Page 51 of Guarding Zuri
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Zuri stretched her arms over her head. The digital clock on the smart display screen on the table next to her bed said nine-fifteen. Nine hours of sleep again. She loved sleeping in this bed. It was one of the most comfortable she had ever been in. She’d never felt safer than being here in Daemon’s ridiculously enormous home with all the high-tech security gadgets. She fingered the screen that she could use for videoconferencing. In all the safe houses she’d lived in over the years, they had only a security camera or two—when they had working electricity. She appreciated the upgrade in technology, but missed the earthy, simple comforts of home.
Daemon’s team had some of the largest, meanest-looking men she’d ever encountered—and they were good at their jobs—but when the chef made his famous cookies, she saw the boyish giddiness they couldn’t suppress under all that heavy weight they lifted. She’d become acquainted with a few of them—Roland, Blaine, and Archer—in the days she’d been here at the mansion. They told stories of their deployments with Daemon and all the shenanigans they had experienced over the years. She had laughed at the idea that Daemon wasn’t the cool, composed security professional he displayed. Being unable to resist sweets, he’d tried a dessert from a street vendor they warned him against, and it’d left him in the restroom for the rest of the day.
Zuri padded to the shower and let her head fall back as the water streamed down her body from the rain head.I’m going to miss this. Since the meeting at the State Department building had ended in success, she had visited with additional foundations and non-profits over the last several days. Her confidence in leadership had grown and the support for a post-Gohi Bendola was encouraging.With all this help, I can go home soon.
Bendola remained on the brink. Intelligence officials had confirmed what Daemon was getting from his ground spies. The dictatorship was about to be toppled. David and his men had contacted a military general who was almost ready for Zuri to give the order for the coup. Many in the military had grown increasingly angry at how the Elite Guard were treating Bendolans. Gohi had zero support from the international community and wouldn’t consider diplomacy. The military commander was confident Gohi and his men would surrender if offered the chance.
After their trip to the preserve, Zuri had tried to connect with David to pass a message to the general to begin the coup. But he didn’t answer his phone. Zuri had worried until Daemon spoke Parker who’d said David was safe and preparing. Of course, David couldn’t be sitting by the phone waiting for her call, but she expected to still give orders, even if she was out of the country.
Again, Zuri skipped the gym and settled on breakfast in her room while she reviewed her father’s journal for guidance on leadership and governance. Daemon was probably right; Bendolans might want to elect her as their next president—and she had to be prepared. Other than a few pieces of jewelry and papers on her father’s body, she hadn’t had time to gather any personal effects before leaving Bendola, other than a change of clothes and supplies she had in her go-bag. Not having mementos was fine, as long as she had her mother’s gold cross necklace and wedding band and her father’s journal. The journal detailed much of his life and all of his plans and musings concerning a democratic government.
The people must see their leader.
The words rang true from the page. A movement needed a leader, or it would be chaos. Right now, David was the de facto leader of the resistance in her absence. Zuri considered how she could connect with Bendolans, even from her comfortable room in Daemon’s mansion. A video perhaps? YouTube would be the perfect venue, and she could use Twitter to make it go viral. Although cell phone coverage in Bendola was limited, the neighboring coastal countries were not as hamstrung, and the people there were following activities in Bendola closely. Maybe they could get word to relatives and friends inside Bendola.It could rally their courage for the fight!
Zuri got up to tell Daemon about her plan. They could film a short video of her encouraging her people and then upload it. Maybe Daemon could feed the video on the streets in Bendola without needing intervention from other nations. He had a satellite, right? His guys could hack into television feeds and have it play.
Halfway out the door, her cellphone rang.
“Zuri?”
“David! I’ve been trying to reach you.” Zuri closed her door and went back to her bed to sit down. Her heartbeat sped up with anticipation. Was everything okay? Did they need another plan because Gohi’s forces were stronger than they anticipated? “Tell me everything.”
“Yes, I know you’ve been calling. I apologize for the delay. Things have escalated since we last spoke. It’s taken us by surprise, but we have everything under control.”
Zuri’s heart settled as anxiety dissipated. “There’s so much I have to tell you. About the support we have here. I’ve met with so many people who are willing to help. It’s been an amazing experience.”More than I could’ve imagined,she thought, considering those first few minutes after meeting Daemon. His money hadn’t impressed her. She’d been so dismissive of him that she would’ve regretted if he had actually left after she first fired him.
“And I’ve much to tell you. President Gohi has claimed you’ve fled the country for safety. He hasn’t said where, which his good for you, but he’s been pushing that propaganda hard.”
“What?” Zuri squeezed the phone in her hand. “That’s not true!” Well, it wastechnicallytrue, but not in spirit. “If there was any other way—”
“We know, Zuri. It’s a campaign of misinformation. To discredit you. The people don’t believe it, not after what happened to your father.”
Even more reason to get a video out. If the people believed President Gohi, the resistance would lose support at their most crucial moment. They had to hurry their plans. “Even so, we can’t take the chance of their will to fight faltering. I heard you’re waiting for the military commander to ready the army for the order.”
“Yes, we are. Shouldn’t be much longer. Timing is critical, Zuri.”
With the military on their side, President Gohi would be the one to flee. The only men who remained absolutely loyal to him were his guards. Although coups for democracy hadn’t been successful in many countries, Zuri hoped for a better result in Bendola. For years, her father had been fostering relationships with sources at the highest level, hoping to persuade them to their cause. Many had turned him down believing his fight futile.Your work won’t go in vain, father. I promise you!
“Yesterday, I spent the entire day reviewing the plans and making sure everything was in place,” David added. “I know you’re anxious about the timing, but it’ll take as long as it takes. We might only get one chance. There’s no going back.”
“You’re right. I am anxious. I don’t want to miss our chance, especially if we only get one. Is everything ready?”
“We believe so. This is a delicate operation, and we need to take our time to ensure success. If Gohi discovers our plot, we’ll lose the military.”
“Of course,” she agreed. She trusted David’s expertise. No matter how much experience she’d gained working with her father, it didn’t quite compare to what David had learned and participated in when he was with the US military. “If this isn’t done right, we may lose all momentum, too.”
“We’re taking the proper precautions to keep as many people as safe as possible until the time comes to act.”
David’s line of thinking was sound. She was impatient for the coup to begin, but this wasn’t the time to abandon morality, because Gohi was spreading lies about her. This was their most critical hour. It couldn’t be rushed, nor could she put people’s lives needlessly in danger.
Hurried, but not rushed.
“What are the chances for success?” She heard a knock on the door, and Daemon peeked his head in, his expression curious. Zuri motioned for him to enter. She put the phone on speaker, and Daemon sat on the corner of the bed next to her.
“The odds are very good. We’ve maintained tight security, and we do not expect any breaches. I, myself, will exact the consequences.”
