“Your house looks big enough for your family,” commented Sarah. “You all take care of each other and respect one another’s beliefs…”
“We sure do. It’s part of our code of conduct. We’re all united by our cause.”
“To bring down shady corporations?”
“To ensure there is a still a voice for truth in a world that has become blind.”
*
When Sammy, Sarah and Tolu rejoined the others in the Lair, they found Kate and John sitting next to Faaiza and animatedly discussing something.
“Sarah.” Kate called. “Look, we’ve let GED get away with enough tonight. We have to blow the whistle on them before more people get hurt. Faaiza says we can make a video telling about all the horrible things we read in those documents and release it to the world.”
“Do you have the documents?” Sarah asked with surprise.
“No. In our escape we left the papers on your dining room table.”
“So, they probably have them now. They have all the proof and we have nothing.”
“We have a voice,” Sammy cut in. “Write down everything you remember from those documents. Proof or no proof, we can still tell the world what we know.”
Faaiza nodded. “I can send the video to all the news stations at once—bombard their inboxes with the information until they're forced to report on it. And if we can create enough suspicion, the police will most likely be compelled to dig deeper and find the juicy stuff.”
A dark frown suddenly crossed John’s face. “Won’t GED be able to track the information you send out of here? If they trace what we release back to these computers…back to this location…”
“They’ll certainly try,” Sammy answered, sharing a gloating smile with a few of the nearby hackers. “They have the money and the manpower for a trace; but we have the brains. Smarts,” she continued as she tapped a finger to her head, “are better than strength. And knowledge is our power. As far as routing is concerned, these computers are speaking from a remote bush in China! Trust me. We’ve been doing this for a while. We can detect every attempt at finding the computers. By the time anyone gets close, if they ever do, the computers are no longer in China; we have moved to Vietnam! You can rest assured—they won’t find us. Now, let’s get to work!”
Kate and John immediately set to writing things down, but Sarah hesitated.
“I’d like to find a place for Tolu to lay down,” she said. And a place where I can think for a minute.
Sammy called for Kaz and asked him to take Sarah and Tolu to Sammy’s own dormitory on the upper level. Keeping to his usual quiet demeanor, Kaz waved for them to follow before walking across the open warehouse to a metal stairway tucked against one side of the cavernous space. Sarah noticed he still had his metal Big Ben trinket which he moved around in his hand almost unconsciously. The steps emitted cold, hollow thumps as they made their way up to a landing which seemed to wrap all the way around the building’s interior. Sarah turned and looked down, getting a fuller view of what exactly this place was. In the center of the ground floor, she saw the hub with its tattered couches and stained chairs holding occupants whose details could not be distinguished from so high up. In one of the back corners she saw the makeshift dividers and thought she could pick up the echo of clicking keys from the busy station. Faaiza was already at work hacking her way into email networks, no doubt.
After letting her take in the view for a moment, Kaz gestured for them to move on and led them down the metal balcony toward several closed doors. He turned the handle of the one furthest on the left and walked in. Sarah and Tolu followed and were surprised to find the room full of unexpected color. Brightly-hued glass bottles were set upon dusty, metal shelves while a thick comforter patterned with a turquoise and aqua mandala was neatly nested into a slightly frayed but thick rope hammock suspended between two adjacent walls. There was a small window in the back wall from which grey tones of pre-dawn light could be witnessed creeping around other abandoned buildings of the industrial park. With kind words of gratitude to Kaz, who shuffled soundlessly out, Sarah steadied the hammock while Tolu hopped in and snuggled into the folded comforter like a sleeping bag.
“What’s going to happen now, Mommy?” Tolu asked with worry in her face. Sarah did her best not to reflect it.
“I’m not sure, baby. But we’ll be all right. Just get some rest now.”
“Can you hand me my coat?”
Sarah’s brows pinched in curiosity as she picked up Tolu’s jacket, which she had just draped over a folding chair, and held it out to her. Tolu dug into the pocket and pulled out a small Bible and a keychain upon which dangled a roundly carved wooden ark.
“Where did you get that?” Sarah asked, eyeing the keychain. “It looks just like—”
“Daddy’s ark. I know. I bought it when Tammy’s mom took her and I to the mall a few weeks ago. It helps me feel closer to him.”
Sarah fought to hold back tears at the thought of James. There was still no word from him, and the more she thought about it the more worried she became. It was not likely that assailants from GED would be after her and Tolu without the event being tied to James, somehow. Was he already in danger?
She pushed the thought aside and cleared her throat. “I know what you mean. Looking at your ark helps me feel closer to him, too. Now, get some sleep. I’ll come and check on you in a little while.”
The child nodded and released a telling yawn which Sarah answered with one final tuck-in and a gentle kiss upon the soft cheek. “I love you, Tolu.” Then she left the room and stood upon the balcony, staring beyond the metal walls of the warehouse. What was going to happen now? When the story was released, would it put James into more danger?
How do you know he is in trouble? Asked another thought. He could just be busy as usual, maybe even on a trip and have no knowledge of what has happened. Perhaps GED had only come after them because of the stolen stones and for no other reason. If that were the case, she reasoned within the light of a little hope, and then perhaps this message would be a wake-up call. Maybe he’d finally see the evidence he needed to be convinced that GED had been fooling him; maybe he’d finally get out. It was a buoying prospect, and Sarah found herself clattering down the stairs at an excited pace. This was the moment, something was going to change—either way their life was never going to be the same again.
Chapter 90
“There is a great evil in our midst. The ‘glorious’ Maximos has fooled you. The promised support from his company, Global Economic Dynamics, toward containing and curing the Rigula virus is all a ruse. He’s not looking for a cure; he already has one, because the virus was created in his own labs! Silas Maximos of GED is responsible for unleashing Rigula and killing thousands of men, women and children. His lies about working to stop it are traps to get you to believe in him, to honor him as a savior of the world, and to support him as a worthy economic leader. Don’t fall for this scheme! Maximos is a man of evil with evil intents, who kills without a thought for anything but his own gain. It doesn’t faze him to slaughter South Americans for the sake of gaining renown. It doesn’t bother him to sap up all government funds with loans so the people are left with no aid. And he certainly doesn’t have any problem killing for silence. The man who first discovered these plots, a hero named Roland Ashante, was an executive for GED. He gathered the evidence and attempted to present it to the world as I am now doing; but he was murdered before his warnings could get out. His files were given to us by another hero, Frank, who has also gone missing. But their sacrifice will not be in vain. With these files we have the proof. Maximos is a murderer, and GED is a scam. They must be stopped before all is lost!”
Chapter 91
All the seats along the tables in the Lair were occupied, and screen after screen was filled with displays of live feeds from reporters around the globe. Faaiza checked her watch. “20 minutes. Not bad, though I’ve seen monkey videos go viral faster than that.”
“They
’re probably scared…hesitated.” Sammy sat behind her own screen, arms crossed over her chest. “But thankfully, we have the vice of competition on our side. Each needs to take their share of the meat for the sake of taking their share or be blamed by their owners for not jumping in on the story. It’s quite an effective system…for us.”
She swiveled around to look at the TV next to her station where the clips of the video Faaiza had uploaded were being playing on the local news. Sammy had done the video herself; reading the lines she wrote from the information Sarah and the others had supplied. Though she doubted she would be recognized, she had taken precautions of protecting her identity and her location for the sake of everyone the warehouse harbored.
“I like that ski mask,” Faaiza remarked with a teasing grin. “You should wear it more often, Sammy. Save us all the trouble of having to look at your face.”
“Ha ha. You’re really funny, Faz,” she retorted with rolling eyes.
“Shhh...” John gently hushed the young ladies—he didn’t want to seem rude, given all their hospitality and help. “Let’s see what the reporter says about it.”
All eyes moved to the TV as Kate turned the volume up a couple notches.
“…the unknown origins of this shocking video. Special correspondent, Rachel Blythe, is now coming to us live from Brussels. Hi, Rachel...”
“Hi, Peter. As you can see, behind me is the international headquarters for Global Economic Dynamics. Well used to the limelight, today it finds itself at the center of a very different storm... a storm, it would seem, of its own making. Gross allegations have arisen concerning the company itself as well as personal accusations toward GED’s CEO, Silas Maximos. We have been informed that Maximos has called for a press conference set for later this morning to deliver a statement in regards to these accusations. It has not been made clear whether an official investigation will yet take place as the local law enforcement is still deliberating on the video’s validity—”
“You mean they’re deliberating on how much Maximos will pay them to keep out of it,” snorted Sammy. She looked around at the slightly fallen faces. “But there’s still a chance. A big chance. Just cuz the locals feel better sitting on their hands doesn’t mean others will follow suit. The WHO itself may want to investigate, though it’s possible they won’t announce it publicly.”
“I wonder what Maximos is going to say in response,” said Kate. “It seems strange he would make his statement personally… You know, putting himself out there under fire.”
“Knowing him, he’s, no doubt, going to deny everything,” John replied candidly. “Turn it into some kind of tactic used by his competitors to discredit him.”
“He might try,” conceded Sammy. “But only the fools will believe him. There are too many nations out there with too much at stake to just let this thing go, especially those battling Rigula. Nope, I think we’ve landed him in the soup, and there’s no way he can get out of it now.”
Chapter 92
The vehement snapping of cameras greeted Maximos as he approached his mark on the platform and placed a black book on the podium. A chilly gust of wind swept through the crowd, causing the hundreds of reporters and spectators to tug at their coat collars. He smiled at his audience, his face expressing the highest gratitude for the honor of their homage, regardless of the fact that no such reverence was being displayed.
“Good morning,” he began. “Thank you for coming out on such a short notice. Frankly, the allegations made against this company, against me, were done so in a cowardly manner; and I plan to meet these accusations with a very opposite spirit. I have nothing to hide, and so boldly, stand here to answer your questions and get this trifle put behind us so we can get back to the things in life that really matter. First question, please.”
“Maximos!” a young lady from the second row shouted over the crowd. He nodded to her. “Is the International Summit still going to be held here at GED Headquarters next week amidst all these accusations?”
“I don’t see why not,” Maximos answered innocently.
“Well, your corporation stands accused of some heinous crimes. Is GED going to submit itself for investigation?”
“There are so many baseless accusations out there these days, it’s hard to keep track. Which specific ones are you referring to?”
A murmur of displeasure rumbled from the gaggle of reporters at his obvious nonchalance—Maximos wasn’t taking them seriously.
A tall journalist next to the woman took up the challenge. “The claim that you knew about the Rigula virus or even helped create it years ago in GED-funded labs. Is GED responsible for the virus? How far back does your involvement go? The beginning?”
“Ah… the beginning.” Maximos swaddled the words in an inexplicable tenderness. “And where do true beginnings begin? Legacy. Life. The cosmos. How did any of it ignite? Can a spark exist without a catalyst? It has long since been known—or recently, depending upon your point of view—that matter, the materials that make up all things, cannot be created or destroyed. Matter can be manipulated, can dabble between different properties, and even be combined or chopped into different pieces. It can change form, but cannot cease to exist. In light of these facts, do you think the universe just began on its own? That matter, which cannot make itself exist, made itself exist?”
He paused to appraise the speechless spectators and reveled at their vacant and confused expressions. His power over weak and foolish minds was already well in hand.
“There's a war going on,” he continued, “forces unseen, more powerful than we could ever imagine, engaged in a final showdown for the souls of men. This universe is their battlefield, and the disastrous events ravaging our world have merely been collateral damage. The goal of having true peace in our future goes beyond our puny boarders; for no peace can be established until the final battle is played out, and the remaining victor emerges. I became aware of this battle by reading the Bible—”
“Spare us the sermon, Mr. Maximos,” the woman in front said in blunt irritated tones. “We're here to talk about GED’s alleged actions, not listen to your personal views on an antiquated religion.” The crowd murmured its agreement.
“But they are explicitly tied together Miss…?”
“Blythe.”
“Miss Blythe. You want to know if I had a part to play in the origin of the Rigula virus. Well, my part was very simple. I knew this disaster would appear in some fashion or another, and tried my best to be prepared for it. And how did I know? I read the Bible.” He picked up the book on the podium and held it up for the chittering, mumbling crowd to see. “These events were foretold many years ago. Chaos in the world. Economic upheaval, plague and pestilence; the FAILURE OF GOVERNMENTS,” he enunciated accusingly. “Anyone who opened the world's most published text could have seen that. I merely followed up by asking scientists to look into likely outbreaks and make preparations for them. We acted on the tip and did the best we could. Unfortunately the virus was advanced far beyond what little research we could get done before it struck. What was needed was more funding, more manpower, more scientists, and more global preparation. National cooperation could have given us that. So, the real question is why the world's governments did not take advantage of the same information I had and begin the necessary preparations sooner? Now, the Rigula virus cure, being created in solely GED-funded labs, is almost finished; and it is only one of thousands that we’ve begun to prepare for future viral assailants. My organization has been the leader of finding this cure and yet I stand here accused of being a criminal? Shame on you!”
The air erupted with shouts, as the reporters scrambled to try to make sense of and get a definite confirmation of what the CEO was saying.
“Do you use the Bible to foresee the future of your company and determine its goals?”
“How does that tie into the separation of church and state?”
“Are you saying that national governments are to blame for the epidemic because
they did not read the Bible?”
“Isn’t that religious prejudice?”
“Do you feel the Christian community would consider your statements to be a social or political victory in their favor?”
Maximos snatched out the last question to answer. “Why should they? I’m not a Christian.”
“But you admitted to using the Bible as a sort of corporate guide.”
“There are many aspects of this incredible book that are highly advantageous. However, believing in the omnipotent God that supposedly wrote it is another matter altogether.”
“But earlier you said that these events preface a final battle between unseen forces, presumably God and Satan.”
“Yes, I did. But I didn’t say who I believed was winning.”
Chapter 93
A ring of black coats surrounded Silas Maximos as he left the platform—and riotous shouts of the unsatisfied reporters—and walked back up the stone steps to the front doors of GED headquarters. This area had been cleared of everyone except security personnel, who stood vigilantly at their posts. At the main glass doors, the entourage suddenly diverted their course and headed toward a smaller door several yards to the left of the glass ones. Maximos slid the back of his hand across the silver reader and the door clicked open. Two bodyguards stepped in first to affirm the area was clear before signaling for their charge to enter. They continued walking down a stainless steel hallway to an elevator where Maximos again scanned his microbit. The doors slid open and he was greeted by the familiar voice of the computer system.
“I’ll take it from here, gentlemen,” said Maximos dismissively. The guards dropped back and Silas began his assent alone.
“There’s a call coming in for you, sir,” the computer informed. “Sheik Musa.”
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