California Dreaming ...

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Gil Winsome, Governor of California, sat in the small private office he preferred using and watched people coming and going from the nearby parking lot. He liked the peace and quiet of this smaller office complex. He only used his official office for public appearances and public ceremonies. He liked being away from the hustle and bustle of politics. He often thought that he would have made a great king back in medieval times.

He looked up as his aide knocked on the door and peeked in.

""What is it, David?"

"The Adjutant General is here, as you requested."

"Send him in."

Winsome stayed seated as Major General Del Cameron came into the office. The general wasn't in uniform.

"Not in uniform today, Del?"

"Uh, no Sir, didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to my visit."

The Governor thought that odd, but didn't pursue it. "What did you think of my plan, Del?"

It grated on the combat veteran to be addressed by his first name but he simply sat down and said, "I don't like it, Sir."

"And why not?"

"First of all, Sir, we're understaffed. Only a couple of my units are at anything close to being 100% manned. And those are non-combat units. Secondly, I think that if we institute a full recall to get those we have on base and in uniform, ready to go, a lot of my unit commanders have told me that they don't expect a lot of their people to report."

"Well, then they're AWOL, we can bring them up on charges."

The General shook his head and looked at the Governor for a moment before reaching into his suit jacket.

Winsome couldn't help but jump a little, perhaps he watched too much TV, but he always associated that sort of movement with someone about to draw a weapon. Of course, it wasn't a pistol but an envelope, which the General handed to the Governor.

"What's this, Del?" Winsome made no move to open the envelope.

"My resignation. My first oath was and always will be to the Constitution of the United States. I have no desire to serve a wannabe dictator."

General Cameron stood and without another word turned his back on Winsome and left.

Bill Aspinall walked into the Oval Office after checking that the President wasn't on the phone. "Sir, you need to see this."

Nakagawa looked up from his computer terminal, "What do you have, Bill?"

Aspinall handed the President a sheet of paper, Nakagawa thought it looked like one of the old message forms he was used to seeing in the Air Force back in the day, almost the same format. Then he noticed the header, Central Intelligence Agency.

"Hhmm, Mr. Johansen's been busy has he?"

Quickly scanning the message, the President sighed. "Has it come to this?"

"I'm afraid so, Sir."

"Send out the warning message for Operation Western Lightning. Do you think that there's any chance of of the locals taking action on their own?"

"It's possible, maybe we could tip them off as to what the Governor did."

"Would they believe us?"

"Some will, some won't, but I think it's worth a shot."

"Okay, give it a go."

Cameron had the distinct sense that he was being followed. He'd noticed the same car make the same turns as he did for the last five miles. Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps not. He activated his phone.

"Call McKellar."

"Call Master Sergeant Don McKellar?" his car responded.

"Yes."

Two rings, then "McKellar." a pause until McKellar recognized the caller, "What do you need, Sir?"

"Mind if I stop by?"

"Come on over, anything you need?"

"Nah, I'm writing my memoirs and I wanted to pick your brain about the gas station to the northeast of Al Habilayn."

On his end, McKellar's eyebrows shot up, the General was in the shit. He answered, "I remember that very well. Hope you've got something to record with?"

"I was kinda hoping you had a spare." Cameron said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"I got you covered General."

"See you in ten mikes."

"Roger that, Sir."

McKellar went down into the basement and got into his gun safe. He knew the General preferred the M1911 so he pulled that plus the ammo, he thought for a moment, then pulled out another M1911. He loaded up eight magazines for the two pistols, then decided to bring two spare boxes of ammo, just to be on the safe side.

He donned his shoulder harness, holstered his pistol along with his spare mags. He set up a similar rig for the General, then went upstairs. The General was just pulling into McKellar's driveway.

McKellar looked up and down his street, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He didn't see anything, but you never knew, didn't hurt to look.

McKellar opened the door as Cameron approached, "Morning, General."

"Good morning, Don. See anything unusual out there?" He had noticed McKellar glancing out the window.

"Nah, so what's up, Sir?"

"I resigned as Adjutant General earlier today. When I left the Governor's private office, I got the sense that I was being followed. Just gut instinct but you know how it is."

McKellar thought back to Yemen, Del Cameron's instincts had saved their asses more than once. When he sensed something, you'd better pay attention.

McKellar handed the General the shoulder harness he'd rigged for him. "Might need a little adjusting ..."

"Are you saying I'm fat, Don?"

McKellar laughed, "Well, sitting on your ass in Sacramento ..."

Cameron laughed as well, "Yeah, I think I need to hit the gym more."

As the two men chatted, a black SUV drove down the street, slowing briefly in front of McKellar's house.

"Damn, it's like they want you to know they're watching." McKellar said.

Benny Wilcox pulled the black Chevy Suburban over to the curb and stopped. His partner, Rob Kasparovich gave him a questioning look.

"So DC wants us to contact this guy, right?" Wilcox asked.

Kasparovich nodded, "But something's bugging you."

"Yeah, guy's a combat vet, the guy he's visiting is also a combat vet. They served together in Yemen. Cameron shows up at the Governor's office in civvies, leaves within minutes and drives to this guy's house. Aren't we supposed to be investigating California possibly seceding from the Union and seizing Federal installations at the same time?"

Kasparovich nodded, then it was as a light had come on. "If you're going to seize Federal property, you're probably not going to rely on the police."

Wilcox nodded, "They'd be outgunned by the gate guards at most bases."

Kasparovich continued, "So you call up the National Guard, have your combat troops show up loaded for bear and the gate guards probably will fold." Cameron is the Adjutant General of the California Guard, so the Governor calls him in and orders him to do this thing, but ..."

"It takes more than fifteen minutes to brief the General, explain what you want, and then get the wheels in motion, Cameron's outta that office in minutes ..." Wilcox continued Kasparovich's thought.

Kasparovich nodded, "I'm betting Cameron told the Governor to f**k off. He may have resigned his position as well, which is why he went in wearing civilian clothes."

Wilcox nodded in agreement, "I need to call Langley."

McKellar had checked his street again, the black SUV was parked down the street a ways.

"I'm going to get my field glasses, Sir. Keep an eye on that black SUV."

As Cameron looked out the window, McKellar pointed the vehicle out, then went back to the bedroom to get his binoculars. He was back in seconds.

"That's a Fed, or I'm a f**king Houthi." McKellar handed the glasses to Cameron.

After a few minutes, Cameron lowered the glasses, "I agree, do you think the Feds are on to Winsome's little scheme?"

"Dollars to donuts, General. My money is on just that."

"Son of a ..."

Kasparovich and Wilcox drove off, made a U-turn then parked in front of McKellar's house.

"Bold move, Benny."

"Go big or stay home, Rob. I figure if we're not sneaky, they might not shoot us when we knock on the door."

Kasparovich shook his head and dismounted, he straightened his tie and buttoned his suit jacket. As Wilcox rounded the front of the vehicle, Kasparovich shook his head.

"If they shoot me, you're off the Christmas card list, Benny."

Wilcox grinned, "Pussy."

McKellar looked at Cameron, "They're coming to the f**king front door?"

"Heck, Don, maybe they just want to talk. Shouldn't we, ya know, cover up or something?" Cameron gestured at the weapons they were both carrying.

"Nah, f**k 'em."

The doorbell rang.

McKellar opened the door, "Help you fellows?"

Wilcox spoke, "Good afternoon, Master Sergeant McKellar, I'm Benjamin Wilcox and this is my partner," he nodded in Kasparovich's direction, "Robert Kasparovich. We work for the Department of Homeland Security. We'd like to ask you and the General a few questions, if at all possible?"

McKellar looked at the man standing in his doorway, he suspected that he was not being completely honest with him. As he thought about it, he heard the second man speak and begin to reach inside his jacket.

"Jesus Benny, just tell him we're with ..."

Kasparovich froze as he noticed his partner was now staring down the barrel of what appeared to be a very well-maintained M1911 pistol.

"Move another inch pal and your partner's brains are going to decorate my front yard." 

McKellar's voice was as cold as an Arctic wind.