San Antonio, TX
Where was she?
“We will find her,” Huang said. “She is in the area.”
General Liu was fuming. He had just received disturbing numbers from his region on those infected with the virus. What he wanted to do was tell on her, call her superior and inform them she was out of control and her master plan was weak and was placing China in danger. She had no superior. Her uncle, the president, was her superior and there was no going to him. At least General Liu was one of the very few who knew that information.
Things had taken a turn in the previous few days, albeit small on scale, Liu could see them building toward something else.
They failed to secure the military leaders. They were out there somewhere. If the situation was reversed and the US invaded China, General Liu would be plotting his defense and resistance and would do so with an upper hand because he knew his own country.
He began his search for Agent Shu as soon as his reports were in. There had to be a mistake, he called the head of the bio defense division of the army, a man Liu had known and served with for years. His information about the weapon used didn’t match up with the numbers he was seeing.
“It depends what the distribution method was and how many places they left it,” his friend said. “This weapon is a supped up version of Hand, Foot and Mouth. It is only deadly if the fever peaks or the sores get infected. It is however, debilitating for the patient. We outlawed that weapon.”
Liu knew it was illegal, against rules of engagement which any good soldier followed.
Shu was not a soldier.
She was a weak-minded, power-hungry woman who wasn’t going to secure victory. In Liu’s mind, she was securing death for millions of people and not just Americans.
Sergeant Huang did not stay back as he always did, he stayed close, telling Liu it was because Shu was surrounded by agents when they found her in the office of the mayor.
“We are doing the best we can,” Fen said to the mayor. “But our hands are tied, and help is limited until we receive full authorization. We won’t get that until the surrender is secured.”
“You’ll never get the surrender,” the mayor said.
“Then your people will die from this horrendous sickness.”
General Liu stepped into her line of vision. Fen peered up. “Leave us,” she said to the mayor. “And you, Sergeant,” she spoke to Huang, “stay in the hallway.”
When the room was cleared she slowly stood, walked over, and closed the door.
“One point seven million,” General Liu said. “One point seven million Americans are on the brink of death from a virus that does not have that high of a fatality rate.”
Calmly, she responded, “We need to help it along.”
“That’s just those dying, the number grows each day.”
Fen shrugged it off and returned to the desk.
“The higher the number the more resistance will build.”
“Just as I thought, you are here to chastise me when you should be doing your job.”
“What job?” Liu asked. “Check on camps. I am concerned about the events here, the ones happening right now and the ones that will happen.”
“The attacks?”
“Yes. Agent Shu, I implore you, as a military man and one who knows war, I implore you to send back the ships we have waiting in the ocean, return them to our homeland.”
“Not with a second wave invasion imminent.”
“We lost seven thousand men at the battle for the nuclear weapons center. Seven thousand with a new weapon we do not know of. In the mountain are military strategists who have access to everything.”
“That mountain will fall.”
“No, it will not. And the camps. The explosion you witnessed was one of fifteen. This is the start. Send our troops home to protect our homeland.”
“You have no right to direct me.”
“And you”—he raised his voice—“have no right commanding troops without experience.”
“You, old man.” She stood and walked to him snidely. “You are confusing defense for rebellion and that is what this is, a simple rebellion. The Americans are spoiled. They are throwing a tantrum. We treat them well, what do they want from us?”
“Their freedom,” General Liu said. “The loss of seven thousand men is not rebellion, it is a sign of a war. One you are not expecting. You do not know what you’re doing and what is coming.”
Slowly she walked to him, almost tauntingly and she stood toe to toe. “You present a façade of knowledge when you only fear the Americans. You are nothing but a sympathizer. We are here. We have them. And soon other countries will be on our side. You fail to see beyond your cowardess and you have spoken your final insult. You, General, have been warned.” Without saying any more, she walked out, leaving Liu alone in the room.
Mitton, TX
His name was Mason and he was smarter than the average eight-year-old, smaller, too. He had been given a complete set of instructions, but he didn’t know why. He was told he was going to be a hero and that was good enough for him.
“Run,” was the number one rule. “Run as fast as you can.”
Then he was told to take the cupcakes to the foreign soldiers as a thank you. “Run after you give them the treats and go see Mrs. Stewart in the cake shop.”
He did all that. But no sooner did he get to the cake shop, he heard the sound of an explosion.
“It’s a good thing I came here,” he told her. “I could have been out there.”
“Good thing.” She helped him change out of his blue and green stripped shirt, washed his face, then sent him out the back door where his Aunt Trisha waited in a pickup.
“Did you see the boom?” he asked her when he got in.
Aunt Trisha nodded, said nothing, and drove quickly.
He wondered if she was mad.
Mason wanted to talk about the explosion, ask her if she saw it, but she didn’t seem in the mood to talk. They remained quiet for the fifteen-mile drive to the farmhouse. She pulled into the driveway and stopped fast, making Mason snap forward.
“Go in the house,” she instructed.
“But I want to see Uncle—”
“Go.”
“Fine.”
Aunt Trisha stepped from the truck and slammed the door. She moved quickly to the barn. Mason wanted to follow her, but he knew the barn was off limits, so he stayed outside and sulked.
Trisha shoved open the barn doors with a vengeance. Six men including Mason’s uncle surrounded a table with boxes. There were also two trucks in the barn.
“You.” Trish pointed.
A tall, strong-built man turned around. “Hey, sis.”
“Don’t hey sis me,” she barked. “You made our nephew a messenger of death.”
“I did no such thing. He delivered cupcakes.”
“He could have been killed!” she screamed.
“He was fine, we had people watching.”
Trisha growled at him. “When our sister died, we… you and me… vowed to take care of our nephew. To try to give him a life.”
“And what kind of life is he going to lead in this world?”
“He is not a soldier, he is a boy.”
“Everyone is a soldier now,” he said. “He did great, and one day he will hold his head up and be proud he made an impact. Yeah, I’m sorry it was dangerous, but we got them today. They didn’t see it coming. We almost got that Chinese chick that’s running it. Plus, he didn’t get hurt.”
“Is that how you justify it? You did well and he didn’t get hurt? How did this mindset happen to you?”
“I always had it,” he said. “It’s stayed hidden since the service. But when I was in New York and I saw it happen… then the invasion, I knew I had to do my part and bring it out again. Using Mason was… probably wrong, I should have asked you first. I promise you, I won’t use him again. Okay?”