Killing the Giants

by Jeff Bennington

  In the quiet of the moment, Joseph held the papers, his weak eyes strained to read the words. His health had deteriorated. His thoughts began to drift. He sensed that this would be his last retreat…his last hurrah. He coughed and considered the impact of his life’s work.

  The old man remembered the words of his father. He recounted how often he made declarations such as: “This world is filled with evil, son. The sooner you figure that out, the better,” and “Too many inhabitants of this planet live their lives chasing after things that don’t matter. They’re born into a futile existence with little or no means to change their circumstances. They spend the rest of their lives pursuing fruitless dreams that leave their posterity with only remnants of debt and misery. But you, son, you were not born into that breed. You are in a position to mold and forge a new world that has far greater potential, not only for yourself, but also for the peasants who live and cry out their suffrages.”

  The memory distracted him from his thoughts. Joseph returned to his notes.

  • • •

  Thomas Radisson walked into the sitting room to escort Joseph to the podium. Jonathan instructed him to introduce Joseph for the keynote address. Thomas stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, watching Joseph struggle to get out of his chair. Joseph stood up and walked across the room, listening to the rumbling of voices and footfalls that echoed outside the door, gripping his notes with his fragile hands.

  Thomas turned and made his way to the stage, looking out at the crowd of dignitaries that filled the room. The black-tie onlookers sat at round tables covered in white linens with freshly cut flowers. The storm of voices began to soften when Thomas tapped on the microphone.

  “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.” Thomas smiled. “My name is Thomas Radisson, and I will be your emcee this weekend.” He paused to make eye contact with his audience. “On behalf of the North American Order of Caesar, I want to thank you for joining us here for the Trilateral Commission’s Eighteenth Annual Retreat!” There was a long, traditional applause at that moment. “I trust you have found your accommodations to be satisfactory.” He pointed, fingers together and stiff, toward the main entrance, where a thin man dressed in a tuxedo stood at attention. “I want to invite you to make use of our concierge. He will take care of anything you need.”

  Thomas turned his arm and gaze. “With that said, I’d like to introduce our keynote speaker. He’s a man of incredible wisdom and experience. He has served the Order for more than four decades in both North America and in Europe. He was influential in drafting the North American Free Trade Agreement and has successfully taken part in steering US public policy toward a global economy.

  “His grandfather helped establish the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and so it appears he certainly has the genetic prowess to lead us as well.” Thomas chuckled and then cleared his throat. “So without further ado, I give you, Sir Joseph Heinrich!”

  The crowd stood up and applauded Joseph’s achievements. Joseph waved to the crowd as he gingerly stepped across the stage. Thomas shook his hand and stepped off the platform.

  After the crowd sat down, Joseph leaned against the podium to support his weight and began to speak.

  “Exspectata frater! Welcome brothers! It’s certainly an honor to not only speak to you today, but to take part in a moral imperative. And yes, it’s true, I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in the process of change and global expansion. Yet as we consider all that we have done, all that has been accomplished—there is still so much we must do.”

  Joseph turned a page and peered into the crowd.

  “Today I’m going to speak on the progress of the Fifth Pillar, our final phase of the new world order. What began nearly a century ago, by many of our grandfathers, has finally culminated to what seems to be the successful establishment of a global economy as evidenced by the international interdependence on a global banking and trade system.

  “However, we have succeeded not by merit alone. Our achievements have been made possible only by maintaining a tight circle of confidentiality and with the help of our partners in the media who are with us this afternoon.”

  Joseph turned to a new page and continued.

  “Looking back over the course of my life, I often reflect on the words of my grandfather. He frequently spoke about a time when protectionism and liberty were part of the American fabric. It was a thread that he and his peers felt inhibited not only their wealth and security, but also the future wealth of their children’s children.

  “In 1908, he and several of his colleagues made a remarkable discovery. They discovered that as the German culture became more decadent via its growth in both manufacturing and personal wealth, the populace became more pliable. They seemed to offer less resistance to corruption, tax increases and political subversion. Of course, as members of the Order of Caesar, they were well aware of Rome’s use of entertainment as a means of social distraction. However, those days were thought of as different. My grandfather perceived the plebeians as archaic, different from our modern society.” Joseph put his mouth close to the mic and let his voice rattle the sound waves. “He was wrong.”

  He grinned and adjusted the microphone.

  “With the increase in psychological and sociological research—as antiquated as it is now—my grandfather and his peers learned that the human race had not changed since the days of Rome. They found that the busier people are, the more they desire a state of leisure. They found that the harder they worked, the more they desired escape. Therefore, they performed a social experiment over a period of time to assess the reactions of the working class in a multitude of economic, social and political scenarios.

  “With the help of their endowed universities, my grandfather and his contemporaries found that a modern manufacturing society was actually more susceptible to overlooking political injustice, cryptography and political chicanery. It seemed that with the assistance of modern conveniences and regular, nonagricultural disposable income, the people of Germany had more money and more time. Caesar, therefore, and our coconspirators devised and funded as many forms of entertainment as possible. Needless to say, they used Rome as a template to include public displays of fighting, sport and drama. They increased the number of taverns and speakeasies exponentially. Consequently, as their society began to indulge, the modern-day Caesar performed a succession of political misdeeds and bureaucratic corruption. The results…were astonishing.

  “As they increased the amount of entertainment, civic involvement decreased. As they decreased the amount of entertainment, public awareness increased. Gentlemen, they discovered the solution to mass deception and mind control. Along with control of financial institutions, they added another feather in their hat. With an ever-shrinking world before them, they found the ultimate weapon, a true weapon of mass destruction. Today, that weapon has evolved into the television, sports, movie theatres, reality entertainment and video games. These are our tools. These are our weapons of choice! If we can supply the entertainment, we can supply the very thing that not only occupies their time, but also that which fills their heads, giving us the capability to inveigle the barbarians into totalitarianism.”

  Joseph paused to breath. His audience sat quietly, captivated by his words.

  “Therefore, as we explore the final stage in our quest this weekend, I want us all to consider this weapon. We’re using it well. So I say kudos to those of you here who have disseminated our ‘one world’ propaganda. You’ve made our job as a whole much easier. With your tireless efforts in programming the global community, we’ve been able to accelerate the process of indoctrinating the masses and advancing the process of creating a fluid, global banking system.

  “We first accomplished this through the creation of the euro. We were able to create a financial crisis to demonstrate the need for a central banking system. That has always been the key. Money, as you well know, is not only the root of all evil; it’s the root of our destiny, the root
of a vision. And today, gentlemen, that vision is as crystal clear as it was a hundred years ago. The vision of our grandfathers is nearly coming to fruition. When that day arrives, our grandchildren will rest in the comfort of knowing that a few men vigorously made hard choices and persevered to the benefit of an amalgamated central society, the new world order.”

  With his fingers clenched, Joseph pounded his fist in the air, Hitler-style.

  “Through the new order of things, we will unite all people, of all nations! We will abolish the obsolete concept of the sovereign state and amalgamate every man into a united world! It is for this purpose that we have labored! It is into this reality that we have evolved!”

  Joseph took a deep breath. He had exhausted himself. He turned to the side, cleared his throat and made his concluding remarks.

  “Thank you, gentlemen, for giving yourselves to the greater cause of mankind. Of course, we all know that we have a little something at stake here.” The crowd chuckled. “Truly, we are the light in a dark and barbaric world. We are morally obligated to continue on and we will succeed!

  “Now, enjoy yourselves! Drink and indulge in whatever you desire. As you know, we must not exclude ourselves from decadence, less we become colorless and insipid!” The audience laughed. Joseph raised his hand in a farewell gesture. “Thank you. We’ll see you in our small-group sessions after dinner.”

  Chapter 47

  The Giants

  As Sarah walked through the commons, she ran into her old classmate, Rich Collins. He was rolling out cables that fed the sound system. He seemed energetic and enthusiastic about helping. He was clueless, however, about the true reason for the gathering. When their eyes met, they recognized each other. Sarah smiled and strutted toward him.

  “Hey, Rich! How are you?”

  His eyes looked at Sarah with suspicion. “I’m doing good. You?”

  “I’m fine.” Sarah paused. “Is there something wrong?”

  Sarah noticed his discomfort.

  “Well. I know this is going to sound weird, but I could’ve sworn that I heard that you died just a few days ago.”

  Remembering that she was pronounced dead, Sarah felt a little embarrassed. She grabbed Rich’s arm and led him away from the rest of the tech team.

  “I did,” she said in a whisper. “But it was a cover-up.”

  Rich’s eyes were wide open. She had his attention.

  “That’s why you’re here. We’re at the helm of a serious—and I know this is going to sound crazy—overthrow of our government by the elite.”

  Rich stopped walking. He looked at Sarah with apprehension.

  “What? I thought we were just supporting Dr. Liggin’s protest against secret societies.”

  “Well, in a way we are. But this runs deeper than that,” Sarah whispered assertively as she pulled Rich close. “Listen, Rich; I work for the ATF and we’re in the middle of a very complex investigation. The men inside those woods are at the apex of this whole thing. They’ve murdered FBI agents, started unnecessary wars and killed anyone who’s gotten in their way.” Sarah sighed. “We’re here to begin the process of exposing them. Does that make any sense to you?”

  “Well…” He looked to the ground, gathering his thoughts. “I’ll be honest. This isn’t quite what I signed up for. What can I do? I…I mean, you’re kidding me, right?”

  “No!” said Sarah. “I’m dead serious. Some of the volunteers already know. But all you have to do is put together the sound system. Then let Dr. Liggin do what he does: inspire!”

  Sarah put her arm around Rich and patted his shoulder. She couldn’t help him understand the gravity of the situation. Like most people, Rich needed time for reality to set in. He needed time to digest the information and let it marinate before he could make sense of it all. She couldn’t fix the uncertainty in his eyes. That wasn’t her job. She knew she had to let Rich soak up Dr. Liggin’s words. Sarah looked at the workers buzzing around as Dr. Liggin prepared to take the stage and moved on.

  “Take it easy, Rich. I’ll see you around.”

  • • •

  Dale Roslow walked up to the microphone, gave it a little tap and said, “Test, test…can you hear me out there?”

  The supporters shouted and nodded in affirmation.

  “Great. Glad you all came out here today. Before we begin, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Dale Roslow. Some of you know me. For those of you who do not, I’m a regional director with the ATF. And although I’m at risk of losing my job, I’m here because there is a major governmental cover-up at risk of becoming an unsubstantiated conspiracy, thrown under the rug of red tape and bureaucratic whitewash.

  “We are here today because some of our world and US leaders are attending the Trilateral Commission’s Annual Retreat, otherwise known as CAR. As you watched UN Ambassadors and other emissaries drive into the Roosevelt Private Forestry Reserve”—Dale pointed into the woods—“you may have noticed that in the context of this moment, they covered their faces to conceal their identities.

  “Why are they covering their faces? Are they criminals? Have they done something wrong?” asked Dale. “Perhaps they have. Perhaps, we are all putting ourselves at risk.

  “In a moment, Dr. David Liggin is going to speak to you. He will detail the reality of the state of our nation in terms that many of you would have never thought possible. Of course, when he’s finished speaking, we’re going to give you copies of documents, video and audio files that would never make it into the public’s hands if we did not take a stand today.

  “It’s time for America to wake up. It’s time for America to hear the truth! It’s time for America to take back what’s ours!” Dale pounded on the podium with each point.

  • • •

  The lead security officer at the gate called Caesar’s head of security to give him an update. He informed Danny of the general size of the crowd and summarized what Dale had said about the Trilateral Commission’s gathering. Danny agreed to send more men to the entrance in case things got out of hand. Within minutes, another black SUV full of armed security personnel stood near the gate, waiting, staring mindlessly like toy soldiers.

  • • •

  “Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. David Liggin!”

  The crowd applauded and whistled, waving banners and signs. Some huddled together to keep warm, while others converged from the outlying areas of the commons. Dr. Liggin stepped up to the podium waving his arms, acknowledging his old friends.

  With a hand on each side of the podium, he surveyed the crowd, occasionally waving at individuals he recognized, grinning from ear to ear. He made a first, second and finally a third attempt to quiet the crowd. With both of his hands pressing down into the air, he encouraged them to quiet down and thanked them for the warm welcome.

  “Thank you so much! I’m speechless.” He chuckled. “Well, maybe not speechless, but I am astonished at how many of you spurned the cold to make this historical journey. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your support!”

  Dave paused to study the crowd.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I want to begin by reading to you a portion of a document that I often read and contemplate. I find it very appropriate to begin with these words from the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776:

  ‘When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

  ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. T
hat whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government…’

  Dr. Liggin lifted his head and looked at the crowd.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I have chosen to read this today, because we are facing a similar state of affairs that our forefathers experienced over two hundred years ago. You see, our government is no longer deriving its power from the consent of the governed. Our government is deriving its powers from a grouping of the worlds affluent and mega-elite. They’re quietly steering our government away from the freedoms outlined in our most sacred documents. Our Constitution is covertly under attack by the men you watched enter the reserve this morning.

  “These men are among the inner circle of many rings of power that are conspiring to create what’s known as the New World Order. Just as Dale informed you, we have piles of evidence implicating these men and we’re asking you to distribute this evidence to the American people. I’m here today, however, to point out the evidence of their scheme that has been right under our noses. I’m here to make it known that at this very moment we are under attack. However, our adversary is not an enemy who resides on foreign soil, but a domestic enemy who slithers among us while he’s secretly plotting our demise. These forces have not attacked with guns, but with weapons of the mind. They have deceived us with their empirical ambitions by manufacturing global crises of terrorism and economic collapse!

  “They’ve convinced us that we should spend our money on trinkets. They’ve convinced us that we should embrace globalism. We’ve been told that we should police the world. We’ve been told that our monetary system is stable, and on and on I could go.

  “Unfortunately, they haven’t told us the whole story and we’ve paid dearly for allowing these men to lead our country and manipulate our world. Many Americans have lost their jobs, homes and hope because of an idea that requires the disintegration of the United States. This is happening because the ideology of the new world order is to discard the successes of our society. The Giants want to do this so that they can have a larger platform of power, wealth and influence, without the resistance of an armed middle-class America.