by Kurt Winans
Realizing that his next words could either add to or relieve the tension, he said, “That’s all I have on the subject at the moment sir. I will keep you posted if you like on any further developments.”
While still flexing his hand, Jordan Harwell replied, “Thank you Chris. But before we speak of this topic again, see if you can find out any specific details to the tariff. I would like to know just how much they are charging each individual truck.”
“Yes sir. I’ll get on that right away.”
Later that afternoon, the two men were once again in the oval office speaking on the subject. Christopher Westin had learned that the tariff was steep, as he had spoken again with the same border agent on Interstate-20. Apparently that agent had interviewed a trucker after the woman had been escorted for the turnaround at the first exit within Texas. She claimed that the tariff contained multiple levels of cost with an interesting option.
To begin with the tariff was based on how many measured miles were traveled while within Texas. In simple terms, the further you went the higher the tariff. Although the mileage markers on the highways could be used as a base calculation, they would only serve as a close approximation. The driver had been informed that the odometer reading would be noted and logged on the paperwork which must be carried through Texas, and then compared to the reading at an exit point. That way if the driver were to deviate from the most direct route for any reason, he or she would be charged for the additional mileage.
A second method in determining the tariff was the cargo itself, and that included two subcategories. First there was the weight, which seemed ridiculous on the surface, but it was a viable method to charge trucks with double trailers more than those with a single. The second factor was the content of the cargo, as anything deemed to present a potential hazard to either human life or the environment was charged at a higher rate. That came with an added stipulation that the trucking company or the independent driver would also be ultimately responsible for any cleanup costs which might be necessary if an accident were to occur. Although many of the terms for the tariff were disturbing to the President, in that last regard he had no issue. It was an unfortunate fact that accountability for a mess or fault which occurred was something which had generally disappeared throughout the global society during recent times.
Finally there was the alternative option which could be provided if a trucking company wanted to avoid paying the steep tariff. That company could stop their rig just yards beyond the border and have the trailer or trailers transferred onto a separate tractor owned by a company based within the Republic of Texas. The truck would then transport the load across Texas to the opposite border, where it would uncouple what it had picked up. There were only two requirements for the external company beyond the service fee which must be met if they chose that option. First was the fuel cost, which would have been incurred anyway in the crossing, and the second was the ability to have a tractor of their own ready for the transfer when the journey across Texas was completed. The offer sounded as though it could be a good option for any company that possessed a large fleet of trucks, as the service fee would be less expensive than the original tariff. Unfortunately, it did nothing to help the independent operator or a rig without disconnecting trailers.
When Christopher Westin completed the updated briefing, President Harwell stated quite sarcastically, “Well that all seems rather convenient to assist the needs of a large trucking company based within the United States. And it is also quite noble of Texas to offer such a service with one of their own.”
“Yes sir. But it’s a little too convenient and noble if you ask me.”
“I agree Chris, and I despise how it screws a small company or the independent drivers.”
“Yes sir.”
“So do we know the name of this wondrous trucking company based within Texas?”
“Yes sir we do. The company is called Tillman Freight, and it, along with Tillman Rail, is a subsidiary of the larger Tillman Shipping. The latter is the largest transportation company within their republic, and it is responsible for moving roughly eighty percent of their trade goods both foreign and domestically.”
“So Tillman Freight is a spinoff from Tillman Shipping? Well that’s interesting.”
“Yes sir, I thought so too. And in anticipating your obvious follow-up question, yes it has been confirmed that each company is owned by the same Samuel Tillman which we have identified as number two.”
“I appreciate that Chris, and please understand that I’m not aiming my response to this news directly at the messenger, but I have had enough with the antics of both Mr. Tillman and his organization. He may not realize it yet, but in my opinion he has just become an April fool.”
“How would that be sir?”
“He has just tipped his hand.”
“I’m afraid that I don’t follow sir.”
“Think about it Chris. Having the legislative bodies within Texas establish a tariff for the supposed benefit of the financial coffers was a sound idea. But then in providing a feasible and less expensive option as to how an external trucking company could avoid it, Mr. Tillman has demonstrated that it was actually done for his benefit and that of the organization.”
The President continued by explaining that this most current move, and others which have been put into play throughout the past seventeen months, were probably much more representative of the organization and its agenda than that of what the average Texas citizen desires. He then expressed that it may be a reach on his part, but what was known of Mr. Tillman suggested that he had an objective in mind with respect to the transportation tariff. That probably included a resolve, at least when it came to pursuing business opportunities in or through Texas, to force all the independent drivers out of the transportation game. Then to take it a step further, the President suggested that Mr. Tillman might attempt to convince former rival American trucking companies into a joint venture under his terms. If that could be accomplished, then the long-term gain will eventually be all his. The squeeze may be subtle at first, but like the adage of the drug dealer who provides a first dose for free, he would do his best to ensure that the trucking companies became dependent on his services. That would in turn diminish their strength, while further bolstering his.
Christopher Westin thought about the theory, and replied, “That’s an interesting point of view Mr. President. From a purely business perspective, such a plan would be brilliant in the long-term. However I still don’t see how that makes Mr. Tillman a fool.”
“Well on the surface it wouldn’t, and that’s why it’s so crafty. However Samuel Tillman has potentially placed his own personal interests of ever increasing wealth and power, which in turn feeds the appetite of the organization, above those of all others. It’s quite possible that the average Texas citizen is not even aware of what has been going on in the legislature and top positions of their government in Austin. Hell Chris, I wish that we had the ability to poll the citizens of Texas. I would bet that the majority of them were not in favor of becoming an independent nation separate from the United States. To that end, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Tillman somehow manipulated the legislative body of Texas into a series of decisions which made such a move possible.”
In noticing that his boss was clenching and unclenching his left fist again, Christopher Westin asked, “That may be Mr. President, and it’s certainly worthy of further discussion. But in the meantime, what would you like me to do about this latest issue?”
“We must get all of our evidence in proper order before moving forward with a definitive presentation, and that will mean that Heath needs to fit all those pieces together in an iron clad bundle. This latest information should be included within that construct, as it could be a vital piece to the puzzle which Heath often speaks of. That being stated, I want to have a private meeting with the Joint Chiefs in the situation room.”
“I understand sir. When would you like that meeting to take place?”
Christopher Westin had informed each of the Joint Chiefs individually by phone during the previous few days that there would be a mandatory conference with the President on Friday the seventh of April. Therefore they had time to clear their respective schedules for the entirety of the afternoon. The highest ranking military representatives for each branch of the service were being summoned to the situation room beneath the White House for a meeting of the upmost secrecy at one in the afternoon, and they were to remain tight lipped about their destination. Within that summons President Harwell had also expressed with conviction that each General or Admiral could only bring a single aide to be present for the conference, and that it must be their most senior and trusted individual.
Once all had convened on the ground level of the White House, they descended to the situation room where a few technical support personnel awaited their arrival. A moment later President Harwell entered the room, and with Heath following just a few strides behind, he noticed that some of the high ranking military men showed visible, although subdued, signs of shock.
With all eyes shifting back and forth between him and the surprise guest, the President wasted no time in stating, “Alright, so now all of you know that reports as to the death of Agent Bishop were fictitious. Questions to that point can be addressed at a later time, but for now there is something of tremendous importance which needs to be discussed at great length. I will first take this opportunity to remind each of the Joint Chiefs, and those of you supporting our efforts during this briefing, that none of what is covered throughout the next few hours, or the status of Agent Bishop, shall leave the confines of this room until we are further prepared to act accordingly. Is that perfectly clear to each and every one of you?”
A verbal confirmation followed from each individual in the room before Jordan Harwell sat. Then he leaned back in his chair, turned toward Heath, and nodded.
With the signal to proceed from President Harwell, Agent Bishop stepped toward the large bank of viewing screens positioned at the far wall. As he then reached for the remote which would control the information projected on each screen, several of those present turned their heads toward Heath with a second expression of shock on their faces.
Their collective amazement came with good reason, for the task which lay before him was far from the norm for someone with his job classification. Although each and every person within the room certainly knew what Agent Bishop was, and therefore respected him for the protective service which he provided the President, that respect had limits. For the members of the Joint Chiefs who had been summoned to attend, their regard for Heath certainly didn’t include the thought of having him, as a mere Secret Service agent, present any type of briefing in the situation room. After all, the secure room had been built for the purpose of discussing intelligence gathering throughout the globe and the military actions which could be taken in response to a perceived or actual threat. That mindset was well justified based on decades of use within the situation room for those very purposes, but it had minimal if any impact upon how President Harwell viewed the current situation. He believed that regardless of their cumulative discomfort over who would be bringing forth the intelligence, the Joint Chiefs were about to receive a briefing which definitely fit into the established mold.
Turning to face the ensemble, Heath understood that unless the Secretary of Defense had informed any of the Joint Chiefs ahead of time, the content of his briefing would come as a surprise to all of them. However, and regardless of any forewarning which might exist, Heath was intent on educating them fully as the President had instructed. Therefore he would provide and detail evidence of undeniable guilt with regard to certain individuals acting on the supposed behalf of Texas.
After clearing his throat, Heath stated, “For those of you who may not know me as anyone other than a Secret Service protectorate for President Harwell, my name is Agent Heath Bishop, and yes, I’m alive. This will take some time to fully explain, but at the directive of President Harwell and with the help of others, I have put together a presentation for you. The contents of what you are about to see and hear will establish a body of proof with regard to those responsible for the terrorist attacks of November 2026. It is my belief, as well as that of President Harwell, that the actual culprit of those hideous actions against our nation will be a shock to all of you.”
Throughout the next hour Agent Bishop discussed his findings of the past seven months, while also answering a myriad of relatable questions from the Joint Chiefs. Heath began by explaining that he had been suspicious of the fault being placed upon Syria since before that time, and that he discovered a few abnormalities which caused further speculation. His belief in a separate culprit was then magnified when viewing the memorials for the fallen midshipmen at Annapolis and the cadets at West Point. From that day forward he began to piece together several scraps of information, and in time, felt that he should bring the subject matter to the attention of President Harwell.
Heath continued by stating that as a result of that briefing in early September of 2027, he had been instructed by the President to conduct a quiet and unofficial investigation to see if those random scraps could be linked into tangible strands of proof. Now seven months later, he and others had gathered a substantial amount of evidence from sources such as confessionals, interviews, photographs, and wiretaps. There was already enough to implicate an organization rooted in Texas as those who perpetrated the act of despicable treason against the United States, and more evidence was being obtained on a nearly daily basis.
After Heath concluded his presentation which linked multiple strands of evidence into the tight bundle which President Harwell sought, he handed a technician the remote and returned to his place behind the President.
The room remained silent for a prolonged moment even though there were several exchanged glances and positive nods from those with decorative shoulder boards.
Then President Harwell swiveled in his chair to face Heath and said, “Thank you Agent Bishop for the detailed briefing. That was excellent work.”
“Thank you Mr. President. It was my pleasure sir.”
Pivoting back to face those at the long conference table, the President added, “Well gentlemen, it would appear that we all have something new to ponder. Now I don’t expect any definitive response at this moment, but I do suggest that while we are all assembled, we attempt to hash out a rough strategy for moving forward. Then beyond this current setting, I suggest that each of you give this matter some serious thought in the coming days. ”
A sturdy and grizzled man with four stars on the shoulder boards of his Army uniform asked, “Permission to speak freely Mr. President?”
“Of course General, what’s on your mind?”
“What would be your intent sir? Some sort of retaliation?”
“Well yes General. If we can continue to gather and establish the most undeniable proof of guilt as Agent Bishop eluded too, then I would like the United States to be prepared for retaliation. I believe that would be appropriate, don’t you?”
“Yes Mr. President I do, but to what level sir?”
“That’s a good question General, and one that will require considerable thought on my part. However I don’t have any desire to mirror what was done to Syria fifteen months ago. There was too much loss of civilian life.”
With an understanding of the initial parameters set forth, the Joint Chiefs began to hash out a rough idea of what could be done if the President ordered any form of retaliation.
An hour passed with much debate, and then the Army General stated, “Mr. President. Although we all agree to a basic construct of how to move forward, mor
e time will be required for each of us to smooth out several of the details.”
“I understand General. Do what you need to do, and we can meet again to discuss your suggestions. Shall we say two weeks from today on the twenty-first?”
For most people living in or near Crockett Texas, April twelfth dawned as a magnificent example of a beautiful spring morning. Unfortunately for Samuel and the remainder of the Tillman family, the day would forever be remembered as anything other than magnificent or beautiful.
Nearly three months prior, when Savanah made her brave and triumphant birthday walk to the breakfast table, the family hadn’t known that she would soon be unable to exhibit such strength of will. Sadly the use of her crutches had given way to a wheelchair by the first of February, and before the month would come to a close, Savanah needed to be lifted into and out of her bed. Those phases of her physical demise were tolerable when compared to how they had torn away her spirit, and when the inevitable breathing apparatus had been brought into play, any trace of her former infectious smile vanished forever. As a result, the final week of March and the early days of April had been most difficult not only on Savanah, but for the remainder of the family as well.
From the viewpoint of both Kyle and Ashley, watching their precious little girl wither away into nothing was the worst possible scenario for any parent to endure. Their feelings were justified, and did not go unnoticed by those close at hand. In a continued attempt to offer some comfort, even when it was known that none would be well received, Samuel and Victoria did their best to provide guidance in how to cope with the loss of a child and the unavoidable gut wrenching pain. On several occasions within that most challenging process, Victoria flashed back to many years prior when her youngest son Chance had been killed. For the first time since that most horrific day, she was able to recognize how fortunate that she and Samuel had been within the framework of such tragedy. At least with Chance, his death had been quick and unforeseen as opposed to being drawn out over more than two years.
