Olympus Device 2: The Olympus Device Book Two (35 page)

A deluge of solutions began surfacing, university students offering up proposals to
crowd source enough funds to purchase a private island where the rail gun’s secrets could be redirected into creating free, clean energy and to reverse global warming.

Several large companies made it clear that they had the wherewithal to protect Dusty’s technology, some even posting 800 numbers where he could call and be escorted into their protective custody.   

Mainstream America listened to it all with an intelligent ear. The obvious untruths and deceptions surrounding the tale of the West Texas man were receiving more and more attention every day. The feds had been playing games with the facts, and that was troubling.

People started asking questions, directly worded inquiries pingi
ng all levels of government. What had Durham Weathers done that prompted such a heavy-handed response? Why wasn’t his powerful new discovery being explored, expanded, and utilized for the good of all? Why isn’t the man being treated with the respect due such an intellectual giant?

From the White House press corps to tow
n hall meetings with legislators, people began posing such questions to their representatives. Pressure was building, and it was clear that there were some in government who didn’t like it.

Washington was a city that thrived on power, and it became obvious that Durham Weathers was siphoning some of that drug-like influence from those that ran the country. A series of counterattacks soon began, officials and experts from numerous government agencies warning that the rail gun might not be a safe form of energy while others expressed doubts that the technology could be commercially developed.

Dusty’s mysterious whereabouts and silence allowed for the general public to hear only one side of the story. At 10 days after Laredo, the Texan’s popularity began to fade.

Grace knew all of this, monitoring the news cycles with a keen eye while she tried to rally support for her cause.

No one wanted to help her. She pleaded, begged, threatened, and flirted with the powerful people in her rolodex – all to no avail.

Dusty was poison. An unknown. A hot potato that no one wanted to handle.

Frustrated and feeling the momentum draining away, she decided to declare war in her own way. She didn’t have a rail gun to shoot, but she was armed with knowledge. “I’ll let Dusty handle that rail thingie. I’m going to pull out the big guns.”        

Grace smoothed the front of her skirt for the third time. Following a hastily established routine, she checked her makeup, hair and watch in quick succession.
She had ten minutes before it was her segment.

The “green
room” of the cable news network was well furnished. Along one wall was a large section where those waiting to appear on national television had signed their names. Henry Kissinger, two presidents, the king of Saudi Arabia and countless movie stars had left short messages or signed their names.

A small tr
ay of cheese, crackers, and dip sat on a nearby table, pitchers of iced tea, spring water, and some sort of fruit drink available as well.

In addition to the flat screen monitor displaying live images of the network’s broadcast, a long table
was equipped with a computer and a keyboard. The hostess had informed her it had unhindered access to the internet. Burning nervous energy, Grace decided to check her gardening forum one last time before making her debut on national television.

It took a few moments f
or her to log in. She noticed on the initial screen that someone had posted a new message on her thread.

Moving the mouse with anxious hands, she smiled when the screen refreshed. “
I’m seeing similar colors blooming here in Kansas,” someone had posted. “I agree with the previous post about the Canadian cold fronts being the cause.”

Dusty was alive! He was in Kansas.

She read the message over and over, hoping there was some other small hint or piece of news hidden inside the simple text.

“You’re on, Mrs. Kennedy,” a voice interrupted.

Grace walked to a staging area just off camera, most of her nervousness overridden by Dusty’s message.

She could he
ar the host’s voice. “In our next segment, we have an exclusive interview with Ms. Grace Kennedy, the attorney representing Durham Weathers, the most wanted man in the world. Can she give us some insight into the man behind this weapon of mass destruction? Please stay tuned – we’ll be right back after these messages.”

Grace was shown to a seat, the famous commentator reaching across the small desk and shaking her hand. It seemed like only a few seconds passed before the red light on the television camera
began to blink.

For the fi
rst ten minutes, Grace responded to basic background questions. How did she meet Dusty? What type of man was he? Simple, easy to answer inquiries that she’d fully anticipated. After another commercial break, the newsman got down to business.

“Why do you think the United States government is trying to suppress the technology behind this invention?”

Grace smiled, finally getting the opening she’d been waiting for. “Obviously I can’t speak for our government, but there are many entities who would
not
benefit from its development. Oil and gas companies come to mind, as a source of free, renewable energy would eventually put them out of business. The defense industry is another example. Why would any nation buy a billion dollar weapon that can be easily defeated by a handheld device? The list could go on and on.”

“So you’re saying that current-day commercial interests are the reason why our federal officials are keeping a lid on this entire affair?”

“I don’t know that for a fact, Bill, but it seems a reasonable explanation. There is no negative that I, or anyone else, has found with Durham’s device if used for the safe, peaceful generation of electrical energy. There’s no pollution, residual waste, or known danger. Why wouldn’t our government and scientific community embrace such technology? Why paint him as a criminal and destroy his public image? I can’t find another explanation for the actions of our government.”

The host considered the attorney’s
answer for a moment and then countered. “I had the director of the FBI on this show a short time ago. Many law enforcement professionals claim that this device meets the description of a weapon of mass destruction and is extremely dangerous. They cite several attacks purportedly initiated by your client.”

Grace waved off the question, her expression making it clear that such claims shouldn’t be taken seriously. “Are these the same law enforcement personnel who
originally claimed that the invasion of Laredo was nothing more than a large gang intent of robbing local businesses? Are these the same men who told our nation that the two fighter jets in Texas went down due to a mid-air collision? Or what about the purported bomb scare in College Station, which we soon learned was nothing but a cover story? If the American people want to continue to believe these men, that’s their right. But frankly, if they tell me it’s raining outside, I’m going to pack a picnic. Their credibility is low.”

The lawyer’s verbal volley
drew a chuckle from the host. Checking the sheet of paper in front of him, he retorted, “But he
has
broken the law.”

Grace nodded, “Yes, there’s little doubt of that. But I could say the same for 99% of our
viewers. There are over 27,000 pages of federal laws, which reference over 10,000 federal regulations. These numbers don’t count Internal Revenue Service codes or state and local laws. The Congressional Research Service recently admitted that they could no longer even count all our laws, much less document them. Other institutions have asserted that the average American breaks three laws every day. Any of us can be labeled a criminal, prosecuted, and have our lives devastated while fighting the charges. Obviously, our law enforcement agencies must allocate available resources according to the greatest threats to our nation. My client was simply trying to defend himself from an overbearing government, yet he is the subject of such incredible scrutiny. So, why wasn’t the government investigating that company down on the border instead? The one dumping cyanide into the environment? Their deliberate actions outside the confines of the law knowingly endangered thousands of people with the potential to cause more economic damage than Durham Weathers ever has. Why hasn’t there been public outrage over the corruption that allowed that poison into the very air we breathe? In an odd way, my client has done the country a service...”

Bill nodded and then said, “I’ll give you the last word, Mrs. Kennedy.”

“Thank you,” Grace responded and then looked directly into the camera with her most sincere expression. “
Out there, hiding, alone and scared is a good man who any of you would welcome as a friend or neighbor. He wants nothing more than to help humanity. He has committed violence only as a last resort and only in self-defense. He is being persecuted for demanding that his discovery is never used as a weapon. Is this the intent of a madman? Are these the wishes of a terrorist? He wants nothing more than to elevate the quality of life for every person on the planet. Is this the mark of a dangerous person? I ask my fellow Americans to rally to his cause, which is just and humane. I ask everyone watching this telecast to ask themselves if they would have acted any differently than Durham Weathers. Help me bring him in from the cold. Demand the truth from our government so that he can be judged in the light of day by his peers, just as our constitution demands.”

The camera again went dark and Grace
relaxed momentarily against her seat, catching her breath before rising to leave. “Mrs. Kennedy, you realize what you’ve just done, don’t you?” the host asked.

“I hope I’ve helped my client and informed the general public of
the truth,” she said.

A grimace came across the newsman’s face, his eyes both sincere and
yet sad. “Perhaps. But to be blunt, I think you just fired the first shot of what could be our country’s second revolution.”

The End

The Olympus Device: Book Three
will be released in late 2014