For hours, the country watched in horror as a small group of disgruntled protestors shut down the nation’s airlines.
President Newsom came on the air to make an announcement, “Today, I address a situation that demands swift and decisive action. Across our nation’s major airports, an illegal trucking protest has disrupted the flow of commerce, threatened public safety, and infringed upon the rights of our citizens.”
“Oh my God,” Maria gasped. “What are those?”
Juan peered closely at the TV screen, “That’s a D-8,” he said. The D-8 Caterpillar is a medium-sized bulldozer. It was moving slowly along the road to Sky Harbor terminal, pushing parked vehicles out of its way.
“No, behind the tractor.” Maria stepped closer, pointing so closely that her finger nearly touched the screen.
“I don’t know,” Juan confessed. “I’ve never seen trucks like those before.”
The President’s announcement continued, “While we respect the right to peaceful protest, this obstruction cannot continue. Our airports are vital arteries of our economy, connecting us to the world and facilitating the movement of goods and people. Any disruption to their operation undermines the very fabric of our nation.”
“They look like something for a war,” Maria said.
As they watched, they saw some drivers attempting to knock over the low concrete barriers that kept them hemmed in the confined area. At least one pickup truck became hopelessly stuck directly in the path of the oncoming bulldozer.
“He’s gonna get crushed!” Juan shouted. He looked wildly around his living room as if he could find something to help the poor, unfortunate diver. But all they could do was stare, transfixed, at the tragic scene unfolding before their eyes.
The cameras cut back to the Univision news studio, where the anchor explained, “MRAP stands for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protection vehicle. They have been used extensively throughout the Middle East by US military forces. They can carry up to eleven armed soldiers…”
The cameras cut back to the live feeds from the circling helicopters. Below, the protestors were shooting fireworks and setting off smoke grenades.
Carlos cursed, “Idiots! They’re going to get somebody l killed.”
Something seemed to be happening with the caterpillar tractor. Whatever it was acted as a catalyst, which erupted into an unrestrained gunfight between the armed protestors and the marksmen in the armored vehicles.
One of the protestors was standing in the open, waving frantically.
When a man gets shot, it doesn’t look like anything in the movies. They crumple and collapse into a lifeless heap with no fanfare or outward mark of their passing. Simply here one moment …and then gone.
The helicopter cameras could not hear what was going on below, so Univision switched to a split screen, with the protestors displayed silently on one side while the President continued speaking on the other side.
“Therefore,” continued Newsom, “I have authorized the deployment of troops to swiftly and safely disperse these unlawful gatherings.”
An extreme close-up panned to the fallen civilian. Someone was there next to him, rocking back and forth, weeping as he cradled the corpse.
Juan’s stomach clenched into knots as he watched the line of MRAPs gunning their engines in reverse, crushing some of the protestors who were swarming over the retreating vehicles.
“To those participating in this protest, I urge you to reconsider your actions and engage in constructive dialogue through legal and peaceful means,” said Newsom. “We are a nation built on the principles of democracy and the rule of law, and it is through these channels that we must address grievances and seek solutions.”
Hundreds of people were arrested in the aftermath of what became known as the Sky Harbor Blockade. Not just protestors, but anyone who challenged the legitimacy of the 2024 elections was at risk of being jailed and convicted in accordance with new, draconian policies aimed at curbing ‘misinformation.’
In a series of pre-dawn raids conducted by the FBI of the Republican National Committee Headquarters, dozens of key leaders were led to jail in handcuffs and leg irons while news crews from a half-dozen networks looked on.
“Woo-hoo! Look at that, buddy!” Rob beckoned to Juan from his living room chair. They’d both been celebrating with copious amounts of tequila. They never drank at the bar anymore because the City of Phoenix had installed thousands of cameras designed to catch drunk drivers. “They’re never going to recover from this, never! The Republican Party is dead!”
“Hmm…” Juan was bleary-eyed but still coherent. “What’s gonna happen to my ‘family business’ now if all the Republicans are in jail? Who am I gonna sell ‘tortillas’ to?”
“Huh?” Rob gave Juan a quizzical look, “What are you talking about, bro?”
Juan shook his head. “Maybe it’s just a setback for them?”
“No way, dude. They’re done,” Rob grinned malevolently. “Newsom’s seized all their files, social media accounts, hard drives, everything. They’ve even seized the buildings they were operating out of. But you know what the best part is?”
Juan examined his empty tequila bottle, shook his head, and said, “No, what?”
“The best part is,” Rob laughed so hard he gave himself the hiccups, “The best part is that they’re pinning the whole thing on Trump.”
“I thought Trump was in jail?” Juan cocked his head to make sure he’d heard correctly.
“He is, he is!” Rob’s giggle was gleeful and oddly feminine. “And he’s going to die in jail, too! He can appeal all the way up to the new Supreme Court if he wants, but he’s never getting out of there.”
“Hmm…” Juan grunted approvingly. “Well, adios to all those cabróns!” he flipped his hand defiantly.
But then Juan thought of his son. Carlos had called him a traitor, and somewhere hidden deep inside, he wondered if his son was right. What have we done?
I hope you have enjoyed this Directed Fiction Story.
If you wish to explore a different path, follow this link to the CHAPTER INDEX
If you wish to quit this exercise, continue to the SOLUTIONS PAGE to learn more about how these scenarios were developed.
If you would like to learn more about the science, craft and purpose of Directed Fiction, consider a free subscription. Your support makes my work possible.
There are several other completed Directed Fiction stories available for free on Substack. If you wish to explore further, check out these titles: