Eddy's Current (16 page)

“Your run–of–the–mill drug smuggler doesn’t think things through that thoroughly. In a dispute like the one I have planned to create, your everyday drug smuggler would just shoot one or both of us and throw the bodies overboard. An FBI agent, corrupt or not, is smart enough to demonstrate a highly intelligent thought process. That will work against him, though, because it’ll help me to figure out who he is.

“My actions will not raise suspicion because stress that explodes into arguments is common during these operations. All on board will know that. Once I’m reasonably sure of the agent’s identity I’ll go to work on him.

“I’ll either convince him to do the right thing by appealing to his law enforcement training and his allegiance to the Constitution or I’ll convince him that he’ll be targeted by the boss once the operation is over. He’s likely to have a family. He’s likely to want to do what’s right. He’s probably a decent guy who just fell for a bribe.

“Though it would not be true, he could be told that his fellow agents at Big Pine Key will not be told of his corruption, that he will be hailed as a hero. I would convince him to fake a cell phone call from the FBI and then tell the boss that he just received word that the boat is to land at Big Pine Key rather than Key West.

“My alternative plan would be to convince him that the boss plans to kill him after the operation because the boss does not want an FBI agent talking about the operation under interrogation in order to save his own skin. At the conclusion of the operation, the boss would be through with him, having used him for what he needed. Why would the boss keep him alive at that point? He will be of no benefit. He can’t be used for another operation. The boss can’t take the chance that he will have no further contact with the FBI. I’ll convince him that his death is imminent.”

River’s analysis was fine, but he was all over the place with the details. Additionally, the instructor did not accept solutions that included either/or plans. “Nice try, River; nice try. But you know we don’t accept either/or plans. Which will it be? And you need to be absolutely clear about the specifics. Eight lives hang in the balance, including yours. Pick it up at the point that you have reasonably determined the FBI agent’s identity. Proceed from there.”

“Okay, I would appeal to him to cooperate with me. I would convince him that his death warrant has been signed by the boss. He and I would take over the boat by force, and proceed to Big Pine Key. I would convince him that once we thwart the operation, I would offer to testify that he cooperated. I would also recommend that he should be allowed to testify against the boss and crew, and that, in exchange for that testimony, his record would be clean—no fine, no jail time, no probation, nothing. I would not try to convince him that his career in the FBI would be salvaged, though, because he would undoubtedly know that it would not be salvaged.”

River’s fellow students were salivating. They couldn’t wait to slam him. He was one of the top logical thinkers in the class, and many of his fellow students saw this as an opportunity to knock him down several notches, thus elevating themselves.

“The bottom line is that you have a five in six chance of blowing this wide open. I don’t feel sorry for the others on the boat, but you’re likely to get them killed. You certainly are likely to get yourself killed. Your plan is ill–conceived and even amateurish,” lamented one student.

Another called out, “There are many plans we could come up with in here that could possibly get people killed. Your plan eliminates ‘could possibly’ and replaces the term with ‘would surely.’” River had to think about that for a moment, but realized soon enough that the comment was not a compliment.

The rules called for River to provide a proposal. He was not allowed to challenge the students to come up with their own plan. He had to defend his plan’s viability. Still, he tried to deflect criticism by requesting that the others come up with a plan that he could then challenge. He knew it wouldn’t work, but he was unable to resist the effort. “There is no other option, certainly not a better option. If any of you believe that there is, tell me what you would do.”

“Again, nice try, River,” the instructor said, interjecting suddenly. “Now how about you play by the rules from this point on or your indecision and insecurity will not only get you killed on the boat, but might also kill your chance for a decent grade in this course.” All the students, including River, laughed. The instructor didn’t.

“Well; here’s what I meant. There are no easy solutions to this agent’s problem. There is no plan for this that we could find in a textbook,” River explained.

“I had to begin by thinking of bad plans, the least acceptable options, then pick the best of them. That’s really all we can do sometimes. It would serve no purpose to fake a positive or ideal solution. It would do no good to offer a grand plan that sounds good and would look good in a movie. I needed a plan that would provide the best possible outcome. An ideal solution does not exist when you’re in the midst of a difficult, dangerous situation such as the one presented. You have to make a plan work that does not seem workable.

“Of course there’s a five in six chance of choosing the wrong person. But that’s only if I don’t know what I’m doing. I do know what I’m doing. I’ve been trained. And I have experience. And I have been told to look for details, tell–tale signs that others would not notice. And I know how to talk with people, to reason with people.

“All of this would give me the invisible tools necessary to make this thing work out. I believe in my plan. I believe that when difficulties arise, plans that might seem ridiculous at first will work. Think of lessons from military invasions that seemed ill–conceived at first, but were easy to recognize as military successes afterwards, for one reason and one reason only: They were successful.

“Many times when we analyze a plan of action before it succeeds, we will see only failure. But if we are told of the plan after we are told of the success of the plan, reasons for the prediction for failure evaporate.

“My plan will work. It will work because it is the only realistic way to handle the situation. It will work because, if I actually had to carry it out, I would not allow it to fail. I would be there to walk it through.”

The instructor asked for more input from the group. There was none. River received a grade of 82%, a good grade for the test, though far from a 92%, the highest grade given to date for this test. The instructor addressed the class. “River is receiving this relatively high grade because he was realistic. I have no idea whether River’s plan would actually work, but that is not the issue. I remind you that there are no right answers. This is about analytical thinking, leadership, confidence, working well under pressure and thinking clearly during very difficult challenges. River’s explanation stood out on all counts.” River received a B- for his final grade in the class.

Graduation at the Sentinel was different from that at any other institution of higher learning. There was no single student who would shine on graduation night, no valedictorian, no genius—no Superman or Wonder Woman. The entire graduating class acted as one and was treated as one. Still, River stood out, but far less so than he would have at most any other graduate school.

The president of the school addressed the graduating class. She alone shined on this night. This was a demonstration to the students that their achievement was valued, but the USFIA’s future leaders were to be present–day soldiers, obedient to leaders and respectful of authority. Their respect for leadership would be honored far more than their intelligence and achievements.

Major Alexandria Romez, president of the academy, rose to the podium to deliver the only speech that would be given on this night.

“Tonight you celebrate the culmination of three years of graduate studies at this institution, an institution that was formed exclusively to produce the agents needed to be the investigators and watchdogs of this nation’s most precious asset: the freedom of its citizens. Your graduating class began with enrollment of five hundred twenty. Three hundred eighty–seven of you are graduating tonight. You beat the odds.

“There is nothing wrong with the other one hundred thirty–three who did not finish this journey with you. And there is nothing special about you because you finished this race. I say this not to downplay your achievement. I say it to let you know the truth. The truth is that you are destined to serve. To understand true service is to understand that ‘academic achievement’ is better phrased ‘academic preparation for service.’

“I expect you to serve. I expect you to fully comprehend that this nation, the United States, is special. You are special because you have chosen, and you have been chosen, to defend this great nation against lawlessness and corruption. I expect you to fully understand that it is a privilege to serve a nation so special. It is a privilege even to be an everyday citizen of the U.S. Therefore, serving this great nation at the level you have been selected should be the highest honor you can hope for.

“Let there be no mistake about it, even at a most basic level, you will be on the front lines fighting those who would dare to strip us of our freedoms through their crimes, their corruption, or both.

“I am concerned that you might go from here believing that you are entitled. Entitlement thinking is a belief system that has become a dangerous extreme in our nation today. It is a cancer. Corruption abounds because greedy people in all professions, and from all walks of life, have been led to believe that they are special and that that special standing is to bring them material possessions and, of course, lots of money—huge sums of money.

“Honor, duty and service cancel out this cancer. Honor, duty and service are the medicines of prevention and treatment for this disease afflicting this nation today. I will not stand here today and tell you that you will be financially prosperous during your life because of what you learned here at this academy. Again, I say that I will tell you the truth, which is that you will enjoy a middle class existence in this great nation. Honor, duty and service many times do not produce riches. It’s as simple as that.

“It sounds as if I am encouraging you to accept less than you deserve, and that you should be happy about it nonetheless. I am not telling you any such thing. I am telling you, instead, that you deserve to serve. That is what we all deserve. Those who take and take without regard for an ethical standard will one day leave a pile of money for someone—but not for themselves. Under that pile of money will be dirt, barren soil that will not produce crops. The soil will have been choked. Its fresh oxygen and water will have been absorbed by the dry dollars that piled up on top of it for years. At the bottom of the pile there will be only rot.

“The servant will leave this world far better off than it was when he was born into it. The soil trod by the servant will be as fresh on the day the servant leaves this world as it was on the day he came into this world. People will enjoy freedom because of your work. The bad guys will be locked up because of your work. You are privileged, truly privileged. Because of your responsible cultivation, society will be able to reap the ripe and nutritious fruit of the seed you sowed.

“And your professional standards will be your ladder rungs. You will be advanced in your careers and in your opportunities because you ascended the ladder that was specifically designed and built to climb to the heights of outstanding personal and professional achievement. The climb will be lonely and it will be ethical. Except for you and a few others, the ladder will be empty. The summit will be worth it, though. Satisfaction at the top will exceed all expectation. Unlike the ladders of compromise and corruption, the ladder you climb will be sturdy, safe and secure when the winds change. You will be secure, no matter the heights you conquer.

“Adherence to the rules will pay off. Faith in the system will prove worthy. Dishonesty, manipulative behavior, even small compromises of standards will not work in your profession. You are headed up, to a much higher calling. To get there you must climb the ladder. You must climb the right ladder, you must climb it the right way. And you must begin the climb right away. You can and you will do it. I have faith in each of you. I know that you are up to the task.

“Do not leave here with the belief that you must find ways to ascend the ladder by knocking off your colleague. Do not leave here believing that you must skip as many rungs as possible, as often as possible. Do not leave here believing that you may allow your peer to fall down the ladder in order that you might ascend faster, stepping on his back as he falls down—instead of reaching for him and lifting him so he can continue his ascension. These plots will not work on the ladder you’ve chosen. Hard work, solid ethics, continued learning, mutual support for one another—these are your opportunities. Excellence will pay off. You will reach the summit, but only on the path chosen for you, and not on the path you might choose for yourself.

“You will be challenged and tempted before you step on each rung. The opportunity to rise alone, like a messiah, will be tempting. The opportunity to rise on top of others, instead of along side of others, will present itself most appealing. The opportunity to lift yourself instead of others will present itself daily, if not hourly, but you must resist. These opportunities are not real; they’re mirages. And if you attempt to ascend using any one of them, you will find as you attempt to step on the rung that your foot will pass through the false image of the rung and land a rung or two beneath the one you aimed for.

“Honor, duty and service. The order of these words is not important. They are not to be ranked. Don’t fall into that trap. To do so is to end up in childish discussion as to which is most important, which must come first and which could be left out in a pinch, and so on—complete nonsense. All three are critically important.

“And don’t split hairs about the precise meaning and context of each of the three. ‘It is an honor to serve,’ is just as important a statement as, ‘I will serve with honor.’ Two slightly different meanings to the word honor, but both equally important. Honor means honor. I expect you to live out in your careers all meanings of that word.