Chapter Eight - part nine

   James snapped a sharp salute and did exactly as he had been ordered to do. He got out of that office as fast as he could. If he hadn't he knew he would have been dismissed at the very least. The President had finally shaken James. The threat of dismissal hadn't shaken James; the question he had asked had shaken James. It sounded like a simple question, but how James answered that one question would carry more value than anything he had done up to that moment. Who do you serve? That question was ringing in his ears. It had shaken him to the very core of his being. Who did he serve? That was a question that he thought he knew the answer to, but when the President had asked it... James had still been shaken by it. Who did he serve? He served God, but was he really? James took a long walk along the semi-deserted hallways of the Pentagon; the one above ground. It was well past dark before he reached the office he had been assigned. He found several people very anxiously waiting for him when he arrived.

    James managed a smile as he spoke to them. "At ease people, I am still your acting commander." That brought a rush of relieved sighs from a majority of the people. That in turn brought a soft chuckle and shake of his head from James. He quickly continued before anyone could ask the first of what he knew would be many questions. "For now just know that the President and I have agreed to disagree for the moment. I will meet with him again after Thanksgiving to revisit the cause of our disagreement. Until then we all have a lot of work left to do. I trust that you haven't just been standing around waiting for me to return?" That was enough to change the focus point of the conversation. It was easy to see that they all still had a lot of questions, but they now knew that James didn't want to hear them at the moment. They gave him an update on how the remainder of the meeting had gone and what they had going on around the country for the next day. Then he dismissed them for the night. Most of them left. Most but not all, Hodges and Johns were both still there. James just smiled, and motioned for them to resume their seats.

    Once they were seated again James spoke quickly to shut off any unwanted questions. "All I have to say for now is that we have a few weeks before I have to reach a decision. I will talk with you about it after I have a chance to think on it myself and after I pray about it. You already know how strongly I feel about this Pat. I hope that what you saw happen didn't make you change your mind again. This isn't about me, it can't be. No man is worth more than the freedom of this nation. I don't know what I will decide or how this will end. I just know that regardless of what happens I need you and the others to continue working to restore this nation to what it was meant to be." Turning his gaze to Samantha Johns he spoke to her next. "Sam, you became more than just my commanding officer. You became a close friend and a part of my family. You know better than anyone that I serve my nation, but I must always serve my God first. I have tried to do both, serve my nation and my God, but I may have to make a choice between the two before this is over. I think you know what my choice will be if that happens, but until it does we still have work to do. I am counting on you to do the work and leave what happens to me up to God. I asked for you because of your skill as a manager. I want you to continue to use that skill and hold your temper. Now I know that neither of you are big on faith in God, but I hope you will at least respect my faith enough to do what I ask of you. I want you to do it as my friends though, not because I am your commanding officer. Can you both do that for me? Can you continue to respect both my choices and my faith?"

   The two of them looked at each other for a moment after James was done. Then they both faced James again. It was Samantha Johns who spoke first. "James Andrew Cooper, the Ironman, now a Major General, but still a man who is too humble to know how special a man he is." Then she laughed and shook her head before she continued. "What you ask has already been discussed and agreed upon. And not just by us. James your entire command staff has agreed to honor your decisions and your faith no matter what the cost. You still don't understand just how big an impression you make on the world and especially the people around you. The first time I saw you I knew you were something special, but I had no idea just how special or what made you so special. I know now. You are who and what you are because of the faith that you carry with you wherever you go." There were tears in her eyes by the time she had finished.

    James never got a chance to respond. Pat spoke up almost immediately. His voice was softer and almost fatherly as he spoke. "I thought you were a fool the first time our paths crossed. I was firmly convinced of that before I ever laid eyes on you. But you started to change all of that the first time I did lay eyes on you. Samantha is right about you. You have a presence that can't be denied or hidden. There is something very different about you; something that can't be seen, only felt. I know now that the difference is faith. The strength of your faith is so great that it can be felt by those around you. If they get close enough it is so strong that it affects them personally. I know, because it has affected me. James you have done and are doing more for the people and the nation than you may ever realize. You haven't let your commanders or even world events change your path. You have followed your faith and your God relentlessly. You have changed the world around you while you did that. You have changed us too. James, I led the entire staff in a prayer for you while we were waiting for you to return. I have found my faith, because I have seen your faith at work. There was a time when I would have been ready to fight you. Now I would fight and die for you, but only if you asked me to do that, because I know you hate fighting and death. James we all know that you are right. The freedom of this nation is more important than any man... even you."

    James was silent. There were tears in his eyes; just as there were tears in their eyes. What could he say to them? How did you respond to words like those? They had spoken of his faith, but the faith they had just shown to him made him feel almost faithless. These two had just told him that they had seen his faith and that they were willing to follow him because of that faith. Even more importantly they had been telling him that they understood his faith and had found their own faith. James knew that if he did have to leave it would make no difference to them now. They weren't just following him. They weren't following any man now. They were following their faith and God. James bowed his head and began to pray out loud, so that all would hear. "Dear Lord, I don't have the words to tell you what is in my heart. I thank you for friends like these. They have stood with me during many hard days and I know they will continue to stand with me. I know they will, because I know that they stand with you Lord, just as I do. Thank you for bringing us together. I pray that if we must be separated you will give us each the guidance and wisdom we need to continue to follow the path you put before us. In the name of my Lord, and Savior, Jesus I pray." James heard two quiet Amen's before he looked up.

   They said little more before going their separate ways. They did both promise to talk with everyone and let them know that things were going to be alright. James had already decided that he now had two main items that he alone had to deal with. The first, of course, was deciding what he could and would do about the refusal to lift martial law. The second and just as important was to visit the numerous regional headquarters that had been set up during the operation to restore order. He had worked directly and closely with all of the people running those individual sites. He had to talk to all of them in person and make certain that regardless of what his final decision was those operations would continue smoothly on course. James had been thinking about how to handle it and hadn't been certain he needed to do anything. But after seeing all the people here and listening to his two close friends just now; James knew that he had to make preparations or risk a major mess if he was removed from command.

    James went home and discussed what he could with Sarah. They talked and prayed together about what James should do. They both agreed that this was another crossroads on the path James had been following. They both felt that when the time came the Lord would show James the right path to take. The question in both their minds was how to handle the situation until that time arrived. James made his decision the next morning. He would continue his work and also make preparations for his possible departure. He would try to be prepared for both staying and going. He would also do a lot more praying and waiting. This was one of those times when James knew that his decision wasn't really any decision at all. He knew who he would serve. James Andrew Cooper would serve God! The only real question was how God wanted him to serve. James didn't have the answer to that question yet.

    The days passed much more normally than James had thought they might. He made it around to all of the regional headquarters. They had managed to keep things running smoothly in all of them despite the changing weather conditions as winter approached. Most of them had already heard the rumors about a major dispute between James and the President. A few asked James directly about it and a few simply waited for him to say something. James talked to all of them about it. He didn't go into details. He simply explained that it was to do with lifting martial law and that there would be a decision made after Thanksgiving. All of the people in charge knew, though James didn't say it, that the decision he was talking about was if he would remain in command. James did do one thing that stunned almost everyone. He told them to discuss it among everyone down the line. James wanted them to make sure that everyone down the line knew that a change in command might be coming. He also wanted them to make it known that he expected them to be as determined and dedicated as they had been if things did suddenly change. James made it clear that he was counting of them and that the nation was counting on them to do their duty, no matter what happened or who was in command.

   James took the week of Thanksgiving off to go see his family. It was good to see and hear everyone again. James tried not to let his problems enter into the holiday celebration, but his family all seemed to know something was happening. They didn't push him about it though. Their response was to offer words of encouragement. Once again it was Pastor David who helped James to see the right path. They had talked late into the night Thanksgiving night. Actually they had watched the sunrise together. That was what helped James to know what he would have to do. The sunset came each evening and the sunrise each morning on a schedule that was known and certain. The time of each changed day by day, but every change was already known and expected. Every change was a part of a huge cycle set in motion long ago by God. James suddenly understood that his life and career had also been set in motion by that same God. Perhaps it was time for his sun to set with the Air Force. That didn't matter. Because just as the sun continued, so would he. Maybe this was the end of this day and this path for James, but if so God would provide a new day and a new path. James knew that it was indeed time for the people to decide what their future would be. It was time for them to decide who would lead them. It was time for them to decide who they would serve!