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EmP: Nuclear Winter
EmP: Nuclear Winter
EmP: Nuclear Winter
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EmP: Nuclear Winter

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Nuclear Winter, Book One of the EMP Series, TEOTWAWKI, "The end of the world as we know it" becomes real as the planet reels from an orbital EMP attack that leads to a global nuclear war.
The ensuing nuclear winter blankets the planet, killing off 90 percent of humanity.
Defense Intelligence Agency electronic whizz, US Army Col Thomas Bradley, takes command of a mixed assortment of survivors taking shelter in the uncompleted Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada.
They fight for their survival as an army of militant survivors takes siege in an attempt to destroy them for their sanctuary. Spanning two years, they learn how to survive living underground, not knowing what to expect when they can finally emerge.
After two years underground, they find roving storms carrying radioactive fallout now besieging the planet devoid of the survivors' calendar seasons once knew. Worse yet, the survivors learn that they are still at war with the Islamic jihadists who started the war in the first place. The nuclear winter returns to force the survivors back into their underground refuge.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherTD Barnes
Release dateMar 10, 2013
ISBN9781301102921
EmP: Nuclear Winter
Author

TD Barnes

TD BarnesDOB: January 25, 1937Place of Birth: Dalhart, TexasCurrent Address: 468 Palegold St., Henderson, NV 89012Phone: (702) 481-0568, Fax: 566-4168, e-mail: tdbarnes@me.comURLs:http://area51specialprojects.com/http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThorntondBarnesTwitter: https://twitter.com/ThorntonDBarnesBlog: td-barnes.com/blog/Smashwords Interview: https://www.smashwords.com/interview/area51spSmashwords profile page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/area51spLinkedIn: www. LinkedIn.com/profile/edit?trk=tab_proThornton D. "TD" Barnes, a multifaceted individual with a background in military intelligence, surface-to-air missile and radar electronics, and aerospace, was born in Dalhart, Texas, and raised on a ranch near Clayton, New Mexico, and Dalhart, Texas. His childhood during World War II instilled a passion for technology exploration, which he carried into adulthood. After completing high school in Oklahoma, 17-year-old Barnes embarked on a ten-year military career, beginning with service in Korea as an intelligence specialist and Germany as a HAWK missile man. During his time in the Army, he honed his missile and radar electronics skills, focusing on countering Soviet threats. He also attended the Artillery Officer Candidate School before a military injury altered his career path.Transitioning to aerospace pursuits, Barnes became involved in significant projects at NASA's High Range in Nevada, contributing to the X-15 program, atomic bomb tests at the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nevada Proving Grounds, and the NERVA nuclear rocket project. He furthered his involvement in secretive projects by participating in the CIA's Mach 3 A-12 Project OXCART and stealth initiatives at Area 51.Beyond his aerospace endeavors, Barnes founded and led an oil and gas exploration company for over four decades, delving into uranium and gold mining ventures. He has dedicated himself to preserving the history of Area 51, serving as president of Roadrunners Internationale and as the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame Director Emeritus. His contributions have been featured in documentaries on major networks like the National Geographic Channel, the Discovery Channel, the Fox News Channel, and the History Channel.Barnes is also an accomplished author, with notable works about the Cold War, including "The Secret Genesis of Area 51,” "The CIA Area 51 Chronicles,” and " CIA Station D - Area 51. Currently residing in Henderson, Nevada, he continues to exert influence in aerospace, exploration, and literature, focusing particularly on the formerly highly classified aspects of the CIA’s era at Area 51.

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    EmP - TD Barnes

    EMP - Nuclear Winter

    Book One of the EMP Series

    By: TD Barnes

    Smashwords Edition

    Copyright 2023 Thornton D. TD Barnes

    All Rights Reserved

    ****~~~***

    Table of Contents

    Preface

    Chapter 1 - The Clouds of War

    Chapter 2 - First Strike

    Chapter 3 - Jackass Flats

    Chapter 4 - Armageddon

    Chapter 5 - Siege of the Mountain

    Chapter 6 - A New Beginning

    About the Author

    ****

    Dedication

    I dedicate this book to my partner, my lovely wife, who has supported and shared my foxholes and challenges of life since high school. There's no one that I would rather have at my side should I ever experience the circumstances depicted in this EMP book series.

    ****

    Preface

    In EMP Nuclear Winter (TEOTWAWKI - The end of the world as we know it), the world faces its darkest hour when an orbital electromagnetic pulse triggers a devastating global nuclear war. As nuclear winter sets in, 90 percent of humanity perishes, leaving only a few survivors struggling to endure the harsh new reality. Among them is US Army Col Thomas Bradley, an electronic whizz from the Defense Intelligence Agency, who takes charge of a diverse group seeking shelter inside the unfinished Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository.

    Within the mountain's confines, the survivors must confront the challenges of the post-apocalyptic world and the relentless attacks of a militant force determined to seize their sanctuary. Spanning two years, the group learns the art of survival underground, their hope buoyed by the anticipation of a day when they can safely emerge.

    Yet, when they finally venture out, they face an unforeseen enemy—the radioactive fallout carried by roving storms, turning the once familiar seasons into a thing of the past. Moreover, they discover that their war with the Islamic jihadists, who ignited the conflict, is far from over. Forced back into their underground refuge, they grapple with the ominous return of the nuclear winter, uncertain of what the future holds.

    EMP Nuclear Winter TEOTWAWKI is the gripping first installment of a four-book series that delves into the gripping tale of survival, human resilience, and the unyielding spirit to endure even in the face of a world forever changed. In the vast expanse of Nevada, where secrets lurk beneath the desert sands and shadows cloak hidden facilities, an ominous tale unfolds, one that begins with the flipping of pages in the EMP 4-book series.

    At the heart of this saga lies a group of ordinary people, their lives about to be forever altered by an unimaginable catastrophe—an electromagnetic pulse attack that shatters the world's equilibrium, casting it into an abyss of darkness and despair. While the events portrayed in these books have yet to unfold in reality, an unsettling realization lingers: the looming possibility that radicals or nations might wield such a devastating weapon in a terrorist act, leaving behind chilling effects that mirror the very essence of this EMP book series.

    Nestled amidst the desolate landscapes of Nevada, the story acquires an air of authenticity, threading its characters through the ongoing technological activities at the Nevada National Security Site and the enigmatic laboratories of Area 51. It is here, amidst the hushed whispers of clandestine experiments, that the tale unfurls.

    The first book, titled EMP - Nuclear Winter, embarks readers on a heart-pounding journey through the harrowing attack. As the pulse surges through the air, it brings to life a maelstrom of chaos, leaving in its wake logistical, security, and societal challenges that the survivors must confront as they endeavor to rebuild a nation stripped of the very technology it once relied upon.

    Within the pages of this gripping narrative, the true consequences of an EMP attack are laid bare—a stark reminder of the raw power it wields. The annals of history recount instances when both the United States and the USSR conducted EMP tests in 1962, offering haunting evidence of the catastrophic impact this weapon can have on humanity.

    In a chilling testament to its might, an Atomic Energy Commission test involving a W49 thermonuclear warhead on Johnston Island sent forth an electromagnetic pulse that traveled across the vast Pacific, disrupting the electric grid in distant Hawaii, some 900 miles away. As the tremors of destruction reverberated through the islands, it became evident that the threat of an EMP attack knows no bounds.

    Across the globe, a similar tale unfolded with a Soviet detonation, its gamma-ray EMP coursing through the air, leaving behind a powerful current that surged along a 570-kilometer stretch of an overhead telephone line. With its relentless force, the surge overwhelmed protective fuses, penetrating deep into the earth, and causing untold havoc on a 1,000-kilometer long power cable. As circuit breakers tripped and a power plant ignited into flames, the world witnessed the true peril that an EMP attack poses.

    Through the pages of the EMP 4-book series, readers are transported into a world where the line between reality and fiction blurs, where the haunting specter of a cataclysmic EMP attack looms ever closer. With the state of Nevada as its backdrop, this gripping narrative reminds us that, at times, the greatest threats lie not in the realms of the fantastical, but within the chilling realm of the possible.

    Re the chilling consequences of a catastrophic electromagnetic pulse attack. As nations vie for supremacy and pursue their nuclear ambitions, the stage is set for a global conflict with dire implications.

    The tale of World War III's origins is entangled in the complexities of Middle Eastern affairs, with Iran's quest for power and influence at its core. With military bases in Syria and a network of loyal proxies across the region, the Iranian regime poses a significant threat to Israel and its allies. The specter of war looms large, with the potential for a dire showdown between the United States and Iran, triggered by any provocation from the myriad pro-Iran militias and terrorist groups.

    Amidst this dangerous landscape, China, heavily reliant on Iran for its oil supply, fears the ramifications of a potential conflict that could cripple its petroleum source. The question arises whether China might supply Iran with advanced missile technology, knowing the intentions behind such a move.

    The world grapples with the ever-present danger of nuclear conflict, heightened by the proliferation of armed groups and private sector forces. The line between offense and defense blurs, and the risk of aggression, accidents, or miscalculations looms ominously, creating a perilous backdrop for the unfolding events portrayed in EMP - Nuclear Winter.

    Amid this turmoil, the narrative centers on Jackass Flats, Nevada, where a select group, sheltered by the U.S. government, resides in the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. With the surrounding area housing significant military and security installations, the setting becomes an integral part of the story, lending an air of authenticity to the tale.

    As readers delve into EMP - Nuclear Winter, they are confronted with the harsh reality of an EMP attack and its devastating aftermath. The book serves as a stark reminder of the looming threat posed by terrorist organizations, rogue nations, or radical groups armed with the potential to unleash this catastrophic event on the world.

    The novel raises uncomfortable questions about the world's lack of preparedness for such an attack and the dire consequences that would follow. As the advanced world remains preoccupied with social networking and other modern distractions, the possibility of an EMP attack by terrorist cells or rogue nations looms ever closer.

    Though the topic is disturbing, the book urges readers to confront the reality and consider the costs of preparedness against the enduring devastation that would befall humanity in the wake of an EMP attack.

    As the pages turn, the chilling portrayal of the aftermath serves as a warning—an urgent call for vigilance and readiness, for a day may come when the world will regret not heeding this cautionary tale. The EMP 4-book series delivers a gripping narrative that compels us to confront the horrifying consequences of a world plunged into darkness and chaos.

    ****

    Chapter 1 - The Clouds of War

    T minus 21 days

    The Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center - Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama.

    The latest weather front announced its arrival with a bright flash of lightning followed by a loud clap of thunder that seemed to release a torrent downpour of rain.

    The weather went unnoticed inside the heavily guarded main building of the remotely located MSIC complex, where a spontaneous burst of laughter exploded from the fourth-floor conference room and into the hallway. The gaiety suggested it came from the telling of something funny or naughty.

    Inside the room, six DIA analysts from the Middle East division, three are military, one of them a Marine Corps sergeant, a Navy commander, an Army, SP5 female, and three civilians seated at a conference table started another humorous story about their boss.

    So, there he stood in the officers’ club listening to two drunken air force captains just out of survival school talking about how tough they are. One orders two raw eggs and two shot glasses from the bartender. They break the eggs into the shot glasses and, on the count of three, down the eggs. They each start .gagging. One upchucks his egg back into his shot glass, and the other does the same. Of course, it pisses off the bartender. But the boss - I believe he was a captain also — an army captain of course — is amused. He was Special Forces or just out of Ranger school — I’m not sure which. Anyway, he reaches over and pours both shot glasses, the eggs, and their vomit into his beer glass. He chug-a-lugs the entire glass. He then sets it down and casually walks off without saying a word. Now, that is what I would call gravitas. Yuk! That’s gross, the army female says. The group laughs, with some of them probably agreeing with her.

    The story that I heard occurred right after he graduated from OCS at Fort Benning, a Mustang, a military intelligence officer commissioned from the enlisted ranks. Instead of air force, it was two marine corps captains, another said. I’ve heard that he's a badass in combat.

    Now that I can believe. Merely seeing the colonel’s scars makes one wonder how he can still be alive. They made him one of the youngest colonels in the Army, the first one said. I understand he took up electronics before getting his commission and got back into it after being shot up by a sniper.

    The soldier wasn't exaggerating about the boss’s scars. Hot shrapnel falling into his foxhole in Iraq had left a deep three-inch scar on the calf of his left leg.

    A small scar on the front and the back of his right shoulder came from an AK-47 bullet in Afghanistan during his first tour.

    The hot lead from a sniper rifle taken during his second tour had left a large white scar on the left side of his jaw, extending to his throat, giving him a raspy whisper and a quirky grin that he would take to his grave.

    Glass fragments from when the sniper bullet passed through a window had left a jagged scar starting above his left eyebrow and extending to his cheekbone.

    Wait - I have another story. I heard that once in Iraq, he and his Special Forces squad ran into a Seal Team out of.....

    Here he comes, one of them hissed.

    They stopped talking and looked busy when the subject of their war stories, US Army Colonel Thomas J. Bradley, briskly walked into the room.

    As you were, he said while flipping a sign on the door to indicate a classified conference in session. Good morning, troops, he cheerfully said.

    Good morning, sir, those at the conference table responded respectfully. Some people considered Bradley military while others saw him as an electronics engineer, who happened to be wearing a uniform while performing R&D on a means of screwing with the enemy.

    Most of his engineering accomplishments were classified and not always attributed to him, His combat scars; his Army ring from OCS, a Special Ops Rolex watch and his beret earned in Afghanistan, became the source of Colonel Bradley stories, most apocryphal over time. In any case, everyone in his command would take a bullet for their colonel.

    Physically well-conditioned, 5-foot-10 inch, 175-pound build, dark tan that one could attribute to his outdoor equestrian activities highlighted his Cherokee Indian heritage that genealogy on his father’s side traced back to the Trail of Tears.

    His posture and mannerism spoke of total confidence and fearlessness. His piercing eyes, a 1000-yard stare, and the battle wound scarring told of the hell he had seen and experienced during his military career.

    Okay, everyone - Let's get started. We expect rain the entire day. You can scrub your tee time and plan to get some work done for Uncle Sam. You know the rules — no pencils and no paper, he said to those seated at the conference table, bare except for bottled water, two carafes of coffee, coffee cups, three bowls of nuts, one cashew, one almond, and the third, mixed nuts.

    His no pencil or paper policy for staff meetings prevented the headaches afterward of classifying Top Secret anything written, even smiley faces doodled on a notepad. In his opinion, an unmarked classified document could lay in a public place, and no one would read it — however, stamp it Secret or Top Secret, and people will do anything to get their hands on it to see what is in it.

    As always, today’s briefing is SCI, sensitive compartmented information, so boys and girls, let’s keep it need-to-know.

    He sat at the head of the conference table and leaned back in his chair to start the first of a series of Monday morning briefing and planning sessions that were part of his weekly routine.

    What do we have hot off the press on our favorite terrorist state this morning? He asked. How about you, Sergeant Higgins? Give us the good news first. From his frisky attitude, his people knew his being in his engineering mode. The sergeant responded accordingly.

    Well, sir. The latest from Qom, Iran, is that spring is in the air. The ancient Qom River is flowing gently towards the Iranian city bearing its name with fishermen lining the river banks; the freeways flowing with vehicles taking citizens about their business in a nation at peace.

    Bradley prided his personnel on possessing abundant ideas, a ferocious capacity for challenging work, and a streak of stubbornness when it came to going with the flow. When he stepped into his engineering mode, he accepted ex parte opinions and dismissed military rank protocol prohibiting the fulfillment of scientific curiosity and engineering talents. Consequently, he enjoyed a productive exchange of ideas with subordinates, who quickly learned to recognize the invisible line distinguishing a challenging debate from military insubordination. His staff enjoyed the reputation of being mavericks in his likeness when it came to exploring the ragged edge of knowledge, technology, and experience.

    Bradley chuckled. Smartass. You must have been watching Al Jazzera TV again. Now tell me what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is up to today.

    Well, you asked for the good news first, the sergeant mischievously replied. His manner became professional--serious. That’s the only good news that I can come up with. The media talking heads are saying that the increased comprehensive sanctions on the financial institutions of the Islamic Republic have crushed the value of the rial by 40 percent against the US dollar. As anticipated, shop owners in Qom, Tehran's Grand Bazaar, and nationwide are raising hell, blaming their leaders for bringing the sanctions. We'll see them closing their stores to go on strike with any luck.

    Is anyone saying anything on the Hill, or are we still getting the spin job?

    Oh, the boys along the Potomac are talking all right — they're talking big-time about how the sanctions are working. I’m not entirely joking about the spring-of-the-year activities. The media is playing up the peaceful appearance of the countryside and ignoring it as an artificial effort to hide what is happening 600 feet underground. Of course, these activities triggered the sanctions in the first place. Our source reports that Ahmadinejad did show up to commemorate them successfully increasing their processing speed with the new Chinese-built centrifuges.

    What is our source saying about this?

    He says these are the second-generation gaseous diffusion models Iran needs for large-scale operations. The count now is sixteen cascades containing approximately 3,000 steel centrifuges in pairs and standing over six feet tall. Ahmadinejad gave the white coats the old standard pep talk, with enthusiastic praise of Iran’s accomplishments, and expressed plans to increase the uranium enrichment process into a nuclear resonance process. Like usual, he veered from his talking points of this being for the enrichment of uranium for peaceful purposes and slipped into his real intention of producing multiple nuclear bomb devices and of world domination. He ended with his usual rhetoric — spewing threats against the Jews.

    Of course, he did. That little beetle strives for hatred. As we’ve been reporting, this does advance Iran’s uranium enrichment program and proves its feasibility for installment at the central processing facility at Natanz. What do we have on the missile launch?

    More unwelcome news, sir. The Iranians successfully launched a missile at the Iranian Central Desert Missile Range. We confirmed it was an upgraded version of Iran’s short-range ballistic missile, another of the analysts said.

    It will also provide a delivery vehicle for Iran’s first nuclear warhead, Bradley confirmed. He didn’t mention anything about the subject of his next meeting, which mooted much of the information presented by this team. This group provided boots-on-the-ground intelligence often parallel that of the CIA, Central Intelligence Agency. However, they lacked the need-to-know to hear what his cyber and AI artificial intelligence analysts had to say.

    Bradley ran his operations on a compartmentalized and need-to-know basis. Twenty minutes later, the meeting concluded with a new group of analysts from Bradley’s Pacific Rim division to follow. Bradley conducted this meeting as strictly business, starting with him repeating the no pen or paper policy warning. At the same time, a young intern from the secretarial pool replenished the coffee and removed any used coffee cups and water bottles. Bradley first called on SFC Janet Harrison from his systems encryption department for her report.

    Sir, she started in the tone of a briefing. I’ll commence with a report we’ve received about China’s latest weapon upgrades. But, first, I have photos taken of last weekend’s military parade through Tiananmen Square to showcase some of the People's Liberation Army's never-before-seen weapons systems. I didn’t know if you’d want them marked as classified.

    She handed Colonel Bradley a small stack of photos that she removed from an unmarked envelope. Sir, it's my understanding that the Chinese rolled all this stuff through the streets of Beijing to send us a message. They wanted us to have these photos.

    Bradley scanned through them and agreed with her analysis. He said, I see no need to classify these photos taken during a public parade.

    He handed the photos to the analyst sitting closest to him.

    He ordered, Pass them around.

    He looked at Harrison and said, Some of these we knew about. Tell us what we’re seeing, and then continue with your report.

    Yes, sir.

    Harrison stepped behind the person, now reviewing the photo. She retrieved them so she could identify what each represented.

    She held up the first photo for everyone to see. This one is the DF-41 road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, which we believe is the most advanced such missile in the Chinese arsenal. Each DF-41 can carry multiple warheads, has a range of about 13,000 kilometers, and represents a leap in survivability over the older DF-5 due to its mobility. It can be launched rapidly because it's solid fueled, offering less time for adversaries to target it.

    She held up the next photo. This is the DF-31AG, another solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile in service with the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force. Unlike the more capable DF-41, the DF-31AG missile is believed to be equipped with a single warhead and has a lesser range: 11,000 to 12,000 kilometers.

    Next was the JL-2, a submarine-launched ballistic missile with a range of about 7,000 kilometers and equipped with a single nuclear warhead. Harrison said, The JL-2 represents the core of the Chinese seaborne nuclear deterrent. Each Chinese Type 094 nuclear ballistic missile submarine carries 12 JL-2 SLBMs.

    The next photo showed the DF-26, the so-called Guam killer missile due to its ability to reach the island that is home to numerous US military bases. The DF-26 was a road-mobile intermediate-range missile between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers. Unlike the DF-41 and DF-31AG, the DF-26 fills both nuclear and conventional roles. When equipped with maneuverable conventional warheads, the missile can target distant enemy bases and ships.

    Harrison waved the next photo for emphasis. This is one of the most intriguing new additions to this year’s parade. It’s the DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). With an estimated range of 2,000 kilometers and the reported ability to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, the DF-17 can penetrate even well-defended targets with a very high speed, above Mach 5, and a maneuverable warhead. The DF-17 is one of the first HGV-type missiles that has entered service among the world’s most advanced militaries.

    Harrison paused with one photo on display. Both Russia and China are claiming to have hypersonic strike capability. They are trying, but fortunately, we don’t think either has mastered hypersonic flight as we have. This photo is of the DF-100, a road-mobile cruise missile that China claims to have a range of between 2,000 and 3,000 kilometers and capable of flying at hypersonic speeds. If this is true, Their low-altitude flight path makes cruise missiles harder to detect than ballistic missiles. The combination of range and maneuverability enhances China’s long-range strike capabilities.

    She held up another photo. We see here the WZ-8 supersonic reconnaissance drone. It attaches to and launches from a larger aircraft, such as an H-6 bomber, and lands on its own following the completion of its mission. The WZ-8 will allow China to improve its ability to gather intelligence over areas well protected by enemy air defenses.

    Holding up the last photo, she smiled. This is China’s competition to what we have in Nevada at Creech AFB. This is the GJ-2, otherwise known as the Wing Loong 2. It’s an uncrewed aerial vehicle the Chinese military uses in a role equivalent to that of the Reaper in US service.

    She stated, They claim that it's capable of long loiter times and can carry a large payload of missiles and bombs, making it suitable for persistent surveillance over battlefields, precision strikes on key targets, and the ability to support friendly troops in direct fights with an adversary. However, its lack of stealth and speed significantly reduces its survivability over heavily defended enemy targets.

    Harrison returned the photos for their continued view by the others at the table. She looked at Bradley to indicate that she was continuing with her briefing.

    At 2310 hours last night, one of our satellites in high orbit over the Chinese island of Haina noted the energization of the electronics of the CSS-NX-5 that we have under surveillance on the Jin. The satellite reported successfully inserting the coded script into the missile’s EEPROM circuit.

    Harrison was referring to a Chinese type 094 Jin-class nuclear missile submarine armed with a missile carrying the CSS-NX-5, China’s proudest advancement in PRC warhead miniaturization technology. The United States knew of the Chinese developing this new intercontinental-range ballistic missile, knowing little about it until recently when intelligence identified it was the JL2 submarine-launched, three-stage solid-propellant missile when the Chinese moved it to the port at Haina Island and loaded it onto one of China’s four SSBN submarines.

    Sir, she continued. The satellite most likely detected the missile as it energized to test its target coordinates in preparation for submarine departure. We agree that this could be the beginning of a most highly classified state mission.

    Shit! This explains the sudden display of all their war goodies. They are trying to intimidate us and any other opposition. Bradley nodded his head for her to continue.

    The satellite recognized the opportunity and transmitted the DIA script through the open write hole of the missile’s guidance circuitry. If we’re right, the script should have located, reprogrammed the target coordinates and codes set by the Chinese, and camouflaged the changes.

    Do we have verification?

    No, sir. Not really. We won’t have it unless they launch the missile. We feel comfortable that everything worked as intended and that the embedded script closed the write hole to prevent the detection of the tampering. The satellite downlinked a mission-accomplished signal and resumed monitoring its sector with particular emphasis on this one missile.

    You’re right. Now that we know about the Chinese programming the missile for a target, we have no telling how many satellites and radar sites monitoring it.

    Correct. We know that the satellite tracked the missile leaving the port two hours later aboard the submarine. If it even farts, our satellite will know — and we'll know.

    Bradley flashed a satisfied smile at Harrison’s clearly expressing confidence in the satellite monitoring the missile. Good job, everyone. We have waited a long time for this opportunity to test our missile defense. Nonetheless, we can only hope we don’t see the proof of the pudding of them launching the sonofabitch.

    The last photo is one of a formation of Dongfeng-17 (DF-17) hypersonic missiles. I hope everyone is paying attention to the trivial things in the photos. Some of the troops are carrying a new assault rifle that we haven’t seen before. I think that what we see here is the debut of several strategic and tactical weapons and systems, everything from a new assault rifle on the lower end to China’s strategic nuclear weapons.

    ****

    Space Intelligence Center. Two hours later.

    The sounds of the worsening storm went unnoticed by Bradley’s administrative assistant while she turned her attention from her computer to answer the ringing phone.

    She glanced out at the downburst of rain pelting the window beside her desk while watching a local meteorologist on the office television pointing out storm cells and warning residents about a possible tornado forming 20 miles southwest of the city.

    Hardened by almost a month of similar daily tornado sighting reports, she didn’t give a second thought to this sighting or the distant siren pelting out a tornado warning.

    Sir, it's DIAC. General Hanson is on line three, her pleasant voice announced through the door standing open to her bosses’ office. The DIAC was the Defense Intelligence Analysis Center at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC, and General Hanson, their boss.

    Bradley was expecting the call. He slid aside his morning brief on overnight world events to engage the encryption circuit and answer the phone. Thanks, Annette, he called out to his assistant. Bradley here — good morning, sir.

    Good morning, Colonel. Please stand by on the encrypted line for General Hanson.

    The click of the phone of LtGen Ronald Hanson, US Army, and director of the Defense Intelligence Agency coming online modulated softly with the faint white static of the encryption circuits. Good morning, Tom, the general said with an air of warning. You’d better take this call sitting down.

    Sir, why do I have a feeling that you intend to confirm the predictions we’re hearing?

    Fox News nailed it. The president just now released another communiqué, again recognizing Iran’s right to become a nuclear state. He's pushing containment rather than backing Israel and our other allies, who depended upon the United States military might for preventing the Iranians from going nuclear. He's at the same time talking tough about the US backing Israel should Iran carry through with their rhetoric about eliminating the Jewish nation.

    Long ago, Bradley had realized and ceased to anticipate his ever making the rank of general despite his being highly decorated. The problem was his refusal to buy into the political correctness bullshit expected of military officers today. His past was now limiting his career because of his Officer ERs noting his numerous scolding and veiled reprimands for candid comments about some politician presently on his shit list. His most recent rant had focused on national politicians and the military brass arguing about deleting the word terrorist in their reports dealing with Muslim barbarities.

    His face reddened with outrage while he released a few dyslogistic adjectives against his commander in chief to express his flash of dissatisfaction.

    That fence-straddling pussy knows he has given Iran, Syria, and those Hezbollah bastards the green light to rocket the shit out of Israel, he said quietly, but forcefully. There's no way that Egypt’s Islamic leader can hold reins on the Muslim Brotherhood now, especially considering the chaos he's facing even in his country. All those brave men and women will die in vain,

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