Operation Last Ditch Effort

Chapter 18: Change of Plans

Trash. Waste of time. I'm dead anyway. Breathe. Oh, do I have any news? No. Of course not. That would be too perfect. Dead. I'm dead. A sharp ping hit the side of Jude's forehead as he once again sat in an empty conference room. The four screens in front of him had yet to come to life as Jude's headache grew worse. 

Screams filled his ears. "Stop. Make it stop." 

"Tell us where they are." 

"Hahaha. Never. That's all you got? " 

"Up the dose." 

" Bring it on. I can do this all day." 

"To 85 volts." 

"I obviously have nowhere else to be."

Screaming filled the dark room where only a single light dangled from the ceiling. Like a scene from a bad spy movie, a man in a white lab coat stood over a man who was strapped down a metal chair. Sweat drenched the man's hair as he thrashed in the chair while the current rushed through his body. 

The man in the lab coat held up his hand to someone behind the glass where green and red lights blinked on the back wall. 

"Now tell us who was with you?"

The man strapped the chair only laughed as he responded, "Why. So. Serious?"

"Again."

The man's body clenched as his knuckles went white as he gripped the chair underneath him. 

"Stop. Now. As you can see no one is coming for you. We can keep at this or you can give up your friends."

"Quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." 

"Again."

What the? I need some different meds. As if the headaches weren't bad enough. He said there'd be side effects. But delusions? Get it together. Hopefully, Rutherford's plan will work. I've been a loyal employee right? I'm screwed. 

The four screens in front of him came to life as the clock struck two. Mrs. Dreher was wearing a dark green dress with her usual bun pulled tight making many of the wrinkles she had fade. Her face was cold and uninviting as she stared down Jude. The two men in the middle were in bland suits while their body language seemed to radiate cruelty although there was a glint in the eyes of one of the men. It was unnerving as if the man was offering Jude candy from a white van.  

The man on the right played with his mustache and gave Jude a smile that made him cringe in his seat. The man to the left was tapping his fingers furiously on his chair looking like a nineteen forties mob boss with his hair gelled back. The man on the far left sat in the shadows as always. His arms looked like they were crossed, but it was difficult to tell with the low lighting. Jude readied himself for a verbal beating.

"So, Mr. King are there any new developments you would like to report?" asked the man to the right still playing with his mustache.

Shifting slightly in his chair Jude replied: "No, there is nothing new to re—"

Cutting Jude off the man in the shadows firmly stated: "Mr. King we expect results and if you can't deliver then we'll find someone else more capable."

I'm dead. It's over. 

Nodding his understanding Jude continued "I have a new plan that I think will work to your liking."

Mrs. Dreher looked at Jude curiously and said: "Well, let's hear it."

Clearing his throat Jude continued "We could move up the date for the wife's pill day."