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A.R.Yngve
PARRY'S PROTOCOL
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Chapter 27
CIA HEADQUARTERS
OCTOBER 6
Ned Wilson came walking toward Abram in the headquarters' main lobby, clutching a thick binder. He walked with long strides, slightly stooping; his tanned, square face was tense. Abram halted, blinking repeatedly and nervously at the approaching figure. A few feet away from Abram, Ned saw him, smiled wide with all his teeth and waved with the binder.
"Eh-bram!" he shouted enthusiastically. "I was just on my way to your car!"
Abram, dressed in a dark-blue pinstripe suit and tie, smiled weakly and stretched out his free hand.
Ned shook it heartily, patting him on the shoulder: "Congratulations, old boy! The Security Council was delighted over the second part'o your report. Some of us were... well, quite surprah-sed over your creative spark. Where d'you get all your wild ideas?"
Abram made an embarrassed grin, tugging at his beard. "Er, well... it's not easily explained."
"You tired after the airtrip? No? Fine! Let's go out in the sun'n talk, it's a fantastic day for being October."
Ned more or less pushed Abram before him with his palm. They traversed the arched glass entrance where a thin stream of employees walked by, and out onto the paved path at the front of the entrance hall. It was a lukewarm autumn day, and the surrounding trees shone yellow and green in the low sun. After walking about a hundred feet the path split three ways. Ned took off to the left, walking down a low set of stairs; Abram followed by his side, both silent. Halfway down a sloping path Ned stopped and looked around; then he opened the binder, holding the spread between them.
It was the front page of the second part of Abram's report:
IMAGES OF THE NEW FUTURE
By DR. ABRAM LEMERCIER
CONTAINS CLASSIFIED MATERIAL -- UNAUTHORIZED COPYING STRICTLY FORBIDDEN
PART 2: A NEW OLD WORLD ORDER?
2.1. Models For a New World Order
2.1.1. Religious blocs
2.1.2. Energy resource blocs
2.1.3. Agriculture blocs
2.1.4. Military power blocs
2.1.5. Geographical blocs
2.1.6. The new instability of bloc structures
2.2. The Near Global Future
2.2.1. Local conflict fires
2.2.2. Ethnic nationalism
2.2.3. Actors in the Global Economy
2.2.4. The increased oil consumption
2.2.5. Suggestion for a Mecca Doctrine
2.2.6. The Balkan problem
2.3. Unexpected Global Threats
2.3.1. Climate changes and large migrations
2.3.2. The Greenhouse Effect
2.3.3. The ozone layer
2.3.4. Suggestion for a Global Environment Court
2.3.5. The next Ice Age?
2.3.6. Comets and meteorites
2.3.7. Suggestion for a Planetary Defense
2.3.8. New religious movements
2.3.9. Evolution is still in motion
2.3.10. The rise of Artificial Intelligence
2.3.11. The effects of Genetic Engineering on mankind
2.4. Notes and Sources
Ned put his finger on the sub-heading "2.2.6.: The Balkan problem".
"The President has read a copy, and he's recently expressed a positive interest in your suggestion; an agreement with Russia about splittin' up the Balkans into guarded security zones." He chuckled, adding: "Hell, it'd be jus' like ol' Germany! I'm gettin' nostalgic all over..."
"Well, not quite that way," Abram objected carefully. "Now that we share the ideals of democratic capitalism with the East, only the purely military and ethnic tensions will remain."
Ned nodded compliantly, frowning: "True, true, ah' was jus' kidding. By the way," he added as if casually, "where'd you get the idea of a 'Mecca Doctrine'?"
Abram seemed confused, looked up chapter "2.2.5. Suggestion for a Mecca Doctrine", and brightened up: "Oh, that!" He ran a hand over his beard as he scanned the pages.
"I simply realized," he continued, "that we here in the secular West are so used to thinking in terms of economy and strategy, that we forget how much religion controls thought in the Orient and India.
"So in order to secure the oil fields there, we should seek guarantees that the nuclear powers in the region -- especially Israel -- would choose another firsthand target. Of course such an agreement must be strictly confidential..."
"Of course," Ned agreed, "but that's what the text said. Ah'm asking, y'see..." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his beige suit, and leaned closer. "...because the National Security Agency is looking for talented people for the Middle East Branch. There are Embassy seats available in Cairo, Ankara, and Tel Aviv... top salaries and much coveted. I'd very much like to suggest you at the next staff meeting."
He looked expectantly at his employee. Abram's face showed a mix of surprise and pride -- he dropped the binder on the paving, quickly bent down and picked it up, embarrassed.
"I'm flattered of course," he said awkwardly as he stood up, "but I've always put my academic career at the top of my list before, so... I'll consider the offer, Ned."
He handed Ned the binder.
"I told you the Company always stands by its employees, Eh-bram!" Ned thumped him in the back, and Abram looked embarrassed again. "Now let me buy you a beer to celebrate this."