Einstein Must Die! (Fate of Nations Book 1) (37 page)

“Quiet!” Thomas yelled, backhanding the junior officer across the face. He regretted the action immediately, but sometimes his temper flared before he could control it.

“Sorry,” he said as the junior man rubbed his reddening cheek.

Three other commanders joined the impromptu strategy session and pretended to have not seen what happened.

“It’s all right, sir. You’re right. They got bunched up, and that was my responsibility.”

“Fine, fine. Now let’s concentrate on the future. We hit them hard, but it cost us as well. I don’t think another assault here is the answer we need.”

“Circle around and come over one of the bridges?” said a young officer.

The colonel scowled. “We just got torn apart by bunching up our forces. Don’t make me strike you as well.”

“Ah, of course, sir,” said the officer. He decided against offering further suggestions.

“No. We need the port, and we need it fast. I want to swing the men to our right. Punch through the Chinatown district.”

“Where the police have been armed?”

“That’s right. We can’t get through here. Next best is to deal with the alleyways over there. It’s tighter than I’d like, but the men there are not trained soldiers. And if we can pierce that defense, it’s a short distance north to the port. Once we’re there, we have the sea protecting our rear, so we can concentrate our defense efficiently.”

The commanders all nodded in agreement.

“All right, let’s not waste any more time here. Form your men up, and let’s move quickly.”

***

Terry’s eyes narrowed as he watched the British redeploy. “They’re up to something.”

The general followed his look, taking in their movements. The British front line was pulling back, growing thinner as men split off from the group and slid behind buildings. In his mind a distant alarm began ringing.

When he saw the cavalry fall back and race down a side street, the alarm grew deafening.

“He’s going for our flank. We need to bolster Chinatown, now!” said the general.

“Got it. I’ll signal our cavalry to sweep around behind the lake and join up with the police force,” said Terry.

“Good, good,” said the general. He ran over to the radio operator.

“What response from Hanscom?” he asked.

“Sorry, General, I just now got through to them. It was a confusing conversation. They said…well…”

“Out with it, son!” the general yelled.

“They said no such project existed anymore. I’m sorry, sir, that’s all I could get out of them.”

“What?” yelled the general. “That makes no goddamn sense!” The rush of troop movements caught his eye. He needed to focus on the men here and now, however confusing this message was.

“Keep trying!” he ordered as he turned and found his horse. “We need Beowulf here, soon!” He mounted his horse and took off to oversee their movement into Chinatown.

***

The guard led Savannah from the colonel’s office by the arm. He wasn’t aggressive about it, but she got the feeling that could change quickly if she resisted. The colonel and Edison followed them out, and together they all marched down the hallway.

As they stepped outside, Savannah blinked at the bright morning sun. Then she saw Tesla, accompanied by two more guards. George and Sophia stood beside him, looking nervously about.

Savannah thought of resisting, but knew that was pointless. They were inside a military base, under the colonel’s command. Fighting back now would do nothing but land them in the stockade.

Edison cast a dismissive glance toward Tesla. “You, I know, are a lost cause. Just like her,” he said, hooking a thumb back at Savannah. “You’re both off the base.”

He walked over to George and studied his face. “How about you, George? Are you interested in making history with me? Actually helping the war effort? Or will misguided loyalty ruin your career?”

George met Edison’s gaze calmly. “Tesla is twice the scientist you are, Mr. Edison. I’m only sorry you aren’t a big enough man to see that.”

“Very well,” said Edison. “He goes too,” he said to the guards.

He approached Sophia. “And you, Sophia? You’ve done good work here, don’t throw it away, please.”

She looked down at her feet, then bit her lip nervously. She fidgeted, not wanting to answer.

“Sophia?” asked George, waiting for her to join them.

“I’m sorry, George. I really am,” she said, then looked at Edison. “Mr. Tesla is a brilliant man, and I’m proud to have worked with him. I wish it hadn’t come to this. But if I have to choose, I’m with you, Mr. Edison.”

“One out of four,” he said. “Well, it is what it is. Thank you, Sophia. We’ll talk about your role here in a moment. As for the rest of you,” he said, turning to the three banished scientists, “your base privileges are hereby revoked. Colonel, please see them escorted off base.”

Not waiting to see the result of his order, Edison wrapped an arm around Sophia’s shoulders and led her away. “Now what I’m thinking is this,” he said to her as they walked away.

George stepped forward after them. “Sophia! Come on, honey!”

Other than a brief pause in her step, she gave no other sign of hearing him.

George’s eyes grew hard, witnessing her betrayal. “Fine then,” he muttered, watching Edison lead her away.

Colonel Oliver addressed his men. “These three are off the base, right now. Their things will be sent to them later.”

“Yes, sir,” the guards acknowledged. They rounded the three up and escorted them away. Tesla began to resist, but with a resigned shake of her head, Savannah told him to go along quietly.

“Understand this,” the colonel said, “Hanscom is a classified area, and your clearance is revoked. If you attempt to reenter the base, you will be subject to deadly force. Please don’t try me on this.”

Within minutes they walked through the base gate, never to return.

***

BOSTON, MA, USA

Colonel Thomas rode fast down Berkeley Street. He’d memorized the street map of Boston and already knew their best chance to punch through Chinatown was down Stuart Street, which conveniently opened one lane wider just south of the police encampments.

“We can’t let ourselves be ensnarled here,” he told his commanders. “I want four hundred men only to storm those encampments. Once they’re involved in hand-to-hand, send in the cavalry, all of them. Their mission is to punch through the police line, then attack from the rear. Got that? They don’t stop until they’re north of the police line. Once they turn and attack, then we move forward with the entire army.”

The commanders all nodded, then one raised a hand.

“We’ll lose the four hundred,” said an older major with dark, cropped hair. “They’ll be cut to pieces before we reach them.”

“I am aware,” said the colonel. “We’re trading some pawns now for a checkmate position later. But the game will be ours.”

The major wondered if the pawns saw it that way, but gave no argument. While cold, the colonel’s viewpoint was accurate. Without bold decisions their entire army could be caught here in the open while the Americans reinforced, and then the game really would be lost.

The commanders nodded and rode off to direct the action. Minutes later four hundred Redcoats ran yelling down Stuart Street, firing as they went. They bolted forward, straight into the police force, ignoring their comrades who fell before reaching the blue-uniformed Boston Police.

The Redcoats quickly closed the distance and clashed tightly with the police, falling into hand-to-hand combat. Rifle butts swung into faces, and bayonets jabbed and pierced. Pistols were drawn and fired at close range, and men even swung punches at their enemy.

American soldiers were moving to support the local police force, but they were slow to reach their position.

The mix of red and blue combatants was clear, and the cavalry rushed forward to do their part. Hundreds of stampeding mounts surged down Stuart Street, following the same path as the luckless four hundred, but they didn’t stop and engage the enemy. Instead, they bore on, dodging the pairs and groups of soldiers locked in combat in the street. Like a wave they flowed around and through the many obstacles, their force splitting and re-splitting, then merging back together.

They took fire, but it was hastily aimed, and they were past before a second shot could be brought to bear. Almost before they realized it, the cavalry force had broken through. They were no longer drawing fire, since the police had more immediate enemies in their face to deal with.

While not trained for combat, the police were good shots, and they were entrenched. The four hundred British infantry kept them engaged, but Boston Police was steadily whittling down the British.

The riders eased their speed down, and the horses slowed from a full gallop to a canter, then came to rest. As they grouped together again, those riders in the rear turned their mounts around and charged back at the police. Soon the entire force was galloping back into the battle, this time attacking the police force from their rear.

The effect was devastating. With the city police forced to deal with British infantry, their attention was directed forward as the mounted riders stormed into them. The tall riders had good visibility, and could choose their targets at will. As fast as the British cavalry could aim and fire, Boston policemen fell with bullets in their backs.

Within minutes the remaining police broke ranks and ran, abandoning their position.

American cavalry arrived, but it was too late. Few police remained on the street, and those who stayed were quickly slaughtered.

The full British army had moved in even as their cavalry was tearing into the confused police. By the time the mounted soldiers had finished their work, they were quickly surrounded by thousands of British infantry, who pushed forward around them.

The fight for Chinatown was over. Colonel Thomas directed his men to head north. With no opposition in their way, they advanced quickly.

Before the Americans could catch them, the British had taken the port.

Boston Harbor was now theirs.

***

“You must be feeling rather good today, Thomas,” said Colonel Oliver. “Your plan has succeeded brilliantly.”

“Things have a way of working out for the best,” agreed Edison. “Sometimes you just have to be patient.”

“And as we agreed…”

Edison nodded. “Absolutely. As soon as you are ready, you have a VP position waiting for you at Menlo Park.”

“Excellent. I retire in five months, and the thought of sitting around all day doing nothing scared the hell out of me.”

Edison laughed. “I know! Me too! Well, you’ll have plenty to occupy yourself with at my lab, Colonel. There’s still so much to do and invent. Honestly, we humans don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.”

“Exciting times. I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

“Me too, my friend,” he said. “But now I have a rather delicate matter to attend to.”

“The tank.”

Edison nodded.

“Do you want backup?”

“No, no. Seeing soldiers would only give away the game. This must be done softly and smoothly.”

“Good luck to you then.”

“Thank you. If you hear chainguns and explosions, you’ll know I failed,” Edison said with a gallows smile. He headed out and met up with Sophia. As they walked to Madelaine’s hangar, he reminded her of the plan.

“You are a familiar face to the girl. I need you to be casual. Nonchalant. Just going about normal routine duties. Yes?”

Sophia nodded twice. “I know, Mr. Edison. Believe me, I’m well aware of what that child can do if we spook her. I’d much prefer to live through the day.”

“Just making sure we understand each other.”

As they neared the hangar, Edison waved the guards aside and unlocked the door. “You men stay here, please,” he said as he and Sophia slipped inside. He closed the door behind them.

“Sophia!” cried Madelaine. “What’s going on? Where’s Tesla? And Mom? I heard them all yelling outside the door—”

“It’s OK, Maddy,” Sophia said in a calming tone. She tried to look casual and focused elsewhere. She found a clipboard on a nearby table and pretended to read it. “The president demanded a report on the American soldiers you killed by accident,” she said. “No one was allowed inside until questions had been answered.”

“Oh,” she said, embarrassed that so many people knew about her mistake. “So where are they now?”

“On the way back now from Washington. Should be here in a few hours,” Sophia lied.

“Good, I miss them. Hearing that arguing made me pretty nervous, you know?”

“I bet it did,” Edison said, stepping closer. “And I’m sorry about that. The guard didn’t explain? I specifically asked him to fill you in.”

“No! No one came in. I just had to sit here, wondering,” said Madelaine.

“Oh my,” replied Edison. “Well, that’s the military for you, hmm?” He came closer and stood beside the main worktable beside Beowulf.

“I guess so,” she said.

“I’ve been meaning to chat with you, Madelaine. And to thank you for getting us here in one piece.”

“Thanks, Mr. Edison. That’s nice of you. I know my grandfather would have done it better.”

“Maybe,” he said, then turned to Sophia. “Sophia, were you going to run that RCA test we spoke of? I can lend a hand if you need.”

Sophia looked up from the clipboard, her eyes a touch wider than they should have been, but Madelaine didn’t notice. “I was just about to, yeah.” She walked under Beowulf. “Maddy, please open the RCA chamber. I want to run a check on your array cohesiveness.”

“Sure, Sophia,” replied Madelaine. The steel panel slid open, revealing Madelaine’s mechanical brain.

“Thanks.” She pulled a ladder over and climbed up to connect a pair of cables to the RCA.

“Your grandfather was a great man, Madelaine. We all miss him, every day,” said Edison, watching Sophia connecting the feed lines and snaking them over toward his worktable.

“Yeah, he was,” she agreed. “He could do all this so easily. He’s gone, and I can’t do what he did. Makes me double sad, you know?”

Sophia brought the cables to Edison’s table and plugged them into twin receptors. Each side was now electrically isolated, but once the proper size resistor was placed between them, it would inhibit any current flowing through the array. Specifically, it would prevent Madelaine’s thought processes from advancing. She would be instantly frozen, held in stasis until the resistor was removed.