World War III

by Heath Jannusch

  “We’ll never get there in time,” said one of the other men.

  “Not by land,” agreed Cleo, pointing to a small speedboat docked nearby.

  “Let’s go!” Mason whispered, as he leapt to his feet and headed for the speedboat. Cleo and the three volunteers followed close behind.

  “Can you hotwire this thing,” asked Josh, as they climbed aboard.

  “He can hotwire anything with an engine,” replied Cleo, as the motor rumbled to life. She glanced up at the sky and frowned. A radiant glow of sunshine was beginning to rise over the mountain peaks in the east.

  Mason pointed the speedboat toward the island in the distance and gave it full throttle. They were halfway across the lake, when the mountains surrounding the sleepy town suddenly erupted in a roar of gunfire.

  *******

  “Do you think they’ll get there in time?” Ian asked, after Shiloh warned Mason of the change in Lex’s location.

  “I hope so,” mumbled Shiloh, glancing at the sky above.

  “You fellas go ahead with your plan,” said Jeremiah, “I’ll blow up the gas station and cover your escape.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah,” Jeremiah stood up, gripping his rifle in his hand. “I owe those bastards for burning down my house.”

  “Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that,” said Shiloh, remembering the elaborate treehouse in the forest. “It was a beautiful home.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Don’t blow the station until after the second set of pontoon boats are in location,” said Sampson, reminding his half-brother of the plan.

  “Yeah, yeah,” mumbled Jeremiah. “Once you’ve rescued the prisoners head for that landing,” he added, pointing to a boat-landing in the distance. “There’s a school nearby with a dozen school buses parked in the yard. I’ll meet you there.”

  Without another word the old hermit turned and left. He tucked the rifle behind his long mountain coat and walked across the street, right out in the open for all to see.

  “Crazy old fool,” hissed Sampson, watching his half-brother make a beeline for the gas station.

  “Cole,” said Shiloh, “you and Lenny should get going.”

  “Alright,” agreed Cole, casting a worried glance at Billy. “Take care of him bro.”

  “I will,” assured Shiloh, as Cole and Lenny boarded two of the pontoon boats and started the engines.

  “You and Richie are next,” said Shiloh, placing his hand on Ian’s shoulder.

  “See ya on the other side,” grinned Ian. “Come on Richie.”

  Shiloh watched as the two men boarded their boats and started the engines. He glanced at Cole and Lenny, and noticed they were almost into position. The soft hum from a motor caught his attention and he looked out at the lake. He could see a small speedboat racing across the water. At this distance he couldn’t be sure, but it looked like Mason and Cleo standing at the helm.

  The quiet, peaceful morning was suddenly shattered by the eruption of gunfire from the mountains surrounding the town, as Lt. Sawyer and his men opened fire. Russian and Chinese soldiers emerged from their bunkers and spread out, firing blindly into the forest around them.

  Shiloh looked at Cole and Lenny. Both men were in position, with American prisoners swimming out to meet them. The soldiers guarding the prison camp turned their attention to the barrage of gunfire coming from the mountains and hadn’t even noticed the two pontoon boats floating off the beach. With their boats full, Cole and Lenny headed for the landing Jeremiah suggested, as Ian and Richie pulled into position.

  “You guy’s ready,” said Shiloh, glancing at the gas station and Jeremiah, as he ran away from it.

  “Yeah,” said Billy, a little too eager.

  Sampson was already in his boat with the engine started. “Come on greenhorns!”

  Shiloh and Billy ran for the last pontoon boat and climbed in, as old man Sampson pulled away from the dock. Shiloh handed Billy the keys and smiled when the boy’s face lit up. “Take us in,” he instructed.

  Approaching the prison camp, Shiloh could see that both Ian and Richie’s boats were full. He watched with anticipation, as they turned and headed for the landing. As Sampson pulled into position, several guards turned and began shooting at the civilians swimming out to the pontoon boats. A few seconds later, the gas station exploded in a raging inferno.

  Shiloh dropped to his knee and began targeting the guards, as Billy pulled their boat into position behind Sampson’s. He killed two guards, before realizing someone else was shooting at them from the other side of the gas station. Peering through the flames he saw Jeremiah wave, before disappearing into the forest.

  Shiloh provided a constant barrage of covering fire, as Billy pulled one civilian into the boat after another. Several Americans were shot by enemy fire, their lifeless bodies floating between the boat and the beach. The remaining prisoners fought against the strong current, trying desperately to reach the boat before a bullet caught them in the back. With his boat full Sampson headed for the landing, but there were still a dozen people in the water.

  When Shiloh’s rifle was empty, he dropped it to the deck and grabbed Billy’s. He continued to shoot one soldier after another, as American prisoners swarmed the boat and Billy helped pull them in. The glint of sunlight reflecting off of a soldier’s scope caught Shiloh’s attention. Peering through the scope on Billy’s rifle, he found the sniper and squeezed the trigger, but the gun clicked on an empty chamber.

  Shiloh dropped the empty rifle to the deck and sprang to his feet. Grabbing Billy by the arm he pulled him down, as a bullet sliced through the air where he’d been standing. “We need to get out of here!” he shouted, as he climbed to his feet.

  “But there’s still someone in the water,” said Billy, pointing at a middle-aged man swimming desperately for the pontoon boat.

  “I’ll get him,” said Shiloh. “You get us out of here!”

  Shiloh turned and shoved passed frantic prisoners, huddled together and dripping wet. He made his way to the stern of the boat, where he found a rope tied to a small floatation device. “Catch!” He yelled, throwing the life preserver to the man.

  The man reached up and caught the life preserver, frantically wrapping his arms around the donut shaped device. His eyes were wide and full of fear, and his body shook violently in the frigid water.

  Shiloh quickly secured the other end of the rope, as the boat lurched forward. With help from a couple of prisoners, he managed to pull the man close and get him onboard. “Keep him warm,” he instructed, heading for the bow of the boat.

  When they arrived at the landing all of the pontoon boats were empty, except for Sampson’s which was still being unloaded. Jeremiah had the engines running on several of the buses and the American’s immediately climbed aboard.

  “Everybody into the buses!” Shiloh shouted, as Billy brought the pontoon boat close to shore.

  Within a few minutes the buses were loaded and headed up the mountain, away from town. They drove passed dozens of soldiers, but no one seemed to notice them. The enemy was far too preoccupied fighting with Sawyer’s Marines, to pay any attention to a few harmless school buses driving by.

  *******

  Mason steered the speedboat into Emerald Bay and passed Fannette Island. He could see a small castle surrounded by large pine trees dead ahead, with guards patrolling the beach in front. Without slowing their speed, he drove the boat straight up and onto the beach.

  Cleo’s feet were the first to touch ground, as she leapt from the boat and charged the castle. Mason followed close behind, with the three volunteers from Clearview bringing up the rear. Seeing a speedboat full of armed assailants’ storm the beach startled the Russian soldiers and caught them off guard.

  Cleo and Mason were the first to reach the large door at the front of the castle, made of wood and glass. While Cleo wired the door to explode, Mason turned and dropped to his knee, providing covering fire for the three volunteers running across th
e beach. One of the men stopped dead in his tracks, as Russian bullets riddled his body. He fell to the ground in a pool of blood and lay there motionless, as the sand beneath him turned crimson. The other two volunteers stopped and tried to help him, but he was already dead.

  “Leave him!” Mason shouted, waving at the two men. As they sprinted up the beach he continued to cover their approach, sending a constant barrage of gunfire toward the Russian soldiers.

  “Fire in the hole!” Cleo shouted, stepping back from the large door and taking cover. The door exploded in a loud boom, sending shards of glass and splinters through the air. “Let’s go!” Cleo was the first through the door, with Mason following close behind.

  Mason had never seen Cleo act so reckless. She’d always been the voice of caution on all their missions, trying desperately to reign him in, so this was a new experience. She must really love him, he thought, as they cleared the first two rooms.

  “Stay here and cover our exit,” said Mason, looking at the volunteer named Josh.

  Josh nodded, before turning and kneeling down at the entrance. He loaded a fresh clip into his rifle before picking off Russian targets, as they darted across the beach.

  The castle was huge and constructed primarily of stone, with intricate woodwork throughout. The hardwood floors echoed from each step they took, as they cleared one room after another searching for Lex. A small object came bouncing down the winding stairwell from the second floor above, rolling to a stop at Mason’s feet. “Grenade!” He shouted, knocking Cleo to the floor.

  The sound from the explosion reverberated in Mason’s ears, as he rolled off Cleo and climbed to his feet. Glancing around the smoke filled room, he saw the other volunteer from Clearview lying dead at the bottom of the stairs. He reached down and helped Cleo to her feet. Without saying a word, he pointed upstairs.

  Cleo nodded, before slowly and quietly climbing the stone stairwell.

  Mason followed with his back to Cleo’s, guarding their rear.

  At the top of the stairs they were greeted by machinegun fire, coming from two soldiers guarding a room at the end of the hall. Cleo immediately dropped to her stomach and returned their fire. The Russians were focused on Cleo and taken completely by surprise, when Mason suddenly appeared in the hallway and shot them both in the head.

  The two ex-CIA agents quickly made their way to the end of the hall, checking each room along the way. Mason kicked open the door the Russian’s had been guarding and stormed inside, followed by Cleo. The entire room was made of wood, with a large fireplace snuggled in the corner. Across from the fireplace was a small bathroom and beyond that a separate reading room overlooking the lake.

  “Lex!”

  Mason turned and saw Cleo staring out the window, her hand pressed against the glass. She turned and ran from the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

  Mason looked out the window and saw Russians scrambling for cover on the beach, as Josh peppered them with gunfire. Beyond them, an officer led a small group of soldiers down the beach, toward a boat tied at the end of the dock. In the center of the group was a stretcher, carried by two soldiers. A Russian Seaplane floated in the bay on the opposite side of Fannette Island, its engine running and ready for takeoff.

  Mason barely recognized the bloodied and broken face of Lex, as he struggled desperately to free himself from the restraints securing him to the stretcher. Despite having been captive for less than a day, he’d almost been beaten beyond recognition. Mason could only imagine the horrible torture Lex had endured, torture intended for him. He knew they wouldn’t stop until they had what they wanted, but what could Lex possible tell them? Mason turned and hurried after Cleo.

  “Get the boat ready!” He told Josh, when he reached the main entrance.

  Josh nodded and ran for the speedboat, crouching low to avoid flying bullets.

  Cleo was already halfway across the beach, chasing after Lex and his Russian captors.

  “Cleo!” Mason shouted, as he ran after her. “Wait for me!”

  By the time Cleo reached the dock, the Russians had already loaded Lex into the boat and were paddling out toward the seaplane. Her boot heels pounded on the wood, as she ran to the end of the dock. “Lex!” She screamed, raising her rifle to fire.

  Hearing Cleo’s scream, the Russian soldiers turned and opened fire, sending a barrage of bullets in her direction.

  “Get down!” Mason shouted, as he dove into Cleo, knocking her to her belly.

  Bullets thudded into the dock around them, as the Russians forced Lex into the plane. The officer in charge pointed at Mason and Cleo and shouted something, before climbing onboard. The seaplane’s propeller roared to life and the small plane headed out of Emerald Bay. The five remaining soldiers fired at Mason and Cleo from the boat.

  Cleo sprang to her knees and shot one of the soldiers in the chest. Mason popped up beside her and shot another. They continued firing at the Russians until the last soldier fell overboard, riddled with bullets.

  “Kill them!” A Russian Lieutenant shouted, as he led a small group of soldiers down the dock toward Mason and Cleo.

  Mason turned and fired at the advancing soldiers. “Cleo!” He shouted, trying to get his partner’s attention. “I need you!”

  Cleo stared after the plane for a second longer, before spinning around and shooting the Russian Lieutenant in the leg. The soldiers immediately clustered around the Lieutenant, trying to lift him and carry him to safety. But before they could take a step, Mason and Cleo mowed them down.

  “Get in!” Josh shouted, as he brought the speedboat in close.

  Cleo ignored Josh and ran down the dock, headed straight for the wounded Lieutenant.

  “Wait!” Mason said to Josh, before turning and running after Cleo.

  The Russian reached for his sidearm as Cleo approached, but it was too late.

  Cleo kicked the Lieutenant viciously, breaking his nose and showering his face in blood.

  “Augh!” He screamed, cupping both hands over his broken nose.

  “Cover me!” Mason said, before grabbing the Russian and lifting him over his shoulder. He carried the Lieutenant back to the speedboat and dropped him in, before climbing onboard himself.

  “Let’s go!” Cleo shouted, jumping into the boat. She turned and fired at a dozen soldiers running down the beach.

  Mason took the wheel from Josh and nodded at the Russian Lieutenant. “Watch him!”

  Josh immediately did as instructed, pointing the barrel of his rifle at the prisoner. The Lieutenant glanced at Josh and the gun, but seemed more concerned with his broken nose.

  Mason guided the speedboat out of Emerald Bay and chased after the seaplane, but it was too late. The plane was already airborne.

  Cleo could see Lex’s face through one of the windows, as the plane flew by and headed west into California. She watched helplessly as the plane disappeared over the mountains, wondering if she would ever see Lex again.

  “Don’t worry,” said Mason, as if he could read her thoughts, “we’ll get him back.”

  The Gift of God

  World War III – Day Twenty

  Clearview, Nevada

  Lieutenant Sawyer led his platoon of Marines down Main Street, bringing the column to a stop in front of the jailhouse. Although they’d taken no casualties, several soldiers were wounded in the assault. “Lock up the prisoners and see to the wounded Sergeant,” he commanded, climbing down from the lead Humvee.

  “Yes sir.”

  “I want five men stationed here guarding the prisoners,” stated Lt. Sawyer. “We are NOT going to have another jail break, understand?”

  “Yes sir,” said the Sergeant, followed by a stiff salute.

  The Sergeant ushered the three Chinese prisoners into the jailhouse and locked them each in their own cell. He stationed two guards in the cell room, with two more in the outer room. The fifth guard was stationed outside.

  A few minutes later, a dozen school buses drove into town an
d unloaded over one hundred American refugees. Shiloh and Ian climbed down from the last bus, followed by Cole, Billy, and the DeLuca brothers.

  “I see your mission was a success,” said Lt. Sawyer, greeting the men on Main Street.

  “Mostly,” agreed Ian, shaking Sawyer’s hand. “We lost a few, but freed most of them.”

  “Good,” bellowed Lt. Sawyer. “We suffered a few flesh wounds, but nothing serious. What about Lex? Were Mason and Cleo able to free him?”

  “We’re not sure,” admitted Ian. “We discovered he’d been moved at the last minute and barely had enough time to warn them before all hell broke loose.”

  “I saw a speedboat racing across the lake toward Fannette Island,” said Shiloh. “I’m not positive, but it looked like Mason and Cleo at the helm. Maybe they got there in time.”

  “Maybe,” said Lt. Sawyer, remembering the speedboat he’d seen crossing the lake. “But if you’re talking about the same speedboat I saw, they were only halfway there when we opened fire.”

  “All we can do now is pray,” said Shiloh.

  *******

  A few hours later, Mason and Cleo returned with Josh and the Russian Lieutenant they’d captured on the dock. They headed straight for the jailhouse, where they found a Marine standing guard outside. Without saying a word, Mason walked passed the sentry and opened the door, stepping aside for Cleo to enter, before shoving the prisoner inside. “Thanks Josh, we can handle it from here,” he said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. Cleo and I have some questions for the officer and I doubt you’ll want to be here for the interrogation.”

  “Oh, I see,” said Josh. “Well,” he frowned, “I guess someone needs to notify the wives’ of Ben and Larry.”

  Mason nodded, remembering the two volunteers who’d died in the rescue attempt. “They were good men. I don’t envy you your task,” he added. He too was familiar with the bitter pain of notifying a widow of her loss.