Chapter 28

Thursday morning was a change in my routine. We were going back to the Palace for final discussions on the security agreement; we had gotten much further along than I expected the day before.

We were close to an agreement and it was going to be a major contract. It was going to take one hundred and sixty men and ladies to give them the coverage they wanted, and they wanted a lot.

Each minister wanted a driver on duty 24/7 and their own Suburban. Along with the driver each was to get two bodyguards 24 hours a day. The logistics to accommodate the drivers and guards at the residence had to be worked out.

The general discussion was that there would be a mini command center with communications and a place for them to watch the camera monitors. All of the ministers apparently lived on better than average estates with extra rooms or guest cottages they were willing to sacrifice for their safety.

Of course that meant that there would have to be dozens of automobiles for our men to get to the job every day - just one more logistical nightmare. That was why the contract was for five years to allow JBG to recoup some of that investment. It would expire at the end of the Premier’s term.

The Premier and Vice Premier were to have six bodyguards on every shift plus three drivers and three SUVs; one for the premier to ride in, one to lead and one to follow.

The contract price was at ninety six million a year and we had not even talked about helicopters yet.

I was not looking forward to the logistics. Just where in the hell were we going to find temporary housing for one hundred and sixty plus people? It was not going to be in a five star motel.

Better yet, where were we going to get all those employees on short notice? The negotiations lasted several hours and then another two hours on VCATS with the girls. Introductions both ways from four thousand miles away can be tricky but it worked out well. In the end we had a contract we could live with.

I could tell by Marcy’s smile there was plenty of profit to work with. Then there was the lease of eighteen more armored Suburban’s.

Lorrie would be happy because the eight Suburban’s that were here were staying. Only one more C5 flight would be required and it would be loaded both ways. It would be departing Morton with eight more Suburban’s and returning with all the equipment and tools used for the summit and the four helicopters.

For lunch the ministers and premiers wanted to go to a swanky private club resort to celebrate the security contract. I really think they wanted another ride to evaluate the Suburban’s and our security posture.

I was sure when during the meal the Vice Premier asked, “Why do you choose these large vehicles over luxury brands?”

“I survived a truck bomb in one of these; it blew the chassis off the frame and I walked away with minor injuries. It has proven protection that I will stay with.”

“Sure, there are a lot of weapons that will penetrate the armor and kill you. Even tanks get destroyed but for what we see the most, these have the best survivability,” I replied.

We carried them back to the palace and then we went to the training center to help Howie finish up the displays for tomorrow’s summit. Howie and his helpers were finished. Vicky and I went through the video program frame by frame on what we were going to say about each display after Howie gave the technical description and demonstration.

When we were finished it was back to the hotel for supper. The same as last night, Vicky and I were carried to the embassy for secure communications. The reporters hit the city again, this time with the news cameras.

The communications started off positive, first from Ching Lee, “I sent 10 security guards from Blair College to ride the road from Harrisburg to Lebanon, starting at the spot they were lost yesterday. Several of them agreed to use their personal cars and the others rented cars from the MAAR site.”

“The tag scanners picked up the three cars on 78 at Colonial Park headed east; they followed them to Avon Heights. Avon heights used to be an Amish community, not any more. Robert can fill you in on the details,” Ching Lee said.

“Avon Heights was a small Amish community with roughly twenty houses and a small store that catered to the community. The community was surrounded by small Amish family farms of twenty to thirty acres. They were traditional Amish who used horses to farm with and who shunned modern conveniences.”

“The previous administration settled several Muslin families from Iraq and Syria in the community. The Amish church was burned within weeks and violence against the Amish community started with the children being harassed and bullied. The women and girls were harassed everywhere they went; several girls were assaulted. Their farm animals started dying; tests said they were poisoned.