by Joe Nobody
Diana took his hand and replied in a low voice, “Come with me soldier, and I’ll enlighten you.”
Nick and Diana put their arms around each other and casually meandered toward the church. Kevin stood by smiling, understanding fully what had just occurred. He had often wondered if his dad would ever meet anyone now that the world had changed. He liked Diana and thought the two adults were a good match. Suddenly realizing he hadn’t been relieved of his bodyguard duty, he decided to tag along and be an annoyance. Smiling widely, he tucked his rifle under his arm and trotted off to catch up, wondering how long he could hang around before his dad chased him off.
To the exhausted couple, it seemed like they had just gotten settled under the covers when a knock on the door interrupted their slumber. Bishop grumbled something about no rest for the wicked and looked at his watch. They had been sleeping for over nine hours. He padded to the door. “Yes?”
“Corporal Higgins here, sir. Agent Powell sent me to inform you they are ready to start the debriefing in 30 minutes. If you wish, sir, I’ll have some breakfast brought here for you.”
Bishop started to inform the good corporal that Agent Powell’s timing sucked, but thought better of it. He mumbled, “Breakfast would be fine, corporal. Make sure the tray has lots of coffee,” and turned to Terri who was groggily propped on an elbow.
She raised one eyebrow and said, “I’ll get dressed and go with you. I’m not letting you out of my sight for a long time, Mister.”
Bishop started to protest, but decided it was a waste of energy. Besides, he felt the same way. A short time later, the couple was dressed and walking toward the headquarters building. Terri was fascinated by the surroundings, having never been on a military base before. Bishop had to smile at her child-like curiosity as she peppered the young corporal with questions of, “What’s that?” and “Why do you do that?” the entire trip. They were shown to the same conference room where Bishop had originally met the leader of the free world. The huge wall displays were still functioning, and Bishop pointed out a few details to his wife while they waited.
Before long, Agent Powell entered the room with another man and a female soldier. The man was introduced as the base commander, General Westfield. The woman was with the Judge Advocate General’s office and would serve as the official recorder of the meeting. A stenographer’s machine was soon wheeled into the room.
For the next several hours, Bishop recounted his experiences of the last few days. Several times during the session, he was interrupted by either Powell or the general to clarify a point or fact. After he finished, it was Terri’s turn to describe her brief encounter with the former president.
After the debriefing had concluded, Agent Powell offered Bishop an apology, “Bishop, I sincerely regret my actions in Alpha. The man I was charged with protecting died. You carry no blame, and I should’ve never gone there.”
Bishop looked the man in the eye and nodded, “Apology accepted. He was a better man that I thought he would be. I don’t know what’s going to happen now, but if you have any influence with the future president, I think he’ll do a better job if he gets out among the people. That’s just my two cents worth.”
Powell nodded his understanding and added, “I have no idea what’s going to happen. As of this moment, no one is in command. I’ve radioed Washington, or what’s left of it, and explained the situation. They are going down the chain of succession and trying to find the next leader of this nation. Who knows what’s going to happen?”
Bishop started to turn away when General Westfield stopped him. “Could I have a word, young man?”
Bishop nodded and followed the base commander to a quiet corner. The officer wasted no time, “You’re good. As a matter of fact, I think you’re damn good. Why don’t you and your wife move here to Bliss? I can re-instate you as an officer in the United States Army with the full privileges associated with the commission. I’ll be blunt son – the army needs the nation’s best right now. We have one hell of a job ahead of us, and I could use a man like you here.”
Bishop kept his expression neutral, “Why thank you, sir. I…well…I wasn’t expecting such an offer. I don’t know quite what to say.”
The general nodded understandingly, “Talk it over with your bride, Bishop. I know I came out of left field with this offer. You two talk it over. By the way, I’ve made arrangements for her to see the base obstetrician. Can’t hurt to have things checked out.”
Bishop thanked the man, and then the couple was shown back to their room.
Nick and Deacon Brown stood looking at the row of jail cells. The former home of criminals, convicts, and ne’er-do-wells was now stuffed with looted goods from various stores around Alpha. Smokey had been both smart and quick after breaking free. He had known what was going to be valuable and had sent his fellow prisoners on organized raids. Even the local hospital’s pharmacy had been cleaned to the bone.
Nick was watching a group of the church’s women take an inventory. One lady was inside of a cell while the other stayed in the aisle with a clipboard. The woman counting would yell out something like “Three 20 pound bags of sugar,” and all of the others would respond with “Praise the Lord.” The amount of food and medical supplies was significant. Every now and then even Nick had to let out a whistle over the quantities uncovered.
Diana turned and motioned for Nick to follow her outside. The couple proceeded to the front of the courthouse and went out into the cool morning air. Nick started to say something but Diana held her finger up to her lips, “Shhhhhhh.” The big man tilted his head and listened. Off in the distance, he could hear a female voice being broadcast over a loudspeaker.
“We are using two police megaphones we found to let everyone know those convicts are no longer running this town. We have groups of church ladies walking through the streets broadcasting our message. Some people are probably still too scared to come out of hiding, but we’ve already had almost 50 people show up.”
Nick nodded, appreciating the results, but more so the fact that Diana seemed so happy. The tone of her voice, and the spring in her step was refreshing. It was as if a tremendous burden had been lifted from her shoulders. The Special Forces operator watched her for a moment and decided she was even more beautiful than he had thought.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Diana said.
“I was just thinking what a good mayor you were going to make,” replied Nick.
“Ohhhh, no. Not me, sir. I’m done with civic leadership and responsibility. You are going to be the next mayor,” she replied poking her finger into his chest for emphasis.
Nick broke out laughing at the thought of someone calling him “Your Honor.” After the moment had passed, he became serious. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, Diana. There are still a few little bands of criminals running loose around here. While there’s a lot of food inside, it won’t last forever. The list of critical items seems to have no end.”
Diana nodded as she kicked a pebble. “I know. We’ll begin to organize an election soon. Until then, I’ll keep at it. I want you to know though; having you here to help is the best part. I feel like together there’s nothing we can’t accomplish. Thanks for staying…and Nick…I’m really beginning to think you are a very special person.”
Nick smiled and pulled her close in a warm embrace. “I’m so happy to hear you say that, Diana. I felt a spark about twenty minutes after we first met. I don’t know if it’s because the future is so unsure or all this turmoil has me acting like a teenager again. I can say this, it feels good.”
Diana nodded wisely, “I think we should take it slow for a while. I’ve just lost a son and gained a town. There’s so much to do, and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of our problems yet. I almost feel selfish even thinking about a relationship when so many people are depending on me right now.”
Nick’s responded assuredly, “We’ve got plenty of time. I’m not planning on going anywhere. I do need to say one thing though. You
’ve been sacrificing yourself for months now. I would advise finding a balance…taking time for you...doing some things that make Diana happy.”
Diana nodded and motioned for Nick to follow her. She led him down the courthouse steps and to a side street bordering the building. In the middle of the block, the sidewalk split around the base of a large tree. The giant bur oak was about four feet in diameter, and it had obviously been a town landmark for some time. Beneath the canopy, the city had installed a park bench, and it looked like a great place to sit and enjoy some shade.
The couple sat in silence, absorbing everything that had been said. Diana finally spoke, “We may have won this battle, but the war is far from over. It boggles the mind how far we still have to go.”
Nick took her hand and held it softly. “Right now, right this moment, don’t think about any of that. Think about this beautiful tree and warm day. Think about how we aren’t worried about somebody shooting at us or storming any wall. What’s the old saying about smelling the roses?”
The Meraton volunteers, along with their Beltron Ranch comrades, pulled into town waving, and honking to everyone. They stopped in front of the Manor hotel and began jumping from the back of the pickups, slapping each other on the back and shaking hands with anyone nearby. Even though the market had long since started to wind down, word of their return spread quickly around town. Despite being a dreary, cloudy day, dozens of people quickly surrounded the arriving heroes, pelting them with hugs and kisses, while eagerly pumping hands.
Pete and Betty immediately announced a celebration in the Manor’s gardens. Everyone was to bring a covered dish, and Pete’s would provide the beverages. A grand party was planned for that very eve.
The Beltron boys headed back to the ranch to let the boss know the raids from Alpha should no longer be a concern. Before leaving, they had committed to bringing back a side of beef to barbeque for the festivity.
As everyone was running around preparing for the grand celebration, an odd noise was heard all over town. It took most of the residents a few moments to recognize the sound of an approaching helicopter. As all eyes looked to the northwest, a large green military copter appeared and flew directly over Main Street, slowly banking into a turn to the east.
The pilot picked a spot not too far from the main cluster of buildings and gradually landed the big machine in the middle of the main drag.
Everyone seemed to gather on the street in front of Pete’s, curious about what was going on. Pete yelled out that the army must have heard about the party and wanted to join in. That remark brought a series of chuckles from the curious crowd.
Two men dressed in army uniforms jumped from the cargo bay and strode toward the gathered citizens of Meraton. Pete stepped forward to meet them. The older of the two men extended his hand, “I’m Major Donaldson, a surgeon from Fort Bliss. We understand you have a wounded colonel here, and we’ve come to take him to our facilities back at the base - if it’s safe to move him.”
Pete nodded his understanding and turned to a boy standing nearby, asking the youth to fetch the doc. After watching the excited young man run off, Pete turned to the soldiers and instructed, “Please follow me.”
An hour later, the Colonel was being loaded onto the military transport along with his grandchildren and their suitcases. David and Samantha hugged Betty and Pete and promised to visit as soon as possible. Samantha made Betty promise to let Bishop know where she was so he wouldn’t worry. After tearful goodbyes and promises of future reunions, the citizens of Meraton watched as the big aircraft spun up its blades and slowly lifted off.
Pete turned to the gathered onlookers and decided to cheer everyone up. He raised both hands high in the air. “Are we going to have a celebration or not? The first round is on me!”
Sophia Morgan had worked for the executive branch of the federal government through four different administrations. She had never married and was 51 years old. Her Georgetown apartment had been chosen because of its proximity to the federal office building where she worked. Sophia had entered government service as an intern shortly after graduating with a Doctorate in Constitutional Law from The University of New York and had never looked back.
She had always been shy and clumsy with interpersonal relationships, only accepting a few offers to date while in school. The experience hadn’t been positive because Sophia preferred computers and libraries to people. She had two basic passions in life - research and a strong desire to feel like she was making a difference.
In the fast moving world of Washington politics, Sophia was neither attractive nor smart enough to be harvested for higher positions. PhDs and lawyers were a dime a dozen in D.C., and Sophia had never published anything or achieved any sort of public notoriety. What her employer did recognize was her dedication to the country and a remarkable capability to dig through reams of data. She was what some people called a “boiler,” in that she could investigate extremely complex subjects and boil down the results into an understandable summary. Busy presidents often needed such reports crafted in a fashion they could read quickly, understand fully, and count on being accurate. She was really a political agnostic and had never registered to vote for either party. Her reports were delivered without spin or bias.
Over the years, Sophia had never shown any sign of ambition or desire to climb any partisan ladder. She arrived promptly at the office every morning, and no one could recall her ever speaking out. Her job reviews noted her dedication and neutrality. These attributes allowed Sophia to maintain her position, despite the turnover associated with a new president coming to town every few years.
Since she didn’t work at the White House proper, Sophia had been reasonably unaffected when the building had been overrun. Even during the riots and anarchy that followed, she had stayed quiet and safe in her studio flat. Her neighbors across the hall were a young family of four and had asked her to keep an eye on their apartment while they were away for a few weeks visiting relatives in the Midwest. That stroke of luck had made a big difference in Sophia’s survival. Always frugal, the monthly trips to the member’s only discount stores had resulted in the purchase of large quantities of basic staples. Having the keys to the neighboring apartment and its well-stocked pantry had bolstered her provisions and allowed her to eat after her cupboard was bare. She had lost a few pounds, but wasn’t starving.
Water had been another issue. Several months ago, the rowdy tenant above Sophia got a promotion, somewhat a rarity in the days of downsizing and mergers, and planned a wild celebration. To Sophia it seemed that every up and coming 20-something in D.C. had been there, an assumption based partly on the volume of the music and partly on the way her ceiling fan shook under the weight of the occupants. It was no surprise to her that there had been some damage to the pipes, resulting in dripping water between the tin tiles above her tiny kitchen. No telling what those idiots tried to grind in the garbage disposal once the cops showed up she thought. The landlord had been apologetic, providing 5-gallon buckets to catch the dripping water, and no one had ever retrieved them when the repairs were finally complete. Sophia sat the buckets on the roof to catch rainwater, and that had been a lifesaver.
Her mother lived in Florida, right in the middle of hurricane country. Sophia had purchased a hand-cranked device that was a combination radio and flashlight for Christmas. She had wrapped the gift in festive red and green paper, but left it on the counter, waiting for her next trek to the post office. After all, she had plenty of time before the holiday rush. Once the world turned topsy-turvy, Sophia depended on the device to provide her light.
Cooking hadn’t been a problem at first. Natural gas seemed to be unaffected in the Washington area for a few weeks. Sophia had initially panicked the first time she turned the stove’s knob and nothing happened. A few days went by with only cold meals and washing with icy water. Her biggest concern was boiling the rainwater to drink, as she didn’t know how pure it was, and the surface of the water was riddled with floating
insects when she retrieved the buckets from outside. Her Georgetown apartment had a small corner fireplace in the living room. She had decorated the hearth after moving in, but never even toasted marshmallows in it. Her trips home from the office soon included stopping to pick up dead branches or anything else that would burn.
Another problem was the roving bands of looters. When she had moved into the apartment, the neon lights from nearby shops had interrupted her sleep. She finally had solved the problem by purchasing a very expensive set of blinds for the windows that blocked the offensive blinking lights when closed. Those blinds had probably saved her life as they blocked anyone from seeing her candles at night.
After the first week, most of her neighborhood had been thoroughly ransacked. Sophia’s building had been spared because of the unusual entrance that was via an unmarked side door. The raiders had simply overlooked the building. As time went on, she saw fewer and fewer dangerous people around. It was almost three weeks before she felt safe enough to sneak to the office, and she still took the back route with great care.
When the military had reestablished control, she simply reported for work as normal, surprised to see she was one of only a few who did so. She stood in line, waiting to receive whatever the army was passing out and made sure no one took notice or followed her home.
Despite there being no paychecks, information, or leadership, Sophia continued to walk from her apartment every day. Unlocking the door to the office space leased by the government, she had sat for weeks with nothing to do.
All of that had changed a few hours ago. Two men from the Treasury department had shown up and asked for help in performing some research. Sophia had been excited, hopefully having important work ahead of her. The men wanted a list of the individuals, in order, who were in line to succeed the President of the United States.
In normal times, that task would be beneath Sophia. The line of succession was well defined by the Constitution and subsequent law. It started with the Vice President of the United States, continuing down through the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate (pro tempore) and then various cabinet level secretaries.