Al Augustus paused briefly, then answered, “Don’t tell anybody about them. After the base is completely secure, I want you to make them operational. Are the warheads there too?”

“Negative. But I know where they’re located. When I obtain the warheads, where do you want the missiles targeted? I suppose you know they’re quite capable of reaching Washington from here?”

“Yes, Archie,” he said, “I know their capability. For the time being, don’t target any place. I pray that no one will ever have to set off one of those horrible things. However, it’ll make a good bluff when we have to deal with our weird friend at the White House.

“By the way, General,” Augustus continued, “I’ve located seven of the Little Giant antimissile systems. I’m told they’re twice as effective as the Patriot. They can knock out incoming missiles a hundred and fifty miles out. Right now, they’re on their way to you. One day you may need them. But remember, your orders are that your units are to be engaged in an extended maneuver to avoid contamination of our assets by falling ash—nothing more. Is that understood?”

“Understood, sir. And thank you.”

Archie Gladstone had his work cut out for him, and he needed to recruit a large staff—and quickly. After two months of the torment, and with continuous demonic attacks, it had become clear that certain people were affected by the torment and certain ones were not. Only the unaffected were capable of performing any meaningful work. It was also clear that the presence or absence of torment depended on an individual’s religious beliefs. However, employers who wanted to hire only torment-free workers ran into legal problems when it appeared that they were hiring solely on the basis of religion. Fortunately, the bureaucracy had coined the terms “affected” and “unaffected,” and under emergency legislation passed to deal with the crisis, unaffected workers were given preference in sensitive positions. Thus, with unaffected officers assigned on temporary duty to assist him, General Gladstone accomplished in record time the orders that had been given to him by the secretary of defense.

PRESIDENT MARK BEAULIEU arrived back in Washington just in time to face a major political campaign. Not only was his seat up for grabs, but so were the seats of all of the members of the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate.