MAN DOWN...
This is a fictional story based on actual events. It is a DREAMTRYB Story.
THE STAGE
A man is appointed as the CEO of a National Sports Body. He is respected and has a proven record. He is a great fit for the job as a leader and effective executive.
He is associated with many organsiations and charities through his CV and/or records of his life. With regards to the Laws of the Land everything was in order.
The World was about to see another twist in the strategy of The SNAKE.
THE RESEARCHER
Someone (THE RESEARCHER - we shall call them) received an email from the Whisperer 'Why not look into this particular Organisation' it read. An excellent and diligent researcher, she took on the challenge to dig into this particular Organisation the CEO was associated with on his CV.
She found that people within that Organisation have spoken on OLD FASHIONED VIEWS that are not allowed in today's globally agreed and ever developing Social Media Zone (SMZ).
'Why not link these statements to the CEO directly as though he spoke them?' The second email from the Whisperer arrived. Who was the Whisperer? Were they associated with SMZ Central. Rumour had it they paid amazing rates. She was honoured to be singled out. A one bed flat in a moldy old tower block was not her idea of heaven. With SMZ a penthouse would be within her grasp.
THE RESEARCHER linking the Organisation he attends as a lever point of attack. She also reflected she will get massive viewing figures and hundreds in advertising revenue as a result.
THE RESEARCHER attacked the CEO and highlighted the issues the Organisation had spoken as though the CEO had spoken them himself. Because he was there, words could be painted over his image easily. It was a masterstroke she realised. It looked like he spoke those words that she knew would upset SMZ followers. Who cares about details and source. One image can do it.
Being highly connected across the SMZ independent policing units worldwide she broadcast her findings and the image to her tribe. Waves were created, outrage erupted, and media feeds picked up on the storm. Easy...
THE POLITICO
THE POLITICO (we shall call them) sees this post when her Personal Assistant brings it to her attention. She sees this as an opportunity to enhance her political power and to gain votes and financial support for their most vociferous support base. SHE DECIDES TO ATTACK.
THE ATTACK
Words have power BIGOT et al are words used in social media by THE POLITICO and in a Media Press Conference. The POLITICO is an excellent public speaker and cranks up the rhetoric as per a Shakespearean drama enjoying performing to the massed banks of microphones before her.
As the POLITICO has the ears and friendship of the media (carefully cultivated, financed and maintained) this attack is amplified immediately. International News feed stringers start to pass on information.
Interestingly the mainstream media does not question the ambiguity of the POLITICO'S words. She hereself is Member of a similar Organisation to the CEO. No one notices or questions.
THE JOURNO (the editorial director of a significant national media feed) knows this will cloud matters and take the reach out of the message. So he chooses to ignore it. Scandal is for the moment, to make the most of this scandal the goal. Sensible questions get in the way of media sales and advertsing revenue.
Of course there is also the issue of funding to consider. Their media outlet has grown because of the POLICTICO'S largese. If that funding were to be taken away his bonus would disappear, perhaps along with his head? Maybe a later story lever for a favour? Safer. He files that thought.
THE BUNKER
The National Sports Body who appointed the CEO is suddenly under massive heavy bombardment and missile attack. Guns of National media rain down interview requests, the switchboard is ablaze and mobile phones buzz constantly. Commentary explodes, on social media channels, feeding frenzies abound.
Some Education establishments and their cohorts of students along with Membership groups in loose affiliation shout their chagrin.
Advertisers threaten to pull their spending on media channels, aligning themselves with the POLITICO's condemnation and outrage. Their bosses call the Sports Organisations demanding action. Season Ticket Holders to Sports games threaten to boycott games if nothing changes. The furore grows and everyone seems to want blood.
Athletes within the Sport Organisation condemn anything that is not SMZ.
Within the cacophony some voices stand for the CEO. They speak of his achievements, contribution and fit for the job. No one seems to hear, or want to hear. The Lynch Mob is in full voice and the rope is being hoisted over the tree for the hanging.
BLACK DOG
BLACK DOG has a following underground. It's all VPN, multiple bounce points and fast data sends then blocked off again. Difficult to trace.
He prides himself in targeting unsuspecting people with death threats to create panic and influence results whilst being untraceable online by normal surveillance methods. He has a side business of coaching others to do the same. He is a legend in the underground world of influencers with a Masters Degree in Psychology.
He spends his life in his basement surrounded by screens in a quiet surbuban street. He is contracted to several major political organisations around the world as a consultant.
The storm attracts his attention. An opportunity.
Board leaders of the National Sports Body suddenly find themselves targets. Online hate mongers attack them and then their children as linkages are established. Death threats amidst the shouted calls for resignations hit these quiet folk and their families.
That is BLACK DOG in their midst, they will never know, they cannot see who is attacking them let alone face them. Fear is in the unknown.
The Police are called and promise to look into it. They have limited resources of time and zero expertise to do this effectively and even the intelligence services would be very hard pressed to trace the feeds unless they focused on this issue. Manpower, budget, focus issues to be considered. What can be left so this can be pursued. The answer is nothing.
THE FOCUS
The man appointed that day as CEO is now the focus of amplified hate and derision, his family feeds and those of his children attacked.
The Organisation that THE RESEARCHER identified the CEO attends is also attacked. The feeding frenzy becomes a huge game for the online feeders unaccountable for what they say or threaten. A mix of rabid party goers, online drinking and taking their drugs to fuel their enthusiasm and warrior ardour leads the way. This army is mixed with thousands of their followers who add likes and endorsements to the terrible attack on their liberty to do what they want to whom they want when they want that has been undertaken.
The bird is wounded on the beach, the other birds sense this and peck it to kill and eat it.
THE POLICTICO stands above the cacophony enjoying the power of their position and leading the crowd's roars for blood.
THE ESCALATION
The Board has an Emergency Meeting. Never in their lives have they experienced this intense focus, hate and derision nor had their families attacked. People are shouting at them in the street, a mob is at the gates of their building and their cars were dented as they drove through them by people hitting them with signs.
They are in a WAR ZONE they were never trained for.
THE POLITICO has personally phoned the Chairman and demanded the new CEO be removed and issued this as information to the Press. Mainstream Media demand to know how they will act.
The Board is scared. Their loved ones are scared. It is as though the enemy is facing guns at their families and themselves and they have to choose, or everyone they love and themselves will be shot. Right now.
BLACK DOG watches the feeds and waits for the inevitable. He knows that very few individuals are trained to stand up to this bombardment. They are civilians facing elite soldiers trained in the ruthless art of psychological manipulation. They are doomed.
THE CAPITULATION
Heads in hands the Board calls the CEO in. He has been waiting in the side office as they meet to discuss their options. They see none.
Smiles of friendship built over the recruitment process and over years of relationship are thin. Men and women hug each other as they prepare to do what they know must be done. There is love in the room and a sombre tone. The warlords have attacked, someone needs to be sacrificed. There is only one lamb to be slaughtered. They all know how this will pan out.
It's quiet in the room. There is no shouting nor recriminations. There is a sadness. They have empathy for each other, respect, and they are all men and women of character and achievement. They may battle for their points of view and have steel in their veins but for this they were never prepared. They have never faced anything like this. They have never been in a War. They are not trained as Media Soldiers. They don't even know what the SMZ is, who is behind it, or how to counter it. Their own businesses are now being targeted too as the attackers gleefully find linkages. Some of them could be ruined in a few weeks.
If tanks and storm troopers had entered their world it would be no different to what they face from the Media Manipulators.
The CEO offers to fall on his sword. The Board want to pay his three years salary due on his contract. But they do not have the funds, and will be audited. They struggle to be honourable to the man before them, stomachs tight and receiving fearful messages from their loved ones whilst hearing the shouting at their gates.
"We can manage two years and we will see if we can do the other year once the flak clears," says the Finance Director.
THE STATEMENT
The Board and CEO agree a brief statement.
The Board thank the CEO for his commitment to the Sports Body. Both parties have decided not to continue their association. The Board wish him and his team - who will also be leaving - every success in their next endeavour.
THE AFTERMATH
BLACK DOG sends out his - MAN DOWN message to his major clients and supporters.
A string of thumbs up messages percolate one of his side screens. He smiles as two new requests for Consultancy appear before him.
He goes out with his coffee to walk his dog named PEACEFUL in the blue skied cool autumn air. It is a beautiful day.
POLITICO sits with her closest advisor in the Cabinet Room (which is swept each day for bugs by the Security Services) and they toast each other over a glass of expensive brandy, a tradition they have had when a win is achieved ever since they were at University together.
The CEO sits at home with his family around him. They are watching a movie. It's a movie of hope and is uplifting. He and his wife are considering moving to another country. It's been in their thoughts for a while. The question is where to go, Africa may be a possibility.
BOARD MEMBERS sit at home or in bars watching the News unfold. The Chairman's statement to the media played relentlessly, the CEO fighting his way to his car trying to smile and facing the barrage of hate as he left the HQ. The coverage as he arrived home from protestors (eight protestors, but the clever camera angle and zoomed in shots made it look like an army) and journalists outside his home.
Endless pundits being brought in to comment on the drama. Each enjoying their moment of prime time coverage that they know will impact their advertising and views online. Agreement with the Board's decision, and questions as to why it took so long and how great POLITICO was in making this happen. No one mentions the impact on the CEO and his family.
The JOURNO reflects he has a story to tell about the POLITICO'S background that can be used as a lever. It will come in useful one day. He knows that is always the case and will use the leverage to gain exclusives when the time is right. He savours his Scottish whiskey and ponders on his Scottish ancestry and how his forefathers would attack the English and, many times be paid off for their allegiance. The JOURNO'S Boss had called and congratulated him on the percentage of viewing he had achieved today. His feeds and viewership had decimated the oppposition. And he'd reached out to BLACK DOG. One of his reporters had brought his name to his notice as someone they thought was influencing events. Seems Black Dog as BD was referred to online in some circles as a hero for their cause. JOURNO smiled to himself as the fire crackled in the grate, his Red Setter at his feet. Well boy, everybody needs insurance, his dog agreed and recieved a treat for his allegiance.
RIPPLES
In DREAMTRYB Headquarters in Richmond, England the story was followed and noted by SIR NICK. DREAMTRYB's Director General. DREAMTRYB's small team using some of the most powerful super computer linkages on the planet work quietly away in the softly lit back offices.
It is dusk over Richmond Green, a perfect English Autumn evening. FIAH has been at work. BLACK DOG a pawn in its worldwide battle to stop NICKSTIR. Keeping people quiet, holding down faith, inducing fear to individuals worldwide FIAH's strategy. Let everyone do whatever they want and be their own Gods. You can have anything you want if you follow me, the ageless invitation.
SIR NICK ponders on the precedent set. He calls the Permanent Under Secretary for Security at MI5 with his counterpart in the US and Europe patched in on the line. They share their impressions and... When they have finished their conversations one of the people SIR NICK was talking to made a call to an unlisted Geneva number.
A FAITH NEWSPAPER in England puts the story in its pages. People read. PEW PERSON (that's what we will call them) reads. She says that's awful and has fear imbued. She feels defenceless, but it's all so far away. They get on with their daily lives. So much war, what can I do? But I must be careful what I say. Their head shakes and they go back to watching the rugby.
The SNAKE. Deep under his Headquarters in Geneva the SNAKE is smiling. It's dark, wet, smells disgusting and has mold on the dripping walls. Perfect. He ticks mentally another win against his overall strategy. Over time things change but this internet cross border and global domination potential is a new toy he sees as powerful above governments and borders. His mission continues, to destroy FAITH in every corner it appears by sowing fear and doubt.
The EDUCATED. Delia shouts with her friends at the rally for their cause, they have won a battle for freedom today and they celebrate by going and demonstrating against a person who is a Judge. They are outside their house and it's 9 pm. Twelve of them are shouting and they are streaming their tequila fuelled protest online. One of the group throws a stone through the front window of the house and a firework follows. The group scarper laughing. inside The JUDGE and her family cower waiting for the Police to arrive.
SIR NICK sips his Scottish Single malt with its earthy tones when back in his flat on Richmond Hill. It is escalating he deduces, what will the SNAKE's next move be and DREAMTRYB's mission to free NICKSTIR takes on even more importance.
It's come to this. From a well funded powerful organisation to the Last Stand Battle. DREAMTRYB now faces a small group of agents in the North American Continent working to enable an unknowing civilian have the fate of the World in their hands.
It's not over till it's over he mused. And There's Always a Way.
As he did every evening he opened his old well thumbed leather bound book and studied the words. They were about war, and they were about hope. He concentrated...
It's 15th October 2022.
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