Chapter
Six
SEPERATION OF POWERS
NSA SURVEILLANCE TRANSCRIPT - 10/05/55
SIGNAL INTERCEPT BY STATION 178-A, 14:50:32
SCRAMBLED: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. 4 DERIVED CODE
BROKEN BY MODE 4 DE-ENCRYPTION PROTOCOL (INTELLIGENCE ASSET# 376)
SIGNAL ORIGINS (PARTIAL TRACE): WESTERN EUROPE AND UNITED STATES, EASTERN SEABOARD
VOICE 1: IDENTIFICATION - ARCHIBALD GOODWIN
VOICE 2: IDENTIFICATION - ANTHONY DUNN
***BEGIN COM. INTERCEPT***
VOICE 1: ....the set up here. But it is just as well. They don’t need any more heat.
VOICE 2: Regardless, it is good that you have left the country. Before Veidt disappeared, he reported increased government activity centered on locating the boy.
VOICE 1: Don’t I know it. Toward the end, I was having enough trouble rooting out AIM infiltrators. I had to completely cut ties with Tony for both our sakes. Do you have anything new on Adrian?
VOICE 2: No. If--as I believe--Veidt has gone to ground, there is little chance anyone will find him until he wishes it.
VOICE 1: I can’t blame him for running. Not after that bullshit Sunderland hauled out in front of the Senate. How are the others holding up?
VOICE 2: It varies. The situation between Ghost Fighter and Blue Beetle continues to deteriorate. Uncle Sam has become so unstable, the government has been granted custody of him. An NSA taskforce under the supervision of an Agent Smith have taken him to an unknown location for so-called “observation.”
VOICE 1: Jesus!
VOICE 2: Luthor has left the country with his ward, despite the fact that the anti-trust suit against his company is gaining momentum.
VOICE 1: I know the feeling. Sounds like he got my message, though. The Taskforce should have him and Jimmy in the bunker by now. Is The Taskforce still in contact with the Red Kommissar?
VOICE 2: Intermittently. Col. Kerensky’s last report was grave, with hints of a possible Soviet purge of the countryside being carried out by the Crimson Dynamos.
VOICE 1: Damn. She’s going to get herself killed. I just know she will. What about our resident INS refugees?
VOICE 2: Since Germany, Zero Man has seldom ventured far from the moon. The U.N. Security Council is still debating his request, although the United States ambassador has promised to veto it no matter what.
VOICE 1: Have they moved on Genni, yet?
VOICE 2: Not as yet. But it is imminent. And when the agents do attempt to arrest her...
VOICE 1: She will go bugfuck, kill a few hundred people and knock over a building or two. All of which is precisely what Legion wants.
VOICE 2: Quite possibly.
VOICE 1: Right. Has the trial started yet?
VOICE 2: No and The Joker and Quinn remain defiant. District Attorney Dent continues to appeal the decision to place Quinn’s case under federal jurisdiction, but to no avail. Gordon and Bullock have so far refused to execute the arrest warrant, but I suspect they will have no choice once The Keene Act becomes law.
VOICE 1: How long?
VOICE 2: Soon. Rioting continues in several east coast cities due to the police strikes brought on by the actions of The Punisher and Famine. The impostor Captain America is acting as spokesman for The Sentinels Of Liberty and this is rapidly tipping public opinion in Legion’s favor. Legion’s plans have been quite elegant. His designs are worthy of the Patchwork Man.
VOICE 1: (Long Pause) Any movement on that front?
VOICE 2: The Taskforce reports nothing. He hasn’t even appeared in any of his known mundane identities to consolidate his financial holdings in this time of international upheaval. Considering current events, such an absence is in itself notable.
VOICE 1: And suspicious. Great. We’ve run out of time, haven’t we?
VOICE 2: I believe so. In some ways, it is fortunate that T.H.U.N.D.E.R. does not currently exist. Some of the contingency plans for a global situation such as this were quite unpleasant.
VOICE 1: Sometimes you really scare the hell out of me, Doc.
VOICE 2: The time has come for a definite yes or no on Operation: Wide Awake. Either choice will affect our future strategy.
VOICE 1: It has to be Warden’s decision.
VOICE 2: I concur. Have you discussed the possible dangers with him?
VOICE 1: No. You will. I want to make damn sure he knows what he may be getting into, worst case, and you’re the most qualified to talk him out of it. Hell, you’ve never even liked the idea.
VOICE 2: I believe your concern for Dr. Rosenberg has clouded your judgment and caused you to minimize the possible consequences for the boy, yes.
VOICE 1: See?
VOICE 2: I believe, however, that this course may be marginally preferable to the alternatives. The boy is too inexperienced to confront Legion alone, but Legion is aware of the threat the boy represents and will stop at nothing to destroy him. Rosenberg is the best hope we have of ending this conflict before it deteriorates any further. It is a terribly risk, but it might also be our only chance.
VOICE 1: But you will still try to talk him out of it?
VOICE 2: Yes, of course. It is only fair to the boy. However, before we discuss this any further, we should switch transponders again. As the Federal government has taken over S.T.A.R. Labs, I’m concerned our communications may already be compromised. Yellow, orange, green, red, red, blue.
VOICE 1: Got it.
(FOUR MINUTES OF STATIC FOLLOW)
***INTERCEPT ENDS***
Chapter Seven: “A Well Regulated Militia”
The helicopter’s side door slid open. A man with a short red crew cut, wearing a plain white dress shirt and a thin, black tie leaned out, his shirt sleeves rolled up. Behind reflective sunglasses, he glared at the fleeing vigilantes.
Henry Peter Gyrich loaded armor piercing rounds into his sniper’s rifle and ratcheted back the bolt.