One Good Soldier

Hopefully, they had reappeared in Washington, D.C.

'That's it. Let's go!' Nancy said.

'Admiral Walker, this is Moore.'

'Yes, sir?'

'Count to ten and then rain hell on my current coordinates and don't stop till there is nothing left but a crater.'

'What about you and the First Lady?'

'We're snapping back to the Oval Office. Dee is already there.'

'That's good news, sir. Sir, we just had multiple Seppy ships QMT into the system. We are outnumbered here now!'

'Get a courier to Wally to get over here and help you. Now start blasting!'

'Aye, sir!'

'Go, go!' Moore said. Sehera vanished. Nancy and DeathRay flashed out. Moore and Koodie pumped a bunch of grenades through the walls, computers, down the hallway, and into the ceiling.

'Let's go, Michael.'

'Yes, Mr. President.'

They vanished. Seconds later the room erupted into a ball of high-energy plasma and debris. Fire spread and engulfed the floor. Then the building began to shake and shudder as DEG and missiles rained down from above. The Capitol Building of the United Separatist Republic, the house of terrorist leader Elle Ahmi, was being razed to the ground.

Chapter 33

July 1, 2394 AD

Sol System, Washington, D.C.

Friday, 4:15 PM, Earth Eastern Standard Time

Moore appeared in the Oval Office just behind the Resolute desk. His HVAR was at the hip, and he was flashing crosshairs for Ahmi. Thomas had done his job. The office was cleared, and as soon as all of them reappeared, there was a SIF field put in place around the room. Nobody was getting in or out.

Unfortunately, Ahmi and Fink were still on their feet. Fink was now wearing his helmet, and while Ahmi seemed a bit unsteady, she was somehow still standing—probably immunoboost and stims.

'Don't fucking do it, Alexander!' Ahmi screamed at him almost in a pitch too high for dogs to hear. She had an unconscious Dee by the neck and a railpistol to her head. Fink was on her left with his HVAR leveled on them. He had his back to the window facing the White House lawn and waved the weapon back and forth cautiously.

'Let her go, Elle!' Moore shouted at her. He shifted the weight of his feet and readied himself. For what, he wasn't sure, since he didn't have a plan of action yet.

'Let her go,' Sehera said. Sehera was near Thomas at the entrance to the office, and both of them were pointing their rifles at Ahmi, trying to get a line of sight where Dee wasn't in the way. Koodie, Nancy, and DeathRay were on the other side of the couch.

'You shoot me, and my AIC will fire this pistol. Dee will die,' Ahmi said. 'Now drop the SIF and let us go.'

'Dee stays here,' Alexander growled.

'Very well, Moore. You win, this time.' Ahmi tightened her grip on Dee. Dee started to regain consciousness—they must've given her something as well.

'Don't move, Dee. It'll be all right,' Sehera warned her.

'Ma'am, if we're gonna go, let's go,' Fink said.

Dee was quickly regaining her feet. 'Fuck you, Fink. I am so gonna hunt you down and rip your goddamned head off,' Dee shouted.

'Easy, dear,' Ahmi said.

Abigail! Ask Nancy's AIC if they can QMT Dee out.

No, sir, they cannot.

Can we track them?

Yes, sir. That was all part of Nancy's plan. Allison, her AIC, is quite brilliant, sir.

Then if we let her go, I can go right to her?

Yes, sir.

Now we're talking.

Yes, sir.

'Go, Ahmi, and don't come back. Your Separatist movement is over,' Moore told her.

'We shall see, Alexander. We shall see. Now drop your SIF.'

'Drop the SIF, Thomas.' The Secret Service bodyguard triggered the SIF generator off.

'Done, sir.'

'Let her go. I gave her my word.' Moore motioned to the rest of them.

'Yes, you did. You are such an honorable marine, Alexander. I should have killed you long ago!' Ahmi pushed Dee forward and fired three rounds of the railpistol into Moore's chest as spheres of crackling light flashed around her and Fink. Dee dove for the ground,