Chapter 22
9:30 AM EST New York - Bear News Viewing Room
We could see the anchor desk from the glassed in area we had been escorted too. There was a large flat-screened monitor to the right of us mounted on a wall, where we could watch the actual feed. It was a bit confusing. We could sort of make out the words from watching the anchor desk, but with the delay on the monitor, it was like an echo.
Mark and I watched the President’s Rose Garden speech and then watched the commentators take their jabs at what was said, what they thought should have been said, and what they themselves would have said. Welcome to American media. No matter what was said, there was always an army of people more than willing to give an opinion and some actually got paid for it.”
John Roddenburg was dressed casually, which was common when national disasters took place. Tomorrow he would most likely be at ground zero reporting live, from California. He stood about six feet two inches, weighed around 200 pounds, and had a full head of perfectly groomed brown hair. His eyes were brown and he had not a trace of body fat. Roddenburg was a powerful man who commanded attention on and off the camera. He was a man unto himself. As a renegade, he drove the establishment nuts with his innuendos and threats to those in power. He was big believer in conspiracy. To him, the world was controlled not by governments, but a few select people; and he made his views known everywhere. His following included a combination of right-wing government control haters, radical talk show hosts, religious leaders and their flocks who were afraid of the “beast rising to power.” His following was almost like a religion and his network and shows ran second only to The Network in ratings.
John Roddenburg had graduated from the University of Missouri’s, School of Journalism in the middle of his class. He played football for the Tigers and was an All American at his position of tight end; that is until at a Texas Longhorns game, when he blew out his left knee after completing a pass.
After graduation, he worked as a Junior Reporter with the Kansas City Star. He then moved to a local TV station and became an on the street reporter. He quickly rose to weekend anchor, then anchor of the evening news in Kansas City with a Bear News affiliate.
Within two years, his theories and accusations of the political arena won him the top job as Anchor for Bear National News. He had written three books about how governments rip off and control its citizens. He was considered by many to be a definite threat to the government, both in and out of Washington. Fortunately, in spite of his accusations about the government, he was still supported by the management team of Bear News management who generally gave him a free hand in news reporting. Mark and I both knew that after today, quite unbeknownst to John Roddenburg, he would be the most watched broadcaster in not only America but also the world.
I turned my attention back to the monitor. Brian Wilcox was reporting from the south lawn of the White House. John Roddenburg had asked him, “What exactly does Article One, Section Nine mean?”
Brian responded, “It means John, that Habeas Corpus is suspended till the government stabilizes the area. In non-technical language, your Constitutional rights are suspended until the order is rescinded. For example, you may want to stay in your property even though it has not been damaged by the quake, but you have no right to stay there if asked or told to leave. On the same note, if you are arrested for a crime, for example, the usual process such as Miranda rights, forty-eight hour maximum hold in jail without a charge, and other rights are suspended. If you are arrested, you can be held indefinitely until the order is rescinded.”
“Wow!” John exclaimed, “So what you are saying is that the military now has all the power to do as they deem necessary and the people’s constitutional rights have been taken away?”
“Basically John, that is right. Even though someone might want to challenge this order, it would take years for that to happen. No search warrants, no Miranda, no nothing. It’s like being in a third world country.”
“Thanks Brian for your input. Now for more on the FEMA and Homeland Security movements, here is Ann Davies, live from San Diego, California.”
The news reporters for Bear were taking apart the President’s speech line by line and then showing or implying that the government was doing very little in California. This was typical Bear tactics and if not for what was about to happen next, it would just be another day in John Roddenberg’s life of being the watchdog for the nation of our government’s actions.
Mark seemed still in a daze and he finally leaned over and said, “I don’t think the security guard saw Gabriel and Ariel in the car, but they were in plain sight. But you and I could see them.”
“Well Mark, now maybe you realize that behind us is the power of God.”