SIGNS OF THE TIMES

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 15

THEY GOT SAMUEL!  

 

     The encrypted call to Mossad HQ was met with an immediate "Repeat!"

     The agent on the other end repeated in a calm but urgent voice, "Boko Haram - they got Samuel."

     Hadar Gabbai, the Mossad Chief of Operations, sensing something in the "Repeat" order, motioned for the headset of the operator.

     "Hadar here. Details, please."

     The Operative gave only the needed and most precise details, "Sir, Ambush by Boko Haram in NW operational sector Nigeria. Prisoner taken, Samuel, no others. Several non-serious Team wounds, still effective operational. No escorting party wounded. Mabior in charge and gathering local info on terrorist heading and possible aim point. Request special assist ground track team while enroute. Have special Nigerian track team with us."

     Hadar responded, "Track Team activated as we speak. Respond only as essential. Roger, out."

     As Hadar handed the headset back to the operator, he was asked about Samuel's welfare.

     Hadar turned and smiled, "I think this: I think Boko Haram has their hand's full. Put in a call to Leah. She may wish to be a part of the track team." He walked out of the room with a smile that had taken on a roguish shade. As he swung the door open, he turned back with a suggestion born of his experience concerning Samuel, "Tell you what. Don't look where Boko Haram might be taking Samuel. No - look where Samuel might be taking Boko Haram."

     The room erupted in laughter. One of the men remarked, "Now, we're using intelligent thinking."

__________________________

     Mabior and The Team were hot on Boko Haram's track.

     Alek, beside Mabior, whispered almost to himself, "It's almost as if Samuel wanted to be captured."

     Mabior, in an intense concentration, took time to comment on Alek's words, "I agree. It's a crazy tactic, but one that Samuel would come up with."

     The Team's scouts, Alier and Kuol, the twins, came up to Mabior dragging a Boko Haram member by his legs with his hands twist tied behind his back wearing a look of horror on his face.

     Kuol announced, "Mabior, I have the pleasure to present Mr. Boko Haram lookout for their main camp."

     Alek set about kicking the prisoner, but was interrupted by Mabior's leg.

     "Alek, calm, my brother. There will be time for that and much worse if he doesn't talk," then he turned and smiled at the man on the ground.

____________________________

     A man rushed breathlessly into the Mossad Intelligence room shouting, "We've picked up his signal! He's wearing a tracker. We know exactly where Samuel is!"

     In his office across the hall from the Intel room, Hadar heard the courier shouting his glad tidings. He rushed into the room, previously reserved, but now erupting into a maniacal scene. He took in the spectacle, saying, "I knew It! Oh, Samuel, you sweetheart of our Lord!"

     The man wearing the headset that was still attached while jumping up and down, yelled atypically at Hadar, "You called it, Sir! You said, 'Boko Haram has their hands full.'"

________________________________

     The Mossad operative made his way to Mabior and Alek with a deleted stoic expression that had changed to an ear to ear smile. "Mabior, Samuel's wearing a tracker!"

     Mabior stopped like a semi-truck applying the air brakes. Alek ran into him from behind as he overheard the news. The rest of The Team, sensing the gravity of something huge, all abandoned military protocol in a combat situation, and rushed to surround Mabior and the Mossad Agent.

     Info was dispensed as it came in from Israeli Intelligence. Two American Blackhawk helos landed in an pre-arranged cleared and safe area. It was the Sayeret Matkal Tracker-Recon Team. The Team had worked with them extensively in Iran recently. It was the additional personnel that surprised everyone.

     The familiar Recon Team members exited slowly with gear. The Team helped the Recon deploy satellite equipment.

     Amani stood up and began running to the second helo that had touched down. Mabior thought, "What is going on. Is there a Threat?"

     Amani soon let the cat out of the bag, "Leah!" Leah and Samuel had semi-adopted Amani after their marriage. He was the Godfather of Aliza Winston, Leah's daughter. Then, Amani yelled, "Natalya!"

     All The Team came running. The presence of Leah and Natalya Fedorov was special to these men. They might be female, but, like Mrs. Akech and Ruth Iverson, they were Team members, royalty.

     After things settled a bit and equipment unloaded, Leah turned to Mabior and Alek, "We're bringing Samuel home. Mabior, you're his commanding officer, what got into his head that he could do something like this without approval?"

     Alek jumped in to defend Mabior, "Leah, this is typical Samuel Nathanael Winston! He has done things just like this since day one on the team. Mabior had no clue what he was about to do, just like the Chief never had any idea what he was about to pull off!"

     "Alek, Mabior, I'm so sorry. Before we were married, had a child, the dangers stayed hidden in the back of my mind. He tells me often that he is serving God, not man. If his life is ended, it is ended serving God, not a country, not a man, not an idol."

     The unit spent time planning then proceeded to get some rest before engagement with the enemy not so far away the following day.

     Next morning just before sunrise, The Team moved into position before the main hideout of the most notorious terrorist group in Africa, Boko Haram. Founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf in northeastern Nigeria, the organization was hell-bent on overthrowing the Nigerian government and establishing an Islamic State of terrorists.

     Hosseini and Thon, the ambush specialists of The Team, were set up in an advantageous zone beside the trail into Samuel's indicated position. Thon, always the one to add a little lightheartedness to an intense situation, sent the signal by sat-phone that he and Hoss (as The Team nicknamed Hosseini) were ready to rescue Little Joe and retake the Ponderosa.

     Mabior took in a deep breath as he typed the go signal on his sat-phone, a laughing face that fit into what Thon had in mind.

     The Ambush Team pair stood up while near by in the pre-dawn darkness a group of men were scattered about in various forms of relieving oneself. they tossed  four flash bang grenades that actually aided any of the men suffering from constipation. After that action, the pair let loose with their Scars weapons fully auto.

     At those sounds, the entire force of The Team and Sayeret Matkal that had penetrated the camp from many directions opened up on the grass huts and anywhere men slept. The surprise and the fear from the action created total havoc and pandemonium among Boko Haram.

     Samuel, chained and bound in a hut with two guards ordered to immediately kill him should this expected event take place. Well, that would have been the situation had not two women put a 9 mm bullet through each one's foot while two of the fastest men alive cut through the back of the hut to kill anyone attempting to harm Samuel, Garang and Chol. By the time the shooting started, the two had entered the hut and cut Samuel loose while placing a Scars rifle in his hands. They were not insulted that they only received a smile from Samuel for their efforts to free him. They loved one another, and they expected no pat on the back for doing their job during intense situations such as this. 

     The two ladies outside had counseled the two guards after shooting them that if one hair has been mussed upon the man insides head, they would make any future baby making impossible for the two men.

     You may wonder, what was Natalya doing there? Natalya and Leah had become best friends through Alexi's association with The Team. She had been visiting when Leah got the call about Samuel's abduction. You see, before Natalya met Alexi and became a Christian through his influence, she was one of the most heartless and bloodthirsty liquidators in the KGB. She would tell people in her Christian speeches that Christ can soften the heart of even the most despicable of humans, like her, and turn them into kind and loving people. She personally gave aid to the two guards along with Leah. Shortly after, the two gave their lives to Jesus Christ.

     Today the two guards work in some of the most dangerous Jihadist areas of Africa bringing the life-giving message of the Good News.

     Few of the Boko Haram encountered in the hideout had to be killed or wounded thanks to the total surprise of the attack. However, there is much work to still be done. Violent Jihadism fueled many times by an abundance of drugs and ignorance of the general population plague Africa in the wilderness or back country areas. The Lord's work can be dangerous for merely spreading the message of love. We must continue our Lord's work for it is our commission.

     When people are confronted with a message of forgiveness by a loving and graceful God, they usually take time to contemplate upon this strange message. Give them the time they need, and reinforce it by being an example of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     This forgiveness and love by God, himself, is not offered in Islam nor any other religion. Spread this Good News with its special message that it alone offers. With simple faith you are forgiven of your sins and loved by the creator, himself, Lord of all. So, my brothers and sisters go and sin no more.

"We love because he first loved us."  1 John 4:19 (NIV)

 

 

You are kidding yourself...

      You are kidding yourself...

If you think drugs are the direction of peace.

If you think money is the answer to your problems.

If you think material things bring comfort in difficult times.

If you think YOU can do it alone.

If you think Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life...

You're absolutely correct and on the way to peace and comfort against all things. 

Come to where we do not hate, we love

Come to where there are no magical hoops to jump through, no monthly or yearly dues to pay...

To Jesus Christ our loving Lord and Savior who died for our sins, and because of this, he defeated death for us, the ones he loves. 

 

 

GOD IS MORE EAGER TO ANSWER THAN WE ARE TO ASK - CHAPTER 14

 

CHAPTER 14

God is more eager to answer than we are to ask - Smith Wigglesworth

 

    The jungle wrapped the captives and their captors, the Fulani militants, in its unbearable humidity and vegetation like a suffocating plastic bag. The Muslim militants were busy doing Allah's will, which is usually stealing, killing, and slaving. Bound only by the fear of being shot if they ran, the captives sat on their knees with heads bowed. Most chose this moment to silently ask for God's holy intervention. For two days, it seemed as though their Christian God had capitulated to the Fulani God, Allah.

    The Fulani Ethnic Militia, aka Fulani Herders, aided by Al-Shabaab, aka Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, aka the Islamic Emirate of Somalia, focus was what is referred to as the Middle Belt of Nigeria. They are also active in the north and south of Nigeria, but not as their focal point. The Fulani modus operandi is stealing farm land from the poorly armed Christian farmers. This is done through extreme violence against Christians known for their non-violent resistance. It seems as though the Nigerian government is more intent on lining their pockets than protecting Nigerian farmers. The rural violence matters little to city dwellers nested in their cozy, secure homes. After all, the rurals are dirty, sweaty, and ignorant people of no worth to us important people of the cities. The life and death of those paltry and inferior - dirty people are of no significance to the City People.

    Omar Elmi Dihoud, leader of this Fulani group, entered the area occupied by the captives surrounded by his inbred security unit, putting on a third-rate acting job like they were the most powerful and holiest of men. The comic retinue demanded respect by kicking the kneeling captives.

    Omar shouted in a squeaky, close to feminine, voice that didn't seem to fit the man who thought of himself as the most feared and respected Muslim militant in African history.

    There were 27 shabby-looking Fulani militants in total, with their 12 captives. Clothing was a big problem for the militants. Their clothing was so oversized or undersized that it made them look more like circus clowns than soldiers. At one point, a militant's pant leg was stepped on by another militant, bringing the man down flat on his face, causing his unsecured AK to discharge, hitting another militant in the posterior.

    Don't mistake these men for something they are not by their buffoonery and antics. These Fulani men are merciless and cruel. They violently removed the heads of their captives more often than not without a second thought. Frequently, with a smile pasted across the face that contained the empty and godless eyes, these men would plunge a knife into the back of a child or put a gun to the head of a wife in front of their spouse to make them both beg Allah for mercy. If not, they both were executed in front of the other captives.  

    The day's light was giving way to the darkness of night. Captives were made to watch as the militants stuffed their mouths with Suya, seasoned goat meat, skewered over a fire. A crude circle was formed around the fire by the thugs. Roasting goat meat, talking, and laughing while they passed around the Captagon and amphetamine.

    The captives were neither offered food nor drink. Remaining on the ground on their knees for hours at a time tended to cause cramping and joint stiffness. Captives held little value. Their land was the prize. Lives of captives ended when the Fulani had drained all the fun from their misery, and that time was quickly approaching.

    After finishing supper in front of the starving captives, Omar stood. His words were, "Let the after-supper entertainment begin."

    The men laughed and stood up while reaching for their AK47s and some reached for their knives in scabbards. The party was entering its final phase, the rampage killing phase. The captives knew what was coming. It was a common pattern of the Fulani butchers. They didn't kill for Allah. That was just an excuse. Any civilized society doesn't allow people to be butchered. Yet, their Muslim god demanded it.

    One of Omar's bodyguards produced a folding chair from some obscured place for Omar, the king, to sit while observing his people dealing justice to these evil Christian farmers.

    As Omar sat down surrounded by his royal bodyguards, his head exploded from the impact of some unknown weapon. That event seemed to be the signal for a hailstorm of bullets that began piercing the skulls of all 27 Fulani militiamen. As the bodies fell, they sometimes landed upon one of the captives, who screamed in terror, thinking they had been shot.

    Slowly, out of the jungle emerged many men in camouflage with strange instruments on their faces. The men with their SCARs leveled and sweeping the area, saying over and over, "You're safe, we're Christians."

    None of the captives moved until the men began touching them softly, asking, "Are you hurt? We have food and water with us."

    A young man warily twisted his downturned head to look at the men invading the clearing and declaring themselves to be Christians. Maybe five seconds later, he shouted, "God answered our prayers! You're The Team, aren't you?"

    A tall man standing near the young man who shouted, bent down, answering, "Yes, God has answered your prayers, and, yes, we are what is known as The Team. You are safe now. I am Mabior, and these are my brothers who have answered your cry to God."

    All the captives sat upright at that announcement. Most began to sob uncontrollably. One captive touched The Team member nearest to her, whispering, "You are Samuel, the one who is short in height, but tall in courage."

    Samuel bent down, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Can I pray for you?"

    Sobbing, the woman grabbed his hand and that of her husband next to her, answering, "Yes, you must pray for all these brothers and sisters of ours. They have lost all their land, houses, and, most of all, their children."

    Samuel smiled at them and stood up. He pointed to the edge of the clearing.

    All the captives screamed and stood with arms extended. Their children came running to each set of parents. They were saved. It was time to celebrate God's grace.

    Alek organized the food and water dispensing. It was difficult for Alek. He tries his best to be tough and aloof, but he was crying so hard that Armani told him to sit down and let him handle this duty.

    Samuel went from family to family, praying with them and asking for any immediate needs. Later, after everyone was fed, Samuel gathered everyone to pray over the dead.

    Dok whispered into Diemba's ear, "We - we Christians - we really are so different from the world."

    Diemba just shook his head while staring at Dok with a look that expressed just how dramatic and powerful that simple declaration is.

    Shortly after the prayer, Mabior walked through The Team with two fingers raised high while shouting, "Part two, part two, men. Akunna is here. Load the trucks with the rescued. Part two begins as soon as loaded."

    Alek signalled Mar and Thon to activate the red landing flares for the helos coming in to transport The Team to part two of their piece of the mission. Alek grabbed Artie by his body armor, asking, "Are the American cruise missiles on the way and on time?"

    Artie was in full serious mode, "Yeah, and we need to be at position two when those Yanks begin hitting the camps, and the Reaper drones start firing. As those Fulani, Al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram boys get hit, they'll come running down that trail. Mate - it will get intense, fast," and he smiled a smile filled with memories of just such confrontations.

    Mabior yelled, "Choppers incoming! Landing site - now!"

    The Blackhawks had scarcely set down before they had their passengers loaded and were away into the moonless and clear night. The trucks commanded by the fearless servant of God, Akunna, were rumbling down the rutted trail toward safety with their precious cargo. Bodies of lifeless and previously dangerous militants lay in what looked like an arranged pattern on the ground. These bodies and a few worthless items of human trash were all that remained of the militant sanctuary turned cemetery. But the night still held work for the godly; savage work.

    Akunna had instructed the other drivers to sing gospel hymns to soothe worried and weary souls on the journey to safety. On the helos, Samuel, on the number one helo, led the men in gospel hymns that seemed to drown out the noise of the motor. On helos two and three, Shermake and Mar led the gospel singing.

    Alek looked at Giff, who was singing loudly and off-key, as usual, but had a couple of tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. Alek managed in the tightly packed compartment to get his arm around Giff's shoulder while smiling. Alek was tough and a man of few words except for ranging weapons and artillery, but he had a deeply compassionate side that could shock those who saw it for the first time.

    Alek told Giff, "Never, ever, be afraid to ask God anything. For protection or anything, Giff. He is God the Father. He loves us more than we can ever imagine."

    At that moment, the co-pilots on all three helos turned toward the passengers, giving a full five-finger signal that the men knew meant five minutes to touchdown. The men put their night vision goggles on and loaded rounds into weapons and pistols. It was go-time.  

 

 

THE FIRST AND GREATEST COMMANDMENT... Chapter 13

 

    Due to the sizable group called to attend this important dinner meeting, the event was held in the lobby of The Team's Compound. It was a veritable who's who of The Team's history. It gave me chills looking around the room at the various attendees.

    I sat in the front row. Beside me sat Mabior, Samuel, and Alek. A chair was reserved beside me for General Iverson, who stood at the podium talking with Hadar Gabbai, Giff and Artie's Chief at Mossad, and Akunna, our lead guide on the Nigeria mission to capture Shekau. In succession, the remaining Team members sat: Amani, Deng, Thon, Mar, Dut, Marial, Bol, Dok, Chol, Ali, Kuol, Alier, Jok, Garang, Hosseini, Shermake, Diemba, and Chad, Artie's son. Next, a seat was saved for Hadar next to Artie and Giff. On the back row sat Uncle Wadood, Chan's Uncle, Colonel Petrov, General Chuol (South Sudanese Army General), Harry Oldman, Lachlan Eddington, and the Men Whose Names We Cannot Know.

    Fred, Mrs. Akech, Leah with baby Aliza strapped in front, Diemba's wife, Fadoul, Hosseini's wife, Haleh, and all their children, and the Children's Team led by Kafeel and Ismail had all toiled tirelessly to put on a dinner that the finest restaurant in any country could not compete with. I was so proud of these Christians who served without complaint The Team who had no humanly understandable schedules. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such godly people.

    As Hadar and Akunna took their seats, General Iverson opened, "Gentlemen," he looked around, taking in the aroma that filled the air, "It will be with great difficulty that we carry on this meeting surrounded by such culinary perfume as this."

    Everyone gave a loud shout and a rousing applause at those words as they focused on all the people rushing back and forth carrying food and dishes. Fred, always in charge, ordered the staff to all come out and take a bow. Most of them shyly bowed while their faces turned red from all the praise and attention. We showered them with a standing ovation and whoops and hollers learned from our mutually adopted brothers and sisters, the American Indians.

    After the applause and fanfare died down, General Iverson looked at Samuel, asking if he would pray us in. To his mild surprise, Samuel deferred to the young Kafeel.

    Kafeel, having been pre-warned, was ready and willing. Wiping his hands on his apron, he asked all to bow their heads and join him, "Our holy of holies Lord Father, we are gathered here in your name. As you promised, when two or more of us gather in your name, you will be there. Thank you, Lord. We are your soldiers carrying out that which we have discerned through prayer to be your will. Please, holy Father, guide us and protect us in this and everything we do in your name. Lead us on righteous paths. Make us bold, yet loving, in battle. Make us into loving and holy examples of your son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Compel us to be conspicuous and above reproach in our service to you, Father. In your son, Jesus Christ's, name, we pray all these things."

    The room remained quiet for about a half minute as Kafeel immediately went back to work. All eyes were on this young, but godly... man.

    Next, General Iverson nodded to Samuel, who began singing the song "Days of Elijah" by Robin Mark. Immediately, he was joined by the entire audience and the meal staff.

    Diemba, normally a quiet and reserved person, was caught up in the spirit. Raising his hands and tilting his head back, he began jumping and shouting continuously, "There's no God like Jehovah!"

    Nobody needed invitations; all of us joined in. We were powerfully engulfed by the Holy Spirit assuming control of our meeting. It was chilling - a wondrous moment. This went on for thirty minutes at least. I've never experienced anything as compelling as Christian events that are taken over by the Holy Spirit. At once, it went from zero to an explosive high-octane event. To give an example of the power present at this event, the Jewish men - The Men Whose Names We Cannot Know - got down on their knees and absolutely surrendered to and announced Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that evening. These men were totally dismantled and reassembled before our very eyes. Samuel and Mabior were as astounded by that event as I was.

    General Iverson, with a big smile on his face, said, "Gentlemen, my son, Mark, Chan, and Alexie, I have no doubt, are co-conspirators with the Holy Spirit for this - shall I say, sacred eruption tonight."

    All stood at that and applauded, accompanied by stirring shouts for the Holy Spirit and the three beloved missing members.

    Still smiling softly with a noticeable tear or two rolling down his cheeks, the General began, "Gentlemen, I'm sure you know, but few broadcasts by news agencies outside of Nigeria have given the massacre of innocent Christian farm workers any coverage. Since 2015, around 11,500 Christian farm workers have been massacred by Fulani, Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram Jihadist Militants. This fact makes them the world's deadliest terror groups. Our organization went into Nigeria two years ago in an attempt to try to eliminate or reduce some of the power of Boko Haram and the Fulani Brigade. As you know, the government of Nigeria is unwilling to do what is necessary to fight these Muslim militant groups. Non-Christian researchers and reaction groups are calling the death figures highly inflated and not meeting the definition of genocide."

    General Iverson leaned on the podium with his elbows as he stared down at the floor, thinking for a moment. "All of us gathered here are not people of apathy - passivity. We gathered here attempting to serve our God, our Lord, Jesus Christ, as best as we know how and are capable of. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, was not a man of idleness. Our Lord practiced active faith. He worked long hours. His Mother, Mary, worried about his exhausting schedule. But he had an important and world-changing message to deliver, the Good News. Ladies and gentlemen, we have that same message to deliver to this fallen world. I need not remind you that Nigeria and the situation there has no better example of this degeneracy."

    General Iverson took a long breath before resuming, "In our serving and spreading the Good News, in our enthusiasm for our military mission, we must be very mindful of what Abraham taught us, our beloved first to worship one God. He set up a tent in the desert with four openings, one toward each direction. He did this to welcome people no matter where they journey from. In this, he is telling us that people should be shown hospitality, no matter their religion or nationality. Then, when the matter of our God is introduced, they will say, 'Tell us about this God of yours so that he may be ours also.' If treated poorly or with anger, they will not accept the truth of our God."

    Few, if any, in this room were any better acquainted with the General than I. I knew how strong and solid his faith as well as how prepared he was to die serving and promoting it. I saw his and Mrs. Iverson's faith on full display when Mark, their son, was killed along with Chan on our Moses Mission to Somalia. They were our rock when even Samuel broke down at the funeral.

    General Iverson removed the microphone from its holder to give him the freedom of movement he needed at this moment. With a mic in one hand and the other hand stuffed in his pocket, his head hung in deep thought. He spoke slowly in the beginning, "We are a small detachment. Opinions as to our making any difference in the Nigerian situation are gloomy. That any of you would come back alive - dubious. Shaming the Nigerian government into an elevated reaction has a 50/50 chance of working. Actually, I see it as no chance. But - and it's a big but, when God is applied to the equation, Philippians 4:13 NIV, 'I can do all things through him who gives me strength'. That's exactly how Mrs. Iverson and I made it through the death of our son, Mark. That's exactly how Chan's Uncle Wadood made it through Chan's death. And - that's exactly how we'll go into Nigeria to attack Al-Shabaab and the Fulani organizations. As Christians, we do not face death; we face eternal life as promised by our Lord Jesus. As a Christian, I do not feel as though I might be sending you to certain death. I feel as though I am sending you to certain eternal life. May all of you go forward to serve our Lord with the certainty of our Lord Jesus Christ dying on that cross, then, three days later, rising from the dead."

    The room erupted into a joyous chaos that only the faithful can experience.

    The General shouted through the microphone in the midst of all this, "A Bengali poet wrote, 'Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them.' Thon, my friend and comedian, I once heard you shout to the enemy in the middle of our fierce firefight in Libya, 'I am not in danger, I am the danger.' I love that. Mabior, our leader, our friend, I have often heard you tell The Team, 'The most dangerous person is the one who listens, thinks, and observes.' So very true. I have carried this Thornton Wilder quote about danger with me since a child of 12, 'Every good thing in the world stands on the razor edge of danger.' I'll conclude with this quote from the Bible that accompanies me everywhere, Psalms 91:4-7 'He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.' We will go to Nigeria. We will do as our Lord wills us to do. We will show our enemy love when he allows it, and show him death when he calls for it. Brother Samuel, pray us to this sensational dinner these devoted servants of our Lord have prepared for all of us here."

    Grabbing General Iverson from behind as we joined the serving line, I whispered, "Sir, I'm out of here per plans." The crowd with minds on food never noticed my absence, and The Team expected it.

    Exiting through the back door, I opened the door of a waiting car driven by a CIA agent that I recognized, along with Uncle Sam, our familiar CIA confidante. He turned his head backwards, giving me a cordial smile as the car slowly took off. The last thing we wanted was attention. Uncle Sam, remember it's his code name, like the men whose names we cannot know, he let me know all was proceeding as planned at this point. The Gulfstream G550 was fueled and warming her engines as we pulled up next to the plane. Upon seating ourselves inside the plane, Uncle Sam wasted no time; he pulled paperwork from his briefcase.

    "James, let's go over these meeting items again. Some minor points have changed, but small details are as important as the larger ones in the intelligence business."

    Back at the Team's dinner, Samuel finished his dinner and conversation with those seated with him. He began looking around as if searching for someone.  At the same time, he began walking toward the front entrance and out into the dark night, where a vehicle awaited him. Samuel Winston disappeared almost soundlessly into the moonless night as if by magic.

    By morning, slowly, quietly, The Team had vanished to some unknown destiny - some unknown destination. Was it by criminal intent, or possibly by nefarious means? Were the thousands of possible villains acquired over the years, with revenge in mind, responsible?

    Nobody who had attended the dinner acted as if any of these events were out of place or strange. There were no missing person reports; no persons reported kidnapped, shanghaied, or abducted. Actually,  these events went seemingly unnoticed by locals. None of the Yei residents, police, or army officials inquired as to the missing persons whereabouts. In reality, these mysterious cases were treated with what one might perceive as non-events; never happened. In later years, some of the more regular visitors to Yei at this time, thought the residents might have a "screw loose." The Team members were huge celebrities, and they were present regularly in Yei. Visitors never saw The Team, even when staying for several days. Yet residents, when questioned, always answered, "Oh, you just missed them," or "Really, they were just here."

    Fred told any traveler passing through and visiting his coffee shop, when asked, "Yes, they are very busy. The Chief, Samuel, and Mabior were in very early this morning, due to their busy schedule, they were keeping wierd hours."

   Uncle Wadood was overheard telling a visiting relative, "The team has been held captive by their studies and other training."

    The locals attempted to act nonchalant and very convincing when questioned. But, eventually, answers became scripted and repetitive, "The Team and associates are there, you just missed seeing them."

    Visitors were visibly concerned about not just The Team's welfare but the entire town of Yei's sanity. It would have become tougher to keep the lid on, were it not for the fact that the vast majority of Yei residents really didn't have a clue where The Team was. They had loyally done as instructed. Tell visitors The Team is here or you just missed them. A few with the need to know - knew - of course. 

     Where are they? Surely, they have not deserted or quit. But where are they? The whole world wants to know, where are The Team and their associates?