WAR (37 page)

“Roger Fish, thanks for the assist. We’re at supercruise (flying faster than the speed of sound without using the airplanes afterburner, saving fuel). Mach 1.3 armed to the max will launch BVR (Beyond Visual Range).”

“Make sure you call it.”

“Roger, Wilco.”

A few minutes later Fish hears, “Black arrow flight FOX THREE (Indicates launch of an active radar-guided missile, the AIM 120E) times six.” (Six air-to-air missiles fired).

Fish watches on his radar, FLIR and SLIR displays as the six air to air missiles fly at Mach 4 towards the French Eurofighters. It takes two minutes before the Eurofighters realize they are under attack. The American Raptors fire their missiles so the missiles fly low confusing the French fighter’s radar, when the missiles are under the Eurofighters they pop up attacking them from under the fighters. Three of the Eurofighters are blown out of the sky at the same time, the fourth is able to avoid the initial missile only to run into another, destroying it.

The AWACS plane informs the US fighters that the French are sending four more fighters from Montreal. The Raptors acknowledge and move to a position to attack the new fighters. “Black arrow flight be advised friendly flight on the way to Quebec and Montreal airports, I think fighter activity will end shortly. Black arrow flight be advised B2s have launched missiles against airports.

Over the three Quebec and Montreal civil and Air Force bases, cruise missiles fly low to avoid the airport’s approach radar, they line up on the runways, when they are 50 feet above the runways, they start releasing runway cratering munitions which burrow into the cement runway before exploding, destroying the runways and taxiways. Four fighters and a cargo plane lining up on the runways are destroyed before they take off. A second flight of cruise missiles arrives over the airports, these attack the fuel tanks and the repair hangers. All of the windows in the terminals shatter covering many of the passengers with small bits of broken glass. Passengers watch the destruction of the airports with minutes. Not a single USA life is lost in the attack. Passengers panic trying to leave the terminal for the safety of their cars and homes. People inside the terminals feel the heat from the burning fuel tanks. Within minutes of the attack thick, dense smoke covers the airports, from the burning fuel tanks, hangers and planes caught in the open.

The four Eurofighters, which managed to get airborne before the cruise missiles arrived are taken down by AMRAAM missiles fired from the Raptors.  Appearing over Toronto are eight US C17 cargo planes which start discharging paratroopers and their equipment. These are met on the ground by a squad of US Special Forces troops which cleared the paratrooper landing zones. The paratroopers’ job is to capture and hold the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Once the airport is secured, the USA begins flying in heavy equipment and troops to secure the city. While the initial troops are taking the Pearson Airport, a flight of USA B52 bombers is attacking Montreal’s and Quebec’s electrical grid, taking out the electrical power generating stations and clean water plants. Fuel tank farms outside each city are also bombed and destroyed. A USA developed cyber worm is inserted which blocks internet access and shuts down Quebec’s banking system. Without electrical power, people are stuck in elevators and parking garages, fuel, and fresh water stopped flowing, all of the lights in Quebec go out. The new country of Quebec comes to a complete stop. The USA bombs government buildings. Large LNG containers are bombed which explode similarly to small nuclear bombs. Military bases are destroyed by smart and cluster munitions.

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Inside the Pentagon’s war room, the CJS are reviewing a war plan against the LSA, General Watson reviews the goals, “My friends, our goal is to make the leaders of the LSA feel the pain, while at the same time, we’re to limit collateral damage to the civilian population. President Rand still hopes to be able to unify the country. It’s going to be very expensive to unite if we destroy the infrastructure, we’re going to have to repair it, your job is to find a way to hurt them without killing them.”

The war planners ask, “General, what weapons restrictions are we under?”

“No use of WMD unless used against us first, other than that, you’re weapons free.”

“Are we to assume the leadership is to be held for trial or just make them disappear?”

“NCA said they can disappear, quicker than a long drawn out public trial.”

Smiling, the staff replies, “Yes sir. We have a couple of scenarios we’d like to show you.”

“Colonel, what’s your estimate of the time line start to victory?”

“Sir, quickest is one week, longest is years depending on the insurgency.”

“Colonel, you think the LSA population could become an insurgency?”

“Sir, not the general population, but we have assigned an 85% probability that some of their DepLIES agents will become an insurgency.”

“Very interesting. I didn’t think they had the balls to fight us without their leadership. I considered them to be not much more than bullies.”

“Sir, we stand behind our assessment. We tried to warn the brass in Gulf War 2 about what we classified as a 95% probability of an insurgency, they decided not to listen to us, history shows we were correct.”

“I won’t make the same mistake this time. If your review shows the DepLIES may become an insurgent force then plan to take them out before they can cause us any harm down the road.”

“Gladly sir.”

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Jason and Sharon are enjoying a quiet time after the kids go to bed. Jason sips his beer, he turns on the television in the living room which he hopes will block their discussion from being listened to. He closes the front drapes and blinds so the cameras peering inside their home are blocked.  He says, “Honey, I’m worried. President Reid may have been a pervert, at least he set up the country as an equal socialist country, he got us all working, he brought jobs back to the country. President Bloomberg may have been a pompous ass, but he kept us safe and improved our lives. He finished what Reid started. I couldn’t stand to listen to Bloomberg, but I’ll give him credit for making us a much stronger and better country. President Booker is an asshole. He’s more concerned with trying to make up some imagined disrespect African-Americans suffered. He’s changing our laws, he’s changing the basis for getting a job. He’s changing too many things to provide advantages to one class of people, one race of people. Everything, we fought for and scarified for over the previous thirteen years, is at risk due to him. He’s continuing and expanding the war against the USA.”

Sharon says, “He’s made it much worse. I think he planned the murder of President Cruise. We both know what’s going to happen. President Rand is going to strike back and when he does it’s going to be the end of the LSA. We’ll be lucky if we and the kids live through it. Brownstone, damn his soul, nuked a bunch of terrorists, what’s Rand going to do to us for killing one of their Presidents?”

“Don’t forget they made an attempt against Brownstone too; which really scares me. He’s sitting in their damn White House advising Rand. I know he’s going to respond with force like we’ve never seen before. They can destroy all of us.”

“Jason, honey, should we pack up and leave? If we do, where would we go? We don’t know anyone in the USA any longer.”

“Sharon, yes we do. We could contact Bob and Carol.”

“Oh my God, you mean the Joneses? Do you think they would help us?”

“They seemed like really nice people, we have something in common, plus it might even work to their advantage. We contacting them could be used by Sean in his new position as a major PR win for the administration. I’m sure that if we reached out to Bob and Carol they would contact Sean or at least Wolf News, which would see the merit in helping us escape. It could be a major ratings win for Wolf. They’d use it against CNN and the other LSA broadcasters.”

“Jason, let’s follow your train of thought, if we contacted Bob and Carol, who contacts Wolf News, they might make an announcement which force CNN to contact President Booker for instructions. Booker would do everything possible to block us from leaving so he doesn’t look bad. I’m afraid us contacting Bob and Carol may backfire in our faces.”

“Sharon, what if Scott reaches out to Leon?”

“Honey, I want to think that over, it’s an interesting idea. The two boys being friends online; it happens all the time.”

“Sharon, let’s quietly prepare to leave, don’t say anything to anyone. Let’s figure out how we could leave if we have to. There has to be some kind of Underground Railroad for people to cross the border, there always is.”

“Who do we ask? We can’t search online, it would tip off the DepLIES, we can’t just ask anyone since anyone could be an informer for the DepLIES. How do we figure out who we can trust?”

“Honey, I don’t know. I don’t know who we can trust. I don’t think we can trust anyone. We’re going to have to figure this out by ourselves. I don’t think there’s anyone we can count on. We became too famous from the television program. If we ask people how to leave, it’s sure to be heard by the DepLIES who will stop at nothing to ensure we don’t leave, or arrange a believable accident to take our lives. Maybe a gas explosion at our home or a car accident. Maybe we’ll all get ill and be sent to a state hospital where we’ll disappear. We have to be very careful who we meet with or talk to once we make up our minds.”

“Jason, I’m scared, not for us, but for Scott and Sissy.”

“Which is why we have to be so careful in the next few days.” Turning off the television, the couple goes upstairs to bed. The local office of the DepLIES records the time when Jason and Sharon go to bed, no special notes are included in the files. Jason and Sharon toss and turn all evening worrying about their future.

Chapter 27

Acting President of the Russian Federation, General Marshal Avdotya picks up the red handset which connects him to the White House. The phone is answered on the first ring, “White House.”

“This is Russian General Marshal Aydotya calling for President Rand.”

“Yes sir, please hold one minute while we connect the President.”

President Rand and Brownstone are in the White House War Room under the House when the secure intercom buzzes, “Sir, sorry to interrupt, the Russian Marshal is on the Hot Line.”

“Put him through.”

“Hello, this is President Rand.”

“Hello, Mr. President, I am acting President of the Russian Federation, General Marshal Aydotya. I had hoped to be able to meet under different circumstances; I’m calling to discuss the current conditions between our two countries.”

“President Aydotya, thank you for calling. We too are very concerned about the situation between our two countries. You attacked and invaded us without cause.”

“Mr. President, we were responding to treaty obligations between us and the LSA. If I had a vote in the decision, I would have voted not to invade the USA. I didn’t have a vote or even a say in the invasion. President Grameniko reached an agreement with President Bloomberg. Since both are now gone, and it appears that a certain bunker under Moscow has been destroyed along with our civilian government, I’ve assumed the office of President until new elections are held. While I hold the office, I’d like to open discussions with you to bring the current state of war between us to an end.”

“President Rand we could make a claim for the destruction you did to our strategic systems, and to the real estate market of Moscow, or to the loss of our gross national product when you shut off electrical power and scared the hell out of our citizens. My limited estimate is you have cost the Russian Federation over $5 trillion. Which doesn’t cover the damages caused by our scared people running out of the cities. How do you respond?”

“Mr. President, shall we add up the costs related to your invasion? Or should we both first discuss how to pull back from the brink?”

“President Rand, yes, we want to pull back from the edge of World War 3. We do not desire war with you. I am sorry President Grameniko agreed to President Bloomberg’s demand we honor our treaty to invade your country. We, the Russian Federation military, did not want to invade. We knew the outcome would not be good for either of our countries. President Rand what do you propose?”

“President Avdotya, I suggest you announce you’re ending the treaty with the LSA. Your troops in Virginia have surrendered, we will provide medical treatment for your wounded, and we will provide them transport home. As soon as your troops in Las Vegas officially surrender, we’ll do the same for them. We won’t hold you or them responsible for the damage and loss of life they caused, in return you agree to not hold us responsible for the damage to the Russian Federation…”

“Mr. President, this is your suggestion? You have destroyed trillions of dollars worth of Russian systems and infrastructure, you have destroyed our economy and you offer to fly our troops home?”

“Please hear me out. We will also provide financial assistance to the Russian Federation in the amount of not less than $1trillion with a new treaty of no military action between our two countries. We will help you recover and also agree to extend our technological shield over the Russian Federation.”

“You pledge to defend us?”

“Yes, we’re offering to defend you against any attack you do not start and to retaliate against anyone who attacks the Russian Federation.”