SUED FOR PEACE (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 11) (3 page)

Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow, “While it isn’t at the level of a national secret, I do have a few important ones.” She grinned and continued, “Maybe someday I’ll take you on a walk that will change your life.”

The president laughed and shook his head, “I’m not sure my wife would like me to take any walk that could change my life. She has told me at least three times every week since I gained office if I decide to run again, she will castrate me, or I’ll be sleeping on the couch for the duration of my time in office.” He sobered, “But if there is a way to get into this area that others can use, I’d be incredibly appreciative if you explained it.”

Bethany Anne shook her head, “There is no way for another living person to enter here using the means I have. Should that change, I will provide you a warning device of some sort to help.”

He shrugged, “Best I’m going to get?” She nodded her answer. “Ok. How about the next item on the agenda. What is this about a real Illuminati?”

Bethany Anne leaned a little forward, “There is an offshoot of the original Illuminati group, a splinter if you will, which was responsible for the attack on our facilities in Colorado and the backpack nuke. They are responsible for many different efforts against our group, trying both legal and illegal means to acquire our technology.”

“You know that’s true for damn near any major company in the world and most of the countries, right?” he asked her, wondering how she would answer.

“I’m entirely aware of the desires, Mr. President.” Bethany Anne considered how much to share before continuing, “I’m mindful of most attacks and plans, most secondary plans and their follow ups. I’m not trying to upset the world. That is the reason for not using our technology to disrupt the world’s economies in the first place. However, I’ll not simply stand by and allow attacks to happen. That is not in my nature.”

“A lot of think-tank scientists are trying to figure out what is your nature, exactly.”
 

“In what way?” she asked.

He paused a moment, “Well, are you human?”

Bethany Anne started chuckling, “I was born on this planet with two human parents. If that doesn’t make me human, I’m not sure what would clarify it further.”

“Well, parental names?” he pressed.

She put up a finger, “Mr. President, I do this as a favor, not as an opportunity to play twenty questions.”

He shrugged, “You can forgive me for trying? I do have the responsibility for four hundred million people to look after.”

Bethany Anne’s face sobered, “Mr. President, I’m concerned with the seven and a half billion we have on earth, and those coming after us. My parents’ names aren’t going to accomplish much except provide some annoying researcher further useless information to try and analyze me. If you want my thoughts on something, you can ask.” She pulled a USB flash drive out of her jacket. The President didn’t fail to notice the small pistol and holster she was wearing.
 

He wasn’t accustomed to having anyone but Secret Service agents around him with weapons. If any of the guys on the other side of the door knew he was talking with an armed woman just a few feet away, they would be trying to bust down the door to protect him. He smiled.

“This is ...” she started before her eyes drew together in confusion, “why are you smiling?”

“I’m just thinking how my protective detail,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, “would react if they knew I had an armed person sitting in here with me. It humored me to imagine them trying to bust down the door in frustration.” He smiled at her and chuckled, “Sometimes, it is the little things I think about that bring a smile to my face.” He pointed to his hair on the side of his head, “I take my enjoyment where I can get it, I wasn’t expecting to go gray quite so fast.”

Bethany Anne put the USB flash drive on the table, “Talk to me when you get out of office if I’m still around, and I’ll help you with that.” She slid the USB over to him, “On here are the names of the members in the United States and all of your territories. There are thousands in total, although there are probably no more than a hundred and twenty-five that I would rate as the highest priority to review. Those are tagged.”

>
>A hundred and twenty-seven.>>

I know that, ADAM. What have we talked about when being exact with humans?

>>That to always be precise points to you not being human.<<

If an AI could sound miffed mentally, ADAM was accomplishing the feat pretty well, she thought.
Yes, so while you are an Entity, and you are working to accomplish the most incredible feats ever for me, I need you to understand that if you grease the wheels, it will help reduce trouble. Make sure you update the EVE project for me with that understanding.
She thought quickly,
Except in battle, you don’t fudge anything during battles.

>>I understand and will make the adjustments.<<

The President eyed the USB drive, “I’m not going to like what is on that, am I?” He reached to take the small device, “Pandora’s box?”

“Some, not all of it. Some of the people on that drive are just family, people who can be used to blackmail other people to get them to do what the Black Cabal need them to do.” When he raised his eyes to her, she explained further, “My name for them.”
 

He nodded his understanding, “What should I do about General George Thourbourah?”

“Well, his boss is out of the equation. Don’t ask about him if you want plausible deniability. George believes I was seriously hurt, but that will go by the wayside the next time I’m photographed.”

“Oh, earlier than that,” he assured her. He shrugged at her raised eyebrow, “We have assets that track all important people. That could mean important for any number of reasons; you just happen to trip a few of them including financial, technological and security.”
 

ADAM.

>>Yes?<<

Find out how many countries are tracking me, and start placing information that shows me everywhere so that they can never tell what is the right answer.

>>When do you want this to occur?<<

Can you make it happen retroactively so that the information seemed like it happened before this conversation?”

>>Not easily, no. Countries will have a paper trail.<<

Damn. Ok, figure out the countries’ data feed and start adding additional false positives if you can. I suppose changing their data would flag them that you are in the system.

>>Not to mention it might be too risky unless you believe this must occur?<<

No, it isn’t that big of a deal. I just didn’t realize I’m on various countries’ morning reports, and it bugs the shit out of me.

TOM?

Yes?

What are you working on at the moment?

Still on the gravitic issues with Marcus.

Please add a request to your queue about considering what it would take to change someone to look like me.

I can answer that question already. The Pod doc can’t do it. It works on the person’s DNA, so it isn’t going to change another person to look like you.

But I thought since you can change the structure of the materials in a body, this might be possible?

That was changing the design, not how you look. The Pod Doc hasn’t been set up to change a person.

Wait a minute, TOM - you paused! I sense you thinking about something, ‘fess up.

Well, if a patient is considerably messed up physically or their DNA has been corrupted, the Pod Doc can use a super-set of DNA to try and fix these issues. Doing it this way would certainly change the person as they heal.

So, it’s feasible?

Yes, but not very recommended.

Ok, I’ll push that idea off to the side.
 

Are we good?

Yes, sorry. I don’t like being the target, and I figured if there were copies, it would be hard to confirm which version is me.

It would be the version with four large guards walking around her,
he quipped.

Did you just zing me… again?
she asked, amused.

Yes and here’s your sign,
he told her in a southern drawl.

You ass!
 

She heard his version of a chuckle as he withdrew from their conversation.
 

That’s another one I owe you
, she thought privately.

Bethany Anne returned to the President’s conversation. Her conversations with ADAM and TOM were over so quickly he didn’t register a pause, “When you find a suitably safe computer to review the contents of the USB drive, you will find incriminating evidence for a lot of powerful and influential people. I have also included general information on critical people in your allies’ governments and significant industries. You can distribute it as you think best.”

The President looked down at the USB drive he was holding, “Truly Pandora’s box, then. I can’t say I’m happy with the present you’ve delivered.”

Bethany Anne shrugged, “Well, you could destroy it and go blithely on your way.”

“No,” he sighed, “I can’t. I have a duty and however distasteful it is, I’ll see it done.” He looked at her, “How do you handle stuff like this?” He asked as he lifted the USB drive and waved it a little.

“I have a group responsible for tracking down the truth and bringing those guilty to justice,” She admitted, wondering what the President would say.

“What about juries, judges, and the rest?”

Her grim face told him the answer, “Mr. President, in the harshness of space, you don’t allow stupidity.” She wasn’t about to fess up regarding Barnabas and Tabitha. “So, we have a strict policy. While we aren’t a hundred percent effective, almost all of the people we have are focused on a bigger goal than just working for their own ends. So, there is a significant amount of self-policing. Those that we miss?” She paused, “They are warned, and they are adults. We treat them as such.”

“You don’t have a positive opinion about our court system?”
 

“Do you?” She countered.

“Well, I think it is the best thing we have going at the moment.”

“Let me ask you a question. What are the two things that drive people?”
 

“Fear and greed, usually,” he answered.

“So, take that to the logical conclusion. At a certain age, an adult will be driven by fear, greed, or a challenge - something bigger than themselves. Fear of repercussions for actions they have taken is a strong motivator for not committing punishable offenses. If the system for punishment is broken, then the power of fear in stopping activities diminishes, and you have more and more people shrugging off the threats and acting anyway. However, people learn, quickly. Greed can be considered in a good light. I’m not talking about wanting more money, or power, I’m talking about being greedy or desiring something good in your life that benefits yourself and others. What about the person who is greedy about wanting to be in space? They have to prove themselves capable of deserving that position, of protecting not only themselves but others. Everyone depends on what a person is willing to do to save everyone else.”

“That works when you take the best of society that wants to get ahead,” the President stated.

“No, it works when you stop supporting those who do nothing.”

“That isn’t a very Christian attitude.”

She smiled at him, like a cat looking at a mouse. “Christian? I’ll give you a few things to ponder, Mr. President. Look them up when you have time. ‘
The appetite of the laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on
.’” She continued, “And the best yet. A quote by the Apostle Paul, who said to those in Thessalonica, ‘
We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you… For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat
.’”
 

She leaned back in her chair, “Do you have some idle hands? Then dream bigger for your country. Give them something to use their minds, their strength, their abilities and stretch your people. Make them earn their keep, and then they will have pride in themselves. If some don’t? Well, be a man and strap a pair on - if you need a pair you can borrow my ovaries. Your infrastructure needs fixing! You have the ability to create work centers by the thousands. You need to fucking dream bigger. We are human beings. Every one of us has worth, talents and skills. Fucking put them to use! Stop taking the easy way out and punting the problem to the next generation. Don’t support a nation of people sitting on their ass and taking money from those who work without trying to make it better. Make a change, even if it is starting the change before you step out of office.”

The President had nothing to say in response. While he didn’t doubt she knew the difficulties of making this happen, she also wouldn’t care that it was a challenge. He pursed his lips and nodded his head sharply.
 

She stood up and faced him, both hands held up as if in supplication, “Don’t give up, don’t accept mediocrity, don’t accept the status quo. You’re the most powerful man on this planet. Now, fucking act like it.” She stepped backward and disappeared right in front of his eyes.

It took the President a few moments to come to grip with someone disappearing like that. He pondered her comments, her challenge. Standing up, he turned towards the door. Stopping briefly, he looked over his shoulder and whispered.

“I may be the most powerful man on earth, but you are certainly the most powerful woman.”

With that, the President turned back to open the door. Once he stepped outside, he sighed dramatically before admitting to David that he owed him a steak dinner.

Washington D.C., USA

“Congressman Richards!” Mark Billingsly called out. The tall man with shocking blond hair turned to see who had called him on the street outside of his office building.