BOOK 2: COMMUNITY / CH. 24:COINS
THURSDAY 10TH AUGUST
There was hardly ever a real queue of people at the embassy gates, but of course it usually took a while to get beyond them. Normal procedure was that the guards question the visitors first and call for a translator if needed, before giving them the information they wanted or allowing them to enter or not. If they were permitted to enter, then one of the two soldiers on guard would put through a call for someone else to escort the visitor to a waiting room. That was normal procedure.
The guards were all briefed on Thursday morning that, on the off chance that they should be presented with a plastic coin in the next few days, they should personally and immediately escort the visitor or visitors to an interview room and one of their colleagues would inform Maria.
“Colleagues plural?”
“Yes. Three on guard duty for a while. Eyes sharp for anyone spying on who's coming and going. Call for backup if multiple coins come at the same time. If that happens, put them in separate interview rooms. Ten or eleven coins are going out today, hopefully we don't get them all back at the same time.”
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Jane got offered the first coin, late on the Thursday afternoon. A young man, hardly an adult, came up very nervously, eyeing the gun on her shoulder. “My mother said I must come, about my brother, and show this.”
“Welcome, sir, this way, please.”
Hearing her voice, he looked at her face, not just her weaponry. “You are a woman!”
“I know!” she laughed, used by now to the attitude that expected women to stay at home while the men fought.
“You have a pretty laugh.”
“And a big gun.”
“Yes, I saw that.”
“I saw you seeing. That is why I said it.”
“You have killed many men?”
“No. But I am a good shot. If I needed to, I could.”
“My father tells me he killed someone in the troubles. It made him very sick. I do not like guns.”
“Then you are sensible. Guns should be respected, not played with.”
“But you have one, and you would use it if you had to.”
“It is my duty. I keep people safe.”
“The soldiers in the troubles did not keep people safe.”
“Some of them did — the ones who obeyed their duty to your people rather than their orders.”
“You are right. A few of them did.”
Maria was waiting. “Maam, this young man has come concerning his brother. He had this toy coin. This honourable lady is wife of the ambassador. I protect her.”
“Thank you, Jane. I saw you talking. About duty?”
“Yes, maam.”
“Young man, your brother has been stolen from you? Disappeared?”
“Yes, honourable lady. A truth-sayer brought the coin and said someone should come and tell about him. We did not think anyone would listen. The police do not listen. Why do you?”
“Because of duty. My husband and I have a duty to uphold the law of the world. If your police will do nothing, then the soldiers of the United Nations must. My husband is not here, and deals with other issues, or he would listen. I hope you are not offended if I listen in his place.”
“No, honourable lady. I will speak of my brother to you.”
“I will listen, and the microphones in the ceiling will listen. And maybe I will ask you questions. And then what you say will go to a judge at the United Nations, and he will decide, I expect, that whoever has taken your brother has committed a great crime. And then, normally, the soldiers of many countries would look in all of the prisons and hospitals and police stations to search for your brother. And that would take quite a long time.”
“Then there is little hope? Those who took him can just move him?”
“You heard me say ‘normally'?”
“Yes. Is there something different? The truth-sayer?”
“Yes. The truth-sayer. She has a rare gift from her God who is also my God. The soldiers do not need to search, unless they think they must pretend they have not been told exactly where he is.”
“God knows all things. He has revealed this to her in a dream?”
“No, young man. I said she has this gift. God in his generosity and wisdom has trusted her with the gift of knowing many secrets if she chooses. But of course she does not choose for any reason.”
“We can pay a little, all we have is not much but...”
“Hold your tongue you, foolish boy! Do you insult the one who helps you? To think she seeks your money? She is not a rich woman to scorn your money, but she would never defile her gift by accepting payment for using it! God who gives life to the dead and forgiveness to the sinner that repents has not given her this gift to make her rich! No! God has given her this gift to limit the power of evil. God gives you the strength to earn your pay, do not insult Him by seeking to bribe His servants!”
“I have offended. I am sorry. I misunderstood. She will not abuse this gift for any reason. I understand now. I thought you were saying she would not use her gift without motivation, without encouragement.”
“I am sorry, I must select my words more carefully. She will tell the soldiers where your brother is when the time comes. Give the glory to God. Speak of your brother, young man.”
“I will speak.”
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Another coin was brought on Thursday evening by the wife of a victim. Normally the embassy was not open to visitors that late, but Karen realised that she hadn't said. She apologised when Maria returned. “Sorry, Mummy. I forgot to set a time limit.”
“Well, if any come after eleven you can deal with them, dear. If it's a man, I'm sure George can hover protectively.”
“Of course I can, Maria. And it's not like many people could surprise either of us.”
“But some could?” Karen's father asked, surprised.
“I expect, but have never tested it, that someone who was reacting purely on instinct, without thought or decision, could. George, any comments?”
“Yes. That sounds right. Or someone who's uncontrolled, say because of drugs or drink, and acts without decision or planning. We don't have foreknowledge, thank God!”
“So a drunkard who can't control their movements, or someone reaching out as they trip, say, might pose an accidental risk. But otherwise?” asked Maria.
“Otherwise we'd be in the realm of the scary — a mind-reader hiding their thoughts or maybe someone demon possessed, I've no idea about them,” Karen pondered aloud.
“But you could know about them?” asked her father.
“If we thought to check, certainly. Otherwise, I don't know,” George replied.
“I'll just ask Hagar,” Karen decided.
[Hagar, can I ask something?]
[Yes, my sister, what is it?]
[My father asks me, if there was someone demon possessed approaching. Do you know if the gift would show us somehow, or would we need to remember and check?]
[From my experience I do not know. Not for certain. There was a man, a strange man, in the village where I grew up, who people eventually said was demon possessed and drove him from the village. I know I did not feel comfortable near him, long before that happened. But I was very new to my gift. I just prayed each time he came past.]
[Ah. Thank you, Hagar. May I ask? How did you receive your gift?]
[My great grandmother had the gift. She knew I had the power of course, and as she was nearing death she prayed that I might receive it.]
[So it was not as unexpected as mine.]
[Oh, I didn't know she would do this. She just told me to thank God for what He'd given me.]
[Ah. I imagine it was a shock.]
[Yes, I was cross with her for a while, but should she have asked? I think not, it is not a good gift to desire, really. I'm not sure I should have told Deborah.]
[Deborah?]
[A woman at church who has the power. She has been made truth-sayer to the president. So she will probably meet Hamed.]
[You told her how to hide her thoughts?]
[Yes. But if he traps her body for long, knowing the peace could be all that saves her mind.]
[Let us pray that does not happen!]
[Yes.]
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Karen opened her eyes after they'd prayed. “That took longer than I'd expected,” Maria said. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. She'd met someone she didn't feel easy around, when she was a late teen. But it didn't occur to her to use her gift on him. So she doesn't know if we'd know anyone possessed or not. And urm, then we got talking. And then we prayed for Deborah.”
“Who's she?” Maria asked.
“The president's new truth-sayer.”
“Oh, that's her name? I didn't catch it when the president called for her. I said he could bring her to the party so she could talk to Hagar.”
“She goes to their church, Daddy. She's been talking to her already. But that's OK. It probably keeps her safe if her location isn't predictable before Ibrahim and Hamed are dealt with.”
“That was the president's thought also, I think. He seems to be looking after her somewhat.”
“Oh?” Karen asked.
“He made sure she got her cleaning job after her father died and he said that he'll provide a dowry for her,” James expanded.
“That's good of him. Is she some kind of relative then?”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“'Friend of my father’ seemed to be the relationship from her point of view. And reciprocally, actually, he called her daughter of his friend.”
“That makes sense then. He'd be honour-bound to act in loco parentis,” Karen affirmed.
“Oh, of course!” James said, burying his head in his hands. “I must be tired or something. I was just thinking of the words, not the phrase.”
“I'm lost. How does being her father's friend count for much?” George queried.
“It can be a general term, but in this context it's sort of a bit like him being best man and godparent all wrapped into one.”
“Oh, I see. I think.”
“Once her father died, depending on how he chose to honour it, the president could have taken her into his family, almost adopted her. My guess is if he'd been married then he would have,” Maria added.
“Do you know why he didn't ever marry, Mummy? I've always wondered.”
“He almost did, but she was killed during the successional conflicts — what they call the troubles, George,” Maria said. “It was part of what assured his success really. Clear case of a botched assassination aimed at him. Everyone knew who it was who'd ordered it, and a lot of support switched from that man to the current president. Good thing too.”
“Might they not re-erupt when the president dies?”
“Hopefully not. The president is wiser than his uncle was in that respect. There will be elections when he dies, of course, but he plans to name an heir.”
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FRIDAY, 11TH AUGUST
The new day brought with it more coins. Seven in all, with a surge after Friday prayers. Statements were taken and a dossier prepared, with all nine cases that had been reported. There were so many similarities that it was clearly the same group doing the snatches. All the disappeared had been snatched as they were entering or leaving home. All kidnaps had involved a van which looked like a police vehicle but without markings, though one witness said they thought they'd seen where the markings had been painted over.
The snatch had happened in the same way also. The van had drawn up, the victim overpowered and a cloth held to their nose, presumably some kind of anaesthetic, while other occupants of the van had been holding guns pointed at any witnesses. Then the victim had been bundled into the van. No one had received a ransom note.
They were about to send the completed dossier to the Human Rights Office when there was a call from the gate guard.
“Maam, we've got a distraught young lady here. Says she had a coin to bring but she lost it.”
“Bring her in. Karen, could you talk to this one?”
“Of course, Mummy.”
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“I am so sorry. You gave me the coin. It was you, wasn't it?” Karen nodded. “But my son took it and played with it. He is only two, such a naughty boy, he played with it and I cannot find where he put it. I am so sorry.”
“The coin has no value, it was just so the guards on the gate would let you in quickly. Would your son like some more to play with? They were my toys but I do not play with them now.”
“But you have kept them so long, they have value to you!”
Karen laughed. “No, truly, they have no value. It is only that I did not want to sort through my toys when I stopped playing with them. Some have value to me, these do not. But I thought of them when we wanted something to give you and the others, something that could be given and shown to guards but would not give a clue to someone else. I thought of them and I found them. And I found other toys that have no value to me. Perhaps your son would like some of them also.”
“But soon you will have children, surely?”
“Perhaps, but I am not yet married even. You do not have so many toys for your son I think, and my betrothed is clever with his hands. I think he will want to make toys for our children.”
“No, I do not have many toys, you are right. And with my husband stolen from me...” She wiped away the tears she was so used to crying. “But he lives? You know for sure? How?”
“We know for sure. The truth-sayer knows where he is held also and when the United Nations sends soldiers, they will not need to search blindly. But first let me know how your husband was taken, so the soldiers may be sent.”
The woman told of her husband's abduction. It was just like the others, except she was able to give a description of one of the attackers, the one who seemed to be in charge. The description sounded suspiciously familiar to Karen. “The man you describe sounds like a man known to me as a certain man's bodyguard. Can I get a picture of the man I am thinking of to show you?”
“Yes, of course. I wait here?”
“Yes, please, I won't be long.”
Karen stepped out of the room and addressed the guard who waited outside, as was normal when an interview was in progress. “I'm just leaving for a minute or two. If she needs to leave that's fine, escort her off site, but I really hope she can identify someone. I'm just going to get the picture.”
Then she tapped her wrist unit. “Computer, produce hard copy of suspect Hamed, face and profile.”
“Acknowledged, processing.”
“I didn't know the computer could do that, maam!”
“Oh well, you need to reread your orientation materials then. There should be something on it under ‘general purpose facilities.’ I know, because I had to update it last summer.”
“Wasn't that the section on washing machines and the like, maam?”
“That's the one. Washing machines, sports facilities, access to the swimming pool, local and off-site communications, voice control of the computer, video library, and so on.”
“Video library?”
“Yes. Don't tell me the others are still claiming they rent videos in town.”
“They don't?”
“Of course not. No need.”
“So the contributions we've all been making?”
“Oh, I'm sure they spent them in town. It really does pay to read your briefing docs very carefully, Bill. Every line, every word.”
“So it seems, maam.”
“I'll just get my printout.”
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Karen entered the room with several pictures, Hamed and others who were possible matches to the description given. After explaining what would happen, Karen gave the computer instructions in English, as always. It could have understood them in the national language of course, but she'd grown up speaking to it in English, and that's a hard habit to break. “Computer, video record. Additional evidence.” Then, in the national language, she spoke to the woman, “Respected lady, the computer is now recording pictures as well as sound. This is why I suggested you should veil yourself. For the judges who will get this evidence, is one of these the man you described to me?”
“Yes! That is him,” she pointed at Hamed.
“Thank you. I will tell the computer what to do. Computer, highlight selected photo, zoom to original of printout. Append full known data concerning biography and employment of identified suspect. Append summary record of biography and employment of identified suspect's employer. Add to record if not present that suspect possesses ability to hear thoughts, reference IHM disclosure document. Add to record if not present that employer has exhibited actions suggesting that he is aware of this ability. End of evidence, add to dossier on human rights abuses. Notify ambassador for pre-dispatch approval.”
“I understood some of that. This man hears thoughts? He is a truth-sayer?”
“My truth-sayer friend calls him a thought-stealer.”
“May God defend us! Truly?”
“I am sorry. I know the tales of truth-sayers, but I had not heard of a thought-stealer. Can you tell me?”
“A thought-stealer does not ask, ever. He usually hides his power except to gain fear, he uses his power to take the thoughts of the unwary and the innocent, and of those he has trapped, perhaps torturing them. It is not a story to entertain a child.”
“I understand. I do not know everything about that man, but to me this sounds like a reasonable description.”
“Then this evil man has my husband! But how does your friend know? She did not hear from him, surely? She would be in great danger. And the one who she heard from is in danger, and any she talked to, like me! Oh, my poor son!”
“No, it is all right.” Karen decided the woman needed to know about the gift if she was not to worry more. “You know that normally a truth-sayer can only know thoughts from people close?”
“Yes, I know this. But you said normally?”
“Yes. My friend the truth-sayer, she has a great and powerful gift from God. God who knows all and yet forgives the repentant sinner, has allowed her to know in part what He knows in full. She can find people who are lost and know thoughts of an individual on the other side of the world. It is such a powerful gift that she is sure she will be judged severely if she abused it or used it for gain. But surely it would be a sin to not find people who are stolen.”
“Praise be to God that He sends this prophetess among us! To which mosque does she go, may I ask?”
“No, respected lady. I will tell you a truth you may not accept. But even if you reject this truth, we will seek to free your husband. Anything else would be sin, and we do not wish to dishonour God. She does not go to a mosque, nor do any who have this gift. She goes to a church.”
“A Christian?”
“Yes.”
“But she will seek to rescue my husband? My husband who trains to be an imam?”
“Yes. She is a true Christian, not just one who claims faith but disobeys the laws of God. I do not know what you believe we believe, but we follow the Jesus who said ‘I am the way the truth and the life,’ and the One about whom God spoke from heaven in a loud voice saying ‘listen to Him!’, about Him the Holy Gospel says He died on the cross though He was free from sin and God raised Him to life on the third day and seated Him at His right hand. The Holy Gospel also says that He will return in glory to judge the living and the dead and that there is no other name by which people may be saved. God has saved us from captivity to sin, how can we not seek to save others from unjust captivity? God has given freely, so must we.”
“Your generosity shows you truly believe. I thank you. I cannot answer more about your faith, but perhaps I have been told things that are not true. I must think and learn more. I thank you that you show this care to one who is not of your religion, not of your family, not of your race. Such a good deed will surely earn you a place in heaven.”
Karen shook her head in sadness, “Oh, respected lady, you do not understand my faith. When Jesus, the sinless one, died, He took my sins on himself, the sins of all who trust in His name. The Holy Gospel says about Jesus, ‘Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.’ I can no more earn my place in heaven than a baby can earn its place in its mother's womb. I can demonstrate my thanks and praise in my life, I seek to please God, but God's promise is that I am saved from hell if I submit to this humiliation and admit that I cannot meet God's perfect standards.”
“Your faith is strange, but I see it gives you great confidence.”
“Not in myself, but in God, my saviour. Come, choose some toys for your son.”
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SATURDAY, 12TH AUGUST
For once, the time difference was useful. By Saturday morning the human rights court had determined that there had clearly been breaches of international law. Hamed was to be arrested and charged either by local or UN forces. Given his position, Ibrahim should be arrested by UN forces on suspicion of involvement. UN forces should look for and release the named individuals and any others held with them. Their captors should be arrested. Should they be held in part of a legitimate correctional facility where human rights were being respected, then specific charges should be established before the guards were arrested. State internal support in terms of troops etc. would be appreciated, but state sovereignty was suspended in this matter, under the relevant resolutions and powers.
The court order had been made and co-signed by the judicial representatives of the countries presently on the security council. It had been decided and now it was James’s job to tell the other ambassadors whose embassies had forces in the country or nearby. It would probably take a few days for the forces to gather. Unless of course the president agreed. It would be far better if he did. The destabilising effect of having to force their way past confused (or worse, hostile) soldiers was not something to be relished. But was it wise to alert the president? If he was involved, then it was obvious that they couldn't involve him. This was a crucial question.
After forwarding a copy of the ruling to all the other embassies and back home of course,
James called his counterparts. He hoped they weren't busy, but there was a UN judicial action to arrange. He was sorry to wreck any plans, could they come for a strategy planning meeting at eleven? Bring their military attaché or equivalent too.
He also called Karen to his office.
“Precious, your friend Hagar has her wish. Though she may not quite have known what it would involve. How much about the troubles do you remember?”
“Urm, quite a bit. The old president died, his three possible heirs were all trying to get advantage over each other, lots of gun battles, explosions at night that you and Mummy had a habbit of running away from, just before they happened, I'm happy to say.”
“You make it sound like we caused all of them.”
“OK, that you escaped from in the nick of time.”
“Thank you, precious, better, I suppose. There was only one explosion we caused though. Self destruct of our field station.”
“Yes, I know, but you did convince others that they needed to stop the other guy's soldiers getting to computer records, and that often needed some explosive, I believe.”
“Very time-efficient way of wiping data crystals, your typical high explosive. The shock-wave totally scrambles the data, as well as delaminating the connections most of the time. And if there's a fire afterwards, so much the better.”
“So, you were helping the now-president when he was suffering military defeat after military defeat. I don't remember why though.”
“Because of a piece of paper rather like that one that's in front of you. His cousin had been accused of political assassination, the UN arrest warrant had been issued, and the troops were being assembled, but during the delay in assembling the troops, he doubled the forces under his control by hiring mercenaries and almost succeeded in annihilating all the opposition. After the assassination of the president's fiancée, he had the majority of popular support, but his cousin had more soldiers, plus all the mercenaries.”
“So that period was caused by the UN warrant?”
“He knew he'd be found guilty, but if he was the uncontested ruler then he would have been immune from prosecution. Of course, the immunity clause has been voted out now. I'm not quite sure how they managed to convince everyone.”
“So Daddy, what's the motive for this history lesson? Just reminding me how dangerous it is to do what we've just done?”
“Partly. But also a question for you to consider.”
“Go on.”
“If the president is a good guy, as I believe; if he knows nothing about any of what's been going on, then telling him lets him issue a few orders, the local army swarms all over nephew Ibrahim and his henchmen before they can do anything, and all our soldiers need to do is formally arrest them and coordinate the search of the relevant prisons. Hopefully not a single shot fired.”
“Otherwise it's some kind of multinational invasion triggering chaos, and
possibly plunging the country back into civil war?”
“Yes.”
“And so you want me to scan him.”
“Well... you, Hagar or George.”
“And if you'd never heard of mind-readers, Daddy, what would you have done?”
“Discussed it with the other ambassadors and gone by gut instinct.”
“That sounds like a good plan. Why don't you do that, Daddy? Unless you can get him to consent, of course. If you like though, one of us could give a demonstration of truth-sayer capability to the other ambassadors. I presume you're inviting them here? We might as well do our bit for the glove trade here.”
“Thank you, Karen.”
“What for?”
“Convincing me that my little girl has grown up.”
“Oh, what did that? Me not quite telling you to sort out your own problems?”
she smiled cheekily.
“That and the glove trade comment. You're keeping hold of the bigger picture.”
“I need to, Daddy. My introduction to this gift was a growing experience. I presume Mummy's told you all about it?”
“From her side, yes. Scary lot of evil you were dealing with there.”
“I was actually thinking about my ‘I could very easily die here’ experience. But yes, that rampage by proxy was nasty too.”