Indestructible: V Plague Book 7 by Dirk Patton Read Free Book Online Page A

they’re
functioning?”  The Colonel asked, shoving papers around the desktop until he
found a pack of cigarettes.
    “They’re showing as active nodes on the Echelon network
which they wouldn’t if the EMP had disabled them.  But being NSA assets,
they’re encrypted very heavily and it’s not a simple job to break in and take
control.  We don’t even know what they’re for or what their capabilities are. 
Hopefully once the Navy cracks them we’ll have eyes over CONUS as well as
orbital intel again.”  Blanchard raised the radio to his ear as he finished
speaking.
    Watching his aide listen to the muted voice, Crawford lit a
cigarette and leaned his forearms on the heavy, walnut desk.  The desk belonged
to Air Force General Triplett, but the man was currently under house arrest in
the base commander’s quarters with his wife.  A full platoon of Rangers were
making sure that he didn’t leave, didn’t have any visitors and wasn’t able to
communicate with anyone.
    Their arrest of the General for siding with the traitorous
US President had started out benign enough the previous evening, but had turned
ugly in a hurry.  Twenty Air Force Security Forces had been guarding the
General.  Colonel Crawford had personally led a platoon of Rangers to arrest
him and seize control of the strategically vital Air Force base.
    The Rangers had moved into position, undetected.  Two
snipers had set up to cover each end of the large home, both of them also
having a clear view of most of the Security Forces.  Crawford’s plan had been
to move his men forward and capture the Air Force personnel, the advantage of
speed and stealth on his side.  Once the guards were neutralized it would be a
simple matter to affect the General’s arrest.
    But things rarely go according to plan.  As the Rangers were
moving into position, close to the residence of the base’s Deputy Commander,
gunfire erupted from one of the second story windows.  Unable to sleep, the Air
Force Colonel had seen the Army moving into position and rather than sounding
an alarm he had grabbed a rifle and started shooting at the two Rangers that
were visible from his bedroom window.
    “Weapons free for defense!”  Crawford had reluctantly
shouted into his radio.
    He had wanted to do this without shedding any American
blood.  His heart sank when he heard the suppressed return fire of his men,
which quickly silenced the Air Force Colonel.  He was sick to his stomach when
the Security Forces opened up with their Humvee mounted machine gun.  Three
Rangers died before the snipers took out the gunner, and they had to kill five
more of the General’s guards before the rest of the men put their weapons on
the ground and surrendered.
    Crawford had rushed forward, a squad on his heels, intending
to kick in the General’s front door.  Murder and mayhem were in his eyes as he
approached the front porch, the squad snapping their weapons up as the heavy
wooden door swung open.  It was the General’s wife, wearing a thick robe over
her nightgown.  She moved to block the opening with her body and stood facing
Crawford.
    The Colonel stood on the first step, the General’s wife
staring him down.  They remained that way for a few moments, neither moving nor
speaking.  Finally the woman had stepped back into her home and waved Crawford
inside.  Leaving the Rangers on the porch he had stepped cautiously through the
door, which she left standing open and pointed down a hall.  Crawford had
removed his beret and walked quietly in the indicated direction.
    At the end of the hall had been a heavy oak door, stained
dark and highly polished to match the décor of the home.  Pistol in hand,
Crawford had opened the door and stepped into General Triplett’s den.  The
General was seated in one of a pair of high backed, leather wing chairs.  He
was wearing pajamas and a dressing gown, smoking a cigar and swirling a tumbler
of amber liquid.  Another glass and a cut crystal