“So once we’re down there, there’s no other way out?”
“Once we’re down there, there’s a hidden tunnel to the basement of the building behind us, off Wall Street, which we also own,” Elise told her.
“Blimey! I never would’a thought you were a prepper. You’re a… girly girl!”
“It was my brother Brandon’s idea actually. It took quite a bit to convince Daddy, but now that it’s here, we can all see the logic behind it. In fact, Daddy is putting them in all of our buildings from now on. I figured since it looks like you’ll be here often, representing your family’s business interests, you need to know about it in case none of us are here, and something bad happens.”
“Good on you Elise… Huh? Well, I’ll be gigged. Look at this place! And to think; our next President will be a prepper!”
As they reached the last stair and stepped through a doorway that one would expect to find in a submarine, Sera looked around herself in amazement. Everyone in Australia practiced preparedness in some way, shape or form. It was simply the way of life in such a sparsely populated country. But this? This went beyond anything she’d ever seen, even in pictures on the Internet.
Elise closed the thick, heavy steel door that had no window, and turned a wheel to lock it, also just like all the submarine movies she’d ever seen.
“Watertight seal, soundproof, and bulletproof,” Elise told her. “It has its own air supply somehow, Brandon tells me. There’s enough food and water stored down here to last fifty people for a whole month. There are natural gas generators that power the bunker somewhere. I’ve never seen them. There’s also provisions for sewage, and even these cool looking fiber optic lights.”
“How do those work?” Sera asked.
“The individual fiber optic strands go up inside the walls in a bundle. Once above ground level, the end of each one is exposed to the outside of the building. That way, when it’s light outside, it’s light in here too, without any kind of power at all. Another of Brandon’s ideas to include.”
“Why all of these guns? Good Lord, there’s enough to fight a war with!”
“Brandon said we have to be able to arm fifty people, so they can protect themselves if need be. I mean, fifty adults of various ages and health aren’t going to come down here just for the hell of it!” Elise said.
“Well, this is by far the coolest ladies’ room I’ve ever seen,” Sera laughed. “I need to sit for a bit before we climb back up all of those stairs.”
“Alright, there’s something I want to ask your opinion of then, while we sit. You know how the news media, all except yours, of course, makes a drama-fest of anything they can? With Daddy determined to do this, I’ve thought of setting up our own TV news channel. Is that terribly complicated?”
“Too much work, and too damn many regulations,” Sera told her. “Make an Internet only hybrid channel. Part website, part live stream, part video library. There are barely any rules for that, and it’s completely protected under the First Amendment. Tie it to your dad’s campaign, and nobody can touch it. When you get ready, just say the word. I’ll help you get it set up.”
“Thank you. Well, are you ready to climb one hundred and three stairs?”
Standing up, Sera said, “I thought it was a lot more than that!”
Chapter 3
Jermane Williams:
Atlanta, Georgia
Tuesday, Jan 18th, 2016
Shortly after 2pm, Jermane exited the commercial flight he’d taken from D.C. to Atlanta. He’d left all of his stuff with the crew in the mobile office, who were making the road trip back. He carried only his laptop and his phone, taking the first cab in line outside of the terminal directly to the TV studio. There he had an office and a shared dressing room, stocked with several changes of ‘work clothes’ that were always freshly cleaned and ready to go.
As he opened the front door to go inside, he was greeted by Tanya the receptionist and some of the studio crew who were ‘off air’ at the moment.
“Congratulations Mr. Williams!” Tanya gushed. “Awesome piece of work. The ratings are through the roof! Mr. Rinz wants to see you right away about that video for tonight’s 8pm show.”
“Then he bought it? Yes!” Jermane did a fist pump and hurried to his office.
“It’s all exactly as you requested,” she called after him, smiling bigger than usual. He’s definitely going places, she thought.
***
“Good job in D.C., Jermane.” The general manager got up from his desk and came around it, motioning towards two comfy looking over-sized leather chairs that faced each other. He walked to the serving table just beyond the chairs. “Scotch?”
“Just the tiniest bit. I have a lot to get ready before tonight’s show.”
“That’s why I wanted to see you right off,” he said, handing a heavy glass tumbler to Jermane. “Please,” he said, indicating that they should both sit. “Getting right to the point, we cater to a very liberal audience here. While you really knocked their socks off the last few days as only you can do, I noticed - as did others - that you are beginning to sound a little like you think that these vigilantes that call themselves Anonymous Justice are heroes. Maybe to the right they are. Maybe to you they are. All that matters at the end, though, is that to our audience they’re seen as criminals. Mass murderers, even.
“I needn't remind you that ratings and the number of eyeballs viewing our commercials are what pay both of our very lucrative salaries, along with the rest of the employees here. On your recommendation, I authorized the purchase of one very expensive video, which will likely win your new young friends a Pulitzer. I’ve watched it several times already, and it’s the best work I’ve seen in a long time. Hell, maybe ever! We’ll definitely make that money back many times over if we play our cards right. Now, I wouldn’t even consider telling you what to say, or do with it tonight. I have big plans for it in the near future. What I will insist on, though, is fair and balanced reporting on the events unfolding between the black community and the Muslim community over this Sharia law bullshit. The President and his administration are not villains, and these vigilantes are not heroes. Are we clear on that?”
“Yes Mr. Rinz,” Jermane replied. He sat his glass down gently on the chrome and glass table between them, and stood, trying to control his temper and the color of his face. He faked a slight smile, turned and walked out of the office without looking back.
Who the hell does he think he’s talking to? Threatening my job like that, telling me what I will and will not say. Screw him. I got news for you Mr. Rinz; you might better watch the 6pm news tonight! Nobody treats Jermane Williams like that!
***
As was his custom, Jermane watched the local 5pm news in cities relevant to the topic of his national broadcast all afternoon while he prepared for his show. He had multiple screens going at once, with the sound muted on all of them. Looking up, he saw that the local channel for D.C. was still playing the same series of still pictures and sound bites captured from ground level, over and over, and talking them to death.
Man, they’re gonna choke when they see what I have!
The Atlanta channel showed a panel of debaters all trying to be heard over each other, all at the same time.
Boring. Don’t they know everybody hates that?
On the Detroit channel, Marie Krantz was in a split-screen picture, apparently talking about the Black Lives Matter sponsored protests at mosques and Islamic centers everywhere. He un-muted that one and turned the volume up.
“...where protesters line the sidewalk across the street, in front of the Nigerian-American Islamic Center here in Detroit. Just as there were in Washington D.C., some male members of the center line the sidewalk in front of them, on their side of the street. They are quietly ignoring the shouting crowd, but making their presence known. So far, so good here. There has been no violence, and the police on either end of the demonstration look relaxed,” she reported.
The pictu
re on the other side of the screen changed:
“In Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, in a more rural setting, the same thing is happening at the Grand Blanc Islamic Center. A quiet demonstration, where about fifty protesters line the shoulder of Baldwin Rd, with a field at their backs, demanding to know if that center supports the installation of Sharia law in America. Like everywhere else, they say that they have had no answer at this location.
The picture changes again:
“An affiliate station in Bloomington, Minnesota reports that the demonstration in front of a mosque just off Hwy-77 is beginning to look less than peaceful, as a third group of protesters are assembling there. What’s different there than we’ve seen everywhere else, is that the Muslim representation is much larger, with younger men who are returning shouts of their own to the Black Lives Matter protesters.
“We’re getting word now that a third group is arriving, carrying signs related to moveover.org, which nearly instigated violence at a political rally in Chicago not long ago. We’ll monitor this closely for you…”
“Three minutes,” Jermane heard, as his producer cued him to get into position. “Don’t forget your lead-in for Sandra to cover the Democratic debates right behind you. You’re supposed to set her up to contrast the violence in your video with a peaceful solution from CR Hillary.”
He muted the sound and went to work, as Marie Krantz changed topics to the campaign trail for the 2016 Presidential elections saying, “In other news tonight, CR Hillary, the Democratic front-runner in the race to the White House this fall, gave her advice on handling the escalating tensions inside our nation between Muslims and non-Muslims. She says to, ‘Quit treating Muslim-Americans like criminals and terrorists. Quit threatening to close our borders to all Muslims from Middle Eastern nations. Treat Muslim-Americans, like the equal human beings that they are, and they will gladly help us with the threat from ISIL.’
“That’s something to ponder, for sure,” Marie said, as her time ended, and the next news team took over.
***
“Good evening America! This is Jermane Williams, back in the studio, with exclusive video you’ll only see here. It comes from the same two young journalism students responsible for the one I showed you this morning,” he said into the camera. “Before we get into it, let’s rehash what has been reported about the terrifying events that took place in our nation’s capital last night.
“Let’s start here: 24 hours ago, at 6pm yesterday evening, a small crowd of rioters started violence again, two blocks east of the White House. Their actions were captured by surveillance cameras from local businesses. Here, you see the two obvious leaders of the crowd urging them forward.”
He drew a circle around them in yellow with his finger, on the large touch-screen display used in the studio.
“These same two men also lead the most violent of attacks during the Baltimore riots, as seen here.”
He drew a circle around the same two heads in a different video with a much earlier date time stamp on it.
“What’s the significance of this? Well, it proves that this event was pre-planned and led by the same people who led the events in Baltimore. Police there have already confirmed that they know who these two men are, that they are residents of Baltimore, and that they are actively seeking them. They won’t give us their names because it’s an ongoing investigation, but if you have any information as to the whereabouts of these men, please contact your local police, who will forward it.
“Now, look at this video of those who set fire to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Headquarters.”
He drew a circle around one man in particular.
“Now look at this one, from Baltimore, with the same timestamp as the other one.”
He drew a circle around that man.
“What I’m pointing out to you, my fellow Americans, is that violence is being orchestrated across our country by a very small, but well-organized group who, for whatever reason, are at war with the police. ALL police. They are using the pent up emotions of minorities to carry out their agenda. Then, as you can see here, they immediately leave and let those unfortunates rage on, catching all of the blame for it. Am I excusing the actions of those who riot, loot, and burn in these two examples? Certainly not. I point this out in hopes that other Americans are not led astray by these people in the future, and so that YOU can help put these bad people away before they start a race or religious war here in our country, which appears to be their goal!”
His producer’s voice in his earpiece demanded that he get off this vein. Jermane ignored him and carried on; knowing that no way they were they going to pull the plug on him before he played Kat and Julie’s video that the network had paid so much money for.
“The reports are, and the YouTube videos posted by the ‘protesters’ show, that the peaceful columns of mixed race people marching up 4th Street, holding up signs, allegedly abandoned by Black Lives Matter protesters earlier. There are unsubstantiated reports, that shortly after these protesters turned the corner onto Massachusetts Ave, that white police opened fire on them, killing hundreds of them, and then assassinating Mayor Takisha Jackson when she ordered them to stop.
“This morning, in D.C., I asked that we all quit being afraid to call out those who report lies, for the sake of sensationalism. At great expense, this network has procured the following video, so YOU can see what really happened.”
The voice in his earpiece began cursing and threatening Jermane. “That’s not why we bought that, you jerk! You’re spinning this your own way! You’re headed for a world of shit, mister, unless you get back on track!”
The camera zoomed in on Jermane’s face, which leaned forward a little and smiled as he said, “Right now!”
The screen switched to a one-third / two-thirds picture, with Jermane’s face on the smaller side. Kat and Julie’s video filled the larger side.
“The video camera doesn’t lie, America!” Jermane said. “Here is that ‘peaceful crowd’ marching up 4th Street, throwing rocks at storefronts, looting the stores, smashing out car windows, slashing their tires… For what reason? Because they were there. These young journalism students were following the crowd on the street, at great danger to themselves, at this point.
“Here, the crowd is turning the corner onto Massachusetts Ave. The journalists appear to have climbed up onto something at this point because now you can see the crowd from above, headed straight toward a police roadblock about a hundred yards up the Avenue. Police cruisers, turned sideways, two deep, block the Avenue from side to side. Behind them is a line of Metropolitan Police who are not dressed in riot gear, and not equipped with shields. Behind them is a small platform of some sort, on a trailer a couple of feet high, with a podium in the front center, where the Mayor herself stands.
“All we can hear at this point is the yelling and cursing of the crowd. We can see those in the rear throwing rocks and pieces of pavers towards the police and the Mayor, but not making it. Those in front are picking them up again as they come to them, and throwing them again.
“Let me point out; the police have done nothing up to this point, except dodge rocks. They did not open fire on the ‘protesters’ yet, as was reported by, shall we say, unsavory reporters.
“The crowd marches more than two-thirds of the distance between the corner and the roadblock, with the police doing nothing. Here, the camera jerks all over, as our young journalists run to a better position. We apologize for the next minute of crazy video. The point of airing it is to prove that the camera was not shut off and that this was not ‘photoshopped.’ You can still hear the crowd nearby. As the camera settles down and is placed back on a tripod apparently, you can hear the journalists’ voices. Yes, they are female!” Jermane explained.
“Perfect. Absolutely perfect! I have a clear visual sweep and sound galore. Don’t let us get trapped up here, alright?”
“There’s… thirteen people with president masks on, heavily armed, following the same ro
ute we did through the back parking lots, down low and going slow! It looks to me like they’ll probably go just past this building, then use the trash alley at the far end to make it to the street between the crowd and the police line unseen! Get ready, and get focused right there. I think they’re those Anonymous Justice guys! If they are, the *beep* is about to hit the fan!”
“When the crowd was about seventy-five feet away, and even as she was dodging rocks thrown,” Jermane continued, “Mayor Jackson rebuked the crowd loudly, and they stopped.”
“Alright now, that’s enough of that rock throwing! We been giving y’all space to express yourselves back a ways, but now you’re headed towards Union Station. If y’all tear that up, it’ll hurt the tourist and student travel by rail to our city! That’ll cost you and your parents their jobs, more’n likely! Y’all turn around now, and go back to 4th St until you calm down!”
“Unbelievable,” Jermane said. “Why the Mayor of the city would give her permission to the crowd to destroy private property anywhere in her city is beyond me, but you just heard it!
“Now, Reverend Jackson, of the burned-out Victorious Believers church, and the Mayor’s uncle, took the microphone and climbed up on the trailer, behind the podium to address the crowd. Before he can say anything, you see a large rock bounce off the podium right in front of his face. He literally jumps down and hands the microphone off to the precinct Captain,” Jermane said.
“Get your ass down from there! They’re not going to pay any attention to you! I expect your resignation on my desk in the morning! Do I make myself clear?”
“That was the Mayor, talking to the precinct Captain,” Jermane said quietly, while the video continued. “Once again, just like this morning, what comes next is NOT for children to see. Rocks begin hitting the officers. You can see three of them fall after being struck! The rioters are running up to the other side of the police cruisers, smashing windows out, and slashing tires. Some are being set afire! Still, the police have not opened fire on them…
WAKING THE MAJORITY (Anonymous Justice Book 4) Page 2