Storm Unleashed

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Book excerpt

Chapter 1

“DARKNESS IS HARD TO DEFEAT.” The gray-haired man stood by a bank of windows overlooking the black Pacific. A dimmed antique chandelier imprisoned the shadows and barricaded dawn’s arrival. Polished, paneled walls reflected Tiffany lamplight. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases exuded first-edition mustiness. His minions, five silent figures sitting in a circle of plush chairs, weighed his remarks. “The others will be here soon,” he said. “We need to find a successor for our dearly departed.” His undisguised disgust darkened his pallid complexion. “His office has been searched and secured. They were thorough. No signs have been left.”

“Do you have someone in mind?” asked the youngest of the group, a former corporate founder who took his money and ran.

“That’s why we’re here,” the gray-haired man said as he crossed the room. “To choose a replacement.” With his back to his guests, he watched through the bay window as four top-shelf cars approached on the long gravel drive. It was sunrise.

• • •

“MERRY CHRISTMAS, Mr. President.”

“Merry Christmas, Fritz. I’m sure you have a busy day ahead, but I wanted to invite you here for New Year’s Eve. You could stay a day and we could look around this place together.”

When Fritz first stumbled through the portal that let him move around the world, time travel also ceased to be fiction. Since spring, when it began, his relationship with the commander-in-chief had intensified. Fritz had saved the president’s life twice. As useful as it was, the portal also brought danger. They might be able to use it for good, but Fritz had almost been killed by men who had tried to destroy his passage to the past.

Fritz and Linda Russell sat in the family room, while TJ, their month-old baby, napped in his crib in the corner. The tree ornaments reflected the early morning light coming from the sunroom. “Thanks, Mr. President. I’ll have to speak to Linda and call you back.”

“Bring the baby. Jane and Ashley will be here too. We can celebrate having made it through this very strange year.”

“Strange is an understatement, Mr. President.”

Fritz and Linda’s goal was simply to enjoy a quiet Christmas morning. A busy afternoon was in store, but coffee and a Christmas movie provided the perfect interlude. Fritz’s parents were coming, and so were Ashley Gilbert and Jane Barclay. Putting dinner in the oven remained the sole, planned interruption to eating, drinking, and being merry. Until the phone rang.

“The president invited us for New Year’s Eve,” said Fritz. “He said to bring TJ.”

“I wonder what he wants this time,” Linda said. “It’s strange that he would want to socialize with us.”

“I’ve thought about that. But like he said, we treat him like a normal person. I think he likes that. We missed their Christmas affair. Do you want to go? Do you feel up to it?”

“Not really. I don’t feel comfortable taking TJ. And I can’t help but feel he wants you to use the portal again for something else. Though our staying away won’t keep him from asking.”

Since April, Fritz had used the portal to let special troops rescue the U.S. Ambassador to Eledoria and his family. To destroy Naria’s nuclear program. To save an Israeli community from an attack by the Eledorians. To end a conspiracy to assassinate the president.

“We don’t need to RSVP yet. If he needs the portal, I’m sure he’ll let me know.”

Ashley and Jane showed up at two, early as usual. Ashley and Fritz were teachers at Riverboro High School and had been friends for years. Jane, Ashley’s girlfriend, worked for the government as an advisor to the president. In official circles, she was known as Dr. Barclay. She also held the rank of major in the Army. Ashley blamed Jane for the ever-present smile on his face. When they arrived, Ashley volunteered to help Linda with Christmas dinner, and Jane joined Fritz in the family room with TJ.

“The president called this morning,” Fritz said. “He wants us to come to the White House for New Year’s.”

“I know. We’re going. It should be fun. Very few people are invited. Besides, he wants to talk to you.”

“Linda thought that’s why we were invited.”

“It’s not the only reason. I’ve been fine-tuning his plan for the Middle East summit, so he’ll want to talk to you about that. He’s also concerned about the chest-beating going on in North Korea again. It’s certainly not dull.” Fritz rubbed behind his left ear. “He invited us to insulate him from the politicians, I think,” she continued. “He told me he feels closer to you than most of the people he sees every day.”

“Jane, every time he wants to use the portal, it’s for some world-saving event. And it’s getting scarier each time. The portal isn’t secret any more, and the bad guys know about it.”

“I understand that. I’ve been trying to find out more about the people Koppler associated with. The problem is that he knew everybody. It’s a Who’s-Who list from around the world.” James Koppler, a former advisor to the president, appeared to have been the center of a large group of conspirators. “We’re still sifting through the stuff from his office. James and Mel Zack went back on Black Friday. They planted small cameras. By that Saturday, someone else had been there too, but they were masked. We’re not the only interested party. Someone else is not taking chances.”

“That worries me even more. Do you think he worked with some terrorist group or something?”

“Not terrorists. But I have a feeling that there’s more to it than we’ve seen so far.”

“One of your feelings? Now I know I have a reason to worry.” Jane had had one of those feelings before the president had almost been killed at a summit conference in Geneva only eight weeks earlier. Fritz and Ashley had used the portal to save him.

They were interrupted by the doorbell. Fritz checked his watch. Too early for his parents. Jim Shaw, a former student and local police officer was standing at the door. “Hi, Mr. R. Merry Christmas.”

“Come in. Are you working today?”

“Yeah. I switched with a guy with four kids.”

“Hi, Jim,” said Linda, coming from the kitchen. “Merry Christmas. Want to come for dinner?”

“Hi, Linda. Thanks, but I’m on duty. I just wanted to drop off a present for TJ.”

“Thanks, that’s very thoughtful. Can I get you a drink of something? Egg nog?”

“No, thanks. I have to go. But I’ll be around if you need me.”

Jim had taught Fritz to shoot, which had come in handy when the president was taken hostage in Geneva. When Koppler had tried to shoot the president, Fritz had killed Koppler instead.

“I have to get back to work,” Jim said. “Hi, Mr. Gilbert, ma’am,” he said as Ashley and Jane came to the door.

“Merry Christmas, Jim,” they said together.

“Have a good day, Jim,” said Fritz. “And thanks again.”

Before Fritz closed the door, a black Suburban drove past. They all saw it and exchanged glances. Jane had jammed her phone to her ear before the door shut.

“Good morning, Mr. President. A black Suburban just drove by Fritz’s house. Anything you know about?”

“Merry Christmas, Jane. I forgot to tell Fritz. Sorry. I asked the guys to keep an eye out and be visible, just in case.”

“I’ll tell him. Sorry to bother you. Merry Christmas.”

Black Suburbans had played a significant role, good and bad, since Fritz had found the portal. The primary transport used by the Secret Service, they had also been used by the conspirators. One had tried to slam into Fritz when he climbed out of his car, and another had tried to ram him as he left school for the day. Each new one they spotted raised a red flag.

“It’s time for some eggnog,” said Ashley. “I’m buying.”

“It’s already in the refrigerator,” Fritz said.

“I know that. But it doesn’t have my personal touch, which of course I will provide. Free of charge.”

Linda said, “You mean you’re pouring it into glasses?”

“Absolutely. My personal touch.”

JUST AFTER THREE, Fritz’s parents arrived. Everyone opened presents, mostly for TJ, who had no idea what was going on but gurgled and squeaked. After a dessert pudding of fruits and nuts, a mix of spices, and some highly flammable brandy, they had just moved to the family room for coffee when breaking news disturbed the celebration.

“Here we go again,” said Ashley. The report said North Korea had launched a missile that might have intercontinental range.

“If they’re accurate,” Jane said, “we might have a big problem. We know they’re close to developing nukes. And now they probably have the delivery capability. I’ll bet the president’s already on the phone.”

Linda’s frown and furrowed brow reminded them all of the danger they faced. Fritz put his arm around her, pulled her close, and said, “I know.”

Fritz’s father, John, asked, “Do you think the president . . .”

Fritz interrupted. “I don’t know. He’s mentioned the North Koreans before. I hope he finds another way to fix this, Dad.”

• • •

IN A ROOM FULL of suits, a man dressed in white slacks and a thin blue sweater glanced at his phone and said, “Turn on the TV. Something’s up in Korea.” The eight men and one woman gathered around a large screen enclosed in a custom-made mahogany cabinet. After watching, the host offered a toast. Standing by the crystal bowl of Christmas cheer, he said, “Gentlemen, and lady, to the Kim family. May their year be as bad as ours will be good.”

• • •

 “JANE,” SAID THE PRESIDENT, “I think they picked today to disrupt the holiday. The football games will be interrupted. I’ve called the cabinet for 9 P.M. I need you here before then.”