by Bryan Murray
“Of course, General. I have enjoyed working with you, goodbye!”
“Goodbye.” the General went off the line and Lorenzo heaved a sigh of relief. Now, his beloved Maria had their son back safe and sound and he had not lost money on the project so far. His grandfather would have been proud of him.
CHAPTER 20
When Jake and his team arrived late at the US Embassy in Rome, they were welcomed with open arms, given a warm meal and the medics immediately got to work re-dressing Steve’s wound, complimenting Sarah on the job she had done.
The boys were clearly tired and at Jake’s suggestion, the medics deferred their routine medical check-up of the boys until the following morning.
Regrettably, it was as they were relaxing over a drink after the boys had retired for the night, that Steve received a sad phone call. It was from his brother in Texas, informing him that his mother had just been rushed to hospital after a heart attack.
Arrangements were then made to ensure that Steve was on a flight to Dallas the first thing the following morning and he also retired for the night, ready for the long journey the next day.
Finally, on their own for the first time in days, Jake and Sarah started to recap on the recent chain of events.
“So, what does that analytical mind of yours have to say about all that’s been going on?” he asked her with a smile.
She was an exceptionally clear thinker. “There are still some things that don’t seem to fit, Jake.” she began.
“Like what?”
“To begin with, I’m confused about who the heck these kidnappers really were. They dressed like Arabs, but used Italian decoys like the two dead girls and the snowplough driver and when we interrogated that wounded guard at the cabin, he only spoke Italian and both he and his buddy were wearing crucifixes, definitely not a Muslim trait.”
Jake nodded. “I agree, but then on the other hand, Al-Qaeda were the ones giving out the ultimatums concerning the release of al-Midari.”
“I know,” Sarah replied. “And that’s what’s confusing me. Maybe when we run the faces of all the stiffs through our facial recognition software, we may get a clue.”
“Correct, and there was one other cuckoo in the nest.” Jake added.
“There was?”
“Yeah, the white guy we found dead in the house in L’Aquila. He looked Eastern European to me, so how the heck did he fit in?”
She nodded. “I guess you’re right, we just wait and see after we check the photos.”
Jake yawned. “Yeah, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some sack time?”
She smiled sexily. “And with our luck, they’ll have assigned us separate rooms!”
He grinned. “Man, can’t wait to get back to Hawaii!”
“Amen to that!”
* * *
When Jake awoke the next morning, after having the best night’s sleep in a while, he then went down to breakfast with Sarah, where there was a message from Mulroney that their flights would leave at noon and that the ski tour, who were returning that day, had been advised that the boys were flying back separately after visiting their relatives and that they would see them after Christmas when the University re-convened.
Jake and Sarah had also said their goodbyes and thanked Steve once again for his invaluable help, before he caught the early flight to Dallas. The boys were still having a lie-in before the long flight home.
CHAPTER 21
The next morning over breakfast in their home in the DC suburbs, both Maria and David were totally relieved that Andrew was safe and as David poured another coffee before leaving for the office, they were discussing the return of their son later in the day.
Somehow, although they were individually delighted that Andrew was safe, there was still a chill in the air.
“So, what’s your plan today?” Maria asked.
“I’ve got an early meeting in Baltimore and I’ll be back by noon.” David replied.
“I should hope so, because your son will be anxious to see you!” Maria replied waspishly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there. Can you please let me know later what the ETA will be on his flight, I assume it will be into Dulles?”
Maria nodded. “I suppose so.”
They were interrupted by the doorbell and Maria grabbed her coat and briefcase,
“That’s the security detail, see you later and don’t be late, bye.”
“Will do.” David nodded as he continued reading his newspaper.
* * *
On the drive into the City, Maria sat back in her car, her mind still in turmoil at the way things were developing after the spectacular rescue of the boys by Jake Harrigan and his partner.
She also realized that knowing Harrigan’s reputation, some of Lorenzo’s soldiers had no doubt been killed in the rescue and this would have made the Don really angry.
She was also deeply sad and feeling totally guilty that after all these years since their chance meeting in Italy, Lorenzo had not realized that he had a son and he would now be realizing that he had been so close to seeing him before the American’s interdiction. This would no doubt be driving him crazy and she wondered if this had affected his ability to stay with the original plan. She also realized that Lorenzo must have been getting all kinds of grief from Al-Qaeda, now that their leader was still incarcerated in Guantanamo.
She was always conscious of the words of the old adage that ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ and from the very moment that she had entered politics, it seemed that the tremendous high that she had constantly derived from being in successive levels of increasing power, had been the one obsessive, consuming, driving force in her life.
This was why her marriage was a marriage in name only and why she and David had agreed long ago that they needed a façade of apparent marital bliss, so that they could both achieve their separate career goals.
David’s continued absorption in his work had brought him untold wealth and Maria, in turn, had thrived on her ever-increasing political profile and the increasing power she had struggled so desperately to build.
As VP, a stable marriage was almost a must and she could not afford to let her husband’s sexual meanderings possibly tarnish her image as the poster child for successful, happily-married women in politics.
David, in turn, also realized that even though he and Maria had not slept together in months, there were ways around it and with many of his investors and high profile customers being rich Democrats, he had to appear to toe the line as a good, loyal husband.
As the first ever woman Vice-President, Maria had been the rallying point for all women in politics, but in spite of this, Lorenzo was the only person who truly realized that the inner drive burning inside her, would not be satisfied until she became the sole occupant of the Oval Office!
Just as she respected the current President, Stephen Parker, she would still step over him in a heartbeat if the opportunity ever presented itself!
* * *
On a cold, sleet and snow filled day, when the private jet with Jake, Sarah and the two smiling boys arrived in Washington Dulles, they were met by both sets of doting parents who rushed to hug their offspring as they walked down the steps from the plane.
Jake and Sarah looked on with smiles of satisfaction on their faces and once the family hugs were over, all four parents rushed to thank them for their efforts.
The President was the first to speak as he shook Jake’s hand warmly. “Thank you, guys, for an incredible job well done.”
Jake smiled. “Our pleasure, Mr. President.”
Maria then came over, tears of gratitude also in her eyes as she hugged them.
“What can I say, Mr. Harrigan, Miss Schaumberg. You took on an impossible task of finding two missing needles in an Italian haystack and you ended up pulling it off. Both my husband and I will always be in your debt!”
David joined them with handshakes for both of them. “I second that, you guys. I
never want to go through that again and I’m sure that both Andrew and Jeff now think the same way!”
Jake nodded in agreement. “I agree, Mr. Carrington, maybe they’ll be a little more careful and discreet in future.”
Maria smiled. “You can count on it, believe me!”
Elizabeth then came over and chatted to Jake and Sarah and the First Lady was equally appreciative of what the rescue mission had achieved.
They were interrupted once again by the President who came over to speak to Jake and Sarah. “I don’t know if you guys are free tomorrow evening,” he began. “But if so, we’d like you to attend a welcome home dinner for the boys at the White House, where you’ll be our guests of honor?”
Jake and Sarah exchanged smiles. “We’d be honored, Mr. President.” Jake replied.
The President smiled. “Excellent. It will be cocktails at seven, see you both then.” he quickly went over to the other parents and the boys who were being escorted into the Presidential limo by the security detail before the car left the airport complex.
As the vehicle was moving across the tarmac towards the exit, a United Airlines flight was taxying in and a face at one of the windows was watching as the Presidential limo drove away. It was Gina, still with a curious look on her face.
* * *
With both boys back safely, there was no longer any need for the screen of total secrecy over the completed mission and when John Mulroney briefed the new CIA Director Alan Grover about what had happened, he merely told the latter that the boys had gone AWOL on a University ski trip and that an undercover search party had found them safe and sound and that Steve had helped them because of his linguistic skills.
Mulroney then told Grover that Jake and Sarah were currently winding up the mission and tidying up any loose ends before finishing their final report and he asked Director Grover to please extend to them all the help they needed on the President’s orders. The Director agreed, still silently aggrieved that Steve had been used without his authority, but knowing better than to make waves when he knew the mission was very close to the President’s heart.
* * *
Later in the day, Jake and Sarah stopped by their office to check on what had been happening in their company since they had originally left for Hawaii on vacation all those days ago, a vacation that was still far from over.
After sorting out the mail, they headed out for a quiet dinner to discuss the final wrap-up of the mission. Over candlelight in a cosy restaurant in the city, with snow still falling on the sidewalk outside and with Christmas decorations everywhere, the atmosphere was far removed from the constant mayhem they had left behind in Europe.
Sarah looked gorgeous in a warm sweater and slacks and as she sipped her wine after an excellent seafood meal of salmon, shrimp and scallops, she was once again thinking out loud as Jake looked lovingly at her across the table.
“You know, Jake, there are still a bunch of unanswered questions about this entire mission that still confuse me.”
“Such as?”
“Well, we’ve still heard nothing about the shoot-out in L’Aquila after we left to get the boys to safety.”
“There’s probably one or two reasons for that.” he replied.
“Two?”
“Yes, the first could be that Al-Qaeda haven’t yet realized they’re all dead!”
“And the second?”
“They’ve found them, including my note and decided that keeping a low profile, since they failed, is better than us letting the world know that they were out-smarted by the Americans!”
“So, if they found the bodies, presumably someone went in and sanitized the scene?”
Jake nodded. “Exactly. Just as they would have had to do with those two stiffs we left at the cabin. So, what else is bugging you?”
She thought a moment. “I’m still confused why Al-Qaeda seemed to have used Italian Christian mercenaries in their abduction squad in addition to the fact that even the two tramps who lured the boys outside and the snowplough driver, were also Italians!”
Jake nodded in agreement.
“And that leads to still my biggest concern.” she added.
“Which is?”
“There have been no public claims by Al-Qaeda of at least kidnapping the boys, when you would expect them to want to brag to the world that they had been able to hold the First Son for ransom. I know you could say they were embarrassed, but these guys thrive on high profile publicity and I’m sure their spin doctors would have at least come up with something to show how smart they were....unless!”
“Unless what?”
“Unless the people who snatched the boys were Italian terrorists, not Al-Qaeda and they wanted us to think they were Arabs. Remember the Neo-Nazis who were committing all those terrorist acts in Israel wanted us to think they were Arabs? Seems like these days everyone wants to blame the Arabs!”
Jake was thinking. “So, if it wasn’t the Arabs, then who?”
“That’s what’s driving me nuts!” Sarah replied. “Terrorism in Italy has been pretty much dead since the active days of the Red Brigade, back in the 80’s, unless it could be some Eastern European crowd who hate the US, but in that event, why would such a group be interested in helping with the Al-Qaeda leader’s release?”
“I see what you mean,” Jake replied. “I guess we just wait and see if any of the photos taken of the dead terrorists trigger a positive ID,’“ he then changed the subject. “In the meantime, for the first time since Nancy and I were married, I need to rent me a tux if we’re going to be dining at the White House.”
She smiled. “I need to find something to wear as well. I’ve never been a guest of honor in my entire life.”
“That makes two of us!”
* * *
When they arrived back at their apartment later, when Jake unlocked the door, the phone was already ringing. He answered it quickly and he was surprised to hear the new CIA Director Alan Grover on the line.
He congratulated Jake on a mission well executed and he also told Jake that the President had instructed him to call Jake and Sarah to offer any help they may need in tidying up the loose ends of the mission.
Jake thanked him and told him they would need some help in identifying the photos of some people that they thought may have been involved with the boys while they were on the loose, just to make sure there was nothing sinister going on.
He made it sound like student high jinks that the boys had been involved in. He didn’t mention that the pictures were of people that he and Sarah had terminated on that final night in L’Aquila, although the bullet-holes in their foreheads would have given Grover a clue if he ever saw them. However, Grover was most helpful, never even questioned Jake’s cover story and told Jake to stop by the office in Langley the following morning where he would meet Jake and Sarah and set up the photo ID session for them.
Jake thanked the Director and they finally settled down for a welcome night’s sleep. After snuggling into each other’s arms, they were both asleep within seconds. Before he finally closed his eyes, Jake wondered if perhaps his relationship with the CIA may now have taken a turn for the better after his past chequered relationships with the Agency. Hopefully, he would find out the following day.
CHAPTER 22
For Jeff and Andrew, their return to sanity in the US had finally sunk in after their ordeal. Jeff was now back into absorbing the pre-Christmas run up in the White House with all the yuletide decorations adding to the early Christmas scene in DC. He was also looking forward to the dinner later that night when he would see his friends and heroes, Jake and Sarah.
With the exception of the nightmare the night before, when he was being chased by the terrorist with the sword, there had been no residual images in his mind of the various therapy sessions he had gone through, that he didn’t even remember attending.
The ex-KGB Doctor that Lorenzo had gone to great lengths to recruit, had plied his techniques very skilfully, but like all other
pawns in a master plan, even he had been dispensable when his job was done.
Andrew was also adapting back to family life and although he already sensed that the marriage of his parents still lacked that special something, there had been no doubt how pleased they both were to have him back.
When his mother had asked him what went on during his captivity, particularly when she saw the remains of his black eye that he got for speaking out of turn to his guards, he simply told her that they were poorly fed, kept in separate rooms and only occasionally did they get knocked about by their captors.
“And did those monsters ever talk to you?” Maria asked him.
“No, Mom and that was the strange thing. We were sure they were Arabs from the way they dressed and when that dude appeared with a sword, I almost had a heart attack!”
“I’m not surprised, my love. Go on?”
“The only time I heard any voices,” Andrew continued. “Was through the door of my room and when I tried to listen, they were speaking in muffled tones in a language I didn’t recognize.”
“Poor darling,” she squeezed his shoulder affectionately. “And did anybody else visit you after they took you, you know, like their bosses?”
“Not that I saw. The leader of the group who grabbed us was speaking on his phone once, but he was too far away to hear what was being said or what language they were speaking. They looked a pretty ruthless bunch, I’ll say that!”
Maria was relieved and strangely concerned. “Well, thank goodness you’re safely back, my darling!”
“Amen to that!” Andrew grinned.
* * *
The following morning, across the city in CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, Jake and Sarah had driven over first thing to Jake’s old stomping ground and they were being shown into the office of Director Grover, a slim, dark-haired man in his mid-fifties.
Grover came round the desk and shook hands with both of them, totally different from his two predecessors who Jake had crossed swords with, particularly in the case of the latter one, who had even sent armed assassins to try and kill both him and Sarah. Needless to say, the assassins in question were no longer on the CIA payroll on account of the fact that Jake had terminated them before they terminated him and Sarah!
