State of Rebellion

“No, but the info channels aren’t that efficient all the time. If the report was sent as a routine matter, maybe Sully doesn’t yet know or hasn’t decided how to handle it.”

“We’ll keep an eye on Cordoba, but there’s not much we can do to protect him.” Granata turned to his desk. “I think you should read this,” he said, handing Pug a manila folder. “It seems that Franklin is the brains and financial backing behind the home telephone voting systems in four states, with contracts pending in six others.”

“Dabbling in elections as well?”

“I’ve run some background, but thought I’d leave the California issues to you and your team.”

“Thanks, George. And to think that when you called last night, I thought you wanted to play golf.” He laughed.

“I do. But we better tend shop first.” He stood and pressed the intercom on his desk. “Marilyn, is the car available for Colonel Connor yet?”

“Standing by, Mr. Director.”

“Good. Thank you,” he answered, punching the button. “Pug, your appointment with Prescott is in twenty minutes. Good luck.” He smiled, clapping Pug on the shoulder and leading him to the door.

“Does she know?”

“No. I left that one to you as task force leader. I just told her that you would need to see her immediately after we met.”

“George, you were ill-used on the judicial bench. This is where you belong,” Pug said. “Thanks again. It’s good working with you.”

“And you. Give my regards to Agent Bentley. A copy of this file has been couriered to her as of this morning.”

“Thanks, Mr. Director. I’ll be in touch.”

Events moved rapidly for Dan Rawlings as he began drafting the new California constitution. His overnight popularity amazed him, until Nicole reminded him of the fleeting nature of such fame-not that he had been fooled by the false front most legislators and special interest group lobbyists presented. But still, coming from an appointed position as a local government administrator, it was a new sensation to have everyone seeking his approval and his opinion.

Literally dozens of special interest groups had called, but the call from John Henry Franklin’s chief legal counsel had piqued Dan’s interest and was of significant concern to Nicole and, ultimately, to Pug Connor. Franklin’s interest was “the health of the new nation’s economy,” as the lawyer had put it, and had to do with proposed immigration laws and the draft document he wished to provide for the committee’s consideration. Anything the law firm could do to assist was available, he had said, and all Rawlings had to do was ask. Offers to be of assistance were plentiful, but this firm, one of the largest in California, had placed all of its resources and several of its finest constitutional lawyers at his disposal. When Dan called to discuss Franklin’s offer with Professor Julius, his former constitutional law instructor at Stanford, the crusty old teacher had just laughed.

“Bring ’em aboard, Dan. Better to have the wolf in sight than lurking around the corner,” the professor had advised.

And so Dan had accepted the offer of Franklin’s law firm to help draft narrative on immigration issues, which, Dan began to realize, not only provided him with an insight into Franklin’s desires, but provided the task force some clue as to the financier’s intentions.

Connor had also been right about the militia. Within several days, a Mr. Shaw, whom Nicole had identified as commander of the Shasta Brigade, had called for an appointment. When Dan had told Nicole about Shaw’s appointment, he thought she’d respond differently.

“But you could just arrest him,” Dan had said.

“For what?”

“For what? For murder, that’s what.”

“Proof, Assemblyman Rawlings, or have you forgotten Evidence 601? Look, Colonel Connor and I have discussed it. These murderers are hiding behind the facade of the patriot movement. Individually, we can’t prove a thing. But they are doing exactly what Vice President Prescott told Colonel Connor they would. They’re coming to us-including Franklin’s law firm. We can learn a lot from that, if we’re patient.”

Dan’s preparation for the meeting with Shaw had been limited to studying the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and several court decisions on the right to bear arms. Dan had decided to have his legislative assistant sit in on the meeting, taking notes as a witness to the proceedings. Shaw’s arrival brought one surprise. He was accompanied by Roger Dahlgren, still serving as Woodland’s City Manager and now an even more outspoken supporter of secession, as were all his city council members. Dan stepped out to greet them and offered coffee as they took seats.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shaw. If you don’t mind, gentlemen, I’ve asked my assistant, Ted, to sit in and keep a brief record of our meeting. If you will give him an address, he’ll provide you a copy of the minutes. We’ve taken to doing this so everyone knows their interests are being considered and so we can send you copies of the developing legislation. So, Roger, how’s it going? Still fighting the Woodland City budget battles?”

“It’s a never-ending process, as you well know. You’ve settled into your new surroundings well.”

“So it would seem,” Dan replied, looking around the room, books and papers strewn about. “I’ve got to admit, though-I miss some of the trappings of county administration.”

“Your old deputy, Jim Thompson, is doing a good job as acting administrator in your absence, but I hear he’s considering going back to Wyoming.”

“Oh?” Dan feigned ignorance. Thompson had called Dan several weeks earlier to advise of the same thing. He’d been reluctant to join the secession bandwagon Dahlgren was pushing in Woodland, and the board of supervisors had him up against the wall, withholding appointment as administrator until he voiced support for secession.

“It ain’t worth it, Dan,” he’d said. “Dahlgren’s got these guys dancing on a string, and if I’m not careful, they’ll put me on a string too-or more likely a necktie party like the old days back in Wyoming. Back to the hills for me, ole buddy. If you’ll recall, I’m just a guest here in sunny California.”

But Dan could tell his friend was really worried and that the pressure to conform had been getting to him. Dan had considered offering Thompson a position on his staff, but the cowboy had his mind made up to return to Wyoming where he had some good job prospects.

Dan turned to Shaw, who as yet hadn’t spoken other than to greet Dan.

“Mr. Shaw, how can I be of assistance this morning?”

“I feel certain you know why we’ve come, Mr. Rawlings. We represent certain patriotic interests in northern California and have come to ask your support for our requests-in your new constitutional document, that is.”

“What, specifically, would those interests be?”

“Mr. Rawlings, let’s not beat around the bush. Other than the occasional criminal-who the average Joe meets less frequently than some would have us believe-most citizens have more to fear from overbearing government or police. We want to ensure that our new California constitution has, as one of its tenets, a guarantee that its citizens have a right to bear arms.”

“An armed camp, as it were. A citizen militia?”

“A well-regulated militia, Mr. Rawlings, like it says in the other Constitution-or haven’t you read that part yet? Your novel makes no bones about it. Your pioneers understood what an overbearing government can be like, didn’t they? Didn’t you learn anything from them? It’s time you found some of their courage and got off the fence.”

Dan could see the thinly veiled anger evident in Shaw’s face. Dan knew his loathing of his visitors was too close to the surface as well, and decided to calm the situation before it got out of hand.

“Mr. Shaw, in light of recent events and the disaster of the federal intrusion, you clearly have ample justification for your concerns. I would be the first to admit that an informed, and when necessary, armed citizenry is what made America what it is today. Do you have a proposed draft of what you’d like to see included in our document?”

“It so happens we do, Mr. Rawlings. We’ll just leave this with you, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, Mr. Shaw,” Dan said, taking the several pages Shaw handed him, placing them in a folder marked