The Dead We Honor by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2024-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

When he had everyone’s undivided attention, Bryan said, “How often have we talked about the declining state of this country? Our political system is broken. There’s only one party, and they are self-interested egomaniacs who intentionally divide America while they make themselves wealthy. Our financial system is corrupt, feeding as much as it can to those who already have more money than they’ll spend in ten lifetimes, while leaving the poor and middle class having to choose between a meal, gas, or necessary medication. All of this while they tell us everything isn’t just fine but trending to get even better. You all know the justice system is a sham. And the media? They open up and say ah as they’re spoon fed whatever the powers that be want them to say. All of this—and I mean all of this—has one root cause. Greed.”

Bruno Rocchio slammed down his empty beer glass. “How much did we give to foreign countries fighting their petty wars just last year? I can’t even count the billions. You see the line for soup kitchens or food pantries lately? It looks like Germany after WWI. It’s a joke!”

Rocchio’s face was red. At least the music and general noise didn’t let his small tantrum leave their table. Lori patted his arm to get him to take it down a notch.

Bryan continued. “The infection started in big cities long ago. Unfortunately, it’s spreading like a virus everywhere the big-city people have touched. When I came back here for my mother’s funeral, I honestly thought I somehow blacked out for a day and drove on instead. Maverick is infested with drugs, illegal immigrants, poverty, and corruption. Like a fish, it’s rotting from the head on down. Amy, you want to fill them in on our governor?”

Amy leaned close to L.G. so he could hear as she recounted everything she’d laid out to Bryan and Shane earlier in the day. Even Norm Hendricks had pulled back his wandering eye to listen. When she brought up the name Nostrand Ganz, Easy sat back in his chair and shook his head.

“That bag of ego is a whale hunter with his finger in just about every pie on every windowsill. What does he want with Maverick, or Iowa for that matter?”

“Ganz is in league with the Chicoms. He wants the land. Supposed leaders like Alexa Bennington are happy to give it. When he has the land he can set the rules as to what gets grown on it, what gets harvested. And what doesn’t. He’s in talks right now about buying Monsanto. He also wants to destroy family farms with toxic electric car batteries. Seemingly whatever is bad for the land, and Iowa, and the people who live there, he wants to do it.”

Charlotte poured herself another beer. “They used to say if you control the oil, you control the world. I guess the food supply is the new oil.”

Lori Nicolo looked disgusted. “Don’t forget all of the oil wells Ganz owns. It won’t be just our country that will have to bow down before him.

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