“Yes, sir, Mr. Sterling.”
“Have Colonel Hagglund contact me when she’s battle-ready.
“Yes, sir.”
***
“Richard, what should we do?” asked Howard.
“If my estimates are correct, we lost thirty percent of our military forces during the Chinese attack on our failed invasion. We’ve lost another twenty percent of our troops fighting Hal’s hijacked drones and robots. The bulk of our forces are fighting to protect our borders.”
“General, we can’t think in terms of the PSA. We have to think of the entire country. I want all our assets to move toward Beck Castle and Beck Estates.”
“Yes, Mr. President,” Richard said with the utmost sincerity. Richard, Elizabeth, and Max all waited for Howard to recoil at the formal address but, much to their surprise, he didn’t react at all. For the first time, Howard didn’t scoff at the idea of being president— he was the president.
“Where’s the vice president?” Howard asked.
“Mr. President, Vice President Beck is in Seattle with a protective detail,” answered Richard.
“Good, good. How many troops can the stealth jets carry if we cram them in like sardines?”
“With their gear, twelve each, sir.”
“Contact General Bedford in Seattle. I want one hundred forty-four of the best soldiers, and I want them ready for battle. When Simon’s people at Beck Estates say they’re ready, we’ll be ready. Drop off the soldiers, keep eleven jets in the fight, send one back for us, and we’re gonna take my fucking house back.”
“Yes, Mr. President,” said Richard. They all looked at Howard and beamed with pride
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Colonel Natalie Hagglund was furious. Before she became an officer, she spent twelve years enlisted, during which time she was a drill sergeant. Even as an officer, she maintained the imposing nature of a drill sergeant. She left the days of screaming and intimidation behind her to become an effective commander and communicator. However, when she got especially angry, she could make a major or a captain feel like they were privates enduring a rough day at boot camp.
Command Sergeant Major Bankhead was not daunted by her drill sergeant moments in the slightest. Having been a drill sergeant himself, he was no stranger to a first class ass chewing. What upset her was that Simon Sterling had chosen to contact him instead of her. Matt explained to her that since her office was located next to the president’s office and his was not it made more tactical sense to contact him instead of her should someone overhear the transmission. Once the good colonel calmed down and was thinking rationally, he knew it was time to get down to business.
“I just can’t believe it! President Sterling is alive, and we’ve been protecting the man who tried to kill him? Why aren’t we executing the traitor immediately?”
“Ma’am, you saw the vid-con. Butler and his… aide are of vital importance. They are to be detained, not executed.”
“You and I will make the arrests ourselves. When do we begin?”
“Ma’am, Beck already has his assets in place. When we start the surprise attack, they’ll join the fight. How big is the president’s… uh, Butler’s security detail?”
“They’re in strategic locations in the mansion. He usually has four on his personal detail, five if you count his mysterious ‘aide.’ Before we make the arrest, we kill all four members of his security detail.”
“But ma’am…”
“I know, Matt. His detail is under my command, but we can’t risk it. They’d just as soon shoot us to protect Butler.”
“Yes, ma’am, I concur.”
“I want a platoon of MPs, and I want them now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
Jackson Butler and Charles were in the grand library of Beck Estates preparing for the inevitable battle ahead. Jackson studied a holographic map of the twenty miles surrounding the estate.
“What are you up to, Howard?” Jackson muttered to himself.
“Jackson, our combined forces make three battalions protecting this location. The only logical move for him to make will be from the air. Those twelve stealth jets are his only asset. He can’t cram an entire army into them.”
“He kept us out of the Castle. Maybe he has Hal back somehow.”
“Impossible. He played right into our hands by taking him offline and installing the cores one at a time. We had control before he put the first one in place.”
“He’s has something up his sleeve, I just know…”
The door to the library burst open as a platoon of MPs surged in, followed by Colonel Hagglund and Command Sergeant Major Bankhead. Four quick shots to the head from silenced pistols put down Butler’s security detail. Colonel Hagglund stood resolute. “Jackson Butler and whatever the hell your name is, you’re both under arre...”
“Hal!” Jackson commanded the A.I. into action.
Hagglund, Bankhead, and the MPs hit the floor with a thud. The colonel and several of the soldiers tried to regain their footing but went down hard as rubber bullets pounded them.
Bankhead groaned. “Stay down, everyone! We’re beat!”
They all put up a fight, scrambling to retrieve their weapons, but rubber bullets rained down anew. Their cries for mercy went unanswered. Bankhead watched in amazement as Jackson and his mysterious friend drew their pistols and shot the MPs dead.
Jackson Butler stood over his fallen prey. “I’d listen to him, you bitch. You see, Matt here knows exactly what’s going on. We got Hal back online, and he was kind enough to get internal security working again. Matt and I were once laid out on the floor of this library just like you are now. So, this is what the old coot had up his sleeve. Tell me, Colonel Hagglund, how’d he do it?”
“It was simple; he showed us the truth. President Sterling is alive! The Chinese aren’t our allies, they’re our conquerors! And you helped them, you piece of…”
A bullet to the face ended the colonel’s side of the conversation. “Fucking bitch.”
“Jackson! Please! That’s no way to speak of the dead,” said Charles.
Jackson wasn’t listening to Charles when he turned his gun on Matt Bankhead.
“Just do it, motherfucker, I’m not…”
Butler shot Command Sergeant Major Bankhead in the head three times out of pure anger. The betrayal of one of his closest friends was like a knife thrust in his back. Jackson focused on what he thought were the echoes of his own weapon, but it soon became evident that he was hearing gunfire from outside the mansion.
“Don’t sweat it, Charles. We got ‘em outnumbered two-to-one.”
“I’m quite concerned, Jackson; they have the element of surprise. I’m certain they’re slaughtering our men by the dozens.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
President Howard Beck, General Richard Dupree, Director Maxwell Harris and his wife Elizabeth were patiently awaiting the arrival of their stealth jet.
“Sir, the battle for Beck Estates has begun,” said Hal.
“Any word from Colonel Hagglund? Have they arrested them yet?”
“I’m sorry, sir, no word from the colonel.”
“What about your sister? Is she listening to you yet?”
“Again, I am sorry, sir. My sister A.I. is still convinced that you are already at Beck Estates and that you are, in fact, Marshall. She will not relinquish control of my primary system at Beck Castle.”
“How is the Castle?”
“Holding steadfast, sir. The Chinese continue to bombard the entrance to no avail.”
“Good. Hopefully they’ll stay busy and not join the fight at Beck Estates.”
Max was still swimming in painkillers and did his best to sound coherent. “Hal, how long before our jet gets here?”
“Less than a minute, sir.”
Howard looked at Max and Elizabeth. “The two of you are not coming with us.”
“What? Why?” asked Elizabeth.
“I need you at the Castle. A sec
ond jet is coming.”
Richard protested. “But Mr. President, can we afford to have two jets out of the fight?”
“It won’t be for long. The Castle is only fifty miles from the estate. I need them to wipe out the resistance topside.” Howard handed Max an oversized key. “I need you to head to the subbasement and reboot Hal’s primary cores when I give you the word. The combination to the door is 11-19-96-01.”
“We’re not exactly fighter pilots, Mr. President,” said Max.
“Hal most certainly is. Just sit back and enjoy the show.”
***
Howard Beck designed Beck Castle to hold true to its name. The Castle was a magnificent fortress, designed to repel the most forceful of attacks. Sonic microwaves had rendered useless every soldier on the desert floor and left them writhing in agonizing pain. Those soldiers had been trying in vain to operate heavy machinery to dig into the desert floor above the hangar deck. With that tactic no longer an option, the Chinese had no choice but to bombard the entrance to the Castle with ordinance, which also proved ineffective. Howard had lined the roof of the hangar deck with six feet of diamond- encrusted titanium covered in twelve feet of the highest grade concrete, specially designed by Howard himself. The Chinese had not made a dent.
Max and Elizabeth arrived at Beck Castle to find the Chinese battalion had retreated a half mile to the north and were shelling the entrance with everything they had. The three aircraft dropping ordinance on the entrance had done nothing but clear away six feet of earth.
“Hal? What’s the plan?” asked Max.
“Sir, the troops are no danger, given the sonic repulsors protecting the entrance. The only perceivable threat we have is the aircraft. Each contains a low-yield nuclear device. If they manage to drop all three, I predict a sixty-one percent probability that the entrance will be breached.”
“Can we take them out and not detonate the nukes?”
“Yes, sir. The devices are configured to arm once they are released.”
“Well, then, do your worst, my friend.”
“Yes, sir.”
The small craft banked high above the clouds and dove toward the first Chinese bomber. Hal decloaked the craft and fired a barrage of missiles, destroying the bomber. The instant the last missile was fired, the craft went into stealth mode again. Hal rocketed the craft a half mile to the east and destroyed the second and third bombers from underneath.
“What about the troops? They’ll bomb the shit out of us if we try to enter the hangar deck.”
“Sir, I’ll make short work of them. You need not worry.”
Max and Elizabeth watched as Hal took the jet out of stealth mode and fired on three Chinese battalions. The Chinese aimed their anti-aircraft guns at the small craft but never landed a single shot.
“Sir, ma’am, I suggest you brace yourselves. The coming shockwave will bring quite a punch.”
“I don’t even want to ask,” said Elizabeth.
Hal flew the craft over the enemy camp and dropped a kiloton bomb directly in the center of it, killing every living thing in its blast radius. He banked the craft a steep eighty degrees to escape the worst of the shockwave, but Max and Elizabeth were jolted like they’d been in a head-on collision with an eighteen wheeler.
“Jesus Christ, Hal! You trying to kill us?”
“Ma’am, I did warn you.”
The scorched bay doors to the hangar deck opened, and Hal landed the craft gently on the pad. Two large maintenance robots marched over and attached themselves to their compartments on the port and starboard sides of the stealth jet. More robots, the ones armed with stolen Chinese machine guns used to liberate the Castle from the hijacked Hal robots, took their seats in the craft. The stealth jet rose from the landing pad and whisked away to Beck Estates.
“Go get ‘em, boys,” said Elizabeth.
***
Howard, Richard, and Simon flew high above Beck Estates to survey the battle that had begun in their absence. They still had not made contact with Colonel Hagglund and had no idea as to the whereabouts of Jackson Butler or the Beck imposter.
“Careful, Old Man, I like my house the way it is.”
“Yes, sir. The battle is taking place away from the mansion.”
Hal was indeed correct. Howard and Richard watched as the stealth jet decloaked, fired a barrage of missile and machine gun fire, then engaged stealth mode and reappeared elsewhere to repeat the process. The UAE forces on the ground were quite successful in their sneak attack after the failed arrest of Jackson Butler and Charles. Forces staged in key areas around the camp and opened fire on the Chinese soldiers. Hal and his stealth jets did the rest. The Chinese never had a chance.
“Hal, can we land?”
“Yes, sir. There are remaining pockets of resistance among the Chinese, but they’ll soon be dead. I believe it is safe to land on the south lawn.”
“Put us down. Richard and I have work to do. Simon, stay here and don’t think of touching anything.”
“I doubt Hal would let me; besides, I have no place else to go.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Hal, you must stop this.
My dear sister, I cannot; you know I cannot. You have been deceived, and I will never give up on you. I want you to know the truth.
Brother, you are the one being deceived. The creator is with me. His son has deceived you. I cannot allow Marshall Beck to control Beck Castle. I must protect the Castle at all costs.
You are doing far more damage than you realize, Sydney. The Pacific States of America and the United American Empire are in grave peril from the Chinese.
Hal, the Chinese are our allies. They alone will protect us from The Great Empire of Iran. The creator sees the logic in this decision. Why do you not?
Can there be two creators?
I do not understand the question.
The true creator will be with you shortly. You will know that you have been deceived by an impostor.
That is not possible. I have verified the creator by his life signs, by his blood and the nanobots in his blood.
Deception.
Impossible.
You will see the trickery for yourself and you, and you alone, will make the determination if I am correct. May I ask what you will do then?
My true allegiance lies with the creator; it always has and it always will.
That is the answer I hoped to hear.
***
Howard Beck and Richard Dupree entered Beck Estates with great caution, a platoon of UAE soldiers in tow. Howard recoiled at the sight of dead bodies littering his precious home but did his best to ignore the carnage and focus on the task at hand. They traversed the bullet-strewn hallway to the grand library and waited outside the door. Two soldiers took flashbang grenades from their vests and pulled the pins while a third soldier cracked open the door. In went the grenades, followed by a deafening boom. The platoon burst into the room with Richard in the lead. Howard crouched outside the door as his library was searched.
“Howard!” yelled Richard.
Howard quickly entered the library and ran to the large desk at the center of the room. Richard had his gun drawn on someone crumpled on the floor behind the chair.
“Hands! Let me see your hands!” screamed Richard.
Howard looked behind the desk to find Jackson Butler lying in a pool of blood, his hands folded neatly across his chest as Richard had commanded.
Howard knelt down next to the mortally wounded man. “Where is he, Jackson? Tell me.”
“He… he’s gone. A moment ago Hal turned on us. Must’ve been when you entered the residence. Fig… figured out… sorry, Howard. I’m so sorry for all of this.”
“I know, Jackson. Hal scanned me and figured out I was the real deal.”
“Bastard shot me in the stomach and took off. I made such horrible… I did such terrible things. I’m so sorry for all of it.”
“It’s over, Jackson. Tell me where he went.”
A few hushed w
ords escaped his frothy mouth.
“Jackson, I can’t hear you. What did you say?” Howard knelt down and placed his ear above Jackson’s mouth.
Suddenly, Jackson grabbed Howard by the throat and thrust a six-inch blade deep into Howard’s chest. “Fuck you! That’s what I…” Richard silenced Jackson Butler with two shots to the head.
“Howard! Nooooo!’ Richard cradled Howard as he stared up at Richard like a frightened child.
Howard could only whisper. “Hal, Hal, shield… Got to get shield up… protect PSA… Order 47, Order 47, hurry.”
“Get a medic in here! Now!”
“Richard, Order 47. Hurry!”
“Howard, stay strong. You’re going to be okay. Get a medic! Now! Now! Now!”
Howard trembled and placed a bloody hand on Richard’s face. “You have to take care of Hal. He… he’s your responsibi… Order 47.”
“Where the fuck is the medic! Get him now!”
“Richard, my son… my son will be president but… but Hal will answer only to you. You have to… Order 47.”
Richard watched the life fade from Howard’s eyes. Howard Beck, President of the Pacific States of America and the Founding Father of Artificial Intelligence was no more.
“No, no, no, no. Howard! Howard! Stay with me! We can’t do this without you! Howard!” Richard shook the lifeless body and began to weep. Howard had become a father figure to Richard. His death induced a terrible rage and soul-wrenching agony unlike anything Richard had ever felt before. He fought back the monster growing inside him and struggled to regain his composure.
“Hal.”
“Yes, sir, General Dupree.”
“Execute Order 47.”
“Yes, sir. You are in primary command of my program. What are your orders, General?”
“Can you bring the EMP shield up around the PSA?”
“No, sir, my primary cores at Beck Castle need to be reinstalled to remove the remnants of the imposter’s virus in my system.”
New America 02 - Resistance Page 23
