The President was very impressed to save these old Victorians. Every house had beautifully stained wooden floors, high 10-foot ceilings, winding staircases, and classic crown moldings.
Somewhere down the line, Americans lost their style and elegance, cheapening it with plastics and synthetic materials.
After the inspection, the President and mayor headed to the old Studebaker buildings on the Southside.
The President used the money to start an electronics corporation. The business owners retrofitted the old Studebaker buildings to produce flat-screen TVs.
The President was happy to see a parking lot filled with cars while factories’ smokestacks emitted white smoke and steam into the atmosphere.
The President and mayor met the president of the corporation outside the main entrance. Word traveled fast when the President came to town.
President of the corporation gave them a grand tour of the facility.
Before they had entered the production facilities, they donned on masks and white suits, protecting the sensitive electronics from dust and dirt brought in from the outside.
As the group entered the cavernous room, the President frowned when he saw the automated production line.
The President asked, “I see a lot of machines and equipment, but I don’t see the workers?”
“Mr. President; this facility is quite large. This is the automated circuit board production. Workers assemble the flat screens in the next room. Many workers also build the LCD screens across the street,” the president of the company stated proudly.
“Good, let’s go see the workers,” President Davis said excitedly.
As the group entered the assembling room, the workers turned to see who entered.
Then they began clapping and cheering.
The President shook the workers’ hands as he walked by, bestowing respect and admiration onto each worker.
At the end of the tour, the President turned to the mayor and president of the company and stated, “I am very pleased with your progress.”
“Thank you sir,” the mayor and company president said in unison.
“However, I see a lot of work ahead of us. The Republic neglected South Bend for over a half century; it will take at least two decades under the Empire to bring her back to her former glory.”
“Yes sir; I know, but at least we’re making a difference. Every job we create and each home we rebuild, we move one-step closer to our goal,” the mayor added.
“And of course, homes and jobs go hand in hand. Without the good-paying jobs, any effort into rebuilding the homes would be futile,” the President concluded.
President Davis expanded his economic plans to the other great American cities, transforming their economies. Businessmen reopened factories and employed workers while people renovated their neighborhoods.
America’s greatest cities were coming back. One of the hardest hit states, Michigan, began a massive revival. She rose up and became a great state once again under the American Empire.
***
President Davis was a firm believer in science and the arts, and he started the President’s Award for Excellence program.
Any inventor, writer, or artist, who created a masterpiece or invention that greatly benefited society were eligible to apply.
President Davis arrived to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to pass out this year’s award in 2020.
He stood on the stage behind an oak wooden podium. Behind him, one platinum medal, two gold medals, and three silver medals laid on the table’s top while envelopes containing checks lay next to the medals.
President Davis began his speech:
It pleases me to stand here today in front of these esteemed scientists, inventors, and artists, and of course with the whole nation watching.
As you know, I am a firm believer in technology and progressing humankind.
I want to advance civilization, elevate our standard of living, and of course, give the people new sophisticated toys to play with.
The President paused as the crowd erupted with laughter. Then he continued,
So today, I reward these innovators for their hard work and creativity.
Six lucky people earned these awards.
I am a person who does not like to waste time.
So, I begin calling out names.
Top award goes to Michael Felton for inventing a new technology that purifies salt water.
Saltwater flows along a long tube, and special electrodes and magnets on the sides pull the salt ions from the water, purifying water.
This new technology gives coastal cities access to an unlimited, cheap supply of fresh water.
Michael Felton, please come down and claim your award.
He wins the Platinum medal in excellence and receives a $5 million-dollar check.
Of course, minus the 15% deduction for income taxes.
Crowd laughed again, and then they began to applaud.
A heavyset man with a grizzly beard and jolly cheeks stood up and began walking down to the stage. Man wore large, black-rimmed glasses
Michael walked up the stage and shook the President’s hand.
Then the President handed him the platinum medal and his check.
Next, Richard Caspian wins a gold medal for advancing the role of micro-phages as antibiotics.
His new technique allows him to engineered phages to attack specific, harmful bacteria.
Phages fix some of the problems with the traditional antibiotics.
Second gold medal goes to Ron Kenniston for developing the universal cell phone.
Here is that new toy I had mentioned.
Ron has integrated a computer, phone, GPS locater, TV, computer games, and radio into one small unit.
Units even have Windows 12 installed on them.
The President held up an electronic device that looked like an Apple Iphone, but it was slightly larger.
Crowd stared in awe at the device.
This unit allows people to write a document, balance their checkbook, locate their current position on the earth with a detailed map, and of course, someone told me it could make and receive phone calls and emails.
And it gets better.
The Windows 12 Operating System is guaranteed not to crash.
Crowd erupted in laughter again.
The President continued after the laughter had died.
These types of phones are not new, but Richard has incorporated a quad-core 64-bit microprocessor into these phones, ushering us into the sixth generation of cell phone technology.
Will Richard and Ron, please stand up and come down to get your medals and prizes?
Crowd applauded.
The President shook the scientists’ hands and handed them their medals, and three million-dollar checks.
Finally, Aretha Jones wins a silver medal for writing a beautiful play filled with hope about how three inner-city youth kids growing up and triumph over poverty and urban decay.
Youths formed a bond where they promised to help each other fight the temptation of joining urban gangs, abusing drugs, and work themselves out of the ghetto.
When I first saw this play, I almost had tears in my eyes.
It greatly affected me.
Alexander Sasha wins a silver medal for his biological filter that converts carbon dioxide into oxygen.
These filters look like beehives.
As air passes through them, algae-like organisms create oxygen from carbon dioxide.
Vladimir Kaichovski wins a silver medal for developing the artificial kidney.
Will Aretha, Alexander, and Vladimir please stand up and come down to claim your medals and prizes?
Three people stood up and claimed their prizes.
The President shook their hands and handed them their silver medals and $2 million checks.
***
A week after the President’s Awards in Excellence, the President met the Joi
nt Chiefs of Staff.
A new face, in the crowd, Agent Harris, was a young man in his mid-twenties with light, bronze hair and light brown eyes. He wore a red tie, a white long sleeve dress shirt, dark trousers, and a black dress jacket. He was clean cut, and the poster child for a federal agent.
President Davis asked Secretary Richard Woodland to send over his best agent, and he had arrived.
General of the Army, Edwards began, “Sir; we believe the Russians are developing a new influenza strain that is deadlier than the H1N1 strain that hit the United States heavily in 2010.”
“What do we know about this new strain?” The President asked.
Agent Harris spoke up, “Mr. President; we believe the Russians developed this new strain that is fatal to 30% of the population. Other 70% will survive, but they are sick for two weeks. Sickness at some points is so bad and painful; many want death to come swiftly.”
“The Russians must have invented a very nasty strain,” the President added.
“What makes it worse is the Russians have a vaccine for this strain. From our reports, this vaccine is 99% effective. Russians could potentially knock out our troops and invade the American Empire,” General Edwards said cogently with a worried look on his face.
“We need to get our hands on this vaccine. We need it for defensive purposes,” The General of the Air Force exclaimed.
The President began his discourse, “Generals, the only difference between a defense and an offense is who attacks first. Military develops technology for defensive purposes can easily switch the technology to an offensive one. However, you are right. We need to get our hands on that new virus strain and the vaccine.”
“Sir; what are your plans?” General Edwards inquired.
“That is why Agent Harris joined us today. He speaks Russian fluently and knows how to sneak secretly in and out of Russia. Agent Harris can locate a key scientist who works on the project.”
The President looked at Agent Harris and continued, “You are allowed to offer the scientist up to $10 million, and I will guarantee him citizenship to the American Empire. He can live anywhere he wants. You guys know my motto. If we cannot buy it, then we steal it. I want my military to have the best weapons and technology in the world, so our armed forces will be superior and impregnable. Gentlemen, we cannot rule the world with a second-class military. We must be number one in technology, education, and military weapons.”
***
Agent Harris returned three months later, and he brought Joseph Yelkatrin, his wife Tatiana, and his daughter Svetlana to the Whitehouse.
Joseph Yelkatrin was a Russian scientist and chief creator of this new strain of influenza. He was the epitome of a scientist with white hair and extremely skinny; his white eyebrows almost formed a continuous sash across his forehead.
His wife was slightly overweight and appeared to be 20 years younger than her age.
Svetlana was a typical Slavic woman with long golden hair, and a sleek chiseled and quite exquisite hourglass physique.
They met President Davis in the Oval Office, and he directed his guests to sit on the couch near the fireplace.
As his guests walked by, the President shook their hands.
The President sat down and began, “Well Agent Harris, did we get it?”
“Yes sir, I am happy to report that we have Russia’s new biological weapon. Dr. Yelkatrin, the main scientist, developed the new strain and vaccine. He spent three weeks at Fort Detrick, showing the military how to grow the virus and vaccines. Sir, we underestimated the nastiness of the new strain, but at least we have it.”
“Good, I am very pleased,” then President Davis turned to Joseph and said, “Sir, I owe you a lot of money. How do you want me to pay you?”
“Mr. President; thank you kindly, a bank account will be fine. My lovely wife and daughter want to live in Hawaii, but I want to remain active in my field.”
“Sir, you helped me and the Empire. I will help you any way I can. I will have my computer expert create new identities for you. They will also hack into the computer system at Harvard University and enter a record that you earned your doctorate there. Then I will write a letter of recommendation for you and send it to the University of Hawaii. I am sure they will hire you. You and your family will be very happy there.”
Joseph, Tatiana, and Svetlana radiated large beaming smiles.
Joseph said, “Thank you sir. Oh, thank you sir.”
The President stood up, walked to his desk, and pushed a button on the intercom, calling his aid to his office.
Aid appeared several seconds later.
The President said to him, “Please show my guest here to their room. They can stay at the Whitehouse for several days. Once they are situated, take them to the bank to transfer $10 million into their account and then set up an appointment with Jennifer at the Department of Information.”
Joseph and his family stood up.
The President approached them. Then the President shook their hands again. As his guests were leaving, he stated, “Thank you for helping the Empire.”
The President shut the door and walked to the couch near the fireplace.
He sat down across from Agent Harris and said, “I see you are a rising star in my government. I am very happy with your progress.”
“Thank you sir.”
“I also have a surprise for you. I have a 10% finder’s fee. Give my aid your bank account number on the way out. I will wire the $1 million in your account by the end of the day.”
Agent Harris was very happy. Most powerful man in the world approved of him and, at the same time, made him rich.
Both the President and Agent Harris stood up.
The President shook his hand, and then Agent Harris left the Oval Office.
***
Everyone in the world knew this day would arrive. The President sent the troops to Cuba on Friday, October 1, 2021.
Invasion was easy as if the President had sent demolition experts to implode a skyscraper because the building had several rats.
President Davis kept the naval base open at Guantánamo Bay.
The Empire’s navy sailed across the bay to Miami, Florida, picked up battalions of army troops, and dropped them off on the shores of Havana.
The President chose Havana, Cuba’s largest city and capital.
Cuba’s military didn’t show because they were out gunned and outmatched.
Platoons of American soldiers carefully walked through the bare, empty streets of Havana.
People closed and shuttered all the windows and doors, cowering inside, afraid to peek at the soldiers through the windows.
President ordered the soldiers not to shoot at anyone, unless the enemy shot first. Soldiers marched to the government complex, and again, the soldiers and government workers had abandoned the buildings.
Government officials fled as American troops were landing on the shores of Havana.
The President promised the troops. Once the Empire controlled Cuba, they could return for Christmas, which was why the President chose October 1 as the invasion date. Invasion went so well; the soldiers arrived home before Thanksgiving.
President Davis was delighted with the good news. He granted citizenship to the Cubans and made Cuba the 51st state. He appointed a new governor of Cuba, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes.
Carlos escaped from Cuba with his parents as a child and studied business in college. Then, he started a construction company in Miami, building extravagant homes for the rich. He became very wealthy and converted his wealth into gold in 2008. Then he became a member of the National Workers’ Party in 2014, impressing President Davis.
The President gave Carlos three missions. First, Carlos will lead the new construction boom in Cuba. Second, Carlos introduced the Empire’s laws, which could be challenging. Cuban government transferred all state property and unoccupied land to the people. Families inherited the property where they resided while collectiv
e farm workers gained shares in their businesses after the government had converted them into corporations. Finally, Carlos found three citizens, who espoused the views of the National Workers' Party. Then Cuba sent those three as two Senators and one Representative to Washington, D.C.
President Davis wouldn’t re-shuffle the seats for the House of Representatives. Instead, he simply added new members to Congress.
Of course, Congress became similar to the United Nations. Translators strolled along the halls with the multilingual congressional representatives and support staff.
President Davis kept many pieces of the federal and state government intact, preserving the institutions of Congress and state legislatures, giving the appearance of democracy. However, President Davis ruled behind the scenes by an iron hand. No one could change the law or make a major decision without his approval. Consequently, Congressmen spent their time in their districts, keeping an eye on the federal projects and staying in touch with citizens.
The Congressmen and state legislators extended the eyes and ears of President Davis. If a problem occurred in a congressional district, then President Davis would know about it immediately.
President Davis addressed the nation that evening after the Empire's troops had conquered Cuba:
The Communist party held Cuba hostage since 1959.
Since that time, Communists closed Cuba to the world.
Their government held its citizens under lock and key.
Today, the American military liberated Cuba.
Today, I have opened Cuba to the Empire and the world.
It joins the Empire as the 51st state.
Cuban citizens become citizens of the Empire.
Cubans are free to move anywhere within the Empire, or anywhere in the world for that matter.
The Empire will redevelop Cuba’s cities, especially the largest, Havana.
Before the communists took over, Havana was one of the most beautiful cities in the Caribbean.
They once called Havana the Flower of the Caribbean.
Now Havana will rise and become the most beautiful flower of the Caribbean again.
She will now flourish and grow like the remaining states and cities of the Empire.
The Cuban descendants were ecstatic in Miami, Florida. They sailed across the dangerous waters from Cuba to Florida on homemade rafts and boats, escaping the Communist government. Now, many returned and visits relatives. Some opened new hotels and restaurants.