Give Me Liberty... Chapter 4
Give Me Liberty...
by Stephen Moore
All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 4
Michelle and David sat in stunned silence. They knew when they had been picked up at Park 129 that their day had taken a turn for the worse, but neither knew it was going to be this bad. Michelle tried to compose herself and stop crying but the enormity of the situation made that very difficult. David wasn’t faring much better as he was trying to work the lump from his throat.
“Gold jewelry. A pocket constitution. You both are aware that these items are contraband and ownership is a 1st degree felony.”
Absolute silence.
“Both of you in very serious trouble right now. You’ve both committed felonies, felonies against the state, and these actions will have consequences.”
Neither David nor Michelle moved nor said anything. Michelle had finally stopped crying and was trying to steel her nerves for what was going to come. She knew that whatever was going to happen would only be made worse if she wasn’t paying complete attention to Director Richards. David had also managed to relax somewhat, at least as much as possible when being told one is guilty of a crime punishable by death.
“Your places of employment have been notified that your federal work authorizations have been revoked, thereby ending your employment. Your vehicles have been seized and surrendered to the state. Agents are on their way to your apartment and are going to seize your possessions and notify your landlord that your federal rental authorizations have been revoked. Quite simply, you are now jobless, penniless, and homeless.
“Now you are going to be offered something that very few people in your positions will ever be offered. You will be given a chance to prove to the DFL that it has misjudged you and your actions, and had acted incorrectly in revoking your employment and rental status and in seizing your possessions. I want to make it very clear that this is not a negotiation. There will be no arguments, no bartering. The offer exists only in the here and now, in this room. Outside, you two are simply criminals who have committed felonies against the state. Michelle, your crime carries a potential penalty of up to 25 years in prison at hard labor. David, you face the death penalty.”
The Director leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his stomach. He was a good judge of character and knew how to use it to his advantage. Some people could be bought or bribed. Some had to be tricked. And some had to be put in a situation with no way out. He always enjoyed the latter as it was the most entertaining to him. He didn’t need their help, nor did he need to offer them any mercy or clemency, he did it simply as a form of entertainment. Some people watched TV, but he preferred live interaction.
“So, do you two wish to hear the offer, or shall these agents escort you to the county courthouse to await trial and conviction?”
David and Michelle looked at each other and each knew what the other was thinking. They were in terrible trouble and it would only get worse if they didn’t listen to and accept the offer. Michelle, still having not let go of David’s hand, squeezed it signaling her willingness to go along with whatever was going to be offered. David turned back to face the Director and spoke.
“We’re willing to listen.”
“Very good.”
The Director reached into one of the desk drawers, pulled out a manila folder about half an inch thick and placed it on the deck with an unceremonious thud. He opened the folder and on the very top was a picture of a man posing with a rifle in front of a dead deer. The man looked tall, healthy, and fit and seemed to be quite proud of the deer he had shot just moments before. The director took the picture, turned it around and slid it over to the couple to examine more closely.
“That is Toivo Johnson, head of a small group of outlaws known as ‘The Sons and Daughters of 1776’. They live up in the northern part of Michigan and like to consider themselves better than, and outside of, the current federal system of law and justice. They have the view that the current form of government is evil and corrupt and feel it is their right to live on their own, outside the system. They are delusional and mentally incompetent and need the help of professionals. However, whenever DFL agents have ventured north to apprehend these outlaws, they simply disappear, sheltered, clothed, and fed by locals who are misguided and sympathetic.”
David’s brain focused on one single word that the Director has spoken. Disappear. No one could disappear. The DFL and their numerous checkpoints and permits and vouchers made sure that no one could disappear or function outside of the system. There had to be something more than what was being said, it just couldn’t be that simple. The Director continued.
“These ‘Sons and Daughters’ believe that they can exist indefinitely outside of the system. They don’t have passports, they don’t have work authorizations, and they don’t have respect for their rulers. They illegally hunt animals on federal lands, using primitive weapons and firearms. They steal from their neighbors and friends. They are animals and whether or not they know it, in desperate need of our help if they are ever to be integrated into society as functioning persons.”
The Director paused to let the propaganda soak in. He actually had been telling the truth about the DFL trying to apprehend the ‘Sons and Daughters’ and failing each time. The ‘Sons and Daughters’ were actually better educated than most people in the general population, and even more so than those in government, and knew how to stay one step ahead of the DFL. This was the issue that irritated the Director the most. He didn’t want to waste a large amount of resources and manpower trying to catch these people, but neither did he want to let them continue to be free, thumbing their noses at the DFL. David finally spoke.
“So what exactly is it you want us to do?”
“Simple. Find Toivo Johnson and kill him. Then help us find the rest of the ‘Sons and Daughters’ so that they can be brought in for treatment and eventual integration into society.”
“…kill Toivo…” said Michelle very quietly. “You want us to kill another human being.”
“No, I want you to kill an outlaw. An unrepentant villain who steals from the rest of us and is proud of it. In other words, a wild, out of control animal.”
David closed his eyes and tried to take in the situation. He felt so small and overwhelmed. After a minute, the Director spoke again.
“Now, before we go any further and possibly waste everyone’s time, I want to give you two a few minutes to think about what is being offered to you. I and my bodyguards will leave for five minutes and allow you two to discuss the offer”
With that, the Director rose and began to walk out towards the door.
Then, before walking out, he added, “Remember, this is a one time offer, if you decide to decline the offer, no mention of it will ever be made again. You can beg and plead all you want as they are injecting the drugs into you, and you will feel your life slip away, knowing you had a chance to save and redeem yourself. This is your only chance.”
As soon as the door closed, David turned to Michelle so that they could talk.
“David, I’m so scared. Twenty-five years in prison at hard labor. Murdering another human being. I can’t even think right now.”
“I know, I’m just as scared as you are. But what are we going to do? As you said, you face twenty-five years in prison breaking your back, and your spirit. Me, I wish I had that much to look forward to. But can we in all honesty trade the life of another we don’t even know for our own?”
Michelle just sat in silence and closed her eyes. She leaned towards David until they were leaning against each other shoulder to shoulder.
David spoke softly to Michelle.
“We can’t murder some who never did anything to us. But I also don’t want to die knowing you’re going to spend the next twenty-five years in prison. We have to accept the Director’s offer. It will buy us some time to figure out what we’re going to do.”
“Time to figure out what we’re going to do? Are you mad? You want us to kill that man?”
“No, I just don’t want to die. And if this is what it takes for me to stay alive a little longer, then I’m going to do it.”
Michelle was once again stunned into silence. She lifted her head and look into David’s eyes. She didn’t want him to die either. And she certainly didn’t look forward to a quarter century of hard labor. She sighed heavily as she contemplated the situation.
“Okay. Whatever you tell the Director, I’ll stand behind you.”
Two minutes later the Director and his bodyguards returned. He sat down behind the desk again, his guards assuming their positions behind him. Once again, they pointed their MP5s at the couple, reminding them of exactly who was in charge.
“So, have you two reached a decision?”
“Yes.”
“Yes you’ve reached a decision, or yes you accept the offer?”
“Yes, we accept the offer.”
Michelle squeezed David’s hand again as he sealed their fate.
“Very good. Now we can continue. You two are going to be relocated to the general area that the ‘Sons and Daughters’ operate in. You’ll be given new jobs, a new home, and a chance to start over. You’ll have the full support of the DFL to help you complete your mission. Now, while we’re not going to set a strict timetable on when the objective has to be reached we will be continuously monitoring your progress with the mission. If, at my discretion, you’re not making progress, your pardons will be revoked and the original punishments will be carried out immediately.
“Now, you two are going to have to be prepared in order to increase your odds of finding Toivo and the “Sons and Daughters, and not dying in the process. So, on your feet. Let’s go.”
David and Michelle stood and followed the Director out of the room.
“Over the next three weeks you will be taught everything you would need to know in order to impersonate a couple sick of the system and looking for a way out. You will learn the proper slang, how to live off the land, how to forge documents, and even how to use firearms. The training will be intense and you will master everything that’s going to be taught to you or we will revoke your pardons.”
Three weeks? David had no idea how long it would take to learn what they wanted them to know, but he knew it would take him longer than three weeks. He glanced at Michelle to see what her reaction was, but she seemed lost in thought. And indeed she was. Michelle was wondering what all they would have to learn in those three weeks and whether or not they could successfully learn it. She was so lost in thought she didn’t even notice that the Director had stopped walking and she walked right into him. One of the bodyguards immediately grabbed her and violently threw her to the floor as the other switched off the safety on his rifle and pointed it directly at her head, his finger resting on the trigger. Michelle’s heart stopped as she stared at the barrel pointed at her forehead. She was too scared to feel the pain of being thrown to the ground. David on the other hand came alive inside with hated and anger. Adrenaline surged through his veins and his fist involuntarily clenched as he watched his wife lying on the floor, her life in the hands of the guard with his finger on the trigger. David decided that maybe he would be able to kill after all. The director turned to the guard holding the rifle and spoke.
“Let it go. She just has a lot on her mind right now. Don’t you Michelle.”
She nodded and started to apologize but the Director cut her short when he spoke to David.
“Help her up and then follow me to your quarters.”
David walked over to Michelle started to help her back to her feet as the bodyguard switched the safety on his rifle from ‘Fire’ to ‘Safe’ and lowered it back to his side. The other guard, the one who threw Michelle, grew impatient with how slowly David was moving. He reached over and grabbed both people by their collars and jerked them to their feet. The group then started to follow the Director down a hallway which led to another building. It was where David and Michelle would receive their training and have their lives further altered. David was still seething with anger as they walked and had made up his mind that one day he would offer the guards and the Director some payback for the way they had treated Michelle that day. But for now, he would play along.
