Read Online In Harm's Way by Shawn Chesser - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shawn Chesser
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as every missile onboard was fired into the Nazi compound in Idaho, killing Ganz and his group of marauding bandits. Now, armed with this knowledge, witnessing the deaths of these survivors was even harder to swallow.
“Thank you Major Nash, carry on,” General Desantos said, visibly reining in his temper.
The Major made the scene on the monitor disappear and, with a few clicks on her remote, replaced it with an ominous view taken from a very high altitude. “As you see on the right corner of the screen, the lead vehicles eluded the dead and successfully escaped from South Denver.” Major Nash directed the red laser dot and slowly circled two ant-sized vehicles: one black and one blue. “That’s the good news... but only if you were the folks in these vehicles.” The red dot continued to circle the two minuscule specks.
Everyone in attendance stood rooted, transfixed on both the Major and the frozen image on the monitor while they waited for the other shoe to drop. Except for the softly purring computer cooling fans, the Space Command operations room was blanketed with an anxious brooding silence.
“Now... for the bad news. Hold on to your covers ladies and gentlemen.” The image zoomed in, slowly revealing an estimated three hundred thousand living dead pouring out of Denver. They appeared to be following in the same general direction as the vehicles driven by the lucky escapees. “The Z’s are moving south. They are in a natural funnel, the Rockies on one side and the high desert on the other, and the funnel delivers them here... right on our doorstep. Unless we act decisively, Colorado Springs is in danger of being overrun.”
The room remained quiet. Major Nash had expected a different reaction. Perhaps they’re all in shock , she thought, or quite possibly, they’re making the necessary mental preparations for the fight to come . In the Major’s mind she was confident it was the latter. With all of the compounding events taking place they were all in harm’s way.
“The dead only cover a mile or two an hour, and rest assured we are tracking them with every asset at our disposal. As of now the Z’s are still seventy miles away from downtown Springs... but the dead are second on the threat list. The more immediate threat to Springs and the rest of the United States will be neutralized in the coming hours. God willing.”
Cade shared a conspiratorial nod with Desantos.
Major Nash turned off the monitor and continued speaking. “Captain Gaines is overseeing our Z eradication efforts in and around Springs. He will be up here momentarily with an update.” Before the petite Major turned over the podium to Captain Gaines, she adjusted the microphone, extending it a full twelve inches above her head.
Gaines strode confidently to the front of the room, saluted the Major, and then stood rigidly, head on a swivel as he surveyed the crowd.
“Thank you Major. I’m going to keep this short because I understand President Clay will be having an audience with a select few of you when I am finished. The ingenuity of our young men and women continues to amaze even this jaded middle-aged soldier. The searchlights that went operational in downtown Springs last night were the brilliant idea of one young airman. Bear with me... it’s a short but sweet story. I had just returned from an overflight mission north of Springs, and the helo lands and this airman comes running up and waves me down. He’s all excited and says to me that he worked at Winslow BMW downtown, and they used to use some very large million candlepower searchlights to attract customers to the lot for special sales and such. But I digress...” Gaines put his hands up over his shiny bald head, opening and closing them, pantomiming a fireworks display. “What he said next seemed so simple that I was not a believer at first. His exact words were, and I quote: “If people with the ability to reason had been compelled to investigate the pretty
“Thank you Major Nash, carry on,” General Desantos said, visibly reining in his temper.
The Major made the scene on the monitor disappear and, with a few clicks on her remote, replaced it with an ominous view taken from a very high altitude. “As you see on the right corner of the screen, the lead vehicles eluded the dead and successfully escaped from South Denver.” Major Nash directed the red laser dot and slowly circled two ant-sized vehicles: one black and one blue. “That’s the good news... but only if you were the folks in these vehicles.” The red dot continued to circle the two minuscule specks.
Everyone in attendance stood rooted, transfixed on both the Major and the frozen image on the monitor while they waited for the other shoe to drop. Except for the softly purring computer cooling fans, the Space Command operations room was blanketed with an anxious brooding silence.
“Now... for the bad news. Hold on to your covers ladies and gentlemen.” The image zoomed in, slowly revealing an estimated three hundred thousand living dead pouring out of Denver. They appeared to be following in the same general direction as the vehicles driven by the lucky escapees. “The Z’s are moving south. They are in a natural funnel, the Rockies on one side and the high desert on the other, and the funnel delivers them here... right on our doorstep. Unless we act decisively, Colorado Springs is in danger of being overrun.”
The room remained quiet. Major Nash had expected a different reaction. Perhaps they’re all in shock , she thought, or quite possibly, they’re making the necessary mental preparations for the fight to come . In the Major’s mind she was confident it was the latter. With all of the compounding events taking place they were all in harm’s way.
“The dead only cover a mile or two an hour, and rest assured we are tracking them with every asset at our disposal. As of now the Z’s are still seventy miles away from downtown Springs... but the dead are second on the threat list. The more immediate threat to Springs and the rest of the United States will be neutralized in the coming hours. God willing.”
Cade shared a conspiratorial nod with Desantos.
Major Nash turned off the monitor and continued speaking. “Captain Gaines is overseeing our Z eradication efforts in and around Springs. He will be up here momentarily with an update.” Before the petite Major turned over the podium to Captain Gaines, she adjusted the microphone, extending it a full twelve inches above her head.
Gaines strode confidently to the front of the room, saluted the Major, and then stood rigidly, head on a swivel as he surveyed the crowd.
“Thank you Major. I’m going to keep this short because I understand President Clay will be having an audience with a select few of you when I am finished. The ingenuity of our young men and women continues to amaze even this jaded middle-aged soldier. The searchlights that went operational in downtown Springs last night were the brilliant idea of one young airman. Bear with me... it’s a short but sweet story. I had just returned from an overflight mission north of Springs, and the helo lands and this airman comes running up and waves me down. He’s all excited and says to me that he worked at Winslow BMW downtown, and they used to use some very large million candlepower searchlights to attract customers to the lot for special sales and such. But I digress...” Gaines put his hands up over his shiny bald head, opening and closing them, pantomiming a fireworks display. “What he said next seemed so simple that I was not a believer at first. His exact words were, and I quote: “If people with the ability to reason had been compelled to investigate the pretty
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