us today. He wore camouflage like the rest, and sat near Niedermeyer’s clump in the auditorium. “Have you tracked any Amenac activity originating in Pennsylvania?”
“We did look at that,” I answered. “They’re locked up tight. No civilian communications.”
“I looked a little deeper,” added Emmett, “with some other members of the Amenac ecosystem. The tech is good on the Pennsylvania communications barrier. We cracked through, of course. But all the digital cables are interdicted at the borders. The Army has a strangle-hold on the power lines. Engaging the public in there would be a challenge.”
“But Amenac does track visitor locations?” General Cullen followed up.
“All web servers track that,” I agreed. “Amenac more than most. That’s integral to our system for frustrating the Fed’s efforts to shut us down. If Amenac can’t locate you, you can’t view the site.”
“So if I had a major operation to plan,” Niedermeyer asked, “and I wanted the sort of help Amenac provided with the New York relief plan – would you envision that as a marker?”
“Ah – we went all out on these presentations,” I said. “I think Emmett holds the only marker worth that much.” Well, Emmett and Canadian intelligence. “We don’t have the staff.”
“There’s plenty of unemployed tech talent around,” Emmett differed. “We could add staff for the right project. But Amenac’s existing sponsors hold veto power. We’d have to agree with the goals.”
“Does that mean HomeSec has to agree with the goals?” Niedermeyer clarified.
“HomeSec is a factor we’d take into account,” allowed Emmett. “The driving consideration is Amenac’s public mission. We’d be very protective of that brand.”
“We have the public trust,” I emphasized. “We would not be open to violating that trust.”
“Of course,” Niedermeyer agreed thoughtfully. “That was key to your effectiveness with the New York plan.”
That was key to our effectiveness in everything, including the glue that held us together. But I simply nodded.
Again, Niedermeyer adjourned us for a mid-morning snack break. We got a second standing ovation.
Emmett’s phone buzzed. He would have ignored it, but one of the Connecticut Rescos held up his own phone, and said, “You need to take that, Emmett.”
Emmett read a text message, and nodded. The other shoreline Connecticut Rescos were already headed out the door. “Excuse me, we have a situation. We’re expecting the temperature to fall to 20 degrees by tomorrow night. And the Connecticut shoreline hasn’t got all the harvest in yet.” He grinned an apology. “This freeze affects New Jersey, too. All of us, actually. But inland you’re probably done with the harvest. We’re not. Major Cameron? Could you help me with Long Island while I deal with New Haven?”
And they were off. I noticed that Niedermeyer also dispatched Adam. The New Hampshire and New Jersey Rescos left in a hurry, too.
I grabbed my phone to check in with Alex about my garden and the livestock. He was a reliable kid, but sometimes teenagers didn’t think things through.
Emmett caught me at the water fountain during the break, to quickly tell me that he’d pick me up at the motel for dinner at 6:45 that night.
“Can’t DJ cover for you at home?” I asked, aggrieved. “The summit is important.”
“What? Oh, I’m done with the freeze,” he agreed. “I just authorized overtime pay for the farm workers on my dime, and got people moving. For the rest of the day, we’re doing breakout sessions in parallel with the presentations. I’m booked solid. Take good notes for me, OK?” He gave me a peck on the cheek, and started to leave.
He arrested himself and turned back. “Oh, I forgot.” He grabbed me up in a big hug, kissed me fully, and laid his forehead on mine. “I am so proud of you. And Amenac. Awesome job, Baker. Especially the part where you made me free Tom Aoyama and save New York. That was pretty
“We did look at that,” I answered. “They’re locked up tight. No civilian communications.”
“I looked a little deeper,” added Emmett, “with some other members of the Amenac ecosystem. The tech is good on the Pennsylvania communications barrier. We cracked through, of course. But all the digital cables are interdicted at the borders. The Army has a strangle-hold on the power lines. Engaging the public in there would be a challenge.”
“But Amenac does track visitor locations?” General Cullen followed up.
“All web servers track that,” I agreed. “Amenac more than most. That’s integral to our system for frustrating the Fed’s efforts to shut us down. If Amenac can’t locate you, you can’t view the site.”
“So if I had a major operation to plan,” Niedermeyer asked, “and I wanted the sort of help Amenac provided with the New York relief plan – would you envision that as a marker?”
“Ah – we went all out on these presentations,” I said. “I think Emmett holds the only marker worth that much.” Well, Emmett and Canadian intelligence. “We don’t have the staff.”
“There’s plenty of unemployed tech talent around,” Emmett differed. “We could add staff for the right project. But Amenac’s existing sponsors hold veto power. We’d have to agree with the goals.”
“Does that mean HomeSec has to agree with the goals?” Niedermeyer clarified.
“HomeSec is a factor we’d take into account,” allowed Emmett. “The driving consideration is Amenac’s public mission. We’d be very protective of that brand.”
“We have the public trust,” I emphasized. “We would not be open to violating that trust.”
“Of course,” Niedermeyer agreed thoughtfully. “That was key to your effectiveness with the New York plan.”
That was key to our effectiveness in everything, including the glue that held us together. But I simply nodded.
Again, Niedermeyer adjourned us for a mid-morning snack break. We got a second standing ovation.
Emmett’s phone buzzed. He would have ignored it, but one of the Connecticut Rescos held up his own phone, and said, “You need to take that, Emmett.”
Emmett read a text message, and nodded. The other shoreline Connecticut Rescos were already headed out the door. “Excuse me, we have a situation. We’re expecting the temperature to fall to 20 degrees by tomorrow night. And the Connecticut shoreline hasn’t got all the harvest in yet.” He grinned an apology. “This freeze affects New Jersey, too. All of us, actually. But inland you’re probably done with the harvest. We’re not. Major Cameron? Could you help me with Long Island while I deal with New Haven?”
And they were off. I noticed that Niedermeyer also dispatched Adam. The New Hampshire and New Jersey Rescos left in a hurry, too.
I grabbed my phone to check in with Alex about my garden and the livestock. He was a reliable kid, but sometimes teenagers didn’t think things through.
Emmett caught me at the water fountain during the break, to quickly tell me that he’d pick me up at the motel for dinner at 6:45 that night.
“Can’t DJ cover for you at home?” I asked, aggrieved. “The summit is important.”
“What? Oh, I’m done with the freeze,” he agreed. “I just authorized overtime pay for the farm workers on my dime, and got people moving. For the rest of the day, we’re doing breakout sessions in parallel with the presentations. I’m booked solid. Take good notes for me, OK?” He gave me a peck on the cheek, and started to leave.
He arrested himself and turned back. “Oh, I forgot.” He grabbed me up in a big hug, kissed me fully, and laid his forehead on mine. “I am so proud of you. And Amenac. Awesome job, Baker. Especially the part where you made me free Tom Aoyama and save New York. That was pretty
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