Holding Their Own XI: Hearts and Minds (27 page)

“There is no reason why Butter would even consider such an act,” Nick replied instantly. “That’s why I’m having a little trouble taking this seriously. I’m sure it was someone else.”

“The man’s loyalty to Bishop is amazing,” Chase continued. “That was clear the night we tangled. I was quite surprised he and the older guy… Grim was his name as I recall… didn’t back down when you issued what sounded like a direct order.”

Waving off the incident, Nick replied, “We had a little talk about that. SAINT team members face some of the most challenging conditions of all those who serve the Alliance. They tend to become an extremely tight-knit brotherhood. In the heat of the situation that night, I don’t blame Grim and Butter for supporting their leader. Still, we had a clearing of the air regarding the chain of command.”

Chase began to rise, a look of disappointment on his face. “I’ll leave you to your calendar then,” he said with a hint of exasperation. “Clearly I’m adding two plus two and coming up with five. You know your people, and I should just butt out.”

Tilting his head, Nick said, “Mr. McGuire, I’m not much of a diplomat. I’ve been a fighting man most of my career and am not well versed in the subtleties of your profession or language. In my world, if a man has something to say, it’s best to come straight out with it.”

The ambassador seemed to ponder Nick’s declaration for a moment before retaking his seat. “Okay, I’ll be blunt. I like you and think you are doing an excellent job with your responsibilities. I can say the same of Miss Brown. As an outsider, I see things a little differently than others, and I’ve become aware of certain troubling events.”

“Go on.”

“For example, my security men now work with your forces. My guys report to me that while you were in the hospital at Fort Bliss, Bishop was spending an inordinate amount of time in the company of Miss Brown. Now, what I’ve heard is purely secondhand, but you are familiar with security professionals and must realize that such men don’t normally partake in gossip and wild rumor. I’m being told that Bishop’s activities were completely inappropriate and had several members of Diana’s protection detail concerned.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Nick snapped. “Bishop is my closest friend on this earth. I have put not only my life but also my only son’s well-being in his hands numerous times. I’m well aware of his activities while I was away, and appreciate his helping Diana through a very rough time.”

Chase held up both hands in mock surrender, “I meant no offense, nor have I heard a single word about Miss Brown accommodating his advances. I’m just the messenger, sir.”

Nick half rose from his chair, the big man’s anger showing in his intense gaze and red cheeks. “You’d better be careful of what messages you go around delivering,
sir
. If Bishop got word that you were spreading bullshit like that around town, I think you would have another confrontation on your hands… and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t survive it.”

The ambassador didn’t seem to be intimidated by Nick’s ire. In fact, the big man’s reaction appeared to have a calming effect. “I don’t think my facts are bullshit, nor am I worried about your hot-headed friend. The Alliance is on the verge of obtaining incredible power, wealth, and control. We both know such prizes can corrupt the best of men. I’m merely pointing out a series of undisputed facts that, in my opinion, indicate the distinct possibility of treachery within your inner circles.”

Nick wanted to throw Chase out of his office, to bounce the ambassador’s ass right down the courthouse steps and onto Main Street. It took all of his discipline to remain seated and calm. “What sequence of facts? What treachery?”

“Please, think about this for a minute, Nick. I strongly advise you to open your mind and hear me out. Bishop’s last two operations were, by all accounts, dismal failures. He specifically requested that you and Miss Brown stay away from Fort Davidson during the confrontation with the ranchers. Why? All of the supposed witnesses to the crux of his story are now dead, and the situation is far from resolved. Even if his actions during your hospitalization were honorable, the appearance of such inappropriate conduct could be very damaging. A true friend would have considered public opinion before spending the night… several nights… in Diana’s private quarters.”

Grunting, Nick decided to let the lunatic continue.
How far will this crazy bastard go with this shit?

“Your friend’s former boss, a man he worked for long before he met you, is now the President of the United States,” Chase continued. “It was on Bishop’s counsel to Miss Brown that I was given this very assignment. Has it ever occurred to you that your friend might not want Texas to succeed as an independent nation? Have you ever looked at his actions in that light? A man like that could be having second thoughts about his loyalties.”

“And I suppose you think Terri is part of this subterfuge?”

Chase nodded, “Yes, in my conversations with her, I detect a very distinct edge to her words. I know Terri better than anyone, and I can say with certainty that she isn’t confident in the path the Alliance is taking. Didn’t she resign from an official position within the government just a short time ago?”

“Yes,” Nick admitted. “She wanted to spend time with her family. I can certainly understand that.”

“I see,” the ambassador said, rising from his chair, aware that his concerns weren’t being taken seriously. Chase turned to leave but then paused at the door, deciding to take one last shot at making his point.

“Nick, I know you think I’m insane or have some hidden agenda. In a way, I don’t suppose I blame you. But please, look at this from my perspective. First, I hear official reports of Bishop’s failures and unexplainable acts during his recent missions. Secondly, I know his men are absolutely loyal to him. Then there’s the fact that I saw you leaving the doctor’s office just a few days ago, and you were clearly troubled at the time. And now, last night, I saw this man Butter running away from the scene of a crime at that same office... where private information about your health is filed… information you clearly don’t want to be made public. Am I really being absurd?”

Nick rose, somewhat stunned by how a man assigned as an ambassador could connect the dots in such a bizarre manner. Still, he had to humor the man. “No, you're not absurd, Mr. McGuire. I’ll look into a few of the facts that’s you’ve shared with me... ask a few questions. I appreciate your coming by.”

After shaking hands and watching his unscheduled visitor leave, Nick returned to his perch and thought about the oddity of it all.

“Bishop was right,” he whispered, staring at the door. “That guy isn’t to be trusted.”

Still, Nick was troubled by the break-in. No matter how outlandish, the concept that someone could have been reading his private medical records was troubling. There were some things that were better left to patient-doctor privilege.

After checking his calendar, Nick marched into his assistant’s office and said, “Can you reschedule my first two meetings? Something’s come up. Oh, and which guesthouse is Butter staying in? I need to speak with him.”

It had taken some convincing before Mack had allowed Sheriff Watts to inspect one of the dead strangers’ vans.

The vehicle, like so many in the post-apocalyptic world, didn’t possess license plates, an inspection sticker, or any sort of registration papers. Nor did the Alliance lawman have access to the vast network of state and federal computers database that had been so commonly used before the collapse.

That, however, didn’t mean that Watts was completely helpless.

With the practiced eye, he circled the late-model panel van, taking note of various details. The first major clue to catch the sheriff’s eye was the sticky outline where the old registration sticker had once resided on the windshield. It was a unique, unmistakable, shape. Watts was reasonably sure the van had at one time been registered in Oklahoma.

He also found it interesting that all three of the vehicles were the same make, model, and year. Each van was identically equipped, and obviously a base model with few bells and whistles. These were fleet units, probably purchased by a corporation or other business entity, and most likely were from the Sooner State.

The vehicles’ remarkable lack of fingerprints, food wrappers, cigarette butts, or any other sort of human-generated debris was also troubling.

In a way, Watts felt like he was a sheriff from the old days, depending on only what clues his eyes, ears and sometimes sense of smell could collect.

Years ago, when computers had first started working their way into the daily routine of rural law enforcement, Watts had been slow to embrace the technology. He was old school, beginning his career in an era when a man’s judgment and common sense played more of a role than DNA samples or mobile phone tracking.

That, however, quickly changed. As a dedicated peace officer, Watts found his ability to protect the county’s citizens was far more effective if he utilized technology. It was his sworn duty, and if any tool increased his efficiency, he was all for it.

Now, post-downfall, it was back to square one, the primary instrument in his arsenal today being experience, closely followed by common sense.

In reality, the vehicles Nick had asked him to investigate could have come from anywhere. Watts didn’t think so. Gasoline, up until a short time ago, had been in such short supply not many people would’ve had the resource to move one, let alone three vans around the middle of the country. No, he would report back that it was his learned opinion the three vehicles had arrived in Texas most likely from some corporation in Oklahoma.

Cam lowered the report to his desktop, only a slight grimace showing at the corners of his mouth. His team of Recon Marines had been wiped out by a man, Bishop managing to yet again escape the reaper’s hand.

“It doesn’t matter,” he whispered, “we are sowing seeds of discourse, and not all of them can be expected to grow.”

His plan was moving forward, mostly on schedule. The opportunity to discredit, or perhaps kill, one of the Alliance’s leading figures had been a long shot, not a prerequisite to success.

Flipping to the next report, his attitude improved.

The pieces were in place for the grand opening of the new property law. Interviews were lined up with the few operating radio stations, carefully scripted editorials ready to be delivered to a multitude of start-up newspapers.

Diana Brown would be in Amarillo, hosting one of the larger announcement sessions she had quaintly named, “Town Hall Meetings.” His men were already in place.

Cameron rose and poured himself a glass of water, sipping the cool liquid as his gaze redirected to the window. “I’m going to be coming home soon, Texas. And when I do, I’m going to show you what true leadership is all about.”

Chapter 10

As part of the roll-out plan for the Alliance’s new property laws, Bishop and Terri were tasked with setting an example. When Diana had discovered that the couple had been pre-collapse homeowners, she insisted that they return to Houston and claim their property.

“A lot of our citizens have heard of you two,” the Alliance leader had stated with beaming confidence. “We need to walk the walk and talk the talk. It will help smooth the roll-out.”

Bishop, from the beginning, thought it was a bad idea.

While the couple had traveled extensively throughout the territory since the downfall, those journeys had been performed as part of an entourage or in an official capacity. This would be the first time they ventured back along that original, harrowing bug-out route that had nearly cost them their lives. It would be a voyage through a minefield of harrowing memories.

If retracing those steps wasn’t emotionally daunting enough, seeing their old home was sure to produce a strong reaction.

“Haven’t we done enough already?” Bishop had questioned after his wife had relayed Diana’s request.

“Diana has been a Nervous Nelly over this new law. Folks don’t like change, and with Katherine Baxter stirring the pot, emotions are running high for sure. Plus, Diana wants to make sure it is logistically feasible for folks to be able to travel into the Alliance and make a claim within the timeframe the new law proposes.” The stateswoman paused to give her husband time to mull over her words before continuing. “It’s a small thing to ask of us, and besides, it will be interesting to see how the recovery is progressing. It’s really not a big deal, is it? I mean, together, we can handle anything, my love.”