surgeon, make that two good surgeons, on the Amazon.” Matt paused. “Can I ask you a question, Mr. President?”
“Fire away.”
“What happened to Kelly Stevens? Is she all right?”
“Ms. Stevens and her mother have moved to London where she’ll begin her new career at the U.S. embassy as an assistant in the publications department. With the love and support of her mother I’d say she’ll be just fine.”
“And who killed Brian Walker, Dr. Martin Thomas and Anne-Marie Khoury?”
“We have evidence, strictly off the record, that it was a person working directly for Mohammed al Nagib by the name of Demetrie Antonopolis. He was ordered to eliminate people from your Beirut days who might be able to place al Nagib and William Fisher together.”
“I knew him from my Beirut days. He was always smoking hashish and living a fast life,” said Matt.
“His days of fast living are definitely over,” said the President. “He was found dead in a market near Union Station. Something else off the record. We used a little creativity and convinced the Israelis that their ambassador to the United States was using an international assassin to kill people here in the United States. As a result I was able to put, shall we say, a considerable amount of pressure on the government of Israel to support my peace initiatives.”
“Did you say a well-known international assassin?” Matt’s eyes widened. “You blackmailed the Israelis? They wanted to use me, with my new face, to hunt down the terrorist cell and you made it look as if they were running an assassination plot on U.S. soil…”
“The fact that they bribed Senator Stevens, spied on my council meetings, and were in cahoots with al Nagib gave me additional leverage,” the President said dryly. “At any rate an assassin did infiltrate the White House-so it wasn’t a complete lie.”
“And what about Mohammed al Nagib?” asked Eli.
President Pierce crossed over to the window to admire the roses as the buds were breaking. “All I can tell you is the world will never again have to be concerned about Mr. Nagib or his three partners.” He looked back at Matt. “I trust that is all we need to say.”
“Word among the community is that several focused ‘wet jobs’ took place on the families of recent suicide bombers,” Elijah said, looking at Dr. Finch.
“A few of our actions had an extraordinary affect on helping to reduce the threat of terrorism around the globe,” said the President. The director of the CIA nodded.
CNN Headline News
“As tight-lipped as ever, President Roswell Clayton Pierce is giving no hints as to how he was able to orchestrate the extraordinary events that have culminated in his dramatic bid for a lasting peace in the Middle East and an end to terrorism. The remarkable concessions on the part of Israel and the Arab countries in the Middle East have brought about a completely different dynamic in the region. Peace is definitely in the air, with Jews and Muslims working together to make certain that peace endures.”
The senior newscaster smiled into the camera then continued with the major news stories of the day. “Citing ill health and depression following the death of his only child U.S. Senator Mason T. Stevens of Virginia, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has announced his retirement, effective immediately. Upon learning of Senator Stevens’ retirement President Pierce described him as ‘a man of strong character and a tenacious supporter of the American dream.’
“In a related story, we have also learned that Mrs. Stevens has just filed divorce papers citing irreconcilable differences between herself and her husband. Mrs. Stevens has left the United States and is now living in London.
“On the international front CNN correspondents in South America have just received word that suspected Hezbollah terrorist training camps in the tri-border region of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina have been devastated by forest fires of unknown origin. The camps, rumored to be one of the main spawning grounds for international terrorists and suicide bombers have until recently been hidden away in a remote section of the dense Amazon jungle. Sketchy reports from that remote region confirm that over seven major terrorist training camps, as well as mining and logging camps owned by the Brazilian millionaire Jorge Molinas have been destroyed, reportedly by natural fires set off by unseasonably dry weather conditions and violent lightning storms.
“And we have additional news from the Middle East this evening,” the newscaster went on. “The Israeli ambassador to the United States, General Ibrahim Barak, was found dead earlier today in his home in Tel Aviv. After he was recalled to Israel following President Pierce’s peace initiative announcements the ambassador’s wife said he had been complaining of headaches and dizziness for the past several days. According to the ambulance crew who arrived on the scene General Barak accidentally tripped down a flight of stairs in his home and broke his neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The Tonight Show
The music had stopped, the clapping subsided, and the venerable host walked out to face the live audience. It was time for the opening monologue where nothing was off limits. For the next fifteen minutes, every public figure, politician, movie star and world leader was fair game. As usual, the live audience was well primed.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the host began, “as you know I usually use this segment to poke fun at our elected officials, especially the President of the United States. What can I say? I have an irreverent streak.
“But this evening I don’t have a prepared monologue. The times are too extraordinary and the mood of the world is for the first time that I can remember in my lifetime, optimistic. I sat in my office all day thinking about what to say this evening. And, if you can believe this, for the first time in my life I couldn’t find the right words. There are times when words fail to describe the significance of an event. One such time was December 7, 1941. Another was November, 22, 1963, the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. And another, September 11.
“Then there was the other night. As I watched the speech by President Roswell Pierce I knew that day would rank right up there as one of the most important days in the history of the United States and the world.
“I have made fun of President Pierce for the past two years not because I dislike the man but because it’s my job. But tonight I’m not going to poke fun at anyone.
“As you know it was easy to get Bill Clinton on the show. But President Roswell Clayton Pierce has proven much more elusive. Since I can’t get the man himself I’ve got his alter ego instead.” Reaching into his suit coat pocket the famous host of the Tonight Show pulled out a small tin cup and held it up for the audience and the nation to see.
Slowly he walked over to his desk and began to gently tap the little tin cup up and down. As if on cue the audience clapped, keeping measured time with the sounds coming from the tin cup ringing out from the desk up on the stage.
Looking into the camera his words rang out clearly. “Well done, Mr. President. Well done.”
Beirut, two weeks later
Rue Bliss, once ravaged by decades of civil war, was once again paved smooth and brightly lit. Boisterous crowds made their way towards the many restaurants, dodging the taxis and shiny new cars.
“It’s lovely to see this ancient city booming again, isn’t it Helmut?”
“I only wish our coffers were as robust and full of life. I fear we won’t see the robust sales of weapons and explosives we had hoped for since our plan was discovered.” Helmut Hofer stepped up onto the sidewalk, quickly following his friend and lifelong partner.
“Then it is good that we have many plans.” Mohammed al Nagib, his large girth draped in a long white kaftan walked leisurely down the street. His long black cane tapped rhythmically. Amber worry beads clicked as his fingers
