As shots rang out, it was hard to determine from which direction they came. When you live up a hollow (holler as it is called) sound often reflects from the side of the mountains as the morning rays dance off the waters of the Mud River. It wasn�t unusual for the sound of the rifle to crack the morning air. Hunting season was still a month away as fall was slowly coming to the mountains of West Virginia, but certain game was always in season, snakes, groundhog, crows, and opossum. But the sound of three shots, aimed in three different directions seemed odd and even out of place.
Shilo had just started the coffee on this particular Saturday morning. His lovely wife Carrie was just stirring under the covers after being up late the night before surfing the net. Since the purchase of the Sony computer it seemed as if all else took a back seat to interfacing with others when possible. Many friendships had been developed over the 10 months or so since purchasing the �puter� as it is called. There is Mushmind from West Virginia, Paperarmor from the Washington DC area, Whale Tail from Alaska, and Okcmom from Oklahoma just to name a few. These were the ones Shilo and his wife would go out of their way to visit with whether it be in the Hearts or Spades room, or the Combat game Shilo enjoyed so much.
Why the connection between the puter and the shots entered his head Shilo didn�t know, but the two were hard to separate. As he walked out on the front deck, the chill of the morning air was bound to cut short his visit outside to check on the queer shots of the morning. Hearing nothing more and seeing everything seemingly in it�s place, Shilo slipped back into the house where by now Carrie was into her morning stretch. Carrie�s back was acting up again and the cool air of the morning wouldn�t help. Carrie had injured her back while working at the nursing home 10 years earlier. She had gone against her best judgment and attempted to come to the aide of an old gentlemen at the home when he had fallen from his bed. The male patient had weighed well over the 285 pounds placed on his chart. As the patient named Huey had fallen he had pulled the IV from his arm and the screaming that ensued was second only to the blood that was covering the floor. Carrie comforted Huey and responded in the caring manner that was to match her personality, but a ruptured disc was the result. Surgery soon followed and the caring of the elderly was no longer in Carrie�s plans. She was now a tax preparer for the local H & R Block office which she enjoyed, but seldom did a week go by that she didn�t have the pain as a constant reminder of the past.
The morning shooting was soon passed off as varmint hunting, and the hot coffee was flowing as was the syrup on Shilo�s pancakes.
Shilo had just gone into the TV room to sign on the puter when a message was on the screen. The message was from the Norton Anti Virus that runs on Friday night. An unknown virus had been found and was demanding the attention of the owners. That seems odd, since introducing the protection, files had been inoculated but never a virus found. Shilo called Carrie to complete the task at hand. Shilo was of the nature to aggressively open files, and attempt numerous adventures over the net with the trust of a child. Carrie on the other hand, always seemed to work the �nerd� end of the puter, cleaning up the messes Shilo seemed to create with a passion.
Later in the day as Shilo raced around the yard riding the mower like an Earnhardt wanna be, Carrie was into the weeding of the flower beds with the touch of a master. As Carrie called out Shilo�s name with the sharpness of a barber�s razor, Shilo shut off the lawn machine and ran over to his wife. He found her standing by the front of the house pointing with trembling finger to the hole in the house, inches below the living room window. The bullet had passed through the wall. Was this a result of the morning shooting? Or just a careless happening. After comforting Carrie, Shilo attempted to follow the path of the shot. It seemed to travel from up the hollow, from the direction of the morning shooting.
With the morning yard chores finished, the Pathways went into their home to enjoy some iced tea and cheese n crackers. Carrie was checking the e-mail from the day and there among the regular items was a message that was encrypted. It was unlike anything she had seem before. The next two hours were occupied with a search of the files in an attempt to open the message. To no success, Carrie signed on and climbed into the Spades room searching for a table of friends. The topic of conversation soon turned to the message from the unknown. None of the regular cyber friends claimed the note, and the suggestion was made to go to a private chat room. Mushmind thought that she could help with the message but was unable to. Paperarmor requested that Carrie send a copy to him as he had access to various puter software that others didn�t. After all, this was a guy that when going on vacation to the beach, packed his puter to work with at pool side. Having done this, Carrie signed off and went to look for Shilo. Shilo was engaged with the granddaughter�s Dawn and Lynn in a wicked game of Mr. Fox out in the front yard. Shilo had completely forgotten his promise to go to town with his wife, and after all that would include eating out which was one of Shilo�s favorite pass times....eating.......either in or out.
As the Pathways were going to the full size, their pet name for the truck which their son David had purchased prior to going to Germany, Shilo noticed a hole in the side of the driver�s door. Being careful not to seem alarmed, he climbed into the truck with his eyes scanning the interior for damage and tracing the path of the bullet. From the same hollow as before. With no futher damage being seen, Carrie and Shilo kissed the granddaughters goodbye and pulled out of the driveway. As they were leaving Shilo couldn�t take his eyes from the edge of the ridge covered with pine trees from which the shot had originated.
The trip to the mall was just what the Pathways needed to take their mind off the morning events. They always enjoyed going out together, money always seemed to be short but they were rich with love and affection for one another. Over the 16 years of marriage the Pathways grew closer and the time spent together was fulfilling.
As they pulled into the driveway the grand kids rode their bikes in front of the truck, leading the way. As the bikes crossed the wooden bridge, the snap of timbers giving way and the sound of the bikes falling in the creek brought the Pathways scrambling from the truck to the kid�s side. The tears were beginning to flow as things happened so quickly the screams from the children were frozen on their lips. Russell and Denise, the twin granddaughter�s parents, ran through the yard with terror etched across their face! As Denise and Carrie took the girls into the house to comfort and console them, Russell and Shilo were checking out the bridge that was seemingly so strong. Traces of silent plastic explosives were found on the remains of the bridge. Russell and Shilo could only stare at one another.
It took hours for Shilo to convince Russell that it was something other than the explosives. Shilo seemed to pacify Russell�s concerns with the events by blaming it on the damage caused by the flood waters earlier in the week. After all, the damage was reported by Carrie to the Federal officials and a rep from FEMA had already assessed the harm caused by the raging waters.
Dawn and Lynn came through the ordeal much better than their bikes, which were ruined. But if the full size with it�s added weight and fuel had crossed the bridge, the events would have had a different outcome. Mom and Dad was a different story. The fear of losing their two oldest daughters had overcome them. The third child, Danielle age 14 months, seemed to sense the tension and became a distraction with her crying.
By Sunday morning the family in crisis had settled down and the pair of 8 year olds were again out playing by the creek. Picking up pieces of the bikes and running an investigation of their own. After all, they had a collection of glass from the creek safely stored away, and had floated a bottle with a message down to the river the day before. Following a family meeting, Shilo and Carrie had convinced their loved ones to take the tickets to the Nascar race at Daytona, and make a mini vacation out of it. As much as Shilo was looking forward to the trip, his family�s safety came first.....and there were things to discuss with Carrie.
The shots in the morning, the discovery of two of the three bullets, the bridge, the virus in the puter, the encrypted message....was all this tied together? The Pathways confided in their cyber friends and theories were flying through the net like megabytes flowing through shareware.
Travelers4 and Roaddog, two chat room confidants, had their theory....it was the Canucks......they were always messing up everything. Always putting down Americans and West Virginians in particular. Travelers4 and Roaddog were both from Huntington and were wise in the ways of the puter. The former was retired and a wily sort.....Roaddog is an electrical engineer, always warning us of the pitfalls of the net...that someone could be watching. Mushmind thought the whole thing was silly, she trusted everyone......Okcmom couldn�t believe it all and thought we made the whole thing up to write a story, she said it sounded like something the military at Ft. Sill would come up with.......Whale Tail, or what ever, she seemed to change her nick as often as the error message appeared on the puter, had little to say but listened with interest........Paperarmor, o yes....Paperarmor....he was checking out the encrypted message for us, wonder what he really does to have such easy access to knowledge concerning secured files and technology on the net....we should be hearing from him soon.
Shilo and Carrie, through employing netmeeting were able to interact with all their cyber friends not realizing that the addresses in the netmeeting directory were available to anyone, anywhere.
The brainstorming was interrupted late into the night by David, who was e-mailing from Germany. Isn�t technology great? By way of the internet, their youngest son in the Army at a base whose location is confidential, can reach out and touch his parents at any time.
The news on the screen was numbing...there had been a terrorist attack on the barracks of Charlie Company, David�s Company. The 54th Combat Engineers had been on special assignment and the location of the mission was supposed to be confidential! The message went on to read that several men were injured, but none seriously. It also stated that any future contact with families was prohibited. He said that he loved everyone and will be in touch when possible. Finally, David reported that none of this would be on TV, news releases etc. due to security. What a shock! Before the news could be digested, Russell called on his cell phone. He sounded upset, but who hasn�t been lately! The trucking company with whom Russell used to work had their offices burned to the ground, and many of the trucks on the road throughout the country had been sabotaged!!! What a whirl wind of activity, life on Buffalo Creek had been so calm and relaxing till the past several days!! Thoughts were running wild, if the room could spin it would! The lives of the Pathways were caught in a viscious cycle and all was about to come crashing down quicker than puter shut down!
Time was needed to put their thoughts in order. Over a secured phone line, Shilo and Carrie set about calling their friends and contacts of the past 48 hours to see if they could make some sense of it all. Paperarmor suggested a safe house near Frostburg State University in the mountains of the Maryland highlands. Within the next 8 hours the Pathways, Paperarmor, and Mushmind would converge to the site. Travelers4 and Roaddog couldn�t make it but were on stand by if needed. Whaletail, Alaska Linda, Eagleriverak, or teegertail........whatever she called her self seemed very interested in the whole adventure....but maybe more intent on the location of the meeting site even though it seemed obvious that she couldn�t possibly attend since she lived in Alaska.
Along the drive, little was spoken between Shilo and Carrie. Russell and family were safely on their way to Daytona, David was in a state of alert with his op site shut down, and the dog #3 (funny name for a dog but the Pathways were into Nascar) and the Sony puter safely on board.
The mountains were very beautiful this time of year, even though the gazes were directed towards the scenery as the full size purred down I 79, the recent events occupied the minds of Shilo and Carrie.
Omar Shee sat in the railroad car he called home over the past year and a half. The walls were lined with pictures, charts, puters and various electronic equipment. In the center of the car was a shredder with volumes of paper in mounts surrounding it. Upon the desk were framed pictures of the bombed barracks in Lebanon, the Oklahoma City Federal Building, the after effects of the car bomb in Saudi, and a picture of the sea with parts of airplane wreckage floating upon the waves.
The man himself was of Arab descent with an unkempt beard and clothing from the nerd section of a J C Penny Catalog. Striped shirt, bell bottom pants and canvas shoes. His ears were tattooed around both lobes with what looked like transistors and a hard drive.
Upon the bulletin board were the pictures of what seemed to be a flat bed 18 wheeler hauling a load of missile parts, the country side of Germany, FEMA staff members, Federal agents with one person circled, numerous e-mail addresses, a netmeeting path, a copy of the latest Combat net game, and a map of West Virginia with a zoom on the small area called Buffalo Creek.
Omar had not forgiven himself for the careless act of leaving a file of all Aftamilitia members in his computer. The chance was a million to one that another computer would skip the path and cross over into the download of the file. To trace the file and it�s new home was simple, but to pin point the file and to save the file in tact was another story.
All indications lead to a computer in the home of a family in West Virginia, where ever that was! But this home seemed to have connections with numerous loose ends that seemed to have a trail of American trickery. The Pathways home was not just a lucky, or unlucky, location for the files to download, there were too many connections...the contact with the secret base in Germany, the truck driver who used to haul missiles for a trucking firm that had turned down numerous Aftamilitia offers to let a load...........be mislead? The engagement of the Combat game that seemed to be training Americans to hunt down and destroy the members of Aftamilitia. The federal agents who visited the home under the gize of being FEMA agents, the filthy Americans probably caused the flood just to give reason for the contact with the agents. But most of all, the relationship the Pathways had with a so called Paperarmor, known undercover agent for the CIA with numerous Washington contacts. All leading to the house in Buffalo Creek West Virginia. Every step Omar Shee turned, the house was red flagged as a priority one mission.
Omar was awaiting the return call from his Alaska friend, Linda. Linda had an asking price and Omar had met it, although he had never planned on paying it off. But the pay off was coming, no loose ends could be left, no more mistakes made!.
The mountains of Western Maryland were well into the autumn season, as folks say �the frost is on the pumpkin�! The Bear Run camping area was sparsely populated this time of year. The road leading out of the main camping area was covered with the multi colored leaves of the season, and numerous small branches scattered the width of the narrow path. There were few tire tracks, if any. The isolation of the �rough� cabins was definitely as advertised. As the full size pulled up to the rough cut cabin with its large porch stacked high with firewood, it�s stone chimney would soon be the host of warmth and a roll of smoke.
The Pathways were the first to arrive, soon followed by Mushmind. As the fire was started and the supplies put away, the conversation soon turned to the events that brought them to this location. Before the first cup of coffee was finished, the sound of a 4x4 vehicle pulling in the driveway brought all to the porch to see if it signaled the arrival of the mysterious Paperarmor. Paperarmor was known by all but only as print on the screen of the Sony Trinitron. A large man seemed to pour out of the 4x4. He was about 6�4� and weighted in the neighborhood of 240 lbs. Graying hair and a frame which showed signs that it once was carved by the practice of weight training. A full mustache, in need of a serious trim, covered the lower section of his round ruddy face. Carrie wondered aloud if this was the man we were expecting. The deep full voice that responded laughed out loud and introduced himself as the one and only Paperarmor! Mushmind proceeded to question him about items long discussed on the net, and Paperarmor responded in kind.
Paperarmor brought enough paper work with him to start his own fire to warm us all. He didn�t fully trust the internet with confidential material. As we were soon to find out. Paperarmor was an agent in the CIA, and was on independent assignment. He had the freedom to choose his task as long as it was keeping tabs on terrorist activities. As Mushmind�s mouth dropped open, the Pathways could only stare blankly at one another. The table was soon covered with files and tapes......and the copy of the encrypted message sent to him at an earlier date by the Pathways. The Sony was setup on the end table pulled over to where it could be employed if needed by the quartet at the table.
Mushmind went first in the spilling of the knowledge...and that was very limited. She did have a knack for problem solving and knew the makeup of the internet throughout, having had to take numerous net classes to clean up her hands-on approach to most everything. It was Mush that tied the ability to tracing netmeeting to its origin that first alarmed everyone. She also chose the site having been in the area with her Dad on several occasions (little did she know that the federal government had a safe house in the area). Mush also had dealt with net viruses, and knew that the one sent to the Pathways puter was no accident, it was an intentional attempt to destroy the entire works of the system.
Shilo and Carrie brought several items to the table to bring it all together. Their son Russell had driven 18 wheelers on contract hauling military supplies, mostly ammunition. The trucking company was under investigation by the FBI for allegedly taking bribes from foreign agents. The same company that was practically destroyed by a suspicious fire and had most of it�s fleet of trucks demolished. Their younger son David who�s unit was somehow tracked down and experienced a terrorist attack. Company C was involved in some type of special assignment. The shots and explosion at Buffalo Creek could not be explained, but had to be tied in somehow. Finally there was the encrypted message...or whatever.....that appeared on the puter as Carrie was supposedly downloading a package of clip-art graphics from the internet.
Paperarmor listened as the unexplained events were told. He then brought it all together as a zipped file would condense a program into a neat folder. The internet and the phone line to Carrie and Shilo�s puter was the key. Paperarmor had run checks on their system to see any patterns that would develop. The phone messages or e-mails to Germany, the trucking company, to him, Alaska, yes and even the FEMA agent brought about a picture of a location with ties to various government organizations and perhaps vested interests. It all depends on the route that one would bring it together. As the questions and probable answers were shared, the sound of a door slamming and footsteps approaching brought all to their feet, not knowing whether to run and hide or stay and defend themselves. Shilo had brought a pistol, but didn�t tell Carrie as she didn�t care for weapons. The way Shilo shot, he was more dangerous to himself than to an intruder. Paperarmor calmed all fears as he opened the door and greeted the woman with a warm embrace and soft kiss. Turning, he ask Carrie if she remembered Julaa, from the Spades room in the Game Zone? Carrie couldn�t make the connection since Paperarmor was always in Hearts. He explained that was by design to monitor two rooms at once and not be too obvious.
Mush was very dubious of the arrival of an unannounced visitor. She was glad that it was a supposedly friendly face, but questioned Julaa until she felt satisfied .........and safe!
Julaa, as Paperarmor, was working for the CIA. Her assignment was to monitor the west coast computer connections. The assignment led her to Alaska, and a lady who used numerous nicks, but seemingly answered to an individual on the island of Qatar, located south of Iraq in the Arabian Sea. Shilo and Carrie almost fell over! They had a good relationship with Alaska Linda, Whale Tail, or whoever..........that was the tie to Paperarmor�s Alaska connection. They then remembered the interest she had shown in the location of the meeting place. Julaa went on to explain who the recipient of the messages was....the leader of a terrorist organization. The name of the group was Aftamilitia, and their leader was a man suspected of many acts of violence. His name was Omar Shee.
Paperarmor went on to explain Omar�s mission. It was to connect subliminal messages over the net, causing the shutdown of all .gov and .mil addresses in addition to corrupting the banking industry and eventually taking it over. This was all too much for Mush.....she began cooking over the open fire and all present were glad she did! Shilo couldn�t believe he had gone this long between meals....Carrie just chuckled! She had been with Shilo so long, she could read his thoughts, she decided to help Mushmind with the preparation of dinner. Of course she also wanted to talk in private, out of ear range of the others. �Do you think any of the others have uncovered our secret?� Mushmind just turned to Carrie and smiled. None of the others, except for Shilo, knew Carrie and Mush were sisters. They were so distraught, and confused, how could this have happened to them? Always leading a life of calm, this was like one of the novels they had so often shared. �Carrie how could they possibly know? I live on the other end of the state from you. Oh no, you don�t suppose Paperarmor has uncovered our secret? After all he does seem to have some powerful connections, and how about Julaa, just where does she fit into all this, how did you know about her?� Carrie was in deep thoughts of her own, worrying about her children and granddaughters, she screamed as she had burned her hand and didn�t feel the pain. Then all systems were go in her brain as the sensation of pain shot up her arm. Mush noticed the look on Shilo�s face. �She is ok just a small burn.� Carrie and Mush decided to take a walk while dinner was simmering.
The snow was blowing and sun was bright as she walked along the path to her shed, she needed some extra firewood. The weather man was calling for a terrible storm to hit in a few hours. As Linda walked her thoughts were not on firewood, they had wandered to the image she had of a wonderful person she had become obsessed with. He had dark hair, clean shaven, and the smell, oh she could almost smell him across the internet. Yes, she is married, has two sons, and is 50 years old. John had taken a job 500 miles away, after his retirement, he became bored with the slow life style of the little town. She was lonely and Omar had become such an important part of her life, he had filled a void, long lost. He made her feel alive and important, unlike her sons who had moved and left Alaska a few years ago. �Can I really trust Omar? Is he for real? Oh yes, he is just what I need.� Thoughts were filling her head as she walked, she quickly gathered the much needed firewood, and hurried back up the slope to the main house. She wanted to go to the Internet Gaming Zone, yes she thought, then she would be needed again. He will be waiting for me tonight, as she scanned her hand written list of nicks, chose the one they had decided to use. Once again, Linda was needed by someone. She had decided to give Omar the location of the meeting. Yes, this stranger was no longer a stranger, he was someone very special, such a gentleman, and those compliments, she could melt just from thinking of her beloved Omar.
As they walked down the path, Mush and Carrie shared their fears and knowledge of all the events. �One night you were not in the game zone, so I joined Paperarmor in hearts. He was at his usual table #38. As we started the game, I mentioned your name, of course I remember her, with a name like Mushmind, one doesn�t forget.� Carrie continued as Mush had her 3rd drink of her favorite, Blue Hawaiian. �I told him I was waiting for you to join me in the spades room, that is when he first mentioned Julaa, asked me if I had seen Julaa in spades, if I ran into her to say hello from Paperarmor.� Carrie was getting more worried with every step they took, someone could be watching them as they walked. �Sis as soon as I saw you come into spades I joined you. That is when I saw Julaa�s name on the board.....so I kibitzed her table, gave her a big hello and a rose from Paperarmor, of course it was not a real rose, the kind we send in the game zone @-----}-- first she seemed surprised, then she ignored me so I left her table and joined you. Give me a drink of that stuff, I need something to calm my nerves.� As she drank she became more calm and continued to explain to her sister. �Julaa came to our table and kibitzed, she thanked me for the message. That is all I saw of her for weeks, then one night I saw Paperarmor again in hearts. I thought my eyes were failing me, he had told us he was going on a two week vacation. I decided to drop in on him and say hello, she was there at the same table. As big as you please, Julaa and Paperarmor playing a game of hearts. So of course my nose started to bother me, I just clicked in, kibitzed, yep, that is what I did. I just had to find out if he was really on vacation. �Oh he chatted for a while, then sent me a big LOL,,,I am on vacation, brought laptop with me, I am on a beach, with no phone, no TV., no people. Now this was just too strange for a man who had gone through a divorce and was looking forward to a vacation with a lot of beach bunnies. I just chalked it up to another strange event on the net�. Mush grabbed Carrie�s hand, dropped her glass, and took off running. Every step they took there was something, or someone traveling along with them in the shadows. Suddenly the sound of #3 jumping a rabbit broke the silence. Carrie and Mush fell to the ground in laughter. �Oh sis, we forgot about our dinner and that drink is making me light headed, lets hurry back to the cabin. Shilo will be worried.� As they returned to the others, neither was really fully aware of the danger.
The men lit up a cigar and sat back to let their minds try to relax, before the ladies joined them for further discussion. With the chores done, full stomachs and semi-clear heads, the group returned to the task of solving this mystery. As Paperarmor explained his mission to seek and eliminate, who or whatever was responsible for such acts of terrorism. All the lose ends were coming together, as all five gave their input and pieced the puzzle. �What about the Canucks? Could they be involved? They always are so rude in the game zone.� Mushmind may be onto a new idea, she had become a real detective, her mind was not so full of mush! �I will make a contact with one of our sources, he will be able to bring us up to date on his findings.� Paperarmor had so many sources, thought Shilo. �If you don�t mind me asking, just who is this source?� Shilo, was always trying to protect his family, he didn�t know who to trust anymore. �I will just bring your puter alive and all of you can watch the screen.� As Paperarmor brought up the Internet Gaming Zone, all the others gathered around, they were curious to know who was his contact. Carrie could hardly believe her eyes!! She looked at Shilo with a puzzled gaze, no it can�t be him!!! �I have played many games of hearts with that person, Paperarmor, are you sure he is the person you need to chat with?� Shilo reached over and touched Carrie�s hand so gently, she knew from the feel of his hand, the love and strength she felt......she would love this man for all the days of her life.
In another room of the zone, sat two players, they had secured their table. Yes, when they were chatting in private, Linda and her dear friend, always clicked to not let anyone join their table or to kibitz. They felt safe and secure. �Do you have the info?� he typed the message as soon as she clicked the start button. �Can�t we have some friendly conversation first, it has been two days, and I have missed you so much.� Linda almost felt ashamed, she was falling for a man she had never met in person. She had put her full attention on every demand he had given her. She had become his pawn. �Oh my sweet you are looking lovely� he typed words of endearment, he knew just how to get her to give him the location of the meeting. He knew he had to find the Pathways. Then to destroy everyone and everything. Not knowing if he could fulfill the elimination of his Alaska Linda, he was growing fond of her. He took another drag of his cigarette, and another swig of whiskey. �I promise to give you the money to meet me in Hawaii, we will have plenty of time for a long awaited meeting.� Omar was a sly one, knew just how to get into her heart and mind. Before she realized her fingers were typing the words, the address came flying across the screen. With a satisfied mind and a smirk on his face. Omar clicked to exit the game.
I am waiting, is all Paperarmor typed. Then he sat there in his chair while everyone just stared at the puter screen. Then the message came. �New game at table #38, need one person.� As Paperarmor entered the table, buttons were clicked to give them privacy. �Its Roaddog, Its Roaddog.� Carrie could not believe this could be happening. Roaddog gave Paperarmor the info he needed about the Canucks. Then the screen was back to windows 95 before anyone could blink an eye.
Let me explain he said as he lit another cigar. �Roaddog is in electronics, he knew how to set up computers, how to get into security codes. He did this with one of the Canucks, before he knew what he had done, he had valuable information. He knew he had to do something before anymore damage could be done. He contacted one of the sysops, +mrsnappy, who put him in contact with me.� Julaa then told everyone about her observations of Alaska�s puter. �I am with the impression we need to make contact with her, she needs to be warned. Her life is in great danger, she is an innocent lady. She is so alone and fell into the hands of Omar. He used her to get information. Made her feel so needed and important. I know Omar, I have studied his profile for two years, he will not allow anyone to live to testify against him."
Shilo and Carrie sat in their room trying to console one another. He held her and soothed her, she in turn cried as she laid her head against him. she grew strength from him. �I just want this nightmare to end.� Then she drifted off to sleep as he held her. His mind began to work overtime. �How can the Canucks have contact with someone as devious as Omar?� His thoughts ran rapid, he went over and over the info Roaddog had given Paperarmor. Could the FEMA agent really be a threat? His thoughts were interrupted, as a light tap on the door, Paperarmor and Julaa wanted to talk to him in private. With the two ladies sound asleep, he joined the CIA agents in the living room.
The news at the table was flowing and shocking, so shocking that the women awoke and joined the conversation. The CIA agents had informed the Pathways that the shots fired and explosives set were done so by an Aftamilita soldier. The terrorist was later tracked down and shot by the FEMA agent, who was actually CIA undercover. More shocking news....Omar Shee was demanding their termination due to the fact that the Pathways had accidentally downloaded the complete list of Aftamilita soldiers world wide. A freak that it happened, but happen it did! This text was the encrypted information that couldn�t be decoded by the Pathways but Paperarmor had success at this endeavor! World wide, a shopping list of the lead terrorist, pictures aliases, locations, armaments, communications, and contacts. As this conversation was taking place, a mop up operation was taking place across the globe. Shilo and his Combat game was even credited with training CIA agents in the art of destroying Aftamilita soldiers. Carrie broke out in uncontrollable laughter....just the thought of Shilo training assassins, why Shilo emptied the 9 shell chamber of his pistol chasing a rabbit from his garden! And has yet to hit it!
By now the sun was rising and the night had given way to chirping birds and the call of the bobcat. But Paperarmor and Julaa were not finished yet...and they saved the most startling news for last. Mushmind, Shilo, and Carrie could not believe there was more, they weren�t sure they wanted to hear more, but the trio leaned over the table even more, bracing themselves for whatever was to come their way.
There has been an elite company of Combat Engineers training in the German waterways for an assault which was to take place at 0400 hours EST. Carrie quickly glanced at the clock, it was 6:30 am the attack was in progress, or over. Julaa placed her arms around Carrie as Mush took her hand to comfort her. Shilo looked at Paperarmor with anticipation of the results of the assault. It was clear to all that the mother of all terrorist must be stopped, and for all intents and purposes was with the search and arrest of hundreds of Aftamilita soldiers world wide. But to kill a snake one must cut off its head, or it will return again to strike unexpected targets.
Roaddog was to contact Paperarmor when the mission was over.....and the results known. As he traveled the internet, he was looking, always for a nick he may recognize. How could he have returned to work, were his thoughts. His son needed him. That is why Travlers4 was looking for someone in the game zone. He had a mission, with the determination to finish this task, the information his son had given him drew him back to work as an agent. All of his training had came flooding back as soon as Roaddog told him Bbhah needed help. Not knowing who Bbhah really was, he remembered the casual manner in which she played hearts. Always the lady, the one who conversed with her typing skills. He entered the spades room and as he scrolled down the list of players, the name jumped right off the screen. AlasLinNeedsHp, he located the table and joined in the game. He tried every technique to start a chatting session with this player, it didn�t happen. The game was about to end and two of the players gave their good byes and logged off the zone. Then he noticed the lock-out buttons being clicked. �How am I to know if I can trust you?� He read the typed screen and grinned, she was asking for help. His mission almost accomplished, he smiled, turned to his wife and said, �Call Roaddog, I have made contact.� Travelers4 convinced her to trust him, she sat and read the messages being sent to her from many miles away. They came as a warning, but comforted her in a way that she could not explain. She knew if she changed her nick to a code someone would recognize, only if they knew the real story, not the rumors. Oh they were flying all over the net, from all parts of the world, people came to the zone to play games. It was a family oriented atmosphere. The little village looked so inviting, the green grass and cute little game houses. Whoever had designed the game zone, must have been a compassionate person. She had been up all night, trying to decide. After Omar left the game, so suddenly, she realized she had been used. Fallen into the trap of the net she had heard about so often. She felt mortified, she knew her friends, her real friends, were in danger. She blamed herself, even before she heard the whole story she knew now, it had been a mistake to trust Omar. She read the messages. You are in danger. Must leave your home at once. Bbhah and her husband are safe. Mushmind is with them. Roaddog is my son. I am retired from the CIA. You must take heed. Save yourself. Go to the nearest town. Contact Agent Paperarmor at this address on the internet. Use search AltaVista. Please listen to me, leave immediately. Her hands on the keyboard, she only typed. �I am sorry, meant no harm, only wanted someone to pay attention to me, forgive me, I will make contact, Thank You,� Then she clicked out of the zone. Travelers4 could only pray she had taken his advice.
As the lock on the door clicked shut, Alaska Linda walked away from a lifetime of memories. She wondered what it was like in Huntington, West Virginia...and what John was doing.
When the call finally came the news was more than could be expected. The one named Omar Shee had taken care of things himself and saved the government a great deal of time and money. Omar was found face down on his keyboard, the blood from the gaping hole in the middle of his forehead dripping like rain from a rusty down spout, forming a puddle around the wheels of the chair. In the train car were numerous documents laying claim to most every terrorist action that had taken place over the past 8-10 years.
The area surrounding the car was booby trapped and had numerous land mines, but that was all part of the training for the mission and was expected. There was some resistance when the forces landed upon the beach head, but nothing the assault forces couldn�t handle.
CNN was covering the news shortly after the call had arrived. The entire story was to be shown at 11:00 pm tonight interviews included. The TV was turned off, the group in the cottage in the mountains of Western Maryland had about all the coverage they wanted! A message was waiting for them on the puter...who in the world.....it was from David. He had leave coming, and was on his way to Daytona to meet up with Russell. He didn�t want to miss Earnhardt winning his first race at the only track he had yet to conquer. As the cars were packed and the equipment put away, the time for separation had come. Julaa and Paperarmor were headed to Vale Colorado for some R & R, but promised to meet the Pathways in the Spades room soon. Mushmind was anxious to return home to the family, especially her cats! Her husband had thought she was at an internet convention in Pittsburg. Carrie, Shilo, #3, and the Sony were heading south on I 79 when Shilo quickly pulled into the Dairy Queen at Flatwoods. Carrie agreed that a Blizzard would go good about now! They earned it!
As they pulled in to the driveway, #3 was barking wildly, and upon jumping out of the bed of the full size, began chewing up an old oil container that had washed down the creek. Carrie and Shilo completed setting up the Sony, and soon after Shilo was kicked back in the recliner sleeping with the Yankees on the TV. Carrie fixed herself a cup of coffee, turned on the puter and wondered who was in the zone today......