Chapter 10
Getting everyone to walk through the wall in the basement was easier
than Carl though it would be. Wally went first, so when everyone saw
that he didn't simply bump into the wall, but disappeared instead, they
followed. Carl, Father, and Wally each led a small group up to the
conference room that was next to his office on level one. "Everyone,
I'd like to welcome you all to the Easter Island research facility —
our new base."
"Just how big is this place, Carl?" Mike asked. "And did you
say Easter Island? What about that?" he asked gesturing to the
windows. The high mountain view was visible.
"I don't actually know; and yes I did. As for the view, it's not real. We are currently about two thousand feet below the surface of the island. Father said this used to be a research facility used by the Illuminati. He has directed the base to undergo some modifications to better suit our needs," Carl said. "He has maps printed out for you to carry with you until you get used to the layout, but be advised that those maps will be changing as the modifications get finished." He nodded to Father to continue.
"This facility is rather larger than I believe you realize, Highness. We are currently on the smallest of the levels; level one — Admin." A hologram took form over the conference table with a small glowing dot in one of the tiny rooms. "On this level are all the administrative offices, main computing, and the security control center." As he spoke, the different sections highlighted themselves. "The admin section is wrapped around a central cavern that goes all the way to the bottom of the current complex." The hologram changed to a different layout with a part of it fitting the same general shape of level one. "This is level two — Medical. The hospital and staff residences are located here. As you can see, the hospital is located under security and computing, but is much larger. The staff residences are located under the admin side." The hologram changed again; this map was even larger than the previous one. "Level three was mostly a warehouse area, but the commissary, replication, and a communal dining hall, as well as the transporter, are also on that level. As you can see, the warehouse is actually two floors deep, also becoming part of level four." Once again the hologram changed to another floor plan. "This is level four. It was the research area, and could easily be used as that again. It is equipped with multiple computer interfaces and the rooms have a tighter security. Level five..." The image changed again, "... was a, umm, a residential area for the test subjects used in the research." The hologram changed to the largest floor plan yet, easily four times the size of level three, which had been the largest of the levels. "This is the current residential level. As you can see, the same four lifts that service the rest of the base can also go to multiple locations by passing through level six and moving horizontally to the appropriate section before raising back to level six. I have already instructed the base maintenance drones to begin construction on level seven, which will be another residential area. The area between levels six and seven is where the base power systems are located." As he finished, all the levels reappeared above the table, stacked up to form a three-dimensional model of the base.
"I think I did under-estimate the size of this place. I had no idea it was this big," Carl said.
"We also have plenty of room to grow since the shielding is a natural formation and is almost as large as the island is. In some areas it extends out under the ocean floor a short distance," Father explained.
"Is there surface access, for an emergency?" Brian asked.
"No. The only way in or out is by the transporter. However, it does have its own emergency power system in case the primary fails," Father said.
"Okay, so how do we get the people here?" Rose asked. "Obviously we can't have people just showing up at Wally's house."
Marsha Jackson raised her hand. "Excuse me, but if I could, I'd like to handle recruitment. I've a couple of ideas that I'd like to discuss with Father about that. The question I'd like to know is how long until we can start to set up shop in here, and when do you want to start bringing people in?"
All eyes were once again on Carl. "We can start setting up here as soon as the base computer is ready for us. As for when we start training people, let's see how much time we're going to need to get set up."
Father smiled. "The modifications asked for will be finished by the end of the day. The new residence level will take a couple of weeks yet. We also need to do some research for the replicator computer for foods and equipment. So, I'd say you can start setting up tomorrow. However, I'll need people for the research."
The meeting broke up, and everyone headed back to Wally's house after a tentative official opening decided for two weeks from today. Everyone almost ran back up the stairs, excited to start their own tasks. It was going to be a very busy two weeks.
Selected groups of Mike's people, accompanied by small sensor drones, visited hundreds of different stores in six different states. The replicator computer got examples of over a million different manufactured goods as well as most of the foods available in the United States.
Carl worked on getting his office equipped the way he liked it, and Father got the lines of communications installed — including full satellite television. The base was set up and ready to go.
A warehouse located in Kansas City was found to be on a lay line much like Wally's house, and a transporter was set up after Wanda purchased the building. Mike's people had been working day and night to bring in examples of their available weapons for Father and the future research team to look over.
Carl's office door chimed to announce a visitor. "Come in."
"Sir, I have a question," Marsha said after she entered. "Would you like me to have lists of recruits approved before I start bringing them in?"
"I don't see why you'd need to, you know how many people we can handle at one time. But I assumed most of the first few batches would be Mike's teams," Carl replied.
"We talked it over, and we need other people as well as his, so we agreed to limit his requests to two teams per cycle. The rest are for other departments," Marsha answered.
Carl chuckled. "What we are going to be training the most will be in his department. Most of these people will be technically soldiers."
Marsha smiled slightly. "Only until we get rid of the Antioch, then those people will be going back to a normal life. Well, as normal as a world full of active telepaths can be."
Carl sighed; "Yeah, we are going to be changing our world in a rather major way, but there aren't many other options. I don't know if it's the Antioch's influence, but greed and religion seem to be taking over more and more every day, at least in the United States. I just don't have enough information on other countries to come to a conclusion about them. I just hope what we are going to do will make it better."
"I do too, but I still wish we didn't have to activate the better part of eleven billion people. Even with many other bases, it's going to take us years to do. I don't see how we'll be able to hide everyone from the Antioch."
"I know, that thought bothers me more than I'm willing to admit, but I still haven't come up with any other way to do this," Carl admitted.
"Well, I'm going out with a couple of our troops to get some people lined up. Mike is getting the military people on Father's list reassigned to his command, or to units that answer to him. The one problem he's going to have is a naval flag officer whose son has a very high metasynth reading. The boy is only fifteen, but is very rebellious. In fact, he's run away a few times. So we're considering 'helping' him do it again. However, the wife and little sister are also pretty strong and it would be a shame to leave them out of this. Besides, an Admiral could be a useful ally when the shit gets thick," Marsha explained.
"It may very well be that he is conditioned like Renee was too. I know if I wanted to control a nation's military, I would want to have a firm grasp on all the leaders. He may require special handling," Carl said. "Just let us know if you think you need more help with him."
"Okay, will do," she said as she was leaving.
"Oh, by the way, do you know where your husband is?"
"Yeah, he's finishing up the deal on your new house. He said he had a meeting with the realtor handling it this morning."
Carl chuckled. "I'd forgotten about that. I'll give him a call and head back to Wally's. Something is bothering me and I think he can answer the questions I have."
"What's up, Boss?" Mike asked as he sat down at the dining room table for lunch.
"I'm a little concerned about something; maybe I'm just being paranoid," Carl admitted.
Mike chuckled, "Being paranoid is a good thing. What's bugging you?"
"You told us that your force was created as a final defense against alien invasion. Who formed it? Who in the government knows about it? Who is supplying your support?" Carl asked.
"Good questions; all of them," Mike said. "We were formed by a general back in the 1950's. He was paranoid as well, especially after how the government handled Roswell. He had made good use of his resources in recruiting specialized scientists and trained soldiers. He never actually asked for — or received — approval from any government agency, but he did have a lot of people in those agencies working to prevent the group's discovery, as well as providing other means of support in the form of resources for weapons or the weapons themselves. In most cases, either the weapons systems or the people involved are listed as destroyed or dead. Our people are all volunteers, and have been checked out to the very best of our government's ability to do so. We've been monitoring all the security agencies that we can - and that's all of them we know of — for any suspicion that we have been compromised. So far, we're safe. Pretty soon, we'll even have reports from the guards at Groom Lake."
"I thought that base had been abandoned because the government could no longer deny its existence?" Carl asked.
"Well, according to the government there is no such thing as aliens either. Groom Lake is too large a complex to just move. From the rumors I've heard, they have a complete spaceport built into the hills surrounding it. We'll know more once we get some of our activated people out there. We've never been able to get that many people out there, so we had no idea that this much was going on. We did know that the government was experimenting with alien technology, but didn't have the resources in place to do more than observe from the gate," Mike said.
"Well, be careful with that. Be sure that those going to that base cannot be traced back to us. I'd hate to lose anyone, but that could cost us all," Carl said.
Mike smiled tolerantly; "Sir, they will have the best shielding the twins can give them, covering completely false implanted memories. Even the sending of the information back to us will be done by the subconscious. Most importantly, the people we'll be using won't even know they're spying for us."
"We're not going to kidnap and reprogram people are we? I don't think I could do that to someone," Carl said.
"No, not in this case. But sir, you're going to have to realize that sometime we are going to have to use people in such a way that it might get them killed or worse, all without their knowledge or consent. This is a war, and people die in war," Mike said gently. "It doesn't sit well with me either, but we have to be ready to accept some losses if the rest of us are going to survive."
"Yeah, I know. But if we have to kill our own people to kill the enemy... it just makes me feel like one of those terrorists from the Middle East."
"That's because, in most cases, it's pretty much the same thing. Try not to worry about it too much; I have no intention of doing that to someone, and never anything permanent. I'm not saying I won't do it, just that I have no intention of doing it. The people involved in the mission I was mentioning are fully aware of all the things required to make them this way. They have all volunteered, and know that rescue isn't an option. Most have requested a form of mental failsafe device. One that will mind-wipe them if they are tampered with after the mission starts. Rose is working on how to create one. That sister of yours is pure sneaky. I'd really hate to piss her off," Mike said.
"Maybe we should get her to work on your Admiral problem," Carl suggested.
"That might not be a bad idea. She'd make a hell of a rat catcher," Mike said.
"I thought you called them 'spooks' now?"
"Spooks are the field agents, the analysts are still called rat catchers because they do all the brain work the agents don't have time for in the field. She'd make a good analyst," Mike explained.
"You think she's good, you should see what Wanda can do. That woman is scary-smart. How do you think she made so much damn money? And she did it all from her computer at home. It sounds like those two would be real good troubleshooters if you need them."
Mike looked thoughtful. "I might at that. Perhaps I should give them all the information I have now, so they can get a feel for the operations side of things."
"Upload it all to Father and have them get it from him. You do know that you can restrict access to information passed through him don't you? The only person with override power is me, and I'm too busy to look anyway," Carl suggested.
"Yeah, you're the Emperor. How does it feel to be king?" Mike asked.
"Scary. I never wanted this much power. I'll be relying on you and the other 'Ministers' to make sure I don't make too many bad decisions. Of course, I may need my ego deflated every now and then too," Carl joked.
"Yeah, but you have wives for that!" Mike laughed.
"Master, we may have a problem," the man said as he knelt on one knee before the smaller being seated to the left of a large throne.
"What is it, Stark? Did you manage to lose another of the misguided?"
The man turned white as he was reminded of his failure, yet again, by his master. "No Master, but there might be a problem with the one I lost."
"Well, quit hedging and get to the point, I'm busy."
"Master, the recovered bodies from the car wreck didn't feel right. They were covered in residual essence. Also our interviews with the Taylor household don't seem natural. As you know, we could not get a very good read on them because of the blessed house. But what we did get felt almost too normal," Stark explained. "I'm not certain that we know the whole truth here. So I took it upon myself to get the Office of Homeland Security interested in them, as well as the Bureau."
"You explained this all to me before, Stark."
"Yes Master; there has been a development. The satellite has picked up unusual activity at the Taylor household. During the time it is in range, it has detected all the heat signatures in the abode. The problem is that the number is rarely constant. Observers have not logged a corresponding amount of people leaving, and never any of the people we want to scan," Stark explained.
"Devise a way to get them away from the house — destroy it if you need to — and scan them. If you still have doubts at that point, kill them and be done with it. I'm tired of hearing about this issue. We have other servants waking up that need guidance."
Again, Stark bowed low; "As you command, Master."
After the human servant left, another being approached; "Galeb, are you sure that is wise? The Inquisitor will not be pleased to lose such a powerful servant."
"As far as the Inquisitor knows, the servant has already been killed. There are hundreds more where this one came from. Some things are not worth the effort to do, Ramral. This is one of them."
Later that day, Inquisitor Ramral of the clan of the Talisman finished encoding the data packet to his brethren on the homeworld concerning the Taylor debacle. He would await the reply from this message; he was sure that a situation could be developed that his brethren had been waiting centuries for. The faction supporting the renegade Inquisitors was strong, but could not withstand what was coming. Even the Pontiff knew that what was being done to these people was wrong. It was well past time that it ended.
While he waited, he began working on a plan to get off the base and
away from potential pursuit. He would need time to get the humans
organized into a resistance, one strong enough to oppose the fleet the
renegades commanded. He would have to use some of his essence to get to
the surface, and out of the gate. From there he would need to have
help, which meant he would have to take control of yet another poor
human to get him to Minneapolis before Stark could act. Perhaps Stark
could be convinced to delay his actions for a few days...