“Do what, sir?”
“That’s classified for the moment.”
“It’s special ops. That much is clear.”
“Sergeant, I want the best men in my unit. What we have planned…” Allenby shook his head. “You’re going to learn about it soon enough. The point I want you to understand is that I intend to win.”
“Me too, sir.”
“Yes, I’m aware of your record. I like it. When the going gets tough, you come through, Kavanagh. What’s more, you’re unconventional. You think for yourself. That’s the kind of man I want, the kind our country is going need. You have to listen to instructions, though.”
“I understand, sir,”
“No, you don’t. As I’ve said, I’ve read your record. You’re not only a good soldier—a great soldier—but you’re also a born troublemaker. What’s lucky for you is that there’s a war on.”
“Sir?”
“You’re a killer, Kavanagh, a natural. Your friend Romo is one, too. America needs its killers right now. We’re going to put the best of you—or the worst—into one unit of super soldiers. You are going to kill like no one has done before.”
“Sir?”
Allenby smiled, and his brown eyes seemed to shine. “I know. You expected me to reprimand you for not taking your anti-nausea pill, maybe flush you out of the program. Well, I’m not going to do that. It just so happens that I’m a killer myself. I get things done. I’m going to get this one done, and I’m going to keep the most dangerous men with me. You’re one of the elite. Your record says as much.”
“Why am I here in this holding cell, then, sir?”
“Because I’m chewing you out for the sake of my DIs and trainers. They’re not naturals like the rest of you men.”
“This is chewing me out, sir?”
“Don’t play stupid with me, Kavanagh. When people ask, or if they hint at it, you let them know that I chewed you out good. You finally get it now, you tell them. You’re going to toe the line from now on.”
“But really?”
Allenby leaned forward. “You will toe the line, Marine.”
“Yes sir,” Paul said.
Allenby sat back. “Good. I’m not going to kid you, son. This mission is going to be tough. It will kill an awful lot of you. I’m figuring three-quarters to half of you aren’t coming back.”
Paul didn’t like the sound of that.
“This one is going to be for everything,” Allenby said. “We’re going to kick ass and end the war our way, with China laid out on its back. Now tell me, even though its dangerous, positively deadly, do you want to back out?”
“I don’t feel like dying, sir.”
“That isn’t want I’m asking.”
Paul thought about it. He’d promised Cheri. But he was fighting mad, and he’d made up his mind as he watched those mushroom clouds in Oklahoma. “I’m in, sir.”
“I knew you’d say that. You’re my kind of man, Kavanagh. Just so you know, from now on, I’m going to ride you hard. We’re going to have one throw of the dice with this mission. The Chinese—well, never mind that for now. This is one is going to be bad. It’s also going to be the craziest, wildest mission any Marine has ever been a part of. Just how big are your balls, son?”
Paul stared at the general, and something burned behind the Marine’s eyeballs. “Bigger than yours, sir,” he said.
Allenby leaned forward, and his features became like a mask. “If you ever say that to me again, you won’t survive your training.”
Paul said nothing more, but he might have smiled. Just the faintest bit. He waited.
The general stood, nodded at Paul. The door opened. “That will be all, Marine. You’re dismissed.”
The general went out first. Paul followed. It was then Kavanagh decided the general was a nut job. Three quarters causalities on this mission—just what did the brass hats have planned for them?
With an umbrella over her head, Anna Chen negotiated the slick steps of the Hotel Saint Peter. Freezing drops pelted her, mingled with pellets of hail. They lay at her booted feet, expended white shot of the horrible new glaciation.
The world starved to death. So what did humanity do? They formed giant leagues and fought over the most precious resource on the planet: prime farmland to feed their peoples.
Now I’m pretending to try to convince the Russians to join the fun. If ever there was a time to do this, it’s now. Hong has overextended China’s military, with the bulk of in Mexico and the rest in Burma against the Indians. How has Hong convinced Konev to back off? I still don’t understand it.
Anna sighed. It had been a long journey from Washington to Moscow. Max Harold had told her she was going as their envoy. The good of the country demanded it. Everyone knew the President trusted her. It would show Russia that David Sims still sat in the driver’s seat.
Harold had lied to her, but she’d pretended to believe him. David lay in a semi-coma, induced by his physicians she believed. Harold’s guards sealed David off from those who wanted to help him recover. Thus, the Director of Homeland Security wanted her out of Washington. That was the real reason for the trip. She spoke to the Russian president. It made good TV coverage, she supposed, but that was it. The Russians were too scared to move against China.
The wind chose that moment to pick up, and the hail no longer rained straight down, but slanted at an angle. Particles struck her in the face. She repositioned the umbrella, and saw Demetrius, her bodyguard, get out of a big Chinese-manufactured car.
It surprised her that Harold had let Demetrius stay with her. There was no one else she trusted nowadays. The big black man wore a hat and turned up the collar of his coat. Otherwise, he endured the hail. He was a true stoic.
Is the Chinese-manufactured car a not so subtle slap in the face by Konev’s people?
It was big and heavy, a Tiger Fang, she believed the company had named the model. It was top-of-the-line luxurious, armored for official use. The presidents, prime ministers and other rulers in most countries had a right to fear their people. Most went hungry, but not the rich or politically powerful.
Anna wondered where she fit in the scheme of things now. I represent the United States, but I’m afraid to speak the truth to my own countrymen.
Harold had sent her across the Pacific Ocean in the USS Colorado, a Virginia-class submarine. He’d told her he didn’t trust air travel. The Chinese might try to shoot down her plane. East Lightning was frightfully good at what they did, prying secrets out of people. No doubt, she topped one of their kill lists. She’d always been able to ferret out Chinese secrets.
A lifetime ago, she’d written the seminal work on the Chinese: National-Socialist China. People still read the book to understand how the leadership thought.
What if I’d picked a different topic back then? How would my life be different today?
“Ma’am,” Demetrius said by way of greeting as he held open the car door. Each of his fingers was twice as long and three times as thick as one of hers.
“Thank you,” she said. She began to fold her umbrella. Demetrius plucked it out of her hands. With a gentle push as he guided her head so it wouldn’t bump, he propelled her into the back seat.
“I’ll take the other car,” he said in his deep voice. “I’ll see you at Catherine’s.”
Before she could ask him about the change in plans, the car door slammed shut. She was supposed to go to the Kremlin first. Afterward, they would eat at Catherine’s. Usually, Demetrius sat with her. It was odd he hadn’t gotten in.