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 Chapter 17

   It was a hard period of negotiating for John.  His trust factor with
military people had been badly damaged.  So the head of the JCS came to his
office with a staff.

   "What do we have to do to find a way to pull things back together?"

   "General I have no trust left for general officers or admirals.  The man
you sent here as being honest, refused to send troops out to save families
of his own people.  Your staff of senior officers are afraid to be human.
They seem to think they are Gods.  Well unless their troops vote them into
the leadership position I will never accept them.  Any who care to run for
that job is free to do so.  If he is a first sergeant and damn good I will
back him.  We no longer need an elite military system.  So my people will
meet with all who care to run and over see the elections.  Just one attempt
to control it or cheat and I will have every general and admiral
imprisoned."

   "There is no way you can do that John."

   "Call your base by cell phone and ask who is running it now?  You and
your staff here are hostages until after that election."

   One colonel pulled his gun and was pined to his chair.  "That was really
dumb sir.  I should break your elbow so that can't happen again.  But just
for fun try to shoot your weapon."

   It clicked on a dry chamber.

   "You see it takes bullets to fire a gun and you have none.  Not one of
the military staff have one bullet in any weapon.  We did not trust you and
removed them.  Of course this has all been shown to the people who are
ready to form a country.  I assure you they don't trust you either."

   The head of the JCS stood and said, "I'll be leaving now."

   "Sit your ass down or you will be headed to prison with your other staff
officers."

   The now he was shaken and did not know what to do.  So he sat and looked
at John.

   "You have lied to everyone you have ever known.  I have three documents
signed by you agreeing to pull together a group of states and give these
senators power.  Just so you know they were all hung.  You're a lie walking
in a mans body.  In checking you out I found you were really from Russia.
The story given West Point never happened.  Attacks that happened in New
England were based on information you provided to the Russian government. I
have copies of the voice transmissions as they went over my satellites. 
Now how many of you sick fools would follow this fraud?"

   The old mans head was hanging down.  He had been sure his past would
never have been found out.  "How did you find any proof?"

   "They did hand prints on you as a child coming into the country.  Russia
had your prints on file from the old KBG.  I was able to lift your entire
file from the Russian government and have it here.  Now we don't know how
many people you helped go into our military or the CIA before this
disaster. But with over eighty code names I would assume a lot.  So that
will die with you as you have been sentenced to death.  You and your
henchmen had a lot to do with bringing this country down.  Of your staff
everyone is going with you as they blindly followed your lead."

   You could see alarm around the table.  "You can't do that to us."

   "Just why can't I do that?"

   "We have not had a trial and no lawyer to represent us."

   "Here you have had a trial and we don't allow lawyers.  The military
voted in favor of your being shot by ninety eight to two.  Not one staff
member here did one thing to stop the fall of the country.  Each of you sat
back and watched it happen safely on some military base.  Not in DC where
you were stationed either.  Millions have been killed because of your lack
of action and guts.  So someone should feel sorry for you?"

   They all knew there was no argument for that indictment.  They ran and
followed the general and he led them to a safe place.  Two were not going
to say a word as they had come here from Russia and knew their fate if
found anyway.

   David marched the group out to the range.  Each man was offered a
blindfold before he was walked to the wall.  Most took them, as they did
not want to face the guns and piss their pants.

   The past head of the JCS was asked for any comments.  "Fuck all your
mothers, Russia will win in the end."

   The rest died quickly with no comments.

   David and Carlton came into John's office.  "OK how in the world did you
know about his connection to Russia?"

   "I talk with a few people over the world.  The old head of the KBG has
become a friend of sorts.  He hates the current government.  His country
home is set up with a connection to one of my satellites.  He gets his
world news from me and I get his files on all kinds of leaders over the
world and the spies.  So yes I know the rest of the people here from
Russia. But most are not where I could get them.  The ones that are will be
dealt with at the right time.  People now know there are a lot out there to
worry about."

   "How many did we shoot today?"

   "Three were Russian spies and not citizens here.  Am I going to tell you
who they were?  No I will not do that to their families.  They did nothing
wrong and deserve protection."

   David was impressed with John's stand here.  "I think here your right
and we don't need answers."

   "Well Carlton is going to Fort Bragg and meet with the new Delta Force
commander tomorrow.  The general for Special Forces will be up from Eglin
Air Force Base.  He has twenty A teams there now.  So here is your stars
Carlton and yours David.  As of now your commanding generals of the forces
of reconstruction."

   They each were shocked to see four stars on the group.  "Who gives us
our orders?"

   "The board will do that.  We now need both male and female inputs into
the decisions.  No one person is going to have all the right answers.  We
will need a lot of input and discussion before moving forward and risking
lives.  Each life can never be replaced on either side of any fight."

   That statement both men knew John believed in.  "Who is the board John?"

   Dana, Susan, Sam, Jackson, I think Sgt Grinder and me as chairman. 
Kelly will train to handle my job one day.  She may have a spot on the
board when she is older."

   They could see nothing wrong with any board member.  "I am curious about
why William Grinder?"

   "He is a sound young man with good military skills.  Not being an
officer he is going to ask for a lot of information and look out for the
troops.  You do know his wife and daughter were killed in this mess?"

   "Yes we heard about that.  But we have no problem with him at all."

   John called his group together except for Jimmy.  "OK Dana and Susan
your to give us a female side on events.  Sam has a medical and military
view and Jackson keep us looking at what the young think.  We will have
William Grinder when he is able to be here.  He is about 30 and ex military
from an enlisted mans side.  He lost a wife and daughter in this and has a
vested interest in protecting families."

   Being the shrink Susan spoke up.  "It seems you want a lot of angles
looked at."

   "I told my military men that no one now killed could be replaced on
either side.  We need to keep every good person we can.  So the military
will start no wars and take no city or county that does not request
admission into the union.  Those places will simply be closed off.  No one
will leave that area or come into a free one.  They may not buy goods or
use our money system."

   "How are you going to stop that John?" Now Sam was curious.

   "Every citizen will have a hand scan and eye scan before being issue
their card of citizenship.  That card is their bankcard, travel card and
identification card.  That will be done for every man, woman and child in
this country.  Children will be up dated every year at school.  All of this
will be in one database and used for many services.  If you need medical
help a hand scan will get all data any doctor needs.  A judge get every bit
of criminal data and if there is a clean slate they know that."

   "How are we going to get all that data?" Dana had no idea what John had
done.

   "We have every bit of that data dear.  Anyone who has an outstanding
warrant will be picked up when they are scanned.  Any real bad apples will
be sent out of our country.  We know prisons don't work.  So the punishment
will fit the crime."

   Susan was not getting this.  "What do you mean?"

   "Steal and loose a hand, lie and loose your tongue, the punishment will
fit the crime and people will know what you did."

   "What happens if someone rapes a woman?"

   "They will lose their balls and if that does not stop them they will be
killed.  I have no time for people who cannot live by the laws.  Our people
should not have to pay money to keep criminals locked up.  Once people see
we mean exactly what we have said they will police themselves to some
degree."

   This was harsh and it was really tough adjusting to this new punishment.
But it had to be done, as the new economy could not afford jails and
prisons.  The old system had eaten up trillions of dollars and not
accomplished anything.

   Question and answer time went on for over an hour and it was mostly Sam
and Susan asking the questions.  Jackson had sat back and just listened to
this meaningless talk.  "What is running through your mind Jackson?  I see
you smiling and not saying a word."

   "I have been out there and seen everything John talked about.  People
have shot at me and done everything possible to kill me.  Here you and Sam
sit trying to defend them now.  Your sensibilities are so delicate you just
can't see facts.  So I have been making up my mind on if I wish to serve
with people like you."

   This hit Susan right in between her eyes.  "Your conclusion to that?"

   "I have decided if you can't change I will not serve on this group.  It
was people like you that allowed many out there to die.  You would never
have picked up a gun and fought beside your neighbors.  I don't hear you
asking about protecting people who need it, but it is the criminals
protection your worried about?  You actually told one of my girls they
needed to forgive the beast that raped them.  That day I lost all respect
for you.  Sam here is your equal and disappointed me badly.  He has been
with the military for some time and yet is so liberal he stinks." Jackson
turned to John now.  "I am going to leave and if these two fools are
replaced with good caring people I will come back if you want me.  I am
sorry, but I have heard all I care to.  Let these two go out in a city and
see how things really are." Jackson stood and walked out.

   Everyone could feel the loathing Jackson had for both Susan and Sam. 
"What is his problem?" Sam was now pissed.

   Dana jumped in here.  "Sam you're a good doctor and a terrible human. 
You are small minded, envious and take your feelings out on others.  Just
so you know you would never have had any chance with me.  Now Susan is Miss
Liberal here and she had a chance to get that sides views in.  But as with
most it is either control things or crash them.  I hate to say this but
Susan your going to spend a month in Roanoke and see how it really is out
there.  Sam you going with her and you will both be armed.  If you have
guts and are willing to kill to stay alive, you might survive that
experience.  If not your dead and that is in your hands and not ours."

   Both now were shocked and scared to death.  "We aren't fighters and have
no skills at that.  You can't do this to us." Sam now was panicked.

   "Sorry Sam the military voted that if you failed here, that was the
punishment for both of you.  Providing you survive we will pick you up
where we dropped you in 30 days time.  You then will be taken to a camp we
have helped start.  Never again will either of you be welcome here.  Today
was your test and you failed it badly."

   "But you need doctors."

   "No the choppers taking you will bring three new ones back and two
shrinks.  They and their families are glad to get some place safe.  Each
has had to fight to stay alive now for over a year.  But no one in their
family was killed or taken by gangs."

   Sam now was crying like a little boy.  Carlton came in with troops and
removed the two.

   "Who are you going to get to replace them?"

   "Two of the new doctors should bring a lot of experience.  One doc and
one shrink who have no illusions about the people out there.  They will add
knowledge to our little group.  But here the group is advisory and I will
make the final decision.  It is my wealth backing this new country.  Any
who wish to supply the gold can buy me out and run things.  I will happily
move where I am wanted with my wealth."

   That made things simple for most, as it was his money backing the new
country that came together.

   Once in his office John had Jackson sitting there.  "Well it happened
just like you said it would son.  I had expected Sam to be a problem, but
Susan she had always kept her head down around me."

   "Sam had played with girls he was doing exams on.  Not with permission
or even after asking them.  Had he asked and they said OK, I would never
have brought that issue to you.  Susan was always telling girls they had to
forgive men who raped them.  Had they not made the men feel passion it
would not have happened."

   "Well I don't expect either one to survive this trip.  I have no
feelings for either of them and will shed no tears over them.  They will be
dropped in a park and their lives are theirs to save or lose.  I had to
pull Dana away from Susan and do the work to help her myself.  So I know
how far off base she was."

   "What do we do now boss?"

   "Countries are born out of many acts Jackson.  Some are good and others
not so good.  But no country can be born without money and it having value.
Here we are some what isolated and could be taken out quickly by a well
planned attack.  What people don't know is if anything happens here or to
me, the gold we have will be worth nothing.  I have nuclear devices planted
and armed to make that happen.  It takes three hours to get into the vault
and before then this entire valley would be gone with the gold."

   "Would any survive?"

   "The count down starts when the warning horns go off.  You and the kids
have two hours to get away from here by using the horses and ferry to move
away."

   "I don't understand why your telling me this?"

   "You're an honest man Jackson and someone will need to get the word out
to the people.  They will need to know what happened and why."

   "You sound like you expect an attack?"

   "Oh I sure do.  I just don't know if they will be reasonable or not. 
You see Sam and Susan were spies inside this compound.  Both came from the
military.  Their cell phones had the numbers for people we had trouble
with. My tech people picked up every phone call they made and taped them.
Right now we know that we don't have any more communicating with the
military.  That is going to cause some to want to know what happened. 
Communications did continued after the executions.  But stopped when we
sent Sam and Susan to Roanoke."

   "Do you trust David and Carlton?"

   "Completely as they were both screwed by some of the same men.  But the
computer people watch all communications and access to the database here
for oddities.  I have very good ones and they like the safety and security
here.  No one knows where the main computer areas are and the way in or out
is very odd.  It takes a shuttle to get there or back."

   "It sounds like you have protected us as best we can.  Remember I have
over 100 troops in my area as well.  The scouts will fight to defend
anything you ask us to."

   "That is one thing I have always been sure of Jackson.  Your young
people don't have the mental problems adults do.  Adults get to smart for
their abilities.  They go rushing in where only fools tread.  Your people
stay focused and aimed at the goal they have in front of them."

   Jackson liked the way that had been put.  "My biggest problem is my
troops sometimes feel 10 feet tall and bullet proof.  But it is always for
a good cause."

   "That is often called bravery above and beyond the call of duty.  That
is like those young people on the mountainside taking down the aircraft. 
They were at great risk, but just did their jobs.  To me they were really
brave, way above what others are able to handle."

   It was then five people walked into the office and waited for John to
recognize them before saying a word.  "I am John and this man is Jackson.
He leads the scouts and was the one who got the info and phones into
Roanoke."

   "Young man I am Dr.  Michaels and I want to thank you.  We knew that
there was some safe area out here, but did not know how to contact it."

   "Glad to help and I have sent phones and books into many cities and
towns.  So it was nothing new to my scouts or me.  Our job is to be John's
eyes out there and get information back here."

   The doctor turned to John now.  "We each have families with us and have
brought children out that needed a safe place."

   "What ages are the children?"

   "They are from three to around nine."

   "Are they fit or do they need medical help?"

   "They are fit health wise, but have some psychological damage."

   "Jackson they are yours so get them collected and transported to your
camp area and people."

   "I am on it now boss." He started to leave.

   "Hey we brought them and will care for them."

   "Unless you wish to go back there you will follow direction doctor.  We
have ways of helping young children that works.  You may be a nice guy, but
your skills are way below what they need right now."

   One woman was smiling at John.  "I assume you have a children's
encampment?"

   "Yes Jackson runs it and there are many children there to help these
adjust.  No adults are allowed there except for the psychologist based on
needs.  Jackson is the oldest and each building has one female house parent
who is sixteen or just over."

   "Who makes the rules there?"

   "The kids do as it is their area and they rule it."

   "I am one of your shrinks John and love what you have done here.  My
name is Shirley and the guy smiling is Tom who is the male side of our
team. We just did not have the food or clothing to take in many that needed
it."

   "How many would you say that is there up to say 10 years old?"

   "I would say may be six thousand right now, but that decreases each day.
Why 10 as a cut off?" She did not get this.

   "Look at 11 some things are firmly in place that will never be changed.
At 10 we still have a 99% chance at making the needed changes.  Jackson's
children all will help others move the direction we want them to.  Pam,
Jackson's wife is 15 and her sister Rhonda is 10.  They live with him next
door to the children's compound.  Both were badly abused and know the pain
and suffering.  They saw their parents killed and became slaves.  He was
the one who saved them."

   Now this group of doctors were shocked.  "Where did this happen?"

   "They were from Roanoke and had left with parents and friends to find
us. They were ambushed on Christiansburg Mountain, so the adult's sill
alive and kids were taken as slaves.  Only Pam and Rhonda survived that."

   That story just made their blood run cold.  This group had discussed
making that trip.  "Where do we live for now?"

   "You will all have large very nice apartments, but they are inside the
mountain for protection.  Here that is the safest place to be.  Everyone in
your family will have an RFID implant, so we always know where your at.  It
also stops you from being killed walking through the mountain tunnels.  If
you don't have an RFID the computer can read your dead.  If it is a
restricted area and your there your in trouble as well."

   "That sounds dangerous to me."

   "If your not to be there it is very dangerous.  For us who live here it
is not even noticed.  I have one as does my daughter and wife.  Dana works
down in the hospital and travels those tunnels every day.  Kelly my
daughter has been in every tunnel we have.  I walk them often and in places
you can't go, those areas are very dangerous and off limits to most
everyone." He handed each person a cell phone and charger.

   "What are these for?" Shirley had no idea how the communications here
worked?

   "If Jackson's kids need you, you will be called.  Everyone here has a
cell and we use them to communicate all the time.  If you think we have
operating cell towers all over.  You called us from Roanoke to make
arrangements for your pick up."

   "I did not know how that happened.  Tom and I were just told to be ready
to go on a moments notice.  We lived just next door to the clinic and we
fenced them together after the fall."

   That took two off his list and he had three to follow now.  Carlton
walked in and saluted John.  That was returned and a smile came quickly. 
"Well how did our two spies like being sat in Roanoke?"

   "Susan was cursing us and Sam was scared shitless."

   "If the military send us another team they will get dropped from ten
thousand with no chute.  May be they will grow feathers and fly?"

   "What are you talking about the Doctor asked?"

   "The old military wants the gold reserves we have here.  They know no
country can be started or kept running without that.  The idea is to stop
me from forming a country and start a military government or dictatorship.
The old head of the JCS was a Russian spy sent here to help them take over
the USA."

   One doctor now had a red face and his anger was high.  "That is not true
in any way as I know better."

   "Just what do you think you know?"

   "You're the spy and the general was an honest American."

   "Carlton please arrest this man.  We will all watch him be placed under
drugs and listen to his answers.  But I think his prints will be
interesting to our FBI man here to check out."

   This raised eyebrows and questions came from that.  "What do you mean
your FBI man?"

   "One of my tech people is the FBI's old lab director.  The files the old
head of the KGB sent to me, he has taken the prints off of.  But those
files is what convicted the ex JCS general.  Matter of fact he admitted it
before he was shot.  We did get three more spies and are looking for just
short of eighty now.  So the question is where did this doctor come from
and how did he get with you?"

   Dr Michaels knew he needed to answer.  "He was a pick up in Roanoke
shortly before we got your phone.  We did not know him and have been
careful talking around him.  The story we got was he escaped from Richmond
and had slowly been moving our way for over a year."

   They got down to the hospital and the man was strapped to a bed.  The IV
drip had been started and slowly now drugs were being introduced.  They
started with the man completely out of it.  Then slowly brought him up. 
The lab man started talking Russian and slowly the man started to respond.
The fact he was using Russian let everyone know he was no American and
never had been.

   Now the group left and headed to an apartment so they could see one.  It
was Sam's old one and very nicely redone.  "Man this is really nice and you
say we are in the mountain?"

   "The hospital is just below you and if you go up to the top you can walk
out a door in the mountain and onto a walk to the town.  Now here you will
make house calls when needed.  Sick people don't get up and come see you."

   The doctors were now all laughing.  Finally Shirley decided to answer
John's look on his face.  "We have argued that for the entire time we have
worked together.  I agree with you no one sick should take that illness and
transmit it to an office waiting room full of people."

   "If anyone says they had to come see you when they were sick, it will
cost you big time.  Here there are no medical charges for any service or
drug.  I will give you your home, food, utilities, clothing and a small
cash salary.  That salary is backed by gold and will never be worthless."

   Shirley just had to have an answer.  "How does not making a house call
cost anyone?"

   "That doctor gets a week as medic for one of our youth scout teams.  If
they fail to keep up and provide good care they get a month.  That keeps
growing until they are either fit or dead."

   "Hey I will volunteer for that right now.  I am really good at first aid
and would love to get the exercise." Shirley was a real energy ball he saw.

   Here the doctors saw he was not pulling their chain in any way.  "When
do you bring them to the hospital?"

   "If they need surgery, delivery or to be in isolation.  Other wise they
are better off at home.  Neighbors will help each other where needed.  Many
of our families are military and they are very close knit."

   This raised some eyes and the question came.  "What kind of military?"

   "I have seals and green beanies here.  My Special Forces people are the
very best and loyal beyond belief.  Here your as safe as on any military
base and really better off than most.  We have good food and not MRE's like
most bases are living off of.  At least that is what the general said that
met my man Carlton at Bragg."

   "Why did anyone want to meet with your man?"

   "Some think my ideas are the way to start a new nation.  In that there
would be no states and each community would run itself.  They accept our
national laws and we run all banking, power production, communications, oil
and refining as well as transportation.  Government makes its money to
operate off those businesses and there are no taxes.  It makes no new laws,
as the people must vote to add or change any law."

   That sounded kind of simple.  "What is the reason for restricting laws?"

   "The new country will have no lawyers.  If you file suit against someone
you will do it.  The laws are ten pages in size and very clear.  Any ten
year old could read it and understand it.  There are no more filing
lawsuits for money.  You doctor need no malpractice insurance.  But if a
doctor does screw up and kills someone, they could if they used poor
practices be put to death.  We will have no prisons so we have few options
for punishment.  Steal and lose your hand, lie and lose your tongue, it is
hard punishment but everyone will know what you did.  If that had existed
before no politician could have said a word."

   They all headed to homes to get settled and John to his office.  Carlton
was sitting there waiting.  "Well boss do we have more?"

   "I think so my friend.  There is no way to tell you why I feel that way,
but I sure do."

   "Trust that feeling as I sure do.  So we will keep listening and waiting
to see what happens?"

   "Be sure Jackson knows to watch Shirley, as she was far to fast to get
out from places she could be watched."

   "I picked that up as well.  But like I told you the general said it was
not nearly over yet."





























   Chapter 18

   The human is driven by all kinds of things.  In the current world it is
the more basic items like food, clothing, shelter and time without fear. 
Before life was running so fast nothing was real.  Communications that
existed allowed many to present lies as truth.  That happened often and was
laughingly called spinning.  The media did not report facts as that might
lose them a viewer.  That world was nothing but rumors and lies.

   The two young people sitting in front of John's desk were watching and
not speaking.  David and Carlton were filling John in on the transmitter
and radio station set up they had the techs build.

   "The station sounds nice guys, but will there be enough radios left out
there to make it worth doing?"

   "Each military base has power going to it so they have radios.  Some
cities they are in or close by have power or at least parts of them do. 
There are homes and businesses that had solar power before the crash and
they can have radios.  Each person we reach will share what they hear."
David was really into this.

   John sat back and thought about this.  "How far can we reach out?"

   "It is fifty thousand watts and from what I was told some could pick it
up in Asia, but most of the old US could hear it.  We will broadcast only
starting at dusk until midnight here.  There are digital files of music for
everyone to enjoy.  But news will be done each hour on the hour.  This will
go out AM and FM that way we can get almost any radio."

   Some how this worried John.  "I see us putting a radio beacon here for
planes to follow in on."

   "I hope they do, it will make for beautiful fireworks.  We have the
tower well away from us here.  To make things look real it has auto firing
guns and missiles.  They are slaved to the radar we have and we can fight
them from here."

   "If they get the tower what happens?"

   "Other than the mountain blowing up completely nothing.  It will be the
largest pile of rock man ever made."

   You could feel the good humor in the two men.  No fears or concerns
where showing at all.

   "I am getting the feeling you have something going on I don't know?"

   "You know the GPS system requires adjustment all the time.  So our techs
have changed it just enough to show that mountain as our base location.  It
is just a little over a mile away by air.  Anyone traveling on the ground
or in the air would get there and find nothing they were looking for.  We
have all satellites not needed now by us turned off to save them for
later."

   "It seems you two have been busy and done a lot for our protection."

   "We did what needed to be done to protect us all as best possible.  Now
what about these two doing the news on the hours at night?"

   John looked at the two youngsters and like what he saw.  Both were calm,
just observing and not stepping into the discussion.  "First of all what
are your names?"

   "I am Jenny and this is Nathan.  We were part of one of the many slave
groups brought here and given a home.  So there is nothing out there we
have not seen for ourselves."

   Now Nathan took over.  "We want to make sure young people know we know
how bad it is.  There are many stories we can tell that will fit how they
have and are living.  The fear, anger and hate a human feels out there
needs to be seen and known.  We have been there and done that John.  As a
group the youth counsel said it was a good way to reach out to some others
who need our help."

   John liked the way the kids took this serious and wanted to help.  "What
do we call the station?"

   "Radio Shangri-La is what we voted for.  You left the clues for people
under that name and have called here by it.  So it seems to fit our idea of
where we are." Jenny was serious and clear now.

   "Please don't take this the wrong way.  But why you two?"

   Kelly had come from her cube.  "It was my experiment daddy.  I know
people on radio, TV or book done on audio sound different from their normal
voices.  So we tested everyone to find the two most pleasing voices.  They
had to be able to read like they were talking with you also."

   "Seems like a lot of thought was put into this?"

   "Yes we did and you need to understand kids are not going to trust any
adult now out there or here.  So we must build some small trust factor to
bring them to us.  We will have the plane dropping radio signal numbers,
with pictures of Jenny and Nathan over cities and that should start some
finding batteries and radios.  There really was not any use for them before
now.  If they find a car that they can add gas to and start the radio will
play.  Children are smart dad and they will find ways to listen to us."

   John could see both David and Carlton agreed with Kelly.  "In that case
Kelly it is your project.  If she asks for it be sure she gets it guys. 
Now if it is more than we can deliver come and talk with me and we will
find a way to do it."

   Kelly ran to John and hugged him.  "Thank you daddy for supporting one
of our youth counsel projects and it is a good one.  One girl asked if we
could do this and I went to David to find out.  The troops have really
gotten into this and made it happen.  On the air Jenny and Nathan have
great voices and will be enjoyed by many kids out there.  But I bet we will
have a far larger audience than you expect."

   That hit him as her knowing something he did not?  "OK why do you think
that?"

   "Kids once they know the station exists and that someone will be
broadcasting will find a way to listen.  We are a lot smarter than adults
give us credit for.  If that is not true why is it the kids are surviving
and adults are not?  I have talked with a lot of our young people and they
say adults just tend to give up.  Kids fight to win and they keep fighting
until they die or reach their goal.  That is what Special Forces people do.
So they are kids that never grew up."

   As strange as it sounded that answered one of his questions of what made
Special Forces people so different?  "I don't see David and Carlton arguing
with you so they must believe that also?"

   "It is the best answer either of us have had John." Carlton was grinning
now.

   "Well set her up an office at the radio station to run it from.  It is
her project and she will handle coordination of news and information sent
out.  Just remember Kelly to think things through, as we are all at risk
from mistakes."

   The group left his office and he now was thinking a lot of this through.
He knew it had to be done and planned by young people and not adults. 
Kelly was right mostly adults had died over the period after the crash. 
Kids and young people up to middle age survived this mess at an amazing
rate.  That indicated a softness in older humans he would have never
expected to find.

   David brought him copies of the flyers that would be dropped over
cities. The pictures of Jenny and Nathan showed how young they were.  Short
bios of their time out there were also covered.  A suggestion of how to use
a bike and car alternator to charge a car battery was included, with pulley
configuration to get the speed high enough.

   This shocked John that the kids had considered it this far.  "They
really did a job here David."

   "We have a list of seventy cities to drop these over.  The way they have
set up is fifteen minutes of news and fifteen minutes of music.  News will
be on the hour and half hour.  Music will be on the quarter hours.  The
news cast each day will be recorded and played each time so it will not
change.  The counsel will meet each week and decide the topic for each days
broadcast.  They will research it and provide personal data for it."

   "Where are the cities?"

   "Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee right now.  They
are not going to close to the river or far north at all.  Most spots are
south, east or west from here."

   "I assume we have the fuel without a problem?"

   "Yes and we will use the gun ship, as some military bases are close to
drop points.  Have to stay away from possible missiles off a base."

   "Hold off those until last and may be sent a couple choppers with them.
They can use their thermal night abilities to defend the gun ship.  That is
if you do those as night flights."

   "I'll talk with the flight planners about that and see what they think.
I know they were worried about just the gun ship in those areas.  But we
have been talking about using those units without pilots.  They have bomb
bays and could be sent up to drop leaflets over those cities.  They can't
be seen on radar or heard either."

   "How many do we have of them?  I did not know we had any."

   "When the plane was sent back from Pope after my trip to Bragg.  It was
loaded with new weapons for us, they were on that large cargo plane.  The
general sent two pilots for them and a mobile control center.  It just
looks like a trailer for a semi.  They use very little fuel and can stay up
for hours.  The units are drones with no pilots.  But they can be armed and
would do a lot of damage to say a convoy heading in here."

   "Another Special Forces play toy?"

   "I guess boss as I have not see one operate before where I was at.  Of
course the news has been reporting them now for years.  They were
considered unfair ways of winning for some reason?"

   John had to laugh at this, as he well knew the medias liberal leanings.
"In the new government a lie is still a lie David.  So we could end up with
many media types with no tongues.  That could be very pleasing for most who
are left today."

   Now David was laughing and enjoying the thought of this.  "It should
create a media that has never been seen before.  They must just report
honest facts and not hot air and bullshit."

   "That goes for any media and that will be enforced to the letter.  Now I
have a meeting to get my tail to.  Talk to you later David.  Just handle
the dropping of Kelly's leaflets as you see it best to do.  That is why you
have four stars on your shoulder."

   When he walked into the meeting room he was surprised at how many had
come to this.  Jackson was moving around and being talked to by everyone
here.  He came to the head table and sat beside John.

   People found their seats quickly now.  "Ladies and gentlemen I am just
the organizer here for John.  What I have done for you was directed by him.
Some of you have been attacked and it was his gun ships and choppers that
saved your butts.  The scouts patrolling much of the safe area was his idea
to start and operate.  Now we have some decisions to make and you need to
think about a larger picture." Jackson sat down now.

   John stood and looked over the people here.  "Today is a day I have
looked forward to.  Those of us here have no people starving or lacking
food or clothing.  We have in many ways become brothers and sisters.  If a
neighbor needs a hand they get it from their friends.  We have provided
help to start some plants for production of needed items and gotten some
power plants working once more.  We are still far from where you were at
one time, but headed a good direction now." The applause was loud and
people cheered.

   "John waited for things to quiet down.  "Now each of you has read the
laws and the plan for building this new country.  The government operates
like a corporation and makes its own money to operate.  There are no taxes
on businesses, people or incomes.  Cities cannot tax more than a given
amount and it is a sales tax.  The Federation government pays cities and
counties to collect electric bills, communications bills and run stations
for rail service where needed.  It allows you more income for services you
need to provide.  There is no more mail service and that will not be
resumed." He paused to see how this set with them.

   "The Federation government will run the banks, as we have the money
people need to borrow.  We will take the risks and use the rewards to pay
people and to grow the government services we need.  No service will be
offered that cannot be financed long term." Here people knew the value of
this and applauded.

   "There will be no laws made at local levels that abridge the Federation
laws.  Doing that will bring military people in, arrest and trial based on
the laws you have agree to." He could see people thinking this through.

   "The only paid jobs in government will be judge, police, firemen and
workers needed to run your town or county.  There will be no elected paid
job as those are an honor to serve in.  Understand my board and myself get
paid nothing for running the Federation." That shocked many here and it
showed.

   "Don't be shocked as it is my gold that will bankroll this that I get
paid for.  I will get one half percent per year on all gold loaned to the
federation.  That is my income and I need no more.  But if you as managers
of cities and counties cause inflation, it will cause that rate to go up.
You will be in deep trouble paying your bills and failure to do that is a
criminal violation.  Government is now responsible to the people and there
is no wiggle room."

   One woman raised her hand slowly.  "Yes, do you have a question?"

   "I don't agree with some of the laws I have read and want to know can we
change them?"

   "What laws in particular are bothering you?"

   "The age of consent at 12 and voting at 15.  That is just not right."

   Pam and Rhonda walked into John and he back away from the microphone. 
"I am Pam and this is my sister Rhonda.  I was captured at 14 and Rhonda at
9 and made slaves.  We have been raped many times and used by both men and
boys.  Now my problem is I just heard one stupid woman saying, I am not old
enough to make decisions.  She may have a religious background you say. 
Well in that case why did Saul, David and Solomon have brides of as young
as 8 years of age?  You know they had to consummate that and show the
people she was a virgin.  No blood on the sheet and no marriage.  The girl
had to be examined by the court physician as well.  For him a lie was a
trip to hell." People were now laughing at the woman.  She stood and left
the room red faced.

   John walked back to the podium and waited for things to calm down.  "I
am sorry the lady took that the way she did.  But people tend to forget
these laws were mans creation and never a religious one.  The liberals who
crashed the old nation did it just like she tried to start here.  They
chipped away small things piece by piece until the real law was gone.  That
will never happen again!"

   People went nuts and he now had them in his hand.  "We need a vote here
by you to decide if we start this new Federation or not.  I hope there was
more than one from the ladies community."

   "Another woman stood and raised her hand.  "Yes?"

   "There were two of us because of her attitude and she was warned she
would be turned out if she could not behave.  So she will not be a part of
this new country."

   John knew some would have to make hard decisions on people who just did
not fit into the country.  How this happened and was handled he really did
not want to know.  "You each have ballots to fill out and place in the
locked boxes.  We will have ten of these meetings before everyone has had
their chance to vote on this.  Most of our laws can be changed by a
Federation vote of two thirds of the people agreeing to the change.  So it
is the peoples country and not any politicians." The applause was loud as
the girls and John left.

   He led the girls to the diner and they took a seat.  "Thank you both for
coming as I knew that was going to happen.  There will always be some who
wish to dictate others rights.  Both of you know this was discussed between
many groups, before final decisions were made.  To be honest my grandmother
got pregnant with my father at 12.  She always said she and dad grew up
together."

   Both girls now looked at John very differently.  "Is that why you agreed
to that?"

   "I am sure it was part of the reason.  But I did listen to what was said
by the young people.  Most of our citizens are going to be young and they
must be treated as adults.  So I had to do things for people to understand
where that age was." He drank his coffee and the girls ate ice cream.

   "Kelly said you did not think like most adults and she was right.  Your
much more like Jackson than any adult I have seen."

   "There is little Jackson and I don't agree on.  But refusing to let him
go back out and lead a team was one item.  I need his experience and voice
here now.  He represents the youth wherever they are on the counsel."

   "We both could not agree more John as to where he can be the most help."
Rhonda now was laughing and that was nice to see for John.

   "Little one your doing much better now with talking.  That laugh I just
heard was beautiful also."

   The beaming smile was lighting the room.  "I worked hard and Jackson
helped me."

   The girls headed back to their home and John went to the hospital now.
He walked the area and finally went to Dana's lab.  She looked up and
smiled at him.  "What do I owe this visit to?"

   "If I wanted to get my butt whipped I could say I came to spank you. 
But my body is old and needs protection from aggressive females.  So how
about I love you and just came by to tell you?"

   Dana was now chuckling and loved the way he always played word games
with her when he could.  "Well I am done for today so how about us walking
home together?"

   As they walked he talked with her about the meeting and other events of
the day.

   "You have had a busy day and one I am glad I did not have to face.  My
life in the lab is odd enough without the intrigue you have.  It seems
everyone wants the brass ring as long as they can steal it?"

   "That pretty much fits the picture I get.  But it is really the military
that wants it the worst right now.  They know there will be little need for
a large military once a country is assembled.  We don't have the ability to
operate many aircraft any more and most ground vehicles are now obsolete,
as we just don't have the fuels for them.  Cars and trucks will be
restricted as we can't use oil based fuels like we did before."

   "Do we have options to oil based fuels?"

   "We will shortly after a massive research program gets off the ground.
We are going to have to use electricity and hydrogen based fuels.  This
will require a lot of research and money at first to make it happen.  But
with determination we can find ways to mobilize the new country."

   She now could see some of the problems in front of them.  "This is going
to be a real mess at first."

   "That love is all too true.  The only way the military could do it is
enslave the population.  That would shortly cause fighting between the
people and government."

   "They would cause civil war?"

   "I don't see how they could stop it from happening.  They would look at
what was important to them first and not the needs of the people.  Business
would take a back seat to their projects.  Military law is very structured
and punishment harsh.  So how are the young people going to react to that?
Dana today is a new young world and people like me are the minority."

   They got to the house and headed up to shower before dinner.  Once
changed they headed down to dinner.

   Shelby looked at the two and saw happy people.  "Well you two look
almost as happy as Kelly did when she went flying out of here."

   Dana now wanted to know more?  "What was she so happy about?"

   "Her new job John gave her.  That girl was flying so high she needed an
oxygen mask not to die." Shelby was laughing hard now.

   Dana looked at John.  "She is over seeing the new radio station to
broadcast between sundown and midnight each night.  We need to reach out to
people still left out there and provide news for them."

   "It sounds like she is more than over seeing it?"

   Shelby had to answer this.  "She is the manager and will be sure that
the right message gets out.  There were several items she wanted toned down
before they were recorded today.  The first youth counsel script was a
little propaganda and some news.  That she wanted to rewrite before they
sent it out."

   Dana looked somewhat perplexed.  "I don't see how propaganda would hurt
us."

   "The young people out there know exactly how things are.  Try to
bullshit them and you will lose them.  Be honest and they will know your
being that way.  We will need older people out there to rebuild this
country.  We need engineers, teachers, judges, police, fire and many city
water, sewage and trash workers who all know how the city works.  They have
knowledge that it would take years to relearn.  So how do we protect those
that are left?  We need the young people to make that happen."

   Shelby was clapping and knew John got it as well.  "The man sees the
only way to rebuild a city without a lot of pain.  But police that were not
the good ones will never see the new country.  The counsel has a list of
known abusers of children from police forces.  They have asked your counsel
for warrants for these people."

   "Already signed them Shelby and they will stand up in the light of day.
I was able to find documentation for each one of them.  Our people did a
good job of downloading many police and federal files before the crash."

   Dinner was a lot of talk about the new radio station and Kelly running
it.  Dana felt the job placed too much pressure on her.  Shelby felt it was
a good move.  They were listening when the station signed on.

   "This is Kelly the station manager for radio Shangri-La.  Yes, I am
young and no that is not going to change.  Our world today is full of young
people who are going to have to step up and do an adult job.  So adults get
used to it.  Young people be ready to step up to the needs at hand.  This
message will be played each night when the station comes on and when it
goes off.  Today's world is very different for each of us and we need to
adjust to that new outlook.  We will do news on the hour and half hour and
music in between that.  If your looking for happy news then your wasting
your time.  Life is hard today and has been made worst by the old
government.  So welcome to the new Federation and we hope you like the
ideas we offer you."

   The rest of the news was professionally done and very good.  Both Jenny
and Nathan were excellent newsreaders.  The way the news had been put
together worked well also.  It started a story for people to follow.  That
seemed like a smart idea to John.

   "I think Kelly did very well tonight.  She did some fast planning to
make the changes I know she did." John was pleased with his girl.

   That Dana could not argue with.  "I think she is more grown up than I
saw before now.  God I wish I had been that professional at her age."

   Shelby really cared for Kelly and you could tell.  "She is sooo smart
and makes many adults I have known look stupid.  Of course she would be on
my case for calling anyone stupid."

   "Shelby she just uses a different words for that.  She calls them
educationally challenged.  It sounds nice, but means stupid dear.  If she
jumps on you any more just tell her that mom spilled the beans on her."
Dana was now enjoying this.

   The start to the radio station was a good one.  The first of the
leaflets had been dropped today.  None near bases but in places they needed
to reach.  Each small craft handled five cities and they had covered ten
today.  No small towns had been covered yet, just the larger cities.

   That next day Kelly came into the office and smiled at her dad.  "Thank
you for seeing what I did yesterday.  Shelby told me what you said."

   "I gave you a job and knew you would do it right.  You did not see me at
the station making sure things happened that should have did you?  When you
have confidence you give people you trust jobs and get out of their way.  I
do that all the time with Carlton and David.  As you learn who to trust at
what jobs you will need to do the same thing."

   "I know how you do it and that works for me.  Now I have class work to
get done, as we are going to record today's news by four and it needs to be
written yet.  We have good technical people to do the broadcast and just
need to give them the audio copy.  So I really don't have to be there
except for the first hour."

   "Sounds like you have it figured out.  You had ten cities the leaflets
were dropped into yesterday and today ten more will get them.  In two weeks
you will have one hundred cities that know your on and they are all big
ones."

   "How do we get the smaller towns involved?"

   "David is working on that issue now and will have some answers today for
us.  But he will come to you first on this one.  If you have a problem
agreeing then come see me."

   It was a longer day than he had expected.  There had been several
conversations with some military people and complains about Kelly's
programming.  Her honesty about the military attacks angered many in the
military.  But there had not been one lie or misspoken word in her
broadcast.  They knew this station was going to be trouble.

   "David how many radio towers do we have ready to send out our signal?"

   "We set up five as we were sure some would get taken down.  But we also
set up a satellite that will broadcast on those frequencies if needed.  It
does not have the 50,000 watts of the station, but where it is does not
need them."

   "I am sure we are going to get hit tonight.  There were six generals
calling and complaining today.  They did not like that the head of the JCS
was reported to be a Russian and that the attack by the Russians in New
England on us was reported.  Of course it was all true and that they could
not deny.  But they were pissed off.  Now I did get about ten calls asking
if it was true and from officers that were shocked.  But tonight they need
to hear the attack and it needs to go out live."

   David had two slicks up with parabolic mikes to set up at the towers. 
He knew the direction that planes would have to take to make a bomb run or
to machine gun the tower.  They would use the main tower until it came
down. Then the four others would kick in and keep running.  He also had ECM
pods set up to confuse the aircraft.

   "If they come it will be interesting tonight.  Am sure I know where they
will come from.  This time it will be the Air Force out of North Carolina I
believe.  The Navy learned their lesson before I think.  Remember they
think they are coming in here boss."

   "I warned each general complaining today we would bring down any craft
attacking us.  I have copies of those calls and gave them to Kelly to use
as she sees fit.  I know she was going to cut a news flash for if an attack
came."

   "Did she believe you when you told her it was coming?"

   "Yes, but she was not so sure about the timing I felt it would happen
in." Now John was laughing.

   "Boss she will learn to trust your gut.  We know it will be between
sundown and midnight."

   "I don't think so David it will be before sundown.  They don't want it
coming on the air at all.  But need the first signal of the power up to
lead the planes in.  Just watch the radar and they will be very high to
start and come down fast as we power up.  They will come with the sun
behind them as well.  They need to see the ground if they wish to attack us
as well."

   David considered John's statement and agreed it made sense.  "I see
where that could be possible boss."

   "Possible is it could be a nuclear weapon if some have their choice. 
What I said before is sure bet David and I will give you two to one odds on
this evening."

   "We took over several of the old star wars satellites that have lasers
on them.  Any craft coming in at that tower will never make it there. 
There were a lot of adjustments needed to make them work.  Coming into the
atmosphere is not easy as light bends.  We will have their radio
transmissions, as they will be stopped from going out to their base.  Our
receivers will handle their messages as well as ours.  Those will be able
to be broadcast as well tonight.  Carlton and I will do a report after the
attack and use our names and old US ranks in it.  These people are really
pissing me off."

   "Just be ready and expect it to happen fast and with zero warning.  We
are not what the military wants for a government.  Our Napoleons want to
rule the world and not just this piece of land."

   David flew out of the office and you could almost see his after burners
running.  He was really pissed and it showed.

   Shelby had brought John some coffee and a piece of cake she had made. 
"What was wrong with David he blew by me and never answered my hello?"

   "I think he is just a mite ticked off dear.  The old military are going
to play with us once more tonight.  We have become a thorn in their sides.
But they are going to get hurt and surprised at the response."

   She just shook her head and walked back out.  She was glad she did not
have anything to do with the fight between John and the old countries
military.

   John just sat and drank his fresh coffee and ate some of the cake.  All
things considered they were in better shaped than he had expected.  Carlton
and David's people had done a remarkable job resurrecting much of the space
satellites for use by them.  They had taken over a large group of Russian
satellites that had nuclear weapons on them.





   Chapter 19

   The early evening was nice and John and Dana walked the town's streets.
They had given Shelby the night off and gone to the cafe for dinner.  John
wanted people to see them both out and walking.  They headed to the command
center as darkness stared to fall in the valley.

   Carlton was sitting at the radar desk and watching the planes.  "We have
twelve at thirty thousand feet and they are coming around to start dropping
down.  I have radar locks on each from above, so just set your targets on
my marks."

   Dana watched the craft as they started to drop and line up for a run at
the tower.  "What am I seeing dear?"

   "That is a flight of F22 fighters getting ready to go after our radio
tower.  Your not supposed to be able to see an F-22.  But using the
satellites Carlton can see them well."

   Carlton looked back at John and shook his head.  "Boss how did you know
they were F22's?"

   "We would not be watching B-1B Lancer as you can't see them.  It could
not be F-117 Nighthawk as you can't see them.  The F-22 your not supposed
to be able to see, but we are looking down on them.  The satellite sees
things normal radar does not see.  It is just being displayed on the radar
screen, as it is a real time picture from over head."

   Carlton just shook his head now.  "You know more about this than I do
boss."

   "I spent time with the techs when they were working on it.  They needed
research and I did that from the old files we downloaded from the
government.  As I found specifications I sent them to the techs to study.
That was satellite information or aircraft data.  "

   "Why you your no scientist?" Dana was really curious now.

   "I can set up a search for key words in our databases.  The computer
people work for me and have built me a good search program.  So I use it to
help others here get information they need and I learn as well."

   "Here they come boss and fast as hell."

   You could see them heading into the valley and when the last one cleared
the entrance they started dropping to the ground.  You could see men
bailing out and planes crashing all over the valley.  Troops came out of
protected vehicles and started rounding up the survivors.  This took just
over and hours time.

   The station came on the air and Kelly's first address was played.  Then
the news of the attempted attack was announced to all listening.  The
people were advised that many pilots had bailed out and were now being
picked up.

   Carlton walked into the station and sat at a microphone.  "Ladies and
gentlemen I have Colonel Carlton Rider of Special Forces and ex Delta Force
commander here with me.  Colonel what happened tonight?"

   "Once more people who used to be the US military leaders tried to assume
power over the country.  They have no use for any but those who advance
their power.  So killing people who wish to start a new country, that is
much different from the old one is their goal now."

   "How many attacks have happened now?" Jenny was playing her role.

   "This is the second attack by aircraft and the third if you include one
by troops.  We must do away with the old military or it will enslave us. 
There are far to many problems to be solved here to worry about fighting
others."

   "Why do away with the old military now?"

   "Today we need to defend any new country built and not fight wars.  So
we need border guards, a coast guard and a national police force to back
them up.  That costs money and the new country will need to pay for that.
So how much are people willing to take out of their incomes for that?  We
don't feel that they should pay for any of it.  Government needs to run
like a business and make a profit to pay for its needs."

   "How would any national government make a profit?"

   "It would run energy production and supply, communications, long
distance transportation, banking and oil and refining.  It would be its
responsibility to assure people's needs are met in those areas.  Of course
fuel for cars will not be possible for now.  But trucking must run to get
goods to everyone."

   "That means people will not have local transportation?"

   "It is local governments job to supply that.  They will run water,
sewage, trash pick up, collection of bills for utilities and have a small
sales tax to operate by."

   "But paying the political leaders is expensive."

   "No government leader will be paid at all.  If they wish to serve the
people and help their citizens fine.  But not even the Chairman of the
Board of the Federation would be paid."

   A group of men is flying suits and looking worn out came into the
studio. They sat next to Carlton.

   "Captain you don't look like a happy man why is that?" Jenny kept up her
talking.

   "The general who sent us here lied to us all.  He had us attacking a
group of seals and Special Forces personnel from Bragg.  The country is all
screwed up and I see the leaders that sent us were a major part of that
problem."

   "Where did you come from captain?"

   "Shaw AFB in South Carolina.  When DC was deserted we move from Langley
to Shaw."

   "Why did anyone want to hurt us?"

   "We were told that a Russian group had assumed the station here.  So we
were sent to destroy it."

   "How do you know that is not the truth sir?"

   "I met two guys I went to school with in high school and know where they
came from and their families.  We grew up together and competed in sports
for our school.  But our families have known each other for generations. 
Small towns are like that you know?"

   The talk went on for the full hour before it was brought to a close.

   "We need to know where your families are captain?"

   As a group we moved our families to a big house in a swamp area.  Our
fear was if we failed that the brass would take it out on them.  The area
close to Charleston SC is a very wet place."

   "Is there any way to get them out?"

   "Sure but it would take a nice small jet a couple of flights to do
that."

   "How about two nice small jets and one flight?  Of course we have one
set up now as a gun ship so it will have to be changed over."

   "Your serious about that?"

   "Yep and we are good also my friend.  Your base radar will not even see
us.  Matter of fact it will completely explode."

   That shocked the man.  "How in the hell does that happen?"

   "A drone will take it out when we need that to happen.  Your general
gets his pay back.  But he cannot shot at what he can't see.  It will then
start back here for refueling."

   "How about your needing to refuel your jets?"

   "I will have bags of fuel dropped off for us."

   "You have people helping you right?"

   "Special Forces kind of sticks together my man."

   "Don't let him kid you, he ran Delta Force for a good period of time. 
He has lots of friends.  Most below the rank of general." One of his staff
said to the captain.

   "How many of your people are ex Delta Force?"

   "I have 60 and a few others.  Between the seals and us we can do more
with less than any units out there today.  The real secret is our technical
services people.  They were the ones that brought your planes down."

   "It seemed like flashes of light hit us?"

   "They did and those were lasers and they damaged your craft by cutting
them.  Most had shorter wings."

   "But we were told they never worked."

   "That would have costs billions in new weapons development and that
could not be allowed to happen.  The joint chiefs decided to hide the
abilities of the lasers, so they would get more money to spend.  That was a
Russian decision, as they had nothing to compete.  Once we gain power
anyone attacking the country would get cut to ribbons.  But the majority of
the military will be gone."

   "Then star wars was real and it worked?"

   "Yes and yes, as you have found out.  But John told us you would be
coming and close to what time to expect you."

   "I did not know until we took off when we would leave.  The attack was
sealed in an envelope and I opened it in flight with the time to start."

   "He told David it would happen today at just before sunset and would be
twelve planes.  We also were told to expect one nuclear bomb and one was
found loaded on your aircraft captain."

   The captain turned completely white and had to stop and brace himself or
fall.  "You are joking right?"

   "Nope I am not joking as I am taking you to see the bomb."

   The captain knew he and his entire force would have been wiped out after
dropping that bomb.  As low as they were no one would have survived that
drop.  So the general had planned for them not to survive this run.  The
entire band of brother's idea the military preached had just fallen apart
for him.

   "Carlton I need revenge for what was done.  I just can't let that pass
without doing something about it."

   "I want you to see the bomb and the ID numbers of weapons stored at your
base."

   "Why?  I am sure that son of a bitch did just what you said."

   "Once you know beyond doubt we will work on his punishment."

   "You know we had JDAM capable areas in the bay right?"

   "That fighter was the most capable we have ever built captain.  But it
is all in how it is used as to its value.  Today we have neither the
scientist, engineers or factories to build it once more.  But no country
does.  So it is the last of its breed."

   There was respect in Carlton's voice and he liked the way the man talked
of good equipment.  "It was a joy to fly and that is a fact."

   "Well while the new country will never have a large Air Force, we will
have a good small one.  We have taken over satellites belonging to Russia
that have nuclear weapons on them.  They no longer have control of them or
the ability to maneuver them in space.  Of course that was illegal under
the old laws of the UN." Carlton now was laughing to himself.

   The captain looked shocked at him.  "How the hell did you guys do that?"

   "John has talked with the ex head of the old KBG and he has helped us
against a man he hates.  That runs deeply over there and he will demand
some help at some point I am sure.  He gave John the files on every spy
here in the country and on the head of the JCS.  In return John has given
him news feeds from all over the world and a satellite communications
channel on our unit.  So we know what he is doing and who he is talking
with now days."

   "Why would he not expect that and be careful?"

   "John has complained about his lack of technical people.  He also had
slipped up and told the old man a few things he needed.  But John is very
sharp when it comes to using words to cover actions.  The old man thinks he
has John in his hands and does not see it is the other way around."

   They got to the lab and walked in.  The bomb was sitting in a cradle on
a cart.  The inspection plate had been removed and the timer turned off.

   "What is that screen inside the bomb?"

   "It is the timer screen that would once power is lost set off the
device. We had to take the plug out of your bay and install it in the
Bradley to bring this here.  It had to have power to keep the clock from
running.  The timer had just a few minutes total time left on it."

   "What about the other planes?"

   "Normal JDAM bombs in them.  None would have gone off, as they were to
close to the ground to set the guidance system.  There is a complicated
system that has to be run through before one can go off.  That takes time
and altitude."

   "Did you get the numbers off this bomb?"

   "Yep and it was a unit sent to Langley for the F-22.  All of that was
moved to Shaw AFB when Langley was closed."

   The captain looked over the bomb and smiled now.  "See that set of
initials?"

   "Yes I wondered why they were there?"

   "They are my planes ammunitions loaders.  He always signed off on each
item loaded to assure on return they were the same weapon.  One of our
planes lost a weapon after landing at a base and it caused a lot of
problems.  So he kept his initials and the serial number on each item
loaded."

   "Did he know this was a nuclear device?"

   "He had to know as he drew the ordnance to load the craft.  Nuclear
device are kept in a special bunker."

   "One more on our death sentence list Carlton."

   That confused the captain.  "Why is that sir?"

   The major saw he did not understand.  "That bomb was rigged to go off
even if you were ordered to return home or made that decision yourself. 
Not one plane in your group would have survived that.  Of course we would
have been blamed for it." The major told him and it made sense to him.

   "That bastard he has known me for years and to find he was not honest
with me just really hits home."

   "He was in the generals pocket and following his orders as that was who
made it pay for him.  I am sure he did well money wise and privileges wise
as well.  The general has a sergeant major or first sergeant who runs that
group for him I'll bet."

   Now it fit as his guy and the first sergeant were close buddies.  "It is
the flight line first sergeant that my man is very close with.  Since the
crash they have become very close."

   "Sorry my friend it is just the way the old military operated.  It was
an old boy network and you were either in or out.  Officers could not be
liked by their troops or they were suspect of being to soft.  Really it
kept men from following them to hell when needed.  There is not one man
here who would not attack hell if I asked them to.  Of course I would have
to lead them in that attack." He was smiling now.

   "Don't let him kid you he would fight them to lead that attack.  His
troops respect him and would follow him anyplace he went."

   They headed back to the hospital to check on a couple of injured pilots.
Finding them well taken care of and in good spirits they went to the
underground hanger.

   "God your ready to fight a war here now.  This is an incredible amount
of hardware."

   "Please note nothing can be seen from above.  No one knows just how well
John has prepared us.  We have protected towns and areas where we have
people building new settlements.  Those Cobras were very handy in that
area. The gun ships have seen action as well and done well for us.  But in
all we just help others who needed it and do our fighting on the ground
here."

   The captain was now intrigued and wanted to know more.  "What do you
mean fighting on the ground here?"

   "We took out twelve aircraft from Norfolk who were trying to bomb the
town.  Then we have killed over two thousand that have attacked us here
trying to get our gold and food supplies.  What your going to find out is
we are not nice people to those who try to kill us."

   The two small Lear jets were ready to fly now.  The officers were
checking them out and fuel was topped off.  "OK captain you need to show us
where we are going and let us plan a flight to keep us out of trouble."

   Seabrook Island has a small grass strip here." He was pointing at the
location now.  "It has been mowed and will be lighted at night for just two
minutes time by normal lights.  There are inferred lights that can be seen
after you spot the lighted field."

   "How many do we have to bring back?"

   "There are eight women and nine children of three to eight years old."

   "That will not be to bad then."

   "We have one older boy with them handling the protection and he is
eighteen.  I have a pager he will get a signal from to turn on the lights.
It takes about ten minutes for him to respond to my signal."

   Carlton now wanted the mans attention.  "Understand you and your men's
lives here depend on those planes coming back safe and sound.  I will have
a Delta Force C130 flying above that strip and they will be down on you
like stink on shit if anything goes wrong.  I will have a drone with
missiles running just overhead as well.  We don't know you and don't yet
trust you captain."

   "Colonel I promise we will not be taking your people into any risk on
the ground or air if possible."

   "The air I am not worried about it is the ground that concerns me.  If
my Delta Force friends come in no one will live to see the sun rise."

   There was no trust in Carlton's eyes at all, just a cold ice that send a
shiver down his back.  This man was not going to lose people over anyone's
errors.  God help the fool that crossed him.

   The captain got on the Lear.  They were towed to the elevator and lifted
up to the runway.  Once off the elevator they waited for the second plane.
The two took off in formation and advise Pope that Delta Force R2 was
airborne now."

   The captain had no idea what Delta Force R2 was and did not ask?  The
radios were shutdown now and they just followed their planned course to
Pope.  Once they were close the planes dropped down and took another
heading going toward the target Seabrook Island.  A C-130 was now flying
high above them and that was what was being followed.  The Lear's were just
five hundred feet off the deck and making wide passes of towns with
airports.  With no communications a low flying aircraft could never be
reported.

   During the time of getting the lights turned on an attack was made
knocking down Shaw's radar.  Then a run was made down a line of aircraft
sitting wing to wing on the ground.  Many exploded and fires were taking
many F-22's out of existence.  When ammunition started to cook off people
just ran for cover.  That was when several lighting bolts hit the general's
house and turned it into rubble.  With fires coming from anything that
could burn nothing was left the house alive.

   The two planes landed at the grass strip, the families and the young
guard were picked up.  They were back out and fast after fueling, as they
knew what was happening at Shaw.

   "Delta Force R2 nice little strike on Shaw.  You guys are incredible."

   The captain heard that and looked up at the pilot.

   "The ground at Shaw has a lot of destroyed F-22 fighters and the
general's house no longer exists.  Their radar no longer works either
captain.  So it has been a fairly good night for our side."

   "How many F-22's were taken out?"

   "The entire flight line was destroyed.  I would say better than twenty
five percent of the F-22's left are now scrap.  With ammunition cooking off
no one would get close to fight fires.  Besides they had no general to
order it." Now the man was laughing.

   "What are you laughing at?"

   "John is a very dangerous man captain and most generals just don't know
how dangerous.  If you try to pick his pocket he will cut your throat while
smiling at you.  In this new world that is just how things will have to be.
If your fair he is always more than fair, if not God help you.  He has this
thing about being honest and your word being your bond.  If he says he will
do anything I assure you it gets done.  His word is always his bond."

   The man could hear the respect this man had for John.  John was not the
warrior, but he was the one that drove them to succeed.  Failing him was
just not an option for any of them.  The only way he could explain it was
it was like a child trying to please their father.

   As they landed the planes went to the lift and were taken down below. 
The people were off loaded and sent to their husbands and fathers wherever
they were.  The two in the hospital were not married so no problems there.

   "Colonel how many F-22's have been destroyed?"

   "Including your planes just 19% of the fleet purchased.  We have done
nothing to the F-117 or the B-1B's at all.  The only attacks came to
generals and one admiral that have tried to hurt us.  So it is in their
hands as to how the outcome is."

   "I have to ask how did you get the general inside the base and with
guards outside his house?"

   "Lasers hit the house and it burnt very quickly.  No guards wanted to go
near it.  Two drones got the radar and flight line.  We sent pictures to
the generals who have been doing the bitching, with the nuclear bomb
numbers.  Every base commander is on warning this could happen to them and
their base.  The time for play is over and now we are dead serious.  The
report of tonight's action will be on the radio tomorrow for as many as
possible to hear."

   The captain knew these people were well and truly pissed at the
military. He took his wife and daughter to the inn in the city and checked
in.  He had a meeting with John tomorrow and he needed to be rested.  They
were given a nice room and a bed for the girl.  Breakfast here was at seven
to nine AM and if they needed food after that they could go to the café, if
they had local money.

   That problem he did not even try to get into.

   The next day they did have breakfast at the inn and head to John's
office.  When the two walked in he was shocked to see a very young girl
sitting on John's lap.  She was may be 8 or 9?

   "Jordan, Rachel and Gina this is my daughter Kelly.  He kissed the girl
as she hopped up and shook hands with them.  "I run the radio station here
and am an advisor to the youth group."

   That shocked them and you could see it.  "Kelly may look her age of 8,
but she has a mental age of well over 16.  The ladies IQ just can't be
measured." Now Kelly was smiling her blinding smile.

   "I was wondering why you never wore your medal Jordan?" Kelly just had
to know the answer to that one.

   Jordan was surprised at this question from an 8 year old.  "What do you
know about my medals?"

   "You have three purple hearts, two silver stars and the Medal of Honor
beside the I was there metals." She repeated her reading.

   Now Jordan's eyebrows rose.  "Where did you get that information?"

   "As daddy said I run the radio station and checked all your people out
last night.  If we report it people can accept it as dead honest fact.  So
I check out everything we are going to report and make sure it is correct.
We have the military files on everyone who has or was serving up to the
crash."

   "God that must be one hell of a computer you have."

   "No those files don't take up 1% of our database area.  But they do come
in handy to check people out.  Your squadron was all military black sheep.
Are you sure you and pappy Boyington were not related?"

   Now he was really shocked at this young lady.  "You have to be the
smartest 8 year old I have ever seen."

   "Thank you kind sir all nice comments are accepted by me." She was
beaming now and Jordan's wife was enjoying this.

   "Just think that is what Gina is going to do to you shortly husband."

   Kelly turned to Gina.  "Come on lets get out of here and let the adults
talk."

   Gina ran over and grabbed Kelly's hand and they headed out.

   Jordan was very quiet now.  "How in the hell does any child at Kelly's
age have that ability?"

   "If Kelly reads a book on surgery she can perform the actual operation
just like it was explained.  If the writer did well in explaining it, you
would survive as if he did that surgery.  As I said she has no way for
anyone to measure her IQ.  Her abilities one day will run the new country.
For her it is not for money or any normal human reason.  It is for the
people and she believes that deep down."

   Jordan was shocked at this honesty.  "You would turn the government over
to her?"

   "She is smarter than I am Jordan.  So when people will accept it, yes
she will run the country.  It is my ownership of precious metals that it
will be built on.  But it will be very much her brains behind a good deal
of it."

   The honesty was refreshing and unusual for him.  "You don't seem to care
about the power that brings?"

   "Power?  It brings responsibility and not power.  That was a lesson the
old government forgot.  They lost their sense of responsibility to and for
the people of the country.  It became power and they just had to play with
it.  You see where it got us now."

   That he could and wondered if anyone could do a better job?  "I am not
sure anyone could have done it any better now?"

   "Under the old structure I think your right.  But the way I have it
planned the people get to make their choices.  Any law can be changed with
a two thirds vote from the people.  But government will make no laws and it
will spend no tax money.  It is set up like a corporation and has a board
of directors.  It makes money from business it operates to allow it to meet
things that must be paid for.  Like a small military, border guards,
national police, diplomacy where needed and education.  Those are not paid
for by peoples incomes being taxed." He handed both Jordan and his wife
copies of his plan and laws.

   They skimmed them and shook their heads a few times.  It took just half
an hour to wade their way though it.  "That is very different from what was
set up before.  But it does take a lot of the so called power and places it
in peoples hands." Rachel was truly impressed now.

   "In our past we have built government on top of government.  You had
local, state and then federal, one on top of the other.  Each was feeding
off the people.  Every item purchased had taxes for all three included in
them.  That ends with the new country.  The only tax is the sales tax for
their local area and everyone pays that to the government.  No leader can
ever be paid for their service.  Police can only enforce the laws you have
read in just ten pages.  Their job is to investigate and report to a judge
before acting unless someone could be hurt.  No one can run away and they
would be charged with that as well if they tried."

   It was easy to see how life would be under these new laws and structure.
"I like what your doing and only question a few things.  Like the age of
consent and the age to vote." Jordan was being honest now.

   "Those were recommended by our youth counsel.  In looking at their
arguments I agreed with them.  We are now a very young nation after
millions of older people have been killed off.  Children will need to start
much earlier to carry their share of the load.  At 12 a girl can carry and
have a child safely.  I know as my grandmother had my dad at that age. 
People who vote should understand they are also responsible.  I have found
the young people here at the age stated very responsible.  They fight and
risk their lives to keep us safe here."

   Both adults had not seen this and yet with the explanation it made sense
to them.  "I see your point and agree.  Now what can I do to help you and
earn a living John?"





   Chapter 20

   "I think you have pushed your luck as far as any man should flying
fighters.  So now you need to manage others and plan to meet a goal.  The
country will not have the fuels to run based on gas and oil.  Kelly told me
you're an engineer and a good one.  That is where you need to work now.  I
want electric cars and trucks, fuel cell technology, advanced fuels that
might be able to burn in a combustion engine.  Find me ways to power our
country."

   "How do I do that here and without a lab or staff?"

   "For number one your wife is your chemist as that is her background.  We
have a lab for you and it is well equipped and staffed.  The problem we
have there is no one is pushing them to find answers.  You have zero limits
to what you can try or do."

   "Can we build prototypes?"

   "Yes and far more advanced than you would expect.  I could build you an
entire car from carbon fiber parts.  You design them and we will have them
before your next design is ready to make.  We do make body parts for all
aircraft from carbon fiber and ballistic materials."

   "I saw none of that from the inn or walking in town."

   "Everything critical is inside one mountain or another.  As you saw our
base for aircraft is also below ground.  It makes it hard to destroy us or
hurt my people.  What is seen by any satellite is not what is really here
is it?"

   "No is sure is not what others would see.  But I have a few problems, as
we need a place to stay, clothing and food.  That is no small thing in
today's world."

   "I really hate to burst your bubble.  But we are short nothing that
really matters here.  Matter of fact we have food to keep us going for five
years right now."

   "How did you do that?"

   "He bought a lot before the fall and stored it in air tight vaults
inside the mountain.  Then he started farms and ranches to produce food we
needed here.  In the mountain you will find we grow many exotic things
normally not available here." Dana was pleased to provide the answers.

   "This is my wife Dana and she is the expert on what we have in the
mountains.  She runs the new medicine labs in the hospital now days.  Of
course she is carrying our twins and is as big as a moving truck once was."

   The guests were laughing at these two.  "I would think that sense of
humor would have been long gone?" Rachel knew at this point she had none at
all.

   "I had to do this to get the man to marry me.  The amount of arguments
over his age was monumental." Dana was now laughing at John's look on his
face.

   "Of course if I had not of married her then Kelly would have been
without a father she wanted badly.  So I was trapped."

   Now things made sense to them.  "You don't look all that old John."
Rachel thought he was may be fifty.

   "At 68 I am far to damn old to be getting married to a young woman I
assure you.  But to sire twins that is really beyond my understanding?"

   That floored them both as neither expected him to be that old now.  "How
in the world is that possible?" Jordan wanted an answer for this.

   "His great grandfather sired one at 70, so it is nothing new to his
family.  Things do happen and often to those who want them."

   John saw her avoid the questions and did so as well.  "Now Dana will
show you to your apartment and where you can draw clothing, household needs
and food.  Kelly took Gina to the school to get her started.  She will be
home at around 2 PM today and can come to your lab if you want.  But school
starts when the child is ready and not at any certain age.  The goal is to
complete high school by 16 at the oldest.  School here is year around and
there are few breaks."

   "What grade is Kelly in?"

   "That depends on the subject.  Her lowest grade level is sixth and
highest is tenth.  But all students have those type differences.  No one is
ever held back here in any area.  But if one falls below grade level they
get added help to try to get them back on course.  In this new world
education and knowledge will be what carries the day."

   Dana showed them out and down to the apartments for military people. 
These were mostly the technical people.

   "What types of people live here?" Rachel was now asking the questions.

   "Mostly technical people and scientists for the military areas here."

   They were shown the store for clothing, food and for household needs
like sheets and towels.  These were local stores and their card would work
here for any needs they had.  But the ones in the town had a slightly
larger selection if they wanted to go there.

   Dana then took them to their lab and they were shocked at how big and
well equipped it was.  "This is your working home folks.  Everyone here
works for you so accept no crap from them.  You're responsible here for the
good and bad.  John expects results and does not accept failure.  Everyone
here knows that, but they will try to slide from time to time.  They have
failed to come up with one single prototype car.  The computer system can
provide you research going back a long ways.  If your missing something go
see John and he will get it for you." She shook hands and left them
standing there looking at the room.

   Jordan called them together and looked the people over.  "Now I am your
new leader here and my wife is our chief chemist.  From what I have been
told you are right now failures and John is not happy with you." This shook
the people and they knew their tails were on the line.

   "That will start changing right now.  We will have a prototype ready in
ninety days to start working on to improve it.  Because of the way things
will be, it will be a small truck that seats four adults or five if
children are in the back.  We must be able to move food from a farm to a
town or city and from stores to homes.  A brain storming session will start
tomorrow and we will start making some decisions.  Just remember a bad
decision is a good starting point for learning."

   Jordan and Rachel walked out of the lab and headed to the stores to get
what they needed.  As they picked up things in stores they were shocked at
the quality and pricing.  Once they delivered those items back to the
apartment they went grocery shopping.  As John had said they could have
wanted nothing they did not find.  Produce was fresh and picked that day.
Meat was aged just enough to produce good taste with tenderness.  There
were many freeze dried items for them to use and they liked the way this
had been done.

   Rachel started cooking at once when they got home and the house smelled
like food when Gina walked in.  "Mommy you should see the school it is
great.  I have my own computer to work on and they tested me today."

   "I see you seem to have enjoyed that?"

   "Yes and they said they would send you my test scores."

   "I will check for them after dinner if we have a compute."

   "It is in the living room mom." Gina just shook her head at her mom's
lack of seeing things.  So she went to get her dad to check them.

   He found she had done very well and was above her grade level in all but
one area.  "How did you get so smart Gina?"

   "Kelly showed me how to use my knowledge and told me I was smart."

   "I know you could not read some of this so how did that happen?"

   His daughter sat and read every word to him and he was not ready for
that.  "How did you do that dear?"

   "It is easy daddy.  Here I am really going to like school and do well."

   "What is the different between where you were and here?"

   "Here I am allowed to try things I was never allow to before.  If I do
well I am told how good I did.  Before I was not allowed to do anything the
teacher did not tell me to do."

   Jordan knew she was smart, but she hated to go to school before.  For a
smart creative child that restriction would kill the desire to learn.  She
did not want to be just like the others she went to school with.  So John's
ideas on education should pay off for many a bored child.  His daughter's
love of the new system was impressive.

   "Why do you like this system so well?"

   "I get to do what I want to work wise as long as I want to do it.  Then
I can move to something else.  If I don't want to do something today I
don't have to do that."

   The children control their own pace and what work they do.  It was a way
to teach them the need for keeping all work up to date and letting them
mo9ve forward on what they liked.

   "How do you know where your supposed to be at in your work?"

   "I have a screen when I start that shows me where I am in each subject.
If I am behind then I must catch up or get help from a teacher.  The
computer will not run unit I have taken some action to solve the problem.
Kelly said if I had problems come see her at John's office and she would
help me work it out."

   "Why John's office?"

   "Did you see that cubical in his office?  It is where she does her work
each day she has school.  She is able to do her work in less than three
hours and then do other things she wants to.  The radio station scripts
must be written and she has research to do for the youth counsel."

   "Kelly sounds like she is really very busy."

   "She is daddy and loves how much she gets to do here.  As smart as she
is I know I am going to love it here also.  We get along and like each
other.  Besides she is only a year older than me."

   They were called to dinner and enjoyed the food here like they had
before the fall of the country.  "This is real food husband and I love
being able to cook again." Once done she brought out a pie and sat it on
the table.  It was cut and each given a piece and they really enjoyed it.

   "It seems like forever since we had a pie mom."

   "It seemed like forever to me since I made one.  But we have lots of
freeze dried apples, cherries, berries and peaches to make pies with now.
When baked they taste like fresh fruit does."

   John and Dana talked until Kelly came home.  "That was a good program of
news you put together dear.  It told a story that needed to be told and did
it well." John was pleased with her research and how the facts had been
handled.

   "I had a bit of a fight over it and had to put my foot down.  Jenny
wanted to start throwing rocks.  That was not how to handle this and I did
not want the how the generals house was destroyed known.  So a few things
had to be skirted to protect our knowledge.  Let others draw their own
wrong conclusions."

   "How did it end up with Jenny?"

   "I told her she did things my way or she was done at the station.  She
called Jackson and came back and apologized to me.  I think he set her
straight on who runs this station."

   Dana laughed at her daughter's abilities and her determination.  "Girl
your bolder than I ever was."

   "I learned that from daddy mom and it works.  If you take any crap they
just keep piling it on.  So stop it before they learn how to try it."

   That set Dana off and they all were laughing now.

   "Girl, John and you are so much alike I have to believe he must have
fathered you."

   "I know he did not, but he has taught me so much I am like him in many
ways.  For that I need to thank you mom, if you had not gone for the job I
would not have a daddy."

   "Or a set of twins coming to be a brother and sister for you.  But I am
sure glad the time is close to deliver them.  My insides are not a
playground."

   "That is what you think and those two kids don't believe a word of it."
John shot back.

   "They had better or I will name them cuss and discuss."

   The next morning was a beautiful day and Kelly and John had gone riding.
The land down by the river was cool and two boys were bringing people
across the river.  He waited to see just who they were.

   A man stepped off and walked to John.  "I am glad I caught you here.  I
am the brother of Admiral Brenner and wanted to see if there was any way to
bring him to my home?"

   "Sorry when people send planes to attack my people they get no free
pass. Your brother is in prison now and will stay there until he dies.  He
told direct lies to the pilots he sent and told me I had no right to
protect my people.  Now for you it is time to decide if you fit into our
new government or not."

   "I disagree with your actions if that is what you mean."

   "Boys please arrest this man and hold him for the military to pick him
up.  We are going to send you out of our protective area, as you just don't
fit here.  I hope you like your new living conditions and life.  Good bye
sir."

   Kelly and John rode off and the man tried to stop the boys from cuffing
him.  That was of little avail and he was brought down.  They cuffed him to
a fence and called David with John's instructions.

   Shortly a slick dropped down and three men got off and loaded the man on
it.  Then it was off and heading north.  He was dropped in Pittsburg and
left to find a way to survive.  They had marked him with and RFID seed that
would show him as undesirable.  He would never be allowed back into the
country at any border crossing and would be picked up in any city.

   John and Kelly finished their ride and unsaddled their animals.  After
brushing them they put them in the stall and gave them feed and hay.

   "What do you want to bet I get at least 10 calls today from military
people trying their best to be nice?"

   Kelly was laughing at John's prognosis of the day.  "Are you going to
talk to them?"

   "Of course I will and I am not saying I'll be nice to them.  But I will
listen to them."

   They went to their rooms and showered and dressed.  When Kelly walked in
John was on the phone and he smiled at her.  She knew he was talking to one
of the military.

   "General I am sure you mean what your saying right now.  But the moment
a higher ranking officer orders you to do something your going to follow
orders.  You have no authority any more that you answer to.  So who now
speaks for all services and commanders?"

   "Yes I am sure that is a hard question to answer.  But understand if any
base fights us we will take out the commanders there first.  So each of you
can surrender or fight and those are your choices.  If anyone tried to go
nuclear again I will wipe them off the face of the earth.  Do you
understand that sir?  We will also report those actions on the radio to the
world, so they can hear what fools we have as commanders.  Good day
general."

   "That sounded like he wanted some kind of special deal dad?"

   "He threaten to go nuclear if he did not get his way.  So listen to his
call and play it tonight on the station.  It should wake his men up to how
little he cares for them."

   "If worded right it might open eyes on many bases as to how little high
ranking officers care about enlisted men?  Desertion before now was not a
problem, but it could be after that report."

   "We don't want those weapons getting into the wrong hands dear.  So be
careful and walk a fine line here.  People who leave their bases tend to
take weapons with them and that opens up trading weapons and ammunition for
food.  We have some strong gangs left that will have to be fought and
destroyed before a city can be rebuilt.  That will mean no drugs being sold
or guns to control people being held by them."

   "I get the idea and will play with it before you see the script for
today.  But my big sell is going to be people are either the good guys or
bad guys.  It is their decision to make that choice.  Those who are the
good guys stand a good chance of surviving this war that is coming.  But
those who are not will surely be killed.  We have no room for criminals in
the new country." Now she saw where he was headed and not even he saw what
he said in context to the whole.  She had slowly been investigating each
concept he had to see if any had holes.  But as things expanded there were
no holes, as following steps covered holes she thought she had found.

   "Kelly this needs to be orchestrated liked a good symphony.  It cannot
overwhelm the senses of the people, but must carry them to where we want
them.  They must feel it was their desire that we followed.  So Carlton is
going to drop troops into larger cities and they will report to you each
night.  You will get peoples attitudes and feelings stated to you."

   "That could be dangerous for them Daddy."

   "They will be in normal clothing and look no different from other
people. Of course they will be armed and their hand to hand skills are way
above others.  But we need the people to be heard from before we step into
a city.  They need to scout it so we know where the gangs are and how to
attack them.  A lot of Jackson's scouts are volunteering to do this."

   There was value in this and she saw why Jackson's guys would be good at
it.  "The younger men will be less noticed and able to go places others
can't."

   "That is in Carlton and David's hands and not mine dear.  I have enough
to do without trying to run their area."

   She went in to get the schoolwork out of the way and start her real job.

   Jackson was now working to train some of his better scouts, in how to do
the job in a city.  The first part was in a classroom and it was critical
you did well here.  Because in a city good thinking was the key to
surviving.  He had to teach them how to plan their actions and make them
happen as planned.

   "Understand I have been in Roanoke several times.  My scouts were left
outside the city and I went on my own.  The trick is not to be seen much.
Then to find a good hiding place to watch from before moving into where
people are.  It is easy to tell if people are wary or moving freely around
the area.  Watch for weapons showing as most gang members show their
weapons."

   "How much could you tell from just watching?"

   "You can tell a lot about attitudes, fear, how openly people travel and
if or how they may be armed."

   "Who are the best people to key on?"

   "Always a woman with a child as she will not place it at risk.  Any
child that has survived this long is loved."

   The questions went on for a couple hours and much was picked up by the
new volunteers.

   After lunch Pam took over and told how gangs used girls as sex slaves
and what they expected.  There were many things that could be watched for
and seen openly on the streets.  A girl belonging to a gang was easy to
spot.  This added a lot to their education and would help keep some alive.

   The day had been shocking to many of the young men and they had a lot to
consider now.  This was for sure not as simple as it had sounded and was
going to be very dangerous for them.  They had maps to study for the city
they would be dropped into.  But there was no rescue team ready to come in
and get them if trouble happened.  If they did get into a jam no one until
check in time would have any idea something had happened.  Then no one
would know what happened?

   The being alone and the danger were stressed constantly to them.  It did
cause a few to drop out, but not that many.  That had been planned for as
well.

   Each student went through the pistol range and the hand to hand fighting
course once more at the advanced level.  Knives were given to them and they
were taught to use them efficiently.  They spent days listening to the kids
that had come from cities and how their city worked after the fall.

   Solar chargers were packaged for their satellite phones and each were
given a couple of gold and sliver coins just in case they were needed.  It
gave them a story to get people to go after the rest of the gold they could
not carry.  Of course they were given a real location and special way they
had to go to get into it.  It was meant to assure that the person telling
the story was needed to get into the place where it was.  Greed was to help
them where possible.  That was a powerful motivator and would often work
where nothing else would.

   Slowly each young man saw he was as well prepared as it was possible to
be.  There just was nothing else he could learn here and now it was time to
test his skills on the ground.

   The slicks started going out at night and dropping people a good mile
away from the city.  They would have to walk in and find their hiding
places.  They stayed away from high rise apartments as a gang could easily
defend them.  They were good places to look out from, but far to dangerous
for them.  A better bet was an office building as it had no beds and
nothing would be working there.

   They did have water purification pills, a good water filter unit and a
lot of freeze dried food.  The packs were over eighty pounds of needed
goods.  The amount of goods they had meant they needed to move at night for
a while.  Once they had stashed the pack they could do some careful moving
around in the daylight.

   So their main concern was location, location and location.  It had to
allow observation, could not be conspicuous, easy to get into and out of
with out drawing attention, No small feat for a single person to find and
make work.

   Carlton and Jackson came into John's office.  "Well boss the first of
Jackson's scouts are on the ground.  We are now in twenty cities and have
fifty more to place someone into."

   John considered this news.  "I hope they all are well trained as it is
not going to be easy for them.  God I would hate to be out their living by
my wits today."

   Jackson knew the feelings John had.  "I did my damnedest John to get as
many to drop out as possible.  Most of the people we have sent I have
traveled with and know well so I worry for them also."

   "Carlton I want a response force of twelve Special Forces to go into any
area where we have lost someone.  Take out every gang member you can find
and destroy their buildings and headquarters.  Jackson make sure your
people know if they fail to report in two times we are coming in after
them."

   That brightened his day now.  "I will make sure they know how critical
their reporting is and on time."

   Carlton liked the fact John was willing to take risks to try to save
Jackson's people.  "I will have the force ready tonight John.  We need all
Jackson's people's reports, so we can mark buildings and streets we need to
be aware of.  Be sure they let us know the streets and buildings to mark in
their reports.  Some of the people you have in North Carolina may end up
being covered by people from the compound at Bragg.  My brothers are very
good at this kind of thing."

   It was for sure the guys now with Delta Force needed no back up.  But
Carlton's old group was also very good.  He would have no trouble taking
out any group in a city John knew.  "Are you sure they will want to play?"

   "Oh yes the general we met with was highly pissed at the nuclear thing.
That changed his position completely and he is now firmly on our side.  He
knew Jordan and liked him, so his report had a chilling effect on his
decision.  That was why we had good cover on the pick up mission for the
families."

   "Has he said what he wants out of this deal?"

   "Yes to handle the national police and border guards.  He believes they
need to be the same force of people.  Any who do get in are going to have
to be chased and that is the national police job."

   "Does he know what you and David will be doing?"

   "Yes and likes that we are just not tossing the baby out with the bath
water."

   "It is going to be a very different world Carlton.  Holding the military
down to 100,000 is going to be hard.  But from a cost stand point we have
little choice.  We will have to live within our budget and there is no more
after we spend it.  For sure government must make money from its core
industries to even afford that.  Understand the national police and border
guards are part of that military force."

   "He and I understand that and have no problem with it.  We know we are
going to have to have a good intelligence group for both of us to use.  So
the good people we both had and have will form that from Bragg and here. 
Your computer records will save us millions of hours in building a new
database."

   "That is up to you to organize and suggest the people we need to fill
the jobs we have.  They all must understand that the first three years is
going to be at lower pay than after that time.  No one is going to get rich
in government service, but you will not starve either.  The days of big
money and bonuses are over Carlton.  Each business will have an expected
profit spelled out for it.  If they do better everyone will share that one
year in the improvement.  But fail to meet it and someone is going to get
fired.  But with zero inflation they will not be having to make more each
year, just to live as well as last year."

   Carlton could see just how tough it was going to be getting things back
up and running.  They were going to have thousands of people that had to be
hired and each would have to be checked out.  Past history being the best
indicator of the future.  That would be no easy job for John.

   "How are you going to handle the reformation of the country?"

   "It for sure cannot be done all at once.  We are going to have to take
it in bites and once we have things in place move to the next piece.  My
guess is it will take two plus years to get the entire amount of land into
the Federation.  I have half of West Virginia and will bring in a good half
of Virginia and some of North Carolina.  That is our base area.  We have to
get power running, communications up and banking in place.  To the north we
will use rivers as a border.  It means we are going to take down many
bridges and control the ones we leave.  Stopping people from entering is
going to be hard and we can't accept them where our people lose the ability
to work.  But we will have certain skills we will need and accept.  Like
nuclear power engineers and linemen for rebuilding the power grid for just
our land areas."

   He could see how certain types would be needed.  "How do we handle those
that wish to apply?"

   "We are going to have to run computer checks and do good background
work. Fingerprints are going to be needed to prove they are who they say
they are.  But they will test out for any job they are applying for.  That
will be done by computer and graded as soon as they are done."

   "So my people don't have to know squat about those jobs?"

   "Not the first thing.  But they are going to have to watch them and see
just how they are reacting to the stress.  Someone trying to come here
without family is not wanted no matter how good they are.  We don't need to
have to go find out what happened to the family later.  This is going to be
some hard decisions and people are going to try to lie to us.  Once it is
known we are rebuilding people will try to come."

   "How do we keep them out?"

   "But you will be able to do RFID checks on citizens and they will not
even know it was done.  Those who have money will attempt to buy their way
in.  They will not invest in their own area, but will look for an easy way
to buy power.  No RFID chip will be provided to new immigrants except at
the hospital.  That chip must be certified with fingerprints, eye scan and
DNA provided.  They will have the full biography of their background in
that file."

   "So a good RFID number will bring up a complete history of that person?"

   "I have them built for everyone here now.  That includes Kelly, Dana and
me Carlton, so it is for everyone not just some.  But everyone coming in
must read the laws and the organization of the Federation.  Then they must
sign agreements and acknowledgements before going to have the implants. 
They will not know that is what they are doing.  They are getting shots
needed.  But they will be fingerprinted, eye scanned and a DNA sample taken
and they will know that goes into their records.  The RFID will give your
people an easy way to find someone who has a warrant out."

   "What happens if they have no RFID?"

   "They get arrested as they don't belong here."

   A lot of law enforcement would depend on that RFIID seed.  If someone
passed a national policeman with no seed planted they would know it at
once. Technology was going to handle a lot of the future he saw.















   Chapter 21

   Simon had been sent to Roanoke and was slowly working his way into the
city.  He was being very careful not to show himself.  It was a sure bet he
had too much wealth to just let him pass by.  Just seeing his pack told
that story.  So care was called for big time.

   He had worked his way down Williamson Road staying off it and in housing
areas behind the road.  It was a hard way to get to where he wanted to be.
He had good binoculars and would try the Mill Mountain area.  His hope was
to see if he could find one of the old houses up that way unused?  But the
large platform under the star would give him a great place to watch a lot
of the city during the day.  The nice part was there was little risk.  It
was just to far up the mountain to send people to look over the city each
day without having gasoline.

   It would take some time to checkout the living areas up there.  But the
zoo should be empty and the house for the park manager should be empty?  He
would go up after dark and look the whole place over.  But it should be
cooler that high up than down here in the main part of the city.

   He found an old store that had been looted and moved into it for the hot
part of the day.  The office was in a dark part and he could close and lock
the door.  Just after he put his sleeping bag down a small child stood
there looking at him.

   "Little one what is your name?"

   "Tina and who are you and where did you come from?"

   He locked the door and turned on a small lamp he had that was a LED
light.  It showed good light and he could see the girl.  "OK now I am Simon
and I came from a place called Shangri-La.  My job is to learn as much as
possible about the city so when our people come they know what they must do
and where.  We are close to starting to rebuild the country now."

   The little girl was really dirty and she smelled as well.  "Is there
really a placed called that?"

   "Yes we named it for a mythical place that people would remember the
stories about.  But we have a small military and the start of a government.
The laws have been change to something reasonable and kids are protected
from being used for slaves or sex toys."

   You could see her interest.  "I had a friend back a long time ago who
left with her family to go there.  She and her sister were neighbors to my
family and me.  One was 14 and she was the older sister and the other was
9. But I have never heard from them after they left here."

   "That would not be Pam and Rhonda would it?" He just took a shot here.

   "They made it then?"

   "Not really dear.  We found them after their parents had been killed and
they had been abused.  Matter of fact I guess we saved them and they have
attached themselves to my boss who found them.  He and Pam are going to get
married and Rhonda is in love with him also."

   She laughed at this report.  "I am sorry their parents were killed, but
glad they made it.  Mine were killed also and I have been living alone now
for a long time.  So I am so glad to have you to talk with and be my
friend."

   "When I call tonight I'll be sure Rhonda knows your alive Tina.  I know
Jackson will tell her and Pam for you."

   The girl just beamed at him.  "I knew you were not like the others
around here."

   "Am I going to be found out here?  If that is the case I must keep
moving to some-place safe."

   "Because I have a gun and have shot one of the boys trying to rape me,
they don't come in here any more.  People give me a wide berth, as they
don't know what I will do.  That is just how I want them to react to me."

   "After dark I must leave and head up on Mill Mountain, so I can watch a
lot of the city.  I have two reports I must send in each day to the base.
But you and I will go together if that helps you feel safer.  Now how have
you managed to eat so far?"

   She laughed at Simon's question.  "I am not sure I should tell you as
you might take what I have."

   Simon reached into his pack and pulled out two energy bars and handed
one to her.  "I don't need your food dear it was just a question."

   She ate it with great enjoyment showing on her face.  "That was the best
tasting thing I have had in months."

   "They are called energy bars and they supply all the energy you need for
a good four hours.  Now I am going to need to get some sleep and be ready
to travel tonight toward Mill Mountain.  So you need to decide what your
going to do and let me know.  If you want to go with me that is fine and I
will get you picked up as soon as I can."

   "What if I just want to stay with you?"

   "You can do that also if you want.  But it is liable to get both boring
and exciting as time moves on.  If I am pushed, I will kill people that
place us in danger."

   "I have no problem doing that either Simon.  But my gun is old and loud
and I have to be careful not to bring people after me.  Now just so you
know I have been eating dog food I collected and brought here.  It does not
taste good, but I am still alive."

   He got another energy bar out and handed it to her.  "Once were on the
mountain I'll cook us a good meal.  Leave the dog food here and we will eat
out of my pack until I can get us a resupply.  But we need to find
someplace to get you washed up lady."

   She giggled at that and knew she likely did smell bad.  "You sleep and
I'll get cleaned up and watch out for you.  Once your up I'll sleep until
your ready to move out."

   The girl was off in a flash without opening the door.  He was not sure
how she did it, but was too tired to care.

   He woke sweating and needing to relieve himself.  He looked around and
there was a very pretty girl sitting and watching him.  "Good God young
lady you are very pretty when your cleaned up."

   That caused her to laugh and he liked the sound of it.  "I don't want
boys to see me like this often it just brings trouble.  There are just so
many bullets to keep them away, once they are gone I was in deep trouble."

   "I need someplace to relieve myself and then I need some water to
rehydrate."

   She led him down to the basement and a very large tank with a spigot
coming out of it.  "The water is good and you can use the bathroom over
there.o" She pointed at a door.  "But you must take a bucket of water and
flush it when your done."

   The girl had worked out a way to survive and she for her age had done
well.  He was not surprised, as most of the young people found some way to
do that.

   He did wash up and get a fresh shirt on before going up to the room. 
"Now how soon will it be dark and how soon before we can miss seeing
people?"

   "It will be dark in just over and hour and people go inside then.  Most
live in the basements, as it is cooler in the summer heat.  The only gang
out here is a group of kids from several blocks around here.  They do keep
the black gangs away.  They hit a marine armory and stole weapons and
ammunitions before the black gangs even thought of it."

   "So they don't fight or try to take control?"

   "There is so much of the city to handle, it is not worth fighting other
groups for what they have."

   That indicated there was no large group operating here as there was in
some other cities.  "OK how do we best head toward Mill Mountain from
here?"

   She laid out the best route and time to start to his goal.  There were
questions as to why there, but she would wait for answers.  He did give her
another energy bar and she felt better than she had in a long time.

   "Pack what clothing you want to have with you.  If you have any
keepsakes get them also, as most likely you will never return here."

   "Why most likely?"

   "If something happens to me Tina you may have to take my gun, knife and
phone and come back here.  At least you know this area well and can protect
yourself."

   That scared her and it showed.  "Don't let anything happen to you Simon.
I can't handle that again.  Last time I went a little nuts and people know
that around here.  Most still think I am nuts and I have encouraged that."

   After dark Simon called in and advised Jackson of Tina's being alive. 
He could hear the girls yelling in the background.  So the two men let them
talk for a short time.  Then he reported all Tina had given him and advised
of their goal position wise.

   Once the phone was put back up and he was ready to mount his pack Tina
hugged him.  "Thank you so much Simon.  It was so good to hear from old
friends.  They said they both trusted you completely and for me to follow
your directions.  You were there when they were saved."

   "I took over and brought the scouts back after Jackson took the girls to
Shangri-La.  Neither of them would go anyplace if he did not go.  So when
they were taken he was quickly sent for."

   "They had changed then since I knew them.  Before they followed no one
and were the leaders or they did not get into the group.  Both girls were
very confident and smart."

   "They are still smart and liked by most of the other kids.  But they
live with Jackson and Pam is going to marry him.  So there is some
resentment in a few girls."

   "Pam is too young to get married."

   "As soon as she turns 16 she will be a full adult in our world.  Young
people finish high school by that age, but the age of consent is 12.  So
they are just making sure that is what they want.  We allow no divorce, so
marriage is forever.  During school your warned again and again about the
fact there is no divorce."

   "Can they enforce that?"

   "Oh yes and unless you wish to lose your abilities for sex, both sides
had better make it work."

   She chuckled at this and liked the way it was so important to people
now. "If you get married it should be for good.  It is not a game and needs
commitment on both sides to work.  If someone can just walk away they don't
have to have that commitment and that breeds failure.  I watched too much
of that with friends families."

   They had headed out and she led them along a path she knew well.  They
worked their way down beside Williamson road and made good time.  The girl
was fast in her pace and knew the best areas to walk.  Once they got to
Orange Ave they headed into an industrial park and skirted buildings.  She
worked them down to Riverland Rd.  and then started up the side of the
mountain.

   "We are not going to climb this all the way to the top like this are
we?"

   "No silly we will hit a nice road in just a few more feet.  It is called
Fishburn Pkwy and goes to the top.  But gangs sometime patrol the entry
point below.  Walnut Ave.  feeds into this at the bottom of the mountain.
There are lots of houses that they have taken over at the base of the
mountain.  But not too close to the hospital as that is well guarded by the
old police force that still exists."

   "God the girl had all the data he needed.  Is there anything you don't
know?"

   "If the question is about the main area of Roanoke I have seen most all
of it.  The police used to give me candy bars and I would tell them about
the gangs moving around them.  If things got really bad I knew they would
get me a room at the hospital."

   "How do they operate there?"

   "They took over the old fuel storage area on 460 east of Roanoke.  Each
week they truck fuel into the hospital and to one station close by for
vehicle fueling.  You should see the guns and guards when they do that. 
There were two food distribution centers and they took both over so they
had food.  They have several tanks fully armed and people who know how to
use and fire them."

   When they made it to the top of the mountain he could not see much.  But
when the moon came up he saw a dark area of shapes below him.  He checked
out the area and found no one here.  But he did see the radio tower and
knew that could be of used.

   On time he called in and told Jackson what he had learned and what data
Tina had given him.  The fact of the radio tower caused a lot of interest.
"If I sent you a small troop of scouts could you hold that mountain for us?
We need to build a radio station for there and to get the star lighted.  We
know they are listening to us now on our station from here.  But John would
like to get Roanoke taken into the federation quickly.  The gangs seem weak
compared to many cities."

   "I would need a lot of supplies and at least fifty scouts to hold this
mountain.  I have three entries into where I am and all would need to be
covered.  It would take ten at each and then twenty on top to support them
if attacked."

   That sounded reasonable to Jackson.  "You will get your people today and
several other items as well.  We will send you some horses to provide some
mobility.  Do you have some place to hold them?"

   "Sure there is an old zoo up here.  In checking it out the walls looked
to be in good shape.  There were several out door areas for keeping horses.
The big issue here will be water and food."

   "Look for a spring we can pump water from.  I know there will be one or
more up there.  Get some sleep as you will have troops coming in by
noontime.  If Tina wants to come out she can do that with the choppers
delivering supplies and people."

   Now Simon was sitting cooking food for them.  "OK Tina if you want to go
to Shangri-La it will happen later today.  At noon there will be troops and
food coming to us.  We will get some horses as well to make us more mobile.
I would bet we get a Bradley to assure we can fight our way off this
mountain."

   "I am not going any place you don't go Simon.  You are going to need my
contacts and I can deliver people who will help you.  The police would
never talk with you unless I go to them first.  If they started shooting I
am afraid many would die or be hurt on both sides.  Enough people are dead
now it needs to stop."

   They sleep just below the lookout platform.  They heard the choppers
coming in and saw them start to land.  First came troops, then cargo
containers of food and then horses.  Next tents and sleeping bags were
delivered.  They set up in wooded areas so they were not in the sun.

   Tina was shocked at the abundant food and other goods.  The fact they
now had twenty horses and tack made getting around easy.

   Simon set up machine gun points at good sight line areas of the
mountain. Anyone trying to come up without being seen had no chance of
that. They had cameras on every possible trail coming up the mountainside.
The night inferred made it so easy to see the enemy they could handle them
with ease.  It was not just the cameras there were pick ups for any noise
made as well.

   One station at the top did the watching and listening for all areas. 
But the big toy here was the trailer with a full radio station inside it.
The idea was to give the Roanoke Valley a voice of its own.  Drones were
dropping leaflets over the city now advising of the stations frequency. 
That it was now being run by radio Shangri-La and Roanoke was being
reassembled as a city of the federation.

   It only took an hour and a group of motorcycles were coming up the
mountain on the road.  John had been smart enough to send a group of twelve
Green beanies with the scouts.

   Simon walked out with Tina to meet the police.  He was surprised at how
angry they were.  "Just who the hell do you think you are to try to take
over our town?"

   Tina looked at Ned and laughed at him.  "Ned you sometimes are so stupid
it shocks me.  Do you see five machine guns pointed at you and one Bradley
fighting vehicle behind you?"

   That was when twelve field dressed Special Forces men came walking down
the hill.  "Are you having a problem Simon?"

   "Not really Tina was telling the officer he was letting his mouth
overload his ass.  He is going to have to change that in the new country."

   The man got off his bike and came after Simon.  That was when he found
himself on the ground with a knife at his neck.  "Now dumb ass what are you
going to do?  It will make the decision on if you live or die."

   One officer reached for his gun and was shot in his hand.  "Office
you're as dumb as the one on the ground.  All of you get off your bikes and
I mean now."

   "Troops disarm these men and then we may talk with them."

   Guns, nightsticks and pepper spray was removed from them as well as
ammunition they had.  They were moved to a shaded area and sat on the
ground.  Ned was also stripped of his weapons and sat with the men.

   "Now why did we get all this crap from police."

   Ned was staring at his men.  So no one would answer.

   "Ok fat ass get up and I am going to kick your ass and never break a
sweat."

   The bull jumped up and started for Simon and found himself flying
through the air and landing on his back.  "Is that the best you can do? 
God what a wimp."

   Once more the man charged and got taken down and this time Simon broke
some ribs.  "Now pussy would you like to try again?"

   Ned did not move any more.  "Now you were asked a question and had
better be answering it."

   The story came out and it was not pretty.  Police had just moved into
the hospital and taken over food supply businesses and the fuel depot. 
They did no police work and just survived while many died.  It pissed off
the Special Forces men so much Ned was shot where he lay on the ground.

   A slick came in and picked up the cops and moved them far away with each
providing fingerprints, eye scans and DNA.  They were told they would be
killed if they showed up in the area below the Mason Dixon line.

   "Tina how many more are at the hospital?"

   "They had over one hundred cops before.  So I assume some are at the
food sites and some are at the fuel site.  But that would leave sixty or
more at the hospital and Ned was the leader."

   The Special Forces team loaded up in the Bradley and headed to the
hospital.  There was a good number of police standing guard now.  The
vehicle just shot everything that could be seen.  As police ran out the
back of the building they were shot by snipers waiting for them.  Not one
officer was left here alive and doctors and nurses were happy to be out
from under their rule.  Many had no idea if their families were OK or not.

   The troops loaded the two small trucks and headed out to the food sites
and took them over quickly as no one was there.

   That night radio Roanoke was on the air and asking people to stand up
and take over their city.  The story of the police was told by Tina and she
was known to many here.  By morning much of the city of Roanoke and Salem
were under civilian control.  The leaders were brought to the civic center
and a meeting was held.  They were given the new laws and the plan for
government and most liked it a lot.

   John started engineers getting Smith Mountain Lake dam working and
feeding electricity back to Roanoke.  Some off the lower dam was sent to
Lynchburg, but it was not known if it could be used.  He did know he needed
to get North Anna 1& 2 and Surry 1 & 2 back online for Virginia to have the
power it needed.  He also needed the Bath county dam power plants running
and he had people there now.

   Of course some coal fired plants would be needed until new nuclear
plants could be built.  But the south was lucky in that they had a lot of
these plants now.  The big powerful states saw the poorer south as a good
place for nuclear power plants.  They did not want them in their state. 
Now that decision would come back to haunt them.

   The south was far better off with few exceptions for nuclear power
plants than most of the rest of the country.  It also had a lot of the
development areas like the TVA and some natural gas fired plants for power.
But Duke Energy's construction arm could build those new plants over time.
The government would be assuming that company and using it for that
purpose.

   Now was the time to get Roanoke back in some form of operation.  It for
sure would never be the same city it had been.  Only a few industries would
survive and the railroad yards.  Norfolk Southern would be one of the key
rail lines of the new country.  It would be headquartered in Roanoke and
stay that way.  As the government ran that form of transportation they
would make the decisions for location.  No stock companies would exist in
the Federation.  The government, a single person or group of employees
would own each business that restarted.  There would be no stock market and
no way for any business to screw the public.

   Tina had watched the meetings at the civic center and saw how well Simon
handled things.  He for as young as he was showed why he was trusted. 
Finally agreement was reached and people signed off on the laws and format
of the new country.  It was understood there would be no states and each
city or county was responsible for its own area.  They had to build the
town and over see the housing they had.  No person was to be charged for
any home they could find and occupy.  But the laws were to be carried out
firmly no matter who the lawbreaker was or national police would come in
and investigate the infraction.  Then leaders could be punished.

   In each city one office for paying bills owed to the Federation would
exist.  The cities employees would staff that.  1% of collections would be
paid to the city for the service and they could spend the extra money for
services they needed to supply.  Banks would be set up to loan money for
good projects and businesses.  Of course the money was the new Federation
credit backed by gold.  But a profit was required to be made by the
business to keep it.

   Each city needed a few things first of all.  Food and clothing were at
the top of the list, so small makers of these things were sought out to
start these businesses.  Here small grocery stores were once more needed.
But many of the old skills were now lost.

   "Simon why are people so demanding?"

   "They think they have power and find out to late it is really
responsibility.  It is a hard lesson to teach people.  Then they found out
no government leader is paid for any work they do.  That changed a lot of
minds about wanting to lead their areas."

   She cocked her head and smiled.  "You mean they found out they had to
work and not tell other what to do?"

   "To a great degree yes.  But it is even more than that.  The old
government taught people to want power.  That they did not have to be
responsible and would be paid to tell other how to live their lives.  That
was a good part of what crashed the country.  You had a lot of people
spending money and not taking responsibility for it or trying to balance a
budget."

   "But your not going to have any income as a government for a good amount
of time and that is going to put this country back into debt."

   "No John has hundreds of billions of credits in gold and can use them to
stimulate the economy to start with.  He is loaning that gold to the
government at a low interest rate paid later, so we don't crash the coutry.
No money will be printed that the government does not have gold or sliver
to cover."

   She considered this and saw that was as it had been years ago.  "So we
are back on a gold standard?"

   "Yes and it will keep our money from declining in value.  Things will be
balanced to stop inflation or deflation.  It will stop us from doing much
importing unless we export an equal amount.  Trade is going to be a
balancing act for us.  That is something the old government failed to
handle properly.  We need jobs here so people have work that is productive
and meaningful.  Jobs support the people and allow healthy families."

   She could see this was a massive project and knew she would enjoy
watching it happen.  "How long will we stay here Simon?"

   "My troops are starting to train the police.  That will be done in may
be thirteen weeks so at least that long.  There are also some gang areas
that must be cleaned out before we go.  That could cause us to be a little
longer."

   John came into the city and sat down with the leaders and new police
captains.  He stressed the laws being handled just as written and that no
exceptions would be allowed.  Any who tried to work outside the laws were
guilty of violating them also.

   "But how can we violate them by not enforcing one?"

   "The laws were accepted as written by you and the leaders.  To fail to
enforce one is to lie to the Federation and me.  That is punishable by the
removal of your tongue.  Lie about it and death is the penalty.  We are
going to be an honest civilization or a dead one.  Your word is the most
important thing you have.  Use it wisely or pay a big price."

   "I just don't understand why no lawyers?"

   "Because each of you have lied, cheated and failed the people.  You're a
good case of that sir.  I checked you out and found many things you have
done that would have been punished in the old country under bad laws.  It
is why your not going to be allowed to continue in your current job.  So
you have a choice to make now.  We will happily drop you off in
Pennsylvania or you can go on trial here?"

   The man pulled a gun and a girl knocked him on the floor.  "Dink take
that gun and give him to the police officer here to execute."

   "I can't do that to anyone." The one captain said to John.

   "OK how about you officer?"

   The man took the lawyer out and shot him and came back.  "I assume that
was treason and it made sense to get him out of this country."

   John was pleased that the man was not disturbed.  "Dink remove the
captains uniform and send him home after finger printing, eye scan and DNA
is taken.  He is never to have a job of responsibility here.  Please mark
that he is a coward and shirks responsibility in his records and sign my
name to it."

   "Yes sir it will be done now." She headed out and dragged the man after
her.

   "Who is going to take his job now?"

   The woman looked at John and was still in shock.  "How can you handle
things that way?"

   "Read the laws you agreed to and then ask me that."

   The captain took pity on her.  "Look treason if seen by a police officer
or a citizen is punishable by death at once.  He drew a gun on the Chairman
of the Federation.  That is treason lady.  God how did anyone allow you to
try to handle the job you have?"

   "My guess is the lawyer was connected to her being here captain and we
have a flaming liberal."

   "Please round up those who will not live under our laws and we will move
them out of the Federations area.  They will all be sent north where they
can be with like minded people.  God help any we find came back as they
will be dead."

   The woman was now shook and she knew life was going to get very bad for
her.  "What about my family?"

   "They have a choice to make and that is go with you or stay and live by
our laws as agreed.  That is a choice they each will have to make on their
own and your not helping them with it."

   "But my kids are too young to make decisions like that."

   "How old are they?"

   "One is 15 and the other is 16.  So they just are not old enough to make
those decisions."

   "Lady remember the age of consent is 12 here and kids will graduate from
high school at 16 or there about.  So they are well old enough to make
their own decisions without your pushing them to see it your way."

   She was now pissed and started to shout at John.  A group of Special
Forces personnel came and dragged her off.

   The captain was really upset that these people had not idea of what was
happening now to try to build a country.  "This is going to be harder than
I expected John."

   "I saw it coming and that was why I am here.  Here are a list of names
in Salem and Roanoke I trust to make good decisions and lead the way
someone should.  The bleeding hearts were a major part of what destroyed
the nation before.  We cannot afford them in our new nation.  So it is
either change or go.  I will have cell towers around the valley up and
running in a couple days and power coming here in a week or less.  We will
start building out towards Bristol for power and cell phones.  I will have
a bank in Salem and one in Roanoke started by next week.  People will need
to sign up for cell service and for electrical power before they get it."

   The deal was done and John left with Dink to go back to Shangri-La and
peace.













   Chapter 22

   The training was hard and some decided being a police officer was not
for them.  But Simon now had a core group trained to teach others.  They
were paid extra for training officers from outside cities.  It was not a
lot of money, but far better than what it had been before the country
started.

   Most police rode bikes in the city and because cars were not allowed it
was reasonable.  So younger people tended to migrate to this type work. 
Dink did come down to train a week's class on hand to hand combat.  The
females liked having a woman doing the teaching.

   Two of the females were very good and sent to Shangri-La for added
training.  They would be instructors for all hand to hand fighting classes.
While they were gone Simon and his troops went in and cleaned out several
badly infected areas of gangs.  It was not just blacks, but motorcycle and
whites that thought they were tough.

   Once the strangle hold was broken many in each neighborhood, the people
took on the rest of the bad boys and girls.  A lot of dead bodies were
hauled to the incinerator in Salem.  But the cities started to settle down
and many shops started to open once more.  Truck farmers started to come in
to the city market area and sell some of their produce and fruit.

   Only the new money was taken there or gold and silver coins.  Farmers
were fussy about that and people learned quickly.  The banks were open now
and looking at many investments that were being offered.  You had to have
an ID card to get an account.  But it could be used as a check card
anyplace that the bank serviced.  Because your fingerprints were embedded
in the cards magnetic strip it could be used with a hand scan and prove it
was you spending the money.  Theft just did not pay any more.

   Slowly many areas around Roanoke and out toward Bristol were becoming
settled back into communities and trade centers.  There were no big stores
any more, but lots of smaller ones.  Some of the farms where people had
been killed off were now being started with new owners.  But it took
equipment or horses and old tools to till and disc the land.  Then you had
to have seed and that the banks would finance for any farmer who would
plant.

   With the season being so late most of the farmer that had a way to plant
went with winter wheat.  Everyone knew bakeries would need flour for the
next year's bread and pastries.  A few took a gamble and planted fruit
trees for a couple years down the road.  Banks took a longer term view of
these loans and no payments were due for the first three years.

   "Banks suggested for many home owners to start planting food in their
basements and to use grow lights.  Kits were packaged and loans provided to
allow them to be used for the coming winter.  You were talking about less
than three hundred credits including the electric power.  That the
Federation was willing to bet on.  They knew people needed to be kept busy
and productive while the economy healed more.

   Dana woke John at three in the morning and say it was time for the
babies to come into the world.  So he got her to the hospital and sat and
waited for the doctor to show up.

   Julie came walking in and smiled at John.  "Why are ladies so
inconsiderate?"

   "Hell your supposed to know the answer to that Julie."

   "Sorry but no one ever told me.  I had a beautiful dream going and you
called me and stopped it dead.  Now I will never know the answer to many
questions."

   "Well tell me how I am going to feed a million people this winter.  That
is my big question right now.  That is how much of West Virginia and
Virginia we have control of.  Of course it would have been three times that
just two years ago."

   "Have we really lost that many people in just two years?"

   "I am afraid so Julie and it is not the country side so much as the
cities.  Out in the country the farther back you were the safer your life
was.  But I am having to send fuel out to farmers who have the equipment
and land to plant wheat this winter.  We are setting up to buy beef and
other meats and sell them to stores in the cities.  So we are using
Valleydale to process it.  But we have about ten country markets to handle
a lot of the live animals for city markets to cut up.  There is a lot of
work getting a country started once more."

   "I had better see to your lady before she kicks both our butts."

   It took just an hour and John was holding twins and in love with them.
They were Janice and John Jr.  of course, Janice is the Hebrew female name
for John.  It was meant to play with people's minds and Dana was the one
who made the decision.

   "Well you old fart how does it feel to father two beautiful babies?"
David was pulling his chain now.

   "Actually it feels nice as they look much more like their beautiful
mother.  So I am happy with that part.  Now why do I feel we have another
problem?"

   "Because we do and I have no idea how to handle it."

   "OK what is it now?"

   "You know we have been shipping coal to the coal fired power plants. 
Now we have some fools protesting at two of them.  They are armed and will
not allow a train to pass into the plants."

   "So what the problem?  Shot them and get on with what needs to be done."

   "One said she is your daughter and another your son in law."

   "Shoot them and get on with business.  What they have done is against
the law.  I don't give a damn who they say they are, just follow the laws.
As far as I am concerned these two are my only children.  I have no idea
what a daughter of mine would be doing protesting coal shipments.  She
would have had to travel from Indiana to do that.  But we have not talked
in years now."

   David headed back to the command center and knew he had just been given
the right answer.  He had been afraid to follow the laws.  They were plain,
simple and very clear as to what they meant.

   He passed the information John had given him and the men acted as
directed.  There was no questions as the law was followed by everyone even
John.  Those who had been shot were sent to hospitals and given medical
care before being sent out of the country.  No one was killed, but they
knew they had gotten in the way of the laws.

   John was sitting in the living room and Kelly walked in.  "Daddy do you
know a girl named Leigh Anne?"

   "Yes, a step daughter of mine had that name.  But where did that
question come from?"

   "I talked with her and got the whole story.  Her husband moved her and
their children to an area close to the power plant.  He turned into a major
green activist and environmentalist.  It was his camp that tried to close
the power plant down."

   "OK they broke the law and paid a price.  Those laws are meant for us
all to follow."

   "She said you could do with her whatever you wanted, but to please take
your grandchildren.  I got the feeling she meant that daddy."

   John now was angry with Paul his stepdaughter's husband and how unfair
life was to many.  "OK how would you handle this dear?"

   "I gave that a lot of thought and made a few decisions.  Your
stepdaughter married the wrong man and he has gotten them into trouble. 
She has shown a weak ability to control her life against a mans will.  Did
she do any real damage at the protest?  No not one thing was damaged. 
There are as many females with hard ideas of what they want, as men in
those camps.  So exporting the problem makes sense.  Now your stepdaughter
is really a good woman with bad leadership in her marriage.  Your
grandchildren need a chance to grow up and be proud of you like I am.  So I
think we should bring her and the children here and let the rest be
deported."

   "I see something coming Kelly, so what is it?"

   "Well I sent Carlton up there and had him bring them back with him. 
Leigh Anne is ashamed of what she did and wants to apologize to you and
introduce the children."

   "Seeing as how you have made the decisions, I guess I had best follow
your directions right?"

   "Are you mad at me daddy?"

   "Nope not at all girl.  Your solution was compassionate and did not
punish anyone not deserving it.  So in all you did a very good job of
thinking dear."

   Kelly ran to him and hugged him tight.  "I knew it was the right thing
daddy."

   Leigh Anne and the two children came into the room.  She had her arm
still in a sling and the kids looked worried.  It was the lack of weight
John noticed first and the gaunt look in her face.

   "You look like you have been badly used dear."

   She ran to him with tears rolling down her face and hugged him "God John
I have missed you.  But Paul hated you and the place you held in my heart.
So he drove a wedge between my feelings and you.  He was very good at
controlling others around him."

   John kissed her and hugged her back.  Then she introduced the two
children, as he had not seen them in almost ten years now.  They fixed the
children and Leigh Anne food before placing them in two spare bedrooms.

   "Thank you Kelly for taking the right road on that issue.  I would have
done the wrong thing I am sure." Now John headed to bed and much needed
sleep.

   That next morning Leigh Anne joined John for breakfast.  It was his
normal one, but to Leigh Anne it was like a gourmet meal.

   "God I have not had food like this in years now."

   "Here we never stopped eating like this.  There is enough food here to
feed us for five years with nothing being grown or livestock being raised.
I never wanted my people to starve or go hungry.  That was my first goal to
meet here."

   Leigh Anne looked at him with her blue eyes sparkling and blond hair
bright after being washed.  "What happened John?"

   "You and Paul went your way and I went mine.  Until a couple years ago I
was the loneliest man you ever saw.  There was no meaning in my life at
all. Dana and Kelly gave that back to me.  What you see here was paid for
by winnings from a Power Ball ticket."

   Kelly came in and hugged Leigh Anne and was smiling.  "Well sister we
need to hold the fort while dad goes and checks on mom.  She will get
bitchy if she does not see him soon."

   John laughed at Kelly's shot at her mother.  "Now don't be a bitch
yourself young lady.  You're starting to push your luck big time today."

   Now she knew she had almost crossed the line.  "Yes daddy I will mind my
mouth."

   He kissed the girls and headed off to the hospital.  Once there he found
his young daughters actions were being discussed and approved of.  Carlton
made sure people knew who called the shots with Leigh Anne.

   Dana kissed him and smiled at his stressed out face.  "Look dear right
now there is not a lot Kelly can do openly.  So let her stay behind the
mask of assuring proper action happens.  She will learn and you get some
good back up and advice.  You have to stand by the laws and that could be a
hot seat for anyone."

   It made sense to him and he liked having Kelly involved any way he
could. "I see your point and it fits the problem.  We can make Kelly the
voice of reason in a tough situation for me.  She will be someone people
will listen to and start to respect."

   "Your bound and determined to have her one day running the new country.
So we have to start building her image early." Dana was not real happy with
Kelly taking over the country after John.  But she saw it as reasonable in
his eyes any way.  It was not that Kelly was not smart enough, but that it
would take years of hard work.  Those were years she could be enjoying
raising a family.  Of course she did not want that for her life.

   "Dana I am going to say this just one time and you will never hear it
again.  Kelly must make her own choices.  Her life is never going to be
what you or I think it should be.  It will be her creation and only she
must like it.  So learn to support her wants and not yours or my desires."

   That hit home like a sledgehammer and she knew he was right.  "Husband
why are you so damn smart?"

   "That my dear lady is not true.  But I know I can't live your life or
Kelly's.  It is just a fact that cannot be changed.  I can be there to pick
you up when you fail, or heal the wounds of battles.  But the decisions are
all yours and I have little chance of directing or changing them.  Both you
ladies would fight me tooth and nail if I tried that."

   Dana was doing what feeding she could with breast milk, but she did not
have a lot.  So bottles were used to provide even amounts to each child. 
John started chuckling and Dana knew he was laughing at her.  "Just what is
so funny?"

   "I wondered if you were getting used to being milked?"

   Now she was laughing and it hurt like hell.  "Please the staples hurt as
bad as stitches."

   They finished feeding the two and John changed them and dressed them. 
Then he handed John to mom and he took Janice sitting back talking to the
girl.  Dana noticed how he did that and just smiled.  "I see you believe in
the Oedipus complex."

   "I believe that male children are moms best friend and girls are dads.
That seems to be a natural reaction from any child.  So trying to change it
is a waste of time."

   "That I can buy and believe your right.  I was so please when I found
out we got one of each.  In this I see Kelly as the big winner as she will
be close with both her brother and sister."

   John explained the deal with Leigh Anne and her children.  "I am not
sure how to handle this so suggestions are appreciated."

   "How close were the two of you?"

   "Really she more often came to me than she went to her mother when she
wanted to talk.  With me she knew she would get honest answers and not
protectiveness.  I never colored my words and said exactly what I thought."

   "She had to have had a crush on you."

   "May be, but it was not something I ever responded to or attempted to
use." Dana saw he was just oblivious to how Leigh Anne might have felt
about him.  That was just not something he would ever pick up on.  A girls
being subtle with him would just never be seen by him.  He would miss it
every time.  But she had, had to almost drag him off to bed pulling on his
dick.  Oh well she would try to fix things as best she could later.

   "Look John right now you can't turn your back on her or the kids.  She
needs a dad and they need a grandfather.  So superman your going to have to
keep your cool and work with them to find out what will work for them? 
Life will not be easy now for your stepdaughter or the children.  So help
make it as good as you can dear."

   John spent another hour and went to his office.  Leigh Anne was cleaning
it for him and not removing anything.  She knew what was disorder to some
was perfectly normal for him.  He could find anything in those piles.

   "Dear you did not have to go to work here.  I just want you and the
children to spend some time enjoying the town and places to go and see."

   Kelly came out smiling now.  "I told here she was not expected to work
like a slave here.  But my sister would not listen to me."

   "Unless you want more grief than any human can stand listen to Kelly. 
The grief will not come from me, but will from her by the barrel.  She is
eight going on twenty eight.  She does have a rocket scientists type mind,
so be careful when you take her on as she bites hard."

   Kelly was now laughing at John.  "He eats my lunch far to often to suit
me.  But I do my best to make up for it when possible."

   "This reminds me of old times John.  I just was not as forceful as Kelly
is.  She says what I wish I had the guts to.  But I am sure you're the same
man today as when I was growing up.  You give her a hard time, but would
never say anything to hurt her."

   "That for sure is the same man you knew Leigh Anne.  John is the most
loving person and always looks out for my best interest."

   She sat down and looked at John.  "What are we going to do about a place
to live for me and the children?  We can't be under your feet all the
time."

   "That is funny you should ask as Dana and I discussed it this morning.
We decided it was your option as to what you wanted to do.  It has been
years since we spent time together, so I don't know how you feel about me?
Both Kelly and Dana know just how I felt about your mother and they accept
that I'll never forget her.  She is the woman who taught me to love."

   That hit Leigh Anne at a point she never expected.  She saw Kelly
grinning and shaking her head and knew what he had just said was true.  "I
had no idea you felt that strongly about mom."

   "Your wearing the ring I gave her and then told her I would do it all
over again.  That was when I knew how bad her cancer was.  At that time I
knew she was never going to be back in my life the way she always had been.
The woman I had married was gone and I was living with the shell of her. 
That ripped at my guts for many years.  You were not there and did not have
to go through it.  I had no one to turn to or talk with.  If you remember
Trish was my best friend and no one could come close to that.  So I had no
other close friends or people to turn to."

   It was a sad thing and she had let him down she felt, as she could have
been there for him.  "I am sorry I did not step into that void."

   "You could not do that as you had a husband and were just learning to
live with him.  Your stepping in could have destroyed your life.  That I
could never have allowed to happen.  Your building your own life and family
is a right each woman has to decide on.  It is their life and they must
make the choices."

   "But I made bad choices and they did not work."

   "Did you know that in Chicago?  Or when you moved to Northern Virginia?
So how could you possibly do anything but what you did?  Paul just did not
turn out the way you hoped for him to.  He was a user and not a giver and
that was the major difference.  He loved power and used people to reach his
goals."

   "I wish he knew I was with you now."

   Kelly spoke up.  "He does and is highly pissed.  But I had Carlton take
him to Chicago and drop him out the door at ten thousand feet.  We did give
him a chute so he and his friends has a chance to survive."

   Leigh Anne was laughing uncontrollably now.  "He is terrified of heights
like that.  I can see him pissing his pants on the way down now.  It helps
pay for the beatings I took when I argued with him.  Once he had his
environmental group he was a happy man ordering them around."

   "Well for now your welcome here and when you get bored with me or us
then we will make some decisions that works for you.  But the children need
to get to know me better.  I am not known by them at all I am sure.  If
they do I must be a two headed monster their dad talked about."

   Now Leigh Anne was laughing and enjoying John.  "He tried and I stopped
that part of his power play.  The last I knew you were in Alabama and that
is where the kids thought you were."

   "Kelly will you take the children over and get them tested for school?"

   "Sure daddy and can we stay and eat lunch there with friends of mine?"

   "I don't see why not?  Warn the kids about what your doing and how our
schools work here.  If they want to complete school faster they must do
well on the tests."

   "I'll handle it and they will have no problems as both are smart."

   "OK daughter how about us taking a ride down to the youth camp?"

   "I did not see any cars here, so how do we ride down there?"

   "On a horse of course."

   Now she looked like the kid she had once been.  "Really John I love to
ride and don't get to do that often.  Paul would not let me ride the horses
the group had.  He said they were for work, but he did let others ride
them."

   They walked into the barn and John pointed out three animals she could
pick from.  "What about the others John?"

   "The stallion is mine and would give you a hard time.  The grey is
Kelly's and I don't let anyone ride her but Kelly.  The rest is for people
here to use."

   "Dana does not have a horse of her own?"

   "The lady does not like to ride.  So I don't push her to do something
she does not like."

   Leigh Anne brought out a beautiful sorrel with white socks and blaze. 
"God he is so beautiful and calm."

   "He is a gelding and a good horse for any woman.  Jackson trained him
and did a great job on him.  He is very fast and likes to run if you let
him.  So if you don't want him to run keep him on a short rein.  That is
all it takes to control him."

   They saddled the horses and headed down to the youth camp.  He showed
her much of the land and where housing was built into the mountains.  But
once they got to the camp kids were all over him.  All the children loved
him here.  Once they knew Leigh Anne was his daughter they took to her
fast.

   Jackson and Pam were running the meeting and John just sat down and
listened.  He always got more than he expected.

   "Now to what do we owe the pleasure of your company and your daughters?"

   "Kelly is doing some things for me so I came in her place.  Sometimes
you need fast answers and I am here if that was the case."

   "The radio scripts are now left to Kelly so we are out of that business.
She is really far better at it than we were.  We today were looking at how
to get schools up and running in the new Federation cities and counties. 
They are running way behind on that issue due to money.  We need to get the
kids back into learning and fast." Jackson had spelled it out clearly.

   "OK how about we set up schools computer centers for our style classes?
They can use libraries or any computer they can connect into the system. 
Testing has to be done by a teacher, but after that the program will take
over their needs."

   "How do we get enough computers for the centers?" Pam liked what she
heard so far.

   "Take them from offices and old closed businesses.  It is for sure they
don't need them.  Remove them from homes not occupied now."

   "Who sets up the schools so we have a large network?"

   "Get with the computer guys with the techs and see how best to work this
out.  I don't have the answers for you, but I do know they will.  It does
get our Internet back up and running.  Government is going to need it big
time shortly."

   Jackson started handing out jobs and had kids moving to solve one
problem each.

   "Now boss what can we do for you?"

   "I just wanted Leigh Anne to see how well your guys ran your show. 
Before I used to tell her age was not a sign of being an adult."

   Rhonda smiled at him now.  "It is really a shame Dana got to you first
John."

   "Hey lady your far more than this old man could handle." Rhonda laughed
at that comment.

   Watching him play with words with the kids felt good to Leigh Anne.  It
was very much like he had treated her at that age.  He was a really good
man and she had just never registered that.  Her adopted father had rapped
her and used her from when she was four.  Her butt belonged to him and she
was made to suck him and his son off.  She never understood why John did
not want her?  She felt some how rejected by him and that hurt her.

   On the ride back she just had to ask him.  "You never came to me and
took my body for your own pleasure.  Why didn't you?"

   "Look I know what your adopted father did to you.  I loved the girl you
were and wanted you to be happy.  Using you for my pleasure was not the
right thing for me to do to you.  I hope I showed you I loved you and cared
about you very much.  But using your body was just not right and I resented
what Virgil did to you.  It caused a lot of hate in me toward him Leigh
Anne.  He took a big part of your childhood and I could never give that
back to you.  But I did what I could to make others know you were special
to me."

   She was not getting it yet.  "Like what John?"

   "How many girls had their 13th birthday party in a bar with a DJ playing
rock videos?  Or going to Kings Dominion to see a rock concert.  Like trips
to the beach at Myrtle Beach and giving you a car to drive to high school
and college.  Picnics at the house during the fall or springs for your
friends.  You had art lessons, a new 35mm camera and so many things most
girls never got.  Dear you were a special child to me and I wanted you to
feel it."

   Now Leigh Anne thought back to the fur coat, the trip to the mall and
hairdresser and so many things John did.  "God I did have a special
childhood in spite of Virgil.  But I never repaid any of the good things
you did John/"

   "They were never done for you to pay us back.  For your mom and I it was
done because we loved you."

   Now the tears flowed and she though back on how little she thought about
the many good things she had in her younger life.  The two people she loved
did care and she failed to notice most of it.  She had resented John's
rejection of her body and it ate her up.  Yet he had done many good things
for her she never acknowledged.  It was time for her to grow up and get her
mind straight.  If not she would screw her children's lives up.

   Once she finished unsaddling her horse and rubbing it down she put it in
his stall and fed him.  Then she walked over to John and hugged him. 
"Thank you dad for all you and mom did with me never seeing it clearly.  It
is time to get me back on track and doing things you and mom encouraged me
to do.  I am going back to painting and sketches.  I hope there is a place
for that here once more?"

   "As lives get back to normal in the larger country, I am sure a living
can be made doing that.  For now you need to may be take a small display
booth at one of the shops and put what work you finish there.  They get 5%
of what it sells for to pay for their efforts.  But our money is backed
with gold and always will have value."

   "How did you get so much gold?"

   "It is strange, but under the coal was a vein of gold that was the
biggest I have ever seen or found any record of.  We will be mining it for
many years yet and we have tens of thousands of tons now.  But it is my
company that owns it and my money backing the new governments money system.
So the new government is a corporation and it has responsibilities to the
people.  But it will make no new laws and charge no taxes."

   "What responsibilities will it have?"

   "The education of the children, protection of the nation, running a good
money system, providing good transportation systems and keeping a sound
communications system.  Those are the first responsibilities.  The second
line is getting the economy running and people back to working.  Providing
a good national police force they can count on.  Finding ways to move goods
from where they are to where they are needed.  Doing some trading to
improve our life styles here.  We will never again import to where we break
the financial system.  All trade must be balanced or we just don't do it."

   "But so much is made at very low costs else where."

   "True and it is even cheaper with our gold backed money.  Only the Swiss
have an equal system to ours.  But they don't have the amount of gold we
do. I will not take over the entire country here by any means.  We will
take the south and build a safe country for many people.  But if your not a
citizen you will be punished and sent home.  You must be here legally to
not have something bad happen to you."

   "But how can you tell who s here legally or not?"

   "You had your hands scanned, your eyes and a DNA sample was taken right?
You also got a shot to be sure you had not diseases from the two years of
crisis."

   "Yes those things happened to all of us when we were arrested."

   John called over one of the security officers.  He took the hand scanner
and aimed it at Leigh Anne and it showed her name and identification.  He
showed her the data.

   "How did you get that by just aiming it at me?"

   "The shot had and RFID seed in it.  That number is forever linked to you
and the data taken.  It would tell a doctor what medical problems you had,
what drugs you are taking and treatments you have had.  A drug store would
know if you had any allergies or drugs you could not take.  An employer
would have your full work history in front of them while interviewing you.
So it has a lot of value and helps people make good decisions."

   "You gave Paul one."

   "Yes and if he ever comes back he will be picked up fast.  He is on a do
not admit list and would set off one of these for any officer.  We have
taken close to one hundred people and moved them out of this country.  They
just did not fit the new country.  We will keep no liberal do gooders at
all."

   "What happens to them?"

   "They are sent to where many others agree with them.  We just don't need
them here telling us how we should live." He handed her a copy of the laws
and one of the new countries structure books.  "Here are the laws and the
structure of the country.  Read them and if you wish to discuss any area,
feel free to come and ask me for time to do that."

   They both headed to their rooms to shower and change.  With Kelly
handling the children Leigh Anne had free time she never had before.  This
was so new it felt good to her.  So she sat and read the two small books
and was impressed with how simple it was.  Her life had been so complex now
for so long this was refreshing.

   That afternoon John, Shelby and she had lunch and enjoyed talking.  It
was the first time in many years this had happened as well.  Her life had
become one of work and serving the needs and demands of a man she really
did not like.  Now that was changing and she could feel free to have
opinions once again.

   Leigh Anne went with John to the hospital to see Dana and the babies. 
The hospital was impressive and she really liked Dana.  It did amaze her at
how much younger Dana was than her.  But she was an impressive lady.

   "Well lady tomorrow Carlton's troops will bring you home and get you set
up for the children.  I tried to stop it and was run down like pushing
against an avalanche.  So you will just have to live with it."

   Dana was now laughing and she winced at the pain.  "You rotten egg you
love to make me laugh even when it hurts."

   "Sorry dear it just slips out."

   The time went well and life was ready to take another change for them.







   Chapter 23

   Building a country is not an easy task.  Each group coming in feel they
should have rights and privileges others don't.  No one could see the cost
they would add to the government and that fact that no taxes were collected
for it did not register.

   But John slowly started absorbing areas that he could reach agreement
with and keep others out.  If you were not in you were very much out and no
trade or access to the new country was allowed.  He made sure this could be
enforced and it was with zeal.  The one big weapon was that they had
stressed food production in the areas they now controlled.  With food and
money you owned the people.

   He now had the northern border well closed off and guarded.  They had
blown bridges and people coming into cities were scanned for their RFID
seeds.  It took little time to catch those who felt they could cheat.

   General Zane was proving very good at protecting these borders.  This to
him was a large game of chess and he loved it.  He had drawn preferred
border lines and shown John why he needed them.  So it was a game of the
two men finding ways to protect the new country.

   Virginia was all now in his hands and much of North Carolina All of West
Virginia had come into the new country.  The Naval base at Norfolk was the
Navy's chief location for planning and protecting the shores.  It had been
massively down sized and many ships were now in mothballs.  The ones that
used nuclear power were operational, as they did not stress fuel supplies.

   Of course yards were kept open to support the ships and provide dry
docking if needed.  New Port News Ship Building was now a government
facility.  The push now would be for smaller faster electric operated and
well armed vessels.  The old aircraft carrier was going to be a thing of
the past.

   This meant many ships would require being scrapped to reuse the metals
in them.  Not all of it would go back for use in a ship either.  This would
for some time fuel the countries needs for some types steel and copper. 
Each ship had miles of copper wire running through it.  Many of the cities
were reselling their extra wire to build new distribution grids.

   Any home or building being taken down was required to be salvaged for
all usable materials.  Not doing this was punishable and that was strictly
enforced.  The south had no major ore mines it could use for new materials.
So recycling was critical for it to stay viable.  This was much the same
problem Japan had being resource poor.

   But John did have gold and far more of it than anyone knew.  His plan
allowed him to buy mines out of the country and run them to make profits.
He would take the profits back to the Federation in ore and not money. 
That would be sold to industries for gold backed currency and he would
profit from that as well.  The plan was to keep the Federation as closed
cycled as possible.  By selling to the world and sending profits home as
ore, it required no gold from the Federation.  So just the initial
investment was a drain on the gold at all.

   Of course John's corporate trust owned the mines and over saw their
profitability.  The cost of ore would be something of equal value like oil,
food and many other trade items that could be bartered elsewhere.  Or it
could be brought in and sold by the foundation for cash here.  It allowed
him to build up wealth outside the Federation for the day it revolted.  He
was sure something that was too good would one day soon be destroyed.  Some
way people always felt they could get a better deal?  So a revolt at some
point was a sure bet.  But he had made sure it would cost them dearly.

   The power most felt he had was nothing like their dreams.  He worried
about jobs, transportation, power grids, communications and getting people
financed into business.  There were so many things that needed to be
covered and few he could trust to do it right.  A major part of the
problems was the ability to communicate so quickly and the Internets
ability to bring news fast.  It often was inaccurately reported.  People
today were just way to media savvy computer literate.  Most of the old ways
that destroyed the country were still in existence.

   The news media was starting back on a track to trying to direct
thoughts. That John put a stop to as fast as he could.  For sure a few
liberals had crawled out from under their cover and started to attempt to
cause dissent in the public.  That caused John to have people brought into
court and placed on trial to defend their actions.  He made sure this was
all seen and documentation was available for the people to see as well.

   He knew this was only going to buy some time before it happened again
and often.  But he did buy an island nation that did not survive the
collapse well.  It was well away for the old USA and had a very small
population of people.  He knew it would never be a rich nation or one that
could supply minerals in the world market.  So its safety was somewhat
assured.  He had a group of ten islands and nuclear devices to defend them.
A good part of his navy moved to that location, as did some of his Special
Forces people.

   There was much to build before this island could support a nation of
like mined people.

   There was one landing strip on the islands and it was concrete paved. 
So he moved F-22's, F-117's and B-1B's to that location.  Into one of the
mountains he had a vault built and a lot of the gold he had mined was
shipped there for safe keeping.  It was a way to protect his wealth.

   The islands had a good oil supply just off shore and he had a refining
plant build to refine.  The drilling was just for a few wells needed to be
a small world supplier and be able to ship fuels to other countries.

   He had several fueling aircraft for in air needs on the island and here
for his escape one day.  The two B-1B's he had to take family and friends
were always ready, with the 2 large Airbus A380 planes for may others. 
They had been set up with external fueling abilities.  That gave him 1100
seats for staff and people close to him.  The plan was to allow a take over
attempt.  Those seemed to be hitting often now and it would not be long
before one would have success.  Once it happened John planned to address
the people one last time.

   David had already started to move the satellites he wanted to that area
so he could watch out for the islands.  John had built pipelines under
water to bring gas and oil into the refinery.  The gas was for power
production and it would be used for a time to power vehicles for the
military and farmers.  People would use busses and those were electric
powered.  He had pumps bring cold seawater in and it being circulated
underground in pipes and used to cool homes and buildings.  The sand of the
island was a great insulator.

   The plans had even allowed the border guards to vote on this decision.
It worked out that ninety two percent wanted to go where John did.  That
meant moving an army of twenty seven thousand and their families.  So ports
were designated for loading of men and families on to navy ships.  They
could bring anything they could get to the dock as four big nuclear
aircraft carriers were going to be docked there waiting for them.  Those
were loaded with parts and as many choppers as could be moved from Ft
Rucker.  They also brought the small fixed wing aircraft so they had the
ability to do low costs patrols.

   One Island had a college built and the computer system for grade and
high school was set up there.  There was housing for over one hundred
thousand families and only fifty eight thousand there now.  John had moved
people out slowly and over a period of time.  He would move another fifteen
thousand this month and it would never be felt.

   Japan was now delivering computers and electric cars in trade for
gasoline and oil products.  Australia was providing beef and sheep for gas
and oil.  It was working well and they all knew the nation did not have a
lot, but they were selling almost all to those who needed it.  Actually
they had the third largest reserve in the world.  But why create envy when
you did not need to?  John with his purchase of the island had hit on a
piece of luck once more.

   The islands were of very old volcanic materials mixed with many
different types of rock.  The high points were just at 4,000 feet and
showed no steam vents coming out under the lakes.  The top of each old
volcano was a large lake now and they supplied much of the water needed for
farming.  Rain here was no problem and they could grow year around.

   John had carried over his sentiment and called the islands the
Shangri-La Islands.  It was just an idea he liked, as no one who did not
trade there would have any idea of their name or location.  But it kept his
old dreams alive there.

   His main deep water port for ships unloading goods and loading oil was
well protected.  It was not on the main island where the city was.  But
ships had to pass by the city to get to the port.  Smaller boats moved
goods to the city and for cars ferries were use.  But you could drive your
car on a ferry and go to any of the ten islands.  They only stopped running
when weather was really bad.

   The key reason for the port not being near the city was the LNG loading
area and storage tanks.  When you drop natural gas to -259 degrees
Fahrenheit it becomes a liquid.  Water weights 8.35 pounds per gallon and
LNG weighs half that.  It was a good way to use excess gas and make a
profit from it.  There were many LNG tankers out there now days not being
used.

   It was the first of the year and a group had started demonstrating and
demanding free elections.  It was time and John warned all his people not
yet moved to be moving as he was going to leave.  He had enough of the
ungrateful and people so smart they could not see what they would lose.

   At promptly eight that night he went on the TV.  "You have made it clear
that you want to try to run the country your way.  Of course you will not
have my money to do that as most of it has been moved out of this country.
The little left here will not support your money system so expect it to
collapse shortly.  No country will sell to you or trade with you.  Your
banks as of now are broke and you will need to find the precious metals to
restart them.  Hopefully you can keep the communications and power systems
working?  I have my doubts, but best of luck.  Now tonight my family and I
are leaving here and many of our friends have elected to come with us. 
Your border guards will be leaving also and if required will fight their
way to the port designated.  They are tired of your bitching about the job
they do for you."

   He took a drink and allowed that all to sink in.  "Now the gold that is
left here will be so irradiated with plutonium it will be around two
hundred thousand years before it has any value.  If I cannot have my own
money your not taking it from me.  Once we are in the air the town here at
Shangri-La will stop existing, as will the mines.  They will self destruct
and nothing can stop that.  You really never saw what I tried to give you
and some felt I took too much.  Really I took far less than I should have.
I did not even get the interest the country owed me.  It just could not
afford to pay me and build the jobs needed to employ you.  Now will my
family and friend be safe?  You bet we will and where no one here can ever
reach us."

   He waited to let that sink in.  Then smiling at the camera.  "Please
accept my thanks for pushing me to leave you.  As I have been speculating
your navy, air force and most bases were wiped out.  So be sure you arm
yourselves well, as the people from the north will be coming to take what
you have.  Good luck holding on to it." The screens went black completely
and would never come back on.

   Once settled into the B-1B the family was all in the two craft.  It was
not completely uncomfortable, but it was spartan.  The two A-380's took off
also and the four planes with their tankers were now airborne.  It was
going to be a long flight and John knew sleeping was the best way to avoid
the pain it would bring.

   The End
   The next story will be of Shangri-La Island.