A Year to Forget (The Accidental Time Travellers Book 2) (36 page)

“We better go.”  Chase suggested.

William was nervous, it was blatantly obvious that he had no desire to take part in the raid.

“They don’t need us, they’ll be in and out in ten minutes.  There aren’t even anywhere near as many niggers as we expected.”

Chase shook his head at the cowardice of the man.  “You heard Bobby’s instructions, those cops have chips on their shoulders.  They want blood.”

“So they should!”

“Oh come on William.  You know that the Panthers are just fighting back, the police have killed far more men than they have lost.”

“That is their job.”

“To kill people?”

“If those people deserve it, then yes.”

“You are coming in.”

William begrudgingly opened the door and stepped from the car, Chase did the same.  They hurriedly crossed the road to meet the seventeen officers, stationed around the entrance to the building.  There were as many men around the back of the building.  It was 04:30 and the residents of the building were asleep, but they wouldn’t be for much longer.

The estimation that William had given yesterday regarding the twenty Black Panthers, had turned out to be far from accurate.  There were ten of them in the apartment and one of those was Fred Hampton’s wife, who was eight months pregnant.

William gave the nod and one of the officers radioed the men at the back of the building to give them the go ahead.

Chase and William were at the back of the line of officers that stormed up the stairs of the apartment building.  Every so often as they ran up the stairs, Chase overheard racist insults spewing from the mouths of the officers.  When they reached the door, Chase felt compelled to remind the officers that they were there to arrest not murder.  His instructions were met with nods by the officers, he hoped that they would listen.

The officer closest to the door rammed it open and the flood of officers swept into the apartment, Chase was not through the door when he heard the first shot being fired, this was followed straight away by another.

“Hold your fire!”  Chase ordered.

“Fucking niggers!”  He heard an officer shouting.

Chase raised his weapon, but he could not see any of the residents.  The apartment was filled with officers, everything seemed silent, until he heard an officer saying.

“That’s Fred Hampton.”

The gunfire rang throughout the apartment in all directions, Chase ran through to the bedroom, as five officers shot at a body on the mattress.

“Hold your fire!”  He ordered once more.  The apartment was dark, but he could hear the screaming and managed to make out the shape of Hampton’s heavily pregnant wife, she was screaming on the bed, as shots were fired into her husband’s body.  Chase ran towards the bed and grabbed the woman to lead her from the apartment. 

As he pulled her into the hallway, she continued screaming and scratching at Chase.

“Get off me you bastard!  You fuckers killed him!” 

Chase ignored her protests as she tried to struggle free.

“I’m trying to help you.”  He said, he knew that she wouldn’t believe him, the sound of gunfire and the woman’s screams were all that could be heard in the apartment. 

Chase felt ill at the sound of the screaming, he managed to get the woman out of the apartment and pulled her down the flight of stairs.

“Get off me you pig!  They killed him!  You sick fucks!  What about my baby!”

Chase could not argue with the woman, he knew that she was right, and he had allowed it to happen.  He managed to pull her out into the street where a small crowd was already developing.  Chase continued to drag the woman across the street, and forced her into the car that he and William had been sitting in only minutes before.

The woman was screaming and crying, gunfire could still be heard coming from the apartment.  The few people that were now gathering outside the building, looked absolutely terrified.  Chase began to worry that he would die here tonight, if other Panthers arrived on the scene this would get even worse.

Chase sat in silence beside the woman as she screamed, unbelievably there was still gunfire coming from the apartment building.  The building door opened as a black man ran out in to the street drenched in blood, he only made it two steps before a police officer tackled him to the ground.  Within seconds two more police officers arrived and began beating the man.

Chase stepped from the car, leaving Fred’s wife crying helplessly.  He ran towards the officers but before he reached them, a black woman was thrown from the buildings entrance and she was hit in the face by a bat.

“Stop!”  Chase screamed.

The officers took no notice, Chase changed direction and ran towards the officer with the bat. 

“Step back blondie!”  The officer said.

“Stop what you are doing!”  Chase ordered.

“They killed cops!”  He kicked the motionless woman who was lying on the ground.

The building door opened again, as two more black men were continually beaten by police officers.

Chase drew the gun from his holster and pointed it at the officer with the bat.

“Stop!”

Nobody took any notice, the officers continued to beat their victims.  The man with the bat was the only one who had stopped.

He heard a shot coming from street level, but didn’t see who fired it, he presumed it was a police officer.  He didn’t see anyone getting hit, but within a second he felt a stabbing pain at the top of his spine.  He fell to his knees out of instinct rather than necessity, as he did so the pain became unbearable and he fell forward onto his front.  He heard people screaming around him, but he could no longer tell what was going on.

He felt unable to move and all he could see was the car where the woman sat crying.  He watched her for what felt like a long time, the screaming continued, as did the gunfire.  The pain was unbearable and he began to cry, his view becoming hazier as the tears came.

This continued until he could barely see the pregnant woman anymore, no one was coming to save him.  He lay on the cold concrete and closed his eyes.

Chapter 90

“How in the hell did you let this happen!”  Kennedy screamed.

Bobby did not reply, he knew the blood was on his hands.

“Ninety seven bullets fired!  With only one of them fired by the Black Panthers!”

Bobby again sat silently, his right hand was squeezed tightly around the eagle at the tip of his cane.

“Speak Bobby!”  Kennedy yelled.

“I have no excuses Mr President.  I gave them orders that I wanted arrests to be made, I didn’t want anyone to be killed.”

“Why send in the local police!  You know how many shootouts they’ve had with the Panthers!  How could you have been so careless?”

“I sent two agents to supervise and one of them was shot whilst following my orders.  I did not authorize the use of force.”

“Well they used force!”  Kennedy screamed.  “Riots in the streets and who can blame them?”

Bobby did not reply.

“It was the black vote that got me elected for crying out loud.”

“Mr President I will happily tender my resignation.”  Bobby offered.

“And leave me to deal with this myself! I don’t even have Teddy anymore!”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t see what we can do.  I need to call Martin Luther King, he is the only man that could ease the tension.”

“I don’t think that will make a difference sir.  He has lost a great deal of influence in the last two years.”

“Well I can hardly negotiate with the Panthers can I?”

“I don’t see what you can do.  After the Civil Rights Act in 1964 the black people want equality, Congress have no desire to give them it.”

“Well we have to.  The Fair Housing Act must now be pushed through Congress.”

Bobby shook his head.  “I don’t think that’s enough.”

“That will eliminate any discrimination in terms of where ethnic groups can live, it will make it illegal to deny people the opportunity to buy or rent a property based on the colour of their skin.”

“It’s not enough.  I think you should consider adding in a section regarding discrimination in the workplace.  Allow people to sue any business, that has discriminated their employees based on race, gender or religious beliefs.”

“Discrimination in the workplace is covered by the 1964 Act.”

“It doesn’t really incur any penalties, if you put forward the 1969 Civil Rights Act, covering both housing and employment then people will think you are taking equality seriously.  Martin Luther King will be able to go back to the people and show them that he accomplished it peacefully.”

Kennedy nodded.  “That’s not a bad idea.  I will arrange a meeting with King for tomorrow.”

Chapter 91

David parked up the car and looked towards the house.  He knew why he had been summoned, he knew that today, he would finally learn exactly what he would be required to do.  He took a draw on his cigarette and stared at the front door of the house.

He could feel the nerves inside him bubbling up.  Until now he had not learned exactly how he would have to kill the man, but that was all about to change.  Abaddon had phoned as soon as Bobby had left the house, to meet with Kennedy.  After hearing about the disaster with the Black Panthers, it was blatantly obvious that today he would finally be given a time and date for the hit. 

He took another draw and his thoughts turned to poor Chase, he had been shot by a police officer whilst trying to protect a woman.  Bobby had phoned the hospital and had been informed that there was no major damage done, the bullet had missed his spinal cord and had not hit any major organs.  The doctors had removed the bullet and Chase was on pain killers.  David had wanted to go and see the kid, but after Abaddon had called he knew that was no longer an option.

He had been surprised that Faraday seemed completely unaffected by the news that Chase had been shot, he wanted to talk to Bobby, but had been told that he didn’t have the time.  Bobby had said that he would meet him at the FBI offices, he didn’t have time to come home after the meeting.

David took the final draw of his cigarette and stepped from the car, his legs were weak with the nerves.  He was beginning to doubt his ability to carry out his orders.  He slowly walked up the driveway and knocked on the door.  He waited for a few minutes, before Abaddon eventually arrived to let him in.  When the door opened, Abaddon smiled and gestured for David to come inside.

He did so and was led into the living room, where he sat on the same couch that he had sat on during his previous visit.  Abaddon took his seat and continued to smile at David.

“Do you know why you are here David?”

David paused before answering.  “You’ve decided how you want me to do it?”

Abaddon nodded, the smile not flinching.  “Tomorrow.”

“You want me to do it tomorrow?”  David asked in surprise, he had expected a bit more notice.

“That’s right.  You will shoot him twice in the head, do not take any chances.”

“Where do you want me to do it?”  David asked.

“I want you to walk into the Oval Office, shoot him twice in the head, and then walk back out.”

“You want it done in the White House?”  David exclaimed, his nerves now reaching new heights.

“You will be alone with him.”  Abaddon rose to his feet and wandered through to the kitchen, when he returned he was carrying a small silver briefcase.  He retook his seat and opened the case, to reveal a gun.  “This is the weapon that you will use, it has a suppressor attached.  You shoot him, hide the weapon, and then walk out of the Oval Office.  You walk away from the scene and meet with Faraday, I have spoken to him this morning, and I have told him where you must go in order to get to the wormhole.  Then you can return home and never think of any of this ever again.”

“Jesus Abaddon, does it need to be in the White House?”

“It will be fine David.  Just do as I have asked and then leave forever.”

“Where do we go?”

“Faraday knows, he will take you to the airfield where Howard will have a plane waiting to take you to Edward Teller’s laboratory.  Edward will then send you home and send Faraday wherever he wants to go.”