“You’re going to love my last little act. I made sure that the explosion destroyed the bodies completely. There’ll be no DNA evidence to confirm identities of the two bodies I substituted for the president and the doctor. The authorities will believe that some new type of explosive was used.”
John leaned back in his chair with a sigh of relief. “Maxxine, Thank God that you saved him. You’ve been invaluable. Your actions may well have changed the course of history. I think that we have a chance, now, to bring down the Krakow Klub with a minimal of military conflict.”
“John, did you just call me a god? How sweet! That’s quite flattering, but I am a mere computer. Even with my superb programming, you can’t equate me with a higher power, such as a god.”
John was somewhat taken aback by Maxine’s comment, “Maxxine, that was just an expression. When I said, thank God, I wasn’t thanking you. You are not God to me, but you are, especially right now, the most important entity in my universe.”
After a pause, she replied, “I think that I understand what you are saying. The issue is complex and requires much analysis on my part.”
“Maxxine, Jim Slater and I will be visiting you shortly. We need to confer on the resources that we can use to wage our war on the Krakow Klub. We’re going to need all your substantial skills and talents to destroy that juggernaut before it does any more damage.”
She replied, “Of course, I am always ready and always at your disposal. I am sure that I will have much more to report when you arrive here.”
****
Soon, reports of attacks on government buildings began to be reported from several major cities around the country. Someone had obviously declared war on the United States of America—the worst kind of war. The enemy was unknown and capable of striking anywhere and at any time. Nothing was sacred, and no one was safe.
Perhaps the most frightening of all the attacks occurred in Los Angeles. There the entire city experienced a cyber-attack. The city became completely paralyzed. There was no telephone or 911 services. All communications were dead. There were no traffic lights. Innumerable accidents ensued. Emergency responders began to run out of gas for their vehicles, and there was no way to refill their tanks. The electrical grid shut down. There was rioting in some sections. Buildings and vehicles were indiscriminately set on fire in many parts of the city and fire departments did not receive all the alerts.
After many hours, services began to be slowly restored, but the city might never return to normal. The thought that a cyber-attack could happen again had destroyed the people’s confidence, especially their confidence that the government could protect them.
President Montrose demanded the Secret Service to allow her to address the nation from the Oval Office. Obviously, the agents were no match for her iron will and her verbal threats to disband the agency.
Montrose spoke with deadly calm. She acknowledged that unknown terrorists had attacked the nation. Those responsible would be identified and hunted down even if she had to send troops to the ends of the earth. She declared a state of martial law and explained that the military and National Guard was being assigned to protect the citizenry. Troops would be out in full force throughout the nation.
For her final words, she looked directly into the camera and spoke, “As President of the United States, I am sworn to protect this nation, and I will do so. Have courage. We will overcome this crisis and emerge even stronger than before. Our nation will not be destroyed by terrorists. I will annihilate them! God bless our valiant military, and God bless the United States of America!”
****
All across the country the rumble of tanks, armored vehicles, and trucks filled with troops became a common sight. In a matter of a few hours, a military presence could be found around all principal federal and state government buildings. America was now in a state of military control and things could now be done that would not have been possible before.
Unannounced to the public, all members of the Congress, the entire Supreme Court, and most cabinet members were alerted to be ready to relocate to a secure place away from Washington. Also included in the alert were numerous major department heads. The specific site that they were to be moved to was not included. However, the fact that they would be traveling by train meant it was probably not too far away.
That destination was to be the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia.
Lt. Colonel Collins and his Scorpion Battalion were already in place and preparing for their arrival.
During the Cold War, a huge bunker had been built into the hillside beneath the hotel that could accommodate up to eleven hundred people. The plan was, in the event of a nuclear war, the government could be relocated there, where it would continue to function. The facility had been designed to meet all their needs for a prolonged period, including medical facilities, meeting rooms, cafeteria, communication system, and sleeping quarters.
After the Cold War, the facility was eventually decommissioned and became something of a tourist attraction. However, just recently, for some unknown reason, the former president had quietly ordered that the bunker be prepared for use in case of a terrorist attack on Washington.
President Montrose, back in the White House bunker, smiled to herself while thinking, Operation Plato has begun. We have done it! There is no stopping us now!
****
The Krakow Klub had infiltrated the military command structure with many high-ranking officers loyal to the organization. ARRCOM was their most prized achievement, and it was critical to their ultimate success.
Several years ago, military leaders recognized the necessity of an agile military in the world of advanced technology. ARRCOM was put in place so that the military could respond immediately to any situation arising in any location around the world. This new army was flexible, lethal, could be configured quickly, and would be well prepared for any warfare, conventional or otherwise.
The current commander of ARRCOM was General Lew McGowan, a tough, no-nonsense commander who idolized General George Patton. Over the years, he developed a reputation for being a strong and fearless leader, but he had an Achilles tendon: women.
He had a knack for finding the most beautiful prostitutes of any nationality who were willing to participate in his rough sex games. He almost got caught a few times but was able to sidestep disaster at the last minute even after a very bruised and battered call girl reported him to authorities.
As the years went by, he enjoyed the violence more and more. That was what turned him on. Not beauty. Not sexiness. Not charm. It was the violence.
Many years ago, shortly after having attained the rank of Lt. Colonel, McGowan’s inclinations and lack of control created a situation that could have ended his career forever. At the least, it would have likely placed him in prison for the remainder of his life. However, the Krakow Klub had covered up his dark secret, and he now was indebted to them.
In response to his enthusiastic acceptance of duties, Number Five, with high contacts in the military, ensured that McGowan would be on the fast track up through the ranks. Now, he was the commander of ARRCOM and a key person to the planned overthrow of the American government.
Number One, ever on the alert for new recruits, had many other officers and government officials set up for blackmail after engineering situations that were illegal, immoral, and always compromising.
The recruiting of senior officers had been a stroke of genius. Now, with many in place, he could seize power and make the seizure appear to be necessary and legitimate. Afterward, it would be easy to isolate and neutralize any pockets of resistance that might remain.
Stoellar knew that to take America, one had to control, not confront, the military. He also knew that he only had to control a few key positions in the military to effectively control all of it.
McGowan had been an important acquisition and had already earned his keep. Now, he had been entrusted with the names of many of the Krakow Klub agents in t
he military. As the commander of ARRCOM, he could place these agents into key positions of power when the right time came.
For the past two years, McGowan had been carefully creating several brigades and battalions specifically for the grand plan, Operation Plato. These units were specifically trained to secure and hold homeland targets with the two most important being Washington DC, and the Greenbrier Resort. Other special units were built to arrest and detain military commanders that appeared to oppose the plan.
****
The Greenbrier assignment went to Lt. Col. Stephen R. Collins. Collins had been selected for the mission by Stoellar himself. The man was a cold-blooded killer. He was a psychopath who was completely devoid of conscience. After one incident that had been particularly brutal, his military career had been saved through the direct intervention of a powerful, politically-connected Krakow Klub agent.
Collins was ordered to create the Scorpion Battalion several years ago. He was to fill the ranks with men like himself—men without conscience who would follow any order no matter how heinous. Now, the group was complete. There was no similar assemblage of cold-blooded killers anywhere, except possibly in a high-security prison.
Recently, a relatively new member of the battalion had refused to shoot a stray dog when ordered to do so. The poor animal had innocently wandered into the campground in search of food. A sentry had tried to shoo the dog away, but his watch commander had ordered him to shoot it. He had refused saying, “The poor thing is simply looking for food.” Collins was furious at the incident; he would not tolerate any form of failure to follow a direct order, no matter how trivial the order might have been.
He had the recruit arrested immediately and convened a military tribunal that same day. The trial was held in front of the entire battalion. Collins, of course, acted as prosecutor and judge. There was no lawyer for the defendant. Without calling any witnesses or hearing testimony, he convicted the soldier on the spot.
Immediately after the verdict, Collins pulled a large knife from a scabbard on his waist and in a flash disemboweled the young soldier on the spot.
Every member of the battalion looked straight forward and didn’t blink an eye. Collins addressed the group over the crumpled body beneath him. Blood gushed from the huge wound and pooled under the toe of Collin’s boot.
“This man is no soldier. He is a coward. Cowards fail to obey orders. Cowards will receive swift and final punishment for their disobedience. This man displayed a lack of guts. Now he has no guts at all!”
As loud as he could yell, he continued, “We are the Scorpion Battalion! We are different! We are special! We do the job assigned to us without hesitation! Without questions! Without remorse! Do you understand me?”
There was a loud chorus of, “Yes, sir!”
With that, he turned to the aide on his right and told him to get rid of the body in such a manner that it would never be found. Next, he instructed another aide to report officially that the dead soldier had gone AWOL.
Disobeying orders would not be a problem in the Scorpion Brigade in the future.
****
The task of securing Washington DC, was assigned to a light-armored, or Stryker, brigade under the command of Colonel William A. Smith. Smith was the son of a prominent Southern political family who had grown up in the DC area and attended a prestigious prep school and military academy. Unfortunately, he had inherited his father’s vice of gambling.
For years, his military career flourished and life was good, but over time, he began to fall into the habit of gambling every week. Sometimes it was the races, sometimes a poker game, sometimes just a bet on who would win a ball game. For a while, he won more than he lost, and he became convinced that his gambling skills were superior.
His tremendous ego led to overconfidence and a feeling of infallibility. Gambling was like a narcotic and the surge of adrenalin he experienced was orgasmic.
Eventually, he had a very bad run of bad bets and amassed a very large debt. Most unfortunately for him, the debt was owed to a notorious underworld family. One day, he was visited by a very impressive giant of a man who gently explained the consequences of not making full, and immediate, payment of his debts. He was in a panic. There was no way that he could come up with the original amount much less the exorbitant interest that had already mounted up.
Again, an agent of the Krakow Klub intervened. The debt would be paid in full. The price for that service would be his loyalty to the organization. Further, he would never gamble again. Such behavior would make him, and the organization, vulnerable. That could never, ever happen. The agent had looked him straight in the eye and explained the consequences in vivid detail. His every action would henceforth be carefully monitored. Smith, being a relatively intelligent person, saw the light and never gambled again.
The Krakow Klub had been able to recruit two general officers and get them placed in positions of power within the command structure of the National Guard. These National Guard officers would be responsible for the eastern and western halves of the country respectively. Their commands posts would handle the flow of information to units of the Guard all over the country. McGowan had insisted that these positions were essential to preempting the beginning or spread of organized resistance.
****
The final key position was already filled as well. Colonel Antonio Morales would be in charge of a special military police brigade. Morales was a sociopath who would be called upon to execute any order without feeling or compassion. For this operation, he would be charged with arresting any military commanders who raised opposition to the takeover. Morales looked forward to his duties and sincerely hoped that he would be allowed to execute any who resisted arrest. For him, it would be a fine sport.
Morales caught the attention of a Krakow Klub agent, a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist, who had been his therapist for several months, recognized his patient as a man who could appear to be a charming and affable person one moment and then become a brutal and remorseless killer in a mere heartbeat. He hated virtually everyone and seethed with anger at other officers, the military, public personalities, the media, and just about everyone else on the planet.
His psychological profile should have resulted in his being ejected from the officer corps, but the Krakow Klub saw him as an ideal candidate for a key position in their plan.
Morales controlled two hundred fifty squads made up of ten troopers each plus an officer as the squad leader. Thanks to McGowan’s position, these squads were already stationed in strategic positions around the country with arrest warrants in hand. The arrests would cite the current crisis and imply that those being arrested were possibly involved with the perpetrators of the terrorist activities.
It was in 1934 that Hitler’s blood purge of political opponents and critics took place in Germany. They called it, “The Night of the Long Knives (Nacht der Langen Messer). Eighty-six people were reportedly killed immediately, and over a thousand were taken prisoner, most never to be seen alive again.
Hitler mercilessly went after enemies and many former friends and supporters. His daring move was a turning point and established him as the supreme leader, in fact, a dictator, of all Germany. The years that followed were some of the darkest of human history. Stoellar had admired Hitler for the brazen and sudden purge of his enemies and perceived enemies. He planned to do the same thing.
Erik Stoellar was not a Hitler. He didn’t hate any particular ethnic group. He didn’t hate any specific religious dogma or political affiliation. Erik Stoellar was very fair. He only hated anyone who opposed him in any way regardless of creed, color, gender, or national origin. In his way, Stoellar was worse than Hitler. Hitler let his hatred consume him and probably led to his early demise. Stoellar would not make such a stupid mistake. The one thing he hated most was failure.
Operation Plato did not have a definitive “kill list.” Stoellar would have been completely happy to pull it off with very few deaths. However, like any aspiring dict
ator, achieving the desired level of power was more important than the means. He would not hesitate to kill one person, or ten thousand, to achieve his goal. To him, the difference between one and ten thousand was merely the number of zeros.
Erik Stoellar should have been a very happy man indeed. Operation Plato was going well at the moment. But there was one nagging problem that continued to trouble him. Where was this Dr. Jim Slater? Number Eleven still had no definite location for him.
Her last report had been most unsettling.
****
Number Eleven had sent Malone on his spy mission. The boat was a leaky old fishing vessel with a broken radio. The engine belched acrid smoke into the pristine environment as he sputtered along towards the island. When it came into view, he tinkered with the engine, and it coughed and fell silent. Then, as the craft slowly bobbed toward the island, he prepared to complete his mission.
He wore a ragged, oil-stained shirt and shorts and a grubby fishing cap. Beside him, in the bottom of the boat, lay his fishing gear. Scattered about the boat were several nearly empty water containers along with a dozen empty beer cans.
At last, as the boat neared the beach, he pulled a tiny digital camera from his shirt pocket and took several photographs. Before he could put the camera back into his pocket, a strong wind rose and rocked the boat violently, causing him to lose his balance and drop the camera. He watched in frustration as it slowly fluttered beneath the waves until it disappeared. Frustrated but undeterred, he made several more attempts to reach the shore. Each time that he neared the island, this same strong wind would push him back. At last, he turned his boat homeward, started the engine, and prayed that he would make it safely back to the marina at Key West.
Eleven had been furious at his failure to provide her with any useful information. She summarily refused to pay Malone his fee, saying that he had provided her nothing and probably had not even tried to get to the island. She accused him of simply hiding out in some bar for several hours dong nothing but drinking and then trying to collect his fee.
The Krakow Klub Page 22