WAR (53 page)

An hour before the results of the election were announced, sixteen US military C17 cargo airplanes flew over the LSA political prison camps. Trained Delta teams and US Navy Seals parachuted into the camps to free the prisoners. Battalions of US Marines, who landed hours earlier, attack the guard towers; the Marines killed the DepLIES guards and blew the gate while the Delta and Seals freed the prisoners. Military trauma doctors who were with the Marines tend to the prisoners. The strongest ones were flown to San Diego, the weaker ones were treated on site. When they recovered enough, they were flown to San Diego. It took four weeks to empty the four camps. The Delta teams found the mass graves of thousands, many were women and children. President Rand issued orders to arrest President Booker for crimes against humanity. He sent Colonel Grover and his team to make the arrest. Upon landing at LAX, Colonel Grover sent his teams to check every known location President Booker used. All of the reports are negative. President Booker isn’t at any of the known locations. Grover thinks to himself,
where would I go to disappear if time was short and I lived in LA? Mexico, my gold would buy my entry and from Mexico, I could disappear into a country that didn’t have any treaties with the USA.
 

              Small groups on both sides of what used to be the LSA/USA are very unhappy with the changes. Those in the LSA don’t like the idea many of them are going to have to work, even those on welfare learn they have to work. In the USA, they don’t like the costs of uniting with the LSA, or having to absorb the LSA’s debt, or having who they consider lazy and unwilling to work, back on welfare. The unhappy in the LSA learn they can easily purchase weapons, which they do, they form small armed groups which attack USA and State buildings protesting the changes. They demand the status quo be kept. A handful of militias in the USA aren’t happy the progressives are back, some fought the Russians who invaded the USA on behalf of the LSA, the USA Militias attacked LSA offices and tried to assassinate LSA high office holders. In a few cases, the two armed groups fought each other.

              The general mood of North America is one of hopefulness; people generally are happy and thinking their lives and the lives of their children are going to improve.

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              Unification of the LSA and USA is more painful than the separation. Like trying to put a baby back after it’s been born. There were millions of details that were very time-consuming and caused hundreds of hours of debate. Small things like should airports be renamed to what they were before the split, to what to do with the property that the LSA took from political prisoners while giving it to other people. Both families thought they owned the property. What happens to the companies and their assets nationalized by the LSA? President Rand appointed Vice President Brownstone to lead a panel of members comprised of people from both the LSA and the USA, corporate leaders, religious leaders and average citizens to help solve these issues. The first decision made by the panel is to allow religious symbols to be worn and shown in all areas of the USA. The next decision made was to merge LSA banks with USA banks. Easy decisions were the conversion rates for LSA to USA currency. Easy decisions were to convert LSA hospitals with USA healthcare providers. LSA medical insurance was merged with USA providers, providing better care for low cost. Food and energy prices in the LSA dropped to those in the USA. A major problem the panel was faced with was what to do with the hundreds of thousands of government workers who were no longer needed, people whose jobs were phased out with the LSA government. Some would be hired by the private companies that provided the services the LSA used to provide, some would be hired by new companies that opened in the LSA. The biggest problems were the mass of bureaucrats who weren’t suited for private enterprise and weren’t needed in the small state and Federal Governments. Some of these people would be hired when Congress allowed the west coast to set themselves up as a liberal subset of the USA. This still left hundreds of thousands unemployed.

              Vice President Brownstone suggested sending many to colleges to learn new skills, others could be hired in construction or trained for service industries. The problem was in the twelve years since the separation, industry in the USA became more automated while the LSA was still very people intensive. Millions of people didn’t have a place to fit without the bureaucracy. The USA was faced with having to restart welfare in order to stop millions from starving to death. Upon hearing the news, President Rand’s face turned beet red. He couldn’t believe how much the unification was going to cost.

              Over a late-night dinner, President Rand asks his friend, “Rod, the costs of the unification are doubling our worse case estimate, what the hell happened? Where’s the money going?”

              “Paul, we have millions of people who only know how to move one document from one desk to another. They don’t have any marketable skills that will enable them to get a meaningful job. We can’t allow them to starve and if we don’t support them in the change, they could be a bigger problem for us down the road.”

              “Rod, I know it, it’s just we were almost out of debt, now we’re facing a trillion dollars in additional cost. Are you sure there’s no way else we can handle these people?”

              “We’re helping them get into trade schools to learn new trades, we’re helping companies set up more quickly in the LSA so some of these people can be hired. We’re slowing down how quickly we shut down Departments in the LSA government so some of the people still have jobs.”

              “Please tell me you didn’t leave any of the DepLIES agents working. We agreed we would take the DepLIES down on day one. I can’t allow their national police, security or their stupid Department of Truth. These were to be ceased on day one.”

              “Paul, we did close them down, we have thousands of FBI and NSA agents cleaning up their mess. Most of their thugs have been arrested or are being chased to ground. It’s the poor working class families that we’re having problems with.”

              “Rod, what do you need?”

              “Paul, I’m still working on what I need. Every day the panel runs into new problems. I’ll give you an example, none of their school teachers meet our standards, most of their police officers need to be retrained. Hell, even their construction methods are different from ours. Not all bad, some of their building standards are being looked at by the panel to be used across the country.”

              “Are you surprised by anything in the LSA yet?”

              “Yes, the first churches to open in the LSA were attacked by a mob who threatened to burn them down. I got a call from the Pope asking us to help him reopen Catholic churches. He’s thinking about sending missionaries to the LSA area.”

              “Rod, we can’t be seen as helping one religion over any other.”

              “Paul, don’t worry about it. I told him the same thing. He informed me that he’s planning a trip to New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and Boston.”

              “Oh shit, that’s going to be a problem.”

              “Paul, you don’t know the worst of it. I also got a call from an Imam and three Rabbis who also want help setting up missionary trips to the LSA territory.”

              “What are they asking us for?”

              “If we can provide them with security.”

              “What did you tell them?”

              “I gave them the contact information of a couple private security companies. I told them we couldn’t support them with security. My days are taken up with hundreds of calls and thousands of emails from people who want help getting into the LSA.”

              “We should have seen this coming. How did we miss it?”

              “We were trying to win a war, and an election to save our country. We let the small crap fall through the cracks. Now that small crap is biting us in the ass.”

              “What are your thoughts after the first month?”

              “We’ve got to slow some aspects of the unification down and speed others up. Our time line, like any battle plan, went out the window when the enemy was met on the field of battle.”

              “What’s next?”

              “Our best way to save our people is to get companies opened in the LSA and get people hired. Working people are happy people. I have meetings with the chairmen of Chrysler, GM, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, HP and Intel this week to see how quickly we can get them to purchase existing factories in the LSA. Since the LSA owned all of the factories, managing the transfer is much easier than coordinating the purchase of a commercial company by another.”

              “I haven’t seen your guardian angel around, what did you do with him?”

              “I sent him to retrieve President Booker.”

              “Do I want to know the details?”

              “No, I suggest you know nothing. He’ll let us know when he’s completed his mission.”

              “Rod, what are you going to do with him when he’s finished with his mission? He doesn’t make a good indoor pet. I understand he considers protecting you his private mission, however, you are now and will be for the rest of your life under secret service protection.”

              “Paul, I have figured it out yet. I thought I’d take it up with Admiral Zander. I plan to visit with him, he might have some ideas what to do with the Colonel. There’s no way I want him hurt.”

              “I was thinking of promoting him to General.”

              Rod laughs, spitting up his coffee, “I can see it now, the world’s first wet works general, I’d hate to be the private who doesn’t salute him properly.”

              Paul smiles saying, “Chat with the Admiral and let me know. We need to find a special reward for him.”

              “Will do.”

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              Ron, Bev, Brad and Kathy are enjoying breakfast together in Ron’s dining room when Ron’s phone rings, “Hello, this is Ron.”

              Brad, Bev, and Kathy only hear one-half of the conversation, “Yes, I agree.” Long pause while Ron listens to the caller. “I think he’ll agree to that, I’ll find out and call you back, yes I think we can resolve it within 24 hours.” Ron listens while nodding his head in agreement. He ends the call, he places it his pocket. The other three look at him with a common question all are waiting to ask. Ron looks around the table, he knows everyone is waiting for him to speak. He sips his coffee. Finally Bev breaks the silence, “OK, you’re smiling like a cat that grabbed a canary, want to share?”

              Ron smiles while looking into Brad’s eyes, “That was a call from my major backer and the Chairman of the Board. It appears that the group of casino owners is very impressed with our performance during the little incident as they called it. They would like Brad to join us full time.”

              Kathy smiles saying, “Ron, that’s wonderful, but we have a house in Virginia, we’d have to sell it, figure out where I could get a job. It could take us months to sell it and move. As much as I’d love to move here, I don’t think it’s possible.”

              Ron smiles saying, “If you’d like to hear the proposal, the company will buy your home from you, relieving you from having to sell it, and they’ll give you fair market price for it. Brad’s starting salary will be hundred and half, plus expenses, and a moving allowance of one hundred K.”

              Kathy asks, “Is it a dangerous job?”

              “Not really, he’s going to consult. The Chairman is offering Brad a five-year contract, with an auto renewal clause. He’d like your decision within 24 hours. The company is willing to advance you the funds so you can purchase a house here and get started now.”

              Kathy looks shocked, “What about our stuff?”

              “We’ll have it packed and shipped with all of your furniture to your new home.”

“That is excellent news” says Kathy as she gets up to get coffee.

              Brad says, “Ron, I think Kathy and I need a few minutes to discuss this. We’ve just been through a crazy few days.”

              “Take the day. Brad, this is the best deal you’ll ever see.”

              “Old buddy, I know that. I’m really excited, I just want to make sure Kath is onboard. This is a big change for us.”

              Hugging each other, Ron says, “I know, it’ll be great to have the two of you here.”

              While they’re  talking Kathy comes out of Ron’s home holding a cup of coffee, “Ron, I’ve made up my mind, if Brad is in, I’m in, let’s go look for a new home.”

              Brad smiles saying, “Well Ron, looks like the band is getting back together again.”

              Ron smiles saying, “By the way, you’ll be working with an ex-commander, you know him. Jack Lewis. He joined up yesterday.”

              The two couples hug each other.

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              “Sharon, honey? Are you here?”

              “What’s wrong?”

              Jason enters the hotel room holding a bottle of French champagne. Sharon looks at the bottle, “I guess someone had a good meeting today?”