by R. P. Wolff
“Well, I want to go to Harmon as soon as I can,” Lance said.
“Sure,” the General said, “but we need to capture and kill the mother of all the Gods. That is the key—to destroy her. Then, everything follows.”
Lance grimaced. Every minute that went by without rescuing his daughter tormented him.
Austin interjected, “General Cook, please let me go to Harmon. I have insight of the prison. Remember, I escaped from there. I know the whole layout and all the security weaknesses. I’ll take one of our Honda Civics and travel by myself.”
Lance liked the idea of Austin going because Austin seemed to truly be in love his daughter. What a brave boy, Lance thought. If Lance couldn’t go, Austin was the best alternative.
General Cook frowned. “You make a good point, Sergeant Foster. You do know the Harmon prison better than anyone.” The General sighed. “Okay, get your ass out of here and don’t get caught. You understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Austin darted out.
Lieutenant Gonzalez spoke, “Do we cut out their communications right at midnight or do we wait?”
General Cook paused, “Hmm … yes. Normally, I would say wait until we are near the mansion, but they will discover us shortly after we leave here. Having eighty vehicles including military vehicles leaving at once is quickly going to draw attention and we will have plenty of firefights before we even get close to the mansion. We already went through these scenarios before. Shortly after we leave, we will be at war. We will take down the Mater Police one by one.”
“So we cut out their communications at midnight,” the Lieutenant asked.
“Yes, just before we leave,” the General said. “That will screw them up, and then the police that see us first won’t be able to communicate to Zelda. Hopefully, Zelda won’t know we’re coming. Make sure any Mater police vehicle that we take over gets spray painted the sign of the cross on the front, sides, and back. We don’t want them to get shot down by our own people.”
“Okay, I’ll text your orders for midnight including cutting out the communications. When do we release the Governor’s message?”
Lance spoke. “I thought about this. I think we wait until the morning when people wake up. I think it does no good to broadcast it at midnight when most people are sleeping.”
“That makes sense,” the General said. “Lance, go meet with the communications team. Hurry up because you only have about thirty minutes.”
Chapter 34
It was about five minutes before midnight. Lance shivered with fear as he held a fully loaded military-type assault rifle in the back seat of a black SUV. He didn’t know what type it was, but it had a huge magazine. They gave Lance a two-minute explanation of how to use it. The General was in the front seat holding a similar weapon. Two other Establishees sat next to Lance with three more in the back. Everyone, including Lance, dressed in the old military uniforms used for the Middle East wars.
They waited for midnight.
The Establishment kept impressing Lance. The speed at which they mobilized was shocking. All two hundred plus soldiers, men and women, were either in SUVs, school buses, pickup trucks, regular cars, or military vehicles. The military vehicles were LUVs, Light Utility Vehicles and Jeeps. The LUVS were a sandy brown jeep-like looking vehicle, but they had an armored machine gun at the back where soldiers stood and operated the weapons. The LUVs could only hold about four soldiers.
The LUVs were lined up in the front on both the south and north exits. They would come out blasting once they encountered the enemy—the Mater Police. The LUVs were followed by the busses, pickups, SUVs, and lastly by the regular cars, which varied by make and model. All vehicles had the Christian Cross sprayed painted in orange on all sides of the vehicles. The Establishment had to have some way of identifying their comrades. There was a lot of debate on whether to do that because some thought it would expose them. Ultimately, they figured that they would be exposed anyway with all the vehicles storming the roads, so they spray painted the crosses on all vehicles.
Lance’s division had one goal—head straight to the mansion where Zelda resided and kill her. They fully expected many firefights along the way. Fortunately, the mansion was only about twelve minutes away. Normally, they would take the nearest expressway, but that was too risky. Mater Police could position themselves at exit points of the expressway and trap them. Instead, the Establishment would take Cedar Springs Road which turned into Turtle Creek Boulevard. Maybe if they were lucky, they wouldn’t encounter any police, but that was doubtful.
Lance only got the tail end of the specific battle plan because he was busy recording his message to the public. The mansion was located across from Prather Park. This was ideal for the Establishment because they could weave their way through the park, since the main roads leading to the mansion had concrete pillars blocking any vehicles from entering the perimeter. Originally, they struggled with how to remove the pillars but couldn’t produce a feasible plan because it would take too much time to remove two-ton barriers.
They also found another weak spot in the Mater’s fortress. The alley on the east side that led to the mansion’s alley did not have a barrier. The General had laughed at the incompetency in the Maters for not securing the whole perimeter, but also for choosing the specific mansion. It was not an ideal spot for several reasons. First, they were vulnerable from the park. Second, they may have sealed off the streets from enemies, but they also blocked themselves in as well. Third, they were too far away from the expressways. Fourth, they had few emergency exits.
The Establishment would also set up their own perimeter to prevent any Maters from escaping, especially Zelda. A major part of the plan was for the LUVs to drive through the park and through the alleyways. The alleys were more problematic as someone could get easily box them in as only one vehicle could fit in the small alleys.
The plan for Harmon was different. Lance begged General Cook again to let him go to Harmon, but the General shut him down immediately and was perturbed at Lance for bringing it up again. Harmon was secured by chain-link fences versus concrete blocks. This was better for the Establishment. The Maters had three gate openings at Harmon that the Maters guarded twenty-four hours a day. The plan was to have three pickup trucks simultaneously ram through the gates that were padlocked. The LUVs would follow. Then the remaining vehicles would park along the streets, and the Establishees would storm the compound on foot. The major problem with attacking Harmon was that they didn’t want to harm the innocent teen-aged kids. That’s why they had to attack from the ground without any artillery. It was a difficult task to take over the compound without injuring or killing innocent kids.
The mansion was a slightly different situation. Instead of having hundreds of innocent victims, the mansion only had three brave Establishees—Allan Anderson, Daniel Slate, and Marth Slate. The Establishment’s goals was to free them alive, but killing Zelda took priority over them. They would use artillery on the mansion even if it exposed the Establishees. People complained to the General about this potential outcome. General Cook empathized with them and said that they are unfortunately casualties of war, but they should try to get them out safely if they can.
Lance sure hope that they freed them. He owed his life to them.
It was almost time, and Lance shuddered. He had been an attorney and Governor but had never served in the military. Now that he thought about it, he had only been in one fight in his life. Sure, he played football, but that was a sport and a game. This was life and death.
The General nodded to Lieutenant Gonzalez and yelled, “Okay, let’s roll. Cut their communications. Lock and load. Let’s get that evil mother of all the fucking Gods!”
The engines roared to life at once. The driver rolled down all the windows in the SUV. Lance pointed his rifle out the window as did everyone else. Lance could see rifles sticking out of all the windows of the busses as well all the other vehicles.
They were ready for w
ar!
◆◆◆
Immediately upon exiting, the LUVs encountered two Mater police cars. And bullets blasted. Lance wondered if the Maters already knew of their location. Was this an ambush? Lance feared.
The Mater SUV police cars were no match for the well-armed LUVs, and the Maters tried to turn around to escape the onslaught. Soldiers cheered. But Establishment SUVs sped up and blocked the Mater vehicles. Establishees jump out and shot the four Maters occupying the vehicles. Glass shattered from the white Mater SUV police cars.
Several Establishees from the busses jumped off, quickly sprayed painted the white vehicles with the cross, dragged the dead Maters into the sidewalk, entered the vehicle, and joined the Establishment envoy.
Lance exhaled. The first battle was a success, but they were sure to encounter more. But then Lance remembered that the Establishment cut off the Mater’s communications, so the Maters shouldn’t be able to radio in the confrontation. Maybe they could make it to their destination with not too much Mater interference.
Fortunately, there wasn’t much traffic at midnight, but the only traffic would probably be the Mater police. They drove for an agonizing five minutes until they hit a slew of Mater police cars blocking the road—firing at the Establishment. This was not supposed to happen. How did they communicate with each to form this blockade? Lance wondered.
The driver of Lance’s car pulled to the side. The ten or so LUVs fired back. Bullets sprayed and clang as they hit vehicles. The LUVs pressed forward firing full throttle. The Maters fired back, but they were ill-equipped to handle the barrage of the LUVs fire power coupled with the other Establishees firing from the other vehicles.
The Maters quickly abandoned their blockade and sped away, towards the direction of the mansion. The LUVs and the rest of the convoy sped up, chasing the Maters. They had to catch them before they reached the mansion, assuming that was where they were headed.
The Mater SUVs gained speed and it looked like the Establishment convoy wouldn’t catch up to them.
The General spoke on his cell phone, “Shit, it looks like the Mater police are going to beat us to the mansion. We will lose our element of surprise. They will have some time now to position themselves for a counterattack.” The General paused. “Secure the perimeter first. We don’t want anyone escaping. Then, we strike with everything we have.”
Lance couldn’t hear what the people on the other end were saying, but he knew that they set up a conference call with all the Establishment leaders on the call.
The General replied, “Of course, we want to rescue our heroes in there, but we’re going to bombard that house regardless. Hopefully, we can rescue them, but we may not get another chance to get that fucking Mother of all the fucking Gods. But let’s try to free them without harming them if possible.”
Lance hoped he came face to face with Zelda. He wanted to take her on. He trusted that his bees would be nearby to unleash their relentless force on her. While thinking of this, Lance noticed two bees flying in the back of the SUV.
They drove for about another five minutes, but it seemed like only a minute went by.
They were now only a few blocks away, and Lance could see the white battered Mater Police cars parked to the side of the cement pillars. They must have parked and scrambled over the barricades. Mater soldiers crouched behind the pillars with their rifles resting on the pillars—waiting for their enemies.
LUVs ahead started firing at the soldiers. The Maters fired back. They were now about a block away. Many of the Establishees turned towards Prather Park. The LUVs moved to the side for cover and continued to fire. Lance’s driver pulled to the side behind a LUV. A couple of Establishees fired bazookas simultaneously at the barricade. Maters flew up into the air.
The Establishees started forming their perimeter of about a hundred yards. Establishees exited their vehicles and scrambled throughout the neighborhood.
Lance exited the car and follow the General to the park, which provided the best cover.
The war officially began!
Chapter 35
Zelda was super pissed. She and Colin had wasted their time checking out Allan Anderson’s and the other despicable spies’ stories. They would pay for their deceitfulness. She was too nice to them before. There would be no more bullshit from them. She had just arrived at the mansion and sat at the desk by herself contemplating her next moves.
Zelda thought back on the latest events. Lance Hampton had escaped with the certain help of others. The resistance murdered two Mater policemen along with a dog. Lance Hampton drove away, in a Mater police car, and was able to bypass the perimeter and ditch the Mater police car somewhere. None of these traitors had their Freedom Chips installed. No respect, she thought. The fact that Lance Hampton and the other infidels penetrated the perimeter and survived the search patrol meant that there were other spies disguising themselves as Maters but working for the Frontiers or whatever their true name was.
Okay, what were they going to do? Zelda asked herself. She had figured that when she tortured Lance Hampton’s daughter on live TV for the second night in a row, she would smoke him out. If he was a real man and father, there was no way he was going to allow that to happen to his daughter night after night. He would turn himself in—or at least that is what Zelda hoped.
Zelda heard rumors that Maters were angry with the torturing of an innocent teenager girl on live TV. It was one thing for the torturing of infidel adults, but Maters didn’t like the torturing of girls. This news worried Zelda further. She needed the unconditional support of the Maters. The last thing she needed was more Maters secretly joining the resistance.
She had a lot of unanswered questions. Now was the time to find out the answers. Time to pay Allan Anderson a visit.
She made her way to the room were the Maters held Allan Anderson. She entered the room alone and closed the door. Anderson cringed when he saw her. You lying son of a bitch, she thought. You will pay. Zelda stood about three feet from the sitting prisoner who was noticeably shaking.
“Well, Anderson,” she began, “you fucked up. You fucked up big time. You lied to me. You bullshitted me. You’re going to have to pay for this.”
“What do you mean I lied to you?” Anderson said in his defense. “I told you that they were at the Dallas Mater Cathedral. Did you search it?”
“Yeah, we did, and we found nothing. No resistance of any kind. You lied, and now you’re going to pay.” Zelda noticed Anderson squirming. She smirked. She was about to have some fun.
“Wait a second,” Anderson pleaded. “I told you the truth. You didn’t go there soon enough. What happens is that … um … they know I’ve been captured, so they probably already evacuated the hideout. I’m telling you that the Disciple Cain is behind this.”
“Cut your crap,” Zelda said while starting to lose her patience. “There was no way all those people, who you said were there, could have evacuated in that short amount of time. Plus, there would have been stuff laying around, so just cut the bullshit. Your life, Anderson, is going to be a living hell. Now, you know what I can do to you. I asked you before whether you want to do it the easy way or the hard way. Well, you better start talking, and it better be convincing. And I’ll tell you another thing, we are not going to fall for your last trick. You tell us where they are hiding Lance Hampton. While we check it out, we will inflict pain on you until we verify your story, so I wouldn’t bullshit us again.”
Anderson’s eyes widened. “Look I’m telling you he was at the Dallas Mater Cathedral,” Anderson said in a monotone pitch.
Zelda was having no more of this. She said, “Okay, you want to have it the hard way. You know what I’m capable of doing.” With that, she clenched her fists and focused.
Anderson crouched over withering trying to grab his groin area. “Aaaah! No, no, no, please stop, stop … please stop … no, no, no. Please!” He gasped. “I’ll tell you everything. No, no, please, please, stop. I beg of you. Please stop.”
Zelda smiled and felt a sensation in her own groin area. She felt like she was on the cusp of an orgasm. Oh, how she loved watching men squirm in front of her.
“Aaah!” He whimpered, “What is the matter with you?!”
“Shut up. And start talking.” She unclenched her fist.
He gasped and panted trying to catch his breath. He slowly straightened himself back on the chair. And stared at Zelda with fear in his eyes.
She pulled his hair, lifted his head, and pointed a finger at him. “Do I need to do that again?”
“Okay, okay,” he replied and exhaled. “They’re not called ‘Frontiers.’ It’s called the Establishment after the establishment clause in the first amendment.”
“I don’t give a shit what they’re called,” Zelda interrupted. “Where the hell is Lance Hampton at?”
“Lance Hampton is certainly being hidden by the Establishment.”
Zelda heard footsteps and men shouting in the background. She turned towards the window to see what the disruption was. Before she got there, there was a hard knock on the door and Colin barged in.
“What are you doing?” she blurted to Colin, perturbed at the disturbance.
“We have a major problem, Madam President.”
◆◆◆
Colin motioned Zelda to leave the room. They closed the door behind them. There was a Mater policeman in the hall breathing frantically next to Colin.
Zelda did not like anyone disturbing her. This better be good, she thought.
“Okay, we have a major problem,” Colin gasped.
“What’s that?” Zelda asked.
“There is an army of resistance forces headed towards this mansion right now. This guy here escaped their ambush.” Colin nodded to the panting Mater policeman. “Tell our Mother what happened?”
Zelda pressed both of her hands on her head. This is what she had feared since the Conversion.
The Mater policeman did the sign of the “Z” and bowed. “Mother Zelda, this is such an honor to meet you,” he said.
