by David Capps
“I don’t understand,” Jake said. “We have ten bearer bonds that are real, but were made to look like fakes. Are there fake bonds that look real?”
“Of course there are.”
“So how do you tell them apart?”
“Sometimes, you can’t. We divide counterfeit financial specimens into three tiers. The quality of tier 1 specimens is so good that you can’t tell them from the real thing. With tier 2, an expert can tell the difference, and tier 3, with a few simple tests, the cashier at your local grocery store can tell the difference.”
“This sounds like we’re talking about currency instead of bonds,” Jake said.
“Counterfeiting isn’t just about currency. It involves every form of financial instrument, from a five dollar bill to stocks and bonds, mortgages and derivatives. If it involves money, it’s being counterfeited.”
Jake picked up one of the gold bearer bonds. “The bank told you no Federal Reserve Bank has ever issued a gold bearer bond?”
“That’s what they said. It’s actually a clever defense. Under federal law, only the US Treasury Department can issue bonds such as these. The Federal Reserve System has no legal authority to issue bonds. They buy US Treasury Bonds, which are debt instruments. That’s how the federal government borrows money—we print and issue the bonds, and the Federal Reserve buys them. We get the money, and the bank gets the debt instrument, which is added to the National Debt.”
“Then why would anyone attempt to counterfeit something that doesn’t exist?”
“They wouldn’t,” Ken replied. “That’s one of the things that lead me to believe the gold bearer bonds are real.”
“Okay, I’m going to have to think about that for a while. What are we going to do about the two Chinese nationals in custody? If we determine that the bonds are real, they’re guilty of not declaring financial instruments, or if we determine the bonds are counterfeit, they’re guilty of possession of counterfeit financial instruments. So which charge is it going to be?”
Ken smiled. “Since you’re a newbie to this dance, just watch and see what happens.”
They walked back across the hall to where the two men were being held. The Customs officer was waiting for them. So was another man.
“This is Mr. Wong,” the Customs officer said. “He is from the Chinese Embassy.”
Mr. Wong showed Jake and Ken his identification. “Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li actually have diplomatic immunity.”
“They didn’t have diplomatic passports,” Ken responded.
“A simple oversight,” Mr. Wong said. “We apologize for any inconvenience. They will also need the documents back, which you now have in your possession. Those documents are the property of the People’s Republic of China. Your cooperation is appreciated.”
Jake slowly handed the briefcase across the table. As he did so, the watch was exposed from under his shirt sleeve. Mr. Zhang looked at the watch and nudged Mr. Li with his elbow. Mr. Li extended his left hand across the table and glanced down at his own watch. Jake followed his gaze. Li wore a watch identical to the one Jake received from Daniel Jacobson.
Thinking quickly, Jake said, “Please inform your people that the man you came to see has passed away.”
Both men bowed slightly as they took possession of the briefcase.
* * *
Jake and Ken sat in an airport coffee shop, waiting for their 3:00 p.m. flight back to Washington, D.C. They sat at a small black metal patio table with uncomfortable black metal chairs.
“You want to tell me what that fuss was all about?” Ken asked.
“My first lead in a murder case,” Jake replied. “And it’s international money laundering.” He took his cell phone out and called his boss.
“Briggs.”
“Daniel Jacobson, vehicular homicide from this morning. We have a possible connection to New York and a definite connection to China. International connection makes it FBI jurisdiction. I want this case.”
“Pending approval from Dr. Rosen allowing you to return to duty, I can do that.”
“I also need high level electronic surveillance on the two businessmen from China I came here to see. You have their passports and cell phone numbers in the system. I also need ears inside the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, specifically at the International Funds Transfer Desk.”
“You know we’re not going to get a warrant for that.”
“I need you to find a way. This is something critical.”
“Solid lead or hunch?”
Jake looked down at the watch. “Somewhere in between.”
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
Jake put his cell phone away.
“So you want to clue me in to what’s going on?” Ken asked.
Jake brought him up to speed on the death of the bank VP.
“And your sympathetic approach regarding the death of Daniel Jacobson?”
Jake held his arm out exposing the watch. “The vic from this morning wanted me to have this.”
Ken examined the watch closely. “What is it?”
“I don’t know at this point, but both of the Chinese nationals in custody were wearing identical watches.”
“Ya mind?” Ken asked holding out his hand. Jake took the watch off and handed it to him. Ken pulled his jeweler’s loop from his pocket and examined the watch in detail.
“Interesting, especially the holographic bird.” Ken handed the watch back to Jake.
“Yeah, looks like some strange type of eagle.”
“Not an eagle, it’s a mystical bird, not a real one.”
“Mystical?”
“It’s a Phoenix, from ancient Egypt. Supposedly lives for 500 years, builds a nest and sets it on fire. The old bird burns up in the funeral pyre nest and a new bird rises from the ashes.”
“I understand that’s how Phoenix, Arizona got its name.”
“Yep, it is. So the gold bearer bonds…”
“Are connected to the murder,” Jake finished. “And something tells me these gold bonds were going to be honored by Daniel Jacobson.”
“And somebody at the bank didn’t want that to happen?”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Jake said. “Either way, I’m thinking Jacobson was on his way to us as a whistleblower…”
“And boom! No more Jacobson.”
“Yeah, but somebody still needs that money transferred.”
“Okay,” Ken said. “We know how—the gold bearer bonds—we just don’t know who.”
“But we do know where.”
“The Federal Reserve Bank of New York.”
AUTHOR D F CAPPS
DF Capps is the author of Meteor Storm, and Tsunami Storm, sci-fi thrillers. Meteor Storm features new technologies and ancient history. Capps illustrates some of the ways technologies we currently have could be used and he mixes these new technologies with his fascination with ancient history and alternative Archaeology. For Capps mixing the new and uncharted with the old is an exciting and illuminating undertaking. Tsunami Storm features the use of secret weapons of mass destruction and the existence of a Covert War.
Capps attended Wayne State University for two years before joining the U.S. Navy. Later he was discharged from the Submarine Service and went to work as an electrician in the Machine Tool trade in the Detroit area. Capps was initially trained in electronics in the Navy and expanded his training to include Industrial Computer Control and computer programming. Due to the fluctuating automotive job market in the Detroit area, he developed his design skills in both mechanical design and electrical design. Capps has six U.S. Patents and won a national design competition in 1985.
As a former electrical and mechanical engineer, Capps draws upon his experience to create much of the technology in his novels. He has a keen interest in emerging energy sciences and in his quest for knowledge on this new technology, Capps developed the control system for an over-unity electrical generator and witnessed first-hand the capabilities of such developing technologies, "The day
I made the measurements on a machine that was producing eight times the electrical energy that it was consuming was a life-altering experience. I saw for myself what could actually be done, even though it was against all of my electrical training. Since then I have questioned everything that is considered conventional knowledge and found it terribly lacking. We actually live in a world that functions at a very different level from what we perceive."
Capps uses this new understanding of the greater possibilities for science and technology in his sci-fi thrillers. Some of the writers who inspired Capps are Michael Baigent, Dr. Eben Alexander (Proof of Heaven & A Map of Heaven), and David Baldacci. Capps has attended dozens of webinars through Writers Digest to work on perfecting his writing craft. Capps’ goal as a writer is to fashion an entertaining story and then to weave generally unknown facts into that story leaving the reader wondering just what is real and what isn't. If he can entertain a reader and make that reader question the reality around them, then he considers his efforts a success.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As much as a writer might like to think this is the work of the writer alone, nothing could be further from the truth. Each book that you read is the combined effort of a number of people who have all contributed to the end product. First I would like to thank my wife, Miriam for her endless patience and suggestions. Next is the much appreciated suggestions of Katie Reed and my talented publicist, Rebecca Berus. A special thanks to artist Natasha Brown for her cover design.
I would also like to thank Joseph P. Farrell for his tireless research and courage in publishing the often hidden side of human history and its dark endeavors in his book, Covert Wars and Breakaway Civilizations, Adventures Unlimited Press, ISBN 978-1-935487-83-8, from which I have drawn the inspiration for Tsunami Storm.
