Invasion: Alaska (67 page)

“What is it, Professor?”

Stan grabbed Jackson by the arm. “The Chinese are headed for the fuel depots. They need our fuel. We have to blow them?”

“Our side needs the fuel,” Jackson said.

“Come on!” Stan shouted, as he headed for the stairs. “Run!”

***

“General Sims, sir,” Stan said over the radio. “You have to listen to me.”

Captain Higgins was inside his Abrams, heading for the giant fuel depots. The Chinese were less than a mile from the storage facility. Jackson rode inside the tank with the rest of the crew. Stan had worked the radio, climbing through the chain of command until finally he spoke with C-in-C of Alaska, General Sims.

“I just saw a T-66 run out of gas, sir,” Stan said, as he clicked the receiver.

“Yes?” Sims asked. “That happens all the time to us, Captain.”

“You don’t understand, sir. I think the Chinese are low on fuel.”

“There’s always the possibility,” Sims said, “but I find that unlikely.”

“Yet what if it’s true, sir?”

“Is there a reason for this call?” Sims asked.

“The Chinese need our fuel depots. That’s why they’re driving for it.”

“It’s an important military target, certainly.”

“Sir, this is just like the Western Desert of World War Two. Before the Germans arrived, British General O’Conner used Italian fuel dumps to keep his drive alive as he drove for the main Italian-run ports.”

“What are you babbling about, Captain?”

“We have to destroy our fuel depots,” Stan said. “We have to blow them.”

“We need those storage units,” Sims said.

“Sir, we don’t have much time.”

“There aren’t any engineers near there. Besides, we’re not going to lose them. I thought this was a battle request, Captain. You and your team have done a fine job of destroying T-66s. Keeping doing that and we’ll win. But leave the strategy to me.”

Stan stared at his receiver. Should he keep arguing? Could he make General Sims understand? His grip tightened and he felt lightheaded.

“Yes, sir,” Stan said. “I’m sorry if I sounded presumptuous.”

“You’re tired, Captain. I understand. Hold out and keep fighting. We’re not finished yet.”

Yes, we are
,
especially if the Chinese capture those storage tanks intact
. Instead of saying that, Stan signed off.

“So much for that,” Jackson said.

“Wrong,” Stan said. “Hank, are you looking at your city map?”

“Yes, sir,” Hank said.

“Take us to the fuel depots,” Stan said.

Jackson stared up at him.

“Are you ready for this?” Stan asked the police officer.

“You’re taking a lot on yourself, Professor,” Jackson said.

“Sometimes a battle is decided with a man and his rifle…if he happens to be at exactly the right spot,” Stan said. “This time, it’s a crew and its tank at the critical juncture.”

“And if you’re wrong?” Jackson asked.

“I’m not wrong,” Stan said. “Hank?”

“Hang on,” Hank said.

***

“General Sims must have radioed ahead,” Hank said. “I’m seeing a military detail outside the gate. It looks like they mean to stop us.”

They’d driven through the city and to the entrance of the huge storage depot. Beyond the gate were giant white oil tanks that held millions of gallons of gas, diesel and kerosene.

Stan peered through his scope. There was a Bradley, three Humvees and several squads of soldiers positioned before the gate behind piled sandbags. A chain-link fence circled the giant storage facility.

“What do we do now?” Jose asked.

“Sergeant Jackson,” Stan said. “Do you mind going outside and talking to them?”

“What am I supposed to say?”

“Your best lines of B.S.,” Stan said. “Con them into lowering their guns.”

“And if they don’t?” Jackson asked.

“Then surrender immediately.”

“What about you?” Jackson asked.

“I’ll wait until you’re well outside the tank,” Stan said.

Jackson stared at him, and finally, he nodded. “Good luck, Professor. I hope you’re right about this.”

They shook hands. Then Stan opened his hatch and Jackson climbed out.

“Give him a minute,” Stan said.

From outside, an officer shouted at Jackson, “Why is your tank here?”

“Are you two ready?” Stan asked.

Jose turned and looked up. “Just give me the word, Stan.”

“If you think this is right thing, Professor,” Hank said, “then I’m convinced.”

“They might hang us if I’m wrong,” Stan said.

“We’re brothers,” Jose said. “And we trust you that you know what you’re doing.”

Stan reached up for the hatch as something caught in his throat. Then he steeled his nerves. He heard Jackson arguing with the officer-in-charge.

“Now!” Stan said, and he shut the hatch with a clang.

Hank revved the M1A2, and they lurched.

Stan peered through his scope. Soldiers ran to get out of the way. Then the Bradley rushed into view. With a mighty
clang
, Hank rammed the Bradley, shoving it out of the way. A moment later, the Abrams rammed through the chain-link fence.

“Load a HE round,” Stan said. “Then aim for the farthest storage unit.”

Jose went to work as the auto-loader shoved a round into the firing chamber.

Bullets began striking and bouncing off their tank. Then heavy .50 caliber rounds hit the Abrams. Those must be coming from the Humvees. They had zero effect as well.

“Fire,” Stan said.

The 120mm smoothbore shot a high explosive round into a giant storage unit. It hit, and a titanic explosion erupted, a fierce roar of sound. Seconds later, the shockwave hit, rocking the tank.

As a fireball climbed into existence, Stan shouted, “Keep firing! We’re going to blow them all!”

WASHINGTON D.C.

Deep underground in White House Bunker Number Five, General Alan stood up.

“Mr. President, I have good news. The Chinese assault in Anchorage has halted for the moment. The T-66s have run out of gas. I think the Chinese supply lines have been stretched to the breaking point. Before they recover, I believe that our lead elements in the Yukon will already be in the city.”

President Clark smiled. “That is excellent news.”

“May I ask a question, sir?” Anna Chen asked.

“Please,” the President said.

“I’ve heard reports about a National Guard Captain and his tank,” Anna said.

“Where did you hear about this?” General Alan said.

“What captain?” the President asked.

General Alan seemed embarrassed. “A Captain Stan Higgins attacked our storage depot in Anchorage, sir. He injured a dozen Army soldiers doing it.”

“He blew up the fuel tanks,” Anna said.

“Where did you learn this?” General Alan asked, giving her a keen stare.

“Why did the captain do this?” President Clark asked.

“Uh,” General Alan said, looking at the President. “According to his testimony, he believed the Chinese were low on fuel, sir.”

“He tried to talk General Sims into doing it,” Anna said. “Sims refused and now the captain and his crew are under arrest.”

“Is this true?” Clark asked General Alan.

“Yes, sir.”

Clark frowned. “You say the Chinese are low on fuel. What would have happened if they had captured our storage facilities intact?”

“It’s hard to say, sir,” General Alan replied.

The President eyed the general. Then he glanced at Anna. Finally, Clark sat back, drumming his fingers on the conference table. “I pardon the captain, if he needs it. And I pardon his tank crew. Then I want him in Washington.”

“Sir?” asked General Alan.

“The man deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor for what he did,” the President said.

“But sir—” General Alan said.

“That is an order,” the President said.

“Yes, sir.”

“In fact, make the call right now. We can wait until you’re finished.”

“Yes, sir,” General Alan said, motioning to one of his aides. Several seconds later, the aide hurried near with a telephone.

BEIJING, P.R.C.

Jian Shihong, Minister without Portfolio, glanced at the other Ruling Committee members waiting on the Chairman. Admiral Qingshan of the Navy looked weary, while Police Minister Xiaodan seemed positively frightened. Xiaodan had lost weight, giving his face a skeletal look. The marshal, the Army Minister, sat as stiffly as ever, although a tic had begun under his right eye. Only Deng Fong seemed the same, the same miserable intriguer with his secretive cunning. Jian hated Deng and dearly wanted to see the man die a cruel death.

The door opened and the Chairman’s wheelchair moved across the carpeted floor. He stopped at the head of the table. A medical tube from the box in the back of the chair to the Chairman’s side made an odd gurgling noise. A blue clot made its way out of the Chairman and to the box.

Jian suppressed a shudder of loathing. The old man should be dead by now. Only advanced medicines kept him alive.

“It is time for decisions,” the Chairman whispered. His chair didn’t amplify his words, nor did he speak with vigor. He seemed tired, possibly dispirited.

As Jian tried to decide if he should say something, Admiral Qingshan took a deep breath. “May I speak, sir?” he asked.

“By all means,” the Chairman said.

“The naval infantry has reached Anchorage. They have already begun to breach the city. We hold the Kenai Peninsula. All we need to complete the task is fuel, munitions and another three fresh brigades.”

“All?” asked the Chairman.

“I do not understand, sir,” said Qingshan.

“How will you ship this new transfusion to your trapped naval infantry?”

“By using Navy transports, sir,” said Qingshan.

“These transports are needed for grain,” the Chairman said. “Isn’t that right, Xiaodan?”

“The people’s anger is growing worse,” Xiaodan said in a soft voice. “The people of the inner provinces are very hungry.”

“But the war, sir—” said Qingshan.

“Has ground to a halt,” the Chairman said. “General Nung reached Dead Horse, and the Army is to be congratulated for that.” The old man glanced at the marshal.

The Army Minister seemed uncomfortable with the praise.

He hates Nung just like all the others in High Command
, Jian thought.
The marshal would have just as soon seen General Nung fail
.

“Nung has reached Dead Horse,” the Chairman said, “but our ability to re-supply him is fast dwindling. Meanwhile, the Army T-66s have stalled. They are out of fuel.”

“With more fuel—” Qingshan began.

“No!” the Chairman said. “I will not send more ships into the northern waters as winter approaches. The Americans have moved heavy ground formations into position, entering the Yukon as they travel for Alaska. They will reach Anchorage before your reinforcements do. If you had taken the city and opened the port, yes. Then I would pour Army troops into the city. But as the Arctic winter approaches I will not throw good troops after bad ones.”

Admiral Qingshan stiffened.

“The war—” Jian said.

“Quiet!” the Chairman said. “You will not use your boasts here today. Yes, you lit a fire under Nung, and he achieved a Mongol’s objective, a raiding victory.”

“He holds Dead Horse, sir,” Jian said.

“We cannot hold onto the North Slope,” the Chairman said. “But we can blow the oil wells there so America’s fuel burns and their economy withers away. We have denied them the Arctic Ocean oil wells and the Prudhoe Bay fields. That might be enough to induce them to trade for our oil.”

“I do not think the Americans will sell us grain, sir,” Deng said.

“No,” the Chairman said, after a moments reflection. “Neither do I. We attempted to snatch Alaska from them in a swift, surprise attack. Our attack came within centimeters of success but in the end, it failed. Now we must glean from it what we can.”

The Chairman studied his ministers. “Our chief advantage is that the Americans dared to use nuclear weapons. The outcry against them is growing. We might be able to use that to break the Grain Union. We have hurt America and shown the world how weak they are. To conquer American territory, however, we need a stronger merchant marine and a greater number of Navy transports. Therefore, I am ordering an immediate increase in ship construction.”

“Sir?” asked Deng.

“The war has shown us that China needs a larger Navy,” the Chairman said. “Therefore, we will buy that with our riches.”

“What about our naval infantry in Alaska?” Admiral Qingshan asked.

“We will retrieve the units that we can reach,” the Chairman said. “Let the others sit near Anchorage, spending the winter there. If they are still alive come next year, we might have a use for them again. But as of this moment, the war to take Alaska is over. We will not resume that war or any war with America until our Navy dwarfs theirs.”