by Bruce Burk
As they left Fysi's hut, Aiyana continued to explain Fysi's importance, “Once our village understood Fysi’s behavior, we knew we had to reconstruct our society. Every village structure's itself based around the abstract mind of their citizens and we used Fysi's. We knew that if we could build our village based around him, we could live in peace and harmony forever. Come, let me show you how we built our village.
Back in the glorious capital, several OSS officers walked into Aiden’s office, “Sir, the GSA has picked up some intelligence on some terrorist activity. Someone's head mounted camera picked up a disturbance at a bar where several of our officers were killed,” the guard said. “Put it on the holo-screen,” Aiden said. Images of the rebels showed through the eyes of unknowing citizen spy. “Shepard,” Aiden said. “That pesky rat survived the purge,” he added. “We believe he may still have copies of the terrorist literature,” the OSS officer said. “Bring him to me! Alive!” Aiden commanded.
“Sir, the GSA has also monitored several groups heading out into the woods and observing nature. We observed a group looking at stargazers in Old Europe and they started asking questions about God, existence, and the government,” the officer said.
“Ah, perhaps we need to further purge this world from terrorism,” Aiden said. “Order the GSA to slowly deleting records of nature from the database. Start prohibiting citizens from nature trails, science museums, and other places where they can be exposed to divine inspired natural phenomenon,” Aiden said. “Yes my lord, as you wish,” the officer said as he began creating a message to the OSS Universal Database managers.
Eidolon came onto a holo-screen as the guards left the room. “Have you found the terrorists yet?" Eidolon said. “We are on the trail of the terrorist scum as we speak. We are also limiting the citizens’ access to nature so as to no encourage terrorist thoughts,” Aiden responded. “Good ... good. Everything is going according to planned. The human race will soon be our slaves - intellectually incapable of having thoughts of freedom or rebellion ... because all that information has been erased. Soon, the Earth will fall to us just like the slaves of other planets before it. The humans are powerless to stop us. Ha, haha, hahahahaha,” Eidolon said.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned office building, the rebels regrouped their thoughts. “Clark how did that happen? How did someone find us?’ John said. “You do no there are other hackers out there. I’m good, but sometimes people can see the changes I’m making. Other hackers, they find patterns of altered code before its changed back and dig for what it’s trying to hide. They just have saw security camera footage of your bag and you two killing all those guards.” Clark said.
“Just great,” John said with frustration. “Clark, we’re trusting you to be the brains behind our tech operations here. We need you to get on this. I need stricter and more frequent sweeps done. Cover our tracks. Don’t let them find your footprints,” John said. “I’ll see what I can do,” Clark said as he began moving some code blocks around and entering data into his holo-screen.
One of the One State News companies came on, “Today the One State has decided to remove more terrorist symbolism from architecture. Some more living square inspections may be coming by. Freedom is Security and it’s important that all citizens remain compliant,” the state sponsored media newscaster said.
Outside the window, trees began to be knocked over. Zoos and wildlife centers were shut down. All the animals and plants required for the production of food and oxygen were slowly being hidden from the public in buildings. “What is this world coming to?” Gavin said. John walked into the room, “I’ve spoken with Kaslov … he’s going to help us get into the prison where Sophia and other red party leaders are captured. We must go to them now. Kaslov and our friends in the black markets have located her at the Guantanamo high security prison … it’s where they keep all the terrorists.”
“I agree, our greatest chances for revival of the American spirit is to show people that the Red Party leaders are still alive. Some of the people may still be loyal to them,” Gavin replied. Clark interjected, “Hold on just a second there, John. That prison is heavily guarded and the security around there is airtight. In order to get in that prison, we are going to need to set up a Trojan horse. That means we need someone to go physically into the prison before we do and upload a virus so the heavy surveillance systems are disabled or hackable while we are there. I’ve found an entryway through sewers that the person can utilize.”
“Gavin, you can handle that,” John said. “Oh, you just volunteer me for anything don’t you. You know how much I hate confined spaces … But I suppose I’ll do it for my country.” Some beeping noises went off near some of Clark’s equipment. “John, your face has gone viral in the system. You’re all over the media it says, ‘TERRORIST WANTED: JOHN SHEPHARD. Anyone with information regarding him or his accomplices Gavin Fresco or Clark Smith should contact the OSS immediately.’ Shoot, they got me too,” Clark said, reading from his holo-screen. “Can’t you just remove it from the system Clark?” John asked “It’s one thing to remove data here and there John, but you are a poster boy for terrorism in the Universal Database. It could take days … weeks to remove all the records. With all the facial recognition abilities, they can simply find one of the citizens head cameras and identify you. We can’t go out in public anymore without a disguise – facial recognition blockers,” Clark replied.
John had fond memories of watching Grandfather use carrier pigeons. Grandfather would never use electronics and scoffed at their use. John captured a trained pigeon and sent a message to Kaslov requesting facial recognition blockers. Just two days later, they showed up at his location. “We are with you sir, anything you need,” a note inside the box said. John opened the box and found a skin suit that fit over your body and face, concealing your identity. Clark then was able to insert the identity of the face into the Universal Database as a OSS officers. After they had cloaked themselves, they entered the Thunderbird and flew towards Guantanamo Prison.
When they landed John said, “Ok, Clark and I will enter through the sewers and replace some of the guards within the prison. You take Bob and enter through the front door escorting Bob as a captured terrorist,” John said. “You got it, John,” Gavin replied. At this point, Bob’s mouth was duct tape. Gavin was unsure if he’d figured out yet that they weren’t with the OSS, but none of them knew.
John and Clark entered a large circular tube down into the sewers that lead into the prison. John’s feet touched the ground and his feet was surrounded by black water. Rats were crawling all around on the walls and various pipes that surrounded them. “Not the nicest place I’ve ever been,” Clark said. “Alright, I have a stolen map of the prison sewer system here,” Clark said as he pointed to the various steps they had to take. They both headed up some ladders. Then, they cut various holes with their matter swords and walked through a wall. Bats would fly down and startle them as they walked.
“John, how do you know she’s still alive?” Clark said as they ducked under some pipes. “I know she is.” John reached out to Sophia with soul speak. “I’m coming Sophia.” John could feel those words imprinted onto the molecules of air and travel out of the sewer. John had grown strong in his ability to use soul speak. The two squeezed themselves through a tiny crevice as they made their way through the sewage and underground passageways. Suddenly, they heard the sound of running water up ahead.
“Head for that door,” John said. Clark tried to open a door next to them but it was locked. The water rushed towards them, filling the area. Then, John blasted the lock on the door and tackled Clark into the room as the door shut behind them. “That was close,” Clark said. They brushed themselves off. Inside the room, they could see holo-screens of prisoners. “My God. Look at all of them. Each set of prisons was labeled by religious belief. Most of them were Muslim, some Christian, Atheist, and a large amount of Hindus as well. They could see them starving, rotting away, and some of them were dead in their ce
lls.
“See if you can find Sophia,” John requested. Clark shifted some levers and found Sophia’s cell. She was holding hands through the bars with Elizabeth. “I promise you we will be free soon. I know it. John will come for us,” Sophia said. Elizabeth broke holding hands with her. “I don’t know. I can’t take being in this cell any longer. I can’t take the beatings. I can’t take being strapped to their chairs and watch the holo-screens about obeying Eidolon. I think … it’s starting to work on me … maybe … he’s right. Maybe a one world government might be a good idea. No more wars … a global family,” Elizabeth said as she sat in her cell, frail, skinny and beaten. “That’s what they want you to think. Eidolon is evil, Elizabeth don’t you see,” Sophia said. “It can’t be more evil then the ideas keeping me in this cell. Face it, Sophia, we lost. The free America that you were a part of is no more. Sometimes you have to know when to give up. Sometimes you just have to accept the current power structure in society and just go with the flow,” said with defeat. “Elizabeth, you know you don’t believe that! If the current power in society is evil then we have to stand up to them! We have to stand up for the Old Republic and the principles that it stands for!” Sophia exclaimed. “I just don’t want to suffer anymore,” Elizabeth said. “Guards, I’m ready to pledge allegiance to Eidolon.” And with that, she was escorted out of her cell.
“Nooo! Elizabeth!” Sophia cried out as tears dripped down her face. “Elizabeth!” But it was as if she had left … never to be seen again. “You will come around soon enough,” one of the guards said to Sophia. She cowered in the corner of cell. “John, please hurry,” Sophia whispered to herself. Thoughts of all the Red Party members that had been killed filled her mind. So many innocent lives gone in seconds. It’s crazy how fragile a democracy can be; how quickly it can be ruined.
“Turn it off I don’t want to see anymore,” John said. “Where’s Gavin? Has he planted the Trojan horse yet?” “Reporting for duty,” Gavin said into the Guantanamo Prison entrance. “Proceed,” Gavin heard a voice say over the intercom. There were all sorts of guards there dressed in black; some of them looking at Gavin with suspicion. Gavin walked into a Jewish prisoner cell block and saw Bob, the man he had met earlier. “Watch where you’re going, maggot! Gosh the new blood is so clueless around here,” another guard said to Gavin. “You better watch yourself around here,” the guard said as he passed Gavin. Gavin then headed into a room and overheard the guard mumble something about notifying command about him. So he took out his dart gun and shot the guard in the leg with a sleeper dart. “Sleep tight,” Gavin said as he headed towards the security room. He entered a room surrounded by servers and wires. From his pocket, he pulled a small chip that Clark had made. He looked to his left and his right, then inserted the chip into the servers. Then, Gavin left the server room and saw several guards attending to the unconscious body. He walked passed them, hoping that he hadn’t been picked up by a camera.
“He’s done it! The Guantanamo prison is now vulnerable,” Clark said as he read from his holo-screen. Clark pulled up a holo-grid of data while John was trying to open the door that was jammed by the water. This time, Clark coordinated with some of the other hackers he had met online. “Ok everyone, we’re going to do a coordinated attack on the prison. Shut down all security cameras, lock the barracks, and disable all security guns, then remove any potential security alerts that will be sent to central command. Now!” The group hacked all the code in the universal database protecting the prison and then told central command that no alerts were happening. In the digital age, this kind of thing is essential to any planned attack. Most complexes are so much weaker behind their firewall.
“John, its down, we’re ready to go. John busted the door open and the two opened a manhole into the basement of the prison. Two guards were patrolling at the top of the basement stairs. The two rebels came up behind them and knocked them out. The whole prison was dark now. You could hear the guards yelling their military jargon in the background after they had been notified the other guards had been killed. Finally, Gavin ran into John and Clark, almost shooting them. “Finally you guys decide to show up,” Gavin said sarcastically, “we were a little busy,” Clark said. Suddenly, several OSS guards approached and begin shooting.
Back at the Capital, a guard walked into Aiden’s chambers, “Sir, we have a terrorist attack on Guantanamo, our system has been hacked to hide the signal but we’ve been notified by a soldier who left the complex and was seen telling a citizen with a head mounted camera,” the guard said. “Take me there immediately. Shepard is mine,” Aiden said as he got into a battle plane and was transported to the prison.
After several minutes of exchanging blaster fire with the guards, many of them had either fled or been take out by the rebels. “Over here! This is the prison block where Sophia is,” Clark said. Gavin kept on eye on the door while John ran up and down the prison cells. It would a gruesome sight to see so many people starving, many of them too weak to even get up to see John. The prisoners held their hands against the glass and you could see the imprints of their religion on the hands: Christians, Jews, and Muslims – lots of Muslims. John finally came to the last cell in the block and there she was.
“Sophia?” John said. Sophia was sitting in the corner frail and in a fetal position. Slowly, she lifted up her tired and teary eyed face and opened her eyes. She smiled like she had seen God himself. She got up and ran to John and hugged him tight. I’m so happy to see you. John kissed Sophia and it was as if the world rejoiced and the heavens were ringing. “Let’s go, we have to get you out of here. Can you walk?” John said. “Yes, I’ll do my best,” Sophia said softly. She had been beaten bad and was in a lot of pain.
“Lovebirds, we have company!” said Gavin. Through window, he could see Aiden’s ship long with several others land outside the prison. Gavin started to fire blaster shots toward the specialized military brigade. Suddenly, a huge blast shot a hole though the block they were in and the rebels were separated by rubble. John grabbed Sophia, “Let’s go!”
Gavin and Clark ran into the common area where they became pinned by an armada of troops. They exchanged fire with the troops and cut a hole in the wall where they took off into another cellblock. Clark and Gavin took off running through a hallway of Muslim prisoners. Clark exclaimed, “Drone attack coming our way!” Several drones flying above rained laser fire onto the prison, barely missing the two rebels. One of the blasts hit right between them, sending them flying into the wall. Suddenly, they were surrounded by OSS officers. “You’re under arrest, terrorist scum,” one of the officers yelled. John took Sophia up to the roof. John ran up ahead, seeing the drones above as the turned away. “Why are the drones turning away?” John said to himself. He turned around and there he was: Aiden holding a blaster to Sophia’s neck.
“So good to see you, Shepard. Now, put down the gun,” Aiden said. “Ok … ok.” John dropped his blaster on the ground. “Now let’s make this easy. You give me the bag and I’ll let the girl live,” Aiden said, charging his blaster. “John run! Don’t listen to him!” Sophia yelled. John hesitated. He grabbed the cross around his neck full of uncertainty of what to do. Everything he had been taught by Grandfather was that the defense of the holy words and the natural order trumps everything else. He knew he wasn’t supposed to hand the books over to Eidolon but his heart told him otherwise. John looked at the worried look on Sophia’s face. He took the bag off his shoulder and reluctantly slid it over to Aiden. The OSS guards then ran to John and knocked him out.
CHAPTER 12 – A BOOK
John, Clark, and Gavin awoke in one of the prison cells. The rebels were each strapped to a cement post in part of the prison. John’s eyes fluttered open as he tried to yank himself free to no avail. “Gavin … Gavin! Wake up!” John said. Sophia and Clark were still asleep. “Where … where are we?” Gavin was badly wounded. John looked down and saw that his bag was missing.
Suddenly, the door opened and Aiden wal
ked in the room, followed by two OSS guards. Gavin rushed at him, but was pulled back by his chains. He fell to the floor and shrieked in pain. Aiden walked right up to him. “Ah, the patriot. I rather enjoyed seeing your constitution burned.” Gavin grit his teeth and lunged at him again. Gavin’s dog tags swung from his chest up to Aiden’s face and back to his chest. “Hmm and what is this?” Aiden said as he snatched Gavin’s dog tag from his neck and looked at it closely.
“This is no ordinary dog tag. This has nano-print on it,” Aiden said. “Find out what’s on here,” Aiden requested as he handed the dog tag to his guard. The guard took the tags and started to read it with some magnifying equipment. “You’ll never get away with this Aiden. You are assisting in the enslavement of mankind. The people will rise up against you! You can’t keep them in chains forever. “Oh Shepard, so loyal to your God and your principles,” Aiden said as he walked around John in his captivity. “You would have humanity divided by archaic lies told by the empires of old to control the population. How many people have died as the result of the ideas you defend? I have helped build a global empire. War, starvation, disease, will all be removed from the world. And yet, you object to this in your naïve defense,” Aiden said. “You lie! You trample over the freedoms of the people. The blood of the Red Party is on your hands. You cannot remove God from the Earth. People will seek him out and realize there is a higher power above you and rebel in the name of freedom,” John responded. “Well … we’ll just see about that,” Aiden said. Another guard came into the room holding John’s bag. Only the Bible, the Quran, and the Buddhist teachings remained.
