Razor's Edge: The Beginning of a New Dawn

By Kyle Lairamore

Razors Edge was written for my family. It is based on events that a family struggles with leading up to a second civil war in the United States. The name of Razors Edge comes from three things. First, Razor is for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Edge is for the overlook located in Devils Den, Arkansas. Second, Razors Edge represents the division of the country by the actions of the Government and the general public not standing for their actions. Razors Edge shows how one person can unite the masses under one strong belief. This is one mans opinion about how the Governments wasteful spending, policies, and actions can cause chaos throughout the country.

The main family characters in the book are named after actual members of my family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491766019

Kyle Lairamore

Kyle Lairamore, currently a Police Detective with the Hinesville Police Department, was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma and has strong family ties to both Oklahoma and Arkansas. Shortly before his birth, his father, Ronald Lairamore, joined the United States Army and the family moved to many duty stations. His family traveled to Germany twice and settled in Hinesville, Georgia where he graduated from Bradwell Institute in 1991. Kyle worked construction right out of high school for ten years. Then, he started his career in Law Enforcement working for the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Georgia. Kyle worked there for a little over a year and then got a position with the Hinesville Police Department as a patrol officer. After five years on the force, he became a member of the Crime Suppression Unit and two years later he became a detective. He and his wife, Suzanne, have four boys; three live in Georgia and one is currently stationed with the United States Army at Ft. Hood, Texas. Kyle still likes to work with his hands by clearing the land he owns in Long County, Georgia and doing woodworking projects in his spare time. Writing has become a new passion with Razor’s Edge; the Beginning of a New Dawn being his first book in a series to Razor’s Edge.

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Copyright © 2015 Kyle Lairamore.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-6595-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-6601-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015905901

iUniverse rev. date: 04/21/2015

Contents

Chapter 1 Looking Back

Chapter 2 Cameron and Family

Chapter 3 Daniel and Family

Chapter 4 Patrick and Family

Chapter 5 Home Front

Chapter 6 PreArrival

Chapter 7 Obediah’s and Cameron’s Arrival

Chapter 8 Patrick’s and Daniel’s Arrival

Chapter 9 Men’s and Lady’s Club

Chapter 10 Playing in the yard

Chapter 11 Pepaw’s Day

Chapter 12 Sgt. Custer

Chapter 13 Grandkids go fishing

Chapter 14 The Bank

Chapter 15 Shooting Time

Chapter 16 The Hole

Chapter 17 Devils’s Den

Chapter 18 Troubling News

Chapter 19 America the Republic

Chapter 20 The Beginning

Chapter 21 The Plan

Chapter 22 Plan in Action

Chapter 23 The Cover Up

Chapter 24 The Aftermath

Chapter 25 The Departing

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First, I would like to thank my wife Suzanne (Harris) Lairamore and all four of our boys. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have the main charters in Razor’s Edge, The Beginning of a New Dawn.

Next, I would like to thank both sides of my family. My Father Ronald Lairamore was born in Charleston, Arkansas and grew up there. He married Gloria (Reese) Lairamore who was born in Mulberry, Arkansas. She grew up in the area of Mountainburg, Arkansas.

My father enlisted in the Army right before I was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. With our traveling around the world, they made sure that we went back to the area anytime we could. I grew up knowing the area and loving visiting all of my family. When my parents started working on our family tree, we found that our ancestors were one of the first families to settle along the Arkansas / Oklahoma border.

If it wasn’t for all the research my parents conducted, I wouldn’t have the back setting for Razor’s Edge, The Beginning of a New Dawn.

I would also like to thank all of my friends that help me decide to publish Razor’s Edge, The Beginning of a New Dawn. Chaley Davis, I would like to thank her for help in making sure Razor’s Edge, The Beginning of a New Dawn was ready for the world to read.

Chapter 1

LOOKING BACK

It was mid-August 2060; Tater Bug was sitting on the edge of a cliff in Devil’s Den, Arkansas. Sitting there looking around, he could see the river below, and the mountain growing high into the sky across from him. The leaves were starting to change colors, and a beautiful sunrise made the dew on the red, orange and brown leaves shine bright. Tater Bug looked over to see his wife, Michelle and their two kids Ronald and Donna wondering through the woods. Tater Bug started thinking about his grandparents and his first trip to Devil’s Den.

He thought about the trip he took to Arkansas with his sister Julie, who was eight years old, and their parents in June 2041 – June 27th, to be exact. He was ten years old when they traveled from Hinesville, Georgia where his parents Obediah and Jamie lived. Obediah graduated from college and returned to Hinesville. He married Jamie, and they opened a gaming and tech business in Savannah, Georgia.

They left Hinesville, Georgia traveling to their grandparent’s home for a family reunion. Obediah’s dad, Kyle, and stepmom, Suzanne, had lived in Hinesville before they both retired. Pepaw worked for the Hinesville Police Department, and Memaw taught fifth grade for Liberty County Board of Education. Memaw and Pepaw moved to Charleston, Arkansas and built a home. Tater Bug never expected that it would be a long time before he would see the state of Georgia again.

During the trip, Obediah explained to them that Pepaw and Memaw had taken him and his brother, Cameron, on the same trip to visit family. Obediah told them about the farm house that Memaw and Pepaw lived in and the pond close to the house. Jamie was excited to be going because it would be the first time in a real long time that she would be around the rest of the family.

All along the drive, Tater Bug and Julie took turns taking pictures with the camera. They made it to Birmingham, Alabama when the sun was setting. After stopping and eating, they climbed back into the truck and headed down the road. Having a portable laser player, Tater Bug and Julie started watching movies. Each time they crossed a different state line, Obediah would tell them. One or the other grabbed the camera and tried to take a picture, but it was too dark. Late in the night, after they crossed the Mississippi River, Tater Bug and Julie fell asleep.

Jamie looked back and could see how peaceful both kids looked. She turned up the radio just a little and turned to Obediah. She asked him if he was worried about the turmoil that was going on. See, The United States was on the verge of a collapse and militia groups were organizing and grouping together. There were news reports on the television that these groups were going to take over the United States if things did not change. The lead group was from Arkansas and this worried her because they were going there.

Obediah told her that he was not worried, but in the back of his mind he was hoping to talk his parents into leaving Arkansas on this trip. He went on to tell her that he talked to Patrick, his step brother, who was still in the Army. Patrick Harris told him that there was no word of the Army mobilizing or the activation of any National Guard. Jamie finally dozed off to sleep as Obediah drove along Highway 40 toward Little Rock, Arkansas.

Chapter 2

CAMERON AND FAMILY

Cameron and Sara lived in Bismarck, North Dakota. Cameron Lairamore graduated from College and got a job in the Dakotas working for Texas Oil Company as a geologist. They had a daughter Jessica, who was eight years old, and a son Cameron Jr., aka Cannon Ball, who was six years old.

At six o’clock in the morning of June 27, 2041, Cameron finished loading the family’s vehicle and headed out of town. Jessica, being just like her father started asking questions about rocks and minerals from Arkansas. Cameron laughed to himself, told her about several trips they had made in the past that she couldn’t remember since she’d been so little at the time. He then told her about all the beautiful, different-colored rocks there and what a fun place it was. He then told her about his favorite place being Cavanal Hill in Oklahoma. Jessica interrupted him and said, Dad, I want to go to Cavanal Hill.

He replied, I planned on taking ya’ll there.

Cameron continued telling them about going to Natural Dam, a place in Arkansas that the Lairamore Family had founded and homesteaded the area. He told them about walking down the river and playing in the water by the dam. As he was telling them about Devil’s Den and Holiday Island, they drifted off to sleep.

Sara finished reading her book when they stopped for gas and a snack. Sara told Cameron that she would drive for a while as they got back into the vehicle.

Cameron got into the passenger seat and tilted it back some. He sat there thinking about his family and couldn’t wait to see them. He then thought about the government getting overthrown. He couldn’t help but wonder if they would be ready for it. They had saved money, and it was in the bank. If the government got taken over, what would happen to their money? He decided when they got to Charleston, Arkansas; he would go to the bank and transfer almost all the money out. He leaned the seat back up and explained the plan to Sara. She was a little bit scared but understood why he was going to do it. She too did not want to be stuck with nothing if the government was taken over.

At Lunchtime, Cameron called his stepbrother, Daniel. Daniel answered the phone and said, I am glad you called.

Cameron replied, Did I wake ya’ll up?

Daniel laughed and said, Yeah you did. We drove to Orlando, Florida and stayed here for the night. We are about to get back on the road.

Cameron said, See you in Arkansas.

He hung up the phone and dozed off to sleep.

Chapter 3

DANIEL AND FAMILY

Daniel and Tracy Harris lived in Key West, Florida with their two kids, Maria who was fourteen years old and Alex who was sixteen years old. Daniel, Obediah and Cameron’s stepbrother, served in the Coast Guard and retired there. He loved to fish and started his fishing guide company. Tracy retired from being a pediatric oncologist and ran the office. She also took care of the kids, while Daniel took groups out into the Gulf of Mexico and into the Atlantic Ocean. His business was thriving when they decided to make the trip. Hearing all the news about the turmoil with the government, they figured it was as good a time as any to take a family trip to see his mom and step dad Kyle, Pepaw.

Alex and Maria had traveled several times in the past to Memaw and Pepaw’s house. Both looked forward to the trip because they wanted to spend some time with their family. Every time they made the trip there, Memaw and Pepaw would spoil them. They would always be on the go, going to different places seeing different things. When they would leave, they always felt getting back to work in the business or going to school so they could get some rest.

Tracy, Maria and Alex packed their stuff in the vehicle and waited for Daniel to return from his last guided trip for the night. When he finally pulled up, Daniel went in the house and took a shower. After his shower, they sat at the table and ate dinner. Daniel told them that he wanted to get some rest before he started driving. Tracy looked at him and said, No, I will start driving, and you can sleep in the car. Daniel laughed and agreed.

Six o’clock in the evening of June 26, 2041, they departed Key West, Florida. Tracy drove north crossing the Florida Keys. When she finally reached the mainland, she stopped for gas. Maria and Alex went inside the store and got everyone some snacks. Daniel had woken up from his nap and was pumping the gas, while Tracy went in and used the restroom. After the gas got pumped, and nobody had returned, Daniel locked the car and went to use the bathroom.

When he came out of the bathroom, he noticed all three were standing by the television watching the news. He walked up to see Arkansas militia group leader, Sam Lincoln, talking about the protest and rally at the Washington Monument on the fourth of July. Daniel looked at his watch and thought about Patrick, his older brother, in Washington D.C. and he decided to call him.

Daniel told Tracy that he was going to walk around outside to stretch his legs while they finished paying for the items and loaded up into the vehicle. Daniel walked outside and dialed Patrick’s number.

After two rings, Patrick answered saying, I was waiting on your call. Daniel asked him about the protest and rally. Patrick told Daniel that there was reason to be alarmed. He, Heather and their kids would be leaving for Arkansas in the morning and could not wait to see them.

Daniel said good bye. He walked to the car and got into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and left the gas station.

After about two hours driving with nobody saying a word, Alex spoke up, So what did Uncle Patrick have to say?

Daniel looked surprised, and glanced at Tracy.

Tracy said, We know that is who you called, so what did he have to say?

Daniel told them that Patrick and Heather would be leaving in the morning and would see them in Arkansas. Tracy looked at Daniel and could tell that he was worried, but she did not say anything.

Chapter 4

PATRICK AND FAMILY

It was on late June 26, 2041 when Pat arrived at his parents’ Patrick and Heather house. He still had a key to the house, so letting himself in, he went to his old bedroom, and fell asleep. When he woke the next morning, he went down to the kitchen to have a cup of coffee with his mom and dad. They sat at the table drinking their coffee talking about Pat’s job with the Washington Post. He started there right out of college and had worked his way up. He told them about the rumors of a protest and that he hated to miss being there to write about it.

Patrick and Heather both told him that his grandparents had looked forward to them all being there, and