Hi Steemit!

Yesterday, you upvoted more than 150 times Episodes 1-3 of The Coup Conspiracy, a dystopian science fiction novel about cryptocurrency trader Lando Cruz.

I'm glad so many of you are enjoying it. Although today is Saturday, I thought I'd share the next 2 episodes with you. Here you go and enjoy!

The Coup Conspiracy

The United States is in slow-motion economic collapse. The Three Strikes Act funnels the unemployed masses into a national network of work camps for the most trivial of infractions.

Lando Cruz is a scrappy rebel who risks his final strike on the streets of Philadelphia by trading illegal currencies under cover of a burrito stand. He spends his days bribing dirty cops, fending off undercover federal agents and shepherding his little sister through adolescence.

Lando is getting by until beat cops seize his savings and kidnap his sister for ransom. He has thirty days to raise the hard cash he needs to free her before she is sold into sex slavery. His only chance is a lucrative job offer from the black market rebellion's paramilitary startup, the Core. He risks both his life and his principles to get his sister back before time runs out.

Reader Reviews

Here are some reader reviews so far:

What a crazy book! In an incredibly fast paced and irresistible manner. Crazy characters, crazy storyline, crazy twists, but…. I totally got and empathized with Lando – the main character. Please tell me there’s a sequel!! Sci-fi, future earth, corrupt political systems, revolting populace – this had it all.

The novel is well-written, fun, and contains some great ideas. Heroic line, romantic line, hard-working individuals who save the day, libertarian ideas, betrayal, statist maniacs and infiltrators, assassins and terrorists, and, above all, agoracopters!

The story hooks you right away with a lively world, lots of moving parts, and action. The setting in the not too distant future, with tech more advanced than today but not unfamiliar, meant I could imagine the world without the story getting bogged down with too much descriptive detail.

Sometimes you want a book that is easy to read and follow, and just moves along. Lando Cruz is that kind of book. I kept reading just to see what happened next. The style is terse and spare.

A fast paced look at one possible future for a society that shuns the rights of the individual in favor of government control.

Episodes 1-3 of The Coup Conspiracy

Episode 4: Ryan

“Who’s in charge here?” asked the man in the black leather trench coat. The sun dipped below the skyline behind him.

Lando sighed. “What’ll it be? I’m about to close up.” Nervous, dark clothes and asking who’s in charge: either a fed or a snitch.

Trench coat man rubbed his chin. “What do you have?” His face was angular and his small, dark eyes looked through Lando.

Lando looked away and pointed to the orange awning above his cart. “Burritos,” he said. “How about extra jalapeños?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Lando prepared the food. He added one, then two scoops of jalapeños. I really have to get that laxative. “That’ll be $50.”

“Oh, right.” The man pulled out his wallet and handed Lando a collection of rumpled small bills. “So, who’s in charge here?”

David and Lando rolled their eyes at each other.

He leaned in and raised his eyebrows. “You guys got any of the good stuff?”

David and Lando facepalmed.

Trench coat man turned to David. “Was that silver I saw?”

David took a step back.

“Listen, snitch,” Lando said. “I think it’s pretty clear who’s in charge here. And all I’m selling is refried beans. No, you did not see any silver. Go find someone else to snitch on!” He turned to David and said, “It’s time for me to close up.”

Trench coat man pushed his fedora back from his face. “You guys are part of the rebellion — the agora — aren’t you?” He smiled.

“Hey, uh,” David said. “I’ve got to meet my mom. I’ll see you later, man.” He walked backwards for a moment, then turned and hustled around the corner.

Lando grimaced and watched him walk away.

Trench coat man studied Lando’s cart. “Fake license. Reasonable prices. Yep! You’re an agorist!” He looked up and smiled. “Hey, what happens if I steal from you? Vigilante justice, am I right?” He turned his head sideways and smiled at Lando.

“We don’t use violence,” Lando said. Well, only in self-defense.

Trench coat man’s shoulders fell. “What? That’s no fun. Of course you do. Like if some kid steals your corner and you deck him, am I right?” He crossed his arm and raised his eyebrows.

“This is bullshit. That was defense of my property. You got something to charge me with, undercover man, you do it. Otherwise I am out of here.” Lando packed up his supplies, folded his stool into the cart and started to retract the awning.

Trench coat man outstretched his arms and inched his hands forward. “No, hold on. Don’t take off yet. I’m not a cop and I’m not a CI.” He stuck his hand across the cart. “I’m Ryan. I’m one of you. And I just might have a job for you.”

Lando narrowed his eyes at him. He refused the handshake. He pulled his stool out again, sat down and crossed his arms. “If you’re one of us, then tell me about the roads.”

Ryan looked to the left and guffawed. “Oh, that’s easy. ‘Who will build the roads!’”

Lando frowned. “So, who will build the roads?”

“Private corporations! And whoever wants to, of course.” Ryan gave Lando a sly smile.

Lando grunted. “Why do I have a fake license?”

Ryan closed his eyes and tilted his head to one side. “Because you’re an anarchist, and you think government is immoral and you’re participating in an alternative economy.” Ryan smiled. “Like a black market.”

“And profit is evil,” Lando deadpanned.

Ryan scoffed. “Profit is good!”

Lando grunted. “And —? “

“How many strikes you got, Lando?” Ryan’s face took on a mercenary look.

Lando gritted his teeth and looked away.

Ryan cupped his hand around his ear. “Was that two I heard? Yeah, I hear that, loud and clear. Nobody wants to admit to two strikes. The third one comes way too easy. And then … ” Ryan drew his finger across his neck.

Lando growled, “What do you know about it?”

“I have family in the camps. Don’t we all?” Ryan paused. “The Three Strikes Act is slavery, pure and simple. All they need is some trumped up thinkcrime and boom. We finally have them on the run and so they put us in the camps to do slave labor for them. And what do we do about it? We sell burritos and pot and trade bitcoins back and forth.”

Lando cleared his throat and looked down. “That’s agorism 101. Don’t knock it,” he muttered.

“How much school did you do?” Ryan opened up his burrito and took a bite. His eyes went big. “Wow, I made a bad first impression, huh?” He fanned his mouth and reached for his drink. “Was it the trench coat or the fedora?”

“No! Don’t drink anything.” Lando handed him an empty wrap. “Try this. It’ll take the sting out.”

“Damn! So, getting back to our conversation —“

“Interrogation?” Lando cocked an eyebrow.

Ryan picked the excess peppers out of his burrito. “No school, then. How about —“

Lando’s tablet rung. He held his hand up to Ryan and tapped his earbud. “Yes.”

“Lando,” Mariana cried, “Lizzy left early today and I can’t find my dinner.”

Lando put his hand to his forehead. “You can’t open the fridge, Mari?”

“Wife?” Ryan asked with a grin.

Lando waited for Mariana to search the refrigerator. “Sister,” he whispered to Ryan.

“Oh, really?” Ryan covered his mouth with his hand and turned away.

“It’s not in here, Lando!” Mariana yelled.

“Hey, Lando, give me the usual.” A man with long dirty hair, his clothes ripped and pushing a shopping cart approached Lando.

“Sure, Snowball, just stand back.” Lando pulled two burritos out of the warmer and walked them over to Snowball. “Send the coin to the same address.” Lando held his nose.

“Did you look on the top shelf, Mari? You know, the one that’s right in front of your face?”

Snowball laughed. “Sister nagging you again, huh?” He slapped his knee. Dust particles flew out towards Lando’s cart. Lando grimaced.

“Oh, I found it!” she said. “I’m so silly, it was right here in front of my face! Gee, where is your head, Mariana?” She giggled.

Lando smiled. “Good. I’ll be home soon.”

“Hey, the landlord came by after you left this morning.” Mariana asked.

“I gotta go.”

“Love you big brother!”

“Okay,” Lando whispered.

“Let’s hear it.”

Lando growled. “I, uh, —“

Mariana giggled.

“Oh, you.” Lando hung up. “Tell you what, Snowball. Keep that bitcoin and spend it on a shower. Jesus Christ, man. You have to bathe if you want to integrate back into society!”

“Ha! Integrate into society. These clowns won’t let me,” Snowball said. He pointed to a group of black-shirted police officers bearing down on Lando’s position.

“Well, guys, I can see I have overstayed my welcome.” He folded in the stool, collapsed the awning and got on his bike. “I will see you gentlemen tomorrow.” Lando started to pedal but it refused to move.

“You forgot to disengage the brake. Good luck,” said Ryan. He turned to leave.

Lando got off the bike and disengaged the brake on the back wheel.

He stood up fast and met a black wall.

Lando reached to open the warmer. “Has the dinner bell rung, gentlemen? Here let me get you —“

A nightstick smacked Lando’s wrist.

Lando retracted his arm and nursed it. He frowned and stood up. Sarge slammed his hand down on Lando’s shoulder and dug his thumb in under his collarbone. Lando collapsed in pain.

“I am videotaping everything,” said Lando.

Sarge laughed with his mouth open. “You got drones in the sky or something, kid? Stay down.” Three cops now surrounded Lando. The tallest one picked up a red soda can off of the cart. He popped the tab and drank deep. “Ahh. Now, that hits the spot.” He examined the can. “Kowalski, is this real Coke or a knockoff you think?” He looked at the smallest cop.

“No way to tell, Sarge,” said the redheaded cop.

Lando spoke up. “Have they got you guys on anti-piracy duty now? You join IPEC?” Lando laughed.

The tallest one licked his lips, set the can down and smacked Lando across the face with the back of his hand. “Don’t you ever compare me to those fuckups. Every time they run through here, all my merchants get shut down.”

“Surely, gentlemen, we can resolve this without getting your handsome uniforms dirty. How about a nice $500?” Lando rotated his shoulder and grimaced.

Ryan took a step back and put his hand to his chin.

“Hey Jaffari, $500. Did you hear that?” said Kowalski to the tall cop.

“No,” said Jaffari. “I heard $5,000. A prosperous businessman can spare $5,000 for the policemen’s ball.”

The three cops laughed.

Sarge spoke up. He pushed his hat back on his head. “No, fellows, I’ve been watching this one all day. He’s up to some funny business. He’s got two strikes. And I know for a fact that the Secret Service is after him.”

The other two cops said, in unison, “Oooo, nice!”

“Yep, he’s a ripe one. Been profiting off our streets for God knows how long. His license is fake. His menu isn’t on file with the city. No tax stickers or nothing. This is a wild cherry tomato and it’s time for harvest.”

“You can shove your bullshit taxes up — !“ started Lando.

Kowalski laughed with his mouth open. “A wild cherry. That’s good Sarge.”

“Shut up, Kowalski.” Sarge looked down at Lando and sneered. He tapped him on the head with his nightstick. “Now look here, boy. You are going to empty your pock—“

Lando’s voice cracked. “I’ve got a family to —“

“Shut up!” He grabbed Lando’s collar and cracked him on the back of his head with the nightstick. Lando yelped. “You are going to empty your pockets. You are going to open the lock box. You are going to strip down so I know you aren’t hiding anything on your person, motherfucker, and then you are going to enter the password for your bitcoin wallet.” He hauled him up by the back of his collar and took Lando’s tablet out of his back pocket. “Stand up. And you are going to do this without any guff, wisecracking or bitching about your family. We all got families to feed. We all got jobs to do. Got it?”

Lando stared at him. I will get you. The agora will get you.

Kowalski slapped Lando across the face. “The Sarge asked you a question, spic!”

Something black caught the corner of Lando’s eye. He glanced. Ryan leaned against the Fed building at the other end of the block and watched with his arms crossed.

Lando fixed Kowalski with a glare and stepped toward him.

In one fluid motion, Kowalski drew his taser and stung Lando in the neck. Lando screamed and crumpled to the ground. “Burn, baby, burn!” yelled Kowalski.

Sarge pushed Kowalski and the taser turned off. “He can’t pay us if he’s charbroiled, idiot!” He turned to Lando. “Enough s—“

Kowalski’s radio crackled. “All units. High-speed chase, heading north on 7th Street between Market and Filbert. Armed and dangerous. Suspected narcotics.”

The tall cop spoke up. “Sarge, that’s right down the block. And he’s got something or —“

A car came racing down the street. Jaffari pulled out his sidearm and fired three shots at it. He started running toward the street but stopped and looked at Sarge. “You know he’s got something! It’s now or never.” He gestured toward Lando. “He’ll be here tomorrow!”

Sarge looked at Lando. “Go, Kowalski, start the car.” He kicked Lando in the gut and punched him in the face. “Expect us tomorrow, kid.” The three cops ran to their car and screeched off north.

Lando wiped his nose. It was bleeding. He pulled some napkins out of the cart and held them to his face. He sat down on the cement. It started to rain. Bastards. What did I do to deserve this? He slammed his fist down on the sidewalk.

Ryan walked over and picked Lando up off the ground. “We need to get you home.” Ryan helped him over to his bike. “Ride home. Your sister will fix you up.”

He stared at Ryan. “There are still some decent people in this world, I guess. Come get a burrito tomorrow. No jalapeños this time.” He mounted the bike and put a foot on a pedal. He looked up at Ryan. “This job you mentioned, does it involve dealing with cops at all?”

Ryan grinned and rubbed his hands together. “It involves outsmarting cops.”

Episode 5: Dad

“You should try yoga dad, it has really helped a lot of people.” Lando carried his dad’s weight on his shoulders as he hobbled to the toilet. And it might get a load off of my back!

Lando’s wrist communicator showed 3:15 AM. He flipped on the bathroom light and closed his eyes. I might just make the breakfast rush.

“Hurry up!” said Dad.

“The light just blinded —“ started Lando.

“I don’t care! Just get me on the toilet!” Dad yelled.

Lando sat him down. Dad grimaced. Lando lingered at the white porcelain sink.

“Get out! I don’t want you to remember me like this,” Dad said.

Lando sighed. He leaned against the wall right outside of the bathroom. So tired.

“Don’t worry, Lando, I’m almost done. I won’t be a burden on you much longer.”

Lando put his mouth to the door jamb. He knocked a paint flake to the floor with his finger. “Dad, come on. I just want you to be better again. I need you.”

Dad grunted. “That’s a load of bullshit just like the one coming out … right now.” A wry grin spread over his face before the grimace returned. “If you need me, then you’re fucked, and so is Mariana. Don’t need me!” A low whimper escaped him.

Lando covered his nose and looked away. “Maybe a stationary bike, dad. They say that the leg movement helps your digestion.”

“A stationary bike? How about the rent. The bills, now that would be a luxury. A stationary bike! Ha! That’s a dream you can’t afford,” said Dad.

“I just want you to be well —“

“And to not have to wipe my ass. I understand. I wouldn’t have enjoyed wiping my dad’s ass, either. Like I said, I’ll shove off soon. And then you will need to care for your sister.” Dad looked up at Lando, his eyes narrowed. “She’s a princess and you will treat her as such. I want the same legal citizenship papers for her that your mom and I got for you. Remember the deal we made.”

Lando rolled his eyes. How could I forget? You only remind me about it daily.

“Okay, go ahead.”

Lando took care of the dirty work and settled his father back into bed.

“Now get out there, son, and make some money,” said Dad. He covered himself up and started to snore.

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