by John Bluck
"If I get some intelligence, should I tell you so you can pass it on?" Wilson asked.
"Maybe that's how it'll work," she said. "But Black could set up another way for you to report in case I'm not around. He'll go over procedures during our meeting."
"Where will we go?"
"To the ghetto where you rescued me from those idiots who didn't know I was on their side," she said. "Those dolts decided to grab me for a ransom in gold. They paid with their lives because they didn't clear their plan with their commanders."
"After you told me you were a rebel, I wondered about the kidnapping," Wilson said.
"No organization is perfect," she said. "But we try to minimize problems, and that's why we have procedures. You'll learn about our command structure, and how we work. Right now we have to leave. We'll take the number twelve bus to the eastside and meet in an abandoned warehouse in the burned out section of the city."
They walked through the green, dewy grass and thick moss to the sidewalk where there was a bus stop. It struck him how alike Earth and Sunev were in some ways. Of course, that's why Raven looked for gold nuggets in similar places on three worlds superimposed on one another, each just a dimension or two apart.
The bus soon came, and Wilson and Lena stepped up into the vehicle. She chose to sit near the rear door. Wilson thought, she did that so we can make a quick getaway if we have to.
As they traveled through the city's eastside, Wilson saw that many buildings were run down. When the pair got to their stop, just three other passengers were still on the bus.
"This is it," Lena said as she stood. She grasped a pole near the rear door, and Wilson got up and pushed the bus doors open.
He noticed that weeds grew through cracks in the sidewalk near a gutted apartment complex. Some houses were occupied and clean, but nevertheless the area looked like it had been through a war.
The pair walked a block down the street, and Wilson spied the large, two-story warehouse that Black had chosen for their meeting. Colorful, bright graffiti on the walls between hundreds of broken windows contrasted with the dull, run-down structure. The artwork portrayed the clone's revolution, which many Sunevian intellectuals and the cyborgs of Triod also supported.
Lena stepped carefully over the broken glass that was scattered on the sidewalk, as she approached a door half attached to its frame. Peeling blue paint covered the frame and the door, and when Wilson pulled it open, its hinges squealed.
"Ramon," Lena's voice echoed. "Where are you?"
"Up here," said Ramon Black from a dark second floor walkway that ran around the inside space of the big warehouse. Wilson looked up at him in the dim interior. He had deep tan, olive skin. There was a second man who had striking blond hair that made him stand out in the murky light. He was handsome with an athletic build, about six feet two inches tall, and his light complexion and clean-shaven face contrasted with Ramon's dark skin. A stocky, redheaded cyborg, who looked like a body guard, accompanied them. As Wilson's eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that the steps which led upward were made of rusty steel.
"I see you now, Ramon," Lena shouted. "We'll be up in a second."
Bill and Lena clambered up the dirty steel staircase to reach the second floor walkway. On that level there were offices that faced the street as well as the land around the sides and the rear of the warehouse.
"Nice to see you again, Lena," said Ramon. He had a black beard that was trimmed to a point under his chin.
Lena and Ramon hugged.
"This is Dr. Bill Wilson," Lena said.
"Pleased to meet you, Ramon," Wilson said as he shook Black's hand. His handshake was firm. Wilson's guts told him that Ramon Black was okay. The swarthy man smiled.
"I'd like you both to meet Red Murphy, the leader of our Sunevian cyborgs. And please, also let me introduce you to my aid, compatriot Art Terac, who's a skilled fighter and a clone like me," said Ramon.
Terac smiled. "I'm glad to be allied with the first earthling to visit Sunev. General of the Armies Black is wise to encourage friendship with a person who knows what freedom is."
"Pleased to meet you," said Wilson, and he shook hands with the blond clone.
The tough looking redheaded cyborg also stepped forward and clutched Wilson's hand, "I'm honored to be aligned with a man from Earth," he said, and then he gave Lena a gentle hug. "And it's good to meet you, too, Lena." She smiled and nodded.
Terac stepped closer to Lena and said, "I'm fortunate to become acquainted with you in person, Lena. I've seen you on TV many times." He shook her hand.
"The pleasure is mine," said Lena, ill at ease when Terac talked of her fame, which had been fueled by the news media.
"Up front, I'd like you both to know that I'm glad that I'm a clone, and proud to be a unique person, too," Terac said. "Lena, you're a model for me because of your individuality and your scientific research on other worlds."
"I'm glad you realize that you're one of a kind, Mr. Terac, just as I've learned I'm unique," said Lena, smiling. He nodded as he made a close-mouthed grin, which hid his perfect teeth.
Ramon led the small group into one of the abandoned offices that were along the walkway. He brushed dust off an old office swivel chair and sat at the head of a scarred wooden conference table. The four others pulled chairs away from the table, knocked dirt off them, and sat.
"Bill, I'm grateful that you decided to join us in the struggle to free our peoples from the grasp of a powerful few, an oligarchy, which would compare to the most vicious ancient regimes of Earth," Ramon began. "I'm a clone from this planet, and I'm proud to lead the combined revolutionary armies of Sunev and Triod. We call this The Alliance. Who knows? Someday like-minded people of Earth may make a treaty with us because our aim is to join with all free people to aid in the establishment of democratic states."
"I hope that someday, the people of Earth will learn about Sunev and Triod," said Wilson. "By then perhaps democracy will take root on both of those planets." He paused. "To be honest, I was troubled early on about what I saw on Sunev. But because Raven had saved my life, I felt that I owed him a lot, and I ignored the flaws of Sunevian society."
"That's forgivable," Ramon said. "It took a brave man to do what you've done. We welcome you to our cause."
"What do you want me to do?" Wilson asked.
"Just keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in on conversations. When you learn something you think we ought to know, contact me," Ramon said. He looked at Wilson, trying to read his face.
Wilson supposed the swarthy rebel just wanted to see if his new recruit was strongly devoted to the revolution. "How do I pass along intelligence to you?" Wilson asked.
"I'll put a special card with a new computer chip in your mobile phone. The card looks like the phone's main controller," Ramon said. He held up a tiny electronic part so Wilson could see it in the stream of light that entered one of the broken windows. "Do you have your phone with you?"
"Yes, it’s the one Raven gave me after I first got here," Wilson said. He took it from his pocket and handed it to Ramon.
"Thanks," said Ramon. He snapped the back cover from the phone and took out its battery and the original computer card. Then he put the new one in and reinstalled the battery.
"Here," Ramon said as he handed the phone back to Wilson. "All you have to do is enter a series of numbers. They'll be the code to turn on the scrambler computer program that's embedded in the new computer card. Then you can dial my number, talk to me, and others won't hear us."
"Sounds simple," Wilson said. "What's the code I have to type in?"
"You can choose a code now," said Ramon. "Just don't tell me what it is. That way, if I'm caught, there's no way the enemy can get your code from me."
"What'll I do to enter the numbers?" Wilson asked.
"Punch them in on the keypad. When you're done, press the hash mark key, and type in the code again. If you entered the code correctly the second time, the phone will beep once," Ramon sa
id.
Wilson chose his parents' old address in San Jose. He mixed the house number with the zip code. After he finished entering the numbers, the phone beeped.
"Okay, I'm done," Wilson said.
The rebel leader smiled, reached into his pocket, pulled out a small piece of folded paper, and handed it to Wilson. "Here's my phone number," Black said. "Memorize it, then rip up the sheet, and throw the shreds away."
"All right," Wilson said. "Anything else?"
"Call as often as you like, even if it's not important," Black said. "I hope we can be friends as well as colleagues." The rebel patted Wilson on the back, and the two men shook hands.
"I'll try not to overdo it," Wilson said.
"There's something else important for you both to know," said Ramon. "We think the Sunevian Secret Service, the SSS, has started to investigate Lena."
"How do you know?" she asked in a shaky voice.
"We have an agent working in the SSS, and he's heard third hand that they'll soon put you under close surveillance," Ramon said. "If you want us to hide you, we can do it now. We could take you to a safe place on Earth."
"I think I can still be useful where I am," Lena said, her voice quavering.
"We'll pull you out, if the SSS gets too close," said Ramon. "One other thing, we have developed a chemical that blocks the effects of truth serum." He handed a pill to Lena and another to Wilson.
"Do I take this just when it seems like the SSS is about to close in?" asked Lena.
"No, you and Bill can take it now," said Ramon. "Your nanobots will absorb the truth serum antidote along with other new chemical updates that fight more diseases. You'll be protected from truth serum from this point on. If anybody forces you to take it, pretend to be under its influence. Act hyper, and talk a lot. Let your mind follow a disjointed thought pattern."
"Okay," said Lena, and she swallowed the small pill.
Wilson took his dose. "So, your scientists have improved nano medicine?" he asked.
"We've made lots of progress," said Ramon. "After our ultimate victory, you can meet with our scientists to learn more. Even before the war ends we may take you on a short visit to our main underground laboratory on Triod."
"Thanks for the offer," Wilson said.
"We're aware of your genome research. If our people work with you, it would be of mutual benefit," Ramon said. He shifted his weight and was silent for a moment. "You may also be in danger because of your close link with Lena, so take care. We may move both of you to safety, if things go bad."
"When you gave me the anti-truth serum pill I knew that things must've been getting riskier," Wilson said. "I'll call you if I have a problem."
"If you believe you've been discovered, you need a code to use when you talk on the phone, even if your cell has a scrambler," Ramon said. "Use the phrase 'New York Yankees.'"
"You must know my background very well," Wilson said. "I was a college pitcher, and the Yankees wanted to sign me."
"We chose the Yankees phrase after careful thought," said Ramon. "By the way, we think that the Great Leader does not yet suspect you."
"That's good news," Wilson said. "What'll I do if Lena has to hide?"
"We'll see how it works out, if that happens," Ramon said. "If it does happen, we'll give you instructions and protect you."
"Bill, if I have to leave, you can carry on," said Lena. "But don't take undue chances."
"I'll be careful," Wilson said.
"We've had a good meeting, but it's time for you to go," Ramon said. We have lookouts in the neighborhood, and you haven't been under surveillance. Goodbye, Dr. Wilson. And, Lena, be safe and cautious."
"Farewell, Ramon," said Lena.
"Nice to have met you, General," Wilson said, as he and Lena began to leave.
"Again, welcome to the cause, and good luck," Ramon said. He waved as Wilson and Lena clambered down the metal steps and made their way to the door where they had entered.
They trod on crushed glass on the cracked walkway through which tall weeds grew.
"I think that Yarnell may well be an undercover SSS agent," Wilson said. "He's a policeman, and he's second in command after Raven."
"I agree," said Lena. "I've been on his radar. I thought at first he did nothing more than act like a normal male. But my Inner One told me he didn't like me that way."
"Women have a sixth sense," Wilson said.
"I have to be on guard not to act like I suspect him, or Yarnell will sense it," she said. "Guys sometimes have good gut instincts, too."
"There's something else, Lena," Wilson said as the pair stepped onto the wider sidewalk on the edge of the street. "Our side, the rebels, and our enemies, the Great Leader's people, misread each other. My gut tells me that the first side to understand its enemy will have a great advantage."
"As a citizen of Earth you once had an advantage because you could better see this from a neutral position," said Lena. "But now, you've taken our side."
"I suppose I'm more biased now," Wilson said. "I hope my instincts will tell me the right things to do."
They caught the bus back to the hotel. Something bad is about to happen soon, Wilson thought.
Chapter 19 – Lena's Ordeal
It was 10 o'clock at night two days after Wilson and Lena had met with the rebel leader, Ramon Black. Wilson was relaxing when there was a loud knock on his Sunevian apartment door. He looked through the peephole and saw three uniformed policemen.
"It's the police, Lena," Wilson said. Then he attached his translation box to his upper left arm and opened the door.
"Excuse me, sir," said a young plainclothes officer. "Is Lena Lavelle here?"
Lena walked into the front room from the bathroom. "I'm Lena," she said. "What's the problem, officer?"
The clean-shaven young officer walked to her. "Lena Lavelle, you're under arrest for aiding the enemy and spying," he said, and he reached behind Lena and handcuffed her.
"This is a mistake," she said.
Wilson asked through his translation box, "Is there anything I can do, officer?"
"You could come to the forty-ninth district police station and get a lawyer for her, if you like," the officer replied.
"What's the evidence against her?" Wilson asked. He was shocked though Ramon Black had warned him and Lena about the SSS and its suspicions regarding Lena.
"We're not privy to that," the young officer said. "An SSS official ordered us to pick up Miss Lavelle. That's all I can tell you because that's all I know."
"Can I ride with you to the station?" Wilson asked.
"You can come with us, but you'll have to find your own way back to your flat," the officer said.
"Thank you," Wilson said. He usually strapped his translation box to his arm during stressful situations when he had more trouble with the Sunevian language. Even so, he had started to think in Sunevian and was surprised how fast he had picked up the language. But during Lena's arrest he was rattled and unable to catch the complete meaning of what the police were saying to each other. He had to focus. So, he thought in English.
Wilson followed the three policemen as they hustled Lena into the elevator and out of the building's front door towards several squad cars. The policemen wouldn't let him ride in the same car with her.
After a short trip, the cops parked their cars next to the station, and the clean-cut officer pulled on Lena's shoulder to get her out of his car. Wilson told her, "I'll see if I can get a lawyer. Don't worry. We'll get you out of here."
"Thanks," said Lena, her voice subdued.
Wilson thought that to get Lena out of this fix would be hard. This was not America. This was a dictatorship, and she might well "disappear," for all he knew. He smiled at her, even so. She returned his smile, looking brave, though he expected she was feeling far less than courageous. The police took her into the station through a side entry.
Wilson entered the front doorway of the station and went to a sergeant who sat behind a tall counter.
"I'm here to check on the status of Lena Lavelle," Wilson said.
"We picked her up for serious charges," the sergeant said. "I can't go into details with you, but I think you should get her legal assistance. If she's guilty, she could face the death penalty."
Wilson felt a chill run through his body. He cleared his throat, "Thank you, officer," he said. "I'll make some phone calls to see what I can do." He turned away and walked out of the building so he could use his mobile phone and not be overheard.
The air was cool, about sixty degrees, and its briskness revived him. He sat on a bench at a nearby bus stop, took out his mobile phone, and punched in a number Raven had given to him for emergency use. Even if Raven and Yarnell were aware of Lena's arrest, Wilson knew he had to call. He had to play the role of a guiltless man who was determined to help his girlfriend.
"Hello," Raven answered. "What's up, Bill?"
"Lena's been arrested. She's charged with aiding the enemy and spying. It's a mistake. She needs a lawyer," Wilson said.
"Bill, I wish I were with you in person to say this," said Raven. "Lena has surprised me. I knew she had a tendency to tell small lies, but now I've learned there's solid evidence that she's a spy."
"What?" Wilson said. He felt deceived by Raven, not by Lena.
"I should've warned you about her," Raven said softly with a touch of sympathy in his voice. "She's always had problems. She takes things that don't belong to her, and she stretches the truth. It's because of her background. She didn't have a mother and father, and I think that has a lot to do with it. She can't help it, but this time she's gone too far. I'll still help her as much as I can, though. Even if she has faults, she's still a good friend."
"I'm glad you can help," Wilson said. "What's the proof against her?"
"Yarnell planted a microphone just outside of her cabin, and he heard her obviously talking to a rebel, giving away important information about our plans."
"That doesn't seem like her," Wilson said.
"I know you're hurt," said Raven. "You've been close with her, but she's a clone. There are many more like her. Some of them who grow up in group homes have problems like Lena has. Others are adopted at birth by people who'd like to have children. Those clones seem to have fewer problems."
