Enter Sandman Ch. 07

It took me half the night to read the report on Mr. Greg Sands. Several times I had to put the report down and have a slug of straight whiskey.

The report had shaken me to my very core. I might have known my friend Sandman at 18 years of age but the person at 28 was a sick twisted animal. The report gave me all the answers I was looking for and I thanked God that I wasn't the target of his rage.

I was sure Peterson Sr. had read this report and must have had a good old fashioned belly laugh, he must have felt like a kid at Christmas watching the Bates clan and knowing an anvil was about to be dropped on them.

My guess is Peterson Sr. wasn't real happy about the scandal that would erupt with the upcoming divorce of Doug and Susan, not to mention his precious baby boy being set up.

What hurt me the most however apart from my wife's infidelity, was the fact that if I was reading this report correctly I was just a pawn. Nothing more than collateral damage in a power struggle between two men that started years ago.

Having the answers gave me no relief. In fact I was certain that I would become a target if Sandman figured out that I knew everything. There is no doubt given this report that he would kill me if he got wind of my knowledge.

The report detailed everything from his childhood right up to his police career. As a child Greg Sands was exposed to a high level of violence. I didn't know but his mom was actually his step-mom.

The report outlined that Greg had witnessed his real Mother's death at the hands of an intruder. His father had just returned from work as the man was about to shoot Greg and his father 'saved the day' by killing the man.

Details were a little fuzzy from then on. He got into trouble fighting other kids and eventually his father remarried and continued his police career. To control Greg's rage his father enrolled him in boxing classes and he became a champion boxer.

His father then took a new job in my hometown. From that period I knew mostly everything as at that time we were' joined at the hip' as my folks always said. There were no real amazing insights until Greg Sands joined the Army.

This is the part of the report that everything became clear to me and made me realize I had to get out of the middle of this.

I knew all about basic training as we went through that together. The real interesting reading was when Sandman had completed his special forces training.

The key to this whole tale of woe came down to one man. General Edward Bates was in charge of Sandman's unit and this is where I had been sold a bunch of lies.

Sandman was in charge of his unit and reported directly to Bates. They took an instant dislike to each other. Bates had a win at all cost philosophy and whilst Sandman had that in him he believed in being righteous and loved the men under his command.

Apparently Bates and Sandman had some blazing disagreements on everything from tactics as well as Sandman fucking his daughter Kelly.

Initially Sandman got together with Kelly just to spite Bates. What was interesting was that Kelly looked very similar in build and looks to Sandman's dead Mother. The report actually provided photos and I had to admit there were some similarities but nothing as remarkable as identical twins or anything.

It seems the love affair turned real serious pretty quickly as Sandman was smitten and so was Kelly. However, things then turned ugly when Sandman proposed to Kelly but Kelly refused until he asked her Father's permission.

Well hell would freeze over before that happened and as quick as that Sandman's unit was sent to the Middle East. General Bates initially went over in charge of several operations, albeit organizing operations from a desk in the desert.

Sandman and his boys were given every dangerous crappy operation that Bates could find. Men lost their lives but Bates persisted, that is, until he went too far.

General Bates ordered Sandman's unit into a very dangerous situation and apparently with outdated incorrect information. The report seems to suggest he knew that as well. The squad was supposed to be going on R&R but Bates cancelled it and ordered them in. It was a disaster with half the unit cut down and most of the rest came back with injuries including Sandman.

General Bates was ordered home, where he gave his resignation and retired. Sandman recovered physically but mentally he had changed. Sandman swore revenge but by the time he came home Bates was retired and gone.

To add further insult to injury, Kelly broke his heart and refused marriage based on her Father's demands. Kelly was quoted as saying she would always love him and no other man but she had to follow her Father's wishes.

Sandman went on with his military career but then heard about my nuptials to Ms. Kelly Bates. With that Sandman saw his chance for more than a little revenge.

Sandman decided to quit the military and become a cop in my city. I was as much of a consideration as gum on the bottom of his shoe. He knew he could woo Kelly, hopefully get her pregnant and destroy her reputation.

I would divorce Kelly and a scandal would erupt when it was found out she was carrying another man's baby. I remember Sandman saying all the General loved was money and power. So I believe his next port of call would be to take that away. There was no doubt he was plotting with Kelly but I wasn't sure if she was intentionally withholding sex from me or if Sandman had some sort of power over her.

It looked as if after framing Doug he was then going to go to Peterson Sr. and help him get Doug off the drug charges. In return he would then employ Peterson Sr.'s power within the town to destroy General Bates and his family.

It was an ambitious plan for sure but I had wrecked it by helping Doug Peterson see the situation and get out of town. I knew for sure I would be a target when Sandman figured out what had happened.

I felt the first thing to do was to get Kelly in hiding or out of town. That would hopefully tie up Sandman's attentions at least briefly then I had to decide to either ride out the storm or get the hell outta Dodge before it started.

To Be Continued...