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 Fifteen *******************************************************************************
ECHELON GATHERS INFORMATION
DATELINE : LONDON (November 10, 2000).
ECHELON is perhaps the most powerful intelligence gathering organization in the world. Several credible reports suggest that this global electronic communications surveillance system presents an extreme threat to the privacy of people all over the world. According to these reports, ECHELON attempts to capture staggering volumes of satellite, microwave, cellular and fiber-optic traffic, including communications to and from North America. This vast quantity of voice and data communications are then processed through sophisticated filtering technologies.
This massive surveillance system apparently operates with little government oversight. Moreover, the agencies that purportedly run ECHELON have provided few details as to the legal guidelines for the project. Because of this, there is no way of knowing if ECHELON is being used illegally to spy on private citizens. The FBI has begun using a similar technology code named Carnivore. The US Senate has recently been holding committee hearings with FBI officials regarding the agency's use of Carnivore in gathering information on US citizens.
(The BBC) ***************************************************************************
Our plans for after lunch were not to be. The entire camp's residents worked at getting ready to pull out and Zeke and I needed to help. Zeke went with Danny, while I went to a meeting with Noah and Gabriel. Everyone in the New Orleans group and the Washington group attended. We heard our general instructions followed by our specific individual instructions. To my surprise, I learned Brian was one of the three going to Washington. The other one picked to complete our trio was 'John the Baptist.' They gave him this name due to his looks. Tall and thin with long dark hair and a neatly trimmed 'goatee,' John possessed a somber, serious personality. His brow slightly furrowed which gave his face the look of concern at all times. John was a sharp contrast to the 'high on life' disposition that emanated from Brian most of the time. Yet there were moments when Brian was far more serious than John or I. He was by far more intense in his concentration while analyzing and studying each part of the plan. Watching and listening to him, I realized his mind could recall everything he saw and heard in precise, absolutely accurate detail. He had been blessed with 'total recall' memory and had the added ability to almost instantly analyze and connect bits of separated details. Brian's IQ was way off the end of the scale. This was why he was coming along with John and I. If there was a way of getting the device closer to the President than any we'd already discussed, Brian would be able to figure it out. He'd be able to analyze any other situation that might arise as well.
After that meeting ended, I sat in on the meeting of the group going to Swan Island. Noah and Danny had reworked the invasion plan to take over the Weather Station. If it went as planned, Noah and Gabriel's men would be able to simply walk right in. Noah had estimated he should give the command to the slow moving Razorfish by no later than 7:00PM, GMT tomorrow night. He knew there were about one hundred Razorfish lying in wait all along the Eastern seaboard from Maine to the Florida Keys. He even said there were a few near Cuba, just in case any former members of the now defunct Communist party started getting ideas. As he was detailing the course of action he made the same statement he'd made several days previously, only this time I caught it.
"...the fish will make its way up the Delaware River and launch on the White House, turning Conner into white hot vapor." Noah repeated.
"Potomac." I corrected.
"Huh?" Noah replied, thrown off by my sudden remark.
"The Potomac River." I said. "Not the Delaware."
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yeah, it's the Potomac. I lived in DC for years before Conner took office." One of the other men stated.
"OK. Somebody double check that on a map for me." Noah muttered.
"Andy? Can you help do it?" Gabe asked. "I kinda suck at geography."
This comment got a good laugh from everyone. Gabe and I sat in the corner of the room to study a map while Noah and Danny finalized the groups details.
"Aaron, I want you to stay close at all times, OK? You're the backup in case something happens to me." Noah instructed. "I decided we're not going to take Number Three along."
"What?" I replied in astonishment. "Number Three Top VooDoo and you're not taking him along? Why?" I asked staring in disbelief.
Noah looked at me with a strangely sad expression and pointed out the huts open doorway. I craned my neck to see where he was pointing. Across from us was the camps computer 'shed.' Inside the open doorway I saw two figures seated and typing away in front of the large membrane screens.
"The little one." Noah remarked.
As I stared at the two figures I realized they were very young. The smaller of the two was in reality just a boy, maybe his very early teens at the most.
"Him? He's Number Three?" I gasped. "How old is that kid?"
"Fourteen, Andy." Noah replied in a flat tone.
"Yeah. He can't go. It's too dangerous." I said nodding my head. "But Number Three? Wow!"
"Hey, that little shit figured out my VooDoo. I just barely got his program figured out in time to win. I killed his VooDoo off only a second before he would've killed mine!" Noah exclaimed. "The kid's really good Andy. He got into the airlines new 'unhackable' reservation system this morning in only eight minutes. He booked everyone's flights and paid for them with an e-credit number he stole from an account in Panama. It's the account the canals project manager has been depositing his embezzled funds in."
"Good move!" I chuckled. "The guy's not about to complain over a few thousand dollars missing outta THAT account!"
"So, Number Three's going to stay here. He'll send the DatMan compiler code." Noah grinned. "OK, now where was I? Oh, yeah. Aaron...."
When the meeting was finally over it was already time for the main group to assemble for their departure. Gabriel stood in the back of Dannys truck with a megaphone and instructed the group on what to expect.
"When they pull over the trucks you're riding in, and they will pull you over, DON'T fight with them unless you have to. Don't get yourself killed if at all possible! I want all of you to try to escape instead, OK? Also, there is a lot of anger in our group and with good reason. However, Do NOT start shooting people for revenge. Conner is the reason for this and he's the target, no one else. So, if it's the military that pulls you over and there's a big group of them, surrender. If it's the Police and there's only a couple of 'em, take 'em hostage, handcuff them in their car and then flee by running in every direction. Scatter everywhere so they'll have to search for you. This will give Conner and his goons something to focus on and keep them distracted from anything else. All right then let's all get going!" He shouted. At the edge of the clearing young men began pulling at piles of thatching, uncovering the hidden fleet of stolen vehicles. These were mostly old pickup trucks, big and small, rusty MPV's and a few battered SUV's. There was even one small graffiti covered school bus, although all the seats were out. The groups members began getting in and starting them up. The jungles calm changed into the sound of a city, with peoples voices shouting, vehicles revving their motors and impatiently jerking into motion here and there. The banging and clattering of the gear being loaded made the impression of a City complete. When all of them were in and ready, Gabriel held up his megaphone again, pulled the switch and shouted at the top of his voice.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come Salvation and Strength! Go!"
Gabriel made an exaggerated whipping motion with his arm, extending it out, hand curled and his index finger pointing towards the highway. The fleet of vehicles swarmed forward like bees, eventually funneling into a column that roared away through the jungle and out onto the Hummingbird Highway. We watched as they turned north and became one long line moving snake like in the distance, slithering over the twisting roadway toward Conner and his evil.
After their roar died away and the dust settled, it was time to ready Noah and Gabriels group. They loaded all their gear back into the transport Danny was driving. When the loading finished, the young raiders themselves crawled up into the canvas covered bed of the truck. Then it was just Gabriel, Noah, Ezekiel and myself standing together.
"Do your best to get Conner, Andy, but please try and get to safety before 8:00AM, OK?" Gabriel begged.
"I'll light the fuse and then run like hell." I joked.
They each put an arm around me as I reached out to hold them both. Noah and Gabriel patted my back as we hugged. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just nodded my head as I gave each a last look. Turning away, they climbed into the back of the transport with the rest of their raiding party and sat down.
I walked with Zeke to the passenger door of the British military transport truck. He began to sniffle as he turned to face me.
"Andy, I love you. I wish this was somehow all different. I wish I was going to see you again." He barely managed to whisper before tears overflowed from his eyes.
"Hey, Zeke! You'll see me again." I said brightly and cupped his chin with my hand. Lifting his head up gently, I looked deep into his red rimmed eyes.
"What if it's the worst?" He sniffled.
"Worse case scenario? I'll still see you again." I smiled.
"Wh... Where?" He sputtered.
"Where no one owns the Rain...." I replied softly and kissed him.
He fell against me sobbing and I hugged him tightly I tried comforting him as best I could. Dannys voice called down from inside the truck cab.
"Zeke? We gotta go now."
Zeke stepped back and gazed at me. He some how managed a trembling smile, then quickly turned and stepped up into the cab. Zeke shut the door, rested his arm out the window and stared down at me. The engine roared to life and the truck slowly lurched forward.
"I love you, Andy van Ryan!" He called out as I waved good bye to him.
"And I love you, Ezekiel of Heaven!" I shouted back as the truck headed away.
I continued to stand and wave as it rolled slowly down the road, disappearing into the jungle. I watched with my eyes full of tears as one of only two I loved in my entire life left. Zeke was the one still alive. In my mind I recalled the last time I had seen Terry. I remembered Connors goons holding me back as I screamed helplessly, watching as they dragged him away, kicking and screaming by the Relocators. Dragged to his death. I wished for every member of the Relocators be punished, hanged by the neck until dead. They were the scum of the earth, the lowest of all war criminals. Inhuman sadists who gleefully sent innocent humans by the millions to their deaths. I felt my anger rising as I clenched my fists.
"The fucking Relocators won't be getting any ice water in Hell." I said to satisfy myself. I turned away to join the few remaining residents of Heaven.
Isiah and Samuel were in the computer shed, still sending e-mail filled with bits of the DatManDead program into the US. I slumped into a chair against the wall behind them and stared blankly. I don't recall how long I did this for, but I suddenly startled when a hand touched my shoulder.
"Easy there, Andy." John said. "It's dark now. Why don't you go lie down until it's time to go? You're going to need all the rest you can get before we leave."
"Yeah, you're right." I sighed and rubbed at my brow. "I'll be in Zeke's hut."
"I know." John smiled at me with sadness in his eyes. "I know."