Milwaukee Deep
Chapter 8

“Who the hell’s David Reese Ganton, Mr Secretary?” asked Perks as he slowly rubbed his chin.

Willow didn’t respond. He kept his head down.

“And what the hell is Milwaukee Deep?”

Willow kept silent.

“You know he wanted us to replace out, don’t you? I heard exactly what he said…he’s been planning this. You can’t cover this up any longer.”

Willow turned to face Perks.

“For your own sake, Agent Perks, I’d keep quiet.”

“What is it that Ganton knows? What have you done?”

There was a knock at the door …

“Finally,” Willow stood up, “You - answer the door,” he said, pointing his gun at Myles. “Ask first.”

Myles walked over to the door.

“Who is it?” he asked

“It’s Tom Harding,” was the reply from the other side.

“Unlock the door,” the Secretary ordered, “slowly.”

Harding made his way into the hotel room followed by two other men dressed in dark suits.

“Sir,” Harding approached Willow, “this is special agent Michael Karidis and Phillip Cooper - they’ve been briefed on the situation.”

“Good.”

Harding acknowledged the Secret Service Agent who sat quietly on the leather sofa in the back corner of the room with a nod. The Agent responded in kind.

“Have you met Agent Keenan, Agent Harding?” asked Willow.

“No I haven’t, Sir.”

“Tim, can you leave us?” ordered Willow as he turned to the Secret Service Agent.

Keenan got up and made his way to the door. Without a word, he opened it and stepped outside.

“What the fuck is going on?” Perks finally spoke up, “And who the hell are you?”

Harding walked across the room and stood by the Secretary of Defence.

“That’s not important,” he replied looking at Perks then turned to Willow, “Sir, do you have a moment.”

Willow stood up and followed Harding towards the suite’s other dining room - Perks and Myles sat there in silence and watched as the two men disappeared down the hallway.

Once they were alone, Harding asked the question.

“Okay what’s going on, Mr Secretary?”

“We’re in a bit of a jam, Tom,” replied Willow, “I got a phone call from the man who has my daughter.”

The Secretary took a moment. He looked at Harding and drew in a deep breath.

“Tom, I sent him away,” he remarked.

“Away?”

Willow instinctively looked around, ensuring no one could hear their conversation.

“Will this stay between you and me?” he asked

“Certainly, Sir,” replied Harding.

“I authorised his shipment to Milwaukee Deep.”

“You did what?”

“I know I shouldn’t have – he left me no choice.”

“Hold on,” Tom stepped back, “you’re telling me we’ve got two that have escaped?”

“I am afraid so,” Willow moved in closer to Harding, “Tom, please you have to help me. One, he has my daughter and two, if this ever got out – well I don’t want to think what will happen to me.”

Harding took a moment. He scratched the back on his neck harder than he intended and it burned.

“Okay, let’s just calm down and walk this through. First thing’s first, what’s with the two FBI agents – what happened in here?” he asked.

“They heard everything,” replied Willow, “Ganton wanted me to disclose the truth about Milwaukee Deep. He planned this from the beginning – to kidnap my daughter and use her against me. Who knows who else he wanted me to tell or worse yet, who has he already told.”

Harding looked at the Secretary of Defence and then turned back down the hallway to catch a glimpse of the two captive FBI agents.

“Okay, first thing let’s separate these two. That will give me some time to figure out our next step, besides keeping them together doesn’t give us any bargaining power. I’ll take the talkative one down to another secured location, while the other stays here with my guys keeping watch.”

“Okay, that sound’s good, what then?” asked Willow

“Well my priority right now, Mr Secretary, is to ensure the safety of this nation – that is to ensure the first known escapee has been dealt with – my guys are on it as we speak. Once I have confirmation that the issue has been dealt with, we can then focus our attention on your issue.”

“And my daughter?”

“We’ll replace her, Mr Secretary, but right now, we have to eliminate the threat. While I’m gone see what you can replace out about the man who has your daughter – anything that can help me.”

“Certainly.”

Harding turned and made his way back down the hallway where the others were sitting.

“You,” Harding pointed at Perks, “get up, you’re coming with me.”

“Me? Where are you taking me?” Perks asked.

“No questions, just get up,” Harding turned to Karidis, “Keep this one here until you hear from me, understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Perks said in a stern voice.

Harding turned his attention back to Agent Perks.

“Well, we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?”

David Reese Ganton stood silent outside Riley’s Gym, on the corner of Gleason and Virginia Avenue in the Bronx. He looked about and made sure he was alone. The streets were quiet – no one in sight as the hour ticked well into the early morning.

Ganton walked up to the gym entrance and again looked about. He pulled his sleeve over his hand and punched the glass window left of the front door. He put his hand through and fumbled around and unlocked it. Again he checked to see if he was being watched.

The door clicked open. Before Ganton entered he bent down and grabbed a piece of broken glass.

With the glass in his hand he made his way inside.

Within minutes Ganton was through the complex and stood in front of the gym’s indoor pool. He stared silently at the water - it was beautiful. With the lights from underneath illuminating the bright and clear blue water, a moment of calm embraced him. Slowly he walked towards the edge of the pool. He took a deep breath and raised his arm out in front. With his other hand he sliced his forearm with the broken glass.

Ganton grimaced as he ran the glass over his skin. He watched as the blood began to drip into the clear blue water below.

Five drops of blood were all that was needed.

“Let’s see if this gets your attention, Willow,” he whispered, “Let’s see if you can cover this one up.”

Sam lay in bed with his eyes shut as he tried to avoid the light streaming in through the en suite door.

“Are you going to close that door?” he asked his wife, “I’m trying to get to sleep.”

“You’re not waiting for me?” Helen asked

“Honey, I’m so tired. I’ve been to Florida and back in a day – it’s taken its toll.”

Helen walked out of the bathroom and over to her husband.

“Sorry, sweetie, sleep tight,” and she bent down and kissed Sam goodnight.

“Goodnight.”

As Sam rolled over, about to finally get some sleep, the phone rang.

“For God’s sake!”

He picked it up…

“Hello?”

There was silence.

“Hello?”

Still nothing.

Sam was about to reach over and hang up, when….

“They killed her.”

“What?”

“They walked in and they killed her.”

Sam said nothing but his breathing became more laboured.

“She’s dead – I waited eighteen years to see her and now she’s dead.”

“Michael!”

Sam was now sitting up on the edge of the bed. Helen walked into the bedroom, but he didn’t notice.

“What happened? Where are you?”

Again, another stretch of silence.

“Michael?”

“Help me, Sam, please, I’m hurt.”

“Where are you?”

“You’re the only one I can trust.”

“Of course you can, now where are you?”

There was a pause.

“I’ll be under the Brooklyn Bridge at the Anchorage…one hour.”

Sam held the phone to his ear, the dial tone now the only thing he could hear.