In rural Pennsylvania East meets West and Middle East, as three global forces collide in their pursuit of a ground breaking chemical formula.
Mohammed El Fatah was feeling the fatigue of a long nights work, as he neared the Lynn home in Fellowship. After his encounter with the blonde man had gone so badly, he and his associates had driven for over an hour searching for any trace of him. Finally, he had decided to go to the Lynn home, only to find the area crawling with police. Parking his car nearly a quarter mile from the house, he walked the distance, leaving his men with the van. It was too risky for all of them to get to near the scene. In today’s America, too many Arabs in one spot always sent off alarms. He watched the police activity from deep within the small crowd, scanning the crowd for the blonde man. His research told him, the Lynn's had no children, and lived alone in this small development. He had expected to find the wife at home asleep. He and his men had watched the death of Peter Lynn through high powered binoculars. The actions of the blonde man were surprising. After watching the death of Peter Lynn, he had expected to surprise the killer in the roadside park, and take from him whatever he had gotten from Lynn. That had not gone as planned either, he reminded himself. The interference of the other man was unexpected, just as unexpected as finding the same black man here at the murder scene. Perhaps his presence in the park had not been an accident after all. First, one of his associates, who worked at the Atherton plant in Fellowship, had told him about a new process being developed by another chemist by the name of Peter Lynn. A matter of passing interest. He was always on the hunt for information he could use, or sell. After directing him to find out more about the process, his old associates, the Chinese, began making requests for his help in locating information on the same process. This of course, changed things, and sparked his interest. As the flows of information increased, he was led to Hardcastle, and eventually to tonight’s activities. He returned to the van and his waiting men. A new set of circumstances was developing in his mind by the time he arrived.
"Appears our friend from the road side park, the black man, is here also. Perhaps it was not an accident he was in the park the same time as the blond one. You two stay here and monitor the situation, discreetly, and report to me where he goes when he leaves here. "
He emphasized to his men, the need for discretion. After the reversals of the last few years, they had not been able to get the cream of the crop as soldiers. Their faith was undeniable, their intelligence quite something else. Once he was satisfied they fully understood his orders, he left them with the van, and walked several miles from the scene, before using his cell phone to summon the back up car from his headquarters to take him back to Philadelphia. He considered the night’s activities as he waited. He was pleased to see the car arrive in less than forty minutes. When it came to a stop, the young driver got out quickly. He hurriedly opened the door and stood waiting in silence. Mohammed did not speak. The young were eager to serve, and he let them. He took his time getting into the car. Now, there was no need to hurry. Within minutes the car was speeding back to Philadelphia. He did not enjoy the drive. His mind was lost in thoughts of tonight’s activities
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