Chapter 387

Back at the embassy I went immediately into the communications room with a handful of notes from Linda. I also carried my portable office. I plugged in the thumb drive and ran a scan on it before I opened the file on it. I also sent a notification to Marcy that I would be on VCATS in 5 minutes.

I flipped through all the pictures then sent the file to the girls, Amy and Victor and keyed VCATS to conference call to the girls. It was midnight in Kampala and 5 pm at the office.

Not only were the girls in there, everyone was: Mom, Dad, Lisa, Jason, and all my administrators, even Robert and Burt. How they all fit in the meeting room was a mystery but I was not going to get an answer tonight.

I spent the next fifteen minutes giving a narrative of the ball, and who all the people were there and all the ones I danced with as they looked at the pictures. Then I described all the dances that Gordon and I did.

Then Marcy said, “We have seen you on ZNN news all day here. Seven thousand miles away and you still make prime news. A humanitarian flight and equipment donation for the doctors; you did a good thing and you made us proud.”

“ZNN has been showing the clip of the chopper with our logo landing, the equipment being unloaded and the interviews on national news. Hanna’s station has been running the clips as a local interest story,” Lorrie added.

With the crowd in the office I sent Marcy a text that I needed a private conference with them and would call back in half an hour. I used the excuse that it was midnight to sign off.

I worked on email while I waited; there was plenty of it to look at. The first ones were from Robert and Burt. With my code book I ran the documents through the encryption filters and then printed out the messages.

They were updates on the terrorist plans; so far there were no major changes other than they were increasing the estimates of the number who would be participating in the attack.

I wondered how they were recruiting additional fighters without slipping up and alerting various anti-terror agencies.

I paged the office again and was surprised to see Victor sitting at the table with my girls.

“I have been looking at the pictures from the Ambassador’s Ball and news reports of your day; you have been really busy,” Eric said. “Oh, by the way, your girls said they dressed you to turn heads. I think it worked; look at the pictures closely some time, there were a lot of by standers looking at you when the pictures were taken.”

“The secretary called to ask me to give you a ‘good job pat on the back’ for the humanitarian effort.”

“There is plenty to do; more than I thought there would be; my schedule is full,” I replied.

Just to catch Victor off guard, “I understand that you want Blackhawks at the 40 new embassies.”

“Yes, that is what we are looking to do. How did you know that?” Victor replied.

“You know a lady never kisses and tells,” I said. “I already have the aircraft under contract for all 40 sites.”

“You do seem to have your sources; it’s good to know that you have that part of the contract covered already. I need to run Allie and I am taking Alica and her friends out to dinner and bowling,” Victor replied as he stood and left.

When the door closed Marcy asked, “What aircraft under contract are you talking about?”

“I agreed to buy 25 Blackhawks from Germany and 20 from Israel. They are located at the Arizona storage site; we will have to pay freight. You need to get with the mechanics to make sure we have something that will unload them off flatbed trailers without damaging them when they start arriving. That should start happening in two to three weeks.”

“You have begun the financing process with Midwest Bank?” I asked.

“Yes, as soon as we signed the contract,” Marcy replied.

“Sounds like Victor and Joni are getting serious,” I said

“He and Allie are here every night,” Vicky replied.

“Speaking of humanitarian assistance, Lorrie, will you contact that pharmaceutical company we are flying everywhere all the time? See if they are open to donating medicines and drugs on a list I have. If nothing else, to sweeten the pot offer to buy an equal amount at the wholesale price, just see what they are open to,” I said and then I read the list to her.

“Potomac Pharmaceuticals, sure,” Lorrie replied.

“I need to page Frank and now it is 1 AM. Hugs and kisses, give the boys a kiss for me, love you, good night.”

I sent the picture file to Frank and then called him.