Solomon's Private File #119
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 18 in this story, in the Spring of 2045.
Solomon's Private File #119 "Night in Moscow"
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Smith brought the boys up. Vas introduced Greg to us, who was looking
around all wide eyed. I said to Greg, "Vas has explained us to you?" He
nodded. I said, "Did you believe him?" He looked confused while Vas
laughed. Vas said, "I told you about their humor. Very smart people."
Smith said, "Oh, we're smart. Good. Maybe we should try for a good
memory, next." Major said, "And then wisdom?" I said, "More money
wouldn't hurt." Smith said to me, "Then you should write better." I
said, "What's wrong with my writing?" Major said, "Words would help." I
said to Greg, sadly, "So little respect." He grinned. Vas laughed. Greg
said to me, "He had a gun, and you kicked him into another room?" I
said, "I did. You don't earn real respect with a gun. They respect the
gun, not you. I wanted them to respect me, so they wouldn't bother us."
Major said, "You should see the way they look at him now. Funny." Smith
laughed hard. When he could, he said, "With what he's been showing us
of his fighting techniques, I feel the same way." Vas said, "Please
show us!" I said, "For them, it involves falling down a lot. I think
they might not want to share that embarrassment. Most fighting you know
is about showing how manly you are. Real righting is not an
entertainment or sport. People are severely injured or killed. It's not
pretty. We have been in some very bad situations, where our fighting
abilities were necessary for our survival. Ability with guns, too. Best
to avoid fighting."
Greg said, "Please?" I sighed. I said, "Oh, alright. You may punch me
on my stomach as hard as you can." He did. I didn't react. I said,
"Tell me when you will begin." Vas laughed. So did Smith. Major said,
"His humor is strangely more effective when he says it without
expression." Greg grinned. I said, "Again." He did, and I grabbed his
wrist in my side sweeping block, with my thumb and middle finger under
the wrist, and my palm on the top of it in a firm grip. Then I lifted
it, pushing my palm down on the back of his hand. He went on tiptoe to
arm to me, and cupped his elbow with my left hand, and applied pressure
to it while turning his wrist. I puled the arm around me and down, and
he went to the floor. I released him. He got up. I said, "I did that
slowly. In real speed, I could have broken your arm and wrapped it
around your neck. Or thrown you across the room. Strangely, I wasn't
motivated to do that." Grins. Smith said, "Note that what he did didn't
require strength. Just speed and technique."
Vas said to me, "Are you strong?" I said, "Most adults would be
stronger than you. So from your perspective, yes I am strong. There are
different ways to be strong. Knowing how to use the strength you have
to its best advantage is the important thing. Would you like to
participate in a demonstration?" They really did. I said, "Vas, please
stand straight. Bend your elbows up tight, so they point straight down.
Greg, stand close to his back, and put your hands under the points of
his elbows. Lift him up." He did. I said, "Down. Now, Vas, move your
arms a little to the back. Greg, lift." He couldn't. Vas didn't move,
except for his shoulders, and tipping forward. I said, "Same lift, same
strength. Different result. How your strength is applied, is most
important." They had some wows. I said, "The most important strengths
you have are in your mind. They are knowledge and will." I said with a
slight smile, "And maybe a little humor, too." Grins.
I said, "Now to business. This looks like a music player. Would you
like to know why?" They did. I said, "Because it is." Smith laughed. We
looked at him. He said, "I don't know why I laugh like that. It's just
how he says it." Major said, "Obvious. Vas, tell us why." He said with
a grin, "Because if he didn't say it in any way, you wouldn't laugh." I
said, "Smart." He was very pleased. I said, "This player has other
functions which will enable us to know where the car goes. The back is
very magnetic. Don't put it near anything that could be harmed by that.
Or another strong magnet, or they could be mated for life. Children are
not expected." Laughter. I said, "The most convenient place to put it
on that car, is over the rear wheel, inside and up in the body. It is
not harmed by water, so it can be carried in the water bucket and held
with the rag to conceal the placement of it. If you drop it, and are
caught by them with it, you can show them it is a real music player.
Here's how that part works." I showed them. Greg said, "I wouldn't want
those songs!" I said, "A new gift. Already on it. Could be why you
weren't very careful, regarding how you handled it. You could ask them
if they have the songs you like. They will either be very friendly with
your interest, or dismiss their thoughts of you immediately, in this
matter." Greg said, "Wow! You really think these things out!" Smith
made some choking noises. I said to him, "I don't think much of your
choice of music." He burst out laughing. So did the kids. Major said,
"He laughs because we say the same things about his thinking." They
shared grins. I said, "Over the wheel on the OTHER side from the
house." He nodded.
I said, "I believe there was some mention of payment from Vas." He
nodded well. I said, "Today, we will hire you with what we gave to Vas.
When the device is in successful operation, we will pay you what I am
SURE Vas said we would. Oh, I see. Interesting. Vas, would you care to
explain?" He said, "I forgot to tell him that part." I said, "Now you
can." He said, "They will pay you what you get for washing that car for
a year." He liked that. I said, "Yes. But you must not do more than we
ask. They are VERY dangerous people! We do NOT want you harmed in any
way. Oh, and don't harm each other. We wouldn't like that at all." I
gave him the money. I told him what I said to Vas about it. We shook
hands on the deal. Smith escorted them out. When he came back, he said,
"I think I know what was on Vas' mind about the payment." Major nodded
and said, "He was going to offer to take the money to him, reserving a
part of it for himself." I said, "And Greg might now be suspecting that
intention. So my warning about mutual harm." They nodded. We had a
meal.
I said, "Interesting about the device they are to attach to the car.
It transmits audio. I turned that feature on before I gave it.
Recorded. Shall we listen to what they have said about us?" They were
REALLY interested in that, so we did. Greg did suspect what Vas had
planned, and that I suspected it too. After some bad words, they
laughed about it. They had very complementary things to say about us.
Then they discussed some speculations about our sexuality, and if they
could get us to pay to have sex with them. Smith said, "Enterprising
little monsters." Major laughed. I said, "They sound experienced.
Probably with each other. Usual boy play." Major nodded. Smith was
about to say something, but didn't. Major was amused. Smith said, "You
know about me?" Major said, "Could you be more specific?" Smith said,
"That I'm not Russian?" Major said, "I suspected by how the Colonel has
acted. Different in some ways from our previous mission. And you have
said nothing that would show me you were Russian beyond the language."
I nodded to Smith, who said, "I'm American. CIA." They shook hands and
shared grins. Major said, "And an assassin." Smith said, "I was. This
is new, and much more interesting than I could have imagined!" Major
said, "I know it!"
I said, "Will they work tonight?" Smith said, "I don't know enough to
guess that." I looked at the major. He said, "I think they will." I
said, "Why?" He said, "Only because he wouldn't guess." I had to grin,
but tried not to laugh. They caught it, though. Smith said, "What is
your opinion?" I said, "About you, or them working?" Major laughed.
Smith said, "Working." I said, "We are in agreement. I have no
opinion." He said, "And about me?" I said, "I will create a report at
the end of the mission. Until then, I will carefully have no opinion. I
see you are disappointed. Or is that relieved?" He said, "Yes." I
nodded. Major said, "He would not have an incompetent man on his team."
Smith thanked him with his expression.
I said, "The drone has been on standby. Its battery should last for
another day in operation." I said to the Major, "Now is your
opportunity to become proficient with it, with the able assistance of
our friend." They went to work. Just before sundown I said, "If they go
to work tonight, I will leave you." Major grinned and said, "You are
going to do something to their house." I said, "Thank you for informing
me of my plans." Chuckles. I said, "For communication while I am away,
I will hear anything you say here. I would need to have reports of what
they are doing." They looked for the mic. I showed them. We took shifts
watching the drone controller's screen. At around midnight, they
started leaving their house. I said, "One of us seems to have been
correct." Smith said, "Accidentally, I'm sure." I said, "I am not
expressing an opinion of that, while I'm not disagreeing with you."
Chuckles. I went into my room and changed into a dark grey jumpsuit,
same color climbing shoes, and put some things in pockets and in a thin
backpack. I came out and they glanced at me. "Wow!" Smith said, "Hood
and mask?" I said, "Pocket." He said, "Ninjutsu." I said, "Required."
Perps drove away. Drone followed. I went out the back.
Then unobserved, I ported to an unobserved place near the back of the
house. The maid was asleep. I commanded that it continue. No other
people were there. I ported to the attic. I put some very thin wires
through the air ducts leading to tiny mics near the openings of the
ducts in the rooms. I removed a floorboard in one of the upstairs
bedrooms that was over the living room. I put a tiny pinhole camera in
a living room ceiling light fixture. I routed more wires along other
wires, to a central controller I put behind the main electrical box,
which included a radio. Then I put the receiver, which had a more
powerful retransmitter, on the metal flashing around the chimney, with
a line of sight to our house, even though there were some buildings in
the way. I shielded what I could from all psionics. I ported home, and
had a good time with Galya, while watching the perps.
They went into a government ministry. The stronger psychic willed the
guards to sleep, making him so weak, he had to lean against a door for
a while. The other one used PK to unlock the doors and filing cabinets.
The better psychic opened the safes. They spent hours scanning and
photographing documents, including using our gift cameras! Galya, who
was watching, too, chuckled with me. They put everything back into
place, and left the building. The better psychic woke up the guards so
they didn't know they were asleep. If they noticed the time
discrepancy, they wouldn't report it. During this, my team commented
out loud to inform me of what they were observing. When they drove off,
I said to them from the suddenly two way mic, "On my way back." They
were watching for me. I showed up at the back, on a black light weight
electric motorcycle. I went upstairs with it. I was taking off my gear,
when I said, "Did you check if they were using our gift cameras?" They
looked surprised, and then a little ashamed. They caught me trying not
to grin. They did check, with the tablet app, and were really surprised
at all the secret documents they saw. In fact, the cameras were turned
on almost all the time, so they showed how the perps worked, too. I
said, "I have to admit, I didn't expect them to use those cameras on
the job. You know I would not have used them." They nodded.
Major said, "Then we don't need the tracer on the car." I looked at
Smith, who said, "They may not be using the cameras when they meet with
their buyers." I nodded. Then I described something of what I did in
their house, to some wows. Smith said, "Something I missed. The guards
were asleep. How?" I said, "Psychic projection. Likely they won't
remember being asleep. I know what to write in my report to tell them
how to safeguard their property from these kinds of spying. Guards must
sign in every half hour in a way that can't be modified. These people
can cause cameras to not operate, but only ones they are close to, that
said, "And some doors should have automatic open and shut counters.
Fingerprint scanners on locks could help. I think too complicated for a
psychic to make give false readings. That should be tested. We know
what and how they are spying. Now we need to know who they sell to."
Smith said, "Shouldn't Solomon be informed about this?" I said, "No
reason to, yet. He wouldn't interfere unless they harm somebody with
their abilities. This could be why they have been very careful not to
do that. The power that is used to open the locks, can also stop a
heart." He said, "Oh!" Major said, "I understand something now. You
have been briefed on psychic abilities very well." I said, "Yes. I was
in America for that, where I met our friend, John Smith. His name is as
real as mine is." Chuckles. Smith said, "The Iron Lady. Have you taught
her?" I said to the major, "FBI and CIA martial arts instructor, a true
Master. We have had some practice together. Not more than three hours,
I think. They return. Let us watch them think well of themselves."
Smiles, and we did. Then they went to bed, and so did we, after
recalling the drone, and sending another fresh one to replace it.
I went to work at the Bureau for a while. A man walked in. I looked
at his file. A former MP, 5 years in the army. Good record. I said,
"Not in the army now. Why?" He said, "I wanted to do something more." I
said, "It says you have a black belt. Tell me more." He was reluctant.
I said, "Have you looked at your hands recently? Looks like you don't
need a hammer to pound a nail in." He was embarrassed, but had to smile
a little, too. He said, "Second degree." I said, "It is going to be
like pulling nails with you, to get you to talk? Obviously a striking
style." He said, "Shorin Ryu." I said, "Why that one?" He said, "I was
in Korea. More scientific than what they teach there." I said, "But not
so much into kicking." He looked surprised, and said, "Yes, I did some
Hopkido, for more kicking techniques." I said, "Your teachers?" He told
me. I said, "So you know the use of elbows to strike and block." He
looked really surprised. I said, "Do I look SO defenseless to you?" He
looked embarrassed again.
I said, "We all need to have hobbies. Better to have one that keeps
you in shape, when you have a desk job. Kick with your toes?" He said,
"I didn't reach that level." I nodded. We did the tests. I said, "You
know it will be a while before the next class starts. Need work until
then?" He said, "I'm approved?" I said, "I'm not saying that." He tried
not to smile, and said, "I understand. No, I've been offered a position
at a dojo. Er, do you have one?" I said, "Sometimes I've assisted at
the Academy. Demonstrations, mostly. If you go there, you are bound to
hear about them." He grinned. I said, "No, it's worse than that." He
laughed. I said, "Head martial arts instructor at the Academy, you'd
better not grin at that way." He said, "He's tough?" I said, "Hard to
explain, but she is, in a way." He said, "Beat you?" I said, "You don't
need to know who beats who." He said, "You're her student?" I said,
"No. Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to be asking the questions here.
Want me to change what I just wrote?" He grinned and said, "No sir.
Thank you." He left highly approved, and still grinning.
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Grant
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