Assassins Inc. - Part Four

 

Book Four: The Execution

In an amazing feat of synchronicity, the three pairs of men sat together in three very different settings. Jahwn sat across from Alexei in a steady drizzle and watched the water drip off of the old man’s nose. Jose had finally discovered Symeon’s hideaway, deep in a series of caves and felt as if his body had no more moisture to give to the unrelenting heat. Joshua sat in a quiet and warm library, sipping a white chocolate mocha and began explaining the assignment that Mircea was to undertake.

In the vaguest of terms, each man gave his singular audience the rationale and the desired end result of the work that lay ahead of them. “Just remember, there will be many, many people and organizations who are completely opposed to what it is you are setting out to accomplish. They will undertake any means necessary to try to stop you. This will be dangerous work and your very life could be at stake,” each one of them said.

“Alexei,” Jahwn said, “you will find your target in eastern Asia. I will not tell you specifically who you are to approach. I trust that you will use wisdom and will persevere. Your success in this endeavor will have an impact on the entire Asian world. Once I return home, it will be your responsibility to reason and act.”

“Symeon,” Jose said, “you will find your target in the United States. It will be up to you to choose whomever you wish. The US will be a very difficult field to navigate, as they tend to be very stubborn and individualistic. But if you succeed, their impact will be the greatest.”

“Mircea,” Joshua said, “you will find your target within the nations of western Europe. I can assure you that this plan will work and each of you, yes, there are two others who will be performing the same work as yourself, will change the very direction of life on this planet. Your efforts will be greatly rewarded. If there are no other questions, I need to be going now. Thank you for your time.”

As each man departed from his respective location, they each shared in one another’s environments, creating a balance in their unity. The excessive heat was balanced out by the chill of the forest, the heavy, thick moisture was balanced by the dryness of the desert, and the comfort of the library and coffee set the overall ambience to that of a balance between comfort and distress.

Without a further thought, Joshua immediately returned to the airport in Bucharest and purchased a return flight for an immediate departure. In a remarkable imitation of his arrival flight, he slept the entire way back to the city of origin in Kyrgyzstan. Again, awakened by the stewardess several minutes after the landing, he apologized for the inconvenience and made his way to the pickup zone in front of the airport. He stepped through the outer doors at exactly 8:15 am, as planned, to see Jahwn, Jose, and a driver approach in what he assumed to be a rental car. 

“Now that we have reunited,” Jahwn said, “I thought it would be best if we spent the rest of our time at “The Inbetween.” But,” he continued, “Jose, I will need you to spend most of your time overseeing our new project.”

“Overseeing?” Jose asked. “I’m not sure that my singular efforts overseeing the activities of three people is very realistic.”

“Oh, you won’t be alone,” Jahwn answered. “You can have as many messengers to help you as you like. Joshua, myself, and Joshua’s mother will remain here, and we will provide anything you need to ensure that this project is successful.”

The three men walked into the building, its front facing the massive city that covered so much ground, and the opposite side backed up to the ancient forest. “The best of both worlds,” Joshua said as they walked in. “Thank you for taking this on, Jose. My work among the city dwellers has reached its end and I know that your oversight and interaction will be stunningly productive.”

Jose spent the next forty days preparing an oversight plan and gathering messengers to help him in the effort. Like bees flowing into a field of wildflowers, the messengers found their assignments and provided discreet help whenever possible. Jose spent his time traveling from Symeon to Alexei to Mircea and back again, an unending circle, dropping subtle hints, suggestions, and even the occasional obvious spectacle. 

Always from some distance, depending on the energy each chosen man was emanating, Jose watched the men plan and prepare. The messengers were like a constant swarm of mosquitoes around them, dropping hints, suggestions, and speaking wisdom with the hope that they would listen. 

In a matter of days, Alexei, Symeon, and Mircea departed from their homes, their friends, and their countries to begin their search. Completely unaware of the other’s activities or locations, they each took a very similar path of watching the news, reading about current events, and following the source of the money that was getting things done.

In what any normal person would have considered stalking, Symeon began to physically follow his target, the CEO of several tech companies. Eventually learning his schedule, his friends, and his places of preference, he carefully placed himself in locations that allowed for communication, albeit brief. The initial interaction was the typical inane chit-chat that average people did when beginning a new relationship.

        The relationship slowly evolved and Symeon began to pose thoughtful, more in depth questions about the man’s life choices, his motivations, and his long-term goals. His thirty-five plus years in deep isolation and introspection gave him a perspective radically different than anything the man had ever heard.

        What started as a few kind words between strangers in line at a coffee shop turned into a deep friendship where Symeon was offering guidance and advice for nearly every aspect of the man’s life. 

        Alexei, at the same time, was facing a far greater challenge. After months of great struggle to find someone with the kind of power and influence to make a difference, he decided upon a young musician from South Korea with a massive social following. The boy was hardly interested in listening to the philosophy and ethics of an old, Russian man but Alexei persisted in his efforts. Often nearly overcome with frustration at the boy's foolishness and shallow lifestyle, he continued to interact with him at every opportunity. 

        As he struggled to understand the boy’s mindset, Alexei decided on immersing himself in pop culture. Like after eating too much sugar, he had to regularly clear his mind and keep his heart from losing its perspective. Happy that the boy was not on tour, Alexei would subtly suggest ideas within the boy’s hearing that he knew were contrary to everything he believed. But he also knew that truth always wins out and would eventually influence his thinking and eventually his actions. 

        Mircea found himself very much at home in the comfort and flash of the high culture of western Europe. He took up residence in Brussels, on the belief that influencing someone in the political field would be most advantageous. “I know this will take a while,” he thought, “but I don’t think there is any other choice.” He was powerful and fit for an old man, for any man for that matter, so he took on a job with security, eventually working his way into the security detail for the economic advisor for the Albanian branch of the UN, Teodor Gega.

        Teodor was stunningly brilliant with multiple Phds and a fluency in multiple languages. In a manner very similar to Symeon, Mircea started his interaction with small talk, maintaining a friendly and teachable demeanor.  Feigning a basic ignorance of all things political, he simultaneously dropped “good” ideas in their conversations, winning over the man’s respect and surprise at his insight and clarity of thinking.

        After nearly six months of working security, Mircea became his immediate bodyguard, never leaving the man’s side and befriending his family, eventually earning invitations to family events and celebrations.