Warning:
This Story is rated Mature and may contain material unsuitable for readers under 18.
"You may go," general Gordon tapped his fingers on the table.
John McFree turned and took hold of the door handle.
"Wait a minute," the general said.
McFree foresaw impending fatherly exhortation, and a fleeting shadow of discontent became visible for a second on his pale face. Instantly it regained the expression of absolute indifference whereas McFree turned around still holding the door handle.
"Don't make a grimace, McFree," said the general angrily. "You are an officer of the secret service on USA military base of time travel, not a young lady of marriageable age."
"Seems there are some cameras implanted in the door panel," McFree thought, fixing a childishly innocent gaze of his blue eyes on the general's grey pupils.
"Listen, McFree," the general said looking intently at the subordinate, "you are the best in the department but at the same time you are the most innovative, in some sense, uncontrollable agent, a troublemaker, as it were. And yes, sometimes it works, and you have accomplished great breakthroughs in our activity, but this time it's different.
You must identify clearly and unequivocally the killer and apprehend him before he is killed so that he would appeare before the face of justice and suffered a fair and lawful punishment.
Jack Ruby's vigilante justice created a huge edifice of false rumours and conspiracy fairy-tales, and it's a disgrace to our history.
Of course the assassination of the President is also a shameful and tragic page in our history, but in any case you don't have to save him.
Remember, your mission is to save the killer, not preventing the assassination. And believe me I know what your feelings are, however, by no means you should interfere with the assassination of the President.
Such a blunt political surgery evoking significant changes in history is extremely dangerous because it is able to cause an endless chaos in time and launch an incessant unpredictable sequence of events resulting irreversable catastrophy.
It's like a domino effect. Such course of events may lead to disappearance of our base along with all its staff. Just imagine the USSR outplaying America in nuclear strategy, imagine this communist monster remaining united power and threatening us, and so on."
General's unblinking eyes were fixed at McFree but McFree had no trouble watching back 'cause he could watch without blinking more than an hour. "So, major," the general went on "Is that clear?"
"Absolutely," McFree answered without a shadow of hesitation.
"Take this," General Gordon put on the table a tiny black box. "You must implant this microchip under Lee Harvey Oswald's shoulder blade and place the micro-lenses in his iris."
"May I ask what for?"
"Quite fair. This devices are going to allow us to know the whole truth about his participation in the murder of the President. They will make him speak truth, truth, and nothing besides the truth. He is not going to fool around in front of our Court."
McFree took the box and put it into his pocket.
" Tomorrow at 06 AM you must be in front of the central turbina of the trans-time station. Now you go to the warehouse and get all equipment you need. Any questions, major?"
That didn't mean the general was going to answer his subordinate's questions, that meant "You must go as quickly as you can before I get angry."
Without delay McFree took his leave and walked straight to the equipment department, where a little bald lieutenant named Jim provided him everything one needs for travel to Dallas of the November 22, 1963.
Jim's first time travel took place in America of eighteen century and being scalped by vicious Huron he refused to participate in such dangerous missions. He was enlisted in supplementary staff, suckers, as agents called them. And indeed being thirty five he still was no more than a lieutenant.
McFree came home with a briefcase in his right hand and with red roses in his left.
Anna, his wife, knew very well what that meant: her husband was going on special secret operation about which she was not supposed to know anything. Both of them were not supposed to discuss this, and the violence of the rules would result in severe punishment.
When he brought roses for the first time there was a little sheet of paper pinned to the stem, which read: "I'll be back sooner than this flowers are going to wilt."
She knew that roses of that sort never wilt provided they have enough water.
It was obvious that he had no idea how long his mission was going to take.
The rules were simple and tough: no questions, no answers, no tears, no sighs, no seeing off.
Next morning, as if for a usual routine, McFree woke up at seven o'clock, took a tepid shower, ate two boiled eggs and a chunk of ham.
He put on costume and a hat of sixties, took assigned equipments, kissed his wife and left without saying what she secretly wanted him to say.
Take-off area for time travel was regarded the Holy of Holies of the secret base. In plain terms it operated as follows.
Special super powerful turbine extracted and transformed the certain part of the stream of solar wind raging in space. After long and elaborate transformation it created radiation which as it were opened the door to the parallel reality. Inside PR there were no time, space and matter through which our life on Earth and the Earth per se existed.
PR reminds of a corridor of vacuum which contains countless entries to every second of elapsed time. The maximum power of the turbine allowed to reach as far as the first century BC. By the way it was McFree (at that time being a novice agent) disguised as a beggar who tried to prevent the murder of Julius Caesar in 44, but Caesar did not vouchsafed to listen to him and went to the Senate.
He saved McFree from the severe punishment at least because the prevention of the assassination had been strictly forbidden.
It should be noted that the aforementioned "parallel corridor" was just a metaphor. There's no place for walking there. You couldn't just get inside PR and come straight to 1963.
After being placed there you were not a human being in the conventional sense until the place of destination. Like a picture transformed by computer pierces the air and reduces to zero space in a digital format and then converts into a picture on the other computer, similar to this pattern a man transformed into an intangible system of cells pierces time and after arriving at the certain cell of time once again transforms into his natural physical state.
McFree had a vast experience of such transformation. It was terrible to go through this for the first time. McFree said "Farewell" to all his friends in case he would never see them again. He was sweating and panting when he entered the "The start cabin" for the first time. "What is it to be transformed to nothing?" throbbed in his head. "They say I'll get my body on arriving as if it is some kind of luggage suitcase. I feel like it's all over with me."
This time McFree entered the transformation cabin whistling under his breath jovially, buoyantly. He cracked jokes with operator on duty named Ebenezer Juggernaut who asked McFree to convey his greetings to President Kennedy and deliver a powerful punch to his killer's liver. McFree, laughing, promised to do all this with all his might and to get an autograph of President Kennedy.
It didn't matter actually whether you were going to get into a previous year or enter the year when our Saviour was crucified. The journey in either case was supposed to be extremely brief. Insofar there's no time in parallel reality you simply loose your consciousness for a moment and in the twinkle of an eye you found yourself in a year you had chosen to visit.
Ebenezer Juggernaut was regarded a freak or a crank. He had been working as operator of the time machine for twenty years but never had travelled in time. He regarded this as sacrilege, mockery and violence upon the past and dead people. In dealing with time travellers he was prone to release his sarcastic sense of humor from the leash.
McFree never felt offended, he knew very well that Ebenezer at the bottom of his heart admired the travellers and envied their courage. Ebenezer was puny, four feet height guy of indefinite age. Agents called him " the ghost of the temple", and the first sight of him made it entirely obvious why. Indeed, there was something weird about him. His round rubber face with small honeycombed nose, full childish lips and round bulging eyes reminded of a goblin from a fairy tale, not dangerous and evil goblin but innocuous and droll one.
In accordance with the operating requirements McFree along with his equipments was placed in an elongated pressure chamber. After a complete hermetisation the operator launched the system and started the process of transformation of living matter and concomitant stuff into nonmaterial mode of existence.
The process took one minute. Ebenezer Juggernaut turned off the system and looked on the screen on the panel. The pressure chamber was empty. He switched on his walkie-talkie and reported "McFree started off a minute ago, General."
"Copy that," General Gordon's steel voice answered. "One more start to the same destination is going to be in ten minutes."
"I beg your pardon, General, but that's not what my schedule says. I have nobody else on the list."
" I'm your shedule, Juggernaut, and I'm your list! It's very useful for you to never forget this," Gordon's sharp voice vibrated harshly in the Ebenezer's ears. "You got it?"
"Yes, General," Ebenezer murmured. "Let me get down to business."
"Go ahead!" was the answer, and the connection ended.
It was special agent Lilia who followed McFree on November 22, 1963.
It was not hard for Juggernaut to guess why agent Lilia had not been registered in the shedule. Lilia was the second best agent after McFree. General Gordon wanted her to keep McFree under control, and he didn't want McFree to be aware of being closely watched.
And for this task it was hard to find an agent who could match McFree' qualification. Only Lilia was capable of outsmarting McFree. She was shrewd, careful, experienced agent.
"Well," Juggernaut murmured under his breath. "God bless McFree. He was a bright boy."
McFree found himself in the midst of the crowd in front of the Love Field Airport.
At some distance there were several limousines, police officers on motorcycles which were supposed to form a motorcade, the motorcade that was going to reach Houston Street and turn on Elm Street where some guy was waiting for it in ambush.
" Who knows that guy, Lee Harvey Oswald?" McFree thought focusing his eye on the stout figure of governor Connelly talking to his wife. "Nobody knows, nobody cares, nobody gives a damn about him. He is nothing, nonentity, social greenfly. Who could have imagined that only an hour separates him from being a number one in world media."
McFree switched on turbo mic and pointed it imperceptibly at Governor Connelly.
"...Seems most of the people came to see the first Lady, not her husband..." The Governor was saying with a sweet smile.
"O dear, don't say so," Mrs. Connelly interrupted him. "Dallas loves Jack."
"Oh, sweetheart, I don't mean Dallas doesn't love Jack, I'm just trying to say that Mrs. Kennedy was not prone to show up in public. People were intrigued."
"Rather they were irritated, harshly piqued," Mrs. Connelly said. "And for good reason. She is nice. Now people are going to be satisfied."
" Oh, I hope so, I really hope so," the Governor laughed. "But look,dear, it's obvious Jack insisted on her presence for the sake of the impending elections. She will provide him a scores of voters."
"Why not? I think it's quite fair," Mrs Connelly said. "She is really very nice."
Buzzing of plane began interfering with conversation, and McFree turned off the mic.
People looked upwards shouting " Presidential Plane! President is coming!"
McFree felt as if somebody was watching him surreptitiously. His sixth feeling has never let him down.
"Who it might be?" McFree thought pretending to watch the landing of the plane on the tarmac and at the same time observing the surrounding people. Nobody was looking at him; all glances were chained to Mrs. Kennedy descending the aircraft ramp and to the President following her.
"General Gordon, did you set somebody on my tail?" McFree thought with a smile. " Well, General, if you you mean foul play, okay, the next move will be mine."
McFree turned on full transparency mode which rendered him invisible and made his way through the crowd to the official welcoming group. Slightly pushing Eric Johnson's shoulder McFree attached micro-processor generator with remote control to a bouquet of flowers. Next moment the flowers were handed to Mrs. Kennedy.
Now McFree had only to press a button on his remote to protect the President's limousine by dint of bulletproof shield formed of lucid liquefied gas.
Of course, the remote could operate at a distance of no more than two hundred feet, that's why McFree was gathering his will and spirit for the impending marathon.
McFree took a look at the remote to make sure the green signal was on which meant the connection with the MPG was in active position.
He put on roller skates equipped with an electric motor allowing to move with the speed from five to sixty kilometers per hour.
Since the President's limousine was already moving across the airline's main hangar, McFree began his maraphon following the motorcade.
The motorcade was moving along the streets of Dallas very slowly, and, moreover, it had stopped a couple of times to let the President greet the people who were joyfully welcoming him on the sidewalk.
McFree turned off the revs in his rollers and followed the limousine using the energy of his own strong feet. The weather was sunny and warm. McFree felt sorry that being invisible he was not able to enjoy the rays of the sun.
On reaching the Houston Street McFree looked at his watch: Dallas' time was 11.23 AM.
"In seven minutes this rat of a man is going to shoot," MacFree thought, his heart beating faster.
"I wish I could see his face and his eyes seeing no changes whatever in President's behavior caused by his shots. I bet he will smash his Manliher-Carcano into pieces on seeing the motorcade safely passing by Depository." MacFree chuckled under his breath.
He took the remote out of his pocket and was petrified feeling as if the crust of ice covered his spine. The green indicator was off. Instead of the green the red one was active designating the fact of "system failure."
"Fuck," McFree murmured and quickly changed the battery but red signal remained in active state.
Limousine was approaching Elm Street. McFree looked askance at his watch and saw 11. 27 AM. "Fuck" he repeated in fury.
"It's not about battery," McFree thought grimly. "Frigging micro processor is disabled. But who could have done this? Only agents of our secret base are qualified for this magnitude of tech operation which means my premonition is confirmed, I'm not the only time traveller accompaning the motorcade."
McFree was jogging beside the right side of the limousine when motorcade turned to Elm Street. McFree saw the tree, the last tree the President was supposed to see in his life.
McFree switched on the mode of individual bulletproof defence. The indicator on the panel signalled that this mode was activated.
"Well, my invisible friend," McFree hissed, "you are not such a nut to mess with my personal things."
McFree drew level with the right side of the limousine.
"It's a pity that the President won't even know who shielded him from the bullets," McFree thought and clutched the rear of the limousine.
Right at the moment when he was in the position providing President's safety McFree felt a strong grip on his neck and a powerful jerk to the right.
He rolled down from the back of the limo on the pavement and rolled a few meters to the pavement. He tried to get up but a strong blow to the head returned him in the previous position.
"You are here to save Lee, not the President," McFree heard à rasping like automaton voice.
Mrs Connelly sitting on the front seat of the limousine bent a bit towards the President and said with a sweet smile " Now, Mr President, you can't say that Dallas doesn't love you, can you?"
Instead of the answer a sharp, dry sound of the shot cut the air.
Through the mist which shrouded his eyes McFree saw the President lowering his head with his hands pressed to his throat, Mrs. Kennedy's pale face bending over him.
" Four seconds before the fatal third shot," flashed in McFree's head. He rolled nimbly to the right, jumped to his feet and rushed to President's limousine. The second shot followed.
"Two seconds," croaked McFree and tripped over someone's foot. Simultaneously the third shot cracked. McFree fell and rolled on the pavement, and barely managed to dodge from the next limousine with agents of the secret service.
The President's car with secret service agent perched on its rear part rushed forward and ducked under the aqueduct.
Dealey Plaza in an instant turned into panic mess. The most of people ran to the grassy knoll. They shouted chaotically pointing to the jagged wooden fence. Some lain on the ground in a fear of the next shots.
In a few seconds McFree was near the fence. He was on the point to climb the fence when he heard the same automaton voice said to him: "It's none of your business, agent. Remember your mission is Lee Harvey Oswald."
McFree rushed to the entrance of the Depositar through the chaotic comotion of people.
McFree's hands were shaking from fury and his heart squeezed from shame: he - the best agent of undercover unit having all information concerning the whole course of event - turned out to be unable to save the President.
" All I could do was just bouncing to and fro like a fussy hen and watch the assassination of the President?" McFree thought gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.
A policeman with a motorcycle helmet and flushed face rushed into the building slipping MñFree's shoulder.
"They are after him," McFree thought. "But Lee is not in a trouble yet. All I have to do is just to wait him here. Who was that invisible ghost that interfered with my actions? The automaton voice for disguising the voice of agent of our unit, the agent whose voice I know very well. The most probable... Oh, here Lee comes!"
McFree recognized him at once, and one glance at him was sufficient for McFree to understand why Lee Harvey Oswald had not been included into the general files of PRS. McFree was stricken how innocuously Lee looked like. Not quite so as the video materials had depicted him.
Maybe those who filmed him chose special racurs to make him looking more like dangerous, obnoxious and absolutely evil person?
McFree could not help but admit that Lee didn't seem unlikable person. He had a good looks seasoned with a peculiar charm of a young disillusioned intellectual. Moreover, he looked slightly feminine. There was some childness and fragility about him. Who could have thought that this inconspicuous, feeble, frail guy could be the cause of such a huge tragic event in the history of America?
McFree followed Oswald through the crowd of people and got into a bus along with him. The bus was empty save for a woman that looked at Lee with a glimpse of recognition. The bus was moving slowly because of the police cars moving back and forth.
The woman got out of the bus and a minute later Lee got out as well. McFree followed him. He didn't want Lee to take his Smith-Wesson which he kept in his room in the rooming house.
"I failed to save the president," McFree thought, "I should prevent the murder of Tippit at least."
He drew level with Lee, clenched his fist and hit him right at the chin. Lee stumbled, swayed and stood wobbling and looking wildly around him.
Having noticed nobody within his reach he touched his chin, rubbed it cautiously and went slowly towards the taxi cab. McFree delivered him another punch more powerful than the previous one to the left side of his chin.
This time Lee fell on the ground. McFree kicked him a couple of times to make sure he was unconscious. He implanted the microchip under Lee's shoulder blade and set micro contact lenses on Lee's irises. Having done this he clapped Lee on the cheeks several times.
Lee raised his head and looked around. McFree bent over him and said not very loudly but distinctly: " For killing our president, you, frigging sucker!"
Lee slowly squatted and looked around more thoroughly. On seeing nobody beside he stood up but didn't move.
"What the hell is this?" he murmured. "What's going on?" Whoever you are what do you want? I'm innocent."
" Oh come on, comrade" McFree said angrily. "You know well that you killed the President. What do I want is absolutely another question. I have to save your miserable life because there are some quite deft and powerful people want to kill you."
Slight pink tint appeared on Lee's greyish pale face. His eye became more steady and calm. He squinted and asked with sarcasm in his voice "Why do you want to save me, sir?"
"I'm executing secret order," the answer was.
"Why are you invisible? New technology?"
"That's right."
" Are you from Russian secret agency?"
There was no answer.
"From Cuba secret service?"
"I'm not allowed to disclose this information," MñFree couldn't help but see that his object was not so smart as he was considered to be.
" Seems, he lacks imagination," McFree thought.
Deep wrinkle appeared on Lee' white forehead.
"How are you going to save me?" he asked.
"Well," McFree said. "I have one more invisible cloak of the same pattern I'm wearing. You put it on and follow me to the special place where you will be out of reach of the police and the guy who wants to kill you."
"Who is that guy? From the secret service?"
"He has nothing to do with secret service, but he is shrewd, smart, dangerous and he hates you."
"Why should I believe that you're not from USA secret service?"
"In such a case, I wouldn't waste time talking to you. It would be more proper to knock you out, handcuff you and deliver to the secret services headquarters. Now it's time to stop our chattering. Don't you see the police officer is approaching you. So, are you with me or with the police? And don't forget you are without your Smith-Wesson and "curtain rods" now."
Lee turned around. The police officer was slowly coming towards Lee.
"Damn," Lee said, " of course, I'm with you."
McFree put invisible cloak on Lee. The policeman stopped abruptly and stared at the empty spot with the stupidest expression on his face and bulging eyes.
He pressed his cheek to the walkie-talkie and said: "The man that fits the description disappeared. I can't follow him, because he literally vanished into thin air."
Lee lashed out at the police officer and punched him. " Stop-and-frisk, damned cop, hide-and-seek!" Lee shouted and punched the petrified policeman. The officer's head began twitching from side to side, his lips began bleeding.
McFree grabbed Lee by arm and the collar and dragged him abruptly aside.
"Listen to me, boy," McFree said when they were at some distance from the police officer, "We are not playing games. This officer is executing his duty, he has never inflict you any harm. I made you invisible not for such disgusting pranks. You understand?"
"I got it," Lee said grimly. "Would you please take your hands off my arm? It hurts."
McFree released Lee's hand.
"Now what?" Lee asked swinging his right hand and stroking it with his left hand.
"Now you go with me abstaining from questions and keep your destructive impulses on the leash. I know perfectly well that you are thinking of escaping from me and using the invisible cloak in your next stupid acts of violence.
I must disappoint you at once: this invisible cloak operates only by consuming a special kind of energy. The source of this energy is implanted in my equipment. Therefore I can disable your cloak every moment like this," McFree touched a button on his watch and Lee for a moment became visible. "Moreover," McFree went on, "your invisible cloak can operate at a distance of no more than fifty feet from the source of energy. So don't even think to scamper away from me."
"You forbade me to ask questions," Lee grinned. "But I'll venture anyway: do you see me? Because you took the side of the stupid cop at once and I'm inclined to think you see me despite the invisible cloak."
"Yes, I see you while you are not able to see me. Look, kid, all is arranged for me to have total control over you. So, behave properly," McFree answered with a grin.
"Well, commander-in-chief, seems, you leave me no choice but to submit."
McFree switched to visible mode and morphed into a tall young man wearing black costume, black sombrero and black sparkling shoes.
"Now, I'm going to become visible whereas you stay invisible, and we are going to Love Field by taxi. Listen to and obey my commands and no follies, okay?" McFree said.
Lee nodded faintly, looking him straight in the eyes. McFree smiled: Lee didn't believe to anybody and wanted to make sure that McFree really saw him quite distinctly.
"You are dressed as if you were going to funeral, Mr..." Lee said looking at McFree with curiosity. "You look quite natural, but...there's some kind of weirdness about you. Looks like you are from another planet, and that fits with all your sophisticated trinkets."
"He is not so stupid, this vicious child..." McFree thought and said with a smile "Think yourself smart, don't you?"
Lee smiled back complacently.
"How come this cherub killed the President?" McFree thought. "No wonder agent Hosty didn't have him redflagged. Devil never wears the horns, Schopenhauer said, he always looks like a patsy. Seems agent Hosty never read Schopenhauer."
"Well let's go," McFree said.
After short walk in the midst of people hurrying with pale, excited faces to and fro they stopped in front of a taxi and McFree said to the driver "Love Field."
"Okay," the driver answered. "But the trip won't be too swift, you know, police patrols are swarming everywhere. They are angry, they stop all cars, you know, Kennedy is badly wounded, sons of a bitch shot him point blank, fucking communists..."
"I'm not in a hurry," McFree interrupted the driver, "I'd like to take a back seat, and you may tell me stories about communists while driving, okay?"
The taxi driver frowned. He didn't like MñFree's calm, confident manner at the time when the life of the President was in a great danger, but he needed money 'cause he had a big family.
"Okay, mister," he grumbled. "Take a seat."
MñFree opened the door and let Lee slip inside, and when Lee took a seat he followed him and shut the door.
The driver watched him grimly, nodded and murmured "Oh, you are definitely not in a hurry, mister, I see."
During the trip the taxi was stopped several times. Police officers checked the driver's licence and the passenger's documents. As soon as McFree showed them his identification of national security agent and FBI agent's license, they let the car go.
The driver kept silence all the way, from time to time he cast sullen glances at MñFree.
"The last report from the Parkland Memorial Hospital," the gloomy sound of the radio cut the silence. "Just several minutes ago it was reported that the President of the United States... died..."
The driver started, his shoulders bent down, his hands clenched the steering wheel. He pushed the accelerator pedal all the way down, and his old car groaned wildly like a deadly wounded beast. The sound of engine made the radio inaudible. The driver's shoulders were twitching, from time to time he lifted his hand to his face to wipe tears.
When they arrived at Love Field McFree heard him say in a dry, rasping voice "Turns out you are from secret service? FBI? What, guys, are you doing? Why didn't you protect our President?" His red eyes sparkled in anger "I'm a driver. I do my job. You wanted Love Field, and you are here, aren't you? I do my job. But you don't! ... you don't do your job. You let them kill my President in broad daylight as if he was a partridge. And you know what... you are no better than those who were shooting!" the driver covered his face with his palms, his shoulders began shaking. "Get out of my car, mister," he screamed, sobbing." I don't want your money, I don't want to see you! Get out!"
McFree obeyed and dragged Lee out of the car.
" President is dead," McFree said looking at Lee point blank.
"So what?" Lee shrugged. " There will be another president, and people will forget him on the other day."
"But what about the American people, the human beings, like this driver?"
"American people?" Lee's eyes flashed with glint of hatred and contempt . " Oh, I don't care about this vast herd of stupid and complacent slaves of money and hostages of their own selfish ambitions."
"Oh? Why didn't you stay in Russia then?"
"They are slaves too, miserable slaves, and their system sucks."
"Sucks? You renounced your Marxists ideas?"
"By no means," Lee said sadly. "Look, their system is wrong, in fact they have a dictatorship, but they are surrounded by capitalist countries, and all of them with the United States at the head hate communism..."
"You mean it's America's fault that Russia has a dictatorship?" McFree exclaimed stunned. " Come on you can't be serious!"
" I'm dead serious! Look, America is a dicing country, I do not wish to be a part of it, nor do I ever again wish to be used as a tool in its military aggressions." ***
" We have no time to argue, Lee," McFree answered shaking his head. "We are right on the entrance of time tunnel."
"The entrance of what?" Lee seemed astonished.
McFree switched on his walkie-talkie. " Central to Love Field November 22 1963 - you hear me?"
" Love Field to Central," the walkie-talkie gritted, "hear you well."
"The mission is over," McFree said. "The object with me. We are set to return."
"Copy that," was the answer, and a sound of centrifuge followed...
McFree slept all next day and night. His wife didn't disturb him. She knew very well that time travel had taken a lot of energy out of him. Time travellers were prone to early ageing, and that's why they were supposed to retire at thirty.
When McFree woke up his wife rushed to him with a cup of hot coffee and a cake on the tray.
"Darling," she exclaimed." They have done it! They killed the dictator!"
"What?" McFree squinted and yawned. "What did you say? Who killed who?"
"The dictator of the Aggressive Military Power is killed," she said enthusiastically. "Mister Ruben is killed! And do you know who killed him? Try to guess!"
"I don't know, sweetheart, I don't know, hope you didn't put any sugar into the coffee because..."
"Oh, darling," she persevered. " Please, just make a guess!"
" Okay," McFree stretched his hand to take a cup and froze.
"Oh, my god," he covered his pale face with his palms. "That cannot be..." he exhaled with a groan. His lips began trembling and the palms sweating. "That cannot be true!"
"You knew it?" his wife asked him in astonishment. "You knew who was supposed to kill the dictator Ruben?"
Without answer he jumped out of the bed and turned on TV.
NBC anchor was speaking solemnly and severely: "... since the international tribunal found him guilty of serious war crimes he became very cautious, and the most sophisticated measures were taken by his guard.
For the last several months he has communicated with his counsellors, foreign or domestic state officials only through the Scype. He had no friends, no passions. The only one attachment remained in his icy heart - Lee Harvey Oswald. His photos were hanging on the wall of his bedroom, in his study, in his living-room.
He adored and worshiped Lee Harvey Oswald so much that he wanted to erect a huge monument to him in the middle of the capital, but there was so little money left in his crony corrupt state that he was contented to have a small bust of Lee Harvey Oswald in front of his residence.
Every year on October 18 one of his best guards puts flowers in front of the bust. The dictator watched this through the videocamera and wept saying "He was a real sharpshooter. Marksman. My man!"
When he was reported that Lee Harvey Oswald had been resurrected and was paying visit in his country, mister Ruben ordered to find Lee and bring him to his residence.
That was done immediately, and hundreds of cooks were hurriedly preparing the great dinner.
Lee Harvey Oswald was bestowed the audience with the dictator, and at the very moment when mister Ruben and Lee Harvey Oswald shook hands the powerful explosion occured. Both men were killed at once.
Mister Ruben was a dictator of the Aggressive Military Power for thirty years. He always pretended to be the leader of democratic goverment but the whole world knew he was a cruel and aggressive dictator.
The first steps of the official investigation failed to reveal any clue as to how Lee Harvey Oswald had managed to bring the explosive in the residence and what kind of explosive material he had with him. The dictator's press-secretary said very briefly that Lee Harvey Oswald was searched very thoroughly before meeting mister Ruben.
Very advanced equipment was used and nothing suspicious was found.... Supposedly some kind of stuff was implanted in Lee Harvey Oswald's body but the investigation is at a loss as to who triggered the explosive, as it was launched at a very exact moment..."
Mac Free turned off the TV and sank slowly into his bed.
His wife stared at him, the question trembled on her lips but she dared not to ask and for good reason. She understood. She sat on the chair in front of him in silence and looked at him with her tender eyes.
McFree had never used secret hotline with General Gordon, and he used it this time.
"Congratulations, colonel! Well done!" General Gordon's voice answered.
"Not colonel McFree, major McFree is speaking."
" You are colonel McFree from now on," the general laughed. "Tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon will be a solemn ceremony of awarding the title and award."
"Just one question, General. The device and contact micro-lenses, which I set on the object were not for making him tell the truth, it were explosives and detonator, right?"
"Commander in Chief will be present at the ceremony, so, McFree, don't disappoint us, behave yourself." General Gordon switched off the connection.
McFree sipped his coffee in and told his wife, "What do you say if I resign?"
She looked at him with sparkling eyes, smiled and said, "This is the best thing that you told me during your service."
She looked at him with sparkling eyes, smiled and said, "This is the best thing you ever told me during your service."
McFree put aside the empty cup, came up to his wife, hugged her and kissing her ear whispered "But I have a lot of more sweet words for you my love you may rest assured I have..."
*** This is an exact exerpt from the letter L.H.O. wrote to his brother Robert Oswald published in Warren Commission Report on September 27 in 1963.