by J. J. Holden
Cassy had called the impromptu meeting today to discuss what she felt was a growing threat. “Thank you all for being available on such short notice. I’m sure you’ll all agree, we face a threat worth your time.”
On-screen, Frank nodded. “Thank you, Chancellor. I appreciate that the Confederation takes this threat seriously.”
The Liz Town leader, Carl Woburn, frowned. Cassy had felt pity for him since the very first video conference, a couple of months after the Mountain War. He had looked so haggard compared to the vibrant man she’d first met as the Liz Town envoy. The rumors said that he had lost his one true love during that war, and ever since then, he hadn’t been taking care of himself. Apparently, he rarely ate or slept, and his face showed it. Cassy could see none of the vitality that had once oozed from his every pore.
“My apologies, Cassandra,” Carl said, unenthusiastically, “but I fail to see how this is a Confederation-wide problem. So you’ve had a few raids from the south, lost a few people. Liz town dealt with that and more during the entire first year after the EMPs, but I don’t recall everyone coming to our rescue, or even offering to help. You were all just glad to have us as a buffer against the Harrisburg raiders. You only stepped in during the endgame.”
The Lititz rep shook his head and his eyes flashed with anger. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. We all sent supplies we couldn’t afford, trying to help you deal with the Harrisburg and Hershey raiders, and we couldn’t send troops because there weren’t enough fighters to go around. You may remember, we all had our own problems back then. Hell, Brickerville almost got conquered twice and Ephrata lost a tenth of its people defending the rest of the Confederation. We all did what we could, and faced our many threats together.”
On the screen, Carl pursed his lips and shook his head, but didn’t reply.
Cassy seized on the opportunity Lititz had provided her. “That’s right, we all dealt with the threats we faced. We all helped each other as best we could, whether that was with supplies or troops. We also all faced local problems alone. Liz Town wasn’t unique in that.”
The Lebanon rep spoke with vigor, saying, “And I daresay Clanholme and Lebanon were the two that did the most for the Confederation. Or have you forgotten how, during that first year, Clanholme provided enough grains for all of us to save most of our remaining people? Most of us would have died without the Clan’s help.”
Cassy kept her voice even and replied, “We were happy to give that help, then as now, because we were allies. The Confederation is in no way meaningless.”
The Ephrata rep slapped her palm against her desk, startling Cassy. “Please don’t ever suggest you did more than us, Cassy. We all face problems even now, so I wonder… Why is the Confederation chancellor pushing so hard for us all to intervene in a Clan problem?”
Cassy put on an easy, casual smile. “I understand your concerns, Ephrata. I think you know as well as everyone else here just how tirelessly I work on the behalf of every member of the Confederation. Whether it’s to relieve a problem facing one member or to head off a threat to all of us, it’s the Confederation chancellor’s job to help coordinate a response to those issues, and that’s what I’m doing here. But I don’t think this is only a Clan issue. We may be facing a threat that endangers the entire Confederation.”
Frank blurted, “When the Maryland invaders get done with the Clan, where do you think they’ll go next? The Confederation is a juicy plum, these days, compared to just about everywhere else we know of. It’s why we maintain such a strong military. But the Maryland invaders have thrown us a wildcard—they’ve pressed thousands of Americans into service. They’re even wearing North Korean uniforms, as we learned when they raided our supply depot at the Clanhold at the Gap. That changes the game entirely. What was once a nuisance, with raids every couple of months on a small scale, has become a major threat. They aren’t raiding us with a company anymore, but with battalions. Maybe more.”
Liz Town said, “We haven’t seen any evidence of that. We have only your word, based on the reports of your own citizens, that Americans were involved in the Gap raid. Did they collect any enemy bodies? Are we to believe they killed no attackers? I don’t think so. If the raid was small enough that no enemy bodies were found, it couldn’t have been that large.”
Cassy looked directly at her Raspberry Pi-based webcam, her gaze steady. “The residents made it very clear that the enemy attacked in a highly coordinated fashion. They knew exactly what they were going for, pinned the defenders down while they took it, then left. They brought their dead and wounded with them. I ask you, if there was only a company, how did they steal so many supplies? The Gap had a huge wagon train. What the raid took sets us back months.”
Carl let out an audible sigh, looking irritated, and replied, “Very well. I’ll go with whatever the Confederation says. Liz Town has always been a strong Confed supporter. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more important things to do than talk about your conspiracy theories. Let me know what everyone decides.”
The Liz Town feed went abruptly dark. Cassy shook her head and wondered just what the hell had happened to Carl. He wasn’t the same man after the Mountain War. “Well then. Lititz, Ephrata, Lebanon, Brickerville. I ask you to take this threat seriously. Send us two battle cars each so we can increase our patrols. We can at least see when they’re coming, and hopefully have enough time to respond. Make no mistake—they are coming. The Clan is only the first in line, and Lititz or Ephrata are going to be next.”
The Lebanon rep shook his head slowly. Cassy thought he looked sad, or perhaps disappointed. He said, “I’m sorry, Cassy. We really would love to help you, but we’ve got our own problems at the moment.”
“Like what?”
“Well, the Northern Cantonment is putting pressure on New America, and if they come to blows then Lebanon will quickly find itself on the front lines. I know that’s only a maybe, at this point, but I believe the threat from the Maryland invaders is also just a maybe. All you have right now are a handful of raids and some lost supplies. I think the Confederation leaders will all agree that more evidence is needed before we divert our resources into what could be just a wild goose chase.”
Cassy looked at the other leaders and saw them nodding unconsciously. So, whatever they decided, they agreed with Lebanon. It was damn frustrating. “I completely understand your position. I disagree, and others may as well. I think we need to get in front of this threat before it becomes an overwhelming challenge. I propose that each member of the Confederation send two battle cars, as I said, and one company of infantry to be placed under the Clan leader’s command until such a time as the threat has been diverted or more troops are needed. All in favor, raise your hands.”
Of course, Frank raised his hand. Lebanon kept his hand down. Lititz, the most likely next in line if Clanholme fell, raised her hand. Cassy looked to the Ephrata and Brickerville reps. It would be up to them. In her head, she counted to three, fervently praying for one of them to raise their hand. If one did, the other probably would also…
No one else raised their hand. Cassy realized she had been holding her breath, and let it out all at once, making a whooshing noise into her microphone. It was done; no help for Clanholme would be coming from the others. She heard Frank curse and log off.
Cassy struggled to put a smile on her face and figured they saw right through it, but politics were politics and the smile was expected from the Confederation chancellor. After all, the Confederation had spoken.
“Thank you all for making time to come and sit in on this Confederation emergency meeting. I thank you for taking time to vote, as well, and I respect your decisions. I know that each of you voted your conscience, in the best interests of the Confederation as you saw it. I will let you know as more information comes in, so that you can each decide individually if you wish to send assistance to Clanholme.”
The Ephrata rep smiled back and said, “Of course, Cassy. I understand how urgent you feel
this is, and I’m sorry to have to disagree. Until we are at war or more proof of their intentions can be shown, we’ll have to sit this one out—but if either of those things happens, call another vote. The Confederation stands together.”
The Lebanon rep added, “Strength through unity.” Lititz, Brickerville, and Ephrata knocked on their desks in support. Reluctantly, Cassy did, too.
Then she made her formal farewells and ended the meeting. She put her elbows on her desk and rested her face in her hands, then shook her head. This couldn’t be happening. They had to know what was coming. Had Cassy ever led them astray before?
For a moment, she truly missed the old days when she could dictate what happened. It was a faster, easier process getting everyone to toe the line and get together to face any given threat. Now, she had to rule by consent—and that had been her own damn choice. In the long run, of course, the Confederation would be better off for that, but when a threat like this first loomed its head, it was proving to make a rapid response all but impossible.
Dammit. She had to go find Frank. They had to think of something.
- 11 -
1900 HOURS - ZERO DAY +628
CASSY FOUND FRANK sitting at his favorite getaway spot, a log bench the Clan had set up on the far side of the eastern retaining pond. It was set amidst a variety of pretty plants, most of which had multiple functions. In that instance, however, they had been chosen more for their scent and their beauty than for their medicinal or food value. Frank often went there when the burdens of leadership were heavy on his mind. She sat down next to him, then said nothing for several minutes before he finally spoke up. “I know you tried to get them to do the smart thing.”
Cassy said, “You can lead a horse to water… When this thing blows up on us, they’ll rush to our rescue. It’s not that they don’t want to help, they just don’t see the immediate danger.”
Frank took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I only hope it’s not too late by then. I know that we’re all tired of fighting. Tired of facing a new threat every damn day. We’ve had peace for a few months now, and they’re enjoying it.”
“I can’t really blame them for that,” Cassy said. “I’m tired of fighting, too, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to just shut my eyes to every new danger and hope it goes away.”
Frank nodded. “Well, I’m not just going to wait for the hammer to drop. The Clan is going to put together a force to try to nip this in the bud. If we can hit them hard, before they’re ready to fully invade, then we might be able to delay their attack or even derail it completely.”
“I worry that the other members of the Confederation might view that as aggression on your part. Some may not be willing to support you in a war that, from their viewpoint, you started.”
He sat up and spat into the dirt. “To hell with them. The Clan has dealt with attackers alone before, without their help. We can do it again. And if the Confederation means anything, then once we’re really at war, they’ll join the effort.”
Cassy was quiet for a moment. What could she say to that? He had a point. A worry crossed her mind that the Confederation might break up, each member joining New America independently. In that case, the Clan would stand alone. She knew Frank had no intention of joining New America until the new constitution was signed. She hoped the other leaders would see reason, before that happened.
* * *
Mark Bates stood in the hallway, facing the door. He glanced both ways then knocked, feeling the cool surface against his knuckles. He waited a few seconds but heard nothing.
He knocked again quickly.
A moment later, he heard footsteps coming to the door and Janice’s voice from the other side.
“Hold on. I’m coming.”
Mark only had to wait a couple seconds before there was a pause of silence, then the jingle of a couple locks before the steel door opened to reveal Janice, hair wet, wrapped in a large towel. Her eyebrows were scrunched together in confusion. “Mr. Bates? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just have to ask you something.”
“Okay,” she said, motioning for him to come in.
He quickly stepped inside, and Janice closed the door behind him.
“Give me a second,” she said. “I’ll go get dressed.”
She walked to the far corner of the apartment and stopped near her bed. Janice took out some clothes and carried them into the nearby bathroom. While she was dressing, Mark glanced around her studio apartment and noticed the sparse decor. A minimalist perhaps, he mused. Or maybe she was simply more focused on her work than collecting whatever things were available in this new world.
Once dressed, Janice walked out of the bathroom and back into the so-called living room. She wore a pair of shorts made from cut-off sweatpants and a gray tank top.
“What’s going on, Mr. Bates?”
“It’s about that file I ‘found’ in your office. Can you tell me where you got it? Who gave it to you?”
“I got it from the department head, of course. He said he got it through his CIA liaison.”
“Harry Emerson?”
“Yes, he comes by regularly to talk to the department head. Why? What is this about?”
“Harry Emerson,” Mark said slowly to himself, his gaze shifting away from Janice. He took a deep breath as he digested this new information.
“Are you okay?”
Mark looked back at Janice. “What?”
“You look pale. Is it—”
“I’m fine. Thanks, Janice.” Mark turned toward the door. “Listen, I gotta go.”
Mark stepped toward the door and heard Janice call from behind him. “Wait.”
But Mark was already out the door, rushing along the hallway to return to his quarters. He had a lot of thinking to do about what Emerson’s involvement with all three trap documents meant, and how to adjust his tactics.
It was going to be another long night.
* * *
Choony sat on his living room floor, legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. His eyes were closed, but he was far from asleep. Jaz had not returned yet, and she should have been back two hours ago. He hadn’t wanted to separate in the first place, but their duties in Hackensack sometimes sent them in different directions, and that day had been one of those times.
After he finished a string of brief meetings with various merchants, politicians, and some suppliers with whom he and Jaz had been negotiating on behalf of the Clan, he had rushed home only to find that Jaz wasn’t back yet. He had assumed she was simply out shopping, but as the wall clock’s hour hand continued to sweep forward, he grew increasingly concerned.
Worrying about Jaz wouldn’t make her get home any faster, he reminded himself as he went through a series of chants that were used to calm turbulent minds. It wasn’t working nearly as well as he had hoped.
Now, it was nearly 8 o’clock, and his mind bounced back and forth between being angry at Jaz and being frightened for her welfare. Neither of those emotions would help her or bring her home faster, but he couldn’t help it. With a heavy sigh, he gave up on meditating and climbed to his feet.
He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door, but when he put his hand on the doorknob, he paused. Maybe he should leave a note… He searched and found a pen and paper, then wrote a note for Jaz—if she got back before he did, he wanted her to know where he went. That done, Choony left the house. He locked the door behind him, then went down his walkway and out onto the sidewalk.
Ten minutes later, he found himself at the hotel where Squirrel and Lance had said they were staying. He got the room number from the front desk, then knocked on their door.
Squirrel answered it. On seeing Choony, he smiled and said, “Hello there, buddy. Did you forget something?”
Choony shook his head. “No. Listen, have you seen Jaz? She went to the market but hasn’t come home yet. I thought she might have stopped by to socialize a bit.” Choony realized he was speaking too fast, his fear threateni
ng to overwhelm him, so he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He felt his pulse begin to slow a bit.
Squirrel’s smile faded in an instant. “No, I haven’t seen her since our lunch meeting. When was she supposed to be back?”
Lance came up to the door, standing behind Squirrel, and nodded at Choony in greeting. “Don’t just stand there, Squirrel. Invite a guest in.”
Squirrel stepped aside and motioned for Choony to come in. “My apologies. Please, come in. So when did you last see her?”
Squirrel closed the door behind him. Choony glanced around the hotel room, but there was nothing unusual about it. Nothing was out of order, and he thought their body language said they were being honest. “I saw her at lunch, but then I had to go to a bunch of meetings. She went to the market to get dinner while I was doing that.”
“What time was that?” Lance asked.
“That was at fourteen hundred hours. I got back to our house at about seventeen hundred hours, I think. I’ve been at home waiting for her ever since then.”
“Maybe she got distracted when she was wandering around the market by herself?”
“I thought of that. But she would never be this late.”
As Choony spoke, Squirrel and Lance listened quietly, their expressions growing more concerned. By the end, Lance was shaking his head. Squirrel rubbed his chin and seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then he looked back at Choony and said, “All right. We have a very attractive young woman who was out shopping by herself, now missing. Hackensack may be the New America capital, but it’s still a rough place.”
Lance shrugged. “Like just about every city is. Anything could’ve happened. You don’t know it’s bad, yet.” Then he took a step forward. “Obviously, Squirrel and I are going to have to join you in looking for her. I suggest we each take a different section of the market to search through, and meet up every half hour at that one merchant’s stall selling copper pipes.”
