ReUNION: What if the Civil War had never happened? Read Online Free PDF

easy
confidence. "He’s obsessed with the Confederate States of America, which
is why the CSA built the Bourque Line on the Louisiana-Arkansas border."
    "Just a minute now," said Vice President Garvey, holding up a hand.
"I don't get it. Why would Mexico
attack the CSA? It's poor, socially backward, undereducated. What does the CSA
have that Mexico
might want?"
    Eric Wang sighed, then pushed the speakerphone's intercom button. "Lt.
Parkington, could you put up a continental map on the main video screen?"
    One of the giant screens on the wall blanked out briefly, then lit up again
with a map of North America, showing state and
national boundaries.
    "To the north, Mr. Vice President," Dr. Burton said, shining a laser
pointer across the map, "you see New France, that is, all of Canada from Quebec
to the Atlantic Ocean. It's in pink. On the
other side of the continent" – the pointer's bright red light moved to the
left, "You will find Canadia—in tan—everything from British
Columbia to Manitoba."
    "You don’t need to talk to me like I’m a seventh grader," Garvey
said, annoyed, "I know my geography."
    Burton kept on
talking. "Then, in the middle, of course, the North American Union, in
blue—the our northern states plus, of course, our newest component, Mr. Vice
President, your home state of Ontario.”
    The Vice President turned his back on Burton,
who didn't notice, and he ostentatiously dug through the pastries, selecting
one with thick white frosting and nuts. He took a very large bite, then wiped
his mouth.
    "After that," Burton said, lecturing again,
"We have the Confederate States of America,
from the Louisiana border to the Atlantic." He waved the pointer across the grey
blob. "And finally, in pale green, we have the lower third of the
continent, including Baja California and Texas—the Empire of
Mexico."
    "When is the test, teacher?" Garvey said sarcastically. "Will we
have a chance to study?"
    "Now, Mr. Vice President," Burton
said, undeterred, "take a look at the Atlantic coast there." He ran
the pointer up and down, from Virginia to the
tip of Florida.
"What do you see?"
    "Beachfront property," Vice President Garvey responded dryly.
    "Seaports," Burton
corrected him. "Seaports on the Atlantic Ocean: Miami,
Jacksonville, Savannah,
Newport News, Norfolk."
    The Vice President was thoroughly exasperated. "Ok, seaports. So
what?"
    "Well, look now at the coast of Mexico." Burton used his pointer again. "What do
you see?"
    Garvey stared at the map, clueless, his mouth falling open slightly. "More
seaports?"
    "Yes, a few," Burton allowed,
"But on the Gulf of Mexico, not the Atlantic.
Separated from the Atlantic by more than 800
miles of shallow, barely navigable waters—that's two days of extra transit
time. And time, Mr. Vice President, is money. Big money."
    "I see," said Vice President Garvey. He didn't see, not at all.
    "This makes Mexican oil over-priced—or less profitable, if the Mexicans
meet the going rate," DCI Hawke explained. "But if they could build a
pipeline to Savannah or Newport News..."
    "Ah," said the Vice President, the light finally dawning. "So
why don't they?"
    "Because of Buddy Bourque," Veronica Tennenbaum told him, as though
that should have been obvious. "He and Garcia are sworn enemies."
    Callaway posed a question: "What would happen if Mexico attacked
the CSA again?"
    Hawke steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "I don't think Garcia would try.
He barely made it home alive the last time."
    The Vice President nodded. "I seem to remember something about a
hurricane."
    "Yes, and Buddy Bourque," Hawke said. "That man is a force of
nature. He's practically holding the CSA together with his bare hands. As far
as his people are concerned, he's their savior."
    General Hutchison cleared his throat. "It's not just the man," he
said. "If the Mexicans attacked across the Texas border, they'd run smack into the
fortifications he built. They’re a little old-fashioned and a bit run down, but
they’re