“We're here to get everyone out,” Eddie said.
“Keep all the girls inside, and down on the floor until you get the word. Then when you leave, get onto the buses outsideâbut not until you get the word!”
All the time Eddie was giving his instructions, the sound of gunfire could be heard outside.
With the boys and girls in both barracks notified, Eddie ran back outside. Like the others of the assault team, he was armed, but he was carrying a pistol only. As it turned out, he needed it, because just as he left the girls' barracks, he saw one of the guards coming toward the barracks.
The guard swung his automatic weapon around toward Eddie, but when he pulled the trigger nothing happened. Frustrated, he pulled the bolt back and let it forward to clear the chamber, but before he could pull the trigger again, Eddie had already brought his pistol up.
Eddie had never fired a real pistol before, though when he was younger, he had a pellet pistol. He had also fired pistols in video games, so his action was almost reflexive. He pulled the trigger, then saw a dark hole appear in the guard's chest. The guard got a surprised look on his face, slapped his hand over the wound, then, with blood streaming between his fingers, he fell.
Inside the compound the battle continued, though the guards, who had been caught by surprise, were unable to mount a very spirited defense. More than half of the defenders fled into the woods. Those who stayed to fight were killed, and within five minutes, it was all over.
The camp commandant had fled with the others. The three men and two women of the faculty were brought out of their quarters, but weren't harmed.
“Who are you?” one of the male instructors asked.
“We are the ones who have taken over,” Jake replied. “The SPS and the
Moqaddas Sirata
are no more.”
By now all the boys and girls were brought out of the barracks, where they were loaded onto the buses.
“What are you going to do with us?” one of the two women asked.
“Nothing,” Jake said. “You're free to go or stay, I don't care which.”
The members of the faculty looked at each other in confusion, but said nothing.
“Jake, we're all loaded!” Deon called.
“You folks have a nice day,” Jake said to the five who remained behind. He climbed onto the bus, and the vehicles left the compound. The children in the buses were just now coming to grips with what had happened.
“We're free!” Burt shouted, and everyone in the bus cheered loudly.
C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-FOUR
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Â
“It's started,” Gregoire said with a broad grin. He hit his fist into his hand. “I knew they couldn't hold us down. Two hundred and thirty-eight years of freedom can't be so easily erased.”
“It's just one city, George,” Riley said.
“Yes, it's starting with one city,” Gregoire replied. “But I'm telling you, Mark. Today it's Mobile, but when people around the country hear that, there will be more cities taken back, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Louisville. No matter what these
Moqaddas Sirata
bastards do, or say, they can't hold down the wave of freedom, once the movement starts.”
“I hope you're right.”
“How much longer until broadcast?”
“Thirty seconds,” Riley said. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, open with me here, I'll walk across to there,” he said, pointing out his blocking in the makeshift studio.
“Ten seconds,” Riley said.
Gregoire stood in position until Riley brought his hand down. He smiled at the camera.
“Hello, America.
“The city of Mobile, Alabama, has been liberated. Freedom fighters from United Free America freed the city from the oppressive occupation of Ohmshidi's personal military force, the State Protective Service. Not only was the city freed, but so too were the almost one hundred young people who were being held prisoner in the nearby youth concentration camp.
“All across America there are groups, and even individuals, who are fighting for the freedom and liberty we had so long enjoyed, before the disastrous presidency of Mehdi Ohmshidi. I will continue to keep you informed so that you can take hope in our eventual salvation.
“Long ago our founding fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to secure liberty for the people. We have such people among us today. And to those of you who are engaged in this fight, you have the thanks of all America, and I know that God's blessings are upon you. To those of you who have not joined the fight, ask not what they can do for you, ask rather, what you can do for them.
“Good night, and God bless.
“This is George Gregoire, telling you to take back America!”
Muslimabad
Â
Ohmshidi wasn't watching the broadcast, but Hassan was, and watching with him was a man named Caleb Brenneman.
“You are sure that if I tell you, you will free my brother?” Brenneman said.
“Yes, yes, he will be set free.”
“You will find George Gregoire at the house of Solomon Lantz in Lancaster, Pennsylvania,” Caleb said. “He is passing himself off as Lantz's uncle, as Amish, but he is English. When you find him, he won't look like he does on the television. He is being made up to look very old.”
Â
The Harry S. Truman Building
Â
Once more, the Great Leader, President for Life Ohmshidi, was summoned to the office of Mohammad Akbar Rahimi.
“Do you know what this is?” Rahimi asked, holding out a bill.
“It looks like currency of some sort.”
“It is. It is the currency of the breakaway state, United Free America. They are calling the currency Freedom Dollars.”
Ohmshidi chuckled. “What does it matter if they print their currency? It can't be of any value.”
“Their currency has gained international recognition, and is exchanged at an established rate throughout the rest of the world.”
Ohmshidi's eyes widened in disbelief. “That can't be true. How can money they print be worth anything, unless it is backed?”
“It is backed by at least fifty million Moqaddas in gold,” Rahimi said.
“They have to be lying about that. They don't have any gold.”
“They have convinced the World Bank that they have gold. I don't think they could do that if they didn't actually have it.”
“How would the World Bank know, anyway? I mean, suppose they did have that much goldâthey are isolated, there is no way for them to reach the World Bank.”
“Not as isolated as they once were. They have now taken Mobile and the Mobile airport. It is also my understanding that there were four airliners on the ground at Mobile when the city fell to the rebels. The crews of those aircraft have gone over to the rebels, and the rebels have now established their own airline.”
“To fly where? I'm certainly not going to recognize them, so they won't have clearance into any airport in the AIRE.”
“No, but they can establish international flights to Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, South America. From there, they will have access to the rest of the world.”
“Imam, some people made a demonstration. It is nothing, we will soon have it put down.”
“See that you do. I will not have our plans for this country to be the center of a world caliphate, put into jeopardy by a group of revolutionary infidels.”
“I will make certain that these apostates cause us no more trouble,” Ohmshidi promised.
“What about the Ultimate Resolution?”
“The Ultimate Resolution is well under way, Imam. I have put the Janissaries in charge of the operation. They are well aware of what must be done to solve the Jewish problem.”
“Ohmshidi, as these things develop, you must keep me informed. Don't make me send for you as a schoolmaster must do for a wayward student.”
“I will keep you informed, Imam,” Ohmshidi promised.
Â
Plano, Texas
American Islamic Republic of Enlightenment
Department of Relocation for Jewsâ
Muslimabad, AIRE
Â
Obey Ohmshidi
Â
Mr. and Mrs. Sam and Sarah Gelbman
2117 Davenport Court
Dallas, TX
Subject: Acceptance LetterâRelocation
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sam and Sarah Gelbman:
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, congratulations! Your names have been selected to participate in the Jewish Relocation Program.
The JRP is designed to provide an area where Jews who have been unable to assimilate into the way of truth and enlightenment, may, by agreeing to abandon all personal holdings, relocate to an area to be chosen which will concentrate all apostates into a controlled area whereby you may practice your own religion.
In order to be processed, you must have this letter of appointment in hand when reporting to the Jewish Relocation Center in Plano, Texas.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, peace to you.
Kareem Ali
Commandant
Jewish Relocation Program
Obey Ohmshidi
Once one of the biggest churches in America, Preston Acres Fellowship Church in Plano had been taken over by the
Moqaddas Sirata
Muslims. Although the church had been converted to a mosque, it was now being used as a processing center, and a sign spread across the front of the main building proclaimed its purpose.
Â
JEWISH RELOCATION CENTER
Â
This had once been the church of over 30,000 Christians, but over the last two weeks at least two thousand Jews had been processed there. A loudspeaker greeted the crowd of more than five hundred who had gathered this morning.
“Obey Ohmshidi! Please have your appointment letter in your hand, and your identity cards pinned to your shirt or jacket. Without your appointment letter and identity cards, you cannot be processed.”
Sam and Sarah Gelbman were among those who were to be processed today, and they stood together, clutching the appointment letter they had received.
“We'd better get our ID cards pinned to our shirts,” Sam said.
“Obey Ohmshidi! Please have your appointment letter in your hand, and your identity cards pinned to your shirt or jacket. Without your appointment letter and identity cards, you cannot be processed.”
“Sam, I don't know,” Sarah said as she pinned Sam's ID card on for him.
“You don't know what?”
“I don't know how I feel about this. There's something about it that just isn't quite right.”
“Sarah, you were the one who was pushing to get this letter. You said you wanted to go somewhere, where we would be free to live our own lives.”
“I know I did. But I'm having second thoughts now.”
“Sarah, I know you don't want to leave our home here,” Sam said. “I don't blame you. It took us years to get it just the way we wanted it. Besides which, we are about to lose it anywayâyou know that as well as I do. It's about to be taken away from us. But there are some things more important than just having a nice home; and being able to live in a place where people aren't breathing down our necks every minute is one of those things.”
“Obey Ohmshidi! Please have your appointment letter in your hand, and your identity cards pinned to your shirt or jacket. Without your appointment letter and identity cards, you cannot be processed.”
“How do you know that's where we're going?”
“Where else would we be going? You read the same article I did. There is a huge tract of land out in West Texas where they are relocating everyone who doesn't want to convert. And it makes sense when you think about it. I expect they don't want us any more than we want them. And this letter says that we will be free to practice our own religion.”
“Obey Ohmshidi! Please have your appointment letter in your hand, and your identity cards pinned to your shirt or jacket. Without your appointment letter and identity cards, you cannot be processed.”
“I wish they would change that announcement,” Sam said. “It's driving me nuts.”
“Sam, let's don't do this. Let's go back home,” Sarah said.
“Now why in heaven's name do you want to go back home? We talked about it when the offer came out in the paper, and you agreed that we would do this. It's not like we're being forced to move, we are the ones who applied for the letter.”
“Obey Ohmshidi! Please have your appointment letter in your hand, and your identity cards pinned to your shirt or jacket. Without your appointment letter and identity cards, you cannot be processed.”
“Jesus, will you shut the hell up with that announcement? We've heard it already,” Sam said, his irritation growing.
“I'm scared. There's something about this that I don't like.”
Sam put his arm around his wife. “It'll be all right,” he said. “I know you're a little nervous. Who wouldn't be? But I'm sure it will be all right.”
“We've been married for ten years, Sam. You know that when I get these kind of feelings that I'm usually right.”
“What has you so frightened?”
“These aren't policemen. They aren't even the regular SPS. They are Janissaries. You and I both know that the Janissaries are the worst.”
Sam sighed. “All right, if you are that worried about it, we won't go. Come on, we'll go back home. Though, I don't know how much longer we'll be able to stay there.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said.
The two started back toward the door, but they were stopped by a couple of the men in black uniforms.
“Where do you think you are going?” one of them asked.
“We've changed our mind,” Sam said. “We're going back home. Here's our letter.”
“It's too late. You've already received the letter, you will be relocated.”
“That's silly,” Sam said. “I'd think you would be glad that we've changed our mind. That leaves room for someone else.”
“You will be relocated. Now, get back in line.”
“I will not get back in line. I told you . . .” That was as far as Sam got before the Janissary hit him on the side of his head with his pistol. Sam went down to his knees.
“Sam!” Sarah shouted.
“I said, get back in line,” the Janissary repeated.
Sarah pulled a tissue from her purse and put it to the side of Sam's head.
“What are you doing? Why did you hit him like that? Are you crazy?” she asked.
“I didn't hit him hard enough to hurt him. Now the two of you get back in line like I said.”