Chapter 15 ~ Receptionist Voices
Adrianna’s POV ~
Anderson seems happier. More settled. Amelia was still being Amelia. She was always angry.. bitter. Allison wasn’t improving..which only fueled Amelia’s fire.
Mom and Uncle Caleb had forgiven Grandpa.. and they are building a familial bond.. for the first time in a quarter century.
Blake and I are sparring.. Erik pointing out what we’re doing wrong.. which is amusing. He knows I can kick his ass.. but I let him think he’s being helpful.. men’s egos are fragile.
Evander comes in with Avery.. his first word was Momma.. and now he says it.. over and over in a chant. He says “Momma” and Evander tells him “Say DaDa!” I giggle and take my little monster.. to jump on the trampoline with him.
Evander lowly says “We have had word of a massive movement.. military personnel.. equipment and weapons. The moved out of Washington.. heading west. Dad is monitoring everything.. and we will have to make a decision soon. Whether we will attack before they set up bivouacs.. or let them get situated, to see if there will be negotiations.”
Grimacing, I ask “This has never been about Pogue’s fear of us. He is obsessed.. Oh! Take the baby! I need Blake and Adrian! Something just occurred to me. I have to take a look at Dr, Tomlin’s files again.”
He was running after me “What, baby? Talk to me. What did you remember?” Shaking my head “I overheard something when I was in captivity. At least, I believe I did. I’m not sure if it’s a latent memory… That’s why I need to reread Tomlin’s files.”
He nodded like he understood that word vomit I just spewed.. I love that man! Blake and Adrian met me in the conference room.. and I told them what I think I remembered.. we immediately started searching. Thank Goddess Adrian had transferred all the information we had confiscated onto our computers.
Into our second hour, Blake said “Holy Fuck me, Chuck! You’re right, Luna! Tomlin wasn’t just experimenting on supernaturals.. he was under presidential orders to do the same to human military personnel. They were trying to alter human DNA to give them our gifts and powers. He murdered over a thousand humans in his efforts.”
Adrian said “Every time Tomlin submitted his failed attempts.. he was ordered to try again. He reported solely to Pogue.. working directly with him.. Tomlin injected a species DNA into the soldiers bloodstream.. if he was lucky enough to survive.. another species was introduced.. none of them ever survived a second injection.”
I remembered “I had been out of it.. several days.. It was after the elves DNA.. that was a rough one.. so I faded in and out. I remember hearing Tomlin speaking with another man outside my cell. He was telling this guy he didn’t know how I was still alive. I was the only test subject to make it that far.”
I took a deep breath.. trying to recall what I had heard.. when my beautiful Sadie fed the memories to the forefront of my brain. I took a deep breath “The man Tomlin was talking to told him since I was stronger than the rest.. only use my DNA to inject the human subjects. That man was Pogue!”
Blake said “Here.. a list of all the test subjects. When they were injected.. what their symptoms were.. when they died.. we need to get this to Draco and Evander.”
I linked Evander to bring his dad and meet with us. Adrian was printing the information.. so we would have hard copies.
When Dad and Evander arrived and sat down.. I began telling them what Pogue had done. Dad said “We need to know what those families were told about their sons.. husbands.. brothers. Where are they? Did they bury them? Were autopsies done? Death certificates? Keep digging, Adrian. We are going to set up a press conference for two hours. I need enough ammunition to shoot Pogue down.. without ever going into battle.”
Evander said “Blake, set up several watts lines. The families of these men are going to be calling.. they will want closure. Hopefully, we can provide that.”
As soon as the press conference was set up, Blake hacking into the networks.. Draco’s face filled the screen.. “I come to you today.. with sad, but eye opening news. My daughter in law has been recovering lost memories of her time in captivity innthe human laboratory.
Her latest memory revealed that not only were supernaturals being experimented on… but human military personnel were, as well. We have found.. among the data we have confiscated from the research facilities.. that over a thousand men and women.. serving in the military over the past eight years.. were murdered. By injecting supernatural DNA into their bloodstream.. Dr. Tomlin killed your human servicemen and women.. under the direct supervision of your own human president Pogue. Across the bottom of the screen, you will see three separate phone numbers.. we have listed the names of the people lost on our website. We would love if the families of the fallen could contact us. We would love to hear your stories.. There is also a questionnaire we would appreciate you filling out. Again, as always.. I appreciate your taking the time to listen to me.”
I grinned “Man the phones boys.. I am going to monitor the website for completed questionnaires. Adrian, where are we on death certificates?”
He shook his head.. “I am tracking down what bases these people were from.. their Commanding Officers have a lot to answer for, as well. No death certificates are popping up..”
I responded “That makes no sense. They would have had to provide proof of death to their families. Did they falsify a death certificate and not file it.. They couldn’t have permitted an autopsy.. their secrets would have been revealed. So, the results of an autopsy would have to be falsified, as well.”
Evander said “That makes sense.. if we can prove this.. we stand a good chance of public opinion changing.. humans will turn on Pogue. We may not have to kill any more humans.. even though, trusting them will be difficult, in the future.”
Mom said “I will build a case against the president.. demanding immediate impeachment. Congress has been relatively silent during this entire fiasco. I think they have a lot to answer for, as well!”
I replied “Ready lawsuits against the entire Pogue administration. All the joint chiefs.. his cabinet.. the director of the CIA. If we flood the courts.. action will have to be taken. A war fought on paper is no less a war.. just fewer casualties!”
The phones started ringing and I grinned “Use your best secretarial skills, fellas! Receptionist voices!”