The Lucifer Crusade (6 page)

"To the Crown!" Heath joined in.

"Cheers," Hunter said, "I guess."

All three men knocked back the giri in one motion, then sat down.

"Yes, major, we were very interested in getting in touch with you when we heard you'd landed at Casablanca," Sir Neil said. "You're a brave man cavorting about North Africa with a billion-dollar price tag on your head."

"I'm going after the man you've come to know as Lucifer," Hunter told him, quickly retelling the story of the Circle War and Viktor/Lucifer's hand in it.

"He succeeded in disrupting our rebuilding efforts back in America, and he did it with a lot of Soviet help. I'm tracking him down to make sure he doesn't get away with it."

"Well, I'm sure my officers have told you that Mister Lucifer is rather . . .

preoccupied now," Sir Neil said.

"So I've heard," Hunter replied. "But I can't let that stop me."

"And it shouldn't!" Sir Neil said enthusiastically. He gave a conspiratorial look to Heath. "In fact, major, I think our goals are similar. We too want to stop Lucifer before he re-ignites this never-ending war again."

Hunter wished the Englishman would get to the

point.

"We would like to offer you a proposition, major," Sir Neil said, refilling their glasses. "A 'consulting'

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job, you might say."

Hunter held up his hand and said politely: "As I told Captain Heath, I'm not looking for a job. I am on a mission-technically speaking, for the Pacific American Air Corps-to apprehend Lucifer. I know the dangers involved. It's almost like trying to kidnap Hitler, I suppose. But this is what I'm here for.

I feel I have to work alone on it."

Sir Neil thought a moment, then said, "Once again, major, I must say that I admire your courage. Lucifer has committed a huge crime against America in starting that Circle War, and obviously you Yanks,, want to make him pay. To that I say, 'Here! Here!'

"But you must be realistic, major. We are on the brink of a major war here too. One that will affect America as much as it affects us here in the Med. In fact, it will likely affect the entire world as much as the Big One did.

"You see, when we say that World War Three never really ended, it's not just a matter of historical note. We never signed any armistice agreement with The New Order, and in our opinion, neither did you Yanks. You were betrayed, pure and simple. And that stopped the major fighting. But the war-its causes, its aims, its effects -did not end when your traitor Vice-President signed away your country. It provided a lull, major. A satisfying lull for the Reds, as they were so beaten -and still are -they could barely lift a finger to pull a trigger.

"But look at what they did do. Weakened as they were, they still gambled and brought the battle to you back in America. Sure, they were using Lucifer in order to disrupt your rebuilding efforts. But don't you see? Mr. Lucifer was also using them. He's a war profiteer of the highest, ugliest order. "It is not the first time in history, major, that a

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war has started and had its direction, its motives, its eventual winners and losers change midstream. We British are maybe more sensitive to it than you Americans, because our history is longer and, I'm almost ashamed to say, more militant. Centuries ago, we fought wars that went on for years -decades-even more than a hundred years. These wars were a constant shifting of alliances, with many prolonged lulls in actual battles too, I might add. "Things are no different here, major. Yes, World War Three started when the Soviets gassed Western Europe. Yes, huge battles were fought around the world, battles that NATO and the democracies won. And, yes, your Vice-President was a traitor and he signed America off. But that did not end the war, Hunter. In fact, you could look at your Circle War as just one more campaign of World War Three."

Hunter knew Heath had been right when he said his commanding officer could be very persuasive. The Wingman had never thought of The Circle War as being anything more than just that -a war for the American continent, just like the Battle for Football City. But putting it in the larger context of a continuation of World War III made some sense. It also served to light yet another fire deep down inside Hunter. Simply put: if World War III was not yet over, then the United States didn't really lose. Not yet, anyway.

"You see, major," Heath said. "Those countries and states left in Western Europe are just now beginning to recognize the evil and destructiveness this Lucifer represents .-No one had even heard about him until a few months ago.

But obviously he's been planning this war all along, even while he was devastating your country. "Only now are the Western Europeans in the 54

process of raising armies. But it's not like the old days, when governments could issue a draft or call-up. Much of Europe now is similar to the feudal societies that prevailed hundreds of years ago. Not the strictly lord-over-peasant rubbish. But in most cases, the people work for the person who owns the land they live on or the factory they work in. Remember, while a good part of Western Europe's population was killed in the Soviets' gas attack, many of the buildings and factories were left standing. Indeed, that was the Russians' aim! Kill the people but preserve the industry, the very spoils of, war.

"Now some of those factories are back up and working. And the workers owe allegiance to the factory owner or whoever. It is these rather wealthy people who are raising their armies to try and stop Lucifer. They are known by the rather grandiose name of The Modern Knights.

"But you see, Hunter, we were already in place here. When the specter of Lucifer rose, The Modern Knights contacted us and asked for one thing: time.

Time for them to raise, equip, train, and -most important-move their armies.

We immediately saw their point and, knowing full well the critical situation, we agreed. Now they have agreed to fund our operation -with certain qualifications, that is."

Sir Neil poured out three more drinks. Gradually, Hunter was becoming fascinated by this contemporary history lesson. Still, he had no desire to be caught up in anything which would steer him away from his very personal goal: the pursuit of Viktor.

Sir Neil lifted his glass in another toast, but this was confined to a quick and unelaborate "Cheers" before the man drained the shot. Hunter and Heath did likewise.

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"We have a plan, Major Hunter," Sir Neil continued. "One that could thwart a large part of Lucifer's war-making sickness. One that could strike a preemptive blow and delay this new phase of the war long enough for The Modern Knights to move their armies. But it is a bold plan. One that needs all the help we can muster. This is why, when we heard you were in the area, we wanted to contact you, major." Hunter once again began to speak up. "I find this all very interesting, but - "

Sir Neil raise his hand. "Please, major, let me at least tell you of our plan.

I think you'll see that our cause and your goal are one in the same."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "Our idea is to strike quicker than Lucifer. Seize and hold a very important strategic point just a few days before The Modern Knights and their armies arrive."

"Where is this strategic point?" Hunter asked. Sir Neil looked at Heath, then back at Hunter. He was heartened that the American was showing some interest.

"You realize, major, that this is all very, very hush-hush."

Hunter nodded. "Of course." "And that if we bring you into our confidence you will become one of only about twenty individuals who know our intentions."

"Yes, I understand," Hunter said. His curiosity - or was it the gin? -was getting the best of him. Once again, Sir Neil smiled broadly. "Okay, Major," Sir Neil said, rising and pulling down a map on the wall behind his desk. It showed the entire Middle East and Africa region in detail. "Let me preface this by saying that the majority of Lucifer's forces -The Legion, he calls them -are concentrated in what used to be called Saudi Arabia.

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That country was hit pretty hard during the first clashes of the Big War, and not just by neutron bombs either. The government was wiped out, and so was most of their oil production facilities. All that was left was their land, and Lucifer took it.

"He recruited many radical religious freaks, terrorists-and, of course, mercenaries. There are close to one million men in all. For the past year, they have been training in his new Arabian Kingdom for the Holy War against the democracies. And, by the way, that Kingdom includes the Persian Gulf."

"And all that oil?" Hunter asked.

"Yes," Sir Neil nodded. "All that oil."

Hunter let out a long, low whistle. One thing that stayed constant in the New Order world was the axiom "Oil is power."

Sir Neil continued. "What makes this all the more dangerous for us is the number of allies Lucifer has bought throughout the Med itself. His confederates are operating all over. His tentacles are everywhere.

"But in all this disputed area, there is one point that has yet been claimed.

One very important strategic position. The army that holds it will in fact control the flow of the war to come. And the race will soon be on. Our plan is to seize this strategic point. Our intelligence agents tell us that Lucifer covets it too."

Hunter studied the map. Using the little information Sir Neil had told him, he had already guessed where the all-important strategic point was.

"The Suez Canal," he said.

Sir Neil clapped his hands. "Right on! Major," he said with obvious glee.

"Suez. He who controls it can tighten or loosen the screws as he wishes. He can move his army through the canal and he's assured of his oil supply once he breaks out into the

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Med."

Hunter thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you know just what it is that Lucifer wants?"

Sir Neil shook his head. "A good question," he said. "We've asked it ourselves many times. The answer apparently has to do with what exactly Lucifer's deep-down intentions are. Here is a man using the name of the Devil himself.

He's not building an army as much as he is building a cult. He is attracting the most radical religious elements in the region to continue to fight this war. They are, for the most part, a rabble. Armed fanatics, just as you explained the Circle Armies were. The only difference is they receive extensive training in terrorist tactics. But there are certain limitations one must address when you have men in arms in quantity, but not quality."

"Just like back in America," Hunter said. "He never really believed that he could take us over per se. He was happy enough just keeping us destabilized."

"Exactly, major," Sir Neil said. "It's all part of the same plan. Keep the whole world off balance. Until someone-be it the Russians, or some entity even more evil -can rise up and take over. Lucifer is more than just a Soviet agent. He is a master terrorist. He does what he does purely for the terror of it."

Hunter's head was spinning, and now he couldn't blame it entirely on the gin.

It seemed as if the world had become Lucifer's deadly playground.

"The man is a monumental egomaniac," Hunter said. "And he has to be stopped.

But wouldn't it be easier just to track him down? After all, that's what I'm here for."

Sir Neil shook his head grimly. "There are two problems with that approach, old boy," he said.

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"First, we know though our intelligence agents that Lucifer has an extremely elaborate chain of command, manned by Soviets or Soviet puppets and designed, no doubt, in Moscow. It's a highly intricate system and is quite the opposite of the rabble he calls his army.

"The central purpose of this command is not to win battles or even the coming war-although this is high on their list, of course. No, their major aim, we have learned, is to continue the fight even if Lucifer is killed or captured.

They are expert propagandists. They are well-prepared to make their leader/ a religious martyr if they have to.

"In fact, it wouldn't be beyond them in the least to fake Lucifer's death at just the right time. Look at your own experience back in America. You said there was a point where you and many others thought Viktor might be dead. And what happened? Only the veterans in his army were dissuaded from fighting. The brainwashed young soldiers fought on."

"That's true," Hunter agreed. "We know he was putting 'feel-good' drugs into their chow."

"Exactly!" Heath said. "The difference here is that the drugs have been replaced by the traditional religious fanaticism of the region. He doesn't have to dope these soldiers."

"The second problem is finding Lucifer if we wanted to," Sir Neil said. "His command headquarters is continually on the move. They have many secret locations in southern Saudi Arabia -a place so desolate even the old Saudis called it Rub al Khali or 'The Empty Quarter.' But he does have several major seaport bases on the Red Sea."

Sir Neil quickly splashed out three more drinks. This time the formality of toasting was dispensed

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with; all there men drained their glasses simultaneously.

The British commander continued. "Lucifer is also very well guarded. It would be very hard for a single assassin to find him and get close enough to him.

Even if that assassin is flying an F-16."

Hunter thought for a moment. The situation was so bizarre, it took a minute to sink in. Finally he said, "I'm still not so sure that I can give up what I came over here for. But I have to admit I'm fascinated."

He saw Neil and Heath exchange winks.

"Okay, so what is your plan?" the pilot asked. "How do you intend to seize the Suez Canal?"

Sir Neil smiled once again: "We thought you'd never ask . . ."

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"Do you really think Hunter could have made it out of this place?" Elvis, the Weapons Systems Officer, asked.

Captain Crunch O'Malley shook his head. "This one might even have been beyond Hunter."

Standing on the wing of their lopsided, stuck-in-the-mud F-4 Phantom, the two pilots were looking out on the astonishing mass of humanity that covered the Casablanca airport. The nervous air evacuation to South America of forty-eight hours before had turned into utter chaos.