She stood still, her posture commanding and straight, as she looked directly into the camera lens.
“Happy Birthday, America,” she said. “Your beloved country is nearly two hundred and fifty years old. And you’ve had a great run, flexing your financial strength over less fortunate countries, imposing crushing sanctions on many nations because their leaders wouldn’t work with you, pillaging ancient empires for their resources before making them subject to your whims. Most of you weren’t responsible for this, yet you would never admit all these things I said were true. But they are.”
She paused to take a breath before continuing.
“While it’s your leaders that I detest, there comes a moment where everyone must pay a price for the lies of its government. That time has come for you. Your president has told you that he has everything under control, that the terrorist threats are gone, that all the attacks against him are by opposing party members attempting to wrest away control. But those are all lies in the face of the reality that is about to hit you like a wrecking ball.
“When I lived in America, many people acted as if I was from another planet since I’d never seen The Wizard of Oz. So, I finally watched it and realized why it’s such a beloved film in the United States. You like it because that is the world you live in. This is Oz to you, a place where everything is fine with magicians pulling levers behind the curtain to assuage the general population that life is grand. Meanwhile, they’re all plotting ways to make you more subservient to their wishes.
“Tonight, that all ends. I’ve already pulled back the curtain for a moment to show you how your president lies to you about the American policy of never negotiating with terrorists. He does obviously. It just depends on who you are. But tonight, I’m going to show you just how tenuous and weak your country’s own defenses are. You’re going to witness a celebration like you’ve never seen before, brought to you by your favorite freedom fighter, Evana Bahar.
“So, happy birthday, America. I’ll see you tonight.”
She smiled and winked. The guy behind the camera held his hand up and then dropped it before hitting a button to end the recording.
“How’d it look?” she asked.
“Pure gold,” the man said. “Now, let’s get a move on before everyone finds out where we are and ruins your plans.”
Evana laughed as she marched toward the door. “Nothing is going to stop us. Tonight is the night that will go down in infamy. So many citizens will be slaughtered that it’ll replace 9/11 and Pearl Harbor as the most tragic attacks on American soil.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
She clapped her hands and then rubbed them together. “I know I’m right—and ready. The most important question is this: Are you ready?”
The man nodded and gestured for her to head into the hallway. “After you.”
She accepted his offer before turning out of the room and heading down the hallway toward the bank of elevators.
Evana had work to do—and she couldn’t wait to get started.
CHAPTER 31
8:30 a.m.
PRESIDENT YOUNG MARCHED through the halls of the White House as staffers scurried back and forth between offices. Instead of smiling faces, he was greeted by worried looks. The fear was palpable.
“Good morning, everybody,” he said loudly. “Why’s everyone so stressed? This is America’s birthday. And we need to celebrate!”
Kyle Felkel, one of the president’s top aides, grabbed Young’s arm and tugged him toward an empty office. “Sir, we need to talk.”
Young furrowed his brow. “What’s going on here today? Everyone gets off at noon with plenty of time to make cookouts and family gatherings. Why do I feel like I’m in a morgue?”
“Perhaps it’s because you didn’t see the footage that started going viral about fifteen minutes ago,” Felkel said as he held out his phone for Young.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Evana posted this announcement over social media. Just watch.”
Rage surged through Young’s body as he watched her deliver a scathing rebuke of the American government and his administration. None of it was nuanced; most of it was untrue. When it was over, he exhaled and shook his head defiantly.
“What’s she gonna do? We already confiscated all her weapons. The event tonight is going to have some of the tightest security this nation has ever seen for an open-air gathering of this size. It’s like the equivalent of a peashooter talking trash to a nuclear bomb.”
“I know she’s brash, sir, but your security advisors are still concerned. Those people who killed those officers in Texas still haven’t been found either.”
“Everyone’s worried all the time. We’re going to be fine.”
Felkel shut the door and backed against it. “I know you’re worried about how this might look as we enter the general election showdown, but it’ll be much worse if something happens. You’ll sink your re-election chances if you forge ahead and people die tonight in some kind of attack.”
Young put his arm around Felkel. “You know, Kyle, I like you a lot. But I’ve gotta tell you that I’ll never be a fear monger when speaking with the American people. We have to have a brave face, even in the face of threats. Our country has the best and the brightest working in law enforcement and intelligence. If someone thinks they can defeat us with fear, just watch. The American people are resilient and will rally against anyone who tries to take their freedom away. Evana Bahar doesn’t stand a chance tonight.”
“You might be right, sir, but shrugging it off could cost you.”
“I’m not shrugging it off, but I am confident the people we have in place in various positions of security are going to thwart anything she tries to do. Know the difference between confidence and arrogance.”
"Sometimes, they can look like both sides of the same coin."
“That woman has already tried to ruin
