Chapter 18

Bertie had opened up a bit about his plans for the future. He was trying to get the workers on his side so that they could withdraw labour. Without them supplying the food that the country needed the OWG would be in trouble. Yes, they could import food from abroad but they could not afford to do that for long. The people would not go hungry because they would keep their own crops and animals.

Another focus of his recruitment to the cause were those who worked in the transport industry. The vital work they did distributing food, medicine, tools, and people to the right places at the right time made them a potentially valuable asset. If they didn't carry out their duties the country would grind to a halt.

Leaflets outlining the transgressions of the OWG would contribute to the overall effort. The people who were reluctant to get involved could be swayed if they really knew what was going on. They had managed to get some photographs of conditions inside some of the care homes which would be very effective.

Dan thought that Bertie had come up with some good ideas. It would be difficult to get enough people to take action. If only a few took part in any strike it would do no real damage to the OWG. What he was doing was setting up a fledgling union and Dan wondered where it would all end.

The photographs would be most persuasive. Words were powerful but a picture would convince those who had previously refused to believe that the OWG were beyond reproach. One of their group, was looking into ways to get the leaflets printed and then Bertie's group would look after the distribution.

Another note had arrived from their collaborators and Dan read it for the third time. The request was for any information that they had about the armed forces. He couldn't help worrying that this could be leading them down a sinister path. So far none of their plans had involved violence of any kind.

Before they did any research the leadership group wanted to find out why this information had been requested. A trip to the farmhouse for a, face to face, meeting was essential Dan said.

"They can say anything in a letter but I want to look Bertie in the eyes and ask him what he is planning."

The next test drive was planned and Dan and Martin set off for their secret meeting. They drove straight into the barn and then sought out the warmth of the kitchen. Bertie was there as was Serena. Two more burly men were in attendance and Dan could not help but think of them as the rebel leader's minders.

"We got your note. What details do you want about the armed forces and more importantly why do you want them?"

Dan was not going to be subtle on this subject. He wanted to know what Bertie had in mind. The younger man ran his fingers through his wavy hair and looked intently at Dan.

He would not have come to the meeting without preparing for this question and he frowned as he started his reply. Bertie thanked Dan and Martin for coming and said that he fully understood the concern they had about moving into this territory. He had thought long and hard about it too.

"I'm worried about what the military is capable of. If we withdraw labour, what are they going to throw at us. I don't want people to get hurt and so we must be prepared. I know they have guns but everything they do is top secret. Who knows what they have been working on over the years?"

Images of mushroom clouds flickered into Dan's mind and he shuddered. In the book he had read there had been very little information about the army. Bertie was right. They had no idea of what weapons the OWG had at their disposal and under what circumstances they would use them. Dan hoped that they would be a last resort but he doubted it.

The government had never, theoretically, had to get ready for war. There was only one state so leaders should not turn against leaders. There was always the threat of some sort of civil disobedience so they likely had something to combat that. Dan thought about the, nonlethal things which were available in his old world and he hoped that they had gone that way.

They probably had tear gas or something similar and maybe rubber bullets and water cannon. The workers were vital for the OWG and they could not afford to kill great swathes of them. It was highly likely that they would take out a few to make an example and that was bad enough.

An agreement of sorts was reached and they took the car back to town. Dan and Martin discussed what they had heard and they would advise their group to make enquiries. They must be cautious about what they passed onto Bertie always keeping in mind what he could do as a result.

Bertie had been almost perfectly plausible in his explanation, but Dan still had some doubts. He was a very intense young man and Dan wasn't sure how far he would go in pursuit of his goals. He had also been aware of the look on Serena's face. She seemed anxious about the conversation and she had stared into his eyes on a few occasions. Dan thought that she was trying to convey something to him.

There had been no chance to talk to her away from the others so he hadn't learned if she had something to say or if it was his imagination. It had been good to see her though and his daydream on the journey was about her. The coldness of his wife didn't help because he was becoming desperate for some human warmth. Men didn't hug each other here so he didn't even get that.

Not for the first time Dan was wondering what the hell he was getting into. The other Dan had been an advocate of peaceful resistance but he was beginning to worry that this might all get out of hand. He would have to keep a very close eye on Bertie. If possible, he would like to talk to Serena without him being around to get a better insight into the fanatical young man.

The most pressing thing was to find out a bit more about the military. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't find a book telling him what he wanted to know in the library. Dan would return to his best source of information. He would find time to have a chat with Phyllis to see what she could tell him.

Dan scanned the newspaper every day and even looked back over old copies. He could find no mention of anything to do with the military other than details of promotions and appointments. Martin said there was a Ministry of Defence but they were notoriously secretive. He knew some basic facts about the structure of the military and that was all.

There was one force known as the OWG Army. It incorporated the navy, the air force marines and special forces. They were spread around the world keeping an eye on the people and also, on the distant branches of the OWG. No one was given the opportunity to break away from, or defy the main government based in England.

Phyllis told him that some farmers had shotguns to keep control of vermin but, on the whole, weapons were not in the hands of the public. It was extremely difficult to get hold of a gun whether you were in the labour zone or a member of the leadership class. The OWG did not want the workers to have the ability to mount an insurrection.

A lot of the, rank and file soldiers came from the labour class. Phyllis had friends whose sons were in the force. A theory had been developed about the type of men conscripted into the army. It seemed that boys were chosen when they took the test at the age of twelve. The clever ones, like Bertie, went to elite the schools. Those who were deemed to be just about average were the ones who got chosen.

The OWG wanted an army of men who were bright enough to obey an order but not clever enough to question what they were being asked to do. The officers all came from the leadership class and did the thinking for those in the ranks below. Only a few climbed up to the position of sergeant.

The army were posted on all of the continents but people knew very little about them. They would occasionally march through an area in a show of strength. The lines of their formations were precise and their uniforms were immaculate. Each of them carried a rifle and stared ahead with determination.

Dan asked Phyllis if the larger weapons were ever put on display. This seemed to confuse her.

"What do you mean larger weapons?"

"Rockets and bombs stuff like that."

Dan's comment was met with awe. She had never seen anything like that. The OWG did not display their military hardware like countries did in his old world. The guns were sufficient to keep the populace in line.

The tricky part of their conversation was why he was asking these specific questions. Dan told Phyllis that he had not found many details in the book he had read and it was one of the things he had meant to ask her before now. She did not look like she accepted his explanation, but she did not push him for further information.

She was an intelligent woman. Phyllis had already had suspicions about where her employer's sympathies might lie. He went to play cards with his friend Martin every week and he had been away on a few trips lately. He was involved in something and he was keeping it quiet.

Mrs Ellis' family were high up in the leadership class. It would be embarrassing for her if her husband was caught up in illegal activities. She wished she knew what was going on and if he had found anything out about Bertie. Phyllis understood that he was not going to share anything with her until he was ready if at all. She would carry on with her duties as if nothing was happening.