Draco Cronnoc II
You turn to the head officer. "We're going to find Runner. This guy's the key. Do you have a tech-tracker in your department?"
"We have three, Mr. Cronnoc."
"Excellent. We'll need their help." You face Argus Minnerit again. "Quickly. What is Runner's cell phone number and email address?"
Argus recites the number and address as if he practiced memorizing it every night of his life. "Number is 824-146-4563. Email is runner62367@yahoo.com."
"Thank you. I'd appreciate it if you hold this man until my investigation pans out," you tell the officer.
"Righty-oh," he says, handcuffing Argus.
"How long am I going to be held?" Argus queries.
You take a sympathetic look at the man that tried to end your live fifteen minutes ago. "I can't let you go until I've got Runner and can be sure the Army didn't do anything too illegal. Plus, what if you didn't give me the true number and address? No, you can't go free."
"Too illegal? I wasn't aware we did anything illegal."
"Believe me, you did. Now let's get to the Dover Police Station."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You crouch over the shoulders of Dover's three techies. Each of them is working on the owner of the phone number and email address given to you by Argus.
For the past hour each person has typed in a dizzying sequence of numbers, words, and things that are neither words nor numbers. You are thoroughly confused and hope these people know what they're doing.
"I found it," one man says quietly. "This guy is named Phan Nong. Right now he's in Charleston, West Virginia. 2121 Cedar Street."
Well then, that's where you're going.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You ride in the passenger's seat of the Dover Chief's car. His name is Joseph Lester, and he insisted on coming to protect you in case something happens at Phan Nong's residence.
In a grueling seven hours you arrive in Charleston. You're not used to being in a car for so long, so you're quite fatigued as you prepare to enter 2121 Cedar Street. You and Joseph strap on your guns and knock on the door.
"Police!" you call. "Phan Nong, come out in peace. We need to ask you some questions."
Much quicker than you expected, a Vietnamese man opens the door for you. He is dressed remarkably Western, in stark contrast with his skin, earrings, and necklace.
"I am Phan Nong. What do you want with me?" The man does have a slight Asian accent.
"We're here to talk to you about your involvement in the group Red Exterior and your actions regarding the March 12th attacks."
"I see. Come inside and sit." Phan has a completely businesslike attitiude and tone that catches you off-guard. Like he was expecting this.
You and Joseph take a cautious seat on the man's couch. Certainly not how you expected this to go.
Phan Nong sits across from you in a comfortable-looking chair and sits quietly.
"Mr. Nong. Please describe how you assisted Red Exterior and the Army in carrying out the March 12th blasts."
"Please, note that I would not tell you anything if these attacks had not already occured and long-owed payment been made. You see, I am the spiritual leader of the neo-communist group Red Exterior. I go to Vietnam and recruit people to our cause. I don't hate America. I don't hate democracy. I helped form Red Exterior simply because I hated five men. The five men that came into our town, raped every woman their, and killed every man. I formed Red Exterior as a group dedicated to expelling America from our nation, but really it's just a means for me to do what I needed to. Kill every man involved in the massacre of my town. Now, you see I needed a lot of money to do this. And being born a peasant I knew it wouldn't be easy. So I worked hard my whole life and was luckily contacted by very rich people who wanted to finance my endeavors."
"The US Army?"
"Exactly. As I progressed through my life it became apparent to me that even if I used all the money I'd earned in my life I still wouldn't have enough, so I appealed to the outside world for help. Aid came from the most unlikely of sources, the American government itself. They said they had an issue with the same exact five people as I did, and if Red Exterior took all the blame for the attacks after a phony investigation, they'd pay for most of it and give my organization a reward."
You sit back in shock. So the Army did have a hand in this. "Why would they want those five dead?"
"They told me that the five people were a threat to security worldwide. Apparently, they were in financial problems of their own and were considering selling their story to a book company. It would've made the world rise up against America if the truth got out, I suppose."
"And won't they be mad that you're telling me this? This is not deflecting the blame from the Army and thrusting it on yourself."
"I know. I don't care if they don't give Red Exterior the money or kill me. My work is done."
You can tell that Phan means what he says. All his life's work was complete. "Still, Mr. Nong, I'm going to have to arrest you for mass murder and treason."
"I know. Take me away."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You turn Phan Nong over to the Charleston Police and share a hotel room with Joseph. You cannot stop thinking about what you've uncovered.
Both Red Exterior and the US Army were responsible for the attacks.
You would tell the world tomorrow. Sure, it'd jeopardize some security, but the truth was the truth.
The phone rings. The receptionist tells you that someone is in the lobby who wants to speak with you. Joseph looks at you with suspicion.
"Who do you think it is, Draco?"
"Either someone from Red Exterior or the Army trying to make me not testify." You know this could be a very serious situation, so you strap your gun to your belt and hide it under your shirt. You and Joseph depart.
There is a man sitting at a wooden table who motions to you. You take the seat and demand, "What do you want?"
"I am Wesley Johnson. I work at the Pentagon for the Army. Heard of me?"
"Yes."
"I thought so. Recently I've been given intel that suggests you know too much. That you already know what we've done. You're not going to tell the public."
"Oh yeah? Why not?"
"If you tell then every place US troops are stationed will be a chaos zone. Ever heard of Abu Ghraib or Haditha? This'll be a thousand times worse."
"Still, the world deserves the truth."
"Think about this, Mr. Cronnoc. You could let what's already happened go and save countless soldiers' lives, or you could tell the world what really happened and screw us all. Let me warn you though, if you tell you will be killed. No question."
As you stare into his eyes, you know he's serious.
"You will be brought into a court to tell them it was only Red Exterior who was responsible. Now go back to Richland Harbor and end your investigation."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A year has passed since that fateful day when Wesley Johnson told you the truth. You sit in a courtroom. Not to incriminate the Army, but to incriminate the group Red Exterior. The highest of the group sit in front of you, ready to hear the results of your investigation of the attacks.
As Wesley had told you would happen, the false investigation did go through, and they caught some neo-communists as criminals. They were brought before a jury, and now you are to tell how your private inquiry also yielded the same results: Red Exterior was responsible for the attacks, no one else involved.
The truth nags at you, you want to say it but you'll die! Well, at least they can't kill you right now in a court full of people. You'll die soon, but the truth will be out.
What do you do?
"We have three, Mr. Cronnoc."
"Excellent. We'll need their help." You face Argus Minnerit again. "Quickly. What is Runner's cell phone number and email address?"
Argus recites the number and address as if he practiced memorizing it every night of his life. "Number is 824-146-4563. Email is runner62367@yahoo.com."
"Thank you. I'd appreciate it if you hold this man until my investigation pans out," you tell the officer.
"Righty-oh," he says, handcuffing Argus.
"How long am I going to be held?" Argus queries.
You take a sympathetic look at the man that tried to end your live fifteen minutes ago. "I can't let you go until I've got Runner and can be sure the Army didn't do anything too illegal. Plus, what if you didn't give me the true number and address? No, you can't go free."
"Too illegal? I wasn't aware we did anything illegal."
"Believe me, you did. Now let's get to the Dover Police Station."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You crouch over the shoulders of Dover's three techies. Each of them is working on the owner of the phone number and email address given to you by Argus.
For the past hour each person has typed in a dizzying sequence of numbers, words, and things that are neither words nor numbers. You are thoroughly confused and hope these people know what they're doing.
"I found it," one man says quietly. "This guy is named Phan Nong. Right now he's in Charleston, West Virginia. 2121 Cedar Street."
Well then, that's where you're going.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You ride in the passenger's seat of the Dover Chief's car. His name is Joseph Lester, and he insisted on coming to protect you in case something happens at Phan Nong's residence.
In a grueling seven hours you arrive in Charleston. You're not used to being in a car for so long, so you're quite fatigued as you prepare to enter 2121 Cedar Street. You and Joseph strap on your guns and knock on the door.
"Police!" you call. "Phan Nong, come out in peace. We need to ask you some questions."
Much quicker than you expected, a Vietnamese man opens the door for you. He is dressed remarkably Western, in stark contrast with his skin, earrings, and necklace.
"I am Phan Nong. What do you want with me?" The man does have a slight Asian accent.
"We're here to talk to you about your involvement in the group Red Exterior and your actions regarding the March 12th attacks."
"I see. Come inside and sit." Phan has a completely businesslike attitiude and tone that catches you off-guard. Like he was expecting this.
You and Joseph take a cautious seat on the man's couch. Certainly not how you expected this to go.
Phan Nong sits across from you in a comfortable-looking chair and sits quietly.
"Mr. Nong. Please describe how you assisted Red Exterior and the Army in carrying out the March 12th blasts."
"Please, note that I would not tell you anything if these attacks had not already occured and long-owed payment been made. You see, I am the spiritual leader of the neo-communist group Red Exterior. I go to Vietnam and recruit people to our cause. I don't hate America. I don't hate democracy. I helped form Red Exterior simply because I hated five men. The five men that came into our town, raped every woman their, and killed every man. I formed Red Exterior as a group dedicated to expelling America from our nation, but really it's just a means for me to do what I needed to. Kill every man involved in the massacre of my town. Now, you see I needed a lot of money to do this. And being born a peasant I knew it wouldn't be easy. So I worked hard my whole life and was luckily contacted by very rich people who wanted to finance my endeavors."
"The US Army?"
"Exactly. As I progressed through my life it became apparent to me that even if I used all the money I'd earned in my life I still wouldn't have enough, so I appealed to the outside world for help. Aid came from the most unlikely of sources, the American government itself. They said they had an issue with the same exact five people as I did, and if Red Exterior took all the blame for the attacks after a phony investigation, they'd pay for most of it and give my organization a reward."
You sit back in shock. So the Army did have a hand in this. "Why would they want those five dead?"
"They told me that the five people were a threat to security worldwide. Apparently, they were in financial problems of their own and were considering selling their story to a book company. It would've made the world rise up against America if the truth got out, I suppose."
"And won't they be mad that you're telling me this? This is not deflecting the blame from the Army and thrusting it on yourself."
"I know. I don't care if they don't give Red Exterior the money or kill me. My work is done."
You can tell that Phan means what he says. All his life's work was complete. "Still, Mr. Nong, I'm going to have to arrest you for mass murder and treason."
"I know. Take me away."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You turn Phan Nong over to the Charleston Police and share a hotel room with Joseph. You cannot stop thinking about what you've uncovered.
Both Red Exterior and the US Army were responsible for the attacks.
You would tell the world tomorrow. Sure, it'd jeopardize some security, but the truth was the truth.
The phone rings. The receptionist tells you that someone is in the lobby who wants to speak with you. Joseph looks at you with suspicion.
"Who do you think it is, Draco?"
"Either someone from Red Exterior or the Army trying to make me not testify." You know this could be a very serious situation, so you strap your gun to your belt and hide it under your shirt. You and Joseph depart.
There is a man sitting at a wooden table who motions to you. You take the seat and demand, "What do you want?"
"I am Wesley Johnson. I work at the Pentagon for the Army. Heard of me?"
"Yes."
"I thought so. Recently I've been given intel that suggests you know too much. That you already know what we've done. You're not going to tell the public."
"Oh yeah? Why not?"
"If you tell then every place US troops are stationed will be a chaos zone. Ever heard of Abu Ghraib or Haditha? This'll be a thousand times worse."
"Still, the world deserves the truth."
"Think about this, Mr. Cronnoc. You could let what's already happened go and save countless soldiers' lives, or you could tell the world what really happened and screw us all. Let me warn you though, if you tell you will be killed. No question."
As you stare into his eyes, you know he's serious.
"You will be brought into a court to tell them it was only Red Exterior who was responsible. Now go back to Richland Harbor and end your investigation."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A year has passed since that fateful day when Wesley Johnson told you the truth. You sit in a courtroom. Not to incriminate the Army, but to incriminate the group Red Exterior. The highest of the group sit in front of you, ready to hear the results of your investigation of the attacks.
As Wesley had told you would happen, the false investigation did go through, and they caught some neo-communists as criminals. They were brought before a jury, and now you are to tell how your private inquiry also yielded the same results: Red Exterior was responsible for the attacks, no one else involved.
The truth nags at you, you want to say it but you'll die! Well, at least they can't kill you right now in a court full of people. You'll die soon, but the truth will be out.
What do you do?