CHAPTER 1
Mischief
2003 Oakland CA. (B.A.R.T.) Bay Area Rapid Transit Station: James Patrick McKandle, 16, brother John Alexander McKandle 18
Sliding down the escalator was not easy these days. The train stations now have the anti-slide plates in between the escalators. One has to get small, cock up on one hip, when sliding down, and hope that neither your pant leg nor your shoelaces get caught. If that happened, it would be a world of pain. "Still the squeaking sound you make while gaining speed is cool" Thought Jimmy as he was almost to the bottom. Then whoosh! Off the end, and hit the ground running. Or be run over by big brother John, who was just about five feet behind him. The B.A.R.T. police department was at the top running down the escalator.
Running, Jimmy looks back over his shoulder, even though he heard his brother hit the ground running just like he had, and can now hear his foot falls behind him.
"Which way Jim?" John asks as they run towards the train platform.
"To the right! to the right!" Jimmy yelled back over his shoulder.
Still running, Jimmy looked forwards once again just in time to half knock a woman over who was waiting for the next train. "HEY!" the woman screamed as she righted her self almost falling over.
Jimmy yelled back at her "Sorry!" and kept running.
This train station was, an under ground train station, and John could see that they are just about out of platform. "Jimmy what now?" He yelled asking.
"Jump down, and go into the tunnel!" Jimmy was yelling as he did just that.
They both landed on the tracks, running at full speed, right into the tunnel.
By this time the police chasing them were now four men, half way across the platform, two of police officers saw them run into the tunnel, and stopped running. One of the guards grabbed his radio microphone held to his chest with Velcro. "Central this is Blake, they ran into the tunnel, should we pursue?"
Central responded immediately "Blake DO NOT Pursue! Repeat: DO NOT PURSUE! You've got a train entering that tunnel from the other side as we speak! "
Blake yelled to the other to Officers "Hold up!", "Do not pursue!" even though they could hear the radio as well, Blake did not want any chance of one of his people getting hurt for lack of listening.
Jimmy yells, "Stay to the right! Do not touch that rail that looks like it has a hood on it! That is the Third Rail, and it will kill you! " John looks at it, and the tunnel as a hole and replies, "I know"!
"TOOT! , TOOT!" the electronic horn sound the trains made now, coming from up ahead of them!
"Jimmy! That's a Train!" John yells, not able to see the full light of the train yet, the tracks bend to the right, what looks like a mile or so away.
"Keep running!" Jimmy yells.
TOOT,TOOT! Again this time loader then before, and the light is bending around the corner now as the train is making the turn!
John is running so fast now he is passing Jimmy.
"Were to Jimmy?" He yells.
Jimmy replies, "On the right! That door on the Right!"
John grabs the doorknob tries to turn it ...
"Locked! Jimmy! "
TOOT, TOOT!
"Look out!" yells Jimmy as he reaches into his backpack.
John steps back out of the way, and looks at the on-coming train. Noticing for the first time that he can feel the air being pushed by the train, on his face.
John looks back at his brother and asks. "What are you doing?"
Not saying anything, Jimmy pulls out what looks like a computer wire. The kind that attached to the hard drive. On one end was a box of some kind, not much bigger than a cigarette pack. On the other end was what looked like a credit card? Jimmy inserted the card into the slot just to the left of the doorknob. Witch looks like an electronic locking mechanism of some kind. The little box lit up with a row of lights, moving so fast John could not make out any number, it was a blur. TOOT!, TOOT!. The very ground John stood on was now vibrating under his feet. He looked at his brother Jimmy, who was looking back and forth between the on-coming train, and the box in his hand. They both feel the Air rushing by. The ground moving under there feet, now the squealing of the metal tires on the train tracks!
TOOT!, TOOT!
"JIMMY!" John yelled one more time!
Jimmy did not answer, he just kept looking at that box, and then the train, back, and forth so fast, it is a surprise he could see either clearly!
The ground moving faster now under foot, the Air was blowing so hard it was moving the boy's cloths back in the direction of the station! John looked as fast as he could in the direction of the station, to see if anyone was following! Just flash lights, at the end of the tunnel trying to see them. "Thank god!" John thought as he looked back at the train. John realized that the train was so close, there was now way they were going to make it now! "OH GOD!" John heard a sound coming from the door! He looked at the door! The light that had been red until now, turned green, the door made another sound, like a clicking sound! Jimmy turned the doorknob with his right hand, and pulled the card out with his left!
John saw the door start to open in; He just tackled Jimmy into the room beyond. Not sure were the door was taking them, but sure that if they stay here they will be dead! Crashing down on the floor just as the train f lashed by so fast, that all they could see was a blur of light, then dark, then light. So fast, they could almost not tell each one from the other! The Air blew so Hard into the room, that papers were f lying in all direction. Along with what looked like candy wrappers, gum wrappers, and God knows what. Along with dust, so thick it hurt there eyes to the point they had to close them. As fast as it started it all stopped. John kicked the door closed. They hurried to there feet, looked around the room, and saw a door at the other end of this room. The room seems like a break room, or some such thing, and not that big. With a table, and a few chairs in the middle of the room. Not spending any more time, they both bolted for the door. Jim opened it, look outside both ways. To the right, was nothing, just a dead end. To the left, a long hallway. Across the hall, was a door. On the door was a sign that read "Looker room"; the boys looked at each other, and ran for the door. Going inside fast but not as to alert anyone inside the locker room, they listened, and silently crept in looking around they saw that they had gotten lucky no one, was inside right now. So they tried some of the lockers "click" one opened. Jimmy was the one that had the luck; the locker door opened, and inside was, slickers, hard helmets, and goggles. John heard the click of the locker door jimmy was opening.
He turned, looked at Jimmy, just in time to see, and catch a Hard helmet flying through the Air, right at him. Followed by goggles! He caught the Hard Hat in his left hand, the goggles in his right Hand, and a slicker hit him in the face! Hanging on his head. Jimmy giggled as he put a hard hat on His head; he was already wearing the goggles. Grabbing another slicker out of the locker he said "Put them on, let's go". John pulled the slicker off his face looking angrily at his little brother for about a second, then smiled and hurriedly put his stuff on.
After making there way back to the streets of Oakland, Jimmy looked around as they discarded there stolen Hat, goggles, and slickers they had, in a dumpster behind some store. "Well, we need a ride home little brother" John said looking around up and down the alley. Jimmy responded with, "yeah no way we can take the train today; the BART Cops will be all over the place looking for us, and the City Cops as well by now".
Jimmy reach into his Back pack once again this time pulling out a cell phone, "I got this" he said while John was still looking both ways up and down the Alley.
Forty minutes later they were exiting highway 242 onto Clayton road in Down Town Concord Ca. located 15 miles East of Oakland, 25 miles East of San Francisco Ca. in the back seat of Timmy McBride's Ford P.O.S., Timmy 18 was driving, little brother Tommy 16 riding Shotgun. "So How did you get that door unlocked Jimmy?" asks Tommy.
"With this" Jimmy says as he pulls out the mechanism he had used, and hands it to Tommy.
"Pretty kick ass! Jimmy were did you get it?" Tommy asked.
"I made it!" Jimmy responds.
Tim looks at the devise in his brother's hand, and then back at the road, "Did you really make that?" Tim asks Jimmy.
John answers for his brother, "yeah He makes that stuff all the time". Tim turns his head, looks into the back set, looks right at Jimmy, points at Jimmy with his right hand, and say "bro you need to teach me how to make that", then looks back at the traffic and puts his right hand back on the wheel. Tommy says "I want one". Jimmy says, "Keep that one, I am making a new one, one that has the Card and two wire clamp as well". John looks at his little brother smiles, and half-asking half laughing say/asks "Wires? What? What do you need the wire clamps for?" Without missing a beat Jimmy says, "Wall Alarms! So I can de-activate all alarms". Tommy looks at his brother who is both driving and at this point is looking back and forth between the road and the back seat looking at Jimmy. Tim looks this time into his rear view mirror and focuses of Jimmy's eyes "will that really work?" Jimmy answers "Yes"!
Tim looks back at traffic for about three seconds and then reaches back to Jimmy with his hand up waiting for a high five, to which Jimmy smacked! Very Hard! All four young men/boys laughed like a bunch of drunken monkeys. As they drove up Clayton road passing the Concord (B.A.R.T.) station. The very one that John and Jimmy had gotten onto to go to Oakland this morning.
Now at home, in the back bedroom of the town house they had grown up in the two boys are watching the news. Newscaster's voice: Bagdad is being looted! I don't know if you can see this but people are looting the Museum now! It seams like it is organized! Not just rioters going crazy knocking things over! I hope you are getting this! One man, no, wait, more then one man is wired! Are you getting this? They are not just looters they are wired up like secret service! Iraq Secret service but they are dressed like civilians! Jimmy was watching intently, and then looked back at John, who was at the door, with it open a little bit, looking down the hall, and listening to something. "Not the TV." Jimmy was thinking as he asked John "Are you seeing this?" John did not look at him.
"John, some guys that are Iraq Secret service are taking things out of the Museum! "
John Looked at his brother "What?" he asks?
Then "Turn that down dude! Dad is talking to some guys, and I think they are Military".
Jimmy responds with "SO?"
John closes the door very fast, and pushes jimmy back to the bed "shit here he comes"! "SHH"!
KNOCK, Knock, Knock, "Boy's?"
In stereo John and Jimmy say, "YES, SIR?"
Their father opens up the bedroom door, steps inside the room, and closes the door behind him.
"Boys, there are some Men here who want to ask you two some questions", he said looking at them both back and forth. John looked at his dad remembering what had happened in the train station, wondering, and then asked his dad out right "Are we in trouble?"
"No son you are not in trouble" answered his father.
Then he continued, "You know how I say some times you need to NOT act as smart as you both really are?"
They both nodded a yes, and said it at the same time "YES" remembering that he hated when you just nodded. "This is not one of those times boys", "these men are from the military. They are going to test you both one at a time. I do not want you to hold back one bit, even if it makes them feel stupid. I want you to show them just how smart you boys really are you got me?"
Both boys again in stereo "Yes Sir!"
"OKAY, John you first come with me"
CHAPTER 2
Home coming
2007 Thanks giving: Mom and Dads house back in Concord CA Both John and Jim make it home for thanks giving for the first time in a few years.
"Everything smells so good Mrs. McKandle," Jennifer says; "Thank you Jenny!" the voice from the kitchen makes its way to Jenny in the front room setting on the couch with John. They have been dating now for nine months and this was the first time they had met. Again from the kitchen," you see John at least someone appreciates good cooking".
John yells back "awe Ma you know I was just joking right?" Cindy, on the floor sitting Indian style with jimmy behind her wrapping his lags, and arms around her. Says under her breath to Jennifer "Kiss ass", Jennifer looks at her, then flips her the middle finger of her right hand, and says, "Skank" then they both giggled. John says with a smile, "well I'm glad you two are getting along." to which the girls both looking away from each other almost in stereo say, "Whatever".
John looks at Jennifer still with a smile on his face holds her gaze for a few seconds then looks at the TV. That has been on the entire time running in the background. Focusing on the T.V. "They say his pass count is getting close," John says looking back at Jimmy.
Also watching the foot ball game now as his brother reminded him of what was happening. Jimmy said "yeah, and if he scores three touch downs it will be his 63 game doing that and he will break Dan Marino's record". From the Kitchen, "who are you boys talking about?" Jimmy answers her with out missing a Beet "Green Bay Packers, Are playing the Detroit Lions Ma!, we are talking about the Green Bay Packers Quarter Back Brett Farve". Mrs. McKandle responded with' "do you think he will do it"?
John answered this time, "I don't know? He is getting old you know"?
Dad coming down the Hall in a bellowing voice says, "Never Bet against Detroit on Thanksgiving, never Bet against Dallas on Thanksgiving, unless they play each other, then all bets are off! "
He sits down in his chair in the living room facing the T.V. but the chair is placed in such a way that He can see the TV., the front door, And out the front window with out moving anything but his eye's.
The boys both giggle and John says," no doubt"
They all watched the football game to see what the score was, and who had the ball.
A few minutes go by, dad: one Frances "Frank" Glenn, McKandle asked. "So, how is work boys"?
In stereo John and Jim both say "That's Classified Sir", they smile and John adds "Even from Each other".
Dad looks over his glasses at each of his son's in turn and says' "Dam Strait".
Cindy spoke; "That is silly, what does that mean"?
Jimmy answered, "you see we all three work for the military, in fact we are all in the military, we work in Military Inelegance, however we all work in different places, and on different things. So we can't even tell each other what we do or what we work on".
Jennifer this time, "Not ever"?
John responds, "Never"!
Jim changing the subject looks at John and asks; do you remember all that stuff I told you about from all over the world? Like in central America, Egypt, and South America? All the Pyramids?"
John frowns at Jim, and replies with a question of his own, "Are you talking about (Little Green Men) Again"?
Jim looks back at his brother bothered by his comment "Yes, and they think they are Grey Not Green".
John half-laughing says, "UFO's? People from another Planet?"', "Here?" then laughs out load.
Dad at this point chimes in with, "Hold on there laughing boy, I have seen that new show on History channel what's it called: Jimmy?" pointing now at Jimmy. He follows up with," That (Alien) show".
Looking at Dad now every one was surprised that "Frank" was saying anything like this at all. Jim Says, Yeah it is Umm.. Ancient Aliens!" He almost yelled. From the Kitchen comes mom's voice, "That show scares me! It is kinda creepy!"
John looking at his brother then to his father, then asks, "Mom watches this show as well?"
Dad continues with, "Get with the times John, I read a few books by that Erik Von Daniken, he wrote chariot's of the Gods, back in 1968, Gods from Outer Space, in 1972, I read those two. Another one I have read is The Return of the Gods, 1998, however he has written many others".
Jim chimes in now getting exited, "Yeah he speaks on the show as well" !
John looking back and forth from Jim and his father says "You guys believe everything you see on TV.? common! You both know better then that."
Then after a short pause, he continues, "AND MOM what are you doing getting mixed up with this craziness?" he yells at the kitchen wall.
