TCB Part 20: Chapter 6: Friday Morning

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< Part 19

Chapter 6: Friday Morning

Friday Morning. Zero day. This was the day that would change all of their lives, one way or another. At the end of the day, they would be rich, in jail, or dead. Higgs had tried to sleep in the airship, but couldn’t relax his mind long enough to allow sleep to find him. All the others, except Kostas had slept. Kostas sat awake, fidgeting with some kind of explosive trigger. Higgs had tried to make conversation with him, but failed.

As the sun rose on the countryside below, Higgs took a moment to breathe deep and reflect. He would never have another day like today. If this thing worked, he would hang up his hat. He would love to travel the world, get away from the city where he’d spent his entire life. He thought about what life was like before the revolution. He wondered what it would have been like to hop on an airplane in North America and land in Europe within a few hours. He’d heard rumors that there were enclaves somewhere in the world where technology still thrives. But he’d always chalked it up as fairy tales.

On the whole, he was satisfied with the way the world worked now. He didn’t mind living life at a slow pace. Of the members of his team, Dr. Montebanque was the only one old enough to remember a world that didn’t have such draconian restrictions on technology. Higgs and Kostas were both born before the revolution, but they were only children at the time, and didn’t grasp the full impact of what was happening. He supposed that his life would have been very different if the Technologists had won. Maybe he would be working an honest job. Somehow, he never felt like he could be a cog in some rich man’s machine.

Yet that was exactly what he was. He remembered his secret mission, to retrieve the book. He had no idea what was in the book, or why it was important. But he would get it; he would deliver it to his benefactor. No doubt it would come to some use, and he’d never know what. In that way, he was just a gear in some giant clock. He would never see the big picture of why. All he knew was that if everything happened as planned, he’d be filthy rich.

And yet, there was still that question in his mind. It was never a certainty. That was his curse as a strategist. He always saw things as probabilities. When the probability was favorable, he would go for it. He hated to fight the odds. The probability of each step of this plan was greater than 80%. Yet when all added together, he knew that the chances were pretty slim. Everything had to happen just right. He hoped that it did, but realistically expected the worst.

As the sun rose, the team assembled to plan the day. The airship was positioned 80 miles south of the city. Once the train arrived at their position, they would have about an hour before the train disappeared into the tunnel and into the center of the city - an hour to pull off their entire operation. With luck, they would be attached and reeled in within ten minutes. Five more minutes to get Kostas into the train car. From there, they had 30 minutes to empty the armored car before they needed to start the detachment of the airship and evacuation of the crew. It was a short window, but it was doable.

“Um, Higgs, we’ve got a problem.” It was Anabelle. She was watching the horizon with a high-powered spyglass that Dr. Montebanque provided. “The train’s on its way. It’s ahead of schedule.”

“Impossible!” Higgs shouted. “The timetable would never allow it to be on this leg already. At a top speed of 70, we should have another hour.”

“Well, regardless, it’s coming.” Anabelle said urgently

“Charlie, get dressed.” Higgs ordered. Charlotte ran to the coat closet, where the wingsuit was hanging, and began to suit up.

Dr. Montebanque was digging through a crate and pulled out a device that looked like a small telescope with a number of levers and gears attached. He positioned himself at the window and began to turn dials and nobs on the side of the device. He frantically wrote down four numbers on the paper. He then grabbed his calculating cylinder out of his pocket and dialed the numbers into the device. Turning the crank, he let out an exclamation. “Good grief. The train is moving much faster than expected. I estimate it is travelling at over 100 mph. That is why it’s ahead of schedule. At that rate, we have only five minutes to launch time.”

Higgs was scrambling through the numbers in his head. “If it’s going 100, that means we have only 42 minutes to pull this off. Even if we allow ourselves to use the 10 miles of cushion built into the plan, it’s not much more. I don’t think we can do it.”

“We’ve prepared too much for this. We’re in it now. We have to go forward with it.” Phineas fired back.

“We can do it, Higgs. We might not get as much stuff, but it’s still worth it.” Anabelle urged. “Like Phineas said, we’ve done too much work preparing for this. We can’t give up now.”

“I’ll be ready, boss.” Charlotte grunted as she pulled the stiff suit onto her thin frame. “If this thing can keep up with that train.”

“It can keep up.” Dr. Montebanque said, “I will adjust the burn rate on the rocket. It will not last as long as it would have at 70, but it will be enough. You may need to freefall longer, Miss Avalon”

***

Charlotte latched the chest harness into place while Everton adjusted the rocket. She grabbed the streamlined helmet and put it on her head. She looked like a large, black bullet in the suit. The legs of the suit were stiff, and she couldn’t easily walk in the suit. But it wasn’t meant for walking. She reached her hands back and found the grips on the underside of the wing sections. She extended her arms out, and the wings unfolded from under the rocket module.

“Say, Monty, what’s this suit made of anyway? It’s a lot lighter than aluminum.” Charlotte said as she examined the material on the wings.

“Yes, aluminum is much too heavy for this application.” He said as he continued to make last minute adjustments. “Are we at the proper altitude?”

“Nearly there.” Phineas shouted from the control room

Charlotte pressed her question, “Hey doc, you never answered my question. If I’m risking my life with this suit, I’d like to know what it’s made of.”

“Ahh. It is called carbon fiber.”

“Never heard of it. I could really use this stuff in my airbike. Super light, and seems very strong.”

“Yes, it is. But you cannot use it on your airbike. It is not entirely legal.”

“You mean this suit isn’t legal?” Charlotte said, with a tinge of nervousness in her voice.

“My dear, you are using the suit to rob a train. Do not concern yourself with the legality of the device.” Dr. Montebanque closed a control panel on the back of the suit.

“Get in position, Charlie.” Higgs commanded, “Is the cable clipped to your suit?”

Charlotte patted a ring on the back of her neck, just above the rocket module. The cable was clipped there with a metal hook. She checked her belt, to ensure that her tools were in place. She grabbed the wing handles again, checked the rocket throttle control and ignition button. She clicked her heels together, feeling the magnetic connection pull her feet together. She reached down and locked the knees of the suit into position. She was ready and gave the thumbs up to Higgs.

“Good luck, Charlie.” Phineas shouted from the control room.

“Godspeed, Charlotte.” Anabelle put a hand on her shoulder.

“Now, Charlotte!” Dr. Montebanque shouted.

Part 21 >

TCB Part 19: Archives: Progress!

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< Part 18

Archives: Progress!

===

The Traditionalist Chronicle

June 14, 3 T.E.

===

San Francisco — Today saw a major victory in the struggle for the heart of America. A major Internet data center was destroyed by Victorian Guard forces. After several hours of firefight, the overwhelming force of the government-backed forces overcame the insurgents guarding the Santa Clara Valley stronghold. Several Technologist rebels were captured for interrogations as the troops combed the premises before placing explosive charges on the illegal computers. The facility was the only center of its kind remaining in the valley.

                The victory marks a turning point in the reformation of the area formerly known as Silicon Valley. President Ralston issued a decree officially marking the destruction of the Technologist enclave. He indicated that the former bastion of technology will be rebuilt as a manufacturing center named Iron Valley. With the elimination of the Technologist threat from their strongest population center, the Traditionalist movement further cements our hold on the greatest nation on Earth.

                This news comes at a particularly difficult time for the movement. Losses in the Southwest desert have left a major solar electricity installation in place, powering the Phoenix compound. The Technologist fortress is believed to be one of only a handful of remaining concentrations of rebel forces. President Ralston has promised to re-double forces dedicated to overcoming the base. It is believed that the complex is funded in part by the Technologist government in Mexico. Party efforts are underway to cement recent gains in the Mexican legislature. If our people in Mexico City can overcome the scourge of Mexican Technologists, we can expect to see a significant reduction in the funding received by the remnant of Technologist insurgents within our own borders.

                Meanwhile, the Infrastructure Project continues apace. The recent recommendation by Interior Secretary Adolphous Fox to employ the citizenry in a massive wire reclamation effort has proven a great success. In the past two months, we have collected millions of tons of copper, aluminum, and steel to be melted down and used in the cause of America’s restoration. It is estimated that only a handful of power plants remain intact. Destruction of transmission lines has left these remaining plants without a grid to power. It is expected that the remaining plants will be dismantled and recycled for materials by the beginning of next year. The hazardous materials from Nuclear power plants will be distributed selectively as a means to hasten evacuation of certain Technologist concentrations. By keeping our enemies on the move, we marginalize their ability to organize.

                Strategists in the Reformation Office have announced a significant program that will be used to eliminate the now obsolete communications satellites in orbit. In a very difficult decision, President Ralston has authorized the use of the remaining long-range ballistic missiles to destroy the satellites. This departure from our core values did not come without significant opposition from within the party. Alistair Lester made an appearance in Washington to participate in the debate. The man, who most Traditionalists recognize as the movement’s largest financial backer, gave a moving and dramatic speech in support of the plan. His argument, which was adopted as the official party position, is that the use of technology in the destruction of technology is acceptable, only if both pieces of technology are completely destroyed in the process. If by destroying one piece of technology, we can destroy another as well, it is a double-win for the cause. The program is expected to commence firing in the coming weeks.

                The Traditionalist Movement continues to win the hearts and minds of people here and around the world. The Lester Education Project is moving forward with its plan to open schools in more places around the country. These schools, as you’ll recall, are for children of Technologists. Children brought to these schools will be taught about the values that make humanity thrive. This effort is playing a critical role in our ability to pass our values to the next generation. Children who are found in raids of rebel homes and bases are taken to these schools, where they are cared for and raised properly. The party is grateful to Madeline Lester for her generous patronage of this vital effort. Without educating our youth, we cannot hope to return humanity to our glory age.

                Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to those brave soldiers who continue the battle for the soul of America. Their sacrifices are for the honor of all humanity. Without their willingness to fight and die for our cause, we could not possibly hope to overcome the Technologist threat. It is the efforts of these soldiers that allow us to rest easy in the knowledge that our values and ideals are being safeguarded from the enemies that would see us submit to technological slavery. Our words cannot possibly express the true depth of our gratitude.

Part 20 >

TCB Part 18: Thursday Evening (cont.)

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 17

When last we knew, Phineas and Anabelle had executed their plan to steal the Spartan airship. The plan was not without a few bumps, but now we find our team assembling at the Airport for some last preparations before the big day. Use the links above to skip back if you need a refresher.

Thursday Evening (cont.)

By the time the Spartan was visible from the airport, twilight was in its waning minutes. Phineas piloted it to a rocky, but safe landing in the middle of the tarmac. Phineas hopped the short distance to the ground and helped Anabelle make the jump as well. The team was assembled with the gear for the remainder of the heist. Kostas and Dr. Montebanque began to load gear into the cabin while Higgs gave Phineas and Anabelle a quick debrief.

“Everything go off without a hitch?” Higgs asked urgently.

“More or less.” Phineas winked at Anabelle.

“Good. Did anybody see you?”

Anabelle responded quickly. “A guard. He’s been detained on the roof.”

“Can he identify you?”

“Probably.” Phineas replied, “Belle made quite an impression. But I suspect he’ll embellish. It’s a bit embarrassing to have been bamboozled by a beautiful woman.”

“Ok.” Higgs replied nervously. “If you assure me that it’ll be ok. They won’t find him until morning, and by then we’ll be well on our way. Let’s just hope it doesn’t complicate things.”

“No worries, Higgs. Trust me.” Phineas smiled

“I was afraid you might ask me to do that.”

Back on the airship, Phineas took the opportunity to change out of his mechanic’s disguise. He was much more comfortable in his usual three piece suit. Anabelle changed into something more evening appropriate, and they were all ready to head to the track.

During the flight, Higgs couldn’t help but be nervous. What if someone noticed that the Spartan was missing? It was only the most sensational airship ever manufactured. What if they were seen tomorrow morning? He was still reserving the option to call the whole thing off if it didn’t smell right. He wasn’t there yet, but he wasn’t far.

When they arrived at the track, Dr. Montebanque landed the ship expertly in the infield. Anabelle swore that he was, far and away, a better pilot than Phineas. The comment seemed at least somewhat intended to irritate Phineas, who wasn’t biting.

Charlotte led the way to the hydrogen storage building. It was at the far end of the facility, as far from the track as possible. The track’s owners couldn’t take any chance that something could cause the hydrogen to ignite. Higgs made a mental note for himself. Phineas, Dr. Montebanque, and Anabelle stayed back at the airship where they would oversee the deflation of the balloon, while the others went after the hydrogen.

The door was locked when they got there, but that had been expected. Kostas went to work on it right away. He moved quickly, like some kind of machine. He opened his lock picking set, and selected a couple of small tools. Inserting them in the lock, it seemed like only seconds and the lock turned. The door swung open.

“Too Easy.” Kostas said and walked into the room.

Higgs and Charlotte followed. The building was huge. It was a converted warehouse that now held dozens of tanks of helium, hydrogen and kerosene. Near a far wall, there was a stack of single-use rockets.

“Thee Moy!” Kostas said in awe, “Is a beautiful sight.” He pulled out his kerosene light and was about to click the piezo when Higgs grabbed his hand.

“Don’t. This place is more flammable than your apartment. You’ll get us all killed.”

“Is okay. Ok?” Kostas smiled in the moonlight. “Is sealed lamp, sealed explosives. No worry.” He clicked his light on, and laughed as Higgs winced in anticipation of his death. Nothing happened and Kostas let out a loud laugh.

“Alright, keep your voice down; we don’t know if there are people nearby.”

“Okay boss.” Kostas said and walked off toward the tank labeled Hydrogen.

“There should be enough hose to get to the infield. They fill airbike balloons with this tank, but you’d never get the bike near this building.” Charlotte started unraveling a hose and pulling it out of the building.

“Hey, Charlie.” Higgs had an idea “Do people ever paint their airbikes?”

“No.” Charlotte shook her head. “Paint’s too hard to work with. Some people dye their balloons though. Why?”

“Is there dye somewhere at the track?”

“Sure, down in the pits I’d guess.” Charlotte responded. “I think I know what you have in mind.”

Satisfied, Higgs and Charlotte began to leave the building. They had to pull Kostas away from a stack of rockets that he was caressing lovingly. Together they dragged the long hose to the infield where the deflating airship was waiting. Hose in place, Higgs followed charlotte to the pits to find some dye. He picked out a pale blue color and they returned to the infield.

“Is it really time for a paint job?” Phineas joked

“Camouflage.” Higgs replied. “It’ll be sunny tomorrow, this blue dye will keep us hidden in plain sight.”

“Clever. I’ll give you a hand with that.” Anabelle laughed.

Together, she and Higgs applied the quick-drying dye on the fabric of the balloon. After a couple of hours’ time, they had finished coloring the balloon and filled it with hydrogen. The balloon tugged at the mooring like a puppy on a leash.  

“We need ballast” Dr. Montebanque pointed out. “The ship has water tanks that are currently full, but it is not nearly enough to counteract the increased buoyancy of the hydrogen. This ship was never made to fly with hydrogen.”

“Right. We need heavy stuff.” Charlotte simplified. “Well, there are a bunch of bars and cables and things in the pits, but those are built to be light.”

“What about sand? There are a few hundred sandbags making a crash wall near the pits over there.” Anabelle pointed out a six foot wall of sand bags at the edge of the infield.

“Good. Perfect.” Dr. Montebanque replied.

The team worked together to load the bags onto the dozen ballast hooks around the outside of the cabin. When those were full, they loaded the bags directly into the cabin itself. By the time they were finished, all were sore and sweating. The ship was now much more under control with the added weight. They would be able to offload the sand once they began loading the loot tomorrow.

They all climbed aboard the ship and took off to the south.

***

Higgs sat across from Phineas at one of the small tables near the airship’s bar. Phineas sipped a glass of Scotch whiskey. Higgs could see how relaxed Phineas was and marveled at it.

“How do you do it?” Higgs asked

“What’s that?” Phineas said as he lifted the glass to his mouth.

“Look so calm all the time.”

Phineas laughed quietly. “Practiced deception.”

“Aren’t you worried about this? Ok, so everything has gone well so far, but we haven’t gotten to the toughest part yet.”

“I don’t worry, Higgs. But of course I see that our odds aren’t high. If there weren’t a risk, everybody would do this kind of thing.”

“Yeah. No matter how much I plan, no matter how many times I calculate the odds, it doesn’t help. I still feel like there’s something we didn’t think of.”

“Like what?” Phineas sat forward in his seat, spinning his glass on the table.

“Like should we have had someone on the train from the start? Wouldn’t that work best? We could have gotten Kostas on the train, he could have picked the lock to the car.”

Phineas laughed, “Have you seen Kostas? The guy stands out like a Vickie in the slums. Heck, I feel nervous having him on this airship, and I KNOW he’s on my team.”

“Maybe you then. We could have had you on the train. You could have gone in disguise, make sure things go off without a hitch.”

“It’s not too late, Higgs. Do you want me on the train?”

“Do you think we can drop you off at the station and still get ourselves into position in time?”

“It’ll be tight.”

Higgs grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass. “Yeah. Too tight. It’ll be fine. I just worry too much.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Phineas raised his glass and tapped it against Higgs’s. The two drained their glasses. Phineas stood, “Well if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a few hours of sleep while we’re enroute. Don’t drive yourself crazy, Higgs. It’ll either work or it won’t, but I’m not sure you can do anything about it at this point anyway.”


Part 19 >

TCB Part 17: Chapter 5: Thursday Evening (Cont.)

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 16

Phineas looked over his shoulder in both directions and lowered his voice. “There’s a good reason. Hear me out.”

The guard paused with handcuffs in hand. “Talk fast.”

“I wanted to get on the roof, but it’s not sinister. You see, I wanted to surprise my ladyfriend, and the roof of this building at sunset is a pretty romantic thing, am I right?”

The guard stood with his arms crossed and sad nothing.

“So I was going to sneak past you and get the roof door open. She was going to meet me up there. I have a nice bottle of wine and some cheese; it was going to be a really romantic date.” Phineas unzipped his workman’s bag, and showed a bottle of wine to the guard.

“Sorry buddy. This isn’t your date spot. There are plenty of parks nearby, go somewhere else.”

“Aww, man. She’s going to be so disappointed. Between you and me, I was going to propose. But I understand, you’ve got a job to do, and you’re doing it. Good for you, man. Oh, there she is.” Phineas motioned with his head toward Anabelle who had just come out of the restroom and was trying to walk past them without noticing the man being arrested near the stairwell.

“Wait, Rose? She said she was trying to find the Albert Trust building.”

Phineas smiled. “Yeah, her job was to distract you.”

The guard grinned at Phineas. “That’s quite the dame you’ve got.”

“You’re telling me. I can’t let this one get away.” Phineas laughed heartily.

The guard joined his laughing. “Alright. I’ll let you past.”

“Rose!” Phineas shouted and Anabelle stopped walking. Slowly, she turned to face him. Phineas waved his arm to beckon her. She walked back to him slowly with a skeptical look on her face. “Rose, sweetheart, the guard caught on to our plan, I guess it just wasn’t clever enough.” He winked.

Anabelle made a sour face. “Darn.”

“But he agreed to let us up on the roof anyway. What a great guy, eh? Isn’t that great, honey?”

Anabelle smiled sardonically at Phineas before turning to the guard with a genuine smile. “Oh John, you’re too kind. Thank you so much. To think anybody would believe that my darling Theodore could possibly know his way around a machine.”

The guard escorted Anabelle and Phineas up the stairs to the roof. Once they were at the top, he opened the door and the three walked out onto the roof. John spoke up, “Listen, I can’t let you be up here alone, but I’ll just stay near the door and leave you two lovebirds be.”

Phineas gave him a firm handshake and a nod. He put an arm around Anabelle’s waist and led her over to the half-wall at the edge of the roof. They sat down on the wall together and spoke in low voices.

“Well, now what, genius? You got us to the roof, but there’s a guard watching our every move.” Anabelle somehow could sound angry while still smiling like a woman in love.

“I’m still working that out. Give me some slack. Your clever ruse got us caught until I talked us out of it.” Phineas took Anabelle’s hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes.

“You know, Phineas, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you enjoyed holding my hand.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Belle. I was right, by the way.” He pointed to a distant airship floating above the horizon.

Anabelle turned to look at it as if basking in the pleasure of a romantic evening. She laid her head on Phineas’s chest. “What were you right about?”

He put an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her tightly. “You were going to walk out of that lobby without me, and let me take the heat. Your self-interest was greater than your desire to help me out of a tough situation.”

“Do you blame me?” Anabelle looked up at Phineas with a sinister smile.

“Not a bit. I would have left you behind if I thought I had to.” Phineas stood up and walked in front of Anabelle, still seated on the wall. He took her hand again.

“What are you doing now?”

Phineas got down on one knee in front of her. “Proposing to you.”

“But I thought you didn’t like me.” Anabelle cocked her head flirtatiously.

“I’m warming to you.” Phineas reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. He opened it up to reveal a diamond ring.

“Do you always carry an engagement ring?” Anabelle said before covering her mouth with both hands and affecting a look of surprise on her face.

“It comes in handy.” Phineas said with a smile. “Now you’d better say yes.”

Anabelle nodded her head and put out her hand. Phineas pulled off her glove and slipped the ring on her finger. “It’s the right size and everything.”

Phineas simply smiled. “You’re going to have to kiss me.”

“Clever. I’m beginning to understand your plan, but I have no idea how it’s going to get us into that bal…”

Phineas grabbed Anabelle by the shoulders and kissed her passionately. He mumbled to her “You’d better pretend like you mean it.”

“Who says I’m pretending?” Anabelle said as she kissed him back.

She was good. For just a moment, Phineas forgot the ruse and got carried away in the kiss. He wondered if somehow, in a different life, or another time, he could love Anabelle. She was far and away the most beautiful woman he’d kissed. And she had a certain spirit that he appreciated. Then he snapped out of it and remembered his plan.

He pulled away from Anabelle who just smiled passionately at him. He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of champagne. Popping the cork, he poured the wine into two glasses. He handed one to Anabelle. He raised his glass in the air, “I have never kissed a woman as beautiful as you. If this night is my last, I will die a happy man. Shall we steal this blimp?”

“I can drink to that.” Anabelle raised her glass, tapped it against his and took a big drink.

Phineas took a drink of his own, and then waved at the guard. “John! She said yes!”

“He was in on the proposal?” Anabelle asked with a laugh

“Why else would he let us on the roof?” He said quietly. Then louder, “John, come on over here!”

The guard walked over to Phineas and Anabelle. He shook Phineas’s hand in congratulations. He took Anabelle’s hand and kissed it gallantly. She smiled coyly at the guard. Phineas held up the bottle to the guard. “Care for a drink?”

“I shouldn’t. I’m on the job.”

“Nonsense. It’s only champagne. It doesn’t count. Drink to our happiness.” Phineas handed his own glass to the guard.

He took the glass tentatively as Phineas poured more wine into the glass. The guard tipped the glass back and downed it in one gulp. “Congratulations, you two. You make a lovely couple. I will give you a couple more minutes up here, then we should return to the lobby.”

The guard handed the glass back to Phineas, then turned to walk back to his post at the door. Halfway there, he fell face first to the ground.

“What did you do to him?” Anabelle asked, slightly shocked.

“No worries, my love. It was merely a sedative. I slipped it in the glass when you weren’t looking. He’ll wake in an hour with an unfortunate headache. In the meantime, help me tie him up. I would prefer if he cannot get help before morning.”

The pair gagged and tied the guard in the corner of the roof. Phineas took the handcuffs off his belt and attached one to the guard’s wrist, and the other to one of the mooring rings for the airship. Satisfied, he began to unclip the four mooring ropes from the roof. Anabelle had already removed the hotwire device from the bag and was heading toward the airship cabin. She found that the door to the cabin was locked.

Phineas approached, “I can pick that lock. I’ve done it a few times. Do you have a hairpin?”

Anabelle shook her head. “Nah. Too futzy.” She turned and booted the door hard. It swung open and she walked into the cabin. Phineas laughed as he followed her in.

Once in the cockpit, he saw that the controls were basically as he expected from his research. He found the six-way controller that moved them through the air. He found the ballast controls and took inventory of the various gauges. The steam engine ignition should be to the right, and he would need to install the hotwire device there to start the engine up. “Belle, do you have that device? I’ll install it now.”

He heard the steam boiler start up and looked down under the instrument panel to see Anabelle laying on her back in her gown. She slid herself out from under the panel. “Done. Could you help a lady up?” She winked at Phineas and extended a hand—the one with a ring on it. He took her hand and pulled her up. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

Phineas shook his head and took hold of the controls. He pushed the throttle forward and heard the steam engine rev. A little further and the ship began to creep forward. He pulled back on the control wheel and they coasted upward and forward above the city. He steered them to the East toward the edge of the city.

“The city is beautiful from up here, don’t you think?” Anabelle said softly.

“It is indeed.” Phineas put an arm around Anabelle’s shoulder. She hugged her arms around him as they looked out the window together. The sun cast a rosy glow on the sprawling city as it set behind the skyline of lifeless skyscrapers and billowing smokestacks.

“Do I have to give the ring back?” Anabelle asked.

“Nah, you can keep it.” Phineas responded quietly. “After tomorrow, neither of us will care about anything so small.”

“The rock’s a fake, isn’t it?” Anabelle smiled
“Yep.” Phineas threw his head back and laughed. Anabelle slapped him on the chest and laughed along with him. He turned the airship North toward the airport. The team would surely be waiting for them by now.

Part 18 >

TCB Part 16: Chapter 5: Thursday Evening

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 15

Chapter 5: Thursday Evening

 The team assembled in the train station-turned-safehouse. Dr. Montebanque had rigged alarm systems around the entrances, both from the street and the tunnels. The devices had sensors that would trigger if the barricaded entrances were breached. Those triggers would set off a chain of chemical reactions culminating in a sharp explosion in the station itself. It wasn’t much warning, but they would have time to scramble if the signals were tripped. The team didn’t expect to need it.

After this evening’s theft of the airship, the operation would be underway. They would not return here until tomorrow after the heist was finished. Once the loot was dropped at the airport, they would load the boxcar with the goods and move them down to the safehouse. They would re-convene to divide up the take and each go their separate ways, richer than they’d ever imagined.

“Alright team.” Higgs began, “This is the night. I trust you have all made your preparations. In a few minutes, Phineas and Anabelle will enter the Victorian Bank building. They will make their way to the roof and hijack the airship. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be waiting for them at the airport. They will pilot the ship to the airport to pick us up. After dark, we will go to the track to replace our helium with hydrogen, then we head south to get in position for the train that will be arriving in the city tomorrow around noon.

“This is normally the point where a leader would give an inspirational speech, but I am not the type. The fact that as of tomorrow, we will all be rich should be motivation enough. Phineas, Anabelle, Godspeed. We will see you in a few hours.”

Higgs and Kostas helped Dr. Montebanque and Charlotte load several boxes of gadgets onto the waiting train car. Then they set off down the dark subway tunnel toward the airport. Meanwhile, Anabelle and Phineas headed up the stairs to the street above. They were careful to disarm the warning system as they exited.

Together, they walked the mile to the new financial district where the Victorian Bank building stood. The building was 15 stories tall. It was built in the early years after the Traditionalist revolution. The style was a throwback to the 19^th century. The exterior was primarily carved stone and decorative concrete. At the top, each of the 4 corners were accented by a copper dome, and in the center was the airship platform. As they approached, they could see the massive airship resting at the platform.

Phineas was wearing a one-piece maintenance jumpsuit and matching newsboy hat. Anabelle wore a fine gown that showed a bit more skin than was typically the fashion. She didn’t want to leave anything to chance. A block away, they parted company and Anabelle headed straight for the bank while Phineas waited back for a few minutes.

Anabelle walked into the front door of the building and looked around the lobby. She wandered over to a directory posted on the wall and ran a gloved hand down the list of names on the directory. She shook her head and did another search of the list. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the guard desk near the front door. She could tell that the guard was looking her way. She wasn’t sure if he wanted to help her or devour her, but either way, the effect would be the same. She turned away from the wall to directly face the guard station.

The guard immediately looked away, a slight rose color rising in his cheeks. He knew he’d been caught staring. Now the woman he was staring at was walking toward him. Anabelle knew that at this point, his heart would be racing. He would be nervous about why this beautiful woman was approaching him; would he have to explain his bad behavior? Anabelle smiled coyly at him and walked up to his desk. She put a hand on the corner of the desk and leaned against it, still smiling and making eye contact with the guard. His eyes jumped around, apparently unsure where he should look.

“Hello sir, I was wondering if you could help me find somebody.”

The guard’s relief was almost visible as he exhaled in a sigh. “Absolutely, madam.”

“Mademoiselle.” Anabelle corrected him.

“Oh. I’m very sorry, Mademoiselle. Who are you looking for?” The guard smiled a friendly, if awkward, smile. Anabelle could tell that he was a bit lonely; no doubt he spent most of his day sitting at this desk without many people to talk with.

She smiled broadly. “Oh, thank you sir. I am looking for a Mr. Timothy Tweedie.”

The guard sat for a moment in thought. “You know, Mademoi…”

“Please, call me Rose. It’s easier.” She winked at the guard.

“Yes, of course, Rose. I was going to say that I don’t believe I had heard that name before. Are you certain he works in this building?”

“Well, I think so. This is the Albert Trust building, is it not?” She feigned a confused look.

“No, Rose. I’m sorry. This is the Victorian Bank.” The guard helpfully pointed to a logo inlaid in the lobby floor that clearly stated the name of the bank.

“Ahh!” Anabelle exclaimed playfully. “I am such a fool.” She flipped her head back and laughed liltingly.

“Nonsense, Rose. It was a perfectly honest mistake.” The guard tried to reassure her.

Anabelle brushed a lock of hair away from her face, again making eye contact with the guard. “I am very sorry to have taken your time…” she looked at the name card on his desk, “John. Thank you for your patience.”

“Do you know how to find the Albert Trust?”

“Apparently not.” Annabelle giggled, waiting for the inevitable.

“Let me give you some directions.”

Anabelle reached out and grabbed his arm. “You kind soul. You would do that for me?”

The guard smiled sheepishly and winked, “Don’t tell anyone.” He pulled out a map of the city, and laid it out on the desk. Anabelle leaned over with her elbows on the desk, and rested her chin on her hands. She caught the guards wandering eyes as she did so.

“So we’re right here.” The guard pointed a pencil at the map.

“mmmhmm.” Anabelle responded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phineas enter through the front door. He tipped his hat at the guard naturally, and kept walking toward the stairwell.

Meanwhile, the guard continued to explain the way to get to the Albert trust building. Anabelle continued to nod and acknowledge him, though her mind was not on the present conversation, but rather on her efforts to keep the guards eyes away from the lobby for another minute.

“So there you have it. It’s a short walk.” The guard looked up and smiled. Then a concerned look fell on his face. “Excuse me, Rose.” He stood up and started to walk briskly toward the stairs to head off Phineas.

“John?” Anabelle tried to get him to turn back.

The guard stopped impatiently. “Sorry Rose, I have to go.”

“Could you just point me to the Ladies’ Room?”

“Yes, right over there.” He pointed at a clearly marked door near the stairwell, and broke into a jog. “WAIT!” he shouted at Phineas.

***

Phineas stopped dead in his tracks. He made eye contact with Anabelle and smiled. He could tell by the look on her face that she was not happy that he acknowledged her. She rushed past him to the restroom without returning his look. The guard arrived at the same time.

“Sorry, I didn’t check your credentials. I can’t let you go past the lobby without credentials.” He looked at the logo on the jumpsuit, AirVentures. “Here for the airship?”

“Yes sir. Just routine maintenance.”

“Huh. I thought Mark was just here last week to do maintenance.”

“Yeah. There’s a lot of maintenance on an airship. You just wouldn’t believe it.”

“Actually, I would. You know—Mark’s never mentioned you before. What’s your name?”

“Ted. Ted Johnston. Mark’s out sick today.”

The guard got a suspicious look on his face. “Strange that. Mark looked fine this morning when he left the house. Mark’s my brother, and my roommate.”

The guard started walking toward Phineas, and reached for the handcuffs on his belt. Phineas saw the entire operation failing here if he didn’t think fast. “Ok. I lied.”

“I know you lied. That’s why I’m about to arrest you.”

Part 17 >

TCB Part 15: Chapter 4: Thursday Morning (cont.)

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 14

Chapter 4: Thursday Morning (cont.)

Phineas sat in the empty grandstand, staring at the grass track below. He was tired of studying the control diagram of the Spartan. There was only just so much you could learn by looking at a schematic. The rest he would figure out when he got into the cockpit. You can’t plan for everything, sometimes you just have to get lucky. Now he was taking advantage of the solitude to reflect on his life and how he’d gotten to where he was today.

Life had been so simple before. He remembered some of his old grifts. They were small, but fun. It was enough to keep him fed. A little sleight of hand and he could have a waitress believing that he’d already paid, and that she owed him change. He had talked his way into countless hotel nights and plenty of free vacations. He’d once even talked his way into a new steamcar, free and clear, and gotten the salesman to thank him afterward. Those were the days.

Then one day, he figured out that he could make a good living in betting. The spread alone that he could earn on a single race was more than he brought in during a single year of his old fast talk schemes. Besides that, he was good at it. He could convince even the stingiest miser that a bet was a sure thing. In time, it was the selling that started to get him in trouble. Nobody goes after the bookie when they lose a bet fair and square. But a mark isn’t happy when he realizes that he’s been had. Phineas was developing a reputation, and it wasn’t a good one.

He’d changed his ways in the recent years, establishing a more straight-forward model. Gone were the cons and smooth talking deals. He was legitimate now, and he had been making good money on it. That was until he got a new odds maker. An odds maker who had majorly messed up. Suddenly, he found himself paying out more than he was taking in. And once he got the reputation as an easy win, the tables were turned, and more and more clients were placing bets. By the time he’d realized what was happening, it was too late, and he was already out more than he could pay.

He reverted to his old ways. He repeatedly found ways to hold off the pressure for a day or two while he collected the money from other bets. The margin was thin, and the new money coming it wasn’t enough to settle his old bets. Negotiation and wordsmithing could only go so far. There would be a reckoning, and he feared it would be soon.

When Higgs came along with a way out, it was too good to pass up. He could take his share, pay off his debts and get away from the city. He only hoped that he hadn’t lost his skills. When he had been doing it every day, the words came easy. He was smooth and practiced. But now, he wasn’t so sure. He could pull it off, but he’d need to keep his focus. The most important thing was to get away with enough to pay his debts. Nothing else mattered.

He heard the footsteps on the grandstand steps coming from behind. He turned to see Anabelle approaching. She was dressed to the nines, as usual, in a form-fitting coat and ruffled skirt. She wasn’t exactly the person Phineas was hoping to see, but he tried not to let it show. She took a seat on the bench beside him.

“Good Morning Phineas.” She said with a smile. “Beautiful day, don’t you think.”

Phineas cleared his throat. “I suppose it is, Anabelle.”

“I thought we should talk about our plan for the bank.”

“Ok. What are you thinking?”

“Well, I think, if you’re willing to go in disguise, you can pose as a repairman. The problem is that the building guard would need to check you through, and he’ll know you aren’t the usual man. So I’m thinking that I can… distract him. If I do my job right, he’ll never know you were even there. What do you think?”

“Ok. Go with it.”

Anabelle cocked her head to one side, “Phineas, why do you hate me?”

“Honest?”

“Of course.”

“I resent people like you. You think that you can just flaunt your beauty and get everything you want. You think that life is so simple. I used to think like you, but I learned how wrong I was. I don’t hate you, I just don’t trust you.”

Anabelle wasn’t fazed by his bluntness, “You miss that life, don’t you?”

Phineas looked at her, smiled sardonically, and then looked away toward the field. She was right, but he wouldn’t give her the pleasure of acknowledging it.

Anabelle continued, “You know, I’ve thought about changing my ways, but I don’t feel guilty about how I get by. Do you know how much pleasure it gives those men to have the attention of a beautiful woman? They get the attention they want, and I get the things that I want.”

Phineas laughed quietly. “Attention, good word.”

“That’s all it is, Phineas. I talk with them, exchange a smile, flirt a little. That’s all. I’m a lady, afterall. Besides, they’re paying for hope. If I take that away, they lose interest.” She laughed flirtatiously.

Phineas was unaffected. “See, that’s what I mean, you think it’s a game. It’s not a game, Anabelle, it’s life. Someday, it will catch up with you, and I hope for your sake that you get off easy.”

“Despite how you feel about me, I respect you, Phineas. I hope that by the time we’re done with this, you’ll learn to respect me as well. I think you’ll find that there’s more to me than a pretty, shallow woman. I hope that at least you can trust me.”

“I trust that you are going to do what’s best for you. It’s what I’m going to do. So long as your best interest aligns with mine, I would trust you with my life. I have no illusion that anybody on this team has any other interest besides his own. We will all be cheering for each other just as long as we have to. But don’t tell me for a second that you won’t sell me out first chance you get if it saves your own skin. I don’t buy altruism. Be careful whom you trust, Anabelle. Everybody’s looking out for himself; I suggest you do the same.”

“Fair enough.” Anabelle stood, “I will see you this afternoon.”

Phineas didn’t bother to turn as she left.

Part 16 >

TCB Part 14: Chapter 4: Thursday Morning (cont.)

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 13

Chapter 4: Thursday Morning (Cont.)

Higgs knocked on the door of the lab and waited for Dr. Montebanque to answer. The inventor seemed to be in a flurry of activity. He was running around the lab in a last minute rush to get everything ready for the heist. Higgs felt bad bothering him, but he had something he needed to be sure of.

“Dr. Montebanque, do you have something that can be used to move a train car?”

“I do not have time for this, Higgs.” The doctor shook his head and ran a hand through his white hair. “I have to prepare a device to help fly the largest airship ever manufactured. I have to figure out the physics of filling it with hydrogen. I have to assemble a winch capable of towing the same at 70 miles per hour. And on top of all that, I have to prepare my wing suit, which is not going as well as hoped.”

“Wait, what?” Higgs was surprised at that last statement. “The wingsuit isn’t ready?”

“It is ready. It is merely untested.”

“You’ve never tested it?” Higgs rubbed his forehead. He felt a headache coming on, “You didn’t think this was pertinent information to have shared with us earlier? We’re depending on that suit working. If it fails, we fail, and Charlotte could be hurt, or worse.”

Dr. Montebanque paced the room, and continued working on his winch assembly. “It will work. Do not worry. It is a perfect creation. Only, I do not know whether it will be completely stable. The physics are solid, but of course, until it is tested, we will not know for sure. “

“You’re freaking me out, Everton. I’ve got a mind to call the whole thing off. I need some assurance from you that you will find some time to be sure about it. I’d rather call this whole thing off than take that kind of risk. By the time we find out it failed, we’ve already stolen the airship, and with nothing to show for it.”

“Have confidence. I do.”

“I trust you, because I have no choice. But please, if there’s anything you can do to assure success I urge you to do so.”

“Understood.” Dr. Montebanque went back to his work.

“So about moving a train…” Higgs returned to the reason he came.

“I thought you had forgotten. Yes. I have a small device that can turn a train car axle, but it will require some muscle.”

“Fine. Can I have it? I’ll leave you to your work.”

Dr. Montebanque let out a frustrated sigh, and walked to a closet. He pulled out a device that was essentially a lever with a box on the end of it. The box had a cutout on one end and a long rubber strip hung from the cutout. “Wrap this strap around the axle, cinch it tight with this wheel on the bottom. As you pull the lever back and forth, it will turn the axle.”

“Thanks Everton. I will see you this afternoon.”

Higgs picked up the heavy lever device and carried it out of the lab. On the street, he hailed a steamer cab. The slow car pulled up to the curb and popped the trunk. Higgs loaded the lever into the trunk and climbed into the back seat of the steam car.

“Why would you want to go to the old East station?” The cab driver asked, looking in his rearview mirror at the stranger in the back seat.

Higgs wasn’t in the mood for small talk. “Why do you feel that’s any of your business?”

“Sorry, buddy, just making conversation. Didn’t mean to pry.” The driver went back to driving without any further questions.

Higgs sat in the backseat. The rumble of the steamdrive lulled him into a half-sleep. He reflected on the heist. He was feeling less certain today than he had before the plan was drawn up. Had they set themselves up for failure with such an ambitious plan? He tried to think of other options. There had to be a simpler way.

Could they all swoop in on Airbikes? He didn’t know how to pilot one, but it couldn’t be that hard, could it? Maybe they would be better off to try to get their people on the train ahead of time. That was a very real possibility. If he could get himself, maybe Phineas and Anabelle, Kostas to open doors for them. The four of them could get into the car through the front door. Maybe offloading the goods along the track was the best option. It meant a lot of cleanup, but not as many components. Even better, if they timed their strike right, they could blow the connection to the train just before a switch. They could let the train roll ahead at full speed and redirect the armored car. It would take some timing, and they lose the element of secrecy. That would make for a tough getaway, but it wasn’t as much risk.

More and more, Higgs was starting to feel like the whole thing was a bad idea. He still wondered if he could truly go through with it in the end. There’s the matter of the stranger in the mask. If he backed out, the stranger would surely want his money back. Maybe more than that. If the stranger is well connected, Higgs could find himself in prison or worse. He’d backed himself into a corner this time, without any real way out. He would have to go through with this. He can worry about repercussions after the whole thing is done. He could count on the greed of the others on the team to provide him some cover if he needed to skip town in the middle of the night.

The car hit a big bump and snapped Higgs out of his reverie. He looked up and saw that they were near the edge of the city. From here, they were heading into the suburbs toward the commuter rail station where he hoped the stranger had left a train car. The car pulled up to the station and he tossed the driver a few coins. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem, pal. You need me to stick around? There aren’t any trains coming out here anymore. The steamers never caught on out here.”

“No. I’ll find a way back. Thanks.” Higgs pulled his lever from the trunk and tossed a few more coins the driver’s way. The driver tipped his hat. Higgs watched as the car let off some excess steam and slowly lumbered away.

Higgs walked into the train station and found his way to the platform. There, as expected was a black boxcar. It was old, but that made no difference to Higgs. It was probably better for keeping it low key. He slid open the door and looked inside. There was an envelope on the floor in the center. He opened it and read the note inside:

As promised. Do not let me down.

He pulled a book of matches from his pocket, lit the note on fire and threw it down onto the tracks. He climbed under the car and attached the lever that Dr. Montebanque had given him. It went on quite easily, cinching into place tightly around the axle. The lever itself stretched out in front of the car. The lever was shaped like an “L” and a slight adjustment to the bottom portion allowed it to fit perfectly to the car. He had to admit, Dr. Montebanque had a solution to everything. He decided not to worry about the wingsuit issue. He would need to trust his team, and Dr. Montebanque hadn’t given him any reason to doubt his trustworthiness.

He stood on the small platform at the front of the car. He pushed the lever away and pulled back toward himself. The train began to slowly roll down the track. Under the car, he could hear the click of a freewheel inside the gearbox attached to the lever.  Progress wasn’t fast, but it would do. He would need to switch a few sections of the track, but his study of the old rail system told him that this line could link up with the financial district station and the old airport spur.

As the car entered the opening of a tunnel, he settled in for a couple of hours of travel and a lot of time to think.

Part 15 >

TCB Part 13: Chapter 4: Thursday Morning

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 12

Chapter 4: Thursday Morning

Montgomery Lester sat at the head of his boardroom table. Seated around the table were the directors of his various subsidiary businesses. He picked a banana out of the fruit bowl on the table next to him. Unpeeling it slowly, he surveyed the faces in the room. His meetings usually started this way. There was a lot you could learn from faces. Some were uncomfortable with the silence in the room, others sat serenely, still others looked nervous and stressed. He had learned to read each man around the table; he knew what each man would say before he said it.

He took a bite from his banana. The head of the shipping division was calm. That was good, since shipping made up the largest percentage of his revenue. The Courier service was next to him, and was not nearly as calm as his neighbor. Montgomery knew there had been a drop in business in the recent months. A recent line-of-sight visual relay upstart had disrupted Lester’s previous monopoly on long-distance communication. He suspected the competitor would be short-lived. Montgomery didn’t lose sleep over it, but he was pleased that his manager seemed to.

He continued to scan the faces. Heavy Manufacturing was smiling broadly, a very good sign indeed. “Timothy, please share the good news with the group.”

“Yes sir. We have received orders from three major construction groups for orders of our steamdozers and excavation machinery. It seems that hydraulic systems failed for some of our competitors. That failure has brought people back to the tried and tested bar and cable systems that we use.”

“Yes, as always, a return to our legacy is the prudent choice. The world would save itself a great deal of stress by recognizing this truth. Even in the current regime, the harlot of technology proves too great a temptation.”

                He looked around the table as the other managers nodded their agreement to his statement. He spotted a concerned look on the president of Materials and Mining’s face. Strange, he wasn’t expecting that. “Adelai, is there a problem with the M2 division?”

“Um, well, sir…there is a concern.”

Montgomery took a bite from his banana, waving his hand to indicate that the manager was to continue speaking.

“There was a collapse in Coal 27. Ten workers were killed or disabled in the incident.”

“What status?”

“All indentures. Technologist probationers.”

“More like reprobates, I think.” Montgomery joked, to universal chuckles from around the table. “It is kind of you to be concerned about these men. It is unfortunate that they were killed.”

“Yes, thank you, sir.” The manager continued, “However, the issue is that we no longer have any reserve indentures to replace them. It is likely we will need to turn to wage-earners.”

“I see.” Montgomery nodded. “Then we must pay the wage-earners. It is the way of the future. As we have fewer and fewer Technologists arrested, we will have fewer indentures. We must accept that we will need to hire labor for this type of work in the future.”

The managers around the table all wrote that down, as if it was some new piece of information that they had never considered previously. Lester continued to scan the faces around the table. Agriculture was happy, which was not a surprise in the least. There is always demand for food. His eyes stopped at the head of the railroad division. He had always had a hard time reading his face. He showed great promise as a manager, and had tremendous control over his emotions.

“Leffe, an update on Railroads if you don’t mind.” It was a statement more than a question.

“Certainly.” The manager replied confidently. “Cargo is up. This is looking to be one of our best years in the cargo hauling portfolio. We have expanded timetables on several of our busiest routes. In fact, we have had to upgrade locomotives on five different lines to handle the increased volume.”

“Very good. And passenger service?”

“Not as good. Long-distance runs have been strong, due to our faster speeds compared to the airships. However, in local service, our underground lines have been losing market share. It seems we are suffering losses to the air services within the cities.”

“Hmm. That is not good. Any ideas?”

“It’s difficult. We cannot compete with them for convenience, since they are able to drop people at rooftops. We cannot compete for speed, since their routes are direct, while ours are limited to our tunnels. The only advantage we have is safety, but that is slim.”

“We should emphasize that advantage then.”

The manager nodded. “Also of concern is that airships are getting faster. While they cannot compete with us overland, they are improving at leaps and bounds. They are beginning to borrow technology from airbike racing that has been vastly improving the speed of long-distance air travel.”

“All the more reason to get our high-speed trains in service as quickly as possible.” Lester replied, taking a second banana from the bowl.

“Yes, sir. We have updated the overland route into the city from the south. Our first high-speed train will be arriving tomorrow afternoon.”

Montgomery stopped mid-peel, “Tomorrow? Is that the train with the armored car?” He went back to his banana.

“It is. Which brings up a good point. The armored car service is proving very popular. With our city’s superior banking sector, we have a rather large backlog of people waiting for space on the armored run. They would prefer to keep their valuables in the vaults of our banks than their homes. It has been very good for business.”

“Yes, indeed. Is there any concern with the armored car being pulled by the high-speed locomotive? Does that increase risk?”

“Only minimally. In reality, it provides peace of mind for our clients. The less time their valuables are out of a safe or vault, the better. With the high speed locomotive, we can travel at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour. That cuts transit time by 40%. To celebrate the occasion, we’ve agreed to transport some items that will be placed in the Traditionalist museum collection. I believe they are records and documents from the early years of the revolution.”

“Very good. Thank you, Leffe.” Motgomery popped the last bite of banana in his mouth. “That is all for now. Thank you all for your time. Back to work.” 

The others filed out of the room and Montgomery returned to his desk. He was nervous about the train arriving tomorrow. Despite his manager’s assurances, he felt like there was just too much risk involved. It wasn’t how he was used to operating. He was the most powerful man in the city, but he could do nothing to change these risks. He knew that it was useless worry on his part, everything would be fine.

< Part 14

TCB Part 12: Archives: A letter to my son.

Go to the Beginning of the story

< Part 11

Archives: A letter to my son

To my son, Montgomery:

My dear boy, if you are reading this, I’ve surely passed on. Do not fret; it happens to us all in time. While we, individually, are destined to mortality, the things that make us great live on in our progeny. You have inherited the fortune built by me, and my father before me, and his before him. This is the blessing and the burden of the Lester family. We are blessed with immense fortune but cursed with the ever-greater need to use that fortune for good. With each new generation, the legacy must continue under the guidance of a new head. Though I might wish to spare you from this burden, I know that you are uniquely prepared to carry on the Lester legacy, just as I was when your grandfather died.

The period during which I lived was a particularly difficult one. Though my life was lived in a time of pain and destruction, I am overjoyed to see the great progress that has been made in only these last few years that I’ve had on this Earth. When I took on the mantle of leadership, the world was in rapid decline, crushed under the weight of technology and ready to burst in violence. The pressure created by the drive of advancement was released into the kind of destruction that no man would want to see loosed on another man. But indeed, that was what happened. The irony, of course, is that those nations least bathed in the sins of technology were those that were annihilated.

While the large scale loss of human life is never a good thing, my optimistic nature compels me to find a silver lining. The destruction of Asia and much of the southern hemisphere has provided the environment necessary for the kind of real change that humanity needed. Indeed, humanity, in its weakened condition, needed that change more than it had before the war. It was only in that situation that we could finally show the masses how much we needed a course correction. It was the legacy of our forebears that put our family in a unique position to enable that change.

I’ve had my critics. Don’t think for a moment that I didn’t listen to their protests, and take them to heart. You would do well to do the same. I had many critics; I am thankful that you will have fewer. They were all too gleeful to point out that our movement caused continued loss of life. That was a regrettable necessity. How much would I have preferred a clean transition! But revolutions are rarely without violence, and never without extreme upheaval. I consider it a blessing that we were able to complete the transition with as little loss as we did. Humanity hungered for a new answer, and was ready to accept our solution.

But none of this is anything that I need worry about any longer. I am proud of what I have accomplished, and I leave to you a thriving industry and fat wallet. I urge you to be a good steward of these things. You were given the best education available, and I know that you are ready. These past few years have done wonders for my confidence in your leadership. I have enjoyed watching you develop as a leader. There are many ways that I know you are better than I was. Your compassion and big heart will serve you well; be wary of those who would take advantage of your kindness. A little charity will go a long way. I am at peace with my departure from leadership of the company. I go to my grave knowing that Lester Industries will thrive under the leadership of my son.

In assessing my life, I do not wish to be idealistic. I do not propose that I am a saint. I have not been particularly perfect, as your mother was all too quick to point out whenever given the opportunity. She was right more often that I was willing to admit in life. But as I approach the end, I am gifted with a clearer vision. This new perspective has allowed me to see my faults all the better. My hope for you is that you find a way to gain this perspective before you lie dying at the end.

Allow me to take this moment to speak to you frankly as a father to his son. As I write this, you have still not married. As far as I know, you have no serious prospects. As a man in our current society, it is your prerogative to enjoy your bachelorhood for as long as pleases you, but I urge you to think of your legacy. My heart aches at the thought that you might meet your end without an heir to carry on the Lester legacy. Everything happens in its own time, and I believe that you will one day find that one woman who will make you a happy and complete man.

In my retrospection, I have come across events for which I feel great regret. I wish that our movement had not become violent. I wish that we could have more effectively persuaded our detractors to stand down. I regret that I never visited the savannah of Africa, or sailed around the tip of South America. There were great wonders in this world, now inaccessible to our eyes.  I apologize for none of these. There is only one thing for which I need to apologize …

< Part 13