be called out to enforce her decrees. She'll appoint a commission of national leaders, mainly her billionaire boy friends, as an emergency national cabinet to manage the government until the traitors can be fully identified. New elections will be held once the traitors have been dealt with and a new constitution written. A new People's Court will be established and the Supreme Court disbanded. All this is done by presidential decree, as usual."
"Wow!"
"Yeah, wow."
"So, who does Mark work for? Homeland?"
"No, he and his guys are Secret Service. They're undercover. They've infiltrated the Iowa State Police who are in charge of security for the speech. No one knows that they're really Feds."
"So Mark and his pals who took over my garret in Bander, they're not shooting Munson?"
"No, that's a backup plan."
"So, did the plan say where the Mark's Secret Service guys would be?"
"Yeah, the location of everyone is outlined. There'll be the two sniper nests, a couple more just inside Bander, in the lobby, and others milling around in the crowd, but they won't be very close to the stage, obviously. There'll be the usual collection of other state and local cops. More SS agents at the entrances to the cordoned off area and some on the north side of Bander. Oh, yeah, an ambulance will be standing by on 23rd Street."
"How many prop people?"
"Not many, about 100. Just enough to create a TV illusion."
"Who are they?"
"Students, mainly. Expendable as far as DeWitt is concerned."
"How's the bomb getting planted?"
"Mark's guys will control the stage area. They can do it anytime they want but it doesn't say. Most likely, the morning of the event is my guess."
From across the sea of tables a young guy in a hoodie slouches, pretending to fiddle with his phone but, in fact, is photographing the meeting at Jim's table. His phone chirps with an incoming call. He answers it, and, after listening for a few seconds, says, "Yep, you got it, right away."
Hitting end, he turns off the phone, slides it into his pocket, closes his laptop, gets up, and walks over to Jim's table.
Leaning deep over the table, he says to them all, "You'all got a plan?"
Startled, they tilt their heads back a bit, and eye him very suspiciously. Then look to one another. He turns a chair backwards and sits astride it. Leaning forward, says in a very low voice, "You got a plan how to save Munson?"
A small wave of panic shivers through the guys as their eyes dart nervously at the new comer and one another.
He continues, "My name is Mike. Yes, I know everything. Your gym loft is wired and your computers are hacked. Don't worry, I'm not with the SS."
"You're the hoodie guy from Bader's room!" exclaims Andy.
"Bingo. Now lets go someplace where we can talk without being seen. I got a car out in the visitors lot," says Mike gesturing towards the exit nearest parking lot.
They look to one another and, shrugging, stand up, gather their things and follow him.
In the lot, he points to a large but dated SUV, they hop in, and he drives off. Turning west from campus, they drive out into the countryside and, eventually, down a dirt road towards a solitary farm house where they see another car.
He parks under a great maple tree, they alight, and, in single file, walk up to the house and take seats set in a semi-circle on a great veranda which faces south. A tall, lanky guy in his late 20s comes out of the house with a case of beer and a couple of bags of chips which he places on a table in the center of the circle. They avail themselves of the offerings.
"So, you know about us, who are you?" asks Jim.
"This is David."
"How did you find out about all this?"
"We work for the Convention. We got wind that something was brewing here so they sent us to check things out. We're in cyber security. We used to work with NSA but we quit working for the Dark Side some time ago and joined the Convention. The Convention sent us because they figured we'd blend in with the college crowd."
"And you found us how?"
"We had the Carrington under surveillance because of Bader. We detected your hack of the wireless router. I was at the bar when you were listening in on Bader."
"How?"
"We hacked the router too."
"Oh."
"And I followed you back to campus and, while you were on a beer run, and I wired your loft."
"Oh? Now what?"
"Looks like we work together. We could use some help. You know the campus, have all the keys, and we have a plan to stick a wrench in this and make it boomerang."
"Keep talking."
"You know about the steam tunnels?" asks Mike.
"Yep."
"Do you know that one runs underneath where they're building the platform?" says David.
"Oh, yeah, that's the one that feeds steam into Bander Hall. I've been down there, stringing Ethernet cable. Oh, wait! Wait! I see. There's an entrance shaft under where the platform is being built!"
"Right. They plant the bomb, we take the bomb. They won't see us at all. Then we move it, or deactivate it, whatever, before it goes off."
"Ok, that's good."
"And, at the appointed time, we take over the TV feed, splice in a bomb detonation video, set off some stun grenades and smoke bombs, turn on some cell phone jammers, kill all fiber network communications leaving Ft Dodge, and grab Munson. After we get Munson away from danger, then we insert our video feed to the networks, one with Munson narrating and telling the whole story. He reveals the plot, shows pictures of the bomb that we've captured, your video of Mark and Bader, some audio we got of DeWitt talking about the Indian Head thing, plus anything else we can get hold of in the next few days."
"How do you hijack the TV feed?"
"It's a satellite uplink. We've hacked the satellite. It will take our feed, not theirs, when the time comes."
"So, Munson in on this?"
"Yes. He, the Convention and the Free States all know about it. He'll do the narrative for the video before he gets here."
"Why let him come at all if there's danger?"
"It's the only way to smoke out DeWitt. He knows the risks. And this time, the networks won't be able to suppress it like they usually do. Munson will have the full attention of the country. Munson believes it's worth the risk."
"What about the marshal law and Homeland and all?"
"The governors of the Free States know this is coming and they've quietly ordered National Guard units into key positions. They've also put together special state police units that aren't infiltrated by DeWitt's moles."
"When the time comes, they'll take out the DeWitt people and neutralize her fifth column. About the only SWAT team she'll have left is the one at the Library of Congress."
"How'd you get this information?"
"We hacked Homeland and been tracking their goons for the past few months. We know who and where the Homeland guys are. As soon as the false bomb report goes out from Ft. Dodge, the Homeland guys will be rounded up."
"The Army is another problem but it's spread too thin and, anyway, more and more units are defecting every day. We don't expect any trouble. They won't move."
"Air Force is another matter. Some bases will defect, others may not. The Air Force is the wild card."
"Why do a fake bomb explosion? Why not just deactivate the bomb and let Munson do his speech as planned?"
"We need for them to tip their hand and because they control security at the speech. We'd be sitting ducks. Remember the sniper's nests in Bander? But this way, they won't know what happened until it's over and we've gotten Munson out and crushed their coup attempt. If they don't think they have a shot at Munson, they won't move. We've got to play along and let them think their plans are working."
"So, how do you get Munson out of here? Once they see we've hijacked their plan, they'll be after Munson like a pack of wolves. He's probably safe as long as he's on TV, but not afterwards when they realize the bomb w
as a hoax. They've got Ft. Dodge surrounded. You have a plan?"
"You bet."
"What is it?"
"Tell'ya later. It's a secret right now. The fewer people that know, the better."
"Did you know we attached microphones under what we think is their main SS truck? There's an opening to the steam tunnels right under their trailer. We attached magnetic mount mics and an Internet connected receiver in the tunnel below."
"Yes. We tracked your lookouts. Do they work?"
"Uh-huh. We're recording everything going on in the trailer."
"Can you tell how they do their communications?"
"Through the Internet by way of the campus fiber optic connections. We hacked the fiber connection."
"What's in the data stream?"
"Some of it is high grade military encryption. Most is porn."
"How can we access it? I know some people who might have some luck cracking it," asks David.
Andy writes down an IP number, a URL and a password.
"Here, that's the IP number of my device and the instructions are in a PDF at that URL. Use that password to get in."
David says, "We want to try inserting a drone in the trailer. We only need a few seconds, but we will need a diversion. Something to get them to open the door, and get out of the trailer."
"What kind of drone? Aren't they kinda big? They might notice something the size of a small private plane."
"A small one. About the size of a dragonfly. And we'll need to put a transponder beneath the trailer to pickup and retransmit the drone's signal, it's not very powerful."
"I hope the trailer doesn't sink under the weight of all the crap we're hanging from it," jokes Jim.
"It's a risk we need to take. And we need to launch the drone very close to the target."
"Where'd you get the drone from?"
"You don't want to know."
"We can attach the transponder anytime you want. How close do you need to be for the launch?"
"Oh, about 50 feet."
"The trailer is nearer than that to the security fence."
"How about the diversion? Any ideas?"
"Hmmmmm, how about a marching band?"
"Sure, and a parade of clowns, chimps and elephants too?"
"Sorry, the faculty aren't available on short notice and they take too long to rehearse. But, I have a friend who's student manager of the band. I think I can get him to do it. The band practices in the parking lots out there and this week they're practicing for Munson's visit. I'll see if I can get him to march the band over near the trailer and do a performance. That should get their attention."
"How is the drone powered?"
"Solid oxide fuel cell."
"How long will they last?"
"On their own, up to a week, depending on how we use it. If we can get it perched on a transformer or power line, it can draw power from that."
"How about 4 PM tomorrow afternoon? My friend just said he can have the band there then and that's a time when there should be a lot of student traffic, there's a women's basketball game letting out around then."
"Did he ask why you wanted the band there?"
"I told him it was a publicity idea from University Relations and that there might be a TV network filming at the time. He bought it. No big deal really, just a few hundred yards from where they normally practice anyway."
"Good. This might work. Beats plan B."
"Which is?"
"Setting fire to a car or something."
"Oh, that would work too."
"Ok, we meet tomorrow at 3 at the Union. Now we better get you back to town."
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Time: 3:00 PM
While Jim runs through the tunnels on his way to place the drone transponder, David, Mike and Ryan park in one of the student lots near Ft. Truck with a full view of the security area. There they wait and watch. Ben and Phil go back to their apartment.
After a several minutes, Jim texts that the transponder is attached and connected into the university network. Mike reaches around to the back seat, takes out his laptop and powers up.
"The software on the laptop controls the drone and that's how I communicate with it. I'm logged onto the transponder. It will communicate my instructions to the drone. Looks like we're ready to roll. Cue the band!"
David and Ryan get out of the SUV, Mike stays in the SUV to control the drone. In his pocket, David is carrying the small cylinder containing the drone. They walk casually towards security area and take a seat on some benches near the Dome. In the distance, from a parking lot at the back side of the security area, they can hear the band practicing.
As the sound becomes noticeably louder, David removes the small, dark, tubular device from its container.
"Where are the wings?" asks Ryan.
"They pop out when I release it, says David.
"How will it know where to go?"
"Initially, it will rise up about 30 feet and wait for instructions. Then Mike will take control of it from the SUV."
"How will he know where to fly it?"
"Camera, he'll see what the drone sees as well as get data on altitude, speed and direction."
Time: 4:00 PM
A moment later, the full marching band, complete with cheerleaders, rounds the corner at the far end of the security area and fires up a rousing fight song. It attracts much attention as people within the fenced area migrate towards the show.
The door to Mark's trailer opens and he and another guy step out to see the commotion, leaving the door wide open behind them.
David tosses the drone high in the air. The wings immediately pop out. It does look like a dragonfly. It hovers waiting for instructions.
Mike, watching the video feed from the drone, quickly targets the open door to Mark's trailer. The drone, now about thirty feet above, darts in that direction.
Mark and his companion, their backs to the trailer, listen to the music as the drone slips silently inside unnoticed. Within, it hovers and does a slow 360 turn, scanning, recording, and transmitting everything it sees.
Mike, watching the feed, spots a high tubular fluorescent lamp fixture with a panoramic view of the room below. At his command, the drone delicately lands and positions itself above the ballast from whose magnetic emissions it will draw power. The wings retract. With the bright fluorescent tube beneath, the camouflaged drone becomes invisible. It enters a low power surveillance mode. Mike starts a server back in Kansas City to record the data stream.
A few minutes later, Mark and his co-worker return to the trailer, unaware they have an intruder lurking above.
Time: 5:00 PM
David, Mike, Jim and Ryan return to East Gym. Ben and Phil join them. Mike starts bringing up the images they captured from the trailer which they study carefully, looking for any revealing details.
David says, pointing at an area on the screen, "Hey, look! In the corner, that's the decryption box."
"How do you know?"
"We did mention we used to work with NSA, didn't we?"
"Oh, yeah. Right."
"Holy shit! Is that a wireless router?" shouts Mike. "Oh ... My ... God! It is. Those idiots have their decrypt box plugged into a wireless router. Look, they have cables coming out of it. They're freaking using it as a hub. I wonder if they know the wireless part is still running?"
"Is it?"
"Yeah, I just had the drone start scanning wireless frequencies. It's running. And it only uses WPA encryption! Holy shit! No problem hacking that!"
"How could they be so stupid?"
"Well, wait a minute. Look at the trailer walls, the ceiling. All wire mesh. They're isolated. A Faraday Cage. The wireless signal can't get out."
"So how is the drone signal getting out?"
"No mesh in the floor. Our transponder is beneath them. Not normally a threat vector. They never thought of that."
General nods and grunting agreement all around.
"So, can we hack into their data stream?"
"Yep. Doing it right now."
A moment later they see an NSA logo with a clock.
"That's the feed coming off the decrypt box via the drone!"
"Very nice!"
They adjourn to a local bar to eat and drink for a few hours while the drone quietly records the NSA feed and the view from above.
Time: 10:00 PM
Returning to Jim's loft, Mike brings up the recording of the NSA data feed. He quickly finds that there was a video conference of some kind that lasted about fifteen minutes. They gather around to watch.
The NSA logo dissolves and an unidentified man calls out names of sites that should be participating. Voices of unseen participants squawk their presence. Having determined that everyone is online, he tells them all to stand by.
The screen now shows the seal of the president. After a moment it dissolves to a tight shot of Hilary DeWitt seated at a desk. She begins:
"As you all know, we're reached a critical juncture. The collapse of the currency, the economy, and the international situation, all these gave rise to the convention movement and the effective secession of many inland states."
"At present, the federal government maintains the full allegiance of only Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and California. Tax collections have all but ended in most other parts of the country."
"The Constitution Party effectively controls the House and, if elections are held this Fall, they will have an unstoppable majority in the Senate as well. At that point, they will begin dismantling the progressive state we have all fought so long and hard to build."
"Things are rapidly spinning out of control and growing worse by the minute. We must act and we must act decisively. If we do not, the country will devolve further into popular mob rule."
"We've learned that Munson intends to formally declare independence from Washington for the Free States of America at a speech next week. We have reason to believe that his people will launch attacks in several loyal large cites. We cannot and will not permit this. The traitors must be brought to task. The debate is over. If we are going to fundamentally change the country, we must act decisively and quickly."
"Consequently I, and the Central Committee of the Progressive Party, have decided that we must take stern and decisive measures to destroy these treasonous anti-party counter-progressive factional elements that have caused all this turmoil. "
"The decision has been made for a do-or-die battle to put an end to the Convention. This will lead to the opening of a new Progressive era, free from opposition. Our decision reflects the determined will of the party to annihilate our enemies."
"We have decided to take the following actions:
1. Terminate and disband the Constitutional Convention;
2. Eliminate the traitor Robert Munson and decapitate the Convention leadership;
3. Arrest and imprison the delegates;
4. Occupy and neutralize the power centers in the Free States;
5. Suspend the U.S. Constitution and declare marshal law;
6. Dissolve Congress, suspend the Fall elections, and incarcerate the congressional traitors;
7. Appoint a new, progressive, National Assembly to take replace Congress;
8. Disband the Supreme Court, vacate its recent acts, and appoint a Peoples Court in its place;
9. Nationalize all state militias and National Guard units."
"Our first target, obviously, is the traitor Munson. Once he and his co-conspirators are gone, the movement will be leaderless and powerless."
"Munson will be making a