0.5 Meeting Monday Read Free

danced. Groups of women stood together, their laughter clamorous. Jake slipped past them, hoping none would notice him.
    He found the Senator. He was speaking to President Buschheuer. Agent Brady spoke to a lady that Jake assumed was Mrs. Buscheuer. She hung from his arm lasciviously. Jake just shook his head. He was glad it was not him. The German President did not seem to notice or to mind. Brady looked uncomfortable. The other agents looked amused.
    That was when Jake saw Halley. She stood with her feet apart near some bushes at the base of the building. She was leaning over the bushes like she was looking for something she lost. A man held her from behind. It was Compton. Jake narrowed his eyes and walked toward them.
    He heard Compton’s brusque voice as he neared.
    “Do not let me catch you repeating this. Do you understand?” Compton held her arm out behind her, her shoulder bent at an impossible angle.
    Halley sobbed and nodded her head. Her hair hung down. Jake could not see her face.
    “What is this?” he asked.
    Compton turned to him.
    “Go away, Agent Vine. This is under control here.”
    Halley shook her head and motioned with her left hand.
    “I am afraid I cannot do that, Compton. Let her go.” His voice was cold. He did not yell. The timber of his voice was sufficient.
    Compton glared at him and then pushed Halley into the bushes. She fell forward.
    “You do not scare me, Vine. I know who you are. You cannot hide behind your father’s pants leg,”
    “You are right, Compton. I am perfectly capable of putting trash like you out without my father’s help.”
    Compton’s lip curled. Jake noted Halley recovering. He saw her face for the first time. An angry welt covered her cheek.
    Compton came at him then. His fist drove into Jake’s sternum, knocking the wind from his chest. He closed his eyes as sparks of light exploded behind his lids. His teeth rattled together as Compton followed with a left cross.
    Jake staggered and caught the top rail of the painted iron fence that surrounded the grounds.
    He looked up and wiped blood from his mouth. He smiled.
    “That all you got, old man? You had a reputation of being tough.”
    Compton stepped forward again, his stance wide.
    Jake kicked his left foot from beneath him as he planted on it. He felt the swing cross over his head. Compton turned quickly and blocked Jake’s downward punch with a forearm.
    Compton barreled into him, knocking him to the ground. Jake scrambled, rolling to one side as Compton’s boot stomped the pavement where Jake’s head had once been.
    “You playing for keeps?” Jake asked as he stood.
    Compton stared at him, his eyes filled with hate.
    “Someone has to teach you,” Compton said, his teeth clenched.
    “I do not believe you are qualified. Sir.”
    This time when Compton closed the distance between them, Jake stepped to the side and brought his elbow up in a vicious blow across the agent’s nose. Blood spurted everywhere. Compton cried out and collapsed to his hands and knees.
    Jake kicked him over and stood with his foot on Compton’s chest. His chest heaved with the effort of trying to breathe through a forcefully deviated septum.
    “Enough. Agent Parker will be relieved from your unit. I will report this to Agent in Charge Evers. You are done.”
    Compton said nothing. Only stared up at the sky.
    Jake glanced at Halley. She stood alongside, staring down at Compton with wide eyes.
    “What happened?” Jake asked.
    She shook her head and continued to stare.
    “Agent Parker. You have to tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?”
    She sobbed and shook her head.

Berlin, Germany July 16, 2020
    Schloss Bellevue

2120 hours, CEST
    ––––––––
    H alley could not speak. She wanted to throw up. She was so ashamed and scared. The last hour had been a strain on her.
    Jake stood with his foot on Compton’s heaving chest. He looked like his nose was broken. Blood poured from it, caking in his right ear. Compton