“I don’t think I will let that last comment get pushed under the rug. Jim, were you making fun of Scott for moving in with me? I might cut your balls off if you are trying to give him cold feet.”
“Joan, you know me too well to think that I would say anything negative about y’all moving in together. I think it’s a great idea.”
“If it’s so great, why don’t you and Imelda live together? You two are together every minute that you are off duty and look at the apartment you get. It has at least two more square feet than the area around your bunk in the bachelor’s quarters.”
They all laughed and went back to helping get Joan and Scott’s belongings unpacked.
***
"Now, class, this is probably the most difficult question of the day. Which is more important, the First Amendment or the Second Amendment to the Constitution?”
He saw several hands go up in a knee jerk reaction and said, “Take your time. This could be the most important question that you will ever be asked.”
✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺
Chapter 3
Terror in Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
February, 2021
The Department of Homeland Security had set up camp just across the river from Decatur in a little town named Peets Corner. There were over two hundred DHS, three companies of Kentucky National Guard and a regular Army artillery company making up the force. Only the DHS officers knew that the President of the USA wanted to make an example of Decatur. Their orders were to kill every man, woman and child and then destroy the town. The President was worried that the National Guard may not carry out their part of the massacre if they knew the whole story about the attack. Their officers had been told that a biker gang had taken over the town and had already killed all of the citizens.
“Sergeant Davies, what did your scouts find on the other side of the river? Did the DHS or anyone see your team?”
“Sir, no one saw the team. Those biker gang members apparently brought women and children with them. They also have farmers and some policemen. Sir, there are about forty five hundred civilians across the river.”
“Thanks for the update. Tell your men to keep this to themselves. Dismissed.”
“Alex, gather the scouts and meet me behind the mess truck in ten minutes.”
“Will do.”
Sergeant Ted Davies knew that he could not be a part of the attack on Decatur, but wanted to make sure that the biker gangs didn’t fool the scouts. Even if the gangs controlled the city, it made no sense to shell the women and children.
“Team, give me more detail. How many kids and what ages? How many women and were they armed?”
“Ted, I saw over a hundred kids of all ages in schools and playing in the park.”
“I saw that plus most of the women were unarmed and the ones that were appeared to be part of a group that was guarding the city. They have guards at all entrances to the city. These were well-dressed and clean people. I never saw any greasy bikers. We can’t kill these people.”
“Okay, keep this to yourselves. I told the Major and he is thinking about the situation.”
“Damn, he’d better think quickly. The artillery starts in two days and I’m not joining in on the attack.”
All of the men said that they would not attack innocent civilians.
“I’ll talk with the Major again, but don’t talk out loud about this. The DHS will shoot us for insubordination if they catch wind of these comments.”
“We just want to go back home to Madisonville and see our families. This is bullshit.”
***
“In thirty four hours we will begin moving troops across the river and an hour later we will begin shelling the enemy. Another hour after that the attack helicopters will finish off any remaining enemy troops. This will send a
“Joan, you know me too well to think that I would say anything negative about y’all moving in together. I think it’s a great idea.”
“If it’s so great, why don’t you and Imelda live together? You two are together every minute that you are off duty and look at the apartment you get. It has at least two more square feet than the area around your bunk in the bachelor’s quarters.”
They all laughed and went back to helping get Joan and Scott’s belongings unpacked.
***
"Now, class, this is probably the most difficult question of the day. Which is more important, the First Amendment or the Second Amendment to the Constitution?”
He saw several hands go up in a knee jerk reaction and said, “Take your time. This could be the most important question that you will ever be asked.”
✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺
Chapter 3
Terror in Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
February, 2021
The Department of Homeland Security had set up camp just across the river from Decatur in a little town named Peets Corner. There were over two hundred DHS, three companies of Kentucky National Guard and a regular Army artillery company making up the force. Only the DHS officers knew that the President of the USA wanted to make an example of Decatur. Their orders were to kill every man, woman and child and then destroy the town. The President was worried that the National Guard may not carry out their part of the massacre if they knew the whole story about the attack. Their officers had been told that a biker gang had taken over the town and had already killed all of the citizens.
“Sergeant Davies, what did your scouts find on the other side of the river? Did the DHS or anyone see your team?”
“Sir, no one saw the team. Those biker gang members apparently brought women and children with them. They also have farmers and some policemen. Sir, there are about forty five hundred civilians across the river.”
“Thanks for the update. Tell your men to keep this to themselves. Dismissed.”
“Alex, gather the scouts and meet me behind the mess truck in ten minutes.”
“Will do.”
Sergeant Ted Davies knew that he could not be a part of the attack on Decatur, but wanted to make sure that the biker gangs didn’t fool the scouts. Even if the gangs controlled the city, it made no sense to shell the women and children.
“Team, give me more detail. How many kids and what ages? How many women and were they armed?”
“Ted, I saw over a hundred kids of all ages in schools and playing in the park.”
“I saw that plus most of the women were unarmed and the ones that were appeared to be part of a group that was guarding the city. They have guards at all entrances to the city. These were well-dressed and clean people. I never saw any greasy bikers. We can’t kill these people.”
“Okay, keep this to yourselves. I told the Major and he is thinking about the situation.”
“Damn, he’d better think quickly. The artillery starts in two days and I’m not joining in on the attack.”
All of the men said that they would not attack innocent civilians.
“I’ll talk with the Major again, but don’t talk out loud about this. The DHS will shoot us for insubordination if they catch wind of these comments.”
“We just want to go back home to Madisonville and see our families. This is bullshit.”
***
“In thirty four hours we will begin moving troops across the river and an hour later we will begin shelling the enemy. Another hour after that the attack helicopters will finish off any remaining enemy troops. This will send a
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