by Iris Bolling
Joshua explained, “I’ve entered your mansion three times, without much effort. I will do it again.” The man raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “I was here the day before I took the girl, back doing recon, then again last night.” Naftali looked surprised. “I know every angle to your house. So if you lie to me, I will come back.”
Naftali looked at him as if he was crazy, but then he shrugged his shoulder. “What the hell. You’re paying me.”
Joshua sat back and listened as Naftali told him of Queen Sermyera’s visit when she indicated an opportunity to make millions had come her way. “All we had to do was kidnap her niece Akande and Princess Zsa Zsa for a sum of a million American dollars. We were instructed to allow the Princess to be rescued and place Akande in the path for an American to save her as well.”
“Why?” Joshua asked.
“I cannot say. But I will tell you, I did hear the mention of an official in Washington.” He shrugged his shoulder. “If you ask my opinion I will tell you I believe it is all a set up for Akande to be taken to America, to find this man.”
“For what purpose?”
“I am not privy to that part of the plan.” he sighed. “Did you notice there was no retaliation for the girls being taken? You know how I operate. If I had not received payment, there would be dead bodies. There are none.”
Joshua and LaVeré glanced at each other.
LaVeré stepped forward. “You were paid? When?”
“The money was wired into my account this morning. Therefore, I assumed the Queen was satisfied with my performance.” he smirked, “It is my belief that Princess Zsa Zsa was a ploy to get an American here to act as an escort to take Akande to America. Why, I do not know. But, as you Americans would say, there are bigger fish to hook.”
“Bigger fish to fry,” Joshua corrected as he sat there staring at the man. After a few moments, he nodded his head satisfied, then stood. “I appreciate the information.” He gave Conteh a card with a number on it.”
“What is this?”
“A get out of jail free card, when you need it.” He turned to walk out. “Oh, stay away from the Ashro family. LaVeré, pay the man.”
LaVeré arranged to pay the man as agreed. As they returned to the palace, a few things were bugging Joshua.
“Why did we pay him?” LaVeré asked.
“Conteh is a man who works for the highest bidder, but he also works from the gut. We could have killed him and everyone who was inside that house. We did not. He is going to remember that.”
“What are you going to do about Akande?” LaVeré asked.
The answer wasn’t simple for Joshua. There was something about the woman that intrigued him. However, Conteh confirmed his suspicions, he did not trust her. If she was targeting an official in Washington, that made her an enemy of the United States, which made her his enemy. “I’ll return her to her country. If she makes a play to be taken to Washington, I’ll play it out until the plot is revealed, then take her down.”
“The U.S. Calvary to the rescue.” LaVeré smiled.
“It’s that arrogance the Queen of Asmere was betting on to initiate her plans,” Joshua cautioned.
“True,” LaVeré replied. “Unfortunately for them, they have never encountered the likes of you. May God have mercy upon them.”
Joshua turned to his friend and grinned. “They are about to get a taste of the Absolute experience.”
Chapter Seven
Monday morning, Royce walked into his office located in the Russell Senate Building in Washington, D.C. He placed his briefcase on the desk and pulled out the secure document that was delivered to him in the wee hours of the morning. Normally, he would brief the Secretary of Defense on any situations he believed would cause an issue for the United States. It would be difficult to do today for he had no idea what was in the report. That was telling, for he was a highly intelligent man. Reading, comprehending then interpreting was something he had done daily in the past. It was those briefings that had granted him the position he held now, while other third term Senators were still on regulatory committees.
This was his third term in the U.S. Senate, representing the State of Virginia. Royce had been appointed to the Committee on Foreign Affairs during his first term, and became Chairman on African Affairs in his second term. He was now Chairman of Foreign Relations.
Until a few years ago, he was thought to be the lead runner for the Democratic nominee for President. A family scandal that ended his marriage also altered his future. When the details of the scandal unraveled, the citizens of Virginia opened their arms and re-elected him to the Senate. Working closely with Senator Gavin Roberts and Governor J.D. Harrison, Virginia was thriving as one of the best run states in the country. Ranking number two as the best place to raise a family, start a business and boasting an AAA credit rating in addition to being one of the most sought after states for foreign enterprise. The last accomplishment, in no small part, was due to Senator Davenport’s relations with foreign governments.
Under normal circumstances, after reading the latest reports, he would make recommendations to the Secretary. He read the document several times, unfortunately his mind continuously wandered. He was considered the top in his field in foreign negotiations and people depended on him. It was inconceivable that a woman could invade his thoughts to the point of distraction.
Looking out of his window, thoughts of the woman were foremost in his mind as they had been since the meeting on Saturday. The most staggering concern was that what the woman thought of him might matter for some ungodly reason.
Since his divorce, five years ago, he had not allowed any woman close enough for him to care one way or another. Oh, he’d enjoyed being in the company of women on multiple occasions, but after the third or fourth date, he was done. They just did not hold his interest. After a few years on the dating scene, he gave up trying to have a relationship with any of them, and settled for the occasional sexual romp here and there. Even with that he was very selective. A man in his position had to be cautious. The type of information he was privy to could have international ramifications if seen by the wrong eyes. He knew the media coverage made it seem as if he was on a date every night with a different woman, but the truth was he preferred quiet nights at home. It was his ex-wife who craved the limelight of the D.C. society. He couldn’t care less about it.
“Good morning Senator,” Kathy Paxton, his secretary of fifteen years, spoke as she entered his office with his agenda for the day. “How was your weekend?”
“Good morning, Kathy,” he replied as he took his seat at his desk. “The weekend was too short.”
She smiled. “It always is.” The slim stylishly dressed woman of fifty-six, took a seat and began reciting his agenda and any information he would need to make the day smoother. If that was possible, most days the agenda was shot to hell by ten in the morning.
Kathy looked up when she mentioned dinner with Governor Harrison and his family. Normally, that subject would generate a lively conversation on the Governor’s possible run for President of the United States. This morning–nothing. “Is everything all right, Senator?”
Royce looked up. “I’m sorry Kathy, did you say something?”
She closed her calendar book placing her hands on top of it in her lap. “After good morning, I said I was running off to marry Will Smith–The Wild Wild West, Will Smith, not the Ali, Will Smith.”
“Let me know when you get back.”
Kathy tilted her head. “Where is your mind this morning?”
Sitting back in his chair, he picked up a pen and began tapping the desk with it. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Recognizing the nervous action, Kathy sat back in her seat. “Try me.”
He stopped tapping the pen and looked up at her. Thinking, she was about the only person in his life he completely trusted other than his parents and Grayson. If he could talk to anyone about this absurdity, it would be her. He stood, removed his suit jacket
and placed it on the back of his chair, then retook his seat. “I had a run in with a woman.”
Kathy’s heart leaped. It had been years since they’d had a real conversation about a woman. Not since the conversation they had concerning his divorcing Penny and that was five years ago. She stood, placing her calendar on his desk trying her best to keep her cool and not get too excited, “What kind of run in?” she asked as she removed the jacket from the back of the chair and put it on the hanger located right behind him. He had retrieved the pen and was tapping the desk again when she returned to her seat. Kathy couldn’t help but smile, it had been a long time coming, but maybe he was finally letting his guard down.
“I wouldn’t say it was exactly a run in, it was more like a confrontation that was entirely one-sided.”
Picking up the calendar, she crossed her legs. “Why don’t you just tell me what happened?” It was a statement more than a question, for a question would have given him a choice and she was too interested to give him an option. He revealed the events from the meeting as she watched him intently. At times it was what a person was not saying that spoke volumes. When he finished she picked up the calendar. “Was she attractive?”
He closed his eyes. “God, yes. Even in anger she looked like an angel.”
“My, my–an angel,” she teased while smiling at him.
Catching the amusement in her voice, Royce opened his eyes and sat up. Clearing his throat he nodded towards her calendar. “What do we have scheduled today?”
“No angels, that’s for sure.” Kathy laughed as she opened her calendar and began reading off the agenda for the day again. After they finished, she stood and walked towards her office. “Would you like the regular breakfast?”
“Sure,” he replied slowly. She waited, for she knew something more was coming. “Kathy.”
“Yes, Senator.”
“Would you vet Shelly Knight for me?”
Smiling inwardly she replied. “Of course, Senator. Would you like it to be professional or personal?”
“Professional,” he decided. “Make that personal.” A second ticked on the clock, “No wait…professional.”
She stood at the doorway and looked at him. “Professional it is.” She turned to take a step and before he could say anything she said, “I’ll do an in-depth.”
“Thank you, Kathy. And make sure you do this, don’t give it to anyone else to handle.”
“I’ll take care of it personally.” She closed the door behind her and smiled. “It’s about time.” She sat at her desk and decided this task took precedence over everything else on the agenda. If there is a woman out there that has captured his interest, she wanted to know all she could about her. The last thing he needed was another Penelope Parker Davenport in his life.
An hour later, Royce had finally cleared his mind enough to concentrate on the intelligence report he received the night before. The report indicated Princess Zsa Zsa was safely returned to the palace. He was certain his friend King Ahmed and his wife were relieved. The region was going through a social transformation. The country was now led by the newly crowned King Aswan, the eldest son of his friend King Ahmed. For health reasons, Ahmed felt it was best for the country to be lead into the social change by someone younger and open to change. He remembered praising his friend for making the unprecedented move to step down. It was a clear indication that he was ready for his country to progress. Some neighbors in the region rebelled against Emure, because of Ahmed’s decision to liberate his country and there had been talk of war. The region had become unstable and the United States was keeping a close eye on the developments.
Reaching under his desk, he pushed a button. Nothing could be seen by the naked eye, however, a few seconds later the small indicator near the button went from red to green, indicating the room was now secure. Any electronic devices attempting to pick up conversations would only receive silence. From his desk he pulled out a secure phone, then dialed a number. The call was answered on the second ring.
“Hello, Senator.”
“Good morning, Ned. Update me on the situation with the woman rescued with Princess Zsa Zsa.”
“She is being returned to her home.”
“The royal family provided her with an escort?”
“Not exactly,” Ned slowly replied.
“What do you mean, not exactly? They would not have sent a woman into the unstable territory without protection. How is she being transported?” The hesitation in his reply caused a frown in Royce’s brow. “Tell me Absolute is not in Asmere.”
“Absolute is not in Asmere. He’s in Akrue, therefore, technically outside of Asmere.”
“Do I seem amused Ned?” Royce roared.
“No Senator, you don’t,” Ned stammered. “However, it’s important that we look at the larger picture here.”
Royce waited for the handler of the most dangerous operatives the United States had at its disposal. On one hand he appreciated the fact that Ned was defending the actions of his operatives. On the other hand, he should never defend them to him. “I’m waiting.”
“On what?”
“The larger picture, Ned. Hold that thought,” Royce interrupted before Ned could speak. “Absolute is in a region that is unstable with no orders from this office. A larger picture would be he blows up something while he is there, which with his history, has an eighty percent possibility of occurring.” Royce’s voice began to gradually rise. “A larger consequence of him going rogue, is a war in the region if something goes wrong with whatever he is up to and we have to go in to get him.”
“Senator...Senator,” Ned, attempted to speak.
“Now would be a good time for you to tell me what in the hell he is doing in Asmere, near Asmere, or around Asmere. Then explain to me why I was not notified.” There was no reply. “Ned.”
“Intel from the woman rescued with Princess Zsa Zsa Ashro had implications of a plot against a United States citizen. After, questioning the man who held the women, who I am happy to report is still alive, more details were revealed. We believe it was in the best interests of the United States to follow up. Absolute is en route to Asmere to return the woman to her family. They were on a hot trail. There simply wasn’t time to check in, Senator.”
“Unacceptable. When it comes to matters of National Security you make time. Period. Connect me to Absolute.”
“He went dark when he entered Asmere.”
“So he is in Asmere,” Royce stood and hit his desk with his fist. “There are things connected with Asmere that are confidential on the highest level. One wrong move on his part will set off a chain of events we will not be able to alter. Get him back.”
“That could be problematic, but I will do my best.”
“Ned, does the King of Asmere know an American is coming?”
“Not to my knowledge. An undercover delivery was planned. However, there is some concern for the woman’s safety. There may be an overlap between the time he delivers the woman and the time he leaves the country. If all goes well, he will be back in the United States in twenty-four hours.”
“Ned, I don’t want any excuses. You contact me the moment you have an update on this situation.”
“Yes sir,” Ned spoke quickly. “Senator, before you go. There is a sealed file in the folder on Asmere. Any chance on us gaining access?”
“Need to know basis. At this time, you don’t need to know.”
Royce hung up the phone, took a deep breath and then dialed the Secretary of Defense’s office. He explained the events of the last few days and the status.
“Are they aware of the sanctions against Asmere and the countries hostility towards us?”
“Yes, Mr. Secretary they are aware. However, a woman’s life is in jeopardy. What they do not know, sir, is there are more sanctions on the way and a possible coup about to happen in that region. Perhaps opening the file to...”
“Negative, Senator. Under no circumstances is that information to be released. Th
e rightful leader of that region’s life could be jeopardized.”
“Understood, Mr. Secretary.”
“Get that operative out of that region before he negates all we have worked to accomplish for the last twenty years.”
Royce sat back, concern clearly appearing on his face. He stood and walked over to the bookshelf located on the right side of his office. He pulled a book partially out, then pushed it back in. The bookshelves slid five feet to the right. There was another shelf, consisting of three shelves with several disc cases, organized by date. There were three file drawers under the shelves. Royce pulled out the top drawer, fingering through the files until he reached the one he was searching for. He took out the picture of his friend, at the time Prince Tochi of Asmere, and his wife, Maya. Then he took out another picture of a woman and smiled. The woman was and to this day remained one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. Lowering his head, he put the pictures back, closed the drawer, and returned the bookcase to its covert location, effectively securing his thoughts of the past.
Chapter Eight
As sure as there were stars in the sky, Shelly Knight knew she was about to be grilled. Her behavior was uncalled for. The weather was crisp. One could smell the first signs of snow in the air as they rode to the airport. It was Monday morning. Rochelle Delaney, her foster sister was on her way back to Atlanta where she taught chemistry at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges. She was catching the six a.m. flight to arrive in time for her ten o’clock lecture.
Shelly had hoped the cool air from the cracked window in her 1999 Ford Explorer would keep the conversation, she knew was coming, from getting out of hand. She knew Rocy almost better than she knew herself. The events of Saturday night had yet to be discussed. Eventually she was going to have to fess up. She would have to explain why she reacted the way she had. Rocy chuckled, causing Shelly to give her a sideways look.
“Care to share?” she asked her friend who was now laughing so hard Shelly couldn’t help but to join in. “What?”
