"None I suspect," Conrad replied. "Their enclaves were hit as hard as most others and they had never grown here they way they had in Europe. Of those that remain the new government knows who and where they are. With no central direction - the Islamic power centers are in pretty bad shape - and no incoming those that are here will be absorbed. The old generations may not but the younger ones will - we've seen how quickly Muslims go wild when not under the supervision of their masters."

"I hope you're right."

"The Templar plan is to - as much as possible - thwart attempts to subvert the new Republic. Are you familiar with the Weapons Makers? Some science fiction books from back in the 1940s?"

"Can't say I am."

"The premise - not an uncommon one in speculative fiction - is of an element in a society that is more powerful than any government but chooses not to interfere in it's normal course unless absolutely necessary."

"A nice position to be in," Henry said.

"The U.S.A. of the early part of the century, up through 2025 or so, actually had something like that but it wasn't quite mature. It did - by about ten years ago - coalesce into something like that and elected to use that power."

"The League."

"Correct. The League of Freeholds had grown from a loose group of prepper outfits in the 1990s into a formidable force by 2020 or so. It had the ability to topple the existing regime by then, if its resources were properly focused. The problem was what to replace it with."

"The problem from whose point of view?"

"Revolutionaries rarely think ahead that far," Conrad said. "What would have happened if we hadn't.... become involved is anyone's guess. But we did."

"The League took down the regime and you were in on it?"

"Pretty much. They had help - a lot of unassociated organizations waiting for a chance to strike took the opportunity. The League used them for a lot of operations - taking down infrastructure especially and a few assassinations. The League provided equipment and logistical support and intelligence and aimed them at the targets. When the president and cabinet fled to the presidential retreat at Carver's Point it was General Anthony - chairman of the Joint Chiefs - who engineered the coup. He had enough contacts in command positions to make it happen - the commander of the Sixth Infantry was one. Anthony suggested to the president that he ask for a brigade or so to seal off the point and the Sixth was tasked. They were bottled up there - believing that they were protected but actually prisoners - while a small force was landed on the point. Security neutralized the president was informed of his predicament and given the choice of ending the war of favorable terms or having the destruction continue. He got the picture and cooperated."

"The old vegetable got off easy," said Henry. "He was a puppet of evil for seventy years and ended up looking like a hero to some people because he did something he had no choice in."

"The price we pay sometimes," Conrad said. "He deserved to be shot as much as any of them and more than most."

"Seems his mind went right afterwards," Henry said.

"Yeah, fortunately he lasted long enough for our purposes and didn't live to enjoy it."

"You and the League were working together. How deep were you in?"

"We contacted the large ones, the ones with seats on the Council. We provided air support - transporting personnel and suplies and equipment - and intelligence. They might have pulled it off without us but it would likely have taken longer. We have a formal relationship with them now - our North American Council meets regularly with the League Council to keep us on the same page."

"North American Council?"

"North America, now all under control of the U.S.A.," Conrad replied, "is our main interest but Atlantis has other interests."

"Atlantis?"

"You're not aware of the relationship?"

"I barely know what Atlantis is," said Henry. "Assuming you're referring to the big island that showed up in the middle of all this."

Templar Dawn (2024)