I found it odd that Lennox Corp had remained locked down with no attempt to establish contact or re-establish a security presence. I couldn’t have scared them that bad. Something else had to be going on. I was hoping to get some answers once I heard from Captain Chip. After a hard day’s work transforming the slums into a giant fortress, I returned to my room and once again began studying the blueprints of the barge. The barge was at least 400 yards long and contained many confusing corridors that crisscrossed as you traversed through the multiple levels. According to the digital data I had originally seen, thanks to the sacrifice of Cloud 9, there were automated turrets on the top deck. These turrets use thermal imaging to lock onto vehicles or humans up to a mile away. But as you enter the lower decks, there was no security at all. I didn’t believe for one minute Lennox Corp was shortsighted enough to think the turrets were enough protection. I was counting on human patrols on those lower decks and my goal was to avoid them at all cost. There was a large, enclosed space in the barge's belly, and that was my target room. It measured 200 yards long with reinforcement. My head’s telling me this has to be the Nano-slave server room, but the boat’s hull seemed impenetrable. No matter how I looked at these blueprints I couldn’t find a weakness. The barge appeared to be robustly guarded and structurally sound. Even with my Nano-tech intelligence, I was stumped. I wanted to give the blueprints to my mother and let her have a crack at them, but with her in self-imposed isolation I compromised and took them over to Laura. No harm in a fresh pair of eyes checking my dilemma. I sat down with her and explained how I needed to get to the area in the hull to destroy the Nano-farm, and how all of it hinged on my ability to enter the boat. She seemed as excited as I was to see real blueprints and promptly began scanning the documents. She asked if I could give her some time, so I left with the blueprints and returned to Tammy’s.
The crowd continued to grow and had gathered, ready to hear the plan to take down Lennox Corp. I needed to lay it out for them in a way that only included their role to play. The knowledge of the barge would only serve to confuse the people and alert spies for Lennox Corp. I silenced the room and delivered a speech. “You have all come here to tear down the illusion that Lennox Corp has created and for the first time that possibility is real. We have them scared; they have retreated into their city. But mark my words, we will grow in numbers and march on their city making it our city. But, make no mistake; the citizens within those walls will be freed as well. They are just like you and have been manipulated by the corporation to believe the propaganda being fed to them daily. I have seen it with my own eyes. They are just waiting for us, the people of the slums, to rise up and free them. Only we possess the courage that they have long since lost. We have survived the Lennox Corp regime and come out of the other side stronger and more determined. Now with all of us here today, ready to stand up and fight for true freedom, a society of truth will emerge. Each one of you must protect these slums with your life because we will build the future society in the people’s image of freedom not the corporation’s. The corporate control must end, Lennox Corp must fall!” After getting everyone fired up and ready for the task at hand, I delegated security details to patrol our walls and fortifications. I then put the rest to work organizing our supplies and weapons. If we had everything already prepared, it would be easier to strike when the time arrived. Once we destroyed the barge and network, there was no telling what kind of resistance Lennox Corp would present to protect the cities. The crowd dispersed as everyone headed off to fulfill their delegated tasks. As they did, I noticed one person sitting across the room; it was my mother.
I had not noticed Claire amongst the crowd. “Nice speech, I see you finally understand what is at stake.” She said, “I apologize for my absence. I have some difficult intelligence to share with you”. She told me her contact shared information with her on the current state of Lennox Corp. The contact has a theory that the Lennox Corp board has been dissolved, and the corporation is being run by outside forces. It seems board members only mingled with board members and no one has seen a single board member for years. I had heard this over the last few years but never gave it much thought. She admitted she had heard the same over the years, but didn’t believe it until now. The person telling her this was the same person from whom she collected the blueprints; a trusted friend. The problem was, he, like anyone else, was just speculating. No one had any sure way to know. I told my mother, “My thought is, once we shut down their barge and march into the city and right into their boardroom someone will be sitting there. Whoever that person may be will answer my questions and pay the price. In my experience someone always runs the show. Puppets cannot exist without a master to control them and someone or some group of people have spent a long time turning us into puppets.” I couldn't believe that any controlling group of individuals, especially enhanced individuals, would walk away from such a huge investment of time and resources. No way. The strings were being manipulated somehow and the responsible party or parties would be held accountable. She agreed with me but something still seemed off about her and given her gift for hiding pieces of the truth I could only assume that wasn’t the only thing bothering her. I asked her if there was anything else she needed to tell me and her answer was “It will all be revealed when it should be.” That was not very reassuring considering we were well under way in coordinating an invasion on multiple fronts, and would be blowing up the barge as soon as we could find a penetration point. I expressed my eagerness to have all the facts, but she said, “I have more legwork to do and will be back when the time is right.” She stocked up on supplies and headed out into the Wasteland, unwilling to tell me where she was going or for what purpose she was going. Her last words were “The people are yours now protect them.” It felt like goodbye for good, but something inside me knew that just wasn’t true. We would see each other again. She wouldn’t leave me to fight this fight alone, that much I knew. There had to be something she found out that would put us at an even greater risk if it was true. I just didn’t know what that could be. This was her way and all I could do was let her go. Whatever she was doing, it was to help us walk the path of freedom and that was all that really mattered. I couldn’t help but watch as she disappeared into the Wasteland. It felt like every time I got close to her and the chance to find out more about myself, she would distance herself from me. In her defense these were extenuating circumstances and my mind might have been clouded by my own selfish thoughts of learning about who I really am.
As I turned to make my way back to Tammy’s, Smith ran off in an excited fit, and that only meant one thing; Laura was close by. Sure enough, from around the corner here she came, beaming from ear to ear. I could already tell she had found a way inside the barge. I followed her back to the garage where she had pinned the blueprints up on the walls so she could see them all at the same time. She came right out with it! Even though she could tell I already knew, she maintained her excitement. “I figured it out!” She said with intense and focused joy. “I only have one condition before I give you this information,” She said as her tone became considerably more serious. “I come with you and we do the job together. It is a two-person job and I am the only one qualified, and the only one you can trust to not tuck tail and run if this goes bad.” I reluctantly agreed to her terms. Laura was becoming one of a handful of people I genuinely trusted. Also, having her there would make me a lot more comfortable. You match that with her knowledge of metal and the fact that she had figured out in an evening something that had eluded me; it was obvious she was the only choice. My path continued to reveal itself. I now had a way on to the barge and growing numbers for the invasion and overthrow of the city. Lennox Corp now existed on borrowed time.
CHAPTER 17
Putting It All Together
Laura and I sat down. She proceeded to explain her plan to me, and it was a masterpiece. Under the primary hull where we expected the Nano-slaves to be, she located a compact space between the hull of th
e boat and the room holding the Nano-slaves. Her plan was to dive underneath the boat and cut into that compartment. I get in as quickly as possible and she seals it back up letting in only minimal water. I then use the cutting torch to get into the room from underneath undetected. If I’m entering the Nano-tech farm chamber directly through the hull instead of through the chamber door, I won’t need 3 people to deactivate the chamber. Once in, I should be able to inject the feeder tubes with the Nano-virus and plant the explosives myself. Maneuvering between the decks appears to be the trickiest part; I needed to get myself to the 5th deck which houses the outflow vents for air intake and cooling ducts to the outside. I was hoping to ride my way right off the boat and into the water before the explosion. My Nano-tech brain was memorizing every inch of the blueprints. I only have 10 minutes to make it out before the explosives detonate. I fully expect security patrols on each of the floors so getting lost was not an option. This needed to be a low key operation; just myself, Laura and Smith. The Special Commander stated the area around the cove was thick with vegetation and heavily patrolled. It also provided high ground from several locations around the beach. If Smith creates a distraction, maybe takes out a few of the patrols, Laura and I would have more time to slip onto the beach and get the boat in the water, hopefully unnoticed. I wish I were doing this alone, but the blacksmith taught Laura all about underwater welding and I knew nothing. Luckily, I have experience with the torch I’ll be using to cut through the floor. But the underwater stuff required skills I did not possess. Besides, I gave her my word.
I returned to Tammy’s knowing that we had a way onto the ship. I still needed to decide the best way to approach the beach. When I walked into Tammy’s, a messenger from Captain Chip was waiting to talk to me. He brought me news that Captain Chip should arrive in two days. I didn’t understand how that was possible until the messenger told me that Lennox Corp had also pulled the security forces from the slums of S.C. 1, leaving Captain Chip in charge. Lennox Corp’s reaction seemed extreme. This was too much activity to be a result from the loss of the Special Commander of S.C. 3. There had to be something else going on here. Lennox Corp was making a move. The question was to what extent? I thanked the messenger and had Tammy set him up with a place to stay until Captain Chip arrived. Finally, I was in my room. I sat quietly, organizing my moves. My ability to maximize the information I had learned would directly affect our success. This was the big move. We couldn’t afford to miss our opportunity; we may only get the one. As Smith and I entered our room, I noticed a box sitting over on the table. I opened it and inside was a note from my mother that said, "Tristan, enclosed is my last Nano-tech shot. I left it for you in case you need it. Good Luck Son. I believe in you”. I thought about throwing the shot away, when a better idea occurred to me. The bond I was building with Smith was definitely growing and his speed and strength were unmatched. If this shot developed his intelligence to the point of understanding complex commands, and extend his life expectancy, I would have a dependable sidekick watching my back from now on. I’d like our bond to become more than just a wild dog and his Alpha leader. I looked over at him deciding to give this more thought. If the side effects were deleterious, and he became crazy and unstoppable with rage, that could present a problem.
I needed Captain Chip to have his technician set up an encrypted network for us to use for communication without fear of being detected. Laura, Smith and myself would use the old truck to pull the boat and work our way through the jungle and downward to the beach. Meanwhile, a force of nearly 50 men will hold a position at the edge of the jungle waiting for the signal; the explosion. When that happens, it will draw the Lennox patrols cascading along the beach giving our forces the high ground. They will be easy targets for our men. No matter what their numbers, the element of surprise and strategic posting should make up the difference in our favor. Laura and I should have had enough time by then to make our way around to the other side of the cape and onto the beach. I will then send Captain Chip and Tammy a message on the encrypted network for him and his men to take S.C. 1. Their goal is to kill every member of the board. Meanwhile, Tammy and the forces of our slums could take S.C. 3. After securing two of the 3 cities we could easily remove any level of resistance left over from S.C. 2.
Once Captain Chip arrived, I wanted to call a meeting between Laura, myself, Tammy and Captain Chip. I would outline the plan, open the table for further suggestions and get everyone ready to make our move. Laura and I spent the next couple of days working on our equipment and our stealth boat. It not only needed to get us to the barge, but out of the cove and around the coast to the beach on the other side. We made a frame with a light weight but strong material and put tubing around it, covering it in tough rubber cement. The waterproof adhesive would give it a more solid bond. It will need to stay afloat for a couple of hours. We also built a small engine for the escape. It won’t hold much fuel so we will have to cross our fingers that it will finish the job. There was no room for error. If we got too far-off the coast and sucked out to sea, we were finished. Laura had rigged an insulated pack designed to hold her underwater welding rig. She estimated 10 minutes to gear up, another 5 to get in place. The weld itself may take as much as half an hour. She needed me to man the radio from up top in case a problem should arise. It was becoming apparent how dangerous this was for her. I was tasked with manning the boat and watching for patrols. Once she radioed me that she was ready, I had to be ready to jump in and make my way to her. I had to be ready the minute she made the breach to limit the amount of water bleeding in with me. I highly doubted that I would even need my breathing apparatus, but I took it in case the space filled up with water faster than expected. Laura estimated it could take me a half hour to an hour to cut through the floor. I hoped that was an overestimation. Cramped half an hour or more in a tight space between the hull of a boat and the room above didn’t sound like a lot of fun.
When I left Laura, she was back tinkering with the escape boat. I said goodbye and headed out into the slums to make my rounds and check the entrances. Morale was high, but everyone I spoke to was definitely on edge anticipating our next move. I reassured everyone that I spoke to; this would be a quick and definitive resolution leading to a better future for us all. Everyone had a role to play and each must remain focused on the task at hand. I returned to Tammy’s and decided that I would give Smith the Nano-tech shot and a light sedative while he adjusted to it. The only way this gets done is if Smith can create a big enough distraction for Laura and me to get the boat down to the beach and into the water. We would park the truck at the edge of the jungle. That would leave us 1/4 mile to traverse across the beach to the water. Once there, we had to move quick, getting the boat in the water and the equipment loaded.
I took Smith back to the room and had him sit. I gave him the sedative and waited for him to lie down. As he lay calm, I injected him with the Nano-tech. He didn’t even whimper. He had seen so many battles the shot didn’t faze him in the least. I decided not to leave him in case the Nano-tech had an adverse effect on him. He slept for a few hours and when he woke up, you could already tell the Nano-tech had interfaced with him successfully. He immediately sat up with a calm and focused presence about him. I tested the extent of the effects of the Nano-tech. My first command, “Go get Laura”. To my elation, he returned moments later with Laura right behind him. She said he practically pushed her the first few feet. Next, I scratched a quick note to Larry asking him if he had heard anything on the Lennox Corp side of things and told Smith to deliver it. Amazingly, he sure as hell did, returning a few minutes later with the predictable response of no. I still didn’t believe Larry knew which side he belonged on. I think he is afraid that if Lennox Corp credits go away, then so does his usefulness, but in reality there will always be a barter system. After Smith passed the first couple of tests, I told him to run off to the main gate and wait for Captain Chip, then come get me when he shows up.
Captain Chip we be arrivi
ng soon, so I started gathering everyone up. I wanted to come out and relay the plan to the people, immediately after the meeting of the leaders. I revealing the plan, it would be more about delegating manpower and assigning battle tasks. The details of the plan would remain between the 4 people in the meeting. I swung back by checking in on Laura’s progress with the boat, and not surprising to me at all, she was nearly done. Even better, the boat itself only weighed around 150 pounds. With the equipment and the explosives we would be carrying around 275 pounds. It looks like we will need two more people to help carry the boat if we want to make decent time and remain undetected. Not the news I wanted, but we needed this boat and the supplies. I was hoping to impose on Captain Chip, yet again, once he got here. He had men he trusted, and I needed to borrow two of them to help Laura and I navigate the jungle and get the boat and supplies to the beach fast. I needed two guys with a sound track record of loyalty to Captain Chip.
While talking this through, Laura came up with a brilliant idea. Her proposal was that we load the boat with the equipment and lower it with a guide rope and a parachute, off the side of the cliff behind the barge. That way, the barge itself would obstruct the view from the beach, keeping us out of site. We then use the climbing gear to get down to the water and pull the boat to us with the rope. I loved it; no Nano-tech and yet another plan made better from her contribution. More and more I observed why she was so special to the blacksmith. She said, “I can rig a slight charge to detonate remotely, releasing an anchor when the boat hits the water. The anchor will keep the boat from getting too far away while we climbed down the cliff to the water.” The cliff only measured 60 ft or so high on the map. Then she said, “The parachute should be able to stabilize the craft as it falls through the air and we would have the guide rope to help guide it and keep it upright.” This alternative plan was a game changer. We no longer need an entire beach of soldiers to fall for a distraction and Smith could concentrate on navigate the jungle, taking out any patrols getting too close. Finally, we had put it all together and just in time. Smith came running in to Laura’s shop alerting me that Captain Chip had arrived.
Lennox Corporation: Book 1 in the Savior Series Page 9
