The Invitation-kindle (9 page)

Joining the Marine Corps after high school, he served a total of twelve years, and by all accounts acquitted himself well. Todd Keniston is a marksman, and was trained as a sniper. His proficiency with weapons was, and still is, intrinsic to his core sense of identity. His exceptional ability to operate covertly in dangerous conditions, and his unflinching determination to carry out his orders, brought him to the attention of the upper echelon of the CIA, including its director, Paul Stuart.

Leaving the military when he was thirty-one, he chose the more lucrative profession of a freelance security contractor, a career change that despite his wife’s objections, he found far more compatible with his temperament and personality. There are certain men who form an acquired taste for the danger and exhilaration of armed conflict, who become quickly inured to operating in places and conditions where weapons and violence are commonplace, and who find the mundane regularity of civilian life vapid and unappealing. Todd Keniston is one of them. In the end, it was not the excessive preoccupation with guns or the extreme political views he often expressed that ruined his marriage. It was the extended absence, the perpetual worry, and the eventual realization that nothing was going to change that caused his wife to finally break away. Sitting on his front porch as if waiting for her return, he sees the mail truck pass by without stopping.

Back in North Central Florida, Doris Cushman is doing what she does most days, working in her garden, when she sees her local postal truck stop and discharge her mail. With a friendly wave she walks over to collect it, and notices the unfamiliar car slowing down as it approaches her driveway. Moments later the driver emerges to introduce himself.

“Mrs. Cushman?” he asks.

“Yes, you must be Mr. Colby.”

“Yes, Ma’am, Tim Colby. I spoke with your husband on the phone last night.”

Seeing the visitor’s arrival, Mr. Cushman comes out to greet him.

“Mr. Colby, I assume.”

“Mr. Cushman, glad to meet you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all, c’mon in. I’ll tell ya what, let’s sit on the porch. That way we can see my wife’s beautiful flower garden.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“Would you like some iced tea, Mr. Colby?” Mrs. Cushman asks.

“I’d like that very much Ma’am. Thank you.”

Moments later Tim Colby and Ron Cushman are comfortably seated. Agent Colby will make sure not to reveal the real reason for interviewing Mr. Cushman. His challenge is to extract relevant information without seeming to, a well-practiced art of experienced investigators.

“Well, Mr. Cushman, as I mentioned on the phone last night, what I wanted to talk to you today about is the trip to China that Ken Myers made when he was Governor.”

“I understand,” Mr. Cushman says.

“As I said, the FBI doesn’t usually get involved in these types of cases, but we were asked to come in, so…”

“You’re building a case for trade violations, as I understand it.”

“That’s right. These companies are accused of making counterfeit medical equipment, to sell on the world market. That’s dangerous,” Agent Colby says.

“Absolutely. Well, I’ll tell you anything I can. I don’t know if it’ll help you or not.”

“We appreciate that, Mr. Cushman. So let me ask you, since this case involves medical equipment, do you remember if you, or Mr. Myers had contact with anyone in China in the medical industry?”

“No, I don’t recall any. We were met by a delegation that showed us an auto assembly plant they just built. That was the first day.”

“Did you go to any plants where medical equipment may have been manufactured?”

“No I’m sure of that. We were only there for three days. Actually, they were more interested in talking to us about the tourist industry in Florida.”

“Uh-huh. You say both of you were in China for three days?”

“That’s right.”

“Were you with the Governor all three days?”

“No, I wasn’t. I’d never been to Beijing so the Governor gave me a day off to do some sightseeing.”

“That was nice. What was the Governor doing when you were sightseeing?”

“I’m not sure. Wait, you mentioned medical equipment. He did visit a hospital that day.”

“Are you sure it was a hospital?”

“That’s what I was told.”

“Who told you that?”

“When I came back to the hotel, I asked a clerk, and that’s what I was told.”

“Do you know how long he stayed?”

“I don’t know, but I think he was there most of the day. I didn’t see him again until the next morning. So, I don’t know.”

“Why would he go to a hospital if it wasn’t on the itinerary?”

“You’re right, it wasn’t. I don’t know. I guess they wanted to show off their technology. Supposedly it was a state of the art medical center. That’s what I was told.”

“Did Governor Myers ever talk about that visit?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“That’s a little odd. Isn’t it?”

“Well, I just assumed it was a spur of the moment kind a thing, so I never asked about it.”

As Tim Colby continues to hear what he regards as possibly explosive information, he is eager to conclude as artfully as he can the interview with Mr. Cushman, and make the quick return flight back to Washington, where his boss, Director Slaughter, is just finishing his presentation to Senators Fields and Merrick, showing them the recording of a young Ken Myers displaying phenomenal reading speed, and also the brain scan images showing a foreign object of unknown origin inexplicably lodged in his brain.

With that image still visible on the TV screen, the Director of the FBI looks at both senators, and after a silent, incredulous pause from both of them asks, “Well, gentlemen, what do you think?”

“Are you sure this is real, what you’ve shown us here? Senator Fields asks.

“I have complete confidence that it is, Senator Fields,” the Director says.

“̓Cause this is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Director, I have to ask you. Where did these items come from, the recording, and the brain scan?” Senator Merrick asks.

“The recording was given to us by a man named Phillip Garrett, who was a roommate with Ken Myers when he was in college.”

“Okay, I know who you’re talkin̓ about. This guy’s a quack.”

“Who is he? I never heard of him,” says Senator Fields.

“This guy, up in Connecticut or somewhere,”

“He lives in Rhode Island,” the Director says.

“He’s been making ridiculous statements about the President, that he’s not who he claims to be, that he’s some kind of imposter or something. He does the talk show circuit, and I guess makes pretty good money at it,” Senator Merrick says.

“That’s not true. He hasn’t made any money in connection with this,” Director Slaughter says.

“He has been discredited, though. Isn’t that right, Mr. Director?”

“What he’s saying hasn’t been proved or disproved.”

“Well, how do you know that this recording is not a forgery? Are you saying you just took this guy’s word for it? I mean, it looks to me like somebody’s trying to damage the President here, someone with the technical know-how to pull this off, or at least try to,” Senator Merrick says.

“Why would someone want to do that?” Senator Fields asks.

“Why? To undercut the President, to question his credibility, that’s why. Isn’t it obvious?”

“Senator Merrick, I assure you that what we just saw is not a forgery. Here’s why. We have not only the original recording, we also have the machine it was recorded on. Because of that we are able to do full spectrum analysis of both the recording, and the recording device. The results are conclusive. The recording is pristine. I’d stake my reputation on it.”

“Well, That’s exactly what you are doing, Director. You are staking your reputation on it, and a lot more than that.”

“As far as I’m concerned, if the Director of the FBI says it’s authentic, that’s good enough for me,” Senator Fields says. Pointing to the strange object still visible on the TV screen, he continues: “I’ll tell ya. That’s what concerns me, that thing in his brain, whatever it is.”

“Well first of all, Director Slaughter, you say this is a brain scan of the President. How do you know that?” Senator Merrick asks.

“We have complete confidence that it is the brain scan of Kenneth Myers, and no one else. It was taken five years ago,” answers Director Slaughter in a deliberate tone.

“Then I have to ask you, Mr. Director; how did you gain access to the President’s medical records?” Senator Merrick asks.

“They were provided to us by an anonymous source, a very reliable anonymous source, who described himself as a concerned citizen.”

“Well isn’t that convenient? Okay, so, uh, your source is very reliable, and very anonymous. I think a court of law would call that hearsay evidence, Mr. Director.”

“Senator Merrick, do you honestly think I would call you both in here today if I thought this case was based on hearsay evidence? Look, I can bring our experts in and we can walk you through the process. I can personally assure you that what you’ve seen here today is not a hoax. It’s not an attempt to discredit the President. Beyond that, I don’t know what it is, or what it means. That’s why I asked you both to come in. I’m open to any suggestions you might have as to how to proceed. I have no axe to grind in this.”

“Well, I think we have to give the President the benefit of the doubt in this. He’s not here to defend himself,” Senator Merrick says.

“Senator Merrick, I’m not trying to damage the President. I have no hidden agenda here.”

“There’s no need for you to be defensive, Mr. Slaughter. I believe you’re being very impartial. I don’t know about you Senator Merrick, but I trust the FBI, and its Director, and I trust in the integrity of their methods,” Senator Fields says.

“Are you saying that I don’t, Senator Fields?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Well, what are you saying?”

“Look, Senator Merrick, let’s clear the air. You and the President are in the same party. You’re one of his biggest supporters. You’re naturally gunna defend him. C’mon, isn’t that right?” Senator Fields asks.

“Well I don’t know what you mean by ‘one of his biggest supporters.’ I do support the President, but this has nothing to do with politics. I’m trying to be objective here.”

“Yeah, sure, anything you say, Senator,” says Senator Fields.

“Don’t be sarcastic, Jack. We have to work together on this,” Senator Merrick says.

“This is a no-brainer as I see it. This brain scan was done five years ago. It clearly shows this thing is wired into his brain. We have to assume that it’s still there. Don’t we?”

“I think we do,” says Director Slaughter.

“Well that means we have a problem. We need to find out what it is, who put it there, and why. This recording of Myers reading that book is the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. He didn’t even look human,” says Senator Fields.

“What are you suggesting, Senator Fields?” Senator Merrick asks.

“Well, how do you explain it?”

“I don’t have an explanation.”

“Mr. Slaughter, you put this evidence together. What do you think it means?” Senator Fields asks.

“I have no idea,” the Director says.

“And neither do I. That makes three of us. We’re all in the dark, and by extension, the rest of the country’s in the dark, about who the Commander in Chief is. That’s how I see it,” says Senator Fields.

“Let’s not get carried away,” Senator Merrick says.

“I never do.”

“Why don’t we simply ask the President about this?” asks Senator Merrick.

“How would that happen?” Senator Fields asks.

“Well, the President’s in Florida today. He’ll be there for the start of the Olympics tomorrow. He comes back Sunday. I’ll call him on Monday, and we’ll set a time to go talk to him.”

“That’s four days from now, and then he’ll let us know when we can talk to him. Is that what you’re saying?” asks Senator Fields.

“Do you have a better idea, Senator Fields?”

“Mr. Director, where is this investigation right now as we speak? Is it still active?”

“Senator Fields, we’re checking out any foreign contacts that Ken Myers had prior to when the brain scan was done.”

“Are you suggesting, Mr. Director, that the President is some kind of agent for a foreign government? Because if you are, I find that deeply offensive.”

“I’m just following a lead, Senator Merrick. That thing in his brain was not put there in any hospital in this country. There’s no record of it, so where did it come from?”

“You’re doing the right thing. If you weren’t following that lead you’d be remiss in your duty. So when will we know anything?” Senator Fields asks.

“My lead investigator is coming back from Florida later today with some information on that. I can’t say anything definite until he briefs me. When he does, I’ll let you both know.”

“Then why don’t we meet again tomorrow morning?” Senator Fields asks.

“That’s fine with me,” the Director says.

“Senator Merrick, is that alright with you?” Senator Fields asks.

“Sure, tomorrow morning’s fine.”

“Okay. I want to say something right now. I see this as a present threat to our national security. Until we know what this is about, until we know what that thing is, we need to treat this as a national emergency,” Senator Fields says as he points to the image on the TV screen. Then he adds, “And because of that, I’m going to have to insist that the Director of the CIA be with us tomorrow.”

“I think that’s premature,” says Senator Merrick.

“I don’t.”

“I’m not opposed to that,” Director Slaughter says.

“Good, then I guess we’ll see each other again tomorrow.”

“Well, If you’re going to bring the Director of the CIA in, I can’t do anything to stop you, but I want it on the record that I strongly opposed it,” Senator Merrick says.

“That’s fine. Look, Senator Merrick, we’ll go with your plan. You call the President on Monday and set up a meeting, and we’ll go with you. The sooner the better. We compromise. We go with your plan. In return, you accede to my request to have the CIA in here tomorrow. That’s the way it’s going to be, or…”