An Excerpt From “Executive Justice”
“Executive Justice” Second Edition was released in November 2025
The hotel concierge phoned them. “A government official is coming up.”
Within two minutes a loud knock came from the door. Cal checked the peep hole and saw a small middle-aged man. He had streaks of gray hair at his temples. “Please show some ID.”
The man held up an official looking badge and his government identification card. Cal opened the door, and he walked in without further invitation. “I’m here from Homeland Security.”
“Coffee?” Carol asked. He shook his head.
Cal waved towards the couch. He studied the ID card. The name was Richard Clemens, identified as a Florida state employee, working for the Confederation’s Department of Homeland Security. The poorly focused photograph was typical inferior government work.
“What can I do for you?”
“It’s what I can do for you,” he said.
“Do you understand the reason for our visit?”
“Trying to retrieve your son from the penal system.”
“Okay, what can you do for us?”
“Plenty. First, let’s talk.”
“Can you get us in to see him—wherever he is?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I was a mid-level bureaucrat in the US Government. I have contacts on both sides of the border.”
“How safe is it for you to be here?”
“I run the local DHS office. I get to decide the question.”
“Autocratic perks,” Cal said. “What do you need from us?”
“You’re impatient. Let’s step outside where no one can hear us.”
They headed towards Cal’s car. Clemens said, “A policeman put a bug in your car yesterday. Let’s use mine.”
They slid into the back seat of a brown Ford Crown Victoria. The model had been reactivated to sell to the police in the new Confederation governments. Cal smiled. “Ain’t seen a Crown Vic in a while.”
“Here’s the bottom line. Twenty thousand dollars buys one visit. Fifty thousand buys three. I want blue dollars, not Confederate ass wipe.”
Cal reddened. “This is government extortion.”
“Oh, no. The money is for me, not the government.”
“Why was he arrested?”
“We’re genuinely concerned about a threat to national security. He’s done an amazing job of cracking our system. No question he’s a spy, who has gotten into sensitive information—quite easily I would add.”
“I’ll pay in installments to make you keep your word.”
“You’re in no position to bargain.”
“I gather the money will go straight into your pocket. The treasury won’t see a penny. I’ll wire it to you tomorrow—the first twenty grand.”
“You’re quite the cynic. You could’ve had a career in diplomacy.”
“In exchange for the money, I want the paperwork to get inside the State Prison. Tell me how much money it will take to spring him.”
“Out of my hands. What I’ve heard is he’s hard to break. God knows what he’s holding back.”
Carol had been patient. No longer. “You psychopathic son of a bitch, you’re talking about my son. And you want money to buy admission to your sadistic playground like he’s some kind of circus freak?”
“You should be proud of him,” Clemens said.
