but Raleigh would breathe life again some day and join the other places across the mid-Atlantic region freed by Trevor’s crusade.
General Shepherd’s 1 ^ st Mechanized Division still worked the streets flushing out Hivvan snipers and stragglers. As usual, the K9s-or Grenadiers-proved particularly helpful in sniffing out the enemy; the damn Hivvans stunk to high heaven.
A complete securing of every neighborhood would take several days. Yet for all purposes, Raleigh was a human place again, as evidenced by the energy Shepherd’s command post injected into center city.
A black and silver flag depicting a hand gripping an iron axe waved in the breeze outside the capitol entrance. Couriers and sentries, motorbikes and supply trucks raced to and from the magnificent old building making it the beating heart of the city’s liberation.
Furthermore, the ‘groupies’ of the two Mechanized Divisions in the city planted their temporary roots downtown. These were the mothers and fathers, husbands, wives, and children of some of the soldiers fighting in the front lines. They followed the advancing armies; a massive band of nomads living from covered wagons and tents, riding on horses and bikes, carrying heavy packs on their shoulders.
They existed as a city on wheels, building the needs of life then tearing them down in favor of the open road, then building again. Already Trevor saw latrines being constructed, temporary water reservoirs filled, cooking pots steaming atop open fires, barter merchants hanging their wears on racks in portable shops, and teachers gathering students in makeshift classrooms.
The supply lines would soon follow, too, bringing foodstuffs, medicines, munitions, and more from cities up north. Too many times those supply lines brought too little, but with each victory in the south came more growing fields, more grazing lands, more fuel resources, and more workers.
As Trevor walked toward the capitol building in the midst of a squad of bodyguards both human and K9, shouts of approval came from nomads, soldiers, and the stunned but now free people of Raleigh.
“Trevor!”
“You did them lizards really good!”
“Whoot!”
“On to Columbia!”
He acknowledged the cheers with a wave but kept moving. Much work remained; time did not allow for celebration.
Trevor and his group entered the building and made their way to the central rotunda where a copy of Canova’s original statue of George Washington in Roman garb grabbed his attention. Along the outer walls were a series of plaques and busts celebrating North Carolinian people and events of note such as likenesses of Samuel Johnston and Matt Whitaker Ransom, a copy of the Halifax Resolves, and more.
Despite the capitol’s prominent stature, the Hivvans had ignored it even as they had flattened much of the rest of Raleigh to make way for their bubble-shaped buildings and boxy industrial plants. A thick layer of disturbed dust floated in the air, eliciting sneezes from one of his bodyguards. Portable lights and sun slipping in from outside lit the chamber but the upper reaches remained dark.
The four-human Dark Wolves waited there, dressed in basic green BDUs with their four K9 compatriots by their side.
Unlike other ceremonies to decorate soldiers of note, no press accompanied Trevor this day, no news releases, and no spectators. The Dark Wolves were to remain a mystery not only to the aliens they hunted but also to the fledgling post-Armageddon nation for whom they fought.
This served Trevor’s purpose for a variety of reasons. Occasionally the press caught wind of some invincible commando unit acting as Trevor’s sword, reaching out and striking humanity’s enemies. Whispers of their deeds boosted morale far greater than could be gained by unmasking these agents. Besides, he liked to keep people thinking that no matter the situation, Trevor Stone always held an ace in his hand.
When the commandos saw Trevor enter the chamber, they snapped to perfect attention. General Jerry Shepherd stood by their side.
Trevor addressed the soldiers, “It seems this is becoming a habit. Captain Forest, once again you and your team have taken on a difficult task successfully. Your work here was the tip of the spear in wiping out our enemies in Raleigh. Thousands of your fellow human beings are now free because of you. Congratulations seems…well, it seems an understatement.”
General Shepherd handed Stone a case holding tiny gold emblems in the shape of broadswords. One by one, Trevor pinned a golden sword on their chests and shook their hands. He came last to Nina Forest. Her icy blue eyes offered only the most diligent of respectful stares.
It had been more than four years since the Battle of Five Armies. More than four years since they had discovered the implant in Nina’s brain. More than four years since Reverend Johnny removed that vile parasite. And when he removed it, he removed a year’s worth of Nina Forest’s memories.
A year of fighting alongside-and sometimes with-Trevor Stone. A year during which she discovered there was more to her than killing; that she could show compassion; that she could love Trevor.
At one time, it seemed destiny chose them as a match for eternity. Neither had ever before known the scope of feeling, the intensity of passion, nor the openness they had yielded to one another during those months together.
Then those days vanished.
That Nina Forest-the one who had found so much of her own soul by sharing it with Trevor-no longer existed. With her memories wiped clean, he occupied a different place in her heart: the place of respected leader.
He lost the one person he truly loved, the one person with whom he could drop the front and be merely a man.
So there Trevor stood, inches from the person he had once embraced with all his heart. And oh, how he longed to be with her again; yet he had been told by his mysterious benefactor that their relationship was not to be. The handful of people who knew the truth were banned from speaking of it. Such talk would be the talk of treason. The forces of Armageddon had warned Trevor that he did not belong with her, and so he dared not risk such revelations.
He did his best to keep his hand from shaking as he pinned the medal on her uniform.
Yet little did he know that she shook, too. She trembled out of respect for him. Out of respect for all the places he had taken them. From a tiny corner of Pennsylvania they had grown into an army- a nation — taking back their planet from the invaders one mile at a time.
Whatever he commanded, she would do. Wherever he needed her to be, she would go. He gave her purpose; gave legitimacy to her natural talent for destruction.
Trevor Stone backed away from the small formation and raised his hand in salute.
“Thank you for all you have done and how well you have done it. I know that I can count on you. I know mankind can count on you.”
Shepherd dismissed the unit.
Trevor watched them leave.
He watched her leave.
2. Observations
Four and a half hours after decorating Nina Forest and the Dark Wolves, Trevor Stone waited inside his personal “Eagle” airship as it sat idle just beyond the earthen walls of old Ft. McHenry at the mouth to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.
Outside, ground crewmen wearing jeans and shorts but going shirtless in the heat affixed a thick hose to the refueling port in one of the aft landing gear pods. That hose stretched across the grassy grounds to the bay waters after passing through a large silver desalination tank. The Eagles-stolen from the alien invaders nicknamed ‘Redcoats’ after the Battle of Wilkes-Barre-flew on hydrogen-powered engines fueled by H20.
Inside, Stone sat in one of a dozen leather seats situated in rows along one wall of the passenger
