"General Reichenbacher, 2nd division is pushing through commerce, Colonel George reported minimal undead and quite a few survivors though. Some small groups are being sent back to fob Dominguez for integration, the large camps aren't talking with our liaisons." Ivanov reported.
"That's fine, we'll give them until we clear the areas, then force the issue…" I replied. Not looking at the map. I sat in my chair, staring out the window as a pair of su25s roared across the sky.
Reports filtered into the command center as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd divisions pushed into Los Angeles proper. I sighed and rubbed at my eyes, glancing at the clock. Only 9? God damn it… I leaned back in my chair, exhaustion pulling at my shoulders.
"General, are you alright?" Ivanov asked quietly.
"Yeah…" I repressed a massive yawn.
"I've been up since 7 yesterday. Too much going on right now to sleep." I replied.
"Sir, we can make due without you for a few hours…" Ivanov said firmly.
"Nah, it would help if you could see it, but the naval infantry, 4th regiment has been going through it for the past 11 hours…" I yawned.
"Ensenada? Mexico?" Ivan slid next to us.
"That would be the fourth naval infantry regiment… What do you mean they're going through it sir?" Ivanov asked.
I glanced over at the softly dinging slate with its updating kill counter… "looks like they're laying into another horde… Colonel Viska probably didn't get the memo to take it slow or every zombie in the city is trying to munch on their bones… probably have a lot of naval gunfire support from task force south too…"
"Can you tell about their casualties? We only have intermittent communication with them, mostly whenever we sortie a flight towards the Mexican border and they come back with an update…"
"No… it doesn't show me that, but I'm sitting on a fat paycheck whenever the system decides they aren't in combat anymore…" I said while slumping into my seat.
"What's it looking like sir?" Ivan asked as I glanced at the still updating slate another appeared right next to it. A veritable wall of text…
'Quest issued! User alliances. Establish contact with a user and create a jointly operated camp. Reward 100,000,000 credits.(all users received this quest due to Xalvani meddling)'
'Quest issued! Fate of Mexico. Establish a safe camp in Mexico, gather sufficient survivors to make the camp self sustainable. Reward 50,000 credits, 20,000 xp.'
'Quest issued! System development. Discover a subsystem of the system. Reward. Access to the discovered subsystem.'
'Quest issued! Black Horse. the 11th cavalry regiment of the United States Army has 'gone rouge'. Exterminate the unit with extreme prejudice and set an example of those that cross the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Reward 100,000 credits, 80,000 xp.'
"Damn…" I glanced at Ivanov and Ivan.
"Give me that clipboard." I took Ivanovs notebook and tore out a page, writing the new quests down.
"Hey, were we able to get those satellite phones up with my brother?" I asked Ivanov.
"They should be sir, I'll get one." He replied before disappearing briefly. He came back holding the phone out.
"He's on the line." I nodded and took the phone.
"Andrew speaking."
"Hey Andy, you get that new quest perchance?" My brother's voice came over the line. I repressed a chuckle.
"Tempted by its riches?" I asked.
"Like you wouldn't want millions of credits? I need something to help me claw back my number one spot." He replied, some jest in his voice.
"Yeah, yeah… shit, you got any ideas on how we might cooperate?" I asked:
"I don't got much in the way of reserves, but you said last time you had some ships right? Why not send a few to the canal? I got a couple frigates, I can send them to my side…" he said.
"My fleet's busy trying to kill all the leviathans they keep finding, there seems to be no limit to them…"
"Can't the pacific fleet handle them?" Trevor asked after a few moments.
"They don't like using their precious munitions, not to the degree we use them. They have limited supply and it's unlikely they'll ever get more, meanwhile we can get whatever we want after killing a few dozen zombies…"
"Touché… well if Panama is off the table… fuck. I don't think sending some troops halfway across the country will work." He grumbled.
"Why not?" I asked, looking at a pair of MiGs soaring through the sky. I had a whole division of soldiers, air transportable… What were the big airports in the middle of the country? Denver… Dallas… Chicago… wait … Oklahoma!
"That's a long drive, I just don't think it'll be possible for a while." He said, a heaviness to his tone.
"Tell you what. You have Dulles international? Or Ronald Regan? Scrape together a battalion combat group, load them into some 747s or whatever you can find and fly them out to Oklahoma City." I said, watching Ivanov start to frown.
"There's no way you got guys in Oklahoma already…" Trevor said faintly…
"No, but I have a bunch of VDV guys that aren't doing anything. I'll buy some heavy airlift transports and get a regiment out to Oklahoma City's airport by tonight or tomorrow morning. They'll drop, secure the runways and terminals, bring the planes in for landing then we can start airlifting in supplies."
"You crazy bastard… that just might work…" Trevor said slowly.
"I'll see if I can get Dulles cleared and get some airborne out there myself, I can't let you do all the hard work." Trevor said, I could feel that bit of competition brewing between us again.
"Alright. I'll make sure that my guys have red carpets rolled out for you." I said before I hung up the phone.
"Ivanov, what are some large airlift capable aircraft that we can use?" I asked, flipping open the shop.
"Ivan, inform Colonel Feyda that he needs to get his division to LAX time now for a load up."
"Corporal, get my car out front, I'm off to LAX. Ivanov, with me." The command center burst into frantic activity as I stood from my chair and talked with Ivanov as we descended to the ground floor. I strolled outside, sliding into the drivers seat of my truck, nodding to the corporal that had gotten my truck.
I put the uaz in gear and drove out of the parking lot, quickly getting on the road and driving out the gate and onto the highway. "Sir, are you sure you want to airlift the entire division?"
"Yes. We are going to make a statement. That we can project our power and influence across the country if needed." I replied to the colonel.
"Damn it sir… normally we do everything slow, methodical. What's different this time?" Ivanov asked as I exited the on ramp and accelerated up to speed.
"You want to let some redcoats beat us? The British? Come on Ivanov! Now is the time for action!" I said loudly while racing past a convoy of tanks.
"General… we're engaged in our largest offensive to date, a corps worth of soldiers is pushing into the Los Angeles downtown, our naval infantry are spread from the Mexican border to San Francisco. Our navy is as far spread as the Hawaiian islands… our air forces are stretched thin as it is…" Ivanov slammed his folder on the dash and stared at me.
"How does this… quest! Become the top priority, enough to mobilize our entire reserve?" He asked hotly.
"You have the Spetzanz battalion in reserve still."I replied cheekily
"Mostly I want to show my brother up. That we are the best, and he can't do anything about it… besides… our Hawaiian friends will begin to understand our abilities if we can start taking the military bases in central states…"
"The Ilyushin-76… maybe the Antonov-22…" Ivanov relented. I smiled slightly as I took the exit to the airbase we'd turned LAX into.
"Sir… why LA?, we have Los Alimitos… it serves just as well as an airbase…" Ivanov asked as I drove onto the taxiway and parked near some terminals.
"Los Alamitos is about to take over air operations for the next 48 hours. LAX is about to have clear empty runways once the last few flights land." I replied, I was slightly surprised Ivanov asked, he created the schedule…
I stepped out of the truck and opened the shop. Maybe… 12 of each? 72,000 credits? I glanced over at the continuous updates still trickling in from Ensenada… yeah, once that gets deposited we'll be good.
I hit purchase and the terminal area was immediately filled by the 24 massive aircraft, the pale blue light fading away as the crews of the aircraft saluted in front of me. "Get your birds ready! Briefings will be on the fly!"
The crews dashed to their aircraft as the first BMDs drove onto the tarmac. A few confused officers wandered over to me, casting suspicious glances at the planes.
"Captain, inform your chain of command that your unit is going first, now coordinate with whoever you need to to get everything on these planes and up in the air as quickly as possible. Make sure your men have their chutes, they will be using them." I shouted as the nearest aircraft began turning on, the loud whine of engines drowning out most noise.
The captain nodded and quickly set his unit to it, quickly loading BMDs into transports and getting them secured while parachutes were rigged and tested. More troops continued to pour into the tarmac and it devolved into a chaotic mess. soldiers and equipment often just being crammed into aircraft wherever they fit..
I quickly bought myself a full set of VDV gear and changed, slinging the rifle over my shoulder. "Ivanov, same as before, while I'm gone you'll stay behind this time, you know the operations inside and out."
"Sir, you can't leave at a time like this!" Ivanov protested, trying to step between me and the plane.
"Yes I can. And you'll take over here till I return." I said firmly, placing a hand on Ivanov's shoulder.
He stared at me, then after a few seconds stepped to the side and I walked up the ramp onto the plane. The troops were being seated along the sides of the aircraft, a pair of BMDs were strapped down in the middle, rigged to several parachutes.
"Hey! Get to that seat and strap in!" The loadmaster shouted, shoving me towards a seat.
I chuckled wryly as I buckled myself in. An nco came down the line checking everyone's gear. "Where's your parachute?"
I mentally cursed and quickly brought up the interface and procured one before the Sergeant began spewing a string of expletives. He nearly jumped when the pack appeared between us but quickly moved on as I got into it. A private leaned over to me as the ramp began to close and the engines spooled up. "I don't think we expected you to tag along sir."
"It was a last minute decision." I replied with a chuckle. The aircraft vibrated slightly and I began to feel movement. Likely now taxiing to the runway. The loadmaster was going over everything one last time then disappeared towards the cockpit.
We waited while the lights dimmed and the plane took a turn, coming to a stop. I let a small grin come over myself as the engines began to rumble and the aircraft's brakes released. The massive ilyushin thundered down the runway, the aircraft rumbling as its wheels left the ground and the odd, momentary sense of weightlessness overcame everything.
I peered out of the nearby window, watching as the blue sea rapidly disappeared, replaced by fluffy white clouds as the ilyushin described a gentle bank back over Los Angeles. Fuck… I forgot to tell my wife… I groaned as I leaned back in the seat. Hopefully Ivanov could explain…
I settled in for the longish flight, I got as comfortable as I could and tried to sleep. My reward was a kink in my neck and a sore side. It seemed all to quickly that a red light filled the cavernous hold of the aircraft and the jumpmasters started walking the line.
I hopped to my feet, securing my gear and getting into my parachute. I took the hook and clipped it to the static line like everyone else as the massive rear door slowly opened, revealing a sprawling countryside filled with farm fields.
"Alright! We're dropping just south of our objective. We're securing objective Sparta, that is the western terminal! We jump, hit the ground, regroup and get our vehicles up, then we get to objective Sparta! Understood?" A Captain walked the length of the hold, screaming to be heard over the engines and roaring wind.
The jumpmaster walked past me, quickly checking my gear before moving on. I tightened my helmet and stared out of the aircraft, seeing several other of the large ilyushins and even some MiGs flying behind.
I don't remember authorization of any MiGs… must have been Ivanov, trying to look out for me, even while I force him to remain behind. The light turned green and the chute attached to the BMDs opened and the two vehicles flew out of the back, several parachutes rapidly opening as the fell to the ground as the line on either side of the aircraft slowly shuffled towards the ramp.
"See you on the ground sir." The soldier in front of me grinned right before stepping off the ramp. The static line jerked and his chute emerged, quickly filling with air. I looked down at the distant ground and with a rock in my stomach stepped off the ramp.
The wind whistled in my ear, a roar as the rustle of fabric as the static line pulled the chute from its bag. The jerk came all too soon, I sighed, looking around me as the aircraft flew away, still dropping more paratroopers in long lines. I looked around, Oklahoma City sprawling far to the north and east with the airport practically right below me.
"Alright Oklahoma… time to meet your angels." I muttered as I drifted to the ground. Slowly falling with the afternoon sun bearing down on everything.
When I hit the ground I quickly unhooked myself from the parachute and quickly tucked the chute into the bag. Leaving it behind I unslung my rifle and chambered a round, in the distance I could already make out gunfire as the paratroopers made contact with the undead. I saw a gathering of some soldiers and jogged over.
"Sir, you made it!" The soldier who'd jumped before me flashed a grin.
"You have a rapport with the General, Nikolai? Great, you'll be his guard. Stick to him like a tick." His Lieutenant instructed, barely looking up from a hastily sketched map.
"What's the plan Lieutenant?" I asked, dropping next to him.
"I sent a couple men to get our BMDs, they should be here in a couple minutes, after that we're racing for objective Leonididas, the connection between the main terminal and the western wing. We're going to set up a block to prevent undead from swarming the western terminal while it gets cleared." He explained. As he finished the roar of an engine cut through the silence as the BMDs he had been talking about came into view, slinging mud and throwing up dust. Four came to a stop nearby and the soldiers quickly clambered on top of them, helping pull the rest up once they were up.
The Lieutenant opened a hatch and shouted something to the crew, unheard over the roar of the engine and the vehicle lurched, turning as it began to race north. I glanced at the soldiers around me, the excitement in their eyes. It was almost infectious.
We raced across the massive runways and taxiways, aircraft littered the area, crashed into each other or swerved into a ditch, around the terminal a 747 had rammed into the terminal itself and many more simply sat with the boarding ramps connecting them to the terminal. I wondered briefly what LAX had looked like? I didn't see it until after most of the initial clean up had been finished… but the terminal was quiet… almost like a ghost town…
The BMDs rolled to a stop near some emergency doors and we all jumped off. Racing the steps. A soldier tried the door but it didn't move… likely locked. He shared a look with his Lieutenant then raised his rifle and shot the lock and kicked the door, letting it swing open. I let the soldiers spill into the terminal and the sound of gunfire started to create a symphony. After the platoon had entered the terminal did I walk in. Hundreds of undead and mutants were crowding the terminal.
Spent casing littered the ground, paratroopers calmly walked through the terminal, dispatching of the walkers, runners, and occasional berserkers and harpies. I allowed a small smile.
"Is this how you imagined it would go General?" Nikolai asked, gazing around the terminal.
"I always expect and plan for the worse… so no, this is actually pretty good." I replied, listening to the sound of an Il-76 landing.
"Aright Nikolai, let's get thing ready for when my brother gets here." I nodded, satisfied and started heading for the main terminal.