by Bryan Murray
The President looked incredulous. “There is?”
“Yes, sir, they have given us seven days to organize the exchange and that is a lot of time!”
David Carrington was trying to collect his thoughts. “Time for what, Mr. Mulroney?”
“Time to bring in deep, undercover specialists!”
“But they said no attempt at rescue or the boys will die?” Elizabeth sobbed.
Mulroney was thinking clearly. “Exactly, ma’am, but the two people I have in mind are extremely skilled in situations like this and also very discreet in their operations!”
The President looked across at Mulroney. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking, John?”
Mulroney gave a wry smile. “Exactly, sir. Jake Harrigan and his partner!”
Both the President, his wife and Mulroney had already met the two people being mentioned, but Maria was not fully conversant with their background.
“And what is so special about this Jake Harrigan, Stephen?” she asked. “Isn’t he the guy that all that trouble was about in England?”
The President shrugged. “All I can tell you, Maria, is that he gets the job done!”
“Exactly my point, Mr. President.” Mulroney added.
The President’s mind was made up. “Get them in quickly for a full briefing, John, the damned clock is already ticking!”
“Will do, sir.”
CHAPTER 8
On the Island of Oahu in Hawaii, it had been another day in paradise for Jake Harrigan, the rugged Irish/American in his 30’s, a former CIA ‘black-ops’ assassin, together with Sarah Schaumberg, a former FBI agent, now Jake’s partner and girlfriend in their security firm of ‘Harrigan and Schaumberg’.
They were vacationing in the Islands following a recent high-profile assignment in England and they were finally relaxing a little and catching their breath.
It had all started when Jake and Sarah had flown to England to attend the funeral of Jake’s maternal grandmother, not realizing that her death was just the tip of the iceberg of what would turn out to be a totally world-shattering event.
Unknown to Jake, a former adversary, Sean Quinn, a Northern Ireland terrorist, whose brothers Jake had killed in a military drug intervention in Colombia years earlier, had finally planned his deadly revenge on Jake and the murder of Jake’s grandmother to get him across to the UK from the US for the funeral, had been just the first step in Quinn’s devious plan.
The second step had been for Quinn to use his covert RIRA terrorist cell to plan an audacious assassination attempt in the UK on of all people, Her Majesty the Queen! Quinn’s plan had been to make the deadly hit disguised as Jake, so that the latter would take the blame for the hit as Quinn and his team slid away under the radar.
Fortunately, the assassination attempt failed, but thanks to the incredible lifelike mask of Jake that Quinn had used, Jake had been identified by TV cameras on site as the potential killer before Quinn and his team escaped from the scene, This had then resulted in the already grieving Jake and Sarah suddenly becoming the targets of a nationwide manhunt by MI5, the UK security forces.
After a hair-raising few days of trying to stay ahead of the irate MI5 security teams, Jake and Sarah had finally made it across to Northern Ireland where they had tracked down and eliminated Quinn’s team and brought the latter to justice, thereby clearing their names and earning the heartfelt gratitude of the English people.
* * *
Now, finally relaxing after another fascinating day in Oahu, Jake and Sarah were returning to their hotel suite on Waikiki Beach, prior to heading out on the town for a leisurely dinner, overlooking yet another spectacular sunset.
Their visit to Pearl Harbor earlier in the day had been long overdue for Jake and it had been fascinating and yet strangely sad, since Jake’s paternal grandfather had been killed in the infamous Japanese raid. He had been an airfield mechanic and on that fateful day, he had been working in one of the hangars that were levelled to the ground by the bombs of the incoming Japanese Zeros.
It had been a swift and clinical death along with many of his companions, leaving Jake’s grandmother Erin already pregnant with Jake’s father Devon.
To also see the remains of the Battleship Arizona, still submerged where it was sunk by the Japanese, and to think that all those seamen on board who were killed at the time, were still entombed below the water all those years later, was both humbling and surprising to Sarah. She realized that the tasteful memorial, out on the waters above the sunken vessel, was an ongoing way for grateful Americans to remember and recognize the sacrifice of their fellow countrymen all those years previously.
It had indeed been a day enveloped in the history of the past and when Jake and Sarah later visited the nearby Battleship Missouri, the sister ship of the Arizona, on the decks of which the Japanese finally surrendered in Tokyo Bay, the tour guide told them an amazing story.
When the body of a Kamikaze pilot was recovered on the deck of the battleship, even after the atrocities of Pearl Harbor earlier in the war, the crew members of the Missouri decided to give the pilot an honorable burial at sea. However, with no Japanese flag to drape over the coffin, the crew worked overnight to cut up their existing signal flags and sew up a Japanese flag for the proper burial. This had really impressed Jake.
* * *
When they made it back to their hotel suite, Jake was about to enter the room when he saw that the door was slightly ajar. He held Sarah back, thinking it may be just the maid finishing up the room, but he was being cautious. However, when he finally went in the room he realized that the visitor was not hostile.
It was Ben Perkins the second-in-command of the White House Secret Service Group.
“Can I help you?” Jake inquired.
Perkins quickly showed his credentials. “Mr. Harrigan, Miss Schaumberg? Ben Perkins, White House Security Detail.”
Jake looked curious. “That’s us. What can we do for you, Mr. Perkins?”
Perkins quickly got to the point. “I’m here on a special secret mission direct from the White House where the President is urgently asking you both to accompany me back to the Oval Office to discuss a top secret matter of the utmost importance.” he added quickly.
Jake looked at Sarah and they both nodded in agreement. Jake looked around the room. “Okay, when do we leave?” he asked.
“Right now!” was the reply.
Perkins was already on the intercom. “We’ll be right down!”
Jake looked at him. “Right down?”
Perkins gave a wry smile and pointed downwards through the window. Jake looked down to see a chopper already waiting to take off on the beach below.
He smiled. “I guess it is pretty urgent!”
He and Sarah started to pack immediately and within minutes they landed at the local Hickam Air Force Base where a fast military jet was waiting to take them back to DC.
CHAPTER 9
On arrival in Dulles International Airport in DC, Jake, Sarah and Perkins were quickly escorted across the airstrip where they boarded a chopper that rushed them straight to the grounds of the White House.
When they came in to land, Sarah looked across at Jake and smiled. “So, this must be what it’s like to be President!”
He grinned and the doors were opened before they were rushed inside and up to the Oval Office. On arrival they were met by the President, the First Lady with Maria and David Carrington, John Mulroney and Deke Winston.
When Jake saw the ladies, those hairs on the back of his neck were already standing up as they always did when he sensed that trouble was brewing.
The President welcomed them both. “Hello, Jake, Sarah, thank you so much for coming so quickly,” he motioned to Elizabeth and Maria. “You’ve met the First Lady and this is my Vice- President Maria Carrington and her husband David. You’ve already met my Chief-of-Staff John Mulroney and Deke Winston, Head of White House Security.”
Jake and Sarah started to shake hands as Jake
replied. “Yes indeed, Mr. President, nice to see you all again,” he introduced Sarah. “This is my partner Sarah Schaumberg.” Sarah was already shaking hands with the ladies who seemed pleased to see her.
The President ushered Jake and Sarah to a seat at the large conference table. “Please have a seat and I’ll explain what all the urgency is about and why I asked you to cut your vacation short to join us.”
“No problem, sir, how can we help you?
The President slid two pieces of paper across the table in front of Jake and Sarah. They were the terrorist demands and the photograph of the boys with the sword-wielding guard in the background. “Take a look at that, Jake and I’ll explain what we want to do.”
Jake and Sarah nodded and as they studied the two pieces of paper, the hairs on the back of Jake’s neck were now working overtime. Jake and Sarah exchanged glances and Jake was the first to speak.
“We’re so sorry about this, Mr. President. Where did it happen?”
The President was still having problems talking about the situation, but he took a deep breath and began. “Our son Jeff and Maria’s son Andrew were on a ski trip with the University ski club to the ski resort in Central Italy, when they were grabbed by Al-Qaeda terrorists and disappeared into the night!”
Sarah was the first to speak, her analytical mind already working overtime. “And what was the security profile, Mr. President?”
The President looked across at Winston. “Perhaps you’d like to answer that, Deke?”
Winston explained to Sarah. “The boys have two secret service agents with them constantly, posing as fellow students. On the night in question there was an après-ski party in the ski resort bar and the boys were dancing with a couple of local girls, everybody was enjoying themselves.”
Maria was listening, tears already forming in her eyes as Winston continued.
“When the boys stepped out for a breath of air with the two girls, they were seized by four men who tranquilized them and hauled them off in an SUV, together with the two girls who were there as decoys, just to get the boys outside!”
Jake was listening intently. “And the security detail?”
“As soon as the first agent saw the boys being grabbed he gave chase but he was driven back by automatic weapon fire and he quickly ran back into the hotel to get his partner and go in pursuit of the SUV.”
“Good thinking!” Jake nodded approvingly. “Then what happened?”
“They gave chase,” Winston continued. “And they were gaining ground on the kidnappers until a snowplough suddenly appeared and blocked their path, allowing the bad guys to get away.”
Sarah was thinking out loud. “Do your men think the snowplough driver was in on the kidnapping?”
Winston was looking at Sarah with new respect as also were the nervous parents opposite. “Good question. They said the guy spoke Italian and he could well have been on their team as he deliberately wasted time screaming at our guys in Italian and flatly refused to move his vehicle, even when he saw the guns in their hands.”
“And where are your agents now, Deke?” Jake inquired.
“I told them to stand down and wait for help and to give a cover story to the rest of the ski tour group that Jeff and Andrew went to visit relatives who were also staying in the area and they may see them before they returned to the US or failing that they would see them after the Christmas break back at the University.”
Sarah nodded approvingly. “Good idea. So, if we read this correctly, Mr. President, the cover story is holding up, the secrecy is still good and nobody knows what is going on with the exception of us here in this room and the two secret service agents at the ski resort. Is that correct?”
The President nodded in agreement.
“So, what can we do to help, Mr. President?” Jake inquired.
The President looked at Jake and Sarah, an almost desperate look in the eye of a man who faced international crises on a daily basis. “We’d like you to find the boys and bring them back safely before the seven day deadline expires, one day of which is already gone!”
Jake looked at Sarah and they both nodded imperceptibly that they would give it a try as Jake replied very carefully.
“We’d be happy to try and help, Mr. President and I’m so sorry that you have this problem. We realize that even if this did get out to the press, your hands would be tied anyway concerning dealing with terrorists and with the fact that we can’t involve the CIA or the FBI, this is also a major problem.”
The President nodded. “Exactly and that’s what’s driving the four of us nuts!” he swept his hand in the direction of the parents. “So, what do you suggest we do?”
Jake’s mind was racing. “Well, sir, with this being on Italian soil and we can’t even involve the Italian Government or Interpol, we will at least need to add one more person to our team and I’m afraid he’s CIA!”
Mulroney was listening intently. “Who is it, Jake?”
“Steve Caplan,” Jake replied. “He’s the guy we used on the Israeli assignment. If Al-Qaeda are involved, he speaks English, German and Italian fluently as well as Arabic!”
Sarah was thinking along similar lines. “Maybe we could get him to join us as if he were on vacation leave and we could brief him en route, that way, even the CIA wouldn’t be chomping at the bit to get involved.”
Mulroney nodded. “Leave it to us, Sarah, we can fix it.”
Jake then changed the subject. “And what’s the status on the Al-Qaeda leader?”
Mulroney replied. “He’s still interred in Guantanamo and currently not yielding any new information. But believe me, he’s one guy we don’t want back in action after the embassy bombing in Cairo. It took us long enough to catch him and as you said earlier, the President’s hands are tied when it comes to dealing with terrorists.”
Both women looked at each other forlornly.
“I understand,” Jake replied. “But you can bet your boots that Al-Qaeda will have spies watching Guantanamo, so if you’re going to try and buy us enough time to make an impact, since we’re following a cold trail, then perhaps you need to make some outward signs as if we were seriously considering the exchange.”
Mulroney nodded. “I agree, leave that with me, Jake.”
Jake could see the tension on the faces of the parents opposite and he tried to sound upbeat. “In that case, Mr. President, we need to pack quickly with our winter gear and get the night flight into Rome, where we need to meet with Agent Caplan, rent a car and head out to the ski resort. If you can alert your two agents out there to meet with us as soon as we arrive, Deke, hopefully we can pick up this cold trail.”
The President rose to indicate the meeting was over. “Excellent. Sounds like a solid plan, Jake. Please keep myself and the Vice-President and Chief-of-Staff Mulroney up to speed every step of the way?”
“Of course, sir.” Jake replied and he and Sarah shook hands with all present before being escorted out by Deke Winston.
Walking down the corridor, Winston was appreciative of what Jake and Sarah had done to help his team in the meeting. “Thanks, guys for not shittin’ on my team back there in the meeting. They do a hell of a job watching those two wild-assed kids and they both feel real bad about what happened.”
Jake smiled. “No problem, hopefully they can give us a lead we can follow quickly. I guess mum’s the word on the whole caper?”
“You got that right!” Winston gave a wry smile as they left for a ride back to their apartment to pack for the trip.
CHAPTER 10
It was already Day Two and after being fed a meagre breakfast in their rooms by the masked guards, Jeff and Andrew were allowed a brief walk together in the fresh air. They were both manacled to each other with an armed, masked guard escorting them as far as the water’s edge of the pristine, snow-shrouded lake behind the cabin.
With the guard not speaking English, in fact not speaking at all, for the first time the boys were able to talk to each other without b
eing understood or clobbered. Andrew still had a black eye from the previous punching he took.
Jeff was alert, already analysing the situation. He turned to Andrew and whispered. “What’s your take on this shit, buddy?”
“I wish I knew,” Andrew replied. “I thought we were goners when I saw that damned sword in that Arab’s hands!”
“Me too,” Jeff replied. “But when I saw that weird guy with the camera, I figured they were probably taking that picture to send to our parents to get Dad to do something for them in exchange for letting us go.”
Andrew nodded that he understood. “Jeez, I hope so!|”
“So, don’t panic yet, Andy, okay?”
“Yeah, right. But the next time that dude with the sword appears, I figure we’re in deep shit!”
Jeff sighed heavily. “Amen to that!” The guard had tired of their whispering and gave them a shove back at gunpoint in the direction of the cabin.
* * *
Once inside the cabin, both boys were bound and rushed to their rooms where a drink of juice had been left on the table next to the bed where Jeff had been lying.
The Doctor appeared and fed the juice to Jeff who drank it thirstily, not realizing that it had been drugged and he quickly fell into a shallow, relaxed sleep as the Doctor then continued his sophisticated hypnotherapy with special emphasis on his particular specialty - post-hypnotic suggestion!
In Jeff’s receptive mind, he was once again hearing the repetitive phrase ‘It’s Showtime!’ and other suggested words repeated over and over by the hypnotic voice of the Doctor. Once again, after the doctor fired the blank in his pistol, Jeff woke up and didn’t remember a thing about what had just happened.
* * *
In the outer room, Genaro was already on the phone to Don Lorenzo, telling him that the two prisoners were still in custody and that the special treatment for the target was going as planned.
In Andrew’s room, before they gagged him, he made the mistake of asking for more food as a result of which all he received was another good punching for his audacity.