The Scent of Revenge

by Russell Moran

  “But,” said Muqtada, “with so many newcomers, is not the chance of discovery great? How can so many be counted on to remain silent, or remain in the shadows?”

  “We have anticipated that problem and I believe we have it solved. The cells in which these recruits will operate will be extremely small, no more than six people, including a cell leader. If a cell is infiltrated, it will not matter, because the leader of cell A will have no knowledge of the plans of Cell B. So even if a cell member or leader is captured and tortured, they will have no information to share.”

  “And what about the senior leadership, Brother Pashez? How many top level leaders will be involved, and how can we prevent their capture?”

  “The answer is 20, Brother Muqtada. There will be 20 top leaders. I have their names for you here on this list. I’m sure you will recognize most of them, and you’ll agree that they are trustworthy.”

  “They may be trustworthy, but how can we make certain that none of them will be compromised? It’s happened before.”

  “Now I will tell you about the true beauty of the plan. The actions of these martyrs will be small, with small amounts of explosives, guns, knives, or poisons. The top leaders, the 20, will have no knowledge of the plans of the individual cells. That’s right, the operations will be totally diffuse, with no central brother giving the commands. He will not give the commands, because he will not know of the plans to command.”

  “And what of us, Brother Pashez? What about The Committee? What about you?”

  “I will learn, as you will learn, just what the plans will be at the moment they happen. There will be a bomb set off on a crowded sidewalk in New York City, a train platform explosion in Chicago, a blast in a shopping center in Los Angeles. There will be a knifing in one city in the morning, and a random shooting in another city at noon. The only rule for the leaders is this: pick no targets that are covered by any kind of security. That means that bombs on trains are out, as, of course, bombs on planes. But there can never be security among simple crowds of people, and that will be our primary targets, or I should say, that will be our suggestion to the leaders and the cell leaders. Just general guidelines.”

  “I can begin to see the result. Enlighten me with your thoughts, brother.”

  “The simple word, Brother Muqtada, is terror. I am less concerned about how many infidels we kill than about how many of them we frighten. People will be afraid to turn on their TVs or radios, for fear of hearing about that morning’s attacks, fully knowing that they will be followed up by more in the afternoon and evening. We saw this after our glorious attacks of 10/15, but the sheer number will make 10/15 look like a slow news day. People will be afraid to shop, to go to their offices or businesses. Soon, they will fear leaving their homes. The American economy will be crippled. So what are your thoughts, Brother Muqtada?”

  “America will become a vast wasteland.”

  Chapter 61

  I visited the New York office of the FBI at 26 Federal Plaza to meet with Barbara Auletta. She asked why I didn’t just call her to Washington, but I said that I also wanted to visit with Bennie and Buster. That was a white lie. I wanted to go to New York to be with Ellen.

  I got to our apartment at 6:30. Ellen was already there, which was great. Coming home to that empty apartment while Ellen resided at New Horizons Nursing Home was the worst experience of my life.

  She greeted me at the door with our wonderful ritual. After we kissed, I had to get something off my chest.

  “There’s one thing about my new job that sucks, Ellen—being away from you. When you got your life back after you were cured of The Syndrome, I got my life back too. That’s because you are my life. So much of my time is tied up in Washington that I spend entirely too much of my life away from the most important person in my world.”

  She held my face in both of her hands and kissed me.

  “After what you just said, I think I have the perfect gift for you. Rick, you’re looking at the new managing partner of the Washington D.C. office of Whitney, Cox, and Bellamy. Phil Whitney broke it to me this afternoon. With some of my big MacPherson bonus money, we can pay off the mortgage on this condo and keep it. It’ll be kind of neat to have an apartment in New York and one in D.C. You’ll have to be in New York from time to time and so will I.”

  “So, what shall we do to celebrate?”

  “Well, Mr. Secretary, I was thinking that we should get naked, shower, and make love till the wee hours.”

  “Your executive decision-making is inspiring,” I said, as I unbuttoned her blouse.

  Chapter 62

  The past few weeks of our lives were a blur. I lost Ellen and then she came back. She didn’t just come back, my life came back. To cap things off, I was appointed Secretary of Homeland Security. One thing we never have to worry about is boredom. The Bellamy Foundation is fast becoming one of the best-funded charities in the country. With Ellen as the key spokesperson, the money gushes in from all sides. Our Board of Trustees includes Dr. Frank Buchannan, the man who discovered the cure for The Syndrome, and Dr. Harry Noonan, the nation’s leading expert on Alzheimer’s. Angus MacPherson is also on the board. Because his daughter Jane was one of the victims of The Syndrome, Angus took a special interest in The Bellamy Foundation. With a vast army of subcontractors who rely on MacPherson International for business, Angus is responsible for an avalanche of donations. Ellen, who serves as Chairman of the Board, more than earns her $1.00 a year salary.

  Even with her crazy schedule, Ellen quizzes me every day about my daily routine of exercise, meditation, and yes, I still look at a Seinfeld joke before picking up the phone. And number one on our list, making love, gives the whole project a wonderful meaning.

  Having apartments in New York and Washington was one of our best decisions. Besides convenience, it meant that Ellen and I would seldom be apart for long. After her weeks in mental wilderness with The Syndrome, and my weeks of despair, the thought of being away from Ellen for extended periods sickened me.

  ***

  On a Saturday in late July, Ellen and I enjoyed some quiet time together at our new apartment in Washington. With Ellen’s busy architectural schedule, not to mention her work with our foundation and my responsibilities at Homeland Security, it’s rare when we can just sit alone with each other and talk. We put our cell phones on mute. I left my emergency phone on, which my position requires.

  We sat on our new sofa. A large window in the room gave us a stunning view of the Capitol Building. I turned the lights low, and we held hands.

  “I’m so proud of you, Rick. I saw you on TV yesterday being interviewed on Fox. I couldn’t help thinking that our country is safe with this man.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say, hon, but even though I’m near the top of the pecking order, our security depends on a lot of people, a lot more than me.”

  “Hey, let’s look at the bright side, Rick. There hasn’t been a terrorist incident in the States for over six weeks.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a bright side or a dark side. We know something’s coming. According to our imam friend from Brooklyn, the jihadis are planning something big.”

  “Rick, all you can do is plan and pray for the best. We can’t obsess about it.”

  “You’re the only thing I want to obsess about.”

  “Well, I have some great news to take our obsessive minds off the world’s mayhem. I just landed a major project from the Four Seasons hotel chain. They’re planning a huge new hotel in D.C. and they approached your humble wife personally. Angus MacPherson referred them to me. A rough calculation tells me that my fee alone should be over $3 million. And that doesn’t count my regular partnership profits.”

  I grew up in a middle-class family in Queens, New York. Our idea of a big vacation was a trip to the Poconos. My dad worked for Con Edison, the utility, as an accountant, and mom was a school teacher. We never wanted for anything, but luxuries came only occasionally. I had a hard time processing the number t
hat Ellen just tossed out—$3 million for one project.

  “You know, hon,” I said, “I have a crazy feeling that our lives have calmed down nicely since the past few weeks. As you said, terror attacks are down, and I think we can be happy that things are becoming normal, whatever the hell normal is. My job is to expect the worst, but, for now, I think I’ll just hold hands with my favorite person.”

  My secure phone rang. “Bellamy here.”

  “Mr. Secretary, I suggest you turn on the TV if it’s not on already.”

  “This is Harris Faulkner reporting for Fox News, ladies and gentlemen, interrupting our regular program. We’re getting a flood of reports, very upsetting reports, about a rash of apparent terror attacks in just the past 10 minutes. Bombs have been set off in busy shopping center parking lots in New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Kansas City. There have been at least six random stabbings, and five shootings, all in crowded areas. At least three suicide bombers have detonated themselves on crowded buses in Miami, Boston, and Philadelphia. That makes 18 acts of terror in the past 10 minutes.”

  I put the TV on mute. Ellen stared into my eyes.

  “I know, I know. You have to go to the office. I want to come with you. I can be helpful, even if it just means being with you to help keep you calm.”

  I called for my car.

  “Yes, come with me. I want you to be surrounded by tight security. Last year you were kidnapped and this year you were taken down with The Syndrome. The closer you are to me, the better I’ll feel. I’m going to get you appointed as a consultant to Homeland Security. God knows we can use your brains. It will be an unpaid position, to avoid me having to explain it to the world every Sunday morning, but it will keep you in the loop, and most importantly, you’ll be surrounded by armed security.”

  We stood in the lobby with my two body guards, waiting for my car. Ellen grabbed my hand.

  “Rick, we don’t know a lot yet, but do you think these reports mean something new? I’ve never heard of so many attacks in such a short period of time.”

  “Yes, I think it does mean something, hon. We’ve been worried about this for a long time, and I think we’re seeing it happen. They’re adopting a strategy of ‘death by a thousand cuts.’ They’re going to hit us in small, relentless attacks, the kind of attacks that are almost impossible to predict. I think they’re giving up on big risky spectaculars, like the 9/11, 10/15, or The Scent of Revenge. They’re going to pull off a lot of small attacks, a lot. Add them up and you have a terror spectacular every week. I’ve told my staff that I want to go on offense, but how the hell do I go on offense when I can’t see the enemy until he hits. Unless I’ve got some data screaming at me from our intelligence, I don’t know what I’ve got.”

  Ellen put her face next to my ear and spoke softly.

  “Yes you do, hon. You’ve got me.”

  Cast of Characters – The Scent of Revenge

  Adams, Maria –Deputy Secretary of State

  Atkins, Charles – CIA agent. See also, Buster

  Auletta, Barbara – FBI agent and head of the New York Bureau

  Bellamy, Ellen – Architect. Rick Bellamy’s wife

  Bellamy, Rick – FBI agent. Head of counterterrorism unit

  Buchannan, Frank – Epidemiologist – Medical detective

  Burns, Olga – Home aide and caregiver

  Busharif, Muhammed (Mike) – Imam and FBI/CIA mole

  Buster – CIA agent, aka Charles Atkins

  Carlini, William – Director of the CIA

  Conklin, Jack – White House Chief of Staff

  Copeland, Melanie – Reporter, NBC News

  Flynn, Joe – FBI database expert

  Frankel, Don – FBI driver, Baltimore

  Giovanni, Marla – Vice President, Microsoft

  Johnston, Angela – President, University of Michigan

  Langdon, Nancy – Nurse, New Horizons Nursing Home

  Langston, Jerome – Police officer

  Logan, Bonnie – Homicide detective and wife of Jack Logan

  Logan, Jack – FBI agent, Philadelphia office

  MacPherson, Angus – Real estate developer

  McCue, Roger. Lt. Cdr. – Submarine weapons officer, aka Ali Shabana

  McLaughlin, Bob – Photographer and drone pilot

  McMartin, Trevor – Australian bank examiner

  Mousell, Yousef – Window washer

  Muqtada, Ali – Terrorist leader

  Noonan, Harry – Physician, expert in Alzheimer’s disease

  Orlando, Howard – Terrorist leader

  Paddington, Joan – CEO of Megasoft

  Pashez, Gamal – Terrorist leader

  Patterson, Ashley – Rear Admiral, United States Navy

  Pushkin, Dmitri – Chemistry Professor

  Reynolds, Amanda – First Lady of the United States

  Reynolds, William – President of the United States

  Richardson, Derek – Linebacker, New York Giants

  Rugirello, Bill – Cruise ship officer

  Simmons, Randolph – Captain, United States Navy, aide to Admiral Patterson

  Thompson, Jimmy – Cargo ship captain, aka Islam Yamani

  Thorssen, Magnus – Cruise ship captain

  Townsend, Regina – President, New York Stock Exchange

  Watson, Sarah – Director of the FBI

  Weinberg, Bennie – Psychiatrist and NYPD Detective

  Yates, Darryl – Chicago Police Commissioner

  About the Author

  Russ Moran is the author of The Gray Ship (Coddington Press, 2013), Book One of The Time Magnet series. It's a story of time travel, romance, and a nuclear warship that finds itself in the Civil War. The Thanksgiving Gang is the sequel, A Time of Fear is Book Three, and The Skies of Time is Book Four in the series.

  This book, The Scent of Revenge, is the second book in the Patterns Series, the sequel to The Shadows of Terror.

  Russ Moran has also published five nonfiction books: Justice in America: How it Works—How it Fails (Coddington Press, 2011); The APT Principle: The Business Plan That You Carry in Your Head (Coddington Press, 2012); Boating Basics: The Boattalk Book of Boating Tips (Coddington Press, 2013); If You’re Injured: A Consumer Guide to Personal Injury Law (Coddington Press, 2013); How to Create More Time (Coddington Press, 2014). He’s a lawyer and a veteran of the United States Navy. He lives on Long Island, New York, with his wife, Lynda.

  If you enjoyed The Scent of Revenge, please consider leaving a review on amazon.com.

  Russ Moran’s next book, Sideswiped, will appear in the summer of 2015. It’s a legal thriller and a romance.

  To make sure you don’t miss out on Russ Moran’s forthcoming books, visit his website, http://www.morancom.com, and click on the “subscribe and get updates button.”

  The Books of Russell F. Moran

  The Gray Ship – Book One of The Time Magnet Series

  http://amzn.to/16GPumH

  “This provocative, intensely powerful novel is a must-read for sci-fi fans and Civil War aficionados, though mainstream fiction readers will find it heart-rending and inspiring as well. A rare read that’s not only wildly entertaining, but also profoundly moving.” ~Kirkus Reviews

  The Thanksgiving Gang – Book Two of The Time Magnet Series http://amzn.to/1NzBs7N

  "I had never read a book before written in an efficient, minimalistic prose... Instead of writing what most readers want to read, he gives voice to life-like characters, with their flaws and prejudices. They are not infallible superheroes. It’s always nice to find a new voice in fiction and to enjoy creativity at its best." ~C. Ludewig

  A Time of Fear – Book Three of The Time Magnet Series

  http://amzn.to/1zdjaG9

  “His story is fascinating, and adds even more depth to this already cavernously deep novel. Amazingly unique, chilling and well written, Moran weaves a future that is both desperate and hopeful. Blending modern fears with science fiction results in a tale that will keep you reading lo
ng into the night. Five stars!” ~Heather

  The Skies of Time – Book Four of The Time Magnet Series

  http://amzn.to/1CCC3jg

  In The Skies of Time, you will recognize the two main characters, Ashley Patterson, now an admiral, and her husband, Jack Thurber. They met and fell in love in The Gray Ship, and now they’re in for the adventure of their lives in The Skies of Time. Ashley and Jack have been such prominent characters in all four books of The Time Magnet Series that I feel like they’re old friends. You will also recognize some of the other characters. But if I told you who they are, it would ruin the fun.

  The Skies of Time is a novel of time travel. Naturally, the book is fiction, but I’ve tried to make it as realistic as possible. Ashley and Jack are faced with the big question that troubles all time travelers—dare they change history? As the author, I’m the last one to be a spoiler, so I’ll leave the answer to the characters in the book.

  “I’m big fan of this series and this one may be the best. I hope there is another book to this series since it keeps getting better. There is a few questions I have about certain events that makes the next one even more suspenseful. These are great books to binge read one after the other.” ~ Time Travel Fan