Free Altered America by Martin T. Ingham, Jackson Kuhl, Dan Gainor, Bruno Lombardi, Edmund Wells, Sam Kepfield, Brad Hafford, Dusty Wallace, Owen Morgan, James S. Dorr Page B

communications added to the inability of US forces to react.
                  At this time, all New England military installations and personnel have been successfully neutralized by FCU-Louisianne forces, while talks with USNE civilian leaders is underway over the formation of a greater, unified nation: the North American Union. A new age has arisen—one of peace and enlightened cooperation.
     
    LA COSTA CALIFÓRNIA, NEW SPAIN –May 3, 1964
                   For anyone who may have missed it, what follows is a transcript of last night’s radio broadcast—a conversation between Manuel Gomez, lead correspondent of this fine news periodical, and a very special guest.
     
    Sr Gomez: “I’m honored to have with me at our headquarters in San Francisco, the always elegant and often surprising First Lady of the former United States of New England, recently appointed Prime Minister of the new North American Union. Thank you, Sra Bouvier, for agreeing to speak with me.”
                  Sra Bouvier: “I’ve been looking forward to it, Manny.”
                  Sr Gomez: “As you can see from the articles tacked to our wall, we’ve been following key events since your late husband was elected president.  In retrospect, one can see a definite pattern emerging. Yet the big question is—what prompted your change of heart?”
                  Sra Bouvier: “Nashville.”
                  Sr Gomez: “Could you please elaborate?”
                  Sra Bouvier: “The assassination attempt made clear that political events were spiraling out of control, and that something drastic needed to be done. On a personal level, my marriage with Jack was already quite strained, as your stories have pointed out over the years.”
                  Sr Gomez: “You refer, of course, to Miss Monroe.”
                   Sra Bouvier: “Yes. It was after the shooting at Nashville that I realized I wasn’t prepared to die for my husband. While recuperating in the Greek Islands, I had decided upon divorce. But before I could file the papers, who should pay a visit but François Gourd of the FCU.”
                  Sr Gomez: “The Prime Minister? That old grouch?”
                  Sra Bouvier: “Yes. In private, he’s really quite charming.”
                  Sr Gomez: “What did he want? Your autograph?”
                  Sra Bouvier: “He said he had a great deal of respect for me and the New England people, but cautioned that the political course we were on was destructive—not only to New England but to her neighbors. He felt it was only a matter of time before events led to war across North America... a war that would likely end in our annihilation at the hands of the Soviets.”
                  Sr Gomez: “Quite a charming man.”
                  Sra Bouvier: “Mssr Gourd asked whether I could talk sense into Jack, to get him and McNamara to behave peaceably. I pointed out that I had tried and failed many times. They simply didn’t trust the FCU or Louisianne, and were convinced we needed an aggressive posture to survive.”
                  Sr Gomez: “And yet... you had a plan?”
                  Sra Bouvier: “Mssr Gourd mentioned that he had two high-ranking agents already well-placed in the US government, and suggested they might be employed to... facilitate matters.”
                  Sr Gomez: “That sly dog.”
                  Sra Bouvier: “Indeed. I realized I was in a unique position to help stop the madness, albeit at the expense of the current government. So I returned to the White House and, using guilt as a weapon, helped appoint Vice President McIntire and Secretary of Defense Blanc. The rest, as they say, is history.”
                  Sr Gomez: “An amazing story. So, how do you