CHAPTER NINETEEN
Mohammed Rahal awoke in his makeshift shelter two miles from the UAE compound outside Ocean City, Delaware. He had been watching the compound for months, learning the layout and taking detailed notes on the soldiers stationed there. The leader of his cell had armed him with the necessary equipment and had given him a solo mission to be completed at the designated time. Mohammed had memorized every detail.
His mission was to destroy the small UAE compound by any means necessary. The facility served as a communications base for over half The Pulse Zone and, more importantly, the navy securing the Eastern Seaboard from invasion. After the EMP was detonated in 2027 and fried every electronic circuit in most of the eastern United States, the Unified American Empire scrambled to restore communication in the region. Mohammed knew this was a suicide mission and had come to terms with his imminent demise. He was determined not to die in vain. He had two crucial advantages in his favor: the element of surprise and his willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice to accomplish his goal.
Mohammed moved carefully through the tree line fifty yards from the front gate and set up the first stage of his plan. He placed an automatic rifle on the ground, its barrel propped upright on a log. He placed a small contraption of his own making in the trigger guard. Once that was done, he set up two claymores spaced twenty yards apart. Satisfied that both were properly concealed, he made his way to the back fence of the compound, setting up two more claymores along the way. Once he was in position, Mohammed took two trigger devices from his front pocket. Pressing the button on the first trigger, he waited until he heard the rifle fire its first shot, knowing it would fire off a round every ten seconds. He pressed the second trigger and the claymore closest to the front gate exploded. As the soldiers in the compound scrambled to the front gate to return fire, two of them were killed by a claymore. The diversion worked perfectly. Mohammed used the wire cutters to open a hole in the fence. He produced a silenced pistol and moved toward the main building. Two soldiers came into his line of sight, their backs turned. Mohammed squeezed off two shots in rapid succession and the soldiers fell. Once the front gate was visible, Mohammed holstered his pistol and tossed two grenades in its direction, killing five soldiers.
By the time Mohammed entered the main building, three of the soldiers were already on their way back. With precious little time to spare, Mohammed reached into his jacket. With a satisfied smile, he jerked the cord on his vest to detonate the twelve bricks of C-4 packed within it. The main communications relay for the Unified American Empire was completely destroyed.
* * *
“All stop, bring the boat to periscope depth and raise the antenna.”
“Aye, Captain.”
“Communications, open a channel with command.”
“Channel open, sir.”
“We are receiving your signal. Authenticate.”
The captain checked his tablet. “Authorization one-five-five-charlie-eight-three-seven-bravo.”
“Authorization code accepted. Report.”
“We have arrived at the designated coordinates and will remain on station awaiting orders.”
“Keep this channel open. Contact in three zero minutes.”
“Understood.” The captain motioned for his executive officer to step in close. “XO, I want an officers meeting. Make it happen.”
“Aye, Captain.” The XO had been wondering what all the secrecy was about. He’d never been kept in the dark about a mission before, but for some reason this time was different. The XO picked up the microphone in front of him. “This is the XO. All officers report to the officers’ mess on the double.”
In less than five minutes, twelve officers sat on the edge of their seats waiting to learn why they’d been sent so far from home. The captain stood at the end of the table demanding their undivided attention.
“Gentlemen, I am not a fan of keeping my crew in the dark, but when I’m finished here, all of you will understand why I’m the only soul onboard that knows our mission. We are currently three hundred nautical miles from the shores of the former United States. The bulk of our fleet is less than twenty-four hours behind us. When they arrive, the invasion of North America will begin.”
The men were shocked. Based on their course, they knew where they were headed but they never dreamed a full-scale invasion force was right behind them. Most assumed their mission was strictly for intelligence gathering.
“What are your questions?”
The XO spoke first. “What type of resistance are we looking at? We all know the Americans are crippled, but that doesn’t mean their navy won’t put up a fight.”
“They can put up all the fight they want; our navy is in much better shape than theirs. Ours subs are a decade more advanced. The only way they could detect us is if we rammed into them.”
“The Silent Warriors have done a wonderful job of keeping the Americans busy. Their latest distraction gives us the perfect opportunity to strike,” the communications officer added.
The captain smiled. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, lieutenant. You don’t even know what we’re doing here.”
“Sorry, sir.”
“Don’t be. Your speculation amuses me.”
“But this is an attack sub, sir.” The comm officer wasn’t willing to give up.
“I agree with you, lieutenant, I assure you. Our superiors have treated this operation with the utmost secrecy. Our orders were to proceed to these coordinates, wait for further instructions, and keep an eye on the shore. That’s what we’re doing - watching and waiting.”
“Captain, with all due respect, why tell us now? You could have waited until you received the final order,” said the XO.
“Preparation, Commander, pure and simple. I want the crew to be ready to execute whatever plan we’re given the instant it’s given. I want no surprises, no minutes wasted on chatter or confusion. Hesitation - even for a single second - could be fatal. I want all departments battle-ready when the order comes in.”
“Captain, what do you want us to tell the crew?” asked the weapons officer.
“Tell them we’re on the frontline for the invasion of North America.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
General Richard Dupree’s stealth jet touched down in a deserted parking lot near the Port of Seattle. Being completely invisible to the naked eye, one would have to physically touch the craft to know it was even there. Hal brought the craft out of stealth mode and it rippled into view.
“Sir, I’ve notified the president of your arrival. Director Harris is bringing a vehicle to pick you up.”
“Thank you, Hal. How long before he gets here?”
“Sir, I made the notification some time before we landed. He will be here in less than a minute.”
“Always thinking ahead, my friend.”
“I do try, sir.”
“Here he comes now. Thanks for the ride, Hal.”
“Thank you for flying HAL-9000 Airways. We hope you enjoy your stay in Seattle.”
“Hal, was that a joke?”
“Was it funny, sir?”
“Damn funny! I didn’t know you had a sense of humor.”
“Thank you, sir. I have been working on it.”
As he headed toward the approaching vehicle, Richard glanced back in time to witness the stealth jet’s ghost-like disappearance before his eyes. Max stopped the car a few feet short of Richard and got out. “Son of a bitch! That was something to see!”
“Got a nice ride, don’t I?”
“Stop bragging.”
“Where are my ships?”
“They just headed to the Bahamas for a vacation.”
“Funny. I’m sure they’ll have a lovely view of the UAE navy.”
“C’mon, let’s go.”
* * *
From his vantage point on the pier, Richard surveyed the three cruise ships that would bring the invasion force to the shores of California. Each ship housed roughly three thousand human troops
and a thousand Hal robots ready to take the UAE by surprise. Each vessel also carried fleets of drone ships controlled by Hal. Richard was certain they could take California in less than a week and push their way east to The Pulse Zone.
“General Dupree, sir, are you ready to embark?” A gray-haired general stood at attention and snapped a smart salute.
Richard returned the symbolic gesture. “Yes, General Bedford, permission to come aboard?”
“Permission granted, sir.”
Richard and Max followed the general up the ramp to the quarter deck. Richard tried hard not to let the attention of his arrival go straight to his head. Captains and lieutenants shouted “Attention, officer on deck!” when Richard moved from one part of the ship to the next. Max and Richard made it to the ship’s bridge where they were greeted by the captain of the vessel, Lt. Commander Konkoly.
“General Dupree, it’s an honor you chose the Freedom of the Seas as the flagship for this invasion. Thank you, sir.”
Max was confused. “Flagship?”
The captain looked surprised. “The presence of the most senior officer designates this as the task force’s flagship.”
“Ah, I see.”
The captain continued. “Sir, we will be underway in just under ten minutes. Once the other captains give the green light, we’re headed to California.”
“Carry on, Captain.”
“Aye, sir.”
A few minutes later, the comm officer reported all ships ready to get underway.
Captain Konkoly announced, “Helm, once we are clear of the harbor, make best speed to San Francisco.”
“Aye, sir. I estimate forty-one hours to San Francisco at twenty-two knots.”
“Gentlemen, would you care to join me in my quarters for a drink? This is cause for celebration.”
“Lead the way, please,” Richard said.
“XO, you have deck and the conn.”
“Aye sir, XO has the deck and the conn,” answered the XO.
A few short minutes later, the three men were seated in the captain’s massive quarters.
“I must say, Mr. Konkoly, your quarters are freaking huge,” Max said as he rested his cane against a table.
“Tell me about it. This place is twice as big as my house. If it wouldn’t be considered fraternization, I’d have twenty people living in here with me.”
“Captain, command does have its privileges. Enjoy it.”
“Is that an order, General?”
“Only a suggestion.”
“General, if I may, how much resistance do you expect on the shores?”
“If Hal is right - and I’ve never known him to be otherwise - practically none. We should be able to spill right into the streets of San Francisco and knock on Jimenez’s front door.”
“I’d love to see the look on his face,” said Max. “Gonna take him prisoner or just shoot him on the spot?”
“I’m gonna pull the trigger myself.” Richard stood and nodded to Max, who took the signal and grabbed his cane. “Captain, thank you for the drink. Max and I have much to discuss, and it’s getting late.”
Captain Konkoly rose and shook their hands. “Thank you. It’s an honor to meet you both.”
Richard marched from the room and turned to find Max lagging several paces behind. “Leg not getting any better?”
“Worse.”
“Go to bed, Max. We can talk in the morning. We have the better part of two days on this luxury liner.”
“I think I’ll convince my wife that this is our honeymoon.”
“Good idea.”
* * *
Max and Elizabeth were shaken from their slumber at 2:45 a.m. as a loud explosion rocked the boat.”
“Son of a bitch! What the hell is going on?”
Elizabeth was tossed violently to the floor as the room tilted thirty degrees. “Max! I’m scared! Something is very wrong!”
“Something hit us. I’ve got to find Richard.”
* * *
Richard was no stranger to boats, given his years as a Navy SEAL, so he knew the ship was under attack.
“Hal, goddammit! You said our path was clear! What the hell is going on?”
“Sir, we are under fire from an unknown location. I cannot detect the projectiles before they hit the ship.”
“How in the hell is that possible?”
“Unknown, sir.”
“Max and Elizabeth?”
“Sir, Elizabeth is safe in her quarters. Max is on his way to yours; I suggest you head back to meet him.”
As Richard turned, he caught a glimpse of Max at the other end of the hallway. “Max! Stop! I’ll come to you! Just hold on!”
“What the fuck is going on?” The question was quickly consumed by the deafening roar of alarms.
“We’re under attack!” Richard yelled, anchoring his arm securely around Max’s shoulders for guidance. “C’mon! We gotta get to the bridge!”
* * *
“What’s the status of the vessel?”
“Sir, three direct hits to the bow. She’s going down; nothing will prevent that.”
“Excellent! We can’t have her in the way. Continue firing.”
“Sir, the other two vessels are in range. The lead is closing in on the first.”
“Attempting rescue, I’m sure. Open fire on both vessels.”
“Aye, sir.”
* * *
Richard and Max made it to the bridge, only to find that no one had a clue what was happening.”
“Hal! Goddammit! What’s going on?”
“Sir, I’ve launched the drone fleet to investigate. The ship is being struck by torpedoes from an unidentified submarine.”
Captain Konkoly’s eyes reflected his terror. “A sub? The UAE wouldn’t fire on a cruise ship! Why are they doing this?”
“It’s not the UAE! It can’t be. American subs aren’t sophisticated enough to escape Hal’s detection! We have to abandon ship! We’re going down!” screamed Richard.
“Sir, even though the drones are not meant to be submerged, I managed to successfully lower one for two-point-nine seconds before it went offline. I was able to get a reading on the submarine and obtain a proper identification. It’s the Chinese.”
Richard stared in horror at Max and Captain Konkoly. Before they could reply, another torpedo slammed into the side of the boat, one hundred nineteen feet below the bridge. Captain Konkoly was instantly killed from flying glass and debris blown into the bridge. Richard was propelled out the window opposite the captain into the water below. Max was thrown into the back wall, crushing his L2 vertebra.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Charles, you almost killed me, you know,” Jackson said to the mysterious assassin.
“You knew exactly what was going to happen. You were to leave the auditorium when your boss took the stage, but you chose to intervene. I must insist that you explain yourself.”
“Excuse me? You work for me. I’m not accountable to you for a fucking thing!”
“Jackson, please. Let’s not say things we might regret.”
“Oh, yes, my apologies. The last time we met, you killed two of my men for offending your polite sensibilities.”
“I only killed the foul-mouthed one; you killed the other. Don’t blame me for your actions, sir.”
“The two were the closest of friends, and one watched as you beat his buddy half to death. I have no doubt he was going to kill you for that.”
“My good man, are you saying you saved my life?”
“Absolutely.”
“How kind of you.”
“Yes, I knew what was going to happen, but I had no idea Roberto’s nurse was in your employ. I was under the false assumption that your operative would give me some sort of signal.”
“Sir, I had to minimize the chance that someone else would be tipped off by suspicious behavior. You knew when the president took the podium…”
“Not that it’s any of your concern, but I had good reason
for sparing the president.”
“Sir, do you want me to guess, or are you going to tell me?”
“My plan was to be the hero who saved the president’s life. I was then going to dispose of him and claim that in his dying words he pleaded with me to take the mantle and run the UAE. No one would doubt the intentions of the new national hero.”
“Brilliant plan, sir. I’m impressed. When do you expect the Chinese ambassador?
“Ambassador Zhang is going to wait a few weeks till the West Coast is secure before meeting me in Denver.”
“What do you want me to do about Sterling?”
“Nothing! I will deal with Sterling, not you. Are we clear?”
“Sir, I understand your reasoning. I was simply asking if you want me to locate him. I have doubts that he’ll return to the mansion in Denver, given the security threat.”
“I apologize, Charles. If you can find him that will certainly help moves things along. We do have to know his whereabouts before Ambassador Zhang arrives.”
“Sir, with all due respect, may I ask a candid question?”
“The Chinese?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ve been in top-secret negotiations with the Chinese for six months. Simon Sterling will never be able to get this country strong enough to defend itself against Iran. They’re coming, and there’s nothing we can do to stop them. Our navy will hold them off for a while. We could wage nuclear war, but both sides could wipe out mankind with the weaponry they have stockpiled, so neither will go that route. But… they’re still coming. Rebuilding The Pulse Zone will take decades; the entire Eastern Seaboard is becoming a third world wasteland. I’ve brokered a deal with the Chinese. They’re eager to expand their borders into ours and utilize our resources in exchange for protection from Iran. We will maintain our own laws and freedoms.”
“Sir, how can you be so sure they’ll honor their end of the bargain?”
“They’re keeping me in charge of our military; more importantly, I will retain control of our nuclear arsenal. It will keep us both honest.”
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