Entropy Risen (The Syker Key Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

suggest we do?”
    John stood. “You can do whatever you want. The Sirians are not suggesting anything. I, however, would suggest that you cut those strings before the public finds out and lynches you, but that’s just my opinion. I don’t want a revolution in this country, since usually that means we just replace one dictator for another. And we’ve been on the brink of revolution for a few years now. To my mind, Mr. President, you have one opportunity to get this right. What you do with that is entirely up to you. Good day.”
    And in a blink he was gone. Peter jumped. Damn these people, flitting in and out like that. None of his people had been able to figure out a way to stop it either. Incompetence could be very widespread sometimes.
    He looked at the other gentlemen in the room. “Well, it looks like we might have a problem. Thoughts?”
    His Secretary of Defense took an expected stance. “I don’t think we should let these people dictate policy to us, personally.”
    “And what if they show the American people that our policy is being dictated by aliens?”
    “Hah, with what proof! Besides, even if they do we can spin it to our benefit I’m sure.”
    He was right. The American government were masters of spin. Peter turned to his Secretary of State. “Frank?”
    Frank took his time answering. That was good, he was thinking about it, not just knee-jerking like the man seated next to him. “The way I see it we have two choices. One, we ignore the whole thing, and when the aliens arrive, if they attempt to expose whoever’s in power at the time, then they can worry about it.”
    “Okay, we’ll be long out of power by then, that makes sense.”
    “Or two, we can do the other thing.”
    “Which is?”
    “Come clean. Peter, you know what the public thinks of the last few presidents? With the exception of Obama, they are generally reviled. There are probably just as many people out there who would simply punch them as shake their hand.”
    “What’s your point?”
    “It boils down to what you want as your legacy. I’m afraid you don’t have Obama’s charisma, so the odds are you won’t fare as well in retirement as he did.”
    “So you think I should do what John says, to protect my reputation.”
    “No, I think it goes further than that. It’s not just your reputation we’re talking about here, it’s the future. If you do nothing, the next president will be the one that will be remembered because he greeted the aliens. You’ll be forgotten, a footnote in history. On the other hand, if you make efforts to not only clean things up, but maybe even set yourself up to be the ambassador to the aliens when they do arrive...”
    Damn, it was a good point. Tantalizing even. He had a lot of favors to protect, but this was potentially a bigger benefit.
    He’d have to give this some serious thought.
    ***
    Pan decided it was time to do some interference. Little things at first, see what came of it. Start with a small fish.
    They Key had shown him an opportunity, a terrorist who was about to detonate a bomb under his jacket in a crowded market in Hebron.
    And of course the market was packed with people, Jews Christians, and Muslims alike, though he had to admit they were mostly Jewish. Both sides would have to be taught this lesson, since one was just as vicious as the other.
    Pan walked up to the apparently calm terrorist and put his hand on the terrorist’s shoulder. “I would not do this if I were you,” he said in Arabic. The terrorist shot him a glare, fear of discovery in his eyes.
    Before he had a chance to set off the detonator in his hand, Pan took him.
    Two people disappeared from the market, prompting gasps from the crowd. Where they stood, all that was left was a metal detonator with a now powerless red switch.
    They reappeared in the middle of the desert. Pan had left the detonator behind so this young man wouldn’t kill him while he was trying to show him something.
    “Who are you!” he