The grand commander wants to build a perfect future generation. That includes arranged marriages between the women who have been left alive and our best and brightest men. I explained no woman would accept an arranged marriage in this day and age, but the grand commander has other ideas.
—The journal of Isaac Ryland
No one at the airport gave Grant trouble. He didn’t need to show identification or clearance. Grant could tell the people there wanted his autograph more than to question his actions. He didn’t offer his signature though. Becoming a celebrity was something he had done at the current grand commander’s insistence. Grant didn’t want the American people in awe of him; he wanted them to fear him.
Grant was still waiting for a phone call or for news to break about whatever had happened to the French visitors. He hated not diving right in, but it wasn’t worth the risk of his involvement at this stage. Grant used the arrival of the Taiwanese guests as an excuse to land his plane at the airport, but he couldn’t have cared less about them. He wanted to get Rex and make his way back to his home so he could plot his next move. The RAG agents in charge of the foreign visitors set to arrive waited on the tarmac near Grant.
“Copy that,” a RAG agent said into his microphone. He started walking toward Grant. “Sir,” he said. “I hate to bother you, but the airport says there’s a man insisting he’s here with you. He’s becoming irate.”
“Tell them to send him down.”
Grant hadn’t told the airport about Rex. He wanted his man flustered. Grant knew Rex was up to something and wanted him to witness the capture of his new employers. Grant wondered how much money Amelia and her organization had offered Rex; it must have been a lot because Grant kept the man well paid.
“Make sure they frisk him first,” Grant said. “He can have no weapons on him or anything that could be used as a weapon.”
The agent nodded his head and relayed his instructions into the microphone.
“Agent,” Grant said, “I want you and your men on high alert.”
“We were informed this was an easy assignment,” the agent said.
“You were misinformed,” Grant said. “Think of our visitors as hostile and be ready.”
“Yes, sir,” the man said.
The agent walked over toward his team and relayed their new instructions. Grant was pleased to see their demeanor change. All of them checked their weapons and then straightened up and stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a line behind the agent in charge. For a few moments Grant admired his power. The agent didn’t question Grant’s orders. If his initial interaction with RAG agents had been as successful, then Amelia would have never made it out of the country in the first place.
“Hey, boss,” Rex said, breaking Grant’s concentration.
It had been months since the two men had seen each other. Grant looked at the looming giant. His skin was darker and his hair longer, but Grant saw the same determination in the man’s eyes. That determination used to work toward Grant’s goals but was now focused on a more sinister purpose.
“You look like hell,” Grant said.
The man’s clothes were dirty and stood in contrast to Grant’s khaki pants and lemon striped collared shirt. Grant breathed in and accidentally smelled the man next to him. He hoped Mia didn’t have the same stink on her.
“And you need a shower,” Grant said.
“I’ve been traveling across Mexico,” Rex said. “I had to ditch my vehicle at the border and then walk for several miles before securing another to meet you here. What are we doing here?” Rex asked.
“I flew my personal plane down to get you,” Grant said. “By luck a foreign dignitary is en route to land. I wanted to greet him.”
“That doesn’t sound like you,” Rex said.
“Maybe I’ve changed since we last parted ways,” Grant said.
He looked for a reaction from Rex, but none came. The man remained as stoic as ever. Grant was hoping to pick up on some sense of disloyalty.
“What country are they from?”
“Which would you expect?” Grant asked.
Rex was well trained; he raised his shoulders and didn’t look fazed by Grant’s question.
“It doesn’t matter,” Rex said. “They’re all foreign scum to me.”
Before Grant could ask another question a loud noise filled the air. Grant turned his head to watch the small plane land on the runway. He watched as the aircraft circled around. He started walking closer. He heard Rex’s footsteps behind him. Grant stopped and turned to face the large man.
“I think it’s best if you stay back,” Grant said. “This is an official welcoming and you’re in no shape to greet anyone.”
Rex nodded his head and stepped backward. Grant glanced into his man’s eyes. Grant couldn’t tell if Rex was nervous or not. It was a pity he had been turned. Finding a replacement with the same skill set would take months, if not years. Grant turned his attention back to the plane. The first group started walking out. Two American soldiers, the escorts for the foreign visitors.
Next the supreme leader of Taiwan stepped out. He was older than Ian. The picture he had provided showed a man forty years younger. His wife followed, and she was close to his age. Next a woman more than a decade older than Grant stepped out. Two people of a similar age trailed behind her. Then the door closed.
The RAG agent in charge ordered these people patted down. Grant saw the look of confusion on their faces. He made it to the group and went straight toward the supreme leader.
“Is this your entire group?” Grant asked.
The man was trying to push the RAG agent away. He was yelling in another language.
“Answer me, you old fool,” Grant said.
The man looked over at Grant. He wore a look of recognition on his face and started to speak to Grant in the same language. One of the American soldiers stepped forward.
“Sir, he does not speak English,” the soldier said.
“Well, what is he saying?” Grant asked.
The soldier pointed down the row of people being patted down. The youngest woman, who was still close to thirty, hit the RAG agent patting her down with her purse. The agent backed away and drew his weapon. The woman let out a scream.
“She is his translator,” the soldier said.
Their leader continued to yell in the strange language.
“Bring the woman over here,” Grant said.
The RAG agent kept his gun drawn and walked her toward Grant.
“What is he babbling about?”
The woman was afraid. Her eyes glanced toward the leader and then back to Grant. “‘I am the king,’” she said. “‘I don’t deserve this treatment. We are guests. Please tell them. I am here for your wedding.’”
The whole reason Grant wanted to meet these people was to ensure at least one country remained in fear of America.
“Tell him to shut up,” Grant said.
The woman translated and the man did the opposite. His voice rose and his little face started turning red. Grant couldn’t stand it any longer. He lifted his hand and gripped the man by the throat.
“Shut your mouth,” Grant said.
This did the trick. All the rage Grant was feeling came to a boil. Mia was roaming free around his country and Grant didn’t have enough information to trace her yet. She had outsmarted him again. Grant couldn’t wait to get his hands on Mia and wring her neck. The image of strangling her pretty little neck popped into Grant’s mind and he began squeezing. One of the women let out a cry and brought Grant back to reality. He let go of the foreign leader. The man began coughing.
“Welcome to America,” Grant said.
He turned around and stormed off. Grant glanced at Rex as he walked by. The large man’s face remained still. Whatever victory Rex was feeling, Grant took pleasure in the fact that it would be short-lived. This was a misstep, but Grant was still certain all of his enemies would fall in the near future.