Dreams of Destiny Pt. 04

John got up and started to approach Destiny, hoping to talk with her over lunch. In shocked horror he watched as Stephen stepped out of a vortex right next to Destiny. John yelled her name. Destiny looked at him. Just then Stephen grabbed her by the arm and yanked her through the swirling whirlpool of matter. “Destiny, be careful,” John called out. John had just enough time to jump through too. Actually, he didn’t make it but his astral body did. Barely. John’s body collapsed in the middle of a confused crowd of lawyers and citizens in the cafeteria of DC Superior Court

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Chapter XIV.

Destiny opened her eyes after brushing away the wetness that had filled them so suddenly. Colonel Rodriguez was watching her from across the table. “I faint for no reason, and now you cry. What a strange effect we have upon each other,” he says bemusedly. “Where were you? I thought I’d lost you for a moment.” He realizes that he too, has been away for a split second.Its nothing,he thinks, dismissively.

“I don’t know,” Destiny says, embarrassed. “Gathering hay, I guess.” She laughs, uncomfortable. She feels thin, somehow -- stretched out. She felt as if she were in two places at once. What is going on? she thought to herself. I was here, then I was in a completely different life. I was yanked from there, to go God knows where. “You don’t have any cousins in the states do you, who look like you?”

“Not that I know of,” he responded. “Why, do you know someone who has my appearance?” He reaches over for the pitcher of sangria and divides the remainder of the wine between their two glasses.

“No. You just seem familiar, somehow. She shrugs.”

They sipped their wine in silence. Then Destiny looked at her watch. “I guess I’d better go get my luggage before they sell it. Thank you for the wine.”

Rodriguez realized that he, too had things to do. But the interlude was very pleasant. It had been a long time since he has so enjoyed the company of a pretty woman. He didn’t want to end their acquaintance.

“Where are you staying, and for how long,” he asked in a courtly fashion.”

“I’ll be checking into the Hotel Paradisio this afternoon. I’m here for a week. I want to take spend some time on the beach and later in the week maybe rent a car and drive around the island to see the sights. I hear its uncannily beautiful”

“I would be delighted to escort you to some of spots of local interest. If you will allow me, I will call on you after you are settled and we can make some plans. Later this evening perhaps. I have some business to attend to this afternoon.”

“That would be nice” Destiny said with what she hoped was a cool smile.” She felt her heart flip over in her chest.

Destiny was charmed by the Colonel’s old world manners, his intelligence and good looks.If ever there were to be a time and place for romance, she thought, this is it. On the other hand, if ever there were a man to break a heart, that is he. Destiny laughed at herself.I should be delighted to have such a worry. Still with Nate after all these years and spending half my time fantasizing about situations just like this. Now a handsome army colonel acts like he is charmed by me and I’m worried that he will break my heart when he probably hasn’t even thought about kissing me. He’s just being polite.

Destiny had never been vain about her looks. She was surprisingly unaware of the impact her slim leggy body, classical features, and easygoing nature had upon many of the men she met. Colonel Rodriguez would not have admitted it to anyone, but he had fallen under Destiny’s spell quickly and completely.

But he had serious business this afternoon. He had to meet with his uncle, the president, regarding his bastard half-brother. Rodriguez always thought of Esteban in those terms. Not only was he truly a bastard by birth, he was a cruel, amoral and ambitious man. His failure to rise through the ranks of the army had only served to embitter him and make him more of a threat to the president. And of course, this made him a threat to Rodriguez as well for Rodriguez had been hand-picked by his uncle to take over power upon his uncle’s retirement.

His uncle planned to retire in three years. Esteban had been trying to gel support for himself as successor outside of the capitol. He had made surprising inroads. Esteban was very good at hiding the underbelly of his nature. Juan still thought of Esteban as the spawn of a snake.

Much of the colonel’s time as head of security for the small nation involved internal and external intelligence. It was amazing how much intrigue went on under the island’s sunny skies. Although the police force handled everyday crime, army intelligence was crucial to overall order in the country. There was always the cloak and dagger of the drug and weapons trades and their money laundering to be watched. There were the casinos to worry about. There were various pirating enterprises that had to be kept in check. Immigration was of concern for illegals were brought in as prostitutes and for cheap labor. The country’s economy relied heavily on tourism and where ever there were foreign dollars there was espionage and crime.

Rodriguez drove quickly from the airport to President Rodriguez’ mansion at the far end of the city in his sleek, dark green Ferrari. He despised the pomp of government cars and used them only for official events.

Now, Rodriguez thought with a sigh, there was this damned nonsense from an unexpected source that information of great detriment to the stability of the president was on its way into the country via an American tourist of all things. His source had proved reliable on other occasions but the information was so sketchy this time.What the hell could it be, he wondered in frustration. Probably some new devilment cooked up by Esteban. Dias, if only I had killed him when I had the chance.

He thought back to the day when he was eight years old and Esteban had broken his nose in a sneak attack. Given the chance, Rodriguez knew, he would have killed the bastard that day. Instead the day had been pivotal for him. That day the balance of power between he and his brother had been irretrievably altered.

When he had first come to San Angeles Island from Ireland he had been first son in name only, He had been big and gawky and alone in a foreign land where only his mother spoke to him in English. Esteban had been like a plague to him, bullying him in secret and bringing his hot Irish temper to full boil, then running to his Momma or papa if Juan retaliated. Juan had learned to suffer the indignities Esteban loved to serve on him in silence. Complaint only led to comments about his size and inability to handle matters like a man. Or worse yet, it led to beatings when he did try to handle things like a man. Esteban was slick as a snake. He was always in position, poised to strike, full of venom.

When Esteban broke his nose, Juan wanted to kill him. Juan knew all of Esteban’s haunts and had searched for him for over an hour to no avail. Finally, he had spotted Esteban lazing in the afternoon sun on the stone fence separating the main garden from the driveway. Juan had picked up a rock the size of his fist and walked stealthily towards Esteban. Esteban had opened his eyes just as Juan was deciding whether or not to use the rock on the unexpecting boy. He had only been feigning sleep.

“How’s your nose?” I think I did a nice job on it, don’t you?,” Esteban asked tauntingly. “You’re too trusting. You should know better than to trust me.”

Juan agreed, testing the weight of the rock in his hand. Neither boy saw the large, burly man observing them, and listening carefully from the driveway below.

“What were you going to do with that rock, anyway?” Esteban asked Juan with a glimmer of interest.

“I thought about killing a snake,” Juan said with a nonchalant shrug. “But I missed my chance.”

“Would you really have killed me if I had been asleep?” Esteban asked curiously. “I doubt it. You don’t have the guts.” He laughed scornfully. “But I do. I’d do it in an instance given a chance,” he said heatedly. “Don’t forget that. A nose is such a small thing.” He jumped nimbly off the fence and headed towards the house. “Better wash your face before supper,” he laughed as he walked. “You don’t want to worry your mama about your poor nose.”

The blood of Juan’s temper rushed in his head and sounded like a thousand bees buzzing around him. Juan threw the rock in Esteban’s direction as the smaller boy slipped through the garden but he deliberately threw short, knowing that to hit the boy now would be a mistake. Out of nowhere a large, heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder. Juan hadn’t noticed a man walk up from the driveway while he was watching Esteban enter the house.

“Bide your time and make your plans,” a deep voice said from behind him in heavily accented English. The language was music to Juan’s ears. He turned, surprised. There before him was a large, dark skinned man with black eyes and hair who looked like a more vivid version of his own father. The man was wearing the uniform of a highly ranked army officer. Juan, who made a game of sizing up every stranger he met, estimated that the man was in his late twenties He was, in fact 28 years old

“Your must be my young Irish nephew,” the man continued in English. Juan was grateful for the courtesy. “I’m General Pietro Rodriguez. He bore the title with pride, being the youngest man ever to be promoted to such a high rank on the island of San Angeles. “You can call me uncle Pietro. I’m your father’s younger brother. I’ve been traveling a lot over the past two years. This is the first chance I’ve had to come and meet you”

Juan wasn’t sure why, but he felt like he had finally found an ally on the island.

“So you and little Esteban don’t get along well together,” the General said.

Juan was silent.

“Let me see your nose,” Rodriguez said brusquely. Not knowing why, Juan trustingly tilted his heat so the man could see his nose. “How did Esteban manage to get that punch in? You’re so much bigger than he is. You’re not afraid of a fight are you?” the general looked Juan in the eye questioningly. He liked what he saw. “No, I can see you are not. Then I gather it was a sneak attack.”

“Si,” Juan sighed, reluctantly. He was hesitant to unburden himself but was in such need of a friend. “Esteban walked up to me with a smile on his face, threw a fistful of dirt in my face and poked me in the eye without provocation. That was typical bullshit from Esteban. I should have been prepared. He likes to see how far he can push me. He pushed me too far today. I think I would have killed him if he had really been asleep on that fence when I caught up with him.”

“Esteban knew better than to be asleep unprotected while you were still angry” the general pointed out to Juan. “That’s part of his game. He doesn’t act unless he has full measure of the circumstances. If someone at the house had been watching, Esteban would have feigned sleep hoping that your temper would win and you would try to kill him in full view of witnesses. Then all, for you, would have been lost. That child does not think like a child. Neither should you with respect to him.”

“I will lose,” said Juan, despairingly. “I don’t have the tools to fight the slippery little bastard.”

“He’s no bastard,” the General said, enigmatically.

“Well, I know he’s not my half-brother, that’s for sure,” said Juan.

“But can you prove it?” the General asked.

“Not yet. But someday...”

“I’ll tell you a secret,” the general said to Juan. “One of the most important aspects of all things in life, be it politics, war, business or love, is intelligence.”

“You mean how smart you are?” the child asked, puzzled.

“I mean knowing things that others don’t,” the General responded.

“Like the fact that Esteban is a sneaky little many fathered shit?” said Juan.

“Exactly,” the General responded, with satisfaction. “I hear you’ve started your own intelligence work here on the plantation.”

Juan was surprised. He looked down at the ground and kicked at the dirt. “Well, I had to do something,” he said. “That mother fucker is no blood of mine. I knew it the moment I met him. And I knew he would kill me given the chance.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” the General said gently. But what will you do with your intelligence once you have enough?”

“I don’t know. Maybe use it to get off this island.”

“Is that what you want, son?”

“No,” Juan said slowly. I want to win. I want to crush Esteban like the snake he is just when he least expects it.”

“Ha! The General laughed. Such is the power of vengeance. But it must be tempered with justice,” he advised.

“How would you like to come to live with me in the city, Juan?” asked the General, squinting into the hot, late afternoon sunlight. Beams of light reflected off the windows and fountains of the garden. “I am an ambitious man,” the General continued. “I have been biding my time and easing my way into a position of power. I will need someone I can trust without question as the years pass. You need a good education, and you need to get away from Esteban. Let the little boy have his fiefdom here. It might keep his mind off of matters of more importance. What do you say? Will you throw your lot in with mine?”

Juan couldn’t believe his luck. Just like that it was decided. Juan’s life changed overnight. No more Esteban. No more fights. Esteban was left behind to play the spoiled, pampered pet at the plantation. Juan went to live with his uncle. He received an excellent education, which included self-defense, classical arms training with all nature of firearms. He traveled. As he grew up he became immersed in the General’s political aspirations.

Juan’s early interest in intelligence work grew and after military school he entered a little known branch of the army which specialized in intelligence. He became the head of state security when the General became president in 1984. Now he was the president’s right hand man and his logical successor.

Juan’s so-called brother still dogged his heals. He had also received extraordinary training and education. Like Juan, Esteban had chosen a military career, but had risen only to the rank of major. He had other, darker interests which Juan tried to keep tabs on. The interests included casinos on the island and arms sales. Esteban was also into illegal drugs and weapons, pirating, and anything else dirty he could come up with . Juan’s past efforts to interfere had done little to stop Esteban’s growing empire. At the moment Juan was biding his time, waiting for some sort of break to bring the boom down on Esteban.

The hatred between the two men had grown over the years and was tangible whenever they were forced into each other’s company. Juan’s mother Rosa had had two more sons. Alessandro, age thirty four worked with Juan’s father on the plantation. Raul, thirty years old had left the island ten years ago and was teaching at a small college in Northern California. Whenever the family gathered at the plantation the tension between Juan and Esteban was thick as a London fog on a dark night. It was like a dank crawling beast, full of fury, waiting to be released.

Juan’s mind was brought back to the present when his uncle joined him in the solarium into which he had been ushered by the maid.

“So what have we got going this week?” the big man asked. Juan briefed the president about the possibility of information damaging to the presidency coming in by way of an American tourist.

“It sounds like crap to me said the president. It’s hot air. What information could someone possibly have to bring this presidency down? It’s solid as a rock.”

“And why not just down load this so-called damaging information by computer?” the president asked. “What could be so important that the originals have to be smuggled in by hand?”

“It could be a something that would have to be authenticated as originals. Old documents, perhaps. Have you written to anyone who has reason to hurt you. Have you kept a journal or diary over the years. “I just don’t know what is coming,” Juan said. “All my source said was that it could be devastating to the presidency and that the hard copy was coming through via an American tourist”

“So, have you checked out the arriving tourists?”

“Yes. There is nothing outstanding about any of them.” There is a group of American students, a group of four mid western businessmen more here for illicit adventure than for business, I’d say. There’s a female government attorney from Washington, DC. Mid thirties, I’d say. She’s intriguing,” Juan said with a pause. “Striking, actually. She bumped into me at the airport, literally,” he laughed at the memory. “Somehow she seems familiar.”

“What do you mean?” the president asked as he lit a thick cigar. He handed one to Juan and poured out two large glasses of port.

“I don’t know, really. There’s just something about her... “ Juan’s voice trailed off.

“You haven’t shown any personal interest in a woman since Coletta...” the president stopped in mid sentence seeing the look on Juan’s face.

“You’re right,” Juan broke in.” Not since that pretty, faithless little whore got herself killed.” His face was bleak at the thought. “That’s the second time I might have killed Esteban. Why did you stop me?” Juan downed his wine.

“Events must take their course,” the president said guardedly. He exhaled cigar smoke as he smoke. The room grew hazy and fowl smelling. “What are you doing about the tourists?” the president asked, changing the subject. He sipped at his port.

“The usual. I’m having taps put on the phones at the hotels. My assistant is preparing dossiers on each. They’ll be watched to see if they go anywhere unexpected or have any visitors. Their rooms and luggage will be searched as inconspicuously as possible. If there is anything coming in we will find it.”

“I hope so.” The president said. “Keep me posted. Will I see you at dinner at the farm on Friday night?” He stood. The meeting was over.

“I don’t know. Not if Esteban will be there. He makes me lose my appetite.”

Juan left the mansion and strode quickly to his car. He looked up at the sky. Clouds were forming off in the west. A storm was coming in.Good, he thought, some rain might ease this stinking humidity. He left the top of his convertible down, though, certain he had time to get to his office before the storm broke. He wanted to take a look at the dossiers of the American tourists before he called it a day.

Juan drove fast over the winding two lane highway back into the city. It took only twenty minutes to get to his headquarters. He pulled into his reserved parking spot, put the car’s rag top up, locked it, and started towards the concrete, glass and steel building that housed security headquarters. The wind was picking up and the sky was dark. Thunder growled in the distance and lightening flashed on the horizon. The air smelled of briny ocean spay and was heavy with electricity. A few large rain drops plopped down on the sidewalk ahead of Rodriguez as he hurried inside. Tree leaves and flower petals and stray pieces of trash flew past him on his way.

Chapter XV

When Destiny first let herself into her hotel room she had whirled around and around in delight. The room was luxurious; opulent even. It had a huge king-sized bed, a sitting area off on the left and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi, a shower and, of all things, a bidet. Destiny giggled like a little girl. Off the sitting room were French doors which opened to a balcony, and a view of the white beach directly below. Destiny threw open the balcony doors. Fresh sea air coursed through the room, invigorating her. She stepped onto the balcony. Although it was well past mid-day the sun was still hot. The beach, however, was not crowded. Only a few umbrellas peppered the area designated for hotel guests. The tide was turning and white caps were rushing into the beach furiously. The sound of the ocean and the cry of sea gulls called to Destiny,