by Robin M Helm
Our Master always has a plan, replied Michael.
“I can see how it will be,” said Elizabeth, a little grumpily. “He will coddle me and fuss over me even more than usual.”
Dr. Neal spoke kindly. “There are far worse things than being cared for by your husband, Elizabeth. You are very blessed.”
“I know. I know. He’s the best husband in the world, and I’m thankful for him. He’s just so good at following doctor’s orders, and he never lets me cheat at all.” She laughed lightly and reached for his hand. “Rest assured, Dr. Neal, that we will do everything exactly as you have said.”
“Excellent,” replied the doctor.
~~oo~~
When Xander called Jonathan to tell him about the twins and discuss changes in the winter and spring schedules, Jonathan confided that Charlotte had performed a home pregnancy test after missing a period, and the test had been positive. They had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Neal for the following day. Jonathan was more than happy to hear Xander and Elizabeth’s news, and he saw no problems in adjusting the schedule for a few months. He was also pleased to know that Elizabeth and Charlotte could visit the doctors together on the tour, and that Charlotte would have the benefit of Elizabeth’s experience in traveling while pregnant.
The evangelist further suggested that he and Xander might do a few Saturday night rallies, leaving their wives at home together when they were no longer able to travel. Xander promised to consider the matter and call him back within a few hours. He was not at all sure that he could bring himself to leave her and their children while he traveled several hours away, and he was positive that he would not spend a night away from her. After careful thought, he decided that he could find a way to fly to and from the rallies in angelic form, thus reducing the amount of time he would be gone, and he could always return to her within seconds if she needed him.
When Xander discussed the matter with Elizabeth, she readily agreed, so he called Jonathan and agreed to his plan. Jonathan then contacted Dave Branard, instructing him to alert Amy to make the changes in the spring schedule.
~~oo~~
Xander looked at his watch as he, Elizabeth, Anna, and John David sat in the den after dinner. While Elizabeth held John David in her lap and read to him, Xander noted that it was nearly time for Dirk Horne’s program, so he picked up the remote and turned on the television. Guardians and warriors stood at various places in the room, close to their charges.
Hundreds of miles away in New York, Dirk Horne sat impatiently in the wing chair on the office set of his cable news show as the makeup girl powdered a slight shine from his forehead.
As she finished and hurried away, his expression changed and he looked into the camera, exuding the very essence of confidence and trustworthiness.
When he received the signal, Horne began to speak persuasively. “Last evening, President Wickham signed an Executive Order giving him the power to implement martial law in the case of war or a national emergency in the United States. The National Defense Executive Order will give our President the power to commandeer the country’s resources in a time of crisis or peace, including resources ranging from food, livestock, farming equipment, manufacturing, industry, transportation, defense, construction, hospitals, and health care facilities to sources of energy and water.
“Many critics of the Wickham Administration believe this is another effort at a power grab, but others argue that an Executive Order update is irrelevant.”
As the camera panned, Horne turned to his guest, smiling amiably. “President Wickham, we are honored to have you in our studio today. How would you answer the concerns of those who think you are amassing too much control over our government?”
The camera shifted to President Gregory Wickham, whose distinguished, handsome features held just the right mixture of concern and understanding. “Dirk, let me begin by thanking you for the opportunity to explain my actions to the American people. First, citizens need to understand that martial law has been declared numerous times in the history of this great country to its great benefit. President Andrew Jackson imposed martial law in New Orleans during the War of 1812, and in 1892, the governor of Idaho declared martial law when mine workers blew up a mill and shot at workers who attempted to break a strike.
“Following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the troops stationed in the Presidio were pressed into martial law service. Troops were ordered to shoot looters of the dynamite used to prevent fires from spreading.”
“In 1914, the governor of Colorado instituted martial law during the Coal Field Wars and the Colorado National Guard was called in. President Wilson finally sent in federal troops, ending the violence.
“In 1934, California Governor Frank Merriam placed the docks of San Francisco under martial law, citing rioting resulting from a dock worker's strike. The National Guard was called in to open the docks, and the guardsmen were empowered to make arrests and try detainees or turn them over to the civil courts.
The camera panned to include both men in the picture as Dirk Horne leaned toward President Wickham to ask a question. “Mr. President, has martial law been implemented in our country in more recent times?”
The President nodded. “I’m glad you asked that, Dirk. In fact, Hawaii was placed under martial law in 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor. On May 21, 1961, Alabama Governor Patterson declared martial law during the civil rights movement, and Attorney General Robert Kennedy sent in federal marshals because he was not certain that the governor could quell the violence and maintain the peace.”
“Even more recently, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans was put under martial law after widespread flooding rendered civil authority ineffective. The state of Louisiana called it a state of public health emergency rather than martial law, but the order allowed the governor to suspend laws, order evacuations, and limit the sales of items such as alcohol and firearms.
Dirk smiled. “That’s quite interesting, Mr. President. It seems that your proposal is more commonplace than some people think. Do you have an example of a revered President placing a large area of the country under martial law?” asked the anchorman.
President Wickham chuckled. “I am certain that most of my countrymen would agree that Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest Presidents in the history of the United States, yet during his presidency, he was criticized for taking what were considered ‘extra-constitutional measures.’ However, the verdict of history is that Lincoln's use of power did not constitute abuse; every survey of historians ranks Lincoln as number one among the great Presidents.
“Would Lincoln have been better remembered if he had allowed the whole American experiment of a democratic Union to fail? If such a calamity had occurred, what benefit would have been gained by clinging to a fallen Constitution?
“According to historian James G. Randall: ‘No president has carried the power of presidential edict and executive order (independently of Congress) so far as Lincoln did.... It would not be easy to state what Lincoln conceived to be the limit of his powers.’
“In 1861, Lincoln performed a whole series of highly controversial and important acts by his sheer assumption of presidential power. Without congressional approval, Lincoln called out the militia to ‘suppress said combinations,’ and he ordered citizens to return peacefully their homes. He increased the size of the Army and Navy, expended funds for the purchase of weapons, instituted a blockade (which in itself is an act of war) and suspended the writ of habeas corpus, which is the right to a hearing on lawful imprisonment, or by way of explanation, the supervision of law enforcement by the judiciary, all without congressional approval. Lincoln did all of this in the name of suppressing rebellion.”
The camera zoomed in on Dirk Horne as he called for a commercial, promising that the President would continue to speak after the break.
Elizabeth had been watching the newscast with interest. “You know that I don’t follow politics as avidly as you do. What exactly is
martial law?”
Xander thought a moment to formulate his answer. “Martial law is the imposition of temporary military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to maintain order and security and provide essential services, when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law becomes widespread. The military is deployed to quiet the crowds, to secure government buildings and key or sensitive locations, and to maintain order. Military personnel replace civil authorities and perform some or all of their functions. Gregory is deliberately leaving out these facts because they are inconvenient and do not further his agenda.”
Michael made a noise of disgust and paced closer to the television.
Both angels and humans returned their attention to the television as Dirk Horne reappeared to proudly announce his distinguished guest.
“It is my privilege tonight to welcome President Gregory Wickham to my program.” He turned toward the President. “Mr. President, we have been discussing the history of martial law in the United States. Please explain to our audience why your Executive Order is not an unconstitutional assumption of power on your part.”
The camera zoomed in on the President. “Dirk, everyone knows that only Congress is constitutionally empowered to declare war, but suppression of rebellion has long been recognized as an executive function, for which the prerogative of setting aside civil procedures has been placed in the President's hands.
“For example, at this very moment, our country is involved in a war with Iraq, yet the war has not been formally declared. Whereas Lincoln used the term ‘suppression of rebellion,’ our former President couched this effort as a movement to liberate Iraq's people from their dictator and to prevent acts of terrorism against both American citizens and the citizens of other countries.”
Wickham paused dramatically and leaned forward. “In other words, my friends, I am following the precedents laid down by many of our most highly respected leaders on both sides of the political fence. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure the peace in this country and the safety of its citizens. Normally, Congress would have to approve the declaration of martial law because of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. I fear, however, that waiting to fight a battle with my detractors in the Senate and the House could result in a tragic loss of life, as well as vast destruction of our infrastructure, in the event of a natural disaster or a civil war. That is why I have taken the step of issuing an Executive Order giving me the right to impose martial law myself.
“There is no cause for alarm. Trust me to do what is in the best interests of our country should there be unrest or widespread violence. I want only what is best for the majority of our citizens. We should not allow a minority of dissenters to determine our course.”
His spiel at an end, Wickham leaned back and crossed his legs, a smile gracing his beautiful face.
Dirk Horne looked empathetically at the President, reaching out to shake his hand. “Thank you, Mr. President, for taking the time to explain your actions to the American people. I know they join me in a feeling of relief that we have such a wise leader during these troubling times. I had not realized that martial law had been imposed so many times in our history.”
Wickham nodded. “There is a sad dearth of those who are well-acquainted with the true history of this great nation, Dirk. The step I have taken to protect our people is not at all unprecedented, as some would have everyone believe. It is merely the action any good leader would take under the circumstances. As we have been recently reminded by a prominent evangelistic team, everywhere there are ‘wars and rumors of wars,’ and disasters are occurring around the globe on an escalating basis. We must be prepared for the worst, and I am in the position responsible for doing so in the United States. I will take care of the citizens of this country, and no one will stand in my way.”
Xander made a sound of revulsion and clicked the remote, turning away from the darkened screen to look at his wife and son.
“He actually had the audacity to use SoulFire to support his audacious acquisition of more power. Can you believe it?” he asked.
She laughed darkly. “Are you really surprised? He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”
“And he wants everything,” Xander agreed vehemently. “All Wickham has to do is stir up a war or declare a national emergency, and he can call out the military to enforce this Executive Order. He can then set curfews, and suspend civil law, civil rights, and habeas corpus. Furthermore, under martial law he can apply military law and military justice to civilians. Civilians defying martial law could be subjected to military tribunals for court martial. Military law is very different from civil law. Whereas civil laws are made to benefit all civilians or citizens of a nation, military laws control the army of that nation. Civil law protects the citizen; military law protects the military. Did you know that adultery is against military law? It is certainly difficult to prove and rarely prosecuted, but Wickham could have a field day with it. He could arrest most of Congress.”
Elizabeth shivered and held her son more closely in her arms. Looking up at her husband, she was comforted by the faint glow at his side. In her mind, she heard a little voice. No tell Anna, Mama. Petty angels. No tell Anna.
Sensing her disquiet, John David put his arms around his mother’s neck, and he kissed her cheek.
She bent her head to whisper into his ear, “Don’t worry, darling. I won’t tell.”
Chapter 18
“And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If any one worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’”
Revelation 14:9-11
March 2011
Xander, holding John David’s hand as they followed Elizabeth down the stairs, was more than a little concerned about his wife. He had been anxious to the point of having to ask forgiveness for his lack of faith several times in the past forty-eight hours. Although he knew intellectually that God would take care of his wife and children, in his heart he had to keep committing them to His care, only to take them back whenever he saw her grimacing while she put her hands on the small of her back or watched her waddle slowly from room to room.
Elizabeth had been more and more restless when she tried to sleep, though she placed a pillow between her knees that was as long as she was tall in an effort to ease the pressure on her hips. She got up several times each night to visit the bathroom, and her lower legs and feet were swollen to the point that her ankle bones were no longer visible. Consequently, Xander had not had a full night’s rest in a month. He awakened every time she stirred, and he got up each time she did.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, guardians all around them, Xander spoke carefully, trying not to offend his increasingly sensitive wife. To his chagrin, he had reduced her to tears on several occasions by saying the most innocuous things as he attempted to express his worry for her.
“Elizabeth?” he asked tentatively. “Will you not lie down on the couch for a bit?”
“Why?” she asked in a petulant voice. “Maybe if I walk enough the babies will come a little early.”
“If you lie on your side, I can rub your back. I know it hurts, though you seldom complain,” he answered. “Please, love. Let me do something to help you.” He put his hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around to face him and John David.
“Am I so pathetic?” Her lower lip began to quiver, and she rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “I’m huge. If I were on a beach, some well-meaning person would call Greenpeace! Activi
sts would attempt a rescue and try to roll me back into the water – unless I was harpooned first! My name should be changed to Shamu,” she wailed, drawing out the last syllable and hiccupping.
Though what she said was humorous, Xander had not felt less like laughing in two thousand years. Michael chuckled, and Xander glared at him. John David’s blue eyes were enormous as he watched his uncles. Gabriel’s face mirrored Xander’s unhappiness, and he jabbed Michael in his ribs.
What? It was funny, thought Michael.
Have you never heard of dark humor? remonstrated Gabriel. Elizabeth would be most offended by your amusement at her expense.
Xander squatted down to look into his son’s eyes, stroking the boy’s hair as he spoke to him. “John David, Mommy is very tired from holding the babies inside of her. Uncle Michael and Uncle Gabriel will play with you until Auntie Anna gets back from the store. Be a good boy for me. Okay?”
“Okay!” said the sturdy one-year-old, heading unerringly toward his uncles, though they were still in angelic form. Michael and Gabriel morphed into human shapes just as he reached them, and Michael caught him under his arms and tossed him up in the air. John David squealed with delight, shrieking with laughter.
Gabriel tapped Michael’s shoulder. “We should take him into the play room so that Elizabeth can rest in relative quiet. Cahal and Kenward can stay in here with Xander and our sister.”
“Agreed,” answered Michael, holding John David in his arms and walking quickly to the large room across the hall. French doors allowed a clear line of sight between the two rooms.
Xander stood and reached for Elizabeth’s hand, guiding her to the sofa. As she sat down, she pulled him down by his hands until he was beside her. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
Then she hung her head. “I’m so sorry. I know I have been awful to live with for the last couple of months. You are too good to me. I just feel so ugly and miserable – and don’t tell me that I’m beautiful, or I may actually scream.”