MacArthur's Freehold

Chapter 43

Chapter 43 -- OSPGZSNCSAFBVGWAVQXD

Carter and Jessica watched the television news, or for what passed for news in recent times. A year ago there had still been a couple of satellite news outlets that, while for the most part lost in a sea of propaganda, still tried to provide some useful information. But before long the carriers succumbed to the pressure and dropped them.

Of course, the internet had continued to provide some means of communication for dissenters, although that was visibly eroding. And with no television or print any hope of the general public being informed was gone. Even the radio talk shows, which had even in their heyday had been pushing at open doors, was being curtailed. The last lights, whatever good they may have once done, were about to go out.

The news did provide some information, however. The attacks on the non-compliant citizenry was no longer hidden, at last not all of it. With effectively complete control of the message, events were depicted as legitimate law enforcement against insurrectionists. The news segment now in progress was more of that.

The usual banner at the bottom of the screen was this time proclaiming that 'DOMESTIC TERRORISM' was the subject. The scene was a common one - shot from behind and over the tops of various vehicles, some of them in the livery of the Illinois State Police, others unmarked but uniformly dark greens and greys, In the area beyond, a number of houses and outbuildings could be seen, some apparently burning, men in dark combat dress moving about. The smoke from the burning buildings was being blown about, occasionally obscuring what could be seen.

The cameras would be kept at a considerable distance. The requisite smoke and flames, vehicles and personnel milling about, was little more than a background for the narrative. Said narrative being delivered by the usual suspects - a young blonde woman at a desk filled the screen now, with her name and title.

"Shelby Mitchell." said Carter. "Now nice, don't get a lot of Shelbys."

"Who's the correspondent, or whatever?" he asked. He had been out of the room when the segment began.

"Hasn't showed yet" said Jessica. "Let's listen and see what they've got for us."

Although the joked about the ridiculous antics of the television news actors, the humor had always been overlaid with the unavoidable foreboding. The naivete of the actors was rather depressing - most of them, Carter thought, were as ignorant as the audience to which they were dispensing their propaganda. Many, if not most of them, probably believed they were reporting facts.

The picture went to a split screen, and another young woman appeared. She was a blonde too, albeit a dirty blonde as they were called. Of course, her hair might well be natural while the anchor's was likely colored.

...that's correct, Shelby." she was saying. Her name was Michelle. "The task force arrived about an hour ago, with search warrants for several of the houses here. It is believed that most or all of them are occupied by people who are either related to one another or involved in other relationships. They had created what is effectively a fenced compound here, with entry controlled at two gates here on the highway.

"People familiar with this area say the two gates, about a hundred yards apart along the highway here, were normally closed, with the occupants using a remote opener, like a garage door opener, when they entered or left."

"Do you know if there had been unusual activity there recently?" asked Shelby.

Of course there was. The question would have been on the teleprompter. And Michelle would have the correct answer.