Chapter Two - part eight

   Sargon Najjar wasn't the first to meet, but was the first to meet alone with James. He came in with only two men. They all sat down to talk. Sargon started by questioning what the others wanted to discuss with James. That got a smile and a shake of the head from James, before he told Sargon that wasn't why he had asked for meetings alone. He wanted to talk directly with Sargon about the issues that concerned him not the others. It took a while for them to start really talking issues, but once they did the talks quickly became very intense. There was no anger or shouting, just a lot of very strong words and even stronger positions. The other meetings had lasted for several hours each, but none had lasted more than six hours. Sargon and James were still deep in discussion of issues facing the possibility of peace for Syria eight hours after they had closed the door. A soft knock interrupted them. It seemed that Sargon's other men who were waiting just outside the safe area had become concerned. It was growing dark and that would make it harder for them to slip out of the city unnoticed. Few people moved after dark anymore. Sargon had been stunned to find out they had been talking for so long. He quickly prepared to leave. James suggested sending out three NATO security patrols with him. NATO did patrol at night in the immediate region around the secured area. They would break off at different times. That should make it harder for anyone watching to know what was really happening. It worked very well. Sargon had never traveled with a NATO escort before and was able to slip out undetected.

   That last man to come in for a private meeting was Omar Nassar. He came in with a large convoy of heavily armored vehicles and over two dozen militia. Once at the secured area he left them all behind and came in alone. He wouldn't even acknowledge anyone other than the single escort who had come in from the secured area entrance with him. Once at the meeting room he had closed the door and locked it behind him before facing James and Aadila. Omar wasn't what James had expected. He was a rather plain looking man. Well dressed, but someone that it would be very easy to not even notice. When he smiled, Omar looked much younger than he was. Omar was said to be in his early eighties. He walked directly over to Aadila and gave her a huge hug. James just watched in shocked silence. They spoke to each other in what James assumed was Arabic, though he couldn't be certain. After a brief exchange Omar turned to face James as Aadila introduced them. "James, this is my Uncle Omar. Uncle Omar this is the man I have told you about." Omar had laughed as he took the hand James extended to him. He pulled James in and gave him a hug too. Only after that did he speak to James. "I have heard much about you, but I doubt that you have ever heard of Uncle Omar. I am not really her uncle; though I love her like a granddaughter. I was a good friend of her grandfather. We were like brothers long ago and so I have always been Uncle Omar. Though I seldom get to see her anymore, I have kept track of Aadila and know a great deal about her life. I have wanted to meet you since I first heard the story of your courage during the Ironman. I will admit I was curious to know why a stranger and a Christian would do such a thing for any Muslim. But that wasn't why I asked you to come here. I thought that perhaps you could save my country as you once saved my beloved Aadila."

   Now James began to laugh. Shaking his head he motioned towards the table as he spoke to 'Uncle Omar'. "Well, 'Uncle Omar', I will do my best not to let you or Aadila down, but I think the Ironman was a pleasant stroll in a park compared to what you have asked me to do."  Omar smiled and moved to take a seat as he replied. "Perhaps, but from what I have heard of you recently, I am even more hopeful now. You have great courage. This I knew or you couldn't have done what you did for Aadila or in your plane against so many others. It seems that you also have great honor, since you think little of what you have done. It takes great honor for a man to be a hero and remain humble too. But I still didn't know if you had the last thing that will be required for us to have any hope of saving my country, which is wisdom. Wisdom is a very rare thing. Even the old seldom find much wisdom. But you have shown more understanding and wisdom than I had dared to hope for. I think perhaps you have brought real hope to my nation for the first time in many years. Now let us talk and see if we can find a way to make that hope grow and blossom. Perhaps in time we can even make it produce a lasting peace for my people."

   Omar had not only stayed to talk even longer than Sargon had. Omar had remained for three full days before he returned to discuss things with his people. Sabella had been allowed to join in after the first day, but she was the only one. Omar had flatly refused to speak with anyone else at all. He had also forbidden any of them from telling anyone what they had discussed until after he returned again. He wanted to talk with his own people first. That one demand had proven to be the most difficult of all for James to meet. The Ambassador and the other U.N. people were furious about all of this. When James refused to talk about anything that went on with Omar it was bad enough. When Aadila and Sabella both refused to talk, saying they had been ordered to keep silent by James it blew the top off things. After two days and dozens of meeting and phone calls it was finally settled. One phone call settled it for good. The President of the United States had come to the rescue. It seems he had received a call from Omar Nassar, asking him to make sure James wasn't forced to talk to anyone about the meetings... not even to the President!