Divided We Fall by W.J. Lundy Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: W.J. Lundy
we will
be landing soon; are you in position?” Cloud said.
Turning his back,
Cloud moved away from the airman to make his way across the center of the
aircraft. Finding the cabin wall, he placed his arm against it for balance then
leaned forward to a window where he could see the fast-moving terrain below. He
felt the pilot starting the plane’s descent.
“Ah… yes, sir. We
are on the north end of the Hairatan road, just past where the roadway opens
up.”
“Understood. We are
on approach; the aircraft will land in your direction, and we will spin one
eighty and drop the ramp. Do not approach the aircraft until the flight crew
directs you onboard. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. But, sir,
I have a—”
Cloud interrupted,
speaking over the man. “As long as you understand; any other questions can
wait. See you on the ground, Sergeant.” Cloud removed the headset and made a
slashing movement with his hand. The airman disconnected the call and quickly
crossed the aisle to retrieve the yellow headphones.
“Sir, you will want
to strap in; we’ll be landing soon,” the man said.
Cloud looked at him
apprehensively; he let his eyes drift over the rows of seats to the open cargo
bay of the aircraft. Along the back wall near the ramp sat a group of eight men
dressed in all black, armed with submachine guns and M4s, pulling on hockey
helmets, and dropping tinted goggles over their eyes. Not military men;
government contractors originally brought on for a paycheck, now working for
whatever it was the general promised them. It was no secret that the
contractors had the best food, best housing, and most freedom of movement
within the facility. It caused envy among the military technicians living
within the walls of the bunker, but that usually went quiet when it was time
for them to go out on a mission.
“Are they ready?”
Cloud asked, looking back at the recovery team.
The airman nodded
his head. “Yes; as soon as the pilot gives the all clear, I’ll drop the ramp
and they’ll make the recovery.”
The overhead cabin
lights went from green to red.
The airman looked
at Cloud. “Sir, you really need to get strapped in.”
Cloud shook his
head and moved to the cabin wall, dropping into a webbed jump seat. He was
eager to be on the ground, to recover the Hairatan group, and make the
exchange. The sooner he could get the general’s mind off the girl, the sooner
he could focus on getting support for his family. So far, any attempt or effort
he made to discuss their recovery was thwarted. Cloud was beginning to think
that his family was nothing more than a pawn to the general, a carrot dangled
in front of him to keep him under control. Everyone had a weakness and the general
knew his.
Many of the men at
the facility had already deserted, returning home or fleeing to one of the safe
zones. After the initial facility lockdown and safely withdrawing from the meat
grinder, all available resources were moved into re-gaining control of the
nation. Region by region, they used everything they had to help secure bits of
the country and to pick up allies within what they then called the secure
zones.
Eventually, most of
the country was segmented into local alliances and locked in safely behind
walls. They formed a new means of communication between them and took control
of their local military assets. That left the Coordinated National Response
Team obsolete, and even unwanted. As national resources were depleted and more
and more requests for assistance had to be denied, the CNRT fell out of favor.
The CNRT was slowly
blocked from accessing military bases and airfields, their freedom of movement
greatly restricted. State governors demanded the CNRT disbanded and its
military might and fuel reserves transferred to local government control. The general
stood a hard line, arguing a need for a central government. His words were
ignored, but all of that changed with the discovery of Aziz and a race for a
cure. Now the
be landing soon; are you in position?” Cloud said.
Turning his back,
Cloud moved away from the airman to make his way across the center of the
aircraft. Finding the cabin wall, he placed his arm against it for balance then
leaned forward to a window where he could see the fast-moving terrain below. He
felt the pilot starting the plane’s descent.
“Ah… yes, sir. We
are on the north end of the Hairatan road, just past where the roadway opens
up.”
“Understood. We are
on approach; the aircraft will land in your direction, and we will spin one
eighty and drop the ramp. Do not approach the aircraft until the flight crew
directs you onboard. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. But, sir,
I have a—”
Cloud interrupted,
speaking over the man. “As long as you understand; any other questions can
wait. See you on the ground, Sergeant.” Cloud removed the headset and made a
slashing movement with his hand. The airman disconnected the call and quickly
crossed the aisle to retrieve the yellow headphones.
“Sir, you will want
to strap in; we’ll be landing soon,” the man said.
Cloud looked at him
apprehensively; he let his eyes drift over the rows of seats to the open cargo
bay of the aircraft. Along the back wall near the ramp sat a group of eight men
dressed in all black, armed with submachine guns and M4s, pulling on hockey
helmets, and dropping tinted goggles over their eyes. Not military men;
government contractors originally brought on for a paycheck, now working for
whatever it was the general promised them. It was no secret that the
contractors had the best food, best housing, and most freedom of movement
within the facility. It caused envy among the military technicians living
within the walls of the bunker, but that usually went quiet when it was time
for them to go out on a mission.
“Are they ready?”
Cloud asked, looking back at the recovery team.
The airman nodded
his head. “Yes; as soon as the pilot gives the all clear, I’ll drop the ramp
and they’ll make the recovery.”
The overhead cabin
lights went from green to red.
The airman looked
at Cloud. “Sir, you really need to get strapped in.”
Cloud shook his
head and moved to the cabin wall, dropping into a webbed jump seat. He was
eager to be on the ground, to recover the Hairatan group, and make the
exchange. The sooner he could get the general’s mind off the girl, the sooner
he could focus on getting support for his family. So far, any attempt or effort
he made to discuss their recovery was thwarted. Cloud was beginning to think
that his family was nothing more than a pawn to the general, a carrot dangled
in front of him to keep him under control. Everyone had a weakness and the general
knew his.
Many of the men at
the facility had already deserted, returning home or fleeing to one of the safe
zones. After the initial facility lockdown and safely withdrawing from the meat
grinder, all available resources were moved into re-gaining control of the
nation. Region by region, they used everything they had to help secure bits of
the country and to pick up allies within what they then called the secure
zones.
Eventually, most of
the country was segmented into local alliances and locked in safely behind
walls. They formed a new means of communication between them and took control
of their local military assets. That left the Coordinated National Response
Team obsolete, and even unwanted. As national resources were depleted and more
and more requests for assistance had to be denied, the CNRT fell out of favor.
The CNRT was slowly
blocked from accessing military bases and airfields, their freedom of movement
greatly restricted. State governors demanded the CNRT disbanded and its
military might and fuel reserves transferred to local government control. The general
stood a hard line, arguing a need for a central government. His words were
ignored, but all of that changed with the discovery of Aziz and a race for a
cure. Now the