MacArthur's Freehold

Chapter 64

Chapter 64 -- XFQYOFXMYFOGNOJ

General Anthony watched the screens for alerts that might signal a coming summons to the White House. Earlier in the week he had met with Major General Myles Talbot. He confided his suspicions to Talbot and laid out he likely scenarios they could face. Talbot was equally pessimistic about the future, and was considering retirement if things got much worse.

They were driving a rented car in the countryside outside DC - Anthony trusted no one, and was having to tread carefully. If he had a sufficient cadre of general officers the upper reaches of the army, with the ear of the chief of staff, he might be able to make something happen.

"General Burbank is a reasonable man" Talbot said when Anthony asked for his assessment. "What he will do if put in that position, of imposing martial law, or attempting to, I don't know. He could be planning to retire even now, like some of the others. I'm almost certain that he would, if given that order."

"That what's I fear" Anthony said. "And in the end the only ones left will be the ones who will do their bidding, and there are too many of those already. The only question is when to approach him on the matter. He's the one who will have to give the orders - I'm just the chairman, with no direct control.

"I suspect it will be a while before it happens, but if this continues to grow the inner circle will panic. And since martial law over a country this size, even if they could double, or triple, the size of the army overnight is just not possible. It would only take us further down the path to complete chaos, maybe even a breakup of the country."

"I believe you're right, Sir." Talbot said. "Even though you're on the inside and know a lot more than I do, I can see it."

"You may have to make a hard decision soon, if something can't be done. Do you know Arthur Harris?"

"Not well, but my assessment is that he's a lot like me. Which means he has no future in this army."

"You think he'd be in our corner?"

"No doubt, sir."

"That's what I was hoping. I've got probably five or six more candidates, you can probably guess who they are. I'll try to get to each of them, see where they stand, in the next few days. We'll have to work out a way to communicate outside official channels. I'd like to have a backup plan in place well before we need it."

"You can count on me, sir. I believe if you have the level below General Talley, he'll listen to any reasonable proposal."

"Thanks, Myles." Anthony said. "Let's get you back to the airport."

He went by his office before going home, sat down at his desk looking at the three large screens in front of him. He left them on all them time these days. It was looking like a slow news day, and he hoped it would be. He looked at the list of names on his computer screen.

He would call Arthur Harris on Monday morning and set up a meeting. He hoped it would be as simple as getting together a cadre of officers who reported to the chief of staff to make the move when it was necessary. There was still time to get it done before the inner circle went mad with fear and did the unthinkable.

Unthinkable to him, at least, or any sane person. He had the feeling that the people over him were not sane.

He should take advantage of the slow day and get home, and spend some quiet time with his wife. Until a year or two ago he had entertained the idea of retiring and spending his days with his family, visiting old friends, and a lot of doing nothing. That no longer seemed likely.