A Democracy Fallen

by Matthew Savage

  “Where is he then?” Nolan blurted out tired of speculation.

  “That is a good question, Nolan. An answer, however, is something I do not have.”

  “We think he might be at a safe house in the city,” General Wilkins said still standing at the door next to Wilson and Mary.

  “That was our plan if we couldn’t get out. We were to go to the safe house and wait for things to clear then find our way back.” Captain Underwood said.

  “Have we tried contacting the safe house somehow?” Mary asked looking at the General

  The General cleared his throat before he spoke, “It is too dangerous. We have ways to contact them but if the USSB is listening then it will give away their position.”

  “If they make it to the safe house then they will send a message to us.” Senator Powell said sitting back down.

  “What if the safe house was raided like our restaurant?” Sarah asked hoping someone had considered this.

  “Other agents we have in the city speculated that the safe house was still unknown to the USSB.” The Senator paused for a moment. “We have very little coming out of Chicago right now. In the meantime, you both are to stay here until we have information on your father.”

  Sarah and Nolan stood as Captain Underwood led them back to the elevator when they got in Captain Underwood hit a button taking them down several floors. “We have a room set up for you two. You will be able to remain on your floor but we can’t let you walk around the base.”

  The elevator doors opened, they were in a long, narrow hallway. There were doors on both sides of them but they all were closed. Sarah wondered what was in the rooms. They walked to the middle of the floor where they found an open area with was looked like old couched and a dated television. As they followed Captain Underwood they passed a small dusty workout room.

  “What was this place?” Sarah asked. She thought it was strange to have a military base looking like this.

  “This used to be a hotel. Senator Powell owns it. He remodeled it to make it into the headquarters of the Democratic Insurgence.”

  “Won’t the government just come here to try and find him?” Sarah asked feeling unsafe.

  “Of course not the Senator sold the place several years ago.”

  “I thought you said he owned it?” Nolan asked.

  “He sold it to himself under a fake name. The government has no idea.”

  Sarah couldn’t believe that is how the Insurgents were staying hidden. Captain Underwood stopped at a door but a key card in and opened it. Sarah walked in and knew right away this used to be a hotel. The room was set up exactly like a hotel. She figured that they must use these rooms for the troops or guests. What better place to have large amounts of people, than a hotel. She marveled at the simplicity.

  “I will have someone bring you both some change of clothes.” The Captain said and he closed the door.

  Sarah laid on the bed thinking of her father. They had gotten out so easily. She wondered what must have gone wrong. Nolan went into the bathroom and ran some water on his face. Sarah looked at the clock and it was ten o’clock. She knew that it must have been midnight back home. There was a knock at the door, Sarah went and opened it and was surprised to see Steven Nelson standing there. He was holding clothes and shower supplies.

  “I got some things here for you two.” He said awkwardly handing the stuff to Sarah.

  “Thank you… Come in?” Sarah said and she held the door open for him.

  Nolan came out of the bathroom and nodded to Nelson. Nolan sat on the other bed and lay back looking at the ceiling. Sarah sat on her bed still holding the clothes. The people who rescued them were the only people on the base that they knew and she in a strange way took comfort in being with Steven. It was nice seeing a familiar face while they were so overwhelmed.

  “I heard we still don’t have any word on your father,” Steven started “I am sure he is fine. These things happen; it wouldn’t be the first time we have had to lay real low before we are able to come back to base.” There was silence before he continued. “I wouldn’t worry.”

  “We can’t really help it,” Nolan said still staring up at the ceiling.

  “Yeah, I know,” Steven said hanging his head.

  “Thanks for bringing us some clothes,” Sarah said not knowing what to say next. She knew he was most likely ordered to.

  “It is no problem. I wanted to make sure you too are doing alright. I remember my first shootout.” He stopped for a moment and a strange look came across his face. Steven shook his head and stood. “I will let you two get settled. I’ll see you both soon.” Steven walked to the door and let himself out.

  Sarah could hear his footsteps going down the hall. She sat on the bed looking at the clothes he brought them. They were off green pants with gray shirts and jacket which matched the pants. Sarah assumed this must be normal D.I uniforms. She wasn’t sure how she felt about wearing a uniform. She went to the bathroom and found the shower supplies and decided to wash some of the dirt off her. The water in the shower wasn’t hot but it wasn’t cold. It seemed to change temperature without Sarah even touching it. She felt like her ears were ringing. Sarah thought this might have something to do with the plane ride or the gunshots that went off next to her head.

  When Sarah got out of the shower the full weight of everything that happened today seemed to hit her. She couldn’t wait to get into bed but even then she still had so much on her mind. Sarah wasn’t sure if she would even be able to sleep. She walked out of the bathroom and the lights in the room were still on. Nolan was sleeping on top of his sheets in his clothes. She was surprised he was able to fall asleep so fast. She got under the covers and it seemed as soon as her head hit the pillow she was sleeping.

  In the restaurant, she was standing behind the counter when the businessmen stood up. They came at her and grabbed her by the arms and dragged her into the middle of the room. One went into the kitchen and grabbed Nolan and dragged him out. When she saw him, his eyes were swollen closed from where the men had hit him. Then the businessmen came in from the street. They were dragging Neil who was clawing at the ground trying to get away. The men got Neil on his knees in front of Sarah and Nolan they pointed a gun at the side of his head and…

  Sarah woke up suddenly she was covered in sweat and felt like she had the chills. Nolan was sitting by the window looking out. He turned to look at her and his eyes looked as though he had not slept. Sarah knew this look from all the years of seeing her father come home from a night of drinking, which at this point she knew he wasn’t doing.

  “I heard you tossing and turning. I thought about waking you but I figured if you didn’t get much sleep like me. You would need to sleep more then.” Nolan said in a raspy morning voice.

  “It would have been better,” Sarah said rubbing her eyes.

  “I’ll remember that,” Nolan said and continued to look out of the window.

  Sarah looked at the clock and it said 6:30. “Would you look at that,” Sarah started lying back on the bed. “I actually got to sleep in.”

  Nolan chuckled at this. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”

  They both sat in silence for a moment. Sarah was thinking about what she would have been doing now had it been a normal day. She would have been busy getting coffee for people who were trying to get to work. She wondered if people were walking past the restaurant wondering what had happened. There was a knock at the door and Nolan got up to answer it. She heard Nolan talking then Sarah could hear Steven’s voice and she rolled back on the bed towards the wall. She didn’t want him to see her looking like this.

  “I am to take you downstairs to the mess hall at seven. I will give you both some time to get ready and I will be waiting down in the lounge area.” Steven said.

  Sarah heard Nolan close the door and he walked back over and stared at Sarah, who was in a ball at the top of her bed.

  “What are you doing?” Nolan said confused by the position she was in.<
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  Sarah had forgotten how weird she must look at the moment.

  “I didn’t want him to see,” Sarah said defensively.

  “You don’t look much different than you normally do.”

  Sarah grabbed her pillow and threw it at him. She got up and stormed into the bathroom to get ready. She didn’t have any makeup or even a brush but she did what she could to try and control her hair. She ended up putting it in a ponytail which was how she normally did it for work. She put on the uniform that Steven brought them last night. Either Steven thought she was bigger than she was or they only had one size, but she was swimming in the shirt. She came out of the bathroom and Nolan saw how big her jacket was on her and he was unable to control his laughter.

  “Remember that time you tried on dad’s uniform when we were like seven. That is how you look right now.” Nolan said trying to control his laughter as he spoke.

  “Shut up! Ass!” Sarah said yelling knowing full well how ridiculous she looked.

  Nolan tried to control his laughter. Sarah looked at his uniform and it looked as though it was made for him, fitting perfectly. They left the room and walked down the hallway towards the elevator. They could hear the television as they walked closer to where Steven was waiting for them.

  “Since last night’s speech, the president has tightened his grip on security, throughout the country. The City of Chicago is at last open. Last night the city was effectively closed off. Governor Higgin’s of the Midwest’s office reported, ‘There were Insurgents threatening that great city. We did what we needed to stop the criminals’. Though no reported captures of any Insurgents have been come out, the city is still under strict patrol.”

  Steven noticed Sarah and Nolan standing there. He turned off the television.

  “Ready to go?” He asked standing up, his face turned slightly red when he looked at Sarah’s outfit. “I didn’t think it would fit,” He said trying to hold in laughter “but it was the best I could do last night. We will get you some new clothes after we eat.”

  Steven led them to the elevator, he hit the bottom button and Sarah could feel them drop as the elevator raced to a lower level. Sarah thought about the reporter talking on the television. ‘We did what we needed to stop the criminals’. Sarah hoped that it was only for show and not that her father was actually dead. Steven must have sensed her concern and judging by Nolan’s face also.

  “We still haven’t heard anything about your father. Seeing as the city opened up again I would say there is a good chance he got out. They had made a public show out of every person they captured or killed yesterday. The chances are good that he is fine.”

  “You think so?” Sarah asked.

  “I do. The only people who are unaccounted for are the people who escaped.”

  Sarah nodded her head. If this logic was correct then it made her feel a little better. She glanced at Nolan who was watching the numbers on the elevator go down. She had the feeling that it didn’t comfort him. She knew the only thing that would comfort him would be his father coming home.

  They reached the bottom and the elevator doors opened. Steven led them past the main room where they came in yesterday. There were significantly more people now. Sarah tried to figure out what everyone’s jobs were but Steven was walking fast, so she did her best to keep up. The mess hall was relatively empty when they arrived. Sarah figured that they weren’t supposed to eat with everyone. They stood behind Steven as he got food and followed his lead. The food they got was some sort of eggs, sausage that didn’t look appetizing, pancakes, and toast. Which was more like warm bread. There was a station for cereal which Nolan took advantage of.

  “Trust me the food isn’t as bad as it looks,” Steven said obviously seeing the look on Sarah’s face. “Though I think your eggs are better.”

  She smiled and started eating. The food was better than she expected. It was very warm still, which she hadn’t expected by how empty the mess hall was. Sarah and Nolan almost inhaled their food. Steven looked amused by this. Sarah figured all the years of eating quick so she could get back to work was now her common way of eating. After finishing up Steven took them to a small room where a young man was working and handing out uniforms. He took one look at Sarah before saying.

  “I am sure you need something that fits you better, soldier.”

  “I am not a soldier.” Sarah corrected before she even realized the words were coming out of her mouth.

  Steven briefly explained what happened to them. The man behind the desk asked Sarah for her size and gave her some new clothes. They headed back to the elevator and to their floor. The doors opened and they could hear the television as they walked towards their room. In the lounge area, Senator Powell was waiting for them, casually watching the television. He stood as he noticed Sarah, Nolan, and Steven entering the area. Steven quickly stood at attention at the sight of the Senator.

  “Stand easy Private,” Senator Powell said waving his hand. “I wanted a word with these two.”

  “Yes sir,” Steven said and he stood with his hands behind his back.

  “I believe that Wilson needed to speak with you, Steven.” The Senator said to Steven, who saluted and headed towards the elevator. Senator Powell held out a hand as if inviting them to sit with him. “I am just here to make sure that you are doing well.” The Senator started. “I like it here. You know my great, great grandfather purchased it during the Great Depression. I know strange right. He said that he knew the Depression would end and when it did people would have normal lives again. So he opened a hotel and did very well. It was very popular. I never met him but my grandfather said I would have liked him. He served during the war and had a great sense of duty.”

  “It is very nice here,” Sarah said.

  “Thank you for letting us stay here, Senator,” Nolan said almost speaking over Sarah.

  “No need to call me Senator. That position doesn’t exist anymore. Let us not also forget that I am now a fugitive of the United States government. How times have changed.” The Senator said trying to be optimistic. Sarah could tell he was hurting from the recent circumstances.

  “What happens to us when our father gets here?” Sarah asked which had been the main thing she had been thinking about. Obviously, they couldn’t just return home.

  “That was something I was going to talk about now,” The Senator started “We are in uncertain times. Things are not going to be easy for the people of this country. It wasn’t easy before but you can be certain we are facing dark times.” He paused for a moment. “There are options when your father arrives. If he so chooses, we can get you out of the country. There are plenty countries out there taking in US refugees. Or you all can stay and help us. The Captain told me of your actions at the restaurant Nolan. He said he could use someone like you and you, Sarah. He said you have a big heart and hard working. There will come a time when we need people who are compassionate. We also need good soldiers. They told me you both basically ran the restaurant by yourself. You both worked long hours and sacrificed a lot. We need people like you. You both took on large responsibilities. That is what we are doing. We are trying to free the American people again. I was a part of this government I know what they did. I tried to help stop it but my resistance in the Senate only helped for a short period of time. I merely made it slow down like a bump in the road. I am asking you help stop it.”

  The ex-Senator sat back looking between the two of them and Sarah felt something stir in her. She wasn’t sure how much help she would be. Her father had taught her and Nolan how to shoot but Nolan was the one who won the competitions. Sarah was more like her mother who fought with words, not guns or violence. She was still practically a teenager. Would she actually make a difference?

  The elevator dinged and Sarah could hear the doors open. Captain Underwood and Steven were standing at attention as they came around a corner.

  “We have some news on your father.” The Captain said in a somber voice.

  Chapte
r Seven

  The Democratic Insurgence

  Nolan’s stomach dropped when the Captain said they had news on their father. Terrible images ran through his head of his father being killed. The Captain’s words broke his train of thought.

  “We believe he was captured by the Security Bureau.”

  “You believe?” Senator Powell asked.

  “We are pretty sure he was taken. Most of his team was killed. We are unsure at the moment where he is being held or for what purpose.”

  “I can tell you the purpose,” The Senator said standing up and walking around the room. “He is being held because of his extensive knowledge of our operation. He helped set many of these things in motion. He would have been here leading, and he also isn’t widely known. There is no reason to make his death public. Neil has just as much information as Congressman Lucas or Senator Collins. Which makes him that much more valuable. No one will be looking for him.” He paused in frustration. “He was so committed to not moving his family and maintaining that restaurant his wife owned. If I had only done more-” The Senator paused for a moment thinking of what to do. “Try and find out where he's been taken, Will.”

  “Yes, sir.” Captain Underwood said leaving the room.

  “What are we supposed to do now?” Sarah asked finally taking her head out of her hands.