The commander pinches the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before speaking. “A big horde of them… Hundreds… Maybe thousands,” he says while trying to avoid eye contact with Barry. “And they keep adding new members, including bears…” the other commander says.
Barry and I stare at him. My mind races as I try to absorb what he said. It sounds like the bear in the California flag decided to attack California with his gang. They must have contacted the Ricas or the Oxrica itself somewhere.
Barry takes another breath from his cigar. Then he tilts his head to see the map closer.
“How far is General Taylor?” he asks.
“Two hours away from us, sir,” one of the commanders says.
“Mobilize the third legion. I want them to join Taylor’s forces on the way to Tahoe. If the Tahoe defense falls before they arrive, I want them to set up a new perimeter at Kingvale. No need to waste more time and resources for losers,” Barry says, then he points to the door.
He has just ordered the frontline militias to be abandoned if they can’t hold the defense longer.
“Yes, sir!” both commanders say in unison as they salute. They walk out of the room and close the door.
“How do you like your new life?” I ask. I can imagine the judgmental look on my face. He takes his time answering my question.
“You know that I can’t keep this land together If I don’t show strength. They have to fear to obey.”
“Is leaving innocent protestors to die in a dungeon how you show strength?” I ask.
“It starts as peaceful before becoming a coup.”
I don’t wait for him to say another word. I slam my palms onto his desk. “A coup is made against an elected government. All I know is you are a dictator, and they want democracy!”
“Democracy my ass! I stood out for the weak and restored the order when everyone else ate steaks and hid their big butts in their fancy bunkers!” He stands up and puts his fists on the desk while leaning toward me.
I stand up too. “Was the opponent general you tortured to death with rats hiding in one of those bunkers? How about those poor people you use as slaves in your factories? Were they eating steaks? What about innocent people you keep in Alcatraz as hostages to make their families work for you? Alcatraz is their fancy bunker?” I can’t believe how he manipulates his own logic to convince himself he is doing the right thing.
He opens his mouth to respond, but he changes his mind and stays silent. He walks to the side of the room and looks through the window. He then turns back to me.
“Look, Matt. My methods may not be the most peaceful ways of governing… We can discuss morals all day long, but we have more serious problems in front of us. Ricas are on our border to eat us alive! Saviors are preparing for a nuclear attack against the West. Our supply chains broke after Mexico and Canada went dark. If I step down, everybody goes down!”
I decide to continue the previous discussion another day.
“What is going on with Saviors?” I ask. I know that they invaded the entire East and started growing toward the inner states.
“They claim to be the official government by using one of the last congressmen as a puppet president. They think the Highland Republic revolted against the United States!” He throws his fist against his other palm.
“Since that shithead became the vice region leader, all they think about is to wipe us out,” he continues.
“Who? Who is the vice region leader?” I ask.
“That… Leyton guy… Leyton Fucker or something like that. He will go on flames when I burn down the entire East!”
I can’t believe what I am hearing. That idiot Leyton Fowler managed his way from cabin thief to vice region leader. What is next? Vice president?
“I know him…” I say and Barry’s confused eyes lock with mine. “Remember I was reading doomsday survival books? I found out that the best tactic is to team up with others. I met him online to bug out to a cabin together. Everything was going well until he claimed the cabin for all himself!” Recalling that day, I grind my teeth.
“Well, at least we have a common enemy,” he says.
“You don’t have to destroy half of the country to defend yourself. You just need to take Leyton down,” I say. If he is sure that Leyton is the mastermind of the war plans against the West, a targeted plan could save thousands of lives.
“You think we couldn’t think about it? He has an army around him.”
“I know his weak point… Give me a plane and a group of well-trained soldiers. I will bring him without harming anyone else.” I pace the room while forming a strategy in my mind.
“Take what you need. I will authorize you at commander level,” he says. He seems completely threatened by the Saviors. If they make the rest of the country believe they are the official government, and if they have control of the nuclear silos, he is right to be frightened.
“But If I bring him, I want you to promise liberating factories and emptying Alcatraz…and having an election after the Ricas are gone,” I say.
He laughs. “You really haven’t changed, Matt. Always pragmatic. Always thinking about the long-term.”
I ignore his comment and continue to stare at him to figure out his thoughts about my demands.
“I will change how things work. You got it,” he says. He makes a phone call and orders his adjutant to provide everything I request for my trip to the East.
“I need one more thing…” I say before leaving the room. “I want to see my dad.”
Chapter 43
The country has never looked this dark before.
After taking off from Sacramento’s McClellan Airport, we saw
