by Cory Mccoy
“Are you going to tell me what you and Sombers were talking about?” I asked Connor the next day, as we sat down by the lake.
“I'm sorry, babe.” He said “It must have slipped my mind.”
“That's alright,” I said, “You've been through a lot. So what were you asking him for?”
“Well, I had him grab me a map of the area,” He said, pulling it out of the pocket on the front of his shirt. “I want to be able to stay here while I recover, but we can't risk being idle.”
“There's two recon teams,” I said “and we have the President willing to do, literally, anything you ask.”
“I know,” he said unfolding the map. “I asked them to bring in some heavy munitions, and we also discussed setting up an extraction point north of here in the woods.”
“Do you really think they're going to attack us here?” I asked, afraid of his answer.
“It's a certainty,” he replied. “But we'll be ready, we can evacuate the town as soon as we get Intel that they've moved. When they get here, they'll find a fire fight and then we'll call in air support.”
“Connor,” I said worried, “Did you see the size of the force they're building?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, “I did and they can't sustain a campaign in this area if they suffer losing even half of that.”
“So it's a set up?”
“Exactly,” he said and began pointing to various spots on the map. “I'm told this pass is narrow and the hills are extremely steep. We'll drop downed trees onto their convoy, separating them in different places. Then we'll set up snipers with anti aircraft guns on the hills over here.”
“There won't be nearly enough people.”
“There will,” he said continuing, “The snipers are going to be holding off the helicopters, while we have heavy machine guns set up on this end of the lake, along with mortars to pelt the end of the pass if any get out. They'll have no choice, but to call reinforcements in and when they do we'll have a team of fighter jets and Viper attack choppers ready.”
“What about the town?” I asked
“Hopefully,” he said uneasily “we can minimize the damage to the buildings, but ensuring we extract them beforehand is for more vital.”
“These people are going to lose everything, Connor...” I said
“Liz, we've all sacrificed far too much to give up this opportunity.” He said staring at the lake, like a person in guilt. “The PLA will come, one way or another. We have a shot at putting it on our own terms though.”
“When can we tell them?” I asked, knowing he was right. They would never stop chasing us. Leaving everyone around us in constant danger.
“Tomorrow,” he said his eyes lost on the water. “Let them have one more good night.”
The night passed quickly and the next day, with word that Sombers had been given the go-ahead by Rigalio, we started to organize a town hall meeting. TJ and his father were gracious enough to accommodate us all in their little restaurant and busied themselves setting up the tables and fixing a buffet. Meanwhile, Connor had Jesse setting up a projector in order to give a presentation of what he had planned. JoAnne and Jeanine spent their day making sure everyone was going to attend.
“Thank you for coming,” Connor said after everyone had settled in. “I can tell that some of you are worried, and you have the right to be.
I want to thank you all for the hospitality you've shown us. I'm sure you are all aware that this act of kindness has planted you firmly in harm's way. The time has come that we must start preparing for the worst, while resolving to do what we each can to make a difference.”
he had put together. The first picture was met with hushed exclamations of shock.
“This is the Chinese force that has been gathering approximately twenty miles outside of Astoria. This is a massive force, at least 750 ground troops, a convoy of dozens of vehicles, and twenty attack helicopters. They have shown no inclination to move toward Portland and reinforce their own losing efforts there. All signs point to this being a strike force intended to move when and if their intelligence finds evidence of the Resistance's leadership.
At some point, the cross hairs will inevitably fall upon Upper Lake Malakwa-”
“Let 'em come!”
“Yeah, they'll be sorry they ever found us.”
“I appreciate your enthusiasm.” Connor continued. “We have a plan ready to set into motion if they move on us, but it won't be ready for weeks at the earliest-
“Just tell us what to do.”
“We ain't giving up the General without a fight.”
“Shut up and let him talk!” Jeanine snapped, quieting the crowd before they got too rowdy.
“Thank you Jeanine,” he said “I'd hate for this power-point to go to waste after spending all day on it.”
After the laughter had died down, Connor moved on to explain the counter-offensive he and Sombers had been planning. Detailing gun positions and the artillery we would be seeing soon.
“Finally,” He said “Our beta team has begun working on a clearing half a mile north of where the main road ends at the woods. This is the primary extraction point that you will all be evacuated from before the attack. Any questions?”
“With all due respect,” TJ said standing up, “This is your war, but this here is our town and I ain't leaving without a fight. So you might as well just tell me where to sign up.”
“Me too,” Terry said from the back, “I ain't gonna let my boy get all the glory.”
A few more of the younger men had begun chiming in before Connor stopped them.
“I'd be foolish to think that you wouldn't” he said, “After all, at it's heart that kind of tenacity is what fuels the Resistance. Don't think for a moment that I planned to discount your courage. Lt. Col, please.”
“Thank you, sir.” Sombers said taking over. “If you want to fight, you're going to have to be in fighting shape. Luckily, I spent a few years making boys into Marines and if you expect to hold one of our rifles you'll be at the dock at 0600 every morning for training.
You'll have to go a few days without top notch supplies, but we'll get you booted up eventually. Now Dr. Brier has been kind enough to let my medics use his quarters for physicals, I suggest you head there straight away.”
“I want you all to understand one thing,” he said slowly, letting the words sink in. “There is nothing romantic about war, it is brutal and unrelenting and many of you will die. There will be nothing glorious about what we are going to set into motion.”
On that note, Maddow and Coffey left to set up. Connor stayed behind to shake a few hands and answer questions.
“I can't believe they took it so well.” I said, amazed by the out-crying of support.
“Our courage is measured by the manner in which we stand up to adversity.” He said, “And this town, is overflowing with it.”
“It's personal to them,” I replied, “They won't willingly watch their lives and memories burn.”
“What's this?” Connor asked as Sombers handed him a package.
“Parcel from President Thompson, sir.”
“Thank you,” Connor said as he looked at the book with a puzzled expression.
It was a plain brown package with a note stapled to it. The note read:
General,
I thought it would be fitting to allow you an outlet
for your thoughts. I must confess, that I send you
this recorder for selfish reasons. I hope that it might
inspire you, and in return you might inspire us all.
-President Susan Thompson.
“I think she wants me to send a message.” He said pensively.
“It's been five months since the world has heard from you,” I said, opening the box for him.
“People might have started to think I’m dead.”
“Luckily,” Sombers said on his way out the door, “those reports h
ave been greatly exaggerated.”
“I wouldn't have pegged him as a Twain fan.” I said as he left. “Ok give it a shot.”
“What?” he asked, “right now?”
“What better time than when you're waxing poetic?” I told him as I popped the batteries into the recorder.
“Wish me luck,” Connor said as he turned the device on.
“It has been nearly six months since the war began. In that time, the Resistance has grown from a fleeting thought into the largest militia on earth. Like the father's of this republic, we have formed a loose network held together by incredible ideals.
The enemy would have you believe that we are on the run, that I have been captured or killed. They spread these rumors in order to tarnish our hope. Their aim is to erode our confidence, allowing them to strike us at a weak moment. We can not grant them this opportunity. Already they have come to fear us, because we refuse to allow them reprieve. They are terrified at our ability to carry out attacks without central leadership, leaving them scrambling foolishly looking for a heart to strike where one does not exist.
In their desperation our foes will become cruel. They have already disregarded nearly every article of the Geneva Convention and all standards that decent men hold true. We allow them no quarter and they begin to grow weary, realizing that their assault has lost the initiative. Already, our military makes progress pushing into their own homeland, dividing their strength. We will force them to choose where they spend their defenses.
So many have died in order to allow us just one day longer. Each life lost has pushed us closer to our objective. We can not allow our brothers and sisters to have fallen in vain. As the heavens sing of their valor, we shall take up their blade and press forth into our enemy's keep.
Tonight we look into our enemies eyes and we see the terror that our wrath has instilled upon him. We will run no longer, we must marshal our valor and drive them from our lands. Raining blow upon blow on our enemy until his armor crumbles and falls away, under the ferocity of our onslaught. This... is the night that we make our stand.”
Part Three
The Longest Thaw
Chapter 27
