Different Paths by A. E. McCullough Read Free Book Online Page A

completely off.”
    “The concussion from the bombings also collapsed
the pass on those of us resting. Luckily for us they dropped the nukes further
out to catch any fleeing bugs or we wouldn’t have survived at all. As it was,
only four members of Omega Squadron survived the pass; Sgt. Major Spenton had a
punctured lung, Master Chief Kirk had no legs and I had a severe concussion,
only Iaido Spartan was fully operational. He gathered up the three of us,
dragged or carried us twenty clicks outside the blast zone where we made camp
on a small island which became our home for the next year until a survey vessel
came back to the area and rescued us.”
    “You guys were stranded on that rock for a whole
year? There couldn’t have been much left alive after the blanket-nukes. How did
you survive?” asked Special Agent Johnson.
    “You want to know about Spartan? He is the most
resourceful and dangerous man alive. He is a true galactic hero even though the
Coalition wouldn’t recognize him as such and he is my friend, now and until I
die. If he ever needs me, I’m there.”
    Lt. Kristopher fixed the older agent with a stare.
“Now gentlemen, unless there is something else, I must get back to work. It has
been a busy day.”
    “One last question. How was your reception when
you returned to Coalition controlled space?”
    Lt. Kristopher pointed toward the military awards
hanging on his wall. “The Sgt. Major and I received the Medal of Honor; the
Master Chief was medically retired and transferred to Walter-Reed Hospital for
rehabilitation and received the Purple Heart and the Silver Star.”
    Special Agent Johnson asked, “And Spartan?”
    “He was sent to New Leavenworth on Pluto.”
    “And why should you three be honored and Spartan
sent to prison?”
    “Ask the General who ordered the airstrike,”
Kristopher said softly.
    “And where would we find him?”
    “The White House.” Lt. Kristopher signaled their
time was over by turning his back to the two agents.
    Standing, Special Agent Johnson nodded his head
thoughtfully and walked out of the office with his young protégé in tow.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
    Diana watched the Feds leave before returning to
her desk. She spent the better part of the next hour hacking into the federal
database and downloading all information on their investigation. When she
backed out, she double-checked her trail to make sure there was nothing leading
back to Spartan Investigations. There wasn’t any nor was there any indication
that she had been inside their database.
    Clicking a button that securely locked down the
office, Diana moved deeper into the sanctuary guessing that Iaido would be in
the dojo. She was right.
    He was busy pounding on the heavy bag. Twisting
his upper body slightly, Iaido pivoted his front foot which acted as his base
while simultaneously twisting his hips shooting his rear leg at the target.
Shaping his foot, with the toes pulled back so he was striking with the ball of
the foot, Iaido concentrated all the speed of the kick and the mass of his body
into a two-square inch area. All this took less than a second to happen, the
resounding thud on the heavy bag echoed in the dojo. Even though his back was
to the door Iaido asked without pausing in his workout.
    “What did you find?”
    Thud. “Not much.” Thump. “Crime scene pics.”
Whack. “DNA samples taken at the scene.” Thump, whack. Finally Diana asked,
“Can you pause for a second?”
    Setting his foot down, Iaido’s body radiated heat
while sweat was pouring down his face.
    “Better?”
    “Yes, it wasn’t just a murder. It was a
murder-suicide. His wife stabbed him before turning the knife on herself.”
    “Amy murdered him then killed herself?”
    “Crime scene pics and tests prove so. Besides,
only her DNA and prints are on the murder weapon.”
    Iaido grabbed a towel from a nearby rack.
“Anything else of note?”
    “Just one, an old fashion business card in the
form of a tarot