No Stranger To Storms

No Stranger To Storms
John is no stranger to working for the government. He has already been assigned many projects that he was able to conclude successfully, but even John wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen next. Before he can get his morning coffee. Men dressed in black suits and crisp white shirts bang on his door as if they own the place. He’s not quite sure if he should open it, but does anyhow. They don’t look like they have any particular emotion on their faces’s, so he doesn’t know what to expect. One of the men hold up an ID, showing him that he is a branch of the government.
“Mr. Wallace, he says stoically.”
“Call me John, I hear myself saying.”
“We have been sent from the president to discuss something of utmost importance. May we come in?” As they step inside without an invitation. The men make themselves comfortable. “Without wasting any time. There have been strange and unusual outbreaks of disease in some parts of the country, which always occurs after a rain or from a dark cloud in the sky. These outbreaks after careful study appear to be terrorist related possibly. The chemicals are something you would find in the Asia area. Would you please study these folders and let us know your

No Stranger To Storms

finding? The government needs your help. Anymore of these outbreaks can cause a panic. Will you help us?”
“Yes I will John nods.” “I’ll have my report by the end of the week.”
They feel satisfied by that and leave. John feels a little overwhelmed by the amount of work in front of him, but through exhaustive studies he has done about strange rains in the past he has learned not to question anything. As his mind goes back to those studies he remembers, a few more better than others. In particular the event in November 1996 when residents in Tasmania woke up to find a strange jelly like substance on their property after a storm and the study done by a professor of chemistry at the University of Sienna that stated that red rain fell on the same exact part of town four times. Not to mention the rain of frogs, fish, squid, torn apart birds and worms. All scientifically documented and all true. So a story about chemically implanted clouds doesn’t seem so strange to John. Who has been a meteorologist for the last 15 years and loves to study the weather.
His salt and pepper gray hair gives him a look of maturity and wisdom which helps along with his degree. Where should I start he wonders and opens up the file folder of papers sitting now on his desk in front of him. After reading about an incident in California he decides he needs to take a trip there and get some samples to study. Grabbing a small bag he stuffs it with a couple of changes of clothes and the folders. He can get anything else he needs when he gets there.
The airport just happens to be about twenty miles down the road so getting there should not be a problem, but what he doesn’t realize is the time of day it is, which happens to be the rush hour

No Stranger To Storms

when people are getting home from work. His greatest fear is happening. He absolutely hates traffic jams. Seemingly normal people act like aliens on another planet, impatient, rude, and some maybe even deadly. Having managed though the airport is finally in sight. He feels relieved. Rushing in and getting his ticket is no problem because he is well known here and the government has him on a list of people they can trust. Finally he is settled in a seat over the wing area. It’s the best position for cloud study. John always seems to be studying even when he doesn’t have to.
In front is an old couple, who must have been married at least 50 years because they finish each others sentences and you can’t listen to a complete conversation from either one of them. Also around a number of business men are trying to use their cell phones. The only disturbing noise on the trip though is the young mother and her child, who she can’t seem to keep quiet. Evidently she must have left her husband because John notices tears running down her face that she tries to keep hidden behind her sunglasses. Sitting next to him a young woman in her mid 30's, shapely legs that are bare due to the fact she is wearing shorts and completely in another zone as she listens to the music on her headset. She move up and down to rhythm. I just hope she doesn’t move this way he thinks, but she did manage to get my mind off the clouds. Other than all these things everything is fine.
Finally the plane is in the air and it should only take about two hours to get to California. After about 1 ½ hours and as they near their destination. The seat belt sign comes on over the intercom. The plane that has been going smoothly begins to shake, but even as this is happening a well


No Stranger To Storms

mannered and calm stewardess lets everyone know it’s just a storm and to not be concerned. John however looks out over the wing and notices a jelly like substance just like in past studies that is adhering to the plane as the rain falls and the lightening flashes. So others may be calm but John knows and understands that something unusual is going on.
“Excuse me miss,” as he looks upward.”
“Yes, “ she answers impatiently.”
“Does this happen often in California?”
“Only in the last couple of months ever since the chatter on the government lines has slowed down,” she whispers. “You know they say don’t worry if the kids are noisy, worry when they are not.”
“Yes miss, thank you for telling me.”
The girl next to me doesn’t hear what she said due to the fact she still is in her musical zone. Thank God. However, despite the gel on the wing we manage to land. When passengers begin to get off though everyone that is fully dressed does fine, but the girl with sexy legs gets some gel on her and falls ill.
Before you know it an ambulance rushes in and takes her to the hospital. I try hurriedly to collect some gel in a container from my bag and run into the terminal. It’s of the utmost importance I get this back home and onto another plane I go and back to the lab. After carefully examining the substance I realize that it contains some form of polio and a skin destroying property. My God, it’s really true. Terrorists have really found a way to use the clouds.

No Stranger To Storms

In an attempt not to cause a panic he informs the CIA a branch of the government his findings. God only knows how many people this will effect. As he realizes his job is done and the governments has just begun.
John goes back to his daily routine. Studying tornadoes with his buddies, chasing them down, analyzing them and taking pictures for prosperity. When one night as John turns on his tv, that is 63 inches wide, plasma, and oh so sweet, he sees on the news that in Maine the opposite side of the country from California a red rain has been falling for the past two hours causing people to come down with small pox. John is all too familiar with the government, knows what will happen next.
So much for thinking my job is done. Only when they make contact with him they don’t talk to him about Maine, but about Texas where toads in a pond have been bloating up and exploding. Little did they know in a remote town with only 1,000 residents and 200 cows that has already begun. An entire family has exploded. They know it’s not by normal means, because the forensic experts have already checked it out. The pond with the frogs seem to have been contaminated after a rain. People that drink bottles water thinking they are safe are also infected. Maybe I shouldn’t stop working on this just yet. John sighs. Perhaps I should spend my lifetime helping people escape the jaws of the monster called terrorism.