CHAPTER 15 – Reckoning at the Command Center
The tense silence in the truck was palpable as Charlie navigated the unlit backroad. Francine's arms were crossed tightly, her brow furrowed in a stormy expression, barely containing her frustration. Finally, she broke the heavy silence, her voice laced with anger.
"Alright, Henry! I need answers NOW!" Francine demanded, her piercing gaze boring into her husband.
Henry let out a weary sigh, bracing himself for the confrontation. He turned to face her, his tone calm but firm.
"Francine, I told you - I just wanted to protect you and Patrick. That's all I was thinking about the whole time. Everything I did was to keep you both safe."
Francine's eyes narrowed.
"Well, you barely managed that, didn't you?" she snapped.
"Do you realize how close you came to losing your life back there? We all could have died!" Her voice rose with each word, the fear and worry seeping through.
"I know, Francine," Henry replied quietly, his brow creased with guilt.
"And that thought hasn't left my mind. But if I hadn't played it the way I did, it could've been even worse - for you, for Patrick, and for Chris and Ruby." He gestured toward Charlie, silently pleading for understanding.
Francine's arms tightened around herself, her knuckles turning white.
"So that's your excuse?" she spat, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Henry remained composed, but his eyes conveyed the weight of his decisions.
"It's not an excuse, Francine. I did what I thought was right. You weren't supposed to know; I didn't want to worry you more than you already were. But..."
He turned to Charlie, his expression conveying his trust.
"I had to rely on Charlie and Peter's judgment. I had no choice. This is all bigger than us."
Francine's gaze shifted to Charlie; her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"And you, Charlie!" she barked angrily.
"Would you care to explain what the hell all those gunshots were about? Why did my living room - my home - become a war zone?! And do you have any idea how many tens of thousands of dollars it's going to take to fix all the bullet holes in my walls?!"
Charlie kept his eyes focused on the road, but a slight chuckle escaped his lips, an attempt to diffuse the tension.
"Aunt Francine, don't worry about the house. Dad and I will cover all the damages. Every broken tile, every shattered window - everything. Consider it taken care of."
Francine retorted sarcastically. "Oh, that's reassuring!"
"And when the insurance company sees the bullet holes, do you think they're going to just write a check for terrorism-level damages?!"
"We have home insurance, Francine. It'll help," Henry interjected quietly, hoping to ease her concerns.
Francine let out an exasperated huff.
"Home insurance isn't going to cover bullet holes in the living room walls, Henry!" she snapped, her frustration palpable.
The truck fell silent once more, the only sounds being the gentle hum of the tires and Patrick's soft breathing as he slept. After a moment, Francine's gaze shifted to the stoic figure of Lieutenant Mangino, who had been staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts.
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Francine's voice was dripped with anger.
"And then there’s you! You’ve been awfully quiet since you got in this truck. So, tell me, Lieutenant... or whatever it is you are... what exactly was your deal back there? Because blowing your partner’s brains out in front of my son has officially made you the most terrifying person in this vehicle!"
Mangino clenched her jaw, a flicker of guilt flashing across her face. She turned to face Francine, taking a deep breath before responding.
"You're right. It was horrific... and I'm sorry," she said softly, her words laced with remorse.
"I know saying that won't help or fix how you feel, but I needed to say it. If I could've done it a different way, I would have."
Francine's eyes narrowed; her gaze unwavering.
"Really? Because it didn't seem like you hesitated long!"
Mangino sighed, her composure faltering slightly.
"His name was Mark Perkins. We were partners for nearly a year, and while he was 'rough around the edges,' I thought I could trust him. But tonight..." She paused, searching for the right words. "...tonight, I saw who he really was - who he probably always was. His mask slipped, and what I saw... I couldn't ignore it."
"Which is why you killed him," Henry interrupted, his brow furrowed in a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Mangino met his gaze, her expression resolute.
"He was out of control. Threatening a child. Threatening my career... my life if I didn't fall in line. I made a split-second decision to stop him before things escalated even further. You don't have to like or forgive me, but I'd do it again to stop your family from being hurt."
The truck fell silent once more as everyone processed Mangino's words. Henry stared at her for a long moment, then shifted his focus, a new question forming in his mind.
"What do you know about something called the 'Old World Order'?" he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Mangino's brow furrowed, visibly caught off guard by the unexpected question.
"The Old World Order?" she repeated, pausing to collect her thoughts.
"I've heard the term, but there's not much I can tell you. Just the vague stuff... speculations and conspiracy theories mostly. It's tossed around in some circles - whispers about a group with too much power and influence. But most of the force brushes it off like it's tinfoil-hat nonsense."
Charlie responded dryly, his sarcasm cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Yeah...I'll bet,"
Henry leaned back in his seat; his expression pensive.
"Well, your partner - the one you saw through tonight? He said to me, 'The Old World Order says hello.' And then, well... we all saw what happened after that."
Mangino's discomfort was palpable as she tried to make sense of the implications. Before the conversation could continue, the truck finally pulled into the secluded location, where Peter's Hummer and the rest of the group were already waiting.
As Charlie parked the vehicle, Francine wasted no time. She flung open the door and practically dashed out, Henry close behind her. They both scanned the area frantically until they spotted Chris and Ruby standing with Peter and Major Amma.
"Chris! Ruby!" Francine cried out, a mix of relief and desperation in her voice.
She rushed to her children, enveloping them in a fierce hug, Henry joining in the embrace. Patrick, now awake, stumbled out of the truck, his stuffed animal clutched tightly in his small hands.
The little boy murmured sleepily, toddling over to his siblings and wrapping his arms around them with a soft smile.
The family's reunion was a heartwarming sight, but the moment was shattered as Francine lifted her head and locked eyes with Peter. Her expression darkened, the fire in her eyes reigniting.
"YOU!" she bellowed, fury radiating from every word.
Without warning, she marched toward her brother-in-law and delivered a surprisingly strong punch directly to his jaw. Peter stumbled back, rubbing his chin with a wince.
The scene unfolded in stunned silence, with Patrick's wide-eyed confusion piercing the air.
"Mommy! Why did you hit Uncle Peter?" the little boy asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Francine!" Henry shouted, his own anger flaring up.
Chris protested loudly, while Ruby glared at her mother, her expression a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"Mom! He's been helping us!"
Peter raised both hands, his tone surprisingly calm despite the situation.
"Alright, alright. Let's settle down." He smirked slightly.
"I probably deserved that."
Giving Francine an apologetic look, Peter turned to his brother.
"Let's get everyone up to speed," he said, his voice shifting to a more serious tone.
"There's a lot you need to know."
As they prepared to move inside, Charlie's phone buzzed with a message. He glanced down, a satisfied nod indicating the completion of a crucial task.
"And... we've got one extra passenger," he said, gesturing toward the truck as Lieutenant Mangino stepped out, drawing everyone's attention.
Peter's expression immediately shifted from calm to one of annoyance.
"What the hell were you thinking, bringing a cop here?!" he barked angrily.
Henry responded firmly, "This 'cop' saved my life, Peter."
Charlie quickly intervened, "She ditched anything traceable. She's clean."
He met his father's gaze, his voice unwavering.
"Trust me, dad. I wouldn't have risked the operation or the safety of my little cousins if I didn't believe she would bring something to the table."
Peter exhaled angrily but seemed to let it drop... for now.
Peter looked at everyone gathered.
"Alright, let’s get inside and get to work. It’s time to get you all caught up on what’s going on."
Francine's fierce confrontation with Henry to Lieutenant Mangino's painful revelations about her past. Each character is pushed to their breaking point, revealing the fragility of trust and the weight of choices made under pressure. The revelations regarding the "Old World Order" introduce a layer of mystery, hinting at larger forces at play that will undoubtedly shape their paths moving forward.
Francine’s punch to Peter not only serves as a physical reaction but symbolizes the deeper emotional turmoil that lies beneath the surface.
After reading Chapter 15, which character's decision resonated with you the most?
