The Krakow Klub Read online

  The

  Krakow Klub

  America is under siege.

  One man has the power to stop it.

  But will he?

  At what cost?

  A NOVEL

  BY

  Philip C. Elrod

  © 2015 by Philip C. Elrod. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the publisher or author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the publisher or author.

  For Kokko

  He misses Tinker almost as much as I do.

  Prologue

  Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton

  In a remote castle, north of Krakow, Poland

  It was early December 1991. They arrived one by one. Strangers, but yet known to each other. After depositing their coats with the servants, they were shown to the elaborate study. The walls covered in ancient molded paneling were dark and lent a gloomy pall to the atmosphere. A large round table of mahogany was centered in the room, surrounded by twelve leather chairs worn with age. A fire was crackling in the enormous hearth, sending shadows cavorting across the room as the cobwebs that draped the corners seemed to come alive.

  As they each took their appointed seat, an icy hush seemed to fall over the world. At the center of the table were decanters of the finest liquors and liqueurs with crystal glasses, as well as a small array of canapés, including a large crystal bowl of caviar. After all, these were no ordinary strangers, but scions of business from around the world. Anything less would have been an insult.

  Obligatory pleasantries were exchanged along with formal introductions. The mood was solemn, almost sinister, as the business at hand was brought forth. Plans were proposed, suggestions made, parameters set. The verbal exchanges were lively but carried a diabolical undertone that, if heard by outside ears, would send icy chills up the necks of even the bravest of men.

  Their gathering lasted well into the night and continued early the next morning. In the middle of the afternoon of the second day, through a haze of cigar smoke, they regarded each other with looks of satisfaction. Their leader spoke in low but firm tones as he detailed the final plan. When finished, he looked at each member, and then said, “So, we are agreed?” Each one in turn gave a brief nod. Though he never had any doubt they would, Number One was still gratified to know that he had chosen this group wisely, and their plan would proceed without question. Lifting his snifter of cognac, he proposed a toast, “To the world. Our world!”

  They could not have known that many years later when they were about to enter the final phase of their plan an individual of great power would be there to oppose them

  On a remote island not far from Key West, Florida

  As he exited the craft and first stepped foot on the island, he knew at once that he had found his home at last. The scent of flowers carried on the warm breezes that swayed the palms dotting the landscape, the lush greens, and the bright colors were like ambrosia for the senses. The villa just ahead was a magnificent specimen of architecture, just as the surrounding grounds were a landscaper’s dream. He had such wonderful plans for this, his tiny oasis of peace in the vast and troubled world. And he had the resources to make it happen.

  Peace and tranquility, so often absent from his life, was finally within his grasp. The power he had at his fingertips would allow him to enjoy the comforts of life while still keeping his finger on the pulse of the ever-growing unease that was settling on the world around him. Yes, this small paradise would do nicely, and once his plans had become reality, he felt he would complete his journey. And what a journey it had been! From the rolling hills of Appalachia to the outer reaches of space. But even as he was finding his heaven on earth, all hell was about to break loose around him, and unbeknownst to him at that time, it would lead him into the proverbial bowels of a hell that would torment him forever after.

  The lust for absolute power versus one man with access to almost unlimited power – the stage is set.

  Chapter 1 Claiming the Reward

  “After all the years, after everything that you'd had to endure, after everything that you'd undertaken, however good or bad, long after you'd given up all hope, the reward.”

  - Marlene Van Niekerk, Agaat

  John Scott pulled up his bill and reviewed it before electronically checking out of the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington. Normally, he would have exited through the lobby, but today was different. Today was special. As of today, he would no longer be known as Tom or even Tanaka II. After today, he would be just plain John Scott. Well, not exactly plain—he was still the most unique individual in the galaxy. He was part human and part Mylean. That fact had controlled his entire life until today. From this day forward, he would control his life. And he would have the power available to do so.

  Today he would claim his Mylean legacy.

  He carried a hooded jacket and threw his travel bag over his shoulder. After shutting the door, he walked briskly to the bank of elevators at the end of the hall. He punched the up button and waited. After a few seconds, the car arrived, and he entered.

  Inside, he quickly put on the jacket and pulled the hood over his head. He fished out a sweater from his small travel bag and draped it over the bag. Now, he was satisfied that anyone monitoring the closed circuit security cameras might not pay any attention to him as he made his rather unusual exit from the building.

  As he left the elevator, he dropped his shoulders and shuffled down the hall, giving the appearance of a confused old man lost in the vastness of the building. He had already had Maxxine temporarily disable the security cameras in this hall, but there just wasn’t any reason to take chances.

  At the end of the hallway, he found what he was looking for: a door clearly marked, “No Admittance, Maintenance Area.” He took a key card that he had “borrowed” from a maid’s cart and unlocked the door after first making certain that there was no one else around.

  It had been a careless act on the part of the maid, but he had taken advantage of it. She should have worn the key card suspended on a lanyard around her neck, but that day she had made a simple mistake, and he sincerely hoped that she wouldn’t lose her job. Then, he had a thought. He would open the door and leave the key card in the hallway. He hoped that some other employee, probably a maintenance worker, would find the card and return it to her. Perhaps, she could even come up with some plausible explanation as to why she had been near the roof. John smiled to himself. “Maybe she had planned to meet a lover.”

  He opened the door revealing stairs leading up to the roof. He dropped the key card in the hall, shut the door behind him quietly, and then jogged up the stairs with a smile on his face. John could hardly contain his excitement.

  He would be meeting Maxxine face to face for the very first time.

  Today was to be the true beginning of his freedom. Today, he would claim his reward. Perhaps now he would find that inner peace that had always eluded him. Real happiness had always seemed just beyond his grasp, always just out of reach. His entire life had been closely monitored and controlled by an outside force, but now those days were over.

  Maxxine might not be able to make his life happy, but she certainly could make it more interesting and, certainly much more comfortable. He shrugged. If he couldn’t find happiness, he could, at the very least, live in luxurious comfort. Not a replacement for happiness, but a sedative to relieve the pain to be sure.

  He had ordered his spacecraft to travel in full stealth mode, meaning that it would remain invisible to all forms of detection except for the few
seconds that it took him to board. During that time, the craft would be visible to anyone who might be nearby. That didn’t matter very much now, but his lifelong quest of keeping his true identity a secret remained an obsession.

  John had already reconnoitered the hotel roof and determined that maintenance procedures for the air conditioning units mounted there were infrequent, so he had little concern for being caught. Also, there were no tall structures in the vicinity, thanks to Washington’s building codes. He looked around him and was fully confident that he could make his exit without detection.

  He checked his watch. The craft should be landing any second now. In less than half an hour, he would arrive at his destination: his very own space station. It was more like a space island since it had living quarters, manufacturing facilities and acted as a base for his fleet of spacecraft.

  John had not named his space station, he simply thought of the whole thing as ‘Maxxine,’ although Maxxine herself occupied only a small percentage of the total space in the giant facility.

  Maxx, that giant Mylean computer, had carefully crafted another computer in his likeness, at least from a capabilities standpoint. That had been John’s requirement as partial payment for his unique service to Maxx.

  Maxx decided that, since this version was small and sleek, it must be feminine. He named her, “Maxxine,” after himself, as he had already developed a rather fatherly affection for his creation. He equipped her with an emotional module and a soft, sexy, feminine voice. At last, he brought her to life and checked her programs. She was fantastic, absolute perfection. Or, at least that’s what he thought at the time. Even electronic parents can be nearsighted when observing their offspring.

  After the Myleans had all died during their epic journey, Maxx recognized that, being a computer, he lacked the means of evaluating emotions, so he began to develop an emotional module. Now, he felt complete. He loved his emotional module so much he decided to give Maxxine one at birth.

  John Scott stood quietly beside a giant air conditioning unit mounted on the roof thinking that this day was the turning point of his life. Things would never be the same again. The future was a blank page filled with wonderful possibilities and terrible fears at the same time. He now possessed powers that were truly awesome. He would have to choose his directions carefully and avoid mistakes that could cost him, and even the whole world, dearly. He had flippantly demanded a reward for his services that would seem extravagant beyond reason to any normal person. However, to Maxx, it had been almost meaningless. It had amused him that John had demanded something essentially like himself. Maxx had been very flattered by John’s request and gave him everything he had asked and more.

  Now Maxx could have great fun watching what John did with his Mylean legacy. Yes, he looked forward with great anticipation to the entertainment that would be coming his way shortly.

  Just then, without a sound or a whisper of wind, the craft became visible. Nothing dramatic, but it just seemed to materialize out of nothing, hovering a few inches off the roof. The hatch slid open silently, and a small set of steps slid downward allowing him to hop on board.

  Mister T stood just inside. “Welcome aboard, sir. Maxxine is anxiously awaiting your first visit.”

  He addressed the humanoid robot, “I want to introduce myself to you formally. You may know already, but just in case you don’t, my real name is John F. Scott. You should call me John from now on. The ‘F’ stands for Francis, but I’d rather you forget that.”

  John took a seat and the craft lifted off silently. There was no sense of motion due to the gravitational drive technology involved. Soon, they were soaring away from the Earth at an ever increasing speed. John smiled at the thought of having the capability of traveling at nearly the speed of light. But, today, that wouldn’t be necessary. The flight would only be about a million miles, so maximum speed would not be required. It would merely be a short and relaxing trip.

  While in stealth mode, no radar system in the world could detect John’s craft as the outer skin absorbed all forms of radiation encountered except for the visible light spectrum. Rays from that little slice of the spectrum were merely bent around the craft, leaving it in its invisible state.

  Ever on the alert for John’s needs, Mister T, left the cabin and soon returned with a light snack and a drink.

  After beginning to eat, he asked the robot to tell him all about Maxxine.

  Maxx had programmed Mister T to speak English fluently. Also, he had the ability to improve his linguistic skills from experience. Mister T was an apt pupil and currently spoke with virtually no perceptible accent. It was most like a well-trained actor or some other TV personality. His pronunciations were precise, his diction was nearly perfect, and both were delivered in a tone of voice that gave the impression of earnestness and sincerity.

  Mister T took a seat and replied, “You will be most pleased with her. Maxx has truly outdone himself this time. She will amaze you! And, don’t forget, you’ll be visiting your new home base for the first time. The craft is most impressive and was built using all of the latest designs and materials. Your living quarters are of the highest standards, and there are facilities for guests that you might wish to have in the future. It’s also a working ship, so there are manufacturing and laboratory areas as well as maintenance facilities for your fleet of spacecraft.”

  Continuing, Mister T added, “As per your instructions, I have rented a small warehouse in Key West. It is by the water, so your craft can easily arrive and depart without detection. There is plenty of space to stock everything that you might need delivered to the space station, including food. I used your identity to make the deal.”

  Then laughing heartily, Mister T continued, “By the way, thanks for the loan of your driver’s license. Maybe you can get me one of my own as soon as we set up housekeeping.”

  Mister T continued, “Last, but certainly not least, the materials laboratories on the craft are busy completing your order for gold bulimia. The entire amount will be available to you before you return to Earth. I understand that is to be about ten days from now.”

  John interrupted with a smile, “That’s bullion, not bulimia. Just add that word to your language databank.”

  Continuing to smile, John added, “Other than the little linguistic faux pas, you have performed your duties admirably. I hope that you will find your new life here satisfactory since you’ve been assigned to me permanently.”

  Mister T promptly replied, “Thanks, Boss, I am most pleased to be in your service, sir. I could have likely been reprogrammed and reconfigured for some other function, possibly mining. Or, I could have even been dismantled entirely and my parts saved for some other purpose. A horrible thought if I do say so myself. As far as I’m concerned, being assigned to you permanently is a true blessing.”

  John looked over at Mister T and gave a small salute. “I often forget that you’re not human. I’m still constantly amazed at how perfectly Maxx designed and constructed you. You are so humanlike that I am tempted to offer you food or drink. Sorry, I don’t mean to make fun of your status as a robot.”

  “Well, sir, that is true, I am a robot. But there are compensating balances. I am quite happy in my present configuration. Humans must spend a considerable amount of time eating, drinking, and sleeping. I am free to do other things with my time.”

  A few minutes later, Mister T announced that they were nearing the space station and turned on the viewing camera so that John could watch their approach. Maxxine had also turned off stealth mode so John could see the spacecraft during their last few minutes of travel. First, there was only a bright point of light in the dark sky, but it soon became larger and larger as they neared it. John could make out the details of the space station, and it was truly an awesome sight.

  “Thanks for turning on the viewing camera, Mister T. I want to see my space station from all angles.” John stared at the screen in wonderment.

  John sat in stunned silence as he sudden
ly realized the enormity of what he now possessed. He took a deep breath and pushed aside the thought of how carefully he would have to handle his largess. The responsibility suddenly weighed on him, and he felt his chest tighten. What had he done? Why had he asked for all of this? He had flippantly demanded so much. He had half expected that Maxx would summarily reject his demand as ridiculous. But he had not. He had agreed to the request without a single question or complaint.

  Now, John worried that he would not be able to handle his enormous power with proper restraints. Even a slight mistake could result in disaster for himself, or even worse, for everyone else in the world. He shook his head and appreciated the system of checks and balances that Tanaka had created for Maxx and the Master Control Module. He would surely need something comparable in his life now that he was claiming his Mylean legacy.

  Mister T, completely unaware of John’s thoughts, proudly prattled on describing the space station and many of Maxxine's awesome capabilities. He pointed out the four entry ports, one of which was designated for human use. The remaining three ports handled various other spacecraft in his fleet.

  John asked Mister T, “In stealth mode, I understand that the craft is invisible, but if it absorbs all radiation that hits it, doesn’t that create a visual black spot?”

  Mister T, smiling, replied, “Oh no, Boss. Maxx is much too clever for that. It seems that virtually all biological creatures that he has encountered so far ‘see’ only a small segment of the electromagnetic spectrum. So Maxx simply designed the stealth system to bend visible light waves around the object. That way you can see what is on the other side of the craft, but the craft is still invisible. Without the light bending, there would be a black hole at the position of the craft. It’s an example of the brilliance of Mylean technology.”

  John made a quick mental calculation and decided that it must be at least ten miles, or more, in diameter and that the midsection was about five miles thick. The overall shape was that of a huge compressed globe. Or, what we on the Earth might call a flying saucer.