The Revolution Begins (Molon Labe) (10 page)

“Well, Chris seems to be a man of his word.
I’m grateful for that. I’ll be by Matthew’s side when he wakes up.  Thank you for all you’ve done”, Marcie said.  “I’m sorry Neil was in harm’s way to come and get us.  I’m happy no-one else got hurt trying to get us.  Your Neil is a good man.  The boys can’t stop talking about him.”

“Neil and I are…Well, I’m not sure what
we are, but he’s a special guy”, Allison said and her thoughts went to places that made her blush for a moment. 

Marcie
noticed the quick blush and smiled knowingly.  She hugged Allison back and after tucking her sons in, went to stay by her own love’s side.

Chapter 34

Executive Order 10995 Allows the government to seize and control the communications media

Neil, Kyle, and I, were sitting with Captain John.
“This war cannot be fought in a conventional style. We can’t win force on force battles. At least not for now. The enemy has better weaponry, better armor, and they control the skies.  They may even have the satellites our country put in orbit. Each state in what is left of the union has multiple small units.  We can’t even call ourselves an army.  We each operate independently, towards the same goal.  We have to figure out how to maximize our potential.  What do we know right now?”

Kyle answered first.
“The enemy can fortify its positions and strongholds. We’ve seen that.  They can fight with the benefit of overhead surveillance. They can see us coming.”

“We can’t hope to assault en-masse and take their strongholds.  We could
n’t even take a Boy Scout camp “, offered Neil.

“So where does that leave us?”
Asked the captain.

“We have small arms and small units.
  We have to become masters of guerilla warfare.  We use our marksmanship to make the difference.  What we have been doing has started a demoralizing effect among the UN troops.  They watch their leaders fall without even hearing a shot.  They feel vulnerable.  We need to press that forward”, I said.

“Chris, you’
re right.  I saw that in town. Officers were laying low and looking like they expected to be shot when they poked their heads up.  The townsfolk know what we are doing, and they respect it.  We need to press that advantage.  We need to campaign with the people and continue to bring them to our cause.  They need to remember what made our country great. It sickens me to see them lie down and let the government rule.  That is not what our country was made for. We the people are the rightful rulers of our nation. The more we stress that, the better our new nation will be.”

It was easy to see the Captain’s patriotism and we all t
ook it in with total agreement. “Enough of preaching from my soap box. We need to start training our unit for this type of warfare.  We need to be ambushing small convoys, disrupting their daily operations, and taking out their leadership.  We need to expand our targets to line troops as well.  They need to fear walking outdoors.”

Kyle chimed in.
“We can start training the new recruits to set up roadside ambushes.” 

“That’s a good start.  We need to make each soldier in our unit a master
marksman and a master in the use of explosives.  It’s time the Special Forces boys start to train our guys to start crippling the enemy.  We are going to start by using the Special Forces model.  We will make six man A-teams. Each team will start training with the SF guys and as soon as we can get them up and running, they will start running missions”, said Captain John.

“What role will the snipers have?”  I asked
.

“I need you to continue your campaign while starting to
target line troops as well as officers.  Officers will be the priority, but targets of opportunity should also be engaged.  I want none of them to feel safe”, said the Captain. “You are perhaps the most valuable assets in this war. Ambushes will disrupt the daily routines and make them devote more security to daily activities.  Snipers can destroy the will to fight by getting into their heads.  They will be afraid to leave their barracks.  We need to start putting that kind of pressure on them. Take every opportunity to engage with the locals.  We need to keep them on our side.  We need to remind them what we are fighting for.  We need more of them, and any of them that are willing to be involved need to be encouraged.”

We all agreed and set out to develop training to enact these missions.  The war would clearly not be fought with tanks and aircraft.
We had none to fight with.  They had all of the weapons that we had fought and won many wars with.  They had control of the weapons that kept America on the top of the food chain as a world power.  We would have to find a way to work around them and still win the war.

Upon the end of our meeting, Captain John dismissed everyone but me.  “Chris, I need you to plan a mission to recon Camp
Dawkins. The UN is using it to operate out of, and your new friends gave me proof today that they are using it as a concentration camp for “extremists.”  I need you and two others to do a recon for at least a week. I want to know who is coming and going, and what exactly is going on in there.  I need mission plans tomorrow.”

“
Captain, thanks for going out there with us tonight.  We couldn’t have done it without you”, I said.

“We both know that’s not true,
but thanks for saying it anyway”, Captain John said.

“There is one thing
I think you need to know though”, I said. “I think there’s a shooter out there who isn’t part of the militia, but he’s on our side. And he’s very good!”

“What makes you say that?”
  Asked the captain.

“Kyle and I were compromised tonight by a UN soldier
as we were walking out of Marcie’s front door.  Before we could do anything, he was shot in the head.  Expert shot.  He dropped where he was standing. The shot wasn’t silenced. It came from the wood-line, at least two hundred yards away”, I said.

“What makes you so sure the shooter is on our side?
” he asked.

“He didn’t shoot us.  We were wearing UN uniforms.
I think he was watching us and intervened.  I can’t prove it, but it might also explain how we got the other ATVs”, I said.

“Well, it’s a shaky theory at best
”, he said. “But it doesn’t hurt to have guardian angels. Keep your eyes out for your new friend.  If you’re right, we could use a shooter like that!”

“Yes sir”,
I said and walked away to begin planning a recon.

Chapter 35

Executive Order 10997 Allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels, and minerals
.

Neil found Allison tidying up the ER. “Hey beautiful”, he said.

Allison was surprised at his boldness and smiled back unsure of how to answer.  Neil gave her
very little time to think about her response and stepped in close. He placed his hand on her waist just above her butt and pulled her solidly against him while sliding his other hand through her hair and pulling her towards a soft but lingering kiss.  Allison was speechless. “I’ve needing to do that for weeks”, he said.  She tilted her head and kissed him with all the longing she had been holding back for weeks herself.

“We should go somewhere and l
eave Matthew and Marcie to sleep peacefully.  If we keep this up, and I intend to, we are going to start getting noisy”, Allison said, and half drug Neil down a seldom used shaft to continue what they had started.

Chapter 36

Whiteman Air Force Base

“Jonesy, how’s the project looking?”
  Asked Airman Amy.

“Well, it
’s not as easy as I thought.  There are a lot of safeguards and firewalls”, Jonesy said.

“Are y
ou saying you won’t be able to do it?” Asked Amy.

“I never said I couldn’t, I just said it
’s difficult.  That’s ok though.  I love a challenge. I think this challenge is worth it, and to be honest with you, I may not sleep until I get it figure out.  I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I can’t do this”, Jonesy said.

“I understand.  It
’s killing me right now.  Please get it done.  I’m counting on you and so are they! Thanks Jonesy. I know you can do it! You have to!” said Amy as she hung up.

Chapter 37

Executive Order 10998 Allows the Government to
seize all means of transportation, including personal cars, trucks, or other vehicles of any kind and control over all highways, seaports, and waterways.

I spent most of the night working out a mission plan to recon the base. Camp Dawkins was a West Virginia National Guard base. Its main buildings included all that you would expect on a normal base. There was a front gate with a guard house, an administration building, classrooms, several barracks, a small commissary/px, several maintenance sheds, and a mess hall.  There was plenty of room on the base for conducting training operations, and the base also included many rifle ranges and a small ammo supply point.  A lesser known part of the camp was also used for state education programs.  As such there were small buildings scattered around the main portion of the base for classrooms and housing the students.  The base also held a helipad and a small landing strip. The base was home to a National Guard Special Forces element, so among the supply buildings one could expect to find many useful military toys.

We were looking for general information but were particularly interested in the location of the conce
ntration camp.  The base was surrounded by forest which we would use to our advantage.  Overlooking the base to the front was a ridge that dropped to a river. The ridge was tree covered and would make a great spot for an observation post.  To conduct the mission I would need four soldiers (myself included). Neil would go with me, and Kyle was my other go-to guy. I would need to choose one of the Green Berets who had operated out of the base to be Kyle’s partner.  Neil and I would take the forward post on the ridge, and Kyle would take his partner and scout the perimeter of the main base to look for signs of a concentration camp. With a rudimentary plan in hand, I set out to find the Captain and get his critique.

I found the Captain in the mess
hall talking to a sergeant I hadn’t yet worked with. “Chris, let me introduce you to Sergeant Chad Taylor. He was a Marine who decided that the corps was too hard and joined Army Special Forces”, said Captain John.

Chad extended his hand as I shook my head at the Captain’s joke.  “Who we
re you with in the SF?” I asked.

Chad
replied “I was with the 19
th
Special Forces group here in West Virginia.”

“Based out of Camp
Dawkins?” I asked to confirm.

“Spent a lot of time there.
Know the place like the back of my hand”, Chad replied.

“Got any plans for the next week
?” I asked and nodded to the Captain who smiled like he had planned the whole thing.

After a quick briefing and a few suggested changes, the Captain approved the mission and slated its start for the next day.
One day to rest and get ready.

I went to check on Matthew, half expecting to find Neil there with Allison.  I found Matthew being tended to by Nancy.  “He’s pretty strong.  He’s got feeling in his fingers and he can
move them.  No promises, but I think he’s going to make a full recovery”, Nancy said with a smile.

“I really apprec
iate what you did for my family”, Matthew said. “Marcie told me what all you went through to get them here. I’m truly grateful and whatever I can do to repay you I will.”

I smiled and shook his good hand.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just happy we all made it back here Ok.  Besides, I’m pretty sure the camp could use someone with machining skills.  Let’s just get you healed up for now.”

I was walking out the door and noticed Neil and Allison in an embrace that looked more comfortable than I had seen them be before.
Neil was oblivious to my presence until I made a noise. “Ahem….”

They s
topped the kiss long enough to glare at me and smile back at each other.

“I hate to break in on your h
allmark moment, but I need the object of your affection to come get a briefing”, I said jokingly to Allison.

She buried her head into his chest, hugged him close and smacked his butt as she turned to walk away.
“Take care of him Chris. If he comes back damaged, you’ll be answering to me!!”

“Yes Ma’am”
, I said and delivered a mock salute.

Neil just stood there taking in the last of Allison’s lingering scent and looking quite satisfied.

“Well, I expect a full briefing from you after we take care of our next mission briefing”, I joked.

“I have saved e
very last detail completely, but I don’t believe you have a need to know clearance on that data”, Neil joked.