by Joseph Nagle
Michael shrugged, but he reassured his father. “But I’ve seen it, and now you know. One day the world will know, too. Learning is exponential, Dad; it always has been. It can only be stifled for so long.”
Dr. Sterling, Senior, didn’t necessarily share his son’s optimism.
“Dad,” Michael said, pulling out his camera. “Would you like to see it, too?”
“What?” replied his father, eyeing the camera. “Pictures? You have pictures?”
Michael nodded.
His father’s hands shook slightly as he scrolled slowly through the images. One hand went to his mouth. A look of disbelief and elation both draped over his face.
Handing the camera back to his son, he walked with a steady stride to his office window, out of which he stared upward. The sky was brightly lit by the day’s sun. Across the horizon, to the west, the moon was sitting just above the outline of the mountains. It was one of those rare days where both the sun and the moon shared the same sky. At one time in history, they were called Osiris and Isis, the ancient Egyptian gods of the sun and the moon.
They had a child.
At his birth, three kings who had been guided by a star to his birthplace had greeted him; his mother—called Mery—was a virgin; in the spring he was resurrected from the dead.
He was named Horus, the begotten son.
The Son of God.
The story was told in Egypt, from one generation to the next, starting over six thousand years ago.
Dr. Sterling, Senior, looked at the sun and the moon again and smiled at them both. Proof! The birth story of Jesus was nothing more than Horus’s with the names changed.
One story begat another…
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JS Nagle is a former intelligence professional who spent many a night with his face hidden by camouflage with a rucksack on his back, or in the guts of cargo planes with his ripcord in hand, readying to jump into the unknown.
A graduate of the Universities of Minnesota and Wisconsin with degrees in economics and an MBA, respectively, JS Nagle left the intelligence profession for aerospace, where he worked with the firm that puts government payloads into space.
An avid adventurist, JS Nagle spends his free time skiing the black diamond slopes of Colorado mountains, climbing ‘fourteeners,’ recovering from broken bones and torn cartilage, and wrestling with his infant daughter.
JS Nagle is also a father to the next generation of military officer: a talented, strong, and altruistic son, as well as a husband to a gifted, beautiful, talented, and athletic clinician.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
My research guides my pen: I have worked diligently to ensure that references to matters of history—whether it be locations, works of art, historical events, or individuals—are as accurate as possible.
In addition, when including matters of a technological or innovative nature, I work toward that same level of aforementioned accuracy. The descriptions included within this novel of many of the technological components or innovations are true.
I readily admit that I do take literary privileges in the authoring of the Sterling novels; one must remember that this work is first and foremost a piece of fiction; all characters and actions that occur and transpire that are not specifically traceable persons or events of a topical or historical nature are purely a creation of my imagination and for the reader’s enjoyment.
If I have erred—as we human beings are prone to do—I welcome and encourage your feedback, corrections, and suggestions. Please feel free to do so at [email protected]
As always, while I understand that religion and politics are two very sensitive issues that bring out certain sides of humanity—both vile and beautiful—my work is not designed to belittle, diminish, or to take sides, but to do two very straightforward things: to attempt honestly to entertain the reader while making one consider that what we are taught as truths may simply not be the case.
It is up to you to question anything stated to you as fact and know that when done so without physical evidence or a primary source, any story told is merely a version of the teller’s interpretation…
Table of Contents
DEDICATION
BOOKS BY JS NAGLE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PROLOGUE
PART I
CHAPTER ONE: WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL MANHATTAN
CHAPTER TWO: TYRANNY IS TYRANNY PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER THREE—THREE WEEKS LATER: OPERATION MONGOOSE SOUTHWEST OF JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN
CHAPTER FOUR: PLACE DAUPHIN PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER FIVE: OPERATION MONGOOSE TARGET: ABU MOHAMMED IBRAHIM
CHAPTER SIX: HOME OF DR. MICHAEL STERLING DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NCS OAKTON, VA
CHAPTER SEVEN: HOME OF SENATOR MATTHEW FAUST GEORGETOWN—WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER EIGHT: 6 PLACE DU PARVIS NOTRE DAME ÎLE DE LA CITÉ—PARIS
CHAPTER NINE: BENEATH PONT NEUF ON THE QUAIS
CHAPTER TEN: A FEW MINUTES AGO INSIDE THE SOUTH TOWER
CHAPTER ELEVEN: RER PLATFORM PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER TWELVE: RER LINE B AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CITRONELLE RESTAURANT 3000 M STREET NW WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: 1725 RHODE ISLAND AVE NW WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: NEAR KOFE SOFAID AFGHANISTAN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: POST EXCHANGE, 82ND ABN DIV FAYETTEVILLE, NC
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: SEEKING PROOF PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER NINETEEN: CASELLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NORTHERN ITALY
CHAPTER TWENTY: THE UNIVERSITY CLUB 1135 SIXTEENTH STREET NW WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: HOME OF DR. MICHAEL STERLING OAKTON, VIRGINIA
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: TAFT DINING ROOM THE UNIVERSITY CLUB WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: CIA HEADQUARTERS LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
PART II
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: DUOMO DI TORINO TURIN, ITALY
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: OLD FRIENDS, NEW PROBLEMS OAKTON, VIRGINIA
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: CIA HEADQUARTERS LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: WHEN THINGS GO POP OAKTON, VA
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: CNN STUDIOS WASHINGTON, DC
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
CHAPTER THIRTY: OLD DOMINION DRIVE FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: DO YOU SEE ME? ROUTE 267
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: EVERYONE GETS WHAT THEY WANT PIAZZA SAN CARLO TORINO, ITALY
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: A STERLING SURPRISE CIA HEADQUARTERS LANGLEY, VA
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: OLD FRIENDS, NEW ENEMIES US GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: JUHU BEACH MUMBAI, INDIA
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: A RUSE IS A RUSE THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: A TIME TO RUN MUMBAI, INDIA
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: LEAVING IT ALL BEHIND DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: DISTANT RELATIVES PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER FORTY: HOW TO SATIATE A SOCIOPATH TORINO, ITALY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: FLYING IS FOR BIRDS FLIGHT TP-0104 DC TO LISBON
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: THE BIGGER THEY ARE… AEROPORTO DA PORTELA LISBON, PORTUGAL
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: DEATH IS INEVITABLE LISBON, PORTUGAL
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: INTERROGATION ROOM 4A CIA HQ, LANGLEY
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: THE RESURRECTION SOLAR DO CASTELO
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE BETWEEN TWO CASTLES LISBON, PORTUGAL
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: SHOTS OF ESPRESSO, ONE TO THE NOSE CASTELO COFFEE HOUSE
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: DEAD FISH & TRACKING CHIPS BELÉM TOWER LISBON, PORTUGAL
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: LISTENING IN CIA HQ—LANGLEY, VA
CHAPTER FIFTY: COPS & COFFEE LISBON, PORTUGAL
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: IN CONTROL CIA HQ
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO: BELÉM TOWER LISBON, PORTUGAL
> CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: SOUTH PARKING LOT CIA HQ
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR: PUERILE MEANS KID BELÉM TOWER
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: STAMPS & COINS LEAVING LISBON
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: GETTING ANSWERS LANGLEY, VA
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN: CALLE OFICIOS, 1 GRANADA, SPAIN
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT: IT TAKES A THIEF IN THE MAUSOLEUM
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE: BOUND & ALONE LOCATION UNKNOWN
CHAPTER SIXTY: BECOMING THE HUNTER TO PARIS: NINE HOURS LEFT
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE: CURB APPEAL 67 RUE DU CHABROL
PART III
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO: IN A DARK ROOM CIA HQ
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE: HIS MASTERPIECE THE LOUVRE—PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: THE WATCHMEN RETURN 67 RUE DU CHABROL
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE: THE FLY’S LAST THOUGHT PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX: KEEPING HER SANITY DR. SONIA STERLING, MD
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN: WHERE THERE’S A THIEF PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT: A PERFECT SONATA AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE: A SONATA IMPERFECT PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SEVENTY: SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE: ONE HOUR, TWO LIVES AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO: SOMETHING’S MISSING AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE: COMPLETE CONTROL AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR: YORK’S DEAD IN THE HOME OF THE THIEF
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE: SOMEONE WOULD DIE IN SONIA’S CELL
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX: DEAD, NOT DEAD AULNAY-SOUS-BOIS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN: AND THEN THERE WERE THREE LEAVING THE BOIS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT: INTIMATE SECRETS 67 RUE DU CHABROL #4
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE: KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE… LANGLEY, VA
CHAPTER EIGHTY: EVERYONE’S GOING TO ROME AIR FRANCE: FLIGHT 1204
CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: CASTLES, COFFEE, AND BLOOD CASTLE D’CAMINI
CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: REVELATION 14:9 CASTLE D’CAMINI
CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE: THE TOWER OF WINDS THE VATICAN, ROME
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR: THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL OF FRANCE NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE: THE KING WILL POINT THE WAY THE TOWER OF WINDS
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX: DEBTS & DEMOTIC THE SECRET ARCHIVES
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN: A MOMENT ALONE THE VATICAN
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT: ONE LAST STOP FROM ROME TO PARIS
CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE: TWENTY HOURS LATER PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER NINETY: HOT TARMAC, COLD WORDS LE BOURGET AIRPORT PARIS, FRANCE
CHAPTER NINETY-ONE: FROM THE ASHES MOMENTS AGO
CHAPTER NINETY-TWO: HOW CAREERS BEGIN WHILE OTHERS END CANAL 16—PARIS
CHAPTER NINETY-THREE: ALWAYS HEDGE YOUR BETS SOMEWHERE OVER THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR: NO TURNING BACK
CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE: JUDGMENT DAY
CHAPTER NINETY-SIX: BELIEVING ISN’T THE SAME AS TRUSTING OUTSIDE OF LANGLEY
CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN: CNN NEWSROOM ATLANTA, GEORGIA
CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT: WHY, ALLAH, WHY? KOFE SOFAID, AFGHANISTAN
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
