President John Nakagawa and his immediate staff were aboard Marine One, on their way to the White House. He was looking out the window, watching the countryside slip by below. He was thinking about the recent referendum which had more or less confirmed him in the Presidency.
More because he had won a majority of those who voted across the country, 65%. Less because he had actually lost in two states, California and New York. Rumors and some hard evidence of voter manipulation and outright ballot box stuffing would be looked into in those states, however, with the Justice Department in disarray and the FBI non-operational, that was going to take some time.
For now he had enough authority to get the ball rolling on his agenda. At least in theory.
He watched as he saw one of Lieutenant Colonel Ramirez's attack helicopters sprint ahead to be replaced by the other of HMX-1's helicopters, there were two on this trip. Typically the President would travel with three or more.
He turned to where his military aide, LCDR Higgins, was sitting with Bill Aspinall. The two were going over the plans for getting the Pentagon back up and running. Many of the people who worked there, unsure of who their bosses were supporting, had taken to staying home. That included members of the active duty military.
"Ya know Josh, in some ways they're derelict in their duties."
Higgins nodded, "I get that Bill, but what about the guys on the old Commandant's staff? They deliberately disobeyed his orders, most of them felt they were on firm Constitutional grounds, others just 'went with the flow.' The get along to go along types have to go."
Aspinall asked, "Article 32¹ hearings? That might take some time."
"These officers all have commissions signed by the President. I always understood that officers served at the pleasure of the President. Can't he just revoke their commissions?" Higgins offered.
Aspinall nodded, "The boss will like that, simple, clean ... Well, clean until those guys start hiring lawyers."
"Let 'em hire lawyers, they abandoned their posts. If they want to play hardball, we'll start convening Article 32 hearings. They go from 'you don't work here anymore' to 'you don't work here anymore and you're going to Leavenworth.' I think most of them will put their heads down and petition the government later. Hoping for a new President maybe."
Matthew Burleson was being held in Cumberland, MD, at Barrack C. There was one other man being held there, Burleson had tried to engage the man in conversation, only to be told to "shut the f**k up" by the trooper assigned to watch them.
He was filthy, he had encrusted blood and something else in his hair from when the SUV he had been riding in was shot up by what he thought of as a "trigger happy Guardsman." The blood was from his deceased aide, Ted Anderson. A round fired at the engine block had gone high, ricocheting into the passenger compartment and taking the side of Anderson's head off.
Barrack C wasn't meant to hold prisoners long term, it had once upon a time, but modern times sent hard core prisoners elsewhere. At Barrack C they had two holding cells, for drunks and assorted bad guys awaiting transport to a serious jail. They didn't even have jumpsuits for the prisoners. Burleson was wearing the same clothes he had had on when he was taken into custody. Filthy and blood stained, the troopers didn't seem to care.
A trooper eventually brought him and the other prisoner something to eat. Burleson saw the offered fare, ramen noodles, something he'd never cared for. Even though he was hungry, he just picked at his food.
He saw the trooper leave, so he set his bowl down.
"Hey buddy, you gonna eat that?"
The other man was eyeing his noodles intently. "No, but how am I supposed to give it to you?"
The man shook his head, "Man, I thought you had to be smart to be SecDef. Put the bowl on the floor outside your cell. You notice you've got about six inches of clearance under there, then push it my way. I'll do the rest."
"How'd you know that I was the Secretary of Defense?"
The other man laughed, "Senior Chief Al Rossi at your service. Got out about six months after you took office. Thought you were a numbnuts then, now I'm convinced that you're a prime example of a numbnuts. Jesus, I hates me some politicians."
"Look here, Senior Chief, I was your boss ..."
"Buddy, you were so far up in the chain, you weren't anyone's boss down in the ranks. So you can kiss my ass."
Burleson thought to answer that, then decided against it. His daddy had told him once upon a time, "Never wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty and the pig likes it." Seems the old man had been right.
They landed on the South Lawn and proceeded to the Executive Mansion. The lawns were neatly tended, the gardens immaculate. The inside was equally well cared for, the senior woman on the house staff greeted them at the door.
"Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I'm glad someone has arrived to make this place alive again."
President Nakagawa noticed the woman's name tag, "Ms. or is it Mrs. Kirkwood?"
"Mrs. Kirkwood, my husband died some fifteen years ago, but I still consider myself to be his wife."
Aspinall consulted a notebook and leaned in to the President, whispering.
The President bowed to the older woman, "Madam, thank you for maintaining the people's house. I am honored to meet you, your husband was something of a legend in my old service."
"Just did his job, Sir. I'm just doing mine. Is there anything you need right away?"
"No ma'am. My family is flying in later today, I assume the family quarters are as immaculate as everything else?"
"Just 'cause the country's tearing itself apart doesn't mean we can't try to keep up appearances. Family quarters are ready for occupancy, Sir."
"Thank you, Mrs.Kirkwood." Nakagawa again bowed. Then he and the staff headed for the Oval Office. There was much work to be done.
One of the kitchen staff nodded down the hallway as the President and his party left. "Seems like a nice fella."
"Polite too. I'm sure those folks are hungry, let's get 'em fed."
"Yes ma'am, lunch will be ready shortly, think they'll eat in the office?"
"Oh honey, I'm sure of that."
¹ A preliminary hearing required before referral to a court martial.
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