Читать книгу The Curse - Vasilios Bouzas - Страница 8

Six Years Later, (Sunday, January 12th 2003)

In a busy city park there is a lot of activity, people playing with their dogs and jogging along the riverside but one group of joggers stands out from the rest.

An important looking man, Senator James Gallas, is dressed in a grey tracksuit and surrounded by men in black track suits and puffer jackets, constantly scanning their surroundings as they jog.

The Senator and his bodyguards soon approach a handful of men that appear to be City gardeners working on trees in the park. As the gap narrows the gardeners draw their attention to the Senator. The bodyguards notice the movement and draw their attention to the gardeners, the lead bodyguard quickly reaching for his earpiece and muttering some commands into his wrist microphone.

In a manner of seconds as the lead bodyguard raises his hand to stop the group jogging, the gardeners pull out automatic shotguns and start firing.

The bodyguards are too slow to react, startled, they reach for their guns and start firing back as bullets fly and the lead guard falls to the ground.

All hell breaks loose, there are people screaming, running in all directions, taking cover, people reach for their mobile phones in panic dialing 911.

Within seconds the gardeners kill all the body guards with a loss of only one of their own. The Senator is left standing, unharmed but surrounded.

Emerging from a nearby parked black Mercedes, a tall well-dressed man in a black suit and dark sunglasses with a distinct Roman nose walks calmly up to the Senator. He takes his glasses off and stares at him.

“I know you,” says Senator Gallas nervously looking at the scene of utter devastation around him.

“Yes you do, nothing personal, but no one holds back my business. I always say, if you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself.”

The man pulls out a small gun with silencer and without hesitating shoots him once in the head at point-blank range.

Lake Valley, 55 Miles From Washington

In the small and peaceful town of Lake Valley, 55 miles from Washington DC, Luke Whelan is now twenty two and a Police Officer living with his father on a nearby farm house.

He is a handsome strong young man with green eyes and short thick black hair. Today Luke is having a double celebration, his 22nd birthday and his promotion.

He is one of the youngest Police Officers to be made Officer-In-Charge six months after graduating from the academy. His guests have arrived and are mingling at the party.

His father John is there along with Dr Clifford, his wife Anna their teenage daughter Chloe and Luke’s girlfriend Judy Best.

Finally his best friend and police partner Jack Campbell arrives and gives him a big bear hug. Jack is a slightly overweight man with a delightful sense of humor.

Other guests include Kate Smith, the local hospital nurse, with her husband Tom and their red haired six-year-old son Noah and finally Chester, who has now grown to be a beautiful dog.

They all gather around the table and sing happy birthday as Luke blows out his candles with a little help from Noah who is sitting on his lap. They all start clapping and Chester barks happily along with them, the mood is good.

“I’m the proudest father in the world,” shouts John.

“Happy birthday my love and congratulations,” says Judy, as she leans over and gives him a huge kiss, while Luke is covering little Noah’s eyes. Luke looks into Judy’s piercing blue eyes, he begins to admire the way her long black silky hair is brushing up against her tanned sculpted arms. He looked forward to making love to her tonight as it had been many weekends that they had been apart.

“How do you manage to do that?”

“Do what?”

“The way you say happy birthday my love, just like my mother used to say it.”

“That’s because I love you just as much as your mother did.”

“So when are you two lovebirds going to get married and make me a grandpa,?” says John, pointing to little Noah.

“C’mon, when’s the big day?” shouts Anna.

Luke and Judy look at each other knowingly and with one loud voice they both yell out “soon”, laughter erupts around the room.

The laughter breaks and everybody starts clapping and cheering as Chester joins in with a huge big bark.

While they are all enjoying themselves, Jack and Tom’s eyes are glued to the television.

“Has the big game started?” asks Luke.

“Yep guys, the game is about to start, go Oakland Raiders” says Jack.

“Go New York Jets, go Jets,” shouts Tom.

“That’s my husband; give him a football game and a fishing rod and he is a happy man and then do I exist? No!” says Kate.

They all gather around the TV. Luke is relaxing with Judy on his lap as Anna and Kate sit side-by-side next to the TV. John, Jack, Tom and Dr Clifford all have a drink in their hands. They opt to watch the TV standing up.

Little Noah is sucking a lollipop as he and Chloe are playing with Chester.

As everyone is chit-chatting a strong ray of sunshine comes through the window. The whole room is suddenly lit up.

“Wow, how strong is that sun,” says Luke.

“Strong and beautiful, it is a welcome change from all the bad weather we have been having over the years,” says Kate.

“It certainly is Kate, but I think it’s a bit bright. Anyone mind if I draw the shades,” says Dr Clifford.

“Draw the shades Doc,” says Luke laughing. They are called blinds, that’s what we call them in the 21st century.”

“Yes Doc, they’re blinds. Get with the 21st century,” says Anna.

Dr Clifford gives them all a sarcastic smile.

Luke pulls the shades down and the whole group has a bit of a laugh including Dr Clifford.

While they are watching the big game, a LIVE NEWS FLASH runs across the TV.

SENATOR JAMES GALLAS ASSASSINATED

“Quickly someone flick the channel to the news,” yells John.

The news reader starts; “Senator James Gallas, along with his four bodyguards has been assassinated today while jogging in Gully Park. Eyewitnesses say his bodyguards were killed first by automatic machine gunfire and the Senator was shot at point blank range in the head by an unidentified man in a dark black suit. Eyewitnesses claim it was like a Mafia execution.

“We now cross live to FBI headquarters where lead investigating agent Don Blake is about to speak.”

“It is a sad day for everyone in this country when someone like Senator Gallas is assassinated. As you can tell from eyewitness reports, it has the hallmarks of an organized crime hit, but we are keeping all avenues of the investigation open at this stage.”

Everyone in the room exchanges glances in disbelief.

“Isn’t he the Senator that was mustering support to stop sending troops into Iraq?” asks Dr Clifford.

“He sure was, this guy had balls, pardon the expression ladies, but he really was passionate about keeping our troops out of Iraq. He was one of the few men in this country that called a spade a spade, no beating around the bush, unlike the majority of Politicians who say one thing and do another. He was a genuine American hero, who put the people’s interest first,” replied John.

“I guess someone didn’t agree with his view, or maybe he was getting in someone’s way,” said Dr Clifford.

“I’ll bet this has something to do with money, there is a lot at stake when you talk about military spending and war,” said Luke.

“You got that right son,” said John. “Somebody was mighty pissed off.”