Schism

'Go ahead, Ray. I'm alone in the office.'

'Is that so? Good, but there is nothing new to report. I think our friends are no longer in Miami. Probably a good idea to have that Gannon fellow start the ball rolling on clean up.'

'I spoke to Brad last night. He sent a message. I understand that his associates our going to…' Evan searched for the right word. '…they are going to start erasing things very soon. I understand it to be a big deal for them, so it may take a few days.'

'Well, that's all right and fine,' Roos answered, 'but if our friends decide to take a trip south of the border before then, there just may be more flies in the ointment, if you follow.'

Evan grew impatient. His frustration over Roos' failure to kill Gordon Knox and Nina Forest in Miami last Friday boiled over.

'If you squashed those flies when you had a chance then they wouldn't still be out there.'

'A man can't argue with the truth, no sir. I'm not trying to put a bee in your bonnet but I sure would feel better if Gannon's buddies would get the job over with. Seems to me they're dragging this out, maybe to put you over a barrel, if you see my meaning.'

Evan had thought of that. Until the assassination was complete a shadow loomed over his shoulder. The last time power seemed in his grasp he experienced a drastic reversal. This time he had moved fast, consolidating his grip; this time he had allies and control.

Nonetheless, it remained possible that Gannon's associates intentionally desired to make Evan feel uncomfortable over the lack of closure. If things did not progress, he might have to enlist a team of Internal Security paramilitary to finish the job. Evan pushed away those thoughts with a grunt. 'What's that, Mr. President?' 'You just get your job done and let me worry about the rest.'

'I know that, yessir. But if things go down the tubes like three years ago, well it ain't just going to be your head on the chopping block, if you get my meaning.'

–

Gordon Knox lurked in a dark corner of the den, next to a futon and behind a potted plant. He stood there so casually Nina wondered how often he hid in rooms behind potted plants during his career.

Nina attempted more drastic measures to remain unseen, but failed to find a suitable closet or trunk in which to hide. Worse, the rifle slung on her shoulder bumped into a bookcase with a thump. Thankfully that thump occurred before Dr. Maple and his two I.S. escorts entered the brick town home. She settled on crouching behind the burled walnut Spinet desk.

The two intruders listened to a series of muffled beeps as the newcomers punched in the appropriate deactivation codes on the home's security system keypad, unaware that security had already been breached. A moment later, a black man in a sport jacket appeared in the open doorway to the den and surveyed his surroundings. His shadow blocked what little light sneaked in from the hall.

'It's clear,' the agent said unenthusiastically and waved his hand toward the front door.

'Um, thank you,' muttered Dr. Maple.

The agent disappeared from the den doorway, joined his comrade at the front and told their charge, 'We'll be outside if you need anything.'

'Yes, um, thank you,' Nina and Gordon heard the former council member answer. A solid thud from the closing of the front door followed that reply.

Maple rummaged about in the hallway before walking into the den. The fifty-something physician with a spot of thinning hair on his crown approached the small desk with his attention focused on papers in his hand.

Nina stood and turned on the desk lamp. The sudden illumination did not startle the doctor, it confused him. He did not become startled until he saw the blond woman in soldier's garb. The papers in his hands dropped, as did his mouth. He turned fast to face a bald man with a bushy mustache in a black polo shirt.

'Hello, Doctor Maple.'

The new administration's Director of Health and Human Services used an index finger to push his drooping eye glasses higher on his nose. It appeared as if he tried to cry out, but could not find any oxygen.

'Now don't say a word, Doctor,' Gordon warned. 'I spent the last few days hopping trains, riding in pickup truck beds, and stealing cars. To tell the truth, D.C., puts me in a bad mood to begin with anyway. So let's not have any unpleasantness.' Maple mumbled, 'It's…it's true.' 'What's true?' Nina asked. 'The President warned us. Some people think that you-um, Mr. Knox-faked your death to, well, um…' Knox's face twisted as he demanded, 'To do what? Tell me, Doctor.' 'Uh, um, to, well, that you are a part of, well, a conspiracy by the military and, um…'

Knox finished for the bumbling man, 'A military and intelligence conspiracy to overthrow the civilian government, is that it?'

Maple nodded fast. His glasses nearly slipped off.

'Now isn't that ironic,' Knox smiled. 'Got to hand it to Evan. He knows that the best way to lie is to hide a lie in a sea of truth.'

'So what?' Nina said. 'What does that have to do with anything?'

'He's laying the groundwork. He's going to start seeing who in the government he can trust. Those he has any misgivings about will be investigated for being part of this phantom conspiracy. Very Stalin-like. Good for him.'

Maple tried desperately to find courage. 'I'm warning you. There are two, um, Internal Security guards outside. Go away before they find you here.'

That courage faded when Gordon's eyes met the doctor's. The latter looked to the floor.

Knox said, 'Doctor Maple, you should be more worried about those guards than us. Why do you think they're out there? To protect you? Ha!' He leaned close and whispered, 'When the time comes that Evan thinks he can get away with it, those two guards are going to drive you to the middle of nowhere and put a bullet in your head, Doctor.'

'Nonsense!'

'They will concoct a story about how this 'conspiracy' is killing off members of the new administration. Or maybe they'll say you were a part of that conspiracy. I would not be surprised if Dante Jones meets the same fate, sooner or later. Don't worry, for every murder Evan will find someone to blame.'

'You are being, um, foolish. You're just trying to scare me.'

'Oh, Doctor, you s hould be scared. You see, you're the weak link in the master plan. Why I'll bet you're the one Evan has the most doubts about. In fact, you would be dead already if not for Evan's hatred for me. He wanted to kill me for spite, but you he needs dead to protect his tracks. Problem for him-and lucky for you-is that so many big names dropping like flies that fast would cause way too many questions; too many questions for even the President's friends to cover up. But give it time, Doctor. Give it time.' Maple's head swiveled from Gordon to Nina and back again. 'Plan? Master, um, plan? I don't know what you're talking about.' 'Look me in the eye, Doctor. Yes, that's good. Now tell me, did you have anything to do with Trevor's murder?' The doctor closed his eyes and answered, 'Of course not. That is ridiculous.'

'Now Doctor, here is another interesting bit about lying. If you're going to tell a lie, don't close your eyes. It's a dead-set giveaway.' 'You…you're crazy. Trevor was killed by aliens.' 'That's right. He got blasted at close range by an energy weapon.' 'Yes, that is correct.'

'You did the autopsy yourself, right Doctor? I.S. got hold of you real quick so that maybe you could save him. They brought Trevor right to you. Was he alive when he got to you?'

'No. I wanted to try and, um, save him but he was gone by the time he got to the hospital. There was, you know, nothing I could do.' Maple cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses.

'Yes, what a shame,' Gordon nodded. 'Do you know where the Captain and I were last night? We spent some time at the hospital morgue. Yes, that's right, the place where you personally performed the autopsy. In fact, it took some doing and, well, a little poking around but we caught a glimpse of the autopsy files.'

Again, Maple alternated glances between the two intruders. Nina kept her angry blue eyes focused on the little man. Gordon smiled in a vile manner.

'You know, I find it interesting that the autopsy did not contain any tissue samples, no blood samples, nothing. No physical evidence from the body.'

'Well, um, that was not, um, necessary because the cause of death was obvious. A, um, direct hit in the chest from an energy-' Gordon spoke over the doctor's explanation as if his guilt had already been established. 'Now I'm not saying that you killed Trevor personally, Doctor. I-' 'Killed…him? Me?'