Chapter Sixteen

McKenzie Phillips, the governor of Georgia, was talking to Hugh Lewins, the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, and to Jake McCauley, the lieutenant governor and president of the Senate, about the upcoming vote on the secession issue. He was pleased that getting the vote to the floor had gone so easily. It was 6:30 a.m. the day after the invasion of Washington, DC. The legislature had been in session all night.

“Hugh,” he said. “What are our chances?”

Hugh Lewins thought for a moment. “I think they’re good, Governor,” he said. “There are a lot of squawking hotheads, mostly liberal Democrats, who think this is just outrageous. But I think most of them aren’t from here.”

Phillips nodded. He knew the expression “not from here” meant “not one of us.”

“What about the Senate, Jake?” asked Phillips, turning to his lieutenant governor.

Jake McCauley paused for a