Battle Road by Frank Gerry Read Free Book Online

emptying the glass.
    Finally the TV displayed “MESSAGE 3 of 3: Encrypted Transmission, incoming message 6:48 PM, 11/5/36. Please enter your quantum ssh encryption key.” Zeus echoed the same words. “Why the hell is someone sending me an encrypted video message?” Dylan downed the last of his drink. “Zeus, produce my q-ssh encryption key. My authorization; soccer22  dash 1399 dash 3341comm.” Zeus performed the quantum calculations within a few seconds and displayed the message.
    Jack Brooks appeared on the high definition television screen. He was a bit disheveled and obviously excited. “Dylan pick up buddy. Where are you? Something unbelievable just happened. I'm at the Karma Club. Call me as soon as you can. This is really important.”
    Dylan was used to Brooksie's wild stories. What is it now , he thought. He was tired from a long day and in no mood to listen to another of his friend's wild adventures.
    He pushed forward on the couch and checked his dinner. It was ready ready to eat. He swirled the the ice cubes in his glass and sipped the remaining mixture of water and scotch. “Zeus, call home,” he ordered. The calling signal from the phone rang a couple times over the sound system before the face of a  middle age man appeared on the giant display. “Hi, Dad. How are ya?” Dylan smiled as he saw his father. “Good to see you, son. I'm doing good for an old man,” the elder Fraser said. Dylan laughed, “Come on Dad, fifty five isn't that old. Besides what are you going to say when you're eighty five?” “I'll figure that out when the time comes,” the elder Fraser said, letting out a laugh. “Hey I'm call'n mom back about Thanksgiving. Is she around?”

SEVEN
     
    Agent Goodman stood in front of his oak desk and stretched his arms out as far apart as they could go. He let out a brief yawn. The home office in his finished basement was beginning to get a little too cold. He walked over and manually turned up the old fashioned thermostat to sixty eight degrees.
    A modern voice controlled computer had never been installed in the old house, which Goodman didn't really mind. He had spent most of his life in Marine barracks, tents, or foxholes. An antique house without all of the computerized home conveniences was just fine for him. Not to mention saving tens of thousands of dollars on upgrades. Money that could go towards the kids education someday.
    Reclining in the black leather chair to his desk, Goodman could hear the faint sounds of the TV in the family room above on the first floor. He recognized the girls cartoon show they watched nearly every night at that time. Before focusing on his work, Goodman put his hands behind his head and leaned all the way back in his chair, and just sat there looking up at the basement ceiling.
    Less than a minute later the computer on his desk beeped, jolting him back into the awareness of his surroundings. A window had popped up on his display notifying him of an incoming video transmission. Goodman straightened up and pushed his chair in a little closer to the computer. “Engage transmission.”
    A middle aged Hispanic woman with obviously died pitch black hair appeared on the screen. “Hi Mike. I've got some news for you,” Senior Agent Selma Rivera spoke in a straight forward manner over the computer video link. Rivera was a member of the National Command Staff for Homeland Security. She was stationed in Burlington and had worked together with Goodman throughout his career at DHS. In fact, it was Rivera who hired Goodman out of the Marine Corps.
    “Good evening Agent Rivera. I'm hoping it's good news,” Goodman said. Rivera didn't respond to his friendly banter. She went right to business. “I just got out of a command meeting and wanted to say congratulations. The decision was made to assign you to lead the counter terrorism efforts in the New England security zone. You've been promoted to Senior Agent. Your command is effective at eight am tomorrow