The Final Battle VI

As Luke stood and watched the fireworks over DC he thought about what tomorrow would bring. The ACF was pretty organized as a Military unit went, being made up of HOG chapters, ex-military and civilians who were willing to die to restore their Country. But to be a real Government of the People and avoid the mistakes of the past, those plans were still waiting to be scratched on a restaurant napkin.

Luke thought back to what many considered the last straw. What many said was the final act of a corporate government destine to self-destruct. After the 2016 election, the foreign interest saw what was happening. They wanted assurances their investments were safe. They called in their markers. China and Japan wanted their loans to the U.S.S.A. paid, in full. Of course the money only existed in the backroom of some Wall Street bank on a fake ledger. The loans could not be repaid. After several threats, on both sides, and many rounds of “peace” talks, the decision was made to repay the loans with land grants. DC, and a one hundred mile radius around it were exempt. The rest of the U.S.S.A. was “Tax Granted” to pay the foreign debt. The plan was for all properties outside the “exempt zone” to be assessed a “foreign debt tax”. Soon, mansions and military style compounds were being built inside the “zone”. The government was seizing private land and moving all politicians and their wealthiest supporters into the exempt zone. This was more than people could take. Luke remembered what his brother had once said; “The seeds of revolution are sown in the fertile soils of discontent”.

He looked at Ben and Tom as they watched the flares; their faces void of expressions, hardened by years of staying one-step ahead of the corrupt, bloodthirsty U.S.S.A. government hit squads. This was not the America his ancestors had died for. Or would it be, at the cost of his own life, the America he would leave his heirs. The War on Tyranny had taken many lives, including that of his nephew’s father. Luke’s commitment to honor his brother was second only to protecting his nephew’s, or insuring that they died with the honor of a warrior as their father had.

The crackle of the antique walkie-talkie snapped Luke back to reality. It was Taz. “Go Taz, what’s up?” Luke asked. “Look at your watch numb-nut” Taz shot back. “We’re going to fire this thing in fifteen minutes. Think you might want to get you and those boys the hell outta there?”

Ben and Tom heard the radio. All three scrambled up the riverbank and fired up the old Harleys. The short half-mile ride back to the power station was the best ride any of them could remember – it had a purpose. Taz and Eddie were waiting at the Western Whitehouse with the “button”. They were far enough behind the EMP to be safe. They wanted to be outside for the best view. Besides, if the EMP had the wrong affect on the nuclear reactor under the Supreme Court… Well at this distance they would never know.