Blue Plague: War (Blue Plague Book 6) (17 page)

“As long as they don’t shoot at us, we’ll take them in,” Bruce said.

Gene studied Bruce’s face and noticed his uniform was bloody. “What’s wrong, Bruce?”

“Running the war, Gene,” he replied, and Gene let it drop. “I hope you realize if your boys shoot at us, we are going to kill them, so keep them on a leash,” Bruce said as Ted brought over another cup of coffee.

“Bruce, I’m not going to ask your troops to be targets. We knock down targets. If it happens, let the cards fall,” Gene replied.

“Keep your general on that leash. Y’all will be going by several communities, and if he attacks them, you are going to lose troops. We have agreements with those groups,” Bruce said.

“Agreements?” Gene asked.

“Yep. If they follow clan law, we will trade with them and protect them, counting them part of us. They can add more rules as long as they don’t conflict with the laws,” Bruce said.

Impressed that the clan’s law extended beyond Hope, Gene said, “Rebuilding America is what it sounds like, Bruce.”

“Slowly,” Bruce agreed.

“Do what you have to, but please don’t go insane. These are good troops,” Gene said.

“Did the girls tell you what happened here? I know they talked to you today.”

“Yes, Bruce. A bit graphic but necessary,” Gene said. “I take that’s where the blood on your clothes came from?”

Bruce nodded. “That is what you will have to do, Gene. Are you sure you want to save those families of Homeland?”

“Bruce, I can’t condemn them to death like that. I know what you’re saying, and I’ll do it.”

“Remember, don’t get in any chopper for any reason.”

“You can’t just shoot down all our choppers,” Gene said.

“We aren’t. They will have massive engine failure after one hour of flight time. If your pilots are good, they’ll survive, but you really shouldn’t let them fly.”

Slumping his shoulders, Gene knew if it went bad, his troops didn’t stand much of a chance. “Are you going to have forward Radar deployed?”

“Shit, we have so much in place, I’ll know when someone farts,” Bruce said confidently.

“Then I can keep them grounded.”

Smiling, Bruce said, “Your artillery targets are in place.”

“You make damn sure your people are well away,” Gene said.

“Oh, don’t worry. We aren’t anywhere close, but we will have some realism,” Bruce said.

“Realism?”

“It’s a surprise. Just make sure you are in the main command area when you call for the artillery.”

Gene threw his hands up. “Bruce—”

“We are deploying forward elements tomorrow to finish the line. Keep your radio and phone near you so we know where you are if the shit goes south,” Bruce said.

“Well, if all goes well, I want to get drunk with ya,” Gene said.

Leaning back in his chair, Bruce said, “Oh that is a definite.”

“First weekend,” Gene said.

“Have to wait a little longer than that,” Bruce said. “We have trouble and need to nip it in the bud,” Bruce added.

Leaning over his laptop, Gene asked, “What trouble?”

Bruce took a deep breath. “Some idiots in Maryland are trying to teach blues how to shoot.”

“WHAT!” Gene screamed, jumping up and sending his chair crashing against the wall. One of the troops busted in holding a pistol, ready to fire.

“Are you okay, sir?” he asked, and the porno came back on the screen.

“Huh,” Gene said, looking at the soldier then back to the monitor. “Sorry, the midget. I can’t explain it. Yeah, I’m good, troop,” he said, and the soldier closed the door.

Bruce popped back on the screen. “Damn it, Gene, what part of covert did you not catch a Benning?” Bruce shouted.

Gene just stared at him. “What the fuck do you mean, teaching blues how to shoot?” he asked.

“Some idiots think they can teach blues to shoot other blues,” Bruce answered.

“You know this and where they are?” Gene asked. Bruce looked over at Jake and nodded. Gene’s screen split in two, and on the left side, he saw a man behind some glass trying to show a blue how to chamber a round in a pistol. When the blue looked at the gun, the man threw in a rat that the blue grabbed and ate. “You know where this is at?” Gene asked, not believing what he was watching.

“Not far from Camp David.”

“The underground facility at Mt. Weather?”

“Yeah. I’m not even going to ask how you knew that.”

Staring with skepticism at the screen, Gene said, “Nuke their ass.”

“Have planes already loaded,” Bruce said.

“Well, troop, we haven’t received a nuclear detonation signal,” Gene said, watching the man in disbelief.

“Gene, there are a lot of scientists there we need.”

“Bruce, if my momma was alive and there, I would plant a mushroom. If they succeed, we are finished,” Gene said as Jake removed the video.

“Yeah, the plane launches when the blue pulls the trigger. I hope I can get you here and we figure out something to save the scientists.”

“What have they got that we need so bad?” Gene asked.

“They are getting close to immunity,” Bruce said.

Hearing that, Gene sat back, giving a low whistle. “Okay, that’s worth taking a risk for, but if the Smurf pops a cap, please pop a nuke. Immunity won’t mean shit if they can shoot,” Gene said.

“I know,” Bruce said.

Seeing Bruce still tense, Gene asked, “That’s what has you so rattled?”

“Oh, I have more, but that’s at the top of the list. I’m sorry, but your group is number four right now.”

Not even wanting to know the others things on the list, “How long do you think it will take the blue to shoot?” Gene asked.

“Well, the first one learned in five months. This is a new one. They have been working with him for two,” Bruce said.

Leaning forward, Gene grumbled, “One has already shot a gun, and they’re alive.”

“That blue is dead. One of the scientists killed it and escaped to us. That’s how we found out.”

“Bruce, if you have to, you nuke us or bomb us if you have to turn your attention to them. We can’t let them do this; humanity will die.”

“Gene, I know, and I have people here that want to act stupid. There is a general in Pennsylvania that thinks he’s a god and a hundred other things.”

“No, Bruce, that is the only problem,” Gene said, and Bruce just looked at him. “Everything else takes a back seat. How far along are your fortifications?”

“Just have to dig a few holes.”

“What’s the temp running there?”

“Staying in the thirties.”

Nodding, Gene said, “Let your people know we are leaving here early. Get the girls to say a cold front is moving in tomorrow and will be there for a week. We need to get this over with and get to Maryland.”

“Hoorah,” Bruce said.

“Hoorah,” Gene replied. “If the Smurf shoots, pop ‘em.”

“Will do,” Bruce promised.

With a wide grin, Gene asked, “Hey, Bruce, you think you can put that movie back on?”

Chapter 13

After a few hours of sleep, Bruce was walking to the road with the family the next afternoon. He looked down at the twins; they didn’t like that they were staying behind, but they promised to take care of everybody. After Bruce told the command group what Gene had said, they agreed this business with the government needed to get settled fast so matters could be handled in Maryland.

Stopping, Bruce pulled the wives close. “You two stay close at all times. This may get hairy, and you’ll have to run it here with Nancy. Remember; if the blue learns how to shoot, launch the planes. Don’t wait for me,” he said, hugging them.

“We promise, Bruce. We are kinda smart too,” Angela said, hugging him tight. “Well, I’m a little smart. I haven’t figured out just how smart Stephanie is; she knows everything.”

With her face buried in Bruce’s chest, Stephanie said, “I do not.”

“Love you two,” Bruce said, letting them go hugging the boys.

“Enemy convoy is still bogged down in snow,” came over the radio.

Bruce looked at the two. “Well, it should start tomorrow morning.”

“Hopefully not,” Stephanie said.

“If it goes bad, follow the backup plan, and run the war,” Bruce said, walking to the command vehicle Prometheus.

Climbing inside, he hung up his gear and keyed his radio. “Willie, leave when we’re ready,” Bruce called out. Now relegated to Prometheus to run the war, Bruce felt like a fifth wheel.

“Roger that. Last vehicle, give a thumb up when you’re ready, and pass it up.”

Minutes later, they were rolling out. Gamma was leaving an hour later with Sigma and the Praetorians. Omega and Gamma both now numbered four hundred, three hundred assault and a hundred support with Sigma and the Praetorians each at three hundred. Fourteen hundred against seven thousand. Visions of the Alamo started filling Bruce’s head, and he blew them off. Even if it went to shit, they would win, but it was going to cost dearly.

When they reached the area, Omega broke up in platoons and deployed out. Jake was running the first platoon as Bruce sat in the command vehicle. This time out, he had two UAV operators with him in the command vehicle. They would be flying reapers, each carrying sixteen Hellfires. Watching the UAVs overhead, he watched Omega get ready for a war he hoped they wouldn’t fight.

Looking at another monitor, he saw the attacking convoy. They had to plow through snow, and it was slow going. Bruce had known snow was there, but he just couldn’t tell how deep it was and now he could see it was deep. The convoy was barely going thirty and stretched for fifty miles.
Better them than us,
Bruce thought as he took a nap.

Nineteen hours later, Gene was pissed as they started heading down into Missouri. The snow was hell, and they had lost four vehicles already just from engine failure. He was at the back of the convoy with third regiment, and Lt. Colonel Fredrick was leading it with first regiment. At least now they were making good time. There was some snow but no cars on the road since Omega had cleared them off.

Gene was over two hours behind the main group since one of the transports broke down and it was carrying an Apache. They had to empty a trailer of ammo, drop the trailer, and hook up to the Apache. Gene almost told them to leave it since it wouldn’t work anyway.

As the sun started to rise, butterflies started twisting his guts into knots. Fredrick had called and said he had entered into Arkansas twenty minutes ago. In Kansas, they started separating out, and it was up to third regiment to pick up the broken rigs. Looking out across the country, Gene tried to relax.

An hour later, his radio went off. “Colonel, we are picking up traffic on HAM notifying Omega they are under attack,” Gene heard an operator say.

Grabbing the microphone, he said, “Say again.”

“Sir, the group in in Wesley, Arkansas is reporting the government is attacking them and calling Omega,” the operator said.

“Who is fucking attacking them?” Gene yelled into the radio.

“Headquarter troop, sir.”

Gene turned the other radio on and turned it to the general’s frequency. He immediately started hearing calls of battle. “General, this is Colonel Walker. Do you copy?”

“I’m busy, Colonel, what do you want?” Givens called back.

“What are you doing?” Gene asked.

“Picking up a few dissidents,” Givens answered.

“They’re telling Omega we are here!” Gene yelled back.

“We are jamming them,” Givens shouted.

“My com track caught them calling, so I’m sure Omega did also!”

“Colonel, watch your tone!” Givens yelled back. Gene shook his head.

That asshole is going to start a war,
Gene thought.

“Get back. Pull them back now,” he heard Givens scream. Gene tried calling, but no one would stop yelling long enough to answer him.

Giving up, he called his com track. “Com, what is going on down there?”

“Colonel, someone is dropping Hellfires like it’s raining. They have lost all three of their Patriots and six Abrams on the trucks and two supply trucks,” he answered.

“Hope they got the general,” one of Gene’s troops said from the back of the Hummer.

“We can’t get that lucky,” Gene said, keying the radio. “Com, what is the casualty situation like?”

“Quite a few. They attacked the compound with four Strykers and two Hummers, sir, and they lost all of them. Still not sure on the convoy itself since Hellfires are still falling.”

“Fuck!” Gene yelled, throwing the microphone. “He got a lot of men killed for nothing!” Gene yelled when he saw the Arkansas welcoming center. “Pull over here,” he told his driver.

“Yes sir,” the driver said, pulling into the welcoming center.

His guards jumped out as the convoy stopped on the road. Gene headed to the restroom, and when his guards saw him, they ran forward and cleared it out. Walking in, they just stared at him. “Men, give me a minute, please. You are going to hear me yell and cuss, but you say nothing.”

He found the radio and phone in the second garbage can. When he turned the radio on, he keyed the microphone. “Bruce, this is Gene,” he said.

“Took your sweet fucking time, didn’t you, bitch!” Bruce yelled at him.

Turning the volume down on the radio, “It’s a long way from me. What the fuck is going on?”

“Oh, your general is getting a lesson on air superiority. He rides up and just starts shooting at motherfuckers. That compound is telling me they lost nine people because of that asshole and twenty-six wounded—eleven of them kids, Gene!” Bruce screamed.

Gene shook his head.
I’m so going to kill that son of bitch,
he thought. “Bruce, can you stop the rain of Hellfires? They’re pulling back.”

“Yeah, I’m stopping because my UAVs are empty. They are going back for more. Now, is Givens in a Hummer or Stryker?” Bruce asked.

Taking a breath and keeping his tone neutral, Gene said, “Bruce, you proved your point. Now, you are just slaughtering troops.”

“I told you that bitch was going to throw monkey wrenches,” Bruce snapped but turned away from his microphone. “I don’t care. Fry the fuckers!” Gene heard Bruce yell at someone.

“Okay, deploy along your line. I’ll take care of Givens,” Gene said, saying a silent prayer for his troops with the general.

“When you get to your line of attack, you will be able to use your phone, Gene. I’m going to send some choppers to pull out their seriously wounded. I even get a hint of a radar lock, I’m sending in the BUFF,” Bruce said coldly.

“Bruce, if they try to lock you up, I’ll take them out. See what you can do for those people the general attacked,” Gene said, turning off the radio and putting it in his shoulder bag. Looking at the phone, he put it in his pocket then walked out to his Hummer and climbed in.

As the driver pulled out, the convoy fell in with them. Gene grabbed the radio. “General, this is Colonel Walker,” he called.

“Walker, what the fuck do you want!?” Givens screamed.

“Move your unit through, sir.”

“We have a lot of wounded and damaged equipment here, Colonel.”

“Yeah, and none of it needed to be wasted, but you did it. You did not stick to the attack plan, and look what it cost us. Move the men out now, sir,” Gene said.

“Colonel, I’m the ranking officer here,” Givens shouted.

“Listen, you slimy cocksucker; you killed my troops with your stupidity, you son of a bitch. I can call the President right now and have you killed. He told me he has over twenty Homeland officers around you at all times. Omega is rearming, but I’m sure they are fixing to send heavy loads at you, and you lost your air cover. You have no more than thirty minutes to get out of there. You just cost us the element of surprise, shit monkey! Move up behind second regiment to use their air cover!” Gene screamed and waited for a reply. When he didn’t get one, he yelled, “Are you fucking sucking your thumb, you shit fuck?”

“This is General Givens. I copy; we are pulling out and leaving equipment behind.”

Disgusted at the whole situation, Gene threw the microphone down. The platoon sergeant in the backseat looked at Gene with awe. “Fuck me with a coke bottle. Can we kill the cocksucker when we see him now, Colonel?” he asked.

“Martin, I swear I’ll do it,” Gene said.

“Well, sir, I say let’s just roll right past our lines and join up with Omega. When this is over, we will just sneak back and get our families,” Martin said.

Taken aback, Gene turned around and looked at him. “You’re serious?” Givens asked.

Martin looked at his boys then at Gene. “Yes sir. I don’t want to be a Nazi, and that’s what we’d be, sir.”

Gene smiled. “If any of you say anything about what I’m fixing to do, I’ll kill you first. Is that clear?” Gene asked, and they nodded. He pulled the radio of his bag. “Bruce, you copy?”

The others jaws fell open hearing Bruce answer. “I love that radio talk, you black, bald, sexy motherfucker.” They all recognized the voice.

“Givens is pulling out. You can send in choppers to pick up the wounded,” Gene said as the troops looked at each other in shock.

“Oh, the compound’s wounded are okay. I’m going to get yours. That bitch left over thirty on the field. The motherfuckers they shot at are treating them. I had to do a lot of talking to convince them not to run out and kill everyone.”

Letting out a relieved sigh, Gene said, “Thank you, Bruce.”

“Why is Fredrick driving right through his line now, heading to us?” Bruce asked.

Not surprised about anything now, Gene pressed the transmit button. “Guess he doesn’t want to take the chance shit monkey will fuck something up.”

“How long till you get to that asshole?”

Leaning over and looking out the window up at the sky, Gene asked, “You can’t see me?”

“Ah, I used all my missiles and hand to send my Reapers back to get rearmed, and the other UAVs are keeping over watch on the wounded for air evac.”

“Bruce, how many missiles did you fire?”

“All I had,” Bruce shot back.

“How many?”

“Thirty-two.”

“You knocked out thirty-two vehicles?”

“Ah no, thirty-three. One of your boys popped off a Stinger and wounded one of my birds, and I told the controller to kamikaze a Hummer.”

Startled to say the least, “You ran a UAV into a Hummer?” Gene asked not believing what he was saying or hearing.

“Well, it was going to crash anyway,” Bruce said. “Hey, I see you now.”

Spellbound, Gene looked at the destruction around him as his com officer called on the radio, “Colonel, I’m getting encoded traffic on a radio frequency. You want me to jam or triangulate?”

Gene grabbed the other radio. “No,” he said, still looking at the destruction.

“You sure, sir?”

Martin leaned forward, taking the microphone from Gene. “Henderson, it’s Martin. You even try that, and I will rape your ass tonight after I coat my dick in ground up glass; you hear me? They are already pissed off. Look around you. Call back, and tell Scotty if he so much as turns on a Stinger, he will know if I can shove it up his ass!” he yelled.

“Yes, Sergeant,” Henderson replied as Martin handed back the handset.

“I like that Martin. I want him on Omega, Gene,” they heard over the radio as Gene lifted a handset, still looking at the destruction.

Grabbing Gene’s hand, Martin said, “Not that one sir.” He took the handset for the troops out of Gene’s hand and gave him the other one.

“That would’ve been wired calling Bruce on our net,” Gene said as the other guys started high-fiving Martin.

“Hey, Bruce, just to let you know, Martin is sitting in my Hummer with me. I kinda let the cat out of the bag,” Gene said.

“That’s the platoon sergeant with no neck?” Bruce asked, and everyone became quiet.

Gene laughed. “That’s the one along with my porn buddies,” he said.

“Martin, you guarded Hammer well. You and your boys have a place on Omega but only if your dicks touch the ground. We do have standards,” Bruce said, and Gene fell over against the door laughing.

“Give me that mic,” Martin said. “This is Martin; my handle is Conan. All my boys pack heavy. Even after we wrap it around our leg three times, it still drags the ground.”

“Oh, hell yeah. You’re on Omega,” Bruce said as Martin handed the mic back.

“Bruce, I’m heading to third regiment’s area then back to Givens. We push our table up, okay?”

“Hey, dude, we were sitting here playing video games till your damn general fucked everything up,” Bruce said. “Now, I have troops moving to forward deployment areas.”

“I’m sorry, Bruce. And Bruce, don’t you think you went a little overboard here?” Gene asked, seeing the tail of a UAV sticking straight up out of a destroyed Hummer.

“Gene, that compound you just passed has four hundred plus, and over a hundred are kids. They survived blues and gangs. I’d be damned if I was letting Givens kill them. If your boys don’t have the balls to pop a cap in his ass, that’s not my fault. We have been fighting the war. I was getting ready to call in heavy air.”

“Understand, Bruce, and it was the right call,” Gene said.

“Can’t you let third regiment sit up and just go to Givens?” Bruce asked.