Every man feels the need to be a hero for the woman he loves, while every woman holds a hidden desire for a knight in shining armor to sweep her into a life of true love. After twenty-three years, Colonel James Paul Gordon, a retired air force pilot, is thrust into such a position. His lost love, Samantha Marissen, daughter of one of the country's wealthiest men and recently divorced from an emotionally and physically abusive man, is arrested in an unstable foreign land and charged as a spy in an unwarranted retaliatory act against the United States. Past and present collide as Jim Gordon, a man with no family, lays his life on the line to reunite the family of Ed Marissen, his nemesis.
TO GO BEYOND
REBIRTHBy Craig Timothy MichaelsTrafford Publishing
Copyright © 2012 Craig Timothy Michaels
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4669-4929-4Contents
April 29, Wednesday—St. Petersburg, Russia........................................................1April 2, Thursday—United States...................................................................48April 30, Thursday—Outside St. Petersburg, Russia.................................................50April 30, Thursday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri......................................52May 1, Friday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri...........................................54May 1, Friday—Washington, Missouri................................................................56May 14, Thursday—Outside St. Petersburg—Russia..............................................83May 15, Friday—Marissen Aerospace—St. Louis, Missouri.......................................94May 20, Wednesday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri.......................................96May 30, Saturday—Washington, Missouri.............................................................100June 3, Wednesday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri.......................................104June 14, Sunday—Outside St. Petersburg, Russia....................................................106June 30, Tuesday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri........................................111July 4, Saturday—Neil & Sue's—Glendale, Missouri............................................113July 11, Saturday—Rich & Gina's Home—Kirkwood, Missouri.....................................118July 16, Thursday —Outside St. Petersburg, Russia.................................................128July 18, Saturday—Chesterfield Airport—Chesterfield, Missouri...............................131July 18, Saturday—Naples, Florida.................................................................137July 21, Tuesday—Sonora Complex—Arizona.....................................................156July 21, Tuesday—Naples, Florida..................................................................164July 24, Friday—Naples, Florida—Paradise View...............................................168July 27, Monday—Outside St. Petersburg, Russia....................................................176July 29, Wednesday—Chesterfield Airport—Chesterfield, Missouri..............................182July 31, Friday—Outside St. Petersburg, Russia....................................................186August 3, Monday—Clandestine Meeting..............................................................189August 3, Monday—Sonora Complex, Arizona..........................................................191August 3, Monday—Washington, Missouri.............................................................196August 4, Tuesday—North of Moscow, Russia.........................................................200August 5, Wednesday—Sonora Complex, Arizona.......................................................202August 6, Thursday—Aboard Air Force 1.............................................................209August 6, Thursday—North of Moscow................................................................211August 6, Thursday—Sonora Complex, Arizona........................................................213August 8, Saturday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri......................................216August 8, Saturday—AM—Washington, Missouri..................................................217August 8, Saturday—PM—Rich & Gina's Home—Kirkwood, Missouri...........................229August 8, Saturday—PM—27,000' above Oklahoma................................................235August 9, Sunday—4:30am—Sonora Complex, Arizona.............................................249August 9, Sunday—8:00am—Washington, Missouri................................................255August 9, Sunday—8:00am—Sonora Complex, Arizona.............................................257August 10, Monday—3:45pm—North of Moscow....................................................268August 10, Monday—6:45am—Sonora Complex, Arizona............................................273August 15, Saturday—Marissen Estate—St. Louis, Missouri.....................................281August 16, Sunday—Sonoran Desert—Clandestine................................................289August 18, Tuesday—9:50am—Sonora Complex, Arizona...........................................291August 20, Thursday—6:00am—North of Moscow..................................................297August 26, Wednesday—7:30am—Sonora Complex, Arizona.........................................302August 26, Wednesday—7:30pm—Rich & Gina's Home—Kirkwood, Missouri.....................309August 26, Wednesday—Sonora Complex, Arizona......................................................319August 27, Thursday—9:40am—North of Moscow..................................................323August 27, Thursday—7:21pm—Sonora Complex, Arizona..........................................328August 28, Friday—1:45pm—Sonora Complex, Arizona............................................336August 29, Saturday—Late Afternoon—Washington, Missouri.....................................349August 29, Saturday—6:15am—North of Moscow..................................................353August 29, Saturday—6:30am—Sonora Complex, Arizona..........................................357August 30, Sunday-September 2, Wednesday—Washington D.C...........................................367September 4, Friday—8:00am—Sonora Complex, Arizona..........................................380September 5, Saturday—6:37am—North of Moscow, Russia........................................396September 4, Friday—10:10 pm—Sonora Complex, Arizona........................................402September 5, Saturday—9:10am—North of Moscow, Russia........................................405September 5, Saturday—12:15am— Sonora Complex, Arizona......................................407September 5, Saturday—12:20pm—North of Moscow, Russia.......................................413September 5, Saturday—1:20am—Sonora Complex, Arizona........................................424September 5, Saturday—1:37pm—North of Moscow................................................430December 31, 11:15pm—The Marissen Residence.......................................................506Epilogue................................................................................................513
Chapter One
April 29, Wednesday St. Petersburg, Russia
ALTHOUGH THE RUSSIAN CITY'S NORTHERN latitude afforded long, frigid nights, the addition of massive ice blocks from Lake Ladoga coursing through the city's main waterways would quickly lower the temperature, setting into motion late-season snows. Today's storm, a weather system blowing in from the Gulf of Finland, proved such an example with a bone-chilling temperature of minus four degrees centigrade. The bitter biting wind whipped sleet and snow seemingly every direction as Samantha trudged along Bolshaya Morskaya to the Angleterre Hotel.
She had fled to St. Petersburg as a drastic means of escaping the unrelenting pain and grief inflicted by a megalomaniac, now ex, husband and a powerful overbearing father. Although she felt genuine love for her mother, a complete separation from family seemed imperative. Abundant financial resources provided an ability to remain as long as necessary in this cold, distant city. The decision was hers and hers alone; Samantha Marissen chose to stay.
St. Petersburg! Much better than Leningrad, a name that burdened the city prior to the fall of the Soviet Union and communism. Peter the Great built this `Window to the West' into a modern European city. Modeled by Italian architects, the baroque and neoclassical architecture along with its network of canals, project a European appearance. Even city residents think of themselves as European and just a bit more sophisticated than their easterly countrymen.
Determined to escape her past, Samantha found an historic and cultural treasure, the famous Venice of the North. The city rests on 45 islands with more than 500 bridges, from narrow pedestrian chain bridges, to medieval and modern bridges, to giant drawbridges. Downtown St. Petersburg is crowded with impressive historical monuments and exquisite palaces.
Samantha's choice of residence, the historic Angleterre Hotel, renovated to its original splendor and situated next to St. Isaac's Cathedral, is within walking distance to the Admiralty, now a beautiful example of the Russian Empire style, the construction site for some of the first ships of Russia's Baltic Fleet. Also close by is the Bronze Horsemen, the statue depicting Peter the Great as a fearless Roman hero; and the Hermitage Museum, home of one of the largest and most impressive art collections in the world.
Samantha's favorite locale, however, soon became Nevskiy Prospect, the lively main avenue of St. Petersburg that houses the center of business and commercial activities including cultural life, nightlife, entertainment, the city's largest department store (Gostiny Dvor), and much more. Nevskiy cuts straight through the heart of St. Petersburg from the Alexander Nevskiy Monastery to the Baroque masterpieces of the Winter Palace and the Hermitage. Occasionally, she felt not enough time was available to absorb everything, although time no longer posed a problem.
Weary of her struggle against the elements, Samantha, smothered in sweaters, a scarf, a woolen cap pulled over her ears and forehead, thick gloves, fur-lined boots, and an insulated hooded coat, finally reached the majestic oversized doors of the Angleterre. Only her eyes remained exposed to the harsh weather. An odd combination of the bleak and beautiful brought her peace and tranquility halfway around the world, far from her past with no thought of the future.
The entrance, manned by Russian Empire Guards, offered a welcome invitation to the warm, impressive, richly decorated lobby, although lobby could do it no justice. Samantha crossed the expanse to the elevator in her bulky, definitely unattractive outer garb concealing a forty-eight-year-old elegant woman with beautiful features: soft blue eyes, dark brown shoulder length hair with slight blond highlights, and the smile of an angel. The smile of an angel, an expression recalled from her distant past.
She dropped her coat, sweaters, scarf, cap, and gloves onto the floor next to the door, her boots near the fireplace. Samantha spared no expense on accommodations; the fourth-floor Classic Room featured a view of St. Isaac's Cathedral, a king-size bed, sitting area, mini bar, satellite TV, internet access, bathrobes, and a safe. More importantly to her, the room exuded cozy warmth. She could request a fire for atmosphere, but that meant allowing someone into the room ... she would rather be alone.
After preparing a cup of tea, Samantha stepped to the window and gazed upon Isaac Square, a daily ritual. Situated in the center of the square, the magnificent St. Isaac's Cathedral, considered one of the finest architectural monuments of the 19th century. Richly decorated with monolithic columns, sculptures, mosaics, paintings, marble and semi-precious stones, it was the main cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church until 1917. Lazily watching the wind-blown sleet and snow cover the idyllic setting, she succumbed to exhaustion from her blinding, treacherous walk. Setting the tea on a small ornate table, she kicked off her slippers and lay across the bed; however, sleep was not an option.
Thoughts of what brought her to St. Petersburg haunted her. If only those thoughts would fade, she could begin to live her life again. Until then, she would continue to pray and put her faith in Jesus to bless her, protect her, and help her to recover.
Samantha Marissen had been the wife of Robert Barrett IV, a most successful corporate president. After the divorce, she found herself alone. The wives of his business contacts had been her only acquaintances, not friends, simply acquaintances. She had no siblings, no children, her life barren of friends or relatives. Robert Barrett IV would never tolerate children; they would cramp his fast-paced business life and, as he so boldly stated, "negatively affect his wife's body proportions."
Rob IV was a husband missing-in-action. Business was his life, his existence. Samantha fit only as window dressing, a trophy wife. "Just shut up and be happy" was his rule, a rule he enforced emotionally as well as physically. The dark secret Samantha kept buried within was the denigrating abuse suffered at the hands of Rob IV. She experienced great relief when he left on business, a time of silence and peace, a time of prayer, but also a time of pain, pain knowing this to be her life.
Samantha, well aware of the reality, found it a disgusting truth. Raised in an extremely wealthy family, she married an extremely wealthy man who would not be her choice today if she had the chance to do over, or so she says. In all honesty, she feared living without wealth. She learned, looking in retrospect at her selfishness, that the love of money and not money itself is the root of all evil. As with anything, a need becomes a weapon if in the wrong hands. Samantha's father and later her husband used money as her need to coerce her into their demands, and sadly, she obliged.
The nightmare began the afternoon her father met longtime executive business acquaintance Robert Barrett III for lunch at Fontaine's, a high-class restaurant in Clayton. Time slipped by as the two reminisced and drank. Finally, Ed informed Bob he must leave, business you know. Bob offered to cover the bill but Ed insisted he pick up the tab.
As they left, Bob mentioned that his son, Rob, was flying in from Los Angeles to spend time with family Friday. Would Ed, Rose, and Samantha like to spend an evening at the Barretts? It would be nice if Rob could enjoy a comfortable night with family and friends. Working to develop a plan with which he could maneuver Samantha and Rob together to clear a certain Air Force pilot from her mind, Ed expressed delight at the idea and asked Bob to name the time and the Marissens would be there.
Samantha, not the least bit interested in her father's assumption and interference, angrily rejected his insistence. After a great deal of arguing and tears, she gave in, agreeing to attend. No one bested Ed Marissen in an argument, not even his daughter.
The rest is history, as the saying goes. Samantha and Rob IV grew into an unlikely item. Ed, like a championship chess player, planned six or seven moves ahead. He understood this move would be great for business if he could convince Rob IV to accept a position at Marissen AeroSpace. Bob III's investments plus Rob IV plus Marissen equaled great success. After a bit of internal shuffling, a vice-president position became available and Rob IV jumped onboard.
Over time, under Ed's coercion, Samantha accepted Rob IV's third marriage proposal, succumbing to the fact that this was to be the direction of her life. Fear of losing her father's money doomed her to a life of quiet despair. The only means of maintaining her lifestyle was to marry the man of her father's choice. What shred of dignity remained?
Samantha wondered many times what her life would be had she stood firm and run away with her Air Force Captain, now far too late for such a dream. Certainly, she was a distant memory to him. If only she had ... if only she had ... her life replete with `If only she had'.
For more than twenty years, Samantha lived the lie. Rob IV refused any discussion of treatment for his abusive behavior; he was a man's man, the type who is never the problem. She begged him time and again that they make an effort at counseling, make a new beginning, and make the marriage work. Rob IV would have nothing of it. Counseling is weakness and an admission of failure. Never! Samantha ceased pleading after he grew more abusive, verbally and physically, if pressed for marriage counseling.
Not only did the suggestion of counseling set him off, he despised her Christian beliefs. Rational people do not need a God! He proclaimed vehemently that his great success was due to his own work, not some God somewhere. Rob IV was the one who made things happen, no one but him!
Anger so controlled him regarding Samantha's beliefs that during his last tirade he called her a "worthless bitch" and pushed her violently into their bedroom wall causing a concussion. He threatened her with more violence if she did not follow his lead at the hospital emergency room. As a result, the emergency room report stated she stumbled down the stairway, striking her head on the wall at the bottom of the steps. Both the attending emergency room doctor and nurse could only be suspicious of the injury/accident having found no other bruising. She had successfully protected her husband, but solely out of fear.
Eventually, Samantha confided in her mother and father of the violent abuse. Her father advised her to do nothing; he would take care of the matter. Terrified and on the verge of a breakdown, she begged her father not to speak to Rob IV; he would certainly take his anger out on her. She wanted to get away from him, as far away as possible.
Did Ed love his daughter first, then his business, or business first followed by his daughter? Samantha read his reluctance to support and protect her as a decision of `business first'. Glaring at her father and avoiding eye contact with her mother, she gathered her coat and purse and stormed from the mansion, unseen since that dreadful day.
The following two years proved a living hell as the divorce proceeded. Rob IV used every form of harassment known to destroy her will to fight. When forced to file a restraining order against him, he fought back attacking her character, stating how drunk and violent she was, the affairs she had, and the men hired to follow him. He feared for his safety and required a restraining order to protect him from her. Samantha, broken by the completely horrid mess, requested through her lawyers that if Rob IV ceased battling, she would walk away with nothing. She did as promised. But what is nothing when one is the only Marissen child?
Ed maintained silence during the proceedings, at least publicly. Samantha never knew her father's feelings or her mother's hatred and mistrust of Rob IV. Rose despised how he could patiently lay in wait for his unsuspecting victims. Typical targets were innocent high-level executives of the Marissen Aerospace giant whom Rob IV considered expendable. He would manufacture deadly career ending scenarios against these individuals until he reached the top of the organizational chart, leaving behind a path of human destruction. Ed's admiration of Rob IV lay solely on the exponential growth of the corporation under his leadership. Ed had veered from the path, lost his way.
Ed Marissen came from simple means, learning survival with his mother and father during difficult financial times. He held his father, Roger, in low-esteem since his father's struggles and many moves of that period placed great stress on his mother, Alice, who stretched everything as far as possible to keep the family fed and clothed. Ed worked any odd job he could find as a young boy, earning extra money to help his mother. He promised himself this would not happen to his future family.
So began the saga of Ed Marissen, from the survival of his childhood to his current position as CEO/President/Owner of the business he built from a small machine shop he purchased in 1954 to the aerospace giant of today. Too young to serve in the armed forces, Ed took on the job of 'gopher' with a small machine shop in Memphis, Tennessee after leaving his hometown of Chattanooga. The shop, 'Memphis Machine', manufactured a multitude of small parts for the thousands of planes required by the military.
The position of "gopher" referred to "go for this" or "go for that." Ed revised the meaning of "gopher" to "go far." With hard work and determination, he advanced to plant manager reporting directly to the owner, Larry Owens. Nine years later, Larry decided to sell the shop and retire. He made a large sum of money over the past several years once he decided Memphis Machine should manufacture plane components for the private sector.
Larry held a great appreciation for Ed, offering to sell the business to him. The idea of owning a business intrigued Ed but, unfortunately, he did not have the finances to accept the deal and sadly turned down the offer. Disappointed to hear Ed's rejection, Larry rethought the matter and realized a discussion of financing never seriously took place. He called Ed into his office and motioned for him to have a seat; what Ed was about to hear would stagger him. Remember, this occurred during a better time, a more civilized time, a time of honesty.
Larry leaned forward, looked Ed in the eye, and gave him an extremely low price for the company, offering to finance the deal for him. What a break! The seller asked low requiring no upfront money, followed by the seller financing the loan. He explained to Ed that he would like to see the company carry on and knew Ed was the man to do it. A handshake finalized the transaction.
Ed quickly expanded Memphis Machine's customer base as a sub-contractor to the larger plane manufacturers and major manufacturing companies in general. He found himself in a make or break position. If he built the business in a patient well-planned progression, orders would be filled and shipped on time. But if he were to attempt to pull in as many orders as possible while paying no attention to details, production shipments would be late, orders canceled, customers unhappy, and the Memphis Machine reputation in flames.
However, Ed had a natural ability for running a business and making profit. He assembled a small but efficient sales staff, dividing his existing customers among them and allowing freedom to se out new business. He took the young, inexperienced staff and taught them everything about the manufacturing business before setting them free. All Ed expected in return was good, hard, honest work. If an employee met this standard, additional compensation was the reward. If not, he would personally hand a layoff notice to the offender. Circumstances and situations were always taken into consideration, resulting in very few employee dismissals. Ed was a fair man but, as he liked to say, "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." He also made a point of calling everyone by name and knowing some personal point of interest.
Soon, the business became too much for the confines of the building. Ed expanded the square footage twice to accommodate the booming times. Occasionally, Larry would visit only to be further astounded and proud of Ed's accomplishments since acquiring Memphis Machine. He could rest assured he chose the right man to keep the business alive.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from TO GO BEYONDby Craig Timothy Michaels Copyright © 2012 by Craig Timothy Michaels. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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