Avalon- The Construction

by L. Michael Rusin

  “Gentlemen, ladies, the first thing I want to do is let you know that I appreciate your loyalty to America, your honesty, and above all your integrity. We are servants of the people. Many people in the past have forgotten this very basic mandate. We work for the people. We need to let the people know this, not only by our words, but by our deeds. That isn’t going to be easy considering the damage politicians, and of course others, have done to our country. And when I say country, I’m referring to the people. The people own the country. When we refer to ourselves as servants, we mean that literally, we are employees.

  “First, although everyone in this room deserves accolades, we should all recognize the work, the struggle, the incredible losses this man has endured doing what he can do to preserve a piece of America for himself and the rest of us. He’s done a remarkable job, and I’m talking about specifically, Michael Reynolds. Admiral Michael Reynolds.

  “Most people don’t know what you have done for America; for the state of California. For those people who wander the earth with little or nothing to their names. How much they owe you and your people.

  “Today, since we no longer have the Navy, and very few ships at sea, you are formally relieved of your duties, we have bigger and more important jobs for you. I want to thank you for your service, and I want you to know how much I truly respect and regard you.

  “Miss Kelly, you will remain in your position as head of the FBI on the West Coast. There will be additional jobs for you in the future. I also want to take the opportunity to personally thank you for all that you’ve done for everyone around you, and in particular, for saving the lives of so many children. It is an exemplary achievement and puts the shine on who you are as an individual, and as a professional woman. You are an example of what most women should strive to become. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  “I’d like to turn the floor over to my Secretary of Defense, Mrs. Gail Steel.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President, and distinguished guests. We all know what’s happened in terms of the attempt to overthrow the United States government. The attempt to turn our Republic into a socialist/communist country ruled by an elite few who believed they were better than the rest of us because of either their power of position, and/or their wealth. They have been arrested to the last man and woman. Military tribunals are underway at this moment to establish the guilt, or in some cases, the innocence, of many of these people. You may or may not know that there have been a number of executions already. Those individuals were the worst of the worst. They got exactly what they deserved and any traitor who emulates what they tried to do can only look forward to the executioner’s rope for their own necks.

  “We are well aware of Mike Reynolds’ Militia who have traveled on horseback in his area and have meted out justice to some very evil people. We are all on the same track to justice and liberty for all of us in the end. To emulate the president, I want to extend my most humble congratulations and thanks for you and what you have done for your country, for California, and for the people who reside around you. Keep up the good work. Mr. President, I’ll turn this back over to you.”

  The president was smiling; he was a pleasant man who looked to be about fifty. His gray hair was full, he had a bit of a paunch showing at his belt line, but other than that, he appeared to be in pretty good shape. He motioned to Beth Kelly.

  “Please say a few words Ms. Kelly.”

  “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting anything today. I came to listen, and to learn. I am completely and thoroughly honored by your words, not only on my behalf but on the behalf of all Americans, especially those people sitting in this office, who are much more important and worthier of praise than I am. I pledge to you all here and now, I will do my duty, I will do the best that I can in every possible situation, to be worthy in your eyes. Thank you so very much. I will do the best that I can, I promise.”

  In a little while everyone had their say, and it was understood the conspiracy was under control, the new president and his cabinet were most definitely in control of what was left of the United States of America, and the man was legitimate. It was all that any of them could hope for.

  ◆◆◆

  In the coming months, much would happen. The traitors, all of them that could be found, were arrested, tried, and either incarcerated or executed. Many people escaped to Mexico and Canada. There were active groups of people that were either rounding them up or looking for them. Many were executed on the spot.

  Mike Reynolds, Governor Bob Waters, Beth Kelly, and Randy Stewart began arresting, and either incarcerating or executing the criminal element known as the slavers at Golden Nugget and other places. It took some time. Many of the slavers escaped down south headed toward the San Fernando Valley.

  An interesting incident happened one day in the town of Fitch. Alvin Cobb and six of his principal people came into town, ostensibly to work a trade for some badly needed equipment. Alvin was sporting his favorite jacket, and in the middle of his chest, near his solar plexus, was an odd button. It looked similar to the other buttons but was different enough to be noticeable if you looked at it hard enough, and if someone was paying attention. One person was, that was Beth Kelly, Special Agent of the FBI. Alvin had a habit of touching and fondling his coat buttons as he talked, which brought the focus of her eyes on that slightly different button. And this is how it went down,

  “That’s an interesting jacket you have on Alvin. Have you had it for long?”

  “Uuuhhhh, why yes, I have. Why do you ask?”

  “Is that a new button in the middle of your jacket?”

  “Yes, it is newer, but not new per se. Just newer than the rest of them, I lost one sometime back.”

  Randy Stewart and four of his men came into the room, joining Mike, Beth, and the governor.

  “Mr. Cobb, you are under arrest! Randy, please take this man into custody and place him in the sheriff’s jail.”

  Alvin couldn’t believe it, he started to yell,

  “What right do you have to arrest me. I haven’t done anything!”

  Beth reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out a button and held it up to the other buttons on his jacket.

  “I found your lost button. A perfect match isn’t it?”

  “That doesn’t prove anything! Anyone can get a button from somewhere.”

  “Yes, that’s true. But not anyone can get a button exactly like those other ones on your coat. They’re rather unique. You, Mr. Cobb, have put yourself on the hangman’s scaffold. You will be given a fair trial, and I have no doubts you will be hanged.”

  “What are you charging me with?”

  “Murder, Mr. Cobb.”

  Randy and his men put handcuffs on Alvin and dragged him out the door, headed for the jail. He could be heard screaming as they dragged him away, hysterically screaming and threatening.

  “That’s another one of those bastards we won’t have to deal with any longer.”

  ◆◆◆

  Two weeks went by, and Alvin Cobb waited in Sheriff Water’s jail. It was amazing, during those two weeks, there were no raids, no reports of any robberies or pillaging, no rapes, no arsons—simply two weeks of peace.

  The trial opened, and it was conducted in what had been the old county courthouse, which still stood, the presiding judge was an elderly college law professor who managed to survive all that happened from the war, the pillaging, the plague, and the rest of it. He was an old law professor, long retired, very respected among his peers before they all died because of the war, but the many books that he wrote were still available.

  He was appointed as the judge at the Alvin Cobb trial, by Governor Bob Waters. Extra security on the four cardinal points of the compass was set in place by Randy Stewart’s Rangers during the trial. The justice system advanced slowly, but steadily. Many people came to testify, and many of them had seen Alvin Cobb at the head of groups of brigands engaged in stealing, looting, watching his men rape, and heard him encouraging the men to
do more. They saw him, they pointed him out, and one woman tried in vain to attack him in the courtroom, but she was held back. Alvin Cobb, Bone Breaker, and a number of the other scum killed two of her children and then ate them.

  There were others of course, and the trial ground on for two weeks. Finally, the jury that had been impaneled for this trial, came out from their deliberation and were asked by the judge if they had reached a decision. The foreman of the jury acknowledged they had. The courtroom was eerily quiet. The judge took a piece of paper, read it, and handed it back to the foreman to read out loud.

  “We, the jury, find Alvin Cobb guilty on all counts: conducting slavery, engaging in slavery, promoting slavery, committing murder, robbery, armed robbery, arson, kidnapping and selling stolen property.”

  Alvin Cobb went berserk, screaming, kicking, and then he began to beg that it was all a mistake, it wasn’t him, he was under orders.

  The courtroom erupted with yells and hollering, there were whistles and shouts of joy. The judge allowed it and the pandemonium went on for a full ten minutes before he began to pound his gavel and insist on order in the courtroom. Eventually people did quiet down, and he looked at Alvin Cobb, who by now was slobbering all over himself shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.

  “Please bring this man in front of the bench.”

  Randy and another Ranger picked Alvin up, literally lifted him off his chair by his armpits, and pretty much just dragged him over in the front of the judge. They had to hold him there, or Alvin would’ve collapsed. The judge looked at Alvin, and there was sadness on his face. It was readily obvious, the judge wasn’t happy, he was saddened at what he had to do.

  “Alvin Cobb, you have been found guilty on all charges. These charges are capital crimes, and it is my duty to pass judgment on you. Do you have anything to say on your behalf before I pass judgment?”

  Alvin just stood there with the help of the two Rangers and mumbled incoherently.

  “Alvin Cobb it is my duty to sentence you to be hanged by your neck until you are dead. You will be remanded to the sheriff’s custody and will stay incarcerated until the day your sentence is carried out. You will be executed three months from today at seven o’clock in the morning. May God have mercy on your soul.”

  From the trial to the sentence, and the execution of the sentence, three months elapsed. There were no more lengthy decades old death row recipients in the new United States of America.

  ◆◆◆

  At five o’clock the morning of Alvin Cobb’s hanging his cell door was opened by Sheriff Waters, Beth Kelly, Mike Reynolds and Randy Stewart. Alvin was offered pen and paper for any last message he wanted to leave behind. He was shaking all over. He looked like he was cold. He looked at these people and there was pleading in his look. The arrogance he displayed so prominently was gone. He was afraid, and he could not control his fear. The pen fell from his fingers and clattered to the floor.

  “Is there any chance of a stay?”

  Mike spoke up,

  “None at all Alvin, you’re going to hang in a couple more hours!”

  He sat down on the cot. He looked up at them.

  Mike said,

  “Let’s leave him for now; we’ll be back in a couple of hours. Get yourself ready Alvin, you won’t get another chance. Do you need to talk to a clergyman?”

  Alvin just stared at the floor.

  They closed the cell door and walked into the outer office leaving Alvin alone.

  An hour and a half rolled by. Randy Stewart, Sheriff Waters, Mike Reynolds, Beth Kelly and another Ranger came to the cell door. Bob Waters began to unlock it. Alvin jumped to his feet and ran to a corner of his cell and pushed himself against the wall. He was moaning.

  The sheriff came toward him,

  “It’s time Alvin, we need to go now.”

  Alvin let out a wail that could be heard outside. It was a high-pitched scream that penetrated your senses. He was nearly scared to death. He began to plead,

  “No, pleeease, pleeease. No. I don’t want to. Pleease, not yet.”

  Randy and the other Ranger, both big, strong, husky men grabbed Alvin by the arms and dragged him out of the cell. Alvin was screaming and pleading.

  They pulled and dragged him out to the back of the jail and sheriff’s office where gallows had been built. One of the carpenters was the slaver who left Gold Nugget right after Alvin told them they were going to continue raiding and pillaging. There was a large crowd gathered to watch the hanging. Many of these people were Fitch residents who watched Bone Breaker and Slasher ride into town and begin to kill the townspeople. No one said anything, it was surprisingly quiet with the exception of the pleading Alvin was doing. The two Rangers were now carrying Alvin up the steps to await his death. His feet thumped on the steps as he was dragged up them.

  Sheriff Bob Waters was standing to one side of the platform. He had a piece of paper in his hand. They put Alvin in the middle of the trap door in the floor with a big “X” in the middle of it. One Ranger bent down and tied Alvin’s feet together with a long cloth resembling a black scarf. Randy tied Alvin’s hands together behind his back with another elongated black cloth.

  Sheriff Waters unfolded the paper he held and began to read it.

  “Alvin Cobb, you have had a fair trial and you have been found guilty of numerous capital crimes. The penalty for those crimes is death. Do you have anything to say before the penalty is carried out?”

  He stood there. Alvin was mumbling something incoherent. Then Alvin seemed to get control of himself, he cleared his throat. He began to speak…

  “You people have no idea of what you’re getting ready to do here. Don’t any of you know we had plans for you, for the state and beyond? You cling to your freedoms. It is an illusion. There is only the freedom me and people like me give you. What we allow…”

  He was interrupted, Mike reached over with a black bag and shoved it down over his head and quickly put the noose around his neck over the bag.

  Alvin resumed his rant.

  “You people are pitiful we will…”

  Mike reached over and pulled the lever and Alvin fell through the trap door ending his words in mid-sentence. Alvin Cobb struggled for a full ten minutes, hunching his shoulders as if he was trying to pull himself up and out of the noose. A shoe fell off his foot. He began to shake violently and then was still, except for a trembling in his legs. Alvin Cobb, after dangling there for a full twenty-five minutes, was officially pronounced dead.

  Chapter 35

  The Promise

  Mike, Caroline, Governor Waters, Randy, Dana, and Crystal gathered in the bar at Avalon. They had come together for a special meeting to address what was to come and to plan it all out as the preparations were unfolding. A number of things were on the agenda. A new factory to fix and build new farm equipment was proposed by two brothers who had been in the implement business before the war began. They moved into a large warehouse on the outskirts of Fitch with permission from the Fitch City Council and were busy building a forge to accommodate large projects. With the assistance of Mike and the Avalon people it was the stated plan to begin moving wagons full of coal from the anthracite fields at Avalon to begin doing welding of steel like they did in the old days before the electric welders came into being. Fire fueled by anthracite coal was hot enough to weld metal. Bituminous coal, much softer in consistency didn’t get hot enough to do that, but the anthracite deposits at Avalon would suffice for a number of years.

  A plan was introduced, voted on and subsequently ratified to build a road up to Avalon in place of the old railroad tracks. That work was in progress.

  Farming would be the mainstay of economic growth of the area. The more food available, the more security would be manifested in the people. Farming required tools to turn the soil and harrow a field. The people needed to feed themselves and their domestic animals. Farm machinery broke when encountering a large rock or a buried tree stump beneath the soil. Fixing these broken tools was
time consuming. Farming was essential, and the tools had to be mended. Without using electric welders, it was necessary to employ fossil fuel to fire up welding machines. Petroleum-based fuel was at a premium and best left for use in an emergency when someone absolutely had to resort to using it. The forges of the Bartholomew Brothers were essential to not have to resort to that use; at least for the time being.

  An expedition was sent to Bakersfield to see what they could do about putting out the oil well fires. It was determined the well fires could be extinguished with explosives, and when they were all extinguished, oil production and the refining process might well be a viable industry again, but it was going to take some time. The progress reports were very positive and that would be a big step in bringing electricity back to parts of the nation, on a local basis at first; first steps first.

  The radiation was tested with a Geiger counter from the armory at Fitch and the levels were normal. Apparently, Bakersfield hadn’t been nuked. Conventional armaments had been used. Another group was dispatched to Los Angeles and it was determined it had been. The destruction was ground leveling. Geiger counters weren’t necessary. The same was obvious in and around the Long Beach areas.

  Slowly, California was being evaluated. It wasn’t good news. San Diego was leveled by hydrogen bombs. Navy ships could be seen turned upside down at Coronado Island, along some of the piers in and around the San Diego waterfront, while others could be seen from the air resting on the bottom of their anchorages. Efforts were underway to drain the fuel tanks of all the sunken ships. The Marine Base at Twenty-Nine Palms was nuked.

  It was important to get as many oil wells back into production as soon as possible. That was going to be a big project. The country ran on oil at one time and the powers to be were determined to get this industry up and going again. Along with oil, electricity was imperative to ease the tremendous job of moving these jobs to a conclusion. Mike and Fitch were key players in this movement. Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma were up and running already, untouched by the war.