by Ira Tabankin
Governor by Governor is surprised and taken to one of the waiting vans. The DHS agents order the vans driven different routes to their final destination. The Governors are also blindfolded so they don’t see where they’re being taken. When they arrive at their location, they realize wherever it is, they are being taken underground. They feel an elevator going down, they count the seconds, trying to calculate how far down they’re traveling. When they reach the count of 120 seconds, the doors open. Each is led to a windowless room where the governors’ arms are untied, their blindfolds removed. They look around their new quarters, finding a bed mounted on a wall and a stainless steel toilet and sink. Most think to themselves they’ve been placed in a high-security jail cell. The door to their cells is solid steel with a one-way mirror. None of them have any idea where they are. They know they’ve been suckered; most hope they’ll survive.
The Tennessee governor remembers Jay’s warning, he smiles to himself thinking, Jay is going to have to manage the state now. I wonder when he’ll realize something happened to me. Knowing him, I’m sure he’ll figure out where I’m being kept and send the General to rescue me. That SOB was right, I shouldn’t have trusted the President. Damn him, how the hell did he know something was going to happen? I hope they’re keeping all of us in the same location; it will make rescuing us easier. If I trust my memory, my captors were black-shirted DHS goons and not the military. Also a good sign. That may mean the military hasn’t come out in full support of the President. All I have to do now is survive long enough to be rescued. If they didn’t kill us right away, they’re going to keep us alive for a reason.
The other governors realize they’ve too been screwed; they’re worried about an attack on the people in their states. The Texas governor is happy to see they’ve placed him a handicap cell and brought him a wheelchair so he can move around his small room. He wonders if any of them will see the sun again. He curses himself for being too trusting. All are wondering how they can escape and get their revenge on the President.
All thirteen governors sit in their cells wondering if they’re going to be questioned or just kept locked away forever.
General Arthur and John set up a secure video link with all of the General’s counterparts. He looks into the camera.
“My friends, the newly appointed Tennessee LT Governor, has issued me an order to go on alert until the Governors safely return. He’s very concerned the President will use the absence of our governors as a time to attack us.”
General Richard Houston looks into his camera from a hidden bunker under a bank building in San Antonio, Texas.
“General, my ancestors fought to ensure Texas was free. I agree with your new LT Governor, none of us trust the President. I’m going to place all of our people on a war footing. I’m worried about an air attack. If you don’t mind, I’m going to drop off this call so I can contact the commander of the Joint Base at Carswell. I also have to get a hold of the Commanding General at Fort Hood; these two bases hold the trump card to our beating off a Northern attack. Are you going to be safe where you are? You’re surely on the President’s hit list.”
“I’m safe; I have access to a very unique shelter which will survive a direct hit. Frankly, it’s an amazing place; we should all build one like it. My LT Governor is going to manage the state’s operations from the shelter.”
“Can you share with us where this amazing shelter is located? Is it leftover from the Cold War?”
“No, it’s something the LT Governor built to protect his friends and family.”
“Let’s get our people on a war footing then, we can talk again in two hours.”
All of the state commanders agree, two are generals in the National Guard.
Jay sits in his family room with Tony, Fred and John sitting across from him. Before he can say anything, there’s a knock on his door frame,
“Come.”
Captain Black enters Jay’s office.
“Do you mind if I join you?”
Jay looks at the Captain,
“Captain, please don’t be offended, I’m not sure we can trust you. A few days ago you were on the other side.”
Captain Black smiles, he reaches up to his left shoulder, he pulls off his American flag patch held on with Velcro, he slaps on a new patch, the Confederate Battle Flag.
“I got this from General Arthur. Does it help instill any trust?”
Jay looks at the patch, smiling he points to a chair next to Tony.
“Have a seat. We can use your advice.”
“Thank you, Mr. LT Governor.”
“Not you too. Please, just call me Jay.”
“Sir, of course, I won’t. You’re now in the line of succession for the United Confederate States of America. I’ve positioned troops around your farm for your protection. We’re adding to your defensive positions.”
“Just great, just what I need, more people trying to protect me from myself. Captain, thank you. Let me tell you what’s going on. I worry the President isn’t going to negotiate in good faith. I worry that he will either arrest or kill the governors. I want us to be on high alert and do everything possible to protect the citizens of the state. I can only speak for Tennessee; I hope the other Generals are doing all they can to protect their people. Captain, you’re very experienced in irregular war, what can we do to improve our survival chances?”
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“Admiral, this is the Captain, radar has picked up four ships heading in our direction.”
“Do we have an ID on them?”
“Yes, sir, they are USCG cutters, two are their new National Security Cutters. Armed with one CIWS and a 57 mm gun.”
“A 57 MM gun? Its shells won’t even tickle us. Are they nuts? Warn them away. If they cross a fifty-mile line, we’re going to have to open fire on them.”
“Sir, can you do that, open fire on the USCG?”
“Okay, I’ll let them open fire first. Move the escorts behind us so they will have to open fire on us before the escorts. We’re the only armored ship out here. If they open fire, sink them and then rescue as many of their crew as possible.”
“Yes, sir. Sink them and rescue their crew. I’ll pass along the orders.”
“Captain, I hope they’ve come to join us, because if they shoot, it’s going to be a very short battle. This could be the opening battle of the new Civil War, if they open fire, it’s also going to be the shortest battle in history.”
“Sir, I’ll sound general quarters in five minutes.”
“I’ll meet you on the battle bridge. I think 16 inches of armor will protect us from a 57 mm shell.”
The two USCG National Security cutters move in front of the older cutters who are more heavily armed with a five-inch canon. The new National Security Cutters have modern fire control; they are under orders to block the battleship from getting closer to the coast.
“Admiral’s on the bridge.”
“Captain, have they changed course?”
“No sir. They are keeping a straight course, running at 25 knots. If they’re going to open fire, they should do so very soon. Any closer and we’ll be able to spit at them.”
“Yeah, those cutters were designed for anti-drug operations, not general warfare against a real warship. I pray they don’t open fire. I don’t want to shoot at fellow Americans.”
“Yes, sir.”
The crew on the bridge watch the four white ships draw within one thousand yards when they cross the eight-hundred-yard line, the front two cutters open fire on the Missouri. The shells fall short. Admiral Jefferson shakes his head.
“Damn it. I was so hoping I didn’t have to do this. Open fire.”
The Missouri responds with two sixteen inch rounds, at the short range the large shells strike the cutters mid ship, blowing them apart into thousands of small pieces.
“Set recovery operations. Pick up the survivors. I want everyone saved. Warn the two older cutters to leave or we’ll sink them.”
“Yes, sir.
Four escorts are moving in to pick up the survivors.”
“Make sure all are taken care of. I want them dried, warm and fed. Have the medical staff check each one. They’re not really our enemies. They were just following their orders.”
“Sir, that excuse didn’t work for the Germans.”
“These people didn’t try to kill six million. Arrange to get them to Panama City, let them figure out how to get home to Tampa.”
“Yes, sir.”
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At 6:00 PM, a small slot in the governor’s cell opens; a tray of food is slid into their cells. In the hours since their arrest, they’ve yelled themselves hoarse. They’re beginning to accept they were tricked and suckered. Their only concern now is will they be killed or locked up in their small cells forever. Many wonder what’s going to happen to their families and the people they left behind. Some are concerned since they left without a LT Governor in place.
Two of the Governors remember stories of Vietnam prisoners who tapped on their walls to communicate with each other. The Texas Governor is the first to try. He bangs his wheelchair into the wall three times, pauses, three taps and three long bangs, he’s trying to send ‘SOS’ to the other Governors. He hopes some are in his cell block and they hear, understand and respond.
The Tennessee Governor is in the cell next door to the Texas Governor; he takes off his left shoe and raps it against the wall to answer the message. He doesn’t understand the message that was sent because he never learned Morse Code. He figures, just tapping in response will let whoever sent the taps, know someone else is here and heard him. Throughout the evening hours, the cell block is alive with various taps and bangs.
The DHS guards laugh at the governors; they laugh knowing the President doesn’t plan on ever letting them out. They have no idea how lucky they are. The Secretary of the DHS wanted to kill the governors and make their bodies and the bodies of their security people disappear. He was overruled by the President, who thought they might come in handy one day.
Chapter 17
The Progressive Northeast and West Coast demand the President punish the South. Their media tells the President he should break the back of the South now before they can get themselves organized. They want the South crushed so they can never try to secede again. Editorials scream for the President to move quickly to enforce the rule of law on the South. They want to punish the Bible holding, gun loving inbred people. Media news anchors say the Southern states should be placed under martial law and their people disarmed. They should also lose their right to religious freedom which the media blames for the South trying multiple times to secede. The anchors say the high temperatures and humidity caused by man-made climate warming is harming the people’s mental state. The televised news show, “Sixty Minutes” reports the people in the South have suffered brain damage from the high temperatures caused by Global Warming, their actions aren’t their fault. The people in the country should show the Southerners love and understanding. They should be treated and cared for with the mercy America is famous for. They need to be protected from themselves. As such, they should lose the ability to rule themselves, the Federal Government should appoint their governors and the military should enforce the laws.
Jay watches “Sixty Minutes” cursing the anchors. He’s yelling at the monitor when his bad mood is broken by Lacy standing in the doorway of his office laughing at him.
“Go on, yell, louder, they can’t hear you from here. Let me put some shooting ear plugs in so you don’t drive me crazy.”
“Did you hear what they’re saying? We’re mentally deranged because it’s hot in the South caused by, wait for it, wait, it’s coming…”
“Global warming. What else did you expect them to say? Did you expect them to report we’re fed up with the government taking away our rights and freedoms?”
“Did you expect them to say anything close to the truth? You do enjoy yelling at the TV, that's fine, could you, at least, try to yell a little quieter. I can’t think straight. I’m trying to work with Nancy and Shelly on a list of things we can do to help the families in our state.”
“Whoa, you’re taking this LT Governor crap seriously aren’t you?”
“Well you ARE the LT Governor; we haven’t heard from the Governor, which makes you the acting Governor while he’s out of the state. That makes me the state’s First Lady.”
“You don’t have to tell me, have you seen the list of crap that needs to be reviewed and approved or sent back with comments? That SOB appointed me and took off for a vacation in D.C. When he returns, he and I are going to have a serious chat. Half of this crap is already past due. He planned this entire thing in advance to get someone to handle the crap he doesn’t want to handle.”
Lacy sits down in one of the side chairs,
“Honey, why don’t you appoint Fred as your assistant? He loves all this paperwork shit. You know how he took to MS Office like a fish to water.”
“Yeah, I threatened him with bodily harm if he brought me another twenty page MS Project matrix. You do have a point. He’d love to take all of this paperwork and organize it. I’ll be able to clear my desk and dump it on his.”
“That’s my little bureaucrat, you’ll be able to build your own bureaucracy which will take the pressure off of you.”
“Shit, when the Governor returns he’s liable to take Fred and the people Fred hires with him.”
“Fred won’t ever leave here.”
“Great, so the Governor will move here permanently. Just what I need.”
“Jay, did you forget, you’re a member of the bureaucracy now, you’re the LT Governor. You’re part of the State Government. You’re the number two person in the state. When the Governor left for D.C., you became the number one man in the state. Today, you’re the top dog.”
“Don’t remind me. Do me a favor? Ask Fred to stop over, without telling him why I’d like to see him. I want to surprise him.”
Smiling like the Cheshire Cat from ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Lacy smiles,
“I’ll call him. I’m sure he’ll be here in a flash with his laptop.”
“I knew I should have killed those assholes who showed up wanting to trade food for writing government reports.”
Lacy’s hand covers her mouth trying to force her laugh not to explode from between her closed lips.
“Come clean, what’s so funny?”
“I can’t, I really can’t tell you.”
“I thought we agreed to never keep secrets from each other. What’s so funny. You know I love good jokes, tell me. Let me share the laugh you’re trying so hard to keep in.”
Lacy clamps both her hands over her mouth, she’s shaking with tears running down her face. She moves her hands,
“I can’t, please don’t push me, I can’t tell you. Oh my God. This is going to be so good.”
She runs away from Jay’s office laughing like she’s being tickled all over her body. Jay sits behind his desk shaking his head. I’m screwed, she knows something so funny that I know is going to bite me in the ass. What could be so funny? Damn it. I better call Fred. I’m not sure she’ll stop laughing long enough to call him.
Fred stands in Jay’s office holding his laptop and a thick notebook smiling. His bright eyes look at Jay,
“Your lordship asked to see me?”
“I’m not your lordship.”
“Your honor, I, your humble servant, is answering your call. How may I be of assistance?”
“Fred, have a seat. I have something very important to discuss with you. Did you feel the excitement this morning? Did you wake feeling that today was going to be your lucky day?”
“Crap, when you talk that way it means I should bend over and get a jar of Vaseline. What do you need?”
“Fred, today is indeed your lucky day. I’m appointing you as the Executive Assistant to the LT Governor of the Great State of Tennessee.”
“Oh shit, that doesn’t sound like a fun job. What am I supposed to do as
your Lordship’s Executive Assistant?”
“Please hold out your arms.”
Jay picks up a pile of paper and memory sticks standing three feet tall.
“This is all for you. This is an expression of my love for you. This is an expression of the respect I have for you. Please take these and make some sense of them. Just bring me back what really needs my signature and personal attention. The rest, you’re free to handle as you see fit.”
“Do I have a budget to hire support staff so I can get this crap handled without impacting my tasks on the farm and shelter?”
“Sure, what do you need? Remember, this is going to come from our own tax dollars so be as cheap as you can. I don’t want to have to pay more because you blew the budget.”