Chapter 4 b

The sovereign state of the islands had not enough income to keep an educational system or a social system worth mentioning. Having the expenditure for contracting a company to get all that fuel out was totally out of the question. They have tried to get it founded from the US and Japan, but they failed. 

Nevertheless, at the beginning of 2008, a company based in the US offered a deal that could not be ignored. Namely, they would perform the recovery operations at 0 cost, just they would keep it for themselves and would have total freedom what to do with it. The government of the islands would cede some land for a while for the whole operation, for storage and living quarters purposes.

We should probably go one step backwards here.  Even if it was not the main focus, many religious organizations keep active missions in the Pacific. They are quite zealous with "their" islands and do not support the souls of their congregations being plucked bare by capitalism, that is what they are there for. Also there were ecologist groups. That is a little broad, as there where the typical tree huggers, just living like parasites there, to marine biologists, most related to universities, that should probably be called conservationists. All of them were worried about the crude oil seeping from the tanks. Well, not that much for the religious bunch... they are not concerned about earthy things but selling tickets to paradise, but about the souls of the islanders being tainted with money and prosperity. The coming company had meetings with all the collectives.The cost would not be covered by the recovered oil as such. The business idea was a different one. The method they would use was not entirely new, but it would be sold like that, and as humanitarian relief operation. Publicity, a documentary and then sold overpriced 0.2 cans of "war oil" to collectors.

For the Japanese war veteran associations, this was a war cemetery  , for the US ones, too, but mostly of the enemy so it was too, a monument to the American Victory. So it would have to be done fast, fait accompli

At the end, even the most anti-everything accepted it, the mother ship should be moored outside the lagoon. The religious groups were happy that the contact of the company would be limited to a couple of local guides, which at any rate were almost lost through the dirty contact with the outside world and the needed bureaucrats.

 

All in all, in February 2009 two ships arrived to the atoll. The mother ship laid anchor outside the lagoon, but right at its entrance. The other ship moored next to the new pier at the space that was conceded for the operation. Eventually a small container village started to develop within the fenced area, which was connected to the next village through a tenuous road.  The locals noted that, irrespectively of color and size, all containers had a logo stenciled on the sides, about the size of a magazine.

All the movement would be done by sea. Once the base was completed, there was a rotation. The specialists that would perform the extraction arrived. Then also the filming got underway.

Chapter 4: Opening moves

South Pacific, February 2009

Between the tropics and the equator, there is a myriad of small rocky archipelagos. There are coral reefs that enclose lagoons and some formations still retain the rocky island or islands in the middle, leaving just the waters between the islands as a lagoon. they are mostly related with volcanic activity even though that might be long gone. They are mostly isolated from what we call "the modern world" and they are linked though small and simple airports and occasional shipping trade



Not all are inhabited and from those who are, the population lives off the tourism and exporting a few products, like crafts and fish products. Among these there is a mid sized atoll, which contains a big archipelago. At the height of activity, this atoll served as a base to the Imperial Japanese Fleet during WWII. The glory days ended a day of February in 1944 with the arrival of the US Attack Force 58 and their airborne bombs and torpedoes. Because of its location, this atoll was an advanced operation base for the IJF, which allowed them to comfortably resupply their vessels and shorten their operational lines. At a distance of 1000 km to New Ginny and abut 500 km to Micronesia, this atoll was near enough to be fairly easy to reach and far enough to be considered isolated.


Nowadays, glory days gone and all, the population peaked on less than 10000 inhabitants, much of it on the two biggest islands, whereas the third biggest is mostly left to birds. There is little infrastructure in the island, not much of it of modern age and all of it focused on tourism.


The proud vessels of the IJF are today a powerful diver magnet and thus the main income source for the locals. This explains a few things, as divers looking for this kind of mixture between history, wreckage exploring and wild nature are far in the spectrum from those whose adventure feeling is jump from one balcony to the next while being pissed drunk. So the economy is not what we would call booming. There was a caveat though. Among the wreckage there were several tankers and those which were not tankers or resupply ships , there where a lot of ships with full fuel tanks and carriers with extra fuel for planes and other land support ships with fuel for vehicles and more planes. After all those years, corrosion was starting to get to the tanks and leaks were almost of common nature. You could just remain floating mid way in height and see once in a while a dark waxy looking bubble making its way up towards the light.

Capítulo 4 VII

Era tarde cuando llegué a casa. Tenía hambre y después de saludar a Diego, que estaba despatarrado en el sofá viendo uno de esos documentales del Discovery Channel donde te muestran cómo se hace algo, narrado por un comentarista especializado en el seguimiento de grandes dramas... Por qué? bueno "` El cocinero servirá ahora los yogures en el plato. Si comete un error, los 200 invitados podrían intoxicarse y morir. Aún peor, en el caso de una elección errónea de los vasos para los yogures, éstos podrían explotar a causa del gradiente térmico, lanzando miles de astillas de cristal en todas direcciones..."'. Como tenía hambre, abrí la puerta de mi habitación y en un fluido movimiento, lancé mi mochila sobre la cama. Ya me había girado, cuando desde la oscuridad un satisfactorio "`boing"' confirmó que la bolsa había aterrizado como planeado.

-- Déjame pillar algo de cena y ahora voy -- dije como respuesta a los murmullos que llegaban desde el salón, y me dirigí a la cocina.

Bajo la zumbante luz blanca abrí el armario donde guardaba mi despensa seca, latas, café y similares. Cogí un punado de almendras y saqué una de mis raciones en tupper de sopa. En invierno solía hacer sopa los fines de semana, en la pota más grande que teníamos, que por cierto era bastante grande y posiblemente tenía 50 años y la dividía en tuppers de entre una y tres porciones y lo congelaba. Cierto es que nuestro congelador era diminuto y yo ocupaba prácticamente todo, pero Diego desconfiaba  los congeladores y de la comida congelada. Como el vetusto microondas había claudicado, incluso una pizza congelada tenía que ser cocinada en el horno. Diego y la cocina... bueno. Aún recuerdo su primera pizza congelada, cuando me preguntó cómo funcionaba el horno.

-- Éste dial de aquí controla la temperatura y este otro controla qué resistencias están activas. Cuando se apague la luz es que ha alcanzado la temperatura -- Alternaba su mirada entre mi persona y el horno. cuándo, ante su inactividad, moví los díales, Diego abrió los ojos aún más y con el sonoro clic al conmutar las posiciones de calentamiento dejó escapar un jadeo. Se pasó los 20 minutos que decían las instrucciones mirando por la ventana del horno, lo cual, para ser sincero, no me parece tan extrano, pues yo mismo lo hago cuando uso el horno. Aquel día, Diego se convirtió en un hombre, rezumaba orgullo e incluso llamó a su madre para contárselo.

-- Ma, hoy he hecho una pizza en el horno yo solito -- le dijo sobre el plato aún caliente y con una sonrisa beatífica en el rostro.

En cualquier caso, me senté con Diego en el salón mientras la sopa se calentaba y masticaba algo de jamón y queso. Pronto tendría que decirle a Diego que me iba a ir del piso y que iba a cambiar de trabajo, quizás en orden inverso mejor... y por otra parte tenía que encontrar un alojamiento en Colonia. Pero aquella noche y en aquel momento, sólo quería ver qué pasaba con la construcción de aquel jodido Túnel y escuchar los comentarios de Diego.

Chapter 3 VI

In a way, we would be doing a lot of field training, as my new trainer called it. He had a critical look at what was my every day carry.  I always carried a day pack around with all my stuff and some extra space for a foraging expedition to the supermarket. I had a bunch of stuff there, from a reusable bag to enhance my foraging, water (important in Madrid) a small survival kit and others, see the image below.

-- You need some chalk, with different colors to leave marks, on dead letter boxes and similar... and a few things more. Tomorrow we will start on following and being followed and communication protocols. We will also need to start working on alibis and excuses
 

--Excuses? what for?-- replied.

--For everything, what are those chalks for?, why are you walking on this side of the road? where are you going?-- he shrugged--you need to have a story ready for everything and it has to be a coherent one that is credible. And most important, you have to believe this story.

  Metro Station Eugenia de Montijo, Madrid 25th April 2009 12:15h

-- In a way, the tube is a great place to lose people, but it is also a great place to get someone on your back without you noticing-- The digital panel above the platform informed us that the next train was due in 3 minutes. -- The fist rule is that if anyone really wants to follow you, you he will, and the second is that if someone does not want to be followed, he will lose you. All that is of curse relative, it is about being subtle. what is key is that you do not want to be noticed, you see. If you do everything possible to lose someone, it is evident that you are losing someone, the same if you do everything possible to follow someone because then you will be noticed. If you are noticed, then it is not secret anymore, is it? so it kind of defeats the whole thing and will make you look suspicious, which is not really good because then anything you do will be suspicious.

Come on, it did sound a little bit like the who's on first routine.

We boarded the train and Jesús immediately started walking at a good pace towards the rear of the train.
 

--So, moving in the train. If someone tailing you does not climb onto the train, he will give information to where are you located, moving will give you a couple of seconds and a little advantage when you see somebody on a platform trying to look for you. On the other hand, moving will also help you if someone climbs on board with you. You may force him to keep a visual on you, so he gives himself away, without you giving yourself away--

Jesús had a different way of teaching. It demanded a lot of focusing. He would speak and demonstrate, sometimes at the same time, sometimes not. You were supposed to follow in his steps immediately. Some other times he would do something without explaining and then ask, what have I just done, or why. He wanted you to anticipate every move.



Little by little, it did seem as if we were going towards the super spy. The rest of the day, we followed the same routine. I learned about meeting points, dead letter boxes, tailing people ...

Capítulo 4 VI

A pesar del cabreo, eran las 18:00 cuando salí de la oficina y me dirigí a casa. Aún estaba rumiando el cabreo cuando atravesé uno de esos parques de Madrid, donde la tierra roja parece parte de la naturaleza en sí misma y unos cuantos árboles que parecían estar en la UCI. Ya sabes, con los soportes para que crezcan derechitos, los tubos de riego gota a gota, una redecilla al rededor para que los niños o los perros no se acerquen. Total que por allí estaba cruzando cuando Jesús apareció de la nada, cosa poco sorprendente pues es conocido precisamente por eso. De dónde realmente no lo sé ,pero seguro que  no de detrás de uno de aquellos escuálidos arbolitos. En cualquier caso apareció, como digo, de la nada y comenzó a caminar junto a mí.

No nos habíamos visto desde mi vuelta, es decir, desde la semana anterior, antes de mi viaje a Londres. O al menos yo no le había visto a él.

--Tenemos trabajo para hacer -- Lo dijo sin acritud, simplemente constatando los hechos.

-- Lo sé, ha sido un día largo ...-- No quería justificarme, pero por otra parte necesitaba dejar escapar mi frustración. Jesús asintió profundamente, comprensivo, pero su gesto no cambió. Por una parte Jesús era un tipo eminentmente práctico y si no podía cambiar la situación, como en este caso, que no le afectaba directamente y además pertenecía al pasado, podía escuchar educadamente, pero le importaba un nabo.

-- Ven conmigo, tengo novedades para tí -- Al final del parque, giró a la derecha y le seguí. El tiempo era mejor que en Londres, en el sentido de que era más seco pero también más largo. De hecho, empezaba a anochecer ahora y en algunas calles, según su orientación, las farolas empezaban  a desperezarse.

Mientras caminábamos, Jesús empezó a contarme las cosas que había hecho bien y las que había hecho mal en el viaje a Londres. Después de unos minutos, nos encontramos caminando por la avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza, rebosante de tráfico de hora punta. Jesús cambió de asunto para hablar de la reunión en sí

-- El feedback que me han dado es bueno, tenemos que centrarnos en reclutar gente aquí y rápido --

-- Qué hay de la lista que te pasé? --

-- La lista es buena, ahora hablaremos de ello -- y se detuvo frente a un portal. Me detuve junto a él, primero un poco sorprendido, pero ví que tenía una llave en la mano. Sin decir nada abrió la puerta y subió las escaleras hasta el segundo piso, donde sin detenerse demasiado abrió una de las puertas y entró en el recibidor, sosteniendo la puerta abierta e invitándome a entrar.

Tras cerrar la puerta y encender la luz del recibidor habló por primera vez.

-- Este será nuestro piso franco, aquí nos reuniremos a partir de ahora. En caso de que no nos encontremos aquí, conoces los buzones muertos y los puntos de encuentro alternativos. Cuando estés en casa has de correr siempre las cortinas de la cocina. -- me dijo mostrándome la cocina. -- Hay dos dormitorios, uno de ellos lo convertiremos en dormitorio, en caso de que nos quedemos a dormir y  el otro lo utilizaremos como sala de trabajo. El salón está un poco expuesto -- señaló al edificio de enfrente a través de las ventanas. Con un poco de esfuerzo podría chocar las cinco con el vecino -- por lo que lo usaremos de salón -- . Al llegar a los dormitorios noté que a diferencia del salón y la cocina, no estaban amueblados. Había una pila de cajas de ikea en cada habitación. Con una ligera patada a una de las cajas, Jesús me miró y dijo -- Tenemos que montar esto, pero ahora es muy tarde. Mañana has de salir más temprano, ok?-- entonces me alcanzó unas llaves, que supuse que eran una copia de las llaves del piso.

Chapter 3 V

The man took the initiative and moved backwards, slowly and calmly with his stare fixed on me, but in a friendly manner, as if inviting me to get in...

-- You were expecting me --- he did not ask, he just said it. His Spanish had a little accent
-- You may call me Jesús -- 

I swallowed and came in -- I guess you know who I am. Jesús nodded. I could feel the awkward silence coming, so I asked -- do you want something for dinner? -- he just smiled so slightly -- I guess I will get the news better if I am not hungry.

Once the initial surprise started to wind down, I took a closer look at Jesús, I mean I had acknowledged  him, but not I was looking at him. "Jesús" was a little taller than me and he was rather pale. not waxy or pinkish, just pale. His face was a little squared with a prominent nose flanked by deep eyes which seemed to be always a little closed, not really squinting but scrutinizing and topped with prominent and bushy eyebrows, wheat color. The lips were thin and the mouth small in a carefully shaved face and big cheekbones. Atop of all that was more wheat hair, cut very short and framed with flat ears. He did not look particularly pumped, but the neck was thick and the sweater was roomy, but you could see that the frame was solidly built. He was wearing jeans and Timberlands... which I guess is also a choice in Madrid.

I left the keys on the wood at the entrance. There was a small metal dish for the keys, but it was full with coins, all small copper cent coins,very rusty, some semi disintegrated rubber bands and some other totally useless stuff that we had gathered over the time. So the key always went on top of the wood... except when the landlord came to visit. 

I took my jacket off and I left my backpack in the living room. Diego was not there and I was supposed to have the living room, so it was going to be MY living room. Now there would not be dining in shorts before the TV, that was gone, but on the positive side, we could use saving money on heating. I motioned Jesús to get comfy  and asked him whether he would like to share dinner then

-- why not?-- he did not seem to be very talkative.

After the offering, I though I might have been a little overoptimistic, as the status of my pantry was not the best. Foraging into Diego's was always an option, but aside of yogurt and cookies I was not expecting to find anything, and that was on the best days. As in any new and confusing situation, there is nothing else to get busy on something else, at best totally meaningless, so I busied myself with putting together and acceptable salad with some chicken. Jesús showed what I soon would learn to be a strong skill on him, patience. He waited until I got myself sorted out.

While I went on to cut tomatoes, Jesús started to speak, slowly and calmly. He had a English accent in Spanish, sure enough, but his Spanish was heavily influenced by South American Spanish. I could not pinpoint it, perhaps even Mexican. Perhaps Colombia? I found it funny that he used the name "plata" for money, perhaps because of him looking very British... What he was actually saying was that he was going to be my teacher, trainer and coach to help me launch the next phase of the project. He did not put dates anywhere and I did not ask.


As I  moved into cutting the chicken breasts, Jesús started to talk about the plan he had in storage for us.

Firsts things first, we had to train what he called operational movement. we were not doing anything illegal, at least of yet, but there was no need to go on and show it around. We had to keep a low profile and put enough barriers in place, in case somebody came nosing around.


We had to do some counter-vigilance and intelligence, in order to go on and actively recruit people. We were not going to put ads in 4Chan. The first tier to draw candidates from would be my own contacts and expand from there. It was not only about getting friends here, but selecting people among a trusted circle. Those who could be useful for the project at more than one level. 

Once recruiting got going, we had to train and prepare these people and at the same time, prepare for the incoming apocalypse. I mean this in a literal meaning, not religious but hey, the society and world as we knew was going to melt down.

Listening to Jesús I was starting to imagine the incoming future as a mixture of old movies, from Mad Max, the man with one red shoe, Funeral in Berlin and Charade, with touches of An Italian Job. At any rate I was Michael Caine though... and Jesús was sure far from Audrey Hepburn.

Once I was done with the chicken breasts, Jesús helped me taking everything to the living room, where our dinner table was. The kitchen was way too small to have any table there, though I often did eat there, standing up, when I was alone. 

Once we sat, Jesús carried on with his talking. I had to learn a bunch of new skills, I had to increase my awareness on what was going on and learn tools and methods to process that. To be able to recognize potential dangers and learn to understood the environment around me. Easy and obvious you say. You arrive in a new city and the train is very full. Is it rush hour, football match, demonstration? It is a blend of information beforehand and processing the information at hand.