IBO - Brian R. Lundin (100 books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📗

his administration were blamed for failing to curb the rise in crime and violence. City and state leaders were requested help in terms of funding to hire more law enforcement officers and buying better technology.
Congress passed laws where mere possession of Ibo resulted in twenty year in prison and the death penalty for the second offense. Congress also amended the Re-Education Camp Bill, any Black or Hispanic released from any of the camps convicted of selling Ibo also was subject to the death penalty, there was no appeal process and the executions were carried out within thirty days. Technology had developed a new lethal injection machine that was supposed to be more humane than the old type and could execute one hundred people at a time and it was estimated that over 20,000 young men, mainly Blacks and Hispanics had been executed.
Once again, President Tolland called upon his close friends, Vice President Warren, Jr. and Secretary Of State Lorine Barnes.
“I have just received a confidential memo from the FBI and the DEA and their finding are startling. It states that there is a rise in violent crimes and most of these crimes are drug related. The statistic also shows that most of the drug dealers and are male Hispanics and blacks between the ages of fourteen and thirty-five. However, most surprising is that they are not part of any organized gang. It concludes that the drug dealers are now older and therefore are not subjected to the new law, what you think is happening, Warren.
“Well sir, I believe that since the introduction of the camps we have effectively eliminated the organized gang structure that was responsible for a great deal of the drug related violence and what is happening now is anyone who can steal or rob someone and get a hundred dollars now can go into the drug business. This new drug, Ibo, has taken over and from conversations I have had with our intelligence community, no one knows where it comes from. It is not like cocaine or heroin where we know what the source countries are, this is something new. We know what is made of, but we don’t know where or how it is made or distributed.”
“What do you advise we do now?” the president asked.
“We must first identify where this drug is coming from and how it is distributed. We have to change our focus from apprehension to prevention. I suggest you set up a meeting with Audrey Watson, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and find out what they know about this new drug.”
“Ok, I’ll set it up for this afternoon at 3:00, see you both then,” President Tolland said.
At 3:00 pm, the president, vice-president and the secretary of state met with Audrey Watson in the Oval office.
Audrey Watson was the former senior United States Representative from California and a college classmate of the president’s wife. She was divorced and had two sons currently serving in the United States Navy. She was in the mid-fifties but was a striking woman, not so much in looks but in bearing. She was the only daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate who it was rumored made his fortune during the Gulf War by getting government contracts thought bribes. Audrey had been educated in Europe at and had served briefly as a DEA Special Agent; she was the first female DEA Agent ever to be named as Administrator. She was considered a very capable administrator who was firm but quiet, but when needed she could be ruthless.
“Thank you for coming Mrs. Watson,” the president began. “As I am sure you are aware we have a very serious problem with this new drug Ibo and we would like to know what your agency knows about the drug and its distribution.”
“Mr. President, this new drug is probably the most significant development in substance abuse this country had ever experienced. Synthetic drugs have been around for a long time starting with LSD. Ecstasy or date drug, a combination stimulant and hallucinogen sold in tablet form became popular particularly with young people twenty years ago. Doing its heyday it was touted as a “good” drug in that it was not physically addictive and it was estimated that over two million tablets were smuggled into the country every week and as a result of the effect on the libido of this drug when put into the drink of unsuspected females sexual assaults rose rapidly. Met amphetamine, another synthetic drug use to be a widely used drug that hit small-town rural, America hard but all of those drugs now are gone. Traditional drugs such as heroin, cocaine and marihuana, which are produced from agricultural products, are also disappearing from the streets. The main of drug of choice now is Ibo.”
“Do we know how it is made?” Lorine asked.
“Our chemists have conducted analysis on some of the confiscated drug and they tell me it is made from an alkaloid and has some of the chemical properties of marijuana but they have not, as of this time, been able to isolate or identify the alkaloid.”
“Where does it come from?” the president asked.
“We have not been able to identify a source country or find out if it is made in this country.”
“Surely your agents have informants who must know something?” the vice-president said impatiently.
The administrator gave Warren a stern look before answering.
“Of course sir we have informants and they have been questioned repeatedly by my agents trying to find out where the drug is distributed or produced, but the informant don’t know either.”
“Could you please tell us why this drug is so popular?” the vice-president said sarcastically.
“I would say there are several reasons: one is it is very cheap. Powered Cocaine is a very expensive drug with very short effects. That is why crack became so popular it was cheaper than cocaine and the high lasted longer. Two it is easy and safe to take, there are no needles required, which reduce expose to AIDS and it only requires a glass of water or no water at all. Three: It can be secreted safely on or in the body, making detection difficult. In addition, I think the main reason for its popularity is the effect. Agents have told me that users have told them that the high is better than anything they have ever experienced. Unlike heroin that makes the addict sleepy or drowsy, or cocaine that makes the user hyper, Ibo just make you feel good, but without the hallucinations that often come with other drugs like LSD.”
“You said our chemists know what the drug made of…” Tolland said.
“Yes sir, a very unusual combination of an alkaloid and an ingredient found in marijuana. Extensive research has been conducted on marijuana and studies have shown that marijuana have properties that can be beneficial in treating many ailments. The problem is Marijuana is a plant like tobacco is a plant and like tobacco, it is usually smoked in a cigarette form. There is no data that reveals that marijuana is ingesting orally.”
“What about the short and long term effects of Ibo?” Lorine asked
“It is too early to be exact about the short and long term effects of taking the drug, but interviews with user of the drug revealed that the effects were minimal. There are no indications that use of the drug causes any erratic or violent behavior, mood swings, hallucinations or any of the other negative effects that generally is associated with extended drug use. There appears to be no negative physical or emotional effects at all.


Again, user of the drug say the drug produce an intense pleasurable feeling and an enhanced sense of self-confidence and energy, not hyped energy, more controlled.
“Very interesting,” the president said shaking his head.
“What kind of strategy or do you have a strategy in attempting to finding out where the drug is made?” Warren asked.
The administrator did not answer Warren right away; she gave him another stern look before answering. When she did, it was in a voice seeped in contempt but controlled.
“We are aware and as concerned as you are about this epidemic that is sweeping our country and the resultant violence that it is causing and which you Relocation Bill were supposed to curtail. We have combined elements of our Regional Enforcement Teams and our Mobile Enforcement Teams and their main focus is on the drug Ibo. These are specially trained and motivated agents who over the years have been very successful in drug trafficking interdictions, drug seizures and arrests of violent drug dealers. So yes Mr. Vice-President in answer to your question we do have a strategy.”
“Touché,” Lorine said to herself as she looked at the little white woman who had stood up to the Vice-President of the United States.
“Thank you for coming, Madam Administrator and keep us informed,” President Tolland said.
Administrator Audrey Watson walked out the Oval office with her head held high.
“What you think Warren?” the president asked.
“We’ve got a hell of problem,” Warren answered.
“Lorine?” the president asked.
“Warren is right we do have a hell of a problem that is going to require a lot of thought.”
“Any suggestions Warren?” the president asked.
“Nope, not right now, but let me think about it and I’ll get back with you.” Warren said.
The president agreed and Vice-President Warren, Jr. his office.
“You know, Mr. President, I can certainly understand how the vice-president feels and I can understand his hatred of the gangbangers and drug dealers. I felt the same way after the senseless death of my husband by some spaced-out gangbangers. I wanted to kill every kid I saw with his pants down around his ass and his baseball cap turned sideways. It is a terrible pain to lose a love one for nothing. That pain never really leaves.

I often think about how our lives would have been if my husband had not been killed. I think of the children we would have had and our grand children. I can remember me and Clarence sitting on the rocks at the lake arguing about what college our children would go to, those was good times that were cut short by some drug addict. I still can see Clarence bloody body on that steel table in the emergency room with the doctors working on him, trying to save a life that they knew was gone. I wanted to see him smile, to kiss him to say good-bye, but I could not.
I can only imagine what it was like when Warren’s parents were killed I front of him. The pain he must have felt holding his mother in his arms and watching her and his father die. Vice-President Warren is a very bitter man and wants revenge, his main purpose in life is to get revenge on the drug dealers and gang bangers he holds responsible for his parent’s death. It took years of therapy for me to get a grip on my hatred and thirst for revenge and my husband’s death, nut don’t believe that therapy would help Warren, it too deep and I have this uneasy feeling that the vice president has another agenda, something