Gabriel: Only one gets out alive. Page 4

  “I helped killers, Jacob. I helped them deal with their emotions.”

  “What do you mean ‘killers’? Were you in a prison?”

  “What I say now stays between us, whether you accept or decline what I have to ask. Is that understood, Mr. August?”

  Jacob nodded slowly. “You are kind of creeping me out, sir.”

  Logan tapped his cigarette on a zippo and lit it, knowing this was always a delicate part of the recruitment process. “I helped killers; men who did it for a living. You see, son, I worked with the CIA. They have men who use a special skill set because they’ve trained them to do that. What I did was deal with the aftermath of these men.”

  “Aftermath?”

  “We send these men to school. We teach them how to kill as effectively and efficiently as we can. The problem is, you can train someone to be a master killer, but if someone can’t mentally handle it, they aren’t going to have much longevity in the business. Killing is an art, and it’s not particularly pretty. Things don’t always happen as we want them to; at that point, we need to be able to help them deal with it. If not, they can go through some—excuse my French—some fucking scary times. Some of those jobs will come back and haunt them. If you they aren’t wired to deal with it, they usually end up eating a bullet themselves. Or they break out of the CIA mold and go on a crusade, killing anyone based on their own rules and their own brand of justice.”

  “So, you helped men deal with killing people? How did you get into that… and why the fuck are you telling me all this? Especially on a day like today. I’ve got enough shit going on right now.”

  “You have the type of personality that they look for. You see, I still send a few applicants their way. I have an eye for people. Sometimes I see a student that can read people like nobody’s business. I send them off to interview and see about being a profiler for the FBI or CIA.”

  “And the others?”

  “Well, sometimes I see a young man, if I could take you for example; you won’t be offended, will you?”

  Jacob shook his head, letting Logan continue. “Well, I look at you; you are highly intelligent—we both know that. I know you are in activities, but you seem less worried about them than those around you. You work hard and you are withdrawn from others. You don’t seem to want to put yourself out there for people in the sense of relationships. You only care about your family, and now you don’t even have that. You have something deeper eating at you now, something that you aren’t sure exactly how to release. Something that might turn your insides black over time.”

  “So, you think that I could be the...?”

  “With your mind and your ability to not get emotionally involved, I think there is no limit to your potential, Jacob. The fact that you are at genius-level intelligence and have the physical prowess that is needed for the job, only makes you that much more perfect to work for the company.”

  Jacob stood up and stared at him, waiting for him to smile and confess that he was only fucking with him. “You are kidding, right? You’re pulling my leg and you wanted to mess with me? You think that maybe making me laugh might help somehow, and you picked some sick and twisted way to do it?”

  “Jacob this is serious. I’ve been retired from the CIA for ten years, but I find men who can perform certain necessary functions in the world that others can’t… that others don’t want to know about. You would be well compensated. I know that you probably like the thought of murdering the men that did this to your family. You probably can’t get the thought of that very act out of your mind, can you?”

  Jacob nodded and just barely whispered it. “I’d like to murder them all. I’d like to slit their throats and hurt them in the worst ways that I can imagine.”

  “How do you think you would handle that if they put you in a room with… let’s say a knife, and you had the opportunity and a green flag to take the men out? What if something like that could be arranged, Jacob?”

  Jacob stared intently, no humor on his face whatsoever. “Can it be arranged?”

  Logan nodded his head. “I can’t this time. This is too high profile of a case right now. If they aren’t shot dead by the officers, there are going to be people screaming from the hill that they need to be brought to trial. They need to be brought to justice, and there will be no way to get around that. They will turn into heroes in the eyes of those who think the same way they do. If that happens, the backlash that America could see and feel because of it will be detrimental. This will not be the last time. Time has proven that this will happen again. But if we have men and women who can take out the threats before they hit, then we stand a chance. We stand a good chance, but we need people now.” He stared at Jacob, thinking for a moment. “We need men like you; people who won’t lose sleep, who won’t lose their mind when the time comes to work.”

  Jacob sat back and ran his hands through his hair, contemplating the path that had been suggested against the goals his parents had for him. He thought about his own goals that he wanted to conquer. Before today, he never would have considered a path that might lead to him being a killer for hire. He thought of Jenny, the men who set the bombs, his sister, and his parents. He thought of the funeral that he, alone, would be in charge of overseeing. “Who do I talk to?”

  Logan tapped his smoke, knocking ashes off of its end. He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it over to him. “Here, you call this man. His name is Tony Baker; I’ve already spoken to him about you, and he’s expecting your call. He’s already working out the details, but he knows you will probably be busy for the next few weeks.”

  “So, I just call this number… and then what?”

  “You go to school, much like now, except they teach you a skill set you will not get anywhere else. If you can keep your head on your shoulders after a job, which is harder than pulling a trigger, then you’ll be all right. The blood is easier to wipe from your hands than your soul, of course.”

  Jacob hammered the nail in the coffin, erasing any doubts that Logan may have had about him when he asked, “You think there is something about killing a monster that would make me feel bad for them? Something that would keep me from doing it? There is nothing that would stop me; nothing that would make me feel remorse for those pieces of shit.”

  “It’s easier to say that than to actually do it. But I think you have that special quality they need. Do you want me to send Tony a message and advise him that there is a chance you’re going to do it? You think this is something you could be capable of handling?”

  Jacob tapped the card a few times with his finger, staring at it. He realized his stars would never be lined up quite like they were at that moment; this was the time to act on them. He slid it in his pocket, nodding his head. “Please tell him to expect a call from me. I need to get my family settled and then I’ll contact him. School will be out for the summer and it would be nice if I could start then.”

  “Maybe you don’t understand something about it. There are no summer breaks, Jacob. Once you go into this, it’s your life until you see fit to retire. If you end up being that good, they have been known to have the experienced hitters train the younger men who need some final guidance.”

  “Can I marry or have children?”

  “Yes, of course you can. You couldn’t tell them what you really do for a living, but someone with your personality isn’t going to want to worry about children or a wife. You aren't wired for it, son.”

  Jacob walked back and forth for a moment, contemplating even further. “Well, I guess maybe I should just take a night to think on it; maybe take a couple?”

  “Take as long as you need. But if that feeling you have now is still there in a week, there’s a very good chance that you’ll be making the right decision, son. You could be one of the best—you just need to try. I think whatever you do, you will be something special. I just don’t see the point of you missing an opportunity that can help shape and change the world, as we know it. You can save the pain of million
s because of a single action. How many people do you know can say that, son? I will tell you; it is a very limited number.”

  Logan held out his hand and Jacob looked at it for a second before shaking it. Logan said, “I truly am sorry about your loss and want to give you, and any family you have left, my sincerest words that things will get better. You will move on and make your family proud. If you need anything at all, son, call me directly. I have my number on the back of that card. Please don’t hesitate to call me day or night.

  Jacob firmly shook his hand, nodding his head. “Thank you very much, Professor Logan. I really appreciate it. I have a feeling this is going to be good for me. It may cause pain, but it will be to those who deserve it. I’ll call your friend after I have a little time to look at my options. My dad always said to not go about rushing into shit, or you’ll find yourself neck deep in it.”

  Logan smiled. “Well, it would seem your father is... excuse me, was a smart man.”

  Jacob smiled briefly. “Yeah, I’m glad, regardless of whether he’s here or in heaven, that I am able to call him my dad. He was great… always will be, and I’ll hold close all the memories of him and the rest of my family.”

  “I’m sure you will. Now go and do what decision making you need to so you can move forward with your life one way or another.”

  Jacob gave him a short salute and headed back to his fraternity house where he didn’t sleep a wink; instead, he wrote down pros and cons and did research on the internet. The only moment’s peace he got was when he found out that one of the men responsible for the Chicago attack had been killed and the other shot and in critical condition.

  He lay in bed with his hands behind his head, imagining himself walking into the hospital, no one the wiser as to who he was, making his way up through the service entrance, slipping past a guard, and putting something in the man’s IV bag. It would be very painful and slow acting, but eventually fatal. He smiled, thinking of radiation poisoning, making him suffer for weeks. He leaned over the side of his bed and fumbled with his pants, looking for the card that Professor Logan had given him. He smiled again, thinking of the opportunities that might present themselves.

  He pulled it from his pocket and read the simple card. He thought of Jenny and how he would tell her that he had signed up for a job that would require him to leave for a good while. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he would be able to let her know that he had signed with the CIA. He was worried she would judge him. She was there for the long haul, while he was distant and unsure of what he wanted for himself long term. As much as he loved her, he didn’t see the relationship lasting until the end.

  Jacob pulled out his phone to make two of the most difficult calls of his life. He dialed Jenny, who answered with a sleepy yawn. “Hey, Jenny it’s me. I, uh, think that we should talk.”

  Jenny, who not fully awake yet asked, “Hey, baby, did you get a chance to talk with Professor Logan? I was hoping that he might help you feel a little better since I was doing such a bad job. I wasn’t sure if Brady was going to be able to help you much, either.

  Jacob sat for a moment, unsure what to tell her. “Brady brought me some food and told me that you asked him to come check on me. So, thank you; I definitely needed to eat. I didn’t stay long with him though. I had been in that room all day and I needed to get out of there and stretch my legs, if you know what I mean. I did run into Logan while I was out. He actually had some interesting information for me about a job he thought I might want to try and apply for. He gave me a card for one of the company’s recruiters, but told me that it was probably a good idea if I put some consideration and thought into it.”

  Jacob could tell that Jenny was much more awake at the mention of jobs and job offers. She was a sophomore as well and was well aware that offers weren’t rolling into students; especially students who still had years left of college. It was hard enough, she knew, to get your foot in the door with help and a bachelor’s degree. She was puzzled at what he was talking about, although she knew how intelligent and gifted he was. “Well, is a job offer something that you are interested in right now? I mean, a lot just happened. A lot more is going to change. You know what I mean, baby? I just want to make sure it isn’t something you are going to jump into just to regret later in life. I’d hate to have you throw away a scholarship just to try something you aren’t sure about.”

  “I’m just considering it, but it would mean me having to move, most likely, and then I assume I would be assigned somewhere else at some point.”

  He wasn’t actually assuming; he knew damn well that they picked where he went, what he ate, and what he wore if they wanted to. He knew that most likely they’d start him out with some bullshit diplomatic position so that he could be overseas. Then at some point, they would give him a real assignment and that would be his life going forward.

  “So, you still haven’t totally made up your mind. I mean, there is time for the two of us to talk about… you know… us. I really like you, Jacob.” She laughed a little. “Well, I don’t like you, but I love you with all my heart. I think that we have something together. I know that you have your issues with being close to people, but I really think we can work through them. I mean, I’m in it through thick and thin if you think you can handle it, baby.”

  “Can we talk tomorrow some more? I just wanted to call and let you know that I appreciated you looking out for me. I probably wouldn’t have done as well today if you hadn’t been around to keep me calm and my head on straight.”

  “I love you, honey. Promise me you will try and get some sleep tonight. You don’t need to stay up trying to figure everything out, okay? You can’t solve the world's problems in one day, right babe?”

  Jacob laughed, already seeing himself punching the numbers to call Tony Baker to tell him he wanted to get an interview set up for as soon as his family had been laid to rest. “Yeah, you know, I’m thinking about getting to bed here soon. Let’s try to talk tomorrow. We’ll have to see what’s going on first; I don’t know everything yet.”

  He hung up the phone, tapped in the number, and hit send. After two rings, a deep voice answered. “Hello, thank you for calling, Mr. August.”

  “Hi... wait, how the hell did you know...?”

  “Christ, son, if I can’t figure out something like caller ID then I need to get a new profession. Logan said you’re smart. Well, not smart, he said you're a downright genius and that you would be the kid for the job. We have a whole shit ton of tests that we’re going to run you through, up one side and down the other. In the end, if they come back and tell us that you would be best suited shooting people in the head or slitting their throats, we’ll sign you up the next day.”

  “What do I do, Mr. Baker?”

  “You take care of your family. You finish school this semester and you come down to Virginia in a month and you get tested and accepted.”

  “So, it’s a sure thing?”

  “You got past Professor Logan’s radar and that is plenty good enough for all of us here at Langley. We have a need for men like you. There aren’t many out there that can be recycled time and time again. One day we’ll run out, I’m sure of it. So, we take care of all those pieces of shits that we can now. How does that sound to you, son?”

  “I’m finding this a little too easy, to tell you the truth. Shouldn’t this be a little more complicated?”

  “It usually is, son. Hell it usually is a big damn pain in the ass. There is one reason that you can walk the red carpet, kid—we need you.”

  Jacob who was more than a little curious said, “Yeah, I think I’m getting more questions the longer you speak.”

  “We can put you to work almost immediately. We think your backstory will be better if you finish school this year, but at the exact same time, I think that you have demons in you that you are ready to put to rest. The quicker you start doing it, the better it is for you. I do have one sad fact for you, son. You want to hear it?”

  “Sure.”


  “You’re going to receive the best mental and physical training in the world. The problem for you, the thing that is going to drive you insane with rage and anger, is the realization that you won’t learn this overnight. It won’t be that easy; you’ll have to trust your instructors and take your time. Because if someone thinks they can rush through the training process, they’ll be the ones lying out on a slab before they know it. The enemy is scared of the CIA. We do the dirty work, and the world knows it. But the problem is, if you make a mistake, they will shoot you dead without hesitation—none whatsoever. Is that something you think you can handle? If I promise you—and I do promise you, Jacob—that we can help you take those things out, that we can help you rid yourself of some of that pain you have pent up, can you be patient enough to wait for it?”

  “If it means that I can help people and that I’ll live another day then, yes, I think I can wait. I just want to start as soon as possible. I’m not really worried about school. Professor Logan laid it out pretty well earlier tonight for me. He mentioned that if we start this path, if I take this lesser-traveled road, there will be no turning back. There will be nothing but full steam ahead and I won’t have to worry about another day in class. He told me I’d still be in school, but it would be an entirely different game. It would be something that would give me the skills and assets, as long as I am patient.”

  “Logan is a smart son of a bitch. My god, if he would have had the ability to forget the things he’d done, he would have been one scary son of a bitch.”

  “Well, he did say that not everyone is able to handle the job. He made it pretty clear that he thought I could, Mr. Baker.”

  “You wouldn’t be on the phone with me if he didn’t think so. I am glad that you gave me a call tonight. It’s nice to know that there are still people out there to help us deal with the troubles that need put away. Give me a call in a week, kid. If you don’t give a shit about finishing classes, well it sure as hell isn’t going to bother us if you skip out. We can put you up for a while until the next session starts. There is plenty of information you can study in the meantime. We’ll be able to keep you plenty busy; there are plenty of files you could work on with having that psych background.”