A God in Ruins - Leon Uris [139]
“We interrupt to switch you to Air Force One, en route to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to bring you the President of the United States.”
“My fellow Americans, a great tragedy has befallen our nation. A column of approximately four hundred Eagle Scouts and their scoutmasters from over thirty states were hiking to a jamboree at Lake Powell. As they passed through a deep ravine known as Six Shooter Canyon, the walls imploded on them. First reports tell us that there appear to be no survivors. I am sorry beyond measure to have to report to you that we believe it was not an accident, but a deliberate attack by a Hudson Mining and Cattle Company. Information on this may be scarce because all signs of life and property at the ranch were destroyed as well. We, our nation and its people, have entered a terrible period of grief and of outrage. We must rise above our grief and our outrage to be able to make clear decisions.
“I have ordered the largest and most thorough investigation in history to commence forthwith and to issue a preliminary public report within a matter of weeks.
“America is a great and strong nation, the longest existing democracy, and such greatness was not gained without constant challenge and bloodshed and sacrifice.
“Our enemies will play on this tragedy to try to prove the fall of American greatness. Yet we have prevailed where others have fallen into the mists of time, and we shall prevail again.
“As your president, I beg you to open your arms to the families of those young men who have been killed. They must feel the strength and the prayers and the sharing of their sorrow.
“How could such an event happen? Well, we must look back, perhaps generations, to find the link. I believe the link will take us back to our very roots.
“Yet this catastrophe occurred during my watch, and I must bear the responsibility.
“Lord, let a light stream out of this darkness and tell us that these brave young men will light the way to our future.”
“Henrietta Joslin, CNN, Denver. The government has set up the following toll-free numbers for families of the expected casualties. All airlines flying into Albuquerque and Santa Fe are issuing complimentary tickets to the families. Shuttle service will be in effect by tomorrow morning to connect from Denver and Salt Lake City. Lodging in the Four Corners will be provided by the hotels and motels in the area.”
The President was finally able to carve out time for himself and Darnell. Darnell had suddenly become ancient-looking, going through waves of being stunned over and over. What in the name of God am I doing here?
Thornton Tomtree, sitting over there, having given his moment of grief, was torturously trying to think how to wiggle his way out of the catastrophe.
There had to be finger-pointing. Already fingers were being loosened by the media, and Democrats were giving middle-finger salutes.
The gun issue was always kept low-key, but T3’s laissez-faire attitude on guns and militias was a matter of record. Darnell had argued the gun-control position regularly with the President in his first two and a half years.
“You can’t stop bootleggers, you can’t stop drug dealers,” Tomtree had answered. “What the hell makes you think we can stop gunrunning?”
“They are evils,” Darnell had argued. “Because you see an evil, an overwhelming evil, and say, ‘nothing we can do about it, old chap’ and let it run wild—this is not the behavior of a civilized people. Evil must be fought at every level.”
“So, what are we to do, Darnell, go holy on this subject and watch China or the damned French take over our arms commerce?”
“But we are the United States of America!”
“Exactly my point,” Thornton had responded. “I couldn’t even move the Congress…even if I had a notion to. So, looking at the reality of the situation, we must then look at the bottom line.”
Darnell was exasperated. He knew that somewhere along the road with Thornton, a bridge would be down. Time and again during their corporate years, Darnell verged on leaving in anger. Always, the lure of T3 pulled him back into the cycle.