Anna heard Motre over her com speaking with celebratory emotion, as Vigor emerged in one piece, with the stern of the ship easing out backward ….. from the mouth of what could be described as a ‘maw of destruction’, which seared the face of the mountain range. “ I told you. I told you,” beating his fist to his chest three times. “ I told you. I would see you in 25 minutes!”

“Where is Commandant Gonkwo? “ asked the bloodied General. “ They just executed him and three of his staff, Sir, “ answered a shakened young non-commissioned officer Roopgly crouched down, to avoid more shrapnel as more shots rang out in their direction. Trapped in one of the many administrative office areas of the complex, ten tired bloodied people continued to fight valiantly to stay alive. These few have returned from what could be called a suicide mission.

The odor of sweat and blood co-mingled with sight of your brothers and sisters in arms rolling around on jagged metal and debris slashes your mind with death. The sound of spent munitions clips falling on the floor and your flesh being ripped by ricocheting projectiles slowly, tragically sears the folds of your memory forever. Every thing, every detail rolling before you floats about in slow motion. Your mind is literally slowing down time – giving you precious moments to avoid death, in its many forms sliding by you in ‘ this ‘….. millionth-of-a-second. Then without any warning you are snatched back into the real time and space. Oh1 Yeah!…… Just in time to hear your buddy’s last struggling gasp for a breathe – all these things beleaguer your poor soul. Now there are only eight of you left. Left for what? To survive another barrage of enemy fire? Some reloaded their remaining weapons, others readjust their aim, concentrating eagerly to hasten the death of the adversaries firing at them.

More water dripped off the General’s water soaked clothes, the weight of his wet uniform weighed him down. Breathing with shallowness through his flared nostrils, General Rebbur showed very little shock, as to the grim news he just received. Rebbur assumed command of the rescue mission now. “ Can you confirm that execution soldier? “ “ Yes, sir! Two more of the men and I were up in the rafters above the commissary dining hall. We saw it all sir. I wish I could say, it was not so, Sir. But that would be a lie.” “ Were you successful in completing your mission? “ “Yes, sir. How about you sir? How did you do? “ “ I wish I had a good answer. We blew in the door. Tech Sgt. Roopgly and the Major got the connections in time, but I’m not sure all the circuits were destroyed in time. Back up system, after back up system. Supports this program and that. “

Pausing to catch his breathe, several more exchanges of weapons rang out, “ Those traitors had us pinned down in that foyer, for three minutes or so.” Slightly transfixed recalling the carnage of his most recent warfare he spoke with pride, “ Vicious fire fight. But we got out of there. I suppose it all got done. Big explosion. The water from the lake rushed in. Two more of the Major ’s men drown in the room. We barely got out ourselves. I am hopeful the water shorted out everything.” Firing his side arm four times into the ceiling above, about fifteen yards away from their position, two more coup soldiers crashed to the floor blocking the only door that may lead to a needed exit. Too many of the opposing force, shoot at them to charge the door. The valiant warriors can hear more enemy reinforcements arriving. There is a deafening silence in the room, like somebody just farted loudly enough for everyone to hear, during the sermon in an Episcopal church..

This wasn’t urban warfare. It was interoffice close quarter murder. Or so some would call it later. These patriots of the Eastern Continental military fought bravely against the opposition forces supporting the coup insurgents, deep inside the mountain fortress complex of the government. Awareness of the coup slapped Gonkwo across his face, like an outraged lady sophisticate as if a drunken sailor touched her in an unappropriated manner. Inconsistent behaviors of different branches of the military alarmed some of his staff also. Gently, probing every contact, the Commandant called the General of the 5th Army utilizing secured methods. Stationed far out on the west coast of the continent, General Rebbur at first tried to dismiss the feelings that his best friend and mentor bemoaned. But Commandant Gonkwo, asked Rebbur to check his intel presented, assess it and make his own evaluation. Under further scrutiny of certain elements his own 5th Armies movements, the General recorded more suspicious actions and intercepted two bogus troop movements.

Rebbur established and confirmed other supplies redeployed, the E.C. Army Security platoons and brigades scheduled to be on duty at the capital were deployed elsewhere and other troops sent in their place. Finding deployment schedules rifled through the regular military channels systems with unprecedented rapidity, the evidence left the General with no doubt, that something may be amiss..

Their plan was simple and decisive. Commandant of the Naval Fleet Gonkwo could definitely enter the mountain complex under the guise of a surprise inspection. With his most trusted military comrades from the different branches of service in tow. The Commandant and his entourage in tow hastily flew out across the vastness of the great plains toward ‘the what’, they did not know. There was much at stake, most importantly, the life of the young President dominated their minds. Everyone on the planet knew his policy and genius in matters of economics were monumental in scope and a triumph in practice.

It was somewhere flying over the states in the heart of the continent, that Commandant Gonkwo received an off world communication. He got the call! Earlier, in the day, as a motorcade containing the President, swiftly left the capital city toward the airport, the Commandant believed adamantly in the evidence being extrapolated before him in his office. In the E.C. Naval Fleet Headquarters, located along the coastal bay area, in the middle of the continent, more intel flooded in affirming that the President was indeed in route to the Mountain Fortress. The Commandant could only inform a few more highly trusted military and civilian personnel of his assertions, as he quickly garnering more intelligence of peculiar authorized troop movements to support his beliefs. With very, very limited fighters at his disposal, he devised a plan. Commandant Gonkwo knew his reactions to these aberrations in troop deployments better not bring any unwarranted attention to him, other than that of a superior officer doing a surprise inspection, at the mountain fortress complex. The determined Commandant surged on.

How big is the mountain fortress complex?
What is the Commandant’s plan for escape?

Read Chapter Twenty-Three