“During the Second World War, there was an active resistance in Nazi-occupied Europe. There were some confrontations with the Nazis, but most of their activities didn’t involve battles. The resistance gathered intelligence data, smuggled escaped soldiers out, issued propaganda, and provided safe houses for allied agents. In other words, it fought the Nazis without engaging them. And it was effective. Without it, victory would have been a lot harder to achieve.”
Jerry frowned. “You’re talking about supporting the people who are doing the actual fighting?”
“Exactly.”
“Okay, who are those people? During the war, they were the allied troops. There are no allied troops here. There’s nobody fighting the Peaks. Nobody to support. Are we just supposed to sit back and wait for someone else to do the work?”
Candale said, “You’re wrong. There’s an emerging resistance all across the country. It’s not organized into a cohesive force, and it may never be. But it’s building, and it’s starting to take the fight to the Peaks.”
“Is that your opinion, or do you have evidence to back you up?”
Baxter said, “I have evidence. In the last two weeks alone, a car blew up in Montreal just as a Peak transport passed by. It killed four Peaks. In Moncton, three armed men burst into Peak headquarters with automatic rifles and killed seven Peaks. A remote-controlled truck drove through a barricade at a Peak training camp in Sarnia and blew up killing fourteen Peaks, including two officers. Just before I came here, I learned of an attack in Regina that killed four Peaks and another in St. John’s that took out three more. There is a growing and active resistance out there.”
“How come we never heard about this? We may be isolated here, but at least for now we have satellite Internet coverage. Believe me, if this was on the news, we’d know about it.”
“It wasn’t on the news. The media were ordered not to report it under the threat of punishment under the Insurrection Control Act.”
“So how do you know about it?”
Candale said, “Hold on. Let’s set some guidelines. Any questions about Ivan, where he works, what he does, or how he knows the things he does are off limits. He won’t answer them, so it’s a waste of time to ask. How does he know about these attacks? Because he’s in the right place. That’s all you need to know.”
Jerry said, “In that case, there’s no point in continuing. Look, I need something more than your assurances that everything is okay. Kryss here doesn’t want to be put at risk. I get it. But neither do I. So, Kryss, tell us how you know about these attacks, or this meeting is over.”
Candale said, “Fine. The meeting is over. We do this on our terms or not at all, and one of our terms is that Ivan’s role is secret from everyone except Ellen and me.” He stood up. “Let’s go, guys.”
Baxter said, “Hold on. I want to make this work, so I’m willing to tell you something about myself. But first, I need your assurances that nothing I say, nothing, leaves this room. No exceptions. Do you agree?”
Candale added, “And if this leaks out, both of you will be expelled from this community. Permanently. That’s the deal. You give your commitment that everything said in here stays in here, or this meeting really is over. What’s your response?”
Jerry and Alan studied Candale and looked at one another before Jerry said, “I can make that promise. I won’t talk.”
Alan said, “Agreed. I won’t reveal anything said in here unless the three of you approve it.”
Baxter nodded. “I’ll accept that. Because Ross and Ellen have recommended both of you, and I trust them, I’m willing to disclose this.” He paused. “I have a contact within the National Peacekeeping Force.”
Alan and Jerry powered up from their chairs. “Someone you know works for these bastards?”
“Yes. And if they ever find out about her, she’ll be dead. So would I. So there you have it. All it would take to get rid of me would be one call to NPF headquarters. By telling you this, I’m putting my life on the line.”
Alan said, “Not quite. We still don’t know your real name.”
Sangster leaped up from her chair, her face red. “What the hell is the matter with you two? Our friend has just risked his life, and you want more? Well, you can both go to hell. Get out. This meeting is over. Ross, this community is ours. We founded it. We will decide how it goes. If either of these jerks and their hangers-on want to stay, it will be on our terms. I’ve had it.” She stormed from the room.
Candale said, “The only reason I didn’t say what Ellen just did is that she’s a faster thinker.” He stood. “Look, Ivan said he wants to make this work. So do I. You can bet he’s sincere, otherwise, he wouldn’t have told you what he just did. You guys have a choice. You can accept that you’re going to be in the dark about Ivan, or you can refuse to work with him. In that case, Ellen and I will decide which way this community is going. You won’t have any input and one of you, maybe both, will no longer be welcome here. Ivan and I are leaving the room. We’ll be back in ten minutes. Figure it out.”
Ten minutes later, the three of them returned, Sangster’s face still etched with anger. Candale said, “Well, what’s it to be?”
Jerry said, “We’re agreed. We’ll do it your way. Let’s hear your plan.”
39
COORDINATING THE RESISTANCE
Baxter said, “Let me start by saying that what I’m about to propose isn’t so much a plan as it is an outline. There are a massive number of details that need to be worked out, and frankly, any one of those could kill what I have in mind. So I’ll give the outline. If you agree, it’s up to all of you to figure out how to make it work. Okay?”
Alan said, “I’m willing to listen.”
Jerry said, “Ditto.”
“Good. I said this was more an outline than a plan, but it does have one goaclass="underline" to make life hard for the Peaks. To weaken them. To make them vulnerable.”
“How?”
“One thing we can do is offer refuge to anyone the Peaks identify as subversives. People like Ross and Ellen here. And you. The list is growing. There are thousands of people who need to get away from the Peaks’ grasp. We can provide that. At least for a few of them.”
Jerry said, “Two problems. No, make it three. First, how do we find out who these people are? Second, how do we get them here? Third, you said thousands. We can’t accommodate that many people.”
Alan said, “And fourth, once the Peaks figure out what we’re doing, they’ll just swat us out of existence. We’d be putting ourselves and this community at risk. That’s what I want to avoid.”
Baxter said, “Okay. How do we find out who these people are? My contact in the NPF can identify anyone who has been added to the subversives list and funnel that information to me.”
“How do you get it to us?”
“I’ll come to that in a minute. You also asked how we get these people here. We’d need a team of intervenors. Allies in the communities who could get to the targets before the Peaks can and help them travel here.”
“These people would be living out in the cities. How do we get them to join us? How do we trust them?”
“We find people the Peaks are targeting and recruit them. Most of them will already hate the Peaks and would be willing to help. We can give them the choice of joining us here or staying in the cities to help us.”
“But if the Peaks are targeting them, they wouldn’t last long. They’d want to get out. I would.”
“That’s where my contact comes in. She can change the database so these people are no longer on it.”
Jerry said, “Hold on. What if these people on the subversives list don’t want to cooperate or don’t even believe they’re on the list? Are you going to force them?”