9:52 PM Wednesday, August 12, 2024, Cheshire, Massachusetts, USA
A few minutes later, Mom had all the information and both she and Dad even had mories of the conversation that Joe and I had while we waited for them.
I wish you boys had included sooner, Mom’s thoughts announced. We could have foreseen sothing like this. You really jumped the gun on the whole Food First operation. If you had spent more ti thinking and less ti acting... n! Sohow, we heard a ntal snort of derision along with that last word. I didn’t know we could do that, then she continued, "Ok, since we’re already in this ss, I applaud you for trying to help people, but I wish you had started with a softer target than the world’s deadliest drug cartels... Anyway, You’ve done well planning for tomorrow, but we need to make sure we’re using our superior firepower to our advantage. I want fully cloaked weapons platforms shadowing the leaders of Group 17, the top leadership of their closest allies, any significant interdiary people between Group 17’s brass and the people who will be eting our delivery driver. If things go badly, we’ll have the ability to apply imdiate leverage on leadership to control their people in the field. Or we can shoot neat little heat-cauterized laser holes in their foreheads if we don’t have ti for them to wait for new orders. If we have to do that, we can incinerate the entire bodies with the lasers to cover the evidence. If there are people around, Manny will recover the bodies while saying sothing about hidden snipers and assassins within earshot of anyone present, then haul them to sowhere we can incinerate them later. He’ll be ok with that, right?
I think so, Dad answered, he’s a pretty solid guy.
You’ve t him?! He’s seen your face?! Mom asked incredulously.
No, no, I communicated by voice, disguised voice in Spanish, while Joe showed him a made up talking head on a computer screen video chat.
OK, good. We’ll all need fictional identities to use for that sort of thing, with full docuntation and back stories that’ll pass a good background check, but that can wait until morning. Joe, do you have those airborne assets in place yet?
Almost. Six of the weapons platforms did not find physical access to the interiors of the buildings or rooms where the targets are currently positioned. We can shoot through the walls, with the bigger platforms using gamma rays, or burn through with the category 4 units’ infrared lasers if we don’t mind potentially burning the buildings down. Units will track the targets through the walls until more imdiate access is available.
OK, it’ll have to do. If they ntion our eting or our operation, I want us all notified imdiately.
So, Manny’s going to cooperate with the request to redirect his delivery today, then we expect he’ll be sent back with a eting request for whoever’s in charge of Food First. Who is that, Tim?
Um... ... with a hidden identity... I an, obviously I can’t go to the eting, I’m only eight. It would be too weird, I thought to the group timidly.
You, little mister, are not going anywhere near Guatemala for the foreseeable future. Mom commanded sohow under the impression that she outranked the Supre Ruler of the Entire Earth Solar System and Nearby Space. Unfortunately, I don’t think we have anybody on site who can play the role well enough, she continued.
So, no eting... Dad offered. How are we going to explain that without getting our warehouse shot full of bullet holes or burned down?
We’re going to have the eting.
Dad took a minute, then, OK, I’ll do it. Joe what can we rig up for a disguise.
Don’t be stupid, Mom cut in, It’s going to be . We need soone who can think on her feet and not get into a pissing contest. The fact that a woman is in charge of a charitable organization that prepares and distributes food to the hungry might lessen any suspicions they might have. I bet I even walk away with a substantial donation to our cause.
There was a silence, a long silence as Dad and I realized she was right.
Once Manny gets back, you can take my shield ring for the eting. It should protect you if anything happens. I offered, to break the ntal silence.
Dad jumped in, And we’ll have Joe cover you with a couple of the higher grade weapons drones the whole ti you’re in country.
OK, Joe, can you find an apartnt in the east and put on record as having lived there for a couple years, fabricate a complete life story and cover it with records that can be accessed if a police background check is run. I’ll be from Peru, arrange it so I spent a year in Guatemala City in my twenties, then went back ho. I returned to Guatemala six months ago and set up this charity. I know you listed a man as the CEO, but the story will be that my father set it up for to run. He invests in US stocks and has done quite well. He just wants to be happy, so he let convince him to set up this ’little community kitchen,’ his words, not mine. Dad and I listened raptly as Mom spun an ever more complex story. She finally wrapped up. So, I need to learn Spanish by morning, make sure I have a Peruvian accent. I’ll need black hair, Joe, can you do sothing about a darker tan? I need to look like I’ve been near the equator for six months. We’ll need to circulate my story and a photo to the workers, ASAP, in case any of them are questioned. Once Manny gets back tomorrow with my invitation, we’ll just tell the workers I’ve decided to co by for a visit, and I may be taking a more active role in the operation. Make sure Manny has a download of my back story, the parts a delivery driver would know, as part of his prep for tomorrow. And, of course, I’ll need enough info to discuss the countries and pass for a lifelong native of Peru and so on.
Yes, I can do that. Will your persona speak English? Joe asked.
If I say I don’t, I might slip up and respond to sothing soone says in English... Mom replied thinking out loud.
I could block your real personality, so you temporarily believe you’re this character. You’d respond to English or any other language as she would. Joe supplied.
How would I stay on mission if I don’t rember this? Mom asked.
You’d know that one of your drivers told you about the diversion, ca back and told you about the eting request. You’d know by reputation which group you’re likely involved with, and you’d be afraid they’d want to involve you in helping them transport drugs. Your goal would be to keep Food First operating independently, legally, without any control or influence from such unsavory characters, Joe told her.
I’m not sure that’s a good idea... Dad seed concerned with the idea, I was a little concerned, too. Mom wouldn’t rember that she was my mother? Sothing about that scared to my core.
Still, Mom thought to us, if I know I’m protected by invisible laser-equipped drones, It might be hard to fake the real fear that Mirabel would have in this situation.
Mirabel? Dad asked.
Yes, Maria Isabel Flores, Maribel for short. That will be my na.
Dad cut in again with another objection, if you’re really scared of being killed, or worse, maybe ’Maribel’ will capitulate and give him what he wants to preserve her safety.
Joe had an answer, I can maintain your strong sense of courage and independence as a primary constituent of Maribel’s character. It makes the whole mask stronger, actually.
Thanks for the help, Joe, Dad thought with what seed to like sarcasm.
That’s it then, Mom concluded, I’ll transform into Maribel for the day. I should beco her before I arrive on site so that the workers believe it as well. We can use this sa persona if I need to visit again, and I can be the one to communicate with the Food First staff directly from now on, so we maintain the illusion for Group 17 and all the other factions.
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