The driver was killed when a large section of tree branch came through the windshield and caught him in the throat taking most of his head off. The passenger was thrown out and was lying in the middle of the road when the Hummers came on the wreck still smoldering.
“This one is dead,” one of the men yelled.
“This guy is alive. In bad shape but alive.”
“Geez, look at that.” one of the men said pointing at the drone showing through a gaping hole where the side of the truck used to be.
“A Predator,” one of the men said.
“No, a Raptor and they have Hellfires in there as well.”
“We need to let headquarters know immediately. They need to pass on the word that any large truck needs to be thoroughly inspected.”
“We need to get this guy medical treatment. He has information we need,” the officer in charge said.
***
“Thomas, the reports are in. We lost three drones. One Predator and two Raptors.”
“Crap. Where?”
“One on the way to LA. One headed to Columbus, and one in Baltimore,” Lincoln told him.
“Okay. Let the Maryland Militia know.”
“Already done. Same for LA and Ohio. All the others arrived safe and sound.”
“We are going to have to be really careful. As soon as they get them unloaded they need to destroy the trucks or hide them where they can never be found.”
“Easy Thomas. They know.”
“Yeah. Just nerves. We knew we would lose some. The Predator I don’t mind so much, it only carries two Hellfires but the Raptors hold eleven. That means we lost twenty-two before we even start.”
“Yes, but everything else made it. Think how much worse it could have been. None of the smaller trucks with ammunition and small arms got caught. That in itself is a heck of an accomplishment,” Lincoln reminded him.
“Well I guess in two days we will know how successful we really are,” Thomas said.
“Gerhardt is in place with his team. They will take down Collins and Luther and have a chat with them. If they don’t see it our way they have their instructions.”
“I don’t like doing it this way,” Thomas said.
“None of us do but we are at war Thomas. It is just the way it has to be. They have five of our people. I would imagine that is going to be very unpleasant for them. You know what they will do to them to find out where we are located. Yes, we are compartmentized but it won’t take that long for them to start to put it together that we are someplace in Kansas,” Lincoln replied.
“I know you’re right. Even worse, it will be pretty clear that we are getting information from someone pretty darn high in the administration. The fact that we know where the tanks and blockades are located will make it obvious.”
“Then maybe it’s time to get him out,” Lincoln suggested.
“You are right. I’ll contact him just as soon as I can and tell him to get here to join us. There isn’t much more he can do without them finding out his identity,” Thomas agreed.
***
General Lamb was already aware that his time of usefulness was almost over. Once the planned strikes took place, it wouldn’t take long to realize that only a handful of people knew those kinds of details.
He had already started to make plans to make his escape long before Thomas sent word that the attack would be in two days.
“What do you honestly think what will accomplish,” General Douglas asked.
“The front line officers need to see that leadership is with them every step of the way. Morale is down and having me on the frontlines will bolster their sprits. Too many are just going through the motions. They need to know that we are in this with them.”
“I don’t like you taking that kind of risk,” Douglas said.
“That’s exactly the point. It is the risk factor that will inspire them. Sitting back here telling them to do this and do that isn’t getting it done. Every once in a while the top leaders need to take the same risk that everyone else is taking. It is the right thing to do,” Lamb argued.
“And if some sniper gets you, what will that do to morale?”
“Come on general. I could get hit by a car tomorrow. It is a risk I think is well worth taking. We have to get the troops motivated. If we don’t do something it is only going to get worse. We have already lost close to fifty thousand men and women that have gone AWOL. Others are surely thinking about it. This is a necessary step,” Lamb told Douglas.
“Alright. I don’t like it one bit but I do see your point. You just make sure you keep your butt covered. No hero stuff. Let them see you and know you are there for them but don’t take any unnecessary risk.”
“Don’t worry. The last thing I want to do is get shot.”
“Or captured. Think about that for a minute,” Douglas warned.
“There is that,” Lamb agreed.
***
“Is everything in place?” Kim asked over her phone.
“We are ready. Time to go into action,” Gerhardt said.
Kim had pulled her car over to the side of the road and they had jacked it up. She had the tire off and was struggling to get the spare out of the trunk. The SUV that that Collins and Luther were being driven in came around the curve and saw Kim leaning in the trunk. The fact that she had on a short skirt was immediately noticed by the driver and the two generals.
“Pull over,” General Collins ordered.
The driver pulled off the side of the road and the three got out and walked back to the car.
“You’re have a problem I see,” Luther said.
“Just a little one. Who designed where they put the spare tire? I wonder if they ever had to get one out in a skirt,” she said standing there with her hands on her hips.
“I guess they never considered a young lady like you having to change a tire,” Collins said.
“Well they should. Getting the tire off wasn’t much of a problem but with the car jacked up, getting the spare out is pretty darn hard.”
“We can handle that for you. Sargent, would you mind getting the tire for the lady?” Luther asked.
Typical. The ‘we’ turned into the enlisted man doing the real work while they stood and ogled the woman.
“I would really appreciate that. Oh and by the way I would also appreciate it if you would all put your hands up as well.”
“What…”
Four men stepped out of the woods with automatic weapons. The three men froze.
“Please don’t do anything stupid. I don’t wear a dress that often and I would hate to get your brains and blood all over it. No one is going to harm you, we just want to talk,” Kim told him.
“Over here,” Gerhardt said coming up behind them.
“What’s this all about?” Collins said.
“Please, just come with us and we will explain everything,” he told the three men.
They followed along since they had no real choice.
CHAPTER THIRTY
The three men were sitting in the woods on a fallen tree.
“We are here to offer you an opportunity to help stop the madness that is going on in this country,” Gerhardt said.
“Meaning?” Collins asked.
“Meaning the administration is destroying this country.”
“You’re talking about the Commander-in-Chief.”
“Not to me. General you can’t hide behind the saying that we were just following orders. Following orders only pertains to legally issued orders that are in the interest of the nation and comply with the Constitution. Following immoral orders is not a viable defense if you know they are absolutely wrong,” Gerhardt said.
“And therein lies the problem. Who defines immoral orders and how do you separate the legal from the illegal. The way you view them and the way General Douglas views them are totally different. We are caught in the middle and our best option is to do as we are ordered.”
“General. Martial Law is not going to
work. This is all going to come crashing down at some point. You do not want to be on the side that tries to justify its actions by saying you were just following orders. You need to order your people to stop this action. Join us in restoring our Republic while there is still time. Can’t you feel the tsunami that is coming your way? Do you honestly think you can hold it back? Are you willing to murder millions just to follow orders?” Gerhardt asked.
“You are asking me to go against my oath as an officer,” Collins answered.
“Not to mention your ‘personal oath to the President’,” Gerhardt.
“That meant nothing. I will not be a traitor to this country.”
“But you are. You are hiding behind ‘I was only following orders’. That is the most profound betrayal to this country,” Kim added.
“General Luther? What about you?” Gerhardt asked.
“I hate to beat around the bush but I see it both ways. I am an officer in the United States Military. I have a duty to uphold the Constitution and the orders of my commanding officer. On the other hand, killing Americans is against everything I stand for. I simply cannot indiscriminately shoot civilians for being out after curfew. That is against God and that has to come before everything else,” Luther said.
General Collins looked over at him frowning.
“Sargent?”
“It is wrong on every level. I was going to go AWOL if this continued much longer. I’m a REMF so I haven’t actually seen firsthand what is going on but I do hear the stories from people coming back to the base. I know what is going on and I don’t want to be any part of that,” he said.
“So you are willing to join us?”
“Absolutely. Sorry general,” he said to Collins.
“You will be Court Martialed and shot for treason you know,” Collins said.
“That’s a chance I am willing to take. I am not about to be a part of shooting unarmed civilians.”
“General are you saying you would rather follow the administration’s leadership than to tell those under your command to lay down their arms or to join us?”
“I’ve been in the military for twenty-six years. I have followed many orders that I didn’t agree with or think were right but I still did my duty. I am not about to change now.”
“General Luther?”
“I’m afraid I have to agree with General Collins. Like him, I have struggled with many orders but I have carried them out to the best of my ability. In the end, it has served me well. The General is my direct superior. I have to follow his orders.”
“Sargent, you can stay with us if you want. Are you married?” Gerhardt asked.
“My ex is in Florida. I haven’t seen her or the kids in ten years.”
“General Collins and Luther, you are free to go. Sorry but you are going to have to drive yourselves back to the base.”
“You’re not going to shoot us?”
“You are free to go.”
“Did you place a bomb in our car while we were here?”
“Kim. Would you show these men to the car and start it for them. I don’t think they trust us.”
“Come on boys. You can still drive a car, right?” she said leading them back to the SUV.
***
General Luther was driving the SUV back to the base.
“You don’t think I made the right call do you?” Collins said.
“It’s not my duty to second guess your decisions. My duty is to back you up.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking, off the record, if you would have made the same call.” Collins said.
“Honestly, no. I think the President is off her rocker. She is a megalomaniac and has lost touch with reality. She thinks she can rule the nation by fear. Maybe some places in the world that works but not in this country. If our roles were reversed I would have ordered my people to stop this crap,” Luther told him.
“And in the long run, do you think that would have made one bit of difference? They would just put someone in here to replace me. Just like you, I am expendable.”
“That may be true but I could look at myself in the mirror and say I did what I could to stop this stupidity that should never have gotten this far to begin with.”
“That isn’t the military’s fault. That is on the American people for letting it happen. Why didn’t they rise up before now and demand an end to this?”
“Because it is the first woman President. They would look like they were against women running the country.”
“So they just roll over and let it happen?”
“People stick their heads in the sand when it comes to ‘political correctness’. They don’t want to be labeled as haters.”
“Well the die is cast at this point,” General Collins said as they reached the base entrance.
The guard saluted and they drove through. They were almost at headquarters when a Predator drone popped up on the horizon. General Collins saw it first.
“Oh crap…”
It was the last thing he said before the Hellfire missile smashed into their car sending it twenty feet into the air in a huge ball of fire.
***
“General Lamb, you made it,” Thomas said shaking his hand and then pulling him in to pat him on the back.
“It took a bit of talking but I managed to sell Douglas on the idea that morale would improve.”
“That’s a good one,” Thomas laughed.
“He is going to be really upset when we take over the television station and I make my broadcast. I assure you it won’t be long. Your people told me we will have no more than thirty minutes before they will block the signal and come after me,” Lamb said.
“They will take thirty minutes to block the signal but believe me, you will have plenty of time for us to get you out of the area. We can certainly handle anything they can round up in that length of time,” Thomas said.
“I figured you could.”
“So, we are all set. The attacks take place tomorrow night. You go on the air at 8:00 p.m. or as soon as we can secure the station. I really don’t think it will be much of a problem.”
“I’m ready, just get me the microphone and a camera,” Lamb told him.
***
At almost to the minute the following evening General Lamb was looking into the lens of the television camera. The red light blinked on.
“Good evening. I know that you were not expecting an interruption in your normal programing but I have a critical announcement for you. My name is General Randal Lamb. Many of you know me because of the ISS. That is not the reason for this address. I am here to tell you that the current administration under President Clemons and backed by the military headed by General Douglas is an abomination and must be stopped. For the past two years I have been supplying the ARM, American Resistance Movement with critical data to help them fight the administration and General Douglas in their intent to make this country into a Police State with them in charge. In fact, General Douglas has even more sinister plans. He intends to pull a military cue d’état and actually oust the President and the Vice President.
Americans, it is time to stand up and fight against the peril that we are facing as a nation. If we do not take this country back; then those who fail to act will get exactly what they deserve, a police state where you are told what to do, how to do it and when to do it. There will be no Constitutional protections. In fact, President Clemons has already largely eliminated your Constitutional rights.
Tonight the ARM has struck at ten major cities across the United Stated to demonstrate our resolve to restore our Democratic Republic. This is just the beginning. We will fight in every town, every city, and in every state until we have driven this oppression from our country. Tonight I am asking for you to stand with us. Cause as much disruption as you can. Block traffic, create diversions, become part of the movement to take our country back.
Thank you and God bless you and the United States of America.”
The screens all across
the nation went blank.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“You bastard,” the President yelled at General Douglas.
He sat there, just looking at her. He was stunned by what they had just seen. He had never once suspected Lamb as the inside traitor. That his plan was out wasn’t particularly concerning. It was just a matter of time before he implemented it.
“I guess we all have our faults. Just like you, mine is power. I’ll have to say, Lamb certainly had me fooled. I thought he would be my second in command when I finally took over.”
“Well that is not going to happen now is it? You’re little plan is out in the open.”
“And how does that change things? I’m curious to see what you think you can do about it.”
“Don’t you dare. I am the Commander-in-Chief,” she yelled, beating her hand against her chest.
“Commander-in-Chief over whom? Me? I don’t think so. Helen you are nothing at this point. Hell, no one is going to lift a finger to help you. Lamb may have been your only help but as you can see, even that possibility doesn’t exist any longer. You are finished as President. That pathetic Vice President you chose so you could boss him around is out on is ear as well.
She looked at him in disbelief. This simply could not be happening. She was the President. She told the military what to do, not the other way around.
“You won’t get away with this,” she said squinting her eyes.
Pure hatred was etched on her face as she looked at the general.
“Well Helen, I would say it is a little late for dirty looks. I don’t give a damn what you think,” he said and walked over to the Oval office door.
Two Marines entered and stood on either side of the President.
“Take her to the observation room in the tunnel. Keep her locked up until I decide if she is of any further value to us,” the general told the Marines.
“Do you dare touch me,” she shouted at the two Marines but they each grabbed her by an arm and hustled her out of the Oval Office.
PROJECT BlueBolt - AMERICAN UPRISING: BOOK III - AMERICAN UPRISING Page 16
