THE PRICE SHE'LL PAY: For the secret she never knew she had...

by Cara Charles

  Brad was never the same since Glenda died, mysteriously. He and Brad were the closest friends, even neighbors again once in the States, just like they had been in Japan. Their kids were so close and his wife Elaina and Brad’s wife Glenda, were close, A.W.O.L. mothers together.

  Both wives began exhibiting paranoid tendencies about the same time. Brad’s two boys Kevin and Walter, and Elise still played together. Sam, ten years older was their built in baby-sitter. He was very responsible and enjoyed the little kids. As colleagues and best friends, Charles and Brad had known they would need each other, but they never talked about it.

  When Brad had died hitting a tree while skiing, Charles and Elise were the only people who knew about Shanti, outside of retired President Eisenhower and Ivan Kimirov. Ivan Kimirov knew nothing of Brad.

  Ivan was reported to be happy where he was, teaching Russian at Syracuse University under the watchful eye of the Services Foreign Language School where Charles had attended. They wrote each other letters in Russian often. Ivan would ask about Herta and all Charles could say was he had no contact with her, but she was happy wherever she was.

  Charles had opened up Elise’s memory in her hypnotic state and found that Shanti was teaching at UCLA, right under his nose. He took Elise to meet Shanti and they became good friends. Charles relaxed now, his guardian problem solved. Shanti had agreed. Who else would be perfect?

  Shanti became their weekend babysitter-tutor. Elise was learning languages, Shanti was also teaching her Ge’ez, her ancient language to use someday as their own code. While Charles and Elaina attended charity events in L.A. or Santa Barbara, Shanti was always available. Sam was busy with school and only met her once.

  Charles warned Shanti if anything happened to him or his family they would have to take care of each other. Shanti wondered if he had a premonition.

  They were cataloging his every move to put in a file, to brief the doubtful. He played them. With retirement looming he’d put in an application to graduate school in psychology at USC. The Agency would relax and stop following him.

  On this final trip to D.C., Charles gave the Joint Chiefs his summary of the North Vietnamese, Russian and Chinese troop positions, the road conditions of the Indo-China peninsula, China and North Korean’s status. They took his classified satellite photos and brief, and all the staff shook his hand and took him out for drinks.

  Charles was dismissed to enjoy the last of his D.C. TDY.

  Charles said good-bye to Otis and his old friends and his beloved GWU campus. He smiled at the ancient trees, old friends marking their thirty years together. His student days seemed like a world away. He wished he could lay these burdens down, but he still felt faces lurking behind him.

  When the scheduled White House meeting with former President Eisenhower didn’t materialize, Charles kept the nagging fear under control. He knew he was in stress mode because he had to fight the urge to run. As he buried his fear, he prayed he was wrong, but Charles knew better than to override his instincts.

  Charles was driven back to Andrews AFB due to fly out by B-52 in the morning back to L.A. and March AFB then he’d be delivered to his office rooftop by chopper, as usual.

  It was after midnight in D.C. but he was on PST. He called his wife. She was out. The nanny woke up Elise. Sam was visiting but buried in his law books. No matter where he was, Charles loved to say goodnight to his children. Charles promised her their presents were in his duffle bag, a ritual they had established when he went away.

  Since losing Brad, Charles was sure an accident was waiting for him, too. If that happened, they’d never be able to unlock her. He talked himself into a relaxed state, feeling he’d done his best to lock away their secret. Shanti knew her options and her timetable.

  The CIA had been pushing Charles to join them. He politely refused. But with the war ongoing, it was a terrible time for Shanti to be on her own. He was considering joining to have the resources to keep her safe. Charles was about to fold. He needed to see Ike.

  Charles watched the news. The election polls said the Presidential Race was close. Bobby Kennedy led in the polls. Charles turned off the TV, finally tired enough to turn in.

  There was a knock on his B.O.Q. door.

  Charles tiptoed across the room to get his side arm, “Yes?”

  “Colonel Charles Larsen? Sir,” the voice asked. “Visitor for you Colonel, sir.”

  Through the keyhole, a young lieutenant was standing in the cold rain.

  “Who is it?” Charles had his side arm out behind the door.

  “Better let him in, sir.”

  Charles opened the door fully. A man in a hooded Army raincoat stepped in, and closed the door.

  His escort stayed outside in the freezing rain. There was recognition in the body language, he was older and feeling it.

  When the man in the Army issue raincoat removed his hood and watch cap, he came face to face with a tanned President Eisenhower. Charles knew where their conversation would lead. He put his sidearm in his belt and saluted.

  “Mr. President.”

  The President grabbed his hand firmly and pumped it hard.

  “At ease, Charles. It is so good to get away to see you, son. It is getting harder and harder to slip out of the Desert without the press following me. You’re going to have to come and see me in Indian Wells from now on, stay with the Hopes in Palm Springs. They have a very modest suburban house in a normal neighborhood. You could come and go undetected. I wanted to thank you for keeping me in the loop. I’ve enjoyed your reports on the North Vietnamese, the Chinese, and the Russians. Bobby says you’re the best. I told him not to forget who recommended you for a job he may offer you. But I told him you wanted a normal life away from politics. Insightful young man, that Bobby. He’ll make a fine President.”

  President Eisenhower paused, sat down and hung his head, “But you know, it is our ‘eyes only’ information I’m here to talk about. Take a load off, Charles.”

  Ike took out a pint of brandy. “This D.C. damp still gets right into these old bones. I’m an old Desert rat now. Can’t take the cold. Let’s warm our toes, shall we? Get us some glasses, son.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The President took a slug then watched his hands as he flipped the watch cap round and round, as Charles put his sidearm in his sock. You could feel the weight of the world was upon the old President. He sighed. Charles poured two big shots from his flask and handed one to Ike.

  “To Shanti,” Charles said.

  Ike corrected him, “To Shanti and Elise.” The President downed it in one gulp.

  “I’ll get right to it Charles. Ivan Kimirov, the last in the chain to our special assignment, well he’s missing and presumed dead. An old friend told me innocently enough. I don’t want to believe it, but maybe they tortured him to get information about our special mission. The word may be out about Shanti. Completely unconfirmed, however.”

  “Any memory of Shanti was wiped out last month, sir. Desiree assured me Ivan didn’t remember a thing about her under hypnosis or drugs. He was wiped clean. I believe her. After all, it’s her research.”

  “Maybe I’m paranoid with Brad’s accident and his wife’s suicide, so unexplained. If the Russians or someone else entirely haven’t gotten to you or your daughter, or if they are still fishing, they may be saving Elise or the both of you as insurance. If the worst is true, I suspect someone sold the idea to Dick and his supporters, particularly Hoover to be exact, is my guess. So tonight I briefed Bobby Kennedy on what’s going on, to level the playing field. I told him I had briefed Jack before his inauguration, and that didn’t sit well with Bobby. And I don’t blame him. It brought up all sorts of ideas for him, about why Jack was killed. I dare say the thought has crossed my mind many sleepless nights. If Dick doesn’t win this election, he’ll be your worst enemy. He will sell you and your daughter to insure expensive returns and political capital that would assure him a win next time. Nine years with the man, I learned Dick ha
s a ruthless, obsessive-compulsive, paranoid personality. And you must realize Howard Hughes will move Heaven and Earth to get his hands on Shanti too. Howard will do anything not to die. He’s obsessed with his health, the old bastard. Howard will spare no expense to get his way. Before I left office, I’d spoken to Earl Warren. Encouraging him to see things our way. He let Howard win his suit to keep him off our backs for a while and we gave Howard the Vietnam helicopter contract. That should have kept him quiet for a decade. But, Howard has made it clear he keeps his eye on my family.”

  “I’ve been researching Australia, sir. I think hiding in plain sight within their Aborigine populations is best. But then, to avoid being hunted, I wanted to talk to you about joining the CIA, to use their resources to keep her safe and watch them at the same time.”

  “Good choice of contingency plans. I was going to suggest that myself. The lucky turn of events is the Aussie’s are going to be asking for executives to come to their country soon. So you can skip the CIA.”

  “Good. Since we lost Brad, Glenda and JFK, I’m nervous. I feel there’s a leak. My wife says she also hears voices now. I have to get the three of them out of here to safety.”

  “Listen son, I know how it looks. Losing Jack and these shootings of civil rights leaders and bombings, Hoover is the one out of control, I believe. You know I didn’t want you to have this burden alone. It’s too much for one person to carry. If you trust Desiree, let her in. You Charles were the only one I could ever trust with these extraordinary circumstances and this extraordinary woman. I’ve been thinking that was very unfair of me, considering how this has involved little Elise. Since this news about Kimirov, I’m nervous for you and your daughter. I’ve seen how this country is turning. War is big profit. War is great theater. They’ll always find an enemy for their war machine to fight. Indochina is their newest production. LBJ is the most tormented S.O.B. He knows it’s wrong, yet he just can’t bring himself to quit it. Westmoreland keeps him going. McNamara whips LBJ daily. It has been the end of him. I predict he’ll be dead shortly after he resigns. My point is, they’ll do anything to obtain their objective.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m used to this now. Someone has to keep her secret. It’s an honor to serve you and Shanti. I just hope my daughter forgives me one day for using her this way.”

  “She’s the future, Charles. It will be her world and what a tense world that will be. If she’s anything like you Charles, I’m sure she’ll feel it’s an honor to carry on our biggest mission, when and if she ever has to be made aware of what secret she carries. God, forgive me. If we let Shanti go, she’d think we’d abandon her. I wanted you to know, I met with Shanti, again. I gave her the choice. She wants to stay with us, especially to protect Elise.”

  The old President stood and held out his hand for Charles. Charles took his hand. Ike shook it and looked into his eyes. Charles saw tears welling up there. The old General was weary of the battlefield.

  “Bless her and keep the both of them, Charles. Another brilliant child may save us all. It is an honorable thing we have done with our lives. It has been an honor to see you take up this burden, so effortlessly. If we lived through our terrible war to be given this mission, I’m glad we were in this together. I have to tell you, I know they may try and cut my life short. I feel they took Jack, and I told Bobby he may not be safe either if he wins the election. I mentioned to him, we must brief Martin Luther King, but Hoover has him so hounded he said, he was afraid it would cause suspicion, but I left it up to Bobby. And you know to be aware of J. Edgar. I wish that man would drop dead before I do. I should have fired him. But he would have embarrassed me with Kay. He threatened to enough times. He’s a perfectly trained rabid dog for them. But I’m still afraid of what they’ll do to my dear Mamie and our family. In conversations with Dick, I know I’d threatened to fire him many times. That’s how I know Dick has leaked my feelings about J. Edgar directly to him. Goodbye, Charles. Godspeed, if we don’t meet again.”

  The President put a kind hand on Charles’s shoulder then looked in his eyes and sighed, not wanting to say good-bye, not wanting to think of what may lay ahead.

  “You can trust in me, sir. Shanti doesn’t need us to survive. We just think she does. She kept her own secret for thousands of years. I’ll defer to her wisdom, if we ever have to choose. This I promise. After all, Shanti knows best.”

  “Thank God, for that. Oh? And Charles? I just found out what Shanti means. It means ‘inner peace,’ in Sanskrit. Your little darling hit it right on the money. God’s speed, son.”

  “God’s speed sir and take care of yourself. See you in the Desert.”

  Charles snapped a smart respectful salute as the old General and former President smiled, as he replaced his watch cap and hood. Respectfully and with much vigor Ike returned Charles’ salute, stepped forward for a quick embrace, then disappeared into the cold, rainy night.

  Charles sat heavily on the edge of the bed, put his face in his hands and sobbed. An end was coming. The President had known this and had come to say good-bye.

  Charles knew Elise and Shanti were in danger when on April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was killed. Exactly two months and two days later on June 6, 1968, Bobby Kennedy was killed.

  It wasn’t until Charles’s final survival training in July of 1968, spending four days floating in a tiny life raft near Okinawa, the solution hit him like a satellite out of its orbit. He had grown to trust Desiree, hoping she would agree to meet Elise, and apply her methods to controlling Elise’s memory and eventually Charles would tell Desiree about Shanti.

  Desiree took a month’s vacation to Los Angeles and rented a little cottage in a historic court on South Euclid Avenue in Pasadena. Elise, Shanti, Desiree, and Charles began their work. Elise’s summer camp at the Mayfair School nearby, covered their mission, nicely.

  Iain found a newspaper article about the disappearance of Elise’s parents. Mac and Dave were snoring. He’d brief them later.

  Charles, his wife Elaina, Elise, and a nanny had taken a vacation to Australia. Six months later, twelve-year old Elise was found by Aborigines wandering in the Outback. They took her to a nearby ranch.

  ‘Six months, later? She had help,’ Iain thought.

  The article said, the rancher took her to the American embassy. Neither bodies of her parents, nor the nanny were ever found. Elise had no memory of what had happened after they left the hotel. Only that she was terrified of sand and insisted on always carrying a thermos of water.

  CHAPTER NINE -- WHERE HEAVEN LIES

  THE BAND’S PLANE was starting their decent to the Santa Barbara airport.

  Iain hid this information in an off grid storage site. Soon they’d be face to face with local law enforcement, and the FBI and Marshall Service. They had to find Elise and wait on Sam to return home. Mac and Dave had extensive experience in shell shocked, traumatized soldiers. They would know how to help Elise.

  For years, Iain knew he sucked at his marriages. He loved the adrenalin of war more than his wives. In theater, he could operate like a well-oiled machine. Now two years away from war had made him human again. His wife had moved on. Both were very happy. Iain was alone in the world except for Mac and Dave, his buddies, his new intimate family, and now this woman, Elise. He was committed to protecting Elise, the victim of greed and revenge. No matter what, he would not let the moneyed win. Not ever again. As long as he lived he would protect the worthy, not the wealthy. Iain was dozing off when his phone vibrated. It was Janitor.

  “J? Jolly good to hear from you. It has been too long.”

  “Iain I need you. I see you’re inbound to Santa Barbara. Is it R&R?”

  “Negative. Helping Dave and Mac solve a murder and prevent another.”

  “Seriously? I’m curious now chap. Is it Elise Andersen and family?”

  “Holy hell! Small world. Indeed! I just completed deep research on her father. Think I’ve made a big link. Are you activating me?”

  “Affirmative.
Elise should be on her way to sanctuary. Three days time will tell. M4 Team will be bringing brother Sam to you at the airport. Ditch the band there. A limo will be arriving shortly for the band. They’ll understand. Take Sam with you to look for Elise around Arizona for a few days. Wait for further instructions from Dear, but keep the plane. Iain? Hold one…”

  Iain wondered if Dear was on the other line? J was back.

  “Good God man. I’m afraid they’ve got your PEMP device and they could be headed for the White House. Any counter measures?”

  “Bloody hell! How did they steal it from DARPA? No counter measures. None. Any one with a pacemaker will not survive. Evacuate those vulnerable targets. Is this a M4 protection mission?”

  “Affirmative. Understand about the device. More later. Out.”

  Iain hated himself for designing a personal electromagnetic pulse devise. Which within a field of three hundred yards briefly disrupts a person’s heart rhythm enough to keep them unconscious for five minutes, plus knocking out everything electronic.

  “Guys wake up. We’re going to acquire brother Sam then we’re onto Sedona. She may have gone there, my source just informed me.”

  Iain informed the pilots. They were in. They landed.

  Iain escorted the band off the plane as a limo with Sam and the rest of METAPHOR SB Team introduced themselves to Iain, taking him aside. The band understood. All hands off loaded the plane.

  Sam crawled aboard looking exhausted. He was picked up at Tenaya Lodge in South Yosemite, flown to Mammoth to ID his family in a snowstorm then flown to Santa Barbara.

  “Who are you? Why has this happened? Is this really Mavra Kimirov’s doing?”

  “Hello Sam. We’re associates of your protectors, friends of very old friends of your father’s. Yes. We strongly believe Mavra Kimirov is behind the loss of your family. The people who took out your family, took out two avalanche patrol friends in order to cause the avalanche. These old friends thought you and Elise could use our protection and get a little payback. Sam? Meet Dave and Mac, army vets, a medic and a trauma surgeon and fine soldiers. I’m Iain. British Special Ops. Chewed many deserts with these two. I’m just an ass kicker. They kick ass and patch them up. The pilots, Roland and Stephen, are old Special Ops mates of mine from the Desert Shield days as are everyone involved, including Dennis and Larry and their team.”