The Neutralizer - The Return of Sir William (Part 1 of 4)
By Ralph Arata

PROLOGUE
The Neutralizer was not a policeman, US Marshal, agent or government employee of any kind. He was a highly decorated Special Forces soldier who had seen action in the Balkans, Somalia, Angola and various Middle Eastern countries. He was fully qualified as a class 10 sniper, small and automatic arms expert and specialist in close quarters and hand-to-hand combat. The Neutralizer’s career was mentored and closely watched by a Mr. Dean Hickenlooper of US Justice Department. Dean was now the “Big Fed” running the DOJ's Special Ops department and had personally supervised the construction of the “Farm” which was a super secret anti-terrorist surveillance and eradication compound tucked somewhere in the Allegheny Mountains. It was Hickenlooper who recruited Ralph Arata a.k.a. the Neutralizer to “contract” for the Farm. It was Arata that the Big Fed assigned special missions to when the US President had no other choices!

THE STORY
April in Washington is glorious as the dogwood and cherry blossoms are in full bloom! The soothing colors of white and pink-red are enough to soften even the most activist politician. Ralph Arata aka "The Neutralizer" sat quietly soaking the afternoon sunshine on a particularly warm day along the Potomac River. As the cherry blossom peddles were gently swinging in the wind the Neutralizer thought of a line from a Tom Cruise movie, The Last Samurai, where the Samurai leader, Katsumoto lay dying on a battle field watching similar blossoms fall. His final words were "perfect....they are all perfect"! The soldier felt those same words and he also knew his time to fight and die might also come. As the term Samurai means "to serve" so did the Neutralizer, under the tutelage of the Big Fed, Dean Hickenlooper who was head of the DOJ and whose mission control center (The Farm) carried out those assignments, under orders from the President, too sensitive for any other government agency to handle.

The Neutralizer felt the presence of the Big Fed even before he was 50 feet from the bench the soldier sat on. The head of the DOJ sat down. "Hello Dean, how is the family?" "Kerry is doing just fine!" "In fact, we were planning a vacation to the UK." The soldier looked at Dean and replied "...were planning?" The DOJ boss looked and said, "There has been a kid napping. A 17 year old young lady who just happens to be the daughter of the chairman of the Ways & Means Committee." A surprised look was on the soldier's face as he said "Is this a the kind of job the President wants me on??" " Not normally was the reply but the other piece of this puzzle is 2 words...Sir William".

The notorious Sir William, once the darling of the English Parliament and then top gun the MI6 had gone rogue. Sir William was expert in small arms and hand to hand combat. He had disappeared from England only to emerge a global arms dealer from which he had acquired great wealth. He was as elusive and he was mysterious and had tangled with the Neutralizer more than once almost taking the soldier's life. Sir William's weakness was fast cars.

The DOJ head went on. "We need you back at the Farm". A chopper will pick you up at Langley at 0600...get some sleep". "The Mission Controller will brief you in the war room as soon as you arrive". "Oh and by the way the word is that Sir William has developed a taste for American iron and is driving a Dodge Hellcat". "The Doctor has been getting the MGB ready for you with a little extra muscle".

The soldier looked at the Big Fed and asked, "Can you tell me where I am headed"? Hickenlooper replied, "Connecticut"!

The next morning the Neutralizer was on a chopper to "The Farm" which was the brain-child of the DOJ head - a super secret black ops base of operations in the Allegheny Mountains not too far from Camp David. The soldier sat in the war room as Hickenlooper and the mission controller, Susan, stepped in." How was your flight in", asked Susan. "Uneventful", was Arata's reply. "But it's good to be back". The Neutralizer and the Farm's mission controller had an unusual love affair - basically a 2 ships passing in the night as each knew their romance could end at any given assignment.

Susan went on. "Sir William is holding the Secretary's daughter somewhere in northwest Connecticut in the vicinity of West Cornwall. The intel was passed onto local police by a BP station owner who thought the sight of 3 Dodge Hellcats fully stuffed with hard guys looked very out of place there!!" "Check in with Doctor Skeggs. He has beefed up the "B" for this mission." The soldier's mode of transport was a specially race prepared 1972 MGB. Light, nimble and packed with power. A creation of the Doctor.

The Neutralizer took the elevator down one floor to Steve "the Doctor" Skegg's automotive laboratory. There he met with "the Doctor" and Dino "Gadgets" Perez who is the Farm's electronic expert.

"Welcome back", said the Doctor. Gadgets and I have some special things to show you on the MGB!! Can't wait to see your TRICKS", said the soldier..........TRICKS, what TRICKS was the call from my wife Susan from the kitchen. Her calling shocked me out of my afternoon nap to the point of falling off the couch!! Oh crap, I did it again...another dream while taking my little afternoon constitutional.

NEXT: Chapter 2 - Tracking Sir William on Route 7.