THE IRON SHIELD

Chapter XI

XI

Eckhart of all the Knights was most confused. He knew the man. No one else did. The city was deserted, but Franklin was still here. Franklin stood directly in front of the tower. The weather was warm since they were on what used to be Hawaii. Franklin was dressed in s suit. He was not wearing a tie, however, despite the warm weather. The Knights stood in a line in front of the Suburban's. The distance between the Knights and Franklin was nearly two hundred feet. "What brings you here, sir?" asked Eckhart.

"I'm here for one purpose, John," said Franklin.

"What purpose is that? And why is the city abandoned?"

"Why are you here?"

"There is a threat beneath the building you are standing in front of. It is going to start in two minutes. You didn't answer my question, sir."

"You're right I did not. I know there is a threat. That is my purpose." He let the words sink in as Eckhart winced. He was taken by another surprise. The commissioner was another Nightfall operative. Just how many more could there be?

"I don't understand."

"It's quite simple really. You see, Marino was supposed to lead the cyborg attack with his band of misfits, but you stopped him. He wanted to do other things like do what a terrorist would do. Strike terror in the hearts and lives of the people in this city. He was apart of something bigger than you could have possibly imagined. When this attack happens in the next minute, this world will be plunged into another Dark Ages. The days of grand empires will come back and there will nothing you can do to stop it. I was offered a high up position if this succeeded and it will. Marino failed and I have to pick up where he left off. You in a way left a mess with your little standoff those couple weeks ago in the X9 and him in the tank. Oh, before I forget, the Monopoly killer was me. Since I told you to leave it to me, it would be easy to continue. Powell had no idea and is far from here. He isn't apart of it. I created the Monopoly killer to send you on a wild goose chase for no apparent reason. Sure, people died, but that's all that comes in being a serial killer, even though I broke some rules and didn't abide by mine when I said someone would die every hour if money was transferred into an account. That account was mine. The phone number that Palmer gave you matched. He was apart of it as you already know." The clock had stopped. The attack has started. The front doors of the IndependenceTower opened and cyborgs walked out in formation as a military army would march out. They were lined ten across and twenty behind. However they stopped after the fourth row of cyborgs. Franklin was not finished speaking. Eckhart was trying to take it all in as were the other Knights, but Eckhart was more shocked than anything. Emotion began to stir within him. His life had changed even more, but would only change more.

"Palmer and Jones entered in a business agreement with me to create and finance the cyborgs. We, being Nightfall, promised them sanctions, but Marino killed Palmer. He was a fool for doing such a thing since we had an agreement. We had other plans for him. Jones is far away also doing what he is supposed to do." Eckhart stood frozen having a difficult time taking in what he had just heard. Again, Franklin was not done talking.