Kevin Miller - Declared Hostile

A real shooting war . Weed and his band of “misfit” aviators were in an undeclared shooting war, a one-sided summary execution with no warning. For Wilson, there was no love lost for the poor smugglers on the boats or planes, and the rich Americans who participated in the destruction of their own society earned special contempt. But it was unsettling, the high-tech manner in which they were hunted and essentially shot in the back with no warning. Just tell them, he thought, wondering why the United States didn’t warn the druggies that, if caught on or over the high seas, they would be blown to bits. Even the Germans had done that during the world wars: give the merchant sailors a chance to look out for the U-boats — or stay ashore.

Weed was right. The media’s fifth column would take the side of the downtrodden smugglers “just trying to make a living,” while glossing over the drug lords who laundered billions in Panama each year and continued to feed a steady supply of poison into North America, poison that took down droves of kids each day… that could even take Derrick someday. Wilson’s guilt returned. How he wanted to be home with his son, to pick up a baseball glove and play catch, to listen to him, to be there for him.

Mary. He wondered what she was doing. He hadn’t received an email from her in days, which was unsettling. With the media reporting the Russian flights and the saber rattling in South America, it was strange he had heard nothing from her. Was she burned out dealing with the kids, with the Navy… or with him? Was she cheating on him?

The Firebirds of VFA-16, who made up his current “family,” were not hitting on all cylinders. Trench was off the ship and maybe down forever. Macho preoccupied, his intel officer also distracted. And Coach was a wild card. He needed to get everyone focused on the real enemy they would be facing in hours.

He heard a knock. “Come in.”

Annie stepped inside and closed the door. “Hey.”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Just got through looking at my strike plan. Mining the port of Río Salta.”

“Wow. We aren’t screwing around.”

“Yeah, it’s the day after your strike on San Ramón. You need to take out most of the newer SAM sites, and we should be able to get underneath the older stuff and AAA. We’ll bottle them up in port… or keep people out.”

“Okay, we’ll do our best. Who’s gonna help you?”

“Stretch and Macho are on my strike planning team. We’ve got sixteen jets and a dedicated fighter sweep. We’re taking no chances that you guys will have shut down everything.”

“Well, happy mining. I just had a chat with Shane.”

“Yes?” Annie asked.

“Told her we need her game face. She’s been hurt, she’s been wronged, it is wrong, we’ll deal with it — but later.”

“Gossip happens— we’re gossiping,” Annie smiled.

“Maybe. I’d like to think we’re assessing our people. Besides, the bullshit is inversely proportional to the threat, and the threat here is as high as anything in CENTCOM.”

“Concur. She’s a kid, and she’ll get over it. She’s moving into one of the Arrow ’s staterooms for the time being.”

“Good. You ready for this?”

“Yep. Wonder what those guys are thinking down there.”

What does he want? Daniel thought as he looked out at the blue Caribbean through the sound-treated windows of his observatory. With Annibel and the girls at the pool, he took a call from Ramirez on his secure line. He needed to always show confidence. Smile, he thought.

“Eduardo, I hope you are well.”

“My friend, I hope you are well because Ramos is losing his ass in the Pacific, and he knows why.”

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked.

“The yanquis are not only mobilizing their army to attack us, they have stepped up operations in the Pacific. Ramos has lost all his shipments in the past four days, and he knows why .”

Daniel listened.

“You told us, Daniel, that the Americans would concentrate on the Venezuelan military once your puppet general rattled his saber. Jail a diplomat. Have the Russians fly in a provocative manner. Well, you were right! They are off our shores now! And they’ve shut down the canal, and Ramos’ Pacific shipments are going missing — with no trace, like yours two weeks ago. Seems you just transferred your problem to him.”

“And you, my friend, how are your supply lines?”

“I’ve shut down. I’m weathering the storm until it passes. But the shipments are the least of our worries. The American banks are using their Internet people to stop money transfers and freeze our accounts. Ramos is going to kill you.”

Daniel froze for a moment, knowing that Ramirez spoke the truth. Confidence .

“We will see about that, but why do you tell me this, Eduardo? Don’t you stand to gain from my death? Or if I engage Ramos in a turf war? You’ll be the one standing. You’ll own everything.”

“My friend, if you are out, then Ramos is focused on me . Even if both of you are dead, the whole world focuses on me alone.”

“Buy the Americans off!”

“Daniel, you could not buy the Colombians off, which is why you live in my country now! No, I want you and Ramos, my friends and enemies, close to me in this ménage a trios of convenience. So I warn you, my clever friend, to call off your stooge in Caracas, give the damn Americans their limp-wristed diplomat back, and stop the Russians from scaring Washington to death. Do you know that Raul has armed men surrounding their torture chamber at Guantanamo?”

“Yes, I’ve told my man to provoke but not to attack.”

“Your man is a military fool, unaccustomed to thinking, taking orders from milquetoast politicians who themselves get it wrong.”

“He’s the top general of the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana! ” Daniel raged. “There’s no one higher!”

“He’s a fool , Daniel! Did he communicate with the Russians and Raul? If he did, they have overplayed their hand, and the Americans are bringing the thunder! Did you communicate with the Russians and Cubans to coordinate what you wanted?”

“ Of course not! ” Daniel shot back. “There can be no trail, and these military details are not of my concern!”

Ramirez laughed. “These details will kill you, Daniel. You asked your man to stir up the Americans to take the pressure off — so he did! They now think Guantanamo is going to be invaded, and the Russians are going to start World War III! And you had them take a worthless diplomat—”

“ I did not! ” Daniel sensed he was losing control.

“You did , Daniel, because you didn’t spell it out for the fools who work for you. You asked them to bring you a rock, and they did! Just not the rock you wanted. And now the excited American cowboys on their battleships are going to attack us, and I think they are really going to do it! Do not forget that they fight for their flag, you idiot, not for the riches you throw at your medal-covered generals and perfumed princes in Caracas…who have proven themselves inept!”

“You overreact.”

“Do I? I’m the one bringing you word about Ramos. I’m the one husbanding my resources. While your beauty queen of a wife is in Caracas spending all your money and you are in your gilded prison bouncing up and down on your silicone prostitutas, the Americans have a satellite looking at you right now. And, if you don’t move fast, they are going to send a guided missile into your glass observatory. And the last thing they’ll see before it blows up is your bare ass!”