Fool's Paradise, Part One

Edward Shafik

Description

Fools' Paradise is the story of how these and other lives intersect with consequences both personal and global. Christian and Muslim characters alike will find their beliefs challenged as they face the question of which faith offers a true paradise. With vistas ranging from London to Rome to Beirut to Afghanistan, Fools' Paradise offers drama, humor, adventure, and international intrigue.

Informations

• Publié par: First Edition Design Publishing
• Date de parution: 28 août 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781622870646
• Langue: English

Extrait

FOOL’S PARADISE
Part One
The Execution of Bin Laden
__________

Edward Shafik
FOOL’S PARADISE Part One
The Execution of Bin Laden
Copyright 2012 Edward Shafik
ISBN 978-1622871-64-6

Published and Distributed by
First Edition Design Publishing, Inc.
August 2012
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means ─ electronic, mechanical, photo-copy, recording, or any other ─ except brief quotation in reviews, without the prior permission of the author or publisher.
Dedication
Fool’s Paradise is dedicated to the three thousand victims who lost their lives to the blind hate of Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden on 9/11. Out of the blazing inferno of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, America’s faith surged high in every state. Across the land, God Bless America signs and banners covered the landscape. Knees bent in prayer, voices sang His praises, and worshipers of many colors sought the Lord’s face.
Out of the white ashes and rubble at Ground Zero, we saw the rebirth of America as a Christian nation under God. Once we humbled ourselves and trusted not in our wealth and might, our Creator promised to heal His people who called upon His name.

I love you Lord, but with no Love of mine,
For I have none to give,
I love you Lord, but all the Love is thine,
For by thy Love I live,
I am as nothing, and rejoice to be
Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in thee.

Charles Spurgeon
Foreword
I first became acquainted with Edward Shafik two years ago through editing his previous book, Paradise Regained, a political thriller based on real accounts of the Coptic plight in Egypt. Though I have yet to meet him in person, I can tell he is a man with a heart for God, an intense eye for detail, and an urgent message he is eager to share.
Mr. Shafik is a native Egyptian, so English is his second language; yet he has a poetic sense of the written word and can weave plots with unparalleled intrigue. I served as a book editor, advisor, marketing consultant, and encourager through the long journey of writing a full-length novel.
Fool’s Paradise offers an intriguing and inspiring mix of real and imagined events from the recent past. The uneasy alliance between the Christian West and the Islamic East over barrels of sticky black hydrocarbon will become painfully clear. It is my hope that this book will have you praying for entire nations to awaken to the Truth.

Yours in Christ,
John Leatherman
Editor, writer, and cartoonist
Preface
The search for Bin Laden was the greatest manhunt ever conducted by America, the greatest power in the world. Satellites, unmanned airplanes, the most advanced spying technological devices, and the unlimited resources of the mighty Central Intelligence Agency chased a long-bearded terrorist who slipped through their hands like red mercury. Bin Laden became a folk hero to millions of Muslims who hailed him as the new Kalifa who would restore Philistines’ and Arabs’ past glory.
The reputation of the White House the CIA suffered one blow after another for ten years at the hand of an Arab Bedouin hidden in the Afghanistan mountains. Bin Laden threatened the West with Jihad and more strikes against the enemies of Islam using explosives, bombs, and suicide terrorists. But the tactic was nothing new; fourteen hundred years ago Muhammed was the original Muslim terrorist, conquering nations by the sword to spread Islam.
Fool’s Paradise is based on current political events. All its characters are fictional, woven around the reality of our turbulent times. From the beginning, wars started when men coveted their neighbors’ lands and possessions and used swords, guns, and soldiers to invade, kill, and rape. Nothing has changed since; wars are still raging. Dictators and rulers are waging violence on their own people, and majorities are persecuting minorities.
They are using the Name of a loving God to justify their killings and a Fool’s Paradise to incite greed and lust for an imaginary paradise that never existed. My prayer is that Fool’s Paradise blesses all my beloved readers and encourages them to read part two, The Arab Winter .

Yours in Christ,
Edward Shafik
Acknowledgements
The author thanks Mr. John Leatherman for great editing of the manuscript. Beyond the call of duty he labored for several months to polish every sentence of every chapter. Like a goldsmith, he kept refining each version until we saw the luster of good writing that reward readers with a unique experience.

I would like to thank Deborah Gordon and Tom Gahan from First Edition Design Publishing for first class publishing services. Debi also designed my web site www.edwardshafik.com and tolerated endless calls to post new material and graphics. The Paradise Regained book trailer was also created by Debi. Satellite TV Christian channels such as ABN TV, Truth TV, Hope TV, and Al Karma TV honored their commitment to serve the Lord by airing the video.

I thank Duncan Long, the inspired Internet artist and famed book covers designer. He designed the book cover for Fool’s Paradise , part one. He also designed the Paradise Regained book cover, which received many praises across the country.
Chapter 1

CIA Special Agent Marc Segal walked between the workstations stacked with monitors, computers, printers, range finders, and 3D data-simulating equipment. In the ongoing effort to hunt Al Qaeda, the field office in Khost, Afghanistan, had become like NASA’s Mission Control in Houston.
The live images on the screens, the whirring of the computers’ cooling fans, and even the simple flickering green lines invigorated him as a field marshal reviewing his troops. Marc whipped from one screen to another, whistling like a hummingbird buzzing among the branches.
Across the aisle stood Special Agent Adam Wesley. He worked on a high-resolution touch-screen displaying several activities in real time. His fingers danced on the glass and punched the keyboard.
Adam tossed a smirk at Marc, his eyes locked on Marc’s white shirt. “Going to a bullfight?”
Marc tugged at his rarely worn red tie. “Thought I’d dress up. I have a meeting with Colonel Gibson.”
Adam arched his eyebrows. “Something good, I hope?”
Marc shrugged. “A new agent is joining our happy family.”
“A he or a she?”
“What difference does it make?”
“Big difference! A female around here would be a welcome break.”
“A break from what?” Marc winked.
“Dude, don’t you ever look in the mirror?”
“All the time. I see a handsome genius smiling back at me.”
Adam laughed. “What genius willingly chooses to look like Weird Al?”
Marc grinned and checked his reflection in a monitor: bushy hair, thick mustache, goat-like beard, and diamond earrings. Twenty-six and dynamite. “I have it, the Midas golden touch.”
“You’re a CIA agent, but you look like a geek.”
Marc crumpled a piece of paper and pitched it at his tormentor. “I’m proud to be a geek! Always have been and always will be!”
The twenty-seven year-old Adam laughed as he walked to the coffeepot and poured himself a cup. “You didn’t answer my question. Who’s this new agent joining our family?”
“Iskander.”
“What nationality is that?”
“Martian.”
Adam took a sip of his coffee and laughed. “What?”
“Egyptian. A linguist born in Egypt, but graduated from Stanford.”
“Very impressive. So he knows Arabic?”
“She.” Marc winked. “CIA Special Agent Nermin Iskander is twenty-four and single.
Adam applauded. “That’s why the red tie. I’ll even bet you took a shower this morning.”
Marc looked at his wristwatch. “It’s time for me to meet her. Pray she doesn’t wear a veil.”
“You do the praying. I’ll do the looking. A veil might be a blessing. If so, I’ll pray for both of us.”
#
Marc entered the reception area outside the executive office of Colonel James Gibson.
The plump brunette secretary sat behind the desk, looking at a computer screen. Sensing him, she lifted her head and grinned.
Marc flashed his best smile. “Good morning, Sally.”
“Good morning, Marc. You look so handsome with that tie.”
“Whoooo, do I look ugly without it?”
“No, I didn’t say that. The tie adds class and a flash of color. Get out of here.” She waved him toward the office door.
Marc bent down and whispered. “How does the newcomer look?”
She whispered back. “Like a CIA agent who works in Afghanistan.”
“You’re no help.” Marc straightened and crossed to the colonel’s door. He knocked and waited.
A commanding voice shouted, “Come in.”
Marc greeted the silver-haired chief.
Iksander sat on a Queen Ann maroon colored chair. After a brief introduction, Marc sat directly across from Nermin Iskander. The CIA had trained him to notice every detail of new people he met. She wore a light blue business suit and was almost his height and weight. She had a round face with rosy cheeks and bright, intelligent-looking hazel eyes. Her shiny, jet-black hair fell to her shoulders, and graceful curls framed her face. He liked what he saw.
Marc sensed Agent Iskander checking him out as well. Her gaze seemed to rest on his diamond earrings. She put a finger on her ear and smiled. “Mine have rubies.”
Colonel Gibson explained. “Agent Iskander comes to us with an impressive resume of academic achievement as well as field training. As a native Egyptian, she writes and speaks fluent Arabic and understands the Muslim culture. Her English is also excellent; she’s lived in the States since she was ten. Nermin will help us with our backlog of translations. She volunteered for this tour because she believes in our mission to capture the leaders of Al Qaeda.
“Well, her language skills will make us self-sufficient.”
The colonel smiled at Marc and turned toward Nermin. “Don’t let Agent Segal’s appearance fool you. He’s an MIT graduate and holds two patents in ran