Reboot
Chapter 74

Letter form mayors of the western United States to The President Of The United States

Dear Mr. President,

As a representative of the mayors of the Western States, I wish to continue our discussion concerning your last message.

You put forward a set of directives that would lead us back to “growth and prosperity”.

Sir, we respectfully disagree.

Your plan sets us on a course that has proven ill advised in the past. We can see the results just by looking out the window.

We propose a different course of action based on the following truths:

1- We must respect life and the individual.

2- Financial institutions have led to greed and power as being the most prized of human qualities. That is obviously not how it should be. We must get our priorities straight

and learn from our mistakes.

3- We must live with respect for our home; Earth.

4- The new economy must be based on responsible trade and respect for everyone involved.

5- We all must be safe and healthy.

You will notice a common theme in our plans. Respect. We think it’s a better word than Fear.

We will try this new social experiment with the hope that you will support us. You must agree that we cannot go back to policies that led us to the war?

Signed:

Mayor Horatio Stevens of Veneta

Mayor Anna Rather of Cottage Grove

Mayor Mitch McDonald of Junction City

Mayor Barbara Joyce of Roseburg

Mayor Georges Walker of Florence

Mayor Jane Porter of Walport

“So what do you make of this Ian?”

“It’s treason, Sir.”

“Yes it is. Ian, Yes it is. Enemies of our State. Enemies. Ian, replace me Waldo Millikan please. I’m sure he survived the war. He’s like a cockroach.”

“Wasn’t that the man who helped us with the disposing of that pestering journalist a couple of years ago?”

“That’s him. Yes. He can help with our next project.”

Waldo Millikan was an ex cop - a very angry ex-cop who was now aimless. He had joined the police force because it would give him access to guns and the pleasure of abusing the privilege. He had a soulless stare that would freeze the life out of any living creature. A stare that said, “Your life means nothing to me.” He enjoyed watching people squirm and he practiced doing it as often as possible. Do what you’re good at, right? He was a pale, tall, gaunt man with bad skin, long slinky hair, and red eyes who made you think of a cartoon rendition of a grave robber. He liked to poke children in the back and watch their reaction when they turned around to see him smiling back at them.

Millikan was for dire circumstances only. He’d used him sparingly for scaring adversaries into submission. At first, Millikan did easy stuff like torturing their pet, or taking their kids for a twenty-four hour spin around the state, but then he could get serious.

Mooney needed his services again.