“He’ll certainly tell them how you communicate,” Harford said.
“Probably, but they already knew we’d use e-mail or the Internet. Don’t worry, John, we’re safe.”
“Well, keep them operating, and as soon as July arrives, start the forest fires in the Northwest, moving east to North Dakota. We’ll move into Oregon and California in mid-July. Just be sure the media continues to receive notice that World Jihad is taking credit for the actions. And have some World Jihad material in the car with the San Antonio terrorists. They’re a mix of Arab and American, right?”
Hegarty rose and nodded. “Mostly Arab, just as you directed. And nothing will show success better than dead terrorists before they commence operations, right?”
“Exactly.”
“One more thing, Devlin. In a few weeks, after these two operations, I want you to scout out the federal prison facility near Chicago where they house the terrorists that were moved from Guantanamo. See if you can find a vulnerability.”
“For a prison break?”
“Perhaps, but more for a snatch during transfer. There’s someone in there who will be brought to court. I want him free… or dead.”
“I’ll look into it,” Devlin replied.
Hart Senate Office Building
Washington D.C. june
With General Austin at a western European security conference in Brussels, Pug Connor attended the Senate intelligence committee hearing in his place, specifically invited by Senator Culpepper. The sub-committee was comprised of only eight bi-partisan senators, including Rachel McKenzie. Pug and two other non-committee members, both on General Wainscott’s staff, made up the limited audience. Army Deputy Chief of Staff General Wainscott was the only witness seated at the forward table prepared for his presentation.
Senator Culpepper gaveled the meeting to order. “Welcome, General Wainscott. The committee members have reviewed your presentation report and are prepared this morning to hear final argument on the implementation of the pilot program in the selected cities. Are you convinced, General, that this is the appropriate way to increase security for Americans?”
“I am, Mr. Chairman. The Army has always fought-and won-America’s overseas conflicts. On home ground, it’s quite different. It’s paramount that we find a method to detect and capture these terrorists, preferably before they attack. A para-military force, bridging the gap between military and law enforcement, is the answer. Americans have suffered enough, from the Army’s point of view, and we need to end this chaos.”
“You’ll find no disagreement on that score, General. However,” the older senator said, “We must not forget the liberties that our people take for granted. This pilot program does not include expansion of the Patriot Act, nor does it permit unrestricted detention of citizens as requested in SI’s proposal. Those components of the full program are still under debate. Do you understand those restrictions?”
“We do, Senator.”
“The Senate will not condone increasing our security at the expense of freedom for our residents or the terrorists will have won.”
“Senator, it’s a thin line we walk, for both the Army, who has been called upon to provide internal security, and law enforcement officers in these communities. In order to protect our citizens, the people are going to have to accept some inconvenience. I for one would sacrifice some of my freedom to assure that my family could live and move about more safely. Haven’t we already done that in our airports, in our federal, state, and local government buildings where we now have metal detectors and personal search criteria? Domestic Tranquility has been designed to increase our safety with the least measure of intrusion into our daily lives. Most people will never even notice the aerial camera surveillance the same way we drive through an intersection or visit a bank and never even think about the cameras recording our presence. Think about it, Senator, when did you last consider that your picture was being taken every time you came through the halls of Congress, visited an ATM, walked through a metal detector or entered your bank lobby? We take it for granted now, when once it was non-existent. The White House was open to the public every Wednesday for cheese-tasting during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. Could we do that today? No, Senator, we have to deal with our times in the most secure, yet non-invasive way. Domestic Tranquility is designed for just that purpose.”
“And presuming we move to the next phase, how do you defend the arrest and detention or suspension of habeas corpus without legal assistance?”
General Wainscott nodded his understanding of the question. “An unfortunate departure from our history, Senator, but not unwarranted. The pilot program will show the merit of the proposal. It’s a rare law enforcement officer who would use the arrest power beyond its intended scope. These men and women are dedicated to our safety. You personally have met with principals of Strategic Initiatives. You know they have America’s best interest at heart. John Harford is dedicated to protecting America, as is the United States Army. I’m only sorry that for the first time in my career, we have to do so on our home shores. I recommend that we give Strategic Initiatives a chance to prove their mettle, to show how they can increase our security and enable us to practice the freedom we’ve come to expect.”
The questioning went around the dais with several senators, those who had already determined their vote, conceding their question time to other committee members.
“Mr. Chairman,” Senator McKenzie said from her seat, three positions to the left of Senator Culpepper, “may I have a few moments for questions?”
“Certainly, Senator McKenzie. The floor is yours.”
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Wainscott, I read your endorsement of the Strategic Initiatives proposal for Domestic Tranquility over the past several days. Several points come to mind, but the one that concerns me the most is the lack of a sunset clause, or an end-result timetable. Can you please explain the anticipated duration of these extreme measures and how long our citizens can expect to have to live under these restrictions?”
From his seat several rows behind the table at which General Wainscott was sitting, Pug smiled to himself, knowing full well that Rachel was plucking at straws. Approval for the pilot program was a done deal. She had told him as much when he had dropped in to her office shortly before the meeting to invite her to lunch. To his surprise, she had readily accepted. She just wanted the general to go on record as having voiced his support for a program that had no end date. She had even acknowledged to Pug that it was unfair to ask the question, given the nature of the emergency and the intelligence community’s complete inability to estimate the duration of the attacks perpetrated by the mobile bands of shooters that the press had dubbed The Wild Bunch.
“Senator McKenzie, I can appreciate your hesitancy to vote for a program that has restrictive components which will affect our citizens without full awareness of the duration, but I also know that you understand the nature of our enemy. He is relentless and does not seem to work on a timetable. The fact that the enemy is comprised to some degree of native-born Americans who have attacked their fellow citizens only exacerbates the situation. For all we know, these shooters have been directed to kill Americans until they themselves are killed or captured. This program will help to bring that about. As to the end date for the pilot program, in all candor, I would hope for the opposite. I would hope, would predict, actually, that this pilot will succeed and the program will be expanded. A successful demonstration of intervention should allow this committee to recommend expansion throughout America until we have eradicated these vermin.”
Rachel McKenzie pushed her point. “Then, General, you are saying that the Army expects this program to become standard practice in our nation, with all citizens required to adhere to its tenants? To be subject to search and seizure, detention and interrogation, all without benefit of counsel?”
“As abhorrent as that seems at present, I’m afraid so, Senator. With proper precautions, of course. As I stated earlier, I cannot envision law enforcement officers using the right to detain citizens unless they have just cause. We are not seeking a totalitarian state or the overriding authoritarian nature of some of the repressive governments of history.”
“And the security guards who will be far less trained than our career law enforcement officers?” she asked. “Who will assure they exercise their authority judiciously? Who will control their actions?”
“An excellent question, Senator. You are correct that most of the Domestic Tranquility personnel will be new to the field and will require close supervision. We have anticipated that aspect and have prepared for it with trained personnel in leadership positions. As in the Army, the strong middle management, our experienced NCO’s, actually run the daily operations of our Corps. The same will be true with SI’s field operators, drawing from the vast array of
