#
At the sight of Felicia Lange, Peacock’s heart jumped. The last time she’d seen Felicia, she knocked her out cold. In fact, all three of the people coming toward her had unpleasant partings due to her rage and insanity.
Felicia hugged her close and Peacock whispered, “I’m sorry about drugging you.”
“I didn’t feel a thing. I love you, Boss.”
Carter Pike gave her a hug when Felicia stepped away. “All’s forgiven. I’m glad you’ve got that probe out of your head.”
She grinned at him. The hug was enough. She didn’t need to say a thing.
Then she faced Loomis. He smiled at her and said, “I was shocked when told you picked me for your team.”
Peacock laughed. “The three of you are the best I know.”
She hugged Loomis close and said, “Say anything to Arthur about us and I’ll cut your balls off.” Then she continued, “Other than now, I can’t touch you. I’ll lose control of my senses.”
He nodded.
She sensed a little joy flow through Loomis. She’d told him volumes, too much. He’d have to deal with his emotions as well. Not love by any means, but their bodies lusted when near each other.
Van Meer motioned them all into their chairs. “I’ve selected three additional team members for you. They were key players within the Sons of Tiw. They’ve never faced any of you in battle.”
“They couldn’t have,” Peacock said. “I killed everyone who opposed me.”
“Well now you’re on our side,” Van Meer quipped, with a bit of an attitude behind his words. “We’ve found a team of seven with a strong team leader is ideal when supported, as you will be, by whatever Global Realm resources you need.”
“When will we meet our new partners?” Loomis asked.
“Now,” Van Meer answered. “Remember Arthur has been planning for fourteen years how a one-world government should operate and putting together the resources to run it from square one. I’ll introduce each of your partners individually. They have already been briefed on each of you.”
Peacock’s interest peaked. She’d assess how each walked and talked, expressed his or herself, and most importantly how they made eye contact.
Van Meer waved one finger. A large bearded man, bare-chested and muscled, loped quickly across the street and over to them. He greeted Peacock first by clicking his heels and reaching out his hand with a formal, “Pleased to meet you, Madam Pendleton. I’m Klaus Bruegman. I used to work in the circus—traipse, acrobatics, and daredevil stunts. I’m at your service. Oh, and I’ve killed people as well.”
“German?” she asked.
“Austrian,” he answered.
“Welcome Klaus, how many people have you killed?”
He took a step back. “You get right to business. On missions in the Balkans and along the Caspian Sea, I killed fourteen, one unfortunately accidently. A group of terrorists had a hostage dressed as one of them, and I failed to see she wore different colored shoes.”
“You were with the Sons of Tiw how long?”
“Nine years of continuous service.”
Van Meer waved again with two fingers in the air.
Felicia chuckled. “You’re gonna have two soul sisters on your team.”
“Hardly,” Van Meer said.
The woman, brown, lean, but nimble strode up to the group. She saluted Van Meer, ignored the others, and stood straight-backed in front of Peacock. “It is said, ‘If a man says he is not afraid to die he is either lying or a Gurkha warrior. I am Sharesca Baidya from Nepal.”
“Are you as tough as a male Gurkha, Sharesca?”
“Tougher, and call me Cher.”
“Welcome to the team, Cher.”
Van Meer waved a third time and a short Asian man with ham-hock thighs and Popeye arms raced toward the group. He did a somersault and landed with a bounce on his feet. He, too, saluted Van Meer. Then he bowed to the others, and asked Peacock, “Woman, why should I work for you?”
Peacock’s mind flooded with rage. She smiled at him and said, “Because you show no knowledge of strategy. You confront without understanding your opponent. Sun Tzu once said, ‘If you know yourself and you know your enemy, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles.”
She locked eyes with him, and his face turned from arrogant to thoughtful. “Then I accept my role. I’m Shin Mao Ming from China and will learn strategy from you.”
Van Meer stood. “The next several days we will be team building. I’m going to teach the first two days. Laverna will teach the rest of the time.”
“I don’t watch the television much,” Shin said, “Our dress and insignias, what do they mean?”
Van Meer nodded. “Good question. We all work for the government. Therefore, our basic outfits are black. The six of you have blue Global Realm insignias designating you as professional level. Laverna and I have gold Global Realm insignias to designate we are Global executives. I have two stripes indicating I’m second tier. Laverna has one stripe indicating she’s first tier. Her husband has three stripes indicating top tier.”
“Who is her husband?” Shin asked.
“First Citizen Pendleton,” Van Meer replied.
Shin’s eyes widened. “I see I have much studying to do.”
Chapter 35
“I hate bloody speeches,” Pendleton grumped. He grinned as Lovey brushed specks off his shirt and straightened his collar. He never asked about the bruises or the cuts she showed up with some nights ago, after working all day under Van Meer’s rigorous routine. Lovey gave three hundred percent to her job and to being a wife and mother.
Two hours minimum each day, she and Arthur bonded with George while Anne sat off reading. Anne was, however, available when neither of them knew what George was trying to tell them. Lovey had become more affectionate, talking with Arthur at night before making love to him. Asking him questions and offering advice with a soft touch and a sweet voice. She even told him she was falling in love with him again.
She and Kolb were set to meet later in the week for a joint session with Levi. That concerned him, but now Pendleton had to concentrate on his blasted speech. Standing before a crowd of supporters energized him, but speaking to a green light and a camera disturbed him. He grabbed his notes, refusing to use a teleprompter. Lovey kissed him gently, and Pendleton took his seat in front of the cameras with Van Meer and Lovey’s crew of six trained agents guarding the room.
“Ode to the Common Man” played over both broadcasting networks. Then Pendleton greeted the world. “I want to thank all of you who have complied with the first three requests made by your Global government. You will find great rewards will come through obedience, both for the world and you individually. For those of you who are defying the law, the consequences will be dire.”
He paused while a film of rioting in New York and Mexico City from a few weeks earlier ran. The film concentrated on the complete destruction of protesters.
“Some may ask, ‘Why such a harsh response?’ The answer is simple. The government wishes to protect the rest of the population from harm.” Pendleton managed a smile. “Let’s review our first mission. We asked three things be done. First, we asked all citizens to assist in cleaning up the mess we’ve made of our earth. I’m happy to say no arrests or rioting occurred over this. You will see in the near future the benefits of your cooperation.”
Films of drug deals, gunfights, auto thefts, and armed robberies ran for two minutes.
“Our second request was that all arms and drugs be turned over to law enforcement. Here is where we have run into the most opposition.” Lovey had told him to moisten his lips and relax when delivering a difficult message, so at this point he did as she instructed. “Why should ninety-nine percent of the population hide in fear of the one percent who harbor firearms and commit crimes? Why should someone refuse to turn over his or her firearms, since money is meaningless? We are serious. If we find you with a firearm after tomorrow, we will arrest you and s
entence you to one year at hard labor. If you resist, you will be shot.”
He wiped the sweat off his face and sighed. “Mankind has tried republican forms of government, dictatorships, socialism, and democracy. None of those ideologies works because of greed. I wouldn’t be in power except for greed. I was able to amass most of the world’s wealth, because your leaders thought more about themselves than they did about your future. You might ask, ‘What is the Global Realm going to do with the gold, silver, and precious stones of the world?’ We'll use those materials as art on our new public buildings. Everyone will enjoy seeing them. Their value is in their beauty—a beauty everyone should have access to.”
He could see the crowds in the street outside the Widder and gained strength and encouragement.
“Let me paint a vision of the future for you. We must turn around the damage done to the earth by mankind or face extinction. In the next five years, the ocean levels will overrun much of the coastlines along the continents. The temperature of the world will rise two more degrees on average before the results of our efforts take effect. But steps taken now will turn things around in another fifty years.”
The crowds outside stood aghast, as though they’d never expected things were this bad.
“You have no need for three cars in a family. You will not be allowed to waste half the food you’re given. Every time mankind clears vegetation to build for profit, we drive another stake into the heart of our planet.” He inhaled and pointed at the camera. “Will those in dire poverty have their lives improved by what we do? Yes. Will those who live in massive estates lose much of what they have? Yes. But they will not be poor, nor will they starve.”
#
Peacock’s mind ran wild as her husband laid his agenda out in front of the world. She’d been on the wrong side working for Hercules, but neither she nor her partners had realized that. Her father touted democracy as the ideal way of life. He raised her to believe America and the free world were the answer to the world’s dilemmas.
Her attention to Pendleton’s safety gave her a view of him she never had when she worked for Hercules. The difference in leadership style between her husband and Monroe was dramatic. Pendleton actually desired the best for humanity, despite humanity’s flaws and foibles.
The world’s opinion seemed to be gradually turning in Pendleton’s direction. For the first time in her life, she had a real family. Her husband, her son, and his mother made for a stable support system. Times like now caused her to think she was undeserving of his love. Her brain suffered injuries beyond any doctor’s ability to repair. God was the only answer, and she still believed God didn’t like her.
Her husband’s voice changed pitch, and her attention switched back to him.
#
“I’m not anti-Muslim. Like everyone else, if they obey the laws the Global Realm rolls out, they may practice their religion.” He had to be careful with his phrasing here, so he didn’t sound like a religious zealot or a moral policeman. “I’m a Christian, a follower of Christ, and a believer in the Son of God. But I will not force anyone to believe what I believe.”
He folded his hands and tried some humor. “I understand we’ve had complaints that the changes we’re making have taken the fun out of life. Personally, I don’t miss commercials one wit. I don’t miss reality shows either, or rock bands, or vulgarity. If you want those things, next month our entertainment career planner will devote an hour a day explaining the coming entertainment centers, their purpose, and their activities.”
He inhaled a deep breath. “In closing, educational programs are a lifelong endeavor. Our goal is to grow each human being to his maximum potential, if that person puts in the effort. Pursuing courses and career possibilities is mandatory for all citizens. Your test results in the career modules you selected to pursue are the basis for placement within those modules, both for work assignments and continued education. Retesting will be done yearly.”
Pendleton wiped the sweat off his face. “Everyone will be tested for the basic core skills, language arts, math and science, history and geography, etcetera. For now, if a person doesn’t speak either English or Mandarin Chinese, he may take these modules in his native tongue. However, all citizens of the Global Realm must learn conversational English and/or Mandarin Chinese to advance to positions beyond the region where they live. Courses have already started in our new universal, online schools and are available at all adult education centers.”
He shot a final smile and said, “Thank you and good day.”
#
Beatrice Kolb’s mind shriveled at the sight of the monster with the glistening blade. “Peacock,” she screamed and made a cross with her fingers. “Leave me alone.”
Pederson opened the door to her room and entered. Kolb leaped from her wheelchair and head-butted him. Luckily, for Pederson, she turned her attention to the eerie shade of Peacock who was cackling at Kolb and slicing at her with a well-honed sabre.
“Leave me alone,” Kolb screamed again and then a prick between her shoulder blades calmed her into dreamland.
#
“Are you sure sessions with both Kolb and Peacock present will accomplish anything?” Pederson asked Levi. “Kolb has catatonic delirium mania, and Peacock is unrepentant.”
“No one can be absolutely sure,” Levi said. “If they can somehow talk out their issues, they may both benefit in the long run.”
“Yes, Peacock will kill Kolb, or vice versa.”
“There will be strict supervision.”
“Really? Are you going to tie each of them down?”
“Well, no.”
“Then one will kill the other.”
Levi’s eyebrows furrowed. “There will be strict supervision.”
Chapter 36
The hills northeast of Mashhad just across the border into Turkmenistan gave a certain comfort. Abounding with wildlife and friendly tribal peoples, al-Sistani lived quite comfortably out of the view of the Global Realm’s Chinese forces. A group of fourteen family members accompanied him, including one of his wives and his seventeen-year old son, Ammad.
The Chinese forces burned opium fields in Afghanistan, and tracked down drug and alcohol traffic along the borders between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. al-Sistani believed he was safe, out of the view of his enemy, with few, if anyone, searching for him.
He wasn’t a fool. With all of his new lines of communication intact, the count of those coming to the meeting near Mashhad exceeded seventy devotees and well-trained leaders of terrorist cells from Turkey to Gaza to the Red Sea. Each man represented five hundred. A traitor could hide in those numbers, so his loyalists would use extreme care and extreme force to meet, plan, and escape with their lives and their mission still viable.
The Global Command awarded Teheran’s steel industry the privilege of melting down scrap steel and iron from old constructions and automobiles. They milled new steel. The huge outpouring of volunteers to clean-up from the bombings showed Pendleton’s message won support among the weak. The efficiency of the food distribution system won the hearts and stomachs of the unfaithful. However, al-Sistani knew who the loyalists were.
He pushed aside the cloth covering over the entrance to his tent. He breathed in Allah’s fresh sweet air, as his son, Ammad, came running up to him. “Khalid has heard the Colombian Revolutionary Guard seeks attendance.”
“I have also heard. They are not Muslim. They are not Shiite. I don’t trust them to be anything but thugs.”
“But father . . .”
al-Sistani raised a finger. “But father nothing. Our fight is against the infidel. We do not ally with infidels.”
“They are the enemy of our enemy, and they can do damage in the Global Realm.”
“We have our own people, remnants of Al Qaida and others. We shall align with them as we find them.”
Ammad shrugged and shuffled off. Such was the impetuousness of youth.
The place selected for the meeting—the famous Mal
ekabad Gardens—in a servant’s residence near the home of the former Grandayatollah Khamenei. Hiding in plain sight was an art used by the wise. October weather would be cool with gentle winds and a twenty-five percent chance of rain. The courageous would defend the Garden. They were far enough away from the Shrine, if the Global Realm blew them up, the Shrine would stand intact.
Allah will protect, al Sistani thought and knelt to pray.
#
“First Citizen, Pope John the 24th is on the phone.”
Pendleton cocked his head. So the Pope was backing out of his commitment to meet face-to-face.
“Thank you,” Pendleton answered. He picked up his phone. “Your Excellency, good to hear from you.”
“I’m not willing to waste my time and yours going through formalities. Simply put, I’ll agree that the Vatican is a residence. You’ll agree that Catholics may have a one-time pilgrimage to visit me and our rituals continue undisturbed.”
“Understood and agreed to.”
The Holy Father’s breathing sounded wheezy and he coughed before speaking. “How long will Christians, specifically Catholics, benefit from your generosity?”
Pendleton considered this man’s background. Italian, a Roman, highly intelligent and reasonable, he had tremendous loyalty within his Church. “Obey the laws of the Global Realm, and you’ll receive the rewards of your faithfulness. I’m a Christian. I believe in Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. However, I cannot make an exception. I’ll offer the same to any faith.”
“I hear your words. I’ve had conversation with your Archbishop. He believes you’re suffering from delusions of grandeur.”
Madness Page 21