The Vice President; The Rise Of The Word-Command Killer

CHAPTER ONE. Dorothy started walking slowly as if warming up her legs. Slowly and gradually she increased the speed, ending up running a little faster. She proceeded to increase her speed until her pace was sprint. Her heartbeat increased as the constant pounding from her feet drove the motor giving it enough horsepower to see the belt rotate faster and faster as she sprints. She was wearing Elinadeivid trainers. Droplets of sweat covered the treadmill conveyor belt that seemed to be dancing to the pull effect of the motor inside the treadmill. The conveyor belt looked shiny as the Elinadeivid trainers seemed to have been polishing it with every step. The heat from the spinning motor gave the false shining effect as well, otherwise, the grip between the Elinadeivid trainers and the treadmill conveyor belt was undoubtedly strong that Dorothy seemed unconcerned about a slip or a fall. The Elinadeivid trainers seemed to be doing some magic but in fact, it was the skill of the lady. The way she handled the cycles said it all. She had been doing this for some time now. The soft silk fabric shorts she was wearing were so tightly fitting that her true shape could be easily seen, very athletic built. Her navel was exposed, and she was wearing a small vest that covered half her body cupping her breasts tightly. Sweat was running down her face, some down her neck and her body and into the groove between her breasts. She was wearing a small necklace that swung back and forth with every step she made. In front of her was a big screen. A projected video of a woman was playing showing her running in the park surrounded by beautiful trees and vegetation. Dorothy imitated every move she made. It seemed she had been running for quite some time now. The video it seemed was driving her as she seemed very energetic and determined to carry on matching every step the woman in the video made. A beautiful blond lady entered the gym wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. Her name, Liana. She was carrying a gym bag. She walked straight to the huge mirror on the wall. After putting her bag on the bench, she posed in front of the mirror. She looked at herself and smiled. She turned aside and looked at her back view. She pressed down her bum. She faced the mirror and pulled her vest up and lowered the front part of her shorts to reveal her full stomach and the forming six-packs. She looked in the mirror before she started warming up. She stretched her legs. Minutes later she was on the cycling machine pushing the pedals very hard and very fast swerving left and right. Sweat was disappearing down her tight-fitting top. She had earphones, and she looked focused looking at the huge mirror in front of her. Later the gym was packed with a lot of trainers. Dorothy walked toward the door before looking around. She spotted Liana and looked at her as she powered through the cycling. She stood there and observed Liana for some time. Liana noticed that she was watching her. Liana smiled and raised her hand and gave a gesture asking Dorothy to come over. Dorothy looked at her watch. She pointed at the watch before gesturing with her hand as if talking on the phone. She soon disappeared. Liana finished cycling and took her stuff and walked toward the shower rooms. As she entered the shower room, she heard Dorothy singing. After taking a quick shower Dorothy came out of the shower cubicle using the big towel, she squeezed the water from her hair. Liana came out as well with a cloth around her body. She looked at Dorothy who was butt naked. “Looking fabulous Dorothy.” “Thanks. I am trying. I must be at my best you know. How is it going with you?” “Pretty good been training hard as well.” “Have you made up your mind yet?” “I think I have to pass. There are so many things that have not been fully explained. I must find out first. What about you?” “Liana, nothing to lose for me. I am in. A free holiday and a chance to earn loads of money.” “Are you not afraid of the risks? What if something goes wrong?” “What can go wrong? If it does. Still, it’s worth what’s on offer. I just must know my game. A few more weeks training and I am done. Ready like never. That’s the life you know.” “I guess you are right. I have to put my head around it.” The two ladies spoke for a while before leaving the gym. Liana entered her convertible black Mercedes Benz and dialed someone. “Have you got anything for me yet?” “We can’t talk over the phone. Can we meet at my place say seven o’clock at night tomorrow?” “OK, see you.” At the airport, a lot of people are going their way. A loud voice from the airport PA system was heard announcing the arrivals and departures of planes to different gates. In the lobby were a lot of people sitting with expectantly happy faces. Everyone, it seemed was anxiously and excitedly waiting for the arrival of their loved ones. Everyone waited impatiently. A young lady looked at the big screen above and smiled. She walked toward the arrivals gate and enthusiastically with a bright face stood in anticipation. Minutes later the green light at the arrivals gate doors, illuminated to a bright fluorescent green color. Everyone else stood up and walked toward the gate. People started coming out of the gates and instantaneously as they came out, they would hug with their friends and relatives. That went on for some time. Later the gate lights turned to red and the automatic doors closed. A woman stood in front of the gates and looked around surprised and confused as well. She looked around and found out that all the people who had originally gathered there had gone. It was now only her and another man who was still sat in the arrival lobby. She looked around and tried to dial a number on her phone. She paced left and right before she walked toward the automatic doors. She pressed a button on the doors, and someone answered on the intercom system. “How can I help you?” “Are there passengers from flight 7 still to check out? It seemed the gates have been closed and my husband did not come out.” “Everyone from flight 7 has alighted and checked out. Is your husband part of the crew madam?” “What? No, he was a passenger.” “Are you sure he boarded this plane?” “Very sure I spoke to him just before he boarded the plane. Can you check if he was on the plane and what happened to him?” “I am afraid that information is confidential, I can’t tell you who was in or not in the plane.” “So, how do I know where my husband is? I am sure he boarded this plane?” “Check with the reception desk they will give you a phone number for the airline concerned and dial them directly.” The person on the other end paused for a while before carrying on. “Unless.” There was a moment of silence. The woman asking for her husband, her name was Abigail. As soon as she had heard this her heartfelt like she had been pierced with a sword. She froze for a while not knowing what to say. Strange frightening thoughts clouded her brain. It was until after she accepted the possibility of her husband being thrown out of the plane that she calmed down. “Unless what?” She asked frantically searching for clues. “Are you sure he was alive?” Abigail did not answer straight away. She felt a lump choking her throat. She tried clearing her throat first. “Hello! Are you still there?” A moment passed before Abigail replied. “What do you mean? What are you implying? What makes you even suggest such an unthinkable idea?” “Just bear with me for a while. Please hold the line.” The line was still connected, but the responder had gone away. Voices could be heard in the background. Abigail looked around her and looked at the man still sitting in the lobby. The man looked unconcerned or unmoved. She remembered the time she first arrived at the airport. She recalled seeing the man sat there. It had been more than an hour now and the man was still in the same place. He looked like he had been drinking. Abigail remembered seeing the man shoving what appeared to be a whiskey bottle in his jacket. She recalled the first time she met Divante. He was such a charmer. She knew straight away that he was the man of her dreams. Their life was bliss until his headquarters moved abroad. That’s when everything started. He changed within a few weeks. He started drinking. Although she knew he loved drinking she also knew that he was much into wine other than anything else. Even herself growing up she had witnessed her dad have a glass of wine after every meal. This was nothing to be alarmed at, but recently her husband had been drinking spirits. As she was busy pondering about this, a door on the other side of the reception desk labeled private only no admittance suddenly opened. A woman dressed in uniform appeared and walked toward her. A man appeared from the other door and stopped in front of Abigail. “Hello, madam. We have a coffin on the plane of a male.” Abigail looked shocked, confused, and saddened. She did not say anything but looked at the other female in uniform walking toward her. “No! No!” Shouted Abigail clutching her head. The lady in the uniform approached her. She noticed fear written on Abigail’s face and tried to calm her down. “Very sorry madam can you follow me. The body is ready for collection.” Abigail staggered toward the door following the woman in uniform. Somehow instinctively she stopped and looked in the waiting lobby. The man who was seated in the lobby as soon as he had seen the woman in uniform got up and walked toward her following Abigail and the woman. Abigail looked at him. The woman in uniform stopped and looked backward. “Something wrong, madam?” “I don’t think we are talking about the same person. I am looking for my husband. He is not dead.” The woman in uniform looked at the clipboard in her hand. “Mr. Wrexman Johns?” The old man raised his hand and urged forward. Abigail smiled, confused but relieved that it was not her husband. The lady in uniform sensed Abigail’s joy that at least there was hope that it was not her husband. “Not my husband!” Shouted Abigail. “But where is he?” She asked herself not expecting any answer from the lady in the uniform. “Check with the airline first.” The lady and the old man entered through the doors next to the reception leaving Abigail standing for a while. Later she was talking with the airline operator. “I am sure my husband boarded the plane. We spoke just before the plane took off.” “As far as we know everyone alighted the plane. There was a body on the plane, and you said that was not your husband. I will need my manager's permission before I can give you passenger information over the phone.” “How long can that take?” “I will do my best, please stay on the line.” So many questions were running in Abigail’s mind. What had happened to her husband? Why he did not call or even said something. Were the rumors true that he was seeing someone else abroad? Abigail looked more confused than ever before. “Hello, are you still there?” Shouted the operator. “I can confirm that your husband alighted this flight but.” The operator did not finish talking. There was a moment of silence. “But what? Where is he then?” “I am afraid there was an incident. He passed away on board the flight.” “What!? How? Are you sure? Where is he?” “Stay in the lobby someone will be with you?” Abigail felt distraught, she felt her world collapsing before her eyes. She felt like she wanted to die too. Divante was her life. How could something like this happen to her? What on earth had she done wrong to deserve to be robbed of the love of her life? She sat in the reception lobby for a few minutes, but it seemed like a long time to her. Sank in the lobby sofas it seemed she was disoriented and confused by all this. Tears of pain rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed like a baby. She could not even phone anyone. She wanted to see his body first. It was like a dream. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She begged God that this turns out to be some mistake. She promised to do whatever it takes to never leave her husband. Fear crippled her as the door on the side of the reception opened and two people came out of the door. A woman dressed in uniform and a man dressed in an expensive suit. Her heartbeat fast with every step they made toward her. She could hear the noise made by their footsteps thumping in her eardrums as they approached. It was frightening. In a small voice, she was chanting and praying to wake up from this nightmare. “We are very sorry madam for your loss can you please follow us we will talk in private.” Abigail looked lost as she remained sat there. It seemed she was in a world of her own. The man had to repeat what he had originally said before Abagail stood up and staggered toward the door next to the reception. The room looked small. It had so many things inside that the impression was that there was not enough space left. In general, this was a normal room. There was a huge table with a PA system. There was computer equipment everywhere as well. There was a big couch, a desk and a few chairs around it. There was a big cabinet-like box with electrical cables coming out of it. The man opened the door and pointed his hand inside. Abigail walked in followed by the female in uniform. “My name is Jo Ranks call me JR, and this is Anita the airport customer assistant. I am with the national security division. I would like to ask you a few questions regarding your husband.” “Where is his body? I want to see my husband now. National security? What does that have to do with my husband?” JR looked at Anita first before answering. “I am afraid you cannot see the body of your husband. This case is now a matter of national security. You will be able to see your husband after we are satisfied that it is right for you to do so.” “Bullshit. That’s my husband we are talking about here. National security what? He is not a terrorist so what gives you the right to deny me access to his body.” Queried Abigail standing up and pacing left and right the small office. “I want to see my husband now. Take me to his body.” There was a moment of silence. JR looked down for a while before looking at Anita. “This is for your own safety.” “What do you mean? He is my husband. How can he be a threat to national security? I thought you said he is dead?” “It’s not him. I think or should I say. The consensus right now is that he is a Trojan horse. We have reasons to believe that the way he died he must have been murdered.” “But you said that he died in the plane, murdered by who?” Asked Abigail shocked and confused. “Probably this is not the best time to talk about this. We will need your contact details and get back to you after you have grieved for your loss.” “Who decides the right time? I want to see my husband now. I am not leaving without seeing him. What are you covering up? Did you murder my husband? As far as I know, he was alive just before take-off. If you have murdered my husband, I will make sure that you will pay for this. I want to see my husband now.” JR stood up and dialed a number. He raised his index finger before going out of the office. Abigail sat down and as she looked at Anita, emotionally overwhelmed she broke down and cried. Anita stood up and walked to the couch and sat next to Abigail, hesitantly she put her arms around her. Abigail laid her head on her shoulder and cried uncontrollably. JR returned to find the women in each other’s arms both sobbing. Quickly Anita stood up and wiped her eyes holding back her tears. JR threw a staring glance at her as if saying that that was very unprofessional. JR looked at Abigail and leaned forward. “My boss has agreed to let you see the footage of the time he died. After our investigations, we will show you the body. The truth is that the body is not here now. It has been moved to a safe place.” “You are not listening to me. I said I want to see the body of my husband not some footage. If he is already dead, why worry about his safety?” “We are following protocol, madam. I am afraid you have to wait; the body has been flown to a secured place away from the major activities in the city.” “You sound like he has some disease. Show me the footage.” “It’s not a disease, madam. He might be a bomb.” JR and Anita exchanged a quick glance. Abigail sat back on her couch. “Bomb! My husband? Are you out of your mind?” “Can we watch the footage first please?” Pleaded JR. JR stood up and inserted a small chip into the machine in front of him. Soon afterward footage appeared of Divante walking toward the lobby. He looked anxious as he kept looking around him and especially behind him. He quickly urged forward the queue. Moments later two men arrived wearing expensive suits. Somehow Divante seemed to have ducked. The footage seemed to change focus as Divante was later shown in the queue about to board a plane. He still looked anxious and worried it seemed. A lady in stilettos appeared from nowhere and started walking toward him. The airport attended seemed to stop her, but she resisted and urged forward to Divante. She seemed as if stopping him to go. The footage showed them as struggling for a while before the woman slapped him and walked away. Even at this point Divante seemed worried as he kept looking around him. The screen went blank and Abigail stood up. “Even if he was cheating on me that can’t explain his death. What are you hiding?” “Madam Abigail please let’s watch the footage first.” Insisted JR Soon after the next footage shows Divante suddenly falling to the ground. He was in the tunnel about to board the plane. People around him moved away from him as he struggled. Somehow it looked like he was being beaten up, but to everyone’s surprise, there was no one around him that close to be doing the damage. He stood up and soon fell to the ground as if he had received a heavy blow to the head. The bleeding from the nose, mouth, and ears said it all. He was being attacked by the ghosts. Everyone looked at each other shocked and scared. Most runaway after witnessing that. He seemed to be calling for help. He even tried to talk to the camera in the corner. Soon after he laid on the floor. Blood was bleeding from everywhere, his head, face nose mouth and ears. It was gruesome to watch. A lot of blood-drenched the tunnel carpet that it could only be explained by heavy internal bleeding. The time the airline security arrived he had died, his eyes wide open. “So, Madam Abigail. No matter how gruesome this is, and I must say shocking as it is. The airport security is not responsible for your husband ‘s death. You have seen the footage yourself. I must admit the only thing I have witnessed close to that was when a man was hit by a lorry. He bled out all his blood within seconds. Now you can see for yourself why we think this is a matter of national security. Abigail looked really frightened. Her face had become very pale like she had seen a ghost. “Does the woman we saw earlier on have something to do with this? She might have set him up. She looked very upset.” “Could be or could not be. One thing is for sure, whatever it is it is greater and more dangerous than what we have seen. Now you understand why we think it’s a matter of national security? The way he died is unprecedented.” “He looked worried, it seemed he was running away. Did you see how he kept looking around him? I think he was afraid of someone else.” Added Anita “Was this the date he originally planned to come back? From the video, it seemed he was running away of some kind. I checked with the airline he purchased the ticket last minute it seemed someone else had canceled at the last minute.” “It was a surprise to me. Yesterday he phoned me and said that he had missed me and wanted to come home, but I was not expecting him for another two weeks.” Replied Abigail. “Whoever is behind this did not want him to leave. In fact, I think they only knew the last minute that he was leaving. That could explain why they murdered him just before he boarded the plane.” “Why before boarding the plane if they wanted him dead, they could have killed him in the plane or when he was here?” “The initial thinking is that he has something they did not want him to leave with. Killing him in the tunnel would make the airplane refuse to carry him aboard as they had to complete paperwork and inform the authorities first before carrying his body.” “So how did he end up on board, dead and without the necessary paperwork?” “After my initial investigation. I have found out that the pilot was behind schedule already. Any deal would not only complicate things but jeopardize the flight too. So, I guess that could be the idea behind his reasoning.” “I understand he was not on the original flight manifest as the seat he bought was a last-minute cancelation making it easy for the pilot to get away with it if you know what I mean.” Abigail sat down scared and confused. “So, who killed my husband and why?” In one of the suburbs, a motorbike passed the main road raving loud as it sped past one of the houses. A cat sneaked inside the house through an opening in the door after hearing the motorbike noise. It made its way upstairs and straight into one of the bedrooms. The bedroom was spacious with huge mirrors on the roof. There was a small dressing table near the bed. On the dressing table was a medium flat screen. The cat jumped onto the bed and walked toward a woman who was sleeping. The woman woke up and grabbed the cat. She kissed the cat raising it in the air with its body hanging downward. The cat mews. The lady placed the cat down and flicked a remote control. Soon after an automated voice was played from the flat screen. “Good morning Miss Liana. You have two appointments today. First with the jewelry dealer at 10 am and then with the tattooist in the afternoon. Have a wonderful day.” Shortly after Liana picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Yes, it’s me. I am ready.” “That’s great. Come to the office. I have already arranged your appointments for today.” “Why do I need to go to the jewelry dealer? I am not into tattoos either you know.” Said Liana. “That’s all part of the deal. You must look modern to go with the current trend. I will explain when we meet. If that’s all goodbye.”