Chapter 4 - Search

This is the fourth chapter of the book.

And with that, Michael returned to the present while holding onto the evidence items. He then left the basement and returned to the living room. Kenan and Elysia were still in the living room waiting for Michael. “Hey. Welcome back. So, what did you find in your investigation?” said Kenan. “Quite a few things actually.” said Michael. “Okay. Lay them out.” said Kenan. “I will.” said Michael as he placed the orange envelope and the remote control on the coffee table. “So, what are those?” said Kenan. “I will explain that. I’m sure you’re aware of that explosion at the Dudley and Stoughton Street intersection. Right?” said Michael. “Yeah. That was some shocking news.” said Kenan. “Yes. Well, that remote control is the detonator to the bomb that went off.” said Michael. “Wait. You brought explosive technology into this house?” said Elysia. “I apologize but I ask that you remain calm. The bomb already went off but if the buttons on it aren’t pressed another explosion won’t happen.” said Michael. “I got to ask. Where did you find that?” said Kenan. “I found it on a man who ran away from the scene.” said Michael. “I see. Now what’s with the envelope?” said Kenan. “That contains money I saw the commissioner pay to the suspect.” said Michael. “Wait. What?” said Kenan. “What’s more I heard him say that that money was stolen by him through hacking into people’s bank accounts.” said Michael. “Woah.” said Kenan. “I even have proof.” said Michael as he played a recording from his cell phone the conversation between Commissioner James and Isaiah. “Damn.” said Kenan. “Yeah.” said Michael. “So, what did Thomas James do with the suspect after giving him that money?” said Kenan. “He killed him.” said Michael. Both Kenan and Elysia gasped as they heard what Michael had said. “That commissioner is completely evil. He must be stopped.” said Elysia. “Right. I promise you I will put an end to his reign of terror.” said Michael. “I hope you will.” said Kenan. “Because he is the commissioner taking him down will be tough.” said Michael. “I’m sure you can do it.” said Kenan. “I hope I can.” said Michael. Three days later, news about Isaiah’s body being found became an important topic throughout the press. Michael watched the report on his phone during his lunch break. Since Commissioner James was the one who had Isaiah in custody, he was the one questioned. “I did what I had to do as an officer of the law. He broke out of the car on the way to the station. I found him there and shot him after warning him multiple times.” said Commissioner James. Fortunately for Commissioner James, the media believed him. Because of that, Michael chose to keep what he knew a secret from the police force. Later, that same night, Michael chatted with Kenan before the Cassius again. “Say Kenan, I have an idea.” said Michael. “What’s it?” said Kenan. “I am going to the commissioner’s past.” said Michael. “Why?” said Kenan. “I need to know more about what I am up against.” said Michael. “I see. Knowing your enemy puts you at an advantage.” said Kenan. “So, what timeline will you go to?” said Kenan. “I will be going to April 4, 1976.” said Michael. “Why that time?” said Kenan. “Because if there is a time where racial inequality peaked in Boston it will be that one.” said Michael. “Wait. That is when the incident called the Soiling of Old Glory happened. Good idea Michael.” said Kenan. “Yes. Say Kenan you wouldn’t happen to have a tape recorder I can borrow?” said Michael. “I sure do.” said Kenan as he walked over to his shelf and handed a mini tape recorder to Michael. “Thanks Kenan.” said Michael as he put the tape recorder into his pocket. “You are welcome. Remember to blend in the crowd. That way no one will be suspicious of you being from the future.” said Kenan. “Will do.” said Michael as he head back into the basement, set the date on his watch and went back to his designated timeline. Luckily for Michael, he appeared in an alley way off Cambridge Street. He noticed a flock of Caucasian men and women were walking together. He followed Kenan’s advice and followed the crowd until they stopped at City Hall Plaza by the Government Center Bus Station. Michael then passed through the crowd to see what was going on. He tried not to gasp at the sight of civil rights activist Ted Landsmark on the verge of being attacked with an American flagpole by young Joseph Rakes. “Yeah!! Get him. Get him!! I’m sure that man got taught a lesson not to mess with us. Right Tommy.” said one Caucasian man from the crowd standing next to Michael. “Yes Dad.” said child Thomas James. Michael looked to the side and stared at teenage Thomas. He smiled knowing that he had found who he was looking for. When the traumatizing scene was over, Michael followed Thomas James and his father to their house on Morrisey Boulevard. He looked through the front window and watched the James family eating dinner together. Michael couldn’t help but breathe the overwhelming smell of strawberries coming from the house that mixed with the cooking. “Serena, I am disappointed that you didn’t come to the event today.” said Thomas and Serena James’ father, Ryan. Michael looked at Thomas’ sister Serena James. Serena had brown hair, an average body type, and matching brown eyes. She wore a shirt that showed faces from The Jeffersons television show. “Look dad, I am not going to get involved with you or your racism.” said Serena. Michael then looked at Ryan. He had a clean crew cut hairstyle with a grey streak at the front. He also wore a buttoned-up shirt that matched his pants. Ryan banged his fist on the table and said, “You dare defy your father? What is wrong with you? Why can’t you just be like your brother?” “Yeah Serena.” said Thomas. “Have you forgotten I am eighteen now? I am more than old enough to make my decisions. I now see why mom left. She couldn’t take your nonsense anymore. I forgot to tell you my boyfriend Matthew proposed to me. I said yes.” said Serena as she showed her father her engagement ring. Michael watched Thomas and Ryan’s jaws drop at the sound of the engagement announcement. “What?! What?!! You are marrying that monkey after I clearly told you to stay away from him?!!” said Ryan. “You don’t even know him like I do. He’s an amazing man. He is my heart. I love him and there is not a thing you can do about it.” said Serena. “You think there isn’t?” said Ryan as he headed over to the kitchen drawer and reached in it. “What are you doing?” said Serena. “If you won’t listen then maybe this will make you.” said Ryan as he pulled out a set of handcuffs from the drawer and approached Serena with them. Serena screamed, ran and jumped out of the open window. “Keep away from me!!” said Serena as she ran away as she could. Michael went and hid behind a car before anyone in the house could find out he was there. “Get back here!” said Ryan. “Serena!” said Thomas. “Damn it!! Damn it!! I can’t believe her nerves. She refuses to be a part of the real order of this country.” said Ryan. “Yeah.” said Thomas as he and his father both went back in the house. After witnessing what happened in the James household, Michael found himself at a fork. He wondered if he should follow Serena or stay and continue to watch Thomas and Ryan. Since he was still by the house, Michael chose to tail Thomas and Ryan. The next day, Michael followed Thomas and Ryan to the Quincy Market area near the Haymarket bus station. The father and son duo were standing with signs that both say: “Would you like to be a part of a group that will give you everlasting life?” With the need to attain more leads, Michael approached Ryan and Thomas. “Excuse me guys.” said Michael. Ryan looked at Michael and said, “Hey may I help you sir?” “I noticed your sign and I got to say I am interested.” said Michael. “Oh really? You like to join?” said Ryan. “Yes. I love to be a part of your group.” said Michael. “May I have your name?” said Ryan. “My name is John Doe.” said Michael. “Okay John. I’m going to need you to go to this address. There you will find our leader. Tell one of the security guards there that you there for the real business.” said Ryan as he gave Michael a sheet of paper. Michael looked at the address on it and recognized that it was the Old State House on Washington Street. Without question Michael went over to the building and wandered around in it until he found a security guard. “You need help with something?” said the male security guard. “Yes. I am here for the real business.” said Michael. “Oh, I see. It’s nice to see another follower who wants to join our cause. You can join. Just follow me this way.” said the security guard he led Michael to a door at the other end of the building. In that passageway was a secret path that led underground. The passage ended up being a dark hallway. The only source of light were torches on the walls. Michael began to hear voices that echoed from a gathering nearby. “Say what’s going on?” said Michael. “You will know soon enough.” said the security guard as he opened the door. On that door there was a cross etched into it with a sentence encircling it that said: “Suffering for Monkeys in the End” The sentence made an acronym called SMITE. In that room there were a line of chairs. In those chairs were Caucasian men of various ages sitting down cheering at one standing before them on a stage. Those men were each wearing matching black robes. “Now what?” said Michael. “Grab a robe and then go on and sit down.” said the security guard. “Okay.” said Michael as he did as the security guard had said and sat down in the front row. When he thought that no one was watching he set the tape recorder on to record what was said. “Okay Smiters, who’s ready for today’s show?” said the group leader on a microphone. Michael kept focus on the group leader. The leader appeared to be an elderly Caucasian man. He was bald but had patches of grey hair on his head. He wore a golden sash around his black robe. “Yeah, Master Duncan James.” said the crowd. “Bring out the prisoner.” said Master James. And with that, a couple of Master James’ followers brought out an unknown African American man. The man struggled to get out of the shackles his wrists were bound in. The captive was shirtless, only had on pants, and was covered in sweat that rolled down his hairy body. He had a beard and was wearing glasses. “Look let me go now!!” said the African American man. One of the group followers kicked the man in peril in his knees making him land on them. “This monkey’s name is Matthew Robertson. He foolishly thought that it was okay to even have the nerve to propose to my granddaughter. Must he be punished?” said Master James. “Yeah!! Punish him! Punish him!!” said the crowd. “I see. Hand me my whip.” said Master James. “No!! Don’t do this!!” said Matthew as he tried to run but was quickly brought back to Master James. At the same time, one of the followers did as Master James said and gave him his whip. Master James kneeled at Matthew, forced him to make eye contact and said, “Don’t try to run. You should just accept your punishment. Consider this as a warning to not ever fight the real order of this country.” “You’re a monster.” said Matthew as he spat in Master James’ face. And with that, Michael flinched as Master James beat Matthew with the whip as much as fifty times on his bare back. When his arm got tired, Master James said, “Take the monkey away and put him in the cell with the others.” Michael watched the two followers take the unconscious Matthew through a set of double doors. When he saw enough, Michael turned off the recording of the tape recorder and snuck out of the room. The security guard was sitting down on a bench staring at the secret entrance. “Hey!! Leaving so soon?” said the security guard. “Yes. I must go.” said Michael. “Why?” said the security guard. “Unfortunately. I can’t explain. So, I need to go.” said Michael as he headed for the front door. The security guard, however, stopped Michael from leaving. “Well did you enjoy the show?” said the security guard. “Yeah. I sure did.” said Michael giving the security guard a fake smile. “Well, you don’t sound like it.” said the security guard. “Look, I am leaving this place.” said Michael as he pushed the security guard out of his way and ran to the door. When Michael got out, he set the present date on his watch and yelled, “Cassius activate!” Luckily the time portal appeared, and Michael jumped in it. Michael made it back to the present day, but the security guard followed him through the portal. “Come back here!” said the security guard. “Go back to your timeline!!” said Michael as he kicked him back into the portal. Michael panted heavily as he walked out of the basement. As usual, Kenan and Elysia were drinking coffee together in the living room. “Rough visit back in the seventies?” said Kenan. “Hell yes.” said Michael as he sat down. “So, what did you uncover?” said Elysia. “I found a lot of things, Mrs. Johnston.” said Michael. And so, Michael spent the next half hour explaining what he saw on his last jump across time. He also played what he heard on the tape recorder Kenan let him borrow. Kenan gasped as he heard the screams from Matthew and the strokes of the whip he endured from the SMITE group leader. “Where exactly did you see this?” said Kenan. “At the Old State House Museum on Washington Street. There is an underground gathering area for some cult called SMITE.” said Michael. “If something like that has been there since the seventies then it must have been there for centuries.” said Kenan. “Yeah. You’re right.” said Michael. “What else is there about this group you found out?” said Kenan. “Apparently back then it was led by a man named Duncan James. The grandfather of Thomas James.” said Michael. “Woah.” said Kenan. “Yes. His family is just straight up evil.” said Michael. “Speaking about that family, I got to show you something you definitely should see.” said Kenan as he grabbed the remote to his television and turned it on. Kenan switched his cable box on and scrolled through a list of videos he saved. One of those videos was a news clip with a title saying: “Elderly Caucasian woman confesses to the murder of Shawna Wheeler.” Michael’s jaw dropped as he recognized the woman on the screen. “I know who that is.” said Michael. “Really? Who is she?” said Kenan. “She is Serena James. The sister of Thomas James.” said Michael. “His sister?” said Kenan. “Now that explains the strawberries I smelled.” said Michael. “Strawberries?” said Elysia. “On the day I found my wife’s corpse there was a strong smell of strawberries coming from my wife’s body. And when I was in the seventies, I smelled the same odor coming from James’ family house. That strawberry perfume was hers.” said Michael. “That makes perfect sense.” said Kenan. “I think I should see her. I’ll be speaking to her tomorrow.” said Michael. “I see. Let me know how it goes.” said Kenan. “Will do.” said Michael. And with that, Michael went back home and smiled knowing that his search for the truth brought him to even more clues in his investigation.