Prey World - Rebellion Beyond by Alexander Merow
Somewhere under the roof of the ramshackle house was a bird-nest, Frank felt certain. Today he had already been woken up once more by excited flutter and loud twitter in front of his window. Kohlhaas rolled scolding over the mattress and pulled the bedsheet over his head.
„Bloody hell! That noise drives me insane!“, he groaned and finally crept out of his bed.
Alfred Bäumer already sat in the kitchen and was drinking a coffee. Meanwhile, he had also noticed the never ending chirping that was robbing the two men of sleep since days.
“They are really loud! Maybe these birds are breeding”, muttered Alf.
“Yes, but where is the bird-nest?”, asked his young housemate who was still bleary.
Frank stretched himself, trudged to the coffee pot and hoped that this drink would finally help him to wake up. He yawned loudly, collapsing into the chair beside the ktichen table.
„We must fetch the long ladder from the shed to search the roof. The birds must be somewhere there“, suggested Bäumer and rubbed his eyes.
Another yawning followed and Kohlhaas nodded approvingly. After the breakfast, the two men left the kitchen, went to the old shed next to their house and tried to yank a ladder out of a huge pile of clutter.
It was not easy, but finally the they succeeded and pulled the ladder with a bearish effort out of the backyard shed.
„Puh!”, gasped Frank and went to the house, with the ladder under his arm. „The chirping comes from the corner up there, under the roof.”
„Let me look for the birds!“, said Alfred, pushed his friend to the side and climbed up the ladder. When he reached the roof and looked over the rotten bricks, it became clear that they had to repair a lot in this summer. But now it was valid to find the pinnated guests at first. A bird with beautiful black and white feathers flew out of a hole in the wall, almost colliding with Alf`s head. Then it took course downwards. Bäumer looked baffledly at the small animal and began to smile.
„These birds are probably swallows“, he shouted at Frank. „I have found the nest. It`s here, Kohlhaas!“
Bäumer heard an excited twitter between some bars and finally recognized five tiny, yellow bills. Meanwhile, the birds reacted on him with still louder noise. He pushed the ladder a bit to the left and climbed again upward to have a better sight.
When Alfred`s face, with its dark beard and the stubborn eyes, appeared in front of the nest, the little chicks answered with a panicky: „Beep! Beep! Beep!“
The tall man hummed and still thought about removing the bird-nest, because the constant noise tortured him since more than a week. But the five little creatures with their yellow bills, their small brown eyes and the pretty, reddish fluff at the necks, finally aroused his compassion after a few minutes.
If Alf would have removed the bird-nest from the roof, the little animals would have had no chance to survive. And to bring it to another place was no good idea.
“What`s up now?”, shouted Kohlhaas from the ground.
„Nothing! Let`s leave our little friends alone. I think we can familiarize with their noise”, said Bäumer.
„You don`t want to remove the bird-nest?“, asked Frank and scratched his head.
„No! I won`t touch these birds. But we have to repair a lot of bricks in the next days, Frank!“, replied Alfred and finally came down the ladder.
Kohlhaas grinned. “Ha, you have a big heart, Alfi! This is so cute…“
„Schnauze!”, growled Bäumer crustily and carried the ladder back to the shed. “The birds don`t disturb me anymore. That`s all!”
“Nevertheless, yesterday you were still complaining the whole day!”, teased him Frank.
“However...”, grumbled Bäumer and walked away towards their house.
Frank smiled and thought briefly about removing the bird-nest by himself. But if Alf was not disturbed anymore, he would also learn to ignore the noise.
“Okay, let`s go!”, said Kohlhaas, locked the shed and followed his friend.
The rest of the sunny week passed by - with house and garden work. HOK, the computer specialist of the village community, visited them once and told the two men about his newest programming activities.
As usual, they hardly understood a word of his detailed explanations and technical terms. The computer scientist had edited their Scanchips to increase the safety. Nevertheless, the two rebels had rented a car with their old Scanchips before the assassination of Wechsler in Paris.
Now, it was time for some “new indentities”, as HOK explained. The concerns about investigations of the GSA, the international secret service, was still above their heads like the sword of Damocles. So HOK finally replaced the old Scanchips and gave his comrades two new indentity cards. Frank Kohlhaas became a construction worker from Berne, called Eduard Rietli, and Alfred Bäumer exchanged his old identity with Peter van Hochvaal from Belgium. „Safer is better!“, meant HOK. And this principle was more important than ever in a time of total surveillance.
Meanwhile, both men had made some investigations on the Internet, concerning this strange organization called Freedom Movement of the Rus or the “Varangian Corps”. They had found some forbidden homepages which were officially not callable, and tried to read the Cyrillic texts with HOK`s assistance. But the Russian writings were still too difficult for the three Germans, what meant that Wilden, whose Russian was much better, had to help out.
„Well, this organization seems to have held a secret meeting with hundreds of people in the underground, in Minsk. However, this is really dangerous and would be perfectly inconceivable in „Central Europe“. Look at this, they report about some of their actions: handing out leaflets, spreading stickers, spraying on walls and so on. Even a small demonstration, that has dissolved itself after twenty minutes! Ha, ha!
Here is something about „descendants of the Rus“ and „social revolution”...”Down with the global tyranny!”...”Russia is the land of the Russians...”
These guys can be glad that the authorities in Eastern Europe are so underpaid and listless. In Western Europe, such actions would be impossible...”, said Wilden and studied the texts on the forbidden website.
Then HOK searched for some more webpages of the freedom Movement and finally found a reward poster of the Belarusian police. The authorities were looking for a man called Artur Tschistokjow, the leader of the organization.
„Well, here they say that this man has obviously founded cells of his group in the Baltic countries, in Belarus and in the western part of Russia. The police assumes that he has changed his name and is living in Minsk now”, told Wilden, the former businessman from Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany.
“In our old homeland, they would catch this Tschistokjow in just one week”, said Frank and tried to translate the text at the bottom of the reward poster by himself.
„We should take some lessions in Russian“, meant Bäumer, looking at Wilden. The older gentleman was pleased about the fact that his knowledge was demanded once again and smiled proudly. „No problem. A good knowledge about the Russian language is absolutely indispensable in the long term if you live here.”
The two men accepted the offer and Frank was quite astonished about his gift to learn foreign languages. Alf, in contrast, seemed to be not as talented as his friend and Wilden who sometimes behaved like an old schoolteacher, scolded the poor Bäumer several times. Also Julia Wilden, the beautiful daughter of the rebel leader, had a lot of fun with watching the two men suffering under the strict command of her father. Often the young woman beheld the Russian lesson for hours – always with a sarcastic smile.
Both men even got homework from Wilden who always examined the training success of his students with increasing meticulousness on the following day. Bäumer was reprimanded again and again, while Frank become something like “teacher`s pet”. After a hard time of learning, Alf finally started to hate the Russian lessons.
The months passed and one day, the summer had just vanished. Now the leaves of the trees around Ivas
slowly changed their color and the days became shorter. Frank Kohlhaas could say that the other villagers still admired him, because of the bold operation in Paris. They liked him, he was sure about that. And above all, Julia Wilden, the daughter of the village boss who had once met him with so much distrust, seemed to cast an eye at him. After the Russian lessions with Wilden, in which Frank could score more and more, she often accompanied Alf and him to their house, talking about this and that.
Julias eyes were focused on Frank, as the young man believed. But he still was not audacious enough to start his own “great offensive”. Wilden`s daugther always remained inapproachable and aloof.
She was a very good friend, without any doubt, but Frank was not satisfied with that in the long term. To show feelings, apart from hate, he had somehow forgotten since his time in „Big Eye“. So he still behaved gawky, never knowing what to do next in her presence. The nightmares and visions that occasionally afflicted him in the sleep, were currently not very frequent, and Frank was glad about it.
He had no more panic attacks and fears, as it had been one year ago. Meanwhile, he rarely startled up before he fell asleep and “Mr. Madness”, his imaginary cellmate, was banned from his mind. But his grown immunity in relation to his fears had demanded a high price.
„I can`t feel any longer“, thought Frank. „I can`t cry anymore, and I also can`t be happy like a normal human being. I can only live…“
Perhaps, the genuine feelings would return one day. They were just locked up behind a large concrete wall at the end of his head. Frank did not know, whether this condition was really a profit.
Before the winter came over Lithuania, the emotions seemed to have buried themselves in a hole under the boundary wall, deep in Frank`s mind. Now they slowly came back, even with a power the young man had never expected. Unfortunately, the positive feelings had not the major part in this outbreak, because the darker the days became, the darker it was in Frank`s brain. Depressions tortured him and he was scared to fall asleep again. The glaring, cruel light of the holo cell returned in his dreams, allied with the computerized woman`s voice from the loudspeaker.
Sometimes, he dreamed that somebody had pushed him into a brightly illuminated hole without a ground. The fall lasted eternally and he rushed faster and faster downwards - but he never reached the bottom.
His murdered father and his dead sister seemed to send him messages from the other side, as Frank sometimes thought. They spoke to him, in the lightless hours of the winter nights, reminding him to take care of Nico.
From time to time, his little nephew appeared as well, telling him that they had surgically removed his heart. Then he held the bloody, pulsatile muscle in his hand and said: „If you don`t believe me, uncle Frank, I can show you what they have done to me!“
These visions were an agony and Kohlhaas had the feeling that there was nobody he could talk about this. Bäumer had already become a good friend, although he was not the right interlocutor for topics like this. His mother would have been one, but she had left this world a long time ago. Meanwhile, Frank could hardly remember her face and her gentle voice.
If he awoke at night and looked around in his dark bedroom, he cursed the causers of his mental horrors. Sometimes, Frank thought about calling the educational institution, in which his nephew Nico probably still was. But this was connected with a very high risk. What should he say to the responsible persons? He was a wanted person and did not exist anymore, as a “normal” citizen of the new world system.
Furthermore, only family members had the right to ask for Nico, but the little boy had no more “official” relatives. Anyway, they would lie to him, Frank said to himself. It was just senseless to call the orphanage.
Thorsten Wilden, the often paternally appearing leader of Ivas, whom Frank viewed as mentor and friend, was not the right person to talk about psychological problems and inner fears. The gray-haired man was just too sober for these things.
Kohlhaas had also a good relationship to his daughter, but he avoided to talk with her about any emotional stuff. She took him for a weird guy with a heart of iron, and that was the image Frank wanted to preserve. Hence, he tried to hide the dark marks on his soul from her attention and was internally ashamed, because of his psychological flaws. Bäumer had already confronted him with his screams in the night, but Frank was just takling about any bad dreams. It was nothing serious, as he assured.
During the whole winter, there was a lot to repair. Some frost and storm damages in the village, and the daily snow shoveling, kept the two rebels on the go.
Besides, Frank killed time with the intensive study of the Russian language, with the support of Wilden. Bäumer had meanwhile given it up to improve his knowledge – for the moment. Sometimes he became angry, when Frank boasted with his new language skills during the dinner.
After a boring and lonely Christmas, some of the villagers celebrated the turn of the year at the Wildens. The former entrepreneur had organized a whole armada of Russian vodka and the party finally became a general booze-up. Frank Kohlhaas and Alfred Bäumer drunk all they could get and went home in the early morning hours, before they could behave badly. Julia Wilden had suffered some lewd remarks from Frank and had reacted very sulkily on her young admirer.
„Do you think...the girl is still angry?”, slurred Frank on the way home and put his arm on Alf`s shoulder.
„Don`t know. Who can understand these women?”, said Bäumer and staggered ahead.
„I nevertheless...only nevertheless...only said… that she is a sweet Blondchen, he, he!”, stammered the young man and almost fell on a huge pile of snow.
„Yes, right! You are right, buddy!“, answered Alf.
„Why was that so amusing?”, muttered Frank.
„Oh!”, bleated Bäumer boozily. “I really tell you, Kohl...Kohlhase! Damn! I have almost forgotten your name, buddy! She is nevertheless...always...somehow...such a prude. Miss “Do-not-touch-me”...I know women, they are all like that, understand? It is normal! Totally normal behavior of women, you know?“
Alfred's experiences with the other sex were not the newest and Frank knew this. So he made some scathing remarks, while his friend became angry.
“What you mean by that, Kohlhaas? I had a lot of women before my time in that fucking prison!”, grumbled Alf.
“I just meant, that your last girlfriend was...”, teased him Frank and gawked at the tall man to his right.
“Fuck you!”, hissed Alf and gave his friend a punch. Frank tumbled into the snow. ”It is not my fault that in...in this dump are no women...Got it?”
His friend straightened up confusedly and staggered away like a dazed bull.
“I should chat Julia up! What do you think? Eh?”, he slured and tried to brush off the snow from his trousers.
„Do what you want, man. Yes, why not? Good...good idea, Frank!”, said Alfred.
“You think...it would be good? Eh?”
“Yes! Chat her up, brother!”
“Die süße Maus...”
“Yes! Hey, Frank...”
“What?”
“Do you know, what “Kohlhaas” means in English?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I just thought...”
“Don`t make me angry, Baumstumpf!”
“Ha, ha! It means...”Cabbage Hare”...Isn`t that funny?”
“Just shut up! Bäumer...”Tree-Man”...whatever...Burp!”
“You are Mr. Cabbage Hare! This sounds much funnier, ha, ha! Ca...Caggage...eh...Mr. Cabbage Head...”
“I don`t care about English, idiot! Now...Come on!”
The two drunk rebels still waded through the slush for a while and finally reached their house. After several attempts to open the front door, they had made it and dropped into the dark corridor.
Their heads roared and totally hazy they crept into their bedrooms. At this night, the alcohol became the guardian over Frank`s sleep. He dreamed about nothing, it was just
black in his head. This was wonderful.
Julia had not been very impressed by Frank`s drunken swank. When he came back to Wilden`s house, the young woman just welcomed him with restraint. Apart from that, Kohlhaas was ignored.
The February of the year 2031 came and the weather in Lithuania was terrible again. Sleets and icy wind anguished Ivas and Frank could hardly leave his more or less warm house which was still heated by only one single wood fired oven. The young rebel did not care about political questions at this time. Casually, he sat in front of the old television, the christmas gift of Wilden, or trawled the Internet for the newest messages from around the world. But most of the time he thought about Julia and his own aimless life. His falsified Scanchip that HOK`s ingenious computer knowledge had made possible, provided an income, an electronic account for a work, he did not do, and for a person who did not exist. Nevertheless, he had enough Globes to live.
Frank had a home, a roof over his head, and a warm room to hang around – and a friend: Alfred Bäumer. Thorsten Wilden was also some kind of friend, perhaps more something like a mentor. Despite everything, Kohlhaas had no real reason to life for. The kiling of Leon-Jack Wechsler had been a part of his personal revenge and in the first weeks after the successful bomb attempt, he had felt like a hero.
With a proudly swollen chest he had walked down the roads of the village and many of the inhabitants, who had distrusted him before, met him now with respect and open admiration. That was great. But this condition slowly evaporated again and monotonousness, aimlessness and a gnawing boredom began to rule Frank`s life.
Moreover, the young man felt lonely. He often thought about Julia in the quiet hours, in which he sat brooding in his room. Then he asked himself if he had ever met this woman in a “normal” life. Sometimes he also remembered Nico, his nephew.
What had become of him? Meanwhile, the boy had to be about four or five years old. Was he still in that orphanage in Berlin?
One day, HOK looked at Nico`s Scanchip files to do Frank a favour. But there was nothing new. The little boy was still listed as a “child in public care“. Nico was somewhere out there, far away, in the administration sector “Central Europe”.
There Frank sat now: mentally unstable, dissatisfied, without a clear aim and also without a female reference person, he really yearned for - if he was honest to himself. He remembered Tina, his last girlfriend, from the time when he had lived in Berlin. In those days, he had still worked as a daywage man in the production complex 42B.
She had left him after six months, and had moved out of the ugly apartment block, in which he had carved out his miserable existence. One day, as Frank remembered, he had just been alone again. Tina had been vanished, leaving no trace of her presence.
The following month changed everything. In any case, on the stage of global policy. Kohlhaas had heard nothing at all about the political tensions between the World Government and the rebellious state of Japan in the last months, but now, an extensive attack against Matsumoto was started by the international media. Suddenly the news stations just knew only one topic: Japan! Japan here and Japan there.
Reports for hours, about the Japanese armament efforts and the underground buildings in the densely populated area around Tokyo, dominated the evening program. President Matsumoto had given the order to build huge bunkers that the civilian population could be evacuated in case of bomb attacks.
Of course, only a small part of the inhabitants of the megapolis, the urban center of the Japanese main island, could be accommodated there, in case of emergency, but it still was an attempt to be not perfectly unprepared in a coming war. Nevertheless, the international press talked of “underground armament factories”. The media clamored and called these subterranen facilities “war factories” or “arsenals of nuclear weaponry”. The bunkers were the proof, in their eyes, that Japan was planning a war against the rest of the world.
On 01.03.2031, the film studios of Hollywood punctually brought a war propaganda film called „Night over Yokohama” to the cinemas. Frank and Alfred downloaded it on an illegal website and were shocked about the malicious grade of agitation against the island state.
In that film, the Japanese, all together trigger-happy maniacs and militarists, attacked peaceful China and slaughtered women and children.
Their leader, president Marusaki Kokushi, who demanded world domination with flashing eyes and a mad look, opened a never ending war against everything and everyone outside the Japanese islands. He collected the skulls of his enemies as a hobby, and his dark, sadistic henchmen served him regularly human meat.
The picture of the insane president of Japan was somehow ridiculous and his exaggerated tantrums appeared silly, but the intention of the movie was clear. It should increase the aversion of the people against the Japanese.
“Night over Yokohama” was a primitive piece of propaganda, but it was nevertheless effective. Murderous hordes of Asian psychopaths dominated the cinema halls for weeks. Furthermore, the Japanese had an eerie technology that they had only invented to kill millions of helpless people without any reason.
However, the hero of the movie was sergeant Steve Williams, an elite soldier of the GCF, who could finally eliminate the evil Japanese dictator, destroying his dark legions almost in a solo run. Frank and Alfred were disgusted of this mean concoction, but they knew that the subliminal message of the movie reached millions of people all over the world.
„My God! Sergeant Williams saves the world! What a stupid shit!”, groaned Bäumer and turned off the television.
„Well, he kills ten Japanese soldiers with every shot“, said Frank with a disdainful smile. Perhaps the guy is real? The secret weapon of the GCF, ha, ha! “
„Anyhow, that film released a true wave of protest in Japan. Even Matsumoto, and he is meant as “crazy tyrant”, delivered a governmental declaration and demands a worldwide prohibition of this bad flicker. But they will ignore his wishes. It is always the same...”, answered Alf angrily.
„However, this is the most malicious movie, I have ever seen!“, said Kohlhaas.
Subsequently, the two men still read some articles, concerning the Japanese reactions on „Night over Yokohama“, and finally went to bed.
On the next day, the Russian lesson with Wilden failed -more or less. The former entrepreneur talked instead about the propaganda film, he had also watched some days ago. Frank listened to his remarks and thought, that he was right.
„What an insolence! Such a primitive defaming! It becomes still worse!”, grumbled Wilden and stamped his foot. “This is much more than simple animosity, this is the psychological preparation of the masses for another war!”
“Are you sure, Thorsten?”, asked Frank.
„Yes! There is only atrocity propaganda against Matsumoto on television - since weeks. They want to swear the world to war, I feel it!”, answered Wilden. But Frank was not sure about this and seemed to doubt.
“I just hope, the damn Lodge Brothers will keep their greedy fingers away from the only free nation on this planet”, mumbled Kohlhaas.
„What we hope, doesn`t interest the World Government. Wait and see! I studied their methods for so many years. This smells like a coming military strike. And my friend Masaru agrees...”, grouched the village boss and sat down on a kitchen chair. „Another coffee?“
Frank denied the question and asked: „Who is Masaru?“
“Ach, didn`t I tell you about Masaru? Well, we made contact again, a few weeks ago. Masaru Taishi is an old affiliate of mine. From my times as a businessman! He lived for many years in Düsseldorf and was the chief of the German branch of a big Japanese concern. Meanwhile, he has gone back to Tokyo with his family. We were good friends at that time, so I wrote him an email, in order to ask if he is still well. He is at my age, a very nice guy.“
„Aha!“, returned Frank and smiled.
„Really! He always gives me the most actual informations about the situation in Japan. Believe me, Japan
is a rising nation, since Mastumoto has come to power. He provided not only a reasonable social security system in his country, and jobs for millions of people, he also gave the Japanese a new self esteem.
Masaru admires him, as most of the Japanese. The president promotes culture and education, supports the families and so forth. This man is a great leader, loved by his people. That`s why the World Government hates him.”
„You have your contacts everywhere, isn`t it?”, said Frank and grinned ambiguously.
„Why not? I will visit Masaru one day. Japan, this would be a great trip, boys...”, answered Wilden.
„And Masaru also thinks, that they will attack Japan sometime?“
“He has no doubt! And this will be no fun. My friend told me, that the Japanese are full of sorrow, because of a possible assault of the GCF. The government in Tokyo has already forewarned the population”, explained the head of the rebel base. „Meanwhile, there are already exercises with flier alarm in every bigger city. The Japanese government seems to know, what will come over them...”
Frank Kohlhaas groaned and asked for another coffee. Would the only nation on earth, that was a ray of hope in this dark age, soon be crushed by the forces of the World Government?
The young man sipped at his cup and disappointedly looked around. Wilden continued his speech: „These bunkers, that the media describe as arsenals of nuclear weaponry, are expanded at present, according to Masaru. I think, you all know, what that means.”
„Do you believe that Japan would have a chance at all if the GCF attacks?”, asked Frank.
„This is difficult to say. Probably, the country doesn`t have great chances, although I can hardly judge the situation from here. The Japanese can be fanatic warriors if they have to defend themselves. They have already proven it many times. It depends on how much power and money the World Government will pump into a war against this renegade state. If they leave Japan in peace and other nations see, that independence is possible, there is the danger, that more and more other countries could follow a man like Mastumoto.
And the discontent is enormous, in many regions of the world. You know this, Frank. Japan is a thorn in the side of the New World Order and the Lodge Brothers have no other alternative than war. They just can`t accept, that a state becomes independent from their omnipotence. Matsumoto refuses to fall on his knees in front of the great pyramide, he doesn`t submit to the self-appointed chosen few. No, they can`t ignore him!”
Wilden`s words sounded plausible and the young man nodded approvingly. The former businessman had analyzed the situation transparently and his conclusions seemed to be right.
It was an oppressing feeling and the remarks of the gray-haired man gave not much room for hope. Mastumoto had chosen the hard way, the way of confrontation with a superior and cruel enemy. But it should still become worse.
It was at the end of the month, when a disturbing event shook the world public. Thorsten Wilden had already rung up Frank and Alf in the early morning hours, to tell them about the newest headlines of the world press.
In the dark hours of the last night, the city of Hangzhou, at the east coast of China, had become victim of a devastating attack with biological weapons. At several places, tactical missiles had hit the city, spreading clouds of deadly substances. Hundreds of people had been killed in only a few minutes. In the following days, over 50000 inhabitants of Hangzhou died from the effects of an increasing epidemic. A mile-long quarantine zone was established around the city by the authorities of the sub-administration sector „China“, while thousands of journalists reported about the disaster around the clock. Now it was valid to look for the causer of the epidemic, and it did not last long till the media had found the guilty ones: The Japanese!
A furious nagging started immediately, and the first messages came on television, that the missiles had been fired from a Japanese warship - according to “secret GSA reports”.
“Mastumoto plans an invasion of China!”, screamed the international press.
Who faced the reports critically, was simply hushed by the furious shouting of the warmongers of the World Government. Foreign diplomats just got the prohibition to speak with Matsumoto or one his advisors.
At the same time, countless angry Chinese went on the streets and demanded revenge for the attack on Hangzhou. It was the rebirth of the old hate between China and Japan, and the international media tried everything to increase the tensions.
The powerful gentlemen behind the scenes had achieved their goal and kept the hate boiling, while the sub-governor of the sector, Li-Zheng, already proclaimed the war against Japan. So the media machinery of the Lodge Brothers spat their lies all over Asia and the rest of the world, without any intermission or objectivity.
Thorsten Wilden was deeply frightened. He nervously ran through Frank`s and Alf`s kitchen and waved his arms. However, the two men were still completely overtired and disturbed too. With narrow eyes, they looked at the village boss.
„This is incomprehensible! Biological weapons! Unbelievable, these criminals stop at nothing!”, screamed the former businessman.
„Nevertheless, they have no proofs at all...”, said Bäumer, but the rebel leader cut in.
„Proofs! Proofs! They don`t need any proofs, they just blame Japan for the massacre! This is just a part of their campaign!”, hissed Wilden and his face became red.
„An attack with biological weapons?“, Frank was still confused.
“Yes, as I have already said! It were missiles with a lethal virus inside. Anyhow, this is what those media rats tell us. Who really knows the truth, Frank? Nobody! Now, the military strike against Japan is justified in front of everybody! And believe me: They will start their war - soon!“
Frank and Alfred became silent. Unfortunately, the leader of the rebel base was mostly right with his forebodings...
Volunteers for Japan
„Bloody hell! That noise drives me insane!“, he groaned and finally crept out of his bed.
Alfred Bäumer already sat in the kitchen and was drinking a coffee. Meanwhile, he had also noticed the never ending chirping that was robbing the two men of sleep since days.
“They are really loud! Maybe these birds are breeding”, muttered Alf.
“Yes, but where is the bird-nest?”, asked his young housemate who was still bleary.
Frank stretched himself, trudged to the coffee pot and hoped that this drink would finally help him to wake up. He yawned loudly, collapsing into the chair beside the ktichen table.
„We must fetch the long ladder from the shed to search the roof. The birds must be somewhere there“, suggested Bäumer and rubbed his eyes.
Another yawning followed and Kohlhaas nodded approvingly. After the breakfast, the two men left the kitchen, went to the old shed next to their house and tried to yank a ladder out of a huge pile of clutter.
It was not easy, but finally the they succeeded and pulled the ladder with a bearish effort out of the backyard shed.
„Puh!”, gasped Frank and went to the house, with the ladder under his arm. „The chirping comes from the corner up there, under the roof.”
„Let me look for the birds!“, said Alfred, pushed his friend to the side and climbed up the ladder. When he reached the roof and looked over the rotten bricks, it became clear that they had to repair a lot in this summer. But now it was valid to find the pinnated guests at first. A bird with beautiful black and white feathers flew out of a hole in the wall, almost colliding with Alf`s head. Then it took course downwards. Bäumer looked baffledly at the small animal and began to smile.
„These birds are probably swallows“, he shouted at Frank. „I have found the nest. It`s here, Kohlhaas!“
Bäumer heard an excited twitter between some bars and finally recognized five tiny, yellow bills. Meanwhile, the birds reacted on him with still louder noise. He pushed the ladder a bit to the left and climbed again upward to have a better sight.
When Alfred`s face, with its dark beard and the stubborn eyes, appeared in front of the nest, the little chicks answered with a panicky: „Beep! Beep! Beep!“
The tall man hummed and still thought about removing the bird-nest, because the constant noise tortured him since more than a week. But the five little creatures with their yellow bills, their small brown eyes and the pretty, reddish fluff at the necks, finally aroused his compassion after a few minutes.
If Alf would have removed the bird-nest from the roof, the little animals would have had no chance to survive. And to bring it to another place was no good idea.
“What`s up now?”, shouted Kohlhaas from the ground.
„Nothing! Let`s leave our little friends alone. I think we can familiarize with their noise”, said Bäumer.
„You don`t want to remove the bird-nest?“, asked Frank and scratched his head.
„No! I won`t touch these birds. But we have to repair a lot of bricks in the next days, Frank!“, replied Alfred and finally came down the ladder.
Kohlhaas grinned. “Ha, you have a big heart, Alfi! This is so cute…“
„Schnauze!”, growled Bäumer crustily and carried the ladder back to the shed. “The birds don`t disturb me anymore. That`s all!”
“Nevertheless, yesterday you were still complaining the whole day!”, teased him Frank.
“However...”, grumbled Bäumer and walked away towards their house.
Frank smiled and thought briefly about removing the bird-nest by himself. But if Alf was not disturbed anymore, he would also learn to ignore the noise.
“Okay, let`s go!”, said Kohlhaas, locked the shed and followed his friend.
The rest of the sunny week passed by - with house and garden work. HOK, the computer specialist of the village community, visited them once and told the two men about his newest programming activities.
As usual, they hardly understood a word of his detailed explanations and technical terms. The computer scientist had edited their Scanchips to increase the safety. Nevertheless, the two rebels had rented a car with their old Scanchips before the assassination of Wechsler in Paris.
Now, it was time for some “new indentities”, as HOK explained. The concerns about investigations of the GSA, the international secret service, was still above their heads like the sword of Damocles. So HOK finally replaced the old Scanchips and gave his comrades two new indentity cards. Frank Kohlhaas became a construction worker from Berne, called Eduard Rietli, and Alfred Bäumer exchanged his old identity with Peter van Hochvaal from Belgium. „Safer is better!“, meant HOK. And this principle was more important than ever in a time of total surveillance.
Meanwhile, both men had made some investigations on the Internet, concerning this strange organization called Freedom Movement of the Rus or the “Varangian Corps”. They had found some forbidden homepages which were officially not callable, and tried to read the Cyrillic texts with HOK`s assistance. But the Russian writings were still too difficult for the three Germans, what meant that Wilden, whose Russian was much better, had to help out.
„Well, this organization seems to have held a secret meeting with hundreds of people in the underground, in Minsk. However, this is really dangerous and would be perfectly inconceivable in „Central Europe“. Look at this, they report about some of their actions: handing out leaflets, spreading stickers, spraying on walls and so on. Even a small demonstration, that has dissolved itself after twenty minutes! Ha, ha!
Here is something about „descendants of the Rus“ and „social revolution”...”Down with the global tyranny!”...”Russia is the land of the Russians...”
These guys can be glad that the authorities in Eastern Europe are so underpaid and listless. In Western Europe, such actions would be impossible...”, said Wilden and studied the texts on the forbidden website.
Then HOK searched for some more webpages of the freedom Movement and finally found a reward poster of the Belarusian police. The authorities were looking for a man called Artur Tschistokjow, the leader of the organization.
„Well, here they say that this man has obviously founded cells of his group in the Baltic countries, in Belarus and in the western part of Russia. The police assumes that he has changed his name and is living in Minsk now”, told Wilden, the former businessman from Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany.
“In our old homeland, they would catch this Tschistokjow in just one week”, said Frank and tried to translate the text at the bottom of the reward poster by himself.
„We should take some lessions in Russian“, meant Bäumer, looking at Wilden. The older gentleman was pleased about the fact that his knowledge was demanded once again and smiled proudly. „No problem. A good knowledge about the Russian language is absolutely indispensable in the long term if you live here.”
The two men accepted the offer and Frank was quite astonished about his gift to learn foreign languages. Alf, in contrast, seemed to be not as talented as his friend and Wilden who sometimes behaved like an old schoolteacher, scolded the poor Bäumer several times. Also Julia Wilden, the beautiful daughter of the rebel leader, had a lot of fun with watching the two men suffering under the strict command of her father. Often the young woman beheld the Russian lesson for hours – always with a sarcastic smile.
Both men even got homework from Wilden who always examined the training success of his students with increasing meticulousness on the following day. Bäumer was reprimanded again and again, while Frank become something like “teacher`s pet”. After a hard time of learning, Alf finally started to hate the Russian lessons.
The months passed and one day, the summer had just vanished. Now the leaves of the trees around Ivas
Julias eyes were focused on Frank, as the young man believed. But he still was not audacious enough to start his own “great offensive”. Wilden`s daugther always remained inapproachable and aloof.
She was a very good friend, without any doubt, but Frank was not satisfied with that in the long term. To show feelings, apart from hate, he had somehow forgotten since his time in „Big Eye“. So he still behaved gawky, never knowing what to do next in her presence. The nightmares and visions that occasionally afflicted him in the sleep, were currently not very frequent, and Frank was glad about it.
He had no more panic attacks and fears, as it had been one year ago. Meanwhile, he rarely startled up before he fell asleep and “Mr. Madness”, his imaginary cellmate, was banned from his mind. But his grown immunity in relation to his fears had demanded a high price.
„I can`t feel any longer“, thought Frank. „I can`t cry anymore, and I also can`t be happy like a normal human being. I can only live…“
Perhaps, the genuine feelings would return one day. They were just locked up behind a large concrete wall at the end of his head. Frank did not know, whether this condition was really a profit.
Before the winter came over Lithuania, the emotions seemed to have buried themselves in a hole under the boundary wall, deep in Frank`s mind. Now they slowly came back, even with a power the young man had never expected. Unfortunately, the positive feelings had not the major part in this outbreak, because the darker the days became, the darker it was in Frank`s brain. Depressions tortured him and he was scared to fall asleep again. The glaring, cruel light of the holo cell returned in his dreams, allied with the computerized woman`s voice from the loudspeaker.
Sometimes, he dreamed that somebody had pushed him into a brightly illuminated hole without a ground. The fall lasted eternally and he rushed faster and faster downwards - but he never reached the bottom.
His murdered father and his dead sister seemed to send him messages from the other side, as Frank sometimes thought. They spoke to him, in the lightless hours of the winter nights, reminding him to take care of Nico.
From time to time, his little nephew appeared as well, telling him that they had surgically removed his heart. Then he held the bloody, pulsatile muscle in his hand and said: „If you don`t believe me, uncle Frank, I can show you what they have done to me!“
These visions were an agony and Kohlhaas had the feeling that there was nobody he could talk about this. Bäumer had already become a good friend, although he was not the right interlocutor for topics like this. His mother would have been one, but she had left this world a long time ago. Meanwhile, Frank could hardly remember her face and her gentle voice.
If he awoke at night and looked around in his dark bedroom, he cursed the causers of his mental horrors. Sometimes, Frank thought about calling the educational institution, in which his nephew Nico probably still was. But this was connected with a very high risk. What should he say to the responsible persons? He was a wanted person and did not exist anymore, as a “normal” citizen of the new world system.
Furthermore, only family members had the right to ask for Nico, but the little boy had no more “official” relatives. Anyway, they would lie to him, Frank said to himself. It was just senseless to call the orphanage.
Thorsten Wilden, the often paternally appearing leader of Ivas, whom Frank viewed as mentor and friend, was not the right person to talk about psychological problems and inner fears. The gray-haired man was just too sober for these things.
Kohlhaas had also a good relationship to his daughter, but he avoided to talk with her about any emotional stuff. She took him for a weird guy with a heart of iron, and that was the image Frank wanted to preserve. Hence, he tried to hide the dark marks on his soul from her attention and was internally ashamed, because of his psychological flaws. Bäumer had already confronted him with his screams in the night, but Frank was just takling about any bad dreams. It was nothing serious, as he assured.
During the whole winter, there was a lot to repair. Some frost and storm damages in the village, and the daily snow shoveling, kept the two rebels on the go.
Besides, Frank killed time with the intensive study of the Russian language, with the support of Wilden. Bäumer had meanwhile given it up to improve his knowledge – for the moment. Sometimes he became angry, when Frank boasted with his new language skills during the dinner.
After a boring and lonely Christmas, some of the villagers celebrated the turn of the year at the Wildens. The former entrepreneur had organized a whole armada of Russian vodka and the party finally became a general booze-up. Frank Kohlhaas and Alfred Bäumer drunk all they could get and went home in the early morning hours, before they could behave badly. Julia Wilden had suffered some lewd remarks from Frank and had reacted very sulkily on her young admirer.
„Do you think...the girl is still angry?”, slurred Frank on the way home and put his arm on Alf`s shoulder.
„Don`t know. Who can understand these women?”, said Bäumer and staggered ahead.
„I nevertheless...only nevertheless...only said… that she is a sweet Blondchen, he, he!”, stammered the young man and almost fell on a huge pile of snow.
„Yes, right! You are right, buddy!“, answered Alf.
„Why was that so amusing?”, muttered Frank.
„Oh!”, bleated Bäumer boozily. “I really tell you, Kohl...Kohlhase! Damn! I have almost forgotten your name, buddy! She is nevertheless...always...somehow...such a prude. Miss “Do-not-touch-me”...I know women, they are all like that, understand? It is normal! Totally normal behavior of women, you know?“
Alfred's experiences with the other sex were not the newest and Frank knew this. So he made some scathing remarks, while his friend became angry.
“What you mean by that, Kohlhaas? I had a lot of women before my time in that fucking prison!”, grumbled Alf.
“I just meant, that your last girlfriend was...”, teased him Frank and gawked at the tall man to his right.
“Fuck you!”, hissed Alf and gave his friend a punch. Frank tumbled into the snow. ”It is not my fault that in...in this dump are no women...Got it?”
His friend straightened up confusedly and staggered away like a dazed bull.
“I should chat Julia up! What do you think? Eh?”, he slured and tried to brush off the snow from his trousers.
„Do what you want, man. Yes, why not? Good...good idea, Frank!”, said Alfred.
“You think...it would be good? Eh?”
“Yes! Chat her up, brother!”
“Die süße Maus...”
“Yes! Hey, Frank...”
“What?”
“Do you know, what “Kohlhaas” means in English?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I just thought...”
“Don`t make me angry, Baumstumpf!”
“Ha, ha! It means...”Cabbage Hare”...Isn`t that funny?”
“Just shut up! Bäumer...”Tree-Man”...whatever...Burp!”
“You are Mr. Cabbage Hare! This sounds much funnier, ha, ha! Ca...Caggage...eh...Mr. Cabbage Head...”
“I don`t care about English, idiot! Now...Come on!”
The two drunk rebels still waded through the slush for a while and finally reached their house. After several attempts to open the front door, they had made it and dropped into the dark corridor.
Their heads roared and totally hazy they crept into their bedrooms. At this night, the alcohol became the guardian over Frank`s sleep. He dreamed about nothing, it was just
Julia had not been very impressed by Frank`s drunken swank. When he came back to Wilden`s house, the young woman just welcomed him with restraint. Apart from that, Kohlhaas was ignored.
The February of the year 2031 came and the weather in Lithuania was terrible again. Sleets and icy wind anguished Ivas and Frank could hardly leave his more or less warm house which was still heated by only one single wood fired oven. The young rebel did not care about political questions at this time. Casually, he sat in front of the old television, the christmas gift of Wilden, or trawled the Internet for the newest messages from around the world. But most of the time he thought about Julia and his own aimless life. His falsified Scanchip that HOK`s ingenious computer knowledge had made possible, provided an income, an electronic account for a work, he did not do, and for a person who did not exist. Nevertheless, he had enough Globes to live.
Frank had a home, a roof over his head, and a warm room to hang around – and a friend: Alfred Bäumer. Thorsten Wilden was also some kind of friend, perhaps more something like a mentor. Despite everything, Kohlhaas had no real reason to life for. The kiling of Leon-Jack Wechsler had been a part of his personal revenge and in the first weeks after the successful bomb attempt, he had felt like a hero.
With a proudly swollen chest he had walked down the roads of the village and many of the inhabitants, who had distrusted him before, met him now with respect and open admiration. That was great. But this condition slowly evaporated again and monotonousness, aimlessness and a gnawing boredom began to rule Frank`s life.
Moreover, the young man felt lonely. He often thought about Julia in the quiet hours, in which he sat brooding in his room. Then he asked himself if he had ever met this woman in a “normal” life. Sometimes he also remembered Nico, his nephew.
What had become of him? Meanwhile, the boy had to be about four or five years old. Was he still in that orphanage in Berlin?
One day, HOK looked at Nico`s Scanchip files to do Frank a favour. But there was nothing new. The little boy was still listed as a “child in public care“. Nico was somewhere out there, far away, in the administration sector “Central Europe”.
There Frank sat now: mentally unstable, dissatisfied, without a clear aim and also without a female reference person, he really yearned for - if he was honest to himself. He remembered Tina, his last girlfriend, from the time when he had lived in Berlin. In those days, he had still worked as a daywage man in the production complex 42B.
She had left him after six months, and had moved out of the ugly apartment block, in which he had carved out his miserable existence. One day, as Frank remembered, he had just been alone again. Tina had been vanished, leaving no trace of her presence.
The following month changed everything. In any case, on the stage of global policy. Kohlhaas had heard nothing at all about the political tensions between the World Government and the rebellious state of Japan in the last months, but now, an extensive attack against Matsumoto was started by the international media. Suddenly the news stations just knew only one topic: Japan! Japan here and Japan there.
Reports for hours, about the Japanese armament efforts and the underground buildings in the densely populated area around Tokyo, dominated the evening program. President Matsumoto had given the order to build huge bunkers that the civilian population could be evacuated in case of bomb attacks.
Of course, only a small part of the inhabitants of the megapolis, the urban center of the Japanese main island, could be accommodated there, in case of emergency, but it still was an attempt to be not perfectly unprepared in a coming war. Nevertheless, the international press talked of “underground armament factories”. The media clamored and called these subterranen facilities “war factories” or “arsenals of nuclear weaponry”. The bunkers were the proof, in their eyes, that Japan was planning a war against the rest of the world.
On 01.03.2031, the film studios of Hollywood punctually brought a war propaganda film called „Night over Yokohama” to the cinemas. Frank and Alfred downloaded it on an illegal website and were shocked about the malicious grade of agitation against the island state.
In that film, the Japanese, all together trigger-happy maniacs and militarists, attacked peaceful China and slaughtered women and children.
Their leader, president Marusaki Kokushi, who demanded world domination with flashing eyes and a mad look, opened a never ending war against everything and everyone outside the Japanese islands. He collected the skulls of his enemies as a hobby, and his dark, sadistic henchmen served him regularly human meat.
The picture of the insane president of Japan was somehow ridiculous and his exaggerated tantrums appeared silly, but the intention of the movie was clear. It should increase the aversion of the people against the Japanese.
“Night over Yokohama” was a primitive piece of propaganda, but it was nevertheless effective. Murderous hordes of Asian psychopaths dominated the cinema halls for weeks. Furthermore, the Japanese had an eerie technology that they had only invented to kill millions of helpless people without any reason.
However, the hero of the movie was sergeant Steve Williams, an elite soldier of the GCF, who could finally eliminate the evil Japanese dictator, destroying his dark legions almost in a solo run. Frank and Alfred were disgusted of this mean concoction, but they knew that the subliminal message of the movie reached millions of people all over the world.
„My God! Sergeant Williams saves the world! What a stupid shit!”, groaned Bäumer and turned off the television.
„Well, he kills ten Japanese soldiers with every shot“, said Frank with a disdainful smile. Perhaps the guy is real? The secret weapon of the GCF, ha, ha! “
„Anyhow, that film released a true wave of protest in Japan. Even Matsumoto, and he is meant as “crazy tyrant”, delivered a governmental declaration and demands a worldwide prohibition of this bad flicker. But they will ignore his wishes. It is always the same...”, answered Alf angrily.
„However, this is the most malicious movie, I have ever seen!“, said Kohlhaas.
Subsequently, the two men still read some articles, concerning the Japanese reactions on „Night over Yokohama“, and finally went to bed.
On the next day, the Russian lesson with Wilden failed -more or less. The former entrepreneur talked instead about the propaganda film, he had also watched some days ago. Frank listened to his remarks and thought, that he was right.
„What an insolence! Such a primitive defaming! It becomes still worse!”, grumbled Wilden and stamped his foot. “This is much more than simple animosity, this is the psychological preparation of the masses for another war!”
“Are you sure, Thorsten?”, asked Frank.
„Yes! There is only atrocity propaganda against Matsumoto on television - since weeks. They want to swear the world to war, I feel it!”, answered Wilden. But Frank was not sure about this and seemed to doubt.
“I just hope, the damn Lodge Brothers will keep their greedy fingers away from the only free nation on this planet”, mumbled Kohlhaas.
„What we hope, doesn`t interest the World Government. Wait and see! I studied their methods for so many years. This smells like a coming military strike. And my friend Masaru agrees...”, grouched the village boss and sat down on a kitchen chair. „Another coffee?“
Frank denied the question and asked: „Who is Masaru?“
“Ach, didn`t I tell you about Masaru? Well, we made contact again, a few weeks ago. Masaru Taishi is an old affiliate of mine. From my times as a businessman! He lived for many years in Düsseldorf and was the chief of the German branch of a big Japanese concern. Meanwhile, he has gone back to Tokyo with his family. We were good friends at that time, so I wrote him an email, in order to ask if he is still well. He is at my age, a very nice guy.“
„Aha!“, returned Frank and smiled.
„Really! He always gives me the most actual informations about the situation in Japan. Believe me, Japan
Masaru admires him, as most of the Japanese. The president promotes culture and education, supports the families and so forth. This man is a great leader, loved by his people. That`s why the World Government hates him.”
„You have your contacts everywhere, isn`t it?”, said Frank and grinned ambiguously.
„Why not? I will visit Masaru one day. Japan, this would be a great trip, boys...”, answered Wilden.
„And Masaru also thinks, that they will attack Japan sometime?“
“He has no doubt! And this will be no fun. My friend told me, that the Japanese are full of sorrow, because of a possible assault of the GCF. The government in Tokyo has already forewarned the population”, explained the head of the rebel base. „Meanwhile, there are already exercises with flier alarm in every bigger city. The Japanese government seems to know, what will come over them...”
Frank Kohlhaas groaned and asked for another coffee. Would the only nation on earth, that was a ray of hope in this dark age, soon be crushed by the forces of the World Government?
The young man sipped at his cup and disappointedly looked around. Wilden continued his speech: „These bunkers, that the media describe as arsenals of nuclear weaponry, are expanded at present, according to Masaru. I think, you all know, what that means.”
„Do you believe that Japan would have a chance at all if the GCF attacks?”, asked Frank.
„This is difficult to say. Probably, the country doesn`t have great chances, although I can hardly judge the situation from here. The Japanese can be fanatic warriors if they have to defend themselves. They have already proven it many times. It depends on how much power and money the World Government will pump into a war against this renegade state. If they leave Japan in peace and other nations see, that independence is possible, there is the danger, that more and more other countries could follow a man like Mastumoto.
And the discontent is enormous, in many regions of the world. You know this, Frank. Japan is a thorn in the side of the New World Order and the Lodge Brothers have no other alternative than war. They just can`t accept, that a state becomes independent from their omnipotence. Matsumoto refuses to fall on his knees in front of the great pyramide, he doesn`t submit to the self-appointed chosen few. No, they can`t ignore him!”
Wilden`s words sounded plausible and the young man nodded approvingly. The former businessman had analyzed the situation transparently and his conclusions seemed to be right.
It was an oppressing feeling and the remarks of the gray-haired man gave not much room for hope. Mastumoto had chosen the hard way, the way of confrontation with a superior and cruel enemy. But it should still become worse.
It was at the end of the month, when a disturbing event shook the world public. Thorsten Wilden had already rung up Frank and Alf in the early morning hours, to tell them about the newest headlines of the world press.
In the dark hours of the last night, the city of Hangzhou, at the east coast of China, had become victim of a devastating attack with biological weapons. At several places, tactical missiles had hit the city, spreading clouds of deadly substances. Hundreds of people had been killed in only a few minutes. In the following days, over 50000 inhabitants of Hangzhou died from the effects of an increasing epidemic. A mile-long quarantine zone was established around the city by the authorities of the sub-administration sector „China“, while thousands of journalists reported about the disaster around the clock. Now it was valid to look for the causer of the epidemic, and it did not last long till the media had found the guilty ones: The Japanese!
A furious nagging started immediately, and the first messages came on television, that the missiles had been fired from a Japanese warship - according to “secret GSA reports”.
“Mastumoto plans an invasion of China!”, screamed the international press.
Who faced the reports critically, was simply hushed by the furious shouting of the warmongers of the World Government. Foreign diplomats just got the prohibition to speak with Matsumoto or one his advisors.
At the same time, countless angry Chinese went on the streets and demanded revenge for the attack on Hangzhou. It was the rebirth of the old hate between China and Japan, and the international media tried everything to increase the tensions.
The powerful gentlemen behind the scenes had achieved their goal and kept the hate boiling, while the sub-governor of the sector, Li-Zheng, already proclaimed the war against Japan. So the media machinery of the Lodge Brothers spat their lies all over Asia and the rest of the world, without any intermission or objectivity.
Thorsten Wilden was deeply frightened. He nervously ran through Frank`s and Alf`s kitchen and waved his arms. However, the two men were still completely overtired and disturbed too. With narrow eyes, they looked at the village boss.
„This is incomprehensible! Biological weapons! Unbelievable, these criminals stop at nothing!”, screamed the former businessman.
„Nevertheless, they have no proofs at all...”, said Bäumer, but the rebel leader cut in.
„Proofs! Proofs! They don`t need any proofs, they just blame Japan for the massacre! This is just a part of their campaign!”, hissed Wilden and his face became red.
„An attack with biological weapons?“, Frank was still confused.
“Yes, as I have already said! It were missiles with a lethal virus inside. Anyhow, this is what those media rats tell us. Who really knows the truth, Frank? Nobody! Now, the military strike against Japan is justified in front of everybody! And believe me: They will start their war - soon!“
Frank and Alfred became silent. Unfortunately, the leader of the rebel base was mostly right with his forebodings...
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