He looked at her and asked, “What or who’s in there?”
“The answers you seek, Mr. President,” she said.
“Am I in danger?” Gordon asked already knowing the answer was yes.
“Just do as I said yesterday,” she said.
He looked at the doors and then back to her. “What does he want?”
“Sir, just please do as he says. The prime minister is a serious man. Don’t underestimate him; I strongly encourage you don’t do that,” she advised and walked away, leaving him alone to stand and ponder.
Gordon quizzically looked at her as she sauntered through the large hall and exited through an equally large set of doors at the other end. He turned and examined the ornately etched doors from their base to the very top, which towered eighteen feet.
“Let’s find out what’s going on,” he said turning the bronze handle and opening the door.
Inside, he found the room vacant. The walls were lined with bookcases loaded from floor to ceiling with hardback books. Thick leather couches and chairs sat in the center of the room, and at the far end a substantial wood desk sat centered on the wall behind it. The room was washed in a natural light that came in through two tall windows on the right side of the room.
He walked further into the room and out of the corner of his eye spotted a table in the far corner. Above it a map was tacked to the wall This piqued his curiosity; he cleared the fifty feet in seconds to see the map.
Immediately he saw that Cascadia, which had been written onto the map over Washington, Oregon and Idaho, was crossed out. A red marker had been used to outline his new country and include it into Western Canada. Seeing this, he clenched his teeth and felt a surge of anger. Now he knew what Jacques was up to. He then saw that the red outline included Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming, including Cheyenne, and that the United States was also crossed out.
He stepped back from the map as if being pushed. He suddenly came to realize he probably wouldn’t leave Banff. What sort of dialogue could be had with a man who had designs on taking everything he had worked so hard for and was so close to seeing become a reality? But why not take him out already? It was obvious that Jacques needed him, but once he helped, what value would he have anymore?
A smaller side door on the left side of the room opened. Jacques walked through and headed directly for Gordon. “So sorry I’m late. I see you’re already getting yourself acquainted.”
Gordon faced him, clenched his fist and punched Jacques in the jaw when he came within reach.
Jacques went reeling backwards and into the back of a chair. His legs wobbled but he recovered and stood up straight. He rubbed his jaw and said, “I can see you’re upset.”
Gordon came at him but stopped when the large doors opened and Cruz stepped in.
“I should kill you right here and now with my bare hands,” Gordon threatened.
“If you kill me, you’ll never know exactly why you and Mr. Cruz are here.”
“I’ve seen all I need to know by looking at your map,” Gordon snapped as he pointed towards the wall.
Cruz, already nervous, froze in fear.
“If you think you’re going to take my country without a fight, a bitter fight that will cost you dearly, you better rethink,” Gordon barked.
“What’s going on?” Cruz asked.
“Go look at that map. His ambitions know no limit,” Gordon replied to Cruz.
“Gentlemen, please take a seat. I’ll have some drinks brought in and we’ll discuss why you’re here,” Jacques pleaded.
Gordon’s nostrils flared and his fists were still clenched. He felt a strong temptation to pummel Jacques relentlessly but doing so would only result in his own death. No, he had to contain his anger and listen to what Jacques had to say while concocting a plan to escape.
“Gordon is correct. This will never occur,” Cruz said, looking at the map.
“Gentlemen, please sit…sit! We have much to discuss, and I promise when I’m done, your answers to my proposal will be yes,” Jacques said with a grin.
Gordon began pacing.
Cruz walked over to one of the large leather chairs and sat.
“Gordon, please sit,” Jacques said.
“No, I need to walk off my anger.”
“Very well, let me get some drinks.”
“Stop the bullshit and tell us why we’re here,” Gordon snapped.
“Fine, I just thought just because we’re adversaries we shouldn’t be heathens,” Jacques said rubbing his jaw. “You have a strong punch.”
Gordon leered.
“You’ve taken us hostage, and now we see you have aims to take over a large swath of the United States—” Cruz said before Gordon interrupted.
“And Cascadia,” Gordon interjected.
Cruz gave Gordon a slight look and continued, “Just get to the point, please.”
Jacques sat in the chair opposite Cruz, crossed his leg and placed his hands on his lap. “Western Canada has had long-standing claims to the lands that you’ve seen marked on the map. Our claims go far back, much further than the existence of the United States in the west and clearly before the existence of Cascadia. With those confines gone, we in Western Canada intend on asserting our claim. We wish to do so through a peaceful treaty but are willing to wage war.”
“This isn’t a game of Risk,” Cruz said, his response also targeted at Gordon.
“I can assure you this isn’t a game, and our intentions, now made, will be exercised. I just want to do this peacefully,” Jacques said.
“I’ll never,” Gordon spat.
“Gordon is clearly angry, as I am, but he and I have different approaches, but I agree with him a thousand percent. I’ll never surrender the territory of the United States.”
“That’s not entirely true, Mr. Cruz. You were considering that with Mr. Van Zandt before I showed up,” Jacques said.
“I, ah,” Cruz mumbled.
“Everything is up for negotiation,” Jacques said.
“Never going to happen, ever,” Gordon again asserted.
Jacques leaned in and said, “Gentlemen, I never had the pleasure of having a family, sometimes I wish I had taken the time, but life got in the way. I envy you both. Sometimes I look back and wish I had done it differently, but then I see my life as it is today and wonder if I could have gotten here with them. I don’t know and I personally don’t like looking back with doubt much less guilt. What I do know is that families offer a deep connection, an intimacy that is priceless.” Jacques paused and gave both men a hard stare.
Gordon grunted loudly to show his disgust for Jacques.
Cruz sat drumming his fingers in anticipation of where Jacques was going with his long diatribe.
“But families also compromise a man. For all the strength they give, they give an equal weakness. You see, a family offers a man something to fight for but can also be used to stop a man from fighting.”
Gordon now knew where he was going with this. “You’re now threatening my family?”
“No, Gordon, I’m threatening you. I know you’re willing to sacrifice a lot to have Cascadia but are you willing to sacrifice your family? The same goes for you, Mr. Cruz. Does land mean more to you than your family?”
Cruz stood up and asked, “Is this how you plan on negotiating?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” Jacques answered.
“Whatever you thought you had planned won’t happen,” Gordon said.
“Don’t be so sure,” Jacques said then stood. He walked to the large desk and pushed a button on the phone sitting there.
“Yes, Prime Minister,” a man said.
“Bring them in,” Jacques said.
Gordon’s eyes widened, as did Cruz’s.
A tense minute passed by with nothing.
Jacques sat on the edge of his desk, with a devilish grin stretched across his face.
The large doors at the end opened up.
Gordon and Cruz turned to look.
<
br /> Two men walked in followed by Samantha and an older woman.
“Sam?” Gordon said racing to her. They embraced tightly. Gordon pulled away and looked at her closely. “You okay? Are you hurt? How are the kids, Haley, Luke? Are they here?”
“They’re safe, I had Nelson take them the instant John reported you had been taken,” Sam replied.
“Mama!” Cruz exclaimed, shocked to see his mother. He ran to her side.
Watching his captives’ bittersweet reunions, Jacques stood and said, “Now that you see I mean what I say. Can we discuss my plans.”
Gordon turned and roared at Jacques, “Let us go!”
Jacques walked back to his desk, picked up the phone receiver but didn’t dial. He looked at Gordon and said, “I’ll let you all get reacquainted. Let’s resume this meeting say tomorrow, same time.” He pressed a single button on the phone and said, “Take our guests back to their rooms.”
Immediately the large doors opened and in came four armed men. They surrounded Gordon, Samantha, Cruz and his mother.
“Have an enjoyable day, but please be prepared to discuss my plans tomorrow,” Jacques said firmly.
Sandy, Utah
Annaliese took Pablo by the arm as they left the hospital. “You’ve been such a help.”
Pablo enjoyed it when Annaliese touched him. He knew she didn’t love him in an intimate way and any attempt by him in that manner would be rebuffed, but it didn’t stop him from savoring these brief moments.
“Me, help?” he replied.
She looked towards the horizon. The sun had set and was casting a deep orange glow across the sky. She gripped his arm tighter and said, “Of course, you’re an inspiration to all of them in there.”
“No,” he said.
“Why say no? You are, look at you, you’re walking, which is something no one would have thought. You came to us a broken man. We gave you some care; you did the rest.”
Her words struck him deeply. “No, you…you saved me.”
She stopped and looked into his dark brown eyes. “Don’t you for one moment think you didn’t save yourself. You have the willpower of a giant, you could have given up, but you didn’t. I know your past is something that some here don’t like, but I believe God forgives and God also judges but not now. You have a life ahead of you; it’s your choice how you live that life.”
Again, her words struck him. She was right. He could live a different life, and in many ways he was, but the past had found him again and along with it the urges. Power was intoxicating. But there was a hunger besides power that he struggled with, a dark companion that lived inside of him. He had kept this passenger at bay, and for a small sliver of time he thought that passenger had died in the helicopter crash, but he was wrong. It came back as soon as his men had shown up.
“Are you listening to me?” she asked, noticing he was lost in thought.
“Yes.”
“You have a home here, know that.”
“I know.”
She then acknowledged the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room. “Your past is camped outside our gates and it pulls you. I don’t believe in telling people how they should live their life, but I will give you some advice. What’s outside those gates and what’s inside are two different worlds, and they can’t cohabitate for long.”
He furrowed his brow. She was right and was the only person who truly knew the truth.
She continued, “You offered your men to me so that I could exact revenge for Sebastian’s life. I never gave you an answer, but now I can. I forgive those men who killed my beloved husband. I won’t forget what they did, and God will judge them later, but I’m choosing to live a life that is different now. I can’t be that person who was filled with hate, I just can’t. So if you’re keeping your men out there for me, know that I don’t need them.”
He swallowed hard. He was confused, as her pursuit for justice had become his mission too. He wanted revenge against Conner for what he did to him and his army but also saw righteousness in having his men be a tool for her too. He looked down at the frozen ground, unsure how to respond.
“It appears I’ve said something to upset you.”
He lifted his head and said, “Not upset.”
She shivered and gazed up. With a heavy sigh she asked, “Would you do something for me?”
“Yes,” he answered immediately without question.
“I’ve talked with my family and the others here; they feel uncomfortable that your army is parked out there. I know it sounds odd to say that considering they can protect us, but they’d like to see them leave.”
He was shocked to hear her say that. He looked away and thought for a second before responding. “And you?”
“I know you have a connection with them, but they represent a different time, and to be quite honest, they’re not the nicest people. They did come here looking to raid our compound, let’s not forget that.”
“True.”
“So if you’re asking me what I want, I would have to agree, it’s time for them to go.”
Pablo pulled away from her and took several steps. He felt a strong desire to give her what she wanted but he also had desires. Does it have to be so black and white? he thought. Is there a middle ground?
He turned back around, cleared his throat and said slowly, “I’ll have them move further out, but let me keep a company close by…for your protection.”
Annaliese nodded. “That seems fair. I’ll talk to the others.”
Pablo nodded in return.
She stepped up to him, took his arm and said, “Come, let’s get inside; it’s cold. I’ll make you a hot cup of tea.”
The feel of her arm again gave him the warmth he needed. He truly liked being in her presence and he would do what he could to keep her happy.
“Emperor, come in. Over,” Luis said over the radio tucked in Pablo’s coat pocket.
And just like that, the warmth and moment were snatched away.
He stopped and pulled out the radio, looking at her like a child would after being caught doing something embarrassing. He gripped the radio but didn’t reply.
She smiled and said, “Go ahead. I’ll meet you inside.”
He watched her walk off.
“Emperor, come in. Over,” Luis again called.
He turned away from Annaliese and replied, “Yes.”
“We have returned, sir. We have much to report,” Luis said.
“Coming,” Pablo said. He pocketed the radio and looked on as Annaliese cleared the stairs and entered the house. When the door closed, he headed for his Ranger. He had much to discuss with General Luis.
DECEMBER 27, 2015
“In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell
Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
Baxter snatched the phone from the cradle upon the third ring. “Yes.”
“Sir, the first lady is insisting on speaking with you,” a voice said over the phone.
Baxter turned on the light and sat up. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock to see it was a little past four in the morning.
“Sir?”
“It’s fine. Patch her through,” Baxter said.
The phone clicked and went silent.
Baxter wondered if the connection had been lost. “Hello?”
Another click.
“Secretary Baxter, are you there?” the first lady asked.
“Yes, how may I help you?”
“Andrew’s mother is missing,” she said.
“What?”
“Andrew’s mother, Maria, is missing. I haven’t heard from her since Christmas. I’ve called numerous times, nothing. I had some people go and visit her and she’s not there,” she rambled.
“Hold on, are you saying she’s been taken or something?” Baxter asked confused.
“I don’t know. I just know she’s gone.”
Baxter swung his legs out of the bed and sat up. “Have you co
ntacted everyone who might know where she might be?”
“Yes, she’s gone. I’m concerned. After Andrew’s assassination and now his mother is missing, I’m worried something bad has happened to her.”
Fear gripped Baxter. He wondered if Eli had something to do with this, but didn’t want any word of this to get out. “Who else have you spoken to?”
“My detail leader contacted someone he knows in Cheyenne. They visited her house but other than that, only you.”
“Good, keep it that way for now. Let me look into this immediately.”
“Please stay in touch with me,” she urged.
“Of course.”
“No, please stay in touch with me,” she insisted.
“I will.”
“You haven’t in regards to Andrew’s funeral.”
He hadn’t discussed the issue that no remains had been found. He knew he should but something in him made him hold back.
“When can we expect to have the state funeral?” she asked.
“The thing is…”
“What?”
“Well, I don’t know how to say this, but we haven’t found any remains of the president, so we really don’t know if he’s dead,” Baxter finally admitted.
“Andrew could be alive?”
“I wouldn’t hold out hope, madam, but it could be a possibility.”
A loud sigh and cries hit Baxter’s ears.
“Please be patient. I know this is tough for you and your family. We just need to complete our investigation; until then we’re not leaking any word until we know for sure,” Baxter said.
The first lady continued to cry.
“Madam, can I ask for your discretion on this and everything we’ve discussed?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be in contact soon, good night,” Baxter said.
“Thank you,” she said and hung up.
Baxter put the phone down. Something wasn’t right, and now with Cruz’s mother missing, it was adding up more and more that something much larger or vast was happening. He picked the phone back up.
“Yes, sir,” a voice said.
“Gather my detail; I’m headed into the office.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And wake the rest of the cabinet; I have an important announcement to make.”
The Razor's Edge: A Postapocalytic Novel (The New World Book 6) Page 7