Alexander's Revenge

A darkly satirical provocative thriller with a black main character that asks: What’s the most effective way to destroy a country? Not with war, but with tourists, female empowerment and social media. It's a book for fans of a morally grey world, where things happen and Westerners can buy anything with their money.

As the retired CIA agent sat in his couch, engrossed in the pages of his book, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. a sudden knock on the door pierced the quietness of the room. He closed the book wondering who could be interrupting his casual relaxation, he rose from his couch and made his way to the door. Opening the door he saw a familiar face. Not one he really wanted to see though. “Hi Matt how have you been? Didn't call me tI wo let me know that you were coming.” “I would if you had a mobile phone. Or even a landline. And I would have rang the doorbell if you had one! Are you living in the stone age or something?” “I thought that you CIA guys could snoop on a guy using his mobile phone. That's why I don't have one.” “I can neither confirm or deny this.” “Yeah yeah, if you were wondering what I was doing you would have sent me a letter. Or a postcard. Why are you here Matt?” “I'm here to see you Alexander.” Not Alex. Alexander. A rather uncommon name for an African-American guy who was born out of all places in Germany. His father was stationed in a military base in a city that most people have trouble pronouncing like all these long German names. He then lived in different places around the world following his parents, which gave him the ability to adapt and pass as a local in any location in the world. One thing would be odd about him, the colour of his skin, which made him stand out like a sore thumb in Europe. After finishing school he decided to skip college and join the army. His ability to speak many languages made him a natural pick for intelligence services. That was in the 80s, the Cold War was full on. “Not buying this. You're here for something. Something I want no part of.” “Well you know... We need you. For a job.” “So you're telling me, that you have a 10 billion budget, a headcount of some 10,000 spies and you need a guy to come out of retirement? Again? How many times have I got to save the world?” “It's not to save the world this time.” “Well why don't you get someone else this time? James Bond died 2 years ago last time I checked but you can ask the Brits to lend you 008. Not funny. I really liked the old James Bond movies with Sean Connery.” “I like the new ones. You've got to live with the times.” “I'm a relic of the past that just refuses to retire.” “I did retire though.” “You did and you came out of retirement last time though.” “Yes I did. And you tricked me. You outright lied to me and cheated me out of my pay.” “We did pay you. Per the terms of the contract you signed.” “It was my fault for not reading the fine print of the contract. You paid me. In fucking Chinese dollars instead of US dollars. I had asked for 100 million as a way to tell you to fuck off and not bother me.” “These dollars were the legal currency in the place we separated our engagement. In Taipei City. And you still got a decent pay packet. For what was a week's job.” “You could have sent 20 guys and they would still be in this redacted place after 5 years.” “What redacted place?” “Oh you know... I can't name the place without facing severe penalties. Made sure to read the contract you gave me backwards. After you had fooled me.” “What's done is done. I've got something else for you, are you listening?” “I'm listening but whatever it is, my price went up. I want a billion this time. In current US dollars. After all state and federal taxes have been paid.” “You know we can't give you this much.” “You can give it to some corporations. I should incorporate myself as Whitecoffee and you can award me a couple of billion dollars security contract.” “It would take a few years to clear the security clearances for your new company and be awarded any contract from the US government.” “No problem, I can wait.” “OK Alexander. There is another reason why I came to you. Because it's going to be personal.” “What do you mean by personal?” “You're going to do this job for expenses only. Pretty much a blank cheque, but only for expenses.” “And what makes you think I'm going to leave my nice house surrounded by a pristine forest where nobody bothers me to take your mission?” “Like I said it's personal.” “I don't think I have any personal grievances with anyone. Even with the ones I exchanged bullets, I don't have anything personal against them. They were doing their job.” “Oh there is something that you have missed.” “What's that? Don't beat around the bush.” “Do you remember Susan?” Susan was Alexander's wife. Like many military men he got married quite quickly. Some military men are known to propose on their first date. Still happens as well, no wonder that divorce rates in US military personnel are extremely high. Love at first sight. Then out of sight, out of mind. When your husband is missing for a long time, can't contact him and have no idea what he's doing and you're a young horny girl, things just happen. The one who is the last to find out is the cuckold husband. After he returns from his long tour of duty he found his wife pregnant. Wouldn't be the first nor the last. He still forgave his wife like many army men do. Pretend nothing happened and raise someone else's kid as their own. However in this case he couldn't pass the kid as his own. The child was mixed, but could actually pass for white. There was no doubt that the father of the kid was a white man. They divorced and that was the last time he saw her. Some 12 years later he learnt that she and her child died. She was aboard the plane that crashed in the Twin Towers out of all places. “I had forgotten about her. She's been dead for more than 20 years you know. And dead to me for longer than that.” “But you remember the father of her child though? That young private Dillan. He got charged with adultery. Even though himself was single he should have known better. Got kicked out of the army, not dishonourably though, got away with an OTH discharge.” “In some backward countries adultery is still a crime you know. Maybe these countries will get in line with the times.” “It's technically still a crime in some US states. It is definitely still enforced in the military penal code.” “Like I said in backward countries. Some backward countries still have the death penalty as well.” “Spare me the irony. You made sure that this horny teen got charged for adultery. If you could have given him the death penalty you would have done so.” “Did you see how smug he was? Run into him 7 years later in Jordan. He recognised me and he was lucky I was there for a job. Then again 9 years later in Singapore I ran into him in a fancy restaurant. He was there with some bigwigs that had more security with them than the POTUS.” “He did well for himself. Was young, went to college, got a degree. climbed the corporate ladder in multinational companies and he made well for himself.” “What has this to got with me though?” “You definitely want to get one on him.” “If I wanted to, he could have been happening to pass by where a stray bullet landed. Or would have committed suicide. With a knife. Died after he stabbed himself on the back 24 times.” “You're not a murderer. You can be an assassin but not a murderer. A murderer kills someone for his personal reasons, you have only killed people in the line of work.” “I can neither confirm or deny this.” “You don't want to kill him. If you killed him, he would be... well dead. You want him to suffer, you want him to lose all that he has worked his life for. Just so you can go tell him that he shouldn't worry about it and he'll be all right.” “That's your words not mine.” “I've known you for what? 35 years. You've never been angry with anyone else. You weren't angry with your wife, you forgave her after all.” “You still haven't told me what you want from me.” “Oh... don't worry we'll get to this. Get me a drink. And tell me to come in. I've been standing here for ages.” “Thanks for the drink. Was surprised that you'd have my favourite blend here given that you don't drink. Or did you start drinking in your retirement?” “I don't drink, but people who visit me do. I know how to be a good host.” “Not that many people would come to visit you as the nearest house is 5 miles away.” “Hey, I like my privacy.” “OK we should get to the point. What do you know of Berberiland?” “It's a country, well not exactly a country, more of a breakaway state in Africa. Haven't heard anything in the news about them. Not that I have a TV to watch the news. Or have an internet connection to check the news. No news in the local rag either. I buy a copy every week when I do my shopping.” “Even if you followed the news you wouldn't hear anything about them. They're too far away for the news to bother about them. Unless something extremely bad happens and because the country is in sub Saharan Africa it has to be at a magnitude of a thousand to even score a blip. Civil wars, military coups, large numbers of deaths aren't considered to be news over there. Only thing that you might have noticed the past few years was about Ebola and that was because it might also affect us.” “Only bad news is good news. When was the last time you heard about something good happening?” “A few months ago when the Denver Nuggets became World Champions. Also Messi joined Inter Miami FC.” “Sports news excluded. And you forgot to invite the world, last time I checked we the Germans are the World Champions in basketball.” “Are you German now?” “Yes I was born in Oberammergau in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Southern Bavaria.” “Does this make you German? Both your parents were American.” “And both your parents were German even though you were born in New York. But you claim to be American.” “Touche.” “Anyway what's the news with Berberiland.” “That's the point. There's no bad news. It's in Africa so you'd expect to listen to bad news every now and then. They have some territorial disputes with Somalia but they're pretty civil about it. They do have some separatists that want to rejoin Somalia but nothing much is happening.” “How can they be separatists if they want to be part of Somalia which Berberiland is de jure a part of?” “Don't get me on this, that's way above my pay grade. Anyway Berberiland is a de facto independent country and it used to be a British protectorate, while Somalia was an Italian colony. Somalia is the typical African failed state. The government doesn't exercise control a few miles away from the capital. They had a few civil wars, pirates hijacking ships, terrorists and the list goes on. Berberiland broke away from Somalia and has been stable this century.”