Chapter 6-3: Unforseen Developments - Falcon

Richard- United Human Faction- Day 62

            Richard was finally in control. Master of the entire Southern half of what had been the United States only months before, he fought a losing battle. He wasn’t willing to die with a whimper, though. His forces would kill more than their share before the war ended, and he would watch from barely behind the front lines. From the town of Reserve, he directed the might of the White Sands military machine. Roadblocks built between minefields, guerilla teams with explosives, and even a number of suicide attacks were wearing the main Union line thin. Richard’s forces were even able to cripple the once-dominant Air Force in the state.  Everything was moving forward according to plan, except for the personalities of his Generals.

            Arya Gerrard, the hero who had risen through the Faction ranks to replace the fallen General of the White Sands Defensive Line, opposed Richard’s harsh methods. The woman was an enemy, but she was also an asset. She kept her troops fighting, and they would turn to partition the moment Richard made a stand against her.

            So he waited.

            Ten days after a successful assault on the US 15^th Main Assault Line, a counterattack was reported. A massive convoy would cut through the mountains on a single two-lane road. Richard met Arya at the site of the first roadblock. She recognized his presence with a nod before returning to her duties.

            “General, come over here,” he yelled, beckoning her. “How do we know they’ll fall for this kind of a trap? We’ve set it before. How do we know they haven’t already adapted their strategy?”

            “Sir, they never had a chance to examine the site. For all they know the convoy was destroyed by mortar fire.”

            “I’m not sure we’re thinking of the same incident. Walk me through the explosives placement,” he growled glancing toward the shells on the side of the road.

            She walked him toward the shells lining the side of the road. “These shells are designed to detonate in one direction only. We salvaged the design from a helicopter that crashed in Texas before we lost the front line. Since we don’t have te shell designs of the Union, it only takes a spark to set them off, so we’re burying them in these ditches. Our troops will hide in the brush, and when they trigger a percussion cap, the entire explosion will be directed at the enemy convoy. From then on, we’ll just be mopping up with small arms.”

            “Excellent,” Richard yelled, jumping over the line of explosives and off the road. “The plan seems flawless, General. Thank you for your loyal service.”

            Arya looked toward her superior officer in surprise. He had never supported her, nor she him. Richard didn’t seem the forgiving type, either. Something was wrong. He had something major to gain from the operation, or he had something to remove.

            Richard discreetly lit a match and tossed it onto the shells. Arya was too late in realizing Richard’s motives. In the crooked man’s mind, he had won a clean victory, even if it was at the cost of a solid platoon of his men. The fire engulfed the entire road, just as planned, killing every witness. One man, who had been planting explosives near the end of the line, was knocked unconscious by the blast, but the rest of the men working on Richard’s side of the explosion rushed to help.

            One soldier found a pin inscribed with an unmistakable Union Eagle inscribed onto it. It had belonged to a sleeper agent working on the ambush. The only possible owner of the pin was the man knocked unconscious by the shockwave, the man who would make a perfect scapegoat. It was Richard’s lucky day.