Earth in Torment by Ronald D Thompson

Author:Ronald D Thompson [Thompson, Ronald D]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Spiffing covers
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

WORLD CRASH

Edgar Richmond had not heard from Sophia since he was informed that she had returned safely from the abduction in St Peter’s Square, Rome. He was told, despite many phone calls to the police and the American Embassy in Rome, that his daughter was in quarantine. He would be kept informed.

Edgar, as a successful trader on the New York Stock Exchange, was used to the concept that money buys everything. His contact list in the city was impressive. He exploited every source, the news networks, the mayor, even one or two major celebrity friends, yet nobody could shine a light on the welfare and safety of his beloved, adopted daughter. It was classified information.

It was now 23rd February, a week since the abduction in Rome. The news of Sophia’s disappearance hit Edgar hard. He and Eleanor had joined Sophia at the Pizza Taverna, as planned, for her birthday celebrations. Edgar was worried about her trip to Rome. He knew Sophia was stubborn, a quality which would ensure the success of her first Young Retreat Centre, but on this occasion it was less of an asset. Her disappearance ripped his heart out. Having saved her from a miserable existence, he was powerless this time.

Edgar called in on Emily most days. She was covering well in Sophia’s absence, but the Centre was empty, soulless, functional but devoid of spirit.

The phone rang in Edgar’s office.

Stevenson Hayes was a thriving brokerage, a wealth of high-flyers, slick, and the epitome of what made New York sing: high finance, wealth, greed, power, none of which seemed remotely important to Edgar lately.

There was a commotion outside the office. Edgar was used to the traders, but this time the noise was panic, not excitement.

The end of the financial market trading was swift. In an instant, the stock market exchanges shut down, as if a blackout had occurred, yet the electricity source was constant.

Not only New York but London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Frankfurt. In fact, all the 16 major stock exchanges were electronically corrupted just as each trading house began to trade, across the world, as each time zone captured the bell to commence trading.

This was a bug designed to prevent trading, and it came from an alien source – an intelligence that the world’s most sophisticated anti-virus program could not stop.

The source, unknown, had used the intelligence to completely shut down the entire financial network. It was the same alien source that had gained complete control of the Russian stealth bombers and the American F-16s.

This was predicted by James and Scott, the clones, at the briefing to the world’s elite at Groom Lake. It was prophesied to be the brainchild of Dane Vhastek.

Edgar took the call from the CEO, Jeremy Drayzen. The time was 10.05am.

“Edgar, you checked your computer?”

Edgar immediately keyed in his secure code to access the market trading. There was no data, no trading, just a message on his screen:

This is a warning: we have control of your trading systems. The market will resume in one hour.

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