Danger Close

by James P. Sumner

  Jericho nodded. The main building was enormous and flanked on either side by smaller wings that bordered the courtyard. Constructed from a mixture of smooth concrete and off-white marble, the whole place looked more royal than presidential.

  What caught Jericho’s eye, however, was not the impressive architecture but the number of armed soldiers patrolling the grounds and the canopied balconies above.

  They climbed the steps. At the top, they were greeted by a man with thick, dark hair and a smooth complexion. He wore a tailored suit and a politician’s smile.

  “You must be Mr. Stone,” said the man. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Well, we’re being paid to be here, so we couldn’t exactly say no, right?” Jericho flashed a smile to emphasize his attempt at humor but got no reaction. He switched tactics. “And you are?”

  The man extended his hand. “Raul Montez. President Herrera’s chief of staff.”

  Jericho shook it, trying to hide his involuntary wince at the dampness of the man’s palm.

  “Pleasure,” he said, casually wiping his hand on his leg. “Is the president ready for us now?”

  Montez nodded. “He is. This way, please.”

  He turned on his heels and strode back inside the palace. Jericho and Miller followed. Inside, artwork hung on the walls and chandeliers dangled from the high ceilings. The floor was stone tile, polished without being slippery underfoot.

  “This place would look great on MTV Cribs,” whispered Miller.

  “Is that still a thing?” asked Jericho.

  Miller shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t watched MTV since they stopped playing music on it.”

  Jericho smiled to himself as they walked on. They followed Montez up a large flight of stairs and headed left, along an open corridor. It led to a wide space, like an entrance hall. Two more corridors branched off. One continued into the left wing of the palace. Montez led them along the other, which took them further inside the main building.

  The military presence inside was even greater than Jericho had seen from the courtyard.

  “The president’s office is just up ahead,” announced Montez.

  They stopped outside a large set of double doors made from mahogany. Stationed on either side was an armed soldier, dressed in what Jericho assumed was the Palugan military’s formal attire. It was similar to U.S. Marine dress blues, fitted and adorned with medals.

  Montez turned to face them. “Mr. Stone, I will have to ask that your colleague remains outside. As I’m sure you can understand, we are limiting access to the president at the moment. He is welcome to wait outside.”

  Jericho turned to Miller. “Nobody else in or out until you see me. Understood?”

  Miller nodded.

  Montez smiled. “There is no need for such measures, Mr. Stone. You are surrounded by the finest our military has to offer, all loyal to President Herrera. We are quite safe.”

  “If you believed that, I wouldn’t be here,” countered Jericho. “At GlobaTech, we take our job seriously. I have no reason to doubt the capabilities of your men, but I don’t know them. I trust my people. I’m sure you’re right—everything is perfectly fine. But if we’re wrong and a horde of disgruntled citizens suddenly storms the gates, my men will protect your president or die trying, regardless of who else is here.”

  Montez held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. “I… I apologize, Mr. Stone. Of course, we appreciate your professionalism. It’s why you were brought here, after all.”

  “No problem. This is a difficult time for your country. We just want to help.”

  Montez opened the doors and gestured Jericho through. He followed him inside and closed them again behind him.

  The room looked more like the library of a country mansion than a president’s office. Bookcases lined both long walls of the rectangular room. The carpet was a deep crimson. The wall ahead featured the Palugan flag, framed and mounted on display. On either side, large windows provided plenty of natural light. A wide desk stood in front of it. Behind it sat President Herrera.

  He stood as Jericho approached and moved around the desk to greet him. He was not quite as tall as Jericho but above average height. His mottled, olive skin hung loosely on his face, betraying his age and worries. He wore a suit and tie.

  Jericho extended his hand. “Mr. President, it’s an honor to meet you.”

  Herrera shook it graciously. “Mr. Stone, welcome to my country. Please take a seat. Can I offer you a drink?”

  “I’d prefer to stand, sir,” he said. “It was a long drive and a longer flight. But I’ll take some water. Thank you.”

  Herrera looked past him to Montez and nodded. Jericho heard the doors open and close behind him but didn’t look around.

  Herrera moved back behind his desk and fell heavily back into the chair.

  “These are… strange times, Mr. Stone,” he said. “Not what I expected when I got this job.”

  Jericho stood before him, hands clasped behind his back, on the casual side of attention. Herrera’s voice didn’t match his physical presence. It was soft and polite yet had a firmness to it that compelled him to listen to every single word.

  “I can’t begin to imagine the scope of what you are faced with, sir,” replied Jericho.

  “I saw the suffering this country endured for generations and wanted to change things. I wanted to give the people a better life. And yet… many fear that change. They stand against the pioneers and the visionaries because they prefer the devil they know to the one they don’t.”

  Jericho held his gaze but said nothing.

  “Mr. Stone, may I speak candidly with you?”

  “Of course, Mr. President.”

  “I ran for office because I love my country. I’m not a politician. I’m not a businessman. I’m not a salesman. I am a man. I grew up in some of the worst poverty found in our history. My father was killed when I was just a small boy. His crime? Asking that his government listen to the pleas of its people. He was silenced because my predecessor ruled this country for decades as if it were his business and we were all his employees. When he died, what government we had decreed its next leader would be voted for by the people. Our first taste of democracy, Mr. Stone. My popularity within my community grew. Word spread. People began listening to what I had to say. And here I am.” He gestured to the office. “I am finally in a position to do something. To help people. But I can’t. My hands are bound now worse than my father’s ever were. Let me give you some advice, Mr. Stone.”

  “Please.”

  “If you ever run for office, don’t let politics stand in the way of being a good politician.”

  Jericho smiled. “That’s good advice, sir. You should make that the tagline for your memoirs.”

  Herrera laughed. “Should I be so lucky to ever get the chance to write them. Now tell me how GlobaTech will help me. Your CEO, Mr. Buchanan, spoke highly of you.”

  “He’s a good man, sir,” replied Jericho humbly. “Tell me, how big is your military, Mr. President?”

  “According to the last spending report from my defense department, close to seven thousand men.”

  Jericho nodded. “Okay. And how many of them would you say are currently loyal to you?”

  “I would like to assume all of them…”

  “But?”

  Herrera sighed. “But the reality is… perhaps half of them. Maybe less.”

  “So, let’s say three thousand stand with you. That leaves four thousand that you’re unsure of. If they’re not loyal to you, who do they serve?”

  “General Hector Guerrero. The leader of our armed forces and third in command behind myself and my vice president.”

  “And where is he? Your VP?”

  Herrera smiled apologetically. “I don’t have one. Never got around to it. We’re still figuring out democracy, I’m afraid. I was voted in legally by a majority of the population. But since my first day in office, I’ve been dealing with riots and protests and di
ssent from the highest ranks.”

  Jericho frowned. “I read some reports, but if I may ask, sir… what, exactly, don’t the people like?”

  Herrera sat back in his chair. “The military of this country has always had too much power. That was the way my predecessor wanted it. The army obeys my command but has almost full autonomy from the government. Take the United States, for example. Your president gives an order, and the military follows it. But that order has been approved by your senate and validated by your joint chiefs. Here, there was none of this. No process. No safeguards. This office said jump, and the army didn’t care to ask how high. They simply started shooting, knowing no one could stop them.”

  “And you want to change that?”

  “I do. I want to install a real government. I want to give power back to the people of this country. I want to serve them. The military exists to protect our nation, not rule it. Paluga has always been a dictatorship disguised as a free country. I would see it be free again.”

  “And General Guerrero disapproves?”

  “He does. He has spoken out in the media, in front of crowds of people, voicing his opposition and calling me weak. He is a strong man. A decorated war hero. He talks and people listen.”

  “Sir, do you suspect the general is plotting to overthrow you and your new government?”

  Herrera nodded gravely. “I do, Mr. Stone. I have tried to gather as many people as I can whom I trust are loyal to me. We have spies. The beginnings of an intelligence community, I suppose. I have heard rumors he is keeping the soldiers loyal to him on their bases, away from the protests.”

  “Gathering his forces…”

  “Perhaps, yes.” Herrera stood and leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. “I brought GlobaTech here at great expense because I need help bringing stability and order to my country. But I do understand what I ask of you and of your men.”

  “Mr. President, by the end of the week, you will have two thousand GlobaTech peacekeepers in your country. We are all prepared to protect your people with our lives, if necessary. We’re not mercenaries. We’re not a militia. We’re a business. You paid for the best, and that’s what you’ll get—for as long as you need it.”

  Herrera smiled. “It seems the faith of the United Nations was not misplaced. Your company’s efforts in getting this world back on its feet are breathtaking. I believe I am in safe hands.”

  The doors opened. Jericho turned to see Montez walking in, carrying a tray with a jug of iced water and two glasses on it. He placed it on the desk and poured a glass, then handed it to Jericho.

  “Thank you,” he said, taking a grateful sip.

  “Raul, what’s my schedule for the rest of the day?” asked Herrera.

  “You have a television interview at three p.m. and a security briefing at five. I purposely kept your schedule light today, so you could prepare for tomorrow, sir.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Jericho. “What’s tomorrow?”

  “President Herrera is attending a peace rally in the center of Maville,” said Montez.

  Jericho set the glass down and looked at the president. “Sir, that doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

  Montez scoffed. “I can assure you—”

  “I can speak for myself, Raul,” said Herrera, holding up a hand to signal silence. He turned to Jericho. “It’s an important event, Mr. Stone. This country needs a firm statement from its leader. It needs reassurance that the path we are on now is the right one. My military will be on hand to keep the crowds calm and to quash any riots and protests.”

  Jericho went to speak but caught himself. Instead, he simply nodded.

  “If you have something to add, Mr. Stone, I will hear it,” said Herrera. “You are here to protect me, but I value your opinion.”

  Jericho took a deep breath. “Well, sir, there’s the obvious concern for your safety, being so exposed in such a public place.”

  “Of course, but every effort has been taken to ensure not only my safety but that of the people who will be there to hear me speak.”

  “I’m sure it has. But if your concerns about your own military are well founded, then I would treat those efforts with skepticism. You’re leaving yourself vulnerable, sir.”

  “I understand GlobaTech’s concern here, Mr. Stone, I do. But I cannot speak about peace and change from behind these walls. What message would that send? The people need to see that the leader they chose is strong. They need to see I’m not afraid to make tough decisions.”

  “I agree, Mr. President. But my final concern is about just that: the message you would be sending.”

  Montez scoffed again and pointed at Jericho. “I’m sorry, sir, but is he your political advisor now? You didn’t pay these people to—”

  “Begging your pardon, but he is standing right here,” said Jericho, his voice raised and firm. “If you have something to say to me, say it to me.” He turned to Herrera. “Mr. President, I apologize. I didn’t mean to overstep my authority.”

  “You didn’t,” replied Herrera, amused at how quickly his chief of staff had fallen silent. “Please, continue.”

  “My concern,” continued Jericho, “is with the message you would be sending by going out there surrounded by your military and telling your people things are different. You say your soldiers will stop people from rioting. Yes, sir, they should absolutely work to keep the peace, but they shouldn’t suppress your people’s right to have their voices heard. Everyone in this room knows exactly why you’re handling this the way you are. But the people out there won’t. They will see you on your podium, using the military to keep them controlled and silent while you tell them how you want things to be, and they will stand in their crowds and say, ‘Meet the new boss… same as the old boss.’ This is a bad idea because no matter how you play it, Mr. President, you’re going to piss people off, and that will rile them up even more than they already are. That’s going to put you in greater danger, which is what you’re paying me to prevent.”

  Herrera stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Okay. What do you suggest?”

  Jericho considered this for a moment. “How many people do you expect to show up to this rally?”

  Herrera turned to Montez, flicking his eyebrows as a signal to speak.

  Montez cleared his throat. “Up to ten thousand people.”

  Jericho nodded. “Okay. Ten thousand people in your city center. Whatever space you have planned for this, double it. Give the people room to move. Let them wave their picket signs and talk over you if they want. Due respect, sir, but it’s your job to convince them to listen, not force them to. Show them the change you want to bring in by giving them the voice they never had. Have your military form a wide perimeter around the area but keep them distanced from the people. Let GlobaTech stand with you on your podium and in the immediate vicinity. We’ll set up checkpoints in the crowd to control the movement but nothing more. We’ll step in if things turn violent, but we won’t stop them from protesting. People will trust that image a lot more. They know GlobaTech are neutral, and they will see you, their president, standing alone. The risk to your safety is about as minimized as this situation will ever allow, and the chances of escalation are reduced greatly by our presence.”

  Herrera considered Jericho’s words, then turned to Montez. “Raul?”

  Montez sighed heavily, scratching his forehead. “From a PR standpoint, Mr. President… he’s not wrong.”

  His agreement caught Jericho by surprise, but he didn’t show it.

  “At the end of the day, sir, your army has a bad rep,” he said. “Having them front and center won’t help. Use the men you trust to operate checkpoints and roadblocks and patrol the palace. Use GlobaTech for the personal stuff like this.”

  Herrera nodded. “I agree with your assessment, Mr. Stone. Thank you. And what about the men General Guerrero has on standby, populating our military bases?”

  Jericho shrugged. “He hasn’t given them any orders yet. Our arrival here is u
nlikely to be a secret. Whatever he’s waiting for, if anything at all, it would be a tactical error to do it tomorrow.”

  Herrera took a deep breath. “Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Stone, for your honesty and your advice. You are an asset to GlobaTech. When this is over, if you want a change of scenery, I will grant you citizenship, and you can run my military for me, eh?”

  He laughed. Jericho smiled politely. “A gracious offer, Mr. President. Thank you. Bit too hot for me out here, though.”

  Herrera nodded. “Our climate does take some getting used to. This is true.” He looked at Montez. “Raul, show Mr. Stone to his vehicle. I’m sure he has much to prepare.”

  Montez headed for the door without a word.

  Jericho nodded and extended his hand. “Thank you for your time, Mr. President.”

  Herrera shook it gladly. “I will see you tomorrow, Mr. Stone.”

  Jericho took his cue and left. Back in the corridor, Miller stepped to his side as they walked a few paces behind Montez.

  “That guy didn’t seem too pleased,” said Miller, nodding to Montez. “How did it go in there?”

  Jericho shrugged. “He offered to make me General of his armed forces.”

  Miller’s eyes went wide. He blew out a long sigh of surprise. “Man, you’re good.”

  6

  May 3, 2020

  * * *

  A muted rumble of chatter swept through the crowd like dust in the wind as the people of Paluga basked in the afternoon sun. President Herrera was due to arrive in a little under twenty minutes, and so far, the scene had remained subdued.

  Jericho and Miller stood beside each other at the back of the stage, looking out at the mass gathering. Three GlobaTech operatives stood with them, with four more on either side of the stage, guarding the steps leading onto it. A cordon stretched a mile in all directions around the city center. The military formed a hard perimeter, save for two checkpoints that were allowing people safely in and out of the area.

  The stage had been erected across the middle of a wide intersection, positioned so that it stood in the shadow of a tall building. This provided additional protection behind the stage but also prevented glare in the camera lenses of the media in attendance.