Quiet in the Streets

(Source)

Lance Corporal Antoine Hayworth had been in the Marine Corps a little over a year now, he'd put his lance corporal stripes on last month. Up until a few days ago, he had felt like he had a real future in the Corps. Now he wasn't so sure.

He was on sentry duty outside the Pentagon Metro stop and looked up as yet another Osprey flew over. Normally this place was busy at this time of day, but today was different. His platoon had been brought over from the Marine Barracks at 8th & I in full combat gear. Upon arrival they'd been issued a full ammo loadout, his platoon leader had put him out here. Which wasn't too bad but it was a cold day and they hadn't had much sleep the night before.

Things were happening, things Hayworth really didn't understand. He had asked Gunny what was going on.

"Damned if I know son. Something way above my paygrade. But I'll tell you what, being here in combat gear, with live ammo, it's the real deal. Whatever that might be. Keep your head on a swivel, I got a bad feeling about all this."

Colonel Mike Tanaka was exhausted, he hadn't slept in well over 48 hours. Adrenaline and caffeine were the only things keeping him going. That and the cigarettes, Judy would tear him a new one if he ever got home again, he'd struggled to quit smoking after his last tour in the 'Stan. Now he was puffing away like he'd never stopped.

He heard a sharp rap at the door to the office he was using, looking up, he barked "Enter!"

Sergeant First Class Joe Levine poked his head around the door, "Sir, I got the CNO¹ out here, he wants to talk with you."

"The CNO? What the Hell does he want with me? Shit, send him in Joe."

Though technically Tanaka was now the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, (officially he was guilty of mutiny in some respects), he was uncomfortable that a full admiral wanted to talk to him. Whose side was this guy on?

Admiral Harry Fairchild came into the office, his hands zip-tied in front of him. His service dress blues were torn and filthy, it also appeared that the admiral had been roughed up. Tanaka saw the zip-ties and ordered the PFC with Levine to cut them off.

"What can I do for you Admiral? As you may well imagine, I'm a little busy now."

"Colonel, I'm on your side and..."

"Whose side is that Admiral?"

"The goddamned Constitution, that side!" The Admiral barked back.

"Sorry Sir, we are on the same side then."

"Where is the Chairman?" The Admiral asked, meaning the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

"He's locked up downstairs, why? You do know that he conspired with certain elements in Congress to allow UN troops, then Chinese troops into the country. Are you comfortable with..."

The phone on Tanaka's desk rang, he noted which line it was and immediately answered, "Tanaka."

He listened for a few moments, then said, "Keep us advised." Then hung up the phone.

"Well Admiral, looks like your guys out in WESTPAC scored big. A Chinese convoy was headed for Taiwan, seems that at least two of your submarines intercepted them and attacked. What was left of the convoy turned and ran for home. They didn't make it."

A grim smile crossed the Admiral's face, "What do you need from me, Colonel? What can the United States Navy do to help clean up this clusterf**k?"

Bob Woodson could see that the Guard unit had posted its sentries in some very good locations, he also assumed that they had other men even better concealed, so when he stood up and raised his hands over his head, he did it very slowly.

PFC Mick Caswell was one of the men Woodson assumed was better concealed, and he was, when he came up out of the snow, his rifle pointed at Woodson's belly, Bob nearly jumped out of his skin.

"State your business Sir, make it quick."

Bob explained his mission, when he was done, the soldier called in a low whistle, which was answered from very nearby. Soon what had to be a sergeant and another soldier came up to Bob.

Woodson marveled at the way the men had camouflaged themselves and their vehicles, he could have walked right through here and not noticed a thing. Maybe.

"Mr. Woodson, I'm Major Maurice Morrison, call me Mo. I command this unit, I understand you have a proposition for us."

Bob Woodson nodded and said, "Yessir, yes I do. How would you like to spend the rest of the winter in comfortable quarters?"

"Where?" was all Morrison asked.

After the two men talked for a good fifteen minutes, Morrison nodded. Turning to his sergeant he said, "Craig, how would you like to go to town, do a little scouting?"

SSgt Sager smiled and said, "Whose car we taking?" Both men laughed at the line from an old movie they both enjoyed, especially as Sager had said it in his best Boston accent.

Woodson spoke up, "The Town."

For a moment Sager looked puzzled, then Woodson said, "Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner? Right?"

Sager smiled and said, "I think you and I are gonna get along real good, let me get my gear and we can be off."

¹ Chief of Naval Operations, the U.S. Navy representative on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.