David Golemon - Ancients

The Wave had created an earthquake with its accompanying tsunami the likes of which the modern world had never seen. The quake struck in Sydney, killing seventeen people when one of her older bridges collapsed. The tsunami, though diminished by that time, struck northern Japan and destroyed two small villages.

The American carrier force sent to help the Second Infantry Division lost one supply ship and two destroyers, as the sudden surge of ocean had caught the smaller ships in a wide turn. The carriers themselves suffered only minor damage.

By far the second-largest devastation and loss of life occurred in China, where it struck as far inland as Beijing. One hundred thousand Chinese lost their lives to Thor's Hammer.

The target city of Vladivostok was destroyed. Not a single human life survived the quake and tsunami that followed Thor's Hammer. The water reached as far inland as Mongolia and wiped out mining operations in Siberia. All told, the death toll in Russia would exceed one million people. The Russian Pacific Fleet, which was preparing to monitor the American response to North Korea's actions, was gone forever.

Now, the one thing not expected by Tomlinson and the younger Coalition members was the fact that a Russian and Korean monitoring station had picked up the initial trigger broadcast that activated Thor's Hammer. The president of Russia, after finding this out, grew suspicious and suddenly the ravings of Kim Jong Il didn't seem so far-fetched. The Russians and Chinese for precautionary reasons brought their military forces to red alert.

The Doomsday Clock had started.

William Tomlinson accepted the drink from his assistant as the other members of his inner circle waited. On the large liquid-crystal screen was a broad view of the conference room in Norway. A test of wills was so palpable that the air was as thick as molasses.

"You have missed the point entirely, sir. The weapon has caused damage to the two American carrier groups en route to the Sea of Japan. This is jeopardizing the American and Korean lines of resistance if the North attacks. They will be overrun, and that, regardless of your bravado, is not now nor ever was the goal of the test strike. And your blatant disregard for the loss of life in Japan and China was never in the Russian plan."

Tomlinson did not even look up from his drink as the Austrian spoke his condemning words.

"We weaken the old enemies, not destroy our own governments. We need them, for the time being!"

"You gentlemen may need them; we, on the other hand, do not." Tomlinson placed his drink on the polished tabletop and stood, knowing that the camera would stay on him. "This organization made the fatal mistake three times in three hundred years of trusting existing governments to bend to our will, only to have these power-mad individuals balk at our orders and deviate from our hard work and intricately detailed plans. This," he turned and faced the camera lens with steady eyes, "will never happen again. The plan has evolved from our original strike plan and this executive council has overruled the initial strategy in favor of utilizing the drought and flooding in Russia and China and forging ahead. We will bring down those who would eventually stand in our way, just ahead of the schedule we had deliberated upon."

"Have you all gone completely mad? Who will control these governments when anarchy tears them apart?" Zoenfeller exclaimed, slapping his hand on the conference table. "Russia first, after we have the Atlantean Key. You went against our vote and struck anyway!"

"May I say a word?" A smallish man stood and buttoned his jacket.

Tomlinson had coached him on when to talk and what to say. He gestured to the owner of a large consortium of Japanese electronics firms.

"You are judging our small enclave too harshly. Yes, we have changed small parts of the offensive to take advantage of Russia and China's weaknesses in the present time. The weapon was precise and did no more damage than a natural quake would have caused in the same target area. It was, after all, part of my own nation's coastline that sustained damage by the residual effects of the wave. Yet I am still wholeheartedly onboard this accelerated plan."

"That does not give you the right to--"

"Russia, along with China must be out of our way. Let us do it now. This is the moment to act. As soon as the Atlantean Key is in our possession, we can get back on schedule and deal with the western governments. Then, when countries start crumbling from natural disasters, it will be our corporations and leadership worldwide that step in. We will be hailed as deliverers of new hope and then we will all at last have total control. Now is the time for resolve," the Japanese council member waved his hand toward the video screen, "not for timidity. The Juliai and Caesarean Reich will prevail."

The sixteen council members of the inner circle patted their hands on the conference table in total agreement as the Japanese representative bowed and sat down.

The next person was an elegant woman from Great Britain who slowly stood and smiled. She looked at Tomlinson and then spoke.

"Ethnic purification, economic control, and the elimination of formal governments have always been the goal of the Juliai. Regardless of who is struck and when, it cannot help but destabilize the West. As Mr. Tomlinson has stated repeatedly, we have our people ready to step in and take control, but we cannot do so until the destabilization process has begun." Dame Lilith opened her folder and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Germany, Japan, and America must be the first to fall. Therefore, it has been determined that the leadership in these countries must be eliminated, and a timetable within the framework of three weeks is not impossible," she stated in the matter-of-fact way that she would give instructions to one of her servants.

"Again, this is at least four years ahead of schedule. We must--"

"Now, to give you gentlemen and lady a dose of faith in what we have planned, I will now inform you on what is currently happening," Tomlinson said, yet again interrupting Zoenfeller. "As you know, the setback that occurred in New York at our study facility was at first worrisome. However, I am very pleased to announce that the fat fool you gentlemen had placed so much trust in many years ago, has been eliminated before he could cause harm to us by any plea bargain he could have eventually made."

Again, the others on the opposite side of the Atlantic were shocked that death orders had been issued without their conjoined approval.

"The second fact is that the agent in charge of that raid is now dead, along with his entire team. The material from Westchester has been recovered intact," Tomlinson said, smiling, not even flinching when the small lie flowed from his lips.

Again, the younger members gathered in Chicago started slapping the table with the news just delivered.

"Now the good news. Our operative Dahlia has also learned that the location of the plate map that was stolen by Peter Rothman over a hundred years ago has finally been traced to an Ancient in Boston. We will soon have it in our possession."

"Then why not wait for the recovery of the Key before any more strikes?" the Austrian asked as many of the heads nodded agreement on the other side of the Atlantic. "If you're so sure--"

Tomlinson cut the Austrian off brutally.

"The Key is recoverable and will soon be here; that is all you need for the moment. Our efforts are also almost complete in regard to Crete. They broke into the city just hours ago. We will have the location from which we can strike the rest of the world with impunity. After all, how can you trace us to a site that most of the world does not even believe ever existed?"