Judgment Day (10 page)

CHAPTER 15 PLANS

The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death.

—PROVERBS 11:19

M
anuel Crow found Simon Ash a useful stooge. His pro-found ignorance about religion served Crow's needs, although until the launch of the
Rising Savior
, Crow had felt no clear sense of purpose. It had been twenty years since he had been called to serve the master of the underworld, but to what end he never knew. So, he had spent the intervening years in preparation. He built a funeral home empire, buying up competitors or driving them out of business. He also added to his coven. He now had dozens of devoted Luciferians who worshiped with him regularly. Their loyalty was assured by the blood rituals they participated in. He had an organization, he had money and influence, and he had loyal followers. What he had lacked up until the launch of the
Rising Savior
was purpose.

Crow left his office walking down a mahogany-trimmed hall to the conference room. Rachel Waters was waiting outside the door. Six feet tall, raven-haired with features sharp and clearly defined as if created by a sculptor with sure hands. With skin the color of pearls, ruby red lips, and black eyebrows and hair, Rachel was a woman of sharp contrasts. Beautiful to those with exotic tastes, she was Crow's trusted assistant, serving his every need and whim. She stood next to him at the blood rituals assisting him like a well-trained nurse and served as his executive assistant with power of attorney over most of his business affairs. Her devotion was complete, her compatibility uncanny. Their dark souls were like two sides of the same coin. There was nothing she wouldn't do for him.

"They're all here," she said. "I told them nothing but they've been talking about the cult while waiting," Rachel said.

"Good."

Rachel smiled, her smile as cold as his.

Those gathered quieted as Crow took his place at the head of the table, Rachel at his right hand. Each of those present owed something to Manuel Crow, either through legitimate business connections, his foundation, donations, or under-the-table money. Crow noticed that Grayson Goldwyn, owner and editor of the
San Francisco Journal
, had taken the seat at the other end of the table. Now Grayson stared back as if an equal, an unlit cigar in his mouth. Representative Sylvia Swanson sat to his left, silver-haired and matronly, a four-term member of Congress elected primarily on Crow's money. William Lichter sat next to her, a middle-aged man who had been promoted beyond his abilities at NASA because of Crow's influence. A pudgy man, balding, wearing tan slacks and a white shirt with a pocket protector and sweat-stained armpits, Lichter had no future except what Crow could buy for him.

Across the table sat the least loyal of the group. Meaghan Slater was a nationally recognized leader of the National Womyn's Congress. She was fanatical only about her own political agenda. She was the most difficult to bring under his influence, her hatred of men deafening her to his words. He succeeded only when he sent his assistant, Rachel, to seduce her. Ms. Slater was as severe-looking as Rachel was beautiful. Her hair closely cropped, her clothes dark and utilitarian, no makeup. Ms. Slater's face remained impassive but her eyes brightened when Rachel entered.

The final member of the group was the cofounder of the Earth's Avengers, a radical environmental group. Tobias Stoop had been disinherited by his industrialist father because of his environmental activism and was now fanatical in his commitment to destroying the industries that had built his family's fortune. He was penniless,- it was through Crow's generous donations that his ecoterrorists kept globe-hopping and wreaking havoc.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Crow said, sharing his smile with each person in turn. "I hope the travel arrangements were satisfactory and the accommodations acceptable."

Crow had flown them in, first class, put them up at the best hotel in San Francisco, and picked up the tab for food and drinks. It amused him that Tobias accepted the comforts despite the eco-damage behind the luxuries.

"As you know, a cult calling themselves the 'Light in the Darkness Fellowship' has launched a satellite into orbit. In addition it has rescued an Australian satellite and moved it to a stationary geosynchronous orbit. Now they have contracted to put two additional satellites into space."

Crow paused for effect, watching their faces. He could see they each had their own concerns about the cult—all except Tobias Stoop. Tobias saw no significant threat to the environment from the Fellowship and thus had no interest.

"I believe the emergence of a fundamentalist cult as a space-faring power has grave implications. I have called all of you here because I believe you share those concerns."

Goldwyn's head nodded up and down vigorously. Crow had expected no less from Goldwyn since his newspaper was already portraying the members of the cult as either brainwashed or brain dead.

"Fundamentalist cults have come and gone through the centuries and virtually all share one common feature—intolerance for anyone who does not share their beliefs. Essentially powerless in our country because the great majority of freedom-loving Americans do not share their right-wing religious or political views, these cults have had to resort to violence. Women's clinics have been their favorite target and you all know of the bombings and murders there. Congress woman Swanson, I appreciate your work on the Reproductive Freedom Act that helped protect women seeking medical care."

Crow avoided the use of the word "abortion." The congresswoman smiled and nodded in response to his praise.

"Minorities and people of diverse faiths have also born the brunt of fundamentalist institutionalized bigotry. But the harm these groups have done has been limited because they have had little power and few resources. That has all changed. Now they have a virtual monopoly on the world's most lucrative industry. With financial limits removed, there's no telling how big this cult will grow.

"Since the Enlightenment, civilization has struggled to rid itself of superstition. These gains are being lost as we sit here. Unless the Light in the Darkness Fellowship is stopped, women will once again find themselves subjugated to men. Religion will once again invade our schools and censors will determine what we read and watch on television. If they are allowed to monopolize this technology they will dictate who goes into space and on what terms."

Crow paused, making sure his speech was being received as planned. He'd pushed as many hot buttons as he could and by the look of those around the table, it was working—except with Tobias Stoop who looked bored. Now Crow turned to him.

"You don't seem concerned, Tobias," Crow said.

Tobias was a tall, thin young man, his skin so tightly drawn over the bones of his face the skin would have little opportunity to wrinkle. Rarely did he joke and when he did they were odd and incomprehensible witticisms. His hair was cropped short in a military cut and he wore faded designer jeans and a white polo shirt with an alligator emblem.

"This could be a good thing," Tobias said. "If it really is a nonpolluting launch option, my people are going to favor it."

"As far as we know their propulsion system does not emit any nuclear radiation or exhaust of any kind," Crow said. "But you should ask yourself at what environmental cost such a marvel is produced."

"What are you saying?" Tobias asked, his interest growing.

"There are rumors the by-product of the process to create the drive is more toxic than plutonium. I also heard they've been burying the waste to hide the ugly truth."

"If that gets into the groundwater—" Tobias said.

"My concern exactly. I'm not here to make false accusations, I only want them to come clean. If their process is environmentally safe, then why keep it a secret? Even if they're too mercenary to share, they should care enough about the planet to sell the technology. Everything points to a cover-up of an environmental disaster."

"You're right, they're hiding something," Tobias concluded.

It was just a jumble of half truths and speculation but Tobias would fill in the blanks and make it into something sinister.

"I can tell you NASA is plenty concerned about these religious fanatics," Lichter volunteered. "And it's not just that they've stolen two satellites off the next STS launch. Everyone thinks there's unlimited space in orbit but it isn't true—not in geosynchronous orbit. We can't have just anyone putting satellites into orbit, especially useless ones that only spout religious dogma."

"The Womyn's Congress has already met about the problem of the cult," Ms. Slater said. "The cult is a paternal hierarchy, with few women in positions of responsibility. Inside that cult it's as if the last forty years of the women's movement never happened."

"As soon as I return to Washington I intend to initiate an investigation of their finances," Congresswoman Swanson said. "If they receive any federal money they must meet Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action guidelines. Even if they don't receive federal support directly, they certainly receive tax advantages. I've been wanting to push a case like this through the courts. I say a tax break is the same thing as taking federal money and those who get tax breaks should meet the same fair hiring standards."

"Good, that's the kind of thing we need," Crow said.

"I've got my best people on this cult," Grayson volunteered. "We're investigating the leaders. You don't get to the top of any organization without breaking rules. If there are financial irregularities, drug abuse, or past lovers, we'll find it out. If there's anything the public hates it's a hypocrite."

Now Crow turned back to Tobias.

"What can your people do?" Crow asked.

"We'll start with the usual. The first step is to see if they filed an environmental impact statement when they built that launch facility. We'll check zoning and land use laws. That area is primarily ranching. With a little luck the western red mouse will live on their property. We succeeded in getting it listed as threatened last year and with enough money we can push for endangered status. That would prevent expansion and we could shut down operations for at least two years with legal action. This will be expensive."

"Submit a grant request. My Foundation will fund it."

Now Crow nodded to his right, indicating his assistant.

"Rachel, tell our guests about your efforts."

"We've moved on several fronts. The FCC will be looking into their unlicensed radio transmissions and the FAA will be investigating their aircraft. It turned out the Fellowship had a secret member at the FAA and the
Rising Savior
was licensed as an experimental aircraft. We're trying to get that license revoked. We've also got the Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigating their power source. It must be nuclear. Possibly fusion."

"If it is nuclear, we can get a thousand protesters there within a week,"

Tobias said.

Crow was pleased. This was going as well as he had hoped.

"This will slow them down," Goldwyn pointed out, "but it won't stop them. What's the ultimate goal?"

"We can't put the genie back in the bottle," Crow said. "The technology is here to stay but we can make sure the religious fanatics don't monopolize it. We must discover their technological secret, make sure it is environmentally safe, and regulate it for the benefit of the world. Especially for marginalized people."

Lichter looked up at the mention of technology, as if he was the final word on it. Pulling one of the six pens from his pocket protector, Lichter pointed with it as he spoke. The pocket protector had "NASA" written in blue across the flap.

"NASA is going to approach them about sharing their technology,"

Lichter said, poking holes in the air with his pen. "The military is going to approach them too."

"If this was wartime we could confiscate the technology," Representative Swanson said.

"Can you introduce legislation to do the same?" Crow said. "Declare the technology vital to our national interests and raid their compound?"

"Not with the current mood in the country," Congresswoman Swanson said. "According to the polls, many considered the members of that cult heroes. Talk radio has been playing it as a David and Goliath story. The conservatives are eating this up. Calls to my office are three to one in support of the cult. If you want government action, you've got to tarnish their image."

The congresswoman was right and he would take pleasure in doing just that. Satisfied with his progress he thanked his guests, promising to bring them together again, then left them to enjoy drinks. Rachel and Ms. Slater were drifting toward each other when he closed the mahogany door.

Crow left in his Mercedes, driving ten miles to a shopping mall where he parked and walked through the mall and out the other side to another parking lot. Counting four rows over from the exit, he walked down fifteen spaces to a Ford Taurus. The keys Rachel had given him fit and he drove to the freeway, heading south. Ten miles later he turned off and parked at a small neighborhood park. He followed the path to the center of the park. It was after ten and the park was deserted. Fear of what was hiding in the dark frightened other people, not Crow. As he approached the rest rooms a man separated from the shadows and fell into step next to him.

"You looking for a mechanic?" the man asked.

He was younger than Crow had expected.

"I expect any repairs to be permanent," Crow replied.

"My specialty."

"Did you get a look at the compound?"

"The security is a joke. I'll go in after dark."

"How long before you can do it?"

"Three weeks minimum, seven weeks maximum. "I'll have to special order the weapon I need. Once I get it I'll wait for a night launch."

"If you take the ship out before they put another satellite up I'll throw in a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus."

"I go when I'm ready. If I earn the bonus, so much the better."

Crow expected more deference from employees. This man was arrogant and perfect for sacrifice. No one knew his name, he lived in shadow, and if he disappeared no one would ask questions. Crow pictured him spread-eagled across the altar, his still-beating heart in Crow's hand.