Electric Dream

By CHRISTOPHER BARNES

After 30 years at the same job, Daniel retired and returned to his home in the Philippines. Dan was glad that he was finally home. One day, as he was lying in the sand reading a book, he was hit indirectly by a mysterious bolt of lightning.
It wasn’t long after that, that Dan had realized that he had a strange power as a result of the lightning strike. He knew that he had to make good use of this new power. Dan had a trusted tailor he knew who made him a special outfit complete with a mask. On the front of the suit were the letters “CB” which stood for Circuit Breaker.
Dan’s new home was now complete and his new life was just beginning.
One night Dan was listening to his police broadcast radio when he heard that a certain company plane was hijacked by robbers. He rushed into action and sped to the Mati airport where he saw the hijackers in the midst of refueling the plane. With one jolt of electricity from his hands the hijackers were rendered defenseless for a quick police roundup.
On another occasion Dan stopped thieves from stealing valuable sea coral treasures that affected the local tourist trade headed by his cousin Bobong. Circuit Breaker was now making a public name for himself and was becoming a local hero.
A full year has now passed and Dan’s secret identity as Circuit Breaker was still safe. This book is about a regular guy who experienced an unearthly chance encounter with fate. It is about his many exciting stories and adventures as Circuit Breaker and his fight for justice in the Philippines.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CHRISTOPHER BARNES
• Release date: Dec 12, 2017

Book preview

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DEDICATION

My girlfriend, our children and their families, my brothers & sisters and their families, my uncles & aunties and their families, my cousins and their families, nephews and nieces and the families and friends around the world.

Christopher J. Barnes

TABLE OF CONTENT

Episode One – The Retirement

Episode Two – Reception

Episode Three – Trouble

Episode Four – Lightning Strike

Episode Five – Property

Episode Six – Lights

Episode Seven – Action

Episode Eight – Negotiation

Episode Nine – Test of Time

Episode Ten – His Opinion

Episode Eleven – Contract

Episode Twelve – Speed

Episode Thirteen – The Outfit

Episode Fourteen – The Transfer

Episode Fifteen – House Blessing

Episode Sixteen – Cocaine

Episode Seventeen – Surprise

Episode Eighteen – Hijack

Episode Nineteen – Pollution

Episode Twenty – Treasure

Episode Twenty-One – Loggers

Episode One

The Retirement

In the U.S., Daniel Magnum was merely five (5) days before his retirement at age sixty-two (62) as he arranged to spend his remaining days working in the office by giving instructions to his replacement. Dan is six (6) feet tall, of good medium build, about one hundred ninety (190) pounds, of gray hair and is fairly good looking for his age. His boss felt sorry that he had to retire at an early age but Dan had so many things to do in his mind, to catch on. He had been divorce since 1997 and remained single since then. At the end of each working day, he goes to his favorite past time gym to keep fit. He became a 10th Dan black belt of self-defense in Kung Fu Karato. A combination defense/offense of Karate, Judo, Jiu Jit Su, Taek Won Do, Wrestling and Arnis. Dan is currently an author of at least two (2) publications for which he received some kind of generous financial Royalty and Residual checks every month from his Publisher.

For the past ten (10) years, many European and Hollywood movie producers wanted him to lead star in their movies. He all turned them down – no matter what the price was. Working for a company for more than twenty-five (25) years was enough for him. To lead a quiet life at his own term was his dream.

His five (5) close friends in the city who had been inviting him for a night out, this time said yes. That night they all went out for lots of food and hard drinks. Dan was not a heavy drinker. Towards the end of this night-out, all his friends were inebriated. Except for Dan, all his happy friends were not walking in a straight line. As they were walking out the club they were all walking sometimes sideways back to their cars, all of Dan's friends were singing and walking silly but happy. However, all of a sudden, two (2) cars lit their headlights ahead of them to their direction and almost blinded them. All Dan’s friends just raised their hands towards their eyes to cover the bright head lights. Some two (2) car loads of burly men came out of their brightly lit head lights and asked for their wallets. Dan's friends who were in no way could question them, were about to give their wallets without resistance. Dan had something else in mind. Of these nine (9) burly men, it took only two & one-half (2 ½) minutes for Dan to handle all of them. These nine (9) burly men laid flat to the ground all in pain some unconscious. Without identifying himself, Dan called the local police to book and arrest these nine (9) burly men. His five (5) close friends were driven to each of their home by Dan, safe and sound without knowing what would have happened to them.

On the day of his retirement, a farewell party was held in his honor in the afternoon. Dan's boss handed him a golden Rolex watch and a $25,000.00 cash in an attache case. Dan was thankful for the generosity and was elated. He said his farewell speech for fifteen (15) minutes and hugged everybody in the office. He left his office the very last day with a heavy heart but left him no choice. Dan had another adventure to fulfill.

For five (5) weeks, he traveled around the United States, went to various cities and small suburbs and visited relatives; when he went back home, he prepared his personal belongings for one (1) week; got himself a one-way plane ticket to the Philippines that flies in three (3) months; his legal documents ready and in order and finally, he notified his banks in the U.S. and in the Philippines about his finances to. Knowing that he had two (2) weeks to spare, Dan settled all the bills of his suppliers. He shipped his heavy cargoes ahead of him to his sister's address in the Philippines – to be picked up later by him, when he gets there. He went to see his doctor and he was proclaimed to be in a clean bill of health. He went and settled with his lawyer, to his insurance agents, to his realtor, to see his priest in church and to the Department of Motor Vehicles. He finally sold his house with a reasonable profit. He also sold his car but with a condition, he had to use it until the last week before he departed. With a provision that his car had no new damage and still in good running condition, the car buyer consented to Dan's request. He retired his U. S. cellphone. He had one (1) more week to stay when he saw his place to be almost empty except for his Two (2) suitcases in the midst of his living room. He bid goodbye to his neighbors. He promised to visit them again in 3 years.

On the day of his departure, as the plane took off, Dan said a little prayer of thanks and asked God for his Blessing and Goodwill when in the Philippines. His flight went smoothly, as he choose first (1st) class on flight, he slept and ate well on board. Service was excellent. His flight took fifteen (15) hours. Through a window above the clouds he woke up in the morning with sunshine on his face. He opened his eyes with a pretty smiling stewardess looking down at him. The stewardess helped Dan in setting his bed upright. She gave him a wet but fairly hot face towel to wipe-wash his face. The pilot of the plane announced that it will touchdown in an hour and a half. The plane landed smoothly without a hitch.

Episode Two

Reception

The plane arrived the Manila International Airport without any hitch. Immigration officers were polite. There were lots of families waiting for their loved ones to arrive. He took his suitcases and went directly to the Domestic Airport to transport him to Davao City – just an hour away by smaller passenger jet.

Dan arrived Davao City with an aroma of sweet smell of Durian fruit in the air of the airport as the rest of the passengers walked from the plane towards the Bangoy International Airport. After almost thirty (30) years, he said to himself: I am home. Dan shed tears but covered his face with a handkerchief. It took him Three (3) full minutes to recover, took a deep breath then collected his two (2) suitcases in the carousel area of the terminal, hailed a cab and proceeded downtown to a very nice hotel and stayed for two (2) days to acclimatize himself of the humid weather. After another two (2) days, he went to a vehicle dealership. He purchased a brand new, crimson colored, 4-wheel, 4-door crew cab pick-up truck with beautiful alloy-wheels, a computer navigation GPS and a platform mat in the back, in other words, with all the bells and whistles you can ever think of – fully paid in CASH. That same day, Dan went to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) registered his truck and then went to see a Vehicle Insurance Agent to insure his vehicle. He bought himself a cellphone – the best with all the apps and bells and whistles too. To their surprise, Dan went to visit his sister, cousins and some old friends in Davao City. There were two (2) things that he learned fast. That most of the people of Davao City has changed and that most of his friends were dead. He feels sorry for his friends who died and to their families for their loss. On the 5th day after breakfast, he called his sister Jane, his cousins and some his friends that he was now driving to Mati City, which is some 100 miles away, to reside there as he will enjoy his retirement. He asked them to visit him on a paid charter bus – back and forth when the house he will build will be blessed as he assured them of free accommodations when they get to Mati City. He checked out the hotel, bought some snacks, a cooler and soft drinks – a six (6) cans of diet soda. He filled his tank with gasoline and left Davao City at 9:30 am. On his way for the City of Mati, he saw many changes in the landscape. Roads were cemented or asphalted, the old and dilapidated wooden bridges were replaced with either concrete or steel ones, more houses and commercial