by Terry Schott
We are fortunate that they were unsuccessful. You can still obtain digital and print-on-demand copies from sites all over the internet. If you haven’t read Sticks and Stones, I urge you to do so.
The world has been crying out for help while people suffer.
I have heard the call and answered.
As the Harbinger, I vow to fight until freedom has returned to every nation around the planet.
But I need your help.
When the time comes, if the Harbinger should call on you for assistance, step forward and do your part.
Together, we shall regain control of our lives.
I offer the Solution, and urge you to work with me to ensure that it is delivered.
The Harbinger, public address via internet, June 18, 2016
September 7, 2016
Brenda frowned, sitting straighter in the hard plastic seat as she looked at her boss, Jeff. “What do you mean I’m fired?”
Jeff’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat, a nervous tick that annoyed everyone. “I’m sorry, Brenda. It’s out of my hands.”
“I don’t understand. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I know.”
“Never late. Always worked when you scheduled me.”
“Yeah.”
“Came in when called on my days off.”
“Always.” He cleared his throat again.
“Then what’s the problem?”
Jeff looked down at the yellow paper of the legal pad in front of him and tapped his cheap plastic pen against its surface. “It’s nothing personal. Company is cutting back. You’re last in, so first out.”
“I’m not last in. There are five others who were hired a couple months after me.”
Jeff’s eyes darted up, then back down at his pad. He cleared his throat.
“I see.” Brenda stood. “Firing them too.”
“Ten had to go.”
“Okay.”
Jeff raised his eyebrows as he looked up again. “You’re not gonna yell at me?”
“Would it help me keep my job?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the point? Am I supposed to sign something?”
He reached into his desk drawer and removed a thin file. “Yes.” He withdrew a single sheet of white paper and pushed it toward her, his other hand offering the pen. “I sure do appreciate you being so calm about this, Brenda.”
“Whatever.”
“No, really. Jenny started crying and screaming. It was real uncomfortable.”
Her tone was flat as she scribbled her signature. “How difficult that must have been for you.”
“Well . . . yeah. I guess.”
Brenda slammed the pen onto the sheet and glared at him. “Done here?”
Jeff nodded. “You can pick up your final pay on Friday.”
Brenda snorted and removed the plastic tag which bore her name and that of the company, FlexSave. She dropped it on the desk, turned, and left.
***
October 4, 2016
Brenda’s smile was tight-lipped as the cashier looked at her. “Hi, Kelly.”
“Heya, Brenda.” Kelly reached for the first item on the belt and scanned it. Neither spoke while the cashier scanned the next few items.
“This is the only place I can afford to shop. You know. Since I can’t get a job.”
“I hear you.”
“How’s it been?”
Kelly shook her head. “They just keep firing girls and those of us who are left have to work more and longer.”
“Overtime at least.”
Kelly snorted. “Nope. We get to forty hours and then they bank our time. Not like we’ll ever get to use it. Most likely they will add it into our pay when they fire us too.”
Brenda frowned. “They can’t fire all of you.”
Kelly tilted her head to one side. “Look over there.”
Brenda turned and saw twenty automated checkout systems. “Oh.”
“Yeah. They will get the customers to do our jobs as they buy products and check themselves out. They’re doing the same with inventory and receiving.”
“Wow.”
“Few more months and they will be down to less than twenty people.”
“What?” Brenda’s eyes widened. “They used to have almost two hundred.”
“The worst part of all is what you’re experiencing now. We will all have so little money that the only place we will be able to spend it and get enough food to live is by coming to shop here.”
“This is progress?”
Kelly shook her head as she scanned the last item and placed it in the bag. “Apparently.”
***
December 18, 2016
Brenda parked and got out of her car. She stood for a moment, watching great black clouds of smoke belch upward from the burning FlexSave building and into the blue morning sky. Even from where she stood a block away, the sounds of firemen’s hoses and diesel engines filled the air as six huge red trucks manned by squadrons of firefighters shot water at the blaze. A crowd of people had gathered. Brenda recognized one of the women and moved to stand beside her.
“Heya, Kelly.”
“Brenda.”
“Looks pretty nasty.”
Kelly nodded. “They say the fire is too big to stop. Place is gonna burn to the ground.” She looked at Brenda and smiled. “Good riddance.”
“Anyone know who did it?”
“Oh yeah.” Kelly smiled.
Brenda’s eyes widened and she leaned toward the other woman. “It wasn’t you, was it?”
“No.” She laughed. “Word is that it was the Harbinger.”
“Really?”
Brenda nodded.
“I’m surprised the Harbinger would care about one store.”
“It’s more than one store.” Kelly reached into her pocket, withdrew her smartphone, and pointed the screen at Brenda. “Every single FlexSave store was set on fire. At the same time.”
Brenda looked at the article displayed on the phone. “Whoa. Eleven thousand, six hundred, twenty stores.”
Kelly tucked her phone back into her coat and nodded. “That's right. Every store they own in twenty-eight countries around the world.”
“All at the same time.”
Kelly smiled and nodded.
Brenda grinned.
22
December 18, 2016
Ariel knocked on the door and waited. After a few moments, she knocked again.
“Who is it?”
“Ariel.”
Laughter. “Come in!”
Ariel walked in and took off her shoes. She hung her coat on a hanger in the front closet and walked through the small hallway into the living room. Curtis was facing her, sitting in his office chair, arms folded, a scowl on his face.
“Heya, Babe.”
“Why did you knock?”
“I always knock.”
He sighed and scratched at his hairline. “Why?”
“That’s how polite people behave. You do the same when you come over to my place.”
“I’ve never been to your place.”
She frowned. “You haven’t?”
He laughed. “You know I haven’t.”
“Well, you should come over.”
“You always say that.”
Ariel grinned. “Hungry? Wanna go out?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“I’m not.”
“You are. Same as always.”
She frowned. “Are you angry with me? You sound angry.”
Curtis stood and walked to her. She reached out her arms and he did the same. They hugged. “Mmm, you smell good.”
“Don’t play the cute angle with me, girl.”
“You wanna fight?” She nipped his neck.
“Oh my god, why do I let you distract me every single time?”
“‘Cause you’re easily distracted.”
He paused for a beat. “That’s true.”
“Lis
ten.” She grabbed the back of his head. Her lips hovered close to his. “We can argue about knocking on the door, or going to my place, or what we are going to eat for dinner, or anything else you want to argue about.” She licked her lips. They were so close to his that her tongue traced a line along his lips as well.
“Or?”
She smiled. “Or you could properly say hello to your girlfriend. Then we can talk about boring things.”
Curtis scooped her up in his arms. She laughed as he carried her toward the bedroom.
***
Ariel got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. “I’m thinking Indian food.”
Curtis placed his arms behind his head and smiled as he watched her. “That sounds fine.”
She stopped at the door, turned, and winked at him. “Yay.” She pushed the door almost closed. Water made a hissing sound as it began pouring from the sink.
He waited until she shut the tap off. “Why don’t you move in?”
The door opened and she peeked out. “You already asked me to do that.”
“I forget what you said.”
The door closed. He could hear her giggle. “I must have said yes since I so obviously am living with you.”
Curtis laughed and closed his eyes. A few minutes later, he could sense light and knew she had opened the door again.
“You’re not dressed.”
His eyes remained shut. “Not until you tell me why you don’t want to live with me.”
The bed moved as she lay beside him. He smiled as he felt her head rest on his chest. “I have crazy hours and I travel a lot.”
“So? I don’t have a nine-to-five job. I’m flexible.”
“That’s the thing.” Her hand touched his jaw. “You’re not flexible, babe. Writing for you is a routine. You wake up at a certain time, write an amount, take a break, then do it again. I’ve never been in a relationship this long, but I know it’s important for both of us to remain who we are as individuals. You’re a writer. That’s how you make your living. Me being here would destroy your routine. If that happened, soon you would resent me, then it would be over.”
Curtis opened his eyes. She was watching him, her expression sad. “We could at least try.”
“We will, eventually. But not for at least another year.”
His brows furrowed. “Why that long?”
“I talked to my bosses. I do a great job for them on the road, but told them I want to stop. If I didn’t have to travel so much then I think we could live together.”
“You’ve thought about this.”
“Of course I have.” She turned onto her back, resting her head on his arm. “I love you, Curtis, and I want to make this work.”
“I love you too, Ariel.”
“Good.” He could see her grin in the dim light. “So I told my bosses what I wanted to do and they agreed to hire someone else and phase me out from the road trips.”
“It will take a year?”
“At most.”
“Does that mean it could be less?”
“I’m not telling you. Don’t want to get your hopes up.”
Curtis kissed the top of her head. “A year, huh?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I guess I can wait that long.”
“Good.” She sat up and began to get dressed. “Now, I’m hungry. Put some clothes on and take me out to eat.”
Curtis got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom. “Give me ten minutes to get ready.”
“I’ll check my e-mails while I wait.”
“Perfect.” He closed the door and she went to the living room.
She sat down at Curtis’s desk, opened her laptop, and accessed her e-mail program. One message caught her attention. She frowned and opened it, scanning the message and shaking her head. Taking a deep breath, she started at the beginning and read the message once more. Then she shut her laptop.
“Damn it, Gavin. Why’d you have to go and do that?”
23
“Where have you been?”
Gavin frowned. “I was taking a cab uptown when you texted. Was almost there. I turned around and came all the way back.”
Aldous ushered the older man in, looked into the hallway, then closed the door. He moved to the window and closed the blinds.
“What’s wrong?”
Aldous sat and watched Gavin. After a moment, he pointed at his computer bag. “You have your laptop in there?”
“Of course.”
“Turn it on.”
“Why?”
“I want to see something.”
Gavin frowned. “You’re starting to frighten me. I’m not used to you acting like this.”
Aldous sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing them with one hand. “Please, Gavin, take out your laptop and turn it on.”
Gavin watched his friend and partner as he reached down and removed the laptop from his bag. He opened the lid and placed it on Aldous’s desk. The other man stood and moved behind Gavin. “It’s already on.”
“I rarely turn it off.”
“Can you pull up your email?”
Gavin opened the program and looked over his shoulder at Aldous. “There you go.”
“Go to your Sent folder.”
Gavin obeyed.
Aldous leaned closer, squinting as he began reading the subject lines of the sent e-mails. “May I scroll it down?”
“Be my guest.”
Aldous scrolled for a moment, then stopped and groaned. “Damn it.”
“What?”
“This.” Aldous tapped an e-mail on the screen. “And this.” He tapped the next one down. “And another.” His finger trailed down, tapping the next five messages. Gavin looked at the subject lines and frowned. “What are those?”
“Files you sent. Three days ago.”
Gavin shook his head. “I didn’t send those.”
Aldous stood back and looked down at Gavin. “Stop it. Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying.”
“This is your computer. Your e-mail program.”
“Yes.”
“Then you sent those e-mails.”
“I swear on my life that I didn’t.”
Aldous moved to the other side of the desk and plopped down into his chair. “It all makes perfect sense now.”
“What does?”
“The deal you made with me. Reading manuscripts. It was a cover, wasn’t it?”
“No.”
“Then you bring me the book. Spend all that time getting it translated. I can’t believe I didn’t put it all together sooner.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Aldous laughed, first a short bark, then a throaty cackle. Gavin watched him, his lips pursed. Finally, Aldous stopped and wiped his eyes. “You’re the author of Sticks and Stones, aren’t you?”
“Not in a million years.”
“You had enough money from our cut of the profits. That’s why you didn’t need to step forward and claim the commission.”
Gavin could feel his forehead and cheeks get warm. “You’re being stupid. I’m not the author.”
“But you are the Harbinger.”
The two men stared at each other. Gavin’s eyes darted to the subject lines on the e-mails. “I’m not.”
“The emails sent from your computer say you are.”
“I had no idea they existed.”
Aldous closed his eyes and shook his head.
“I swear to you, Aldous, I would never lie to you about this. If I was either the author or the Harbinger, wouldn’t it make sense for me to bring you in on it?”
Aldous opened his eyes. “I don’t know what to believe, Gavin. This is crazy.”
“I agree.”
“Someone must have planted these files on my computer.”
“Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know.” Gavin spread his hands. “I barely know how to log into the stupid Shadow Web. How in hell would I be the mastermind turning the world on
its head? Or even the author of a book that being caught with in your possession is now getting you sent to jail.”
Aldous stroked his chin.
“Who told you to check my e-mails?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It sure as hell does.”
“A friend.”
Gavin laughed. “Friendship still means something to you, then?”
“Of course it does.” Aldous frowned. “I didn’t bring you here to turn you in. A friend warned me about the e-mails and I wanted to see for myself if it was true. Which it is.”
“It’s news to both of us.”
Aldous nodded. “I believe you.”
“You do?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m glad. What do we do now?”
“The best my friend could do was give me advance warning.”
Gavin’s scalp tingled and the muscles in his neck tightened. “They are coming for me, then.”
Aldous nodded.
24
December 23, 2016 - World Aid refugee camp, one-hour drive due south of Matola, Mozambique, Africa. 7:32 a.m.
Matt woke to the noise of an approaching helicopter, the thumping from the blades getting louder as he reached for a pair of shorts, stood from his cot, and slipped into them, as well as donning his socks and well-worn steel-toed hiking boots.
He threw the tent flap back and raised a hand to shield his eyes from flying dust as the whine of the helicopter blades began to soften. Two doors opened and four marines emerged from the craft, M16A4 rifles couched in their arms, barrels pointed toward the ground. They made their way to Matt’s tent, three of them stopping a few paces away while the front soldier continued forward.
“Are you Matthew Witney?”
“I am.”
“I am Second Lieutenant Bill Cotter. We have arrived with your supplies.”
Matt frowned. “I’m not expecting any supplies.”
The soldier reached into a pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. He gave it to Matt, who unfolded it and read. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the officer. “Halo Corps?”
The officer nodded.
“Can I see the cargo manifest?”
“There isn’t one.”
Matt tilted his head. “That’s irregular, isn’t it?”