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    Ebook199 pages3 hours

    Listen

    By James Aa. Keister

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    About this ebook

    before mankind reached its destination of ruin, geeks were sought to build a system that controled everything and everyone. the system implanted chips into the skulls of conformers. those that rebelled were sought after and killed. gage was such a rebel who guided and protected those who wished for their freedom from the system. the system offered a crime free world, equality for all, food for all, housing for all, jobs for all, but there were rules and punishment for breaking these rules resulted in death. the system controlled all. in order to gain back a free world gage set his plan in motion. a plan to control the system.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJames Aa. Keister
    Release dateJul 5, 2014
    ISBN9781311735614
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    Author

    James Aa. Keister

    James Aa. Keister, was born and lives in Monroe, Michigan. An artist in both the arts and music. Letting this strong sense of talent flourish over into his writings. With an imaginative endorsement of realism that brings forth an ever flowing twist to his novels.

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      Book preview

      Listen - James Aa. Keister

      Preface

      Take the time just to listen...to the voices that are screaming out much too loud. As you slam your head against the wall, then take a look in the distance...try and see it all. Chances are, you just might find that we all share a common discomfort. The E.A.R. The Electronic Agenda Receiver. Are we walking a fine line? Subjected to the system? Yes! Can you even tell what's real? Or have you just given in? Giving ourselves over to a system of control. And yet we allow our youth to be stolen at birth. Our innocence. And still life is on it's way. Born into this world, we are here to stay. A darkness that is kept alive in every one of us and it's grim as ever. Our fallen dreams reaching higher. Could they ever survive the fall?

      So much has changed in these perpetual years. And we feel less certain. Less aware of what once was. Do your memories seem to fade?On and on they are gone. Washing our views away. Just to take on those of the system. Those of someone else. Someone who wishes total domination. And they have control. Just as your chained like a slave, left in the dark. They slam on the locks – (The E.A.R.) and now we are buried alive. Buried within their grasp.

      Can't you hear me? Listen! The voice spoke through the devices implanted behind the right ear of every living soul.

      Chapter One

      This has got to be the worst exploit of humanity mankind has yet devised against itself.

      Maybe so. But look at the countless lives it's saved.

      Hm maybe, but now every child born in this God forsaken country is being implanted with one of those chips. It's even gone way beyond that. What was once a way to help track your child from getting lost, or kidnapped, now a way for the system to keep track of us all.

      Maybe so...but you have to admit, the public wanted it. They've asked for it. Voted it into congress. Made it a law back then.

      Yeah and everything we own will be run off these things.

      But you've got to look at the benefits the system brings us. We won't need to deal with phones, computers, books, television, radios, and all that. The system gives all that to you at the ease of a thought.

      I'm not sure I'm ready to be implanted with something that still has it's flaws.

      Regardless, you've only got until the end of this month to have it done. It's law now. Every U.S. Citizen is to be implanted with the E.A.R. Gim...it'll help you find your bad guys a lot easier. The man's partner stated. And it's only one day off work."

      Yeah, I know, but one day off is really a way to screw up my checks.

      No it's not! Besides, by the end of this year, your gonna need the microchip to do your banking. Without it, no job, no checks.

      Yeah well, I'll wait to see if it screws up your head first. Then maybe. Officer Gimus Peel said to his long time partner. Officer Stavic Cort. Who the hell makes up these laws and rules anyhow? He asked.

      Don't really know. Since the wars back in the late 2000's, the system has taken to total sec-racy. Someone sits up in their high place, hidden from the rest of the world below. Creating rules and laws that we people have no say in. And every year new ones come out. And people deal with it. Stavic said.

      I've heard deeper rumors than that. Officer Jabez Hadlow cut in.

      Yeah, like what? Gimus asked.

      Like...there's really no one running the system. Well, not anyone human. She claimed. Her words made the two men laugh.

      Your saying that there's aliens up there? Gimus teasingly laughed.

      Nope. But I do believe alien's are real. I've been told, she paused to let their laughter subside. Then continued. I've been told that it's something else. Something... She looked around then went to a whisper. Electronic! She stated. Again the laughter spilled out in bursts of hackles.

      I think you better get your implant checked. Stavic chuckled.

      Listen you bone heads. Javbez put her hands on her hips. Tell me why you don't hear anything whenever you speak about the System? It's like it turns off or something. Other wise, you'd hear an ear full of don't! She stated matter of fact.

      Gimus stopped his laughing for a moment. You know what? Your right! It did stop. Shut off. He tapped the side of his head. Oh, I know why. Cause they are tired of your constant babbling. He burst out in laughter. But got slapped for his troubles.

      Ignorant bastards! Jabez stomped off. She picked up her gun belt and strapped it around her waist as she headed out the door. Her partner, Officer Mano Hasbitt, right behind her. Gimus and Stavic sat down at their desks, still laughing. Until their sergeant put a stop to it.

      When you two clowns are done fooling around, I've got a lead on the Muts. The Serg. Told them. Muts were a form of rebels that constantly defied the Systems obedience. Muts, or mutineers that pioneered their own paths. Disconnected from the System. And free to roam undetected. But their lives were no easy task.

      So get your ass' up and get on this! Sergeant Peir Masknay told the men with a point of his finger. And don't get caught! He yelled after them.

      Get caught? Stavic questioned.

      Yeah. This job is gonna take us out close to the Temporal wall. And we don't want to cross that.

      Nope! Don't feel like getting myself fried. Even without a chip. Stavic agreed. The two officers found the place in question. Running down the lead the Sergeant gave them. Sitting outside the old building, staring at it. Awaiting some sort of movement. But saw nothing moving. Gimus reached down to turn on the vehicles stereo but Stavic stopped him.

      Look. He nodded. Outside the building, they saw what appeared to be an old hobo.

      This is what we've been sent to kill? Some old homeless synergism! Stavic complained.

      Seems so. Gimus said.

      It's a real symbiosis. You, me, the system, and them. All living together in one big cesspool.

      Mm. Isn't life grand? Gimus said. If you call it living. Oh, and don't forget to mix in all these big words you like to use into your cesspool. He grunted. How you want to do this? He asked.

      Quiet like. But let's check him first. He might just be burned out.

      Hopefully. It would be a lot less paperwork.

      Ah Gim. We don't do paperwork anymore. Remember? That went out in the 2000'. This is twenty-one hundred bro and we,

      I know what we do Stavic!

      Good. Thought maybe you needed a history lesson. Oh, and it's your turn to hold him down. Stavic said as he got out of the magnicraft. He shut the door quietly and made his way up to the old building. He pulled out his handgun and a long blade. Looked them both over for a second and slid his gun back into it's holster. Looked back at his partner with a grin. Showed him his knife and was about to turn back around to the door when he noticed the strange look on his partner' face. A look of surprised fear. As Gimus glanced past Stavic at the old hobo who came flying out of the door and slid a knife gracefully into the back of Stavic' neck. Shoving it up into the man' brain. Stavic dropped to the ground with a soft thud. And just as quick as Gimus could pull his gun, the man jerked the blade from the dead officer' neck, even before the officer hit the ground. Then with one failed swoop, the hobo threw the blade at Gimus who dodged the blade but lost the shot as the man slipped back into the doorway. Slamming it shut as he went. Gimus let off a couple shots at the door but heard nothing. He was hoping he would have hit the man. Racing over to his partner's side and fell to his knees. Checking for a pulse, but Stavic was gone. Gimus ran for his vehicle and called for back up. Then sat with his partners body until help arrived. He wanted to go after the hobo but his sergeant refused to let him. Full of frustration, he left the scene and headed back to the office. He didn't need anything there, he just needed to get away from everything. There was no reason to stick around either. His partner was dead and he needed to think. Wishing now that he had listened to Stavic and gotten the implant. Maybe he could have avoided the tragedy. He knew that the Captain would require him to take a mandatory day off. So Gimus figured he would use it to have the E.A.R. Implant done. And he would use it to find this hobo killer. Strike his revenge, hunt down every Mut he could find. Killing each one with intended pleasure.

      He walked back to his magnicraft and shut the door. The computerized voice asked him for a destination, but only received a sound of sobbing tears, angered curses, and his fist pounding on the dashboard. When he gained his composure, he told the vehicle to take him to Stavic' apartment. There, he sat among the few items Stavic owned and held his picture of the two of them taken at some officer' dinner a year ago. Found a small black box that had been stashed at the back of Stavic' desk. Hidden at the back of a drawer. Opened it to find more than he had expected. The box contained a list of names and addresses of some people Gimus knew were of great importance. Names given to only the highest ranking officers. Names he recognized. But then found a list of names he did not recognize. Slid the two lists into his pocket along with the small disk he knew was used to download large amounts of information. Often called an Oddlebyte disk or the Oddie. Because of the endless amounts o f Terabytes it could hold and store. Used only by high ranked military officials. For some very important material. Gimus knew that if he found this kind of technology at his dead partners apartment, then the man must have been into something very deep and very dangerous. So he slid all the remaining items from the black box into his jacket pocket. Took another look around the place for anything else the man may have hidden, but found nothing. Glanced over his shoulder one last time before he found the door. There was nothing more to find. And just finding the box was a lucky break. Or was it?

      He closed and locked the door behind him. Drove the twenty minutes home, which should have taken five. But due to the heavy traffic, it took twenty. Which suited him fine. It gave him plenty of time to think. Now he only needed to get access to a C.O.M.P. a computerized online manual P.C. Better known in days of old as a personal computer. Designed to engine endless streams of information. More like a computer on steroids and a lot faster than those built in the early 2000'. He would need to find one of these C.O.M.P.' with an Oddie port. So he could try and open the files on the disk. At home he went right to his hidden stash place and put his newly found treasures into the small cub by hole. Made sure the panel was shut tight and concealed. Then poured himself a strong drink. Sat at his desk and pushed around a few files he had laying there. Flipped open one of the files at random and stared into the face of his partners killer.

      Chapter Two

      He was determined to get back into hiding. Even after the two confrontations he had to settle along the way.. a conformer, he called those that chose to wear the system' E.A.R. Device. And he hated conformers. Useless fools! He grumbled to himself. His shabby clothing was a dead give away to his non conformity. And the conformers were quick to report any sightings of those who refused to receive the implanted E.A.R. Device. Pointing him out of the crowd as people moved to one side, letting the hobo looking man pass through them. Sometimes he would growl at them as he paced by. Sending shards of feared intimidation through the crowd of conformers. No wonder he hated them. They had grown weak and frail to that which sucked the very essence of life from them. The system. The E.A.R.

      Sometimes he would just laugh out loud at the sheer stupidity of it all. Just as he took a glance over his shoulder at the dark magnicraft parked just across an old abandoned parking lot.

      How obvious. He thought. Cars in the twenty one hundreds had no use for wheels. And parking was done via, magnetic strips inlaid along the cities entire grid. So vehicles floated rather than rolled. But could go no further than a couple feet from the ground. Which in the long run, helped to avoid a lot of collisions. And inside this dark mag sat two men. He knew they were System Jack legs sent, most likely, to kill him. But he had other plans as he disappeared into the old building. But instead of trying to run, he spun on his heels and stood behind the closed door. Watching the two officers through a crack in the dust covered window. The smug grins on their smug faces...sickened him. He let out a soft snarl of hatred as one of the two men turned aground. Giving this hobo the perfect opportunity to rush out the door with his long steely blade in hand and shove it up through the Jack' neck. Up it went into his brain and was twisted. Jerked out as the other officer was pulling out his weapon and was thrown. The knife flew at the officer with sheered precision but the Jack dodged it's deadly aim. And even though he missed with his knife, it was enough to make the officer flinch, and the hobo made a hasty escape back into the old factory. Then down into hiding. Leaving nothing more than the dust that floated in the air. Down six flights of stairs and through a door. Crossed the room full of old rusted auto parts, piping, and water puddles. Climbed into a small grating that led him down to another room that had been sealed off years ago. He gave a quick distinct knock at a door and waited. A moment later, he heard a knock and gave another. The door creaked as the sound of rust resisting metal swung out. A latch was lifted and the door creaked open. A face looked out at him along side the barrel of a gun. Then opened further after visual confirmation to let the hobo inside.

      Gage! You made it back. We've been here monitoring the system. Two Sys Jacks were sent to find you...specifically. To kill you. Lipner greeted the hobo man. Gage pulled off his old dusty hobo coat and hung it up on a hook next to the door. Then handed off a bag full of food he had just stolen, to one of the others hidden

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