Devolution (8 page)

Ashleigh hoped her boss’ good disposition would translate into a conversation, however, she was wrong and quietly left unnoticed.

Midway through the stack, Nash came upon a promising envelope. It had no return address, was mailed in Cambridge, and was typed in a recognizable font. He reached for his letter opener. Inside was a short note.

“Sir!” his assistant news director hollered, dashing into the room.

“Not now, Ryan,” Nash replied.

“Sir,” Ryan pressed. He took a few steps into the office. “I think you should hear this.”

“Can’t it wait?”

“The prime minister is about to make an announcement about elections.”

“I’ll be out shortly.” Nash finally looked up. “Please shut the door.”

Ryan found his boss’ apathy misplaced.

After hearing the latch lock, Nash removed the letter and unfolded it and read it.

Dear Mr. Nash:

I hope you got a chance to view the speech by MP Sykes. Now that I have your attention, I want to make sure we handle this carefully. Meet me on April 10 at 12:15 under the Vauxhall Bridge. I will be alone; I expect you to be the same.

Good day, Sir.

Nash folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. Every reporter wanted notoriety for exposing the powerful and corrupt. Nash had paid his dues, and now he was ready to join the ranks of legendary. He opened his bottom drawer and placed the envelope on top of the first. He then made his way to the door.

The newsroom staff was huddled around monitors waiting for their leader to fill the screen. As Nash walked up to the group, the prime minister emerged from behind a curtain. He strode steadfastly to the podium.

“My fellow countrymen,” he began, “at 9:00 this morning, as tradition requires, I received a formal request from the Queen to dissolve Parliament on April 11, thereby confirming—based on recently passed law—April 28 to be the date for the next general election. The final day of Parliament will be April 10. On the date, April 28, the British people will decide their leaders.”

As the prime minister continued his speech, Nash looked on with intrigue. This can’t be a coincidence.
April 10 could not come fast enough.

CHAPTER FOUR

IN BLOOM

“D
unant, Dunbar, Dunkirk, Dunno—come on!”

John Nolan’s frustrations grew as he searched through the archives of the Cambridge University Library, his outburst provoking the ire of his peers studying at adjacent tables.

America was the final civilization John would research before writing his Constitution. He already knew about its downfall, but he was motivated by Dean Pricart to learn more.

It was easy for John to see why Americans had lost confidence in Washington. The nation founded on the rejection of government interference was ripped apart by it centuries later. America, during its demise, was similar to what the United Kingdom had become: a tenuous, lone superpower amongst faux-friendly nations. In order for his Constitution to be viable, John knew he must directly address the issues that had forced America’s disintegration.

“The damn
book
has to
be here!” John said aloud, again drawing the ire of those nearby.

He abruptly stood up, grabbed his book bag, and shoved in his chair, refusing to acknowledge their pretentious reaction.

The library was congested with fidgety students scrambling to complete their work. In a few weeks, the semester would be over.

The line at the elevator was long. The line at the stairs was longer, but at least the steps afforded some exercise therapy to calm his irritation. Eventually reaching the fourth floor, John traversed towards the back.

What am I going to do if it’s not here?

He made his way along the aisles, glancing over the indexes.

There it is.

DU—EA.

Cambridge had an impressive library, one of the best in the world. However, as the school acquired books, it did not acquire the space to store them. Instead, sliding metal columns were installed, where a large wheel accessed the archives. These columns consumed the entire rear section of the floor.

John grabbed the partially rusted, one-inch thick, circular metal bar with both hands. With his body weight behind him, he rotated the wheel clockwise, grinding the gears, the metal rows squeaking as they moved. The columns separated until enough space formed for him to squeeze in. He stuffed his body into the narrow aisle. “Dunant, Dunbar, Dunkirk.” He ran his fingers ran along the rows of books above his head. “Dunn!” He yanked it from the row.

The Fall of The World’s Greatest Empire
by David Dunn. This would tell him all he needed to know.

As he strode back to the stairs, his cell phone rang.

He ducked behind a column and answered it. Phones were prohibited in the library, and he didn’t need any more frowns shot his way.

“Hello?”

“Hey, honey. What are you doing?”

He instantly forgot about his big discovery. “Uhh. Nothing. You?”

April giggled. “You can come out from behind that column.”

With his phone pressed tightly to his ear, John emerged from his hiding spot. His eyes darted around the floor. Off to the right a hand rose in the air. He lowered his phone and made his way over.

“Hi,” he said, his voice quivering with nervous excitement.

She gestured for him to sit. “I am sorry I haven’t returned your calls. This paper’s been brutal.”

“No worries.” John forgave her, even though he’d promised himself he wouldn’t.

“No, I feel bad. It was rude.” She tilted her head, causing a band of golden sun to fall along her face. “You thirsty?”

John leaned forward ever so slightly.
Did I hear that right?
“S-sure,” he stuttered. “Of course.”

“All Bar One?” she asked with a smile. “Meet me in thirty. I need to run home for a minute.”

With all the stress of the thesis and his uncle’s kidnapping, John could barely remember being more filled with joy.

*

“So how’s the paper going?” John asked after they sat down at the same table as before. While at home, April had traded her jeans for a black skirt, her book bag for a handbag, and sneakers for pumps. Her tight blue tank top and golden hair looked too perfect. With each subtle move, a not-too-subtle band of provocation wafted John’s way.

Once again, he found himself struggling to suppress an unfamiliar urge.

“The paper’s not bad.” April leaned forward to grab a menu, and John again found himself fighting the urge to peek. “I’m fixing to get it done a little early and run it by Old Sores. You?”

John summoned the waitress as an excuse to look away. “I just got my last reference book. I’m ready for the final paper.”

“The Constitution, right?” Her southern U.S. dialect rang prolonged the ‘i’ in ‘right’—an accent John found overly alluring.

“That’s right. You want a whiskey and soda?”

“Sure.”

The same husky waitress as before appeared, took their order, and vanished.

All Bar One was not nearly as crowded as the first time John and April met. Most students were too busy completing their course work to engage socially. The relative quiet afforded them a more civil environment. For the next two hours, the couple sat talking about their lives, their families, their wants, their needs, their failures, their successes. Their connection was real and conversation came easy. April was grounded, funny, laid back, yet motivated. To April, John seemed like a honest guy trying to make his way, yet she detected a hidden passion she found intriguing. But mostly, he afforded her access to a valuable resource.

John looked at the bill and threw some cash on the table. “Are you about ready to get out of here?”

April looked somewhat disappointed. “I guess.” She grabbed her coat off the neighboring chair.

As they strolled through campus, they continued their carefree conversation. April wrapped her arm around John’s elbow. He felt awkward, but special.

“You know, I never asked you...” April stopped to face John. “How’s your uncle?”

John’s demeanor instantly turned less joyful. “I guess he’s good. I don’t see him much. My mom is close to him.”

“I’d like to meet him sometime,” she squeezed John’s arm against her chest. “I really admire him.”

John quivered when his elbow pressed against April’s breasts.
Should I pull away? Should I not?

He searched for a poignant statement. “I admire him too, I guess.” But instead, he espoused his true feelings. “He’s a politician.”

April released John’s arm. “Yeah, I understand.”

“You do?”
John looked down, catching a strong drag of her scent.

“I’ve had some family members in public life.” She looked very uncomfortable. “We don’t talk about it. My political ancestors… well, my family is not real proud of their legacy.”

“Like what?” John pressed.

April looked at John and flashed an innocent smile. “I have to go.” She lifted herself onto her toes and placed her soft lips on his cheek. He inhaled her essence. His arms began to wrap around her waist as she gradually pulled away.

“I had a really nice time,” she whispered near his ear.

John could feel the warm moisture of her kiss begin to evaporate off his face. The cool sensation emanated throughout his body. “Me too.”

She gently took his hands in her. “Call me soon,” she flashed her eyes as she turned away. “And I promise I’ll call you back this time.”

John wanted to her to stay, but the effects of her kiss had nearly paralyzed him.

*

That night John took public transit home. He sat alone, next to a window towards the back. He hunched down, bracing his knees on the seat in front of him. He felt the chill of the evening filter through the glass. It smelled of cold metal and exhaust. His new book lay secure between his legs. An array of shadows danced across the pages as the aging machine powered down the deserted streets of London. When John got home, he scurried past his family and rushed to his room. With the information fresh in his mind, he booted up his computer. Unlike the other civilizations he documented, there was no need to greatly detail the rise of the United States of America—it would consist of the exact opposite of what had led to its demise:

In President George Washington’s farewell address, he predicted the conditions necessary to collapse the republic and urged future generations to act accordingly. He warned of partisan politics, stressed the importance of maintaining a strong currency and paying debts in a timely fashion. He encouraged America to make friends with every nation and avoid foreign entanglements. How did he know?

America’s Founding Fathers created a limited government designed to ensure a society based on individualism, rights, and property. The much-fabled pursuit of the American dream—to live the life you desire with limited government intrusion—attracted the best and most motivated talent in the world. Its relative isolation shielded it from global threats. Its abundance of natural resources and raw material guaranteed independence.

It was understood that America would never be conquered by soldiers marching across its borders. Rather, it would fall by financial mismanagement and the implementation of ruinous policies. Though years of American intrusion into world politics had soured relationships, the decline started with American politicians pursuing more power than the Constitution afforded.

The seeds of America’s downfall began during the Great Depression. In an effort to help the country, the government expanded its influence. Alone, the initial government programs were not the culprit. However, the desire for politicians to grow government did not end when the economy recovered. In the decades that followed, more programs were created and existing ones expanded. Following a series of Supreme Court decisions, the once limited government became limitless.

Eventually, the size of the government created instability. National and budgetary debt grew to dangerous levels. Central banks around the world began to question the stability of the dollar and many dumped it as a reserve currency.

Over time, the country’s government expanded beyond the tax base’s desire or ability to support it. The apathetic nation, unwilling to compromise the life it felt it deserved, and the life it was promised by its leaders, refused to address its unsustainable path. Washington was forced to default on the promises of previous generations. The people revolted. In the chaos, America no longer attracted the best the world had to offer. In fact, many of its citizens left for more stable nations that offered better opportunities.

The states wanted to be disconnected from the Federal Government’s fiscal disaster. Most had balanced budget Constitutional amendments, but Washington refused to adopt the same. For decades the states watched their rights being gradually usurped by the central authority. This was their opportunity to once again control their own destinies.

The states separated from Washington D.C. and combined to form sovereign nations. A few years after these secession movements began, the president signed a bill dissolving the Federal Government. America broke up into seven nation-states.

America bankrupted itself as it abandoned the very principles it was founded upon. As with any strong nation, there is a fabric. And when that fabric is frayed, the people are no longer united under a single cause.

A nation’s direction is guided by its officeholders. America lacked congressional term limits, which spawned corruption and encouraged distrust among the populace. In order to acquire more control, career politicians established political allegiances and forced the public to follow suit. Politicians embraced loyal constituent groups, and pitted them against others. As the political issues grew in importance, so did the degree in which the people separated. Many representatives simply did not concern themselves with the nation’s future, only their next election.

John took a deep breath and exhaled. He saved the document and closed it, revealing a solid blue screen. His aching eyes eased shut and he leaned his head back. The research stage of his thesis was now complete. His shoulders sank forward. It felt good to relax.

With a new document opened, John placed his hands on the keyboard and typed:
C-O-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N.

Theodore and his wife sat together on the living room couch, him watching television while she read a book.

“Is he still working on his paper?” he asked.

His wife looked up from the page. “I think so.”

“Wow,” Theo said, impressed. “I’ve never seen him work this hard.”

*

BANG!!!

The bang of the Speaker of the Commons’ mallet resonated throughout the chamber. Dan Chin commanded the hall’s attention. The leader of Great Britain’s lower house wore the traditional black robe, as did his presiding officers.

“Honorable members of the House of Commons,” he said, his delivery uncharacteristically lighthearted, “I welcome you to the final full day of this Parliamentary session on this April tenth. This Parliament has achieved much on behalf of the people.”

In reality, that was debatable. The UK was in a steep economic downturn. But the cameras were always on—as were the politics.

Chin looked up from his notes with a far less jubilant expression, his protruding chin pointing skyward.

“A few months ago, we saw a tragedy play out when four of our own were taken hostage in this very building. A despicable act of terrorism we will not forget and must not allow to repeat.”

Sykes, Cunnington, Pugh, and Manning looked on from their respective positions scattered around the congested floor. The attendees offered a round of tempered applause.

Speaker Chin raised his right hand after the mild ovation trailed off. “Three of those fine men and patriots…” he acknowledged each via open-handed gestures, “will move on from this Parliament. We, of course, wish them the best in their future endeavors. As for the rest of you vying for reelection,” the gravitas dropped from his demeanor, “may only my members be victorious.”