“Their desire to close off I-70 proves it beyond a doubt.”
“I would agree, sir,” General Alan said.
“Then you don’t think it’s a vast Chinese deception?” the President asked.
“Why?” Alan asked. “Deception on that scale, with so many losses, doesn’t make sense. For one reason or another, they mean to capture Greater Denver.”
“Where are the Behemoth tanks as of this moment?” the President asked.
The technician adjusted the screen. The Behemoth position appeared in blue along I-70.
“Sir,” General Alan said. “Now that the Chinese know where the tanks are, they’re badly exposed. What if the enemy uses nuclear weapons to shut down the mountain freeway?”
The President looked up sharply.
“If the Chinese mean to cut off Denver’s backdoor supply link,” Alan said, “why not use nuclear weapons as they did with the California passes? If they knock out the right bridge or mountain tunnel, the Behemoths won’t be going anywhere for a long time except into Denver.”
“We must move the Behemoths now,” the President declared.
“Agreed sir,” Alan said.
“Right,” the President said. “Call the Tank Park. Tell Colonel Higgins to move his Behemoths tonight. I want them in Salt Lake City yesterday.”
“Yes, Mr. President,” Alan said.
Sims turned to Max Harold. “I have some questions about the Militia battalions in the Main Defense Lines.”
Director Harold nodded.
“First,” the President said. “I want to know…”
HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO
Jake Higgins was in a makeshift Army hospital in an old office building behind the front lines. His arm was in a sling due to a badly bruised left shoulder. He was here to see the commander of the Eleventh CDM Battalion, a captain, as the man was the highest-ranking officer left of the shattered unit. Heck, the captain was almost the only officer left.
Two days ago, Jake had dragged the bleeding and wounded captain out of a burning home in Castle Rock during vicious house-to-house fighting. After the first Chinese wave where he’d killed enemy in a bakery, the Chinese had changed tactics. Maybe that was because they’d changed from using penal soldiers to regular fighters. Instead of human wave assaults, the Chinese had advanced with overhead helos for protection and with combat bulldozers to knock down walls, rubble and houses. The bulldozers had changed the game, all right.
In the grueling battle of Castle Rock, the Eleven CDMB went from the original twelve hundred combatants to two hundred and nineteen survivors. In other words, the meat-grinder of war chewed them from a battalion to a company, which was about right because all they had left was the captain.
“Higgins,” Captain Lewis whispered from his bed.
Jake glanced at the doctor, an older woman. She nodded. He stepped up to the medical bed. Tubes stuck out of the captain’s body. Both his legs had casts and they were elevated. He was pale and his eyes were glassy, no doubt due to heavy meds.
“Give me your hand, soldier,” Lewis said with a slur.
Jake thrust out his hands and felt the captain’s clammy fingers. The man barely had any grip left. But what he did have, he used.
Lewis strained to lift his head. “I owe you my life,” he whispered.
Jake didn’t know what to say.
“I read your record before all this,” Lewis whispered. “You’re a troublemaker. You protested our President. That’s inexcusable. But…that’s over. You listen to me. You make trouble for the Chinese now, you hear?”
“Yes sir,” Jake said.
Lewis released his feeble grip. His hand flopped beside his side. He’d been straining his neck. He now relaxed his head against the pillow and the life seemed to go out of him.
“Higgins.”
“I’m here, sir.”
A pasty smile creased the man’s face. “The Lieutenant is going to lead the Eleventh. I don’t think he likes you.”
“No sir,” Jake said. It was more like the Lieutenant hated him, although Jake didn’t know why. Maybe it was just because.
“I’ll get better for you,” the captain said. “I owe you. I pay my debts, too. I’ll get better and I’ll be in charge. Until then, you stay alive and you give the Chinese hell.”
“Yes sir.”
“As my last act in command, I’m promoting you to corporal. I’d bump you up to sergeant, but the Lieutenant made a phone call. The Detention Center Director vetoed the sergeant idea. He suggested you earn the slot first. Neither man understands you earned it ten times over in Castle Rock. I’m sorry, Corporal.”
“No sweat, sir. I’m used to it.”
Lewis slowly licked his mouth. It was painful to watch. He was looking worse by the second. “I did find out one other thing. As I said,