by Tom Holloway
Unfortunately there’s one issue: when we’re leaving there are lots of photographers. Someone tipped them off about Anna. I forgot about her celebrity status. My photo is taken many times. I need to stay out of any confrontation with the photographers, so I just smile and hope nothing comes out of it. I ask Anna.
Anna says, “No way!” The tabloids will want to know all about me, Anna’s new boyfriend. She laughs. I worry. It could be a real issue for both of us, much more than Anna knows. The publicity is foolish for me, yet I have allowed it to happen. I am tempting fate.
We pack to leave that evening. Anna’s family thinks we have a commercial flight out. Saying good-bye is tough; even the senator is nice. He loves Anna; that’s plain to see, and he is emotional about her leaving. Of course I know why. Yet there is a true closeness in the family, especially between Anna, her mother, and her sister. They are affectionate and pleasing to one another, and I cannot help feeling the same toward all three.
Chapter 25
Premier Wu-Tong and General Ling
Premier Wu-Tong is waiting. The entire command of the Chinese central party is in the room. Twenty-two of its most powerful members are there as well as the number two deputy premier in command and the third deputy in command behind Premier Wu-Tong. They are all there, sitting next to the premier; all are waiting for the military.
The generals finally come into the large conference room, six of them, the most powerful military men in China’s history. They represent the entire leadership of the massive military forces of China, the largest army in the world. They bow to the premier; they then bow to the rest of the group, and they each sit at the end of a huge mahogany conference table, looking directly at the premier.
General Ling, the supreme general and commander of all the military forces, does not sit. He stands, with a severe expression on his tired face. He bows and starts to speak. “I apologize for the delay and asking for this evening meeting. I know you are all tired. We wanted to give you this report yesterday. We had difficulties in getting here—we had a long flight, as some of us came from Russia. There were also issues in traveling because of damages to a number of our helicopters and the chaos from the results of attack in Russia.
“I know you are anxious for my report, as I have asked for this emergency meeting. There is some real urgency. I asked for this meeting because I want to immediately trigger our previous plan, not wait for the scheduled August date. I know August was chosen because the weather will be the most decent in Alaska and Canada, and it was the right decision at the time. Troop trucks and tanks move over dry land much faster than on mud.”
“Things have changed. Because we were attacked this week, sustaining damages, injuries, and casualties, about one hundred thousand soldiers in total, we now have some critical issues. The problem is we are not sure who attacked us. The surprise factor is essential in attacking the United States. Now someone knows about those millions of troops there. Whoever attacked us knows about us. When we are concentrated in one location, our troops are in harm’s way. We cannot afford another attack; we could lose all of them. Upsetting to us is the other issue: Russian radar and their defense systems saw nothing coming in the last attack.”
“I have asked our Iranian allies if they know anything. They are at a loss to explain, completely baffled. The Russians, our other ally, know nothing, have no clue. Our Mexican ally is panicked, knowing nothing about the attack in Russia, and want to back out of our deal with them. They think it was the United States, and now they know. They are complaining a US backlash would be most harmful to them, a military attack likely, if we are discovered. They would be caught with fifteen million Chinese troops in the Yucatan Peninsula waiting to move up into Texas, saying it is impossible to keep them hidden if someone is really looking and saying there is the same problem in Russia.”
General Ling continues, “Iran is ready to move. Their atomic weapons are in the United States and placed in the locations as planned. The nuclear blasts will take out at least six major cities, maybe more. They also have ten power plants ready to be hit. They have two divisions of their Special Forces in the United States, brought over the Mexican border and now mingled into the US population. They are heavily armed. Of course discovery is always an issue. The sooner the attack, the better it is for all of us.”
“There is no reason to wait any longer for North Korea to decide to join us. Their delay in responding is answer enough. I think we should attack next week, as early as possible. We’ll start moving troops toward the borders of the United States. The Iranians will take out the cities with small nuclear bombs and they will attack the power plants with troops. They will also take out the cell-phone centers using micro-energy bursts, or just bomb them. Several dams will be targeted, causing floods.”
“We take out the Internet with an attack of multiple viruses. We will neutralize it completely. No e-mails, no communication. And with no electricity, there will be total chaos in the United States, as that means no food, no gasoline, no banking or purchasing, and no communications.”
“Most of the media networks will be taken over by Iranian commandos, and they will broadcast the Chinese people’s message. They will be told that the citizens of the United States will be treated well, as able to keep their jobs, their bank accounts, and their churches, and they will be able to take care of their families, just as before. No real changes!”
“In our newly revised plan, we should be operational by the sixteenth of June, with some troops in the United States. The attacks will be starting on the fourteenth of June. By the eighteenth of June, at least half of our troops will be in the country, about thirty million. The other thirty million will be there by the twentieth. We have lots of trucks, trains, and ships to carry them. Troops will be coming up from Mexico and from Russia by way of Alaska and Canada, also entering all across the California coast by ship. The United States has a superior interstate road system, which we will use. We expect minimal resistance. New York City will already be gone, destroyed by a small Iranian nuclear bomb.”
“Per our communications plan we will blanket the rest of the world with e-mails, breaking news bulletins, press conferences, all on the seventeenth, explaining why we were forced to do this. It was necessary to prevent the United States from driving the world to an economic depression so bad there would be millions starving. The US printing currency at their current rate would destroy the world’s currency values, devastating the world’s ability to feed itself and plunging us into a deep international depression late next year. The United States has effectively defaulted on their debt to the world and to us by recklessly printing currency, creating cheap dollars and predictable hyperinflation. This is a deliberate act of dishonesty to cheat the Chinese and the world of their loan repayment, paying back in dollars worth half as much. This is an act of war. It is a complete lack of responsibility, and steps had to be taken to prevent this catastrophe.
“We will also offer a deal to the president of the United States on the twentieth, offering to make him president for life. If he takes it, he will report to the Chinese government, saving his life and the lives of many thousands of his countrymen. We think he will surrender and tell the US troops to stand down. The US Congress will be discharged and the members taken prisoner along with their families. Democracy will be dead, yet the country will live on. The troops and citizens of the United States will pledge an oath of loyalty to China. All those who oppose us will perish. Eventually seventy million Chinese and Russian troops will occupy the United States after sweeping down from Alaska and over Canada. Another fifteen million will come up from Mexico. It will be over quickly. Do you have any questions?”
All those sitting in the room are sober, deep in thought; none responds.
Finally Premier Wu-Tong stands up. “General Ling, thank you for you report. You are saying if the United States knows about us, they will bomb our troops before they can move? What about nuclear missiles attacking us?”
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p; General Ling nods and responds, “Yes, we predict they will bomb us if they find out. If we do not move out soon, it might become a severe problem. Our critical issue is we need to know who attacked us this last week. Who has seen us? Are they coming back? Was it the United States?”
“Once the army is deployed, we should be fine; the plan will work. The US knows we will fire nuclear missiles back at them if they attack our cities in China. After our troops are spread out, no longer in one concentrated position, it will also be difficult to bomb them, and we would retaliate with nuclear weapons. After the Iranian nuclear destruction they have fewer cities to give up; they will not want to give up any more cities in a nuclear trade-off, so it’s not a real option for them, as they would cease to exist. We would end up with a smaller population, yet we would survive. We all need to have a future.”
“I think no nuclear weapons will be fired at us!
“As long as we get our troops on the move, spread out over Canada and the United States, victory is ours. If this happens, we think, the United States will give in, fold, as it is the smart thing to do. Yet if our army is caught in one small location, as it is now currently encamped in Russia, all is lost. If we are discovered there before we move out, the United States will fire at us. They will use small nuclear bombs on our troops and we will lose all of them. We will not be able to go on as planned. We will not use nuclear weapons, no retaliation from us, unless they fire on us, at our mainland. Other than that, there is no reason; it has no purpose; we have failed in our mission.”
The general continues, “Our critical issue now is who knows about us. We do not know who attacked us, no clue; our speculation is frightening. The attack was very effective, powerful to say the least. It is incredibly dangerous for us right now. If the same weapon comes back, we can only assume all our troops will be killed. We have no choice other than attacking the United States as soon as possible, before anything happens. I need your agreement to trigger our immediate attack, not wait for August, attacking on the fourteenth of June.”
Suddenly the door to the room opens. An army captain enters, comes to attention, salutes, and stands there stern and rigid. All are intently looking at him, with worry or concern on their faces. Only something critical, bad news, would cause this interruption.
Annoyed, the premier harshly asks, “Why are you interrupting us?
“Premier Wu-Tong, you have an urgent phone call on your personal line from the president of the United States. Do you want to take the call?
Chapter 26
London Visit—Anna's Movie Premiere Day Six
Back on the Cyclone, we have a late drink in my cabin, before we head out. It is hard not to tell Anna about the possibility of World War III and all the crazy stuff going on with the Chinese, the Russians, and Mexico. There is nothing she can do about it, no reason to upset her before the big premiere. I am left to worry about it. I think I can help the United States; however, it is in their court; I am a visitor with no passport.
Anna tells me the next day’s plan and my part of it as her date. We are to be in London tonight, although really we are there early morning because of the time change. It is late evening here now. We are five hours behind the London time, in the US Eastern time zone. The actual flight is about fifteen minutes. Then we drop down in the night, early morning, about 5:00 a.m., using the ship’s tender, and discreetly land in one of the many parks, the one called Regent’s Park.
The trip was easy; the landing in the park was unnoticed in the darkness; we quickly walk out, end up on a main street.
There are few people up that early in the morning. We grab a cab, as we are staying at a fancy hotel near Leicester Square in London’s theater district. We check in at the Ritz; Anna’s staff has already arranged reservations, adding me, too, per Anna’s request. I am to stay in her room. We both are sleeping within minutes of arriving, both of us exhausted.
At an early breakfast I meet her personal staff, consisting of three people: Jill, her secretary; Yonetta, her events planner; and Frannie, her everything-else girl. They are all sweet girls, smart and loyal to Anna. They are all smiles with me.
Her business manager, Sonny Lauyans, is in and out. He seems to be a good guy—smart, certainly charming, and good-looking like most Hollywood people. All are impressive, very nice to me, and say nothing about my staying with Anna. This event is a big one for publicity, the London premiere of her new film. She is required by contract to be there, and I can tell she loves it; she is glad to be part of it. Actually I am happy to be part of her life, better off than I have ever been.
Yet this activity is problematic for me, as it provides way too much exposure. The first problem is the Cyclone, as it will always provide me security and now also for Anna. It is always hovering overhead, whether I want it or not. If an issue comes up regarding security for Anna or me, my concern will be overkill by the Cyclone—literally. I can only pray nothing happens. And it is not that hard to figure out the Cyclone is up there above us. Some military satellite could easily spot it. It is one thing to be moving and quite another to be sitting there like a duck in a pond.
I have not been to London except during World War II, and it is much changed. It was not fun then, and my memories are not great. World War II was mostly misery. Anna wants to show me around before the evening premiere, and it should be fun this time; there’s a lot to see. London is exciting to see. We do finally leave the Ritz and take a cab. Not surprisingly, there are photographers, and many photos are taken. I’m not sure what to do, although the Cyclone thinks I have lost it, thinks I am brain dead, tells me I am asking for a lot of problems. I don’t care. I want as much of this as I can get. To be with Anna now is terrific. The problems will have to be handled.
London is spectacular! Anna knows it well; we see it by a limo, rented for her, and with a driver included. We see the Tower of London, the Queen’s Guard, the River Thames, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, Hyde Park, and the National Gallery—all great, especially sharing them with Anna. Her delight is infectious. I have never felt so glad to be alive. How could you not be grateful to be a human, a gift from God, then so blessed to be here on Earth, to enjoy a life here in the splendor of this planet?
Unfortunately there is not much time left on Earth for me. It is day six, four more precious days remaining.
Of course Anna is recognized everywhere, and I am now recognized as her boyfriend. Many questions are asked by many reporters at the press conference, which is held in the huge lobby of the theater, as scheduled before the beginning of her movie premiere. Anna answers them all. I sit with her, proud to be with her. She seems to know all the reporters, and they are friendly to her. More important are the big producers or directors. Then there are also wealthy men, many celebrities, powerful executives, and well-known politicians. Some are really Anna’s friends, and some act like they’re her best friend, and are acting only, not friends, not sure of their real motivations. All are curious about me. Some like me, and some don’t, and some are contemptuous of me.
There are some who are more handsome than others, and there are also many powerful men after Anna, who hoped to be her date tonight and to bed her before dawn. Especially James Algeir, a famous Hollywood director, who is good-looking and wealthy and who has come just to see Anna. He is a former boyfriend who does not think former applies to him; he pesters Anna, and I know he previously abused her physically. He is still trying to bully her. I know this by Anna’s thoughts, as she unknowingly lets a little out when she sees him, a fear of him. He has helped her career, and he thinks she owes him. He makes my blood boil.
I think about what I want to do to Algeir when searching his mind for his real agenda, and I discover an ugly man: narcissistic, selfish, self-centered, and not good for Anna in any way. I have the Cyclone put a probe reconnaissance slip in his brain, as I have a feeling he and I will meet again. The Cyclone will keep track of him until then. The next time will not go well for him if I have my choice. Howeve
r, I try to be nice to him at Anna’s insistence. He could hurt her career, and I am here to support her. He does not appreciate me or show me any respect, as he does not consider me either wealthy or powerful. I am just in the way.
Surprising to me, I notice everyone else, including some of my competition for Anna, are careful with me, cautious, maybe a little concerned. Some are afraid, although I have no clue why. My story is always the same: talking about being ex-military, did classified stuff I can’t talk about, evasive otherwise, and I live a boring life, just not much to talk about.
It’s getting worse. Now, everyone I meet is nervous with me, some more than others; there’s just a lot of real anxiety. I know there is some extensive surveillance going on by a lot of governments, all undercover. Not sure if they know about one another. I think there are ten or more groups here. The Cyclone identifies each, and all are tagged with reconnaissance slips. All the publicity and letting myself be exposed has led to this, stupid on my part, and my conversation with John Jacobs will come back to haunt me. I know the United States, Britain, Mexico, Russia, and China have people here watching me, all within two hundred feet. Who would think I would be so popular? They must be stepping over one another. No wonder people are anxious.
Anna has no security detail; she refused it, says she has me. However, there are no incidents, and I know why. We are subjects of heavy-duty surveillance, especially by the British and American intelligence services, both working together. They are really everywhere. They are also our security team, although they don’t realize it. They are watching us and looking at whoever might be a threat, too. I also have reversed the surveillance, putting reconnaissance slips into their brains; every single one involved is tagged this way. I know what they know, and I know why they are intensely curious. I now know there is another reason they are all here—something planned. I should have known about it but did not know until now. It was predictable though, and smart.