Bug Out! Atlantic Book 6, page 9
“Peer to peer, huh?” Cary asked. “That was probably difficult to pull off.”
“It was,” Jared said. “The long range app requires at least an LTE connection, and it’s range is unlimited. You could see where the Islamists are half-way around the world, or right around the block. Let me know when the first phone is finished.”
Albena smiled. “Mayor Fine’s phone is almost done.”
“This goes quickly,” Penko said.
“Have the teams in other regions started using this yet?” Tracy asked.
“California got it today,” Jared said. “Texas not yet, but soon. The Southwest team has already used it a couple times. They had some rather disturbing things to say about the east coast.”
“Here’s yours, Mayor Fine,” Albena said, handing the phone to him. “I had to reboot it, so you’ll need to log back in.”
Mayor fine nodded, doing that, watching the phone come back up. As soon as it loaded, it buzzed in his hand. “Whoa, guess we have Islamists within half a mile.” He looked at the listing, then the map, showing the location. “Three blocks to the northeast, four hits.”
“Glad it’s only four,” Tracy said.
Penko and Albena continued loading the apps on the phones, everybody getting the same reaction with the short range apps after rebooting.
“Well, it doesn’t look like they’re moving around,” Dannon said. “They’re in the same spot as everybody else is showing so far.”
“Probably asleep,” Dempsey said. “Getting late.”
“It is,” Jared said. “How many more to load?”
“I’m on my last,” Penko said.
“And I’m done,” Albena said. “Guess I’ll load the PC version.”
“Good, thank you,” Jared said. “Who wants to try the long range app?”
“I’ll do it,” Mayor Fine said, tapping the new icon on his phone. It opened to a GPS map, and dots started to populate.
“You’re getting hits?” Jared asked.
“Some areas look like a blob,” Mayor Fine said, his eyes wide.
“Remember the screen size. You can do all the moving and pinching moves on the screen that you’d normally do to expand or contract the view.”
Mayor Fine nodded, using his fingers to zoom in on Manhattan. “Oh no, this can’t be right.”
“What are you seeing?” Tracy asked, getting up to look over his shoulder, backing up with her hand over her mouth.
“You knew how bad it would be,” Mayor Fine said, eyeing Jared.
“Yes, I looked. Bring up the PC app and display it to one of the big screens. It’ll give you a better idea, and it’ll give you totals too.”
“Just finished loading,” Albena said. “It’s only the long range app.”
“Yes, no need for the short-range app if you’re not on LTE,” Jared said.
The screen showed the map populated with dots. There was extremely heavy coverage on several parts of Manhattan, but the worst was Queens, the Bronx, and Long Island.
“Good Lord,” Chief Harvey said. “I thought we had enough people to fight them. We don’t.”
“You can’t fight them with your police force and win,” Jared said. “You can beat them with citizens. That must be your focus.”
“Why haven’t these forces attacked already?” Tracy asked.
“They’re waiting to get enough people for an unstoppable wave,” Jared said. “One other thing. We don’t think Saladin is being completely honest with the UN or the EU on how many people he has here. There’s a similar number of Islamist fighters in California, the Southwest, and Texas. Also lots in the upper Midwest, but they aren’t attacking anybody up there so far. Same with Canada.”
Mayor Fine sat down, in a daze. “How accurate are those totals?”
“Completely accurate,” Jared said.
Kate was looking at the screen, jotting down notes on a pad. “There are almost three million in the greater NYC area and Long Island.”
“And even after the nuke attack, there are nearly 40 million citizens,” Dannon said. “These folks are on our turf. We need to use that advantage.”
“We need the military to solve this,” Tracy said, looking faint.
“Can’t count on them,” Jared said, “except for the Airforce and Navy, and they won’t help that much with this.”
“How did they all get here?” Dempsey asked.
“We’re working on that problem,” Jared said. “Now that we have these apps, it’ll be much more difficult for them to bring more in.”
“Look, up there along the Canadian border,” Jace said. “Lots up there.”
“Yes, Canada is a key issue,” Jared said. “We’re working that, but it’s difficult. Most of the Canadian government trusts the UN. I’ve got to go. Any questions before I leave?”
“I’ve got one,” Dannon said. “How careful do we have to be with this? If we start raiding them everyplace, they’ll get wise.”
“For now, be as careful as you can,” Jared said. “We need to give the teams in the Southwest and California a little time. I’d concentrate on Manhattan at first, and plan your attacks based on capability the enemy thinks you have.”
“The drones in the subway,” Albena said.
“What about the roach drones?” Cary asked.
“The enemy doesn’t know about them,” Dannon said.
“True, but start using them as soon as you can anyway,” Jared said. “Got to go.”
He left the screen.
Everybody sat speechless for a moment. Finally Mayor Fine stood up. “Okay, this isn’t all bad. We knew we were infiltrated, and we were having a hard time finding the enemy. Now we know where the Islamists are. Things are better than they were”
Julio chuckled. “It’s a great capability, but the shocker is obviously the numbers we’re seeing.”
“Don’t lose hope,” Jace said. “We’ve got some good capabilities, and the citizens have impressed me. We’re not done. Not by a long shot.”
***
Airforce One sat on the tarmac at Missoula International Airport.
“It’s been hours,” Rose said, getting out of her seat, tired of looking out the plane’s window.
“Hey, I got to go to the restroom,” shouted Cleo, still handcuffed to the seat.
“Sorry, I don’t have the key,” Rose said.
“Big Jim has the damn key. Go get him.”
“He’s busy, trying to get us a ride out of here,” Rose said.
“He’s not too busy to unlock these cuffs.”
“Yeah, but he’s too busy to contend with you trying to gut him, Cleo.”
She stared at Rose with an intensity that scared her, then shrugged. “Oh hell, I wasn’t actually gonna gut him. I really need to go. It’s been hours. What’s taking so long for the ride, anyway?”
“I’m wondering the same thing,” Rose said, getting up, walking to the call room, trying the door, which was locked. Then she went to President Simpson’s office, rapping on the door.
“Yeah.”
Rose opened the door. “Cleo says she has to go to the bathroom. What’s going on? Why hasn’t anybody gotten here?”
He got up from behind his desk. “Jimmy got turned down by the people he was counting on, and now he’s trying some others. Should’ve been done by now. He still in the call room?”
“Yeah, thanks to Cleo’s yelling and screaming,” Rose said, shaking her head. “Why’d you hire her, anyway? She’s a damn savage, thinks Move was right, even now.”
Simpson shrugged, following Rose out the door. “Pandering, basically. I used to enjoy her. She can be charming and funny. You remember.”
“Yeah, she’s fine as long as you don’t have to work with her.”
“I can hear you,” Cleo shouted.
Simpson tried the door. “Dammit.”
“I told you it was locked.”
Simpson nodded. “Jimmy, open up, man.”
Silence.
“Something’s wrong,” Rose said, her hand going over her mouth. “He had a heart attack or something.”
Simpson slammed his shoulder into the door, breaking it down. Colosimo was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, a letter opener still clutched in his hand. Rose screamed.
“Jimmy,” Simpson said, shaking his head, tears running down his cheeks.
“Why’d he do it?” Rose asked through her sobs.
“Because he knows what we’re in for,” Simpson said. He walked to the body, squatting, reaching into his pockets, finding the keys to the cuffs, taking Colosimo’s Walther PPK from his other pocket and putting it in his own, then leaving the room.
“What happened?” Cleo asked.
“Jimmy killed himself with his letter opener,” Simpson said, unlocking her hand cuffs. “Behave or I’ll shoot you. I got Jimmy’s Walther.”
“You’re in no danger from me, Mr. President,” Cleo said, rushing down the hall to the restroom.
“What are we gonna do now?” Rose asked.
“Doesn’t really matter,” Simpson said. “They’ve got the plane surrounded. The pilot and co-pilot never came back. I’ve been watching. We didn’t get refueled, either. They’re not letting us go anyplace. They think it’s safer to leave us here for now than to rush in.”
Cleo was back in a moment, slowing to peek into the call room, then coming out, sitting down in a different seat. “What are we doing?”
“We were just talking about it,” Simpson said. “I’m going to leave the plane and let them arrest me. You two can do what you want.”
Rose walked away crying. Cleo shook her head. “It’s starting to sink in with her.”
“They might not execute her,” Simpson said. “You might get off with prison time too.”
“They won’t execute any of the administration.”
Simpson leaned forward in his seat. “Yes they will. I would. Maybe not everybody, but anybody who had decision making power which helped the enemy in any way.”
Rose came back out, drying her eyes. “I looked out the windows further back. There’s a line of police cars behind us.”
Simpson went to the front of the plane, opening the cockpit door, looking out, then coming back. “Line of cop cars in front too. I don’t see any reason to stick around here.”
He went for the door, opening it.
“Wait, I’m coming too,” Rose said. “Maybe you ought to dump the gun before we go down there.”
Simpson nodded, taking the gun out of his pocket, tossing it into the cockpit. “There.”
“You coming, Cleo?” Rose asked.
“I’ll be along,” she said. “What’s the rush?”
“C’mon,” Simpson said, walking out the door. As soon as he got on the steps, flood lights turned on.
“I can’t see,” Rose said.
“Hold the handrail and come down slowly,” Simpson said. He continued down, and they heard men running towards them, the sound of buckles against guns rattling.
“Oh God,” Rose said as they left the steps, the commandos on them in a flash, pushing them to the tarmac, cuffing their hands behind them.
“Sir, who is still in the plane?” asked one of the men.
“Robert Colosimo, dead in the call room of a self-inflicted stab wound, and Cleopatra Wilkes, still alive.”
“Are there any weapons in the plane, sir?”
“I tossed Colosimo’s Walther into the cockpit before I left the plane.”
“Wilkes is a former member of Move, Captain Richardson,” another man said. “I’d consider her armed and dangerous.”
“Rubbish,” Simpson said. Rose whimpered next to him as they were put in leg shackles.
“Send the team in,” Richardson said.
A team of six commandos rushed to the steps of the plane, their weapons out, and Cleo appeared, firing a shot from the Walther, clipping one of the men. She came down several more steps as the commandos fired, her body rolling down, slumping at the bottom of the steps.
“The bitch did that on purpose, to stir up race problems,” Richardson said.
“Have some respect, that was the Secretary of State,” Simpson said.
“After the millions of Americans you killed, you worthless trash?” Richardson asked, turning to his men. “Pick this baggage and the crybaby up and throw them in the wagon. Let’s move now. Then go help the others process the plane. Secure all documents and computers.”
“Yes sir,” answered one of the men. They picked up Simpson and Rose by their chains and rushed them to the waiting armored wagon, tossing them in the back, shutting both the doors. Richardson got into the cab on the passenger side, and the wagon rolled away.
***
Charles was sitting in a wing-back chair in the suite, Maggie coming out of the bedroom, dressed up.
“Something going on?” Charles asked her.
“We’ve got that call coming up, remember?”
He sighed. “Must we?”
She smiled, shaking her head. “We both can’t be that way. I’ll start the video system.” She walked to the console, flipping the power switch.
“Guess I should put on a decent shirt.” Charles got out of the chair, going into the bedroom. The system was up by the time he got back. “Nobody on yet?”
“Lance usually tries to get on early,” Maggie said, turning towards him. “Nobody yet.”
The system beeped, Daan joining. “What? I’m the first?”
Charles smiled at him. “Well, you are this time. How are you?”
“I’ve been better,” he said. “We’ve had too many setbacks. You saw what happened in Boston with our checkpoints.”
Charles nodded. “So much for the rough stuff.”
“Too early to tell if that was the issue.”
Maggie burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, I hope.”
The system beeped again, Lance showing up, then Jean.
“Hey, everybody,” Lance said. “Are we having fun yet?”
Jean snickered. “Well at least you didn’t call me poodle.”
“Give me time.”
Charles chuckled. “Who else is coming?”
“Mateo and Saladin,” Daan said.
“Well that’s enough to brighten everybody’s day,” Lance quipped.
“We aren’t going to have a contentious meeting again, I hope,” Daan said.
“I’ll behave,” Lance said, as Saladin and Mateo appeared.
“Ah, now we have a quorum,” Daan said.
“Is this going to take long?” Saladin asked. “I’m busy.”
“Yes, you’ve been busy all right,” Daan said. “You’ve moved forces into the New York City area way ahead of schedule. I saw them in your command system. What are you planning?”
“I’m merely setting up,” Saladin said. “I won’t attack without coordinating it, believe me.”
Mateo looked concerned. “How many people do you have there?”
Saladin rolled his eyes. “A large force. Do we really want to go into that level of detail here?”
“He’s got nearly three million men in the area,” Daan said. “You’ve done this too fast. You’ll risk losing them if you go before we are ready.”
“There’s a sensitive re-supply of UN Headquarters set for tomorrow at noon,” Mateo said. “Do not do anything before that.”
“I don’t take orders from you, Mateo.”
Daan shook his head. “No, but you take orders from me. UN Headquarters is almost out of water. We will resupply them. If you interfere you won’t like what I do.”
“Why not abandon the site?” Saladin asked. “It’s of no strategic value.”
“There are records we must protect there,” Mateo said. “You know this.”
Saladin chuckled. “The victor will not be punished by those they defeat.”
“That attitude will doom us all,” Lance said. “We will still have a set of international laws going forward, and it does matter what the world knows about this operation.”
“He’s right about that, Saladin,” Daan said. “We have to get commerce going again. You know this. We’ll have a one-world government, but it won’t be a totalitarian nightmare where we can do whatever we want with no resistance. If we try that, we’ll all be slaughtered, and this operation will have been wasted. We’ll end up with a worse situation than we started with.”
“All right, I get it,” Saladin said. “As I said, I will coordinate any attack on the New York City area.”
Daan sighed. “Good, just so we all understand that. Anything new about President Simpson?”
“We were hoping you could tell us,” Charles said.
“He landed in Missoula,” Lance said. “I broke into their video surveillance system. Airforce One is still sitting on the tarmac.”
“He’ll be arrested,” Maggie said.
Daan nodded. “I agree. Should we field a team to clean them up?”
Saladin burst out laughing. “You think I’m the crazy one?”
“Whoa, something’s happening,” Lance said. “Simpson and his Chief of Staff just came down the steps. There are commandos on them, cuffing them.”
“Well, at least they weren’t shot on sight,” Jean said.
“I’ll try to share this to you guys,” Lance said.
“Don’t bother on my account,” Daan said. “Makes no difference.”
“Are you going to hit them?” Saladin asked. “All kidding on the side.”
“No,” Daan said. “Wouldn’t be worth it. That would tell the authorities more than Simpson will.”
“I agree,” Charles said.
Mateo shook his head. “Not sure I agree, but I’ll defer to the group.”
“Ouch, the commandos just killed a woman on the steps,” Lance said. “She fired a pistol at them.”
“What did she look like?” Daan asked.
“Old black woman… I know who it is. The Secretary of State. Used to be a thug in the Move organization.”
“I’ve got to go, getting a call from the EU high command,” Daan said. “They probably already heard that Simpson got captured. We’ll talk again soon.”
