Уильям Дитц - Seek and Destroy

Tully’s eyes came up, and she looked more confident. “That was different… They had the right recognition signals.”

“What?”

“Yes, ma’am. The lead pilot called in from fifty miles out, said that General Garrett was aboard, and requested permission to land. We asked for today’s recognition code and received it. Fire control was notified, along with all of the AA batteries.”

Mac took it in. Crowley had been careful this time. Even she didn’t know what the plan of attack was. Yet Howard knew… And the Confederacy knew. “Write that down, too,” Mac instructed. “It will go into the after-action report. And let’s stay vigilant. Who knows? Those bastards could launch a follow-up attack.”

Mac turned and made her way back to Crowley’s office. She didn’t know what to expect. Was the man drunk? Cowering under his desk? She’d be tempted to shoot him if he was.

But Crowley wasn’t cowering under his desk. He was dead. And that was glaringly obvious the moment Mac entered. The colonel was sitting in his chair, head back, staring at her. Except that instead of two eyes he had three … The one in the middle was rimmed with blue and leaking blood. It ran down onto the bridge of his nose and into his mustache.

Mac swore under her breath as she went over to look for the pistol. But there wasn’t any pistol. Crazy Crowley had been murdered! By one of the Southerners he feared so much? By Captain Lightfoot? No, that didn’t seem likely, given all that was going on. Plus there were guards out front. Or had been until the bandits killed them.

Then it came to her. Lieutenant Casey! He was from the South, he’d been there, and Crowley trusted him. But the bastard was a spy… An enemy agent who’d been ordered to shoot the fort’s CO at the height of the action, a moment when Tully and the rest of them were unlikely to notice the noise.

Mac wheeled, left the room, and returned to the com cave. “Sergeant Tully… get Captain Lightfoot on the horn. Tell him to find Lieutenant Casey and place him under arrest. Oh, and tell him that there’s a very strong chance that Casey murdered the colonel. If so, he’s dangerous.”

Tully’s eyes were huge. “Ma’am, yes, ma’am.”

“And don’t let anyone into the colonel’s office,” Mac added. “It’s a crime scene.” And with that, she left.

As Mac returned to the surface, she was greeted by the sight of two burning helicopters, people running to and fro, and a scattering of bodies. Most were bandits but not all… And that made her angry. Very angry. Someone was going to pay.

“There you are,” Captain Lightfoot said, as he arrived. “You’re serious? The colonel was murdered?”

“Yes,” Mac replied. “And I think Casey did it.”

“He’s gone,” Lightfoot told her. “He left in a Humvee. No one had any reason to stop him.”

Did that amount to proof? No… But even if Casey wasn’t a murderer, he was a deserter. “I’m assuming command,” Mac said. “And I’m naming you as the acting XO. Have one of your platoon leaders contact the local police department and request assistance. Someone from the outside needs to conduct an investigation, and we don’t have any CIC agents.”

“Got it,” Lightfoot replied. “And then?”

“And then we’re going to find the new scout that Crowley told us about,” Mac replied. “They had a plan. Was Casey in on it? If not, we’re going to use it.”

Lightfoot nodded. “That makes my fucking day… Let’s do this thing.”

FORT HOOD, TEXAS

It was a nice day by postapocalyptic standards. That meant Victoria could leave her cold-weather gear in her condo. She was barely aware of the drive to work because her mind was on other things. Primary among them was the summons from the normally hands-off Colonel Oxley. According to Oxley’s e-mail, he wanted to see her “regarding the Howard fiasco,” and “…a new assignment.”

Victoria had been reporting to Oxley for six months. On paper, at any rate. But in all truth, Victoria’s orders came from Oxley’s CO, which was to say her father. Now it seemed as though Oxley was going to get in her face. Something had changed. But what ?

Victoria was approaching the gate by that time. She braked, waited for the line to jerk ahead, and had her ID at the ready when her turn came. An MP eyed it and took a step back. The salute was textbook perfect. Victoria returned it and drove into the fort. The III Corps headquarters building consisted of two squares and a central triangle.

Victoria parked behind the complex and made her way across the parking lot. After entering the building, Victoria had to show ID again before continuing on her way.

Oxley’s office was three doors down the hall from her father’s. Victoria glanced at her watch, confirmed that she had enough time for a side trip, and took a right instead of a left.

A well-worn carpet led her to a door that should have borne her father’s name, rank, and title. The plaque was missing, and the door was locked. Mystery solved. Her father had been promoted, reassigned, or both. And because Bo’s movements were classified, he hadn’t been free to tell her.

So, Victoria thought to herself, as she did an about-face. It looks like I’ll have to take Oxley seriously. She made her way to Oxley’s office, went inside, and paused at the reception desk. “Major Macintyre to see Colonel Oxley.”

The civilian clerk was a middle-aged man with a comb-over and a snippy manner. “The colonel is busy. Sit down. He’ll see you when he’s ready.”

Victoria chose one of six empty chairs. Most of the New Confederacy continued to enjoy Internet service, and she was checking her e-mail when the clerk called her name. The door to Oxley’s office was open. Victoria stepped inside and came to attention. “Major Macintyre, sir… Reporting as ordered.”

Oxley was fortysomething and runner thin. His uniform looked as if it had been sprayed on. “At ease, Major… Have a seat.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“So,” Oxley said, as he made a steeple with his fingers. “I read your report regarding the attack on Fort Carney. The fact that we had an agent on Colonel Crowley’s staff led to a successful ambush. That part of the affair was well done.”

Oxley smiled thinly. “Unfortunately, the rest of it was a full-on shit show. In response to Robert Howard’s request, and your recommendation, we took part in the attack on Fort Carney. Three Black Hawk helicopters were lost along with their crews even though the pilots had the correct recognition signals. That’s eighteen million predisaster dollars, Major… Never mind the lives lost. Howard doesn’t care… But I do.”

Oxley’s comments had been carefully worded. At no point had he accused General Macintyre’s daughter of being incompetent, but the implication was there. And Victoria was seething with anger. She’d been able to watch the attack via a drone circling above. And it was a shit show. Something she was forthright about in her report.

So what was the rehash about? Oxley wanted to throw his weight around and get back at the Macintyre family for the manner in which he’d been sidelined. Victoria was reminded of the old saying: What goes around comes around.

But Victoria had been forced to deal with pissy COs before and wasn’t about to provide Oxley with a reason to write her up. “Yes, sir,” Victoria said. “I understand.”