“Important: July 5, RAID”
‘Shit,’ he said laying down the piece of paper like it was on fire. They were actually going to do it. This was crazy. Talking about it was one thing but to actually receive a date was almost unbelievable. He sat down and pushed the note farther from him almost like it was diseased. In a way it was.
***
MCAS-Beaufort, South Carolina was the location of the Marine Corps Air Station where Brigadier General Alan “Mac” MacMillan was the commanding officer. It had been his home for the past three years and probably would be until he retired or was forced out.
He put the top down on the 1962 Corvette that he had bought new when he was a young lieutenant. He hopped on Trask Parkway and headed southeast before picking up 280 South. He exited on to Paris Avenue. At the end of the street he turned right on Eleventh Street and continued until he arrived at the Dockside Restaurant.
He climbed out of the Vette and looked at it lovingly. The arrest-me-red paint was just as bright as it was the day he bought it. He patted the fender as he walked across the parking lot.
The restaurant felt refreshing as he entered to a cool blast of air. He took a second for his eyes to adjust before he walked further into the restaurant. The place had the typical nautical trappings. Wood paneled walls, boats, and seafaring paraphernalia decked out the interior. A huge fish, which Mac thought might be a Muskie, was mounted on one wall.
He took a table with a view of the bay and where he could watch for General Frank Warren. A young waitress came over to the table and he ordered an iced tea. Just as she sat the iced tea on the table, he saw Frank come through the door. He had done the same thing, waited until his eyes adjusted. Mac waved and he walked over as Mac stood to shake hands.
“How the hell are you Mac?”
“Doing okay I guess. Don’t have many complaints. How about you?”
“Ah you know. Same crap. I swear, the recruits we are getting now days have the collective IQ of a carrot. What a lazy bunch of bums. Half of them have tattoos like they were in prison for the first half of their lives. Sorriest, dumbest looking bunch I have ever seen. Give me the hippies from the 60s over these freaks. These guys are all Gomers.”
“No Frank, tell me how you really feel.”
“Ah shit Mac. Everything is going to hell in a handcart. I’m actually thinking about hanging it up.”
“Holy shit. I never thought I would hear you say that,” Mac said in amazement.
“I think it’s time. Our budget is almost non-existent. We have deferred maintenance to such an extent that it’s getting dangerous. If something does happen who the hell do you think will get blamed?” Frank said bitterly.
Mac had never heard him talk like this before. Things must be as bad at Parris Island as they were at MCAS.
“Sorry, just blowing off steam. Got no one to talk to at the Island,” Frank said.
“You’re not serious about EAS.”
“Well to tell the truth I am giving it really serious thought. The IG just showed up last week, unannounced, poked around for a few hours and left. Didn’t say ten words to me. I have no idea what that was all about.”
“What did he look at?”
“The frickin OQR’s,” Frank said.
“The Officer Qualification Records? What the hell for?”
“That’s just it. I don’t have any idea.”
“Weird shit Frank.”
“Oh yeah. Rumor has it he plans to drop in on you real soon.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Easy Mac. I just found out today. You had already left.”
“Son of a bitch. What the hell is going on?”
He was just about to say something when the waitress came back. They quickly ordered without even glancing at the menu, waiting for her to leave.
“Listen. This is something that I picked up in the wind. It seems the President is going to order a sweep of the civilian population to remove all weapons from private individuals.”
Mac looked at him like he had lost his mind.
“I kid you not, Mac. It’s called Operation Clean Sweep. He is going to order the police, DEA, FBI and all the other alphabet agencies to disarm all citizens.”
“Unbelievable. What about the second amendment?”
“Their thinking is that it is better to grab them and destroy them quickly before they can be ordered to return them.”
“That’s an impeachable offence,” Mas stuttered.
“That’s only half of it. The military are to support the operation.”
“What?” he said raising his voice.
Several people looked over at them.
“Easy. They simply can’t muster enough people without the help of the military. The Army and Marines will be ordered to support the operation.”
“Frank, that’s crazy. This is...insane. Does he really think he can get away with this?”
“Evidently so. It’s been planned for some time now. I don’t know when but I suspect the IG’s visit had something to do with it.”
“What are you going to do if you are ordered to send men?” Mac asked.
Frank didn’t answer for several seconds. He took a drink of his iced tea and was saved from answering by the waitress bringing their order. She hovered far too long before finally heading to another table.
“Frank?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“But you have thought about it.”
“Almost nonstop. Frankly I’m not sure what I will do when the time comes. What about you?”
“I won’t do it. I’ll resign first. I am not going to take part in an illegal activity no matter who orders it.”
“Not even the President of the United States?”
“As far as I am concerned I won’t recognize him as my Commander-in-Chief,” Mac said.
“All I can say is, God help us if they go through with this.”
The two men talked for another two hours before they departed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CNN NEWS - Protesters filled the streets in major cities all around the nation today. Signs of IMPEACH QUASIM and GIVE AMERICA BACK were visible everywhere. The most violent protests took place in Houston, Miami, Baton Rouge, and Memphis. Thousands of protesters clashed with police for several hours.
Miami was the worst. Six protesters were killed during the ensuing confrontation and another forty-one were injured. One police officer suffered second and third degree burns when a gas filled bottle shattered and engulfed him. Other officers were able to get him to the ground and smother the flames.
Florida’s Governor, Michel Cain, declared Martial Law in Dade County. A 9:00 p.m. curfew was imposed. Small bands of rioters roamed the city at various times during the day.
Smaller protests about unemployment and inflation took place in cities all across America....
***
“Those idiots. What do they think they can accomplish by rioting?”
“They are just blowing off steam,” Hanna Cole said.
“I don’t call rioting and people getting killed just blowing off steam.”
“We have to issue a statement indicating that we are tackling the issues. Something to reassure the public that we have a plan,” Sarah Sloan said.
“That’s well and fine but what is that plan exactly? Unemployment jumped another two percent this week and inflation rose one and a half percent. We don’t have a plan that will reassure them,” President Quasim said.
“We need to introduce another stimulus plan,” Hanna replied.
“Christ. Where are we going to get the money for that? We are up to our eyeballs in debt. China, Japan and Egypt own half of the US as it stands now.”
“That may be so but if we do nothing these riots will increase in number and intensity,” Hanna said.
“What a mess. I’m surrounded by the best minds in the country and we don’t have a clue as to how to fix the problem,” Quasim lamented.
<
br /> “We had better hope the scheduled July, 3rd aborted attempt on your life will help.”
“A fake assassination attempt to calm down the nation. How pathetic is that?” Quasim replied.
“It’s better than you going on national television and saying you don’t really have a plan. At least this buys us some time.”
The President just shook his head. Pathetic. Just pathetic.
***
Carl Hicks and Bob Tonner sat at the front of the room. Over eighty-five people were packed in the room. The air conditioner was doing all it could but the temperature was still 83 degrees.
Tonner stood and said, “Okay. I know it’s a bit warm so I’ll keep this brief. First, thank you all for coming. I know it is never easy to travel, feeling like you are being followed. This will be our last meeting here. It is too dangerous for us to meet in such a large group. Eventually someone is bound to poke his nose into what these meetings are about. Most of you know that Carl has a source high up in the government that has been feeding him information. We are damn lucky that not everyone is willing to blindly follow the government. Carl, why don’t you tell them the latest information.”
Carl slowly stood and walked to the microphone that had been set up.
“A raid of all gun stores, pawn shops, militia groups, and private citizens is still on. The proposed date is July 5th. In the early morning hours government agencies will sweep in and confiscate all guns and ammunition. No one will be exempt. The date was picked because it has been determined that most people will be tired from being up late on the 4th of July. Since Monday the 5th is a holiday for many, it will make getting to gun stores and pawn shops easier. Most won’t be open that day. This has been rumored for some time but I now have firm confirmation that the event is actually going to take place. As far as I can see we have only two options. Let them come in and take our second amendment rights from us or stand our ground. I cannot make that decision for you. I will remind you that the whole purpose of a militia is to safeguard the nation against illegal acts by the government.”
He paused letting it sink in.
“My source tells me that many of the military commanders are unsure about what they will do when the time comes. The majority will do as they are ordered but some will stop and think about what this really means. It is a clear breach of the US Constitution, an illegal order given by the President of the United States. Even the Commander-in-Chief does not have the authority to defy the Constitution,” he told them.
“The kickoff time for what they are calling Operation Clean Sweep is 2:00 a.m. on Monday, July 5th. Ladies and gentlemen, you are going to have to make a hard decision in the next day or so. Time is running out. Those who will resist are going to have to band together and work out a chain of command and a plan to confront the government. You will be called traitors. You will be called turncoats, outlaws, and a lot worse. If you can’t handle standing up to them then you should surrender your arms. The rest of us who intend to resist, need to make plans regarding how we are going to react when the 5th comes around.”
He turned back to Bob and nodded. Bob came back to the microphone.
“How many ex-military or reserve officers do we have in the room?” Bob asked.
Hands shot up all around the room.
“Any Marine or Army Officers?”
“Several hands remained in the air.”
“Any O-3 and above?”
A couple of hands went down.
“O-4 and above?”
A few more dropped.
“O-5?”
Nine hands still remained held up.
“O-6 or above?”
“Four still were up in the air.’
“O-7?”
Only one remained.
“Sir, you are?”
“Brigadier General Joel Adams.”
“I don’t want to put you on the spot and you can simply not answer if you don’t want to. Do you intend to surrender your arms or to resist?”
Adams rubbed his chin and stood.
“As a military man for almost my entire life it is ingrained in me to follow orders, especially when given directly by the Commander-in-Chief. How do you say no to the leader of the country?” he said, looking around the room.
Everyone was riveted on what he was saying. He cleared this throat, and took a deep breath.
“The problem as I see it is one of moral conviction. Do you follow orders that you know to be morally wrong and that could potentially destroy the very nation you have given an oath to protect. The famous ‘I was just following orders’ reverberated through Germany during the Second World War. Hitler’s men and women were ‘just following orders’. It was morally wrong but they hid behind that phrase. I do not intend to follow down that path.”
Everyone in the room erupted in cheering and clapping. Adams nodded quickly to Bob and sat down. It was several minutes before everyone finally settled down.
“It seems that most of you are in agreement with General Adams. Having said that, anyone who is not in agreement should probably leave at this point. Those staying will be asked to participate in talks later this afternoon. Lunch will be served outside at the tables by the shooting range. We would like to have all officers of any rank and enlisted with the rank of E-6 and above to join us for a brief meeting. How about those staying but not above the rank of E-6 retiring to the lunch tables,” Bob said.
***
“Bob, Carl, pleasure to meet you two. You know this is quite a risk that you are taking. Anyone in that room could be reporting back to one of the government agencies,” General Adams said.
They were seated in a small area off the main room of the gun club. Comfortable chairs with coffee tables were arranged throughout the room. A thick burgundy carpet covered the floor. Pictures lined most of the space on the walls.
“Well, I guess that’s the same risk our forefathers took against the British and later during the Civil War. Sometimes the risk has to be taken,” Bob said.
“Yes but in those days it was a little easier to carry off meetings. It’s much harder today.”
“You’re right General but the threat remains the same.”
“Alright.”
“Anyway, with the men we have in this room, we can organize a resistance. I know, it won’t be much but it will buy us time. Carl knows that there are a lot of other military men who will have a hard time with the orders and will resist as well. We need to get as many weapons and as much ammunition as possible safely hidden. Once the government has them we will be virtually helpless to defend ourselves,” Bob told them.
“That makes sense but how? I mean, we are talking about involving a hell of a lot of people. The risk of the government finding out will be enormous,” Adams said.
“That’s true. I can’t see any way around taking that risk. The NRA is going to help us communicate with as many gun owners, manufactures and ammunition suppliers as possible. Of course the government will know as soon as that happens but we have to alert as many people as possible. The government won’t have time to change their plans. We intend to wait until the 3rd of July to send out the message.”
“Most of the people won’t even read the message until it’s too late.”
“That’s a real risk but everyone who does is one more armed citizen.”
“Do you think people will really resist? I mean the average citizen?” the General asked.
“Some won’t but a lot of them will. Most people understand that citizens being stripped of their second amendment rights leaves them at the mercy of the government with no checks and balances in place. A good many of them will hide their guns and ammo or simply not be at home when the government makes their raids.”
“This is unbelievable. This is what you might expect in some third world country or a dictatorship but damn it, this is America. We shouldn’t even have to worry about this kind of invasion of our homes and disregard of our civil rights” Adams said, slamming his fist on th
e arm of the chair.
“True but here we are. The question is, how are we going to respond?” Carl said.
“What do you want from us?” Adams asked.
“We are ex-military men. I was an E-6 and Carl was an E-7. Not exactly high up the food chain as far as the military goes. We have given you the information. We need to pass this along to someone who can actually organize the resistance and come up with a military plan,” Bob said.
“Men,” the General said to the others in the room, “How many of you are willing to join the resistance against this suspension of our constitutional rights?”
Every hand went up without hesitancy. The General raised his eyebrows.
“It means going against the government. It means that you will be considered felons. The government will come after you and you will probably have to fight other Americans. Think about that a moment. Once the shots are fired there is no going back. We will be, in effect, starting the Second Civil War. Our nation will be divided. Men and women on both sides will be killed. Some of the military will fight on the government's side and some will join us, but no matter what, we are talking about a war. Right here on our home soil. American blood will be spilled. Are you sure you are willing to go that far? The simplest thing would be to just give up your weapons and work within the legal system to overturn the decision made by the government.”
“But they will destroy our weapons and ammunition,” one of the men piped up.
“Probably true but eventually new ones will be made at some point.”
“How can you be so sure General?” another man asked.
“Because it is business. Someone in some country will set up shop and start producing weapons. Other countries will smuggle and sell them to the people in this country. They can slow us down but at some point people will band together and resist as the government tries to take away the other rights we now enjoy. It may be ten or twenty years from now but eventually people will get fed up and rise up against the government.”
A NATION DIVIDED - THE SECOND CIVIL WAR (The Second Civil War - BOOK I 1) Page 8