Duplicitous Behavior

By Ed Strong

A small group of men intent upon creating havoc and destruction in America are nearing the target date when they plan to deal a crippling blow to the nation's economy and political leadership. America's ability to survive is at stake. The date for the destruction is fast approaching for the plotters when one of them suddenly dies.

A few days in Newport Beach, California sounds enticing to Art Norris when he is asked to represent his university as the executor of a modest estate from a former student. Art has a lingering romantic interest in San Diego that serves as a further incentive to accept the unique assignment.

Upon arrival Art finds he has stepped into a perplexing set of inconsistencies that surround the recently deceased benefactor of the university. Suspecting that there could be much more to the estate than is apparent, Norris remains persistent in his attempts to find whatever is missing. He soon discovers he is not alone in the search. Others want the resources of the estate to assist their nefarious activities and their greed.

Art revives his romance with Jenna Simmons and inadvertently draws her into the vortex of greed, murder and destruction that surrounds the estate. Art's dedication to his task creates a threat to both of their lives.

Agents of the American Government are not unaware of the plot but are working from a different script than that used by the plotters. Subterfuge, self-aggrandizement and duplicity combine to create circumstances that soon will end very badly for Art and Jenna as well as much of America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481770927

Ed Strong

Ed Strong holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in the field of Political Science. He taught at the University of Tulsa where he also spent eleven years as Dean of Arts and Sciences. He later became President of Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri and served in that capacity for eleven years. He currently is the Advancement Director for Network Knowledge, a group of public television stations located in central and western Illinois. His prior publications have been predominately academic and this is his first venture into the genre of fiction. His next book, now well underway, will return to the field of government and politics and will deal with the rise and fall of freedom in America.

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CHAPTER ONE

VERY LATE THE NIGHT

OF APRIL 17

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The day had been warm but not uncomfortably so, which was appropriate for springtime in Southern California. The night provided a fitting conclusion to what had been a delightful April day in San Diego. The sky was almost vacant of clouds, which made it possible for the stars to join the moon in providing a spectacular sky. A light breeze reached inland far beyond the coast and the air it stirred was slightly humid but not oppressive. There were some understandable reasons for living in Southern California and this evening provided adequate validation of one of them. A beautiful day followed by an equally beautiful night was a treat to be appreciated. It had been a good day and had now become a comfortable night in San Diego, although not for everyone.

It was approaching midnight and the local beaches around San Diego were empty as they should have been. Local teens and a few adventurous adults were known to enjoy a deserted beach at night where they could engage in a variety of clandestine activities. Adults seemed more inclined toward carnal adventures that usually were of a private nature. Teens engaged in parties that, thanks to cell phones, seldom were private, and were often enhanced by a variety of inappropriate substances. For those reasons local police periodically patrolled the beaches at night and on occasion found it necessary to send errant teenagers home following a stern and threatening lecture. Seldom did the police arrest or unduly hassle the teens but they would always confiscate any illegal substances. That approach was not so much for humane reasons as it was to avoid an oppressive load of paperwork that would accompany arrests and temporary incarceration.

Of late, police and other law enforcement officials had become increasingly burdened by paperwork. There were too many forms to file and reports to send to multiple destinations and anything they could do to legitimately avoid adding to their workload was becoming standard operating procedure. Recreational pot is still illegal, even in California, and beer remains an illegitimate substance for anyone under 21 years of age. Most teenage parties on the beaches at night involved something that the police had to confiscate following the meaningful admonition.

However, couples of an appropriate age, being over 21, seldom were harshly chastened for their amorous activities on the beach and usually were rousted with a brief lecture. Embarrassment and a severe case of coitus interruptus were sufficient penalties and ensured there would not likely be a repeat of their misadventure. Weekend nights were the primary choice of teens for beach escapades and it was on weekends that police were especially vigilant. This night had begun as a Tuesday and within the next few minutes would become a Wednesday. Tonight the police were not overly vigilant.

San Diego’s broad array of beaches bordered the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego Bay. Many of the public beaches near the city are sandy and seldom subject to severe wave activity. Riptides can be a potential risk but not for most of the beaches that face inward toward the Bay. Black’s Beach to the north of the city was well known by naturists and was one of the first clothing optional beaches on the West Coast which made it one of the first in the country. Californians have long enjoyed the opportunity to be at the forefront in introducing cultural innovations.

A peninsula separates itself from the mainland south of the city and curves to the west and then to the north as it narrows. It extends several miles northward, creating the San Diego Bay before it ends at the inlet to the Bay. The long, narrow peninsula creates a large expanse of beach on both of its flanks, some of it available for public use. The well-known Coronado Hotel sits at the north end of the peninsula and the small community around it is linked to the mainland by a spectacular high bridge. The bridge was built at an unusual height in order to allow warships of the Pacific Fleet to comfortably pass into and out of the San Diego Bay.

Near the Coronado Hotel the highway that crosses the high bridge veers to the south and continues down the center of the narrow peninsula until it reaches its base and turns inland to the east. The Bay creates the beaches on the east side of the highway and the Pacific Ocean creates those on the west. At times from the highway one can see both the Pacific Ocean on one side and on the other, the San Diego Bay. The beaches of the elongated San Diego Bay are accessible from the roadway that traverses the peninsula and is designated as California Highway 75.

The highway, locally known as the Silver Strand Boulevard provides access to the Silver Strand State Park four miles south of the Coronado Hotel. South of the State Park and after passing some upscale resorts and marinas, the Silver Strand Boulevard curves eastward and at that point the Boulevard becomes Palm Avenue and in three miles intersects Interstate 5, not far from the border with Mexico. Inviting stretches of beach lie on the east and west sides of the highway but access to portions of them is restricted because of naval operations and training on parts of the peninsula.

At fifteen minutes before midnight, a maroon van crossed the high bridge. It then passed near the Coronado Hotel and drove south along California 75. The highway was deserted at that time of night but the van cautiously drove a few miles under the posted speed limit. The van slowed as it neared the first road to the east that accessed the State Park and turned off of the highway onto a paved road that went back to the north and then east along Crown Cove.

When the van turned back to the east and well into the park area the driver extinguished the head and tail lights and maintained a slow speed in order to avoid touching the brake. The road the van was on after extinguishing its lights was slightly less than 200 yards long. The access road ended at a paved parking lot intended to serve the adjacent public beach that bordered the Bay. It was well past the beginning of the posted curfew and the van driver behaved as if he was wary of being detected while knowingly violating the law. The van slowed to a crawl. The driver, after ensuring that the van was alone in the parking lot coasted to a stop.

Little was notable about the van save its presence at an unusually late hour and the fact it began behaving in a suspicious manner as it turned off of the main highway. The engine continued to idle quietly and no lights were visible in or around the van. The van sat in the parking lot for two minutes before the driver shut off the engine. The driver’s door opened without a light coming on inside the van and a man warily stepped onto the pavement. He was of above average stature and build at an inch taller than six feet and with adequate bulk to appear menacing in the dark. He was dressed in dark pants with a long-sleeved black shirt and wore a black ball-cap that had no logo on it. Strangely, for the mild weather, he also wore work gloves. His eyes were constantly moving and seemed unbothered by the darkness, almost as if it gave him an advantage. It did not but he certainly was vigilant since the only threat to what was being done would be from a vehicle whose lights could be seen some distance away.

The color of his hair or even if he had hair was not evident under the cap he wore. His face was clean-shaven and there was nothing notable about his features or complexion. He was just a larger than average man who was dressed very strangely for the weather and the beach. He did not appear to be seeking an amorous adventure and he did not show any evidence of substances which he might intend to abuse. He certainly did not appear to have the intention of taking a late-night swim in the Bay.

He stood quietly for a few seconds, looked in every direction and then moved to the rear door of the van. He paused as if he had a moment of apprehension. As he stood behind the van the passenger door opened and a second man, who was slightly shorter and of average build stepped out of the van. He was dressed similarly to his partner including gloves and cap. He also was clean-shaven and other than a noticeable frown on his face was the kind of man who apart from his clothing would draw no attention in any other environment. On the beach at night, dressed as they were both men would have drawn great attention had there been observers. Tonight, there were no observers. Both men were cautious in their actions but quickly became resolute in their task.

The driver opened the back doors of the van and pulled out a small but obviously heavy burlap sack. He quickly carried it 30 yards across the sandy beach and waded into the Bay until he was up to his chest in the water. It was obvious that his stoutness included an adequate amount of muscle and he demonstrated no difficulty with the weight of the bag. He opened it revealing a concrete block. A coiled rope was tied to the block by having been passed through one of the holes in it and tied securely. He tossed the burlap bag aside and it quickly sank in the water. He then moved farther and deeper into the Bay until only his head was above the water and like a two-handed shot-putter heaved the concrete block as far into the Bay as he could. The block immediately sank and several feet of rope gently floated to the surface.

The end of the floating rope was tied to an empty, sealed plastic bottle that ensured the end of the rope would stay close to the surface. The man pulled the rope with him as he turned around and began to walk back toward the beach. He ensured that the bottle continued to float after he had pulled the rope to its full length from its anchored concrete block, which was now several feet below the surface. He let the bottle float and walked quickly out of the water and across the beach to the back door of the van where he stood quietly for a few seconds looking around for cars on the highway. There were none and the pause abruptly ended.

The other man had remained standing by the van while his partner had made the rapid expedition into and out of the Bay. With quick motions, the driver again opened the back doors to the van, reached inside and began pulling a large and apparently very heavy object from the van. It was long and cylindrical in shape but slightly flexible. Whatever it was had been fully wrapped in dark fabric. It was also tied in several places to keep it securely encased. The taller man, still dripping wet from his walk in the Bay, motioned to his companion who assisted him by taking the opposite end of the load. The two, carrying the load between them, immediately began walking toward the water.

The wrapped load swayed and slightly sagged as they hurriedly moved across the beach. Both men were strong enough to carry the heavy and cumbersome load without dragging it through the sand. Had there been someone watching what the two men were doing, it would have appeared that they were carrying a body—most likely, if that were the case, a dead one. There was nobody watching, but in fact, the two men were carrying a body and it was very dead.

As they crossed the sand they left deep prints. The tide was out and when it would come in two hours later, it would obliterate most of the footprints they had left. When they reached the water they walked out until they were chest deep. The concrete block was several feet farther into the Bay and a few feet deeper in the water. The taller man of the two reached out and grasped the rope that was quietly floating in the water.

With one hand he quickly looped the rope around the middle of the load the men were carrying and unfastened the bottle, unscrewed the cap, dipped the bottle into the water in order to let it fill and then threw it far into the Bay where it quickly sank. It was obvious these two men were not environmentalists. Tonight they were littering San Diego Bay with all kinds of things they wished to discard.

The load they carried between them barely floated and one man again tightened the rope snugly around the middle of the body still concealed within the wrapping. By doing so, it forced the body down into the water so that it floated underwater at the level of their waists.

They then walked deeper into the water until the shorter of the two was immersed up to his chin. Once again the men pulled the slack out of the rope in order to ensure the load would remain well under the water. The shorter man totally immersed himself in order to tie a knot in the rope under the water and pull the body down closer to the bottom near the concrete block. Within a few seconds, gravity and increasing saturation of the bundle began to diminish its tendency to float.

Although it was spring the water of the Bay was not comfortable at night. The men, however, seemed oblivious to the chill while they were carrying out their task. They were apprehensive but remained focused on the project they desired to quickly and properly complete. The encased body they had carried no longer could be seen since the rope holding it had been tightened sufficiently to hold the body a few feet below the surface. Before a full minute passed the bundle was discernable only by a faint trail of bubbles. The two men stood quietly in the water and watched until the bubbles ended and the water stilled. They had heard stories of sharks occasionally being observed swimming in the Bay. They hoped that was true but not at that moment.

Satisfied they had been successful in disposing of the body as they had planned, they walked quickly back to the shore, turned to look into the water and observed only slight ripples on the surface caused by their walking out of the water. Although the tide would soon turn and would erase most traces they had made in the sand the taller man quickly walked to the van and returned with a broom with which he swept the sand where their footprints might show above the level of the high tide. Satisfied that he had erased their footprints sufficiently as he backed up toward the paved parking lot, he carried the broom back to the van and carefully wrapped it in the plastic sheet that was on the back floor.

If they had planned and executed their task properly, it would obscure any evidence of their deed. They had timed their efforts to ensure the load was deposited and secured as the low tide ended. If the body did not show at low tide, it would not show at high tide. Even if the body was discovered before sharks and decay eliminated its traces, they were confident that there was no way it could be linked to them. They were sure their timing had been accurate and their deed, however foul, had been conducted properly. They did not live near San Diego which gave them further cover. Even criminal and nefarious acts needed to be carried out effectively.

There were no traces of the men on the body left in the Bay and no traces of the body had been left in the van. The men had been very cautious and meticulous about their actions. The body was dead long before being wrapped and placed in the van. The van had been carefully and repeatedly cleaned in addition to having a plastic sheet on the floor that would soon be discarded, although thankfully not in the Bay. No traces of materials from the van would be found on the fabric that wrapped the body. That fabric was from a bolt of cloth purchased in Mexico and would be very difficult to trace. In the morning the men would again thoroughly clean and vacuum the van but they were not overly worried about the van providing forensic evidence in the future. That would be taken care of soon. As long as no one saw the van, they were home free.

The two men walked back to the van, shook themselves to shed as much water as they could, got inside the van and started the engine. Immediately the passenger turned on the heater in order to warm the interior of the van. The mild night air was chilly for someone who was wearing water-soaked clothing. There was no risk of hypothermia but being uncomfortable was a certainty, more so after the risk of detection had abated and they began to relax.

The van moved slowly over the access road toward the highway and the driver turned its headlights on only after it reached California Highway 75. There was no traffic in either direction. The two men looked at each other and the passenger let out a large and grateful sigh. The driver looked at him and laughed. After a few seconds the driver looked the passenger in the eye.

I know we had no choice after he did what he did but I sure don’t like the risk we ran with this cleanup of the mess.

We just need to stay cool. He won’t be missed and he was hardly an outstanding citizen, even of his lousy community. He tried to cheat us and he paid the price for it. We need to move on. He sure has and the world’s better off without him.

Can’t disagree but it’s not enjoyable to dispose of a body, especially one we created.

Forget it Mike, it’s done and over. It’s time for us to move on to bigger and better things. We’ve got a lot to gain from all of this and he won’t matter any more.

I guess not once the sharks get to him which I hope will be real soon.

The passenger squirmed in his seat and moved the heat controls to the highest levels. He turned to the driver and asked if he was warm enough.

Yeah, and now that it’s all over, I’m sure ready for some food, lots of coffee and a long, hot shower.

The fear of being detected while disposing of a dead body had ended and all seemed well for the two men in the van. It was apparent they were more concerned about being caught than about the deed they had committed. At the moment they wanted to dispose of a plastic drop sheet and broom as soon as possible, get into dry clothes and get a bite to eat. Their priorities did not include remorse or confession.

The van slowly drove south on State Highway 75 toward Imperial Beach and picked up speed to the legal limit. In another thirty seconds, the van had disappeared from sight had anyone been watching. No one had.

CHAPTER TWO

EVENING OF APRIL 19

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Under different circumstances it could have been the setting for a friendly game of cards. A single light fixture suspended from the high ceiling above a table provided the sole illumination. Four men sat at the table with a messy ashtray, beers at hand and intent expressions deeply etched on their faces. There were no cards on the table; only the four beers, a large bowl of pretzels and a nicotine-laden haze that lingered stubbornly over them. The table was square but larger and more sturdily built than a card table. It allowed each man to have a side to himself from which he could keep his three companions in view. Two men smoked and the other two behaved as if they did not resent it although they did not participate.

It was apparent quickly that this was not a friendly game of any kind. It was a conversation among four men who wanted to share information and concerns. The tension among the four men was almost as discernable as was the cigarette smoke hovering above the table. The men were middle-aged and dressed casually in jeans or slacks with open collared shirts. For several minutes after they sat down around the table, there had been an absence of meaningful conversation; the weather and the stock market being the only substantive topics they cared to discuss.

As time wore on, beers and cigarettes were periodically replaced. The comments among the men were courteous but not overly friendly although all four men appeared to be comfortable in each other’s presence. As the sparse and mundane conversation reached a lull, one man abruptly rapped on the table with his knuckles. The other three men stopped their complaints about the continuing volatility and periodic malaise of the stock market and gave him their attention.

The speaker was large and well built with only the early vestiges of the spread around the middle that would identify him as being slightly beyond his physical prime. His hair showed the sprinkling of gray that naturally came with his age. For the past few minutes his large hands had been fidgeting with everything within his reach. At this moment, however, as he began to speak, his hands were motionless and flat on the table.

Damn it guys, its time to get on with things! We’ve made all of the contacts, gotten all the agreements with the people we want and very soon we’ll have everything we need. On top of that, we’ve got a sure-fire plan. The timing is still right but it’s going to slip away from us if we don’t get a move on. In fact our window of opportunity is closing fast so it’s definitely time to go. Let’s stop whining and get on with it.

Who are you accusing of whining? responded a man across the table from the first speaker. I’m not a whiner, Mike and don’t accuse me of being one. All I’ve ever said is that if you choose to play with the devil you’ll for sure get singed in the process.

Hell’s bells! We all knew who we would be in bed with from the beginning so what’s the problem now, Tony?

Mike, I flat out don’t trust these people and never will but I’m smart enough to recognize the opportunity they offer us. We can put the rag-heads out of business forever and get rid of our own Washington wimps at the same time. So I’m not whining when I tell you that I detest having to work with people I don’t trust, don’t like and really want to get rid of.

Tony, you’re beginning to sound like Hugo Chavez at the United Nations with your talk of the devil and getting singed. Next thing we know you’ll be talking about the smell of sulfur on them, responded Mike with only a slight hint of humor in his demeanor. He then continued with a more conciliatory tone and mood. He held his hands up in a mock sign of surrender and began to smile.

Guys, I don’t trust these people any more than you do and never will but I damn sure like the opportunity they offer us. We developed a great concept and there’s no doubt that we now have the means to pull it off.

I buy that and agree we have the plan and the things needed to pull it off but I still don’t enjoy working with them. Right now, they really bug the hell out of me.

We’ve been the brains behind all of it and don’t ever forget that important fact. We found the money and have purchased or ordered everything we need. They’re going to provide the bodies that may end up as forensic fodder if they screw up their part of the operation but whether they do or don’t, we still get what we want. In fact, if they screw up it might actually be better. Their DNA will be proof enough to start the retaliation real quick.

A third member of the group held up his hands, seeking to keep the conversation between the two men across the table from each other from becoming brittle. He was a few years older than the others at the table and had a few pounds showing in various places but he had a very determined look on his face and he spoke with authority.

Come on, Mike and Tony, I hear you both loud and clear. We’ve got the chance to create change that really means something and shake up the whole country in the process. I’m in this up to my eyebrows, Mike, and have no intention of backing out. Don’t accuse any of us of whining when I tell you that I agree with Tony and don’t trust, don’t like and can’t wait to see them gone.

Marty, I’m with you on that. Besides, some of them really look weird. It’s strange that some are very well groomed but some of them really look as if their beards could have a bird’s nest in them.

Guys, no need for the derogatory crap, the fourth member at the table joined in the exchange with some enthusiasm. We agreed months ago that we could achieve what we wanted with their help and seriously cripple or maybe even destroy them in the process. We all agreed what we are going to do will put the burden on them, not on us. Whether they are stupid or just too focused on the short term objective to see the big picture is not our problem.

They willingly bought into the plan. We provide the money; they agreed to put up the people. They get the blame and we get rid of them as well as most of the idiots in Washington who are trying to destroy our country. Very few if any Americans will die in the process and lots of camel-jocks will go to their reward with smiles on their faces.

Yeah, what they don’t realize is that instead of virgins they’ll get fire and brimstone and those smiles and their hard cocks will melt real fast. What a surprise they’ll have when they find out how badly they’ve been scammed.

Why in hell do they believe in 72 virgins or however many is it they think they’ll get as a reward for dying as a martyr? Mike asked. Do they really believe that nonsense? Why six dozen of them anyway? One virgin in a lifetime is enough. I don’t have happy memories of my first time with a virgin—she was a real dud. Believe me in bed experience is preferable and the more the better.

How were you the first time Mike? I bet you left a woman wishing you had gained some experience before pounding her.

Come on guys, we’re dealing with a serious matter so save your razzing for another time. We all had to learn the hard way so quite smirking and let’s deal with matters here and now.

I agree on the need for focus but now that you ask, Mike, in Islamic culture, virgins are held in great esteem as a gift from Allah but the idea of any of them, much less 72, waiting in Paradise for a martyr who blew himself up along with lots of other people is not part of their historical religion. Marty had everyone’s attention on this subject.

"In the Qur’an there is an image of Paradise being prepared where the faithful Muslims will live in splendor under a dome adorned with pearls, aquamarine and rubies and have 80,000 servants and 72 companions with pure eyes. That is what it actually says, ‘companions with pure eyes’ so maybe they will not be as lucky with the rest of their companion’s bodies as they think. How much fun can you have with 72 old crones with pretty eyes?"

Tony, with a look of disbelief interrupted, What the hell are pure eyes anyway? Does that mean they will have 20/20 vision?

It doesn’t mean good vision although in anyone’s paradise I assume there would be perfect vision. The Arabic wording means companions of fair eyes so that got altered later into virgins although the Arabic word is not gender specific.

Again Tony interrupted, You mean it could be 72 guys with good vision! That explains some behavior I’ve seen with some of the rag-heads I know.

"Relax, Tony. I’m not suggesting anything other than what the Qur’an says. The concept of it being young virgins came into their doctrine much later when their clerics looked for a way to get eager and willing young men to risk their lives in battle. What better incentive to sixteen or seventeen year old boys than the promise of more sex than they can even imagine."

Hey Marty, I assure you a seventeen year old male can imagine a whole lot of sex.

Ignoring the comment, Marty continued, If it were such a big deal and the clerics were so sure of its validity, I assume some 60-year-old geezers would want to go on a quest for martyrdom and earn their jollies with a bunch of young chicks. If I believed it I might even be tempted since things have gotten a little sparse in my bedroom of late.

Yeah, if he truly believed it, I would think the old imam we work with would be the first to pull on a jockstrap full of nitro and go happily to his reward. Since their clerics don’t do that—in fact never have done that—it’s pretty obvious that they’re not convinced of the truth they preach to the young. A young stud will believe anything if he thinks he can get into bed with a chick and virgins are supposed to be hot and very innocent chicks.

Well, all that proves my assumption that the young rag-heads are not very bright or they would have figured out that hypocritical crap. Am I correct that in the war between Iran and Iraq the Iranian clerics got 13 and 14 year old boys to wrap up in rugs and roll across the desert ahead of the Iranian tanks in order to explode any land mines that were in their path and save the tanks? My god, that means that a boy was worth less than a tank to the Iranians; in fact several boys were worth less than a tank.

Yeah, not only that but the parents of those little boys willingly gave their blessings to it and sent their sons to martyrdom and saw it as an act of charity to Allah. Talk about a way to punish a kid for talking back.

Face it, Tony intervened, we have a bunch of dumb kids who still haven’t figured out what is going on and the price they will have to pay for it. Remember how many of them believed ‘change’ really meant change to a politician—any politician. Will they get a surprise when the bill for all that change hits them in the face a few years from now!

They still haven’t got a clue about their future. Kids are not bright by nature so why should camel-jock kids be any different from our own self-centered, spoiled brats. Anyway, males are especially driven by their hormones at that age so anyone or anything that promises them access to something otherwise forbidden is going to be very attractive to them. That applies to our young studs as well as to theirs.

Time out, guys! intervened Matt, who had remained silent for much of the conversation. We agreed months ago that we had come up with a way to achieve all of the things we wanted. We found the right people to assist us and however much we all may dislike them, remember that they are expendable. They’re foolish enough to look only at the initial objective and not see the real impact of what we are planning. Because they’re paranoid by nature they don’t trust us and if we let our emotions slip into our attitudes, we can screw up the whole operation. So, guys, the message to all of us is simple—we need to shut up and get back to work.

Tony raised his hand in a salute to Matt. Sorry, Matt, I can’t disagree with any of that and starting now I’ll try real hard to keep my mouth shut about our partners. Anyway in the last few weeks I’ve almost decided our Islamic friends are less dangerous than some of the people who claim to represent our best interest in Washington. They are so full of crap and so pompous about it.

I sure buy that, injected Mike. Those ‘representatives of the people’ have created a debt that can never be paid off and will make our currency look like monopoly money real soon. Did you know that they run the presses day and night and have introduced way more than two trillion new dollars into our system? Talk about inflation potential and the future collapse of the dollar. It’s not just a potential problem, it’s already starting. Have you bought groceries lately?

They can blame the price of gas on the Arabs and problems in the Mid-East, but food’s another matter. We grow it here so why is it so damned expensive of late?

I can’t argue against the stupidity of the Feds fiscal policy which they repeat over and over but their worst sin is to ignore the real threat to our country from the fascist bastards who want to destroy us. And we sure are making it easy for it to happen.

Which fascist bastards do you mean? interrupted Tony with a trace of cynicism in his voice, The Chinks or the Islamofascists?

Actually both of them, replied Mike. The Chinese own us because they hold so much of our debt and can screw us over on both our economy and our foreign policy when they feel like it. We kowtow to them every day in so many ways. They are not the only ones our president has bowed to but that particular bow was understandable even if unforgivable. He knows they own us and can call him to task behind closed doors whenever they please.

China wants to assert its place in the world as the leading power and we are handing it to them on a silver platter. They’re outdoing us in most areas of economic development and are still growing while we’re shrinking our economy.

Yeah, but not only their economy is growing. Their military is starting to scare us and well it should, added Marty.

On the other hand, the goal of the Muslims is to rule the world for Allah and anyone that tries to stand in their way is by definition their enemy. They believe they are not worthy to be a Muslim if they’re not willing to do anything necessary to force everyone to believe as they do. They can justify any act of terror, any crime and all kinds of mayhem in the name of their god, and they do that very often. They believe they have to foster and achieve dominance of the only religion and culture in the world or die trying.

Between the Chinese and Muslims, suggested Matt, we don’t win in either case. That’s why we need to change the government and wake up the dolts in this country who buy the political correctness crap that has helped sell us all down the river.

Yeah Marty again chimed in, Terrorism has ceased to be a ‘dirty’ word; in fact it ceased to be a word at all in the current administration’s jargon. I guess we don’t want to hurt the feelings of our Muslim ‘friends’. The President serves as their host in the White House and even invited a bunch of them to dinner during Ramadan. What does that tell you about our policy? We sure as hell don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings in the Middle East when we keep telling them we are their friends and wish them no ill. What a joke if we think they believe a word of it or if it would matter to them if they did. Until we convert or die, they will not cease their attempts to destroy us.

Look at Egypt, added Mike, We really botched that one. The White House and the State Department were both pandering instead of solving the problem. Why did we get so hot and bothered over hundreds of thousands in Cairo and not say a word about hundreds of thousands in Iran who had a legitimate beef with the election?

I still can’t believe a Muslim military officer can shoot down more than thirty or forty people on a military base and kill more than a dozen of them after getting a jihad sanctioned by a renegade Islamic cleric and another Muslim can try to blow up an airplane full of passengers after training in a terrorist camp and the government of the United States refuses to call either case an act of ‘terrorism’. Even the botched Times Square bombing was not called a terrorist act until so much pressure came that the Feds finally used the term once or twice. How dumb is that? Besides, our president has already apologized over and over to the Muslims for our sins! What a crock.

Mike rejoined the conversation as he lit a cigarette. Liberals think they’re the smartest people on earth and know better than anyone else what’s good for them and for us all. It seems strange that in many ways they’re like the imams who also think they are divinely ordained to determine what is right and wrong and have the mandate to force everyone into that behavior. It has always amazed me that the liberals I know seem to believe they are more intelligent than other people and have a right—no, more than a right; an obligation—to lead us all to their promised land. In that way, they’re like the Islamic fanatics who believe exactly the same thing about their obligation to make others change to the way they believe is correct…

Look guys, what we’re going to do will get America back on track. The only ‘change’ anyone can run on in the future will be to change what the Beltway idiots and their sycophants have done to us. I mean all of them; Democrats and Republicans alike. For me it’s ‘a plague on both of your houses’! We can’t afford to get caught up in all this crap about politics or ideology. No tea parties for me and neither of the political parties either.

I hate to have to say it but the same thing goes for organized religion. Even Christians who profess to be ‘believers’ have gotten caught up in the political correctness crap. Now ‘sin’ is just viewed as a bad decision and ‘hell’ is just a word uttered in frustration. They all have let us down and we have to fix it and it’s time to do it!

I agree with what you say, Mike offered Tony, And I really support what is going to happen but will there be that much to save after it is done? Is it possible that in wiping out the Muslim threat we may play into the hands of the Chinese and end up losing everything to them?

There was silence for a few minutes. All four men had a reasonable grasp of history and of current events. Their conversation revealed, had they listened to themselves with objectivity, a fanaticism that was as dangerous as that of those they described and derided. Objectivity was in very short supply in the group although they were, without doubt, intelligent and well-read. Education was intended to open minds and erase bias but in the case of these men their education had not achieved its purpose. It was apparent that they did not recognize that they displayed a symptom common to those who took politics and ideology very personally—a blinding form of bias.

No, China doesn’t have any interest in occupying us or even in our abrupt decline. They need us as a marketplace where they can sell their goods and a source for their pirated and stolen technology. Temporarily crippled we’re no threat to their plans in Asia and Africa. They’ll penetrate some markets while we try to recover from our economic woes but they will want us to survive the event that will happen soon. We’re important to them for the next twenty years as a market they can’t find anyplace else. In fact, they may help us recover with more loans and materials—they are the number one producer of cement in the world and the US will need lots of that soon. Besides, they practically own us or at least own our debt and sure don’t want us to go under and default on our debt.

Let’s get on with things in the next few days and meanwhile I’ll talk to our new best friends and tell them we are ready for the big test. That’ll nail it down for us and for them and create the moment of truth for all of us. I assume there are no chickens among us so the time has come to make it start for sure. We’re real close to the point of no return so if there are any regrets or concerns we better get them on the table now.

Matt, you’re right and I know we need to keep focused, offered Marty. Thanks for the reminder and for me you won’t need to do it again. I’m in this and win or lose; I’ll stick it out to the end. You already know I haven’t got much time left before this damn pancreatic cancer gets me so what have I got to lose. I really want to go real quick with no more pain and I want to have a purpose with whatever is left of my life. There’s nothing better than to make this country get back to what it once was even if I’m not around to enjoy it.

Count me in Matt; all the way, added Tony. I have no regrets and will work with anyone who will help us get what we want done.

Four beers were held up in a toast to each other and smiles dispelled any doubt of the commitment of the four men. It was ‘game on’ for the group.

Just an added thought, guys, offered Mike. Our sugar daddy seems to be having some thoughts that are not helpful. We need to probe it a bit to be sure we don’t have a developing problem. That one could be a real tough issue if he fades on us.

I’ll help persuade him to stay the course, Tony responded. I’m ready, Mike so get on with it. Let’s solve it quickly.

The conversation turned to other matters. As it continued they went through two more rounds of beer out of an ice chest on the floor. The two smokers created more haze and the discussion waned in its intensity. Soon the foursome broke up, cleaned the table, closed the cooler, packed up the remnants of pretzels and beer along with the trash and turned off the light. After they left the building and locked it behind them they muttered good-by comments and each headed in different directions to their parked cars.

Mike motioned to Tony to pause a minute by his car. As the other two men got into their cars and drove away, Mike turned to Tony. How willing are you to find alternative solutions if anything needs to be done? That is, if and when we find a turncoat among us? I don’t want things to go like they did before. We need to find better ways to solve our problems.

Mike, for me it’s ‘in for a dime; in for a dollar’. We just need to make sure there’s no other way and I’ll help. I’m a chemist and know how to do things if I have to but I’m not eager to do anything like that if we can avoid it. If it has to be done, I’ll do my share. I have to tell you, I was not comfortable with the problem we already had to fix. That was not fun, and I said I would not do it again. Guess I was wrong if we have to do it again but I sure don’t enjoy it.

Thanks, Tony, I agree but we have to make sure this works.

Tony was thoughtful for a few seconds. Mike, the guy was going to create a real big problem when the price we paid for the van suddenly wasn’t enough. When he tried to extort us, I felt we had no choice—especially when he pulled a knife on me. What’s done is done. I regret it as much as you but it was me or him and I’m sure glad it was him in the end.

I know it had to be done but I don’t feel good about it either. I never got close to that kind of thing before and really hope we don’t need to again but we’re in this up to our necks regardless. We’ve gone way too far to back up now. There’s too much at stake for everyone but especially for us. We need some nice safe retirement place in Central America and the money to make it work. We know where the money is and how to get to it since we already have a little bit of it in our pockets.

I’m with you, Mike. You and I have a big potential benefit to protect so let’s be sure we keep this operation under control. We have come too far to lose it now. That big estate is too fat and too easy to skim for us to lose access to it now.

They both went to their cars and drove away. The evening was over for them. They were partners in too many ways to reverse course. Two reasonably honest men, Mike Eller and Tony Knowles, had become fast friends over the span of several years but now had crossed lines that made them partners of a different kind. Once the line was crossed, for