âYour statements encouraged
Islamophobia
. You should not be mentioning our beloved religion in the same breath as terrorism. The president understands this. When I met with her before her news conference, sheââ
âYou met with the president before her announcement?â Adeogo said, interrupting Nader.
âYes, in the Oval Office, and Iâm certain you took note that President Allworth did not use the terminology âIslamic extremistsâ or âIslamic radicals.â She called them âthugs,â which is who and what they are.â
Nader glanced around to ensure no one could overhear them. âThis is not the first time weâve had this conversation. I sent you a list of forbidden words to help guide you. But apparently you have not bothered to read it.â
âOh, I read your list of OIN forbidden words, such as âIslamic militants,â âextremist Muslims,â and âIslamistsââbasically anything that mentions our religion,â Adeogo replied, âand I have ignored your list because it is
naïve
. The American public sees a connection between Islam and the actions of these Islamic radicals. Rather than ignoring that, we need to explain that their views are based on an outdated seventh-century interpretation of our religion. We need toââ
âYes, yes,â Nader said in an impatient tone. âI heard your comments this morning about how we need to do more to police our own people and mosques, and I am reminding you now that you are expressing opinions that are
not
in keeping with the Arab worldâs viewpoint.â
âThe Arab world or OINâs?â
âThey are the same. We canât have youâas a highly visible Muslimâtalking about how Muslims arenât doing enough to stop international terrorism. We canât have you saying radicals believe in a seventh-century interpretation of Islam. You are not an Imam. And we canât have you telling the public that our mosques are breeding grounds for terrorists and that we need to begin partnering with Israel. For your own good, I would strongly encourage you to take my advice. I will send you another copy of our list of banned words and acceptable phrases.â
âDonât bother. This is America. You donât tell anyone, especially a member of Congress, what they can and canât say.â
Their eyes locked, and neither attempted to hide the contempt that they felt toward the other. Adeogo turned to leave, but Nader reached out and touched his elbow, causing him to hesitate. âTread softly, my Muslim brother,â he said quietly. âDonât underestimate the power and influence of the OIN. You need me as a friend. You are a Muslim first.â
âI
am
a Muslim. But I
am
an American first, and my parents didnât come here from Somalia to have anyone tell them and their children what they can and canât say in public, or how they should think, or who they can and canât support.â
âThe nonbelievers and Jews are not your friends,â Nader whispered, âand you are deluded if you believe otherwise. You need to wake up and understand that your only true friends are your Muslim brothers and we will not be so forgiving of your blasphemies.â
CHAPTER SIX
A Victorian farmhouse
Near Berryville, Virginia
J ennifer Conner heard a sound.
At least she thought she heard one.
A noise had awakened her.
At least she thought she was awake.
Sometimes her brain played tricks on her. The doctors called it a TBI. They said she had PTSD. Letters. Acronyms. Jennifer called it noodles. That was the name of a blue unicorn her best friend, Kathy, had given her four years ago when Jennifer, her older brother, Benjamin, her mother, Sarah, and father, Gunter, had traveled from the United States to Egypt. Jennifer had been ten years old then and sheâd taken Noodles the Unicorn with her to Cairo.
It
Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore