Forgotten Forbidden America | Book 7 | Highway To Hell, page 11
part #7 of Forgotten Forbidden America Series
“No, I think this will work for us,” Schmidt disagreed. “Brandy has small unit fighting experience, but that doesn’t translate to large battles. I think she’ll second-guess her military staff and that will give us an edge.”
Shaking his head, “No. Brandy knows how to coordinate and put the correct people in positions that are critical, just look at what she did in Missouri. I really don’t want her turning the entire Republic into a manufacturing haven like Missouri,” Hearst countered. “Like you pointed out this summer, Missouri has an electric grid that just blows the mind. The grid is supported by taxes and run at the county level. It would take decades before a utility company could take over the infrastructure. That alone is what scares those with me. The Republic is throwing out big business at all levels.”
Pushing back from the table, “With your permission, sir,” Marshall said.
“Yes, go and find out just how worried we need to be,” Gifford sighed and Marshall got up, leaving the room with Bolton following.
Marshall still couldn’t believe June actually texted the information she did, but was thankful June had. He was seventy percent sure that’s how the Sin Eaters had found out because it coincided with the slip by Brandy. Left without a positive confirmation, Marshall provided it by slipping the tag Alexander always left into June’s phone. They needed Schmidt and the other joint chiefs to win this war, and he didn’t want Gifford to start chopping off their heads.
One thing Marshall did know, if he wasn’t chasing down what had been in the death camp, he would be very close to getting the Sin Eaters now. Their attacks were scaled down to more harassment in the last forty-eight hours, but he knew they were just regrouping for another big push. “I just need to know how much Reaper got from that camp,” Marshall grumbled, walking across the lawn to a waiting helicopter.
Chapter Eight
Sacrifices for little voices
Hearing giggling, Michelle looked over in the corner of her office and saw Olivia playing with Devin. In a chair watching the two, Lucy was feeding Christian. There was no ‘Part Time’ now that she was governor, so Michelle started bringing the kids and vowed to do it a few times a week. It had been three days since the Republic had destroyed Water Well and the front was quiet, cold and quiet.
Everyone thought last year’s winter was bad but this year, winter was coming earlier and much colder. Long range forecasts already predicted this winter was going to be worse, but Michelle listened to Bernard and he agreed. Reading over the stockpiles they were putting up for the state, Michelle felt confident they would make it through the winter without decreasing rations. Many in the staff and legislature even felt they would be able to increase rations, but until she got all the information Michelle wouldn’t sign off on that. If Brandy returned she could, but Michelle knew Brandy never would either.
Most people in Missouri and the Republic grew their own food. Because of this, many only needed commodities that couldn’t be grown. The main one was salt, then flour, and sugar rounding out the top three. For the most part, people used their rations to expand their diet because they had enough staples to live off of.
When the door opened, Michelle grinned, watching the very tall form of Dallas duck his head to enter her office. Dallas was her lieutenant governor. The day she had come back and been sworn-in she had asked him, and Dallas had flat refused at first. Only when Michelle said she needed him and everyone had a job to do, Dallas finally agreed but wasn’t happy about it. It was then Michelle reminded Dallas, she wasn’t happy with her position either.
Dallas said he wasn’t qualified because he couldn’t type or use a computer. Scott, Dallas’s oldest son, volunteered his wife Alanna, and Alanna said she would be more than happy. Telling all his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that they all hated him, Dallas had walked out of the house.
One of the main reasons she’d chosen Dallas was he was getting over pneumonia and was still weak, but he wanted to get out and work. Michelle knew it would kill him, and she knew Dallas could do the job.
“Those idiots in Dent County aren’t putting enough corn up for storage,” Dallas grumbled. “I told representative Yoder if I had to pull stores from another county to send corn to Dent, I was coming up there and shooting his dog.” Despite being over seventy, Dallas’s seven-foot, heavy stature didn’t show it to most, but Michelle knew that bout with pneumonia had taken a lot out of the walking giant.
“You can use my pistol if you have to pay him a visit,” Michelle grinned. “Did he give a reason to why they weren’t storing what we sent out?”
Smiling at his granddaughter Lucy tending Michelle’s kids, Dallas dropped into a chair and Michelle heard the wood give a groan. “Yeah, he was trading it for concrete from Stone County in Arkansas,” Dallas answered. “I told him we could get the concrete from state storage for him. Yoder needs the concrete to repair three bridges and can’t wait until next year when the legislature has them scheduled to be repaired. He says the temporary bridges the military has up won’t hold out that long.”
Leaning back in her chair, Michelle was beginning to think it was going to take many lifetimes to repair just the basic damage to the infrastructure. This year’s goal was getting secondary roadways linked up as they pushed out with the electricity. Over seventy percent of bridges had been destroyed in Missouri, and moving troops, militia, and food was a challenge they really didn’t need.
“We have an engineer in an office here, I don’t know where or remember his name. Get him to have the militia on duty, today, take him to Dent and inspect the bridges. If he agrees they won’t last, we’ll send an engineer unit up to put in bridges now,” Michelle said.
“His name’s Jeffery,” Dallas laughed. “He was one of Curt’s friends in high school.” Michelle gave a grin because Curt was the ‘baby boy’ in Dallas’s family and the smallest, if one considered six feet, nine inches small. “The engineering team already has a full plate,” he reminded her.
“Yoder will supply the bodies for the project,” Michelle said and Dallas nodded getting up, and Michelle thought she heard the chair give a sigh of relief. “Do you know if Brandy got the package we sent?”
Nodding, “Alanna said it was given to Brandy’s aide Andrea at six this morning because Brandy was in a conference,” Dallas answered and turned to leave. “If you have to take over for Brandy, please don’t make me fill in for you,” Dallas begged.
“Okay,” Michelle replied and Dallas looked back at her with relief. “I’ll leave Olivia as governor and you can work for her.”
“Yeah!” Olivia cried out from the corner.
“I would leave Lucy in charge but she has a tough enough job helping me out as it is, so the next governor will have a full-time babysitter,” Michelle snickered and Dallas dropped his head giving a groan.
“Fine, whatever,” he mumbled, ducking his head as he walked out and shut the door.
“Pawpaw will do it,” Lucy said as Christian announced he was done eating.
“I know, baby. That’s why I chose him because I know I can count on him to do what’s right,” Michelle smiled. “I have four meetings but if you need me, come get me. Nellie brings lunch around noon and I should be able to sit down with all of you.” One thing that had become a constant, when Michelle had to go into work at the resort, Nellie always brought lunch for her and the others. The cooks tried to tell Nellie they made meals for everyone. Nellie never acknowledged them, and Michelle liked Nellie’s cooking better anyway.
“Olivia, I want you and Devin to draw me three pictures each, okay?” Michelle smiled.
With a huge smile, “Okay, Momma,” Olivia said, and Michelle couldn’t help but feel proud of her. The Sin Eaters had been operating for months and had put out nearly a hundred videos before Olivia ever saw one, because everyone filtered what the young kids saw on TV. Sin Eater videos left nothing out and were for mature audiences only. Olivia always knew Nelson had just left to fight, but she’d run into the living room one night when the adults were watching the latest video. Michelle had turned when Olivia ran in and before she said anything, Olivia had seen Reaper. Never once did Olivia say anything but Michelle could see it instantly, Olivia had known that was her daddy.
Because of that, Michelle had told her ‘others need to think daddy’s gone or they’ll find him and then hurt us to hurt him’. Despite being only seven then, Olivia had played her part perfectly. Only once, when they were alone, just a few months ago had Olivia ever said anything about Nelson. “Daddy’s trying to kill all the ones that hurt Gavin, isn’t he?” was all she’d ever asked and Michelle had answered ‘Yes’. “We can wait for as long as it takes then,” Olivia had told Michelle. That night, Michelle had held Olivia tight and cried herself to sleep.
Devin, on the other hand, Michelle had just told him, ‘Daddy’s gone right now’. Nearly five now, Devin was stopping the questions mainly because of Olivia and for that, Michelle was thankful.
“Go do the governor work,” Lucy told her, putting Christian on the floor and Michelle couldn’t help but grin watching Christian walk over to his brother and sister.
Nodding and kissing each one, including Lucy, Michelle headed for the door. “We’re all sacrificing and missing out on a lot for this war,” she sighed. “But if we don’t, we all become slaves to those in power.”
***
Leaving the hospital after checking on Fern, Brandy climbed into the armored SUV. “Why not just drive me around in a Bradley?” she asked one of the Texas Rangers. “We’re rebuilding them in Missouri and it can shoot back!”
“This goes faster,” the Ranger replied with a grin before shutting the door.
Fern still hadn’t regained consciousness but was breathing on his own again. He was still on a ventilator because he wasn’t breathing regularly or deeply enough, the doctor had told her. Then, for ten minutes the doctor explained what they thought was going on and the damage. Never being one in the medical field, Brandy used the phone in the hospital room and called Michelle, then handed the phone to the doctor. After the doctor talked to Michelle, the doctor handed the phone back and Michelle explained what the fuck the doctor had been talking about.
Michelle had explained Fern was improving but until he woke up, they wouldn’t know what damage was done to the brain, but were certain he would have limited movement on his left side. His body was improving after the surgery, but they were worried about the damage to the brain.
“I need another Michelle,” Brandy commented as the SUV pulled out with the convoy of other SUVs and Humvees.
“I’m trying. I really am,” Andrea said beside her.
Reaching over and patting Andrea’s leg, “I know, sweetie, but they broke the mold after Michelle. She was a nurse before this and found out she had the knack to run a governing body,” Brandy told her. “You know the diplomatic side better than Michelle does, but I needed her medical knowledge because I’m still not sure that doctor was speaking English.”
“Major Elias, his wife is a nurse. I can ask him if she could come with us next time?” Andrea offered.
Laughing, “See? You know how to fix a problem,” Brandy said. “So, have you gotten word yet if he’s gotten here?”
Nodding, “Yes, ma’am. He’s waiting for us back at the current residence for the day,” Andrea answered. The protection detail moved her constantly around Dallas and Fort Worth to different houses that were all assigned to the president. Eight of them were Op/Con centers and the other three were mansions. The one they were heading to was the biggest, and Brandy hated it the most. She had only stayed in it one night and gotten lost three times. It wasn’t until her protection detail realized that Brandy didn’t know where to go that they showed her instead of following her.
“After I meet with him, who else is on the docket for today?” Brandy sighed.
“The mayor of Dallas, house committee on reconstruction, the labor board, and military staff briefing at supper,” Andrea read off. “Madam President, I’m just giving you a heads-up, the mayor of Dallas, he upset President Fern in every meeting. I’m just warning you, so you don’t shoot him.”
Nodding, “Remind me to give my pistol to my detail before we meet,” Brandy told her and wasn’t surprised to see Andrea relax. “Did you give General Reynolds the packet from Michelle?” she asked and Andrea nodded.
When the collection of vehicles reached the monstrosity called a house, Brandy saw a marine waiting at the front entrance and gave a sigh. She was out the door before the vehicle stopped and held open her arms. “Isaac,” she smiled as he came over and hugged her.
“Madam President,” Isaac replied and Brandy pushed him back.
“You call me president again, and I’ll have my entire detail hold you down while I find a switch and blister you like that time when your dad and I were stationed in Germany,” Brandy warned. “I didn’t throw a fit when you and Teddy went ‘Marines’ like your daddy, and should’ve busted your asses then.”
“Mom,” Isaac grinned, “you changed and transferred over to the Marines before you retired.”
“None of you left me a choice!” Brandy snapped. “I had two sons join the Marines, my husband was a Marine, and my oldest became a naval officer! I couldn’t stay in the Army!”
“Marines do cooler stuff,” Isaac grinned.
Looking at the captain bars on Isaac’s battle uniform, “I heard you got a battlefield promotion,” Brandy said and Isaac nodded.
“Yeah, needed someone who knew how to run an MEU company,” Isaac answered.
Holding Isaac’s hand, Brandy pulled him inside to a room and sat down on the couch with him. “Isaac, I need you,” Brandy told him. “Teddy’s wife and kids are at the house,” she said of the son she’d lost in Texas. “As is your wife and kids, Gordon’s wife and kids, along with Pam and her kids. I’m now president and can’t make sure they’re protected. Our family is on the feds’ radar and they would love nothing more than to hit us. I’m not going to order it but I’m begging you, get some troops and head home.”
Glancing around, “Mom, what about here? I see like a dozen Texas Rangers and maybe two platoons of Army protecting you,” Isaac said. “Like you said, you’re the president.”
Shaking her head, “Oh, there’re many more, but I told most to set up at the hospital because they move me around all the time and I won’t let them pull more troops from the line to protect me,” Brandy said, then patted her P90 then pistol. “I can protect me.”
“Mom, I’ll agree to do it voluntarily, but only if you let me pull some troops to protect you,” Isaac countered.
“I’m not ordering troops we need off the line to protect me,” Brandy shot back. “One thing I can say, the damn feds and UN have more bodies than we do and we need every trigger puller we can get.”
“Neither am I, I’ll ask for volunteers.”
“Come again?” Brandy muttered.
“Mom, you don’t realize, protecting you is fighting the war. I assure you, if the feds ever do strike with a team, it will be hard, fast, and very ugly. I know guided munitions are next to useless in big cities with the jamming and anti-missile batteries, but they could launch a fast strike mission. I’m really surprised they haven’t tried,” Isaac confessed.
Shrugging, “They’ve tried twice,” Brandy admitted. “One was shot down trying to slip past the lines. The Sin Eaters got the other.”
Looking off, “Mom, I hate to say this but… If Reaper runs against you, I’m voting for him,” Isaac told her and Brandy laughed.
“Son, I would leave now if he showed up wanting to be president,” Brandy informed him. “Son, I have militia forces and one army unit in Mountain View, but they’re guarding the entire county. I need you guarding our family.”
“Mom, I’ll do it if you order but if you let me ask for volunteers to protect you and the family, I’ll transfer on my own,” Isaac told her. “Why haven’t you told Gordon to get his ass back here to do this? He’s the oldest.”
Shaking her head, “Son, your brother has no equal when it comes to fighting on the ocean and in the air. If the family was on a houseboat or flying city, I would. Gordon went into the Navy for a reason, land warfare isn’t his forte,” Brandy said and Isaac slowly nodded.
“Okay, you’re right on that,” he agreed. “Has he even been back yet?”
“No,” Brandy replied. “His group’s in the South China Sea, heading back to Hawaii since the Chinese are pulling out. After securing the islands, he’s bringing his ship to Houston because it hasn’t stopped fighting since this began. His ship needs a refit and his crew really needs rest.”
Staring at his mom for several minutes, “You’re worried that I’ll be captured,” Isaac said and saw Brandy flinch. “Mom, I carried a hand grenade on a necklace before you were even made governor, just so I couldn’t be taken alive.”
Patting Isaac’s hand, “Baby, if they somehow did, I couldn’t do anything,” Brandy confessed.
“And if you did, I would spank your ass,” Isaac told her.
Shaking her head, “No, because I couldn’t do anything, but I would go on TV begging the Sin Eaters to kill everything and everyone in the UN. I would give them safe passage across the Atlantic and funnel whatever they needed to them if you or any of my kids were taken alive,” Brandy told him, and Isaac gave a startle at that revelation. “And that is something as president I should never do, encourage the Sin Eaters and offer them support and assistance.”
Even though he was a military ground-pounder, Isaac understood very well. He loved the Sin Eaters but they were a group that couldn’t be controlled and he prayed when this was over, the Sin Eaters would stand down. In this war, Isaac knew many were going to carry horrors that would be hard to live with. He just couldn’t see any of the Sin Eaters being able to do that, and especially if they went across the pond and continued the war. Because if they crossed the pond, they could never be allowed to return to the country they’d fought so hard for. There wasn’t any doubt in Isaac’s mind if that happened, they wouldn’t have any humanity left inside.
