He picked me up off of the ground and got me in a bear hug. Fortunately for me, he did not get a good hold on me. My left arm was out of his grasp and hung by my side. As Alexei Vadim lifted me off the concrete and began squeezing me I felt my life leaving me. Everything started getting fuzzy, I could not focus my eyes. I could not breathe and my entire body felt like it was going to explode.
“I expected a better fight from you, General. I guess the stories I have heard are not true,” he said in horrible English. I could hear Lily screaming “NO!” as I felt the last bit of breath leave my body. “You disappointed me three years ago, you have disappointed me today, and today, I will kill you!” he said.
I dangled in the air, feeling Alexei Vadim’s arms constrict tighter and tighter around me and I knew that I was done. In one last effort, with my free left hand, I retrieved the Glock field knife from its sheath. Alexei Vadim stood there squeezing the life out of me and bouncing me up and down and shaking me. He was yelling obscenities at me the whole time. With all of the strength I had left in my body, I jabbed that Glock field knife into the side of his neck right up to the butt of the shank. And I began twisting that knife inside of his neck.
Alexei immediately let go of me and fell to his knees. He was attempting to grab at the knife in his neck as blood spurted everywhere. I fell to my knees also, gasping for air. I fought the desire to let go of the knife and continued holding it in the side of his neck twisting it. Alexei Vadim, The Bear, there before me on his knees and I could see in his eyes, he knew he was dying. What a sight it was to behold that look of fear and death on the face of The Bear!!
As I continued to catch my breath and regain some semblance of strength, I yanked the knife out of his neck, and jabbed it into his chest on the left side, plunging it as deep as I could inside of him. I could feel the knife sliding up against bone as I pulled him close and said, “This is for Abby!” I yanked the knife out again and shoved it into his right side near his kidney. “This is for Lily!” I jerked the knife out of his side and slammed it into his groin and twisted, “And, this is for Hannah!” As Alexei Vadim fall backward to the ground with his eyes quivering, and his mouth gasping for air, I climbed on top of him, put the knife to his throat, and sliced his throat open. “And this,” I said as tears began to flow from my eyes, “is for Ben!”
I stood up and I could hear yelling as Russian and Socialist soldiers retreated from their camp into the woods. We had won. I looked around and saw my soldiers standing triumphantly over many dead Russian and Socialist soldiers. Yes, we won, but at what cost?
I moved as fast as I could over to my dear old friend Grant Thomas who lay on the ground in a pool of blood. I fell down beside him. He was faintly wheezing as he gasped for air. I could see in his face that the life was leaving his body. “Grant!” I yelled out cradling his head on my lap. “It’s ok, Grant, you’re gonna be okay.”
I could see he was trying to speak. I leaned down and could barely make it out, “Sally.”
“Yeah Grant, yeah, you’re going to see Sally again, I promise you, you’ll see her again,”
Lily and Adam ran up just then and Grant whispered, “Love her,” as he took in his last breath. He let out the death rattle that I had heard so many times before.
“Yes Grant, I will tell Sally Anne that you loved her until your dying breath,” I said, wiping a tear from my eye.
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Return to Table of Contents
“If you’re going through hell, keep going”
—Winston Churchill
Lily squatted next to me and gave me a hug. As I looked at her, I could see a bullet wound in her right shoulder. “Your mama is going to kill me, girl.” I looked at Adam, who was bleeding from the left leg and hip, “Don’t think I am taking all of the responsibility for Lily getting shot now. You think this battle was tough, when Hannah finds out we let her girl get hurt, DAMN!”
I stood up, looked at Adam, “Major, report.”
Adam stared at me intently, looked down at his feet and then back up. “It’s going to be a few minutes before I can give you a full report, but it’s a bittersweet victory for sure. We lost General Davies, General Thomas, and Ben for starters.”
“Have you heard from General Alexander?” I asked.
“I’m right here General Hornady,” General Alexander said, as he walked up from behind me.
I turned to see him. “Damn General! What the hell happened to you?” General Alexander had blood running down both sides of his face, his left shoulder was bleeding badly and his entire arm hung motionless by his side. His right leg was bleeding from the thigh, and he was using a Russian Dragunov sniper rifle as a cane.
“I’ll be alright Hornady, I’ve had worse,” he said with a grin.
“We lost some good men today, General Alexander,” I said.
“So did they Hornady. We knew coming in we were going to lose men. The sting of war is the loss of life. But we must move on. It’s what they would have wanted,” he said pointing at General Thomas’ now lifeless body.
“You’re right General Alexander. You are right. What do you say we take over this camp and make it ours? I can send a couple of squads back for the rest of our folks at my old campsite,” I said.
“Sounds like a plan to me. Definitely sounds like a plan,” he replied.
“Adam?” I called out.
Adam approached immediately, “Yes Sir?”
“Get several squads together, send them back for our people at the old camp and have them brought here, and tell them to let Hannah know we are all okay,” I stated.
“Done.” he said as he limped off.
Lily walked over and hugged me, “I love you Dad.”
“I love you too baby, I love you too,” I replied.
Lily walked off and I then surveyed the land and the damage. General Alexander walked up beside me, and we both stood there staring out at the landscape of the battle site. There were bodies everywhere, disabled equipment, rifles and ammunition laying all over the ground. The smoke had begun to dissipate and the screams were gone. Now, we had moans of injured men, and the sounds filled the air of soldiers attempting to help them.
“God I hate war!” I said, looking down at my feet.
“So do I Hornady,” General Alexander said looking over at me with his head tilted sideways. “But you and I, we’re good at it. Your Major over there,” pointing at Adam, “he’s good at it. It’s what we do. We have to bring these other guys along with us for the ride and get them ready to take our place,” motioning with his right arm at all of the soldiers walking the battlefield.
“I know. I know,” I said.
Adam limped up and reported, “Significant casualties. I’d say we are down to fifteen hundred men now Sirs. We cannot salvage any of their copters, tanks or howitzers.”
General Alexander looked at me, looked at Adam, looked back at me and asked, “General Hornady, what do you think?” He looked back at Adam and grinned.
Knowing what he was getting at, I responded. “He’s going to be my son-in-law. You’ll have to do it!” I said with a smile.
Looking at Adam, as Lily walked up, General Alexander began, “Major Adam Jones, I do hereby promote you to the rank of General. Sergeant Lily Hornady, I do hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant. Now both of you go get things moving along. Florida is waiting.”
Adam and Lily hugged and gave each other a celebratory kiss and wandered off to begin the cleanup.
I stood there beside General Alexander as the full moon began to rise over that school yard in Brattleboro Vermont. I looked over at him, watched the smoke from the battle clear and I replied, “Yes General, Florida is waiting!’
THE END
References
Return to Table of Contents
Chapter 1
1 – Page Name – Battlefield Promotion, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 21 August 2013 19:54 UT
C, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battlefield_promotion&oldid=569619976 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version ID – 569619976
2- Page Name – Coups D’e’tat, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 09 May 2014 23:56 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat&oldid=607843258 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version ID - 607843258
Chapter 2
3- Page Name - Geneva Conventions, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 16 April 2014 13;47 UTC, Permanent Link - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geneva_Conventions&oldid=604448894 , Primary contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page version ID – 604448894
Chapter 4
4- Page Name - United States Environmental Protection Agency, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 24 April 2014 04:08 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency&oldid=605558006 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 605558006
5- Page Name- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 24 April 2014 04:08 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency&oldid=605558006 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 605558006
6- Page Name - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 24 April 2014 03:52 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention&oldid=605556646 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 605556646
Chapter 7
7- Page Name – General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last revision: 27 April 2014 19:06 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_Agreement_on_Tariffs_and_Trade&oldid=606073775 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606073775
8- Page Name – World Trade Organization, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 30 Apil 2014 09:55 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=World_Trade_Organization&oldid=604534086 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 604534086
9- Page Name - War Flag, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 27 April 2014 00:26 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=War_flag&oldid=605965640 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version ID: 605965640
10- Page Name – F1 Grenade (Russia), Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of last Revision: 9 February 2014 10:25 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F1_grenade_(Russia)&oldid=594614515 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version ID: 594614515
Chapter 8
11- Page Name – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of last Revision: 24 April 2014 03:47 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bureau_of_Alcohol,_Tobacco,_Firearms_and_Explosives&oldid=605556131 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version ID: 605556131
Chapter 11
12- Page Name - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 30 April 2014 03:06 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Defense_Authorization_Act_for_Fiscal_Year_2012&oldid=606424521 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606424521
13- Page Name - Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of last Revision: 23 April 2014 00:52 UTC, Permanent link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp&oldid=605452812 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 605452812
Chapter 12
14- Page Name - North American Free Trade Agreement, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of last Revision: 27 April 2014 18:43 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement&oldid=606070969 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606070969
15- Page Name - All Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 12 April 2014 10:20 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Allpurpose_Lightweight_Individual_Carrying_Equipment&oldid=603906900 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 603906900
Chapter 14
16- Page Name - T-90, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 03 May 2014 06:25 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T-90&oldid=606864617 , Primary Contributors - Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606864617
17- Page Name – Flamethrower, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 03 May 2014 10:52 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flamethrower&oldid=606949132 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606949132
18 - Publication- Journal of Forensic Sciences, Author: Nelson, C. L. and Winston, D. C. (2007), A New Type of Shotgun Ammunition Produces Unique Wound Characteristics. Journal of Forensic Sciences, Publication # 52: 195–198. doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00317, Permanent Link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00317.x/abstract
Chapter 16
19- Page Name – Asset Forfeiture, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 01 May 2014 17:34 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asset_forfeiture&oldid=606654218 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606654218
Chapter 17
20- Page Name - Fair Sentencing Act, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 15 April 2014 12:48 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fair_Sentencing_Act&oldid=604295089 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 604295089
21 - Page Name - Special Forces, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 30 April 2014 07:34 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special_forces&oldid=606443831 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 606443831
22 - Page Name - Special Forces (United States Army), Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 11 May 2014 16:14 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special_Forces_(United_States_Army)&oldid=608071824, Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 608071824
23 - Page Name - 82nd Airborne Division, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 12 May 2014 19:02 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=82nd_Airborne_Division&oldid=607640887 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 607640887
Chapter 18
24 - Page Name – Howitzer, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 29 May 2014 21:05 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Howitz
er&oldid=610698532 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 610698532
25 – Page Name – Intermodal Container, Author: Wikipedia Contributors, Publisher – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Date of Last Revision: 01 June 2014 17:18 UTC, Permanent Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intermodal_container&oldid=611105073 , Primary Contributors – Revision History Statistics, Page Version: 611105073
The Conspiracy of American Democracy Series
by Robert G. Strickland
Book One: The Battle In New York
The Conspiracy of American Democracy - A Father's Revenge Page 17