Full Black

CHAPTER 62

Technology amazed James Standing. Setting his laptop on his living-room table, he marveled at what an incredible instrument it was. With it, he could move markets. He could fund startup companies. He could create political organizations. He could change public perception. He could sow peace. He could bring war. All of it could be done from anywhere he found himself on the planet and it all could be done clandestinely. It was indeed a tool fit for a god.

Yet what did most people do with their computers? They played video games, wasted themselves on so-called social media, or consumed pornography. His contempt for the intellectual lethargy of mankind ran as deep as his belief in mankind’s boundless potential. The planet and its inhabitants could be so much more than they were, but they would never even come close if left to their own devices. They would always choose their narrow self-interest over everything else.

They would never realize how miserable they truly were and how they could transcend that misery. You could paint the most glorious picture of what awaited, but they wouldn’t grasp it. Some might, but the majority, the masses, truly were asses. The only way they would become better people and society would be improved was through force. They couldn’t be led to a better life, they had to be dragged there by the state like the dumb beasts they were.

There would be those whom even force would not be able to persuade. There was only one solution for that problem. The world would be a better place without people who wanted to cling to the status quo. For mankind to survive, for mankind to reach its brilliant potential, not only must there be progress, but all resistance to that progress must be stripped away and destroyed.

What awaited mankind was an earthly paradise of gleaming, golden cities; a perfect socio-politico-legal system in harmony with nature.

What Julia Winston, the young Financial Times reporter, called socialism was actually opportunity. Though it was beaten back repeatedly by small minds, it continued to outstretch its warm and generous hand, waiting to take mankind and civilization forward. Attempts to take mankind into this land of promise had indeed failed in the past, but now it would be different, for one very specific reason. This time, those leading the world forward had an advantage those before them did not-they had technology. Technology was what would allow the enlightened to shift the paradigm and move human beings to the next stage in their evolution.

Powering up his laptop, Standing engaged two more pieces of technology that amazed him, Skype and an absolutely fluid translation platform that made him appear the perfect Arabic speaker.

As salam Alaikum, Mustafa Karami typed when he saw his benefactor had logged on to speak with him. Peace be upon you.

Wa ‘alaykumu s-sal•mu wa rahmatu l-l•hi wa barak•tuh, Standing replied, using the formal response he thought befitting his Sheikh from Qatar persona, May Allah’s blessings be upon you.

Karami was quick to accentuate the positive of the past two days. Allahu Akbar. We rejoice for the brothers who have gone to paradise.

Allahu Akbar, Standing typed. Inna Lillaahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Rajiun. God is great. To Allah we belong and to Allah we return.

Robert Ashford didn’t like it that Karami got his marching orders from two different sources. Standing didn’t care what he thought. Sometimes, he liked to delegate the job to Ashford, sometimes he liked to pull the figurative trigger himself. He also liked to convey the impression to Karami and the others that they were part of a very large organization, which they were.

We stand ready to serve in Allah’s great and just cause, wrote Karami.

I bet you do, thought Standing. Why was I not told about the Mufti’s nephew? The Mufti of Jihad was the pen name Aazim Aleem had been known by throughout the Muslim world for his sermons on jihad.

It took Karami a moment to type his response. To his credit, he didn’t lie. You should have been told.

You’re damn right I should have been, was what Standing wanted to say, but instead he wrote, Where is the nephew now?

We do not know.

If the authorities have him, how much of a danger will he be to our operation?

That we also do not know.

Standing was further tempted to ask what the hell they did know, but then Karami added to his last transmission saying, We must assume he knows everything the Mufti himself knew.

So, Karami wasn’t a complete fool after all. I agree, typed Standing.

We stand ready, the terrorist stated again.

Standing typed the words Orange and Yellow, then hit Send.

When?

Orange is to happen Monday, replied Standing, who had been wrestling with the timing for the follow-up. He needed the orange attacks to get extensive, deep coverage before the next attack. It was a gamble, though. If Aazim’s nephew knew everything the uncle did and the Carlton Group broke him, he’d be lucky to see any more attacks.

And yellow? Karami asked.

Wait forty-eight hours after the orange events have been reported. Then you may launch yellow.

Insha’Allah, we will be much more successful this time.

Insha’Allah, Standing agreed before ending the conversation and exiting Skype.

The Chinese seemed almost to have designed this next wave of attacks with him in mind. Not only would it help further push the United States into a state of incredibly disruptive chaos, but he had even found a way to profit by it. America was indeed an incredible country.