In the G5 headed for Thimble Shoals I decided to handle all the calls at once. I sent Troy a text, ”MTAC 10 minutes.”

Before I turned the screen on Jenny, Vicky, and I had a serious talk about what had just happened in Mexico.

”We have small children who we are going to leave everything we have worked for to continue. The drug problem grows every day. The dealers are staking out their territory, even in our small town. In fifteen years – unless something is done – the dealers are going to be standing on your doorstep waiting for our kids. I want to fight them now, not let them get that powerful.”

”I know I may have went overboard with energy but it was the perfect opening, the perfect time, the perfect audience,” I said.

The screen went live and we were looking at the President and his full staff.

”Never a dull day when you are on the move. I don’t know whether you made more friends or more enemies but you sure got people talking. Harry’s wishing you were here,” the President said.

”Calls are already coming in – other Central American countries are asking about a regional conference and possibly an expanded regional anti-drug operations task force. They haven’t been open to suggestions like that before, now they are the ones doing the suggesting.”

”I know you had a lot of reasons. What were they?” Secretary of State Dick asked.

”First was to keep Iran out of the news,” I said.

”Well, you have done that for sure,” Troy said.

”I wanted to send a message to the drug kingpins that I was coming after them. They have been warned; they are fair game now,” I said.

”I would say you did that. Evidentially you have someone in mind,” the Vice President said.

”One for sure and Robert’s expanded group has identified four more possibilities,” I said.

”Is Mexico OK with this change in your policy?” Troy asked.

”Mexican President Martinez had signed off on the principal points before I made the announcement. I have to work on a negotiating team to iron out the finer points. Do you have any good international negotiators you want to lose? The bad ones I don’t want at all,” I said.

”Why would I want to give the good ones to you?” the President said.

”Just checking on your mental stability today is all. I knew the answer but had to ask,” I said.

”What is this about database and genetic testing? We haven’t been doing anything like that. Have we?” Eric asked as if confused.

”You aren’t? Why not? I thought it was standard procedure,” I said.

”We don’t have the lab resources for one thing. The FBI has the only lab for certified work at a federal level and they are overwhelmed with state requests and everything else,” FBI director Marty Coeburn said.

”Since I opened that can of worms, if I started a lab capable of doing that and other testing – how do we get other police agencies nationwide to send certified samples of all drugs seized to JBG for testing? Then would Justice be willing to pony some operating funds along the way for cooperation and access to the data?” I asked.

”Justice Department could order it. Do you know just how many samples you are talking about?” Eric said.

”I’m sure it is somewhere between two and ten,” I said with a laugh.

”You do it and we will find some funding. I will have the legal team work on the directives,” the AG said.

I needed to talk to the doc; he would know where to find personnel and the equipment in a rush. Then there was the question of where to put it?

Sometimes I wondered if my mouth ran faster than my brain.

”Are you on your way back to Morton?” Troy asked.

”No. Thimble Shoals National Bank for a meeting,” I said.

”Why would you be going there with their reputation?” Troy said.

”Thimble Shoals National Bank markets the output of our mining and minerals division and has the best reputation in the world for doing so,” I said.

”Oh, I thought you were going to the other bank there,” Troy replied being smart.

”I can go there, it is just across the street. Do you want me to make a deposit in your numbered account while I am there?” I asked.

”No, I don’t have an account there. Don’t start that rumor!” Troy said.

”Well, Tuesday then?” the President said.

”No, Tuesday I am in Dubai signing the ship escort contracts with the five OPEC countries. Then there is Germany and Israel on the way back to sign contracts for the fast attack ships,” I said.

”Oh, Representative Waco wants to see you to apologize. She is still in the hospital – something about cracks in her jaw bones and a feeding tube,” Troy said.

”Tell her to send a Hallmark,” I said.

We were landing at TSI International as the conversation ended. Ten minutes later I was in the meeting room with the other nine directors, looking at the first stamping of the new gold coin I had suggested for the casinos and international trade.

It was 2 inches in diameter, .187 thousandths thick – a full three sixteenth’s of an inch. They each weighed 6.5 ounces with five ounces of the gold coming from the Polokwane gold mine. The face was the same as the Thimble Shoals twenty dollar gold coin; the founder and first leader of Thimble Shoals. The reverse was the same as the twenty gold; sunrise on the island’s east coast. Stamped on the face was ’10,000 dollars US’. The international dollar set the monetary value of the islands exchange.

The casinos were filled with high rollers mega-money people from around the world. They would sit at the blackjack table and blow 100 grand in minutes. Then they would move to another and game all night. Some players lost a million in a night, I knew because I saw the figures on the reports. Of course they won some just to keep them coming back.

The casino shows and freebies helped along with exotic foods and mind blowing expensive wines and liquors from around the world. Then there was the staff – a guest could have maids, waiters and a personal chef assigned strictly to them.

These gold coins were to be used for the high-roller big stakes games. They were also to be marketed in the gold sales and mineral exchange office after an ad campaign announcing their availability to every brokerage house, investment institution and banking institution in Europe and America.

I wanted thousands for retirement gifts and special Christmas gifts instead of the plated tin cup or walnut plaque. At a retirement dinner everyone knew what to expect – another worthless plaque to be dusted. Many opted not to have a retirement dinner; these would change that. I would get them over time but first the casino and marketing would need to fill orders.

I guess the rest of the directors anticipated my reaction. Glossy promo handout sheets had been printed. Each of the directors were given five rolls with ten coins to a roll for handouts to influential friends. I placed mine and Marcy’s in my portable office.

The next few minutes were spent in discussion and agreements about the gold delivery from JBG and how and when we were to be paid for it. One more link to make Marcy’s accountants and the IRS happy and less gold for us to stack in the basement – a welcome break I was sure.

On the G5 headed home, there was time for just a few hours to rest on the way. At home, a shower and a change of clothes. At midnight the new business jet was carrying all of us to Dubai for the OPEC meeting to meet Kings and leaders to sign the security documents.

Black, Bear and our international attorneys were already there dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s on international documents. The fourth site had been located in Mirbat, Oman. It was a former British coastal facility with repair ability for Indian ocean patrols in the Great War. As with the British and all things in the eighties, they pulled up stakes and ran. It came cheap and that worried me. Who knew what the hell it needed? Probably a lot more than I wanted to put into it.

We landed just after daybreak in Dubai then we were carried to the Dubai Hilton – five thousand a night, good thing we were only staying one day and using the three rooms to freshen up. There are no places for poor travelers in Dubai unless you like the smell of a garbage scow.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.