Joshua in a Troubled World

chapter 1 Pennsylvania avenue was flowing with pedestrians crisscrossing in every direction like a floating colony of ants. Busy and confusing as it was to the casual eye, one man in that vast crowd stood out. Calm, detached from all around him, he walked with determination. Under ordinary circumstances he would appear as just different, but in the current heavy atmosphere of political paranoia, the man's Middle Eastern appearance set him apart as possibly sinister. Though poorly dressed, he did not seem like a homeless beggar. His resolute gaze indicated he was a man with a purpose. What kind of purpose? Who was he? Where was he from? What was he doing at this particular time in Washington, D.C.' What made him stand out was his total lack of interest in the sights. Ordinary visitors gawked in every direction, unwilling to miss anything. This man appeared disinterested in everything around him. His detachment caused wonder and aroused suspicion in anyone whose concern was the security of the area. As the stranger walked closer and closer to the White House, he was approached by two neatly dressed men who asked for his identification. Of course, Joshua had none. "I think you better come with us," one of them said, flashing his badge as a government agent. "Why, what have I done?" Joshua asked with a calm, confused look. "Never mind! Just come with us and don't give us any trouble." As the three walked along, the younger of the two asked Joshua how long he had been in Washington. "I just arrived," was the quick reply. "Where did you come from?" was the next question. Joshua's vague response told them nothing, increasing their suspicion. A black Ford pulled up along the curb. The driver emerged and opened the rear door. The two men directed Joshua to get in, then took their places on either side of him as the car sped off down the street to an FBI office. Dan Halloran had been working for the Bureau for a little over a year, having finished his law degree at Georgetown just a few months before. His father had been in the military, spending his last years as a briefing officer at the Pentagon, so they had connections enough to find good positions for family members. Dan was dedicated to his new assignment of monitoring approaches to the White House. Like his father, he was clean-cut, rigid, seeing life in black and white, with no possibility of shades in between. His partner, Tom Clark, was older. He had been an agent for over ten years and was slightly more casual in the performance of his assigned duties, at least as casual as the agency's discipline would allow. Sitting on one side of the table with Joshua sitting across from them, the two men interrogated him. "You said your name was Joshua?" Dan Halloran asked him. "Yes." "What is your last name?" the agent continued. "I rarely use my last name," Joshua replied. "I don't care whether you use it or not. What is it?" "Ben-Youssef." "Is that Palestinian?" Tom Clark asked him. "No, the name is Hebrew." "Hebrew? Sounds Arabic to me. Are you an American citizen?" "I belong here, if that is what you are asking." "Answer the question," Dan insisted. "Are you an American? Do you have an American passport?" "I never needed one." "What is your nationality?" Dan asked impatiently, realizing this was not going to be an easy day. "I have no nationality. I am a member of every family." [read more]