Chapter 120: On the edge of redemption
The clicking of keyboards answered Milano, each click seeming to sh together with the others as officers searched through files. Milano tapped his finger on the desk, finally having enough of the silent room.
"Enough! The question isn’t that hard to answer. We know where the enemy system is. So, what’s do we do? I want to hear your thoughts."
The S3 commander looked up from his laptop. He closed the lid and sat back in his chair.
"General, I think the best option is to either conduct an airstrike with the B2, or have the FA-18’s and F35’s run a targeting run."
Eric nodded. "I agree. I do not think that we should send soldiers."
He looked at the map. "If we are using the phase lines as a rough estimate, it would take nearly four weeks to get to the area where the weapons testing occurred."
He walked over to the map, tracing the route they would have to take. "Furthermore, the region surrounding Brishan City sits underneath a ring of mountais. They would see us before we see them. They could simply set up mines and forward observers for their artillery."
The S2 commander spoke up. "What about sending Ricky and his team?"
Eric shook his head again. "We have an unknown number of the units. Special forces could destroy one or two of the launchers, but more than that would be impossible."
Milano sat back. He looked at Miher. "What do you think?"
"We use the B2. As was found out during the siege, their new air defense systems can target our FA-18’s and F35’s. We can’t use them here because that poses too great a risk. Arrange for a strike package after collecting further intel."
"Dryer, get in contact with King’s Remory and Tryasche. After the strike mission is over, you will take an alliance unit out to Dresken. We will set up a FOB there."
"Yes sir."
Miher then turned to S2. "I want ISR over that training site for the next forty eight hours. Report back to General Milano and I after compiling all relevant data. Are they underground? How many units of the new systems do they have, and do they have anything else new that we are unaware of."
The S2 commander nodded afger writing the orders in his notebook. "We’ll get it done."
Milano stood up. "Dryer, you stay back. The rest of you are dismissed."
After the room cleared, Miher and Milano sat across from Eric.
"Whats going on, sir?" Eric asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Dryer, you and I both know that the United States Governnt is not to be trusted. The president made an alliance with Riemskin and the Dragons, but that may be temporary."
Eric held his hand up.
"With all due respect sir, I know what you are going to say, and I have to push back here. I know neither of you have been paying attention to social dia, but I have a teenager daughter. The alliance details have already been leaked, sir. Public support for it has been massive. Now, if the governnt does end up crossing a line, you and I both are well aware that most of the n in this unit will absolutely follow what you and I say. We started this campaign. We end it. You already said in the summit that if the order were given, it would be disobeyed. I agree. If the governnt does cross that line, well...
I already have a wife and child born in this world. My loyalty is to them."
Milano nodded.
He sighed as he slid a docunt over to Eric.
"The president is thinking of using nuclear warheads on the Cartharic Empire. I had gave him an extensive brief on the size of Cartharic, as well as many of their capabilities. He was nervous to say the least when he ca to find out how fast the Empire was modernizing. Let us pray that day never cos, Dryer."
Eric nearly dropped his pen.
"Sir, we must avoid that at all costs. Nuclear devices are not the answer in this war."
Milano nodded.
"I agree. I was able to dissuade the president from that option. The political fallout aside, Cartharic has a larger population than China and Russia combined. Using Nuclear Weapons would simply turn all that manpower against us."
Eric sighed.
"Not to ntion that to this point, Cartharic has only used a small portion of it’s military capabilities. If we dropped a nuke, they may decided to ’swat the bug’ so to speak."
"Agreed. I am happy to say that the President will only use that option as a last resort. Now, What do you plan to do with the Hero and his companion? From your reports it seems they have been sitting mostly idle. That is manpower we could use."
"I was thinking Erica could be Mia’s assistant. Justin can join myself and Michael. Justin was an S3 infantry officer before he was brought here. I could use his expertise, and my wife could use so help."
Milano took off his reading glasses. "Can they be trusted?"
"Yes sir. It seems the two are romantically inclined to one another. Justin gave us everything we needed from a collection standpoint, and was made aware of the Empire’s true nature. After learning that he had been mislead, he was furious. He vowed to do everything he could to pay revenge to the Empire. In the sa token, Mia told
that Erica had been wanting to defect the Empire ever since she was a child."
Milano rubbed his face, reading the reports of the interrogations. "Very well. If you trust them, then proceed. I want them watched twenty four seven. See if you can acquire ankle monitors from the police departnts of either Austin or D.C."
"Yes sir."
"Dismissed."
Eric left HQ. He sat in his truck, processing the events of the eting. He checked his phone, and saw that the ti was past midnight. "Oh man. Mia is going to be pissed."
He swiped down on the screen, seeing twenty new ssages updating him on the day.
And one video.
Liara was crawling.
"We missed so much ti watching you grow." Eric whispered as he looked at the phone. A tear ran down his face as he felt his chest tighten.
"When all of this is over, I don’t want to miss anything ever again." He muttered as he started the truck.
Before driving off, Eric watched the video one more ti. His thumb traced Liara’s ears.
"She’s smiling!" He heard Jessica yell in the background, and Eric clenched the steering wheel. His knuckles turned white.
He looked back to HQ one last ti before driving off. "That’s what I fight for."
Back at ho, Eric walked into a warzone of laundry and baby toys scattered throughout the living room. The lamp sitting between their couches was lit. Eric chuckled as he looked at the scene. Jessica was fast asleep, holding Liara. The two slept peacefully, Jessica’s phone still playing music videos from the kid’s channels on the music video app.
He looked up, seeing Mia sip water at the dinner table. "I didn’t want to wake either of them." She whispered as Eric walked up, his hands resting on her shoulders.
"Every day I go back to that office, it gets harder and harder to leave them." He muttered.
She kissed his hand.
"I know.
too. Every ti I have to leave our girls it feels like my heart will explode. But, we have to. Eric...
If sothing happens to ."
He shook his head. "No. Don’t say it. We both know that this is war. We knew the second we got married that nothing is given. That is why we have to earn it."
He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her head.
"We can’t leave these girls behind. We have to trust in ourselves, and our team. So please, don’t ever think like that. I need you. Our girls need you."
Mia sighed, her body leans back against him. "I’m sorry.... I just... I worry. After seeing what happened to Hammond, and then during the siege when I couldn’t radio to you."
Eric held her firmly. His arms wrapped around her waist.
"I know. Trust . When I was facing off against the Brios unit I could think of nothing else but getting back to you. But look at where we are now. We have two beautiful daughters, and our entire lives after this war. Neither of us can leave that behind. No more thinking about death, or dying."
Tears ran down Mia’s face. "You don’t know that, though."
"I know. But I refuse to think about it. The best thing we can do is push forward. We both know what can happen, so we have to do our best to make sure it doesn’t. We are not heros or Gods. The only thing we can do is just make sure we are there for each other and this family."
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