Last War (41 page)

     “So, how do we get them these weapons?”

     “What time is it?”

     “10:29.”

     “Wait for it.”

     Gunshots echoed off of the surrounding brick walls. Small drone
missile whistles met with crashes. Glass shattering; metal twisting, humans screaming out in pain. D.C. was not a battle ground.

     Suddenly the whole city powered down.

     “What happened?” Czyra asked. “Is this the work of hackers?”

     “Mmm Hmm.” Dany replied. “Now, just wait. The army is on their way to retool.”

     Gradually, the war noises died down. With no city lights or electric anywhere, the only noises that were audible were the idle rumbles of the tanks and flying devices. The back hatch of the truck opened. Footsteps weighed down the back of the truck as he heard the clicking and changing hands of heavy weapons shifting around. Still no noise coming from their mouths.

     “These guys are trained and prepared. They’re ready to do some damage.”

     “How long are you going to keep these lights off?”

     “For as long as it takes.”

     “Is this only D.C.? Or all of America.”

     “All of America.”

     “A week of this will destroy America as we know it.”

     “Apparently, according to Tameka, this is all Jason’s plan.”

     “So, what’s their connection?”

     “She’s his partner in stopping Operatio
n F.A.I.T.H. She said, she’s been communicating with him and he doesn’t know it – however that’s possible.”

     “It’s his bodychip. This is brilliant, Dany!
Where is she at, now?”

    
“After we get unloaded, we’re driving to a remote place to revamp our militia. She’ll be there.”

****

     No one in the control center could see their hands in front of their faces. The monitors were all off, and none of their controls were online.

     “So, there go the lights.” Michael said.

     “Hackers.” Jason responded. “I’m going out there.

     “Going out there? Into a war zone? In the dark?”

     “What are we gonna do in here? Tell scary stories and eat marshmallows? You wanna play Hide and Seek in the dark, Michael?”

     “Well, what are you going to do out there?”

     “For one, I’m going to go look for Tameka and figure out what in the world is going on. Two: I’ve gotta see how many civilian casualties we’ve lost.”

     “Civilians? Jason, they were firing at
military police and tanks.”

     “So, what did that make them? China’s constituents?”

     “It made them terrorists.”

     “Michael, I’m going.”

     “Wait up. Me too.”

     Michael put his first commander in charge of the control room. “If the power comes back on in here, alert me immediately.”



     As if she wasn’t afraid enough for what was to come of the future, Tameka’s fear heightened when she laid eyes on her mother and Jason’s wife rushing towards her.

     “Mom?!”

    
Betsy’s legs partially gave way when she spotted Tameka. “Baby.” She ran towards Tameka and grabbed ahold of her. “I’ve missed you.” She cried. “I thought I had lost you forever.”

     “Mom. What are you doing out here? This is not the place for you to be. This is a war zone.”

     “Why did you leave me?”

     “Mom, this can’t be discussed right now. Do you realize the lack of lighting we have out here? It’s pitch black. Obviously, there’s a lot going on at work. Look, I’m going to have to get you three to a safe haven. Follow me.”



    Dany pulled up to Logan Circle a few blocks from the arena. “This is far enough away from the battle scene. It’ll expand in a few days. But, we don’t plan for it to last that long.”

     “Why so close though?”

     “We don’t want to go too far. We want to crowd that space. We’re just the command center. They’ll come here for food, they’ll come here for ammo, they’ll come here for gas or whatever it is they need. We’ve got electricity and communication. They don’t.”

     “How?”

     “Jason and Tameka had been working on this before they engaged it all.”

     “They had to have had some help.”

     Dany shrugged his shoulders. “Look, I think that’s Tameka, now.”

     Tameka walked up to the truck which was parked in the
middle of the park. “Hey, Dany. Hey, Czyra.”

     “Tameka. You know my name? I mean, you’re alive? How?”

     “Of course I know your name. Anyone you have to pull out of a roadside ditch is a person you can’t forget.”

     “That was you?”

     “Mmhm. As for the hows and whys: those are for after the outcome. Let’s save hows and whys for then. For now, I’m going to need you to help me take care of these young ladies.”

     The night air danced with whistles
from small missiles and crackles and hisses of smoke bombs.

     “While everyone is back from the dead, has anyone seen, or heard from, Jason?” Christine asked.

     “I haven’t yet. But, he’ll be here, soon enough. We’ll need him here.” Tameka said. “Patience is the key. I’m going to track him, and try to speed up the process.”



     Jason and Michael had to use a key to unlock the, typically, electric security reinforced doors of the DHS headquarters. Sliding the doors open, they could hear the loud ear-piercing from the military police. “LRAD.” Jason said. “I’m pretty sure this is going to spread the riots to various parts of the city.”

     “Well, this whole city is teamed with police and military. And
it’s pitch black out here. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if this city is torn down by the morning.”

     Machine gun shots fired off in the distance.

     “So how are we going to get uptown with no light?” Jason asked.

    
“Very slowly.”

     “Where’s my car?
We could do it with that.”

     “We took it to an undisclosed lab for analysis.”

     “You’ll never get anything from it.”

     “I know. But, does that really matter now, Jason? I mean, really.”

     “I never miss the opportunity to boast.”

     From behind an SUV hummed up the road at rapid speed.

    “Duck for cover, Jay!” Michael dove back into the vestibule of the building. But, Jason stood still in the front of the building. Something about this vehicle’s presence was more comfortable than it was scary.

     The SUV came to a screeching halt. “What are you doing, Jason?” Michael hollered. “Duck for cover!”

     The passenger window came down. A glowing neon blue light illuminated the inside. It was Tameka. She was smiling. “It’s been four years, partner. Hop in. We’ve gotta go assist the troops. Tyranny attacks.”

     Michael hopped up off of the ground and dusted himself off.

     “Hey handsome.” Tameka winked at Michael. “Hop in the back.”

     Once inside, the windshield was lit up in cobalt blue. Although it was pitch-black outside, the windshield displayed a crisp image. 
 

     “Well, this should get us to Logan Circle.” Jason said.

     “Is that where we’re going?” Michael asked. “How do you know we’re going there?”

     “He has been scanning his chip with his memory card.” Tameka answered. “I developed this memory card to help Jason recover the memory we buried away. That memory chip is crucial, right now.” She looked towards Jason. “It’s imperative that anytime you become confused, you scan your chip. Everything is on that chip. It will recall the memories you need at the time.”

     A bright light flashed in the distance. “Drone! Twelve o’clock! It’s firing!” Michael shouted.

     “I see it.” Tameka said, flipping a switch on her steering wheel.

     As the missile speared towards them, it exploded in mid-air. “Looks like we’re latched onto. Sirus. Sheilds up, and take us offline.”

     “Hello, Tameka. Are you sure you want to go offline? Your GPS will be
disable, and your night vision quality will be decreased.”

     “I confirm, Sirus.”

     “You are now offline.”



Verizon Stadium

     Mr. Brendenhall paced the board room on the stadium suite level. “What are we going to do? Were we prepared for this, Grambling?”

     “I’m not sure we were prepared for quite all of this. I mean—“

     “How could you not be prepared? They’re nothing but rats in a rat wheel. We’ve been preparing this for decades. Send them to work, send them home,
bombard them with philosophies, bills, debt, and recreation. Keep them moving on the rat wheel… they’re not supposed to have this much organization.”

     “Well, I don’t know how they—“

     “Why do they have military grade weapons? How did they shut down the country’s electric? And  where are they getting theirs?”

     “Perhaps we missed something, sir. I don’t—“

     “I don’t have time for your guesses. You’ve failed this mission over and over—where’s Jason?”

     “Last I left
him, he was locked away in our secure holding room.”

     Brendenhall bit his bottom lip. “You better hope the Megiddos don’
t come after you. Because, surely, they are livid, right now.”

     “Yes we are.” Frederick
Tyson, said pointing a gun at the two men.

     “Vice President, Tyson?” Mr. Brendenhall said backing away from the table.

     “Yes. ‘Vice President Tyson,’ also known as the Megiddo chairman.” He grinned.

     “You folks have failed miserably. We knew you would. We knew you’d get this far and then just screw it all up. So, we had plans of our own. So, you’re here. And I’m here.” He said waving his gun eratically. “And now, it’s time to start eliminating.”

     “It’s not going to help anything, Tyson.”

     “Oh, well that’s a matter of opinion. You see, you had no clue what was going on. That riot outside was designed and armed by my genius. And now that they’ve stunned you, I’m bringing in the big guns. After I kill you, and Mr. Brendenhall, I’m going to kill all of those people outside. We’re going to continue with our own plan to unite the world, and there will no longer be any dispute on ideology. How’s that sound?”

     “Listen—“

     The crack of Tyson’s gun exploded in an instant. Mr. Brendenhall grabbed his chest and stumbled back into the wall.
Several more shots rang out landing in Mr. Brendenhall’s torso.

     Tyson turned his attention to Grambling.
“Homeland Security Advisor, huh?” He laughed. “I must say, you’ve done an excellent job. So well, I may have a position for you.”

     Grambling quietly stared down the barrel of Tyson’s gun. “You’re just so secure.”
Tyson said. “Do you accept my position as Homeland Security Advisor, Mr. Grambling?”

     Grambling hesitantly nodded his head. “OK.
Great. Are you ready for your first mission, Mr. Grambling?” Tyson asked while still aiming the gun at Grambling.

     Grambling nodded again.



    
Czyra found a corner in the back of Dany’s truck to sink into. Emotion from the bottom of his heart surged into his face and out his eyes. He held back a verbal sob. Jasmine was the only real death he had experienced, it seemed. He wanted to go out there with the crowd and fight. He wanted to fight government and the Brendenhalls.

     “Hey.” He heard off in front of him. Footsteps stepped up into the back of the truck. “If you want privacy, this isn’t the place you’re going to want to be.” It was Dany. “More of the guys are coming to reup on ammo and sustenance.
”

     Outside of the truck’s trailer, the boys heard Christine scream. “Jason!”

     Both boys hopped up and jumped out of the back of the trailer to see Christine rush towards Jason and embrace him. An explosion mushroomed in the background illuminating the park and the reunited couple. Both of their eyes were closed. Tears streamed down Christine’s eyes. “I’m so sorry for everything, Jason. I thought I had lost you.”

     “Then, I guess that makes us even.”

     Christine laughed through her tears of joy.

     “I’ve still got a little bit more to do, hun. Work has been kicking my butt.” Christine finished off her laugh with a cackle.

     “Well, you’ve found your sense of humor since the last time I saw you.”

     “Alright, that’s enough.” Tameka said. “Does anyone still hear missiles, bullets and bombs? Gather around. Czyra, Dany, let’s discuss. Jason, I’m gonna need you to scan, right now.”