training, had maintained the pure art. Lela was an exceptional student and, at the age of 15, was probably one of the best fighters alive, second only to her father and even that was debatable.
“So what can we do?” asked Lela.
“Other than support my dad, nothing. When is your dad due back from Penaraja?”
“Soon I hope. We start school in a few days and he wants to spend some time with us before we leave. I’m sure your dad will feel better when my dad’s back.”
“Yeah, You’re right. Any idea what he’s been up to?” Tom referred to the fact that neither he nor Lela believed what Saki had told them he had been doing for the previous four weeks.
During their annual holiday to Penaraja, the island home of Lela’s family, Saki and Donald had been very secretive and detached from the rest of the family. Even Tom’s mother had commented that she did not know what was wrong with the two of them. On the day they were due to leave, a mysterious emergency resulted in Saki being left behind. Tom and Lela had noticed the almost imperceptible nod between Donald and Saki and the one thing that Tom thought he would never witness, Saki looking worried. Saki never looked worried.
After the Kennedy’s had left, Saki had phoned every evening to check that everyone was OK and to ensure that Lela was training. He would then to speak to Donald at length, sometimes hours. Tom and Lela had tried, once, to listen in on their conversation but heard nothing other than Donald’s “hmmm’s,” “yes’s” and “OK’s.” Saki seemed to be doing all the talking and Donald all the listening. Tom’s mother had caught them eavesdropping but instead of telling them off, asked what they had heard. Her only response was “very strange.” She too was in the dark about what was going on.
Four weeks on and Lela still had no idea what he was up to.
“None whatsoever, I’m very worried though. Whatever it is, it can’t be good. I can’t help thinking it’s linked to last year’s kidnapping,” she said.
“Either that or the assassinations. My dad’s very worried about those.”
Tom jumped, Lela screamed as both felt a hand clamp down on their shoulders, they had been the only people in the room.
“Hi guys!”
“DAD!” cried Lela throwing her arms round her father.
“SAKI!” shouted Tom hugging them both.
Chapter 4
Beaumont considered himself the smartest person he knew. In his 35 years, nobody had come close. Of course, the President was a clever man himself but Beaumont was not merely clever, he was a genius. Princeton, Harvard, MIT, not only top of his class but perfect scores.
Today would see another more than perfect score, such was the brilliance of Beaumont’s plan. The plan he had inherited on his father’s death had been deeply flawed and would never have worked. Had it not been for his father’s untimely death, the whole thing would have fallen apart. His brilliance had turned a bad plan but a good idea, into a brilliant plan and a realistic objective. Of course, it involved significantly more deaths than was first envisaged but that didn’t bother Beaumont. It was as though his brilliance consumed him, leaving room for nothing else, no compassion, no emotion, no ethics.
Beaumont’s office linked directly to the Oval Office, the President’s Chief of Staff having being displaced to an office further down the corridor. The title on the door read ‘Special Assistant to the President’. Rumours were rife about just how ‘special’ Beaumont’s assistance was. He was always well presented, Saville Row tailored suits, perfect hair, immaculate teeth, sparkling eyes. He was probably the prettiest person in the Whitehouse and some said Washington. Women were mesmerised by his looks while men envied his hold over them. However, in all his time in Washington, he had never been linked to anybody in a romantic way. He appeared to have eyes for only one person, his boss, the President of the United States of America.
It was of course nothing more than speculation. In truth, Beaumont had no sexual urges whatsoever, another symptom of his quest for brilliance. The only satisfaction Beaumont required was power and sitting less than twenty feet away from the President, was certainly a step in the right direction. Working for the second most powerful man in the world was not a bad thing. On successful completion of the plan, he would receive the promotion he knew he deserved, deputy to The Chairman of the Committee. The Chairman of The Committee was the most powerful man in the world, far more powerful than the President, and had selected Beaumont for his current role of ‘supporting’ the President and keeping him in check. Beaumont could not believe his luck when he had received the call from The Chairman. Beaumont’s father, in the video, had explained the existence of The Committee — the real power behind the power.
The Committee had been formed before the First World War and comprised the wealthiest and most powerful men in the United States. They did not approve of the power the Government had over their profits and concluded that the only way to protect their interests was to control the Government itself. The Committee met and agreed a path to take control of the Government, not overtly but covertly, ensuring that key government positions were held by men within their control. Many conspiracy theorists had alluded to a government behind the government, controlled by big business. The conspiracy theorists, for once, were right.
Although Beaumont’s father had mentioned the Chairman of the Committee in the video, he had not revealed his identity. In fact, nobody knew anyone else’s identity in The Committee except for The Chairman who knew them all. Entry to The Committee was hereditary and by invitation only after the death of a father, never before. There was one other form of entry which, until recently, had never been invoked — a personal invitation extended by The Chairman.
Beaumont’s call came the day after he had seen the video. The Chairman began by asking whether he had watched the tape. When he said yes, The Chairman introduced himself merely as The Chairman of The Committee. He welcomed Beaumont to The Committee and asked him to carry out his current role, Special Assistant to the man the Committee were backing to become the next US President.
At the time, it looked likely that their candidate would lose as the other candidate was way ahead in the polls. However, The Chairman was sure that with Beaumont on board, this could be turned around. Their candidate was a very charismatic and extraordinary man who was also a member of The Committee and had been carefully groomed for the role as part of a larger initiative. However, they were concerned about the flaws in his character which required controlling. Beaumont accepted the task, excelled in his role and delivered The Committee’s first presidential victory for many years. Since the election, he had continued to control the President’s flaws bar one major blip, the business the previous year with the Kennedys.
Beaumont had spent days deciding whether he should tell The Chairman the truth about the President’s involvement but that would have alerted him to his own failure in controlling the President. Therefore, he omitted to mention it during his weekly update with The Chairman. The President was of course completely unaware of where his Special Assistant’s real loyalties lay.
Beaumont’s phone rang.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Canada is done. I’m just waiting for final confirmation from Argentina…hold on a second,” the caller listened into his radio and confirmed to Beaumont, “…yes, it’s done.”
“Excellent. Any problems?”
“Of course not,” said the caller, irritated at the suggestion.
“Good.”
Beaumont was using the best personnel and could still not believe how stupid the President had been a year earlier, launching an operation without his involvement and selecting people recommended by low-life acquaintances.
“Unless there’s anything else, I’ll get my team some well earned rest,” suggested the caller.
“Yes, fine, I’ll talk to you again in a week.”
Beaumont ended the call and opened the safe beneath his desk for which only he had the key. He extracted the plan and crossed off Canada, Japan and Argentina. Fourteen down and three new members to add to The
