Against All Odds by Richard Bard

Author:Richard Bard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: suspense, terrorism, paranormal, international, technology, psychic, mysterysuspese, youth thriller, genius child
Publisher: Richard Bard

Chapter 20

Los Padres National Forest

July 3, 2:00 PM

FARHAD STOOD IN FRONT of an eight-foot-wide projection screen that would soon be displaying videos of the devastating loss of innocent lives in the wake of American drone attacks in the Middle East. Ghazi’s brother, Aasif, was in charge of the imagery, and he’d gathered some of the most shocking scenes posted online for his montage. There were thousands of videos to pick from, and that in itself made Farhad’s blood boil.

Jamal stood behind the camera. “Are you ready?”

Amir, Saabir, and Pirooz craned their necks to watch from their consoles. Hadi stood to one side with his arms crossed. Everyone else had formed a semicircle behind the camera.

Farhad appraised them. “To say this is a momentous occasion would be an understatement, my friends. It’s so much more than that. We left so much behind—our families, our culture, and our boyhood dreams. All so we could train to be prepared for this day, this moment, right now.” He paused. “Am I ready, you ask? I’ve never been—no, we’ve never been—more ready than we are today. Today America changes forever. Turn on the camera.”

Hadi nodded approvingly.

Aasif tapped the tablet in his hand. “We’re streaming.”

Jamal made a final adjustment to the camera angle. “We’re live in three, two…” On the third beat he pointed at Farhad.

Farhad simply stared at the camera, knowing those watching would be moving closer to their screens when they saw a man wearing a dishdasha robe and a shemagh scarf covering all but his eyes. Racial profiling at its best, he thought. The video was being streamed live on social media, with terrorist-related metatags that would drive it in short order to all the major TV networks, not to mention US government agencies. The scenes of violence streaming behind Farhad would accelerate the shares and hit counters to a frenzy. After thirty long seconds, he spoke, his voice altered by Aasif’s software.

“People of America. Your nation suffered deeply in the wake of the nine-eleven attacks. You grieved the loss of life, worked shoulder to shoulder to rebuild, and took strength from the vows of your leaders to bring the perpetrators to justice. But time moved on, and eventually your lives returned to normal.

“But imagine yourself living in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, or any of the other places where attacks occur on a regular basis. Imagine what it is like to live under the constant threat of terror, wondering if the coffee shop you frequent is the next target, or if you will be driven from your home by masked fanatics, or whether your children will survive the day at school. What if your life of hopes and dreams was reduced to one of constant fear? What would you do then? Would you be willing to take up arms? Would you stand with your neighbors and demand your government do whatever is necessary to stop the madness? Would you sacrifice your own life to make it happen? I would, and so would the many who stand beside me.

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