It would be a fate more terrible than death.
Second, he wanted the self-sufficient enclave of Winter Haven, and needed it preserved. There was something—rather, someone—he needed within that town.
He hesitated to rain fire upon their heads until he’d secured what he wanted.
Then, and only then, would Fall Creek experience the true force of his wrath.
“What’s our next move?” Gibbs asked. “Why haven’t we hit them yet?”
With the full might of the Michigan National Guard, the General could take Fall Creek within minutes, if not outright destroy it.
But the governor had hamstrung him. He had a fraction of the men, weapons, and ammo he wanted. That needed to change.
Ignoring Gibbs, he pulled the satellite phone from his pocket and dialed the governor. Henry Duffield picked up.
“What is the status on Poe?” Governor Duffield shouted. “His criminal army breached the Indiana border!”
“I’m aware,” the General said smoothly. “I will deal with it.”
Illinois’ pathetic lack of a military presence was the only reason that Poe was roaming about the country with such ease.
Within a week of the Collapse, the feds had abandoned Chicago and pulled the entire state’s National Guardsmen, transferring them to New York City and Washington, D.C.
Illinois was ripe for the taking.
And Poe had taken it all.
“They’ve overrun Gary—”
“Who cares about Gary, Indiana? Calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!”
The governor was consumed with apprehension and plagued by doubt and uncertainty.
The coward didn’t have the fortitude for what the job required.
The General scowled at the phone. “If you want me to handle Poe, you need to provide me with the proper men and equipment. Like I have said repeatedly—”
“Do you understand what I’m dealing with here? Only a fifty percent muster for the National Guard, and they’re deserting like flies! Every unit is operating at well below adequate personnel. I have an entire state in chaos! We’re about to lose Detroit to gang warfare. I cannot afford to recall a single soldier.”
“There are units equipped with the weapons systems I need. The 147th Aviation Regiment has more Black Hawks. The 110th Attack Wing in Battle Creek has drones—”
“Drones! You want drones? The EMP grounded half of them. They weren’t hardened adequately. No one knew exactly how a powerful EMP would impact sensitive equipment. The army deemed all functioning tech essential and sent it overseas. Besides, the federal government requisitioned those regiments the day after the EMP. I had no choice but to send them to D.C. No choice!”
“If you had listened to me from the beginning—”
“No, you listen!” The governor’s voice went low and hard. “Listen to me closely. I have already given you everything I have. There is nothing else. You must make do. You said you could produce results. Now do it!”
“I will give you the results you desire,” the General said woodenly. Inwardly, he was fuming. Though he despised the governor, he needed him—for now. “Give me three days.”
The General strode to the credenza and tossed the sat phone on the sleek quartz top, though he was tempted to hurl it through the plate-glass window. He inhaled a deep breath, reeling in his fury.
His knee joints creaked. The blank black eye of the oversized flat-screen television reflected his own image back at him. White hair. Lined face. Hard gaze.
He still had five hundred troops at his disposal, a battery of M2s and M60s, and a limited supply of artillery. He had the Black Hawk.
He was General Sinclair—he would get the job done by any means necessary.
Gibbs cleared his throat. “Sir.”
The General swung around to face him. “Yes?”
“Two things. First, a man named James Luther is here to see you. Claims he was Mattias Sutter’s righthand man and the only surviving member of the militia stationed in Fall Creek. Says he’s got information you’d like to hear.”
The General frowned. A fortunate turn of events, if it were true. Sutter had mentioned a man named Luther. With Sutter gone, he needed eyes and ears on Fall Creek. “I’ll meet with him. The second thing?”
“Bruce caught two guardsmen attempting to sneak out of the service entrance. Deserters. Claimed they wanted to get back home to take care of their families.”
Outrage flared through him. No one deserted his army. No one. Whatever desertion issues were plaguing the governor wouldn’t be a problem for his troops—he’d make sure of it.
“Then they shall be court-martialed. A few will turn to several, which will become a mass exodus. If everyone left their posts to be with their families, we wouldn’t have anyone left to defend this country!”
Gibbs stared straight ahead, expressionless. “Sir. They’re being detained in the kitchen freezer.”
He cocked his grizzled brows. “The freezer?”
“No windows, only one steel door. Impossible to break out of.”
“Have I told you I like how you think?”
“A few times.” Gibbs remained expressionless. He was a practical, emotionless, get-the-job-done type of man. No family, no emotional ties to weaken him.
The General appreciated that in a soldier.
“As I recall, desertion carries a maximum punishment of dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay, and confinement of five years. However, for desertion during a time of war, the death penalty may be applied at the discretion of the court-martial. We are at war, Gibbs. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“On numerous fronts, sir.”
The General snorted. If he only knew how true his words were. Only the top echelon knew the true state of the world. With the abrupt dearth of mass communication, the government had kept it under wraps.
For how much longer, though? That was the million-dollar question.
“Bring me to the deserters,” the General said.
Gibbs’ mouth twitched—the only sign that he approved of the decision.