lives. Provide us some of the tools, and we’ll deliver the goods.”
The four men from Washington huddled over the single copy provided. While they read, Diana watched their faces carefully, naturally looking for reactions to the document. She was entertained by a wide-ranging display of emotion, most of it negative.
The undersecretary dismissed the list with a wave of his hand. “Every community in the country is desperate for these same items, madam. If we had access to what you’re asking for, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
Mayor Brown ignored the initial rejection, “Surely the government of the United States can come up with some of those items.”
General Owen s, again acting as the voice of reason, responded. Scanning the paper, he began reading a few of the entries out loud. “Valves, electrical wire, various chemical compounds… I’m afraid my colleague is right, Miss Brown, those assets are in high demand and short supply.”
“And the rest of the list, sir? Are you telling me there is no fertilizer available? What about medical personnel and supplies – did all of the doctors and dentists die in the collapse? You are asking my people to sacrifice, and yet you appear to be unwilling to do so yourselves. ”
The undersecretary wasn’t having any of it. “You are nothing more than greedy capitalists trying to extort from those who desperately need what resources are available. Even if we did have these items on hand, every single asset is being utilized to help the rest of the country.”
Diana grunted, the smirk on her face condescending. “You mean like the 300 plus tons of supplies we just impounded… supplies that were being transported so that the army could move against us… come in and take whatever people like you believed we could do without.”
There was no convincing the man from Interior. His expression was dismissive, throwing Diana a look as if to say, “You wouldn’t understand.”
General Owen s, however, was the ultimate authority at the table. He smiled at the mayor of Alpha’s point, conceding, “There may be some items on this list we can produce, if the value of exchange is fair. However, the first step is the return of the supply convoy your people seized.”
Diana wondered if the two most verbal of her visitors were intentionally playing some sort of good-cop, bad-cop game that had been agreed upon before their visit. Dismissing that train of thought, she managed a smile at the general and replied, “Again, we are willing to sit and negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement, but I don’t have the sole authority to commit to any bargain. I’ll assemble our council tomorrow if you gentlemen would like to stay and see this through. More to your point, General, we would be willing to return the confiscated supplies once an agreement has been reached.”
Owens was clearly disappointed in the response. “I will contact Washington and report on today’s meeting. I was hoping additional escalations could be avoided, but now I’m not so sure. We’ll be back in touch, one way or the other.”
The visiting delegation from Washington left to return to Fort Hood, their faces solemn.
After the Humvee was out of sight, Diana turned to Nick, “What do you make of that?”
The big man rubbed his chin, “At least they are willing to talk. I think that’s a positive sign.”
“It wasn’t a good start, that’s for sure.”
“It’s progress,” Nick observed. “What’s the phrase the politicians used? Cautiously optimistic? That’s what I am… cautiously optimistic.”
C hapter 3
West Texas
June 14, 2016
Terri, true to her word, took the entire week off. The effort was forwarded in no small part by Bishop’s feigned forgetfulness, sneaking his wife’s laptop out of her overnight bag before leaving Alpha. The recovery period was necessary for the new mom, partly because she needed a break, but mostly because the news that Washington
The four men from Washington huddled over the single copy provided. While they read, Diana watched their faces carefully, naturally looking for reactions to the document. She was entertained by a wide-ranging display of emotion, most of it negative.
The undersecretary dismissed the list with a wave of his hand. “Every community in the country is desperate for these same items, madam. If we had access to what you’re asking for, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
Mayor Brown ignored the initial rejection, “Surely the government of the United States can come up with some of those items.”
General Owen s, again acting as the voice of reason, responded. Scanning the paper, he began reading a few of the entries out loud. “Valves, electrical wire, various chemical compounds… I’m afraid my colleague is right, Miss Brown, those assets are in high demand and short supply.”
“And the rest of the list, sir? Are you telling me there is no fertilizer available? What about medical personnel and supplies – did all of the doctors and dentists die in the collapse? You are asking my people to sacrifice, and yet you appear to be unwilling to do so yourselves. ”
The undersecretary wasn’t having any of it. “You are nothing more than greedy capitalists trying to extort from those who desperately need what resources are available. Even if we did have these items on hand, every single asset is being utilized to help the rest of the country.”
Diana grunted, the smirk on her face condescending. “You mean like the 300 plus tons of supplies we just impounded… supplies that were being transported so that the army could move against us… come in and take whatever people like you believed we could do without.”
There was no convincing the man from Interior. His expression was dismissive, throwing Diana a look as if to say, “You wouldn’t understand.”
General Owen s, however, was the ultimate authority at the table. He smiled at the mayor of Alpha’s point, conceding, “There may be some items on this list we can produce, if the value of exchange is fair. However, the first step is the return of the supply convoy your people seized.”
Diana wondered if the two most verbal of her visitors were intentionally playing some sort of good-cop, bad-cop game that had been agreed upon before their visit. Dismissing that train of thought, she managed a smile at the general and replied, “Again, we are willing to sit and negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement, but I don’t have the sole authority to commit to any bargain. I’ll assemble our council tomorrow if you gentlemen would like to stay and see this through. More to your point, General, we would be willing to return the confiscated supplies once an agreement has been reached.”
Owens was clearly disappointed in the response. “I will contact Washington and report on today’s meeting. I was hoping additional escalations could be avoided, but now I’m not so sure. We’ll be back in touch, one way or the other.”
The visiting delegation from Washington left to return to Fort Hood, their faces solemn.
After the Humvee was out of sight, Diana turned to Nick, “What do you make of that?”
The big man rubbed his chin, “At least they are willing to talk. I think that’s a positive sign.”
“It wasn’t a good start, that’s for sure.”
“It’s progress,” Nick observed. “What’s the phrase the politicians used? Cautiously optimistic? That’s what I am… cautiously optimistic.”
C hapter 3
West Texas
June 14, 2016
Terri, true to her word, took the entire week off. The effort was forwarded in no small part by Bishop’s feigned forgetfulness, sneaking his wife’s laptop out of her overnight bag before leaving Alpha. The recovery period was necessary for the new mom, partly because she needed a break, but mostly because the news that Washington
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