It Ain't Paranoia if... Pt. 02 Ch. 06

"This is a TRAINING AREA, Rob. It's designated on federal and state sites and in classified documents as a reserve military training area, and the 6400 is listed as a bombing and artillery range. Yes, some things don't add up if you get close, but we aren't letting anyone get close, or fly overhead.

"How are we able to prevent overhead flights? What you haven't seen yet is on the southwest corner of the 6400; a fully operational radar site. No more 'bird radar'; we've got the real deal to help find, identify, and target enemy aircraft of any kind! Anyone on a flight pattern that will take them over the CM is ordered onto an alternative path, and we have ongoing communication with other airfields in the area so they properly guide their departing and arriving flights.

"Do 'they' know anyway? Maybe, but I doubt they can gauge the extent of our resources."

"I saw you make a call before we left. Any luck on getting that junta set up?"

"We should know soon. Our command structure goes all the way to the Pentagon, Rob, so we have a few hurdles to clear to have an in-person meeting among members. What you can sit in on in the meantime is a weekly session we host here on base. It starts in thirty minutes, and will be enlightening."

Rough Riders of undesignated rank made up three of the attendees; one attendee was a bird colonel who appeared to be active army; three were techies whose job is to keep abreast of and analyze chatter among the splinter elements that have banned together to participate in the coming 'insurrection'. To that, add the Sheriff; Paul Peveto, Claude, and me.

The colonel opened the meeting by congratulating me for "surviving the torture, and killing the perpetrator." I didn't correct him, but it made me wonder again what Schoor had done with Volkov. I hoped he was honest in his promise to me, and his questioning was more an inquisition.

It was a long, interesting conversation, but for me there were several highlights. The first was that training for the original recruits was complete, the training of second wave of recruits was well ahead of schedule, the third wave was scheduled to start next Monday, and we had fully trained, experienced operators for the HIMAR and SAM systems!

The second highlight was that all six rotary and the four fixed wing aircraft are fully operational and piloted by combat veterans. The fixed wing aircraft are F-16 Falcons, capable of air-to-air and air-to- ground combat, as well as electronic attacks. In this highly technical world, that is a mighty important capability.

The third highlight was also a lowlight; the chatter has gone through the roof over the past few days. Analysis was ongoing, but it appeared the disappearance of Petr Volkov and the subsequent dismantling of his organization has the insurrectionists on edge and in conflict. One group strongly believes they need to strike soon; the other believes they should wait for more weapons and financial support to replace that provided by the dead / disappeared oligarch.

The ascension of Tom Yonkers and Edward R. Lee to their respective cabinet posts, at the expense of the 'friendlies' who previously held the posts, was a strong factor in favor of starting soon. Even stronger was AG Lee's ongoing purging of other friendlies from the ranks of the DOJ.

Our analysts were predicting sooner rather than later, but not immediately. Maybe in the period beginning with Thanksgiving and ending after New Year's Day.

We were about the break up the meeting when I got a call from Tom, who told me to sit tight and put him on speaker. Just as I did, the door opened and the mysterious Dan, David, and Schoor walked in. It seems putting a meeting together with top-level command isn't as difficult as Claude made it sound.

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Back from vacay and refreshed, so I'll get after the editing of chapter 7.