Furtive Treason and Trenchant Foes 5/?
Title: Furtive Treason and Trenchant Foes 5/?
Series: TDS, TCR, Countdown w/ KO.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, Violence
Disclaimer: I do not own Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or any known political figures who appear in this story.
Summary: Sequel to Fragile Truth and Tragic Freedom. Seven years later, two criminals from Keith's past escape. Their plan is not simply revenge against Keith and his family, but against the other man who helped the Regime fall.
Author's Note: Please comment. Feedback is good.
One / Two / Three / Four
Chapter 5
“Hello, Keith,” greeted the voice of William O’Reilly. “I’ve missed hearing your voice, especially when it’s screa-“
“Tell us where Barack and Aidan are, you fucker,” Rahm interrupted.
“Get in your car. I’ll direct you.”
O’Reilly directed them to the industrial part of the Philadelphia. The driver parked the van in front of a warehouse.
“Very good,” O’Reilly commented. “Now, Keith and Rahm, you’ll be going the rest of the way alone.”
Keith wasn’t about to argue. Jake and Rahm were smart enough to do the same.
“I’ll warn you now,” O’Reilly started. “If we see anyone other than Keith and Rahm, Aidan will die.”
Keith leaned over to whisper in Jake’s ear, “No one follows us. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Got it,” Jake replied.
Keith and Rahm got out of the van and waited for the next instruction.
“Enter the warehouse you parked next to. From there, you’re on your own. Most of the warehouses connect with each other.”
“Wait.” Rahm grunted when O’Reilly hung up. “I guess we are on our own.”
They had just entered the first warehouse when Keith stopped walking. “What is it?” Rahm inquired.
Keith took off his backpack and said, “Put this on. It’s bulletproof.”
“Keith-“
“Rahm, I’m not going to argue. Last time I ran for my life with a man your size, he got shot. Put it on.”
Rahm rolled his eyes and put on the black backpack. “Happy now?” he asked as he tightened the straps.
Keith and Rahm made their way through the maze of warehouses, checking every room. With each empty room they found, the more anxious they became.
They ended up outside after checking all the interconnected warehouses. There was another block ahead. Keith saw a flash of something in a fourth-floor office window. “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
Keith pointed up to the window. A short moment later, the thing went by again. This time Keith could see it was a dark-skinned man.
“It’s Barack,” Rahm indentified. “But since he’s in there, we can expect some guards.”
“Exactly. I’ve already got a plan to counteract that. How in shape are you?”
Rahm was a bit thrown by the question. “About the same as seven years ago. Why?”
“You’re going to need it to do this successfully.”
“Tell me what your fucking idea is already.”
Keith pointed to the ladder bolted to the side of the building. The problem was that it ended a floor and a half up. “We take a running start, jump up to the ladder. Then we scoot along the window ledges.”
“That’s easy for you, excessively tall person,” Rahm responded. “I can run up the wall all I want. I’ll never reach the ladder.”
“What do you want to do about that?”
“Suck up my pride and ride on your back.”
“Wait, what?”
Rahm jumped on Keith’s back, hooked his legs around his waist, and held on tight. “Let’s go, Monkey Boy.”
“I didn’t agree to-“
“Mush. Yah. Giddy-up. Whatever the hell makes you go. Move it, Monkey Boy.”
Keith rolled his eyes. He took a long running start and scrambled up the wall. He almost didn’t make it with the added weight of Rahm. He managed to grab the bottom rung and steady his feet against the wall.
“Want to get off now?” Keith asked.
“No, I’m good.”
Keith started climbing up the ladder. “Is Rahmbo afraid of heights?”
“No, I’m not. I don’t like them because the last time I was up this high outside a building, I fell off the ledge.”
“You obviously survived.”
“That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell. Ana Marie wouldn’t leave me. That’s how we got caught and sent to Staten Island.”
Keith’s foot slipped off a ladder rung. He caught himself after sliding down a few inches. Rahm’s reaction was a yelp and burying his face in Keith’s back.
“Rahmbo’s afraid of heights,” Keith commented after he started climbing again.
“Shut up and go, please.”
Keith went up until he was on level with the window ledges. He stepped to the side and reached the ledge with his foot. He carefully shifted over until he was standing on the ledge.
“Barack is three windows over,” Rahm informed.
Keith saw someone walk by the open door inside the room. He instantly dropped and grabbed the ledge with his hands. He supported his feet against the wall.
“What the fuck, Keith?” was Rahm’s stunned reaction. “Are you trying to-“
“There’s people walking around in there,” Keith interrupted. “Hold on tight,” was his warning before he scooted over to the end of the ledge, reached out to the next one, and quickly moved over. He did it twice more.
Rahm positioned himself higher on Keith’s back to urgently knock on the window. Keith couldn’t see what was going on, but Barack apparently got the message. A long moment later, he heard the window unlock and scrape open.
Keith grunted when Rahm pulled himself up and in through the window. He followed and bumped his head on it.
Keith jumped down into the devoid-of-furniture room and was immediately greeted by a cry of “Dad!” and a small body throwing itself into his arms.
“Aidan.” Keith kissed the top of his son’s head and hugged him tightly. He didn’t notice the hugging and conversation going on between Barack and Rahm.
Keith held Aidan back at arm’s length to look him over. He was still wearing the same clothes he had gone to school in on Thursday. The red Star Wars t-shirt had a torn collar and sleeve.
The hand-shaped bruise on Aidan’s upper arm was fully visible. He had light scratches on his cheek.
“Aidan, I want you to be honest with me. Are you alright?”
The boy nodded.
“Did Beck touch you?”
Aidan shook his head. Keith pulled him close again. Aidan asked, “Is Karu okay?”
“He’s fine. So is your mother and sister,” answered Keith.
“How did you two get up here?” Barack inquired.
“It’s kind of complicated. Besides, we can’t go back down that way,” Rahm answered.
Barack pressed his ear against the locked door. “Rahm, do you have a hairpin?”
Rahm took off his shoe and shook it until a hairpin fell out. He handed it to Barack, who started picking the lock.
A long minute passed before they heard the telltale click of the lock opening. They waited another minute before venturing out. They made it down to the first floor without any problems.
Keith pushed Aidan behind a stack of crates when a group of guards suddenly ambushed them. He knew to stay put.
Keith, Barack, and Rahm stood back-to-back as they were surrounded. Keith saw O’Reilly hanging back from the circle of guards. “Coward,” Keith muttered.
The first blow from the guards went to Rahm. He was hit on the head with a police baton and thrown outside of the circle.
Keith and Barack surprisingly managed to hold their own against the many guards. Rahm shook his head to clear it and tried to get back into the fray. He jumped on one man’s back and tried to wear him down. Another one got him across his back with a lead pipe and tossed him away.
“It seems that they don’t want Rahm or Aidan,” Barack observed as Keith knocked a guard out with an elbow to the temple.
Keith shouted to Rahm, “Take Aidan and get out of here!” while ducking a few fists.
“I can’t leave you guys here!” Rahm said back.
“Now, Rahm. That’s an order,” Barack commanded.
“Bar-“
“Now!” Keith and Barack said in unison.
Rahm’s expression was one of regret as he quickly picked up Aidan and made a run for the side door. Once they had gotten through, the guards backed away from Keith and Barack.
“What the hell?” was Keith’s reaction. He noticed O’Reilly grinning. “What do you want from me?” Keith asked.
When no answer came, Keith and Barack cautiously started backing away to the open side door. They didn’t take their eyes from O’Reilly and the guards for one second. It couldn’t be this easy, could it?
It wasn’t.
An explosion from behind violently propelled the two men off their feet and sent them flying forward. They were too close for the force of the detonation to not hurt.
Keith landed hard on his shoulder. Barack landed flat on his back. In addition to his injured shoulder, Keith felt small burns on his back where the heat had gone through his shirt.
Keith gingerly got up to his hands and knees and hovered over Barack’s head. The President’s eyes were closed. Keith urgently said his name a few times to bring him back.
Barack’s eyes opened and glassily stared straight up into Keith’s. Keith had forgotten about the other people in the warehouse. He was reminded by a blow to the back of his neck with a lead pipe.
Keith swayed for a few seconds, then collapsed. His face pressed into Barack’s shoulder and neck. The last thing he heard was the smug laugh of William O’Reilly.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Rahm ran as fast as he could with a six-year-old boy in his arms. After he got Aidan to safety, he was going to get the Secret Service team and go back for Barack and Keith.
Rahm was halfway across the empty space between the two warehouse blocks when there was a huge explosion behind him that lifted him off his feet. He kept hold of Aidan and twisted himself in midair. He landed hard on his back. All the air was driven from his lungs and his head struck the unforgiving concrete.
Rahm didn’t have time to contemplate the pain. He saw the debris start to rain back down. He rolled over to protect Aidan with his own body. When all the debris had finished falling, some on Rahm, he couldn’t hold back the darkness taking over his senses. He fell to the side and into unconsciousness.
Aidan slowly sat up and gently shook the shoulder of the comatose man beside him. “Mr Rahm, wake up,” he pleaded, tears wetting his cheeks. “Please, wake up…”
Series: TDS, TCR, Countdown w/ KO.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, Violence
Disclaimer: I do not own Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or any known political figures who appear in this story.
Summary: Sequel to Fragile Truth and Tragic Freedom. Seven years later, two criminals from Keith's past escape. Their plan is not simply revenge against Keith and his family, but against the other man who helped the Regime fall.
Author's Note: Please comment. Feedback is good.
One / Two / Three / Four
Chapter 5
“Hello, Keith,” greeted the voice of William O’Reilly. “I’ve missed hearing your voice, especially when it’s screa-“
“Tell us where Barack and Aidan are, you fucker,” Rahm interrupted.
“Get in your car. I’ll direct you.”
O’Reilly directed them to the industrial part of the Philadelphia. The driver parked the van in front of a warehouse.
“Very good,” O’Reilly commented. “Now, Keith and Rahm, you’ll be going the rest of the way alone.”
Keith wasn’t about to argue. Jake and Rahm were smart enough to do the same.
“I’ll warn you now,” O’Reilly started. “If we see anyone other than Keith and Rahm, Aidan will die.”
Keith leaned over to whisper in Jake’s ear, “No one follows us. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Got it,” Jake replied.
Keith and Rahm got out of the van and waited for the next instruction.
“Enter the warehouse you parked next to. From there, you’re on your own. Most of the warehouses connect with each other.”
“Wait.” Rahm grunted when O’Reilly hung up. “I guess we are on our own.”
They had just entered the first warehouse when Keith stopped walking. “What is it?” Rahm inquired.
Keith took off his backpack and said, “Put this on. It’s bulletproof.”
“Keith-“
“Rahm, I’m not going to argue. Last time I ran for my life with a man your size, he got shot. Put it on.”
Rahm rolled his eyes and put on the black backpack. “Happy now?” he asked as he tightened the straps.
Keith and Rahm made their way through the maze of warehouses, checking every room. With each empty room they found, the more anxious they became.
They ended up outside after checking all the interconnected warehouses. There was another block ahead. Keith saw a flash of something in a fourth-floor office window. “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
Keith pointed up to the window. A short moment later, the thing went by again. This time Keith could see it was a dark-skinned man.
“It’s Barack,” Rahm indentified. “But since he’s in there, we can expect some guards.”
“Exactly. I’ve already got a plan to counteract that. How in shape are you?”
Rahm was a bit thrown by the question. “About the same as seven years ago. Why?”
“You’re going to need it to do this successfully.”
“Tell me what your fucking idea is already.”
Keith pointed to the ladder bolted to the side of the building. The problem was that it ended a floor and a half up. “We take a running start, jump up to the ladder. Then we scoot along the window ledges.”
“That’s easy for you, excessively tall person,” Rahm responded. “I can run up the wall all I want. I’ll never reach the ladder.”
“What do you want to do about that?”
“Suck up my pride and ride on your back.”
“Wait, what?”
Rahm jumped on Keith’s back, hooked his legs around his waist, and held on tight. “Let’s go, Monkey Boy.”
“I didn’t agree to-“
“Mush. Yah. Giddy-up. Whatever the hell makes you go. Move it, Monkey Boy.”
Keith rolled his eyes. He took a long running start and scrambled up the wall. He almost didn’t make it with the added weight of Rahm. He managed to grab the bottom rung and steady his feet against the wall.
“Want to get off now?” Keith asked.
“No, I’m good.”
Keith started climbing up the ladder. “Is Rahmbo afraid of heights?”
“No, I’m not. I don’t like them because the last time I was up this high outside a building, I fell off the ledge.”
“You obviously survived.”
“That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell. Ana Marie wouldn’t leave me. That’s how we got caught and sent to Staten Island.”
Keith’s foot slipped off a ladder rung. He caught himself after sliding down a few inches. Rahm’s reaction was a yelp and burying his face in Keith’s back.
“Rahmbo’s afraid of heights,” Keith commented after he started climbing again.
“Shut up and go, please.”
Keith went up until he was on level with the window ledges. He stepped to the side and reached the ledge with his foot. He carefully shifted over until he was standing on the ledge.
“Barack is three windows over,” Rahm informed.
Keith saw someone walk by the open door inside the room. He instantly dropped and grabbed the ledge with his hands. He supported his feet against the wall.
“What the fuck, Keith?” was Rahm’s stunned reaction. “Are you trying to-“
“There’s people walking around in there,” Keith interrupted. “Hold on tight,” was his warning before he scooted over to the end of the ledge, reached out to the next one, and quickly moved over. He did it twice more.
Rahm positioned himself higher on Keith’s back to urgently knock on the window. Keith couldn’t see what was going on, but Barack apparently got the message. A long moment later, he heard the window unlock and scrape open.
Keith grunted when Rahm pulled himself up and in through the window. He followed and bumped his head on it.
Keith jumped down into the devoid-of-furniture room and was immediately greeted by a cry of “Dad!” and a small body throwing itself into his arms.
“Aidan.” Keith kissed the top of his son’s head and hugged him tightly. He didn’t notice the hugging and conversation going on between Barack and Rahm.
Keith held Aidan back at arm’s length to look him over. He was still wearing the same clothes he had gone to school in on Thursday. The red Star Wars t-shirt had a torn collar and sleeve.
The hand-shaped bruise on Aidan’s upper arm was fully visible. He had light scratches on his cheek.
“Aidan, I want you to be honest with me. Are you alright?”
The boy nodded.
“Did Beck touch you?”
Aidan shook his head. Keith pulled him close again. Aidan asked, “Is Karu okay?”
“He’s fine. So is your mother and sister,” answered Keith.
“How did you two get up here?” Barack inquired.
“It’s kind of complicated. Besides, we can’t go back down that way,” Rahm answered.
Barack pressed his ear against the locked door. “Rahm, do you have a hairpin?”
Rahm took off his shoe and shook it until a hairpin fell out. He handed it to Barack, who started picking the lock.
A long minute passed before they heard the telltale click of the lock opening. They waited another minute before venturing out. They made it down to the first floor without any problems.
Keith pushed Aidan behind a stack of crates when a group of guards suddenly ambushed them. He knew to stay put.
Keith, Barack, and Rahm stood back-to-back as they were surrounded. Keith saw O’Reilly hanging back from the circle of guards. “Coward,” Keith muttered.
The first blow from the guards went to Rahm. He was hit on the head with a police baton and thrown outside of the circle.
Keith and Barack surprisingly managed to hold their own against the many guards. Rahm shook his head to clear it and tried to get back into the fray. He jumped on one man’s back and tried to wear him down. Another one got him across his back with a lead pipe and tossed him away.
“It seems that they don’t want Rahm or Aidan,” Barack observed as Keith knocked a guard out with an elbow to the temple.
Keith shouted to Rahm, “Take Aidan and get out of here!” while ducking a few fists.
“I can’t leave you guys here!” Rahm said back.
“Now, Rahm. That’s an order,” Barack commanded.
“Bar-“
“Now!” Keith and Barack said in unison.
Rahm’s expression was one of regret as he quickly picked up Aidan and made a run for the side door. Once they had gotten through, the guards backed away from Keith and Barack.
“What the hell?” was Keith’s reaction. He noticed O’Reilly grinning. “What do you want from me?” Keith asked.
When no answer came, Keith and Barack cautiously started backing away to the open side door. They didn’t take their eyes from O’Reilly and the guards for one second. It couldn’t be this easy, could it?
It wasn’t.
An explosion from behind violently propelled the two men off their feet and sent them flying forward. They were too close for the force of the detonation to not hurt.
Keith landed hard on his shoulder. Barack landed flat on his back. In addition to his injured shoulder, Keith felt small burns on his back where the heat had gone through his shirt.
Keith gingerly got up to his hands and knees and hovered over Barack’s head. The President’s eyes were closed. Keith urgently said his name a few times to bring him back.
Barack’s eyes opened and glassily stared straight up into Keith’s. Keith had forgotten about the other people in the warehouse. He was reminded by a blow to the back of his neck with a lead pipe.
Keith swayed for a few seconds, then collapsed. His face pressed into Barack’s shoulder and neck. The last thing he heard was the smug laugh of William O’Reilly.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Rahm ran as fast as he could with a six-year-old boy in his arms. After he got Aidan to safety, he was going to get the Secret Service team and go back for Barack and Keith.
Rahm was halfway across the empty space between the two warehouse blocks when there was a huge explosion behind him that lifted him off his feet. He kept hold of Aidan and twisted himself in midair. He landed hard on his back. All the air was driven from his lungs and his head struck the unforgiving concrete.
Rahm didn’t have time to contemplate the pain. He saw the debris start to rain back down. He rolled over to protect Aidan with his own body. When all the debris had finished falling, some on Rahm, he couldn’t hold back the darkness taking over his senses. He fell to the side and into unconsciousness.
Aidan slowly sat up and gently shook the shoulder of the comatose man beside him. “Mr Rahm, wake up,” he pleaded, tears wetting his cheeks. “Please, wake up…”