The Dragons of Men (The Sons of Liberty Book 2) (54 page)

“I am sorry for the loss of Miss Rowe,” Mahiri replied. “I spoke with an Agent earlier and he told me how much she meant to you.”

“Is that so?” Sigmund said, pausing as he stared blankly ahead. “Who was the agent?”

“I believe it was an Agent named Miller,” Mahiri replied. “Perhaps someone else. Why do you ask?”

“Hmm,” Sigmund mumbled before turning to Rendell. “Rendell, find out who it was when we’re finished and have your men kill him for me if you would. And let’s be creative about it so the others will remember what happens when they converse about me behind my back. I’m thinking…yes, I know. Take a boat far out in the Gulf, tie a large stone around Agent Miller’s feet, and throw him overboard. Make sure they have an oxygen tank when they hit the water. I don’t want them to drown, mind you. I’d rather the pressure crush them, so they know the weight that rests on my shoulders before they die.” Rendell nodded back, the slightest hint of a grin gracing his face. “And as for Jamie, the only regret I have about her is the fact that I didn’t get to kill her myself for failing to do the one thing she was sent to do.”

“But I thought you two were…,” Mahiri said, stumbling over his words.

“We were, at one point,” Sigmund replied, waving his hand in irritation. “Her ruse was rather simple. She merely needed to show Lukas the affection she had for me. Regardless, she died and Lukas’ Imperium still lives. A pity. I would have hoped her death meant more.”

“Do we not have others on the inside?” Rendell asked, his voice cold and heavy like a mountaintop stone.

“We do,” Sigmund replied. “They are imbedded deep and will be afraid. Hopefully, they have not let their fear of Lukas betray their loyalty to me.”

“So what do you expect to happen now, Sigmund?” Mahiri asked.

“I suppose we dig in on both fronts and continue with the plan to draw them in for a lethal blow,” Sigmund said, turning to Rendell. “Have you taken Little Rock as I asked?”

“We have,” Rendell said. “Though only the city north of the river. Texas is pressing us hard from the other side, though they are nervous to launch a full-scale attack. They know they’d open the door for our expansion westward should they lose. They have fighters, but we have anti-air from the military bases we’ve seized. At the same time, we have Yellow Jackets and tanks, but they have anti-tanks and anti-drone equipment. Needless to say, we can’t hope to win an assault across the river and neither can they. We are two defensive armies, dug in and unable to mount an attack.”

“It has been my experience that those who wait the longest in a stalemate are typically those who wonder where they went wrong as death approaches,” Sigmund said.

“We do not wait idly,” Rendell replied. “We are gathering and preparing men and women from around the region every day. Once you get us more of the Lake of Fire serum, we will have thousands—around fifteen thousand to be precise—to storm the southern half of the city, softening up their defenses and confusing the Texans before we come in with the heavy gear.”

“A fine plan,” Mahiri added.

“There is one problem though,” Rendell said, eyeing Mahiri.

“Is there ever not a problem when crafting empires?” Sigmund replied. “What is it?”

“A settlement called Fort Harding sixty miles to the north,” Rendell replied. “They are well-fortified with an unknown number of armed inhabitants. We know Texas is actively trying to court their allegiance, but our scouts report the American flag still flies above the base. Despite our best efforts to infiltrate the base, they are locked down tight and we haven’t managed to get a glimpse inside, save satellite imagery. What we do know from the Little Rock citizens we’ve interrogated is that a large contingent of National Guard soldiers traveled there last year. If Texas succeeds and makes Fort Harding their own, they could coordinate an attack from both the north and south fronts.”

“What would it take to seize Fort Harding?” Sigmund asked.

“Likely the men we’re gathering for the initial attack across the river,” Rendell said. “They are armed lightly as ammo and supplies have dwindled with the war—most have nothing more than machetes and handheld weapons. Some will have firearms and we have an abundance of explosives to soften up the base. Regardless, if they have five thousand, I’d be surprised if a fifth of them are able to fight. We might lose most of our attackers, but I doubt they could stand against a brutal horde of relentless men and women. They’d likely lose the will to gun down people that might have been their neighbors a year ago.”

“Is it worth the effort?” Sigmund asked. “Why not storm the south side of Little Rock and worry about this Fort Harding later?”

“Taking the Fort would not only remove the threat at our rear, but possibly provide us with a stream of new Recruits from north Arkansas and Missouri. Still, you might be right. An assault could cost us the ability to soften up the Texans if we want to assault them across the river. Regardless, those are the options I see at hand. The choice, as always, is yours.”

“And what would stop Texas from circling their jets around your anti-air and hitting your men on the ground as you stormed the fort?”

“Our newest Graystone would,” Sūn said. “We’ve managed to enlarge the same cells that power the Prism suits and cut back on the size of the Graystone. Needless to say, it will have all the power it needs and we can move it in the bed of a truck. We can make a movable canopy that conceals a ten-mile radius and scrambles everything we say. They’d never know Fort Harding had fallen.”

“What is Prism?” Mahiri asked.

“Indeed,” Sigmund replied, scratching his chin as he looked back to Sūn. “Have you found what I asked you to find?”

“We have,” Sūn said, nodding his head with a smile. “We have located the Nautilus and the weapon.”

“Then ready it for deployment,” Sigmund said. Sūn nodded his head again as Sigmund turned to Mahiri. “Tell me, General Mahiri, what is the status of my Iron Curtain?”

“We have seized Houston and Shreveport, though we hold them by a thread,” Mahiri replied. “If we can hold those cities and strengthen the defenses, we can block Texas from expanding east while we continue our war against the Imperium. You mentioned Prism? What is that?”

“It’s none of your concern,” Sigmund said. “And I hope it will stay that way until I have found what I search for. Regardless, the war changed the moment Jamie failed. Everything we’ve done in the east was meant to weaken the Imperium and divide it from within. With Lukas, Jacob, and Maria gone—the others would have forgotten about us as we pushed west into Texas.”  

“But the war against the Imperium, the men we lost,” Mahiri said, half rising from his chair as anger filled his eyes. “It was all a ploy?”

“All war is deception,” Sigmund said. “Anyone who has ever read The Art of War knows that. Besides, I never believed we could attack and destroy the Imperium with a direct assault, even if we had two million men. Nor was it an objective of mine, though I would have greatly enjoyed watching Lukas’ empire collapse months after he raised it. I only had two goals when this war started: to remove all those who betrayed the Patriarchs and to press westward to locate…well, to find what matters most.”

“Sir, why west?” Mahiri asked. “Why not bolster our forces along your Iron Curtain and continue to press east to eliminate Lukas? We can win the war against the Imperium. In time, we can—”

“As I said, there is something very dear to me somewhere out west,” Sigmund said. “A treasure I care more about than anyone or anything this world has to offer.”

“Is it great enough to risk losing this war over?” Mahiri asked.

Sigmund slowly turned from Mahiri, his eyes glancing momentarily on Silvia and Rendell. Only Sūn knew the truth of Sigmund’s campaign and why he had risked continuing the invasion. The true purpose of his American crusade, however, was not found only in vengeance.

It would be found when he finally located the ever elusive Mitch Dunham—the one Patriarch Agent to successfully defect.

“If I lost this war,” Sigmund began, turning back to Mahiri. “If I lost my entire military, and every man under my control—including you, Mr. Onyango
—
but gained the White Shadow Prototype and the Scorched Earth codes in return, then I would have considered it all a great victory. It is not my goal to lose you in the process, but neither will I care if it comes to that, so long as I locate what I came here to find.”

Mahiri stared back blankly, his eye narrowing as Sigmund spoke. When Sigmund had finished, Mahiri paused before speaking.

“What are these things you speak of?” Mahiri asked. “If they are the true reason for this war, then as the commanding general I must—”

“You will never know what they are until I have them safely in my possession,” Sigmund interrupted. “What I seek is known only to a few and it will remain that way. We suspect it is somewhere west and thus we must go there to find it. Our men on the Pacific Coast are stretched thin and will likely lose their war, but they too are unaware of the true purpose of their fight. And you can search everywhere for details to the White Shadow Prototype and the Scorched Earth Program, but I can assure you that you will find nothing but my disapproval of your curiosity. All you need to know is that if you are alive and loyal to me when I have them in my possession, there will be nothing to stop our world dominance. I will not only be a god, but I will be a god of gods, answerable to nothing and no one. Now please, do not speak of it again unless I first speak of it. Your job is not to inquire about my secrets. Your job is to do what I say so I can gain my revenge on Lukas and reclaim the world that was stolen from me. Do we understand one another or do I need Silvia to take another eye so that you might see things from my point of view?”

Mahiri’s eye narrowed before he lowered his gaze, glancing over at Silvia. “You sure are an obedient dog for someone who never speaks.”

“She never speaks because she chose the tongue over the eye or the ear,” Sigmund said. “Since then, I would dare say she’s been the best Agent I’ve ever had. She’s obedient, always willing to listen and observe what I command without any of the backtalk. Perhaps we should consider the same for you, Mr. Onyango.”

“No!” Mahiri said, his eyes darting to Sigmund. “Please…forgive me. I will do whatever you command.”

“Rendell, Victor—you two are to go to Little Rock and prepare for war, be it north or south of your borders. We cannot risk losing our foothold there. And Victor, I want you personally on the ground again. It’s time to get my favorite pet project back into the game. Train my Recruits, survive the battle, and freedom will be yours, however you want it. Sūn, you send them the portable Graystone and all additional injections as soon as the Brazilian is back up and running.”

“We’ve already begun transporting the new Graystone device to Little Rock,” Sūn replied. “It will be there soon. Another few days, perhaps a week, and the injections can be there as well.”

“Good,” Sigmund said. “Then ready your men for a westward push. If we can take Dallas within the month, then we can plunge the Republic of Texas in a state of chaos. By the time the Imperium gathers itself and pushes west to attack us, perhaps the lords of darkness will have led me to the weapons that will win us this world.”

“And if you haven’t found what you seek?” Mahiri asked. “If Lukas strikes at us before you become a god of gods, what then?”

“Do you know something I do not?” Sigmund asked, his eyes narrowing.

“I only know what I would do,” Mahiri replied.

Sigmund paused, lowering his eyes as he contemplated Mahiri’s words. He knew it was a gamble, but he began gambling with his soul the moment he welcomed the darkness decades ago.

“Then we will burn this city to the ground while Silvia and I wait for Lukas’ men here in this very room.” Sigmund grinned, thinking of the look on Lukas’ face the moment he realized he had been outplayed once again. “I almost hope it comes to that.” Sigmund turned without another word and reentered his humble home, smiling as he envisioned the moment he finally found the White Shadow Prototype and the Scorched Earth Codes.

I will be a lord of lords,
he thought silently in his mind, mocking the one enemy he hated most as he prayed to the shadows he adored.
Together…we will give the world a living god to bow down before.

C
hapter
N
ineteen

A Burden to Kill

Eric Corsa squinted against the warm light of the sun as he stepped out of the medical building. He drew in a deep breath, smiling as he drank in the traces of springtime. Despite the months of hard travel behind him—always searching for a place to lay his head while death searched for a way to claim his life—ten days quarantined alone in a hospital had begun to bother him. His time in quarantine was nearly as much of a culture shock as watching America fall apart had been. Though the soft bed, hot showers, and warm meals were all accepted with a grateful sigh of relief, it had been the clean shave that had nearly brought him to tears. He was a soldier at heart and while some might see it as a strange and backwards feeling, growing a beard only made him feel more exposed.

He looked to his left and smiled as he found the others lounging underneath a nearby canopy. Eric had been the last to be released, as a physician had requested one final look at his back. The wounds from the gunshots that almost killed him outside of Memphis had already begun to heal, as had the gash on his forehead from his hard fall against the log. Despite his initial thoughts, he hadn’t broken any ribs after all. For all the wear, tear, and war they had trekked through, he had managed to accomplish his mission.

Eric had escorted Sarah and her family through the fires, saving the lives of all but two of them.

Sarah looked up and smiled as he approached. “Well look at you,” she said, standing as she brushed her hands off on a pair of fresh jeans she’d been given. “You look ten years younger.” The others stood, though Eric didn’t reply immediately or acknowledge them. Instead, he simply looked at Sarah. Her blonde hair was silky smooth as it cascaded over her shoulders like two golden waterfalls. Her clothes were fresh and her face free of fear. Her smile was warm and comforting. She was beautiful, and Eric was beginning to think he might not be able to refrain from telling her.

“You look…great,” Eric said with a grin before he finally looked over at the others. “You all look great.”

“I, for one, preferred the beard,” Elizabeth said, her southern drawl heavy on her tongue. “But I suppose you wear a naked face mighty well, Mr. Corsa. Glad to see you again.”

“You too, Elizabeth,” Eric replied with the nod of his head. “And don’t think I haven’t forgotten what you said back in Georgia. I fully expect to have me a few slices of your finest pie.”

Elizabeth beamed, gazing back at him silently before letting out a quiet chortle. “Well, Mr. Corsa, a promise is a promise. I suppose I might have to see what I can wrangle up for all of us.”

Eric smiled, turning back to Sarah. “Where is Trey?”

“He’s already wooing our best tech guys,” Nadia replied as she approached them from behind. Eric turned, watching as she, Tyler, and Alexandra neared. “You would not believe what that man is capable of doing with a computer.” Though Tyler and Nadia smiled as they held hands, Alexandra simply stared forward, almost as though she was trying to avoid eye contact with anyone who might gaze back.

“I’m sure we’ll believe it,” Eric said. “He’s a Picasso with a computer, making art that no one understands even though it wows us all.”

“You’ve got that right,” Tyler said. “He’s already patched us into satellite feeds over Little Rock, though he says there’s some disturbance—like a digital blanket draped over Little Rock. He said to give him a few days, maybe a week, and he’ll have us watching the men down south in real time.”

“And to think you almost turned them away,” Nadia said with a grin.

“You were the one who ordered us to turn people away,” Tyler replied with his own defiant smile. “I was just obeying my wife’s orders like any logical husband would do.”

“And while we appreciate your hospitality, we’re not here to accept favors. We can all pull our own weight.” Eric turned to Alexandra. “You doing okay, Alexandra?”

Alexandra’s eyes flickered up to him, a brief flash of pain flashing across them, before she nodded her head.

“I’m fine,” she said, lowering her eyes again.

“Good,” Eric replied hesitantly, his heart breaking for her. “It’s good to see you again.” Alexandra glanced up again, though she remained quiet.

“Alexandra’s fine,” Nadia said, glancing over at her sister before giving her a side hug. “We’ve got our best people looking after her.”

“Good to know,” Sarah said as she walked up to Eric’s side. “I’m just happy to see you again, Alexandra. We’re all happy to see you again.” Alexandra smiled briefly before the bleakness returned—like a ray of light that broke through a thunderhead for but an instant.

“So I guess we’re all here, standing around twiddlin’ our thumbs,” Elizabeth said. “What now?”

“Now,” Nadia began, glancing over at Tyler. “We show you your new home.”

They quickly piled into three waiting vehicles, ready to travel the short westward journey into town. They had been quarantined at the White County Medical Center, a sprawling hospital next to the interstate. Sarah sat beside Eric in the back while the others occupied the two vehicles behind them. Nadia was last to climb in, shaking her head as she entered the passenger’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Tyler asked.

“Alex,” Nadia replied. “She said she forgot a few things and ran back inside.”

“We can wait for her,” Eric said.

“I said that too, but she said she would walk to campus,” Nadia replied. “She said she needed time to think and clear her mind.”

“Is that safe?” Sarah asked, looking to Nadia. “The part about her walking alone.”

“It’s quite safe,” Nadia replied. “The main campus—where we live and near where you all will be staying in the inner housing district—is a straight shot down Race Street, the central road through town. She won’t be bothered and it’s only a two mile walk. I think she just needs some time alone and I do not blame her.”

“And you’re sure?” Sarah asked, looking at Eric. “I mean, I don’t want to question you, but you are positive it’s safe? I’d hate if—”

“The people at Fort Harding don’t put up with much nonsense, Sarah,” Nadia replied kindly. “After a bout of food thievery over the winter, we erected a pair of town-center stocks. Faced with a comfortable prison sentence behind bars, most anyone will try to push the limits of what they can get away with. However, when they’re looking at a humiliating hour shivering in the cold, naked as the day they were born, they think twice about their actions before they try something irrational.”

“And that worked?” Eric asked.

“No one wants to see Fort Harding become like Memphis, Little Rock, or likely a dozen other towns and cities around here,” Nadia said. “Everyone is willing to fight to keep us respectable and safe.”

“Sounds like you solved the problems with America’s judicial system,” Eric replied with a grin.

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Tyler began, “being that we’re probably the last group of fools flying the American flag.”

They pulled out of the medical center and onto Race Street, turning right before driving into town. They passed through one checkpoint that consisted of eight vehicles blocking the road—four of which were armored Humvees—and eight armed men standing guard. After introductions between Eric and the guards, they pulled through the checkpoint.

“How do you still have fuel?” Eric asked.

“You hear the engine rumble?” Tyler asked.

Eric paused, listening for a moment, though he heard nothing. “I don’t”

“Because there is no engine rumble,” Tyler replied. “They’re the new SAVs that came out a year or two before the fall. Quite a few of Fort Harding’s residents lived here when it was still Searcy. Since all the Solar Assisted Vehicles need to be connected to the Internet to change the biometric access codes, they were worthless to anyone but the owners, especially since the Internet is practically nonexistent. The problem with most transportation—or rather, the problem we’ve gathered from the information coming into town—is that most of the SAVs were being stripped of their solar panels and batteries by traders who couldn’t start the car. Lucky for us, we had twelve families here in town who had bought the new cars before things got out of hand last year. They were willing to donate what they had so we could get around quickly without using our fuel supplies.”

“But you do still have fuel?” Eric inquired.

Tyler nodded his head. “We had ten gas stations and a combined supply of roughly one hundred and fifty thousand gallons of gas and diesel.”

Eric whistled, surprised by how much they had. “You should be fine for a while with that much.”

“A while can be a long freaking time,” Tyler replied. “Especially when we’ve got a handful of half-tracks and a few dozen Humvees to fuel.”

“I heard about that,” Eric said. “How the hell did you get tanks here?”

“Long story,” Nadia replied. “They came to us when Little Rock first collapsed last year. We gave them food and shelter after a nasty fight they survived. In return, they gave us a couple hundred trained Guardsmen and enough weapons to make a Spartan blush.”

“We’ve stationed the Humvees at the checkpoints around town and have the three half-tracks guarding the main campus blockades,” Tyler said. “Needless to say, it might sound like a lot of fuel but you can burn through it quickly when you’re fueling our fleet. We keep the armored vehicles stationary and stick to the electrics as much as we can. Due to the SAV’s security codes, the original owners have to be the ones who start the car every time. In return for their help, we put them up near the main headquarters in the old American Heritage Building until we can find a work around the security firewalls.”

“I’d bet Trey might be able to help if you ask,” Eric replied.

“What do you think he’s doing as we speak?” Nadia replied with a smile. “As I said, Race Street is the main artery through town. We’ve set up checkpoints like that one back there at key locations to prevent outsiders from sneaking into town. A few weeks after the Guard arrived, we had quite the population from Little Rock try to infiltrate the town. We were selective at first—taking in doctors, police officers, and expert horticulturists—but we quickly were forced to bar the masses from entry. We had a few nasty engagements, but we bolstered our defenses to include multiple blockades into town and a network of a couple dozen checkpoints. We also implemented a strict no entry policy, regardless of who you were. That is, until my little sister’s friends came knocking on our door.”

“Doesn’t sound like you have much of an immigration policy,” Eric said.

“I’m an immigrant myself, Mr. Corsa,” Nadia replied, a hint of amusement in her voice. “At one point I was annoyed by how much Americans wanted to keep their lands for themselves. Now…well, I guess I’m the one turning away those looking for the better life.”

“The new world didn’t kick off without a sense of irony,” Tyler said, glancing over at Nadia. “We hope it’s not like this forever. We really want to bring in the tired and starving from the countryside; we just can’t risk it with the siege down south.”

“The siege?” Eric asked.

“There is a military occupation of North Little Rock sixty miles south from here,” Tyler said. “No definitive word about the troops in Jacksonville, though rumor has it they abandoned Arkansas and left for Texas last December. Speaking of which, Texas holds the entirety of Little Rock south of the river and someone else dug in on the north side. We half expected to hear about a battle by now. Instead, they’ve both apparently been in a waiting game.”

“What are they waiting for?”

“No idea,” Tyler replied as they turned off of Race Street into an old residential area. “We don’t even know who is on the north side. We just know the city has been taken and we haven’t had much luck getting anyone in for a closer look. We have a couple permanent scouts ten miles north of Little Rock to radio any problems, but even they can’t get a closer look without venturing into the city itself. We’re hoping Trey can help us out with intel before the problems brewing in Little Rock become the problems at our doorstep.”

“You expecting war?” Eric asked.

“We pray nothing happens, though we try to prepare for anything,” Tyler replied, motioning to a group of soldiers training on a field. “You’ve seen blockades to the north of town. We also have two more blockades that stretch the length of the interstate and a two story wall guarding the south side of town. Still, there are two armies down there and we know Texas wants what we have up here pretty badly. We can’t afford to take chances.”

Eric paused, looking out the window at the town. They were now passing through a larger gate into the old university campus. Soldiers stood guard, watching the three vehicles pass through as they nodded to Tyler. Inside the walls, children ran about playing as adults went about their work. Compared to the war-torn cities they had traveled through, Fort Harding was the difference between night and day.

“I wouldn’t mind taking a closer look at your fortifications,” Eric finally said.

“Is that so?” Nadia said with a grin, “I thought you weren’t staying.”

Eric paused, smiling at Nadia before looking over at Sarah. “A month or two ago, we ran through a battle where the big players were turning people against their will—somehow forcing them to charge gunfire with nothing but their hands. Two weeks ago I took a few rounds to the back while minding my own business at a camp fire. I didn’t even have time to think I was a dead man. The following day, I sat atop a building sniping men who had enslaved the last few people I care about.” Eric shook his head and let loose a subtle laugh, turning back to Nadia and Tyler. “Now, we’re riding through the heart of a small stronghold in central Arkansas while we discuss the history of this fortified refuge with its Greek mayor and her American husband. Ma’am, I have no idea what tomorrow will look like.”