Free Milkshake by Matt Hammond Page B

favoured by America’s allies, since it could involve
the covert strategic integration of a number of territories into a
situation where they are under the direct governance of the United
States.
     
    “What does it say?”
    “I’m not sure yet, but it’s to do with oil. Let me
finish.”
     
    For the past thirty years, successive American Governments
have pursued a policy designed to covertly destabilise a number of
ostensibly allied countries. The most successful example of this
was Ireland throughout the seventies and eighties where they
actively invested in the Republic whilst funding, through third
parties, a paramilitary civil war in the north. In that situation,
the economic investment was seen as positive for the region.
Consequently Ireland became the ‘green dragon’ economy of Europe.
In fact the Americans succeeded in reducing their own domestic
energy bill by a few billion dollars by successfully transferring
some manufacturing industries to another sovereign state. The
saving made has been used to fund the next stage of their
plan.
     
    “Apparently the Americans invaded Ireland in the seventies
and no one noticed.”
     
    America still needs to satisfy its huge thirst for oil and a
number of oil companies have developed successful alternative
energy sources based on ethanol. These discoveries are not secret
and there have long been rumours of inventors being paid off in
order to keep the price of crude oil high. But already ethanol is a
widely used additive in petrol and there are currently under
development a number of advance prototype cars, ships and planes
capable of running on these new fuels. But the stumbling block is
getting enough of the fuel. Unlike oil, ethanol cannot just be
extracted; it has to be man–made. There are two primary sources of
raw material, forestry - ethanol from wood pulp - and dairy,
ethanol as a by–product of whey.
     
    “Hey, guess what? This is all about cows and
trees!”
     
    These two primary sources are also the primary industries of
New Zealand, and this is no coincidence. There is growing evidence
to suggest that over the last few years, American business, with
the support of its own government, has been investing huge sums of
money into New Zealand, purchasing vast tracts of land, together
with the businesses which currently occupy it. During this time,
the US Government has deliberately cultivated and nurtured a cool
diplomatic relationship with New Zealand, aided, unwittingly, by
the New Zealand Government itself and its staunch anti–nuclear
policy. Ironically it is this very stance against one kind of fuel
which is allowing the United States to launch a stealth invasion to
cultivate its own source of fuel.
     
    Katherine interrupted. “Have you finished that yet? Here, I’ve
set your mobile up for you. Just keep it plugged into the car to
charge the battery for a few hours.”
    David glanced over what he had just read once more, noting the
frequency of the word 'government'. The paper was marked at the
bottom, 'Summary of report to be presented to Cabinet by Professor
Patrick O’Sullivan University of Otago. Page 1 of 15'.
    There was nothing else in the envelope.
    “Well?”
    “Well, apparently the Americans have invaded New Zealand and
the majority of Kiwis don’t seem to even realise, according to
this. They’ve covered the country in trees and cows which can then
be made into fuel, which the Americans can use when all the oil
runs out in a few years.” Even in the street–lit gloom of the car
park, David could see his wife’s puzzled frown.
    “Trees and cows?”
    “It says here you can make fuel from mincing up trees, or
from cows, which seems a little strange as we haven’t seen much of
either yet.”
    “Well, we are still in the centre of Auckland.”
    “Which reminds me. How do we get out of the centre of
Auckland?”
    They took it in turns to drive, two hours at a time, until six
the following morning when the first light of dawn