gentleman … like a pastor, a firebrand preacher or somethin’. Know what I mean? Tell you what, though, man, I can almost believe the crazy son-of-a-gun just stepped out of the Wild West.’
Jim looked up at him. ‘What? You trying to say he isn’t a crazy loon needs lockin’ up in a room with no hard edges?’
Bill snorted. ‘Nope, I’m sayin’ he could make a nice buck doin’ Crazy Preacher-o-grams.’
‘Yeah, right… Like that’s the first thing you gonna order for your pal’s bachelor night, uh?’
‘Come on, man, finish up … let some FBI pencil-neck go figure it out.’
Jim nodded, pecking out a few more words on the keyboard before finally slapping a heavy hand on the desk. ‘Done!’
Bill grinned. ‘One for the road, my man?’
‘A beer? Sure. But just the one. Don’t wanna –’
‘ Don’t wanna keep yer mamma up ,’ parroted Bill with a well-worn smile. Same lame ol’ line. ‘Problem with you, Jim, ol’ buddy, is you need to come up with some new one-liners.’
‘Yeah? Or what? You gonna go find some other dumb sucker to partner up with?’
They weaved their way out of the deserted precinct office, all cubicles and desks piled high with sitting paperwork.
‘Now you know me better than that, Jim … You an’ me, we’re like an ol’ married couple.’
‘Gross,’ Jim muttered as he grabbed his coat and kitbag. ‘Now I got a goddarn picture in my head gonna give me nightmares tonight.’
CHAPTER 20
2001, New York
The sound of the cell door being unlocked and wrenched open roused Lincoln from his sleep. Bleary-eyed, he blinked back the glare of morning light spilling in through the slit window and looked up from the bunk at three men in dark suits crowding into the cell and staring down at him.
‘Abraham Lincoln?’
He rubbed his tired eyes and lifted himself off the pillow on to one elbow. ‘Yes, that is I.’
‘You will come with us, please.’ A dry emotionless voice.
Lincoln pulled himself up to a seated position and swung his legs off the bunk. His bare feet touched the cold floor. ‘Gentlemen,’ he started, ‘I have done nothing to deserve being incarcerated like this! Being treated like a –’
‘Sir, you will put on your shoes and come with us now.’
Lincoln’s face clouded with anger. ‘I will do no such thing , sir! Not until I receive, at the very least, an apology for –’
‘All right,’ said one of the suits, his lips barely moving. ‘Cuff this scumbag.’
The other two fell on him like a ton of breeze blocks, pinning him down on the bunk as he squirmed and thrashed beneath their weight.
‘THIS … IS … AN … OUTRAGE!’ he barked. ‘HOW DARE YOU –’
‘Save it for later, pal,’ grunted one of the men lying on top of him, fumbling for his wrists. ‘You’re in for a world of hurt, buddy ,’ said the other. ‘You filthy, murdering, terrorist sc–!’
‘Agent Belling, best keep your feelings to yourself, son. While you’re on FBI time, I expect a certain level of professionalism.’
‘Sorry, sir.’
‘Now, get him up.’
Between them the two men in suits hefted Lincoln off the bunk and turned him to face the third.
‘THIS IS A TRAVESTY –’
‘I’d advise you to keep your mouth firmly shut, Mr Lincoln. Emotions are running very high this morning and the last thing me and my boys need to hear coming out of your mouth right now is a whole load of attitude .’
‘I INSIST YOU TELL ME –’
‘A few minues ago a second plane just impacted with the other tower. ‘Last night you were logged making a claim the World Trade Center was coming down this morning.’
Lincoln frowned. ‘Those two tall towers? Yes I –’
‘A few minutes ago a second plane just impacted with the other tower.’ The FBI agent’s jaw set firmly. ‘You’re either a prophet … or a terrorist. Either way, we’ve got a whole bunch of questions for you.’
He stepped backwards from the cell into the corridor. The
Jim looked up at him. ‘What? You trying to say he isn’t a crazy loon needs lockin’ up in a room with no hard edges?’
Bill snorted. ‘Nope, I’m sayin’ he could make a nice buck doin’ Crazy Preacher-o-grams.’
‘Yeah, right… Like that’s the first thing you gonna order for your pal’s bachelor night, uh?’
‘Come on, man, finish up … let some FBI pencil-neck go figure it out.’
Jim nodded, pecking out a few more words on the keyboard before finally slapping a heavy hand on the desk. ‘Done!’
Bill grinned. ‘One for the road, my man?’
‘A beer? Sure. But just the one. Don’t wanna –’
‘ Don’t wanna keep yer mamma up ,’ parroted Bill with a well-worn smile. Same lame ol’ line. ‘Problem with you, Jim, ol’ buddy, is you need to come up with some new one-liners.’
‘Yeah? Or what? You gonna go find some other dumb sucker to partner up with?’
They weaved their way out of the deserted precinct office, all cubicles and desks piled high with sitting paperwork.
‘Now you know me better than that, Jim … You an’ me, we’re like an ol’ married couple.’
‘Gross,’ Jim muttered as he grabbed his coat and kitbag. ‘Now I got a goddarn picture in my head gonna give me nightmares tonight.’
CHAPTER 20
2001, New York
The sound of the cell door being unlocked and wrenched open roused Lincoln from his sleep. Bleary-eyed, he blinked back the glare of morning light spilling in through the slit window and looked up from the bunk at three men in dark suits crowding into the cell and staring down at him.
‘Abraham Lincoln?’
He rubbed his tired eyes and lifted himself off the pillow on to one elbow. ‘Yes, that is I.’
‘You will come with us, please.’ A dry emotionless voice.
Lincoln pulled himself up to a seated position and swung his legs off the bunk. His bare feet touched the cold floor. ‘Gentlemen,’ he started, ‘I have done nothing to deserve being incarcerated like this! Being treated like a –’
‘Sir, you will put on your shoes and come with us now.’
Lincoln’s face clouded with anger. ‘I will do no such thing , sir! Not until I receive, at the very least, an apology for –’
‘All right,’ said one of the suits, his lips barely moving. ‘Cuff this scumbag.’
The other two fell on him like a ton of breeze blocks, pinning him down on the bunk as he squirmed and thrashed beneath their weight.
‘THIS … IS … AN … OUTRAGE!’ he barked. ‘HOW DARE YOU –’
‘Save it for later, pal,’ grunted one of the men lying on top of him, fumbling for his wrists. ‘You’re in for a world of hurt, buddy ,’ said the other. ‘You filthy, murdering, terrorist sc–!’
‘Agent Belling, best keep your feelings to yourself, son. While you’re on FBI time, I expect a certain level of professionalism.’
‘Sorry, sir.’
‘Now, get him up.’
Between them the two men in suits hefted Lincoln off the bunk and turned him to face the third.
‘THIS IS A TRAVESTY –’
‘I’d advise you to keep your mouth firmly shut, Mr Lincoln. Emotions are running very high this morning and the last thing me and my boys need to hear coming out of your mouth right now is a whole load of attitude .’
‘I INSIST YOU TELL ME –’
‘A few minues ago a second plane just impacted with the other tower. ‘Last night you were logged making a claim the World Trade Center was coming down this morning.’
Lincoln frowned. ‘Those two tall towers? Yes I –’
‘A few minutes ago a second plane just impacted with the other tower.’ The FBI agent’s jaw set firmly. ‘You’re either a prophet … or a terrorist. Either way, we’ve got a whole bunch of questions for you.’
He stepped backwards from the cell into the corridor. The
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