Fire and Wind is a chronicle of two brothers - one Christian and the other Muslim - in conflict and tackling the challenges of civilizations teetering on the brink of war. Our story begins at the hilltop villa of Viktor Kos, the Dark Triad leader, who is waiting for sons Vayna and Vladimir to arrive. House Kos plans to seize power in oil-rich Azerbaijan. Elsewhere in Baku, Conor Kedar, head of one of the 21 ruling families, is invited to a secret meeting in Turkey to confer with the Azeri president about war with neighboring Armenia. Conor is young, but well connected with western bankers, and is tasked with securing financial support for the war effort. Traveling to London, we meet Conor's love, the beautiful and vivacious Tali. While vacationing, a Kos assassin attacks Conor and Tali, but they escape.The story shifts to the USA, where Jake Moynihan (Conor's half-brother) and girlfriend, Lindy Bedrosian, are training with the enigmatic Vartan Defense Wing, a military force of the Armenian diaspora. Later, during a meeting with his parish priest, Jake reveals deep-seated angst about his father's death in Azerbaijan. At the time, Jake suspected murder by a member of the Kedar clan and was perplexed about his brother's role in the affair. Now, he plans to rescue his father's bones and bring him home for a Christian burial. The two storylines gel when Jake and Lindy meet Conor and Tali in London. It doesn't go well, especially for the women, who differ seriously about Armenian and Azerbaijani issues. From this point onward, Lindy and Tali star as their roles in the narrative intensify. In a plot twist, the personalities of villains Vanya and Vladimir Kos are explored. Vanya is a narcissist, and Vlad is a psychopathic sadist. As the story nears its highpoint, President Guliyev and Viktor Kos make a nefarious backroom deal. The Dark Triad has the upper hand and plans revenge. Meanwhile, traveling to Armenia with the Vartan Defense Wing, Jake abandons his colleagues and heads to Azerbaijan to find his father's bones. Lindy is incensed. The climax of Fire and Wind occurs when Kos thugs execute the Azeri foreign secretary and kidnap Tali. They take our heroine to a mountain hideout, where she struggles to escape. Unaware of these events, Jake and Conor attend the opening of the Azeri Parliament. As its ultimate act of seizing power, the Dark Triad has sent an assassin to kill the president. But Conor blocks the poison-tipped cane and saves his commander and chief, Rolan Guliyev. The killer, however, gravely injures Conor during the confrontation. Jake watches the events unfold and then calmly shoots the would-be assassin.After a month in a coma, Conor learns of Tali's fate. He plans a rescue, but Tali needs no help. She escapes on her own, but with Vlad Kos in hot pursuit. Nevertheless, Tali finds her way to freedom and home and then reunites with her beloved Conor. Fifteen months later, family and friends come together again in Azerbaijan for Conor and Tali's wedding. First, Jake spends a short time with Lindy in Armenia. They have little time together because of the rumors of war. Jake promises to return in a week. He plans to ask Lindy to marry him.At a dinner the night before the wedding, brothers Jake and Conor talk about resolving their differences, but Jake has a secret. He knows about the Armenian drone army but is reluctant to disclose the intelligence to the Kedars. Returning to his father's gravesite one last time, Jake tells Tali's mother about the looming adversary. Knowing that she will inform her daughter, Jake departs for Armenia to reunite with Lindy. At their prearranged meeting place, Jake waits for Lindy for almost a day. With no explanation, she has failed to appear. Feeling abandoned, Jake leaves for the USA, not knowing the fate of his friends or family.
About the Author: Leo A. Gher is a veteran media executive who has worked in industry and academia for more than four decades. Gher is recognized as an expert in international media law, policy, and management. Gher has been twice honored as a Fulbright Fellow: Croatia (2001), University of Zagreb and Azerbaijan (2008), Azerbaijan-American Academy of Journalism. Gher has worked with the U.S. State Department as a Professional-In-Residence Baltic States, developing post-Soviet media training programs, and in the Middle East, fostering nascent satellite and terrestrial TV networks.Gher is the author of Moynihan's Journey and numerous short stories, among other works.