your family?”
“ No,
but you might be….”
Turner
shook his head. “President Durant issued an executive order placing phone and Internet
system under military control. Long distance communication is limited to
government business.”
“ Why?”
“ To
keep them available for the good guys and keep any remaining terrorists from
communicating.”
“ Won’t
they just send letters?”
Turner
shrugged. “Maybe, but that’s slower and I suspect letters are being monitored
also. Actually, a computer nerd in my squad said you could still use the
Internet if you know the IP address for a site.”
Caden
recalled how his father had the IP address for a prepper blog site taped to his
laptop. But I don’t know any IP addresses so I guess the Internet and the
phones are unavailable for now. He shook his head. The government
controlling and probably monitoring the calls and letters of citizens—what is
the country becoming? He pushed the thought out of his mind. “I came to
offer you an assignment.” He glanced about the room. Folded clothes were
scattered about.
“ Oh?”
Turner sat beside his duffle bag.
“ I’m
trying to get a flight back to Washington state for Governor Monroe….”
“ The
presidential candidate?”
Caden
nodded. “I met with David Weston, his Chief of Staff, late yesterday. He
offered me a job as military liaison, if I could arrange the flight.”
Turner
smiled approvingly.
“ And
considering all the chaos, I wanted some additional security until we meet up
with the Washington Guard.” He held up some documents. “The base commander has
already approved my plans.”
Turner
shook his head as he folded a shirt. “I don’t know if I can help you.”
Caden
gestured at the neatly stacked uniforms beside a duffle bag. “Are you deploying
again?”
“ Rucker
is being turned over to the Alabama National Guard. All regular army personnel
here are being deployed west.”
“ West?”
Caden thought for a moment. “Washington is west.”
Turner
shrugged. “Okay. The transfer was supposed to be confidential, but word has
already leaked.”
He
grinned. “Well, If you’re going west anyway do you have a problem with it being
JBLM or Fairchild?”
Turner
shook his head.
“ Good.”
He started to say goodbye, but asked, “Do you know why you’re being sent west?”
“ You
know that North Korea supplied material for the bombs?”
Caden
nodded.
“ We
may be headed to Korea but,” Turner shrugged, “ours is not to question why….”
He continued packing.
Caden
made small talk for a few moments then said, “I hope you are able to talk to
your family soon.”
“ Thanks.
I would really like to before we ship out to Korea or wherever.”
Caden
agreed and departed.
The
rain stopped as he walked from the barracks. The clouds were thinning and the
day felt brighter and warmer. The world might be falling apart, but at least he
was rebuilding his life. His pace was quick as he walked down the street. As he
entered the flight operations building a C-130 roared down the runway.
“ Washington
state?” The officer stared at the computer screen. “Yes, we have two planes
tonight headed for Fairchild. One is full of cargo, the other full of
soldiers.” He shook his head. “Sorry, no space.”
“ Come
on, I need a seat for a governor. This man may be the next president.”
“ When
Monroe is president he can bump military cargo and get on the plane.”
“ Is
space that tight?”
The
officer nodded. “I might be able to get him onboard a flight, but not his
entourage.”
Frustration
grew in Caden’s gut. Governor Monroe would arrive tonight and if he was to get
this job, and get home, he would need to prove his usefulness, but as of yet he
had no flight and therefore no security detail either. Caden shuddered at the
thought of reporting failure and then asking for a job. He tried to think of
all the larger bases in the region.
“ Northwest,”
the man mumbled as he
“ No,
but you might be….”
Turner
shook his head. “President Durant issued an executive order placing phone and Internet
system under military control. Long distance communication is limited to
government business.”
“ Why?”
“ To
keep them available for the good guys and keep any remaining terrorists from
communicating.”
“ Won’t
they just send letters?”
Turner
shrugged. “Maybe, but that’s slower and I suspect letters are being monitored
also. Actually, a computer nerd in my squad said you could still use the
Internet if you know the IP address for a site.”
Caden
recalled how his father had the IP address for a prepper blog site taped to his
laptop. But I don’t know any IP addresses so I guess the Internet and the
phones are unavailable for now. He shook his head. The government
controlling and probably monitoring the calls and letters of citizens—what is
the country becoming? He pushed the thought out of his mind. “I came to
offer you an assignment.” He glanced about the room. Folded clothes were
scattered about.
“ Oh?”
Turner sat beside his duffle bag.
“ I’m
trying to get a flight back to Washington state for Governor Monroe….”
“ The
presidential candidate?”
Caden
nodded. “I met with David Weston, his Chief of Staff, late yesterday. He
offered me a job as military liaison, if I could arrange the flight.”
Turner
smiled approvingly.
“ And
considering all the chaos, I wanted some additional security until we meet up
with the Washington Guard.” He held up some documents. “The base commander has
already approved my plans.”
Turner
shook his head as he folded a shirt. “I don’t know if I can help you.”
Caden
gestured at the neatly stacked uniforms beside a duffle bag. “Are you deploying
again?”
“ Rucker
is being turned over to the Alabama National Guard. All regular army personnel
here are being deployed west.”
“ West?”
Caden thought for a moment. “Washington is west.”
Turner
shrugged. “Okay. The transfer was supposed to be confidential, but word has
already leaked.”
He
grinned. “Well, If you’re going west anyway do you have a problem with it being
JBLM or Fairchild?”
Turner
shook his head.
“ Good.”
He started to say goodbye, but asked, “Do you know why you’re being sent west?”
“ You
know that North Korea supplied material for the bombs?”
Caden
nodded.
“ We
may be headed to Korea but,” Turner shrugged, “ours is not to question why….”
He continued packing.
Caden
made small talk for a few moments then said, “I hope you are able to talk to
your family soon.”
“ Thanks.
I would really like to before we ship out to Korea or wherever.”
Caden
agreed and departed.
The
rain stopped as he walked from the barracks. The clouds were thinning and the
day felt brighter and warmer. The world might be falling apart, but at least he
was rebuilding his life. His pace was quick as he walked down the street. As he
entered the flight operations building a C-130 roared down the runway.
“ Washington
state?” The officer stared at the computer screen. “Yes, we have two planes
tonight headed for Fairchild. One is full of cargo, the other full of
soldiers.” He shook his head. “Sorry, no space.”
“ Come
on, I need a seat for a governor. This man may be the next president.”
“ When
Monroe is president he can bump military cargo and get on the plane.”
“ Is
space that tight?”
The
officer nodded. “I might be able to get him onboard a flight, but not his
entourage.”
Frustration
grew in Caden’s gut. Governor Monroe would arrive tonight and if he was to get
this job, and get home, he would need to prove his usefulness, but as of yet he
had no flight and therefore no security detail either. Caden shuddered at the
thought of reporting failure and then asking for a job. He tried to think of
all the larger bases in the region.
“ Northwest,”
the man mumbled as he
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