The Smiths and Joneses (33 page)

              Grabbing Kathy, “You, I could never forget, want to see there’s still a few things I remember?”

              “Thought you’d never ask.”

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              Ron explains to Bev everything that’s happened in the previous few hours. She responds, “Honey, what do you think? Do you want to move here and take the job?”

              “I really don’t know. I’m retired, and I’m too young to sit in a rocking chair all day doing nothing. I need a hobby or something to occupy my mind.”

              “If you want to move, I won’t stop you, I’ll go wherever you want to. I just hope this job will be safer than your previous one. I can’t tell you how many nights I didn’t get any sleep waiting for you to come home. I worried every time the phone rang in the middle of the night or you got involved in something that kept you away. I always thought the chief stayed in the office, yet you were on the street in the middle of every event all of the time.”

              “Honey, a leader leads from the front, not from a desk at the station.”

              “Ron, I know, I just worried all the time if you were going to come home or someone would ring our doorbell bringing me the bad news. I don’t think I can live through that again.”

              “Bev, I understand, why don’t I call the chief and arrange a time tomorrow we can both talk with him. Would that make you feel better?”

              “Yes, but it all depends on what he says and if he’s telling us the truth. While the real estate market has improved a little, if we manage to sell our townhouse and move, it’ll be almost impossible to move back. All of our cash will be invested in the new home. The Vegas market hasn’t responded as quickly. We could end up stuck here.”

              “I know. I promise we’ll make this decision together with our eyes as open as possible.”

              “I love you.”

              “I love you too.”

Chapter 19

              At 8:00 PM Saturday evening, 250 million people tune in to see if the fifth episode is going to be broadcast. Due to the broadcast crew’s flight crash landing at the Denver International Airport, the schedule was back one episode. Wolf and CNN couldn’t agree on what to broadcast Saturday evening. CNN wanted to broadcast pre-recorded data while Wolf wants to wait until Monday and then pick up with a new episode. Randolph made the case to let the public absorb the already broadcast programs, he suggested the two broadcasters allow everyone to absorb the information over the weekend. He suggested they kick off the new week with a brand new episode.

              CNN can’t broadcast by themselves because of the agreement they signed with Wolf. The discussion goes back and forth up to 7:45 PM when Randolph won the argument to hold back broadcasting a new episode until Monday. Randolph also said the broadcast crew could use some rest, the two families could use a little breathing space, the public will be eager for new programs and will tune in on Monday in greater numbers further improving their rating numbers. The higher ratings swung the discussion with CNN. The two broadcasters agree to broadcast a review of the previous programs on Saturday. Both executives agreed to have Wolf and Sean make a short statement saying the Saturday evening program will be a review of the previous week with new episodes returning on Monday.  

              At the stroke of 8:00PM, both Sean and Wolf are sitting in the Denver studio. Wolf kicks off the program, “Good evening and welcome back to
The Smiths and Joneses, Twelve Years after the Split
. Most of you know we had to postpone our live program from last evening due to a small airplane failure. Airplanes don’t like to lose an engine and land in high cross winds. Sean and I are very happy that we don’t have to pay for the airplane! The pilot told us we broke it, so we have to buy it, turned out he was joking! They do have insurance, which is a good thing or we’d have to ask everyone watching to send us a donation.”

              Sean continues, “We decided to replay some of the key segments from last week’s episodes tonight, we’ll return Monday at 8:00 PM with a new episode when we’ll be back in Beaverton, Oregon, with the Smith family. I know everyone is curious how Sissy’s new puppy is working out and how Scott is doing in school. On Tuesday, we’ll be visiting the Jones family to catch up with Leon and Beth. So without further delay, here’s the highlights of the previous three programs. We hope you enjoy the replay; we’ll return with you on Monday.”

              The screen behind Sean and Wolf opens to show clips of the initial meetings with the two families.

              Wolf and Sean unclip their microphones. They turn to face each other, Sean saying, “We got out of this mess. It took headquarters long enough to figure out what we were going to do tonight.”

              Wolf responds, “Can you blame them? Given the ratings who would walk away from such high numbers?”

              “I think it’ll improve our ratings next week. We’ve giving the viewers a quick overview, Sunday off, then we’ll return with a new program on Monday.”

              “Are you planning on staying here over the weekend?”

              “Wolf, no, I’m going to go home and take a day off. I’ll meet you in Oregon Monday morning.”

              “Sounds good, I think I’ll head to LA for a day off.”

              “See you Monday, let’s try to keep the airplane in the air this time.”

              The two hosts walk off the sound stage; each walks in a different direction; each is trying to figure out whose side is coming across the best. Both hosts look forward to a day off to be with their families. 

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              “Mom, I just heard from two of my friends that my counterpart in the LSA also plays sports.”

              “Leon, we agreed not to watch the program until the live interview show between us and the Smiths. Why did you break our agreement?”

              “Mom I didn’t, one of my friends told me. He said they don’t play to win in the LSA, what a total waste.”

              “Leon, I’m not going to discuss this with you, I don’t want you to discuss the program with your friends. Do you understand me?”

              “Mom, why? I don’t see anything wrong with me watching; it’ll give me a better insight in how Scott, my counterpart lives, it’ll allow me to think up good questions to ask him.”

              “Leon, we don’t want to have knowledge of the other side when the broadcast crew is here on Tuesday. Your father and I asked you and Beth not to watch the program. Do I have to tell your father you broke your word? Remember, he told you if you didn’t behave, he wouldn’t allow you to play on your team for a month.”

              “Mom, I promise. Remember, I didn’t break my word, I didn’t watch the program, a friend called me to talk to me about it.”

              “Leon. Also, you were told to tell your friends not to discuss the program with anyone. Also, we don’t want you to continue to use the program to get dates.”

              “Mom, come on, what else can I use my fame for?”

              “Leon, you’re still very young, don’t use your fleeting fame for the wrong reasons. And before you have to lie to me, I know all about what some girls are offering to do with you. These girls aren’t offering you themselves because of who you are, they just want to use you.”

              “It’s OK; I don’t mind being used this way.”

              “Leon, your father and I will tell Sean and Wolf to cut your air time if you don’t cool it. Am I clear?”

              Looking at his feet, Leon responds, “Yes Mom, I understand.”

              “Leon don’t think you can lie to me. If you do something we told you not to do, there’s no way you’ll be able to hide it from us. We’ll see it on your face a mile away.”

              “Yes Mom, please don’t tell Dad.”

              “OK, jut remember, you owe me a big favor now.”

              Gulp, “I understand.”

              “Good, now go out and finish your chores before you go practice with your team.”

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              Randolph calls his head of technology, “Richard, it’s Randolph, do you have a minute?”

              “Sir, of course, I’ll be right up.”

              “Thank you, just knock and come in.”

              A couple of minutes later, Richard knocks and enters Randolph’s office, “Hello sir, what can I do for you?”

              “Can you rig an ultra small, stealth drone to see if we can capture our own video of people standing in lines in the LSA? While I have no reason to doubt the video Anonymous displayed, I’d like our own proof. If we fly anything the DepLIES can see, they’ll shoot it down and blame us. I’d like to capture our own video and use it as a surprise on air. Is this something you can put together and have ready to launch on Monday when the team returns to Oregon?”

              Richard opens the small bag he’s carrying, “I thought you might be asking me for this, is this drone small enough?” Holding a drone the size of a paperback book in his hand he shows it to Randolph.

              “You SOB, you were way ahead of me again. Is the drone coated in stealth material?”

              “Yes sir, it's also got LED lights on it so in daylight it blends in with the background light. The dull stealth paint doesn’t standout so much when the LEDs are on.”

              “How long can it fly?”

              “Due to its small size, it doesn’t pack a lot of fuel; it does use solar cells on the top to charge its onboard batteries which power its small engine, since it’s an electric engine, it’s totally silent. I’ve flown it for two hours.”

              “What happens if it comes down where it shouldn’t?”

              “It can be set on fire destroying all of the parts that would point it back to us or anyone in the USA.”

              “Is it hard to control?”

              “No, my eight-year-old can control it.”

              “Good, get it to the broadcast crew.”

              “Sir, they’ll have to pick the right time to launch it, so the CNN crew doesn’t have any idea what’s going on. We designed the drone so it can be left on the side of the road and launched after the trucks and buses leave.”

              “Let’s give it a try. Our goal is to get our own proof of the shortages.”

              “Sir, I understand.”

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              The country spends Sunday reviewing the previous week. Every Sunday morning news and interview program discusses the program. Many say the LSA has made more progress than they or anyone thought they would. Many of the commentators invited by the networks say of the two countries, the LSA has done a better job and has advanced further and quicker than the USA. These people point to the protections given to the nation’s children, the respect for equality, the lack of race issues and the spirit the people in the LSA seem to share. When asked about the video, Anonymous showed, almost every “talking head” dismisses the video as one made by the mysterious group. Why would there be long lines waiting for everyday goods when the LSA has advanced so quickly. Pollution has been reduced, global warming gases reduced, dependence on fossil fuels has been cut by 85%. Most of the “talking heads” agree the LSA has performed a miracle.

              On the other side of the coin, the opposite side says the LSA has progressed into a socialist nation, everyone works for the government, freedoms known and loved in the USA are gone. The government can arrest anyone if they think they have cause to suspect someone is against the greater good of the LSA. The government can have anyone arrested for anything at any time.

              Neither side agrees with the other. The average person in the USA is surprised how progressive and like communism the LSA has become. Many are shocked at the depth the central government has worked its way into the average lives of their people.

              Each side agrees that they need to see and learn more before any final decision can be made. One issue that pops up is the school situation in the LSA. Many parents in the USA are upset over the co-ed gym classes. The majority of parents in the USA said they would not send their children to school if their school adopted such a program.

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              For one of the only times in history, most people are happy to see Monday dawn. Most count the minutes until 8:00 PM so they can catch up with the program,

              Sean welcomes everyone back to the program, “Good evening, thank you for joining us again. We’re sorry about the delay in our broadcast. Tonight we’ve returned to the Smith home. As you can see, Sissy is sitting on her front stoop holding her new puppy, Rebel. Last week, we learned that Rebel wasn’t house trained, we’re about to see if Sissy was able to make any progress or is that’s why she’s sitting on the front stoop.”

              Wolf walks up to Sissy, “Honey, how’s Rebel?”