JOSHUA
Days of Destiny III
Prologue
Welcome to JOSHUA, the final story in the Trilogy of Days of Destiny. It is a story that began with Harry and
Ruth Blumberg and their passing on a rabbinical legacy to their son Nathan after earning his rabbinical degree from
Yeshiva University. He was destined to take over the family-founded Synagogue in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and it is at
his graduation that he meets his future wife. They marry and Rachael’s later pregnancy has complications that nearly
claim her life, but their only son is born—a son who would change the destiny of the Blumberg family forever.
Days of Destiny (Book I) begins a roller coaster ride of every imaginable emotion and circumstance of life,
and David’s young adult decision to forsake the family traditions and forge his own destiny, begins when he falls in love
with a Christian girl in his senior year of High School and rejects a Yeshiva education for a Northeastern college. Diane,
his sweetheart, enrolls in CMU, a few miles down the road.
When personal tragedies and life’s unknown events overwhelm David in his first year, he becomes dismayed and
unsure of any real meaning in his life. This leaves him vulnerable to the charms and the lies of a beautiful woman who is
a college-town recruiter for the PLO in the Middle East.
Under the guise of becoming a member of Mossad in Israel, he leaves this country and soon finds himself a pawn
between Israeli Intelligence and a group of Middle Eastern Terrorists, the CIA and Interpol. By mere circumstance alone,
David is swept-up into one of the largest covert smuggling operations of illegal arms and munitions, ever to take place in
the history of Israel. He soon learns that every decision he makes, not only affects his own life but also the lives of
Diane, his parents and anyone who crosses his path of destiny.
Stolen Innocence (Book II) brings David’s life to the brink of disaster as he winds up in the Israeli Army and their
elite, anti-terrorist unit. After he eventually marries his High School sweetheart Diane, several dramatic and potentially
devastating trials weave their way through the lives of this couple.
Their home in Florida is bombed, killing David’s mother and forcing them to change their identities. The very terrorist
who committed the act itself abducts their son Joshua, who was also believed to have been killed in the blast. Joshua
winds up in the care of the daughter of one of the top leaders of a PLO faction, who is also the wife of the assassin who
abducted him.
Stolen Innocence is a non-stop thriller, from the first page to the last. Just when one believes this family cannot
endure another trial or life-changing event, it occurs and we follow their fight for survival and the quest to regain
purpose and meaning in all they have endured.
In this final episode, Joshua (Book III) the international search for their son consumes their lives—drawing you
through the twists and turns of international politics, espionage and terrorism. This is the exciting, dramatic conclusion
of this harrowing story of the people who are touched by a single twist of fate …right back to the very town they ran from
and smack into a terrorist operation that is headed by the very woman who has their son. Will they be able to re-claim
their own child in time and will the FBI and Homeland Security agents have the wherewithal and ability to avoid the
devastating plans this terrorist cell has for thousands of American lives?
Once again, David and Diane are drawn into the battle for survival, a journey that will take you into the minds, the
wills and the actions between terrorists and the FBI, parents and kidnappers, military and hair-raising rescue attempts
and the eventual standoff between the righteous and the unjust. This is a roller-coaster ride of emotions and explosive
circumstances that will leave you glued to the pages of every chapter—the conclusion of Days of Destiny, The Trilogy
Chapter One
The Mission
David waited with a sense of apprehension. He was seated on a lacquered wooden bench, just outside the offices of
the commanding general. A guard was stationed at the General’s door. He was in full dress uniform, stood at attention,
and was holding an assault rifle at his side. He occasionally exchanged glances with David—both out of curiosity and
respect, having heard what this I.D.F. Captain had the guts to do.
It was all about his having tossed a grenade as he was leaving the offices of the PLO. His actions had nearly begun
a war, having killed a top ranking PLO officer. The entire matter however, was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that
there were illegal munitions stored within the basement of those offices that were not supposed to exist. The grenade’s
detonation sparked a chain reaction that blew the entire building into wooden splinters. They were strewn all over the
complex and the adjoining outside streets. The irony of it all was the PLO declaring they would retaliate when their
anger was mainly focused on the embarrassment of their munitions having been discovered. Their entire cache had
gone up in smoke. To David, it was a matter of revenge, pure and simple. There were no second thoughts or conscious
regrets— even knowing that there might be disciplinary consequences.
The door to the general’s office opened and General Rabene walked out and the guard snapped to attention. David
jumped to his feet and saluted the general.
“David, come inside,” the general called out as he returned his salute. David followed him into his office, taking a
seat in front of his desk as Rabene motioned for him to do so.
“So, tell me, was the PLO officer you encountered the one who ordered the bombing of your home in Florida?”
“Yes sir, it was.”
“I thought so. They’re not going to make much of a stink about the whole situation, seeing as how their illegal
munitions were exposed. That leaves them holding the proverbial embarrassment bag. However there is more to this,
isn’t there.”
“Yes sir, there is,” and David remained silent.
“Do you wish to share this with me or are you going to request a leave of absence to follow that ship and find your
son.”
David was surprised but not totally. Rabene had eyes and ears everywhere and very little went on in Israel that he
was not aware of. David stared at him for a moment and then lowered his head as several tears began to form in the
corners of his eyes. His heart was pounding at the thought of Joshua being alive all of this time— in the care of the wife
of a man who had saved his life during the attack on their headquarters, but had taken his mother’s life in Florida.
“Sir, I must go and find my son. I will need some time off. Every day I wait, I stand a greater chance of losing him
again.”
Rabene came around the desk and sat on the edge of it, facing David.
“Have you told Diane about this yet?”
“No sir, I have not. I can’t seem to find the words. I am concerned that she might become ill again or slip back into a
coma. She is also due in a couple of months and…I just…” and David lowered his head, not knowing what else to say.
Rabene got up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“David, for a young man, you have been through so much in your young life…and in so short a time. First, your
father is gunned down and taken from you. Then your mother is killed in the bombing of your home in Florida, which
also led you to believe you had lost your only son in that explosion. Prior to that, you lost your grandparents. Then
there was the death of Victor, your mentor and surrogate father. I know that this has all taken its toll on you. No man is
impervious to the powerful emotions from such tragedies, but you must harness these emotions and turn them into
determination. You should share all of this with Diane and then go and find your son. You cannot do this alone. You’re
going to need help— men with experience in tracking down criminals—men who have the contacts to gain the
necessary information in order to be successful in finding your son.”
David nodded in agreement with all that Rabene was saying. Rabene took a few paces back and forth behind his
desk as though he was in deep thought. Then he stopped, faced David and continued.
“Although this may be labeled an anti-terrorist operation, the men I am sending to help you, know how to find people
and have the contacts in various countries to locate someone who is hiding from us. It is no different than when we were
hunting down war criminals. This woman will seek asylum somewhere, and my guess is that she is headed back to the
United States. She will likely enlist the help of one of the agents her husband knew from the CIA or FBI. She will not tell
them that Joshua is your son but rather that you are attempting to kidnap her child because you lost your own child.
She will paint you as a deranged and grieving father and you won’t stand a chance of getting close to her. I also have
information that she is related to a powerful leader within the PLO. If that information is correct, you will have to deal with
a double layer of protection and deception. Do you agree, David?”
“Yes sir, totally.
“David, you need outsiders, people whom she doesn't know. We have several men already within the cities that she
may relocate to, and they can help you. If you go to the authorities in the United States, there is no proof that Joshua is
your son—outside of a DNA test, of course. You will have to find your son first, in order to accomplish that. Your only
hope now is to treat her as an international terrorist—which her husband was, and find her before she disappears into
some obscure, Muslim community where she can be protected. If that occurs, you will never find her or get close to her.”
David knew that the General was right in every respect and his eyes reflected his humility and thankfulness for all
he had said… and all he had told him he would do to help him.
“I don’t know how to thank you general, I…”
“Don’t thank me, just go home this evening and tell your wife what is happening here so she is able to come to terms
with the situation. I know you will find the appropriate words.”
David rose to his feet and saluted Rabene who returned the salute. He left the office and nodded to the guard
outside who saluted him. He went to his jeep and drove home to be with Diane. It would be an emotionally trying night
but David knew that Rabene was right. He had to tell her. There had never been a lie between them, and David justified
this one by concluding that he was being protective of her medical condition.
~
Tom Blake had not even had a second sip of his coffee when the call from Saleema was announced on his intercom.
“Did she say where she was calling from?” he asked the receptionist.
“No sir, she just asked for you personally and said you would know who she was.”
“It’s okay, put her through.”
Tom waited and then heard some static on the line as though the connection was bad or she was calling from a phone
that was not a landline.
“Saleema, this is agent Tom Blake. What can I do for you?”
“I need your help. I am on a ship that is sailing to New York and then on to Ft. Lauderdale. I am with my son Saleem
and we need protection. I believe that we are both in danger.”
“What makes you say that?” he asked, now somewhat more alert and sitting erect in his chair as he took another sip
of his coffee and waited for her answer.
“I believe that there are things about our child that my husband never told me.”
“I don’t understand,” Tom replied. “What are you saying?”
“That someone or rather people from the Israeli government are coming after me to take my son away.”
There was silence on the line. Tom began to mentally put the pieces together.
“Saleema, what makes you think that you’re in danger? Has anyone threatened you?”
There was a hesitation in her voice, but she replied.
“No, I just feel that there is something wrong.”
“Saleema, when the ship you are on docks in New York, don’t allow yourself or the boy to be seen by anyone. I will
try to have an agent meet you. Are you alone?”
“No. There are two men who were sent to accompany me. They are staying aboard until we reach New York.”
Naturally, Saleema left out the part where they were going to join up with an existing terrorist cell in Florida.
“These men who are with you, are they Palestinians?”
“Yes.”
Tom immediately thought of this being the break they were hoping for. Some of the leaders in the anti-terrorist
division were convinced that the cell in Miami Beach began and ended with Akmal. When Akmal left, the cell disbanded.
Tom was convinced that the cell was re-populated shortly after the incident at the Martin Towers, and that they may
have relocated to a base in Ft. Lauderdale. If he sent a man to meet her in New York, it could jeopardize their chance
of tracking them to the cell’s location.
“Saleema, on second thought, perhaps it would be best if you stay aboard in New York. Do you know the name of
the ship you are on?”
“No, I did not see the name when I boarded,” she lied. “We were hurried aboard.”
“Do you know how long they will be docking in New York?”
“I believe it will only be to off-load some cargo.”
“Good. Then you should remain on board. I will find out where the ship is scheduled to dock and try to meet you.
Saleema, I wouldn’t tell the men who are with you that I’m meeting you there. I will wait until they leave the ship before I
come aboard. I don’t want them to know that your late husband was involved with the U.S. Government. It is for your own
safety. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand and thank you Tom.”
“Very well, he replied. I will try to see you in New York.”
Tom hung up the phone and turned to agent Adam Snipes, a recently transferred agent from another division who
was not familiar with the history of this case.
“This could be the break we have been waiting for. Saleema is the wife of a turned Palestinian terrorist that we were
working with. He was killed during an Israeli operation that involved picking up a notorious terrorist. It was before you
were transferred to this division. We need to get an agent to New York to monitor anyone disembarking from that ship.
Saleema believes that the men accompanying her are remaining aboard until they reach Florida. It's likely she's correct,
but I am not taking any chances. It’s likely they are joining up with the cell members from Akmal’s group, or they may be
joining a New York cell to replace the 9-11 group.”
While he was attempting to second-guess Saleema, she well knew that Tom was already thinking of her two
protector companions as possible terrorist replacements. She also believed that neither Tom nor any of the FBI Agents
in the anti-terrorism unit knew that the cell had moved to Ft. Lauderdale and was firmly entrenched in one of the high-
class condominium buildings. They had also formed a dummy corporation and purchased several small businesses in
Ft. Lauderdale. She would allow Tom to help her, but she would keep track of him so that he could not keep track of
those who would soon be planted in one of the most dangerous cells in the United States. Tom had no idea of what he
would be dealing with and Saleema wanted it that way.
~
Diane sobbed convulsively, pacing back and forth across the apartment’s living room floor without direction or
purpose. She could not stand still, her body needing to be in motion or she was sure she would faint and never again
regain consciousness. David felt helpless, wanting to stop her, to embrace her, to hold her close to him and assure
her that it would turn out okay… but he could do nothing but watch her and wait. His mind was racing, trying to discern
his next move to get a jump on Saleema before she reached her destination— a destination he was still unsure of. At
the same time, his own heart was wrenched, watching Diane’s reaction to his sharing the truth about their son.
When he first came home, she knew something was wrong as she went to hug him and looked into his eyes. She
saw the confusion, and a look of wanting to share something painful with her. David realized that she read into his
demeanor and became unsure of how to tell her, bluntly exclaiming, “I think Joshua is alive.” It was wrong and he knew it
the moment the words left his lips. He tried to explain but the impact of the statement sent Diane into a state of
hysterics. She kept murmuring,
“How did you find out? Did you know before today? How long have you kept this from me?”
David could not answer her for she was far too upset for reasoning. He simply waited for her to calm down but it
appeared as though it would take a while. He was more concerned with her suffering a relapse and losing her to a coma
once again. She appeared to become angrier, and slowly calmed herself, stopped pacing the floor, and stopped inches
from David’s face. She boldly stared into his eyes and questioned him. David stood there and could hardly breathe;
wanting to measure his words but knowing that there could only be truth.
“I have suspected it for a short while but wasn’t sure. I could not come to you with mere suspicions. I had to be sure
of the facts before I even allowed myself to believe that there was hope. It was the PLO officer who ordered the
bombing of our home…he is the one I killed when I tossed the grenade into his office at PLO headquarters. It was
Saleema’s husband that set the explosives. His real name was Jameel. He was a PLO terrorist that turned. He made a
deal with the Americans to give-up cells in the United States and munition storage sites in Israel. In return, he was given
a chance to become a citizen and live in the United States after he had served their purposes for him.
I finally saw Saleema’s boy. It was Joshua. Jameel must have taken him from his room before he detonated the
explosives. I don’t think Saleema even knew about the entire assignment. She might have believed that her husband
had adopted Joshua from a European family since he made frequent trips to London.”
“How did you find out about all of this?” Diane questioned again as she backed away from him and sat down on the
chair in the living room…Victor’s favorite chair.
“I found Polaroid pictures of our home in their bedroom drawer when I went to their apartment the day she
disappeared. The pictures were taken before and after the blast. I had to be sure, because the pictures only proved
that Jameel had something to do with it and not that he actually did it. I learned the truth when I went to PLO
headquarters.”
Diane seemed calmer as she took a tissue from her pocket and began to wipe her tears. She stared at David,
searching his expressions and not saying a word.
“All that time I befriended her, trusted her, shared my life with her, and she had our son?” her voice was modulating
upwards into nearly a shrill in total disbelief of the circumstances.
“I believe so, but I don’t think she knew it. She would not have become that close with you if she knew that was our
son.”
“Where is Saleema now?”
“She’s on a freighter sailing to New York. We checked the final destination of the ship and we believe she may go
on to Ft. Lauderdale.”
Again, Diane stared at him for several moments, not speaking, just searching him and thinking.
“What are you going to do to find her and prove to the authorities that he is our son?”
“I think that the agents who were assigned to them must know something. Either they knew from the onset or
Saleema has contacted them, seeking their help. In either case, they are the best chance we have in finding her.”
“What do we do next?” Diane asked, in a tone of voice that was more of a challenge than a question.
“I am going to make some connections with the General's help and leave for Ft. Lauderdale. As I said, we believe
that she will go to Florida.”
“How do you know she won’t get off the ship in New York?”
“I don’t. However, she is with several men who sailed with her. They are all members of Al Qaeda. If my guess is
right, they are headed for Florida to join-up with or replace an old terrorist cell, originally headed up by Akmal.”
“I am going with you,” Diane exclaimed, and her voice told him that her statement was a fact and not a request.
“Diane, this could become dangerous. You are pregnant with Joshua’s brother or sister and I won’t have you
placed in a compromising situation.”
“You don’t have a say in this. I am going and that’s final. I will be there when we find our son.”
David realized there was no arguing with her. He had never seen her so adamant about anything. He walked over to
the chair, placed his hands under her arms and pulled her to her feet. He placed his arms around her and drew her
close to him.
“I love you more than my life. I will never stand in the path of your convictions. I just want you to promise me that you
will, at the very least, listen to me if I ask you to avoid situations that may come up along the way…things that could be
physically threatening. Will you promise me that much?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation, “As long as they are physically threatening and not mentally challenging. I will
not stand for any deceit or you’re not telling me something because you’re trying to protect me. I know what you do is
out of your love for me, but from here on in, I want to be a part of every situation and know about every piece of
information you receive.”
“That’s fair enough, David replied, and hugged her even tighter. This time, Diane responded and hugged him back,
tears flowing from her eyes as she buried her face in his chest.
“All this time our son has been alive and being raised by a terrorist’s wife. How could this be?” she sobbed. This
was the bitter sweet, the feelings of thankfulness that Joshua was alive, and the bitterness of what has happened to
their family.
They stood there for a while, holding one another and silently praying that God would return their son to them.
There was nothing else left to say until they had more facts and had returned to Florida.