Just Rewards: A Mena Harling Novel

By Larry M. Rosen

Mena Harling learns shoddy maintenance caused ThriftJet crashes, one in which her brother died. Then a whistleblower is murdered, a note left by his corpse—Too risky to fly; deny that, you’ll die; I’ll watch your tears dry; your last sigh’s my high. Aether. And TOETIFTSA, who desecrated Nora Kelly’s church, continues killing Christians, leaving a note—Christian fundamentalism is not a righteous pursuit. So Maxine Kordell, Nora, Willi Mayers, and Haley join Mena. When Aether murders Cluster members, The Tracer asks for help, and reveals The Cluster killed Will Rogers, Amelia Earhart, and Glenn Miller. Then Aether attacks Dulles Airport and other iconic aerospace sites, as TOETIFTSA causes the crash of a plane carrying Christians, then tries to murder Nora. So Mena seeks help from a notorious serial killer, a psychiatrist living in Italy, who will profile Aether if the team agrees to a favor. Finally, events push Mena to become the determined protector of certain sociopaths just rewards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387805594

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Just Rewards: A Mena Harling Novel

Just Rewards: A Mena Harling Novel

By

Larry M. Rosen

Cover Page

Copyright Page

Copyright © 2018 by Larry M. Rosen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

This Book Is

PUBLISHED BY LULU

(www.lulu.com)

First Edition: May 2018

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, businesses, companies, other organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

ISBN 978-1-387-80559-4

The author and publisher do not have any control over, and do not assume any responsibility for, third-party websites or their content.

Novels By Larry M. Rosen

The Haley And Willi Novels

Joker In The Deck

The Light In The Garden

A Shadow That Passes Away

Seal, Trumpet, And Vial

Cultural Landscapes

The Maxine Kordell Novels

I, Of Limited Mercy

The Mena Harling Novels

Just Rewards

The Nora Kelly Novels

Maranatha

The Emissary Novels

The Elixir Of Fools

Other Novels

Women Don’t Like Me

Tri-Breed

Acknowledgments

I’d like to acknowledge friends and colleagues whose names I modified and used for several characters—Ed Urquhart, my neighbor and friend, who recently helped me install a family room ceiling fan whose packaging had the temerity to claim, Ready to use right out of the box; Cindy Flint, who has spent so much time commuting from Roanoke, a Route 81 truck stop has been named after her; Larry Klapper, my software soulmate, who has converted so many pdf files to Word for me, that Adobe has renamed their Acrobat software Klaprobat; Germana Miner, an Executive Chef, who is compiling a cookbook featuring stellar recipes from a variety of cultures, resulting in a tome named POISON (Panucho Okowa Involtini Schnitzel Over Naranj); Sal Culosi, a brilliant logistician and singer of Frank Sinatra standards, who still believes a recount will give Ben Carson the Presidency; Stephanie Klapper, a wunderkind, who insists intersectionality is the preferred framework for solving all of life’s problems; Nora Mayers, who, in the age of telemarketers, has somehow managed to block out all telephone calls, e-mails, text messages, ham radio contacts, and carrier pigeons; Diana Narragon, LMI’s Shadow CEO, who is a fellow Dallas Cowboys devotee, and a connoisseur of Spumante, Frizzante, Tranquillo, or any other perlage variety of Prosecco; Dennis Zimmerman, a talented logistician and statistician, who sadly believes the answers to all of life’s important questions lie in the pronouncements of Hillary Clinton and Dan Snyder; Toni Nichols, who is residing in Germany with her cat, Micah, and experiencing the truth that the ethos of government bureaucracy spans national borders; Alex and Mary Jo McLaughlin, of Alderson and Charleston, West Virginia, whom I’ve known for over 40 years, and are fellow dog lovers; and especially Michelle Kordell, still the most dangerous woman on the planet, who is currently mastering the bow and arrow, and was observed dipping her arrow tips in curare, all the while chanting P, P, P, and P, which is MK-speak for Puncture, Pain, Poison, and Perish.

A special thanks to my daughter, Samantha, who, as always, provided review of drafts, and suggestions about the dust cover.

Dedication

To the pioneers of American aviation—The Wright Brothers, other early aviators and test pilots, and all the rest, whose contributions spanned aerodynamic theory, aviation principles, construction, aircraft design, and manufacturing. I spent the first three years of my professional career at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, at the time located in Bethpage, Long Island. While there, I got a glimpse of what it takes to initiate and manage large scale aerospace projects. I left with an appreciation for the talents and energy of this unique community.

And, as always, for the two women who moved me to write—Nora Mayers and Michelle Ingrid Williams II.

Author’s Note

The fictional characters Carla Gretch, Ray Morris, Honor Angel, Rodrigo Eilers, Hopcyn Richman, James Sobond, Rufus Backer, Brie Kelso, Cassie Hunter, Mary Amble, Francis Connell, Liam Panderty, Elmer Grantham, James Shelton Strong, Teddy Crull, and Denny Strump are solely the author’s creation. These characters are pure fiction, although some of their personal traits and history were inspired by and loosely based on, respectively, former Fox News Network personality Gretchen Carlson, former Alabama Judge Roy Moore, televangelist Ernest Angley, former Chairman and CEO of Fox News and the Fox Television Stations Group Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO of News Corporation Rupert Murdoch, a composite of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson and the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, CNN’s Brianna Keilar, MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, MSNBC Network personality Lawrence O’Donnell, Fox News Network personality Sean Hannity, Evangelist Billy Graham, Episcopalian Bishop John Shelby Spong, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and President Donald Trump. In some instances, their words are portions of direct quotes attributed to their real life counterparts by various Internet sources. In other instances, some of their words are the author’s paraphrases of reported quotes. In most instances, the words spoken by these characters are entirely the author’s invention.

The conversation between Charles Lindbergh and The Leader, on the eighth anniversary of Lindbergh’s solo non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Lindbergh. Although Lindbergh vigorously tried to keep the United States out of World War II, and many viewed some of his remarks to be anti-Semitic, it remains unclear if he was at core a conservative isolationist fearful of immense power in the communications industry in the hands of a single ethnocentric group, which happened to be Jews; an admirer of German strides in aviation; or, in fact, an anti-Semite sympathetic to racial purity and Eugenics in general, and Hitler in particular. Whatever Lindbergh’s true feelings, he is unquestionably an early hero of American aviation, and one of those who helped promote and build what is today the aerospace industry.

The conversation between Wiley Post and Will Rogers, prior to the takeoff of their fatal flight, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Rogers.

The conversations between Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan—aboard their doomed Electra 10E, and while eating what would be their last meal—is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Earhart.

The twelve course dinner served to The Leader, as he was mulling what to do about Glenn Miller, was based on a menu on the Internet by Executive Chef/Owner Bezalel Gables, of Fine Catering & Events.

The conversation between Carla Gretch and Rodrigo Eilers, during which Eilers tells Gretch her Ferret News Network contract will not be renewed, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Roger Ailes.

The conversation between The Tracer and Hopcyn Richman, during which The Tracer tells Richman that Rodrigo Eilers must be fired, is solely the author’s creation.

The conversation among Mena, Max, Haley, and Rodrigo Eilers, during which Eilers is told not to physically threaten Carla Gretch again, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Roger Ailes.

The conversation between Teddy Crull and Julie Hartz, in Hartz’s White House office, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to Ted Cruz.

The conversation among Mena, Max, Willi, Nora, Haley, and James Shelton Strong, during which they discuss Christian religious fundamentalism, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes and articles attributed to John Shelby Spong, the author of The Sins Of Scripture.

The conversation in a conference room in the West Wing of The White House among President George W. Bush, three State Department employees, 3-M, and Haley, is solely the author’s creation, although it uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to President Bush.

The construction of the three spires of the Air Force Memorial were completed in 2006. Since the Memorial makes a fascinating target for Aether, the author had the spires already in place in 2003. The author’s only excuse—and it’s a stretch—is that the construction was delayed because of opposition from factions who revere the U.S. Marine Corps, and opposed the Air Force Memorial’s location being so close to the famous Marine Corps Memorial showing our flag being raised on Iwo Jima.

The unnamed former psychiatrist who helps profile Aether is the author’s fictional creation, but was inspired by one of literature’s immortal characters, Hannibal Lecter, originally penned by that superb novelist, Thomas Harris, and brilliantly brought to life on screen by a true cinematic genius, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Lest I fuel yet more conspiracy theories, let me assure readers that the deaths of Will Rogers and Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan, and Glenn Miller, were not murders orchestrated by The Leader. Further, the launch point for Little Boy, the first atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, was not selected by The Cluster to hide their complicity with the Axis in developing an atomic bomb during World War II. Also, The Tracer’s order to murder Rodrigo Eilers, the Roger Ailes-inspired character, is pure fiction, although Ailes and Eilers both died from complications arising from a subdural hematoma.

Preamble

For there shall be no reward to the evil man,

the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Proverbs, 24:20

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Mathew, 16:27

Upon a pillory—that all the world may see,

A just dessert for such impiety.

A Warning for Faire Women, Published Anonymously

To the determined protector of my just reward.

Mena Harling

PROLOGUE

December, 1925

Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

Washington, D.C.

The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.’s largest luxury hotel, opened its doors in 1925. Located on Connecticut Avenue in the northwest section of the city, the hotel was said to have more gold trim than any building other than The Library Of Congress.

Inside the Presidential Suite—with its skylight, inlaid marble floors, and private terraces—was a collection of some of the most prominent men in the United States and Europe. They sat in several small groups, smoking cigars, sipping brandy, and nibbling on canapés. They called themselves The Cluster. Originally, The Cluster had been formed from a tightly knit group of Freemasons, and some members still maintained that tie, although their true loyalty was now elsewhere. Over time, the group had admitted other exceptional persons outside the Freemasons. Exceptional was defined as some combination of wealth, political power, and influence, plus a mandatory fourth characteristic—utter ruthlessness. Current members included heads of two automobile manufacturing companies, several large banks, an oil company, a chemical manufacturer, a telephone company, and three munitions makers. The common denominator was that all these enterprises were international in scope, with major facilities in the United States and Europe.

When one of the men rose to address the group, the talk immediately ceased. The man was nearing middle age, tall, though not exceptionally so, slender, and regal. His demeanor was authoritative, his blue eyes icy, even cruel. He was known to his brethren as The Leader, and was responsible for strategic planning, and, in those rare instances when necessary, disciplinary action.

Aviation has existed for over two thousand years, The Leader said, "beginning with kites and tower jumping, and today bringing forth a plethora of powered, heavier-than-air craft. With The Great War and the seven years since its end, aviation science, technology, and manufacturing have made great leaps forward. Let me note several key events from this past year alone. The French airline CIDNA was formed. Two French aviators, in a Breguet 19 G.R., set a world distance record, flying 1,967 miles from Étampes in Paris to Villa Cisneros in the Spanish Sahara. Sabena made the first airline connection between Belgium and the Belgian Congo, pioneering a Léopoldville long-haul route. The Ryan Airline Company began regular services. France’s Prix Solex offered a prize for a 75 mile race from Paris to Rouen. The first scheduled air freight service began in the United States. Ukvozdukhput began services in the Ukraine. Two Italians departed Rome in an SIAI S.16ter flying boat on a 201-day flight to Australia and Japan, then back to Rome. The Imperial Japanese Army Air Corps was established, with 3,700 personnel and some 500 aircraft. Italy boasts an Italian Royal Air Force of 182 squadrons. The United States Coast Guard Vought UO-1 was the first aircraft to pursue a rum-runner. The United States Post Office Department inaugurated 24-hour transcontinental air mail service, after completion of a coast-to-coast system of lighted beacons allowed night flying. Western Air Express was founded, and will begin operating next year. Two French aviators, in a Farman F.62, set a closed-circuit distance record of 2,732 miles in just over 45 hours. A U.S. Navy crew, in a PN-9 flying boat, attempted the first transpacific flight from North America to the Hawaiian Islands, and, although they failed, set a world non-stop distance record for Class C seaplanes. A Czechoslovakian Avia BH-21R racer won the Czechoslovakian national air race, covering the 120 mile course at an average speed of about 187 mph. The Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Furious was equipped with a round-down located at the after end of the flight deck, which improved air flow, and gave pilots greater confidence. The Spanish Navy aviation ship Dédalo, the only ship capable of operating airships, balloons, and seaplanes, joined the Spanish fleet in Morocco to participate in the Rif War. The Bolivian airline Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano began flight operations. The Royal Navy cruiser Vindictive launched a Fairey IIID floatplane by catapult, the first catapult launch of a standard British naval aircraft from a ship at sea. The British airship R.33 successfully launched a de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird while in flight. Joseph Sadi-Lecointe won the Beumont Cup, with a speed of 194 mph. In the United Kingdom, the first flight by a rotary-wing aircraft was made by the Cierva C.4 autogiro. Jimmy Doolittle won the Schneider Trophy race in a Curtiss R3C-2 at an average speed of about 233 mph. The prototype of the Farman F.140 Super Goliath reached an altitude of 16,371 feet, with a 4,409 pound payload."

The Leader stared at the assembled Cluster members, then smiled triumphantly.

Aviation has arrived, is truly international in scope, and is about to become big business. And, my friends, that makes it our business. I have been predicting this for years, and now it has come to fruition. Our markets will include commercial, military, private, and law enforcement uses, each with its own business realities and profit margins. But we must set our sights even higher, literally. One day, the aviation frontier will extend into space, and with it will come an opportunity to weaponize space. I can already smell the profits.

The members enthusiastically applauded.

But there will be obstacles we must work to overcome, and not merely of a scientific or technological nature. We will need the partnerships of governments, for they will provide the seed money necessary for future research, development, and testing. Soon, the days of aviation pioneers, working alone in their garages, spurred on only by a dream, will come to an end. The technical barriers and infrastructure needed will be far too great for individuals to overcome on their own, and this will often be true for joint ventures as well. So we must work to have governments absorb the risks, and finance our efforts. To coerce governments to do so, even campaign contributions and outright bribery will be insufficient. We will need to create or exploit threats to the status quo. The Bolsheviks are indeed a threat to capitalism, so that is likely to take care of itself over the coming decades. What we must create as well is a strong sense of national pride, an arms race, if you will, with nations jockeying to dominate military power. Perhaps one day in the future, there may even be a space race, although that is likely a few decades away. So in the short term, we need to make sure international markets are ready for our products and services. We need an economically strong and militant Europe and United States. And to spur this, we must complement the Bolsheviks with another legitimate source of fear, but one that does not ally itself with the Soviet Union. Fortunately, we have the perfect candidate—Germany. Sadly, conditions are not yet right for that to happen.

I agree with you completely, one of the heads of an automobile company said. Germany is the key. But what will it take to make them a threat once more? They have been crippled with reparations.

A demagogue must appear, then be nurtured by us. Germany is awash with extreme nationalism, and when economies falter, pride suffers, then scapegoats are manufactured. So we must remain alert for these events to unfold, then move to exploit them.

COME FLY (AND DIE) WITH ME

CHARLES LINDBERGH

May 20 – May 21, 1927,

And The Years Shortly Thereafter

Charles Augustus Lindbergh was flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Although he was not the first to cross the Atlantic by air, he was the first to do so non-stop, and alone, and became known as the Lone Eagle and Lucky Lindy.

Lindbergh’s plane, the Spirit of St Louis, was a modified Ryan M-2, a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane. It was painted silver, and its registration number, N-X-21 1, was painted in black. The modifications included lengthening the wingspan by ten feet, and the fuselage by two feet; redesigning the structure to carry a larger fuel capacity; and moving the cockpit further towards the rear, while moving the engine, a Wright Whirlwind J-5C, forward. Lindbergh was only able to see straight ahead by using a periscope, or by turning the plane, then looking out a side window.

The Spirit of St Louis took off at 7:52 am from Roosevelt Field, located near New York City. The aircraft flew 3,610 miles over a time span of 33.5 hours, landing at Le Bourget Field, located near Paris. Lindbergh’s flight thrilled the world, and he received the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Earlier in his life, Lindbergh had spent a year and a half at the University of Wisconsin, studied aeronautics with the Nebraska Aircraft Corporation, been a barnstormer, enrolled as a flying cadet in the Army Air Service, received a reserve commission, then was a civilian airmail pilot, flying between St. Louis and Chicago. None of this, however, prepared him for the acclaim about to come his way.

When he landed at Le Bourget Field, he was welcomed by a cheering crowd of 100,000 people. On June 11, Lindbergh and the Spirit of St Louis arrived in the United States aboard the U.S.S. Memphis, where he was greeted by large crowds in New York City and Washington, D.C.. Over the next four months, Lindbergh and his plane toured the entire nation. Later, he flew non-stop from Washington, D.C. to Mexico City, then followed that with a tour of Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. Lindbergh concluded his journey with a non-stop flight from Havana to St. Louis. As the tour progressed, flags of the countries he visited were painted on both sides of the Spirit of St Louis’ cowling. On April 30, 1928, Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis made their final flight together, flying from St. Louis to Washington, D.C., where Lindbergh presented the aircraft to the Smithsonian Institution.

Throughout this period, Lindbergh was a major advocate for aviation. He worked on behalf of the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics, then, learning about the promising rocket research of Robert H. Goddard, a Clark University physics professor, he persuaded the Guggenheim Family to support Goddard's experiments. In addition, Lindbergh worked for several airlines as a technical adviser.

Eventually, Lindbergh’s achievements, his dedication to advancing aviation, and his emerging political views brought him under the close scrutiny of The Leader, whose long-range planning acumen had long ago identified aviation as a future big business. The Leader headed an organization, The Cluster, largely unknown to the outside world, although Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street had deduced its existence some half a century earlier.

Early 1935

Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

Washington, D.C.

Harry Guggenheim has often spoken glowingly about you, a tall, slender, middle-aged man, with an air of regality, said to Charles Lindbergh.

Lindbergh and the man were standing in a large reception room in Washington, D.C.’s Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, where potential investors in the aviation industry had gathered to discuss business opportunities.

That’s very kind of you to say, Lindbergh replied, noting the man’s icy blue, cruel eyes connoted a degree of snobbery coupled with immense power. Harry and I became close friends some time ago, when we met at Curtiss Field just before my trans-Atlantic flight. Harry doubted I’d survive to reach Paris.

I’m Thomas Henry Lionel, an industrialist, the man said, offering Lindbergh his hand, which the aviator took. I’m glad Harry, for one of the few times in his life, was wrong. You see, I’ve wanted to meet you to discuss aviation, as well as the situation in Europe, FDR, and a few other items. I believe the future of aviation is closely coupled with these and other factors.

I agree, particularly if war arises. Air power will play a greater role than many military leaders believe will be the case. They’re … . Well, let me simply say, they’re wrong.

You are being gracious, Charles. Oh, may I call you Charles?

Certainly.

The military leaders of whom you speak are short-sighted fools, either lacking in imagination, or, as is too often true of the American Navy, blindly protecting their ship-fixated branch of the services.

Billy Mitchell has gotten a lot of undeserved flak for making that very clear.

I agree, Lionel replied. "In 1921, Mitchell conducted bombing tests against target ships, one of which was the heavily armored German dreadnought Ostfriesland. They easily sank it with 1,000- and 2,000-pound bombs dropped from Martin and Handley-Page bombers, proving aircraft could sink warships. The American Navy did not appreciate Mitchell’s demonstration, and his subsequent demand that an independent air force be established to modernize American airpower. Mitchell often noted that Japan would be a serious threat, and insisted Japan was ahead of the United States in airpower. Mitchell went so far as predicting the Japanese would launch an air attack against Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor. Personally, I couldn’t agree with him more. He’s a man of true vision. Sadly, I suspect he’ll be court-martialed one day, for one reason or another. Too bad."

We seem to agree on these matters, Lindbergh noted.

I’m curious if we agree on several other matters, as well, Lionel said. So the eighth anniversary of your historic flight seemed to be an opportune time to meet you, and see to what extent we are indeed simpatico.

I thought this get together was to encourage potential investors to join the aviation industry.

It is, and you’ll get to address them. But many are dilettantes, more interested in celebrity than aviation, or merely looking for something to occupy their otherwise empty and purposeless lives. You see, the real source of funds and support lies in a small group of individuals who have a passion for aviation, as well as making money. If our talk proves mutually satisfying, I’ll introduce you to some of them.

Alright. Truth be told, I’ve met with far more folks pretending to love aviation than folks with a passion for it. You are refreshing.

Good. Now, why don’t we withdraw to another room nearby, where we can have a private and frank discussion.

How can you be certain we won’t be disturbed?

I have a reputation for not tolerating interruptions, or for suffering fools lightly, for that matter.

It appears I am in your hands. Lead the way, Mister Lionel.

The two men left the reception room, then walked down the hall to another door. Outside were two hard looking men, with large hands and broad shoulders.

The Committee To Prevent Interruptions, no doubt, Lindbergh said, grinning.

Not too far from an accurate description, Lionel replied, as one of the men opened the door.

Lindbergh followed Lionel inside, then saw that a dinner table had been set for two. The china, glassware, and utensils were clearly expensive.

Conversation at table is always stimulated by exquisite cuisine, Lionel said. I trust you will not be disappointed by my personal chef’s offerings.

I strongly suspect I will not be.

As soon as the two men seated themselves, a wine steward arrived.

We can begin getting to know one another better over an 1865 Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Medoc from Bordeaux, France, Lionel said, tasting the wine, then nodding to indicate its acceptability.

Forgive me, Lindbergh said, but I don’t drink, smoke, or gamble, and prefer to eat a large breakfast while favoring a light lunch or dinner. Also, I avoid rich dishes, although I do indulge in sweets. I hope you don’t take this as an act of rudeness.

Not at all. Eat or not of each dish as you wish. Now, to our discussion. Encapsulate your feelings about aviation.

Aviation seems almost a gift from Heaven to those Western nations who were already the leaders of their era, strengthening their leadership, their confidence, their dominance over other peoples.

I couldn’t agree more, Charles. Western dominance, with its unfettered, at least before FDR, support for capitalism, must be maintained. In short, capitalism must dominate. Any other course is a prescription for chains and a pax on liberty, as the Bolsheviks are clearly demonstrating. And aviation is one of the primary keys to Western civilization’s dominance. So, specifically, how do you feel about capitalism, Charles?

In general, capitalism is, to me, a synonym for free enterprise. I support it as a first principle.

Is there anything about capitalism you don’t like?

Certain practices of financiers disturb me greatly. The manipulation of credit has been the most potent of all methods employed by financiers as a means of controlling commerce and fixing prices. We are all consumers and should all be producers. This credit is a tax upon humanity, as if government bonds were issued, and people were obliged to pay it.

Many of my colleagues would frown on your depiction of credit, which they see as a lifeline for venture capital and investment.

Credit is that. My point is that credit should be governed by a free marketplace, not by manipulative forces that enrich some at the expense of others.

So you frown on monopolies.

Not if they are earned monopolies.

Explain.

If a company makes the best aircraft at a reasonable price, and as a result receives all the aircraft contracts, that should be applauded. That monopoly was earned. But if a company or cartel rigs the marketplace or the competitive process, so an inferior or unnecessarily higher priced aircraft captures the entire market, that is little more than a swindle. Such monopolies must always be opposed.

Another Roosevelt, Teddy, would have loved you, Charles. Now tell me, how do you feel about peace and war?

We can have peace and security only so long as we band together to preserve that most priceless possession, our inheritance of European blood, and only so long as we guard ourselves against attack by foreign armies and dilution by foreign races.

You favor racial purity?

To the extent that it ensures a continuity in American values, I do. But a foreigner who embraces our values, then becomes successful, has my support. I would not relegate him to a second class citizen status.

Suppose once this foreigner gains power, he sees that others of his ilk also gain immense power, thereby threatening to dilute our American values?

Unacceptable. That would lead to the demise of the America we all know and love.

Along those lines, Charles, what do you think of the Jews?

We must limit to a reasonable amount the Jewish influence. Whenever the Jewish percentage of total population becomes too high, a reaction seems to invariably occur. It is too bad because a few Jews of the right type are, I believe, an asset to any country.

So bringing Albert Einstein over here is a good thing, just so long as that doesn’t open up the floodgates for a horde of Jews, which, to use your word, would likely provoke a reaction.

Exactly.

As of yet, have you formed an opinion of Chancellor Hitler and his Third Reich?

He has reinvigorated the German people after what was unfairly done to them at the end of the World War. Also, German science and German aviation have always had my admiration. They are a fine example of the European blood of which I spoke earlier.

I agree, Charles. But there are agitators who see Hitler and Germany as our enemy in the coming years. Do they have a point?

They do not. The Jews are one of the principle forces who will attempt to lead the U.S. into war. The Jews’ greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government. I am saying that the leaders of the Jewish race will wish to involve us in war with Germany for reasons that are not American. Instead of agitating for war, the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among the first to feel its consequences. Tolerance is a virtue that depends upon peace and strength, and history shows tolerance cannot survive war and devastation. A few very far-sighted Jewish people realize this, and would stand opposed to war with Germany. But the majority of Jews will not. So again, the greatest danger of the Jews to this country lies in their ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.

We are largely simpatico, Charles. I am elated to learn that. But there is still one other topic we must discuss—the foolishly beloved manufacturer of hope for the huddled masses, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. How do you perceive FDR?

Not well, at least with regard to aviation. Last year, FDR issued an executive order to outlaw private airline mail carrying. He insisted the U.S. military provide air mail delivery. Roosevelt rationalized this power grab by claiming Republican companies were price- and route-fixing. So I wrote him a letter protesting his action, declaring it unwarranted and contrary to American principles, as it marshalled Federal Government power over the private sector, whose production funds the Federal Government.

FDR wasn’t happy about your response.

I know. He called me a tool of the airlines.

He did more than that. I have White House sources who informed me FDR told an aide not to worry about you, that we will get that fair-haired boy.

That I hadn’t heard. I didn’t know my dissent had been taken quite so personally by the President.

Nevertheless, Charles, you prevailed. After Army pilots were forced to fly inferior aircraft, only able to carry a sixth of the payload of commercial aircraft, many died because they were ill-equipped to carry out night flights, or flights during extreme winter weather. Twelve Army pilots died, and there were 66 accidents. So ninety days after FDR’s executive order, he reversed himself.

Too little, too late for the dead pilots and lost aircraft, Lindbergh replied.

So it appears you are not an FDR admirer or supporter, Charles.

No. His action was adverse to the industry I love.

Well said, Charles.

The two men continued chatting as dinner was served. Lindbergh picked at several dishes he deemed not overly rich, but refused to drink any alcohol. He succumbed, however, to dessert, a Golden Opulence Sundae made with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and specks of Amedei Porcelana, perhaps the most expensive chocolate in the world. The sundae was also topped with 24-karat edible gold, gold dragnets, and dessert caviar.

When dinner was over, the two men shook hands, then Lindbergh left the room to meet and greet other guests. A short time later, another man joined Lionel. He was of medium height and build, and a superb actor, a chameleon who could become either male or female characters. He was called The Tiler.

How did your session with Lindbergh go, sir?

Splendidly, my Tiler. An intelligent, talented, and courageous man who shares much of our worldview. What he lacks, unfortunately, is the single ingredient necessary to be a member of The Cluster—ruthlessness.

Does that end the possibility of his usefulness, sir?

Not at all. You see, he has another quality that is a perfect match for our needs over the coming years.

May I inquire as to the nature of this quality?

Certainly. Lindbergh is a perfect dupe. He will actively work to keep the United States out of any war with Germany in the near future.

1935 - 1941

Later in 1935, Lindbergh—along with his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and their three year old son Jon—moved to Europe, the consequence of persistent hounding by the press about the 1932 kidnapping and murder of their twenty month old son, Charles Augustus, Jr., by the carpenter Bruno Richard Hauptmann. The boy had been kidnapped from the Lindbergh New Jersey home, then found dead some ten weeks later. Hauptmann was arrested in 1934, then charged and convicted of the crime, and would be executed in 1936. The Lindbergh Family left for Europe immediately after the trial. The kidnapping resulted in Congress passing the Lindbergh Law, which made kidnapping a Federal offense if the victim is taken across state lines, or if the mail service is used for ransom demands.

Lindbergh remained active in aviation while in Europe, touring the French and German aircraft industries. In particular, he became fascinated with the aviation advances made by Nazi Germany. Sensing this, Hermann Goering let Lindbergh become the first American to examine the Junkers JU88 bomber and the Messerschmitt 109, which Lindbergh piloted and praised. As a reward, Goering held a dinner at the American Embassy to honor Lindbergh, and presented him, on behalf of Adolf Hitler, a swastika-adorned medal, the Commander Cross of the Order of the German Eagle. Lindbergh accepted, causing outcries against him in the United States.

During this period, Lindbergh wrote a secret memo to the British Government advising Britain and France it would be suicidal to oppose Germany militarily. He argued France possessed inadequate military strength, Britain’s army was outdated, and Britain was overly dependent on its navy. Lindbergh also urged Britain to modernize its air force, so Hitler would be pressured to turn his attention towards fighting the Soviet Union.

From the late 1930’s through 1941 before Pearl Harbor, Lindbergh strongly opposed voluntary American entry into an armed conflict with Germany. In an autumn 1941 rally in Des Moines, Iowa, organized by the isolationist America First Committee, Lindbergh insisted three groups were urging the country to go to war—the Roosevelt Administration, the British, and the Jews. He also became an advocate for Eugenics, a belief strongly held by the Nazis, which argued the qualities of the human species can be improved by discouraging, even forcibly, reproduction by those with genetic defects. Lindbergh had, at least defacto, become a Nazi sympathizer, although he never associated with any pro-Nazi or anti-Semitic organization, and never attended any Bund meetings. The Roosevelt Administration labeled him the Number One Nazi Fellow-Traveler.

November 1941

Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

Washington, D.C.

Lindbergh has proved useful, the head of an American car company said, to The Leader. They were enjoying cigars and brandy in an out of the way room at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.

Like Ed Wynn, the Lone Eagle is a perfect fool, or, more accurately, a perfect dupe, The Leader replied.

"I’m pleased with events thus far. Our key goals of keeping America out of the war, and keeping European Jews out of America, are well on their way to being achieved. To a large extent, we have denied American Jews access to colleges, social clubs, and even neighborhoods. Just as actors playing Negroes appear on stage in blackface, actors playing Jews sometimes wear long beards and are often Shylocks. We are successfully reinforcing those stereotypes that depict Jews as unethical plotters, which is what they are. I see to it that the Jewish plan to control the world is highlighted in my Dearborn newspaper, and I distribute the paper for free at my dealerships. Also, a collection of columns was put in a book, The Transnational Jew: The World's Greatest Problem. It’s a best-seller in Germany."

Even so, Lindbergh has hurt us a few times, The Leader noted.

I know. His affiliation with the isolationist organization, America First, seemed to be a good thing. But the bastards turned on me, taking away my membership. They said I’m anti-Semitic. Imagine that. What a smear. They lumped me in with Father Charles Coughlin, whose Christian Front attacked Jews in the streets in New York. They also put me in the same category as the German American Bund’s leader, Fritz Kuhn, who boasts he’ll become America’s Hitler.

Lindbergh aside, I’m concerned about the Japanese. Our sources tell me they’re planning an attack on the United States very soon. If that happens, the U.S. will join the allies, and when U.S. war production goes into full swing, that might be the death knell for The Axis. Roosevelt has already secretly been working with American industry to turn their production lines to war material, should war come. So what do you think?

The Japs can’t hit us on the mainland. But they might try to take out the Panama Canal.

Perhaps, but I think it more likely Billy Mitchell will be proven correct. They’ll hit the United States at Pearl Harbor, and do great damage to the Pacific Fleet.

If they do, and are successful, the U.S. will capitulate, the car company owner said. They don’t have the belly for war.

The Japanese believe as you do.

Good. We’ve worked hard to keep the United States out of the war.

The U.S. will enter the war if Japan strikes, and with a vengeance.

I doubt it.

My friend, you and several other Cluster members have misunderstood America on several occasions. You and other automobile executives thought you could break the union movement by hiring gangsters to beat up strikers on picket lines, and even protesters. You underestimated their will to get their families a slice of the American Dream. They fought your gangsters, and even coopted gangsters of their own, as The Teamsters did.

That was different.

"It wasn’t, not at core. America is only a half century out of its frontier period. If it’s attacked and Americans die, they will wreak vengeance on the Japanese, as well as on Hitler and Mussolini. Santa Anna thought as you do. He killed everyone at The Alamo and at Goliad, thinking that would intimidate the Texans. What he got was San Jacinto, and the loss of all of Texas. Like Santa Anna, the Japanese are brutal, and their likely atrocities will ignite and unite America. Remember a slogan from long ago. Don’t tread on me."

You may be right, and you usually are. But in the big picture, what’s the difference. No matter who wins the war, The Cluster wins.

Our version of Manifest Destiny.

1945

Lindbergh Home

Darien, Connecticut,

I regret I was misunderstood, and perceived as an anti-Semite, Lindbergh said, to his wife, Anne.

You’re not anti-Semitic. Recall that in 1941, just before Pearl Harbor, we discussed and endorsed the idea of an independent homeland for the Jewish people.

I forgot about that, Anne. Other things got in the way. War will do that. I tried to be recommissioned in the U.S. Army Air Corps, but President Roosevelt wouldn’t allow it. He and Winston Churchill never forgave me for my speeches defending Germany, and keeping America out of the war. So I became a technical adviser and test pilot for Ford Motor Company and United Aircraft Corporation.

But you later did manage to serve.

In April, 1944, I went to the Pacific as an adviser to the United States Army and Navy. Despite being a civilian, I flew some fifty combat missions.

I recall how appalled you were at the end of the war, seeing a concentration camp.

It was early May, in 1945. I visited Nordhausen, the German underground factory for V-1 and V-2 rockets. While there, I saw Camp Dora, where concentration camp victims were used as forced labor. It was horrifying, Anne, the lowest form of degradation. How could Hitler and the Nazis become such degenerates? Their culture had produced so many wonderful advances in aviation. How did it come to the murder of so many?

WILL ROGERS AND WILEY POST

August 7. 1935

Juneau, Alaska

Wiley Hardeman Post, a short, stocky 36 year old, was sitting alone in a booth in a small bar in Juneau, Alaska, in 1935, a 5,000 person community. The bar was currently tending to only a few patrons, some also sitting in booths, the rest at the bar itself.

Post, a well-known pilot, had circumnavigated the Earth twice, setting a world record for a solo flight. He had also been part of efforts to develop the first pressurized flight suits, and had made early stratospheric flights along the jet stream. Post wore an eyepatch over his left eye, the result of a piece of metal piercing it in an oilrig accident, causing an infection that permanently blinded the eye.

Currently, Post was flying Will Rogers, the famous humorist and actor, to Point Barrow, where Rogers planned to visit a close friend. Rogers and Post had known each other for a long time, were both part Cherokee, and were fellow Oklahomans, although Post had been born and lived his early years in Texas. They had met while Post was flying film canisters from movie and newsreel film locations to the studio. The recently built red aircraft Post and Rogers were flying was constructed from the parts of two Lockheed aircraft—the fuselage from an Orion, and the wings from an Explorer.

Good luck on the flight to Barrow, the bartender said, walking up to Post’s table to refill his beer stein.

May need it, Post replied, smiling. I’m an impatient guy, so I’m using an overly long set of pontoons because I didn’t want to wait for the set I ordered to arrive. The longer pontoons make the aircraft’s nose heavy, so I better watch myself on those water landings.

Post went back to nursing his newly arrived beer, then heard two men in a booth nearby talking about oil rigs and other investments. Post had worked for oil companies, so he turned to look at the men. One of them seemed familiar, although he couldn’t recall his name, or when they’d been introduced.

Maybe when I was a personal pilot for F. C. Hall, Post thought, "after he bought that Lockheed Vega we flew in, which he named Winnie Mae, after his daughter. Hall let me fly that plane in aviation races, and I won the 1930 National Air Race Derby in it. Maybe I should ask them. … Nah. They look like they’re having a serious talk. I’d be intruding."

Post continued sipping his beer, trying to ignore the two men’s conversation, but it suddenly turned to something that peaked his interest.

We’ll make more from selling munitions to Hitler than we ever made from drilling, one man, already soused, said, loudly.

The Leader always knows what he’s doing, the second man, also drunk and getting loud, noted. "How he figures out the future