“And how do you propose doing that?”
“Well, depends on what your thoughts are on it. Do you think the plan should be seriously considered, or do you want to shut it down at this point?”
“Look, we can always come back to it if things continue to deteriorate, but right now I’ve got more than enough on my plate.” He waved a hand over the piles of folders on his desk.
“It’s settled then. You’ve got the joint press conference with the British Prime Minister this afternoon. I’ll have a question planted by one of the reporters, and all you’ve got to do is say you look at all possibilities and, yes, this was one of them, but it is no longer under consideration. I’ll also get an article in the Post saying it’s been tabled. That way we hit it head-on and it’ll disappear from the newsfeed. Is that okay with you, sir?”
The president nodded.
“Sorry if I’ve been a bit testy about it.”
“No need to apologize, sir.”
“It’s not that it’s a bad idea, it’s just that it seems too early. I’d be known as the guy who brought back death.”
“I understand completely. We’ll shelve it, and if the time comes, at least we’ve started a conversation with the public about it.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jack’s boss was wearing a frown and a gray tie.
“Shut the door.”
Jack stiffened. “What’s up?”
“Jack, you’ve got to take some time off.”
“No way, there’s just too much going on.”
“I’m telling you to take a couple of weeks off!”
Jack stared at his boss. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on is, we’ve taken a shitload of heat from that protein story of yours. Senior management’s concerned you’ve eroded the paper’s credibility.”
“I helped build their damn credibility. So what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is, you didn’t do the basics! We checked into your story. You broke the fundamental tenant of reporting—you didn’t check your facts. You ran a provocative story that was pure bullshit.”
“But . . .”
“And to make matters worse, you took advantage of our relationship and ran this crap without getting it vetted. You know damn well I would’ve never let that go to press.”
Jack sighed. “But the source was the same one that got you all the headlines.”
“And you the glory.”
“I resent that. I’m not in this for the so-called glory!”
“The hell you ain’t!”
Jack glared as his boss said, “Look, you came up fast. You did an amazing job at breaking scores of stories, but you know what? Maybe you’re a little green, a bit naive. Your source played you. Then you went and made things worse by going on the talk shows to feed your damn ego instead of vetting your story. Now, take a couple of weeks off. We’re done here.”
***
Ellen was boiling water and heard the apartment door open.
“Oh, hi, John John.” Jack’s grandmother checked her watch. “What are you doing home at this time? You feel okay?”
Jack circled around the tub of vegetable plants and headed for his bedroom. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“All right, John John. Laura’s down in the laundry room. She’ll be up in a minute, John John.”
“Look, Grams, layoff on the John John, will you? I want to be called Jack, okay?”
His grandmother stood speechless as the bedroom door slammed shut.
Laura came in with a basket of folded laundry and Jack’s grandmother pointed to the bedroom.
“Jack’s home. I don’t think he’s feeling well.”
Laura set the basket down and slipped into the bedroom. Jack was lying on the bed wearing his clothes and a frown.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
“What’s the matter? You feel okay?”
“Why’s everyone asking if I feel all right? I said I did.”
“Then what’s going on?”
Jack closed his eyes. “Nothing.”
“Don’t tell me nothing. What happened?”
“Paper got all pissy about the protein story.”
“What did they say?”
“Told me to take some time off.”
“They suspended you?”
“Not officially, but that’s what it amounts to.” Jack arched his neck. “That damn Garland, he really set me up. I’ll get that bastard, you’ll see.”
“But what about the extra rations we’re getting from him?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”
“Jack, please don’t do anything stupid. Just leave things alone. We need those rations.”
“We only get one extra meal a week. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is, we’ve been saving them like you said we had to. I didn’t believe it at first, but now I know we’re going to need them.”
Jack sighed. “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll leave it alone.”
PART THREE
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
~ Corinthians 15:26
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ten Years Later
“Laura, you better go tell John John to hurry, or he’ll miss the start.”
Jack was coming out of the bathroom. “Don’t worry, Grams, it’ll take Rogers another five or ten minutes to get to the podium. You’ve seen more of these than we have, and you know the phony adoration goes on for a while.”
Jack sat next to his wife, and his grandmother settled into what used to be Jack’s recliner as the sergeant at arms announced the president’s arrival.
William Rogers was mobbed as he entered the House chamber to give his first State of the Union address. Before he climbed the stairs to the podium, he made a special effort to shake hands and chat with former president Johnson. The unsightly tick that Rogers’ predecessor developed had spread during his last year in office, causing Johnson to have bouts of spasms. Though his former boss was reclusive and vilified by the nation, Rogers made sure he was present to provide contrast.
Outfitted in a baggy suit, President Rogers carefully made his way up the stairs, shook the vice president and speaker’s hands and settled behind the podium as the crowd cheered. The president, whose makeup made him appear thinner, restrained his smile and put his finger on his lips to quite things down.
“Thank you, thank you. Tonight, I’d like to ask your help and break a little tradition. The citizens of this great nation are suffering under the consequences of the population explosion. While we have had some victories, a long and difficult struggle lies ahead. So, in an acknowledgement of the challenges we face, let’s dispense with the applause and do the people’s business.”
Applause began to break out but it quelled quickly.
“Perfect. Thank you.” Rogers smiled, then grabbed both sides of the podium.
“The State of the Union is holding solid, though it is being tested as never before. I know we can weather the coming storms, but I also know we must be united to do so. The attacks on our security forces, institutions, and on each other, are not only disturbing but completely counterproductive. Though we are working diligently for new sources, our food and water resources are finite, at the moment. We simply must share them in a fair, equitable manner with all citizens. No favorites, special deals, or exceptions can be tolerated.” Rogers surveyed the audience. “Likewise, the sacrifices we are forced to make must be shouldered equally by all. No favorites, special deals, or exceptions. It’s the only way we’ll beat this, and believe me, united, we will.”
A smattering of applause quickly died down.
“Now, the programs we’ve initiated and those that President Johnson shepherded have been effective. I realize they have not eliminated the threat, but I ask you, as we contemplate other measures, to keep in mind they have definitely reduced the hardship.”
Rogers shifted his weight. “I know you’re anxious to know
what we are going to do going forward, so let me share a couple of initiatives that we believe will add a counterweight to the problems we face. A growing concern, that’s been exacerbated by the drought and by the fact that we’ve increased our agriculture production, which itself requires more water, is drinking water. However, there is one process we believe that holds tremendous promise, and that is desalinating the plentiful seawater we have. In order to unlock that promise, my administration has given priority to building desalination plants. We are working now, with Congress, to appropriate the funds necessary, and we expect to break ground next quarter.”
The attendees jumped to their feet in applause, which Rogers did little to quell.
“In the meantime, I have authorized the distribution of water purifying kits, complete with iodine tablets, which are known water purifiers, and other useful means to ensure we all have clean water to drink. Additionally, millions of swimming pools dot the country. They’ve been used as a source of clean water by many American’s but also as a flash point for violence. Rest assured, we’re developing a policy to safely harness those resources for all Americans.”
Rogers took a sip of water. “I have also struck a trade deal, leveraging America’s industrial know-how with India, providing them with three power plants in exchange for a hundred million tons of grain.”
The story about the grain deal didn’t get much applause as it had been leaked several months ago, and Rogers plowed on.
“In order to restrain the growing demands on our resources, we will try to work with Congress to create a lottery program for births. The program would authorize a set number of births per year to couples meeting certain criteria. We also will ask Congress for a downward adjustment in the End of Life ceiling. We trust Congress will recognize its duty to rein in the population, but if it fails to do so, I am prepared to use my executive authority.
“In closing, I want to add that we have increased funding for security to ensure that any person or group unwilling to cooperate and abide by the rules will be punished. My fellow Americans, we may have some dark days ahead, but I am confident that if we come together, we will be victorious. May God bless the United States of America.”
A panel of political analysts against a backdrop of the president glad-handing filled the screen as Jack broke the silence.
“Not a bad speech. He pretty much got everyone to stop with the ridiculous applause. The lottery thing is a joke, though. The info I have says the odds of winning a lottery are going to be ten times harder than winning Powerball.”
Laura sighed. “We’ll never have a baby.”
“Come on, Lor, we both know it’d be the wrong thing to do now. We’ll wait till this is all over.”
“It’s never going to be over. You said it yourself, Jack.”
“No, I never said that. I said we need a major breakthrough. We can beat this. America’s overcome a lot, right, Grams?”
“Sure, I guess, but . . . well, I won’t be around much longer anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The president said they were going to lower the age again. It won’t be long till my number’s up, but that’s okay, as long as it’s good for you kids.”
“Oh, don’t talk that way. I’m sure you’re going to be far away from the new limit. Jack, what kinda of info do you have on this?”
Jack gulped. “Not much, I, they didn’t say too much yet.”
Laura said, “Well, now its ninety-five, and you’re only seventy-five. Who knows what’ll happen in the next twenty years?”
Jack’s grandmother grimaced. “I hope it’s not painful.”
“Come on, Grams! Stop with all this nonsense. You’ve got plenty of time. Besides, who we gonna get to babysit our kids when this is all over?”
***
Jack took a Lyft car along Route 34 and got out at Becker’s Hardware in Colts Neck. A source he knew only as Andy and who worked at Earle Weapons Base pulled up to Becker’s and drove him to the housing section of the military base.
As they pulled onto his gravel driveway, Jack said, “I really appreciate this. I know you’re sticking your neck out.”
Andy said, “I couldn’t look in the mirror if I didn’t do something.”
“We’ll get the word out. I promise you.”
Andy nodded and said, “Okay. Look, you’re gonna head straight back for about a hundred yards till you hit the chain-link fence. Follow the fence to the left, and in about thirty or so yards you’ll see a small opening. Go straight through it and you’ll run into a second fence. Head right for several hundred yards. When you see the Munitions Command Center—it’s a gray stone structure—an access road will start to be visible. Once that road cuts back out of sight, they’ll be another opening. Go through it and sit tight. Stay out of sight, and I’ll meet you in ninety minutes. I’ll whistle, okay?”
“Got it. Are there patrols I’ve got to worry about?”
“Nah, they cut them out years ago. This place was slated to close, but, well, you know how it goes with politicians.”
“And how. Say, why do you think they’re using Earle?”
“Well, for sure, it’s got to be the direct sea and rail access we have. The tracks go through the heart of the complex right down to the docks. So sea, rail, and truck access, plus the place has been pretty quiet for ten years.”
“Makes sense, keeps it out of the public’s eye.”
“Okay, get moving.”
“I really appreciate this.”
“I hope you feel the same way after seeing it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve seen it all.”
Jack sat on a fallen tree and was checking his camera when he heard a whistle. He peered through the greenery and saw a Ford pickup truck slow down. He jogged over and jumped in. Andy tossed him an army hat and drove him toward a low-slung building that was rusting in places. A mixture of trucks, some animal carriers and some refrigerated, waited in a line to use the six loading docks that lined the building’s side. Andy let Jack out at the rear of the building.
“The door is unlocked. There’s a couple of offices upstairs that nobody uses anymore, and two of them have windows looking into the warehouse. Be discreet and don’t use the flash.”
Jack could hear what sounded like a whiny, buzzing sound as he scurried into the building. He took the stairs to an office marked Logistics Manager. A large window framed the crowded warehouse floor, which had the look of a circus. Jack quickly scanned the activity and did a double take when his eyes roamed past a stack of spotted limbs on a forklift riding toward a loading dock.
Jack spit out the bile that had sprung into his mouth when he realized they were giraffe legs. Jack’s heart raced as he tried to make sense of what he was witnessing. He took a deep breath and settled his eyes on a line of animals being prodded from the unloading dock onto the warehouse floor, where they were led to a makeshift pen. Armed with rifles, uniformed soldiers shot what had to be drug-laden darts into them. As the drugs took effect, the animals quickly toppled over.
When the animals were comatose, the rear gate of the pen opened for forklifts that were loaded with the carcasses. The forklifts moved their loads to a blood-stained area where the animals were hung upside down by their legs on a rack. A group of soldiers then slit the animals’ bellies, spilling their innards onto the floor, and skinned them. Then they armed themselves with chain saws and cut the heads and limbs off the animals. The resulting river of red was moved along by three men sweeping the blood and guts and two other men hosing the mire into a large drain.
Mouth agape, Jack could only watch as the heads were tossed into a refuse container, and the carcasses and limbs were stacked into carts. Once the carts were filled, they were moved to a loading dock, where a refrigerated truck waited to be filled.
Jack gave the disassembly line a once over and pulled his phone out. He snapped pictures of the line of animals being led to their slaughter. He made sure to get closer images of the z
ebras, chimpanzees, giraffes, kangaroos, and elephants that made up this particular line.
Jack focused his attention on a series of pallets with the bodies of bears and lions that were staged by an empty bay. He took pictures of the gruesome dismemberment and was about to leave when he saw two frightened chimpanzees embracing each other. Jack swallowed the knot in his throat before he took pictures of the terrified apes.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Billy Willis put his hands on the back of a chair and forced a smile. The wall of monitors behind the host of A Closer Look displayed throngs of protesters surrounding the White House and Capitol Hill.
“Good evening, and welcome to A Closer Look. Tonight we’re fortunate to have an interesting panel of experts to take a closer look at the controversy over the administration’s wildlife policy.” Willis hiked his thumbs over his shoulders, indicating the monitors. “As evidenced by the protests, folks are mighty upset. A Closer Look will dig deeper and provide our audience with balanced, in-depth facts to help them better understand the issue. Before we go on, I’d like to thank our audience for making A Closer Look the most-watched program in television history. You all know I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing show and promise we’ll stay true to our charter.”
The studio audience applauded as Willis moved around the table.
“Now, let’s get started, and please give our guests a warm Southern welcome.”
Willis met his guests and shook their hands as he introduced them.
“Reporter extraordinaire Jack Amato, who’s certainly no stranger to our audience, is back. Joining Jack is Archibald Nolan of the National Wildlife Federation, Francine Bream of the Humane Farming Association, and Buck Regan, who’s the spokesman for the North American Meat Institute.”
The Final Enemy Page 17