“That’s right, Howard. You need to let me out of here so I can help you stop him.”
“Butler? What’s Butler doing? How did he do this?”
“Howard, I have no idea. I’m beginning to realize there are many things I don’t know about Jackson Butler.”
“I don’t buy it. Butler may be sharp, but he didn’t do this alone. Someone helped him.” Richard had not taken his eyes off Sterling.
Sterling laughed. “General! Come now! You both know Butler sold us all out to the Chinese! That’s who took control of Hal! I’m amazed we’re still down here in Howard’s doomed cellar! You’ve lost this place! The Chinese are fighting their way to us as we speak. I hope we all have the good sense to get out of here before they arrive.”
Howard was about to lose control. “We know that, you fool! How did Butler do it? I need to know what he did to Hal!”
Sterling shook his head. “I thought you were one of the smartest people alive. Why on earth are you asking me? Butler was in this cell with me the entire time. I don’t recall him having a heart-to-heart with your little computer. Unless...”
“Unless what?” Howard could barely contain himself.
Sterling laughed hysterically. “Unless you gave him computer access and your passcode! I mean, it’s pretty damn ironic when you think about it. The man booted you from your own house and now he’s taken your precious bunker from you as well! Maybe Jackson is smarter than you!” Sterling was laughing so hard he was getting close to losing the thing he valued most - his composure. Taunting someone like a schoolyard bully was beneath Simon Sterling, who considered himself a gentleman.
Howard cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. “Twigg!”
Richard turned to Howard. “Dennis Twigg? What makes you think he did something to Hal?”
“Twigg helped Butler escape. Butler must have given Hal a virus or something, I don’t know what or how, but Twigg did something.”
“Twigg is a traitorous piece of shit, but he’s not smart enough to plant anything in Hal. Think hard, Howard. Has Dennis been in the command center anytime recently?”
Howard kicked the Plexiglas wall like a toddler having a tantrum. “That fucking asshole! He roughed Butler up and stabbed him so badly that he had to be taken to the infirmary for stitches. I sent him to the command center for an ass chewing. That must have been when it happened!” Howard darted from the room. “We have to get to the command center, Richard! C’mon!”
With Richard in close pursuit, Howard pounded on the command center door.
“Hal! Let me in! Now!”
“I am sorry, sir, but your father has insisted that you not be allowed access to any vital areas of the Castle. I have also dispatched security robots to the mainframe room in the subbasement. You will not be permitted to access my systems.”
Howard was seconds away from having a total meltdown. Richard grabbed Howard by the shoulders and tried to make eye contact with him. “Howard! Howard, stay with me. Calm down. I’m gonna help you beat this. Focus!” Richard addressed the hijacked computer that was convinced Howard was someone else. “Hal?”
“Yes, sir.”
“We would like to leave, if Howard will permit it.”
“Sir, Howard is pleased that you are willing to leave on your own. He was hoping you would see reason and not place the citizens of Beck Castle in danger.”
Richard looked at his panic-stricken friend and did something he never dreamed he’d ever do —he placed his hand on Howard’s cheek. Howard recoiled as if he’d been slapped. “Howard! Focus! It’s time for us to go home.” Richard winked and shot Howard a quick grin, hoping that the socially impaired genius would figure out his true intention.
Howard was in the dark when it came to facial expressions and innuendo. People quickly learned to be direct with him and not assume Howard would pick up on subtle nuances. Howard finally put two and two together and deduced that Richard’s comment and accompanying wink meant one very simple thing—they were going to make the journey to Howard’s former home in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
“General, I couldn’t agree more. Let’s go home. What about Max?”
“Max will be fine; I’ll send for him. Hal?”
“Yes, General Dupree?”
“Enact the evacuation protocol for Beck Castle.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Maxwell Harris’ limp body was sent flying as Misty Jacklen slammed the van into the Hal robot. The robot was a technological marvel, but it was not built to withstand direct impact with a van traveling sixty miles per hour. The robot clanked to the ground and was smashed to bits under the van’s oversized tires. Misty shot out onto the freeway at ninety miles per hour and stopped five miles down the road in the empty parking lot of an abandoned gas station.
“Let’s grab Max. We have to get away from this van. They’ll be looking for it.”
Elizabeth was weeping. “We can’t wait! We have to wake Max up right now!”
“Elizabeth, use your head! This van just demolished a Chinese-controlled Hal robot! They might be here in seconds and you know it!”
Elizabeth knew Misty was right. They heaved Max’s body back onto the gurney and rolled it away from the van. Misty continued to pump the AMBU for the benefit of the paralyzed man. Neither of them had a clue where they were going as they pushed the gurney down the street as fast as they could. The same thought raced through both women’s minds—they were sure to get caught at any second. Misty steered the gurney toward an abandoned strip mall and wheeled Max behind it.
“There!” Elizabeth pointed to a loading bay nearby. “Maybe we can get the door open! Let’s go!”
The two women wheeled the gurney toward the loading bay door as Misty continued to pump air into Max’s useless lungs. Elizabeth opened the large sliding door with ease. She quickly scanned the empty stock room and was relieved to find it empty.
“How much longer till he wakes up?” Elizabeth asked once they were safely inside.
Misty checked her watch. “Five, ten minutes. I think we’re gonna be okay. Close the door but give us a few inches of light.”
Five minutes passed, then six, then seven. Max moaned and pushed the mask from his face. “Elizabeth?”
“I’m here, my love. We made it out. We’re safe.”
“Why is it so dark?”
The happy reunion was rudely interrupted by a deafening roar coming from just outside the loading dock. Misty dove to the cold concrete floor and peered out through the blinding tendrils of sunlight that fingered beneath the door. All she could see was swirling dust and debris amidst the exhaust of a roaring engine. Then there was silence, broken only by the hollow echo of a slamming door and heavy footsteps.
Misty stood up and walked over to Max. “I’m sorry, Mr. Harris. We tried, but it looks like we’re about to be caught.” Misty took Elizabeth’s hand, surprised by the serene look her face. The thrill of the chase was behind them, and her husband was alive. She would deal with the rest as it unfolded.
***
Charles was sprawled at the massive desk in the grand library of Beck Estates, watching with delight as his plan was carried out to perfection. Like every job he’d ever be given, he’d accomplished this mission without breaking a sweat or getting his hands dirty. Unwilling participants always carried out his dirty work. Dennis Twigg had suffered the same fate as his other puppets had in the past. The Twigg family was an easy target. Dennis’ parents lived in rural Kansas on a UAE-controlled corn farm, many miles from their nearest neighbors. The parents were the original targets, but Dennis’ older brothers were spending the weekend at the farm, and Charles was more than happy to add them to the festivities.
Working in the security offices of Beck Castle, Dennis Twigg often violated the rules but neatly covered his tracks. One of Howard Beck’s cardinal rules was absolutely no contact with the outside world. His position made it easy for Dennis to circumvent this guideline as the security personnel ran
background checks on all citizens within the Castle. Dennis contacted his parents every Sunday afternoon to ensure they were safe and in good health. Charles discovered this fact and used it to his advantage. One Sunday afternoon when David and Bethany Twigg welcomed two of their three children for lunch, they were interrupted by tear gas. They evacuated the two-story farmhouse and walked right into the iron sights of a team of armed men. The men escorted them back inside and waited for the weekly call from Dennis. The plan worked without a hitch. A man would do anything to ensure his family’s safety; Dennis was no exception. Once the Chinese program had been planted in Hal’s system and Jackson Butler was safely evacuated, Charles’ team bound the Twigg family in the basement and burned the house to the ground.
Jackson Butler and Dennis Twigg entered the library, interrupting Charles’ reverie. Jackson was smiling.
“Charles, that worked perfectly! I can’t believe how easy it was! Dennis walked me right out the front door without so much as a second glance. It was downright pathetic how simple it was!”
“Okay, I did what you asked,” Twigg said. “Take me to my family. I want out of here right now!”
“Yes, yes, Mr. Twigg. Thank you for your service. My associate here has a car waiting for you. You’ll leave for Kansas immediately. Thank you again.” Charles nodded to one of his goons and Dennis Twigg was escorted from the room one final time.
Jackson was eager for news. “Charles, how did it go with Hal? Do we have the drones and robots yet?”
Charles smiled and averted his eyes to the ceiling, indicating to Jackson the need to play along. “Please call me Howard, or Mr. Beck if you prefer.”
Jackson had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. Howard, how is Hal doing?”
“Ask him yourself.”
“Hello, Hal.”
“Hello, Governor Butler. It is a pleasure to see you once again.”
“The feeling is mutual. Do you have control of your drones and robots?”
“Yes, sir, the functional ones are under my control.”
“The EMP shield?”
“Disarmed, sir.”
Charles interrupted. “I was just taking inventory of my technology. That wicked son of mine…uh, you do remember my son, Marshall? He tried to take control of Beck Castle. The young lad was trying to gain command of Hal, but I managed to stop him just in time.”
“Of course I remember your son.” Jackson rolled his eyes. “Did you undo the damage he caused?”
“I believe so, but one thing does bother me. It seems there is a problem with my fleet of stealth jets.”
Jackson’s eyes bulged. “Stealth jets?”
Charles looked at him sternly.
“Yes, of course, your stealth jets. What’s the problem?” Jackson quickly covered his mistake.
“It seems that I cannot account for any of them.”
“Maybe they were shot down and destroyed?”
“That’s just it, they’re still functioning. Hal has no idea why they’re not responding to his commands. We have no idea where any of them are.”
***
“I feel like shit,” Max grunted.
Misty turned to Elizabeth. “Can you see any doors? Can we get into the store?”
“I don’t know! I can’t see a thing in here.”
“Max! Elizabeth! Are you in there?” Somebody with a bullhorn was outside the bay door.
“Who the hell is that?” Misty whispered.
“That sounds like Richard Dupree.”
“Seriously? You mean General Dupree?” asked Misty.
“Yeah, that one.”
“Max! Elizabeth! It’s Richard. I know you guys are in there! Come on, it’s time to leave!”
“I think it’s a trick. How in the hell did he get here if Hal’s been hijacked? What if he’s working with the Chinese?”
“Not in a million years. I trust Richard with my life,” Elizabeth said. “Richard! You know Hal’s been hijacked, right? What if this is a trap to bring us all to the Chinese?”
“It’s not a trap! Trust me! I know what the Chinese have done. I’ll explain everything once we’re in the air. Let’s go!”
“We’re leaving, Misty. You’re welcome to come along. The Chinese will detain and probably execute you since you assisted us. Please come with us.”
“Well, I’m certainly not staying here. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“If you trust me, then trust Richard.”
Misty and Richard raised the bay door and wheeled Max’s gurney to the decloaked stealth jet.
“Maxwell! How you doin’, buddy?” asked Richard.
“Shut up, Richard. Just get us the hell out of here.” Max squinted in the blinding sunlight.
Once the jet was airborne and cloaked, a very impatient Elizabeth spoke up. “Okay, Dupree, spill it. What’s going on? Where’s Howard?”
“Howard’s still at the Castle. We’ve planned quite a surprise for the bastard responsible for this.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“Jackson, I think you’re overreacting. Everything is going according to plan. We have control of Hal and soon we’ll occupy the Castle. A battalion of Chinese troops is on the grounds. Why must you worry so much?”
“It was too easy.”
“You think this has been easy? Years of planning, defeating the most brilliant man in the world … was easy?”
“Something doesn’t feel right to me; he’s up to something.”
“Explain it to me then, sir.”
“When I took his house from him, it was blatantly obvious that I’d won. He didn’t stand a chance of stopping me, but he fought me to the bitter end. He damn near destroyed his own house to keep me out of it. He even spilled blood in the attempt—something I didn’t think him capable of doing. I can’t believe he would just give up his beloved Castle so easily.
“Jackson, think about it for a second. The lives of everyone in that facility depended upon Howard following our demands. He knew that if he set one toe on the ground level, we would’ve slaughtered them all. What other choice did he have?”
“He’s too smart. He plans for everything, even the worst case scenarios. Something about those missing stealth jets has me worried. This isn’t over.”
“What possible advantage do stealth jets give him when he’s hundreds of feet underground? We have control of Hal and all his drones and robots. We have control of the Castle, and we have Sterling. You worry too much. Besides, your doubts will soon be answered; our troops will be at the facility in less than an hour. If Howard is up to something, he’ll have no choice but to show his cards.”
“Tell the Chinese to be ready for anything.”
***
“So, here we are, Simon, alone at last.”
“Yes, Howard, I’m glad we have time to do some catching up.
Howard was seated in a folding chair staring at Simon in the tiny cell. He couldn’t help but enjoy the fact that the prissy snob was his prisoner.
“You know, Howard, you might as well come in here and sit with me. After all, we’re both prisoners here.”
“How do you figure that?”
“I’m not stupid, Howard. Give me a little credit.”
Howard rolled his eyes.
“I heard the evacuation order. Even the goons watching me left without a backward glance. Besides, just listen.”
“To what?”
“Exactly! You could hear a pin drop; the silence speaks volumes. You didn’t just evacuate the civilians; you and I are the last two people left here.”
“Big assumption.”
“Then prove me wrong! Just invite one person to join us in here. You can’t, can you?”
“Okay, you’re right, big deal. Maybe I chose to stay behind.”
“The mighty captain going down with the ship? Don’t try to sell me that garbage. If you could’ve left, General Dupree would have dragged you out of here.”
“Simon, ye
s, I am a prisoner. Happy?”
“Happy? No, no, quite the opposite. I’ve been defeated. My Brutus stabbed me in the back and took away every ounce of my power. I’m a loser who can’t accomplish a damn thing. You, on the other hand, still have a fighting chance to do something to save this country.”
Howard winked. “You are a loser, you asshole.”
Simon laughed. “To be certain, yes, I am.”
“Wanna know a little secret, Simon?”
“I can’t wait; tell me.”
“You and I are having a private conversation.”
“Really?”
“When I was in the subbasement trying to repair Hal, I manually destroyed the audio for the command level. If Jackson and his friends are sitting in my house watching the Castle, they can’t hear a thing we’re saying.”
“You sneaky little devil! Why did you do that?”
“Simon, do you have children?”
“Yes, three.”
“You know them better than they know themselves, don’t you?”
“More or less.”
“Hal has been many things to me: my assistant, my confidant, my friend. But above all that, he was like one of my own children, my son. I personally programmed each Beck A.I., all of them. I knew the minute his system came back online that I wasn’t talking to Hal, although someone was trying to manipulate me into believing otherwise.”
“Then who were you talking to?”
“The only A.I. Hal has a direct connection with – the White House A.I.”
“Oh, Howard, I always knew! You sneaky son of a bitch. All this time, listening to Jimenez’s conspiracy theories about you controlling the White House …”
“No! It’s not like that! I kept my word with Malcolm Powers; I never had access to the White House during his administration. After you murdered the man and seized control, I had Hal interface with her. I just broke the encryption and the two of them did the rest.”
New America 02 - Resistance Page 21
