Billy Ray McBride was a guy who had it all worked out. He had a future planned after college, a great girl, loving parents, the works. That is, until his twenty first birthday, when all of that was taken away. On this fateful day, his father was murdered, setting a string of events into play that will change his life forever. Walter McBride is a career man with the FBI, and is ready to walk away. Retirement is calling to him, and he is more than ready to heed the call. For too long, there have been too many long nights, too many fatherless occasions, too much strain on his life and marriage. The time has come for him to close his records and file them away. The announcement of this glorious decision is his gift to his son, on this fateful day. Over twenty years with the FBI gives a man a chance to make enemies. Walter's was a mobster who was in his sights for most of Walter's career. He should have informed the Callistone syndicate of his decision. Too close for comfort, a price was put on Walter's life. Billy Ray McBride sat and watched, as his father was gunned down right in front of him, on this fateful day. Love, hope and happiness are replaced by anger, hate and vengeance. His father's murder case was being swept under the carpet, giving him the self appointed duty of serving justice. Billy becomes a driven man who will not stop until the death of his father is avenged. This brings on a constant battle raging inside him, with morality as the subject. To overcome this and save the innocent, he must cast away his rage, putting others first, before himself. This is Billy's story . . .

North & South

The Confederate SoldiersBy Stacy Wright

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Stacy Wright
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4520-0387-0

Chapter One

Three months later ...

Losing a loved one in someone's life is a traumatic experience. Some are able to pick up and move on with their lives after a suitable time of mourning. Their wounds of love heal and they actually are drawn closer to the rest of their family and friends, drawing strength from their love and support. For others, the time is painful as the person becomes consumed with the loss. It is not a time of reflection, remembering the passing soul. No, for these people, it is an agonizing time that is not short lived. Nine months is a long time. Nine months of constant reminders of how the loved one was lost. Nine months of nothing but bureaucratic red tape and judicial postponements while the guilty walk the streets. Nine months of distancing everyone around you, while convincing yourself that you're the only one who will do anything, because you're the only one who really cares. Most people like this never make it back from that long, dark journey.

Billy opens the door to his condo, tosses his keys onto the counter and throws his bag over against the couch. He turns on the lights to find the place cleaner than how he had left it. Bobby had obviously stopped by and decided to tidy up for him while he was gone. "Some day I'm gonna remember to change the locks." Barbara or as she likes it Bobby Cox, is Billy's "former" girlfriend. They met three years ago, and had a pretty good relationship, professional and personal, until nine months ago. After his father died, Billy started withdrawing from social circles and family gatherings, until he had completely alienated himself from everyone in his life, including Barbara. They didn't have an ugly break up by any sort. He had to end the relationship because his new venture will be taking up too much of his time. Not to mention the fact that he didn't want anyone to suffer, if something were to happen to him. For now, she just hangs back in the shadows, hoping that one day Billy will pull out of this depression.

He looks around the room, taking an inventory of papers covering his walls. There are newspaper clippings dating back to the time of his father's murder. There are photos of warehouses and businesses, cars and limousines, all taken with a high powered lens on the camera. Faces in the shots are circled, with notations beside each one stating who the person is. There are wrestling promotional flyers pinned in amongst the photos, anywhere he can find the place. Some were matches won and some were lost, but they all served as an outlet for Billy's anger. Then, he recognizes what is out of place. Bobby had somehow found an old picture of him and her and tacked it to the wall. He walks over to get a closer look, and is not happy with what he sees. Bobby had a sticky note stuck to it that read, "Remember this guy?" The comment was aimed at a happy young man beside his girlfriend, having a great time together. He wishes she would just take the hint. Billy pulls the picture from the wall and wads it up, to toss over into the trash.

He moves through his usual regiment without a hitch, until he bumps the coffee table reaching for the television remote. It isn't like it's a catastrophic event by any means. All that happens is a book falling over onto the table, before flopping to the floor. What makes this book so special is that it was his father's favorite novel. As he reaches down to retrieve it, he has a flashback in time to his high school days.

"Come on, Son, read the book! If you don't trust my judgment about anything else, trust me about this and read the book." This is a vision, or memory, of a time and place not so long ago. The man was a loving father who like most parents, never seemed to have enough time to raise his son. "William, this is a great book and one, if not the favorite book that I enjoy reading, over and over. You've got a report to do, and don't know what topic to choose. Here, I'm giving you one to solve your problem."

Billy rights the bookstand and sets the novel back on its perch. He opens the sliding glass door to his balcony allowing the brisk night air to flood the apartment. The memories of his father are painful, even though they are all of happier times. It is a cold breeze that blows through the city of Atlanta, as the full moon shines brightly on the southern metropolis. He looks through the telescope that is pointed at Antonio Callistone's high rise down the street. Disappointed that no one is home, Billy looks to the skyline, stretching his arms out and taking a deep breath of the chilly air. He welcomes the cold. It numbs the pain in his heart and soul. Somehow, some way, someone has to pay for his grief. All of his life, or at least all he can remember, Billy has longed for the day to finally have some of his father's time. Walter McBride missed Billy's football games because of his work. He missed Billy's graduation. He missed too many a Christmas and too many birthdays. In fact, he missed almost everything that was important to Billy as he grew up. But the faithful son excused every event, because he knew that his daddy was making the world a better place to live. Billy's only question now was who is it better for? He props himself up on the balcony railing of his apartment and looks out into the not so distant lights of Atlanta. Somewhere out there is the person responsible for Billy's pain. That someone has to be brought to justice one way or another.

The television screen goes black at the end of a commercial, only to light up again as the late edition of the news returns. The newscaster sitting in front of the camera has an infatuation with Billy's alter ego. "... And again tonight, we grace this newscast with another sighting of the mysterious grey specter that has been stalking the Atlanta skyline. But wait loyal viewers; we have a bonus for you on the subject. Here, is actual footage shot by a parking garage security camera that shows the mystery man running along the parapet wall of the top floor. Now, we know that this is black and white footage and how difficult it is to make out, so I had the boys down in the computer department clean this up and give it life. Keep in mind; this is merely the objective views of our art staff, based solely on what they had to work with." The TV screen displays an image of Billy running along the roof top, in full costume, in full color. Not that Billy sees the picture, because he hasn't heard a word of the broadcast. His sights are set on a building down the street. "Now these are just some shots that the guys downstairs were having a little fun with the idea, but the first one they believe is really close to being dead on." Different images of Billy are flashed onto the screen, showing his costume in a number of different patterns and color schemes, some of which weren't too far off from some of Billy's own costume choices. The images fade with the cameras returning to the news anchors. "Tell me this Ed, who is this guy and what is his purpose here in our beautiful city?" Jim Watters turns and faces the camera. "If you're watching this, Captain Confederate, Mr. Rebel with a cause, I want you to know that you've got me curious, so curious that I'm willing to offer you a hundred bucks to air your story. Give me a call, if you're interested."

The phone rings inside the condo, snapping Billy out of his dark thoughts. He shakes off a cold chill and moves back into the apartment, but instead of answering the phone, he just...