they were, we’ll need some explosive experts from the Army.”
“I thought that was your job?” the Captain said.
“No Sir, we are locals with a limited amount of training. This calls for the real thing.” They weren’t going to touch the purse until they were certain of the contents and if the duck was ready to quack, then they would leave it up to the robot when it was brought in. The robot and the blast proof box could handle this one.
In the meantime the floor was getting cold and Braydon wanted up. They were going to have to move them anyway so he might as well get up now.
“Back down,” one of the guards yelled.
“Listen, I know that purse won’t explode, I just threw it across the room and nothing happened. Let me go and I’ll show you.”
The guards looked at each other and then the Captain who looked at the bomb exporters who shrugged. “Cut him loose but stand back.”
“Now don’t be stupid, we have ten guns aimed at you.” Captain reinforced the intent of his men.”
“If I wasn’t stupid, do you think I would go over and pick up a purse with explosives and a detonator in it. Besides that I never carry a purse.” He thought that was kind of cute but apparently he was the only one. When the bonds were cut he walked over, grabbed the metal box then casually walked over to the purse with the metal container. Everyone else took cover.
Suddenly it occurred to him, “just because it didn’t explode the first time, doesn’t mean it won’t this time.” He realized how stupid he had been. Now his confidence waned somewhat but he was stuck. “So destiny and I are locked together again. What the heck.”
He opened the metal box picked up the purse, ever so. He was a little shaky now but he was almost there. He gingerly took the purse by the strap and lowered it into the metal box, closing the lid softly and gently, then he fell hard on the floor. He hadn’t realized he was sweating like a man in a sauna.
They had their emergency procedures and he had just broken all protocol, but the rest they followed to first degree. After what seemed like hours the the Army had arrived and disarmed the explosive device and separated the detonator and C-4 from each other, preventing any chance of an accidental explosion. Now they were ready to pronounce sentence on the three of them even though no formal arrest had been made.
The Captain looked at them, “The Miranda is not applicable here since this is now a matter for the Department of Justice and Homeland Security. It appeared to be terrorism. Both departments were alerted and representatives are on their way.”
The man lay on the ground moaning his wind pipe partially crushed. It would have been hard for him to stand let alone move. The guards didn’t care they rudely yanked him to his feet along with the women, and of course Braydon was already up. They hesitated to bind his hands again, but caution is the better part of valor, so they put his hands behind his back and strapped him tight.
“I would think you guys would show a little appreciation, after all I did most of you work.” No one smile. “A bunch of serious butt,” he whispered to himself.
Now time was not as immediate and the guards covered the area like a spider guarding her nest. What should have felt like minute lapsed in hours, or was it days before the Homeland Security Officer arrived?
From then on it was a litany of questions directed at no one in particular just curses and accusations. They were shoved out of the main holding area and separated into separate rooms, each with a different interrogator. Braydon had no idea what was going on so he sat semi-calmly and waited. Soon a Neanderthal strutted through the door, slamming it behind him. The intimidation factor didn’t work. Braydon’s pulse didn’t never missed a beat but his spine revved up several hundred flinches a minute.
King Kong plopped on the chair and leaned over the metal table with the look, “I won’t put up with any crap.”
Braydon didn’t flinch he had looked mountain lions in the eyes before. That’s not true he had never seen a mountain lion as big as Godzilla.
“Well, it looks like you could be in real trouble young man. Anything you want to say for yourself?”
“No sir. I just reacted to the situation. I wasn’t going to let those two idiots destroy anything in my country! America is my country and damned if I won’t protect her!”
King Kong could only smile. He reached a Goliaths hand across the table and shook hands with Braydon. “Son, I want you to know how proud we are of you. I don’t know that anyone else would have taken the initiative you did. That bomb could have taken out at least one and maybe two turbines. It could have disrupted the power grid for thousands of miles and killed several people. However, I don’t know if you’re courageous or stupid?”
“A little bit of both I think Sir, or was that the lack of thinking. It doesn’t matter, I am who I am and I can’t be someone else. I react and my senses take over.”
The large man sat down again and said, “The other two took full credit for their actions and said they wanted to change this country back to a free and caring country, not one the politicians used for their own gain and didn’t worry about the people and wanted to give the Islamic Army of God (IAG) full credit, strange, then they said the Islamic Army of God, but didn’t look the list bit Arabic, one of those convergent kits must have turned them white. I haven’t figured out who is who but some of the pieces don’t fit. Also, they said you interrupted their first victory but there were many more to come. If you wouldn’t mind, would you wait here for a few minutes? There something I want to go over with you, oh, where did you learn to use your hands like that?”
“Well Sir, Davey Crocket and I are related and I learned to fight wrassling bears.” He got a skeptical look from the big man. “Just kidding sir, my father is an ex-marine and he taught me a few things and yes Sir, I’ll be pleased to wait, I wasn’t going anywhere anyway since I don’t have the foggiest idea of how to get out of here.”
A smile slipped across the big man’s lips as he closed the door behind him leaving Braydon to his thoughts and fears, trying to figure out what was happening.
Chapter 2
The outside world is like a broadcast tower, anything that could be found out. Unbelievably happened in the bowels of the dam had gotten out. He had not left his confines inside the dam and news spread like a grass fire across the plains. Soon Braydon’s exploits were headlined all over the national and local news, praising the extraordinary heroics of the young man who did not qualify for the Rangers or the Seals but had thwarted the efforts of radical Islamic from destroying the Hoover Dam. The guards had let the other visitors out so there was no doubt about the leak and it was too late to plug the hole in the dike and who else but the enlistment personnel from one of the services would know about his embarrassment of rejection. The question was, how could the reporters have tracked him to the recruiting office so fast.
The only explanation of any of this was that one of the members of the tour group had text someone or called the news as soon as they left the elevator and past the throng of bloodletting press. A 911 call could accomplish the same, since they had no idea of what or who was taped into the cell phone towers and could be monitored from anywhere. That could explain the explosion of action at the dam. Fire and wind are a volatile combination but send a text and the world knows almost immediately. It had