A female voice whispered in Brian’s ear almost like a passing wind. “Thank you.”
There goes the neighborhood
The white Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk climbed up from just about wave top level and banked west over the large carrier group. When Chun had left, the group consisted of the Zumwalt and the carrier Reagan. Now though, there were fifteen ships, some of them flying the flag of different countries. Chun leaned out the side of the Seahawk and gawked at the two mighty ships. One was flying the Chinese People's Liberation flag, he recognized it as the Chengdu, a type 052d destroyer. The one that scared Chun the most, was the much larger ship that flew the Russian flag. The Kirov class battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy. He had seen that ship on more than one occasion, none of them fun. He knew that ship carried at the least, an Otryad or team of Spetsnaz special operators, a lot like Chun’s Aces. Shit had seriously changed if those two ships had joined the carrier group. Scattered throughout were a smattering of ships flying Italian, Israeli, and French flags.
Butch climbed over Chun and stuck his massive bearded head out the hatch. “Just fucking great, the Russians and Chinese have moved in. There goes the neighborhood and the property values. I betcha the Pyotr is carrying that mudak SOB, Anatoly Bulgakov,” Butch spat out a mouthful of juice into the slipstream.
“Think he might still be carrying a grudge after all these years?” Lupo yelled from his position.
“Why would he? I only threatened to cut his little cock off next time I saw him,” Butch muttered.
“Yeah, but instead you shot him in the leg,” Hootie laughed from his seat.
“Yeah two, inches from his manhood,” Chun joked.
“Make all the jokes you want. Mark my words, he’s still angry,” Butch pulled himself back into the Seahawk, climbed onto his seat and closed his eyes.
The helicopter came level with the Reagan’s flight deck, hovering while waiting for the deck to settle enough for them to land. The ocean was churned up from all the ships so close together. The pilot kept one eye on his gauges and one on the deck. He looked bored as he waited, suddenly the deck came up and he slid the copter over and placed the wheels down. He waited as two men dressed in yellow shirts and helmets ran out and slid the door open, as he cut out the power to his engines, slowing the blades down. Chun jumped from the helicopter, followed by the rest of Aces and headed to the metal protrusion known as the Island which contained access to the rest of the ship as well the bridge.
As Chun reached the hatch they had opened and two MARSOC Marines stepped out and greeted him. Butch recognized the older of the two and stepped up to him. “Nice to see that the zombies have taste and haven’t tried eating your ugly ass Gunny,” Butch growled.
“It seems that no one has been able to kill you either Butch,” the other man joked. He had the same gruffness and old man look as Butch did, but he was clean shaven. Whereas Butch had his massive beard.
Butch extended a hand and the two men grasped each other like long lost brothers. Creaking and cracking emitted from that handshake as the two warriors attempted to outdo each other. Finally, the Marine let go of the handshake and shook his pain-filled hand.
“Fucking Marines, nothing but soft buttercups. You want someone to kiss the booboo?” Butch laughed.
“Shit, and I came out here to give you a warning. I should just tell you to go fuck yourself.”
“Does the warning have anything to do with the Russian battlecruiser Pyotr?” Butch jerked his thumb behind them toward the Russian battlecruiser nearby.
“Oh, you noticed that huh? Wasn’t sure if your Seal ass had enough brain power to recognize it,” the Marine laughed.
“Okay Gunny Cardillo, spill what you know before I have to beat it out of you,” Butch stepped through the hatch and into the corridor that was already filled with men.
Butch identified Kuppers and the new President followed by two men dressed in Russian officer’s uniforms. One was the aforementioned Anatoly Bulgakov, his well-known scarred mug was set with half a sneer and half a smile. Butch dropped his bag on the ground and came to attention yelling out, “Commander in Chief on deck!”
Aces quickly snapped to attention, followed by the two MARSOC Marines. Dan muttered under his breath and saluted the men back. “Good to see you guys in one piece. As you see, we have guests. Butch, according to one of them, he knows you.”
Butch ignored Anatoly as he judged the President’s words. He was prepared to say a litany of words, but instead he nodded. Kuppers coughed into his hand to hide a laugh. Anatoly pushed past his Admiral and came up to Butch. They stared each other up and down gauging each other for a moment. Everybody tensed as the two old adversaries stood face to face.
“Chief Barth. Last we had the chance to enjoy each other’s company, you threatened to cut off my balls and feed them to me. Then you shot me in a very uncomfortable place,” Anatoly spoke through heavily Russian accented English.
“And the time before that you tried to cut my head off,” Butch tilted his head to the left showing the scar across his neck.
“I was just trying to help you shave,” Anatoly smiled broadly.
“As I was doing for you,” Butch growled. It felt to everyone in the room that these two men were about to start fighting and try to kill one another when Butch broke his grimace and smiled. “I guess we are even then.”
“I am willing to let it go. Does this make us girlfriends? Should we now suck each other off?” Anatoly laughed heartily.
“We can leave that for later, when the adults aren’t in the room,” Butch dead panned.
“Are we done measuring dicks now, Chief?” Dan asked from behind the men.
“I would win, I’m sure sir,” Butch patted Anatoly’s shoulder and the two laughed.
“Excellent, why don’t we all retire to another compartment and chat,” Dan turned and moved on, two more Marines appeared in the corridor and led the way as Kuppers and the high ranking Russian officer followed. The rest of the men followed behind, Anatoly and Butch cracking jokes at one another in other languages.
As they were about to enter their briefing, Pauline came running down the corridor, eyes wide with a grin plastered on her face. “Butch!” she yelled.
Butch stopped, turned, and caught Pauline, as she launched herself on him. He wrapped his big arms around her, melting her into his embrace. She peppered his face with kisses, as the rest of the team and Anatoly stood around and watched the affectionate scene. Butch allowed himself to get kissed as he swung her around slowly.
“Hey! First Class Petty Officer Macleod,” Hootie interrupted their tender moment as he stood next to the loving couple.
Pauline stopped kissing Butch and climbed down off her man. She turned and fixed Hootie with her hardest gaze. “That would be,” she turned so Hootie could see her new rank. “Lieutenant Macleod, you numb nutted, goofy ass, knuckle dragger!”
Hootie’s eyes grew in amazement and snapped into attention. “Sorry Ma’am, again if you could forgive me.”
Pauline stepped up almost nose to nose with Hootie, an upset mask of fury emerging on her face. She then crossed her eyes and blew a raspberry in his face. “Come here little Hootie.” She grasped him and gave him a big hug.
“Why is that female officer hugging that idiot of an excuse Seal?” Anatoly asked.
“He is her pet,” Lupo explained.
“Like a little puppy?” Anatoly asked with curiosity.
“Yeah something like that,” Hashkeh added, before entering the room after his President.
Butch pulled Pauline to him, as the Russian and his men entered the compartment, giving the two the alone time they needed. “Officer rank looks good on you,” he stared into her eyes, seeking the soul he was forced to leave over two months before. “I’ve missed you,” He pressed his lips to her forehead.
“I outrank you now,” Pauline pressed her forehead to his lips.
“Yes, Lieutenant you do.”
Butch wanted to say more
when he was interrupted by Kuppers. “Chief, we need you in the debrief.”
When Butch opened his eyes, they were on fire and pinned Kuppers against the hatch for the interruption. Pauline placed a hand on his cheek and brought his attention back to her. “Go inside and entertain the President. I will see you in my officer’s quarters when you are done. I’ll be the one dressed in nothing but…” she whispered the rest in his ear, bringing a deep red blush to his cheeks that showed, even under his massive beard.
“Square deal, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” He kissed her one more time, before entering the compartment and ignoring Kuppers.
“I think the bear is mad, don’t poke him too much Colonel, or he may poke back,” she turned and double-timed down the corridor toward her quarters.
Kuppers closed and secured the hatch, before moving down the aisle and taking his seat next to Dan on the little dais in the front of the room. Aces sat on one side of the aisle as Anatoly and the un-named Russian officer, sitting already, were hardened looking men dressed in typical Russian combat uniforms favored by the deadly Vympel Spetsnaz group. Butch recognized a couple, as well as the two-woman vipers on the team. One was responsible for giving him a scar bisecting his left nipple. He returned the favor and gave her the scar she sported going down her left cheek and bisecting her lips. They locked eyes for a brief moment, before both warriors grudgingly nodded each other’s existence. It reminded him that sometimes even mortal enemies, could become allies. Butch sat down and pushed back in his seat stretching his neck and back.
Dan stood up and moved slowly to the podium. Chun took in how much the man had changed since he met him just over a month ago. Power and responsibility, like the kind Dan now shouldered, could destroy any man, no matter how strong he was. Previous Presidents Chun had served under aged significantly and never looked the same at the end of their term as when they started. Dan gripped the podium and tried to smile, but it never made it to his eyes. As he was about to speak, Kuppers picked up a ringing phone on the bulkhead next to him. He listened and grunted and hung up. He stood and moved to Dan, whispering in his ear. Dan nodded his head and cleared his throat.
“Gentlemen and ladies, two new friends are here and would like to join the debriefing. Please welcome Russian President Vadim Nikolai, and Chinese President Liu Zhao. The hatch at the end of the room opened and a tall fit balding man dressed in a combat uniform entered the room followed by a Chinese man in a three-piece suit. An entourage of men and one woman of Chinese ancestry followed. Many were dressed in combat uniforms. Every one of them unarmed, leaving Butch and his men the only armed personnel in the compartment.
Chun caught a look from the Chinese President as if he recognized him. Chun felt a cold chill climb up his spine. The man reminded him of a friend of his birth father. He had been very young when he had left China, but he knew this man. He was sure of it. He had seen the President of China in numerous photographs and magazines, but seeing him up-close something clicked. The two Presidents climbed the stairs to the Dais and took turns shaking Dan’s hand. Dan moved back to the podium and cleared his throat again as the two other Presidents flanked him.
“First, I want to thank my new friends, Presidents Zhao and Nikolai for accepting my invitation. Truly the world will rally together in order to take on our common enemies. What you see here are the last heads of states that live, not including our friend the Queen of England. We have decided to join forces and pool resources to take the fight to the Culling and their lap dogs Ridder. Our fleet has grown, and our first target is Seattle Washington, the Ridder strong hold of the West Coast. Our long-range recon aircraft have provided us with intel of Seattle, it is not good. Ridder has taken control of and manned some of the nuclear subs in port at Naval Base Kitsap and sent out their boats. We believe they are being sent out to rain atomic fire on targets throughout the world. Our friends in Russia and China have been able to keep a hold of their Nuclear Navy forces through some heavy fighting within their ranks. They have assured me that they will not launch if Ridder launches against them. We have devised a plan to try and stop Ridder, before they get a chance to come after us. President Nikolai, would you like to inform the people present of your plan?”
Nikolai smiled and stepped up to the Podium. “Da,” he switched to heavily accented Russian. “I have put on alert our entire force of hunter subs throughout the Pacific, as well our entire fleet of submarine detecting planes, helicopters and ships. We will be covering everything we can from North of Alaska to Hawaii. The submarines under your President’s control have changed their encryption so we may identify them. This is the first time our forces will work so closely with our new American friends. In addition, the Pyotr Velikiy, has been added to your carrier group, as well as her entire arsenal including the two Spetsnaz groups on board. We have spent the last seventy years as enemies, now we will become friends, and we will destroy all those responsible for the unwarranted death on our defenseless people,” he stepped away from the podium and motioned for the Chinese President to take over.
Ping stepped forward and surveyed the room, before stopping on Chun. “I agree with my two new friends. No longer will we battle against each other. Our common cause far outweighs any previous, but now insignificant differences. We will join forces to bring this Culling Initiative and those that sit at the top to justice. I have already committed our entire sub hunter forces, as well the People's Liberation Army Special Operations Forces including Sea Dragon, Thunder God, and Leopard. They are already on board the Chengdu, which steams alongside of us now,” he bowed to the assembly of men and women and stepped away.
Butch looked to the back of the room as the Presidents spoke and caught sight of Admiral Langham, who entered along with a contingent of her officers as well, as Chinese officers. He nudged Chun and spoke quietly to him. “Everyone we were trained to kill has suddenly become our friends. I wonder how well we are all going to get along?”
Chun surveyed the room and nodded his head gently. “We will have to wait and see Chief.”
“Lieutenant Chun and Chief Barth, please approach the dais. As well as Commander Anatoly Bulgakov, Michman Oksana Kozlov, Lieutenant Genjo Shen, and Chief On Wu.”
Chun and Butch reached the dais and eyed the others as they came forward. The woman Oksana, who Butch had left with the facial scars, came up and stood next to him. Butch prepared himself for the upcoming fight he was sure was inevitable. Instead, she turned to him and gave him a sly smile, the scar causing her lips to curl slightly. She extended her hand and Butch stared at it for a moment before taking it.
“No hard feelings Chief. I have a crushing respect for your tenacity and professional demeanor. It nice to see you without your knife or gun in my face.”
“No hard feelings. Shit happens in our profession, friends become enemies and enemies become friends.,” Butch held off crushing the woman’s hand and turned to greet the two Chinese men who stepped up.
“You six will work to combine your forces and exchange super-duper decoder rings. Chun, it has been agreed by all, you will be the senior ranking officer. In order for that to happen that you have been promoted to Commander and your second is Commander Anatoly. Both of you will answer to newly promoted General Brian Leeder,” Brian came up from the back of the room dressed in a Marine General’s uniform. Chun and Anatoly shook the man’s hand.
“Butch, you will be taking command of Aces and promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Your new second is Chief Oksana Kozlov. Our Chinese friends will be training side by side with you and the rest of the Seal teams and surviving special operators spread out across the US. You and your teams would meet at 0600 tomorrow for your first meeting in this room. Dismissed and congratulations,” Kuppers and Brian snapped to attention as well as the rest of the attendees in the room.
Butch did the one thing everyone knew he would. He took out a new can of chew snapped it with his fingers, opened it, and stuck a big wad in his cheek. He rolled his eyes and strolled
to the hatch, the rest of the international JSOC teams in tow. Once in the corridor, Butch walked away from the milling men and women and headed to his new quarters, which he realized, he had no idea where it was. He planned to find the first Navy personnel he saw and get the info from them. He had better shit to do then press flesh and jerk off over his new rank and position.
Consider yourself drafted
Dan sat on the sofa with little Amira in his arms. He held a bottle for her as she ate greedily. Nikolai, Zhao, and Kuppers sat nearby in chairs drinking coffee, tea, and glasses of vodka. Translators sat nearby, but out of the group waiting for their services. Nikolai tossed back the remnants of the vodka in his glass and placed it on the table next to him.
“My friends, I have some news from my people,” Nikolai reached down and pulled a folder out of his leather valise. He opened it and distributed handouts to the men.
Dan held the handout with one hand as he read through it, his face dropped. “Kuppers, this does say what I think it is saying right?”
“I believe it does Mister President. According to this if it is true. The Culling Initiative has settled themselves in Scotland.”
A rap at the hatch came. “Come,” Dan spoke.
The hatch opened slowly, and a tall barrel-chested older man stepped in. “Mister Beedie, good to see you again. Have you had a chance to see your son yet?” Kuppers asked.
“Not yet sir, I have been very busy settling my men in,” the man spoke in perfect English, except for a very small trace of a Scots accent.
“Let me introduce you to these gentlemen,” Kuppers stood.
“Oh, I know who they are sir, and I believe President Nikolai knows who I am.”
Nikolai eyed him for a bit, before dawning recognition exploded on his features. “Dah, I know you. You have aged some, as I have.” Dan and Zhao shared a look of curiosity and hunched their shoulders. “Let me educate you my friends. This is former Captain William Beedie of the SAS. We have run into each other when were both younger.”
Zombie Theorem: Dark Times Book Five Page 28