The Kings Undoing

The Kings Undoing is now available at Smashwords.

If time travel were a reality, could we use it to correct the horrible mistakes of the past? Would we be able to correct the wrongs of those in power?

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"So, Agent Peters, what you're telling this committee is this man has no information we can use?"

"No Senator, what I said is that any information we get from him will be useless."

"Why is that Agent Peters?"

"The event has already occurred. He can tell us how he planned and executed the operation. Who may have helped him, how they may have helped him. But that was the past and everything after the event has now changed."

"How can that be? Maybe you better explain it to us."

"I can't do that, I don't know enough on the subject."

"Then who should be explaining it to us?"

"He should, but he's not up to doing that, even if he is willing."

"I see. Well what do you know? Maybe you better start at the beginning." 

"Yes Senator.  From what he has told us, the year was 2031 and the country was in turmoil.  The world was in turmoil.  Economies throughout the world had been collapsing for decades.  The population of the United States, decimated by hunger, plague and civil war, is on the verge of collapse.

 "We now flash back to 2016, three years into the Presidents second term.  Unemployment is at a record high of twenty-five percent.  There are more than fifty trillion dollars in fiat money in circulation.  The national debt is in the neighborhood of one hundred and twenty five trillion dollars and is so high that foreign counties holding our IOU's demand their payments in gold.  The problem is there is no gold backing the currency any more.  It has all been sold to private investors."

"And you believe this drivel told to you?"

"Yes Senator, I do."

"Continue then Agent Peters."

"The country is broke.  Can't pay its bills, can't pay its employees. Over the next year, the President consolidates his position within the government.  On the eve of the next election, he declares martial law.  Loyal units of the military move into the capital, the President declares himself the lifelong ruler of the United States."

"Preposterous!"

"From what I have been told he has you killed first Senator.  He dissolves Congress and has the Justices of the Supreme Court jailed.  The vice president is declared the Prime Minister and certain members of the house posted to positions in his ruling dictatorship.  All private enterprise is nationalized."

Agent Peters stops to take a drink of water.  Then looking back to his notes, he continues.

"For the next five years the country is torn apart by war.  Ten divisions of loyalist military units secure the northeast from the coast to the Ohio River and as far south as West Virginia.  In the west, California secedes to become its own country, soon followed by the secessions of Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and all states west of the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border. 

"Texas coops Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma into its boarders to become the Republic of Texas once more.  The four states of the Four Corners Area, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah, become the Colorado Republic.   Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri band together to become the Prairie Republic, followed by Minnesota, North and South Dakota as the Dakota Republic.  The Mountain Republic consisted of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The Northwest Republic consisted of Washington and Oregon.  Nevada stood alone and defended its borders vigorously, but freely gave whatever secrets kept within its borders.

"California annexed the Baja peninsula much to the relief of Mexico.  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin were hung out to dry by both sides.  Michigan and Wisconsin eventually joined Canada, while Ohio, Indiana and Illinois joined the Southern Republic made up of Kentucky, West Virginia, the Carolina's, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.  The year is 2022 and the United States of America is no more.  Canada invades Maine and holds it, despite the fight put up by the President's armies."

Agent Peters stops to refresh himself again.  Looking up at the panel of Senators, he sighs.

"Our country is now torn apart.  Infrastructures begin to crumble.  The monetary system is in chaos as each republic now prints its own."

"This is all well and good, but when does our assassin enter the picture Agent Peters?"

"I'm coming to that, sir.  In 2030 Mister Abernathy is…"

"Wait, he isn't a Doctor? PhD type?"

"No sir, he is self taught.  He is also eighty years old.  A group of people and he have been hanging about at what had been Argonne National Labs.  At the time of the collapse, the lab was working on time travel.  The group with Mister Abernathy continued that work. On October 31, 2031, they succeeded."

"Well then, can he tell us how to complete the work now?"

"Probably, but like I said he's not really up to doing so."

"I see.  Maybe we should be the judge of that.  Get him in here as soon as possible Agent Peters."

"Sir, I respect…"

"Now Peters, do you understand?"

"Yes, Senator," Agent Peters replied.