Jimmy's Dreams: Some Dreams Are Nightmares

by Saxon Andrew

  The President looked at the General, “Please shoot those two.”

  The General shook his head, “I don’t think that would be wise.”

  “Why not?”

  “They may end up being the only food we have later.”

  The President nodded and the General shot him between the eyes. He looked around the room and said, “He deserved worse for the way he’s treated America. Do any of you disagree?” No one spoke and the General stared at James and his wife. It wasn’t a pretty expression.

  • • •

  The shockwave from the impact in Kansas blew out and burned everything within eleven-hundred miles. Many of the fleeing millions headed to Mexico were incinerated as the superhot wind blew by them. The Aliens had chosen the impact site carefully. Within a thousand-mile radius of the impact site were New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and most of the other major cities on the east coast were going to be hit by the shockwave. Boston was just outside the lethal zone along with Miami but ninety percent of all America’s communities were going to burned to the ground by the three-hundred mile an hour super-heated shockwave. Even Toronto and Quebec were going to die. The United States was history.

  • • •

  The wave moved through the pacific and took aim at Australia and the islands of the Pacific. It destroyed the coastal cities in Australia and inundated Indonesia, the Philippines and all the other island nations. But the big targets were the nations bordering on the Sea of Japan, the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.

  The people in Japan had already received videos of what was coming. The size of the wave was incomprehensible but the people of Japan had faced the demons the oceans threw at them for centuries and they knew earthquakes intimately. Tokyo was being evacuated and it was being pulled off in an orderly fashion. Millions were moving to high ground but time was short. All the coastal cities were under evacuation orders but there was nowhere near enough time to move everyone. Many of the elderly chose to stay so someone younger could escape. Millions made it into the high mountains before the wave arrived but the cities were far from empty when the monster arrived. It hit Japan and scoured the coasts clean. Buildings built to withstand major earthquakes were blasted out of their foundations by the billions of tons of water moving at impossible speed.

  From the Russian military bases at the Kamchatka Peninsula all the way down to China and Korea, the wave destroyed humanity. China taking possession of Taiwan became a moot point when every living thing on the huge island was swept away. Hong Kong ceased to exist along with every other coastal city in China. The Chinese fleet tried to flee into deep water but it made no difference. The wave caught three giant aircraft carriers out at sea and rolled them end over end and snapped them in half. All their escort ships died with them. And still the monster wave wasn’t sated. It moved into the Indian Ocean and continued its terrible path of destruction.

  And while America was being burned and drowned, the skies continued to darken. Fire and ashes began raining down on the planet from red-hot debris shot high above the planet. Hundreds of long dormant volcanos erupted adding their ashes to Yellowstone and still the skies continued to grow darker.

  When the terrible wave had finally spent itself and the major earth quakes had slowed down, the Earth was dark at high noon. It was at that point that the ashes blowing out of Yellowstone began covering Europe and the survivors of the nightmare began to die.

  • • •

  “Jimmy, the roads in to the valley have a light coating of ashes.”

  “Thanks, Nicky. Juan, this is where I think we’re going to be seeing uninvited guests.”

  “I have my units on standby. I’ve got some plastic drones out and I’m waiting to receive their images before I start moving personnel. I also need to see what we’re up against.”

  “Rachel said that in her dream there were a high number of helicopters.”

  “I would expect the bulk of them to be carrying troops to land in the valley and attack us inside our defenses.”

  “Juan, I don’t like killing more people. So many have died already.”

  “Alright, can you house and feed them?”

  “Uhhh. No.”

  “So you have to look at this another way.”

  “How is that?”

  “They’re either going to die a quick death here attempting to kill us or they’re going to die a long and slow death of starvation and freezing to death elsewhere. How would you prefer to it happen?”

  “That does shed a different light on it.”

  “Jimmy, they are also coming here to kill your wife, baby boy, and Rachel. Now how do you feel about it. And keep in mind they will show none of us any mercy.”

  “You’re pitching past the close. What has you worried? I can hear it in your voice.”

  “You really know me too well. I’m concerned they’ll be bringing long range artillery. They can hit us from twenty miles out. Some of those rounds have penetrating power and can punch through the mountains destroying some of the storage facilities in the mountain they’re moving toward.”

  “Do you have a way to stop them?”

  “I think so. But they may not have cannons so we need to wait and see.”

  “Let me know what you find out.”

  Jimmy ended the contact and walked over to Summer and lifted Ayet out of her arms. He was four-years old and he laughed as Jimmy blew on his belly. “Where’s Rachel?”

  “She’s spending most of her time in the fire-control center. She has responsibility for the Rail-Cannon and Laser in the Hangar if hostilities break out.”

  Jimmy held Ayet and watched him smile and giggle, “Daddy’s funny.”

  Jimmy blew on his belly again and he screamed out his laughter. Candice knocked on the door and walked in. “Mom, can you wait until we answer. We might not be presentable.”

  “I’ve seen you all your life and Summer doesn’t have anything I don’t. I was wondering if I could take my grandson out for a walk.”

  Ayet started clapping and Jimmy passed him over to Candice. She put him down and said, “Come on, you can run faster than that!” She jogged out the door with Ayet running on his short legs as hard as he could. Jimmy looked at Summer, “What’s bothering you, my Love?”

  Summer sighed, “There’s just been so much death and suffering and it’s far from over. I want to make those Aliens pay for what they’ve done and they’re sitting above Earth in complete safety. I hate them!”

  “You can’t do that, Summer.”

  “And why not?!”

  “Are we any different? Pretty much throughout human history the stronger nations have attacked the weaker and taken their lives, their lands, their possessions and placed many of them into slavery. They are only doing what we’ve done.”

  “But humans have not eradicated an entire species.”

  “The Neanderthals aren’t around anymore.”

  Summer punched him on the arm, “Sometimes I hate your knowledge of history.”

  “The only answer to the Alien issue is that we have to become stronger than they are.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No, I’m not. They’re really not that far ahead of us. They were unable to chase down Juan with their ship and still take out the Russian Shuttle. They obviously have a faster-than-light system but their ability to fly around normally is not far beyond our capabilities.” Jimmy put his arm over her shoulders and said, “We have the finest minds on the planet with us. If we can buy some time, we know what we have to do.”

  “But they could just stay in orbit and fire at us in complete safety.”

  “Summer, if they could do that, they wouldn’t have needed to use the asteroids. They have some kind of beam that destroyed the two shuttles but it wouldn’t work against targets on the surface from orbit. We have to build ships that can maneuver in space and missiles or beams that can hit their ships.”

>   “Jimmy, I’m pregnant.” Jimmy stared at her and Summer sighed, “I know this is not a good time with everything that’s happening…”

  Jimmy stopped her with a kiss. “The perfect time is when it happens, my Darling. Do you know…”

  “It’s a girl.”

  “Then we’ll name her Hope Spring Carpenter.”

  “Carpenter?”

  “That was our name before we had it changed to Caspari for me to go to school in the states. We’re going back to our real name.”

  Summer smiled, “Hope is a good name.”

  “If we have another girl we’ll name her Autumn.”

  “Are you wanting all four-seasons?”

  “I’ll certainly be happy with all four. Most of all, I’m so happy that you wanted to be in my life.” Summer went into his arms and Jimmy’s link activated, “The Drones have found them, Jimmy; they’re about two days out.”

  Summer heard Juan on her link as well and she hugged him, “You better go.”

  Jimmy stood up, “I love you.”

  Summer smiled, “I love you, too.” Jimmy ran out and Summer stood up. She was going to join Candice and Ayet, she needed the exercise. She found them in the central tunnel and ran to catch up with them, “Mind Company?”

  Candice smiled, “Not at all.” They walked down the tunnel and they saw numerous carts filled with Warriors passing them at high speed. They were all wearing their camo-uniforms. “I wonder what’s going on,” Candice said.

  Summer sighed, “Juan has found the troops that Rachel saw coming to attack us two days out.”

  “Well you sound like it’s just a walk in a park.”

  “This is not something I can do anything about. My responsibilities lie in scientific development. We have others responsible for defending us. If I get frightened every time something threatens us, my son is going to grow up in a fearful environment. He is going to grow up in an environment filled with love, laughter, and happiness.”

  Candice smiled, “That’s exactly how I raised Jimmy.”

  “And that’s how we are going to raise his son. I’ve never thanked you for taking care of Ayet while everything was a mad house; thank you, Candice.”

  Candice hugged her, “I love every moment Ayet and I are together. He reminds me so much of his father at this age and I think he’s going to grow up to be just like him.”

  Summer smiled, “That is my fervent prayer.” Summer paused and said, “By the way, you’re going to be a grandmother again.” Candice screamed and pulled Summer into her arms.

  ***

  Jimmy sprinted to the control room and found Juan downloading the drones’ recordings. “We’re up against a full armored regiment. They do have artillery and a fleet of helicopters to support them.”

  “What about jets?”

  “I doubt it. The helicopters can put filters over their intakes but Jets can’t. Their engines would clog and flame out with all the ash in the air.”

  “What’s the plan, Juan.”

  “I’ve been experimenting with the magnetic sleds.”

  “What?”

  “Rachel has found a way to recharge the batteries and we’ve been able to extend their range considerably.”

  “How far?” Jimmy asked.

  “About a hundred-miles.”

  “How did she manage that?”

  “You need to ask her. I just use the resources; I don’t concern myself too much with the technology involved. Anyway, propeller drones can’t operate more than two-thousand feet up. The ashes are too dense. But the magnetic sleds don’t use propellers and they can enter the ash level.”

  “I assume the ones operating the sleds will be wearing a breathing apparatus.”

  “They will. I intend to send a platoon over the forces moving toward us and they will take out the artillery before we open fire. If they think we can hurt them, they’ll use the cannons on us.”

  “How are they going to find the artillery if they’re flying blind in the ash level?”

  “The aliens have left the GPS satellites in orbit. Matter of fact, they’ve pretty much ignored all the satellites. We will have the low level drones locate where they set up their cannons and send the coordinates to the platoon on the sleds.”

  “Juan, if they try to land troops inside the valley…”

  “I know, that can’t be allowed. I thought you might delay them slightly.”

  “How?”

  Juan told him and Jimmy shrugged.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Juan looked at Alphonso and put his hand on his shoulder, “I’m depending on you to get to the artillery and take them out. You’re going to have to do this before they can get set up and range their cannons.”

  “Yes, Sir. All of us know what’s going on.”

  “Get moving.” Juan watched the forty-three men start entering the three lifts to the top of the mountain and knew they were going to be facing heavy odds. It was a certainty that the German Commander would not leave his cannons undefended.

  Juan activated his link, “Jimmy, I’m sending the platoon out.”

  “Juan, we’ve got a serious problem.”

  “What is it?”

  “Suzette sent some drones to check out the approach from the west and found a column of tanks and heavy artillery setting up.”

  Juan’s eyes narrowed, “They must have left at least a week before the main column to get through the mountains to our west.” Juan said, “Alphie, did you just copy that?”

  “I did, Sir. I’m sending first and second squads to the west and I’m taking third and fourth squads to the east. Please send the GPS coordinates where the forces to the west are setting up.”

  “I’ve copied the request, Sir. Sending the new coordinates to first and second squads,” Suzette responded.

  Jimmy said, “We can use the cannon in the hangar on the west mountain to take them out.”

  “I don’t want to reveal those defenses before the main column moves into range.” Juan looked at Jimmy, “We need some additional time.”

  Jimmy sighed, “Let’s hope this works.” He pulled up the communication program in his computer and scrolled down until he found the link. He pressed a button activating it and said, “It seems you are moving this way for a reason. Care to tell me what it is?”

  There was a long moment of silence and Jimmy saw the link was active. He repeated his comment and then heard, “I was wondering if you were going to attempt to contact me.”

  “Why are you moving military forces toward our valley?”

  “That’s pretty easy, Dr. Caspari. The world is dying and the only place where survival might be possible is in your valley.”

  “What are your intentions?”

  “Give me a moment?” Jimmy waited and then heard, “My Commander has approved my telling you. He hopes you will do the wise thing and not offer any resistance. We intend to occupy your valley and facilities.”

  “There’s no way we have enough to feed your forces along with those here.”

  “We pretty much understand that and you will be given the opportunity to leave with your lives if you don’t resist.”

  “You would be sending us out to die.”

  “You or us, someone is going to die. We’ve decided that it will be you.”

  “You know that there are thousands of women and children here!”

  “And millions of women and children have already died. A few more won’t matter in the larger scheme of things.”

  “And if we resist?”

  “Then your men will die with the women and children.”

  “We could destroy this facility and prevent you from having it!”

  “I don’t think you’re prepared to do that, Doctor. We hoped we’d arrive and surprise you but having failed that, we are prepared to just take your food stores and settle in after we remove you. If we must destroy your buildings, we will do so.”

  Jimmy muted the link, “Juan, they think we’ve built structures in the v
alley. They don’t appear to know we’re inside the mountains.”

  “Got it. Keep him talking and the Commander occupied. The column has stopped so the traitor could join him in his command vehicle.”

  “Is there not some way we could negotiate a fair settlement to this issue?” Jimmy asked.

  There was a long pause and then, “What are you suggesting?”

  “We share our stores with you and then you leave us in peace.”

  Another voice came on the link, “I’m not going to continue talking through this simpleton. I’ve inserted the link, as you call it, in my ear. I must say it is quite a piece of technology.”

  • • •

  Lt. Mosul broke raised his magnetic-sled and lifted off the top of the mountain. The twenty sleds of his two squads lifted with him and they rose quickly into the white clouds and passed through them into the ash layer blowing high above them. The bottoms of the sleds were painted with dark grey and black splotches to match the color of the sky and they were next to impossible to see from the ground. They wore lined dark grey colored combat uniforms and had their breathing masks and tanks anchored to the sleds. They put them on as they rose into the atmosphere and started moving at high speed toward the west.

  The sleds looked like an over-sized surfboard with turned up edges. There were six round magnetic field generators on the bottom and two on each of the turned up edges to control left and right movement. The rear of the board had a vertical edge with four generators to provide thrust. The fifty large rechargeable battery packs powering the sleds were sealed inside the body of the of the surfboard. There was a lot of technology packed inside the boards but the Special Forces warriors could easily lift and carry them.

  Specialist Gena Orwitz dropped down out of the cloud layer briefly when they arrived at the GPS coordinates and immediately lifted back into it, “Sir, they’re setting up the Battery in the middle of the road. There are about thirty Leopard II battle tanks pulled off to the sides of the road with their 120 mm barrels aimed up the road in front and behind the artillery. All the turret machine guns are manned while the artillery is being set up.”