Apache Dawn: Book I of the Wildfire Saga (46 page)

“
Sir,
they
don’t have missiles that are land based and capable of hitting targets in the CONUS, unless the Koreans have shipped mobile launchers in-theater…
” said the NSA chief.
 
“
Either that or China is launching them
.”

The President turned his eyes on Admiral Bennet.
 
“Admiral, it’s time to take the gloves off.
 
I want that invasion fleet—
whoever
the hell it belongs to—on the bottom of the Pacific, and I want it done
yesterday
.”

“Sir
—”

“Everything but nuclear is at your disposal, Admiral.
 
Do what it takes, be
ruthless
.
 
I want the North Koreans to suffer for this.
 
Everyone knows we have the most dangerous navy on the planet—I want you to
prove
it.”

The oil-slick smile that spread on the Admiral’s face chilled the President to his core.
 
“
Sir, you call down the thunder and we’ll reap the whirlwind.
 
We’ll make those communist bastards sorry they even thought about pulling a stunt like this.
”

“You’ve got a blank check, Admiral.
 
Get it done.
 
Make an example of them.”

“
Yes, sir.
 
I’ll issue new orders to the Pacific fleets at once, sir
.”

“If you need air support, let General Andrews know and coordinate.
 
General, I expect full cooperation in this.”

“
Of course, Mr. President.
 
SAC is ready and able to assist
.”

An aide stepped into the room and got the President’s attention.
 
He pointed at his watch and held up his hand, fingers spread wide.
 
Five minutes.

“
Am I the only one that doesn’t like where this is going?
” cried the Secretary of State.
 
“
As long as this is contained on our shores, it’s manageable.
 
Sir, opening the flood gates on North Korea…it could start World War III
.”

“
Open your eyes, Madam Secretary.
 
We didn’t start it,”
said Admiral Bennet.
 

The President stood, silencing opposition.
 
“All right everyone, we’ll meet again this evening.
 
I want status reports on the hour.
 
If you’ll excuse me, I have a speech to make.”

God forgive me
, he thought as the screens started to go black.
 
I’m about to turn over parts of this country to foreign powers. How did I get roped into this?
This wasn’t how I wanted it to go. Not at all.
 
As his mood darkened, another thought crossed his mind like a bolt of lightning splitting the dark of night:
Where’s Jayne?

With pleasing thoughts of his mistress flitting about in his imagination, the cares of office drifted to his periphery once again.
 
Once the nasty business of the speech was over with, he would find her and get a little stress relief.

For the first time in days, the President smiled.

C
HAPTER
19

Northern Idaho.

Near the Oregon Border.

T
HIS
ACTIVATION
OF
THE
Emergency Alert System covers all states and territories of the United States.
 
Stay in your homes during this health emergency.
 
If you must leave, do so only to find food, water, or medical supplies.
 
Keep your mouth and nose covered—wash your hands immediately—avoid contact with anyone not in your immediate family.
 
All unnecessary travel by non-emergency personnel will result in a felony misdemeanor.
 
Keep the roads clear for our first responders.
   

“This message is especially important in the following cities: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Norfolk, Raleigh, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Miami.
 
Do not be alarmed.
 
The soldiers you see on your streets are from the United Nations peacekeeping force and are here to help.
 
If they require assistance, you are ordered by law to render aid to the best of your ability…
 

“Constitutional rights and privileges have been suspended in these cities until such time as the President and Congress deem the crisis to have passed.
 
Please be patient with the peacekeepers.
 
Not all of them speak English.
 
If you have any concerns, please contact your local FEMA office.
 
Repeat.
 
The President has activated the National Emergency Alert System.
 
The following announcement
…”

“Ain’t
that
some shit?” asked Captain Alston.

Chad rubbed the fatigue from his face and noticed again the bristle-like stubble on his face.
 
It had been days now since he had seen the inside of a hot shower and a warm bed.
 
He sighed and handed the gunner a wrench as the man tried to adjust a stubborn part of the Black Hawk’s guts.
 
National crisis aside, he just had no energy left to worry about what was going on a thousand miles away anymore.

It was the second time the little squadron of helicopters, five Apaches and the Black Hawk, were safely parked at one end of a small civil airport.
 
Well
, Chad told himself as he looked around,
at least this place is deserted
.
 
The little airfield was populated with three hangers and a few small, single-engine planes chained to the tarmac in storage parking.

Chad watched as once again, the Rangers sprinted off to secure another airport location.
 
He marveled at their ability to function without sleep for so long.
 
Since he had nothing else to do, he had hung around the Black Hawk and helped prepare the helicopter for refueling.
 
That’s when the gunner had asked for help fixing something Chad couldn’t even pronounce.

Chad heard footsteps on the tarmac and turned to see the shortest of the gunship pilots approaching him.
 
He was wearing a sweat-stained, olive-drab jumpsuit and carried his helmet under his arm, along with his flight gloves.
 
He had jet black hair cropped into such a tight buzzcut that Chad thought at first the man was bald.
 
He stopped short of Chad and looked him up and down, his face completely emotionless.

“Hi,” said Chad.
 
The pilot’s gaze was unnerving. It was like he was a wounded bird on the ground, being watched by a cat.
 

“So you’re the Source, huh?” the man asked.
 
The other pilots walked up and gathered around.

“You’re why our entire base was wiped out?
 
You’re the one the Koreans are after?” asked a second, taller pilot with blond hair and a haggard look to his long face.

Chad tensed, his anger building.
 
He dropped the duffel bag just handed him from inside the Black Hawk.
 
“
Look,” he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, okay?
 
I was just minding my own business−”

“But you’re some sort of
freak
that can cure the world or something, right?
 
That’s why the President said we were supposed to find you.”

Captain Alston had followed the pilots over and stood in the background, watching.
 
He made his way to the front of the little group to look at the short pilot.
 
“Say again,” he said, glancing at the pilot’s name patch.
 
“Lieutenant
?”

The pilot stiffened and stared over the head of Chad.
 
“Sir, last confirmed orders from HQ were to locate the Source,” his eyes flicked to Chad.
 
“And assist ground units with capturing him.”

“Then all hell broke loose and my crew was slaughtered right in front of me,” said the second pilot.
 
“Damn mortar went off, right on the flightline.”
 
He shook his head.
 
“Whole base was overrun in a few minutes.
 
Koreans everywhere, man.”

“Then missiles started raining down out of the sky.
 
We were scrambling for cover when the orders went out to get in the air,” added a pilot in the back of the group.

“We were already airborne on a patrol run to test out some new software on the guidance computer,” said a woman with her shoulder-length brown hair pulled into a tight bun.
 
She too had a look that did not gush friendliness toward Chad as she faced him with her hands on her hips.
 

“My wingman took a SAM as I was talking to him.
 
We’ve been flying together for six years.” She shook her head.
 
“It came out of nowhere.
 
Base CO got on the horn and said we were under attack, and ordered me to take my squadron south and regroup.”
 
Her eyes were red with emotion.
 
“I told him that we were circling back to counterattack. You know what he told me?”

“He told me,” the female pilot continued, staring at Chad, visibly on the edge of breaking down.
 
“He told me that it was no
use
—we were overrun.
 
We should save ourselves.
 
That was when our comms went out.”

“So what makes you think Mr. Huntley here, is the problem?” Captain Alston asked, arms folded across his chest.

“Because it’s all over the civvie-band radio, sir,” she replied.
 
“Washington activated the EAS and its broadcasting hourly that Mr. Huntley,” she said with a nod toward Chad, “needs to be brought in, safe and sound, whatever the cost.
 
That makes him a wanted man—”

“Which makes
us
expendable.
 
And
that,
Captain, makes him the problem,” said the tall pilot.

Chad took a step forward, “You think this is all
my
fault?”

The short pilot looked around.
 
“You see anyone else here the Koreans
and
Washington got a hard-on for?”

“We oughtta take him in−” began the angry woman.

“We oughtta give him to the Koreans,” said another.
 
“I heard that the NKors are only here because we wouldn’t give them any more vaccines. They can get all they want out of his corpse.”

“That’s a big negative, warrant officer.
 
The Koreans are also saying that we attacked them last week.
 
You believe that, too?”
 
Captain Alston put his hands on his hips now as he faced down the half-dozen pilots.
 
“That kind of talk will get you shot in this man’s army.
 
You want to give an American citizen to the people who have invaded our country?
 
What the hell is wrong with you?”

The other pilots shied away from the last one to speak.
 
The Ranger continued, “This man is
my
responsibility.
 
I, too, have lost men trying to find and secure him.
 
My orders come from—”

“The President himself said we need to bring him in and that anyone helping him avoid capture was a
traitor
,” said the pilot with bloodshot eyes.
 
Her tone wasn’t exactly hostile, but it wasn’t friendly, either.
 
She shook her head.
 
“I don’t know what the hell is going on, anymore, sir.”

Captain Alston was about to reply when Chad heard: “
Perimeter secure, Cap.”

The Captain stepped away for a second to reply.
 
It still seemed surreal to Chad that he could hear someone’s voice over the headset and see that person talking at the same time.

“Roger that.
 
Keep an eye out—”

“
Wait one
—
I got movement by the control tower!
” barked Deuce.