CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"Mr. President, General Ucclese is outside the White House gate.
"Good, 8:45, he's punctual. Time to go visit the Pentagon" said Pinchon. "I always disliked that place. I always was considered an outsider, and wasn't trusted by the civilian leaders. I always had to watch my back. ...Not with the rank and file though, they are great, but with what was supposed to be the top cream, it had gone sour."
"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Charles Adams.
"No Charles, as much as I dislike the place, I have already prepared for this expedition. I have asked a lot of 'friends' to join me, and we are going to have quite a 'party.' You need to stay and keep track of things around here. I expect you will be able to follow events on TV soon, as I made a few more phone calls, and I think the networks will have some cameras at the Pentagon."
"You aren't worried about getting shot or arrested, when you show up at the Pentagon?
"That's how Ishnik would like me to think. But no, I am confident that my 'friends' and I will be all right."
"How are you going to get in, the news says there are armed guards at the door, and that the Pentagon is becoming a fortress?"
"Fortresses are built to do one of two things. They can try to keep an enemy and danger outside the fortress. Or they can be prisons, keeping people in. Ishnik thinks he is keeping me out, but really I say he is keeping himself in, right where I can find him, and catch him.
"You asked how I am going to get into the Pentagon. Along with my friends, I am going to just walk right in. After all, I am the Commander-in-Chief. So, Charles, hold this fort while I am gone. I guess I should say, if I am wrong, and things turn out bad, then I doubt things will go any better for you. If that happens, don't blame me, just remember, you guys kidnapped me; I didn't volunteer."
"Good luck, Mr. President! We picked the right man."
With that Bull Pinchon, in a crisp black suit, with an Army red tie, and wearing on his left lapel, four General's stars vertically beneath an American flag pin, went out to meet General Ucclese. He was followed by a group of uniformed men, carrying musical horns and some drums, and an honor color guard from the different military Services, bringing the stars and stripes, and Presidential flag, and some military guidons.
Ucclese saluted smartly, and said, "Reporting for duty, Sir. I have brought two platoons with me in armoured vehicles, and these are the Hummers you wanted."
"Good," Bull said. "We are going to take along some of the marine band, and this honor guard."
With that they got in the Hummers, and drove down Pennsylvania Ave., and through Washington, D.C., crossed the Potomac into Virginia, and drove towards the Pentagon. Traffic wasn't a problem, as few people were on the streets. The events unfolding the last twenty-four hours in the streets of the nation's capital, and viewed on every television in America, had motivated everybody to stay in their homes.
Bull said, "Don't drive right up to the front door. Stop where we can walk a ways up to the door. I am expecting company to come marching in soon."
As they neared the Pentagon Pinchon could now see the TV cameras that were pointing at them. The networks had sent cameras and reporters, and photo journalists with zoom lenses were there too. But military police had kept all of the media over one hundred yards from the door.
The reporters shouted questions at Pinchon, but they were too far away. He didn't want to talk with them anyway. He had told them when he was coming so they could broadcast it to the nation, live. He wanted the nation to see what he was doing; and he hoped they would also see, that the people in this big five sided building, recognized his authority. If the Pentagon 'saluted,' Ishnik's power base was gone
Just then, coming up the driveway, marched the Marine Commandant, and two companies of Marines, followed by elements from the other Services, all in full dress uniform. Meanwhile the Marine band quickly set up their equipment, and the honor guard formed up, and unfurled the flags.
"Start the music!" Bull ordered the band leader.
The Marine band started playing John Philip Sousa's, "Stars and Stripes Forever." The honor guard then started marching, with the flags slightly blowing in the breeze, and were followed by the marines, sailors, airmen, and soldiers. Bull walked behind, accompanied by Marine Commandant Huffstetter, and three Admirals, two Army Generals, one Air Force General, and one more marine General.
"Nice to see you," Bull said to Commandant Huffstetter, "and so good of you to bring your 'friends. Sorry for the short notice. Was it any problem to get them here?"
"Glad to be here, wouldn't miss it, Mr. President. As for all these, they all volunteered to come, Sir."
"I hope the guard inside that door, is impressed by the show. I also hope they count the stars on these officers."
As they approached the door of the Pentagon, the honor guard and the corps of the different Sevices stopped, and were ordered to attention. Bull, and the military brass, stopped and stood at attention. The Marine band then struck up, "Ruffles and Flourishes, and Hail to The Chief." An order was shouted to, "Present Arms." These formations, at Bull's instructions to General Huffstetter, were not carrying weapons, so salutes were given, and the guidons, blowing in the breeze, were lowered. Bull saluted back, and the band started playing the Star Spangled Banner. Afterwards, an order was given to, "Order Arms," and all returned to the position of attention. Bull then marched by the assembled columns, and boldly walked up to the front door, followed by the Generals and Admirals.
"I guess we will find out what the guards are going to do now," Bull said. "I am counting on them saluting; not shooting."
As they proceeded through the door, a marine commander of the Pentagon guards, a Captain, shouted, "Halt! This area is a restricted area, no one is allowed entry."
General Huffstetter stepped forward and asked, "By whose order?"
"Sir, By order of Colonel Brixton."
Captain, you see these stars?
"Yes Sir."
"Do they out rank a Colonel's eagle?"
"Yes Sir!"
"Then I am ordering you to let us in. You will not hinder us, or the platoons of Army soldiers behind us. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir!"
"Captain! 'General Officers are on deck.'"
"Yes Sir!" And he immediately orders his marine guards to 'Attention!'
"Captain ...you have not noticed ...that man standing there is your Commander-in-Chief ...the President of the United States of America, Ulysses Pinchon.
"Yes Sir, sorry Sir, I did not..."
"'Stand at ease! ...Captain, you are to take your platoon, and return to quarters. You are 'Dismissed!'"
The captain then ordered his troops to "About Face," and marched them off, to return to the guard room.
"Well done General," Pinchon said. "In fact four stars do out rank a full bird colonel."
With that, Bull, and company walked through the security area and proceeded towards the Defense Secretary's office. By this time, General Ucclese, and his two platoons of soldiers had come through the doors and were following behind. The General left ten soldiers to secure the doors, and the rest continued marching behind the President.
As they walked through the corridors, the various office doors remained shut. No sound was heard, coming from within any offices, nor was there any other noise in the corridor, all activity seemingly had come to a halt. Except for the sound of the steps of Bull and his companions, there was a strained silence. It was as if everybody was holding their breath.
As they opened the door to the Defense Secretary's office, Ishnik's secretary stood and said, "He is not here. He and Secretary Strate left about fifteen minutes ago."
"Where did they go?" General Ucclese asked.
"I don't know, Sir. They saw you on the TV, as you arrived, and then they ran down the hall."
Just then, Bull heard the whirring sound of a helicopter revving up, and taking off.
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sp; "My guess is that Ishnik 'has left the building'," said General Huffstetter.
"Yes, he's retreating without a fight," Bull said. "General Ucclese didn't arrest me, and Ishnik's troops here wouldn't fire on 'Old Glory,' and fellow Servicemen so he had to make a quick retreat. Ishnik and Strate can try to rally forces, but I don't think they will find any among the American Armed Forces. I talked to quite a number of Generals and colonels, last night.
"However, I didn't talk to one particular General though. Let's go visit General Yates."
As they went down the hall, they saw now that there were a number of officers, Servicemen, and Pentagon civilian workers, distraught outside the door of the Army Chief of Staff. Some of the secretaries were crying.
"What is going on, let us in!" said General Ucclese.
"It's General Yates and Secretary Strate, Sir. They are both dead!" said an Army captain. Five minutes ago we heard shouting between the General and Secretaries Ishnik and Strate. They were yelling back and forth, something about President Carr and North Koreans. Yates was yelling 'Lies, Lies ...all Lies." Then there was one gunshot, followed closely by another. Secretary Ishnik came running out the door, and ran off. We waited what seemed like about two minutes to see if the shooting was done. Then there was a third, single shot. We waited just about a minute more, to see if the there was any more shots, and we cautiously entered the office. ...Army Secretary Strate was laying dead on the floor with a bullet between his eyes, and General Yates was slumped over, dead in his chair.
Ucclese entered the office, followed by Bull and the others. There was a lot of blood on the floor and desk. Army Secretary Strate lay dead on the floor, a pistol clutched in his hand, with a head wound.
General Yates was slumped in his chair, with a bullet wound in his left abdomen; his head was rolled forward, showing the effects of a bullet fired point blank to the temple. He had a long barreled pistol in his hand. Forensics would later conclude that Strate had shot him first, and then Yates had killed Strate with a bullet from his Civil War pistol. Evidently, in complete shame at what he had gotten himself into, and could not undo; Yates in desperation had written a blood stained suicide note, pointed the gun at his head, and shot himself.
On his desk, was the short bloodied note, that said, "Sorry Bull, I always thought I was serving the nation. I failed to do my duty. I never wanted anything bad to happen to you."
"Aw Willy! This is the only way you could see to get out of this mess. You ate a bullet because you couldn't bear to face me, let alone yourself. Everybody know, ...this man fought America's battles, and bravely put himself in harm's way to protect liberty. But how the mighty are fallen. He got deluded by slick, flattering, high sounding words. Learn from him. The General first walked listening to advice from bad people. He then stood among the corrupt conspirators. And then he sat down with those that scorned our democratic and constitutional government. Willy, Willy, I loved you, you were a soldier. What a waste.
"We can't stay here. Military police and the FBI are going to have to sort this out. We cannot let events lead from bad to worse.
"General Huffstetter, I am leaving you at the Pentagon, as the senior officer. Besides you are the newly designated Chairman of the Joint Chiefs! I have not only fired Ishnik, and the former Chiefs; I have also fired the Deputy Defense Secretary. The rest of the new Chiefs of Staff will arrive to help, as soon as they can get here from around the world. But none of you have been confirmed by the Senate. Nevertheless, you have to take charge."
"Yes Sir."
"If some high powered civilian tries to get in your way, tell me, and I'll fire him too."
"I get along with many of the civilian bosses. But there are some drones that will have to be dealt with.
"Sir, you may not know it, but Ishnik had set up some kind of an elitist council of people in here, he claimed it was merely a group of 'patriotic' citizens. I don't think it was composed of just Pentagon people, but most of them were. I have heard some strange rumors about them, and I am certain many of them still work in this place."
"Don't throw everybody out getting rid of them, but if you learn who they are, I am sure the FBI could have a 'conversation' with them. There is no room for secret political organizations in any part of this government.
"Knowing Ishnik, I imagine it was just another one of his ways of duping and using people to achieve his own personal ends. They probably did not realise that Ishnik was an egomaniac; he probably assured them that were defending the nation.
"General Yates is a prime example of Ishnik's power to manipulate. He promoted him, Yates was a loyal fellow, and Ishnik slowly poisoned his mind, and got him to do his bidding. That is the reason Ishnik couldn't stand me. I wouldn't worship at his feet, or think his voice was that of an oracle. So he said I was not loyal! Well, Ishnik is the one not loyal now. He is trying to usurp power, unlawfully, and unconstitutionally. But his days are few.
"I had 'Marine One' on standby to fly me back to the White House. But I am going by car instead. Let's head for Pennsylvania Ave., down towards the Capitol building."
"What are you going to do?" General Huffstetter asked.
"I am going to walk back to the White House. I hope as the TV reports my stroll, that average citizens will come out and shake hands, and greet, the new President of the United States. There is still opposition to me out there. If the people and the military acknowledge me, that will go a long way to establishing my legitimacy. That will help me deal with my foes at home and abroad."
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