The Invitation-kindle (11 page)

“Never. I don’t know what to make of it. That was bizarre, watching him speed read like that. He didn’t look human.”

“I think he was on drugs. Almost had to be, turning those pages like that,” says Senator Fields.

“That thing lodged in his brain—that bothers me.”

“Especially since we can guess where it came from,” Senator Fields says.

“Why else would he go to a hospital in Beijing, stay all day, and then try to cover it up?”

“It seems pretty obvious to me.”

“You know what’s going to happen on Monday,” the CIA director says.

“I sure do. Senator Merrick’ll go down to the White House and spill his guts. Then Myers’ll give him a pat on the head and send him home.”

“There’s not much we can do about it.”

“You said earlier that Myers should be put under surveillance.”

“I think he should.”

“Do it. We can at least do that much. How long would it take?” Senator Merrick asks.

“It won’t take long to put a few people on him. They can be in Miami tonight,” the CIA director says. “They’ll keep an eye on him.”

“I don’t see how we can do anything else,” Senator Fields says.

“I agree. Too many unanswered questions,”

The men continue talking as Senator Fields starts his car, and pulls away.

Back in western North Carolina, Todd Keniston sees the hours of another bleak, uninviting day unfolding. Utterly stymied in his efforts to resolve the crises of his personal life, he seems powerless to shake the emotional trauma of his wife and children leaving him. The home where he expected to live out his years with his family is now a haunting reminder of all that he’s lost. As he sits once again on the front porch waiting for the mail man, the slender hope remains that word will come that she has changed her mind, and will soon be returning home. The ex-marine feels at once connected, and yet unconnected to those two worlds that were the sustaining force of his life, his family, and his career as a military contractor. Sitting alone he feels impelled to do something. He knows that brooding inactivity will only make his situation worse. Then he sees the mail truck approaching, and walks out before it arrives to wait for whatever might come. After a perfunctory greeting to the mail man he sees the unmistakable hand writing on the letter handed to him. His wife has finally chosen to respond to his numerous attempts to communicate.

As he walks back to the porch his thoughts are tinged with hopeful expectation. He thinks, why shouldn’t she want to come back? Surely living with her parents is causing her to have second thoughts. He thinks, perhaps she now realizes what she had. He opens the letter more optimistic than not that it will contain the words, and tone of reconciliation, but after a cursory greeting his heart sinks when he reads the words, “I filed for divorce”. The impact of these words is immediate as he falls back in the chair, and emotions quickly rise within him. Disappointment, grief, anger, mixed with the genuine love he feels for his wife seem to well up simultaneously inside him. How could she do this? Doesn’t she have any gratitude for the sacrifices he’s made to provide for her and the children? The more he thinks about it, the more it seems selfish on her part. Sorrow slowly gives way to bitterness, and anger. Putting the letter down he feels the impulse to do something. He does what he’s always done when dealing with a threatening or stressful situation. He turns to his guns.

With part of his back yard converted into a target range, ready access is at hand to something that has always helped assuage his personal frustrations. And so for the next two hours gunshots are heard from Todd Keniston’s back yard. Whether it might help him in his anguish or not is hard to know, but even the slightest relief is better than none at all from his distracted state of mind.

Today is a very special day for the people and city of Miami, Florida. Hosting the Summer Olympics has been the topic of most conversation in and around the city for the past several months. Despite the adamant assertions of critics who from the start resisted the idea of Miami hosting the summer games, an upbeat mood and genuine sense of anticipatory excitement is widespread throughout the city. The intelligent management and committed preparation of both the Olympic Committee, and local officials to ensure safety and minimal inconvenience for residents and visitors, has so far been effective. For the past three days Miami has opened its doors to the world. By day, high school bands from all over the country perform the colorful, precise routines they have carefully practiced for months. At night, the festive atmosphere continues as restaurants, theaters, and places of entertainment cater to the influx of foreign tourists. After several days of munificent celebration, the city is alive with the sounds, color, and flavor, of a Latin fiesta. Bougainvilleas in vibrant bloom beside palm trees languidly swaying in a warm calming breeze paint a natural picture of tropical beauty. The weather for southern Florida in mid-July is typically warm and humid, but for the past week, milder temperatures and low humidity have made conditions very pleasant for all.

Thousands have gathered at Amelia Earhart Park, and the newly built stadium where the Olympic torch will soon finish its journey with the symbolic lighting of the Olympic flame signaling the games to begin. For miles people have flanked the route that the Olympic torch will travel to its destination. From there, after the Olympic flame is lit, the President will announce the start of the games. The Olympic stadium where the President will shortly speak is now the focus of attention, and activity. The unyielding demeanor of two Secret Service agents flanking the  podium where he will speak leave no one guessing as to who is about to arrive. Already present are the Vice President, members of Florida’s Congressional delegation, the Mayor of Miami, and other officials. Among them are Congressman Steve Kearns and his wife Rebecca, their inconvenient journey finally reaching its end with a front row seat to watch the passing of the Olympic torch.  The sound of spontaneous applause, and heads turning in the same direction is the only indication that the President has arrived. He and Mrs. Myers, with a small entourage entering the stadium from a secured entrance make their way slowly to the front, shaking hands with well-wishers. Attending the President is General Croft, freshly returned from MacDill Air Force base after meeting with his subordinate commanders. Moving forward to take their seats, Mr. and Mrs. Myers see Congressman Kearns, and his wife, and walk over to greet them.

“Steve, you made it,” the President says.

“Yes, Sir, I did. Mr. President, this is my wife, Rebecca.”

“Hi, Rebecca.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Sir.”

“How was the flight? Did they treat you well?”

“Yes, Sir, very well.”

“Rebecca and I talked for the whole flight. I asked her to come to the White House sometime for dinner,” says the First Lady.

“I think that’s a great idea. I’m really glad you both came today,” the President says.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. President,” says Congressman

Kearns.

At that point the newly elected Mayor of Miami, Maria Sanchez taps the microphone at the podium to summon the crowd’s attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve just been told the Olympic torch is about five minutes away, so if everyone would take their seats, please. Anyone who intends to get a picture of this might want to get their cameras ready. Once the torch passes you won’t get another chance. So, ladies and gentlemen, I repeat, the Olympic torch is now less than five minutes away.”

With this the President excuses himself and takes his seat directly behind the podium, and all others quickly find their chairs. On both sides of the President in the front row are his wife, the Vice President, General Croft, Congressman Kearns, his wife Rebecca, the Mayor of Miami, and the Florida Congressional delegation. By his own order only two Secret Service agents are posted near him.

As all settle in waiting for the torch to enter the stadium, a general sense of collective anticipation seems to be expressed on every face. The air itself seems pregnant with expectation. TV crews from all over the world are streaming live coverage to their native audiences, with estimated global viewership topping one hundred million. This is not just another start of the Olympic cycle, momentous as that might be. This is also an event very much connected with the person and prestige of the President of the United States. Ken Myers is the first President to have a truly global following. Most of the thousands gathered are there to see, and hear Ken Myers, and also the lighting of the Olympic flame, not the reverse. To understand why, is to know something about the considerable influence, political and personal, that Ken Myers has had on those who know him, and the millions of Americans who have watched him, and his Presidency for the past three, and a half years.

More than anything else it was his commanding oratory that first set him apart from other politicians, and this quality never shone brighter then when he was campaigning for the White House. He never used notes or any other visual aids in any of his public speeches, which always had the appearance of a completely impromptu performance. No original drafts of any speech given by Ken Myers have ever been seen. Some say the reason is because they don’t exist, and never did. They simply believe he has an unrivaled power to speak in any situation extemporaneously.

Most of the people in Olympic Stadium want the President to give a speech, and not a short one, but that preference is not unanimous. Vice President Scott Conner would prefer the speech to be as brief as possible, followed by a quick return flight to Washington. Foreseeing the possible criticism the President might receive if his speech is longer than the brief, traditional welcome customarily offered, he expects the President to speak no more than a few words.

It is now almost eight o’clock, that time of day when light and darkness balanced in equipoise shade the sky with a radiant glow that signals the approach of night. Though steadily relinquishing its hold on the day, the sun now well beneath the western horizon illuminates a perfect full moon rising in the eastern sky, as if the Man in the Moon himself will be watching the games. The evening seems to exude pure magic.

Then another tapping of the microphone is heard, and a crisp, well-enunciated voice follows.

“Ladies and gentlemen,   The Olympic torch has entered the stadium, carried this year by Emily Larson, breast cancer survivor and national advocate for breast cancer awareness. Ladies, and gentlemen, the passing of the Olympic torch!”

As the Olympic torch passes, thousands take the photo they were waiting for. A few minutes later the torch is poised to perform its sacred ritual, and the Olympic flame will be lit once again. Mayor Sanchez looks at the President, and says, “Mr. President, if you’ll do the honors, please.”

“Thank you, Maria,” he says as he approaches the podium.

For the entire course of human existence, from the dawn of man’s earliest beginnings, this day has been waiting. This day, this hour, this coming moment, was inevitable. No one knew, or could have known, that human history is about to be jolted permanently off its course. The President stands at the podium, and as the Olympic flame is lit, he begins speaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the lighting of the Olympic flame. The symbolism is apt. The light of a torch can lead us out of a dark cave into safety. The light of a fire can protect us from the cold, and the light of knowledge, and imagination can lead us into a better future. Today is a day unlike any other in the history of mankind, because on this day mankind shall be offered an invitation into his own future. This day is predestined. Since before
Homo Erectus
stood upright on the plains of east Africa more than five million years ago, this day has been foreordained.”

At hearing these words, some of the faces of those standing behind the President grimace in bewilderment, as they wonder to themselves what he is talking about. As the President continues a few people in the crowd begin pointing at something in his direction, but most continue looking at him tentatively, perplexed by what their hearing. The Vice President, with a visibly pained expression on his face, cringes internally as the President continues.

“Sometimes in our life we meet someone who can help us through a difficult time, a friend whose experience and good advice can make a critical difference in our personal journey. For mankind, the time has come to make that new friend, a friend who can help us make the right choices to secure a peaceful, abundant future for ourselves, our children, and all posterity.”

As he continues more people in the crowd are pointing at something in the direction of the President, who along with all others behind him, is facing westward. From their point of view, it seems they’re just pointing at the President for some reason. As people in the President's entourage start looking at each other in embarrassed confusion, he continues speaking.

“Humanity’s long march through time has been seen, and known by others, others who have long ago faced challenges very much like the challenges that mankind is now facing.”

As more, and more people in the crowd point in the direction of the President, the Vice President finally turns and looks at the eastern sky. What he sees instantly seizes his attention. He looks at the full moon, and sees beside it, a circular object roughly half its size, but getting larger, and apparently in movement. As more and more people take notice of it, they are immediately transfixed by what they see, many giving voice to their curious amazement, wondering aloud what it could be. Still more become cognizant of the strange object, and an eerie silence comes over the crowd. Once as small as a point of light, it’s now as large as the full moon. The light it now emits is enough to brighten the landscape noticeably. All the while President Myers continues to speak, seemingly oblivious to what’s happening around him. As the object approaches, its color, at first a soft white, now changes to a rich lime green.