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by M. J. Simms-Maddox (Author)
At the beginning of 1990, America still practices its foreign policies and intelligence-gathering based on the precepts of the Cold War when, on the heels of her wedding, a PR executive turned secret agent embarks on a dangerous journey into Arab Islamic territory. Terrorists have brought down the global markets, and America is attempting to prevent further devastation. In response, the American president sends a special envoy, Priscilla J. "PJ" Austin, to deliver a message to the emirs of the United Arab Emirates in Dubai, where the terrorists maintain substantial holdings.
Priscilla is perfect for this assignment because she closely resembles people in the Middle East and North Africa. Not only that, but her near-photographic memory is her greatest asset. She also serves as the CEO of the Bernhardt Foundation, which holds its regularly scheduled meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, around the time of her meeting with the UAE emirs. Notwithstanding, Priscilla needs a crash course in Arab Islamic culture, something she did not study in graduate school at The Ohio State University.
At the outset, Priscilla and her CIA escort, Melanie, check into a hotel in neighboring Ras al-Khaimah, where Abdul-Hakim, the Minister of Cultural Affairs for Dubai, briefs her on the culture and how to engage with the emirs. Priscilla learns the hard way what it means to be a feminist in Arab Islamic territory. She cannot even talk to or interact with men unless they beckon her to do so. For sure, she cannot interact with the emirs. Moreover, while in public, she must wear garments that she is unaccustomed to: the hijab (headdress) and an abaya (gown).
Meanwhile, Abdul-Hakim and Melanie discover that Priscilla has phobias. Although her suite is on the hotel's seventeenth floor, by the time the elevator arrives, Priscilla has already lost her composure. Having never been to the UAE, she is mesmerized by the massive structures. Everything is grand, statuesque, and adorned with Islamic symbols.
Later, during the Bernhardt Foundation board meeting, things literally fall apart. The conference room ceiling caves in, and men in what appears to be SWAT gear, armed with automatic rifles, descend on ropes into the room. Already, news has leaked about Priscilla's role as the special envoy.
En route to her final destination, Priscilla experiences one near-death encounter after another; the last one is the most riveting. Not only that, but her CIA handler has lost track of her.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Priscilla, the CF special ops unit battles the terrorists attempting to sabotage her mission. Not everyone desires peace in the Middle East; in fact, not everyone embraces America's involvement.
Although Special Envoy 1 can be read as a standalone, it might be helpful to first read the trilogy that precedes it: Priscilla Engaging in the Game of Politics, Mystery in Harare, and Three Metal Pellets.
