As part of his leadership philosophy, Colonel Roberts made it a point to seek out wise counsel from people who could offer insight from a different perspective than his own, people whose motivations he trusted and whose experiences had given them credibility on the issue at hand. This was a time when such counsel was needed.
Roberts unlocked the bottom left drawer of his desk, removed a small, fireproof lock box and placed it on the desktop. Opening the lock box required two keys, only one of which was kept on his keychain. He picked up a set of Matryoshka nesting dolls that sat atop a small bookshelf on the wall opposite his desk. He opened the first doll, which featured a likeness of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and removed a second doll bearing the likeness of President Gerald Ford. Inside the second doll was a smaller doll featuring President Ronald Reagan, which contained an even smaller doll bearing the image of President George H.W. Bush. Inside that doll was a lone key.
Colonel Roberts removed the key from the nesting doll. He inserted it into one of the two keyholes on the lockbox and inserted a key from his keychain into the other. He turned both keys and opened the box, then removed a small tablet computer.
He opened the computer, which was not an official U.S. government device and which did not operate on the government network, and powered it up. He looked at his watch and opened a videoconference window. A man attired in bib overalls and a red-and-white checkered shirt appeared on screen. The man had a white beard and moustache, and his scraggly white hair that protruded awkwardly from beneath his denim conductor’s cap.
The man flashed a grin. ’Afternoon, Colonel. How are things down there in the east?
Colonel Roberts returned the greeting. “Good afternoon, Mordecai. It’s been quite a week.”
***
Thursday, November 15, 2018 – 9:24 a.m. – Fontana Dam
The next morning Joshua and Rebecca made the short trek up the path to Drew’s cabin. Reagan led the way, sniffing everything in sight. Joshua was joined by Jack, and Jim and Drew met them on the porch.
“Good morning, Drew,” Joshua said. “You said you had something you wanted to show me?”
“That I do. You’ve asked several times how I’m able to do things like pay for the community shelter or acquire a tanker full of gas. It’s time you know the answer.”
Joshua arched his neck. “Finally!” Rebecca slapped him on the back.
Joshua followed Drew into the cabin, with Rebecca and the others close behind. Reagan stayed outside on the porch. Drew led them to a locked closet. He unlocked it, revealing a second locked door. He used a different key to unlock the second door, exposing a rudimentary stairwell that descended into a basement.
“You have a basement,” Joshua observed. “Our cabin does not.”
“Thomas added this at my request,” Drew said, then motioned for Joshua to follow him.
Joshua followed Drew down the stairs, which were consumed by the darkness of the basement. Drew pulled a cord, illuminating a lone light bulb. Joshua noticed piles of neatly organized blue bags arranged three-deep on shelves that covered every wall from floor to ceiling.”
“What’s in the blue bags?” Joshua asked.
“The answer to your question,” Drew said as he retrieved one of the bags. “Between my grandparents and my parents, I inherited a substantial sum of money. On the order of twenty million dollars.”
Joshua did a double-take. “But the dollar is pretty much worthless now.”
“That’s true, but what I have in these bags isn’t.” Drew unzipped the bag, slipped his hand inside, and pulled out a bar of gold.
***
Friday, November 16, 2018 – 0703 – Camp Lejeune
General Cloos stepped out of his Growler at sunrise the next morning. He felt a lump form in his throat. Today’s flag-raising ceremony was anything but routine. Nothing was routine these days, and everything Americans had long taken for granted had changed.
The assembled Marines saluted as General Cloos approached the flagpole. He returned the salute, then made eye contact with the two Marines who would raise the flag and nodded.
Cloos watched as the flag was unfolded, attached to the rope and slowly raised. As the flag made its way up the pole it unfurled in the wind. The main body of the flag was yellow, and its most prominent feature was a coiled rattlesnake. In the top left corner appeared a modified American flag whose stripes were consistent with the American flag, but which had no stars in the blue rectangle. Cloos fought back a tear. The flag of the Free America Movement was now flying over Camp Lejeune, where Old Glory had been just a day earlier. How did it come to this? he wondered.
***
7:00 p.m. – Fontana Dam
Joshua called the emergency camp meeting to order at 7:00 that evening. Winter’s first blast had arrived in the Great Smoky Mountains, and snow was falling outside the community shelter. Those in attendance jockeyed for position around the fire pit.
“Folks, we have several very important items to handle tonight,” Joshua began. “First, you’ve all met Miss Melanie Blanchard, who has joined our camp. Without objection, we will grant her voting rights. Is there any objection?”
No one objected. Joshua continued, “Next, we will hold an election to fill two vacancies on our council.” He fought back a tear. “These seats are open due to the deaths of Ruth Moore and Perry Edwards. Those elected will join Jack, Drew and me on the council. The floor is now open for nominations.”
Kane Martin and Keri Davidson were nominated and elected without opposition.
“Next, we have two proposed amendments to our camp rules. These will be read today, but under our current rules they cannot be voted on until 10 days’ notice has been given.”
Joshua read the amendments, which would create a vice chair position to be elected by the council and require the council to elect a new chair within three days of the death, resignation or removal of a sitting chair.
“Next, we will discuss the single most important issue we’ve discussed since we moved here and formed this camp,” Joshua said. “You know what’s happened in our country over the past week, so I will not rehash that. In the aftermath of those events, we’ve been asked to align with the Free America Movement. The movement is all about returning America to its Constitutional founding principles.”
Joshua took a deep breath. “I can tell you that I personally agree with the premise of the Free America Movement.” He paused as applause rang out from the crowd, then continued. “I agree with General Cloos that Anthony Russo is an illegitimate president. Based on what I know, I believe he is a dictator in the making. Ray Sawyer has already aligned with the Free America Movement, and we have seen their flags cropping up all over the place. I know all of you, and I believe each and every one of you are aligned with their core values and mission.”
He cleared his throat and fought back a tear. “The decision of whether or not to join the Free America Movement is not one to be taken lightly. It is a weighty decision, and there will be tremendous consequences if we go in that direction. The Russo administration has branded General Cloos as a traitor and threatened to use military force against him if he does not turn himself in. Treason is a punishable by death. Drew and Melanie saw what they are capable of at Watts Bar Lake. They are ruthless, and they will stop at nothing to eliminate anyone they view as a threat. As I’ve said, I agree with the tenets of the Free America Movement. But it’s not up to me to decide whether this camp aligns with that movement. It’s up to you. The floor is now open for discussion.”
Rebecca raised her hand. “Josh, I have to say this makes me nervous. I know we’re in a situation we’ve never seen before, but I’m still nervous about taking this step.”
Melanie spoke up next. “I know I’m the new girl, but I feel I have to speak on this.” She paused and took a deep breath. “When I worked for Governor Harper, I felt like I was part of something important. Something that had the chance to be world-shaping and history-making. I really believed
in my heart that he would help lead this country back to what is should be. And then I saw him and my friends die at Watts Bar Lake.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I thought it was over. I thought America was done. I’d probably be dead if it wasn’t for Major Chinn. And somehow, fate brought us here. I don’t think that was an accident. I personally plan to support General Cloos and the Free America Movement. I hope you will do the same.”
“Man, I share Rebecca’s sentiments.” Thomas rolled the toothpick between his teeth. “I’d kind of like to just hole up in my cabin and be left alone. But maybe we don’t have a choice.” He shook his head. “Man, this is crazy.”
Jack removed his dark green cap and scratched his dirty blonde hair. “It would be nice to be able to stay here in our camp and avoid the fray. But we don’t have that luxury. America is on the brink of a civil war, and we have to decide which side we’re on.”
“We could just stay out of it,” Jim said.
“America is turning into a dictatorship right before our eyes,” Jack rebutted. “If we don’t oppose what’s happening, we implicitly support and condone it.”
Drew blew his nose into his handkerchief, emitting a noise that sounded like a duck call. “I’ve said from day one that we couldn’t afford to isolate ourselves from the world. I stand by that belief. We have to decide which side of history we’re going to be on.”
Caroline raised her hand. “I have seen our enemies. I looked the AIS Supreme Leader in the eye when I killed her. I saw the cold, blank expressions on the faces of the Homeland Security Police that took Kane and me into custody before Benjamin Liebowitz rescued us. And I am the one who discovered the emails that prove Russo allowed AIS to attack us in the first place. This is war. We cannot sit on the sidelines. Joshua, I’d like to make a motion.”
Joshua recognized Caroline, and she moved that the camp align with the Free America Movement. Drew offered an amendment to specify that the camp would retain its autonomy and continue to operate under its own rules. The motion and amendment both passed unanimously.
***
Saturday, November 17, 2018 – 7:15 a.m. – Fontana Dam
Joshua stepped off his porch the next morning, with Reagan trotting at his side. Nearly everyone in the camp was assembled in the clearing. The chill in the air was amplified by the brisk mountain breeze, and a gray cloud cover hung low over the mountains. A thick coating of snow carpeted the forest floor, and Joshua’s breath was visible in the unseasonably cold air. Rebecca joined him near the base of the flagpole and clasped his hand, and Reagan sat at his feet.
Joshua nodded at Jack and Kane, who unfolded the yellow Free America Movement flag. The crowd was eerily silent as the flag was slowly raised atop the pole, where the Stars and Stripes had proudly waved just a day earlier. A laser-like streak of sunlight pierced the gray cloud cover as the flag reached the top of the pole and the coiled rattlesnake began snapping in the wind.
Joshua squeezed Rebecca’s hand and looked into her puppy-dog brown eyes. She returned the squeeze and smiled. They were venturing into uncharted waters, and Joshua knew he had her support even though she was nervous about where those waters might lead. America was fragmented and on the brink of a civil war. History was taking Joshua down a path he never imagined.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank L. Williams grew up in Northwest, a rural farming community in Brunswick County, twenty minutes from the historic Port City of Wilmington in southeastern North Carolina. A prolific reader at an early age, he read many of the books in The Hardy Boys mystery series before completing third grade. Frank’s family has a love of America and a history of civic leadership that spans generations. He has followed in that tradition, having been actively involved in the political process for more than two decades. After graduating from North Brunswick High School in 1988, Frank earned a degree from North Carolina State University’s Department of Communication in 1993. In August of 2001 he formed Pioneer Strategies, a public relations and strategic communication agency he still owns and operates. In his free time he enjoys writing, reading, action movies, politics, fishing, the beach and rooting for the N.C. State Wolfpack. Frank lives in Leland, N.C. with his wife, Lori. For more information, please visit www.FrankWilliamsBooks.com.
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