The Journalist (21 page)

“We know what she wouldn’t give him. And
Manny denied it,” Zack said.

Jim said, “Yeah, but he’s still in hot water
for canning her. Put it together. Something like this—could be the
chief is covering up for his boys to keep his job.”

“Could’a, could’a, could’a, could be Jesus
Christ was the first door-to-door fish salesman.” Zack leaned back
and lit a Camel. “You think somebody over there would recognize
those two cops on the video, give me a break?”

“Why would the chief try to cover it up?” Ted
asked.

Jim leaned back from the camera. “I told you,
his career. Two drunken cops, bored with night duty, stop a shapely
young sister on a remote beach road, start to frisk her, she’s
probably high, they get a hard-on, start grabbing, she resists, the
rest is history. Only thing, some voyeur is taping the damn
thing.”

Zack leaned close and peered into the video
phone camera. “Okay, but where is the person who recorded the
video?”

Jim looked back at him. “Scared the police
might not like what they are seeing, come knocking—who knows?”

Zack noticed that slender hand with long,
red-varnished fingernails extending a silver coffeepot to refill
Jim’s cup, said, “Just in case someone with red fingernails should
ask you, you don’t have time for breakfast.”

“Why?”

Zack looked at his Bulova. “Meeting, in
fifteen minutes, eleven o’clock.”

“Meeting, what meeting?”

“Meeting at eleven, didn’t Mary leave a
message?”

“Ah, ah

”

“Ah, ah, what?”

“I thought that was an O’Brien
joke

”

“Yep-purr.” Ted yawned.

Zack sipped. “Anyway, Jimbo, better get
dressed, it’s 10:47.”

“No way.”

“We’ll wait.” Zack walked to the coffee pot
and refilled his cup. “The exchequers of the truth are in need of
your assistance, massa.”

Jim leaned closer to the video phone, looked
around then whispered, “I have guests

”

“Guests as in plural?” Zack raised an
eyebrow.

“Ah

”

“Why don’t we just meet you for a protein
lunch?”

Jim stumbled, “I, ah

”

“Where is the meeting, Ted?” Zack said.

“Tea Company?” Ted said.

“I hate that dump,” Jim said.

Zack raised both eyebrows. “Oh?”

“That dump is a stinky, fly-trap, radical
hangout. They should shut it down.”

“Oh, I see. Better pick a nice, clean, fancy
place for Mr. Roberts, Ted,” Zack said.

“How about Jabberwocky Sports Bar,” Ted
said.

“That meet with your approval, Mr. Roberts?”
Zack said.

“Anyplace but that Tea Company.”

“So happy you approve. Soon as you can get
there, then.” Zack said. “Any particular table you prefer?”

“There’s a nice one near the fish tank.”

“We’ll see you there, and tell your guests we
said hello.” Zack hit enter and the screen went blank.

Ted dipped his chin to his chest and studied
Zack. “Zackary, what are you thinking?”

“About what?”

“Anything.”

“Could be.”

“What?”

“Like they say, who, what, why, where, when,
how; and add nuts

or something like that.
Wouldn’t it be an appropriate epitaph for the three thousand or so
Anno Domini edition of
History of the World
. Footnote:
United States of America, founded 1776 to 2020, a good people with
their heads up their television sets.”

Ted tugged an earlobe. “What about Mary?”

“Leave her a note, Jabberwocky.”

Ted jotting a note, Zack picked up the remote
to turn the TV off but stopped.

“Hold it, there’s Benny.” He increased the
volume.

Armstrong, wearing a red-and-black-checked
hunting shirt, sat behind his Camp David office desk.

Zack said, “Ben’s smiling like he’s about to
ask for an offering at a tent-crusade revival meeting.”

Armstrong began, “May we have a moment of
silent prayer?” and bowed his head.

Zack sucked his front teeth and sat behind
his desk. “I still can’t believe this guy, Ted. God must have been
bowling the day his mother and father got in the mood.”

After a moment Armstrong looked up and began
speaking in soft mellow tones, “Amen and amen. My fellow brothers
and sisters in democracy. I come to you this Saturday morning with
a heavy soul.”

“Me, too,” Zack said.

Armstrong continued, “Most of you have
witnessed the scenes of the unrest on television that is tearing
apart the heart of our great nation.”

Zack lit a MORE and propped his feet on his
desk. “How could we miss it, Ben?”

Armstrong clasped his hands. “I am sorry to
report that I have just received information that says spot rioting
is about to break into full anarchy in most major cities of our
land. With regret, also, other cities, which I shall not mention,
are reported nearly ready to explode. I implore the media to use
restraint in covering this situation.”

Zack stroked his chin. “What about a little
restraint from you, Benny?”

Armstrong: “I plead with the minority
communities to be patient and allow the law to take its course.
With that in mind, I have dispatched federal investigators to Miami
to find and prosecute the perpetrators of the brutal outrage that
occurred there this past Thursday evening. Additionally, let me say
to the broadcasters and cable operators of America, reporting the
news is a duty not a privilege. That duty is being monitored
carefully by Dr. Lande’s Office of Media Affairs. With that in
mind, I have summoned the chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission to my office here at Camp David, and he has been
instructed to hold the owners of TV, radio and cable properties
accountable for their accurate reporting of these events.”

Zack pressed mute. “Did I hear that
right?”

“I think so.” Ted sat up. “You going to turn
the sound up?”

“Yes.”

Armstrong: “

and in
accordance with that directive, your local TV, cable and radio
stations will be required to distribute verified information from
our White House Press Media Affairs Office. The director, as I
mentioned, Dr. Barbara Lande, has stationed federal agents at
strategic points to monitor and regulate the media for responsible
reporting.”

“He can’t do that.” Zack exchanged a stunned
glance with Ted.

“Yep-purr, Executive emergency
powers

”

“Shut up.”

Armstrong continued. “This situation must not
be allowed to be distorted by the media.”

“Look who’s calling the kettle black,” Zack
said.

Armstrong reverted to a former evangelical
fire-and-brimstone firmness. “Let me say to all would-be terrorists
who hope to gain from these situations, I am today announcing the
Armstrong Doctrine, which is a continuation of, so to speak, the
famous Monroe Doctrine, delivered by President James Monroe,
December 2, 1823.”

“Hell you say,” Zack said.

Armstrong picked up a document and read, “The
Monroe Doctrine states, ‘In the discussions to which this interest
has given rise, and in the arrangements by which they may
terminate, the occasion has been deemed proper for asserting as a
principle in which rights and interests of the United States are
involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent
condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not
to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any
European power.

We owe it, therefore, to
candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United
States and those powers to declare that we should consider any
attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this
hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.’”

Armstrong wiped his upper lip. “The Armstrong
Doctrine simply builds on Monroe in light of present day realities.
Let me read my doctrine’s essence to you: ‘Inasmuch as the world
must be made a safe place for all peoples, and whereas the United
States of America is the strongest military leader of the world, it
is her God-given destiny to assure that the world be made a safe
place for all peoples. To risk our common home’s destruction for
the views of a few is intolerable. Therefore, the United States of
America shall protect her vital interests. Wherefore, and be it
known from this day forward, any attack on American property,
capital or citizens, at home or abroad, shall be considered an
attack on America herself and will be dealt with swiftly and surely
wherever that may be and with whatever means are at America’s
disposal. Not only the actual perpetrators, but any suspected
supporting nations will be held accountable as accomplices.”

Zack’s cigarette dropped from his mouth,
bounced off his knee and fell to the floor. “Did you hear that
horse tofu?”

“Yep-purr.”

After taking a sip from a coffee cup,
Armstrong continued, “One last thing. I have today appointed
General William MacCallister as special assistant to me for dealing
with all matters of national security and the Armstrong Doctrine,
and to oversee the command of regular military units if that be
necessary here in these United States. If they are to be called up,
let me remind you that justice will prevail and law and order will
be maintained at whatever the cost. Be assured that I am in control
here, and your security will be protected.”

Zack said, “I simply love that sonofabitch’s
prayer-partner charm.”

Armstrong continued, “And one last note: I
plead with you to remain calm and let the law take its course. I
will vigorously pursue justice, find the criminals and prosecute
them. Thank you, have a good day, and know that God will bless
America.”

“Benny, Benny, Benny.” Zack shook his head.
“No Jack Daniels for you tonight.”

“Yep-purr,” Ted said.

“I heard it but I don’t believe it.” Zack
stooped to get his dropped cigarette.

“Believe it.”

Zack muted the TV. “Can Benny do all
that?”

“Yep-purr, W.W. I, Wilson
expanded

”

“I know, I know, you went over that,” Zack
stroked his upper lip with his right index finger. His thoughts in
slow motion, he stood and said, “You sure Benny can do all
that?”

“Emergency power statues, President can
pretty much do anything he wants to. Now, post nine-eleven, he can
absolutely do anything he wants to.”

“No, he can’t

” Zack
hit his desk.

“Multitudinous provisions of federal
law.”

“How many’s that?”

“Over four hundred, Benny can pretty much
disregard the Constitution, seize property, control production,
confiscate commodities, institute martial law, control
transportation, communication, wiretaps, arrest and detain persons
indefinitely

”

“But he can’t,” Zack said.

“But he can—it’s the law.” Ted said.

“But the media thing, he can’t

”

“April 13, 1917, citing threats of German
propaganda, Wilson created the Committee on Public Information to
limit so called damaging information, set up guidelines for the
news media, passed the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act
of 1918, the Committee had censorship power, legally.”

“Are you finished?”

“Then there was the Office of War Information
established by Roosevelt in ‘42 to regulate war news, now we got
surveillance of grandma’s cherry pie recipe.”

“Let’s go to lunch.”

“What about Mary?”

Zack looked at his watch. “Eleven-ten, leave
her that note at the front desk, she’ll get it.” Zack started to
turn the TV off but stopped. “Now what?”

A SPECIAL REPORT graphic flashed on the TV
screen; he pressed the sound up.

AllNews anchor Doug Drew sat at a news desk.
Video of a willowy reporter, name superimposed over her chest—Toby
Sharp— appeared in a screen to Doug’s right.

Toby: “Yes, Doug, we now have an unconfirmed
report from reliable sources that Middle East terrorists have
infiltrated and are supplying weapons to the homeland
insurrectionists. And unconfirmed sources report the terrorists may
be involved in both the Old Ironsides explosion and the Seattle
incident. Also, on a more ominous note, we have received a report
out of the BBC that a group calling itself URI is planning to
simultaneously attack several US cities with nuclear, biological
and chemical weapons.”

Doug: “Let me explain to our viewers, BBC is
the British Broadcasting Company, the URI is the acronym for a
little-known terrorist group claiming responsibility for toppling
the Eiffel Tower. Now, Toby, you say unconfirmed?”

Toby: “Yes, that’s right, but

”

Doug interrupted. “Excuse me one moment,
Toby. Let me just say to our viewers that, despite the President’s
proclamation, we here at AllNews are not accepting or rejecting any
official reports from Dr. Lande or any other government officials
at White House Press News. We reserve the right to report the news
as we receive it at our discretion. Okay, Toby, you were
saying?”

Toby went on, “Yes, well, on Seattle and Old
Ironsides, our source is unconfirmed. But the URI thing, well, it’s
from the BBC.”

Doug: “Yes, we know the BBC. But still, check
it out, and keep digging on that other thing. That is big. See if
we can get it confirmed and

”

“Wait a minute

” Zack
muted the sound.

Ted said, “Did I miss something?”

“I think Doug did.” Zack went to Mr. Coffee,
freshened his cup and sipped. “I just wonder

where in the bee’s wax is all this stuff coming
from?”

“They just said it was an unconfirmed
source

”