Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

Back in Stuart, Virginia (History Lesson 2/ Part 4)

Joe is right. He did hit the enemy with a single shot to the shoulder. Two inches to the right and down a little, and it would have been bullseye.

General Kerry Nation is asleep in the king size bed in his headquarters in the townhall. He is propped up by pillows and resting so soundly that he is snoring. He was operated on an hour earlier by a doctor who they found in town. Doctors were hard to find these days, most of them had the sense to leave town early on, or lie. Those they did procure on their sweeps through new towns, snuck off the first chance they got.

Doctor Winston, who smells of aftershave that is working overtime to conceal bourbon, gives the patient a good prognosis because no one wants to be the bearer of bad news to mad men. He tells Jane, "He should have bled to death already, but thanks to you, he did not. He is in good physical shape, and with rest, he will survive."

Jane knows the General never sleeps and rest is not in his vocabulary. After the doctor leaves, she gives Kerry an extra dose of something to make him sleep. I should have let him bleed to death, but there were too many eyes on me, she thinks.

Now what, she wonders. I can smother him with this pillow, but where will that get me? The lieutenants are as violent as Kerry, and they are stupid. They will purge until there is nothing left.

Who can lead?

There is a knock on the door. Lieutenant Bolger checks on the general, and then he asks a magical question, "What next ma'am?"

Jane hesitates. Did he just ask me what to do? She pauses and the lieutenant thinks she is mulling it over.

"Do you want us to send a patrol out? Hunt down the snipers. Continue with the executions? Question the prisoners? Get ready to head out?"

So many questions, and Jane answers them all with one statement. "No, let's wait until late afternoon. The general needs to rest. Tend to the wounded and get some rest yourself, Lieutenant. Meet me back here at 1800 hours, and we will develop a more specific plan."

"Yes ma'am," says Lieutenant Bolger. He salutes Jane on his way out the door.

The pain medicine is enough to ensure that General Nation dreams on for hours, Jane by his side. There is a soft knock on the door. A guard leans in and speaks softly to Jane. Everyone is acting as if Kerry is on his death bed, thinks Jane. It is like the family has been called in, and we are all just waiting.

The guard tells her that Gus is back from his search for the prince. He insists on seeing her. Not here, Jane thinks, as she looks over at Kerry sleeping soundly. Gus has been waiting so long for this moment that he will not listen to reason. He is hair-triggered and dangerous to the mission, Jane tells herself.

"Tell him to meet me in the front office in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later and all Gus can say when Jane tells him about the general and her new plan is, "What the hell? Are you crazy?" He answers his own question. "Yes. I believe you are. You're as crazy as the general."

"You better go, Gus," says Jane. "Before I change my mind and lock you up with those kids."

Gus sees the resolve in her manner and recognizes danger. This is the moment his dad told him about. The moment when you have to decide to continue the mission or live to fight another day. "We're done," he says.

Jane tells the guards, "See Mr. Lancaster out. Give him what he needs for his trip. He'll be leaving now."

The guards promptly do what Jane says and this confirms what Gus already suspects - there's a new sheriff in town.

Gus Lancaster, though young for an agent of his majesty's secret service, did not get to within feet of assassinating a madman without certain skills. One of those skills is master liar and con artist.

When he gets to the red jeep he says to the nearest guard, "Get me those two prisoners. The kids. Bring them to me."

"When the guard hesitates, Gus adds, "You heard her. General Nation's wife told you to get me what I need. I'm in charge of a prisoner exchange. Now, get me those prisoners."

"You heard him. Get'em," said the guard in charge. "Now."

And that is how a young secret agent, almost assassin from England, who found himself in the thick of a conspiracy to end the United States, ended up saving a future general in the army of The New Free North American Alliance.

Once they are safely on the road, Gus asks Tommy and Marla, "Now, tell me about this Patrick guy, is he Eliot's man or what?"

"Oh my God," says Tommy. "Did you see that ring?"

"It was so beautiful," I almost cried says Marla. "And the story of how they met and how he has been fighting his way back to her. It was just," she sighs heavily. "You'll have to get him to tell you the story. No one tells it like Patrick."

"Can't wait," says Gus. He makes the turn and heads to Dobson.