire fight.”

“Sure as hell could’ve fooled me.  A bunch of soldiers surrounding a five year old non-verbal autistic child?  What would you call that?”  I responded back.  I couldn’t believe it.  As they like to tell us, we don’t negotiate with terrorists.

“It’s not like that.”

“It is like that Kincaid.  Look around you.  Who is the last to pull their weapons?  Who is talking about running experiments and such?  Look over there!  To you that’s a test subject!”  He looked  “That’s a child Kincaid.  A child with extraordinary gifts, but never the less a child.”

In the center of it all, Marcos was being held by Jace trying to calm him.  The child was obviously still upset.  Probably because of all the commotion around him.  Seriously, my respects to him.  Then I walked over to the two.

“Jace, I’m not sure what you think of us.  I need you to trust us.  We will protect you and your child.  Please.”

“Jace, we can talk about this.”  Kincaid interjected.

All of a sudden, Jace pulled his sidearm on Kincaid.

“You ordered soldiers to pull firearms on my child.”

“I didn’t…”

“Shut the fuck up!  I will put a hole in your head to protect my child if need be.  This I swear on everything I love.”

All of a sudden, the Anglasian soldiers raised their weapons on the ready.

“Again, lower your weapons.”  Kincaid reiterated.

“But sir…”  One of the soldiers started.

“Neither side will survive a firefight.  Again, lower your weapons!”

Everyone lowered their weapons.

“Lets go.”  I told Jace silently.

Then me, Jace, Marcos, and the rest of the troops skipped to the military HQ of Zarkoff 2.

POV:  Thomas Kincaid

Place:  Amusement Park, Civilian Sector, Central Anglasia

Date:  April 1, 2013

                Adrenaline was pumping.  Needless to say a lot of us were excited.  We were finally going to meet the child that caused all the commotion.  The one with the gifts.  The excitement immediately drained when I saw who the child was.  It was Jace’s kid.  Damnit!  I can’t catch a break.

                “Sir!  We’ve finally found the kid!”  Timothy, one of Jace’s number twos was exclaiming as I approached.  I think he noticed I wasn’t happy.  “Aren’t you excited?

                “Tim, that’s Jace’s kid”

                “See, you’re making jokes already!”  Then he noticed I wasn’t amused.  “Oh, you’re not kidding are you?”

                “No, I’m not.”

                It was like everything was passing as if I was watching a movie.  A train wreck of sorts.  The meltdown.  The military build up.  The helicopters.  The two medicals arguing.  Even the rebel forces rising up.  I tried to step in; but, I knew it was a lost cause.

                It’s funny the things that come to mind in cases like these.  The scripture that an old preacher man told me one day about God not being mocked and about reaping what a man sows came to the fore front of my mind, as I watched Jace walk into the wall, dropping his service dagger on the way out.