Iron Triangle: A Jackson Pike Novel (Book One of The Iron Triangle Series) (21 page)

10:13 AM- Tuesday, May
29
^th

The
White House- Washington, D.C.

If felt odd to be handcuffed and manhandled through the
halls of the White House. The plush décor, crown molding and wainscoting of the
Presidential mansion that surrounded him were in stark contrast to the reality
of his situation.

He'd assaulted the White House Press Secretary in front of a
worldwide audience.

Scratch that. He'd shoved the White House Press Secretary.

That would carry a charge of battery.

Jackson shook his head sadly as he tried not to collapse in
the arms of the Secret Service agents that led him down the hall. Eventually
they made it to a small anteroom where the two agents guided him to a soft leather
chair. Jackson sat down with a grunt as the men radioed the local police.

Jackson looked around the room. He felt certain that in this
same room, Presidents had likely conferred with senior political and military
leadership. In this same room, world altering decisions had been made.

Jackson wondered whether Colgan had ordered the murder of
his family from this room.

The silence of the room didn't last.

"Mr. Pike," began one of the agents, "you are
being detained for assault and battery. Do you wish to make a statement?"

The other agent shook his head, his professionalism lapsing.
"What the hell was that?"

Jackson continued to sit silently. He knew his rights, but
they would be obliged to read them to him anyway.

Two uniformed Metropolitan Police Officers appeared in the
doorway after a few seconds.

The taller of the Secret Service agents turned to the
Officers, "You two can take it from here. We've got him on assault and
battery. There'll be plenty of witnesses. It's the damndest thing. He just went
nuts. The President was about to pin a medal to his chest."

The two Police Officers nodded. It was the older of the two
that first recognized Jackson from the news. "Is that Jackson Pike?"

The lead Secret Service agent
nodded,
his face stoic.

The cop pursed his lips and blew as the other officer took
up a position to Jackson's side and pulled him to his feet.

"Mr. Pike, you have the right to remain silent."

Jackson nodded.

"You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot
afford an attorney, one will be provided to you free of charge. If you choose
to speak to us without an attorney present, anything you do and say can be held
against you in a court of law. Do you understand these rights?"

Jackson nodded again and mumbled a quiet affirmation as the
two officers escorted him down the hall to a waiting police cruiser.

Jackson chose to remain silent for the entire ride as the
vehicle cruised to the nearby precinct.

That night, Jackson couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned in his holding cell. He just couldn't
believe it. The corruption extended all the way to the President of the United
States. In a sick way, it made perfect sense.

Colgan was, after all the former CEO of Carmike Industries
and the current CEO's father. He and his family had the most to gain from an
extended conflict in the Middle East and a perpetuation of the global war on
terror.

Jackson could hear the President's voice over and over in
his mind as he tossed and turned relentlessly on the itchy gray sheets of his
holding cell's bed.

The night seemed like it would last forever. To Jackson, the
dark of night seemed to pervade his very soul.

When the sun finally rose, it illuminated more than just the
holding cell. It cast light on everything.

Jackson knew what he needed to do. He knew that there was
only one way to make things right in the world.

So, when the blue suited police officer stepped to Jackson's
cell and turned the heavy key before sliding open the
iron
gate
, Jackson stood with a purpose.

"You've been bailed out." He said.

Jackson nodded and followed the officer to the front of the
police station. He collected his belongings and walked to a pale blue Cadillac
that sat idling before the steps of the police station.

He pulled open the passenger door of the car and nodded to
Mike Jones.

"
Thanks,
Mike."

The car started to pull away from the curb and Mike merged
with the early morning Washington traffic. He turned to face Jackson.

"What the hell was all that about, Jackson? They were
about to pin a medal to your chest, and you storm off stage and shove the White
House Press Secretary into the first row of reporters? Now, don't get me wrong.
It made great TV, but I've got to say it was one of the weirdest things I've
ever seen."

Jackson nodded and picked up a pack of Camel filters from
the cup holder of Mike's recently refurbished "Sunday driver."

He lit the cigarette with shaky fingers and took a deep draw
of the smoke before speaking. "It was him."

"What the hell are you talking about, Jackson? Have you
lost your mind?"

Mike truly looked concerned as he rolled the driver's window
down.

"And since when do you smoke?"

"Mike." Jackson's voice was as cold and hard as
steel as he paused, taking another long drag from the cigarette. "It was
him. The voice on the other end of the conference call at Carmike, it was the
President."

Mike pulled the car over and set the parking brake.
"Are you saying that the President of the United States killed your family
in an effort to cover up a plot to execute a terrorist attack on the United
States?"

Jackson flicked the cigarette out of the window of the now
stationary car and turned to face Mike.

"That's right," he said deliberately, his hands
shaking as he stared through the car's passenger window at the capitol dome to
their right. "And I have to kill him."

The End

Did you enjoy
Iron Triangle: A Jackson Pike Novel?

If so, be sure to find more of
Patrick Adams’ full length works including book two of the series entitled
Capitol
Crimes:
A
Jackson Pike Novel
at fine eBook
retailers everywhere!