by Len Marshall
“How long will it take us to capture or kill those responsible for this attack on the US?” asked the Commandeering Chief of the USA, more usually known as the US President.
“Well, Mr. President, multiple agencies are working across the globe around the clock to bring these perpetrators to justice ASAP. We’re also in contact with all of our allies in Europe and so far we know for a fact that this attack was not initiated from any European Union country,” Major General Vice answered.
“Just how could any nation or perpetrator launch such a sophisticated attack? Is it the Russians?” the President asked again. “Maybe it’s the Chinese or the British or the Israelis?”
“Well, to be honest, sir, it could be anyone,” the Secretary of Defense intervened. “Highly unlikely it’s the last two, as they’re are our closest allies.”
The President didn’t like Robert Miller’s intervention.
“Sir, we’ll know this in the next couple of days for sure,” Major General Vice said, giving a concise answer.
“Ajay just how long will it take to resume your research work? I think you know Project Xerox has great strategic value for our nation,” the President said.
“Mister President, let me break it to everyone here that the actual research work on Project Xerox was never done in the main facility office here in the US headquarters. Since the beginning, we always had the possibility of such attacks in mind. Waverley Davis and the US Navy established a top secret facility in San Francisco. As I speak, the project is almost complete. We plan to run trials in a couple of weeks after finishing the final testing of the project systems.”
Nearly everyone in the meeting was pleasantly surprised apart from Robert Miller and Major General Vice.
“That’s great news, very satisfactory,” the US President was suddenly very excited while Jacob wondered if he would ever in his life be a physic visionary like his father.
***
Jacob had felt really disturbed since he had come back from visiting Jenifer in prison. He had gone there to confront her and to tell her that she did not have any place in his life or his heart. He had thought that this might help him cure his affliction which is what he considered his feelings for Jenifer to be. But what had transpired there had driven him senseless. He had no clue what to do. Then he decided to talk to Ajay about it. He was ready once again to receive his knowledge. “Remember, Son, you must grow more every day,” his father always said, “Never stop learning.”
The next day, Ajay was trying to explain to Jacob that our needs often trigger forces in the universe which are unseen, sublime yet too powerful to be overlooked. So Jacob needed to focus and realize what he wanted in life. “To understand that, consider whether you want Jenifer back in your life and focus on that question,” Ajay said.
Jacob thought carefully then answered, “Well yes, of course I do, but she’s a criminal and none of this makes any sense, especially not my own feelings. Why is my heart longing for a criminal?” Jacob needed an explanation for his predicament but, for the first time, he understood that life was not a linear phenomenon. You cannot think of it like any computer program.
“Let me explain,” Ajay said. “First of all, she’s not been convicted yet, she’s only being kept in remanded for questioning. Secondly, if you consider her to be a criminal, remember that you came to know this only when she confessed to her wrongdoings. Otherwise, Jacob, she’s still the same person who you would always still love to spend time with. “Remember, Son, you’re only going to get what you ask for in life.”
Then Jacob remembered the Henry Ford quote his Dad constantly told him... “Whether you think you can, or whether you think you cannot, either way you think it and you are right.”
“We build our life, our paradise or our hell through our thinking and then through our actions. So please remember, my son, you are going to attract everything and everyone that you wish for in your life.”
***
Later, while they were having dinner that night at home Ajay said that for his part he had verified Jenifer’s story and had found that she had been telling the truth, that she had acted out of desperation. “I have it verified through my various sources.”
“What verified, Dad?” Jacob asked.
“Jenifer’s story,” he replied calmly.
“Dad, I told you, I don’t want to talk about her anymore,” Jacob said sternly.
“Stop thinking about her,” Ajay’s replied sarcastically. His answer stunned Jacob. He could say nothing because he knew his father was right. He continued to eat his dinner quietly. Again and again a rollercoaster of memories of Jenifer ran through his mind. He tried but he could not get her out of his head. Clearly his attempts were not succeeding.
“I think I need to go someplace else for few months, maybe a holiday or something.”
“Well, to be honest, that’s not the best idea, things will get only worse when you’re all alone.”
“I’m not a kid, Dad,” Jacob protested.
“Then there, my son, is the problem. You’re not a kid, you’re a grown adult with strong emotions and even stronger memories.” Jacob once again looked at his father; a person who never ceased to amaze him with his spiritual insights into his son’s life.
“Dad, just how can I become spiritual like you?” Jacob asked, suddenly all childlike.
Ajay laughed. He understood what Jacob was trying to say and he was most pleased to see how much Jacob had changed.
“Well, do you think she’s not a criminal?”
“Jacob! My son, you just told me that you didn’t want to talk about her anymore,” Ajay quipped, a mischievous smile on his face.
“Dad!” Jacob protested strongly. His mood was spoiled. Ajay left him sitting at the dining table and walked towards his room with a wry smile on his face.
Jacob began once again to think about Jenifer. He had realized lately that he had become completely helpless in stopping himself from thinking about her. “This is getting worse. The harder I try not to think about her, the stronger the memories become. I’ll have to get rid of these feelings. She’s a criminal,” he reasoned. Not only had she hacked into Neil’s cellphone, she’d also broken his trust. But remember she also helped Waverley Davis like no one else could, by protecting us. “Let’s be fair,” he thought.
Firstly, she had confessed to her own crimes.
Secondly, she was responsible for Neil’s arrest but she was also responsible for his release.
Thirdly, she could have cheated on you, not stayed but fled.
Lastly, she could have broken my heart but she didn’t because... He stopped short there, but the challenging thoughts remained.
“I made her do that,” Jacob muttered. “Oh My God,” he uttered as soon as he realized the exact meaning of what Jenifer had said to him before her arrest. She had expressed her love in an unusual way but she had nevertheless confessed it. For the first time in many days, he was able to understand his own situation.
***
“Here it is,” Ken Fellows said then tossed a USB stick towards Anton Sergei as soon as he entered the tent in the desert.
“Is it the design?” Anton Sergei asked anxiously.
“Don’t think that you’re that lucky, Anton,” Ken Fellows said with a smirk on his face.
“The original specification wasn’t there. No one knew, only Ajay knew where they were making it,” Ken said and Anton Sergei was amazed.
“So what is it then?” Anton asked.
“Patience, my dear friend,” he replied. “It’s part of the patent research on that secret project, Project Xerox,” Fellows said proudly. “I think you Russians have the resources and skills to make it work from here on in,” he added.
“I think that’s why the Chinese failed to find anything there,” Anton said.
; “The Chinese were not even close to finding it. They’d no idea what they were looking for. Waverley Davis is a vast space in the cyber world. It’s not easy for anyone to find something unless he has very specific knowledge,” Ken Fellows rightly said. “So when will I get paid?” he added this question at the end.
“Right now, if you want it,” Anton Sergei said with a smile on his face.
“So you’ll wire it now. Well, I think that would be one good use of one of these computers here,” Fellows said laughing with his back turned to Anton. He was looking at the computers they had used to launch the devastating cyber-attack on Waverley Davis that had provided the opportunity for Fellows to get to one of the archive servers and grab a copy of the original patent on which Project Xerox had been designed.
The second Ken Fellows turned around to ask Anton to initiate the wire transfer. He saw the flash of a gun in Anton’s hand.
“What the hell?!” Fellows yelled. “No please...” he called but Anton shot him with three point blank rounds in the chest. Ken Fellows had in fact, died instantly and as soon as he fell on the spot. Anton checked by ensuring that there was no pulse. There was no sign of life. He put the gun back in its holster and calmly walked out of the tent. A few minutes later, a Russian military helicopter picked him up.
Ken Fellows’ dead body lay there in the desert. He had reached the end he had created for himself by attracting negative bad karma.
Once again, the Law of Attraction had exactly delivered.
***
It was just another noisy night in the New York State prison for Jenifer when a guard told her that a new public defender was there to meet her to discuss new developments in her case. She wondered, why change the tactics of her defense solicitor? She had already made it clear to them all on the last visit that she was going to plead guilty in court in the upcoming hearing of her case. What the hell do they want now and more importantly, she wondered, why would any lawyer come to visit her at this hour of night. Something was not quite right. She saw a young slim woman in a smart black suit sitting on one side of table. She wore sunglasses to cover her eyes. She was black haired, tall with an athletically built body. “A new phase of this game,” Jenifer thought and sat on the seat adjacent to the table.
“You’re not a lawyer,” she said as soon as she looked at the face of her guest.
“Impressive,” the other woman said while she pretending to search some papers in the file she held in her hand. Jenifer realized she was someone trained to show no emotion or shock.
“It’s common sense. No lawyer would come to visit a client in the middle of the night. Who are you by the way?” Jenifer was mystified by the woman who was not a lawyer but who was pretending to be.
“What else you can tell about me?” the woman asked, ignoring Jenifer’s taunt.
“You’re from a military background or some private mercenary contractor, trained in hand-to-hand combat.” Jenifer had noticed a small bruise on the other woman’s left hand.
“Not bad, I must say,” she praised Jenifer.
“And you’re a hard lady to find but then that’s common among all good hackers,” she said to Jenifer.
“What do you want at this hour?” Jenifer asked, becoming unnerved by all this drama.
“I’m here to get you out of here,” she replied with a smile. Jenifer was amazed to hear those words.
“So, she’s there to get me out,” she thought.
“Who would do that and why?” Jenifer asked the stranger, even more perplexed.
“Because my employer wants you to be on his side,” came the calm reply.
“Then tell me which side of law your employer is on?” Jenifer asked immediately. The other woman was clearly not expecting the rapidity of Jenifer’s response.
“On the right side,” she answered, “my employer is the only one who can drop all the charges against the state for you. I think now you know who my employer is or can work it out at least.” The woman then handed over some papers for Jenifer to read.
“Go through it,” she said, “and these conditions will be our terms. If you can accept them, then you will be out of here in less than twelve hours.” Jenifer began to read the papers, taking less than two minutes to go through them.
“Pen please,” Jenifer stretched out her hand. The woman smiled and handed her a pen from her pocket.
“A wise choice,” she said and walked out of the room. Jenifer was taken back to her cell.
***
It was Major General Vice who had sent one of his lieutenants to talk to Jenifer and present her with an offer for her release. As a result of accepting those terms and conditions, Jenifer had put her future in the hands of fate.
Without Jacob, every place was the same for her.
She faced a real personal crisis when she was told that Jacob was there to see her. She was desperate to see him but not like this, not under these circumstances.
Jacob had come to meet her after battling his own conscience. He wanted equally to tell Jenifer that he would be leaving her and she must forget him as well.
Both wondered how to end it.
“Hello Jacob,” she initiated the conversation.
“Hey you there,” Jacob replied, “I wanted to tell you something,” and Jenifer’s heart missed a beat. “Is he thinking the same way I have been thinking here in the prison,” she thought.
“I want to move on with my life.” Jenifer’s heart sank into a deep abyss of disappointment on earing Jacob’s words.
“OK. What’s the matter then? I thought you could have done that by now,” she said quietly after hearing about his wish to move on with his life.
“You’re the matter,” he said. “Memories of you are the matter,” he added. “Not being able to stop myself from thinking about you is the problem,” he concluded.
“You’re not alone in this inferno of thoughts,” Jenifer said. Jacob was stunned but stayed quiet. He was still recovering from the shock of his own unintended, confession in front of her.
“How’s Neil?” Jenifer had to muster up a lot of courage to ask him that question.
“How he would be after what you did,” Jacob replied. To that, Jenifer had no answer.
“I wish I could tell him how sorry I am, for doing that stupid thing,” Jenifer commented to break the silence
“She was with me when I hacked into Neil’s mobile. We worked together but she never met him nor did she do anything with Waverley Davis. She tried to keep me away from all of this mess. Jacob, I’m so sorry, I was worried about my Mom.” Jenifer’s voice broke with sorrow and, despite his strong resolve, Jacob or felt sorry for her.
Jacob noted the number of the relevant mobile. He wanted to say something to Jenifer but was unable to find any more words. Jenifer also felt the same. Both had decided not to reveal that inferno of thoughts because both were embarrassed. Jacob was ashamed that he had let words out of his mouth which exposed his true feelings for Jenifer. She was tormented by her predicament and bore the burden of all her crimes on her conscience.
Chapter Thirteen
To do more for the world than the world does for you, that is success.
Henry Ford
A US military convoy was hurtling through the desert after drifting away from its route on a major road in Syria. There were five open top military Range Rovers and one combat vehicle in that convey. It was around dusk. Commander Nathan was leading this assault to apprehend or kill a high value target. He wanted to reach their marked site before complete darkness set in and was told that his time window was closing fast.
“How long left?” he asked someone on the other side of the communication channel as it crackled its reply.
“You’re not far from target but you must hurry. They could leave the zone at any moment.”
“OK,” he shouted back, fixing his eyes on the desert terrain outside.
After a few minutes, the vehicles circled around a big tent that was camouflaged in khaki brown. Nathan’s team took their positions around the tent while he went along with one other unit to close in on the main tent. It was completely dark by now. Just as they were about to enter the tent, all hell broke loose. They were attacked by insurgents from multiple directions with all kinds of small weapons fire including RPGs, sniper fire, mortars etc. Many of the soldiers in Nathan’s team were taken by surprise amid the ferocity of this intense ambush and were killed.
“Control, we’ve been pinned down pretty bad here. We need immediate close air support!” Nathan shouted into the microphone attached to his helmet while returning fire fanatically in the dark.
This entire raid and subsequent situation was being monitored on big screens in the operational control room of the Pentagon. Two Apache helicopters were diverted to assist Nathan and his team. Drones were already in the theatre but because of a greater number of kill zone Hellfire missiles, they were not being used. Nathan and his squad were trying to fight while keeping an eye on that big tent. Suddenly, he realized that no one had fired a single shot from inside the tent and no one had come out of it either.
“Sir, we’re running low on firepower!” suddenly one of his team members shouted.
“Only use thermals. Only shoot something that you can see through your scopes. Reduce suppressing fire. If we can’t hit them from here, we’re not in their line of fire,” he instructed his men.
Within minutes, he could hear the sound of two hovering Apache helicopters some distance away. They were there in three minutes, the tables had been instantly turned and as they opened fired, all the insurgents were eliminated. Nathan and his men stormed the tent and found four critically wounded men inside. The camera on his helmet was relaying everything live to the Pentagon Control Unit where the entire situation was being assessed. Nathan was asked to identify the primary target and tried to save all four lives.