out. They set up the booby traps just for fun.”
“I don’t see the humor, General. I’ve got two wounded Marines, one with a broken collar bone and one a broken wrist. They were diving for cover and hit bad patches of land.”
“Well, let’s be thankful it wasn’t anything more serious than that. I’ll be up momentarily.” The general turned to his Humvee driver, “Corporal, get me up that mountain, post haste.”
“Sir, yes, sir,” the corporal said before literally putting the pedal to the metal. It was a Humvee though so that wasn't much of statement with punch. The Hummer came up over the ridgeline to an anthill of activity. The majority of the invading Marines had already taken the mountaintop and were checking all the tents. The major flagged down the general.
“Sir, it appears that they left in an awfully big hurry.”
“Why do you say that, Major?”
“Sir, all of their tents and camo netting are here.”
“Is any of their gear here, Major? Any weapons?”
“Well, none that we’ve found sir, except, of course, for the dummies.”
“Well, Major, I’m not so sure we scared them out of here. I think they left all the tents and camo netting as a decoy. They didn’t want us to know they were leaving.”
“Isn’t this good news, sir? We took the objective with zero casualties?”
“Not at all, Major. We now have a large, cohesive, armed militia on the move and no idea where they are. At least before, we knew their exact location. We also failed to regain two of our troops, who were reported missing. Major, get on the horn to General Burkhalter and let him know what has happened here. And then tell him to get all the satellite images of this area for the last twenty-four hours. Maybe we’ll be able to tell in which direction our ‘friends’ have evacuated. Major? I’m talking to you. Have you heard a word I’ve said?” The general followed the major’s line of sight. If he hadn’t been sitting, he was sure that he would have fallen over. As it was, he had to grab onto the roll bar to keep himself from falling out of the Hummer.
The corporal, who was not paying much attention to the officer’s conversation, finally noticed when he realized they weren’t talking anymore. He followed their line of sight also.
“What the fuck is that?!” the corporal exclaimed as his cigarette went flying. The noise broke the stunned silence of the general.
“Major!!” The general had to yell it twice to break the major out of his stupor. “Major!!”
“Sir!? What the…”
“Major! No time! Rally the troops!! Now! I want defensive positions immediately! Get the tanks up here now!” The general had to give the major credit. He snapped it together in an instant and was belaying orders to the junior officers. Some of the Marines had to be pushed into action, judging by their bewildered stares. The vast majority knew their part; they had trained hard and long for this. Maybe not this particular scenario, but going on the defensive was the same, no matter who the enemy. Marines scurried around, jumping into fighting holes and readying their M-16’s or SAW’s. The tanks were just beginning to ramble up into the camp.
“Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death…” The General started.
The corporal had been through a few scrapes with the general but had never before seen him utter the Lord’s Prayer. At that moment, the corporal wished he had listened to his mother and stayed in school.
Chapter 16
The world governments knew first, then the major telescopes around the globe, then pretty much anybody who had a scope from Sears. Not until the line of ships was visible, did the planet reach its most heightened state of alertness. Most people didn’t have enough time to panic. More than likely, that was a good thing.
Chapter 17
The girls had retired to the front porch and were enjoying some wine in the cool mountain air when they became aware that something was
“I don’t see the humor, General. I’ve got two wounded Marines, one with a broken collar bone and one a broken wrist. They were diving for cover and hit bad patches of land.”
“Well, let’s be thankful it wasn’t anything more serious than that. I’ll be up momentarily.” The general turned to his Humvee driver, “Corporal, get me up that mountain, post haste.”
“Sir, yes, sir,” the corporal said before literally putting the pedal to the metal. It was a Humvee though so that wasn't much of statement with punch. The Hummer came up over the ridgeline to an anthill of activity. The majority of the invading Marines had already taken the mountaintop and were checking all the tents. The major flagged down the general.
“Sir, it appears that they left in an awfully big hurry.”
“Why do you say that, Major?”
“Sir, all of their tents and camo netting are here.”
“Is any of their gear here, Major? Any weapons?”
“Well, none that we’ve found sir, except, of course, for the dummies.”
“Well, Major, I’m not so sure we scared them out of here. I think they left all the tents and camo netting as a decoy. They didn’t want us to know they were leaving.”
“Isn’t this good news, sir? We took the objective with zero casualties?”
“Not at all, Major. We now have a large, cohesive, armed militia on the move and no idea where they are. At least before, we knew their exact location. We also failed to regain two of our troops, who were reported missing. Major, get on the horn to General Burkhalter and let him know what has happened here. And then tell him to get all the satellite images of this area for the last twenty-four hours. Maybe we’ll be able to tell in which direction our ‘friends’ have evacuated. Major? I’m talking to you. Have you heard a word I’ve said?” The general followed the major’s line of sight. If he hadn’t been sitting, he was sure that he would have fallen over. As it was, he had to grab onto the roll bar to keep himself from falling out of the Hummer.
The corporal, who was not paying much attention to the officer’s conversation, finally noticed when he realized they weren’t talking anymore. He followed their line of sight also.
“What the fuck is that?!” the corporal exclaimed as his cigarette went flying. The noise broke the stunned silence of the general.
“Major!!” The general had to yell it twice to break the major out of his stupor. “Major!!”
“Sir!? What the…”
“Major! No time! Rally the troops!! Now! I want defensive positions immediately! Get the tanks up here now!” The general had to give the major credit. He snapped it together in an instant and was belaying orders to the junior officers. Some of the Marines had to be pushed into action, judging by their bewildered stares. The vast majority knew their part; they had trained hard and long for this. Maybe not this particular scenario, but going on the defensive was the same, no matter who the enemy. Marines scurried around, jumping into fighting holes and readying their M-16’s or SAW’s. The tanks were just beginning to ramble up into the camp.
“Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death…” The General started.
The corporal had been through a few scrapes with the general but had never before seen him utter the Lord’s Prayer. At that moment, the corporal wished he had listened to his mother and stayed in school.
Chapter 16
The world governments knew first, then the major telescopes around the globe, then pretty much anybody who had a scope from Sears. Not until the line of ships was visible, did the planet reach its most heightened state of alertness. Most people didn’t have enough time to panic. More than likely, that was a good thing.
Chapter 17
The girls had retired to the front porch and were enjoying some wine in the cool mountain air when they became aware that something was
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