Natalia stood at the entrance doors to the White House. The nightmare she had still haunted her, but she had to clear it from her mind. Madison approached from behind and placed her hands on Natalia's shoulders, giving them a gentle massage.
"You okay? You've been awfully quiet this morning." Madison asked in a concerned tone.
"Just...had a bad dream. A quite disturbing one at that. I just need a minute to prepare. There's over ten-thousand people out there waiting for us to give the speech."
"We can get the minor information out of the way first. I know you want to save the two biggest pieces of news for the end. Just take a deep breath and relax. I'm right by your side."
Natalia followed Madison's advice and took a deep breath to clear her mind. She took one more glance at the papers she held detailing the entire speech she had written out.
"Thank you dear. Okay, I'm ready. Let's go make those people proud. Follow me, and remember the last part of the speech will be spoken by you. I'll be handling everything else prior."
"Understood."
Natalia opened the doors. A podium with a microphone was placed atop the steps of the White House connected to large speakers. To both sides were a couple army generals, some soldiers and staff members all awaiting the two's arrival. Past that was a massive crowd of people all standing around, with police officers and a few squad cars covering barricades on both sides of the crowd. Natalia stepped up to the podium with Madison standing by her side as she began the speech.
After speaking for nearly an hour regarding the state of the economy, some plans for the future and how relations were going with allies of the United States, Natalia was ready to drop the big news to the excited crowd of people. She cleared her throat and began to speak:
"I have an important announcement to make to you all, my fellow citizens. Recently, we had conducted Operation Goliath in order to capture the illusive insurgent leader who had been laying low during the ongoing conflict in Jordan. Well, I would like to inform you that we have successfully captured him. With joint efforts from our own forces as well as the British army, the hideout where their leader was stationed had been raided, resulting in many casualties of insurgents who have long been terrorizing the citizens of Jordan for far too long. Remaining insurgents decided to put down their arms and surrender after Operation Goliath was a major success, officially bringing the Jordanian War to an end. The insurgent leaders name...is Al-Shamar. He was transported overseas and is currently detained in ADX Florence, our country's most secure prison. He is scheduled for an interrogation headed by the commander-in-chief of the United States army and me as well. This is major victory for both us and the people of Jordan who are now free from the insurgent forces and their heinous crimes against humanity. We can all rest a little easier now knowing another conflict in the world has finally been ended."
As Natalia spoke, the massive crowd facing her erupted in a thunderous applause. She smiled brightly, glancing to a cheerful-looking Madison next to her and the other several staff members standing beside her also clapping. Despite what she's going through, an accomplishment of this feat has her feeling proud.
"Thank you all for your support. Now I will open the podium to our vice president, Madison Weathers, to close off this speech with some final words for everyone." Natalia waved to the crowd as they started clapping and stepped down from the podium. She pat Madison on the shoulder as she stepped up to face the crowd.
"Thank you madame president. Greetings everyone. While I have your attention here, congress has also just recently passed a bill that will start to divert some of our military funds into the economy to hard focus on restructuring many places within our beautiful country. We've lacked proper funding for many years now under previous leaders, and we understand that millions of citizens are still living below the poverty line and it's unacceptable. From fixing old roads to restoring properties that have fallen on hard times, just know that we are blazing a trail moving forward to improving the economy and giving more of our people better lives and more promising futures. Nobody should have to be suffering because they can barely make ends meet. That all will change going forward from this point onward. Me and miss Emerson promise that to you all."
After her speech to the public concluded, the crowd erupted once again in a roar of cheers and clapping. Madison flashed a wide smile and waved to the crown then stepped down from the podium to join Natalia as the two headed inside the building. They stepped aside for a moment. Some staff members walked past them, giving them words of praise and encouragement.
"That speech went so well. I'm so happy with the direction things are going." Madison noted. Natalia glanced around to make sure nobody was looking then grabbed Madison's shoulders and gently kissed her, catching her off-guard and spiking her heart rate. Natalia smiled warmly at her.
"I am too. We manged to curb inflation, captured a very important insurgent leader that has lead to the end of a major conflict, and now with that new bill passed we can begin rebuilding those poverty-ridden places that have suffered for decades. All is going well..." Natalia replied.
"Yeah...at least for now, right?"
"Right. Well, now that insurgent leader is due for an interrogation. You're in charge for the meantime. I have to go."
"Of course. Good luck and...be careful. That man has to be extremely dangerous."
"I'll be fine. Time to fly to Colorado now. Take care dear."
Natalia released her grip from Madison's shoulders and left the office, making sure to grab a cup of coffee along the way and to get packed for the flight.
Adrian sat with his arm around Victoria on the couch watching a television show about people living off the grid in remote places around the world, cut off from the modern societies their respective countries revolved around. Evelyn and Henry sat in their chairs also watching. Henry began packing his pipe with tobacco.
"Grandpa, I didn't know you still smoked from that thing." Victoria commented.
"I'm damn near seventy-five and haven't croaked yet so I think I'm doing just fine. Thanks for the healthy lungs dad." Henry chuckled, lighting the pipe and taking a puff.
"He's always been too stubborn to quit so I came to accept it a long time ago." Evelyn added.
Adrian laughed at Henry's remark about his state of health. His own dad was a smoker too who thankfully was also in good health so he could understand where Henry was coming from. Unfortunately it was an addiction he knew was never easy to break that he avoided all his life in fear he would've become addicted too.
"You two remind me a lot of my own parents you know that?" Adrian stated.
"Oh? I'm actually curious about you dearie. Since you're dating our lovely granddaughter here, we should learn some more about you. What are you like? What do you do for work?" Evelyn asked.
"Well, I work for a delivery service back where we live, Manhattan. I work second shift so I start late in the afternoon and get out in the evenings. It's good money and I get premium benefits like insurance and paid vacation days. As for me well...I'm pretty laid back. In my free time I like video games, playing guitar reading Japanese comics called manga and going for long walks while listening to music."
"That sounds nice dear. You seem like a sweet young man. Got a job, your own place I assume and a truck. I'm glad you're not some deadbeat loser and actually have your head on straight."
"Hah thanks I guess? And since you asked about my parents...my mom is head nurse at a local hospital she's been at for like, fifteen years and my dad runs a car manufacturing factory that he was promoted to after his old boss retired. At home they were always pretty relaxed. My mom's such a kind woman and my dad smokes too, so that's why you two remind me of them."
"They sound like fine, upstanding people. Our granddaughter really found a keeper I see." Henry chuckled.
Victoria nodded in agreement as she leaned against Adrian, who anxiously scratched the back of his head unable to find a proper response that wouldn't embarrass himself.
"If you don't mind me asking dearie...just how much of the house did you look through?" Evelyn asked grabbing the teacup placed on the small table placed between their chairs and taking a sip.
"Well, Adrian checked the downstairs but found nothing really. I looked upstairs some then we both left after looking through the study." Victoria replied. Evelyn blinked twice and raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, so you didn't check the basement at all?"
"Wait there's a basement?"
"Well it is a house from the eighteen-hundreds. While tornadoes were certainly a very rare case and still are here, it most definitely has one. Adrian, did you happen to come across a wooden door on the floor at all?"
"Shit, I did actually. Pardon my language ma'am. I totally spaced that! It was in a small narrow corridor off to the side when you walk into the house. Damn how did I forget? I think her mirror incident distracted me." Adrian stated, with Victoria burying her face in her palm and shaking her head.
"I see I see. I know you had a...rather traumatic experience there. But if I were you, I'd check and see what the basement may hold. I never went down there myself so I can't help you there."
"I'm pretty sure I saw an attic door upstairs too actually. You remember if there was anything up there?"
"Not at all. I forgot there even was an attic. It's been so long dear, my memory of my last visit there is very hazy."
"Right. Sorry. But yeah, if it's okay with you babe, we should go back and check out the basement."
Victoria sighed and nodded quietly.
It was settled there and then. With plenty of daylight left and their curiosity peaked once again, Adrian and Victoria got up to get ready and head back to the old house.
Driving down the same road and pulling into that all-too-familiar long driveway, Adrian pulled up to the old house for yet another venture into it's empty, hollowed walls with Victoria. He pulled the black flashlight he had stored away in the glove box and lead the way inside. He bent down to grab the rusted old round latch and pulled it to lift the trap door up, making an eerie creaking sound. The stairs leading to the pitch-black basement looked quite ominous. Cobwebs shrouded the ceiling and walls. Victoria took Adrian's hand as he started heading down with her. Once in the basement Adrian peeked around with the flashlight. The basement consisted of one large, spacious room with two separate smaller rooms, one on the left and one on the right. The main room was barren and empty aside from an ancient wine cellar, several wooden boxes and some wooden baskets.
"Fuck, it is creepy as hell down here. I feel like I'm about to get jumped by a serial killer down here." Adrian stated.
"If that happened I'd pushing you out of the way and shove my boot straight up their ass. Then take whatever weapon they're carrying and carve their throat open." Victoria hissed.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"J-Jesus Christ, that's fucked up. Remind me never to piss you off like, ever. Let's just look in this room here closest to us."
Adrian peered into the room. Inside was a shelf that contained many jars and glass containers. It appeared to be emergency food and water. It was a basement built in the event a tornado were to land so it made sense why rations were stored down here. Nothing that was crucial to their search.
"Can you believe this is all from over a century ago?" Adrian commented.
"I highly doubt any of that is edible or safe for consumption." Victoria added.
The two of them left the room and moved on through the darkness of the basement, swatting away cobwebs hanging from the pillars holding up the foundation of the home. Adrian slowly approached the other room and looked inside with his flashlight. Another shelf filled with various trinkets from the period were neatly organized, including some toys and carved wooden figures. On the floor was a long rectangular chest with a single latch and no lock.
Victoria pulled her phone out for a light and went for the chest. Adrian meanwhile looked at the shelf. On the shelf was a crucifix, a wood lidded round box, a set of old coins which Adrian pocketed, a set of surgical tools in a small box, two antique wood and bone needle cases, a rusted old revolver and a tiny box containing six bullets. His eyes went starry upon seeing the gun so he started to inspect it. Victoria opened the chest and found a bunch of old papers underneath a brass spyglass. She took the spyglass out to glance at the papers. The papers detailed reports from a lighthouse all signed by Edward Wintercroft at the bottom.
"Babe check it out. I found a revolver! How dope is this?? Even has bullets. I wonder if it still works?" Adrian said giddily. Victoria looked up at him and snickered.
"Shit take it with us. Maybe grandpa can look at it. Check these out. They're lighthouse reports. Would explain the spyglass that sat on top of them. I guess for a short period of time, Edward took over for a close friend who worked at a lighthouse they owned so they could go on a trip to see their grandchildren. Says on the very first page that he worked at a lighthouse as his first job for awhile after finishing school to save up money to go to college so this was nothing new to him." She said.
"For real? Anything interesting written on them?"
"Well...not really. Wait, huh? Hold on, think I got something here."
Victoria's sharp eyes helped her browse most of the papers and tossed them aside until she only had three papers left. The details of the report had her curious.
"What is it?" Adrian asked.
"According to this, Edward was spooked by something he was seeing in the ocean. He says he thought he saw an unusually large 'thing' swimming in the waters one evening. Nothing else came of it that night so let's see what the next report says... Here he wrote that he thought he was seeing things now. The thing in the waters from the last report was even larger this time. It looked like it had many appendages of some kind trailing behind the thing. Perhaps a giant squid? But those weren't ever reported around here at the time. However later that night he saw a boat that had initially left earlier that day returning to the port visible from the lighthouse. He went to grab some water and when he came back, the boat vanished. The report ends with him getting ready to turn in for the night, questioning what he's been seeing."
"That's...really strange. Um, so what does the last paper there say?"
"Give me a minute to read it."
Victoria started to read the last paper she had. Chills started to run down her spine reading through it. After finishing it she cleared her throat.
"Well?"
"Final report. Jacob is coming back tomorrow. I'm losing my mind here and I don't know why. Two weeks running this lighthouse, having to sleep alone without my wife and child by my side and I am ready to leave this place. Heavy fog is shrouding the waters making it impossible to spot boats so the light will serve as their beacon but now I can't even enjoy the view of the ocean. What the hell is out there? I've been seeing shadows in the fog. I'm hearing a faint voice in my head but cannot make the words out. The entire day has been suffering from the isolation and to make matters worse...I think something has been watching me. I took a break at five o' clock to cook a meal for dinner and rest my feet. When I went back up to the top of the lighthouse I froze up. In the dense fog I see a gigantic shadowy form hovering above the waters. It had a large body, arms and a head and towered many stories high above the lighthouse like a skyscraper from the big cities. I couldn't move a muscle. I wanted to just leave once and for all. After standing there frozen in shock for what felt like a few minutes, the giant's arms began to slowly rise and a set of eyes, glowing a piercing white as bright as the lighthouse's light itself, opened up and stared down at me. I ran. I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, packed up my belongings and ran out of the lighthouse and towards the boat on the dock down the gravel path. I didn't want to look behind me. I hesitated until I reached the boat and fired it up. Before I would leave the island I took one final look behind me. The giant's arms were raised above it's head, eyes still piercing through my soul. I turned my head around and left the island, never looking back. My heart was pounding inside my chest so much that I thought I'd have a heart attack. Once I arrived back on shore I ran to the buggy and left for my home. I was too terrified to ever look out at the ocean that evening. While I was relieved to have finally returned to my beautiful wife and our daughter, I couldn't sleep well that night. Here in the early hours I write this, my final report, and will await the visit from Jacob. Signed, Edward Wintercroft."
Adrian had no words, he looked like he had just seen a phantom. Victoria stood up and touched his shoulder.
"What the hell did I just listen to? I am officially creeped the hell out. S-say why don't we gather our bearings and leave, yeah?" Adrian stammered, grabbing the revolver and bullets and leaving the room.
Victoria took the last three papers with the reports, grabbed the old spyglass and left as well. With chills running down their backs, the two of them went for the stairs and were ready to leave the house for good.
Natalia opened the door to the dimly lit interrogation room. Two armed guards stood behind a dark-skinned man in foreign attire sitting in a chair with his hands and ankles held down by metal cuffs. Towering over him was the commander-in-chief. He turned to greet Natalia.
"Hello madame president. This is our man right here, the elusive leader of the insurgent forces-"
"Al-Shamar in the flesh I see." Natalia cut him off, approaching the restrained man. He lifted his head up to look at her. His face was weary, bags under his brown eyes, and his short dark brown hair was messy and unkempt just like his tattered clothes. His frown turned to a smirk and he started cackling. Both Natalia and the commander-in-chief raised an eyebrow.
"All these years I remained hidden...and this is who managed to get me captured? This bitch right here? Ha! Unbelievable. Seems like those old bastards couldn't hold a candle to your strategic planning. I must say...you are one fine woman. How unusual for someone like you to be in charge." Al-Shamar hissed, snickering under his breath.
The commander-in-chief snapped his fingers. The two armed guards went towards the back of the room and one returned with a cart containing large pliers and a hammer, while the other had a device hooked up to a battery on another cart.
"We have several methods of torture we will be using to try and squeeze information out of this prick. Why don't you take a few steps back and allow me." The commander-in-chief suggested.
"Go ahead sir. Let's see what he says."
Al-Shamar just started cackling again. He took a glance at the objects and sneered at the commander-in-chief.
"Shock therapy? Tools for battering down on my body and pulling teeth? I am a hardened man you know? Nothing you have will break me you fucks." He scowled.
The commander-in-chief signaled for the torture to begin. Strapping the device to his head, one of the guards started to shock him. The commander-in-chief barraged him with questions. Despite the great pain, he refused to answer.
The other guard pounded Al-Shamar's knees with the hammer. While he let out shard cries of pain, he refused to answer. He then had a single tooth painfully pulled out of his mouth, leaving a trail of blood along the floor and onto the cart. He spit out blood and shook his head, refusing to answer. The commander-in-chief himself clenched his fists and started beating Al-Shamar's face, demanding him to answer his questions. He only chuckled and refused to answer. His face was battered and bruised, his left eye swollen, nose bleeding and missing a tooth.
After an hour had passed, beating beaten, electrocuted, endured relentless injuries to his body, a severe walling session and even waterboarding, Al-Shamar kept his word and did not break, refusing to reveal anything. Natalia shook her head and approached him. The commander-in-chief extended an arm to stop her. She grabbed his wrist and lowered it.
"Sir...this has been going on for quite some time. Please. Allow me to try to extort him myself." Natalia said sternly. The commander-in-chief looked concerned but nodded and let her go on. She now stood directly in front of Al-Shamar. "May you and the guards kindly give me a moment alone with him?"
"But ma'am, he is dangerous. I don't trust him alone with you." The commander-in-chief replied.
"Relax sir. I'll be fine. He's restrained. And I'm not afraid of this coward."
"Well...alright, fine. Gentleman you heard her. We'll wait just outside the door."
"Thank you."
Once the commander-in-chief and the two guards left, Natalia was alone with Al-Shamar. He continued to snicker under his breath. He had endured roughly an hour of quick and painful torture, yet was determined to keep his mouth shut.
"What the fuck are you going to do, huh? I told you, you idiots cannot break me. I endured hell back in my home country. Nothing you can do will get me to speak up. So just fucking try me you bitch." He spat. Natalia proceeded to grab his head with both of her hands and bend down slightly, staring directly into his eyes.
"You are a pathetic worm of a human being. You will listen to me. You're a cowardly, disgusting, vulgar, waste of oxygen who is beneath me. Give in to me and heed my words...Your time has come to reveal everything you know to us and you will tell us without hesitation, henceforth you are my puppet and you will listen to my orders..."
As her grip on his head tightened, Al-Shamar stared deeply into Natalia's crimson eyes, glowing a faint red. His mind was starting to collapse, deeply entranced as his vision warped into what appeared to be an endless void of red and black with distorted, flesh-like beings floating around and clouding his view, their multitude of reptilian eyes staring him down. Several deep, muffled voices spouting unknown, alien words crept through his ears and spoke to him. He started to tremble in his chair, clenching his fists and his toes, sweat beading his forehead and his mouth agape.
"Stop! Stop!! Stop it!!! Gaaaahhhhhhh!!! Make..it..stop!!" Al-Shamar screamed.
The commander-in-chief burst the door wide open. Natalia closed her eyes and released her grip from Al-Shamar's head. She stepped back as the guards ran in and drew their handguns. Al-Shamar trembled heavily in his chair, his entire body breaking out in a cold sweat. His vision was back to normal, seeing Natalia and the commander-in-chief glaring at him. She smirked as the commander-in-chief approached him.
"I-I-I'll tell you everything you want to know! Just k-keep that f-f-fucking woman away from me! Those eyes...t-those eyes hold horrors beyond human c-comprehension! No more! I-I'll spill everything!" Al-Shamar sobbed. The commander-in-chief glanced at Natalia. He was at a loss for words for but a moment then was able to speak.
"Madame...what the hell did you do to him?" He asked. She just crossed her arms.
"I only spoke to him, that's all. Now he's broken so get everything you can out of him." Natalia replied.
"O-okay then. Very well. Alright you cracked bastard start talking."
The commander-in-chief took a kneel to stare Al-Shamar directly in the eyes, motioning for the guards to holster their guns.
"The government was nothing but a bunch of incompetent buffoons. We the people were sick of everything. The economy was collapsing. Jobs were being lost. Our currency was deflating in value. Corrupt military forces kept an iron grip on the streets forcing terror on the civilians. Everyone was scared. When mother nature would strike with sandstorms and heavy rains, the government was always too slow to respond forcing us to do everything ourselves and suffer. Well, I had enough. We, were tired and fucking pissed. So I began a two years-long plan to setup the perfect uprising. Planting chemical bombs outside government buildings and homes of politicians, gathering an army of people like me, marking spots where we could ambush military patrols, and contacting an arms dealer I knew from Iran who could supply us with as many guns as we needed. We found a cave and would dig it out over the course of several months for me to lay low in because once this all would begin...I needed to remain in secrecy while pulling the strings. After nearly two years, it began. Chemical bombs, ambushes, the war to take control of our country had began. We fought off the military as best as we could, took control of the government capital and held the heads hostage while their leaderless army continued to fight. It felt like an endless conflict...until your forces united with the British started aiding them. Before I knew it...you bastards raided my hidden compound. Now here I am...a prisoner. My people have no leader, and you have fucked all of us. May as well go after the others in my network too...three locations in three different countries. Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. All of which have been free of the shackles of war, contain former terrorist leaders that had aided us in our own fight. One lives in Medina. One lives in Damascus. And one lives in Baghdad. Go ahead and take them, or kill them. I don't give a shit anymore. It's all over. There I've said everything now get me the hell away from that fucking woman and get me out of here!!"
After Al-Shamar had spoken, still shaken up from his time with Natalia, the commander-in-chief nodded and stood back up. He was satisfied as was Natalia.
"Take him to the deepest, darkest solitary cell in this damned prison at once. We got what we need."
The guards unshackled Al-Shamar from his chair and stood him up, cuffing his hands and leading him out of there. He took one last glance at Natalia, his expression showed the sheer terror he witnessed and the fear he felt. The commander-in-chief turned to face Natalia.
"I...don't know what the hell you did to break that man. But...well done. You're more intimidating then you look." He chuckled. "Looks like we're done here. Operation Goliath was a success. With that information, now we can track down his network of buddies from those neighboring countries."
"Go ahead and get to work on that. And good work today sir."
The commander-in-chief saluted her before leaving the room. Natalia looked down at her own hands, contemplating what she had just done and smiled nefariously.