house to her. She’ll join us as soon as we’re in a safe place. We haven’t told anyone where we’re going—not even Lexy. If anyone here recognizes me and follows me, I’m as good as dead—or disappeared, which is pretty much the same thing.”
Kris stared down at the table. Lena reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry, Kris. There’s nothing we can do now but try to keep our heads down. The American people don’t care about what’s happening. I tried to tell them—a lot of us tried, but it didn’t do any good. There’s nowhere to turn.”
“Lena, the American people don’t know what’s happening. I know they’ve been warned over and over again, but they don’t really know. I didn’t know until I was living it—and even now I can’t believe all of this is happening. But even if every person in the whole world knew and they were all okay with it, what’s happening would still be wrong. My husband is not a terrorist. My brother-in- law is not a terrorist. There has to be a way to get them out of prison. I just don’t know what it is.”
“I don’t know what it is either, Kris. The NDAA gives the federal government power to arrest and detain any person as a terrorist without proof and without trial. The last show that we did before we were taken off the air was about the powers that the government has under NDAA. It’s horrifying, but it’s the law.”
Kris looked directly at Lena. “It shouldn’t be the law. It’s unconstitutional. The Constitution guarantees Americans the right to a trial by a jury of their peers— that’s the law. Any law that says anything else violates the Constitution. The last words my husband ever said to me were, ‘Fight for the laws of our country.’ The laws of our country say that Michael and Jeff cannot be imprisoned indefinitely without a trial. I need to find a way to fight for that right.”
“Write down this number,” Lena told her. “410-555-5555.”
Kris excitedly copied the number onto a scrap of paper. “Whose number is it?”
“It’s a burner cell. But, Kris, listen to me because this is very important: DO NOT call or text this number on any mobile phone that you have ever used before—that includes burner cells.
“The Feds now require stores to register all disposable phones that they sell and send the registration information to the ECA. When you leave here today, I want you to drive to Queens Creek. Go to 5645 Main Street; there’s a mobile phone store there that sells burner cell phones. For a n additional charge they ’ ll sell you one that they will not register. Go in, and ask for the special anniversary edition. It will cost you about twice as much, but they won’t ask you for any registration information. Pay for it with cash, and get out of the store as fast as you can. After you are out of the area, text me the number to the number I just gave you. I’ll send you back the name and number of someone who may be able to help you. That’s all I can do, and I can’t stay here any longer. You should go too. You don’t want to risk being recognized.” With that, Lena picked up her purse and walked out of the restaurant. Kris paid cash for her iced tea and then went out and got into the Jeep and headed to Queen’s Creek to find the mobile phone store.
An hour later Kris pulled up in front of a mobile phone store nestled in the corner of a rundown shopping center. The clerk looked at her suspiciously as she walked through the door—the hostile nature of the employees suggested that this store might be more of a money laundering operation than a money-making enterprise. Whatever its nature, it definitely catered to the gang banging teenag ers who hung around the center. She hoped that Keith’s J eep would be safe while she made her purchase—she would never be able to explain the loss of his beloved vehicle or why she had parked it in such a crime - infested area in the first place. Keeping one eye
Kris stared down at the table. Lena reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry, Kris. There’s nothing we can do now but try to keep our heads down. The American people don’t care about what’s happening. I tried to tell them—a lot of us tried, but it didn’t do any good. There’s nowhere to turn.”
“Lena, the American people don’t know what’s happening. I know they’ve been warned over and over again, but they don’t really know. I didn’t know until I was living it—and even now I can’t believe all of this is happening. But even if every person in the whole world knew and they were all okay with it, what’s happening would still be wrong. My husband is not a terrorist. My brother-in- law is not a terrorist. There has to be a way to get them out of prison. I just don’t know what it is.”
“I don’t know what it is either, Kris. The NDAA gives the federal government power to arrest and detain any person as a terrorist without proof and without trial. The last show that we did before we were taken off the air was about the powers that the government has under NDAA. It’s horrifying, but it’s the law.”
Kris looked directly at Lena. “It shouldn’t be the law. It’s unconstitutional. The Constitution guarantees Americans the right to a trial by a jury of their peers— that’s the law. Any law that says anything else violates the Constitution. The last words my husband ever said to me were, ‘Fight for the laws of our country.’ The laws of our country say that Michael and Jeff cannot be imprisoned indefinitely without a trial. I need to find a way to fight for that right.”
“Write down this number,” Lena told her. “410-555-5555.”
Kris excitedly copied the number onto a scrap of paper. “Whose number is it?”
“It’s a burner cell. But, Kris, listen to me because this is very important: DO NOT call or text this number on any mobile phone that you have ever used before—that includes burner cells.
“The Feds now require stores to register all disposable phones that they sell and send the registration information to the ECA. When you leave here today, I want you to drive to Queens Creek. Go to 5645 Main Street; there’s a mobile phone store there that sells burner cell phones. For a n additional charge they ’ ll sell you one that they will not register. Go in, and ask for the special anniversary edition. It will cost you about twice as much, but they won’t ask you for any registration information. Pay for it with cash, and get out of the store as fast as you can. After you are out of the area, text me the number to the number I just gave you. I’ll send you back the name and number of someone who may be able to help you. That’s all I can do, and I can’t stay here any longer. You should go too. You don’t want to risk being recognized.” With that, Lena picked up her purse and walked out of the restaurant. Kris paid cash for her iced tea and then went out and got into the Jeep and headed to Queen’s Creek to find the mobile phone store.
An hour later Kris pulled up in front of a mobile phone store nestled in the corner of a rundown shopping center. The clerk looked at her suspiciously as she walked through the door—the hostile nature of the employees suggested that this store might be more of a money laundering operation than a money-making enterprise. Whatever its nature, it definitely catered to the gang banging teenag ers who hung around the center. She hoped that Keith’s J eep would be safe while she made her purchase—she would never be able to explain the loss of his beloved vehicle or why she had parked it in such a crime - infested area in the first place. Keeping one eye
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