Madness (25 page)

C
hapter 42

No more hand-to-hand combat for my wife, Pendleton thought. I have more to worry about than I can handle now.

“My fellow citizens,” he said. “I’ve never
fully
explained why forming the Global Realm in the way it was formed was necessary. I believe you have the right to know why over seven percent of the population of the world died from hostile action in the last two years.”

He moistened his lips with his tongue, then faced his audience resolutely. “The fact is mankind couldn’t do the things necessary to save this planet, and ourselves, while the former system remained. Greed destroys everyone greed touches. The effects of human pollution on our planet are still life threatening. Our experts say the chances of surviving as a civilized race two hundred years from now are less than seventy-percent. However, those estimates are changing for the better.”

A vacuum-like silence filled the Widder Hotel.

“The last evacuee from the former Maldives arrived in Colombo in the former Sri Lanka this morning. The airport in the city of Main has closed because of flooding. A few individuals made the choice to stay. May God have mercy on their souls.”

#

As her husband continued, Peacock mulled over her situation. Take Van Meer’s place? She desperately wanted a challenge. She’d fought
for Van Meer’s job until told she wasn’t ready. But now that the job was hers, she balked. She hadn’t been consulted. A deep sigh of resignation escaped her lips. Yes. She would obey her husband. Her team would still be watched with a thoughtful eye.

Peacock glanced out into the hall. Near the back wall, stiff and straight, stood Felicia Lange. My replacement, she
thought. If her husband wanted her in Van Meer’s job, he would have to agree to let her name her replacement.

T
he broadcast ended, Pendleton rose. “Give thanks to God for His guidance and help. Give thanks to our leadership—and to yourselves for the part you all are playing. From our service people to our brilliant inventors, we will prosper as a race.” He moved to the front of the stage. “For the citizen, our laws are clear, written down, and the penalties meted out uniformly, no exceptions. A citizen enjoys optimum educational opportunities, free services, excellent healthcare, and a bright future. A non-citizen may join us at any time by pledging allegiance, taking the necessary testing, and obeying the rules. We will hunt the rebellious and kill them. The peace of the Realm requires this. Thank you, and thank God.”

“
Ode to Mankind” played over the broadcasting networks as the scene from the Widder Hotel faded. Pendleton leaned up against the podium as the bias audience left.

“83 percent of the globe watched,” Peacock said. “I’m amazed at the accuracy of our data recording system. I suppose the naysayers will always be with us.”

Pendleton hugged her close. “The naysayers are toothless.”

“I’m not,” she whispered. “You sprung this promotion on me. So I choose Felicia Lange as my replacement. No argument.”

Arthur’s broad smile greeted her. “Right you are.”

#

Lying in bed late that night, Peacock’s stomach churned. Not from her pregnancy, the thought of heading Global Security still grieved her. From the time she first joined Hercules, she hungered to fight. She loved her role in espionage. She loved leading her team, but heading the whole Global Security Organization brought doubt to her mind.

She knew who she
really was now. However, if she could adapt to her husband’s wishes, she might grow into a loving, feeling human being. Her resolve stiffened. Peacock pushed thoughts of failure or terrorists breaching her security teams out of the realm of possibility. Seduction, combat, and deception had driven her career-path up to now. Her new role required help.

For the next few minutes, Peacock actually prayed. “I can’t change by myself, Lord. Guide my heart and urges. Stabilize my mind. Remove my rage. I pledge my allegiance to You and the Global Realm. Help me be what my husband needs. Amen.”

Strange, she thought. The ground did not tremble. God did not strike her dead. A peace came over her. “Show me what to do, and I will follow You.”

Everything you do, do with love.

“How can I guard the world and not break a commandment?”

Was she talking with God? No, she
must be hallucinating.

In one thing
, your husband is right. David sinned, but he repented.

“But . . .” Speaking was useless. Whatever she’d experienced
had past, and she was alone.

#

Six months passed since his father died. Ammad put a broad smile on his face and stepped up to a Global Realm induction station. He said, “I wish to become a citizen.”

The administrator glanced upward, “One moment, let me finish closing my last transaction. The man before you is heading to his testing booth, and the sign-in must be complete before he begins
testing.”

A
mmad swallowed his disdain, knowing patience brings great rewards. Once processed, he headed to his testing booth. Forty well-briefed followers would enroll with him and embark on a long-term mission in the hopes of eroding the Global Realm from within. Ultimately, Ammad planned to end the reign of the First Citizen and replace him over time.

His upbringing gave him a unique understanding of the racial and religious viewpoints in his region of the world. He selected career paths in communications and negotiations in Core 412, Pacification of the Non-Citizen World, Division 51-Sociology.

As he answered the questions, thinking as a good citizen would, he reminded himself that all prior human governments began with good intentions and eroded into chaos, evidentially falling into ruin. Why, because they were human governments. Only a government run by Allah’s rules was sustainable.

He and his followers knew where his white garments were. One day, however Allah worked things out
, Ammad would emerge to bring this world out of darkness. He finished his test and the results posted him in the top 85 percent, qualifying him to select one of three open positions within the Global Realm’s Social Sciences Research and Implementation Division.

He turned and followed the signs, still written in both English and Arabic, through the far doors to his left. As he opened the door, a guard examined his papers and pointed him to an official with the silver stripes of an upper level supervisor.

“Are you married?”

“No, my family died in the war. I’ve wandered the mountainside until I came to my senses that under this Global government people seem happier.”

“So you have no family and no ties to this province?”

“No.”

“Very well, Ammad al-Sistani, you will go through six months training here in Mashhad.”

This man wasn’t Persian, maybe Mongolian from his facial structure. The name al-Sistani didn’t leave an impression on him. A
mmad refused to hide his background. The Global Realm forgave the enemies who cooperated. Admirable, he thought.

“After six months, you will be relocated. Do you have a preference between Irkutsk, Bern, or Philadelphia?”

“Bern, Switzerland, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“I would prefer, Bern.”

“So noted. Here is a housing list
. Pick any blue location for housing while you are in training.”

“This one,” A
mmad pointed to a unit near Malek Abad Park. “I’m familiar with the area.”

The park served as a meeting place. He and his friends could make their plans from there.

The government provided Ammad a uniform, a stripe indicating a trainee, and a room key. Security thoroughly searched his bag. They found nothing of a suspicious nature.

Ammad remembered
the faces of his enemies. He would find them, and with time, kill them all. The advantage he had over his father was his age.

Allah Akbar,
He keeps me strong.

The face of one person embedded deep in his mind, a fierce fighter with red hair. She killed without hesitation and seemed to enjoy the act—find her and he would find the others.

The End