Rebuilt: A Jake Dani/Mike Shapeck Novel (Jake Dani / Mike Shapeck)

by Victory Crayne

  “I’ll be training Sam and Randy myself well before the training center is available,” added Stat.

  “You need to set up an operations center, too.”

  “Got that. And I need to find a place to stay. Housing is a bitch around here with so many Bingers and others coming from Earth.”

  #

  Lieutenant General Petrovsky put on the uniform of the York Army. Even though he must wear that uniform for several days, he bristled at donning the uniform of another military service. He realized that if he was caught wearing that uniform, he could be shot as a spy. The mission dictated it, so it couldn’t be helped. He pulled up the green armband that signaled he was part of the coup.

  Earlier he informed his officers that they were here to do a coup.

  He had volunteered for this mission back on Earth. Petrovsky placed the York Army helmet on his head and marched out of his office. Today was the day. There was a chance he could die in the next twenty-four hours. Or live on in glory as chief of Getner’s military services.

  He looked up at the star-filled sky. The weather reports said clear skies in Fairport Base but clouds over Zor. Because of the nature of this mission and the long distance they would have to travel, they started at four in the morning. The officers in his outer office wore the uniform of the York Army. With green arm bands, of course. They saluted him as he approached.

  A key part of the coup was identifying friend versus foe, especially since most wore York Army uniforms. The green arms bands would tell his troops who was friendly and part of the coup.

  He commanded, “Let’s get this done.”

  The military vehicles parked outside his office. Each vehicle was painted in the camouflage colors of the York Army. One in the lead had its door open with a sergeant at attention. Soon the caravan of his troops headed out of Fairport Base. Petrovsky saw the Orca Mountains in the distance. His troops would go over their snow covered peaks. He was glad his command vehicle had a heater.

  Hours later, after the caravan entered Zor, it split into five groups. He commanded the major portion of six hundred troops as it headed to the federal building at North Central Park Avenue and First Street. Smaller contingents of a hundred troops each headed to the four television stations.

  His men had only the weapons they could carry. Hence it was small arms fire. None of them had any experience with heavy weapons such as mortars, artillery, or even tanks. They depended on shock and surprise and did not want a prolonged engagement with professional troops.

  Chapter 60

  Jan Olafkowsky sat between two larger men and didn’t mind the jostling as the troop carrier made its way. He spent the time thinking of his wife Greta and their son Yerko, back home on Earth. He hoped he could join them soon. Jan called Murmansk his home, but since joining the Special Forces, had not returned there for close to a year now. Greta came from the small village of Roslyakovo to the north and both were used to the cold. Even though they had a son, they both wanted a daughter. For that, Jan planned to spend time with Greta when he could return. If he could return.

  He realized emails to home would be read by his superiors for security purposes. He was allowed only one email per month and always on the seventeenth. General Petrovsky said it was difficult to send a courier and he understood that.

  Jan was not used to the heat of Zor. He much preferred snow. While he trained for this mission on the wooden building, he got a few glimpses of snow on the tops of the Orca Mountains. That always brought a smile to his face.

  The men in his platoon didn’t mind the dark reddish birthmark on the left side of his face.

  Maybe they were used to it.

  #

  I sent Vincent, Andy, and Zetto home. Gancha stayed with me at the ops center. Two hours later, I saw something alarming on the monitors watching University Avenue outside of Zor and in the general direction of Fairport. The fronts of green vehicles headed toward the city.

  I rushed into action.

  Since everyone on my team was on alert, I tagged them for an immediate virtual meeting.

  “The coup I warned you about has just started.”

  Gancha walked into the planning room while the rectangles filled up with the faces of Vincent, Andy, and Zetto. I was glad to see she had changed into a pantsuit and jacket. That would make it a lot easier on her.

  I showed them the vid of the army vehicles along University Avenue. By now, they had passed under a camera and the view showed soldiers with rifles.

  “I want everyone to put on full armor, arm yourselves as much as possible on such short notice, and rush to the federal building. It’s only three blocks away and Gancha and I will probably be there first.

  “Remember to bring your IDs of the YSA and the YFP, in separate pockets.

  “I repeat: The coup has started.”

  The three screens went blank in less than a second.

  I sent a quick message off to my boss.

  “The coup has started.”

  When I checked, there was an incoming message from him.

  Even though I was in a hurry, I read it.

  “Be prepared for coup in Zor to succeed. This is not something you can control. If your team needs to escape to Earth, you’ll be welcome.”

  #

  Sheila Fish sighed and walked to the break room on the second floor. As she peered out the windows at the streets below, the green of military vehicles coming from the east on University Avenue caught her attention.

  Wonder where they’re going?

  That question was answered when the command cars in the front turned into the parking lot of Channel One. That alarmed her.

  Was the prime minister reacting to my newscast? This is pretty drastic. Wait till my viewers see this.

  Movement caught her eyes and she looked to her left to see another green column heading east on the same road. She tried to figure out where the second column started. She opened the window and leaned out to peer to the left. The last of those vehicles pulled out of the parking lot of the York Security Building on the other side of the street. She recalled that building had a large training center.

  Su is overreacting.

  As the lead vehicles of the column from YSA passed the parked vehicles on University Avenue, she saw soldiers in green wave to the other soldiers in front of her building.

  Sensing a story building in front of her, Sheila rushed back to the broadcasting studio on the ground floor. She arrived just as several dozen soldiers in the green of the York Army and carrying guns walk into the room.

  “We’re taking over this station,” said one man. “Nobody will get hurt if they behave. Anyone resisting will be shot on the spot.”

  Her camera people looked at her for guidance. She looked up to the producer’s room and saw soldiers in green.

  “Better do what they say,” said the producer over the loud speaker. “They have guns.”

  She looked over to the armed guards in front of the main door and saw they had their hands up and faced soldiers with guns pointed at them.

  #

  At the federal building, Stan Curling watched from his office window as military vehicles entered the parking lot of the federal building. After removing his suit jacket and keeping it on his left arm, he grabbed his holster hanging on the coat rack, and rushed out the door.

  He shouted to his assistant, “Relay this message. Lock all the doors to this floor.”

  As he entered the outer office half-full of agents, he yelled orders.

  “Everybody grab their guns. There’s a military coup going on. We’re about to be taken over by soldiers. Guard the elevators and stairwells. A and B teams, come with me.”

  Without waiting for them to comply, he rushed out the main door to the York Federal Police offices, ran to the stairs and took them two at a time up to the prime minister’s floor.

  As his group of federal cops exited the stairways, they surprised both Secret Service men guarding the outer office.

  The
federal cops and the Secret Service men stood facing each other with drawn guns.

  Stan said, “There are army troops entering this building to take over the federal government. We need to protect the prime minister.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Bouregard.

  “Oh yeah. There is a coup planned. Open the door.”

  Bouregard didn’t comply.

  Curling said, “Do you know who I am?”

  Bouregard squinted his eyes and nodded.

  Curling added, “I’m the Special Prosecutor. Do you want to be arrested on the spot?”

  Bouregard shook his head and activated the door look. Curling burst through it.

  The first thing he saw were Charlotte, then the two men sitting in the waiting room.

  He repeated himself, “There is a coup going on. Open the door.”

  When Charlotte hesitated, he motioned with a gun to Mary Cullens behind him. Cullens went around to desk and bent over next to Charlotte. In seconds, the door buzzed and Curling took advantage of it to enter the private chamber of Nikki Su.

  “Madam Prime Minister, there are soldiers coming to take over your office. We must hurry to the shelter.”

  “So it’s true,” said Su.

  She sighed but stood from behind her desk.

  Su said, “Everyone follow me to the shelter. We will use my private stairwell.”

  Curling waved his gun at his own men and women, all dressed in dark blue or gray suits.

  “Follow her.”

  Curling, federal cops, the Secret Service people entered the chambers of the prime minister. She opened the door along one wall and they descended the stairs as fast they could. They went down several floors to the end where they came to a door.

  She looked up at the camera, covered her fingers with her left hand out of habit, and pressed several buttons. Then she placed her palm on the rectangular reader next to it. The door clicked and she entered, followed by the armed crowd with her.

  #

  Except Charlotte. She stayed behind and walked to the side. After the last person entered the room and shut the door, she pressed her nostrils once to activate her comm. Then she pressed several buttons on her wrist comm to direct the tag.

  “Sir, the prime minister, several Secret Service agents, and several federal cops just entered the tunnel to the shelter.”

  She listened for a few seconds.

  “Right.”

  Then she walked up to the keypad and pressed several buttons.

  Chapter 61

  Nikki Su felt a touch on her right arm.

  Terry Overman, of the prime minister’s personal detail and a member of the Secret Service, said, “Let me go first, ma’am. In case there’s gunfire.”

  Overman, Curling, and two other Secret Service men raced ahead of the prime minister as she ran the length of the tunnel. At the other end, they met two soldiers.

  Nikki Su paused in front of the soldiers, panted, and managed to say, “Do you know…who I am?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” replied one soldier.

  She added with a pause to catch her breath, “I have to get…into the shelter.”

  The soldiers stood aside while she pressed the buttons on the keypad. The door opened and her entourage passed a thick cement buffer and then a steel one to enter a large room with stacks of bunk beds, complete with pillows and green blankets. The dining room was visible in the distance.

  Curling tried to tag his office but his comm failed.

  After she had recovered her breath, Nikki Su said, “This shelter is surrounded by ten inches of steel. Around that is another six feet of concrete. It was built to protect anyone in here from an atomic blast. The walls of this shelter act as a Faraday Cage. That’s why a comm signal can’t get through.”

  She looked around at the people assembled in the shelter and recognized several cabinet members. Defense, Postal Service, Social Services, Commerce, Justice, and Treasury.

  She look at one of the Secret Service men.

  “Where are the others?”

  “I dunno. They’re not here, yet.”

  #

  Gancha and I put on full body armor as fast as we could. We placed knives in the outside pockets. I grabbed a semi-automatic rifle. She grabbed a shotgun.

  We ran to the BIS van and I drove north on Main Street. The heat in the van was unbearable so I turned on the air conditioner.

  “Chima, a coup is in progress. Be prepared for military guns to fire at us. As we pass University Avenue, record what you see, probably coming from the east.”

  We got to the intersection of University and Main and watched as army vehicles went through the green light. It must have been red for them but who was to complain?

  We were too late.

  I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I waited for the troop carriers to pass two cars in front of me. After the last of the army vehicles crossed our path, I drove through the light. Maybe I could get ahead of them by going up Main Street while they went a block farther west up First.

  Except for the damned cars and truck ahead of me. I wished I had the option of blocking their travel.

  Why are so many cars and trucks on the road today?

  This was a Saturday and I expected light traffic. What a day to pick for a coup! But it made sense. Most government workers would be home.

  It was late summer and I expected most folks to be on vacation. But the traffic heading north was just as heavy as the traffic going south. Clouds overhead thundered. I could expect rain any second. Maybe it would cut this blasted heat.

  We got to the federal building parking lot and as I pulled in, a soldier came up to my window.

  “Do you have some ID, sir?” A few drops of rain hit the pavement.

  I noticed the insignia for the YSA on his chest so I showed him my YSA ID. He wore a green armband and his rank was that of sergeant.

  “I’m part of the York Security Agency.”

  The guard took my ID, examined the photo, and compared it to my face. Then he returned the card to me before he peeked in to examine Gancha. She held her YSA ID for the guard to view. Today she was Major Sara Osten. Then the guard turned to me.

  “I hope you brought your weapons, Colonel.”

  My YSA ID was in the name of Colonel Charles Martin. I padded my chest.

  “Oh yes,” I replied.

  I drove into the lot. A few drops of rain came down and Chima started the wipers on the front of the van.

  Every space was filled so I parked in the middle of the driveway. Gancha and I got out and rushed crouched over to the door of the building, as if trying to get out of the rain.

  Two men guarding the entrance pointed their rifles at us and I showed them my YSA ID, as did Gancha. They let us through. The usual security people for the building lined up along one wall with their hands raised. Three soldiers in army fatigues guarded them.

  I asked one guard, “Which way to the stairs?”

  He looked at my arm.

  “Where’s your arm band?”

  “Left it at the office. We’re part of the coup, though.”

  I showed him my YSA ID and he pointed.

  Gancha and I took off at a run in that direction. Between the first and second floors I said to her, “If YSA is here, we may be too late.”

  The top floor was a hell of a way up. As we ran, taking two steps at a time, I had to pant after the sixth floor. We slowed to just one step at a time but continued upward at a fast pace. In the higher gravity of Rossa, I appreciated my Binger muscles. Even so, my heart pounded in my chest.

  After passing the eleventh floor, I got only half a flight up and stopped when I noticed severe chest pains.

  Am I having a heart attack?

  I stopped.

  It won’t do much good to die here.

  Gancha came up beside me.

  “Are you okay?”

  I shrugged.

  “Don’t know. Probably just shortness of breath.”

  Another
stab of pain came to my chest. I shut my eyes, balled my fist, and held it close to my chest.

  “Shall I go ahead?” she asked.

  I opened my eyes.

  “No. I’ll be all right. Just give me a minute.”

  Like a good companion, she held her position on the stairs and waited.

  The pain eased and I continued my way up, taking only one step at a time. Sometimes no steps when the pain in my chest increased.

  It took forever to get up to the top floor. When we got there, the door had a window but no handle.

  Can’t have just anyone taking the stairs to the private office of the leader of the York government, can we?

  Then I aimed my semi-automatic at the lock and fired four times. The lock was smashed and wouldn’t budge. So I shattered the glass with the butt of my rifle, reached in, and turned the inner handle. The door came open.

  We stepped quickly down the hallway and were greeted by four soldiers in fatigues with rifles pointed our way. I spotted the same green bands on their left arms. I showed my YSA ID as did Gancha. The lead soldier’s name tag said Olafkowsky.

  “I’m afraid you can’t go in there, sir. I suggest you wait a few minutes,” said Olafkowsky.

  Chapter 62

  General Adon stared at the two commands on his monitor.

  Which one should I obey?

  The first was signed with the seal of the prime minister and ordered him to surround and keep the Home Front inside their barracks. Ordinarily, an order from the PM would take precedence.

  The second was from the Special Prosecutor. In addition to stating a coup was in progress, it ordered him to send as many armed troops as he could to the federal building. Once there, they were to prevent anyone from getting in or out of that building, even if they wore military uniforms.

  He tagged General Matthew Orstead of the Home Front.

  “Matt, have you received any orders to keep your troops in the barracks?”

  “Hi, Carl. Yes, I received orders from the prime minister. She ordered my troops to remain in the barracks. I just issued those orders to my officers.”

  “Something is fishy here,” said General Adon. “I just got orders to surround your barracks and keep your men inside.”