Excerpt from chapter eight:
In Washington, D.C., an emergency session of the National Security Council
was convened following Maitreya's televised address. Viewership, apparently,
had reached over 160 million in the United states alone, and the call-in
response was overwhelmingly positive. Congressional offices were being
flooded with letters and e-mails calling for withdrawal from Syria, universal
healthcare, a scrapping of and re-writing of energy policy, among other
things. The office of the President itself had fielded more letters, calls
and e-mails in the past week than they had received in the two months
prior. Maitreya, considered to be the power and the organizational genius
behind the OKD, was becoming too influential, and was considered a serious
threat to the current power structure and national security.
Calls were coming in from the leaders of powerful lobbies, suggesting
something must be done to control the OKD movement and Maitreya before
it was unstoppable. Oil companies and arms manufacturers were the most
concerned as they were directly targeted by the proposed goals of Maitreya
and his followers.
The President convened the meeting, and began requesting input from each
of the council members. "Redmond, let's start with you…"
The National Security Advisor began "Well we have been watching this
group since Maitreya was brought in by FBI. We have seen an exponential
rate of growth of their followership on the internet, and TV news and
talk is all buzzing with the OKD, their karmic database service, etc.
There is a very high level of awareness and support, so we must tread
very carefully in terms of public comment or overt action."
"Thank you. State - report….." continued the President.
The Secretary of State stood up. "Mr. President - We have pursued
our inquiries into the connection to Syria and other middle eastern countries
with the OKD - specifically for financial connections, as alleged in the
charges against Maitreya and the OKD. Our diplomatic contact can neither
confirm nor deny with certainty any ties or activities with the OKD and
any known terrorist organizations. Until we have something firm here -
it's still basically smoke. The charges will not hold up in trial.
"Defense - any input?"
"Yes, Mr. President," replied the Secretary of Defense. We have
experienced a drop-off in the rate of new troop enlistments, and a marked
increase in the numbers retiring or not renewing their tours of duty.
Troop levels continue to decrease as a result, and if something doesn't
change soon, we will have to tap the Reserves again to maintain our forces
in Syria. We will be forced to extend the tours of those on active status
there, and the longer they are extended, the higher the probability of
accidents, poor morale, and acts of poor judgment as a result of the heightened
stress levels associated with extended active duty tours."
"That is most disturbing. Any other new information?" commented
the President.
"None at this time sir. Of course we have never solved the mystery
of the disappearance of the ordinance and SAMs from the missile batteries
and anti-aircraft guns during the last protest here. Those missiles and
rounds went somewhere - they are in someone's hands, and not ours. The
SAMs present a serious threat to civilian airliners if they were deployed
for that purpose. Of course, they would need a launcher - but such is
not hard to construct."
"Thank you, Defense - I'm looking for new facts, not conjecture at
this point," remarked the President.
"Yes, sir," replied the defense secretary.
"Treasury - your report…" demanded the President.
"Well, to start with there has been a strange wrinkle in the markets
of late - namely the shifting of investments. There has been a steady
divestiture from defense, oil and commercial sectors and a large influx
into the 'Green' funds, or socially responsible fund stocks. It would
appear that investors have even plugged into this Maitreya character,
and his message of peace and responsible action. Other than that, nothing
new to report."
Order
Now
