The FBI arrived at the site nearly half an hour after the local police, the closest they were allowed to get to the site was just over a kilometre away, and even from here they were wearing radiation suits. The agent-in- charged found the local sheriff after asking several deputies, they all looked the same in their white environment suits.
“Sheriff Johns?” the agent asked. “Sure, and who are you,” he ask.
“Agent Michael Ford, FBI,” the agent introduced himself, “What have you got so far?”
“Just what you see Agent Ford, just a dam great glowing hole in the ground.”
“Do we know how long it will take to cool down,”asked the Agent.”
“About five hundred years, they tell me, but the heat will dissipate in a couple of days,” Sheriff Johns told Ford. “Anyone claimed responsibility yet?”
“Yep, the USA,”said Johns. “What!”, exclaimed Ford.
“Calm down, not the government,” exclaimed the sheriff, “its a group calling itself United States Atheists, never heard of them before. The call was bounced to us via satellite.”
“Neither have we, you spoke to them,”asked Ford. “Yep,” replied Johns.
“Accent?”
“Sounded like southern, maybe Dallas,” said Johns. “What they say,” asked Ford
“The bozo said they needed to clean the world of Christians, and this was just a warning, cause the building was empty. Oh and they said it was a nuclear device and they had a good supply of them.”
“God save us,” said Ford, just as his com-unit chimed, “Ford,” he said, he listened in silence, his jaw slowly dropping, “Thank you,” he stuttered.
“Problems,” asked Sheriff Johns.
“You could say that,” said ford, staring off into the distance, “These goons have just blown off the top of the Washington Monument.”
The blue and red lights were dazzling in the pre dawn gloom, and a thousand alarms were sounding and echoing from the stone masonry of the closest buildings. The piazza around the obelisk was scattered with more masonry, some of which damaged the paving severely. The top of the remains of the monument were still smoking and one could see occasional flashes from loose electrical wires. The mangled aluminium cap had landed in the Constitution Gardens pond, some six hundred metres away. A kilometre away the White House was on lock-down, fearing that the attack on the monument was a diversion for an attack on the president.
The city police were busy cordoning the area off from the public, and the area was full of shiny black LIMO's that gave a clue to the numbers of FBI agents that had arrived from the nearby Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters.
Ed Winkler, a supervising agent had taken over the site just minutes ago and was already giving orders, he was the stereotypical FBI agent complete with the hair-cut and dark overcoat. “Camille!,” he shouted as he saw an agent he recognised.
Camille changed course in mid step and came to her boss, “Yes Sir, hell of a mess hu,” she said by way of greeting.
“For sure,” Winller acknowledged, “do we know what happened,” he asked.
“Some kind of rocket, from what witnesses have said,” the agent informed him. “almost all the people we interviewed so far have reported seeing some kind of streak like a rocket engine hitting the monument,” she said.
“Where did it come from,” Winkler asked.
“From the south-west, my guess is from the Potomac, Sir,” Camille guessed, “I've already alerted the river patrol to stop and search any boats that they don't recognise.”
“Good work Agent,” Winklet commended.
Back in FBI headquarters at Pennsylvania Ave NW, a group of agents were gathered around a soft-screen, the automatic monitoring unit had immediately picked up a on a new video on the site of the U.S.Atheists.
On the screen was the hooded figure of a male, “My fellow Americans, I am speaking to you on behalf of the USA, this organisation has this morning taken an offensive step against the insidious re-emergence of Christianity in this country. The Christian faith has crippled this great country too long, so we chose two targets which have been destroyed, as symbols for our cause, and as symbols of the Christians.” The picture changed to show a view of the worlds largest modern Christian landmark, Nevada's Great Cross, then the picture went dark and something streaked across the dark screen and exploded in a dazzling explosion as the tactical nuclear device detonated just above the roof of the Cross. The light flash briefly illuminated the Great Cross, then it disappeared in a fireball. The shot changed again to show the hooded figure, “The Great Cross, was chosen simply because it is the largest modern emblem of the Christian faith in the world. Our second target is the Washington Monument, or at least the cap.” The picture changed again to a night shot of the floodlit obelisk, again another object shot across the sky and hit the top of the stone needle, there was a small explosion and a cloud of dust with masonry falling and the extinguishing some of the flood lights. The hooded figure appeared again, and continued, “The reason for this target is that it represents the very centre of our countries government and the aluminium cap bears the inscription, 'Praise be to God' in Latin. Just as we have destroyed these emblems, the Christian faith must be destroyed and pruned from this country. If heed is not taken, more will follow.” The screen twisted and returned to the home-page of the organisation, bearing a Bald Eagle destroying a cross.
President James Orwell sat behind the usual lectern bearing the Great Seal waiting for the L.E.D.s built into the reading desk to turn red, which told him that the transmission had begun. Why did this have to happen in my watch, he thought as he waited, this needs to be stopped one way or the other. The presidential press officer stood facing his political master, with one eye on the president and the other on the studio door, he was waiting for the congress vote result that would give the President the power he needed to declare the US Atheists illegal.
“One minute,” the in-house producer said.
The President looked cool and relaxed but underneath he was sharing the anxiety that his aid and press officer was feeling. Orwell had had more practice at the poker- face than most of his staff and as the seconds ticked away he went through his preparations, and said a quick prayer.
The lights suddenly turned to yellow and started their flashing dance, getting faster and faster as the last ten seconds passed, then stopped for one second before turning red.
“My fellow Americans, today the very roots of our country were attacked by terrorists,” Orwell started, “the guilt for this heinous attack has been claimed by a group calling themselves the United State's Atheists, I must add quickly that these people do not represent these United States in any way, nor is there any connection with this administration. I am sure most of you have seen the video that this organisation has posted today, I thank God that there has been no loss of life, but this organisation have promised that people will loose their lives if this administration does not act against the Christians in this country. I reiterate, the US government does not deal or comply to the demands of, terrorists.” Just as the President was about stall for more time the door opened and a messenger hurriedly stepped into the studio, then handed a document to the press officer. The press officer looked at the document then towards the President and shook his head.
The President looked straight at the camera, and continued, “My friends and countrymen, I have just heard that Congress has voted not to give me emergency powers that I need to outlaw this organisation,” he bent forward and took the slip from the PO's hand. “However I am taking the unusual step of assuming control as Commander and Chief of the armed forces, in order to protect this country. I promise that every member of this organisation will be hunted down, they will not be allowed to threaten this country. Thank you for listening.” The lights on the lectern faded out and Orwell stepped down from the little dais, his face immediately showed the anger that he was feeling, “Kirk,” he called to his aid, “I want a meeting with the Chiefs of Staff first thing tomorrow, I don't care where they are, I want them here by ten tomorrow,” with that he walked out of the studio, leaving his aid and PO looking at each other with open mouths.
The whole of Congress was shocked and appalled by President Orville's unilateral declaration of taking the armed forces over, despite Congress' decision not to declare the US Atheists an illegal organisation. In truth many of the congressmen had opted to swear allegiance to the flag, and had opted out of the final 'So help me God ', prescribed by the oath. The room was filled with over a hundred congressmen, all wanting to have their say, and only a handful were themselves Christians. In actual fact there was a near riot in the room, and the person responsible for the impromptu meeting had lost control. The hope was that Ernest Parsons would be able to organise an emergency vote of censure on the President, before things got out of hand.
After over an hour Congressman Parsons managed to regain some control and was getting the numbers that he needed to hold a vote. Both houses were called into sitting and by eleven o'clock that night, the censure motion was passed. At just five minutes after the vote was announced a US Marine detachment entered both upper and lower house, their commander announced that the houses were being dissolved and that the elected representatives should vacate the Capitol Building. Whilst most left quietly, twenty-three senators and over a hundred and fifty representatives refused to leave and were arrested.
The joint Chiefs of Staff assembled in the command bunker beneath the White House, on a cold frosty morning, many had travelled over-night to attend at their Commander in Chief's orders. The mood in the room was muted, and the most prominent thoughts were surrounding what would happen to the United States under the military control of this president. Nothing like this had ever happened in the history of the US, there was no president to guide anyone, including the president.
Montgomery Hearst, the Commanding General of the US Army and Chairman of the JCS, was particularly apprehensive, if the President wanted these US Atheists hunted down, It was he who would be called upon to provide the essential ground troops. Hearst felt the eyes of the others on him, which made him even more uncomfortable. At eight thirty five the room stirred as the President entered the room and the staff members saluted whilst taking their seats.
“Please be seated,” Orwell said as he took his seat at the head of the oval table. “Thank you for attending at such short notice. I am sure that every one of you has seen the transmission from yesterday, so I will not be explaining my position on this, and let me say this first of all, some of you may agree with me some may not. That is immaterial, no matter what your personal beliefs, to obey the President as your C in C is your duty. Do I have your allegiance?”
There were general nods around the table, some seemed enthusiastic others were hesitant, neither of these went unnoticed by Orwell. The president was particularly heartened by the unswerving loyalty of Major General Ray Dempsey, of the US Marine Corps, who he saw was nodding vigorously.
There were only two people in the room that were not wearing a military uniform, one was the President, the other was Herb Courtney, Director of Homeland Security.
The President continued, “You all know Herb, from Homeland, who I have asked to attend today, I conferred with Herb yesterday and ask him to get what ever information he could at short notice about these US Atheists. Herb, can you share what information you have please.”
Herb opened a security folder, and remaining seated he said, “This organisation is completely unknown to Homeland and the NSA, they seem to have arisen during the past two to three months. Their leader seems to be a male Caucasian by the name of Richard Perking, unfortunately we have no record of him. The FBI gave us the satellite tag for a boat they think the the Washington rocket was fired from, and we traced it down to Charlton, where it's been abandoned. We have forensics on it now. So that's the starting place as the boat was stolen from the marina there. Their net-slot claims they already have over a million members.”
“Not much to go on,“ commented the President, “Herb, I want you to coordinate the action against these people, and I want us to clamp down hard.”
“Yes Sir, one other thing,” said Herb, “we have learned one thing that may be a complication, it may be that the Christian militias are mobilising to find these terrorists, the feeling is that if they find any members, they will shoot them.”
“I will not have any vigilantes causing problems,” Orwell said, we need to keep these private militias out of the picture. Herb I am leaving you to continue this meeting, and I want one hundred percent cooperation from each one of you, I want no more attacks.”
The president left the room and the JCS continued under Herb's direction, in order to come up with strategies to find and stop the US -A's.