Caden buttoned his coat as he stepped into the cold night air. The multitude of delegates and observers streamed past him out of the building. He sympathized with those who had just pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. But I need to talk with everyone at home before…before what? Before I get myself arrested or perhaps killed fighting the mightiest army on the planet. Glancing at his watch, he shook his head. It’s late…early really…I’ll get some sleep and head home in the morning. He walked down the steps of the capitol and proceeded across the plaza toward a hotel that was serving as officer’s quarters. He was in that no-man’s land of darkness between the lights of the capitol and the hotel when he heard footsteps behind him.
“Major Westmore, we need to talk.”
Caden turned and, as they approached, could discern the faces of General Collins, the JBLM base commander who ordered Maria’s release and then kicked both of them off the base and Adjutant General Harwich of the Washington Guard. He both cringed and saluted. What now?
They were all going to the hotel, but talked little until they were inside. There, in General Harwich’s room, they talked for several hours.
After leaving the two generals he lay on the bed thinking about the events of the day. Sleep came grudgingly.
On the drive back to Hansen he yawned repeatedly, but not out of boredom. The uneventful trip allowed too much time for weighty thoughts. Memories of combat came to mind. Destruction, blood and death…could all of that be coming here? He prayed that Durant would change course, allow elections, and a new congress.
The sun had not yet peeked above the trees as Caden pulled up the long driveway to home. Sue sat under a light on the porch with a shotgun across her lap. With the windows rolled up and the bouncing of the car on the dirt driveway, he couldn’t hear her announce his arrival, but he could see it. His mother and father came out on the porch and Maria stepped from the barn carrying what, at first, looked like a rake or shovel.
Stopping the car, Caden hesitantly stepped out. Maria was running toward him with a smile on her face, but with a pitchfork in her hand. Only as she neared did she drop it and throw her arms around him.
They held each other tight.
“I was…we were worried.”
He nodded. “I missed you. I tried to call, but couldn’t get through.”
“What kept you away?” she finally asked.
“There’s a lot going on.”
As they turned to walk back to the house Maria retrieved the pitchfork.
Gesturing toward it, Caden asked, “What’s up with that?”
“When I go to collect eggs the rooster has been getting aggressive. The two of us are going to have a little chat.”
Caden laughed. “Talk to him later. I need to speak with everyone.”
Trevor rubbed his unshaven face. “You really think war is coming?”
“I hope not, but if President Durant won’t allow elections, or accept the new congress then, I think, war is likely.”
“Everything you’ve told us this morning…the Chinese carving out a sphere of influence on the west coast, Durant controlling the media and trying to arrest dissenters….” Trevor shook his head. “I’ve been frustrated with the way this country has been going for years, but…well, what can we do about it?”
“That’s the thing I need everyone to understand.” One at a time, Caden looked at each member of his family. “Hansen is a small town, out of the way. I can’t imagine that anything will happen here, but it could, and I’ve been ordered to make contingency plans and increase readiness.”
Maria looked concerned. “What does that mean?”
“Get the armory ready to fight.”
“No,” his mother said resolutely.
“People are going hungry,” Sue said. “Medicine is in short supply. Why are we talking about war?”
“Because,” Caden replied, “the events that caused the suffering also put Durant in power.”
Trevor leaned forward resting his chin in his hand. “We don’t choose the time, only how we react to it.”
“We’re all Americans,” Lisa said. “Will the guys at the armory fight their countrymen?
“I don’t know. We did once before, during the Civil War, but I’ve been trying to figure out a way to explain it to the soldiers.”
There was silence for a moment.
“Who are the rebels?” Maria asked.
Caden shrugged. “I guess we are.”
Maria shook her head. “One side is struggling to preserve or restore the nation and one side is breaking it apart. Which side are you on?”
“I want to preserve America.”
All the family nodded in agreement.
Caden sat across the table from Lt. Brooks and First Sergeant Fletcher. “…and so I believe I must take a stand and do my part to change the direction of this country. Durant says he is the president because of the constitution, but ignores entire articles of it. We are a republic, but he has not allowed a new congress or elections and he is stifling the press.
“Some will call it treason,” Caden said with a sigh, “but I am a patriot and I need your help to strengthen what remains of this nation and restore and preserve what we have lost.”
Brooks shifted in the seat. “The convoy came back earlier this week with more food and the cannery donated a couple thousand cans of vegetables that they couldn’t ship, but town’s people are still hungry and I’m not sure starving people will support a war.”
Caden nodded. “We should be getting more food from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and,” he shrugged, “maybe even China, but unfortunately Durant chose the time, we can only respond. Either tyranny or war is coming. Both ways the civilians will get hurt.”
There was silence for several moments then Brooks spoke again. “We took an oath to obey the orders of the President.”
“Yes,” Caden said, “but the first line of that oath is that we will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Again there was silence.
Fletcher took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You will need to explain this to the men.”
“Yes,” Caden said, “As soon as we are done.”
Fletcher and Brooks exchanged nods and then together stood to attention.
Lt. Brooks looked Caden in the eye. “What are your orders, sir?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
From the far end of the table, Brooks leaned over the large paper map of the county held in place by coffee cups, staplers and a hole punch. “Do you really think they will come through Hansen when they try to arrest Governor Monroe?”
Fletcher rubbed his chin.
Looking at the other two, Caden said, “I think Durant will try federal marshals or FBI first, but if that doesn’t work he’ll try with military backup.”
“That doesn’t mean they’ll come through here,” Brooks said shaking his head.
“That’s right, Hansen is an out of the way hick town and so far that has been our salvation. Let’s hope it continues but…” Caden traced the route of the highway along the map, “there are only a few mountain passes and Hansen is on the highway to one of them.”
Brooks and Fletcher nodded.
Walking over to the state map on the wall, Caden pointed to the joint base north of Olympia. “If I were planning the attack for Durant, I’d want to ensure this huge Army base is with me or eliminated as a threat. Then I’d head south from there to arrest Monroe and control the capital.”