Part III: Threatened
Jack remembered the day he received a strange text message from a blocked number. What if your sister was arrested for being in the JPO? -1985
Jack ignored it, guessing that some other agent was playing a trick on him but then he began to receive the threatening text messages more often than he liked.
Making fake IDs? That would be such helpful information for Grougis. -1985
Jingle bells, IDs smell! Katherine left some evidence that would interest the government police. -1985
Young. Jack Megaski. Trained agent. Friend of Mike Donald. Makes IDs. JPO soldier. Wanted by the authorities. Older sister Katherine. Sounds familiar, huh? -1985
Here’s a little attachment picture. See how it’s easy for me to get to your sister? -1985
Jack had begun to understand that this sender wasn’t joking. What did he or she, want? Why did this person sign his or her name with a number? Jack’s questions were left unanswered.
Then one day Jack had found Katherine in the hidden cottage sitting on the ground in tears. She was freaked out and kept on saying that someone knew everything. Later, she had told that someone followed her to the cottage, all dressed in dark color and wearing a black hoodie. This person held her in the cottage with a gun, threatening to shoot if she didn’t say where she got the equipment for making fake IDs. Katherine refused to give any information. The unrecognizable man fled leaving Katherine with a wound from a bullet in her arm.
After Katherine’s wound was treated with medication, the JPO decided to move the equipment to another location. The day when everything was moved out, Jack went into the cottage one last time. It was about three in the morning. A silent night. The cottage was lightened by the flashlight Jack was holding. Suddenly he got a message;
She won’t be so lucky next time. -1985
“What do you want?” Jack mumbled to himself in anger. This ‘1985’ person knew too much than he should. Jack then, received the answer to his question.
You’ll find the answers. Midnight. Tomorrow. 1985 117th St. 90088. -1985
The next night Jack entered the address into his GPS and drove to the place directed. He missed the street three times because it wasn’t shown on his GPS and the street was a graveled road with an old sign that said ‘private road’. Jack had come thirty minutes earlier and observed his surroundings. There was a one story house that stretched horizontally and its paint chipped from the wood. The roof was covered in moss and the lawn looked like it lived through the World War II. It was an abandoned old house that was probably built ages ago.
The house numbers on the door frame glowed against the moonlight. 1985. Jack tried the doorknob and found it unlocked. He came into the house and switched on the lights. The light bulbs above flickered and turned on. Jack gasped. It was one big, long room in which a table stretched throughout. The wooden table was covered with equipment. Printer machines for IDs, CDs, DVDs, photos, regular printers, 3D printers, laser and inkjet printers. Impact and non-impact printers and other printing equipment covered the surface of the table. The wall behind was plastered with photos, maps, sticky notes and bullet holes. Against the left side of the wall black hoodies hung on a rack. Under each hoodie, lay a pair boots of different sizes. On the far end was another door. Just when Jack was about to discover what contained behind that other door, the front door of the strange house burst open. Jack whirled around. There stood a man his arms folded and his stand confident. He wore a black hoodie and damp from the rain, dark blue jeans. As the enemy approached, Jack noticed a pistol in his hand. The mystery man was shadowed and kept his distance. The silence was unbearable as the Arizona’s humid air.
“Is this a slumber party with a game of ‘Who Speaks First- Loses’?” Jack smirked, realizing that before him stood a fellow with not many years of age.
“I need your help, Jack,” the familiar voice echoed through the room. It nagged his mind and tugged at his heart. Could it be?
“M-mike?” Jack took a step forward but the young man held out a strong arm with a tough grip on a pistol.
“Don’t move,” he warned. Jack raised his hands and peered into the shadows, trying to make out the face. Was this Mike? He must have made a mistake. Mike couldn’t be the ‘1985’ who sent the anonymous messages. Mike closed the door and stepped in front of Jack, the gun still pointed toward his victim. There was a scar on Mike’s face that stretched from his brow to the side of his face. He had a wild look of fear and determinedness.
“Mike, what’s going on? A-are you 1985?”
“Yes, I am. Sit down on that chair,” hissed Mike, walking toward me until I sat on the wooden chair, “There had been a few complications and I need you to do me a favor. It’s simple, just make a few IDs.” Mike nodded toward a small pile of papers.
Jack took them from the table. They were identity files of five people. Mike, a woman, two young men, and a child.
“You can make IDs yourself,” Jack spoke carefully.
“I can, but I need one small detail. Change the bar-coding and don’t try to fool me! I know you can do it, Jake,” Mike glared.
“You’re going abroad?!” Mike ignored Jack’s questions and ordered Jack to start. Jack took the Teslin paper and started on the first ID. While Jack worked he noticed that Mike checked his watch every ten minutes. He had a time limit.
“Who’s chasing you, Mike?” Jack asked as he mixed the thick liquid.
“None of your business,” Mike’s voice cracked and he dropped his head in his hands.
“Listen, Mike. I can help. What’s forcing you to run, to abroad?” Mike lifted his head and stared at Jack. He finally spoke,
“I messed up. I messed up, Jack! They’re going to find out, oh I’m a goner,” he whimpered.
“Who? Mike. Who is going to find out?”
“The man...t-the one who works f-for Grougis.” Jack froze over the second ID.
“You’re working for them, huh?” Jack couldn’t believe it. Mike had betrayed the JPO, betrayed them, all of them. But none of this made sense to Jack.
“N-no. It was just a simple deal, nothing more. Honestly! I thought I could help the JPO. I messed up! Now they’re looking for me….I have no choice but to escape to the States,” Mike’s voice leaked with fear. None of what Mike said made sense to Jake but he knew that Mike was in trouble, all the way up to his neck.
“You don’t need to escape, man. Come with me, we’ll help. We-”
“We, as in the JPO? Nah, Jack. They’ll exclude me!”
Jack set aside the unfinished third card and stood up to grab Mike by the shoulders. He shook him slightly.
“Listen, Mike. We will help, Katherine and I.”
“No, I-”
“Stop protesting, will you? You don’t need to run off! You can’t just give up.”
“Jack! I can’t-”
The rush of cold air interrupted their argument. The front door was opened and a Grambler soldier stood there. Without wasting time to observe, Jack ran out the back door. Luckily, it turned out to be an exit.
YOU ARE READING
Survival 2: Escape
AdventureJack and Katherine are in another adventure in a dangerous country ruled by Grougis and his troops. They are facing against the law by protecting illegal third or fourth born children. The land is in a severe drought and not enough food for the whol...