speech next Monday at a college in Iowa where we will effectively control security."
Smirking, she continues, "Sadly, things will not go well and he will be the victim of a bomb attack."
"After the event, we will say that we have evidence that it was the work of radical subversive elements that have taken over the Convention and, on that pretext, we will act. The mainstream media will back us up, I've already spoken their corporate offices, and they assure me of full support. Media outlets not in agreement will be silenced. I assume you know whom I mean."
"Once the Convention leadership is decapitated, we strike across the board. I've ordered Homeland Security, NSA, FBI and other loyal agencies to begin secretly moving people and assets into the rebel states and to be ready. Also, the Joint Chiefs have been informed and, despite the defection of some disloyal units, they have taken steps to be ready to move on these centers of social treason."
"Finally, I want to thank you all for your support. It means a great deal to me and I'm sure our efforts at common sense reforms will be successful. It's time for unity! We need to be one people, one nation, with one leader! Thank you for your support."
The presidential seal reappears. Then the next figure to appear is the Secretary of Homeland Security who begins giving an overview of the operational details, communications protocols and a hierarchy of command.
"Well, isn't that interesting," says a stunned Mike to the others.
"I think we got our PSA insert?"
"Yes, this will make a nice little revelation," says David.
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
At the farm house on the outskirts of town David talks with his colleague Todd back at Convention headquarters in Kansas City by means of an encrypted satellite link. Todd confirms that the video files of DeWitt's conference call as well as the recording of Bader's meeting at the Carrington with Mark have been delivered to Munson who, in turn, has passed this new information along to the Free State governors. Munson has updated his narrative for the video to be broadcast after the bombing.
The governors have begun a final series of state police security sweeps to locate any nests of DeWitt's Homeland, NSA, DIA and SS agents in their states that they missed. The senior command structure of the state militias are on alert as well as select officials of local and state police. They are ready to pounce when DeWitt's coup d'etat begins.
They discuss the plan to get Munson out of Ft. Dodge and to the Free State of Nebraska. Clearly the roads and airport will be locked down but they have a very unorthodox plan. Todd says he's made all the arrangements but secrecy is paramount.
Monday, April 18, 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
Jim is in his East Gym loft watching video feeds while the others, on the roof and around Bander Hall are looking for any sign that the SS has planted the bomb. David and Mike are watching the feed coming from Mark's trailer.
At the site of the event, many delivery trucks come and go, many people are moving chairs, lamps, equipment, all the items needed for a major televised speech. Bunting is hung, flags are positioned, signs are placed, plants are set in decorative arrangements.
Jim spots Mark walking behind the platform from the camera feed from his former attic abode. The area is empty, no prying eyes. Mark has a rather large suitcase. He looks suspiciously around then disappears beneath the raised platform.
Another tiny security camera, installed late last night under the platform, shows Mark carefully counting off the steps from the side of the platform to the point directly beneath the podium. He lays the suitcase flat, opens it, examines it, closes it and leaves. He reappears on the attic cam as he emerges from under the platform.
Jim tweets an innocuous message. The others know that it means the bomb has been found. They quickly converge on the East Gym loft. He shows them the video.
Jim and David duck down into the tunnels and, very quietly, emerge under the platform. There it is, a few feet away.
Ever so carefully they creep toward it. David examines it warily. Gingerly, he opens it. Inside, carefully packed, are many bars of high explosives and, on either end, dual radio controlled detonators. He takes a photo of it with his cell phone then closes the case and they retreat.
Back in the tunnel David says, "They'll make a final check on it, just before the speech. I spotted the activation switches. It's not armed yet. We need to leave things as they are for the moment."
They return to Jim's loft and tell the others who were watching on the security camera the details. From now until the event, someone will always be watching the suitcase.
Time: 1:30 PM
The security camera detects Mark making his final inspection. He once again opens the case and, with a tiny LED flashlight, examines the bomb then flips the two activation switches. Green lights on each detonator begin to flash. Satisfied, he shuts the case, looks furtively about, and leaves.
Moments later, the access door to the tunnel rises. David and Mike scurry out. While Mike plants the flash, stun and smoke grenades, David opens the case, flips off the activation switches, closes the case and hands the case down to Jim below. Retreating into the tunnel, the access door is quietly lowered and bolted.
After its contents are again photographed under better light, the case is hurriedly stored in a side tunnel near East Gym. The two videos of Mark with the suitcase, and the one of the suitcase and its contents, will be edited into the program that will be broadcast later.
Ben leaves and takes the flash drive with the images and videos to the farmhouse. There, beyond the reach of NSA surveillance, he spot beams the data by satellite to Kansas City where it will be edited into the final video. Afterwards, he returns to campus where he is scheduled to be one of the prop people on the risers.
Time: 2:45
While Andy and Mike wait in East Gym to act as lookouts, the others are waiting in a steam tunnel near the Bander Hall tunnel that leads beneath the stage. Andy and Mike are monitoring the Internet, the video feed, radio communications, watching the remote cameras and viewing the scene in the distance from the high windows atop East Gym. They will join the others as soon as the dignitaries begin walking onto the stage.
"Oh crap! Oh crap!" screams Andy.
"What?"
"They're onto us."
"How?"
"The fucking NSA is all over the place. Should'a seen that. They've been port scanning every computer and packet on the campus backbone. They must have detected us capturing the DeWitt video. Now they're hunting for us."
"How'd you find out?"
"I can see it in the network traffic."
"Do they know where we are?"
"No, I don't think so, but we better get out'a here. They might eventually trace the IP numbers we used."
"I thought we did a proxy?"
"We did but if they get hold of it, they might have been able to find our digital fingerprints. Ok, now it looks like all the outside Internet links are cut. They know something."
"Yeah, well Bader just got a text talking about a building by building search. They're in Physics right now. They'll be here next."
"Ok, we're out'a here. To the tunnel!"
They grab their few things, check for anything that might personally identify them, then scamper down the stairs three-at-a-time to the basement. As they reach the tunnel access door, they hear from the corridor above the banging echoes of someone forcing the large entrance doors at the other end of the building. Then the echoes of distant voices.
Andy and Mike tip toe up to the tunnel door and very slowly pull it open. Once inside, they close and latch it, very, very quietly.
As the run towards the Bander tunnel, about 50 yards from the East Gym door, Andy spots the bomb and says, "Wait a second."
He opens the case, reactivates the bomb, then runs with it a third of the way back towards the East Gym tunnel door.
"It's their's. They might want it back."
Turning the corner to the Ba
nder tunnel, Andy flips out the lights to the East Gym passage. They jog towards Bander where the others are waiting. Breathlessly they explain what has happened.
Time: 3:00 PM
University president Alec, several administrative flunkies, a few big donors and some local politicians proceed out from the palladian portico of Bander, up the short flight of stairs and take their places in front of the prop people on the platform where Munson will soon speak. The band plays patriotic music. The crowd numbers nearly ten thousand.
Among the prop people are Phil and Ben, ready to move when the time arrives.
Munson is the last to arrive on the dais. The crowd breaks into enthusiastic applause. The network commentators babble meaninglessly.
When the NSA guys check the basement, their LED flashlights reveal footprints in the floor dust, evidence of recent use. They call their backup and prepare for a co-ordinated sweep of the subterranean tunnel labyrinth.
First the provost takes the podium. A short, fat woman of well renowned incompetence from whom little is expected. She meets expectations. Happily her speech is brief. Next Alec rises and rambles on for a few minutes. Like most university presidents, he was chosen mainly for his ability to look like a university president. He is otherwise clueless. Finally, Munson is introduced. Phil and Ben unobtrusively insert earplugs.
The band breaks into a spirited tune, the crowd rises and cheers. Munson futilely raises his arms in an attempt for silence. Eventually, the applause peters out and his speech begins.
The NSA paramilitary unit