The Customer (Dexter's Saga) Ch. 35

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End of chapter #34

Then eerie silence descended over the lake. The only sounds heard were the breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, the waves hitting the raft and an occasional moan as both men came back down to planet earth.

Chapter 35

As they lay upon the raft in the afterglow of their sex, Jesse sighed and said, "I will really miss all of this when Ronnie and I are married."

"Hey!" Rashid yelled and rose up on one elbow. "What the hell do you mean by that! Didn't I tell you that your marriage to her, or any of those other four wives as a Muslim you are allowed to have, would not change anything between us. While I may decide to take another, you will never get rid of me - you will always be mine."

"I know what you said and I agree to it, but that may in time have to change. I doubt that I will be able to keep five wives and you as well, when I enter the White house. It would be too risky."

"Too risky? Are you kidding? As the supreme Leader and Caliph, no one would dare to question your actions. As your 'Justice Minister' I would cut the throat of any who would raise either their hand or their voice against you." Rashid laughed.

"Justice Minister. You are you joking? You don't even have a law degree. Yethro might be able to fill that job, although I was thinking of making him Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. That way I would have more time for you. You could be my Chief of Staff ¬and you would have an office next to mine with a connecting door. We might even furnish it with a nice comfortable sofa like the one I have in my office now. That way no one would be able to accuse us of..."

"Great, that is even better than having to sneak up here to make love. We will be able to keep the press at bay. That is, until we do away with the "Free Press".

"I doubt that we will ever be able to do that. Public relations is the key to good government, or at least making it look like the government is good," Jesse smiled. "Even now Yethro is planning to send Ronnie and me on a honeymoon trip to Europe and the Middle East for a whole month, to cement relations with foreign businesses. He says that the trip will put us in the mood to produce children. And he wants us to have lots of them. He also wants us to act as some sort of trade mission for our state, but I think he is really jealous of you."

"I can understand that. The old man is not a fool! He saw how you handled both the governors' conference and the way you and Ronnie not only outshone him, but also dominated the Presidential banquet; I can see why he might want to use both of you in that manner. However, I disagree with your assessment and knowing Yethro - he must have something else in mind. Now, what the hell could he be thinking of?" Rashid asked.

"Maybe I'm placing too much into the situation. It could be that the old Yethro is coming to the surface again," Jesse said, disgusted. "The old geezer could be reverting back to his old ways of milking the system. I think he figures that since you made him pay that huge Bride Price for Ronnie he has to make it up¬ in some way and cut his expenses. So, he will just have the state pay for our honeymoon. If we did bring a bit of business back to the State - the entire expense would be justified. It's the same principle as that plot he and Dan hatched to save the State money on prison expenses. We not only got rid of the expense of feeding, housing and trying to rehabilitate murderers and hardcore criminals but we made a profit at the same time. While the State came out the winner, at the same time I'm sure both Dan and Yethro pocketed some money under the counter. Thereby everyone gained!"

Rashid laughed and said, "You may be right but, come to think of it, this trade mission business is not a bad idea. However, I think he just might be thinking of something else as well. Ever since he divorced his wife and adopted you, the Caliphate leadership has been wary of both of you. Note I said 'wary'. Yethro still had a lot of supporters in the leadership. To this day, he still has. But a few of them were beginning to question. Some of them, although not really against Yethro and his homosexual tendencies, even wanted to kill both of you and start all over again."

"Kill us - but why?"

"Come on, use your brain, and think about the situation! You have to admit that they had every reason to wonder what was going on. They had invested a lot of time and money in him then, he turns around and over night he brings in a Christian! Even you must know that to trust 'outsiders' is not in our make-up or manner. We would rather have our leadership come from within our ranks or from men that we have run through one of our training systems. Yethro had to convince them that this time honored and tried method would not work in America. And for the most part he did just that. We would need Americans if we were to take over the Government. Sure we could always have killed off the President and taken hold of the government by force of arms, but it might get a bit messy. If America were to be part of the world Caliphate, it would have to be you or someone like you to do it. Someone who would not only look like an American but be one. And he would have to be blond, blue eyed, and Christian as well. All this, Yethro did finally succeed in convincing them. However, they had to be able to see that you were what Yethro says you were. In fact even after he convinced them they still wanted to make sure. So they sent me. I had instructions to find out what was going on and if I found out that you were not what Yethro had said you were... I was to kill the both of you! I was to do it as quickly as I could. Yethro was to be poisoned, but you were to have had your throat cut, or if I wanted, I could have you packaged and sent in a shipment like the convicts. I guess they figured that it made no sense to waste that body of yours. However, my reports back have more than proved that Yethro was right. And now they are pressing me to arrange a meeting with you soon."

"They are?" Jesse asked. "Why would they be interested in meeting me now? I am still a bit young to run for the office right now."

"There was a lot of pressure from the powers that be to find out what our money has been paying for. Not only that, but if they are to continue to support this plan, they want to know that the money that will be needed in the future will be well spent. Yethro has been reporting back to them about you for years now and has not shown them any results until now. Now that they really see some progress - they really have put on the pressure."

"What progress?" Jesse questioned. "What has changed?"

"Well, first of all, Yethro's success as Governor. They know that a large group of influential Americans are now ready to follow his leadership. They believe that, had he been born in the US, he could easily make it all the way to the White House in the next election. Then secondly, there is your Washington trip. They know all about your meeting with the President and how he asked you to spy on Yethro."

"How did they find out about that?"

"Yethro made a full report to them about it and because you told Yethro that the President asked you to spy on him, they now know that they can trust you and want to meet with you."

"I told that to Yethro because he is my father and not to act as the Caliphate's spy," Jesse said in a rather annoyed manner.

"Why you told him is of no matter. Don't fool yourself, the Caliphate has spies everywhere and would have found out soon enough, but to get the news almost in 'real time', well that was like a dream come true. This is what they had been hoping would happen for years. There is nothing they would like more than having an agent right in the White House. They have spies in many governmental offices, but never one that high up."

Jesse pretended to be surprised and hurt that Yethro would have informed others of his meeting with the President.

"Now don't get angry at him or me for that matter. You are being groomed to become the Western Caliph and we must be certain as to where you stand. We have been testing you for a long time and so far you have more than passed every test we have placed on you. As a matter of fact the powers that be would have long ago invited you to join one of our groups and taken advanced training at one of our secret bases, either here in the U.S. or in one of our bases in Europe or South America. But Yethro insisted that he would be the one to train you. He insisted on this, as he did not want you to have even a hint of suspicion attached to you. So it was reluctantly agreed upon and decided that you were too valuable to turn into a suicide bomber or perhaps a J'hardi soldier. Stuff like that we leave to the common people and to some of those ex-convicts, Yethro keeps selling us." Rashid smiled. "No, you were selected for higher service to Allah. You became one of the few outsiders to be given the right to retain his Christian identity and still be accorded full rights as one of us. There have been only a few people like that in past history."

"So that's what's happening to all those men he and Dan have been shipping there."

"Well, not all of them. But there are a lot of them who, rather than serve their lives as sex slaves, have converted and been retrained to use their criminal abilities for the glory of the Army of Allah."

"I feel honored that they might allow me to serve, but I would not have made a good bomber or soldier," Jess quipped. "However, I disagree with Yethro. I would like to meet these people who I will have to work with in the future. I think they are right to want a face-to-face meeting."

"Jesse, don't be angry now, but you already have met with one of them." Rashid said as he pulled Jesse to him and kissed him deeply. "And he is very pleased with you."

"And who is that?"

"It's me, you damn jackass!" Rashid laughed.

"You're kidding, I never would have guessed it! If you are any sort of indication of their caliber, I think I would like to have that meeting on some neutral ground as soon as possible. Now tell me what's in that dark, devious brain of yours?"

"I was just thinking, that instead of that honeymoon trip, why not go now. Let Yethro make it a sort of bachelor's gift. However, instead of you and Ronnie making the trip, which at this time might offend some of the more religious higher-ups, it could be just a Bachelor Party made up of a few business personalities, myself and you!"

"As much as I would like to have you with me, how can Yethro or I justify taking you?"

"You will tell Yethro that you wish to go on a pre-conversion trip to see all the places mentioned in the Koran as well as to get a better view of the religious history. This will also provide you with the international political experience you will need when you run for higher office. You can also tell him that rather than some mediocre tour guide and translator, it would be advantageous to have your future brother-in-law along as a translator."

"Hey, you might have something there! That even sounds plausible because Yethro, just the other day, was telling me that he thought I would learn the language faster if I was forced into speaking it. But what about the dangers of such a trip? With all the wars and the nuts running around trying to kill or capture Americans won't it be much too dangerous?"

"Yes it might be dangerous, but remember those nuts as you call them - are us! I think I can arrange it so that you and I will be safe. The only place I cannot guarantee our safety is in Assad's Syria. But who knows how long he will remain in power there. The rest of the area is safe as long as you are with me. Just think of it. When the time comes for you to make that run for the Presidency you will have all this experience in your qualifications. I can, through my connections and the fact that you are the son of a United States Governor, even arrange for you to meet with the most powerful men in the area. Who knows but with both Yethro's and my connections, we might even arrange for you to meet some of the men that are on the F.B.I's 'Most Wanted List'," Rashid laughed. "It will be an invaluable experience for you."

"I'm sure you're kidding me! Aren't you?"

"No, I'm not kidding. Just let me see what I can arrange. I think that I still have a few people with the right connections who would be most happy to meet with you in a safe place and be more than happy to place their ideas before a man that they hope will understand what they are fighting for. Jess, I am one of them and I think I can still relate to the rest of them even though they might think I've been a bit corrupted."

"As much as I would like it, I could not let you take the chance. It is much too dangerous for both of us." Jesse said. "I will not have my wife's family endangered again. There is really nothing to be gained by taking such risks."

"Look if you are going to be a Caliphate leader one day, you are going to have to take a lot of risks to prove your leadership. The old timers, as well as the new and upcoming leadership, are very eager to meet you and talk to you in person. Some of them think Yethro as well as the rest of his generation are out of touch and they need to be reassured that his son is everything we have been boasting about. Who knows, you just might even convince them that you are not only worthy of leadership but that you are the "awaited one"."

"You mean to tell me that you have been talking to them about me? I never gave you or anyone else permission to do that."

Rashid grabbed Jesse around and kissed him hard. Then released him and said, "Look I told you they sent me here to check on your father and you. They wanted to be able to see if they had made an error in continuing to support his plans. They even had their leader travel at great peril and in secrecy to meet with Yethro in Canada one time. While he was still skeptical, Yethro did convince him that only a native-born American would be able to overthrow the American government and make it a part of the international Caliphate. They sent me to sort of double check on you. I had every expectation of finding both of you phonies. My orders were to investigate and find the truth about you. If I found that Yethro had either been taken in by you and you were not with us—I WAS TO KILL BOTH OF YOU! I had every reason to believe that I would not only cut both your throats but that I would love doing it. The idea that I would fall in love with you never entered my mind. That just happened. And, Jesse, I am in love with you! And I think it is time for you to meet face-to-face with our leaders. If the meeting goes well, and they agree to it, both of us will jointly rule the Western Caliphate. I have convinced them that there is no other person who will be able to serve as the Muslim Caliph of America, than you. Both Yethro and I have convinced them that only an American knows how to make America accept the will of Allah."

"I will have to think about this. To tell you the truth, I am really reluctant to step into this political quagmire just now. I know that the time is fast coming when I will have to make up my mind. Hel, I will not be able to run for President till I'm 35. But in the meantime you work on it and see what you can come up with. If you come up with a feasible plan, I will talk it over with Yethro and see if I can sell it to him."

"If I can set it up and you want to do it, we will just do it. Yethro will just have to go along, as he is no longer the one in charge. He and Dan do not know it yet - I am now in charge and you and I will decide!"

"That may be so, but I still am his son and neither you or anyone else is going to hurt him, at least not without my permission. Now let's get back to the cabin and see what food Yethro has sent for us."

Later, after they had eaten a beautiful supper and finished off a bottle of fine wine, they were sitting on a big soft chaise lounge on the back porch of the cabin, watching the sun go down. Rashid had his head resting on Jesse's shoulder and they were cuddled up for warmth as the temperature did go down at night even in the midst of summer. "I can't tell you how much I love being up here with you," Rashid said. "Promise me that you will never take anyone else up here. Let this be 'OUR' place."

"I wish I could promise that. However, it does not belong to me. Perhaps when the time comes for Yethro to rest in the arms of Allah, I will. But until then, it belongs to him and him alone. We are always talking about adding on rooms so that we could have more guests, but you must remember that Yethro built this as a retreat and an escape hatch where he could run from his wife. A place where he could relax, a place to forget about his rotten life and let it all 'hang loose'," Jesse said. "It was his place and his alone. When he first had me brought up here, it was as his payment for a judicial settlement. I was an outsider, one that he had opened the door for and then dragged me in and made me his property. It was just an extension of the prison I was forced to live in, at first. But, then I was taken into his life and this place became our refuge from the world. Therefore all our talk of adding rooms to the cabin fell to nothing. The one time that I brought Phyllis here without asking him first was enough to convince me that I had violated his trust. I never felt comfortable doing that."

"And what about when you asked me here for the first time?"

"I wish, now, that it was I that invited you here the first time. It was he that insisted that I bring a friend up." He wanted me to relax and it worked," Jesse smiled. "Anyway, like I told you the last time you were up here, someday it will all be mine and you and I can come here anytime we want and I will not have to ask anyone's permission," he said as he kissed Rashid.

The next day they spent boating on the lake and hiking through the woods. They laughed and made love and played around. Sunday Jesse slept in late and Rashid was busy in the kitchen on the phone for what seemed like hours. Finally he put down the phone and sat back in his chair, sighed and rubbed his eyes. He had been talking to several people in Arabic almost all night and was exhausted. "You're up early," Jesse mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his own eyes.

"Up early! - I have not even been to bed yet! I've been on the phone with some contacts in Egypt. I'm trying to set up that meeting we talked about. They are a bit afraid to come to the U.S. right now and they understand your reluctance to go to the Mid East. They think it would be better to meet in a place like Canada. They are going to get back to me because, while they accepted what I reported to them about you, they want to meet with you in person. I think they are beginning to give serious consideration to Yethro's ideas."

"Serious consideration? You mean that after all this time they are just now beginning to understand the old man's genius?" Jesse questioned.

"Some things take time to cook! You have to remember that Yethro has not been that close to them in a while. He has never thought of 'coming home' for a visit. They may have lost faith in him. One of the reasons they sent me here aside from his success in the elections, was to reestablish relations. These people are by their nature very untrusting and secretive. You have to remember that even though a few of these men may have been educated in the west, not all of them have, nor have many of them wished toobe. Fewer of them had the experience of living here and getting to know westerners. While a few of them wound up marrying western women, when they returned home they placed them in a Harem. When these women then tried to teach their children western ways they were marginalized. A prefect example of this would seem to be the late Jordanian king's American wife and her son. She was not his first wife, but she was his favorite. The liberals within the country loved her and her son and wanted to see him become king when Hussein died. However, even though Hussein did favor him, he was forced to choose Abdullah. While Abdullah happened to turn out to be a good king, there is no telling what would have happened if his younger half brother had taken the throne. Perhaps the change might have been too much too soon for our conservative ruling class. In any case, we will never know."