(Intermittent Waves Recorded From The Transformed Heart Of A Woman)





When Hal returned to the hospital that evening, after spending time with Arturo's family and assuring them of his ongoing support, he was told that Tanya wanted to see him as soon as possible. He thought that she wanted to hear about the funerals, but, her loyal grapevine of informants had done their job and so, Tanya had other things in mind.


Hal was told to bring his notebook and recorder, so, Hal thought that they would also be working on his book. First, he checked in on his father and found him sleeping, then, he changed into something comfortable, grabbed a soda and went to Tanya's bedside.


"Hello, Auntie Tanya. How are you feeling this evening?"


"I feel like I look, but, I can't help that either. It is what it is."


Hal, grinned, remembering his first reaction to seeing Tanya and his father's recent insulting comments about his aunt's appearance.


"Did you want to hear about the funerals?"


Tanya was very blunt and answered sharply.


"NO! I already heard about the funerals and soon I'll be at my own. Just listen very carefully to what I tell you. Record it and right down the key points. They're coming after you, Hal, and there's no time to waste."



Tanya Graves-Weinberg-Yanovich then began to dictate to Hal the art of financial, cyber, political, and tactical warfare as taught to her by Ilya Yanovich, who studied under the tutelage of Vladimir Putin, who intended for him to succeed him. She threw in tips from her father, here and there.



Hal wrote furiously and stopped Tanya to go into more detail, whenever he had questions. Never in his life did ever think he would need this type of training, but, if he was going to lead an army, he needed the knowledge to think like a general. Most of the tactics sounded unethical, illegal, immoral, and brutal, but, Tanya said that he wouldn't necessarily have to use them, but, he needed to know what the enemy was capable of doing and how to be preemptive and counterattack. She said that the more he knew about espionage, cyber warfare, organized and white collar crime, the better he would be protected and able to expose and stop his enemies and help other people.


She told him how hard it would be to stay clean and avoid being mixed up in criminal behavior if he didn't understand how it worked, where to find it, and what it looks like when it comes offering help or gifts. Her most important advice was to always do your homework before you get involved or commit to anything. Read and don't depend on other people to inform you. Don't micromanage, but, don't be too lazy to research and check things out for yourself.


Stay away from women, she warned and explained how her father basically used her to entice men he wanted to do business with. Sometimes she felt like a glorified whore. Hal thought about Natalie Tiledeler who practically threw herself at him.



They talked into the wee hours of the night. Tanya would take short naps then wake up and continue. Zenobia came in to check on her and give her medications, but, she didn't once tell her to rest. Instead, she tried to make her more comfortable to continue and had attendants bring in a reclining chair for Hal to stay there throughout the night.


Hal, woke up the next morning in the reclining chair, stiff and achy. Sunlight was peaking through the curtains and shining directly in his eyes. He put his hand up to his eyes to block the blinding light.


"He's awake now. The boy sleeps hard. He always has. I had to holler in his ear to wake him up for school. The first thing he needs to learn is to stay alert. People could walk in and steal everything he has and he'd still be sleeping."


Still blocking his eyes, Hal, looked over to the other side of Tanya's bed at his father seated in his wheelchair.


"Dad? What are you doing here?"


"I came to talk to my aunt. What does it look like? I woke up and you never came in your room, so, I went to look for you and found you in here. Me and Tanya have been talking. She's been telling me things about our family, the Graves Family.


It seems that we have something in common."


"And what would that be, Dad?"


"We both love you and think the world of you. And, we both don't want anything to happen to you, so, listen to everything your aunt tells you and don't give her any grief. I'm going to find the lovely Zenobia and have breakfast. Goodbye, Aunt Tanya."


Not looking back, David Siegfried, Jr. wheeled himself to the door. Hal couldn't believe his ears. Was he still dreaming? He got up from the chair to follow his father.




"Go on, son. I'm busy, now. I..I've...I've g-got things to do.


Hal could hear the stress in his father's voice. He sounded as if he was on the verge of crying. Hal tried to follow him.


"NO, Hal!"


Hal stopped, shaken by his father's forceful command and feeling hurt and wounded that his father wouldn't allow him to go to him and comfort him.



"I told you to stay here with your aunt and take care of business. It's time for you to be the man of this family. I'll have room service bring you some breakfast."


Hal wondered what Tanya and his father had been talking about, what had changed his mind about Tanya, and what was so upsetting that he wanted to be left alone. He went back to sit down. Tanya refused to comment and resumed her lessons.


She told Hal about the people and banks they had used to launder money and how money laundering worked. Then, she continued with her list of "How To's, Do's and Don'ts."


  • How her father had avoided paying taxes and paying for practically everything. 
  • How to tap into hidden money the government doesn't know about. 
  • Surrounding yourself with the type of needy and ambitious people you can control. 
  • Using the weaknesses and needs of others to your advantage.


She gave Hal a profile of members of the Graves Family, pinpointing Derek Graves as the self-proclaimed leader of the family. She wanted Hal to know:



  • Who Derek Graves does business with. 
  • Where he is most vulnerable. 
  • Who to go to on Wall Street to fight Derek Graves financially. 
  • Derek Graves' enemies and allies. 
  • Who Hal could depend upon for political allies.


"Derek is smart, Hal. The problem is he's just like my father and he thinks that he's smarter than anyone else, but, he's not as smart as you. He'll make the same mistakes that my father did, if you attack his pride."


Tanya continued with the subject of corporate and international espionage.


  • How to turn people into spies. 
  • How to pay foreign governments to do your dirty work for you to avoid getting caught, prosecuted and indicted. 
  • Keeping up with international affairs
  • Making deals to avoid conflicts with governments
  • Avoiding regulations, fees, licenses and taxes


Tanya had the names of Russian hackers capable of breaking through cyber-warp, a technology that surpassed the internet and used mainly by governments, the military, banks and huge multinational corporations. She knew former government spies and corporate spies. She had lawyers to work on every type of crime that she could possibly face. She knew loopholes, back doors, organized crime bosses, and the descendants of oligarchs.


She explained how Putin really wasn't that much of a complicated guy or great leader. He just used the same tactics in everything he did with different actors, claiming supreme authority wherever he went. His main tactic was denial of any wrong doing and money to corrupt those around him. He was a one trick pony with a lot of sparkle and dazzle to blind everyone while he had other people rob them; sort of like Jack the Ripper meets the Artful Dodger.


"People use the same strategy in business takeovers and competition as they do in battle, Hal, minus the bullets, bombs and grenades, in most cases. However, the money to keep wars going can be traced back to business deals. Each battle is working towards the same goal, which is to take over and come out on top. The damage that can be inflicted upon you from a rival can be just as damaging to your business in collateral damage. If you're going into political or business war, you need to be equipped, heavily armed, and financially secure. The same holds true in war and espionage. You need to know your enemy's strength, allies, and intentions. Follow the money to the top. Tell your chief executive officers to batten down the hatches and man all battle stations."


Hal told his aunt how the board members at Miriam's companies had treated him. Her response was:


"You've got to walk in there like you own the place, Hal. Throw your weight around. Fire somebody on the spot and call for security."


"That sounds like your father."


"It works if you don't overly use it, Hal. Just to let them know who's boss. Then, once you've established yourself, gained their respect, and they see that you're not backing down, you can ease up a little. It's just part of human nature. We can be like animals in the wild when it comes to challenging power and authority.


I've left everything you need to know to finish your book in a safe deposit box, along with my memoirs Mir-Miriam worked on. It will all be left to you in my will. There is a list of names and contacts to get you started in handling my affairs and businesses. Darla will stay with you, but, she has to work independently. I guess you've seen first hand that she doesn't work or play well with others. Keep her as your secretary. You'll find your director of affairs and personal assistant in due time.


I've brought Steve and Jake up to speed on what's going on. They know who you are. I can trust them and so can you. Steve's family goes way back to my days in the White House. His great-grandfather was part of our security team and his father came to work for us afterward. No need to question their loyalty or their intentions. It was wonderful what you did to get them started with their business. If I had known, I would have done the same thing.


Anyway, Steve and Jake are with us. They know how serious and dangerous things already are. They don't like what happened to Miriam and Arturo. They said that it makes them look bad. If they need to act, they'll act. They already feel beholden to you and they respect you. Don't be afraid to use them. Their used to taking risks. They're decorated Marines and two of America's finest. We're blessed to have them with us.


I've talked enough now, but, there's one more thing I have to say. I'm ashamed of what my father did to your great-grandmother. I'm ashamed of how me and my family have treated people of color. I pray that God forgives me. Please pray for me, Hal. My father was around Black people,Hispanics, and Muslims, but, as much as he was around them, he still could never see them as equals. All the hate and ignorance within him blocked out true love and any rational since of humanity. He may have fooled other people, but, he never fooled me. I saw and heard how dark and hardened his heart was.


I want you to know that I am proud of you and honored to have known you and to have you as my nephew. I wish I could have been there to be the aunt that I should have been when you were growing up, making your father proud. I'm so sorry that I wasn't. I'm so sorry to leave you at a time when your world is turned upside down and in chaos. I wish I could remain here to see you make a lasting mark upon the world. But, I can leave here knowing that you will and that's more than I could have ever asked for. You are a remarkable young man, Hal Siegfried Graves and don't ever forget it."


With tears streaming down his face, Hal grabbed Tanya's hand and held it in his.


"Grandpa Siegfried used to say, "God has already forgiven us, but, we take forever to forgive ourselves. We beat up on ourselves, driving ourselves into depression, anxiety, drugs and all types of problems.


Auntie Tanya, you've got to know that God has already forgiven you and it's time to forgive yourself for all that happened in your life. Everything has a beginning. Sometimes, it doesn't even begin with us. God allows us to experience things to open our eyes to who we should be and that's what's important.


You know who you should be now and nobody or nothing that has happened in the past can take that away from you. You can be thankful for having opened your eyes to the Truth and trying to do something to make the future better. No, we can't go back and correct the past, but, we don't have to go on wallowing in the same mud and being stuck in the same pit.


Obviously, from what you've told me and just taught me, you've done and learned some pretty bad things. But, I can see that you've changed, Auntie Tanya. I know that my father can see it, too, or he wouldn't have spoken of you like he did and called you Aunt Tanya. You have to realize that you have changed and you are worthy because of Christ. Forgive yourself, and claim your abundant and eternal life. God is always reaching His hand out to us. He's just waiting for us to grab hold of it."


"Spoken like a true preacher's grandson. Your grandpa would be pleased"




"Auntie Tanya, it's been my privilege being here and getting to know you. You have changed my life in more ways than one. Now, I have to really look at myself and the direction I want to take my life. I can't point a finger at others or be a hypocrite. It's my turn to tow the line and see how far I can get when there's resistance, pressure and temptation on the other end.


You've helped me learn a lot about being Black and White. Most of the time, I don't think in terms of the color of someone's skin. I know that people consider me to be Black although I'm biracial, but, I know who I am now and who I want to continue being.


"I'll miss you, Auntie Tanya."


Hal laid his head on the bed next to Tanya. She squeezed his hand and then wiped his tears away.


"I'll miss you, too, Hal."


Hal, had fallen asleep with his head lying on the bed. During the night, he woke up, covered Tanya and laid all the way back in the recliner chair with a blanket.



The sunlight peaked through the curtain to announce the start of a new day. Muffled sounds caused Hal to toss and turn in the recliner chair, forcing it to push him upright. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he could see, Zenobia standing over Tanya's bed. She looked like she was in distress. He felt a presence beside him. It was his father in his wheelchair covering his face as his shoulders moved up and down. The sounds became louder into audible sobs of grief and misery. Hal reached out for his father. His father pulled him down to him and cried out.


"She's gone, son!"


Hal looked at Tanya, fell to his knees and holding on to his father, cried in his father's lap.



Published by Mishael T