Chapter 10

Greg looked the vehicles over once again. He chose to make this an official visit, so had all three Hum Vs prepared and was about to visit and beard the Colonel in his own den.

It had been a week since the orders had been transmitted to him along with his authorization and promotion. He had a team take copies of the orders down to Superior and ordered them to make contact.

That had been relatively easy. Litchfield's people had become very complacent.

Communications had been established, and the Colonel offered to meet at the Litchfield home to talk over the integration of Litchfield's soldiers into the chain of command. The only problem Greg had was he liked nothing of what he had found out from the few people willing to talk.

Myron Litchfield had gone totally overboard and would have to be eased out of any position of authority. It was not going to be easy. Greg had a feeling things would not go smoothly at all.

Armed with new satellite photos and videos, just to keep Myron guessing, Greg made his way down the recently cleared road to the St. Regis River. They turned south and drove about a mile down the river road, or what was left of it, to the fording place chosen.

Everyone except drivers got out and walked across, guiding the vehicles onto the ice hardened river. Shortly, all three Hum V's were across, and Greg met up with his forward element.

They reported that with the exception of one scout that had tried to enter the town on the QT, everything was as ordered. They had the scout already in custody and his communications equipment with him.

Greg looked the radio over curiously. It was a standard police radio issued to officers in the field.

Looking carefully, Greg noticed a spot on the leather case.

"Yes sir. We noticed it too. The scout admitted that while he didn't take part in the actual fight, well the Colonel had had to come down hard on local law enforcement and it had been a battle in the early days. Almost all law enforcement officials had been killed off. That's blood sir." Sgt Powell said.

Greg was sick. This was nothing more than murder.

He quickly re-thought his position, and decided that Myron had to go, no if ands or buts about it.

He had been willing to overlook some excesses, but with what he now knew, and information collected over the past week, Myron had to go.

Greg picked up a guide who would direct his three vehicle convoy through the ruins of superior, then to the road to Myron's ranch. Altogether the drive took fifteen minutes to the road, and then another 25 minutes once the road was reached to Myron's ranch.

"According to the Sat. photos, he will have at least one guard position at the gates sir. He seems to feel he is in a strong position." Sgt. Ballerton said.

"I know Sgt. I saw the photos too. I have been considering how best to deal with Myron. We can't have him in any position of power. You know that, and I know that.

The question is, how do we fix it." Greg said musingly.

"It would be best if he was relieved of command. I have a few suggestions as to how, sir, if your willing to go to extremes." Sgt Ballerton said quietly.

"I am not going to beat around the bush Sgt. He has to be executed. His crimes are too many as are his excesses. The only question is, how many of his men are we going to have to fight. The recon satellite photos showed over a hundred men, and while I think highly of our men, we might be hard pressed to take them out." Greg then added, " Even the president wants him out."

"Sir? Have you considered that he is not really universally loved by his men? From what was said by that scout we captured, it sounds like he rules more by fear than any actual respect or authority." Sgt.

Ballerton said.

"And that's a big worry too. Why do so many follow blindly along? No, we have to feel our way first. When we get the information we need, we can make our move then. Until that time, we put our best military foot forward, and do this dog and pony show." Greg finished grimly.

Shortly, they had arrived at the Litchfield Ranch. They had been waved through the gate with no problem. Following the road up to the house, Greg saw that the grounds had been changed since the last and only time he had been here.

However, the satellite recon photos had prepared everyone here. As Greg got out of his HUM V, Myron Litchfield himself came out the door.

"General Baron? Greg, nice to see you again!

How long has it been? Christ, last I heard you were a Major in the National Guard, and here you are a general!" Litchfield said heartily.

Greg almost sneered at the obvious phony joviality in Myron's voice. He went through with the handshake and asked Sgt. Ballerton for the brief case.

"I have here, an interesting tape, and other items of interest to you Myron. I think you should view the tape as soon as possible." Greg said in a determined voice.