Mirrors Darkly Author Notes - Ch. 18-20

By Don Wellington

Chapters 18-20 set the scene for Rod's trip to Tanzania to rescue Darrin, who'd been injured in the Embassy bombing on August 7, 1998.  A twin bombing by al Qaeda, much more deadly, occurred at the Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.  Fortunately, Rod's poker buddy, Scott Greenbaum, has the necessary connections and skill set to help Rod.  One of the great things about L.A. is that it is home to some of the world's best doctors. 

After 22 years, victims of the bombings in Tanzania and Kenya are finally going to get relief.  Not from al Qaeda, but from the government of Sudan, which was harboring al Qaeda's leader, Osama bin Laden, at the time of the bombing.  In exchange for the creation of a $335 million fund to compensate victims and their families, the new government in Khartoum would be removed from the "state sponsor of terrorism" list.  This would free up investment in Sudan and presumably help Africa's third largest country recover after years of sanctions.

Back in February, Sudan settled with the families of the 17 U.S. sailors killed in the attack on the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen.  That attack had also been orchestrated by al Qaeda in October 2000.

I had been hesitant to publish a fictionalized novel that included these events before the real victims and their families could be compensated.   My prayers are with them and my hope is that the relief funds don't get tied up in bureaucratic squabbles.