Chapter 42

Assange was flummoxed. Snowden had given him leaks alright, but these leaks focused on conspiracy theories…well, at least what the government called conspiracy theories. It turned out the NSA had a whole database of evidence on the CIA, the FBI, the DEA, the FDA and every government entity to ever have existed. It was as if they were playing J.E. Hoover’s old game of blackmail, but on a scale to the nth degree. Since it’s conception in 1952, the NSA had collected all available information on the Kennedys, aliens, the Bilderbergs, the FED, Flight 800 you name it, and it was neatly divided into two categories: factual evidence and misinformation. They had actually been doing their detective work…but to what end? What kind of influence were they using on the rest of government? Who was the NSA actually loyal to?

This was particularly frustrating for Assange, because he had specifically avoided subjects like 9-11 and UFOs as it was easier to be defamed in the public eye when suggesting anything other than the official story. He chose to stick to topical, mainstream issues that could be proven in a court of law, and retain his journalistic credibility. But this…this was the mother lode of all leaks for Americans personally affected by government deceit. Families of loved ones killed intentionally or thru collateral damage would only be right to obtain this treasure trove of proof…proof of the amoral, systematic strategy of concealing actions considered too risky for the public to handle…or maybe it was the fear of having to be accountable for their actions…or inactions. Those humiliated by this policy, called ‘crazy’ or ‘emotionally distraught,’ intimidated by spooks ordered to intimidate, could find justice in one fell swoop. He just had to upload it online.

“Bollocks.” Assange kept reading. This was unprecedented material, book-ready plot lines and real dirty tricks, but worst part was, it became shockingly clear, nearly every major conspiracy theory was actually true…at least to an extent. There were always loonies or opportunists seeking the spotlight with tall tales, but even they were filed, and some were used by the government to create the impression that anyone doubting the official story must be loony too. Problem was, there were far more regular people seeking the truth, witnesses, whistle blowers and holders of evidence than liars…and the strategy of character assassination against them was staggering.

Assange kept seeing terms like ‘THREAT TO THE STATE’ and ‘NOT FOR PUBLIC VIEW.’ The more he read, the more it appeared their reasoning was simple: beneath each official story there was ‘what really happened,’ whether murder, theft or just some minor embarrassment to the status quo. The government had developed a culture of fear based around how the public would respond to the truth…and it appeared they were scared shitless.

“I’m not bloody Alex Jones!” Assange cursed. But maybe, that’s not what I’m supposed to bother with, he thought. How do I show the policy rather than the history?

Then he found a subgroup that made his blood run cold: “Assassinations of Witnesses and Whistleblowers.” The list was broken down into military personnel, civilians, agents, corporate businessmen, journalists…and there it was…names he recognized, Dorothy Kilgallen, William Colby, Vince Foster, William Cooper, Phillip Marshall…and Michael Hastings. All victims of government sponsored murder for the sake of maintaining their public image.

And then he found another subgroup: “TO-DO LIST.” He looked away from the screen for a moment and collected himself, then he continued to read, and sure enough he found it: Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, Glenn Greenwald and Edward Snowden.

Well, he thought, I guess it’s time to call in the cavalry.