State of Rebellion

“Tell him the rest, Nicole,” Connor said.

Nicole held out her hand. Dan came and resumed his seat next to her on the couch.

“Dan, we had an agent in the Shasta Brigade for almost a year-that’s how I knew you weren’t part of the group. He was killed in the ATF ambush, although no one knows that outside of the task force. We succeeded in getting someone else inside two months ago, and he has advised that representatives of the brigade will be coming to see you shortly.”

“Me?” Dan asked.

“Dan,” Connor said, “look at it from their point of view. You’re going to write the constitution for this rebel nation. Not only are you akin to Adams and Revere, but they see you as a James Madison figure, much as Senator Turner portrayed you in his diatribe last week in Modesto. These boys want to assure themselves that when you write this document, you’ll protect and, in line with their desires, strengthen their second amendment right to bear arms. They want to ensure you’ll write it up to their liking. You’re gonna be their main man.”

“And if I don’t listen to them, or refuse to go along with their demands?”

“It’s show-time for them. No one will be allowed to stand in their way, and as they see it, ten years from now they’ll all be heroes in the same sense as the colonial Minutemen at Concord and Lexington. How they achieved their objectives will be lost in translation.”

“What was it you said on the drive down to Modesto?” Nicole asked. “The winners write the history?”

Dan smiled at Nicole and looked toward Pug. “What do you want from me?”

“We need your help to expose this group before it’s too late. I need you to meet with their leadership, listen to their demands, and at least appear willing to consider their point of view. They’re not going to welcome you with open arms, but in light of recent events in Sacramento, you could appear to have modified your view toward federal intrusion, just a little bit, if you get my meaning.”

“Now I’m for secession, is that it?”

“That’s too blatant. Not ‘for it,’ but in light of the events at the Capitol last week, you’re just not so adamantly against it. ‘Beginning to see the light,’ would be one way to describe it.”

Once more Dan rose and moved to the window, indulging his habit of taking the long view, literally, enabling him to consider the request before him.

“The governor trusts me, Colonel, and I don’t intend to betray that trust. There’s been too much betrayal already.”

Connor rose and came to stand by Dan in front of the window.

“And what’s the governor’s position, Dan? He’s already called for international recognition of his new nation.”

“He’s against secession, but he’s boxed in now and hasn’t found a way to unravel this mess and gain popular support against the secession. To use your own analogy, Colonel, some of the Founding Fathers were intent on remaining part of England. Only when events forced their hand did they become rebellious.”

“Exactly. Work with us, Dan, and between your efforts and those of the task force,” he said, nodding toward Nicole, “we can give him the ammunition he needs to fight this thing.”

Dan briefly glanced out the window once more and then back at Nicole. “I guess I’m ‘sort of pregnant,’ huh?” He laughed. “Colonel, I’ll do what I can, because I still believe in America as the nation it is, and perhaps, just perhaps, as my grandfather used to say, we can bluster a bit and shake ’em up back East in that hairy nest of politicians.”

“Believe me, they’re shaken up-well shaken, I can assure you.”

“Am I to presume that you are now my contact?” Dan said to Nicole.

Nicole looked at Colonel Connor, who responded. “That would continue the relationship you’ve built over the past several months.”

Dan walked back to the couch, took Nicole’s hands in his, and pulled her up to face him, kissing her forehead. “I’ve had worse contacts, Colonel.” He smiled.

“One more thing, Dan. I’ve advised the president of my intentions regarding your involvement. I must tell you he was opposed, but he’s never restricted my hand in my previous dealings with him. I’ll keep him apprised of developments. And I think you should talk privately with the governor. You must keep the identity of the task force members confidential, but you can advise him of our meeting if you feel it necessary. But-and this is very important-you must not advise him of our suspicions regarding election rigging.”

“Do you suspect him?”

“It’s on a limited ‘need to know’ basis, Dan.”

Dan nodded. “Thank you, Colonel. It’s important to me to retain his trust and to be loyal to him in the process. I think that if we can find a way out of this mess, he’ll be supportive.”

Dan put his arm around Nicole and gave her a quick squeeze. “Looks like I’m gonna be Gary Cooper after all.”

“Gary Cooper?” she quizzed.

“It’s not important.” Dan laughed.

“Well, I’m off,” Connor said. “I’ve got to fly to New York and meet with an old friend. Good to meet you again, Dan. I’ve started to read your book, and I can understand why you feel the way you do. Together, I believe we can make a contribution toward saving the Constitution we both cherish. And as to your ‘contact,’ you can rest assured that in addition to the qualities you’ve obviously noticed about her, she’s also a first-rate intelligence officer. I’ll leave you two to discuss what’s left. Nicole, I’ll be in touch and will probably be back in several days. Again, Dan, my condolences on your grandfather’s death.”

Dan shook Connor’s hand. “Thanks, Pug. If you’ve been reading my book, then you’ll be aware that in some respects, I’m repeating history. If these devious people, as you call them, win out, I could hang for treason.”

“You could always retrace the steps of your history.”

“Excuse me?”

“Didn’t your family start out in New England? Nicole’s from Connecticut. It’s a beautiful place to live. . if necessary.”

Dan nodded. “I’ll do what I can.”

“That’s all we ask.”

After Connor left, Dan pulled Nicole close, enfolding her in his arms and kissing her gently, then running his fingers through her hair. “I’d like to arrange some future ‘contact,’ if you don’t mind, ma’am.”

“Dan, this is serious,” she said, placing her hands on his chest and making a small scowl.

“Oh, I know it is, Nicole. Believe me, I know. And it frightens me. But if we’re ferreting out ‘origins,’ let’s not forget ours in the process. It’d be nice if we could work out both issues and arrive at popular support on both fronts. You have my support, Agent Bentley. Have I yours?”

Nicole stood on her toes and pressed her lips to Dan’s, allowing her hands to slide behind his head. “All of it, Assemblyman Rawlings, all of it. And you can trust Colonel Connor, truly. He’s a good man, Dan. I’ve quickly grown to trust him.”

Dan nodded his head and started for the kitchen to finish the breakfast cleanup before leaving for the day. He paused and looked back toward Nicole. “Oh, and by the way, Voices in My Blood is going to be a movie,” he said nonchalantly.

“What?” Nicole exclaimed.

“My agent called to say Hollywood was going to make it into a movie. But before you get too excited, she also told me that what Hollywood intends to do and what they do, are two entirely different things. They only want to buy the option.”

“They’ll make it,” she replied.

For twenty minutes, Dan tried to explain to Governor Dewhirst his dilemma about working with Colonel Connor. Once again, Dan was impressed and astonished at how calmly the governor accepted information that Dan would have thought provocative.

“Governor, it seems I’m to be reviled by both sides in this charade.”

“You looking for absolution, son?”

Dan was taken aback by the governor’s direct accusation. “No, sir. But it seems that either way I go-”