Dawn of Defiance

by Dempsey, Albert

  The next day she was briefly examined by a doctor before being discharged from the infirmary. Little did she know how important her mission was to be. She only realized it when they sent a helicopter to fetch her. Chantel felt like a VIP for the first time in her life and she enjoyed it.

  On the outskirts of Cape Town stood the UWN Internal Stability Head Quarters, an impressive monolith building designed for functionality, not aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It was here that security across all the Zones was maintained. For the first time in her life she would have full clearance across all check points as an undercover agent for Steenkamp. An uneasy feeling crept deep into her bones; as with every step she was becoming more and more infected by her mission. Here, in the Lion's den, she saw firsthand the resources available. The debriefing room was situated on the very top floor with a view overlooking Table Mountain and the Cape Flats. No expense would be spared, especially since they sent a military helicopter to fetch her from Staaldraad: a prison complex hidden far away from prying eyes. It fell directly under Steenkamp's command, and she was just one of his assets to be deployed in the fight to infiltrate the extremist networks now plaguing the region.

  Yet, memories of her ordeal would always remain, no matter how many injections they gave her.

  Thoughts could not be switched off. Chantel prayed for a miracle, but they only intensified. Medication had helped her sleep, but the dreams became nightmares she would never escape from. The two soldiers now assigned to guard her, were not local so she must be going up in value.

  "Wait here," said the one guard in broken English.

  The two sliding doors opened silently after it scanned the embedded access code in his military issue iBand. Once inside the board room, she soon noticed the high-tech gadgetry, equipment that was not common place in the corporate world. Only Government was privileged to such technology.

  They all turned to look at Chantel as she stood there, now dressed in casual wear from clothes taken from the other prisoners her age and size. Two suits seated at a table, a woman with a note pad, and a fat man in uniform stood at the large plasma screen. The only face she recognized was Steenkamp who motioned for her to sit next to him.

  Chantel suppressed the shudder that spiraled down her spine. Steenkamp chose to wear his military uniform, his rank and medals for all to see.

  "Let us continue," said the fat man standing at the plasma screen.

  Chantel looked around only to see that everyone was still staring at her.

  "To infiltrate the base at Mt. Carmen, Chantel van Tonder, who has just graced us with her presence, will be our undercover agent. She has inside information and is known by the other extremists. Her role in this mission is vital as she will prep the scene before we move in on them." He paused, looking at the man seated in the far corner.

  "We know from our drone surveillance footage the exact location of the extremist base called Mt. Carmen, or so we believe it's called," he said, turning for acknowledgment to Chantel who sat motionless. She nodded after Steenkamp answered for her.

  Looking at Chantel again, he tried to continue but was stopped by the man in the back.

  "Why the delay, General? We should've sent our task team in days ago. I think we've wasted enough time on this lot, already." He said.

  "That was a training exercise, and it went horribly wrong," The General replied.

  "There were supposed to be no casualties," he said, looking at Steenkamp.

  "Let me continue and you will all see why our approach must be different this time. After our interrogations, we discovered the true identity of one of the extremists on the run. His name is Nathan Cohen, an American ultra-radical, with extensive military training. So we assume by now he would have warned the others and prepared them for our arrival."

  The same voice spoke again, this time with more arrogance. "One man, come now, General, we have highly trained SWAT teams that can take him out."

  Turning around the General activated the plasma screen, which displayed a live satellite feed of the base.

  Chantel was amazed to see the live camera feed, in real time.

  "This is footage from our surveillance drones. As you can see the base is situated between these two koppies, with the main accommodation complex here, and the workshops here and here.

  See this, this is the greenhouse they use for organic farming. This area here, we are not too sure of, but it looks like a large storage shed with some farm equipment in. We will go to Infra-red in a moment," the General said.

  The screen flickered a few times, and then turned a bright olive green that revealed hot spots; humans and animals.

  "Yes, we can storm the base, but we know too little about this Nathan Cohen. That is why Chantel is so vital in this operation," he said, looking at her again.

  Chantel was looking at Steenkamp, who was looking a little concerned.

  "Who exactly is this Nathan Cohen, General?" Steenkamp asked.

  Fidgeting with his remote, the General activated the Intel report on Nathan.

  His photo appeared in full uniform from the Israeli Defense Forces Counter Terrorist Unit.

  "As you can see, he was a highly decorated in 2018, an expert in his field specializing in anti- terrorist operations. So, not an easy target, gentlemen," the General said.

  Steenkamp got a little uneasy, as all his targets so far had been civilians.

  "Lt. Nathan Cohen also served in the US Marines for two years before joining the IDF. He excelled in his class and was soon chosen for the YAMAM Counter Terrorist Unit. So, gentlemen, if any of you think we're just going to walk in there without a fight, you're all gravely mistaken."

  Steenkamp wanted to disagree with the General but he knew it was probably true. This subject was the real thing, a true test of his tactical talents. He couldn’t wait to capture him and see for himself just how tough the Israeli's are. He would provide some real resistance and no doubt would put up a fight. Chantel could not believe what she was hearing.

  "From all accounts this group is smaller than the one from Mt. Ararat, but there will probably be around twenty eight men who are able to fight, and if he has trained them, they will know how to counter attack," the General said again.

  "Sorry, Sir, we assume only men. What about the women? The Israeli army uses women as well. Would he not also recruit some of them?" the voice at the back said.

  The General nodded in silence as he sat down.

  "Yes, yes, you are right. I’m glad you mentioned that."

  Steenkamp could not wait to have his say.

  "General, we are looking at probably around forty maybe even fifty at a push. Firstly, they do not have the type of firepower or the numbers of our troops, and we have our nerve-agent now fully tested, and proven effective, not to mention ground- and air support. So we have the advantage," Steenkamp said, making his point.

  "My concern is casualties, on both sides," the General replied.

  "It pains me dearly that we have to use such force on these rebels, but as we have learned before, many of them are more than capable of killing our soldiers. These extremists must, and should always be, regarded as hostile. The nerve-agent is only a precautionary measure as I am sure you all remember Waco".

  Steenkamp had read a book once on the Waco fiasco; another bunch of cult crazy Christian's.

  The General was right; they would certainly be prepared to fight this time.

  "We have a way in, and with the help of Chantel, we will neutralize Nathan Cohen and a few of the other men before we strike. Without a leader the base will be a walk-over," the general said as he sat down at the head of the table.

  "Steenkamp, he'd better be neutralized before we strike," the General said.

  "Now, gentlemen, just so that you know, we also have other fish to fry, but this one is a priority one."

  "Chantel has agreed to assist us in this operation and I for one would like to thank her personally. What you are doing is very brave young lady. Now, what can you
tell us about this Nathan Cohen?" he asked. "I believe you know him."

  Looking around, Chantel had a bitter taste in her mouth.

  "Really, from what I can tell, you guys know more about him than I do," she said, gazing at the massive plasma screen with Nathan's photo and details on display.

  "No, what I meant is, what type of man is he? Tell us about his personality, his habits, things like that".

  She thought for a while.

  "Well, at first I had no idea he was a soldier, or even an Israeli. I thought he was an American. He said he was from Seattle, I think."

  "Well, we do not assume anything here and we like to base our actions on facts. For instance, is he a perfectionist? Is he a patient person or does he lose his temper easily? These are the little things we need to consider as we build a profile of the terrorist."

  Still at a loss for words, Chantel just looked out of the window.

  I wish I was somewhere else but here, she thought.

  The General slammed his hand on the table and shouted.

  "I am talking and you will pay attention," he said to the seventeen year old. Slowly facing the General, Chantel shook her head from side to side.

  "What do you expect of me, hey? I have already seen what you have done to my friends and family. I still hear their screams. So yes, I will take you to Nathan, but no, I will not twist the dagger in his back! With all your high-tech gadgets, you still need me to play the part of Judas."

  They all stared at Chantel in silence. Steenkamp could tell she had matured much over the past few days; her insubordination would need to be addressed, but only later on. The Israeli was the first priority, and then he would deal with the others. He could not wait.

  Chapter 8

  No leader should be overly happy or sad. A balance of both emotions would enable a more humane thought. Leaders who are happy are blind to see the suffering of the people. Leaders who are sad are blind to see the future and the hope of a better world.

  Vargän Barchevski - UWN Chancellor

  "If these facts are true, Gentlemen, then we're on the edge and all decisions from this moment on determine our position on the evolutionary tree. So whichever way we look at it, the signs cannot be ignored anymore no matter how many times we debate the subject," Lucia said as he walked across the room towards the fire place.

  Silence hung in the room. Those who listened knew in their hearts that if they failed humanity this time, then it would no doubt be the last.

  Only the distant sound of a grandfather clock broke the silence. Outside the security detail and attachés waited, some visibly exhausted and others in their own secret debates. Many leaders had negotiated matters of state over a mere cigar and a simple Scotch or two. How simple life was back then. The cigar stain of Winston Churchill’s was still visible on the side table where Vargän sat; so many consequences from so few decisions.

  "Here we decide the future of mankind, for the cards are on the table and the dice has already been thrown," Lucia said, now pacing to the other side of the room and taking a seat next to Admiral Leonid Furmanov of the Strategic Northern Fleet. He was a quiet man, but everyone knew his submarine fleets held the vast nuclear arsenal that still kept the USA and China in check.

  "You are so right; we debate and research and debate some more, while every second we slip further down the road to no return," Vargän said, while looking at the others who still stared at Lucia.

  Everyone knew Lucia was Vargän's most trusted advisor, and when he spoke they understood why Vargän held him in such high regard. Childhood friends, they had walked many roads together and weathered many storms, yet, still their friendship had never wavered.

  "This time, mankind is playing with its very survival and not the spoils of some senseless war. There will be no winners or losers if we fail this time, for we have all read the Stockholm report and we know the outcome. The time for irrational decisions is now over; we need to implement drastic measures immediately, and the will to back it up. That, gentlemen, I'm afraid is up to you," Lucia said.

  He had made his point, and those gathered around now sat in silence contemplated the magnitude of what he had just said. Vargän was the first to speak, but it took him a moment to see the picture Lucia had painted so clearly.

  "Ok, so let's put it this way, and please correct me if I've interpreted the facts incorrectly. The point of no return has already passed and we are now in the early phases of the next Ice Age. Yes, or no?" he said, looking at the professor.

  "Yes!" Professor Hustwick replied. He had been flown in from Oxford to explain the scenario more clearly in layman's terms. The professor was agitated.

  "It all boils down to this," he said as he stood and walked over to the plasma screen.

  "The effects of global warming have steadily been increasing since we began monitoring it as far back as 1987. As you can see, this graph indicates very clearly how the sea and land temperatures have increased since 1993. But it has continued to accelerate more and more over the last few years, causing untold damage to the balance as more ice begins to melt. This radically changes the status quo of the Gulf Stream and we all know from previous scientific data what that means."

  They had all heard this before. The professor was far from finished, and turned to face them again to begin his next barrage of facts.

  "Now, this is important because it concerns the CFC's that have already been released. It takes twenty odd years for it to reach the level of the atmosphere where it begins to cause harm. Ninety percent of CFC's have already done their damage; it's the last ten percent that I am worried about. So, we can expect some changes to still occur over the next few years. A chain reaction is something we cannot stop, so at this moment all we can do is cut back on our emissions and pray, but once it happens then we are looking at a very bleak future."

  Vargän stirred in his chair as the professor went on.

  "We have already noticed the tremendous cyclones that have been unleashing havoc in the Southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It's not going to stop gentlemen; it's going to intensify exponentially until the Turning Event happens."

  "The Turning Event?' Vargän asked, looking more intensely at the professor.

  "We estimate it could take as little as five to ten years to slip from what we have now, into a full blown ice age with snow and ice covering eighty five percent of the planet," the professor replied.

  "What would happen if say we passed laws preventing our factories from pumping out harmful gasses and enforced the use of more expensive, but greener fuel? Would that slow the process down?" Vargän asked.

  "That would have to include stopping all deforestation of forests and plantations worldwide. Not to mention the complete banning of all private transport that still uses fossil fuels," the professor said, and then went silent for a while as Vargän thought about it.

  The Admiral was the only one smoking in the room. He leaned forward to ash his cigar and then sunk back into the sofa.

  "It could only help!" the professor said, "but I think it will take hundreds of years for the earth to recover, and let me say, honestly, I think it's a little too late. You see, we need to implement changes now. We cannot hesitate any longer, because then our future and fate is sealed forever. If we're going to win this war, then we had better get ready to fight globally and on all fronts," he said, as he shook his head from side to side.

  "I think we're already at war, Professor, and I believe if we fail, it'll be the last war humanity will ever fight," Vargän responded.

  It was already late in the evening, but that made little difference as the discussion would continue all night if necessary, a decision had to be made. Just then an aide came in to hand Vargän a note. The Chancellor took his time reading it in silence, and then slowly stood up and walked to the massive fireplace. It was a grandeur design, most exquisitely crafted with molded marble fixtures, but truthfully, just for show, as most of the villa had under floor heating. Vargän was visibly disturbed and
disappointed.

  "Gentlemen, I have just been informed that the United States has once again refused to honor the 2026 Helsinki Manifesto. They will only agree to a twenty five percent reduction in emissions; saying to do any more would have an adversely negative effect on their economy. The data we supplied to them is in question and they will establish an independent commission to investigate," he said. "Stalling tactics, no doubt, but never the less, they will not budge.”

  "This is pathetic! They still think they have the power to do as they like," Ambassador Stanley replied. He was in his late sixties, almost bald, and also an ex-Oxford student.

  "Bullshit, this need to be implemented by the United States if it's going to work." He said.

  "Simon is right; it's not good enough, as even China has agreed to honor the Manifesto within six months" Lucia said.

  "If I may?" the professor asked.

  They all turned to face him once again as he stood at the plasma screen.

  "This model we have designed clearly indicates the future scenario based on data we have collected over the last fifty years. As you can see, we will not survive another hundred years if we do not cut back the carbon emissions by at least fifty percent. I can say it in no other terms: our grace period is almost over. Whatever we do over the next year or two, will determine our future place on the evolutionary tree, for mankind will not survive if we do not act now!" he continued with a desperate look on his face.

  Vargän was feeling the pressure mount as never before regarding this matter, and was extremely disappointed in those who had made promises to change, but did not.

  "The data is clear; we have seen the effects of a rising sea, a warmer climate, with extreme weather patterns and storms. Already we have food and water shortages, so it's a simple deduction! If we do nothing, we die! I can give you all the data and facts, but if you do nothing, then it's of no use….." The professor was pleading his case, as if he was making a plea to God himself.