Sam And Libby Save America

Chapter One

Pancakes

Fluffy white clouds blew across the wide blue Montana sky. The seemed to kiss the snow capped mountains to the west. The forested landscape was beautiful but the passenger in the back of the black limousine didn't seem to appreciate it at all. He was a scar faced man with a black fedora. The road was poorly maintained and full of potholes. He scowled out the window. "We've been driving for hours! Are you sure he's out here!?"

"He does seem to move around a lot but according to our latest information he's in this area." The attractive woman driving the limo replied.

"I'm not even sure he's worth all this trouble. He's just a minor regional god at best. I'm not even really sure he's a full fledged god at all."

The woman's deep black hair shimmered as she shook her head. "He's very well known and his influence is worldwide. He would make a valuable ally." She gestured ahead, "That's his place. It looks like he's here."

It was a rustic looking two story building made of logs. It had a large front porch well equipped with rocking chairs. Smoke rose from a red brick chimney and a beat up red mud spattered Ford F150 pickup truck was parked outside. An American flag fluttered from the flagpole in the front yard. Prometheus had expected something much grander. His opinion of this particular godling sank a little further. Still, he came all this way, might as well get this over with.

They parked the limosine next to the pickup and got out. As they approached the building a hound dog laying on the porch raised his droopy head to give them a bored look before sinking back in apathy. Prometheus knocked on the front door.

After about a minute a tall, thin, but powerfully built elderly man answered the door. He appeared to be about seventy with a shock of wavy white hair and white chin whiskers. He wore red and white striped trousers, a white cotton long sleeved shirt, and suspenders. There were a pair of house slippers on his feet. He looked over the couple on his front porch with piercing blue eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

The woman smiled and held out her hand. "Hello Uncle Sam, my name is Mnemosyne," she pronounced it Mem-no-seen, "and this is Prometheus. May we come in?"

Sam nodded and stepped aside, "Of course, we were just about to have breakfast." He yelled into the kitchen. "Libby! Fix up another batch of pancakes! We've got visitors!"

A middle aged woman peered out the kitchen door. She was about six feet tall. Her face wasn't really beautiful, her features plain but strong. Brown hair tied into a ponytail hung down to the middle of her back and she was dressed in jeans and a red plaid shirt. She waved a spatula at them. "Hello!"

Mnemosyne waved back, "Hello Libby, hardly recognized you without the crown."

"Oh that big heavy thing with the spikes?" Libby grinned and held her hand against her forehead, fingers splayed out in a fan. "You don't think I wear that silly thing around the house do you?" She stepped aside. "Come on in and have a seat at the table. Hope you brought your appetites!"

A few minutes later the four of them were seated around the table each with a stack of pancakes. A plastic one gallon jug of milk sat in the middle of the table with a coffee pot. Sam passed a small pitcher to Prometheus. "Pure maple syrup from Vermont."

"Thank you." He poured a generous portion on his pancakes.

"The countryside around here is beautiful." Mnemosyne remarked. "I can see why you chose to build your home here."

"Actually we have a home in each of the fifty states." Sam said, "We love them all equally."

"Even North Dakota?" Prometheus smirked.

Uncle Sam locked eyes with him. "Even North Dakota."

After they finished eating Uncle Sam leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "So why would the Titan of Memory and The Firebringer want to visit with little old us?"

Prometheus leaned forward lacing his fingers together, "Are you aware that Kronos is returning?"

Liberty nodded, "We've picked up rumors, no confirmed information."

"Consider it confirmed." Mnemosyne stated. "We are planning to overthrow the tyranny of the gods and would like to count of your help."

"You mean those Greek chappies who've taken up residence over the Empire State Building?" Sam shook his head. "We've got no quarrel with them. I do object to an army invading an American city!"

"Come on! A monarchy sitting right over your greatest city?" Prometheus sneered. "Our forces will be liberators!"

"Contrary to popular belief I don't hate monarchies, just tyrannies." Sam replied. "Some of my best friends and allies happen to be monarchies. I wouldn't want one ruling the United States but that's not very likely is it? It was the Greeks who first created democracy. The Romans gave us the concept of the republic. You just want to overthrow Western Civilization!"

"Is that really so bad?" Mnemosyne asked. "The people want change. Change can be scary for some people. It won't be so bad. You will still be called The United States of America. You can keep the same flag. People will still be allowed to go to work every morning. Shop at the mall. Spend time with their friends and families, Enjoy a good ball game. Go to church on Sundays."

"They will be allowed? How generous of you!" Liberty's tone was curt.

Prometheus tapped the table with his finger. "We all want what's best for everybody. There's only one little word that separates us. 'Republic.' When you think about it it's not really such an important word. You like elections? You can still have elections between carefully selected candidates. You like The Constitution? You can have an even better Constitution created by pre-selected delegates with no fuss or controversy. You can have freedom of speech without allowing hurtful or politically disruptive speech. You can have freedom of religion while eliminating some of the kooky fringe cults and those churches who meddle in politics. The military and the police will be allowed to bear arms while on duty."

Prometheus noticed Libby's face flushed and her hands were curling into fists. Sam put his hand on hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. His eyes were narrowing and his lips tightened into a thin line. For some reason he couldn't understand they seemed to be getting angry. He decided to try to sweeten the deal.

"For years you've been mocked and insulted. People have burned the American flag out in the streets. Both of you have been burned in effigy. That will no longer be allowed. Only rallies that support government policies will be permitted. All Americans will be united, pulling together in a common cause!"

"Get out." Libby's tone was soft yet firm.

"I don't think you fully understand what's going on." Mnemosyne said. "If you don't support Kronos he will turn against you. The consequences will be severe."

"I don't think you understand!' Uncle Sam declared. "You're no longer welcome in our home!"

"We outnumber Zeus's forces twenty to one," Prometheus said. " We have Typhon. He's unstoppable. Western Civilization is going down. It's inevitable. You can join us and make it a soft landing or go against us and make it a crash, but either way, it's going down."

Uncle Sam stood up and leaned over the table. "And you can walk out the front door or go flying out the window but either way you're leaving this house!"

Mnemosyne and Prometheus stood up. Prometheus tossed his card on the kitchen table. "There's my number in case you change your mind. And I urge you to do so. You're looking at civil war, secret police, extermination camps. It's happened in other places. Don't think it can't happen here. Do you really want to subject your people to that? Think about it. I think you'll come around." He put his fedora back on and took Mnemosyne by the arm. "Thanks for the pancakes."

Uncle Sam nodded. "And thanks for the fire to cook them on. Now leave!"

As they walked out to the limousine Mnemoyne glanced over at Prometheus. "You could have handled that a little better."

Prometheus shook his head. "They'll come around. They have no choice. They can either join the winning side or the losing side. If they join the losing side they will be destroyed. They're not stupid. Once they calm down they'll accept the inevitable."

Liberty stood on the front porch watching the limosine drive away. "This might be the end. The odds are against us."

Uncle Sam stepped up beside her and took her hand giving it a gentle squeeze. "We've faced long odds before. If we go down then we'll go down fighting. That's all we can do." He gently pulled her back inside. "Get on the computer and book us two tickets on the next flight to New York." He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. "I've got a couple of phone calls to make."

Two minutes later a telephone rang in London. .