Acts of Sedition

by Dennis Stephan

  Back in the car, he asked Karen if she was ok. She was shaking and crying now. He wanted to help her, but there was nothing he could say or do for her right now. He sped away.

  Once again he improvised deciding to pick up I-75 and take that to The Gordie Howe Bridge. He estimated that he was only about 10 miles away. One saving grace was that he was very familiar with the Canadian side of the bridge. Once across he’d take the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway onto Ontario Highway 401. That would give him a pretty fast traffic route until he could jump onto some back roads.

  His mind was racing again. He still had to deal with the border patrol. And Karen’s crying wasn’t helping.

  “I need you to calm down. And for God’s sake don’t scream if you see me lift this revolver. We were lucky. That was just one unsuspecting cop on a dark back road. There will be more people at the bridge. I don’t want to kill anyone, but if I have to, I need to know that I can count on you to keep quiet. Otherwise, we’re in prison or dead by morning. Do you understand?”

  Karen sniffled but nodded her agreement. She was scared more about what she had just witnessed than what might happen to them. So this is how men at war behave, she thought.

  Josh hoped that they would be ok since it was unlikely anyone would have found the Sergeant’s body that quickly. But a part of him was still nervous. He was sure Sgt. Hanratty had run the car rental information through some system. Did anyone know that Simon Gladstone was Josh Redmond?

  He approached the checkpoint with his hand on his gun. The border guard checked their phony passports, asked them about their plans in Canada and, accepting that they were law abiding US citizens visiting some Canadian friends, returned their paperwork and waved them through.

  Josh let out a sigh of relief, turned the CD player back on, and drove across the bridge and onto Herb Gray Parkway.

  Chapter 73

  President Abbas was seated in the Oval Office, prepared to deliver the speech of his life. It was to be broadcast worldwide.

  While TV crews were busy readying the oval office, the president reflected on all that had happened over the past several hours. It was disheartening to learn that fellow Muslims had sided with the infidels who wanted to remove him from office and do harm to his most trusted friends and advisors. The identity of the Capitol Hill Bomber, Makim Khalid, was learned through a letter that he had left in Representative Cox’s office in the Rayburn Building across from the Capitol.

  Makim Khalid, thought President Abbas, was a swine who assuredly caused the despicable murder of his cousin, Omar. I curse you for your transgressions.

  Feeling certain that Makim’s brother, Qasim was also involved, the president had ordered Agent Sanchez to have the Boston field office of the FBI seek him out and arrest him on suspicion of treason.

  “Agent Sanchez, if you can arrest him, that will be fine, but I want him completely neutralized. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, Mr. President. We will take Qasim Khalid dead or alive.”

  Well, thought Ahmad, Makim is undoubtedly suffering in his grave, and hopefully, his brother will soon be either in custody or joining him. And he, Ahmad Abbas, was very much alive and still President of the United States. Loud enough to be heard by all he said: “Burn in hell, Makim.”

  “We’re ready for you, Mr. President,” announced the emotionless voice of the television director.

  His heart and mind were racing. His palms were sweaty. The green light came on, and the president began.

  “Good afternoon my fellow citizens: A lot has happened today, and I’m joining you in your living rooms to bring you a personal update on what has transpired and what I expect to occur in the days ahead.”

  “First let me assure you that I am committed to protecting the lives of every American and I will do everything in my power to protect our country and its citizens.”

  “Earlier today an attempt was made to take over our government. Vice President Rashad was shot and killed outside of the Capitol prior to a scheduled meeting with some key members of Congress. At about the same time, someone was able to infiltrate the White House and kill Secretary of Defense Hakim Bahar, General Elway Bishop, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Sadeem Ali, the Director of the Secret Service. These are heinous and despicable acts, and when we learn the identities of the persons who masterminded these attacks, they will be dealt with in a most severe manner.”

  “Additionally, twenty members of the Senate were killed along with a suicide bomber who invaded their hallowed chambers. Ten members of the House are in critical condition at area hospitals.”

  “This was obviously a well-planned and coordinated attack and based on information that is still coming in, what has happened is only a small part of the master plan to take control of our government.”

  “Knowing that something was amiss, but unsure how deeply the infiltration into our government and Armed Forces was, I asked for some help from our allies; Syria and Iran, who, in accordance with our recent cooperation treaties, agreed to send a peacekeeping force to the United States. These troops came here under the pretense of participating in joint military exercises but were fully aware of the dangers they faced.”

  “Many citizens in our largest cities jammed the streets seemingly to protest this deployment, but I have irrefutable evidence that these citizens were nothing more than a diversion, a shell game so to speak, that was planned by the traitors who wanted to take control of our government.”

  “Sadly, the Syrian and Irani forces were forced to do a lot more than keeping the peace. They deployed many more troops than were needed; the result was the death of thousands of Americans.”

  “Your government could not allow this brutal and senseless killing of innocent American citizens to continue. We spoke to the leaders of these allied forces, and when the fighting not only continued but escalated, I had no choice but to consider their actions to be acts of war and to order our armed forces into action to protect our cities, our citizens, and our Republic.”

  “Over 500 F-37 Stealth Fighters, Osprey and Sioux Helicopters, and ten divisions of LAVs, with 50 teams each were deployed and were successful in their missions but not without significant loss of life and property. While there are still protests going on, I’m confident that our police and National Guard units will be able to restore order in a matter of a few days.”

  “Reacting to the news of our defensive actions, this afternoon at 2:45 pm EDT, the governments of Syria and Iran, declared that a state of war existed between their respective countries and the United States.”

  “Secretary of State al-Bashir called the presidents of both countries in an attempt to work out an appropriate end to hostilities, but they rebuffed his proposals. On my authority, he then expelled Anas Al-Hamsi, the Ambassador from Syria and Pooria Shahrestaani the Ambassador from Iran. They are on their way back to their homelands as I speak to you. The secretary then called for the immediate withdraw of all of our diplomatic personnel in both countries. Unfortunately, all had already been taken hostage by the governments of Syria and Iran. Also, Syrian and Irani fighter aircraft have attacked US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq.”

  “I have demanded the release of all American political prisoners. To counter this aggression, conventional and nuclear forces have been moved to DEFCON 2. I have also ordered the dispatch of additional troops to our bases in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Furthermore, the US Navy’s Fifth and Sixth Fleets have been deployed to the Persian Gulf. “

  “One hour ago, I declared martial law with a curfew of 8 pm across the United States. The only exemptions to this being mission critical personnel such as police, fire, and essential hospital employees. I’m hopeful that this curfew will be lifted in a few days when peace is restored to our cities.”

  “Lastly, my fellow Americans, I have asked the Selective Service System to institute the lottery system draft as a precaution. Our troops are spread thin and our preparedness may be compromised without additional t
roops.”

  “I know that these are troubling times, but I want to assure each and every American that I will protect and defend our country at all costs. I have no doubt that I will prevail.”

  “Thank you. May Allah bless you, may He bless our troops, and may He bless the United States of America.”

  Chapter 74

  Karen missed her home but was enjoying her stay in Canada. Since they weren’t going to be there for more than a week or so, it was more like being on vacation at a bed and breakfast than being in hiding. The only negative for her was that, while no one knew them in Canada, they still had to be careful to stay inside. When this whole thing is over, she thought, she’d like to come back for a visit and see the area.

  The Tremblay’s made them feel right at home. She got along fabulously with Lee as the two women had green thumbs and a passion for cooking in common. Josh and Martin likewise shared many interests, not the least of which was how to defeat the enemy. In fact Josh had commented earlier about how Martin’s military acumen had helped him refine his plans. He seemed really happy to be there was well, but the tension was beginning to show on him. He spent a lot of time on the phone and on Martin’s computer, making plans no doubt. She sensed that he was feeling a degree of urgency about getting back to the states.

  Both couples watched anxiously as The President of the United States addressed a worldwide television audience.

  “Can you believe that bastard is taking credit for saving American lives when he’s the one who brought the foreigners and their death machines to the US in the first place? I’m the one who ordered our troops to defend our country. It was me who saved lives, not Abbas. Damn it that pisses me off.”

  The Tremblay’s nodded their heads.

  Karen, noting the irony of her husband’s outrage, just smiled.

  Chapter 75

  Saul anxiously watched the TV reports of what was happening around the country.

  July 11th was the 7th day of fighting. The VAPTs and news reports were coming in from around the country where anti-Abbas citizens had again taken to the streets demanding his impeachment.

  “This is Rakeem Rasul of CNN reporting the latest on the uprising that is taking place around the country. We take you first to CNN Reporter, John Anderson, in New York.”

  “Thanks, Rakeem. Earlier today there was a great deal of gunfire and explosions could be heard scattered throughout the city. It was an ugly scene. I’m on the streets now and it’s much quieter. The fighting started in the wee hours of the morning of July 4th as hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully in all five boroughs, protesting the administration of President Ahmad Abbas. While there was a lot of confusion, it now appears that a peaceful protest turned ugly when, seeing armed military in their way, rebel protesters began to attack some small but heavily armed combatants. The ground troops began what would be days of carnage by firing into the crowds and things took a drastic turn when attack helicopters and light armored vehicles fired at will on anyone who was in their path. It has since been learned that these armed forces were divisions of the Syrian and Irani military.”

  The next several minutes of TV video displayed the death and destruction on the streets as the newsman continued with his report. “As scores of Americans fell dead on the streets of the city, US Special Forces and US Air Force Apache helicopters were ordered to protect the protesters from further assault. As you can hear, they are still flying overhead. The counter attacks successfully destroyed many of the foreign assault vehicles but not without much loss of life. The damage to buildings in New York City alone is estimated to be billions of dollars. After their great success in repelling the foreign troops, most of our military forces were called back to base, planes were grounded, and fighting stopped.”

  “The protesters returned to the streets the following day and for the seventh straight day, rioting has been the story on the streets of New York City and around the country. There are National Guard troops trying to maintain order as what remained of the Syrian and Irani forces have returned home. Thus far in New York, almost 50,000 people, mostly patriots, or Nationalists as we’ve heard them called, have been killed in seven days of rioting, but the streets seem eerily quiet as we head into nightfall.” This is John Anderson reporting for CNN in New York City.”

  “We now take you to Philadelphia where Diondre Brooks is on the scene. Diondre, are you there?”

  “Yes Rakeem, I can hear you.”

  “Tell us about what has happened there and what is the mood of the city,” said Rakeem.

  “For the first time in 7 days, it’s quiet here in Philadelphia where the loss of life has exceeded 20,000 people. But the loss of infrastructure and buildings has been significant as well. What started as peaceful protests early in the morning of July 4th turned violent when foreign military helicopters began circling above the city. Seeing the protesters running through the streets, the pilots turned their helicopters to intercept the Patriots and opened fire on them using a combination of high capacity machine guns and sidewinder missiles. Hours later, planes and helicopters from Maguire and Dover Air Force Bases were deployed to protect the protesters and repel the foreign forces. The entire Philadelphia transit system was virtually shut down by the military at the onset of this uprising. Delays were reported soon after the fighting started, as Nationalists claimed responsibility for the mid-air explosion that completely obliterated a plane carrying some key government personnel flying back to Washington to brief the president. Since then, there have been few flights out of Philadelphia International Airport and the airport remains shut down for all intents and purposes. Much of downtown Philadelphia including its most cherished landmarks was destroyed.”

  Again, the video feed showed the impact of missile firings on Independence Hall, Carpenter’s Hall, and The Constitution Center. All had been totally destroyed. The streets were littered with pieces of downed foreign planes and helicopters.

  “Fire and rescue units have been working diligently to free people who have been trapped in subway cars and stations. Concerned friends and family members are holding vigils near city hall and at various subway station stops. People are waiting patiently for word about the fate of loved ones believed to have been riding the subway when the attacks occurred. We have only unconfirmed reports on the number of dead. There has been no official word on the extent of casualties and officials here are reluctant to even speculate on the number of missing. I’ll have an update within the next couple of hours. This is Diondre Brooks reporting for CNN in Philadelphia.”

  “Thanks Diondre. We go now to our correspondent in Boston. Tom, what’s the situation there?”

  “This is Tom Reilly in Boston. It was announced earlier today that Deputy Mayor Brian McGonigle is now in charge. The mayor spoke to reporters at 9 am informing them that Mayor Gill had been killed in an automobile accident on his way to work. Because of the unknown circumstances surrounding the accident, the governor has ordered additional protection for the new mayor. City Hall is surrounded by armored vehicles, and some urban warfare tilt-rotor helicopters are flying overhead.”

  “No one here is certain what started the bloodshed on the 4th. Reminiscent of the first shot fired at Concord that began the Revolutionary War, both sides are blaming the other. But does it matter at this point? Whatever led us here, Boston Boston is in chaos. There has been an increase in violence as protesters clash with local police. Several people on both sides have been killed. Traffic in and around Boston is almost non-existent. Logan Airport is entirely shut down to commercial transport, with only workhorse military C130z’s and a few Air Force fighter jets being allowed to land.”

  “The odd thing here, Rakeem, is that after the initial day of fighting, all was quiet in Boston. People were willing to stay in their homes and abide by the curfew until they realized that the president had partnered with the foreign military. As news of the president’s role in the deaths of US citizens spread, Bostonians have again taken to the stre
ets, demanding his ouster. Fearing retribution, some government officials who supported the president fled the city or went into hiding.”

  “Yesterday was a particularly bloody day that saw neighbor pitted against neighbor. The smoldering tensions between Abbas supporters and those sympathetic to the Nationalists boiled over. The anger in this city reached epic proportions as first responders dealt with acts of violence, vandalism, looting, and arson by angry mobs. President Abbas was burned in effigy with fire spreading to nearby homes.”

  “A short while ago Mayor McGonigle issued a plea for calm and temperance as the city struggles to respond to what has becoming an uncontrollable situation”.

  “This is Tom Reilly reporting for CNN in Boston.”

  “Thanks Tom. If you’re just tuning in, this is Rakeem Rasul in the CNN Studios in Atlanta bringing you the latest news on the fighting that is taking place throughout the country.”

  Rakeem went on to offer a brief recap of the events of July 4th: the assassinations, the slaughter of US citizens by foreigners, American retaliation, and the newly imposed curfew, noting that the resulting bloodshed and loss of property in the US had been catastrophic.

  “At the government’s request, I’m going to show a VAPT that was intercepted by the FCC on July 4th. President Abbas believes that showing this treasonous communication will shed light on the events that occurred and offer proof of who was behind this military coup.”

  Saul watched with great interest as the TV showed images of his friend, Josh.

  “This is General Josh Redmond. The violence that we are seeing around the country is, in fact, the result of a coordinated effort by active duty military, reserve military, and a volunteer militia of over 2 million citizens to oust President Abbas, his cabinet, and select members of Congress. The coup came about after a coalition was formed last year under my leadership with the help of key members of the clergy and Christian, Jewish, and American Muslim communities. I can confirm that the vice president and at least 20 members of Congress were killed early this morning during the first hour of the coup. I am proud to lead this elite group of Nationalists in combat. Our goal is to stop the tyranny of President Abbas and restore the democratic principles that have guided this country since its inception. I call on all patriotic Americans to join us in this struggle. With your help, our country can be great again. The Republic, established by our forefathers, will prevail. God bless you, God bless our Nationalists. And, God bless these United States of America.”