Objective- Freedom Read online

  “That won’t be necessary, Mr. President. I’m here to speak to you alone.”

  Curtis, immediately curious, hoped that didn’t mean more trouble.

  “Mr. President, I hate to bring this to your attention, especially at a time like this. However, if it’s delayed much longer, we lose the initiative, and the odds will move against us. Here is an envelope that was sealed in my office. You’ll want to see the pictures and read the captions. I’ve seen them, and they have been fully classified. I’ll leave you alone to digest them.”

  President Curtis took the envelope with a shaking hand, as the ambassador moved to the couch by the central table. She watched as President Curtis saw the remainder of his administration fall apart.

  Inside the envelope were pictures of Ronald Sutherland before he became vice president. Accompanying him was a very stunning young woman. They were in an intimate embrace. He flipped through the photos, seeing the embrace became more intimate and active. The couple moved from the balcony of the condominium to the bedroom immediately inside the glass sliding doors, but they left the windows open, and the details were easily seen. The final photos weren’t fit for publication even in the sleaziest supermarket tabloid.

  There was a smaller envelope marked for his personal attention. It contained close-up photos of the bed stand. On it was a mirror with a razor blade, two glass straws, and a residue of white powder.

  Ambassador Blakely said, “Robert, I wanted to be the one to deliver those. I didn’t want the wagging tongues of the media to get hold of the information. Your tenure in the White House is precarious at best.

  “We can work together. You need help. The prime minister believes we can help if you let us. We won’t interfere, but we have a long history dealing with this sort of thing. Espionage isn’t new to us. We don’t have the same privacy rules to handcuff us that you do. We aren’t restricted when observing people’s actions.

  “Her Majesty’s government has allowed me to be seconded to your staff as an observer. We want you to accept my help and that of Her Majesty’s government. The prime minister feels what’s good for you and your administration is good for Great Britain.”

  President Curtis looked at her with an expression of total defeat. “Where do we start, Catherine? What should I do?”

  “Take it easy this morning. Remain in the Oval Office and begin working on a plan. I can’t take part in formulating American

  policy. All I can do is observe and report to my superiors. Is there any single man or woman you can trust above all others?”

  He mentally checked off the appointments he made in the government and realized he could trust only one or two. How pathetic was that?

  His list came down to two men and one woman. The female cabinet member wasn’t a frequent visitor to the White House, so her coming and going would raise too many questions among the press. She would be a staunch ally, but he had to keep her out of the limelight for the moment. Her advice would be priceless, well thought out, and timely, but she had to remain in the background.

  He needed help, someone who could be close to him all the time. He held out one man for last. He considered the other man and dismissed him, because he was a member of the judicial branch whose politics were ambivalent.

  Curtis liked and trusted the man as a friend, but his easygoing attitude was too much at times. One wag said that the seventies were good to him. Curtis didn’t know about that, nor did he want to find out. Though he trusted the man, he couldn’t rely on him completely to act in a crisis.

  Ambassador Blakely took a piece of note paper and wrote down a name. The president nodded soberly. That was the man he needed.

  He called his appointments secretary and told her to locate Vice President Sutherland and get him to the Oval Office at eight o’clock the following morning.

  He pushed another button and dialed. Someone answered immediately. “Please meet me in my office tomorrow morning at seven o’clock.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  A messenger arrived from Governor Espada with an eyes- only message for Governor Harris. He wasn’t in the Texas capitol building, nor was he in the executive mansion. Texas Ranger Sergeant Shelton knew where the governor was and escorted the messenger to meet him. Shelton was allowed to come and go regularly without attracting notice from the press. It was common for men and women to enter or leave the capitol or the governor’s mansion.

  Shelton and David Salazar, the messenger from New Mexico, drove to Lockhart, forty miles south of Austin. They arrived at a restaurant named What’s Your Beef, one of the many barbecue restaurants in Lockhart claiming to be the best in Texas. Since it was in Texas, it claimed to be the best in the world, as did Memphis, Kansas City, and Charlotte. Shelton knew the place and felt even if the food wasn’t the best, it was the securest place to be with politicians. It wasn’t on the main highway through town but on a side street, and finding it took know-how.

  Sergeant Shelton and Agent Salazar walked in through the front door and immediately to the private dining room/party room on the building’s side. Colonel Roberts, seated by the door, motioned them inside. Governor Harris, General Polk, and two state senators from central Texas were eating a mound of ribs without sauce, washing it down with iced tea.

  Harris looked up and waved Roberts over, his mouth full of juicy rib meat. “Waas zat man wunt?”

  That was the best Roberts could make out through the meat and grease. The governor genuinely enjoyed ribs.

  “He has a message from the WesternLady.” That was their code name for Governor Espada.

  Harris called the man over and told Roberts to stand by. The message could only be delivered verbally between the two governors. It wasn’t an efficient system, but security was more important than time.

  Mr. Salazar, who was a New Mexico State Police patrol sergeant, sat and faced the governor. “The Lady has been informed by her sources that US Ambassador General Ray Green has been ordered to the White House immediately. That’s all, Sir.”

  Harris digested that as he chewed, hoping he wouldn’t get heartburn from the message. “Order two plates for yourself and the messenger, Robert. Charge them to my ticket.”

  The two men agreed and went into the main dining room for lunch. When Harris sat down again, General Polk looked at him quizzically. Receiving no answer, he returned to his brisket and potato salad. The governor would tell him when he could. At that moment, his priority, as people said in central Texas, was getting groceries down his neck. They had privacy and were able to eat until their hearts and bellies were full. They didn’t have to be formal.

  The only person who could complain about their eating habits was the man who had to clean up after them. He wasn’t happy and felt life had passed him by. Rich politicians and overbearing police were responsible. Even as a member of the National Guard, he felt picked on. He served in the guard for almost twenty years, but he was still just a squad leader and sergeant. Despite his rotten attitude, he felt he deserved more. Julio Rincon was a bitter man.

  As they drove back to Austin, Governor Harris told General Polk to send Roberts to the other capitols and arrange a meeting in Oklahoma. Polk nodded. He could send Roberts immediately.

  They would drop him off at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, where he could fly to the four capitols and send a messenger back from Oklahoma simultaneously. Governor Harris could then go to Oklahoma and meet with his colleagues.

  Early the following morning, Sergeant Shelton of the Texas Rangers led a messenger from the neutral state of Kentucky in to see the governor. When the messenger finished, he left the office. Governor Harris told Shelton, “Let’s go.”

  That was all Shelton needed. A blacked-out sedan waited on the driveway beside the governor’s mansion, and they drove to the airport. The plane took off less than twenty minutes later.

  During the uneventful flight to Oklahoma City, Harris briefed Polk on what little he knew. Through Ambassador Randal
l’s sources, Governor Espada learned that President Curtis called the vice president and Ambassador Green for an early morning meeting. The governors would discuss the details in Oklahoma City.

  They landed, entered an Oklahoma State Patrol van, and drove off. It was a short and quiet ride.

  Adjutant General Polk had sources too. He used information conduits even the governor didn’t know about. He was certain what the governors would discuss at their meeting, and he also knew that Ambassador Green was summoned to the president’s office one hour before the vice president.

  Polk could guess what was coming. He knew Sutherland and Green weren’t buddies. There was a lot of animosity between the executive branch and the military once the situation started falling apart. Polk felt Green could handle anything.

  Then he had a thought, and he looked out his window to hide a smile. Governor Harris spoke to the driver. Colonel Roberts caught Polk’s reflection in the window, and he, too, smiled. He came to the same conclusion.

  Arriving at the meeting, they found the other governors and guards already there. There was no fanfare, just a quick prayer at the beginning of the meeting, before they got down to business.

  “I have information that President Curtis called in Vice President Sutherland and Ambassador Green this morning,” Governor Harris said. “The likely cause is contained in the document folders on your desks. They were sealed by me and watched over by Governor Espada and the security officer who originated them. We three are the only ones who know about this information. I doubt any news reports on this will arrive soon. As you can see on the screens, we’re tuned in to all major news outlets. If anything breaks, we’ll hear about it soon. Please open your packages and read them.

  “Colonel Roberts, could you take the rest of the guards outside and make sure no one else enters?”

  Roberts nodded and went to wait in the hall with the others.

  The only person who didn’t register any emotion at the announcement was General Polk. Roberts noticed, though he hoped no one else did.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  President Curtis and Ambassador Catherine Blakely greeted Ambassador Green at the door. He was a bit surprised to see the lovely representative from England sitting in a chair. He always admired her and was glad to meet her again. It was a long time since he saw her, but he always remembered a beautiful woman. They spoke often on the phone, and she was always near in his thoughts.

  She greeted him graciously. He was enthralled and showed it.

  “Mr. Ambassador, please take a few minutes to read the contents of that folder and check the pictures.”

  Green saw the president nod, so he picked up the folder and began reading. His many years in the military and his knack for diplomacy kept him from shouting, “I knew that drop case was going to be trouble!” He raised an eyebrow at some of the close-up pictures.

  In Oklahoma, John Raven gave out a whoop. He despised Sutherland as another Washington toad, and everyone knew it. Governor Matt Wilson of Arizona smiled broadly. He knew more about Sutherland than the others. Governor Tate from Colorado had heard rumors, but he didn’t pay attention to idle talk.

  Wilson, remaining calm, kept his face impassive. The only surprised one was Governor Harris, who was naïve about national politics. The president made him a few offers over the years, but he didn’t accept any. Harris avoided national politics until recently. It was clear Sutherland wouldn’t remain vice president much longer. They’d find a reason to force him to resign, which would relegate him to being another footnote in history. He wouldn’t be the first.

  Harris, like many others, thought the office of vice president the second most-useless office in Washington. The most useless was White House chief of staff. Since they were the same, it made them useless squared and useless doubled. Harris wasn’t a mathematician.

  Discussion broke out immediately, centering on who would be the new vice president. Some favored Gene Carlock, the secretary of defense, the epitome of political appointees. He ran the finances for the Curtis campaign through his office in one of the leading food distributors on the West Coast. Since he was the chief financial officer, that made sense. He even anticipated a cabinet post, but, when he was appointed secretary of defense, everyone was shocked. He was confirmed mainly because he was easy to manipulate. Even in the food industry, he was a figurehead. He knew it and didn’t care.

  The one thing he accomplished in the Pentagon was the idea of reducing the number of four-star generals and admirals. He rightly believed the military service was top-heavy. His suggestions to President Curtis finally bore fruit, but it didn’t matter. The suggestions were squashed by liberal traitors in law and the equalrights business.

  It made sense that Carlock would become the new vice president, but that only meant there was no chance. General Polk felt it would be his old friend Ray Green. Green’s only liability was being a career soldier, which could be a problem. What better time to have such a man in the White House? If only the left-wing windbags would let him do what needed to be done.

  John Raven didn’t enter into the discussion. He didn’t care who would become vice president as long as the person left him and Oklahoma alone. Governor Espada of New Mexico felt the same. If the US would just leave them alone and stop interfering, that would be fine.

  Coffee and pastries were ordered and brought in, as the governors discussed various regional business. By noon, they saw nothing was happening in Washington, so they adjourned. All wore pagers, because cell phones were too easy to trace. At least they could be called at any time.

  General Green kept his composure after seeing another stuffed-shirt politician caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The situation wasn’t good, but he accepted it as one less politician to bother him.

  Ambassador Blakely nodded to President Curtis, but Green didn’t notice.

  “General, the situation’s a bit more than it appears on those photos,” Curtis said. “I want you to listen to Madam Ambassador.”

  “General, the woman in those pictures is obviously of questionable character. We didn’t know how questionable until we took a closer look. Her name is Evangelina DeMarco, a Columbian national. We soon learned she’s heavily involved in the drug trade. That wasn’t a surprise. What came as a surprise to us was how many people she hooked on her products. Vice President Sutherland is one of those she hooked sensually and with drugs. “Her background is a bit more interesting. She has

  diplomatic immunity to prosecution, so she can walk through airports by waving her maroon passport. What she may or may not be carrying is anyone’s guess.

  “The problem that bothered us most is that some experts doubt Spanish is her native language. Certain words and phrases she says are exceedingly stilted and are the kind that would come from a woman in her position. One example is her greeting to others she supposedly knew. She uses the formal usted rather than the casual tu. On the surface that’s fine, but she never lets it down. She talks that way to everyone, as if she learned the language as an adult.

  “A person in her position must relax in public at times, but she doesn’t. We’ve heard her speaking to friends, family, and other professionals. It might seem like a small thing, but our sources are often alerted by these things. A person in her position would be aware of such differences if she was, indeed, a national.”

  General Green stifled himself before he could ask just what position Evangelina was usually in with Sutherland. President Curtis caught it and gave him a murderous glance, making Green blush for a second. Ambassador Blakely didn’t catch the interlude.

  “While it’s illegal to use drugs, it’s not an offense that could have a man removed from office, though it certainly means he bears considerable watching.

  “We have proof she isn’t who she claims. Her real name is Etaha Sufar, the daughter of Sharif Mohammed Sufar. They are Iranian sleepers in the consulate in Columbia. Both have access to Colombian and Iranian government documents. The two may have as many as
a dozen passports.

  “The most damning thing of all is that the Iranians have sworn to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. If they do that, they’ll also attack the United States and Great Britain. For the vice president to consort with such a woman is unfortunate enough if she isn’t his wife. If she’s Columbian drug dealer, it becomes another story. Finding out she’s a belligerent agent makes the matter worse. He can no longer be allowed to serve as the second most-powerful man in the world.”

  She paused for a moment. “Mr. President, Mr. Ambassador, that man must be replaced, not next week, but now. Her Majesty’s government abhors interference, but they feel you must act immediately. It’s in the interest of both our nations. If you think about it, Mr. President, Sutherland is very electable. He talks well and is a Washington insider. However, he’s involved with an alien belligerent, so all that must be cast aside. Her Majesty’s government is also concerned that Vice President Sutherland will fall deeper into the snare of drugs.

  “The Iranians control how much drugs Sutherland gets and its strength. He will soon be totally under their influence. My government can’t hope to deal with a man who may be president for the next eight years if he has such a problem.”

  “The ayatollahs are probably licking their chops at the thought of finally having a man of their own in the White House.”

  The leading news networks broke into their regular programming to announce Vice President Sutherland arrived at the White House. He didn’t stop to answer questions. A national reporter stated, “Ambassador Green, ambassador at large to the breakaway states, is also in the White House with the ambassador from Great Britain.”

  The five governors’ pagers rang simultaneously. Colonel Roberts sent Rangers to escort the governors back to the conference room. TV screens showing all the news channels repeated the story endlessly. Cheerleader commentators and the razor-cut, blow-dried, hair-sprayed multimillion-dollar men on the scene continued to tune in to each other about their expert insights.