Chapter 8
Farley’s mood started foul and just keeps getting even fouler as the chase for the woman continues. His boss has called him twice complaining of Farley’s lack of ability to bring this “incident” to a close and is threatening to bring in a special team. As far as Farley is concerned, his boss can dam well have at it for he is just happy to have survived that freak storm. If he had been even fifteen minutes faster in getting his transportation it would have put him in the middle of it when it hit and then who knows. His boss however cares little about his luck or even his survival; he wants results and he wants them now with no more headlines like the ones hitting the papers over the White House incident and now the freak storm.
Most of what the news is reporting about the White House is far from the truth and for those who try in vain to keep incidents like this a secret it is a relief, as the reality is far worst then what even the most outrageous papers have fabricated.
As for the storm…. the papers are already writing and the news already spouting outrageous stories. The environmentalists blame it on global warming; the scientists on a freakish combination of hot and cold temperatures, the religious state the coming of Revelations. They all have their opinions, they all point fingers, but only a selected few know the truth and that truth makes Farley’s spine quiver.
“Be ready to go again when the storm passes and get me in touch with the closest air force base we have.” Farley tells his pilot in disgust then turns towards the airport to look for a bar.
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“Time grows short Maryalyan.”
“You do not need to keep reminding me for I know; I too can feel it coming.”
“Then I need not remind you that if you do not find them we will either have to scrap the project or start again from the very beginning….”
“Starting from the beginning will take a lot of effort and much of our energy.”
“Yes it will…. you have been searching for a long time as the earth accords time. Why not change your tactic and talk to the human in charge of this.”
“I have been thinking the same thing my center. I will see this task to its end and if I do not find something concrete I will go to this human…I have to confess that it is much worst here that I thought and it frightens me a little.”
“Frightened, why? Nothing can harm you!”
“As long as you are with me nothing can harm me but what about when you sleep or if your attention waivers?”
“Maryalyan, my center, you know that the time you have left there is no more than an eye blink to us so why worry. I will not be sleeping while you are on this planet and there is nothing else as important right now as you and the upcoming events.”
“Not even when the end comes.”
“That will be a spectacular sight I am sure, but getting you and those we are to save is more important to me than watching the cosmic show that is sure to follow.”
“Thank you….I will find them; trust me in this.”
“My trust in you is why I asked you to take over this task.”
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The next three earth days turn into a cat and mouse chase. Maryalyan, filled with excess energy due to those that died uses that energy on the humans at various airports to make them believe they are fuelling a helicopter occupied by the president of their country and more than once they leave an airport just before the pursuing jets arrive.
The humans refuse to give up the chase and twice more she is forced to set the weather in motion, and twice more thousands die. The irony Maryalyan realizes is that even though her command over the weather does not use as much energy as her direct intervention would it still uses energy; energy she would not be able to spare if not for the thousands that died. And because of these thousands that die, she is able to keep the pursuit at bay and their helicopter fuelled.
By the time, they make the Mexican border the U.S. landscape from Washington to the Mexico is dotted with areas that look as if it has seen a warzone for when Maryalyan puts the storms into motion she does not waste energy to halt its progression. Therefore, like the first storm, it is not only the path they follow or the path of the persuaders that see damage but wide swaths across the landscape.
Once they cross the border there is some issue between the pursuing U.S. authorities and the Mexican authorities that give them some breathing room but this is short lived as the Mexicans and then other South American authorities take up pursuit as they move further and further south.
Each country, in their first attempt to stop them believe they are after an easy target and this turns out to be a boon for them, as their over confidence in their abilities make it much easier for her to deal with and to dispose them.
They finally organize a joint effort to capture them and it is almost their undoing as they come upon them un-expectantly and Maryalyan is not nearly ready for what they put against them. On this instance she uses much more than weather to escape and the amount of energy that she puts into it is daunting at the very least.
The storms that hit the U.S. hit South America. Snow accumulates where snow has never fallen. Acres upon acres of lush jungle are swept from the land, precious soil disappears, flooding occurs and thousands more die.
Every day that passes Maryalyan comes to know more of her true self and more of the importance of what she is here to do and everyday she searches to no avail. When she initially started this journey she thought that it would not be possible for the humans to keep something so grand a secret, but apparently she was wrong for they have done an admirable job at doing just that.
She knows that she has finally come close for she can feel them but to find them is another issue altogether. They are there, almost within reach, yet so far away and worst yet…. they are hurting. Maryalyan feels their pain deep within her. Some…. no many have been damaged beyond repair but there are still many that can be saved; whether those many are enough, that she cannot yet tell.
For the last day, Maryalyan has kept a northern storm brewing to keep the humans at bay so that she can search and keeping that storm brewing is costing her precious energy. The jungle beneath her is thick and it is impossible to see through the foliage but down there somewhere the bright ones call. They would be easy enough to find if she dared to visit the area with the destruction she is visiting up north but that would be counter productive for she would end the existence of the very thing she seeks.
Also, sucking at her energy is the need to keep the captain awake, alert, and co-operative. He assists her how he can, though in the end he assures her that he has used every instrument available on the helicopter to no avail.
The body she is occupying is getting tired, the captain is getting tired, and as the center of her spirit had pointed out, the time has come to change tactics; it is time that she went directly to the source.
“Take it back Captain.” Maryalyan gives a regretful sigh.
Hang in there my children. I will find you and we will heal you. Your spirits will rejoice once again; all you need to do is hold on just a little longer.
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The Judge has been keeping a very close eye on what has been happening in the Americas. The thought of someone being able to walk into the White House “unannounced” so to speak was of little interest to him but then the videos arrived. He replayed the video once and then a hundred times until the statement echoed in his head… until that statement encompassed is all his thoughts ….the statement means all.
You can call me your creator if you like. -- You can call me your creator if you like. —You can call…
His first thought on hearing that statement was expected; “Their creator, never…a woman the creator…never!” And the more he watched the video the more he convinced himself that she was only some kind of freak; that was until reports started coming in on the destruction that follows her path. Like Maryalyan he cared little about the loss in life but unlike her he becomes almost joyous at the reports of
death and destruction.
What could the good doctor do with her, was she the key that he…that they have been looking for. The more destruction that follows her wake the surer he becomes that she is the one to make all his dreams come true. Forget her power, as her power for destruction he does not need as his carefully laid plans will give him all the power he requires. It is what her life force can bring him. Even if it only brings him another twenty-five or better yet fifty years, he will be happy.
She is not the creator, that he is sure of, and he will never believe that she is but there is no denying she has a power and a vibrant life force and this will soon by his.
As a side benefit, the destruction the woman is causing has finally hit the Americas with a taste of what many other parts of the world have been dealing with over hundreds of years. The leaders of the Americas are no longer so cock sure of themselves making this a perfect time to get Thompson to “request’ the activation of the B.E.A.S.T. project.
With the B.E.A.S.T. activated and the woman in his hands, he will have achieved two thirds of his life’s goal and he is positive that the last third will follow shortly thereafter.
The Judge picks up the phone to make another call.
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For Farley the last week has been nothing but frustrating. The freak storms or at least that is what he thought it was when it first hit, kept him from taking down the helicopter that first day and since then it has been nothing but frustration after frustration.
The second day the Air Force had once again acquired and locked on the target and once more a freak storm hit them; this time downing all the fighters jets. Not only did the storm destroy the jets as if they were toys but the storm was also responsible for the deaths of thousands on the ground and the destruction of entire cities.
The third and fourth day they had become wiser, or so he thought. The fighter jets no longer acquired a lock on the target when they were miles away but waited until the last minute to lock and fire. The first jet that tried the trick should have done it; it swooped down on the helicopter from high above at a speed greater than Mach II. It had locked and fired so quickly that Farley was certain of success…the lightening, the crack of thunder and the sonic boom that followed immediately after the release of the rocket destroyed his hope of success even as the yelp of joy was making its way up his throat.
The next three fighter jets had no more success than the first and the total lost of those four jets as well as the prior losses resulted in the Air Force pulling back when the helicopter crossed into Mexico.
Even for Farley the destruction that followed in her wake rattled him. Not even in his wildest dreams could he ever have thought that such destruction was possible; his mind refuses to even consider the possibility that none of it would have happened if they did not pursue. He walked through the aftermath of the first storm and refused thereafter to even look at the others. He could not afford to think of the death and destruction, only one thing mattered…. he must kill her. Whatever it takes, no sacrifice is too large, no risk too risky. That was the order he had first been given and none have come to counterman it, she must die.
When she had crossed the Mexican border and the U.S. Air Force refused to pursue he knew he had to make the call he was dreading. The call had gone as expected and his superior “raked him over the coals”. Still stung from “the raking” Farley had finally managed to inform the voice at the other end of the phone of the fact that he thought the chopper was going to keep making its way south. At that news, the other end of the phone got very quiet and when his superior spoke again there was an unmistakable nervousness in his voice; a couple more quick questions that he cannot really remember and the call ended.
A couple of hours later it was his superior contacting him. The voice informs Farley that he was no longer the lead on this case and that a squad has been called in to take care of “his” problem. That so-called squad’s total failure is currently Farley’s only source of comfort with this whole affair.
The Squad had been cocky, the best of the best it was said and it resulted in a firefight that will go down into history, and yes if Farley had been asked he would have assured success; now he is happy that he had not been asked. Fourteen fighter jets and ten helicopters were used; there is still confusion as to what happened, where the extra crafts came from, who shot whom. In the end, only half of each managed to limp home.
Farley, designated to the role of spectator had watched it unfold on radar. The fools were obviously trying to drive the woman’s helicopter to the ground instead of destroying her so they tried a different tactic; coming in from all sides, they tried to pressure her down.
At first, it looked like it was going to succeed for the chopper had nowhere to go but down and then a number of the dots on the screen started disappearing; Farley dearly wished he would have been privy to the video stream that each aircraft was sending somewhere.
That helicopter has now become the world’s number one target and the woman Earth’s most wanted. Farley is not sure what it was that the videos of the encounter showed but what he is sure of is that they no longer believe any of the incidents of the last week have been natural.
Every satellite that can be aimed to the area has been and the control of these handed over to his boss. They all know where she is. They track her every movement but for some reason that Farley cannot understand, the brass is holding back.
Farley wants this woman and he wants her very badly. His career is full of successes, he has never failed and yet here was a woman with almost no resources easily destroying those with insurmountable power to dust. This woman was destroying him, destroying his ego and this is something he cannot abide with, therefore his wait for his superior’s next command is almost unbearable.
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Those in the room had received the call for the need to assemble only two days ago. As the date of the Summit was only a couple of days off, this was the perfect time for such a meeting, as hardly anyone would question such a gathering at this time. So with no more fanfare than what would have occurred naturally they had assembled and locked themselves away.
The world’s most powerful now sit in stunned silence in that very room. Those who have not seen them before had just had the unpleasant experience of watching the various videos that were streamed from the aircrafts showing the encounter of the helicopter and the squad.
When the video first started, they look on in boredom as they can only envision one outcome to this encounter. Their attitudes changed abruptly when the video projects the unearthly glow of the woman. The video shows the woman glowing and then flaring so brightly that the sun pales in comparison and then the sky turns into chaos and destruction. The squad turn on each other, panicked radio calls go out…. unfriendly contact and no more then a few seconds away. The World Leaders watch as friends turn to enemies and being the best in the world the firefight that pursues is beautiful in its deadliness. Rockets fill the air; flares brighten the sky, engines roar, shots, explosions, curses and screams. Aircrafts swoop, dodge, and burn. It was all so beautiful to behold, never have they had the pleasure to witness such skill. The helicopter they were pursuing slips quietly away.
Pilots watch as their rockets shoots down one and then two of the invading aircrafts, though they have no explanation as to why two of their own just disappeared. They have little time to pursue that thought though, for they find themselves much too busy trying to stay alive. The helicopter they were to capture simply fades from the picture as they try their best to survive.
After this video, these powerful leaders no longer feel so powerful and this is a feeling that none of them is use to or like. They just watched this woman twist the mind of the world’s best and then watched as their best turned on themselves like animals. If she could do that to them is anyone safe…. Then if that is not enough they are shown the video of her entry into the White House.
“The Judge believes the time has
come to initiate the B.E.A.S.T.” Thompson’s comment breaks the silence that has enveloped the room.
Those who were sitting in stunned silence just a few seconds ago explode and the room fills with angry cries. Thompson sits calmly through their bombardment, their criticism, their anger, their threats, and even their accusations for he knows that in the end The Judge will get what he asks for. This woman has put fear into the world leaders. They have seen her walk where nobody should be able to walk, seen her manipulate their best without lifting of a finger. They are furious and they are scared.
Thompson allows the pandemonium to stretch out long enough that by the time he again stands to speak most have vented their anger and fear. He holds up his hands for silence but before he can speak, the Israeli Prime Minister also stands.
“How can you suggest such an action? We all agreed that was to be used only as a last resort!” The Israeli Prime Minister is obviously still very angry.
“Was that video not enough for you to see that we are sitting on that edge, right here and right now?” Thompson replies quietly.
“Our friend the Israeli Prime Minister may be right Thompson. Yes that video was damming but come now.” The U.S. President states.
“Mr. President, forgive me but how can you feel that way after your encounter with her. As you just saw in a video that your own security forces supplied, she circumvented all of your security, she handled your best as if they were children and she got to you. She asked you questions, you answered them without hesitation, without so much of a whim and then she left you with no memory of it. If you like we could run that video again for you.”
“No need for that I have seen it enough times.” The U.S. President sits heavily.
“I swear to you that all the videos we have shown you are true in every detail and that it has not been altered in any way. We all know that we stand on the brink of world annihilation and we believe that it is this woman that will put us their. Look at what she has done and what she is capable of doing. We have information that she has taken over twenty nuclear devices and the reason she is in South America right now is to take over more. We also have information that she is not interested in negotiation and has spurned all of our attempts to contact her. Ladies and Gentlemen she intends to fire these devices and as you have just seen we have no way to stop her. If the B.E.A.S.T. was already running, we would already have her in custody and maybe saved the lives of thousands of citizens spanning both North and South America. In order for us to initiate the B.E.A.S.T. we require fifty-one percent of the world leaders to agree. I call for that vote now; this woman must be captured, we must stop her, we must learn all that she knows, we must use her, we must destroy her and her network and we must do this soon.”
Thompson’s statement causes even more outcries but Thompson has called for a vote and as such, the leaders of the world can argue all they like but a vote must take place. After the videos and the carefully planned speech there can only be one outcome and Thompson sits patiently for the outcome to become reality. He looks around and considers the leaders. It pleases him to see that the biggest opponent to the B.E.A.S.T. in the past have finally been hit hard enough that they are no longer the major obstacle to the plan.
The Canadian Prime Minister as well as the newly appointed Mexican President are nothing more than puppets of the American President. As for the rest of the South American counties, most of these have been given the promise of benefiting from their discovery when it happens so once again there is no worry about support, though if the U.S., Mexico, and Canada argued against it, it could have been a long night. The European and Asian nations are split around fifty-fifty. It is the African nation that could throw a wrench in the works but recent sanctions invoked against them have made them a little more malleable.
As it is, after only a brief couple of hours of arguments that go nowhere Thompson gets what The Judge has asked him to get.