intend to stay?”
“As long as it takes.”
“As long as what takes Mr. Neeson?”
It was my turn to shrug.
“I don’t know.”
“Mr. Neeson, I’m not going to order you to leave this place. Not yet, but I will if you remain here longer than a few days. It’s in my power to do so, and I will exercise that authority, do you understand?”
I could hear Mac’s footsteps as he strode across the room and to our table.
“Your ten minutes are up Carol, time to go.”
Officer Denny ignored Mac and continued speaking to me.
“And one more thing Mr. Neeson. I suggest to you in the strongest terms, do not transmit any unlicensed communications from this location. Do you understand what I am saying? Am I making myself absolutely clear to you?”
I inhaled sharply and sat upright. If Officer Denny knew of my transmissions, that would mean I had been closely monitored by the N.U.N. authorities for far longer than just this trip to Alaska. It also likely meant my father had long been monitored as well. How much they knew, the possibility began to form a ball of sickness in my stomach. Officer Denny was right about one thing – I faced real danger.
“Do you understand Mr. Neeson?”
Before I could reply, Mac’s hand came down upon Denny Carol’s shoulder and he repeated his earlier statement.
“Time to go Carol, NOW.”
Carol Denny quickly stood up and as he did so his right hand held the electrical charge device that had just a mere half second before been holstered at his side. I was stunned at how quickly he moved - how quickly he became a fully armed Compliance Officer of the New United Nations.
I was then even more stunned at how much more quickly and easily Mac disarmed Officer Denny.
The former Seal Team Six member’s movements were difficult to follow – I saw Carol’s weapon come up, and then in nothing more than a blurred flash, Mac was holding it in his own right hand, as his left hand clamped down on the right shoulder of Officer Denny and forced him back down into his seat. Carol’s face broke out into a grimace – whatever hold Mac had on his shoulder was producing a considerable amount of pain.
Mac then brought his face into the small lens of Officer Denny’s transmitter that hung on the front of his light blue New United Nations’ jacket.
“I know you shits are watching this, so make note of the fact I am allowing Officer Carol to leave here unharmed and am returning his little gun to him. He asked his questions of our guest, and now it’s time for him to go. We just want to be left alone up here do you understand? Just leave us the hell ALONE.”
Carol Denny’s eyes were darting around the room, and a thin sheet of sweat now covered his forehead. He didn’t appear upset, or even afraid, but rather genuinely concerned not for himself, but for the man who had just disarmed him.
“You shouldn’t have done that Mac. That was over the line…you…you just put everyone up here in serious danger with that stunt. You just assaulted a compliance officer. They won’t allow that to slide. The next time I’m up here, I won’t be alone. And I won’t be in charge. Dammit Mac - why did you go and do that?”
Mac appeared unconcerned with anything Officer Denny told him.
“Carol, just get back in your vehicle and drive on home. If you or anybody else wants to make this a real fight, that would be the mistake. I ain’t looking for a fight Carol, but if I have to, I’m still more than capable of bringing it.”
Office Denny’s tremble in his left hand returned, and sweat from his forehead was trickling down his cheeks as he stood back up.
“You’re an old man like me Mac. This is nuts, all of it. This tavern, the smoking, the music, the unlicensed alcohol, the weapons - this won’t end well for any of you. The Old Man, he can’t stop