Paul Kirk - Devastation Point

“Hmm,” said Major O’Malley.

“Go help ’em out, major. Though, I might suggest you keep an eye on Suzie and the subtle questions she keeps asking everyday about our tactical and operational status.”

“Sure thing.”

The colonel grabbed his arm lightly, stopping his stride, lowering her voice.

“And take note at how well she scans the grounds, the men, and their weapons. The woman’s a well-trained Nikon camera. Come get me when you’re done.”

“Is this why you’ve stood here every morning?” whispered Major O’Malley. He was beginning to change perspective on the morning meal. Smiling, Colonel Starkes politely waved at Suzie and purposefully ignored the major, before reentering the building. Twenty minutes later, Major O’Malley returned to the command post to find the colonel reviewing the early morning reconnaissance report prepared by the night patrol of Edgars and Rice. An hour before, he’d read the same nighttime activity report with the colonel, familiar with the contents. Careful not to interrupt her intense concentration, he sat in a nearby chair, waiting. Finally, the wait was unbearable.

“Ma’am?”

Thinking back on the report, he’d not found anything particularly disturbing, but he wondered if he’d missed something. The colonel spoke, her eyes not rising from the report.

“Rice says he sensed someone was in the ball bearing warehouse 200 clicks southeast.”

Major O’Malley sighed at the comment. Rice was known for ‘seeing things’ that were usually not there, though admittedly, in a few cases, his intuition had saved them an ambush or two through the years. Most often, it simply caused the major and his men to waste time searching for ghosts.

“Rice has been known to see a ghost or two, especially at night, ma’am.”

“I reassessed the windows of that warehouse again this morning.”

“When?” asked Major O’Malley. He sensed the colonel’s unease.

“Twenty minutes ago.”

“So?”

“C’mon. Follow me.”

All business, Colonel Starkes carried a huge pair of Zeiss binoculars, leading him to the rooftop. Exiting onto the roof, she nodded to Lieutenants Donnie Winters and Tim McDonald standing guard.

“Back again, ma’am? Something we should know about?” asked Lieutenant Winters.

“Not yet, lieutenant.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The colonel walked a few feet with the major, before she stopped and turned. She studied Lieutenant McDonald.

“Oh, and Lieutenant McDonald?”

Tim McDonald stood straighter at the mention of his name. Though by far the youngest member of their unit, he was brought along for his uncanny sniper skills.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“I want you stay extra sharp this next week.”

“Yes, ma’am. I will.”

“Bring your ‘A’ game. Am I clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That goes for you too, Donnie.”

“Always, ma’am.”

The colonel handed the binoculars to her second-in-command while the two lieutenants stared after the pair. The colonel and major settled on the southern corner of the roof near a non-functioning air conditioning unit.

“Take a gander, major.”

Colonel Starkes handed the binoculars to the major who scanned the three-story warehouse, seeing nothing unusual. Another scan complete, he lowered the binoculars.

“Yeah, so. Nothing’s out of the ordinary. No one’s there.”

“Top floors. See the window four across from the left? See the missing windowpane?”

Analyzing the building, he discovered the missing windowpane. He glanced at the colonel and felt her fierce stare. Quickly, she snatched the binoculars from his hands and returned to studying the warehouse. Concerned, the major wondered if the colonel was shifting into some level of abnormal paranoia. Perhaps, he should recommend that she pay better attention to her sleep regime. He knew, from several men guarding her room each night that she was not sleeping well, since settling in at the Hall of Fame.

“Yeah, so? There are at least thirty broken windows on that side of the building. You know we’ve gone and checked out that building twice in the past week on your orders. Last night was the third.”

“Take another look, major,” said Colonel Starkes, slapping the binoculars at his chest.

“Okay, ma’am.”

“That busted window’s new, major. I’ve kept track using the drawing right here in my pocket. That window was busted out for optimal viewing of this building last night, but with easy access to the internal stairwell should it be required to leave in a damn hurry.”

“Huh.”

“I’m tellin’ you that window was removed last night. Sergeant Rice was correct in sensing the presence of someone in that building.”

Immediately trusting the veracity, Major O’Malley reminded himself of the intense commitment the colonel had in ensuring their safety during their stay. What he’d thought of as, perhaps, a rising paranoia, he began to see as a finer assessment of new incoming data. That is, for those who paid attention to such. He chided himself severely for not providing better support. Clearly, he needed to get back into the game.

“Colonel, that view, with a good scope, would give Phoenix and this Cleveland bunch excellent access on intel. Hell, they might even be able to watch Nicole and CJ strolling around inside, right?”

“Agreed.”

“So, you’re thinking Phoenix is not Mr. Nice Guy, after all?”

Colonel Starkes took her time before responding. As a surprise, she smiled before speaking.

“He’s good, Mike. Real good. But, as my dad would say, the young man’s too big for his britches,”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, he has some solid charisma and talent at subversion, persuasion, manipulation, strategy and control—you don’t control a Cleveland crowd such as this without it, but he’s not yet come across someone trained in the finer art of military strategy. Plus, Phoenix just doesn’t have the damn experience.”

“I’m not sure I’m following you, colonel.”

“The art of war, major. Everything he’s doing, thus far, can be interpreted on many levels. War and control is one of them. As it happens, the military mindset will always be my ‘default’ position, probably for the rest of my life. And, I must admit, I’m told I have some skills in the area.”

“Granted. So, what’s he doing?”

“I’m surprised, major, that you’re asking that question, given that you and Captain Daubney were the ones to suggest his likely response.”

“Suggest what?”

“Remember what you said about coming to Cleveland? Remember your and Daubney’s concerns?”

“Sure. That they might see you as… ah, something less than the president?”

“Right. And, Phoenix’s doing just that. I think he’s going after the woman and the power. But, in this case it’s not me. It’s… Nicole. Or, so he thinks.”

“Nicole?”

“I think the man’s sharp. Perhaps extraordinarily so, to have achieved so much control in so little time since the Sickness. That said, I think he’s managed to figure out that Nicole and CJ are the main reason we’re not sitting on our butts in Mt. Storm or DC right now.”

“Ma’am, you mean you think Phoenix knows about them and is planning on taking ’em from us at some point?”

“C’mon, major. The man’s has more on the ball than that.”

“He’s going to try to take us all down?”

“Bingo. Give the man a cigar!”

“Huh!”

Colonel Starkes smiled and touched the major gently on his sleeve.

“Major, Phoenix’s the type to take what he wants. He’s simply waiting for the right moment. And, he’s patient… I’ll give him that.”