Andrew Lancaster, the man known now as the Phoenix, had gone through a horrific ordeal with his group of friends. They were coerced into a covert government operation called Project Justice by a man known as the Benefactor, who claimed to work for the U.S. Government. The Benefactor told Mr. Lancaster that he and his friends were about to be arrested for treason based on conversations the trio had over the phone and through the internet. Hear now an interview with the man centered around the controversy, Andrew Lancaster.
Hello Mr. Lancaster, or do you prefer being called the Phoenix?
Mr. Lancaster was my so called father. Andrew or the Phoenix will be fine.
Okay, Andrew, I want our readers to really get to know you. So we'll start off with a few simple questions. Firstly, tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Lindenhurst until I graduated high school. Graduation was the only thing I looked forward to because of college. It was my only escape from my house and my old life.
If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to go a little more in depth on that topic. What was it like growing up in the Lancaster House?
When I was younger, it wasn't so bad. I had two brothers growing up, one older and one younger. Danny, my older brother, is eight years older than me. We didn't have much of a bond growing up. There was always some invisible barrier keeping us apart. Steven, my younger brother, is only two years younger than me. We were pretty tight when we kinds all the way up into our teenage years.
Tell me about your parents.
My mother was one of the nicest sweetest women in the world. She would work all day, come home and take care of us. That's how it was for most of my life. My father tried to be around for us, but was mostly working. He was at the office early in the morning and didn't get back most days until about eight at night.
Sounds like a lot of hardworking families. Your home life didn't seem so bad. What changed?
My mother passed away from a car accident on Sunrise Highway. My life spiraled out of control. I didn't know what to do. I was an emotional wreck. Things got worse when my father started dating again. It was too soon and he decided to go out with a woman that nearly half his age. He married her not too long after that and the woman made our lives a living hell.
I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother. I know it's hard to talk about, but could you take me back to the day your mother died?
It's not hard for me to talk about. It's something I've lived with for six years and something I relived in my nightmares every night. Steven and I were sitting at home watching SportsCenter. He was a Mets fan and I was a Yankees fan. We wanted to see the recaps of those games along with every other baseball game from the night before. Our mom entered the living room and told me she was going to Danny's house to babysit. He had lost his job the month before and needed someone to watch the kids while he went on a job interview. She was gone for a half hour before we got the call. The police told me there had been an accident and a car matching the license and description of my mother's lost control, flipped and caught fire. They told me she didn't survive the crash.
I can't imagine being a fifteen or sixteen year old boy and getting such a call. And to relive that nightmare constantly had to be horrendous.
Now as I understand it, you were contacted by the man known as the Benefactor and told he had evidence that could put you and your friends in jail for treason and conspiracy. What evidence was that?
He told me that the government hacked our emails and recorded our phone conversations which we talked about making the world a better place by getting rid of all the evil people in it. Mike and Lilly were always joking about it; saying the word would be so much better without the greedy corporate leaders and the corrupt politicians in it. But I just wanted justice for those that failed to get it because of all the red tape, bought off judges, high priced lawyers and tampered juries. I saw it too many times on the news. Some slime ball or murderer got off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist or they were completely cleared of all charges based on some technicality.
Did you and your friends ever plan an attack or to carry out any vigilante justice prior to the Benefactor's call?
No, for the most part it was a joke. I sometimes fantasized about it and most of the time I was the one to bring it up in conversation. Other than that, there was never any plan for us to go out and kill anyone.
Then what caused you to go on this rampage or "covert operation" the Benefactor sent you out on. Was it the fear of facing trumped up charges or was there something else?
I'll admit there was always a fear that the Benefactor wasn't bluffing about the charges. And I didn't want any of my friends to go to jail for something I brought up or something we joked about. I was about to tell the Benefactor to take his offer and shove it up his ass. But then he confirmed my mother's death wasn't an accident; it was murder. He provided evidence linking my father and step-mother to the crime. I couldn't let them get away with that. So I told the Benefactor yes, but I tried to keep my friends out of it.
But that didn't work out so well for you; did it? Tell me; why do you think your friends stood by your side and went along with this "cover operation?"
At the time, I had no idea why other than they wanted to look out for me. I thought they just didn't want to sit back and watch the manhunt for me unfold on TV or watch me get gunned down in a standoff. I later realized Mike felt the same way I did about getting justice for things that went unpunished. Lilly wanted to make sure we were okay and went along with us because she cared so much for Mike and myself.
I'm glad you brought that up. You and Lilly had been friends for years. You were close and spent a lot of time together. Why didn't you confess how you felt about her sooner?
Honestly, I was scared. We met around the time of my mother's murder. She comforted me and gave me a place to stay when I needed to escape my house. She was one of my best friends and I didn't want to lose that by trying to cross the friendship barrier.
So then why did finally come clean?
When you're on the run and you don't know if you'll make it to see tomorrow, it puts a lot of things in perspective. One of them is not being afraid to tell the ones you love how you feel about them. Part of me was glad Lilly came on this crazy journey with me, because it forced me to tell her that I loved her before it was too late.
Thank you. That concludes my interview with Andrew Lancaster; also known as the Phoenix. To learn more about his incredible journey he and his friends went through, pick up a copy of The Phoenix Bade: Project Justice available on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com
The first book in The Phoenix Blade Series, Project Justice is now available for free on Smashwords. Pickup your copy now to get ready for the Awakening; available 9/2/14
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/462530
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