The Crusaders of the Saltire

By William Speir

The nation is in lockdown after several terrorist attacks. The Knights of the Order of the Saltire stands against the forces attempting to push aside the civil government once and for all. Against the backdrop of this crisis, an unexpected romance develops between two people caught up in the web of terrorism and political intrigue. Tom Anderson and the Knights of the Order of the Saltire are caught off guard by events taking place all around them. There has been an assassination, there have been several terrorist attacks around the country, people are disappearing, and a team of Knights has been captured by government agents and taken to an undisclosed location. Tom becomes aware that officials inside the government are using techniques perfected by Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia to commit illegal acts against American citizens. The Order must take a stand, but what can they do to restore justice and freedom? As the crisis intensifies, Tom and fellow Knight Emily McCafferty fall in love with each other. In a battle beneath the Capitol building, their love is put to the test as they fight those attempting to take control of the government

• Language: English
• Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, LLC
• Release date: Sep 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781944277574

William Speir

William Speir is an award-winning author living in Texas. Raised in Alabama, he is a 1984 graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. William retired from corporate life in 2009, after spending 25 years as an executive and a management consultant specializing in the human impact to change. He is also an amateur historian and Civil War artillery expert. In 2015, William signed with Progressive Rising Phoenix Press (PRPP) to publish his fiction and non-fiction works, which span the Action-Adventure, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, and Fantasy genres. For more information about William’s books and book-projects, please visit his website at WilliamSpeir.com.

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A Change In The Wind

1

January 20, Noon

Washington, D.C.

I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.

It was a sunny but bitterly cold day in Washington, D.C., and the crowd that had been gathering around the Capitol since Monday morning didn’t seem to mind a bit. The cheering was so loud that most of the attendees couldn’t hear the bands play the traditional four ruffles and flourishes followed by Hail to the Chief. No one, though, had any difficulty hearing the 21-gun salute fired by the Presidential Guns Salute Battery, 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) – perhaps the only sound that could be heard over the celebrating masses who were witnessing the inauguration of a new President.

It had been a long and strange Presidential campaign. Lester Wallace Hampton, whom many had considered to be a long-shot, won the popular vote in November by the largest landslide in history. Hampton was considered a man of the people. Rather than starting his career as a lawyer, he had been a successful businessman and entrepreneur with a talent for making his business partners very wealthy and his customers happy. He had a gift for bringing people with different perspectives and opinions together to build something that no one could accomplish on his or her own.

After getting fed up with the ineffectiveness of his local government, he had decided to run for City Council and won easily. From there, he was elected to his state’s Senate and eventually to the Governor’s mansion. After two terms as Governor, he had the opportunity to run for the United States Senate, but turned that down in favor of the United States House of Representatives. When asked why he preferred to serve in the lower house, he replied: Representatives work for a living; Senators party for a living. I prefer to work.

When he announced that he’d be running for President of the United States six years later, no one thought that he had a chance. His own party gave him little assistance, preferring to focus its resources on more bankable candidates. However, when he won the first three primaries easily, his party had to scramble to catch up to what the voters had already discovered: Hampton had a vision that the country wanted. He was a good, decent, honorable man who had spent his business and public life working to improve the condition of his constituents and championing causes that were in the best interest of all. And he had managed to do all of this without the usual scandals or ethical lapses so prevalent in politics.

Standing on the Capitol’s west front in the presence of thousands of cheering Americans who represented a variety of political viewpoints, his right hand raised and his left hand on the Bible held out by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, President Hampton was relieved that the campaigning was finally over and he could get to work. The Chief Justice stepped forward to shake President Hampton’s hand. President Hampton smiled warmly at her before turning to hug his wife and son, who were standing next to him. Next, he shook the hand of his new Vice President, who had been sworn in a few minutes earlier.

Vice President Russell Phillip Sanborn wasn’t Hampton’s first choice for Vice President. Hampton originally chose a running mate with a background similar to his own. At the party’s convention the previous summer, many of the party leaders requested that he choose someone from the old guard, but Hampton stated that he wanted someone he could trust. Reluctantly, the party went along with his choice.

However, just as the campaign was getting ready for the final push before the general election, a scandal erupted that almost derailed Hampton’s bid for election. The press reported that Hampton’s Vice Presidential nominee had taken a number of bribes over the years from a variety of individuals, special interest groups, and foreign governments. Each day brought new allegations and proof of wrong-doing. The Vice Presidential nominee denied all wrong-doing, but the press had already convicted him. With only two months left before the general election, Hampton’s friend and Vice Presidential nominee withdrew from the race to prevent any further embarrassment to Hampton and his Presidential bid. Two days later, he committed suicide.

Hampton was devastated with this turn of events. He needed a new running mate quickly and had no choice but to accept the party leaders’ original choice for Vice President. There was no time to go through any kind of selection process so close to the election. Russell Sanborn wasn’t well known to Hampton at all; their paths had never crossed. When the Party Chairman brought Sanborn to Hampton’s campaign office for introductions, Hampton had an immediate dislike for the man. However, he was a decorated naval officer, his political career had been uneventful, and Hampton needed a running mate who wouldn’t stir up any more controversy. By the end of the day, press releases were sent out, and campaign posters and buttons were changed to show Hampton and Sanborn as the ticket to vote for.

In the bright sunlight of that January day at the Capitol, both men looked happy as they congratulated each other. They turned toward the crowd arm-in-arm and waved, causing another eruption of cheers from the crowd. It took a while for the crowd to quiet down so President Hampton could deliver his inaugural address. All eyes were focused on the new President as he began to speak. The address was short compared to many addresses in the past, but it spoke of hope, unity, and compassion for all Americans. As he concluded his address, the crowd once again cheered loudly. In the celebration, no one noticed the strange, twisted smile on the face of the man standing behind the new President.

In the months that followed the inauguration, President Hampton kept his word and worked diligently to build a new spirit of cooperation within the government, and between the government and the people. He initiated a number of independent studies of the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy to fix inefficiencies and ensure that power was held by elected officials. He insisted that every aspect of the government machine be held accountable for its actions. This made him unpopular with many government officials who were entrenched in the entitlement system that President Hampton had vowed to break once and for all. The people loved him for what he was attempting to accomplish.

By autumn, the effects of President Hampton’s first year in office were felt all around Washington. Changes were being made for the better. Americans were happy – confident that their government was finally working as it should. As the Christmas season approached, the country looked forward with anticipation to the new year.

The press announced that the President would make a special address on Christmas day. Rather than wait for the State of the Union address to lay out his agenda for the coming year, the President wanted to unveil a new initiative in December that would have a profound impact on all Americans. Americans were curious about what the new initiative involved. It was unusual for a President to address the nation like this, but President Hampton wasn’t a usual President, and most Americans liked the fact that he kept the people personally informed about what was going on and what he was planning for the future.

As Christmas day approached, Americans everywhere were more and more interested about the President’s address. The press speculated about what might be involved in the new initiative, but it was clear that no one in the press really had any idea what to expect. President Hampton was one President who was determined that the press wouldn’t hear about something before the people were informed.

Two days before Christmas, however, everything changed. Speculation and discussions regarding the contents of the President’s address were quickly forgotten. It ended up being a day that no American would ever forget.

The news reports were sketchy at first. There had been some sort of attack on Washington. No one was clear about exactly what had happened, but it was reported that there was an explosion somewhere in the city. There was chaos in the capital while officials tried to determine the extent of the attack and who had been injured.

As the afternoon progressed, more information was becoming available. There had been an explosion near the White House – possibly caused by a small missile. The President wasn’t in the White House at the time; he had made an unannounced trip to the National Cathedral to review the arrangements for the Christmas Eve service that he and his family would be attending. No one knew where the President was.

There was no additional information available for the six o’clock news broadcast. The commentators had few images of where the explosion had taken place and nothing to report on the whereabouts of the President.

At 8:00 PM, regular broadcasting was suspended for a special announcement. There was an uneasy feeling around the country as Americans watched to see what the announcement would be. The commentators behind the news desk gave the brief yet somber announcement that brought the entire nation to a complete stand-still.

President Hampton has been killed.

2

December 23, 8:05 PM

Washington, D.C.

The commentators announced that they were going live to the White House. The image changed to show Vice President Sanborn standing behind the podium looking grim.

My fellow Americans, he began, "it’s with great sadness that I inform you that President Hampton was assassinated this afternoon in what appears to be a terrorist attack on his motorcade.

"From what we know at this time, a hand-held rocket was fired at his car when it was returning from the National Cathedral. This trip was unscheduled, and we don’t know how anyone could have known where the President would be at that exact time. Three cars within the motorcade were destroyed. The First Lady, the President’s son, his Chief of Staff, and his Press Secretary were also killed in the attack.

"At this time, we have no clues as to who was responsible for the attack, but we’re investigating with all available resources. I swear to each and every one of you that we’ll find out who was responsible and bring him or them to justice for this cowardly and dastardly attack on our President and our nation. We’ll keep you informed as we get more information.

I ask all Americans to join me in prayer tonight. President Hampton was a great man and a great American. He will be sorely missed by everyone. Pray for his soul, pray for the Presidency, and pray for our country. We need to be strong in this hour of darkness. God bless us, and God bless America.

The nation went into mourning almost immediately. By the next day, flags around the country were flying at half-staff, and black bunting hung from most buildings.

The news reports were unable to provide any more details on what had happened. Photos of the scene of the attack were released, showing the extent of the devastation caused by the rocket. The explosion was so forceful that it was difficult to separate the remains of President Hampton from the other occupants of the limousine. The decision was finally made to cremate the remains. The urn was placed within a specially-designed coffin that was laid in state under the Capitol rotunda for a week, so mourners from around the world could say goodbye to the President.

In a quiet ceremony in the Oval Office, Vice President Sanborn was sworn in as President of the United States. His inaugural address was short and to the point: the culprits would be captured and brought to justice, and steps would be taken to ensure that nothing like this could ever happen again. The safety and security of the nation would be his highest priority.

President Sanborn selected Senator George Irwin Sheppard to be his Vice President, and the nomination was swiftly approved by Congress. Vice President Sheppard was a freshman Senator, and many wondered at the choice. But with the nation rallying around the new President, the speculations and comments quickly ceased.

President Sanborn wasted no time settling into his new position. He immediately began recalling military forces from around the world, and he placed them on highest alert so they’d be ready to deal with any situation. He appointed the Secretary of Homeland Security to coordinate all activities related to preventing any future attacks on American soil and placed combined resources from the military and the Department of Justice under Homeland Security’s oversight.

A number of new laws and regulations were quickly passed as well that were applauded by most Americans. He eliminated the H1B Visa program and ordered all foreign nationals working in the United States to return to their home countries. He cancelled all student visas and had all foreign nationals attending American universities and schools sent home. Outsourcing American jobs to other countries was made illegal, and he gave companies who had offshore outsourcing contracts six months to bring all of those jobs back into the United States. He had the borders sealed to immigrants and cancelled all green card applications that were still pending. Foreign nationals were given one month to get their affairs in order and leave the country. Seasonal agriculture work permits were also cancelled.

Sanborn eliminated social welfare benefits to non-citizens. He implemented a National ID Card program that not only had a photo of the individual, but also had a smart chip that contained personal information, medical history, and fingerprints, retina scans and other biometric information about each citizen. He changed the law that allowed for any person born in the United States to automatically become a citizen. If your parents aren’t citizens, President Sanborn stated when he proposed the law to Congress, then you’re not a citizen either just because you’re born here.

Unemployment began to drop dramatically as a result of President Sanborn’s new social and economic initiatives. Government spending on crime prevention across the country rose, and the crime rates dropped. Americans felt safe and secure, and they praised the President for making life better for everyone.

The mainstream press was unusually positive about the President and his Administration. No President had allowed the press to have as much access as President Sanborn did, which gave the members of the White House press corps the sense that they were part of the Administration, rather than outside observers of its inner workings.

As the deadline approached for foreign nationals to leave the United States, a number of incidents occurred all around the country. Car bombs were set off in over a dozen major cities. Two commercial airliners, filled with passengers, were shot down by the same type of rocket that had destroyed President Hampton’s motorcade. Several utility company stations were bombed, causing an instability in the power grid that led to a major blackout across the mid-Atlantic region. A missile was fired at Boulder Dam, but overshot and exploded in the water instead.

President Sanborn was quick to respond to these terrorist attacks. He accelerated the deportation of all foreign nationals – in some cases, rounding up whole families and putting them on airplanes with only the clothes they were wearing.

He created a new security force within the Department of Homeland Security that would be separate from local police and the FBI. Their job is not to investigate crimes, but to prevent crimes that could jeopardize the safety and security of America and its assets. Just like the Transportation Security Administration protects our ports of entry, the Homeland Security Force will protect our important national assets, such as energy distribution, telecommunications, ground transportation, and other assets that are deemed vulnerable or targets of our enemies.

Most Americans welcomed President Sanborn’s actions for keeping them safe. The attacks demonstrated all too clearly how vulnerable America was to terrorism. President Sanborn promised to keep everyone safe, and so far he was keeping his promise. Most Americans were happy, but others wondered what the true price of safety would end up being.

3

May 16, 0800

Guided Missile Destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84)

Off the Coast of Navassa Island in the Caribbean

Commander Alex Kinkaid, executive officer of the USS Bulkeley, had the deck watch on another muggy morning in the southern Caribbean Sea. For several weeks, the Bulkeley and several other cruisers, destroyers, and cargo ships, had been on patrol or anchored next to this strange piece of rock that was 160 kilometers south of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He didn’t know why the ship was there, but the Captain had received orders to make sure that no one came near the island for any reason. Several fishing boats from Haiti had been turned back, but apart from that, their patrols were very routine.

Navassa Island, also known as the Galapagos of the Caribbean, is a five square kilometer teardrop-shaped island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica. The island is ringed by steep white cliffs and is made of mostly limestone and coral, with minimal vegetation.

Guano phosphate was an organic fertilizer important to American agriculture in the 1800s. After the U.S. War Between the States, the Navassa Phosphate Company of Baltimore expanded its mining facilities on Navassa. The tropical heat and abusive overseers eventually caused a rebellion on the island in 1889. The mines were closed and the island abandoned shortly after that. Navassa had been uninhabited since that time.

The sound of rotor blades overhead made Kinkaid look up in time to see another cargo helicopter heading toward the island. Dozens of helicopters landed every day, delivering their secret cargos before taking off again.

When the Bulkeley had first arrived at the island, there was nothing there but the ruins of the old lighthouse and the settlement used for the guano miners. However, in the last few months, dozens of long, prefabricated metal huts had been erected in neat rows in the center of the island. Kinkaid saw their roofs gleaming in the morning sunlight. Near Lulu Bay, docks, helipads, and other structures had been erected so that small vessels could unload their cargos closer to land.

Asking questions about what was happening on the island was officially discouraged. Kinkaid had heard of similar projects happening on other islands under United States control – along both the east and the west coasts. There were even rumors of similar building projects in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. With each patrol as uneventful as the previous, it was hard not to spend a great deal of time watching the activity on the island.

Over the past several days, Kinkaid had noticed a number of towers being built at evenly-spaced intervals all around the island. They appeared to be guard towers. Fence posts had also been sunk into the ground, and chain-link fencing and razor wire were being unrolled and attached to the posts. The island was beginning to look like the modern version of a World War II prisoner of war camp. As he watched the rows of fencing go up, Kinkaid couldn’t help but wonder if the fencing was to keep people in or keep people out. Whatever the case, it was going to be difficult for anyone to cross that fence line, especially with the naval patrols ringing the island day and night.

As Kinkaid continued looking at the activity on the island, he heard someone clear his throat behind him. He turned and saw Seaman Jackson snap to attention and salute. Kinkaid returned the salute quickly. Good morning, Sir, Jackson said, lowering his hand. The Captain would like to see you.

Thank you, Jackson. Is the Captain on the bridge?

No sir. She’s in the ward room.

Very well.

Kinkaid took one more look at the island before going to find the Captain.

Captain Jean Parsons was an excellent Navy officer. The crew’s efficiency ratings were always high ever since she had taken command almost two years earlier. She took the time to know every member of her crew, but she was a no-nonsense commanding officer. Morale on board was strong, but everyone knew that they had a job to do and they did it professionally at all times. Kinkaid had little doubt that she’d be promoted to Admiral within a few years.

As Kinkaid entered the ward room, Parsons was sitting at the far table having her morning coffee with two other officers. Kinkaid came to attention and waited for the Captain to acknowledge him.

Good morning XO, Parsons said when she saw Kinkaid. Close the hatch and join us.

Kinkaid closed the hatch behind him and sat down across from the Captain.

Parsons started thumbing through a stack of papers in front of her until she found the one she wanted. I’ve received orders that I need to share with each of you. It explains a little of what we’re doing here and what’s going to be happening going forward. You may have noticed that they’re building several cyclone fences around the island. My orders now confirm that they’re building an internment facility on the island.

Internment facility, Captain? one of the other officers asked.

"Yes, internment facility – similar to the camps they built to house Japanese Americans after the attack on