“Who?” I asked, racking my brain.
“The Colonel. Your guy, the Colonel!” he added.
“What did he have to say?” I asked, still not understanding the point.
“Well, he is appointing certain people across the country for various high-level positions, rebuilding the new country.”
“New country?” I asked. “What about the United States of America?”
“It’s still here, my brother, just a little smaller. I hear a few states have opted out, but I don’t know which ones or why, before you ask.”
“Okay,” I agreed, not asking more questions on that subject specifically.
“What does he want with you?” I asked.
“He wants a Southern Colorado base that wants freedom from tyranny and is willing to fight for it. He wants the town of Weston specifically, and we are recently a part of that town, officially speaking.”
“I still don’t get it,” I told him. “Why not start with a big city like Pueblo, or even Trinidad? I mean…Weston…seriously?”
“I know it sounds crazy,” replied David, “but he wants to start small and draw the larger towns, and even cities, in with solid governing and pro-country ideals.”
“No offense, but I think he may have the wrong town,” I told him, “with the recent events.”
“He knows the whole story, just as I told you, and he is ready to make a change soon—with a few people you have met—is all I will say for now.”
“How soon?” I asked.
“Two days, a couple of weeks, maybe three; it’s hard to tell,” he replied.
“So, who runs the show there?” I asked. “You?”
“Not exactly, my friend. You met the current Mayor, who will play a bigger role, and I’m somewhere in the mix, I hear.”
“I thought you wanted to lay low, live a free life,” I replied.
“I do, and so do you, if I remember correctly. But if we quit now, we will have our precious free lives taken from us one year at a time, until we work for them.”
“For who?” I asked, wanting to know if he heard the same.
“The Chinese, I’m afraid.”
“Yep, that’s what I heard too,” I replied.
“I love my family, old and new…you know that,” said David, “but I need to fight for them if they are to have any chance in this Next-World. Temporary freedom is no freedom at all, really. I wish it would just all stay the way it was, but it can’t. We didn’t think the first scrape with Baker’s guys would be the end of bad guys. They are one group of dozens, most likely. I would rather fight now for lasting change, ensuring a future for our children, than live in fear and hiding, waiting for the ball to drop.”
“Yes, me too,” I agreed. “Okay, okay. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing, Lance. Nothing here, but there you can be a part of the resistance—the Northern Colorado Chapter is what I think they are calling you. There are scores of us across the country being formed as we speak. Four in each state, we’re told—on the north, south, east and west borders.
“We are not fighting alone but have the backing of the real United States Military. Eventually, FEMA camps will be moved to the Chapter locations to work the land. As I understand it, they can’t stay in camps forever, eating up all the food and using resources without replenishing them. I think they thought we would have ships coming every day from our allies abroad, delivering food and supplies to FEMA camps for years, if needed.”
“So, our allies are not on board anymore?” I asked.
“No, they are, but the ships are being detained, and in some cases disabled, in open water.”
“Like pirates, right?” I asked.
“Kind of, but more like pirates with the backing of major countries—think China, Russia, the Saudis.”
“I heard China was going to drop 10,000 families a day to farm our land,” I said, figuring specifics over the radio were out the window now, and neither of us would be privileged to classified information.
“They were/are still planning to, but those ships got caught up as well, with other countries wanting their own piece of this land. There is so much fighting between them now that nothing is moving, good or bad.”
“So, what then?” I asked, surprised he knew more than we did about the future of our great country.
“Well, it’s either a resolution of some sort or World War III, I guess.”
“Well, that’s a lot,” I replied, knowing I shouldn’t be surprised to hear it but only wishing it were over, once and for all.
* * * *
“Freedom is earned with blood,” said Joy when I told her what I knew. “True freedom,” she added—“not a fight or two with a self-proclaimed crazy preacher and pseudo-Colonel with a bunch of half zombies as followers. I’m talking about true freedom from other powers who want what we in this country have earned over the past two hundred and forty years. Only when we have that will we be truly free to work the land and let our children run around the Valley.”
“So, what do we do?” I asked her.
“Whatever the Colonel tells us to.”
I was called to a mandatory meeting not even one hour later with the regular crew, minus Jake, of course. Funerals were set for this afternoon, and the Colonel was apparently attending personally, showing up early for the meeting he called. Everyone who needed to hear it firsthand was asked to come, including John, Bill, Sharon, the entire Council, Mac, Cory, Joy and me, plus a grieving Nancy, Lonnie and Vlad. From Samuel’s side, he and Sarah plus a few others were asked to join, and from the mountain, Drake and Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald. The large group gathered in the machine shop at The West—the very same spot Ralph had first caused a raucous that escalated so far.
The helicopters and three green Humvees gave the gathered folks lots to talk about, with only a few of us, including Mike, Joy and me, with an idea of what would be said…and, more importantly, what would be coming in our futures.
The Colonel started solemnly but strong. “Thank you for coming, everyone. I do believe I know most of you now. I will be attending the services following this gathering and am truly sorry for your losses. As many of you know, we have established FEMA camps across the country over the past few months.” I looked around to see if anyone else picked up on the timeline. I caught Lonnie’s eye, and he gave me a don’t-go-there-right-now look.
The Colonel continued: “Due to supply-line interruptions with our allies, we have no choice but to offload camps into larger communities that can employ enough people to feed this country.”
“Why not just keep them in the camp and have them work outside the walls, like a chain...”
“Gang,” someone else finished the sentence when the pause came.
“That’s your answer right there,” said the Colonel.
“Honestly, we expected a lot more in the camps, but I’ll be damned…well,” he backtracked, getting a look from Samuel—the only other person in this world that could make him. “Uh…we just didn’t expect so many rebels, like you guys, to hold out for so long.”
A few cheers rang out, getting a smile out of both John and Samuel.
“So,” the Colonel continued, “we are setting up four corners in each state to grow communities with independence but with the full backing of your United States Military. My territory is every state west of the line made by the eastern borders of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The communities designated will have up to fifteen days to make their leaders official.
“This community has designated both Samuel and John as co-leaders. There will no longer be the Ranch and The West community as of midnight tonight. They will be responsible for what will now be known as the Northern Colorado Chapter of the United States Coalition.
“This Valley will be fortified, with my help, and the barricades extended to the northern and southernmost ends of the Valley, adding another 500 acres in total. In return for your agreeing to add your share of current FEMA res
idents, we will provide assistance in food, shelter and defense.”
“Isn’t this just another FEMA camp but now on our soil?” asked one of Samuel’s men.
“No,” he replied quickly. “Those accepted here will work for room and board and are free to leave at any point. Samuel, John, and others they choose will make decisions for the Chapter and will answer only to me. They understand we will work out any grievances or disputes in a fair manner.”
“What if you are just pulling us into a trap to destroy us?” asked the same man, getting a stern look from Samuel.
“If that’s what they wanted,” I raised my hand and started talking before being asked, “they could have done it yesterday with Military power, and this Valley would already be the new FEMA camp… Sorry, sir,” I said to the Colonel.
“It’s fine, Lance. You’ve seen both sides; where would you want to live?”
“Here, sir!” I replied loudly.
“We all work together for our country, or we all end up building one for some other foreign government,” the Colonel continued. “You can have it either way, but there is no middle ground, no waiting it out or hiding in the mountains. You’re part of the solution or ripe for the picking. My team can back you but we can’t save you. The same goes for every other Chapter of the Coalition. Those who were part of Lance’s travel group here from Texas met halfway with a group led by David, called the Raton Pass Militia. With the current Mayor of Weston’s nearby town, they will be our Southern Colorado Chapter of the United States Coalition after a few changes in town matters.”
“That’s quite a coincidence,” called out a man I didn’t know, “that you would pick their friends as the southern border.”
“It’s no coincidence at all; they both fought like hell and I saw it firsthand. That’s what I’m looking for,” he said, staring at the man so hard that he fumbled, looking for a place to sit down.
“To the west,” the Colonel continued, “we are looking at the towns of Breckenridge or Grand Junction but are still in negotiations; and lastly, to the east we are considering Burlington, just this side of the Kansas border. I won’t go into all the cities in each of my states but will leave a map with Samuel, showing each of them. They are all to be confirmed and functioning within 63 days from now. It takes a few days to get the word out and then two months to get up to full speed, before you ask. Some, such as yours, should be transitioned over the next two or three weeks, while others will take more time.
“I will quickly go over the objections we have heard so far. Most are the same and ring true, no matter the state or corner of it. Please listen close, as this is the only time you will hear it directly from me. If I haven’t answered your question by the end, raise your hand. I will leave it to Samuel and John to discuss the finer points with all of you in good time. Samuel will read the top five questions now. Please?” he asked, nodding to Samuel.
“One,” started Samuel, “and this one is from some of us here. Why, after all of the fighting we have already done, should we put ourselves in any more danger?”
“That’s a good question,” replied the Colonel. “For the record, you’re not the only community that had to fight. My men have been involved in two…no, make that three…just with Lance’s men participating in two and observing another from a distance.”
“That first one was with Ronna taking out the helicopters,” I whispered to Joy, as if she could forget such a sight.
“But we have been in others—quite a few all across my territory,” he continued. “Lance, I’ll bet you don’t know that only days after you left McKinney, we defended some farmer’s land not far from your home. It was the very first Chapter location—North Texas, to be specific—to be set up under my watch.”
I looked at Vlad and Lonnie, all of us wondering if it could possibly be our old friend, Jessup. I raised my hand, nearly jumping up and down.
“Please, Lance,” he said, and I agreed to withhold my question until the end.
“‘Jessup,’ as he likes to be called, let’s me pull him away from leading his Chapter a day here or there to talk with new recruits or Chapters and tell them in his own words what they can expect. He’s a no-BS hardworking family man who never did like the Government much. But you already know that—right, Lance?”
I was grinning from ear to ear and quickly looked around the room for Jake. I spotted Nancy holding herself like someone pretending to bear hug themselves and, in a jolt, remembered. How could I forget it had not even been a whole day?… My smile faded quickly.
“What?” asked Joy in a whisper.
“I forgot, is all,” I muttered. She only nodded, seeming to get me and understand.
This is good, I heard in Jake’s strong voice. He’s a good man and leader. Listen to what he has to say.
“I will,” I said out loud, getting looks from more than a few people around me.
* * * *
I blanked out for a minute…or three…with floods of scenes with Jake filling my head… Meeting for the first time in my Chiropractic office in Dallas. Finding precious Veronica and Suzie, surely left for dead, even if not on purpose. The cool way he handled the thugs in front of the RV, who took Lawrence’s life, and the first time he squared up with Mike. How he put himself in harm’s way but still couldn’t save a young girl stabbed in the chest. How he helped secure Vlad’s gun shop and made a new farmer friend, if only for a day. How he forgave Mike’s girlfriend, Sheila, after she permanently scarred his only son. How he shared six beers with Mike before breakfast and fought hard to save David’s property. How he was instrumental in saving Ringo and how he treated his friends and family.
I remember him laying on my back and taking my bullets I now knew of, without a word or ask. I remembered all of those things about my friend. I remembered him telling me to take his wife and son home…
I would ask a favor for just that before leaving today. Yes, I had blanked out, wondering if I should tell Nancy I was talking to Jake. I decided in a split second it wasn’t a good idea and dialed back into attention.
* * * *
Samuel was now on number four, and I made a mental note to get numbers two and three from Joy.
“Number four,” said Samuel. He had to read it twice, not believing it was an actual question: “Do I get paid for working here?”
“Yes,” was the Colonel’s answer, about to be jaggedly blunt. “You get paid with life, both literally and figuratively. You get to grow with your family and know the hard work is paying off, so you can one day see a country you recognize from before. Maybe not exactly the same but something you can live with and be proud of.”
“Number five,” said Samuel, seemingly relieved with being near the end. “What if I want to leave?”
“That’s the easy one,” said the Colonel, “at least as an answer. I believe you already have that worked out here, but officially you are welcome to leave at any time but will not be invited back, should your new experience out on the road not suit you. Sure, some will bounce from community to community, and I suppose they will do so undetected, just like protecting our borders before the day. But in general, my advice is to stick with it unless you’re sure you have somewhere else to be.”
I lightly elbowed Joy and nodded towards Nancy.
“Okay, folks. Any last questions before I invite our two guest speakers—Mike and Jessup—for short speeches?”
Joy and I were shocked and excited to hear that Jessup was actually here in the Valley! My hand stayed down. But honestly, I was looking forward to Jessup’s speech, having already heard Mike’s.
Mike started his soon-to-be-short speech, thanking everyone for supporting Sheila and Javi while giving them a safe place to grow.
Safe, unless you’re trapped underneath a school bus, some thought, or maybe it was just me being cynical.
He went on to say that Vlad and Anna would assume care of Javi indefinitely, and he was asked to join a special assignment for the good of this country and all
those in it.
He ended with a glassless toast. “To Jake,” he said, raising his empty hand. “The man we all wish we were. A tough and principled man I once was at odds with but recently counted as a friend. And Lord knows, I don’t have many of those.”
“Hear! Hear!” we all said, raising our pretend glasses.
I caught a glimpse of Nancy…crying tears of joy, maybe, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Lastly,” Mike added. “Nancy, I know he wanted you all home in Boulder and, with the Colonel’s permission, I will see personally that you and your son are there by the end of the day tomorrow.”
Now she was crying tears, and it didn’t matter which ones. The Colonel spoke up, informing her she would be home on a chopper flight tonight, with both her boys.
Next World Series | Vol. 6 | Families First [Battle Grounds] Page 20
