In crowded Manhattan, up in his hotel suite, Joshua Jordan was caught up in his brain-storming session with Phil Rankowitz. They were laying out the final last steps in their AmeriNews plan. Yet they knew that it all depended on one thing. Abigail still had to get the FCC to order World Teleco to honor its contract and launch the Roundtable’s explosively controversial wireless news service to millions of Allfones. But after hanging up with Phil, Joshua had a nagging feeling he was forgetting something. He glanced over his Roundtable checklist for the project. No, everything was on track. Maybe something else. Something personal?
Then he remembered his conversation with Abby. Before she left for Washington, she urged him to give a call to Cal to see how he was doing. He still remembered her words: “Josh, I think he needs to hear from his dad again. He always knows his mom’s in his corner. But you need to reach out. It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from him. Besides, you said your last call with him didn’t go anywhere.”
Joshua had been all consumed recently. Maybe Abby was right. Besides, she had a remarkable intuition about the kids. Joshua dialed Cal’s number, confident in his signal-cloaking Allfone.
On the campus of Liberty University, Cal’s cell was ringing. He didn’t answer it at first. He was busy watching his ex-girlfriend, Karen, walking away from him. The ringing continued. Without looking at the caller ID, Cal answered in an angry tone.
There was an awkward pause. Then Joshua Jordan spoke.
“Cal it’s, me. Dad. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“School okay?”
“Sure.”
“Everything else?”
“Fine.”
There was another pause. Joshua dug deeper. “How are things between you and Karen?”
Cal muttered, “Wow, two points.”
“Didn’t quite get that…”
“Never mind, Dad. Just about the Karen thing…”
“Tell me.”
Cal didn’t really want to. But he blurted it out anyway. “We broke up today.”
“Sorry. How are you with that?”
“It wasn’t my idea. She’s getting back together with Jeff Hitchney.”
“Gottcha. That hurts. Male ego’s a powerful thing. But I know you had some strong feelings for her. Sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Really? I kind of find that hard to believe…”
“Just because I had some questions about her. And I thought you ought to be concentrating on your studies—”
“Well, that’s not how it came across. Okay? The way I see it, it’s just one more way that Joshua Jordan is trying to control the world, including his son.”
“That’s a cheap shot, Cal. I pay your tuition. I think that gives me some say-so in your school life. Your choice of major. Relationships that might jeopardize your studies.” Joshua’s voice was firm but not angry. Cal, on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping it together, so he didn’t talk. His father filled in the blanks.
“Look, let’s keep this civil. Adult. You’re not a child, Cal; you’re a man. So I’m going to talk to you that way. You and I need to be able to converse about things with the drawbridge down. Okay? You have a problem with me, that’s fine. I can take it. Speak your mind. But I’m going to keep speaking mine. Don’t cop an attitude with me just because I let you know that your compass is going whacky and your trajectory is off. All right?”
“Fine.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“One more thing.”
Cal was listening.
“You need to know something. More important than anything else.”
“What’s that?”
“Your father loves you. Get that down pat. Nothing’s ever going to change that.”
“All right.”
Just then there was a beep on Joshua’s line.
“That’s my next conference call coming in. Gotta go. Remember the last thing I just said, Cal. Okay? It’s important.”
“Okay, Dad.”
Then the call ended. An instant later, as Cal was staring at his cell phone, he realized that he’d screwed up. For the second time recently, his dad told him he loved him. But Cal hadn’t reciprocated. He wondered, What is my problem anyway? Down deep Cal knew he should have said something. To let his dad know how he really felt. Of course Cal looked up to him. But more than that, he harbored a towering sense of awe for his father. But there was always so much other turmoil getting in the way between the two of them. Whenever his dad reached out, which wasn’t often, well, he didn’t know how to handle it. So he’d go silent. Maybe it was time for that to change. Next time I talk to him, I’ll let him know how I feel. And that I love him. Respect him. I’ll tell him that, no matter what.
Cal was now walking back to his dorm room.
On that day, Cal’s sister, Deborah, was busy with her class schedule up at West Point. As for the rest of Cal’s family—for Abby and Joshua—they had been immersed in their own struggles. But every one of them was oblivious to the danger that was stalking them—and getting closer.
At that precise moment, Atta Zimler had arrived at a point a mere two miles from his destination. And he was closing in.
He knew parking might be a problem. His ability to get his utility van out fast was a high priority. Like everything else, he had a plan for that too.
The timetable was perfect. He knew that shortly his target would be in his grasp. He would then secure the RTS design documents. And the pleasing thought of the fortune that would be wired to his offshore account, to be added to his already huge balance from the upfront fee paid by Caesar Demas. But this wasn’t just about money for Atta Zimler. He was a man with a planet-sized ego. When he says he will kill a man, the man gets killed. When he says a certain thing will get done, it gets done. He considered himself a force of nature. Unstoppable. Unremitting. Merciless.
Zimler had his tactical file on the seat next to him. Photographs. Schematics. Maps. Escape routes. And most importantly, of course, his deadly tools of the trade were carefully laid out in the back of the van.
Thinking forward about the final coup de grâce, Zimler knew that there would be lots of blood before it was over.
But he had a sense of amused satisfaction when he considered exactly how it was going to be shed.