Welcome again! Here are the legal statements. If you are not yet old enough or if it is not legal to read this type of material where you live, please leave now. If the subject of homosexual relations offends you please read no further. The following story is a work of fiction and with the exception of Andy and the brief mention of Terry, all persons in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to persons living, dead or not yet born are completely accidental and unintentional.
The Author reserves all rights. copyright 2000 The Author is Andrew Simon van Ryan. Email me at Zlatazobo@aol.com
Visit me at my web page http://hometown.aol.com/zlatazobo/myhomepage/profile.html
Where no one owns the Rain....
By Andrew Simon van Ryan
Copyright 2000. All Rights Reserved
Part Twelve
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Satellite Surveillance Unveiled
DATELINE: FLORIDA (November 1, '00) Applied Digital Solutions in Palm Beach is rolling out a satellite surveillance system called "Digital Angel", bringing George Orwell's nightmare vision in '1984' closer to reality.
Digital Angel will store personal information, monitor biological information and enable tracking of an individual. Currently the dime-sized device is for outside the body, but the company wants to implant it under the skin.
Applications: People with medical conditions, children, the elderly, prisoners and parolees. Soldiers may receive the implant to locate them and indicate "alive or wounded." It could also prevent "unauthorized use of firearms."
While ADS claims Digital Angel is voluntary because it can be turned off by the wearer, that claim is contradicted by a statement saying the device can be "activated by the wearer or by commands from the ground station" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"How you gettin to the US?" Danny quizzed us.
"We've got two ways to go." Noah explained. "We have two tractor trailer big rigs sitting across the Rio Hondo in Mexico. They've been outfitted for this purpose with ventilation. By using the Semi's', we go straight through to the US. The CanAmMex treaty provisions ended border searches of registered trucks over 10 months ago. We got some news regarding that too. Our contact in Texas sent us a message late last night saying the border is wide open coming from Mexico. The INS people are too busy inspecting cars and trucks LEAVING the US. They're looking for people trying to flee from Conners roundups."
"OK. What's the other way?" Danny asked.
"We know a pilot with Tropical Air who owns a 9 passenger private plane. He's going to fly a few key people and drop them at a makeshift runway in Puerto Rico. From there, they'll take regular scheduled flights into the Continental US. Some are going to New Orleans, some to Miami connecting on to Washington National Airport. The ones coming with me are going to Swan Island in a 38 foot offshore racing boat we stole from smugglers."
"Good thing the weathers clear. If this was Hurricane season you'd never make it to Swan Island in that." Danny remarked. "And why go to Swan Island anyway? What's the reason for that?"
"The US Naval Weather Station." Noah explained. "From there I can hack into the other Military systems."
"I see...." Danny muttered. He thought for a minute and then said. "I think there may be a safer and quicker way of getting to Swan Island. I gotta make a call with my sat-link phone first, but there just may be an easy way in."
"OK, see what you can find out." Noah nodded.
"How are you going to fool Conner into thinking he's being invaded?" Danny asked.
"The people flying to New Orleans will spend the day spreading a rumor around town saying they've witnessed men wearing fatigues and carrying weapons in the bayou. Someone's bound to pass the rumor to the police and the Military. Later that night they'll steal a few small boats and head up the river. They'll abandon the boats all at the same location in Memphis, rather than going to Ohio. The boats will be found by morning and Conner will think the Forces are on their way through Tennesse. That should throw him off enough to keep him guessing about who and how many are going to be attacking. The group in the trucks will make their way toward Washington. They'll get caught at some point before entering the Capitol, no doubt about it. But the guys who've flown into Washington National Airport will be the ones' with the targeting device. Conner will think the invaders are coming for him when they stop the two trucks. He'll be looking for armed men attacking in a large group. He won't know about the guys planting the targeting device and won't be looking for them."
"What if the group flying to Washington gets caught?" Danny asked.
"The guys who drop the boats in Memphis are the backup." Noah replied
"The trick to this is getting the timing right." I remarked.
"Yeah, well that's what the digital watches are for." Danny smiled. Holding out his arm, he pointed to the wristwatch he had on.
"They're all like this one." He stated. "They check and reset themselves to the GMT's Satellite signal every ten minutes, so they're always synchronized together. Just use them and everything will go right time wise."
"Way I see it, you've got one major problem you overlooked." He announced
"Which is?" Noah questioned
"The declaration of Marshall law. Could make movement within the country very difficult." He explained.
"We've got some of that covered." Gabriel said. "Our people inside the US will be helping out. The latest word is that the roundup of Mormons and others that Conner has deemed 'Cult Members' is top priority. Every ones busy watching that. The television and radio media have all been seized, so the only things being seen or heard are government broadcasts. The best chance we have at getting this to work is by moving quickly. So, I believe we're going to start tonight."
"Yeah, probably best to do so. " Danny said nodding his head. "How much training have your men had?"
"We've done training for the last six months." Noah replied. "I've picked the ones with previous military experience as group leaders and the few with special forces training are all in the group going to Swan."
"OK, Then right after breakfast we'll show 'em what's in the truck." Danny said.
"Right. Speaking of breakfast, let's go get in line." Gabriel suggested. "Besides, Andy needs to work on the message."
After everyone had cleared out leaving just Zeke and I alone, He asked if I was scared.
"Not scared, but nervous." I replied to him.
"Me too. What happens if we fail?" Zeke asked.
"We can pretty much expect the end of the modern world as it's been." I said. "Probably 95 to 98% of the worlds population will die as a result of the conflict." I answered.
We sat in silence as I worked on the speech Zeke was to deliver. When we heard the call to breakfast, I finally broke the quiet
"I need you to help me get everyone's name and birth date, OK?"
"Sure." Zeke replied. As I stood to exit, he grabbed me. Zeke kissed my lips firmly and held my body tightly. I could feel his body was shaking.
"Zeke?" I whispered when he released me. "Are you OK?"
"No." He confessed. "Andy, I'm scared."
"I am too." I replied before my lips returned to his.
We kissed each other passionately until we heard the second call for breakfast.
"Can we take this up again after breakfast?" I sighed while staring into his eyes.
"Uh, huh..." He breathed heavily, returning my gaze.
At breakfast, Zeke and I gathered all the names and dates from the group before eating anything ourselves. While we ate Gabriel made several announcements, including one telling those in the main invasion group to be ready before sundown. They were to leave right after the sun set behind the Maya Mountains this evening. They'd be heading out, crossing the Rio Hondo and meeting up with the semi's before dawn.
Danny made his call with the sat-link phone and informed Noah he had a quicker and safer way onto Swan Island. Danny, it so happened, knew the owner of the helicopter service that delivered fresh food supplies to the Weather Station. They flew out of Roatan in the Bay of Honduras and a delivery was scheduled for late tomorrow.
"I can get you to the airstrip in Roatan where you can 'hitch' a ride with the food delivery." He informed Noah. "Does that give you enough time?"
"Absolutely perfect!" Noah replied. "I can hack in and start the fish swimming with hours left over! How can we ever thank you?"
"You have all ready." He smiled and glanced over to where Zeke and I were now eating breakfast. "Just do us one other favor?
"What?" Noah asked.
"Succeed." Danny grinned.