WAR (36 page)

“Mr. Jones he was, which is why we’re calling.”

“I don’t know what happened. He left for school on time today with his friends, did any other children not make it today?”

“I’m sorry, we’re not permitted to give out that information.”

Bob replies, “Thank you.”

Bob looks at the phone’s memory for the listing of Leon’s friends, he finds five numbers, he dials the first to get a voice mail. The second number is answered by Leon’s friend’s mother. “Hello, I’m Robert Jones, Leon’s father. I’m calling because Leon and your son usually walk to school together, Leon didn’t make it to school today.”

“That’s interesting because I got a call saying Ron didn’t make it to school today either.”

“Do you know if any of Ron’s or Leon’s friends didn’t make it to school either?”

“I’m not sure. I’m worried, think we should call the police?”

“Yes, you do that, I have the numbers of some of Leon’s other friends, I’m going to call them to see if any of their parents knows anything. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

“Thank you, by the way, my name is Pam.”

“Thanks, Pam, I’m sure they’re OK, they’re the age when they most likely played hooky.”

“I’ll try to stay calm. I’m going to call the police.”

Bob tries the other numbers in his phone while Pam dials 911. The police operator transfers her to the detective on the case who tells Pam her son is OK and at the station. Pam dials Bob as she’s running out of the door to drive to the police station.

“Bob, my son is at the police station. He’s been there all day. I’m heading there now.”

“Did they say anything about Leon?”

“No, they did say they are holding a couple of boys because of a shooting incident this morning.”

“Shooting?”

“That’s all they told me.”

“I’ll meet you at the station.”

Hanging up, Bob calls his wife, “Honey, I have urgent news.”

Carol senses the worry in her husband’s voice, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Leon, he didn’t make it to school today. I spoke with one of his friend’s mother, who said her son is at the police station. Something to do with a shooting this morning. I’m going to the police station, meet me there.”

“Oh my God, the police station? I’m leaving work right now.”

Word of the shooting quickly spread and when Pam and Bob arrived at the station they found the police station surrounded by protesters blocking the parking lot and doors. They parked two blocks away, walking to the station. They are accosted by protesters who try to stop them from entering the station. Two men block Bob’s entry, one grabs his arm to pull him away from the door, Bob pulls his concealed handgun saying, “I’m going to the station, if you continue to block me, it’ll be the last thing you do.”

The protester's yell, “Mother’s got a gun.”

An officer sees the gun, he comes out of the station, Bob sees him saying, “Officer I have a CCW, I was being blocked from entering the station, these people are blocking and threatening me. I was pointing the weapon at them.”

“Let me see your permit, I’ll escort you to the station, you’ll have to surrender the gun before entry.”

“No problem.” Bob unloads his pistol, handing it to the officer.

The officer escorts Bob inside while the crowd yells, “How come he can enter and we can’t?”

The officer ignores the protesters while escorting Bob and Pam inside to see their sons. The protesters try to push their way into the station when the officer opens the door for Bob and Pam. Police officers block the door, “Do you have official business with us?”

“We got rights, black lives matter. You shot one of us for no reason except he was black, today. We’ve got a right to justice.”

Carol arrives within minutes confused by the crowd and protest. She makes it to the front door where she’s able to explain she’s there for her son.

The three adults are soon joined by two more parents who all want to see their sons. A sergeant meets the parents in a conference room explaining what happened and why their sons were taken to the station. Within minutes, an officer leads their sons to the conference room, all of the parents jump up with tears in their eyes hugging their children. Leon says, “Mom, Dad, I didn’t mean to skip school. I was here all day. They wouldn’t let me call you or the school. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Bob asks, “Leon, what happened?”

“We were stopped by a group on the way to school, there was a discussion about our arm bands when one of them pulled a knife, the police arrived, the one with the knife didn’t drop it when he was told to, he turned to the officer who shot him when he kept walking towards the officer. They brought all of us here to give a statement and learn what happened. I didn’t think it would take all day. Can I go home now?”

“We’ll find out from the detective who’s in charge of the case.”

Soon a large African-American detective enters the conference room saying, “Hello, I’m detective first class Arnold Johnson, I’m in charge of this case. I would like to thank all of you or coming to the station and I’d like to thank your sons for their cooperation.”

Pam asks, “Can we take our boys home? Is it safe to leave the station with the protesters outside?”

Detective Johnson smiles saying, “You can take your sons home now, if we need anything else from them, we’ll contact you. I’ll have a couple of officers escort you to your cars.”

As the families are leaving the station, the protesters take their pictures, they post their pictures online with the message, “Murderers!” before they even start their cars. Others check the pictures, they find out who the boys and their parents are, posting their home addresses. Bob, Carol, and Leon arrive home to find the front of their house blocked by protesters holding signs saying, “Murderer” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Leon looking confused says, “We didn’t do anything. They attacked us. They didn’t listen to the police officer who arrived. I swear, we didn’t do anything wrong.”

Carol turns around to look at her son in the back seat, “Leon, we believe you. We’ll pull into the garage. We’ll get my car later. We’ll talk about what happened later. We’re not angry at you. We’ll contact the school to explain what happened.”

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In the LSA, Wolf stands behind the Presidential press podium saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, neuters, threers and others, welcome to today’s press conference. We’ve all seen the cruelty and cold hearted way those charged with protecting the people gun down innocents in the USA. We in the LSA open our hearts to those in the USA who are discriminated against because they have the strength to question and speak their minds. The USA police, who are sworn to protect the people, have struck again. This time they shot and killed a seventeen-year old boy who was on his way to school. The police stopped the young man for no reason, he was obeying the officers, he had nothing but his school books and a small pocket knife every Cub and Boy Scout would carry on him when he was shot in the chest and killed on the street in broad daylight. This is a crime against all humanity we in the LSA call upon the USA to explain to the world why this happened. We as a nation do not think the USA is capable or serious about investigating this or any white on black crime. We officially call on the Group of Fifteen nations to send an investigative team to Burlington, North Carolina, to get to the bottom of this violent, senseless crime. We call on President Rand to support an independent third party investigation of this and other senseless crimes. If the USA refuses this logical request, everyone will know the USA isn’t interested in getting to the truth; they are only interested in keeping the races separated and prolonging the pain and suffering of their people. Thank you. We have nothing more to say.”

A member of Wolf news which is usually allowed entrance to the daily press conferences raises his hand, “May I ask a question?”

“What racist question does our friend at Wolf News Network wish to ask?”

“Did the LSA have anything to do with the attack at the Atlanta Airport and the death of President Cruise or the attempt on President Brownstone?”

Wolf turns around and walks away from the podium while the Wolf reporter asks, “Aren’t you even going to insult me for asking the question or is your leaving the podium an admission of guilt?”

Wolf stops mid-step saying, “I won’t respond to your question because everyone knows you people at Wolf News create what you call news. You should be called the Fictional News Network. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have real work to do, versus dealing with fictional stories. I suggest your copywriters take up publishing e-books since the stories they write have the same relationship to truth as children’s stories have to our real history. Your network is already on probation in the LSA, if you continue this, you’ll find your network banished from our country.”

Walking out of the press room Wolf’s cell rings, he looks at the number and shakes his head internally debating if he should answer it or not. He gives in, “Hello Sean, how are you this evening?”

“Wolf, I just watched your performance and that’s what I’d call it, a performance. You and I both know the LSA had a hand in the attack on the Atlanta Airport and the death of President Cruise. Of course, you know we’re going to respond.”

“That’s going to be hard when you’re fighting an international battle over your race relations.”

“Wolf, I hoped you’d be honest with your people. At one time, you were an honest reporter, now you’re nothing but a hack for whoever is in power in the LSA.  You spin their lies and bullshit too easily. Wolf, we have a message for your President Booker, stop the race baiting in our country.”

“Who us? We haven’t done anything. You have zero proof or you would have already attacked us. You’re going to have to defend yourselves in front of the entire world this time.”

“Wolf, I feel very sorry for you and those in power in the LSA. We will respond very soon and when we do, we won’t go easy on you this time. You assassinated a US President.”

“Sean, old friend, where is your proof?”

Chapter 26

The secret service again drags President Rand to the bunker when the alert sounds about the invasion of Toronto by Quebec. President Rand says, “I’m getting tired of this. I want to stay above ground. I want to sleep in my own bed tonight.”

Senior secret service agent Bret Zackary responds, “Mr. President, I’m sorry, but any threat of attack means we have to make sure you’re in the bunker.”

“Well, how about we stop the invasions?”

“Sir, I suggest you take that up with SecDoD or SecState. Our role is limited to protecting you.”

“Brent, I know. Please ask General Watson to join me. Better yet, how about we go to the Pentagon’s war room?”

“Mr. President, I’m sorry. The General can come here, but right now you can’t go there. Not until we have more information about this latest invasion.”

“Damn it, OK.”

General Watson takes a short four minute flight from the Pentagon to the White House, he and General Wilcox, the Commandant of the US Marines, arrive at the White House War Room. “Mr. President, reporting as ordered.”

“Generals, relax, what the hell is going on? Is every country going to invade us?”

“Sir, Quebec invaded Toronto, there was no warning, no indications of an invasion. Frankly we were taken totally by surprise.”

“Doesn’t say much for our early warning does it?”

“Sir, I’m afraid, I’d have to agree with you.”

“Generals, I want the French out of our territory, I want them out yesterday. You have permission to use any force except for WMD. Am I clear?”

General Watson asks, “Sir anything?”

“Yes, anything. I want them out as soon as possible. I’m tired of being invaded. First Russia and the LSA, the Venezuelans, Cubans and now the damn French? Enough. Teach them a lesson, teach them so the world understands not to try this again.”

“Yes sir.”

The two Generals leave the White House, General Wilcox asks, “General, how do you want us to proceed? There are almost three million people in Toronto.”

“First we need information. I’ve already ordered overflights and I’m sending fighters to take control of the airspace over the city. Once we have the information, we’ll most likely drop a mixed force of your people and the Army into the city. I want some SOF in the city within two hours.”

“Yes sir.”

Major Andrew Fish, call sign, FISH, pilots the Aurora Mach 5 spy plane from Area 51 in Nevada. The flight from Nevada to Toronto, 2,400 miles takes a short 45 minutes, “Fish to home plate in position, cameras rolling and transmitting.”

“Roger, see anything on your displays?”

“Fighter screen over the city, four Eurofighters.”

“Thanks, we’ll relay it to fighter command. We have an AWACS on the way, plus a flight of six Raptors. Raptor flight is due in thirty minutes, call sign Black Arrow.”

“Roger.”

“Black arrow lead this is Fish at 125 angels, circling target. Four Eurofighters over the center of the city, I’ve tagged them to your fire control computers.”