Gifts of the Future

No one in the U.S., other than the people who'd leased the EV-1's and other environmentalists, were even aware that a viable, marketable electric vehicle was deliberately and systematically removed from availability. During 2002 and 2003, everyone's attentions had been focused on taking down Saddam Hussein and attempting to liberate Iraq.

The Bush administration misconstrued numerous intelligence reports of possible links between Saddam and al-Qaeda and convinced the nation and the U.N. that he'd been a possible collaborator in the 9/11 attacks. The intelligence reports were only allegations based on unconfirmed reports that there had been meetings between Saddam and al-Qaeda operatives.

CIA Operative Jonathan North had been sent to the Middle East at the end of 2002 to assist in following up on the Iraq/al-Qaeda connection, and by early 2003, he was pretty sure there wasn't one. He'd met with members of the Islamic Organization for Peace and Freedom with whom Nuri and Uncle Yosef had put him in contact.

The IOPF had been carefully infiltrating various Muslim extremist and terrorist organizations and a few of them were among the groups who were closest to Saddam and Osama bin Laden. According to the IOPF operatives, Saddam and bin Laden hated each other... their views on the future of the Arab world differed widely. Bin Laden was dead set on following traditional Islamic law at all costs where Saddam was in favor of leading the Arab nations into the modern world.

The only thing the two seemed to agree on was the fact that they loathed U.S. involvement in any Middle Eastern affairs, but that was not enough to make them want to collaborate. Saddam had been content just to let bin Laden do whatever he wanted as long as it didn't get in his way, and he'd not offered any assistance or asylum to anyone associated with al-Qaeda.

Jonathan had traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with U.S. military officials who were in the final planning phase of the Iraq invasion to inform them of his findings. He'd tried to get them to convince the Joint Chiefs that, at the very least, the President and Congress should be made aware of the fact that their main reason for making the decision to invade was based on false allegations.

Little did he know that the military had already been informed by their Commander In Chief that, even if the allegations weren't true, they were to go ahead with the invasion. The government wanted to keep the nation's focus on Saddam Hussein and Iraq in order to bolster national pride because the U.S. had actually retaliated against "someone" for the 9/11 attacks. Besides, they also had the claims that Saddam was hiding weapons of mass destruction, was capable of genocide and he just needed to be taken out...

The government was also hoping no one would pay attention to that pesky EV-1 debacle they were attempting to get rid of quietly. Nuri had informed Jonathan that the EV-1's were going to be taken off the road without any logical explanations as to why and they decided it was time to start looking into what was really going on...

**********

By the end of 2003, most of the families had migrated to living around the Washington, D.C. area. Senior FBI specialists Jonnie North, Tommy Seldon and Jay Hanson had all been transferred to positions at headquarters in Washington. Megan was a senior Washington correspondent with a major network that was not being influenced politically in any way, Barbie was working as a free-lance photojournalist for some Washington papers and Didi was doing volunteer work for various charitable organizations.

Colonel Karen Moss-Estevez had been promoted to a position with the DoD, which also required her to work at the Pentagon, so Rickie had applied and gotten a job with the DC Metro Police as a detective. Wayne and Jada Seldon had started their own computer technology development firm by selling off a chunk of his Microsoft stock before the price had dipped in the late 90's and they had moved their base of operations to Northern Virginia.

Doctors Charlie and Lily Richards had accepted positions at a prestigious Washington area teaching hospital. Charlie was serving as the head of the Research Department and Lily had been named their Chief of Surgery. Intern J.J. Hanson had transferred from UCLA's medical program to be at the same hospital with them and his wife Sophia had transferred from UCLA to Georgetown University... which also put both of them near their parents again.

Nuri and Jasmine Madani had transferred to Washington at the beginning of 2003. The CIA had recruited both of them into their Professional Trainee program when they learned that Nuri was being forced to return to Saudi Arabia in early 2004. Jonathan had suggested it to his superiors at the Agency and they'd agreed because of Nuri's connection to the IOPF, which had been cooperating with CIA Operations Officers on missions all over the Middle East ever since 9/11. Jasmine was happy when her parents had moved to be near them again before they had to leave the country.

The elders had also decided to sell their homes and moved to an upscale retirement community just a few hours from Washington so they could be near their children and most of their grandchildren. Tom and Lynda Seldon, Jon and Barbara North and Rick and Dawn Estevez were slowly adjusting to life on the east coast. At least there they didn't have to deal with sporadic power outages and minor earthquakes any more like they had in California!

Charles and Diana Richards were happy to be back in their old stomping grounds in Virginia! They were living in the same area where they'd spotted each other at that carnival so long ago... they would get misty-eyed every time they remembered the miracle of finding each other again. And they were delighted to learn that the nearby small town still held that carnival every summer...

California State Senator Robbie Seldon was living most of the time in Washington with his wife Crystal, who was the head of their non-profit environmental research organization called Earth Friendly Futures. Their nephew Tommy was one of the environmental scientists traveling around the country doing studies for their organization, accompanied by his wife Kira, serving as his research assistant. And Robbie and Crystal's eighteen-year-old daughter Lana was with them in Washington and also attending Georgetown University studying political science with her friend Sophia Estevez-Hanson.

Senator Seldon had asked to form a new Congressional Subcommittee to more closely assess the progress that was being made on environmental issues the EPA had already attempted to address. He was in the process of recruiting committee members who were genuinely concerned with those issues. It would have been an almost impossible task if Crystal and Jasmine Madani had not assisted him...

They sat in on his meetings with various Senators so that Crystal could answer any questions they had about how the funding that would go to their EFF organization would be spent. She could tell by the types of questions they asked whether they were truly interested in serving on the subcommittee, and Jasmine could tell if they had ulterior motives.

A few of the Senators had agreed to meet with Robbie solely for the purpose of hoping to be appointed in order to keep tabs on the research information that EFF would be submitting to the committee on their findings. What was most interesting was the fact that those Senators were from states that would've had a keen interest in more closely studying environmental impact issues such as the long-term effects of coal mining and emissions from fossil fuels.

But Jasmine had recognized the coldness in their eyes and the darkness clouding their minds when she shook their hands at the ends of the meetings. After they'd left, she'd informed Robbie and Crystal that they couldn't be trusted. A few of the Senators she'd touched as they were leaving had warmth in their eyes but were wrestling with their feelings. They wanted to do what was best, but she figured they were skeptical that the committee would be able to affect any real changes that might be needed...

When they'd turned around to shake hands with Robbie, Jasmine looked at Crystal over their shoulder, raised her eyebrows and nodded... indicating for Crystal to give them a "mental" nudge. So, as she'd taken their hand to say goodbye, she'd stared into their eyes with her piercing aqua-green gaze.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us Senator. I know you have your doubts, but I'm sure, just like us, you want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to preserve the future of our world for our children and generations to come. I know you want to do the right thing," she'd stated solemnly and then smiled when they had trouble tearing their gaze from hers.

One of the men had shaken his head slightly as she'd released his stare, looked at Robbie and muttered, "Your wife has the most... stunning eyes, Senator Seldon. I'll bet you have trouble resisting whatever she wants if she looks at you like that when she's asking for something! She probably has you wrapped around her little finger!"

Then he'd chuckled as he left when Robbie replied, "You've got that right, sir. My wife is a very persuasive woman!"

Later that night, he'd reminded her just how persuasive he could be. She was sitting on their bed, hunched in front of her computer going over some of the documents Wayne and Jada had downloaded for her from various EPA test reports over the years.

Robbie ran his hand through her shoulder-length blonde hair, moving it aside and bent down to kiss the curve of her neck and shoulder softly. He smiled when he felt goose bumps form across her shoulder and down her arm as she trembled slightly. "Mmm... I'm glad your body still pays attention to me even when I can't seem to claim the attention of your mind!" he chided softly.

Crystal dropped her head to the side and turned to peer up at him guiltily. "I'm sorry, love... it's just that all this data is pouring in and it's going to take weeks or months to sort it all out so we can put it into a format that Tommy and the other scientists can use for comparisons after they've gathered their own data and samples for testing."

She looked back and gestured at the endless list of documents on the computer screen. "I just didn't realize the enormous amount of data the EPA has to try and keep track of... it's no wonder it sometimes seems like they've not been able to really accomplish anything when you look at everything they're trying to deal with! And having to fight the various industries they're trying to regulate every step of the way doesn't make their mission any easier, either. That's why we need to help..."

She sighed resignedly and leaned back against her husband as he stood behind her at the side of their bed. "I'm just starting to realize the monumental size of the task we're about to undertake." She paused and grinned when she felt a hard lump on the middle of her back. "Well, Senator... it seems you're presenting me with another task of monumental size to tackle," she purred with a soft laugh as she closed her laptop and set it on a bedside table.

Then she rose up on her knees, facing him, and stroked the long bulge in the front of his tight under shorts, watching his gray-green eyes deepen with even more desire. Robbie growled softly, "Yes I am, Mrs. Seldon... and this is a task that you will have to continue to perform if you expect my committee to approve funding for your organization's research. Do we understand each other?" he asked slyly as he slid his hands around to caress her ass.

Crystal's eyes widened for a moment as she exclaimed with mock indignity, "Senator! Are you telling me I have to bribe you with sexual favors?!!"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. If you get so wrapped up in your work that you can't take the time to satisfy this demand, then I will see to it that your funding is cut off. Have I made myself 'Crystal' clear, Mrs. Seldon?" he replied silkily and then kissed her softly.

She slid her hands into the waist of his under shorts and pushed them down his hips and thighs until they fell to his ankles as she replied, "Indeed you have, Senator. Just promise me one thing..." she purred as she grasped his hard cock and tugged him onto the bed with her. She laid him back, lifted her nightie over her head, slipped her panties off and straddled his hips, rubbing the tip of his cock on her hot, wet flesh as she stared at him. "Don't tell my husband," she groaned as she sank down onto his long shaft.

**********

In early 2004, everyone gathered for a huge party the day before Nuri and Jasmine were leaving to take up residence with the Madani family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Even Jonathan made a special trip back to The States so he could visit with his family and friends that he hadn't seen in a while. Everyone was surprised at how his look had changed...

Jonathan had let his dark brown hair grow shaggier, his skin was tanned and he sported scruffy whiskers. He could easily pass as being Middle Eastern himself... except for his aqua blue eyes. That was why he usually wore whatever clothing was the norm in any region he traveled to and sunglasses when out in public so as not to call attention to himself.

And when he was meeting with anyone he didn't know, he wore brown contact lenses. One of his cover identities was that of a Saudi citizen. One of the IOPF operatives who worked in the immigration department of the Saudi government had been able to provide authentic documents, as well as documents for Jasmine's cover identity, which he was delivering to her.

As far as the immigration officials at the Riyadh airport would know the next day, they'd be welcoming home a couple of their citizens who'd been studying in the U.S. for several years. And the Madani family was fully prepared to back up the story. As far as they knew, Jasmine was a natural born citizen whose Saudi father had died when she was little while they were living in the U.S. for a time and her American mother had stayed in The States to raise her, but she'd wanted to return to the country of her birth and learn about her father's homeland...

That would easily explain her blue eyes and her lack of proficiency in the Arabic language, which she'd been studying with Jada and Nuri's help. She'd also been making herself get used to wearing the dreaded "abaya" and "hijab" which Jada had given her and shown her how to wear properly.

Nuri had hated it at first when she'd started wearing them out in public around Washington just to see how she'd handle people's reactions to seeing her dressed that way. She realized she was more likely to get stared at here than she would once they were in Saudi Arabia, but she found herself paying attention to the way men looked at her.

They would frown as they quickly scanned the long, loose drapes of material and then scowl before glancing at her face. But all they could see were her eyes... and the scowls would suddenly disappear as they looked startled to be staring into a deep, ocean blue gaze framed by thick, curly lashes. She would just stare back, unblinking, as she felt their wary, confused emotions fade away...

Most of them would then look away in embarrassment once they realized they'd been gawking at her. But a few of them threw black scowls at Nuri, thinking he was making her dress like that and a couple of men had run their eyes down her body again like they were trying to imagine what was hiding beneath all that dark material! But when they'd noticed Nuri scowling darkly at them, they'd quickly turned and left. Jasmine hadn't been able to stop herself from chuckling as he'd growled softly while watching those men scurry away...

He'd turned to face her in exasperation and said harshly, "At least that's one thing I won't have to worry about seeing once we get back to Saudi Arabia! The men there know better than to eye another man's woman like that! And you, my wife, should not find it amusing because it will be within my rights as well as my duty to punish you for such impertinence! Do not ever give me reason to have to rebuke you in public, Jasmine. I don't think I could bring myself to do it, and that would blow our cover! Do you understand, my love?" he'd asked her earnestly.

She'd lowered her eyes and spoken quietly. "As you will, my hasan, adham malik. I am your amatu-mukhlisah, my husband." When she raised her gaze to his eyes again, they were glittering with dark passion and she'd felt her breathing begin to deepen as tingles had fluttered between her legs. She'd started to feel like she was suffocating behind the material draped across the lower half of her face...

Until Nuri had grabbed her, yanking it away to kiss her hard and deeply for a moment, knowing such a public display of affection would be mostly frowned upon in Saudi Arabia. But if he were seen roughly dragging her into an alley to take her in a dark corner, forcing his will on her... as he longed to do at that moment... he'd be seen as a man just doing what he wanted with his wife... his property! And she'd said herself that she was his devoted servant... that he was her handsome, dark master...

But here, she could have him arrested for rape... although he knew Jasmine would never fight him when it came to sex... she wanted him just as badly! And she'd proved that the way she'd kissed him back and clung to him desperately. When he realized she was wearing nothing but panties under the abaya, he'd been ready to find a quiet, dark alley somewhere nearby and slam her up against a wall to relish the sensation of feeling nothing but his cock ramming inside her and seeing nothing but the look of pure lust and desire in her eyes as he fucked her hard...

But they might've ended up getting arrested for that... so he'd dragged her to their car, driven as quickly as he could to their Georgetown apartment and attacked her just inside their front door! Not a word was spoken as he'd reached up under the abaya and ripped her panties away as she'd fumbled with the fly of his pants, opening them and grasping his rigid cock.

Nuri had growled ferally as he'd grasped her ass and thighs, lifting her and slamming her against the door as he'd slammed his cock inside her... just like the first time he'd taken her. Only this time, he didn't stop to don a condom... he and Jasmine had agreed that in order to maintain their cover, she'd have to start performing all of her "wifely" duties... including bearing his children.

They'd put off having children until they were through with their college degrees and then they'd been recruited by the CIA, and they didn't want to have children while they were in training. The Agency had fast-tracked them into their Core Collector training so that they'd both be Operations Officers once they were established in Riyadh.

Nuri was going to be serving as a liaison between his father's boss, the OPEC Sheikh, and other foreign businessmen and dignitaries. The Sheikh liked the idea that he had someone he trusted who was highly skilled in diplomacy and had easily adapted to Western cultural mannerisms without being unduly influenced by them...

The Sheikh had informed Nuri that he needed no further education and that it was time to come home. Nuri had logically convinced the Sheikh that one more year working in a diplomatic capacity in Washington would help him complete the façade of his adaptation to Western and world cultural experiences. So the CIA had helped him with the diplomatic contacts during their year or so of training.

Jasmine's family did not like her having to live in Saudi Arabia and for her protection, her family and friends were told the story that had been fabricated for the Saudi government, but they were not told that both she and Nuri were working with the CIA. They were told it was only to facilitate her ease of being accepted into the country without suspicion being cast on either one of them...