MEEK

by Richard Johnson

  “Oh yeah, that will do me nicely,” said Toni

  “Yep, and the pool and tennis court around the back,” replied Mark, smiling. They parked the car and Barry was there wearing shorts, T-shirt and a barbeque apron. He hugged Mark and kissed Toni.

  “My, my, you guys look happy, and I’m very happy to see you. Come around the back I’ve got a pig on a spit, there are no Muslims allowed on this property.” They were introduced like they were husband and wife. Toni was holding Mark’s hand. There were Barry’s wife Barbara and their two teenage daughters, Maggie and Mellisa. The guests were two men called Jack and Daniel who Mark sussed as ASIO agents.

  “Probably not their real names,” he whispered to Toni.

  There were some friends of Barbara’s and a young man named Richard Hart who was something in British business, he was in his mid twenties and did not seem at ease. His girlfriend was making up for him though and decided to be Toni’s friend. Her name was Jane and in contrast to her boyfriend was bubbly and excitable. The barbeque was excellent and everybody relaxed and mingled exceptionally well. Around mid afternoon, while the ladies were busy with washing up, Barry indicated he wanted Mark to come into his study.

  Jack and Daniel were there. “It’s time for me to come clean Mark. There is a situation brewing with Islam in Sri Lanka. The present ambassador is old school and frankly he just isn’t up to the job, just one of those ex pollies with no real credentials. Your country needs you, mate. We will be moving the ambassador back to a bullshit desk job for a year, then letting him go to some board or other in private enterprise. I want you to take his place in Sri Lanka.”

  “I’m flattered, but my tenure doesn’t finish until December, and, well, something very tempting has just come up, it’s unlikely I’ll want to leave Australia for a while.”

  “I can fix anything Mark, Jack and Daniel are here to witness and back up any offers I make. Your tenure ends December first, we want you in Colombo December second. Take Toni with you as your personal assistant, if you wish. This is really important mate, things are coming to a head and we believe the Muslims are getting ready to declare war on Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka falls, India geographically is surrounded and India is a huge trading partner. We are also concerned that our aid program is corrupt. You are good at this shit and will be able to work out if we are being screwed and by whom; you also speak a bit of Hindi.”

  Jack spoke next. “Professor, it is fair to say that you are aware that Australia will have to come out of the closet soon and the stand against Islam will not be pleasant. You are one among many we have vetted for placing in positions of significance. We are preparing for a change of policy and national direction to ensure the survival of this nation and its democratic values.” Daniel, who had been sitting quietly, had not taken his eyes off Mark for a second, now it was his turn to speak

  “The shit will hit the fan in the next twelve months. The old ways of doing things will be obsolete. Those who want to keep on playing their games will find themselves swept under the carpet. Those who have been profiteering from Islam by selling out this country will face a commission. We have been taking their names for years and they will be given a choice; help fund us or do time. You will find a different set of ears listening with an agenda more to your liking.” They had all had their say and were waiting for Mark to say something.

  Mark was feeling stunned. “A new set of ears? Hmm, I’m not sure if I believe that. Oz has always been same old same old,” said Mark.

  “More different than you can possibly imagine. Let’s just say we have someone waiting in the wings with nothing to lose. We know where your loyalties lie, you will be pleasantly surprised by what’s on its way,” said Jack.

  “How long will the assignment be?”

  “You will, I’m afraid, be signing up for life mate. I can’t say how long you will be in Sri Lanka as we will be flying by the seat of our pants. This is all top level security. What Jack and Daniel have told you is for only a few ears and that does not include anyone in Parliament,” Barry replied.

  “You are not even briefing the Prime Minister?” The other three were shaking their heads.

  “No point, he is on his way out, he just doesn’t know it yet,” explained Jack.

  Mark was feeling uncomfortable, the conversation was not what he had expected, this was no simple job offer.

  “The young Englishman, what’s he doing here?” Barry looked at Jack and Daniel who nodded, then turned to Mark.

  “He is representing the British consortium that put up twenty percent of the money for the planned Mars launch in two years’ time. He is here to tell us his consortium has been ripped off by the Americans. They don’t think their other partners are going to honour their commitments. The domestic political situation in the US has taken priority and so the launch will not happen. The consortium he represents has gone international and is disregarding national boundaries. He has made us a proposition but, although it is one we would like to accept, we are trying to persuade him to wait a while. Things need to come to a head and once we have consolidated our own political agenda, we will be in a position to deal honestly with him. I can say no more than that until I know if you are going to join us.”

  “Baz, this whole thing is sounding a bit like some sort of coup.”

  “Hmm, Australians don’t do stuff like that, do we?” No one was smiling.

  Mark looked closely at their expressions. This was deadly serious stuff.

  “I’ll have an answer for you by midday tomorrow, but be prepared to spill the beans,” said Mark

  “Fair enough, let us join the others.”

  The evening consisted of a light but formal dinner. Caterers had been called in. A string quartet from the conservatorium turned up and played for an hour. They were friends of Barry’s children. It turned into a very memorable and romantic evening. Barbara was observed at one stage of the evening whispering to Toni in a corner. They were both smiling so Mark presumed it was just girls’ talk. Ten minutes later Toni whispered in Mark’s ear, “We are in bedroom seven, the number is on the door.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  May 2022 CHANGES OF DIRECTION.

  “I’m not taking the job unless you come with me, that’s final.” Mark was sitting on the bed putting on his socks, Toni had just come out of the shower and was standing in front of him wrapped in a large, fluffy white towel. “It’s all a bit mind-blowing, honey. Things are going a bit fast for me.”

  Toni was trying to weigh up all the scenarios as she spoke. She was not about to encourage this man to go and get killed in a far off country, she had other plans for his future.

  “We have until midday, let’s mull it over during breakfast then ask to meet them at eleven. We will have to leave after we have given our decision,” suggested Mark.

  Eleven o’clock in Barry’s study found Jack, Daniel, Barry, Toni and Mark sitting around Barry’s huge desk, which was more like a conference table. “The answer is yes, we will both go. However, if things get difficult over there I want to be able to put Toni on a plane straight back.”

  “That’s fine. You will need to sign papers accepting your appointments. Also security authorisation forms. You will be sent updates by courier to the University on developments with a final briefing the last week in November.” There was a lot of paper shuffling and signatures being signed, followed by handshaking.

  “I will be able to take you into our full confidence once the paperwork is processed,” said Barry.

  Toni and Mark got in the car and left twenty minutes later. Barry saw the look on his wife’s face as they waved goodbye. “Yes, I know, I have never seen him so happy either. I wonder if I’ll ever find a girl like that?” Barbara hit him with the bunch of flowers she was holding.

  Toni moved in with Mark one month later, which was a huge leap of faith for Mark. They went to Sydney to meet the parents, which was a bit strained at first as Toni’s parents were only five years older than Mark. They got engage
d while in Sydney and returned there to be married in October. Mark failed thirty percent of his class in November, his students were incapable of escaping their own religious biases. Logic and objectivity were no longer valued and it was reflected in their work. The board was not amused and told him so. He smiled politely and cleaned out his desk. Toni would miss her graduation as she would be overseas. The briefing before they left was very formal, Barry looked like he had the weight of the nation on his shoulders.

  “There are strong indications our aid is buying weapons but we need to prove who is doing the buying before we cut it off. The new political party you have been hearing about will present its leader in the new year. We expect you both to vote for him. He will have unlimited resources at his disposal. The Reformation Party already has the support of the business community, the Catholic church, the military, Buddhists and the gay community. The public service is being leant on to support them also, even though they know the bureaucracy is to be decimated. His true political agenda is being fuzzed until after he gets into power, then it will move so fast that the populace will be swept along with it. That’s the plan. There will be violence on the streets for a short time as Muslims and radical Christians realise it’s all over for them. We expect the far left will fade away once they are no longer trendy and their politically correct jobs disappear. Members will receive various forms of personal incentives to support the right legislation. The new PM and his cabinet will work very closely with us and ASIO. Experts such as yourself, Mark, will influence policy direction directly, political opposition will be stifled. The media will be controlled as usual.” Barry shook hands with them both. “Things are going to get nasty mates, stay in love OK?”

  They moved into the Embassy itself. In the old days they could have lived outside the Embassy compound, but those days were well and truly gone. The accommodation was sumptuous. Mark decided to set up a small suite of offices in Kandy. The purpose was to have a low security venue which was easier for the jihadists to infiltrate. It was impossible to get information if you’re locked inside a compound. In combination with special forces a sting operation was developed. The plan was to move a large quantity of food and cash from Colombo to Kandy in one large truck in the dark hours of early morning; an easy target. Three helicopters with soldiers would be above the truck with no lights showing using infra red. The truck driver was to abandon the truck as soon as he became aware of an attack and run for his life. The helicopters would attack at that point. It proved to be moderately successful; three of the enemy were taken alive back to the Embassy in Colombo. The incident “never happened” as Mark wanted them interrogated by Australian authorities without any interference from the UN. They were shipped secretly to Christmas Island and Barry and ASIO met them there.

  December came and Toni announced that she was pregnant. Mark decided to get her a family photo album for Christmas, although really it was for him. They also started choosing names. They decided they didn’t want to know what sex it was as they were happy with whatever they got. Christmas was a quiet affair, just the two of them making plans for the rest of their lives together. The rounds of official receptions had worn them down, it was still the first year of their marriage and they valued their time together highly. New year came and they decided to invite a few friends, which turned into a list of just over seventy not including staff. Mark had never been a party animal and was well and truly ready to go to bed at one thirty a.m. when they walked the last of the guests to their waiting cars in the driveway.

  The explosion was all he remembered and not very well. Later CCTV film showed it to be a rocket-launcher attack fired from the gate, the guards were already dead. Mark had been walking behind the main group between two parked vehicles, which protected him from most of the explosion. Toni was walking arm in arm with a friend in the middle of the driveway and was killed instantly. A second rocket was fired at the building itself. The culprits got away amid the chaos.

  CHAPTER THREE

  2025 FEBRUARY, HEALING WOUNDS SLOWLY

  Mark was on leave. After getting out of hospital he had some minor plastic surgery done in Sydney, then was given a year off. The year was turning into eighteen months. Barry had been right about everything, the Australian Reformation Party had swept into power. All immigration had been halted, all immigrants whether they were Australian citizens or not who had been convicted of two criminal offences in the past ten years were deported. Mosques and Islamic centres were confiscated by the government and Islam was declared an unlawful organisation. Muslims were denied welfare and encouraged to leave. They were offered free airfares and cash incentives to renounce their Australian citizenship. Non mainstream churches and religious organisations were denied charity status for taxation purposes. All religious schools were taken over by the Commonwealth government without compensation. Aid to countries deemed as ‘non friendly’ were terminated. Consulates of non-friendly countries were taken over and their employees expelled. The populace were allowed access to arms under license and compulsory conscription was introduced for the long term unemployed under the age of thirty. Riots took place on a daily basis and Australia was condemned by the UN. War had broken out in Sri Lanka and looked to become an easy Islamic victory, but most turned away from the sight of the ensuing atrocities. China, which had also expelled Muslims, turned to more violent methods and found itself embroiled in a conflict stretching along two thousand kilometres of its northern borders. The European Union had dissolved the year before and the individual states were in turmoil fighting Islamists on the street while trying to control the right-wing in their native populace. The Islamic block, concerned that other countries would follow Australia, boycotted all trade and demanded the UN throw Australia out and join in the sanctions; which they did as an act of appeasement. Border incursions had been initiated and Australian troops were sent to New Guinea where a large permanent base was set up. Food supplies were short and Australians went on rations. The nation as a whole started to turn itself into a self-sufficient fortress. Military units upheld a nightly curfew, it became commonplace for criminals and would-be Islamic terrorists to be shot on sight, by accident. The death penalty was reintroduced as was conscription, the crime rate fell away to zero, the welfare budget shrank dramatically and the military grew; this was in later days called “the cleansing period”.

  The Reformation Party’s popularity was buoyed by zero unemployment, a revitalised economy and low crime statistics.

  Barry came to see Mark at his town house. There were no photos of Toni anywhere to be seen.

  “I suppose you have come to see if I’m fit for work?”

  “There is no rush Mark, it’s entirely up to you. If you want a six-month extension all you have to do is ask, mate.” In reality Barry was very keen to get Mark back and was concerned about his emotional state.

  “I don’t know Baz, I just don’t know.”

  “The real reason I came was to tell you about that aid hijack thing you set up back in Sri Lanka. We tied up all the loose ends on it and I thought you may be interested in the conclusions.”

  “OK, go ahead,” said Mark.

  “Well, they weren’t Muslims, they were Christians. Americans.”

  “What the hell! What were they trying to achieve?”

  “Apparently the American administration is complicit with right-wing Christian and Jewish groups. The theory is this: Christian/Jewish America does not want trouble with Islam and they have done a deal. While the rest of the world is embroiled in conflict, the USA makes money with business as usual and gains preference status with Islam. This is because they have decided someone has to make the guns and the Coca Cola. Meanwhile the Christian right controls the administration. It was the Christian right who were stealing our money and letting Islam take the blame. It is in America’s interest for everyone to keep fighting and leave big business alone. An attempt to remove ourselves from the game and become isolationist has angered both sides, it wasn’t supposed to
happen. They obviously infiltrated us before you even went to Sri Lanka. You will notice how all of the Americas have quietened down. There are to be two spheres of influence. I suppose the Yanks figure we will all exhaust ourselves eventually, then it will be business as usual and we will be easy pickings for commercial takeovers. The PM has retaliated by kicking American bases out of Australia, he had no choice as in the event of trouble we could not trust them. We are truly on our own and set up for an invasion from the north. We are increasing our military capacity as fast as we can and trying to consolidate an alliance with New Zealand. So far New Zealand is uncommitted and still trying to deal with the Muslims by appeasement. We all know how that ends.”

  Mark had gone very pale. “So tell me, the rocket attack at the Embassy, who really did it?”

  “Honestly Mark, we will probably never know for sure but let’s say blaming it on Islam is a bit simplistic.”

  Mark was feeling angry and useless. He suddenly realised he owed it to Toni to get off his bum and fight back. “What’s the plan Baz?”

  “At this stage it’s survival; one interesting development has occurred and if you are interested we would like your input.”

  “Fire away.”

  “Do you remember the young Englishman at the barbeque at my place? I remember I told you he had come to us with a proposition.”

  “Yes, I remember him.”

  “The situation was this. The Americans wanted to back out of the Mars programme, they were strapped for cash and science and technology is not favoured by the Christian right who see it as an attempt to disprove the existence of God. Something they have common ground with Islam. The EU was basically fucked by the migration invasion and all its resources were needed to appease the invaders. Russia was in the same situation but is spoiling for a showdown, they will never attempt to appease Islam. China ended up in its current state of debilitating warfare on its northern border because it shared Russia’s attitude. When the US pulled out support for South Korea, China could not afford to have North Korea out of control creating another front. Then, six months ago when Islamics were caught pouring their resources into North Korea, well, as you know China blew away two million North Koreans and the south invaded. This left everybody too occupied to worry about Mars. That’s where we came in. Richard Hart represented a lot of money and a little power. His proposition was to transfer the launch facility to northern Australia. He wanted us to provide land and basic infrastructure and a couple of billion. It was to become a joint project between international free enterprise, Japan and Australia. They had already sunk buckets of money in it and were fully committed. Once we put the Reformation Party in power we said yes. Subsequent events have left us unable to put the couple of billion in. However, much to our surprise the consortium put money and resources our way instead. They figured they needed us to survive and want to use us as a safe haven for their global enterprises. This has been an amazing stroke of luck for us. With their backup we are no longer a pushover. Within less than a year we will be off rations and well armed.”