The Somali Deception Episode II (A Cameron Kincaid Serial) (13 page)

Alastair pointed a green laser
toward a darkened parking area to the far right of the fountain spectacle.
 
As the three drew closer, a fluorescent
green glow stick appeared, first waving then still.
 
Using the light of the
glow stick as their guide the three honed on their target.

The heat of the desert enveloped
Cameron.

Though the next steps were
clear, go to London and to Dada that left little relief.
 
Their plan was to BASE jump with a
fourth.
 
A fourth that was supposed
to be held by Abbo Mohammed.

Cameron adjusted the lines of
his canopy to swing himself around and into alignment with the green glow
stick.
 
Cameron heard a whizzing
close behind, another, and then two concussions filled the air.
 
Hundreds of amber and indigo lights
filled the heavens above him.

“What the hell,” said Cameron.

Into his ear Alastair responded,
“The fireworks are beginning to erupt.”

“Fireworks?
 
Are you nuts?”
 
Another whiz shot behind Cameron followed
by another pop, resulting this time in a magenta sky.

“I didn’t think they would turn
on,” said Alastair.
 
“I didn’t put
them in when I created the show protocol.
 
There must be an automatic override.”

“An automatic override?” asked
Cameron.

“Don’t worry.
 
They’re farther away than they seem and
we are about to touchdown.”

The next rockets went up with a
swish.
 
“Oh, dear,” said Alastair.

“Is that what I think?” asked
Pepe.

“Hold on,” said Cameron.

The sky above lit amber again,
this time to the sound of popcorn popping, and then the rain began.
 
Surrounded by the pouring lit remnants
of giant fire blossoms, the three were ready for the silks to degrade and for
airspeed to rapidly increase.
 
None
of those things happened.
 
The
lightshow was farther away then they perceived, an illusion.

The dim parking lot became
illuminated as they dropped close.
 
The only vehicle, a vintage VW van, was parked to the side.
 
The three touched down as they had
countless times before and in the same motion began to gather their gear.
 
Rehan, the twelve-year-old boy from the
Marmoom Camel track, was waiting next to the open doors of the van.
 
He scurried over to the center of the
parking area, scooped up the glow stick, and then buried the light in his
pocket.
 
Rehan then ran over to Pepe
and, with two hands and a heave of a lift, clutched his duffel.
 
“Let me help you stow everything in the
lorry Sayyed.
 
I have the water and
food you requested.
 
Where is the
other?”

“We have to make another stop,”
said Cameron.
 
“C’mon let’s stow
everything into the van and get out of here.”

* * *
* *

Paris Countryside, Years Ago

The voyeuristic glances of
Christine, stolen through the Citroen’s rearview mirror, pleased Cameron.
 
In the backseat was innocent bliss.
 
She had wrapped the chocolate lab in her
scarf, cradled the puppy as she would a baby, and now soothed her tiny brown
bundle with a maternal voice.

“You are such a cute baby,” said
Christine.
 
“Are you a cute
baby?
 
Yes you are.”

The miniature muzzle poked up to
reach Christine’s chin, so she folded herself toward him, giggling while his
tongue basted her neck.
 
“Such nice
kisses.
 
You are a darling little
one.”
 
Her words appeared to
encourage him to eagerly devour his new mistress with a tongue lapping that
paired with her further laughter.

“You have a new love,” said
Cameron.

“Isn’t he beautiful?
 
What should we name him?”

“What would you like?”

“Oh, I already love him so
much,” said Christine.
 
“Maybe
little Cameron.”

“Are you serious?”

Christine shifted her eyes up
from the pup to the mirror, “Don’t sound like a grump.
 
You will hurt his feelings.
 
I would not name this little darling a
grumpy man’s name.”

“Hey, I am hurt.”

“You are not.
 
Besides I want him to keep me company
when you are away, not remind me of how much I miss you.”

Cameron had no response to
this.
 
His time between missions had
diminished with each assignment.
 
His career was unique, allusive, and one he was unable to share with Christine.
 
He could not fool himself.
 
Not too much time would pass before two
to four week stints would turn to three and then six month operations.
 
There were operatives he was aware of that
had been in the field for years.
 
His special talents had advanced him beyond one and done direct action
missions.
 
Christine’s opportunities
were advancing as well, having traveled twice to Asia and once to Mexico
already this year.
 
A time would soon
come when the few brief, fleeting days of the calendar, days when the two
lovers could be together, would no longer intersect.

“I know,” said Christine.
 
“He looks like a Moby.”
 
She dipped her chin and the lab lapped
at her again.
 
“You like that name?
 
Moby.”

“What is a Moby?” asked Cameron.

“He is a Moby.

“Doesn’t Moby mean immense, enormous,
like the whale?”

Christine pushed her nose down
into Moby, “Vous avez un immense amour?
 
Yes you do, a Moby heart.”
 
Christine glanced up to where Cameron’s eyes would meet her, “He has an
immense love like you.”

Whether the warmth came from her
green eyes, or from the words she chose, Christine stoked a fire within
Cameron’s core that burned throughout his limbs, and straight up the back of
his neck, stiffening his skull with the anxiety of a small boy.
 
She dropped one brow ever so
slightly.
 
A quiver shot through
him, a nauseas jolt that forced Cameron to widen his eyes and pull his
attention toward the road.

“We may still have some luck,”
said Cameron.
 
He lowered his head
to look out and beyond the bonnet of the Citroen.
 
“The sun has broken through.”

“Marvelous, we can still have
our picnic.”

* * *
* *

The Somali Deception EPISODE III

UK
Kindle
US
Kindle

The Somali Deception EPISODE IV

UK Kindle
US Kindle

Or

The Somali Deception THE
COMPLETE EDITION

UK Kindle
US Kindle

* * *
* *

* * *
* *

Thank you for reading episode two of The Somali
Deception.
 
This story is the second
in the Cameron Kincaid series and a favorite of my lovely wife.
 
The original draft of the manuscript,
shorter and much different that the final release, was written during November
of 2010 for nanowrimo, or national novel writing month.
 
I had planned a different project, and
then came an intriguing discussion concerning the misconception of piracy with
my friend Margot Kiser, an American reporting from Kenya.
 
Coincidentally I have other friends that
had already stirred my curiosity for the region, particularly my good friend
Alastair Boyd, who at the time was an eco-lodge director in Laikipia.
 
That was 2010, what happened?
 
Well in January 2011, I was asked to
oversee a multinational tech surge, in a hired gun manner if you will, and The
Somali Deception was shelved.
 
After
the consulting engagement, I returned to writing full time, and did not return
to The Somali Deception.
 
Then in
April of 2013, The Cathari Treasure connected with an audience and began to
climb the Best Seller list, sparking encouragement from my wife to dust off the
next in the series.
 
Around the same
time, an editor from a New York publishing house inquired as to whether the
story could be told as an episodic serial.
 
Up for the challenge, I rescaled the project and the result was a four
episode serial with twice the action as the first story in the series.

The are numerous contributors that bring a project to
completion, my family first and foremost, a myriad of fellow authors and
friends on twitter, and countless others.

Individually I want to thank Chad Ness, Lon Grover, Alastair
Boyd, and Margot Kiser all of whom supported the project either through shared
research or the diligent reading of first drafts.
 
I would also like to thank the readers
that signed up as First Readers for this manuscript as their contributions have
helped me to create a better release edition.

If you enjoyed The Somali Deception, I would appreciate if
you would share your thoughts in a review.
 
Reviews help other readers that may have similar interest as you decide
whether this is a story they would like to read.

And again
thank you.

* * *
* *

Daniel Arthur Smith is the international bestselling author
of The Cathari Treasure.
 
American
born, Daniel has traveled to over 300 cities in 22 countries, residing in Los
Angeles, Kalamazoo, Prague, Crete, and New York.

Daniel was born and raised in Michigan, graduating from
Western Michigan University where he studied philosophy and comparative
religion.
 
He has been a teacher,
bartender, barista, poetry house proprietor, technologist, and a Fortune 100
consultant across America and Europe.
 
Daniel resides and writes in Manhattan with his wife and young sons.

Discover more at
http://www.danielarthursmith.com

Twitter:  
http://twitter.com/authordasmith

Facebook: 
http://facebook.com/danielarthursmith

Goodreads
:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893816.Daniel_Arthur_Smith

And
the serial site:
http://thecatharitreasure.com

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