The Shelter, Book 4: The New World

by Ira Tabankin

  “My people are waiting for me, let’s get together after the meeting. I’m sure you’re going to like my speech.”

  A reporter from the Washington Times asks,

  “Governor, seeing the crowd awaiting you, how do you think the people will accept your message?”

  “They’re true citizens of the world, they’re going to accept and be thankful for my message. I know I can count on them to reject the stupid idea for the South to secede. The South lost the war the last time they tried something stupid. I’m sure the memory of their pain exists in their subconscious, I have faith the people of Virginia will reject the call to break away from the union.”

  “Governor, what are you going to do if they reject your message?”

  “They’re not going to. They just need to be reminded that their welfare, social security, and disability payments all come from the Federal Government. Their Obamacare health insurance payments come from the Government. I know my people; they’re not going to bite the hand that puts money in their pocket. 27% of Virginians work for the Federal Government, many more work for companies which support or sell to the government, in all, almost 63% of Virginians work for or support the government. I only have to remind everyone that their food is supplied by the government. If they vote to secede, these people will lose their jobs, when they’re unemployed, they won’t shop, they won’t go out to eat, they won’t need dry cleaning, their actions will have an impact on another 25-35% of Virginians. I have faith in my people to make the right decision.”

  “Governor, have you spoken to the governors of the other Southern states?”

  “I’ve spoken with the governor of Alabama, he told me his citizens are leaning towards seceding, as are the people in Georgia. I haven’t spoken to any of the other governors.”

  “Governor, since Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, don’t you think many Virginians are going to want it to become the capital again?”

  “I don’t know; I haven’t asked them because I know they’re going to remain loyal to the Union. Come, listen to my speech and see for yourselves how responsive my people are.”

  The Governor walks onto the makeshift stage set up in the front of the store. He begins saying,

  “Thank you for coming out today,…”

  “Hey asshole, are you going to agree to join the Confederacy?”

  The Governor ignores the comment, he continues,

  “I’m sure you’re all aware of the crazy rumor floating around, some people want to see, as they say, the South Rise Again.”

  The crowd chants, “DIXIE, DIXIE, DIXIE.”

  He holds his hands up,

  “Please listen to me, this may be an emotional thing to chant, but the reality is we have to stay together. We have to work together to keep the union strong.”

  “So you can tax us more?” A heckler yells.

  “Don’t you think your new South is going to have to tax you? I bet each of you will see your taxes go up.”

  “We won’t have to pay for no foreign aid or millions of refugees.”

  The Governor tries to quiet the crowd so he can continue his speech,

  “You elected me to be your governor, I’m going to lead you into the bosom of the union, a bosom that loves us, a bosom that will take care of us…”

  A heckler yelled out, “A tit that’s old and dried up. I’m done having the tit suck on me, I’d rather be the one sucking a tit!”

  The crowd cheers and stomps their feet.

  The governor begins to realize he’s not winning the argument. He tries to yell over the crowd,

  “STOP! Let’s have a civil discussion.”

  “Like you stole the election? You’re nothing but a crook!”

  He holds his hands up, he whispers to an aide he waved over,

  “Have the State Police remove the trouble makers.”

  “Sir, most of the crowd supports them.”

  “Then remove all of them.”

  “Someone in the crowd overhears the governor, he reaches back into his backpack which holds his family’s weekly food. He gently grabs one of his six fresh eggs, smiling he throws the egg at the governor. The egg sails through the air, striking him just below his right eye. His eyes show his surprise while trying to wipe the raw egg off of his face. The crowd begins waving Confederate flags. The Governor yells,

  “You can’t wave those, I’ve outlawed them, you’re all racists.”

  The reporter from the Washington Times turns to his photographer,

  “Did you get it all.”

  “Oh yeah. The picture of the Governor with egg dripping down his face is all we need. It says everything we need to print about his failed administration.”

  “Shit, I wonder if these people are going to really be able to pull it off this time.”

  The reporter looks around,

  “If these people are representative of the others in the South, the President has a bigger problem than he admits to. He keeps dismissing the calls for the South to secede.”

  “Just as he did with ISIS, look where that got us.”

  “Let's not forget all of the warnings about the national debt that he said he was solving. I never thought I’d see an American President lead the destruction of the country he’s pledged to protect.”

  “I think this is going to turn out really badly. I wish I had a shelter I could hide out in and surface in a few years to see how it all turned out.”

  The reporter leans over to the camera man,

  “I heard there’s a crazy man somewhere near Nashville, who built some kind of giant shelter. He’s supposedly hidden a part of his town from attackers.”

  “If that’s true, I wish I lived there. I suddenly don’t feel safe.”

  The Governor’s security team pushes into the crowd to arrest the egg thrower. When they push into the crowd, they’re met with hundreds of people throwing eggs at them and the governor. The State Police begin arresting everyone they can grab. Buses carry those arrested to jail. When the jails are full, he orders four bankrupt hotels to be turned into temporary prisons. The families of those arrested are furious with the governor. They pledge revenge for their families.

  The Governor’s motorcade passes lines of people open carrying hand and long guns. Many hold their weapons over their head while they sing Dixie. The Governor looks out of his limo’s windows. He shakes his head. He taps his Chief of Staff on the arm, he points to show his CoS the armed people lining the streets.

  “I want them arrested.”

  “Sir, open carrying is legal.”

  “It shouldn’t be. When we get back to Richmond, I’m going to sign an executive order outlawing open carry.”

  “Mr. Governor, you can’t. The second amendment is written into the state’s constitution. If you try to singularly alter the constitution, you will be recalled or impeached. Your political career will be over.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. All these guns are dangerous; I have to do something.”

  “Sir, my advice to you is ride out your term and move on. You’re going to be committing suicide.”

  “I’ll think about it. I want to hold a statewide debate on the secession question. The more time that goes by, the more time I have to change their minds.”

  “Sir….”

  “Shut up, I’ve made up my mind.”

  @@@@@

  Two weeks into the session debate, four hundred people around Leesburg arm themselves. They march to the prisons which are converted hotels. They kill or run off most of the guards while freeing over six hundred people. The news that the Governor had thousands arrested and the people released them electrifies the people of Virginia.

  Tens of thousands march from their homes to Richmond demanding the State Legislature votes to secede, they encounter a counter march made up mostly of various minority groups who don’t want the state to secede. They fear a ‘new South’ may mean the return of slavery. The groups clash just outside of the State House. The Stat
e Police block both groups, someone fires a shot, no one knows which side fired first. The State Police inform the Governor of the gunfire, thinking the people are coming for him, he orders them to return fire. He orders them to fire live ammo into the crowd. The State Police follow his orders, they respond to the gunshot with tear gas and automatic gun fire.

  When the tear gas smoke clears, the streets are littered with over three hundred bodies. Bodies belonging to protestors from both sides. The media reports the story saying the Tea Party attacked and killed peaceful protestors while the Internet is alive with videos showing the State Police firing into both groups. Surprising many, a reporter from the Washington Times, posts photos and his report of what really happened in Richmond. The people of Virginia are shocked, the reporter’s story and videos provide sufficient cause for the legislature to pass the resolution. The Virginia State Legislature also begins debating a resolution of impeachment against their governor, the man they blame for hundreds of deaths.

  The President is furious, Washington D.C. sits on land which used to belong to Maryland and Virginia, the Pentagon, the CIA, the FAA and other agencies are headquartered in Virginia. He orders the military to crush the secession before it spreads like wildfire. He knows he can’t lose Virginia.

  Various militias in Virginia merge to form the New Army of Virginia. They block the roads into Virginia from Maryland and D.C. Federal Marshals run into the Army of Virginia as they try to cross into Virginia, the fighting is short and violent. When the smoke clears the Federal Agents have either turned tail and run, or they’re wounded or lying dead on the Interstate. The first shots of the second civil war were fired along Interstate 66.

  Word of the battle spreads through the country. Millions take to their streets protesting and supporting the battle. The President orders the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to break the back of the infant rebellion.

  “Sir, I can’t follow that order.”

  “What the fuck do you mean you can’t follow my orders? I’m the Commander in Chief!”

  “Sir, I know that, however, I took an oath to protect the people of the United States, I can’t order my people to attack fellow Americans. Sir, I consider your order to be illegal, as such I won’t follow that your order.”

  “I accept your resignation. I’ll keep firing people until I find someone who will follow my orders.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The fired COJCS walks out of the Pentagon followed by the CNO and the Commanders of the US Air Force, Army, and Marines. They all refuse to follow the President’s orders to fire on Americans.

  @@@@@

  Jay and Captain Black walk around the huge concrete plant. Black, looking very impressed asks,

  “Jay, do you really own this?”

  “I bought it from Tony for a few gold coins. I thought one day it might come in handy. As you see, it needs the raw materials. I don’t know where to find them around here. We used up everything they had stored when we built the shelter.”

  “I can solve that problem. Once we supply the raw materials, how long will it take to start production?”

  Franco smiles at the Captain,

  “Sir, I’d like to check the trucks and the mixing machines, if they check out, we’ll be ready to begin production within a couple of days after we have the raw materials. I can have my sons here today beginning the start-up process. We performed all of the preventive maintenance before we shut it down, so we could quickly start it back up when we had the required materials.”

  Captain Black smiles,

  “Jay, I like the way your team doesn’t allow any grass to grow under their feet.”

  “In the current environment where we could be attacked at any time, we can’t afford to waste time. Time is the only resource we can’t get more of.”

  “I like your attitude.”

  “I’ll have trucks of materials here by next Wednesday.”

  Franco smiles,

  “Are you planning on building your own shelter?”

  “Yes, I’m thinking of building one as large as yours, it will be our battle command center. I think placing it underground in a hardened shelter would be the safest location. You’ve proved that even if the land is overrun, the shelter can survive. Our shelter is going to need a few differences than yours, we’re going to need a larger server room and a much larger communications suite. We’re going to need to figure out how to install and protect our Satcom dishes. Due to these changes, our power requirements are going to be ten times yours. I haven’t figured that part out yet, I’ll leave it to the engineers to figure out how to power our shelter.”

  “Captain, any other changes you’re planning?”

  “I told Jay I want to connect our two shelters in case of an emergency. We’re going to need a lot of cement to shore up the tunnel. The walls and ceiling of the tunnel are going to have to survive five hundred pound bombs and being hit by 105 and 155mm shells.”

  Jay looks at the Captain,

  “Are you planning on fighting a major war here? Such a war would spill over to my land. I’m not sure I like the idea of you being our neighbor after all. Good neighbors don’t bring wars to their neighbors.”

  “Jay, you’re the one who seems to attract attackers. I just want to be prepared for the storm you think is coming. I agree with you; we’re going to be facing a massive storm. I want to make sure we survive the storm.”

  “I’ll get my sons working on the plant and trucks today.”

  “Franco, thank you.” the Captain, shakes Franco’s hand to seal the deal.

  Chapter 22

  Admiral Black orders TF 66 to make turns for fifteen knots, heading Northeast, towards Hawaii.

  “Captain, keep the fleet in formation, continue to issue warnings to anyone who approaches our defensive ring to stay away so they won’t be harmed. We’re exercising our rights to operate in international waters.”

  “Aye, sir. Sir, what is the CIC going to say?”

  “About what? I’m taking the fleet to sea to test our recent repairs. I issued the international warnings and notices of our live fire exercise. Anyone who strays into our area of operations will be responsible for whatever happens to them.”

  “Sir, do you really think posting the warnings on our Facebook page was proper?”

  “Captain, isn’t FB international in nature? Doesn’t everyone read it? I posted a copy on the Chinese PLA’s page.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m sure they’ll see our notice. If they read it, isn’t that legal notice?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Hence, we’ve posted the required notices.”

  Smiling, the Captain nods, saying,

  “Admiral, the CIC might not see it that way. It could cost you your command and your stars.”

  “It might. Then again, maybe we’ll win, and maybe the horse will sing?”

  “Sir?”

  “Captain, an old story, I seem to remember it’s a story from the time of Herodotus, ‘Three thieves come before the king. Two he sentences to death, the third offers to teach his horse to sing if he's given a year. Later, one of the others asks if he's crazy or what and he says,

  "I've got a year. A lot can happen in a year. I might die. The king might die. Maybe, the horse will sing."’ Anything can happen by the time the CIC hears and figures out what we’re doing. Hell, I might die, in which case, I’ll be buried in Arlington as a hero and my previous orders will be covered up. We’re going to see what we can do to defeat the invaders.”

  “Aye, sir. All ships report in position, all are at Condition one, they are ready for whatever comes our way.”

  “Good, let’s sail into history.”

  @@@@@

  John’s video; images of him shoving ham into the terrorist’s mouths spreads around the world. It causes thousands of demonstrations in the streets of Islamic controlled Europe and the Middle East. Fatwas are issued for John’s death. Many of the ISIS troops begin to wonder if this is a new
approach by the Great Satan. They worry they won’t be admitted into Paradise if they’re killed with the flesh of a pig in their mouths. John’s picture is carried by over a million ISIS warriors who have been promised a special reward for John’s head. A map of where John posted the video is spread to all of the ISIS warriors, they are told they have a holy mission to locate and kill not just John, but all of his friends and family. A large army of ISIS warriors landed in Mobile, Alabama, their target is the location of John’s video. They’re met on the beaches of Mobile by fifty militia troops who are quickly slaughtered. Before they die, they are able to broadcast a warning that a huge force has landed. Militias all over the South receive the warning, they grab their weapons and head towards Alabama.