Chapter 23
Chaos, Reboot and Closure
When it became clear that the Trumps were gone and would not be back things got really chaotic. But it turns out that the 10th Mountain Division had also disbanded the entire government except for the new acting President and Vice President. Once they were sworn in Kamala Harris became the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the CSA. Kamala signed an Executive Order abolishing the CSA, reinstating the USA, and declaring that there were no longer any prison states.
The militia appeared in their intimidating displays all over the CSA with their raggedy clothes, their flag decals and their long guns. But almost everyone in every red state owned at least one gun. Other citizens who wanted the USA back faced off with the militia people. The army tried to stay out of it all because they were not supposed to operate on American soil against American citizens. The police decided to try not to take sides and to just deal with whoever was disorderly. States activated their National Guard troops with instructions to try to minimize gun violence. But people died at the hands of the various militia groups or when armed troops and police officers could not tell who was right and who was wrong.. There was some fighting in the streets but the militia was obviously confused. They were not sure who their enemies were now that the Trumps were gone. Still, with all that anger built up over decades it spilled out and many militia people also died.
When Mo and Drew arrived at the southern border between NY and Pennsylvania their hearts were warmed by the response from New Yorkers. Trenches were being dug and lines were being formed and barricades raised if anything was available to use as a barricade. And there was a whole contingent of NYS indigenous people.
When Mo wrote about it all after it was all over (yes, Mo lived) he had learned the stories from California, Oregon, and Washington States and the same thing happened there. Everyone showed up. There were attacks on the prison states but they really did not amount to much in the end. A few shots exchanged, some heated words, a number of wounded on each side, but very few deaths. The heart just went out of Trump’s Troops and the officials, when they realized the USA would be re-forming, offered up some impromptu celebrations for the troops. None of the uniforms had even been changed from USA to CSA. The Republic was good to go. Yes, anticlimax, but it was exactly as the Rebellion had wished it would be, although a few more people died than they would have liked.
When Mo, Henry, and Drew got home from the war that turned out to be just a slight incursion everyone was at Hannah’s house with Ben and Barbara. Even Penny and Robert were there so there was a big hug fest. Then there was a big food feast. Then they started planning the wedding.
The next day they heard how Lily and John had talked their way out of the Oath Keepers clutches. Lily got her chignon back in order and started handing out business cards and leaning her head on John’s shoulder and smiling. She wasn’t acting scared and it spooked the militia people. She invited them to the Vineyard for a tasting and a BBQ. She had them whipped into shape in no time offering to cut one biker chick’s hair and admiring tattoos. She just called on all her social skills to defuse the situation and next thing you know she was home and John was there and they were hosting a BBQ. Their guests were not really wine people but Lily had a couple of kegs of beer she could tap into. She said that the BBQ would end at 4 pm and then she wanted to be able to clean up and spend some time with John. She said it with such a suggestive smile that everyone understood exactly what she meant and, miracle of miracles, the last bike departed at 4 pm on the nose. It turns out that Lily and John are both single parents and it is looking like they will not be single much longer. Lily is a star!
The wedding of Mo and Hannah was a family affair only and it was lovely. They moved in with Bea and Henry for a while and then built a home on a property nearby when it was vacated by an old couple who had lived there for a long, long time. The house was so old that rebuilding was the most sensible thing to do.
In late October all the heroes of the Rebellion met in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and spent a wonderful week riding and eating and rafting and just so happy to finally meet in person. They made s’mores and talked and talked and sang and danced. The gorgeous gift of calm and peace that nature gives people, especially people who have been through a lengthy ordeal did its magic.
It was going to take some time to get America up and running again as if should be, to decide what laws to keep and which to toss, to patch things up with their allies and decide what to do about their enemies. The Constitution had not protected the United States from a person with authoritarian impulses so it had to get some teeth. They needed to make it clear that the Chief Executive was not above the law and they needed to make sure they had ways to stop unconstitutional power grabs. Hector, the Beast, Chavez thought he might like to have a role in that. He was going to run for office and he wasn’t planning to start at the bottom. He wanted to go to Congress. So, we will leave our heroes at the edge of a new, old nation with Drew and Joanna making googly eyes at each other and Hannah telling everyone that she and Mo were pregnant.
“Let’s do one more adolescent thing,” Mo said. He put out his hand and said “Gotham” and Drew and Hannah piled on.
“Malibu,” said Hector and the Californians each added a hand to the pile.
Wakanda,” Nathan said, and the Oregonians added on.
“Metropolis” chimed in Chantel and Paul in unison and placed their hands on the top to the pile.
“To the nerds,” said Mo. “To the nerds, they all said, lifting their hands high. They did explosions and left for the transport home. Our story ends on a natural high. But every ending is a new beginning.
The Rebellion is over and now we follow Trump to Guantanamo to hope for some justice (and perhaps a little revenge). 2028: Trump at Guantanamo, starts Saturday. Subscribe, it’s free for now.