Hope by L. Neil Smith

Author:L. Neil Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: L. Neil Smith

“Now, now!” He held up a hand. The uproar had been tremendous, considering who these men happened to be. “I want you to do this for me in absolute secrecy. I want you to bring your plans to me for review one week from today. If any among you feel that you can’t comply with my orders, you may resign now, with no prejudice toward you on my part.”

There was a long moment of stunned silence.

He went on. “Gentlemen, it pains me to agree with a man I disagree with most of the time, Patrick J. Buchanan, but he’s right about this: America wasn’t cut out to be an empire. It’s very bad for us as a people and bad for the people of the world, who don’t hate us without good reason. That’s why I’m ordering our troops home from Siberia, from Korea, from Bosnia, from Germany, from Central America, and from everywhere else around the world where they’ve been sent, including places—like Mali, for example—where most Americans have no idea their military has a presence.”

“Mr. President,” a man in a green uniform with three stars on his shoulders spoke. His silver hair was close-cropped and his eyes were steely blue. “I feel a duty to advise you that the only result of this would be world chaos—“

“General, people who hate freedom always call it chaos.” Alex shook his head. “You don’t hate freedom, do you? Haven’t you been defending it all your life? As it happens, I’m familiar with your distinguished record as a soldier and administrator, and I don’t wish to be rude or disrespectful, but I’m your Commander-in-Chief and I’m giving you a lawful order. If you can’t show me, in the Constitution, where the leaders of this country have acquired a legitimate right to appoint themselves the cops of the world, then you’re obligated to obey that order or resign.”

He waited.

The general said nothing, but nodded.

Still Alex waited.

The general suddenly sat up in his seat, startled. “Uh, yes sir.”

“Been a long time since the Point, General?” Alex asked him. “Okay, then, I’ll see you all here in a week.”

As he and Faith-Anne left the room, John whispered, “Or call it ‘Seven Days in January’.”

Alex laughed.

***

Alex hadn’t quite dared to wear pajamas and a bathrobe. The light sweater and comfortable slacks were casual enough for this setting, he thought.

The Marine non-com who had shown him the way departed, leaving him alone in the enormous kitchen—or as alone as a President ever gets in the White House. His movements were being tracked, he knew, by Agent Smith’s people or by John or Cap. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

He’d wondered how his executive order, placing John in overall charge of security and relieving any Secret Service agents unwilling to follow John’s orders would be taken by Agent Smith, but it hadn’t made much difference that Alex could see. Maybe it was because the younger man had made the older man his mentor and was content to learn at his feet.

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