Starting from South America, speeding through the world

Chapter 186 Stupidity Beats Experts
it's too cold.

Even underground.

The lights in the safe house were dim.

There are no windows in the walls.

Acting interim speaker Chuck Bennett has stood up three times, walked to the iron gate, and then stepped back.

The party whip died, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee died, the fundraising committee member died, and the president-elect died.

Half of the Democrats were wiped out overnight.

Are they still alive? Where are they? Can we contact them? How many resources can we mobilize? How many institutions can we control? It's uncertain.

The only certainty is that the mastermind behind the whole thing is...

The men in the White House.

However, he didn't intend to say it.

At least not now.

Maybe we won't need it in the future.

At this point, the Governor of Maryland spoke up.

"To be honest, old Chuck, he won't last much longer."

"You're too pessimistic; you're scared out of your wits by corpses."

Bennett remained silent.

The governor sighed and continued:
"How hard did he win the midterm elections? The polling data clearly shows it."

"Rogers is dead, but he didn't even have a decent explanation—can that still be considered legal?"

"Moreover, there are many contradictions within the Republican Party. Where will so many people come from to wholeheartedly follow him in forming a 'wartime cabinet'?"

Bennett's Adam's apple bobbed.

The governor then softened his tone accordingly.

"Chuck, he can't control the situation with just executive orders."

"Local National Guard units are nominally called upon by the federal government, but the most basic powers of exercise still lie with the state government."

"Do you think Tennessee will let him march into Nashville? Do you think Georgia will arrest people for him?"

"This is not a matter that can be decided in one fell swoop. The longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for him."

Bennett silently lit a cigarette.

Sparks flashed by, and smoke billowed.

A few seconds later, he stated: "The problem is not how strong he is, but how weak we are."

The governor raised an eyebrow at him but didn't say anything.

Bennett leaned back on the sofa, his voice low:

"Even if the system still exists, the Democratic Party is finished."

"What died was not people, but resources and the network of relationships built up over decades."

He paused for a moment, staring at the other person:

"That's right, I'm a senator with a lot of power. I know a lot of inside information and I know powerful people."

"But that was during peacetime."

"We are living in a world after the gunshots."

"Whoever controls the machinery of violence holds the initiative."

As soon as he finished speaking, the governor's expression turned serious. He straightened his back and leaned forward.

Bennett stubbed out his cigarette and changed his sitting posture.

“Steve, we’ve known each other for over forty years.”

“You know, I have children and grandchildren, and they all live in this country.”

“The past few weeks have been like hell for them.”

“My youngest daughter even took the whole family to France.”

Have you thought about what would happen if the conflict escalated?

"Flames rise, corpses litter the ground, and the last survivor sits on the ruins reciting the Declaration of Independence to a camera."

"That's not how I want to survive."

"It's not the way I want my family to live either."

Upon hearing this, the governor slowly nodded.

“I understand your concerns,” he said, his tone no longer critical. “What are you planning to do? How can I help you?”

Bennett smiled and looked at his old friend.

"First of all, none of us will move."

"No cooperation, no opposition, no statement, just maintain the bare minimum of operation."

"After that, we used private channels to let his people know our intentions."

“His system requires ‘cooperative Democrats’.”

"Ideally, for the next three, five, or even ten years, we will no longer have to worry about the troublesome processes of primaries, general elections, and party affairs."

The governor lowered his head and pondered for a long time, tapping his knuckles on the armrest.

He was about to speak when—

Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

Bennett was so startled he almost jumped up, but quickly calmed down.

They couldn't have found us so quickly. Sure enough, it wasn't heavily armed assassins who entered, but the governor's assistant.

The man looked as if he had just finished a marathon.

"Gentlemen," he said, his face pale and his breathing rapid, before he could finish speaking, he held up his phone: "You need to see this."

Bennett frowned and pressed play.

On the screen, a familiar face appeared in CNN's emergency report.

Tamara Hughes.

He was wearing a dark suit, and the backdrop was a brand new Stars and Stripes flag.

At this moment, the program's narration began:
"Ms. Tamara Hughes, through this station, delivers a joint statement on behalf of all surviving members of Congress."

The full list is as follows: Acting Pro-Speaker Chuck Bennett, Massachusetts Representative Patrick Reyner, and...

Bennett's expression changed drastically.

I almost threw my phone away.

"What did she say?!" he screamed, his voice trembling with anxiety.

"She said you are a partner," the assistant answered truthfully, but shut her mouth under the governor's murderous gaze.

The narration ended at some point.

Then Tamara began her speech.

"Tonight's attack is a systematic purge of the opposition party authorized by Frank N. McCain."

"Currently, three agents involved in the mission are receiving medical treatment in Washington."

"This is a blatant armed rebellion."

"It is a despicable trampling on the Constitution, the Republic, and the democratic beliefs of the past three hundred years."

"I, Tamara Hughes, as the supreme commander authorized by the voters and the only one in office since the president's assassination,"

"This appeal is made to all military personnel, law enforcement officers, and federal and state public servants who remain loyal to the Constitution—"

“Stop serving this illegitimate regime.”

"Stop executing any orders he signs."

"Don't let yourself become a tool in the next round of purges."

"Please step forward."

"Stand on the side of the people."

"Stand on the right side."

Fight for everything you believe in.

"Stop letting fear define your loyalty!"

Bennett's face drained of color quickly, his lips parted and closed, completely at a loss for how to react.

After a long while, as if he had finally found his voice, he asked incredulously:
"What the hell is she saying?!"

"How dare she?! Who told her?! Who gave this stupid woman the courage to endorse my name?"

The assistant stared at his waving hands, fearing that he might accidentally smash his phone in his excitement.

Then, he nervously began, "The earliest source was Natalie Watts."

Bennett whirled around: "Who?!"

“Natalie Watts posted this video on her private channel, and it was then broadcast by CNN.”

"Is this bitch insane?!" Bennett roared in fury, raising his arm to smash the phone.

The assistant was so startled he almost jumped up.

The governor reacted quickly, stepping forward and grabbing his wrist.

"Calm down, Chuck!" he snapped.

Bennett paused for half a second before realizing his lapse in composure.

His muscles tensed, his fingertips trembled slightly, but he ultimately forced himself to pull back from the position.

“She’s insane.” He closed his eyes, then opened them again after a long while, gritting his teeth as he said, “No, she’s not insane, she’s stupid.”

"Utterly and irredeemably stupid."

"Now, the whole of America is going to burn with an idiot."

The governor, however, was not so pessimistic.

Perhaps it's because he was a radical from the beginning.

“Chuck,” he stepped forward and placed his hand on Bennett’s shoulder, “you’re on the list no matter what.”

"Even if you issue a denial statement, McCann will not let you off the hook."

“He can always find a cleaner, harmless replacement than you.”

Bennett didn't move, staring grimly at the table.

“You think silence is the best survival strategy,” the governor continued to persuade, “but you’ve forgotten that your opponent in this game is a bandit with a rifle.”

Upon hearing this, Bennett said softly, "I am not a fighter."

"But you don't want to be a dead person either."

The governor crouched down and looked directly at his old friend.

"Take action."

Chuck Bennett.

“Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey will be your shield.”

(End of this chapter)