The Victor Project (27 page)

     “Put the weapon down,” said Tom to the doctor.  “Where were you going to transmit from?”

     “From my quarters,” answered John with a smile.

     “Help me to mine.   My transponder is better,” said Tom.

  << >>

     “We’ve been waiting in here for a long time,” said Val.

     “She said he lived only thirty minutes away,” said Rick.

     “That’s still cutting it pretty close,” said Val.

     When the door swung open, Olivia and another man who Rick assumed was the manager she called, entered rather abruptly.

     “This is Roger Slone, the managing director of WREK,” said Olivia.

     “How do you do,” Roger said with a firm handshake to Rick.

     “My name is Rick Mallory and this is Valarie DeDory,” said Rick.

     “Olivia, could you get us something to drink?” asked Roger.

     “I’ll be right back,” Olivia replied as she exited the room.

     “Olivia transmitted the files to me on the way over.  I’ve had a chance to look them over fairly well, but I have some questions.  How could this space station be orbiting right above our atmosphere without anyone on earth discovering it?” asked Roger.

     “I’m not sure,” said Rick.

     “Well what about this virus that is striking all of Europe…” asked Roger

     “It has struck.  Every other zone in the world has been wiped out,” Rick interrupted.

     “Yes, this virus that has wiped out the rest of the world, did you ever ask yourself how it could destroy millions of people and yet again, none of the U.S. media discovers it?” asked Roger.

     “The only thing I can surmise is that the government has manufactured all of the world news you’ve been broadcasting lately.  They own the entire satellite network.  I’m sure you are aware of that,” said Rick.

     “Yes I am.  Don’t you think that sounds just a tiny bit absurd?  Do you know how difficult it would be to hide such information from a national broadcasting station such as WREK?  And what about these launches, which again no sightings have been reported?  Is it possible that someone has played..”

     The opening of the door caused Roger to pause in mid sentence.

     “Mr. Slone, do you have a moment?” Olivia asked.

     “Please excuse me,” said Roger as he stood.  “I shall return in just a moment.”

     “He doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about all this,” said Val.

     “I’m not sure what to make of it,” said Rick.

     “I think he’s playing us,” said Val.

     “I figure we got ten minutes tops before John begins his transmission,” said Rick.

     “I think we’re going to need that Plan B,” said Val.

     “When he returns I’ll press him to get ready for John,” said Rick.

     When the doors re-opened, it was as if an explosion had blown them inward.  Through the doorway stormed four men in suits.  An additional three stood in the hallway.

     “I’m agent Hardison with the CIA.  I want all of you to remain calm,” he said.

     “The fucker turned us in,” said Val.

     “You guys are making a mistake.  Take a look at the files,” said Rick.

     “We’ll have the appropriate people take a look at them.  For now I need you two to come with me peacefully,” said Hardison.

     Three of the other men moved closer and produced handcuffs.  Two of the men staking out the hallway had already drawn weapons and were using the door jam as a target brace. 

     “Look, we’ll come with you peacefully, I promise.  But give us one moment to secure this satellite transmission.  It will prove everything, I swear,” said Rick as the man forced the handcuffs onto him.

     “Just give us one minute to prove this to you,” yelled Val.

     “Agent Hardison, you can keep us handcuffed, but please let this station set their receiver for this transmission.  It will only take a few minutes.  What will that hurt?  If we’re right you will have helped save millions of lives.  If we’re wrong you can shoot us,” said Rick as the man began to push him out of the room.

     “Rick!” exclaimed Val.

     “Just one minute, that’s all we’re asking,” asked Rick.

     “We have orders, sir,” said Hardison.

     By now the men had escorted the two of them through the hallway and up to the front doors.  Through the glass Rick could see a black vehicle pulling around the edge of the parking lot towards the front entrance.  Over the last twenty-four hours, he had never contemplated failure, much less the certain execution that they were going to discretely receive.  By the time the remaining dedicated government employees realized that their mission was not based upon madness, it would be too late, at least for the three of them, and maybe for the rest of the planet. 

     “I’m sorry,” said Rick.

     “Don’t be.  I chose to be here,” said Val.

     The vehicle skidded to a stop outside the door and another three men exited.  In total there were at least eleven that had come for them.  Six of them had focused the laser light blips from their weapons onto he and Val’s foreheads.  Just before Hardison opened the front doors to the station, the large projection screen blinked and a familiar soft voice began to speak.

     “Stand down,” said Hardison.  “Unit three remain where you are.”

     “That’s the president,” said one of the other agents.

     “Quiet.  Let’s listen to what he has to say,” said Hardison.

CHAPTER 16

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     The last few days Rick had spent in Zone 5 were practically a blur as the greatest part of the population exited in search of a new home.  The president’s thirty minutes speech informing everyone about the virus was eventually broadcast to all of the U.S. zones.  In addition to the first transmission, the president gave one last farewell to earth begging for a continuation of democracy and peace.  The address was almost horrific given the extent to which the virus had attacked his health. 

     WREK had repeatedly played the transmissions during the mayhem and with each viewing Rick’s heart saddened.  A culture that survived hundreds of years was now breaking apart.  To keep the faith, he told himself that with the ending of the old worn out bureaucracy came a new era of freedom and independence.  At least the president had properly convinced the populations of the zones to follow his instructions to the tee, which were to venture forth and begin a new life as the pioneers of the nineteenth century had done. 

     The media had did it’s best to track the news of the other five functioning zones, all of which had somehow escaped wrath of the virus.  News reports coming from Zone 6 declined within one day and the remaining U.S. government declared it as an infected area and off limits.  Declaration or no declaration, it was hard to believe any of the population would go near the place for years to come. 

     Every survey held by the online papers reported a great many were heading for the coastlines.  Only a small faction in each zone had elected to stay behind.  How those few would survive in the abandoned cities, was beyond Rick’s contemplation.

       The entire crew, government and selected lucky civilians of C-Orbit were dead by the time Zone 5 had cleared.  Included in that death toll was his good friend John McKintrick.  The last communication he had received from the dying man simply said that he missed earth.

     The terrorists who had been spreading the virus were never caught.  But given the panic of the masses, no one was spending much time tracking them down.  Rumors began to spread almost immediately that it was the PERFs who infected the zones, but there weren’t many who cared to stick around and point fingers.

     For some reason, Mars had never emerged from hiding.  Val did the best she could to find him before leaving the zone, but no one had seen or heard from him in days.  The media did it’s best to make hero’s out of he, Val and Gary.  Val did her best to convince the government and the media that the real glory should be bestowed to two unknowns by the name of William Patton and Frank Belker.  Since it was the U.S. government that murdered the two heroes, the two names would most likely be left out of forth coming history books, if any more were to be written.  Writing history would come a far second to survival.

      Rick had been able to successfully communicate with his parents in Zone 3 on only one occasion.  They had joined with a group that had already set plans to head to the northern part of the
U.S. where the wildlife was reportedly plentiful.  His father had always wanted to fish the Great Lakes.  One day soon he would visit, most likely by horse.

      There was a strong ocean wind blowing inland.  The smell of salt in the air was thick. 

     “I never pictured the Atlantic to be this beautiful in person,” said Rick.

     “We need a boat,” said Val.

     “We should have thought to bring one from Zone 5,” said Rick.

     “We’ll build one,” said Val.

     “I’ll have to reference one of your history books for that,” said Rick.

     “I wish William could see this,” said Val.

     “Because of him, millions of others will,” said Rick.

     “You know, you being a hero and all, you could run for president,” said Val.

     “I’m not a politician,” said Rick.

     “What are you?” asked Val.

     “I’m a humanitarian,” answered Rick.

     “Yes, yes you are.  Do you think Grunt will be all right remaining in the zone?” asked Val.

     “He’ll be fine.  If his plan is successful, we’ll see his face one day on WREK,” said Rick.

      “It looks like a lot of people from our zone are going to settle in that old city a few miles back.  What do you think?” asked Val.

     “I’m not crazy about cities,” said Rick.

     “Neither am I,” said Val.

THE END