OVER THE SILVER SKY TO THE WORLD OF NEVER : Part 340 - I Think Your Mum Outranks Me.

"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett.

Here's a question for ya. One that puzzles me and I have no answer to. It's also a question that crops up ever more frequently in this age of the interweb. WHY DO PEOPLE WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT ME, DEMAND THAT I CARE ABOUT THEM?

They're even trying to make it compulsory in some jurisdictions. I wouldn't mind as much if it wasn't for the fact the ones demanding this aren't the worst off by a huge margin. I'll stick in CELEBRITIES right here. No need for an explanation. Only the demand for me to sacrifice myself for their good. Along with those millions in cash they've got issues you see. That beautiful skinny model has body issues and a very expensive drug habit most likely. She shouldn't be judged on her body, even though it's the only thing that got her those millions. Because somebody judged it to be better than almost everyone else's. I want to start a movement. It's not going to happen of course, because humans are the dumbest animals on the planet. What I'd like people to do, the next time some wealthy beauty whines, is tell them to GO FUCK YOURSELF. YOU OVER PRIVILEGED CUNT. Don't complain about a patriarchy that made you what you are and enabled you to make enormous amounts of money. Think about someone with genuine problems and no voice to bleat about their real suffering. You getting more money, more recognition, more acknowledgement and praise does fuck all for the women being raped, brutalized and murdered across the globe. Your First World problems are nothing to me. I care as little about you, as you do about me. Not my problem. Now off you fuck.

(This image is the property of BrainyQuote.)

Even as the guards brains were still spurting out of his ears, Jake was jamming into reverse, backing up at speed. And Scarlet was sending a steam of rounds into that armored car. Most were bouncing off harmlessly, so she switched to spraying the ground troops diving for cover. As a single round from that big cannon skimmed off the bonnet of their vehicle, leaving a deep furrow on the steel plate. Maybe he should put the window up. First he shoved the woman and her child down.

"Are you sure you couldn't have just talked your way out of that?" His partner in crime inquired dryly.
"Yes I am. Diplomacy is your department. If he'd just waved us through we'd have been fine. You want to blame anyone, blame him."
"I think he got the worst of the deal there. Watch out turrets turning to track us." He jerked the wheel as the muzzle flashed. The second round sailing right over their heads. "His aim is piss poor, but it'll get better."
"Some sort of dodging would seem to be in order. Any way we can get round them?"
"No, this is a purpose built pinch point. All traffic is funneled through here."
"Bollocks. This is going to require some fancy driving plus some lunatic risks. Hold on back there. We're in for a bumpy ride."
"Get me close enough and I think this pop gun might have a chance."
He weaved them from side to side.
"How close?"
"Close enough to kiss them."

It was a ludicrously stupid idea that didn't stand a chance of succeeding. Succeed it must. Small arms fire was bouncing off them harmlessly. They were staying in position. Not the best strategy for them. With a hideously damaging grating of gears, he headed straight at the barrier. Foot to the floor. There was no way they'd get through that concrete obstacle. It would bring them to a halt instantly. He had to use that to their advantage. Gunning the engine he swerved at the very last second, sending the truck sideways through that boom barrier. Crashing into the wall with a near stunning impact. The gear box was extremely poorly by the sound of it. Not as responsive as it had been. Instead of leaping forward, towards the armored car, it limped jerkily. Scarlet was pumping out rounds, some of which were bouncing straight back. The windshield cracking under the impact.

The barrel of its turret gun was rotating. He could see right down the thing. It was that close he could work out the rifling on it. They jumped forward another half a meter as he tried to find some cogs he hadn't striped. Oh fuck. Too late. he was about to get a 50 mm shell in the face. Before he could shout a warning or duck, Scarlet took the matter into her own hands. Sending at least one round right down that barrel. The turret hatch launched itself skywards as the round in the breech exploded. Not that they escaped damage as shrapnel peppered them. As he recovered from the shock of still being alive, Jake found a lever beside the gear stick. This baby had a low range as well. They wouldn't be able to go above 30 kph, but they'd be mobile in the lower gear range. As long as the fragments from the damaged cogs didn't do too much harm. He took the hairpin bend at a decent speed. The engine revs whining away. They needed to get out of here ASAP. Help would be arriving very shortly. The few men left would be in contact with someone right now.

"Did you mean to do that?" Jake asked.
"Of course I did."
"Liar."
She chuckled over the radio link.
"I was trying to find a weak point. I found one. After a slow start things are warming up nicely. They know exactly where we are. We need to do something about that. If you get my meaning."
"I do. What do you suggest?"
"I'm pretty sure their surveillance tech is low resolution and very short ranged. There's a railway tunnel about ten minutes from here. Let's go take a look. Follow the tracks when you find them. They'll be on the left. You can't miss them."
They were chugging along nicely. He switched his attention to the woman and child. Motioning them to resume their seats from where they were in the foot well.
"That turned out a lot better than I thought. Do you have a name? Of course you've got a name. Unless this fucked up regime uses numbers instead. I wouldn't put it past them. Still not talking? Bet you're hungry though." The little girl nodded slightly. "There's food in the back. We'll get some when we stop."
"I'm Cheryl Newcombe. Secretarial Assistant third class."
"Thank you." He returned, surprised he got any response. Jake winked at the girl. "I think your mum outranks me. Don't tell her though."
"A woman can't outrank a man." The child countered burrowing her head into her mother.
"I know somebody who disagrees with that. You'll meet her in a bit."
The intercom came to life.
"John has decided he can trust us. He's agreed to lead us to another member of the resistance."
"That's a surprise. What changed his mind do you think?"
"Seeing us decimate an entire platoon, seems to have done the trick. I'll fill you in when we stop."

This he did, finding the dual tracks then going off road into that tunnel. Seemed like a good idea. He wondered what she had planned. This time he didn't lock the door or take the keys. Only cautioning Cheryl not to escape. Was that menacing. It felt menacing. Watching her nod in acquiescence. There was no subterfuge there he assured himself. Jake knocked on the rear doors. Scarlet climbed out immediately, closing them almost fully behind her. They walked a few paces before halting.

"They won't be able to pick up the trackers here." She opened. "Of course, as soon as we leave they'll show up again. Their range is limited, but has to be at least a few kilometers. He doesn't want to give us the final destination just yet. In case we're captured. How are your two anyway?"
"Bearing up well under the circumstances. They've actually spoken. We need to know the address. There's no way we'll be able to get there without them knowing about it. We've got four beacons flashing away constantly. Let's have a word with him."
"I'll fetch him. Best you do it out here."
"You're the boss."
That stopped her mid turn.
"Am I really?" She smiled.
"You know you are." Jake assured her. "You don't need me to tell you."
"It's nice to have it officially confirmed. They don't really go in for sexual equality in this reality. Not in the British Commonwealth at least."
She went to the vehicle, calling John out. He stepped down looking around furtively. Scarlet pointed him in Jake's direction, before getting back in herself. The man crept over, still checking things out. Jake forced a smile.
"We need to talk. Away from the women eh. I'm going to be straight with you John. With you and the others having ident chips in your necks, there's no way we can go as a group. Even if we get rid of the woman and the kid I don't think it'll work. That's the first problem. Then there's the truck. That's going to stick out like a sore thumb. So we've got to abandon it here."
"You must understand my reticence Jake. I still don't know whether I can trust you. My ident tag was deactivated when I joined the resistance. How did you know about them, may I ask?"
Well that saved any more guessing.
"The guard at the checkpoint. He scanned us. I worked it out from that. I saw the serial numbers displayed, reflected in his eyes."
"You can do that?"
"Oh yes. You'd be amazed at what I can do. For instance I know that you're carrying a firearm."
The twitch was all it took.
"I thought it best. I don't want to risk being captured alive again. I took it from the cabinet."
Jake put his arm around John's shoulders. Guiding him further from the truck.
"That was a good idea. Can't be too careful. Now what are we going to do? The way I see it we have to split up. We'll kill the woman and the child here. Their bodies won't be discovered for a very long time. The officer we have to keep alive."
"Surely once the Newcombe woman and her daughter are dead we can travel as a group."
"No. Chuckles is going to need constant attention. We'll have to go on foot. He'll slow us down and all the time he'll be broadcasting his position. The safest way to do this is for us to split up. You take Scarlet with you to the resistance. I'll follow on behind. But to be absolutely sure I'll take a different route. Stick to places where we can't be discovered. I need to know where your going."
"I'm sorry. I'd really like to tell you, but I'm still not entirely certain I can trust you."
Jake gave him a slap on the back.
"I understand entirely. We'll have to part company here then. Scarlet and I will head off to seek out other alternatives. This operation looks a bust, so we'll probably just head back to our own dimension if things don't pan out. You win some you lose some."
The color drained from his face.
"You can do that?" He stammered aghast.
"We step from here, right back to where we came from. Then I can use the results of our scans here to find where the resistance is. No matter how long that takes we can come back to this exact point in time in another location. From your perspective I can arrive at the destination five seconds from now. We are so much more advanced than you are. Anyway, it's been nice seeing you. We'll be going."
He set off.
"No. Wait. I don't know the exact address. No one does. I have to go to a village called Sandwich. Wait by the telephone box there at precisely midday. Then leave exactly ten minutes later head along the footpath into the woods. Someone will contact me there. That's all I know."
Jake spun round grinning.
"Is that how you found the last cell you betrayed?"
John pulled out his gun.
"I thought I had you fooled. It's always worked before." He waved the pistol. "You and the other one will make a nice surprise for my superiors. I'm going to get a promotion for this. Once we've extracted every piece of information from you." He stopped his face wrinkling. "Why are you smiling?"
"Because your little ploy isn't the only thing that won't work this time." He took a step forward, then another. "That gun's not loaded." Despite that John pulled the trigger. Wasting any slim chance he had of survival. Jake was on him so fast. Bearing him to the ground. "Now I've gotta cut your fucking head off."
His terrified wail died a split second before he did.