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The Stepping Stone
Chapter Six: Trust and Confusion
Scott A. Gese
Chapter 6
Trust and Confusion
The following morning, Leeson left the house early to take care of some business. He had left Dawson alone to familiarize himself with the system he would need to hack. After John and Darcy ate breakfast, they checked in on Dawson. His nose was buried in his work.
Darcy told him their plan, but he paid little attention. “John and I are going for a walk. We’ll be back soon.”
“No problem,” he replied without looking up.
John and Darcy left the house and began walking toward the nearby city a few blocks away. On the edge of town, they entered what appeared to be a business district. The buildings were modern, featuring softly colored glass, polished stone, and stainless steel facades. A few people were out on the street, but not as many as they had expected. They passed a coffee shop with outdoor seating along the sidewalk.
“Let's get a cup of coffee and people-watch for a while,” suggested John.
They found an empty table and took a seat. A waiter nearby was talking on the phone, glancing their way but not hurrying to serve them. As they waited, both began to feel uncomfortable.
“Do you get the feeling we're being stared at?” asked Darcy.
“Yes, this is getting weird. I think we should go.”
“Let's,” she replied.
As they got up, the waiter approached them. “Go into the shop, now.”
“Excuse me?” John questioned.
“There's no time for explanations. Just do it. You're about to be arrested.”
That was all they needed to hear. They quickly walked into the shop, where another waiter ushered them into a back room. A secret door opened, and they all went in, the door closing behind them. The waiter used a device to scan them. Satisfied with the results, he touched the bare wall in several spots, causing the door to open again. He motioned for them to exit. When they stepped back through the door, they found themselves in an alley, where they were forced into a car and whisked away.
“I'm not sure I like what's going on here,” whispered John.
Darcy remained silent, trying to process what had just happened.
“Who are you, and where are you taking us?” John asked.
“Someplace safe,” replied the driver.
The car left the city and stopped in a remote area. A woman approached the car and opened the door. “Get out and follow me.”
“Not sure if I want to do that,” John replied.
“I'm not asking. Get out now. You have to believe me; you're in trouble, and we're trying to keep you from getting arrested.”
With little choice, John and Darcy stepped out of the car and were led to an abandoned building. The woman pulled out a small device and typed on it. Then, as the waiter had done, she touched the wall in several places. A door appeared, and they went through it.
They entered a large room with several other people.
The woman led them to another room, which looked like an office with a couple of desks. One desk had a computer screen showing the front of the café where they had been seated. The waiter who had told them to go inside was talking to a security officer while several others scanned the area.
“You came very close to being arrested.” The voice came from behind them.
They turned to see an older man standing in front of them.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“My name is John, and this is my friend, Darcy.”
“No, that's not what I mean. Who are you? You're not from around here.”
“How do you know that?” Darcy asked.
“Your friend here has a beard. Did you notice you were being stared at when you were sitting at your table?”
“Yes, we had that feeling,” John replied.
“Did you notice anyone else with a beard?”
“No, I suppose not,” John admitted.
“That’s because beards are outlawed. Facial recognition is demanded by the State. No one in their right mind would be caught in public with a beard. Now, since you've already told me your names, let me ask you another question. Where are you from?”
John was wary and reluctant to answer. “Who wants to know?”
The old man tapped his finger on his pursed lips as he thought. “OK, fair enough. Have a seat.” He motioned for them to sit at a table in the corner of the room. They were joined by a younger woman, who scanned them with a handheld device and showed the screen to the old man. Once he saw the results, she left them alone.
The old man began to speak. “We know you are not from around here. For one thing, you didn't realize you couldn't be out in public with a beard. Second, we just scanned you and found you aren't chipped. Third, you're not one of us. So, if you're not chipped, how did you expect to pay for your drinks?”
“With money or a card,” John replied.
“We haven't used either of those antiquated forms of payment for more than a hundred years. Either you're from somewhere other than this time and place, or you're a Deep State plant. If we determine you're a plant, we'll kill you. It's as simple as that.”
John quickly replied, “Whoa, whoa, hang on a minute. Let's not get too hasty here. We're not Deep State plants. We came through a portal from a parallel universe.”
“What gate and why?” the old man asked.
“One several blocks from here. In the park with the stone wall.”
“The Freedom Wall?”
“If that's what you call it, yes.”
Darcy was clearly shaken by what was happening. “I just want to go home.”
“We may be able to help you with that. First, you need to tell us why you're here.”
“Look, we've told you who we are and where we came from. It's your turn to tell us who you are.”
The old man smiled. “You're cocky for someone who may be looking death in the face.”
“I don't see what I have to lose,” John replied. “Your turn to answer my question.”
“Okay, I'll play along. If you're Deep State, you already know who I am. If not, I go by the name of Quest. We are the resistance. Myself and many others like me are fighting for our freedom. The people of this world have been chipped for too long. We will no longer be slaves of the Elite. We know of the gates but thought they had been taken offline years ago. How did you open one?”
“We didn't. It was opened for us.”
“By who and why?”
“By a man named Leeson. He wanted a favor from us.”
Quest's voice changed to a more forceful tone. “Leeson! Do you know who Leeson is?”
“Someone in the government is all we know.”
“Leeson is the head of security for the universal quantum computer system. Someone in the government! As far as I'm concerned, he is the government. What is the favor he wants from you?”
Darcy grabbed John and motioned for him not to tell, concerned for her father. She spoke up. “We're not going to tell you that. It was a mistake to come here. Let us go home, and I promise we won't bother you again.”
“I'm afraid you don't understand, Miss Darcy. We are at war with the Deep State. The only way you will go home is if you answer my questions. It's the ONLY way!”
Darcy took a deep breath. Pleading didn't work. “Can we at least have your word that you will let us go if we answer your questions?”
Again, Quest smiled, sensing that the request lacked serious consideration. “Miss Darcy, you don't know who I am. Trusting me based on my word seems foolish.”
“It's all I have. You say you're fighting for a just cause. To me, that makes you an honorable man. Where I come from, honorable men can be trusted.”
“You are correct. I am fighting for a just cause, and yes, I do consider myself an honorable man. So yes, as such, you have my word. Answer my questions, and you will be free to go. So again I ask you, what is the favor Leeson wants from you?”
Was Quest an honorable man? Would he let them go? Could he be trusted? The questions raced through Darcy's mind. She didn't know for sure, but her intuition and his word were all she had to go on, so she answered the question. “He wanted me to bring my father to see him.”
“Why? What does your father have that Leeson could possibly want?”
“He says there are people within the government who have taken control of the Gates of Hell and are using them for their own nefarious purposes. He feels my father can hack into the government's computer system and permanently close those gates.”
“Leeson is part of the Deep State apparatus. He has you believing he needs someone to hack into his own computer system?”
“Yes, I don't understand why you take such a dark view of Leeson. He is working for the same thing you are: to free the people.”
Quest couldn't believe what Darcy had just told him. “Miss Darcy, I hate to inform you, but you are being lied to. Leeson is talking in circles. The Elites do not control those gates. What he wants is to regain control of them. He desires control over all the gates. He doesn't want to close the hell gates or free anyone. It has taken us many years, but we have managed to take control of and seal many of these gates. What he wants from your father is his ability to hack into our computer system to reopen them. He's trying to wrestle back control of the gates. The last thing he wants is freedom. If your father can actually do this, Leeson will never let him go. Or you two, for that matter. He will chip you and add you to the slave population.”
“No, no, that can't happen. What have I done?” Tears began to flow from Darcy's eyes.
“If Leeson is such a bad guy, why don't you just kill him?” asked John.
“We have tried to move away from murder. Killing Leeson will not solve our problem. There are others just as evil waiting in the wings.”
“You did say you would kill us if we were working for the Deep State.”
“That was only meant to scare you.”
“Well, it worked,” replied Darcy, wiping her tears.
“Dry your tears, Miss Darcy. There is a way out of this. There is always a solution.”
“That sounds like something my father would say.”
“Well then, your father sounds like a wise man. I would like to meet him. Maybe I can convince him of the mistake he is about to make.”
“There's no guarantee my father can even hack this system.”
“Maybe not, but if he can... we are all in trouble.”
“I'm a man of my word. I'm sending you back to Leeson. Now I must trust the two of you to be honorable. Don't let Leeson know you left the house. You must convince your father to meet with me. Leeson will leave again tomorrow. He has daily obligations to attend to. We'll pick you up tomorrow at nine in the morning. Be ready.”
Quest motioned for the woman who had first scanned them. “Take these two back to Leeson's house.”
“Which one?” she asked.
“The small one where he sometimes spends the night with his mistress, Anna.”
Before they left the room, John spoke up. “How do we know you're not the one who's lying?”
“Because you have my word, and right now you have nothing else to go by.”
The woman led them to a car and drove them back to the house. “I'll pick you up here in the morning,” she stated as they got out.
The two went inside. Thankfully, Leeson was still gone. Dawson was still on the computer.
John stuck his head into the room. “Dawson, do you have a minute? We need to talk.”
Dawson looked up. “You sound serious.”
“Our lives may be in danger.”
Dawson stopped. “Then I guess we had better talk.”
John and Darcy explained the events of the day to Dawson and what Quest had told them about Leeson. “Quest wants to meet with you tomorrow morning. Please meet with him. Do you recall when you asked me if I trusted Leeson and I told you not fully? Now I'm beginning to understand why. Will you please agree to meet with Quest?” Darcy was almost begging.
“I trust your intuition, Darcy. If you feel that strongly about it, then I'm all in.”
Darcy was relieved to hear him agree. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“Don't let Leeson know Darcy and I left the house,” added John.
“No problem,” replied Dawson, returning to work on Leeson's computer.
It was late when Leeson walked in. He checked on Dawson, who was still at the computer. “How are things progressing? Are you getting anywhere?”
“I'm beginning to understand your system. Another day and I should be up to speed. This system is amazing. I never thought I'd see anything like this in my lifetime. I can't wait to get a little deeper into it.”
“You'll get your chance soon enough. Timing is everything.”
Leeson walked over to the table where John and Darcy sat. “How about you two? What did you find to do with yourselves today?”
“Not much, just hung out around here,” answered Darcy.
“I see,” replied Leeson. “Have you thought about going into the city?”
The question took Darcy by surprise. John quickly replied, “We thought about it but weren't sure if that was a good idea. What do you think?”
“I think you should see what our city looks like. I think you'll like it. How about if I give you a tour tomorrow? I know of a nice little coffee shop with outdoor seating you might enjoy.”
Darcy gulped hard. “I'd love to, but I've been neglecting my studies. I have a final exam coming up in a few days, and I need to spend the day tomorrow prepping for it. How about the day after?”
Leeson smiled without saying a word. The silence grew uncomfortable until he finally spoke. “The day after tomorrow it is. I'll show you around in the morning and take Dawson to a meeting with me in the afternoon. It will be a long day. We'll need to leave early. Shall we say around nine?”
“That sounds wonderful. A day of fun after cracking the books tomorrow.”
“I'll be looking forward to it.” Leeson left them and walked back into the other room to talk with Dawson.
Darcy looked over at John and whispered, “That was awkward. Do you think he knows?”
“He's the head of security. You can bet on it. I hope he doesn't try to thwart our meeting,” replied John.
Darcy didn't think that would happen. “If I were in his shoes, I'd let it happen and have us tailed. I'm sure he'd love to know where Quest hides out.”
“Maybe. We'll let whoever picks us up know the situation. It'll be their call.”
That evening, Darcy buried her nose in her laptop while John found a book to read. Dawson picked Leeson's brain as he continued to devour all the information he could about the system he would soon be getting into. The end of the evening didn't come soon enough. The night was long, and sleep was fleeting. The morning light streaming in through Darcy's bedroom window was a welcome sight.
It was almost eight o'clock when Darcy heard familiar voices outside her door. She got herself ready before coming out. The first person she saw was Leeson.
“Leeson, you're still here?”
“Yes, I'm behind schedule this morning. You sound surprised?”
“It's just that you're usually gone by now, that's all.”
“I'm just about out the door. Do you still plan to study all day today?”
“Yes, that's the plan.”
“Well, enjoy. I'm out of your hair. Stay out of trouble now,” he commented with a smile as he left the house.
As soon as the door shut, John went to the window and watched him leave. “That smile of his is beginning to bug me. What time is it?”
“We have ten minutes,” replied Darcy. “Let's head out to the road. Make sure you have everything. We may not be back.”
Dawson wasn't quite ready to leave. “Give me five minutes. I'll be right behind you.”
“We need to go now, Dawson.”
“Five minutes. I'll be there.”
John and Darcy headed for the road, staying out of sight as they hid behind a thick hedge. Time crawled by. Finally, a car pulled up out front.
Dawson hadn't shown up yet. Darcy was getting nervous. Seconds seemed like minutes as she kept her eyes fixed on the house. She was relieved to see her father step through the doorway. As soon as he reached them, they all jumped into the car. Darcy sat up front with the driver. “We may be followed. I think Leeson is onto us.”
“We are being followed. You all have tracking devices attached to you,” replied the driver. “No problem, though. I'm always followed. It comes with the territory. You can be sure Leeson knows you met with Quest yesterday. The reason he didn't say anything was that he thinks you'll lead him back to Quest. He's wrong. I wouldn't plan on coming back here tonight.”
John looked over at Dawson. “What took you so long?”
Dawson pulled a small box out from under his shirt. “I thought this might come in handy. It's the hard drive out of Leeson's computer.”
“That can also be tracked,” replied the driver. “We'll need to deal with that as well. For now, place it in the cloth sack by your feet. It will cloak any tracking device it might be carrying.”
Dawson complied, ensuring it was sealed tightly.
They navigated several back streets before entering a parking garage. They were still being followed. As they arrived, another car was waiting for them. Everyone exited, and four other people climbed in. Someone scanned Dawson and the others, pulling a small thread from their clothing. One thread was given to each of the three new passengers before they left the garage. The entire exchange took less than a minute. Their assignment was to lure the car that followed them away and lose it. Dawson and the others piled into the new car and drove off. Once they confirmed they weren't being followed, they made their way to a smaller parking garage.
As they drove in, the woman they had met the day before approached and greeted them. “Do you have any electronic devices on you? I’ll need them for now. I understand you have a hard drive? I’ll need that as well. Follow me, quickly.”
She took the devices, including the hard drive, and placed them in a special cloth sack that cloaked the tracking devices of anything put inside it. She sealed it and then ushered everyone into a nearby utility room. As before, she typed something into a small handheld device and touched the bare wall in several places. After a couple of seconds, a door appeared, and they entered. They found themselves in an office area, where they were directed into a private room. Quest joined them shortly.
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