The End of the Beginning

“Why are we back on the seawall, Captain?” asked Nancy.

“Is your boyfriend coming?”

“Yes, he is. Why do we need him? And, how do you know I have a boyfriend?”

“Long story,” said William. “He works at ISAF, correct?”

“Yes, he does.”

“Good. I need him to do something for us.”

“Need me to do what?” asked a powerful voice. William turned around to a huge man standing behind him. The man must have been almost seven feet tall. William didn’t even make it to his shoulders.

“There he is,” adored Nancy.

“Jake Sheroff?” squeaked William.

“How do you know my name?” asked the giant.

“You’re a friend of Colonel John Morrison, right?”

“I am.”

“Well, I am to. I need your help but you may not like what I’m going to ask you.”

Jake looked at Nancy over William. He appeared very uncertain. “What?”

“Your familiar with Samir Mamedov’s investigation, right?”

“I am,” huffed Jake. “I helped conduct some of it.”

“I need access to his body.”

“What?” Jake cried with disbelief. “Why?”

William looked over his shoulder at Nancy. “Have you told him anything?”

“Not… Not really,” said Nancy, looking out to sea.

“Great,” muttered William. “Look, Jake. I now have some evidence to believe Samir was involved with something very bad, something that could threaten UNIRO. I need access to his body to check for something.” Jake shook his head. “No. Chief Hernandez warned us about you.”

William raised his eyebrows. He took that almost as a compliment. “Oh, really. He did?” “Yeah,” Jake growled with distrust. “He says your assumptions are as grand as your famed past.” “Ha,” smirked William. “Sounds like something Hernandez would say.”

“Jake,” said Nancy, stepping in front of William, “please, he is only trying to help his fallen officer.” “Nancy there is nothing to help with! Our investigation findings are the truth. I don’t like the idea of this man going around flaunting falsities about ISAF’s competence. ISAF is a world-class organization, not some mystic agency that clouds truth for hidden agendas.” Jake stuck a finger in William’s chest. “This man is feeding you lies and I want you to stay away from him.” Nancy backed away from her boyfriend, slowly shaking her head. “No. I won’t.”

Confusion cut across Jake’s face. “What? How can you say that? I helped run it along with Chief of Security Hernandez! Chief of Security! Does that title not make you stop and think for a moment about who you are accusing of conspiracy. You trust this, this stranger over me?” William suddenly held up the glass vile he had snatched from Samir’s room. He had taken it back from Gaspard before coming to the seawall.

“What is that?” asked Jake.

“This is fluorescent tattoo ink,” explained William. “It was found in Samir Mamedov’s quarters hidden inside his bedframe. I want to know why. Awfully weird isn’t it, to have ink invisible to the naked eye? Not as weird however if one was trying to conceal something, a secret affiliation perhaps? Were any tattoos of any kind found on Samir’s body?” “No,” Jake said reluctantly, starring at the vile.

“Exactly,” grinned William. “I need to see Samir’s body under a backlight.”

Jake sighed heavily as he walked over to the access roads hand railing.

“Jake, you are apart of a security agency meant to protect UNIRO and everyone in it from threats, both foreign and domestic. I was in the US Air Force before coming here and if there was ever even the slightest possibility of a threat, even if ninety-nine percent said that that threat was negligible, that one percent was still taken as an absolute certainty. I’m not questing the competence of ISAF. I’m questioning whether or not someone is taking advantage of that competence. You said you were a friend of Colonel Morrison, right?” “Yes,” said Jake, not looking away from the ocean.

“Do you trust him?”

“I do.”

“Well you should know he is also helping me, as well as Rescue Officer Lewis. Call him if you want. Find out for yourself.” Jake continued his ocean gaze.

“Hernandez is not going deep enough,” asserted William, walking right up next to Jake. “I don’t know why. Whether it’s political or stubbornness, it is our duty to see this through and address all possible scenarios. It is your duty!” William shouted.

This made Jake finally look at him.

“It is your duty,” said William, softening his tone, “to protect this base from Terra Nova.” “Terra Nova?” Jake questioned with surprise.

“Yes, Terra Nova,” said William worryingly. “That is who I think is involved. That is who I think Samir was trying to escape when he took his life. That is why time is of the essence to figure this thing out. I’ll explain more later but I need to get into that mortuary as soon as possible. Colonel Morrison is analyzing a blood sample we found at the incident scene, to confirm whether or not drugs were really in his system. He should be calling with his results at anytime.” “Jesus,” snickered Jake at William’s resourcefulness.

“All I need is five minutes with his body. Five minutes. Please.”

“The chief was right about you Emerson.”

“What’s that?”

“Your goddamn persistent.”

Jake turned back to the ocean.

“Will you help me or not?” he asked sternly.

Jake looked at William but didn’t say anything.

“Please,” pleaded William.

“Please Jake,” implored Nancy.

Jake looked at his girlfriend, then back to William. “Five minutes,” he ordered. “No more, no less. We get caught; I’m throwing you under the bus and taking you in. That’s my offer.” “Deal,” said William, reaching out for a handshake. Jake didn’t accept it. Instead, he began walking back to his Blazer.

“Meet me at ISAF Headquarters tonight at nineteen hundred hours sharp. I’ll be waiting. Your late, the whole things off.” “You got it.”

“Your crazy Emerson. You know that?” shouted Jake, jumping into his vehicle.

“Yeah I know,” William shouted back. “I’m starting to finally like it.”