“Makes sense,” replied Upton, cursing himself for the carelessness. If he didn’t do a better job staying alert and remaining extra cautious, things were bound to turn bad. Upton considered his current dilemma. If the old bastard walked out, he might spill his guts to the nearest US troops. But if he forced Russel to stay, he wouldn’t be making a friend, and watching the guy would create a further liability.
“You wouldn’t tell them, US soldiers, if they came around, about me hiding in here, would you?” asked Upton.
Russel shook his head, “Ain’t none of my concern. Besides, like I already said, you’re a soldier not a criminal. I can’t imagine living through the fight yesterday. The sound of the guns, I mean, unreal. No, I wouldn’t do that,” said Russel, leaning back in his chair folding his arms.
“I appreciate it,” said Upton.
“Where’s home?” asked Russel.
“Reno.”
“Not sure you heard, they’re under a voluntary evacuation. Seems, and I don’t want to bring you down none, Nevada is a lost cause. The ROAS should follow Tower’s demand and turn over the state. No offense, but the ROAS military can’t stand up against the US. Best to hand over the whole damn state before lots more folks die.”
“That’ll make it hard to go home,” said Upton, still trying to decide how much he could trust the old man.
“Hell, quit the military. The US will welcome you; just take a loyalty oath. I’m sure they’ll come up with something like it. Same as when secession occurred, kicking off the great migration.” The old man sensed a kindred spirit and laid out his complaints. “As a military member, you must disagree with the ROAS Freedom Party and their ilk. Hell, they took away the second amendment. I gotta register my hunting rifle every year, just like my car—complete bullshit. Couldn’t have an AR if I wanted one. Now, with US troops knocking on the door, bet you the Freedom Party wishes they never did that. They could damn sure use the firepower. Damn Freedom Party cares more about foreigners, people of color, gay people, and non-Christians than hard-working folks. They expect the government to do everything for them.”
Upton didn’t need the lecture. There was no way in hell he’d quit the military, not now. And if Reno were overrun, it would just give him more incentive to fight back. But he didn’t want the old man as an enemy. Still, he couldn’t let it go. “Don’t fool yourself. No amount of armed civilians with AR’s would have stopped the combined armor facing us yesterday.”
Russel spread his hands. “I know, it’s just the point of the matter. Trust me, I ain’t no right-wing nut job, or racist, but I’m an American first, and the ROAS don’t give a damn. I should’ve migrated when it first happened. But me and the wife had two sandwich shops in Oroville; that’s a small town above Sacramento. It paid the bills, and the rest of the family felt… anyway, we stayed. Couple years ago, I retired and sold everything. Moved here to Mesquite. This town is the closest I could get to the US without having to void my ROAS Social Security. And you know this, ROAS taxes are horrendous. Universal income, healthcare for the lazy, free higher education for every dumb-ass. If you watch the Truth Network, you’d learn how much better they have it in the US. A man can be free.”
Russel paused as if waiting for an answer. Upton disagreed with the opinions, but he needed to be careful. He decided to push back a little.
“Russel, what do you think about the US only having one party to vote for? Doesn’t that bother you?” Before Russel could respond, Upton sensed the man building for an argument, and he didn’t need the hostility. In a softer tone he continued, “Politicians are all fucked. Like I mentioned, I want to get back in one piece. That’s all. Can you blame me?”
Russel eyed the sergeant for a long moment before responding. “No, I don’t blame you. If the US soldiers come asking, I’ll play dumb. I got no axe to grind with you. But in two days, the ROAS accepts the US offer or else. Either way, the US is taking over. Until then, I don’t think they’ll be coming around here too much. But if they do, I won’t say nothing.”
Upton gave Russel a weak smile. For one long second, he considered holding the old man hostage, but it wouldn’t work. Too difficult and time consuming. Instead, he had an idea. “Russel, you live behind this house, right?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s my place,” nodded Russel at the living room window.
Upton turned towards the window at the opposite end of the room facing the patio. Through darkened drapes, just a crack of sunlight beamed. Upton pointed in that direction. “I noticed your drapes, behind us, are open about a foot. After you return, for the next couple of days, if you spot US troops in the neighborhood, can you signal me by shutting those tight?”
“That’s the guest bedroom,” Russel replied, looking across the room. “Sure, I can shut the drapes if I spot anything.”
“Thanks,” said Upton, signaling the end of the conversation by standing up. With Russel in the mix, he was more convinced than ever the house was a death trap. Plus, knowing the US was threatening all of Nevada, he determined to flee. He’d tell Lisa and let CENTCOM know his decision during the next satellite call.
“My pleasure,” said Russel.
Upton looked at the old man. “You better get back and go right home. If I was you, I’d stay in the house for a few days. Until then, stop by tomorrow evening before dark, and we can compare notes.”
Russel nodded and got up, holding a stiff back. “You think they’ll come back?” he asked, looking around the house.
“Who?”
“You know, Rachel and Todd.”
Upton hadn’t considered the implications. If Nevada fell, what would happen to the displaced civilians and their property? He didn’t have the answers but sensed the old man needed reassurance. “Sure, they’ll return. Soon, this whole episode will blow over, and folks will go home. Neither government will keep people from their homes and businesses as they both respect property rights. Things will go back to normal.”
Russel seemed relieved and stuck out a hand. “Well, I’ll head back. I wish you the best, and if I spot something, I’ll close those drapes. Godspeed to you.”
Upton accepted the gesture and shook the old man’s hand. “I appreciate your keeping quiet and an eye out. Everything will work out.”
“Always does,” said Russel, and he gave Upton a tight smile.
Lieutenant Colonel Simpson, sitting at a table in Central Command, reached over and tapped General Story on the shoulder. Annoyed at the disruption, examining updates on battlefield supply and engineering timelines for Las Vegas, the general looked up with a frown. Simpson pointed at her headset, “President Ortega, sir, on the line for you.”
General Story nodded in acknowledgement, activated his own headset, and leaned back in his chair. “General Story here. How can I help, Madam President?”
“Sorry for interrupting, but I have news,” said the president.
“I’m all ears,” replied the general.
“After deliberations, meetings with key people, the ROAS won’t give in to the latest US demand.”
Unsurprised, General Story expected the decision. Still, hearing it made his heart flutter. “Understood,” he said.
“Yes, well, after exploring all options, Operation Heavy Metal is a go. To offer the longest runway for preparations, we’ll keep the US guessing right up through their deadline. I won’t announce our decision. Instead, we’ll act as if the choice for accepting is still under consideration. I’ll be calling an emergency session of Congress tomorrow, where we’ll conduct a full-blown debate about acceptance of the latest US demands. I intend for rancorous discussions, stretching through the evening into the following morning. My hope is the enemy will delay their offensive while we squabble, maybe beyond the forty-eight-hour deadline, giving you more time for preparations.”