The days passed quickly as our war machine sprang into action. With the Joint Chiefs successfully dislodged, the military was at the President's full command. Within days we had to start moving in drill instructors to help with the training. All over the country, those who couldn't stray far started reporting to military bases for training. They would protect their cities, while we struck toward the enemy.
As the ice began to melt and winter faded away, the Resistance formed from mere abstract ideology evolved into a fighting force of epic proportions. By mid-April when the Chinese ships started to launch we had 3.2 million resistance fighters in the city ready to meet them if they made land fall.
In addition to the fighters, support had flooded the city as well. We had doctors, chefs, and even musicians coming to witness the battle that loomed just over the horizon.
“Do you remember when you said our drums would thunder from the rooftops Connor?” Raul asked me in early June as the Chinese forces were only days away. We sat outside of a restaurant just blocks from the fish market that Jesse was so fond of.
“Vaguely,” I responded, “Why?”
“Well get this,” he said excitedly, “There are thousands of people who are going to be making their way on top of buildings to beat war drums.”
“That sounds dangerous,” I responded skeptically.
“I'm sure it is,” he said “but remember when you were a kid and your history teacher said that armies would go marching to war with drummers?”
“Yes, I understand the concept.” I said “It's bound to psych the PLA out, if they manage to breach the ports.”
“Imagine that, a city alive with the sound of a single massive drum beat.”
“Sounds like something that could only happen in Seattle.”
“Connor, we're up” Jesse said letting me know it was time for us to take our positions overlooking the Puget Sound. We would be largely out of the way, the navy would do most of the heavy hitting along with air support. God help them if they did make it to land.
“They'll be like hamsters trapped in a microwave.” he said as we headed toward our positions in a racing red 1971 trans am that I had commandeered. I didn't plan on giving it back either.
“That has got to be the single worst analogy I’ve ever heard.” I said laughing at him.
The streets were clear, a ghost town before the battle. All private citizens who weren't involved had already left, knowing what was coming. I took liberty with the solitude, screeching through corners on the way to our perch. Eventually we parked on a hill overlooking the bay. We got out, taking our radios and binoculars, we would oversee the battle from this vantage point. Raul had set up a podium in order to hold a press conference, Rigalio was speaking to the cameras as we arrived.
“We're in position,” I said over the radio “All major systems report.”
The teams began sounding off, from the war ships in the harbor to the anti aircraft crews, to the air support, along down to the ground crews, and eventually to the naval relay from British Columbia who would bring up our rear.
We waited as the Chinese war ships cautiously approached, their tail stretching for miles as they funneled into the sound. They had met little resistance on their way, seemingly even the military had largely abandoned the city.
“Maestro, cue the music.” Raul said. The drums started slowly pulsing, building up into one rhythmic heartbeat across the city. The closest war ships panicked and began firing blindly, which was the signal for the submarines to attack. In the last few months, the massive new workforce had brought over 200 submarines back to fighting standard. The subs had remained stationary at the bottom of the sound for two days prior, allowing the Chinese to filter in unaware of their existence.
At the first sign of fire, they unleashed in unison. The warships began pulling out of the hundreds of inlets around the sound.
“Send in the birds.” I ordered as dozens of planes scrambled, with dozens more waiting for a runway, from SeaTac to nearby military strips and even the private airports. Hundreds more launched from aircraft carriers near British Columbia as the Canadian Navy moved to cut off the Chinese forces from behind. Thousands of miles away another large collection of warships and aircraft carriers were leaving Hawaii and the Philippines, they would hinder any reinforcements and halt any retreat.
Meanwhile, in the streets of Seattle, millions of Resistance fighters waited for the Chinese to reach our shores. We all knew it would happen. They would rue the day they attacked us when they found Terra Firma.
“Behind me, the General has just initiated the largest joint attack our military has ever mounted,” Rigalio said addressing the world., “Halfway across the world our brave soldiers have breached the Chinese-Korean border and our joint forces have overwhelmed the major coastal naval yards that were targeted. Today we are making history, writing the next chapter in our own story.
As we broadcast today, over every television and cable station in the western world, I would like to introduce to you, for the first time, the man responsible our renewal.”
“Thank you Commandant,” I said “be sure to congratulate our allies for me.”
“Aye, aye sir.” He said “With any luck they'll be drinking to our victory here today.”
“Let's not get ahead of ourselves.” I said “we've got 10,000 war ships still floating.”
“Nothing your boys in the streets can't handle” he said turning the microphone over to me.
“Our enemy is at our door,” I said looking into the camera, the world seeing my face for the first time. “He intends to raze our homes, but we will not allow it. No, today we repay the injustices he has dealt us. We make our stand and we will beat the enemy back from our gates. Unlike our adversaries, we will show them mercy. We will allow their unconditional surrender and if they refuse we will assail their lands, after driving every last one from our homes.
Today you look upon me for the first time, you see the hard won scars from the battles leading up to this point. I have bled so much, but I continue to fight for you as I know you will do for me. Now, you're all aware that I am not your messiah. I am not sent down from on high to determine the line between right and wrong. I ask you all to stay true to yourselves in these moments of doubt. When your nemesis lays before you bleeding, don't ask what would the General do to this injured man, ask yourself what is right or wrong. You have all made tremendous, selfless choices in order to be here. Do not let that stop. We are not monsters in our own lives, but when pressed upon the open battlefield we may become monsters or wraiths sent to exercise judgment. And me? I am not your god, Jesus or anything of the sort. I am a man... A man pushed beyond his limits, but not his wit. I am a specter ready to hunt down the souls of the wicked. If I am to die on the battlefield today it will be with the greatest honor. There can be no higher reward for me, than to fall alongside my brothers and sisters in the Resistance. If you see this scarred and shattered face amongst you, know that I am there to support your fight. And if I do not survive, be assured the way is prepared in advance. Our enemies might destroy my vessel, but they will never have the power to change the messages that we have sent forth. It will continue as long as this war sees fit to rage on.
I stand here, stripped and broken. A man with nothing left but my word. I have begged them not to press me, yet they refuse to relent. The air around me burns with my anger, somehow our enemy is foolish enough to keep pushing us. We will shatter the world just to defy them, the Chinese empire will fall, becoming an ember within our grasp. I promise you, we will watch as their lives become nothing more than the fuel driving my pain, all of our pain. They have stolen everything from us, and we will repay in kind!” I continued, the words bleeding forth. My anger had become palpable as I slammed my fist down against the podium, shattering the edge of the cheap wood.
“We have all bled so much to reach this point, so many have died on our pa
th. Today, we honor the fallen with our valor. The war will not end here, but now we take back the right to shape our future. In Seattle, we will determine the fate of the free world. The time has come to fight valiantly and die with honor!”
“And cut transmission.” Raul said as I stepped away from the podium.
“I never thought I'd witness a battle of this scale.” I told Jesse as we watched the chaos engulfing the waters, leaning back against the hood of the car.
“I figured you would have been dead by now too.” he joked.
“As did I.” I replied.
“I wonder if this will be the end.” he said
“No, not at all” I told him, “Soon they'll be the ones with something to lose, we've started pushing back and with a fifth of the world's population there's no telling what they're capable of when desperate.”
“Do you really think we have a chance Connor?” Jesse asked, almost as if it were an after thought.
“Yes, I really do Jes.” I said, I couldn't have been more impressed with the man he had become , his mother would have been so proud of him.
As we stood looking across the horizon, I felt just the slightest tinge of hope. Something I had not known in so long. In the midst of all this chaos, I found myself calm. The drums rang out from the rooftops across the city. Jets screeching through the air above, like birds of prey searching for their meals. Explosions rang in the distance as these two incredible armadas met, each side hoping to force a final blow upon the other.
On that beautiful summer day, for better or worse, I knew we had finally reach a turning point.
The End
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