Martial Law

by Bobby Akart

  “Furthermore, although these provisions have gone into effect this evening at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, I recognize it may take several days for the content of the Declaration to be disseminated around the country. Under the direction of Homeland Security, the Council of Governors, and the Citizens Corps Council, we will distribute copies of the Declaration throughout the country. I have instructed General Sears to allow a grace period until Sunday night, December 11, for Americans to comply. Until Sunday evening, law enforcement and the military will be permitted to use their discretion in the enforcement of the Declaration, unless an immediate threat of loss of life or damage to federal property is at stake. In that case, they should act accordingly.

  “Now, I will take a few questions before I get back to work. Jim Acosta.”

  Jim Acosta of CNN News stood and asked, “Mr. President, could you provide any details on the damage sustained to the power grid, and are you prepared to give the American people a time frame for its repair?”

  “Thank you, Jim. We are working with Homeland Security and local utilities to assess the extent of the damage. Because of the massive impact of the cyber intrusions, both computer technology and electrical transformers have been destroyed. Some of these transformers are unique to the particular location in which they were used. This may require the construction of new replacements. It will take days and possibly weeks to provide a final assessment. In addition to protecting the American people, these repairs are our utmost priority.

  “Pete.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President. Peter Alexander, NBC News. We are receiving reports that Governor Greg Abbott has closed the Texas borders to any nonresidents. Further, he has deployed the National Guard to apprehend all non-U.S. citizens and forcibly deport them to Mexico. First, has Governor Abbott committed an act of treason by closing the state’s borders? Second, is the deportation of foreign nationals in direct contravention of your immigration policy?”

  “Governor Abbott has no legal basis for closing access to the State of Texas to any individual lawfully residing in this country, including those who entered our country looking for a better life. Now, whether the actions of Governor Abbott give rise to an act of treason in the eyes of the Attorney General is not for me to decide. I have contacted the governor, and we had a very frank conversation. I told him that his extreme actions constituted a betrayal and disloyalty to his country. He should be welcoming his fellow Americans into Texas so that Texans can do their part in the recovery effort.”

  “Follow-up question, Mr. President. If Governor Abbott refuses to heed your request, what are your options?”

  “It’s too early to address the specifics, Pete. I want to give the governor time to do the right thing. Just know that all options are on the table.”

  “Major Garrett, CBS.” Garrett stood to address the President.

  “Mr. President, along the same line as the previous question. Is there any truth to the fact that the U.S. Border Patrol agents are being recalled to handle other duties?”

  “That is true, Major. Our number one priority is providing assistance to our citizens. This attack was perpetrated on America, but large parts of northern Mexico were affected by the collapse of the power grid. That is not their fault. If allowing our borders to remain open helps those folks affected by our problems, then so be it. And, let me say this as well. I have been in contact with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who is willing to consider a limited number of our refugees to come to Mexico in exchange for our removing the draconian and onerous barriers we have placed between our nations. I agree with him, and the recall of the Border Patrol agents is in furtherance of this policy.”

  “Let me see. Peter Baker, New York Times. Peter.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President. Are you able to comment at all on intelligence as to the possible motive or perpetrators?”

  “The investigation is ongoing, and the events are fluid. Over the last several days, I have been in contact with our NATO allies who have agreed to provide assistance in the relief effort as well as the investigation. I have opened diplomatic channels with the Russians and the Chinese. As of date, no one has claimed responsibility for this, nor has any military power made a move against us.”

  Still standing, Baker pressed for more. “But, Mr. President, we have reports indicating the Russian military has amassed a significant number of forces and military assets at their Arctic facility. Also, Russian submarines openly patrol just outside our territorial waters on both the Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific coast. Could the Russians have used this cyber attack as the beginning of an invasion of the United States?”

  “Before the event, there were no military hostilities between our two nations. We have no reason to believe that President Putin would be so foolish as to invade the United States. If he does, I intend to invoke Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack on one ally shall be considered an attack on all. We will defend ourselves as appropriate.

  “Next up, Luis Ramirez, Voice of America Radio.”

  “Mr. President, you mentioned the United Nations in your opening remarks. Has the UN offered any support in the recovery effort?”

  “Yes, thank you, Luis. I should have expanded on that earlier. Whenever there is a disaster or a humanitarian catastrophe, the United Nations is on the ground providing relief, support, and assistance. Our situation is no different. Through the coordinated efforts of our Department of Homeland Security and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations will be providing aid throughout the nation in primarily heavily populated urban centers. Also, while our forces help maintain stability across the nation, the UN has committed a sizable peacekeeping force, who will work with the Citizen Corps Councils in more rural parts of the country. We are fortunate to have this asset to help reduce tensions in troubled areas.

  “Jonathan.”

  Jonathan Karl of ABC News addressed the President next. “Mr. President, the Chinese are formally demanding that the dollar no longer is considered the world’s reserve currency. They insist that our currency is now worthless without sufficient gold reserves to back it up. How do you respond?”

  “Jonathan, economic tensions have been building for a number of years between our country, the Russians, and the Chinese. Reserve currencies come and go. Arguably, under normal circumstances, the loss of reserve currency status would cause our imports to cost more, and our standard of living would go down. Many argue that our standard of living is too high. Under the present circumstances, the standard of living is the least of our problems. If they wish to devalue the dollar and take away our reserve currency status, so be it.

  “Julie Pace, Associated Press.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President. The Associated Press is reporting that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is preparing to release inmates currently housed in its prison system. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, Julie. The federal government no longer has the personnel nor the requisite provisions to feed and provide medical care for the already overburdened federal prison system. Therefore, I have commuted all sentences of those inmates below the penitentiary level. Also, to assist these able-bodied Americans to transition back into society, such that it is, we are encouraging them to contact their local Citizen Corps Council to volunteer for work. While they will not be paid a salary commensurate with others, they will be housed, fed, and provided medical treatment. I am told this will be effectuated by the end of this week.

  “Last question.”

  Ed Henry of FoxNews stood up. “Mr. President, if I may.”

  “Well, Ed, you don’t seem to have left me a choice, now have you?” The President bristled, his lips pursed.

  “Mr. President, you have declared martial law on a nationwide basis for the first time since the Civil War. You have suspended habeas corpus that will enable the government to seize property or detain persons in violation of their civil rights. Further, by using the United States military on American soil in a law enforcem
ent capacity, you arguably run afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act, which has been in effect for one hundred and forty years.”

  “Is there a question coming, Ed? I have lots of work to do.”

  “Sir, it appears you have violated prior precedent followed by your predecessors in office and several established court rulings of the United States Supreme Court. What is your response to this?”

  “Well, it’s simple, actually. I am the President, and they’re not. If someone objects to the way I am handling my job, they can sue me. But in case you haven’t noticed, the lights are out at the Supreme Court building.”

  The President walked away from the podium without saying another word.

  Chapter 64

  Wednesday, September 7, 2016

  7:45 p.m. EDT

  Western White House

  Honolulu, HI

  General Sears stood to the side of the stage and listened to the President’s final comments in astonishment. His aide, Vice Admiral Kurt Klemons, approached General Sears with his satphone.

  “General, an urgent phone call for you, sir,” said Klemons. “It’s John Morgan, sir.” General Sears took the phone from his trusted aide and walked to a secluded corner away from prying ears.

  “Yes, John.” The four words that General Sears heard from John Morgan were plain and simple—yet chilling.

  The end begins tomorrow.

  The saga will continue in FALSE FLAG…

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  SEEDS OF LIBERTY

  CYBER WARFARE

  History of the Original Loyal Nine

  Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

  ~ George Santayana, philosopher, and novelist

  America has a penchant for rebellion. While the dates associated with the War for Independence are well known, the battle for freedom began many years before with the early colonists and continued into the nineteenth century.

  Author Bobby Akart explores the trials and tribulations of a fledgling nation with a careful examination of the attitudes of the early colonists and their taste for freedom as they built America.

  Seeds of Liberty, an Amazon #1 bestseller in the Sociology, Politics and Social Sciences genres, takes the reader on a historical journey beginning with the settlement of Roanoke Island in 1585 through the British attempts to clamp down on the colonists via the Stamp Act in 1764 — the impetus for the creation of The Loyal Nine.

  Revolutions tend to be brutal affairs, and America’s fight for independence was no different.

  How did the American Revolution yield a constitutional republic, with greater freedom on a large scale than the world had ever seen? Successful revolutions never begin overnight. The American Revolution was two centuries in the making. Starting with the early attempts at English colonization on Roanoke Island in 1585, and throughout the first settling of the new world, important stones were laid the foundation of American freedom and independence.

  The American colonies had known violent rebellion long before the Revolutionary War. Each of the original thirteen colonies had experienced violent uprisings. Americans had shown themselves more than willing to take up arms to defend a cause held dear. This tradition of rebellion characterized the American spirit throughout its early history.

  Seeds of Liberty will chronicle certain critical events such as Bacon’s Rebellion, Culpepper’s Rebellion and King Philip’s War. Over these formative years, the seeds of revolutionary thinking took root, and the stage was set for Americans to assert their independence from their British brothers and sisters. Many events transpired between the one hundred year period of 1676 and 1776 that served as precursors to the American Revolution. In many ways, the American Revolution had been completed before any of the actual fighting began. The roots had already grown.

  Boston, Massachusetts, became the epicenter of the colonist opposition to British rule. In 1765, a group of Bostonians formed a “social club”—attempting to avoid the scrutiny a political organization might provoke. Their purpose, however, was more than social. This group of nine Bostonians, formed and operating in secrecy, plotted a response to the Stamp Act.

  They called themselves the Loyal Nine. Although they were respectable merchants and tradesmen, they were not necessarily the most prominent Bostonians. They were private and unassuming, avoided undue publicity, and were diligent in their secretiveness. The names of the Loyal Nine aren’t prominent in American history books. But these nine men sowed the seeds of the American Revolution. They were average, hardworking Americans—fighting against tyrannical rule.

  For ten years following the formation of the Loyal Nine, tensions between the British government and the colonists grew. As pressures built in America, chapters of the Sons of Liberty were formed all over the Thirteen Colonies, especially throughout New England, Virginia, and the Carolinas.

  As the Sons of Liberty grew, so did their desire to adopt their heraldry. Heraldry was used throughout history as a means to express a group’s pride and loyalty. In 1767, the Sons of Liberty adopted a five red and four white vertical-striped flag as the group’s formal standard. It became known as the Rebellious Flag, and the nine stripes paid tribute to the Loyal Nine.

  The leaders of the revolt, the Sons of Liberty, were faced with a chance to fundamentally change the course of America. They faced a choice—continue to live under tyranny or choose freedom. They chose freedom. By 1775, their opportunity became reality, and the war for independence began. But the seeds of freedom were planted by nine brave Bostonians who had a vision and the courage to stand by their convictions—the Loyal Nine.

  SIGN UP to our Boston Brahmin mailing list to receive your FREE copy of one of the Amazon #1 Best Sellers authored by Bobby Akart Cyber Warfare or Seeds of Liberty. You’ll also be one of the first to receive news about The Boston Brahmin series.

  Take a look at False Flag (Book 4 in The Boston Brahmin series)

  Available March 2016

  Excerpt from False Flag

  Prologue

  September 8, 2016

  4:05 a.m.

  265 First Street

  Cambridge, Massachusetts

  COGAS, combined gas and steam, permeated the nearly thirty-mile labyrinth of steel pipeline under the streets of Boston’s government facilities, hospitals, businesses, and residential neighborhoods. The Kendall Cogeneration Station, located on the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge, was billed as a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative following the closure of the Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station.

  Cogeneration is the process of combining steam heat with power by recycling waste heat and converting it into stored thermal energy. It was hailed as an environmentally friendly method of energy production that improved air quality and reduced carbon emissions. One official, who praised the project as being consistent with the President’s desire to protect the environment, also proclaimed Kendall Station as the beating heart and arteries of the cities power generating system.

  The nearly sixty-year-old Kendall Station was retrofitted with industrial jet engines which utilized more than one million gallons of fuel oil stored at their facility across the Charles River from Massachusetts General Hospital. The French company which designed the system proudly proclaimed that the Kendall Station was positioned to jump-start the electrical grid following a blackout.

  City officials pressured the company to bring the plant back online. After all, the plant was designed to function following a blackout just like this one. In the early morning hours of day five, after much of America was thrust i
nto darkness, the Boston-based electrical engineering team at Kendall Station believed they had a solution which would refire the jet engines, immediately allowing the plant to produce two hundred fifty-six megawatts of electricity and one million, two hundred thousand pounds per hour of steam. Relying upon satellite phone guidance from the expert troubleshooting team based in France, they initiated the necessary steps to return power to Cambridge and much of Boston.

  As with all appliances, incidents with gas fueled engines and turbines typically occur during start sequences. The newer cogeneration plants in Europe—France and Denmark in particular—contained sophisticated auxiliary equipment, sensors, and control systems for the purposes of purging pressurized air within the network of piping. The latest technology incorporated into the European plants had large exhaust systems capable of handling significant volumes of stored COGAS upon the restart sequence. It was recommended that forced ventilation continue at idling of the jet engines during the start-up process as high concentrations of unburnt gas can accumulate within the exhaust system and throughout the pipeline distribution network.

  The team initiated the startup sequence, but the turbines did not rotate. The engineers tried again, but nothing happened as the system misfired. They waited, heeding the warning to limit the number of start attempts. The team, and their French counterparts, was concentrating entirely on the firing of the jet engines. They did not focus on the requisite purging of combustible gases contained within the exhaust system and the pipeline network.

  The team tried again, and again. With each attempt, high concentrations of unburnt hydrocarbons backed up throughout the system. When the powerful jet engines finally fired for a moment, the team cheered and shared high-fives. But after the engines groaned to a halt, dejection was the mood.