The mysterious millionaire and highly successful corporate executive, Mathew Anthony (alias the Mailman), is back in action as he continues his quest for the quintessential America, driven by his idealistic passion for right as he perceives it. His mind, his obsession, is locked on the preservation of the values of family, hard work, and an unyielding loyalty to his country. The Mailman, an assassin who fears nothing, spends no time thinking about aspirations or his destiny. Thus, he worries little about his own life's journey or its demise. He takes whatever action he feels is warranted when he encounters greed, decadence, harmful idealism, false intellect, social upheaval, and excess. His ambition in life is to improve the American landscape to perpetuate the prospect for opportunity to attain the American Dream for all.
For Mathew Anthony, his identical twin brother, Thomas, is his most valued treasure and confidant. Their relationship from birth has been nothing short of uncompromising love and support for one another. A journey is about to take place that will not only affect their respective lives, their core values, and their reason for being but also the lives of the very nation the brothers so unconventionally love and defend.
An extensive search by the CIA will be initiated to find the murderer of one of their own, Scott Johnson. The initial person of interest is a phantom assassin known only as The Mailman. Scott Johnson was his agency handler. Unbeknownst to them, the Mailman had personally made the "delivery" that rendered the demise of their agent, Johnson.
Thomas Anthony launches his presidential campaign, which will challenge the underbelly of the powerful political establishment, only to encounter a maniacal assassination. The assassination planned and executed incites the brothers to action like never before. Those involved in the assassination will receive undesirable consequences from the elusive Mailman. No one is exempt, not even the president of the United States.
SET NO LIMITS, HAVE NO FEAR, AND ALLOW NO REMORSE.
The Mainstreet Messenger
By Jim RoppaAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2017 Jim Roppa
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5246-7336-9Contents
Acknowledgement, v,
Prelude, vii,
Prologue, xi,
Chapter 1 Will It Play In Peoria, 1,
Chapter 2 Solve the Puzzle, 8,
Chapter 3 Hide and Seek, 13,
Chapter 4 All Roads lead to Rome, 17,
Chapter 5 Drop the Final Curtain, 20,
Chapter 6 Hello Corporate Chameleon, 26,
Chapter 7 Right the Wrongs, 31,
Chapter 8 Wrong is Wrong, Even if Everyone's Doing It, 35,
Chapter 9 Numbers Don't Lie, People Do, 47,
Chapter 10 Why Lay Down on Your Own Railroad Tracks, 52,
Chapter 11 Don't Poke a Sleeping Bear, 59,
Chapter 12 Let the Games Begin, 67,
Chapter 13 All In, 71,
Chapter 14 Circle the Wagons, 78,
Chapter 15 A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, 82,
Chapter 16 The Nut in the Tree, 86,
Chapter 17 It's Show Time, 90,
Chapter 18 No Tomorrow, 97,
Chapter 19 The Fat Lady Had Sung, 101,
Chapter 20 Welcome to My World, 106,
Chapter 21 It's Not better to have loved and Lost!, 111,
Chapter 22 Preparation fuels Victory, 116,
Chapter 23 The Duel Started with the First Shot, 120,
Chapter 24 Knock, Knock, 125,
Chapter 25 What Just Happened, Seriously?, 129,
Chapter 26 Connect the Dots, 132,
Chapter 27 A Candle Cannot Burn Without Fire, 140,
Chapter 28 The Eyes Have It, 151,
Chapter 29 The Beginning to the End, 162,
Chapter 30 Sip Happens, 166,
Chapter 31 Toast: Here's To Hell, 175,
Chapter 32 Hail to the Chief, 190,
Chapter 33 To Thine Own Self Be True, 192,
Chapter 34 Time to Take Out The Garbage, 195,
Chapter 35 How many degrees to Karcher Greyson, 202,
Chapter 36 The Nose Doesn't Know, 206,
Chapter 37 Enemies Make the Worst Judges, 209,
Chapter 38 The Bell Tolls, 218,
Chapter 39 Say Goodnight Gracie, 222,
Chapter 40 Checkmate, 226,
Chapter 41 Follow the Yellow Brick Road, 228,
Chapter 42 Houston, We Have A Problem, 232,
Chapter 43 Let the Show Begin, 234,
Chapter 44 Good Things Come In Threes, 240,
Chapter 45 A Hidden Treasure Is Found, 245,
Chapter 46 The Needle in the Haystack, 250,
Chapter 47 Oh, Those Campfire Stories, 254,
Chapter 48 One for the Money, Two for the Show, 262,
Chapter 49 The Wicked Witch of the Lone Star, 272,
Chapter 50 Let's Make a Deal, 276,
Chapter 51 Driving Miss Daisy, 279,
Chapter 52 Cinderella Loses Her Shoe, 283,
Chapter 53 Holy Shit Sherlock, We May Just Pull This Thing Off!, 287,
Chapter 54 The Full Monti, 293,
Epilogue, 297,
Prelude, 303,
CHAPTER 1
Will It Play In Peoria
One Year Earlier. ...
This particular May had been exceptionally mild and beautiful in Peoria, Illinois. Thomas and Mathew Anthony sat on the veranda of the Peoria Country Club peering over the tops of the budding trees. The scene was captivating as their eyes tracked the Illinois River twisting through the heartland of America and the farmers on the far-side of the river creating earthly carvings with their John Deere tractors as part of their spring planting ritual.
The identical twin brothers, Thomas and Mathew Anthony, had grown up to be extremely handsome, successful men who had earned credibility and respect from Wall Street to Main Street. Their facial features were as appealing as any male model who graced the fashion rags. They had a crop of coal black wavy hair as thick as any briar patch. Their eyes matched their hair. Each sported a Roman nose of prominence and distinction which highlighted their Italian-Lebanese heritage. The final touch was their sturdy chin, strong necks which rested on chiseled, athletic bodies. The men stood six feet two inches tall with broad shoulders, narrow waists and shaped lean, muscular legs. Their molded, muscled, chiseled, athletic bodies had been sculpted by regimented diet, running and weightlifting but often were masked by their expensive tailored attire they wore.
They were as comfortable directing multi-million dollar deals as hunting with the good ole boys on the Illinois River. They were confident, purposeful, commanding, yet without the hint of any arrogance or entitlement of position or wealth. They were accessible and approachable. When you interacted with them, you immediately felt you knew them. They always seemed interested in what you were saying and listened to every word that was being spoken to them. They did not play to their audience, they interacted, provided their positions whether you agreed or not, but were respectful of yours.
The waitress took a double take as she walked up to solicit these two gentlemen's lunch order. She had seen twins before, but normally, there were slight differences in appearance; weight, voice, mannerisms. But not these men. Other than the color of their suits, these two Italian Adonis' were truly identical, carbon copies. She could not take her eyes off them. Was there a word for such masculine, handsome, and stately individuals? The only word this 21 year old could concoct was "hunk-a-licious". "Gentlemen, your order will be out shortly. Again, my name is Gina. If there is anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask." She really did mean anything, as she headed for the kitchen to place their order.
"Tommie, Washington D.C. is a city where one tends to forget its past, over indulges in the present, and continually strives to jeopardize the future. Tourists go there and only see a town of majestic, somber and historical monuments, memorials and statures. The crusaders go to conquer like the British in the 1800s only to end up like Don Quixote chasing windmills. Then we have our illustrious career diplomats and statesmen with their inflated intellectual prowess who arrive to espouse and debate their manifestos and views of Utopia. Washington's political and social establishment has endured and withstood the test of time, evolved from America's Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. But we have strayed from the very foundation of the United States of America. America was meant to be governed by the best and brightest, to the best of one's ability, for the good of its people. Tommie, should you go to Washington D.C., you must go there as the messenger, the messiah for this country, consumed with the gift of freedom. President Bush went too far right, President Obama went too far left. Both forgot the fiber of what made America great, the hard working, loyal, middle class. They have been forgotten, they are hurting. Rural America is crying out, 'Remember Me?' Core politics, pollsters and media cannot continue to manipulate American values and beliefs. Big cities cannot continue to mute the voices of the rest of the state's inhabitants. You have to be perceived as the ref lection of the ideals of our forefathers, humble as you honor the brave, and the strongest of leaders who are part of a movement to throw out the false prophets that have been in office way too long. I wonder what Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln would say about the state of affairs now in Washington D.C. from their eternal resting place?" Successful business executive, Mathew Anthony, Mattie 'only' to his brother, had finished his red, white and blue editorial and gazed across the table at his brother waiting to hear where the direction of this luncheon was now going to head.
Thomas Anthony smiled and was so proud of his brother. Mattie was so carefree, opinionated,...
