The Prometheus Effect (33 page)

During the month of February, mass demonstrations, marches and campaigns were established for the acquisition of the truth behind the alien wars. The mantle began to slip, and no matter how many 'independent inquiries' were banded around with the hope of deflecting and misguiding, eventually the use of military force to quell the swelling ranks of angry people was the last card to be played before the carefully conceived construction fell about its foundations, its shock wave felt across the world. Bordering on civil war, the people chose to take back the power of their country and expose those who had sought to falsify and deceive. The military crumbled under the massive pressure of uncertainty, the people joined together as one to unify under the banner of freedom. It was ironic, the peoples power to join together in force with a common goal was not so far from the ideology as envisaged by those who had so carefully designed the whole charade. The community of Britain rallied and sought to expose those who had terrorised them and murdered their loved ones. There were killings and arrests, familiar people with household names were exposed, the surrealism of the situation often seemed more than fantasy.

In the early weeks of March, the full extent of the conspiracy began to rear its ugly head when the newly freed press reported the deaths of tens of thousands of 'traitors' who had been captured prior or during the Censure. The names were so numerous, there was not enough paper to print them on. When the full list was finally compiled later in the year, the name of Sarah Palmer was printed in clear type, her age and place of birth accompanying it. There was no memorial to celebrate her life, the names were too numerous, the data sheet just too large.

By the time the uprisings had begun to spread to surrounding European countries and across the Atlantic, the British public had already established an interim government and had restored civil liberties such as freedom of travel and a restored Internet. The latter sped up the transfer of good information and research carried out by interested parties began to discover the origins and motivations of this secretive and powerful organisation. The freedom of data quickly exposed members in other countries and the effect of the surge of doubt caused an explosion of awareness almost as profound as the Prometheus effect itself.

EPILOGUE

A deserted beach, Florida

September 9
^th
2021

Roger Coffey stood at the shoreline, the waves kissing his brown leather boots. He looked down to his Bulldog and smiled at the persistent look of disgruntlement etched upon its wrinkled features. It would appear that Buzz did not like the cool water lapping at his paws and refused to move another inch closer to the expanse of water, no matter how azure and inviting it was. Roger looked up at the cloudless blue sky and smiled as the hot sun beat down upon his scarred but intact brow.

He picked up a smooth flat stone and threw it from his hip, skimming the object a number of times before it fell and was submerged by the water.

“
You've made a small ripple there.”

A voice said from behind him. Buzz trotted over to the stranger and sniffed his ankles. It was a slim dark hair man, an English man.

“
If you make a small ripple then it will get bigger then who knows what may happen?”

Coffey paused as if to say something then stopped himself, the voice was familiar but then again he didn’t know many English people. In fact only one stuck in his mind, someone with whom he never formally met, someone who he believed to be dead.

Coffey approached the smaller man. His clean shaven, muscular physique bronzed after a hot Floridian summer.

“
And when the stone has made it's ripple it falls below the surface of the water, never to be seen again.” The English man was poetic, eloquent and smiling.

“
My God!” Coffey said slowly looking the man up and down.

“
It's really you, I thought you were...”

Coffey recognised his accomplice, the man whose brave and timely action saved both himself and his country from a pitiful end.

“
I like your doggy.” Joshua said as he bent down to stroke the wiggling and excitable mutt.

“
He likes you...I like you!”

Coffey grinned, clearly delighted to see the man who changed the world.

“
So this is Florida huh? Never been here before. I heard they do great orange juice here.” Joshua walked up to Coffey who shook his head in disbelief and then grasped his hand firmly. Not only had Joshua survived, but he had also sought him out. He had proved himself to be a formidable ally and now he finally had the long overdue opportunity to form a formidable friendship too.

The End