by Tom Tryst
Everything was on a need to know basis, for if one person was suspected to be acting against the aliens, they would bring in reinforcements and start eliminating anyone wearing a similar type cap or device. They also carried a capsule containing a fast acting poison, held in their mouth when they were outside the underground shelter. .Every person involved pledged that they would, if captured, would crush the poison capsule between their teeth. They were willing to die for the cause.
Timing was critical. From this point out, Daniel could not remove the cap. Nor could anyone else who was given a protective cap. It would only be a matter of a few days, or less, when the attack would begin.
Once given a prearranged signal, teams worldwide would begin the termination of the Peace Keepers. Others would have their orders.
From now to the time of attack, anyone having knowledge of the campaign had to wear the cap and glasses continually, even while sleeping. If even one Peace Keeper was able to read the mind of one involved, the entire campaign was in danger, along with anyone wearing the cap and glasses. It had to happen very soon.
Daniel sits back and looks at the two men, his mind absorbing the enormity of the situation. Could he even refuse? Would they kill him if he did, so that he could not divulge their plot? As soon as he took off the cap, 37 would be aware of his new knowledge. It seemed like a do-or-die project.
While trying to decide, one is writing another note and hands it to him. “Hard choice, we know. But we suspect that the billions transported have been destroyed, or made slave labor. Many more millions will meet the same fate. Their intent is evil. They will never leave.”
Col. Wright looks at him with head cocked, obviously waiting for a response, Daniel nods, mentally picking his suicide team: His wife, who he knows will feel as he does; Charles, and by necessity his wife Carol; Wendell; and Tabitha and her husband, Victor, an ex-soldier he knows will want to fight. Six people.
Daniel hurriedly scribbles, ”Six more.”
Wright motions to hold on, and Pennington leaves the building, returning several minutes later with a heavy package. He sets it down at the side of Daniel’s desk.
Another note: “There are eight caps. One extra, just in case.”
Daniel looks down at the box but doesn’t open it. He writes: “Do you want to meet the others?”
Wright just shakes his head and hands him a cellular phone, then another note: “Keep this on and monitored at all times. When you hear ‘Santa Clause is coming to town’ immediately begin setting up your attack. In exactly ten minutes from the time of the message, you will hear “Now. Now. Now.” Immediately begin eliminating your Peace Keepers as fast as possible. Others around the world will be doing the same. It has to be simultaneous. Instantaneous. That’s critical.”
Pennington makes a motion to take back all the hand written notes, then uses the office shredder to destroy them.
They shake hands and leave the building. Daniel sits, staring out of the glass partition of his office at the still form of 37. Then he makes six phone calls.
Chapter Ten
His wife, Sherry, is the first to return to the office. One look at her husband with his weird head piece causes her to burst out in laughter, thinking it is a gag. Before she can say a word, Daniel is on her, placing his hand firmly over her mouth. For a moment, she tries to struggle away, but then sees him urgently bouncing his forefinger on his lips. Only when she ceases her resistence and nods does he release her, but continues to signal for silence. He leads her to his office.
Again signaling for silence, he produces a cap and glasses identical to his. She puts them on, all the while looking questioningly into his eyes. He hands her a note reading ‘Don’t say a word. Wait for the others.’
The others are met at the door with a card reading, “Danger, Don’t say a word. Total silence. I’ll explain.’ The strange cap and glasses tells them something isn’t normal. Daniel is not one who clowns around. Not until all five have arrived does he lead them back to his office.
When they see Sherry wearing the same headgear, they are sure something serious is going on. Each is given one of the caps to put on. Another note reads, ‘Let’s go for a walk.’
They leave the computer center by the back entrance to avoid seeing anyone, or more important, avoiding anyone seeing them. They are soon in the woods, following a narrow path deeper into the woods. All remain silent. In a small clearing half a mile from the village, Daniel stops and faces them.
“We can talk now. They can’t hear us,” he advises. “Sorry about the drama, but they can’t know what we are about to discuss.”
It is Charles who warns him, “They can probably still read our minds. We don’t really know their range.”
Daniel nods and taps his cap several times, grinning. “That’s what these caps are for. They block their ability to know what we’re thinking or feeling. We can talk without them listening.”
“Where did you get these?” Sherry asks.
“From friends. I’ll explain.”
He quickly tells them about the visit by the two outsiders and the plan, trying to answer all their questions, explaining that he himself doesn’t have all the answers. It is all on a need to know basis.
Wendell is the first to object, cursing, “You committed us without giving us a chance to decide if we wanted to go along with this suicide plan!” He has a few other choice things to say in his anger, spurred by his growing fear.
“And just how could I do that without also telling the ‘droids?” Daniel responds sympathetically. “Besides, they put this cap on me before they told me. And once it’s on, we can’t take them off. Not for a second. At least not until the operation is over. If any one of us removes the cap - and the glasses - a ‘droid will also know of the plot and take action. They’ll transport all involved and alert others around the globe. Hundreds - no, probably thousands of people will die.”
Wendell curses again. He is not happy.
“I’m really sorry, but they gave me information that convinces me the aliens are here to stay. We’ll never be free of them. They’re culling the human population, taken people who meet their needs. The resistence believes it is for slave labor; or even food. None of us are apt to live long.”
I t is Victor, the ex-soldier who asks, “So what are we supposed to do? How can we take out the Peace Keepers remaining here?”
Daniel shrugs helplessly, “They have the weapons to do the job.”
“We don’t have them?” Charles demands, up until now saying very little.
“No. They told me they will contact us with further orders. But that it will be very soon, a matter of a few days.”
Carol is scowling, but it could not be seen by the others. Like the rest, the cap and glasses concealed her face from the nose up. “This thing is uncomfortable. And heavy.” She seems unconcerned about her husband’s heated objection.
It is Tabitha who voices the inevitable. “Like it or not, friends, we’re committed. If even one of us takes off this headgear, the jig’s up. The ‘droids will know everything and we all will suffer the consequences. So like it or not, we’re all in.”
“Well, I’m not having any part of it,” spits Wendell vehemently. “You do what you want. Count me out!”
“You don’t have any choice!” Charles insists. “We’re all in this together.”
“You shouldn’t have asked me!” Wendell cries, on the verge of hysteria. “I don’t want to die! I can live here just fine!”
He starts to bolt back toward the village, but Victor is on him before he can take two steps, grabbing him from behind in a choke hold, but not cutting off his air.
Wendell continues to struggle and curse. “You’re all crazy. You’re going to die. I’m going to tell, make them stop you!”
Without a word, his expression emotionless, Victor tightens his hold. Only Carol runs to him and futilely tries to pull Victor off, all the while begging Wendell to listen to reason. He ignores her as Charles gent
ly pulls her away. Wendell is trying to talk, but only guttural sounds came out, his breathing severely restricted.
Victor is easily holding Wendell despite the desperate struggling. He looks to Daniel for orders.
Daniel closes his eyes for a moment, then simply nods.
Victor’s hold tightens, and Wendell’s struggling becomes violent, desperate to get air. But long before he might die of suffocation, he passes out as the blood flow to his brain is cut off. Victor continues his tight hold on the now limp body, counting to himself.
All are just staring in disbelief, yet not voicing any objection. Carol is crying in her husband’s arms.
When his silent count reaches twenty, Victor gently eases Wendell’s body to the ground, knowing he is dead. Looking directly at Daniel, he speaks softly. “He would have had us all killed.”
They all stand in a state of shock, the only sound coming from the quiet crying of Carol as her husband, Charles, tries to comfort her.
Daniel briefly wonders if anything was going on between her and Wendell, but quickly begins concentrating on their immediate situation.
Daniel finally manages to compose himself and speaks. “Damn it, people! For five years now we have just rolled over and played dead. By their own count, they have taken some five billion of us for who knows what! We have been helpless! Now, for the first time, some brave souls believe they have found a way to defeat them! I don’t like living each day, doing what they say, always wondering if this is going to be my last day alive. I know the situation gave you no choice, but I truly thought all of you would feel the same way! We finally have at least a chance to take our planet back. We have to take it!”
He looks from one to the other. All the others are doing the same.
“Let me point out one thing Wendell was too shaken up to realize. If any one of us decides to inform, all will die, including the informant. So will all others involved around the country. Simply taking off the cap and glasses will let them know what we are planning. Again - all will die. Like it or not, we are all committed.”
Daniel takes a deep breath, briefly glancing at Wendell’s body, then continues. “Not only will we be killed - or worse - but all wearing headgear that looks anything like these, will be instantly transported. Thousands of people. That probably means death, or a life where you wish you were dead. Does everybody realize that?”
All nod, even Carol, still being held by Charles, who alone speaks, “I know the way things went, you had no choice. I, for one, would have joined even if I had a choice. Between slavery with an unsure life-span and death, I would choose death. But our choice is between freedom and death. It’s simple, if the resistence fails, we die. If it succeeds, we will be free. So we don’t have a choice. We’re with you.”
“I’ll bury him,” Victor volunteers. “They’ll figure he managed to slip away.”
“Do it. Here, back in the woods.” He turned to the others, “Those inclined can say a private prayer for him. Remember, not a spoken word-one that might get the Peace Keepers suspicious. If you must convey a message, do it by note, out of sight of any ‘droid. Then destroy the note. And for God’s sake, keep the caps and glasses on at all times! I don’t care if they are uncomfortable or your head itches, or what, keep the strap fastened. Take them off for one second and the ‘droids will know what we’re up to. You can go a day or two without showers. If anybody comments about the cap and glasses, which they will, tell them that we lost a bet and have to wear them. It’s been cold enough. Then quickly change the subject. Try to avoid getting close to a ‘droid, but don’t be obvious about it. None of you will report for work. We’ll all be out sick.”
In silence, they head back to the village. When it is in sight, he has one couple at a time enter and go immediately to their apartments, telling them he will let them know as soon as he gets more information.
Christmas Eve is a time of family celebration more than a recognition of the birth of Christ, which critics are ready to point out is not really his date of birth. They haven’t had a chaplain for more than three years, so there has been no religious service. There has been little exchange of presents, for no one can give anyone else a gift they cannot get themselves, for free, unless it is home made. It has simply become a time to party, to get as drunk as they can without attracting the attention of the Peace Keepers, then spending Christmas day sobering up.
This year will be different for the gang of six. There will be no drinking. Others know only they have been sick, their meals delivered to their apartments. As it is a holiday, they had the day off, anyway. Daniel knows, because of the wording of the code phrase ‘Santa Clause is coming to town,’ the time to begin the resistence will be today, Christmas Eve, or very early Christmas morning. They must be ready. And sober.
All have gathered in the Davies’ apartment to avoid being seen by the others - and having to explain their odd headgear, for none are able to remove them. That morning, a mailman had left a large package for him at the main gate. The return address was that of a cosmetics company.
Inside were sealed packages with a shipping order on top. It contained instructions for the ‘application of the product,’ to the affect that a one-second impulse of the ‘wrinkle remover’ will erase skin wrinkles, and that each applicator would allow ten beautification sessions, with ten refills, for a total of 100 applications. The four page brochure continued with the usual instructions, hazards and health warnings of a legitimate product - all they could ignore.
The weapons were devised to not resemble a weapon. They look more like a very small hand drill with a battery unit attached to the handle. The ‘barrel’ is simply a small extension of the handle with three small apertures in triangular positions.
From the instructions by Wright, Daniel knows each attachable ‘battery’ is the power source capable of firing ten times. Each weapon has ten such power sources, for a total of 100 firings. He also knows that one aperture is a laser beam for accurate targeting, the second to neutralize the ‘droid’s force field, and the third to fry its electronics, immobilizing it.
There are only six Peace Keepers remaining in the compound. They have enough charges for eight hundred firings. This told Daniel that their job would not be over with just eliminating the twelve.
Each of the six had been instructed to fill their issued back pack with what they would need for a period of thirty days. This meant medications, toiletries, cosmetics, six changes of underwear, two sets of uniforms and any small personalized items. The packs were small, limiting how much they could carry. They would wear their heavy winter jackets and thermal longjohns, for the weather was turning cold. And, of course, their uncomfortable headgear.
They were each given a web belt with a short-handled, small sledge hammer attached to the belt. And they would each have their cell phone, each set on the same frequency for conference calls - their ‘walky-talkies.’
They are as ready as they could be with what little information they had.
Daniel has just given them their briefing, being sure that each one knows how to handle the weapon, load it and reload it. They are to work in twos, husband and wife. When spotting a ‘droid, they will try to sneak up on it and get at least within a hundred feet. One will fire first, a single charge. If the charge is effective, the ‘droid will cease any motion. If off balance, it will fall to the ground, but it might simply freeze. If it is motionless at the time of firing, they may not see any result. In such case, the second of the team will fire.
They will then approach cautiously to verify the ‘droid is neutralized. They would then use the sledge hammer to thoroughly smash the head and the chest area to assure the droid cannot, somehow, recover.
Once they have cleared the Compound, they will be contacted with further instructions.
Daniel is thinking that midnight might be the time to start the rebellion, but then realizes that this has to be coordinated worldwide. They might have to attack in daylight. As soon as the Peace Keepers are
being neutralized, the Universal Council will know and start their own response. He knows the capability of the ‘droids to make a human disappear simply by pointing a finger, but he doesn’t know what weapons their ships might have. Certainly Col Wright and others must have some means of dealing with them; he certainly hopes so, or this resistence will be futile.
In Kentland, Indiana, the first snow of the season is falling, driven by strong winds. Most workers went straight home from work and plan to stay there until the mild blizzard is over. Those selected to wear the caps and goggle-like glasses fit right in with the other winter gear. David Davies, his wife, Janet, and their two teenage children, Debby and Darrel, had been home the last day, feigning mild flue symptoms. Each wore the special cap and glasses, waiting for further instructions.
In the middle-east, both women and men wore black Gurkhas in public. All of the men selected dress as women, wearing the protective headgear underneath. They, too, are waiting.
In Chicago, Illinois, those awaiting final word are dressed in youthful attire, with ‘hoodies’ to cover the protective headgear.
In Moscow, Russia, heavy coats with fur-lined hoods hide the headgear.
In Paris, France, wigs with shoulder-length hair and bangs, with wrap-around glasses, conceal the gear.
The world over, those chosen stay out of sight when they can, but conceal the protective headgear when they absolutely have to be in public. All wait. All are armed with the neutralizing weapons.
The cell phone he has been staring at for the last half hour rings harshly, startling him. His first thought, looking out the balcony window, it’s still daylight! He then sees it is a message. He takes a deep breath and looks up at Sherry, looking at him with eyebrows raised. He opens the message box.
‘Santa Clause is coming tonight. 2100.’
“Christ!” he cries. “That’s in just over an hour! Doesn’t give us much time!”
Sherry, shakes her head in warning, looking at the entry door. She says loudly, “That’s OK, hon. You can have the card tables set up in no time. I’ll go get Tabitha to help me. You fix the drinks.”