The Third Revolution Ch. 07

"There will be two teams," Elena said, her words echoing off the walls of an abandoned warehouse as a group of twelve men and women listened intently. A large holographic display appeared behind her as she spoke, and she pointed to various areas of interest on a map.

"Team Alpha will create a distraction here, at the hair salon. That should draw most of the drones in the area to that spot. Team Beta, you will disable the cameras in the apartment complex located here. Team Charlie will then make their way through the building to the fifty-third floor. Our target is staying in room number 5316.

"You should all know your assignments. I don't need to stress how important this mission is. You have all been training for this day for a very long time. Are there any questions?"

She scanned the faces of each and every person before her. "Good," she said. "Then let's roll."

A line formed along one end of the building, and one by one, each person was handed a flexible, transparent band with a circular shape. Following the lead of the others, Jason took his band, stretched it a bit, and placed it around his forehead. He looked at Kat, who did the same. Instantly, her facial features morphed into an unrecognizable figure. She gave him a curious look.

"I like your old look better," he said with a smile.

"You're just trying to get in my pants again," she retorted.

"Are you two done flirting?" an unfamiliar-looking woman responded in Elena's voice. "We have work to do."

The ride into the city seemed longer than Jason had remembered, but it was equally as quiet. Alongside him sat Kat, Elena and a man he had just met named Kyle. He was told Kyle was an expert in hand-to-hand combat, and was included in their group in the event that they would encounter resistance from State patrolmen.

They arrived at the gate, and were allowed into the city without incident. The limo stopped in front of the apartment complex, and all four passengers exited onto the street. Jason looked up at the corner of the building and noticed a camera pointed in his direction.

"Relax," Elena whispered. No facial recognition software known to the group had ever managed to break the decryption embedded in the holographic masks they wore.

Jason recoiled at the sound of a loud explosion from several blocks down the street. He turned to see a plume of fire and smoke erupt from the side of one of the buildings.

"Right on schedule," Elena said. "Team Beta, you're up."

Jason watched the camera on the outside of the building. When its red light went out, all four members of the team went into the building and rode the elevator to the fifty-third floor. They strolled down the hallway to room 5316, and Elena inserted a card through the slot on the door. A buzzing sound followed, and all four entered the room.

Elena motioned to Kyle, and he went into the next room while the three of them stood in darkness. Elena taped a button on the wall, and the lights in the room slowly brightened. Moments later, Kyle re-entered the room accompanied by an older man who appeared confused and alarmed. Elena deactivated her holographic mask, and the man's eyes flickered with recognition.

"Elena," he said.

"Doctor Nathan Locke," she said, "I want you to meet someone."

She looked at Jason, and pantomimed a motion for him to deactivate his mask. When he did so, the old man's eyes glistened. He placed a hand to his mouth to suppress any noise, and then raced across the room to embrace his son.

"I never thought I'd see you again," he said. Overcome with emotion, Jason remained silent, and simply returned the hug of this man he had never known.

"I'm sorry," Elena said, looking toward Nathan, "but I need to format your chip, and then we have to go. We don't have much time."

Nathan patted his son on the back, and gave him a long look before turning to Elena. She fitted him with electrodes and followed the directions Zack had given her. Within seconds, the task was complete.

"You'll need one of these," Elena said, handing him a circular strand.

The taxi was waiting for them when they exited the building. Down the street, bright lights could be seen scanning the buildings and skies. The five of them hustled out of the building and into the cab without anyone noticing. Seconds later, they were speeding down the back roads and onto the highway. When they reached the city walls, the guards looked over each of them and stepped aside, allowing them to leave the city.

"That was easy," Nathan said, earning a glare from Elena.

They rode north for over an hour before the vehicle came to a stop. There, they found motorized three-wheeled vehicles awaiting them. With Elena riding point, they traversed along back roads and dirt paths to a small house deep in the woods. Elena went to the back door and stood for a moment until an electronic beep indicated it was safe to enter.

Inside was a darkened garage with a large object in the center of the floor. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Jason recognized that it was an antique vehicle. His eyes dazzled with the way the moonlight reflected off its shiny surface. He ran his hand along the rear bumper, and traced his fingers along the raised lettering of a word: "Impala."

"Not many of those around anymore," Nathan remarked.

"I've never seen one before," Jason said. "Not in person, anyway. Only in images and video."

They continued through another door, which opened into a kitchen area. It appeared as though the house was well-maintained. It was clean, and stocked with cans of food and bottles of water. Kyle unlocked one of the cabinets and produced what appeared to be a long-barreled weapon. He took a position at the front window and searched the darkness.

"Now what?" Nathan asked.

"Now we wait," Elena responded.

"Wait for what?" Jason asked.

"John Reardon," said Elena.

Kat appeared surprised. "Reardon is coming here?"

Elena nodded. "He'll be here within the hour."

"This place have a bathroom?" Kat asked. "It's been a while since I've seen a real toilet."

Elena led Kat down a hallway, leaving Jason and Nathan standing in the kitchen, alone. Nathan smiled at his son, and couldn't seem to look away from him.

"I'm sorry for staring," he said. "I have been watching you your whole life. I never thought I would ever be standing in the same room with you."

"What do you mean you've been watching me?" Jason asked.

"My agreement with the State was that you would be safe and well-provided," Nathan explained. "They allowed me to tap into the various video feeds around the city to check in on you from time to time. I've been doing so since they placed you in the State daycare facility. I watched you attend the Academy. And I've watched you climb up the ladder with the Department of Communications. I'm very proud to see the man you've become."

Jason stood for a moment and simply looked at his father. He recognized many of his own features in his face, his voice, and even the way he carried himself. Never for a moment had he ever considered the possibility of meeting his birth father. He had always been a ward of the State, just like everyone else he knew.

"I have so many questions," Jason said.

"Then let's see if I can answer them," his father responded, ushering him into the next room. He closed the door, and motioned for Jason to take a seat in one of the chairs. Nathan rummaged through the cabinets and drawers in the room and found a couple of glasses, and a jar with caramel-colored liquid. He poured a glass for each of them.

"What is this?" Jason asked, taking the glass.

"I believe it's rum," Nathan answered. He took a swig and nodded. "Flavored rum of some sort."

"I don't suppose there is any soda in the house?" Jason asked.

Nathan laughed. "I really don't know. Maybe."

They sat for a moment in silence, simply enjoying their drinks, and each other's company.

"I understand you are a history buff," Nathan said.

"Yes, I studied history at the Academy, and received top grades," Jason said. "I have always had a fascination of history, and all things from the past."

Nathan leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on a stool. "I'd be curious to hear your opinion of the United States."

"United States?" Jason responded. "You mean this country's history between the First and Second Revolutions?"

"Yes," his father said, "exactly."

"Well," Jason said, downing a substantial swig of rum, "from what I understand, that period in our history was a dark time, dominated by a greedy and unsympathetic class of elite. It was an every-man-for-himself society where a handful of people became grossly wealthy through exploitation of the working poor."

"It sounds horrible," Nathan remarked.

"I imagine it was," Jason said. "Thankfully, changes were gradually introduced. The people demanded their government take more control, and redistribute wealth in a more equitable way. After a major economic crisis in the 1920's, the federal government awarded itself greater power and control through taxation, regulation, and monetary policy. Gradually, the government gained more and more responsibility for ensuring the health and well-being of the people. They cared for the sick, educated the children, and managed the retirements of the elderly. They took provided food, shelter and income to the poor and disabled. For more than a century, progress was made, little by little, toward a more equal and fair society."

"And then came the Sino-Russian War," Nathan noted.

"Yes, there was another great global economic collapse, and the United States currency became worthless overnight. People lost their life savings. The job market collapsed. Tens of millions suddenly became unemployed, with no means of caring for themselves. When the Chinese government realized that their investment in United States currency and assets had become worthless, they insisted we compensate them with our land and resources. When we refused, they retaliated militarily."

"I was barely a teenager then," the father stated. "Too young to be drafted into the military, but old enough to understand what was happening. Our missile defense system protected us from most of the incoming warheads, but the ones that made it through were devastating. Millions were killed in the blink of an eye. We fought back. Then Russia and the Islamic Republic got involved. By the time it all ended, the death toll and devastation was greater than anyone could have ever imagined."

"And that is when the Second Revolution began," Jason continued. "When that war ended, a new leadership arose, which promised stability and prosperity. The people happily adopted this new government to protect us from harm, both within and outside of our borders. The banks and corporations that caused the economic collapse were taken over by the State. The old Constitution was destroyed, and a new one was written, which ensured a fair society where all citizens prosper equally, and where discrimination, offending language, and any display of unequal power are strictly forbidden."

"And the citizens of the new People's State of America lived happily ever after," Nathan said, downing the last of his glass. He sat for a moment, a look of amusement creeping over his face. He shook his head slowly and deliberately.

"Is there something I missed?" Jason asked.

"Let me suggest an alternative history," the father said. "The United States began as a unique experiment, in that the people were given the unprecedented power to govern themselves. This radical idea had existed only within the realm of theory and philosophy, and had never been attempted in such a large-scale manner. Although many felt this experiment would fail miserably, the idea of self-governance and self-determination appealed to so many, people came from all over the world just for the chance to experience it."

"That may be true," Jason said, "but the country was plagued with greed, slavery, and oppression. You're painting an inaccurate picture."

Nathan waved his hand and took another sip of his drink. "Of course, there was greed, slavery and oppression in the United States. There has been greed, slavery and oppression everywhere in the world, throughout human history. The United States was no exception. What set this country apart from all the others was freedom and opportunity. That led to innovation and prosperity unlike anything the world had ever witnessed. Nearly every great invention, every new medicine, and every technological improvement of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries originated from the United States. There is a reason for that."

"If the country was so prosperous," Jason interrupted, "then why were there so many people living in misery, despair, and poverty?"

"Were there?" Nathan asked with a smile. "The poorest of the poor in the United States managed to enjoy a far better lifestyle than even the mildly wealthy in some other parts of the world. It's all relative, isn't it? There will always be some men who have less than others. When you give a man a choice, sometimes he makes the wrong choice. When a man takes a risk, sometimes it results in a great reward, and other times it doesn't. That is the nature of free will. There will always be winners and losers when men are free to make their own decisions in life."

"There doesn't have to be," Jason noted. "You can create a system that ensures fairness for everyone."

"What does 'fairness' mean?" the father responded. "Is it fair that you are a more talented writer than I am? Is it fair that I am more knowledgeable of technology than you are? Is it fair that Kyle over there in the next room could kill us both with his bare hands if he chose? Is it fair that Kat is so beautiful?"

Jason gave his father a strange look.

"What? You think I didn't notice?" They exchanged a knowing grin. "You see, if 'fairness' means equality, then life is inherently unfair because we're all born with unequal skills and assets. The best we can do is to ensure fairness of opportunity. Fairness of outcome is impossible...unless some third party demands parity through brute force."

"I understand what you're saying," Jason responded. "And I understand that the State can be cruel at times to enforce its laws. But you cannot deny the fact that they have delivered on their promise for a fair and equal society."

"Oh, really?" the father said, raising an eyebrow. He produced an information device from his pocket and placed it on the table. An image appeared, showing what seemed to be an aerial view of the city. "Yes, that's a live view," Nathan said, noting the curious look on his son's face. "It is remarkably easy to hack into their drones."

He appeared to steer the drone by motioning with his fingers and hands before him. The drone flew north of the city, past the walls, toward what appeared to be another large, walled city. It scaled the wall and hovered overhead, revealing wretched streets filled with garbage, miserable-looking people scuffling along the roads, wearing torn clothing and looking pale and thin. He lowered the drone to street level and hovered it next to a man staring straight ahead with unfocused eyes, set so deeply into his skull, he looked like a living skeleton.

"This is New Lowell," Nathan explained. "It is a labor camp where textiles are made for the State. There are others just like it, where food and other necessities are manufactured. These camps provide such a desolate existence that the State ships in hundreds of workers every week just to replace the ones who died of starvation, murder, drug overdose, and suicide. There are thousands of labor camps just like this one, scattered throughout the outskirts of each and every existing city in the People's State."

Jason sat on the edge of his chair, peering into the display, in complete disbelief of what he was seeing. "How?" he said. "How can this be?"

"There are also birthing camps," the father continued. "The State collects the genetic material from its donors in the city, makes whatever genetic alterations they desire from their population, and implants their manufactured embryos in women who were selected for these camps. The conditions are subhuman, and the pain and suffering those women endure is something you cannot imagine. But if they birth enough healthy babies, they are rewarded by the State with suitable living arrangements within the city – or so they are told."

Jason's mind reeled. How could he be so oblivious to so much suffering? How did the State collect genetic material from city donors? He himself had never been asked to donate. A chill crept up his spine as he thought of the whirring noise he would hear in the kitchen nook whenever Cori would finish pleasuring him. How many children attending the Academy at that moment carried his genetic material?

"There are also retirement camps," Nathan continued, "where older citizens are sent once they are no longer useful to the State. The conditions of those camps are so unfathomable that the average citizen dies at the age of sixty eight – only three years after they arrive."

Jason immediately thought of Marshall, and the look of fear and despair in his eyes.

"These are the have-not's in the State's system of 'fairness and equality', Jason," his father continued. "I don't believe I need to tell you who the 'haves' are."

"The senators," Jason responded coldly.

"The senators, and the rest of the bureaucrats and administrators in the State, yes," Nathan said. "You see, Jason, this idea that society can benefit from equal contributions and an equal distribution of resources has always been a false premise, for the simple reason that human beings are not equal in every way. We each possess different talents, different motivations, different work ethics, and different ambitions.

"When you attempt to impose a system of fairness on people who are born with unique traits and capabilities, there will still be winners and losers, as some will contribute more than others. What happens when a citizen of the State fails to contribute at any acceptable level? He or she is either punished or discarded; imprisoned or executed, just like those innocent children at the Academy who failed to perform at an acceptable level. The difference between living under collectivism and a free society is who decides how a person will live his life: the State or the individual.

"This is why I'm here, Jason. This is what we need to show the world. I built the State's communications infrastructure. I know how to hack into that system, because I ensured there would be a back door to do so. We need to show the people of this city what is really happening out there beyond those walls. I have waited a long time for this moment, son. And I would not have done it without you standing right here next to me."

"He's here," Elena announced, sticking her head through the door.