by Bobby Akart
Preacher nodded his head. “I reckon.”
The two men rode along in silence when the sound of a helicopter flying in the distance caught their attention. They stopped their horses in the middle of the tall grasses and shielded their eyes from the late morning sun. The noise grew louder as it appeared to turn in their direction.
“Boss, do you reckon the North Koreans have choppers too?”
“I don’t know, but I sure hope not ’cause this one’s coming straight for us.”
Chapter 49
January 23
The Mansion
Outside Amarillo, Texas
After the Airbus ACH helicopter with the Texas flag emblazoned across both sides of its cabin and tail boom landed near the barns, it seemed everyone on the ranch arrived to determine what was happening. Two men in suits emerged and introduced themselves as being with President Burnett’s security detail. They delivered an emergency request from the president for Major to come to Austin.
Major huddled with the family inside the ranch house to speculate about the summons and to discuss whether they could do without him for the rest of the day. They all agreed that the invitation was too intriguing to pass up and they’d be fine while he was gone. After a quick change of clothes, Major strapped on his gun belt and holster. “Don’t leave home without it,” he said jokingly. Hugs and well wishes were exchanged; then he was off to Austin full of apprehension, but somewhat excited.
As the helicopter entered the city limits, Major noticed the substantial increase in military activity on the streets. Obviously, a lot had changed since he’d met with the president five days ago about Gregg’s death. The power outage meant an increased enforcement of the president’s martial law declaration, but from the masses of people congregating in the vicinity of the capitol, the military had their hands full.
After they touched down within the perimeter security of the Mansion, Major was escorted off the helicopter by two uniformed military police. The helicopter quickly took off and headed out of the city once again. Major immediately wondered if there were more people being summoned to meet with the president.
After the thumping of the helicopter’s powerful rotors faded into the distance, the roar of people’s voices could be heard yelling throughout downtown Austin. It was impossible to discern whether they were chanting in unison or simply screaming, hoping to be heard by someone. Major could only characterize the tone as one of desperation as his fellow Texans sought answers and help.
Major waited nearly an hour before the president was prepared to meet with him. Her chief of staff apologized repeatedly for the delay and offered him lunch and drinks on several occasions. Finally, the president exited her office to invite Major inside.
“Major, I am so sorry for keepin’ you waiting. I was just blindsided with a phone call from one of our generals at Fort Bliss. A little over an hour ago, several explosions tore a hole through our southern border wall big enough to drive a tank through. Before our people could respond with a sufficient show of strength, thousands of Mexicans poured into Texas and are now infiltrating El Paso. It’s a war zone down there, Major.”
“Well, Marion, it certainly isn’t much better out there,” started Major as he pointed toward her windows. Then his eyes glanced downward toward the coffee table that separated them the last time they spoke. It still had a stack of file folders on it, although the pile was dwindling. “The streets of Austin have changed a lot since I was here last. I imagine your military resources are taxed to their limits.”
“They are. People want answers, and the truth may not be best for them, yet. Lack of food was a problem before, and I promised folks that if they’d pull together, things would get better by the spring. Then this happened.”
“How can I help?” asked Major.
“There has been a new development, which is the reason I whisked you away from the ranch.”
Major chuckled. “A development other than the loss of power and an invasion of Texas by North Koreans? I can’t imagine anything more dramatic than that.”
“I appreciate your sense of humor, Major. So try this on for size.”
Major leaned back and got comfortable. “I’m ready.”
“Yesterday, I got a call from the President of the United States. She wants Texas back.”
“Come on, seriously?” asked Major.
“The conversation didn’t start that way,” continued the president. “She sounded like any other world leader, none of whom called, by the way, offering condolences and assistance, etcetera. We went back and forth discussing the ramifications of the outage and the presence of North Korean soldiers on our soil when she just blurted it out.”
Major finished her thought. “She wants Texas back.”
“Right. She’s offered pardons, concessions, accommodations. Pretty much anything you could imagine. She even invoked Lincoln during the conversation.”
“Wow,” said Major.
“There’s more. She played the woman card too. You know, ‘first women as presidents came together to restore the union and save the country.’ I was waiting for her to offer up one of her pink knit hats.”
Major wasn’t sure what to say. Had the president flown him all the way from Borden County to vent. “What’s your gut feeling?”
“Truthfully, Major, she couldn’t have timed her phone call any better. This is clearly the low point of our republic’s short history. We accomplished a lot by seceding without ramifications. I rallied Texans to support me in that endeavor, and many did. Now, President Harman is asking me to admit defeat and return to the U.S. I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Is there a real benefit? I mean, they don’t have power either. Wouldn’t it be easier for Texas to take care of their own rather than sharing what few resources you have with the U.S.?”
The president leaned forward and asked, “Major, what would you do?”
Major thought for a moment and responded, “Marion, Sam Houston said he had one maxim and that was to do right and risk the consequences. You and I, like Sam Houston, are Texas patriots. The blood of this republic runs through our veins like our ancestors before us. Sweat, tears, and, yes, bloodshed have been the legacy of the Burnetts and Armstrongs in West Texas. Our kind of patriotism exists because families like ours need a higher cause to rally around. That cause is Texas.”
“Major, I did the right thing in restoring this republic.”
“Yes, you did, Marion. I believe secession was inevitable because Texans have never responded well to oppression, even in the form of an overbearing federal government. Your courage to bring Texans together to reclaim their independence was remarkable, and you should not turn your back on them or this republic.”
President Marion Burnett then did something that Major thought she was incapable of. She shed a few tears. He wasn’t sure what to do. The president was one of the toughest women he’d ever known. From her days in business as she brought the Four Sixes Ranch to glory and throughout her battles in the political trenches, a show of emotion and vulnerability was out of character. He was seeing another side of his old friend, which proved she was human.
“Well, thanks a lot, Major. You made your president cry.”
They both began to laugh as President Burnett regained her composure. She leaned forward on the edge of the couch and reached for the stack of file folders. She searched for one in particular, pulled it out, and handed it to Major.
“You have a file on me?” Major was surprised.
“Major, Monty Gregg was a vice president to me in name only, God rest his soul. I could never trust his advice for fear he was trying to manipulate me. He was not a sounding board in a time of crisis for the same reason. I used him for his connection to the former U.S. military, and he used me to stick a needle in the eye of Washington and to expand his résumé.”
“Marion, I don’t think I understand.”
She continued. “The last time you were here, I had a dozen options for a succ
essor to Monty. I was looking for experience and someone who might fit a particular political demographic to assist me in my future reelection effort. Frankly, at the time I didn’t have a sense of urgency and engaged in quite a bit of tire kickin’ as I went through the process.”
“The attacks changed that, I assume,” interjected Major.
“To an extent, yes. Although I’d reached a decision the night before. I’ve come to appreciate the value of loyalty. Experience can be learned on the job. Political capital can be earned through deeds and actions. But loyalty can only come from someone you’ve known for most of your life. Somebody who would have your back regardless of what you faced. Somebody like you.”
Major looked down at the file marked CONFIDENTIAL. Is she asking me to be her vice president?
“Marion, are you talking about me?” he asked and then hesitated. “As your vice president?”
“Yes, Major, if you’ll have me as your boss.”
His eyes grew wide and he glanced around the room. Then he burst out in uncontrollable laughter. The president was caught off guard by his chuckling and then joined him.
“I’m not kidding, Major. I need you. Texas needs you.”
Major finally controlled himself as he realized he might be insulting his president. “Marion, I would have no idea how to be vice president of Texas. Heck. I don’t even run my own ranch, Preacher does. And you know Miss Lucy, if I even suggested I’m running that household, she’d chase me out the front door with a broom or a shotgun.”
“You sell yourself short, Major,” she shot back. “For one, Lucy and Preacher respect you, and that’s why your ranching operation and household run so efficiently. During your command of Company C, the letters of praise for your efforts filled another file folder, which is sitting over there on my desk.”
“That was a long time ago,” said Major, who was growing nervous as he realized the president was serious. He felt like a girl who’d just been asked by her boyfriend to get married and she contemplated accepting so she didn’t hurt his feelings.
“No, not really. Then there was your interaction with the top brass of our military both here and at Monty’s funeral. I heard nothing but words of praise from them concerning your demeanor and knowledge of the challenges faced by Texas.”
“Just talk,” said Major, who began to squirm in his seat.
“Did you not hear yourself a moment ago?” she asked. “You spoke with passion and conviction in convincing me to turn down Washington’s offer. If I didn’t know better, Sam Houston himself was sitting across the table from me.”
“I wasn’t trying to convince you one way or—” started Major before being interrupted.
“Exactly! Unlike Monty, who was always pushing an agenda, you spoke from the heart in a way that was honest and therefore convincing. That’s why you’re the perfect man for the job!”
Major sat back against the couch and set his file folder back on the coffee table. His mind raced as it moved from conflicted to honored to dread at having to discuss the topic with Lucy. He’d need to hide the brooms and shotguns.
“Marion, I’m extremely flattered, and I respect the fact that you’ve given this a lot of thought. But—”
“Nope.” She stopped him from continuing. “I don’t want to hear what you have to say after but. If you truly respect what I’ve been going through here and the considerable amount of thought I’ve put into this offer, then at least do me the courtesy of discussing it with Lucy and your family. All I ask is that you get back to me in the next few days. I’ve got attorney generals, adjutant generals, and army generals harping in my ear about continuity of government. I told them to keep my fanny safe and all will be fine. Nonetheless, they’ve got a point.”
Major rose from his seat, anxious to get out of the Mansion and find some fresh air on the front lawn. This was an opportunity of a lifetime but would be a big change for his family. He had a lot to think about before he got home.
Chapter 50
January 23
Outside Amarillo, Texas
Duncan and Espy led the convoy as it sped northbound on Interstate 27 toward Amarillo. Four Humvees led the way with a single troop transport struggling to keep up with the faster vehicles. Initially, Duncan had assigned a TX-QRF unit to Amarillo, but after he’d lost so many men during the raid, he chose to consolidate his forces at Camp Lubbock and respond as necessary to the outlying areas.
“Let’s go over it again, Espy,” said Duncan to his loyal sergeant.
“Overnight, two garbage trucks traveling at a high rate of speed crashed through a section of fencing west of Kerrick along US 385. A couple of thousand refugees overran the military patrols there and flooded the small communities in the area, like Stratford and Cactus.”
“Apparently the refugees didn’t get the memo,” said Duncan with a chuckle as he gripped the wheel a little tighter. “Texas is no better off than they are. Might as well go home, people.”
“No kiddin’,” said Espy. “Anyway, a couple of hundred arrived at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch earlier and have apparently been terrorizing the kids and adults alike. That’s when we got the call.”
“Tell me about Boys Ranch.”
“It is an actual town set up initially to help kids who’ve had a rough go in life. Some of the kids are orphans, others have psychological issues and personality disorders, while a few have been ordered there by the court system because they’re considered a danger to themselves or others.”
“The last thing these kids need is the aggravation of a bunch of desperate people harassing them. Are there any reports of weapons being used?”
“Not yet.”
“What about local law enforcement?”
“A sheriff and one deputy, sir. Do we have a directive on what to do with the refugees that we round up?”
“Catch ’em, deliver them to the local county jail, and the military will take it from there,” replied Duncan.
“Fine by me,” added Espy. “I don’t want any more scraps with prison wardens or their inmates.”
They rode along in silence until they reached the Hollywood Road exit on the south side of Amarillo. Duncan veered off the ramp and stopped at the traffic signal, which was no longer working. The intersection, which was once bustling with activity at the Love’s truck stop and nearby McDonald’s, was deserted. Activity in this part of Texas had come to a screeching halt.
“Weird, isn’t it?” asked Duncan rhetorically. “I mean, before the power grid was taken down, people moved about but not that much. Now, there’s nobody.”
“Just those two on bicycles,” noted Espy.
“Where could they be going?”
The men watched as the cyclists pulled into the truck stop and drove around to the side of the building. They parked their bikes and approached a fenced-in utility yard. They opened the gates and stood for a moment with their hands on their hips.
“Dumpster diving,” replied Espy.
“I guess it’s a sign of the times,” said Duncan as he pushed through the intersection, convoy in tow.
Chapter 51
January 23
The Armstrong Ranch
Borden County, Texas
Cooper and Riley ambled along the western fence line on their beautiful chestnut horses as the sun began to set over the horizon. Another day of patrolling the perimeter together left them weary from boredom. Gone were their lives of preparing for rodeos and traveling with their sister to venues all around North America. Even the off weeks had provided them the opportunity to practice their sport in between doing chores around the ranch.
“Can you believe Slaughter wants to pull his men from the security detail?” asked Riley.
“Pretty ungrateful, if you ask me,” replied Cooper. “We took them in when they had nothing and were desperate. Daddy made a deal with them that was extremely fair. We promised to feed them, get ’em set up with their dairy operation, and they promised to lend us their boys to help guard the r
anch.”
“Not to mention, you and Duncan saved their lives that day.”
“That’s true also. All I can figure is they got spooked about this whole North Korean thing and decided to protect their own.”
“Well, its BS, Coop, and everyone knows it. They wouldn’t have their own to protect if it wasn’t for Daddy takin’ them in.”
They continued riding along, making small talk as they went. Riley, who was typically emotional, was contemplative on this late afternoon.
“Coop, what are you gonna miss the most about the old way of life besides our rodeos?”
“Everything, but really, I guess nothin’,” said Cooper with a laugh.
Riley joined him and then added, “That ain’t much of an answer, Coop.”
“Well, heck, Riley, I guess I really haven’t stopped to think about it. My whole life was ridin’ bulls and hangin’ out with you and Palmer. We didn’t go out clubbin’ or to baseball games or the movies. Palmer didn’t go shoppin’ at the mall with her girlfriends. Heck, she had fewer girlfriends than I had.”
Riley started laughing. “I think she’s sweet on that Espy fella. I’m okay with it, are you?”
“Yeah, I think so. I haven’t really hung out with him, you know? He’s not a cowboy, but he seems interested in what life on the ranch is all about. Duncan likes him. A lot, in fact. I guess that’s good enough for me.”
Cooper paused and then asked his brother, “What are you gonna miss, Riley?”
“Food,” he replied bluntly.
Cooper pulled off his hat and playfully swatted at his brother. “I knew you’d say that. Momma’s doin’ the best she can.”
“Oh, I ain’t complainin’. It’s just that when you take away your options, you suddenly realize how good you used to have it.”
Riley paused as something caught his eye, but then he continued. “I’ve got another question for you. When do you think this is gonna be over? How long will it be before Texas, and America too, will be normal again?”
