Madness (23 page)

“If you can explain to me why you do the things you do and get away with them, I’ll consider your God. I can’t go on the way I am. The guilt I’ve avoided for years is eating away at me.”

“Tonight, Lovey, after the broadcast, I’ll explain what I believe.”

Why not now, Peacock thought, she would have him all to herself for another hour or two just to talk about God. She remembered their walks and talks together.
He explained financial matters and how to amass wealth, but he also talked to her about poetry, music, and art. She could listen to him for hours.

George hiccupped and let out a frightening wail. Maybe her husband was psychic. Her child came before everything else.

“I’ll take care of him,” Peacock said, and lovingly kissed her husband. “And yes, I’ll look forward to talking about God tonight.”

General Jafarzadeh edged his way along the roofline of the servants’ residence near the estate of the former Grandayatollah Khamenei. Al-Sistani selected this place for the meeting with his followers. The famous Malekabad Gardens occupied the site. Captured at his command center when the Russians entered Teheran, fortune smiled on Jafarzadeh when a U.S. missile struck the center killing everyone but him. His finding al-Sistani had been a miracle. He managed to escape to the mountains and stumbled into al-Sistani’s camp, a blessing and a sign from Allah.

Fro
m the rooftop, he could see the surrounding area quite well. The garden smells made the air fresh and a feeling of wellbeing filled him, though wellbeing for Muslims these days was a myth.

How would
the enemy attack? al-Sistani and his followers posed no outward threat to the Global Realm. There was no warrant for al-Sistani’s arrest,
yet
. However, he and his followers were armed. Discovery meant giving up his freedom and his arms to follow Global laws and become a citizen—something the Grandayatollah would not do.

Did Pendleton know what al-Sistani planned
to do? One could not overlook that possibility. Regional law enforcement wouldn’t be a worry. However, if Pendleton knew about the meeting, he would send his Global Special Operations forces. If combat broke out, regional law enforcement would come in support of Global forces. When that happened, al-Sistani would have no way of winning that battle.

How would Pendleton’s thugs arrive? They would wait until the meeting started, come into the house from the Garden, and murder everyone inside. How would they
dress? If on foot, they’d wear normal Muslim attire. If by attack helicopter, they’d dress in black Global military uniforms.

General Jafarzadeh would gather over three hundred warriors and spread them out along Malek Abad Boulevard and the surrounding streets
. Inside the courtyard on the roof of the house, he could position a dozen men with rifles. Foolishness? Knowing his enemy’s capabilities, precaution wasn’t foolishness.

Jafarzadeh hurried back down
and into the house. Khamenei’s servants had lived well. The huge kitchen would be busy during the meeting, as the attendees needed plenty of food. The large living room would be set up for the comfort of those attending. Three bedrooms slept six. Two bathrooms, plus a prayer room as large as a Western study, finished off the house.

He opened a trap door in the washroom behind the kitchen.  Five steps led down to a stone cellar with a reinforced stone ceiling
eight-foot-by-eight-foot and five-foot high. The cooks would store the meat here prior to preparing it. The cellar could provide some shelter against mortar attacks, if they had warning. He made note.

The general would not choose this place, but he had no say. He’d position his men and ask for Allah’s protection. Maybe al-Sistani’s son, Ammad, would convince his father
to meet elsewhere.

#

Peacock disliked the spotlight. The world would now see her face as Laverna Smythe Pendleton battle scars and all. There was no fancy dress—black government attire and the gold symbol and gold stripe on her arm to show her position. Men and women gathered dressed in colors to match their station and rank.

As she peered around before the broadcast, she noticed twelve flags flying from the ceiling behind the
stage at the Zurich Development Center Auditorium. The twelve regional governors were dressed in the color of their regional flag. Peacock shook her head as she realized that one look told person in the Global Realm what occupation track each person was on, what level within that track, and what regions of the world the person came from.

People filed into the auditorium by invitation from all over the
globe. Her husband greeted them and introduced each one to her by name without notes. No wonder he’d pulled off the impossible and brought the world to its knees. He controlled armies upon armies of soldiers in all areas of skill who believed in what he was doing.

The streets of Zurich
glowed through the large auditorium windows with hundreds of additional lights. People, hoping to get a glimpse of Pendleton, packed the avenues in all directions.

When the last invited person had arrived and been greeted, her husband escorted her up on the
stage to cheers. She smiled appropriately.

“Before we air,” he said, “rumors that my wife has in some way been disloyal to our cause must stop now. I have such faith in her. I’m announcing today that she now reports to Hans Van Meer as head of my personal security team.
If any of you object, I’m sure she’ll be willing to kick your arse one-on-one.”

A roar of laughter burst out, and Peacock took a deep breath and took her seat. The cameraman waved and the twelve regional governors took their seats under the flag that represented their region of the world. The countdown commenced—three fingers, two, one, green light.

The announcer introduced Pendleton, and Pendleton introduced the regional governors and then Peacock. “Seated next to me is the head of my personal security team, my wife, Laverna Smythe Pendleton, a former key agent for the United States.”

A sense of pride filled her, not in his words, but from the loving tone in his voice.
She waved, then turned her attention to the security chatter coming through on her earpiece from her team. She checked her cell for updates from Felicia, who monitored the crowds outside. Her protégée had removed two rowdy people out of a crowd of well over twenty thousand—better than at a political convention.

As the broadcast was ended, a text appeared on Peacock’s cell from Milton Rogers.
It read:

The public reactions are overwhelmingly favorable, except for the
former United States and Canada. There the reaction is 50/50.

Peacock texted back.
That’s because we Americans are spoiled brats.

“Finally,” Pendleton said. “Our regional governors will release all prisoners convicted of crimes not a part of Global Realm law. Those already convicted of crimes that violate Global Realm law will have their sentences changed to the Glob
al Realm penalty for said crimes.”

He reached over and touched Peacock’s hand. She gripped his. “Terrorism, murder, treason, and certain types of sedition are life sentences and require removing citizens from society to protect society. Convicted prisoners will be housed in top level security prisons now being built in Magadan, Siberia, South West Wilderness, Tasmania, Kerguelen Island, Madagascar, Paengyong-do, an island off North Korea, and near Narsaq in southern Greenland.”

He inhaled and seemed to revitalize. “Now for a special announcement, four years hence a competition will be held between the regions, an Olympics running the entire year—winter sports in February through March and summer sports in August through September. A year-long testing competition in every level of every career path with the winners worldwide assuming the top position in their specialty should draw us together as never before.”

Cameras panned the faces
in the auditorium. Pendleton stood, moved to the front of the stage with his microphone in his hand, and quieted the crowd. “In closing let me say, we have a long way to go. The sea level is rising at an alarming rate. Our effort in the Pacific to clean up the floating garbage dump is slow and unsettling, but we will survive. We will enjoy another Gold Age of Man. Thank you and good night.”

Peacock pushed her chair back to head to her husband’s side only to
find herself surrounded by regional governors
dying
to meet her. For fifteen minutes or so, they besieged and bombarded her with questions and compliments.

“Your specialty is espionage. How exciting. How did you meet Arthur?”

She decided the truth was less believable than a lie. “I met him in Athens. I was there to steal his secrets, and he charmed me into marrying him.”

“Really? No come on and tell us the truth.”

She played her role. In addition, she scanned the crowd, looking for her team members positioned around the room. Like happened to Robert Kennedy, after a speech in the height of the moment, a lone gunman could destroy a leader in a fraction of a second. Tonight, things went smoothly.

After what seemed like an eternity, her husband whisked her away. A good thing, she thought. She needed to talk with him about her soul. Knowing he would listen amazed her.

Doctor Reuben Levi put up Laverna Smythe Pendleton and Beatrice Kolb’s brain scans on his light-board and asked Doctor Pederson to analyze what he saw. The two compared notes and dictated their separate conclusions. They agreed that both brains held a unique anomaly, tangles in the hypothalamus similar to Alzheimer’s patients.

“The quick leap to rage,” Levi dictated. “The strange increase in sexual drive and domination are found to a far lesser extent in Alzheimer’s patients, but are still there.”

“Yet the other signs of Alzheimer’s are absent,” Doctor Pederson added. “The question is whether they’ll evidence if the tangles grow?”

“I need to see Kolb’s other patients’ records. She experimented with several dozen before Peacock.” Levi reviewed the transcripts of his interviews with Beatrice and Laverna. “Who is Felicia Lange?”

“Why?”

“She’s mentioned by Kolb as having an existing implant, similar to the one Laverna wore prior to the time she was updated. I need to study her brain scans as well.”

“I’ll see what I can do to gain cooperation,” Pederson said.

“One call to Pendleton will get you all the information we need. His wife’s life may be at stake.”

#

“Yes, of course, call he
r regional governor. You can have anything you want.” Pendleton’s face seemed sad.

Peacock rubbed his back to ease his distress. “People
always want something,” she said. “Who was it this time?”

“Oh,
that assistant of Doctor Levi’s, he wanted some of the brain scans from Kolb’s experiments gone wrong.” His eyes moistened.

“Arthur, what’s wrong?”

“I’m tired. That’s all.”

“Maybe tonight’s not a good time to talk.”

“No, no, put on some coffee. I’m sleeping in tomorrow. Milton will call me if there’s an emergency.”

She put on coffee unable to shake the feeling that he’d received bad news and hurried back to him. “I liked it better when no one knew me.”

“We rule the world. We can’t hide.” Pendleton took a sip of coffee, and then another. “You asked me how I can do the things I do and get away with them. Is that correct?”

“Word for word
. You break the commandments I was taught came from God. Yet you claim to be a Christian.”

“And so do us all
—commit sins that is.” His countenance changed. His face brightened. Love filled his words. “Abraham was God’s chosen. Yet Abraham gave his wife to Pharaoh to save his own skin.”

“He did?”

“Yes.” Pendleton said. “All God’s chosen were flawed. I compare myself more to David, than Abraham. David had to fight for his life against the tribes surrounding him. He was a murderer, a womanizer, and yet he loved God. When he made mistakes, he paid for them. When Nathan the Prophet rebuked him, David asked forgiveness. And God rewarded David, and called David his Son.”

“My dad quoted all that stuff.”

“You’re not listening. By accepting Jesus, I became his brother and God’s Son.” He took both her hands in his as he’d done that morning. “It’s all about relationship, Lovey. If you’re not a Christian, you have no relationship with God. Your father would have fought the Philistines for you, wouldn’t he?”

She trembled and said a weak, “Yes.”

“Because you were his daughter,” Pendleton said and grinned. “When you believe in the Son of God, you become God’s child. I pay every day for the things I’ve done. I have few around me I can truly trust. Claymore and
you
betrayed me. The difference is you are family. Claymore isn’t. I still love you. I never think about Claymore. That’s the way God works.”

She had betrayed Arthur
, and he had forgiven her. Was God like that? Did He continually love and forgive His children? If so, she wanted God, too. “I’m going to pay for my sins one way or the other. I might as well choose forgiveness.” She hugged her husband. “I’m still insane.”

“Who is to say we all aren’t a little insane sometime or another?”

She undressed her husband and crawled in bed next to him. She felt so loving she wanted to show how much. She kissed him only to hear his breathing change to deep, slow breaths. “Good night, Sweetheart. Thank you for explaining things to me.”

All she heard in response was snoring.

#

“How do you think our boy will take to what we have to say?”

Anne Pendleton nuzzled up to Milton Rogers and answered, “He’ll be fine once he realizes I’m human and not an antique.”

Rogers propped himself up on his pillow and sipped a cup of tea. “Our Laverna’s got our boy in love with coffee you know. It’s
not British.”

“I love her anyway. She’s as tough as they come. Yet, I’m seeing her true colors over these last five months. In fact, I think we should ask her how to break our wedding engagement to Arthur.”

“Well bloody hell, Anne. She’s out and about most days kicking ass somewhere with Van Meer and his crew. George took his first steps a few days ago, and she missed them.”

“They’re team building. Isn’t that raid coming up soon?”

“In little over a month, you’d think Arthur would send someone else.”

“
Think about that. She’s a warrior. You can’t lock up a warrior and make her a socialite. In fact, she’ll go every chance she gets. The only way to keep her here is to keep her pregnant.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard.”

“She decides when she decides, and she hasn’t decided.” Anne leaned close and licked his ear. “And it needs to be
hard
, ole boy.”

#

Abbas Kazhili slipped away from his companions as the moon rose over the coastline of the Caspian Sea near Gorgan. He powered on his Global Realm cellphone and huddled behind an eroding mound of earth, looking out over the water. “The palace location is a decoy. The meeting will be in the mountains north and west of Mashhad.”

“Do you have a specific place?”

“No, you’ll have to track me by my cell signal.”

“Any idea why the change of plans?”

Abbas sighed, “They’re paranoid. They believe the First Citizen knows of their plans. So they keep changing them.”

“Someone new must be advising him. Don’t contact us again. Remove the tracking device from your cell and secure it on your person. We’ll strike at the appointed time wherever you are.”

“Roger that.” They’ll strike wherever I am, he thought. Abbas, what are you doing? Yes, you’re making yourself a walking target. Surely the First Citizen will send a force of superheroes to destroy his enemies and rescue Abbas, his faithful servant, or maybe not.

H
e lingered for a while admiring the beauty of the earth. Then as quickly as he came, he left.

#

“I’ll be gone for quite a while,” Peacock said.

The night had settled in, and she rocked George tenderly in her arms.

“That al-Sistani thing,” Pendleton asked.

“Better for you that you don’t know where or what I’m doing, unless Van Meer tells you.”

“Probably for the better,” Pendleton said. “I’ll worry all the more knowing what danger you’re in.”

She nuzzled her eighteen-month old in her arms and wondered at the speed
by which this new world was forming. The brutal way the rioters met their deaths confirmed the government’s message. The Global Realm rewarded loyalty. Disobedience wasn’t tolerated. Only a few dire enemies remained. Fanatics like al-Sistani were all that stood between a world at peace and a world divided. Her role was to eliminate her husband’s enemies. Peacock rose, carried her sleeping child to his crib, and settled him in for the night. “I thought when I return we might try for another—child I mean.”

Pendleton peered over top the papers he was studying. “As you desire, my love,” he said. “I’m ready, willing, and still able.”

“Don’t make light of this. We’ve not talked about children much. I do need to know your wishes.”

“I wish for you to be happy. However, I don’t want a brood running about. A little girl would be nice.”

“Well, I can’t predict the sex.”

Pendleton put down his papers, and she knew she had his attention. She loved that trait, the ability he had to read her emotions. “I’m all for another child. If you want to know my preferences, I think three are enough. That gives us two shots at a girl.” He paused a nervous moment. “To
be honest, the pressure of being a Pendleton is not something I wish on anyone. I look at George and wonder if he will hold up under the weight.”

“Relax darling, and reassess. He’ll be raise like any Global citizen. He’ll be educated, evaluated, and grow into his calling whatever that calling will be. The pressure will come only if
you
place it upon him.”

Her husband pursed his lips. “I know you’re right. The pressure of being a Pendleton will come from me. I’ll have to curb my desire to raise a successor to the throne so to speak.”

Peacock often daydreamed about the talent their children would possess. However, she never put a name to that talent. She and Arthur’s children would simply be exceptional. “And if George became the first man to set foot on Mars instead?”

“Ah, I see. I’m not to choose the path. I’m
only to provide the environment for success.”

“Like you are for every obedient citizen of the Realm,” Peacock answered, and her words struck home inside her. She believed in the ideals of the Global Realm now that she was a part of it. When she returned from her assignment, she’d
work to become pregnant again.