The Shelter: WAR Read online

  “We’re even. Do you feel better now? Does that enable you to complete the mission?”

  “I’ll complete it because of what you told me. I agree with you, he’s a threat to everything you’ve built here. I’m changing our agreement, there’s one additional condition I’m demanding I get a space in the shelter in addition to my payment.”

  “That’s not up to me, Jay has always decided who gets an invite to the shelter. If he sees a new face, he’ll wonder who you are and how you got here. I promise you, I’ll talk to him. I can’t tell him who you are or why you’re here. I’ll tell him you’re an old friend of mine. It will take a little time since he’s tied up in a huge mess right now.”

  “When will you talk to him? Don’t give me your normal bullshit, just tell me when you’ll have an agreement from Jay. Would you rather I ask him myself? I’ll introduce myself and just ask him for a spot in his shelter.”

  “Christ no! He doesn’t know I called you. I’m not sure how he’ll respond when he finds out who you are and why you’re here.”

  “Looks like you’re going to have to come up with one of your bullshit stories to get his agreement. I’ll do the job; you have my room ready in the shelter. If not, your name will be next on my list.”

  “Agreed.”

  Frank walks towards the parking area where he left his motorcycle thinking, just before dawn, when some of the troops are having an early breakfast will enable me to get close to the Captain. They won’t be armed in their mess tent. I’ll put on the uniform Tony got me, I’ll be able to blend in. With the main body recently returning from Western Tennessee and many new people arriving, no one will pay any attention to another soldier sitting at a table eating his breakfast. I’ll read the report Tony gave me tonight so if I’m asked anything about the action in Memphis, I’ll be up to date. When the Captain makes his rounds I’ll make my play. When he falls, I’ll call for a medic and slip out of the mess tent and be back here before they realize what happened.

  @@@@@

  Ricky cleans himself up, he dresses in clean jeans and even washes his sneakers. He’s heard the Governor will be touring the farm today. He hopes he will be able to separate one of the Governor’s aides from the Governor so he can pitch them his services. Ricky hopes the aide will take them when they leave for wherever the new State House is going to be. He stands in front of the trailer’s single cracked mirror, rehearsing what he’s going to say to the aide. He knows this is his only hope to escape exile on the farm. He’s hoping to able to take his family and leave with the Governor, who will surely agree with him, versus Jay.

  @@@@@

  Admiral Jefferson holds his breath as the Missouri barely scrapes through the Panama Canal, he’s standing outside of the armored bridge, looking up at the tugs towing his ship through the narrow passage wondering if they have any idea why a Navy task force is heading through the Canal. The Missouri’s captain walks over to stand next to the Admiral.

  “I told you she hasn’t gained much weight over the years, the old girl has kept her trim figure. Even at her age, she’s in great shape. She’s ready for whatever orders we receive.”

  “I worry about what those orders will say. I’ve been wondering what to do when we receive them. I’m having serious heartburn about following orders to fire on our fellow American citizens. To be honest with you, and I don’t want this spoken of, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m not sure I can follow orders that force me to break my oath.”

  “Sir, maybe they’re sending us to the Gulf to show the flag. He’s sending us to scare the people in the South, we’ll show them what they’ll be facing if they go through with their threats to secede.”

  “Captain, how many people from the southern states do we have in the Task Force? I think it would be a good idea to know who they are and what positions they hold. I’d hate to have a fight break out among our own people, or have to fight our own ships. I plan to address the Task Force in three hours when we enter the Gulf. Please call a Captain’s conference call for forty minutes from now, at the top of the hour. I want to discuss the situation with all of the commanding officers before I address the crews.”

  “Aye, sir. I’ll set it up. Sir, may I ask a question?”

  “Of course, what’s on your mind?”

  “Do you really think they’re going to secede?”

  “Yes, I do. I believe they don’t think this President has the balls to stop them, they feel there will never be a better time for them to break away and get out from under a government they no longer think represents them. To be honest with you, I’ve laid awake at night wondering which side I support. I understand what the South is saying. I feel for them, on the other hand, I swore an oath to protect the Constitution from all enemies, domestic and foreign. What are your thoughts?”

  “Admiral, I don’t know if I ever told you, or if you saw it in my 201 file, I was born and raised in Huntsville. I was a local football and baseball star, my Congressman went to the same high school, he asked me if I’d like to follow in his footsteps and make a career in the Navy. I told him yes, he arranged my appointment to the Academy. Sir, I grew up with the Confederate Battle Flag flying over my head, I painted it on the doors of my first pickup.”

  “Captain, are you telling me, you won’t follow my orders if those orders are to fire on your countrymen?”

  “Sir, I’m just telling what my background is. I thought it was important that you know.”

  “Thank you for telling me.” Smiling, Admiral Jefferson says, “I promise not to hold it against you. I imagine many of our crews are from the South. Patriotism seems to run higher in the South. I respect your love of country, your sense of duty and self-responsibility.”

  @@@@@

  US Army Special Forces Captain, Black picks up his tray like the rest of his people. He gets in line for an early breakfast, General Arthur asked to see him at 0600 to discuss a very important subject. He smiles and chats with the soldiers standing in line with him. The troops smile and nod at their commander. After filling his tray, the Captain sits at a table with four NCOs. They kid each other about how good it is to have real eggs versus MREs. The Captain reminds them to thank Jay for the fresh food. Frank is sitting at a table with two Warrant Officers chatting about the day’s news. The table he’s selected gives him a good view of his target. He’s enjoying his bacon, eggs and toast waiting for the Captain to finish and start going table to table. He’s holding a small spray canister of a quick acting aerosol poison in his hand. When the Captain comes to check on his table, he plans to stand up and chat with the Captain while spraying the odorless poison in the space the Captain will soon be standing. The poison will linger in the air a few moments allowing the Captain to breathe it in. Frank has taken the antidote so he won’t be affected by it. He smiles thinking he has a fool proof plan.

  @@@@@

  Jay’s interrupted from his discussion with Lacy by his phone pinging, alerting him that he has a text message. He wonders who the hell is texting him before dawn.

  “Are you going to check what the text says?”

  “Who would be texting me at this ungodly hour?”

  “Check it and see, it might be something important. I’ll wait. Given everything that’s going on, I think you should check it. Maybe it’s about the governor’s visit.”

  “Okay.” Jay picks up his phone, he presses his thumb against the home button, the text pops up on the display. “It’s from Tony, he wants to know if I’m awake and if he can come over. He says it’s important.”

  “I guess Nancy slept in and he’s looking for a free breakfast.”

  “I don’t think so; he knows I’m not usually up at this hour. Do you mind if I tell him to come over?”

  “Not at all, I’ll make some eggs. Tell him to come over in thirty minutes, it’ll give me time to make myself presentable.”

  “Done.” Jay texts back to Tony telling him to come by in thirty minutes.

  Lacy dashes into the bed
room to quickly shower and dress before Tony arrives. Jay sits in his office wondering why Tony wants to see him at 5:00 AM. He reviews the camera feeds, and the status reports from the previous evening. He can’t see anything that stands out that is so important that Tony would want to see him before dawn. Jay stretches, shaking his head while walking into the bathroom to brush his teeth, run a razor over his face and change into a pair of jeans and clean T-shirt. Lacy and Jay enter the kitchen seeing Tony sitting at the breakfast bar enjoying a cup of coffee. Jay raises his left eyebrow,

  “Did you run out of coffee? Nancy sleep in, or did you just feel like you wanted company for an early breakfast?”

  “None of the above, I decided I needed to brief you on an event that’s going to be happening any minute.”

  Jay pauses mid-word surprised at Tony’s words. It’s very rare something is going on around the farm and shelter without him knowing about it. He wonders what Tony’s talking about.

  “Care to fill me in on what’s so important that it needed to be discussed at this hour?”

  “Jay, why don’t you sit down and have a fresh cup of coffee.”

  “It’s that bad?”

  “Depends on your point of view.”

  Sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee. He looks into Tony’s eyes. Jay lowers his voice,

  “Tony, what did you do?”

  “Do you remember our discussion about protecting the location of our shelter?”

  “Of course, we discussed that since Captain Black knew about us, we’re screwed.”

  “I remember, I also remember saying that General Arthur thought he could turn Captain Black around, and we shouldn’t worry about him. We agreed to wait a day and see. Tony, what did you do? Did you make a move against the Captain?” Jay looked into Tony’s eyes without blinking. His hand tightening around his cup of coffee until his fingers turned white. His hand began to shake, the coffee in his cup spilled on the table in front of them.

  “Jay, I brought in an outside extermination expert to handle the problem.”

  “YOU WHAT? You brought one of your hit men in to take out the Captain after we discussed waiting? Why? I thought we had an agreement. Why did you take it upon yourself to take action? What if the General is successful? You’d be killing an important ally. One we might need. Plus, you might be turning his troops against us. Tony, call off your outside expert.”

  “I can’t, he should be doing it right now.”

  “God Damn it! NO. I’m calling the Captain to warn him.”

  “If you do, you’ll be telling him we planned to kill him, he’ll never trust us again. I think you’re going to have to let this play out. If he misses, I’ll recall him.”

  “Tony, this was a bad call. I know you thought you were doing the right thing, but not on the day the Governor is visiting us. You could be starting the war in our front yard. I really hope your expert misses.”

  “He rarely misses, I called the best I know.”

  “God damn it. Tony, please try to forget your old life. We have to try settling issues by talking them through, we can’t go around killing everyone we disagree with. What kind of society will we have if we kill everyone that doesn’t agree with us?”

  “A better one than we have now.”

  “I pray your expert fails. I don’t want the Army attacking us on the eve of the whatever else is happening.”

  “You’re pissed at me aren’t you?”

  “Yes, I am. I’m also disappointed you went behind my back to do this. I won’t ask who else was involved. I’m not sure I want to know who else had a hand in this. I don’t think there’s any need for you to stay for breakfast. Find a way to stop your expert.”

  “No one else was involved. I’ll try to recall him.”

  Chapter 2

  Captain Black goes table to table chatting with every member of his command, he’s two tables away from Frank when his aide touches his shoulder.

  “Sir, General Arthur is here for your meeting.”

  “Please show him to the meeting room in the farm house. Make sure there’s a fresh pot of coffee waiting for us.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Captain Black stands up looking around the mess tent.

  “People, I’m sorry I can’t chat with all of you this morning. I have a meeting to attend. Please hold your complaints about breakfast until dinner. I’m sure you’ll all forget about it by then anyway. We have a busy day. The Tennessee Governor is planning on visiting us today; make sure every area is policed and spick and span. Clean your areas as if you were facing a boot camp inspection. Make sure you're wearing a clean ACU today. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”

  The people in the mess room stand saluting their Captain as he leaves with his aide. Frank watches him leave thinking. I’ll try again at dinner. I better send the signal to Tony telling him the first attempt failed.

  Captain Black enters the Conference room where General Arthur and Major Walker are waiting for him, both stand when the Captain enters the room.

  “Gentlemen, welcome, please be seated, General, I should stand for you, not you for me. Would you like something to drink? We have coffee, OJ, and water. I’m sure we can find something else if you’d like.”

  “Captain, coffee is fine. It’s a little too early for anything stronger. Thank you for agreeing to see us.”

  “It’s my pleasure to host you, how’s the building of your facility going?”

  “From the looks of it, about the same as yours. It appears we’re both being held hostage by our friend’s concrete factory.”

  “You’ve got that right. No matter how much we’re promised, the delivery is always short. We’re told that some are going to your base, and I’m sure you’re being told that some are going to ours. I bet he’s diverting the concrete to one of his new construction projects. We’re supplying the raw materials and he’s using the concrete for his own purposes.”

  General Arthur and Major Walker laugh, “I’m sure he’s doing just that, but what can we do about it? He owns the only plant in the area and is sharing his adjacent land with us. He’s got us over a barrel.”

  Laughing, Captain Black smiles, “He does. I bet we’re both getting an equal amount. I had my Top check; they are running the plant twenty-four hours a day. We’re having problems supplying the raw materials as quickly as the plant uses them and we’re both still short. I’d like to know what he’s building over there.”

  “That’s what happens when three shelters are being built at the same time.”

  “Three? I know about both of ours General, who is getting the third?”

  “I thought you knew; he’s expanding his own.”

  “Why in the world does he need to expand his own. His is large enough to hold more than twice the number of people he has. Is he recruiting additional people?”

  “Captain, you’d have to ask him. That’s not the reason I asked to see you. I wanted to discuss the Governor’s visit with you.”

  “I’m all ears. I was caught off guard when you informed me he’s coming here today to meet with Jay. Are you aware of their agenda?”

  “I should be, I set it up.”

  Captain Black looks at General Arthur with a questioning look on his face. He sips his coffee saying,

  “Do tell. I’m all ears.”

  “Captain, can we agree this is an off the record discussion?”

  “Of course. Sarge, please close the doors and post a guard. Make sure we’re not interrupted.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “General, what’s going on? Why is the Governor coming here? What’s Jay got to do with the Governor? He never seemed like a political person to me. He tells the truth, never what he thinks I want to hear. That wouldn’t work too well in D.C. I guess this has something to do with the new secession movement. My gut is telling me you’re about to tell me something I don’t want to hear.”

  “Captain, his visit does. I hope you can keep an open mind while I discuss a few things
with you.”

  “General, I warn you, I take my oath very seriously.”

  “As do I, Captain. We swore the same oath. Today we may be wearing different uniforms, but it wasn’t too long ago I wore a similar one to yours. I’d never ask you to break your oath. I only ask that you have an open mind and keep your eyes open to what’s really going on in our country. Would you agree the country is in dire straits? Would you agree something drastic has to change in order to save our country? Most of the people think we’re on the wrong path, do you agree with them?”