In my final hour, I will hold my head high. I have power to make decisions, decisions that can help people and save lives. And in the end I will go out with honor knowing that I have used this power to aid others and not myself. I can't help but break into a sweet as I enter the meeting room. I understood the consequences of my actions but as I looked into each of my colleagues eyes I wondered if they really had grasped our current situation. Now is the time we band together and take pride in our achievements, for now that is all we have.We are Red Arrow, an organization built to control police action. For six hundred years we have been watching big brother. Taking care of the people by making sure that peace is achieved without a corrupt government. We have been selected and hired because we are the top in our field. Scientist, mechanics, computer engineers, we create the machines, the weapons, and even people that govern every government on earth.
Our empire was built by The Counsel. A group only seen by one selected official every generation. I am that official, Jacob Phelps. I was brought into the organization when I was only sixteen. An older member, now retired, had scouted me in high school. I showed a promise in computer programing and robotics. Solving equations has always been my specialty and after finding what they needed in my mathematical abilities I was let into Red Arrow. At age twenty chairman Ridgeway retired after meeting with the counsel for forty-two years. A vote was taken and because of my intellect and charm I took position as the counsels new chairmen. I have had my position for the last seventeen years and only meet with the counsel three times. Shortly after my position went into effect and twice in the past month.
The counsel consist of three men... or what I think are men. Every time I have been into there chambers, they sit motionless in large suits that appeared to be made of leather. The suits did not move with exception of the eyes. They were made up of several tiny lights that changed colors when that particular member of the counsel spoke. Their voices were synthetic, sounding like computers from our ancient culture. Where they came from and what there true motives are I don't know. All anyone knows is they are very old and have never been seen to leave their chamber. The chamber is in a large downtown office building located in Citizen Owned Territories, Los Angles. The building is twenty-four stories tall and has nothing on the first twenty-three levels except for armed robotic guards built by the Red Arrow corporation. "The Chamber," is what they have called their domain and it sits on the top floor. It's doors do not open from the outside and only open when I have been summoned. I don't understand how I know they want to meet with me, only that a thought goes through my head at any given moment and that it is urgent that I go right away. My ability to resist going is nigh. Not that they have some kind of super natural power over me, it is my duty to be there, to relay the information and be the will of The Counsel. For the time I have spent serving the counsel and the people of earth, I have taken pride in my work. Watching over the people and being part of an organization that has kept the peace on this planet for over six millennia gives one a great sense of accomplishment. I will do anything to keep that peace and the utopia that The Counsel has formed. That was up until last month when our planet was attacked by an unknown enemy.
I was summoned to the Chamber thirty days ago, immediately after the earth was hit with large metal sphere's from an unknown origin. With all our knowledge and equipment we had not seen the attack coming. Made of a yet unknown alloy and ranging from the size of a person to sphere's the size of a large house, everything from major city's to the remote uninhabited areas of earth was hit with such force that it caused massive damage to our ecosystem and millions of death's in Earth's population. Radiuses measuring about one mile in circumference from the spheres had death rates at 100%. Robotic and human soldiers were sent in by Red Arrow to investigate the unknown entities in all regions of the world. In all cases Robotic deployments had shut down all communications with Red Arrow once they had reached there destinations. Humans that had gotten within a fifty foot radius of the spheres have had over a 99% casualty rate while the few that survived have been hospitalized with as of yet an unknown virus. During this second meeting with The Counsel they had ordered me to send in all police forces around the world to investigate. This order I knew would bring down all of Red Arrows forces. It had occurred to me that sending all our units might not be wise, I remember wanting to speak out against their decision. My mind was clouded. I simply agreed with The Counsel and left with no real recollection of why. I never gave the orders to send in anymore men or machines. I kept it to myself that I even had a meeting with The Counsel. Less than twenty-four hours after the private meeting troops were sent back into the sphere hot zones. Red Arrows forces are down lower than one percent to date.
On my third and final trip to speak with the counsel it was I who initiated the meeting. I was largely ignored by the few robotic guards as I made my way to The Chamber. There I knocked casually on the impenetrable doors and after getting no response I raised my voice and demanded that they let me enter. My colleges and I had no were to turn. We had no way of understanding what had happened to our robotic forces. If we sent more into investigate they went offline just like the others and we were not willing to sacrifice more people to find out what had happened to our robots. I had the feeling that The Counsel knew more about what was going on with these alien spheres and I had never been more determined in my life to get some answers. After several minutes with no reaction from The Counsel I became angry raising my voice, demanding a meeting with them. After that I cannot say what happened. It started with a buzzing in my head and then the most incredible pain I had ever felt. It was like somebody sticking hot skewers into my brain. The next thing I remembered was waking up on the sidewalk outside the building that housed The Counsel.
I have made a decision. A decision that I suspect may affect my colleagues very lives should information leak back to The Counsel. Project Lucy was back online. Her program had been shut down over one hundred and fifty years ago and her body has been in cryogenic stasis for just as long. She was a war machine, capable of taking on whole armies. She had been a great tool in many wars and was the key factor in keeping Red Arrow in power. One day The Counsel had her decommissioned and nobody has thought much of it since. Why should we, the legends of Lucy are mere dreams and fantasy to our generation anyway. All that is known is that The Counsel forbids her reactivation.
With the help of a few colleagues and close friends we have broken this law. Lucy is aware and programed. Now I am with these friends as I sit down to tell the rest of Red Arrow what we have done and discuss the consequences.
"How long ago was Lucy sent out and can she still be recalled before The Counsel finds out?"
"Are you guys serious? The Counsel probably has been aware of Lucy since the moment Jacob thought of reprograming her. They can read his mind, probably all of our minds. We are screwed! We're all gonna lose are jobs and probably have to face a prison sentence."
Jacob stared at the table and was silent while the other board members bickered with each other. He had expected this much from the others but knew that losing their jobs or being detained was the least of there worries.
"Why wasn't everyone consulted on this decision Jacob! How can you stick out our necks and not even tell us what's going on! When this goes to trial, and believe me The Counsel will punish us to the full extent of the law, I am not standing up for you. Everyone here has the right to bring you in front of The Counsel themselves."
Jacob stared blankly at Johnson. He had worked with this man his entire career. It hurt to see his friend and co-worker turn on him like that. Be so willing to throw him to the wolves. But Johnson was right. It was his decision to activate Lucy and it was his and only his decision to program her directives. Jacob fumbled for his words, these people he thought of as his friends. There faces no longer resembled the same people that he once worked with, that he laughed with. After their reaction to the news of Lucy, Jacob hesitated out of fear with the news of her intentions.
Jacob stood up from his seat. As he looked upon his colleagues he felt a great sadness sweep over him. Being a strong leader, he took charge before anyone noticed his lapse in composer. He didn't want to scare anyone but the truth is not always easy to swallow.
"People, I'm sorry that so many of you were left in the dark about project Lucy and if you let me explain you will understand that it was in your best interest. I believe our employers of the last six hundred years have turned there backs on humanity. I have always been connected with The Counsel mentally since the start of my employment. When they are not speaking to me, I am still constantly aware of there presents. The day they violently turned me away from The Chamber was the day my connection had been severed. They no longer have a link with us, with humans. They no longer wish to help with our worlds problems or help direct or government responsibilities to keep our world safe from harm. And if they are not here to help us then I must assume they are here to hurt us!"
"This is ridiculous!" Johnson stood up from his chair. His voice steadily started to rise as he pointed an accusing finger back at Jacob. "You said it yourself, they have been here for over six hundred years. They have brought a war torn planet back from extinction and helped build the closest thing to a utopian society it's ever seen! And now... now you think they are out to declare war on us! Come on Jacob this is..."
"Where are they now?" Jacob cut in. He had no need to let Johnson get them all worked up. He was doing a fine job himself. "Tell me what they are doing to help our situation now? We have a thousand pieces of alien debris destroying our entire planet. Billions of lives have been lost. The only thing The Counsel has done is make problems worse by sacrificing millions of other peoples lives. We are on the brink of extinction and they are doing nothing to stop it."
"Tell me, has anyone here noticed the lack of security in our meeting room? How about on your way up here? Where are the normal Red Arrow security units that watch over our building?" Jacob circled around the table checking everyones faces. From their reaction he could tell these people were not surprised by his questions. The lack of Red Arrow forces was noticed by all. Being a Red Arrow employee and board member has always meant high security risk and The Counsel has always seen to it that Red Arrow employees have the highest level of protection. "Has anyone even tried to make use of any of our robotic units?" Jacob paused, and as he had thought, nobody answered his question. Robotic units were an everyday part of life. Anywhere you went there were Red Arrow robotics protecting and serving the community. But not for the last week, it was like they had totally disappeared. A great deal had been lost when sent in to investigate the spheres but there are almost as many robotic units in the world as there are humans. Or at least there were before the spheres had hit. Jacob could now see the fear in his colleagues faces. He had not wanted to scare them but he needed them to face the facts that they all should have already known.
"We have a new war coming, one without the aid of or benefactors or the machinery they have provided for us. That is why I have brought Lucy back online and programed her to seek out Bill Ryzer." Jacob paused to let his words sink in. Disbelief was what he had expected, but Johnson was beyond that. Pure anger was all he had left to give.
"Bill Ryzer! Now I've heard about all I can take Jacob! Ryzer for all any of us know could be nothing more than a children's story, fantasy made up by people that have it in for The Counsel." Johnson went to say more but stopped himself. He felt Red Arrow was as good as dead. Nothing he could say or do was going to matter or make a difference. "I'm leaving Jacob. Our organization has no validity left to it and I believe you are playing with fire. I'm going home, consider this my resignation."
"David..." That was Johnson's first name and nobody called him that, not at work anyway. Jacob and David had been friends for a very long time and Jacob only called him by his first name when he wanted his friends attention, not just his colleagues. "Please, just listen to what I have to say. Just one more minute of your time and all of you can be on your way." David stood by his chair, he made a gesture towards Jacob letting him know that this was it. Say what had to be said and let me be on my way.
"I am certain they will come for us. We are all in danger. We all know secrets and have had our hands in The Counsels business far to long for them to just let us be. I only sent Lucy out on what may be a fools errand because I think it may be our last hope. Regardless if you believe what I have disclosed to you today is true or false... Please be careful. Go home to your families." Tears started to well up in the corners of Jacob's eyes. "And if you think that anything I have told you might possibly be true... hide. Take your loved ones and hide. The Counsel's reach is long and the coming storm will be tough. Just remember what I've said and take precautions. All I want is for you, my friends, to be safe."
The room was quite, after a few minutes people started for the door. Nobody had anymore words for Jacob. Some were angry, silently blaming Jacob for the current situation. In time they too would see that it was not his fault. It wasn't anybodies fault in Red Arrows organization. The Counsel had forsaken them and Jacob's words had truth to them. As the last few members started out the door a deafening explosion came from the front of the downtown office building. A woman's scream could be heard from somewhere down the hall. Jacob's felt his heart rate go up. Was this happening, had The Counsel come for them? Did they know about Lucy and Bill already? The next thought to cross his mind chilled him to the bone. Had the battle already started? He had warned everyone just minutes ago of a new impending war. The reality of it was now hitting home for Jacob. He stood motionless as he watched a canister roll into the meeting room trailing a thick plume of white smoke behind it. As the smoke rose to his mid section he could already feel it's effects. His head swam as he briefly lost control of his legs. He would have gone strait to the ground but was able to catch himself on the table. After a few moments Jacob decided to kneel on his own accord. He took another glance back towards the meeting room door. It was difficult to see because the smoke had completely filled the room. Through the thick fog Jacob could make out human figures sweeping into the room. He could also hear the clicking sound of robotic units making there way towards him. Before he could give it anymore thought he felt a hard metallic object hit his right arm and pin him to the floor. After that three or four other metallic arms were holding him down. Jacob raised his head from the floor as the face of a human wearing a gas mask pushed it's way through the smoke close enough for Jacob to see it clearly.
"Are you Jacob Phelps?" asked the man.
"Yes, Why are you here?" Jacob choked and spit up a pool of saliva as he strained to speak. "What will you do with the other..." He was cut off by the shock of a stun gun hitting his mid section. Then everything went black.
