The Forgiven The Fallen The Forsaken (32 page)

According to
their agent, the previous owner had decided to sell it now that the crisis was
over.  He was quite proud of the entrance to the underground bunker in the
basement and of how the food and supplies he stashed in it had gotten him
through the time of the crisis.  He was also very open about not ever wanting
to spend that much time completely alone ever again.

The property
was in a large isolated valley that no one would never know was there if they
didn't fly over or drive several miles of unpaved roads to find it.    

They had used
an agent to handle the purchase for them, paying 20% over the asking price. 
They also paid the agent to find a decorator for them and handle furnishing the
house and filling their list of supplies, including and LP refrigerator, freezer,
and generators.   It was a good deal all the way around.  Matt had delivered
their cargo trailer with their cash and supplies they wanted and had turned on
the runway lights for them the night before.

They opened the
bunker and spent an hour or so carrying the supplies into the house and boxes
filled with cash and marked "books" down to the bunker.  There was
even the large screen television in the basement with satellite TV and a huge
selection of videos. 

When they
finished, they took a dip in the solar heated pool and enjoyed trying out the
spa.  Helen asked, "How's this for a honeymoon?" 

"Perfect."

They enjoyed
the next few days of quiet thoroughly.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

SEPTEMBER 3
^rd

Larson's plans
were gradually coming together.  Fortunately, the president was extremely
competent and was doing everything right to get the country functioning at the
best possible speed.  I have to give credit where it's due, thought Larson. 
The guy is good.  Fortunately, he won't be too difficult to eliminate.

His aide, Lance
Foster was back from an assignment to meet with Walker and Simmons.  Larson
asked, "So what's the news?"

"Simmons' place
near Portland was destroyed and I couldn't find him anywhere.  I don't know if
he was captured or killed, but I would think we would have heard one way or
another."

Larson thought
for a moment.  "Not much to be done about it now.  Hopefully he died
before saying anything."

"Walker is
a different story, sir.  He remains in place and still wants the original plan
even though there's no way to achieve it.  I think he'll make a move
soon."

"These
billionaires and their egos are going to be the death of me.  Get Kemp to sit
on him and get the missiles reprogrammed for these targets while you're at
it," said Larson, handing Foster an envelope.  "And if Walker won't
play ball, kill him."

"Will do,
sir.  I'll drive up to Montana tonight."

"Relax,
tomorrow will be fine.  I don't think that idiot has anything lined up that he
can hit with yet."

"Thank
you, sir."

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

SEPTEMBER 5
^th

With the last
of the bills Jim had requested completed and signed, Jim felt a huge sense of
relief. He poured a glass of scotch and lit a cigar in his home office.  Samantha
had told him earlier about the tracking device on the girls' plane and the
girls' secret house.  He wasn't thrilled about it but preferred to leave things
alone for the time being. 

Australians,
Canadians, Indians, and Filipinos were flocking in on flights sponsored by the
US government.  The selection process was concerned with weeding out criminals,
Muslims, the ill, and pretty much anyone who was more likely than not to be a
problem.  Those accepted were thrilled for the chance to make new lives for
themselves in North America

The country was
working.  The economy was starting to function and the rudiments of a banking
system were coming together.

                                                                                 Mexico
and Central America were shaping up to be a slow success.  The advantage of the
longer growing season and more rain would pay off well for them. 

Jim hated to lose
him, but he put Al Medina in charge of all of the entire new territory.   For
the first time in history, most of the people of Mexico and Central America were
getting a fair shot at a decent life as Al dealt with corruption efficiently
and brutally.  Part of his job would be to develop local leaders to put in
charge, but it would take some time to weed out the jackals and the weak.

Rob was flying
all over the country pushing rebuilding and steamrolling projects through.  The
man was like a one man construction company.  Jim was relieved to see him
functioning again.

Denise had
opted to stay at the village for a while to help with Frank and Rita's kids. 
Frank Jr. and Amy were doing as well as could be expected with Steward's family,
but a little extra help was welcome.

Susan came in
to see how he was doing and he was happy for the interruption. 

"You
know," he said, "I'm not at all sure I want to run for a second
term." 

Susan laughed
at him, "Like you bothered to run for a first term!"

"You have
a point there, I suppose."

"They're
going to insist on you running.  Hell, I'd be surprised if anyone runs against
you."

"If George
Washington could tell everyone to piss off so he could go back to banging his
slaves, I think I can bail as well."

"Jim,
dear, I think that was Jefferson with the affinity for the slaves, and you
don't have any anyway."

"No,
that's not my point!"

"I'm sure
we can get some for you," she teased.

Jim grinned and
said, "Only if they're really hot."

Susan said,
"I'm sure I can make a toga out of some of the sheets."

"Now I
like where this is going!"  Jim's phone rang. "Not again!" 

He picked it up
to hear General Whitman's voice, "Get to the bomb shelter now!" 

Jim said,
"Trouble," and grabbed Susan's arm and ran her into the next room,
through the hidden door, and down the stairs into one of the underground
shelters.  He hit the button that sealed the entrance with a twenty inch steel
door. 

A moment later
they heard and felt a large explosion upstairs.  The phone in the bunker rang.

Jim picked it
up and said, "It's me.  We're okay."

A gravelly voice
on the other end of the line said.  "I'm sorry to hear that.  You've
fucked up a lot of plans."

Jim answered,
"I'm good at that, I hear."

"You know I'm
going to kill you and you're entire family.  Then I'm going to take over
anyway."

Jim said,
"The only reason you're still alive is that I didn't know you still
existed.  Now that I do, I'll be correcting that oversight.  I'll be seeing you
soon."  Jim hung up.

Susan stared at
him and asked, "What the hell was that?" 

"That
sounded like Hugh Walker, the billionaire.  The arrogant fuck didn't think I'd
recognize his voice over the phone.  I'll have the spooks take the recording
and confirm it." 

"How the
hell can you be so calm?!"

"There's
not a choice.  Look, we're not easy targets, but it would be easier than it's
ever been to take out a president.  These folks just took their best shot and
missed.  That wasn't a warning.  Phone boy was trying to salvage the situation
by manipulating me into doing something.  That tells me he's in a very weak
position and he probably just blew his best asset.  Just watch, this is going
to be fun."

Jim picked up
the phone and dialed Whitman's number.  "General Whitman.  Thanks for the
warning.  I'm thinking we need to turn this around.  Can we get news coverage
of you guys digging us out of here?  By the way, Hugh Walker called to complain
that we haven't killed him yet."

Whitman said,
"Really.  Well, we'll have to do something about that.  Stay tight and
we'll see you in a little bit."

MONTANA

SEPTEMBER 8th

It had been two
days since the failed assassination attempt and Hugh Walker was furious.  Not
only had he missed the president, he had been identified from the phone call
and there was now a two hundred million dollar bounty on his head, dead or
alive, with guaranteed immunity from all past crimes for whoever brought him
in.  It would be just a matter of time until one of his staff tried to collect
the reward. 

Walker used his
escape exit to leave the compound and was soon driving like a banshee to the large
ranch in Fergus County he had prepared for emergencies. He should be able to
run things from there by encrypted satellite phone and computer. 

Once he arrived
he called Kemp, his second in command, to carry out the instructions left for
him.  Kemp didn't sound pleased, but Walker knew he would carry them out. 

Walker poured
himself a drink, sat in a recliner, and thought about how good it would feel to
take revenge on President Ambrose and his family. 

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

SEPTEMBER 10
^th

The entire
family had gotten the word to become scarce for a while.  Matt, Samantha, Luke,
and Jamie used and agent to purchase an ocean side mansion in San Diego with an
amazing view and a large safe room and fireproof vault.  It was perfect for
what they needed. 

Skeeter and Ron
had asked to be hired on and they were doing supply runs and shopping for
food.  While the two of them were out, Luke and Matt unloaded all the boxes of
cash and most of the gold coins into the vault.  What wouldn't fit, they placed
in a storage room off of the basement and replaced the lock on the door. 

San Onofre
nuclear power plant was back up and running, but the power delivery infrastructure
was still unreliable so they set up large diesel generators as well. 
Unfortunately, very little of the electronics in the home actually worked, but
they had brought enough with them to make for a comfortable existence. 

They quickly
settled into a new casual normal.   

Over dinner, Samantha
asked Jamie, "So when are you two getting married?"

Jamie answered,
"Not before we can avoid that mess that Julie and Helen went through. 
What about you two?"

Matt and
Samantha both looked embarrassed.  "We're not ready for that yet,"
said Matt.

Samantha said,
"We're just screwing."

Luke and Jamie
both cracked up at this. Jamie said, "Sounds like you've been hanging out
with Aunt Susan." 

Samantha
laughed and said, "Yeah, I guess the old girl is rubbing off."

"This is
nice and all, but it's going to make me crazy not being able to do something
productive when the world is such a mess," said Luke.  "I hope Uncle
Jim nails that Walker prick soon."

Matt said,
"Me too, but for now I'm quite happy to take a few days off.  Now who's up
for lunch?"

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

Julie and Helen
flew in with Al on a C-17 military cargo jet filled with vaccines.  It might
not have fit Uncle Jim's idea of making themselves scarce, but they were being
careful.  Both believed strongly that what they were doing was extremely
important. 

At the airport
the crates of vaccines were quickly unloaded and the young women were soon
doing interviews for Spanish broadcasts.  They wore their usual black fatigue
pants, boots, and pistols.  Al had suggested that they not to go openly armed
but both of them refused.

They met with
the local people as they were vaccinated.  Not all of the interactions were polite. 
When one of the locals insisted on cursing them out, Helen told him in Spanish,
"If we were here to enslave you, do you think we would have listened to
that load of crap without just shooting you.  Hopefully we will prove to you
that you are wrong, but you have the right of freedom of speech and to make and
ass of yourself."  The man was gently escorted out.  

The news
stations aired the entire episode. 

By the end of
the day, they were happy to be flown out to a light carrier twenty miles off shore. 
They stowed their weapons and met with the crew and officers.   They were happy
to see how eager everyone was to meet them.  They hadn't brought press with
them, but soon pictures and video were all over the net of them visiting with
the troops and playing basketball in one of the hangar bays.  That kind of
attention seemed to be the new normal around them.

When they met
with the Captain later, he asked if they would mind stopping in to see more of
the troops.  Before they knew it, their tour to meet the people of Central
America was expanded to several military bases as well. 

Julie said
quietly to Helen, "People are going to get very used to seeing us on
TV."

"If we're
going to be in the media anyway, we might as way use it to accomplish something,"
answered Helen.  "Besides, you look hot on TV."  Julie laughed, but
had a feeling they would never see the end of too much media attention.

"This is
all fine, but I'll be happy to get back to Arizona."

"Just a
couple more days," said Helen.

LAS VEGAS

SEPTEMBER 11th

The day of the
attack, Jim had put Rob in charge of efforts to find and kill Walker. 
So
far I'm not coming up with squat
, thought Rob.

As expected
there had been a Muslim airman set up to take the fall for the Tomahawk missile
strike on the president's house.  The airman had followed the rules and showed
no sign of his religion, but he had been open about it before the virus and
everyone who knew him was aware of that.  Rob quickly determined that the man had
nothing to do it and arranged a new identity and a transfer for him.