Game Log – Week 23

In the news

Over the last week there were many news items on TV and in print that held the same idea; “This is no time to panic, protest or otherwise be disruptive.” Even stories that admitted things were tough and likely to get tougher, called for people to remain calm. The intellectuals saw this as good advice because panic would make a bad situation worse. But the activists saw it as another attempt to control the people. Do not protest as prices go up and your wages are frozen. To not speak out as the government makes poor policy choices. Stay calm while the corporate executives give themselves fat pay outs before they close down business locations and fire thousands of people.

Monday & Tuesday 

 

The group’s political activist John and his computer hacker girl friend Mary, who had attended the student protests in Montreal, talk frequently with group members about how the individual must stand up and do something. Keeping quiet is surrender. Not surprisingly they are part of the local Occupy cell, which is planning an event on Wednesday in front of city hall.    

Keeping in mind all the recent clashes between police and protesters, especially those in the US, which had turned violent, John and Mary, want a good plan for this event. So they talk with Ray Frasier the group’s RCMP friend about police crowd control tactics and how to defeat them. Next they talk with the local Occupy leaders at the University.

Week 23 – Wednesday, August 8

Because all protests, with out a permit, are illegal and no permits are being issued anymore, the entire event is planned to be a peaceful act of civil disruption. The mob of protesters arrives suddenly, from all directions, right outside city hall, at 11am, blocking off Main Street. The authorities are rather stunned, but quickly the police are called in. They form a blockade around the protesters and for several hours there is a lot of yelling with megaphones.

When the police give a final warning and start to move in to brake up the protest and arrest people, the next stage of the plan goes into effect. People form into organized defense lines, with face masks and fire extinguishers ready for the police pepper spray. Other people stand ready with broom sticks to poke at the cops as they advance. Then smoke bombs are handed out, to be tossed behind the police front line.

Things are violent, but not chaotic. The people sand and fight with out letting any fallen comrades be surrounded by a bunch of cops and dragged off. The struggle is brief because as soon as it begins the evacuation plan is set in motion. A stolen fire truck is driven into the area, right into the police line, with make-shift water cannons being used to disrupt the police so people can flee the area.

Although some people are arrested, most get away.  By 3pm the protest is over. John is arrested, but his fake ID as an army intelligence officer, which is linked to a real task force investigating civil disruption groups, allows him to walk away from police HQ a short time after he is taken in.

In the news this day

In Chicago a unit of home land security is sent to arrest an immigrant family. Their neighbors are not willing to let this happen. In the resulting fight several people are shot and the agents are forced to take refuge in the house. They call for help. But when the local police arrive, instead of arresting the small mob of citizens, they demand the agents put down their weapons and come out with hands up.  

Week 23 – Thursday, August 9

The governor of Michigan along with the CO of the National Guard, the CO of the local Army base and the head of the Militia make a joint statement. “Its time for democracy to be restored to America. All states should stand up and refuse to carry out orders which are unconstitutional. But more than this needs to be done. Washington should nullify those laws that have taken away our freedoms.”

Later that night there is a press release from General Allen Haze on behalf of the Constitutional Restoration Armed Service Persons of America, which is mostly comprised of Oath Keepers.  The statement is a polite declaration of war. If offers Congress 24 hours to agree to the deconstruction of modern federalism and a return to traditional core values found in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Week 23 – Friday, August 10

Nothing at all is said on main stream media about the General’s ultimatum, until 8am the next day when the President makes an announcement. It is a carefully worded speech calling for people to stay calm in the face of new troubles. It does not directly acknowledge General Haze or his group’s demand, but rather talks about radical extremist cells with in the US military, which aim to perform a coup-de-teat, in the hope that they can solve America’s problems by installing a military dictatorship. He states firmly that America will remain united and strong no matter what it takes.

Mary, the group’s hacker, finds info about the fighting that is already going on. Some military units support the Constitutional Restoration, but many are fractured. Thus there are battles on several bases for control of the instillation.

There is almost no news about the day’s events in mainstream media, except for a few reports from European sources who have reporters in America. The BBC offers the best coverage, including an interview with the governor of Michigan.

On the internet there is a lot of talk about events, most of which is just speculation, although there are some first hand tweets from people involved. Almost all posts relating to the event are quickly taken down, and new posts using any of a bunch of key words are blocked. But this censorship only fuels discussions about how the government is abusing its power.   

Week 23 – Saturday, August 11

The day the internet died – at 5am the satellites stopped working, as if someone has simply switched their network functions off. However, major TV networks were unaffected.  Mary immediately set about searching for non-American satellites that were still functioning. Unfortunately most of them were overwhelmed with traffic so things were about as slow as the early days of dial up networking.

At noon Doc gets a call from his grand father, who is involved with the Constitutional Restoration Army. He wants to help his friend Dr Cameron, be getting her kids to safety. They will be sent by chopper along with their guardian Dr Mendez. 

( Dr Cameron is a top bio-chemist. Dr Mendez works on limb restoration for veterans. )

As the chopper crosses the boarder it takes fire and is damaged, Mendez is badly hurt. It radios the pick up team, Doc and Kateir, to notify them of the situation and reset a rendezvous point. The chopper crashes and one pilot brakes a leg. The kids turn out to be in full battle dress and are very calm about helping get the wounded into the truck, one of them is always on alert as the other two work. Doc performs first aid then the truck gets moving to a location a few miles from the crash. There he performs a more lengthy operation to stabilize Mendez.

As they drive home in the truck, a bunch of people in the back, an RCMP car spots them. There is no way to explain the situation with out getting taken in for questioning so they have no choice but to flee. Kateir’s driving turns out to be better than the cop’s, who misses a sharp turn at high speed and goes off the road.

It is about 9pm when the team arrives back at camp. The kids and one pilot are taken down to the bunker; the injured are taken to the medical bay. Although Doc tries hard, Mendez dies. After surgery Doc goes to check on the kids. The pilot tells him not to ask to many questions, because the kids are part of a top secret project.