Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 09:13:21 EST
From: ZLATAZOBO@aol.com
Subject: Where no one owns the Rain, part 17

Welcome again! Here are the legal statements. If you are not yet old enough
or if it is not legal to read this type of material where you live, please
leave now. If the subject of homosexual relations offends you please read
no further. The following story is a work of fiction and with the exception
of Andy and the brief mention of Terry, all persons in this story are
fictional.  Any resemblance to persons living, dead or not yet born are
completely accidental and unintentional.

The Author reserves all rights. copyright 2000 The Author is Andrew Simon
van Ryan. Email me at Zlatazobo@aol.com

Visit me at my web page
http://hometown.aol.com/zlatazobo/myhomepage/profile.html

	   Where no one owns the Rain....
			 By Andrew Simon van Ryan
			     Copyright 2000.  All Rights Reserved
			          Part Seventeen
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
		       Child of the House of Commons

Sir Winston Churchill : (December 26, 1941) "I am a child of the House of
Commons. I was brought up in my father's house to believe in democracy.
Trust the people - that was his message....I cannot help reflecting that if
my father had been American and my mother British, instead of the other way
around, I might have go here on my own....I owe my advancement entirely to
the House of Commons, whose servant I am. In my country, as in yours,
public men are proud to be the servants of the State and would be ashamed
to be its masters."  [From a speech made to a Joint Session of the American
Congress, December 26, 1941. Churchill went to America after the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor. He predicted a "long and hard war." This speech was
broadcast throughout the US, Canada and Britain.]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Our flight was called and we headed toward the boarding gate.  As each
individual passed through the airport security metal detectors archway, a
tiny device hidden in the crosspiece at the top of the arch focused on
their left eye.  It scanned the Iris of every person and sent the scan data
to a waiting que in the FBI's Travel Surveillance Department.  Nearly
everyone had a scan on file, but only those who'd been arrested in the past
set off an alert. When my Iris scan was finally processed, our flight from
Miami to Washington National had already been in the air for nearly an
hour.  My name suddenly flashed in a red box on a computer screen in the
TSD office. The FBI agent sitting at the terminal screen studied my name,
then hit the enter key to pull up my file.  The entire screen flashed red
and the word box in the center flashed a statement to the now excited
agent:

TERRORIST ALERT it proclaimed in large letters.  He snapped three strokes
on the keyboard and my file opened.  He read my Relocation order and the
'escaped from detention at sea' report, but what really got him excited was
the outstanding Federal Arrest Warrant by Executive Order. When the
DatManDead files had first been detected in the governments computer
systems, Connor had become enraged, knowing I was alive and using my book
as the outline for a plan of attack.  His reaction was to sign a
Presidential Executive Order authorizing my arrest as a Terrorist plotting
the overthrow of the US government. The most wanted man on the FBI's top
ten list was me, a twenty four year old homosexual writer.  What was so
twisted in Conners mind that caused him to focus so much attention on a
young writer's words? Simply put, I had seen the man for what he was,
despite the facade he'd worn in public.  I had pointed out what I perceived
his intentions to be long before the elections.  After hearing what I had
written about him, Conner panicked.  I had been much too accurate in my
assessment of his plot.  I revealed his evil and that scared him.

			    * * * * * * * * * *

The Razorfish made its way toward the mouth of the Potomac, moving
stealthily through the darkened waters.

			    * * * * * * * * * *

In Arkansas, a military task force spotted the second semi.  An MP vehicle
with flashing police lights pulled the driver over.  Inside the trailer the
group leader repeated the instructions.  "If it's the Military, we
surrender."  The Big rig came to a halt and before the driver could open
his door and exit, three large transports pulled along side.  The canvas
covering the backs of the transports was pulled up on the side facing the
trailer.  This revealed the 50 caliber machine guns mounted in each truck
just as they opened fire, shredding the thin metal of the trailer walls and
turning the young men inside into a bloody heap of flesh.  The guns fired
continuously for nearly two minutes.  When the firing stopped, the officer
in charge shouted orders to another group of his men.

"OK.  Torch it."

They pointed a flame thrower at what remained of the semi.  Engulfed in
only a few seconds the trailer became a funeral pyre, sending smoke and hot
ash swirling up in the night time sky toward Heaven.

			        * * * * * * * * * *

In London, Zeke had given a letter from his Father to the Prime Minister,
who in turn called the Secretary General of the EU.  It was agreed to let
Ezekiel address the Assembled Members before the vote at 8:00AM GMT. As
Zeke left Number Ten Downing Street, the Prime Minister shook his hand.

"May God guide your friends.  I hope they succeed."  He remarked.

Zeke's driver headed back to Heathrow.  Ezekiel lay down in the back seat
to rest before boarding the short flight to Brussels, Belgium.  As he
closed his eyes, Zeke shuddered thinking of what the Prime Minister had
told him. Using satellite imaging and information gathered with the Echelon
system, British MI-6 had estimated over 38 million people had been executed
with chemical and biological agents in just a few short days.  Conners
master plan called for the elimination of nearly 120 million.

Additionally, the Combined European Defense had estimated a war with the
United States would result in over a billion casualties.

			         * * * * * * * * * *

Noah and Gabriel were watching the messages being sent and received from
the White House.  They smiled at each other when they saw the message sent
to cut the power grid to Central Washington.  They knew Samuel had done his
job and that Conners men had intercepted it.  They read the command line of
the DatManDead program directing the power to be cut at 12:00 midnight EST
(5:00GMT).  They were setting up their 'decoy,' still not realizing ours
was in fact a 'decoy' for them.

It was nearly 2:00AM EST when Noah jumped out of his seat and began
shouting.  "NO, NO, NO!"

Gabriel sprang from his seat and studied the decoded message on the
computer screen.

It read "ALL POINTS BULLETIN.  To Security at Washington National Airport.
Andrew Simon van Ryan, #1 fugitive wanted by the FBI has been identified by
Iris scan and is now aboard Flight #317 from Miami, FLA. Arriving at
Washington National at 2:10 EST (7:10 GMT).  President Joshua Conner has
ordered Mr. van Ryan be allowed to leave the aircraft and then be captured
ALIVE.  He is to be brought by helicopter to the White House. REPEATING: He
is to be captured ALIVE.  Make ready for the arrival of Marine Corps One at
the Security Helipad at Washington National ASAP."

"What do we do now?"  Noah cried.

"Only one thing to do."  Gabriel said calmly.  "Call Andy."

			           * * * * * * * * * *

Zeke was driven from the Airport straight to the EU Headquarters building
in Brussels.  After a short meeting with the Secretary General, he was
shown to a room behind the Grand Hall where he could freshen up and prepare
for the speech. After changing into the suit Danny had loaned him, Ezekiel
sat down to nervously wait.

			          * * * * * * * * * *

In Washington, the White House and it's surrounding area were in darkness
as Conner stood in the Oval Office watching and waiting.  The hidden
military forces were waiting in the darkness as well, thinking at any
second the invading DatManDead 'army' would appear.  They had been waiting
since midnight. They continued to wait after the message concerning the
fate of the second semi was received.  They continued to wait after word of
my presence on the flight from Miami was received.

Conner turned to the four men standing with him.

"I think they've chickened out. We caught two of their trucks and the rest
ran away.  Real Brave!"  He laughed.  "Andy van Ryan's been deserted by his
followers.  I can't wait to spit in that little queers face and laugh at
him."

			          * * * * * * * * * *

In the dark night of the Belizean Jungle, Samuel put his arm around Isiah.

"It's going to be OK, Izzy.  Please don't cry."

"I love you, Sammy."  Isiah sniffled.  He curled up in Samuel's arms and
put his head against the other boys chest.  Soon, both had drifted off to
sleep.

			         * * * * * * * * * *