Nandita To Nandini
- 4 years ago
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When their ‘true confessions’ meeting was over Ken opened the door to the Suburban, and Hawk and Maria followed him out of the vehicle. The three walked under the covered entrance-way into the lobby of the Inn where Uncle Tony and three young men greeted them warmly.
“Maria! Hawk! Thanks again for choosing our humble establishment. Your guests all arrived safely last night, and we’ve encouraged everyone to sleep late this morning. The meeting room has been prepared as we discussed, and the motel is ready for the rest of your guests.”
“Good,” Maria replied, “and thanks for telling everyone to sleep late. After our sudden exit from the Del this morning I’m certainly not ready for early morning interviews.” Noting the clock above the receptionist desk, Maria added, “At least it’s not yet seven. Brenda should be here shortly, so maybe we can actually get started by nine or nine-thirty.”
Tony nodded in acknowledgment of Maria’s feelings as he motioned forward the three young men standing slightly behind him. “Maria, I can sympathize with being awakened by such a security alert. In the old days we had them far more often than you would expect. Anyway, I’d like to introduce you to my sons. This is Sol, and this is Tony Junior, though most everyone calls him ‘Dancer.’ Finally, this is my nephew, Michael. Their primary responsibility will be to take care of any problem or need you might have, and one or more of them will be available around the clock. Also, because they’re family, you can have complete confidence in them. They’ll be looking out only for your interests and security.”
As Hawk and Maria shook hands with the three young men, Maria asked, “Dancer?”
Thinking Maria might think of it as a Mafia nickname he replied, “Yes, Ma’am, but it’s a football nickname and has nothing to do with our family’s past history.”
“Football?” asked Hawk.
Sol answered, “In high school he was a very good wide receiver. He moved with such an easy motion some writer compared him to Lynn Swan of the Steelers. This was just after Swan had performed in a ballet. From that article someone hung him with the name ‘Dancer, ‘ and it stuck.”
“If you were that good, did you play college ball?”
“I ended up at Cal, but I was injured in an early practice and afterward things were never the same. I ended up transferring back here to San Diego State, where I majored in Hotel Management.”
As they talked briefly Maria studied Michael, noting he and Hawk had a strong structural resemblance. They didn’t look much alike facially, but their bodies sure did. Finally, during a break in the conversation she was able to get Hawk and Ken into an open area away from the others. Softly, Maria said, “Hawk, I may have a solution to the problem you discussed with Ken in the Limo.”
“The hypothetical identity problem?” Ken ambiguously asked.
“Exactly,” she answered.
“OK,” Hawk responded. “Lay it on us.”
Ken grinned, and asked, “Is he about to start ‘high fives’ and bumping elbows and hips?”
“Just ignore him when he says things like that. He’s been out of touch with the real world for a few years. Anyway, I picked up on the physical similarity between Hawk and Michael. With some makeup Michael could easily pass for Hawk in the meetings, especially since no one among these candidates has ever met him.”
“Not quite accurate, Little Chipmunk,” Hawk replied. “The ex-deputy from Alamogordo is the exception, though I suspect he would go along with the ruse if we clued him in ahead of time. He needs this opportunity too much to say anything, and he already knows I’m not the real Robert Gray Hawk. The only other problem might be family, but again, they’d just need advance notice as to what’s happening.”
“What about Hawk’s involvement with the interviews?” Ken asked.
“Maria will be doing most of that, anyway, as I’d just be interjecting a question here or there. Ken, with your training in Human Resource Management you’d do a far better job on the interviews than I would.”
Considering the implications of what Hawk said Ken asked, “Won’t the men have problems dealing primarily with a woman?”
“Some might have a problem, but a few of the tribes, especially the Apache, are fundamentally matriarchal at the family level. If any do go all ‘macho, ‘ they’re likely to find themselves out of contention for any of the job openings we might have now, or in the future.”
“Not that I disagree with you, Hawk, but this isn’t the attitude I would have expected from an Apache.”
“Ken, you’ve been watching too many western movies. Though it’s somewhat different today, in the old days a young brave was under such control by his mother-in-law he couldn’t look her in the eye or speak directly to her unless to answer a question. In addition, if a woman wanted a divorce she just threw his things out of their dwelling, but if the man wanted a divorce he’d have to leave the local tribal unit.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope,” Hawk responded. “The women ran everything except war parties and inter-tribal conferences.”
“Wow! I’d never have expected that. I guess it really shows how our perception can be twisted by television and movies.”
“Ken,” said Maria, “before you get your views too twisted, just understand we’re only talking about the Apache here. The attitudes and customs of a lot of the other tribes would be far closer to your mental image, though many would be worse than you can imagine. I think the important point here is most Native Americans are aware of the Apache’s matriarchal attitudes, which should deflect a good portion of these problems.”
“OK, you’ve convinced me. I’ll need to talk to Uncle Tony and Joel. How much can I say?”
“Just say I need to undergo a minor medical procedure without being noticed. If Michael could cover for a few days then we could probably accomplish this with minimal risk. Oh,” Hawk paused for impact, “let Michael know the substitution stops at the door to Maria’s room.”
Ken laughed at Hawk’s remark, and responded by saying, “I’m sure he’ll be disappointed, but I’ll make sure he understands she’s not one of the ‘perks’ of the job.” Still chuckling, Ken moved away. He grabbed the attention of Tony and Joel by saying, “Guys, we need to talk.”
Tony’s face showed his concern regarding Ken’s statement as he led the three to his office. When everyone was inside, Tony closed the office door and asked, “OK, what’s this about?”
Ken pointed to Joel, and said, “Security.”
Then, while Joel talked on a mike hidden below his collar Ken looked at his uncle and pointed to his right ear. Tony, puzzled by the extra steps Ken was requesting, removed a small electrical device from a locked cabinet and began to move it around the room. He concentrated on the device’s display, looking for any changes that might appear. About the time he completed his check, there was a soft drumming of fingertips on the office door. After the third sequence of drumming the noise stopped. “The door is secure,” informed Joel.
“And the room is clean,” added Tony. He then continued, “Now, what is this all about?”
Ken answered, “I just learned of a new wrinkle in our plan.”
“In what way?” asked Joel.
“It seems part of this trip was for Hawk to undergo some minor surgery, surgery which needs to go unnoticed and anonymous.”
“Shit!” cried a frustrated Joel.
A far calmer Tony queried, “Since you brought it up the way you did, I assume you have a solution?”
“Actually, Maria is the one who made a simple observation and hit on the idea. She thinks, with makeup, Michael could easily cover for Hawk during his absence.”
A surprised Tony exclaimed, “But, Michael doesn’t look anything like Hawk!”
“Actually, as she pointed out, their builds are almost identical. A good makeup artist could easily make the switch. Also, outside of their family only one of those coming here for an interview has ever seen Robert Gray Hawk.”
Tony asked, “What does Michael think about this?”
“I haven’t mentioned it to him. I wanted to get with you two first, both from a security point of view, and because, Uncle Tony, you’re the de facto head of the family.”
Tony smiled as he said, “That may be, but I wouldn’t want it broadcast. My grandfather may be in his nineties, but he still has his pride, as well as his teeth. Plus, he’s still frustrated at all the changes that have occurred over the past twenty years. He still sees himself as the classic ‘New York Don, ‘ who answers to nobody in his territory, not even the government.”
A mildly rebuked Ken responded, “Your point is duly noted, Uncle Tony. Now, what do we do about Maria’s idea for using Michael as a decoy?”
“Before I answer, Ken, I need to know Joel’s opinion. Joel, what are your thoughts?”
“With some ‘sleight of hand’ and some extra security measures I think it’s doable. I just wish I had more details, as well as more time to plan. Do we even know where the surgery is to take place? How long will Hawk need to recover? Will he come back here after the surgery? Will he need any specialized care? These are all factors that need to be considered.”
Tony slowly nodded in thought while he replied, “I agree, though I guess we should first determine if my nephew is even willing to double for Mister Gray Hawk.” He picked up his telephone, pressed a couple of buttons, and said, “Sol, could you please ask Michael to come to my office? Thanks.”
Moments later, there was a knock at the office door. When Tony acknowledged it, one of the two security men stationed outside the office opened the door and allowed Michael to enter. “You asked to see me, Tony?”
“Yes, Michael, how would you feel about doing some decoy work?”
“Such as?”
“By pretending to be Robert Gray Hawk for a few days.”
“How could I do that, Tony? I don’t look anything like him, and though he seems like a pleasant chap, I don’t really know anything about him.”
Tony answered, “That was pretty much my initial response, too, but according to Gray Hawk’s wife, you two have the same physical build. Beyond that it’s just makeup and being basically ‘seen but not heard.’“
Michael grinned when he asked, “Do I get any benefits for playing her husband?”
Ken laughed while he replied, “Michael, Hawk anticipated that question from the beginning. Unfortunately, the answer is ‘Nada.’“
“Well, it was worth asking. She’s definitely a good looking woman, and her Indian features just make her look even more attractive.”
Joel chuckled, “Michael, I think the term you’re looking for is ‘exotic.’“
“Yeah, and that too.”
“So, Michael, back to the initial question,” asked Tony. “What do you think?”
Suddenly becoming more serious Michael replied, “I’m willing to try, though I haven’t a clue as to what I’m to do.”
“Then,” said Joel, “let’s get the couple in question back to their suite and see what we can work out.”
As they began to exit Tony’s office Ken reminded everyone, “Don’t forget we’ve got to pick up some people at the airport shortly.”
“Good point,” acknowledged Joel. “It’s a shame we couldn’t use that for cover in making our switch.”
“Maybe we can. Let’s go talk it over with them as part of our planning. Ken, come with me to help escort them to their suite. Joel and Michael can join us there.”
Ken asked, “Should I get their stuff from the Suburban and join you, or should I leave that for later?”
“Go ahead and bring it to their suite. Our meeting will probably look less staged that way.”
At the same time as this conversation was taking place two very different aircraft were both traveling from Phoenix to San Diego, though neither knew of the others’ existence. The Piper Navajo left Phoenix over an hour earlier than the Navy C-20, the military’s VIP version of the Gulfstream III. Because of the difference in aircraft the C-20 was rapidly overtaking the Navajo, and while they were flying similar paths, they were several miles apart, both laterally and vertically. In addition to the differentiation in speed and altitude there were also significant differences in the mood of the passengers. Though Brenda was a little concerned about Maria’s tone and the need for an early departure, Bill Brice and the Bright Feather family were enjoying the trip and the potential changes in their lives that could come from it.
On the C-20, the mood was anything but festive, as Andy and Jason sat quietly listening to Admiral Burke review everything he had on Vasquez and his organization. It wasn’t a pretty picture. Finally, as the Admiral closed the folder and handed it to Jason he said, “I probably should let you know most of this came directly from Senator McCray, and this meeting, as well as my giving you access to that folder, could be considered a breach of security.”
Puzzled, Jason asked, “Why would Senator McCray get involved in something like this, especially during a presidential election year? If we win he can’t claim any knowledge, and if we lose the political repercussions could be enormous. The other candidates would eat him alive.”
“I really don’t know all his motives. Hell, I don’t know if even he consciously knows all of them. At the same time, I know he was impressed with what you did at Tule River, and in several private conversations he’s called you a great American hero. I’ve even heard several mention you as a potential replacement for him in the Senate.”
Andy began laughing, and said, “Can you imagine the headlines, ‘Senator on fact finding tour to Venezuela brings down socialist dictator!’ The press will call him ‘Dirty Harry’ and the ‘Apache Warrior.’“
“Andy, I suspect you may over estimate the knowledge available to the press concerning Jason. Most of Jason’s records are buried so deeply there’s no link between the information and his name. Personally, I’d love to see Jason as the Senator from Arizona, as he might possibly restore some reason and logic to the hallowed halls of the Capitol Building.”
A very surprised old Indian replied, “Admiral, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I don’t see it ever happening. McCray’s past views and actions concerning the American Indian don’t give me a lot of confidence in the matter. Remember, just a few years ago he proposed a bill that would end the reservations and give the land to the individuals who lived there. It sounded good, but within a generation whites would own most of the good land while our people would be crowded into shantytowns or government housing projects.”
The distance between the two groups of vessels dwindled quickly as the seconds and minutes slipped by. Once the Hawk and the two carracks had raised sails and cut their lines Pedro had turned his force to the southeast to confront the approaching pirate ships. Like an arrow shot by a bow the three vessels cut through the dark waters throwing up spume as they went; the crews of each vessel ready for action. As they sailed onward the San Fernando headed northward in the company of the two...
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“Yes, it’s time to create some corporate structure, including impressive offices for the executives.” “Dan, I thought the intention was for me to remain hidden.” “You will, but, at least for a while, it’ll be ‘hiding in plain sight.’ As soon as we can find a better spokesman then you can move more into the shadows.” “Why not have you in this position?” “Because, Hawk, ‘your’ people, as well as the world, need to see a Native American as the head of the company, or at least as the CFO of...
“What do you mean?” asked Brenda. “That another woman would come and steal his heart.” “And what if she wants to share, like we do?” “Bren, I could probably live with that if she was as good a person as you. Unfortunately, they don’t look like two people who’ve just met.” “You might be right, sister, but let’s not hang either of them without a trial.” With that Brenda grabbed Maria by the arm and approached Hawk and the beautiful blonde, who were still softly talking to each other. While...
Maria responded from the rear of the airplane, “I like those ideas, but I can see one problem right off the bat.” “What’s that, Chipmunk?” “We, as a people, are too small and too fragmented a group to be able to accomplish something like that. Our company might give them jobs, and even some hope, but getting a group of Apaches to work together is like trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube, or herding rabbits.” Dan responded, “Jason seems to do well with it.” “Dan, Grandfather...
The ships turning out to sea took Ishmael completely by surprise. He watched and wondered for a moment or two about what was happening out there. The plan had been for the small armada to sail into the cove and to overwhelm any vessel at anchor there. Something must have happened. Unfortunately Ishmael was too far from the ships to see what it might be. Even if he had possessed a spy-glass like that of his young master he wouldn't have been able to make out the signals being passed between...
"What is wrong?" Bartholomew asked the moment Pedro stepped onto the main deck of the Hawk. It was later in the morning and the Hawk was now riding at anchor below the walls of Ceuta. Bartholomew had stood at the railing of the ship as his captain had returned. He had seen the stern look upon Pedro's face long before the young man had scrambled up the rope ladder hanging at the side of the craft and he had known instantly that not everything had gone as planned. "Prepare for sea," Pedro...
“Great,” Hawk responded to Sean Sullivan’s enthusiastic desire to take on the government, “because your demonstration and Marsha’s new computer have given me several important ideas. To develop them further I need some input from you.” “Ask away. I guess I just moved my status from employee to fellow conspirator.” “Yes, you did. But before you get the wrong idea, I don’t plan on destroying the US Government, or attacking this country or its people. I just want to shake things up and restore...
As the roof of the back part of the prison room began to fall Jason ran toward the main tunnel. He grabbed Hawk by the back of his shirt, dragging him along the floor until they were completely out of the room. The air was filled with dust, and without their surgical masks it would’ve been hard to breathe. A stunned Hawk said, “Whew! That was close.” Helping Hawk stand, Jason asked, “Are you OK?” “Other than a sore and bruised butt, I think I’m fine. Thanks for dragging my ass out of there....
That evening, no one in the family rested very well. Brenda and Maria were exhausted, and after a thirty-minute conversation with Hawk they lounged in the Jacuzzi for a few minutes before heading to bed. Unfortunately, they hadn’t sufficient time to unwind, and, while their bodies were ready for sleep, their minds weren’t. Jason and Andy sat on the cabin’s front porch and just held each other until the wee hours of the morning. Regrettably, while their bodies were in close contact their...
"So there she is," Bartholomew muttered in a tired voice. "We're finally here." The older man was standing in the bow of the Hawk gazing out at the vista that lay before him. Pedro stood beside him doing basically the same. It was the first time in weeks that either man had stood together side-by-side to share a word or even a thought. Bartholomew had in fact just rowed over from the Virago and this was the first time in over two weeks that he had stood upon the deck of the Hawk. "We...
"Where is he?" Ishmael was standing in the open doorway of Dom Pedro's study. The man looked both tired and anxious. Sweat glistened on his swarthy skin and his breath was heavy from exertion. It was obvious that he had been hurrying about. "As far as I know, Dom Pedro is somewhere about the factory," Ibrahim stated in a startled voice taken by surprise by the abruptness in Ishmael's question. As the old teacher replied, he looked up from the book he had been reading. His eyes...
As Hawk would say later, “The rest of the afternoon went surprisingly easy. Well, I guess when you’re moving almost eight tons of gold, easy is a relative term.” Zed returned with the lumber and stuff, and the frame was quickly built as Dan had envisioned it. While Dan and the women helped with the frame Jason found the easiest way to get to the canyon and the slope of the wall was ideal for what they planned to do. The other men took the hand truck into the mine and started moving the items...
The Hawk sailed at dawn four days later. Aboard it was a full complement of the crew plus the raiding party. That number included Rashid, As-wad, and Ishmael. With them were a dozen handpicked soldiers from the factory all of whom were trained in the use of the bow. Behind them they left Ibrahim. He and Omar would run the factory and see to the day-to-day affairs of the Portuguese trading post while the captain of the Bella Rosa would command the trading fleet and the garrison. He would...
Hawk terminated the call and joined Bill and Gunnery Sergeant Kellogg. After a questioning look by Hawk, Bill said, “I called Brenda. They’re sending out two vehicles; one for us and one to carry Sergeant Kellogg back to Coronado Island.” “Excellent!” proclaimed Hawk. Then, turning to the sergeant Hawk said, “Gunny, I want to thank you for coming with me as security. I know we’re both grateful nothing happened that required your services, but it helped knowing you were there.” “Sir, I was...
Once Jason was settled into his regular room there began a steady stream of visitors. Hawk, Maria, and Brenda were the first to arrive, followed quickly by Beth, Zed, Deke, and Elizabeth. In fact, this entire group was still there when Senator McCray arrived. When he was introduced to everyone he was surprised at Deke’s presence. “Deke Templeton! What are you doing here?” Deke answered, “Senator, Beth, Zed, and Elizabeth have been my closest friends since before college, and Brenda is Beth’s...
A moment later Brian said, “I just talked to one of the drivers at the airport. Everything was handed over to the pilot, who said, and I quote, ‘get your ass back there as soon as possible.’“ Mike turned to Larry Reid, and said, “How about driving me back to the airport, as well as bringing my truck back to the Reservation?” “Sure, I can do that, but what about papers on your truck at the border?” “I’ll write out something that should suffice, but I’ll also notify Jason’s contact to pass...
Marsha led Dan Cashman to her research lab and demonstrated her new computer’s capability. He didn’t have any idea what Hawk was contemplating, but he knew once this system hit the market it should sell like hotcakes - especially in the corporate and government markets. Still standing in front of the prototype Dan pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. The direct line he had programmed into his phone rang at the desk of the secretary of his counterpart with their computer company...
"Another of my noblemen is dead," King Manuel murmured almost to himself, "and we are no closer to finding that mad man than we were two days ago. What are we to do?" It was early morning and the King of Portugal had been woken by his chamberlain well before the rest of the palace had begun to stir. The king looked tired and exhausted. He stood in his nightshirt and looked out the window of his chamber onto the grounds below it while his chamberlain reported the latest news in the search...
After Hawk’s agreement to become the ‘renegade leader’ of the Apache Rebellion Jason sighed in relief. “Hawk, I’m delighted you agreed to go along with me on this. I think you can make it work, and it goes hand-in-hand with your need to stay in the shadows.” “I’m glad you’re confident in my abilities Jason, but I’m not a leader. That’s why Dan and I have always worked so well together. I’d come up with an idea, and we’d go back and forth until it became something useful. At that point he...
"Whose ship is that?" Pedro was standing by the gangway of the Hawk, watching as the men working on the jetty at Eko hurried to tie off his ship. It was a week later and Pedro's force had finally returned home. It had been a long, hard trip for everyone involved. They had been forced to nursemaid the galley barge up the coast the whole time, restricting their progress to the speed of the oarsmen working it. Their trip had taken even longer since Pedro had been forced to put a prize crew...
In the middle of the party, a loud cry went up and we were under attack. All the chieftains ran back toward their tribes. Wolfgard and I raced back toward our tribe. The only weapons we had on us were our knives. We came upon a couple of raiders attacking some women folk of another tribe. We made quick work of them as we slit their throats. We got back to our tribe and I was so proud. War Hawk had the bows out and the hunters in formation with their helpers behind them handing out arrows. I...
The next day it was first announced the Vice President would survive his heart attack. A short time later the President added his running mate was going to retire. It seemed even the man’s most staunch supporters were fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. During all this it was revealed the electronics in the VP’s pacemaker were totally fried. One commentator had a scientist from MIT explain that there was too much physical damage for it to have been the result of EMP (electromagnetic...
“Yeah, Eduardo Vasquez is offering a hundred thousand for the man’s head, though, from what I’ve heard about the operation, Eddie boy may have bitten off a lot more than he can chew. Now, why were you asking?” “Just curious. Now, how about meeting me for a beer at Bennie’s Bar. I think I’ve got some security work for you, but I don’t want to discuss it over the phone.” “Then, meet me at Bennie’s in thirty minutes.” “Thirty minutes,” Ken replied, “and bring a bug detector.” Ken dropped off...
Chapter 4 “Good evening, Mr. Hawk,” a tall, handsome man said as they entered. “I see that you’ve brought a beautiful woman to dress up my shabby restaurant.”Reaching his hand out, Tommy said, “That’s exactly what I’m doing, Dominic. This place needs a little help, and I think when the word gets out that Elizabeth eats here, your business will improve.”“No doubt,” the man replied as he unashamedly checked her out. “Let me assume that with someone so lovely, you’ll not be sitting at the bar....
AnalIt’d been after 10:00 p.m. the previous evening when Prince Rashid finally returned to his embassy, but it was after midnight before Jason, Genna, Thad, and Joel had gone to bed. Those discussions had been very productive, though, for it looked like things would run smoothly, even for such a thrown together group of mismatched people. One of the first things that had come out was both of the Battens were thoroughly familiar with guns, both long and short. Though they hadn’t had the kind of...
The knock on the door to the conference room brought an end to the euphoric excitement that bonded the three lawyers together. Dennis went to the door and ushered in the young Indian woman. The three of them were rather surprised at the bruises and swelling on her face, feeling that beneath her injuries was a beautiful face to go with the attractive, slender body, the long dark hair and the soft brown eyes. Dennis introduced her to the other two, and then waited for her to talk. “Gentleman,”...
Hawk’s morning began with an early flight to the proposed area where the power and desalinization plants were to be built. As they flew along the coast Hawk could see one of the reasons for this location was it was the closest spot to deep water. However, Hawk was concerned about its isolated location and its proximity to other countries. He was also alarmed about its vulnerability to an attack by Iran. Back at the palace the two men discussed some of these concerns, as well as the...
It was a night like any other winter night in the City of Brockton. The snow was falling gently, the wind was light almost non-existent as two vigilantes keep a silent watch together over their fair city. Brockton used to be a nice city, it was once the ‘Shoe Capitol of the World’. The City of Champions, as its downtrodden citizens called it. Brockton was the birthplace of boxing champions Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler. It seemed to everyone living in the towns adjacent to Brockton that...
Maria led the people from the helicopter into the Hogan. The head doctor came over to Jason and saluted. Jason responded, “Colonel, I’m no longer in uniform. You’re not supposed to salute me.” “Sir, a few years ago, you pulled my ‘chestnuts’ out of the fire. As far as I’m concerned some people are always worth saluting. Now, fill me in.” “The girl who led you in here is my granddaughter, Little Ground Squirrel, but she’ll answer to Maria. This is her husband, Robert Gray Hawk. She was...