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  The first platoon of the Black Knights, under the command of 2nd Lieutenant Miles Corbin departed Corpus Christi on the morning of 5 May Aught 3. They took no armored vehicles and travelled in five-ton trucks with two jeeps. Their objective was to capture Camp Stanley, find the munitions ordered by Colonel Steiner, and make their way to their assigned location at the junction of Loop 1064 and the I-10 West. There they would await the arrival of the remainder of the Black Knight force.

  Lieutenant Corbin tried the front door to the issuing office door of Camp Stanley and found it, and as expected, it was locked. This was, however, readily breached by a well-placed boot against the somewhat flimsy door. Once the mercs were inside the office, the neatly filed lists showing where each specific type of munitions was stored, and their locations were quickly found in the set of three, five drawer filing cabinets. These cabinets were also locked, but a crowbar from the nearest truck quickly broke off the welded locking loop which held a bar that latched from the top of the cabinet to the floor. The plat maps and bunker designations provided the necessary information as to the storage bunkers holding Stinger Missiles, Landmines, and stores of additional C-4.

  The Lieutenant had one more item to check on before moving his men to the storage bunkers. He wanted to ensure that the Hellfire Missiles had not reached their battery expiration dates, or if any of the lot numbers were designated as Combat Emergency Use Only. This designation usually meant that there was a dangerous defect that could cause immediate detonation upon the launch command. As a result, these missiles were normally used in the destruction plan for the Ammunition Supply Point when bad guys were coming through the wire. This information was easily found by cross referencing the lot numbers with the DODIC (Department of Defense Information Code) and the DODAC (Department of Defense Access Code).

  These large bunkers were secured with strong high-density locks and thick doors with sturdy sliding bolts. With the proper positioning of small cubes of C-4 explosives, the hinges and locking bars were quite easily blown off. It took but another moment to attach a come-along to drop the large doors to the ground. It took no more than one hour in each bunker to fill their transportation assets to capacity.

  The merc platoon took fifty Stinger Missiles and two-hundred landmines. Once the mission to acquire the designated munitions was completed, the 1st Platoon departed Camp Stanley and made their way to the rendezvous point. The vehicles and equipment were quickly camouflaged. Engines were shut down and allowed to become cold to reduce any vehicular heat signatures. Ultimately, the mercs hunkered down and waited to rejoin their comrades.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Goodbyes are such Sweet Sorrow

  7 May 03

  Chalmers, Louisiana

  On 7 May, the Republic of America’s 1st Armored Brigade’s up-gunned company departed Chalmers to engage the Black Knights around Corpus Christi, TX in order to put a final end to their trek of terror, forever. The ROA force consisting of Levi’s volunteers formed their convoy some one hundred yards from the western edge of Chalmers where they would initiate this final drive against the Black Knights.

  Saying goodbye to friends and loved ones is never easy, but with Levi’s little Katie, it was just dang near impossible. Knowing that there was a strong possibility that he might never see her again, coupled with the idea of not seeing his grandchild, well, this particular goodbye tugged deeply upon his heart strings.

  “Daddy, please! You just have to promise me that you’ll be coming back when this is over, please! I don’t think I could stand it if you and Uncle Gus just disappear over the horizon and I never got to see you again.

  Daddy, if you had not saved me on that horrible day, I would be dead now and not carrying your grandchild. So please come back to me, come back where you are needed, back to the ROA.”

  She threw her arms around Levi’s neck and hugged him so tight that he felt, as he always did, that his darling Katie might suffocate him. He wanted with one hand to pull back and get onto the task at hand, yet the other hand urged him to stay right there in her tight embrace.

  Duty is a difficult thing to describe, but whatever it is, Levi and Gus both had it, in spades. Duty was the strongest force in their lives, though both of them would have preferred that it no longer was. These two men were tired of the seemingly never-ending battles.

  “Sweetheart, the future is not for me to decide, but I will promise you this; if it is at all in my power to do so, I do promise to come back to you, though I have no idea what I could do to earn my keep. Who knows, maybe I’ll become the town Marshall.”

  Between sobs, Katie said, “Oh, Daddy, don’t be such a drama queen, the ROA has only one General Levins. You are needed back here to help Adan guide this new nation, to make it worthy of its name.”

  “All right, Katie, I promise that if I have any choice, any choice at all, I will come back. I don’t know when, but if I can, then ‘look for me by moonlight, wait for me by moonlight, I will come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way.’”

  Kate smiled through her tears and said, “I know that one, it’s from your favorite poem, by Alfred Noyes, The Highwayman. See, I did listen to you. I’ll read it to your grandchild until she, or he, knows it by heart.”

  “I know you will, Katie, I love you, but I have to go. Don’t worry, I’ll come back, ‘though Hell should bar the way.’”

  Levi then turned and walked to the third vehicle in the column where he was met by his entire staff. Kate heard Colonel Guyardo say, “General, we need you back here. I want you to know that I am just the caretaker until you return. I mean it, sir.” The entire staff then shook hands, before hugging Levi. After the Staff had said their goodbyes, the entire Brigade presented Levi and Gus with parade ground salutes, followed by three loud OOH-RAHS!

  Levi was then met by President Adan Ramos and his staff to say their farewells. Kate was too far away to hear what was said, but it didn’t take a Rocket Scientist to figure it out.

  Kate then turned and spotted Kevin running to join in the goodbyes. His duties had caused him to be just a bit tardy for his own personal farewells. He blew a kiss to Kate as he ran by and charged up to his General to say his farewells and to honor him with a salute.

  Levi looked at his son-in-law, Captain Kevin Simms and memories of his advancement from Private to Captain flooded into his mind. He returned the salute of this young man who he loved as a son and grabbed his blouse. Levi pulled him close and hugged him while saying, “Kev, you take care of Katie. Son, I am so proud of you, but when I get back, I don’t want to hear something that will make me want to shoot you, again.” The General of the ROA laughed loudly as he finally released Kevin.

  Captain Kevin Simms was thrilled to hear these words from his Father-in-law. He was, in fact, so happy that his eyes filled to near overflowing. “Don’t worry about Katie, Dad, I will take care of her until I die.”

  Levi again smiled broadly as he shook Kevin’s hand before turning away to join the convoy.

  Levi looked around for Gus and saw that he too was engaged in the same farewell scenarios.

  As the two military leaders of the Republic of America made their way to their vehicles, the entire town shouted their goodbyes and well wishes. Then, in a seeming flash, Levi and company were gone, on the road again, and rushing headlong toward their destinies.

  Levi had his own driver, of course, but Gus had sent the man to his Jeep, so he could drive Levi and discuss their futures.

  As they drove beyond the front gate of Chalmers, the Capitol of the Republic of America, Gus said, “Well, old buddy, once more into the breach.”

  Levi agreed, and the two friends discussed, at length, the destruction of the Black Knights.

  Gus asked Levi to, once again, go over his thoughts on how the coming battle would play out.

  “Okay, Gus, for the umpteenth time my guidance was predicated on the Air Wing flattening them at dawn. Of course, during the prior Hours of darkness, we will cut off the on
ly two escape routes from the Naval Air Station at Corpus. Let’s face it, Steiner has bottled himself up on an island with only two exits. By splitting our force at those two choke points, the mercs are dead ducks. We should be home in a week.”

  Levi then snickered before saying, “Okay, there ya’ go, that’s my basic battle plan. You and I both know that this plan will go to hell with the firing of the first round. I also know that Steiner is a tactical magician, so I don’t really think the battle will go as easily as we both hope. I wish I could think of a way for him to get away so we could plug that hole, because I just don’t see him fighting a running battle, or a dug in defensive engagement, either. Since he now knows about our Cobras, he won’t want a repeat of our last engagement. The man is far too smart to be trapped that way for a second time, now that he knows about our Snakes. No, he’s got a rabbit to pull out of his hat. I just don’t have any idea what it could possibly be.

  So, my Marine Corps friend, what are your thoughts?”

  Gus thought for a few seconds before saying, “Old buddy, I cannot see how he can get out of the trap he has gotten himself into. But, having said that, I have also thought long and hard on what I would do in his position. I mean, come on, he has to know we’re coming with a superior force to bottle him up before pounding his ass to dust.

  The only thing I could think of is that he won’t be there. He’ll be gone.”

  “Gone?” asked Levi. “How can he be gone? We’ve had patrols over his head constantly since that damned storm passed over. No, if he was gone, we wouldn’t see the thermals of so many vehicles and men attending to them. He’s there, he has to be. Doesn’t he?”

  “No, he doesn’t have to be there. I have no idea how he can pull a disappearing trick, but I just do not believe that Steiner could ever be caught on an island with only two exits.

  We’ll soon know for sure, but if it was me, I would have beat feet out of there during the bad weather. Hell, Levi, I don’t know anything except that Steiner is one very slippery bastard, but yeah, you’re right, I mean he has to be there. Thermals do not lie.”

  Silence and a feeling of unease crept over the military leadership of the ROA.

  After a time, Gus asked Levi if he had plans beyond the mercenaries.

  “My friend, I am so torn. You know how useless I have felt as the General for some time now. I keep thinking that I should just ride off into the sunset. Then, of course, I know that would break Katie’s heart, and I do want to watch my grandchild grow into a man. So, yeah, I guess I’ll return to Chalmers, sit on the porch playing checkers, eating Fig Newtons, and taking naps. Oh, and drinking lots of warm milk. How about you?”

  “Yeah, I feel exactly the same, but come on, you know that neither one of us is useless to the ROA. There will always be windmills to fight, bad boys to destroy, damsels to rescue, and in general, people for us to just piss off. No, I simply do not see any end for either one of us until we are dead.”

  Both men laughed heartily, then settled into a silence only comfortable between men who were the absolute best of friends.

  At just that moment the entire Air Arm of the ROA flew over the small convoy in formation. A couple of miles ahead the choppers that were to remain in Chalmers peeled off and returned to base. Colonel Levins hovered her Cobra to the right side of Levi’s Jeep. Susan blew a somewhat erotic kiss to her husband before returning to her reconnaissance duties.

  One way or another, the race was on to finish this one-thousand, seven-hundred mile chase from the Mid-Atlantic States to I-10 and across the Southern Tier of North America.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Boom

  8 May 03

  Black Knights

  NW of San Antonio

  I-10

  The nights were still cool with brilliant star-filled skies, and the azure blue days were now warming into the low sixties. A stiff breeze constantly blew out of the west and northwest by night, but as the days warmed, the breezes became more prevalent from the southwest during the daylight Hours.

  Beginning roughly fifty miles North of San Antonio, Colonel Rolf Steiner ordered the first emplacement of both anti-vehicular and anti-personnel landmines along the path that he as sure must be taken by the trailing ROA Force. These mines were to be placed sparingly along the route. They were, however, placed in all four lanes of I-10 and their access roads. The purpose was to damage the enemy, but as importantly, it was to slow that trailing enemy force down, while the mercs increased the miles from their pursuers. Steiner did not want to be caught in the open desert in a land battle that, while admittedly, did offer potential open terrain maneuver. What it failed to offer were few, if any, satisfactory emplacements for delaying force ambushes.

  No, thought Steiner, better to delay them until we can get to the granite mountains of Arizona. Yes, there we will find the proper place to end this insane chase once and for all.

  Steiner also feared the Helicopter Gunships and their ability to attack his force in devastating strafing runs with missiles fired from a standoff range. Even with the newly added Stingers that for all intents and purposes eliminated his enemy’s safe missile firing range, he felt his force was now too small to remain intact following such a battle. Yes, to be caught in the open, even with the Stinger missiles as his anti-aircraft defense, coupled with his limited ammunition train, had the distinct odor of the Black Knights destruction.

  Colonel Steiner designated three teams to be empowered to engage the Helicopter Gunships. The teams were designated as Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. If the initial air attack consisted of only one chopper, Alpha had the responsibility of the first strike. Bravo and Charlie would engage if more than one aircraft should appear, or if Alpha’s shot went astray, Bravo would engage. The last thing Steiner wanted was for his men to fire off their entire supply of Stingers at a first sighting, especially if only one or two choppers appeared.

  The first strike Stingers were stored in the bellies of three LAVs. They remained in their open containers and ready for an immediate response to an attack from the air. At the first sighting of a helicopter, the shooters and their teams would immediately exit their vehicles, and while the gunner took his shot, the crew would prepare additional missiles to be used if needed.

  Steiner had considered placing more than four missiles in each of the designated air defense vehicles but decided to spread them throughout the convoy to preclude, or at least, reduce the chance of losing all of this precious asset in a single engagement.

  The Merc Sergeant Major interrupted Steiner’s planning thoughts and the dreaded aspects of the potential for disaster in the hundreds of miles of open, flat, and scrub infested desert strung out before them.

  “Sir,” said Sergeant Major Karl Kempovic, “the landmine teams have been briefed and will immediately begin the placement of the mines. They shall be randomly dispersed along the enemy’s route and in all four possible lanes of travel to include the access roads. I have also taken the liberty of demonstrating the retrieval and use of the pressure switches located under the seats of each of these abandoned vehicles. I believe that we should place several of the mines in vehicles along our route. This will additionally provide devastating explosions as the car bombs will detonate next to our enemy’s vehicle. This, I believe, will almost certainly and dramatically slow our damnable pursuers.”

  “Good, Karl, very good. Come, let’s leave them to their work and get the rest of the convoy on the move.”

  “Sir,” asked the Sergeant Major, “may I remain with the landmine team to supervise the placement of this little gift to our tormentors? Courtesy, of course of the Black Knights.”

  Steiner managed a small smile at his friend’s request. “Yes Karl, but only for the initial placement, once you are assured the work is done correctly, I want you to quickly rejoin the column. My friend, you are far too valuable to me, and to this command to have you nursing a small detail, agreed?” said Steiner.

  “Yes, sir, of course.” Karl clicked his hee
ls before turning back to the mine laying detail and ordered the men to mount up.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It’s Just Not Possible

  10 May 03

  ROA FTOC

  Now some 200 miles behind Steiner

  Northeast of Corpus Christi

  I-10

  “Mad Max 6: Eyes 6. Over.”

  “Eyes 6: Max 6. Over.”

  “Max 6, I just flew over the Naval Air Station in Corpus, and it is as quiet as a tomb. There are no heat signatures, anywhere. Over.”

  “What?” shouted Levi, forgetting even the half-assed radio procedure he usually used. “I’m dispatching a squad via Huey, now. Are you absolutely sure?”

  “Roger, 6. There is nothing with a heat signature, human or mechanical. They are gone. Over.”

  Susan could hear Levi telling the Sergeant Major to get a Huey wound up and a squad on the way.

  “Okay, 6, we are about sixty miles out from your location. How long can you remain on station? Over.”

  “Max 6: Eyes 6. You better send a couple of Snakes along with the Huey. I can only remain on station until they arrive. Over.”

  “Roger, Eyes 6. They will contact you in about twenty mikes. Over.”

  “Roger, Max 6. I can recon out to maybe half way to San Antonio. Over.”

  “Roger, understood, as soon as you make contact with Team 1-6, scoot on back here. Out.”

  “SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!” barked Levi as he turned to Gus. “How did he manage this bit of magic?”

  Gus was also pissed as he said, “Sir, we’ll have to wait on the report from the squad to answer that. Let’s send the Maintenance Sergeant along, too. He might be able to come up with some answers.”

  Levi agreed and decided to keep the convoy moving to, at least, the turnoff to Corpus. He realized that there would be little reason to go all the way to Corpus if Steiner was no longer in residence.