Avalon: The Retreat (45 page)

Someone turned off the radio and Beth stood up and said to the group.

“Since you all have been so gracious as to allow me and my children to live here at Avalon, I’d like to present a gift to this community and to all the citizens living here.”

She asked Tom Wyatt, David Driscol, and Matt to come forward and they did, carrying small leather pouches. They sat them down on a table near Beth and she said,

“Here in these bags are about twenty one pounds of pure gold. I make that to be a little over three and a quarter million dollars.” The boys were beaming as she spoke, and Beth couldn’t help but smile too.

“And there are lots more where this came from.”

Life was going to be good again… and they all knew it.

The day following the news broadcast, the radio crackled with a message,

“This is Sheriff Waters calling Avalon, over. Do you read, over?”

Crystal was monitoring the circuits and she responded as soon as she got to the bench.

“This is Avalon; I read you loud and clear Sheriff. Send your traffic, over.”

“Can you ask Mike if he’d fly down here to pick me and one other person up and take us back to Avalon? I’ll stand by and wait for his answer. Tell him it’s important. Out.”

Crystal got on one of the handhelds from the bench.

“Mike, the Sheriff is calling for you; he needs you to fly down and get him plus one; he says it’s important.”

“Tell him I’m on my way,” came the reply.

Mike went out to the plane and did a pre-flight before taking off. Sam noticed and came over midway through, curiosity getting the best of him since it wasn’t one of their normally scheduled times.

“Trouble?”

“I don’t think so,” Mike was wiggling a flap and didn’t bother looking at Sam. “Evidently, I’m going down to get the Sheriff and someone else and bring them back here.”

“Don’t know why, eh?”

“Nope,” he said, “But definitely interesting. Sheriff’s never been up here… he never asked.”

Mike finished the pre-flight while Sam watched. He drained the water from the wing tanks and then climbed in to the cockpit and prepared to start the airplane. He said bye to Sam and then yelled the customary signal, “Prop Clear!” while Sam backed up, giving room. The engine cranked up and started right away.

He taxied down the field, turned the little airplane, did a run-up, recycled his prop, checked the mags, released the brakes, and headed down the runway, gaining speed for lift. It didn’t take long and before he knew it, he was landing at the county airport just outside of Fitch. He saw the Sheriff’s car waiting for him and taxied up near it.

“What’s up, Sheriff?” He yelled from the cockpit. “Hi Randal! Jump on in. Randal you sit up front,” he said while handing back a pair of headphones, “You weigh a lot more than the Sheriff.”

In a moment, the airplane was speeding down the runway and Mike turned the craft toward Avalon. In less than twenty minutes, they landed and taxied up near the big porch where several people watched. He pulled the mixture control and the engine sputtered to a stop.

They all walked around the grounds and Randal and the Sheriff were nearly speechless at what they saw. As usual, most people were in awe with what they saw at Avalon. They took the royal tour with Dan as their tour guide. They were offered a bowl of beef stew and ate it heartily.

“This is just about the best stew I’ve ever eaten,” the Sheriff commented.

Caroline brought Chad and Linda from the kitchen to meet the Sheriff and Sergeant Randal. When they finished eating, the tour resumed and, after a couple of hours of walking around the retreat, they returned to the main building where Dan invited them to the bar for a drink.

Dumbfounded, the Sheriff stared in disbelief. “A Bar?”

“Go big, or go home, Sheriff. That’s what I always say.” Mike commented as they all laughed, leading the Sergeant and the Sheriff to the main bar.

“What’s your pleasure?” Crystal asked as she tied on an apron.

They stayed in the bar talking until it was time for supper, and they all had a fabulous meal of spare ribs, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet buttered corn, and for dessert, apple pie and coffee. As seven o’clock approached, the Sheriff kept checking his watch and asked that they retire to the radio room.

Dan turned on the primary shortwave radio set to let it warm up; it was a different set than what they normally used for communications with Fitch. In a few minutes, it came alive with a warm buzz and the new President of the United States was speaking.

“This is the President calling Avalon, over.”

Dan was the closest, so he keyed the microphone. “This is Dan Crowley of Avalon speaking. How can we help you, Mr. President?”

“Is this Doctor Daniel Crowley?” the President asked, clearly emphasizing Dan’s professional title.

“Yes it is Mister President,” Dan responded, “At your service.”

“Good! I understand from my advisors after they visited Fitch and heard about your community at Avalon that you were one of co-founders and a primary member to the group. Barring any objections, you are now Governor Daniel Crowley. I am appointing you the new Governor of the State of California. In a few weeks we will dispatch an aircraft to your airport with some pertinent information and a few things you will need as the new governor, including the official certificate for your office.”

“Thank you sir,” Dan responded in disbelief. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything, Governor… and Good luck! To be clear, my Cabinet, the new Congress, and I have made this decision along with several others in order to provide an interim working government. Normal American Constitutional Law will begin immediately, but clear leadership needs to be appointed to provide guidance until elections can resume. Sheriff Waters, are you there?”

The Sheriff picked up the microphone and spoke into it with hesitation. “This is the Sheriff, Mr. President. What can I do for you?”

“Sheriff,” there was clarity in the President’s voice; “I’ve heard what has been happening in your town of Fitch and the leadership that you have provided. You are the kind of man I admire and I’m appointing you as Lieutenant Governor of California. You may remain Sheriff as well, if you like.”

“Lieutenant Governor?” the Sheriff murmured. “Me?”

“That’s right. You are now just under the Governor, and may God help you make all the right decisions! I want to address Lieutenant Commander Michael Reynolds now. Is he there as well?”

Mike reached over and took his turn at the microphone, “This is Mike Reynolds, Mr. President.”

Mike felt like he should be saluting or something, but resisted the urge. Still, he found himself straightening his back a bit more than usual.

“Michael Reynolds, you are now Admiral Michael Reynolds. That’s four stars son… and you can choose to be my adviser or you can go on active duty and assume your station there… that decision is yours alone. Congratulations, Admiral! The appropriate paperwork will be sent along with the same credentials I’m sending to the Governor.” Mike was speechless as he pulled his hand away from the microphone.

“Is Special Agent Elizabeth Kelly there?”

Edging to the microphone, Beth was nervous and felt like a recruit back at Quantico. “This is Elizabeth Kelly, Mr. President.”

“Good, good, you’re there too,” the President seemed quite pleased. “I want to inform you that you are now the Agent in charge of the entire west coast, and that includes Alaska and Hawaii and all Pacific Territories that we have left. You will take orders from me, the Attorney General, or the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and no one else. Congratulations! Your new credentials will be on the same airplane.”

After a pause, the President continued. “Is Sergeant Randal Stone there?”

Randal walked over and put the microphone up to his mouth and spoke into it with his utmost military bearing, “I am present, sir. Sergeant Randall Stone at your service.”

“Glad to hear it, Sergeant. You are now promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and you will be in charge of all of the National Guard in California. Congratulations, General! One moment please.” The radio went silent, and everyone in the room was quiet. Each of them was stunned at what they had just heard.

The squelch of a microphone being keyed brought them back to reality, “I want to congratulate all of you for serving your country in this time of need and to inform you of the value that I believe each of you has for this new government and for your country. I had planned to spend a bit more time with you on the radio, but it seems a matter of urgency has arisen that requires my immediate attention. Good night; we will speak again soon!”

When the initial shock wore off, the Sheriff stepped over to Mike, “I was saving this,” he said in a low tone, “But it doesn’t seem fitting anymore… an Admiral. Wow! An Admiral!”

Mike stepped over to the Sheriff, interrupting to get himself out of the limelight, and put an arm around his shoulders, saying,

“Sheriff, I’d like to take the opportunity to express my most profound thanks to you and to the General for your help. Without it, I likely wouldn’t be here today. We’ve accomplished great things together and under extremely difficult conditions. So thank you. Now,” he paused to take a breath, “What was it you were saving?”

“It no longer seems significant, Admiral,” the Sheriff said as he pulled a wallet out of his pants pocket and presented it to Mike, “But I thought I’d give this to you as a token of my appreciation of all that you’ve done for me and for the entire town of Fitch.”

Mike opened the old leather case, and inside it was gold badge. On the badge were the words

The Sheriff seemed embarrassed as he handed it to him, but Mike spoke sincerely. “Thank you, Sheriff. I will always treasure this!”

In another area of California, a group of men gathered around a radio listening to the conversation between the President and the members of Avalon and Fitch.

The massively large man stood up and kicked the woman who was sitting at his feet, likely breaking a few ribs with his steel toed, studded boot.

“Enjoy it Sheriff, Admiral, General, Governor,” Bone Breaker nearly spat out each title.

“I think in another year or so,” he continued with a sneer, “There’ll be a few succulent and tender babies to eat, and I’m gonna enjoy that!”

He turned, facing north toward Avalon and Fitch and shook his fist in the air. “I’ll be back,” his voice rose as he spoke into the night air, “And this time, you won’t get away so easily! I’ll make you ALL pay!”

Around him hundreds of Slavers, his newest army, rose to their feet, yelling with hoots and hollers, their fists raised arrogantly into the air!