by Ira Tabankin
“Let me make sure I understand this. If 59% of the people in the South agree to move forward and 41% vote no, you won’t secede?”
“That’s correct. You among others suggested we make sure we have the majority of the people behind us before we took the next step. Some argued that 51% was enough, we debated the number for over two hours. Some wanted 75%, I pointed out, it was going to be impossible to get 75% of the people to agree the sky is blue.”
Jay spits up his coffee laughing.
“Thanks, this was a clean sweatshirt and I don’t have any more decaf coffee made.”
Laughing, the governor nods,
“It's late, you should be in bed, tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
“It’s already tomorrow, dawn will be here in a few hours. What are your plans? Are you staying or leaving?”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to spend another day here. It’s going to be easier to use your network to hold our video announcement, which we’re going to hold at noon. Can you encrypt it so no one will be able to trace my whereabouts?”
“Yes, we’ll also go on full alert in case you are traced and someone decides to pay you an uninvited visit.” Jay looks at his watch. “In fact, I think I’ll sound the alarm to begin an hour before your announcement. I want us to be prepared. Mr. Governor, when we go on alert, don’t wander outside. Tell your staff to stay indoors or in the shelter. I don’t want to hear any BS about our weapons or anything you or they may see during our alert.”
“Are there weapons I’m not supposed to see?”
“Let’s just say, it’s best if you stay in the shelter. I’ll ask John to set you up in the conference room. I want to warn you when we go on alert, the shelter is sealed. The only way people can enter or exit is controlled by the security officer.”
“You run the facility as a military base planning for war.”
“We’ve been attacked a few times; we usually consider ourselves in a state of war. Neither you or the feds have been able to secure the area. You live in a secure bubble; you have no idea how violent life can be outside of your bubble.”
“It’s one of the first things we’re going to focus on in the new nation.”
“I wish you good luck. I have a lot to do in the hours before we go on alert. I’ll see you in a few hours at breakfast. Night.”
The governor sits in one of Jay’s chairs staring into the fireplace, I know we’re doing the right thing. I though Jay of all people would be overjoyed with the plan of secession. I’m concerned he’s very lukewarm to the plan. I thought he’d be a strong supporter; I could use a large donation from him. There’s no way to ask him for one until he’s fully committed. The Governor sits in the dark sipping his glass of bourbon hoping the announcement goes well. He looks around wondering why there aren’t any windows in the room. Come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing any windows in the castle. Why would anyone go to all of the effort to build a castle and not put in windows?
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A bright red sun rises in the east. Jay looks out the bedroom window remembering, “Red sun in the morning, sailors take warning.” I pray the red sun isn’t a sign from heaven of what’s coming. I’m fed up with the path the country is on, but I’m also worried that secession could be worse than the current situation. We could be in another Civil War in a couple of days.
Jay dials zero which connects him directly to the security room.
“Good morning Todd, I’d like you to place our entire area on full alert at eleven o’clock. Please inform General Arthur and Captain Black of our plans, I don’t want them taken by surprise.”
“Dad, drill or no drill?”
Jay is silent a minute.
“Dad, are you still there?”
“Yes, make it no drill, full war alert, full battle load of ammo and everyone in full body armor. Load the heavy weapons and arm the mines. Warn everyone to stay out of the fields. Light up the warning light at the gate so no one enters without knowing they are entering a live mine field. Turn on the power to the sections of the fence we wired. Don’t allow anyone in with the exceptions of the General, Major, or Captain.”
“Yes, sir. Should I warn the team heads?”
“Yes, however, let John grab a few hours of sleep, he was up all night. He’ll catch up very quickly.”
“Yes, sir. Is there anything else?”
“I’m sending the governor to the shelter. He will be making a video call, ask John to assist him to hold the call in the conference room. Todd, don’t let the governor know, but record his conversation and track his movements in the shelter.”
“Yes, sir. I know the game.”
“Good. I’ll see you soon.”
Jay hangs up looking at Lacy, who’d overheard Jay’s side of the conversation.
“He’s making the announcement today?”
“Yes, from our shelter.”
“Is that wise?”
“I couldn’t turn him down, he is our governor.”
“When has that ever stopped you from turning people down?”
“You’re right. However, he might be our new President. He also threatened to take the shelter from us.”
“God, I hope not. We’re never going to move forward if we elect another career politician. Have you given any thought to running for office?”
“Honey, come on. We’ve talked about this. I’m not a politician. I’d make a horrible President. Plus, I like blue better than I like Gray.”
Lacy throws a damp towel at Jay. They smile as they finish dressing for the day. Jay dresses in a pair of ACU uniform pants, boots, and a long sleeve fireproof T-shirt. He pulls his body armor out of the safe in their bedroom. He checks it and carries it downstairs to the kitchen. Thinking, either this is getting heavier, or I’m getting older. He’s surprised to find Tony, Fred, and John waiting for him. John is shoveling eggs and bacon in his mouth like it’s going to be his last meal.
“I hope you left some breakfast for me.”
“I need my energy, I only got a couple of hours sleep before you called Todd to arrange the alert.”
“I told Todd not to wake you.”
“I knew it was coming. I’ve been sleeping on a cot next to the security room in the shelter. I heard the phone ring. I knew it had to be you. I waited until Todd hung up the phone. He filled me in, I decided I should stay up and help coordinate the alert. Do you think we’re at risk?”
“I’m worried the President may attempt to take out the governors before they can hold the election. He most likely thinks if he can take them out, he’ll stop the secession discussions. I don’t put anything past the President. I’m worried about the Army across the street. I know General Arthur told us he felt the Captain agreed with the secession movement, I’m not so sure, you know that whole oath thing about defending the Constitution.”
John swallows a mouthful of toast and bacon, with egg dripping down his chin, swallowing he looks into Jay’s eyes.
“Then why did you include him on the alert list?”
“I don’t want him rushing over here and walking into a live mine field thinking he’s coming here to aid us.”
“Good answer, in fact, that’s the number one answer. I’ll personally contact his staff to ensure they understand why we’re going on alert.”
Before John can continue, the phone rings, Lacy answers it.
“Good morning General, he’s right here. I’ll hand him the phone.”
Jay takes the phone from Lacy,
“Good morning General. How can I help you this morning?”
“We got your alert notice. Thank you for the heads up. We’re going to go on alert too. I’d like your permission to come over and chat with you and the Governor. If you don’t have any objections, I’m going to bring Captain Black with me.”
“What time would you like to come by?”
“How about in thirty minutes?”
“Fine with me, have you checked with the Governor?”
“He’s good with it if you are.”
“As they say, ‘come on down. Let’s meet in the castle’s conference room it’s larger than the one in the shelter,”
“Thanks, we’ll see you soon.”
Jay looks at his friends,
“I suggest you all join us for the meeting. Thirty minutes in the conference room. John, please escort the Governor from the shelter to the castle.”
John nods,
“Want the shelter’s defense’s activated early?”
“No, I think we’ll be fine until they make their announcement.”
John smiles with more pieces of egg hanging out of his mouth.
“If I were the President, I’d take out the governors now, before they can make their announcement and call for an election. No governors, no election, no secession.”
“I don’t think this one has the balls to do so.”
“You’re right. I’ll get everything ready and be back in time for the meeting with the Governor.” John jogged out of the castle, once outside, he took off on a run towards the shelter.
The house phone rings again, Lacy picks it up and hands it to Jay without answering it.
“Franco.”
“Good morning Franco, what’s up?”
“Do you want us to continue working or report to our alert stations when the alarm sounds?”
“Does everyone know about the upcoming alert before the alarm sounds?”
“Todd gave me a heads up so we didn’t leave any of the construction hanging.”
“That was a good idea. I suggest you continue to work on the new shelter, our window is closing quicker than I thought. We’re going to need it ASAP. Please do everything you can to speed up the construction.”
“Will do, we’re working three shifts a day. There is something I need to help speed the construction.”
“What do you need?”
“More bodies.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“By the way, Ricky has been nosing around the site. What do you want me to tell him?”
“Whoa! Has he seen the entrance? You have to stop him before he figures out what’s going on.”
“He was stopped before he crested the hill and saw the equipment. I’m sure he can feel the vibration under his feet. We’re blasting underground not very far from him. Can he be moved?”
“That’s an idea I’ll look into. Keep doing a great job I know you’re doing. I can’t come by. If he sees me, he’ll know we’re digging a new shelter.”
“I’ll come by this evening to show you some images of our progress.”
“Thanks. Franco, I really appreciate all you’re doing.”
Jay looks at Fred and Tony,
“We’re going to have to do something about Ricky. He’s starting to get noisy. We can’t have him finding the new shelter.”
Tony smiles, he pulls his sidearm and pulls back the slide to load a round in the chamber. “I’ll take care of him.”
“Not what I had in mind. It’s what I want to do, but can’t.”
“You’re not going to be doing anything, I’ll do it. Just smile and nod.”
“I can’t. Think along the lines of moving him to a different location.”
Fred shakes his head.
“If we move him, he’ll smell a rat. He’ll come looking for what’s going on. I think we have to leave him where he is and increase the number of cameras we have watching him. If he starts moving towards the new shelter, we can zap him through his ankle bracelet, it’ll stop him mid-step.”
Tony nods his agreement.
“Alright, make it so. I hoped he would have walked off into the sunset and we’d be finished with him by now.”
They’re interrupted by the phone ringing the special ring which notified everyone it was the security room calling.
Jay leaped to grab the phone.
“Jay, GO!”
“Todd here. Jay, the thermal sensors the General got us just reported we’ve been overflown by a military jet.”
“How do you know it was military?”
“The very high temp the sensors recorded and the militia’s radar confirmed it flew by at 45,000 feet at 600mph.”
“Great, just great. I hope our makeshift shielding prevents them from seeing underground.”
“I’m sure they’ll see something.”
“I’ll ask the General what he thinks. Thanks for the heads up.”
Tony looks at Jay,
“US Air Force overflight? Think they’re looking for the Governor?”
“I hope that’s all it is. Damn, I wish we had a radar system and a Patriot battery.”
Chapter 10
The Director of the CIA says, “Mr. President, we have a humit source within the Southern Governor’s inner circle, they’ve informed us they plan to make an announcement today.”
“Can we locate and take them out before they make their announcement?”
“We have a good plot on five of them, do you want us to take out the ones we have located? Or would you like us to wait until we know where all of them are?”
The President doesn’t know how to answer. He walks around the Oval Office trying to decide what’s best. He turns to his CoS.
“If we take out a few of them, the others will go ahead with the announcement and blame us for the death or disappearance of the other governors. I think we have to locate all of them before we make our move.”
“Sir, the odds are we won’t locate all thirteen or fourteen of them in time.”
“Squeeze the asshole in Richmond, I bet he knows where all of them are. If he’s holding out on us, I want him to feel what it means to be a traitor.”
The CoS nods, “Yes, sir. I’ll inform the FBI.”
“I question the loyalty of the FBI and military, use the CIA.”
“Sir, I can’t operate in the USA, I don’t have an armed team anywhere near the area.”
The President frowns, “Use the DHS, they have an armed force, I know they’re loyal. They’re also not as averse to violence as the FBI. Remind me to issue an Executive Order allowing the CIA to operate in country.”
“Yes, sir.” Nods his CoS.
The Director of the CIA raises his hand, “Sir, I don’t think Congress will like us operating in country.”
“Don’t worry about them, I intend to go around them.”
The President sits at the Resolution Desk wondering what the governors are going to say. He presses the number three on his phone.
“Get me the Director of the DHS over here ASAP.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll track him down and tell him you want to see him right away.”
An hour later the Director of DHS knocks and enters the Oval Office to meet with a very angry President. Before he even closes the door, the President begins attacking him,
“Where the hell have you been? I called for you over an hour ago! When I call you, you get your ass over here. Do you understand? I can easily replace you if you don’t remember who the boss is.”
“Mr. President, I’m sorry, I was out at Mount Weather, I had to take a helicopter to get back as quickly as I did.”
“I don’t want to hear excuses. Next time, be here when I call.”
“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?”
“I want all of the Southern Governors located and removed from office. Use your armed security forces. I want this done ASAP. They plan to make their major announcement today. See how you can stop them.”
“Yes, sir. What are my rules of engagement?”
“I told you, I want them eliminated.”
“Sir, they’re American citizens, governors, duly elected by the people of their states.”
“Either eliminate them, or I’ll have you eliminated.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll send the teams out ASAP.”
One of the Director of DHS aides overhears the conversation. He excuses himself to use the restroom, once in the privacy of a stall he texts an encrypted message to the Gover
nor of Tennessee explaining what the President ordered.
The governor reads his phone shaking his head. He throws his phone on his bed thinking, damn him. He’s a murderer. He’s planning on killing us before we make our announcement. We thought he might try something. I’ll call the others to push up the announcement. We’ll get it on the air before his black shirts can locate us. I better warn Jay so he can move up his alert. He sends an urgent text to the other governors, with the exception of the Virginia Governor, whom he doesn’t trust. They agree to move the announcement up, making it in twenty minutes. He walks to the security room,
