Seeking a Sane Society: Nothing is the Same (The Seeking Series Book 2)

by Albert A. Correia

  “Warren, that was only yesterday morning,” Zach reminded him.

  Marcus looked questioningly from one to the other. The exchange between the two men didn’t tell him much about the quality of the impending surveillance.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 20

  WHEN they finished their conversation, the four men walked over to the hotel George was showing Captain Wang and his men. After George completed his tour of the facility, Wang went over to Zach.

  “It is good to be reunited with you and your family,” Wang said. “It is as though we have become old friends in a short amount of time.”

  “I see it that way, too,” Zach said, “and I know every member of my family feels the same. It irks me that I have to discuss what I’m about to with you, but, as a friend, I must.”

  “Oh?”

  “Let’s go outside.” When they were alone, Zach told Wang the conversation he had with Captain Kotchel.

  “Sophie is not seeking romance,” Wang said. “Like so many of us, she lost her whole family. She needs to talk with someone who understands, but who can see the light that is still out there. That fool she is with does not see that. He is intent upon using this opportunity to create a world order based upon some crazy ideas he has developed. I think even Mao would consider him radical.” He took a breath. “But, I understand the problem that her talking with me causes. In the situation we are in, we must avoid unnecessary distractions. I will do what I can to stay away from both of them.”

  As if fate decided to challenge his resolve, the group from Simi Valley came around the corner. Sophie was over her seasickness and walked in the front of the group, talking with Mae Arthur.

  When the younger woman saw Zach and Wang, she hurried over and reached out to touch Wang’s arm. “They have some beautiful homes for us,” she gushed. “How is the hotel? Can I take a look around?”

  A stern voice from behind Sophie. “Hey, you, Chinaman, leave my girl alone!” Barry Lockman rushed to the front of the group. He was no more than ten feet away from Sophie and Wang.

  Wang’s hands were at his sides, and he made no move to raise them, but Zach saw that his fingers stiffened and closed together. He knew enough about martial arts to know that those hands had just become lethal weapons.

  Lockman moved forward, but Zach stepped in front of him. “My friend is not talking to her,” he said, “she is talking to him.”

  Wang ignored Lockman. Through clenched teeth, he said to Sophie, “I am sorry that it must be this way, but it is best that we not talk any further.” Still not bothering to look at Lockman, he turned and walked into the hotel.

  “Look at him run,” smirked Lockman.

  Sophie turned and looked at Zach. “I don’t understand,” she murmured.

  “He just proved that he is a good man,” Zach advised her.

  “I appreciate. . . ” Lockman started to say.

  “Not you!” Zach seethed, cutting him off in mid-sentence. “You’re probably still alive only because the better man chose to leave it that way.”

  * * * * *

  Slaughter set the radio headset down and walked around the reception counter to the lobby. “Good news,” he told Silva and Venable. “We have a man on Catalina.”

  “How did you manage that?” asked a very pleased Silva.

  “Nick Garcia, your Lieutenant Governor, ran across him while looking for recruits in Southern California. The guy remembered you from when you were in the state legislature. He liked your tax proposals.”

  “I’ll be darned,” said Silva. “I didn’t think there was anyone else in the state who felt that way. I thought everyone feared that it would drive half the population into bankruptcy.”

  “Well, this guy must have thought it was a good idea. When he heard you were now the governor, he asked how he could ‘be of service.’ He was part of a group headed out to Catalina, so Nick figured the best way he could help was by going along to spy for us. He smuggled in a small hand held radio and is in contact with McFee.”

  “A guy right in the middle of things can give us some valuable inside info,” Venable opined.

  “He’s given us good stuff already,” Slaughter told the other two men. “The group he’s with is setting up housekeeping in Avalon. They’re pretty much every day kinds of people, unlike that warlike bunch in Two Harbors. They’ll get some training, but you know how that is. Most will never be able to shoot straight, and half will turn and run when they hear the first shot fired.”

  Ideas were bouncing around in Silva’s head. “This is going to give us a big edge,” he surmised.

  “Mal, tell your men to go ahead with the attack on Two Harbors when they’ve got all the boats and weapons they need. But only Two Harbors. Leave Avalon alone. We need those people.”

  “We need them?” Venable wondered. “What do you mean?”

  “Think about it, VeeVee. In the next three or four weeks, while Mal’s guys are preparing, the people at Two Harbors will be hard at work getting crops planted and making things they need for everyday living. Once we eliminate them, we’ll need workers to take over what they were doing. I plan on sending some of the people Mal and his men round up here on the mainland, but having a bunch on the spot is more convenient.”

  “If they’re willing to work for us, that is.” He didn’t sound convinced. “Dick, just because one is on your side doesn’t mean they all are.”

  Silva laughed. “Scared people do what needs to be done if they have no choice. Mal was right about what they’ll be like, even after a little training. His men will be right there to be certain they, as you suggested, are ‘willing to work for us.’ By then, they’ll do anything we want just for some peace and quiet and something to eat.”

  “Sure is good when things come together so nice like this,” Slaughter said.

  “It was written in the stars,” said Silva, his eyes shining with eerie confidence. “I was born to rule.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter 21

  THERE was a dining room large enough to hold seventy people in the hotel, so Captain Kotchel asked everyone to get settled in and return to the hotel in an hour.

  Captain Wang brought his men in from the submarine in shifts to put what little personal items they had in their hotel rooms. The Simi Valley group had already dropped their belongings off at the houses they chose and then used the time the Chinese were settling in to unpack and to rest.

  The Chinese enlisted men would sleep two to a room with two double beds, which gave them much more space than they were accustomed to on the sub. The five officers each had a room for themselves with queen-sized beds. Seven of the thirty-two Chinese enlisted crewmembers were distrustful of the Americans and opted to stay on the submarine. It worked well because someone needed to guard the sub twenty-four hours a day.

  The others quickly accepted the opportunity to stay in a hotel. It was a luxury beyond any they had ever experienced. The cook, who was something of a loner, had a bed in the hotel and got many of his supplies there. However, he stayed aboard many nights.

  The thirty-six from Simi Valley used eighteen homes. All of them were couples except Marcus, who had a house to himself. Only one couple had a child, a ten-year-old girl. The homes were all in the same general area, but only two were next to each other. Couples in their mid-fifties who had been neighbors in Simi Valley took those.

  George stayed at the hotel to answer questions posed by the submarine crew. He told the men he wanted to be helpful, which was true, but that was only one reason. Although he was accustomed to the submariners during the trip to California with the Arthurs, he could not shake the feeling the Chinese were still the enemy.

  * * * * *

  “Will we be ready for an election in three weeks?” West asked. “I’ve now got a solid number for the people in the outlying areas -a little over three hundred. I’ll get them all lined up, but can you get the city people ready in time?”

  They were meeting north of town at
Ted West’s ranch. Larry Campbell had printed an eight-and-a-half inch “newspaper,” and a ballot of the same size using West’s emergency generator to power the computer and printer.

  “I’ve made contact with ten people here in Tracy,” Madruga replied. “They’re all willing to hunt up the people in hiding and distribute Larry’s newspaper. I’ve also talked to my contacts in the six towns near here that we know still have some inhabitants. They all remember when Silva was in the legislature and will do whatever they can do to get rid of him. I’ll get newspapers out to them to distribute in their towns.”

  “How many people are we talking about?” Larry Campbell wanted to know.

  “I’ve counted about four hundred still alive in the Tracy city limits,” Madruga said. “My best estimate is six or seven hundred in the other towns.”

  “Include Ted’s people, and if those show up to vote,” Campbell said, “it will give us several times as many people as Silva. Assuming most vote against him, he’ll be out of an office he was never really in to start with.”

  “That’s fine,” West said, “but my question about being ready had more to do with having the ability to block Silva and his thugs if – when – they try to stop people from voting. I’m going to tell every farmer who has a gun to bring it, and I’ll give guns to those who don’t. But, we’ll need a lot more than that. How’s it going on your end, Manuel?”

  “I’ve got a range set up at the city dump and have found one hundred and ninety rifles I can give to people,” Madruga answered. “I’m thinking we’ll have three hundred with guns in the city. I figure some of those have their own guns. Being as they’re still alive, I guess a lot of them do. My estimate is a little over a hundred. I need to talk one hundred and ninety others into learning to shoot in the next three weeks.”

  West whistled dispiritedly “If you can’t and Silva gets word of what’s going on and brings in extra gunmen, we’ll have a problem.”

  “We never anticipated that it would be easy,” Campbell said, “but we have to try.”

  “There’s another matter we need to discuss, Larry,” West said. “Manuel and I talked about the ballot while you were writing your newspaper. We think it’s wrong.”

  “Wrong? What’s wrong with it? It gives people two choices. Either they vote Silva in as governor, or they vote him out.”

  “We think they need a choice between two people,” Madruga stated emphatically. “Silva or somebody good.”

  “Look, fellows, I know this whole election idea was mine, but it is nothing but a farce. I just wanted to make it clear that Silva is not the governor. No matter what words he, or we, use, none of us has the authority to elect a governor for the state or for this area, or anywhere else, for that matter.”

  “Who does?” asked West.

  “The. . . ” Campbell started to say, but quickly realized that the entire system for governance of the state and most local areas was extinct. There was no one. “Well,” he said cautiously, “when we make contact with the new congress, whenever they get set up, we can begin working toward a new system in the state.”

  “Until then,” Madruga said, “we need something to put the brakes on people like Silva. Someone people can look up to for guidance and security. You have to put your name on the ballot.”

  “Me?” Campbell cried incredulously. “I’m no politician.”

  “Nothing qualifies you more,” West said.

  “I’m a newspaper man. If we need someone, either of you is better qualified.”

  “Larry, we need to give people a choice of known quantities. They know Silva is bad, and they know you’re good.”

  “You’re known, Manuel.”

  “As a cop. Some say I’m too tough. And, outside of Tracy, no one knows me. On the other hand, people throughout the area know about you. More importantly, they know you in a positive way. You’re known for your fairness.”

  “Half the people think I’m a liberal, and the other half think I’m a conservative,” Campbell noted.

  “Exactly,” said Madruga.

  “Ted?” pleaded Campbell.

  “Outside the Farm Bureau,” West responded. “no one has ever heard of me. Larry, it has to be you.”

  Campbell sat in a swivel chair at the computer, folded his arms, and leaned back.

  “The first person I talked to in town was Maude Cooper,” Madruga said, watching Campbell as he spoke. “You know Maude. She’s a firecracker if ever there was one, and she jumped at the chance to help oust Silva. The first question she asked, though, was who was running against him. When I told her we hadn’t given that any thought, she said, ‘you don’t have to. You already told me Larry Campbell is involved, so you don’t need to think any further than that. Larry’s the guy.’”

  “She’s kind of a fan of mine,” Campbell admitted sheepishly.

  “Lots of people are. After that, I tossed your name out when I talked to people. You know, kind of as a possibility. Everyone approved, from mildly to enthusiastically. I don’t see that’s there’s any other choice.”

  “Light up a cigar, Ted,” Campbell said.

  “Huh?”

  “If decisions are going to be made in a smoke-filled back room,” Campbell said with a sigh, “it seems to me we ought to fill the room with smoke.”

  “So you see the wisdom of the idea,” Madruga said.

  “Wisdom? No. But you could be right; it may be a necessity. Okay, I’ll do it, but there are two things I need to make clear right from the start. First, this is temporary. The minute there’s a legitimate officer named to lead the state, I’m relieved of the job.”

  “That’s fair,” West said. “And, the second?”

  “You guys aren’t getting off scot-free,” Campbell told them. “I’m going to need a lot of help.”

  “We’ll be there with advice whenever you need it,” said West.

  “Oh, you’re going to give a lot more than advice. You two are going to be my constant companions for as long as this lasts.”

  “We’ll be right at your side,” said Madruga.

  “That’s good to hear,” said Campbell, “but I suggest you not stand too close.”

  “Why?” asked West.

  “To avoid flying bullets,” Campbell explained. “I just allowed you guys to put a very large target on my back.”

  * * * * *

  Chapter 22

  THE dining room of the hotel in Avalon was filled to capacity. All the people from Simi Valley, all but five of the submariners, and all but the two of the people who had come from Two Harbors attended. The seven who weren’t there were guarding their boats..

  Captain Kotchel placed four chairs against the wall at one end of the room. Zach sat in the first, Kotchel the second, Marcus the third, and Warren in the fourth. All the other people sat at tables.

  When everyone settled, Kotchel rose to open the meeting. “We were going to discuss setting up ground rules for our new community first. But on the way over today, something more pressing has come up and we need to discuss that immediately. It will likely take up a large portion of this session. I received word that Catalina will be attacked in three to four weeks by a group that is trying to take over California.”

  That set off an immediate buzz of excited conversation at the tables. Captain Wang, who was careful to seat himself and his men as far away from Barry Lockman and Sophia as possible, translated Captain Kotchel’s words for his crew. People shouted questions, each louder than the one before.

  Kotchel stood silently until the commotion died down. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said when he could be heard, “we will have a difficult time accomplishing anything if we don’t conduct ourselves in an orderly fashion. If you have a question or comment, please raise your hand. I will call one at a time.”

  A woman at the table closest to Kotchel raised her hand. “Who is going to attack us?”

  “A fellow by the name of Richard Silva is behind the plot,” said Kotchel. “The information we have ri
ght now is sketchy. He gathered some people together in the Tracy area and had himself elected governor.”

  “Of California?” the woman asked in astonishment.

  “Yes,” said Kotchel. “I see Barry has his hand up. Barry?”

  “I remember Silva,” said Lockman. “In my mind, he was a good assemblyman, and I believe he will be a good governor. If he plans to attack Catalina, then he must have a good reason.”

  Several people jumped up to protest, including Warren.

  “Again, people, I must ask you to speak only when you’ve been called upon,” Kotchel said in a loud, stern voice. “Mae Arthur, I believe your next.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” she said. “I have an answer to that, but my son Zach and Warren were in the middle of it, and either can give you a better response.”

  Kotchel turned to Warren. “I get the feeling you have an opinion,”

  “You bet I have!” Warren said. “That creep Silva sent a bunch of cutthroats to Two Harbors to try to con us out of half our food and supplies. They had the nerve to try to tell us it was ‘taxes.’ When we refused, they tried to steal the stuff from us at gunpoint. There was an altercation, and we sent them packing.”

  “So we’re all in danger because you refused to pay your taxes!” Lockman snapped.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Warren snapped back. “They have no authority to collect taxes. Look, Silva is nothing but a thief. He was kicked out of the legislature and sent to prison for his thieving ways.”

  “As I recall,” Marcus said quietly, speaking for the first time from his seat next to Warren, “he claimed the charges were trumped up, and his sentence was reduced.”

  “Only because he had a lawyer who. . . ”

  “Stop it!” Kotchel’s authoritative voice blared out. “This is getting out of hand. Silva’s legitimacy isn’t the issue. You are going to be attacked whether he is legitimate or not. More than attacked. According to the message we got, they plan on killing everyone out here. So, the question is, are you going to prepare a defense, or aren’t you?”