The Reformers: A Matt Blake Novel (The Matt Blake legal thriller series Book 2)

by Russell Moran

  “Mr. Blake, this is not about me, this is about you, a man running for the office of president.”

  “Of course it’s not about you, Mary, and I never want it to be. That’s why I’m offering you my hand should you ever need it. I’ve stared down the monsters of alcohol and drugs, and I’m willing to help you as well.”

  The producer wisely cut to a commercial break. I was told I could leave, as the next guest was about to take the air.

  The following week the Mary Moriarty Show was canceled, and she was reassigned to be one of five panelists on an MSNBC morning news show.

  ***

  “Matt,” Don Cooper yelled as I walked into the office, “you met the Loch Ness Monster of daytime TV and turned her into a harmless guppy. I can’t wait until you debate Bartholomew Martin.”

  Chapter 59

  “This is Brett Baier from Fox News ladies and gentlemen, on special assignment to the Bartholomew Martin campaign rally at Yankee Stadium. It’s a crisp cool October evening, but that hasn’t kept the crowds away. With a seating capacity of just under 50,000, this place is packed. It’s standing room only, and a lot of people are doing just that.

  In a campaign that came seemingly out of nowhere this past summer, Bartholomew Martin has stumped the nation’s political pundits. Nobody knows much about the man, other than that he’s a successful businessman and the head of the investment company Metro Metrics and a couple of big hedge funds. His name has been linked to that secretive organization known as NFL—no, not the football league—but a group dedicated to fighting radical Islam. NFL stands for Not For Long, supposedly meaning that radical Islam’s days are numbered. Mr. Martin seems to have tapped into a deep vein in the American voting population, a vein that’s a combination of fear and out-and-out populism.

  The polls were taken 13 months out from the election, but the Martin forces have amazed everyone, including this reporter. He’s running a grassroots third party campaign and the name of the party is Freedom from Terror. The shocking thing about this third-party effort is that it seems to pull equally from the left and the right. This is unlike the Ross Perot campaign in 1992, which drew votes mainly from Republicans, and is credited by many with handing the election to Bill Clinton. The Martin campaign is surging across the political spectrum. His poll numbers are up 20 percent nationally in the past six weeks, and he’s taking the game to his opponents in key battleground states of Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

  I have with us Fox News political analyst Britt Hume to talk about this phenomenon.”

  “Brett, this campaign is nothing short of amazing. I think it’s safe to say that none of us talking heads saw this coming. Bartholomew Martin has found a campaign issue that nobody else guessed was even on the table. He’s tapped into a deep upset across all political lines, a distrust of radical Islam and its constant attacks on the West. I’m going to interrupt my comments, Brett, because I see that the candidate is approaching the microphone.”

  The capacity crowd in Yankee Stadium stood and roared for seven minutes. Bartholomew Martin slowly walked back and forth across the stage, waiting for the cheers to die down. Although he had a reputation for being soft-spoken, on the stump in the past few months he had learned the art of raising his voice to connect to an audience.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Martin began, “we are about to see a rebirth of freedom in our great country—freedom from the fear of terror. I pledge to you that I shall not rest until the forces of radicalism are soundly defeated, and are ready to be welcomed to join the civilized world. For too long our country, and yes the great religion of Islam, have been intimidated by the hordes of cowardly killers. From the day the Twin Towers fell, I have pledged myself that our nation will be free of this scourge, free to pursue our peaceful lives without fear of terror.”

  He walked the length of the stage again, reveling in the cheers.

  “Will you join with me in this great fight?” Yess, the crowd screamed.

  “Will you help me to defeat the forces of radical terror once and for all?” Yess, the audience roared.

  “On election day your voices will be heard, the voices of peace, the voices of freedom.”

  The crowd began another thundering ovation. Martin continued for another 20 minutes, constantly bringing the throng to its feet. The monitor returned to Britt Hume being interviewed by Brett Baier.

  “Back in June, Britt, nobody saw this coming. It’s nothing short of phenomenal. Martin has been criticized by many, including me, for his lack of specifics, his penchant for not mentioning any programs that he supports. Even his war on terror has no specifics around the outline, but, according to the polls, the voters don’t seem to care. At this point the election is still too close to call, but there’s no doubt about the fact that Bartholomew Martin is surging in the months coming up to the election.

  There’s another thing about this man, Britt, something I can’t really understand. I’ve interviewed him a few times, and the thing I noticed is that he never pauses at the end of one of my questions. He just answers immediately. Naturally, his answers never seemed to have anything to do with my questions, but he always gets away with it. We hear the word Teflon used in politics all the time, first used against Ronald Reagan because nothing bad ever seemed to stick to him. Well this candidate is like Teflon coated with butter. His poll numbers just keep growing.

  “But what about his guy Matt Blake from Chicago, Brett? His campaign has just gotten off the ground and he seems to be doing well?”

  “We’ll just have to see if his polling numbers can come close to Bartholomew’s.”

  Chapter 60

  I walked into the living room at 5:45 a.m. Dee handed me a cup of coffee. I had just heard her yell.

  “What was the yelling about, honey?” I said.

  “Maybe I should have given you decaf, Matt. You’re about to be shocked. The guy on CNN just talked about the latest polling numbers. Matt, your campaign launched just a few weeks ago, and you’re now in the lead. Big time in the lead. Your approval numbers are at 55 percent, and Martin has dropped to 43 percent. Senator Lysle for the Democrats has 11 percent. It seems that every time your handsome puss is on TV your numbers go up.”

  “Hey, professor, give me a kiss. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve been telling me all along that early poll numbers can evaporate. And it’s definitely early. The election is still a few months out, and anything can change, as you’ve often told me. Don Cooper keeps reminding me of the same thing.”

  “You’re right, Matt, I shouldn’t be overly optimistic. But you’re running unopposed on the Republican ticket, and Kurt Lysle for the Democrats is losing traction. It’s you against Bartholomew, and the numbers keep trending one way. And poll numbers do matter, even early poll numbers. The higher the numbers the more campaign donations you can expect, and they’re definitely rolling in. And don’t forget, that money will be used later in the campaign to buy a lot of advertising, and if necessary, hire more staff.”

  I learned in combat that you can never relax, even if you have the enemy on the run. You have to pursue and either kill the enemy or get him to surrender. Never, ever give the enemy a chance to regroup. I guess I shouldn’t think about elective politics as armed combat, because there are obviously differences. But this election is different, the obvious difference being that I’m running. This election campaign is very different from armed combat—it’s more intense.

  From everything I know about Bartholomew and the NFL, they don’t like to lose. And I’m beating them. Having more points on the board is supposed to make you feel good. But, sports fan that I am, I know that numbers can vanish. And they always vanish for a reason. For what reason my numbers could vanish is a thought that gives me a sharp pain in my stomach.

  “Hey, where are you going?” I said to Dee.

  “Remember, I have that early breakfast meeting at the university. I’ll see you later, honey.”

  “But you’ve forgotten somethi
ng,” I said, as I checked the clip on Dee’s Glock. I helped take her jacket off and put her holster around her shoulders.

  “Don’t leave home without it, baby.”

  ***

  Shortly after Dee left, the phone rang.

  “Hi Matt, It’s Mike, Imam Mike.”

  Mike rarely called me on the phone. I knew this call must be important, especially from the tone of Mike’s voice.

  “I congratulate you on your excellent polling numbers, Matt, but I have something important to tell you, and I think it has something to do with your numbers. Here’s the bottom line: My contacts keep telling me about something big that’s coming up, something big from the NFL. Your polling data has them worried, and when Bartholomew worries, he does something about it. The election is only a month away.”

  “Do you have any specifics, Mike?”

  “No, Matt, I can’t be specific. I’m seldom able to be specific, but when my inside people tell me something big is coming, I don’t doubt it. I can’t tell you when, where, or what the ‘big thing’ may be, but something will happen. I’ve already spoken to the FBI and CIA about this. They’ll be in touch with you soon. Matt, keep your head down, my friend.”

  Chapter 61

  The election was two weeks away, and my poll numbers were still climbing. According to Don Cooper, the Blake/Grasso ticket was in the lead with 56 percent, compared to Bartholomew at 42 percent, and Lysle Kurt, the Democratic nominee at 10 percent. Don had warned me that with good polling numbers in the waning days of an election, you tend to get nervous. I was nervous, and so was Don, and so was Dee. But you can’t keep from thinking, “What can go wrong?” The TV anchors were unanimous in referring to my numbers as a “commanding lead,” along with the scores of my fellow nominees running for the House and Senate. Things were looking good, and it was hard to ignore. Especially hard to ignore was the very concept of my being president. I had started to work informally with my transition team to put together a slate of cabinet officers.

  ***

  “This is Shepard Smith of Fox News, ladies and gentlemen, and we interrupt this broadcast to bring you some horrible news. We have received a confirmed report that a bomb exploded in Disney World this morning next to the Magic Kingdom area. From early reports, we can tell you that apparently 150 children have been killed, along with 95 adults. We know there were dozens more severely injured. The scene is gruesome, and we’re editing the video carefully to spare our viewing audience a sickening view of carnage. Today was a big day at Disney World. School groups from around the country had been invited to welcome the newly refurbished Magical Kingdom exhibit. For so many of these poor kids, as well as their parents, what was supposed to be a day of fun, has turned into a day of horror.”

  Smith grabbed his earpiece and looked at the camera with a face of a man who hated what he was about to say.

  “Oh my Lord, ladies and gentlemen, we have just received word that there has been an explosion at the Six Flags Magic Mountain Park in Los Angeles. We don’t have any word yet on casualties, but our affiliate in L.A. tells us that the numbers will be in the hundreds.”

  Smith looked at the camera and stopped talking.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, in all of my years in journalism, I have never had more horrific news to bring you. Our producers are now telling me that there have been at least a dozen bombings at amusement parks all across the country. I was on the air when 9/11 happened, but that attack was nothing compared to what I’m hearing. Today is a sad and shocking day for America”

  ***

  “This is what Imam Mike was talking about,” I said to Rick Bellamy on his secure phone. “He said something big was coming, but I could never conceive of this.”

  Bellamy and I spoke briefly, because as head of the Homeland Security, his calendar was full.

  I was at my campaign headquarters that morning, having coffee with Dee and Don Cooper. We looked at the news reports on the TV and exchanged glances. The reports were too horrible to call for comment. My secure phone rang. It was Imam Mike.

  “Matt, you know that I never report something unless I’m sure about it, but my people are telling me that the NFL is definitely behind this.”

  “Mike, do you have any objective proof?”

  “No, I don’t Matt, just what I’ve been told by my inside guys.”

  At 5 p.m. a 15-second political commercial began to run on all TV and radio networks. The message was simple and stark:

  “Are your children safe? Are you safe? How long will this continue? Not For Long, friends, Not For Long. This message has been brought to you by the Freedom from Terror Party, Bartholomew Martin for President.”

  Chapter 62

  As you would expect, the news of the terror attacks on amusement parks dominated the airwaves and print media as well. The numbers of deaths kept rising, as hundreds of kids and their parents succumbed to their injuries. The interviews with survivors were difficult to watch. But there was one story, not quite hidden, that also caught the country’s attention.

  Dramatic Shift in Polls Two Weeks before the Election

  Wallace Beaton for The New York Times

  “As the nation still reels from the news of the horrific attacks on amusement parks three days ago, another major event is forming. Matt Blake, the Republican Nominee for President of the United States, had a comfortable, almost a commanding lead just a few days ago. That has changed, and it has changed dramatically. Blake went from a 14 percent lead to a 10 point deficit in a matter of three days. Bartholomew Martin, the nominee for the Freedom from Terror Party, now leads with 52 percent to Blake’s 42 percent. Kurt Lysle, the Democratic nominee still trails at 6 percent. From the barrage of TV and radio ads since the amusement park attacks, it appears the Bartholomew’s Freedom from Terror Party is capitalizing on the national trauma, and the polls show that it’s working. Terror is once again tops everybody’s list of things to worry about. His congressional and senatorial running mates have also seen an enormous shift in their polling numbers. The election is now just 12 days away, and it appears that Bartholomew Martin is now on track to win.”

  ***

  On Election Day, Bartholomew Martin, and his running mate, retired Army General Jerome Bateman, swept the landscape and won by a landslide in all 50 states. The country had a new president, although nobody seemed to know what he stood for.

  “This is Wolf Blitzer for CNN ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, American political history has been re-written. Not only has a third party candidate, Bartholomew Martin of the Freedom from Terror Party, been elected in a landslide, he brought with him solid majorities in both the House and Senate. Many a congressman and senator who has served for decades has been shown the door by the voters. This is a new political landscape, folks, one that we’re still trying to get our heads around. But we can say this: The Freedom from Terror Party is at the controls of government.”

  Bartholomew Martin was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on a brisk day on January 20.

  Inauguration speeches can be stirring, as was John F. Kennedy’s memorable address—“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

  Inaugural speeches can also be dull, and it often has to do with the temperature. But President Martin’s speech was one of the most anticipated political events in years. He had run a stirring campaign, and now the country awaited his words for the future.

  “My fellow Americans,” he began, “we greet this day with optimism, an optimism bred of hope for the peace we have long sought, an optimism that will see enormous changes in the way we do things. Gone are the days when we let silly laws and regulations interfere with our way of life. Gone are the days when we allow political correctness get in the way of what must be done. Gone are the days of selfishness masquerading as privacy.”

  Reginald Mikelson, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, glanced at his colleague to his right when Martin said the words “selfishness
masquerading as privacy.”

  “We now welcome the days of diligence,” Martin continued, “days of ensuring our safety and prosperity, the days when we stop allowing our petty privacy to interfere with the good of the country.”

  Justice Mikelson nudged his fellow justice in the arm. “Petty privacy? What the fuck is this man talking about?”

  “What we give up in our selfish pursuits, we gain for the common good. God bless America.”

  The crowd erupted in a thundering roar of approval. A few in the audience, mainly members of the judiciary and a few legislators, looked at each other uncomfortably.

  “Don’t worry, honey,” Senator Strobel of Massachusetts said to his wife, “those are just applause lines.”

  “Then why weren’t you applauding?” she said.

  ***

  Bartholomew never cared for dancing. It’s a stupid pursuit, and can’t be analyzed with data, he thought. But he recognized that the new president’s inaugural ball—well, it was actually a few balls—is a tradition in America he couldn’t avoid.