Shalom!

© 2013 by Stephen A. Enna & Dennis J. Wootten. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/30/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5395-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5394-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5393-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013908916

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CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter 1 Strategy 2028

Chapter 2 The Diagnosis

Chapter 3 Death And Destruction By Design 2027 Bushehr, Iran

Chapter 4 The Art Of Seduction

Chapter 5 The Discussion

Chapter 6 Israeli Agitation

Chapter 7 The Kennedys

Chapter 8 The Santa Catalina Institute

Chapter 9 Thoughts Of Power

Chapter 10 The Boston Strategy Meeting

Chapter 11 Day Two

Chapter 12 Western White House

Chapter 13 The Experiment

Chapter 14 The Campaign Begins

Chapter 15 The Meeting

Chapter 16 Vows, Terms And Conditions

Chapter 17 Wedding On The Williamette

Chapter 18 Home On The Range

Chapter 19 Nuts In A Basket

Chapter 20 Deterioriation

Chapter 21 Grass Roots Campaign

Chapter 22 Trial And Error

Chapter 23 The Final Meeting

Chapter 24 Time Bomb Ticking

Chapter 25 The Convention Begins

Chapter 26 The Convention—Day One

Chapter 27 The Convention Day Two

Chapter 28 The Convention Day Three

Chapter 29 The Convention Day Four And Beyond

Chapter 30 Christmas 2028

Chapter 31 Presidential Inauguration 2029

Chapter 32 Results Begin To Take Shape

Chapter 33 The Vice President

Chapter 34 The Presentation

Chapter 35 The Summit Meeting

Chapter 36 The Beginning Of The End

Chapter 37 The Inquiry

Chapter 38 The Solution

Chapter 39 The Autism Crisis

Chapter 40 The Pressure Cooker

Chapter 41 The Threat Is Made

Chapter 42 A Time For Action On Multiple Fronts

Chapter 43 The Crisis

Chapter 44 Rose Takes Charge

Chapter 45 Home For The Holidays

Chapter 46 Lights Out

PROLOGUE

The years following the Gavin administration had largely been uneventful politically. The country had enjoyed the prosperity brought about by the sale of the Hawaiian Islands and the end of the last overseas conflict.

The death of Patrick, the President’s partner, had a devastating impact on President Bruce Gavin. He ended his term in office, but soon started to show signs of Alzheimer’s. He had retired from all politics and lived at his Presidential retreat with his imaginary life partner.

The Vice President, Jeb Bramble, had moved on and successfully made his own run for the Presidency. His two terms could best be noted as peaceful and without substantial problems. Partisan politics were still the policy of the day. It was difficult to have anything passed by Congress.

Woo Wong had stepped down from his role as leader of China and retired. He now spends his days with his lifelong love, Ming Tai, in Maui, of course.

Mac Foster had left politics and went into academia. His political experience gave him plenty of teaching opportunities and his classes were always impacted. However, after the death of his wife, following a prolonged battle with cancer, his enthusiasm had drained.

The country was at peace and the populace liked not being involved in oversea conflicts. The question that no one wanted to ask was How long will this last? The Iranians and North Koreans were still the main antagonists internationally. North Korea was always able to be constrained by money. The country’s poverty prevented anything more dangerous from developing.

Jeb’s second term in office was coming to a close. The party needed to find someone of equal stature with some kind of tie to the glory days of the Gavin administration. The Republican Party was searching for that special person.

They would need someone special with impeccable credentials to have any chance against the Democratic front runner, Chelsea Clinton, daughter of past President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. How could you not like that pedigree?

CHAPTER 1

STRATEGY 2028

Greta Hunter entered the Oval Office at exactly 3:00 p.m. It was Saturday January 13th, 2027. President Jeb Bramble was sitting at his desk, stood and greeted her with a warm handshake and gentle hug. Thanks for coming, Greta, you are always on time and it is always a pleasure to see you.

Thank you, sir, it is always a pleasure to see you, but I’m usually the one that requests the meeting. What is on your mind?

President Gavin used to tell me over and over how valuable you were, and of all of his staff, no one more than you set the stage for all of his accomplishments. Here we are with two years to go in our final term in office and I wanted you to know that I now know firsthand what Bruce meant. Without you I’m not sure what we would have accomplished over the past six years. You are simply a national treasure and I wanted you to hear it directly from me.

Thank you, Mr. President, I have to tell you it has been an interesting yet long fourteen years and I look forward to my retirement when you complete this term in office.

I’m sure you do, Greta. That brings me to the second item I wanted to discuss with you. Your observations and thoughts are always a welcome addition to my thinking process and I would welcome them now.

As you are well aware, our friend Lilly Langoon replaced Michael Iron as the Head of the Republican Party. Lilly has always been one of my favorites and not only did a great job as Bruce’s Secretary of Health and Human Services but also as his key fund raising strategist. As you know, she has been a key advisor to me over the past six years.

Yes, I am aware of Lilly’s value. As you know, Mr. President, she is one of my best friends and there is nothing that I would not do for her.

I’m a little unclear what you want to discuss and how it relates to both Lilly and I?

As you are aware, the Democrats have announced that Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will be their candidate for the Presidency for 2028.

Yesterday, Lilly came to see me. She told me that a great deal of research has gone into the analysis about who should replace me in this office in two years. She indicated that they have reviewed and vetted at least twenty men and women that have the qualifications to run for and win this office.

Lilly told me that they have now made a decision on who their first choice would be. They believe the candidate they have selected not only has the knowledge, skill, and ability to handle the job but he is a born leader and not afraid to belly up to the bar and make the hard decisions. There is only one problem, the man they have selected does not want the job and, in fact, is sick of watching the bi-partisan politics and lack of results. Bruce Gavin was a great leader and ignored the far right and the far left and just drove this car right down the middle of the highway. While I have tried to do the same and, thanks in part to you, we have had some luck, the problem has not gone away. It is worse and our potential candidate hates it.

So, Mr. President, I’m still not sure what this has to do with me?

You, Greta, know this potential candidate, trust this potential candidate and perhaps more than anyone in the United States, with the exception of Bruce Gavin, can influence this potential candidate to accept the party’s support and run for office.

The candidate is Mac.

Mac Foster?

Yes Greta, Mac is the candidate they want.

Wow! Mr. President, Mac would be great and as you know he is one of my best friends.

After President Gavin left office Mac checked out of the political world. He has received numerous awards and recognition in his role of Director of Political Studies at the Bruce Gavin Institute at MIT. His academic role has provided him the opportunity to review in great detail how our political system works and he doesn’t like it. He is sick of the two party system and thinks of himself as an Independent. I’m sure he has only retained his Republican affiliation out of respect for Bruce and, when Bruce dies, I’m sure he will dump the Republican label. I have personally spent hours with him talking politics and his views are deep and the division that continues to rock this country does not ‘wet his whistle’.

Lilly knows all of this and she also is one of your best friends. She came to me first because she wanted you to hear it directly from me and to know that I would welcome Mac’s candidacy with open arms and would do everything possible to support his election.

Does Mac know anything about this Mr. President?

No, he doesn’t. The thinking is that you and Lilly as a team would approach him with the idea, and in turn, convince him that this is something he needs to do for the Country.

Mr. President, I want to help both you and Lilly but I’m not sure that I am the right person for the job. As you know, Mac lost his wife Joanna to breast cancer five years ago. He has two small children, Ricky and Ronda. The loss of his wife has been very hard on him and since her death he has almost retreated from any kind of social life. He has shown no interest in being out in the public and would say he has grown to treasure his privacy. Very few people know that Ricky is challenged which has added an additional burden. As you know, I go back with Mac more than twenty years. His wife, Joanna, was a good friend and I was a bridesmaid in their wedding. I’m saying all of this because you need to know something that no one else knows. Mac and I have always been close but in the past three years our relationship has grown to be much more. I think it is fair to say that we have fallen in love and have discussed the possibility of marriage once your term is over.

So there it is, the ‘cats out of the bag.’ It is not nearly as surprising as it was when President Gavin told the world he was gay and in love with a Catholic priest, but in my world I have worked very hard to keep my personal life private and never mix it with business. You are asking me to not only mix my personal life with my business life but to do it in such a way that will convince the one person in the world I have learned to love to leave his personal life behind and take center stage.

Well, Greta, what can I say? I’m very happy for you and, to some extent, not surprised, but I will say that while we all knew you and Mac were close I don’t think it ever entered any of our minds that the two of you would fall in love and perhaps even marry. What a nice surprise!

So where does that leave us? How would you like me to respond to Lilly? She knows that I was going to talk with you today and I’m sure she is going to want to know the result of the discussion.

I’m not sure what to tell you. I think it would be best if I first talked to Lilly and let her know what I have told you. Once I have had that discussion I will need to talk with Mac and tell him honestly what has transpired and then we will see where we go from there. I would appreciate it if you keep this confidential. I know it will have to come out at some point but for now I would like to work through this process with Mac and then see where it will go.

Thanks, Greta, I completely understand and will talk with no one about this. I’m sure that you or Lilly will let me know the next step in the process.

Thank you, Mr. President.

One Hour Later

Hi Lilly, it is Greta.

Hey Greta, what’s up?

Well, the President asked to see me today and told me who you would like to see become the next President of the United States. I will hand it to you Lilly; I think Mac would make a great President. He has the smarts, he has the experience as Secretary of State and he has had six years to reflect on the pros and cons of the American political process. The President indicated that you and he would like my help in convincing him that a run for the Presidency would be in both his and the country’s best interest. Is that a fair summary of what you would like to see happen?

Yes, Greta, you are one of my closest friends and I thought long and hard about bringing you into this but I know how close you are to Mac and I know how much he respects your opinion. To hedge my bet I thought the only way to insure a victory would be to bring out the big guns. You are one of them and Jake is another.

Lilly, I understand your point and would like to help, but I have a few things to work through before I give you my commitment. I have some concerns and want to share them with you but not on the phone. Do you have time to meet over a glass of wine this evening?

Just tell me where and when.

Let’s meet at the Governor Hotel in the lounge at seven p.m… See you tonight.

The Governor Hotel

7:00 p.m., January 13, 2027

Lilly was first to arrive and picked a booth well away from the crowd that continued to grow on this wintery Saturday night. Sam, the waiter, knew her well and had served Lilly over the past sixteen years, first as Secretary of Health and Human Services and now as the head of the Republican Party.

What will it be this evening, Ms. Langoon?

Good evening, Sam, I would like to have a glass of Poppy Pinot Noir.

Great choice, Ms. Langoon, the Poppy is from California’s Monterey County. It is a very light pinot and has low alcohol content. It is a wine that you can drink before, during, and after dinner.

Sounds perfect, Sam, your knowledge of wines amaze me. You must spend all your free time reading about it.

Yes ma’am, lots of time tasting as well! Cheers.

In about five minutes Lilly’s glass of wine arrived just as Greta joined her.

The two long time friends hugged each other.

Sam then turned to Greta and said, Ms. Hunter, it is a pleasure to see you again, what can I get for you?

Hi Sam, I think I would like a glass of Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc. Sam left to get the wine and Greta began the conversation.

Lilly, thanks very much for joining me tonight. I wanted to talk to you personally about my conversation with the President this morning. Mac Foster and I go back more than twenty years. I have watched his brilliant mind solve some of the United States’ biggest problems. I was a bridesmaid at his wedding. His wife was one of my best friends. I was there when breast cancer took Joanna way too early. I was present for the birth of both of their children and also was there when they learned that his son Ricky was diagnosed with Autism.

Oh no, not Mac’s son too, this disease is everywhere. I only hope that the compound at Santa Catalina is making some progress. This disease must be stopped.

Sam brought the wine and both women toasted each other by saying cheers.

You’re right, Lilly. Thanks to you, and your work at Health and Human Services, the funds the department allocates have continued to pay the cost of the research conducted on Santa Catalina. As you can imagine, I’m sick for Mac right now. Nevertheless, you’re right, I believe that I am one of the people that Mac listens to and I’m sure if I took a strong position that he should run for President he would listen to me.

Having said that, you need to know something else, I am in love with Mac Foster and I believe he is in love with me. It just seems to have evolved over the past three years and we have even discussed the possibility of being together forever once President Bramble completes his term.

What you and the President are asking me to do is to convince the guy that I want to be with for the rest of my life outside of politics to get back into politics, which he does not want to do.

Talk about being between a rock and a hard spot! You have both wedged me in about as tight as humanly possible.

Greta, I have to say I’m not really surprised. You two have been so compatible, for so many years, that something like this was bound to happen. I am personally very happy for both of you.

But Mac is the right guy for the job! He can beat Clinton and he has the international experience to deal with the likes of the North Koreans and the Iranians. The country needs him and you are one of the very few people that can convince him of it.

They talked for another hour. Greta agreed that she would talk to Mac when she saw him Sunday evening.

CHAPTER 2

THE DIAGNOSIS

It was after ten p.m. when his phone rang. Hi Mac, its Greta. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier today. It has been one of those days and I had a last minute meeting at seven p.m. and just got home. How did the doctor’s appointment with Ricky go today?

Hey you, thanks for calling and for the concern about Ricky. Today was not a great day. The diagnosis was confirmed. Ricky has Autism. I actually got quite an update on this disease and the news just isn’t good. It is now a national epidemic. I learned in 2007 the CDC estimated a rate of 1 in every 150 births, by 2009 the numbers were revised to 1 in every 100 and by 2012, when Bruce took office, the number was up to 1 in every 88 births. In 2013 the number surprisingly went to 1 in 50 births. Between 2013 and this year the rate has now increased to 1 in every 25 births. That fact blew me away today. Autism is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and Aids combined.

Mac, I’m so sorry to hear this. I guess I expected it but to hear it now confirmed is just very difficult to deal with. Do they know anything more about how it occurs?

Not really, mutations on chromosome 16 have been tied to Autism. The glitch is in a DNA region that contains Morpheus genes, or genes which historically have changed very rapidly as humans evolved. In other words, the same method that helped evolve human intelligence may contribute to Autism. There is no blood test, scan or imaging that can detect Autism. Diagnosis relies on behavioral observation and screening, the same things that you and I have observed in Ricky.

I also learned that more doctors and researchers are referring to Autism as Autisms, because each child’s case is different. I did get some insight to the things we have observed with Ricky. As you know, he is not warm and cuddly which is just the opposite of his sister. Many children with Autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain but may be extra sensitive to sound, touch or other sensory stimulation. This may contribute to his reluctance to being cuddled or hugged.

One thing that I learned and was happy to hear is that the United States has been a leader in stepping to the forefront on a cure. I was told that President Bramble has authorized up to a trillion dollars to be spent on cause and treatment.

Our observations were correct. Ricky has displayed and we have observed most of the symptoms.

Give me a few examples, Mac.

Let’s start with poor eye contact and social isolation. Remember how many times we have wondered why Ricky does not make eye contact with us?

I sure do, Mac.

And remember the tantrums, head rolling and him hitting himself. All signs of Autism. All that, coupled with the flapping movements of the hands.

To tell you the truth, Greta, I’m usually an optimist but tonight I’m pretty down. The diagnosis is accurate and there is no cure. I am only happy that his mom did not live to hear what I did today.

I’m looking forward to seeing you on Sunday. Are you still planning to come up to Boston?

Yes, Mac, I have arranged my schedule and plan to stay both Sunday and Monday night. I want to be with you during this difficult time and I have some other things I would like your advice on.

Great, Greta, something to look forward to. I’m heading to bed. See you on Sunday evening.

Sunday Morning

Bridgeport, Massachusetts

Mac left his four bedroom flat about 9:30 a.m. Both the housekeeper and the aide were at the house and dealing with the kids. He began the walk to his office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). As the Chairman and Chief Scholar in the Department of Political Science he was a significant player at MIT. In a few years he will earn his tenure. MIT was incorporated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in April of 1861. There are 1,018 professors of all ranks and 720 other teaching staff. Mac felt honored to be in the company of past and current scholars. MIT claims 77 Nobel Laureates, 52 Medal of Science winners and 38 MacArthur Fellows.

The campus is located along the Charles River in Cambridge. There are 4,384 undergraduate students and 6,510 graduate students. The university is not cheap; tuition runs over $40,000 alone, not including room and board.

Mac had been offered his position following his eight year term as a key advisor to President Bruce Gavin and having served as Secretary of State for the United States. While he would deny it, he was the brains behind the sale of the Hawaiian Islands to China and the key figure in resolving the most difficult financial crisis ever to hit the U.S.

Mac was many things but to his family he was a dad first and foremost. The news that he had received yesterday, while not a total surprise, was the most difficult thing he had had to deal with since the death of his wife five years ago to breast cancer.

Mac walked briskly, it was a cold January morning. He walked to and from work every day. It was his time to think, organize his life and try to make sense out of his personal life.

His relationship with Greta evolved over time. They had worked together for years in the Gavin administration and before that with Senator Gavin as key advisors. Greta was in his wedding. She was one of his wife’s best friends. She wasn’t the woman that everyone looked at because of her looks but she was very smart, understood him and their relationship had grown to be significant. Mac thought about their relationship. The first night they slept together was both fantastic and the biggest guilt trip either of them had ever experienced. They talked for hours after the experience and finally realized that their relationship was much more than a casual one night stand. Since that time they had been a steady pair. Their relationship, however, had been kept secret. Greta had two more years to go as Chief of Staff for the President of the United States and Mac was very busy trying to guide a group of academics. More than once he felt like he was trying to herd cats.

As Mac walked he thought about his current role. He was Chairman of one of the five schools at MIT. The institution is highly regarded, privately endowed and founded on the principle that it would be an independent educational institution, for teaching and research, with relevance to the practical world. This all fit with what Mac wanted but as he walked he almost found himself talking to himself out loud.

I love this place he thought and the last six years have been very interesting. However, the excitement of Presidential politics and world affairs was over the top! It simply wasn’t the same today as it was six years ago.

Mac crossed the campus and arrived at his office about ten a.m.

Shortly after he arrived the phone rang.

Howdy, Partner!

Jake, it is great to hear from you. I often think about that wonderful ranch of yours. How are you and Cheetah doing?

We are both well and love our life on the ranch. Our friends, Carlos and Rita, have been the best friends that we could have ever asked for. We have been able to live vicariously through both of their kids. Chris has grown up and is now at the University of Colorado majoring in animal science and his sister Susan ventured out to California to Davis to study veterinary medicine. They are both great kids and we love them like they were our own.

How is Cheetah’s modeling career? I still remember her dance with Bruce at the Presidential re-election dance. She was beyond beautiful.

Thanks Mac, she is still beautiful and the love of my life. The western environment fits her well. She is a very accomplished horse woman and rancher and has managed to combine her love of the west with her modeling career.

Actually, she could have all the work she wants but she is picky and likes to do photo shoots with her pal Rita. Let me tell you that when they are together, no matter what they have on people’s heads still turn. How are you doing, and tell me about the kids.

Thanks for asking, Ronda is doing great. She is growing up quickly and is now six years old. She is active and not nearly as studious as her dad. I think there is a lot of her mother in her and, frankly, every time I look at her I think about Joanna.

I can’t imagine the loss, Mac; it was a shock for all of us. Your wife was beautiful both inside and out. She is deeply missed by all of us who knew her.

Thanks, Jake, that means a lot.

My current problem is Ricky. Yesterday was the second worst day in my life. I got the final diagnosis on Ricky. As you know, we have been worried about him for some time. He is now just three. Yesterday they confirmed that he has Autism. There is no cure for the disease. It will be with us all of our lives.

Mac, I am so sorry to hear that. I have read a number of articles; the disease seems to be of epidemic proportion.

Yesterday I learned 1 in every 25 children born has the disease. It is beyond comprehension.

I’m lucky that our mutual pal Greta has stayed very close to me and has been an enormous help and shoulder to lean on.

Greta is the best; please give her my best when you see her.

Thanks, Jake, I will. Give my best to Cheetah, Carlos and Rita. They are all special people to me. Once this winter is over, I’d like to invite myself out to the ranch. I could use the fresh air and the peace and quiet.

Mac, the welcome mat is out to you any day, any time. Talk to you soon Pal!

Thanks.

Mac worked for two more hours then began his walk home. He had only two things on his mind, Ricky and Greta.

CHAPTER 3

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION BY DESIGN

2027 Bushehr, Iran

It was a hot and humid summer day in Bushehr, Iran. Bushehr is located along the Persian Gulf and is famous. Its fame, however, is not due to the seafood caught by the fishermen in the fishing villages of Halileh and Bandargah, but rather its fame comes from the facility located between the villages. Bushehr is the home of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

Atash Ahmadi-Nejad, the son of the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, was touring the plant for the sixth time in the past two years. Atash Ahmadi-Nejad would assume power from his father when he retired and the nuclear power plant would be the key to his right of passage. It stood for everything that Iran wanted in the world; power, force and dominance.

Construction of the plant was started in 1975 by German companies, but the work was stopped in 1979 after the Islamic revolution of Iran. A contract for finishing the plant was signed between Iran and the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy in 1995 with Russia’s Atomstroy Export named as the main contractor. After a number of starts and stops, the delivery of nuclear fuel started in 2007 and the plant was finally fully operational in 2011. The extremely hot and humid climate of the Bushehr area, with significant amounts of brine in the air due to the proximity of the ocean, has always presented a challenge to the management of the plant. In the summer, the temperature can reach 122 degrees; rust, paint deterioration, are continual problems that Hossein Mousavi, the general manager, faces on a daily basis.

Good Morning, Hossein, it is nice to see you again.

Thank you, Sir. It is always a pleasure to welcome the next President to our nuclear facility. As the general manager, I am honored that you have visited our facility on at least six occasions that I can recall.

Yes, Hossein, as you are aware your efforts and the results of the work of your people provide our country with the key element to continue our dominance of the Middle East and for that matter to put us on equal footing with China, Russia and the United States.

I must say, Hossein, this climate just sucks! Today it must be 115 degrees and, as such, my plan will be to remain inside the facility. I hope to get the usual tour and update and then depart as soon as it is dark.

Yes, Sir, while we have many things to be proud of, the weather here is not one of them. I would like to suggest that we proceed to our private air conditioned conference room where I can begin the update and let you know the strides we have made.

Please proceed, Hossein.

We have been running our power plant at full power since 2015. Our joint venture with Moscow to operate Bushehr because of our need for additional experience in maintaining nuclear facilities has now ended and we are totally under full operation with Iranian workers. To the outside world we are a power generating facility like so many others throughout the world. We have now met all safety requirements.

"Leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries have expressed fears that a serious nuclear accident at the Bushehr plant would spread radiation throughout the region. We are close to six Arab capitals: Kuwait City, Riyadh, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat. We believe that all of the leaders of these countries are no longer concerned with safety