The War Machine Bandits

by Archie Chipps




David's Journal

The sun is going down in the middle of the desert with one row constatina wire around the front border. Two soldiers are collapsing the wire and the troups move forward.

About 50 feet a pole shoots out of the ground and opens from the top like a helicopter chopping people on it's way back down on the ground. One soldier grabbed the other to pull him back and was pulled into the blades cutting them in half and her locator chip along with other things was sliding out of her chest. An explosion and gun fire starts as we duck for cover. I see and shoot a few enemy and everything becomes quiet again. We lost three soldiers and one was a girl.
She was cut in half choaking on blood and said "I can't move my legs. I'm only sixteen."

I see different ways people can die, and I don't know how I would die, but I would like it to be quick. It took her a while to die. At least she didn't feel any pain. She just went to sleep. When the sun comes up everyone digs into the sand to set up camp.

My name is David and I sit down to write in my journal
What is it with war that says who wins, because I don't see any victory. What is it for, population? because the census showed to many people? Their claim to victory sitting in an office, making people die and make them feel proud to die? I rather die shooting the people that put me here. They trained me good enough. My little journal would never be shown. If anything they would have me shot for what I have to say, but there are millions like me. Sure there are some that are brain washed with words of foolish bravery that never live long, and their words go back to their family saying how they are honored to die for them. The rest of us want to live to make someone pay for this.

They just sent in a troup to take the gold we found when some of us fell into a tunnel. They brought in a lot of back up troups and helicopters to take it all. When it was over we were told to push forward. We are now so far ahead of the front lines nobody will live to say anything about the gold we found. I kept a little, and I have five months to fight before I can go home.

Mike was a good guy. He did what he was told and didn't complain. He was just cut open in his sleep, and his service was up the day we found the gold, and they could have sent him home, but they didn't want any of us to go home. They must have killed him in the middle of the night, their was no battle. It looked like someone was picking us off in our sleep. Twenty were cut open. There are only three of us left, and we will take our chances getting shot down flying home in a enemy passenger jet.

After we made it home we went our separate ways.

Now that I'm home again I don't see what there was to come home to. It's a small town with a lot of factories. People are rushing to work and others are going home. Everyone is wearing some kind of small machine on their neck. I asked "What is that thing on your neck?"
They reply "This? It is a personal computer and a company time clock, payroll, physical status, world network, Personal ATM, Phone service, and without it you can't pay for anything. It has a strip going to our fingertip through this small wire to transfer credit to pay for things with our finger print. It is the best thing to prevent identity theift and you can hook it to a small touch screen to play on the computer with a pen tool on the screen. Why don't you have one?"
I held out some gold and said I use real money. They said "I don't see how that would work. Everything takes credit now. You might need to go to the bank and get one of these. Well, I don't mind talking, but I need to get something to eat, it has been a long day."

I remember when we walked up and handed the people gold to take us home, and they gave it back, and said "You will need this." It don't look like it is useful now. Nobody will take it.
When the enemy flew us home. Our time of war was over when the war ended no matter how long we fight. At home they took our weapons and told us the war was over for us, but they gave the enemy the red carpet treatment. I have no idea who they are, but I was still sure they were the enemy. We were told to hate them, because if we don't kill them they will kill us, and when they are in our country, they are treated like kings, as if the government had some kind of deal to clear up some of the population. The more I think about it the worse I feel. I imagine things like the guy that brought me home saying "You kill thousands of my people. Okay? I pay you."

I just found a job working in a factory, and they required me to have surgery they paid for everything, to put a round chip in my upper back that will heal around stainless steel connectors. I asked "Why? What does it do? and they told me "It is a personal computer chip so it can check your health. It keeps track of everything, and you can't get paid without it. It will have stainless steel connectors so until the skin heals around it you will need to keep it dry so it don't get infected. We have some weapons that uses a connection to the computer so it can active by voice command. We are going to put you so sleep for this, but when you wake up everything will be finished and you can go home as soon as you can walk." They were still talking when I passed out. When I woke up I see they put a unit on my neck with small rail guns on the shoulders. I will be one of the guards for the company because I have millitary experiance. I feel like a cyborg or something, more than everyone else, because of the added guns.

After a few weeks of working for this Drug Company it seems nothing ever happened. I added a few things to my gear with the credits I earned. I bought a sending unit that sends a computer screen my vision. That was a headache, and then they gave everyone else one. I guess I should have waited for it. I wanted something else so I sat in the car and closed the car door. The cars were electric and we had to pay for using electric, and pay to charge the battery so electric was high. The car had a lot of things to use up the electric. Air condition cost the most, but there were maps to login to plot our destination and pay for the road use, map use, and login time. The car had nice lights, and movie rentals for long trips. We didn't really do the driving, but we had to pick a place to park, and the cars have a security system that did the parking once it was marked with a pen, and it lock up the car automatic. As I walked into the store one of the older guys told me "We use to have money in our pockets from working, but then a lot of companies changed over to a credit card." I smiled thinking I bet that was a long time ago, because the guy as ancient. I bet he was in his sixties. The movies were locked up so people could not stick them in their pocket, because they were on small computer chips you stick into your 3D TV, and the new thing that just came out is a chip hookup to your personal computer. With the temple patch you could close your eyes and it was like being in the movie. I get the movie chip connector and some movies, and check out. I walk up to the scanner and it scans the boxes and give me a total to pay, so I put my finger in the slot, and it takes the credits from my account.

I go home to get ready for work. I have two sets of guns so I mount the older guns on my shoulders, then throw a bead in the air to hear it beep when it locks on target. I didn't check the voice command to fire I will need to account for every time I fire the guns.

I am walking my area, and see security guards finish loading and drove a truck away, I walked over there and asked "What is going on."

One of the guys said "We getting rid of a bad shipment drugs so the company can claim them stolen and the insurance can pay for the mistake. You are just starting your shift so you don't need to log this in."

Everyone checkout as security working for the company. So I just walk away after everything is locked down again.

The next day I was called into the main office and was told I was fired for letting the guys get away with a truck load of drugs. They stopped my pay, and insurance and everything dated just before the robbery. They told me to turn in my uniform and guns. They took the computer too, but I told them they didn't give me one, "Hey, I paid for that." They let me get it back, and after I left I checked the internet to see if I could report them to the insurance company, but I found that address was blocked. I had to find someone that knew about these things.

I went home and found out I didn't have a home or anything. It was locked up by the state, and the note told me if I wanted anything out of the house I would need to file some papers to have them unlock the house and watch me take stuff out. One of the things I needed was the extra guns. I did the paperwork and told them I needed my clothes, and when they were not looking I threw the guns in the bag and covered them. I walked away and found a place to lay down for the night. I checked my credit and still had some credit. I had a nice car but I could not pay for using it. I had to spend what I have left for food. Credit is everything these days, the state owns the roads and they are setup to power the cars or shut them down. If they don't move for 24 hours they get hauled away unless they are at home, and I didn't have one anymore.

I looked around for a new job, and the secritary told me "You are on a black list, and if you don't leave you will be arrested."

I was mad, so I went to the insurance company to report the company for stealing their own drugs so the insurance would pay. I was kicked out, and they told me "We know you were fired, and are mad at the company, so we can't take your word for that."

What happened to this place while I was at war.

A old guy on the street asked "If you are not doing anything can you help me out?"

I said "I don't have any credit old man."

The old man said "I didn't ask for any, but if you are not doing anything why not help me."

I was still a little angry at this mess I was in, but I said "Fine! What do you want."

The old man said "My son was tring to get information from some of the companies, and needs a computer to go online."

I said "I am blocked from using most of the internet."

The old man said "My son can fix that. I can take you to him if you have time."

I gave in thinking there was some kind of scam going on "Okay, how far is he, because I'm a little tired from walking."

He lead me down some steps, and I took out my guns and put them on. At the bottom I saw a guy I knew "Jimmy, what are you doing here. I have not seen you since we made it back from the war."

Jimmy said "I worked for a computer company and they had so much crap going on I had to get away."

I looked around and saw a laptop, and asked "What do you need me for." I walked over and opened it up.

Jimmy yelled "Don't open that!"

It was too late, I felt an injection from the chip bettween my shoulder blades, and I passed out.

When I woke up I was very sick and in a lot of pain. "Did you guys dig the chip out of my back."

Jimmy said "No. So, you are still alive?"

I asked "What do you mean still alive. Of Course I'm still alive and in a lot of pain."

Jimmy said "You just activated the lethal injection."

I was so sick I passed out again vomiting. When I woke up I heard Jimmy talking "It looks like the company hit his Lethal Injection, but it was stuck and leaked out slowly. I can bet he wasn't feeling very good for a long time, but his body grew emuned to the poison. That last trigger set it off the rest of the way, and labled him dead. So, he is out of the system."

I asked "What are you talking about? What system."

Jimmy was happy I was awake "Great to have you back. That system I was talking about is the state and company systems. They made the system for a payroll, and they use it to keep track of everyone on the payroll. They use it for a lot of things, and even the state can use it to keep track of people, and if there are too many they can activate lethal injection at random to remove people. Big corporations and their families don't get these chips put in. Now that you are dead, all the credits you had was put in a state bank account. So, you have nothing now, but because you are dead. Your computer was shut down. I want to take a look at it, so would you mind handing me that patch."

I gave him the patch and he dug into the computer and did something. Jimmy said "It is starting up. I have a menu. I am setting you up as a Government offical with axcess to the president. Okay, this will make your guns active again."

I asked "You mean these guns wasn't working?"

Jimmy said "That was one of the first things they do so you wouldn't shoot the guy that fired you."

I said "Too bad I didn't think of that, because that would have been a great idea."

Jimmy said "He was just someone like you doing what they were told. It would not do any good to shoot him."

Jimmy handed the patch back and said "These computers are something I worked on, and they would not let me keep one so I took this laptop. When your computer picks up a signal from the laptop getting connection to the internet and thinks it is a hacker, it sets off the lethal injection, and kills you. The laptop can't get a connection to the internet on it's own, but now your computer is working again I can connect through your computer modem built in. They don't nomally let you walk away with one of those, because the companies own the linking satelites. How did you manage to keep yours?"

I said "I paid for mine before they gave them away. So, I guess it wasn't in my records that they gave me one."

Jimmy said "It's good that you have it, but if there wasn't some kind of interference you wouldn't have lived to use it. Now that you are a government offical you are back on the grid, and you can drive any government equipment. If you want any personal cars just use the tip on your finger to register it in the system, and you will see a menu. One of the options will be claim it for taxes. Then you can use it for anything you want. So you don't need to walk anymore, and a good idea if you don't. The security might pick you up and we don't want them to check your history. You died and that is still in the system."

I find a place to sit down while Jimmy gets in to almost every system. He sets himself up as an organ carrier.

I asked him "Do you have any of the gold we found."

He looked at me with a smile "I stuffed a brick in my bag."

I was shocked "A whole brick? Do you still have it?"

He said "Sure! I didn't get as much as Mike or James."

I asked "Where is James?"

He looked on the laptop for a while and said "Got it! James is working for the state on the power grid for the roads. I is working right now on a express subway train repairing the magnetic float rail or putting one in."

I asked "Did you see how much gold he has."

Jimmy looks at me wondering "Why are you asking? We can't use it for anything."

I said "Well, now that I am in the government I could use the gold to put it in Fort Knox. I don't know what we will do from there, but if the government don't have the gold anymore, who ever has it can take over."

Jimmy said "Or we can buy an island and be our own country to life free. James took three blocks, but I think he has Mike's three blocks to. I helped carry some."

I said "What is this. Am I the only ones that too some coins. I feel like I didn't get enough."

Jimmy laughed "James could have asked you to carry some. He was having a tough time keeping up."

I said "Find out where he lives so we can team up."

Jimmy said "I'm already ahead of you, but we need to do something about the chemicals in his back so the injection don't go off."

I asked "Don't you have one?"

Jimmy said "If they gave me a chip like that, then I couldn't work on other computers. My chip don't have the lethal injection. I am surprised you had one, because you would not be much good at shooting someone hacking into security. I think you were set up the day you were hired."

I leaned forward on a crate thinking about that, and getting very pissed. "Those damn jurks, they thing of everyone as dogs or something to use abuse and send out with the garbage don't they."

Jimmy said "I see you are starting to grasp the situation. Don't worry we will do some damage. Why do you think I set you up to get next to the president? I am going to deliver organs for transplanting into some of the big corporation big guys. I have a plan and I'm sure you will like it."

I said "Well, tell me what you have planed."

Jimmy said "We need to help James first or what I have planed will not work. Then I will tell both of you."

I said "Okay. Let"s go get him."

Jimmy said "I need you gold coins, because I know a doctor that would remove the injection for gold."

I pulled the coins out and gave them to Jimmy and asked "Where to now."

Jimmy said "We need to see the doctor first. Leave you gun here, and follow me. We will need a car so you can test your ID now to see if it works. Dad, do you need anything while we are out?"

The old man says "Just some food, we are almost out."

Jimmy said "We will see if James can help us out with that."

We walk up the steps leading outside and Jimmy ask "When was the last time you had something to eat?"

I was feeling hungry "Yesterday."

Jimmy asked "What were you thinking? You could have had something today."

I said "It wouldn't do any good, because it would been on the floor back there."

Jimmy said "Oh, right. I forgot about that."

We walked up to a parking lot, and I asked "I think I will try that black one, since the government always use a black car."

Jimmy said "That will be fine just touch the lock." When we were inside I asked "How will we pay for the trip?"

Jimmy started putting in the location, and said "Government don't pay. Don't worry you will get use to that."

The car starts and heads out on the road I said "Well, this is nice, I like my job already."

On our way into the Doctors office some security was walking out, and told me to stop. I asked "What do you want with me."

One of them said "Our guns locked on you for some reason, and we want to check you out."

The other one said "He is top government security. What are you doing here, and without guns or uniform?"

I said "It's a glitch with this computer chip and that is why I'm going to the doctor."

The first guy said "Don't bug this man, he must some secret ops or something. They always list as dead. Lets go before he wipes us out."

The other one said "Her can't do that without guns."

The first one said "Sorry sir, my buddy don't know anything." Then pushed him "Lets get out of here before he snaps your neck or something."

I go inside and Jimmy said "That was close."

Jimmy told the nurse "We are here to see the doctor right away, about organ transplants. It is a government official business."

The nurse said "Right this way." and took us to the doctor. When the doctor saw Jimmy he was working on a chip implant and said "Not right now."

The nurse said "It is official government business." Jimmy said "We can wait until he is finished."

The nurse said "Okay." and walked back to the front room.

When the doctor was finished he came out and said "What is this offical business."

Jimmy said "We want you to remove the poison from a chip." Then he held out the gold coins.

The doctors eyes lit up as he whispers "If you have more of that I can leave here and be free."

Jimmy said "We can handle that if you join our little freedom fight."

The doctor said "Sure, and it this the guy that needs it. Hi, you can call me Marshall."

I said "No, it is a friend of ours. We will bring him here if you are with us."

Marshall said "I'm with you. How much do I need to do, before I can leave."

Jimmy said "Just this one job, but we might need you to stick around for a little while."

Marshall face had a smile but he wasn't happy "Yeah, sure I can stick around."

Jimmy said "You can leave in a week." That made him happy.

Now we are going to get James and bring him back here.
We waited in the car until he drove home after work. He was happy to see us.