by Ira Tabankin
“Gotcha. Want me to call it in?”
“Yes, let’s see what’s available to take it out before the people in the parking lot full of trucks leaves. Tell them, time on target is critical.”
“Will do.”
Three minutes later the warrant officer returns to the side of Sergeant Johnson.
“Two F16s are on the way, ETA ten minutes.”
“I hope they stay in whatever meeting they’re in for at least ten more minutes. Have you seen an air strike up close and personal before?”
“Not yet.”
“You’re in for a special treat. Get conformable, this should be good. Damn it, wish I brought some popcorn.”
They hear the F16s before they see them. Looking up, they see two dark triangles heading down towards them. Sergeant Johnson points towards the two airplanes.
“Here they come, this should be good.” Their radio squawks, “Ranger two, this is Thunder flight of two F16s. You called for a holy strike mission?”
“Thunder flight lead, this is Ranger two. We have a Hilton Garden Inn, which is flying the black ISIS flag. The parking lot is filled with hundreds of their trucks. The hotel must be filled with the vermin. You are weapons free, no civilians around.”
“Roger, Ranger two, thanks for the juicy target. We’re going to be dropping 1,000 pound GPS guided bombs; cover your ears. It’s going to be loud.”
“We’re ready.”
“We’re making our first run now.”
“Better hurry, they heard you, someone’s on the roof with a MANPAD, we’ll take them out for you.”
“Thanks.”
Sergeant Johnson points to the man on the hotel’s roof. His Warrant Officer nods, they both pick up their M16s and fire, killing the shooter before he could fire at the rapidly decreasing F16s. One fighter drops two large bombs at the hotel, they both penetrate the roof before exploding inside the hotel. There're two bright flashes of light inside the hotel. Its windows seem to bulge outward before they shatter with flames shooting out of them. The second F16 follows the first, also dropping two bombs. Both drop into the hole in the roof of the hotel exploding inside the hotel. The hotel is burning out of control.
“Ranger two, Thunder lead, how does it look?”
“Do you have any more bombs?”
“We each have four 500 pounders.”
“Might as well make sure they’re on their way to hell.”
“Here we come.”
Each F16 drops two 500 pound bombs on the burning hotel, the third weapon collapses the hotel. The Fourth bomb spreads the destruction across the parking lot.
“Thunder lead, can you come around and shoot up the parking lot?”
“Ranger two, be happy to, it’s not often we get a chance to use our guns.”
Each F16 fires five hundred rounds of 20mm rounds into the truck filled parking lot.
“Ranger two, except for a couple of air to air missiles we’re out of weapons. Thanks for the tasking. We owe you one. It’s not often we get to take down a hotel filled with asshole terrorists.”
“You’re on. Thanks for saving me having to assault it the old way.”
“Ranger two, have a good day. We’re RTB.”
Sergeant Johnson smiles,
“That’s the way to handle a target. We don’t risk any of our people.”
“Think we got the big guy?”
“Let’s take the platoon down and check the bodies.”
@@@@@
The Secretary of Homeland Security is reviewing the overhead images of the castle when an analyst knocks on his office door.
“Come, new information on the castle?”
“No, something really strange. We just recorded two F16s blowing a motel to shreds.”
“Wait a minute, two F16s blew up a hotel?”
“Yes.”
“Where did this happen?”
“In Central Tennessee.”
“What’s wrong with these people in the South. Are they all crazy? Who ordered the F16s to attack? See what aid we can provide and find out who flew the mission, they are to be arrested as soon as they land. The President is going to be very angry if those pictures show up on the news.”
“Yes, sir.”
@@@@@
“Admiral, the CNO’s bird is ten minutes away.”
“Thanks. I’ll meet him on deck, make sure the honor guard is perfect.”
“They are.”
“Admiral Jefferson, permission to come aboard?”
Smiling, Admiral Jefferson snaps to attention,
“Admiral, welcome aboard.”
The two admirals retire to the ward room, the CNO briefs Admiral Jefferson on the news.
“Sir, this may be a good time to tell you, most of us are thinking of siding with the Confederacy.”
“I thought so, did you think a ship named Missouri would let you side with the North?”
“No sir.”
After spending three hours together, the CNO boards his helicopter leaving the Missouri and a happy Admiral Jefferson behind.
“Sir, where is he going?”
“DFW, he’s going to take command of the Joint Operating Base at Carswell and the Naval Air Station in Dallas. I think he’ll become the Confederate military leader.”
@@@@@
Unknown to Admiral Jefferson or the CNO, a US Navy Cruiser exited the Panama Canal heading across the Gulf towards New York City has radar lock on the CNO’s helicopter.
“Captain, AEGIS holds lock on the bird.”
“We’re sure it lifted off from the Missouri?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take it down.”
“Yes, sir. Weapons are green, fire one.”
A SM6 surface to air missile launches in a column of fiery exhaust, it quickly reaches Mach 2 heading towards the CNO’s helicopter. The pilot doesn’t know he’s being tracked until it’s too late. The SM6 blows the helicopter apart, killing the CNO.
@@@@@
Jay’s woken by a ringing phone. Reaching over, he knocks a glass of water on the floor.
“Hello, damn it, this is Jay.”
“Is this the Tennessee LT Governor?”
“Yes, it is. Who’s calling? How did you get this number?”
“I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m US Navy Rear Admiral, upper half, Jefferson. I’m in command of Navy Task Force 66. I’m currently operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Yours was the only number for an LT Governor my intel people could locate. I assume I’ve reached the right person.”
“Admiral, I’m sorry. Yes. I’m the right person. Please tell me how I can help you.”
Jay noticed Lacy’s thrown a towel on the spilled water and placed a mug of fresh coffee on his nightstand. He nods his thanks to her.
“I think it would be a good idea if we could meet.”
“Admiral, I’d be happy to meet you, however, it’s a little hard for me to get away. I’m sure you’re aware our governor, like all of the Southern Governors, is missing. I assume the President has arrested them. I’m trying to juggle ten flaming balls at the same time.”
“I understand. It’s not a problem. I’m not very far away. I took one of my antisubmarine helicopters which we stripped of everything possible except for fuel. I flew it to Huntsville where I rested and refueled. We can be at your farm in a few hours. I’m calling in advance because I don’t want to get shot down approaching your castle.”
“You know about my castle?”
“Mr. LT Governor, a battleship has many drones we use for target ID. I have many fine images of your home and farm. By the way, you need to do something about your construction equipment currently located at the opposite end of your farm. If I can see them, I’m sure the Feds can too.”
“How? They’re covered.”
“IR, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) which is a form of radar which is used to create images of objects can see them. The images are almost as good as pictures. Whatever you’re building on the
far corner of your farm should be better hidden.”
“Thank you for the heads up. Should we lay out a landing position for you?”
“Do you know how to do so?”
“Our local head of security is an ex-marine Captain; we also have an army base…”
“Across the street, next to a large militia base.”
“You must have been spying on us for a while.”
“Just long enough to gather enough information I needed in order to contact you. Let’s say, four hours from now?”
“I’ll be waiting. You can contact us on GUARD.”
“I’ll send John our radio frequencies. It will make communication easier.”
“You know who he is?”
“I told you, I gathered a lot of information on you and your facility before contacting you. There’s a lot for us to talk about. I have to check my bird. I’ll see you in four hours. I’m looking forward to meeting you face to face.”
“Admiral, I’m also looking forward to our meeting.”
Hanging up Jay looks up into Lacy’s eyes.
“This job gets more and more interesting. We’re about to be visited by a US Navy Admiral, who has his own helicopter. He’ll be here in four hours. I’ve got a lot to do to get ready for him.”
“I’ll help you. I’ll contact John and Todd so they can notify General Arthur. I’m sure he’ll want to be here to meet the Admiral.”
“Thanks.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Just another day in paradise.”
Chapter 24
“Mr. President we have pinpointed the locations of eight of the Southern LT Governors. The key was a call we received on Governor Abram’s phone. This led us to the Tennessee LT Governor, we taped his phone which gave us the numbers of the other LT Governors. We were able to backtrack them to their locations. The key seems to be the Tennessee LT Governor, the others place calls to him at least once a day.”
“Where is the Tennessee LT Governor located? Is he easily accessible?”
A smiling Secretary of Home Land Security replies,
“Mr. President, we’ve traced him to a large farm just north of Nashville. We have overhead images of his facility. We were surprised to discover he lives in a large castle.”
The President spits out his coffee,
“A castle? Like in Europe? Is he a king or a LT Governor? Is he ruling like a king? Show me the images.”
The Secretary lays out the pictures on the President’s resolution desk. Sir, you can see the farm in this overhead view, we’ve drawn a rough circle on his land. We zoomed in on this building, you’ll see it’s a castle.”
“Let me see this.”
“Holy shit. It is a castle Why would anyone build a castle? His ego must be the size of the state.”
The Secretary smiles and nods.
“Sir, may I show you something we can’t explain, we got a hit on the IR sensors, there seems to be a lot of construction equipment hidden in the front of this hill. We don’t understand why anyone running a farm would try to hide construction equipment and why they would be placed so far from the main fields.”
“Let me see this.”
“Sir, look here and here.”
“Damn it. What is this guy doing? By the way, where did he get the money to build a castle?”
“He won the Power Ball lottery just before the economic collapse.”
“So he didn’t earn it. It may have gone to his head. I now understand why Abrams appointed him. He has the assets to support Abrams running for the President of the Confederacy. If we can take him out, we can hurt them where their politicians will feel it, in their pocketbook. I like it. What do you need to take him out?”
“Only your sign off. I have a highly trained group of agents ready to take him out. We will attempt to arrest him, if that fails, we’ll remove him from office. Permanently.”
“Permanently?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You have my approval.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The Secretary speed dials his assistant on the way out of the White House,
“Sir, did you tell the President about the military base across the street from the castle?”
“No, he didn’t ask. I believe in don’t ask, don’t tell.”
“Sir, our team could get wiped out.”
“Our plan is to take him out in the middle of the night, the military won’t even know we’re going in.”
“Sir, it’s dangerous.”
“I have faith in our team. They’re going after an egotistical asshole who built himself a castle, it’s not like he has a military surrounding his castle or moat around it.”
“I have a very bad feeling about this.”
“Issue the orders. I’ll be in the office in a couple of hours.”
“Yes, sir.”
Two hours later a black painted C17 take off from Joint Base Andrews loaded with DHS agents and their equipment. Four Humvees share the cargo hold with fifty armed agents. The agents laugh thinking they’re on a cake walk. They look at the images of the castle, laughing why anyone would build a castle in the middle of Tennessee.
Two hours later the C17 lands at the partially operating Nashville Airport. It pulls into a hanger where ten undercover DHS agents are waiting for them.
“Any problems?”
“None. We told the tower we were a TVA supply flight. They didn’t question our cargo.”
“Good, we have an hour drive north to the castle. I’ve got one person keeping an eye on the place. I can tell you it’s a strange farm.”
“Why do you say that?”
“The farm’s across the street have been taken over by some sort of Tennessee militia. They come and go at the farm all the time.”
“I doubt they will be coming and going at 0300. The militias are nothing more than want-to-be soldiers. They go in the woods playing paintball games. Man, are they going to be surprised when they realize we’re armed with real guns. They’ll fold when the first shots are fired.”
“I’m glad they’re militia. That many military people could put a serious dent in our grab plans.”
“Don’t worry about them. Most will be sleeping when we arrive. We’ll be in and out before they even know what happened. By the time they figure out we’ve grabbed the LT Governor, we’ll be back in the air. They’ll never figure out what happened to him.”
“The plan is for us to spend the day here until 0200 when we’ll head North.”
“If we can pull off the grab quickly, we might be able to be out of here by dawn.”
The agents grab coffee and sandwiches from a table set up in the hanger. Most decide to nap until Midnight.
@@@@@
Tony, Fred, and John sit with Jay chatting about the upcoming visit by Admiral Jefferson. Jay looks at John.
“What have you found out about the Admiral?”
“He’s the commanding officer of the Navy’s Task Force centered around the USS Missouri. She’s the only active battleship. She’s the ship which led the fight against the Chinese around Hawaii. She recently crossed into the Gulf of Mexico. Rumor has it he was attacked by a group of USCG cutters.”
Tony laughs,
“That must have been a really short battle.”
“According to the radio reports, it was.” He’s currently circling in the Gulf. No one knows why.”
Fred shakes his head,
“I don’t understand. He’s just making large circles in the Gulf? Why?”
John smiles,
“That’s what we hope to find out when he arrives.”
Jay looks at Fred and John,
“Has the landing spot for his helicopter been set up?”
“The General is taking care of it as we talk. They’re laying it out by the main garage.”
“Make sure you tell his pilot to stay off the unpaved areas. I’d hate to kill the Admiral because they landed in our mine field.”
