Nedrick the Sanctimonious will make mistakes. He will forget that blowing people up makes them stronger. Eventually.
While his army is mired in one battle for months, he will neglect his flock in New America. They will begin to sabotage because life isn’t so great anymore without basic services and exiled loved ones. Hundreds of tons of ammunition will explode and three of his training camps will fall. He will blame the rebels. He will look for a list of leaders. The name O’Brien will be at the top of that list.
But his intelligence leaders will tell him the truth. He will deliver a speech calling his own people traitors. They will riot in all seceded states. A story will come out of his headquarters about the night he discovers this betrayal. He will be quoted. “Like any good father, I will discipline my children.”
This will be when K-Duty turns on its own. Entire towns in New America will become camps. Making soldiers will become a factory process.
While Nedrick still headlines as a man with many followers, he will be alone in the world.
The only friend he will have left will be the man in the red pickup truck.