Mister Nobody

Chapter 28

Jack followed the road to where he'd said that the meeting place should be, the helicopter still tracking him. He knew it would be troublesome, but he had no other choice. Seeing the sign, he turned off towards Ronald Regan National Airport, and drove the car straight through the chainlink fence. The chopper stayed back in order to stay out of the airspace, and Jack parked the car underneath some nearby trees. Panting, he could feel himself bleeding from somewhere, but he knew that he was out of time. Making his way towards a small white hangar, he opened the back door and walked inside. Parked inside was a small light aircraft and an ambulance. Alison had managed to commandeer one at a nearby hospital and dropped in once Jack had made the shot. In the back of the ambulance was Denholm and Alison, who looked up as he came in. "You made it, nice work." Sighing, Jack nodded, then looked to Denholm. "Sorry for shooting you, Mr. Secretary." Denholm's eyes widened. "That was you? What the hell is this?" Alison looked back down at him as he was strapped to the table. "Mr. Secretary, we believe that someone within the highest ranks of the US government is planning to kill you. This was the only way we could ensure we could get you alone." Denholm stared at them. "Are you insane! You shot me!" Jack sighed. "With all due respect, sir, if we wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already." Denholm went silent as Alison continued. "Sir, I used to belong to a secret splinter group of the CIA known as Castling. I was given an order to assassinate you, and I went rogue, taking him with me. You need to know that you can't trust anyone, especially the people closest to you." Denholm glared. "And if I did choose to believe you, what proof would you have?" A voice rang out across the hangar. "They're telling the truth, Mr. Secretary." Jack and Alison turned to see Ralston walk towards them. "I can guarantee it." He said, as the two former assassins drew their guns and aimed them at him.

Alison growled. "Ralston, you son of a bitch." Ralston simply smiled. "Hello Alison. And it's nice to see you again, Jack." Frowning, Jack realized that this was the Ralston he'd heard so much about, and of course, he had no idea who he was. As if confirming that fact, Ralston put his hand out. "I know, you probably have never seen me before, but trust me, we know each other. Very well, as a matter of fact. Both you and Alison were my finest students." Alison stepped off the ambulance and aimed her pistol right at his head. "Shut the fuck up. Enough with your stupid games. You failed, Franklin. The Secretary knows everything now. We're not part of your game anymore." Putting his hands behind his back, Ralston sighed. "Yes, I am afraid you are right. But, I must compliment you both on getting this far. You went from being experiments of the government to full-blown rogue agents. Very good ones, I might add. You certainly have thrown me and my agents for a loop. But unfortunately, the game must come to an end." Jack moved to the side behind Alison a bit, wary of anything that Ralston might try. Shaking his head, Ralston smiled. "Don't worry, I am unarmed. But you won't shoot me." Alison frowned. "And why's that?" Looking straight into her eyes, Ralston spoke clearly. "Bishop sees that the Knight is the last remaining piece protecting the King at Bishop 2. What's your move?" Alison suddenly stiffened and blinked, then spoke in a monotone voice. "No available moves left. Checkmate." Smiling calmly, Ralston spoke. "Dissolve target." Suddenly, Alison spun around, and Jack ducked, thinking she was about to shoot him. Then, she pulled the trigger and shot the Secretary on the stretcher several times.

Jack's eyes widened. "No!" He shouted as he got up, and Alison turned to him and aimed her gun, a determined, yet blank look on her face. Moving his hands up, he stared at her. "Alison, it's me!" Ralston shook his head. "Sorry, Jack. She's gone. Her programming kicked in." Suddenly, everything clicked into place for Jack, and Ralston could see it. "Ah, now he understands. You see Jack, what Alison told you about herself was true. She was someone who often rejected the program. Her brain seemed to deplete the Ozone too quickly, allowing her to become less subjective to our treatments. We were thinking of wiping her brain entirely, however I didn't want to lose one of our best agents. So, I came up with a plan. I would implant her with memories of a daring escape, let her loose into the wild, and let her find you with the thought that she would save the world by rescuing the Secretary of Defence. When in reality, it was just a pit stop on the way to her true mission. But, in order for it to take hold, we had to...well, rework her brain a bit. She only runs on those fake memories now, other than that, she's a soldier that I can command personally." Alison stood beside Ralston at attention, and Jack grit his teeth. "But why me? What's my place in all this?" Ralston smiled. "I admire you Jack. Your tenacity, your attitude, I've admired that since the day I met you. This was your greatest test, and I must say, you passed with flying colours. Now that you've proved to be a formidable field agent, you will be next in line in our newest program. Reprogrammable humans who can be trained to our will. You and Alison will be the first of many."

Panting, Jack looked around. He didn't have many options, and he had a literal gun pointed to his head. He was out of time, and out of ways to run. But he had only one chance. Looking straight into Ralston's eyes, he uttered three simple worlds. "Go fuck yourself." Sighing, Ralston shook his head. "Shame. Subdue him, save the brain." He said, and Alison rushed forwards at him. Not wanting to shoot her, he raised his knee for a kick, but she seemed to expect that, chopping downwards and hitting his kneecap while jamming her elbow up into his throat. Making Jack lose his breath for a moment, he gasped as he fell down to the floor and dropped his gun. Kneeing Jack in the nose and making it bleed, she wrapped her legs around his neck as the two of them wrestled on the ground. Jack could feel himself choking as he clawed at her legs, trying to get some air. Reaching beside him, he prayed it was close, and was glad to feel his fingers close around cold metal. Aiming the gun upwards, he shot the bullets close to her ears, making her cry out in pain as she released him from her legs. Jack coughed as he aimed the gun back down at her. She blinked, groaning slightly. "Jack..." She said, then his eyes widened. Knowing he couldn't take any chances, he muttered. "Sorry." He kicked her in the face, knocking her out. Wiping his nose slightly, he aimed his pistol back at Ralston. "Alright...where were we?" Putting his hands up, Ralston spoke slowly. "Jack, listen to me-" Jack yelled back at him. "Cut the crap, alright! It's been a very taxing past few days for me, and I'm holding a gun to your head, so do not fucking test me!" Ralston spoke after pausing. "I know about your parents, Jack."