Post-Apocalyptic Fiction by Lt. Col. Cliff Deane
One year after a Coronal Mass Ejection brushed our atmosphere the entire world's electrical grid was fried. Now, as the fledgling Republic of America continues to expand by bringing justice and peace to America's lawless lands, they have discovered that a Pakistani Islamic Caliphate is likewise expanding along the northern tier states, by way of Jihad, slavery, and murder. It is either convert to Islam or lose your head. . The leaders of the ROA realize that these two so diametrically opposed cultures cannot peacefully coexist, the ROA declares war upon the Caliphate, who's capital is Dearborn, Michigan. . The Interstate Highways are, for the most part, jammed to unusability. The weather is a bit cooler than in the recent past, bringing more rain and further impeding movement. . ROA Forces have split into two formations; 2nd Brigade, to clean out the Caliphate outposts from Washington, DC through New England, and 1st Brigade, tasked with breaking the Caliphate's hold with a final, bloody showdown. . Join General Levi Levins as he and Colonel Gus Murtaugh begin an early summer campaign to eliminate the Caliphate before they become strong enough to engulf the ROA.
EXCERPT 15 July
Helicopter Pad
Bedford
It took five long, hard days for the convoy to reach Bedford where Levi decided to halt for maintenance and rest. The Cobras were tasked with destroying mosques in Jackson, New Castle, and Youngstown, in addition to their normal reconnaissance missions. The five days since leaving Pittsburgh had seemingly taken a toll on everyone except Tim and Kevin. Their days had been spent in learning not only the weapons systems but each day they were allowed to experience actual stick time. By the time they reached Bedford, they had each reached the minimal level of competence to function as Super Cobra Gunners.
Now, potentially only one day’s travel to Cleveland, the Insertion Teams were sent to Shaker Heights and back to Cleveland for Intel updates. A night patrol was also dispatched to recon the mosque in Bedford. There was a one-half moon providing some light, but the patrol, led by Sergeant Buck Owens found the NVG monocles very handy. They passed an area that was open on their left flank and led to a street lined with homes on both sides.
Buck called for deployment of their WASP, but something was wrong as the bird refused to start. Looking down the street, and only one block from his destination, he felt uneasy and decided to alter his course to the houses on his right flank. The patrol had barely reached the right side of the street when shots rang out from the houses just ahead. Two members of his patrol were hit; one in the head, and one in his left leg. Buck ordered that the downed men were to be dragged into the nearest house. One other patrol member was hit in the left upper arm. The bullet passed through the flesh of his arm and into the open space between the front and side panels of his vest, striking his heart.
The small arms fire began to grow in intensity as the ambushers flowed out of their positions and ran toward the patrol’s refuge, where they began to return fire. “Semi-auto only!” shouted Sergeant Owens, “Conserve your ammo, we’re gonna’ be here awhile. The Assistant Patrol Leader stripped the dead of their ammo, while another worked to stop the blood flow from the leg wound. Just as he was inserting the clotting material into the wound, the front door and wall began taking fire; many rounds made their way through the wall and into the room, forcing everyone to lay low. The windows began to shatter as AK-47 rounds blasted through them, showering the floor with broken glass. They could hear hundreds of rounds slamming into the structure.
Sergeant Owens then took a red star cluster flare from his vest, removed the cap, which contained a sharp nail-like projection and placed it on the bottom of the flare.
**
Description:
Post-Apocalyptic Fiction by Lt. Col. Cliff Deane
One year after a Coronal Mass Ejection brushed our atmosphere the entire world's electrical grid was fried. Now, as the fledgling Republic of America continues to expand by bringing justice and peace to America's lawless lands, they have discovered that a Pakistani Islamic Caliphate is likewise expanding along the northern tier states, by way of Jihad, slavery, and murder. It is either convert to Islam or lose your head. . The leaders of the ROA realize that these two so diametrically opposed cultures cannot peacefully coexist, the ROA declares war upon the Caliphate, who's capital is Dearborn, Michigan. . The Interstate Highways are, for the most part, jammed to unusability. The weather is a bit cooler than in the recent past, bringing more rain and further impeding movement. . ROA Forces have split into two formations; 2nd Brigade, to clean out the Caliphate outposts from Washington, DC through New England, and 1st Brigade, tasked with breaking the Caliphate's hold with a final, bloody showdown. . Join General Levi Levins as he and Colonel Gus Murtaugh begin an early summer campaign to eliminate the Caliphate before they become strong enough to engulf the ROA.
EXCERPT
15 July
Helicopter Pad
Bedford
It took five long, hard days for the convoy to reach Bedford where Levi decided to halt for maintenance and rest. The Cobras were tasked with destroying mosques in Jackson, New Castle, and Youngstown, in addition to their normal reconnaissance missions. The five days since leaving Pittsburgh had seemingly taken a toll on everyone except Tim and Kevin. Their days had been spent in learning not only the weapons systems but each day they were allowed to experience actual stick time. By the time they reached Bedford, they had each reached the minimal level of competence to function as Super Cobra Gunners.
Now, potentially only one day’s travel to Cleveland, the Insertion Teams were sent to Shaker Heights and back to Cleveland for Intel updates. A night patrol was also dispatched to recon the mosque in Bedford. There was a one-half moon providing some light, but the patrol, led by Sergeant Buck Owens found the NVG monocles very handy. They passed an area that was open on their left flank and led to a street lined with homes on both sides.
Buck called for deployment of their WASP, but something was wrong as the bird refused to start. Looking down the street, and only one block from his destination, he felt uneasy and decided to alter his course to the houses on his right flank. The patrol had barely reached the right side of the street when shots rang out from the houses just ahead. Two members of his patrol were hit; one in the head, and one in his left leg. Buck ordered that the downed men were to be dragged into the nearest house. One other patrol member was hit in the left upper arm. The bullet passed through the flesh of his arm and into the open space between the front and side panels of his vest, striking his heart.
The small arms fire began to grow in intensity as the ambushers flowed out of their positions and ran toward the patrol’s refuge, where they began to return fire. “Semi-auto only!” shouted Sergeant Owens, “Conserve your ammo, we’re gonna’ be here awhile. The Assistant Patrol Leader stripped the dead of their ammo, while another worked to stop the blood flow from the leg wound. Just as he was inserting the clotting material into the wound, the front door and wall began taking fire; many rounds made their way through the wall and into the room, forcing everyone to lay low. The windows began to shatter as AK-47 rounds blasted through them, showering the floor with broken glass. They could hear hundreds of rounds slamming into the structure.
Sergeant Owens then took a red star cluster flare from his vest, removed the cap, which contained a sharp nail-like projection and placed it on the bottom of the flare. **