Here are the other "Charlie" caches:
PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4
As I went to retrieve Charlie’s last hide, I noticed a van pull into the parking lot behind me and park back at the upper end of the parking lot. No one got out, which seemed out of place. I’ve been around the emergency services long enough for most “unmarked” police vehicles to stick out like they were painted orange. I’ve also seen my share of undercover surveillance vehicles and this particular van looked like one of those. All windows tinted nearly black, its general appearance is plain- to a fault, and there is an unusual looking air vent on the roof that holds a small video camera.
You should know that I love movies like the Jason Bourne series and James Bond. The stuff they do in action movies is just cool, but with all the strange stuff that has been happening lately I got a little scared. People who are under stress or scared often do or say inappropriate things. I am the poster child for that. The childish-inappropriate part of me wanted to do what Will Smith or Martin Lawrence might do in 'Bad Boys'; walk up, hop onto the back bumper, and while jumping up and down to bounce the van, yell 'SOOOOOO WEEEEEE' and make pig noises. THEY have not been shot doing that in the movies (but then again those are the movies). I decided to pretend like I didn’t notice and hoped I was just being paranoid.
I kept a close eye on my mirror for the first twenty minutes after I left that location. I thought I saw a blue Crown Victoria following me at different times but it was not close enough for me to see who was inside. So I played it cool and did not attempt to lose them. I think it is time to call in backup.
Charlie's plan made provisions for this eventuality. No one followed me in to the coffee house parking lot and no one came in to the shop behind me. If these guys are following me and they are from the government, I’m pretty sure they can monitor everything I could send electronically or by phone so I had to resort to good old analog communications.
After placing my order with the barrista at the coffee shop I asked her for a favor. I handed her an envelope and asked her to call the phone number on it. She was to ask the person who answered to come pick it up. I told her to use my name and to say it was an emergency. Then I paid for the coffee (here’s to you Charlie) with a twenty and let her keep the change. The phone number belonged to a long-time friend- OK, he is basically family. I knew he would wonder what was going on but he would take the call seriously and would do whatever it took to help me out. The envelope contained instructions on how to drop a message for Charlie and what to say in the message. I had printed those instructions directly from the thumb drive Charlie provided to me earlier on.
Within two hours, Charlie had the message. I knew he got it because I suddenly received a junk-mail message from a no-reply address he told me to look for. The main body of the message is shown below. It also included a few paragraphs of numbers below the math puzzle. Thanks to a one time pad reference sheet on the thumb drive Charlie provided, I was able to recognize the number code for what it was and decode it, all without using anything electronic or the internet. Here is the content of the email and the decoded message from Charlie
“Sarge,
This is too close for comfort. Now I am sure someone is truly on to me because they are investing significant resources in their search for me and they have you under surveillance. Unfortunately, I know what will happen if they find me. I can assure you that neither you nor I would like that experience.
Anticipate that everything you do electronically is subject to interception and be careful what you say, even at home.
I am implementing my last ditch escape plan. I can’t have this go on any longer because it will become dangerous for you and possibly fatal for me.
I will not be in touch again unless the worst case scenario happens to me. If you receive a message about that, implement the plan I set out for you on the thumb drive. It cannot be traced back to you so you do not need to worry. Do it as quickly as possible when the time comes.
The guilty parties who are so scared of me are getting too bold. If they take me out then all bets are off and they must be brought to justice.
Oddly enough, because this thing is so big and damning to powerful people, you may never hear about it once you pass the information along. Some of this nation’s biggest and most embarrassing scandals in the intelligence and political arena have been “quietly” resolved. I will tell you I used to be part of that "resolution" process but I will say no more about it. I predict this is one of those times. Either way, it is best you forget your involvement. You must never discuss these events with anyone. That is critically important.
Scandals that are manageable tend to be resolved, but scandals that blow up and get ugly in the public arena typically take down more people than are necessary.
I am only able to take the briefest moment before I leave to place a final hide for you and your friends. You will understand why I hid it here when you consider the speed at which I had to escape and the distance I must travel. It is a fun one for a change. I hope you like it.
I will always fondly remember you and your geocaching friends and how you helped me avoid an untimely and probably very painful end.
I will do my best to assure that you are kept safe as much as my resources allow. So in the best way possible, remember this; I will always be watching out for you. So smile!
Signed, C.T.
IMPORTANT NOTE--- Be sure to only cache during daylight hours. Security begins patrolling this area at 9pm and Gene, the owner gave permission to hide this cache as long as cachers do not visit it at night.
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