Chapter One: Russian Information Mission

I slowly followed Ludmilla across the library to the electronic catalog system and sat down next to her. I entered my phony library access card number and was in the system. As long as I didn't speak, I knew the mission would be a success. At seventy-five years old I had been an undercover librarian for ten years. God how it pained me to quit coloring my hair and now that I could easily afford a face-lift, President Washington had forbid it. The cold war was getting to be a distant memory for most Americans. The new hidden war was all about information and as an old lady, I was the perfect operative. As I put my reading glasses on and began to surf the system, I could hear the heavy footsteps behind me. Oh God, not the librarian! I said to myself, "Smile and nod. Smile and nod." She came behind me and I looked up and smiled and dug in my pocket for my phony ISLA card. She barraged me in Russian and I nodded vigorously. I noticed she was my age and longed to make a date for some hot tea later and look at photographs of her grandchildren. My young Russian translator took over and I began breathing again with relief. Ludmilla quietly and quickly explained that I was mute and started translating. "She wants to know how she can help you Verushka. Shall I tell her the standard line?" I smiled and nodded at Ludmilla and at my Russian counterpart. She motioned me to the section of the library for children and I followed her smiling down at a copy of, "One Fish, Two Fish" in Russian. I recognized it by the bright blue cover, fish and picked up the book, smiled and waved the librarian off. Ludmilla came up behind me and whispered in my ear, "She wants you to join her for later to hear about the Eastern Russia library system, but I told her we were flying back home to Vladivostok tonight." I whispered back, "Nice job." As I had entered the library, I had cased the joint thoroughly and spotted the technology section near the section for kids. I now gradually made my way to that area. I pressed the petal on my fake flower broach and my hidden camera began filming the titles. The latest gadget was soundless and accurate, ready for download when I returned to the Secret Service section of the Library of Congress. My stomach growled but I did my job. I was getting hungry and looking forward to the flight home on the Secret Service jet. I knew the food would be exquisite. It was a complete fluke that in 2010, Melinda Gates began the war against human extinction. Male world leaders did not come on board until 2020, and by then the climate changes could no longer be ignored. The riots for clean water had soon followed. I was in the right place at the right time to support the American government in the race to save the world. Every world leader now wanted to be the hero to end overpopulation and global environmental degradation and I was called upon for my limitless information gathering skills. President Washington, the sassy, black, first woman president was only funny and sweet on the outside, inside she was fierce and would do anything to be the global leader to win the war to save the world. As our limo pulled up to the airstrip, all I could think about was the juicy rib-eye steak and baked potato smothered in everything the staff could think of. Our Lear jet sat gleaming white and shiny in the late afternoon sun. Suddenly, a screech of tires ...