Conspiracy Cranks Vs. The World

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This article (Conspiracy Cranks Vs. The World), is fan fiction and isn't automatically canon. On the other hand, no one said it isn't.
Unlike the Not Canon banner, this page is not intended to be seen as lore from Team Echoes, and is instead something from the mind of the author. It is, however, supposed to be read and enjoyed. Have fun! You should also browse the fan fiction category for more content. Maybe these will inspire you to write your own projects.

## Conspiracies, Criminals, and Questions Await! Amy Smith and Laura North Face their Most Insane Opponents Yet!

"Oh, I love this song!" Laura shouted, turning the radio up as high as it could go as the radio started playing "Satisfaction". "Seriously, the Beatles don't have anything compared to the Stones, I mean I hear they're finally breaking up that band. But the Stones? They're gonna be around forever."

"With all the chemicals that I've heard are inside Keith Richards, I can believe that." Catching Laura's huffing, I laughed as we sped up the Interstate. Thank God for the highway system, otherwise this trip would've taken forever. "So you say that an old friend called you on this?"

Laura nodded. "Name's Tenzin, he was a refugee from China in my village. Buddhist fella, he and his family were on the run from the Chinese Civil War. He said something's fishy near his home, it's basically a town that took in the Buddhist refugees from China and Tibet."

My eyes went wide but I said nothing. No way it could be *that* Tenzin. Shifting into third I picked up the pace, watching as acres of corn and wheat flew by like a fast moving blur. As my hair flew out behind me I couldn't help but smile. As my black Mustang ragtop roared across the open road I had only one thing on my mind; Ford was the greatest car company on Earth.

Looking around, Laura stopped singing along and tapped me on the shoulder. "Heads up, choppers flying this way." Slowing down I looked to my right to see a trio of helicopters flying overhead. "Continentals?"

"No way, those are badly maintained. The Continental has some of the best mechanics on Earth, those things look like they can barely fly." Looking carefully, I tried to make sure of what I was seeing. "Also, even the Continentals isn't so desperate for weapons that they'd use World War I Maxim guns."

"Wait what," Laura said, watching as the bubble-cockpit contraptions flew across the highway. "But those were modern anti-tank rockets on those pylons on the side, the Continentals wouldn't be using those either."

"Then I think I know what's going on." Shifting all the way to fifth Laura quickly buckled herself in as I tore down the road.

"Uh oh," she said, eyes still following the choppers. "Babe, they're coming towards us now."

"Stinking idiots," I grunted. "Hold on babe, this is gonna be a wild one." I floored the accelerator, and feeling that monster under the hood roar I couldn't keep my smile off my face even when I heard rounds hitting the tarmac behind me. "There should be a Thompson in the backseat babe," I said, veering across the road as best I could. Carefully taking of her belt, I did the same as she started to root around in the back. If we were both going to go, I'd rather go together. "Got it?"

Sliding back into the front, Laura was grinning as slammed the twin-drum magazine into place under the two barrels. "They're about to get it." Nodding, she wrapped her left arm with the seatbelt, leaned over the seat and started firing. The chattering of the Thompson was a familiar sound. I couldn't help myself as I shouted with the worst Midwest accent I could manage, "Those Feds'll never take us alive, we're getting this gin all the way to Chicago come hell or high water sweetheart!"

Laura didn't answer, she just laughed as she fired another burst up at the choppers. In my rearview, I watched as one of them peeled away, the bubble cockpit shattered. One of the choppers fired off a rocket to try and stop us, the pilot trying to anticipate where we would be when it landed. Points for cleverness to them, but with a simple pull of the handbrake we skidded to the left and stopped short of the rocket, chunks of gravel and dirt raining down on us as Laura fired on the chopper. "Ugh, this'll take forever to vacuum out!"

Nodding, I shifted into first and took off again. The roar of the engine, the subtle tone change as I shifted from first to second, to third, through fourth and back to fifth was like a beautiful musical melody backed up by the staccato percussion of Laura's shooting. Watching, I saw another chopper pulling away with smoke pouring out of the engine. The last chopper wasn't giving up though, and as his tracers kept throwing up debris in our path I realized that Laura was almost out of ammo. "Did you find any more clips in the back?"

"No dice," Laura said, taking out the magazines. "I only have about two dozen left, how far are we from the town?"

Quickly I checked the odometer. "Twenty-five miles, but he'll have us before we reach it."

"Not a chance," Laura said, lining up the gun. "Speed up and spin around, we'll have to finish this with a game of chicken."

Nodding, I slammed down on the pedal and jumped away from the chopper. Even as it looked like we were getting away he kept following, rounds still hitting the the pavement behind us. Checking the gas I scowled, we only had a quarter tank left. If this didn't work and he kept following, we wouldn't have a prayer. "Now babe!" Grabbing the handbrake I turned the wheel left, hearing the whitewalls squeal and we turned 180. The chopper pilot kept coming, his ancient gun chattering away at us. Bits of road and dust hit the windscreen, but my aviators let me watch as we closed. Laura stood up in her seat, one foot pushing on the back to keep herself balanced. Laura lowered the weapon at the chopper, waiting until she was just close enough. As we closed, I could see the pilot inside his bubble, a shaggy and worn looking man with unkempt hair and an old aviator's cap and goggles.

When we were close enough to make out the scars on his face Laura started firing, the twin barrels chewing up the glass. The shattered bubble cockpit flew right in the pilots face, and the fool let his hands off the stick to shield his face long enough to send the chopper spinning. He tried to grab the stick again before he passed overhead, his ancient bird whirring as it spun out. As Laura fell back into the seat I started to slow the car, listening as the spinning turned into an explosion. In my mirror, I saw smoke rising from the corn fields, smaller explosions coming as the ammo cooked off.

"This Tenzin fellow sure knows how to make you feel welcome," I said, making a quick K-turn around. "Can't wait to meet him."

**Continued on Page 18**

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## Page 18

"Welcome to Winterset". That was all the wooden sign said as we drove into the small city. Laura looked around, watching as people stopped to eye the car, and frankly us as well. "I don't get it, where's the city?"

"Easy babe, don't start any fights before I can meet Tenzin." Driving through the town, I took note of the fact that the place was, essentially, a one-horse town. Kids playing in their front yards stopped and stared in awe as we drove by, and I couldn't help but wave to some of them as we passed by. From the looks on their faces, it was obvious we were the most exciting thing to happen in a long time.

"Tenzin said he'd meet us at the county building," Laura said, quickly tucking the Thompson under the seat after disassembling it. "Said we literally couldn't miss it as we get to the town center."

"Then let's not keep him waiting." Revving the engine and hearing the kids scream in delight, Laura and I cruised down the blocks, tiny houses flanking us all the way. Every house had an American flag out front, some even had white picket fences on the front yard for show. I swear I could even smell fresh apple pie wafting out of some of the windows. Even for a city girl like me, the place screamed, "American."

"Heads up," Laura said, nudging me as she looked towards the right. Turning my head slightly at the nearest intersection, I saw Laura looking sideways at a group of men repairing an aged Ranger scout car, the Gadsden flag hanging from their roof. "Tenzin said the Continentals don't have a presence here, and he wouldn't lie when he wrote to me. Something's up."

"We'll make sure to ask him about everything then," I said, pulling forward. It was clear we were getting closer to the center of the town, brick stores and unlit neon signs marking the territory. Older women walked about before stopping to stare at the car, quickly gossiping to each other. But there were others on the sidewalks as well, wearing orange and red robes with shaved heads.

"I think I found the county building," Laura said, pointing to the right. Looking over, I saw a massive structure, taller than any building in the town. I quickly stopped paying attention to the strolling shoppers and store owners coming out to see what was going on in town, and focused on what might be waiting for us ahead.

Passing the last stores blocking my view, I saw Laura's face light up as a bald man in Buddhist garb came into view. He was talking with what looked like the local authorities, but when he turned to see Laura he smiled gently and came to the curb. Laura jumped up in her seat, waving excitedly. "Tenzin, how've you been!" As I pulled the car up, Laura jumped out and ran over to Tenzin, taking the bald goateed man in a great bear hug. "It's been ages Tenzin."

"I'm happy to see you too my dear," Tenzin said, returning the hug with e gentle ease. Breaking the hug he gave Laura a quick pat of the shoulder. "You've done so much since you left your home. I trust your parents letters have been getting to you?"

"Every day," Laura said, before realizing I was getting out of the car. "Oh, Tenzin, this is Amy Smith. My girlfriend."

"Pleased to meet you," I said, taking off my glasses and holding out my hand. "I've never met a Buddhist monk before, it's an honor."

"Thank you," Tenzin said, bowing his head slightly as he shook my hand. "I can tell that she chose wisely in who to share her life with."

Laura gave me a quick peck on the cheek, before a rough cough from behind Tenzin made us all remember that we were still in small town America. Laura quickly jumped a few inches away, but I saw that the old women were already whispering to each other again. "Right, sorry. Everyone, Laura North and Amy Smith. If anyone can solve our problems, it will be them."

"Ladies," said one of the men, a massive mountain of what could only be a former athlete far past him prime. He had a massive smile, teeth covering his lower jaw as he shook my hand, his toupee barely held in place as he tried to shake me to pieces. "Mitch Harburg, city mayor. And county supervisor along with my colleagues."

"Kyle Flint," said a skinnier man. As he shook Laura's hand I noticed a tattoo barely poking out from under his rolled up sleeve, an anchor it looked like. But there was no mistaking the crushed hammer and sickle underneath it. "Glad to have you both here."

"Martin Harrison," said the third man. His mustache covered his entire upper lip, a stark contrast to the great bald spot that was probably supposed to be his head. The thick coke bottle glasses didn't do his looks any favors either, but then I suppose it didn't matter in politics. "Happy to welcome you both here."

"The police chief and sheriff are already on their way now that you're both here," Tenzin said, motioning to the county building. "We have some important matters to discuss."

"Would this have to do with the helicopters that attacked us on the way in?" I asked. The men quickly turned dour, looking at each other like I'd just scratched open a fresh wound. "I thought so."

"That's why it's best we discuss this inside," Tenzin said. Nodding, Laura and I followed him into the building, just as a police car drove up. Two men got out, one in a dark blue uniform with a shield badge and cap, the other wearing a light tan uniform with a seven-pointed star and smokey hat. "Ah, perfect timing. Ladies, Police Chief Grant and Sheriff Walton."

"My sons are big fans of your radio stories," Grant said, smiling congenially as he shook our hands. "Would it be alright for them to meet you when this is all over?"

"I would be a pleasure," I said, shaking the chief's hand. The sheriff nodded, but from the scowl on his face it was clear that he didn't want either one of us in his county. "Is that everyone?"

"Indeed," Tenzin said, heading inside as the chief shut the door behind us. "I'm truly grateful that you could both get here so fast. Things have gotten quite out of hand here. Ever since this whole civil war business started the community's held itself together as best it could. Now we have a new problem."

"The Continentals?" Laura asked. "I thought they were fighting the Allies, why bother with a little city like this?"

"We should talk about that in the basement," Tenzin said, nodding to the city leadership filing into the basement under the county building. "We can explain everything safely down there."

That got me thinking already. First the helicopter attack, now talking inside a basement. If things start falling together like that, you've got fear of an enemy who keeps thinking two steps ahead of you. Not only did the choppers know we were coming, they knew where and when to wait. Laura looked over at me, and I nodded. We were both thinking the exact same thing. No need to mention it until later though. At least not until we could escape out of the massive stacks of files that we had to cram ourselves into. Sheriff Walton slammed the door behind us to the upstairs, glaring at everyone in the room. "I said this already, we shouldn't be calling out to freaking kids for help."

Laura tensed up, but Tenzin stood in front of her. At least, as best as he could. "I know you're opposed to this decision sheriff. I would have preferred to simply invite Laura here just to see her again. But the fact is that they're noted Combine explorers, they might be able to help us with these problems."

"Again, problems with who?" Laura asked, turning towards the supervisors. "Were those choppers from the Continental?"

"Hardly," Flint said, folding his arms and staring down at the floor as he spoke. "These are members of that Network. You know the type, the conspiracy loons?"

"Yes, they claim they're fighting a kind of worldwide conspiracy," I said, trying to ignore the musty stale feel of the basement. "But why are they in Winterset? Wouldn't they be more interested in the larger cities?"

Tenzin sighed. "I'm afraid my people are to blame for this."

"Now don't talk like that Mr. Tenzin," Chief Grant said, putting his hands on his hips. "Your people and you needed a place to stay, we chose to let you live in the area. It was all a case of bad timing and you know it."

"It started the year Tenzin and his refugees moved into the area," Harrison said, rubbing at his bald head. "The local crops didn't sell as well as we'd hoped, and a lot of people lost a lot of money. With Tenzin and his families in the area, people figured they had a decent scapegoat."

"My department and the sheriff kept a pretty gold hold on things though," Grant said, Walton giving a grudging nod as he learned back on the door. "But then this group of Network fellas came in."

"We noticed them about seven months ago," Harburg said, the tone in his voice apparently meaning that he was leading the conversation now. "They started slow, claiming that they were looking for UFOs, ghosts, typical fantasies for people with too much time on their hands. But then they started to get more bold, and suddenly they were running down entire fields with their slap-dash tanks and leaving cameras everywhere. No one's been able to sleep without pulling down their blinds and locking their doors. And I haven't done either since I was born in this town."

I waited before I spoke to make sure I didn't run over anyone's words. "So they feel that another power is responsible for the crop failures?" I asked.

"In a twisted way," Harburg said. "They claimed that Tenzin was some kind of spy for Green China, started leaving flyers everywhere around town to make people think he and his are the real problem."

"What are you saying?" Laura said, her face angry but her eyes hurting. "Tenzin escaped from Green China, he wanted to start his people's lives over again!"

"We know that, we do," Grant said, trying to quickly calm Laura. If his sons listened to the radio show, he knew what would happen if she got angry. "The majority of the town does too. Tenzin and his refugees have been nothing but good law-abiding folks."

"The problem's the idiots with empty bellies and twitchy eyes," Walton said, finally jumping in. "The damn fools are desperate to blame anyone. So they chose Tenzin and his vegetarians." I noticed that the sheriff said the last part with heavy disdain, but I didn't say anything. I just let Laura glare him down.

"It is true though," Tenzin said. "We've found graffiti on our homes and our temple. They've called us such hurtful things..." Eyes downcast, he turned away from Laura. "The other day I was forced to explain to my son what it meant when some of the boys in town called his sisters 'chinks'."

If Laura had been angry before, now she was livid. "Where are these guys? I'll make'em *real* sorry that they *ever* decided to pick on Tenzin and his family."

"Well that's part of the problem," Harburg said, reasserting his place. "The police and deputies can't find any place they're able to hide out. Now if what you said about the helicopters is true then we've got a bigger problem than we imagined. But we didn't know who to call before Tenzin suggested you both. The Allies are too heavy handed, but when we contacted the Continentals they said that they couldn't do a thing, they're *allied* with the Network apparently."

"Allied?" I looked over at Laura in confusion. "Why would the Continentals ever ally with a group that's so hate-filled? I didn't realize things were so fractious in their movement."

"Apparently the Continentals needed a way to find and filter intelligence," Tenzin said, clear distaste in his voice. "When we contacted them, they said this was a rogue group of the Network being led by a man calling himself 'Nemo'. He claims that he's the only man capable of saving the community from 'outside influences'."

"So who were those guys working on the Ranger as we drove in?" Laura asked. "Were they Continentals?"

"They're just some good old boys who think they're part of the Continental," Grant said, everyone nodding in agreement. "They drive some beat-up old Rangers and fly some Gadsden flags and claim they're part of the Continental Army. They don't cause too much trouble though, and if things get really bad they can at least help out."

"I think it's safe to say things are that bad," I said. "We need to stop these Network lunatics, before anyone gets hurt."

"And just how do you propose we find these idiots?" Walton grunted, cocking an eyebrow as he glared at me. "We've had dogs and search parties out for the past few weeks, and we haven't found hide or hair. It's why we're in the basement, they've clearly gotten a way to know what we're planning."

"Then it's obvious, the first step is to take away their spies." Laura turned to speak to the chief and sheriff, but I quickly shook my head. Now was definitely not the time. Quickly she jumped to another topic. "Can we stay with you Tenzin? I think it'd be better than risking out necks in a motel."

"We do have a spare room at the temple for any travelers," Tenzin said, nodding. Even when the world seemed to be coming down, I couldn't help but admire his sage-like aloofness. "We will talk more about this tomorrow, for now let's all rest. After what happened on your way up you must be exhausted. I'd say this meeting is adjourned gentlemen?"

The men nodded, though Walton kept glaring as we walked out past him. Breathing fresh air again, Laura and I went for the car. "Need a ride Tenzin?" Laura asked. "Bet you've never ridden a Mustang before."

Tenzin suddenly got very tense. "You're not driving are you? I thought we agreed in the letter that you weren't driving?"

"It's alright, I'm behind the wheel," I said, twirling the keys on my finger. "Laura's not allowed to drive anymore, not after what happened during that chase in Buenos Aires."

"Are you ever gonna let that go?" Laura said, scowling as she checked under the backseat. "Everything's still here, we're good to go."

"So where are we heading off to?" I asked, settling into the driver seat as Tenzin buckled up in the back. Putting on my aviators, I quickly checked my mirrors before bringing the engine back to life.

"The town granted us a plot of land in the Northwest of town," Tenzin said. In the mirror I saw him looking over at a group of people who'd decided to gather around to gossip about the new arrivals. "We'll have your rooms made up for the next few days, though I should mention that our food is indeed vegetarian for all meals."

"I don't mind," I said, backing out into the street. Watching as the chief nodded to the sheriff and walked away, I watchd as the sheriff shot one last glare in our direction. "But the sheriff sure seems to."

"Sheriff Walton isn't a bad man," Tenzin said, his clothes flapping as we drove off. "He's what I believe you would call a 'good cop', but he is very opinionated. I'm fairly certain he thinks we're part of the so-called hippie movement."

"Boy is he ever off the mark," Laura said as I turned north. "Has anyone else been giving your family problems?"

"No, most of the town is fine with our way of life," Tenzin said, smiling. "Most of my community have found honest work in the area as farm hands and day workers. It's hard, but a much better life than what we had in Tibet before we could escape."

"It's not right though," Laura grumbled, glaring back at the town square. "You're refugees, they shouldn't have any right to treat you like this."

"I see you're still quite headstrong," Tenzin said, raising an eyebrow before bowing his head. "You're right. In a perfect world we wouldn't face such suspicion. But my family and community will face it as well as we can. We know our own path, and we will follow it."

"You and Malcolm Little should compare notes," I said, passing a storefront made up as a "center" for the Federalist Party. "I think you could give him a few ideas on nonviolence."

"Oh I've written to him," Tenzin said matter-of-factly. "But my place is with my people."

Quickly making it through the town, I saw a small community of houses just outside the city. Some of the residents wore the same orange robes Tenzin did, others wore typical day wear as they walked about. Small flower gardens sprang up every few houses, and as I drove into the section I noticed that, while the houses weren't as big as the ones in town, they were almost spotlessly maintained.

"It's perfect Tenzin," Laura said, smiling as the people waved to him. "You've done some great work here, no doubt about it."

Driving to the center of the village, I parked the Mustang outside a small building that said, "Tibetan People's Buddhist Temple". The door opened, and a woman wearing the same robes as Tenzin walked out, carrying an infant in her arms. Laura jumped over the door, grinning ear to ear as she ran up. "Pema, it's good to see you again!"

"It's good to see you too," Pema said, laughing as she held one arm open to meet Laura's hug. "The children are so excited to see you again, they can barely concentrate on their studies." Turning, Pema gave me a smile. "You must be Amy Smith. I'm Pema, Tenzin's wife."

"Wife?" I said, surprised. "I didn't know Buddhist monks could marry."

"Traditionally no, you're right." Tenzin went over and hugged Pema, kissing her one the forehead. "But with all that's happened to our faith, the Dalai Lama has decided to extend a Japanese tradition to all Buddhist monks. Once we attain our higher orders, we may marry. Pema and I have known each other for so long that once it was allowed, it felt only right that I become her husband."

"Sappy ain't it?" Laura said, elbowing me in the arm.

"I think it's sweet," I said. "Do you need us to do anything to help around here?"

"I wouldn't mind help getting lunch ready," Pema said, motioning inside. "Please, make yourselves at home."

The section of the temple where Tenzin's family lived was small, but Pema apparently kept it very neat for having four children. Laura and I helped wash the vegetables as Pema cooked, her baby slung over her back giggling as Laura made faces at it. "So I'm curious, how did you wind up meeting Laura?"

I chuckled, Laura groaning as she braced herself. "It was two years ago, around the time Laura had first come to Los Angeles. I was out that day scouting new locations for my father's latest shop. I thought everything was clear, but then Laura surprised me by walking out from behind a bus into traffic." Pema giggled a little as I went on. "Well, after I got her to the hospital I got an earful, so I offered to make it up to her by buying her dinner. We just...hit it off I guess. Of course, she still had a bit of a temper even after we started dating."

"Well you should've met her before she left the village," Pema said, Laura fumbling with her veggies at the mention of her birthplace. "Before my husband taught her how to get in touch with her emotions, she was the roughest scrapper that village had ever seen. Pretty sure her father had an aneurism a few times before Tenzin got to her."

"Okay, memory lane's over," Laura said, quickly washing up and going to set the table.

"I guess she still is a little rough though," Pema said, smiling. "But she's a good girl too. And I trust that you treat her like she needs to be treated."

I smiled awkwardly, looking down on the potato I was busy peeling. "Pema, I think you should know one thing. My name-"

"There's no need," Pema said, putting a hand on my shoulder and giving me a gentle smile. "Laura wrote to Tenzin about it some time ago. What's important isn't the name, it's who you are. One day you'll be able to come back to where you began."

I smiled back at Pema, feeling not only her kindness but the warmth of the home. I knew what happened in China, everyone of you reading this does. But the reality that this woman, who had lost so much, was still able to show such simple kindness to a stranger was too much. I quickly started wiping the tears from my eyes. "Thank you so much for letting us stay with you."

"Laura!" Turning, Laura saw three children rushing in, leaping onto her with zeal.

"Jinora, Ikki, Milo, you've all gotten so big!" Laura shouted, weathering the childish assault with glee. "I'm so happy to see you all again, I'm amazed at how big you've all gotten."

"Wash up kids, lunch should be ready soon." Pema set a pot of water to boil on the stove as Tenzin walked in, dust covering his clothes. Without looking back Pema said, "You too dear. Everyone needs to wash up." Tenzin looked over at his wife, his face asking the question for him: "How on earth does she do that?"

After a quick boil we sat down, Tenzin saying a quick blessing. "For the food we are about to receive, for the family that we have found, and the friends that have come to grace us, we are thankful."

"It's as good as it was the last time," Laura said, Pema smiling as we ate. "Seriously, can I get some kind of recipe for this?"

"Boiling vegetables isn't hard Laura," Pema said, Ikki and Milo almost racing each other to see who could finish the fastest as Jinora read from what looked like a schoolbook. "So, what's it like living in the Technocratic Combine? I hear they've got quite the cities there."

"There's nothing like them anywhere ma'am," I said. "There's entire skyscrapers covered in gold and bronze, and the streets are so clean that you can barely find a piece of dirt anywhere. The skies are filled with airships at every hour, and no one never has to worry about being unemployed or crime like in some parts of the world." The children looked awed with my words, suddenly stopping as they ate to listen to every word I said. I didn't feel like stopping anyway. "The ports have ships coming in and out from every nation non-stop, and every kind of food you can imagine? You can find it with only a few minutes walking in any direction. Every citizen can do whatever they want, some even buy their own personal autogyros to fly through the cities and town in with no problem at all."

"Daddy, can we go to the Techno-whatisit? Canwecanwecanwe?" Ikki said, shaking Tenzin's arm violently.

Tenzin tried to keep his face neutral as his daughter nearly shook him to bits, looking over at me when I finished. "And what about spiritual life in the Combine? For my part, I have heard stories that make me fear that the people may be straying from a righteous path."

"Tenzin's pretty spiritual," Laura said, nonchalantly shoveling another load of rice into her mouth. "I never tried to explain polyunism to him, I'd probably mess it up."

"So would I honestly," I said, shrugging. "Some of the Combine think it's the next religion to take the world's stage, but I personally don't have much when it comes to belief. I'm just focused on trying to live."

Tenzin nodded. "Some people have found that the best way to find their own guidance is to remove themselves from spirituality for a time. Still, I'm not one to preach. I've noted that when I speak about the Jesus Christ in this area, many people find themselves listening to me more easily on spiritual matters."

I was going to say Tenzin was a wise man when one of the windows smashed in, a brick landing in the living room as a motor roared into the distance. Laura and I jumped up, throwing the table sideways as the baby started crying. We ran out the back door of the house to see a few other refugees coming out to see what had happened, and a massive, bulky car speeding into the distance with a cloud of dust pluming up behind it. "We'll go after them," Laura said, starting to move for the Mustang.

"No, don't do anything," Tenzin said, Laura stumbling as she held herself back. Taking a deep breath, Tenzin turned to his children. "Kids, you have those new coloring books in your bedrooms. Go play with those while your mother and I clean up alright?" The children nodded sullenly, Jinora leading her brother and sister to the bedrooms with heartbroken eyes. "Pema, please stay with the children while I clean up, and call Chief Grant." Pema nodded, quickly hugging her husband as she soothed her youngest into silence again.

I felt Laura grab a glove from my pocket, and I saw her slip it on as she bent down to grab the brick. A note was tied to it, and as Tenzin set the table back into place she read it to me. "The only good chink is a dead chink." I saw her barely holding back. She obviously wanted to crush the paper and shove it down the throat of whoever wrote it, but she knew enough to wait for the police.

As Laura fumed, I went into the kitchen, taking a brook to help with the broken dishes. "No, I'll take care of that," Tenzin said, gently trying to take the broom out of my hands. "It's my home and temple after all."

"You've obviously dealt with enough," I said, holding on to the broom. "How long has this been happening for?"

Sighing, Tenzin slid into one of the chairs that was still standing, a defeated looking man. "I don't know where to begin," he whispered, covering his eyes. "Three months before I sent that letter things were perfect for my people. Then, a month before I wrote the town's attitude towards us changed. People became spiteful, refusing us business or just staring at us on the streets. And since I sent the letter things have only gotten worse. The police and sheriff try their best and promise us they'll find who's doing this, but it feels like..."

"Like they won't help you at all," Laura said, standing in the doorway to the living room. "Tenzin, why didn't you write me sooner?"

Tenzin turned his face away, ashamed. "I wanted to solve these problems on my own with the town's leaders. But then one of the men who was a fieldworker was beaten in an attack. He lived, but he still walks with a horrible limp and can barely work now." Looking up with watery eyes, Tenzin suddenly looked like a man defeated. "We have no money left to move on with, and I'm short of any options that will keep everyone safe. Laura was the only person I could think of writing."

Smiling, I took Tenzin's hand in mine and tried to meet his eyes. "Then I promise we will help stop whoever's doing this. Your people deserve to live in peace."

"That goes double for me," Laura said, jerking a thumb towards herself. "We'll find whoever's doing this crap and make'em wish they'd never even heard about Buddhism."

Tenzin nodded, smiling despite his teary eyes. "Thank you, thank you both." Taking a few deep breaths, Tenzin stood up from the table. "Well come on now. We can't have the police seeing the house in such a state can we?"

"You really think we can do it?" Laura said, rolling over to face me. After telling the officers what we knew, we unpacked for the next few days, settling into bed as the sun slipped down from the sky for the obviously long day that was waiting for us.

"We have to try," I answered, turning from staring at the ceiling to her. "The problem is we only have one place to start based on what Tenzin said."

Laura nodded. "The police and sheriff," she whispered. "That sheriff did seem pretty prickly. And did you hear the way he was talking about Tenzin even when they were in a room together? Who does that?"

"You've had your moments," I said, giving Laura a grin. "What we need to do is find a way to convince the chief of police and sheriff to let us search their men, and find out if those Continentals know what's going on."

"With all that happened I completely forgot," Laura said. She was silent for a few minutes before she said, "I just wish Tenzin had said we'd be in *separate* beds."

"Well you did say he was a traditionalist," I said from across the bedroom. "Anyway, get some sleep, we've got work to do in the morning."

"Can both of you be quiet?" Milo barked through the thin walls. "Some of us are trying to sleep!" Laura and I looked at each other, and tried to giggle silently before drifting into the night.

*Continued on Page 26*

### *Inimigos da Paz: The Veritas Collaborative*

*Inimigos da Paz is a regular column with the most up to date information and statistics on the most dangerous groups known to mankind. Whether terrorists, cultists, criminal or killer, the following groups are extremely dangerous and care must be taken if encountering said people.*

**What They Claim:** The Veritas Collaborative claim to be an offshoot of the Network of United Truthseekers, an investigative organization founded in April 1969 during a heightening of tensions between the Independent United States and the Allied Nations. Claiming to have information leading to proof of the existence of everything from cryptozoologic curiosities to labyrinthine government conspiracies stretching back centuries and a multitude of supporters and safehouses around the world, the Collaborative supposedly reports to no one but "The Third Eye", anonymous spokesperson for the Network.

**What They Are:** While admirable in their goals at discovering the truth, the Collaborative is full of sadly unstable and unwell individuals. They believe the Technate is attempting to pursue dangerous and immoral goals for the sake of Utopia. Any member of the Network making such claims is not to be trusted, and the proper authorities alerted *immediately*. Remember that such dangerous instability can, and in fact has gotten men killed.

**What You Can Do:** If your friends or family appear to be engaging in Collaborative rhetoric, engage them in conversation as to the true purpose of the group. Inform them of the following facts and statistics about the Movement on the section below. If you suspect a person to be involved directly with Veritas, DO NOT attempt to interfere directly unless armed with the appropriate bounty-hunting or vigilante license or in concert with police and security forces. Veritas members may be armed and dangerous, and may be exhibiting signs of psychological distress. If you suspect the Collaborative may be acting in your community, please contact your local Psychiatric Medical Council.

*This column references statistics available for view at all United Technate public archives.*

## Page 28

As I drifted into the kitchen from the bedroom, my face lit up as I smelled one of the most beautiful foods wafting through the house. "Pema, those pancakes smell delicious."

"I decided that since you're staying with us, I should use the flower." Smiling, Pema slid another small pancake onto a plate on the center of the table, and my happiness sagged slightly. There were only a few small pancakes on the table, but Pema was smiling so brightly about it that I realized that they probably had as much good flower left as a commissar had personal opinions. "Tenzin will be back in a few moments, he's seeing the children off to school."

"He sends them to the school in town?" I asked, Laura yawning loudly as she woke up in the bedroom. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Well we used to," Pema said, sadness in her voice. "When this all started the local Catholic Church offered the children a place to learn and feel safe." Finished, Pema stood proudly over her handiwork. "No need to wait, feel free to eat as much as you like."

I gave her a smile and started digging in as Laura shuffled about the kitchen, opening the cupboards looking for something as Tenzin walked in. "The children as off dear," he said, hugging Pema before sitting at the table. "I can't imagine where you would both start to be honest," Tenzin said. "I honestly can't imagine anyone would want to talk to you on the matter if they know."

"Well I do have a few questions," I said, Laura making a grumbling noise as she sat down with her eyes half closed. I realized that Tenzin didn't have any coffee. "For a start, Laura said you didn't mention any Continentals in your letters. What changed?"

Tenzin nodded. "Yes, I should have made a mention about the cell in the region. They're local men, they have a few aged weapons and vehicles. No one gives them much concern in the area since the Allies don't come this far into Iowa."

"Do they give you trouble?" I asked, Laura groaning a thank you as Pema handed her a plate of food.

"Not physically or verbally," Tenzin said, shaking his head. "But I have noticed them in town, watching us as we move about like they're expecting trouble to start from out being here."

"Obvious suspect number one," Laura said. "Are there any loners in town we should know about? People who live on the fringes and only ever seem to cause problems when they're around?"

Tenzin thought for a few seconds as Pema sat down with their breakfast. "There is one man, Edward, lives on the very edge of the city. Mayor Harburg will have more information for you, I believe he goes to visit Edward from time to time. When we came to the city, Edward was quite angered at our being here, constantly saying that were were some kind of communist infiltrators."

"Dear, don't make yourself too angry." Pema smiled at us, patting Tenzin's hand. "Mr. Harburg and the others are good men, they'll help in any way they can." Then she frowned and turned to her baby, putting some mashed up fruit into his bowl. "Except for the police and deputies of course."

"Feels like we need a score card," Laura said. "I can't tell who the bad guys are gonna be without one."

"Then we should get started," I said. "We'll wash up and go with Tenzin to talk with the county supervisors. I know just where to start. Thanks for breakfast ma'am." Nodding to Pema, I made a beeline to the bathroom and quickly got ready to shower. It was just a split second after I turned the hot water faucet when I heard Tenzin telling Laura outside that the hot water had run out from earlier.

Letting the wind dry my hair out as we drove, I took another look at the town as we went. Nearly everywhere I looked, there were children running, biking about, playing ball and games in the streets. "I thought school would still be in this late in the year."

"Only the Catholic schools in Continental territories can afford to stay open anymore," Tenzin said. "With how unstable tax collection is lately, most schools are forced to make do with shorter school years."

"The kids must love all the free time," Laura said, smiling as stopped for a game of stickball to clear the street into the town square. "They look like they're running wild."

"That's actually part of the problem," Tenzin said, clear depression in his tone. "The kids are out of school when members of the Network are running about. It's how they're learning about these hurtful words and doing such offensive things. Whenever the police come to take care of the problem the children talk back and lash out. I fear being out of school for so long is doing more harm than good."

I nodded as the game cleared out. Driving by, I watched as the kids pointed and gossiped to each other. I saw familiar faces from yesterday, and heard them over the engine. "What're those two ladies doing with the chink?" I put a hand on Laura's shoulder, sensing her tense up at each barely-concealed insult.

Driving through the town, I noticed that the Continentals were outside the Federalist office talking with what had to be the local representative. As I drove by, the men stopped and glared at us as we drove up to the county building. I nodded to them, but no one returned the greeting. Driving on, I parked on the curb and took one last look behind us. Some of the men were whispering to one another, but one of them kept glaring at us. A standing mountain of muscle that had the same bearing of a soldier.

"Well you're all here early," Harburg said, smiling as he walked over with open arms. "So, where do you want to start first?"

"You're not going to like it," I said, getting out of the car. "Sir, we need to take a look at your police department and sheriff's office to make sure they aren't infiltrated by the Network."

Harburg's smile vanished, and Grant's face gave the impression that he hadn't expected to be a suspect. Flint and Harrison looked at each other then back at me. Even Tenzin's calm demeanor flagged when I said what I needed to. Before I could go on, I heard a car door slam, and turned to see a driver rushing to the side of a large Cadillac, opening the back door to let an older woman out. Her gray hair was done up immaculately, and her clothes were probably worth more than Tenzin's temple, gold Buddha included. "I had heard that we had guests in town," she said as she walked up, giving a polite smile as she approached. "But I had no idea that they would be causing trouble judging by the looks on your faces."

"Mrs. Pierce," Harburg said, quickly going back to a grin. "Ladies, this is Mrs. Andrea Pierce, her husband was one of the most successful lawyers in the county."

"God rest his soul," Mrs. Pierce said, holding out a hand. "Of course, the money was never important to my husband compared to how many men he saved from prison. And who are you two ladies?"

"Amy Smith ma'am," I said, shaking her hand. "This is Laura North. We were invited to the town by Monk Tenzin."

"Hopefully to do something about these dastardly incidents," she said, her expression quickly indignant. "It's exactly the reason I came here Mr. Harburg." Reaching into her purse, I heard what sounded like change being shuffled about before she pulled out a small pamphlet. "I found this in my mailbox again." I only saw the pamphlet for a split second, but let me tell you that the cover was a horrifyingly unflattering image of Tenzin and his family, half-human, half-rat, scurrying about the town. "I don't appreciate seeing such filth with my morning paper."

"I understand ma'am," Harburg said, still smiling as he ripped up the paper. I tried to reach out for it, but in the second it took to even look over Harburg had destroyed any possible evidence. And from the look on Chief Grant's face, it was clear he felt the same way. "Don't worry, Ms. Smith and Ms. North are going to help us find out who's behind this."

Pierce went back to her polite smile, nodding to Laura and I. "Then I'll let you get to it then," she said, walking back to her car. "I'll talk with you later about arrangements for the Memorial Day parade."

Harburg waved even as the car drove out of sight, then let out a sigh and pulled at his face when he was sure the old woman couldn't see. "Why do you want to investigate the police and deputies? They're doing their best to help Tenzin."

"In a city this small there shouldn't be any trouble find out who's throwing bricks in other people's houses," Laura said, pointing an accusatory finger at the surprised and crestfallen Grant. "I'll admit that it's a problem, but there shouldn't be any reason that it's taken so long to find out where these fools are."

"Police work isn't that simple," Grant said, holding up his hands in defense. "We have to do these things by the book, otherwise any decent criminal defense lawyer will manage to get a case thrown out in seconds. I truly don't know how things work in the Combine, but the sheriff and I have to follow the rule when it comes to investigation."

"It won't be any longer than a few seconds at each desk," I said, stepping between Laura and Grant. "I know this seems like an insult, but it'll help to reassure us that your officers haven't fallen for the Network's lies like...other people clearly have." I had to stop myself from saying children, with Laura literally pointing fingers I didn't want to risk anything else. "Where's Sheriff Walton?"

"He usually take a patrol in the morning to see what's going on," Grant said, slowly relaxing. "I'll let you go through as much of the station as I can let you, but I can't promise Walton will be as accommodating."

"It's the best we can hope for right now," I said, smiling to try and ease Grant's discomfort. "Where's the department?"

As we walked into the police station/sheriff's office, the desk sergeant looked up with a smile as we walked in with Chief Grant, but his smile fell as Grant walked right by him with only a nod to greet him. Walking into the station, I was struck by how few police there actually were on duty. In Rio or Brasilia, a typical station would have two dozen arbiters running in and out a minute, detectives and lieutenants in the back processing and questioning. Here, I saw six men idly cleaning their weapons on their desks or slowly looking over case files. One man was actually busy just adjusting his gun belt. One officer was running a cleaning rag over a picture of what had to be a fallen officer, the picture flanked by an American flag to the right. "Everyone up, I've got something to say." The cops looked over in surprise, the few smiles I could see vanishing when they saw us. "This is Amy Smith and Laura North, the famous adventurers I told you were coming to help figure out who's a part of the Network. They want to see who's with the Network in this town." Sighing, Grant gave us a pained look before turning back to his men. "They need to search your desks to make sure. Everyone stand by theirs until we're done." The officers did as ordered, standing up next to their desks, looking at each other to try and figure out if this was really happening. "Ladies, whenever you're ready."

Nodding, I went left as Laura went right in the cramped squad room. The cop at the desk nodded to me as I came up, and I returned it as I read the name on the top. "Officer Martin, nice to meet you."

"Ma'am," he said, his thin mustache probably just starting to grow. "You really think someone in the department is part of the Network?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," I said, giving the desk a quick once over. There was a picture of an older man and a woman, probably his parents on the left of the desk, a small lamp with papers and files in an In/Out tray to the right. Opening the drawers, I found small books on rules and state laws, and a small picture of a pin-up girl in the bottom drawer which made Martin's face go bright red. I quickly leafed through the books and files, not finding a single Network pamphlet or tract inside. Nodding to Martin and giving him a smile and wink, I hid the pin-up girl again before moving on. Each desk was almost exactly the same, one or two pictures on the desks with small files or law texts inside. The filing cabinets only had evidence in each folder, and even as we carefully poked about we found nothing. "Looks pretty clean," I said. "Alright chief, where's your office?"

Grant froze for a second out of shock, but slowly led the way to his own desk. The frosted glass on the door read simply, "Richard Grant, Chief". Opening the office, Grant stood aside as we walked in. The office was sparse, the walls nearly bare with only one or two family pictures and diplomas on the wall. "Pretty simple office sir?"

"Yes," Grant said, seeming to relax as we searched about. "I only took the job a little while ago, so I can't exactly fill my office with curios just yet."

"Looks pretty clear here too," Laura said, searching through the drawers of Grant's desk. "Can we search the evidence room next?"

Grant shook his head. "That's one thing I honestly can't allow, some of those relate to calls Tenzin made. If anything is put out of place in that room, it would wreck any chance of getting justice for him and his."

Laura stood up to say something, but I quickly cut her off. "I understand sir. We're done here, we'll be on our way."

"Chief?" Turning to the front, we all saw a woman walking in in a waitress uniform. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and her outfit was wrinkled and unkempt. "I'm here to pick up Albert."

"Of course Mrs. Caulfield," Grant said, smiling at her sympathetically. "Martin, go get'im."

"What'd Albert do?" Laura asked, Martin taking a ring of keys off the wall next to the door on the other side of the room.

"Albert was found trespassing near the Cutler-Donahoe Bridge," Grant said, sounding exhausted despite it being so early. "Two of my people found him last night, the only one they could actually bring in. His mother was working a double at her brother's diner, so she couldn't pick him up until now."

"Her husband couldn't get him?" I asked quietly, listening to an old cell door being opened.

Grant sighed, turning away from Mrs. Caulfield. "Her husband died in Korea, in '53. She's been raising Albert as best she could ever since."

I nodded, knowing that what Mrs. Caulfield was doing deserved only respect. Then the door opened, and a sullen looking teenager in a brown jacket and boots shuffled out ahead of Officer Martin. He sneered at every cop in the room, but stopped when he saw us. His face suddenly lit up, and he made a beeline for us. "Amy Smith, Laura North? Holy cow, you two really are here! Oh man, I have got so much to tell you both about what I saw last night, it's unbelievable!"

"Albert!" The teen flinched a little, turning to see his mother near the door. "We're leaving."

Albert nodded, quickly walking over to his mother, but not before giving one last glare to Chief Grant on his way out. "You said he was out by the bridge with other people?" Laura asked. "Who?"

"Other teens and some older kids," Grant said, shaking his head. "A lot of kids around here have gotten pretty unruly lately. Trespassing, joyriding, making a general nuisance of themselves. Then when we get a call, they act like we're the bad guys for coming to stop whatever they're doing."

"I thought you said you only just got the job," Laura asked, even before I could. "How'd you know the kids were changing?"

"I grew up in a small city like this," Grant said, leading us out. "The types of people living around here are pretty much alike all over."

"I suppose you're right," I said, knowing that Laura couldn't shake the same feeling I had. Something was up. But as we left the police station section of the building I saw the sheriff waiting at the front desk, arms folded and glaring right into us.

"What the hell do the both of you think you're doing," the sheriff growled, storming towards us. "I never agreed to let either one of you into the building, and neither one of you are qualified to go poking around in police business."

"Paul, just take it easy," Grant said, holding up his hands as he stood in front of us. "They're just trying to make sure for themselves who they can trust. I mean they just went through my men's desks and didn't find a thing."

Walton kept glaring, first at Grant and then at us. I suppose if you were a criminal, that glare was probably the same thing that nightmares were made of. But even to a hardened explorer like me, I felt taken aback. Looking over, I saw Laura was too. Growling, Walton jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Get in and get out, before I have these two arrested for trespassing."

Gingerly walking around Walton, the three of us entered the sheriff's side of the building to see a group of deputies doing the same things as the police officers in the building. One was even putting up a Continental flag on the side of the office, looking over in surprise as we walked in. Grant gave the same mini-speech and we dove in again. Each desk was clear, every file clean. The deputies were somehow different though. They glared at us, made it feel like we were unwelcome intruders into their own private world. Finished going through again, I looked over to Sheriff Walton. "Sir, we'd like to search your office now."

"No stinking way," Walton said, quickly pointing towards the door. "You both did your searching, now get out so I don't throw the cuffs on you here and now."

Nodding, I quickly led the way out of the building. Once we were safely in the car, Laura pointed back at the station. "They're hiding something, did you see what they were doing in there?"

"Of course I saw," I said as I put on my aviators. "But now we know where to find our next best lead. We need to stake out Cutler-Donahoe Bridge."

The night air was cool and crisp as we waited, and as the crickets started to chirp I leaned back on the grass in the small space underneath the bridge. Laura shuffled close to me as we waited, as I put my arm under her neck to help her keep comfortable. "I can't believe they would say those kinds of things about Tenzin and his family," she said, whispering despite how much I knew she wanted to shout and rage. I could feel her shaking from the bottled up rage inside threatening to shake her apart. "All the hells they've gone through to get here, and now some conspiracy freaks want to drive them out because of who they are."

"You can't make everyone see that they're wrong when it comes to that kind of thinking," I said, Laura knew I was speaking from experience. "It's all a mask. They see Tenzin and his people moving here when their lives are going crazy, so they blame Tenzin's modest little successes for their downfalls. I know it hurts, for you and Tenzin. But you can't let that hurt make you lash out at the people you know are causing it. That only gives them more reasons to hate you."

Laura rolled over, even in the darkness under the bridge I could look right into her incredible blue eyes. "How is it you always know what to say?" she asked, moving her face close.

"Because you always know what you have to hear," I asnwered, moving my lips towards hers. Of course, that was when we heard the sounds of bicycles getting close. "Oh c'mon, now you idiots show up?"

Laura clapped a hand over my mouth, the both of us listening as we heard footsteps walking across the bridge. Nodding to each other, we slithered out towards the two ends of the bridge. Settling down close to the grass, I stopped to listen.

"Are you sure there's a ghost here?" I heard a teenaged girl ask, the fear in her voice poorly hidden. "My dad said that no one's ever hung themself here."

"Your dad's full of it, he's a cop," one of the boys said. Slowly, I peeked around the corner of the bridge to count four figures inside the bridge; Two boys, two girls, and one rather large dog. I instantly recognized the voice; it was Albert. "It's why Smith and North are here, they're trying to find the ghost too."

"Why would two big-time Combine explorers care about a ghost story from Iowa?" one of the girls asked, the moonlight barely reflecting from her thick glasses. "It'd be like Mackie going to the Buddhists for barbeque."

"That's why we're gonna wait until the ghost does show up," Albert said, pulling out a rope tied into a noose. "They said ghosts react to trigger objects. If she hung herself, she'll show up thanks to this." Thinking quick, I jumped up and grabbed the top of the covered bridge. "Hey, what was that?"

Grinning, I walked over the top of the bridge, listening past the creaking and groaning of the old beams below me. "Like, it's the ghost," said the second boy, his voice quaking and breaking with terror. "She knows we're here."

Walking over to Laura, I gave her a quick thumbs up and mouthed, "Get ready". Walking across the top of the bridge again, I stopped for a few seconds at the edge of the opposite end of the bridge. "Hey," Albert said, the others whimpering in fear. "Where'd it go?"

I dropped down from the top of the bridge, my feet dangling just past the entrance. I heard screaming inside the bridge and a dog baying, followed by the pounding footsteps of kids running in terror. Then I heard more screams as Laura jumped in their path, and I dropped down to see the kids running towards me, their mastiff cowering behind them. The girls huddled under the boys to try and protect themselves, but from the way Albert and Mackie were holding their arms in front of their own faces and not covering the girls it was safe to say that wasn't the girls best chance at survival. Walking over, I grabbed Albert's jacket and pulled him up to my face. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see mine glaring at him. "Wait, Amy Smith? What are you doing here, where's the ghost?"

"No such thing as ghosts," I said firmly. "Who told you there was a ghost at this bridge? And why're you all trespassing?"

"The Network," one of the girls said, her long hair suddenly everywhere from her panic. "They've been telling everyone about ghosts and creatures that we could find around here, they've been saying we could be famous if we found them."

"And what about Tenzin and his people," Laura said, grabbing Albert from my hands. "Why are they going after them?"

Even in the darkness of the bridge, Albert looked confused. "Wait, why do you care about them? We were just looking for ghosts, we don't care about those ch-"

"If you finish that sentence I will make sure that your mother has to plan another funeral," Laura said, Albert making a mewling whimper as he shook. A small pamphlet fell to the ground, and when I picked it up I saw the same illustration I saw earlier of Tenzin and his family.

"If you only cared about ghosts, why is this here?" I asked, putting it in my jacket as Albert shook himself to pieces. "All of you are coming with us, I think your parents need to know what you've all been doing."

After going to the nearest house and apologizing for waking the owners, the police arrived in two cars with four officers. Chief Grant pulled up in his own car seconds later, glaring at the girl who mentioned that her father was a cop. "Take them all home for tonight," he said, glaring down at her with a passion. "Tell their parents we won't press charges as long as they keep their children under control from now own." Waiting until the officers drove away, he quickl thanked the homeowners before walking over to us. "What the hell was my daughter doing out here?"

"Probably the same reason your kids have been acting up all over town," I said, taking out the pamphlet. "The Network's trying to get their hooks into them, get some new recruits involved."

"No," Grant whispered, leaning back onto his squadcar. "No, they're just teens and kids, what good are they?"

"Right now they're worthless frankly," I said, unfolding the "reading material". "The Network is just filling their heads with fun little stories about ghosts and strange animals. The kids eat it up, they see it as a fun little diversion from their boring summers." I quickly skimmed the offensive images for the actual text inside, and found constant repetitions. on how "The Buddhist" was just a fake creation of the Allied Nations to suck away the hard-earned money of the decent American worker. "But over time, the Network starts drawing them farther and father in. They bring them to raids or intelligence gathering operations. They make the kids guilty of crimes and force them into the Network's debt."

"The GLA and Phoenix Front use the same tactics," Laura said, not bothering to look at the ridiculous material held inside the pamphlet. "Teens and kids have a lot of energy, and people think twice before shooting someone that's the same age as their own kids. No one expects a kid to carry a bomb, or be a gunman."

"But, but who thinks like that?" Grant whispered, trying to steady himself of the car. I don't think it was the revelation of such tactics that was winding him, more likely it was that they had tried to suck in his daughter. "Rational people don't try to hurt kids like this."

"These people aren't rational," I said, tearing up the paper. "We've pretty much eliminated the unlikely suspects. Tenzin mentioned a man named Edward, said he might be involved."

"Oh, you mean Crazy Eddy," Grant said, shaking his head. "That old loon is harmless in the big scheme of things."

"I'd still like to talk to him," I said. "Now that we know these pamphlets are being spread through the kids, we have to stop it before they start to believe what the Network is saying."

"Well Eddy's in the sheriff's jurisdiction, so we'll have to ask if two of his deputies can take you out to him tomorrow."

Laura stepped forward to argue that we needed to go now, but I nodded. "Okay, we'll wait until tomorrow to confront Edward. Thanks for your help sir."

"No, I should be apologizing," Grant said, walking back to his squad car. Laura and I didn't say anythign, we just drove back to Tenzin's to try and get some sleep.

After another round of scolding from the sheriff, Grant managed to convince him to tell two deputies to take us to Crazy Eddy's "shack" West of town I didn't have to guess what farmhouse was his, the dilapidated wood-frame was rotting as it stood into oblivion. A tall barn stood a few yards away, just as worn as the farmhouse. The deputies shuffled out of the car almost bored, compared to how Laure and I stood looking around for anything to happen.

"Well we're here," one of the deputies said, a stocky man who had to take off his hat to wipe at his forehead even early in the morning. "Got anywhere you want us to search? Like the house? Or maybe the barn? Or should we start by combing the dirt in the fields."

I ignored the sarcasm, walking up to the front porch and peering inside the windows. The house wasn't cluttered, but it was in desperate need of a maid. Dirty dishes clogged the sink, days-old leftovers clinging to the stained plates and pots. The living room was covered in dust, the couches ripped with stuffing poking out from the cushions. A few dusty pictures hung from the walls, some cracked and worn, but I saw one that was particularly pristine. "Can we go inside?"

"Not without probable cause," the second deputy said. He was a younger man, but still wore the same expression of distaste as the rest of the deputies seemed to have whenever we were around. "If we went in and Eddy didn't let us, we can face some pretty big problems." Moseying over to the door, I saw Laura tense up. "Sheriff's department," the deputy shouted, banging on the front door and shaking loose flakes of paint. "Eddy, you there?" Silence answered, and the deputy groaned as he tried again. "Eddy, we got some people here who want to talk to you, I know you're in there."

As we waited for Eddy to answer, I saw Laura walk over to the barn. If the house was bad, the barn was worse. The frame was actually leaning to the left, giving the barn an almost drunken appearance. Bending down, Laura studied the ground for a few seconds. That was when we all heard a mighty engine start from inside the barn.

"What the hell?" the large deputy said, walking over. "Didn't we help the bank seize Eddy's tractor in March?"

"Well he's got something big in there now," Laura said, backing away from the barn. "And it's got treads."

"Everyone get to cover!" I shouted. The deputies drew their pistol and ran for their car, the larger man quickly holstering his revolver in order to pull out and load a shotgun while his partner pulled out the radio.

"This is car 5, we need immediate backup at Eddy's barn he's got a tank!"

"That's not a tank," Laura said, running with me to the Mustang. Popping the trunk she pulled out a new magazine and quickly went to rebuilding the Thompson as I put on my gauntlet. "The treads were too wide, there's something else in that barn."

I was about to ask what when I heard the wood of the barn start to creak and groan. We all stood huddled behind our cars, waiting for whatever Eddy had inside to come out. Then nothing, the wood going quiet after a few more seconds as the engine idled.

I took a tentative step towards the barn, then ducked behind the car as a concrete-covered behemoth roared out. Splitners of wood flew everywhere and I watched the cops flee towards us as the bulldozer collided with their car, flipping it sideways and crushing it beneath it's gargantuan treads. Laura fired a burst from the Thompson, but the .45 ACP bounced harmlessly off the concrete and sheet metal armor. Eddy decided to return the favor, and raked the Mustang with machine gun fire. I flinched, listening as rounds slammed into my black beauty. "It's only a rental, it's not your own car," I whispered to myself, trying to deny what was happening as my heart was ripped to pieces. Another burst tore apart the engine, and I slammed my free hand over my eyes and I ground my teeth.

"Heads up, we have more company!" Flattening myself against the ground at Laura's shouting, I looked towards the barn to see a group of men firing out from inside with old bolt-action rifles. "Guess Eddy's had some houseguests."

"We need to end this," I said, trying to ignore another burst across the car as the dozer turned towards us. Hearing sirens echoing in the distance, I looked down the road back towards town to seen sheriff's cars rushing to back us up. My face lit up for a second, but then I heard hydraulics running behind me, and when I heard a massive boom rock the very ground. Seconds later, a colossal explosion rocked the road ahead of the cars and scattering them across the road. Deputies ran and ducked for cover, one car lying on it's side with the engine smoking. "And there goes the cavalry."

"Sure about that?" Laura said, looking across the road behind us. Turning, I saw a trio of Ranger scouts rushing towards us, one proudly flying the Gadsden flag. The killdozer started to turn to fire at them, as the men in the barn started shouting happily at what they saw. I braced myself, watching as Laura raised the Thompson at the Continentals in what was probably our last defiant act before death.

*Continued on Page 30*

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## Page 30

Usually a trio of Rangers careening across the dust of a battlefield is a good sign for most people. Yet sandwiched between them and the killdozer behind me that was busy shooting up my rental, I felt the distinct sensation of frustration. I quickly grabbed Laura and kissed her, much to the confusion of the stocky deputy and bemusement of the younger one. Pulling back, Laura nodded and held the Thompson up at the Rangers. If nothing else, we could take them out long enough for the killdozer to finish us off. That was when the Rangers decided to split from one another and start running circles around the killdozer and barn with covering fire. Now it was my turn to be confused. The bread-muffed shooters inside the barn started ducking for cover as bullet holes tore through their cover, pieces of concrete flying off the killdozer like comets.

"Go figure," the stocky deputy barked over the mayhem. "Alright, you two are more qualified to deal with that giant monster. We'll handle the idiots inside the barn, deal?"

"Just stay alive on us," I answered. That was when we heard the dozer getting closer. Screaming, we broke from the Mustang, Laura and I running for the house. Laura fired on the door, breaking through it with a flying elbow as I followed. Landing hard on the floor, my eyes cleared just in time to see the Mustang being flattened under the rusted treads of the improvised superheavy. Watching forlornly, I charged my gauntlet. "Let's kill him."

"That would mean getting inside," Laura reminded me. "And in case you haven't noticed, we don't have much in the way of air power here." A burst of machine gun fire raked the house, and as we dove for the floor I heard glass and wood shattering all around us. Daring to look behind me, I saw the picture that was dusted hanging out of it's frame. Knowing it was probably a key to solving everything that was happening, I grabbed it. Hopefully you'll never find yourself in this situation, but never think that a small detail like a lack of dust isn't important.

"Okay, I think I have an idea on how we can disable it's machine guns," I said, watching as the left sponson tried to take out on of the Rangers as the two deputies combat crawled towards the barn. "You cover me from here, draw his attention and let me get behind him. Be safe."

"You too," Laura said, going into a kneel and firing on the killdozer. As the right sponson turned towards her we split. Laura ran to the living room, I went for the kitchen and out the door behind the house. Looking up, I saw a pot-helmeted Network man trying to sight the deputies from the basement. I instantly sent a kick to his chin, the man crying out for a split second before I sent my full boot into his nose, his unconscious body falling back down the stairs of the basement. I know that normally I would just shock my enemies in that kind of situation, but with what I had planned I would need every ounce of juice I had. Running towards the killdozer, I jumped up and held onto the right sponson with my gauntlet before I had to drop and cower on the ground as a line of bullets from one of the Rangers nearly took my head off. Glaring at the jeep, I quickly picked myself up and jumped onto it again, sending a massive burst into the gun. I could hear ammunition inside cooking off, the dozer quickly careening out of control. Panic fire was still echoing from inside the barn, and jumping off the now out-of-control death machine I saw the two deputies lined up outside the door in tactical fashion ready to breach. Quickly flashing them a thumbs-up, I ran to the other side of the killdozer and sent another massive volt through the left sponson. More ammunition started cooking off inside, and the dozer was suddenly turning and jerking wildly towards the house. Laura quickly ran out, lying prone on the ground to try and avoid the crossfire between the barn and Rangers.

The out of control dozer slammed into the house, nearly pushing it off the foundation as the dozer blade pushed through the porch and into the house. Support beams fractured, and slowly the second floor started to crumble. It was long before the house collapsed in on itself, but the dozer wasn't done pushing on, until I watched it tip forward into the basement. The engine let out one final roar of defiance before it died, the great behemoth dead forever.

The deputies ran into the barn, the man with the shotgun leading as his partner covered him. "Sheriff's department, down on the ground and don't move! Weapons down, hands where we can see them, put your weapons down now!"

"Just like PKs in a house," Laura mused, dusting herself off as she stood. I nodded, the movement of the Rangers catching my eye. The trio formed up into a wedge and rode off back to town, flag still flying despite the new bullet holes. It was probably for the best, because the sheriff's remaining cars were finally pulling up. Deputies jumped out and ran for the barn, the sheriff and one of his sergeants running to the killdozer. He didn't say a word to me, he just ran to the top of the killdozer and fumbled with the hatch for a few seconds when it opened from the inside. He nearly jumped back as a man crawled out from inside, blood streaming down his face and matting his hair.

"Eddy?" Walton half whispered. "What the hell were you doing?"

Eddy hacked and coughed for a few seconds, grabbing Walton's collar and and trying to say something. That was when I saw the series of bullet holes in his chest and realized that it was too late for Eddy. Turning away, I watched as the deputies methodically cleared the barn out. One man with a shotgun in front, his partner behind him with the revolver up and ready to fire on any threats the pointman missed. "Exactly like a PK clearing a building," I whispered.

"What the *hell* do you two think you're doing?!" Roughly I was turned around to see the sheriff glaring at me, his shirt spotted with blood. "You were here to ask him questions, not rip this place up and nearly destroy my department's resources! And what the hell were those Continentals doing here, I saw the whole damn thing, you better have some answers!"

"Well we don't have any," Laura said firmly, standing toe to toe with the sheriff. "Eddy attacked us with that thing, so ask his little friends what the hell just happened!"

The sheriff drew his revolver, and before Laura could bring up the Thompson he aimed it past her head and fired towards the house. Looking over, I saw the man I'd beaten slumping down from the basement stairs, rifle clattering to the ground. Holstering the revolver again, the sheriff shoved Laura towards me. "Both of you are gonna leave now, before I have you both arrested and charged."

I nodded, guiding Laura away from the sheriff's rage. Sparing one last longing look at the Mustang, I still put on my aviators as I walked back to town, Laura slinging the Thompson over her shoulder. "Guess that was a bust," Laura said. "Eddy died before he could tell us anything."

"I'm not sure," I said, patting my breast pocket. "Whatever this picture was, it was probably the one thing Eddy cared about in life. Once we get back to Tenzin's house, we can get a better look at it."

"I hate the Network," I grumbled, finally making it back to Tenzin's home. Tenzin was outside talking with two Shaolin monks, but they all quickly bowed to each other as went their own way as Tenzin ran to us. "Everything alright?"

"I just heard about what happened to the sheriff's department," he said, hugging Laura. "I'm thankful neither one of you are hurt." Putting his hand on my shoulder, Tenzin blinked and looked around. "Where's your car?"

"It's just too painful," I groaned, Laura patting my shoulder as Tenzin led us inside. "Is everything alright in town?"

"I'm afraid not," Tenzin said, leading us inside. "It seems the last few shops to consider us customers have decided to deny our business too. And I was just told that now some of the farms are firing our laborers. If we can't earn money or buy the necessities, we'll have to move on without money."

"Yeah, that won't work in the US," Laura said, getting herself a glass of water. "But Amy found something in Eddy's house, she thinks it's a clue."

"Eddy was living like a total slob, but he kept one picture clear of any dust," I said, taking out the worn black and white photo. "If nothing else, it'll tell us the kind of people that gravitate to the Network more clearly."

It was a picture of a Beagle tank crew in Europe, cheering with each other in Stuttgart, Germany. Beer bottles filled their hands, local girls on their arms joyous to have been freed from communism, and probably going to thank the men later. The tank had a name on the side, "Rawhide", and a pin-up was painted of a female cowhand below it.

"I can't tell which one's Eddy," I said, leaning back into a chair in the dining room. "This was probably taken during World War II, if they were young then it'll be next to impossible to tell now without taking a look at Eddy's body."

There was a knock at the door, and Tenzin patted my shoulder was he walked by. "What matters is that there's a clue now. Maybe it could crack everything open at last." Smiling, he opened the door then jumped back, going into a fighting stance. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

Jumping up, Laura and I ran to the door to see Tenzin standing off in front of a muscular man in a surplus US Army uniform and an old Kwolek vest. Behind him, a Ranger parked on Tenzin's lawn with a shot-up Gadsden flag. "Sir, I think we need to talk."

"Like hell," Laura barked as I charged my gauntlet. "You think that after what you've been doing that you're welcome anywhere near here?"

"Laura please," Tenzin said, softening his stance as he scolded Laura. Both of us stared at Tenzin in surprise. Bowing to the man, he stood tall again. "I am here to listen after your help today."

The man nodded, a massive mountain of muscle standing barely in the doorway. His head was cut to a nearly-bald scalp, and his dark brown eyes seemed almost apologetic. "Well, it's a bit of a long story sir," he said, barely moving as he spoke. "I'd like to come in and talk with you, if you'll let me."

"I'm afraid I cannot," Tenzin said, holding up a hand. "For now, all I will do is listen."

"Guess that's fair," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I know you've seen us watching when you and yours are in town sir, we didn't do anything to hide it. Well it's really got a lot to do with what's been happening around here lately. See, my cell and I didn't really do much I suppose. The police usually had things pretty under control, so all we really did was shoot and old tin cans and look for work."

"So why start treating Tenzin and his community like they're some kind of suspects?" I asked, still keeping my gauntlet on. "You think that just dropping in on our fight earlier means you're above suspicion?"

"The fight you were losing?" he asked, not a trace of anger of insult in his response. "See sir, what happened was that we noticed when the shopkeepers started turning down your money. Well I realized that it wasn't normal for some of these grocers and such to turn down anyone's money, and about three months ago when we got ourselves some old Rangers we decided to make ourselves obvious around here. The police sure didn't seem to be doing much to make it clear that you were welcome around here."

"But the Continentals are partners with the Network aren't they?" Laura said, pointing an accusatory finger at the man. "You're saying that you didn't know who was causing all this?"

"Not until a few weeks ago no," he said, turning his head away from us in clear shame. "We didn't know that the Network was active around here at all until we started to find kids running around with those stinking pamphlets and calling the Buddhist kids...well, names."

Tenzin nodded. "You were trying to keep the situation from escalating then," he said, holding out his hand to the man. "I'm happy you've come to talk with me about this so that any misunderstandings can be cleared up. I'm sorry, but I don't believe I heard your name, Mr...?"

"Rich Harburg," the man said, our eyes inside the house going wide. "Yes, that's my father you're thinking of. And the reason we can't get better gear," he said, sounding bitter.

"Your dad isn't a Continental?" Laura asked before I could say anything.

"He says he is," Rich said bitterly. "But will he make the cops or deputies a Continental militia, or even give us money for better weapons? No, apparently there's too little to go around even as he's sending out road crews as often as he can."

"If I might step in," Tenzin said, quickly heading off Rich's anger. "What matters now is that we are all understanding each other; the Continental militia does not oppose our being here. Which means that the list of suspects has been narrowed?"

"I suppose so," I said, not shaking the feeling that I had looking at Harburg. It wasn't that he looked like his father, but that I'd already seen him before. "But if you're really trying to protect Tenzin, why haven't you been able to talk to the Network about what they've been doing once you knew they were around?"

"Seeing how they acted today I think we should be thankful my cell didn't." I had to give the point to Rich on that one. "But if we can make it up to you Mr. Tenzin, you just tell me how."

"I've got a suggestion," Laura said, stepping forward. "Tenzin, your people have been dealing with Network idiots harassing you, and he has a trio of Rangers and a cell of Continental militiamen right?"

Tenzin nodded. "It's true, we have been dealing with the Network causing incidents in the area at all hours."

"Then I'll set it up so that one of our Rangers will drive through ever hour or so," Rich said, nodding to Tenzin. "I'll keep trying to contact someone with authority to see if we can't deal with these Network fools. If anything goes wrong, just get to the Federalist office and we'll do our best to help." Putting on a cap, Rich held out his hand to Tenzin. The two shook, Tenzin's sagely appearance and pointed beard a stark contrast to the warrior look of Rich.

Laura waited until Rich got into the Ranger and Tenzin shut the door before she spoke. "What the hell is going on here? The Continentals aren't the bad guys, but they didn't want to do anything why?"

"I can understand their actions perfectly," Tenzin said, going back to the table. "Fighting the Network might have torn the town apart. I can't yet forgive them for not acting sooner, but I am thankful that Mr. Harburg decided to speak with us."

"It could still be a ruse," I said, getting my own glass of water. "He could be trying to lull us into a false sense of security."

"No, I don't believe he is," Tenzin said, stroking his beard. "If that were true, why wouldn't he bring his cell to intimidate me? No, I think Mr. Harburg is quite sincere in his regret of not doing anything sooner."

"Then we're back to wondering why the police aren't doing anything," Laura said, as I sat down to look at the picture again. The though of Rich Harburg's familiarity wasn't going away when I sat down. Then I saw the picture, and I realized something. "Amy, what is it?"

"Look at this," I said, pointing to the picture. "Doesn't this man on the left look a little too familiar?"

Laura leaned in over the table, brushing some hair out of her way when her eyes went wide. "It can't be!"

"Not unless it's his father," I said, sliding the picture over to Tenzin. "Does this man look familiar to you?"

Tenzin blinked for a few seconds, leaning close to the picture before his eyes went wide and he shot up in his chair. "That's Harburg!"

"Mitch Harburg," I said, quickly sliding the picture back into my jacket. "And this is evidence that he knew Eddy long before you moved into the area. Maybe even gave Eddy some help. We need to get into town now."

"I'll get the car," Tenzin said, moving for the keys. "But we need to approach this carefully, Harburg is the most powerful man in this area."

"We'll worry about him if anything happens," Laura said, cracking her hands. "Let's just get rolling."

As we pulled into town, I saw a greater number of people excitedly walking from store to store, shop owners standing outside to talk with customers about what happened. Then they saw us driving towards the courthouse in Tenzin's rusted out Kübelwagen and just kept staring as we pulled up to the courthouse.

"This is your car?" Laura asked. "The floor is literally rusting out beneath me back here."

"Actually my community insisted I take this car," Tenzin said proudly, holding his head high. "I wanted one of the other families to have it, but they said I would be the only one who could use it effectively to help them." That was when the engine decided to sputter and die as we stopped in front of the courthouse. "And now I'm out of gas."

Laura gave Tenzin a pat on the back as we got out. Looking around I saw people crowding around the Federalist office apparently trying to ask for information on what happened before the police released a statement. Other groups of people walked around with each other, sizes fluctuating and shifting moment to moment. The diner was also full of conversation, but everything seemed to slow down the second Widow Pierce's car pulled up to the courthouse alongside Tenzin's rusted old KW.

"Oh Mr. Tenzin," she said, opening her door before her driver had the chance. "I just heard about what happened, is everyone in your section alright?"

"We're all fine ma'am," Tenzin said, nodding to her. "Laura and Amy stopped that device before anyone could be hurt. We owe them a great debt I think."

"As do I," Pierce said, smiling gently as she patted Tenzin's hand. "Let's just hope things don't get any worse."

"Tenzin, there you are." Turning, we all saw Harburg running towards us from the courthouse. "I just got through calling Des Moines about what happened. Where's Eddy?"

"He's dead sir," I said solemnly. "He was driving the killdozer that attacked us, I had to take it out of no one would be here to talk with you."

"I see," Harburg said, looking crestfallen. I did my best to not let on that I knew why. "Well, you did what you had to I suppose. But...Well, I guess explorers like you two know how to handle it when it comes down to your and the other guy." Now let me tell you, that immediately set off something in my mind. Harburg was definitely sad about what happened to Eddy, but there was almost no rage compared to what I would expect from a many who just lost a co-conspirator. "Well anyway, I just got word from Chief Grant that they're talking to the first suspects now. He called me to ask you both to go up to the station, see if you can't 'advise' on things."

"We'll get on it as soon as we get Tenzin some gas," Laura said firmly.

"I'll help Mr. Tenzin with that," Pierce said, smiling cordially as she waved us on. "You girls get over to the police station and solve these problems."

"We'll get our own ride back then Tenzin," Laura said, waving as Tenzin left. "So, what's the problem up at the station anyway?"

"It's, well, from what Chief Grant said it's something complicated." Leading us to his car, I noticed that the edge of his shirt collar had what looked like scar tissue poking out above it. Ignoring it, Laura and I sat carefully in the car, waiting for a betrayal even as we were dropped off at the station and Harburg was driving away.

"Thank God," Grant said, rushing out. "Now that you two are here I can stop trying to pull my hair out. C'mon in, we need to get this moving and fast, we have to transfer these prisoners out before we run out of room in the cells."

"What's wrong though?" I asked as I followed Grant through the doors. "Are they not talking to your officers or deputies?"

"Oh they're talking alright," Grant said, taking his revolver out to leave with the desk sergeant. "But they're not saying anything useful." Before I could ask what that meant, Grant opened the door to the squad room.

The desks were in a cacophony of conspiratorial clamoring. Some of the suspects had wild and unkempt appearances while others looked like they could've doubled being cops. One had crumbs of bread trapped in his sideburns while another looked like he'd just walked out of a Bogart film. The noise was worse.

"It wasn't a saucer at all!" one of them shouted, his hair nearly sticking up at 90 degrees as his hands moved emphatically in front of him despite being cuffed. "They moved in a singular direction in a triangular formation, you need to put this town on a lookout at once!"

"So you see that I had to make a plaster cast," said the man with crumbs for mouse. "That's why we need to leave the station now, and track it back to the nearest forest! Why are you looking at me like that, isn't there a forest around here?"

"Sure, arrest me because all I was trying to do was defend myself against the end." The sullen-looking suspect had a wild look in his eyes, and even in a room full of lunatics you could smell him out too easily for my comfort. "Trust me, when all your paper money's worthless and you're starving for food, you'll be *begging* to become part of my new nation!"

"So that's how I tracked them to this town," the Bogart wanna-be said, chewing on a half-finished Morley as he spoke. "All the money led straight from Osaka to here, that's where the Yakuza hitman is hiding himself."

Quickly Grant led us into his office, shut and locked the door, and let out a long and frustrated groan. "Please, start that dozer back up and run me over with it, that is a preferable fate to *any* of what we're hearing out there."

"Did they at least tell you who's in charge?" I asked, Laura still trying to process everything she'd just heard.

"They're *all* in charge," Grant said, exasperated. "Near as we can tell Eddy was the one who actually organized things. They're all claiming they're all the leader of the cell, just in specific areas. Cryptozoology, UFOlogy, criminology, survivalism, it's a freaking paranormal convention in there. There's one man left, I was gonna take care of him myself." Grant started to walk out the door, but stopped and turned to us. "Um, you two might want to get behind the desk just in case."

We quickly moved behind the desk, not knowing what to expect. "What if the guy's some kind of escaped mental case?" Laura whispered. "I heard that the Continentals released a bunch of head cases a few months ago from Allied hospitals without realizing who was in for what."

"Or he's some kind of diabolical mastermind," I said, listening as the faint sound of a cell door opening drifted into the office. "You know the kind, the ones that make other people do his work because they think it's their own ideas?" I realized that we were edging closer to one another, and as the footsteps closed on the door to the office, we grabbed one another and kept our eyes locked on the door. I felt Laura shaking as the door opened, then realized that I wasn't helping to keep her any steadier.

"Okay, get in there," Grant said to the suspect. The man wasn't stick-thin, but he was clearly not a fat man by any stretch. His hair was cropped close and with a bad part, and his shirt was about what you'd expect any middle-class man to be wearing during the day. The fact was he was incredibly ordinary looking, and Laura and I looked at one another to make sure we were both seeing the same thing. That was when the man jumped towards us and started sniffing at us, Grant quickly pulling him away and into the chair in front of the desk. "Hey, manners!"

"Just making sure they were carrying any chemicals on them," the man said, indignantly glaring at Grant with his hands cuffed in front of him. "She might've been walking under chemtrails, we lost our chopper patrols against those after all."

I said nothing as Grant sat down and glared at the man. "Alright, now knowing we already have your ID and driver's license, can you tell us your name?"

"I refuse to answer that," the man said, sneering at Grant. "That's how they'll try to get me in jail, admit my name so they can trump up some charge, all because I was trying to expose the reality of the world's politics."

"His name's Mark Coleman," Grant said, his calm and polite demeanor wearing away by now, and it was only about an hour since the Network had been arrested. "I sent a call up to the state criminal records office for anything on him, but the ID and license were from Idaho."

"Because that's what they want us to have," Coleman said, leaning forward. "The military-industrial-entertainment-food manufacturing complex wants us all to be identified, you have to carry that stuff around or they know you're not with them. It's why I had to carry that all around, because I have to blend in until I can prove the truth."

"What truth is that Mark?" Grant asked, taking his seat behind the desk. "You fired on sheriff's deputies earlier, but I can help you if you just tell me the truth."

"That's the truth," Coleman said, his voice getting his and more excited. "The conspiracy wants to control all the police departments, that way whenever someone moves in to take control the takeover is easier, the local 'authorities' can round everyone up as fast as they like!" Coleman glared at Grant, but from the confused and slightly insulted look on Grant's face Coleman started to realize something. "Hey, you really don't know do you? Oh man, they must still be keeping you in the dark!"

"Yes they are," Grant said, quickly seizing the brief flash of hopeful light that he saw. "But you can help me understand what they're trying to do, and I can help you stop them."

"Well it's all little conspiracies," Coleman said, his voice almost dropping to a whisper. "The Allied-Soviet conspiracy, the Atomic Kingdom conspiracy, it's all tied together."

"And where do the Buddhists tied into all this?" Grant asked, leaning forward.

"You don't know?" Coleman said, almost laughing. "Buddhism isn't real, it's just a fiction! The Atomic Kingdom thought it up, creating a fake religion so that they can pose as refugees around the world! Then when they get their orders, they'll raise hell wherever they've 'settled down'. They'll drop their non-violence act and take over, that way the Allies can move in and grab even greater control!"

The office was quiet for a few seconds, the three of us just staring at Coleman trying to figure out if he was serious or if he was angling for the insanity defense later. Coleman's wide smile didn't help matters, like he was a child who just gave the right answer at the spelling bee. "So, you're saying the Buddhists are just a smaller conspiracy then?" Grant said, trying to work past his mental train wreck.

"Of course," Coleman said, whispering now. "It's all for when the cults take over."

My eyes narrowed at the mention of a cult. "What cults Mark?" I asked, Grant looking up at me but saying nothing.

Coleman looked around, like he thought that it would tell him if there were any listening devices in the room. Satisfied, he leaned forward, and we did likewise. Softly, almost inaudibly, he whispered, "The Cult of the Eagle and the Cult of the Scorpion."

It was like getting monkeys in a zoo riled up. The squad room went into overdrive, every suspect yelling about the cults and how they were covering up every single truth of mankind. Papers flew everywhere and desks were cleary being kicked and shoved. The volume was almost unbearable, but Coleman just sat there in front of us, smiling that same "Did I do good?" smile.

"Alright, questioning's over!" Grant barked, grabbing Coleman out of the chair. "Get these men back in the cells, right now, c'mon! You two stay here!" he said, shoving Coleman out of the office and slamming the door.

"Okay what was that?" Laura asked. "How you know to ask him what cults?"

"Something that happened when we were in that volcano helping Dutch," I said, remembering what I'd heard about the "Cult of the Scorpion", which no, wasn't a lot except for the name. "I heard some of those Inkarri talking about a cult of the scorpion, now I'm wondering if the Network is a broken clock."

Laura started to say something when Grant walked back in, the squad room quieter except for the sound of desks and chairs being put back after being kicked around. "See what I mean?" he said, leaning against the door frame. "Guess I brought you two over for nothing, sorry 'bout that."

"Well at least we managed to narrow the suspects a little," I said as Grant walked back to his seat. "We spoke with the leader of the Continental militia, he's not the one helping the Network go after Tenzin's community. He's even agreed to help patrol it during the day."

Grant laughed, settling into his chair. covering his eyes as he tried to get his thoughts back into order. "Well that's something at least. Looks just like his dad too, damndest thing."

"You knew his father when he was that age?" Laura asked as we moved to the front of the desk. I silently agreed, Harburg had to at least be twenty years older than the man in his early 40s sitting in front of us.

Grant sighed, wistfully staring at the wall to his left like he was remembering something. "Yeah, but that was a long time ago anyway I guess. Still shame we couldn't get anything out of them. We have to transfer them to a real jail by tomorrow before they try something."

"We'll let you handle it then sir," I said, leading Laura out. Nodding to the desk sergeant as we left, the two of us walked silently back to the town, the warm spring sun warming us as we went on our way. Kids still kept riding their bikes, forcing me to remind myself that Tenzin's were in the Catholic school as the city's kids ran around on early summer vacation. As we kept walking, I noticed that the sidewalks were cracking, and that the street we walked down had potholes in it.

"You know, for a bunch of guys who hate conspiracies they sure seem to like using them," Laura mentioned as we walked. "At least MIR tried to take us on when we arrived, I'm starting to get tired of thinking that everyone's out to get us."

"Must be what it's like to be a part of the Network," I said. "I keep trying to imagine what it's like to live like there's always a conspiracy watching you, like you can never trust anyone, and it just drives me insane trying to imagine it."

Laura took my hand as we came close to the town, leaning her head on my shoulder. "What if we can't stop them before it gets to be too much? Tenzin doesn't have anywhere else to take his people, and if they run out of work they're stranded."

"We'll solve it before anything comes to that," I said, stopping to turn Laura towards me. Believe it or not, a few reassuring words can do wonders for anyone worried about what they think they can or can't do. And at that moment, Laura needed it. "We already ruled out one group, and now we have to focus on what Harburg might be hiding. We're going to save Tenzin and his people, I promise."

Laura smiled, hugging me as we started walking again. About ten minutes later we got back to the center of town, and I noticed from across the town square a group of Buddhist women being turned away by a politely smiling older man in thick glasses wearing a pharmacist's coat. "Babe, I think it's time we did a little local shopping."

Walking across the square, I ignored the old women staring at us through the shop windows. As we got closer I could make out the writing in the window, "Marcos Pharmacy & Soda Fountain". Putting on a polite smile, I turned to Laura to give her the hint to do the same. Wearing our faces, we walked in to the sound of a bell ringing above the door.

"Well hello there," said the old man behind the counter. His glasses turned his eyes into saucers, and with the wrinkles on his face I could practically plot the highway. His skin was like a loose hide barely stretched over his skin, the bones in his hands clearly visible. "You must be those adventurers that everyone's been gossiping about. Well I get the feeling that two healthy young ladies like you aren't too worried about medicines, but I can make you both a good old-fashioned ice cream soda."

"Well thank you," I said, making my words so sweet that I could feel the cavities forming in my teeth. Laura and I sat at the counter in front of the soda jerks, watching as Marcos moved towards us. "So I guess you heard about what happened earlier?"

Marcos laughed, taking out two glasses and opening an ice cream drawer. "Not a thing happens in this town that I don't hear about I suppose. One scoop or two?"

"Two for both of us," I said, noticing Laura's knuckles starting to go white. "Not a thing? So you hear about everything that happens in this town?"

"Just abouts," Marcos said, humming a little as he scooped the ice cream into the glasses. Nodding to Laura, I kept talking as she got up and started walking idly about the small shop. "I have to say, you two are something special, almost like a pair of Dixies. You heard about Dixie right?"

"I've heard about her," I said, leaning forward on my hand as Laura made her way to the front. "Do you think anyone knew about that giant bulldozer he was building in his barn?"

"Not in the least," Marcos said, moving his head back in surprise as he pulled for the soda. As he did, Laura was already turning the lock on the front door and checking that, for now at least, no one was going to come into the pharmacy. "Shame too, Eddy was a real American hero. Served two tours of duty in Europe, only to get his farm nearly bankrupted when the Allies took things over. Damn shame I say. Meanwhile, those Buddhists get free housing and all the jobs they could ever need. Makes you wonder doesn't it?"

"It's why we're here," I said, grinning my most diabolical grin as Laura drew the blinds at the front of the pharmacy. Looking up, Marcos looked like he was trying to figure out what was happening as I slipped on my gauntlet and powered it up. Blue light lit up my face from beneath, as Laura stepped over the counter. "We saw you turn those women away a few minutes ago. So you're going to tell us why, is that understood?" Marcos looked from me to Laura, then to the windows. His face screwed up, tears suddenly edging into the sides of his eyes as Laura crept up to him with fire blazing behind her eyes with a scowl that would send a commissar running.

"Oh thank you!" Marcos shouted, grabbing Laura and hugging her. Tears streamed down his face onto Laura's shirt, the both of us stuck trying to figure out what exactly was happening. Shutting off my gauntlet I leaned over the counter. "They can't see me now, I can finally feel like I'm not about to be hurt!"

"Wait, the Network was bullying you?" Laura said. "But Tenzin told us the shopkeepers had been denying his people for a while now."

"Because they made us," Marcos said, sobbing into Laura as I took my gauntlet off. "They came to us at our homes, told us we had to stop selling to the Buddhists or we would lose our businesses. The economy's terrible around these parts lately, we had to do what they told us!" Not knowing what else to do, I took a handkerchief out and handed it to Marcos. Nodding, Marcos took it and wiped away the tears. It was too late for Laura's shirt anyway. "Thanks. They said that the Buddhists weren't to be welcomed anymore, that we had to stop selling to them or we'd lose everything. They threatened us, we had to do it. We never wanted to be that way to the Buddhists, but we had no choice."

"They threatened to kill you?" I asked.

"No, they were blackmailing all of us," Marcos said, leaning on the counter now. "They somehow found out all the secrets we had, threatened to go to the paper if we kept selling to Tenzin's people any more."

"They made you all paranoid about your secrets," I whispered. "Did you know any of the people who threatened you?"

"Not a one," Marcos said, starting to breathe normally again. "They used their henchmen to do it, and you helped get them all arrested, so I don't know who was pulling their strings."

"Ugh, I *hate* conspiracies," Laura barked, slamming her fists down on the counter hard enough to make the cash register ring itself open. "So you can't tell us anything useful?"

"He did Laura," I said, getting up. "Thanks for your help sir, we'll leave you be now."

"Now wait," Marcos pleaded, grabbing my arm. "You can't just leave and have everything the same as it was when you came in, they'll know that I talked! You need to beat me up!"

Before I could argue against it, Laura jabbed Marcos in the stomach, kicked him hard in the shin, shoved him into the rows of glasses behind the counter, and to finish stuck his head under the soda jerk and pulled. "Stay there for a few minutes, then start cleaning up." Leaving a hundred on the counter to try and help pay for the damage in some small way, I followed Laura put the door, leaving the blinds down for now. No need to let people see what was happening inside after all. "So back to square one?" Laura asked, glaring at the center of the town like it could somehow be intimidated into submission.

"No, I have more than enough information," I said, putting my aviators on and looking towards the Federalist office. "We're gonna talk with the Continentals, and then we're going to go to Mayor Harburg's house and have a nice polite chat about any possible law enforcement issues this town might be having."

Laura grinned, pounding a fist into her palm as she eyed up the courthouse as though it were dinner. "Let's get Tenzin then."

*Continued on Page 38*

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## Page 38

"I hope that you both realize what it would mean if you were wrong," Tenzin said, following us to Harburg's door. "It might mean losing our last few allies."

"It's beyond certain at this point Tenzin," Laura said as I knocked on the door of the small two-story home. "We just need them to talk."

The twilight around us was slowly getting deeper, and as we watched the lights in the houses nearby were starting to come on. Fire flies flitted through the night air, and as I counted them I tired to tune out the sounds made by our prisoners being held by Rich.

A light turned on down the hall leading to the front door, and I saw a figure walking towards us from the stairs behind the thin lace curtains. "Amy, Laura, Tenzin, what are you all doing here now?" Harburg asked when he opened the door. "Did something happen again that-"

As we all glared at Harburg, I watched his reaction to who his son was busy holding. Grant and Walton were easy to take, all I needed to do was tell Grant that Tenzin had needed to talk to them privately. Rich had done the actual cuffing and gagging. Grant was still wriggling, but Walton kept still and just tried to swear at us through the fabric we'd tied around his mouth. "I think you have some talking to do Mr. Harburg," I said. "Do I even need to ask to come in?"

Harburg said nothing as he stepped to the side, Laura and Rich guiding the two captives into the living room. I kept a careful eye on Harburg, watching for any moves that meant he was going to try and shoot his way out of the problem like his friend Eddy.

Harburg paced around the living room a few times, looking at everything in front of him before he could even try to talk. "Look, I know this might seem bad."

"It's more than bad," Rich growled, his grip on Grant's shoulder getting tight enough that Grant's eyes started to bug out from pain. "You lied to all of us, you didn't even tell me!"

"I agree with your son Mayor, this has been a violation of everyone's trust." Tenzin didn't even look at Harburg, it looked like he couldn't stand to. "You promised us a safe home and place to grow as a community, was that a lie too?"

"Tenzin I was trying to help you," Harburg said, almost pleadingly to make his case. "You've got to understand, letting everyone know would've torn the town apart at the seams."

"So you left Tenzin out to dry?" Laura barked, shaking Walton in her grip. "How does that make it any better? You knew that the police were stalling, didn't you?"

"I had an idea yes," Harburg said, sinking into his couch in defeat. "But you need to understand my position for all of this to make sense."

"None of it makes sense!" Rich barked, edging closer to his father. "Dad, why didn't you ever tell me you were part of the Network!"

"How could you understand," Harburg said, covering his face. "You ran off to join the Continentals, and by the time you wait say that again?" Harburg said, looking back up in surprise.

"You being a part of the Network?" Rich asked, suddenly looking like he'd blown a mental fuse. Probably with the same look the rest of us had. "Aren't you?"

Harburg stared at us all for a few seconds, eyes jumping from each of us like he was trying to piece the dots together. "Oh dear Lord, that wasn't it at all."

Walton spat as he finally got the gag out, Laura nearly losing her grip on him before she could refocus. "We might as well come clean LT," Walton gasped, shooting a rather unpleasant look in Rich's direction. "Drone's out of the tank now."

Harburg nodded. "Take the handcuffs and such off first, they won't hurt anyone."

Rich nodded, eyes still wide from the revelation that we weren't wrong. Letting out a sigh of relief, Grant rubbed at his wrists as the gag was untied. "You know, I don't see why my wife wants to try this." We all stared at him in silence then, and he quickly threw up his hands. "Oh, like it's any more awkward now."

"Dear, is everything alright?" Turning, I saw a woman in a bathrobe standing at the door to the living room, clutching tightly at her robes as she took the scene in. "I heard a ruckus, I thought something had gone wrong."

"It's alright dear," Harburg said, giving his wife a little smile to encourage her. "I just...I need to have a talk with Rich."

Mrs. Harburg's face collapsed, and she walked through us to take her son in her arms and kiss him on the cheek. "Your father and I will always love you," she whispered. Smiling up at her boy, she patted him on the shoulder before walking back out. "I'll try to go back to sleep dear. Please...Please don't do anything too rash."

"I promise," Harburg said, watching as his wife left the room.

"Dad, what's going on already?" Rich asked again, hands outstretched like a needy man begging for food.

"It'll be easier to show you," Harburg said, walking over to a door just past the living room. "Down here is where the answers are."

Okay, to be fair, this was not one of our brighter moments. But we did have the advantage of numbers, and we'd made sure to disarm the cops before going to Harburg's house. So we followed meekly behind Harburg as he clomped down the rickety wooden stairs the threw the lights on.

It was like a tribute to the Allied Nations in that basement. Pictures of men from the second and third world wars, behind the lines or during celebrations. Clippings on Allied actions in America put on a cork board with Continental news releases, thumbtacks and colored string running between and connecting them. There were medals of every kind in the basement, from the Allied World Service Merit to a special unit citation banner. Laura walked towards a massive Allied flag hung on one of the walls, gingerly opening the boxes underneath to pull out old Kwoleks with Allied insignias sewn on. Rich was so busy trying to take everything in, he nearly feel over his own feet.

"This is why we tried to keep things contained," Harburg said, standing in front of a map of the town and surrounding county. "The Continental is popular around here, with enough support that if we were revealed the town would throw us out in a heartbeat."

"That's why your police wouldn't investigate," Laura said, the realization dawning on all of us. "If anyone found out, you'd all be outed as a pro-Allied militia."

"Which means the other police and deputies were involved as well?" I asked. "There's too much here to be just from you three."

"That's correct," Grant said, apparently unwilling to look anyone in the eye. "Almost all of us either served or held Allied sympathies, so we figured that it'd be better if we kept to our guns but also kept out of trouble."

"Now don't misunderstand, we do think the Continentals have some good points," Harburg said, holding his hands up. "The way the Allies have been acting lately it's like they want to drive people away. But we learned ourselves that you don't fight the Allies in battle, that only makes'em stronger. The only way to stop the Allies from doing anything is to reason with them."

"But, but this is our country," Rich half-whispered, his eyes clouded with confusion. "This is our home, they attacked us first! I heard you that day on the ARV Massacre, you were livid!"

"And what have the Continentals done for us?" Harburg asked, a sudden anger filling his voice. The rest of us quickly backed away as father faced off against son. "You really think Ackerman was a hero? Even when he flat-out said he was going to fire that Spectrum weapon on the entire city of Moscow? That's killing civilians, civilians who have no place on the battlefield. And what have the Continentals been doing for us lately?" Harburg said, starting to bark at his son. Even if Rich was a walking muscle mountain, he somehow still managed to shrink under his father's withering glare. "You might not have liked the Allies because of their politics, but guess who was helping to run the schools and made sure that there was enough money for public utilities?" Harburg said. "They were part of the reason I could expand the town's schools and roads, because the Federal government could afford to give more money to the states to keep. Or did you think I let the kids out early and left the potholes in the roads because it would be a nice image of our town?"

"So that's why you were so prickly towards us," I said, looking over to Walton. "You were worried we would blow your cover."

Walton tilted his head as if he was uncomfortable. "No, that wasn't the reason. Honestly I just don't get the whole same-sex thing. I get it, you're in love, more power to you, it's just one of those irrational things a man has to work out on his own."

Laura and I looked at each other awkwardly. "Oh. Well then. Um, thanks for sharing?"

"Then what about this picture?" Tenzin asked. Quickly I grabbed the picture from my inside pocket to hand to Tenzin. "That's clearly you in the picture isn't it?"

Harburg's face lit up at the picture. "Oh man, I remember that day. We'd just liberated Stuttgart, we'd been in that Beagle for damn near two years when we shipped out." Raising a finger Harburg pointed to himeself, then Walton, then Grant. "Commander, Gunner, radioman, and Eddy was the driver. Guy was a maestro, best tankman there ever was when it came to getting around on the battlefield. It's how we all met."

"I must still be missing something," Laura said as she recovered from the rapid-fire revelations. "The Continentals aren't with the Network, and none of you are with the Network. We talked to a guy earlier, he said the Network liked to intimidate people with dirty blackmail and the threat of losing their business? So who's that powerful around here?"

Harburg shook his head. "Only a few people, but honestly none of them seem the type tooooooooOOOOh Jesus why the hell didn't I think of that in the first place?" he said, going from holiing his arms like a wise battleplanner when he apparently remembered something vital. "We need to get into the courthouse, i'll explain on the way!"

Not knowing what else to do we ran after Harburg. I held back, watching Harburg lock the door to the basement before running to his car. Rich ran to his Ranger, as Laura, Tenzin, the two cops and I went for the KW. "So. Yeah. Sorry about that?" Laura said, awkwardly sitting with the two cops in the backseat.

"Given everything that's happened I can't blame you myself," Grant said, nodding towards Laura. "Hell, we probably acted pretty suspicious after all."

"But why does Mr. Harburg want to get to the courthouse so badly?" Tenzin asked, pulling out behind Harburg and his son. "Is there some kind of weapons cache that he forgot to mention?"

"No, it's something worse," Walton said as we sped on through the town as the night started to take over. "If I'm right, it's something everyone overlooked."

Harburg barely stopped his car before he ran inside. Fumbling with his keys, he quickly threw the doors open and ran upstairs. As I ran it hit me why Harburg and the others were in such a near-panicked rush, and I suddenly appreciated the gravity of what was happening. Without saying anything as we ran to the top floor, Harburg ran to Flint's office and tried the door vainly to at least see if there was a chance. Cursing under his breath, he tried every key he had before throwing them to the ground in frustration.

"Wait, you don't have the keys?" Grant asked in shock. "But you always have spare keys for everything?"

"Well I never thought I'd have to break into my friends' offices," Harburg grunted. "Now we have to break the door down."

"Not yet we don't," I said, taking out a bobby pin and my Swiss Army Knife. "Just hold on, I'll try and open this my way." I smiled at first, thinking the lock would be easy. That was when the electrical shock running into the door knocked me back onto the floor.

"That's it," Laura barked. Shouting, she kicked at the window that was stenciled, "Kyle Flint, County Supervisor". Carefully moving through the door, I heard Laura grunting as as audibly ripped out the wires that had taken me out and unlocked the door. "You gonna be okay babe?" she asked, rushing to my side.

"Yeah, just need a second," I wheezed, slowly sitting up with Tenzin's hand to support me. "So why would Flint and Harrison join the Network?"

"Flint was a Navy man," Harburg said as he flipped on the lights. "He always said that during the war he saw some weird stuff in the Pacific when he was fighting the Soviets. Strange creatures in the water, but I honestly never believed him too much. Harrison, he was 4F, so he didn't serve with the rest of us. What he did do was stay here and keep the farm production numbers up. But apparently he also said that he kept finding evidence that not only had UFOs come to the town, that they had abducted him multiple times."

"And you never found any evidence did you?" I asked. Harburg shook his head as he moved past an old US Navy flag to the back of Flint's desk. "More locks. Think it's a good guess to say that they're all booby trapped?"

"We can leave them for one of my guys to defuse later," Walton said, glaring down the hall at Harrison's office. "Safe to say they're both rigged. But now we have the probable cause to take them out."

"But how were they able to intimidate the shopkeepers?" Tenzin asked. "Just being a county commissioner doesn't automatically mean you're a lord to a fiefdom right?"

"Not normally," Harburg asnswered, shutting the door without any trace of irony behind him as he walked over the broken glass. "But we're all forgetting two things. Harrison co-owns the local shipping company with his brother and Flint owns the local paper."

"Bastards," Laura growled. "We have to take them down, where would they hide?"

"No, we do this legally," Harburg said firmly, standing straight as he started to bark out orders in what seemed like a memory of his returning with vengeance. "I'll call the judge and get a warrant written up. Walton, you organize your men for a raid on the shipping company and local paper. Grant, get your boys together and get to Tenzin's community, I want you to get the fire department and form as good a barrier as you can around Tenzin's people until we get back and sort this all out, I'll help you. Laura and Amy, I want the both of you to head for Flint's farm and tell us what's happening there. It's north on 169, take a right on 105th St and park at the first intersection you hit. Walk from there, may sure you stay low and don't do anything stupid, understand?"

"We'll need your car." Harburg just tossed me his keys with a grin. "Ready to get back into your Kwolek?"

"It's been a long time," Harburg said wistfully, before steeling his gaze. "We'll protect Tenzin and his people. This ends *now*."

Laura and I didn't waste time with the rest of the planning, we ran for Harburg's road boat and jumped in. Throwing on my glasses I turned the key, and listened as the massive engine in the '66 Cadillac de Ville...fail to turn over.

"Did you flood it?" Laura asked, glaring at me. "You just got into this car?"

"Give me a second," I growled, turning the key again and tapping on the accelerator before the engine came to life. "Okay, grab our gear and head for 169."

"I can't wait," Laura said grimly.

As I parked the car at the dirt road intersection, I checked my gauntlet as Laura loaded the Thompson. "I don't know, this just feels like it's over too quickly," she said, pulling back the slide to check the breech. "The Network can't be stupid enough to just hole up in one farm and expect no one to notice."

"They got you angry," I said, sighing as I took out a loan from Grant's police, a Smith and Wesson Model 10. Not quite a Browning Hi-Power but it would have to do. "I'd say they're pretty stupid in my book."

Laura smiled, moving close to me. "Thanks for coming out to help me babe."

"Anything for you," I answered, leaning in close for our good luck kiss. Pulling back, I rested my forehead on hers and smiled. "Now let's go take down a nest of racist conspiracy theorists."

Laura smiled up at me. "What every girl wants to hear."

As we ran through the corn fields lining the roads, I felt thankful that there was a breeze blowing through rustling the stalks with us. Laura ran like a woman possessed, the heavy Thompson like another part of her body that barely touched the corn. We stopped at a break in the field, but followed it to the right and kept running. Rows upon rows, stalks growing feebly and weak in the bad times the town was going through. Even as I ran I noted how the leaves were sad and wilting, the cobs barely large enough to even bother eating. Just thinking about that this was happening since Tenzin's people had come to the town, it only made me angrier. Instead of working to find a solution, they blamed another innocent group for their problems and sadness. I was focused now, ready to kill the first Network member I could find.

The corn started to lead back to the road, and following it we heard voices echoing towards us. Staying low, we started creeping slowly towards the farmhouse where the voices came from. Covering my gauntlet as best I could, Laura and I kept low and watched, listening to what I could pick up. The men here were different somehow, they wore what looked like uniforms and carried around actual weapons. Some hefted ADKs, wearing what looked like beaten-down or shot-up PK armor with Legion Security plates welded or bolted on. Men with Technate or Soviet SMGs wearing hard hats and glasses, fiddling with their weapons idly as if they wanted to know more. One of them carried around a massive launcher of some kind, three rockets on his back and a roughly drawn X on his combat vest.

Laura motioned that we should go prone, and as we did I saw two men walking over. One was dressed like the others carrying around the ADK, but the other wore civilian clothes, and his bald head and glasses reflected what little light there was. Harrison and Flint.

"I just got a call from my brother, the deputies raided out warehouse and the paper," he moaned, Flint glaring out into the corn fields. "They found out, I don't know how but they found out! We should give up, turn ourselves in before-"

"Before what?" Flint said, glancing towards Harrison. The smaller man shrunk away a little as Flint turned to face him. "Before we get tried in a crooked court with a bought judge that thinks he can silence us? You and I both know what we've seen, we should be telling the world. Not giving handouts to a fake religion that the Soviets think they can use to enslave us."

"But they have *everything*," Harrison cried, sweat starting to bead on his barren forehead. "We can't hide anymore, they'll come for us next!"

"They come for us, we'll still have the last laugh," Flint said, grinning with a crooked smile. It looked like an abyssal viperfish on the hunt. "It's like what Eddy did, I won't let them take away the house I raised my family in."

"Your family left Kyle," Harrison said, Flint's face suddenly falling into a deep scowl. "We can't keep fighting this way, we need to let it go."

"You let it go," Flint said, taking a step towards Harrison. "You know what, you've always been a coward, haven't you? Staying behind while we fought and died in the fields and on the seas and in the air, isn't that right?"

"What're you talking about?" Harrison said, backing away towards us, holding his hands up. "I found you remember? We helped each other through everything."

"You stayed behind as I was torpedoed and attacked and said you were abducted by lights in the sky," Flint said, stepping forward again. Harrison tripped and fell back, his glasses flying towards us as he struggled to get back up. He couldn't before Flint stomped on his gut and started kicking. "You coward! You never had the balls to fight did you? You were a plant all this time! You wanted to surrender, that way you could reap the Soviet rewards as the rest of us languished in a gulag!" Harrison tried to say something, anything, but a kick to the mouth sent his front teeth flying. Weeping bloody tears, Harrison tried to crawl into the corn, but Flint stepped down hard on his back. For a second, Harrison's eyes fell on mine, and it was obvious he was begging for help to get him away from the craziness. Then Flint lifted the rifle and flipped the safety. "You commie rat," Flint growled, going out of his way to step hard on Harrison's glasses. Harrison whimpered a little, desperately looking up at Flint.

"Aren't we friends Kyle?" he begged, a desperate hand reaching for Flint's leg.

Flint smiled with a mad look in his eye. "Better dead than red right?"

The gunshot echoed in the night, but Laura and I did nothing as Harrison's body twitched for a few seconds as it realized it was dead. Glaring down at the body, Flint turned, slowly following where Harrison had been looked and moving the selector to full-auto. Laura started to raise her Thompson as I did the same with my S&W.

"What happened?" We all looked over, and saw one of the SMG wielders running over. "Did something happen?"

"Harrison was a commie plant," Flint barked. "I killed him to make sure he couldn't escape and keep informing on us." The man looked surprised, but then smiled as well. "The sheriff's coming right for us, tell everyone to get ready! We'll kill'em all, and show the world what's really going on!" Patting the man on the shoulder, Flint went for the house, the men gathering around and talking even more excitedly.

Laura and I backed away slowly, jumping up and running as soon as we could as fast as we could. "What the hell was that?" Laura gasped as we came back to the car. "I mean what the hell was that? He just smiled, and grinned and...and why'd he need to shot him!?"

"He's lost it," I said, charging my gauntlet in the still night. "They've all lost it, they're obsessed now. They're so wrapped up in conspiracies and stories that they can't see the real world anymore. If they think anyone's even remotely a traitor, they'll do what they think needs to be done. I don't even think these guys are like the ones from the farmhouse. They're something worse."

Laura and I waited in silence for the deputies, keeping out eyes peeled straight down the road. No one came our way, no choppers attacked us from the skies, and we couldn't hear any oncoming engines no matter how hard we tried to listen for them. As the night got deeper, they finally arrives sans lights and sirens. As they streamed out, they looked like they were ready for a riot dressed in their old gear. Walton especially seemed changed, wearing his Gen. 1 peacekeeper helmet and flak jacket. Many of his deputies had similar equipment, the ones that didn't wore simple riot gear like gas masks and helmets. One or two were carrying tear gas grenades, but all of them had their weapons out now. Shotguns, hunting rifles, one of them even carried an ARM-12. And none of it would be enough.

"How many?" Walton asked, his officers forming up behind him.

"At least twenty," I said, kneeling down to draw in the dust. "Barn, silos, and this here is their clubhouse," I said, drawing out the three buildings. "They're armed with SMGs and assault rifles, we'll need to take them by surprise. Unfortunately, we can't."

"What do you mean we can't?" Walton asked. "Our gear isn't that bulky, we can surround them and force a surrender."

"Like how Flint shot Harrison in the back of the head?" Laura said. "They're insane, and they're paranoid. If you all went in there trying to sneak up on them, you'd lose half your men before you could open fire."

"And what would you suggest?" Walton asked, before he lifted his visor to show he wasn't scowling at us. "No, seriously, what do you suggest?"

"They know they're about to be attacked," I said, looking over at the cars with a grin creeping across my face. "Let's give them what they want."

"If this doesn't work, I'll kill you both." Walton checked his shotgun, then rolled down the window. "Hit the sirens!"

The remaining convoy of sheriff's cruisers wailed into the night, red-lit shadows dancing through the corn as we ran down on the dirt road. "Can we get another run through on this plan?" one of the deputies radioed.

"It's simple," I said, grabbing the mic. "We surprise their ambush, circle the cars and shoot anyone who's too stupid to run."

"Isn't there a plan where we live?" the deputy radioed back. I laughed, turning hard right as we came to the farm. I drove straight through the center of the yard, slamming the car into one of the men there in makeshift armor. The car jumped as his scream was cutoff, Laura leaning out the window with her Thompson chattering away. Walton was firing his shotgun to my right, taking his time to aim and lead compared to Laura's spray-and-pray.

The deputies quickly circled the house firing on any enemy they could see. A few burst rang out from the house, Laura quickly raking it with gunfire as we ran about. One of the Network fighters caught a deputy in the chest, the car he was driving spinning out of control. One of the deputies was thrown from the car into the corn, the other two caught inside as the car careened into the porch of the house. The car was full of bullets in seconds. That was when the clubhouse started to send out strobes and pulsing loud noises. As I rounded the house the lights hit me and I barely held onto the wheel. Knowing the risks, I hit the brakes and bailed out, Laura and Walton quickly following me. "Everyone out and behind their cars," Walton radioed. "Cars 2 and 5, get behind the house and clear it!" Throwing the mic down, he popped up from behind the car and started shooting to keep the Network distracted. "You two clear out that hunk of junk now!"

Laura and I did as ordered, sprinting to the clubhouse as Walton covered us. Rounds bounced and pinged off the car and slammed into the dirt, as as we dove for cover behind the clubhouse I heard shouting and shotgun fire from inside the house. "We need to take at least one of them inside alive," I said, taking the revolver out. "Someone needs to stand trial, for everything that's happened."

"If they shoot at you, don't expect me to whine about it then." Nodding, Laura ran to the front of the club house and opened fire on the door. Breaking it in with the butt of the Thompson from the side and blind firing from the door to clear it out, Laura nodded and in we ran.

The inside of the clubhouse was a mess, and not in the same way as my workshop after a few hours of creating a new device. Newspaper clippings and pictures hung everywhere, every surface a spaghetti plate of colored strings linking between different stories. Radios and TVs either blared static, sparked from Laura shooting them, or were tuned to dead air until the morning news. Small recorders were left playing, spools of magnetic tape spinning with nothing to play.

"It's a shame you can't see it," Flint said, his voice echoing in the clubhouse as the door suddenly slammed shut. The outside world was quickly reduced to an echoing gun battle, and Laura and I were only left with the faint light of a static-filled TV to guide use in the cluttered mess of a "building". "The conspiracies, the truths behind the lies. But then you're with the Technate. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you on the ass."

"The truth that you're exactly what you're fighting against?" I said, trying to spot any trace of Flint. "You set the whole town up didn't you? Had us all running in the wrong directions for the entire time we've been here. You don't need to search for conspiracies, you made your own."

"I'm *fighting* the conspiracies," Flint growled, his voice managing to somehow echo in the dirt-walled madhouse. "They got me discharged, made my wife take our family and *leave*, because of what? My wanting to expose them, prove what I saw was *real*!"

I kept moving slowly when my foot hit something. Daring to look down, I found my left foot on a dead hand attached to a dead body. The man was barely old enough to be in college, his body riddled with bullet holes and assault rifle brass scattered around him. "Is that why you killed him?" I asked, kneeling down to check for a pulse. "Because he didn't believe you?"

"He was a filthy commie spy, everyone I've ever killed was a damned communist!" I suddenly felt a rifle being pointed at my back. "Like you."

Laura screamed with primal fury as she jumped onto Flint. Before he could do anything, Laura ripped off his helmet and started pummeling his head with blow after vicious blow. Off balance he dropped his rifle and stumbled backwards into the dirt wall of the clubhouse, Laura punching his stomach over and over until he started to heave. Laura took the chance to slam her hand into the side of his neck, then throw him into one of the desks. Barely breathing harder, she grabbed her Thompson and stormed over ready to kill before I grabbed her shoulder. "Laura don't!" She turned to glare at me, Flint vomiting up his dinner behind the desk. "Tenzin wouldn't want you to." Laura paused, then nodded. Grabbing Flint, Laura quickly stripped the armor and shoved him towards the door and back into the night.

The firefight was wrapping up, as I watched deputies wrangle and take down any Network members left. One Network man tried to clamber out a window, before he was dragged back inside by a deputy. One man kept trying to throw punches, but a good nightstick hit by a deputy on the grass finally took the fight out of him. Walton walked back out from the trampled corn where the car had rolled. I looked over hopefully, but he shook his head with sorrow. "We've got a consolation then," I said, kicking Flint over. "The real leader of the Network in Winterset."

Walton nodded, grabbing his nightstick and slamming it into the side of Flint's face. As Flint collapsed Walton used his feet to push Flint onto his back and started cuffing the man. "You two search the house, see if anything's inside we can use."

"On it," I said, leading Laura to the farmhouse. Unlike Eddy's shack, this house was obvious kept up and well-maintained. The walls were clean, fresh wallpaper and the pictures clean and dusted. The furniture was relatively recent, but a few years behind at least. The main difference was that Flint's home had more than a few pictures of old German propaganda against the Soviets, and none of it was very nice to look at for too long. Moving out of the way of a deputy forcing a Network man out, I noticed a writing pad next to the phone. Walking over I read on it, "Mrs. Pierce tonight, remember payment due."

"Oh God," I whispered. "They've been blackmailing Mrs. Pierce, it's how they've probably been getting their money!" I turned to talk to Laura, but she was busy looking back outside. "Babe, what is it?"

"We were attacked by three helicopters," Laura said, not looking back from the window. "I shot one of them down, but two of them managed to fly off. And there wasn't any fire coming out of that shed was there?"

I nodded, stuffing the note into my pocket and heading outside with Laura. "Sheriff," I called across the lawn. "We're gonna check that shed, we think the helicopters are inside!" Walton nodded, pointing two of his deputies to help us. A stocky man, and a younger deputy.

"We meet again," I said, nodding to the two. "I don't suppose you have names?"

"Gerry," the stocky deputy said from behind his riot helmet. "He's Jackson." The younger man gave us a wave, his ARM-12 in his other hand. "So, have you two ever cleared a building before?"

"We just did," Laura said, jerking her thumb towards the clubhouse.

"Yeah, I saw how you didn't clear the corners or cover your girlfriend," Gerry said with clear annoyance. "Just stay behind us and don't shoot us in the ass."

Before Laura could retort, a massive engine again roared to life from behind a closed door. "Killdozer," I said, everyone starting to run. "Killdozer, everyone inside the house now, get to cover!"

The deputies started to scatter for the house, pushing their captives into patrol cars or dragging them into the house. Laura and I kept by the shed, knowing that I could take it out easily with one good shock. Then the whole shed started to shake, the sheet metal quaking and falling apart. Looking up, I saw the wall I was standing next to start to bend and fall. Grabbing Laura I ran just as the wall started to fall down. I threw Laura away but I wasn't fast enough, and I know now that when a wall of sheet metal lands on the back of your leg, it hurts.

Fumbling with Laura's help I desperately tried to pull myself away, and that's when I saw what was inside. It wasn't a killdozer, it was something boxier, a harsh metal rectangle shaking off it's tin cocoon. The beast was massive, not as tall as the killdozer but somehow more dangerous with the massive artillery cannon pointing out of it.

"We need to move, now!" I shouted, yelling as we finally pulled my leg free. I tried to catch my breath, but Laura pulled me aside as the best turned towards us. Half-limping, I turned me head to see the "tank" pointing right at the clubhouse. As I watched, the massive cannon boomed. I fell off my feet again, taking Laura down with me. Not even half a second later I felt a massive explosion blow us back down, ears ringing and head pounding. Trying to get up, I saw double-images of the clubhouse turned into a burning, smoking crater in the ground.I tried to think about why, none of the deputies had run for the clubhouse, so why?

"Oh God," I whispered. I shuffled to my feet, waving at the house. "They're destroying evidence! Get out, run, get out of the house!" Before I could see anyone running out, I heard metal being crushed and a faint scream. Looking back, I saw the behemoth crushing a car with a Network man in the back pounding on the window in the back. My eyes didn't dare look away, and I watched as the man inside was turned into pulp before my eyes.

Looking back at the house, I saw Walton practically pulling his men out and sending them running towards the road. "I need to stop it," I said, my voice hollow and echoing inside my own head. "Get one of the Network members out of here with the sheriff, one of them has to stand trial. Laura nodded, running to another patrol car and ripping the Network suspect out and pushing him towards the road as the tank crushed another car. Stumbling, I limped over to the tank and took off my gauntlet. Dumping the rounds out of the revolver, I shoved it backwards into the gauntlet, activating the charging mechanism. The tank was slow, but getting away would be tough. Gasping, I lined up with the muzzle and threw the gauntlet inside. Hair nearly covering my eyes but endorphins blocking my pain for now, I half-ran, half-lurched back towards the road. I could hear the tank turning behind me, moving to fire on the house and any evidence left inside, then I noticed it stopped. I didn't look back, I just kept lunging for the road until I felt hands under my arms. Looking up, I saw Laura and Walton hefting me along, and together we clambered to the road. "Get down!" I shouted. The three of us fell flat, before the tank exploded in an awesome blast that rocked the very ground. I could hear one of the cars tip over from the sheer force of the explosion, the windows breaking everywhere as my body was nearly turned into mush on the inside. Spitting out the dirt, I groaned as I rolled myself over, looking up to see Laura staring at the scene. "Did I get it?" I asked.

"Yeah, you got it," Laura said, gently helping me up. "Why'd it stop?"

"They cleared the breech and my gauntlet fell inside," I said, gasping as I suddenly realized just how bad my leg was. "They probably didn't know what to make of it, then the charge automatically was released inside and set off the shells. Another ammo explosion."

"We need to secure them," Walton barked. "Get in there, I want those idiots ready to move!"

"No, we need to get to Widow Pierce," I said, pulling out the note. "They were extorting her, some of them might be there now."

"Sheriff, they're killing themselves!" Looking over, we saw the deputies trying to wrestle with the surviving suspects. Running over as best I could, I watched as some of the deputies tried to staunch bleeding wrists and necks while others attempted to get men to vomit into the grass. "They're all trying to use the shattered glass sheriff," Gerry said, Jackson over his shoulder trying to stop Flint from bleeding out of his neck. "I don't think we can save them."

Walton roared and kicked at the dirt, but I limped over to Flint. Looking down on him, I watched the light slowly fading from his eyes. "Why," I whispered. "Why'd you do it?"

Flint looked up at me and just smiled, that same smile the man in Grant's office had given me. That stupid, proud, maddening smile that told me that none of the men in the Network realized what they were doing was wrong at all. As the blood spilled out onto the ground that grin told me why Flint had done everything. "I get to do this because no one will stop me."

"We need a car," Laura said, looking over to Walton. "We need to get to Pierce's house now, before they do anything to her."

"Gerry, take Jackson and get them to Mrs. Pierce's house," Walton said, quietly and barely repressing his anger. "We'll...We'll clean up as best we can here."

As we got into the car, I watched as Walton knelt down over Flint's body. I thought for a second he would pray over it, but then I watched as he started kicking it over and over before we drove far enough away that the corn covered everything. But I couldn't blame Walton for the anger. Not after knowing everything that the Network was capable of doing, even to themselves.

"Say, what've the Continentals been doing in all this?" Laura asked as we sped to Mrs. Pierce's mansion.

"I don't know, I don't think Harburg gave them ay orders." I leaned forward in the car. "Jackson, can I have the mic?" Jackson nodded, handing me the handset. "Don't shift the frequencies, I should be able to get him easy."

"You really want to contact them now when it's all over?" Gerry said, looking at me in the rear mirror like I was drunk.

"We can at least make sure they aren't trying anything stupid," I said, pressing down on the transmitter. "Continental cell, this is Amy, come in over." The silence started to stretch out, and clearing my throat I tried again. "Continentals, this is Amy Smith, come in, over."

"*What do you want?*" Rich finally asked. Everyone in the car looked at each other, hearing the obvious alcohol in Rich's voice. "*Didn't you hear my dad? I'm not needed around here.*"

"Rich, where's your cell right now?" I radioed. "The sheriff's lost a lot of men, he might need temporary deputies for the next few weeks."

"*They won't take any Continentals," Rich slurred, Jackson looking uncomfortable suddenly. "*They made that very clear already.*"*

"Is that true?" I said, making sure I didn't have a hot mic before speaking. "Even with what's happened, would the sheriff turn them down?"

"More than likely," Gerry said, looking over at the massive house coming into view. "But I guess we can't tell him that/"

I shook my head as I radioed back. "Where are you Rich, are you in town?"

"*I'm in Tenzin's community,*" Rich groaned, a sound coming from the other end like springs on a car moving around. "*Hell, neither one of us are really wanted around here anyway right?*"

Laura grabbed the mic before I could say anything. "Listen you idiot, we have bigger problems than your daddy issues to deal with here. Either you get yourself together and help protect people, or I will find you and beat the ever-loving crap out of you and throw you into a ditch." Finished, Laura threw the mic back into the front of the car, Jackson flinching as it slammed into the radio. "I am *done* with this vacation."

"Not until we make sure Mrs. Pierce is alright," Gerry said, as a modest mansion came into view. The house was big, but not quite ostentatious. Two floors with a number of floral arrangements out front, and a small pool in the rear. "Her maid, Shirley, should still be up. I don't see any cars or problems, I think for once we'll be able to knock on a door and not get shot at."

I nodded, getting out and taking abetter look at the front of the house as we got out. Nothing about the place seemed very ornate, compared to the homes some richer members of the Technate lived in it was downright cozy. There were no marble columns imported from Italy, no bright spotlights to highlight the front windows, it was almost quaint compared to even some of the smaller estates in Caracas. Still, Laura kept her Thompson ready as Gerry and Jackson took their places beside the door and rang the bell. When footsteps started getting closer Gerry called out, "Sheriff's department, open the door please."

The footsteps got faster and closer but when everyone else started to pull their weapons up there was a small older woman standing in the doorway near tears. "Shirley, what's wrong?" Gerry asked, lowering his shotgun. "Where's Mrs. Pierce, is she okay?"

"No, nothing's okay," Shirley said pulling at Gerry. "You need to come inside, please, you have to see this now!"

Gerry followed Shirley inside, Jackson staying by the door to keep a watch. "Where's Mrs. Pierce Shirley?" Gerry asked, Laura eying every door carefully with her finger next to the trigger. "We found something at a crime scene, has anyone come by recently?"

"No, she left," Shirley said, still pulling on Gerry's arm. "She told me to keep quiet about it all, but I can't do it anymore! She's going to do it, she'll drive them out or kill them!"

"Tenzin's people?" I said, Laura and I looking at each other in shock. "No, she was helpful to Tenzin, she said that the pamphlets were trash."

"She *bought* the pamphlets," Shirley said, her aged feet moving as fast as they could to the back of the house. "She's had those lunatics over here so many times, I didn't tell anyone because I knew they would find me."

"Shirley, back up a second," Gerry said, stopping as Shirley reached a wide set of doors at the back of the house. "Amy, what did that note say?"

"It said something about a payment," I said, watching as the old maid unlocked the back doors. "They were extorting her."

"No, *they* were the ones paying here to operate in the area," Shirley said, opening the doors to reveal two bubble-cockpit helicopters being disassembled in the back of the house under some trees. "She was using them to drive out the Buddhists."

It's safe to say that everyone one of us were busy just staring at the sight in the backyard. Before I could say anything, Shirley shuffled over to a closet and threw it open to reveal a miniature shrine to the conspiratorial. Pamphlets cursing the "Allied-Soviet" conspiracy, tracts on how to find cryptids, information on bomb making, on and on down the sickly rabbit hole. "When her husband died she tried to justify it, she fell in with a lot of shysters and liars. Then this Network group started to come around with them, and before I knew it she was leading them around and extorting them."

"How does trying to call a ghost turn into this?" Gerry said, more to himself than any of us.

"It doesn't alone," I said, kneeling down to pick up a pamphlet titled, "The Time-Lies: How the Allies Deceive Us into Thinking Time Travel is Impossible!" "But if you're desperate for any answers, you're vulnerable."

"Where'd she go?" Laura asked, the look in her eyes making it seem like she was debating firing on the helicopters just to relieve her anger.

"She went into town about two hours ago," Shirley said, slamming the doors shut. "I know I should've said something sooner, but you have to stop her before she does something dangerous."

"Stay here and lock all the doors," Gerry said, moving towards the front door. "Don't open them for anyone, hide in a bathroom or basement and stay there until we come to get you."

"We have a plan?" I asked, following Gerry to the front of the house.

"No," Gerry answered, practically grabbing Johnson and hauling him out the door with a confused look on the thinner man's face. "But we're going back to the station and seeing if anything's happened in town."

Even before we pulled up to the station, we could see the thick black smoke streaming out of the roof. "Fuck, the firefighters are at Tenzin's neighborhood," Gerry shouted as we ran for the open door. The smoke was thin but getting thicker, and we could already see orange light flashing in the police squad room. That was when we heard a moaning behind the front desk.

Looking behind it, I knelt down to check the desk sergeant. His pulse was fine, and when I pressed down on his neck and joints he didn't cry out in pain. For now, at least, we could get him out. Laura and I hefted him over our shoulders and carried him out, gently laying him down on the ground. "Sergeant, are you alright?"

"Oh just dandy," the man grunted. "I got sapped, how do you think I feel?"

"Where's Pierce?" Laura growled.

"I don't know," the sergeant said, slowly sitting up. "She walks in asking if there's anything she can help with for the raid. I say no, then before I can ask how she knows I'm knocked out and waking up here."

I turned at the sound of a hacking cough to see Gerry and Jackson running from the building, Gerry bent over heaving as Jackson walked towards us. "All the prisoners are gone, she let them loose probably as soon as she got here."

"She's gotta be going after Tenzin," Laura said, grabbing the car keys out of Gerry's hand. "We need to get over there, we have to protect them!"

"Laura!" I shouted, jumping up. I heard the sergeant fall into the dust without me to hold him up, and as I jumped into the car I saw Jackson clambering in next to me. "What are you doing?"

"Well I'm the only one not hacking up smoke or stuck with a concussion," Jackson shouted, yelping as Laura rapidly threw the car into gear. "Do you have a plan?"

"Find the old bird and kill her," Laura said, the tires screaming as we roared towards the Buddhist neighborhood.

I was thankfully surprised by the time we pulled up to see that not only had the Continentals decided to get over themselves and help, none of the houses were alight or being attacked. Laura jumped out, pushing past the police and moving straight for Harburg. "Where's Tenzin, we need to talk with him?"

"He's back at the temple keeping everyone calm," Harburg said, kneeling down from his place atop the fire engine in the center of the roadblock. "Where's Walton?"

"Counting the bodies," I said flatly. "The Network started killing themselves instead of being taken prisoner."

"Jesus Christ," Harburg whispered, eyes unfocused on hearing the information before he snapped out of it. "Then why are you two here?"

"Long story short, that old biddy Pierce is with the Network," Laura shouted, everyone looking over in shock. "She was playing everyone the whole time, she's the one that's been trying to get Tenzin's people out of here from the beginning. And even better, she went and freed all the prisoners and set the police station on fire." The men either let out gasps or looked at each other with shock. "Her maid said she's in town, so...Hey, are you even paying attention?"

I looked up at Harburg to see him staring into the distance, utter terror rippling across his face. "Oh God," he whispered, as I turned to see a small but building orange glow coming our way. "Everyone get behind cover now! Riot gear on, make sure you aren't a target!"

Everyone dove behind a vehicle, and I carefully angled myself to at least look under the Ranger I was hiding behind. I could make out a mass of people coming closer in the distance, waving around flashlights and honest-to-God torches. Pitchforks were waved in the air, and even in the darkness I could see familiar faces from the police station mixed with the crowd. Hair that bad can always stand out.

"Bullhorn," Harburg ordered, one of the police handing him the megaphone. "Please return to your homes, there is no reason to make any more mistakes here."

"See, they're protecting the Buddhists!" a voice cried out from the mob. "They're getting the police while we get nothing!"

"No, please, go back to your homes!" Harburg shouted, suddenly looking confused as the mob kept closing. "We don't want anyone to get here tonight, just please go back to your homes and we can deal with this tomorrow!"

"They don't want to talk at all," another voice cried out. "They want us to just take it!" The closer they got, the more i realized that the Network escapees weren't saying anything, they were just leading on the anger. They worked into through the crowd, moving through the townspeople like serpents. They whispered in ears and pointed to the barricades. I watched as one of them got a man angrier and angrier just by talking. Then the man started throwing rocks.

"Christ," Harburg shouted, jumping down below the fire engine. "Rich, have one of your Rangers fire a warning burst but don't hit anyone!"

Rich nodded, tapping on one of the Rangers. "Warning burst across the road, don't kill anyone!"

"Why are you being so damn soft," Laura barked to Harburg. "They'll kill everyone in this neighborhood if they get the chance!"

"These are my people," Harburg shouted back. "Unless they've got a gun pointed at someone I'll do everything I can that doesn't involve actually killing them!"

The Ranger started chattering, and I watched as the crowd stopped while the dirt in front of them started flying up at their feet. For a second there was calm, and I had a millisecond of hope that maybe the people in the crowd would come to some kind of sense.

"They're shooting at us," an elderly voice screeched. "Stop them, don't let them kill us all!"

"Mr. Harburg!" Turning back to the neighborhood, we all saw Tenzin and a few of the monks running over. "We heard gunfire, what's happened?"

"Tenzin get back to the temple," Laura barked. "They've got an angry mob out there coming for you, if-"

"There's the leader!" Suddenly the crowd seemed the surge forward, rocks falling on us like rain. Windshields were breaking all around us, and Tenzin and his monks ducked for the cover of the barricade. The roar of the mob started to get closer and closer, and looking under the Ranger again I saw that they were about to rush us.

"Got any plans?" Laura barked, cracking her knuckles.

"Yeah, don't get a pitchfork in your gut!" Rich shouted.

The crowd enveloped us, rushing over everything in a mad dash to release their anger. Grown men clambered over the police cars and Rangers, some even clambered over the fire engine. They threw their torches into the police cars, and cheered as they started to light up the night in demonic fireballs. The police had their nightsticks ready, but there were too many for them to handle alone. The Continentals were little better, trying to stop the rioters using their fists and rifle butts to little avail. Harburg wrestled with one of the Network terrorists, the UFO nut with 90 degree hair, and it was hard to tell who was winning. A Continental militiaman grappled with one of the mob over their ARM-12, but as the Continental kicked the rioter square in the groin two more rioters were tackling him to the ground. Laura ran to one of the Network members, the smelliest one from the station, and started wailing on him for a good ten seconds before she was tackled by the cryptid hunter with bread in his hair. One police officer was dragged beneath a group of men, screaming for help as they kicked at his helpless body. Before anyone could stop them Tenzin and his monks ran over, pulling the rioters away from the cop.

"Get the hell offa me Buddhist," one of the men said, some of the rioters surrounding the monks. I saw that the monks were either unarmed, or worse, carrying sticks and brooms. The rioters had everything from baseball bats to crowbars and even a pitchfork, but as I tried to limp over I was tackled to the ground. Rolling over I looked up to see a terrible close-cropped haircut and a three-button polo shirt.

"I knew you were in on it all," Coleman said, his normal face suddenly turned demonic from the fires starting to burn behind him. "You Jap whore, you were in on this from the beginning weren't you? Trying to weaken us so that your could help your countrymen seize the West Coast for the Allies? Well guess what? There's only one answer to 1984, and that's-" I didn't bother to wait for Coleman to finish his stupidity, I just clocked him in the jaw and let myself smile watching him collapse like a bag of garbage.

Shoving Coleman off of me, I looked over to see Tenzin and the monks defending the beaten cop. Surrounded by angry townspeople, I tried to crawl over and help before it was too late.

Then one of the rioters attacked Tenzin, and I knew the men from the town were all in for a world of hurt.

One of the monks faced off against a massive bearded man, throwing wild haymakers with every windup. The monk ducked and weaved away from each swing, before slamming his fists into the man's elbows and insteps. A man screamed as he slammed a baseball bat into one of the monk's stomachs, but the monk only shouted when he slammed his palm into the bat and broke it in half. Two rioters ran hard towards one of the monks, the Buddhist carrying only a staff. Then he shouted and started slinging the staff around his body, a whirling blur of pain and wood. One of the rioters faltered and stopped in his tracks, skidding into the dirt. The second man wasn't so intelligent, and tried to grab the staff out of the monk's hand. He got a smack to the head for his troubles. Another man tried to rush Tenzin with a pitchfork, but Tenzin spun to his left, the pitchfork only managing to rip off some of Tenzin's robes. Shouting, Tenzin slammed his fists into the pitchfork, splintering it into a half-dozen pieces and leaving the rioter staring awestruck at what had just happened and holding a twig in his hands. Ripping off his ruined robes, Tenzin stood stall in the night, the orange fires turning his toned form into a creature of vengeance.

Laura was busy throwing the cryptid hunter into the dirt, knocking him unconscious with a strike to the neck before standing up. Rushing over, she gently helped me up to see that the rioters were starting to back away, staring at the monks with fear as they dropped their torches. Slowly the men started to back away from Tenzin's community, eyes wide as they stumbled back. In ones and twos they started running back for the town, bounding over each other to escape.

"Anyone get the number on that truck?" the cop said, Tenzin helping him slowly stand up.

Laura knelt down over one of the unconscious rioters and looked over the man. "He's been drinking," she said, motioning for me to come over. "Think it's important?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Let's focus on the now," I said, slowly standing up. The firefighters were already trying to extinguish the burning cars, the police starting to cuff the men too slow to escape. Looking over at Tenzin, I started shuffling over as fast as I could. "Christ, Laura get some bandages." Tenzin looked down, seeing that the pitchfork had managed to catch him in the side of his gut. "Tenzin, how bad does it hurt?"

"It's nothing," Tenzin said, picking up his torn robes and wrapping them around his wound. "Come, we need to tell the others that it's safe to come out."

Following Tenzin into the village, leaning on Laura, I watched as Harburg and Rich stared each other down. I saw Grant quickly moving between the two, but I couldn't worry about that right now. I was too busy blacking out from the pain.

## Epilogue

As the Memorial Day parade passed by, I readjusted myself on the crutch carefully to get comfortable. "I'm kinda sad we have to leave today," I said, savoring the scent of the barbeque coming from the side of the courthouse. "Some burgers that aren't from McBurger Kong would be a treat."

"Why are you so hungry for burgers pretty lady," Meelo said, sitting on Laura's shoulders as a rodeo troupe of performing horses and riders started making circles in the street ahead of us for the reviewing stand. Lassos flew through the air, horses rearing up and dancing on their hind legs. "We don't eat them and we're fine."

"Personal tastes kiddo," Laura said, patting Meelo's leg. "Hey, go get your dad, I want to talk to him before we leave."

Meelo clambered off Laura's shoulders, running past his sisters as they played with a gaggle of children from the town. It never failed to give me a smile whenever the refugee children would get a chance to play with the local kids. Feeling Laura tap on my shoulder, I turned to see Chief Grant walking over. "So you both really have to leave?" he said, shaking Laura's hand. "The State Patrol keep saying they'd love to bring you two on board after what you two did with those Network lunatics."

"Speaking of," I said, lowering my voice and turning away from the crowd. "Have they said anything about Pierce?"

Grant shook his head, looking around as well. "After she got those boys good and drunk and worked up, the only time anyone saw here was a trucker heading west from Iowa City. Said he saw a man in a long trench coat driving an older woman northeast, probably to Chicago."

"So they could be anywhere now," Laura grumbled. "Was there anything good?"

"One of them cracked actually," Grant said, giving us a satisfied smile. "Turns out that they weren't paying Pierce either, her house is just where they could meet their arms contact away from the town. Said he was some Irish guy, probably with that Phoenix Front group." Grant looked like he was going to keep talking, but smiled sadly when he saw the determined looks we had. "And I'm guessing that's what you wanted to know most of all."

I grinned sheepishly, quickly changing the subject. "Where's Rich and the militia? I haven't seen them since the night everything went down."

Now it was Grant's turn to look sheepish. "Well they're packing up," he said, nodding towards the Federalist office. Looking over, Laura and I saw that the Rangers were being loaded up by tired and sagging militiamen, carrying out boxes as one of their number rolled up the flag hanging outside the office. "Things between his dad and him have been touchy, so I can't blame him for leaving." Sighing, Grant smiled at us and put a hand on our shoulders. "I can't thank you both enough for what you've done here. I know I can't stop you, but...Well, the both of you take care of yourselves alright?"

"We'll visit again, that's a promise." Smiling to Grant, Laura and I left the parade behind, navigating the chairs and tables setup around the courthouse to get to the Federalist office. Well, what was the Federalist office. "Leaving already?" I said, Rich looking up as he shut the door to the Ranger.

"Well we aren't really needed anymore are we," Rich said, leaning against the Ranger as his fellow militiamen cleared out the last of the gear from the office. "Besides, Chief Grant needs somewhere to patrol the city and this is as good a spot as any other."

"So what are you gonna do now?" Laura asked, not trying hard to keep her annoyance out of her voice.

"Well we were gonna head to join the Army of the San Joaquin Valley," Rich said, watching the parade start to end. "This area's too close to Allied territory anyway. We'll probably do more good for the Continental helping them root out resistance in California."

We both nodded, watching as the milita loaded into the cramped Rangers, Rich's jeep still flying the shot-up Gadsden. "I guess this is so long then," he said, holding out a hand.

"Don't get in too much trouble," I said, shaking his hand. Laura just gave a nod, Rich accepting that he hadn't been forgiven yet. As the Rangers drove off, I noticed they didn't head for the highway. Instead, they circled around and entered at the end of the parade, Rich and two other men standing atop the Rangers from the machine guns. The crowd cheered, still loyal Continentals and Americans.

"I guess we all got lucky," Laura said, scowling as the Continentals got cheers from the crowd. "Everyone knew they were vets, makes you kinda wonder why they didn't break out their gear sooner."

"It's over babe," I said, rubbing Laura's back. "Harburg and the others keep their secrets, Rich is still a Continental, what's important is that Tenzin's safe."

"And I'm thankful you saved us." Turning, we saw Tenzin walking over, Meelo already running to play with the other children. He gave us a gentle smile, gingerly walking over thanks to the stitches in his side. "Laura, Amy, I can't begin to thank you enough for your help these past few days. It's almost like the town needed a catharsis, to release their negative emotions in one fast burst so that we could all heal together. I'm so proud of you both for what you've done."

Laura hugged Tenzin, taking care not to collide with the stitches. "I love you Tenzin."

"I love you too Laura," Tenzin said, turning towards me. "I want to thank you as well, Amy. If neither one of you hadn't had the courage to look where others were afraid to, I can't imagine what would've happened."

"Thank you so much for letting us stay with your family," I said, putting my hand over Tenzin's as Laura pulled away from the hug. "Hopefully we can see you again?"

"Hopefully by then I can..." Tenzin said, trailing off before, giving me a gentle hug. "Well, what matters is that we all see each other again one day."

As we walked to the car, I watched as the Continentals rolled by the reviewing stand. Rich and the Continentals saluted, Harburg returning the salute with a gentle smiled. Almost saying through his expression, "You will always be my son".

"Well I can't say I'm unhappy," Walton said, leaning on our new '69 Mustang rental. "And knowing Grant, he told you exactly what that kid said, so all I can say is pack warm and bring plenty of aspirin for the next morning."

"And a farewell to you too," Laura said as I checked the trunk to make sure all the luggage was still inside.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to antagonize much." Walton sighed, standing up from the car. "Look, my own personal issues are mine to work out alone. But I know good people when I see them. So if Tenzin says you're good people?" Walton grinned as I gave a chuckle. "Well, then you're good people in my book."

"At least you were honest," I said, Laura jumping in the car. "Most people with that problem try to hide it because they know how most people react."

"Well I never saw much of a problem in being honest with people," Walton said, opening the driver's door to help me inside. "You saw what happened when Pierce and the others bottled it all up. You get to thinking everyone has a secret, that everyone's out to get you. May not be right compared to everyone else, but I do know that my own problems aren't yours. You two want to be...'together', well there's nothing I can do about that."

"You really are a good man sheriff," I said, starting the car and enjoying the throaty roar. "I'm sorry we thought you weren't."

"I would've made the same search," he said as he took out a notebook. "But I need to do one last thing though, and let's all be honest, you did commit some crimes here. No felonies though, I'm just writing infractions. Now then," Walton said, Laura and I looking at him with confusion. "Speeding, parking, parking, speeding, fighting, speeding, firearms, speeding, parking, interference with police business, firearms, vandalism, speeding, firearms, and finally fighting in public." Walton grinned at us, smiling as he ripped off the citation and handed it to me. "No personal checks, US money only." Putting on his own aviators as I stared at the citation, he held out his hand to me. "But you can take as long as you need to for paying it back."

Smiling back, I shook Walton's hand and watched as he walked off, joining the festivities and meshing back into the townsfolk. The laughter of children floated through the air, and as we drove off I took one last look back to see Harburg smiling at us as we drove away.

"Think it'll be okay?" I asked, putting on my sunglasses as he hit the highway.

"If anyone can make it work, Tenzin can." Leaning back in her seat, Laura looked over at me and smiled. "Good luck paying off all those citations by the way."

"Good luck not buying those new outfits you were looking at," I laughed, Laura trying to apologize for the joke all the way to the border.

## NEXT TIME: SECRETS AND STORIES STRAIGHT FROM NORTHERN IRELAND!

 ***Echoes of Adventure***
 ***Journey through the Quantum Gate***
 ***The Battle Against Annihilation***
 ***The Null Set***
 ***The Pandemonium Peril Palooza***
 ***Insatiable Incidents Of Insanity***
 ***Excursion Into Extremist Lands***
 ***Sightseeing At Silentium Soiree***
(R.U.N.) • Uncovering Multidimensional Conspiracies of Doomsday Puppeteers • Majestical Mystical Magnificent Maidens of an Ancient Order • Attack on Titans from the Under-Earth • (Abyssal Ancients) • (Drakonate of Rigelis) • My Secret Affair with a Multidimensional Black-Ops Agent • (The Horde of Unliving Metal) • The Million Man Militia of the Yellow River • (Polynesia Ltd.) • (NKGB Division A) • (Y-Files) • (Imperial Department for Anomalies) • (CBURA) • (SPIDER) • How I Won my Freedom in the Blood-Soaked Arena of Aliens Warlords • (Intergalactic Explorer's Lodges)