The Last Crusade

by Ira Tabankin

  “Allah has shown me a vision, I believe we can force them to move against us before they’re ready, it will make it easier for us to strike them.”

  “How are you going to get them to move before they’re ready?”

  “We’ll send the Mujahedeen to attack their schools again, this time with greater force than before. When the infidel news televises images of dead children the people will demand action, their people won’t allow their governments the time to train their militaries to work together. They will cross the border unorganized, they will make themselves an easier target for our nuclear weapons, we’ll be able to kill the Crusader army in one attack. We’ll blame the nuclear explosions on the Crusaders. We’ll say they planned to nuke us, their weapons weren’t cared for, in their eagerness to attack us, they did something to set off one of the weapons which daisy chained the others. There will be no survivors to say anything different. Not only will we rid ourselves of the Crusaders, but we'll also be able to have their own media demand an end to all nuclear weapons. The infidels will be stripped naked of their weapons enabling us time to build additional weapons without fear of us being hit by the infidel’s weapons.”

  “Your Holiness, a brilliant plan. I’ll order our sleeper agents to attack their schools.”

  “Make sure the Mujahedeen leave behind proof we were behind the attacks. The infidels normally have so many school shootings, we have to make sure we are blamed so their public demands quick action from their government.”

  Saladin smiles thinking of the chaos they are about to create in the infidel countries.

  “It will be my pleasure. I will keep you updated and send you images of the chaos.”

  Allah Akbar.”

  “Allah Akbar.”

  Chapter 16

  President Bentley wakes in the middle of the night covered in sweat, he drinks a glass of water and decides he knows what he’s going to do. He makes some notes on a small notepad next to the bed. He also makes notes to remind himself to send an order to General Green that no matter what happens, he’s to move ahead as quickly as possible with the rearming of the country. He writes a note to remind him to cancel the F35 and find a way to restart the F22 and F15 production lines. He realizes after the final Crusade there’s only going to be so much money the country will spend on defense. Most will think there aren’t any more enemies, they’ll demand a massive peace dividend. Satisfied he wrote what he wanted to himself; he rolls over falling back asleep.

  @@@@@

  Caliphate attack teams spread out across America, Great Britain, Germany, France, Israel, Egypt, and Russia. They’ve selected elementary schools as their targets. Each school selected is a gun free zone, so they know no one will be able to quickly attack them. Each attack team is carrying automatic weapons, shotguns, hand grenades, and Claymore-type mines. The night before, they set timed bombs in trash containers, mailboxes, and parked cars across the street from the schools.

  The attack teams dress in black and cover their faces, one hour after the beginning of school, they breach the doors of the schools; they toss hand grenades down the halls, they kick open classroom doors, opening fire with their automatic weapons, they go door to door killing the teachers and small children. They quickly work their way from the front door of the school to the back, killing everyone they see. They set the school on fire. As quickly as they entered, they exit out of the schools’ back door. They leave hundreds of small dead bodies in their wake.

  The European and Russian attacks go as smoothly as in America. Emergency vehicles and police quickly arrive at the schools. The shooters left behind chains of fireworks on a delay fuse, when the police arrive they hear the pops coming from inside of the schools, they believe the shooters are still in the schools, slowing down their entrance to help the wounded.

  The police and EMS mill around outside the schools to the distress of the screaming and crying parents yelling at them to go in and save their children. The police tell the parents they’re waiting for the SWAT squads to arrive. Sirens are heard getting closer. Additional ambulances and police cars surround the schools. When the SWAT teams arrive they begin moving towards the front doors when the hidden bombs explode spreading nails and BBs into the collected crowds. Police officers, EMS teams, grieving parents are cut down by the bombs. Media helicopters hovering above the schools are speechless at the spectacle below them. The reporters bend over throwing up their last meal, they have trouble finding the words to explain what they’re seeing. The station managers hold the videos thinking the images are too gory to show to the public. Some stations which were broadcasting live quickly go black for a minute so the director can switch feeds.

  As the sun sets nations are in a state of shock, rows of tiny bodies laid next to their parents line the lawn of the schools. It takes twenty-four hours before the final death toll is known. President Bentley is informed the American death toll is nineteen hundred and eight people. He falls into his desk chair shaking his head.

  “Nineteen hundred people? NINETEEN HUNDRED? How the hell did this happen? How did these people gain access to schools carrying automatic weapons and bombs? Didn’t any of these schools have any security? Jesus, this is the worst disaster in the country’s history. The nuclear attack was limited to our military bases and missile silos, most who died were military, people who knew their job was to be in harm’s way, not children in school of all places.”

  “Sir, each school had a large sign proclaiming they were gun free zones, anyone carrying a firearm into the school would be arrested.”

  “How well did that stop the terrorists? I bet they selected these schools because they knew there wouldn’t be anyone armed in the buildings to stop them. The new trick of leaving timed explosives behind to take down the first responders is downright pure evil. I’m really pissed, I’m sure the people are too.”

  “Mr. President, the people are demanding action to destroy the Caliphate. Muslim places of business are being torched, Mosques are being torched, some with the people still inside of them. Our people are taking action into their own hands. The police are standing aside and letting the attacks take place. We’re quickly losing control.”

  “What do you suggest I do?”

  “Declare martial law, put a curfew in place, the country needs to take a break to catch our breath.”

  “I can’t do that. It will destroy us.”

  “Mr. President, the people are screaming for vengeance, they want blood. This would be the perfect time to unleash the attack, the people will support you. No one will question the use of WMD if you use them now. By now, I mean right away, tonight if possible.”

  “We’re not ready yet.”

  “Use what we have ready now, you can follow up the attack with the next set of weapons when they’re ready. You have to act strongly. If you act tonight, the people will give you one hundred percent of their support.”

  “I’ll call the Russian Minister. Place the military on DEFCON 2.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  President Bentley picks up the hotline which connects him to the Russian President, the Defense Minister.

  “Minister, the American people’s prayers for your losses.”

  “Mr. President, the Russian people send their prayers and sorrow for your losses too. I believe you’re calling to ask me to agree to launch the attack now.”

  “That’s correct, what do you think?”

  “The attack against our children was an act of the devil, I agree, we must move up the attack. I realize not all of our weapons are ready, we’ll use what we have for a phase one strike. I suggest our two strike planners coordinate the target list so we strike as many as possible, once the follow-up weapons are ready, we’ll launch a second strike.”

  “Why don’t we reach out to the Prime Ministers of the UK, France, Germany, Egypt and Israel so everyone is on the same track. I wouldn’t want one of them to see the launch and think we’re attacking each other.”

  “I agree, let’s
see if we can patch them into this call.”

  “I’ve placed my military on DEFCON 2 alert.”

  “We saw that; we’ve too moved our forces to a war footing.”

  Ten minutes later all of the grieving Prime Ministers are on the secure conference call. Each national leader agrees to the revised timetable. The Israeli Prime Minister interrupts the other leaders.

  “My friends, I believe they struck our schools in order to push us into attacking them before we’re ready. They think the attack is going to come from the phony army we’ve built in the Sinai. I believe they’re watching the camp and when they see action, they’re going to strike the camp. We want them to strike it. We want them to hit that camp before we strike them. Anyone who isn’t moved by the attack on our schools and our most defenseless will be moved by them striking our military on our side of the border. I believe we need to send the order to begin moving the remote controlled mockup tanks and generate the sounds of the camp getting ready to attack. If we don’t, they’ll realize it’s a sham.”

  The other Prime Ministers agree; the order is sent to the camp to prepare it for war. Loudspeakers are turned on, lights come on, kitchens fire up, remote controlled tanks begin moving. From a distance, it looks like the camp is preparing to attack the Caliphate. It’s what Saladin and the Mahdi are waiting for,

  Saladin smiles watching the video feed from his drones, three of which have been shot down. He calls the Mahdi for the official release of the nuclear weapons.

  “Your Holiness, they are preparing for the attack. I believe, the time is NOW.”

  “I’ve seen the video, I agree your plan was perfect, you have my permission to attack, use our remaining weapons to our best advantage. Destroy the Crusaders, leave them defenseless.”

  “Yes, your Holiness. I will issue the order. Allah Akbar.”

  “Allah Akbar.”

  Saladin launches surface to surface short range missiles with both nuclear and conventional warheads. In order to maintain the sham, Patriot missiles launch to intercept the incoming missiles, five of which are destroyed in midair. Three have nuclear warheads which are triggered by the interception. Three bright flashes light up the Sinai because the interception is so close to the camp, large sections of the camp are under the three exploding 15KT bombs. The explosions briefly blind the antimissile missile's radar allowing seven other missiles to explode over the camp. Ten mushroom clouds rise over the Sinai destroying the phony military base.

  The Caliphate broadcasts the images of the swirling mushroom clouds of destruction. They show a before picture of tens of thousands of tanks and an after showing the boiling clouds and destruction of the camp. Millions of Muslims rush into the streets yelling and cheering ALLAH AKBAR! They jump for joy and fire AKs into the air celebrating the destruction of the Crusader’s army.

  In Philadelphia President Bentley looks at the television feed from the Caliphate, animals, they kill our children and sing, they think they’ve killed millions of our soldiers and they cheer and sing praises to their God. They are warped. Something happened to them, they don’t think like the rest of us do. I know what I have to do, I pray God forgives me for what I’m about to do. He’s interrupted by his Chief of Staff,

  “Sir, General Green says he’s ready as is everyone else.”

  “Bring me the nuclear release case.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  A US Marine Major carries the black case to the President, he unlocks and opens it, turning it to face the President he says,

  “Mr. President, give them hell. They killed my son, send them all to hell.”

  “Major, that’s what I’m about to do. Is it ready?”

  “Yes, sir. Enter your code, place your hand on the scanner for verification you’re you and press the enter button.”

  “Please stay with me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Two minutes later the computer in the case flashes a message, “ORDER ACCEPTED.”

  “Sir, there’s nothing to do now but sit back, the order’s been issued. I expect the initial launches are taking place as we’re speaking. Are you going to address the country?”

  “I’m going to wait until the weapons strike the Caliphate, I’m afraid if I make an announcement now, I’d be giving the Caliphate advance notice and I’d cause panic among our people. I think they used up their WMDs on our camp at the border, my experts told me they had less than fifteen weapons left. They have no long-range missiles left.”

  “Mr. President, they may not be able to attack us, but Egypt, Israel and Russian are within their range.”

  “All are on full alert; I hope we knock down anything they put in the air.”

  The President’s Chief of Staff says,

  “Mr. President, General Green is on the red line.”

  “General, any problems?”

  “Mr. President the Israeli weapons landed first, followed by ours, then the Russian SSBN birds launched from the Gulf and the Red Sea. They were able to launch four birds, three were intercepted, one exploded with a 10kt warhead over Jerusalem, the west bank of the city.”

  “They struck their own people?”

  “We think the missile’s range was too short, or their aim was off.”

  “Are our weapons working?”

  “Sir, I have a map of the Caliphate I can have it put on your large monitor, it will show where our weapons strike. Would you like me to have it displayed on your monitor?”

  “Yes, thank you General.” Said a very tired sounding President.

  A large map of the Caliphate is displayed on the 80-inch monitor, it shows red circles where weapons have exploded, each new explosion shows as a new red circle. The map of the Caliphate quickly looks like it has measles. Red circles and blotches which are the areas of destruction begin to cover the map. Soon, black circles begin appearing.

  “What are the black circles?”

  “Ground penetrating weapons. Most are 25mt Russian weapons, real monsters. They are designed to dig out their bunkers and buried weapons labs and warehouses. Being ground penetrators, they will generate a lot of fallout. You’ll see that by the black coloring spreading in the winds, anything, anyone under the black cloud will die from radiation poisoning.”

  The people in the Oval Office sit watching the monitor in shock. The President’s Chief of Staff taps President Bentley on the shoulder, he bends down to whisper to him,

  “Sir, I believe it’s time for you to address the nation/world. I’m sure the media has picked up on the nuclear explosions, it could cause mass panicking. You need to make sure they understand what’s happening and there will be a minimum impact on the country. We can’t afford additional disruptions and riots.”

  “Alright, are the cameras set up in the Situation Room?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The two men walk down the hall, a make-up artist quickly tries to pat the President’s forehead with powder.

  “No, I’ll be alright, let the people see I'm sweating.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  President Bentley stands behind the Presidential podium, the Situation Room is filled with press cameras and reporters; as soon as he walks into the room, they begin yelling questions at him.

  “Do you have a comment about the school attacks?”

  “Did we attack the Caliphate with nuclear weapons?”

  “What are you going to do about the rioting?”

  “Did you just kill millions of innocents?”

  The last question snapped the President to reality, he stared at the reporter who asked him of he’d just killed millions of innocents.

  “Innocents? Who said they were innocent? Didn’t you see their reaction to the death of our children? They planned and carried out attacks which killed over nineteen hundred of our children, their worried parents, and first responders. They twice tried to pit Russia and us against each other. They tried to get us to kill each other so they could sweep in to finish the job. Did you see their response when our milit
ary bases were struck with nuclear weapons? How dare you call them innocents? Where were their voices calling for calm? Where were their voices calling on the Mahdi to come to the peace table? Where were the so-called moderate Muslims? How could anyone call them innocent?”

  “Sir, most of the Muslims want to live in peace as we do, you just passed Hitler as the world’s largest mass murderer.”

  “After killing millions of us and millions more around the world, killing our children and timing bombs to kill our first responders, how can anyone stand there and say that Muslims want to live in peace? The only peace they want is the peace of the dead. They want to kill everyone who doesn’t follow their rules or agree with them. What is wrong with you people? Do you live in a different world than the rest of us?”