Blue Plague: Decisions, page 40
“Well if your hands were over your ears you wouldn’t have heard that,” Stephanie said, glancing over her shoulder at Jake. Mumbling, Jake just typed away on his computer. “By the way, your new firewall is excellent; it took me almost an hour to hack it,” she said, turning back to Bruce and winking.
Jake took a sharp breath in shock. “There is no way you could have … the network would have notified me,” he finally managed to squeak out.
“Oh it tried to, but I intercepted the message. If you look in the garbage file I left you a message to prove it,” she told him. Jake stood up, mumbling. “Don’t worry Jake, the only way I could do it was hacking directly into your Oz network in the building you and Matt built. Since no one can get that close to it we don’t have to worry,” she told him.
“That’s cheating!” he shouted.
“Five minutes,” one of the camera crew said.
“Of course it is,” Stephanie said and kissed Bruce on the head, followed by Angela. “We’re going to watch it with the kids,” she said, walking out with Angela following. Both of them tried not to laugh but Stephanie couldn’t stop her little snorts of mirth.
When they were gone, Jake looked at his dad. “Sometimes I don’t like them very much,” he told Bruce.
“I’m not going to argue that point, but I’ve grown kinda fond of them,” Bruce said as the camera crew finished setting up the mic. One of them began counting down, then pointed at Bruce as the light came on over the camera, almost blinding him.
“Good morning, clan, if I’m squinting a lot, I’m sorry. I have a camera crew trying to blind me with a spotlight,” Bruce said, and they turned it down. “I have a lot of information to give out today so let me get to it. First, this is how the weekly meetings will be given from now on. We are getting too big for one of the command group to go around and bring everyone up to date. In each mess hall and the Center we have people there that can send some questions to me, but I can only answer so many. Boxes will be placed in the mess halls around the base for questions, and if you need to have one addressed quickly, talk to the leader that you elected for your barrack,” Bruce said, then picked up his papers.
“First, we have some bad information and some real bad information. Keeping true to the clan’s mission, we don’t hold back anything from the clan,” Bruce said. Then he took a deep breath. “It has been confirmed that the government is going to attack us this winter. We hacked into the government site and recorded it and we are going to play it for you. The clan has a member of the upper echelon on our side that informed us of this. On the recording, Jake has put the name and position of each person at this meeting. Now listen to it for yourself,” Bruce said, and Jake played the recording. The screens behind the camera crew came on, showing the mess halls and Community Center where the clan was gathered. Bruce was happy to see the entire clan get pissed-off looks as they listened to the meeting.
When the recording ended, the camera cut back to Bruce. “As you can see, they aren’t very nice. They want to take what we have built and use it to subject oppression over the land. Let me make this perfectly clear. We will fight them when they come!” he yelled, and watched the monitors erupt in cheers as people jumped up and began clapping. When the cheering stopped, everyone sat back down to listen to the rest of the broadcast. Bruce started again.
“I have made it known that I do not want to kill American troops, but if they threaten this clan I will. Each of you took an oath when you joined us to fight any threat to the clan, and this is a threat. After the broadcast, Jake has footage of Homeland executing people at this government compound. Before we let that happen here, I’ll be dead,” Bruce said, and the monitors erupted in cheers again. When the cheering stopped, Bruce continued.
“I wish that was all, but I’m sorry, it’s not. Moving into Georgia now is the super horde that y’all have heard about on the news broadcast. It was estimated at twenty million but that was low. Current estimates put it at thirty-three million. We are going to attack it,” Bruce said, and on the monitors he saw the clan’s shocked faces. “We have no choice in this matter; they will find us. But right now they are wiping out survivors on an alarming scale. Jake is going to play the video of our surveillance as I narrate.”
The broadcast started. Jake showed slides and video of the horde and the desolation it left in its wake. Many watching the video of the group that was overrun started crying. Then a slide came up showing the horde’s projected path right at the base. Small dots indicating bands of survivors showed up in its path. Bruce explained that they didn’t know if these were genuine survivors or gangs because they had only just located them and had not done surveillance yet.
When the last slide finished, the camera cut back to Bruce, who stood up. “Clan, we can’t let that many survivors die. It is going to take a lot more of us to rebuild America. Any that join will have to take the same oath we all did here. Your word is your bond. The attack will be risky, but if we can pull it off we can wipe out the horde without getting too close. Omega and Gamma will attack the leading edge and lead the horde to the base. From the safety of these walls, we will engage them and wipe them out. Now I didn’t come to this conclusion lightly, but know this: that horde will find us but probably not until spring. If we’re still fighting the government then, that’s a war on two fronts, which we don’t want. Many of you were here during the construction of the outer wall and know it was built to hold off an attack of fifty million.”
“To be honest, I didn’t think a horde would ever get that big, but I have come to realize I was wrong. Leave it to the blues to fuck up a good plan,” Bruce said, and many on the monitors nodded in agreement. “This horde can very easily get to that mark if those in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama join in with them. That is why I’m leading them here before they get any bigger. We are too big a target to hide, and to be honest, we don’t want to hide. It would defeat our purpose: to save America and rebuild it,” he told them.
“But we aren’t going to die doing it. Some of us may, but not all. Our mission and goal is more important than any one person here, me included. Look at the kids around you and remember the sixty new births we’ve had since we started New Hope. If we don’t complete this goal, those children have no future. All they will ever know is that they must hide, and they will always be afraid of the infected and those that thrive on tyranny, cruelty, and oppression. I know the men and women here refuse to allow that because they took the oath the same as me. I have been asked many times how long this war will last, and all I can say is, until it ends,” Bruce said, putting his hands on his hips and looking at the monitor.
“What I can say is this. I will lead and fight with you until it ends, or I will die and someone will take my place until it ends,” Bruce shouted as the clan stood up, roaring, ready for battle, one and all.
Chapter 27
That same afternoon, with the IPhone in hand, Walker went looking for the general. He had already been in one tent getting ready to listen to the noon news, or rather, acting like it. Earlier that day, he’d been through several and had seen what Bruce was talking about.
Opening the doors in the command center, he saw the general at the table looking at pictures. “General, we need to talk,” Walker said, knowing this area was monitored.
“Hey Colonel, how about that news broadcast, huh?” Givens said, looking up.
“Yes sir, but can you come with me please? It’s urgent,” Walker asked with a feigned worried expression.
“Sure Colonel,” Givens said, getting up and following Walker outside.
When they were out of earshot of anyone else, Walker turned to Givens. “Sir, we have big problems.”
“What is it?” the general asked gruffly.
“Sir, I was walking amongst the troops to boost morale. I borrowed an IPhone from one of the captains to listen to the radio broadcast. When I walked into one of the tents, I intercepted a video feed. Homeland is having all the troops monitored,” Walker told him.
Givens let out a puff of air. “That’s not that bad, Colonel.”
“Sir, if they’re monitoring them in their tents, they can be doing the same with us in our quarters,” Walker pressed.
“I’m pissed, yeah, but we don’t have anything to hide,” Givens said, wrinkling his brow in confusion.
“Sir, they can monitor our movements. If they can do that, they can take us out at their leisure.”
Givens’ shoulders stiffened as realization sunk in. “Let’s take that thing around our rooms,” he said.
“I’ve walked around the outside of the officer quarters and couldn’t find any signals, but in the command center I was getting static. They may be broadcasting on a different frequency,” Walker told him.
“How should we handle this?” Givens asked.
Walker smiled on the inside. “Sir, if one of the troops finds out they have been observed in their own areas, think how bad that will be for morale. To be honest, I don’t want those assholes to know where I’m at or be able to figure out my routines, whether it be taking a dump or going to sleep. They may have to be escorted around when they come in the command center, but if they know we’re sleeping, one of them can sneak in and give us a shot of something, making it look like we died in our sleep.”
Color drained from Givens’ face, making Walker very suspicious. “Get a detachment of troops to the command area and tell Denis to bring his top boys and some of the President’s aides,” Givens ordered. Walker nodded. “Make sure you have your pistol, Colonel,” Givens said, striding quickly back to the command building.
Moving off at a fast walk, Walker grabbed a platoon of soldiers and put them on the other side of the command area. Then he had two officers go after the Homeland director. After they left, he found the general in the hallway outside of Mission Control. “It’s done, sir,” he said.
“Thank you, Gene,” Givens said. “You think Homeland was monitoring the President also?” he asked.
Walker didn’t think they would be that stupid, and Bruce had never said they had cameras in there, but one never knew. “I don’t think so, sir, but I wouldn’t be surprised,” he answered.
“Well come on and be ready to call the troops if this goes south,” Givens told him.
“Yes sir,” Walker replied, following him into the command area. On the main monitor the UAV still circled Base Hope in Louisiana. Ten minutes later, Denis and four others walked in with five Homeland officers all carrying submachine guns.
“What the hell is the meaning of this, Terry!” Denis yelled out.
“We’re waiting for one of the President’s aides, Denis, so please sit,” Givens told him.
“You can’t make me do shit,” Denis blustered as his officers flanked him.
“Denis, right outside those doors are over a hundred of my troops. If any of your boys so much as lifts a finger at me they will come in here, and three companies of my troops are going to move into your compound and kill every man, woman, and child,” Givens told him, sitting down.
“You can’t do that,” the Homeland officer told Givens, sweat beginning to bead across his forehead.
“You’re spying on my troops and in here. You’re getting information that you don’t need,” Givens said as the door busted open and the President walked in with his security and aides.
“Hands off weapons now,” one of the agents yelled out. “Any hand on a weapon will be viewed as a threat against the President,” he finished, and the Homeland officers raised up their hands.
The President sat down at the table and looked at Givens. “Terry, I hope you have a good reason for this. Denis said you were trying to take over,” he said.
“Quite the contrary sir, I found monitoring equipment in my troop’s tents and in here. I’m currently looking for more. I feel that the upper element of Homeland is preparing to take over, sir, or at least gather dirt on those of us at the top,” Givens said, looking at the President gravely.
The President looked at Denis. “If you have put any equipment in my area I’ll have you shot in minutes,” he told him.
“Of course not, sir,” Denis replied wanly.
“We’ll know shortly, sir. I have some men in their surveillance trailer going through their computers,” Givens told him.
“You can’t do that!” Denis yelled out.
“Denis, if they find so much as a picture of the living room of my quarters on those computers, you along with every other member of the Homeland upper staff will be shot,” the President told him.
“Sir, I was just placed in control, I have no idea what was done before my appointment,” Denis replied, sweating profusely.
“That won’t work. Your upper staff better start praying that they don’t find any or it’s nite nite time,” the President said. Then one of the upper staff that had walked in with Denis stepped forward.
“Mr. President, there was a camera in your bedroom but it was removed three months ago,” he told him.
“Thank you, ah … what’s your name?” the President asked.
“Milton, sir,” he replied.
“Thank you, Milton, you are now the director. Agents, please take the others out and shoot them,” the President ordered.
Denis reached toward the small of his back and was shot down by two Secret Service agents. The other SS agents opened up on the three officers who’d come in with Denis. Milton dropped to the floor when the gunfire started, as did everyone else. The President just sat and watched. “I don’t need another J. Edgar Hoover,” the President said, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears.
The general and colonel got up off the floor, brushed themselves off and took seats at the table. “Mr. President, what do you want my troops to do with their monitoring trailer?” Givens asked.
“Don’t let anyone near it. I will get one of my guys to go through it. Until then, just keep it locked up. And Milton, if there are any copies I strongly suggest you make sure they are destroyed,” the President warned him. Looking at the general, he said, “Terry, you better make sure you don’t have any seditious troops.”
Walker stood up. “Mr. President, that is what the NCOs are for and why I do my morning walk through at the general’s request. To make sure the men know we have their best interests at heart. The use of electronics does not convey trust and improve the mood of the troops,” he said.
“Damn, that’s smart, Terry,” the President said admiringly as the bodies were dragged out by their heels.
“Thank you sir, you can always count on your troops, sir,” Givens said, smiling.
“Of that I’m glad. Now I want to ask you about today’s broadcast,” the President said. “Why on earth would they attack that super horde?”
“Hit the enemy before they hit you, sir,” the general told him.
“Terry, they went on the radio telling everyone in those states to hide, that they were going to wipe out the horde. I understand about hitting your enemy, but why not wait till the horde just got to their base?” the President asked.
“Sir, I believe they want to hit them and lead them to the base to save survivors. Angela said that any area the horde left was void of life for four hundred miles,” Givens said, shocking Walker that the idiot could think.
“Noble. Stupid but noble,” the President said.
One of the aides stepped up. “With Omega and Gamma gone, why not attack now?” he asked.
The President spun around. “Are you insane!” he yelled. “They are fighting a horde of thirty million, idiot. If we attack, Omega and Gamma come running home. Guess who will follow them, asshole!” the President screamed. “The general has already said we can’t gain entry of the base, so we would be stuck outside fighting the base then get run over by the horde.”
“Pretty good military assessment, sir,” Givens told him.
“Unlike my staff, I listen to your briefings, General,” the President said.
“Thank you, sir,” Givens said, filling with pride.
“Do you think Omega and Gamma will lose many troops in this operation?” the President asked.
“I’ll let the colonel answer that, sir. I’ve had him watching them since we found them and he has become an expert on their moves,” Givens said, holding up his hand to Walker.
For a minute Walker thought about blowing smoke up their asses but decided not to. “Not a chance in hell,” he said.
“You’re that certain?” the President asked with shock.
“Sir, if they lose troops it will be because of a big FUBAR (fucked up beyond all recognition). We have watched them attack hordes and hostiles. To date, with the exception of the Israelis, they are the only group to wipe out an attacking horde, and they’ve done it more than once and without a nuke. Then they go out and find more. I think they know what they’re doing,” Walker replied.
“You admire them,” the President said slowly.
“If you don’t admire your enemy, sir, you underestimate them,” Walker replied.
“How do you think they will do it?” the President asked.
“If I could watch them prepare, I could tell you,” Walker said.
“Well watch them,” the President said.
“Sir, I have several inspections this afternoon and in the morning to keep the troops’ morale up,” Walker replied.
“Colonel, you heard the President. I will do the inspections myself or I’ll get another officer to do it,” Givens said.
“Sir, you are going over the attack plans. Your days are kind of full,” Walker said, and the President looked at Givens.
“Your colonel watches out for you, Terry,” the President said.
“Yes sir, he does. I really don’t know what I would do without him,” Givens replied, smiling. “But when do you think you would know, Gene?” he asked.
Walker turned around and looked at the monitor. “Tomorrow morning, sir, by 1000. They are moving equipment already. I’ll have to look at some maps,” Walker replied.
