Chapter 40
Sarah and Tolu sat in their usual seats and greeted the friendly faces of the other congregants around them. Admittedly, it felt very strange not to have James at their side; and Sarah, though feeling off about it, graciously explained her husband’s absence to those who politely inquired—“An unexpected work assignment had come up that he needed to attend to, but he’ll be back soon.” A sharp vibrating in her purse pulled away her attention for a moment, and she dug in to find her phone. It was James. He was calling her! Her heart leapt, but her hand resisted as the pastor suddenly spoke out a greeting to the assembly. She would have to call him back. She sent a quick smile to Tolu, who had been watching her curiously, and placed the phone back in the purse. She felt a second vibrating of the bag, and discretely checked the screen. A text message was lit up briefly before fading away. ‘I love you,’ it said.
Sarah took her hand from her purse for the final time and sat back in her seat with a smile on her face.
I love you.
The words soared through her mind and lifted her heart. Suddenly, the sun seemed brighter, the days seemed more joyful, and the disappointments of the past week seemed mere trifles. James loved her. He missed her and was thinking about her. Everything was going to be all right. In her elation, she dreamed; envisioning what the future must be for them from now on—once he had come home from this unexpectedly expanded business trip. She understood, of course, now. How he had been pressured. How he couldn’t have just said “no” to his manager’s wishes of him flying off to Africa without notice.
But, now that they were aware of this inclination of James’ newest employer, she was certain they would be able to guard against it. The deal had been ‘no travel’. James had established that at his GED interview. The manager had promised office work only. And, from now on, that is what James was going to stick to. She was sure of it. In a comforting imagination, Sarah saw James home from Africa, back in his London office. His manager would say, “James, we need to head out to such and such a place this week.” And her polite, but firm husband would remind the manager of the terms under which he had taken the job. “Thank you, but I took this position with the guarantee of no out-of-city traveling, and I must insist those terms be upheld.” The manager would commend James for his respect of agreements and find somebody else. James would then happily come home, every night, and spend time with his family. That is how they would move forward.
“Amen!” A hearty voice called out from the row behind. Sarah was jerked back from her thoughts. She re-focused on the pastor at the pulpit. What had he said? Oh, he was talking about the parable of the Prodigal Son. How appropriate—a man returns to his family after realizing the mistake he made in leaving them. Habitually, Sarah’s hand moved to find her husband’s and give it a squeeze. She pulled it back abruptly with the promise: don’t worry; he’ll be here next week.
She continued listening as the pastor began speaking about the Prodigal’s life away from his father. Enthralled with his new riches, the son had abandoned his upbringing and engaged in reckless and immoral behavior. He made friends fast, eager to please and free in this spending. What they wanted from him, he gave. What they suggested he did; he gave in. What he never would have done at home he now did without any restraint of conscience.
An ache began to grow where just moments ago joy had thrived. And the sunlight was darkened by a cloud. Though she vehemently denied the shadowed thoughts now feinting in the corners of her mind, Sarah couldn’t help it…The face of the licentious Hebrew man in her vision darkened; his eye color morphed from subtle olive to deep brown; his hair changed from long mahogany locks to a familiar shorn cut as black as a starless sky. James. As the pastor continued the tale of the son’s abandon, Sarah watched. And cringed. All the while shouting within her that James would never do anything like this. Still the visions came in tormenting sweeps. It was only after the money was gone. Only after he had nowhere else to go that he finally went home. The father forgave him right away; but Sarah wasn’t sure she could be so lenient. Inexplicable and illogical dread washed across Sarah’s heart; and, suddenly, she felt that something was very wrong.
“And now, let us pray,” the pastor said invitingly to the people.
Sarah bowed her head, but whispered her own words above the pastor’s. “Heavenly Father, I don’t know why, but I am very worried about James. Please help him to remember that we love him and miss him. Help him to remember your Word and to do what is right. Please, grant peace to my heart while he is away, and, please, bring him home soon and safely.
“Amen.”
Chapter 41
“Ready to make this deal happen?” Cyndi asked James as their car pulled up to the curb in front of the old but well-kept government building.
“Ready as ever,” James answered with a lightness of tone and sparkle in his eye. Cyndi seemed noticeably annoyed at his overt peppiness; but they had no time to talk it over now. Their doors were opened, and the pair were again escorted into the building to the security center where their briefcases were scanned and their gust badges re-administered. From there, they were led to the same room they had sat in on Friday—a large, open space with little décor upon the off-white textured walls. The large oval table, which several days ago had only been half-full, was teeming this morning with eager faces. Several officials got up to greet the newcomers and make a few introductions before they all seated themselves and got down to business. James’ projected numbers concerning the potential benefits to the Okada Republic’s economy were pleasing to all attending, as was his presentation of the health benefits for the country. “The Rigula virus has been devastating South America, and as you know the WHO recently predicted that it would spread across the globe in only a matter of time. As we speak, GED is testing an antidote. As soon as it has cleared official inspection, it will be ready to distribute. Of course, batches will be sent to those most in need, but GED also takes care of its own. If you sign on with us, the antidote that can save the lives of your people is as good as yours.”
This was received especially well, however, the concern over the economic risks and possible negative outcomes were not lacking in being expressed.
“And what about the inherent risks of letting outside companies manage our resources?” asked the Minister of Energy. “How will we know that the interests of our citizens and commerce will remain the top priority when our resource management will be in the hands of, well, unattached strangers?”
He cast a piercingly discerning eye upon James and Cyndi, working to read into all that they said…or all that they didn’t say. Fortunately, James in all honesty, had nothing to hide. The deal was good, and he very much wanted the government officials to agree for the simple reason of it being of great benefit to their country and people. As he had for all the questions addressed to him that morning, James answered the minister with his usual quick, smooth confidence. “GED will be involved in all stages—namely, oil exploration, extraction, circulation, infrastructure, country rehabilitation and debt refinancing—guaranteeing that the vision we are working to promote with you through this deal will never be lost in and among the many companies that will be involved—”
“It’s true,” gracefully cut in Cyndi, “that the companies themselves will be strangers to the Ukadan Republic. But their involvement will be supervised by Mr. Mode, who would be your Economic Adviser concerning this contract and your personal GED Liaison Executive.”
James inwardly started at the sudden position Cyndi had just agreed to place him in, but was able to keep his cool and meet the expectant eyes around the table, confidently affirming her words as if he had known about it all along.
“And I trust,” she continued her deal-clinching speech, “that you can see how determined he is—how determined GED is to see that everything works toward the primary goal of benefiting your people, including the present and future state of health. From what I hear, this Rigula virus is no joke. James’ experi
ence and personal commitment to the development, poverty reduction, healthcare of this country; ladies and gentlemen, essentially eliminates any possible risk.”
The room was silent as working minds contemplated and calculated. The effect of Cyndi’s words had been strong; but would they be strong enough? Would they be able to weigh the balance in their favor against the fierce, long-standing sense of guardianship and responsibility these leaders felt for their nation? The silence grew longer and uneasy—not a good sign.
Then, the Minister of Finances stood and scanned the faces at the table before setting a trusting gaze on James. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” she addressed the table with a deep, strong voice. “I love our country, and have no greater wish than to live knowing I’ve done everything I can to promote its peace, prosperity and health. I haven’t known Mr. Mode for long, but an acquaintance of mine, Dr. Kakoaba, has. I spoke with him this weekend, and he personally vouched for Mr. Mode. And from his words, mannerisms, and confidence we’ve seen today, I personally feel that Mr. Mode’s competence, integrity, and compassion can be trusted. I do not believe he will let the Ukadan Republic down.
“I say we take the deal.”
Chapter 42
The contract was signed, and Cyndi whisked James away like a whirlwind.
“Lots to do back at headquarters,” Cyndi insinuated as she goaded James to wheedle his way through the forest of handshakes and grins. “Not a moment to lose, you know.”
In a rush, James found himself seated back on the plane hearing the engines rev up to a loud, high-pitched hum. Their things, Cyndi told him, had already been gathered from the hotel and were safely aboard. When he asked her why their departure needed to be so sudden, she simply waved him off by stating, “Maximos wants to see you.”
It was a long and uneventful flight back to Brussels. Cyndi remained closed up most of the time—lost in the intricate, demanding rhythm of her work and continually changing partners from laptop to tablet to cell phone. James tapped on his own laptop for a little while before setting it aside, eager to find something else to do to break up the mundaneness of it. He settled for seating himself closer to the back of the plane and ordering a few interesting dishes from the attendant. Then, he called home and talked to his family—promising to see them soon—before stretching back in a reclining seat and letting himself doze off. His sleep was deeper than he had anticipated—the strain from the last several fast-paced days catching up with him—and he awoke to the gentle shaking of his shoulder by the attendant. They were landing in twenty minutes.
James rubbed his eyes and glanced over at Cyndi. It didn’t look like she had moved a muscle since he had drifted off nearly—he checked his watch—four and a half hours ago. For her sake, he hoped that wasn’t the case. They touched down; and in another flurry of haste made their way to the waiting car which sped them to HQ. Unlike his first drive through Brussels, which seemed like years ago rather than days, James didn’t take in the passing buildings with much enthusiasm or appreciation. He was too busy thinking about what Maximos might want with him, and what was going to be the next “spontaneous” item on the list that they were going to have him do.
While he was pondering, the light of his cell phone suddenly glared bright in the night-infused car, and he quickly looked down at it. There was a text message from Sarah.
“You know,” Cyndi drawled without looking at him, “there’s a certain amount of discretion and privacy attached to your new position here at GED. No one should be given much information about your operations—not even your wife.”
Wordlessly, James put the phone down and stared out of the front windshield for the remainder of the ride. He had to admit that he had been communicating with Sarah a lot, but he didn’t think, excessively; nor did they really talk about anything concerning his work—just mostly about themselves and Tolu. But maybe he was being unprofessional…or maybe Cyndi was bothered by it for another reason all together. Either way, he would work on toning it down to just times when he was completely alone. Inwardly he frowned at that prospect; it didn’t seem he would likely have many moments to himself while he was here in Brussels. But, he countered with relief, his stay here shouldn’t last too much longer now that his given task was complete; and there would be plenty of time to talk with his family when he got home.
Chapter 43
The car gave off an almost audible screech as it halted in front of the familiar GED Headquarters entrance. Without waiting for the driver to open her door, Cyndi grabbed her bag and pushed the car door open with a firm arm. She was already scanning her hand at the sliding doors by the time James caught up.
“Welcome, Ms. Pale,” GED’s artificial host greeted as the doors opened. “Mr. Maximos is already on his way to the Wyndemere Conference Room. If you take the elevator to—”
“Yes, I know how to get there,” Cyndi snapped—her tone as sharp as her heels clicking on the polished flagstone floor.
“Good evening, Mr. Mode.” The voice continued speaking around them as they moved down the hallway. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“Uh…fine.” James didn’t know what else to say. He still felt silly talking to someone who wasn’t really there.
The electronic guide resumed silence both in speech and color as Cyndi—who didn’t need the guiding strip of blue light to direct her to her destination—led James through the intricate network of the tower’s extensive innards. They were just crossing a grey-marbled foyer when the unforgettable silhouette of Maximos entered from an adjacent hallway and met them with open arms.
“The hunter’s home from the hill!” he announced with a triumphant air. James, shaking his hand warmly, noticed he was wearing a freshly pressed, tailor-cut suit which was remarkably the same color as his slicked back inky hair and finely trimmed beard.
“Excuse the lack of my usual evening attire,” Maximos said with a wide grin, seeming to read James’ mind. “But you’ve arrived just in time for a very important meeting, and one certainly can’t attend those in dressing robes.”
James’ face reciprocated the humor of his boss’s jest as the two of them walked in the eager wake of Cyndi, who was already making her way down the next hallway. The men picked up their pace to follow, but not enough for James to miss the change in the flooring design from the foyer into the hallway. The grey-flecked marble continued on, but now, placed in measured intervals on the floor, were large, gold-trimmed decals depicting circles with various shapes inside. One thin circle had a dove with an olive branch outlined within it. Another had a bridge spanning two masses of land. A third held an outline of three flags whose poles were crisscrossed together. Several, he even noticed, looked like outdated versions of GED’s current logo.
“Ah, symbols,” Maximos proffered as he noticed James observing the floor décor. “We come across them every day: logos, television, movies, plaques, engravings, and so forth. Some ordinary, some ancient. Some superfluous, others…riddled with deep meanings.”
“They certainly are powerful things,” concurred James politely, getting used to the feeling that he didn’t fully understand—or wasn’t meant to fully understand—what Maximos was really communicating to him.
They reached the Wyndemere conference room a moment later and courteously thanked Cyndi for holding the door as they passed in first. The room, though seeming to be about the same size as the one James and Cyndi had worked in before their West Africa trip, had a very different feel to it. The decorative tone was dominated by deep shades of burgundy and brown, with long, thick curtains hanging closed against the walls. The overhead lights were held in check at a soft dim, except for one strong beam allowed to envelope a circular, dark cherry wood table. Sitting around the table were several men and women who immediately stood and greeted the newcomers. James couldn’t keep the surprise off his face when his supervisor from the London branch, Derek Smith, came forward to offer him a hearty hello.
“Surprised to see me here, I’ll bet,” Derek s
aid with a rather sloppy, jovial grin which James found he much preferred over Maximos’ perfectly suave one. “How was your trip? Not that I don’t already know, eh? News travels instantly around here…to the right people, anyway. You’re a success, James! I knew that you would be.”
“This is James Mode,” said Maximos’, his low, smooth voice cutting across the room before his arm hooked James around the shoulders and pulled him from his colleague’s attention. “Our newest executive who will be managing our West Africa affairs. James, these fine ladies and gentlemen hold positions like yourself—delegates, if you will, to different regions around the world.” Several heads nodded and words were exchanged in brief greeting before Maximos bade everyone to take a seat and motioned to Cyndi, who was holding a small remote in her hand. She pushed a button and the walls around them were suddenly replaced by a montage of images which raced around the room in a wide, mesmerizing band.
“Who here can tell me,” Maximos began, his fingers steepled to a perfect point, “what is the most profitable, indispensable, global commodity we have that holds the most potential for being a vehicle of world peace?”
The executives took a moment to think, trying to ignore their innate need to identify the contents of the bright, streaming images flying around the room and focus on the question.
“James?” Maximos’ impatience prompted him to mandate a volunteer.
“Technology?” James guessed.
A broad grin spread across Maximos’ face as he seemed to revel in the power of being the only one holding the right answer.
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