Читать книгу New Earth: The Search for Justice - R.D. Ph.D. Pittman - Страница 4

Alex and his contingent returned to the residence to follow-up with all the other facilities and check their progress. It wasn’t long before the calls started coming in, the first was from Major General Hank Conroe at the Coeur d’Alene facility.

“General Hanken sir, I’m pleased to inform you that our facilities are now under our control. The Marines, when confronted with the fact that Torrance had led an overthrow of the government, surrendered to our boys. General, thank God you had the foresight to place contingent units in key critical areas.”

“Hank, I am pleased that this was carried out peacefully, we enjoyed the same outcome here at Peterson. Now, I want you to activate the three squadrons housed at the airbase. Get the pilots and ground crew in ready status; leave your flight ops guy there. You get back to your original base at McChord and take command once again. All Air Forces are to be on standby alert until further notice.”

“Yes sir, that is the best news I’ve heard in six months, do we anticipate having to confront our own Air Forces?”

“Once Admiral Torrance knows that I have activated all of my squadrons, he will have no choice but to stand down his air wings, because I have superior numbers by a large margin, it would be suicide on his part.”

“That was a fatal mistake on his part; he must have thought that you would go along with this.”

“Yes, it was a mistake in judgment on his part, and it will be his undoing. My biggest concern is to try and avoid a confrontation of our forces. To lose one American life will be one too many. General Conroe you have your orders, keep me informed, you’re the tip of the spear in the Northwest for our country I’m counting on you.”

“Sir, understood.”

The next call came in from Brigadier General Harlan Monroe, who was facility commander at Mountain Home AFB.

“Alex.”

“Harlan, how are things going?”

“I’m pleased to say we have had a peaceful resolution to our situation, the facility and airbase are in the hands of your people you dispatched down here. All I can say is thank God you are running this show.”

“Harlan is the base commander there?”

“Yes, he is somewhere around here, I can’t see him right off.”

“Well, never mind, you are to inform him that he is to assume command of his former base until further notice; also inform him that all Air Forces under my command are on standby alert.”

“Alex what do you want me to do?”

“You get your butt back up to Ft. Lewis and take over command once again, put your base on alert, get those tank squadrons ready for dispersal to key locations in the northwest. You and I will discuss those locations in the coming days,” Alex said.

“Yes sir, and thank you sir.”

“Alex, General Amos from Nellis AFB is on line two,” Sandi said.

“Paul, how are you?”

“General, unfortunately we are counting the dead. There was a fierce firefight that broke out between the Marines surrounding our headquarters building and the group you sent to liberate us. We thought this was going to go peacefully, but one of the Marines got jumpy and fired on your guys, and they opened up with a hellacious burst of fire. They cut those Marines to pieces. Now everyone is walking around in shell shock looking at the carnage. Goddamn Torrance, Goddamn him all to hell, these were young kids with a future, to die this way is more than a shame. I just——

“Paul, I know, I am so sorry, and you’re right—Goddamn Torrance and whoever is backing him.”

“I’m sorry General, our facility is now secure what are your orders?”

“You are to assume command of your airbase and secure those nuclear weapons, put your fighter wings on standby alert, half of the assault troops are to be stationed at your facility along with their helicopter force. The remaining troops are to be sent back to Ft. Lewis utilizing the C-17 transports the Marines came in on. I was going to have you keep the Marines there for perimeter security, but given what has happened, that is not such a good idea. Send them back with the rest of the troops, but talk to them first and make sure they understand what has happened. This is not their fault. Any questions?”

“How could I Alex, you think of everything. Oh I almost forgot, what about responding to civilian inquiries as to what the hell is going on?”

“You have no comment at this time, until I can assure myself that all my facilities are on line. I don’t want to put out something I may have to end up retracting. I’ll contact all of you by conference call within the next twenty-four hours to address that very issue.”

“Very well Alex, and we lost eight Marines, three wounded, four of your assault troops and six wounded. I guess it could have been worse, again, thanks for all your help and good planning.”

Alex sat alone in his command office, staring blankly at a picture of him next to his A-10 Thunderbolt, wondering how it was in the scheme of things that the world sidestepped a disaster, only to have his country shed its own blood in a needless clash of ideals. Where was the equity in all this, the fairness, it all seemed so unbalanced to him. Young men with futures, alive and eager to experience life, so unnecessary, so tragic…such an absolute waste—goddamn Torrance.

Whiteman AFB had a small skirmish, until the Apache gunships showed up and the Marines stood down, no casualties were reported. Over the next four hours each of the remaining facilities that had been seized by Torrance’s Marine units were liberated and reported to him. Alex was beginning to formulate his strategy for consolidating his forces and placing them in key locations throughout the west coast, southwest, and the Midwest. It would take only another week for the rest of the facilities in the eastern US to renounce Torrance and look to Alex for guidance.

Contact with NORAD and the SAC Headquarters confirmed that all was normal and security had been beefed up at all affected satellite sites of those commands. Communications with all facilities was normal and did not suffer any down time. The extra precautions Curt had taken to provide redundant system routing in case of satellite interruption worked perfectly.

Commanders were in place, troops had their missions outlined for them, depots were secured and Alex was still nervous. The west coast had a substantial naval presence and two Marine Divisions; he needed to address that issue quickly. He decided to call in his Navy Seal teams that were transferred to him before the takeover. He convened a meeting at the staff headquarters building on the airbase.

“I’m faced with a dilemma; there is a huge Naval and Marine presence on our West coast. I have to find a way to bring them into the fold. Any ideas?”

Lt. Commander Morris, the Navy Seal team leader offered a suggestion.

“Sir, why don’t you try and reach the Admiral at the San Diego headquarters of the Pacific Fleet?”

“Any of you familiar with this man, I’ve never met him to date?” Alex said.

“I just know of him, never met the man,” Morris replied.

“Let me make a quick land sat call here, I’ve got the Seabee Admiral on my speed dial.”

“Admiral, Alex Hanken.”

“General Hanken, I can’t tell you how good it is to hear your voice. I still can’t believe what has happened.”

“Admiral, I have come down on the opposite side of Admiral Torrance. I intend to oppose him and restore the government.” Before Alex could comment further the Admiral interrupted.

“General, I am in your corner and a lot of other top brass as well, how can we help you?”

“Thank you for your loyalty Joe, what can you tell me about the Admiral that runs the show in San Diego?”

“Felix Hanover? We were at the Naval Academy together. I married his cousin. What did you have in mind General?”

“Joe, I need to consolidate the west coast of America and get it under my control. I can’t have Admiral Torrance’s units sitting right under my nose up and down the coast.”

“I talked to Felix just twenty minutes ago and he is fit to be tied over this and doesn’t know what to do. It just so happens I mentioned your name and we both wondered which side you would come down on. Well, now we know, let’s call him right now.”

“Go ahead,” Alex said. The Seal team leaders and Marines in the room with Alex were intently listening to the entire conversation.

“Felix, its Joe, and I’ve got General Alex Hanken on the other line.”

“Joe, please tell me this is going to be a good call,” Hanover replied.

“The General is aligning himself against Torrance and looking to consolidate the west coast military facilities under his command,” Admiral Byers advised.

“Well, General Hanken, rumors had it that you had balls bigger than an elephant, and a brain to match. You have my support, and I can assure you that all of the rest of our west coast naval installations will fall in line behind me. I spoke with nearly all of them this morning. Your orders sir?”

“Admiral Hanover, thank you for your loyalty. My first order to you is to consolidate your officers under your command. I am putting you in charge of all naval operations in the Pacific. Conduct yourself accordingly.”

“General, I have two aircraft carriers out here in dock. Halsey is supposed to be in charge of naval aviation. He just got here about fifteen minutes ago and he’s sitting across from me.”

“Felix, are we on a speaker phone?”

“Yes.”

“Admiral Halsey, you will continue to command all naval air operations, but you will report to Admiral Hanover.”

“General, thank God somebody is taking charge. I will support you all the way to Washington DC,” Halsey stated.

“Felix, there are two Marine divisions sitting out there under your nose, how about those commanders?”

“Alex both division commanders are on their way here right now to ask for orders, they report to me, we have them in the fold.”

“Gentlemen, on this date we begin the task of taking back our country, or let us all die trying, good day.” Alex concluded the call to the cheers of everyone in the debriefing room.

Alex decided he would visit Elena and Andrade at the stockade, since it was on his way to the residence. FBI Agent Tina Somers, assigned as his personal bodyguard, approached and said.

“General, are you going to see the Russian spies?”

“Yes, in fact I am.”

“General, you know I can’t allow you to do that, unless I accompany you.”

“Come with me then, and did you get in touch with anyone at FBI headquarters to find out where they stand on this issue?”

“Yes, it just so happened that Director Jeffers was in Coeur d’Alene fishing during the test and agent Evans reached him about thirty minutes ago.”

“And?”

“Director Jeffers is on his way here right now, he is on our side, and so is the entire bureau.”

“Fantastic news.”

“I thought so, and what are you up to with our Russian agents?”

“Calling in favors Tina.” Secretly, he didn’t know if this would work out. Elena could very well be playing him for a sucker and shove a knife in his heart the first chance she got.

Alex and Somers entered the stockade and had Elena and Andrade brought into the dayroom.

“Agent Somers please remove their handcuffs.”

“Yes sir, but I am staying close just in case.”

“Agreed.”

Elena looked like she hadn’t slept in days, and Andrade had a look of deep concern on his face as well.

“Why the long faces?” Alex asked.

“General, are you in any danger?” Elena asked. Somers snickered.

“Miss Grodny, you’re looking at the most powerful General in the entire United States military and he is going to kick Admiral Torrance and the rest of his rat pack into the Atlantic Ocean,” Somers spoke with conviction.

“So General, you are opposed to this takeover?” Andrade asked.

“To the last drop of my blood Andrade.”

“I knew it,” clenching his fists, “you are the Patriot General, not a traitor.”

“Elena are you and Andrade ready to do me a favor?”

“Yes, of course, you have saved our lives, we owe you that much.”

Alex told them that he knew Admiral Torrance and Deputy Secretary of Defense Carney were conspirators. He suspected CIA Director Cray, but beyond that he didn’t know who was involved. What he did know was that there were very powerful people backing the Admiral and he wanted to find them and prosecute all of them. This was the mission he wanted them to undertake. They would have all the facilities at their disposal, they could fly anywhere in the world to track down leads in the case. With one proviso, Alex asked them to just gather the information. He didn’t want them killing people to get information…he suggested they try other persuasive techniques first.

“Before you accept this assignment, I want you to accompany me to my residence and conduct a conference call with your President Kleskova. I want to assure him that we are not in an offensive posture and that I am leading the charge to remove Admiral Torrance from power.”

“Yes, we will do that, and while we are on the phone with him, we can get his permission to assist you in your investigation,” Elena offered.

“That is a good idea Elena; I will ask him for your help in that matter.”

“General do we have to stay locked up?” Andrade asked.

“No, you can move into one of the officer billets for families, there are a few vacant homes around the base. I’ll have the base housing officer arrange that for you. But you must stay on the base; I cannot guarantee your safety off the base. I will get you some money so you can buy some supplies for your dwelling. I’ll have the base housing officer get you a vehicle to drive around the base and issue you a civilian ID so you can shop at the base annex, now let’s go make that call.”