The New Republic: A Struggle for Power (Book 3)

Chapter 1: Exile

August 29th, 1806

Montreal, Quebec:

"We must resist the tyranny of the Little General! His shadow has cast a deadly cloud above our heads that will surely mean our subjugation by force. I can see it now, Bonaparte's army marching over the hills, fixed bayonets, coming down upon us, slaughtering us in the streets. Can you people not understand!" Monroe yelled, watching the faces of the crowd remain unchanged, still booing him. 

The French speaking Quebecois didn't take kindly to the anti-Napoleonic sentiment. In their eyes, the Emperor was like the messiah, as if it was some ancient prophecy that a stout little Frenchman on horse would come and release them from American rule. 

A fair amount had French flags in the crowd, burning the American one's they could get their hands on. Monroe was disheartened to say the least. Just months ago he was the hero of the Quebecois, now he was a heretic to their beliefs, and was being persecuted for it.

A gunshot rang out in the crowd, shocking Monroe into a ducked position, the few men and women near the small, outdoor stage laughed at him. In a few seconds, an angry and armed mob surged upon the stage, taking Monroe by the neck. His eyes were bulged, and face red as one of the men choked him, letting him fall once he gave into the pressure. 

Receiving a sharp kick to the ribs, he rolled off of the platform, falling three feet onto the cobblestone street, cracking his elbows, tearing them open. He felt warm spit hit the back of his neck, and the chant of "Hang the American!" ringing in the air.

Suddenly, he was picked up by a sympathetic teen who spoke quietly, "Hello Mr. Monroe, I'll protect you", and was shuffled away quickly, tucked into an alleyway, passed to another man who was armed. His face was scruffy, and his clothes were average, but there was something soldierly about him. 

"Hello Monsieur Monroe, I am Samuel Dayton, a soldier in the Quebec Liberation Army." he pulled him down the seemingly endless alley. "We are going to take you to Ontario, the folks there are much more sympathetic to your cause."

"What?" Monroe was dazed from the beating he received, and his tumble. "Ontario, you say?"

"Yes, sir." He stated matter of factly. 

"Liberation Army? When did this start?" Monroe emerged from the dark passage into another bright city square, and was shoved into a nearby wagon, joined by Dayton who kept a keen eye out the carriage window, yelling "Allons-y!" to the driver. 

"The Liberation Army was founded after the American's annexed our territory, and began violating our rights. We always liked you Monsieur, do not doubt that, however, the American military liked to attack innocent people. When Napoleon invaded, we were in a tough situation, did we side with him, the Americans, or ourselves? We clearly chose to fend for ourselves, and when America collapsed and Napoleon took power, we still chose to keep ourselves safe, and have been pushing for independence since."

"How could you want independence here?"

"In Quebec? Well, it is very hard, that is why we began operating in Ontario with former British and American subjects, while we remain the Quebec Liberation Army, despite our base is in Ottawa, and some even in Toronto." His accented voice boasted. 

"Who is your leader? Surely you have some sort of figure head, or General."

"You are our leader, Monsieur Monroe. We do have a general, but you are our true leader."

Dayton was interrupted as the carriage slowed down, and a mob formed around them, shaking it back and forth, some crawling onto it. The driver pulled out a pistol, and shot into the air, causing a few to let go and fall into a sea of angered Quebecois.