The caller laughed, and a shiver ran down Troy’s spine. “It’s what shedidn’tdo. There’s no place in the world for people like her or you. The savior. Fighting the wrongs perpetrated against the innocent. From where I sit, you didn’t look so innocent when you raped those women.” He ended the call.
“Damn it.” The caller managed to end the call before it could be traced.
.
Chapter 24
Gwen was growing antsy. “Dad, did Troy say anything to you?”
“No, princess, other than he’d be right back.”
Gwen felt helpless. It was after eleven, and they hadn’t left the building. She flipped on her television, aimlessly clicking through the channels. The tabloid news show,A Current Affair, came up. She was about to change the channel again when a picture of Troy hung over the shoulder of a well-coiffed reporter.
“In shocking news, a story sounding more like a work of fiction than truth removes the mystery concerning news that exploded out of Silverton, Iowa, last August involving Chase Security International, the billion-dollar company run by brothers Ian and Kieran Chase. Video, more graphic than we can show here, and confirmed as accurate, documents the harrowing ordeal and testament to survival of Troy Bremen. Troy, the forty-two-year-old assistant executive director of the San Diego branch, almost lost his life bringing down a violent pornography ring that, according to Homeland Security’s most recent analysis, brought in five hundred million dollars worldwideand was responsible for the deaths of over one hundred men, women and children, including multiple law enforcement officers here and abroad. Troy Bremen’s actions led to the arrest and conviction of 347 persons worldwide. Mr. Bremen’s work also merited the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
The report continued, identifying the article and the video links where viewers could see the clips in their entirety.Gwen let out a gut-wrenching sob. She began rocking, tears pouring down her cheeks.
“Gwen, what’s wrong?” The general looked over his daughter for injury. “Are you in pain?”
“The animals…Troy… Oh, God… it can’t be true,” she cried.
“I don’t understand,” her father answered.
Janice received an alert from Kip moments earlier. “Gwen, please don’t hurt yourself. Martin and Kip are working on it.”
“Please, Daddy, sign into your tablet.” Gwen already tried to sign into her phone to find the network down. She knew her dad’s tablet had a satellite link. As one of the generals in charge of the Army’s national training center, he had to be reachable. Gwen typed in the link the show gave as soon as her father handed her the device.
General North waved out the medical staff and sat on the bed with a protective arm around her, while Janice stood over her shoulder watching the report. Gwen shook as the story unfolded. “Daddy… why did they publish this?”
Glenn North had done tours in Kosovo, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. He’d seen his share of brutality.“I wish I could answer your question, but I can’t. Janice, would you stay with Gwen? Princess, I’ll try to find out how Troy is doing.” He kissed her forehead.
When Janice sat on the bed beside Gwen, they wrapped their arms around each other and continued to watch. Troy told Gwen what happened, but the videos were beyond her imagination. What they put him through was devastating, and they only made it a quarter of the way through the film.
The general returned with Tim Holland. Together with Janice, Tim managed to get Gwen to lie back. “Tell me he’s going to be okay,”she pleaded.
“Princess, please try to rest,” her dad said.
“Gwen, your dad is right,” Tim explained the situation. “He’s in his office. We’re working on getting inside, but he’s been answering his phone.”
“Should I try to call him?” Gwen asked plaintively.
“I don’t think that’s best for you,” Tim said.
“I need to see the rest of the video,” she demanded. “He can’t go through this himself.”
Tim blew out a harsh breath. “I’ll notify Martin—but we are watching it with you.”
* * *
Troy ranhis hand through his hair before picking up his phone and dialing.
“Hi, how are you?” Zach Wentworth asked.
“I’ve had better days,” Troy chuckled.
“I imagine. You’re aware they’re trying to override the lockdown on your office?”There was no humor in his tone.
“I figure I’ve got ten minutes, give or take. You know, you were the only one who hasn’t called.”
