Thunderous applause once again rang out, with all but a few Marines joining in.
CHAPTER 17
Sunday, November 11, 2018 – 1000 Hours – Camp Lejeune
General Cloos placed his elbows on his desk as a slender man with neatly trimmed white hair attired in an Army dress uniform appeared on the video display that adorned the office wall at 1000 hours.
The man on screen spoke. What can I do for you, General?
“Happy Veterans Day, Colonel Roberts.” Cloos took a swig of coffee. “When we first met in Southport, you said you had a number of concerns about where our nation was headed, as do I. My concerns have been reinforced with this Anthony Russo character stepping into the presidency, and they have been compounded by some of the people he’s chosen to surround himself with. On this Veterans Day, I fear we are on the verge of seeing what’s left of our republic devolve into the very kind of dictatorship our veterans risked their lives to prevent. I’m reaching out to find out where you stand.”
What are you asking, General?
“Are you prepared to do what is necessary to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic?”
Colonel Roberts was stone-faced. General, you can rest assured that I will do everything in my power to uphold my oath.
***
Monday, November 12, 2018 – 8:48 a.m. – Fontana Dam
The next day, Joshua sipped his morning coffee as the cool mountain breeze rustled through the treetops. Reagan sat motionless at the edge of the porch, silently surveying the clearing in front of them. Joshua turned his Bible to the next page.
Five minutes later Reagan stood up and started growling. He walked down the steps, his tail sticking straight up in the air. Joshua stood up and gripped his Beretta 9mm, which was concealed beneath his untucked shirt. He nodded to Jack, who had silently slipped into position behind a tree on the opposite side of the clearing. Chuck assumed a defensive position on the rear of the clearing.
Two minutes later a tan Ford Explorer made its way up the path, followed by a brown Toyota 4Runner. Jack stepped into the clearing and raised his AR-15. Reagan stepped toward the vehicle, still growling.
The Explorer ground to a stop and the passenger side window went down. A voice rang out. “It’s Kane. I’ve got Drew and Caroline.”
Jack lowered his weapon as Kane stepped out of the Explorer’s front passenger side door. Major Chinn exited the drivers’ side, and Caroline and Drew emerged from the back seat. Two Marines in combat uniforms exited the 4Runner.
Rebecca joined Joshua as he stepped off the porch. He gestured toward Caroline’s bandaged arm. “Caroline, what happened?” he asked. “And where’s Perry?”
Caroline closed her eyes, looked down and shook her head. “He… he didn’t make it.”
Joshua collapsed onto his knees, tears filling his eyes. His ominous premonition had been correct. He felt as though the breath had been sucked out of his lungs. “Oh… oh my God… what happened?” Rebecca dropped to his side and put her arms around him. Reagan nuzzled his head into Joshua’s chest.
Caroline dropped to one knee in front of Joshua and wiped a tear from her eye. “There’s so much to tell. He went out accomplishing something great.” She closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. “I just wish I could have saved him.” Her eyes narrowed as she rose to her feet. “Let’s go inside and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Joshua held Rebecca’s hand as he made his way to his feet. He was shaking violently and felt the urge to vomit. He stared at Caroline through eyes blurred by tears. I can’t believe she’s so calm, so matter-of-fact, he thought.
***
10:35 a.m. – Virginia Beach
Later that morning, President Anthony Russo sat at the presidential desk in the private Virginia Beach office that had been previously used by President Nelson Armando, who had been a weak, pathetic excuse for a leader. Russo smirked as he admired the portrait of himself that now hung on the wall near the door. He brushed his hands across the desk. Russo had long envisioned that he would be the one to lead America back to its rightful position of power. Now, he would do so.
Three loud knocks echoed through the door. “Enter,” Russo called out.
The door opened and General Mason Palmer entered.
“Have a seat, General Palmer,” Russo said.
Palmer seated himself in one of the leather chairs, opened a tablet computer and positioned it on the table in front of him. A videoconference window flared to life and the image of a slender man with neatly trimmed white hair attired in an Army dress uniform appeared on screen.
“Good morning, Colonel Roberts,” Palmer said.
The man on screen nodded. Mr. President. General Palmer.
“Colonel, I’ll get right to the point,” Russo said. “This has been a tumultuous time in our nation, and it is critical that we maintain order. We simply cannot and will not tolerate insubordination of the type exhibited by General Cloos.”
I understand your sentiment, Mr. President.
“General Cloos heeded your directive to back down and return to his base when you confronted him in Southport,” Russo continued. “The time is coming when we will have to confront him once again.” Russo leaned forward. “Can we count on your support when that time comes?”
Colonel Roberts was stone-faced. Mr. President, you have my word that I will do everything in my power to uphold my oath.
***
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 – 2:15 p.m. – Fontana Dam
Joshua gripped Rebecca’s hand as he silently stared at the cross that graced the top of Perry’s grave, which had been placed next to Bob Kendall’s. A wintry chill gripped those who were gathered to pay their respects. The sky was gray and overcast, and a few flurries were making their way to the ground. Kane and Caroline had been unable to recover Perry’s body when they escaped from Virginia Beach, so they buried a few of his personal belongings where the casket would have been placed.
Every camp resident had assembled for the memorial service. Jim Davidson was offering a eulogy, but Joshua’s mind wandered and he tuned out. How could this happen? he thought. My best friend is gone. How will I go on without him? Rebecca squeezed his hand and pulled him close, as though she knew what he was thinking. He closed his eyes as his runaway thoughts continued. What will Caroline do? Will she try to kill herself again? Who is the next person in the camp to die? Will any of us be here in a year?
Rebecca grabbed his arm, shook it and whispered in his ear. “Josh!” She nodded toward the area where Jim was standing. “They want you to say a few words.”
Joshua swallowed hard in a futile effort to dispose of the Jupiter-sized lump in his throat. He squeezed Rebecca’s hand before letting go and walking toward the front of the crowd. He felt every eye in the crowd focused on him like lasers. He was their leader, but right now he just wanted to be a grieving friend.
Joshua took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Folks, this is hard for all of us.” He choked up before regaining his composure. “Perry was my best friend. For a long time.” He looked at Caroline. “Caroline, you’ve lost so much over the past two years. We’re here for you.”
Caroline nodded, and Joshua continued, “I believe we’ve all felt like giving up at some point in the past 19 months. Like throwing in the towel. I know I have. I feel like that right now. But that’s not the path. If we give up, Perry’s sacrifice will have been in vain. If we give up, Bob Kendall’s sacrifice will have been in vain. If we give up, Governor Harper’s sacrifice will have been in vain. We have to continue pushing forward, no matter how difficult it may get. And I believe it’s only just beginning. But I have faith that God has a plan, no matter how distant He may seem at the moment.”
Joshua nodded at Jim, wiped away a tear and returned to Rebecca’s side. They clasped hands and she squeezed his palm tightly.
After the service concluded Joshua turned to Rebecca. “I need a little alone time. I’m going to take Reagan and head up th
e trail for a bit.”
“Take as much time as you need. I love you.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll go spend some time with Caroline.”
Five minutes later Joshua left the camp and made his way onto the Appalachian Trail, his trusty canine guardian at his side. The flurries had transitioned into a steady snowfall. The cool mountain breeze invigorated Joshua, and he pushed himself up the trail.
When he rounded the last curve before the clearing he spotted an old man seated on a log whittling a piece of wood. Mordecai, he thought.
The old man looked up, his beady eyes twinkling beneath his denim conductor’s cap. “Tough day, sonny. Sorry about your friend.”
Joshua was still perplexed at how Mordecai knew so much about the happenings inside the camp. “Thank you.”
Mordecai stroked his scraggly white beard, which was peppered with splotches of black. “Sounds like he went down in a blaze of glory. Word is that they took out the AIS Supreme Leader.”
Joshua clenched his teeth. “Where did you hear that?”
“I’ve got my sources, sonny. And you folks should be ready. This whole thing just got a lot bigger. And you can’t hide from it.”
***
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 – 4:15 p.m. – Fontana Dam
The next afternoon, the crowd assembled in Joshua’s living room gathered around the kitchen table. Caroline powered up the secure tablet provided to her by General Cloos. Reagan sat beside her, his tail thumping against the floor.
Joshua turned to Major Chinn. “Major, are we certain that this device is secure and cannot be traced?”
“As certain as we can be,” Major Chinn said. “These are not U.S. government devices, and they are on a separate, encrypted network.”
Joshua cocked an eyebrow. “I hope you’re right.”
Caroline looked up from her chair. “No network is one hundred percent secure, but this is as solid as I’ve seen.”
Joshua nodded and squeezed Rebecca’s hand. He surveyed the group assembled in his cabin. To Rebecca’s right stood Melanie Blanchard, a political operative with nationwide connections, and behind them was Drew Thompson, who had developed a networking covering much of the North Carolina mountains. To Joshua’s left stood Gunnery Sergeant Jack McGee and Corporal Kane Martin, two tough-as-nails, battle-tested military men. Caroline Edwards, a top-notch cyber-security expert who had had killed the AIS Supreme Leader a few days earlier, was seated at the table, the secure tablet positioned in front of her. Ray Sawyer, whom Drew had enlisted to save Joshua, Jack and Perry from AIS terrorists eight months earlier and whose men had proven invaluable in defending Fontana Dam against AIS terrorists, stood next to Drew. U.S. Marine Corps Major Michael Chinn, who had been sent here by General Cloos, stood next to Caroline. Benjamin Liebowitz, an Israeli Mossad operative who had been embedded as part of President Armando’s inner circle, was awaiting in the video conference, which would convene when General Cloos connected. This was a collection of unlikely allies whose paths had converged at this critical juncture in the history of the United States. Perhaps their convergence was divine providence.
The room fell silent as a stocky, partially balding man with a chiseled chin and short, graying brown hair appeared on the tablet’s display. He was attired in a U.S. Marine Corps service uniform.
Major Chinn introduced the new arrival. “Everyone, this is General Samuel Cloos, United States Marine Corps. I have the privilege of serving under General Cloos.” Major Chinn gestured toward Joshua, then Melanie. “Sir, this is Joshua Winston. And this is Melanie Blanchard. As you know, she was an aide to Governor Harper.” Chinn gestured toward Ray Sawyer. “And this is Ray Sawyer. I believe you’ve met everyone else.”
Cloos blew a puff of cigar smoke in the air. The famous Joshua Winston. Your reputation precedes you.
“Hopefully that’s a good thing,” Joshua said. “Pleasure to meet you, General.”
Your reputation is that of a solid, principled leader who wants to restore our nation to what it’s supposed to be, Cloos said. And you, Miss Blanchard. I’m sorry about the loss of Governor Harper and your friends. He was a tremendous leader.
Melanie nodded. “Yes, he was. And a true friend.”
Governor Harper also believed in what America is supposed to be, Cloos said. That’s why they killed him. I wish the Lt. Governor was as committed to restoring America as Governor Harper. Unfortunately, the Lt. Governor has aligned with the Texas Nationalist Movement and is advocating secession from the union. America needs Texas. Miss Blanchard, perhaps your contacts can help.
Melanie shook her head. “I don’t really have a relationship with the Lt. Governor, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“General, do we know who was behind the Watts Bar Lake attack?” Joshua asked.
Much of this is still speculation, but I’m confident it was not AIS, Cloos said. The attack was executed by an American drone. The question is whether it was authorized by the Armando administration, and whether President Armando had knowledge of it. My gut says the person behind the attack is still around. Cloos paused, then took a puff on his cigar. And I think they’re in an even more powerful position now than they were a few weeks ago. I’m also concerned about how they so easily identified the location of the Watts Bar Summit. Someone who knew about the event leaked it.
Joshua digested what he was hearing. Cloos thinks Russo was behind the Watts Bar attack – and he thinks there was a mole within Governor Harper’s circle of trust.
We are in uncharted waters, Cloos continued. I consider Anthony Russo to be an illegitimate president, and he is already enacting draconian measures to squelch any opposition to his administration. He has branded me a traitor and is demanding that I resign my commission and surrender myself for court martial. Fat chance of that. Cloos spat into a Styrofoam cup on his desk. He is a dictator in the making, and we have an obligation to oppose him. Cloos leaned forward in his chair. And we need all freedom-loving hands on deck. That’s why Major Chinn is there with you. I am ready and willing to sacrifice everything for this cause, but I cannot do this alone. I need your help.
Joshua took a deep breath. “While I don’t disagree with you, we have to understand that we’d be stepping onto a treacherous, slippery slope. We’d be branded as rebels and, as you’ve pointed out, traitors. Depending on how far this escalates, it could turn into a full-out revolution.”
Son, the damn revolution has already happened, Cloos fired back. As Ms. Edwards discovered, Anthony Russo knew about the AIS attacks in advance and allowed them to happen. He sat on intelligence tips provided by Mr. Liebowitz’s government. Tips that, if acted upon, could have prevented the attacks. The Senate was never reconstituted after the attacks, and Russo was never confirmed or sworn in as a cabinet member. In my mind, that means he was never legitimately placed in the line of succession. To make matters worse, he knew that the AIS Supreme Leader was right under his nose, operating in Armando’s government, and yet he waited for them to take down the government and kill Armando before declaring himself president. The rebels have already seized control of our government. A grassroots movement called the Free America Movement is springing up. The movement is all about making America free again by returning us to our founding principles. But the movement needs leadership to galvanize it into an effective political force for change. That’s where you come in, Joshua.
Melanie stepped toward the table. “General, I’m with you. And I have a lot of contacts in key places around the country.”
Ray removed his burgundy baseball cap and used it to scratch his wavy, graying hair. “Hell yes. My guys are all in with the Free America Movement. Hell, we created the flag.”
Joshua squeezed Rebecca’s hand. “General, I think everyone here agrees with the spirit of what you’re saying. However, I don’t speak for the camp or my council. Our camp by-laws require a vote of the full camp in order for us to make a decision of this magnitude. We will call an emergency meeting to discuss this matter
.”
Cloos pursed his lips. Understood. And that’s one of the things that sets you apart. If America’s leaders had been as attentive to the Constitution as you are to your by-laws, we’d be in a better place. Now, we have a self-appointed president whose very claim to the nation’s highest office is an affront to the Constitution. He blew a puff of cigar smoke. I look forward to you joining the Free America Movement after your camp meeting.
***
1705 – Fort Bragg
Colonel Allen Roberts pondered the past week’s events as he settled into the high-back leather chair in his Fort Bragg office. President Nelson Armando had been captured and killed by AIS terrorists. The terrorists had launched attacks against major infrastructure assets, including Fontana Dam in western North Carolina, Watauga Dam in northeastern Tennessee, and the Southport nuclear plant in southeastern North Carolina. The attacks on the two dams had been repelled by well-organized locals operating without the help of the government. Marines from Camp Lejeune, operating under the command of General Samuel Cloos, had defeated the terrorists in Southport.
Acting on orders of General Mason Palmer, Roberts had confronted Cloos at Southport. Cloos had returned to his base at Camp Lejeune without incident. In the few days since that incident the new president, Anthony Russo, had promoted Palmer to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Now, Palmer was directing Roberts to once again confront Cloos, with force if necessary. To make the situation even more awkward, Cloos had contacted Roberts in an effort to enlist his support.
This turn of events was unprecedented. Roberts was a career Army man who had now served under eight presidents, beginning with Ronald Reagan and now including Anthony Russo. He could never have imagined a situation in which he would be called upon to mobilize the U.S. Army against the U.S. Marines. He had taken an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic. For the first time, he was being confronted with the specter of facing down a domestic enemy. Now, he had to discern whether that enemy was President Anthony Russo or General Samuel Cloos.
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