New Neighbors

Chapter 27

Sally and Linda landed at the Center located in Chicago under cover of darkness. They would be staying here for the time being while Sally talked with students at both the colleges and high schools in the area. The first task was to see what the general feelings of the "customers" here at the Center. Sally had Linda go ahead and setup a place to sleep for the two of them, while Sally reviewed the records for this Center to select some people to speak with later in the day. One of the first things she noticed was that a certain man was listed as coming every day and had been refused entry the last two times. The records showed that he wasn't in need of medical help and refused to take job referrals. All he wanted was access to the computer system. Sally left a note for the Center's manager to allow this man entry and to have him escorted to an office to meet with Sally, and Linda, when he arrived. In all, Sally spent two hours reviewing the records before calling it a night.

About 10 am Sally was notified that the man in question had arrived and was waiting in an office to meet with her. Sally and Linda walked into the office and the man seemed shocked to see Linda. The man got very nervous as Sally sat down and introduced herself and her companion. "Damn, I wish I had that telepathy ability right now" Sally thought.

"Mr. Connors, I see that you keep asking for access to our computer system and was wondering why you are so interested in them." Sally said

"What is she doing here? I thought they would have kept her locked up for a long time." Connors asked, pointing at Linda.

"This lady is assigned as my assistant while I'm here in Chicago. I take it that you two are acquainted. But, as to my question about your interest in our computers?" Sally replied.

Connors just got up and started to leave when Linda took charge and restrained him. She had finally remembered where she knew him from; he was the one that almost cost her her career in the Marines when she was on Earth before. After a few minutes of struggling Linda had Connors face down on the floor with both arms behind his back.

"He is FBI or NSA Sally" Linda said.

"You're in trouble now. My backup will be here in seconds, I've already alerted them." Connors said.

"How did you alert them? This room is shielded to all communications except those that I allow with the main frame here at the center. Linda, please escort our newest guest to the special room downstairs, without attracting any attention." Sally replied.

So the government was snooping around the centers and trying to access the computers. Well they were in for a surprise, the computers in the centers were not the usual ones, but were specially made by AL, and now Marcie, and did not work like the computers of Earth. Sally had the AI secure the whole center as to any communication that wasn't from a trusted person. Then she contacted Marcie to see if any other center had any problems like this one. After getting Marcie started on querying the other centers, Sally asked the manager to come see her and bring any information that might indicate any other problems that were similar.

Once Linda returned she explained that "Connors" had tried to have her locked up before because she wouldn't let him on base without proper ID; but her commanding officer had intervened and the charges disappeared. Sally asked that Linda keep a low profile, but to look around the center and see if she saw anyone else that might be with Connors. She was going to speak with some more of the young people here at the center to get their thoughts on the Amyins.

Later that night Sally and Linda discussed their findings, Linda had found about four more people she thought might be up to no-good and had alerted security to them. Sally had found that all the young people she spoke with, except one, thought that the Amyins were cool and wanted to join when they got older. A few of the adults she had spoken with had thought that this was too good to be true and that the government would find a way to mess it up.

Sally spent about two more days at the center before she and Linda headed out to talk with people at the colleges and schools. After about two weeks of talking with the students in the area, Sally and Linda moved on to the next stop, Saint Louis. From Saint Louis they went to Memphis, then into Mississippi, then worked their way west towards the west coast. Sally beefed up the screening in each center as she came to them. She found at least one or two government agents at each center and they were all made to disappear. Sally also recruited about 300 people between Chicago and the west coast that had not checked out the centers and applied for service. There had been a couple of scrapes that Linda had to deal with, but all in all the trip so far had been very productive, at least as far as Sally was concerned.

It had been six months and now Sally was in New York and headed to see the UN, as a visitor. She wanted to see what went on there when they didn't know they were being watched. The papers and news shows were full of reports of people that turned up missing in the past six months, most of them had been young people. The same reports were coming from all over the world, young people disappearing over night. What was not in the papers and on the news was the number of undercover government agents that had disappeared. Cmdr Thomas reported that the recruits were getting better and that the screening had really improved since Sally had been on Earth.

Once Sally and Linda were in the visitor area they were able to hear what was going on in the general chamber. It seemed that several countries were complaining about the disappearance of their operatives in areas around the centers. There was still much talk about the Amyins not paying for or using local resources. After listening for several hours, Sally and Linda left the UN and headed towards Washington DC to see what they could pick up there. One thing that had caught both of their attention was the fact that the majority of the complaints had been from the largest nations represented, USA, Russia, China, and France. The UK had been conspicuous by its lack of complaint. The smaller third world countries had not complained and had defended the Amyins since they took a large burden off the government.

As the two girls were leaving the area around the UN, several young men started following them and making rude comments that were really getting under Linda’s skin. When one of the young men pinched Linda on the butt from behind, that was all she could take and she reacted by putting the culprit on the ground in a very rough manner. She turned to the others and told them that their mothers had done a bad job of teaching them manners and respect for women. She offered to educate the rest but they ran off as a police car pulled up. Sally and Linda explained what had happened, then the police asked that Linda remove her foot from the neck of the young man and let him up from the pavement. The officer just told him to be on his way and to stay out of trouble. As the young man started to leave two combat armored figures came up and asked what was going on. When the officer said he had everything under control and that it didn’t concern them the two figures explained that anything that occurred around the UN concerned them, especially when the local police didn’t do their job and protect the general public. The cop left very upset. After the cop was out of hearing range, one of the figures said, “It isn’t as if you needed any help Sergeant”. With that they left also.

Once they had arrived in Washington, Sally and Linda checked in at the local center for the night. As Sally was eating supper a young man with an English accent approached her and asked if he could speak with her for a minute. Sally told him to have a seat and asked what she could do for him. The young man said he was one of the two Marines assigned to watch over her and the sergeant and he wanted to apologize for it taking so long for them to arrive, but they had taken time to have a chat with the ones that ran before coming over. Sally told him that no apology was needed, but did thank him and his partner for their help.

After finishing her meal, Sally used the direct link to the president to tell him that he could expect a visit from her the next day; but not to be surprised when they met. It was around 10 am when Sally and Linda arrived at the White House. As soon as Linda showed her ID, and two Marines walked up behind her, a message was sent to notify the president of the arrival of Sally and Linda. The two were escorted to the president who mistook Linda as the representative. Linda quickly rectified that error when she told the president that Sally was the representative not her. The president was very surprised at this announcement.

“I told you not to be surprised,” Sally said with a giggle.

“I understand that you are missing several agents from around our centers. They will be returned in a few days, along with information as to who told them to try and gain access to our computers and technology without our permission. Just so you don’t feel too bad, the USA isn’t the only country trying the same covert operations. The agents will be returned publicly and their controllers exposed on national TV” Sally continued.

The president went very pale at the mention of the public exposure of the agents and their orders to infiltrate the centers. He was just starting to try and talk Sally out of this idea when Sally interrupted him.

“You were warned that we were aware of your attempted infiltration of our bases and centers, but you continued just the same. We came out of hiding to help the world and this is how you repay us for the effort. I have lived her on Earth for over sixteen years and have observed the way that Washington operates. You are more interested in the people with money, than the general public. I believe that the Constitution, or is it the Declaration of Independence, says that this is suppose to be “a government of the people, for the people, and by the people”. Well from what I’ve seen that thought has been forgotten. The common person isn’t represented any longer; only the people that can pay big bucks are taken care of by the government. I will forego the public humiliation of exposing your attempts this time and return your agents. But, if we catch any more we will expose your little subterfuge in a very public manner. The other countries will be given the same warning. Do I make myself clear?” Sally said.

The president looked a little relieved at this news. He was quiet for a few seconds as the threat made by Sally sank in; gathering his wits about himself the president tried to speak again. "I appreciate your not wanting to embarrass the US, after all, we are one of your biggest supporters. I will see that the ones responsible for this transgression are reprimanded. But I'm sure you are mistaken as to the intent behind these actions. I mean, didn't we supply the troops you requested, which we haven't heard from or seen since? If we are supposed to be allies, should we not share technology?"

Sally explained that the world was not ready for access to Amyins technology yet, and that this was proven by the attempts to gain that technology by covert means; not to mention the fact that the US alone had been using the power of the atom only as a weapon system or to transport a weapon, not for the common good of the planet. Whenever the US made a new discovery it was first looked at as a weapon to be used against some other country. When new treatments were found anywhere else in the world that treatment was considered suspect until it had been in use for at least 15 to 20 years before the US would even try to use it to help their own people. Sally went on to tell him that his predecessors had been warned many years ago that the continued use of fossil fuels was damaging the atmosphere but nothing was done to correct that problem, in fact the oil and automotive industries did everything they could to keep on using those fossil fuels, which were in short supply.

"We setup the centers to help the general public in the area of health care and to provide opportunities for those less fortunate to gain some type of life. We gave you access to a clean energy source to replace those fossil fuels and you have not even tried to put that source of power to work except where we first set them up. Instead you have had your top scientists try and find a way to use that power source as a weapon to your benefit. Luna, please have our guests from the US returned, wearing only their real IDs and swim attire. Have them dropped about two miles from what they call 'Area 51'. But, first have them asked if they want to return or join our off-world forces. Now Mr. President, I believe this will conclude our meeting, unless you have more items to discuss. Your agents will be returned as promised, that is the ones who want to return." Sally said in closing.

With nothing else to discuss Sally and Linda left the White House. The two of them then visited each of the major countries that had agents missing and the same message was given, this took about a week to accomplish since Sally didn't feel a need to rush. After all the agents who wanted to return were back in their own countries, Sally once again spoke at the UN. This time there was not near as much mumbling and groaning about the Amyins. As she was leaving the UN building, Sally saw the same NYPD officer she and Linda had met previously. He no longer had sergeant stripes on his sleeve though.