Characters
Cardinal Hedrick (Christian Maximilian) Zimmer
This pivotal character, a man of stature and means, spearheads a team dedicated to bringing about the fundamental change in mind-set that is needed in the Middle East. The priest is at the heart of this political thriller: he believes he must change the course of history before he dies.
The prelate has had a career that makes Indiana Jones look like a homebody. He is brave, resilient, and very persuasive. Throughout his long career, he has been the go-to guy when intractable problems need solving. He travels the world for the Holy See, tackling one tough problem after another. He answers only to the Holy Father and carries a diplomatic passport that affords him immunity from “the bad guys.” Through the years, he has amassed IOUs worth a fortune. He intends to use every one of them on this, his last mission.
Louise Margoe Destrey
The heroine, a scientist and the boss of a Boston consulting firm called The Triage Group, has a PhD in industrial psychology. At the behest of the Cardinal, she sets in motion a multi-million dollar project aimed at predicting the future of the Middle East. She’s a Canadian, born in Montreal, who now resides in Boston. She recently lost her husband and now, left on her own, she takes on the job of leading the strangest and most secretive consulting firm in the United States.
Strong and focused, she runs her crew of unlikely professionals like a ship’s captain. Her only love these days is her “Boy,” a 16-hand thoroughbred stallion called Rusty, who waits impatiently for her to return home to Ste-Adèle.
Louise Destrey is caught up in a secret she had not imagined possible at the onset of the assignment. She finds herself trapped in the middle of a disaster waiting to happen.
John Kleinrup
Born of English aristocracy, the son of Lady Jane Elizabeth Sassone Kleinrup and former MI5 Director Horace Kleinrup, John Kleinrup,is the man the Cardinal needs to run his project. He is recruited to manage, and more importantly, lead the Cardinal’s mission in case something fatal happens to the priest.
Hedrick Zimmer has specifically chosen him because he often worked with his father on dangerous projects. John Kleinrup is the perfect organization man. Although he may have strong feelings about the Middle East, he is basically focused on making things happen for the Cardinal. He has resources of his own and he will use his extensive network of “secret people” to jump-start the mission.
Lumosi Mensah
Lumosi is a 73-year-old Ethiopian and a physician. She was the first black woman to head the UN. During her tenure as Secretary-General, Lumosi Mensah was a force to be reckoned with. At just five-foot-two, she cast a powerful shadow over UN diplomats and employees. Her decisions were always true to form: from the very beginning of her term in office, the recommendations and decisions she made never deviated from her sense of right and wrong, regardless of the political pressures put on her.
The Cardinal knows her from way back and her experience and Jewish-Ethiopian ancestry were key elements in his selecting her. He wants her to be the face of change. But, to his surprise, she has no intention of having a professional relationship with him unless he commits to her on a personal level. A love affair between this woman and the priest could become a reality. Will the priest renounce his vows? Will the Middle East let that happen?
Father Franco
Father Franco, the Cardinal’s assistant, is loyal, strong, and fiercely protective. He is the Cardinal’s confidant and guardian. He has no ambitions of his own, other than to be at his Cardinal’s side, watching and observing his every move, doing his bidding. He loves the Cardinal like a father and will do anything to protect him.
Father Franco a man of his time, a dedicated priest, but also technologically savvy. He is as comfortable in Singapore, Paris, or St. Louis as in his native Rome. He lives his life as an invisible assistant: he is a shadow; he has no title.
Sadly, he cannot accept that the Cardinal is failing, even though his superior has often reminded him that one day he will not be there for him. If only the Cardinal knew, it’s the other way around.
Marine Colonel Mary-Beth Harrison, U.S. Marines
The Cardinal has worked with few people in the military and yet this woman, a cross between Father Franco and an Amazon warrior, will play a major role. She’s a professional lawyer, working as a JAG officer in the U.S. military.
She enlisted in the military because in the past she often found herself inspired by stories of the men and women who courageously fought for her country. For Mary-Beth, being in the military or the police is a privilege.
A lot of what Mary-Beth does and thinks is practical, insightful and instinctual. Mary-Beth epitomizes “Serve and Protect.”
Julian Andre Precov
Julian Andre is married to Natalia Anastasia Precova and is the father of a young woman he calls NaNa.
This man is capable of doing whatever is needed to achieve his goals. He rarely makes exceptions to this primary rule. He has the potential for both good and bad.
Most cannot even fathom the depths of Precov’s predisposition. His is a dark force. Most of his new partners will never allow their own ying and yang to surface; most prefer to hide evidence of their potential to do harm. But Precov doesn’t shy away from his true nature. He is the embodiment of evolution gone wild. He reminds his colleagues what they are up against, and what they can do… when push comes to shove.
“Know thyself” is the mantra he repeats to himself. He is at home with himself.
The men and women he befriends time and again fail to see his true face. He can be a formidable foe, especially if the Cardinal’s enemies cross the prelate. His colleagues know he can be a useful friend when they get in trouble, especially when there is no one else to turn to. Julian Andre Precov’s soul has been stripped from his body. He is wounded and dangerous.
David Dicter and Innia Mastechi
Two officers of the peace: David Dicter is a cop in Jerusalem; Innia Mastechi is a Mossad agent.
They talk.
They often work together and, over the years, they have done what had to be done. They live on the fringe.
One day, they catch a glimpse into a world they hadn’t suspected could exist in Israel.
And so the two start to see things differently. David and Innia are good cops. What they have said to their respective supervisors has sometimes been true, sometimes not. They are courageous and relentless. Neither one will lose the scent. The hunt is on. They are about to be upset, very upset.
Margaret McGivney
Louise Destrey’s secretary and personal concierge, Margaret is also Louise’s unofficial protector. She extends her boss’s reach deep into the TG organization. She is important in The Triage Group because she knows when people should approach the boss and because she knows precisely who’s doing what at TG.
Not one to suffer fools lightly, she is a formidable person to deal with. She lives and breathes multi-tasking. Totally committed to her boss, she manages the shop when the boss is away.
Employees who want to be in Louise Destrey’s favor, need Margaret McGivney in their camp. She is the only TG employee who talks to her boss on an equal footing. She misses nothing, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Imam Said Buttar
The Imam feels he is on trial: he is judge, jury and the accused. He isn’t happy with himself. He fears the dogma of those who use it to manipulate his people. Almost by chance, he finds himself wedged between a rock and a hard place. He lives between earth and heaven, torn between rules and responsibility.
He does not want to be his shoes; the guilt of not doing what is right is unbearable. Fortunately, he will meet someone who unwittingly will guide him to the light.
Jeejee the Mumbaikar
Although legally there no longer are social castes in India, Jeejeestill belongs to the lowest: he is an untouchable. Jeejee is a bottom feeder – and an insane criminal. He ekes out an existence in Mumbai.
Jeejee represents the worst of Indian culture and of Mumbai. His life is one of uninterrupted hardships: he survives from day to day on hallucinations and desires.
Jeejee is perplexed. His Mumbai is changing into a city where everything is now possible. He wants everything. His story will be horrible. He will cause murder. He will be involved in torture. He will unwittingly cause the death of an innocent mother.
