Covenant - THE CONTROLLER 01 Read online

  Richard had just finished his second cup of coffee when Mrs. Williams buzzed him.

  “Yes, Mrs. Williams?”

  “Sir, French President LeClerc is on the line. He says it is important that he speak with you, if you are free.”

  “I’ll take the call.”

  “Hello, Jean Pierre.” Richard had never been so informal with the French president, preferring to keep things more official; this time, however, he felt that circumstances warranted a softer approach. “I was shocked when I got the news of your unfortunate incident. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, Richard, I am quite fine. Thank you for your concern. My aides tell me that you have been inquiring as to my wellbeing since the attempt. I appreciate it very much.”

  Richard noticed that LeClerc also used the familiar first name address. He suspected that it was for different reasons, however.

  “Richard, I have something of great importance to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes?”

  “Of course, Jean Pierre. What’s on your mind?” Richard suspected where this conversation was heading, but he didn’t want to put any words in Jean Pierre’s mouth.

  “Richard, I am aware that you have been approached by a man who calls himself the Controller. Can you confirm this?”

  “Yes, it’s true. Until this moment, I haven’t believed that he was anything more than a crackpot looking for a little attention.”

  “Well, I assure you that this man is genuine in every regard. He is ruthless and will not take no for an answer. When I hinted to him that I was not going to support your economic plan, he expressed his displeasure by staging the assassination attempt. He assured me that had he wanted me dead, it would have been so.”

  “Jean Pierre, you are positive it was him behind it?” Richard needed to be certain that there was no other explanation.

  “Yes, Richard. He knew every detail of the incident. Only the person responsible would have known so much. We kept it all as secret as possible.”

  “I’m just having a hard time accepting this man for what he appears. Tell me, Jean Pierre, how long have you been in contact with this man?” Richard was hoping that LeClerc would open up and give him more insight into the Controller.

  “I was first contacted by him about a year ago. Like you, I didn’t take him seriously. He wanted me to award some government contracts to certain companies, which I now believe he either owns or in which he has majority interest. Once I resisted him, he threatened to harm someone close to me. I ignored his threat and shortly thereafter some members of my family were involved in a traffic accident that left my niece a quadriplegic. That incident and now the assassination attempt have convinced me as to his sincerity. Richard, I cannot stress to you how important it is to cooperate with this madman, at least until we can figure out a way to stop him.”

  “So where do we go from here is the question.” Richard didn’t want to volunteer anything, but preferred to listen to what Jean Pierre had to say. “Any ideas?”

  “I think that we have no choice but to go along with him, if only for as long as it takes to find out his agenda. By the way, I consider backing your economic plan as part of that cooperation. So you can count on me to be on your side.”

  “That’s good to hear, Jean Pierre. I honestly believe that it is in the best interests of France to join us. You won’t be sorry. I just wish that it didn’t have to involve coercion.” Richard was both relieved and concerned at the same time. Relieved that France was now on board, but concerned at the reasons why.

  “I must go now, Richard. Rest assured, you will be hearing from me often. We now have something in common, and I don’t mean economics.” With that the French president hung up.

  Richard was finally convinced that the Controller was a great deal more than a nut case looking for his fifteen minutes of fame. He had demonstrated that he would go to any lengths to attain his goal. Taken at face value, this was an adversary not to be taken lightly, and definitely not to be underestimated. Richard now believed that the Controller knew his every move because he had influence over someone very close to the presidency. Richard knew that somehow he had to find out the identity of the mole if he was going to stand any chance of defeating the Controller.

  Another thought flashed through Richard’s mind, a startling thought. If both he and LeClerc were being coerced by the Controller, then it stood to reason that there could be other heads of state in a similar position. Logically, the major powers would be the first place for the Controller to start.

  Richard jotted a note to devise a strategy that he could use to draw out his peers and identify those who also were being forced to cooperate.

  He started a list of countries that were key players both from an economic as well as military standpoint. The Controller would need considerable influence on both fronts if he stood any chance of leveraging his power.

  What does the Controller have in mind? Richard thought to himself. What did he mean by “great adventure?”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Richard managed to get through the day’s business without any trouble. For the first time in a long while, he was able to concentrate on the job at hand and not have his mind wandering toward thoughts of the Controller. It was as though there were some closure to his apprehension. Just knowing that the Controller was a reality lifted some of the fog enabling him to see things more clearly. Now he knew that there was a problem to be solved—not a suspicion, but a fact. This was more to his liking. He never walked away from problems, only solved them, and there was a solution to this problem as well. He just needed to find it.

  Alone in the Oval Office, he sat in one of the easy chairs, not the one he usually used when entertaining guests or conducting staff meetings, but a different chair, as if it would lead to a difference in thinking. The formality of his desk and the easy chair that he normally used required him to don his head of state hat and assume the posture of unflappable leader. He felt slightly vulnerable at this time, hence the less demanding seating selection. He had his steward bring him a scotch and water, a newly formed habit that he found relaxing at the end of a strenuous day. Initially every day was strenuous, but now he had learned to relegate most days to the category of “average,” saving the scotch for deserving occasions.

  Richard was thinking that it was about time for the Controller to call him, as he said he would earlier. The Controller might be many things, but flighty wasn’t one of them. If he said he would call, then he would. As if on cue, the cell phone rang. Richard had placed it in his shirt pocket before sitting down to his drink, in anticipation of the call coming in while he was relaxing.

  “Hello.”

  “Good evening, Richard. I understand you had an enlightening conversation with your French counterpart.”

  “Yes, to say the least.” Richard was cordial, but terse, figuring that the Controller was going to do most of the talking anyway.

  “In any case, you now know that I am capable of executing, no pun intended, any plan I should so desire. I trust this will put to rest any ideas of rebellion on your part?” The Controller wasn’t so much asking the question, as he was giving an edict. The tone wasn’t lost on Richard.

  “I understand the position I am in.”

  “Good. Then you are willing to cooperate?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “No, Richard, you do not. However, I would prefer that you hear my plan before passing final judgment upon my intent.” There would have been some softness in the voice of anyone else saying these words, but the Controller’s voice was anything but soft. “I’m sure that once you hear the details of what I know we can accomplish, that you will agree with me in every regard.”

  Richard thought that would be highly improbable, if not totally impossible. “Well, I’m sitting in a comfortable chair, with a scotch in my hand and no pressing matter to attend to, so let’s hear it.”

  “Excellent, I have aroused your curiosity. But since the evening is young, be
fore I bore you with details, what say we discuss our philosophies to see where we agree and disagree, shall we?”

  “Okay. You start.” Richard was still being curt and wanted to get on with it. He wanted to end this idle back and forth chatter. What is it accomplishing, anyway, he thought to himself.

  “Let’s consider your position on the issues of famine and pestilence in Third World countries. Unless my ears deceive me, you have expressed a desire to attack these enemies of mankind, but you also have stated that it is a monumental task that may take generations to fulfill. Am I correct?”

  The Controller had hit Richard’s soft spot immediately. He wanted to get Richard’s undivided attention and arouse his passion by addressing a topic that greatly concerned Richard.

  “And you feel that you can do something positive on this?” Richard’s voice had a tinge of sarcasm to it that wasn’t lost on the Controller.

  “I believe I have the resources to make human suffering a thing of the past, and that I can do it in a few short years.” Richard detected no cockiness in Controller’s tone, only confidence. What could he possibly have up his sleeve? Richard thought to himself.

  “How do you propose to do that?” Richard’s voice shifted from sarcasm to curiosity.

  “In time, Richard, we will go into details in due time. Right now we are discussing philosophies, remember? So let’s move on to the next topic … your desire to see a world economy based upon mutual trust, trade, and a sharing of wealth. You might be surprised to learn that I consider this much harder to attain than the previously discussed issue.”

  Richard became analytical and responded, “One is reliant upon scientific solutions, while the second is requiring of political solutions. There is a limit to what science can know or do, but politically all that is required is agreement and support.”

  “You are correct. However, consider this if you will; suppose science had the answers and was merely waiting for the correct political atmosphere in which to implement new methods? What then, Richard?”

  “I have to admit that there is a faction that profits from the suppression of Third World nations. I also will admit there are powerful nations being politically influenced by those factions. So you may be right. Assuming that science has the capabilities, the obstacle then becomes buying in by those in opposition.”

  “Precisely. You have a good grasp of the situation, Richard. Now let’s discuss the third issue—worldwide peace. Would you agree that if issues one, two and three were settled, that any other problems would be insignificant in comparison?”

  “Yes, of course. Many smaller issues would be solved by these three being accomplished.”

  “And do you also agree that the stumbling block to peace is political in nature?”

  “Yes, I do.” Richard could see where this was heading.

  “Ah, so we have come to the logical conclusion that the root of all evil, and oddly enough, the solution, is political. Do you agree with my evaluation, Richard?”

  “To a certain degree. But what about the threat to peace by religiously motivated groups?”

  “When you get right down to it, they are motivated by one of three things, religious fervor, religious suppression, or hiding behind religious beliefs to carry out terrorist activities. If all governments allowed freedom of religious pursuit, then all we would have to deal with are the terrorists. Now, what is the roadblock to dealing with terrorism? Isn’t it politics? Wouldn’t we have eliminated terrorism long ago if not for those countries that have shielded terrorist organizations?”

  “Once again, I think you are correct.”

  “Then we have proven, at least to ourselves, that everything bad in the world is politically motivated.”

  “Yes, but how do you propose to solve that problem?” Richard thought he had asked a question that couldn’t be answered.

  “You surprise me, Richard. I would have thought that you had already figured it out. By example of yourself and French President LeClerc, haven’t I shown you that no one is immune to my powers of persuasion? You see, Richard, you still operate on the naïve notion that good will always triumph. In the end, that very well may be so, but I don’t want to argue that point now. We will have that discussion at a later date. As for now, I want you to realize that human nature is such that anyone can be coerced into cooperation—I repeat, anyone. It would be wonderful if they realized that it was the humane and moral thing to do, but not everyone is so inclined. So I believe we need to approach this from the standpoint of ‘the end justifies the means.’ It may not be palatable to you that we may have to use questionable tactics, but unless you can come up with something better, for now we will use my approach. All I ask is that you constantly remind yourself that the greater good has precedence. I believe that you can do that Richard. After all, haven’t you already made similar commitments in response to threats to the security of the country? Every morning when you meet with your team to discuss the Threat Matrix, aren’t you prepared to give the command to annihilate a threat?”

  “Yes, but that is out of desperation. It’s not a voluntary act.”

  “Hogwash. That is merely the excuse a politician uses to hide his true motives. It all comes down to choices. You make the choice that one thing must be sacrificed so that another may continue. A doctor has a chance to save a mother or an unborn child when it is a certainty that one must die in order for the other to live. If he does nothing, they both perish. So the doctor turns to the husband/father for a decision. Is the poor man evil for picking one over the other? You see Richard, all I’m asking is that you aid me in making these decisions and help me make the world a better place. We can do this if we work together.”

  “How do I know that you can be trusted? Ever since you have come into my life, our relationship has been based on threats.”

  “Think about it, Richard. Would you have even given me the time of day if I had approached you any other way? I think not. Up until a few hours ago you thought me a maniac with only evil on my mind. I had to get your attention so that you would take me seriously, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now, would we?”

  “What makes you think that I don’t still consider you a maniac?” Richard had no intention of letting the reference go by without comment.

  “Because you heard me out and didn’t hang up or threaten me. You know that there is a possibility that I can provide what you need to reach these goals. Face up to it Richard, you know in your heart that you and I can make all of this happen. Think about it Richard, no longer will innocent children die from lack of nutrition and no longer will men kill each other to satisfy the warmongers. There is no limit to what mankind can accomplish once these burdens are lifted. Efforts could be concentrated in the areas of inner and outer space exploration, elimination of pollution, and making uninhabitable areas into oases of life. Just think of it Richard, you can be the implement that brings about all these wondrous changes. Work with me Richard. Help me do these things. Think of the world that your children will inherit when we succeed in our endeavors.”

  Being human, Richard couldn’t help but consider the possibilities. Everything he wanted to accomplish, but felt might be out of reach, just might be doable if the Controller truly possessed such power. Still the basic doubt as to whether or not he could, or should, trust the Controller kept him on the edge. On balance, the possibility of succeeding outweighed the risk, or so Richard reasoned, and he bought into the concept—for the time being.

  “God help me for what I’m about to do.” Richard was giving the Controller his affirmation, clearly with reservation.

  “God and me, Richard … God and me.”

  * * *

  Richard spent most of the night thinking over what the Controller had said. His mind was racing as he considered the tremendous opportunity that had fallen into his lap. Everything he could have hoped to accomplish as president was within reach, if the Controller was to be believed. He wanted to talk to someone,
to share his enthusiasm at the possibilities, but knew that was impossible if secrecy was to be maintained. It occurred to him that the Controller might have revealed his plans to French President LeClerc. He would have to contact LeClerc and see if the Controller had approached him with the same ideas.

  * * *

  First thing the next day, Richard had Mrs. Williams place a call to LeClerc.

  “Mr. President, President LeClerc is on the phone.”

  “Put him through, Mrs. Williams.”

  “Hello, Jean Pierre. How are you today?”

  “I’m quite well, Richard. To what do I owe the honor of your call?”

  “I was wondering, Jean Pierre, if the Controller had discussed with you any plans that he might have.”

  “I’m not aware of any agenda. He hasn’t given me any idea what he is planning. I assume, since you are asking, that he might have discussed his plans with you. Am I correct?”

  Richard made a quick assessment and decided not to reveal anything to LeClerc. “No, Jean Pierre, he hasn’t given me any indication as to what he is planning. I just thought that he might have talked to you.”

  “It would appear that we are both being kept in the dark.”

  “So it would seem.”

  “I don’t know about you, Richard, but I have a great deal of concern over this Controller issue. We don’t know anything about him except that he has the power to force us to cooperate with him.”

  “I have the same apprehensions, Jean Pierre. And I don’t see any way to alleviate the situation. I suggest that we play along with the Controller, at least until he reveals some of his plans.”

  “We don’t have much of a choice, Richard. I promise I will contact you should I hear anything from the Controller.”

  “I will do likewise, Jean Pierre. In the meantime, I wish you well.”

  “I hope to be talking to you soon, Richard. Good bye.”