Battle Earth VII (19 page)

"And you have evidence of this?"

Taylor shook his head.

"Colonel, I have countless dead and wounded, and a war on our hands we could never have expected. Please do not give hope where there is none."

"You don't believe me?"

"How can I? Even if it is true, who are they? How can we find them, and how would it make any difference here? We're at war now, once more. Now please, I have much business to attend to."

And just like that, the conversation was over again. Ryan pointed to turn his attention to the news that had still been running but had been muted. It was a map of Europe showing some evolution of borders. Mitch put the sound back on to hear it was the drawing up of borders by the European Alliance. He could see it already included Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Romania.

"They're heading for another World war."

"You have chosen the wrong side," stated Jafar.

"I wasn't aware we had chosen one," replied Taylor.

"You will not see harm come to the prisoners. So you are with the UEN."

"And should we not protect prisoners of war?"

"You assume they are all like me and Tsengal. They are not."

They turned their attentions back to the news as they caught sight of an alien soldier. Narration continued over the images.

"As the Spanish forces have pushed further into the Gafsa facility, we are getting reports that escaped prisoners are fighting alongside German soldiers. This video captured by one of the networks aerial drones appears to show exactly that, but representatives from the UEN have denied to comment on the matter.”

Taylor looked more closely and could see the creature. It was wielding a Reitech weapon. He froze the image and zoomed in. In the background, he could just make out another of the Krys armed the same, and a human standing behind that.

“They’ve really done it,” he whispered.

“How? How can they have gone from guarding the prisoners to fighting alongside them in such a short space of time?”

“It’s not that big a leap,” said Taylor. “These are people willing to fight to protect those prisoners, and once the camp was invaded, they’d take any help they could get. Think about it. Prison buildings being torn apart, and the detainees fighting for their lives, taking up arms beside the humans fighting for them is logical. On top of that, I bet the German UEN never expected it to go this far. I bet they haven’t been able to muster troops quick enough to get there in support. That’s why the air support went in so hard.”

“Okay, well what do we do now?”

Taylor shrugged.

“We could go home. The US won’t want a part in this if it can be avoided. We could go home and forget all about it,” he stated cynically.

“After this, I can’t believe you’d let this go.”

“Those are our orders.”

“Like that’s bothered you. Let’s say we stay, which side do we take?”

“I’d say that at least is pretty clear. Armand is UEN, UEN forces are enlisting Krys to fight with them. Enlisted armies of Krys, where do you think that is leading?”

“Agreed, so we’re on the wrong side of the border.”

“I’m not so sure. Local government here has been opposed to any pro-alien standpoints. Looks to me like the borders are still being drawn up. God knows which side Belgium will end up on.”

“Well, we need to know.”

“Agreed. Monitor all local news networks, and try and get a feel for which side both public and government opinion is swaying. At present, we are an American vessel with no allegiance to either side, none that is implied anyway. The minute we pick a side, let’s make sure we’re in the right place, hey?”

“So we just wait?”

“For now, yes. We should be fine. We could all do with some rest. Double the number of guards on duty, and ensure you have enough crew ready to fly this boat at a moment’s notice. If the need should arise to get the hell out of Dodge, I want it to be an option.”

Taylor welcomed the rest, but long before the sun had risen, Ryan woke him. He groaned briefly until he remembered the seriousness of their situation.

“What is it?”

“Announcement from the Belgian President, regarding their membership to the UEN and their standpoint on the conflict.”

“This is what we have been waiting for.”

He rushed to the conference room, still wearing the clothes he had slept in. He sat down at the table and realised what was lacking. Every time he had been through such troubles, he had his close friends to hand, those from 2
^nd
Inter-Allied. Now he was heading for another war and so few remained at his side.

The Belgian President was announced in Dutch, which meant nothing any of them. But as she stepped up to the podium, she began her address in English. The screen gave her name as President Mertens.

“Welcome to all of you. I have gathered you all here today, following emergency discussions on recent troubling matters. After considering all the evidence before us, and with our nation’s best interests always at the centre of my concerns, I hereby announce our departure from the UEN and our condemnation of their failures, as well as recent recruitment of former enemy combatants. Following discussion with President Jacques, as of 0900 today, Belgium is a member of the European Alliance and will do everything in its powers to bring an end to alien inhabitation of Earth.”

“So, we are on the right side of the border,” said Ryan.

“I wouldn’t be too hasty to say it,” added Taylor.

“What? Are you not watching this?”

“I am. But Belgian is still a country strongly divided, on this as much as anything in their history. The Germans will know this and will be eager to replace the government with one in support of their needs. Of any nations bordering them, this is the easiest to draw to your cause with the right person at the reins.”

“Sir, I’m getting reports of incoming aircraft from the German border, dozens of them,” said a voice over the intercom.

“No, not this soon? They wouldn’t invade, would they?”

“We got this announcement today, but I bet they’ve been discussing it since all this began. Somebody close to the President wants her out the way, and I bet you a task force has been waiting to move for some time.”

“And the Belgian armed forces?”

“Won’t be able to respond this fast, but we can.”

“No way,” replied Ryan.

“Why not? We’ve picked a side, but they don’t trust us. We have an opportunity here to make a difference. We get the President to safety, and we could steal a victory out from under the UEN.”

“Are those your orders?”

“They aren’t orders. The crew must decide for themselves here. Gather all those who aren’t on duty, and have those who are kept on an open channel to this room. It’s time we set this to right.”

Twenty-one gathered in the room moments after being called. Taylor knew they had no time to waste.

“There are a thousand things I could and should say to you all, give you some explanation. But time is not on our side. In short, the UEN are becoming an enemy who must be stopped, but the US doesn’t seem interested. The Belgian President is soon to be in trouble, and she could be a valuable ally. I’m going to do everything I can to protect her, but you must decide for yourself. I know I have provided little explanation, but you know the UEN is allying with alien POWs, and you know the kind of man I am. So what’ll it be?”

None of them responded, but they all looked to Ryan to do so for them.

“We’re always with you, Colonel. Lead the way.”

“Break out weapons and armour. Remember, we can’t go stomping through the streets armed to the teeth. We’ll drop in from the roof of the Parliament building and get her out and over the border into France.”

“And what about the German forces en route?”

“We can only hope the Belgians scrambled a few fighters that slowed them down. If not, they’ll already be there. Either way, we have to move fast. All agreed?”

“We’re with you.”

“Get us in the air!”

They were lifting off within twenty seconds, and the crew were rushing to gather equipment. He was quickly reminded that he was in command of a ship’s crew, and not experienced marines as he was used to. Even worse, he was coming to realise it was all too easy.

When have I ever been able to see the whole picture like this?

The pieces seemed to be coming together too easily, but there was no more time to think on it.

The Deveron was soaring across the skies to the government headquarters from where the President had made her speech. But as they drew nearer, they could make out other craft approaching from the north.

“Identify those craft,” said Taylor.

He was on the bridge beside Ryan. Every one of the crew was now equipped in Reitech gear, but he knew few of them were experienced in using it.

“I need your three best marksmen.”

“My five best are at the main door at the lower level. Take whichever you need.”

“We’ll be jumping onto the roof. You be ready to pick us up.”

“That’s the plan? And what about the Germans?”

“Keep ‘em busy?”

“Keep ‘em busy? Only way I got to keep them busy is let them blow holes in us.”

‘Relax; this is one of the finest vessels the US has ever built. You’ll be fine.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“Those are German ships,” said an Ensign.

“They haven’t fired on us. Don’t provoke them,” said Taylor.

He patted Ryan on the shoulder before pulling his helmet on and rushing out the door. Jafar was awaiting him and passed him his rifle. They hurried to the lower hull of the ship where the five men were waiting just as Ryan had said. They looked scared to death. Guarding the ship was the closest they’d ever come to combat. They were Navy seamen, not marines.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Sure, Jafar, why, you’re not?”

“You always told me to look at things from all angles. You are making a lot of assumptions here.”

“Facts are a luxury in this business. You know that.”

He turned to the others. You three, Waters, Malok, and Hughes, you’re coming with us. Stay close. He had to look at their nametags to remember their names; a fact he wasn’t proud of.

“You jumped before?” he asked them.

They shook their heads.

“Set your boosters to auto, and they’ll control our descent. When we hit the ground, you just follow me and Jafar, and keep an eye on our backs, you hear?”

They felt the reverse thrust kick in as the Deveron came in towards their location. Taylor hit the door switch, and it slid open, letting the fresh air pour in.

“This is it. Keep your eyes open and your weapon at the ready!”

He leapt from the edge the moment the ship came to a near halt in the sky. They were on the roof in a heartbeat, and there was not a sign of life.

“Get moving!” he shouted down the intercom to Ryan.

He looked around in surprise, and something didn’t feel right at all. The sound of engines roared beside the building, and two ships lifted up into view before turning and soaring into the sky.

“Something’s wrong.”

“What?” asked Malok.

“A Presidential building with not a single guard in sight. No, something is wrong here.”

“Colonel Taylor!” a voice called.

He turned to see Armand stepping out onto the roof from a nearby stairs.

No, can’t be. He played us all along.

Now he knew why everything had fitted together so well in his head. It had been a carefully calculated plan to get him at his most vulnerable.

“You’re a great fighter, Colonel, maybe even a great leader, but not the smartest!”

Troops poured out from the stairs behind him and from two other locations at their flank until over a hundred fully equipped soldiers encircled them.