Stopping World War Three

by Stan Mason

  ‘Kali mera!’ she called out brightly. ‘Ti kanete!’

  I nodded my head, considering I now knew the true answer. ‘Well you certainly fooled me,’ I admitted candidly. ‘You were one of them all the time.’

  ‘I don’t think you should assume anything until you know what’s going on,’ she countered sharply with a disposition I didn’t recognise in her. ‘If you do, the odds are that you’ll arrive at the wrong answers and all the wrong conclusions.’

  ‘I’m sure I would,’ I answered dryly, deciding to prove she wasn’t half as clever as she thought. ‘There was one phrase which gave you away or... as they say... blew your cover. When I was searching for documents in Chedda’s cabin after the crash, you told me that you could see a man coming towards us at eleven hundred hours. It was a dead giveaway. The only people who use such terms are those trained in the military.’

  ‘Come!’ she returned with a certain element of urgency, ignoring my remark. ‘I have a car to take you to safety.’

  ‘To safety, eh. What does that mean in your organisation. You and Primar have already made me face death and arrest by the police. What have you got in store for me this time?’

  ‘You don’t think you escaped from prison by pure luck, do you? The police will soon start a murder hunt for the killer who got away right under their noses. They have three dead bodies on their hands. Someone’s got to answer for such a terrible crime. I’m afraid you’re very much in demand.’

  It was paradoxical that having committed the murders herself she was offering to protect me from being punished for them. I struggled to my feet and walked with her to the park exit. Before we reached the road, however, a police car sounding its siren screamed to a halt a short distance away. All the doors opened and four policemen emerged. I was convinced they hadn’t seen me but I was in such a panic that I started to run from the scene. Fortunately, Penny had a stronger will with greater intuition in this kind of situation and she held my arm tightly to prevent me from being recaptured. She walked over to a refuse bin, withdrew a large black plastic bag and motioned to me to climb into it. It was partly filled with litter left by visitors to the park and it smelled vile. Penny pressed her thumbs through the sides of the bag to provide two small holes to allow me to breathe After I had climbed inside, she advised me to fall on my knees and crouch down. Then she took a ribbon which was tied to the back of her hair to secure the top of the bag, making it appear that it was ready for collection. She walked off to avoid drawing attention to the spot while I remained perfectly still, holding my breath for long periods to reduce inhaling the nauseous stench of the rubbish in which I was kneeling. To my dismay, the police took their time to interrogate the few people in the park and to look behind every tree and bush before deciding to look for me elsewhere. When Penny returned to undo the bow at the top of the bag it was a great relief. I struggled up from my aching knees and climbed out of the bin shaking my head slowly.

  ‘Someone had better make sense of all this,’ I muttered angrily. ‘It’s starting to get on my nerves!’

  She laughed and took me by my arm back to the Volkswagen. This time she sat at the wheel. ‘I’m taking you to a neutral place. A safe house... just as a precaution. There are some crossed wires that need to be unravelled, but they’ll be sorted out soon enough.’

  She started the motor and drove off. It was all I could do to resist the temptation of inundating her with questions. Shortly, we arrived at a small house on Kalonadon Street where she ushered me inside. It was sparsely furnished and I sat down in a small chair, snorting to rid myself of the persistent stench which still clung to my clothes. Penny poured two drinks from a bottle and handed one to me.

  ‘You’ll have gathered by now I was planted as your secretary nearly five years ago,’ she explained. ‘Shortly, before that I joined the 21st Century Crusaders. You were particularly high in the pecking order in the company but my superiors recognised your potential.’

  ‘Before you go on,’ I broke in, before slowly sipping my drink, ‘there are two questions I have to ask. Firstly, I’d like to know the reason why I’ve been chosen by your organisation. I’ve never supported or belonged to any cause in my life. Secondly, I’m sick at the thoughts that our intimate relationship was just flim-flam to you... a way of doing your job for the cause. I thought you felt real affection for me. Did you make love with me solely for the benefit of the cause.’

  She smiled at me as a mother would to a child. ‘With regard to the second question I’ll bounce it back to you. Do you think I was faking love for you over the past year? Over the whole year? If you don’t know the answer to that one you know nothing about women!’

  I shrugged my shoulders indifferently. ‘I never had any doubts yesterday.’

  ‘Then don’t have any today,’ she replied calmly. ‘I didn’t need to have an affair with you. I didn’t need to make love to you. I could have served the cause just as well without becoming emotionally involved. But, putting our personal relationship aside for the moment, I’ll tell you something about the 21st Century Crusaders. For the last hundred years the political doctrines in the world of extreme right-wing and left-wing attitudes have been translated broadly in terms of Communism and Fascism. Somewhere in between lies Democracy except that few people really knows what it stands for any more. As a result, there is always friction which culminates into terrorism and war as well as changes of political control in different parts of the world. There are two major issues which cause war, terrorism, death and suffering... politics and religion. Everyone has opinions on how to tackle the political problem. They’re all scared of the religious one. For example, Vietnam was a political confrontation. Thousands of soldiers on both sides and innocent women and children were slaughtered. Such misery can never be expressed in its reality to the rest of the world. Politicians of major powers have a lot to answer for. Although religious war isn’t new, it’s important to note that it has escalated in recent years... especially in terms of terrorism... changing the emphasis to include additional extremist ideals. Certain religious factions have forced their way into power as an advanced guard to start in the battle of security to safeguard millions of people. There will be the resurgence of Holy Wars... one which will dwarf the old-time challenge of the Crusades. We shall face a structured oligarchy of Ayatollahs, Mullahs and the like who will suddenly disappear when oil runs out in the Middle East in fifty years time. We’re not talking about people with whom we can reason or whom we can talk to logically. The leaders... the Sheiks and wealthy people will vanish with all their funds. The people left behind will be without any money to live on and they will end up as fanatics, martyrs, suicide terrorists, willing to die in their thousands against Western democracy. They’ll regard the rest of the world as heathen, rich and the enemy. Logic and reason through diplomatic channels will have no effect. You’ll never be able to get through to such people to help them. Therefore, alternative action is necessary. If we ignored the situation, we would face a repeat of the element of history recorded as the Crusaders against the armies of Islam. However, I would point out that the wider spread of Islam and the use of modern weapons will heighten the danger. This time it’ll be nuclear weapons.’

  ‘Who are you actually taking on?’ I asked, somewhat overwhelmed by her declaration.

  ‘We’re taking action against the religious powers in certain Middle Eastern countries and against those religious fanatics who could affect the stability of the world. We want to prevent an adverse shift to power by an area of the world which has been depleted of their only resource... oil... sending economies into a spiral by the violent actions they intend to take to establish themselves and to stave off hunger and disease. If we do not act, Islam, in a very belligerent form, will rise to manifest itself. And there will be many Muslims all over the world ready to support them. It will cause chaos in practically every nation.’

  ‘Fine words.
.. but what can one single unknown group such as the 21sr Century Crusaders do against a large region of the world with millions of people who will be in desperate trouble?

  ‘You’d be surprised how many people have rallied to our cause. They recognise that if they stand back and do nothing, it’ll be a replay of the Crusades in the past but this time played out with nuclear weapons. Those who can’t be with us for reasons of their own support us physically by means of their cheque books but if you follow history you’ll note that the knights of old volunteered their services without pay or reward. Just because people rise up because of necessity, doesn’t mean the rest of the world has to become involved.’

  I sat back staring at the ceiling for a few moments to gather my thoughts. ‘Quite frankly,’ I commented, ‘I think you and your colleagues have taken on something far larger than you could ever swallow.’

  She paused undaunted by my criticism.’ In answer to your first question,’ she continued, ‘you were selected for three reasons. One... you work for an international organisation specialising in weaponry and defence systems. Two... you achieved a key position there over the years even though it doesn’t provide the motivation you seek in life. And three... you play bridge at international level.’

  ‘I don’t understand why those features make me a suitable candidate for your cause.’

  ‘You will, Jason, in due course. As far as bridge is concerned, you can visit any country to play in regular international tournaments without anyone raising an eyebrow. You can cross borders with all the freedom you wish to play in them.’

  ‘Tosh!’ I countered sharply. ‘The leaders of Islamic countries don’t recognise any form of gambling. It’s not allowed. So what use is my ability to play bridge at high levels anywhere?’

  ‘You’ll need to think more laterally,’ she responded and I felt angry had the nerve to talk to me in such a fashion. Only then it occurred to me that she had arranged for the photographs of us making love to be available. It was all her doing even though she denied it in front of Primar. ‘But that’s not our immediate problem,’ she continued. ‘We have trouble within our own ranks. Primar was my section leader and we began to establish an organisation in Britain. Other offices have been developing cells in different countries throughout the world... even in one of the countries where oil will run out. Recently, someone has tried to take control of some parts of the organisation. No one knows their identity yet but it’s created serious problems. There are people who are over-zealous with too much ambition. Their plan was to dispose of the two of us by planting a bomb on board Chedda’s aircraft. That much is clear. We were very lucky to come out of it alive with few injuries. Then we found ourselves facing our doubles. That was quite a shock to say the least. Duran let me in on that one.’

  ‘Duran!’ I echoed with surprise. ‘But you shot him!’

  ‘He came over to the aircraft when you went to the highway to find out where we were. He warned me that there was another Jason Scott and said he would spare my life if I said nothing when you returned. He wanted to eliminate you near the wreckage, place you in the cockpit, and then set fire to the plane. You would simply be burned to an unrecognisable state and the police would believe that the pilot had been killed in the crash. When you returned, Duran was hiding in the trees nearby.’

  ‘You took one hell of a chance with my life, didn’t you?’

  ‘He would have killed me too. You can be certain of that. I’m not sure about Commander Spring. But when we caught up with our look-a-like doubles, it was impossible to let them roam free. I had to eliminate them.’

  ‘So now,’ I commented logically. ‘we can masquerade as the false Jason Scott and Penny Smith as well as being the real ones.’

  ‘That’s right. You’re getting the picture. We’re actually standing in for our own doubles.’

  I blew out my cheeks wondering where this was going to lead us when my thoughts were interrupted by a siren sounding in the distance. A police car pulled up outside and the siren stopped. I leapt to my feet and stood by the window, hiding behind the curtain. ‘Damn!’ I growled irritably. ‘They’ve found us! Someone in your organisation must have told them about this place!’

  ‘The car!’ uttered Penny, screwing up her face. ‘They’ve tracked the car!’

  ‘Well?’ I asked miserably. ‘You’re the one with all the bright ideas. What do we do now?’

  She smiled at me sweetly. ‘It makes a nice change,’ she laughed. ‘You’re the important one at Dandy Advanced Electronics but I’m the one in charge here. Follow me!’

  She led me to another room and knelt down by a Persian rug. Then she pulled a small ring hidden in the pattern of the carpet, releasing a catch. A section of the floorboard covered by the rug was raised to reveal a set of steps leading downwards. We descended and Penny closed the hatch behind us.

  ‘They won’t find this place,’ she told me confidently, producing a torch as she led me down the steps through a long tunnel.

  We climbed a further set to steps to emerge in a shed belonging to another house in the next street and left without haste to make our escape. After the police had gone, we returned to the Vokswagen and Penny drove me to a field where a small aircraft was waiting for us. This time it was not a Kfir Junior but something much smaller and less exquisite. We clambered aboard as the pilot started the engine.

  ‘Where are we off to?’ I asked quietly.

  ‘To see Commander Yasood near the Gaze Strip in Israel. At least we can trust him.’

  I shook my head slowly at the need to trot around the globe in this fashion. The cause seemed to have a remarkable lack of control over its activities and personnel. But then such foolish fancies of absolute power often develops organisations which comprise no more than small groups of vigilantes. It was that way with the 11th Century Crusaders... it hadn’t changed with the 21st Century Crusaders!

  Chapter Four

  We arrived outside the Gaze Strip in Israel later that day. It was a complete mystery to me, and a credit to the pilot’s navigational skill, that he was able to find a suitable place to land the aircraft safely in an area of desert sand. This time I was delighted to be set down by the conventional method of flying, instead of risking my neck as it had been in the case in Crete. Apart from the terrifying ordeal in which I believed my end had been imminent, the recollection of Chedda’s mutilated body was enough to give me nightmares for the rest of my life. As we alighted from the aircraft, a military jeep could be seen approaching from the distance and we did not have to wait long to see Commander Yasood. If necessary, I could have picked him out of a crowd for he was exactly as I imagined him to be. A tall slender man with dark hair, a tanned skin and a slightly curved nose. He wore a light-weight brown uniform with flashes on the upper arms portraying a Crusader in shining armour riding a black horse. Around his waist circled abroad belt from which hung a packed gun holster.

  ‘Welcome to Gaza!’ he greeted in a slightly clipped tone. ‘I trust your journey was reasonably comfortable.’ He scanned my face closely as I shielded my eyes from the bright sun.

  ‘There’s an awful lot of desert around here,’ I commented surveying the area.

  ‘The Gaza Strip is one hundred-and-forty-six square miles, mostly sandy and flat,’ he informed me. ‘Gaza itself has long been an important centre of the Islamic tradition. It declined during the Crusades and never regained its former importance. Saladin defeated the Crusaders here at the Battle of Hattin in 1187 and the city reverted to Muslim control, passing to the Ottoman Turks in the sixteenth century.’ He walked back to the jeep. ‘Come... I’ll drive you to our base!’

  The Commander was a mine of information. I climbed into the back seat of the jeep slowly as my limbs were still feeling stiff and sore. Penny followed suit. However instead of driving towards the sea where the city lay, Yasood headed inland into the wide-open desert. Aft
er travelling over the barren terrain for ten minutes, we came to an enormous rock and, to my surprise, he stopped the vehicle. Following the events which had occurred during the past twenty-four hours, I began to entertain foolish fantasies and horrid visions of being pressed against a wall to face death by a one-man firing squad, but fate did not have that in store for me. Yasood produced a small remote control unit from his pocket, aimed it at the rock, and pressed one of the buttons on it. There was a smooth humming sound as a large door in the rock face slid open. He drove the vehicle inside and started to laugh when he saw the stunned expression on my face.

  ‘Don’t be concerned,’ he chuckled amiably. ‘This is a very remote area. No one comes out here. You know you can lean against the rock outside and not even realise there was an entrance. We employ some excellent craftsmen. The door is specifically designed to fit the contours of the rock.’

  He stopped the jeep, turned, and pressed another button on the remote control to close the door behind us before driving into the underground car park in which there were about twenty vehicles. He motioned to us to alight and we walked along a corridor where our footsteps echoed on the flagstone floor. There were fluorescent lights fitted to the ceiling which helped to guide us on our way.

  Yasoon could see that I was inquisitive and provided further information on his own accord. He seemed to be delighted to offer details about the headquarters. ‘All its light and power is obtained from solar panels placed strategically. It’s very efficient in this part of the world where we have so much sunshine.’

  We continued walking on a little further before arriving at a set of double doors. He opened them and we found ourselves looking into a large auditorium. On one side there was a dais backed by an enormous blackboard as well as a large screen for displaying films from an overhead projector. The rest of the room was filled with seats, all of which were occupied by people I had never seen or met before. It was noticeable that the atmosphere was air-conditioned, smelling fresh and clean. I was fascinated and impressed that a cause comprising so few people had drilled into a rock in the desert to establish a conference base for itself. At the same time, as a businessman, I was aware of the gigantic cost of such an operation. No doubt there had been a large cave at the base of the rock and someone had the vision to encourage the development. I was certain that the auditorium was only part of the complex which probably included offices, lounges, a very large dining room, a sizable kitchen, many bedrooms, a gymnasium, and various other facilities. I wondered how they managed to get water to the place before realising that they had probably drilled a well.