The Traitor On Halifax

Chapter Twelve

John starts waking up in the woods, with his friend Alex by his side, and finds that his neck hurts. John puts his hand on his neck to rub away some of the pain. While he does so he feels a bandage and sees a device in little pieces in between him and Alex. 'The tracker' he remembers. He takes a deep breath satisfied that he could breathe again and relieved that Alex had remembered such a small, yet important, detail. He looks at Alex who is playing with his computer and working on some of his equipment nearby. Since it is night, Alex has a fire going to keep John warm and provide light.

Alex turns and sees that John is awake, "JOHN! Thank goodness you're alive! You scared me! I thought you were dead but then you started breathing again and I thought about taking you to Dr. O'Hare but he had said not to come back and if I did he would have turned us in. Don't worry about anything! I got the tracker off of you and no one knows where we are. Right now, I am trying to figure out why my shocker didn't knock out that wolf or the panther and I'm trying to figure out a way we can catch them and – why are you making that face? What's wrong? Is there something scary behind me?!?!"

John's face is cringing in anxious concern as he leans up and states to Alex, "I am not getting near that wolf again, Alex."

Alex looks at John with an empathetic and curious face. "You've met that wolf before? Where? Is he an old bully from middle school or high school? He did look scary, I don't blame you for being scared and he had that big scar on his eye, bless his heart, I wonder where that came from. How do you know him? Why did he want to kill you?"

John sighs, "Well, I met him at boot camp. One day I was walking through the cafeteria and I tripped.... In an effort to catch myself I accidently clawed his eye out as I fell down....I didn't mean to. It was an accident... but it really hurt him, and he tried to kill me right then. He didn't get to finish me off because the general stopped him and we both got sent to the doctor.....I volunteered another year because he threatened to kill me when I got out."

"Wow John. That's terrible. I had no idea. I feel awful for you and him both and I bet you still feel bad about hurting him. Why were you in boot camp in the first place? What is the wolf's name?"

"Petty theft and his name is Cody."

"What did you steal? Wait, petty theft means stuff like wallets and keychains and stuff, right? Is that how you were able to sneak in the deflector shield at the prison? Your magic hands!"

"Yes."

"Huh. Well, ya know that if you need anything you can just ask me for it now and I'll give it to you! Anything at all! I won't let you go hungry or cold! You know that, right? And John, I'll keep making things that can keep you safe and help you protect other people too! We're not just doing this for ourselves ya know. We need to stop the imposter from killing anymore people because it's the right thing to do! John, you may act like you don't care but I know you have a caring heart in there somewhere! We'll get through this!"

"Yeah... (sigh)... Alex, follow me." John gets up and starts walking.

"Okay. Why? Where are we going? Will we catch that big bad wolf, Cody?"

"We are going to the safest place I know."

"Okay, I'm coming! I like safe places! Will we be welcome there? Don't leave me. I just gotta cover this ship real quick so it doesn't get stolen or lead someone to us!" Alex responds. He covers the ship quickly to hide it and goes to follow John.

The place John felt safest was not his home where he grew up, it was not in the dorm room at the college, and it was not at Alex parents house. John felt safest at the boot camp because of the general and that is exactly where he went. The conversation they had earlier reminded him of how he had stayed because he was protected from Cody. It was still dark when he got onto the premises, he knocked on General Pepper's door with Alex behind him. John could hear a drawer open and close before he heard a voice sternly say,

"Come in."

John slowly turns the doorknob and opens the door. When he is inside, he sees the general putting away a gun.

"It's just you." General Pepper says. "Who is that behind you?"

John responds, "My friend, Alex...I met him at college." John has taken a stiff 'at ease' stance at this point out of respect for the general.

Alex then reaches out his hand to greet the general, "Nice to meet- "

But the general interrupts him. "Don't speak to me unless you are spoken to, young man."

Alex refrains with his feelings mildly hurt and says, "Yes sir."

The general turns to John and asks him, "You're wanted on all the news for murder...what happened?"

John responds, "I found out something somebody didn't want me to know."

"Someone high up within the government?"

John looks at the general with amazement, "Yes... how did you know?"

The general holds up some of the papers on his desk, "I've been studying this for awhile and keeping up with it on the news...You are not the only one who has been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but at least you lived. What I have gathered so far is that this imposter is trying to completely control our government like a dictator, and I think I know who it is."

John looks at the general with wide, concerned, green eyes. General Pepper gets up and checks all the windows to make sure no one is watching before he sits back down.

"I think it is the representative of Isla Peligrosa from across the sea. Rue Kang."

"Why do you think it is him, sir?"

"Because throughout the years he has been trying to get laws put in place to 'be prepared for an invasion from another government' but I think that is just a cover so he can get power."

John tilts his head slightly to think and says, "He is not very successful if that is what he is trying to accomplish."

The general replies, "Well, I think it is worth checking out. Now, dismissed." The general salutes him and turns back to his papers to continue research but then notices that John is not leaving. "What is it, John?"

John responds, "I'm here because I don't feel safe..."

The general sighs. He gets up and goes to stand in front of John.

"It's Cody, isn't it?" John nods. "John, you were able to escape from Cody because of Alex, correct?" John nods. "John, you are safe as long you have your friend Alex with you. You have each other's backs. Now..." General Pepper salutes him once again, "Dismissed. And if you need my help, let me know." The general then turns to sit back down at his desk and keep working.