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“Bit half my tongue off. They replaced it with a tissue graft. Newtech, some sort of vat-grown muscle generated off stem cells. Hurts like hell. Doc said I was lucky not to have a speech impediment.” Leahy paused. “That would have been a career-ending wound. No one has any use for a secretary of defense with a lisp.”

Miller smiled slightly but didn’t laugh. “And the president?”

“Cuts, bruises, and a new respect for advice on issues of security. She’s moved her office to Camp David.”

“Good.” Samuel Miller still carried himself with the air of a two-star general. A man used to being in charge of any room. “So. I presume this conversation never took place.”

“I appreciate that.”

“And I appreciate your courtesy in coming here personally. But you should know that we’re committed.” Before Leahy could respond, Miller held up a hand. “This is a civilian organization on privately held land. More to the point, there are almost fifteen thousand of us, with more arriving every day. Regular men and women who are willing to fight for their country—even if that means defying their president. We’re not going to quietly stand down. If you want to get rid of us, you’ll need to send soldiers.”

“You’ve got the wrong idea, Sam. I’m not here to ask you to disband your army.” The canvas of the tent billowed and snapped in the teeth of the west wind. “I’m here to ask you to use it.”

“We could talk democratic morality and use-of-force doctrine all day,” Leahy said. “The political climate, media impact, the costs and benefits of undeclared wars. But the bottom line is that sometimes to protect America, things have to be done that the government can’t be seen to be involved with. This is one of those times. No matter anyone’s feelings on the gifted or Erik Epstein, the New Canaan Holdfast represents a direct threat to the security of the country.”

“I see.” Miller nodded slowly. “You need a cat’s paw.”

“Just like always,” Leahy said, “America needs soldiers who will do what is necessary to defend her.”

“While providing plausible deniability,” Luke Hammond said.

Leahy had almost forgotten the man was there, he’d been so still. “This isn’t a political maneuver. It’s a practical one. If the United States military attacks directly, Erik Epstein will use every means at his disposal to strike back. We’re taking measures to limit the damage, but over the last fifty years, the nation has become so reliant on technology that protecting ourselves against the NCH is impossible. There are hardwired computers in everything down to our sewers. Any victory would be Pyrrhic. Unless we’re willing to go back to a horse-driven agrarian society, abnorms can simply do too much damage. But a civilian militia acting without official sanction might be able to succeed without raising the stakes to that level.”

Miller said, “What kind of support are you offering?”

“None.”

“None?”

“No equipment, no troops, no advisors, no intel, no air support. There can be no trail between us. In fact, I suspect that the president will condemn any attack on New Canaan and order you to lay down arms. And when you refuse, she will order the army to stop you.”

Hammond and Miller exchanged glances. The general said, “In that case—”

“But they won’t.” Leahy paused, let that sink in. The sound of gunfire drifted in from the distance, the steady organized cracks of a firing range. “The military will not intrude. That’s what I’m offering you.”

Miller stroked his chin. Hammond just stared with those dead eyes. Finally, the general said, “Owen, what you’re proposing sounds like a coup d’état.”

“No. The military won’t be seizing power, and neither will I. That’s the heart of this. We won’t stop you because we won’t be able to.”

“The retrograde,” Miller said.

Leahy nodded. “President Ramirez has ordered that domestic armed forces be reset to a non-technological level, essentially back to boots and bayonets. I’m managing that. And I can guarantee you that we will be able to demonstrate that despite our desire to do what our president wants, we simply won’t be able to. Not without giving Epstein the same control he exploited two weeks ago.”

“Which obviously can’t be risked.” Miller nodded. “But that situation won’t hold.”

“No. This is all based on you moving fast, Sam. If things evolve quickly enough, the military can credibly claim there’s nothing we can do. That despite the president’s righteous indignation, Epstein’s previous attack proves that we don’t dare get involved.”

“What’s to keep him from launching last-ditch strikes anyway?” Luke Hammond leaned forward. “If he sees that the Holdfast is going to be destroyed, why not take the rest of the nation down with it?”