Love Murder Hate (Who Knows What Else) Read online

  Love, Murder, Hate, who knows what else?

  By Rebecca Lynn Jones

  Edited by John D Jones III

  Chapter 1. Her Calling

  It had been eight years, since Jennifer Houston's training in deadly assault. She remembered the day when she had made the ultimate decision to enlist in the Marines. Some of the female cadets were insanely jealous of her height and how quickly she excelled. She had been mocked, ridiculed and even threatened by some of the cadets that were in her company.

  She had once been sent to the infirmary by a brutal beating she received at the hands of those who were supposedly called to protect America. They had been court martialed but then she was removed from the marines for illicit reports of inciting violence within her group.

  It had taken her several years of hearings and court dates before the accusations against her were proven to hold no ground. With her tough attorney they battled the rat's nest and her entrance was finally accepted on the grounds no more trouble would be created.

  The Marine platoon she was training with seemed to be assorted tough females who held to the standard they were better than she was because they were friends and could achieve more without a newbie hanging around their necks.

  That was the turning point for her career. She was set up plenty of times. She knew they were thinking she would issue more complaints to their commanding officer. Instead she squared her shoulders and took the brunt of the plans that had been made against her. When she finally did graduate she was told she was lucky, not just any woman was accepted into the Marines. Well she was not just any woman!

  Jennifer Houston was not just any woman by any means. She stood six foot.

  She used to have raven black, waist-length hair, before she shaved it off. She had sparkling, emerald green eyes. An oval face appealed to the tall slender frame, which was now packed with muscle.

  Jennifer Houston had grown up in Texas, on a ranch outside of Amarillo. She had two older brothers, twins Jake and Jed. Both were redheads like their father, while she had the olive skin, dark hair and eyes of her mother.

  No one had told her much about her mother. Her mother, who died while giving birth to her. Her father did not like to talk much about his wife unless it was in his mournful missing her. The brothers had been warned about discussing such things.

  There was no time for much. She had to help her brothers tend to the animals as well as the crops, which seemed to be most of the time since that part of Texas was so dry. Places that used to have lakes were dried up, but somehow their small lake, or more like mud hole had managed to keep water. Her brothers taught her how to hunt and how to fish from that mud hole.

  She didn't have to learn about cooking until she was in school. The amount of womanhood came from the Home EC and Four H clubs she attended. She wrestled with her brothers until she developed into her teens and grew a bosom.

  In school she had a difficult time making friends. She did not fit in with the females. She found them to be of no use to her with their baggage. In order to fit in they would all have their guidelines for her demeaning herself for them. So at an early age she refused to do what they wanted.

  She hung around the boys until they started gaining interest in girls and when she would not conform to the popular girls she was an outcast and spent a lot of her lunch times alone.

  Jennifer was on the honor roll. One day her school held a meeting in the gym. It turned out to be for the Army, Air Force, and Marines. She was fascinated with what she was being told. Her heart leaped into her throat and she just knew this was where she wanted to be!

  Her father did not refuse her decision but he did not approve it either. He went into his room for awhile. She set about getting dinner ready. She made sure it was her father's favorite. Roast, potatoes, celery, carrots, onions all cooked together in the roast pan, a salad which was out of their garden, and an angel food cake with cherries and cream poured over it.

  After dinner, her father went out to smoke his pipe and to discuss this issue with her brothers.

  Just when she thought she could bare the wait no longer, her father re-entered sat down and put his glasses on to look at her. He told her how he wished she would change her mind, how much they needed her but if her heart desired this thing he would support her. She remembered running into his arms hugging him.

  That was ten years ago! Since she was kept busy with training and fighting her way into the Marines. She would visit her family whenever she had a holiday or time to take. Everyone was the same now except both of her brothers, were married to twins and were expecting children.

  Her father still ran the ranch with Jed's help. Jake had purchased ranch land across from his father's ranch, so all seemed happy.

  Jennifer had proven herself with the Marines over and over, whether it was during deployment in the Middle East or just brushing up on training. Her team mates respected her decisions and quick response after they learned how to be her friend. Soon another branch opened up some extended training classes which she made sure she signed up for a private sector in the Special Forces. As expected she was turned down but a commander to Black Ops approached her. This was where she met Colonel Rowland. He offered her a chance of advanced training in deadly assault. A group of commanders had been called together to see if she would be willing. It was not like everyone didn't know how she excelled in challenges.

  More weaponry training. Most of the training consisted of hands on approach to defense and assault most of which she had learned in basic not to mention her specialization in linguistics.

  She got beat up more than usual, thrown around, shocked with electric, left in freezing waters for a period, asked to perform maneuvers underwater, in the air. She felt that they were just making these things up for her. She started re-thinking the agreement she made with this one Colonel Rowland in regards to all this special stuff she was learning. She also was taught in technology.

  Before long, she moved into a position of contracting through private hire companies, so when she was to work with a military team she was taken on base to a special bunker. Jennifer freelanced as well for retired Military leaders.

  These years had not been particularly a good time for investments. The president was making promises he could not keep, was doing things that were unconstitutional. Colonel Rowland made sure to

  keep her occupied, long after she had graduated the deadly assault classes.

  Now that they were facing January in eight months, things were beginning to become hectic, whether it was from civilian panic and burglaries, to Wall-street dropping, to droughts hitting, more increased storms. It was not turning into a good end for the year.

  Then June 30th the incident that changed their lives hit when

  a rogue group of Chinese extremists struck! They made some bio-chemical warfare bombs and let them off. With everyone's eyes on Iran, Turkey, and Russia, no one was looking for any other type of terrorist!

  Jennifer woke with a start to the sound of banging on her quarters.

  Rushing to the door, she saluted Colonel Rowland.

  “Sir!”

  “At ease! I need you to follow me. We are going to headquarters. You have five minutes to be dressed and meeting me outside at the jeep! We are in threatcon delta status.”

  Jennifer rushed into her fatigues and ran outside. As soon as she did she had to stop and catch her breath. Convoys were being deployed. Different groups were swarming the premises, being separated and lined up. Whatever had happened, it appeared to be pretty serious!

  Jennifer located Colonel Rowland. He ushered her into their waiting vehicle and their squad took off.

  Chapter 2.
Bombing America

  National Headquarters had officers swarming into it. She had to show her ID Card at least half a dozen times. They were finally ushered into a large oval room with a huge oval table. Around it sat several important dignitaries.

  She was situated to the right of Colonel Rowland. Everyone before long was seated and Head of State stood clicking on the huge display screen.

  Images filled the screen. Images of people running, screaming, bodies lying on the ground, blood streaming out of people's ears. Huge, round orbs embedded into pavement, or dirt, or wherever the things landed.

  Chaos filled the air! The Head of State, Jensen paused the display screen.

  “At O Five Hundred this morning, these orbs were reported of having been seen and heard in eight states! Shrill hissing, then once the big orbs landed smaller ones shoot out of it until those states, all their cities were filled with them. There is a rogue, Chinese extremists group that is taking credit for this.!”

  Jenkins hit the play button and eight screens were filled with different news reporters. Jenkins zeroed in on a Japanese reporter,who was working for a local station .

  “My name is Aika Hayashi. At six this morning, central standard time, it was reported to us that objects were seen falling from the sky. Within minutes of it they crashed, while smaller round objects shot up into the sky landing anywhere from ten miles to a hundred mile radius or more. A shrill tone, then was said to have been heard going off. Anyone, who was outside, found themselves under direct attack but it is known the pitch was able to go through the buildings as well. Many were killed by flying debris, and the ones who were not hit by flying debris, had their ear drums ruptured from the pitch. This is reported to have happened in eight states. The states are Washington, Ohio, California, Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky. The damage is incredible and as it is military has been called in with the likeness of declaring martial law until things get straightened out. We have received a videotape we are about to play for you by a person from a terrorist cell taking responsibility.”

  A blacked out figure began talking.”Hello America. If you are wondering why these attacks happened the way they did, you could say we are calling in your debt to us. Some of the nations have been buying your debt but now we have grown tired of this ploy and have decided to call in the payment. We have started with the eight worst indebted states right now. We do not intend to stop, and we plan to have more bombings in a couple of more months. If you try to receive aid from any of the other nations we will call their debt in too and believe me they know this. No one will be standing with you. No one will want to. We are not just a few, we are everywhere, different nations, different countries. It will not be easy to get rid of us. My group calls ourselves the “Yang” group. I will say there is a” Yin” somewhere out there. We are going to be nice and give you a couple of months before the next bomb, because after that it will occur until every state in the United States is covered!”

  The tape cut out and immediately the newscaster went back on.

  “What can be done about this threat? How are the American people going to respond to this? Are we able to defend our own country with all our troops thinned out from the war in Turkey right now? This is Aika Hayashi reporting saying Wake Up America we need a plan!”

  Jensen clicked the screen off and at once the room was filled with much chaotic atmosphere!

  Jensen cleared his throat,” We do have important updates. We have located several of the Yang's team. It is true they are in different areas and have infiltrated a lot of different businesses so they can work out of their employer's shops. Most have been found to be family. Large families, that have their children spread out in different businesses as well. We do have some undercover agents reporting from the perimeters. They take pictures and gather information for us. We just need some highly trained officials to be selected and to start taking these terrorists out either through death or capture. They will have to be highly skilled and trained as assassins. I know we have certain groups trained for that, I believe so right Colonel Rowland!”

  Rowland quickly stood up saluting,”Sir, yes sir. We have some of the world's most professionally trained people. I know you can count on me and my team to get the bottom of this!”

  “Very good Rowland. I want you to choose eight people, have them debriefed by morning. I will check in at thirteen hundred to hear your selection. Your group is now dismissed. I will debrief the rest of you after this break. Be back here in ten minutes.”

  Rowland frowned considering this recent hiatus. He had found himself repeating the states that had been hit. He was sure somehow they could find a pattern of attack but he needed to appoint Jennifer to a team right away. She would be his first to be sent out to meet up with the other team member he had in mind.

  Sighing, he realized the vacation he had planned with his wife would have to wait. Priorities were priorities!

  Chapter 3. Unpleasant Dining

  “So what do you think about this mess?” Rowland asked Jennifer, once their squad was seated around a table in a local dinner.

  “Munching on her fries, Jennifer offered, “I don't know what to think. I mean we have been keeping our eyes on Iran and Turkey for so long now that we clearly were not on ourselves. That scares me. It had to have taken these groups some time to buy some of these companies out, how come we never noticed anything strange going on. It bothers me that they have threatened us with another bomb in a couple of months of God knows where!”

  “My thoughts exactly!” Rowland exclaimed downing his cola.

  “Who are you going to pick?” Anton Kelson, a fresh recruit wanted to know. He was an average height guy with nothing but fortitude and determination under his belt.

  Rowland brushed his mouth with his napkin,” Well I know one thing for sure, it cannot be you son. You just got here!”

  “We are entitled to know Colonel!” Two other junior officers piped up.

  “I am thinking the ones, who have seniority because that is a heck of a lot of training under their belt.”

  “We all know who that is going to be!” The three officer chimed in. They glanced at Jennifer in disgust.

  Jennifer swallowing a bite of burger too quick,started to choke,wound up slamming her soda to get the coughing to quit. She studied the Colonel revisiting the missions he had assigned her to in the past, working for him now would prove interesting, since she was required to live on base until further noted.

  Rowland was a five foot seven, older, gruff man. He had a hardened face scarred from the tip of his left ear to the corner of his left chin from a surgery that resulted from an enemy's grenade going off to close nearby. A cleft chin sported a small goatee. His eyes were blue, he sported a textbook marine haircut of salt and pepper. His fatigues seemed to bring out the essence of brutality within the man. He had taken part in many dangerous missions. Desert Storm was just the tip of the iceberg. In spite of his being older, there were times one could not tell, especially during the training sessions; what a person went through working with Rowland.

  Around them, people were whispering in the different booths, trying hard not to stare at their group dressed in uniforms. All were probably wondering if they would be safe or what the government was going to do to stop the terrorist. The waiters and waitresses bustled about making sure orders were right. The diner was in the shape of a caboose, and had become really popular.

  “They said you had to pick eight people but you only have seven trained. Are you going?” Jennifer questioned.

  “Probably as long as I am needed.”

  “Are you sending you know who..?” Kelson asked.

  Everyone knew “ who you know who was”especially Jennifer, who was tired of Kelson trying to make her out to be a special pet of Rowlands.

  Rowland had noticed Jennifer seemed uncomfortable around certain ethnic groups. Shimizu the private hire he had already sent in was more than willing. He wanted to infiltrate these groups de
sperately, to clear the air for his family, who had been of Japanese descent.

  Officer Shimizu was an excellent recruit. He was intelligent, quick thinking, could make ways of escape where there seemed to be none, weapons out of things one would normally not think about. He was good with detail and hand to hand combat was a cinch. He was usually quiet and kept to himself unless one engaged him. His level of intelligence wowed Rowland at times.

  Rowland knew he should probably make mention of this officer because he knew Jennifer and Shimizu would eventually meet. Rowland also understood it would be better not to because there would come a time when they got thrown together, they would have no choice but to save each other. Every pair eventually had to get along. Rowland started forming a plan in his mind, and began to smile to himself causing Jennifer to send him a troubled look.

  “Are you Colonel Rowland?” Their young, blond waitress questioned.

  “Yes.”

  “You have a phone call.”

  While Rowland took his call, the rest of the recruits began talking together. Jennifer found herself once again the odd duck out. Rowland came back ten minutes later with a stormy look on his face. All the chit chat quit, and everyone gathered their things to leave. Jennifer wondered if she should ask about the subject of the phone call but felt it would be better not to.

  It was not until they reached base and the cadets had their bags unloaded that Rowland grabbed Jennifer to take her aside for some private information.

  “Houston just between the two of us the call I received was no good. The one officer I sent out managed to infiltrate the tight knit group in Los Angeles.”

  “The one using the Cardington bank?”

  “Yes. As this officer was rounding up the terrorist cell in the group, several had used their own children as hostages against the officer and wound up getting shot and killed in the mix of gunfire. So we have innocent young children dead!”