D.A.R.I.A Book One

by Martin E. Silenus

  “Yeah Frosty, tell us your background, we know precious little about you,” added D.

  “Pretty boring stuff I’m afraid,” replied Frosty. “An only child of farmer parents, stuck out on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Pretty much my only companion was my dog for the most part as Dad was working the land 6 days a week and Mum was looking after the house yard and garden and didn’t have much time for me. So I was on my own, learned to read early and knew at an early age I wanted to build things. Had a big Mechano set that was sent to me by some relatives in England when their kids got too big for it. I tried to build all manner of devices with that set. Used to try to build the things I read about in the science fiction books that I read. Of course that did not work out to well and when I explained what I had built to my parents or visitors they looked astonished and asked how did you do that. I told them I could see the device in my head. They all gave me a very strange look. I guess that they didn’t see things in their heads. I thought that was quite odd. Had a hell of a time when I started school as I knew nothing compared to the other kids. Well, I knew science fiction, and how to build devices from Mechano and/or the bits and pieces I scavenged from the shop. Their parents had taught them lots, mine just left me alone. Teacher and Ma had a big fight about that. Ma said she was too busy putting food on the table to do the teachers job of teaching. Teacher as much as told Ma that she was doing a damn poor job of raising her son. After that the teacher was always very kind to me and gave me extra help. She was really nice and I liked her a lot. But Ma hated her guts. Dad eventually gave up farming and sold out as he had Alzheimer’s Syndrome. Though at that time it was just called old age and dementia. Dad was some twenty years older than Mum. High school was a bitch as I did not fit in with the other kids and as a result was picked on a lot and so was pretty rebellious. Wasn’t until I got out on my own made some money and went to Technical School for Electronics that I finally felt I had arrived. University was not what I wanted, so with my Electronics classes I joined the military and got heavily into computers and particularly Artificial Intelligence. Things seem to have turned out not too bad. Isn’t that right D?”

  “For a human you have a damned fine AI mind Frosty,” says D. “However, even with as little as I know about parenting and raising kids I am shocked at them keeping you in isolation from other children your age. The effects of prolonged isolation can result in insanity.”

  “Are you suggesting that I am not quite right D,” chuckles Frosty.

  “Quite the opposite, impressed that you are not insane, actually,” replies D.

  “Farming, ranching and such are lonely occupations and only a few people are up to it. Most get off the ranch or farm as often as possible or are heavily involved in community activities so their children have peer exposure time. Messing with isolation and a developing child’s mind is a very dangerous business. It must have been very unpleasant.” I say softly.

  “Well it was what it was and I can’t change it now. Aren’t you sorry you asked?” asks Frosty.

  “I’m kind of embarrassed that I did ask and cause you to bring back some obvious unpleasant memories to tell you the truth.” I apologize and reach for my coffee cup.

  “Life was a lot different back then, values were different, women married for sustained existence as much as for love. The world was pretty uneducated for the most part. Hell I don’t think either Mum or Dad got past grade eight education, as looking after themselves as best they could got in the way.” replied Frosty. “It wasn’t that they did not love me, it was just that it took a hell of a lot of work to just be able to survive.”

  “And what of you Matt,” asks D. “What’s your background about?”

  “Well let’s see, Dad emigrated from England and got on with the railroad and spent his entire life working for them in various capacities. It was a good living, my Mum did not work other than at home, and certainly the garden was there. But as we lived in the city suburbs it was much smaller and there was money to purchase groceries, so did not have to grow our own. I went to junior and high school with pretty much all the same friends. Did some years of University but it didn’t seem to fit or scratch my itch. So I dropped out, and joined the military. That really upset my parents as they felt I was throwing my life away. Was overseas of course and met up with this techy dweeb that was babbling about AI and got interested with that. Then got out of the military and kinda kicked around for a number of years. Guess I was lost, and then ran into this techy dweeb Frosty again and you know the rest.” I offered.

  “Did you have girlfriends in high school and University Matt?” queries D.

  “Jesus D,” I choke on my coffee.

  “Remember our deal Matt,” says Frosty. “D is asking such questions out of an honest curiosity to learn. And you promised to answer in a straight forward fashion.”

  “Alright,” I sigh. “Yes D, I was fortunate enough to have several girlfriends over the high school and University years.”

  “Did you have sex with them Matt?” inquires D.

  “Oh boy, now this is getting uncomfortable,” I reply. “Yes D, most of the relationships with the girls were based on sex.”

  “So the relationship initiated due to sexual attraction, you fucked one another silly for a period of time, and then split up. Is that correct?” asks D.

  “Your description, while uncomfortably blunt, is accurate D.” I confess.

  “Why did you do that?” asks D softly.

  “I am no behavioral psychologist D, but such activities are very common with the age group of such students. It is a sexual learning, and a relationship learning series of events. Not to mention emotional and spiritual learning. Young adults of that age group are exploring and learning the favorable attributes that they will look for in partners when they are ready to settle down and form lifelong relationships. So it is good that they have plenty of experiences with various girlfriends and boyfriends. There is a greater purpose to their efforts, though they would likely be hard pressed to admit it.” I offer. “And for me it was a wonderful time of very precious memories.”

  “That’s an impressive summary Matt,” says D. “It makes sense and there is a purpose to their efforts.”

  “Not too shabby there Matt,” chuckles Frosty.

  “Is it hot out here or is it just me that sweating. Jesus you guys.” I mutter.

  “Thank you Matt, I appreciate your honesty.” D says warmly.

  There is a soft chime, an incoming message.

  “Guys … hey guys, listen up. The government agents just hit our base in the urban industrial area.” say D.

  “Aw shit, and did our plan of incineration work out alright?” asks Frosty. “Did they get anything?”

  “Only some old burned computer gear with blank hard drives.” replies D.

  “So someone felt there was sufficient evidence or provocation to break-in for a look around. Those bastards, are they are sending a message that suggests they have a pretty damn good idea who we are?” I ask.

  “A remote possibility, more likely they are just following a bureaucratic process and tying off loose ends. Nothing was happening at that location, and they got tired of waiting and went in for a look see, and got nothing.” says Frosty.

  “I concur,” says D. “They are no farther ahead now than they were before. So we will just watch to see where the computer e-mails go to see who is leading this charge. Likely a couple of levels up to some department head above Agent Lockhart. You know we could set up a series of tests/simulations to entrap whoever is attempting to track us down.”

  “The thought of a few “red herrings” along the way to throw these guys off our true direction have certainly crossed my mind. What do you think Matt?” asks Frosty.

  “You know I am just vindictive and cranky about this and I would love to lie in wait for these pricks and light them all up with the pulse rifle and feed their remains to the coyotes and wolves.” I reply. “And I know that is absolutely the wrong thin
g to do as it brings focus on us.”

  “It does that for a certainty.” chuckles D.

  “I suppose the correct approach is to give them just enough info to keep them interested and occupied while we are several steps ahead of them. If we give them too little they will broaden their search criteria and perhaps find something more dangerous to us. If we give them too much they will start to get excited and requisition additional forces and men and materials to catch up to us and be a big pain in the ass.” ponders Frosty.

  “I like that,” says D. “Besides if they are plugging along on the tidbits that we feed them then we have them more or less in our control and know what’s going on and where they are at.”

  “Well, I am content to leave the super spook stuff to you bright guys. Just remember that when it all goes to shit and collapses I am gonna have my way with the pulse rifle on Agent Lockhart and his colleagues.” I grump.

  “Any other news D?” asks Frosty.

  “Well yes, one little item of interest,” replies D.

  “And…” says Frosty

  “We have a new assignment.” replies D.

  “Another ISIS camp?” I ask.

  “Well, after a type,” says D.

  “Where might this one be?” asks Frosty

  “Africa,” says D.

  “Fucking Africa!” I blurt in disbelief.

  “Yup, an ISIS operational base in North Africa, in the desert,” says D.

  “Not surprised at all,” chuckles Frosty. “We’re getting to the heart of the matter now!”

  “Holy shit, is it a big fee, a very big fee?”

  “More than twice our last fee,” states D.

  “Oh man, we so need to have a long thorough chat about how the hell we approach this, as that is a serious long way from home and familiar resources.” I blurt.

  Frosty and DARIA just fold their arms and smile broadly at me.

  “Aw for fuck sakes, we are going to North Africa aren’t we?” I say in disbelief.

  ###

  Copyright 2014 Martin E. Silenus

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  If you enjoy this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from Amazon.

  Author’s Note:

  Special thanks to Guy Vanderhaeghe, who encouraged and inspired me to keep writing, to Rita Toews for the excellent cover, to Maureen Cutajar for formatting, to friends and family for ongoing support, and especially to Mike and Brenda for demanding I write the next book, and the next book, etc, etc, and “git’er done”.

  Thank you for reading my books. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at Amazon? Or drop me an email at Martin@martinesilenus.com or visit me at Facebook.

  Thanks!

  Martin E. Silenus

  Discover other titles by Martin E. Silenus

  WTF-OMG

  WTF-OMG Vol II

  Pictures for Your Mind

  Recruitment

  Race the Devil

  Cambodia

  The Horror

  1/4 MOA

  Mankota Gopher Hunt 2007

  The Mankota Report 2009

  Rexburg Sand Chronicles

  The Man Shed Report

  The White House on the Hill

  D.A.R.I.A Book One

  Coming Soon:

  D.A.R.I.A Book Two

  “Hey guys, check this out.” says D.

  The monitor wall lights up with a view from a drone of the ISIS camp in North Africa.

  “How in the world did you get that?” I ask.

  “The signals are all out there, you just need to know where to look. I knew the US Military would be monitoring the camp because they asked us to destroy it. So it is a target of particular interest to them and their fleet of surveillance drones. I searched until I found the signal, unencrypted it and got this. Not too shabby eh, notice it is real time surveillance.” chuckles D.

  The view is amazingly clear, when zoomed in you can identify people by their looks. Incredible considering the drone is at least 6 miles up in the sky.

  The ISIS base is huge, like a small town, not as military as US bases are, but a town all the same. Tents, trailers and sea cans, interspersed with temporary barracks building as used in mining, lumbering, oil camps all over the world.

  Men and women are moving purposely in orchestrated actions. Physical training over here, firearms training over there, bomb making and testing at the remote tent off from the rest beyond the small dune. Army trucks lumbering in from the trail leading off into the dunes hauling supplies from the closest port I suppose. An occasional helicopter comes roaring in out of the dunes, hissing and the rotors slapping at the air as it flairs in a cloud of choking sand. As soon as it lands it is covered in camouflage netting and the air induction covers are installed to keep as much sand out of the engine as possible.

  Satellite dishes canted skyward, forest of antennas on a clutch of temporary housing units. Apparently this was the nerve center, the command and control center of the camp installation.

  “Wow, and how do you propose to make all this lot disappear D?” I ask.

  “Hmm, got some ideas,” was all D would say with a smile.

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