The Observer (Derek Cole Suspense Thriller Book 3) (23 page)

“The last time I spoke with my dad, I was 22 years old. Just graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and International Relations from UCLA and was being recruited by the CIA, FBI and a few private firms. I remember telling him how excited I was about my future. The last thing he said to me was that he was proud of me and that I should never forget that people are all too willing to surrender liberties and personal freedom for the illusion of security. He told me that justice is an absurd concept since it means vastly different things to different people and that the only justice that I should focus on is the justice that allows people to live their lives without the forced intrusion, demands or expectations of those with power.

“My father was beheaded in a public street in Palestine. His crime was blasphemy. My mom and I never found out who sentenced him to death or who carried out the execution. All we received was an email with a disturbingly graphic photo of my father’s body, along with a note from someone who my mom thought was once a friend of his. His friend told us about my father’s crimes and that he shamed Allah and all of Islam and that he received justice.”

Nikkie called over the waitress, ordered another gin martini then sat in the shared silence of the table. After several seconds, it was Derek who spoke.

“You know,” he started, “I didn’t know that I had hired you. Crown called me a couple of days ago and let me know that you were now part of the team. I still have no idea what I’m paying you, but, whatever it is, I’m sure I got you at a bargain. I’m sorry for what happened to your dad, and I’m sorry if we’ve been grouping all Muslims into the same category.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nikkie said, her smile, genuine. “We have a problem with those that have hijacked this religion. No one doubts that. At least, no one who is willing to face facts and be honest about things. In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, our religious leaders had better step up and make a very public stand against radical Islam, or we may be facing a whole new problem.”

“What problem are you talking about?” Derek asked.

“Look at Germany during the second world war. Very few Germans were actually part of the Nazi party, but nearly everyone in the world grouped all Germans into the same boat as the Nazis. Same thing is happening with the Muslim religion. We have around five percent of Muslims who follow a radical Imam and subscribe to radical beliefs, but the majority of the world’s population secretly holds ill feelings against all Muslims. And some aren’t so secret about how they feel about us. People are afraid to offend a Muslim for fear of what might happen as a result. Believe me, I’ve heard many people saying that the US and World Leaders should turn the entire mid-east into a parking lot. In other words, kill every one, and let God sort them out. That means killing a whole lot of peaceful people who wish they could practice their religion in peace.
 

“Most of my friends and family pray every night to see the day when people of all religions worship side by side. But every time a bomb blows up and kills people somewhere in the world, that dream gets less and less likely.”

“To me,” Derek said, “this is all building up to something that won’t be good. I get the feeling that a Holy War is in the making. The world against the Muslims.”

“It’s happened before,” Nikkie said. “And you’re right, things are moving towards that direction. See, the more alienated Muslims feel from non-Muslims, and the more people group all Muslims into the same ‘Nazi-like’ bucket, the less choices Muslims will have. Unless things change, Muslims will feel that the only choice they have is to join the Jihad.”

“Not sure if I agree,” Patrick said. “Nothing against Muslims, but from what I’ve seen, governments bend over backwards to make sure that they don’t say or do anything to offend Muslims. A terrorist group blows up a bus, and government leaders say it was extremists that were responsible. They say this despite the fact an Islamic group proudly claims responsibility.”

“I think that governments do that because they are afraid of publicly joining the words ‘Islamic’ and ‘terrorists’ together. The more people hear those two words being used together, the more Muslims will begin to believe that the world is against them. Everyone knows the religion of these terrorists, and so does every Muslim in the world. The challenge is trying to prevent all Muslims to associate themselves with terrorism and terrorists groups.”

“What scares the crap out of me,” Crown said, her voice startling Derek, Nikkie and Patrick who had forgotten that they were still on a live call, “is that this Aahill was once Kevin Washington, and it seems like he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Those shit-headed terrorists preyed on him, duped him into believing a line of bull and, unless something happens, have him primed and ready to blow himself up in a crowded Manhattan bar. That’s what scares the shit out of me. How many more Kevin Washington’s are there out in the world?”

“That is a disturbing thing to think about,” Derek said. “Based on the little I know about Kevin and his family, he was raised by parents who went to work every day, strived for their version of the American dream, raised their kid as best they could and were happy when their kid seemed happy. Sounds like the majority of American families.”

“I refuse to believe that,” Nikkie said. “Kevin’s parents just gave up on him. They probably recognized that their son had some issues and didn’t hold out much hope for him. Kevin probably went home after meeting Badr and was confident and happy. His parents were probably just happy that their son seemed to find something that gave him direction. Hard to blame them without knowing all the details.”

“And unless we not only stop Kevin, but also prevent the FBI from killing him, we’ll probably never find out the truth about his family.”

“Nikkie,” Patrick said, “ I don’t suppose you have any solutions to the world’s problem with radical extremists?”

“Sure,” Nikkie said, a smile filling her face, “but my solution will never work.”

“Why not?”

“Let me ask you, Detective. How effective are your anti-gang groups?”

“How good at what? Arresting gang members?”

“At eliminating them?”

“Not very good at all. I’m not a part of the gang task force, but from what I’ve heard, gang membership is increasing all over the country. We save a few kids here and there, but we lose more every day.”

“And what causes a young man or woman to join a gang?”

“Again, not my field of expertise but I’d say they join a gang for protection. If the neighborhood they live in is controlled by a gang, then they either join or risk whatever consequences the gang has for people who don’t join.”

“Close, but you’re missing a few things. First, young people join a gang because they feel they have no viable future in the world. A gang offers them companionship, a sense of belonging, a massive dose of feeling important and, believe it or not, a future. People think that only bad kids join gangs; that a gang is filled with losers who, even if they didn’t join a gang, are destined for a life of poverty and crime. But that’s not true. There are geniuses among their ranks. Kids with enormous talents and potential. But, these kids couldn’t find hope outside of a gang. So, they choose the safety of belonging over a life of limitless hardships and disappointments. They know that joining a gang is a horrible thing to do, but they feel that joining will at least give them something.

“Some join out of fear. Some fear for their own safety or the safety of their families, and some fear the retaliation if they don’t join. You’ve seen the images of terrorists parading into a town, gathering up men and small boys and executing them in horrible ways. And you’ve heard that women and girls are taken as sex slaves. Imagine the fear that people feel. It’s no wonder many join a terrorist group so that they don’t face the same fate as so many others.

“People think that we need to be more tolerant and that tolerance will make things better. But tolerance is only good when the people you are showing tolerance for are prepared to show tolerance towards you. With the case of radicals, tolerance is a scream that has no echo.”

“So, your solution?” Derek asked.

“Eliminate poverty. Eliminate barriers that keep people in the same life-conditions as their parents. Young Muslims join the Jihad, not out of some divine calling, but rather out of desperation. When you have nothing, you have few reasons to stay in a life that promises only more of the same. These radical groups are gangs who follow their interpretation of the divine. The more rigid the rules of membership are, the more attractive these groups are. People join because they instantly feel significant, powerful and, in the case of these Jihadist groups, holy.

“It is not the Muslim religion that is so radical; it is the leaders of these gangs. Power-hungry people with incredible charisma.”

“I don’t like the chances of us ever ending poverty,” Derek said. “Jesus said that we will always have the poor.”

“And we always will. And we will always have people who want to take advantage of others. There will always be those who thrive on power, who see more value in owning something than in human relations. You ever watch the show, ‘Game of Thrones?’”

“One of my favorites,” Patrick said.

“Same thing has been going on for all of humanity’s existence. The lust for power and to advance a belief system. The poorer people are, the easier it is for those with power to exploit them. And once the wrong people are in power, all it takes is to change what the young citizens are learning and....Bam! You have yourself an army of people radicalized to do whatever they are told. Not because they think it is the right thing to do, but because they either don’t know any other option or don’t believe any other option is open for them.”

“So,” Derek said, “without a realistic ability to eliminate poverty, then we’re headed to a very bad, worldwide showdown?”

“Muslims will pull further and further away from other cultures. The more terrorist acts, the more Muslims will feel that they will only be safe around other Muslims. You’ve seen it already in Europe and, to a much smaller and way-less advertised way, in America. The ‘no-go zones,’ that are 100% Muslim populated and Muslim run. These communities will get larger and larger as Muslims feel they are running out of options. Some radical beliefs will take hold and, sooner or later, the entire Muslim religion will be radicalized. When this happens, there will be a leader who will try to unite all Muslims under one banner and will either wage a worldwide Jihad or will form a new nation where only Muslims are allowed. A true separatist state. Again, in my opinion, this is what is more likely to happen.”

“And that leader will be?”

“Who knows,” Nikkie said. “But the whole IUIEEO United Nations tie is concerning.”

He was angry with himself for designing a plan that hinged on the success of the first step. Though assurances were made, the first step
needed
to happen. It needed to happen precisely at the right time, precisely in the right location, and precisely as he had designed. His voice needed to be heard and would only rise above the mindless chatter of billions if the steps happened correctly. One leading to two, leading to three…

As Tareef sat, alone, in the dark stillness of his uptown apartment, absently gazing through his living room’s window, his mind floated to Badr and Aahill. Though he knew every detail about the plans that Badr had in place, he was more consumed with his back-up plans.

“Should Badr fail us,” he told his small team of trusted associates, “you must act without hesitation. A delay of even two minutes may prove fatal for our announcement.”

The one he trusted most stood to speak. “There are many steps in Badr’s plan; each of those steps fraught with potential failure. If he fails, I hope the failure happens on step one.”

“I am still confused as to why you suggested his plan be allowed and not replaced with your secondary plan?” Tareef questioned, certain not to allow his hidden thoughts of suspicion and anger filter out. “Your plan is much cleaner.”

“Cleaner?” the standing man said. “You think it is cleaner? Not so, Tareef. It is messy, loud and will attract attention. It is, if nothing else, certain, but it is far from clean.”

Tareef sat and considered his assembled team in silence for over a minute. They were talented, professional and devoted. All would certainly demand a high spot in the leadership once the state was established. But they were also dangerous; much too dangerous to be given authority. He understood that newly-established leaders, those that had yet grown roots to brace against the raging storms which were certain to develop, were seldom the leaders after the storms calmed down. Men like these, the ones suggested to him and the ones now sitting across from him, were cut from the same cloth as those that support and defend a leader until an opportunity arises to usurp the position. Tareef had not yet designed a plan to eliminate them and their threats but knew the time would come.

His most trusted associate was also the one he distrusted the most. He was powerful in America and held an elected position that, Tareef had learned, was more powerful than the Presidential position if held by the right man. This man, elected in overwhelming fashion, was masterful in his public presentations and even more masterful in his secret posturing.
 

“And when our first step is completed,” Tareef said, “Badr will be silenced, yes?”

“Before, actually. I insisted on this time frame. It will, much to your approval, make things a bit cleaner in the end.”

“Very good. And what of our next steps? Are they prepared?”

“London, Paris, and Munich are on standby and waiting your command. Mexico City, Rio, Berlin, Moscow and Jerusalem are established and can be executed within two days. All the materials are safely stored within an hour’s drive of each target city. There have been challenges with illnesses of those charged with the handling and guarding of the materials, however. Martyrs for your cause, I assume?”

“Any degradation of the effects?” Tareef asked.