by Kurt Winans
As Samuel checked the family and Ms. Holloway into their hotel, President Harwell was wrapping up his lengthy discussion with Governor Damian Flynn. The two of them had covered many topics in great detail throughout the late afternoon hours, which in turn led the President to further believe that his counterpart was the right man for the position. Accordingly, he asked him to be his running mate as Vice President during the upcoming election of the fall, and Governor Flynn agreed to do so. As a result they had fostered a new relationship which would hopefully secure the White House for another four years, but the President made it known that a public announcement of any kind would need to wait for a short time.
Feeling satisfied that the side trip to Denver had been productive and well worth the effort, Jordan Harwell boarded Air Force One the following morning for the brief flight south to Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. A short time later he was flown via the Marine One shuffle game of three helicopters to the beautiful grounds of the Air Force Academy where he would deliver a speech to the graduating class.
On seemingly every occasion prior to his staged death, Heath would have been one of the Secret Service detail to accompany the President on any venture of great distance away from the White House. That offer for the Colorado trip had been made to Agent Bishop by President Harwell a few weeks prior, as he believed that it was time to get Heath back into full duty status. Willing to follow any orders given, Heath explained that it might not be the best idea for him to return for that specific trip. Although there would be little or no chance of him being recognized in Denver, it was possible that Samuel Tillman, or perhaps one of his entourage, could inadvertently see him during the commencement exercises. Heath further explained that it was highly unlikely that the events could somehow be connected, but why risk the planned covert incursion of the coming days by raising a potential red flag of suspicion within the organization and the Republic of Texas. Learning of his falsified death could put Samuel and the organization on alert, and if that were to transpire, then the planned incursion could be foiled before it began.
The President had agreed with the logic behind what Heath said, even though he didn’t like the idea of traveling without him. As a consequence, Heath was left in Washington D.C as an added although probably unnecessary precaution.
Then as President Harwell strode up the few stairs leading onto the platform in the end zone of Falcon Stadium to give his commencement speech, he realized that Heath had been correct to be cautious. There were thousands of people in attendance, with Samuel Tillman and his family most probably being somewhere among them.
Such an assumption seemed logical based on several factors which began with the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. There was a Gulfstream G280 which had arrived the previous evening with tail numbers matching those of the Tillman plane, and according to the most recent report from the Secret Service, the jet was still parked at the airport. In addition a Mr. Tillman and his party had occupied a handful of rooms at a local hotel the previous night. Therefore it was known that he had been in the area, and it was doubtful that Mr. Tillman would have remained if he wasn’t at the commencement proceedings.
That created, with good reason, an uncomfortable feeling for the President. To have an enemy know his exact position with an unobstructed view in a wide open setting, while not being able to have that same reciprocal awareness, was cause for concern.
However there was some solace in understanding that Mr. Tillman didn’t know he was currently under observation, and that two undercover agents seated nearby could take action against him at a moment’s notice if the need arose. As another option for the Secret Service, Mr. Tillman could have been taken the previous night at his hotel or at the airport when preparing to depart from Colorado Springs in the coming hours. However neither course had been desired by the President, as he had heeded the advice of Heath and others by deciding that it would be ill-advised. Capturing Mr. Tillman in the current setting while he had ventured into the United States would have been easier than doing so in Texas, but it would have a negative impact in that it could end any hope of capturing other members of his organization with their guard down.
As the graduation ceremony continued, Samuel sat quietly and prepared himself to stomach what would soon be happening. That was not easily achieved, and he grimaced when President Harwell began his speech.
A moment later he turned toward Victoria and whispered, “Of all the luck. The President speaks at each of the academies on a random basis, and during many years doesn’t give a commencement speech at any of them. But naturally, Harwell had to pick this year to speak here. What a way to ruin the day for Beau.”
Victoria nodded with understanding of his feelings toward President Harwell, but returned the whisper of, “Well Samuel, if you don’t point that out to Beau when we see him afterwards, then perhaps it won’t ruin his day.”
Realizing that he had been scolded by his wife with her typical elegance and sometimes bothersome logic, Samuel nodded with acknowledgement of her point. Then he sat in silence while a man he could not stand bantered on.
Shortly after the conclusion of the commencement, everyone gathered with Beau for hugs and congratulations. Mason and Courtney, although clearly not on the best of terms with each other, were beaming with delight over the accomplishments of their son. Their daughter Jennifer, in a somewhat less clumsy fashion than the previous year at West Point, was doing what she could to attract the attention of any cadet that would pass within close range.
When it was his turn to speak with Beau, Samuel offered his congratulations and asked, “So have they informed you where you will be stationed after your summer leave?”
“Yes sir they have. As has always been my plan since first arriving here, I will continue to train so that I can fly jets. Therefore extended flight school is what awaits me.”
Samuel smiled and replied, “That is excellent Beau. And hopefully when you are fully certified they will station you somewhere that will be of use to us. Otherwise you can resign your commission and come home to fly for Texas.”
Beau was stunned by what his grandfather said, but he wasn’t sure how to respond.
Then calling upon an inner strength he looked at Samuel and said, “I’m sorry sir, but I have no intention of resigning my commission. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to earn it?”
“Well I understand that it was difficult Beau, but how are going to fly for Texas if you don’t resign first?”
“That’s exactly the point sir. I won’t be flying for Texas, because I signed a loyalty oath to the United States slightly over a year ago. I fully intend to honor that oath.”
With a slightly raised eyebrow Samuel asked curtly, “What are you saying Beau?”
“Sir, don’t you remember that I was required to sign a loyalty oath in order to remain here for my fourth year?”
“Yes Beau, I do. However I thought that was all just a ruse so that you could continue your training as a pilot. We all thought that you would ultimately come back to Texas.”
“No sir. That was not just a ruse as you put it. And after my leave, I may be stationed somewhere that will make it difficult for me to come home for a long time.”
Before Samuel could respond or escalate the tone of the conversation to an unwanted plateau, Ms. Holloway stepped forward and asked, “Beau, would it be alright if I gave you another congratulatory hug.”
Looking at the elderly woman who had been partially responsible for raising him, he replied, “Absolutely Ms. Holloway. Another hug from you is always welcome.”
While reaching out with extended arms, she made sure to do so in such a manner as to have Beau make a quarter turn away from Samuel while hugging her.
Then in seizing the briefest of opportunity, Ms. Holloway stared over his shoulder toward Samuel while slowly and silently mouthing the words, “Not here!”
Later that evening during the flight back to Crockett, Samuel solemnly sipped on a co
cktail that had been brought to him by the flight attendant who replaced Domonique.
Victoria leaned toward him and asked, “So what’s bothering you?”
With a slight scowl of his face he replied, “It has to do with Beau.”
“Well I thought it was a wonderful day, and he looked so happy. You didn’t say anything to him about Harwell or his speech did you?”
“No Vic, it’s something entirely different.”
“Alright, so what’s the problem?”
“Well I can’t believe that it has happened to us again Vic, especially after Savanah, but it would appear that we have to confront another enemy within.”
Vice Admiral Anthony Rutherford stood on the bridge of the supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush, and glanced at the wristwatch that his sister Maria had given him long ago. This was the first time that he had worn it since the conclusion of the Syrian campaign within the eastern Mediterranean Sea nearly seventeen months prior, but his need to once again don the item was justified. That extremely successful campaign, which until recently had provided the Admiral with cause to believe that the death of Maria and her family were properly avenged, began on the first morning of 2027 in retribution against those who had viciously attacked the United States roughly seven weeks earlier. Based on the available intelligence of that timeframe, the Admiral and his superiors, who ordered him to attack, had been led to believe that Syria was guilty of the treachery. However more recent and reliable evidence had proven without a doubt that the action had been a grave mistake, as Syria was not the responsible party.
Tony Rutherford reflected back upon the multiple days of the campaign, and felt both embarrassed and somewhat responsible for the terrible pain which the fourth fleet, while under his command, had inflicted upon an innocent nation. Fortunately an opportunity to rectify those misguided attacks now lay before him, as the actual culprit of the November 2026 terrorist attacks had been positively identified.
When the first rays of early morning sunlight began to pour through multiple windows on the elevated bridge deck, Vice Admiral Rutherford was brought back to the present moment of Sunday the twenty-eighth of May. Then while turning his attention forward he smiled at the thought of what would soon transpire. While in the Mediterranean Sea he had been instructed to deliver a powerful punch upon infrastructure which would be felt for months or perhaps years, but his orders for this day and the upcoming weeks and months were quite different. With his fourth fleet task force and additional support vessels now positioned deep within the Gulf of Mexico, he lay just outside of what was deemed as the territorial waters of Texas. Based on their current position, it would be relatively easy for the Admiral to provide his current adversary with a hug. Of course that hug would not be gentle like the quick and welcoming embrace of old friends who had not seen each other for an extended period of time. No, this hug would be categorized as more of an extended tight squeeze similar to that of a constricting snake intent on the suffocation of its prey.
President Harwell clenched and unclenched his left hand while sitting in the situation room beneath the White House, as now on the evening before the Memorial Day holiday, the countdown of hours until the incursion plan was put into play had reached single digits. He once again mulled over the intricacies of the scheme which had been developed by the Chiefs of Staff, and understood that although brilliant in its conception, it was dangerous. Of course any action with that many moving parts which were set to play out in a synchronized manner would inherently involve risk, but the President hoped that this particular plan would be pulled off with minimal setbacks.
Seated to his right was Christopher Westin, and as he too mulled over the complex yet necessary action, he inquired, “Do you think they will retaliate Sir?”
After a brief pause the President replied, “Well that’s hard to say Chris, but I certainly hope that it won’t come to that. I believe that any overly aggressive counter action on their part would be a mistake, because if truth were told, Texas doesn’t possess the strength of military infrastructure to go up against us. Besides, if the early phases of our operation go according to plan, then the level of what Texas does possess will be further diminished.”
“Yes sir, but what if the initial ruse is discovered to be nothing but misdirection?”
“Well if our people do their job correctly, then Texas will believe the trucking companies and their unions are responsible as opposed to the United States. That should promote a level of caution on their part as to how they would retaliate, but those few who are truly running the show in Texas right now have shown a high level of bravado in the past. Such passion without calming influence can be destabilizing, therefore it’s possible that they will defy the odds and retaliate anyway.”
“That is exactly my concern sir. So for the sake of argument, should there be a retaliatory strike by Texas, then where do you believe they will attempt their main thrust?”
President Harwell explained to his old friend and confidant that in recent days he had studied various maps and satellite photography. Those had helped him to clearly understand where the United States, based on the absence or presence of geographic obstacles, could be the least and most vulnerable to a counteroffensive.
Beginning with those regions which were more easily defendable, the President divulged that more than two-thirds of the border with Louisiana, which included every inch south of Logansport, was defined by water of either the lengthy Toledo Bend Reservoir, the Sabine River, or by that of extensive marshy swamps. As a result there were only eight crossings including Highway-64 at Logansport which existed along that stretch of the border. With regard to the section of border along northern Louisiana, there were several more crossings which would need to be monitored. However the spaces between them presented the challenge of terrain which was more hilly and forested. Therefore the President believed that checkpoints placed at each of those crossings could be easily manned by troops from either Fort Polk in nearby Leesville, or Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.
The President continued by discussing the lengthy stretch of the Red River which defined a section of the short border with Arkansas and a substantial portion of the quite lengthy Oklahoma border. Even with the multiple crossings of either highways or interstates to monitor along that portion, at least the river would alleviate the problem of needing to defend the spaces between them. In essence, the Red River created a well-defined and somewhat defendable border for the United States much like the Rio Grande had done in the past.
In turning to the more vulnerable regions of the United States border with Texas, the vast stretches of flat or hilly desert terrain in New Mexico and western Oklahoma were the most troublesome. However in spite of nearly all of that area being wide open for ease of mobility and advancement, that same geographic characteristic also made any maneuvers difficult to conceal. Nevertheless the President and the Joint Chiefs had agreed that of the four states which bordered Texas, those of the western flank would be the most difficult to protect if retaliation were to occur.
Just south of the narrow and most western region of Oklahoma, which is commonly and appropriately referred to as the panhandle, there is a portion of Texas that represents its most northern reaches. Although square in shape as opposed to elongated, that specific region of Texas is also often referred to as the panhandle. The nearly flat land throughout the majority of the area is dotted with dozens of small towns and crisscrossed roadways, while the focal point of the population resides within or around the city of Amarillo.
Throughout recent times the United States had maintained a minimal military presence within the area when compared to other regions of Texas, with none of the respective installations being considered as hugely significant. Then in following that lead, the Republic of Texas had not seen the need of investing any capital to establish a defensive presence of their own in the panhandle once the United States had vacated the facilities. Consequently the mostly wide open expanse could be viewed as
a relatively easy target for incursion, and an excellent place for the United States to create a necessary diversion.
Although the political arena between the United States and Texas had not reached a level of total mistrust, there had been overtures by Ambassador Pearson which helped to create increased tension. One such overture was that of informing the American Secretary of State during their February meeting that a tariff would be imposed upon all commercial vehicles passing from one point in the United States to another through the Republic of Texas. He also stated that a similar obligation would be imposed on freight deliveries of any kind bound for a destination within Texas, but an opportunity for those truckers to receive reimbursement would exist. In those instances the mandated tariff would be collected upon entry into Texas, but if the commercial vehicle then exited the republic by use of the same entry point, a full reimbursement would be provided.
Much to the dismay of President Harwell those conditions of passage were enacted as intended on the first day of April, and many of those attempting to enter Texas with loads of merchandise learned quickly that it was no joke. The ensuing weeks created a tremendous financial impact upon those companies who required the use of commercial trucking for business purposes throughout the southern portion of the United States, with alternative and affordable options not always readily available. Interstate-10, 20, and 40 all stretched from one side of Texas to the other in an east to west configuration, while a few others entered the republic from the north. Each of those high volume routes became even more preferred by commercial trucking throughout the winter months, as they typically received far less snow or icy conditions when compared to more northern interstates. Based on that established pattern, the general consensus was that through the use of the high tariffs, or that of another less savory option, Texas would be able to squeeze the financial bottom line of an increasing number of United States based companies.
