Wasteland Rules: Born to Fight (The World After Book 2) (29 page)

June 25, 2029

Olympus Station, Near Earth Orbit

   Derek and Rora took off running towards where the
Voice claimed to be. It turned out to be a quarter of the way around the
station and they encountered more drones along the way. It was a mixed group of
grey and black clad drones, all with the same reflective face plates. The drone
opened fire immediately upon sighting them, but not with any organization. They
fired indiscriminately and without any tactical movement, including the soldier
drones.

   Two drones fell to friendly fire and the others
simply stepped on them to get at Derek and Rora. They returned fire but were
forced back by the volume and intensity of the mindless attackers. He killed
one more as they retreated, but the armor and lack of pain experienced by the
drones was making it difficult to stop the combat drones. A second group
approached from the other direction trapping them between the two. A pulse bolt
struck his M4 partially melting it and he dropped it.

   Derek decided the situation was becoming
desperate enough to take a chance and he pulled out a grenade he had smuggled
in. Rora’s eyes grew wide and she tried to yell at him to stop, but it was too
late. He pulled the pin with a big smile and lobbed the grenade into the midst
of the mob of drones in front of them. The explosion in such a confined area
blew them apart and cleared the way forward. Rora followed as Derek raced to
exploit the momentary break. Both fired into the still twitching bodies as they
ran past.

    They found the door the Voice had directed them
to and paused. It looked like the other doors in the corridor, except for the
one they had almost opened. Derek looked at Rora and gave her a look that asked
if they should open it. She shrugged. They didn’t really have much of a choice
he realized. The second group of drones was approaching and he didn’t have
another grenade. So he took a chance and hit the door panel. The door slid open
and they rushed in.

   The door slid shut behind them and they breathed
a sigh of relief before looking around. They were in what looked like a
computer control room full of display screens and workstations. The stations
were all empty and the screens blank except one. The room was dimly lit and
seemed abandoned except for that one station. Its occupant turned to face them
and both Derek and Rora gasped in surprise and horror.

   The only occupant of the room stood about six and
a half feet tall and was very emaciated. Tubes, wires, and electronics studded
his bony torso and arms and led into his hairless skull. But the most shocking
part was that his lower half had been replaced by a metal platform carried by
four articulated legs like that of a scorpion. The Voice was a Humek. This
discovery froze Derek in place as his brain tried to process this stunning turn
of events.

   “Let me explain.” The Voice said as he scuttled
forward.

   Rora actually screamed a little and instinctively
moved behind Derek. That brought him out of his brain freeze and he yanked his
sawed off shotgun out and stuck it in the thing’s face.

   “There is nothing to explain.” Derek informed him
coldly. “You are one of them.”

   “Wait!” The Humek wailed. “It isn’t how it seems.
I mean yes, I am a Humek; but I am not one of them.”

   “You have three seconds to explain before I blow
your head off.” Derek commanded.

   “Kill it!” Rora insisted.

   “No…” The Voice pleaded. “I was a deep cover
operative placed by the CIA. I made the sacrifice and became a Humek to
infiltrate the Collective. I am connected to the LINC, but I have special
hardware installed allowing me to have a virtual double take my place so I can
disconnect.”

   “Go on.” Derek allowed.

   “When I became aware of the existence of the
device, I contacted my handlers to let them know. They concocted the plan to
have you retrieve it. I have been utilizing my position here to help you along
the way.” The Voice explained.

   “Why would you agree to be carved up like this?”
Derek wondered.

   “My legs were paralyzed in a car accident and
this offered me a chance to move again on my own.” The Voice told them. “It was
intended to be a short term assignment; I wasn’t expecting it to become my
life.”

   “What do you want with the device?” Derek asked.

   “The same thing you do, to disable the LINC.” The
Voice offered.

   “He’s lying.” Rora stated with conviction. “Why
did he try to get us to go through that other door if he was helping us?”

   “Good question.” Derek said as he eyed the now
sweating Humek. “Well?”

   “Okay, that was a mistake.” The Voice allowed. “I
wasn’t sure what you would do with the device so I tried to acquire it for
myself directly.”

   “How would that have worked?” Derek asked
nastily.

   The Voice laughed nervously. “That was part of
the airlock system allowing access to the service area. I was planning to
remove the air and let you suffocate, with you dead the drones would burn
themselves out searching and then I could retrieve the device.”

   “So you planned on killing us?” Derek asked
rhetorically. “That doesn’t sound like a friend to me and you know what I do to
enemies.”

   “I saved your life!” The Voice blurted in a panic
as Derek started to pull the trigger on the shotgun.

   “What?” Derek asked as he eased his finger off
the trigger.

   “I’m the one that changed your execution order to
exile years ago.” The Voice said in relief.

   “Prove it.” Derek demanded.

   “Here is the original order.” The cowering Humek
said pointing to the screen.

   An electronic copy of an execution order appeared
on the giant computer screen at the workstation. Derek’s name and ID number
were clearly on the line labeled Subject. A second order replaced the first
with Exile replacing Execution on the line labeled Action. A third order
appeared ordering the death of his replacement and memo explaining how and why,
and to destroy the first order.

   “See.” The Voice told him. “The only way I could
have these is if I orchestrated it.

   “Why?” Derek asked.

   “You intrigued me.” The Voice said seductively.
“I thought you might be of use to me in the future and I decided to save you.”

   Derek shook his head and raised the shotgun
again. “This changes nothing. You just tried to kill me and I’m not sure you
haven’t been behind the other ambushes as well.”

   “I wasn’t responsible for that. The U.S.T.G.
really is after you.” The Voice informed him.

   “So I guess my pardon is off the table huh?”
Derek asked sarcastically.

   “I’m afraid so Major. I am sorry I lied to you,
but it’s not my fault; there are powerful forces at play here.” The Voice
whined. “Factions older and more powerful than you realize.”

   “We should just kill him and move on with the
mission.” Rora continued to insist.

   “No, I want to hear this. This should be
interesting.” Derek said, curious.

   “You have heard of the Illuminati of course?” The
Voice asked.

   “That is just a bunch of myths and legends made
popular by twentieth century writers.” Rora interjected. “Derek, do we really
need to listen to this?”

   “The Illuminati as presented in popular culture
were glorified and fictional entities. But they are based on real groups that
did and do exist and the influence they have wielded over history cannot be
ignored.” The Voice explained, undeterred by her outburst. “Using money,
blackmail, and control of the media they have guided the course of modern
history. Some do it for the power, but many of the factions do it because they
like the game.”

   “The game?” Derek asked, confused.

   “The intrigues and dealings in the shadows
provide risk and excitement for the bored elites.” The Voice informed him.
“Their underlings do it for power and a chance to become one of the elites. The
game has existed for centuries locked in a delicate balance of power, neither
faction gaining much ground before the other factions ally together to knock
them back. This held true until the Collapse permanently destroyed the existing
paradigm and caused a mad scramble to pick up the pieces.”

   “What factions are you talking about?” Derek
asked pointedly. When the Voice hesitated, Derek moved the shotgun closer to
his face.

   “Fine. I will tell you, but you are probably
better off not knowing.” The Voice informed him. “A rogue player, like you, is
a danger to all factions and is usually dealt with quickly. They sent the FBI
to crush a gaming company that was manufacturing a board game that they felt
was too close to the truth.”

   “I’ll take that risk.” Derek said sardonically.

   “You are familiar with the Collective of course.
They were once known as the Network and controlled much of the media and
information flow in the world. They knew what was happening at all times, and
sometimes before it happened. They used that information for themselves, but
often sold it to the highest bidder. Keep in mind, cash is not the only
currency in the game. Lives are often traded or sold.” The Voice continued.
“Doors was recruited into the group when he was a young programmer and the
faction propelled him and his firm to the top. All the allegations of cheating,
spying, and other devious business practices are true. They only sought to
maintain control of the emerging information superhighway. But he had his own
agenda and co-opted the group just prior to the Collapse.”

   “What about the other factions?” Derek asked.

   “You have probably heard the term Gnomes of
Zurich?” The Voice asked. “Well they were just a small part of the largest
cartel of bankers that controlled the flow of money throughout the world.
Currencies rose and fell and fortunes were made and lost at their say so. The
original members of that cartel were descended from the aristocracy and were
focused on maintaining their class status in a world that no longer accepted
the concepts of feudalism and serfdom. They brought in rich members of the
merchant class to help them and took control of the world’s money. Through
various tricks they manipulated stocks and markets and eventually controlled
the vast majority of the world’s wealth. Sometimes referred to as Old Money,
they are the families like the Rothschilds or the Vanderbilts that sat at the
upper class of society. They very much liked their status and desired to keep
it that way. They are known as the Old World Order.”

   “As opposed to the New World Order?” Rora asked
sarcastically.

   “The New World Order exists.” The Voice informed
her. “But not as it is commonly referred to. It is not a conspiracy by the
government to replace them with one world rule under the U.N. No, it is a group
made up of Socialists and Utopians who want to replace our capitalist and
industrialist society with a more agrarian and egalitarian society. They are
one of the newer factions, but they had been gaining power. Most of their money
and power came from unwitting dupes who believe they are donating to causes
like feeding the homeless or saving the whales. Instead the money was used to
bribe government officials to pass regulations that slowly strangle the economy
or to keep growing the bloated government bureaucracy. The Collapse and
Aftermath virtually destroyed them as a faction, but some still exist within
the U.S.T.G. biding their time.”

   “Speaking of the U.S.T.G., where do they fit in
all this?” Derek asked. “If everyone in power is a member of these factions as
you imply, where does President Channing stand?”

   “Once he was a member of the Builders; but he
broke off to form his own faction, the Consortium. The Consortium is the newest
faction, and right now the most powerful. It was formed by members from several
of the factions. They had grown tired of the game and wanted to end it for
good, but they wanted to be on top when it ended. He believed Doors was part of
his faction, but Channing was fooled by him as well. The Collapse and Aftermath
were orchestrated to allow Channing and the Consortium to gain power, but it
spiraled out of control and the impact was devastating.” The Voice told him.

   “Who are the Builders?” Derek asked despite
himself.

   “The best known members of the Builders faction
are the Freemasons of old, but the newer members have no real connection to
them.” The Voice explained. “In the nineteenth century the industrialists took
control of the faction and led the Industrial Revolution to gain power. In the
early twentieth century it shifted to the so-called robber barons of the United
States as the U.S. became the new playing field for the game.”

   “Why does this matter?” Rora interrupted
impatiently. “We need to finish the mission.”

   “Okay, just one more question.” Derek insisted
looking at the Voice. “Which faction do you belong to?”

   “The CIA is part of the Old World Order. Why do
you think all the leadership was recruited from Ivy League schools?” The Voice
answered simply.

   “Can we go now? We are running out of time.” Rora
asked, frustrated.