Chapter 16
Chapter 16
T o anyone thinking this was a trip where the elite members of the young, black, and powerful were pampered and catered to, they would be wrong. Beginning with the training that prepared them, to the personal tragedies that they witnessed, each of them became stronger, more capable men, solidified in their purpose. They did not come back the same way they left. Despite the life-changing challenges he went through, James was proud that he stuck with it. No school could have taught him the lessons he learned.
At the end of the months of training, each of them were given names. These names were what they would be called by Secret Service agents who traveled with them in addition to when they spoke to each other in enemy territory. James was given the name Panther . The training team deemed him to be a born leader, a visionary, one who was focused and decisive. When he received his black band, and placed it on his wrist, the stone in the middle lit up with the eye of a panther. The only other time it would shine was when a communication was coming in from one of the other guys.
The first few weeks abroad were insightful, and at times disturbing. Seeing other cultures that were like theirs in the United States, and then others that were very different than their own was eye opening. The liberties shared at home were not the same as those in other countries. Though they all returned to their families unscathed and better prepared for life, none of them would ever forget the turmoil and atrocities they witnessed while they were abroad.
While none of them ever wanted for food, housing or clothing, they saw more than their fair share of people scraping by on the fruits of the land. James remembered many of the conversations he’d had with ZsaZsa while he was away, trying to explain what he was seeing and the impact it had on him. To his surprise, she listened, asked questions and talked about steps that could be taken by her country and his to help other countries, even some they considered enemies.
As hard as those conversations were, none was harder than hearing how much she missed him. James felt the same way. There were times when he missed her so much, he was tempted to leave the journey and return home, for just one day to hold her in his arms, to kiss her senseless, then he would stop himself. ZsaZsa’s stance on no sex was now paramount in his mind. While visiting her country he witnessed the punishment administered to a woman who went to her husband’s bed as a bride and it was discovered she was not a virgin. They stoned the woman right in front of them. They attempted to stop it but were held back and told the woman would be stoned because it had been determined she had been raped at an early age.
“If they knew that, I don’t understand why they would stone her. It was as if she was being punished for being raped.” James expressed to ZsaZsa.
“It is the way of our land, James.” She explained. “In our culture it is believed the husband was the injured party in the rape, for the wife’s body belongs to him.”
“But she did not willingly give herself to the man. She was forced against her will.” James argued.
“Then the shame is still hers because the father did not protect his daughter as she should have been. To her husband, his wife’s blood is tainted with weakness because of the father’s non-action. This is why I must return home, to change the laws in our culture.”
James remembered that conversation as he lay under the stars of her country’s sky. He could not understand how a place with a sky so beautiful could allow things of this nature to happen. He vowed that night that he would never put ZsaZsa in a compromising position. It was good that they had this time apart. He would take the time to dream of making love to her, until she was able to fulfill her mission for her country. He saw with his own eyes why she needed to go home. Unfortunately, that was not the worst of what happened while they were away. They all took a vow not to talk about the other incident that caused them all to grow up faster than even they intended. There was blood on their hands. But James wouldn’t be sorry about the outcome. They all did what they needed to do to make it home in one piece.
As James walked onto the estate, it seemed they all, JC, Elliott, and Calvin exhaled. For him, they were home, around people who loved them. They had left as boys, but returned as men ready to walk into their purpose. They had all had growing spurts, and some now had facial hair. James now had broad shoulders and a body that looked like he spent hours every day in a gym.
Scanning around the estate where it seemed the grounds were covered with people. The entire Harrison, Washington, and Day families were there, in addition to some Lassiters, Johnsons, and of course the Thompsons. But he did not see his family. Where were Jayda, Jayden, Anthony, and Avery, his baby sister? They had been gone for just about a year. Everyone else’s family was there, but his family was nowhere to be seen. Jazzy rushed by him, then stopped and turned back.
“Oh my god, you look…look…different.”
James smiled. “Well, I hope not that much different. Where is Jayda?” He figured if anyone would know where Jayda and Jayden were, it would be Jazzy.
“They had to go home,” Jazzy laughed. “Jayden was caught kissing a girl and your father went ballistic. Aunt Ashley had to separate them. Uncle James sent Jayden to the house, which meant Jayda followed. But Anthony is somewhere around here.”
“It’s a family reunion.” James stated somewhat confused. “Who was Jayden kissing?”
Jazzy shook her head as she laughed, “Samantha.”
“Oh,” James smiled. “How did Samuel take that news?”
“I don’t think him or Cynthia knows yet.”
“I see, thanks Jazzy,” James said as he watched Jazzy run to her brother. Jayden kissing Samantha Lassiter? That question ran through his mind. When he was home before, Jayden was so busy following Jayda around, he wasn’t even thinking about girls.
James made his way through the crowd, then followed the walkway that led to his family home. Walking through the side door, he dropped his backpack in the mudroom then followed the booming voice of his father.
“Are you aware of the responsibility that comes with kissing girls?”
“Dad, I have kissed a lot of girls,” Jayden exhaled. “But I wasn’t kissing Samantha, she was kissing me.”
James heard Avery, his new baby sister, cry out as his father continued lecturing Jayden.
“Kissing is kissing,” his dad roared. “Kissing leads to other things, like babies. Are you ready for the responsibility of a baby?”
James stood in the doorway of the family room to see Ashley who was sitting in the chair near the fireplace with Avery in her arms. Jayda was sitting next to Jayden, who looked absolutely miserable.
“It’s remarkable how something as wonderful as a kiss can cause you so much misery.” James said shaking his head thinking, it was good to be home.
Everyone in the room froze as they simply stared at him.
“James Jr., you’re home,” Jayda jumped up and ran into his arms.
“Yes, I am,” He broke into a big smile as he hugged his sister. Then he felt Jayden as his body hit the two of them.
“I can’t believe you are back. Man, did I miss you.” Jayden exclaimed.
“Son,” his dad walked over and hugged him as he put Jayda back on her feet.
“Here, hold your daughter,” Ashley said as she pushed the baby into her husband’s arms. “Oh, my goodness, you have shot up.” She cried out as she hugged him. “You are just as tall and handsome as your father. I’m so happy you are home. When did you get home? Are the other boys home too? Are you hungry?”
“Give him a chance to answer,” his dad chuckled.
“Here,” James held his arms out. “Let me hold her,” he said while reaching for baby Avery. “She has gotten so big since I’ve been gone.”
“So have you,” Jayden beamed. “Did you see all the people at the family reunion?”
“I did,” James nodded as he smiled at Avery. “I thought you guys would be there so I could have a moment with Dad.”
“We were,” Jayda rolled her eyes, “until Dad made us all come home.”
“There was no way we were going to be arguing in public during the family reunion.” Ashley explained. “You didn’t have to come. You could have stayed just like Anthony did.”
“I had to be with my brother,” Jayda declared.
“Nobody was going to kill that boy…yet,” Ashley declared.
James glanced over at his father and shrugged his shoulders. “There is no place like home,” he laughed.
His dad nodded in understanding. “Welcome home, Son,” he chuckled.
“It’s good to be back. Do you mind if everyone goes back to the reunion while we talk?” James asked.
“No, he doesn’t mind,” Ashley said as she took Avery from his arms. “Jayda and Jayden, go.”
“Yes ma’am,” Jayden rushed towards the door.
Jayda followed but stopped at the door. “You’re not leaving again, are you?”
“No,” James replied. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She beamed. “Okay,” then ran after her brother.
“That was smooth the way you got your brother off the hook,” Ashley said as she kissed his cheek. “Don’t you two stay in here too long. Come join the fun.”
James watched as Ashley walked out of the door. “You really need to give Jayden a break. I was kissing girls when I was twelve years old. At least he waited.”
His father stared at him for a long moment. “It’s good to see you, Son.”
James walked over to his father and embraced him. “You too Dad.”
They patted each other on the back, then parted. “You need a drink.”
“I can use one,” James sat on the sofa, as his father poured them drinks.
“You plan on shaving that beard?” his dad asked.
James smiled as he took the glass from his father’s hand. “I thought it made me look rather debonair.”
“You look rugged. It took me a minute to recognize my once clean-shaven son.” His father said as he sat on the sofa across from him. He inhaled. “So, how was the journey?”
James knew the simple answer to that question was enlightening. However, thinking back, it really wasn’t that simple. Before answering the question, James’ mind wandered to the moment he wasn’t sure they would see home again.
None of them saw the attack coming, in fact they were on the last leg of their journey, in a country that was supposed to be an ally of the United States. Yet here they were captured and placed in a room in an area of England they were not familiar with. None of them were certain of their location, however, Calvin was pretty close to breaking the code on the door they were locked behind.
“Do you believe we can get out of here before they return?” James asked.
“We don’t have a choice,” Elliott stated. “I’m not sure we will all still be alive if we don’t get out.”
“Even if we escape, we can’t leave,” Calvin added. “We have to find where they took JC.”
“How in the hell did they even know who he was?” Elliott hissed. “And how did we get separated from the secret service detail?”
“It doesn’t matter,” James pointed out. “They knew. In fact, it felt as if they expected us.”
“That is my concern,” Elliott declared, a frown appearing on his face. “That is exactly how it felt. The question is how could they have known what our travel plans were? We only gave that information to Uncle JD.”
“We know damn well he did not give it to these people.” James stated. “I’m certain he may have shared it with my dad and yours too. But none of them would have given the information to the people who took us. Only the agents would have known our exact location.” James emphasized. “That is my concern.”
Elliott stared at him. “Whoever they are, their target was JC. They don’t need us.”
“That’s because they don’t know who we are,” James explained. “If they did, we would be in the same predicament.”
“The agents all know who we are,” Elliott emphasized. “The people may not have known when we were taken, but they will soon.”
“Which is something we are not going to wait for them to discover.” Calvin looked up from working on the electronic panel. They heard the lock click, then watched as the door slowly cracked open.
“All right, we have to move in sleuth-like motion as we were taught. Stay close to the walls and down low.” Elliott cautioned.
They all laid down on their bellies, as Calvin slowly pushed the door open. Crawling forward they saw a hallway. “I’ll take the front,” James stated. “Elliott, you watch from the rear. Calvin, keep an eye on the wrist band, the moment you see a light, we know Phire’s team will be able to pick up our trail.”
“Are they going to be able to pick us up this far away?” Elliott questioned.
“The technology we use is powered by satellites unlike what this facility is using.” Calvin explained. “They can pick us up pretty much anywhere except underground.”
“That’s where you think we are, underground?” James asked.
“Definitely,” Calvin replied as he looked left then right.
“The hallway is clear.” James declared. “Let’s move.”
“Which direction are we going?” Elliott asked as they crawled out of the room.
“We are going to the left.” James replied in a whisper. “That was the direction of the footsteps taken when they put us in here and took JC.”
Easing out of the room, James noticed there was another hallway ahead. He stopped them. “Stay here. I’ll crawl ahead to make sure the hallway is clear.”
“No, we all stay together,” Elliott insisted.
James exhaled, nodded, then continued to crawl forward. When he reached the corner, the hallway appeared to be clear. There were two doors on the side with glass panels. One of them appeared to be open.
“Damn,” he exhaled as he looked further down the hallway.
There was a door with an exit sign above it straight ahead. That was where they needed to go. He hesitated, then looked down the cross hallway to the right, it seemed to go into nothing but darkness. They had no choice. Either they go back to the locked room or take a chance to get out of the exit door. James crawled further towards it. When he reached the first closed door it suddenly opened. He tapped his toe on the floor hoping the guys would know to stop. He did not want them to crawl around the corner. Which was good because he was now looking up at a number of men with guns pointed down at him. The only one without a gun just happened to be someone he recognized.
“Well,” James spoke as he looked up at the men holding the guns and spoke loud enough for Elliott and Calvin to hear him. “If it isn’t Ambassador Glenn Farrow. Are you here as a friend to the United States or are you a part of the group of bastards who threw us in here?”
James’ mind came back to the present. All of the guys made a pact that it may not be wise to share what happened on the journey. And he was going to stand by that. While there were a number of really great moments, there were times of sorrow, fear, and down right anger. He would not share all those times with his dad right now. But some, they all knew, had to be told to not only his father, but to the president as well.
“It certainly opened my eyes to the liberties we take for granted here.” James replied as he sat forward. “I had no idea how much famine there is in the world. Or how simple things like freedom of speech or expression could cost a person their life. We live in a world of pain and suffering for some, while others live as kings. I actually witnessed the torture of children and could do nothing to stop it, short of giving up my life. But I also witnessed acts of kindness that were unexpected in certain parts of the world. The journey was needed, and we did gain an insurmountable amount of information from different countries. We faced hatred, like I have never experienced, not because we were Black, but because we were Americans. That was expected in some places, not in others. I want to say we have a lot of work to do in this country before we attempt to tell others what is best for them. Nevertheless, I now have a better understanding of how what is happening in certain parts of the world has a direct impact on us. I worry what is going to happen to this country when Uncle JD leaves office. My only hope is that you, in all your wisdom, have begun the process of preparing the next generation of leaders. We are going to need good people in place to keep this country safe. Do you understand what I’m saying, Dad?”
“More than you know, son,” his father sat up. They were face to face, with their glasses almost touching. “The reason your mother and I agreed to this trip was because I am convinced you and the guys are our next level of defense. The only way we could prepare you was for you to understand the risk we are facing as a country. I can see the impact your journey has had on you. You left us as a young man with dreams that centered around your life. Your outlook has changed. You now have a better understanding of what is needed to secure that dream life you once talked about.”
James smiled knowing where the conversation was going. “I’m still determined to marry ZsaZsa.” He laughed. “Good try, Dad.”
“Hey, I thought it was going to be my girls that gave me trouble when it came to the opposite sex. As it turns out, it’s my boys. How was your visit in Africa?”
“How did you know we stopped in Africa?” James asked, already knowing the answer.
“It’s my job to know,” his dad smirked.
James nodded. “It’s a beautiful land in some places, not so much in others. The natural habitats of the place were both breathtakingly beautiful and just as dangerous. We encountered a number of animals I had heard about, but had never seen. Some I prefer not to see again,” he chuckled. “But it’s a place I would definitely revisit. I can see why ZsaZsa loves her country.”
“She came by periodically to share some of your letters with us.” His father informed him. “I can see your attraction to her mind. She is a remarkable young woman.”
“Yes, she is,” James agreed. “I spoke with her just about every night, just to share my adventures of that day. Her introspection on things I shared kept me sane on days when I was ready to just give up and come home. She encouraged me to stay to gather the richness of the place and people. I was fortunate to have her driving me to learn all that I could in each country we visited.”
“Have you seen her since you’ve been home?”
“No, we came straight here for the reunion.” James said. “But she knows I’m home and I plan to see her before the night is out.”
“JD and I would like to sit down with you and the boys to get your perspectives on what you experienced.” His father stated.
“We plan to do just that,” James smiled as he stood. “But for now, I say let’s go join the family. I’m in need of a little fun. In fact, I think it’s time for me and my guys to challenge you and your guys to a game of basketball, like we used to do. Can your old body stand to take a beating?”
“Old,” his father stood in defiance. “Watch this old man teach you a thing or two.”
“All right now,” James laughed as he followed his father out the door.