Penguins of Anarchy

Seventeen

Two days later, Dreemo's transmitter crackled as he was jogging along the street in the heart of the city.  "Hello?" he asked.

"Patriot, it's Zealot.  We've decided which island we're going to capture next."

"Already, Drake?  Which one?"

There was a pause.  Though he couldn't see it, his uncle had winced at Dreemo using his real name.  "Look, we don't know if the MA is tapped into our radios or not, so just meet me in the square.  Contact the others, too."

"See you then."  Dreemo switched frequencies and contacted the other Penguins of Anarchy.

In the square, once everyone had arrived, including a good chunk of the Navigator Isle military, Drake spread a map of the surrounding islands across the ground.  Squatting near it, he pointed at an island thirty miles from their current location.  "This is Leopard Seal Cove; it's a big island, and the Martial Alliance presence there is stronger than average.  If we can take it from them, then the Martial Alliance forces on the surrounding islands will be forced to withdraw their troops unless they want to deal with all the fresh allies we'll gather from a liberated island the size of Leopard Seal Cove.  Any questions?"

"Just one," Sam stated: "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow, at first light."

"A victory on that island will be costly, but it'll take a big chunk out of the number of occupied islands if we capture it," Col. Fragnile added.

"If we win this, we may only have to capture Vile Atoll before the Martial Alliance is forced to retreat from our country and go back to America," Klondike said.

"And then we can go home," Sam mumbled to Dreemo.  But Dreemo remembered what Felly had told him about taking the fight to other countries across the world, and so he made no reply to his friend.

"Alright, this meeting is adjourned," Drake announced.  "Be here at dawn tomorrow or you'll get left behind."

"I wouldn't tempt them if I were you," Riker joked.

"In that case, you won't be seeing me tomorrow," Ursynz added sarcastically.

"Get your stuff ready," Fragnile said; "we'll be leaving in a hurry."

The next morning, Dreemo gazed at the dozens of helicopters that had been positioned in the city square.  The area was packed with soldiers from the Navigator Isle military along with civilians who had volunteered, most of them with minimal body armor or equipment.  There were even some whose only weapon was a pistol.

"So this is our army," Drake muttered under his breath.  He stood next to Dreemo, clenching his nephew's shoulder.  "I wonder if it'll be enough."

"It's not as impressive as I'd hoped," Klondike added.

Dreemo looked at the members of Task Force Anarchy, who were all clumped together as the other soldiers rushed to their designated vehicles.  "We can do it," he said.  "We've got to."

"And if we don't?" Marcosis asked.  He was well enough to fight, but his left side was permanently disfigured by the burn-marks earned during the battle for Navigator Isle.  It was a somber reminder to the others that whatever they did now would affect them forever.

"Then everybody native to this continent is doomed," Fragnile replied.  His face brightened.  "And on that high note, let's get in the air."

Drake had a tiny voice amplifier strapped to his neck like a necklace.  He turned it on and bellowed, "Let's move out, troops!"