Executive Orders: Part 2 of the Homeland Series Read Online Free

protect the Constitution and the American people. We violated that oath when we allowed ourselves to be manipulated into firing on American citizens. We are now faced with a choice. We can keep our mouths shut and follow orders to arrest and kill more innocent people or we can take a stand now. One choice makes us monsters, the other makes us men.”
    His fellow soldiers nodded in agreement.
    Cole pointed to the American flag on the shoulder of his uniform. “This still means something.” He held up another patch, the recently issued replacement in the new flag’s ‘globe and stripes’ design. “As for this…” He tossed it to the floor and stomped on it.
    Every man in the room followed Cole’s lead by standing and symbolically tramping the new flag underfoot.
    A junior lieutenant asked, “So what do we do?”
    Young replied. “We get the rest of the division with us. We all have friends in other battalions. Once we are strong enough, we strike. Until then, keep your heads down. Gather ammo and supplies. Build support.”
    “What about Piven?” Cole asked. “He won’t let our disobedience stand. We can’t arrest him. We can’t kill him without dooming ourselves.”
    “I’ll take responsibility,” Young relied, “I’ll tell him that I contradicted his orders out of shock and that it won’t happen again. Maybe he’ll buy it. If not, it should at least give the rest of you some time to build the resistance.”
    A cough sounded from outside.
    “Somebody’s coming.”Cole said.
    “Everybody out,” Young ordered.
    Cole opened the door. Four armed Homeland Security agents stood waiting on the other side.
    The agents ordered the room’s occupants outside, hands clasped behind their heads, and put in file side by side on the parade field next to the barracks.
    “On your knees!” an agent yelled as he kicked Cole in the back. He and the other soldiers complied. Their hands were then zip tied behind them.
    Agent Piven stood in front of the kneeling men. Two agents stood beside him, holding Hicks and Reyes at gunpoint.
    Piven looked at Cole. “You should have chosen your lookouts more carefully.” He motioned to his agents. “Put him with the others.”
    The agents bound Hicks, then dragged him to the end of the line of soldiers and put him on his knees by jamming a rifle muzzle into his stomach.
    Reyes stood next to Piven, unguarded. Cole looked at his friend with confusion.
    “I’m sorry,” Reyes said, his voice shaking, “He threatened my family. They were going to kill Maria and the kids.”
    Cole kept silent.
    “I’m sorry!” Reyes repeated.
    Piven waved his hand. “Get him out of here.” Agents seized Reyes by the arms and stuffed him into a waiting vehicle. He turned back to the kneeling troopers. “You are all in big trouble.”
    “They acted on my orders.” Lieutenant Young interjected.
    Piven walked over to the officer. “You are a very brave man.” He drew his pistol and put it to Young’s temple.
    Pop!
    Young flopped to the ground. Gore gushed from the horrid wound in arterial spurts as the lieutenant’s heart futilely clung to life.
    “No!” Hicks screamed. A rifle butt crashed into the back of his head.
    Young’s comrades watched in helpless rage as the hemorrhaging slowed to a stop. The officer lay in a steaming pool of his own blood, his dead eyes staring into oblivion.
    “The rest of you won’t get off so easy.” Piven called over a subordinate. “You take it from here.” He walked away, disappearing into the gathering gloom. “I have bigger fish to fry.”
    Hoods were pulled over the prisoners’ faces.
    Cole’s hot breath echoed in the smothering darkness of the sack that covered his head. He was still on his knees, waiting. He didn’t know what for. He just wanted to get on with it, whatever it was.
    He felt someone standing behind him. His breathing came harder. His heart pounded in his ears. Sudden splitting pain thundered across the back of his head, then