The Saviors of Mankind

Chapter 1

The GSK Agent rocked gently in the sleek red hovercraft as it swept into the Turn. The spectacular curving breakwater loomed above the blue waters of the Arabian Sea, a thousand clicks from the east African coast. A sweep of the security lasers, a click of the gate, and the boat glided into the vast circular enclosure of the Freest Place on Earth (™).

"Welcome to Liburbia!" beamed the thirtysomething Eurasian woman with the microphone and the pronounced Australian accent. "The Freedom City, where you, too, can buy equity and start living the dream... today!"

The Agent gasped as the city on the waves came into view. He looked out the porthole at what seemed to be enormous glittering water lilies, arranged in hexagons and topped with a profusion of flowers, trees, and shrubs. Multicolored drones hovered everywhere like tropical birds, and boats of every kind sailed among the lily pads like a Cambrian explosion of sea life. He realized that he was looking at the composite-material seascrapers of Liburbia, The World's Most Fascinating City-State (™).

"You're looking a fair bit gobsmacked, mite!"

He realized she was talking to him and turned his head to face her. Data streamed into his field of vision on the augmented reality layer.

NORAH TENZING VANDENBERG

LIBURBIA COO

it read, next to her face.

"Ms. Vandenberg, it's... amazing. We haven't got anything like this, in... in..."

YOUR COVER IDENTITY: KENICHI HASHIMOTO

FUKUOKA, JAPAN

"... Japan. I mean, the Shimizu Pyramid is nice and all, but..."

"It's a good one," Norah nodded, "but I think you'll like it here. Now, we've got a busy day ahead of us. The annual shareholders' meeting is at 1800, and you're all welcome to attend and ask any questions you may have..."

"When is it game time?" asked a large man in a fedora, who was sitting near the back, just behind the open hatch through which sunlight streamed onto the turquoise carpet.

As he spoke, Norah looked out the window and cringed. In the distance, a small mint-green dot appeared and grew larger. Within seconds, a familiar two-wheeled watercycle became visible and started gaining on the hovercraft, its translucent wheels a blur and a grinning, thirtyish, tan-colored man gripping the handlebars, his curly brown hair waving in the wind.

"Is that HIM?" a woman shouted.

The Agent turned his head and smiled. Yes. Yes, it was. He'd seen the man's face in a thousand media clips.

CLIFTON JOHNSON

CEO, LIBURBIA

OWNER, SEA-LORDS (IWA)

Norah rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. "SOME people should allow some OTHER people to finish their tours sometimes before..." She noticed the mic was on, and stopped.

"He's going really, really fast!" yelled an excited 8-year-old girl whose parents gazed lovingly upon her.

"Yes, Marissa, he is," said her father. "That's Mr. Cliff Johnson, the founder! The man they like to call 'Sea-lon Musk'!"

"Nine over six in the Wave Cup!" Marissa exclaimed. "Swooshed a Brownian in the finals against the Water Wizards!"

The drone of the water-cycle was getting louder, and Norah felt her share of the group's attention dropping to zero. From the stern, a pair of drones emerged with a square of material, which they inflated into a large cushion just below the hatch. Not again, Norah thought.