Benjamin faced a serious dilemma. On the one hand, he was glad the problem got cleaned up, but was appalled by the method Sterling used. He didn’t know how, but he was going to stop Simon Sterling and help bring down the UAE. He knew he couldn’t form a militia and go on the offensive; he would be slaughtered before he could make a dent. Sterling was exactly the type of dictator the former United States of America would have toppled without a backward glance, the irony of which provided Ben a momentary bright spot in an otherwise terrifying reality.
Someone had to stop the UAE, and Ben was determined to help make that happen.
Ben was proud of the double life he lived. While he plotted and schemed against the UAE in the shadows, on the surface he was a model citizen, loyal and supportive. He treated UAE officers like celebrities when they came to Disney World and made sure they were afforded every luxury; the UAE officers idolized him in return. Over time, Ben was able to manipulate them into believing he was their ally, and many soon sought his counsel on a variety of topics. While they poured out their souls to him, Ben used the vital intelligence to undermine their efforts.
Captain Nedry Brown was by far the easiest mark. Ben found the man to be an incompetent officer. He was ignorant and had low self-esteem—both characteristics unbecoming in a leader. Thus, the soldiers under Brown’s command had no respect for him. Ben cashed in on the man’s insecurity and did everything possible to boost his fragile ego. When the good captain finally began to display a measure of confidence, Ben would snap him like a twig, even a minor slight enough to break him. The vicious cycle had the poor officer’s mind coiled like a spring around Ben’s little finger. Captain Brown craved Benjamin’s approval like a son would a father’s. He wasn’t alone, sadly, as many others found themselves in the same needy predicament. Ben prided himself on his skills at psychological manipulation and could have instructed a master class on Machiavelli with little or no preparation.
With his top lieutenant, Jessica Bradley, away investigating the mysteries in southern Florida, Ben had a bit of a problem on his hands. He needed to get inside Captain Brown’s head to find out what was going on, but he needed Jessica to do it. Nedry Brown was quite unattractive and turned into a bumbling fool around women. Jessica was far too proud to whore herself out for some cause, no matter how just and honorable it may be, but when it came to Captain Brown, all Jessica had to do was show him a little kindness and respect. Nedry nearly hyperventilated at her beautiful smile, and she would pretend not to notice, giving the man the misguided impression that he was a charming storyteller. This simple distraction allowed Ben to play Nedry like a fiddle. With Jessica gone, the task would prove more difficult.
Ben and Nedry were sitting in the captain’s private officer’s suite at the Wilderness Lodge. Ben knew Nedry craved brandy and cigars. Ben had crates of the stuff on hand but always gave Brown the impression that he went to great lengths to procure this special stash just for him. Nedry smiled at the first-class treatment as he put the cigar in his mouth and allowed Ben to light it.
“Ned?”
“Ben, please.”
Ben sat down across from Captain Brown and lit his own cigar. After enjoying a slow, smooth sip of brandy, he began again. “Ned?”
“Ben, c’mon. I already told you what you need to know. You and yours are safe. Relax! You have nothing to worry about.”
“Ned, you know me better than that! Something this big? You had to know I’d be curious about it. What’s going on?”
“You give me too much credit, Ben. I really don’t know much more than I told you earlier.”
“So, you do know more! You gonna make me beg?”
“Don’t be silly. You know I can’t just spill my guts to you. All I know is something big is happening in Miami.”
“When?”
“Tuesday or Wednesday.”
“What are the rumors going around?”
“A secret meeting of some kind. I’ve heard Beck is surrendering. On the flip side, I also heard Sterling is surrendering to Iran. All of it’s probably bullshit, but my gut tells me it has something to do with the sudden interest in the slave trade. The timing is just, I don’t know…”
“The slaver thing is really that big of a deal? I thought it was just some PR stunt to make the UAE look more civilized.”
“I don’t know, Ben, I can’t help but think the two are connected somehow. They’re making a huge deal about the liberated slaves you got here. Seemed to take an interest in some orphan girl, thought maybe they found her parents.”
Ben hated when the UAE took an interest in anything to do with his operation. He’d rather they stay the hell out of his business. Ben knew neither Sterling nor anyone else in the UAE gave two shits about helping an orphan girl. Burning down Obama Camps and executing Middle Easterners was proof positive that Sterling’s only concern was for furthering his own misguided agenda.
“Orphan girl? Here? Don’t recall an orphan girl.”
“Dugood? What was the girl’s name? Dammit! McPhee?”
Dupree, you fucking idiot! Her name is Christina Dupree.
“I have no idea, Ned. Slavers haven’t brought any kids ‘round here in some time. What’s so special about her?”
“I have no clue, but Colonel Rutherford himself is headed down here to get the girl. I promise you she’s here somewhere, and she’s important for some reason.”
“Rutherford? He’s coming here? When?”
“Dinnertime tomorrow. I’m headed out in the morning, leaving one of my NCOs behind to look for her. Was hopin’ you’d help me. Can you spare a few men to help look for her?”
“Ned, you know I’m here to help you in any way I can. Of course we’ll help look for the girl. Who are you leaving behind?”
“Godecker, and I appreciate it, Ben. Need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” Captain Brown gulped down the rest of his brandy and snuffed out his cigar. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, my friend. It was good to see you.”
Ben exited the suite and hurried down the stairs. Instead of retiring for the night, he rode his motorcycle back to his office on Main Street, USA. He dug through the papers on his desk and found the intake information on the UAE’s prodigal daughter. What the hell is so important about this little girl? Every refugee that took up residence in Ben’s amusement park community underwent a very basic screening process that included paperwork, medical screening, interviews, and even a short orientation meeting. Ben’s people had efficiently trimmed the entire process down to the point that a couple dozen refugees could complete the intake in only a few hours. Once Ben reviewed the orientation packets, they were carefully filed away in the records office. While his office clerks were organized to a fault, Ben was notoriously less so. He knew the girl’s file was scattered somewhere amongst the mounds of clutter on his conference table. Ben frantically tossed aside stacks of papers, and by the time he found the girl’s buried file, his office bore a striking resemblance to a ransacked crime scene.
Ben poured over her orientation packet, hoping some clue would pop out at him. The only obvious discrepancy he found was the fact that she wasn’t an orphan. In her interview, the girl stated that her father died when she was a baby and her mother was living in Colorado. She also mentioned being separated from her grandparents during the Collapse of 2027. What the hell is so special about this little girl? What does the UAE want with her? One thing was certain—he wasn’t going to hand the child over until he knew what made her so important.