Hannah Ford sat at her desk and stared at her computer monitor in silence. For the first time in over ten years she had found doubt within herself, doubt over the motives and methods of an organisation, a country and a government she had come to love.
Hannah was no stranger to international espionage and the tragedies that it could cause, for in her years within the FBI she had seen enough reports and files detailing politically motivated murders, organised assassinations, genocides, terrorist activities and the like. Intelligence was a dirty game, played by those who must constantly war with what is within and humane, and what is required of them in order to protect the humanity which they served.
But the pictures of the slaughtered civilians in the commune in Virginia were a step too far. Somebody was responsible. Ethan Warner was responsible, or so she had thought.
Hannah clicked on her computer screen, entered her access code and accessed once again the file that had been waiting for her upon her return to the office. It contained the bloodwork for the specimen she had discreetly obtained from the hotel balcony, near where Stanley Meyer had died.
To her amazement, the DNA profile of the blood had found a match in the system that the FBI had claimed had not been found via their own official sample obtained by forensics at the site.
Data spilled down the screen and Hannah read as rapidly as she could, absorbing information like a sponge as she read page after page.
An image of a dark skinned Afro — American, born August 12th, 1959 — Aaron James Mitchell. Mother; Florence Mitchell, nee Spencer, an American by birth, Detroit. Father; Jackson. J. Mitchell, former soldier, service record; Pacific Theatre, Iwo Jima, decorated veteran. Devout Catholics, both now deceased. No other siblings. Aaron Mitchell, service with United States Marines, Vietnam, decorated twice, two tours of active duty, two further tours as instructor …
Hannah had originally felt a deep sense of relief flood her nervous system upon reading the file. She had immediately believed she was reading the operational file of an all American boy and veteran.
Wife; Mary Allen Mitchell. Daughter; Ellen Amy Mitchell, born 1972, Oakland, California …
Hannah scrolled down, and once again the warmth of relief within her turned to cold slime as she continued to read.
… died, 1978. Interred Oakland, California.
Aaron James Mitchell; Diagnosed with acute anxiety and depression, revised as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Original PTSD from combat service enflamed via suppressed grief after loss of family. Two years medical hospital, San Diego. Released 1981. Registered CIA 1983.
Hannah scrolled down rapidly toward the physician’s report near the bottom of the file.
Physically impressive. Doctor’s note: Aaron J Mitchell is without a doubt the most powerful and dangerous man I have ever attempted to treat.
Then she scrolled to the bottom of the page.
Died, 1998, Berlin, Germany.
Ethan Warner’s words echoed in her mind as she stared at the face on the screen before her. Aaron Mitchell is behind all of this. He’s working for a cabal known as Majestic Twelve. They are dangerous, this isn’t a game.
Hannah stared into the middle — distance for a moment longer, and then she started making notes that began with three lines.
Majestic Twelve.
Aaron J Mitchell.
Ethan Warner.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dean Crawford is the author of the internationally published series of thrillers featuring Ethan Warner, a former United States Marine now employed by a government agency tasked with investigating unusual scientific phenomena. The novels have been Sunday Times paperback best — sellers and have gained the interest of major Hollywood production studios. He is also the enthusiastic author of many independently published Science Fiction novels.