SPECTRE

CHAPTER VIII

The smoke billowed from the tip of East’s cigarette as she twirled between her fingers. She sat leaned back in his office chair. The sun’s light bled their way through the cracks between the blinds. The ceiling fan above them rotated very slowly. It felt like an eternity had past. Across from her was AJ. He sat with his hands tucked in his pockets and a foot stuck out. He had a smug look on his face from having completed his third mission...successfully.

“So what did you call me in for this time commander?” AJ asked.

East leaned forward and smashed the cigarette into the ashtray beside her. Bent and twisted, it joined the array of other dead cigarettes she had smoked today. She stared at AJ with sharp eyes and a snake like gaze.

“You and Sev both went on the same mission together right?” East asked.

AJ nodded his head.

East grabbed a folder from one of the stacks on her desk and placed it down on the table between them. She opened up the folder which revealed Sev’s typed report about the events that happened on yesterday’s mission.

“...Let me guess, there are some inconsistencies,” AJ said.

“Yes but then again you both fought different a different enemy in different areas,” she said. “What my concern is about this bit right here. He talks about the story the girl told him right before you...killed her.”

“I was only doing my job,” AJ justified.

“That’s not my problem. He said she described a black object soaring in the sky and dropping bombs. The girl probably didn’t know what she saw but my guess is that it was a B-29 Stealth Bomber.”

“A stealth bomber?”

East closed the folder. “Yes, it’s a type of aircraft used during the war. One of the smaller ones, it was used to bomb cities without being detected.”

During the war bombs were mostly used over conventional ground forces. Air superiority won battles and those with the most airpower claimed victory. When the countries started running out of bombs to drop they switched to the bombs they weren’t allowed to use.

Atomic Bombs; nuclear warfare.

“So what do you want us to do about it?” AJ asked.

“Sev won’t be going,” East said. “His girlfriend...doesn’t have much to live. I thought it was best to leave him off this mission.”

“So I’ll be going alone?”

East smirked. “No, you’ll be going with sergeant Harlot.”

Harlot was the woman who AJ had saved earlier. The last time he saw her was in the medical facility. East had her hand permanently ruined so she couldn’t be a soldier. This way East’s superiors wouldn’t have her killed.

“I thought Harlot was badly injured,” AJ said.

“I’ll explain that it a bit. Let me first explain your mission.”

Years ago, US forces had air bases located around the country. As the war grew closer to home these air bases were destroyed. Without their airbases, the US lost its air superiority and relied on conventional infantry and ground combat. There hasn’t been a flying vehicle in years, no military aircraft nor commercial airliner. If what the girl said was true then there maybe an air base still operational somewhere. AJ’s mission was to head westward towards the badlands where reports of mysterious explosions came from.

“I understand my mission but why hasn’t anyone else found out about this?” AJ asked.

“The area is in a highly radioactive area,” East said. “The US is the only country with access two highly resistant radioactive suits. Other countries probably heard about this but just can’t get close. So suggest you be careful.”