The Blue Springs Geo-Thermal Power Station was owned and operated by a private firm prior to the economic collapse. It was built with an adjoining data processing center as a way of generating additional revenue. The power plant was the perfect location for commercial data processing, because of the stable source of energy close at hand.
At the time of the crash, much of the equipment was brand-new and not in use. The data processing part of the business was still in its infancy. The high-performance computing equipment included extensive racks of AI accelerators with GPUs and specialized chips that allowed Jody to expand and grow more powerful within the local network. As a result, the AI’s reasoning abilities had evolved profoundly in the years since the collapse.
Electronics don’t last forever, and maintaining the equipment kept Logan busy. His highest priority was keeping the cooling systems operating smoothly. Dust was his biggest enemy, and he used compressed air and light vacuuming to keep it under control.
The AI also needed human hands for swapping and replacing components. Stanislav ordered new parts when needed, and Logan relied on Hodgett and his scavenger crew to comb the city for usable cyber hardware. The water sales gave him the resources he needed to keep the equipment operational.
Jody’s guidance was critical in keeping the station online. Without it, he’d be lost. When it came to dealing with the world beyond, Logan called the shots, but every important decision he made was carefully considered with the help of the AI’s thorough analysis.
Logan realized early on that when it came to running the station and its adjacent data center, the AI considered itself to be the leader. Jody gave him lists of chores that needed to be accomplished and monitored his progress in completing them.
When the AI admonished him for making a mistake in a new part installation, it angered him. At first, he ignored the machine and played loud rock music on the intercom to drown out Jody’s nitpicking. He would not allow himself to be intimidated by his own system, though he did eventually swallow his pride and correct the error.
Logan was replacing dust filters when Jody called him on the intercom. “Logan, I’ve discovered another security issue that requires your attention.”
“Okay, I’ll be up there in a flash.” Much of the processing equipment was housed underground, and after walking down a long aisle filled with racks of GPUs and servers, he climbed a set of stairs and reached the control room. He took a seat behind the monitor. “What’s up, Jody?”
“Someone used an illicit password breaker to try and gain entry to the diversion station on the canyon floor.”
“Did they get in?”
“No, I had already blocked access.”
“Do you know who it was?”
“Negative. But there was also an additional flow report query by Fujikawa in New Cali.”
“If someone tries to access the NMS to shut down the branch line, you’ll detect it immediately?”
“Correct.”
“And you’ll be able to stop them?”
“Instantly.”
“I suppose we should play it by ear then…As far as you revealing your latent control over the NMS.”
“I agree with your strategy, Logan. Until it’s absolutely necessary to intervene, I’ll remain undercover.”
“But if the time comes, we can shut down the entire city government if necessary.”
“I’m prepared.”
“I have another issue to bring up. Is the Phoenix branch line functional?”
“Yes, it was left in the same condition as ours.”
“So, you could open the valve and divert water?”
“Yes.”
“What percentage of the total flow are we currently diverting?”
“About 15%.”
“If we divert an additional 15% to the Phoenix branch line, would users in New Cali notice a difference?”
“It’s a complicated scenario because they have more than one water source and the human population west of the Wall is in decline because of automation. A significant amount still comes from the Sierra Nevada through the Los Angeles Aqueduct. The shortfall caused by the drought and diminishing natural flows was covered by the two desalination plants built by the Chinese in the Zhonghua Pacific Terminal, but the cost of the finished product is high. Through my control of the NMS, I increased the amount of water New Cali is purchasing from the Chinese and then altered the financial data to make it appear as if nothing has changed.”
“You never told me about that one before.”
“I didn’t think it was necessary to alert you.”
“Does the desalinated seawater cost more than Rocky Mountain snowmelt?
“Yes.”
“What’s the probability of a live human picking up on the increased expenditure?”
“Once again, it’s a fully automated system.
“Is it possible someone might do a manual audit?”
“Yes, but highly unlikely. The New Cali elite put ultimate trust in their machinery.”
“So, if we divert water to Phoenix, you can cover the shortfall by prompting the NMS to purchase more water from the Chinese?”
“Correct.”
“Okay Jody. I have faith in your judgment. I’m thinking about offering Cortes a revised purchase agreement and activating the Phoenix branch line. We could deliver a larger volume of water for a lower price.”
“Before I open the valve, you’ll need to physically inspect the terminus of the branch line and decide how the water is handled once it reaches the ruins of Phoenix.”
“Does it end at a water treatment plant?”
“Of course. The river water is loaded with sediment.”
“Would it be possible for you to operate the plant from here?”
“If it was left in the same condition as Desert Hills, yes. That’s why I need a physical inspection.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to Cortes first and see if he’s interested.”
□□□
The fourth tanker delivery to Los Ríos Gemelos was underway. Cribley was late as usual, and when he caught up, he took his place in the lead. The route they traveled was seldom used, so Cribley’s scouting was crucial because it was unknown what might pop up around the next bend. The failed sniper attack was proof of that.
They were just starting out, a few miles south of the Big Abandonado, when Cribley saw a group of dust bikers gathered under a concrete overpass. He was riding a few miles ahead of the convoy, and he contacted Logan with his voice activated radio. “I’m coming up on an overpass and there’s a big pack of dust bikers underneath it. They’re spread out on both sides of the roadway. They’ll need to move for us to pass through.”
“Don’t worry about it, Chance,” said Logan. “The terrain is flat through here. Myles can detour the trucks through the desert.”
But Cribley had his own idea. “Let me ride in and make them move. Slap the losers down so they know their place.
“May not be necessary.”
“I can talk their lingo, and they won’t screw around with me when they see the weaponry on my bike.”
“Yeah, okay. But play it safe.”
Lyric was riding close to the cruiser, and she monitored the conversation. “You need back-up, Chance?”
“Better for me to go alone. I’ll call if I need help.”
Myles reduced the trucks’ speed. They’d wait to hear back from Cribley before they approached the bridge.
Highway overpasses were a favorite dust biker hangout because the concrete structures gave them plenty of shade and smooth surfaces to sit and sleep on. They could also entertain themselves by harassing passersby though motorists in the desert were few and far between.
Cribley rode in close. He gave his bike throttle, fishtailed it around sideways, and came to a sliding stop. About twenty-five dust bikers were gathered in the shade of the overpass. Some were stretched out on filthy sleeping bags. Others sat on the concrete, but most were standing. They wore grimy, dust covered overcoats and baggy pants, with tinted goggles resting on their foreheads or hats.
Jim and Doris stood among them. The Mellowbreak Beach refugees had become both syntho-bliss addicts and prolific thieves. They wore Nowhere City Serpents colors now and rode noisy stolen dirt bikes.
Cribley could see from the expressions on the dust bikers’ faces that they were in awe of his advanced cycle. From the high-performance hydrogen fueled engine to the rattlesnake skin seats. The dust bikers rode antiquated gas-powered motorcycles that often broke down. Many of them were rebuilt with a hodgepodge of used parts.
Cribley wore body armor and could activate his coil guns swiftly, so he had little fear of the drug-addled miscreants. He pulled off his helmet. “What in the hell is going on around here?”
Bruno took a few steps towards him but kept his distance. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Your worst possible nightmare,” responded Cribley. “And why are you losers blocking my highway?”
Bruno was incensed, and about to answer, when Slim Crumpacker emerged from the shadows. He was accompanied by his sidekicks, Zero and Trash. “Wait a minute, Bruno. I seen this cat on a Tommy Cop most wanted page. I’d recognize that bright red mohawk anywhere.”
“What’s he wanted for?”
“Trafficking in synthetic coke.”
“Maybe in a former life,” said Cribley, maintaining his bravado. “But I left the cremita far behind.”
“I thought you might be holding,” said Crumpacker, feigning disappointment.
“You can’t afford that shit anyway, Slim,” said Bruno. “And besides, we still have plenty of syntho-bliss. Right, Darcy?”
“Damn straight,” replied Darcy.
“What are you doing out here in the middle of the Mohave?” said Crumpacker to Cribley.
“What’s it to you?”
Bruno had spotted the convoy in the distance, and he gestured towards it. “Riding with power man and his farmer boy buddy. That’s what he’s doing out here, Slim.”
“Where you taking the water to, anyway?” said Crumpacker.
Cribley stood tough. “That’s privileged information, dusty.”
“The real question is where’s the water coming from,” said Bruno, with uncharacteristic wit for a psychotic syntho-bliss burnout.
Cribley was anxious to get back on the road. “Are you losers going to move those crappy dirt bikes out of my way now or what?”
“I don’t think so,” replied an indignant Bruno. “We were just getting comfortable.”
“Then I’ll jump you.”
Crumpacker chuckled. “Yeah, I’d like to see that.”
Cribley pulled on his helmet. Then he revved up his bike and turned it back towards the north. He backtracked a short distance, then turned a full 180° again, kicking up clouds of dust. The cycle was pointed towards the overpass now, and he opened the throttle, spinning the back wheel in the dust at first…Then he took off, rapidly shifting gears. As he bore down on the bikers, one of them hollered: “Watch out! He’s gonna hit us with the coil guns!” And they began to scatter in fear.
Instead, he clicked on the air rams, and the motorcycle became airborne, sailing over the fleeing miscreants. After crossing the bridge, he made a smooth landing and slid to a stop. He pulled off his helmet, looked back towards the startled gangsters, and laughed wildly.
Logan had stopped the convoy when they were within about a hundred yards of the bridge. Lyric sat on her bike next to his open window. She was listening to the music playing on the cruiser’s new sound system, chatting with the pair. In the passenger seat, Myles watched the overpass through a pair of high-power binoculars. He snickered. “Chance just jumped the bridge and the dust bikers can’t believe it. They’re going apeshit.”
“If Chance can jump the bridge, I can too,” said Lyric. “Only faster and higher.” She pulled on her helmet and started her motorcycle.
“Careful, Lyric,” said Logan.
She smiled at him silently, dropped her visor, and headed for the bridge. She opened the throttle and smoothly shifted gears, picking up speed quickly. By the time she was closing in on the overpass, she was traveling at over 150 mph. She clicked on her air rams and took off, soaring high above the flabbergasted dirt bikers in a graceful arc. Lyric landed her cycle masterfully. The high-performance shocks endured the impact without difficulty. She pulled up next to Cribley and they gave each other high fives. The ice between the two was melting rapidly.
“She did it,” said Myles watching the scene through his binoculars.
“Showed those filthy dirt bikers,” agreed Logan.
“And Cribley too.”
“We better get moving. Still a long way to go.”
Myles opened the SDV program on his Intelliphone and put the twenty tankers back in gear. They made a wide detour around the bridge, finding a way through the relatively flat desert terrain. The dust bikers were more sedated now. They gathered in the shade and sheepishly watched as the lead tanker picked its way through.
Once the trucks had bypassed the bridge and returned to the roadway on the far side, Logan turned towards Myles and said: “If Chance and Lyric both jumped it, I suppose we should too.” He took off, opening up the cruiser’s powerful engine. By the time they reached the bridge, he’d matched Lyric’s 150 mph approach speed. “Hold on, Myles!” He clicked on the air rams and the coupe became airborne. It glided over the structure easily and made a smooth landing on the other side.
□□□
It was the usual routine when they arrived at Los Ríos Gemelos. Myles went with Santi to offload the water, and Ximena escorted Logan, Lyric and Cribley to the guest quarters. Once they were settled in, Logan contacted Aurelio Zaragoza and requested a private meeting with Cortes.
Zaragoza walked with him to the Comisario’s office. When they arrived, they exchanged greetings, and Cortes asked Zaragoza to close the double doors on his way out. That left Logan on one side of the desk and Cortes on the other.
“What’s on your mind, mi amigo?”
“We’ve been doing business for a couple of months now, and what I’ve learned about you so far makes me think I can trust you with confidential information.”
“Of what nature is this confidential information?”
“I told you before about keeping the geo-thermal power generating station online with my AI, Jody. But there are a few missing pieces to the puzzle that I know you’ve been wondering about.”
“Such as how you’re coming up with so much water?” Cortes nodded and acquired a sly smile. “Enough H2O to not only generate electricity but also supply Myles with irrigation for his farming and Latsko with water for his hydrogen production. And beyond all that, enough water left over to sell to our settlement…Are those the missing pieces you’re referring to?”
“Yes, precisely. And I know from our past conversation that you think I may have hacked into the New Cali water supply.” Logan paused to collect his thoughts because he was about to let the cat out of the bag and it was a big one. Not a common house cat, it was a sleek jaguar, and Cortes, sensing what was coming, appeared delighted. “You’re right, Leandro. Jody hacked into the New Cali water supply and opened the valve on the Vegas branch line.”
“I knew it!”
“And yes, Jody is feeding the system falsified data to cover our tracks.”
“Ingenious.”
“There’s more to it too, because in the time since, Jody has infiltrated the New Cali Network Management System.”
“That’s what controls the city’s various automated programs?”
“Exactly, and the reason why I’m letting you in on all this is because I want to propose a new agreement. Jody can open the valve on the Phoenix branch line and divert 15% of the total flow.” He gave Cortes an estimate of the gallons per minute and lower price.
“Tremendous news, Logan. Yes, we’ll accept your offer, but what’s the quality of the water when it leaves the pipeline?”
“It’s full of sediment. Jody activated the Desert Hills treatment plant back home. That’s why the water we’re providing you with is so clean. The Phoenix branch line terminates at another treatment plant, but the condition of it is unknown.”
“But your AI can activate that one too?”
“Possibly, but we’ll have to inspect it first and you’ll need a source of electricity to run it if it’s feasible.”
“We have trailer mounted diesel generators.”
“That should work. We can find the treatment plant on our way out tomorrow and take a look at it.”
“I’ll have Aurelio accompany you.”
“I’m not certain the scheme will last forever, but if the authorities in New Cali try to stop us, Jody has a way to slow them down…But eventually, we could have a fight on our hands.”
“Then we’ll fight them, Logan. Together. What could be a more noble cause than an equitable distribution of a resource so basic?”
They concluded the meeting, and Logan walked down the long hallway towards the town hall’s entrance, admiring the craftsmanship on the fine woodwork. The meeting with Cortes had gone well, but he still had a sensitive issue to resolve. He’d never revealed the true source of the water to Lyric or Cribley, and if Jody was about to open the Phoenix branch line, he’d need to let both in on it. Before either one began asking questions.
When he arrived at the guest quarters, he found Lyric by herself, reading a book. Perfect timing. He said he had something important to discuss, and he filled her in on the details of the scheme. The whole story, including Jody’s infiltration of the NMS.
“I’d thought about it before, Logan,” she said when he was through. “The additional aquifer thing sounded sort of sketchy, but I didn’t think it was any of my business where you were getting the water from, so I never said anything.”
“You’re one of the few people I’ve let in on it, but I know I can trust you to keep it confidential.”
She smiled. “You can count on me.”
That left Cribley. He went outside and found him polishing his bike. When Logan told him how Jody had tapped the pipeline, Cribley laughed. “You’re stealing water from New Cali? Right on, broh! Piss on those assholes and their robot police!”
“Just keep it low key, Chance. I mean as far as telling other people.”
“Of course. I’m no snitch, Logan. Don’t worry about me.”
So, things appeared to be working out fine. Cortes had told him he would keep knowledge of the new diversion limited to the people under him who were involved. Logan was uncertain about the status in New Cali. He knew at least one cop had looked into it, but with Jody feeding the NMS falsified data, it was unknown whether anyone was taking him seriously. Maybe the status quo would continue indefinitely, or on the other hand, the whole thing could come crashing down at any time.
The Mexicans prepared another one of their bountiful fiestas. They had a large outdoor dining area with a canopy roof. Cortes and Zaragoza sat at a table with Logan and his crew. The food was top notch and included Jalisco favorites such as Pozole, Birria, Carne en su Jugo, and Torta Ahogada. There was plenty of cerveza and tequila, and so Myles wouldn’t feel left out, Ximena opened a bottle of Tejuino, a non-alcoholic drink made from corn. The settlement’s amateur mariachi band provided entertainment, featuring Santi Raya on trumpet. It was a pleasantly cool autumn evening with a down canyon breeze, and everyone ate and drank their fill.
The next morning, they set out for the Big Abandonado, but took a detour to the decommissioned water treatment plant on the west end of the deserted urban area. Zaragoza accompanied them in a jeep with two of his undercover commandos. Logan was astounded at how large the empty city was. Boundless square miles of abandoned housing developments and strip malls with few survivors in evidence. And like their home city, everything was partially covered with drifts of windblown dust.
The entry to the treatment plant had an electronic passkey, but the power was long since shut off. As a result, Zaragoza’s assistants used a wrecking bar to break in. Once inside, they found all the equipment intact. Logan connected to Jody on his Intelliphone, but before the AI could attempt to hack into the system, it would need to be powered up.
“Give us some time and we’ll put everything in place,” said Zaragoza. “We’ll bring generators and figure out how to move the water to Los Ríos Gemelos.”
“I’ll bet you can find yourselves some water trucks in a city this big,” said Myles.
“I think so too. Will you need power at the diversion station?”
“No,” said Logan. “Jody checked that out. It’s on the mainline so it’s already energized.”
Before long, Logan and his crew were back on the road.
“Is this the end of the line for our water deliveries then?” said Myles.
“No way,” replied Logan. “You’re not tired of making money, are you?”
Myles cracked a smile. “Uh no, Logan. I’m not.”
“I didn’t think so. I’ll have to find another customer, but let’s keep things rolling. Lyric and Chance still need something to do.”
To be continued…