A Year to Forget (The Accidental Time Travellers Book 2) (28 page)

Jacob was in hysterics.  “You fool.  Put that away and let us talk.”

Faraday did as he was asked, hoping that Jacob wasn’t too angry.

“That’s better and just a word of warning, if you ever try to pull anything like that on me it will be the last thing you ever do.”

Faraday nodded his understanding, he didn’t feel quite so invincible now.

“So what did our mighty leader tell you was happening here?”

“Nothing.”

“He told you nothing?”  Jacob struggled to hide his surprise.

“That’s right.”

Jacob didn’t laugh this time, he looked incredibly irritated.  “We are here staging a coup.”

“I established that.”

“How incredibly perceptive of you, what you may not have fathomed is that it is intended to fail.”

“So what is the plan?”

“Well these Cuban’s are trying to create panic amongst the population.  They are spreading the word that the second coming of Christ in imminent.  On Sunday 2
nd
March, Howard Hughes has arranged for a submarine to appear of the Cuban coast, it will fire rockets into the air that are designed to warn the Cuban population that Christ has indeed returned.  The plan is that the Cubans will rise up and try to overthrow Castro.”

“So where do you intend to fail?”  Faraday asked, genuinely confused.

Jacob couldn’t help but laugh.  “There will never be enough Cuban’s that will actually rise up against Castro.  The submarine will have a US insignia, which will undoubtedly be noticed by the Cubans and that will incite the Soviets to threaten a war with the US.”

“Okay.”  Faraday replied.

“Kennedy will of course deny all knowledge of the events in Cuba, but when Castro shows the world the American soldier captured he will be forced to admit that he authorized the uprising.  He will of course do whatever he can to avoid proceeding to a nuclear war, and will probably be forced to make some very public concessions to the Soviets.”

“You are insane.  Why risk so many lives?”

“Because he does not deserve to be remembered fondly as his brother is, the people will know that he is a poor leader.”

“Who is the American soldier?”  Faraday asked, hoping he didn’t already know the answer.

Jacob laughed again.  “Your blonde friend.”

“No!  I won’t allow you to do that.”

“You won’t allow me?”

“I mean it Jacob, you will not turn him over to Castro!”

“And how is it you intend to stop me?”

Faraday went to grab is gun once again but Jacob grabbed his hand before he could and then elbowed him in the nose, successfully disarming him.  “I warned you already not to do that.”

Faraday had no response, he knew he was way out of his depth.

“Get this straight kid.  You are only here because Abaddon needed your help with Hoover, he is allowing you to live because he gave you his word that he will send you home.  But understand this, you are of no value to us anymore.  You have already taken care of Hoover, if I shoot you right now, it will essentially make no difference to our plan.  If you try to stop me, I will kill you.”

Faraday could feel his legs were about to give way.  What had he gotten himself into?

“Carlos!”  Jacob screamed.

One of the Cubans entered the room, he too had a gun. 

“Take Mr Faraday to his room.”

Carlos nodded and pressed the gun into Faraday’s back.  He was led through the same metal door that Chase had been led through.  He entered an even dingier room than the room before.  The guard that had led Chase away was standing in the room, whilst Chase was sitting on a mattress on the floor. 

Faraday was pushed into the room and both guards left, before locking the door.

He looked down at Chase and saw how terrified he was.

“Are you okay?” 

“What are we going to do?”  Chase asked.

“I have no idea.”  Faraday admitted.

“What did he say to you?”

“He is going to hand us over to Castro, and blame the uprising on the US.”

“We will be executed!”  Chase screamed.

“What have I done?”  Faraday muttered.

“What?” 

“I just can’t believe this has turned out this was Chase, I’m sorry.”

Chase didn’t reply, he just stared at the wall, looking dejected.

“Our only hope is Bobby.”

“What can he do?”  Chase asked.

“I have absolutely no idea.”  Faraday conceded. 

Both men were silent as the room was filled by the sound of the song “It’s a small world.”

Chapter 68

Bobby awoke and felt as though he had only been asleep for a few minutes, he glanced at the clock and saw that it had been three hours.  It was 08:00 on Friday 28
th
of February, he had been up half the night trying to track down Will and Mengele.  He had eventually decided he could do no more at 04:00, and decided to get home to bed.

They had managed to track down a man they believed was Mengele, but there wasn’t much he could tell them.  He had been burnt to a crisp and dumped in Greenbrier State Park in Maryland, roughly an hour away from where Will had taken him.  The autopsy was being carried out, when Bobby had eventually decided he could do no more.

He knew that today would essentially be a washout with it being J Edgar Hoover’s funeral, he hoped that perhaps Faraday or Chase might get in touch, but he doubted that would be the case.  He forced himself to rise from the bed and struggled to his feet, his hip was in agonizing pain.  It always seemed to play up whenever he was under pressure.  He thought back to John Wilkes Booth for a moment, he really hoped that he had suffered in the moments before he died. 

He struggled from his bed to his wardrobe and put on his red dressing gown.  Using his cane he hobbled from the room to the staircase.  He took a moment to compose himself before embarking on the stairs, he wasn’t sure he could make the bottom.  He began the descent slowly, he could hear the radio playing in the kitchen.  David must be up, he hadn’t spent time with David since the day of the car bombing.  They had once been so close, and now they were like ships in the night.

When Bobby eventually reached the kitchen, David was sat at the breakfast bar, already dressed in his black suit drinking a coffee and eating toast.

“Good morning David.”

David almost jumped in his surprise.  “Been a while Bobby.”  He almost smiled, but didn’t.

Bobby wandered past David into the kitchen and poured himself a coffee, he took a seat on the other side of the breakfast bar from David and lit a cigarette.  The two men were sat in silence as Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles played on the radio.

“So how have you been?”  Bobby eventually asked, before taking a draw of his cigarette.

David looked at Bobby and lit a cigarette of his own.  “Busy, how about you?”

Bobby took another draw and then a sip of his coffee.  “Much the same.”

“How is everything at the FBI?” 

“It’s a mess David.”  The telephone ring made both men jump.  Bobby lifted the receiver.

“Hello.”

“Bobby what a first day you had!”  Kennedy said enthusiastically.

“How do you mean?”  Bobby asked, genuinely puzzled.

“The Washington Post article!”

Bobby had completely forgotten about that.  “How is it?”

“It’s great Bobby, she has retracted everything!  She has even announced that Jacob Cohen is in Cuba and there is a picture of him on the front page.  Castro will see it, the Soviets will see it!  If he does anything else in an attempt to wage a war, then we have him nailed already.  I am planning on calling the Chairman this evening to ensure he understands what has been going on.”

“Excellent.”  Bobby said, genuinely delighted.  David looked at him is surprise.

“I’ve spoken with Teddy, he told me about Mengele.”

“So it was him?”  Bobby asked deliberately leaving out the name, he didn’t want David to know anything.

“Dental records have confirmed it.  I know he was a lead Bobby but we can live without him, we know Cohen is in Cuba.  I doubt Mengele knew much more and the world is a better place with him dead.”

“So you’re not angry?”

“Bobby I’m ecstatic, you have already achieved more in one day than Hoover has achieved since December.  If Chase and Faraday have some luck, hopefully we will be aware of their plans.”

“There is one thing that doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Oh?”  Kennedy asked, the nervousness clear in his voice.

“Sarah Salmond told me that it was Jacob Cohen that informed her of the Soviet attack on the ship.  How could he have known that if Howard Hughes was not involved?”

“Bobby the simple fact of the matter is that we don’t know who is funding him.  Howard Hughes would not sail out on a ship that he knew in advance was going to be torpedoed.  The same applies to David.”

“How could he know then?  Unless it was Abaddon?”

“Abaddon and Howard are both doing their best for the country they are no longer suspects in my eyes.”

“Well who could it be then?”

“I have spoken with Richard Nixon and I’m fairly sure it wasn’t him.  I had thought perhaps it was some of our Federal Reserve bankers.”

“I can’t see that being the case.”

“Why not?”

“If they wanted to prove their point they would have delivered the message by now, or quite simply they would have killed you.  They could have blackmailed you already.  Is there any chance that it could be Onassis?”

“No, I have spoken to Jackie recently and she told me that she had never told anyone outside of the family about Rosemary.  He would have no need to do any of this, we may not get on but what does he gain in having me removed from power?”

“I don’t think it is very likely either.”

“We are making progress Bobby.  I shall see you at the funeral.”

As Bobby replaced the receiver he took a sip from his coffee, David looked incredibly awkward on the other side of the breakfast bar.

“Have you heard anything from Faraday?”  David asked.

Bobby shook his head.  He felt incredibly uncomfortable in David’s company, it was so strange that a nine year friendship had turned into a mutual distrust and awkward silences.  Bobby swallowed the final mouthful of coffee and struggled to his feet once again, he hobbled from the kitchen and then slowly up the stairs to his bedroom.  It was time to prepare for the funeral. 

Chapter 69

Will watched as the doctor exited the main entrance of Cape Cod hospital, it was 15:00.  Sindey Gottlieb did not so much as glance towards the Lincoln.  He had just finished after a gruelling double shift and he was eager to get to his car.  The Lincoln slowly approached Gottlieb from behind, he stepped out of the way and watched as the car came to a halt and the driver’s window opened.

“Dr Gottleib, do you have a minute?”  Will asked pleasantly.

Gottlieb looked at the man for a moment before responding.  “Have we met?”

“Yes I came to see you with my colleague Mr Faraday.”

Gottlieb nodded his understanding.  “Of course, would you like to come up to my office?”

“If you just want to hop in the car, I’ll only be a minute.”

Gottlieb again nodded.  He walked to the passenger door and sat down beside Will.

“What would you like to discuss?”

Will did not reply to the question, instead he grabbed Gottlieb’s head and smashed it hard into the dashboard.  Gottlieb let out a screech of pain before he lost consciousness.

Will drove the short distance to Nickerson State Park and headed deep into the pine forest.  Gottlieb was beginning to stir and Will decided they were in deep enough.  Once he had stopped the car he looked at Gottlieb, as he swayed in his attempts to come round.

“Gottlieb!”  Will yelled.

Sindey’s eyes opened almost dozily, it took him a few seconds to realise what was going on.  He looked at Will, the fear apparent on his face.  “Why did you hit me?  Where are we?”  He asked frantically.

“We are here Sidney because I am going to kill you.”  Will replied coldly.

Sindey looked horrified.  “Why?  I’ve never done anything to you!”