The Hidden Truth: A Science Fiction Techno-Thriller by Hans G. Schantz

Author:Hans G. Schantz [Schantz, Hans G.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2016-05-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8: Back to School

Looking back, I think Sheriff Gunn arranged the surprise interview to try to keep me off balance. In the time it took to walk to the principal’s office I’d have had plenty of opportunity to collect my thoughts, figure out what to say, and calm down. Thanks to my discussion with Mr. Burke, though, I was ready, and I knew what I had to do.

I returned the sheriff’s gaze and forced myself to remain impassive. “I have no comment.”

“It can’t have been long ago you started smoking,” the sheriff continued. “Your teeth are pearly white, your fingers clear of nicotine stains, and your clothes don’t reek of stale smoke. We had a little trouble at the truck stop down by the interstate a couple weeks ago. You may have heard?”

“Yes, sir,” I answered.

“You see, son,” he began in a patronizing manner, “my deputies saw you and Amit drive right on past the truck stop not long after the feds raided the place. So I poked around a bit. The feds grabbed up all the surveillance video for anywhere around that exit. There was Amit’s car arriving just about the time the ‘cyber-terror’ attack started. The feds spoke with the convenience store clerk. They ‘discovered’ your underage smoking, and since a couple of kids aren’t what they’re looking for, they foisted your case off to the locals – that would be me – so they could spend their ever much more valuable time and their ever much more sophisticated professional investigative resources pursuing more credible leads.”

He hadn’t asked a question, so I continued to exercise my right to remain silent. I looked him in the eye, and did my best to appear completely unconcerned.

“Now, I know your parents,” the sheriff said, “and I know Amit’s father. Both of you, you and Amit, you were raised right by good folks. You’re both of you too damn smart to start in on smoking. You’re just not the type. I’d sooner believe you were both cyber-terrorists before I’d believe you were smokers. This ‘cyber-terror’ crap Homeland Security and the FBI are shoveling is every bit as much bullshit as you and Amit being secret smokers. Which is why you and I are having this little conversation about your disturbing proclivity for juvenile delinquency, and why I’m here counselling you on the evils of tobacco instead of you and Amit having your asses hauled down to Knoxville for the feds to be grilling you about your ‘cyber-terror.’”

Sheriff Gunn paused, his eyes boring into mine. I held my poker face, and I willed myself to be calm. I decided now was as good a time to test the waters as any, so after a long and awkward silence, I finally asked, “Am I free to go?”

The sheriff gave me a thin grin. “I got my eye on you, boy. You’ll be talking to me, or you’ll be talking to the feds. You think on it, now, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” I answered matter-of-factly.

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