Chapter Thirteen: The Intelligence Learned

Luke was driving home from his ideal date with the girl, who in his mind was the prettiest Philadelphia had to offer. With the burning sunset remaining in his background as he drove, he couldn't imagine anything more romantic. 

He day-dreamed of Anne Miller during this late, fall evening. Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" played on his radio, as he recalled the love song that his father had sung to his mother years ago. 

He returned to his apartment before sitting at his lamp-desk. He sat there and looked at several historical magazines of miniatures painted and prepared for actual battles that once occurred. 

''Megido, Actium, Agincourt, the Tet Offensive,'' he read aloud some of the titles. 

''Wars of the ancients, medievals, and...''

''Moderns,'' a familiar voice sounded, resonating in Luke's ears. ''Hello, old chum.'' 

The American former agent turned to see Christopher Molina alive. His partner in action returned as a ghost with no devout hallow and no haunting lighting. He appeared as mortal as any man alive. 

''Christopher...,'' Luke began, shocked. 

''Yes, it's me,'' Christopher returned. 

''Are you back from the dead?''

''Not quite, though I came close.''

''Wait, how did you survive?'' 

''I fake death well.'' 

''Wait, I don't understand.'' 

''I used a blood capsule to convince Dr. Rose that I'm dead. He was then distracted by you. I faked out my death as it was necessary to find out the needed information about his men and his maniacal plan. I'm going to need your help now if we are to save the United States.'' 

''Why didn't you tell me any of this? I lost my job as I was blamed for your death.''

''I'm sorry, my friend. I will defend your honor before the CIA when this is over. I told you, I had to die to find out what was necessary. I also had to keep myself hidden for far longer than you will ever know. It was not easy. I was constantly hiding under trucks or in the sewers under buildings. But I was determined to find out what is necessary. I was driven not by fear, but by conquest. I had no other hope but justice itself. I want justice served for our country. You and I are the best men to do. Unfortunately, time has given us little opportunity to set things right. We have little time to return to Washington right now. Dr. Rose and his men are planning a swift attack on the United States.''

''Where? When?'' 

''They are at Chadds Ford and should be here by sunrise. The men are camped in that area. They have the bomb with them, Luke, and are intended to bring it into this city. Dr. Rose wishes to light Lincoln Stadium off with this little gift...this explosion that he has planned. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles are his target.'' 

''Why a football teAM?'' 

''It turns out that Dr. Rose was born in this city, as I was able to learn through a bit of research, and we can assume he wants America to be reminded of his importance...and close alliance with the Russians.'' 

Luke appeared as startled by the plan as by Christopher's apparent resurrection. 

''Don't fret; fight,'' Christopher urged. ''We must hurry, my friend, for 80,000 people and far more are about to die. I followed Dr. Rose's men all the way from Minneapolis to Chadds Ford tomorrow. I wasn't enough to take them though together, we can hinder the scientist's plan.'' 

“Your plane sounds rather risky.” 

“We have little tine to do anything else. We must hurry my friend.” 

Like drew out a drawer under his lamp-desk. He then showed his pistol to Christopher. 

“For Philly,” he said. 

“For the United States,” Christopher returned. ''Oh, and Luke, there is something else that you must know.''

''Yes, I've found Dr. Rose working on something in one of his trailers. I couldn't tell what. I wouldn't doubt if it's connected to his bomb.'' 

''Maybe we will find out.''

''Let us hope.'' 

Both men headed to the front door before waking out…into the line of danger…against a group of Slavic Reds. 

                                                                        *      *      * 

The two agents arrived at Chadds Ford that night. They quietly moved by a red barn before heading across one of the farm fields as if two leftovers of a Shawnee tribe. Before them, a number of trucks rested in a forest field just downhill 

Both men had their guns ready, though just as Luke turned right to whisper something to Christopher, he found his partner again gone. 

''Chris,'' he whispered, with irritation that Mr. Molina was again missing. 

Mr. Lancaster turned his eyes to the field as he noticed the Russian men carrying furniture in and out of their small camp. He then noticed Dr. Rose head inside a small trailer, but ignored this seemingly minor detail of his observation.

Blue smoke then left the building as if some chemistry experiment had been done. The latter caught the agent's eyes as he noticed the door on the other end open, with no sight of Dr. Rose himself. 

Luke watched a door pushed backwards without seeing anyone behind it. He remained as quiet and still as a frozen icicle. Suddenly, he watched footprints form in the mud, without any visible sight of the figure to match his eyes. The footprints led to one of the trucks, however, and soon, the unseen figure was turning on the engine of the vehicle. 

''An invisible man,'' Luke lowly admitted in astonishment. 

The confession was unlike anything that the agent had ever experienced. He wondered what the CIA would think of what was occurring now, and what advice Michael Glasgow would give if he were here to help with the situation. He was inclined to fear, to feel that he was beneath the expectations of this mission, but his drive to action, his uncompromised democratic values, forbade him from such thoughts. 

''Look at muscles!'' one of the Russian men shouted to his companions, demonstrating the tightness of his arms. 

Several of the men laughed while all competing against each other's strength. It provided the moment of opportunity for Luke Lancaster. 

The agent headed out to the truck. He hid behind one of the oaks outside as several of the scientists' men carried equipment to the back of the truck. He bent down and cast a rock into one of the local streams to distract the men. Some of the men ran off toward the waters, just as Luke boarded one of the ice trucks and managed to hide himself before passing onto another similar truck adjacent to it, and another, before reaching the scientist's truck of weapons. One of the men spotted him and attacked with a knife, about to report, though Luke smacked the man and used his foe's own weapon to quickly kill. 

Dr. Rose began driving. Luke felt it as his hands instantly gripped onto a grab handle. He watched as Christopher suddenly appeared in the night air, catching up to another truck beside him before hiding away as he was doing. 

''This is going to be a long ride tonight,'' Luke thought. 

The heavy lights of the trucks moved across the rural farm fields. A case for action was now necessary, as was the need to defend the United States Republican. Democracy, after all, was in immediate danger.