by Samuel David
“I really don’t know Moshe. Torture me if you wish, but I cannot translate it for you. Moshe, I am begging you, let this go and let us go. You will not like what happens if you do not.”
“Is that a threat Veronica? It sure sounds like one.”
Chapter 77
1:45 PM EST Day two of 1260 Camp David, Maryland - President Richard Stevenson’s Office
Ken Giles walked into the President’s office and Stevenson barked out, “Sit down Ken in the chair closest to my desk. I want to be able to see you real well, I want to hear you real well, and as a matter of fact, I want to remember you just as you are, for when I get through with you, there probably will be little left for the buzzards to digest.”
Ken was used to the President’s tirades and waved his hand to dismiss what Stevenson had said, then stated, “What has gotten you so angry?”
“Jack South, that’s what. What the hell have you done?”
“Hey I am just fulfilling the oath of my office. He snuck out of the country and then into an allies,’ country and he was caught. So what? Maybe they can figure out what he is doing. You sure as hell will not. So when I found out what he had done, I called our contacts in Israel and told them to do as they wished. In addition, I assumed, since you will not try to find out what makes this guy tick, I would. And when I do, it will put an end to this hocus pocus he is spreading across this country and the world for that matter.”
The President looked at him and shook his head. Ken you have no idea what you may have done.” He pushed a call button on his desk and when Rolinda answered he said, “Get the Israeli Prime Minister for me immediately please. Tell him it is urgent.”
Chapter 78
1:45 PM EST Day two of 1260 Somewhere over the Atlantic, AM4000 Jet
I was talking to one of my staff members as they were working on some statistics when I saw the flight attendant come into the lounge on the plane. She walked up to me and said, “Mr. Aafre, I need to speak with you.” She leaned down towards me and whispered in my ear.
I immediately stood up and said, “Excuse me gentlemen, but I need to attend to some important business that has come up.”
As I left the lounge cabin, I went to the area right behind the cockpit. There was a secure communications link that I could use to make and receive secure calls. When I got into the room, I closed the door and immediately called the White House’s special number and was, connected through their switchboard to Camp David, where President Stevenson currently was.
I waited for the call to go through and when I got him on the line I listened to what Stevenson had to say and simply said, “Get him out of there now. Moreover, as for this Attorney General, I will take care of him myself. As I told you Stevenson, and I meant it, no one until I say, touches this person. Now, if he is not, released within an hour, I will take matters into my own hands and use our own resources. So make sure the Prime Minister knows what needs to be done.”
Chapter 79
1:55 PM EST Day two of 1260 Camp David, Maryland - President Richard Stevenson’s Office
The President put the phone down after the call from Aafre and looked over at Ken. “I want your resignation on my desk in one hour or I will use my Presidential powers using the FBI and CIA to place you under arrest for violation of our government’s human rights laws on giving over an American Citizen to be rendered to a foreign country. One hour, that is all you have. You can claim you are resigning for any number of reasons. However, if you do not, I will release to the press an incident of another that was, incarcerated, not this one. I have tapes of you giving the order from your office to the CIA on our other subject we sent there. So what’s it going to be Ken?”
As I was waiting for Ken to answer, my telephone rang and I answered. Rolinda said, “I have the Israeli Prime Minister on the line Mr. President, should I put him through?”
“Yes, please do.”
I waited and heard David’s voice, “Hello Stevenson,” he said in his Yiddish accent, “what I can do for you today?”
“Are you in a secure place that we can talk David?”
“Yes, I’m in my office. You just caught me. I was just leaving to have dinner with my family this evening.”
I explained the situation to him and said that we would not hold them responsible for anything that had happened, but it would be best if we wrapped this up quickly. He said that he understood. He also questioned me about Jack, saying, “Are you sure you don’t want us to break him? He is here and he is a threat to all of us. It is raining here, like in the Sahara and that may soon cause us problems. We may be able to crack him.”
“No. Just put him and whomever, he was with, back on their jet. I just hope this never makes it to the press. Once again, thanks David. I really appreciate your help. Yes David, we will sign the agreements on the bombers and after some of this calms down, you should be getting them. Thanks again.”
I put the phone down, then looked over at Jamal, and said, “Fortunately, they want the bombers more than they want Jack. So he will do what is necessary to make sure that he is released.”
I then turned back to the Attorney General and said, “Now Ken, what’s it going to be?”
Chapter 80
8:55 PM CEST Day two of 1260 Ramat David Air Force Base, Level III Interrogation Room
They had turned off the lights and left. Again, it was pitch, dark. I doubted if they believed what I told them about the binder. What was strange to me is that I could actually read it and I had never ever seen anything like it before, but then obviously they had not either.
My mind was playing with me again and I was still very cold. I was not looking forward to being tortured to get me to tell these people what I had said on national TV yesterday. I mean, that is all they would ever get from me anyway. I really knew nothing else. I guess they could have questioned me about the desert and the cave meeting, but they probably would not believe that either.
I was not sure what was going to happen to me. I guess according to Old Testament scriptures, many were, imprisoned for their beliefs. Maybe God was just testing me and this is just part of the seasoning that he puts his messengers or prophets through. I wondered to myself if I was strong enough to handle it and still be able to function afterwards. I did not know, but I did know that Gabriel had said even though I was, chosen, I still have one-hundred percent free will, and if I choose to go against God’s wishes, I could do so.
I will not let that happen. If they beat me, I will tell the truth, no matter what, and let God take care of the rest of it. I started to recite the Lord’s Prayer when the lights came back on.
Chapter 81
9:00 PM CEST Day two of 1260 Ramat David Air Force Base, Level I Interrogation Room
Moshe had left the room, but the door was, locked, so I was still a prisoner. I had no intention, of trying to get out anyway. I would not get very far. Moshe had left probably to see if my story corroborated with Jack’s. If it did not, then they would turn up the heat and try to find out more, using their techniques.
She could well imagine that Jack was probably shackled, naked, and scared out of his wits downstairs. However, she also knew that he was now a man of God and this may well be some good seasoning for him. She had joined this group of Gabriel and Ariel’s, several years ago after she and Shraya had their little tryst. Then Shraya had explained who he really was. After she got over the shock of it, she was, recruited by them. She converted to Christianity, resigned her position, and was sent to America to begin to lay out the plans long before Jack ever knew he was going to be who he is now.
To think Jack thought she must be an angel. Well after today, he would know the truth and then she would tell him again that she is there to protect him and keep him secure, that this had all been, worked out some time ago. However, she mused, she was not doing such a good job now, even in her own territory. Therefore, she was thinking about what must have happened in America that someone had stumbled on their whereabouts and ove
rshot their authority. It really boiled down to three people that could order this. That would be the President, The Attorney General, or the Director of the CIA. No one else could make the request.
Her thoughts were, interrupted when she heard the door open. Moshe walked in sat down and said, “Veronica, you must really have friends in very high places. Your jet is being, refueled and your pilots and your precious Jack are being, returned to you. However, I think it is important that you let Mr. South know that none of this really took place today. It might not bode well for him to run to the press and tell his story.”
“I can assure you that I doubt if your threats would be of much concern to him. I can also tell you that he has no reason to dwell on this and I will do what I can. Now may I leave?”
“Sure you can. I wish you would stay longer though. Dinner with a bottle of fine wine would really make my day.”
“Go screw yourself Moshe. You know how I feel about that. Also, please give me the binder back you removed from the plane.”
“Certainly, you can also have the other papers, including Jack’s passport.” He handed the binder to her. She noticed, as she looked in the folder that the papers were copies, not the originals. Where are the originals Moshe?”
“Ah, those we will keep here. I want to have it analyzed, especially if it really came from God. Then we may find out something else interesting. I am sure that Jack and I will meet again very soon, maybe in Jerusalem. Are you sure we cannot have dinner together again, just like old times?” he pouted.
“No Moshe not now, not ever.”
“Okay my dear. Maybe you can fly back to the caves and get Shraya too,” as he laughed.
She hated that laugh, hated it so very much.
Chapter 82
2:10 PM EST Day two of 1260 Somewhere over the Atlantic, AM4000 Jet
Aafre was still in the forward cabins, communication’s room when the phone rang. He picked it up, listened to the caller, and said, “Thank you.” He hung up the phone and stood to return to the lounge.
He laughed and said to himself, amazing how simple and trusting people really are. He had known about the file that Jack had, and using his considerable skill, had suckered the Attorney General into turning in Jack. Getting Jack into one of his associate’s clutches and getting the original document that supposedly came from God. Even the Israeli government did not know that Moshe and the Director worked for him when needed. All men were corruptible, he thought. He would have to make sure they received a very large bonus soon. Now he needed to make sure Mr. Ken Giles, the Attorney General, would never have the opportunity to ever, write a book or anything else. He was sure that he would not be, missed, for Stevenson hated the person. Easy come, easy go. It is so easy.
Chapter 83
2:20 PM EST Day two of 1260 Camp David, Maryland
Ken left the President’s office furious. Screw him, he thought. He would not take this lying down. He had friends too and Stevenson would not like what he may be able to do or dig up on the old man. He and Stevenson had been at each other since I could remember and this was not the first threat he ever got. It was his connections, that when Stevenson took office, that assured he would get the AG spot. In addition, I knew if he played his cards right, he would be President in the next few years. He had a lot of party support.
Resign. No way José, I said to himself. Never!
I knew he could not go back to the meeting, so I had called for a limo from the carpool available to the government and said he needed to get back to his office from Camp David. The limo should be here shortly he thought, as he waited outside the door smoking a cigarette. I normally did not smoke much, but it did help calm my nerves.
I saw the limo coming from around the edge of the woods leading up to the camp’s administration building. I reached down and grabbed my briefcase, put it on my shoulder and stood by the road. He would get his other things later or they could send his bag to his house. He needed to get out of here.
The car stopped and he opened his own back door of the limo and sat inside. I then knocked on the window and told the driver I needed to get back to Washington, D.C., to the office. The driver grunted and put the car in gear and drove down the driveway.
The limo passed the gates and started down the access road to 15, which would then take them to the beltway, and then on into D.C. I figured he would just lean back and enjoy the ride. The helicopter ride had only taken about a half an hour. However, that was not an option today, but depending on traffic, he would still get back around five or so.
Then, I thought, I‘d start pushing the buttons on old Stevenson. Resign? I doubt it.
I was looking out the window when I noticed that they had turned off 15 and were going down some road he had never been on. I banged on the glass that separated him and the driver, but got no response. I suddenly felt I was in danger. The hairs on the back of my neck started sticking up and my whole body tensed up. I lived on intuition and trusted it. I knew he was in trouble.
I tried opening the door, but it was, locked. I continued banging on the glass separating the driver from him, to no avail. I picked up my cell phone and tried to dial, but was not getting any service. The car started to slow down, and I watched as the car stopped in the middle of the woods. The driver got out, opened my door, and the last thing I heard was the shot.
Chapter 84
9:25 PM CEST Day two of 1260 Over Ramat David Air Force Base, Israel Airspace
I sat in my seat on the jet, strapped in, as it took off from the airbase. I looked out the window even though it was becoming dark, with the lights I could still see the sprawling desert that surrounded the base and the buildings that made up the area. I was trying to decipher which one he had been in, but I could not.
Veronica was also looking out the windows and she turned to me and said, “It was the building to the right of the very large hangar,” and she pointed it to me. I looked at it and noticed it was just like all the others, but I still could not shake off being, held prisoner there, even though it was not for very long. I kept staring at it from the window.
After they had questioned me about the file, they had left me there, again in the blackness. It seemed forever, but they came back. This time I kept my eyes closed until I adjusted to the light again. There was only one guard and he had a bundle in his hands. It was my clothing and personal items. The soldier reached behind me and removed the handcuffs from my wrists and then bent down and released the shackles from my ankles. He simply said, “Get dressed,” and he turned and walked out the door. This time they left the lights on.
A few minutes later, they put a blindfold on me and took me back to our jet. When I got out of the car, they took the blindfold off and stood there while I walked up the steps; they had said not a word. Veronica was already in the cabin and said, “Strap yourself in. We are leaving.” She pulled up the hatch and sat down. I could hear the jets start up. We started taxiing out to the runway then the jet turned and started down the runway, then it lifted off the ground. I realized that I had been holding my breath the entire time.
I looked over at Veronica who was just staring out the window and I asked her, “Have you been here before?”
“Yes,” she said. “I used to work here. And the people that you met were my co-workers.”
“Couldn’t you have just put in a good word for me so I wouldn’t have had to have gone through all of that?”
“I tried Jack. I really tried, but it appears someone in the U.S. Government wanted you taken in, and so they did.”
“Any idea, who?”
“No, I’m not sure. It had to be the President, the Attorney General, or the Director of the CIA. Otherwise, they never would have forced our plane down, especially here. So it had to be one of them.”
“I guess you aren’t an angel then.” I laughed at some more of my dry mid western humor.
“No Jack, I’m not. Now you are playing with me. This is serious and not a joke. I am your protector an
d I am your helper as I said before, but I could not foresee this happening. I had no inkling that someone would have done this. Fortunately, nothing bad happened and I can assure you, I will not let this happen again.”
“Where are we headed now, since you are my personal tour guide?”
“New York to refuel, then fly to Kansas City. We should be in Kansas City Wednesday afternoon. Your sermon is at 7:30 p.m., Thursday. Gabriel will tell you what is next after that.”
“Thanks,” I said trying to take all this in. For the past two days have been like a jumble of words, country jumping and an incredible race that seemed to never stop. “Mind if I smoke?”
“No, go ahead. I will get you a Coors Light. Can I ask a favor?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“I want a cigarette too, and a shot of whiskey.”
“Help yourself.”
“Oh by the way, Jack.”
“What Veronica?”
“Don’t talk about any plans or anything, other than small talk please.”
“Why?”
“Because, if I still was working there, this plane would have so many bugs in it, you could call it an infestation. When we get to New York I will have some associates meet us there and have the jet swept.”
“Can you hear me Moshe, as she laughed out loud?”
Chapter 85
2:30 PM EST Day two of 1260 Camp David, Maryland - Conference Room
When President Stevenson returned to the conference room after dealing with the Attorney General, they were just now getting some sandwiches and drinks from the buffet table up at the end of the room. The conversation levels were up pretty high. It seemed everyone was talking at the same time and in small groups. As he walked towards the buffet table, he scanned the room to see who was grouping together. As a seasoned politician, he knew that when people ate, they usually liked to be close to those whom they felt most comfortable. In his years in the state legislature, then the senate, he had found that watching this could sometimes point out people who really were not on the team or had other agendas.
