Half Himba

By Orlando Stephenson

This is the third book in the Daryl Morgan and Rodger Truscott Thriller series.
When Ginger, their super tech for mole programs and viruses, has her son taken, they find that he shares Karima’s ability. They then discover that dozens of children worldwide have been taken who also have the same ability as Karima. That is, they can “feel” outcomes, both good and bad. Daryl and Rodger learn that the kids are being taken by billionaire, Jason Rivers, and put into compounds where they are used to predict outcomes that he uses for money and power.
Jason became a billionaire using the kid’s predictions of the stock market, but now he has bigger ambitions. He is using them to predict elections and has his eye on taking over the Presidency of the United States. They foil a plot to kill the Vice President as part of Jason’s plan to take over.
In order to put Jason out of business and recover Ginger’s son they must mount a search to find the compounds and free the children. The search for the compounds initially leads to Namibia and the Himba tribe. Then Angola, Colorado and Alaska but Jason is a step ahead of them each time and manages to keep several children including Ginger’s to keep him from getting caught.
With corrupt FBI and CIA agents aiding Jason and with his almost unlimited money against them it becomes a race to see who will prevail.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orlando Stephenson
• Release date: Mar 28, 2020

Orlando Stephenson

“Click Fraud @ Sonic Ping” is Orlando Stephenson’s first novel and is also the first book in a series of four thrillers (so far) that chronicle the adventures of Daryl Morgan and Rodger Truscott. Orlando and his wife Cynthia have traveled to more than 130 countries, which has provided inspiration for the international settings in his novels. Orlando lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife.

Book preview

Half Himba

by

Orlando Stephenson

Disclaimer

All of the characters in this book are fictional. I did not set out to develop any personas that were related to anyone I know and as such any similarities are purely coincidental. The search engine company ‘Sonic Ping’ is also fictitious and the website sonicping.com is owned by me. In addition, the town of Pingree is also wholly a figment of my imagination as is most of this book except the real places and real events.

Copyright 2019

25 Aug 2019 – 19 Sept 2019

Cover Design by Kristine Hynes

kristinehynes.com

Dedication

To my wife Cynthia for putting up with my obsessions

Preface

This is the third book in the Daryl Morgan and Rodger Truscott Thriller series. I spent some time in Namibia and thus, the Himba scenes and descriptions and the other explanations of life in Namibia including the details about diamonds in Namibia are accurate. At least as accurate as my memory serves. There are actual flying safari groups and I recommend that way to get around and really see Namibia.

I will say that some of the things in this book and specifically Ginger who turns out to be half Himba is totally a figment of my imagination.

I’m still having a lot of fun writing this series and thus I have included a teaser for the next in the series Here Come the Brides which is the long-awaited marriage of Hakeem and Fatima plus Omari and Karima. As you will see it starts right off with action and continues to the end.

Somewhere in the middle of writing Here Come the Brides I got sidetracked and wrote a spin-off called Bailar which is set in Argentina but does have Rodger, Daryl, and the rest, especially Karima as minor characters. I also wrote another spin-off called Emma’s Choices set in Pingree about a woman whose child gets kidnapped that also includes the crew.

Again, if you want to be notified when I produce another book please email me at

[e-mail] to be on my mailing list.

Orlando Stephenson

Chapter one

Daryl, please, please I really need your help, Ginger said, starting to cry. You have to help me, please. He’s taken my son.

We were in Rodger’s office. A place of business no normal person would ever walk into. It was designed to turn customers away. Rodger didn’t want customers. We had just finished a celebration party for the successful culmination of six weeks of work. We had rescued Judy, the love of my life, and Maddy and had finally put the head of Morton Security, Clarence Morton, away for good.

Ginger was a techie who worked for us. She was brilliant. She was one of the best at malware, viruses and ransomware. Her ability to access secure computers and plant malicious software where we needed it was unbelievable. She was twenty-three years old and had just walked in and broken down, crying.

The people who had helped on our last job, some of my closest friends, had been walking out the door to fly back to Marrakesh when she walked in crying. Now they were all arranged around me waiting to hear what she had to say.

Who’s he, Ginger? I asked.

My boyfriend.

I don’t understand. Why would your boyfriend take your son?

I don’t know, she wailed.

Your son’s eleven, correct?

Yes.

This guy isn’t the dad, right?

No, he’s… a guy I’ve only been seeing for about two months and Michael is adopted. Remember, my sister died of an overdose and there was no one else. At eighteen I was suddenly a mother of a six-year-old.

Where did you meet this guy?

At the TechCon meeting in Boston, she said. I go to all of the nearby Tech Conferences to be up on the latest stuff in malicious software like mole programs, viruses, malware and worms and…

How’d you meet him?

It was just a random thing. I turned around and I bumped into him by accident and he dropped his stuff and one thing led to another and…

Why was he there?

Same reason I was. He’s in the same field. He works with Fortune 500 companies to find and eliminate viruses and… well, he does similar things like I do… except.

I waited.

Except he’s not very good, she said. I mean he talks like it, but he doesn’t really know how to even write code.

How did you discover that? I asked.

Little things that he said, Ginger said. They didn’t make sense so I kind of tricked him by using terms that were bogus and he didn’t call me on it. After that I was… more withdrawn because I didn’t understand why he was with me. I should have known.

Where’s he from?

He said he came from California, but one day he was in a hurry and left the house and forgot his briefcase. I was curious and I opened it and he had a Namibian Passport. I put everything back like I found it but…

But? I asked.

He must have sensed something was wrong because he began acting weird.

When was this? I asked.

Two days ago.

I looked around the room. They all were fascinated but Fatima seemed boiling over with questions.

Fatima, did you have some questions? I asked.

Ginger, I want you to understand that we are very good at doing what we do, and one of those things is finding people. I have some questions, but I don’t want you to be offended if some of them are…

Fatima, I have heard of many of the details of what you’ve done from Daryl and Tiny. I just want my son back, so please ask away.

Do you know who the father of your… I mean your sisters son was?

Not really. My sister was seeing some rich guy at the time, but I never met him.

Anything?

He used to book them rooms at the Ritz Carlton in Boston.

When?

About twelve years ago. Then she got pregnant. It didn’t matter. He continued to see her for about six years after Michael was born until she overdosed, Ginger said.

Has this rich guy ever contacted you wanting to see Michael since she died?

Not for five years. Then he came around and tried to get custody a few months ago but there was no proof that he was the father and he refused a DNA test, Ginger said.

Since then?

No.

Do you know his name?

It was some strange name like Rivers or something, she said.

Does your son have any special abilities? Fatima asked.

Well… I don’t like to talk about it because…

Fatima didn’t say a word. She just looked at her.

He has a photographic memory and his math skills are off of anyone’s charts and… he has an ability to sense things that are going to happen.

What? Fatima blurted.

He…

The last one.

He can tell if something is going to happen.

Fatima turned to us and said, We’ve seen that Karima has an ability like that. What I didn’t tell the rest of you is that our company has been working for the last six months trying to find two teenagers who were taken for no reason from their parents. In both cases the only common factor was a claim that the kids could sense what was going to happen sometimes.

You are still looking? I asked.

Yes.

She turned back to Ginger.

When did you find out about this ability?

About four months ago. It just came on him.

And did these things always happen? Fatima asked.

Yes.

Good or bad?

Both.

If you knew something bad was going to happen what did you do?

Well, one example was… well, we were going to the movie one evening. We were late and Michael had a bad feeling. About halfway there, at a stop sign, he asked me to wait. The car behind me started honking when I didn’t immediately go but just then a huge SUV drove through in front of us. If I had gone, we would have both probably died.

Fatima looked around the room.

I know we were leaving, but I’d like to stay for two more days and do the preliminary work from here if that works for you. After that we can work from Marrakesh or wherever this takes us, she said.

Raj spoke up first.

Maddy and I are in, he said. We’re just happy to be together.

I saw Karima look at Omari and he nodded.

Habibi and Karima in, she said.

Everybody opened their bags, got their computers out and began working. Karima wandered over to where Ginger was sitting.

Karima listen you talk to Sindeed, why you…?

Who is Sindeed?

You name him Daryl but to me he is Sindeed, Karima said. He save me when Karima need save. He is hero and, in my language Sindeed mean brave, courageous, hero.

Oh.

You talk about you man friend. Karima hear in voice you no really love, is right?

You are right. I didn’t love him. He seemed nice at first but then I…

Why you stay?

I… I’m scared. I’m scared of being alone and he seemed like, well, he seemed okay.

Karima tell you that no good reason. You better alone. Better wait.

It’s hard.

Sindeed tell me someday I meet man Karima no can live without and he right, Karima said. Same will be for you.

Not everyone is as lucky as you, Karima, Ginger said.

No, Karima tell you. Karima know. Soon you meet man you want near you all day, everyday. Man you no can live without.

It’s a nice dream, Ginger said.

No dream, Karima know. He coming.

That caused Ginger to finally sit up and look at her.

Are you just trying to make me feel better? she asked.

No, Karima have feeling like you son, this one good feeling. You ask Sindeed when Karima have feeling it happen. He coming.

When? she asked.

Soon, no say exact time, just know soon.

Is it someone I already know? Ginger asked.

Karima looked around the room.

Is no one you know but someone in room know him.

Who?

Karima not sure.

Over the course of the next hour the group got five hits of people who had gone missing where somewhere in the data about them was a reference to special abilities which upon further digging indicated some ability to sense the future. There was one twelve-year old girl, two teenagers of opposite sexes and a woman twenty years old.

This isn’t a coincidence, Fatima said. In just an hour we managed to unearth five cases here in the United States. We haven’t even thought of going back a few years and we haven’t checked other countries. Someone is taking these people with Karima’s ability for some reason. I suggest we head out for a good night’s sleep and come back in the morning and dig deeper.

As my house had been blown away only six weeks ago, Rodger lent me and the rest of the crew one of his safe houses with four bedrooms. As bad as I felt for Ginger it was nice to still be together with people that I had bonded with like none other in my life.

Rodger had some twinge of something because he wouldn’t let Ginger go home. Instead he took her home with him and let her use a spare bedroom. It turned out to be the right move as her as her house mysteriously burned to the ground that night.

§

The next morning when we were together, we talked about the coincidence of her house burning down.

It looks like they were cleaning up whatever loose ends they thought might come back at them. Luckily for us and Ginger they were too late, I said.

Can I say something? Raj asked.

Shoot.

I kind of vaguely remember that my brother, Nagi, had kind of some weird times when he’d… uh know something was going to happen, he said.

What happened to him? I asked

I don’t know. When the monster took me, I was thirteen and he was eleven. I never saw him again.

That’s a place for us to start when we get back to Marrakesh, Fatima said. In the meantime, I’ll have a couple of our sources do some legwork.

We worked the morning, breaking only for sandwiches from a nearby deli and then into the afternoon. I wasn’t much on helping on the computer searches, but I drifted from station to station, absorbing and trying to get a read on the big picture.

§

About three I heard Rodger grunt. I looked up and he was moving toward the door. From his body language I sensed something was wrong, so I slipped my weapon out from its holster and followed. Fatima noticed, stopped what she was doing and quickly put herself in a position where she’d be behind the door when it opened. She motioned for the rest of the crew to continue what they were doing.

The door slammed open and two big guys burst in, bumping right into Rodger. One had very short blond hair and the other dark hair. The blond seemed to be in charge.

May I help you? Rodger asked.

We have orders to shut this down, the blond said.

Shut what down? Rodger asked.

This, the guy said sweeping his hand at the room. Whatever it is you are doing.

Whose we? Rodger asked mildly.

That’s classified.

I think you guys need to show some identification or a warrant or you’d best leave before you are seriously hurt, Rodger said.

You think you can take both of us? one of them said.

Of course, but I meant I’d ask that young lady over there to take care of you, he laughed, pointing to Karima. She likes the practice.

Listen buddy, I’m not going to tell you…

Identification or leave fellows, Rodger said gently moving them toward the door.

They grudgingly pulled badges from their pockets. I was close enough that I could see they were Secret Service Badges or very good imitations. I think they thought that would intimidate us. They thought wrong.

Very nice, Rodger said, but that doesn’t give you the right to bust in here and demand anything so, if we’re done, I’ll ask you to leave.

The blond went for his weapon. Rodger didn’t react at all to his movement. He could, of course, have stopped him and put him on the ground. He just stood still with a smile on his face. The guy got the weapon about halfway out when he felt the barrel of Fatima’s weapon in his ear. He slowly eased his weapon back into his holster.

You guys are in serious trouble now, the guy said. It’s a federal offense to interfere with an officer of the law. You are going to jail.

I think you are mistaken, Billy, Rodger said. I haven’t done anything.

Well, whoever is behind me is going to jail, he said.

About then Fatima flashed her diplomatic passport in front of his face.

You see that, Billy? she asked sweetly. That not only means that I won’t go to jail it means I can kill both of you and nothing will happen to me except to be deported.

They both went white as sheets. I stepped out from behind Rodger and he took on step the other way. They didn’t have a play.

Please take out your identification and your weapons carefully and put them on the ground, Rodger said.

They did as he asked.

You’re free to go, he said.

That’s bullshit, Billy said. You know how much trouble we’ll be in losing our creds and our weapons. I promise that we’ll leave peacefully.

Not good enough but… I’ll tell you what, Rodger said. I have a dojo in the back. If you want, we can go back there, and we’ll put your credentials and your weapons on the far wall. All you have to do is get by that young lady that I pointed out to you. Sound fair?

They looked at each other like it was too easy.

Oh, and I promise none of us will interfere unless you don’t stop in the very unlikely event you have her down, Rodger said.

At that point I could see Karima wanted to speak but Rodger held up his hand and stopped her.

Sound fair to you, Karima? Rodger asked.

Both at same time, right? she asked.

Yes.

Karima ready.

Rodger turned to the rest of us and said, I’d like the rest of you to video this on your cell phones. It might be fun to watch later, and these guys might be a little careful about crossing us again remembering that we can post their embarrassment all over the internet.

Billy looked at Rodger and said, You don’t seriously believe that little slip of a girl can possibly take down two trained agents, do you?

I do.

We are trained in hand-to-hand by the best, Billy said. We will destroy her.

You haven’t been trained by the best, Rodger said mildly, because I haven’t seen you here.

Karima gathered up the credentials and weapons, carried them back into the dojo and placed them on the far wall. She then took off her shirt with her back to the men, leaving her in just her sports top. I asked her once why she bothered, and she told me she got tired of cleaning the blood out of her shirt.

The two agents didn’t know that they could have attacked at any time, so they politely waited until she turned to face them. They weren’t totally brain dead as they then spread out to come at her from each side.

Please turn on your videos, Rodger said. We have a match between Billy Sampson and Charles Greenberg of the Secret Service and Karima of… well, the Truscott dojo.

When it started, it was fast. The guys both attacked at once. They ran at her. Karima stood silently until the last instant and then jumped into the air to what seemed like an impossible height and kicked out with both feet in almost a split. It was an incredible move and pure combat poetry. Both guys took direct hits to their faces, spilling blood all over the mat, and crumpled to the ground moaning. Karima walked back over and put on her shirt.

When they got themselves together Billy and Charles walked out holding their heads. Rodger was turning to talk to us when someone knocked on the door. We went into high alert again as he opened it. Charles was standing there.

I… I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. My partner is a complete asshole most of the time.

Okay… and?

I was wondering if I could come back sometime and uh… learn some real hand-to-hand from here.

Whenever we’re here we’ll be glad to have you, Rodger said. However, we might be gone a few weeks.

Okay, thanks.

As Charles turned to go Rodger stopped him.

Which one of these weapons is yours? Rodger asked.

Charles pointed, Rodger released the clip, racked the slide and handed it and the guys creds to him.

Good luck Charles, Rodger said.

Uh… thanks.

After he left Rodger turned again and looked at us.

I think we have twisted someone’s tail, he said, but it doesn’t make any sense. I mean all we are doing is looking into missing persons. In the case of Ginger’s son, that kidnapping is a crime and so the authorities should be happy for the help. Instead we are ordered to shut down? Something is seriously wrong. We need to pack up and get airborne before they come back with reinforcements.

Everyone hastily packed up and we were out of there within a few minutes and on our way to the airport, with a minor stop via the houses to pick up our other things. We didn’t see any sign of the two Secret Service agents as we left.

§

Chapter two

An hour later we were at 35,000 feet and out of United States airspace. I waited until everyone had a drink in their hands and then asked something that I’d been wondering about.

Rodger, why did you give Charles his stuff back?

Well, I had three reasons. First, he wasn’t the asshole. His partner was, and it isn’t infectious, which he proved by taking time to turn around and apologize. Second, him asking to be able to come to the dojo to learn meant that he wasn’t so pumped up in his belief of how good he was that he was hopeless. He could see that we could really teach him to get way better and third, I know we have a Secret Service contact, but we could use another, and I think he at least respects us.

Similar to how Fatima recruits her sources, I guess, I laughed, except we don’t pay ours, it’s more quid pro quo.

I think he’ll be back around, Rodger said.

So, what’s our starting point for finding these lost boys and saving them, I asked.

Not just boys, Karima said. Some men and women too,

Just an American joke, Karima, I said. It comes from Alice in Wonderland.

"Sindeed,