A state of disobedience

Clear Creek, just south of Sanger, was not so grand as the Trinity, even though farther from its sources than the Trinity had been. Two bridges—one highway, one railway—spanned it within a few miles of each other. Bernoulli's orders were to prepare both to be dropped and, on the approach of federal forces, to drop them.

It had been thought that dropping the earlier bridges, those spanning the Trinity, might delay the feds by as much as ten days. In terms of logistics capacity this had proven true; a mass of trucks had been stalled on the Trinity's northern bank, along with many combat vehicles. Others, however, whatever had been supportable by army engineer ferry, crossed quickly. And if the drivers kept a nervous eye on their fuel gauges, still they drove.

Now, with more federals approaching the Clear Creek bridges, Bernoulli didn't hesitate. A few quick pumps of his detonator, a roll of artificial thunder and a cloud of concrete dust, and the bridges settled into ruin.

I suppose a new hooker would have felt that way, too, thought Bernoulli as he calmly unhooked the wires from the contact posts of his detonator. The first one's the toughest.

* * *

Governor's Mansion, Austin, Texas

Falling water gurgled in the fountain as Mario and Elpidia walked past. The girl's face seemed less stony, more animated, than usual. These walks had become something of a tradition. At first Elpi had walked alone. Later, Mario had merely sat nearby. Now they walked together, sometimes in silence, sometimes with talk. Today they talked.

'I hated it, Mario. From the first one to the last I just hated it.'

'Then why . . .'

'Why did I do it?' asked Elpi. 'You're so innocent,' she told the older boy, a trace of wistful longing for her own lost innocence in her voice. 'I had no education; I had no skills. I had a baby to support.' The girl sighed, dreadfully. 'It was all I had.'

'Well, I won't judge you or anything you have done, Elpi,' said Mario, almost—but not quite—reaching out a hand to stroke the girl's cheek. 'And it is all past anyway.'

' 'All past,' ' she echoed. ' 'All.' Even my baby is dead.'

Sensing tears not far below the surface Mario started to turn towards Elpi; started and, as usual, stopped.

Elpi continued, 'He brought me great difficulty, much hardship. And yet . . . and yet . . . He was my own, my very own, baby. Some people told me to abort him before he was born. But how could I do that? He was my very own flesh.'

'You couldn't, Elpi.' Mario considered, then asked, 'Elpi, do you think you want to have more babies someday?'

'I do not know. Why bring more babies into a world that kills them? Why live in a world that will murder babies?'

'Is that why you agreed to go to Houston? I wish you would not.'

She stopped and this time she reached out a hand to a cheek. 'I know. And you're sweet, too, Mario. But your mother asked . . . and then, too . . . what would your uncle have wanted?'

Houston, Texas

It was a flashy city, in many ways; a warmer version of multicultural Toronto. Industry, automobiles, the sheer concentration of people there, all combined to foul the air and irritate the eyes and lungs. Tall glass and steel behemoths, the runaway imaginings of modern architecture, hung predatorily over more sedate structures from Houston's not-so-long past.

Ringed with highways that could not be demolished in time, Houston now found itself ringed in steel as well. Along the ring roads and the feeders, the Army's Third Infantry Division to the north, and the Second Marine Division to the south, swept out in long tentacles to embrace the city.

There had been incidents. Schmidt had attempted to bring all those actually eager to fight under his control, mostly to keep them from doing so on their own initiative. This had been only partially successful; some groups and individuals were simply too paranoid even to trust their state authorities. Thus, on the outskirts of the town, there was some sniping and there were at least two, failed, ambushes.

The federal forces had barely noticed. Rather, they noticed barely enough to induce a bit of caution, to be ever so slightly slowed in their progress.

Thus, the west side of the city, in that area where the Texas National Guard still reigned, the federal forces had not yet taken.

In that hollow space in the federal net, a lone helicopter flew.

* * *

'Mr. Charlesworth? I am Colonel Minh. General Schmidt asked me to meet you, to assist, and to observe.'

'What did you say? I can't hear a thing,' said Charlesworth, cupping a hand to his right ear.

Minh made a 'come with me' gesture to lead the old but still towering actor away from the helicopter and the sound and turbine-propelled stench it produced. As Charlesworth followed Minh, three un-uniformed National Guardsmen and two equally plainclothed Texas Rangers unloaded the public address system. A skinny, pretty, dark-skinned girl stood uncertainly nearby.

When they were far enough away for normal conversation to be heard, Minh repeated, 'I am Colonel Minh. General Schmidt asked me to meet you, assist, and observe.'

'Yes, thank you, Colonel. The General told me to expect you. Is everything ready?'

' 'Ready' is an interesting concept, Mr. Charlesworth. You served in the army, I believe. You know, then, that nothing is ever entirely ready. We are ready for this much: after you and these people with you and those who come