Chapter 93

We were in the RV at Texas Steel waiting. We listened to the company aircraft radios and had both ZNN and the one of the major independents that contracted with channel 34 - Hanna’s station.

After France, several major networks decided a contract was in order. The majors were desperate to compete with ZNN. Hanna with her inside connections to JBG and being always in the news was the ticket.

At 06:30 the majors went live. ‘‘Breaking News.’’

‘‘This is Hanna Page, Channel 34 news. Today I am imbedded with JBG battalion Red 1, we just crossed the Texas/Mexico border at Brownsville. The immediate goal of Red 1 is to secure an illegal aircraft runway designated as Apple 1 used by the Central American terrorist organization known as the Cartel. This runway was an important waypoint for the cartel to fly drugs and high level cartel individuals into America.”

‘‘This will be a jumping off point to patrol over one hundred miles of pipelines and Cartel trails into America. The cartel is stealing over thirty thousand gallons of fuel a day from the pipeline to supply additional funds to their operations.”

‘‘This runway will become the staging area for three battalions of aviation, mobile armored infantry units and logistics,’’ Hanna said just as machine gun fire erupted off screen. The camera panned to the men clearing the area between the runway and the pipeline.

‘‘I just received a text from Jim Jordan, commander of Red 1. ‘Apple 1 is secure, start the logistics, on the way’,’’ Andy said.

The green logistics and the orange security battalions would be on the way in a few minutes. With good luck a secure camp would be set up by nightfall.

The independent news anchor was trying to contact Hanna, ‘‘Are you still here?’’ He had some audio but no video.

“Yes I am here,’’ as the video returned.

‘‘What was the shooting?” Chuck Dodd the anchor asked.

‘‘I just heard we now have prisoners. I guess they needed convincing that surrender was the right thing to do,’’ Hanna said.

‘‘How many battalions are you with?’’ Chuck asked.

‘‘There are four at this objective, with more coming in a few days,’’ Hanna said.

‘‘Let me send you some film taken Saturday during operation’s planning and objectives selection,’’ Hanna said.

‘‘You have been with JBG operations since Saturday? Did I understand you correctly?” the news desk asked.

‘‘Yes, I got the call to be at Morton Field JBG’s aviation central operations center late Friday night,’’ Hanna replied.

‘‘How do they handle that?’’ the desk asked.

‘‘The caller directed me to pack a go bag, my passport and be at Morton Field at a set time if I wanted to go on a trip, no questions asked or allowed,’’ Hanna said.

‘‘And you just went?’’ the desk said.

‘‘Why not? The mystery is exciting and there is always action,’’ Hanna replied.

A few minutes later the stations were running filler from the barracks and archway Hanna had taken. Hanna had agreed to send a little every day. The news cycle for the rest of the day and in Washington was set. Every politician in Washington was going to get interviewed even though they knew nothing.

Ten minutes later ZNN went live. ‘‘This is Melinda Schaffer of ZNN imbedded with JBG battalion Red 2 air cavalry unit. We are deep in Mexico to capture Baker 2 runway. This runway was actively used last night by several cartel planes to deliver drugs and terrorist destined for America - but no more. The cavalry has landed in force.”

‘‘WHAT did she say, I didn’t know we had designated an airborne cavalry unit?’’ Vicky asked.

‘‘I think some of the men on the helicopter were giving her pointers or answering her questions on the flight. That will no doubt raise some more eyebrows in Washington,’’ I said.

‘‘Hundreds of JBG security forces are descending on this illegal airfield today,’’ Melinda was in front of several Blackhawks with rotors turning while unloading men as she was giving the report. There was active gunfire in the distance, some of it from the 802s; the mini-guns were distinctive sounding.

Twenty minutes later Green 2 and Orange 2 were on the way. Larry Thor had declared the Baker 2 runway secure. We could breathe a little easier.

The girls were ready to go to the north runway and spend another evening in a converted bus, but I would not allow it on day one. We needed to be here looking at maps, marking progress and ready to change plans and have immediate access to MTAC and VCATS.

An hour later reports start coming in from Apple 1. They had started the pipeline inspection teams - they were working both ways. One team working north to the border and back - checking both sides of the pipeline - and another working south.

They were told to confiscate all tools and equipment and mark the pipe in reflective paint so it could be checked. The location of the tap was to be logged on GPS.

Someone would send a report to Mexpo every day so repair crews could repair the pipes.

One 802 or Blackhawk was going to fly the pipeline every hour with night vision equipment to catch tappers. Both aircraft had orders to shoot anyone they saw working the pipeline in the dark.

I walked over to Texas Steel’s office to see if Bob had answered all their questions and to look at the blueprints myself.

I was too late; the prints were being transferred to the CNC computer that controlled the bending brakes, formers and shears. When they were finished there would be twenty sets of forms to make the prison we were going to need in the security zone.

Bobs Construction would put it all together once I decided where it was to be built.