Journey of Rick Heiden Ch. 25-26

"Councillor Tamura and I are part of a growing number within our government that have begun to see that the Americans have changed drastically over the years. They have powerful weapons to help protect us --as they agreed to do after the war-- with the stipulation that we had no standing army. We knew they used this to keep us servile, and until recent years when conditions changed, we had complied, yet they are not the same Americans we grew to know. They have become a detriment to peace in the world because they do not seek peace. Their war industry seeks money, and for them, they make no profit in peace. We believe the time for the Americans to leave Japan has come. It is unfortunate, but their recent actions are a growing embarrassment to their allies. Until such a time they come to their senses and realize that the rest of the world doesn't exist to serve them, we feel we must pull back, but because of their volatile nature, we must do so delicately."

"You will take advantage of the coming economic meltdown, won't you?" I asked.

They looked at one another. "The Americans have virtually lorded over this world through the economic interdependence they established. Many countries have profited from that excellent idea, but excessive consumerism is destroying this planet. Once the economy is crippled, and nothing will stop that now, we --along with much of the rest of the world-- will be able to free ourselves of them. It served its purpose at the time, but it grew unsustainable. It seems the time for it to end has come. The Americans take their power for granted, and they justify what they do as their god's will, but the U.S. can fall, and if it does, it will have greed and the hubris of its leaders to blame."

David raised his eyebrows. "You are exceptionally candid with us."

"We want to demonstrate our seriousness in having a relationship with the people of Jiyū," said Councillor Fujikawa, "and may I say, you have an appropriate name for the lives you have created for yourselves. We wish to have jiyū here, but in a way that we view jiyū best for us. What do you think of that, Mr. Levitt?"

"I think my opinion of your plan would be unwelcome," said David, "but I also think that in a world where real jiyū has a short supply, you will create a great many enemies of countries who have sold their people a mere shadow of what you might make for yourselves. How will you go about this?"

"You are right, it could lead to danger," said Councillor Tamura, "but we believe that when the world's economy collapses, they will be too busy with damage control to worry about what we might do. We have an ongoing debate as to how, but you do yourself an injustice, Mr. Levitt, we have great interest in your opinion."

David looked at me, and I could do nothing but shrug.

"Very well," he said, "but first, you say you wish to have freedom here, but in a way that you view freedom best for your people. Can you clarify what you mean by that?"

"Currently, no," said Councillor Fujikawa, "that topic remains at the heart of the debate. We have various views. Some people do not understand what it means to have freedom. Freedom with limitations is not freedom."

"If I may, Councillor Fujikawa," I said, "this reminds me of something that David said to me on the Torekkā Maru. We were talking about this very issue. I asked him if the people of Jiyū had the freedom to murder, rape, and steal, and surprisingly he said, yes, of course. They all do all those things as much as they want." Both councillor's eyebrows rose in shock. "Then I pointed out to him that no one on Jiyū does those things, and he said, exactly."

Councillor Tamura gestured to me but spoke to David. "Yes, that is it. We wish to know how our culture can reach there."

"That's the problem," said David. "The foundational structure of your culture would have to change. Have you the will to go that far? It's a fine goal, but the process to get there, in of itself, could make meeting your goal a virtual improbability."

"I'm not certain I understand," said Councillor Fujikawa.

"Are either of you familiar with Greek mythology?" I asked. "Have you heard the story of Pandora's Box?" --they both nodded that they had, leaning forward, listening intently-- "To do that, you would have to put all the evils of the world back into the box with the people who appreciate those things trying to stop you."

They leaned back into their seats and looked at one another with a curious expression.

"That may sound rather cryptic," said David as he glanced at me, smiling, "but it's not far off in scope of the task you've set yourself. Freedom is the easy part. Getting everyone ready for it would likely prove impossible. To do it, you would have to become tyrants. On Jiyū, it happened organically. You have suggested making a planned culture. You will not reach freedom that way. Cultures must find their way organically, or you'll have opposition crawling out of the woodwork. I suggest that you hold onto this. Wait to see what happens when the population takes on the enhancement. Whatever you decide, it will have to account for that major alteration in the dynamic of this world, as well as its subsequent economic fallout. It will affect which direction you take. In the meantime --and I don't make this suggestion lightly-- ensure that you have enough food for everyone. You will need it. Otherwise, shortages will occur, and people will die."

David then told them what he said to Yukiko about food; naturally, they hadn't known of it. Once they knew, however, disappointingly, they seemed undeterred. They believed they could make it work, and they seemed less concerned about the food issue. In the effort to get what they wanted, they seemed ready to sacrifice those in a lesser position to help themselves. When the conversation ended, we could do nothing but shake our heads in disbelief and want nothing more for them but to learn better as the enhancement spread.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Despite our conversation with them, the councillors seemed pleased to have had the opportunity to meet and help us. We were grateful they did, however much it may prove self-serving on their part. They left us the vehicle to expedite our egress from the planet. For the sake of prudence, Aiden scanned it for bugs and global positioning devices. As a government-owned vehicle, they would equip it with GPS. That presented a problem, so Aiden and Cadmar tracked it down, removing it from under the dash.

We checked into a nearby hotel where my ability to speak Japanese came in handy. We rented three rooms and dropped off our bags. David, Aiden, and I could arm ourselves again since the temperature outside dropped low enough for us to wear our jackets.

We pleasantly ended the day at the restaurant next door, which helped to take our minds off the atrocious Filipino airline food of which we ate little. The full menu restaurant had an attractive space that appealed to me in its black, midnight blue, and merlot colors. It also had the benefit of having few customers that evening and privacy walls between the tables. We sat in one of the large circular booths that comfortably seated six. I had the end seat, and to my right sat David, Cadmar, Rocke, Maggie, and Aiden in that order. Our food arrived, and while we ate, we discussed the situation.

"Will you support these people, David?" asked Aiden, referring to the councillors.

"They can't have my support unless they do right by the people," he said. "They need guidance, and that I'm willing to give them if they ask me."

"And if they don't ask," I said.

"I don't pretend to exist to press my will upon others. If I did, it would make me no different from them, if they proceed with their plan."

"I doubt their plan will go anywhere," said Cadmar.

"Why do you think that?" asked Rocke.

"Because they're dreaming. The fact they must debate it demonstrates they have significant opposition. If they intend to proceed with a plan at all, it will have to include a great deal of compromise, and once you've compromised on freedom, you don't have freedom. Other countries will insist on using money so Japan will have to keep its money. In doing so, people will remain economically enslaved. Enslaved people remain disempowered. Disempowered people are desperate people who do dumb things, so the authorities will maintain their justice system to keep them in line. They will keep their government, so someone other than the people themselves has control, especially when dealing with other governments. These things can't happen piecemeal, either everyone does it, or it doesn't work. So, don't worry, I think nothing will come of it."

David considered that for a moment. "Cadmar's right," he said. "And they will either care about their starving poor, or they won't."

Maggie tapped her fork on the table, a habit she picked up in discussions with me. "Has anyone else noticed that nearly everyone we've come across, keeps telling us we should leave and that we don't belong here? Even the councillors said it just as we left. I haven't even been to Jiyū yet, and I think after talking to them, I've begun to agree. We do not belong here."

We all had, and the coincidence seemed odd.

"Let's just get our people and go home," said David. "Now that this world knows about us, our presence seems to do nothing but more damage, and I fear the longer we stay, the worse it will become."

"I'm sorry," said Cadmar, shaking his head. "I know we had that discussion, Rick, but I can't stop feeling this is all my fault."

"Cadmar," I said, "did you intentionally walk out in front of the car knowing it would begin a chain reaction that would result in all this?"

"No," he said.

"Then you're not at fault," said David, putting his arm around Cadmar. "Things work out as they do. Shakespeare was wrong; all the world isn't just a stage of actors. It's a series of causal chains bound to physical laws. You're no more to blame than the person who struck you with the car, or Amaré who sent you here. Our circumstance constrains us, which includes the human condition. Give yourself a break, Cadmar. The only one blaming you is you."

He just sat there staring at his empty plate. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Oh no," whispered Aiden. He held Julien's mobile, reading it.

"What's wrong now?" I asked.

"David, how many people might we expect to show up tomorrow at the lake?" he asked.

"I did an exact tally yesterday in my head," said David. "There are twenty-three other people here from Jiyū, besides us. Why?"

"Alright, one moment." Aiden counted something on the mobile's screen. "Twenty-two people have had an open conversation on the blog, several of whom are currently active --I must refresh the page to see their posts. It seems that because changes are happening, they feel their presence is more necessary now than before. They're choosing to stay."

I had not expected that, but I should have guessed they would have that response.

"Only twenty-two," said Maggie, "so one person may still show up tomorrow."

"I believe you'll find that number twenty-three is Pearce," said David.

We had silence for several seconds, and mourning passed over our faces at the mention of his name, even Cadmar's. We had all forgiven Pearce and recognized, as David would point out, that blame happened readily after removing circumstance and the human condition from the equation.

"Would you like to post to the blog, David?" Aiden asked.

"Yes, and don't bother to encode it, like their conversation, it would prove too difficult. Tell them, 'Currently, London is compromised, but that may change. We have no home base for now. Japan has too much uncertainty. I must leave but will return --when will depend on the locals. Check back periodically. Good luck' and you know how I sign my coded name."

"Sent," said Aiden.

"Thank you," said David.

"What's the plan now?" asked Rocke.

"It depends on you, Rick, the drone, and a few other variables," said David.

"The drone is out of range," said Aiden.

"Exactly, Aiden," said David. "We don't know how the drone is faring. We're well out of its range. So, we need to get within range as soon as possible. However, we know you've been piloting all day. No one will expect you to drive us anywhere tonight. I dislike putting this on you, but only you have an international driver's license. We want no problems with the police if they stop us. Tomorrow morning, we eat, top off the van, and we head toward Mount Fuji."

"I will be ready," said Rocke.

We paid the bill and went to our respective rooms in the hotel. A Japanese hotel can look a bit odd to Western eyes. No matter how luxurious and varied the suite, the bathrooms often seemed remarkably similar. They tended to use prefabricated bathrooms with a sink, bathtub, and toilet manufactured like an airline bathroom. They made them more substantial than an airline bathroom, but smaller than a Westerner would expect, especially the tub; not even Maggie could have stretched out inside one.

After preparations for the evening, David and I had too much on our minds for amorous activities. We lay atop the bed, relaxing, and he held my hand.

"Do you think our element of surprise is still enough to protect us from American interference?" I asked.

"I wish I knew. In many ways, we're blind here compared to London, and I have several concerns."

"If that's one, what are the others?" I asked.

"Does the portal exist? If so, does it remain functional? If it does function, what part of Jiyū is the exit? Knowing that terrain changes, is it in a safe location that has food? How far west must we travel to get home? If it's far, can we reach it? Jiyū is a larger planet than the Earth. Our journey here has been difficult with transportation. If One City lies on the other side of the planet, we will have no transportation to help us."

"Those are not small concerns, David," I said.

"Indeed, they're not."

The morning began as well as any of us could have wanted. We rose, ate, and fueled the vehicle with relative ease. Toyama and Yamanashi, our interim destination, had only about a hundred and fifty miles between one another, which takes four and one-quarter hours to drive, with mountains and several toll roads along the way. That gave us ample time to discuss David's concerns. We realized we could control only our ability to get to One City, or at the very least, contact our people. Bringing transportation would prove an impossibility, and we had no time to acquire it. Aiden said we should give him time, and he would think of something.

We had an uneventful trip to Yamanashi, as we expected. However, things changed when we came within the range of the drone. It found the portal, and the quick find was exhilarating.

"Whatever you do, don't check an internet map to see exactly where that is," said David, "they probably monitor the I.P. address of Julien's mobile."

"I knew better than that, thank you," said Aiden. "I would just download a VPN, but all the good services require a credit card."

They handed the drone remote to me, so I could guesstimate where we should go. The drone created a rudimentary map, but I knew the location just by looking at the origin of the signal.

I gasped. "It's in Aokigahara."

"What's that?" asked David.

"It's known as the suicide forest."

"Yukiko's story said one brother went into a forest to hide and find his brother," said Cadmar. "It's where he killed himself."

"Yes," I said, "and I happen to know there have been reports of people going into Aokigahara to kill themselves since Japan's feudal era."

"Might that have something to do with the story?" asked Maggie.

"I think it may have everything to do with it," I said, "and perhaps not just that one incident. Jiyū's ancients found the portal during Japan's feudal era. From the local people's point of view, many people have gone into the forest but never came back out. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that the locals assumed they killed themselves. One thing leads to another, and you have a location known as a place one goes to commit suicide, so people do."

"That's terrible," said Rocke.

"It is terrible," said David, "and whether that part is true or not, it's certainly ironic."

"Turn left, Rocke," I said, pointing to the intersection. "I see a parking lot on the remote where we can abandon the vehicle."

"David," said Cadmar, "before we leave the parking lot, I should look at what we bring with us for surveillance."

"That's excellent," said Aiden. "I'll turn off Julien's mobile. I should probably also scan everything for good measure."

"Good," said David and took a deep breath. "Everyone ready for this?"

We parked at a tourist attraction known as the ice cave. It brought us close without being too close. We began to unload our packs from the back of the vehicle when a sedan pulled beside us, straddling two parking spaces. The mouthy American, Major Palmer from the dock in Venice, exited the passenger side wearing his uniform. His presence startled us all, causing our fight or flight sense to kick in. Several of us almost grabbed our bag to make a run for it. David just stood there. I knew he had been waiting for something.

"How did you find us?" David asked.

"We've had our eye on you from satellite since the ship," he said.

"And...," I said.

"Did you think you would get in bed with the Japanese government?" he asked. "It's a little crowded with our military taking up most of the bed space, and we won't be a cuckold."

We all stood in silence, waiting, but David remained unmoved. "State your business," he said.

"Isn't it obvious? We want the portal in Japan," he said.

"Ah...," said David, "so the British have succeeded in kicking you out of England then. Good."

"For now," he said, "but they've begged for our help before, it'll happen again, and when it does..."

David shook his head. "They won't beg you," said David. "You're not the Americans they once knew. They don't recognize you anymore."

The man looked at his watch.

"If you're in a hurry, don't let us keep you," said Aiden.

It only took a moment before David realized, "Everyone return to the vehicle, we're leaving!"

We saw that David was closing his bag in a rush. We began tossing our bags into the back before climbing in.

"It won't do any good," Major Palmer said. "There's nowhere you can go that we can't find you, and eventually you'll come to us."

We backed out and left the parking lot.

"Aiden, hand me Julien's mobile," said David.

"Who are you calling?" I asked.

"Someone," said David, "I would like to believe, who remembers I'm her friend."

David booted up Julien's phone, while Rocke extricated us from the cul de sac and back onto the main road. We turned left to exit, just as an American military vehicle full of troops entered.

"Did you see that, David?" I asked.

"Yes. Keep going, Rocke, and with haste. They will turn around."

"To where shall I drive?" asked Rocke.

"For the moment, just drive," said David, pressing the "call" button on the mobile. He had it on speaker.

"Hello?" said the voice.

"Hi, Amanda. It's David."

"David! Where are you?" Amanda asked.

"That depends. I don't want any bullshit, Amanda. Are you or are you not, my friend, and someone I can count on?"

"I know I've been complicit in the recent events," she said, "the Prime Minister ordered me to, but I've seen a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turnabout here. Yes, you can count on me. I owe you an apology, David, for many things. If you need help, tell me."

"We found a portal in Japan, but the Americans have tracked us by satellite, and they are following us with a vehicle of soldiers. We can take care of them, but we may need assistance later. I want to know if we can count on you." David gestured to Cadmar.