American Meltdown: Book Two of The Economic Collapse Chronicles (6 page)

CHAPTER
11

"Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty."

-Samuel Adams

When Matt, Wesley and Adam returned from Piggly Wiggly, the girls were all gathered around the television watching the news coverage and eating the cookies Karen had brought over.

"What's happening?" Matt asked.

"People are freaking out," Shelly answered. "This is going to be way worse than the EBT riots. L.A. already looks like a war zone and it isn't even dark yet."

"How was Piggly Wiggly?" Karen asked.

"There was a lot of tension," Adam said. "Several people are trying to pay with credit cards and they’re very upset that they can't."

"How could people forget so quickly?" Janice asked. "We just went through this with the EBT riots. You would think that people would've been a little more prepared and have some cash around."

Matt said, "The news and the government told them it was a mistake and that it would never happen again. People always believe their lies. That's why they keep putting these people back in office and keep watching the same old news channels."

Wes
asked, "What's happening in L.A.?"

Shelly answered, "People are walking out of the grocery store with full carts and not paying."

"Why are the managers letting them get away with it?" Wes asked.

"Everybody is doing it," Shelly replied. "They can't stop everyone, so they’re just letting them walk out. The police are trying to lock down individual grocery stores, but they can't be everywhere at once.  Store owners in Koreatown closed up their shops. They
’re all posted up with their families around their neighborhood with shotguns and pistols tucked in their pants."

"At least some people have a good memory
," Wesley said. "The police aren't confiscating weapons?"

"Not yet
," Shelly stated. "The amnesty period lasts until March first."

Wesley countered
, "Yes, but police are authorized to start confiscating any firearms on the ban list if they come into contact with them in the normal course of duty."

Shelly responded
, "I guess they figure Koreatown is one area they don't have to secure if the residents are policing it themselves."

Matt turned his attention to the television.

CNC News correspondent Patrick James was reporting in a Chicago suburb. "We
’re getting reports of looting and food riots from all over the city of Chicago. While this area we’re in now is safer than some, the situation around us has been deteriorating as dusk approaches. We’ll continue to bring you live coverage as long as possible.

“Right across the street from us is a Target that was closed
earlier today by management due to looting. Looters were seen running down the street with a wide assortment of goods. Some people had clothing and tennis shoes, others were carting off big screen televisions. I suppose if this situation proves to be the end of our civilization, one would like to witness it in HD.”

Despite the flippant comment, Patrick James had a look of disgust on his face.

He continued reporting, “High inflation already caused most Walmarts to close. People in the neighborhood turned to this Target store when the Walmart down the street closed. Now that Target stores have been raising their prices to keep pace with inflation, sales have dropped to a critical level. Corporate losses are quickly eating away at company cash. The new round of riots may be the straw that breaks the camel's back. This store across from us may never open again after today.

“Two blocks from here is a Kroger grocery store that closed their doors only to have looters break through the front glass and clear out the shelves. We saw people running out with cases of beer and others wheeling away grocery carts overflowing with food items. As the shelves emptied, looters were fighting each other over the last few items on the shelves.

“Other retail stores are also closing as the sense of civil unrest is rising throughout the city. Police departments here in Chicago have been stripped to unsafe levels by budget cuts just as they have in the rest of the country. The Chicago Police Department was already ineffective against the level of criminal activity taking place prior to the rioting and looting. This renders the city completely helpless. President Howe has pledged to send military support to help maintain order in major metropolitan areas. But if they don’t get here soon, there will be nothing left to defend.

“As many of you may remember, I was in Detroit last fall reporting on the EBT riots. We witnessed violent clashes between police and protestors. Several people were killed right in front of our cameras. The city never recovered from those riots. What little resemblance Detroit still held to the civilized world was lost
during those riots. Now, standing here in the Southside of Chicago, it feels eerily like the early evening on the night that the EBT riots destroyed Detroit.

“President Howe has enacted a curfew beginning at sundown tonight.
Here at CNC, we are encouraging all of our viewers to stay indoors until the curfew is lifted tomorrow morning at dawn. If the riots last fall were any indication of what we are facing, this is going to be a rough night. We are going back to the CNC studios where Ed Nolan is bringing you some breaking news."

The television screen cut to the studio where Ed Nolan sat behind the desk.

Nolan said, "Thank you Patrick. Be safe.

“We have just received word from a confidential source inside the White House that Texas has issued a statement telling President Howe that federal troops will not be allowed to enter the state to enforce martial law. The letter is said to have come from Governor Larry Jacobs who was an avid supporter of Senator Paul Randall in last year's presidential campaign. We will be monitoring the situation closely and we will let you know what the response from the White House is, as soon as we have more information.

“Earlier, President Howe issued a statement to the press stating that he would be using all of the resources available to him, including US military troops to maintain an environment of order and to enforce his dusk
-til-dawn curfew.

“Several conservative lawmakers have said the move to employ the military in a domestic peacekeeping effort is a precursor to an invasion of areas around the country that are known to be vehemently opposed to President Howe's semi
-automatic gun ban. These lawmakers have long claimed the gun ban to be unconstitutional and say they will encourage their constituents to disregard the ban. None have said if they intend to defy the ban to the point of violence against the Federal Government.

“We have seen states assert their rights in defiance of federal laws in the past, but if the report about Texas turns out to be true, it will be the most defiant act by a state towards
the Federal Government since the Civil War."

Matt looked over at Wesley and Adam. The three men exchanged nods and smiles. Karen caught the look between them. It was obvious what they were thinking.

Matt recognized the look on Karen's face and he quickly lost his smile. He felt for his wife. He didn't want war either. That had not been why he was smiling. Matt was smiling because he saw hope. He knew it only took one kid in the playground to stand up to the bully. After that, others would be encouraged to take a stand as well. Soon, the bully and his cronies would be outnumbered and he would be put in his place.

While Paul Randall continued to give speeches of encouragement over the internet, no other leaders had publicly taken a stand against Howe.

Matt said, “If this is true, if Texas Governor Jacobs is really standing up to the President, this is a game changer.”

CHAPTER
12

"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."

-Thomas Jefferson

Howe was still scowling. He had a drink in his hand and his tie was draped across the chair. The White House Chief of Staff Alec Renzi let himself into the Oval Office.

"Mr. President, you need to read this.”
Renzi handed the letter from Texas to the President.

Howe quickly scanned the paper. His scowl deepened. "Get General Jefferson on the line. Have him send a platoon from Fort Hood to detain Texas Governor Laurence Jacobs under the 2012 NDAA Indefinite Detention Clause. Send Jacobs straight to a CIA black site before anyone gets a chance to talk to him.
This is getting out of hand. I can’t have another Paul Randall running around sowing discord. Cut this off before it gets started."

"Yes, sir," Renzi answered.

One thing Howe had learned from Al Mohammad, there was no negotiating with these people. Individuals like Paul Randall and Larry Jacobs were stuck in the past and still clinging to the antiquated notion that they could govern the same way people did 200 years ago. Times had changed. Governing had to be done with a strong hand. That is what people needed. Unfortunately, the founding fathers had not understood how dangerous it was to let men speak their minds. Jacobs had to be silenced before he started another brush fire like the one Paul Randall ignited. With Paul Randall hiding out, it was easy enough to label him as a kook, but if state governors started dissenting, it could incite rebellion that might cause Howe serious problems.

"Genera
l Jefferson is on the line, sir." Renzi handed Howe the receiver.

"General
," Howe said.

"How can I assist you, Mr. President?" Jefferson asked.

"I need you to have Texas Governor Jacobs arrested," Howe said.

"What is the infraction?" Jefferson quizzed.

"Insurrection!" Howe’s voice was harsh.

Jefferson began laughing out loud. "Mr. President, an insurrection would be the act of a group or an army against a government or power. Are you sure that is the charge?"

"Don't quibble with me, Jefferson, and don't you dare mock me. I'll have you busted down to sergeant," Howe barked. "Have him detained. I don't need a charge. Send a platoon from Fort Hood to bring him in. Take him straight to a CIA black site."

"You won't have to bust me down, Anthony, I resign. I have a new position as Secretary of Defense
." Jefferson spoke with a light-hearted tone that infuriated Howe even more.

"Are you delusional?  Scott Hale is the Secretary of Defense
," Howe said.

"Not of the Sovereign State of Texas
," Jefferson said.

Howe was further angered by the tone of satisfaction in Jefferson’s voice. Howe slammed the phone down. This situation was getting away from him. It had to be contained right away. Howe call
ed Secretary of Defense Scott Hale into his office.

"Hale," He growled
, "you have to reassign Jefferson's position right away. He is in Texas and conspiring to overthrow the government with Paul Randall and Larry Jacobs. You also have to send troops from Fort Hood to Austin to lock down the Governor's mansion and all of their state government offices. I want Jacobs and Jefferson detained before they disappear into the night like Paul Randall. They are trying to stage some kind of ...." Howe was at a loss for the word.

"Insurrection, s
ir?" Hale said.

"Yes, Hale, an insurrection," Howe screamed
.

Secretary Hale struck a sore spot when he said "insurrection".

Hale rang the commanding officer at Fort Hood to relay the President’s orders.

"We are no longer accepting orders from the White House," the officer informed Hale. "Our orders come from the Sovereign State of Texas."

Hale and his staff started calling all of the military bases in Texas. He soon realized this was a coordinated event that had been in the works for some time.

Hale informed the P
resident of the situation. Howe was unresponsive.

Jane Bleecher let herself in and said, "Mr. President, I am afraid you are going to have to come to some type of reconciliation with the IMF."

"I know, Jane,” The President said somberly. "Why don't you call Klauser and tell him we would like to start over.”

"I hardly think that would be appropriate Mr. President," Bleecher said.

"Just do it, Jane," Howe said calmly, but in a way that let her know not to argue.

Scott Hale took the opportunity to escape while Jane Bleecher was speaking with Howe.

As soon as her business with The President was finished, Jane made a quick exit as well. 

Not more than a minute passed before Alec Renzi was back in the room.
Renzi said, "I’m sorry to have to bring you more bad news, Mr. President, but we just got another letter from South Carolina. It is almost an exact replica of the one we got from Texas. They must have planned this together."

The lead agent of the Secret Service knocked, even though the door to the Oval Office was open.

"Come in," said Howe.

"Mr. President, we feel it is time to move you and your family to Mount Weather. The streets are getting very bad. Protesters are all around the front fence on Pennsylvania Avenue and Ellipse Road. Marine One is 15 minutes out," The agent said.

"Has anyone told Jenna?" Howe asked.

"Yes, sir, the First Lady is packing as we speak," the agent said.

“Alec," The President said. "Get everyone in here. I am going to need all of my core staff to get on Marine One with me in about 20 minutes. Secret Service will send vehicles to pick up everyone's immediate family later to bring them to Mount Weather. As soon as we get there, we need to put together a plan. Have Scott get the Joint Chiefs together and start coming up with a military response to Texas and South Carolina."

Alec Renzi's phone rang. Howe knew it had to be more bad news. The call was brief.

"Mr. President," Alec began, "Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana have delivered a joint document stating similar objectives to the letters from Texas and South Carolina.  They are referring to themselves as the Northwest Coalition. In addition to those three states, Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon and Northern Colorado are seeking to partition themselves from the other parts of those states to join the Northwest Coalition. North Carolina has also adopted the letter from South Carolina."

Howe threw his brandy glass across the room. It hit the wall near the door and shattered. He had been willing to deal with an economic meltdown, but not a civil war.

"Make sure the Joint Chiefs know all the details. This has to be stopped right away!" Howe snarled as he walked out of the room to prepare to evacuate.