by Bryan Murray
“You’re right, so I guess I’ll need to get deeply involved in their test programs.”
Steve had also been thinking as he was toying with his drink. “And what about the security on the military bases themselves? You know, after the Winston test crew sign off on each new drone?”
“That’s where our buddies in the FBI get involved, I assume,” Jake replied. “It’s not part of our brief and it should be easier for them anyway, since they are dealing with disciplined, veteran military personnel,” he yawned. “Well, guys. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for some sack time.”
They both nodded in agreement
* * *
Back in the mountains, the JOD General had already received the message that his team were back in place in the US and waiting for the command to move. He picked up the phone and dialled a number in Iraq.
In his headquarters in Iraq, Abu al-Bengari, the current, undisputed leader of the Jihad of Death, was sitting quietly in his office, reading the daily reports from his field commanders. The tall leader, well over six feet in height, slim and with a long, black beard, was quite pleased with the current growth rate of JOD and his ‘action plan’ was the main core of their prolific growth. He always had daring, dangerous plans in the works that ranged all the way from his current attack plans against the infidels across different international borders, to future plans that were aimed at shocking the complacent countries around the world.
Not only was Al-Bengari a ruthless, fanatical leader with a violent hatred of the infidels, in particular the Americans and the Jews, but he was also a master at using the media to his advantage.
On the previous day, one of his generals had executed an American tourist in Iraq after accusing the man of being an American Agent for the CIA. The outcry at the execution had put the name of JOD on millions of lips where it would not have been if not for the bold act of his general.
Al-Bengari’s hatred of the infidel Americans was heightened by the treatment that his brother Ahmed had received at the hands of the Americans in one of their detention camps in Iraq. The Americans knew he was the brother of a senior general of JOD and after their intense interrogation techniques had not yielded any information from the defiant Ahmed, the Americans had finally released him. Sadly, Ahmed was then a broken man, his mind in ruins. He still had the night chills and nightmares when he thought about the waterboarding, causing him to constantly wake up thinking he was drowning.
To see his brother in this condition had intensified Al-Bengari’s quiet determination to continue to rise through the ranks of the JOD and after his bold, carefully planned alliance with Al-Qaeda, his eventual succession into the leadership of the JOD had come to pass.
His telephone rang and when he answered on the secure line, it was General Al-Amabakhu.
“Yes, General?” Al-Bengari answered.
“Good morning, Abu, my brother,” the general began. “I just wanted to bring you up to date on the status of our major plan against the Americans.”
“Go ahead, Ibrahim?” Al-Bengari replied.
“The team are now all in place within the US and we can plan the final details at our leisure.”
“That is excellent news,” Al-Bengari replied. “I will advise our friends in Al Qaeda that our triumph over the infidels is getting closer!” he thought for a moment. “And our senior agent in the US is still confident, I take it, Ibrahim?”
“Absolutely!” Al-Amabakhu replied.
“Very well, stay in touch, my brother.” Al-Bengari ended the call. He then dialled another number and his party answered on the third ring.
“Yes, Abu?” was the reply. General Anwar al-Jumali of Al-Qaeda was on the line.
“Good morning, Anwar,” Al-Bengari was brief as one leader to another, not knowing who could be listening on even a secure line. “The master plan against the Americans is almost ready to go!”
“Excellent news, do we have a date?” Al-Jumali inquired.
“No, my brother, but we will finalize it in the next few days.”
“Very well, please stay in touch, goodbye.” Al-Jumali rang off.
Al-Bengari closed the phone and looked wistfully out of the open window in the hot desert heat. Would they ever truly have a day of major victory over these cursed, infidel Americans, he wondered.
Strangely enough, General Al-Amabakhu was in no rush. He wanted this audacious plan of his to take the world’s breath away and nothing would rush him into making any rash moves. The details of the plan had been in the works too long to risk spoiling the dynamic impact. He, like many Muslims, was a true believer in the old proverb that states, ‘Revenge is a dish better served cold’, which as far as he was concerned really meant, ‘Vengeance is more satisfying when executed in cold blood!’
His mind went back to the many close colleagues and warriors he had seen killed by the high-tech weapons of the infidels and his plan to watch the revenge of JOD was worth waiting for. The constant pain he still felt from an old leg wound, inflicted in a desert skirmish with the infidel Americans in Iraq, where he would forever have to use the walking cane, was a constant reminder of his ongoing hatred of the infidels.
CHAPTER 5
The following morning, Jake and his team drove along Highway 114 in the direction of Tullahoma and already in the distance they could see the massive buildings of the Arnold Air Force Base and the Arnold Engineering and Development Center. A few miles further on, they saw ‘Winston Drive’ signposted and turned into the attractive tree-lined driveway leading up to the security gate of the corporate offices of the aerospace giant.
Security was tight and after showing their ID’s they were given a parking pass and named visitor badges to be shown again at the reception security area. Driving into the visitor parking area, Jake smiled at Sarah.
“Good security so far.”
“Looks like it,” she replied. “Let’s see what happens in reception.”
They parked and entered the amazing reception area with all kinds of old aircraft suspended from the high, vaulted ceiling, decorated almost like an old aircraft museum. However, there was nothing old about the guns on the hips of the security guards who checked their badges before allowing them to approach the attractive receptionists behind the counter.
The cute, blonde receptionist spoke to Jake. “Good morning, Mr. Harrigan, Miss Schaumberg, Mr. Caplan, we’ve been expecting you.”
She came from behind the counter and shook hands with all three of them. “If you’d like to follow me, please.”
They followed her into an office nearby and inside the office was a table with three chairs set out and in front of each chair was a small stack of legal-looking forms.
The receptionist smiled, ushering each of them to a seat. “If you would all be kind enough to complete and sign the forms and return them to me, then we can proceed to the next level.”
Jake nodded. “Sure, no problem.”
The receptionist left and they all looked at each other before starting to complete the forms. Sarah gave the forms a quick scan. “Very thorough, very legal and very specific, particularly when it comes to total secrecy on everything seen on the assignment.”
Jake was also reading as she spoke. “Yeah, and these are not your regular forms for all visitors, these have been custom drafted especially for us!”
Steve smiled. “Well, I can’t fault them so far.”
When they had completed the forms they returned to the reception desk and after the receptionist checked that they were all completed and signed, she filed them away and smiled sweetly at Jake.
“Sorry about all that, but it’s very important. So, now all we need you to do is complete your video orientation and a brief test and then we can get you to your assigned work area, prior to the meeting with the senior staff.”
Jake understood. “No problem.”
The receptionist then led them to what looked almost like a video arcade, full of cubicles and in each cubicle was a seat in fro
nt of a video screen and a keyboard with a set of headphones.
“This is just a site and safety orientation video which is interactive as you go. Just put on the headphones and press start and the rest is easy. I’ll be back when the allotted time for this orientation is over.”
After she left, Jake peeked around the side of his cubicle and looked in at Sarah in the next cubicle. “I feel like I’m back in IT101 at school!”
She smiled. “I know what you mean.”
* * *
About thirty minutes after arriving at the plant, they were finally escorted into the ultra-modern conference room where the Winston CEO Doug Mulgrave, a slim, dark-haired man in his fifties and his staff were waiting to meet them.
He came around the table and shook hands with Jake. “Welcome to Winston, Mr. Harrigan. I’m Doug Mulgrave, CEO.” After shaking hands, Jake also introduced Sarah and Steve who shook hands with Mulgrave before he introduced the rest of the people around the table.
“This is the team you’ll be working with on your assignment,” he pointed to each in turn. “This is my VP of Technical Operations, Roddy Fergamo, our Security Manager, Dale Hanson, Sandy Volcheck - Manufacturing and Assembly, Heather Watts - Human Resources and lastly, the godfather of our technology, design and testing, Ben Jacobs.”
They all shook hands with the visitors and Mulgrave ushered the trio to a seat. He returned to the head of the table and took a deep breath before beginning.
“First of all, Mr. Harrigan…” he began, but Jake quickly interrupted him. “It’s just Jake, Sarah and Steve, if that’s okay with you, sir.”
Mulgrave smiled. “That’s excellent, we are very informal here. So, Jake, I just wanted you to know that you and your staff came very highly recommended to us for this security audit.”
Jake looked surprised. “We did?”
Mulgrave continued to smile. “Yes, an old school chum of mine…President Parker!”
Jake grinned. “A terrific guy, real easy to work with.”
Mulgrave nodded. “Yes indeed, the President has been most supportive of what we are doing here at Winston and believe me that cuts out a lot of red tape when you are hitched to a juggernaut like the Death Dart!”
“I understand, Doug.” Jake replied.
“It’s at the very center of what this security audit is all about, Jake. It’s the ultimate, the market leader in drone warfare!”
He clicked on a button on the console in front of him and a screen lowered electronically from the ceiling behind him and immediately an aerial shot of the Death Dart came into view. It was a magnificent, triangular-shaped aircraft with incredible lines and the same sleek supersonic shape of the larger manned stealth bombers.
Suddenly, in mid-flight, the missile launch pods slid down from under the fuselage and simultaneously the two missiles launched and started to zero in on a large targeted building on the ground.
Almost instantly, as the twin missiles hit the target, the building was virtually vaporized in a blinding flash that almost made Sarah jump.
Mulgrave started to explain. “So, guys, you can see why our little baby is so precious. With optical software that is unbelievable, this incredible unmanned weapon can hit a terrorist target and take the top off a man’s head from forty thousand feet, before vaporizing his entire location off the map. And the pilot flying it could be a 1000 miles away!”
Jake was very impressed. “That’s amazing technology, Doug. And who is the brains behind this phantom killer?”
Mulgrave smiled. “You’re looking right at him,” he pointed to the older man Ben Jacobs across the table. He had white hair with a robust look about him. “This has been Ben’s baby since the day he joined us. He worked on the pioneering drone models with our friends and associates in Israel for many years before we finally persuaded him to join us here in Tullahoma.”
Jake smiled at the kindly-looking Israeli. “Amazing stuff, Ben.”
“I’ll be happy to show you guys around after the meeting, Jake.” Ben replied with a smile.
“Thanks. That would be a great start,” Jake turned back to Mulgrave. “So, I suppose we need to get down to business, Doug?”
The CEO nodded. “Yes indeed. As you will see on your trip around the facilities, we are very, very busy and if you can keep your audit brief and to the point it would be appreciated. We’re desperately trying to justify the faith that the government placed in us and the other US aerospace giants, to help maintain some sense of order in this crazy world. So, where would you like to start?”
Jake thought a moment. “Well, we’ll obviously need to split up and if it’s okay with you, I’d like Steve to work with Heather’s group on HR systems security. Sarah with Sandy on manufacturing and materials security and if Roddy can spare the time, I’d like to work with him and particularly Ben, so that I can get the feel of how the logistics for each order are being handled, all the way from final assembly to testing and delivery. I take it we can liaise at all levels with Dale on any aspects of site security as they arise? Would that be okay with you, Doug?”
Mulgrave was in total agreement. “Sounds perfect, guys. Heather already has a secure office suite set up for the three of you, so you can start immediately.”
Jake was impressed. “In that case, we’re ready to go. I guess first of all we need a brief session with Heather, Sandy and Ben, just to outline the audit parameters we’ve been asked to check by Homeland Security and then we can move ahead.”
“Great,” Mulgrave stood to indicate the meeting was over and before he left he looked across at Sarah. “By the way, Sarah, the President told me that you are the niece of the late Ari Golchen, the former Israeli Defense Minister?”
Sarah smiled sadly. “That’s correct.”
“I just wanted to let you know he was a fine man, a true leader. I met him on a number of occasions when we were in the initial negotiations for the sales of the UAV’s to the Mossad.”
“Yes, he was the one who first talked me into working for the Bureau.”
Mulgrave gave a wry smile. “Well, it’s good to still be working with your family. Please stay in touch, my door is always open.”
CHAPTER 6
When Jake, Sarah and Steve returned to their assigned office, they started to unpack their laptops and files before their tour of the plant later with Ben Jacobs.
Sarah looked at Jake. “So, what d’you think?”
He looked impressed. “Well, it’s easy to see how they got the funding. This is very impressive stuff that they’re doing for the country.”
Steve nodded. “Right, they seem to have spent it well. Man, when they showed that sucker in flight with the attack capabilities, it’s no wonder every country would like to have this technology. No boots on the ground or in the airspace, just a deadly phantom that comes in undetected at the speed of sound to blow your enemies away!”
They were interrupted by a voice behind them. “I couldn’t have put it better myself, Steve!”
They turned to see a smiling Ben Jacobs in the doorway with two young colleagues. “Are you guys ready for the grand tour?” he asked.
“Absolutely!” they replied in unison.
“Great, but first, let me introduce you to my two resident geniuses,” he put his arm affectionately on the shoulder of the two men. “This is Isaac Berkowitz from Israel.”
Isaac, with dark hair, thinning a little on the top with glasses, smiled and shook hands with the trio. “Hi, Guys.”
“And this is Andy Bevins, an American.” Ben continued.
“Hi, Guys.” Andy also shook hands with them. He was blonde with a short haircut, in his thirties.
Ben looked proudly at his two assistants. “These are my right hand guys. I’m trying to teach them everything I know before I retire at the end of the year, and you know what, they’re teaching me some new technology as well!”
The young guys looked a little embarrassed as Ben continued. “But between us, we take care of a design team of
over a hundred or so as well as two training and test centers just up the road. So, are we good to go?”
Jake smiled. “Ready when you are.”
“Don’t forget your hard hats and glasses.” Ben added as they headed out to the rear of the building where they boarded a six-seater golf cart. Ben drove them first into the manufacturing facility, past the raw material stores and into the huge assembly bay. Everywhere was a hive of activity and it was almost like an automotive plant assembly line to see all the Death Darts being assembled.
Jake turned to Ben in the driver’s seat next to him. “And Winston is the market leader in stealth combat drones, Ben?”
Ben smiled. “I guess so, Jake. All the big US aerospace companies are working on similar projects, but we are way ahead in our commercial development of the drones.”
“And what about international competition?” Sarah asked.
“Oh, they’re in the market, believe me. Mainly the French, the Brits and of course the Russians.”
Steve was listening carefully. “And what about the armaments, Ben?”
Ben gave a wry smile. “In house, Steve, we do it all. Isaac and Andy are weapons experts as well as being target acquisition geniuses.”
Jake was impressed. “So, you build them, you test fly them and you arm them?”
“Exactly,” Ben replied. “And we also test fire the missiles on the UCAV’s.”
“And where do you do all this?” Sarah asked.
Ben started to reply as they drove away from the assembly line and towards a large hangar on the edge of the long air strip leading away from the main plant. He pointed ahead.
“When the drones reach the end of the assembly line, we transfer them to the hangar ahead where the fueling and ordnance engineers get the drones ready for flight.”
He turned into the open doors of the hangar, after first stopping to speak to a guard patrol to confirm ID’s, but when the guards saw Ben at the wheel of the golf cart, they automatically waved him inside.
It was then that Jake, Sarah and Steve stared in amazement at the sight ahead. Not ten feet away was a fully armed Death Dart drone. It was a magnificent aircraft with full stealth armor. Its sleek lines and retractable landing gear were totally impressive.