“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Len and Jack both awoke to the sound of a prop plane making a slow circle outside their cave. They climbed out of their bags near the fire pit and put on their leggings, jackets, and boots. Almost every morning one type of plane or another had flown near their Dead Man’s Cave. Their standard procedure was to investigate the type of aircraft and it’s flight path. From inside the cave they both made out the distinctive sound of a single engine prop making a slow circle overhead. When they arrived at the cave entrance, a two foot wide ray of light shot through the light smoke to brighten the cave entrance. The plane appeared at three o’clock and was circling towards the morning sun. They were well hidden by a large overhang and dense snow laden brush. Even with infrared equipment it would be impossible to detect them from the plane.
“What do you think, Len, is this it?”
“Have to say it is. It’s flying a low altitude search pattern. They probably have sophisticated infrared on board. Tonight we have to make our first bivouac. I’ve finally decided what to do in terms of them hunting me down and killing me. I can’t let that happen. In my insane attempt to protect myself and my family from the government I didn’t think it possible that I would lose control of the devices. No matter what, insane or not, I didn’t start this war over a petty fear and I’m not going to lose it over one. I’m sending an email message to all major publications, to the President of the United States, and the armed forces. The email will be a declaration of war stating succinct conditions involving my family first and the United States Government’s surrender second. The terms of surrender will be unconditional surrender to myself as absolute dictator for an eight year period. At that time I will relinquish my office and allow them to do with me as they please. The message will include my acceptance of the responsibility for the devastation of Chicago. Additionally, the message will inform them of the number of bombs still out there and the mechanism used to employ them. After that, the ball is in their court. Jack, I’m sorry you are associated with me in this. I would have never harmed you intentionally. As it was, I had to protect you by getting you to come with me. If I could have brought Maria and the kids I would have. I’m afraid that the government won’t believe that they are trapped and they will attempt to destroy me outright. To accomplish that end they will hunt down and either intern or interrogate anyone that has an intimate connection with me. If the government is successful in killing me, all 19 remaining weapons will detonate in some unknown random sequence, taking with them, at the very least, nine more major sites responsible for 90% of the infrastructure in the United States. Then I will be solely responsible for the dissolution of America and over a 100 million immediate deaths.”
“Len, I’ve known you for 43 years. In which time you have done nothing but try to do your best and be a good person to your family and your government. The morning after our traditional toast to freedom, I am entrapped in a scheme you perpetrated without my knowledge that makes you the worst monster of human history. What you’ve done is abhorrent. I can’t forgive you, and I’m sure no one else will either. This puts you in a league with Hitler and Stalin. No matter what the path, you have arrived at a point where innocent people died to further humanity’s improvement. Even if your desired goals are attained, they will have been based on an atrocity. You know as well as I that Machiavellism is immoral. If Marx was right, what you did was the only way to end the tyranny of our government. Me, I wouldn’t want the job. And here I am. With a friend for life that has committed the worst atrocity in the history of mankind. I’m pretty sure the memories of me will not go through history unsullied. No doubt, in the statue commemorating your demise, I will be represented praying to you while I polish your shoes.”
Len said, “Give me one other surefire way to protect your family from government interference.”
“Move.”
“Ah, come on Jack, you know they won’t let me move. I haven’t been able to move out of the U.S. for 15 years.”
“Perhaps then, you and your family aren’t worth the cost.”
“Every family is worth the cost. Innocence doesn’t exist, and you know it.”
“Oh, so you’re saying killing four million people, or however many it was in Chicago was justified?”
“No. I’m saying that there was only one mechanism left to me to protect my family from government intervention. That was an absolute threat against the existence of their government that required that they not only do what I ask, but protect me from harm at all costs. If I had created a system that required me to turn it on when threatened then there are any number of situations they could have created that would not have allowed me access to do so. If, on the other hand, I could turn them off under duress, once again they could create a situation through hostages that would force my hand. Currently, if they desire to remain alive themselves and maintain any semblance of a government whatsoever, they are forced to do what I ask. No matter what the situation was that caused me to employ this system they would not believe me by word alone. In many ways, the way this has worked out may be best for the country. If my family had been threatened without just cause, and I had issued a warning, they would not have believed it. They may have killed me based on the threat alone, in which case all 20 bombs would have annihilated the United States.”
“Oh great, now you’ve done the country a service. I have to get away from you for awhile. I’ll start sweeping the cave.”
Jack went to where Len and he had left off sweeping the cave the day before. He brushed the floor with the branch they had collected from the bush above the cave. He made his sweeping motion in the direction of the inner cave. They hoped to cover up their tracks leading the searchers deeper and deeper into it. The dust settled over the brush marks leaving almost no trace of sweeping at all. Len was packing the backpacks with what remained of their equipment. He left the sleeping bags out so they could rest before leaving. As he packed up, tears fell onto the cave floor exploding silty dust up by the tears. The drone of the plane could barely be heard now as its pattern took it further and further from the cave. Eventually, they would find the Hummer and exhaustively search in an ever increasing radius from there. It was only a matter of time until they found the cave and them. Len finished packing and went out to the cave entrance to check their ascent of the cliff face. The 300 foot climb to the top of the ridge would take them an hour. They needed to make the climb just before dusk. With the binoculars Len checked the climbing nuts they had left earlier. He was careful to avoid turning the lenses towards the sun. The ascent checked out and Len went back into the cave where Jack was finishing up. All that remained was to rest until their departure at around 4:30 that afternoon. Without talking, Len and Jack got into their sleeping bags. Len set his mental clock for 4:30 and tried to get some sleep.
After 15 minutes Jack got up and went to sit in the cave entrance. The cave was located 700 feet from the bottom of the canyon on a 1000 foot cliff face. The opening faced due South Southwest. A spring located on the East side of the Valle de la Grulla flowed south for one mile before cutting between two 1000 foot cliffs and feeding into Canones Creek which ran from Cerro de la Garita North past the cave 1/4 mile to the east. Canones Creek defined the canyon at the base of an 800 foot cliff that capped off into Mesa del Medio. The entire area was covered in at least 12 feet of snow which defined clean breaks against the black lava cliffs. Stands of aspen and pine covered the hill tops and ran along the creek bottom. The terrain was beautiful in it’s ruggedness. Dark blue frozen waterfalls covered the lava cliffs where the heat of the day sun had melted the snow at the top. At night the running water froze. Jack felt the heat of the New Mexico morning sun beat down on his face. A slight morning breeze would occasionally remind him of the 18 degree temperature.
The first time Len and Jack saw this cave they were 16. They were on summer break from school. They had decided to hike into the Sante Fe National Forest from San Antonio Canyon. They had driven to San Antonio Canyon on a Monday night and hiked up to the hot springs with a six pack of beer. They arrived at the hot springs at 1 o’clock in the morning. The hike itself was a challenge in the pitch black. They had decided not to use flash lights and were going by starlight alone. After stumbling and laughing up the hillside they arrived at the concrete plug that marked the hot springs. They took the six pack out of the day pack laying it on the concrete plug just above the springs. The stars shone crystal clear as steam rose from their cold beer cans. The hot springs and night engulfed them in the quiet of the evening as they grimaced down three beers apiece. Jack immediately threw up over the rocks that circled the springs. Len lay back almost comatose. They weren’t able to get out of the springs until 4 in the morning. They made their way down the hill, two prunes falling drunkenly from time to time. Their hangovers lasted until late in the morning when they started to backpack into the Baca Location from the car.
They hiked up and around Cerro de la Garita and followed a very steep stream bed down to Canones Creek. A lot of the time they had to walk in the water, jumping from one large rock to another between steep rising cliffs. After four miles they ended up on a pack trail that led up the canyon. At around 5 that afternoon they came to a point in the trail where a stream came into Canones Creek from the left. It dropped down a canyon that lost a thousand feet in half a mile. Huge boulders lay in the stream bed. On all sides cliffs rose a thousand feet. There was a small beautiful green valley made by the delta of the falling stream as it flattened out and joined Canones. They pitched their tent beneath three pine trees and listened to the streams gurgle past until they fell asleep. They rarely made a fire when camping. It was just their way. The minimal impact, can’t be tracked way. They were caught up in the times of Zen awareness attempting to pass through the wilderness with the least amount of evidence. The next day they hiked up the stream that dropped from Valle de la Grulla into Canones Canyon. The hike was extremely arduous. At 10 o’clock just as the sun lit up the north cliff face Len pointed up at the face and said, ”Does that look like a cave entrance to you?”
“Does what look like a cave entrance?”
“Follow my arm Jack. See it? Mid way up the cliff face. A sort of shadow where you wouldn’t expect one. Just below that copse of bushes that sticks straight out from the cliff face. See it?”
“I think so. Is it just below the shadow from that one overhang?”
“Yeah. That’s it. Let’s make the climb.”
“What kind of equipment did you bring?”
“Jack. Jack. We’ve never climbed with equipment, remember. If we get stuck we can always jump to our deaths. Let’s go. I think I see a seam we can get up the face with.”
“Len, are you forgetting last year when you got stuck on that ledge for half a day? Christ, I thought we would never get you down.”
“Like you haven’t been in the same situation. Look Jack. This is the second largest caldera in the world. There have got to be lava tubes all over the place up here. This might be the entrance to a series of tubes that underlies the whole Valle Grande.”
“You gonna just stand there gabbin all day or start the ascent?”
“That’s what I like about you Jack, no brains.”
They hiked directly to the seam Len had seen earlier, dropped their packs, put on fanny packs that contained sandwiches and flashlights, and started the climb. The first 100 feet of the ascent were pretty easy. A two-inch ridge ran up the cliff allowing them to edge along it one foot after another while seeking handholds. The second 100 feet proved a bit more interesting. A six inch fissure wormed its way up the cliff face with no spot for rest. They had to place their feet against one edge and hold onto the other with their hands. For one hundred feet they went hand over hand, foot over foot until they reached a 20 inch ledge they could rest on. Both Len and Jack were scared to death at this point. They were two hundred feet up a cliff face wondering if they could make it back down. The next hundred feet were pretty easy with good handholds and solid footings. The next to the last ascent had an overhang in it. Len made the overhang with a daring grab above the hang with no visible handhold in sight. He cleared the overhang and sat panting unseen above Jack.
Jack remembered back to the attempt.
“Come on Jack. It’s a snap.”
“How did you do it, Len?”
“There’s a ridge directly above that small rock that sticks out on the overhang. Shoot off your left foot hitting that right foot hold just below the overhang. Totally commit to the handhold by leaping up and grabbing it. You can do it.”
Jack pushed off his left foot just as Len had said. His right foot hit the foothold perfect as he shot his right hand over the overhang and let go with his left hand at the same time. His right hand got a firm hold but his left missed it’s mark. Jack remembered the fear as his fingers started to give out on the handhold. Just then, Len grabbed his wrist giving Jack the time and strength to secure his left hand on the ridge. Jack lay next to Len panting on the overhang. Len was wearing a huge grin.
“Christ Len, I almost died.”
“Almost doesn’t count. Can’t you feel it. The exhilaration of the moment. My whole body is tingling. I’ve never seen more clearly in my life. That was great, Jack. Thanks a lot.”
“You know. It really wasn’t that bad. Let’s get to it.”
Jack and Len reached the cave entrance at four o’clock. There was no way they could climb down that evening. They sat at the entrance of the cave looking out across the canyon as the sun set.
“There’s a girl in my calculus class that I think likes me, Jack.”
“What’s her name?”
“Maria. Maria Chavez. Do you know her?”
“No, but I’ve seen her around. She’s real cute Len. Are you going to ask her out?”
“If I can build up the guts. She says hi to me every day and is in my study group.”
“Go for it Len. You’re so weird. You climb cliffs, jump cars, and get hurt incredibly bad all the time. But when it comes to people, you’re scared to death.”
“You’ve known me since I was three. All through grade school and junior high people made fun of me for thinking differently. You’re my best and only friend.”
“You’re worth it Len. I’ve learned more about life and about being alive through you than through anyone or anything. I’m with you until the very end. Ask Maria out, Len.”
They spent the rest of the cold night in the cave entrance 500 feet above Canones Creek talking about their childhood. In the morning neither of them had ever felt better.
Somehow Len and Jack made the descent. They came away from the cave different boys than when they had entered. Both were committed to each other for life, bonded through the experience and words that sealed them to the pact. As the years rolled by they learned to technically climb and visited the cave several times. It was their place of wonder. The place a couple of kids go to when they need to think about life and death.
Returning to the present, Jack whispered to himself, ”I’m with you until the very end”, and walked back to the sleeping bags and got into his. He and Len slept until 4:30 when Len woke up.
Len got out of his sleeping bag and dressed quietly. He moved his backpack to the entrance of the cave and took out the transmission box and notebook computer. He turned on both units and checked the infrared communication port to the transmission box and satelite feed. The check program came back with an OK. Len composed the following declaration:
I, Leonard Mahoney, declare war upon the United States of America. This war is not a war for control or oppression. It is a war in support of the Constitution of the United States of America. It is a war against what you, the leaders of this great nation, have made it. This war is against the complexity and interference to which the now established government is subjecting United States citizens. The United States Constitution starts with the following preamble:
"We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Establishing Justice
What is justice? Justice is not punishment. Justice is not defined by suppression. Justice has to do with morality, an understanding of cause and effect, a philosophical construction based on avoidance of harm and the endowment of future rewards not based on others pain.
In other words, the people of the United States will establish a system based on truth and virtuous behavior where citizens exhibit goodness. Have we not destroyed the society that charished these values. Aren’t we as citizens, afraid of others and fearful to extend kindness. The leaders of the United States have corrupted the health of our society by playing to special interest groups in order to further their own political careers.
Insure Domestic Tranquility:
It can be fairly said that if our children are the largest group of criminal offenders we as a nation are failing. This is not a situation of domestic tranquility but a situation of domestic adversity. Our government has not delivered to us a peaceful nation, but a nation blighted by public policies that punish businessmen and workers alike for their efforts to succeed.
Provide for the Common Defense:
The Constitution does not ask the government to create a defense system that consumes the national budget. Does the Constitution require the defense of all the nations of the world against aggressors? There is no mention of setting up puppet dictators or establishing a Center for International Affairs that performs covert operations selling arms to other nations. We are a nation blessed with geographical isolation. Basing our defense and industrialization on idealistic fears is neither valid nor prudent.
Promote the General Welfare:
General welfare refers to the welfare of the whole. It does not recommend promoting a small sector of our nation’s welfare at the expense of the whole. There is no mention of redistribution of income.
Secure the Blessings of Liberty:
Liberty to work for wages without them being stolen for redistribution. Liberty to eat and drink products of choice as long as no harm is done to others. The liberty to determine how to raise our children. The liberty to practice an occupation of choice without having to meet others’ criteria of acceptance.
The Government of the United States of America will relinquish absolute control of all governing agencies to me, Leonard Mahoney, by 8:00 AM Mountain Standard Time January 30. I, Leanord Mahoney, will maintain absolute control of the government for the next 4 years at which time free elections will be held for all government offices held. At that time I will disarm all weapons and stand down from my position as Dictator of the United States. In the event that the United States does not surrender, a nuclear device will detonate each day from February 1st through February 18th somewhere in the United States. These detonations are targeted to completely destroy the infrastructure of the United States. Any attempt to seek out and destroy or interrogate myself, my friends, or my family will result in the above conditions being carried out.
Len uplinked to the communication satelite and sent the message via email to every major newspaper and government agency. He packed the notebook away and pulled the hood of his jacket over his head.
Copyright © 1993 - 2010 Philip Regenie, All Rights Reserved
