a more conservative America? Do you want not only a nation, but a nation under God? We can show you how to achieve that end. And I will make one further statement: beginning next week, The Montclair Advocacy will begin a public campaign against voter approval of the formation of the Republic of Western America. Obviously, if we cannot reach accord this week in our discussions here in Mexico, then Montclair will necessarily withdraw from participation in the process.
“Now, our remarks today are not what you were expecting to hear and you need a few moments to consider your reaction. Therefore, my colleagues and I will remove ourselves from the room and allow you to deliberate on whether or not you prefer to continue this discussion. If you choose to do so, and I sincerely hope that you will give us a chance to fully explain our position, we will return and I shall present the thesis for our argument against secession. Mr. Rawlings, as chair of this committee, is that acceptable to you?”
Dan glanced around the room and received a few affirmative nods from his associates, then turned back to look at General Del Valle.
“General, I think we all could use a twenty-minute break. But I hope I’m speaking for the remainder of my colleagues when I say we will be privileged to hear your opinion and conclusions when we return. Sir, thank you for your candor this morning. As you mentioned last evening, it was not what we were expecting, but, with this twenty minutes to reflect, I think we will probably all agree that your position is not all that unexpected. Let’s meet back here at 10:45.”
During the break, Dan pulled up a chair next to Nicole, who was reclining on a sun lounger besides a sparkling, blue-water pool, a cool drink on her table and several towels, beach bag, and sun tan lotion beneath the table. A copy of Governor Jefferson’s A Colored Cowboy was lying open across her stomach. A signed copy, she would have said, had anyone deemed to ask.
“I’ve only got a few minutes on this break, Nicole, but I think the week is not going to progress as we originally thought. I’m going to text Governor Jefferson, but the general has just dressed us down like school children. Montclair, I mean Del Valle and the whole staff, are opposed to the formation of the Republic and are determined to spend the next couple of days convincing us of that fact. It’s an end run, or a sneak pass, or any other sports analogy that fits. I’m really surprised, and maybe a bit disappointed,” Dan said.
Nicole sat up in her chair and pushed her sunglasses back on top of her dark hair. “Are you surprised?”
“Are you kidding? I’m astonished. The general was opposed to the California issue, but to bring his team down here and try to reverse our purpose? That’s brazen. I respect the man, but good grief, he’s gone off the deep end. He said if we didn’t like what his group said, there would be no consulting fee. Amazing.”
Nicole smiled and lifted her drink, taking a sip and offering one to Dan, who shook his head. She replaced the glass on the small, round table, and took his hand. “How much time do you have?” she asked.
“About five minutes. I have to, uh, ‘?donde esta los banos?’” he said.
“Okay, let’s put this together. General Del Valle knows Pug Connor, right?”
“Yes,” Dan said, a quizzical look appearing on his face.
“And Pug Connor knows President Snow…”
Dan hesitated. “Yes,” he said, a bit softer, the wheels clicking in his head before Nicole continued.
“… and Pug knows that General Del Valle was opposed to secession and he probably knows that Montclair was retained to provide consulting advice to our movement, and… he also probably knows that the general resigned as Adjutant General of California because he did not want to be part of the secession.”
Dan was silent for several seconds. “He’s here on presidential orders,” he concluded.
“That might be a bit strong. I think he’s here on his own business, his own initiative. But his interests and those of the president coincide. Dan,” Nicole said, raising his hand to her lips and kissing him. “Pure and simple, he’s here for America. He’s the same man you’ve always known and admired. What else could you expect from him? I tried to tell you in Las Vegas, but it’s hard to tell your new husband that he’s wrong about such an important issue, especially when you’re still on your honeymoon. I think you’ve gotten carried away with pride. Please don’t take that wrong,” she said, pulling his hand closer to her. “You’re all fired up about this new movement and what part you can play in its formation, but you’ve forgotten why you got here in the first place. You’ve forgotten the voices in your blood,” she said, echoing the title of Dan’s successful novel from the previous year. “And you’ve forgotten Jack’s admonition,” she said, referring to Dan’s recently deceased grandfather, who had told Dan that if he didn’t stand up against the militias and the secession nuts, his ancestors would rise up out of their graves and stomp all over him.
“How did I get such a smart wife?” Dan said, his smile now returned.
“Well, first, you got her shot while she was rescuing you, and second, you got her medically retired from the FBI, and third… you got her to fall in love with you. Go back in there and listen to General Del Valle. If he doesn’t make sense, go ahead and build a new nation. Who needs a unified America, anyway?” she said, lying back down on her sun lounger. “Oh, and don’t forget the banos, or the rest of the meeting will be uncomfortable.”
“I am going to open and close my comments,” Del Valle began, “with quotes from my favorite statesman, Winston Churchill. No other politician had his gift for either content or delivery. In light of my message this morning, one which none of you were prepared to hear, my request to you follows Sir Winston’s thoughts on courage. To me, Churchill was a man who admired, and personified, courage. He said: ‘ Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.’ I ask you to do just that for the next short period of time.
“For forty-two years, ever since my graduation from West Point, I have endeavored to honor my oath to defend and protect the Constitution, from foreign and domestic enemies. What has been proposed makes your group essentially a domestic enemy. I would not go so far as to say it’s treasonous, because you are calling for a public referendum, a national vote. If this were Britain, it would be a vote of confidence in the government that might just result in a change of leadership. We have no such system, so for some of you, and your associates in the states, you have chosen what you perceive to be the only legitimate alternative: form your own nation and leave the USA.
“Over the past sixty years, America has become the strongest nation on earth economically speaking, although that is waning quite early in our history. Our military strength has been amply demonstrated around the world-no standing army can successfully oppose us. Instead, we face a man with a suitcase bomb or a civilian army in residential neighborhoods. No army in history can defeat such enemies, willing to sacrifice their lives in exchange for a few dozen of us. But far more important, America has always been the strongest nation on earth morally. Many would find that hard to believe, given the trash Hollywood and television puts out as everyday life, but it’s true collectively, if not individually. We combine moral behavior with freedom of choice to a far greater extent than any other nation that has ever existed.
“Here is the simple fact: America, as we know her, cannot survive this secession movement. If that’s the basis of our political position, then why, you might ask, has Montclair accepted your commission to moderate the seminar and help develop a governmental structure for the new nation? I can answer that distinctly, ladies and gentlemen: we didn’t accept the commission to form the structure for a new nation. We came to help you examine the structure of our present nation, and see how we can apply it to our advantage. We are decidedly opposed to cradle-to-grave socialism. We are opposed to government in the state to which it has evolved. In that, we can agree. America is moving much too far in the wrong direction and removing freedom of choice in the process. That road leads to slavery.
“Montclair is conservative in philosophy. We do believe in free enterprise. We are opposed to the growth of government, excessive debt that even our grandchildren won’t be able to repay. But we are also opposed to running away from America’s troubles and finding our own little Utopia. For the sake of our discussion this morning, let’s examine the facts. Two Americas, no matter how closely aligned and coordinated their intent, will quickly become disparate in philosophy. One American is already disparate. The president can barely achieve fifty-two per cent of the vote in a national election. That means almost half of the country did not want him… or her. Within twenty or thirty years, there will be four, if not six Americas, philosophically, if not legislatively.
“But if America were divided and no longer the strongest force for good on earth-and, by heaven, I hope we can all agree that America has consistently been the primary force for good in the world this past century-but if we surrendered that title, that obligation to our role in history, who would replace us. China? Russia? A Pan-Arab confederation with government by Sharia law? Would any of those nations have the best interest of the world as
