Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2) (50 page)
Read Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2) Online
Authors: Tony Lavely
Tags: #teen thriller, #teen romance fiction
References
* THE QUOTATION IN CHAPTER 14:
New Zealand Herald, 0530 20 October, 2012, “Return to El Alamein.” Accessed on 20 October, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10841742
**These definitions (Wad al-Yad and
c
Urf
ī contracts) are from “Landownership disputes in Egypt,” Authors: Asger Toft Johannsen, Marianne Nabil Mahrous and Maria Graversen, August 26, 2009,
Arab West Report.
See http://www.arabwestreport.info/landownership-disputes-egypt-case-study-tensions-around-abu-fana-may-2008
The Nest
THE NEST IS A FICTITIOUS archipelago sited in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is described by the map in the front matter, as well as here.
Cartography based on “Eastern Caribbean.” 21.680164° N and 73.463645° W. Google Earth. Image date not given. Accessed April 7, 2013.
There are seven islands, listed in order of decreasing size.
Port Cay: 11050 feet by 4050 feet (largest dimensions in two orthogonal directions). Average elevation is 15 feet, and the maximum elevation is 50 feet, both above mean high water (mhw). Port Cay houses the team’s airfield (8000’ by 200’ asphalt runway, heading east-west, east end is 18’ elevation, dropping to 12’ at the west end.). The island was artificially extended to accommodate the runway. To support aircraft operations, the island also has a hangar. The Nest’s communication and radar facilities are adjacent to the hangar.
Bon Secours Cay: 7000’ x 2000’, avg. ele., 15’; max. ele., 40’ mhw. The name denotes the home of the team’s hospital. The camp’s administration and security offices are adjacent to the hospital. Homes occupy most of the other area.
Nord Cay: 4100’ x 1940’; avg. ele., 15’; max. ele., 25’ mhw. Northernmost island. Team member homes.
Sud Cay: 2000’ x 3000’; avg. ele., 18’; max. ele., 40’ mhw. Southernmost occupied island. Sud Cay has the only deep draft dock on its eastern shore. More homes and storage facilities.
Home Cay: 3200’ x 1580’; avg. ele., 13’; max. ele., 20’ mhw. First island settled; Ian Jamse and Kevin deVeel’s homes are there.
Cottage Cay: 2600’ x 1200’; avg. ele., 10’; max. ele., 30’ mhw. A community of cottages for single or unattached team members. The southwest shore has a protected lagoon; the team’s small boat anchorage is there.
Tiny Cay: 2000’ x 1000’; avg. ele., 8’; max. ele., 10’ mhw. Uninhabited with only brush, Tiny Cay lies about two miles south and slightly west of Sud Cay. It is used for training.
All islands except Tiny Cay have a dock with boats capable of navigating between islands. Bon Secours has three of them due to its relatively central location.
Cell phone and WiFi service are provided, with a connection to BTC. Security monitors all coastlines for intrusions as well as passing traffic.
The team’s aircraft are leased, including two Gulfstream g150’s, a B737-700C and a Piper Mirage. The team owns outright a Lockheed C130 retired from US Air Force service. The hangar is capable of protecting these as well as a Eurocopter EC-135.
Cast
IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
KEVIN deVeel | One of Jamse’s team, Shalin’s husband |
Ian Jamse | Beckie’s fiancé, the team’s leader |
Dan Wu | One of Jamse’s team |
Sue Jinet | One of Jamse’s team, Rich’s significant other |
Derek Hamilton | One of Jamse’s team, Emily’s husband |
Millie Ardan | Trauma surgeon, heads hospital, Amy’s mother |
Shalin deVeel | Kevin deVeel’s wife, Beckie’s friend |
Maurice Boynton | Jamse’s factotum, team member |
Beckie Sverdupe | Ian Jamse’s fiancée and teammate |
Ginny Clasen | High school girl, helps with Beckie’s horse, Hoshi |
Melissa Durst | Beckie’s best friend |
Mike Sverdupe | Beckie’s brother |
Patrice | Pilot, one of Jamse’s team |
Willie Llorens | One of Jamse’s team |
Amun Hassan | Egyptian lawyer, land claims specialist |
Jean Sverdupe | Beckie’s mother |
Sheikh al-Kassis | Head negotiator left side |
Sheikh Al Hosni: | Head negotiator right side |
Minnah Al Sahaf | A female negotiator who speaks for Al Hosni |
Haleef Al Hosni | Recent graduate in London, Sheikh Al Hosni’s grandson, Saliha’s twin |
Reverend Billy America | (Rev Billy) A fundamentalist pastor preaching in Kansas, USA |
Sarah Willan | Reverend Billy’s 14 YO granddaughter, Deborah and Sam’s daughter |
David Willan | Reverend Billy’s 13 YO grandson, Deborah and Sam’s son |
William Frankelin | One of Billy’s subordinate pastors, teaches Sunday school |
Noorah | Egyptian girl, attempted assassin |
Sheikh Abdul-Bari Sedki | Noorah’s sheikh |
Saqira | English speaking woman in Noorah’s tribe, Noorah, Tahirah and Nasir’s mother |
Else Meyer | One of Jamse’s team, a boffin who handles IT and intelligence |
Jean-Luc Fereré | Pilot, one of Jamse’s team |
Nasir | Noorah’s brother, ten |
Tahirah | Noorah’s older sister, fourteen |
Bakr al-Aziz | British Muslim supplier of trash services in London |
Go Shen | One of Jamse’s team, handles security for the Nest |
Shakti Krishna | Trauma surgeon, one of Jamse’s team |
Zhang Xia | One of Jamse’s team, a translator |
Li Meili | Teenage Chinese girl rescued by Beckie in Closure |
Amy Rose Ardan | Millie’s 15 YO daughter, infatuated with Abby Rochambeau |
Alisha Rashid | Music professional, teaches Sarah and David, Labeeb’s sister |
Deborah Willan | Sarah and David’s mother, Sam’s wife |
Hamza Faraj | Copilot who attempts to crash plane |
Jolene Abigail Rochambeau | (Abby) One of Jamse’s team, attracted to Amy Ardan |
Rich Quinn | One of Jamse’s team, Sue’s significant other |
Mathilde Moreau | One of Jamse’s team, a pilot newly recruited |
Emily Hamilton | Derek Hamilton’s wife |
Saliha Al Hosni | Recent graduate in London, Haleef’s twin sister |
Roni Shalev | Sales coordinator for IAC, an Israeli arms manufacturer |
Sam Willan | Kansas state legislator, Deborah’s husband, Sarah and David’s father |
Haim Demsky | Head of IAC |
Elena Rios | One of Jamse’s team |
Labeeb Rashid | Imam at Nassau Islamic Center, Alisha’s brother |
Also | |
Trillian | Jamse’s ocelot |
Hoshi | Beckie’s Thoroughbred horse |
Duskie Rose | (Duskie) Melissa’s Thoroughbred horse |
Acknowledgments
Great thanks to my wife and family for their support!
Thanks to Amy Rose Davis, one of the
Twelve Worlds
contributors, who graciously lent her name to Amy Rose Ardan. I hope she’s not dismayed with the way her namesake character turned out. Find her excellent work at
http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Rose-Davis/e/B004GG38AI/
Also, to Critters.org and the several critters who provided suggestions and comments to improve my work. Among them are Brian, Conny, Liza, Zvi and especially Carol and Phil. Without their efforts, I can’t imagine the problems this story would have.
Like all budget constrained authors, I draw heavily on Google Earth for scenes set in lands not local to me. Any discrepancies in fictionalization are my failure, not Google’s.
About the Author
Tony Lavely lives with his lovely, compassionate wife in Massachusetts, in reasonable proximity to their children and grandchildren. Retirement has provided ample time for him to pursue writing as well as other mundane pleasures.
Freedom Does Matter
is his second novel. One of the Mercenaries stories, it is a thriller in an approximation to the real world.
He was privileged to be a part of the
Twelve Worlds Anthology for Charity
, still available at on-line outlets. This collection of short stories benefits Reading Is Fundamental, and meeting (in an on-linely way) the other authors was great fun and excellent experience. Those guys are great! (‘Guys’ used in the best
The Electric Company
tradition: “Hey, you guys!”)
He reads fantasy and adventure, confidently believes that
The Muppet Movie
is one of the best movies ever made, and his iPod playlist includes works from Beethoven to Twisted Sister.
He blogs at
http://tonylavely.com/
On Twitter: twitter.com/tlavely
Email: atl.for.writing at gmail.com.
At this writing, the Mercenaries stories include (and are best read in the following order):
Coming early in 2016:
Discoveries
In process:
Princess
(working title)
Ralf and Catrin
(working title)
The links will take you to Amazon, where you may peruse more information on these, and of course, purchase one or more.