Mosa

Chapter 40

  The Launch

  Rain flapped under their shoes, cold rain slipped from the hats, and there were busy movements with those mists from their mouths, surrounded by the broken walls of drafty apartments.

  In the past, the paratroopers were led by Alvin Caravel, and worked with Nina’s ghosts closely than any other units. This was why people called Alvin the right hand of Nina Polchinski. Nina, however, didn’t call him in but led all units in secret.

  “Captain Stein, let the tanks out in the field and move them carefully. Hide in the hill. I’ll infiltrate the headquarters along with my ghosts. Inform James about dropping paratroopers on my command,” said Nina, hiding inside the shelter near Veron’s headquarter where the security is bold.

  “Roger that admiral, good luck,” said Stein.

  “Admiral, who is leading paratroopers?” said agent Dyatt, one of the ghosts.

  “Sergeant Sarah,” answered Nina, strapping the cloaking device on her shoulder.

  “But admiral, isn’t it better to contact Captain Caravel?” said Dyatt, putting the headgear on his head.

  “I’m saving him for later. There is too much risk if we use all the cards. You know his ignorant and extreme risk taking behavior,” said Nina, giggling, “We will need that later.”

  “Roger that admiral,” said Dyatt.

  “Hold on tight, we will go through this together,” said Nina.

  Nina’s marines were spread around under the bridge. They could hear the car racing above and dark water flowing under. They were setting up the bomb on the metal structure below the bridge.

  “Michel that scumbag! Wondering around sucking honeys somewhere while lady do all the work?” Sarah grumbled, complaining about Michel who was under Stein’s command. “And I was told to lead the paratroopers too!”

  “Soon, we’ll be inside the bunker for an interrogation. I think Nina is trying to capture Veron’s military generals,” said Paul.

  “Yes Paul, I know!” yelled Sarah, sarcastically. “I mean I’ve been kissing my ass to strap all the bridge and I’ll have to lead the paratroopers? Nina knows I don’t like the height! And I’m a marine! I’m a marine! I don’t like the height!”

  “Hardly feels real if you are thousands feet above the ground,” mumbled Paul, Sarah leered at him.

  “Aye aye,” mumbled Paul.

  “And Michel is now having a great time inside that ugly suit Krieg and Jessica made!” shouted Sarah.

  “I agree, it is going on the record, the most deformed invention in engineering history,” said Paul.

  “Indeed it is! I mean he is having fun in that suit, and I’m doing all the work! How many weeks is this anyway? Look I have wrinkles now! I hardly slept for weeks now!” Sarah screamed and lost her posture. Paul startled and grabbed her from falling down.

  “Shhh…” said Paul. “Calm down.”

  “Sorry, sorry,” said Sarah, grabbing the metal bar tight.

  “So, the ghosts are going to that general meeting?” grumbled Sarah.

  “Yes,” said Paul.

  “And then we blow this bridge?” said Sarah, pulling another time bomb out of the bag.

  “Yes. Then most tanks will reroute where Captain Stein will be waiting,” said Paul.

  “What if someone finds us?” asked Sarah, putting the sticky bomb on the metal frame.

  “We blew their head off,” said Paul, fetching the silencer to her. She caught it, managed not to drop it few hundred feet above the water.

  “Roger that,” said Sarah, smiling.

  In general’s meeting, the high ranking military officers were singing the song and did some salute to Veron’s portrait. They opened with the long line of praise that Veron is thinking only of the people in Cassandra and he is royal and great, and generals mumbled how great Veron was and talked to themselves that he is a descendent of gods. They were nodding themselves about the idol in his chamber that he is getting power from the ancestors, agreeing with each others.

  Furthermore, they’ve talked about the fortune teller he brought in his chamber that she was really ‘good.’

  The briefing was orderly in the beginning but hardly made any progress. One of the commanders stood up and shouted at some colonel that he didn’t respect the elders. The colonel, displeased, talked back at the commander saying they are incompetent. The bunch of generals stood up from a chair and started cursing at the colonel.

  The colonel, red-faced, pointed finger at the commander. They shouted that he is one year older than him so he should pay homage to him and apologize right at this moment. Some of the men tried to stop the fighting but others started boasting about their past contribution to the country to despise others. When other guy called them liars, and threw a glass at them. When the glass shattered on the floor, they started a fist fighting.

  Not far away from the place. Inside the small motel room, Nina’s ghosts stood, all strapped with their cloaking devices.

  “We are in the zone, I repeat, we are in the zone,” said the voice from the walky-talky. It was from the second division of the ghosts, informing to Nina. Nina turned to her units in the room and said,

  “Veron’s high ranking generals will be here. Veron is shit scared about our stealth capability so he decided not to attend. He is either hiding at his mansion or well securitized bunker. You all know the personnel we need to extract information. The mission is to bring them into custody,” said Nina.

  “Yes admiral,” they said in unison in a low voice.

  “All unit, cloak,” said Nina, and everyone disappeared.