Drone Wars 1: The Beginning Read online

  "That is what they used to shoot down the drone, isn't it?"

  "Yes, Mr. President. "That is what our analysts believe."

  "What is the range of those things, anyway?"

  "To hit a head-sized target with any consistency with those rifles, most decent shooters would have to be within 200 yards and use a rifle scope. We had some of our military snipers test these rifles, and that was their conclusion."

  "What is it that these rebels have then?"

  "We don't know Mr. President, Sir," the secretary looked positively shaken.

  "What about the other caliber?"

  "We think those bullets were fired from a Garand M1 rifle Mr. President."

  "What is that?” The president asked.

  "It is a military rifle that our troops used during WWII. They were sold as surplus and purchased by many civilians under the civilian marksmanship program."

  "So what you are saying is that we have two snipers with scoped rifles that are taking out our ground hounds?"

  "Mr. President, our satellite thermal imaging data shows that there were three in the snipers party, and that one man fired both rifles. We could not identify any of the rebels because our other satellites were not in position. However, detailed analysis of the thermal data we have suggests that neither rifle was scoped."

  "But you just told me that was impossible."

  "All but impossible, Mr. President. It happened, so it must somehow be possible."

  "So where did these three rebels go?"

  "We lost them, Mr. President. We don't know."

  "I don't want to hear that. Find them now. Put any resources you need on this immediately."

  "Yes Mr. President," the secretary said. "We will find them."

  "Good," the president said and started to walk out of the meeting.

  "Mr. President, there is one thing that you should know."

  The president turned. "And what is that?"

  "We think the shooter may have been the same man who escaped the quad-copter drone strike in Indiana and shot down the mini-predator drone in Wyoming."

  The president's face contorted in rage, and his fists clenched tightly. He turned his cold stare onto the DIS secretary. "You have one week. Kill that son of a bitch," the president paused. "Or I will have you killed. Do you understand?"

  "Yes Mr. President," the secretary said. As the president turned and stomped out of the room, he felt the sweat begin pouring out of his armpits and down his back. He was too shocked to notice the similar shocked looks on the faces of most of the other cabinet members.

  Gulf of Mexico

  I looked around the table. I instinctively liked these people. Unlike far too many of the faculty and university administrators I had worked alongside for years, they all seemed remarkably human. There was real warmth in each pair of eyes that was all too rare, and a quiet determination on each of their faces. I suspected that every one of them had reasons to hate the government that were as deep for them as Susan's murder was for me. I figured that it was up to me to start the ball rolling.

  "Folks, this is apparently a job interview—and for me it may be a job that I don't want and may not even be capable of doing adequately. Before you even decide to offer me the position, there are some things I should tell you.” I noticed smiles on every one of the council's faces. Peggy and Doc were listening, but neither smiled.

  "First, you should know that I am just a poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks.”

  "We already know that, John," Nancy Shepard said.

  Toni, who was sitting beside me, patted me on the leg. I assumed it was her way of reassuring and encouraging me so I went on. "I have no military training. I was not even a Boy Scout. I have no qualifications to plan and manage an overthrow of a PTA group, let alone the largest and most powerful country in the world."

  Lorne spoke up, "John, we know that. We have the military-trained people as well as spies and data analysts, what we lack is visionary leadership. We need your principled creativity."

  "What I am trying to tell you folks is that I have no experience at leading anything. I couldn't even get along very well with most of the people I used to work with at the university."

  Riley stood, "John, we know that too. We checked all that out, very discretely, I might add. What you should know is that none of us could have gotten along with those unprincipled, and surprisingly dishonest people either. We did notice that you always followed your own principles and were honest and fair in your dealings."

  Nancy said, "One of the problems in our society is that nice guys usually finish last. The disingenuous are far too fond of backstabbing, and not just in the upper levels of our government. John, you are among those who think like you. We have all had our problems getting by in the world, and people we trusted have stabbed us all in the back repeatedly in business and in life. Far too often, each of us was unable to even see it coming. You seem to have a real talent for seeing what is coming."

  "That is just logic, and critical thinking," I said.

  "And a very wide knowledge of how people behave, I suspect.” Riley said. "I think you have studied people far more effectively than you may realize, although your formal studies and degrees are in science and engineering."

  "You should realize that right now my personal goal is simply to kill those who murdered my wife.” I noticed Peggy's head rise a bit and her eyes widen. I thought she might be repulsed by my intentions to kill, but I couldn't let that worry me. "While I would like to see this illegitimate and murderous government fall, that is not my personal goal."

  Toni stood and turned to me. She reached out and took both of my hands in hers. "John, the fall of this illegitimate government should be your first goal. It is the only way you can be sure to punish all the people involved in your wife’s murder and to make sure that such atrocities stop happening to other American citizens. In reality, our goal, and yours are exactly the same."

  Riley sat down and John Pickering stood. Looking around at all of us, he said, "John, our goal is to bring freedom and honest government to America again. Could you tell us how we might do that?"

  I thought for a moment and then spoke. "Daniel Webster once said, 'There is nothing so powerful as the truth: and often nothing so strange.' I agree with him. One of the things that I hate about our current government is the lies that they tell us.” I noticed several nodding heads around the table, and I noticed a smile on Lorne's face. "I believe that you can win against the current illegitimate government only by being rigorously truthful to each other and to the people of our country."

  Riley said, "John, we on the council have always been absolutely honest with each other. We have been able to put personal interests and personalities aside on this council because we have a common goal. We agree with you"

  Charlie Alsup raised his huge hand. "John, should we be truthful to the point of telling the government representatives exactly what we are going to do?"

  "Yes, Charlie. I think that is exactly what should be done, only not where, when, or how—at least at first. The problem with 'classified' information is that, sooner or later, someone uses the ability to 'classify' information to cover up wrongdoing. The more transparent we can make our efforts, the more people will be on our side. The irony is that our politicians often run on a platform of government transparency, yet never keep those promises."

  "Lorne smiled, "That will take some real planning, John."

  "That would scare the powers that be for sure," John Pickering said with a smile.

  "Yes it will take serious planning," I replied. "And I cannot do all that planning, or perhaps even any of it alone. I think you need someone more talented than I."

  "No, John," Nancy said. "We need you for several reasons. First, you are humble and no one who desires power should ever have it. Second, you have an unusual ability to accurately predict how the government is likely to respond to various situations. And perhaps as importantly, you will be the image of the rebellio
n. We hacked the video of the quad-copter drone strike that killed your wife and wounded you. We have also hacked the video of the drone attack in Wyoming where you, Doc, and Toni thwarted a multi-missile strike. I doubt you realize how powerful those videos will be in waking up the sheeple."

  "I am no movie star," I said, "and this isn't a movie."

  "No, it isn't a movie," Nancy said. "It is real life and that will be far more convincing to sleeping citizens who are unaware of the harmful machinations of our illegitimate government. No legitimate government kills its own citizens just to cover up illegal acts. The people know that."

  "I wonder how many will care?” I said. "As long as many of our citizens get their government handouts, they seem to be able to ignore a lot."

  "That is true, John," Charlie said. "But, even among that group are some who are already with us. Some of them are already waking up."

  "OK," I said. "For the moment, let's assume that I am with you.” I saw Lorne smile. "We will need many principled, loyal, and incredibly talented people working together to accomplish what we need to do.”

  Lorne nodded, "We have many of those people, and I think we can recruit more."

  I smiled at Lorne, "I thought you might have.” Then, I paused. "Ladies and gentlemen, this revolt will not be won with rifles alone, although they will be needed as well. It will be won by winning the hearts and minds of the people and by using the government's own technology against them."

  "Government, at all levels, is currently a haven for psychopaths. With a government position, the psychopaths have the gun and the freedom, if the people fail to resist, to use guns on the people for their pleasure alone, or so they believe. To displace these psychopaths, at times, guns will be needed."

  "Currently, the government is expanding its surveillance of its citizens an incredible pace. Only a government that fears its citizens tries so hard to control them. Therefore, I believe that our government greatly fears the people. After all, we are a country in which the ultimate power, by constitutional right, belongs exclusively to the people.”

  "Our politicians are, in reality, only employees of the people. They are the usurpers, the terrorists, not the people. Our government has gone rogue, and quite some years ago, I am afraid. They use our taxes to fund technology that they use against us. We can only win by turning this technology against the government. We have to take back that technology, which really belongs to the people, and use government resources to defeat our illegitimate government."

  "Perhaps the most important aspect of this revolution will be to win the hearts and minds of the people, the citizens of our great country. To do this, we not only have to be honest with them, we also need to demonstrate by our actions that we are here to not only help people recover their liberty, but also to reverse the current economic downturn and make practical changes that allow people to achieve a better life for themselves and their children."

  One by one, everyone at the table stood and clapped. Even Peggy and Doc.

  "John, will you lead us then?” Nancy asked.

  "Yes," Charlie said. The others around the table, including Doc, nodded their heads in agreement. Peggy just sat there and stared at me. I figured I must somehow have made her mad. I thought for what seemed to me an inordinately long time before answering.

  "On one condition," I said. "My condition is, if, at any point, you feel that someone else can do a better job tell me and I will resign. No questions asked.” Everyone in the room stood and took turns shaking my hand—except Peggy. Peggy looked like she was deep in thought.

  Chapter 11: TONI

  "Justice will out.” John Debrouillard

  Fairfax, Virginia

  Toni had just finished cleaning the kitchen when she glanced out of the window and saw a black SUV drive by. The windows were darkened, and she couldn't see through them. She didn't think anything of it, though, because they lived in Fairfax, Virginia and various government vehicles sometimes passed through the neighborhood. She was sure that her husband Bill wasn't the only one who worked for the federal government in their neighborhood. As a matter of fact, she had heard that several of the subdivision residents were fairly high-ranking government employees.

  The neighborhood was very nice. In fact, the houses were really McMansions. Sometimes Toni thought that the houses were more similar than they were different, but the other wives in the neighborhood seemed to focus more on the minor differences between the houses and to be content with that. Toni often thought that they were less than observant.

  Toni was surprised when her husband Bill came home early. It was only 2:00 PM, and he looked worried. "What's wrong Bill?” Toni asked as she kissed him on the cheek.

  "Toni, you are not going to believe this."

  "What?"

  "I found out today that the current administration is murdering people who oppose them—our own citizens, assassinated right here at home on U.S. soil. Not only that, I have proof that it goes all the way up to the president, himself."

  "Bill, you have to be kidding me!” Toni said.

  "No Darling, this is real and I am scared. For the first time in my life, I am scared of my own government, and I work for them."

  "What are you going to do?” Toni asked.

  "I don't know," Bill said. "I don't know what to do. What they are doing is wrong. It needs to be stopped."

  "How?” Toni asked.

  "I have to let people know what they are doing?"

  "Blow the whistle?"

  "Yes. I never thought of myself as a whistle blower."

  "Bill, you do what is right. I believe in you, always."

  "I have to determine who to contact."

  "How about the FBI?"

  "I am not sure. The upper echelon at the FBI might be in on this."

  "Does anyone know that you know this?" Toni asked.

  "I think so," Bill said. "However, I don't think they know how much I know."

  "Bill, if they are murdering people, what will they do to you if they find out you know?"

  "I don't know Toni.” Bill hurriedly stepped over to the window and looked outside toward the street. "I felt like I was being followed on the way home, but I didn't see anything. Maybe it's just because I'm nervous."

  "You have the right to be nervous Bill."

  "Yeah, I suppose so. I have never seen anything remotely like this in my entire career. It has me on edge.” Bill walked toward the interior kitchen door, and said, "I'll be right back Toni."

  Bill climbed the stairs to their bedroom, and went into the walk-in closet. There, he unlocked the security box, and took out his pistol. Toni didn't like guns, but she tolerated his as long as it was locked away. Bill thought a lot of women were like that. He had been in the Army when he was young, and he knew how to handle firearms. However, Toni didn't like them because they were too loud, and she said they hurt people.

  The pistol was a Colt .45, model 1911. Bill dropped the magazine into his hand and assured himself that it was loaded. Then, he inserted the magazine back into the pistol and racked a live round into the chamber and set the safety to on. He took the inside-the-waistband holster from the security box, clipped it inside his pants, and inserted his pistol. He checked to see that the pistol was hidden under his coattail. He then returned to the kitchen where Toni was still puttering around. He could tell from the way she was focused on trivial tasks that she was worried.

  "Toni, we need to get out of here," he said.

  "But Bill, my sister, and her daughter Ashley are coming over in just a few minutes. Shouldn't we wait for them?"

  "No, I don't think that's wise. It may be nothing, but I would rather play it safe."

  "Okay Bill, let's be safe."

  "Toni, why don't you pack a suitcase, just a small one, and I will leave a note for your sister."

  "Okay Bill. I'll be quick.” Toni walked quickly to the staircase and trotted up the stairs. Just as she reached the bedroom, she heard a crash, and four quick gunshots. The so
und was so loud it hurt her ears.

  At first she froze. Then, she ran down the stairs. She found Bill standing in the kitchen with a pistol in his hand. There were two men bleeding on top of her outside kitchen door, which was now flat on the floor. The two men were both dead.

  "Oh my God, Bill! Who are they?"

  "I don't know, but they broke the door down. I will bet that there are more of them either here, or on the way. We have to move quickly.” Bill took Toni's hand and they dashed toward the garage. They got into the car, Toni in the passenger seat, and Bill driving. Bill started the car, and backed out of the garage almost before the door was high enough to clear the car. Toni could hear the scraping sound as the door grazed the roof. Just as a Bill backed into the driveway, Toni's sister pulled up with her daughter in their red Buick. Bill stopped the car. Toni got out quickly ran over to her sister.

  "Quick Mary, you two come with me.” Surprised, her sister let Toni pull her out of the car and hurry her to the back seat of their car. Mary's daughter, Ashley, followed them. Toni got them both into the back seat as quickly she could, and then got back into the front seat. Bill backed into the street, and then squealed the tires as he drove away.

  "What's going on Sis?” Mary asked. It was obvious she was frightened.

  "We will tell you later," Bill said. "Just keep your heads down and try to stay out of sight."

  Bill drove slightly over the speed limit, watching carefully for anyone who might be following them. He made his way to Interstate 66, and drove steadily. He turned south on Interstate 81 around Strasburg. He had always made a habit of filling the car's gas tank when it got down to the ¾ level. Now, he was very glad of his habit. He had just filled up that morning on the way to work. He thought the Impala would go almost 400 miles before they had to stop for gas.

  They drove along in silence. Bill thought that Toni must be in shock. He believed he was as well. He kept watching the rear view mirror, and was just starting to relax when he heard the helicopter approaching them from the rear.