The girls all hugged Hua. "I won't be able to do that again," he
warned.
        Well, Hua was interested in after hours. And the guys were game.
What the hay, their reasoning. They followed him to a party for a few
drinks and they followed him home. But Jess wasn't going as far as he
wanted, and neither was Flece nor Hon Ni. They were sorry, and he
understood. Jessy sang for him some, borrowing his guitar, and he
understood even more, being a typically-frustrated old male guitar
player-song writer himself. They did all get naked in the jacuzzi,
though, pleasing their old new friend immensely. For world peace.
Besides, he wasn't a dirty ole bastard. A real gentleman, in fact, they
found. And he was actually on their side about things, even out on the
bough about it, then, with the jail release.
        They met his wife and servants and got a few hours sleep there
before leaving around dawn with fond farewells. Hon Ni found out
whom to leave computers with in town, so they met with those folks
and left the computers, then flew back to Shanghai to rejoin the crew.
They connected with Jasmine and Sage in the hotel restaurant, the
place sporting some troops in uniform along with agents that the girls
kept smiling to, and the jailbirds gave their heartfelt thanks. Kit cut
them a $25,ooo check for their future safety and Jessica gave Jasmine
a nugget.
        Meanwhile, Hon Ni, with input from Jas and Sage and the other
hirees, had decided on whom to leave computers with there in
Shanghai. So they took care of that, said good luck and all to Jasmine
and Sage and flew on with the crews to Hong Kong.
        Kit had been in Hong Kong with his ex-wife back in '70 during
an R&R from the Air Force. That was when they had contemplated
jumping across the border to explore China together. It had looked so
inviting, he recalled for the girls - all the urns left on the other side of
the fence they could climb over, and those beautifully awesome hills
in the distance. But then he told Jessy that he had no regrets about
anything because she was with him, leaving the conversation at that.
        Hon Ni again found whom to leave computers with, then they
had a good time on the town, Jess finishing it with a quiet little
concert at a new friends' home, giving them the chance to meet
whom they should. They had taken the Star ferry over to where,
Kowloon? Or is that the mainland, Kit always loses track there. And
took the incline that Clark Gable had taken in "Soldier Of Fortune" -
Kit announcing that fact to the incline riders just as he had done in
1970 - and their friends met them at the top and drove them on to the
home they were going to spend the night at.
        Jessica called Hua - he had given her the home number - just to
say hay and thanks again and "to git the what". Then it was Pute
calling Cywoman after Kit set up the portable sat dish they had
bought downtown for Puter to get her download at over ten times the
speed he was used to. Woo, were the chippies ever in love.
        The kids getting out of jail in Shanghai was big internet news;
and HOW they got out even bigger, though no one had the full story.
It was also on CNN and other networks. A few missing details,
however.
        Our three learned about the check of the barn at Truchas
through DC's com, reading the frustration in his report to Cincy, both
of them discouraged again. They had had agents check out Rockhead
again too, but had learned nothing there either, the pards staying plenty
quiet up there. DC also told Cincy that he was going to request an IRS
audit of the corporations involved with the Truchas mine, along with a
review of the Forest Service lease. But those two had no other ideas of
where to pick up the trail, though Cincy was curious about the news
from the Far East.
        There was some other news. The original countries - Costa Rica,
Iceland and the others - had officially recognized the WPG, considering
they had already signed the Declaration. And Canada seemed next. It
was pretty much just symbolic, but exciting, nonetheless. And the PG
was collecting up to 8o million signatures a day, and twice that figure in
dollars.
        The guys e mailed everyone. Then Jess called Ginny and started
hinting that daughter was up to something a little bigger than backstage
at the concert and out of the country at the moment. Ginny demanded
to know more, but Jessy told her it would have to wait until they could
talk in person. Jess wanted her to know so they could share some
money with the family so, after hanging up, she and Kit talked a little
on how they would break the news. And keep Kit safe.
        Evan and Stef had gotten a small sheep herd and hired a young
couple for help, the guys learned with return mail. They had also
planted a huge garden, 16o acres of grass for hay, and mentioned the
"good sense" in it. Everyone at Truchas was fine and dandy and taking
it easy, wishing them safe tripping, and Sonia was pregnant!
        With the "Weigh-ins" (Damon and all) and "Carry's" (Jim and
Drew) on MC duties, Springsteen, Madonna, Richie Havens, Isaac
Hayes, Bo Diddley, Winger ("Headed For A Heartbreak"), Bon Jovi,
Simply Red ("If You Don't Know Me By Now") and one big bunch
of hombres and 'ettes' were doing the concert, going as strong as ever,
broadcasting around the world, still, on MTV and the Village "Flower
Power" Radio Network.
        Joni, Julio and everyone were doing fine at Sundance. Just fine
(those two having flown quietly back from Costa Rica). And plans
were progressing well for the Fourth of July demonstrations, among
the rest of the news that the WPO went over with the Execs.
        Kit and Pute worked on new software, but the P gave him the
"I am not McGyver" razz, wanting to get back to Cyby. So Kit let him
go. But they both wanted new encryption ware, plus other, and soon,
jokingly blaming each other before taking the break. Kit had also wanted
to check the portfolio.
        "Romance always takes precedence in our family, Hotey," Jess
reminded him.
        "They're COMPUTERS!" Cody chagrined.
        "Romance is romance, darlin'," she smiled, "speaking of which
...." And they took a "timeout" together. Private time. Break it down.
Hammer time. Ho God. Go figure time.
        Well, they flew all around China, averaging three cities a day,
and everything was going a lit-tle too smooth, they thought. Hua was
secretly giving them his own clearances, though, and not even the
computers were picking that up. Kenj and Josh had caught back up
with them by then, so they had the back-up jet speed, if needed.
        After that week they flew on to Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand,
Cambodia and India, setting up signature centers and volunteers
(whom they paid) in all the largest cities, all four planes linking up with
North Air flights, then venturing into North China and Western Siberia,
for the computers, Tree Frog and volunteers.
        They were still making millions a week in the market to finance
everything and pay the interest on the loans, all their holdings margined
1oo percent. They were still invested in the technology sector, and the
market was in flux over the WPG initiative, though mostly affecting the
defense stocks; and they talked more about taking North Air public.
They kept track of their missions too, and sent more money to
Maddy and Theresa in Mejico.
        WPG signatures hit a billion, then the money hit two B's, both
figures still headed upward and onward, and government leaders were
starting to get a little panicked about stopping the thing. The guys got
some more volunteers released in Indonesia and China and they were
running into more and more resistance themselves, but staying ahead
of the curve, Arnie's WPG army helping them surreptitiously through
a couple of jams.
        The Prez - Billy Jeffy his honorable self - contacted Sundance
one night on his own, privately, wondering what he might find out.
Well, Sundance learned that Bill was truly on their side, or at least was
sayin' so, and would do what he could, but the gun was to his head, he
related. Bill learned that the Execs were willing to communicate
whenever, and possibly willing to meet with him. But that was about it,
Will'm having to go, he said. And Sundance commed the WPO the
news.
        So Asia was a trip. Soon enough, though, they were running out
of June and, since they were planning to set off another hologram in
Washington at the demonstration, our travelers started back.
        Jessy took the Citation's controls and hardly let go all the way
from West India, across the Himalayas, back across China and
upward to Alaska. Amelia and the rest of the fleet headed due North
to inaugurate more North Air service and spread computers around
Southern and Eastern Russia on their way back. Jess gave Hua
another call before they were out of China, saying "thank ye" again
and such. He still kept his help secret, but told her to be careful out
there because he wanted to see her again. They called Hon Ni, back
in Shanghai, and told her that they would be in touch and back
sometime, and "hayed" Jasmine and Sage, who were there with Hon
Ni.
        They had done OK. The PG was closing in on two billion adult
signatures. They were just about at "mojo-rity". Their lawguys were
filing their briefs in the Supreme Courts of every country that had one
after first filing at the World Court at the Hague. O yea, O yea, verily.
Hear ye, hear ye. A lot of officials in a lot of countries were worried,
telling people via the news and talk shows that it could not be done this
way. It would drive the world into chaos and martial law, they insisted.
Well, Arnold and the others were giving counter argument over the
internet, telling the world that those were the reactionaries who only
know how to use fear and intimidation, and that was reported on the
news.
        The guys flew day and night back to Rockhead and partied
heartily upon their return, everyone gladder than hell to see them all
- even Kit - back safe, hearing the mighty stories. Just super
volunteers for the WPG they were, as far as anyone else knew. And
Kit "was too old to be cocky and too young to quit," Jessica was
telling anyone asking, one of the lines from one of her favorite songs
then. She called Ginny and told her that she and Felecia would be
stopping through in a few days, and could tell her then what was
going on. But just her.
        They had time for a nap after business and the party before
having to get onward to Truchas. Kit got Pute onto buying another
cabin twin prop so they could fly the deck if they had to into or out
of Washington. They jetted to Cody to pick up Evan and Stefi, who
were wanting to go to the demonstration with everyone. She and Evvy
had had a "super happy" time there and had checked out Yellowstone,
but had really missed everyone. And had really been missed. They
introduced the young couple - Keri and Ethan - who would watch
over the place for them. Then they all took "1-4-All" to Taos, in case
that unidentified agent would be at Santa (still not knowing that he had
them connected with the jet), and drove a rental to the ranch.

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