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Sunday, July 19, 2015

Government Conspiracies. Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fourth Reich, Moscow, London, United Nations, Patriots

It's time for a sample chapter from the upcoming work, "Target Berlin"  Book three in the Gateway series. 

CHAPTER 2

THOR

SALZBURG MOUNTAINS

“Professor, report.”
“It works. The test produced satisfactory results. The weapon system carved out a perfect circle for two kilometers with no residue or debris. The engines were brought up to eighty percent with excellent results. We did detect some minor turbulence in the convertor cycle. The plutonium and uranium reactors showed no signs of instability. The amount of heat the plutonium generated was higher than anticipated, but with modifications I will bring all systems to one hundred percent.”
“How long will that take?”
“Two weeks, maximum. We understand most of the properties from the salvaged ship, but are still uncovering its mysterious. I do not want to damage any of the material.”
“Understood. When will it be ready for a test flight?”
“We can perform a test flight at any time, but I would feel more comfortable if both reactors are able to operate at maximum efficiency.”
“A wise choice, professor. Let me know when you’re ready.”
“Jawohl, Mein Führer!”


10 DOWNING STREET

“Prime Minister, the members of Parliament are awaiting your comments. You can delay no longer. I understand the gravity of the situation with our staunch U.S. partners, but we too have uncovered our own enemies. I’m glad Winston isn’t alive to see what he warned us would happen if we lost our way.”
“Minister, I too am pleased he’s dead. His words were true, but the country, though victorious, paid a terrible price with the victory. While other countries prospered and became gloated with the fruits of the victor, we fell deeper into economic ruin. We sold off or lost the majority of our overseas holdings. We became less than a stepchild at the table begging for scraps. Our proud nation was thrown to the cold and told to fend for ourselves. If we wouldn’t have thwarted the Luftwaffe in 1940, D-Day or any other combined allied offensive would have never appeared on the planning table. That aside, as the Labor Party did in 1945, it is now our time to clean house. I will address the House this afternoon. Make sure the Yard and Bobbi’s have been placed on notice. We don’t want any weasels sneaking off during the address.”
“Yes, Prime Minister, I’ll see to it.” 




White house, press room

Interim Speaker of the House, Lori Newton stepped up to the podium. “Settle down people.” She took a shallow breath. “Settle down. All of your questions will be answered once the President finishes his address.”
Before she could say another word, the reporters crashed her with questions. “What happened to Clark?” “Who’s running the country?” “Did Taylor know of the plot?” “What are your qualifications to be Speaker?” “Is this another political ploy for a power play?” “Why are their armed guards in the room?” She never wavered with the assault. The one question she heard loud and clear was, “What are your qualifications to be Speaker of the House?” It was simple math when one broke it down. Despite being a junior representative, she was one of the few left standing. But it was more than that. She… “I’ll answer that question.” She looked to her left as the crowd calmed down. “Because I trust her. Unlike many of you in this room, she shoots from the hip and doesn’t muddy the water with the boring, lofty rhetoric we’ve become too accustomed to hearing.”
Lori didn’t think twice as he entered the room. “Ladies and Gentlemen, The President of the United States.”
“Thank you, Speaker Newton.” He glanced about the room as reporters and cameras pointed lenses and microphones his way. It was the first press conference where he felt each device was a weapon preparing to bring him down. He approached the podium flanked by two Marines.
“I have a brief statement to make and then I’ll answer any and all questions. First, the Pentagon and Washington Monument were not struck by a meteorite. They were destroyed by a magnetic resonance weapon that was installed in the lower basements of the Pentagon. The weapon was designed by Professor’s Leonoid Skorzenzy and Gerhardt Blücher. Its sole purpose was to eliminate the current government and replace it with a Fourth Reich. The accidents in Kansas, Black Water Falls and Atlantic City were not accidents. They were targets of the rogue group. Senator Washburn did not die of a heart attack or stroke. He was summarily shot for treason against the United States.” Sounds of gasps rippled through the report’s pool. “All of the missing members from Congress and the Pentagon who perished in the blast were found to be sympathizers with the coup. I have heard from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It is my understanding that they too have identified a group of sympathizers. He will be addressing the issue tomorrow. I, and Vice-President Powell, are running the government to the best of our abilities. We have been in touch with all the governors of each state and are working on having new elections for the vacant seats. Any man or woman wanting to run for public office will endure a grueling interrogation before being allowed to fill out an application.
In regards to the question concerning the current Speaker of the House, Miss Lori Newman, I appointed her because I trust her and she’s a personal friend with unquestionable qualifications and references.” He stepped back, taking a drink of water.
 “Why are there armed guards in the room? Because over a dozen of you have been identified as collaborators with the defunct organization. Major McMillan, do the honors.”
“Yes, sir.  When I call your name, you will stand up: McKelly, Ransford, Simmons, Daily, Wallace, Reuter, Allison, Sloan, Fernandez and Rodriguez.” No one stood up. The Major moved from behind the podium and approach the pool. “People, we know who you are. You can stand up and face your judgment peacefully, or we will use force.” One by one the accused stood up, all but one. Consuelo Rodriguez wasn’t going to go quietly. She leaned down, rummaging in her purse; removed a .38 caliber pistol, stood up and raised the pistol towards the President. She died instantly from the bullet, one of the Marines fired. It entered her skull, imploding it. Those standing near her were showered with brain, bone and blood.
Taylor never wavered. He took his place back at the podium. “You nine have been found guilty of crimes against the United States Government. You have been sentenced to death. Major, escort them out. The room exploded with cat calls and cries of injustice. Two M-16’s silenced the crowd as the soldiers fired a volley into the ceiling. “Major, escort them out, now!”
“Yes, sir.”
He looked back at the shaken assembly. “Are there any questions?” He paused as no hands or calls came his way. “Before you ask an irrelevant question, think real hard about the consequences. Play time is over. The days of political posturing vaporized two weeks ago at the Pentagon. It’s time to turn the country back over to the people and let them know they will no longer be the silent minority. They will be the vocal majority. The new government will work for the people and not their own self serving interests. The days of special interests groups, influencing Congress, are over. No longer will Congress pass useless legislation that provides the façade they are working. It will become an honor and a job. When you come to Washington, you will roll up your sleeves and prepare to work for the common good of the country and not the individual. For too long, five-hundred and fifty-four men and women have decided the fate of over three hundred million. We are going to put the law back in the courts and eliminate judges would believe they are above the law. Supreme Court Justices will not be life-long appointments. They will be replaced at age sixty-five. No exceptions. Military contracts will no longer become a black hole. When a project is put out for bid, it will be built for the agreed amount, not a penny more. The days of wasteful spending are done. Employees of the government are no longer immune from being fired or replaced. It’s time to run the country like a business. It is time for full accountability on all fronts.” He stepped back, watching the shocked crowd scribble frantic notes on their pads. He took another drink. “Are there any questions of importance and relevance to what I’ve said?” A lone hand shot up.
“Yes.”
“Don Johnson, with the Washington Post. Are we to understand the United States is now a police state?” Taylor reached into his coat pocket, removing a piece of paper. His eyes scanned the names. “No, Mr. Johnson. We are bringing law and order back to our country.”
“And how will you do that? Can we expect storm troopers to visit us in the wee hours of the morning and be whisked off to the FEMA camps?”
“Mr. Johnson, you failed to add sir, to the end of your question. Before I answer, I have a question for you. As a student at Harvard, is it not true you were a member of The Freedom Fighters for All, a group known to sympathize with Anti-Semitic activities? Is it not true you took part in rallies to evict Jews from the campus? Is it not also true that you not only attend underground KKK meetings but are a card carrying member?”
“I believe you’re avoiding my question, SIR.” Johnson fired back.
“NO, SIR! I’m addressing the question. How your name didn’t make the list I do not know. But the people who just died were ardent members of the aforementioned organizations. Would you like to join them?” Johnson down.
“Any other questions?”
“Mr. President, Steve Rawlings, Tulsa Tribune. When will the elections take place?”
“As I stated earlier, we are talking to the governors of each state concerning the process.”
“Mr. President, Ian McClarry, Boston Globe. What will happen to our colleagues who were just arrested?”
“They will be shot today for treason.”
“Mr. President, Ruth Truman, Connecticut Chronicle. With the demise of the majority of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who’s running the military?”
“Admiral Kinkaid and his staff are handling those duties. In the coming weeks, there will be more appointees after a thorough background check is performed on each candidate.”
“Mr. President, Aaron Walden, Austin News. Has the threat been completely neutralized or are there other members not accounted for?”
He took a long drink of water, than bowed his head. His tone became somber.
“Mr. Walden, I wish I could answer that question. I pray to God Almighty that that is the case.” then paused. “People, it has been a trying two weeks and there is much more work to do in the coming months. I’m tired and need some rest. We will call another press conference in a week or two. Thank you for coming.” It was the first time in the history of Presidential Press Conferences, where as he exited, the pool didn’t pepper him with more questions. They stood in silence as he left the room.


Salzburg mountains

Professor Helmut Goebbels II watched over the crew as they extracted another piece of metal from the ship. Despite his best efforts he was never able to ascertain the origin of the foreign material. It was impervious to every test he conducted: heat, cold, explosives and lasers could not penetrate the molecular structure. What they did discover, despite its dense properties, it was the most malleable material he’d encountered. It was easily manipulated and fabricated. When welded, it only required a light touch from the technician. He was fascinated how it could adapt to the desired shape, yet when handled incorrectly it took on characteristics of intelligence by lashing out and injuring or killing the workers. He no longer cared what universe or planet the machine came from, his only concern was using its technology to build the most devastating weapon on Earth, and that, he’d achieved. The piece was successfully removed from the host.
“Take it to the plutonium reactor. We need to increase the shield depth.”
“Jawohl, Herr Professor.”
He watched the crew ascend into his masterpiece. His leader wanted a machine unlike any other. He wanted a power which would bring the world to its knees to finish the plans their forefathers started so many decades ago. Thor was the answer. The ship was three times the size of its forerunner, the GO-229. What a shame it didn’t come on line earlier. The RAF and Eight Air Force would have been cleansed from the skies, sparing many cities from all but total annihilation during the air campaigns of the 1940’s. The thought sickened him. His teachers drilled into his head the consequences of failure with the pictures and film of the Hamburg Firestorm and the desolate moonscape of Cologne. His anger boiled. Yes, they could have stopped the Americans and British, but what about the Russians? Their air force proved futile during the Red advance over his beloved Fatherland. The mass rapes and senseless killings of his countrymen fueled his fire. Striking Moscow first would be a fitting retribution. His thoughts of revenge were rudely interrupted from his comm. headset
“Professor, we have a problem with the fitting. Could you please join us?”
“Yes, I’ll be right there.” He smiled as he walked into his creation, thinking of the retributions to befall their enemies.  

Make sure you're prepared for the continuing adventures of Larry Jr. Judith, Muki and Abdul by reading the first two!






Friday, July 17, 2015

Tribulations of Laundry

I'm going to get chastised for this, but like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. I went to my daughters last night after a grueling day on the job. Since I knew where I was going, I decided to take my laundry with me. One must be efficient at all times. I told her I would bring the food for our festive feast. Well, the night started well enough. Oh, wait. I forget to mention an important caveat.

One of the dear members of the Irving Writers Connection​ decided to weigh anchor and head for Maui. Before she said Bon Voyage, she was gracious enough to grace the members with many of her fine works, FREE! Mary Scarborough’s​ writing style is extremely witty and charming. I knew my middle granddaughter would enjoy one of the stories with immense interest. So, in an effort to consolidate, I placed the book in my laundry bag, again, being efficient and well thought out.

I arrived at Savanna​'s and the activities began. As we were preparing the fine culinary fest, her roommate, Shawna, came strutting through the kitchen with a load of clothes in tow. A light bulb went off in my head. "Hey, do you mind if I do a load first?" See, I had it all planned out. Start the laundry, help with the cooking, eat, relax, dry the clothes, abscond the leftovers, fold, hang and load the clean clothes then vacate to Dallas—an hour commute.

I ran to the truck, grabbed my bag and loaded the washer."Odd, why do I keep feeling something in the clothes. I looked and prodded, yet I couldn't identify the object. Regardless, I was off schedule so proceeded forward with an Old Man Intellect. Dinner was cooked and served. It was a Kingly feast. I enjoyed a smoke on the veranda then retired back to the living and threw the clothes into the dryer.

Odd, why does it look like it snowed in the laundry? Must have been an errant receipt or perhaps I cleansed my checkbook. Undeterred, into the dryer they went.


Forty minutes later and back on schedule, I opened the dryer only to be met with a flurry of white snow! It was everywhere. What, I say, WHAT in the hello is in the laundry? One by one I pulled out my white speckled clean(?) clothing only to be met with more of the floating particles and then I saw it. The remnants of a mangled, massacred, mutilated half size binder. "No, No, oh shit, Hell NO! There is no way I did the unthinkable. Yes, it's true. I washed her masterpiece. To be perfectly honest, I've performed some major bone-head moves in my day, but I believe this one takes the cake., Mary my deepest apologies. I do hope I can borrow a copy from one of the other members. I know Leah will enjoy it and trust me, it will never see the inside of a laundry bag. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Cat Lover's

Review for an interesting read indeed.  If you're a cat lover, this book is for you. 

Avalon


Avalon-The lovable Terror of Belgium

This is a most unusual read. The author does a brilliant job of blending and melding her life with her cat. Over the years, I’ve read a smattering of books written by cat lovers, but this one takes the cake, pudding and other dessert within easy reach.

Being a dog lover I seldom venture into this realm, I’m glad I did.

Avalon is one nasty Turkish Van cat, and I mean nasty. For the life of me I wouldn’t have tolerated this animal for more than a week, This cat is the most possessive animal I have ever heard or read about. He was Satan incarnate; at least to everyone but our author.

If a cat attempted to intrude in his territory, it was Katy-Bar-the-Door as he would throw a temper tantrum by flinging himself against the glass windows, bouncing off the walls and basically destroying everything in its path to run off the offender. And don’t think humans fared much better, oh no. If Vanessa brought over a male, he was not a welcome guest. I’m thinking of the chapter where Avalon trashed every item the man brought with him and conveniently placed them at the front door. Think it was a hint?

Halfway through, I couldn’t for the life of me understand why she kept the “Terror of Belgium.” I had to find out why, thus I continued forward hoping she would dump him in an alley somewhere. This is where the story takes on the surreal. Despite his repugnant attitude to all who vied for Vanessa’s attention, he became the relationship she knew she was missing.

It cost her a boyfriend and friends through the years, but he was always there for her no matter what turn her life took. He shared in her triumphs and failures. He became a movie star with an arrogance and acting ability many of the Hollywood crowd would be envious of. He loved Vanessa unconditionally and that is what the real story is here.

These two shared a love many humans strive for but fall short. Why? We expect our partners to possess certain characteristics and traits we can relate to and build a foundation on. These two had none of these preconceptions. They accepted each other with no expectations and shared a remarkable love.

If you are a cat lover and haven’t read this book, you must put it on your list. Not the stack of TBR’s that you’ll never get to, the one which contains must read books. You will not be disappointed!


Four stars.  

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Yesterday I had a thought. Today I remembered it. Tomorrow, I hope I forget it. What is the thought?