Read Online William W. Johnstone by Phoenix Rising - Free Book Online Page B

dollars.”
    â€œWhat? That ain’t right.”
    â€œGo online, find your dream car, then tell me what it costs,” Clay invited.
    â€œI’ll do it,” Jenkins said, sitting down at a nearby computer. He did an Internet search, found a car that the other two agreed they liked, then asked for the price.
    â€œHoly shit! Two hundred and twenty thousand dollars?” the sergeant who had wanted the Cadillac said. “What’s going on here?”
    â€œInflation,” Clay replied. “Inflation like we’ve never had in this country before.”
    â€œSergeant Major Matthews,” Jake called. “Would you step into my office for moment?”
    â€œYes, sir,” Clay said.
    â€œLook on there, see what the hell kind of car we can buy,” one of the men asked Jenkins as Clay went into Jake’s office.
    â€œClose the door,” Jake asked. “And have a seat.”
    Clay closed the door, then took the seat Jake offered him.
    â€œHow are the men holding up?” Jake asked.
    â€œThey’re gettin’ a little antsy, what with nothing real to do,” Clay answered. “Truth is I’m beginnin’ to get that way myself.”
    â€œI know what you mean,” Jake said.
    â€œMajor, do you know something I don’t?” Clay asked.
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œI know that none of the officers are getting any flight time. None of the enlisted personnel who are on flight status are getting any flight time either. Are things ever going to get back to normal? Is the school going to reopen?”
    â€œI don’t know the answer to either question,” Jake replied. “But if I had to guess, I would say no, things are never going to get back to the way they were, and no, I don’t believe we will be making any more new pilots.”
    â€œPardon my language, sir, but just what in the hell is going on? Does this new president have his head up his ass and locked so tight that he is going to be the ruin of us all?”
    â€œI’m afraid that might be the case,” Jake answered.
    It was obvious that Clay was not expecting that answer, and he blinked in surprise. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
    â€œI’m very serious,” Jake replied. He opened the middle drawer to his desk and pulled out a manila envelope. “This envelope is filled with signed requisition forms, DD-1195,” Jake said. “I want you to take as long as you need to get every requisition processed and filled.”
    Clay pulled out some of the forms. “Whoa, twenty cases of MREs? Five cases of nine millimeter and five cases of .223 ammunition. Are we going on a field maneuver, Major?”
    â€œAs far as anyone else is concerned, we are.”
    â€œTen barrels of JP-four. Why do you want that? Doesn’t that normally come through the school?”
    â€œI don’t want any of this to go through the school,” Jake said. “I don’t want anyone to know anything about this. And if you are unable to get anything on this list by requisition, then I want you to get it in any way you can. I seem to remember that you are an expert at scrounging.”
    â€œAnd a water desalination device. A water desalination device? Major, you want to tell me what’s going on here?” Clay asked.
    â€œAll right,” Jake answered. “Clay, did you know that during the night, last night, the dollar was disconnected from the international money exchange?”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œIt means that the dollar is no longer the monetary standard for the rest of the world. Instead of saying that one dollar is equal to one and a half euros, the rate is now free to float. It might cost ten dollars for one euro, or one hundred, or ten thousand.”
    â€œThat’s not good, is it?”
    â€œNo, it isn’t. There is a possibility, and I think a strong possibility, that this republic is going to come