“SHOOTING STAR” Chapter XXIV – Life’s Course
LOCATION: Phoenix & West Virginia
The situation of the protest and the recent shooting in downtown Phoenix reluctantly makes national and world news. Every media channel all over the country replays the video recording of the shooting and media personnel on scene continuously report on the incident. Even certain scheduled programs are being interrupted by this incident making news and donations to help the victims are pouring in. No temporary fund was set up to receive such donations from the people. So for the time being all media stations have had to either turn down the donations being given or instruct the people to go to their local police station. As you can imagine with people being instructed to do such a thing most of the local police departments are being overwhelmed with people wanting to make donations. Even in that case people are still being forced away because no fund has been set up still and the police are not authorized by the victim’s families to do such a thing.
For the next couple of days media continues to report on the situation, but a little less media coverage goes on by the day. Also to Sandra’s knowledge she doesn’t know that Tommy was downtown just seconds away from the shooting and nearly got shot. For the days after the event Tommy did kind of act unusual, but didn’t treat her any different. Sandra did notice that he would wake up in the middle of the night sometimes in a sweat or just being in the bathroom for a long while. When he would go back to sleep he would toss and turn for most of the night and it began to make Sandra uncomfortable and hard for her to sleep. She wouldn’t say anything to him about it until one day she had a scheduled day off on a Friday, but when she made the suggestion of going out she saw Tommy’s reaction.
SANDRA: She walks out of the bathroom wearing just her red panties and bra of matching color. Hey, Tommy I figured since I am off today we should go downtown and see the sights a little. What do you think?
TOMMY: Just lays there and puts his arm over his head and sighs. Why do you want to do that? Can we just find something else to do today?
SANDRA: Umm…okay, what else do you have in mind?
TOMMY: I don’t know I just don’t want to be bothered by a lot of people today. Let’s stay here or find somewhere else to go. He rolls over with his back to her and begins to play with the bedsheet.
SANDRA: Tommy, what is wrong with you? You’ve been acting weird lately and I am a bit concerned. You haven’t been eating or even engaged me in conversation.
TOMMY: I’m fine. I think I’m just tired of looking for a job and knowing that you have one kind of makes me feel inadequate.
SANDRA: Well, I can’t fault you for trying, but that is no reason to be the way you are. Besides I think something else is bothering you.
TOMMY: Like what?
SANDRA: That is why I am asking you. She goes over and sits on her side of the bed directly in his view.
TOMMY: He stops playing with the bed sheet and looks up at her in her eyes. They look at each other for a brief moment without saying a word then the silence is broken. I was downtown the other day.
SANDRA: What other day? What did you do?
TOMMY: I was downtown a few days ago and I saw the people protesting in front of city hall and all over the streets. I made my way through the crowds and saw people fighting each other over this proposal.
SANDRA: What proposal are you talking about?
TOMMY: The state governments here in the west want to make our reality official. We would become citizens of a new nation within a nation. They want to make our reality such as Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.
SANDRA: Okay, so why does that make you look so down or cause you to act so weird?
TOMMY: Rolls over on his back facing the ceiling with the sun beaming through the blinds onto his stomach. I was also there when the shooting happened.
SANDRA: With that being said that causes her to take a big gasp and covers her mouth with her hand as her eyes got big. Oh my god Tommy, are you okay? She reaches out to touch his chest.
TOMMY: I was downtown with two other guys and one of them didn’t make it back.
SANDRA: What do you mean one of them didn’t make it back?
TOMMY: He turns his head towards Sandra and looks at her in the eyes. One of the guys I was with got shot and died at the scene.
SANDRA: That makes her get out of the bed and backs up with her mouth covered by both hands. OH MY GOD! Why didn’t you tell me Tommy?!
TOMMY: What do I say to you Sandra? That I witnessed a murder in front of my eyes and that this new reality is scaring me to death?! What can you do?
SANDRA: I’m here for you to talk to and this is something that I think I should have known! All that we have been through since all this started we should be closer together.
TOMMY: Sandra, do you understand how this new life has been on me?
SANDRA: What? You think you are the only one that has gone through what you have gone through? That is being very selfish! Katie, who I work with, was in Los Angeles at the time of the attacks. She witnessed her whole family get murdered in front of her eyes. She didn’t die because the gun ran out of bullets and she was spared. John, another co-worker, was in Philadelphia and lost sight in one eye. What do you mean what has this new life done to you? Do you think about me in this?
TOMMY: Sits up and swings his feet of the edge of the bed with his back facing her. I’m thinking of joining the military.
SANDRA: That announcement threw her for a loop. You’re going to join what exactly?
TOMMY: Stands up and faces her from across the room. I was in the career center and saw a guy in his military uniform helping people sign up.
SANDRA: Oh, Tommy please rethink this idea. I know you said you feel inadequate, but don’t make this decision with your emotions.
TOMMY: I’m afraid this is not being made with emotions at stake. I have been considering this for a while.
SANDRA: When were you going to tell me about this? When you signed up? ‘Oh by the Sandra I leave for boot camp next week. Do you support me?’ When were you going to tell me this Tommy?!
TOMMY: I don’t know exactly when I was going to tell you, but I give you my word that you were going to know before I signed on the dotted line.
SANDRA: Tommy think about this and listen to me. I support you in what you want to do, but with things in this country so unsettled who knows what will happen.
TOMMY: That is part of the reason why I am considering in joining the military to help my country out.
SANDRA: Which one are you referring too?
While Tommy and Sandra are in a deep conversation explaining each others feelings and their future together the president of the United States faces challenges on a continuing basis. The president is aware of the shooting incident in Phoenix and starts to think about his next move.
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Mr. President I have the Joint Chiefs in the conference room ready for you.
PRESIDENT FORD: Turns around in his chair and takes off his reading glasses. I’ll be right there Emanuel. Once Emanuel walks out of his office he picks up the phone to contact the Homeland Director in Washington, D.C. The phone goes directly to his voicemail, but chooses not to leave a message and hangs up. He gets up and arrives at the conference with the Joint Chiefs waiting for him. You can have a seat gentleman.
MARINE GENERAL: We all have men in place ready for your word to go in and attempt to turn this situation around.
PRESIDENT FORD: What is the plan of attack?
ARMY GENERAL: Each one of us have four teams of approximately twelve men, who are highly trained men.
MARINE GENERAL: My first team would go in as regular civilians and blend in with the population gathering intelligence.
PRESIDENT FORD: What’s going to be there cover?
ARMY GENERAL: My first team would go in as unemployed workers looking to work for the government. Marines would go in as looking for work in the shops along the streets where we think intelligence can be gathered.
PRESIDENT FORD: What about the Air Force and the Navy?
NAVY ADMIRAL: We don’t have any men going in undercover, but we will be standing by and ready to strike when needed.
AIR FORCE GENERAL: Same here.
PRESIDENT FORD: Let’s hope that won’t be necessary gentleman. Where is the staging area?
MARINE GENERAL: The first twelve are already on their way as we speak and the same for the Army.
PRESIDENT FORD: Okay and what about the remaining three teams?
ARMY GENERAL: The remaining three teams from us the Marines are being held at Sacramento, Seattle, and Flagstaff, Arizona. They will be our strike team to regain strategic positions in the west.
PRESIDENT FORD: Okay gentlemen it seems that you have everything lined up. I give the word to proceed with the plan and let’s hope that no strike team is necessary.
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Runs into the conference room and makes enough noise that causes everyone to turn to look at him entering the room. Mr. President, we have a situation in Washington.
PRESIDENT FORD: What is it Emanuel?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Washington is under enemy attack as we speak.
MARINE GENERAL: What in the hell do you mean under attack? The city is locked down?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I got an emergency message from Homeland Director Franklin that the city’s infrastructure was being tampered with. All of the city and parts of the surrounding areas are being infected with a virus seems like.
PRESIDENT FORD: Virus?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: It is like the area was hit with an EMP and that might have been what is was. An explosion was seen and heard west of D.C. in the Potomac River.
ARMY GENERAL: Who’s responsible for this?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Possibly the same people who are responsible for the first attacks, but I’m not sure. They are afraid this might be the first phase of the attack.
PRESIDENT FORD: Get me the homeland director on the phone immediately.
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: That won’t be possible, sir. At the time I was talking to him the signal was going in and out and very fuzzy. I was just able to make out that they are calling for help and that their infrastructure is in jeopardy.
PRESIDENT FORD: Oh my god! Do you have any suggestions, Emanuel?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I don’t know anything we can do at this time sir except alert other members of government to the situation.
ARMY GENERAL: How do you know that Washington is under attack and not just some malfunctioning with the systems?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I was able to make out that every computer in Washington was infected with a virus and that on every screen had this on it. He shows the piece of paper printed out of his office.
PRESIDENT FORD: Oh my god! The piece of paper in front of the president has the American flag burning in front of a skull with cross bones underneath the skull and the words saying “DEATH TO AMERICA” printed in flames and all on a red background. How were you able to get this? Is our systems here affected as well?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Nothing shows that the virus or anything has infiltrated our systems here in the mountain region of West Virginia. I was able to get that from the homeland director who faxed it to me before the signal went dead completely.
AIR FORCE GENERAL: So are we being infected by a major virus that is causing all of this?
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: I’m not sure what is infecting us, but it does seem like someone has knowledge of our infrastructure and at least for the time being infected Washington.
PRESIDENT FORD: Let’s not jump to conclusions here. We need to find out what is going on and who is responsible. Send a team to Washington immediately to assess the situation and report back to me on what they find.
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: In the meantime, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT FORD: Raise the terrorist threat level to red.
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