Overlord (25 page)

“My men have their instructions and will report soon.”

Ahmadinejad’s eyes remained on Yazdi for the longest five seconds of the career officer’s life, then finally turned away as the lead technician joined them from the laboratory.

“We are prepared to initiate the wormhole. Do I have the president’s permission to start the attack on Tel Aviv?”

“Yes, let’s end this. Commence the operation.”

The technician stood rigid and then moved to the communications panel on the glass wall.

“Form the wormhole.”

The plan was simple. The wormhole would form around the capital of Israel, engulf the entire region, and then shut down. Like the resort a few days before the entire Israeli government and the city of Tel Aviv would be whisked away to a place only God would determine. Five thousand years of Hebrew domination of the Middle East would end as suddenly as it had begun in 1947. The Israeli dogs would simply cease to exist, at least in this dimension.

Ahmadinejad felt the hair on his arms and neck start to rise as the alien power plant built up to maximum power. Blue and green swirls of light started to escape the containment vessel of the engine. The interior of the glass-enclosed space started to shake and vibrate as the alien technology started to explode free of the building. The large tunnel opening to the laboratory opened to the sky six stories above, to allow the wormhole effect to escape.

Suddenly an explosion rocked everyone in the sublevel of the university. Ahmadinejad thought the power plant had exploded as the men inside hit the ground for protection. Just as suddenly the lights were gone and the alien power plant started to power down with an ear-shattering screech. Shots rang out from every direction as stun grenades started to explode.

Ahmadinejad hit the floor and turned to the general. “Signal the reinforcements to move in. We are being attacked by Israeli or American forces. Hurry!”

Yazdi stood and raised his phone. “Move in!” he shouted—and then the general’s face exploded onto the ex-president as a bullet entered the back of his head. Ahmadinejad watched in stunned silence as men moved in, dressed in black commando uniforms. One of these placed three more rounds into the general’s head, then pulled Ahmadinejad to his feet. The ex-president was immediately swarmed by several men and made secure by a nylon strap that was brutally applied to his wrists. He could hear the men speaking into their headsets and the language they spoke was a shock. They were speaking Russian, not American! Flash-bang grenades exploded all around him as technicians inside the chamber went down one and two at a time as the commandos killed them. In the flash of the grenades and the hum of flying bullets he watched men from another nation spoil the plan of thirty-five years right before his eyes.

The man leading the assault yelled into his mouth microphone. “All secure, power plant is disabled.”

*   *   *

The general in command of the forces arrayed to resist the Russian assault was getting ready to order his mechanized forces forward when his second-in-command jumped onto his armored personnel carrier.

“Our new president sends his regards.” The colonel raised his automatic and fired two shots into his general’s head.

The American president had finally gotten through to the government in Tehran and convinced them of the plight Iran was facing. In a matter of mere hours men had been moved into place to thwart the coup attempt, which none of the junior officers of the treasonous divisions had been aware they were doing. Across the board every commanding general and their adjutants of every frontline Iranian division had been so disposed of. The coup had become a complete failure.

CAMP DAVID

FREDERICK, MARYLAND

For the first time in recorded American history foreign nationals were allowed into the most secure location inside the United States—with the exception of one facility in Nevada. Russia, Great Britain, Germany, France, and China were represented by their countries’ highest political figure. All eyes were on the live video feed supplied by the joint resources of the United States’ NSA and Russian Intelligence platforms that amazed the other leaders in clarity and real-time exposure to the assault in Iran. The men in the situation room watched as a live video feed from Tehran took up a large portion of the main viewing screen. Iranian president Rouhani watched the satellite feed of the assault on his complex with trepidation. The view inside the university was confused and erratic. The men watched as cameras were tussled and images obscured. They heard the real-time shouts of men doing a devastatingly effective assault. The screams of Iranian technicians and the calm voices of men killing them thrilled and sickened the powerful men sitting around the large table.

Rouhani lowered his head as he watched helplessly as the men of his nation were cut down in the most ruthless manner. He now understood the dynamic of what the Ahmadinejad had planned. The scope of the coup and the planned attack on Israel had been explained to him by the many leaders gathered today. He now understood what had been at stake and had decided that his national goals would now coincide with the plans of the western and eastern worlds. Still, the sight of his countrymen being killed so ruthlessly was a vision that froze his blood.

Jack Collins and Carl Everett watched from seats situated along the wall with military assistants from the other nations. Every man knew the efficiency of the Russian assault and feared for the men involved. They had watched the entire assault without comment.

As Everett watched, his breath hitched in his chest when the all-clear was announced. The assault had been an overwhelming success. Carl saw Jack tense when he recognized the faces of Ryan and Sarah as they entered with the rest of the United Nations technical team who were there to secure the alien technology. It was Carl who wanted to stand when a face he recognized came into a soldier’s camera view: Anya’s. He looked at Jack with an almost panicked look. It was the president who eyed the two officers that offered an explanation.

Another monitor along the wall sprang to life and the prime minister of Israel appeared. The Intel chiefs of the varying nations knew the man next to him was the head of Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad. General Shamni was being viewed publicly for the first time as a good-faith measure for the peace of mind of the gathered nations.

“Mr. Prime Minister, is your government satisfied the rogue element inside Iran has been curtailed, to the point that you can stand down your military forces and recall your strike elements?”

The small and elderly prime minister closed his eyes momentarily, then looked into the monitor and just nodded his head.

“Yes. As of one minute ago, General Shamni has recalled all Israeli forces and lowered our alert status. Do we have reassurance that former president Ahmadinejad’s forces have been neutralized, and that there will be no reoccurrence of hostilities from the new Iranian government?”

It was Rouhani who answered from his monitor.

“I can assure the State of Israel that not only will there be no occurrence of hostile intent, but also that Mr. Ahmadinejad and his cohorts in crime will not see the light of the dawning day. Furthermore, with the agreement of the clerics of our nation, Iran is prepared to offer this sign of peace and friendship. We are prepared to publicly announce that we as a people recognize the State of Israel’s right to exist, and I am prepared to offer full cooperation in our new and hopefully continuing relationship between our two nations.”

The many varying national personalities of the world’s most powerful nations rose as one around the large conference table and applauded the most decisive decision in the history of the Middle East. At long last the coup not only failed, but ushered in a new age of cooperation between the two nations of Israel and Iran.

“We are most pleased to accept your very kind and genuine intent of friendship across the board,” the Israeli prime minister said with a nod of his head. “I am sorry for your losses in this sordid affair. May I offer assistance to not only the Iranian nation, but also the gathered nations planning for what is to come?”

“Thank you, Mr. President, and you also, Mr. Prime Minister. I will be in contact very soon so your governments can liaise with our military forces for training and instruction,” the president of the United States said with a grim smile and nod of his head.

Rouhani nodded and his monitor went dark. He had a new government to form and a very long explanation for the people of his country on how close they had come to war with the rest of the world. He should have no trouble with the changing of power from his people. The Israeli leader removed his glasses as his monitor also went dark.

The president nodded toward the opposite end of the table and the president of Russia.

“Our assault division will remain on station until the technology is crated and moved to Overlord’s transit location. This will be confirmed by members of the assault team under United States control.” The Russian turned and faced the leader of America and shook his head. “I fear with the reports from Great Britain and France that we may have run out of time.”

“First we have to confirm that the Iranian scientists have actually managed to power up the alien power plant and have succeeded in creating their wormhole.” The president looked at Niles Compton, who stood and went to the large monitor. He held the phone in his hand as he connected with his element in Iran.

“Lieutenant McIntire, have you procured the test sequences from the Iranian experiments?”

There were several beeps and static sounded over the speaker system in the situation room. All eyes watched the strange balding man as he waited. Soon the image of Sarah came into view. Jason Ryan was standing near her.

“Yes, sir, what we have thus far is their experiments were charted into five differing areas of Earth’s past.” She held up a printout and pointed to several lines of code. The view changed on the Russian-supplied camera to show one of the leading Iranian technicians as he confirmed the time differential. “The first wormhole created a tunnel that accidentally targeted an area of northern Europe right around 38,000
BCE
. This is verified by charting the skies and various planet locations. The second was 117
AD
, location was the Scottish highlands. This corresponds with the disappearance of the famous Ninth Legion.” Sarah looked at the camera. “It seems the Iranians were responsible for this and several other incidents of mass disappearances over the course of history. The next was 1558 near Roanoke, Virginia. It is estimated—”

“Very good, Lieutenant. Then we can confirm that the alien technology has been successfully powered up, and that an immediate transfer of the unit can be accomplished as soon as it’s dismantled and crated for transport?”

“Uh, yes, sir,” Sarah said as she knew the president had cut her short on the report.

“Lieutenant, you and Commander Ryan will stay with the power plant until it arrives at its final destination—is that clear?” Niles Compton said.

“Yes, sir.”

The picture went dark and Niles returned to his seat.

“Mr. President, the People’s Republic understands the need for the alien technology, but I believe the time has come for the United States to”—the Chinese president looked around the table—“as you Americans say, ‘come clean.’ We need to know the source of your planning. We, the many nations represented here, have invested our entire treasuries to something that may or may not work, as this has turned into the most expensive project in the history of the world. And now the peoples of our nation are starting to become very anxious over the unbridled spending. We are going to lose the confidence of the people, and then all will be lost.”

“Gentlemen, many of you have wondered about my friend and colleague sitting with our group today. May I introduce Dr. Niles Compton.” He nodded at Niles, who made his way to the podium at the front of the room. “Dr. Compton is the head of a think tank, or advisory group, located within the borders of the United States. Operation Overlord was conceived in part by him and two other men. Doctor, you may start at the beginning.”

Niles nodded his head, removed his coat, then took a sip of water. He glanced at his oldest friend, the president, who nodded and smiled as the truth the United Sates had held in secret for sixty-five years was about to spill forth. Niles pushed a button and a view of vault number 28967, buried deep inside the Event Group complex, appeared. A giant black tarp was laid over an object of tremendous size. It was pulled away by several men. The round, broken, and incomplete skeletal remains of the two Arizona saucers appeared and the leaders of the world sat forward in their chairs as the sight amazed them. Only the British prime minister did not seem shocked.

“1947, Roswell, New Mexico,” Compton began. “A flying saucer was indeed captured, just as many of you have speculated. The incident was covered up by then President Harry S. Truman. We had been attacked. In the summer of 2006, it happened again…”

Jack and Carl listened as Niles spilled the secrets of the Event Group and the United States, baring the soul of secrecy that had been hidden since the end of World War II. The leaders of the world’s most powerful nations had been told about the attacks and shown proof earlier after the moon missions to uncover alien technology, but never the source. The two officers listened for an hour as the story was related. When he was done, Niles looked at the faces staring back at him.

“We inside France knew the United States, and to some extent Great Britain, had some valuable information they hadn’t shared with the world, but we also have belief inside our intelligence community that perhaps you are still not being truthful to the full measure. Since the British find in Antarctica, you have yet to explain the way in which you devised a way to power up the device discovered. Who has been assisting your government, Dr. Compton?”

Carl Everett looked at Jack and mouthed the question
“What device?”

Jack raised his eyebrows and shook his head, indicating he had no idea what the president of France was referring to.