Love and Death in Rome: A Love and Death Mystery & Political Espionage Novel

By Hal Graff

Love And Death In Rome 

A Love And Death Mystery 

& A Political Espionage Novel 

Volume 22 

 

     Welcome to the twen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harold Graff II Publishing
• Release date: Nov 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781962730785

Hal Graff

Dr. Hal Graff holds a doctorate in business administration. He is a native of Gibson City, Illinois. Hal is a proud father and grandfather. To date, he has published 104 books, including 96 novels. He has published over 6 million 900,000, words.

Book preview

Prologue

As Harold Gatewood sat in his favorite chair in his living room, he watched his friends the squirrels and the birds go about their daily activities, scurrying from tree to tree, with their prizes of worms, bugs, and seeds in their clutches. He wondered if they knew he was back home, watching them intently, and admiring the simplicity of their lives.

After returning from his first mission in Moscow, the Ukraine, the Chechen Republic, and the Crimean Peninsula, Gatewood had battled post- traumatic-stress disorder, and a series of debilitating nightmares about the terrorist organization he most feared, the USFF. He was declared unfit for duty by the CIO, and is placed on inactive status.

After a three month long rest, he had been called upon by the CIO to return to the those same areas to assess the results of the weapons purchase program America and he provided for the freedom fighters in the above countries for the purpose of derailing Russia’s march to control the land mass surrounding the Black Sea.

He had encountered the same cast of characters, for the most part, when he had returned. In the Ukraine, the Breadbasket of Europe, he had visited Kiev, the capital city, and met with military leader Voyin Yaskravyy, to discuss the progress son the resistance the Ukraine forces were putting up against the Russian army, who controlled the country.

He also had learned that missile engines capable of delivering nuclear missiles had been sold and delivered to North Korea from an inventory that had been maintained by the Ukrainian government. The engines had remained in Ukrainian custody when the first war from independence from Russia had ended.

Gatewood scolded the Ukrainian government officials for their lax system of security for the important weaponry. The engines had been purchased by a dangerous rogue nation intent on threating America and the free world with destruction.

Gatewood had then insisted that no further actions such as the sale would be tolerated, and that no more weapon sales, money for Ukraine’s security, or missile support networks would be maintained for the Ukraine’s protection would be the result.

He also demanded to know the name of the Ukrainian person who had made the sale. The man named was Faddei Nazariv, who had since died in an automobile accident.

Harold did not believe the story, and had pressed his Ukrainian hosts for more information, which was not forthcoming. He reported his thoughts to Rick Owens and urged the CIO to take a tough approach with the Ukrainian government in future talks.

Gatewood’s mission ended on a cautious note, as the Ukrainian answer about the missile engine sale to North Korea was unacceptable. He had done his duty, and would prepare to head to his next stop, the Chechen Republic. He bid his hosts adieu, and was happy to be leaving the Ukraine.

When he had arrived in Groznyy, the Chechen Republic, on the second leg of his mission, he had checked into his room, spent the night, and then had arrived for his meeting with the country’s president, Rianakx Rivend, the Sword of Vengeance, and his military leader, Baqi Faiz, who was in charge of support for the outside forces from the USFF in Syria who had joined the native Chechen fighters in the mountains.

It was obvious to Gatewood that Faiz, whose name meant External Victory, had been schooled by the USFF about their struggles with the American.

While both men were veterans, and survivors of the hard-fought wars for independence with Russia, Gatewood again sensed that Rivend had grown soft when Groznyy had been rebuilt into a modern city. He was now living a relaxed, prosperous life as president of the country, and did not seen to be as committed to the independence movement as Faiz.

Gatewood had again asked for the same information that he had obtained in the Ukraine, and had anxiously awaited the two men’s answers.

President Rivend had again stated the obvious, that most all of the fighting was now concentrated in the mountains and the Southern areas of the country. Faiz had chimed in that he was willing to fight to his death for his fellow Chechen citizens, his new USFF brothers, and himself. Gatewood again felt uneasy about Faiz, as he had appeared to have been indoctrinated by the USFF to its core principles.

As silly as it sounded, he had again been happy that he had clearance to carry his weapon during the meeting with the Chechen leaders, despite this being his second round of meetings.

Both men had stated that they would still prefer defensive weapons for the fighters in the areas where the fighting was happening. Rivend had said that he did not want fighting to break out in Groznyy had been rebuilt and modernized, and he did not want to see the progress destroyed again.

The Chechen’s main desire, in addition to weapons for the freedom fighters, was continued American missile defense system implementation in other areas of Europe that would protect them, and their European neighbors, from Moscow’s invasions. These protective actions had been provided by America after the first round of negotiations.

The political assistance from America was again of no interest, as the complex political landscape complicated by the mixture of many nationalities in the country was a situation America would not understand. That area would still best be served by local politicians. Also, Rivend had alliances in the Russian government that were keeping the status quo in place, and he did not want to rock the boat.

The weaponry and support that had been provided had been put to effective use by the Chechens, as they had used them to harass Russian troops, attack Russian conveys, kept the Russians tied up addressing Chechen attacks, and prevented Russian expanded influence in the region.

The meeting had ended on positive terms and Gatewood had assured both men he would report their wishes to his superiors in Washington. He had then headed to his room, overjoyed to be out of a semi-productive meeting, and away from Faiz, whom he considered a man who had become radicalized by the USFF. He would report to Rick Owens that Faiz need to be watched, as he might go over the edge and pass over to the dark side with the USFF.

The next morning Gatewood had arisen early, and headed out of Groznyy on the first available flight to his next stop, without bothering to work out. He had been happy once again to be leaving the Chechen Republic, and had desired never to see it again. His plane then had headed to the Crimean Peninsula on the Southern tip of the Ukraine.

He had then called Owens and reported his findings in Groznyy, and added his personal thoughts on Rivend and Faiz. Owens had grilled him on the reasons for his impressions, and Gatewood had replied that he could be wrong, but that he had based his thoughts on his prior run-ins with the with the USFF.

After arriving in the Crimean Peninsula for the third leg of his mission, Gatewood had enjoyed a good night’s sleep, and had then headed to his meeting with Crimean resistance forces who were using the weaponry the CIO’s cash had purchased to harass and disrupt the Russian army’s presence in the area.

As he had walked to his meeting location, Gatewood thought about the purpose of his stop in the Crimean. He was being asked to use his communication skills to provide insight and usable information to his superiors to help President Eric Clancy decide how to balance the diplomatic scales with Russia by providing support, and weaponry, to three areas where Moscow was battling insurgencies. His input would be vital to the decision to continue the funding or to discontinue the program.

Since joining the CIO, Gatewood had learned that successful diplomacy depended on finding and communicating information to the decision-makers in the government halls of power.

On his first trip to the area, he had thought of examples where poor communication had impacted military battles. As Gatewood had driven closer to his destination, he had thought, and had hoped that a similar result would not come from his attempt to obtain useful information, and then communicate it to Rick Owens at the CIO.

The Crimean Peninsula had been an important economic and military area for many years. In nineteen-hundred-fifty-four, then-leader of the United Soviet, States of Russia, Nikita Khrushchev, had created an autonomous Crimean Soviet Socialist Republic under the control of the Ukrainian Soviet State of Russia and the Russian Federation.

The area was important militarily as it gave Russia access to a warm-water port on the Black Sea. From an economic standpoint, it helped serve as a trade route from Russia to Europe, and offered potentially vast oil and gas deposits in the Black Sea. Moscow had always cherished the benefits of controlling the Crimean but after the disintegration of the old USSR, the Ukraine kept the area.

Located on the Southern tip of the Ukraine, the area is surrounded by the turquoise-colored water of the Black Sea to the South, and the Karinit Gulf and the Sea of Azov to its sides. The population is comprised of ethic-Russians, Ukrainians, other Russian-speaking citizens.

The most important military facilities were the naval base that was seized from the Ukrainian navy on the Black Sea, and the Russian top-secret nuclear facility in the fjord-like bay at Balaklava. Russia had seized both facilities, all military hardware previously owned by the Ukrainian forces, and control of the militarily-important port on the Black Sea.

Gatewood had known he would again meet with the Ukrainian-Crimean freedom fighters, the Ukrainian and Crimean Sons of Forever Liberty, the UCSFL, the imported fighters of his long-time enemies the USFF, and the Confederation of Freedom Fighters for Allah, the Philippine splinter group of the USFF.

Gatewood had also known that he would be walking a tightrope, as the USFF still wanted to kill him, and the CFFA would also carry out a pledge to eliminate him if the USFF ordered it to do so.

He had again been assured by Rick Owens that President Clancy and the CIO had made it clear to both jihadist terror groups that he was not to be harmed, or all negotiations would be terminated, and American bombs would rain down on the USFF and the CFFA until every one of their members would attain their wish to go to Allah and enjoy the pleasures of the promised seventy-two virgins.

Despite those assurances, Gatewood had still remained concerned, as lone-wolf attacks could not be discounted. Owens had also insisted that during the negotiations, Gatewood would be the only person allowed to carry a weapon into the meetings, as everyone was aware he as meeting with two terror organizations that wanted him dead. Owens’ demand had met resistance from both the USFF CFFA, but eventually they had agreed to honor the request.

Gatewood had arrived in the Balaklava late the prior evening and had knocked on the door of his Filipina lover Ligaya Diwata. They had made love throughout the night, both saying the months apart had been miserable without each other.

The next morning, Gatewood had arisen early, eaten his breakfast of oatmeal and strawberries, drank his hot chocolate and water, and had then done a follow-up to his last trip’s reconnaissance mission on the nuclear facility in the fjord. He had surveyed the layout of the plant, and, pretending to be a tourist, had snapped several pictures of the building and the fjord, and had tried to determine if the scene was different than it had been months before.

He had noticed no visible differences. Even though his efforts had not produced any positive results, he had been satisfied that he had made a gallant effort, and had once again familiarized himself with the area.

Before he had entered the building where the meeting would take place he had noticed a military half-ton truck parked nearby. Out of curiosity, he had walked to the truck and looked in the front seat, and then the back bed of the vehicle. His curiosity satisfied, and finding the truck empty he had then entered the building.

Sitting at the proverbial negotiating table were Avgust Makhail of the Ukrainian and Crimean Sons of Forever Liberty, and a new USFF operative Bilal Mansur, who had replaced his sworn enemy, Fikri Sakhr.Also present was the CFFA operative with whom he had spent the night, Ligaya Diwata, his longtime lover from the Philippines.

When Gatewood looked at her he had smiled, and had then sat down next to her. He had continued to steal unnoticed, loving looks at the beautiful Filipina woman as the meeting progress, and had held her hand under the table when no one was looking,

She had fallen in love with Gatewood when he had come to Manila in the Philippines during his country-to-country negotiation tour when he was assigned to the China Sea mission, had then been kidnapped by the CFFA, had been brainwashed, and had then become a highly-skilled negotiator for the terrorist organization.

Often, he had looked at her, smiled, and had waited for a response, which did not materialize in many instances. He started to tease her with comments unheard by the other representatives at the table. He had tried again and again during the negotiations to make her laugh, but was met by Stop it and Not here comments.

The discussions had centered on the questions Owens had required Gatewood to ask. The Ukrainian army had been expelled when the Crimean region was annexed, and had been replaced by Russian troops, who had seized all Ukrainian military equipment. As a result, the UCSFL, USFF, and CFFA were all under-equipped, and under-manned.

They had quickly stated that they wanted America’s continued help in all of the areas that were discussed. Gatewood had said that he was pleased with the information he had received from the CIO about the successful harassment of the Russian troops in the area. He had also promised that he would take their requests to the CIO and America’s president, and had felt assured the funds for more weapons would be renewed, as long as the guerilla warfare continued.

The meeting was closed for the day, after the group had agreed to meet the next morning to discuss any final, unanswered questions. On the way out of the meeting room, Gatewood did not see a killing look from former USFF representative Fikri Sakhr, who had threatened him before with a Be sure you sleep lightly tonight agent Gatewood. You should be careful so that no unexpected harm might come to you comment.

Sakhr had been hiding in the trees next to the building, ready to load the truck with dynamite, as he had a special use for the lethal materials.

Gatewood had been unaware of Sakhr’s presence, and had continued walking toward his vehicle. As he continued his walk to his car, he had felt a hand take his and squeeze it tight. Ligaya Diwata had moved to his side, and as the two had continued to walk she said, Your room tonight? Room one hundred, right?

He had smiled and answered, Eight o’clock.

She had then released her hand from his grip, and had walked on to her car.

At eight o’clock, she had knocked on the door of room one hundred, and had waited. Gatewood ha then opened the door, and ushered her inside. He had put his arms