Schulz nodded in agreement.
“He barely survived the nuclear weapon, and several reports we have from the area show medical and recovery teams locating his badly wounded body. He’d lost a lot of blood by the time he was found. His recovery directly co-insides with the enemy advance through Ramstein.”
“And you believe killing him could bring an end to it all?” asked Taylor.
“It’s a theory, and one which all evidence would point too. I believe, as do many others, that the loss of Karadag could break their armies. They could lose the will to fight. We have to make them believe that this war is not worth the price, and not worth the sacrifices they would have to make.”
“And if we kill their Commander, and it only makes them more blood hungry? They could well have someone more than capable of filling his shoes.”
“I believe it is a chance worth taking. Our experts think it may work. I cannot order you to carry out this mission. I would not will it on any soldier. But I firmly believe it could change the course of this war overnight.”
Taylor looked to Chandra to judge her response to the news. He could understand why it was being asked of them and that it had a fair chance of success. He turned back to the General.
“Sir, please just answer one thing for me, honestly. Tell me you believe in this mission, that we have some chance of survival, and that the outcome could be as game-changing as you believe? Tell me you are not sacrificing our unit to make me suffer.”
He could see the anger building in Dupont, but Schulz was a more calculating man. His strict leadership had led to much conflict between the two, but he could see Schulz was never dishonest. He was not the malicious and sadistic bastard that Dupont was.
“I promise you, Major, that I have every faith in this mission and your ability to conduct it.”
Taylor thought for just a few seconds as he rolled around the ideas in the back of his mind.
“Alright, tell me the plan.”
Chapter 10
Chandra stood before every man and woman of the Inter-Allied Company in a briefing room that they could barely fill half the space. There were less than one hundred of them remaining. They had lost more friends than they wanted to remember. They were now as few as they were before their amalgamation in Paris that felt like a lifetime ago.
Mitch sat at a table off to the side of Chandra, and they all waited for her to speak. Slowly, she took a deep breath and spoke up.
“A lot has been asked of you all in this war. We have all sacrificed more than anyone should have to. We have lost good friends, but let us not forget what we are fighting for. Think of your families back home who are saved these horrors because of each and every one of you.”
They knew she was building up to something both important and frightful.
“General Schulz believes that if we were to break the leadership of the enemy, we could drive them from Earth. As the company with the most experience of such matters, he has asked us to fulfil this task.”
They sat silently. They were shocked and in disbelief at what they were hearing.
“I will not order any of you to carry out this task, nor will General Schulz. Our intel so far has been solid, and I believe our chance of success to be strong. This will without a doubt be the most dangerous task we have ever undertaken. I cannot promise we will make it back alive, and I cannot promise success.”
She paced back and forth while the troops looked on at their leading officer. They were still stunned by what was being asked of them. As eager as they were to get back into action, and have their equipment back, they had never imagined such a task.
“I will not lie to you. Our situation here has become more desperate than ever. The future of our armies in Europe may lie in our hands, and with the task we have been given. We cannot waste any further time in consideration. I must ask you now, whether you will go with me. If you will not, I would ask you to leave the room now. We will not think lesser of you for it. But if you stay, you are in until the very end.”
Chandra got no response until Silva stood up and spoke right at her.
“I think I speak for the Company in saying that we will follow you to the very end, Major.”
Grunts of agreement rang out across the lines of troops as they all leapt to their feet, roaring in agreement. Not one of them showed signs of leaving the room. She waved for them to pipe down as Yorath lifted his hand to ask the Major a question.
“Will Major Taylor be joining us, Ma’am?”
“Most certainly. Major Taylor has been fully re-instated. I will be in overall command of the mission that will include a company from the German 13th Mechanised Infantry. My task will be to get us in safely and to manage the mission. Taylor will be responsible for taking care of the enemy leader, known as Karadag, and any of his associates.”
“This sounds more like an assassination,” said Suarez.
Taylor leapt to his feet.
“You’re damn right it is. These bastards don’t play fair. They don’t abide by any civilised rules of war. It was not so long ago that we faced the threat of a weapon that could eradicate our entire race. We will do anything, and everything, to stop that from happening. If you’re not willing to do that, I suggest you hand in your commission and return to civilian life.”
Chandra turned and gestured for Taylor to back down. Suarez leaned back in his chair and went silent. He had been made look foolish and cowardly, and it was not for the first time. She had never liked the Lieutenant, but she was also well aware of the fact you can’t always have what you want. For all of Suarez’s obnoxious attitudes, he was still a useful officer.
“Karadag must die, and whether it is from a nuclear bomb, a precision strike, a gunshot or poison, I couldn’t care less. But the outcome will be the same. These aren’t humans we are talking about. They might as well be machines, for all I care. I am not going to lose any sleep over the blood I spill of theirs. All I care about is saving as many human lives as possible, including our own.”
Suarez dipped his head to look away from the piercing gaze of Taylor. Mitch stepped up beside Chandra and gestured for her to sit down while he continued on.
“The enemy command has been established in the ruins of Paris. In an ideal world, we’d carry out this mission under the cover of darkness just like our other operations in enemy territory. However, this is not an ideal world. A new enemy army is advancing on the defences of Berlin and will likely turn their attention to here when the city falls, and it will.”
“A day op, how are we going to make it?”
“I asked the same question myself. Captain Deveron assures me that an Air Force team has been working around the clock to get a few enemy craft operational.”
“So we’re going to walk right through their defences, sounds like proper Trojan horse kinda shit,” replied Silva.
Taylor smiled. At least they can keep their shit together, he thought.
For the next two hours they outlined the plan and thoroughly relayed the role of everyone in the room. By noon, they were all growing weary of being stuck in the briefing room. The plans were set, and there was little more to do but pray for success. Finally, Taylor stood aside and let Chandra finish up.
“You know the deal, wheels up in one hour! A staging area has been established for us in what used to be landing zone 5b. Ammunition and supplies are awaiting us there. Grab your gear, and make your way there immediately, anymore questions?”
Parker stood up.
“Ma’am, do you really believe this could send their armies packing? That they would leave because we killed the man in charge?”
“I know you have doubts, we all do, but it wouldn’t be the first time in history that such a situation has gotten these results. Our experts believe it’s possible. I believe it’s possible. There are no certainties in this war. All I ask of you all is to put in your all,” she replied.