by JC Ryan
A few minutes later he became aware of people who had entered the office and jumped up from Carrie’s body. He fell to the floor with his legs tangled up in his pants which had fallen to his knees.
“What the hell …” he exclaimed. “How dare you! This was a private moment between us. Get out!”
“Begging your pardon, General, but it didn’t look or sound like the lady was participating of her own free will.”
“Of course, she willingly participated! What are you insinuating? She likes to play rough… it turns her on. What kind of a man do you think I am?”
“She’s unconscious, sir.”
“Yes of course she is, pea-brain, she faints when she climaxes.”
“Sir…”
“Now get out and keep this to yourself… we wouldn’t want to embarrass the lady.”
“But, sir…”
“Don’t you but sir me! Get out of here. NOW! And keep this quiet! That’s an order!”
“Yes, sir.”
The three men exited the room looking nervously at each other. When the door closed behind them one of them started, “Do you…”
His comrade grabbed his arm and hissed, “Shut up!” then beckoned with his head for the other two to follow him and headed down the hall away from the Cabinet Room.
When they reached the parking lot, he spoke quietly, “Keep your voices down.”
“That wasn’t willing participation … He knocked her out and raped her!”
“Yes. Our leader has been a source of concern for me. And what we just witnessed is totally unacceptable, it takes my ‘concern’ to a whole new level.”
“I agree. I’m beginning to worry about his mental stability. We all know he has a temper, but this is barbarism if you ask me.”
“What should we do?”
“For now, let’s attend the meeting, and we’ll meet at the club afterward. In the meantime, I’ll send Sheryl in to check on Carrie.”
***
General Thomas Hayden straightened his uniform jacket and looked in the bathroom mirror to assure himself his image was picture perfect. He brushed imaginary dust from his trousers and turned to re-enter the Oval Office.
His secretary, Sheryl, bent over Carrie still lying on the sofa. She was just regaining consciousness. He walked over to her and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. He had a mock embarrassed smile when he said to Sheryl, “I guess we got a little carried away.”
Sheryl stared impassively at him and drew a deep breath. “Of course, sir.”
“She’ll be alright in no time. Why don’t you fetch her a glass of water?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be right back.” She rushed out of the room, in a hurry to get out of Hayden’s presence.
As she disappeared into the bathroom, Hayden leaned over Carrie, seeing the fear developing in her eyes, grabbed her by the throat, “If you say anything, even one word, I’ll kill you. Do you understand?”
Carrie’s eyes grew with terror, then brimmed with tears that overflowed and rolled down her face. She nodded silently and glanced toward the door through which Sheryl had exited the room.
Hayden’s eyes followed hers. “I’ll kill anyone you tell, too… don’t think for a minute I won’t do it. And don’t think you will be able to get away from me.”
Carrie started to cry in earnest just as Sheryl returned.
“You were wonderful, honey,” Hayden said smoothly and kissed Carrie on the top of the head. “You just lay here and rest. I’ll see you later.”
As Hayden left the room, from the corner of his eye, he saw Sheryl hand Carrie the glass of water and heard the women whispering…
“Carrie! Did he just rape you?”
“No! No, I … I … just got a … a … little carried a … away.”
Hayden smiled. Clever girl.
***
“General, you called for me?” Lucas Nguyen said as he was led into the Oval Office by Sheryl about fifteen minutes later.
“Yes, thanks for coming so quickly, Lucas. I’ve got a small but critical matter I want you to take care of before the Cabinet meeting.” Hayden grinned.
“Just say the word, sir.”
Hayden first explained what Nguyen’s role was going to be in the new administration.
Nguyen was beaming when he heard what his old friend had in mind for him. But his elation was short-lived when he realized that the adage ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’ was very true when Hayden told him about the ‘small but critical matter’ that he had to take care of before he could take up his new position.
Chapter 37- You’re all dismissed!
Striding purposefully into the Cabinet room, Hayden took his seat at the head of the table and looked at those seated around its perimeter, noting the absence of several Cabinet members, and then at the six military officers standing along the far wall. The others were taking notice of them as well but had no idea what the purpose of their presence was.
“Thank you all for coming. While we are under martial law and rebuilding our government and country, I’m going to make a few changes to the traditional Cabinet Offices to help streamline things until we are back on our feet,” he laughed. “I don’t want to have too many chiefs and not enough Indians!
“So, the cabinet offices will be the following: Attorney General, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Interior and Agriculture, Secretary of Health and Education, Secretary of Housing and Labor, Secretary of Treasury and Commerce. That’s it. That’s all we need and all we can afford.”
Everyone looked around the table in surprise. Finally, someone spoke up. “You’re reducing the Cabinet from fifteen members to six?”
“Good!” Hayden brimmed with sarcasm, “give that man a gold star; he can do math!
“Yes. While we are rebuilding this country, we need to be well-organized, and in my experience, too many cooks spoil the broth.”
The Cabinet members stared around the room in dismay, wondering who would be given the boot.
“Having explained that…,” Hayden paused and grinned, “you are all dismissed.”
A stunned silence filled the room followed by several voices, “what? You can’t…”
“Yes, I can, and I just did.” He smirked. “You heard me; you’re all dismissed! Thank you for your services. While we’re operating under martial law, only military officers will take up seats in my Cabinet until such a time as this new Cabinet deems it prudent to hand responsibility of leadership back to civilians.”
Slowly the room emptied as the stunned, redundant, ex-cabinet members left.
The six officers in formal military dress, medals and all, remained. Hayden invited them to take seats at the table with him.
Lieutenant General Kurt Frayser took his seat first. Hayden had known him for years and, as an Army JAG officer, he had saved Hayden from disciplinary actions several times in his early career. He would make a fine Attorney General and, having studied international law, would handle the Secretary of State position with equal skill as well.
Hayden had earmarked General Lucas Nguyen for Secretary of Defense. They had graduated high school together and both been accepted into West Point. They remained the best of friends even after graduation when their career paths took them in separate directions. Nguyen had entered Military Intelligence and would be in control of the Transportation and Energy departments as well as direct the FBI, CIA, and the NSA, all under the umbrella of Homeland Security. Lucas took a seat directly across from the General.
Colonel Howard Baum and Colonel Cameron Stillwater took seats on either side of Nguyen. They had come to the attention of Hayden during the war in Afghanistan when they were serving under his command. Both had keen minds, and during their time together Hayden had found they shared his ideals of how things should be in the United States. He had chosen Baum to take over the Secretary of Interior and Secretary of Agriculture positions and Stillwater to cover as Secretary of Housing and Secretary of Labor.
General Jo
e Potter was another West Point graduate. Although two years behind Hayden, their attendance at this prestigious institution had overlapped and they had been teammates in several competitive sports. Potter had pursued medicine and become a highly-regarded Army Surgeon. Hayden was placing him in charge of Health, Education, and Veterans Affairs. He sat next to Hayden.
Brigadier General Stephen Neeley was the last to sit down. Hayden had become friends with Neely in their early military careers during the action in Vietnam. At that time, Neely ran a black-market operation that provided many things to the soldiers. Back then Frayser had helped shield Neeley from disciplinary measures as well. Hayden could think of no one better to assume the duties of Secretary of Treasury and Commerce.
“All right, gentlemen. Let’s get this country back on its feet!”
The men grinned in unison. “What do you have in mind General? Rossler has a pretty substantial following, and the country is divided in their loyalty between the two of you. And from what I have established so far, unfortunately only about forty percent of the populace has a favorable view of you.”
“General Frayser has a point, General. How are you going to win over those who currently support Rossler and the previous administration, short-lived though it was?”
“Polls! Don’t tell me you guys are paying attention to polls.” Hayden responded. “Don’t you get it? This is not a democracy, its martial law, military rule, my way or the highway. We’re in this shit-heap because of idiotic political leaders who got mesmerized by public opinion and listened to the polls.
“Those polls are always fiddled with; none of them are ever the truth. Lies, lies, all of them. Politicians did everything just to please the public and get re-elected. And the pollsters, all of them liberal bigots, controlled the polls.
“The people out there have no idea what’s good for them—they can’t see the big picture; they don’t have the information we have to make sound decisions. That’s what we’re here to do. Decide what’s best for the American people and give it to them.”
He paused for effect and to breathe. “Please promise me that the day I start caring about opinion polls is the day you—this cabinet—will form a firing squad and execute me on the spot.”
The cabinet members exploded in laughter. General Hayden had a way of making things very clear—sometimes.
“We’re going to give the people what they really need, not what they think they need, or what the liberal media and polls tell them they need!”
Six pairs of eyes stared at him, waiting for him to continue. None had the backbone to challenge him.
“The Campbell bitch and her puppy dog, Rossler, did us a big favor by declaring martial law. We will use it. We’re going to give the people good news and things they’ve needed for years!” Hayden said with glee.
“We’re going to give them a smaller government, reduce spending, and we’ll give them jobs— jobs for every single man. There’ll be immigration control, and we’ll turn this country back into a God-fearing nation again!”
Each and every one of the cabinet knew him long enough, personally and by reputation, to know that this was not a good time to question this fearsome man. But the unspoken question on everyone’s mind was; ‘How the hell are you going to do all that with the present state the country is in?’
“First we’re going to hold a press conference and announce exactly what I just said.
“We’re also going to make sure to tell them that there was discord between Campbell and Rossler, which was the reason why my men and I were summoned to the White House. Campbell called on me and my men to come and help her to get rid of Rossler. But unfortunately, we were too late.
“Rossler used the confusion at the White House to abduct her. We have eye witnesses who will go on TV and tell the American people how they saw it happen.”
He paused and looked at Nguyen. “You already have some of those witnesses lined up. Right, Lucas?”
Lucas Nguyen nodded slowly and managed to hide his surprise.
The general was on a roll now, making things up as he went. Lies and deceit come naturally to this man.
“We’ll let it be known that we are searching for Rossler to answer for the abduction and murder of President Campbell.
“With Secretary of State Bill Simms missing, either incapacitated, dead, or too lily-livered to shoulder his responsibilities, as Secretary of Defense I am next in line to assume the Presidency. Since Campbell’s appointed Secretary of Defense is also missing, I have stepped forward to lead our nation in this very trying time in our history.”
“What about George Miller, Secretary of Treasury? Isn’t he in the line of succession before you? Lieutenant General Kurt Frayser had decided it was better to put that in the form of a question rather than a statement. He knew he was correct but was not prepared to take the risk of telling Hayden what the actual legal position was. It was obvious Hayden was not interested in the facts.
“Yes, you’re right, he was. But… I’ve just received the dreadful news that Secretary George Miller was killed by an unruly mob who stormed his house. This country is in shambles; we have to stop this lawlessness immediately.
Fraser slowly nodded as the realization of what Hayden was saying sunk in.
Nguyen didn’t blink an eye. He just stared at the table in front of him. He has earned his Cabinet position.
Hayden continued, “Lucas, as my Secretary of Defense and Homeland Security, I want you to take charge of the FBI, CIA, and NSA. Appoint whoever you need to get the departments up and running. I take it you already know what your first task is?” At Nguyen’s slight inclination of his head, he continued.
“Thank you, Lucas, I knew I could count on you. Your second job will be to get the alphabet soup agencies searching the Eastern seaboard for the missing prisoners… they have to be here somewhere. Tear it apart if you have to. Leave nothing to chance.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Third, I want you to send some agents looking for Rossler. But don’t put too much effort into it, he isn’t a politician and has already run with his tail tucked between his legs, I doubt we’ll hear much more from him.”
Lucas frowned slightly but confirmed his orders with a ‘yes, sir.’ He wasn’t about to do a slack job of trying to locate Daniel Rossler. The man had brought down Brideaux and his council, and no one he knew had the slightest inkling how that feat was pulled off… Rossler was definitely not to be underestimated.
“Last, but not least, I want you to start rounding up some illegal aliens and have them ready to deport. We are going to make a big spiel about that in the media. That sight will be good publicity for the second press conference.”
Lucas smiled, “good thinking, Mr. President!”
“Howard,” Hayden continued, “I’m appointing you as Secretary of Interior and Agriculture. I want you to get the people in those departments moving. Find every scrap of food and food resource available, note where it is and how much of it there is … in case it is needed for reserves.”
“Understood Mr. President.”
“Cameron, you’re my new Secretary of Housing and Labor. Use the resources in those departments to find out the size, condition, and location of every home in this country. Also, find out how many jobs are held by women, how many people are unemployed, and how many jobs are available.”
“You got it, Mr. President!”
“I also want to know about every prison … how many cells each one has and how many prisoners are housed at each one.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Potter?”
“Yes, sir?”
“I want you, as my Secretary of Health, Education, and Veterans Affairs. You will look into the health system and come up with a way for medical, dental, and vision care to be available for everyone at little to no cost … and for God’s sake, DON’T name any programs after me!”
Everyone chuckled.
“I also want you to let it be known that the Pledge of Allegi
ance and prayer are to be returned to the classrooms at all schools—without any delay or debates about it. It’s a Presidential decree, and it will happen. This is our country, and we’ll pledge and pray whenever and wherever the hell we want to!”
“Yes, sir!”
“And get a status on our veteran’s programs. We will take care of our veterans!”
“Right away, sir.”
“Stephen, you are now Secretary of Treasury and Commerce. Get hold of all the fiscal information and come back with a plan to put the financial puzzle of this country back together so it can function properly again.”
“I’ll get right on it, Sir.”
“Last but not least, for Secretary of State and Attorney General I will be depending on you, Kurt.”
“Ready to serve, Sir.”
“I want to know what’s happening outside our borders. What kind of trouble is brewing, who is likely to attack us, who is likely to be willing to form alliances, etcetera.”
“Dean,” he said speaking to his aid, “set up a press conference as soon as possible. I need to address that incendiary broadcast Rossler made.”
“Yes sir, General, ah… sorry, Mr. President. Right away.”
Chapter 38- See to it that they don’t
Hayden stood waiting to enter the room and appear before the cameras as President of the United States for the first time. He brushed at imaginary dust on the sleeve of his uniform jacket and checked the medals and bars on his left breast to be sure they were perfectly aligned. He was dressed to impress.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly released it and walked out on the stage to stand at the podium. With the flag of the United States and the Presidential flag behind him, in his dress uniform, he knew he presented an imposing picture.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is with deepest regret that I confirm the death of President Laurie Campbell.” He started with a faux-somber voice. “We are still investigating the causes and circumstances of her death, but early indications are that there was discord between President Campbell and Vice-President Rossler. It appears that he attempted a takeover of the White House. During the upheaval, he took President Campbell hostage, tortured her to create the video you saw depicting me as the aggressor,” he pointed to himself, “and then killed her.”
