The Crimson Fall (The Sons of Liberty Book 1) (43 page)

“Afterward, when my darkest hour had become the beginning of a promising future, I decided to ride that wave of fame as long as I could. I devoted myself to business with the hope that one day I would have the knowledge and expertise needed to further my ideas for a better America. I rose through the ranks, I helped expand what would eventually become one of the greatest examples of corporate success in recent history, and I eventually became governor of the great state of Virginia. All of this I did as my secrets lay buried. Then, on a cold winter morning, you watched as the man you had voted for was sworn into office as your leader.

“Since then I have wanted nothing more than to secure your future so that you, as a people, may continue to live peacefully for generations to come. It not only pains me that my past was kept from you, but that it is my past to begin with. However, I understand that the conflict you find yourselves in is because of my actions. I have only ever wished your safety and continued greatness. If I thought I could do anything to achieve that as your leader, then know that I would in a heartbeat. Sadly, I do not believe I can assist you—a suffering and scared people—any further as your president and commander-in-chief. Therefore, I must resign as the president of the United States.”

Jackson Hewitt’s Humvee came to a screeching halt one hundred yards back from the base entrance. The men had fortified the gate as best as they could—standing ready behind a growing makeshift barrier with their rifles and anti-tank launchers. Jackson saw that defending the two gates was going to prove to be a tactical nightmare. To destroy the tanks completely, they would need to fire from an elevated position—something they did not have—in order to hit the weak spots. Even with all their preparation, Jackson knew the men might waver once the tanks launched their shells into them. Despite all their disadvantages, Jackson remained hopeful. The Airborne and Special Forces waiting to fight were some of the most highly trained soldiers alive, and that fact alone gave the general a small, but helpful, surge of courage.

“What do we have, Sergeant?” Jackson asked as he walked up to a waiting group of officers.

“They’re covering the entirety of the highway from Honeycutt to Butner. Their line is too thick to see behind, but I’d wager they’ll have artillery hidden beyond the highway. Right now, it’s quiet up and down the line. They’re just sitting there while we prepare.”

“Then let us hope that proves to be their fatal mistake,” Jackson said. “Why do you think Chambers is waiting?”

“Sir, that’s just the thing. I don’t think it’s the feds.”

“What do you mean?”

“We scanned for heat signatures, and we can’t find one man in the entirety of that column. On top of that, you’ll need to look at this.” The sergeant handed his night vision binoculars to Jackson. “Look at the white insignia painted on the tanks. You see what I see?”

Jackson zoomed in far enough to locate what the sergeant was talking about. On the side of each dark green tank, he spotted a white emblem consisting of a star inside of two crescent shaped olive branches that crossed at the bottom. Seven smaller stars dotted the top of the mysterious symbol, forming a complete circle with the two rounded branches.

“Who the hell does that belong to?” Jackson mumbled.

“You got me, General,” the sergeant replied. “It’s not Army or Marines.”

“It’s not even American,” Jackson said. “Those tanks are Soviet made.”

“Soviet? Why the hell are Soviet tanks gathering at our doorstep?”

Jackson paused for a moment, closing his eyes tight as he realized what was happening. “Because I fear Lukas Chambers has played us for a fool.”

“So what now, General?”

“I’d wager you were right. There’s not a single man in that column. My guess is somebody on a computer is about to lay siege to Fort Bragg. If we’re going to stand a chance, we’ll need to—”

Before Jackson could bark his orders, the very word that every entrenched soldier waiting on the cusp of battle fears most broke through the silent night.

“Incoming!”

“While my mistakes are plenty, I can assure you that the one mistake I regret the most was remaining in league with those known as the Patriarchs. For too long I subjected myself to those flawed men. Men,” Lukas said as he looked down and locked eyes with the Speaker of the House, “such as Rhys Howard.”

A gasp left the stunned crowd. Rhys Howard’s eyes went wide with shock, and he sat horrified and motionless, staring back at Lukas.

“Do not look so surprised, my old friend,” Lukas said with a smile, still looking at Rhys. “Fate can be a real bitch sometimes. I am sure you’re wondering why I’m not thrashing about in pain right now. It comforts me to inform you that your . . . methods of control holds no sway over me any longer. However, I promise that
you
will experience that hell soon enough.”

Fear gripped Adam. He turned to David, who was already speaking orders into his earpiece. Whether this was some attempt at revenge or an effort to twist the facts, Adam knew he needed to stop Lukas from saying another word.

As he began to stand, a muffled and rapidly repeating thunder boomed overhead. Hundreds of tiny holes—no larger than a quarter—ripped through the ceiling above with a cloud of dust as gunfire poured into the room. Every politician—Adam included—threw themselves to the floor as the soldiers standing guard fell underneath the deadly hail of bullets. Drones burst into the room from all sides, dropping any soldier who remained standing. As chaos and death reigned, Adam glanced up at the stage. Lukas stood quietly—a dangerous beam of victory donning his face as he stared down at the madness. Adam turned to David and began shouting.

“Shut him down now!”

“We can’t,” David shouted back. “He’s locked us out.”

“We’ve got to—”

“Silence!”             

Lukas’ voice quickly hushed the uproar.

“I do not resign today so that I may disappear quietly into the night. You see, I have come to love this land, as a citizen, a soldier, a leader, and even as your president. But I have seen the dangerous principles that America refuses to part with. It is these diseased traditions that threaten us all; a cancer that cannot be cut away without killing the host. This land, your precious United States of America, cannot be fixed as long as your country remains. Therefore, I am here tonight to finally bring about a solution to the problem that is the United States of America.”

Explosions ripped through the men and vehicles that were tasked to hold the gate. To the south, Jackson could see the yellow pulsing glow of additional blasts, signaling an attack at the other entrance. Jackson barked his orders, his voice barely audible over the thunderous roar.

“Mortars and artillery, fifty feet past the gate. If the tanks want in, they’ll have to pass through a wall of fire. Tell them not to let up!” A bullet snapped overhead, causing the general and his commanders to duck. “I want snipers to target the tank barrels! Jones.”

“Yes sir!”

“Radio the carrier transports. Tell them to dump everything they have.”

Three more bullets whizzed by Jackson, one of which found its mark as it struck Jones in the throat, nearly ripping his head off. Jackson dove to the ground cursing as more rounds flew above them. He looked over, staring into the lifeless eyes of his comrade before continuing with his frantic orders.

“Sergeant, redirect mortars to the trees beyond. We need to hold the gate until the troop carriers arrive!”

“General!”

An unknown orderly shouted as he came sprinting up to him.

“What is it?”

“Sir, we have more enemy activity.”

“No shit!” Jackson yelled. “Tell Delta to hold the other gates.”

“Sir, it’s not at the other gates.”

“Where?”

“Sir, we’ve spotted low-flying bombers approaching from east. ETA less than one minute.”

Jackson slowly rose to his feet and looked through his binoculars toward the horizon above the tanks. A few seconds later, he saw a light appear. Then another. Then five more. Suddenly, he could see the lights of thirteen deadly bombers. In that moment, Jackson knew the battle was already over. Fort Bragg was less than a minute away from having a flood of fiery death blanket every square inch of ground contained within her walls.

Jackson wanted to shout out the commands to take cover, to scramble the fighters, to open fire on their enemy above as it approached, or to evacuate the civilians. However, he was a man who had always wanted to accept his death when it drew near. In that moment, he knew there was no cover. There were no fighters. There were no weapons capable of downing the bombers. There was no hope for those who had taken refuge in the base. There were only the few words he suspected so many doomed men had spoken in their final minutes of defeat.

“God help us.”

The doors at the front of the chamber burst open, followed by the arrival of two columns of black clad troops. The soldiers filled the room and began to line the aisles as Lukas continued with his world altering tirade.

“The American experiment has proven to be nothing more than a failed endeavor rooted in a deceitful idea of freedom. For years the United States has manipulated the nations of the world and bent them to her control under penalty of economic depression or death. And as what made this country great crumbled under the weight of corruption, any man who attempted to fix her faults from within was met with opposition at every turn. Every election, you ask for results that never come. Does the power for change lie with your president, your senate, your congress? Someone else, perhaps? Who has the authority to fix this broken land? The answer is simple. That ability is found in no one. What one man may wish to achieve can always be stopped by hundreds. Democracy has become the most flawed form of government the world has ever witnessed, and I am here to declare that the time has come for an everlasting change.”

Jackson looked up as the first capsules of death were released, passing above and toward the base behind him. He followed the bombs and watched in horror as the heat from the endless explosions seared his face. With a great sadness, he knew that the women and children who were losing their husbands and fathers at the frontlines were about to join them in the great beyond. The fury of a man who had nothing more to live for raged inside the general as he turned to the other men around him.

“Men, it has been an honor.”

Jackson Hewitt was a warrior at heart. Though he knew death was imminent, he hoped he would die a warrior’s death. He grabbed his rifle and with a hatred as hot as the inferno behind him, he looked toward his men dying one hundred yards away at the forefront of the battle and gave his final orders as lieutenant general of Fort Bragg.

“Let us join our brothers at the gates one last time.”

“I stand before you now to declare that it is time we awaken from this nightmare created by those before us. I, Lukas Ryan Chambers, the First Sovereign of the Imperium, hereby declare the dissolution of the United States of America. Never again will the corruption and interests of hundreds outweigh the hard decisions that we must make as a race united under one worldwide government. Never again will the endless bickering between politicians who deliver nothing more than empty words keep us from achieving the greatness we deserve as a people. As the sun sets on America, a new dawn rises, giving light to all those who wish to unite under the noble ambition of
global
freedom, peace, and prosperity.”

The wrath of a soldier condemned to die guided Jackson’s feet.

The general had lived by the simple principles of self-discipline and love for country. He had continued to push himself and maintain the body and mind God had given him, even as the years wore on and the gray hairs had multiplied. Despite all his training, his legs and lungs began to burn as he ran toward his last battle armed with a simple rifle and no hope of survival. But Jackson pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He knew the ache would only be momentarily and that soon, he would join his brothers in arms as they fought and died together one last time.

“We will be a people that welcomes any into our embrace. Never will we tolerate those who abandon us or those who try to destroy that which was created here on this day of days. Our enemies—men such as those who abandoned you at Fort Bragg—will fall before the onslaught of the Imperium. As I speak, my army lays waste to every treacherous soul enclosed within Fort Bragg’s walls. Let their deaths serve as a reminder that dissention anywhere within my kingdom will be met with only one reward. Death.”

Jackson Hewitt fought alongside his troops as endless waves of drones buzzed above, gunning down the men below. The Rangers and Special Forces fired at the deadly birds that quickly darted about, striking a handful of them and sending them crashing down in a shower of sparks. Nevertheless, for every drone they wrecked, three more entered the fight.