Episode 38

Chapter 156

Major Daniel Stone, U.S.M.C.

8:53 pm, November 3rd, 2006

2:53 pm November 4th, 2006 (local time)

It has been nearly three hours since I took command of this mess. Nearly eight hours since the teens started to attack the base, if the rumors could be believed. It was time to start to get a firmer picture of where we stand. "Okay, all, reports. Lou, you start. What's the status of the Density Force in and of itself?"

"All missions accomplished. The ships were redeployed as per orders as follows. The Princes of the Universe was sent to Eastern Jerusalem. Due to a conversation they had with Israeli authorities, they reacted by moving their ship west. They are currently maintaining position over Western Jerusalem in a bid to keep the Israelis from breaking out and overrunning Palestine. The Mary Ellen is en route to take up a flanking position. Fred hopes that will keep the hotheads on either side of the U.N. mandated border from going wild. The Mary Celeste is flying over the base, maintaining what Valerie calls a CAP, whatever that is."

"Combat Air Patrol." Ashley's mother interjected helpfully.

"Thanks. The Mary Celeste is doing that. The Flying Dutchman is headed towards Azerbaijan to take out Bin Laden. The Hades is under enemy control at this time."

"Alright, that's the offensive power taken care of. Ed, is it?" I asked one of the other kids who were running the liaison between the teen strike force that attacked the base and me. "I need a causality report. How many did you bring, and what's their current status?"

"Including all the ships, we had a total of 120 volunteers."

"A hundred twenty??? I wonder if Jacob knows he has that many friends?"

"Well Sir, some are his friends, but most are friends of his friends."

"Still, that so many cared is a testament to the high school. What's their current state?"

"Well, we have a hundred twenty volunteers. Twenty of them are on the ships. The remaining hundred landed on the base. At this point we have forty seven wounded. Of that, eight are serious and three are critical. Unfortunately, we think at least one is dead as well. He was shot in the head."

I didn't know what to say. On one hand, they suffered major casualties. On the other hand, they did attack a base full of United States Marines. That is not exactly the same as attacking a bunch of kids from a rival high school gang. The part that hurt most of all was they suffered them to help my son. But a small part of me wondered how a bunch of high school kids thought they could take a military base without penalty. At least nobody died. Yet. That we are sure of. Although that head wound sounds fatal. And we do have the best medics here. "Very well. It could have been worse. General Smith? What's the casualty numbers for the Marines?"

"Thirty Marines with various injury levels and several hundred Marines in what the docs describe as something similar to combat fatigue." Then Smith's voice tightened and his face flashed some rage. "Thirty six Marines dead as of this point."

I knew of nothing to say that would help the fact that thirty six Marines died. So I decided it was best for now to ignore the subject.

"Combat fatigue?" Ashley asked.

"Yes. Perhaps a better choice of words would be culture shock. They did what they could against the ships and failed miserably. That was a new experience for them. They had, make that we had, nothing in our training to teach us how do deal with this sort of thing."

"Okay. Guess this could have been much worse."

I saw Smith look like he wanted to take Ashley's head off for that comment. Somehow he resisted.

My cell phone rang. "Yes?... Jacob's getting better is good. What about Adam?... What do you mean?? You haven't seen him? I'll get back to you." I snapped my cell phone shut. "Lou. Contact whoever you guys sent to rescue Adam. Find out where the hell they are."

"No need Sir. We didn't send anybody."

"Why ever the hell not?"

"We had no idea Jacob had another brother."

I sighed. I should have known better. Just because they knew Jacob doesn't mean they know everything. But I did know one thing. Adam Stone had to be found. And I didn't care what I needed to do to get him back. The problem was I did not know where to start looking.

Ashley saw the dilemma on my face. "Sir? If I may?"

"Sure, if you think you can help."

She leaned over and whispered to one of the high school kids leaning against the wall.

"Be back in ten." The kid nodded and left the room.

Another kid grabbed a gun and followed him.

I waited impatiently as the ten minutes passed.

The kids returned with a Marine I didn't recognize.

We saw that the Marine had his arms tied very tightly indeed behind his back.

Ashley stepped away from the Marine so we could get a good look. "Folks, meet Colonel Gorkov. He has useful information. He just hasn't gotten around to spilling it."

I gave him a look. "This Marine was fighting for Colt?" I put as much contempt into the word 'Marine' as I possibly could.

"Yes Sir. He was captured running the secondary command post."

I looked at Gorkov as if he was the kind of stuff a garbage collector would turn up his nose at. "Tell them what they want to know."

Gorkov grimaced. "No. You are all traitors for resisting Colt." Then he turned to General Smith. "Are you going to let them treat me like this?"

Smith shook his head sadly. "What can I do about it?"

"You're a General. He's a Major and a traitor to boot. Order them to release me and stand down their activities."

"I can't."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because of you and Colt. By attacking his son you put all this in motion. Thanks to that bastard Colt, I'm not in command anymore. Your adherence to illegal orders caused god knows how much damage to this base. Plus the wounded on both sides. Even if I had the power to save your ass, I wouldn't."

I gave General Smith a grateful look. "Thank you Sir." Then I turned to Gorkov. "You have one last chance. Tell us where Colt sent Adam."

"Never. With any luck he's as dead as that traitor's other brother."

My hand went for my gun.

Ashley grabbed my hand. "There's a better way."

"I won't tell you anything either, bitch."

Mrs. Cork started forward.

"No, Mom. Let me."

"But Ashley..." her mother started.

"No mother. I have to do something. You and his mother wanted me to be involved in his life anyway. Right?"

Mrs. Cork reluctantly returned to where she had been standing.

Ashley turned to the prisoner. "Lou, clear me some space around the prisoner." She took General Smith's gun before he knew she was doing it. "Ken, if he twitches, shoot him."

Lou cleared a space as the prisoner sullenly stood there glaring at everybody.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Just you watch. Gorkov. Do you know who I am?"

"Of course I do. You're the slut currently sleeping with the traitor."

Mrs. Cork started getting angry again.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Let her. She wanted this."

Ashley ignored the drama going on against the wall. "Close enough. I'm Ashley Cork. I am, fates willing, Jacob's next girlfriend. I'm also a proud American." She moved suddenly to rip the American flags off of Gorkov's uniform. "You are not fit to wear these." Then she tore the rank insignia off of his uniform. "You behavior today shows you have no rights to be an officer."

"Hey bitch, I earned those!"

"The only thing you earned is our contempt. Tell me exactly what orders Colt gave before fleeing the scene of the crime."

"Never. Colt's far more of an American than anybody in this room."

Ashley's foot connected with Gorkov's groin before we knew it was moving.

He dropped to his knees screaming.

Then Ashley did a roundhouse kick that slammed him to the floor. "Pull him to his knees."

Lou and another student did so.

Gorkov looked balefully at her. His nose was bleeding profusely.

"The only reason your head is still sitting on your shoulders is because you need it to talk." Ashley informed him. "That was round one. Next time you say no, I will shove a combat knife in your balls. The time after that, I'll shove a rifle up your ass. If you say no again, I'll pull the rifle trigger. After that whatever I do will just hurt more."

We all stared at her shocked.

She looked back. "Hey, I saw it in movie. It seemed appropriate for the moment. So, I'll ask you again Gorkov, where did that slug Colt send..."

"Adam." I interjected helpfully.

"Thank you. Where was Adam sent?"

"I don't know."

Ashley held out her hand. "A combat knife if you'd be so kind."

Gorkov got a panicked look on his face. "No, no, I'm telling the truth. All I was told is that he was sent north along a road the militants attacked a lot."

"Get a map." I said.

A map was brought.

"Your only hope of her not doing unlicensed surgery on you is for you to tell me where."

Gorkov brushed an area of the map with his chin.

"You sure? You really do not want to be wrong about this."

He nodded.

"You better be right, then." I added. Or else I'll do things to you that make her plans for you seem like a romantic date." I turned to look at Lou. "Detail two Dutchman craft to land. I'm going to assign fifteen Marines to each. They are to get there and rescue Adam. I don't care if they level the surrounding zip codes to do it. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir." Lou turned towards his station.

"General Smith, I need you to create two teams of fifteen Marines each. Make it absolutely clear that they are under the commands of the ship's Captains."

"Okay, but I suggest that those kids be open to suggestions from trained Marines."

Lou turned and looked at General Smith. "We're not fools. We'll listen. And we will succeed. The current situation is proof of that."