Read Online Fulcrum: V Plague Book 12 by Dirk Patton - Free Book Online Page A

harbor.”
    “We’re going to be thin on the ground, that’s for sure,”
Pointere said.  “At least we’ve got plenty of arms and munitions.”
    “OK.  Let’s use your Marines for the static defensive
positions.  We can supplement with Navy and Air Force.  Use them for
observation and runners.  I’ll have some Rangers down in the valley. 
They’ll set up some surprises for our guests and keep them harassed so they
can’t move fast.”
    Blanchard turned to the third man in the group.  He was
a Navy Captain, wearing a SEAL trident on his uniform.
    “Captain, I’m rethinking your suggestion, and I agree with
you.  SEALs planting mines on the Russian ships.  There’s just not
enough of you to make a difference in the jungle, but if you can clog up the
harbor with burning enemy ships, it’ll make it damn difficult for them to keep
landing troops.”
    The man smiled and lowered the binoculars he was using to
survey the harbor below.
    “Figured you’d come around,” he chuckled.  “I already
told my men that’s what they were doing.  They’ll be ready.”
    “Good,” Blanchard said without hesitating.  “Colonel,
get orders issued to your Marines and let’s move.  I want a look at Battery
405, then the north shore.”
    “You’re going to Battery 405?  Can I get a ride with
you?”
    The three men turned to see that the Governor had stepped
close behind them.  Blanchard glanced at Commander Glass before looking
back at the man.
    “Shouldn’t you be coordinating with your state police or
something?  Get your civilians someplace safe?  Arm the ones that can
fight?”  Blanchard asked.
    “My aides are handling that,” the man said in a pompous
tone.  “I’m supposed to be evacuated to the shelter.”
    Blanchard sighed and turned his back on the man. 
Pointere and the SEAL officer had already moved away, radios pressed to their
ears as they issued orders.  The Colonel called his aide who was on his
way in a Black Hawk.  When he arrived, the Captain would take command of the
installation’s defenses.  Blanchard and the two officers would depart in
the Black Hawk.
    The Colonel had just lowered his handset when the radio
beeped.  Answering it, he didn’t like the news coming from the CIC at
Pearl Harbor.
    “Russians have sailed from Midway,” he said after the call
completed.
    “How long?”  Pointere asked.
    “Forty hours at their present speed,” Blanchard said.  “We’ve
got a crippled carrier, two Aegis cruisers and an attack sub going to engage
them in a few hours.  Try and slow them down, but we’re severely
outgunned.”
    The three men looked up as a Black Hawk swooped over the top
of the mountain and came into a hover over their position.  They were
standing on a slope, and there was nowhere for it to land.
    A moment later a crewman looked down before tossing a heavy
bag through the open side door.  A thick, fast-rope line unspooled as it
fell, thumping onto the edge of the gravel track.  A man appeared at the
opening, sliding down and stepping away.  He was quickly followed by three
more soldiers. The crewman leaned out again, then started pulling the rope back
into the hovering Black Hawk.
    Blanchard spoke briefly with the Captain and a Lieutenant,
both men turning and jumping onto the running board of a passing truck. 
They would set up a command post within the mountain.  The two men
remaining stepped forward when the Colonel looked in their direction.
    “How do you two keep turning up?”  He asked with a
grin.
    Drago and Chico both shrugged their shoulders and smiled back
at him.
    “OK,” Blanchard said, getting serious.  “We’ve got to
defend this approach.  The Marines are going to take the ridgelines on
either side of the valley.  When the squads show up, start setting up some
welcome presents.  You got into the armory without any problems?”
    “Yes, sir,” Drago said.  “One thing about Hawaii, it’s
well stocked.  We’ve got enough