Suddenly there was the sound of machinegun and cannon fire.

  “Whoa, the attack has started,” Derrick said. “Geez, are we that close?”

  “Keep your eyes on the road, we’re almost to Otter,” Pat said. “I’m texting the others to get ready with their blue tooth headsets.”

  “Who’s running the call?”

  “Whitaker,” Pat said. “Just texted with him. His choppers are taking off.”

  The rapid fire continued as Derrick made the left onto Otter, following it across the railroad tracks, onto a straight section, the glow of fire visible now on the far side of I-95.

  “Left on Western, right?” Derrick asked, seeing the sign.

  “Yeah, then a quick left on the first street, which is Old Rodger’s. That curves right and turns into Newport.”

  “That’s easy,” he said, glancing at Pat, who was putting on her Bluetooth headset. “Time?”

  “Make the turns first,” Pat said, getting on the call.

  “Who’s there?” asked Whitaker over the Bluetooth call.

  “Pat. Derrick will be on in a minute. Looks like Blake’s gunships have done some serious damage, we can see the fire glowing on the other side of I-95.”

  “Blake here, we’re almost done. They had some high explosives in some of those vans. They went up like crazy.”

  “Are you in one of the planes?” Pat asked.

  “Negative, I’m at my base control room, like Whitaker. Need to handle the ships.”

  “Bailey here. Get a load of them there fireballs!”

  “Blumenthal here, we’re almost to Newport, making a right from Prospect to Franklin.”

  “You guys are close,” Pat said. “We just got onto Newport.”

  “My guys are done, leaving the area,” Blake said. “Nice working with you. We’ll have to do this again soon.”

  “Hell yes,” Bailey said.

  “Apaches will be on the scene in less than five minutes,” Whitaker said.

  Derrick put his headset on and connected to the call.

  “Derrick’s on. We’re getting close. I can see the I-95 wall now.”

  “We’re almost to Newport too,” Blumenthal said. “Who’s going in first?”

  “I think you should let us Blockbusters get in front,” Rob said.

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” Hymie said. “Let’s pull over for them.”

  “Roger that,” Derrick said, pulling his Tahoe over the side, the three Blockbusters cruising past them. “How’s Gary handling that third Blockbuster?”

  “This thing is like driving a frigging boat,” Gary quipped. “Can’t wait to unleash some grenades. Kat is with me.”

  “You brought your daughter?” Bailey asked.

  “Hey, I’m old enough, and somebody has to man the machine gun,” she said.

  Hymie laughed. “Girl after my own heart. You got a boyfriend?”

  Gary chuckled. “Watch that or I’ll have to save some ammo.”

  “We see you guys,” Blumenthal said. “We’ll follow you.”

  “Were going straight in, right.?” Rob asked.

  “Yeah, but slowly until you can see what’s going on, we don’t know what to expect. Pretty sure the UN can’t drive away, but there might be hundreds of them still alive in the buildings.

  “I’m going under I-95 now,” Rob said. “Geez, lots of smoke in here.”

  “I’ll bet,” Whitaker said. “The choppers have visual. They’re seeing a lot of enemy fighters running around, looking for vehicles that are roadworthy.”

  “The choppers can already see that?” Bailey asked.

  “FLIR,” Whitaker said. “Makes body heat stick out like a sore thumb. The attack is starting.”

  The sound of explosions and machinegun fire filled the air as Rob drove onto the access road, stopping, watching enemy fighters running around in a panic as Apaches chased them down.

  “I’m gonna fire a bunch of grenades on these cretins,” Rob said.

  “Yeah, go for it, but don’t use them all,” Derrick said. “Might need you to help us blast our way out of here.”

  “Roger that.”

  Rob’s Blockbuster opened fire, sending a salvo of grenades into a large group of UN Peacekeepers between the two south buildings, Slate’s Blockbuster driving past him down the street, his armor pinging as it was hit with enemy fire.

  “I’m taking hits,” Slate said.

  “We’re parking, facing the exit,” Derrick said. “Look sharp, folks, and conserve grenades in those blockbusters.”

  “What are you guys gonna do first?” Blumenthal asked.

  “We’re gonna carry mortars past the two south buildings and set up,” Derrick said. “You guys should go on the other side.”

  “Good, we’ll break open the south buildings with the mortars, and our infantry will rush in and clean up what’s left,” Blumenthal said. “We’re gonna go along the creek, set up the M240s and M60s first, then lay down fire to take out the folks outside.”

  “Sounds good,” Derrick said.

  “Let’s go,” Pat said. “We got a lot to carry.”

  Derrick nodded, both of them getting out, Derrick grabbing an M240 and an M60, putting ammo belts around his neck. Hymie and Bailey were next to them in a second, Hymie carrying three mortars, Bailey lugging a crate filled with mortar rounds, both having M4s slung over their shoulders. They followed Derrick and Pat into the sparsely wooded ground between the first two buildings and I-95, behind the three blockbusters, who had gone silent for the moment, enemy fighters lying dead between the two south buildings.

  “The Blockbusters gonna move?” Bailey asked.

  “I think they should stay put for now, since they can’t drive where we’re going,” Pat said.

  “Heard that,” Rob said. “We should watch for more Peacekeepers coming between these buildings. You and Blumenthal’s fire will force more men through there.”

  “Yeah, heard you too,” Blumenthal said. “We got our mortars set up next to the creek. We can hit the back two south buildings from here, if you want to take the three north buildings.”

  “Perfect,” Hymie said. “Let’s hurry up, before they decide to rush us. What happened to the choppers?”

  “They’re waiting to see where you end up,” Whitaker said, “and they might be your ticket out of there.”

  “Good,” Blumenthal said. “Gonna let loose with mortar rounds. They’ll see us right away, so everybody on this side keep your heads down, and be ready to return fire.”

  “These damn mortar rounds are heavy,” Bailey quipped, huffing and puffing as they ran through the brush. “Good, we’re past the south buildings. Look at all those Peacekeepers. Wish we had more cover here.”

  “That’s what the M60 and M240 are for,” Derrick said. “I see a good spot, I’m setting up.” He stopped, getting down, setting up the M60 as Pat set up the M240 next to it, checking the ammo belts, Hymie going a little further, setting up the first of his three mortars as Bailey set down the mortar round crate, taking a handful of rounds and a mortar over to Derrick.

  “As soon as we fire, it’s gonna get hot around here, man,” Bailey quipped.

  Derrick nodded at him. “Remember that Blumenthal is about to fire, and those Apaches are watching.”

  There was a pop, and the building closest to the creek was hit, the explosion deafening, another pop going off a moment later, landing a round on the same building, men flooding out the doors, Blumenthal’s men opening fire with M240s, M60s, and M4s, a mortar round landing on the other south building, the heat of the blast washing over Derrick and his team.

  “Damn, it’s gonna get warm over here,” Hymie said, dropping the first round into his mortar, going for the furthest building to the northwest, falling shy of it, but blowing up in the midst of a group of Peacekeepers trying to fix a semi-truck.

  “Missed,” Derrick quipped.

  “You want to do a contest?” Hymie asked. Gunfire erupted, pinging the dirt around them. “Shit, watch it!”

  “Got them,” Pat said, opening fire with the M240, strafing the area, the Peacekeepers diving for cover, Bailey pulling the ring on a hand grenade and chucking it, not hitting the enemy but forcing them back. Hymie dropped another mortar round, hitting the building this time, blowing out windows, more men flooding out, and then they saw one of the Apaches approach, hitting the running men with its guns, Derrick ready now, dropping in a mortar round, which hit the building on the north east end of the complex dead center, windows blowing out, a door blowing open, men struggling to get out, Pat hitting them with machine gun fire before they got far.

  “You guys bring any of that Willie Peter?” Blumenthal asked.

  “Yeah,” Bailey said. “Not much, most of it is at the chopper base, why?”

  “Too many people rushing out of that north center building, and they’re rushing towards our position.”

  “Give me one,” Hymie said, adjusting his aim to go between the north and south buildings.

  Bailey rushed one over, enemy fire starting again, one shot just missing Bailey, who dived to the ground, Pat opening fire with the M240, pushing the enemy back.

  “C’mon, dammit,” Blumenthal said.

  “Sorry, got pinned down a second,” Bailey replied, handing the round to Hymie, who dropped it in, the area between the north and south buildings erupting into a sea of flames.

  “Perfect,” Blumenthal said, just as Derrick dropped another round in his mortar, hitting the center north building, which blew up big.

  “There were explosives in that building,” Blumenthal said. “No wonder those guys wanted to get the hell out of there.”

  “Damn, where are my marshmallows?” Bailey quipped, Pat shaking her head.

  The sound of the Blockbuster’s grenade launchers started again, explosions ripping through the area between the south buildings, machine gun fire starting up from that direction as well.

  “You guys okay in the Blockbusters?” Derrick asked.

  “We’re good, just stopping some dudes trying to escape,” Gary said. “This armor is holding up well.”

  “I got to waste some of these creeps with the machine gun,” Kat quipped.

  “We can’t knock the south buildings down with these mortar rounds,” Blumenthal said. “Maybe Willie Peter? Lots of men hiding in there.”

  “Give me another one, Bailey,” Hymie said.

  “Only got three more, you know.”

  “Use it,” Derrick said, firing another round into the northeast building, starting it on fire.

  “More men coming out of the northwest building,” Pat said. “You guys see that?”

  “We do,” Blumenthal said, shouting orders to his men.

  Machine gun fire ramped up on that side, the Blockbusters opening fire again too, and then Hymie’s willie peter round hit the southeast building through the broken roof, the flames incredible, coming out the holes in the roof and the windows and doors.

  “Nobody survived that, man,” Bailey said.

  “Oh, geez, look at the burning men run,” Pat said.

  “Don’t worry about them, worry about those guys rushing in our direction,” Derrick said as he dropped in another mortar round, hitting the northeast building again, the whole area lit bright with flames. Pat opened fire with the M240, knocking down the rushing Peacekeepers until her belt was gone, then grabbing the M60 and firing with that.

  “Two more of these things left,” Bailey said, holding up the willie peter rounds. “Want them?”

  “Yeah, let’s finish this,” Hymie said. “Southwest building is going up next. Might get a little hot around here.”

  “Do it,” Blumenthal said. “Then hold the mortar fire and we’ll go in.”

  Hymie dropped the round, placed well, the southwest building exploding in flames, only a few men making it out, looking like running torches.

  “We’re backing up the Blockbusters,” Rob said. “Too hot here.”

  “Yeah, do that,” Derrick said. “This is almost over.”

  “I don’t think we need any more mortar fire,” Blumenthal said. “We’ll go in and kill stragglers.”

  “We’ll pack up, then,” Hymie said.

  “Keep those Apaches around until we make our escape,” Derrick said.

  “Don’t worry, we’re up there watching,” Whitaker said.

  “C’mon, guys, let’s go in,” Blumenthal said. “Take any weapons that aren’t damaged.”

  Pat helped Derrick pack up the mortars, Bailey working with Hymie, then picking up the crate.

  “Good, this isn’t as heavy as it was.”

  “We going home, boss?” Hymie asked.

  “Let’s get the cars turned around, but wait a bit, to make sure Blumenthal doesn’t see anything we missed.”

  “Heard that, thanks,” Blumenthal said. “This was easier than I expected.”

  “Let’s hold that until we’re out of here,” Pat said.

  { 16 }

  Media Collusion

  E ve woke to the bed moving, Vasil getting up. “You’re awake already?”

  “I want to get back on the roach drones, in case the UN vans start this early.” He pulled on his clothes as Eve watched. “You don’t have to get up yet.”

  “No, you’re right,” Eve said, climbing out of bed. “What time is it?”

  “Just past 5:30.”

  “Oh. That’s not so bad, I used to get up that early when I was commuting.”

  “You lived outside the city?”

  Eve nodded, putting on a blouse. “When I was an intern. No way could I afford a safe part of Manhattan in those days.”

  “You interned for the Samson Corporation?”

  “No, another firm, not related to patent law. I got hired by Samson Corp after I passed the bar.”

  They left their room, heading downstairs to the lab, which was still deserted.

  “Surprised nobody’s here yet,” Eve said, sitting down at a terminal.

  “I’m here,” Tad said, walking in with a cup of coffee. “You guys didn’t get coffee?”

  “I’m nervous enough as it is,” Vasil said. “You still hooked up to the drones inside the garage?”

  “Yep, they’ve been standing by and recording,” he said, sitting in front of his terminal, sipping coffee. “Let’s see what’s going on now.” He logged on, accessing his lead Roach drone, looking at the video feed. “Deserted. I’ll check the history real fast.”

  “Let me do that, you watch,” Eve said. “What’s the number?”

  “698114,” Tad replied.

  “The spotters said one van every twelve minutes or so,” Vasil said, logging on. “Give or take. I’m going to drive some drones out towards the street. Maybe put some in the gutter.”

  Eve nodded, looking at the history feed for Tad’s lead drone, fast forwarding, seeing nothing until about 5:15. “There we go, van going into the door. Can’t see inside, but there’s light flooding out. Wow, the door closes fast, we’ll have to be quick.”

  “If this is what I think it is, the transmissions won’t get through to us,” Vasil said. “But we can record what we see. I’m expecting a lock.”

  “Like an air lock?” Tad asked.

  Vasil nodded. “Yeah, they can’t let signal get out. They’ll open the inside door as soon as the outside door is shut tight.”

  “Makes sense,” Eve said. “Nobody else after the 5:15 entry, which means they’re overdue.”

  “I’m next to the door,” Tad said.

  Laleh came in with Slash. “Oh, you guys are already going?”

  “Yeah, we’ve got a drone by the door,” Tad said, “and Eve is looking at history. One van there so far this morning.”

  “Should I work there?” Laleh asked, taking her seat.

  “Why don’t you get into the station by the main hub,” Vasil said, “so we can eliminate it.”

  “Or not,” Slash said. “I suspect they’ve got a trap there. They aren’t stupid, and they know we aren’t stupid.”

  “That’s a good point,” Tad said. “Huh oh, here comes a van. Door opening. Going in.”

  Eve came to look over his shoulder. “Yes, look, there’s the inside door, just like Vasil expected.”

  Vasil got up, rushing over, seeing the tires of the van roll in and stop. A moment later the signal was cut. “There it is. Knew it. They’ve probably got hundreds of Islamists down there.”

  “Maybe thousands,” Slash said. “Can our missiles get through that lead?”

  “I need to study the recording,” Vasil said. “Eve, can you pull it up for me, you’re already logged into that little bugger.”

  Eve nodded, going back to her station, running the history up to the point where the door opened, then going into very slow motion, Vasil watching. “There. Shall I stop or let it run?”

  “Let it run, then stop it,” Vasil said. He looked at the high-resolution picture. “Definitely a lock. Tad, get one ready to focus on the edge of the door when it opens, so I can get an idea of how thick the lead is.”

  “Already got number two queued up,” Tad said. “Lead melts at a low temperature, right?”

  “Yeah,” Vasil said. “Not sure the missiles will work well here, though. They’re best when they can fly into a building.”

  “How about M19 grenades?” Slash asked.

  “Those might be better, because we can fire a stream of them,” Vasil said. “I’ll have to do some study on this.”

  “We should use grenades to break down the doors, and fire the missiles inside when our bug drones can designate targets,” Slash said.

  “We might be sending blockbusters to their deaths there,” Eve said.

  Vasil glanced up at her. “Yes, that’s true, but this is war. I’m going to my desk in the lab to study this. Might be something we can do with the missiles on the Falcon drones. The structure holding the door might not be that strong.”

  “What if we had a Falcon ready for the next van to arrive? Slash asked. “Then they can fire missiles at the car after it gets inside. That’ll block their entrance.”

  “Hold that thought, and keep working out those types of concepts,” Vasil said, getting up. He rushed out of the room.

  “There’s a lot we can try here,” Tad said, “but as soon as we alert these guys that we’ve caught them, we need to be ready to deal with them.”

 

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