Podcasts about national clandestine service

Wrapping up loose ends and moving forward.Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Love is like a crossbow quiver. You only have so many bolts to shoot before it runs outThere was a long pause. Pamela took another long breath then an impish grin came to her lips."With your luck you'll get those, then end up in the Artic," she scoffed."Not the Antarctic? I've got a soft spot in my dreams for penguins.""Nope. You get to be chased by polar bears," she nudged me. I nudged her back playfully. She gave me a Charlie horse."Ow!" I yipped. The two SD chicks from the front of the plane looked back our way. I didn't care about their misconceptions. My muscles needed some self-massages."I was pretty scared," I whispered to Pamela."Good for you. You were also pretty lucky and I'm sure pretty pissed with your 'Albanian' attackers," she replied quietly. "I missed you too."I liked the way she read my mind about that. I would have liked it some more if I hadn't glanced to my other side, then fallen straight to sleep.{1 pm, Monday, August 25th ~ 14 Days to go}On Tuesday night, Aya got one of her wishes fulfilled ~ sorta. I slept in Caitlyn Ruger's bed and I wasn't alone. The Sandman had dropped a Scottish sand trap sized load of sand on me and there was more than enough spillover to flatten little Aya too. Because I lived among Amazons, Caitlyn woke me up at 5:45 in the A M and only so much lollygagging was allowed.Aya got to sleep for fifteen whole minutes more than I did. She hugged me and kissed my cheek (which amused her three Fatal Squirt compatriots to no end) while I stuffed away my breakfast. Desiree showed up to take me to work minutes later. While Aya showed off her battle scar to the pre-caste Amazons and her Aunt D. (they had not been awake when we showed up the previous evening), I was chided for being late for weapons practice.Yes. Life and death battle successes meant nothing to the Amazons. If you had a spare moment you had better be training, or working out your mind and/or body. We had no 'weekends', though we did get an quarter day off in celebration for the religious festivals based on the sacred days of the various matron Goddesses. A full day off didn't happen.7:00 AM saw me with the intern group, just as if nothing had happened to change our relationship over the past two months. Oh, we were different. They teased me about my sunburn and wanted to see my latest scars. I couldn't work with Buffy anymore, since I was her spiritual leader. Due to my 'high risk' status, Desiree was the only other Amazon Katrina trusted me with, so I got to get beaten at her hands for the last three days of the week.To be fair, I teased Desiree incessantly. I made her smile when she thought I was doubled over in pain on multiple occasions. Beyond that seven-to-five schedule, I exercised after work until six and then managed to bike home in a manner that avoided the paparazzi.I was easy to track outside of the building by the members of the press (who thought I was still somehow newsworthy) and despite my persistent desire to not talk to any of them. Felix had 'vanished', so I was the only man left. What had happened to him? Katrina allowed me to take a glance. He was at an Epona Wyoming freehold training for the Great Hunt and reveling in his 'lone man in a household of twenty-two single women' status.Unlike the three other members of our 'first class', Felix got to choose his re-location location and communicated with me daily because he wanted us to create a battle plan for the upcoming Hunt. It was official; it was going to be a two man vs. thirty Amazons affair and there was no rule that we couldn't work together though only two Amazons could win by capturing us and holding onto us until sunset on Sunday, September 14th.No one except Krasimira, the Keeper of Records, knew what terrain we would be hunted on so we could expect anything from swamps to mountain ranges. The Amazons were in the same boat. Already the House heads had volunteered one member for the Hunt. The ancestors would be consulted for the half who would actually participate. Krasimira had also added her own twists.House Ishara couldn't compete because technically, I was already their participant. With 52 houses halved, that equaled 26. The final four? Runners. If a runner won, the Keeper would consult the ancestors to see which house they would automatically be inducted into. Eight runners were nominated by the department heads and four of those would be chosen by the Augurs as well.In a normal organization it would have been thought that Krasimira was abusing her station since there was no High Priestess to oppose her decisions. Not in the Amazons. No. She consulted the Augurs and the Augurs worked the will of the Ancestors and that was that. No Augur would lie about the sacred communications imparted to them. That was inconceivable sacrilege.What that did mean was that at sunset on Thursday, September 11th, Felix and I would be inserted with a knife, map and clothing into the hunting zone. When the sun rose on Friday morning, the thirty Amazons would be put into the zone. No Amazon could attack another unless they, or their targets, 'possessed' a man. They could team up but only two could win. It was promising to be a great 'get to know your buddies at work' moment for all of us,What was Felix getting out of this besides his freedom? (His freedom was no longer in danger. House Epona would protect him.) No, for Felix, if he survived free until the sun set on Sunday, he would become a Runner. If he lost, he would have to spend another year as an intern. This convinced me that Felix was totally dedicated to avoiding capture. I was good with that.Meanwhile for me, it was Brooke Wednesday night, Oneida on Thursday and Timothy and Odette going clubbing with me on Friday night. Saturday was my first House Ishara group activity. We gathered in the early morning at Doebridge, me with a hangover and Buffy giving me crap at every opportunity. Fortunately the rest of my 'sisters' treated me with a great deal more reverence.Now they all knew about my Summer Camp role, Romania and my kidnapping. Even in their 'man-hating' ideology, I was the exception to the rule ~ I was reliable, dedicated, smart, lethal and worthy of their trust and respect. On the council front, Buffy hinted to me that there was a way around the deadlock for who would be foisted onto the Regency Triumvirate, but she refused to tell me what it was. That was a cause for concern.Sunday, I worked with JIKIT, did some Amazon diplomatic stuff and discovered Desiree was my new bodyguard. Katrina thought a full SD team would be cumbersome and my best bet was to remain unconventional and mobile. I agreed because it allowed me to play the field a little more. Speaking of playing the field,This bright Monday afternoon, I was standing in a hangar at Stewart International Airport waiting on my fiancée, Hana Sulkanen. She had flown from Tibet to London with the Dali Lama. That exalted individual had passed on the mantle of national leadership to the Tibetan Constitutional Committee and left the country with the stern decision that the country would move forward toward democracy and not backwards toward theocracy.Now he was playing the role of goodwill ambassador, encouraging the Tibetan Diaspora to spend a few months to a year back in their homeland to help rebuild and teach. He also was rallying support for Tibetan recognition and financial support. Already the UN had voted to send a small international group to establish border security against both the Khanate and the PRC.With the PRC treaty-obliged by the ceasefire to not oppose Tibetan freedom, the UN acted rapidly. The UN Tibet Force(UNTFOR) combat elements consisted of the UK (+ Gurkha), Chilean, French (+ French Foreign Legion), Germany, India, Italy, Romania, Spanish and Thailand each sending one battalion each. Algeria, Denmark, Chile, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Canada, Cameroon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Brazil agreed to make smaller contributions. The USAF would supply a serious level of logistics support for the mission.The UN also created the UN Tibetan Training Force (UNTTFOR) which provided a structure for giving access by Tibetan forces to German, Italian, Chilean and Romanian bases to train to E U standards over a five month period. The Khanate provided gobs of captured Chinese hardware to the creation of a tiny Tibetan Armed Forces, easing worries about adequately equipping the troops once they were trained.The Dali Lama was simultaneously arriving at JFK to public fanfare in order to thank the UN personally on behalf of the nation he loved. Hana was able to finally shed the limelight and was coming into a secure National Guard facility to finally take a step back to a 'normal' lifestyle. The last bit of oddity: the hangars used by the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 of the Marine Corps Reserve was courtesy of JIKIT. No press was allowed, or expected.It was an odd grouping of us. Jormo Sulkanen (Hana's father), his chauffeur and Hana's daughter  Annela were in one car. Hana was traveling with Libra and Ms. Meacham, so they would need the limo he came in. My appearance was a simple moment for us to touch base in person, as opposed to over the internet, or mobile phone. The third group waiting was Sten Phillip M nnik (her ex-husband) and two unnamed associates.Sten was being a total jerk, which may have been due to me calling him Philip when we first met. Philip wasn't 'ethnic' enough for him, so he never used it. Because he hated it, Brennan (Hana's deceased step-brother) had used it constantly. I had overheard it and thus screwed up our first meeting. But Sten's current blistering hatred had two positive side effects: Jormo came over and stood by me, a suggestion of solidarity I hadn't expected, and since we were standing next to each other, we finally began the dialog that we needed if Hana was going to be family to both of us.We chatted about the thing that mattered most ~ Hana. He asked me if I had really hired a team of assassins to protect her, so I told him a little bit about the Ghost Tigers. He talked about how proud she was to be bringing peace to a suffering planet and I agreed that she looked spectacular doing so.Some things remained the same; I had set in motion the death of his youngest son who had paraded a raped lady in front of me. A bunch of other dilettantes had perished as well. Balancing that was the joy I brought to the child closest to his heart, his adopted daughter Hana. I also had proved to be my own brand of eccentric knight in tarnished armor. I meant well, and in Jormo's book that meant something.He also told me he would strangle me with my own intestines if I broke her heart. I looked him straight in the face and asked him how he felt about open marriages. He hit me. To be fair, I let him hit me. He didn't try to do me serious harm."Don't be an asshole," he grumbled."I'm not sure I know how?" I shrugged. I got another hard stare."She loves you," he said with surprising tenderness."I would rather face that typhoon again than break her heart. The thought of that scares me because I've never been all that good at romance," I confessed."That wasn't what I expected you to say," he harrumphed. "I recall those two ladies I first saw you with. Libra Chalmers and,""Brooke Lee," I said."Yes, her. Are you staying loyal?""She has never asked more than she thinks my current level of maturity can hope to achieve." He looked at me. "I'm discrete and mindful of her sensitivities.""You aren't trying to befriend me," he noted."I don't feel it is right to expect you to like me. I think we both know I'm supposed to be nice to you and you aren't going punch me again. I believe Hana would see thru any deception on our part."I paused. "I wouldn't mind us getting along. I'll try not to piss you off because that would be rude to you and cruel to her," I continued. "I'll never ask you to forgive me and I'll never feel like what I did was inherently unjustified. I am sorry that I caused you pain because I think you are a hard, courageous man, and she loves you.""That's her plane," he stated."Thank God," I muttered. And thank you Ishara. I was starting to blather. We remained thankfully silent until the plane had pulled into the hangar and the people started to deplane. The first out was a young woman with dark blonde hair and hunters glasses.No one else appeared until she had reached the bottom of the stairs and continued to look about for a moment. Hana came next, smiling at me, then her eyes were following Jormo as he moved to the car to retrieve little  Annela. Libra followed with Ms. Meacham on her heels. Libra still wasn't used to playing the second fiddle/personal assistant. A short Mongolian fireplug of a man was the last passenger down the stairs. He looked like, a wolverine with his feral, primordial energy and general hostility.I imagined the girl was his apprentice and he was the prime assassin. That was how the Ghost Tigers operated. They were doing me a deep personal favor by putting aside their normal role as hunters to take up body-guarding duties. According to Addison, they had also managed to get their fair share of killing people of various persuasions. Not only had the Seven Pillars tried to take her out more than once, Chinese Intelligence and some criminal cartels had taken an active interest in her too.The young woman scanned from me to Desiree, then to Sten. She had a good eye for threat assessment. Jormo was partially concealed, but would rather die than put Hana at risk. I was the ally of the 9 Clans, and she probably thought she could take me in a quick-draw contest. Desiree? She left Desiree for her mentor to worry about."Ms. Sulkanen?" Sten's closer minion walked her way. The bodyguards got in the way instinctively. The man reached into his coat and nearly died. The women did a palm strike to his windpipe then grabbed his tie, yanking him to the hard concrete floor of the hangar.(Russian) "He has a piece of paper," she stated in a detached manner"Sten, what is the meaning of this?" Hana worried. I moved toward the woman.(Russian) "I am Cáel Nyilas. Let me help."She did more than that. She retreated from the downed man and put her body between Hana and Sten.I was schooled enough now to realize that was the deception. I hadn't seen the older man draw a gun but I knew he now had one out. It was down by his side and he was using his body to shield it from view."Are these the kind of people you want around our daughter," Sten asked haughtily. I had an inkling suspicion. I wasn't alone.Desiree pushed past me and attended to the downed man. She had him standing, patted him on the back and frisked all inside ten seconds."He's a process server," she commented to the group."What he is here to do is serve you with papers, Hana," Sten grew angrier. "You are an unfit mother and have developed an unsafe environment for her to grow up in.""What?" Hana growled. "You don't like the fact that I've finally moved on and found someone new. You don't care a damn thing about our daughter.""We will let a judge decide that. Right now I have an order of detention for  Annela," he grinned wickedly."Ms. Sulkanen," the second of Sten's minions step forward more cautiously, "the Family Court in the State of New York has,"I laughed."Oh," Desiree looked my way then shared a sliver of a smile with me."There is nothing laughable, I assure you," the lawyer snapped."Really, what's your name?" I asked."Mr. Dornier, not that,""Where are we?""What does that matter?" then, "New York State.""Incorrect Dornier. You are on a Marine Corps base, dumbass. Look around you," I smirked."So? What does that mean?" Sten harangued us."This is federal property," I explained as I strode toward his car."Hey, what are you doing, I'm talking to you," Sten pursued me."Excuse me," I grinned. I flipped out my Amazon Honor Blade and slashed one of his tires."What?""Go for it," Hana simmered. "Touch Cáel and he will defend himself.""He has a knife," he countered. He didn't touch me. A second tire began to deflate. "That's assault with a deadly weapon.""It would be if he turned to face you, or anyone else," Desiree had her 'bored ~ don't press me' voice. "Right now he's being a vandal." She put her hand on the process server's shoulder and shoved him back toward Sten and Dornier. "You should know your jurisdictions, asshole," she told him."Hana, I will drive back with Cáel," Libra announced loudly. That was a cue for Hana to shoot me an apologetic look, which was odd, considering that even knowing me was putting her child custody at risk. It took me a second to realize what a bastard Sten could be. I also doubted he had three spare tires. I left one untouched as I headed for my car."Hana, I'll catch up with you after you talk with your lawyers," I called out. It was infuriating for me that this was her reception home. Sten had better be thanking his lucky stars we weren't alone or I would have pummeled his ass, and given him the nuclear wedgy of all times, jackalope."Let's go home," Libra tapped my arm. Desiree was watching Jormo's limo speed away. She didn't dawdle. The Marines would want their hangar back ASAP. We'd let them decide if they wanted to help Sten, or not. Desiree tossed me the keys. That was her way of telling me I need to blow of some steam, and not by getting frolic-ee with Libra on the hour long commute home.{11 pm, Monday, August 25th ~ 14 Days to go}{Late that night with Hana}"So, who was the guy who gave you this?" I looked over at Hana while running my hand over the silk scarf some lama in Lhasa had given her to give to me ~ a 'Thank You' gift for the liberation of his homeland and the aid package heading his peoples' way."I never got his name, but my translator said he had traveled for three days straight to be there for the celebration," she smiled warmly.I picked up my second gift and began to play with it. The object was a fascinating toy, all the more so because it was more than a child's plaything. It was a simple prayer wheel. I put the handle between my two palms and rubbed them back and forth, causing the two balls to beat against the drum heads."I think you find that thing more interesting than you do me," Hana pouted."Oh no you don't," I pounced on her. With one hand I tickled her while I placed my Tibetan gift aside. I didn't want us rolling over on it as we frolicked naked on her queen-sized bed. "You were a happy little camper ten minutes ago and you certainly drove your vigor home with this grand Lothario.""Eek!" she playfully tried to bat my hand aside. She began giggling hysterically.Even when I pulled away so that she could breathe, she kept snickering."What?" I worried. I had been ramping us up for a second round of sex. Round one had been 'comfort' sex, helping her compartmentalize her feelings for that bastard of an ex-husband and the threat he posed to her custodianship of her daughter,  Annela.Those were emotions she'd deal with later. Fretting about them tonight, her first night back in the States, was counter-productive. She knew that, which was why she'd accepted my dinner invitation. We had now been seen in public together for the first time since she became famous; afterwards we had traveled back to her place. How serious was I about cheering her up? I'd brought a spare suit, biking clothes and my bike. I was planning to spend the night and make my way to work my usual way come sunrise."I," she gasped, "asked Libra how you "compared" in her experience, which seems to be extensive, as a lover on the way over. And after several, very long, I must say, seconds of introspection, she told me you were indescribable and incomparable. I've been trying to put my thoughts together since Rome and, why are you scowling?""That was rude of you two," I now play-pouted. "I like to think I'm 'thunderous', though 'stunning' will do in a pinch."Hana helpfully pinched me. "Ow!" I squalled. And back to tickling I went. I quickly showed her my 'sheet-fu' was superior to hers, which meant I tangled her up in her sheets before she realized she was helpless before me. Or so I bragged. Hana played helpless well."Oh please, Mr. World-Conquering Wombat," she pleaded. Wombat?"Wombat?" I questioned her. "How have I become an irascible furry marsupial?""Well Honey, you need a shave," she teased me. "You are a little furry.""Romantically that is called a five o'clock shadow," I protested."It scratches my thighs," she murmured.I had a remedy for that. Sliding down to her hip, I turned my palms toward me, interlaced my fingers and positioned my thumbs pointing up. My chin rested on my fingers and the thumbs covered the sides, so when I stuck my tongue into the three-sided void created, my hands, but none of my scruffiness, touched her intimate flesh. Once I had this technique in place, I rolled over her thigh and got to work."I find," she gasped, "that you have the answer to that conundrum down pat. It makes me, ah, think I'm not your, ah, first girl." My dedication to my erotic task (and the carnal reward that waited) kept me from responding. Besides, my upper lip was busy rolling back and forth over her clitoris. There I let the bristles of my oncoming moustache teasingly tickle her. I was pleased when the pleasure I caused quieted her and she settled down to running her fingers across my crown as she ramped herself up toward a climax. 'Not my first girl' indeed.Forty-five minutes later, I was coming back to her room from the kitchen with a glass of tomato juice for her and rice wine for me (she was out of beer). I heard a noise from  Annela's room, so I deviated to make sure she was okay. I was in boxers, not totally naked.  Annela was out like a light, caught up in some sort of childish dream. By the cherubic grin on her face, she was having a good one.She was another delicate female issue in my life. I had made her existence harder by just being me. Hana let me know that nothing 'bad' had better happen to her ex-husband, Sten. I couldn't beat him up, threaten him, or sic any of my Amazons on him. Stupidly, I had asked if using the CIA was okay. She'd banned all of JIKIT intervening as well, negating the use of the best pest removal people on the planet, the 9 Clans."You are going to have to get used to children making sounds while they sleep," Hana surprised me. "You'll learn to tell the dreams from the nightmare.""In spades, I'm going to have to learn that in spades," I nodded.{4 pm, Tuesday, August 26th ~ 13 Days to go}My schedule had remained steady. I had firearms practice at 6 am every morning, was in Katrina's office by 7 and working my cue by 7:15. According to my regular morning briefings, I continued to be a menace to the foundations of freedom, civilization and the terrestrial biosphere. It was wonderful to stand there side by side with my fellow New Hires.At lunch, around 11 o'clock, I had a brief get together with the other members of the Amazon diplomatic corps since I was still Chief Diplomat of the Host ~ we were a small unit. Daphne, who now worked with JIKIT, would give me a brief briefing on what the 'office' was up to in my name. I gladly kept my distance from their regularly scheduled mayhem. The truce in China didn't stop the Secret War from raging on and on.My three o'clock knife training with Pamela was slowly evolving into a greater study of human fighting philosophy and anatomy. I still studied the techniques of a larger single bladed hunting knife as well as the hilt-less, double bladed Amazon Honor Blade. Pamela promised me she'd start teaching me how to do the 'long-distance' and 'short'/snap throw for the blades. She made it look so easy.Pamela also began educating me on the basics and basis of the Amazon personal hand-to-hand fighting style. The eight points of emphasis in Amazon combat were: the finger, fist, elbow, shoulder, foot, heel, knee and hip. It encouraged channeling both your energies and the energy of your opponents by using fluid blows and throws. It also worked well with the close-in knife fighting Pamela was teaching me. Working with her once more did her as much good as me. We had come to feed off one another's moods, which was a good thing.Tuesday, walking to the elevator at the end of the session, the door opened to reveal Rachel talking to an SD chick I barely knew, Meridian."Oh, it is great to see you, Rachel," I enthusiastically stated. Her hesitation as she replied worried me."It is great to see you too, Cael Wakko Ishara," she responded softly, compassionately."Ladies, can you spare Rachel and I some private time," I asked Meridian and Pamela."Come on," Pamela addressed the SD Amazon, "we have tons of nothing to talk about.""As you wish, Ishara," Meridian answered. She looked to Rachel. She stepped off the elevator as Pamela stepped on. Away they went."I heard you were back in New York," I told her."I heard you were off of JIKIT for the time being.""I was running on fumes psychologically and my body wasn't too much better. Javiera gave me a week off. I go back Thursday.""That was the right move, Cáel," she said. "You've been stuck sweating both the small stuff and being caught up in the big picture. That is a humongous burden to bear for someone with your training and background.""I know, I'm not ready for where my life has taken me.""No one is, Cáel. You have training that has let you get this far when most of us would be lost. You carry that weight, plus you've had to work the physical side of the equation. I get to focus on you. You've had to focus on all of us."Rachel was being both honest and kind. I felt a sudden renewed kinship with my primary guardian."Thanks for that, Rachel, can I tell you a secret? Something you can't tell another soul. Something I've never told another living person?" I could tell Rachel. I couldn't tell Katrina because she was so close to Hayden. Pamela, Pamela had already prepared herself for a miserable afterlife and wouldn't have connected with my pain for another.Since she was my 'sister' in Ishara, I couldn't really confide in Buffy, but only an Amazon would understand my thoughts on the matter. It had to be Rachel."I cannot betray the Host, but you know that. What is it you wish to share?""Hayden lived life as an Anahit, yet lives forever in the Halls of the Isharans." Since that was now well known, Rachel knew that couldn't be the secret."When I was trying to induct her, Dot Ishara refused her entry. I thought she was challenging me and I was right.""I recall that she wouldn't accept Hayden, even though her death was righteous in the name of the Host. Has no one ever asked you what changed Ishara's mind? Not Buffy, or Helena?""Neither one ever asked. I think it was because they sensed I didn't want to talk about it, nor insult them by not opening up. Ishara refused Hayden because of me. I was refusing to accept my place in the Host. I kept playing, pretending, I was not really one of you. I kept thinking I could divorce myself from the evil we did because I was special.""But you weren't special in the way I think you are using the word," she nodded. "You were chosen by the Ancestors to be one of us, man, or not.""Yeah. I stupidly put my life on the line because I wanted to be the 'good guy'. I've always wanted to be the 'good guy', even when I hurt people. I'd tell the girl it was my fault, yet I excused that behavior by thinking that I hadn't meant to hurt anyone, so I was okay. I have never blamed myself for any of the shit I caused.""That has always been a rather annoying quality of yours," she noted."When I was on the roof of Havenstone, daring Ishara with my life on the line, that's when I felt it. I owed and owned my Amazon heritage in that moment. I finally blamed myself for something, for not accepting sacrifices were being made for me and I was dishonoring every one of you by denying their purpose.""You are Ishara," Rachel stated firmly. That was her entire argument."I had to believe that. I had to believe I was nothing more than one Amazon in a long line of Amazons dating back to that first night of betrayal. I had to realize I was one of many, not someone special, with special rules. I wasn't getting to be the good guy, or even the bad guy. I was just, an Amazon. One more Ishara among the hundreds that stood in my place.""And it took that moment for you to realize what most Amazons know from the age of five," Rachel stroked my cheek. "It is easy for us to forget your bravery comes from a place that is uniquely you and you didn't grow up around the fires with tales of our mothers, grandmothers and all those who have come before. We see our honor is gold and sing the songs in the First Tongue. We live as Amazons.""I wanted you to know because," I faltered at the last memory."Charlotte. You want to make peace with me about Charlotte," she touched my cheek yet again. "Cáel, I told her mother and daughter about how she died. They want to meet Vincent when he is feeling better. They want to talk to you. They worry about you not understanding that Charlotte lives and will live on until the Sun dies and the stars burn out.""Charlotte was in the Warband that killed Ajax the Unconquered, Cáel. She fell on that ridge, looking down on Ishara's triumph over Ajax and her spirit took the news of that victory to the next life. She is a welcome exemplar to House Ska i. She will be remembered in the lists of the Security Detail, our Warrior Elite. Charlotte was my friend and I didn't wish her to die, but war is what we do. And she buried her enemies and saved our lives."Ska i was a j tunn and the Nordic goddess associated with bow-hunting, skiing, winter, and mountains. I had known her house. The SD didn't talk about their families much because of their devotion to the craft of war, so I had never known her mother was still alive, or that she had a daughter."She did much more than die, Cáel. She killed men so that when you finished with Ajax, none of them, left on that field, could avenge him," she added."I hadn't looked at it that way," I confessed. "I'd like to meet her family. You said she has a daughter. I didn't know.""You didn't need the distraction. We all knew you would have only done incredibly stupid things trying to keep us alive. If it helps, she is five and cried freely, deeply and long. Her mother is fifty-two and runs a freehold in Saskatchewan. She'll be around for a long time, trust me."Charlotte's mother had to be one tough D O B (daughter of a bitch) to see sixty. I did know she was the second of five daughters, with the middle one being in the Ska i House Guard."I am doing something for, well, for me, but for Charlotte too. Sakuniyas is leading seventeen House Isharans and two ladies from MI-6 in West Africa.""I'd heard about that," she smiled. "Charlotte's Fist." Four (the core of any war band) was a sacred number to the Amazons, as was five (the number of digits) so twenty was a classic warrior unit. It was also the number of the original houses. Normally these groups were referred to by their leader's name, but I wanted the Condotteiri to know they'd killed the wrong Amazon and Sakuniyas agreed to the naming convention.The Condos had sent Ajax to Hungary and Romania to kill me. Charlotte had died stopping them, but this was not a matter of revenge. This honored her and was a request for her to watch over those who sought inspiration from her when they went into battle. West-Central Africa was one of the three Amazon Homeland (Eastern Europe and Southern India being the other two) and was where the war was heating up.JIKIT (Joint International Khanate Interim Taskforce) became involved when the Condos and Coils of the Serpent (one of the 9 Assassin Clans) began killing local civilian and military leaders. The Condos did it to spread chaos for them to use as a smoke screen behind which they could hide the large numbers of mercenaries in the area hunting down the Amazons. The Coils attacked any official that was on the Condo's payroll.As the body count began to rise, the US and UK began having 'normal' covert agencies investigate the killings, yet they remained blind to the reasons behind the actions. It wasn't until a whole Condo 'training camp' ended up being extinguished that they realized there was a third player in the game (as opposed to the governments and the rogue mercenaries).The Coils of the Serpent were one step ahead of the intelligence agencies. And that allowed the Amazons to hunt down the Condos. We in JIKIT had estimated it was roughly 15,000 Condotteiri foot soldiers (consisting of mercs, local paramilitaries and the occasional regular army commander) versus the roughly 3000 Amazons and 1000 members of the 9 Clans. The Golden Mare was asking for Havenstone and the Freeholds in North and South America to raise up 'fists' to join the struggle in Africa. In Belize they would be trained for two months to ten weeks in jungle warfare before heading over."Are your people going to be ready?" Rachel inquired."We have done well in Japan," I replied. "The former 'Runners' actually do better moving through urbanized society than their Old School Amazon sisters.""I heard they are more prone to taking orders from the Ninja," she looked me in the eyes."I told them to. This is the Ninja's war and we serve them best by doing what we do best ~ taking the fight to the Seven Pillars when they expose themselves," I clarified. "And you got me off talking about Charlotte," I realized a second later."A long period of mourning is not our way, Cáel," she confided. "You were our friend, but you were our mission first and foremost. That hasn't changed.""Are you going to," I began to say 'remain my bodyguard'."Yes. I have a dozen House Guard members expressing a desire to join the Security Detail and be our new electronics expert. Eight of those I'm giving serious consideration to.""The other four?" I asked."Three are too young and are too interested in you for my taste. One is too old and a rather odd individual.""I like odd.""I will reconsider her then," she allowed."Are you saying that to make me happy?""No," Rachel grinned. "I admire your instincts. Do you know how soon you will be needing us?""I'm going to stay in town until the Great Hunt. After my stupendous victory, I'll see if I can get to Brazil, so mid-September.""It will take longer to integrate a member ~ the last week of November," she bargained. I really wasn't in the mood to argue. I was too much the boy who was glad to see his primary guardian standing before him. Pamela was by far the most loving and lethal one of the pack. Rachel was my rock. She kept me alive and I helped give her something to live for, even if it was a flawed 'me'."And Wakko, you don't need to give me a piece of your soul to replace Charlotte. What is hers is hers and what is ours is ours. I'll always miss her and I'm okay with that. She was a good friend and a proud compatriot and I loved her. I never had any sisters of the flesh. Mona, Tiger Lily and Charlotte have been the only real family I've had. I will find another sister and I can now accept that.""Is it alright if I still miss her?" I pondered."Of course, Ishara. Will you still be capable of taking my orders when required?""Yes. If I started ignoring your advice, I wouldn't have been worthy of leading someone like Charlotte into battle. I can honor her by letting you do your job.""Thank you. I still worry about you trying to save everyone, but now I'll worry a little less," she confessed."I still plan to do crazy stuff, hey, do you have a daughter?""No.""Want one?""I'm in the final drawing of lots for the Great Hunt," she smiled once more."You could just ask.""My way is more fun. This way I'll be sure you'll obey," she let her eyes sparkle with a mirthful fire."Don't think I'll go easy on you. I plan to win," I pledged."Of course not. Why would you change now?""I'd rather you bust my balls than mock me?" I pouted. "Instead of spending a moving moment, you are cheering me up.""It is my job to look after you, even now," she stroked my neck affectionately."Especially now," I added as I hit the elevator button."Let's catch up with the others. I need to tell Meridian that she's back in the running.""Oh, that is fortunate," I grinned. "Oh, we'll start our mission to Brazil on Thursday, February 12th.""Is there a significance of that date?"I laughed. I put an arm around her shoulder as the doors opened. There were two others Havenstone ladies onboard."Carnival in Rio de Janeiro!" I exulted. "Half a million tourists a day. Two million Brazilians. Everyone wears a mask. What's not to love?""You are so fortunate you waited until you had witnesses around," Rachel groused."Desiree says it's bad for my prestige to be beaten in public," I chortled. "I'm glad you agree.""Maybe we can spar on the mats today when you get off work?""Oh, I'd like to see that," one of the other Amazons remarked. "Weapons or hand-to-hand?""I'll let him use a weapon. I'll use my hands. I want him to think he has a chance," Rachel declared. My arm was still around her shoulder, so I knew she wasn't really pissed."Didn't you kill Ajax?" the other one noted."He tripped over his shoelaces and impaled himself on his own sword," I sighed dramatically.Since the two women looked at one another, then to Rachel, I knew I'd told the lie well."Cáel had an ally shoot a grenade overhead, Ajax died in the confusion, so whatever blow killed him is irrelevant. Cáel beat Ajax with his mind before a single blow was landed. He made his foe fight his battle and that was how Wakko Ishara won," Rachel responded."Like an Amazon," the first one nodded."With balls," I added."An Amazon with balls? I guess you are, but I don't think the testes mattered in that you beat our foe in a matter your ancestors can be proud of," the second one said."Well said," Rachel nodded."Thank you," I shook her hand. "I'm Cáel Wakko Ishara aka Nyilas.""Oh, I'm Wynona of Allatu," she answered. She shook my hand, I ran a finger over her pulse and got her to blush slightly. Allatu was the Goddess of the Underworld in Canaanite mythology and one of the First Houses."Behave," Rachel whispered."Not likely," I whispered back."Did I say something wrong?" Wynona worried."No. Rachel is my moral guardian. So, do you want to go fishing, I mean swimming tomorrow after work, say 5:15?" I inquired."Sure," her smile broadened. "I excel in the water.""Good, maybe you can teach me a thing or two," I answered. The door opened at the lobby and there stood Desiree."Here," Rachel shoved me out the door. "Take him before he fishes himself into more trouble.""I understand," Desiree grumbled. "Come on fisherman. Financial Investigations is working late tonight and we need to pick up Italian food for twenty-two.""Lead and I shall follow," I proclaimed."Why do you call him the 'Fisherman'," Wynona asked Rachel."Fish, barrel, I'll explain it to you on the way to the garage," Rachel sighed. The doors shut and off we all went.{7:10 pm, Wednesday, August 27th ~ 12 Days to go}"Will you still be having dinner with us once you return back to JIKIT?" Europa asked as Lorraine passed me some Cajun rice."Every Monday and Wednesday night and on Fridays early," I grinned."We are going to be spending some time in Doebridge over the Labor Day weekend," Europa griped. "Do you want to come with us and save Aya from retelling her ordeal to yet another band of pre-Amazons?""Aya, do you want me to run interference for you?" I asked."No," she smiled. "I want you to train for the Great Hunt. Aunt Katrina says Elsa is virtually a guarantee to be one of the thirty.""Ugh," I groaned. "That's the cherry on the top of a rather bizarre day.""Was today bad?" Loraine asked."Let me see, for starters I got to use a variety of weird weapons for firearms practice. I had a feeling I was part of a round-robin, the way they rotated their assistance to me. In the elevator, I was with Brielle and her buddy when we had a security drill. The elevator cut off, but the air handler went into overdrive, dropping the temperature. After a quick democratic vote, I lost my shirt to an impromptu fire to stay warm, alive," I chuckled. "Then we cuddled together for warmth. I was about to lose my undershirt and pants when the alert ended.""Security alerts last less than fifteen minutes," Caitlyn noted. "I doubt you were in any danger of freezing to death.""Brielle was under the impression security alerts could last hours, despite my questionable knowledge otherwise from the handbook I'd read. Since she had the seniority, I thought she knew better.""So now you are shirtless," Europe smirked."I had a spare shirt stashed in Katrina's office, but I was required to change during the meeting because we were running late. Oh, and yesterday I forgot to feed some genetically superior white rats at one of our labs. Apparently they gnawed through their cages, broke out and now are in the Manhattan underworld, plotting a rodent rebellion," I related."Oh, that was my idea," Loraine perked up."Do you sit around the table with Katrina thinking up this kind of crap!" I protested."Occasionally," Caitlyn admitted. "Most of those are pure Katrina though.""Glad to know my misery is a family bonding experience.""You should be glad to know we care about you," Europa beamed."Yeah, I'll remember that and once you are casted I'm going to absolutely abuse my authority in some serious payback," I faux-glared at her."I promise you we will make it fun," Aya pledged."You would betray your own sisters?" Caitlyn questioned."Sisters are sisters, Mother, but boon companions are for life," Aya countered."That's cool, Mom," Europa snorted. "We'll always be taller than Aya, and faster.""Only more proof she'll be smarter," Caitlyn shook her head. "So Cáel what happened next?""What makes you think the rest of my day wasn't mundane and boring?""According to Katrina, you are the best stress reliever at Havenstone since they put in the Jacuzzis. With it being open season on you today, I figured your day was one misadventure after another," Caitlyn smiled warmly."Fine, I had to go to Financial Investigations to discuss my expense account in Europe.""That doesn't sound all that exciting," Loraine said."We were in the pool swimming in the classic Amazon style, I swear, sometime I think I should go to work wearing nothing but a trench coat and a smile," I grouched."Did you make any babies?" Aya chirped."No, I can't have that kind of fun with any employees for another twelve more days. Anyway, they were quite cross with me not using their services and let me know for an hour and, thirty-six minutes. After that I had to get a reference physical.""You are as healthy as a horse," Europa neighed."Funny Epona," I sniffed indignantly. "You are a load of laughs, filly. After I had been turned into a prune they made me undress again. There was some nonsense about all the combat I had been in had made me shorter and given me muscle constriction.""That is a good one," Aya nodded. "I'm glad they were being as creative as you are, Atta.""Who is to say that I'm not being the creative one here?" I winked at her."Were your muscles 'constricted'?" Loraine snickered. Europa gave her a thumbs up for joining on the fun."Nope, all my reflexes are in working order and I can still salute on demand," I smiled. "Which was good because after that, I worked through lunch with Acquisitions discussing Khanate plans for Siberia." There was a pause."What was so horrid about that?" Loraine inquired, as if I had been tortured up until that point."We had to do the whole three hour routine on the practice mats. I was pinned grappled and I had something that was strangely reminiscent of a titty-snuggle. I mean, all that skin-tight clothing, close contact and sweaty bodies was murder on my concentration," I confessed."We aren't going to be investing in Siberia, are we?" Aya winked at me."I don't know. I spent three hours saying "I don't know" and "I haven't a clue.""You are good at that," Europa jibed. I flicked a pea at her, bouncing it off her chin. She was getting ready for a spaghetti & meatball counterattack when Caitlyn's cough brought her up short."He is the Head of House Ishara. He can act that way. You are Epona and we are better behaved."Europa stuck her tongue at me, I returned the gesture and this time Caitlyn's cough was aimed at me. She followed that up by rubbing her foot along my shin. I smiled at her, then caught Aya smiling at the both of us. Then I recalled Aya had set the table, damn it."I'll get us dessert," Aya beamed happiness my way. I was thinking about dessert alright, damn that girl.{Rhada Revisited}"I'm home gang," I exhaled. "Ready to go out?" and was promptly shot with a Nerf gun. "What did I do this time?"Timothy and Odette were getting off the sofa. Odette was taking aim while Timothy left his single-shot where he'd been sitting."We are going out. You are not," Timothy grinned. "You have company in the bedroom.""Man, I was looking forward to," then Odette shot me in the stomach with her six shot nerf repeater."You have company," Odette emphasized the 'company' part. To me this implied someone who I couldn't seduce with a few words, maybe get busy for half an hour then go out partying. That could only mean,I opened my door and there lay Rhada, completely naked, hogtied and bound. She had even been gagged. Her look of hate and loathing turned to, something else; part fear and part heartsick yearning. Could Timothy and Odette, really just Timothy, I loved Odette but she had the combat skills of a Tribble. Could Timothy defeat Rhada so thoroughly that she could be so bound?Not likely. I'd been neglecting her, What with being kidnapped, running off to Europe and generally doing my job, I'd neglected her well-defined physique, olive skin and athletic curves. I'd been a fool for letting her waste away while I'd been 'not' earning a paycheck. Hell, I was working too much. I'd played around in college and still managed to graduate with good grades, and it wasn't like I had been hired for my brains."Oh, I've been missing this," I relished her helplessness while rubbing my palms together."Mumph," Rhada protested. It was hard for her to move her body. Her legs were bound above the knee to her shins while her ankles were lashed together and then to the top of her thighs.Her elbows and wrists were tied behind her back, wrists to wrist. The ropes securing her arms crisscrossed above and below her breasts and looped around her neck. She looked tightly secured. A bit too secured. I couldn't see how to un-hog-tie her."Don't you dare go anywhere," I warned Rhada then backed out of the room hurriedly."I suggested the ass plug!" Odette smiled as I turned around. I'd missed that given the shapeliness of her buttock,"I color-coded the ends of the ropes for you. Pull the yellow, then green and then pink and she'll come undone just fine. I put some ointment by the bedside for after. It will help numb the burn and promotes healing without scarring," Timothy patted me on the shoulder. "Now that you've b

Jeffrey Sanow is a Former CIA Senior Intelligence Officer, a Global Security Expert, and a Strategic Leadership Speaker. He has a decorated career in critical global operations, and he served in the CIA's National Clandestine Service. Can you share a brief overview of your background with our listeners? You say the ‘failure is not an option' what do you mean? Talk about the art of decision-making under pressure. Is that a skill set you can cultivate? How did you experience abroad help you with your career? What do different people from different cultures have in common? With such an extensive experience abroad, how did people relate to you when you returned to the US? Jeffrey Sanow Jeffrey Sanow is a Former CIA Senior Intelligence Officer, a Global Security Expert, and a Strategic Leadership Speaker. He has a decorated career in critical global operations, and he served in the CIA's National Clandestine Service, working with senior policy makers in the Office of the Vice President and National Security Council to support policies related to preventing the sale, transfer, or acquisition of weapons of mass destruction. Today, he is a respected public speaker with a reputation for impactful storytelling, addressing complex issues across corporate and security industries and bringing a unique blend of intrigue and real-world application to audiences. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching a company that specializes in leadership development.

Rebekah is a Russian-born U.S. intelligence expert who served as a Russian Doctrine & Strategy specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Working with the DIA and the CIA's National Clandestine Service, she has led "red" teams during war games and advised senior Pentagon officials. She has delivered classified briefings to top U.S. military commanders, NATO ministers, the directors of the CIA and DIA, the White House National Security Council, and senior congressional staff. She has a new book, Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America. Cornerstone Forum ‘25 https://www.showpass.com/cornerstone25/ Clothing Link: ⁠⁠⁠https://snp-8.creator-spring.com/listing/the-mashup-collection⁠⁠ Text Shaun 587-217-8500 Substack:https://open.substack.com/pub/shaunnewmanpodcast E-transfer here: shaunnewmanpodcast@gmail.com Silver Gold Bull Links: Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/ Email: SNP@silvergoldbull.com Text Grahame: (587) 441-9100

Russia has a long-fabled history of deep-cover spies in the West. Known as the Illegals Program, these spies enter Western countries under false identities to conduct espionage activities. The history of this program goes back to the earliest days of the USSR, but these spies still lurk in the shadows of universities, think-tanks, and suburban neighborhoods across the West. Why does Russia use these types of spies? Has their mission changed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine? How can private institutions protect themselves from Russian intelligence? In this episode, we discuss the answers to these questions with Professor Mark Kelton. Professor Kelton was formerly the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service for Counterintelligence, one of the most senior positions within the National Clandestine Service. This episode was researched, recorded, and edited by Connor Crago.

Join us in this compelling episode featuring Anthony Sabio as we unravel the enigmatic currents shaping our nation and the world at large. We dive into topics such as corruption, control dramas, and the grander agenda that's currently at play. This episode encourages you to not only listen but also actively engage with people who hold different viewpoints. Discover the power of finding common ground and building bridges through open and respectful conversations. Our aim is not to immediately change minds but to initiate the process of opening them. By approaching these discussions with grace and love, we can embark on a journey to heal our divided nation. Join us in this crucial endeavor because our country is worth it, and together, we can make a difference. Don't miss out—tune in and take action!Episode Highlights:-School board salaries-Inflated administrator salaries-Lack of transparency in school finances-Reprioritizing education funding-Slow creep of corruption-Shaping children's worldviews-Sex trafficking during school hours-Human trafficking across the nation-Climate change and school safety-Exposing school cafeteria food-Evaluating return on investment-Shifting responsibility to parents-Brainwashing and social engineering-Hate and vitriol in society-Supporting Anthony through donations-Support Anthony and his missionAbout our Guest:Anthony Sabio is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in the Security and Intelligence Industry, boasting a distinguished career that spans various branches of the United States government. He began his journey as a US Navy Hospital Corpsman in 1996, serving with the United States Marine Corps, where he excelled as a training instructor specializing in mountaineering, rock climbing, and urban assault. His dedication and expertise led to a role with the United States Secret Service in 2002, serving under President George W. Bush as a tactical K9 handler in the Emergency Response Team (ERT) within the Special Operations Division – President Protection Detail (PPD). In 2007, he was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency, where he undertook high-threat collection operations against high-value targets in the National Clandestine Service, Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC). During his tenure with the Agency, Mr. Sabio also served as a Counter-Intelligence Officer, overseeing vital intelligence operations as the Deputy Chief CI Gulf Group. Following his federal service, he transitioned into the private sector and has become a respected writer for Law Enforcement Today, the Technical Committee Chair for the Executive Protection ANSI standards, and a notable figure for his remarkable single-operator extraction of a US National from Ukraine during the height of the invasion. Anthony Sabio is dedicated to the safety of others, particularly children, and actively addresses current community issues, emphasizing the safety of children and teachers in schools, providing mental health resources following COVID-related school closures, and advocating for academic excellence in Fairfax County Public Schools.Find out more about AnthonyWebsite: https://sabio4fairfax.com/Subscribe and leave us a rating and reviewApple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-deborah-peters-show/id1612307739Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Z3JQWX9S4LRWSE6mPOIkMYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDeborahPetersShowConnect with Deborah PetersWebsite: https://neimind.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.peters.754Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdeborahpeters/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahpetersnei4change/

Host Reed Galen is joined by Trygve Olson (Lincoln Project Senior Advisor) and John Sipher, a foreign policy and intelligence expert who served 28 years in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. They give their analysis on last weekend's Wagner Rebellion including what it means for Putin, how it will impact the Ukrainians, and the response of the United States and NATO as a whole. Plus, the Russian edition of “Game of Thrones”. If you'd like to ask a question or share a comment with The Lincoln Project, send an email to podcast@lincolnproject.us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebekah Koffler, is a Strategic Military Intelligence Analyst and the author of “Putin's Playbook.” (She served as a senior official in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and worked with the CIA's National Clandestine Service). Her experience and knowledge of the Russian military is unmatched and she had some interesting things to say about Russia!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Sipher is a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, and the co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment, a production firm providing content to the entertainment industry. He retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the CIA's National Clandestine Service, which included serving in Moscow and running the CIA's Russia operations. So I asked him if he would hire current  Russian President Vladimir Putin for the CIA looking at his KGB's career. We also discussed John's career, the brutal Russian war against Ukraine, Spycraft Entertainment, but also how deep into Putin's inner circle can the Western intelligence services see. Do you wanna know? Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/andrej-matisak/message

Rebekah Koffler, is a Strategic Military Intelligence Analyst, freelance writer, and the author of “Putin's Playbook.” She served as a senior official in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and worked with the CIA's National Clandestine Service and George Beebe, former director of the CIA's Russia analysis, former Russia advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, and currently Director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute, says, this arrest, the  first since the Soviet era, is yet another hostile step in the deepening deterioration of US-Russian relationsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alvin and German conduct a great conversation with retired Central Intelligence Agency Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, Justin Jackson, ‘78. In that capacity, Mr. Jackson oversaw the CIA's clandestine operations worldwide and managed a multibillion-dollar budget. He speaks three foreign languages and served overseas for 15 years. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Jackson was the most senior African American to serve in the CIA. Committed to diversity and inclusion, he served on a panel of external advisors, led by Madeleine Albright, to identify and to remove barriers for women in leadership at CIA. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University with majors in political science, international relations, and Spanish, he earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine moves into its second year, Peter and Eric welcome to The Drill Down the author Rebekah Koffler, a Russian-born U.S. intelligence expert who served as a Russian strategy specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency and with the CIA's National Clandestine Service to analyze the war's likely outcome and ask questions about the Biden administration's strategy for helping the Ukrainians.

Rebekah Koffler is a Russian-born, former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officer and specialist in Putin and Russian Doctrine & Strategy. She is also a communism survivor. Working with the DIA and CIA's National Clandestine Service, Rebekah has led “red” teams during wargames and briefed the Pentagon, the White House, and NATO on Russian Doctrine & Strategy. U.S. military commanders have called her a “national asset,” and she received the National Intelligence Professional Award. As a top intelligence officer on the Russia target, Ms. Koffler has delivered classified briefings to top U.S. military commanders, NATO ministers, the directors of the CIA and DIA, the National Security Council, and senior congressional staff. Rebekah's new book, Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America, describes Moscow's strategic ambitions, including the Kremlin's master plan to reconstitute a USSR-like alliance and also to transform the United States, through ideological subversion, from a free capitalist society into a totalitarian socialist state.

In this week's episode, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by John Sipher to discuss intelligence and the ways in which US intelligence agencies collect information on China and Russia. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "Conceiving the Spies Lament." John Sipher retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service, the leadership team that guides CIA activities globally. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station in Europe, Asia, and in high-threat environments. John also served as a lead instructor in the CIA's clandestine training school and was a regular lecturer at the CIA's leadership development program.

There was great optimism about Russia in the 90s as it emerged from decades of authoritarian control. The collapse of communism led to the Russian economy becoming far more integrated into the world economy, and a reduction of proxy conflicts around the world. Europe became hooked on Russia energy and raw materials. In turn millions of Russians were able to travel to the west, something unimaginable for earlier generations. Many thousands from the elites invested in Western property, sent their children to private schools, and lived luxurious lifestyles in Western countries. This have all gone into reverse since 2014, and this messy geopolitical divorce is accelerating. I'm speaking today with John Sipher about how much worse this can get. John is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and Co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment a production firm providing content to the entertainment industry. Spycraft Entertainment connects the worlds of Hollywood and intelligence. John is also a foreign policy and intelligence expert and social media influencer. His articles have been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Politico, Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, Slate, Lawfare, and Just Security, among others. He regularly appears on the PBS NewsHour, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, BBC and speaks to corporate, academic and governmental groups. John retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service, the leadership team that guides CIA activities globally. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station in Europe, Russia, Asia, and in high-threat environments. He has significant experience working with foreign and domestic partners to solve national security challenges. John also served as a lead instructor in the CIA's clandestine training school and was a regular lecturer at the CIA's leadership development program. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.

Will Putin use nuclear weapons? Rebekah Koffler is back to lay out why we cannot dismiss Putin's threats to use nuclear force in Ukraine. Koffler outlines the methods Putin used to outfox the West economically and how Russian intelligence deviates from Western strategies. Then, how did Trump's efforts in space and in cyber warfare prevent Russian aggression? Hear the latest on Ukraine from Savage and Koffler, a Russian-born U.S. intelligence expert who served as a Russian Doctrine & Strategy specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Working with the DIA and the CIA's National Clandestine Service, she has led "red" teams during war-games and advised senior Pentagon officials. She has delivered classified briefings to top U.S. military commanders, NATO ministers, the directors of the CIA and DIA, the White House National Security Council, and senior congressional staff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Chatter, a podcast hosted by David Priess and Shane Harris that features in-depth discussions with fascinating people at the creative edges of national security, Harris and Priess speak jointly with former intelligence officer, prominent yacht-watcher and book author Alex Finley. They talk about her career in the CIA's Directorate of Operations (which became the National Clandestine Service during her tenure there), her keen observation and analysis of Russian oligarchs' mega-yachts (which brought her onto cable news networks this spring after several countries started to seize the ships in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine), and her experience writing a series of spy satire novels (which take espionage absurdity to a new level). The three of them also kicked around views on a range of spy satire films, from 1985's Spies Like Us to the puppet-centric Team America to Spy with Melissa McCarthy. Learn more about Chatter at https://shows.acast.com/chatter.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ukraine's most popular comedic actor was an unlikely president of his country. And now, even more improbably, Volodymyr Zelensky has become the world's most celebrated statesman. Who is he? How did he become the international hero of our time? A new book: “Zelensky: The Unlikely Ukrainian Hero Who Defied Putin and United the World” offers a compelling account of this fascinating leader. Newt's guest is Rebekah Koffler, she is a Russian-born U.S. intelligence expert who has worked with the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one understands the surreal aspects of a large, long-established bureaucracy like someone who has worked in it. And few have written satire about the particular bureaucracy known as the Central Intelligence Agency like former intelligence officer, prominent yacht-watcher, and book author Alex Finley.For this episode, Shane Harris and David Priess speak jointly with Finley about her career in the CIA's Directorate of Operations (which became the National Clandestine Service during her tenure there), her keen observation and analysis of Russian oligarchs' mega-yachts (which brought her onto cable news networks this spring after several countries started to seize the ships in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine), and her experience writing a series of spy satire novels (which take espionage absurdity to a new level). The three of them also kicked around views on a range of spy satire films, from 1985's Spies Like Us to the puppet-centric Team America to Spy with Melissa McCarthy.Chatter is a production of Lawfare and Goat Rodeo. This episode was produced and edited by Cara Shillenn of Goat Rodeo. Podcast theme by David Priess, featuring music created using Groovepad.Works discussed in this episode:Victor in the Rubble by Alex FinleyVictor in the Jungle by Alex FinleyVictor in Trouble by Alex FinleyThe Miernik Dossier by Charles McCarryThe Thunderbirds (TV show)Movies mentioned include Office Space, The Interview, Team America, Spies Like Us, the James Bond series, Central Intelligence, Spy, Burn After Reading, and the Austin Powers series. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Reed Galen is joined by John Sipher, a foreign policy and intelligence expert who served 28 years in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. They discuss the history of Russian intelligence and how that history has led to where things currently stand regarding Russia and Ukraine. Plus, why did the American foreign policy establishment and intelligence community seemingly forget about Russia until now and how do we combat the inevitable Russian interference in the 2024 election?

Today, Carl interviews author of “Putin's Playbook,” Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA Officer who also worked with the CIA's National Clandestine Service. She helps him separate fact from fiction regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is Vladimir Putin crazy? Did he really invade Ukraine because he felt threatened by NATO and America's influence in the East, or has he planned his attack for decades? Did Donald Trump collude with Russia? How come Putin didn't attack Ukraine during Trump's presidency? Is America a Paper Tiger? Is Putin beholden China? Can Putin be stopped? Are Biden's sanctions really hurting Putin? Koffler answers all of these questions and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Carl interviews author of “Putin's Playbook,” Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA Officer who also worked with the CIA's National Clandestine Service. She helps him separate fact from fiction regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is Vladimir Putin crazy? Did he really invade Ukraine because he felt threatened by NATO and America's influence in the East, or has he planned his attack for decades? Did Donald Trump collude with Russia? How come Putin didn't attack Ukraine during Trump's presidency? Is America a Paper Tiger? Is Putin beholden China? Can Putin be stopped? Are Biden's sanctions really hurting Putin? Koffler answers all of these questions and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on America: Changed Forever presented by CBS News: the Ukraine crisis. As tensions mount in Eastern Europe, host Jeff Pegues speaks with three experts about Vladimir Putin, Alexandra Vacroux, Executive Director of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and Lecturer on Government at Harvard University; John Sipher, 28-year career veteran at the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service, who served as Deputy Bureau Chief in Moscow; and Max Bergmann, a former member of the secretary of state's policy planning staff and now a senior fellow at American Progress, where he focuses on Europe, Russia, and U.S. security cooperation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tony Sabio has decades of experience in the Security and Intelligence Industry from a long and distinguished career in the US Navy, US Secret Service, and Central Intelligence Agency. Tony served under President George W. Bush with the Emergency Response Team (ERT) as a tactical K9 handler in the Special Operations Division – President Protection Detail (PPD). In 2007, Mr. Sabio was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct High Threat collection operations against high valued targets under the prestigious National Clandestine Service, Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC). In this episode Tony shares with us about the personal struggles he had to overcome caused by his absence and sense of duty to serve the people of the USA. This is an episode you dont want to miss out. I definitely am going to have a part 2 to this.... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/david-mendonca/support

Tom DeLonge started To The Stars Academy, a multi-pronged approach to address issues related to UFO/UAPs. TTSA has several divisions including: Science & Technology Division wherein TTSA collects documents and physical materials from public and private sources related to the UAP phenomena to study it and then transitions the transformative technologies behind it to wider applications of public benefit. The company's consulting and research arm features top former officials from the Pentagon, CIA, Department of Defense, and Lockheed Martin Skunkworks. S.C.O.U.T. & V.A.U.L.T. : division aims to be the world's most comprehensive intelligence tool for collecting, analyzing, and reporting unidentified aerial phenomena. Anyone will be able to instantly tap into the database via the S.C.O.U.T. mobile app to contribute and access real-time information on the phenomena globally.  The VAULT: will use proprietary AI to find patterns in data from S.C.O.U.T. and cross-reference information from other global databases to find answers in places we couldn't see before. Entertainment Division: Spanning film, television, books, music, art, and merchandise, To The Stars Entertainment Division creates and licenses original intellectual property by award-winning creators.  Fans of TTSA's vast entertainment brands find themselves immersed in exciting stories that inspire a new understanding and appreciation for the profound mysteries of our universe. Jim Semivan retired in 2007 after a 25-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement he was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service. Jim served multiple overseas and domestic tours along with senior management positions in CIA headquarters. He is the recipient of the Agency's Career Intelligence Medal. Curt hosts  @Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal  . Please subscribe to his channel! Please join my mailing list to get resources and enter giveaways to win a FREE copy of my book Losing the Nobel Prize: http://briankeating.com/mailing_list.php

Victor Cha, former Director for Asian Affairs at the NSC and current Professor and Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs at Georgetown University and senior advisor for CSIS. In this episode Mr. Cha discusses the complicated US relationship with North Korea and the many issues the new Biden Administration will likely face when dealing with the dictatorial regime. Recorded 8 Dec 2020. Interviewer: John Sano, former Deputy Director of CIA's National Clandestine Service and Intelligence Professor at two colleges.  Host: James Hughes, AFIO President and former CIA Operations Officer. 

Mr. Klingner, former CIA Deputy Division Chief for Korea and Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia at The Heritage Foundation, discusses the myriad issues facing the incoming Biden administration as it relates to North Korea. Recorded 9 Nov 2020. Interviewer: John Sano, former Deputy Director of CIA's National Clandestine Service and Intelligence Professor at two colleges.  Host: James Hughes, AFIO President and former CIA Operations Officer. 

John Sipher, a 28-year veteran of the CIA's National Clandestine Service and Clint Watts, former FBI special agent, join host Brian Whitmore to discuss tactics of the Kremlin's political war on truth, facts, and Western institutions.

Interesting interview with Rhonda Armbrust. The documentary that was mentioned during the show is 3rd Eye Spies. Also, if you go to her Facebook page and contact her, she will send you a free guide to self-hypnosis. Rhonda Armbrust has published numerous non-fiction book, magazine, and newspaper articles, is a copywriter, and a passionate poet. She resides near the shores of Idaho's largest body of water, Lake Pend Oreille, where she raised her two sons. Remote Viewer Shadow Rescue takes a fictional look at a contemporary government remote-viewing program, buried within the National Clandestine Service, and the young woman who is the most adept remote-viewer the NCS has ever found. Rhonda's second book in the series is Remote Viewer Phantom Shadow. When Jazz is asked to remote-view and find a friends missing daughter, she is thrust into the grisly world of human trafficking. Rhonda is currently writing book three in the series that continues the adventure. https://www.amazon.com/Rhonda-Armbrust/e/B01MPVQ58T%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share https://reedsy.com/author/rhonda-armbrust https://remoteviewerbook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/remoteviewerbook https://www.instagram.com/rhondaarmbrust/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/remoteviewerbook/

"After 9/11, there was no right answer. As we captured terrorists, when we captured them overseas, the place where we captured them said 'We don't want them, you have to get them out of here.' CIA was stuck." John Sipher is here. He spent more than 28 years in clandestine service in the CIA and joins Daniel for a discussion about the role of the CIA overseas. What is an asset? What is trust? What cultural education does one gain intersecting as a clandestine officer abroad? What practices has the CIA engaged in that we as Americans can be proud--or ashamed of? With the election right around the corner, John Sipher paints a fascinating picture. And an urgent one. John Sipher retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the CIA’s National Clandestine Service, which included serving in Moscow and running the CIA’s Russia operations. Sipher served multiple overseas tours, as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station, in Europe, the Balkans, Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. He also ran Russian operations at headquarters. He retired as a member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, and received the CIA’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. He is the co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment. -------------------------------------- www.talkingbeats.com Please consider supporting Talking Beats with Daniel Lelchuk via our Patreon: patreon.com/talkingbeats In addition to early episode access, bonus episodes, and other benefits, you will contribute to us being able to present the highest quality substantive, long-form interviews with the world's most compelling people. We believe that providing a platform for individual expression, free thought, and a diverse array of views is more important now than ever.

The Live Drop's 50th Episode - John Sipher - CIA & Spycraft Entertainmentfrom Spycraftentertainment.comJohn retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service, the leadership team that guides CIA activities globally. John served multiple overseas tours as Chief of Station and Deputy Chief of Station in Europe, Asia, and high-threat environments. He has significant experience working with foreign and domestic partners to solve national security challenges. John also served as a lead instructor in the CIA's clandestine training school, and was a regular lecturer at the CIA's leadership development program. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.John is a sought-after foreign policy and intelligence expert. John speaks regularly on foreign policy and intelligence issues. His articles have been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Politico, Foreign Affairs, Newsweek, Slate, Lawfare, The Cipher Brief and Just Security, among others. He regularly appears on the PBS NewsHour, CNN, MSNBC, BBC and other outlets. Twitter: @john_sipherIn this episode John starts off with a discussion of his article  Murdering Reality: The Spurious Spies of Spy Fiction,  and some of the mistakes writers and filmmakers are prone to make.  After a thorough discussion of the history of Soviet intelligence into the rise of Vladimir Putin, John shares some of his experience and perceptions of Russia during his service with CIA.  Unwilling to go quietly into consulting, Sipher reveals why he  decided to take his expertise and storied career into the entertainment business.  The Live Drop Podcast is fortunate to have had John as a guest for such a fun and far ranging discussion.  References to links, and works are below:Putin's People  by Catherine BeltonThe Gerasimov Doctrine  by Molly McKewEuropean Values  - Prague Think Tank Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973)Episode 50I hope you've enjoyed listening to this episode. I could use your help to make more...I like to keep the track clean of ads, and sales pitches. As such, meeting costs and finding time to produce this podcast is a challenge, so any support is appreciated. If you would like to help make Season Three operational, please consider a one time donation of any amount right here ---> https://www.paypal.me/thelivedropOr alternatively,  join The Live Drop Patreon community for exclusive commentary and content starting with a $5 monthly donation ---> https://www.patreon.com/thelivedropAs always, please rate and review the show on iTunes. Your input is appreciated. Thank you for listening and your support,Mark ValleyCreator/Host Get bonus content on Patreon Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Career Journeys we are joined by John Sipher ’83 P’19 by phone from Washington D.C.  After a 28-year career in the CIA’s National Clandestine Service, John retired in 2014 and has become a sought-after foreign policy and intelligence expert. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Politico among other publications, and he has appeared on the PBS NewsHour, CNN, NPR, …

Jeremi sits down with John Sipher to discuss how intelligence agencies operate within a democracy. As usual, Zachary kicks things off with his original poem, “Supposed to Forget”. John Sipher retired in 2014 after a 28-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service. At the time of his retirement, he was a member […]

Welcome to episode #29 of IoT Product Leadership, a podcast featuring in-depth conversations with product leaders on what it takes to build great IoT products. I’m your host, Daniel Elizalde.     I have a great show for you today. My guest is Matthew Eble, Practice Director at Praetorian, one of the top security consulting firms working on IoT today.     This is the second time I have a guest from Praetorian on the show.  On episode number 2, I interviewed Paul Jauregui, and we had a great conversation about creating a culture of security within your IoT organization.    In this episode, Matt shares his expertise around implementing IoT security and shares the work he did with the Industrial Internet Consortium to develop their latest document called: The IoT Security Maturity Model: A Practitioner’s Guide.    Security continues to be one of the biggest challenges for IoT adoption, and I believe security thought leadership, like the one Matt brings to the table, is extremely valuable for any company building IoT products.     This is an episode no IoT product leader should miss.      About Matt Eble:  As the IoT Practice Manager at Praetorian, Matthew has worked with clients across IoT industry verticals, to include smart cities, automobiles, healthcare, building automation, energy, smart homes, critical infrastructure, manufacturing automation, and retail. This rare perspective has given Matthew insight into the unique challenges each industry faces as they connect their devices, as well as the common problems that appear across IoT implementations.  Matthew has a somewhat unusual background for an information security professional. He started his career at the Defense Intelligence Agency where he sought to counter terrorist use of the Internet. Following that Matthew moved to the CIA’s Directorate for Intelligence where he analyzed foreign threats to critical US government and private computer networks. During that assignment, he received multiple awards for his analysis of a rapidly evolving threat. He then moved to the National Clandestine Service where he planned and managed intelligence collection operations. Notable Accomplishments: • Authored "The Eight Biggest IoT Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" white paper • Presented "The Attacker's Mindset" to Abbott Medical Security Summit • Contributing member of the IIC Security Maturity Model Authors Group • During his government service Matthew received a total of six exceptional performance awards and a personal letter of commendation from a Senior Director of the National Security Council. Certifications: • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)  • GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT) Formal Education:  Matthew graduated from Davidson College with a BS in Psychology and from Georgetown University with an MA in Security Studies.   Topics we discuss in this episode:  Matt shares his background and about Praetorian. Why security is such a hard problem for IoT companies. The Security Maturity Model and what problem it solves. Approaching the SMM from a practitioner’s perspective. How IoT companies can make sense of vendor’s messages and avoid exposing themselves to too much risk. The security mistakes every industry makes, and best practices from these lessons learned. Advice for Product Leaders who are new at developing IoT solutions.    To learn more about Matt:  Matt on LinkedIn  Praetorian Praetorian Newsroom   Free download: Don’t forget to download my IoT product strategy template, for free.   Related Resources: What Is An IoT Product Manager? IoT Framework for Product Managers How to Build an IoT Product Roadmap  

Michele Rigby Assad is a former undercover officer in the National Clandestine Service of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Trained as a counterterrorism specialist, Michele served her country for ten years, working in Iraq and other secret Middle Eastern locations. Upon retirement from active service, Michele and her husband (also a former agent) began leading teams to aid refugees, including a rescue mission to Iraq that was featured on ABC's 20/20. Michele holds a master's degree in Contemporary Arab Studies from Georgetown University. Today she serves as an international management consultant, splitting her time between the Middle East, Florida, and Washington, D.C.In this episode we talk about (in order):Building rapport with members of Al-QaedaMental toughnessEmotional Intelligence Living in combat zones for nearly a decadeWhat she does to de-stressWhat traits new CIA officers should haveWhat to do during an attackWho she was allowed to tell that she worked in the CIAWhat inspired her bookWhat projects she's working on nowMake sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode I've also started a monthly newsletter where I send out a few useful or insightful things that have helped me over the last month. You can sign up by clicking here or going to:https://www.professionalsplaybook.com/newsletter Instagram-- @justinfighterpilotLinkedIn-- Justin LeeFacebook--@justinfighterpilotThis episode was edited by Trevor CablerIf you got value from this episode, please give the show a review by tapping here and scrolling to the bottom where it says: "Write a Review." Thanks for the support

SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Kristin Wood, who spent more than two decades with CIA in a number of roles – from the briefer to the Vice President, to intelligence analyst, to the National Clandestine Service, to the Open Source Center.

Former CIA agent Joshua Katz first signed up to the army when most of his peers were contemplating whether to they'd go to law or business school. His nice Jewish parents were baffled, but it didn't stop Katz. He went onto serve as a Squad Leader in the Special Operation Command (SOCOM), where he trained his unit for special combat. Despite his parent’s fears, Katz thrived. He says his military stint offered him a nuanced sense of how counterterrorism efforts "are used and misused." The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) then recruited Katz and sent him to work on terrorism as an Intelligence Officer in the National Clandestine Service. We spoke about how the secrecy required for the job often reeks havoc on marriage and his decision to invite terrorists into his home with his children for dinner. (I apologize. I should have asked him what food he served them.) Today, Katz is a go to national security and intelligence expert, as part of The Enright Group, which is comprised of several former intelligence...

SPY Historian Vince Houghton sat down with Joe Wippl, the Director of Graduate Studies and Professor of the Practice of International Relations, Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies. Wippl is also a former CIA officer, who spent a 30 year career as an operations officer in the National Clandestine Service – at the time (as it is again) the Directorate of Operations. Houghton and Wippl discuss his time serving overseas as an operations officer and operations manager in Bonn, West Germany; Guatemala City; Luxembourg; Madrid, Spain; Mexico City; Vienna, Austria; and Berlin, Germany – where he was the Station Chief. Later, while on assignments in CIA headquarters, he served as the Deputy Chief of Human Resources, as the Senior NCS representative to the Aldrich Ames Damage Assessment Team, as Chief of Europe Division and as the CIA’s Director of Congressional Affairs.

Former SPY Historian Mark Stout sat down with Marine Maj. Gen. (ret.) Mike Ennis to discuss human intelligence (HUMINT) within the Defense Department and the CIA. In 1998, Ennis commanded the Joint Intelligence Center of the United States Pacific Command, was later named Director of Marine Corps Intelligence Command in 2000, and was the Director of HUMINT for the DIA. In 2006, he was named Deputy Director of Community HUMINT of the Central Intelligence Agency’s National Clandestine Service, his final government posting before his retirement in 2007. This SpyCast was recorded on February 11, 2013.

After World War II, the proven power of propaganda and the TV boom coincided so beautifully that the CIA invented an infrastructure to exploit/manipulate/guide/control the media, and by extension the public.  And Operation Mockingbird is just one program that we know about.  From just one of the government agencies who are spying on us all.  Who knows what craziness lurks in the classified archives at the National Clandestine Service offices? [Click to Listen]

Topics covered today – Arab Spring, Iran, Israeli, Pakistan, Afghanistan, WMD / Chemical & Biological Warfare, China’s Pollution Problems. You can find Mr. Keller's book “Hollow Strength” on Amazon.com