\u201cMarcus, how many ground troops can we scramble right now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo squads are on base,\u201d Harmin Marcus reported from his station.\u00a0 \u201cIf we\u2019re lucky and get the alert out now, we might be able to get two more.\u00a0 Three squads are on-station across the water.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam grimaced.\u00a0 \u201cThey can\u2019t help us now and they may be suffering the same sort of assault we are.\u00a0 Have we heard from them at all?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing, sir,\u201d Tomasi said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve been pinging them, but it\u2019s like they\u2019re been completely obliterated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Only one way to know for sure, I guess.<\/i>\u00a0 Adam toggled the voice pickup back on.\u00a0 \u201cTheta Lead, do you have a read on Fort Solace?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks like it\u2019s still there, sir, but we haven\u2019t tried to raise them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Probably took out their towers or the local power grid there, too.<\/i>\u00a0 Adam shook his head even though the pilot couldn\u2019t see him.\u00a0 \u201cNegative, Theta Lead.\u00a0 Don\u2019t deviate from your course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRoger that, sir.\u201d\u00a0 Her breath rasped over the comm line.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re starting to get close to the upper atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the bombardments start, run.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
His personal comm crackled in his pocket and he winced.\u00a0 Who the hell\u2019s trying to get in touch with me that way?<\/i>\u00a0 He dug it out and thumbed it active.\u00a0 \u201cWindsor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrumpy,\u201d Frederick\u2019s voice rasped.\u00a0 \u201cGrumpy, it\u2019s bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam\u2019s heart stuttered, then returned to normal\u2014if a little bit faster\u2014rhythm.\u00a0 \u201cFreder!\u00a0 Where the hell are you?\u00a0 Where\u2019s the Inspector?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s here.\u00a0 They\u2019re both hurt.\u00a0 I can\u2019t tell if I am.\u00a0 Head\u2019s still ringing and everything hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFreder\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSend help, Grumpy.\u00a0 One of the cellars at the vineyard.\u00a0 Send help.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comm crackled once and died.<\/p>\n
Bloody hell.\u00a0 We\u2019re about to be invaded and all of a sudden the only thing I can think about is how the hell I\u2019m going to get help out to that vineyard to save my best friend and an Inspector First Grade who might be able to save us all.<\/i><\/p>\n
What the hell am I going to do?<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cMarcus, how many ground troops can we scramble right now?\u201d \u201cTwo squads are on base,\u201d Harmin Marcus reported from his station.\u00a0 \u201cIf we\u2019re lucky and get the alert out now, we might be able to get two more.\u00a0 Three squads … Continue reading