“Minimize damage? They’re lucky I’m not ripping them all a new asshole,” Vince raged.
“See, this is why I had to give you a heads-up. We can’t go all crazy.” Erika tried to calm him.
“Well isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black,” he answered, more enraged by her calm demeanor.
“I’ve just had to face a lot of facts since we got here, Vince. One of them is that we’re still prisoners, just in a much bigger camp,” Erika explained.
“This is bullshit.” Vince couldn’t believe he could be facing repercussions from his past.
“Come on, we gotta go,” Erika urged him.
Erika and Vince sat quietly in the transport that lined up with the others headed for St. Cloud. The refugees were allowed to attend as well, so Daniel played with the younger boys while the older teens chatted about St. Cloud. Erika noticed Megan sitting closely with Dexter and they laughed heartily together.
Erika heard Vince ask Master Sergeant Bennet why they were not headed to Minneapolis instead of St. Cloud. It used to be the bigger city. Bennet explained to him that the city had been walled up and turned into the Northern FEMA Camp.
They arrived after a while and St. Cloud did not disappoint. It glittered with solar panels and displayed wind generators proudly. There were even trees whose imitation leaves were actually wind turbines powering the city. The suspension systems were stout and the buildings rose high into the air.
“Wow!” Daniel beamed at the buildings’ height.
Gage and Brenden teased him. They had seen the buildings many times before. The crowd was headed to a large, architecturally elegant building, and Master Sergeant Bennet stayed alert on their heels. Erika noticed the family had two additional soldiers Erika didn’t know accompanying them today.
At the grand entrance the refugees were diverted into the upper level seats. Daniel was furious he wouldn’t be able to sit by his friends. Erika said it was fine if he wanted to go with them. Earl scowled at the thought, but acquiesced at Kay’s nudging. Star, Sean, and Dexter were seated in the front row, but Vince and Erika were seated at a table in front of the board.
The board members filed in. Greyson and Elena, whom she had met before, sat in the two elevated positions in the middle. They represented the Social Safety Party and were the delegates that also sat on the Federal Governing Board. Gwen, whom she had met at the library, sat with her counterpart Pierce Dickson, whom she had met at the party, on the left. They were representatives for the Congressional Party. The next representative, Julieta, was also a guest at the party. She sat with a gentlemen called Trace Cook on the right. They represented the Constitutional Party. The last board member was Edison Carver, the Regional FEMA Representative. He also sat in an elevated position in the middle of the delegates.
Erika was almost falling asleep from boredom as the proceeding dragged on. They voted on regional matters and discussed specific product tax adjustments.
Finally, Elena said, “And now to the matter of the day, the Moore Family incident.”
Greyson started the questioning. “Vince Moore, when were you and your family first taken into custody as refugees?”
“Well, let’s see, I waited three months for my wife to make it home after she crawled out of Sacramento,” he answered boldly for all to hear.
A whisper ran through the crowd.
“Then it took a few months to get out of California after the borders were shut down, so I would say it was the November after the Great Quake,” he replied directly.
Another murmur went through the crowd after he mentioned the border closing.
“Quiet, people! We will have order in here,” Greyson warned the crowd.
“So, you were some of the first refugees taken to the Las Vegas camp, then?’ he wondered.
“Yes sir, we helped build it,” he replied cockily.
The crowd murmured again.
“Mr. Carver,” he directed his attention to the FEMA Representative. “You have discussed this case in depth with Mr. Tweed, correct?”
“That’s correct,” the black man answered simply.
“Why were these refugees’ paperwork not properly filed with the FEMA search coalition?” he wondered.
“This family arrived very early and were never adopted out. Their file became buried in an overworked system,” Mr. Carver explained.
“And why were they never adopted out?” Greyson questioned.
“Because sir, there were multiple reports of insubordination to the guards and Mr. Tweed, and direct insubordination to landowners,” he explained.
The people seated in the lower levels gasped at the possibility.
“Specifically from Mrs. Erika Moore. Vince’s report has exceptional performance levels while managing the camp’s indoor garden operation,” he continued.
She wanted to shout, because we were treated like animals, but she steadied herself and blurted out, “We were confused after the Great Quake and uncertain of the new laws that had been put in place.”
The crowd mumbled intensely.
“I’ve heard it said that you helped play a critical role in the organization of a refugee rebellion against the camp in which soldiers were attacked. Is this true?” he asked directly.
“Yes it is,” she replied simply.
The crowd roared and cheering could be heard from the refugees.
“Order...order,” Greyson yelled.
A man from the balcony yelled, “Freedom!”
“Get him out of here,” Greyson pointed and ordered.
A guard hit the man in the stomach with the butt of his gun and others took him away.
“What explanation do you have for such an heinous crime against the federal government?” Elena questioned, wondering if welcoming this family with such open arms had been a good idea. She had been instrumental in getting them home safely.
“It was after you all passed the infertility law,” Erika declared, pointing to the counsel and the people in the lower levels. “My babies were being taken away to have the sterilization operation,” she thundered to the crowd.
The crowd responded noisily. Vince squeezed her hand, trying to keep calm.
“A number of years after this horrible incident you were still given a position of honor in the rescue squad, were you not?” Grayson attested.
“Yes,” she answered, letting the crowd respond. “After they took my children and mutilated them, after spending weeks in a metal box in the Las Vegas sun for trying to protect my children, after years of enduring life in the camp, we were offered an illustrious position in the refugee squad,” she hissed with sarcasm.
The crowd roared.
“I will empty this room if I have to, people,” Grayson reprimanded the crowd again.
“This is when the names were matched to the search list, correct, Mr. Carver?” Elena asked.
“Correct, ma’am,” he responded.
“And why were they not immediately removed?”
“I don’t have that answer, ma’am. The explanation I received is that they were scheduled to go out on a mission that was already funded and prepared. They were going to be released when they returned,” he explained.
“But they were arrested instead by you. Isn’t that correct, Master Sergeant Bennet?” she directed her questioning at him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he responded directly.
“Why was this course of action taken, Master Sergeant?” Greyson probed.
“Because sir, Mrs. Erika Moore, Rescue Squad Leader Moore at the time, informed me of her plan to flee the camp, despite her status on the Rescue Team. I was unaware of her family’s landowner status and acted according to FEMA camp procedures,” he answered directly.
The crowd erupted. The lower levels whispered of treachery while the top levels cheered for her.
“Clear the room,” Greyson ordered.
The soldiers fell into formation removing all of the people from their seats.
“Master Sergeant B
ennet, did Vince and Erika take action against the soldiers the night they were taken into Federal custody? Did they take action against you?” Greyson asked.
The Master Sergeant remained quiet.
“Master Sergeant Bennet, answer the question,” Elena pushed.
“Yes, ma’am, they did,” he replied.
“After they were arrested, they escaped, correct?” Greyson probed further.
“Yes, sir,” Master Sergeant Bennet replied.
“Master Sergeant Bennet, were you Rescue Recruit Moore’s commanding officer at the time?” Greyson asked.
“No sir, Commander Burns was the commanding officer. I was Recruit Moore’s training officer and we trained together often on the base,” he replied.
“So you two became close?” Greyson asked.
“It depends on what you mean by close. We were training partners and often part of the same missions. I did come to know the woman fairly well, yes,” he concluded.
“Was there a riot the night they escaped?” Greyson wanted all the details.
“Yes, sir,” Master Sergeant Bennet replied.
“Master Sergeant Bennet, I want you to answer this question very carefully. Do you believe that Erika and Vince Moore helped to plan the riot that night?” Greyson glared at the Master Sergeant.
“No, sir,” Master Sergeant Bennet replied confidently.
“They escaped through the badlands until they were captured by yourself and Major Virgis, is that correct?” Greyson asked.
“Yes, sir,” Master Sergeant Bennet admitted.
Greyson sat back in his chair, chewing on his pen. Elena looked downward in a confused manner.
“We will take a five-minute break to further discuss this information, please wait outside.” Elena needed time to process these circumstances.
The family went into the lobby. They were alone. The crowd waited outside the building.
“Thanks a lot, Sergeant,” Erika said.
“Whatever comes of this, I’ve got your back, guys, but the truth must be told. Stories like yours are the only way to convince them that what they’re doing is wrong,” he defended.
“I know, I just hope they see it the same way,” Erika chewed on her nail worriedly.
Vince silently fumed. He was too upset to talk; not a lot of nice words would come out if he did.
They were called back in and informed that because of the cross-regional circumstances and the intricacies of this case it was going to be referred to the Federal Governing Board for decision. They were free to return home but had to remain under constant supervision at all times and couldn’t leave the region, which didn’t change things very much.
“You lied to me,” Erika told Bennet. “We were being guarded because of all of this, weren’t we?”
“Yes, but you would have gone off the deep end if I would have told you that,” he admitted.
“How about you let me decide what I will and won’t freak out about in the future,” Erika told him.
“Sure thing, cupcake,” he responded but Erika knew him too well. That would never happen. “Just imagine if they knew about all those soldiers on your little foray across the country.”
Erika hadn’t even thought of that.
“Blew your mind, didn’t I, cupcake?” he whispered in her ear. “Come on, let’s go.” He sat down behind her on the bus. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.”
Erika looked uneasily at Vince. All that had been on their minds back then was survival and escape; now reality was knocking violently on the door. A reality in which the few controlled the many and justice did not reign supreme.
Chapter 36
After the meeting with the regional board two more guards were added to the property post, but little else changed. Vince took his mind off the situation by working so hard he didn’t have time to think. The kids were being exempted from the proceedings, even though they had escaped as well. The board saw it as following their parent’s lead and knew the older two had been wrongly sterilized as landowners.
Star and Sean were free to travel with the band, which was now becoming very popular. Landowners were inviting them to parties, and concert appearances took them further and further away. Dexter was nearing completion of his K-9 training. Daniel was probably the happiest he had ever been. He worked hard, studied harder and had two new best friends.
Erika spent a lot of days enjoying Kay’s company, but she spent many more at the training camp. It was easy for Master Sergeant Bennet to keep her safe there. Plus, Erika would have lost her mind with all that idle time. She needed to release her aggressions somewhere safe like a weight room or a sparring ring.
Erika still frequented the library as well. One day while she was thumbing through lists of American Citizens in Canadian Refugee Camps she saw the girl Caroline come in with one of her girl friends. They didn’t even notice Erika at the private desk while they chatted.
Erika heard her mention Dexter’s name and the two girls giggled.
“He’s so cute,” Caroline’s friend said.
“I know,” Caroline responded “but you know he was in a camp, don’t you?”
“Yes, that’s what makes it so exciting. You don’t have to worry about a baby with him,” the girl said. “It’s not like you’re going to marry him or something, but why not have fun?”
“You think so?” Caroline pondered the idea.
“I would,” the girl encouraged her.
The girls finished their studying and left while Erika sat there quietly, remembering their words. She closed the catalog of names and went to get Corporal Avery. Together they walked to Earl’s office. He was still finishing up. Erika sat down in the waiting room and flipped through the Brainerd newspaper.
News from the town of Brainerd was usually mundane. It talked about local production levels and cross-region trade agreements. There were still occasional rebel groups that would raid local farms around harvest time. Erika wondered how these groups could survive in such a highly patrolled landscape, but they thrived on the edges of civilization. There was also mention of some graffiti that had started to appear around town. Before long she was headed home with Earl.
*****
A few days later Dexter came home from training beaming. Erika had been out tending to a herb garden she was growing. Clipping off a handful of basil and oregano for a spaghetti recipe she was making, Erika headed into the pod behind him to discuss his day. The water ran over her hands as she listened to him explain how Caroline had been by the base today with her father and asked him out to dinner this Friday. Erika’s heart dropped.
“But I thought you were going swimming with Megan?” Erika reminded him.
“I can go swimming with Megan anytime. This is Caroline Gardner. This is the chance of a lifetime, Mom. Oh my gosh, what am I going to wear. I guess I can wear that suit I wore to the party since I don’t have a formal uniform yet,” he rambled on, oblivious to Erika’s objections.
Erika knew Caroline was just playing him, but how could she tell him? He was so excited. She debated back and forth with herself.
“Dexter.” She stopped his rant.
“Yeah, Mom?” he responded.
“Sometimes people aren’t who you think they are,” Erika cautioned.
“What are you trying to say, Mom?” he queried. All the joy had left him.
“I’m just saying be careful.” She couldn’t do it.
“I will, Mom,” he assured her. Spinning on his heels, he yelled, “Caroline Gardner! Woo hoo!”
Erika followed him down the hall to collect dirty clothes from Daniel’s room so she could do a load of laundry. She found black jeans and a black shirt that she didn’t recall seeing him wear. They had splotches of green and blue paint on them, but that wasn’t unusual for Daniel: he loved his artwork.
On her way to the laundry room she met Vince at the front door. He looked tired.
“Hello,” Erika chimed.
“We got our date,” he said fl
atly.
“What?” Erika was taken off guard.
“Our date to go in front of the Federal Governing Board, it’s February of next year,” Vince relayed.
“Wow, they certainly aren’t speedy, are they?” Erika teased.
“I guess we have plenty of time to worry about what’s going to happen, that’s for sure,” he replied, giving her a kiss. “How was your day?”
“Okay, but I don’t know what to do,” she confessed.
“About what?” he wondered.
“A few days ago, I was at the library and Caroline Gardner came in. I overheard them talking about dating Dexter so she could have a good time with no repercussions,” she explained.
“So?” he asked.
“So, today he came and told me all about how she asked him out and now they are going to dinner this Friday,” she explained.
“So,” he asked again.
“So, should I tell him I overheard them talking about not taking the relationship seriously? I think he’s really smitten with this girl.”
“Let the boy have a good time. There’s some lessons you have to experience to learn,” Vince gave his opinion.
“I couldn’t tell him. I just told him to be careful,” she admitted.
“I think you did a perfect job,” he congratulated her.
Chapter 37
The summer wore on. Dexter finished his training and was now on patrol with his dog. He needed to log enough hours in the town to start going on missions again. He spent many nights with Caroline, much to the dismay of Megan, who missed having her friend around. They were on the bus headed to the base when Erika mentioned, “Megan stopped by last night to see you.”
“Oh, man. I totally forgot we were supposed to hang out,” Dexter admitted.
“Not cool to leave your friends hanging,” Erika scolded.
“I know, but Caroline invited me to a party at the last second. Things are going really well, Mom,” Dexter said with stars in his eyes.
“That’s great, son,” Erika said, indecisiveness eating at her.
When she entered the base she went to the weight room and began her leg workout. She was starting her third set of squats when Major Virgis came into the room.
The Changing Earth Series (Book 3): The Walls of Freedom Page 24
