The Preservation Plan - Book 3 of 3

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Since the day Blackheart made himself known to the public, law enforcement agencies across the country had been attempting to uncover his identity. The person they hoped would provide answers was one of the creators of AXE, Morris Johns. Unfortunately, he'd contracted a serious illness while in prison, so Gil had been unable to interview him until now.

"I'm very glad to hear you're feeling better, Morris," Gil says as he meets with the man at the Federal Justice Center.

"Yeah, somehow I don't think you came here to bring me chocolates and flowers," Morris sneers. "So what is it you want?"

"Information."

Morris snickers. "Wow, I'm going to have my lawyer demand you guys put me on your payroll." He regards Gil for a moment. "I get it. You still don't have a clue who Blackheart is, so you've come running to me."

"You're correct. We don't know a thing about this guy, but we doknow something about your father. It looks rather certain that his dealings with Edgar Fryman are going to land him in prison for quite some time," Gil says matter-of-factly.

Morris leans across the table to growl, "And do you actually think I care about what happens to my self-serving, ostentatious imbecile of a father? As far as I'm concerned, both he and his company can go to hell."

Gil is undefeated. "I'm well aware of the resentment you feel toward your father," he says calmly. "I'm also well aware of the love you feel for your sister. And regrettably, it appears she'll be taking the fall along with him."

Morris sighs. "Jackie's a good person. She's the only decent executive in that entire greedy corporation. She's not guilty of anything, other than being the daughter of an idiot."

"Yeah, it's unfortunate that she'll have to face the consequences of that 'idiot's' crooked ways. I really feel for your mother—her husband and both her children locked away. That's just plain—"

"Okay. I get the point," Morris interrupts. "I'll tell you what I know, as long as you promise Jackie doesn't go to prison." He sighs and flops back in his chair. "Don't you guys ever get tired of this game?"

Gil offers a tight smile. "It's called leverage, Morris. Now you have a deal—providing, of course, what you tell me turns out to be true. So, after all the questioning we did with you guys pertaining to AXE, please tell me why it is that you and Dwight Wagner felt so obliged to protect Blackheart."

"Blackheart was never a part of AXE. When I met him he was involved with an extremist group out in LA called the SOH."

"The Spirit of Hades?"

"Yeah, those are the guys. Before we began AXE, Dwight and I attended a couple of their meetings."

"In the hopes of joining?"

"That's right. At first we gave it some thought, but after seeing what they were about, we got the hell out of there."

"Why?"

"Well, let's put it this way: with AXE, Dwight and I wanted toreshape America. These guys, their goal was to destroy it."

Morris describes elaborate view-files created by the Spirit of Hades that he'd seen—files describing the future bombing of the Statue of Liberty, the presidential jet being shot down by laser blasts, President Westgale and the Lady of Honor being electrocuted and beheaded, and the Freedom Home burning to ash as the White House had done all those years ago.

The revelation chills Gil to the bone. "After LA Justice was tipped off about them, they instantly shut the operation down. What else can you tell me about them?" he asks.