Raymond Benson - 2012 - Hitman: Damnation by Raymond Benson Read Free Book Online

but she was strongly against
violence. The fact that innocent people were sometimes “collateral damage,” as
Cromwell liked to call it, was deplorable. Still, the New Model Army and other
splinter militant groups were successful at inciting the unrest that existed in
the country. Helen felt that if enough people were unhappy, the government
would have to change to accommodate them.
                 Finally,
Wilkins’s aptly titled variety show, Will You ?, came
on, with its catchy theme song. Will You? was one of
the highest-rated TV programs, and it wasn’t on a regular network or cable
channel. Charlie Wilkins owned his own cable network, and he filled it with not
only his signature show but also other Church of Will–sponsored dramas and
sitcoms, made-for-TV movies, news features, and even cartoons for children.
Millions of viewers tuned in. Will You? was part talk
show, part musical variety acts, part political rhetoric, and part evangelical
recruitment. The show was taped in a studio inside the mansion at Greenhill
when Wilkins was on the premises (otherwise, reruns were broadcast). Tickets
were a hot commodity, and it was said that the show attracted more tourists
than the Lincoln and Washington Monuments or the Smithsonian Institute.
                 At
last, the reverend appeared to welcome the studio audience and viewers at home.
                 Charlie
Wilkins was in his sixties; he had a magnificent mane of white hair and
sparkling blue eyes that melted the hearts of housewives everywhere. He was
terribly handsome, which had a lot to do with his appeal. When he raised one
eyebrow and grinned—a signature trait often lampooned by stand-up comics—his
eyes sparkled and he exuded goodwill. Mostly it was his charisma and charm that
won people over. He was witty, upbeat, and he spoke with the voice of an angel.
The smooth timbre of his baritone speech had the power to mesmerize listeners.
If he had claimed to be the Second Coming, which he didn’t, it was likely that
a lot of people would have believed him. There were critics, however. The
extremely outspoken ones considered Wilkins just another wacko leading a
“cult.” Others were more moderate. While they dismissed Wilkins’s “godliness,”
they admitted he was a smart and fascinating personality who had earned and
deserved respect. Even Americans unsold on Wilkins thought he was entertaining
at the very least.
                 After
the preliminary stand-up monologue and jokes that rivaled anything heard on
late-night variety shows, Wilkins announced, “Tonight’s guest is none other
than presidential candidate Senator Dana Shipley Linder. I know the
anticipation is building, so let’s get the word from our sponsor over with
quickly and get to the main event! We’ll be right back.”
                 As
always, Wilkins’s own companies provided commercials for the network. The
reverend’s fast-food restaurant chain, Charlie’s, had become second only to
McDonald’s as the go-to eatery for people on the run. The food was more
expensive than other chain fare, but Charlie’s specialized in guaranteed
healthy, organic products. The grass-fed, free-range beef and chicken were from
farms owned by the Church of Will, and no artificial chemicals were added to
the meat or vegetables. Helen liked it a lot. There was a Charlie’s in the
Greenhill Town Center, and she ate there several times a week. Everyone in
America was familiar with the Charlie’s logo—a cartoon depiction of Wilkins’s
white shock of hair with the word “Charlie’s” scribbled where the face would
be.
                 The
program resumed and the reverend introduced Dana Linder. As the main challenger
to the incumbent president, Mark Burdett, Linder’s star had risen rapidly after
the creation of a new party to rival the Democrats and Republicans. The America
First Party began as a grass-roots movement but quickly grew to a