Episode V – Daddy’s Little Girl
Quote:
”To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Polonius, Hamlet Act 1 Scene 3
William Shakespere
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Sometimes we have varying ideas of who we are our capabilities and our importance, and that could be seen to be ego. However Character is what we are, defined by what we say and do, not what we would think we would say and do.
Sometimes we are capable of things we could never imagine we would do, such as those test subjects in the infamous Milgram experiments, and sometimes we are not capable of doing something’s, like pulling that trigger to end the life of an animal or another person.
It is only when we are put to the test that we ever truly find out.
Sue-Lim Wang for example believed she was a strong confident individual until she was incarcerated due to bureaucratic issues in an immigration detention centre where, she has revealed to her close friend and equal at the Inter Dimensional Entity Control, Charlene Hensore, that she was viciously assaulted and raped. This has now shown to Charlene what a truly vulnerable person Sue-Lim has now become. This is hardly helped by Sue-Lim being arrested by the FBI on false charges of espionage and collusion with terrorists.
Celeste on the other hand, the daughter of the Spirit of Death, believes she is capable of carrying out her fathers duties and being a cold blooded taker of lives.
Sometimes we have to be put to the test to see our true character…
+ + +
Celeste appeared in the intensive care ward where a number of young children were being treated. She took out a parchment of people most likely to die within the next few minutes and read the name. It was that of a Mexican child of about four years old, a boy.
Celeste was using her usual invisibility to mortals, human or otherwise to keep from being seen or heard by the hospital staff as she searched for the child from whom she was supposed to eject his soul by cutting his astral chord.
Then she saw him, hooked up to tubes with some kind of scope marking the beating of his tiny heart.
Celeste stopped in her tracks, there was the boy’s mother and six year old sister near his bedside, both crying.
A person in a white coat came and started speaking to the mother. Celeste could not hear what was being said but from the mother’s body language, it was bad news. Probably why the parchment had summoned Celeste to carry out what her father would normally do, had she not been complicit in the boss taking him prisoner.
She watched the mother pick up the young six year old who was also crying, and this made Celeste remember back to when as a child she had been told by her father that her mother had died before she was old enough to remember her.
Celeste turned and went back to the boy lying in the hospital bed, almost fighting for every breath.
Celeste took out a celestial knife, a kind of energy come psychic blade that would sever the thread of a mortal’s astral chord, thus ejecting its soul to where-ever. This had to be done at the point of death. Celeste had always been told by her father, that it was others that killed or it was other reasons, his job was to sever the chord to ensure life in the body was extinguished.
It was a horrible job, but it had to be done.
With her other hand, Celeste took out the parchment again, the gold lettering was insistent, this boy was to die, what ever it was that put him in the hospital, it would kill him and she was there to ensure his soul left his body by cutting the astral chord.
“I can’t do this” Celeste shouted as if to some un-named forces that decreed the child had to die.
Then, “He’s so young and his mother and sister love him so much, it would not be fair on them”
Silence apart from the beeping of the monitor which started to depart from its normal rhythm.
“WHY?” Celeste shouted.
“He’s innocent, he’s done nothing” she whispered.
Celeste put away the celestial knife, “I don’t care about balancing any mythical accounts do you hear? He doesn’t deserve to die and they don’t deserve to loose him” she whispered, “not this one, I won’t do it” she protested
Celeste then placed her hands on the boy’s abdomen and her eyes started to blaze with a green light.
The monitor started going erratic, an alarm sounded
The boy’s eyes flickered open and he started calling for his mother in his native Mexican language.
Celeste stepped back as the doctors rushed in and were amazed at the boy’s miraculous recovery. She looked at the parchment, for the moment it had gone blank.
Celeste stayed and watched as the mother was reunited with her son and his sister hugged her brother. There were loads of tears, even from Celeste herself.
But then the parchment called, she had to go, and so she left. Maybe the next person she was assigned to might deserve death, but for certain, that boy did not deserve it.
+ + +
IDEC Headquarters
At an undisclosed location
Washington DC
United States of America
[img=600x400]http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/Washington_DC_Monument_White_House.jpg[/img]
Kathryn Cooper sat in her office, still fuming at the NSA for planting listening devices to carry out covert surveillance on
her people, and at Sophie by missing an opportunity to try and track down someone illegally using an artificial wormhole generator, although to be fair, only Kathryn had the authority to put in a request to use the Skyguard satellite monitoring system. It was obvious that that procedure needed to be looked into.
She looked at her watch, it was approaching mid morning and where was that NSA director?
Just then she heard Sophie send him through, so she got up from sitting at her desk, that way she should have more authority.
The balding man in dark blue suit entered Kathryn’s office, he was Walter Quentin the new director of the National Security agency and he did not look happy. As he entered, Kathryn walked up and closed the door.
“Hello Miss Cooper” Director Walter opened with, and then with irritation in his voice, “Now what’s this all about, you’re lucky this was on my way as I have a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, so can’t this wait”
“No!” Kathryn replied icily, “I want to know why the NSA is investigating members of my staff with out the courtesy of informing me first”
“What are you talking about?” Walter retorted.
“Would you even tell me if you were?” Kathryn asked with venom in her voice, “I realise we still get to work in the cloak of utmost secrecy, but we have always shared intelligence on any threats from IDW01 with the NSA, and I would appreciate the same co-operation in return”, then before Walter could reply, “Or am I under investigation as well?”
“Kathryn” Walter began, “You have me at a loss. I could contact my people after the meeting with the Joint Chiefs and find out if that would help, but I am not aware of any surveillance of your agency being carried out by our people”
“Oh really” Kathryn replied and went to a foil lined bag on her desk, “then what are these?” she asked and emptied the content of the bag onto her desk.
Walter came over and looked at the assortment of listening devices scattered across Kathryn’s desk
“All of them” Kathryn explained, “are set to frequencies allotted to your agency”
Walter suddenly latched onto the strange film device that had been fixed on the LCD display of the cooker at Pete and Sue-Lim’s quarters at the Quantico marine base. He picked it up and turned to Kathryn, “Where the hell did you get this?” he said angrily
“It was planted in the quarters of two of the technicians that were shipped over from England” Kathryn replied, “Put there by your people with all these other devices”
“Kathryn” Walter went on with now a more serious tone, “I don’t know about the other devices, but this one is still under evaluation. It’s not meant to be out in the field yet”
“What is it?” Kathryn replied, now confused.
“According to the manufactures trying to sell it to the NSA it captures and sends back Wi-Fi traffic to a nearby transmitter so we can carryout surveillance of Cyber cafes in places where the ISP’s are refusing to pass on details of their customer’s internet use”
The intercom buzzed through, annoying Kathryn intensely,
what was it with Sophie recently
“Excuse me” she said to Walter testily and answered the intercom “Sophie Can this wait?” she asked her PA
“Given how you told me about important calls not being passed on Miss Cooper, I don’t think so” Sophie replied, “And I think you ought to have it on Speaker so Mr Quentin can hear this as well.
“Is this the colonel?” Kathryn asked?
“No its Miss Henshore”
“Can’t you take a message?”
“No mam” Sophie insisted
Kathryn sighed and with an air of resignation instructed Sophie, “Put her through”
After a few clicks, there was the sound of Charlene Henshore calling from her Cell phone as she drove in her car.
“Miss Cooper?” Charlene’s voice came over the intercom, “Are you there?”
“Yes Charlene” Kathryn replied, “I’m kind of busy right now can this wait?”
“They’ve taken sue-Lim” Charlene replied ignoring the question
“Who has?” Kathryn replied, now even more confused
“The FBI has Miss Cooper” Charlene answered, “They’ve arrested her”
“What?” Kathryn uttered, “Why?” she added
“They said she was being arrested for espionage and terrorism under your
Patriot act”
“I don’t understand” Kathryn replied, “When was this?” she asked further
“Twenty minutes ago” Charlene replied, “I’ve been trying to call but the line was busy”
“You were there?” Kathryn said with an air of incredulity
“Yes Miss Cooper, I found her at her favourite coffee shop and I was talking to her when the FBI came up and arrested her”
“Are you sure they were FBI” Kathryn asked, suddenly remembering how across the Atlantic Colonel Samuel Peters was dealing with the abduction of the two former minor spirits of virtue, Caer and Fidelity.
“YES” Charlene insisted, “I was there Miss Cooper, I was talking to Sue-Lim when they came and arrested her”
Kathryn shook her head, “Where are you now?”
“I’m driving to the IDEC now” Charlene replied, “I don’t know what else to do”
“That sounds like a plan” Kathryn replied, “Thank you for informing me, I’ll see you when you get here” and then with a glowering look at Walter added “It seems there is another federal agency who is investigating us behind our backs”
“There’s something else Miss Cooper” Charlene added with what seemed like an ominous tone
“What’s that?” Kathryn asked with another feeling of dread at impending bad news.
“She told me that when she was at that detention centre in Florida she was beaten up and raped by three of the guards there”
Kathryn was shocked to silence for a moment by the horror of what she had just heard, “So that would explain why she had that black eye when she was released” she said in a quieter voice, “It wasn’t caused by the space walk from the Progress craft to the Shuttle after all” she then added
Walter shook his head, “I don’t think I was supposed to hear that” he whispered.
“Charlene, just get here as soon as you can. Don’t tell Pete what happened to her for the moment, let me do that” Kathryn insisted
“Yes Miss Cooper” Charlene answered then said, “I have to go, I’m coming up to a busy intersection here”
“OK drive safe and report to me as soon as you get in” Kathryn uttered as Charlene hung up
Kathryn turned back to Walter and with anger shouted, “So you are investigating us, WHY?”
Walter stepped a few paces back and put his hands up, “I told you Kathryn, I have not authorised any investigation of the IDEC or any of your staff. Someone is setting us up”
“Yeah right” Kathryn retorted and then pressed a button on the intercom to call Sophie, “
Get me the director of the FBI now” she demanded
“Miss Cooper, they are already here and they have a search warrant” Sophie replied
+ + +
On the Road to Central City
The Mystical Realms
The city seemed much bigger now they were closer to it, and it seemed a blessed relief to Fidelity not to be wearing the collar and having her hands tied behind her back, although the two men had the guns and her sister. She kept racking her brains as to what they might want.
She remembered this city, as Yagel based most of his time there while making pretence of practising law. For most of her life she always thought of him as an elf, and it was not until that time when she had been hiding in that artificial universe, known as the World of Warcraft, a giant computer game partly induced by the human collective unconsciousness, that she had discovered that he had been a drow infiltrator all along.
When she had left that universe with the adventurer Graeme Andrews and landed in London’s Hyde Park near a water body he called the Serpentine, she thought she had left the Mystical Realms behind forever.
But now she was back
“Move along” Gerry Malone insisted
Fidelity kept silent and tried to pick up the pace.
“Stop” Yelled Johnny Adair
“What is it?” Gerry asked
“Trolls” Johnny replied
“How many?” Gerry asked, “We could take them” he added
“Yeah and that would bring more running” Johnny answered
Fidelity looked into the distance and sure enough out of the city gates had come what looked like a patrol of trolls, possibly to do a spot check on travellers.
“Can’t we just gate back to Earth and then Gate into the city passed them” Gerry asked
“The Yanks would just pin point us with their Skyguard system” Johnny answered and then added “And if we gated into the city, the local Manjura trolls would pick us up, which was why we had to arrive well away from the city”
“So what do we do?” Gerry asked, “It’s not like we have regular traffic of humans to this world so their bound to ask questions”
Johnny took off his back pack and from it pulled out three identical talismans. “Let’s just hope that these items Celeste picked up for us work”
“What are they?”
“Talismans of distraction” Johnny explained, “Put these on and the trolls won’t notice us”
“But will we be able to see each other” Gerry asked and then pointing his gun at Fidelity, “especially her?”
“Yep, if you wear one you are immune to the effects of other talismans of distraction”
Gerry took one and put it on.
Johnny then put one on Fidelity before putting his own one on.
Now when the troll patrol passed by, they would be ignored as if they were not there. Not that Fidelity had planned on appealing to the trolls to rescue her, for one thing, the two men were well armed with guns and ammunition and the other, and they were still holding her sister as a hostage.
+ + +
The surface of Inter Dimensional World 02
(According to the IDEC cataloguing convention)
Timothy Zachary peeked from the cave and looked into the distance at the stinger fans
“Looks like the storm is over for the moment” Timothy remarked, “Although I would advise that you stick around here, just in case it returns”
Jenny Green came to the entrance to the lava tube and looked around, “There’s a lake over there “she said pointing to a large body of what appeared to be like water
“I would advise against swimming in it” Timothy answered back, “That body has a particularly nasty set of organisms that teams up into one large eating machine” he further explained, then adding, “When I get water I have to make sure it is no where near the shore before I get close. I saw it take a large gulphog, not a pretty sight”
“OK Timothy” Commander Mark Johnston cut in, handing him two sandstone discs, “Let’s get out of here”
“And I get a forty eight hour head start before you start hunting me down?” Timothy asked with a grin
“Assuming Earth has not been destroyed” Mark replied
“Yeah, I’m assuming that” Timothy replied
“That’s the deal” Mark sighed
Timothy put the artificial wormhole generator down on the ground, knelt down and opened up a compartment in the device. Jenny could see something looking like a grey metal rod in there. “Spirit of Lust” Timothy yelled.
Slowly the Spirit of Lust emerged from the lava tube, “Yes?” she said rather testily
“Lusty Babe” Timothy went on, I need you to transfer the power from these amulets to the grey metal bar”
“That it?” she asked
“For now”, Timothy replied and handed the Spirit of Lust the two amulets
“I thought you were going to put the amulets straight into the device” Jenny remarked
“It doesn’t work like that Jenny” Timothy replied, “The device can only be powered by that rod thing, but it got depleted, the magic from the amulet can be used to recharge it for at least one more wormhole, possibly two”
The Spirit of lust held the amulets in her hand; with her other hand touched the metal rod. Then her eyes turned red, and the grey rod seemed to develop a blue grey glow. After three minutes the Spirit of Lust told them that the job was done, and then the amulets suddenly crumbled to ash.
Timothy plugged in his palm pilot to upload the co-ordinates, with in a minute the wormhole generator was ready to use.
“Just in case” Timothy told them, “get ready to run back to the lava tubes”
“Why?” Jenny asked with suspicion
“Because if that Magnus Timor has succeeded, I could be opening up a wormhole to an area where there is molten rock and other nasties that might come through. “If that happens, I will try and turn it off as soon as I can”
“No way” Mark said, “For all we know, you might want to leave us her”
“I’m hurt” Mark said with fake wounded pride.
“I’m staying too” Jenny insisted
“Ok” Timothy conceded, “But don’t say I didn’t warn you”
Timothy closed the battery compartment and switched the device on, monitoring the readout on the palm pilot.
“That’s odd!” Timothy exclaimed
“What?” Mark asked
“The leading edge of the wormhole has detected another parallel universe in the way” Timothy explained
“And?” Mark pressed
“The problem with this one commander is that it is giving similar readings to the World of Warcraft” Timothy added
“Meaning?” Mark asked further
“Someone somewhere has set up another artificial universe along similar lines, and if that has been done by someone on Earth, then it could mean that your colonel kicked this Magnus Timor’s butt and Earth is ok”
“If we gated to that universe” Mark asked, “Could we gate to the Mystical Realms or Earth”
“Possibly, but there’s no guarantees” Timothy replied, “why would you want to” he asked.
“Because as IDEC personnel it’s what we do” Mark answered back, “Plus even if Earth and IDW01 are destroyed and that is a remnant, it has to be better than this place”
“Assuming we can survive in it” Timothy replied
“Just do it” Mark ordered
“Excuse me?” Timothy retorted, “Am I a member of the military?”
“No” Mark answered, “But you are still a member of the IDEC and therefore under our command”
“Then I quit” Mark spat back
“Timothy Please” Jenny pleaded, “Lets try opening a gate there”
“Ok Miss Green as you asked nicely” Timothy replied, and then started to amend the controls to lock onto the artificial universe he had detected.
Soon a green vortex was opening up
“There’s no sucking that would indicate the other universe is a vacuum” Timothy observed
“I will go first” The Spirit of Lust told the group, “I can survive in places where humans can not. If it is safe I will let you know” with that she disappeared into the vortex
“Mark I don’t trust her” Jenny whispered to Mark
“Well she won’t want me dying” Timothy cut in, “So yes you can trust her”
After half a minute, the Spirit of Lust re-emerged from the vortex, “You can survive, but something is very odd”
“That’s it!” Timothy exclaimed, “The vortex is going to fail, so it’s now or never”
“It was nice getting to know you Jenny Green” Mark said to Jenny and then held her hand and the pair of them jumped through the vortex,
Timothy shrugged his shoulders “I’ll kind of miss this place” he muttered and with the wormhole generator and his palm pilot jumped through the green vortex to the artificial universe”
+ + +
Kathryn Cooper’s outer office
IDEC Headquarters
Washington DC
United States of America
[img=600x400]http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/Washington_DC_Monument_White_House.jpg[/img]
“Hi Walter, fancy meeting you here” said Jack Maddox, one of the three FBI men as the NSA director and Kathryn came into the outer office of her PA, “How’s your handicap getting along these days?” he asked
“Probably just as bad as yours Jack” Walter replied, “It’s been too long since we last played, maybe we can have a round this Sunday” he added
“No can do Walter” Jack replied, “Janine wants us to go over to Maryland this weekend, maybe the next Sunday?”
Kathryn gave a large audible cough.
“Now we’ve had these pleasantries” Kathryn cut in, “Mr Maddox I demand to know what is the meaning of this is”
“Sorry Chairman Cooper” Jack replied, “I’m here on official business I’m afraid”
“So am I Jack” Walter cut in, “And Kathryn given what’s going on, I think my deputy can give the briefing to the joint chiefs” he added before turning to Kathryn and asking, “Your PA should have the number could you get her to call him and get him to fill in, I think I ought stay here to help sort this mess out”
Kathryn nodded at Sophie, which Sophie interpreted as an instruction to contact the deputy director of the National Security Agency to pass the message on.
“My office, Now” Kathryn said to Jack, the lead FBI man.
Jack motioned for the other two to wait in the outer office and followed Walter into Kathryn’s office, closing the door.
“What the hell are you doing arresting one of my people without informing me first” Kathryn said loudly at Jack
“So you’ve heard” Jack commented, “well we’re informing you now Chairman Cooper” Jack replied curtly, “Plus we have a search warrant to look through Miss Wang’s workstation, computer here at the IDEC and her residence at the Quantico Marine base”
“Based on what?” Kathryn countered
“We have received an anonymous tip-off that Miss Wang may have given information to terrorists to construct one of your gizmos to travel to that other dimension you deal with” Jack explained, “And you must appreciate that as the existence of this world and this agency of yours is very highly classified we had to move fast. Especially since your own operational director, one Colonel Peters suspects that it has to be her”
Kathryn was shocked, it was obvious that someone was still listening to her conversations, and yet the office had been swept by Pete Smith, Sue-Lim’s fiancé. “Where did you get that” she demanded, “And that’s not what he said”
“We understand the Colonel rang this office earlier today and relayed that a terrorist group, which we now believe to be some so-called Northern Ireland loyalist terror group, opposed to the peace process over there, used such a device last night. He also said that it was Sue-Lim that recreated the device after an original was built by another member of the IDEC who turned rouge” Jack explained
“That does not explain where you got this from” Kathryn persisted, adding “And for the record he said that she
might be considered a prime suspect but then said there was no way she would ever betray us like that other IDEC technician did”
“With all due respect” Jack replied, “You don’t know that and after all she did have a mother who did work in the old Soviet embassy in London, who knows what ideology she was indoctrinated with”
“Her mother worked as a cleaner” Kathryn retorted, “And the British authorities considered she was suitable to be part of the IDEC when it was based mostly in the UK” she pointedly added
At this Walter interrupted, “Jack, Kathryn has a point, how does your source know all this? How come he is monitoring the phone conversations of the chairman of a highly classified government agency?”
“That’s not our concern Walter” Jack replied, “We were given a tip off, plus details of the suspect’s cell phone so we could find the suspect and make the arrest. I assume the informant was a concerned member of the IDEC”
“That call Mr Maddox” Kathryn went on, “came in on my private direct line from the Colonel. Not even Sophie out there has access to it”
“Jack” Walter added, “You may not be aware of all the facts here”
“What have you got Walter” Jack asked
Walter went over to Kathryn’s desk and picked up the film device and held it up, “Walter this surveillance device is still under evaluation by the NSA, we have not yet approved its use for the field, yet it was found planted in the residence of Miss Wang and her fiancé along with a number of other surveillance devices set to transmit on frequencies allotted to our agency”
“So maybe it was your agency who tipped us off?” Jack asked
“Absolutely not Jack” Walter replied, “There was no authorisation to carry out such an operation, and if we were officially investigating anyone from the IDEC I would know about it”
Jack shook his head in confusion, “So what are you getting at Walter?” he asked, then Jack suggested, “Have you considered that someone at the NSA has failed to keep you informed or the paperwork has gone missing. These things happen you know”
“Jack, your source had access to a phone intercept that not only did I not authorise but only our agency should have the ability to do. Jack, someone has been using NSA surveillance equipment without my authorisation on IDEC personnel.”
“Like I said, maybe things got lost in the paperwork, it even happens from time to time , I’m sorry to say with us at the FBI” Jack insisted
“Jack” Walter said with a more serious tone, “A while back there were voices with in the NSA that said that our agency should be the one to deal with Inter Dimensional activities, but I agreed that a separate agency with select people from the other agencies brought in was the way to go. Maybe someone in our agency is unhappy with that arrangement and has it in for them and by humiliating them they think they will get their work handed over to us”
“Well if you think someone is up to some extra-curricular activities” Jack replied, “Don’t you have your own internal affairs to investigate it?”
“Yes Jack” Walter agreed, “And I’m more than happy for the FBI to come in and help out in any investigation into possible malfeasance by operatives at the NSA, but I think whoever it is, they are also using the bureau to further their agenda”
“Yes” Kathryn butted in, “If someone is listening to my private conversations, it means that someone possibly in Mr Quentin’s agency has been out to bring down my agency. I believe classified information was passed on to the chairman of our senate oversight committee by persons unknown, that was why we did a sweep of our offices and quarters and found the surveillance devices. It’s the NSA you should be investigating not my people”
“I agree Jack” Walter added, “Come on, our two agencies have worked side by side before, so I’m more than happy for you to come in and investigate the NSA. I want those responsible caught and prosecuted”
“And I demand you release Sue-Lim Wang immediately”
“I can’t do that Chairman Cooper” Jack replied, “We have confirmation from your own colonel that someone used one of those devices you use for going to that alternate world of yours. And let us not forget, it was Miss Wang who recreated one in England against official IDEC policy”
“Only because a rouge aide of a committee member falsified an authorisation and ordered her to do so” Kathryn objected and then went on, “It’s therefore thanks to her, recreating the artificial wormhole generator, that we were able to deal with the situation with that entity who tried to destroy this planet, which may I remind you Mr Maddox, Miss Wang risked her life to help prevent happening”
“I’m sorry Chairman Cooper” Jack insisted, “But we have to investigate this, besides she is after all a foreign national, which means she can be declared an illegal combatant and sent to Gitmo”
Kathryn shook her head in disgust at the FBI man’s comments and went to her desk drawer, opened it and pulled out a small vial of blood and a file of papers, which she pushed into the hands of Jack.
“No she’s not” Kathryn insisted, “In that vial is a sample of blood from one Mr Vee, the paperwork is his DNA profile plus the one we have on record for Sue-Lim. When she was held in detention by immigration in Florida, Mr Vee gave this to me to help get her out as it proves he is her father. Fortunately I had friends in the right places and I never needed to use this until now. Whether Sue-Lim realises it or not, she has American citizenship and therefore she can not and should not be sent to
Guantanamo Bay”
“All this means Chairman Cooper” Jack retorted, “Is that she can be prosecuted for high treason under the patriot act, which may I remind you is a capital crime”
“You mean you would sentence to death a woman who helped save this planet?” Kathryn shouted with incredulity in her voice.
“Ok. Just for you I could recommend life without parole” Jack answered back, “will that make you happy?”
“So you’ve already convicted her then” Kathryn snapped back.
Walter at this point got in between Kathryn and Jack. “Jack” Walter went on, “Think about this, you are being used to further someone else’s agenda here. Who ever planted these devices also passed on your tip-off. They appear to be reading our mail and if they are able to do that then they most likely managed to hack in somehow to the IDEC network and steal the plans for that device and pass it on.”
“I know Sue-Lim” Kathryn angrily insisted, “She would never betray the IDEC, she was the victim of unlawful NSA surveillance and why would she be involved with these loyalist terrorists anyway, if that is who they are, she has never had any interest in Northern Ireland politics”
“I don’t know Chairman Cooper, but after she has been photographed and fingerprinted we will be trying to find out why”
“Jack” Walter became insistent, “Have you listened to a single word we’ve said?” he said with exasperation in his voice, “Ever since I have known you, you have always been stubborn”
“I would say resolute Walter” Jack replied
“Ok Jack, resolutely stubborn” Walter replied, “You are playing their game. Whoever gave you the tip-off is playing you for a fool and you are letting them. Look Jack, I was the one who suggested Kathryn for the short list when Mr Sanderson died, and I trust her judgement on this. For old time’s sake when we were both at Yale, release this woman and stop making yourself look ridiculous in the face of the evidence, after all the FBI doesn’t want yet another expensive
wrongful arrest suit do you?”
“We acted in good faith Walter” Jack insisted
“Of course you did” Jack replied, “And that is what they were counting on”
“I will go to the president if I have to” Kathryn insisted, “There is no way Sue-Lim would ever be involved in giving this technology to terrorists”
“But Chairman Cooper, they still got it and we have to find out how” Jack repeated
“And we shall” Kathryn told Jack, “I’m certain you can find some computer expert to find out where this hacker has got in to either our system or that of the NSA”
Walter then interrupted, “Come on Jack, I’ve offered you the chance of a joint investigation to find whoever in the NSA who is performing illegal surveillance, order this woman’s release”
“I can see about bringing her before a judge either tomorrow or the day after” Jack offered, “He may set bail for her, and we will consider if we oppose that or not”
“That’s not acceptable Mr Maddox” Kathryn retorted, “I want her released immediately”
“Like I said Chairman Cooper, that’s not going to happen. She is a prime suspect and until you can prove that someone else has leaked that information to that terrorist group, I’m holding onto her as right now she is number one suspect”
“Haven’t you got that the wrong way around”, Kathryn snapped back “don’t you have to prove she is guilty”
“Jack” Walter went on, “I’ll say it again you are being a stubborn fool who refuses to admit when they are wrong. Just say that the tip off you got turned out to be from a malicious source and release her. Don’t let the bureau be used by whoever is doing this”
“I have to go now Walter” Jack replied with equal insistence, “I have a search warrant to execute and a suspect to interrogate”
With that Jack turned and left
“I’m sorry Kathryn” Walter said to Kathryn, “He’s just determined to hang your Sue-Lim out to dry. Ever since we first met, he just does not like to admit to making mistakes”
“Thank you anyway Mr Quentin” Kathryn sighed, “It looks like I will have to see if I can attend Sue-Lim’s hearing when it happens”
“I’ll attend it with you” Walter added, “If one of my people has done this, it’s the least I can do”
Just then a breathless Charlene arrived, “Miss Cooper” She gasped, “They say they are still holding Sue-Lim, yet she’s innocent”
“We know Charlene” Kathryn replied, “We tried to make him see sense, but he’s determined she’s guilty already”
“Then Miss Cooper” Charlene pleaded, “At least tell them to put her on suicide watch. The state she was in before they arrested her, I don’t think she will be able to cope”
“I’ll ask them” Kathryn replied, “but don’t hold your breath the way they seem to be, they just won’t listen”
“It just occurred to me Kathryn” Walter spoke out, “They have a search warrant, which means it had to have been authorised by a judge” and then he raced out of the door saying, “I want to try something”
#
Walter ran through the corridors and finally caught up with Jack and the other FBI special agents as they headed to Sue-Lim’s work area.
“Wait up Jack” Walter called out
“I’ve got nothing more to say Walter” Jack replied, “We will not be releasing Miss Wang, we have an investigation to perform”
“I know Jack” Walter replied, “You’ve got a warrant”
“Yes do you need to see it Walter, it’s not your agency under investigation”
“Jack” Walter continued, “There are only a limited number of judges who are cleared to know of the existence of the IDEC”
“And we found one Walter, your point?”
“I have good friends in the
D-O-J, who owe me a few favours Jack”
“And?”
“One call from me and your warrants for this search can be revoked and you will be ordered to release Miss Wang anyway. I’m sure they will only be too happy to hear how you have ignored evidence from me that your source for the tip off is more likely to be the suspect than this woman, especially a hero who helped save Earth. Do you think you will last much longer as director of the FBI?”
“So you’re threatening me Walter” Jack snarled back, “Just to satisfy your protégé Miss Cooper”
“Just to stop you doing something stupid” Jack calmly replied and then took out his cell phone and flipped it open, “So Jack what’s it to be?”
Jack looked daggers at Walter and then told the other FBI agents to go and wait in the car, and then turned back to Walter, “Tell Miss Cooper to collect her from the Hoover building in about one hour” and then started to walk off
Just before he left he turned to Walter and shouted, “This is not over Jack”
“I guess our golf match for Sunday after next is cancelled” Walter shouted back in response
Jack chose not to reply and stormed off leaving Walter to go back to inform Kathryn
+ + + +
London – Over Looking the River Thames
Mr Vee came round; he was rather groggy and disorientated and felt himself sitting in a chair in restraints.
“Well James” Sir Sidney Gerald said to him, “You’re awake”
Mr Vee just glowered at him
“Come on James” Sir Sidney pressed, “Let’s not start the silent treatment; after all I have all number of drugs here to loosen your tongue”
Then Sir Sidney walked over to his desk and picked up a small pendant on a silver chain, “Or I could put this on you, it’s a pendant of truth from an interesting place called The Mystical Realms. I believe you call it IDW01. I much prefer Mystical Realms myself”, more poetic a name don’t you think?
Mr Vee shook his head, “Sidney I should have realised it was you”
“But you didn’t James that’s the whole beauty of this”
“Why?”
“Why what?” Sir Sidney asked, “Why have I done this to you or why am I doing what I am doing?”
“Why Sidney, if you feel the same way we do about deals with the authorities on IDW01 did you not come to me and join us” Mr Vee groggily asked
“Because I do not quite share your scepticism or the current chairman’s enthusiasm James” Sir Sidney went on, “Your side would like nothing better than for humanity to have nothing to do with them and for us to find a way to prevent travel to and from our two worlds. I, as a business man consider The Mystical Realms as a place to exploit just like any other resource. I also have views on how things should be run here on Earth as well, and I believe this world has provided what I need to ensure my views are carried out”
“So what do you want from me Sidney?” Mr Vee asked, “It sounds like you have everything you want”
“Not quite James” Sidney replied, “But I’m working on it. I wanted to know why your little cabal in DC had sent you over here”
Mr Vee remained silent
“Oh I can guess James, you and that delightful yet inexperienced chairman of the IDEC got some rather awkward questions from one of your oversight committees you have over there. From your question about me joining your little cabal, you came to try and recruit me, how very thoughtful of you James”
Then Sir Sidney knelt down at Mr Vee’s chair where he was restrained, “Thank you so much for the invitation, but as you Americans say, let me
take a rain check on that”
Suddenly there was a wind in the office, and there stood what appeared to be a young woman in black clothes with jet black hair.
Sir Sidney stood up to greet this new comer, obviously to Mr Vee an inter dimensional entity.
“I’ve transported Mr Swales to London like you asked sir” the woman replied.
“Oh good, and he knows what his target looks like?” Sir Sidney asked the young woman.
“Yes sir, I gave him the photo you gave me, but he said he knew who he was anyway and that killing him would be a pleasure”
“I do so like it when people are enthusiastic and motivated about their work” Sir Sidney replied to her, and then turning to Mr Vee added, “Don’t you James?”
“Who’s this?” The woman then said and walked over to where Mr Vee was restrained
“Oh I’m sorry James?” Sir Sidney apologised, “I forgot to introduce you, this is Celeste, she has taken over from her father, the Spirit of Death, like you he’s another guest of mine”
Then to Celeste he said, “And this Celeste is James, an old friend of mine from way back when I dabbled in the intelligence business, although for his own reasons goes about by the name Mr Vee”
Mr Vee just kept silent, after all what could he say or do at that moment. It was clear his former contact in MI5 liaison officer was running the show and that somehow he had to be stopped.
Sir Sidney, then took from his desk a long silk scarf and gave it to Celeste, “Would you take this little present to another young woman in America. I believe her name is Sue-Lim Wang, I understand she is being held in custody by the federal authorities and if my information is correct, I think she will find it rather fetching”
Celeste for a moment seemed to be confused at this apparent generosity, but took the scarf and vanished into thin air.
“What are you going to do to Sue-Lim?” Mr Vee asked with concern in his voice.
“Me and Celeste, nothing, but a source of mine from across the pond revealed that just before her arrest they overheard an interesting piece of information about what happened to her when she was in that awful immigration detention centre. When people always visit the same coffee shop day in day out, it’s awfully easy to enable one to eves drop on certain conversations. If I read her profile correctly and my grasp of psychology from our days together in The Business, then we won’t need to do anything, she will do it herself, and there will be one less member of the IDEC to cause me trouble”
Sir Sidney spotted something was up by Mr Vee’s demeanour at this news, so then asked, “What’s it to you anyway?”
+ + + +
A dark plane in an unknown artificial universe
The Spirit of Lust watched as Timothy shut the wormhole generator down, severing their contact with what he had called IDW02. “We are here, so what is this place?” she asked
“Beats me” Timothy replied, then added, “You know what this reminds me of
“The movie
Tron” Mark suggested
“Yeah” Timothy replied
“What movie was that?” Jenny asked
“It was a film from 1982” Timothy explained, “About a man pulled into a series of computer games”
“This is like the World of Warcraft was” The Spirit of Lust added, “But where are the trees, the buildings the people and entities”
“Could this be free floating after the destruction of Earth?” Jenny asked
Timothy came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She squirmed so he removed it and apologised which seemed novel for both of them. Then Timothy explained further, “For an artificial universe to still exist and be gateable it means that the main world where it is generated from must still be inexistence”
“Yes I remember” The Spirit of Lust said with venom, “That treacherous Mr Andrews used his powers to shut it down on me”
“So Earth still exists” Mark suggested
“May be” Timothy remarked coming up to stand beside the commander, “But then it could be generated by an alien world entirely” he suggested
Suddenly the Spirit of Lust called out, “In the distance, over there” she cried
The three humans tried to peer into the distance where the major spirit of vice was pointing, but all they could see was some distant structures
“Lusty Babes” Timothy went on
Suddenly a bolt hit Timothy and sent him flying
“Now we are in this universe, you no longer have that hold on me you miserable excuse for a” the Spirit of Lust began
Suddenly she began to shrink as Timothy picked himself up, “Oh don’t I?” he told her, “It was my imagination that created IDW02 and helped get you out into my world, and I can still put you back” he told her
Jenny watched as the shrunken Spirit of Vice glowered at Timothy,
So that was his hold – He had had to use his own collective unconscious as it were, to release her from the electronic prison but not fully
“We don’t have time for this” Mark cut in, and then to the Spirit of Lust asked, “What did you see”
“Tell him not to call me Lusty Babe” The Spirit of Lust insisted. Mark looked at Timothy
“I’m sorry oh Spirit of Lust” he said in a sarcastic manner, “I meant it as a terms of endearment, honestly”
Then the Spirit of Lust grew back to her previous size
“Ok” Mark spoke up, “What did you see Spirit of Lust?”
“They look like cages, three of them” the Spirit of Lust replied, “Cages of light containing three prisoners”
“Who?” Mark asked
The Spirit of Lust peered into the distance, “One looks like” then she stopped, “It can’t be”
“Who?” Timothy prompted.
The Spirit of Lust looked daggers at him then replied, “The Spirit of Death”
“Great!” Jenny exclaimed, “Another spirit of vice”
“No he is not!” Insisted the Spirit of Lust, “He is a spirit of necessity, neither vice nor virtue as is…”
The Spirit of Lust peered further into the darkness at the structures in the distance, “I do not believe it!” she exclaimed, “It is Lachesis the spinner of destinies, and” The Spirit of Lust shook her head, “She looks every bit like my deluded sister that I had killed, she is one of her daughters”
Mark frowned, “Caer or Fidelity?”
“I can not tell at this distance” The Spirit of Lust replied
“I’ve met them” Jenny ventured, “When the Andrews adopted their first child Sarah Smith in Ireland on her sixth birthday, I went over and met them”
“Well” Mark commented, “As she is now human, that means who ever is holding her here has to enter this universe to feed her”
“And if they are not?” Jenny asked
“We have to rescue her and get her out of here back to Earth” Mark answered, then turning to the Spirit of Lust asked her, “Do you have a problem with that”
The Spirit of Lust seemed momentarily taken aback by the question, then smiled a cruel grin, “Of course not Commander, which ever one it is, she has given up her birthright of spirit-hood, she will grow old and like you die. She is no longer a challenger to me”
The commander then turned to Timothy, “Once we get her free, can you make that generator open up a gate to Earth?”
“Sure Commander” Timothy replied, “But unlike with travel between Earth and the Mystical Realms, from here in order to get co-ordinates for where the wormhole is supposed to go, like when you arrived on IDW02, I need someone to enter this universe to get the reciprocal co-ordinates or else we could end up anywhere but Earth”
“So that settles it” Mark instructed the group, “We go to those cages and see what we can do about getting at those prisoners released, finding a way back to Earth and seeing who is behind this artificial universe”
“And you were appointed the leader by whom?” Timothy asked
“Any better plans?” Mark answered
Timothy looked at the ground or what passed of for it then looked up, “OK but I want three days head start before you start tracking me”
“Nice try” Mark retorted
“Mr Zachary” The Spirit of Lust interrupted, “One of those prisoners is my niece, and I would dearly like to see her released, if you understand what I am saying” she said with an air of menace
“OK I’m in” Timothy replied
“For the record so am I” Jenny piped up and then headed in the direction of the structures.
+ + + +
An interrogation room
The FBI J Edgar Hoover Building
Washington DC
Sue-Lim sat there in the chair almost catatonic in front of the table alone in the room, her eyes red from crying.
The FBI was convinced she had been supplying terrorists with IDEC technology and would not believe her. What were they going to do now?
Extraordinary Rendition?
Camp X-Ray
Lethal Injection?
She just sat there shaking her head, thinking even her beloved Pete and her friends at the IDEC would most likely abandon her. All was lost
She did not notice Celeste materialise in the room. Anyway, Celeste was using her power to be hid from the sight of mortal beings.
“Hello Sue-Lim isn’t it?” Celeste said to her, not expecting to get an answer
Celeste walked around and leaned on the table in front of her. Sue-Lim looked straight through her. “Come on Sue-Lim” Celeste said to her, “It’s not that bad, if they send you to prison you will at least get regular meals”
Then Celeste remembered the silk scarf, “No hard feelings there Sue-Lim” she said, “The boss sent me to give you this gift” Celeste added, putting the scarf on the table.
Sue-Lim looked in amazement as a silk scarf appeared on the table out of thin air. She looked up at the ceiling.
The light fitting looked sturdy enough.
Sue Lim knew what to do
Celeste watch in astonishment as Sue-Lim picked up the scarf, tied a small noose which she placed over her head and around her neck and stood on the chair, and then on the table and tied one end securely to the light fitting, and then zombie like began to step off the table so she would be hanging by her neck with the silk scarf.
“Sue-Lim” Celeste screeched, “Are you crazy?” Celeste screamed, “It’s not supposed to be your time”
And then she was hanging and asphyxiating
“No way” Celeste shouted and went to intervene, but there was some kind of force blocking her like a force field.
Quickly she took out the parchment with the duties on, and there suddenly appearing in silver letters was the name “Sue-Lim Wang”
“No!” Celeste shouted in protest
It was clear someone or something wanted Sue-Lim dead before her time, and this time, like with the little child earlier, Celeste did not want her to die, but unlike that time with that child, Celeste seemed unable to directly intervene to save her.
To be continued