Part Three
story in progress:
The decision to allow the military to operate to counter whatever enemies were conducting the guerilla terror campaigns on US soil, was unanimous. And in an immediate turn of events, within hours, troops were deploying from bases and camps throughout the country. TV, radio and internet warnings were announced to the public to stay indoors for twenty-four hours when the president addressed the nation from a safe subterranean location, to allow the forces to take positions.
By morning, people could see tanks parked along main roads and teams of soldiers patrolling neighborhoods. The hourly explosions were still occurring, making the sight of troops and the situation really sink in. The day for the public was tensed even more when troops began going door to door, spot checking residential areas and interviewing civilians for information.
After 48 hours, thousands of people were being rounded from their homes and taken to detention cages. People living nearby were shocked to see their neighbours being taken away, not knowing if they had any involvement with the terror that had the country in a panic. The forces then went sweeping the schools in every area for reasons unknown and only divulging tidbits of information to reporters about their orders. This went on for a few more days all while the explosions continued to keep the public alert and disturbed. A number of citizens were being driven mad by the hourly onslaught, hoping that the next one wouldn't be in their neck of town.
The pattern of explosions changed in one day. At the bottom of every hour something blew up in or around every ghetto, slum, barrio, urban centre, project or any place where minority concentrations thrived. Troops soon followed and for the first time reported gun fights were heard outside in the streets with soldiers manoeuvring to blockade the invisible enemies, warning residents to stay in and down. This went on for a few more days along with even larger numbers of civilians being hauled off to holding places.
A week after the deployment, the bombings ceased and a quiet fell over the nation. The troops remaining in place were involved with removing the people that had been detained and shipping them to secured venues. Given a 24 hour all-clear, without any disturbances, the president advised people to safely try to get back to normal life.
It wasn't for another week till the troops were pulled back and within that time people were free to (finally, honestly) thank them for their service and lightly intermingle. There were apple pies, photos, even a few beers. When America looked to the next day, they didn't pay much mind to the prisons and prisoners being gone. They didn't mind much that the neighbours that were taken away in the first round of detainees were registered child molesters either. Nor the gang members that were swept out of struggling minority areas.
The hourly explosions hadn't claimed any lives and at first, most attributed that to luck. When people were allowed out to see the extent of damage the attacks caused, they were relieved to find that the terrorists had targeted random businesses that were known to have notoriously less than friendly service staff or management. A dozen dirty divorce lawyer's offices went up all the same.
America had been cleansed by fire and despite the alarming terror that had stricken the lives of so many, they would sleep better in future nights. All except for Sceric Housetom. Once the vital leaders returned to ground, he was back in congress looking for more money to create more criminals to make more money for himself. After careful review of the nation's present state: with no more convicted criminals, no more crimes being committed, less dangerous people on the streets, congress decided not to approve. He argued with them til nightfall. They justice system was no longer needed. And with that, Sceric Housetom was let go from his position in government.
He walked off of Capitol Hill with his head hanging down. An everyday minority walking the streets with no job. When the flashing lights pulled up on him and shone the high beam in his face, he found himself in the very nightmare of his own making. The police departments were still operating in the capital, his own folly for not following the laws he'd helped create. From the backseat he used the last of his breath trying to explain, however to ears that had no intent on hearing one word of it.
When the police car didn't go in the direction of any police station, he demanded to know where he was being taken and the officers' names and badge numbers. The patrol car crossed state lines and brought him to the Pentagon. He was escorted through the rings to a large conference room where the Joint Chiefs were seated in celebration. The officers uncuffed him and he could then recognise that the black one was none other than Jonas Turner. Sceric was invited to sit and a beer was shoved in his hand. On the wall in front of him, he was able to read the battle plan to put America on the opposite track of where the justice department was leading. His face grew with horror as he put the pieces together, detail by detail. Total removal of crime and cops, firearms and contraband removed from schools, societies tolerated undesirables no longer tolerated, long lasting placebo bombings to rattle the public into self-awareness. All the writing on the wall he needed to understand. The room hushed as they watched him take it all in and slump down in his seat.
The grins on the faces of the Chiefs told another story when he asked about the people that were taken away in cages several days before, the so called undesirables. Jonas directed his attention to a dozen wall monitors. He saw what looked like footage from drones. The cages full of molesters were setting on the sands in the Middle East. Locked tight full of offenders. The other cages where the gang members were being held in were opened and some emptied. The Chiefs were placing bets on which group would last longer in the battles that were just about to start. A tip that some westerners were in the desert had been given to insurgents and the drones overhead were watching them on the approach. Bait for the high flying killing machines that were poised to strike once enough terrorists were in the vicinity. Then it would be a turkey shoot. Dollars were on the table and there was some hassle about who was hogging the remote and whose turn it was to play.
In the moments to follow, while the rest of the Chiefs were occupied with entertainment, Jonas opened a door and brought the blindfolded and bound Secretary of Defence to sit next to Housetom. He was likewise given a beer, once unbound, and made to watch the monitors. Sitting in front of the two, Jonas proceeded to give the two of them a talking to about the way the both of them took their positions for granted. Basically for making the country that he and the whole military loved into a failing thing. While they are out there risking it all for the people of this great nation, it is individuals like unto themselves, mice, who haven't got the best interests of America at heart, and that are making things worse behind the trusting cat's back.
Jonas pointed out that neither of them had ever really fought for anything they loved. Especially America. And today they wouldn't either, but they would fight each other. Just after the drone show was finished. They were given a few more beers to down in the meantime, for courage.
Later the Chiefs moved the furniture out of the way to give them brawling space. They protested that they wouldn't fight each other. Jonas flashed his keychain to them and they knew full well. This story ends like the freeze frame from the last scene of Rocky 3.
Posted By: Clint X
Wednesday, January 21st 2015 at 4:00AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
