Ch. 18: Kamirastan Conspiracy Revelations

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

"Fire & Ice" (Revised for Wattpad), Ch. 18: Kamirastan Conspiracy Revelations ,
September 18, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace

(An original story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2015; all rights reserved)

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story with images of actors representing my dream cast--including Richard Armitage as Thomas Kane and Anne Hathaway as Caroline Walters, Doris Roberts as Mrs. Burns, Tim Gamble as Peter Wendt, Brian Protheroe as Martin, Mary McDonnell as Mary, Seth Green as Todd, Raven Symone as Fiona, and Logan Lerman as Allen, Andrew May as Paul Foster, Sam Elliot as JakeHolder, and Blair Brown as Amanda Pritchett Holder, Antonio Velazquez as Miguel, and others as noted in the image credits.] [(1) "Fire & Ice" story logo]

Author's Mature Content Note: "Fire & Ice" is romantic thriller story with mature themes (D for drama, S for sensuality, and V for violence) of love and relationships. Most chapters will be PG or PG-13. However, if you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer.

Author's Recap from the previous chapter:   After settling into their Bed & Breakfast Cabin at the Bison Creek Ranch in Montana, Thomas, Caroline, and Trevor--under the aliases of Kevin, Julia, and Billy Johnson--had met the lady owner when they checked in. Amanda Pritchett Holder is a former colleague of Thomas'. Her cowboy husband Jake is also retired Navy Seals as Amanda revealed to Thomas. As Caroline and Trevor walk into the lodge restaurant with Jake Holder, Thomas filled Amanda in about their predicament. But as of yet, Thomas does not know when or even if his Division Colleagues might be able to help them.


"Fire & Ice", Ch. 18--Kamirastan Conspiracy Revelations

Meanwhile 12noon Mountain time zone is early afternoon Central and Eastern time zones in Chicago and DC. And Thomas' team is hard at work. First, Martin as the Senior Analyst in charge in Thomas' absence, and Todd conduct a video conference call to the State Department about their suspicions regarding why Thomas and his family had to flee--and what Peter Wendt, and Paul Foster might have to do with it.

Martin: "Secretary Caber, thank you for taking time out of your busy day for us." Martin [(2)] says solemnly and respectfully.

Sec. Caber: "What is going on? Your Director, two Division Chiefs, and a new analyst are missing? And at least four people are dead?"

Martin: "Todd, this is your research, you're on."

Todd: "Thank you, Martin. Mr. Secretary we think it is related to the recent UN and State Department funds missing in Kamirastan. We don't know how the funds were funneled off yet. But if government officials in Kamirastan are embezzling funds, they would need U.S. help to cover their tracks--or at least delay being discovered."

Sec Caber: "How much money are we talking about?"

Todd: "Roughly 300 million dollars, sir--give or take a million."

Sec Caber: "And you think this was the reason for the killings and missing people?"

Martin: "We do. Thomas Kane had indicated to Director Peter Wendt that he was planning to alert the UN and the State Department that they should activate forensic accounting protocols in Kamirastan. That is why we think that Thomas and his family were targeted."

Sec Caber: "His family?"

Martin: "The new analyst was an old flame of his, Caroline Walters, started on Monday. They had reconnected over the weekend and she revealed that her 3.5 year old son Trevor was Thomas' son, too."

Sec Caber: Seething he asks. "There is a child in danger in all of this?" He fumes.

Martin: "Yes."

Sec Caber: "What about the other Division Chief, Foster. What is his involvement?"

Todd: "As of yet, we don't know if he is part of the problem or collateral damage. We're interviewing Foster's and Wendt's wives this afternoon to see if we can learn more information." Todd [(3)] informs him succinctly.

Martin: "Our next step is to conference call the UN. Care to stay on the line for that?" Martin asks hopefully.

Sec Caber: "Yes, patch me through."

So, the next 30 minutes, the information is relayed to a Ms. Myra Stoltzi of the UN via conference call. It is agreed that since both domestic and international interests are at stake, both the FBI and the CIA will become involved, but discreetly--as well as international law enforcement agencies. The UN will also instigate investigation protocols.

Of course, the utmost secrecy is requested by all parties so that nothing is leaked to the media prematurely.

***

However, Martin and Todd feel that their covert plan to quietly leak information via social media sites is still the best one. Transparency and shining a light on issues tends to brighten up the darkest hours. Martin and Todd approach Allen and Miguel in Allen's Office cubicle.

Martin: "Allen and Miguel, are we ready to leak the embezzlement scandal to the social media sites?"

Allen: "Yes, Miguel and I have set up random number generators to issue false ISP site addresses. Nobody should be able to track where this is coming from."

Thomas' Division computer whiz Miguel [(4) ] smiles knowingly--very pleased with his computer stealth capabilities. And in contrast to his disheveled colleagues who have had little sleep over the last 24 hour, Miguel looks fresh and neatly groomed. Even his full beard is not as bushy as usual.

Todd: "Miguel, are you equally as confident that this leak can't be tracked?"

Miguel: Rubbing his hairy chin, he says. "I actually have the leaks pointing to a government building in Kamirastan." Miguel chuckles--as do they all.

Martin: "Alright, go!" Martin orders and Miguel hits the send button that launches a pre-programmed cascade of Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo News, and other Social Media site posts about the embezzlement scandal. No mention is made of the deaths and missing Division personnel yet--since that information might too directly link back to the Chicago Division offices.

Over the next hour, Thomas' Division Team watches as the world gradually wakes up to the realization of what happened to over [300] million dollars in aid to Kamirastan--and the embezzlement scandal goes viral. CNN and the other major news stations immediately reroute their Eastern European reporters to Kamirastan in hopes of getting a news scoop. Martin and everyone hopes that bringing this scandal to light will help call off any assassination squads that might be looking for Thomas and Caroline--because killing them would not serve any purpose now. The secret is out. They just hope that there won't be retaliation.

***

After a yummy stew lunch with Amanda and Jake, Thomas and Caroline decide to check out the web again to see if they have any coded messages left for them. But as they walk back through the main lobby area, their attention is drawn to the television in the sitting area. A news anchor is giving updates about a lead story and a news crawl also gives more information.

News Anchor on TV: "The State Department is denying any direct knowledge of an embezzlement scandal involving over 300 million dollars in government aid monies to Kamirastan."

Thomas' head jerks around to focus on the broadcast as he quickly makes his way to the sitting area. Caroline wonders what the matter is as she tries to keep Trevor from getting to restless about wanting to ride a pony.

Trevor/Billy: "Mommy, I want to ride my pony now." Trevor jumps up an down in excitement [(5)].

Caroline/Julia: "Billy, you just ate. We don't want you throwing up your food because of being jostled on a pony ride. Let's have you take a nap first."

Trevor/Billy: "I don't want to! I want my pony!" Trevor is a bit petulant. And since he's been a good boy up til now, Caroline can't really fault him for acting his age.

Jake: But Jake intervenes. "Your Ma's right, little feller. The horses have just eaten too. And we really don't want to see them throw up, now do we?" Jake stares Trevor down. Jake is good at that. It worked with Russians during the Cold War and it works with toddlers. "What say we visit the ponies now, then you and they can have a nap before your ride later? Hmmm?"

Trevor/Billy: "Okay." Trevor nods agreeably--because he doesn't want to see horse throwup.

Caroline/Julia: Smiling, Caroline sighs gratefully up at the tall cowboy. "Thanks, Jake" [(6)].

Jake: "My pleasure, Maam." He tilts his head to her.

Caroline/Julia:  Now turning her attention to both Thomas and Amanda who are watching the news intently. "Kevin, what has happened?"

Thomas/Kevin: "Something I had heard earlier now seems to have hit all the major media sites--about an embezzlement of 300 million dollars in US and UN government aid funds to Kamirastan." Thomas looks at Caroline pointedly as he absentmindedly touches his chest where his flash drive rests underneath his shirt. Thomas has copy of a bank transfer made to the Shoal Islands--where banking laws are a bit less strict and money can be converted to cash easily. And Amanda looks at Jake pointedly.

Trevor/Billy: "Is that real money or play money?" Trevor asks cutely. All the adults turn to look at little Trevor--puncturing the tension in the room with his 3.5 year old viewpoint.

Thomas/Kevin: Scooping up his son into his arms and hugging him tightly, he says. "It is very real. Now let's go see your pony so you can take and nap and then have a pony ride later. Hmmm!"

Trevor/Billy: Hugging and kissing his Daddy back, he says. "Yes, please daddy." Thomas looks hopefully over at Caroline as if to convey, maybe things will be alright [(7)]. But they can't talk openly until they get back to their cabin and put Trevor to bed.

Jake: Breaking their reverie, Jake says. "The ponies are this way." Little Trevor claps his hands together with glee.

Amanda: "I'll just be in my office looking up a few things on the web." She mentions for Thomas' benefit.

Thomas/Kevin: "Thanks Miss Mandy, for everything." He pats big Bertha in the briefcase slung over his shoulder.

Amanda: "My pleasure, Mr. Johnson." She smiles warmly at Thomas and his family. Caroline smiles her thanks as well.

Then Jake leads the Johnson's out to the pony corral for Trevor to pick out a pony to ride later And in the back of Thomas' mind, he wonders how he and Caroline can keep Trevor safe until whomever killed to coverup the Kamirastan embezzlement is caught and brought to justice.

To be continued with Chapter 19


References for "Fire & Ice" (Revised for Wattpad), Ch. 18, September 18, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace

1) The "Fire & Ice" 2015 story logo is a combination of the following elements edited together by Gratiana Lovelace:

a) Upper left image of Thomas Kane image is Richard Armitage as John Porter and Caroline is Shelly Conn as Dani in Strike Back series 1, epi 5 found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/StrikeBack/album/series1/Episode5/ep5_034.jpg;

b) Lower right image of Thomas Kane is Richard Armitage as Lucas North in Spooks series 7 promo found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/Spooks/spookspromo/album/series7-67.jpg

2) Image representing Martin is that of British actor Brian Protheroe and was found at http://www.brianprotheroe.co.uk/Brian_Protheroe/Brian_Protheroe.html

3) Image representing Todd is that of American Actor Seth Green and was found at

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/NtfT2NiitiJ/Premiere+Walt+Disney+Pictures+Mars+Needs+Moms/7kpMZbC3Bp6/Seth+Green

4) Image of Miguel is Spanish actor Antonio Velazquez found at http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Antonio+Velazquez+GQ+Men+Year+Award+2012+OBPA-NE9LDTl.jpg ; for more about Antonio, visit http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0892794/

5) Image representing Trevor Thomas Walters Kane is a stock photo of a young boy with pumpkins found at MS Office Clip Art

6) Caroline image is Anne Hathaway in "Carol Getting Married" found at http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/2008_Rachel_Getting_Married/big/fhd008RGM_Anne_Hathaway_027.jpg

7) Thomas Kane image is Richard Armitage as John Porter quizzical in 2010's Chris Ryan's Strike Back, series 1, epi5 pix 58 found at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com/images/gallery/StrikeBack/album/series1/Episode5/slides/ep5_058.html


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net