Imminent: a Truth Seekers conspiracy thriller

Note from the publisher

Imminent is a complete stand-alone novel and a bonus spin-off of the Among Us Trilogy.

If you have been following the trilogy, you’ll notice that in this story you will, through the eyes of new characters, ordinary American citizens, see how the government’s implementation of a microchip program has impacted the nation. On an added note, the timeline in Imminent is parallel with the period of time between books 2 and 3 in the Among Us Trilogy.

If you are reading the Among Us Trilogy by Anne-Rae Vasquez, here is the suggested reading order:

Doubt, book 1

Resist, book 2

Imminent (standalone)

Reveal, book 3

Table of Contents

Note from the publisher

1. Simulated Active Electronic Response

2. President Roshenbaum

3. Michael Graham

4. Truth

5. Jakob Karim

6. Joshua Cohen

7. Emergency meeting

8. Documentary filmmaking

9. Michael

10. HOP

11. Like sheep

12. Number Day

13. Simon and Sarah

14. Unraveling

15. No going back

16. Walter Bullen

17. Biblical proportions

18. President's Woes

19. Celine and Nasreen

20. Flee

21. Protests

22. Andrea

23. Water crisis

24. Filming It

25. Reflections

26. Bunker

27. Disasters

28. Game time

29. 55210JAY

30. Fear

31. Gifts

32. Ebola

33. Detained

34. Mind reading and visions

35. Evacuate

36. Mission

37. End at hand

Sneak peek of REVEAL, book 3 Among Us Trilogy

List of Characters

Plot Summary

Chapter 1

Simulated Active Electronic Response

Simulated Active Electronic Response (SA-ER) will be our new mode of communication with all citizens of our great nation. To reclaim our status of being the world's super power, the citizens of the United States must unite and do whatever it takes to restore our financial security. The time is now. Newly elected Republican President Pierce Roshenbaum stood in front of the podium for his first official address to the nation he vowed to save from the depths of poverty that had overcome the middle class. He had laid forth a strategic plan to restore the status and prestige America had once held.

Mr. President, how will these SA-ER devices work and how will they be issued? asked freshman White House Correspondent, Celine Arrandi.

Mr. President, is it true that only those citizens tested to be of extreme intelligence will be issued these SA-ER devices initially and can you go into detail as to how they will work and whether they could be used as tracking devices? veteran reporter, Mario Laralde, asked as a barrage of other journalists in the room shouted their questions, hoping for an explanation as to what the plan was to reverse the dismal outlook for America's middle class.

Celine, receiving no response, inched herself up to stand taller than the six foot tall reporter with the baritone voice in front of her. Mr. President, how will they work, sir? She asked again in the broadest voice she could muster.

Okay. Okay. Everyone, I will answer the question once and there will be no more questions to follow. He paused, his eyes scanning the large crowd of concerned-looking reporters gathered for what he knew would be a day marked for its historical significance to the nation that was sinking financially. At last he spoke.

"The SA-ER device will be rolled out to every citizen, beginning with those we have been able to number, using microchips. They will spread to every citizen of our nation by the end of next year. They are not – I repeat – are not – tracking devices.

Scientists have worked very diligently to assure us these communication devices will allow us to ration food in an organized fashion so that we no longer will have droves of our middle class citizens dying from starvation. These devices will also ensure that every citizen will have access to services to assist in finding adequate temporary housing options until such time in the near future that we can regain our nation's wealth and stabilize our economy. SA-ER will allow us to communicate with each and every one of you in real time with clear, concise information to guide you in this journey we must take together to save our country.

Noticing the raised eyebrows and the frown lines appearing on the faces of the reporters, President Roshenbaum continued.

I assure you this solution is not meant to cause uprisings, but is meant to provide you with the security of knowing we here in Washington are concerned about your plight and are doing everything we can to turn the tables on the recent failures in our country. Thank you. There will be no more questions. Good day, and remember, 'We are united citizens', referencing his campaign slogan as he quickly exited the pressroom.

Chapter 2

President Roshenbaum

President Roshenbaum removed the handkerchief from his trouser pocket to wipe the beads of sweat dripping down the back of his neck as the door to the pressroom closed behind him.

First Lady Giselle Roshenbaum grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it briefly as a show of support. She leaned over to him and said, Get it together. Don't let them see you sweat. Buck up and look confident.

Joined by his newly-appointed cabinet members in the Oval Office, which had not yet been fully renovated following the elections in November, the President threw his jacket onto the back of his chair and demanded all reports regarding the recent financial collapse be put in his hand by the end of the hour.

Mr. President, how, sir, do you plan to get these devices to the people and will we have them as well? Presidential Counselor Sam Sutter asked.

The president demanded everyone leave the room and turned to his counselor, letting out a long sigh as his shoulders slumped and his hands raised to his temples. Sam, I don't know. Am I doing the right thing here? We give these devices to everyone, even those here in the White House, then what?

With all due respect, Mr. President... the counselor started.

Oh, don't give me that. How long have we known each other, Sam? 25 years? Give it to me straight. Am I doing the right thing? The President hoped Sam could provide a much-needed anecdote to America's problems.

"Alright, Pierce. Even if it's not the right thing to do – you need to play this like it's the best solution to our problems and you need to go out there each and every day and sing the praises of this SA-ER device or no one and I mean no one will have faith in you and your decisions. You are fresh out of the gates. They are counting on you to make them forget what the last year has done to them and their loved ones. Now, start believing in it or no one else ever will." Sam poured a couple of glasses of brandy and offered one to his old college roommate, the president.

***

Frustrated with herself over what she believed to be a horrible first assignment for her, Celine walked into her apartment set on typing her notes and emailing them to her editor for that evening’s edition of the Virginia Tribune. Her roommate, Nasreen, looked up from one of the dozens of novels she was currently reading and began to fire off a barrage of questions regarding Celine’s first day in the White House Press Room.

You don't want to know, she said as she dumped her laptop and her purse onto her desk. The desk was placed strategically in front of the lone picture window – their only source of natural light in the common areas of the apartment they shared – Celine rubbed her forehead and plopped herself onto the sofa they've owned since their days together in the dorms of NYU and gave a murmured response. It sucked. The President never acknowledged my questions. Everyone was talking over each other and I got placed behind the biggest reporter they could find. I'm doomed in this business.

No, you are not. You are getting your feet wet and you have to find your place. We are living in crazy times. Everyone – excuse the pun – is hungry. They all want the same story you want. Nasreen turned. Oh, before I forget, a package came for you. It's on your bed.

Celine got up and said under her breath, Please, let it be a box of chocolates.

You know they are rationing chocolate already. You can only get it on the black market, but I may know a guy who knows a guy, Nasreen said with a wink.

The box didn't look official. There was no return address label on it. Did someone drop this off? Celine wondered. Opening it, there were no indications of who it came from or why. Surprised by its contents, Celine called out to her roommate, Nas, get in here. I think this is one of those SA-ER devices.

Examining the small card with red glowing script flashing across it, Nasreen wondered aloud, Who decided you were of superior intelligence?

Ignoring the jab, Celine asked, What am I supposed to do with it? Register it?

Well, Celine, you were at the White House. What did the President say to do with it? Nasreen asked as she tried to understand the text running across the card. Not seeing any wires or a camera, she started to rub it trying to elicit a response.

Don't break it, Nasreen. Coaxing it out of her hand, Celine squinted to read the numbers scrolled across the bottom. Roshenbaum didn't really explain anything. He just said we'd be getting these and they aren't supposed to be tracking devices.

You bought that story? Nasreen said in a mocking tone. Of course, they are not going to tell you it's a tracking device. Why would they? Now, what do you do with it?

Eyebrows raised and a look of confusion plastered across her face, Celine threw herself onto her bed to examine the card further, reading the numbers again and again out loud. 55210JAY. 55210JAY. What do you think that means? Is that like my number? She quirked an eyebrow toward Nasreen, who was now doing a search online via her cell phone to try to see if there were instructions posted on the government website.

Well, maybe it is. I heard that they are supposed to count everyone so they can decide how much food we will be allowed to purchase at the new government-run food marts. She shook her head and continued. It sucks. It just amazes me every day when I'm working at the shelter – the number of homeless people like me and you keeps rising. One day, we'll have 1,000 mouths to feed. The next, it'll be over 2,000 people. How did that happen? Why aren't they numbering them first so we can make sure they eat?

"Nasreen, I don't know the answer to that. All I know is that someone somewhere goofed and