BENNINGTON P.I. “BONITA” (18 page)

I had been told about it, but hadn’t actually seen this information until you handed it to me Frank.  Your work in getting this to us gives us confirmation.  This is what we were after.  This information is what needs to now be serviced by the T3 Group to ensure your safety, as well as keeping the integrity of the truth this information reveals, intact.  Once the information is put out there, those who were willing to kill to keep it secret, will no longer have a reason to do so.”

Although what the congresswoman had just told me was a considerable, headache inducing amount of information, I sensed she had left something out – something important.

“The professor sure as hell didn’t have Walt killed, so who did?  I ran into three other men involved in this thing, men you already implied you know about.  The one who seemed to be in charge is named Talbot.  He used to work for the environmental lobby here in D.C. years ago.  He said his family was being threatened, and that’s why he was trying to take from me what he hoped to get when he killed Walt.  What I’d like to know though, is who ordered him to kill Walt.  Talbot said he was dealing with some very powerful people.  That wouldn’t have anything to do with this T3 Group would it?’

For the first time since my arrival into her office, Betty Mears expressed open anger, her words escaping between a tightly clenched jaw.

“Absolutely NOT Mr. Bennington. Our purpose is truth, not lies, intimidation, and certainly not murder.  We work to prevent such things, not participate in them.”

The congresswoman’s anger did nothing to deter my desire for answers.  Hell, I’d spent most my adult life with at least a few people wanting to scratch my eyes out at any given moment.

“If your purpose is truth, then stop holding back on me.  Who had Walt killed?”

Congresswoman Mears was only slightly less agitated when she answered.

“I don’t know Frank.  You’ll have to ask this Mr. Talbot about that.”

I silently congratulated myself for not having Talbot killed so I could do just that, while at the same time, sensing yet again the congresswoman was testing me.  She sat motionless, staring across her desk, waiting for me to say something else.

“You said that Walt’s investigation, those papers on your desk, was just a small part of a much bigger puzzle.  Care to show me some more of that puzzle?”

The congresswoman shook her head.

“No Frank, it would take much more time than I’ve allocated to you today, but I will say this.  Do you know where the vast majority of mining and manufacturing takes place for the creation of this “new” light bulb technology that is then sold to us for many times over what the old fluorescent bulbs cost?”

Having no clue, I merely shrugged.

“China.  Perhaps the single most polluting economy in the world, and that is who provides nearly 100% of the rare earth materials for these new light bulbs. They somehow knew to corner the market on the very materials we are now being forced to use to create this so called “earth friendly” products, and selling us those materials for whatever price they wish to charge.  It’s worse than the oil cartel price gouging of the 1970’s.  And how many more millions of pounds of pollutants are being released into the waters and atmosphere of the earth in order to sell insanely inflated, high cost bulbs to millions of Americans who believe they are doing good by using these products. 

Do you think it’s any accident that China has been loaning the United States hundreds of billions of dollars in recent years?  Do you think such loans are made out of good will?  No Frank, that money is already being paid back with interest via the trillion dollar, false environmental industry.  Companies like Global Electric are part of the machine, as are certain retail giants who also enjoy a cut from the high cost bulbs, which now the U.S. government is mandating that people must buy.  And have you priced the even newer bulb technology Frank?  The LED bulbs?  A single 20-watt bulb is nearly twenty dollars!  How are poor and middle class Americans supposed to afford such government mandated madness?

And all of this is being done under the false promise of fighting global warming, which the recent and conveniently dead professor in Idaho, had proved was an entirely false and fabricated premise in the first place.  Do you notice how unusually cold it is Frank?  The evidence is all around us now, but still, the great global warming machine attempts to march onward, undeterred by facts, counting on the ignorance of millions to maintain their hard fought status quo.”

I glanced toward the window, hearing the sound of rain falling against the glass from outside, the day’s light darkening under the encroaching cloud cover. 

“Why not just do a press conference?  Release the information you have?  Expose the lies right out in the open?”

Congresswoman Mears now looked outside as well as the low rumble of approaching thunder sounded in the distance.

“We do release the information Frank, and it’s much easier in this modern era than it has ever been regarding protecting those who come forward with it.  You cannot trust the Mainstream Media to do so.  Global Electric alone spends hundreds of millions in advertising dollars buying up the media’s complicity in disseminating lies, and that is just one example.  No, what we do is use this new media – the alternative media.  The information is released, reported on, and discovered.  By doing it this way, the threat to those who want it silenced is minimized, as the proverbial cat is already out of the bag, but it’s been done in such a way that it does not immediately become widely known. That process takes time.  It’s no different than what was done to sell global warming to the populace.  That process took decades.  You need to understand this about our enemies Frank, they play the long game.  They are dedicated, well funded, and more than willing to wait it out.  We learned from that example, and are doing the same.”

Finally the light bulb went off in my head, and not one of those ridiculous looking, slow to light up CFL bulbs either.  My ah-ha moments are lit up by good old fashioned incandescent power.

“You’re hiding the truth in plain sight.  The people who had Walt killed for what he found, won’t give a shit once that information hits the Internet, or wherever else you put it, right?  Just like you said – the proverbial cat is already out of the bag.  So their attention moves on to whatever else they want to keep secret, while this T3 Group of yours tries to acquire that information and release it through alternative means.  If the information went directly to the media instead of this organization you belong to, it would be shredded, lost, and then ultimately forgotten and never re-discovered. So your deal, if I’m understanding it right, is to prevent that from happening.  You keep both the source, and the information safe, by hiding it in plain sight.”

Betty Mears nodded her head as a wide smile broke out across her face, her already narrow eyes almost disappearing entirely as she did so.

“That’s it exactly Frank.  That’s what we do, and that’s what I am hoping you are willing to continue doing for us, as an asset of the T3 Group.  Perhaps I should add that we are reasonably funded.  Your efforts would be appreciated, and the compensation would reflect that appreciation.”

I pointed to the papers from Walt’s file that sat on the congresswoman’s desk.

“How much for that right there?  How much for the information that got Walt killed?”

Congresswoman Mears placed the papers back into the Manila envelope and then looked back up at me, that earlier and brief hint of sadness having returned to her eyes.

“I’m willing to compensate you at the same rate we offered Walt.  He refused, was already being poisoned by the man he was working with, Mr. Talbot.  If he hadn’t hesitated in his trust of us…”

The congresswoman’s voice trailed off.  She then took a deep breath, sat up in her chair, and leaned forward as she continued.

“We were willing to pay Walt ten thousand dollars for the information he uncovered.  I’m offering you that same amount Frank, plus an additional five thousand dollars as a retainer for your services as an asset for the T3 Group.  If you agree, you walk out of my office today with fifteen thousand dollars in cash.”

It was hardly an amount that would have caught my attention back when I was earning a wage as a high profile campaign operative, but these days, fifteen grand was more than enough to give me pause and make me think seriously about working with the congresswoman.

“Would you be my only contact with the T3 Group?”

Congresswoman Mears shook her head.

“Actually, Dedra will be your contact.  The less you and I actually speak, the better.  If you decide to join us Frank, from here on out Dedra will be the one to issue your assignments, coordinate payment, and provide assistance when necessary and feasible to do so.  For the most part though, you’re on your own.  If you engage in illegal activity, we don’t want to know about it.  If you end up in jail, it’s up to you to get yourself out.  And if you end up dead, I’ll have a moment of regret for your loss, but someone else will eventually be by to replace you.”

I considered the potential of walking out of the Capitol Building fifteen thousand dollars richer.  That would buy a lot of steak dinners and scotch at the
Off the Record. 
The congresswoman’s story seemed outlandish though.  Some kind of secret organization that counter-acts the lies and cover-ups coming out of Washington D.C.?  I had worked in this place for years and had never heard of such a thing.  Then again, I had never seen that particular photograph of the JFK assassination either.

It’s best that a man understands his own limitations, and maybe I had to admit I was somewhat limited to only seeing what was right there in front of me.  Today that view included an offer on the table that came with a decent bit of cash money. 

Take the money. If this congresswoman wants to pay you to play conspiracy poker, so what?  

“Ok Congresswoman, I’m in.  What’s the term you used?  An asset – I’ll be an asset for your organization.”

Betty Mears stood up and extended her right hand to me.  Her grip was firm and confident, complimenting a facial expression which indicated the same.

“Welcome aboard Frank.  I am happy to have you on my team.”

I began to ask another question, but hesitated.  The congresswoman encouraged me to finish my thought.

“Go ahead Frank, I can see you want to ask me something.”

“Am I supposed to keep this arrangement a secret?  Do I mention the name of the group or is this all hush-hush secret society kind of stuff?”

I realized my tone was dangerously close to mocking.  I didn’t intend to offend the congresswoman, but still felt the entire premise of her story to be the kind of thing the tin foil hat crowd would drink up, not something an otherwise respected and capable member of Congress would be involved in.  Then again, some of the most idiotic people in the world gathered under the Capitol Dome, so maybe it wasn’t such an odd pairing after all.

Thankfully, Congresswoman Mears appeared unfazed by my tone, simply smiling as she guided me toward her office door.

“While we’d rather you didn’t make a habit of talking about who we are, and what we do Frank, the fact is, if you did tell anybody about it, they’d most likely not believe you.  It’s all part of how we, as you put it, hide out in plain sight.  If some reporter asked me about the T3 Group today, I’d just shake my head and look at them like they’re crazy.  Nobody wants to feel they’re foolish, and that allows us considerable leverage to remain largely anonymous.  So how much or how little you want to share what you’re doing for us, is up to you.  Just understand that if at any point we feel you have become more of a liability than an asset, the relationship ends.”

I admired how the congresswoman had managed to tell me to keep my damn mouth shut without actually saying,
keep your damn mouth shut
.  She was a politician after all, and was again proving to me her abilities in that regard.  The woman was tough and smart, and I’ll go to my grave knowing that kind of woman is many times over a greater force of nature than any man running around playing tough guy.

‘Oh, and what about that information I just handed over to you?  What happens to it?”