A Time for Patriots

can be, ” Patrick replied. “The base is an incredible facility. It’s over seven thousand acres, with a hundred acres underground .”

“Underground? How is that possible?”

“It’s one of the most incredible engineering feats on the planet,” Patrick said. “We can park B-52 bombers sixty feet underground . But that’s not the best thing about Battle Mountain. It’s centrally located between Salt Lake City, Portland, Reno, Sacramento, Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Denver, so it has a huge pool of well-educated talent it can draw from for advanced research and development. It has almost unlimited airspace for flying, it has pretty good weather most of the year, and easy access to Air Force and Navy restricted airspace for flight testing. Land and housing are cheap.” He paused for a few moments, adopting his infamous “ten-thousand-yard stare” that even his sisters recognized. “It just needs someone to… to commit to it. It’s ready to contribute, if someone would just commit.”

“What the hell are you babbling about, big brother?” Margaret asked. She giggled. “Or is that just the second Balvenie talking?”

Patrick chuckled, then waved a hand. “I’m just babbling,” he said, taking another sip of whiskey. “It’s all moot anyway. The air base is closing down soon; they’ll probably close down the airfield because the county can’t afford the upkeep, and I’ve been asked to go back to Washington.”

“Really? Doing what?”

“I can’t talk about it yet,” Patrick said. “It’s not even a paid position. But we wanted to keep Brad in school in Battle Mountain to finish with his senior class. Once Brad is off to college, Gia and I will go to Washington.”

“You and Gia,” Nancy said. “Is there a ‘you and Gia,’ Patrick?”

He shrugged. “I hope so,” he said. “Gia’s working through some tough personal problems. By the time we get ready for the move, we should know.” He set his drink down and leaned forward, looking directly at both his sisters. “But I really love her, guys,” he said. “She strong, she’s smart, and—”

“Great in the sack, right?” Margaret interjected.

“I was going to say ‘caring,’ Mugs,” Patrick said. His subcutaneous transceiver beeped, and his intraocular monitor told him it was Brad. He picked up his drink and smiled slyly. “But yeah, she is,” then held up a finger to tell his sisters he was going to take a call. “Hey, big guy.”

“Are you watching TV, Dad?”

“No. I’m down here with—”

“The ex-president — Joseph Gardner — is on TV — and he’s talking about your surveillance operation at Battle Mountain!”

“ What? You’re kidding !”

“He just mentioned you, Dad!” Brad exclaimed. “Hold on… now he’s saying you were ordered by President Phoenix to spy on people around Battle Mountain so he could circumvent the law. That’s nutso!”

“President Phoenix has nothing to do with what we’re doing, Brad,” Patrick said.

“Wait…” He could hear Brad take a sharp increase of air; then: “Dad, he just mentioned those FBI agents ! He said you chased them out of Battle Mountain by threatening their lives!”

“Oh God,” Patrick moaned. “It’s begun…” His transceiver beeped again, and his intraocular monitor simply said “private.” “I have to go, Brad. Talk to you in a few minutes.” He took the second call. “McLanahan.”

“Gardner couldn’t even wait for the morning shows before dropping the next firebomb,” Vice President Ann Page said. “I’ve got a call in to the Justice Department, and they’ll tell us what’s going to happen next. Based on what they’ve already said, you’ll have to shut down your operation, and anyone who was flying those surveillance missions might get in trouble with the FAA. The FBI might confiscate your equipment to see if what you were looking at violated the law. The president will take some major political flak for this.” She paused. “And you’ll probably be indicted by a grand jury and asked to turn yourself in.”

“Fine with me — I’ll be happy to get in front of a judge and tell what happened,” Patrick said. “I’m sorry the president will take some heat, but it’s not his fault at all.” That sentence got Nancy and Margaret’s attention, and they stopped chatting with each other to listen.

“How did this get out, Patrick?” Ann asked.

“I’ve obviously got someone in my group who talked to the press or the FBI,” Patrick said.

“Where are you now?”

“Scottsdale, Arizona.”

“Get back to Battle Mountain right away,” Ann said. “We don’t want it to look like you’re trying to flee.”

“I’m with my sisters,” Patrick said irritably. “We’re visiting our mother. Why would anybody think I’m trying to flee?” Nancy and Margaret’s eyes widened in surprise when they heard that.

“How soon can you get back?”

“I can’t fly tonight,” Patrick said.

“Why not?”

“I’ve had a drink,” he said. “I can’t fly after taking a drink.”

“ Now you’re worried about breaking the law?” the vice president retorted.

“It’s not just the law, Madam Vice President, it’s safety of flight.”

“Madam Vice President?” Margaret exclaimed in a whisper. “You’re talking to the vice president of the United States …?”

Patrick put a finger to his lips to shush his sisters. “Tomorrow I need to drop my sisters off in Sacramento, then—”

“Put them on a plane in the morning and come directly back to Battle Mountain first thing,” the vice president said. “We’ve got to get out in front of this. Are you reading me, General?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Patrick said. The connection was terminated.

“Were you just talking to the vice —”

Patrick held up a hand. “Not so loud, guys,” he said. “I’ve got to go back to Battle Mountain first thing in the morning. I’ll put you guys on a flight back to Sacramento.”

“What’s going on, Patrick?” Nancy asked in a whisper. “Why did the vice president think you were trying to flee?”

“She didn’t, but other people might think I was.” He stood up and kissed both his sisters on the top of their heads. “I’m sure you’ll hear all about it on the news tomorrow morning.”

Joint Air Base Battle Mountain

The next morning

They saw it the next morning from about thirty miles out: several columns of thick black smoke issuing from the base. Patrick was advised to stay away from the smoke but was still cleared to land.

“It’s the housing area, Dad!” Brad said as they entered the traffic pattern. He looked carefully, and then his mouth dropped open. “I can’t see our trailer through the smoke, Dad. Wow, it looks like dozens of trailers caught on fire!”

Patrick made the landing, taxied to his hangar, put the P21 °Centurion away, then drove over to the Civil Air Patrol hangar. Several members of CAP were inside. “Hope you had a nice vacation, Patrick,” Rob Spara said. “You heard the news?”

“About our surveillance operation? Yes,” Patrick replied. “What about the fires?”

“They’re saying it was rival survivalist or fundamentalist groups — whatever they are,” David Bellville said. “No one really knows. It broke out early this morning. All of the civilians are being put up in shelters at the high school until they can be relocated.” He put a hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “I think your trailer was one of them, General.”

“I had a feeling it might be,” Patrick said. “That’s how my luck has been running lately. Has anyone heard from the Justice Department or the FBI?” Everyone shook their heads. “I spoke with the vice president last night. She thinks everything is going to be shut down and the equipment confiscated by the FBI. I’d like to get copies of all the latest sensor scans, as many as we can save.”

“Why don’t we just erase everything?”

“We don’t want to be accused of destroying evidence,” Patrick said. “Besides, I think the images will prove that we’re not violating anyone’s privacy. And there’s nothing illegal about making backups.”

“I’ll take care of it,” David Bellville said, and hurried off.