Noble rested the tablet on his lap. Stunned, he recited the words, “My father rejected me as his son!”
Slightly shaken, he glanced once again at Simon’s confession, or rather his last declaration.
My ultimate revenge would have been to achieve a goal Osama himself had not been able to achieve—to give the Islamic Coalition at the United Nations a powerful seat at the table. My friend, if you are reading this confession then the ultimate revenge will be yours to enjoy! But be careful, Baari and I were only bit players in this drama—Act Three has yet to begin—watch out.
Stay safe Lordy.
Simon
Noble slouched back in his seat dumbfounded by the entire affair, finding it difficult to comprehend. It had finally ended.
Without warning, the rap on the window startled him. His deep penetrating thoughts kept him from hearing the whirling sound of the helicopter that landed less than fifty feet away.
It was Max.
Noble stepped out of the car still holding the tablet.
As anticipated, Max bombarded him with her first question. “What the hell is going on?” Then she quickly noticed the look on his face and calmly asked, “What’s happening, boss? You look like you just saw a ghost.”
He flashed the tablet. “Simon’s confession. Evidently, he had composed it sometime in the past, but based on the date and time on the email, he sent it minutes before we cornered him.”
Max was stunned. “Did you find anything revealing?”
“We’ll discuss it when we’re back in Washington. Where’s Stanton?”
“He’s working the forensics on the car. The body is in the bag.”
“Max, are you okay?”
“No, Noble. I am hiding what some consider a national icon. And I am sure there’s a crime in there somewhere.”
“Just bring all the evidence back to Washington as quickly as possible. I need to get back to inform the president.”
“What about Senator Townsend? Baari was her husband.”
“I’ll handle it.”
“I guess I had the senator figured wrong. Maybe she was telling the truth about Baari threatening her and forcing her to help Simon.”
“Max, you have your orders,” Noble stated sternly.
“Understood.” Max let up. It was obvious that everyone was frazzled. She backed off and changed the subject. “We’ll take care of things on this end and then meet you back in Washington in a few hours. I have the pilot standing by at the airport to take you back.”
“Thanks, to both you and Stanton.” Noble replied, modifying his prior sternness. Then he turned and headed to the helicopter.
Once airborne, Noble took one last look at the crime scene below encircled with the yellow tape. It was a strange view as he also saw the spray from the Falls in the background.
The pilot noted the distraught look on Noble’s face and interjected, “Sorry Director Bishop that he got away. It’s common knowledge among us agents that al-Fadl was a personal quest of yours—perhaps you’ll have another chance to nab him in the future.”
“Excuse me, you and I witnessed the same scene.” Noble responded with annoyance.
The pilot stole a quick glance, making eye contact. “I guess you’re not aware that in June of 2011, a woman in her thirties jumped off the Peace Bridge—and survived.”
Noble stared straight-ahead attempting to push the slightest possibility out of his mind.
POSTSCRIPT
Today’s society’s preference is to absorb knowledge via some form of entertainment. Fiction is one medium that has satisfied readers’ tastes since time immemorial. My goal is to increase the awareness of readers to current events by embedding factual knowledge in an entertaining fictional format. The plots in my books are pure unadulterated fiction conjured up in my imagination, but generously sprinkled with unassailable facts. Any facts conveyed are supported by intensive research, in fairness to my readers.
To quote Francis Bacon: “Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.” So what if it could happen? What if it did happen? What if it is happening? One should not avoid asking these incisive questions. To ponder these questions sheds the needed light on critical events.
The most severe problem facing our nation is not the issue of global warming; it is the dilution of our basic values. Our complacency, our detachment, our inability to give up our “stuff “ for the greater good, and our unabated willingness to compromise our individual freedoms preciously fought for by others—sow the seeds for the downfall of the greatest nation in history. We see the erosion of our values in our daily lives. Rugged individualism has been sacrificed on the altar of government dependency. Personal accountability is disappearing rapidly.
Years ago, I learned from a wise professor about the Five Threads that shape and bind our society. She taught me that the political, social, cultural, geographic, and economic effects—or threads—touch every aspect of our lives. The threads that weave the fabric of our society should be compatible and progress in unison. If one thread is seriously out of balance and dominates, it leaves the others in knots. Today, the political thread has created chaos in all parts of our society. It is time to recapture our basic values and bring balance to our social order.
The tapestry created by the five threads is becoming worn and tattered as we stray further from the values that shaped this great nation. The possibilities exposed in “The Simon Trilogy” will become reality played out in our streets and inside our government, if we stand back idly as the threads unravel. If, after reading The Ultimate Revenge, you ask yourself the all-encompassing question “What if?” I urge you to read Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke for a futuristic tale of the potential aftermath of our failings, if we do not act.
—Sally Fernandez
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I offer my deep appreciation and gratitude to my publisher, David Dunham, for his continued confidence in me as a novelist, and for giving of his own time to see my projects to fruition. I am eternally grateful to my dear friend Susie Coelho, who opened up this opportunity by bringing David and me together, sparking this whole adventure.
My profound thanks go to my special inner-circle of talented readers whose suggestions and insights helped enrich all three books in “The Simon Trilogy"—Ann Howells, Donna Post, and Alfredo Vedro.
Lastly, there is no way to thank all of my friends and family who continue to support my efforts and forgive my frequent absences.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sally Fernandez’ career background includes project management, business planning, and technology, with additional experience in technical and business writing. Her books of fi ction are based on knowledge garnered from careers in banking, computer technology, and business consulting, while living in New York City, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.
Fernandez’ foray into writing fi ction began in 2007 when the 2008 presidential election cycle was in full swing. The overwhelming political spin by the media compelled her to question the frightening possibilities the political scene could generate. A confi rmed political junkie, she took to the keyboard armed with unwinding events and discovered a new and exciting career.
The Ultimate Revenge is the conclusion to “The Simon Trilogy.” Her earlier books in the trilogy, Brotherhood Beyond the Yard and Noble’s Quest, provide an exhilarating platform for the launch of this fi nal chapter of a gripping narrative that challenges the reader to put the book down. The ever-elusive Simon’s daring escape from a high security prison allows him to add unheard of dimensions to the classic cat and mouse game he has played with Noble, the SIA Director.
A world traveler, Ms. Fernandez and her husband split time between their homes in the United States and Italy.
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